5-way tie for 1st place
The first ever Korchnoi-memorial tournament, organized in Zurich Switzerland, came to a close yesterday. The 7-round Swiss Open was a very strong event with Alexi Shirov heading the list of 80 participants. Of these players, 18 were Grandmasters. There were also 9 IMs. Time control was the standard 90 minutes (plus 30′ per move) for the entire game.
Final Classification
ChessResults
The 24-year old Azerbaijan GM Safarli edged out the other 4 players with the same score (5.5 points) to take the trophy. Congrats! To all of them…
Alexi Shirov has a difficult tournament
My friend Alexi Shirov, now 44 years old, every bit a superstar and still a great player, started the tournament on the wrong foot, drawing in the first round with a talented amateur some 500 points below him! Things initially did not get much better for Alexi who, after 4 rounds, had just 2.5 points.
However, then Alexi was able to pull himself together and strongly finished the tournament with 2.5 points from 3 games–all from titled players.
Alexi and I have known each other since 1990 and we have collaborated on numerous occasions in the years that followed. By 1994 Shirov was rated number 2 in the world, right behind Kasparov. He continued to improve and within 4 years Alexi became what I consider to be the strongest player in the world.
On June 5, 1998 Shirov earned the right to challenge Kasparov for the world title by defeating Kramnik 5.5 to 3.5 in a qualifying match. However, probably because of lack of interest on the part of sponsors and subsequent behind the scene manipulations involving the late Spanish businessman Luis Rentero’s efforts to organize this title match (and that are still controversial to this day) Kasparov was able to successfully avoid this match, playing instead in 2000 against – the same person Shirov had previously beaten in a match to earn the right to play Kasparov! (Both Kramnik and Kasparov deny having in any way harmed Shirov’s chances to play for the title.)
In the years since, even though Alexi has won some great events, Shirov’s career has taken a southern dive – rarely being invited into the so-called supertournaments. To stay in form, Alexi is more often obliged to play in Open tournaments, where he risks his Elo every game. Which is unfortunate – and unfair – as Shirov could no doubt still today kick the butt of atleast half of the world’s Top-10 !
Winning 5-second tactics
gm Pavlovic,M – Gass,U
Zurich 2017
White to play and win!
gm Guseinov,G – Kolbus,D
Zurich 2017
White to play and win!
gm Ivanisevich,I – Rueetschi,U
Zurich 2017
White to play and win!
gm Zhigalko,A – Ballmann,M
Zurich 2017
White to play and win!
gm Ivanisevic – gm Rakhmanov
Zurich 2017
Black to play and win!
gm Hera,I – gm Miezis,N
Zurich 2017
How can black force a draw?
You can download the tactics’ pgn HERE.
Selection of key games from the Open
Shirov,A – Miezis,N
Zurich 2017
Tregubov,P -Safarli,E
Zurich 2017
Lazarev,V – Perunovic,M
Zurich 2017
Shirov plays his favourite 4.f3 against the Nimzo and reaches a favourable middlegame. Miezis then sacrifices a piece, hoping to get play. Precise play by Shirov bags the point neatly.
White emerges from a theoretical opening with a passive Bishop against an active Knight. It is very impressive how Safarli bit by bit increases positional superiority and wins nicely.
White heads directly into the ending from a Benko Gambit, something not recommeded by theoreticians. But Black finds himself struggling and loses his grip on the position.
gm Miezis,N – Koehler,G
Zurich 2017
gm Safarli,E – gm Pavlovic,M
Zurich 2017
gm Zigalko,A – Toenz,A
Zurich 2017
Miezis plays his pet Botvinnik System and Black finds himself slowly but surely outplayed. A nice combination on the Kingside nets a couple of extra pawns. Machine like play by Miezis! Worth close study.
It is hard working games like this that win tournaments! White takes Black’s gambit in the opening and hangs on to the edge for the rest of the game. Black’s position has too many weaknesses to offer resistance.
A nice game by Zigalko! Not sure where Black went wrong, but I suspect that he needs to change his opening choice. White simply advanced on the Kingside and Black was surprisingly helpless to stop him!
gm Romanov,E – gm Motylev,V
Zurich 2017
gm Ivanisevic –gm Rakhmanov
Zurich 2017
gm Pavlovic,M – gm Van Wely
Zurich 2017
A nice crush! Romanov played too riskily with his pawn advance on the Kingside, leaving his King in the centre. Motylev crashed thru the centre and White’s King never found a safe haven. One for the books!
A terribly messy and confusing game between two of the most combative players on the tournament circuit! Both sides tried to win, but Rakhmanov did not lose his head and emerged victorious.
Another difficult to understand game! Black equalizes easily and then White got frisky with his pawns on the Queen side. When the smoke cleared White was struggling for a draw. He did not quite get it.
gm Pavlovic,M – gm Guseinov,G
Zurich 2017
gm Van Wely – Moor,R
Zurich 2017
gm Bauer,C – Stehli,M
Zurich 2017
An Austrian Attack in the Modern Defence. Black emerges from the opening with a reasonable game, but then Black forgets about his Kingside. Then he simply lost his pawns…White cleaned up neatly.
Nice game for the books! White plays classically thru-out and instructively exchanges to a winning ending. Van Wely should play like this more often!
The French Champion is one of the most under rated GMs in Europe. I really like watching Bauer’s games! When he plays well, I always get the sense of the inevitable…really nice game!
