Remembrance Day 2010

Magnus Carlsen Quits World Chess Championship Cycle

It's official - Magnus Carlsen has quit the World Chess Championship cycle. Many in the chess world consider him to be the prime candidate to hold the championship in the future. I am sure Carlsen fans around the world are not too happy about him leaving the cycle at this time, but rest assured he will be back. Carlsen has also launched a new website which you can visit here.

The following is a copy of the letter Carlsen sent to the FIDE regarding his decision to withdraw from the World Championship cycle:

-------------------

To: FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov & FIDE World Championship Committee.

Reference is made to the ongoing World Championship cycle.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of my decision not to take part in the planned Candidate Matches between March and May 2011.

After careful consideration I’ve reached the conclusion that the ongoing 2008–2012 cycle does not represent a system, sufficiently modern and fair, to provide the motivation I need to go through a lengthy process of preparations and matches and to perform at my best.


Reigning champion privileges, the long (five year) span of the cycle, changes made during the cycle resulting in a new format (Candidates) that no World Champion has had to go through since Kasparov, puzzling ranking criteria as well as the shallow ceaseless match-after-match concept are all less than satisfactory in my opinion.

By providing you with four months notice before the earliest start of the Candidates as well as in time before you have presented player contracts or detailed regulations, I rest assured that you will be able to find an appropriate replacement.

Although the purpose of this letter is not to influence you to make further changes to the ongoing cycle, I would like to take the opportunity to present a few ideas about future cycles in line with our input to FIDE during the December 27th 2008 phone-conference between FIDE leaders and a group of top-level players.

In my opinion privileges should in general be abolished and a future World Championship model should be based on a fair fight between the best players in the World, on equal terms. This should apply also to the winner of the previous World Championship, and especially so when there are several players at approximately the same level in the world elite. (Why should one player have one out of two tickets to the final to the detriment of all remaining players in the world? Imagine that the winner of the 2010 Football World Cup would be directly qualified to the 2014 World Cup final while all the rest of the teams would have to fight for the other spot.)

One possibility for future cycles would be to stage an 8-10 player World Championship tournament similar to the 2005 and 2007 events.

The proposal to abolish the privileges of the World Champion in the future is not in any way meant as criticism of, or an attack on, the reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who is a worthy World Champion, a role model chess colleague and a highly esteemed opponent.

Rest assured that I am still motivated to play competitive chess. My current plan is to continue to participate in well-organised top-level tournaments and to try to maintain the no 1 spot on the rating list that I have successfully defended for most of 2010.

Best regards,
IGM Magnus Carlsen

The Wickedest Man in Chess - Aleister Crowley

Happy Halloween everyone!

Can you spot any improvments

Remembering Terry Fox

New Chess Video: Grandmaster Chess Tactics #7

[Event "Reykjavik Open"]
[Site "Reykjavik ISL"]
[Date "2010.02.27"]
[EventDate "2010.02.24"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Henrik Danielsen"]
[Black "Tiger Hillarp Persson"]
[ECO "A37"]
[WhiteElo "2495"]
[BlackElo "2581"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. g3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O a6
7. d3 Rb8 8. a4 Nf6 9. Rb1 O-O 10. Ne1 Bd7 11. Nc2 a5 12. b3
Qc8 13. Bb2 Bh3 14. e3 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 Rd8 16. e4 e6 17. Nb5 Ne8
18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. f4 f5 20. Qe2 Nf6 21. Rbe1 Qd7 22. Qd1 Rf8
23. exf5 exf5 24. d4 Rfe8 25. Qd3 cxd4 26. Ncxd4 d5 27. c5 Re4
28. Nf3 Rbe8 29. Qd2 Rxe1 30. Rxe1 Rxe1 31. Qxe1 Ne4 32. Nbd4
Nxd4 33. Nxd4 Kh6 34. Qxa5 Qe7 35. Qb6 Kh5 36. b4 Qg7 37. Qd8
Nf6 38. Ne6 Qf7 39. Ng5 Qg7 40. Nxh7 1-0

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Chess Snapshot Analysis #5 - Can you spot any improvements?

There are improvements on both sides, can you find them?

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Website Back

http://www.jrobichess.com is now back online after the hosting maintenance.

Website Errors

Just a quick note to let you know the main site is experiencing troubles due to a hosting upgrade. It shouldn't be down for long.

Chess Snapshot Analysis #4 - Can you spot any improvements?

There are improvements on both sides, can you find them?

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: The Sicilian Defence - Dragon Variation - Classical

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Chess game can you spot any improvments

Chess Games of Grandmaster Veselin Topalov added to Interactive Grandmaster Database on www.jrobichess.com

The chess games of Grandmaster Veselin Topalov have been added to the Interactive Grandmaster database section of www.jrobichess.com. Topalov just wrapped up his bid for the World Chess Championship against Anand, falling short in game 12 and losing the match 6.5 to 5.5 against the reigning World Champion Anand.

To access the interactive Grandmaster database from the main page, click on your Grandmaster or tournament of choice on the left-hand side of the main site.

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

www.jrobichess.com - World Chess Championship PGN Database Updated on Interactive Grandmaster Database

The interactive Grandmaster database section on the main site ( http://www.jrobichess.com ) has been updated to include the 2010 World Chess Championships. The series was amazing, and I was very happy to cover it for all my YouTube subscribers, both new ones to the channel and the grizzled vets that have been following my chess videos for a long time.

To interact with all the World Chess Championship PGN's going back to the very first one, make sure to visit the main site and click on the tournament section on the left. There are several tournaments to browse through, along with a number of Grandmaster databases to explore. I will be adding several new Grandmasters to the list in the near future.

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: World Chess Championship 2010: Topalov vs. Anand - Game 12

[Event "Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_12"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2010.05.11"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D56"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "2010.04.24"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Be2 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O b6 14. Bd3 c5
15. Be4 Rb8 16. Qc2 Nf6 17. dxc5 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 bxc5 19. Qc2 Bb7 20. Nd2 Rfd8
21. f3 Ba6 22. Rf2 Rd7 23. g3 Rbd8 24. Kg2 Bd3 25. Qc1 Ba6 26. Ra3 Bb7 27. Nb3
Rc7 28. Na5 Ba8 29. Nc4 e5 30. e4 f5 31. exf5 e4 32. fxe4 Qxe4+ 33. Kh3 Rd4 34.
Ne3 Qe8 35. g4 h5 36. Kh4 g5+ 37. fxg6 Qxg6 38. Qf1 Rxg4+ 39. Kh3 Re7 40. Rf8+
Kg7 41. Nf5+ Kh7 42. Rg3 Rxg3+ 43. hxg3 Qg4+ 44. Kh2 Re2+ 45. Kg1 Rg2+ 46. Qxg2
Bxg2 47. Kxg2 Qe2+ 48. Kh3 c4 49. a4 a5 50. Rf6 Kg8 51. Nh6+ Kg7 52. Rb6 Qe4
53. Kh2 Kh7 54. Rd6 Qe5 55. Nf7 Qxb2+ 56. Kh3 Qg7 0-1

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: World Chess Championship 2010: Anand vs. Topalov - Game 11

[Event "Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_11"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2010.05.09"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Anand, V."]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A29"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[PlyCount "130"]
[EventDate "2010.04.24"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. O-O Be7 8.
a3 O-O 9. b4 Be6 10. d3 f6 11. Ne4 Qe8 12. Nc5 Bxc5 13. bxc5 Nd5 14. Bb2 Rd8
15. Qc2 Nde7 16. Rab1 Ba2 17. Rbc1 Qf7 18. Bc3 Rd7 19. Qb2 Rb8 20. Rfd1 Be6 21.
Rd2 h6 22. Qb1 Nd5 23. Rb2 b6 24. cxb6 cxb6 25. Bd2 Rd6 26. Rbc2 Qd7 27. h4 Rd8
28. Qb5 Nde7 29. Qb2 Bd5 30. Bb4 Nxb4 31. axb4 Rc6 32. b5 Rxc2 33. Rxc2 Be6 34.
d4 e4 35. Nd2 Qxd4 36. Nxe4 Qxb2 37. Rxb2 Kf7 38. e3 g5 39. hxg5 hxg5 40. f4
gxf4 41. exf4 Rd4 42. Kf2 Nf5 43. Bf3 Bd5 44. Nd2 Bxf3 45. Nxf3 Ra4 46. g4 Nd6
47. Kg3 Ne4+ 48. Kh4 Nd6 49. Rd2 Nxb5 50. f5 Re4 51. Kh5 Re3 52. Nh4 Nc3 53.
Rd7+ Re7 54. Rd3 Ne4 55. Ng6 Nc5 56. Ra3 Rd7 57. Re3 Kg7 58. g5 b5 59. Nf4 b4
60. g6 b3 61. Rc3 Rd4 62. Rxc5 Rxf4 63. Rc7+ Kg8 64. Rb7 Rf3 65. Rb8+ Kg7
1/2-1/2

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

Chess Snapshot Analysis 4 - Can you find any improvements?

A recent blitz game with the white pieces. Can you find improvements for either side?

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: World Chess Championship 2010: Topalov vs. Anand - Game 10

[Event "Sofia BUL, WCC 2010

Game_10"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2010.05.07"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D87"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2010.04.24"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8.
Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O b6 11. Qd2 Bb7 12. Rac1 Rc8 13. Rfd1 cxd4 14. cxd4
Qd6 15. d5 Na5 16. Bb5 Rxc1 17. Rxc1 Rc8 18. h3 Rxc1+ 19. Qxc1 e6 20. Nf4 exd5
21. Nxd5 f5 22. f3 fxe4 23. fxe4 Qe5 24. Bd3 Nc6 25. Ba6 Nd4 26. Qc4 Bxd5 27.
Qxd5+ Qxd5 28. exd5 Be5 29. Kf2 Kf7 30. Bg5 Nf5 31. g4 Nd6 32. Kf3 Ne8 33. Bc1
Nc7 34. Bd3 Bd6 35. Ke4 b5 36. Kd4 a6 37. Be2 Ke7 38. Bg5+ Kd7 39. Bd2 Bg3 40.
g5 Bf2+ 41. Ke5 Bg3+ 42. Ke4 Ne8 43. Bg4+ Ke7 44. Be6 Nd6+ 45. Kf3 Nc4 46. Bc1
Bd6 47. Ke4 a5 48. Bg4 Ba3 49. Bxa3+ Nxa3 50. Ke5 Nc4+ 51. Kd4 Kd6 52. Be2 Na3
53. h4 Nc2+ 54. Kc3 Nb4 55. Bxb5 Nxa2+ 56. Kb3 Nb4 57. Be2 Nxd5 58. h5 Nf4 59.
hxg6 hxg6 60. Bc4 1/2-1/2

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: World Chess Championship 2010: Anand vs. Topalov - Game 9

[Event "Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_9"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2010.05.06"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Anand, V."]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E54"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[PlyCount "165"]
[EventDate "2010.04.24"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O cxd4 8. exd4
dxc4 9. Bxc4 b6 10. Bg5 Bb7 11. Re1 Nbd7 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Bd3 Re8 14. Qe2 Bxc3
15. bxc3 Qc7 16. Bh4 Nh5 17. Ng5 g6 18. Nh3 e5 19. f3 Qd6 20. Bf2 exd4 21.
Qxe8+ Rxe8 22. Rxe8+ Nf8 23. cxd4 Nf6 24. Ree1 Ne6 25. Bc4 Bd5 26. Bg3 Qb4 27.
Be5 Nd7 28. a3 Qa4 29. Bxd5 Nxe5 30. Bxe6 Qxd4+ 31. Kh1 fxe6 32. Ng5 Qd6 33.
Ne4 Qxa3 34. Rc3 Qb2 35. h4 b5 36. Rc8+ Kg7 37. Rc7+ Kf8 38. Ng5 Ke8 39. Rxh7
Qc3 40. Rh8+ Kd7 41. Rh7+ Kc6 42. Re4 b4 43. Nxe6 Kb6 44. Nf4 Qa1+ 45. Kh2 a5
46. h5 gxh5 47. Rxh5 Nc6 48. Nd5+ Kb7 49. Rh7+ Ka6 50. Re6 Kb5 51. Rh5 Nd4 52.
Nb6+ Ka6 53. Rd6 Kb7 54. Nc4 Nxf3+ 55. gxf3 Qa2+ 56. Nd2 Kc7 57. Rhd5 b3 58.
Rd7+ Kc8 59. Rd8+ Kc7 60. R8d7+ Kc8 61. Rg7 a4 62. Rc5+ Kb8 63. Rd5 Kc8 64. Kg3
Qa1 65. Rg4 b2 66. Rc4+ Kb7 67. Kf2 b1=Q 68. Nxb1 Qxb1 69. Rdd4 Qa2+ 70. Kg3 a3
71. Rc3 Qa1 72. Rb4+ Ka6 73. Ra4+ Kb5 74. Rcxa3 Qg1+ 75. Kf4 Qc1+ 76. Kf5 Qc5+
77. Ke4 Qc2+ 78. Ke3 Qc1+ 79. Kf2 Qd2+ 80. Kg3 Qe1+ 81. Kf4 Qc1+ 82. Kg3 Qg1+
83. Kf4 1/2-1/2

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.

New Chess Video: World Chess Championship 2010: Topalov vs. Anand - Game 8

[Event "Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_8"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2010.05.04"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2787"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "2010.04.24"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 c5 8. e4 Bg6
9. Be3 cxd4 10. Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Bxd4 Nfd7 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. Bxc4 Rc8 14. Bb5 a6
15. Bxd7+ Kxd7 16. Ke2 f6 17. Rhd1 Ke8 18. a5 Be7 19. Bb6 Rf8 20. Rac1 f5 21.
e5 Bg5 22. Be3 f4 23. Ne4 Rxc1 24. Nd6+ Kd7 25. Bxc1 Kc6 26. Bd2 Be7 27. Rc1+
Kd7 28. Bc3 Bxd6 29. Rd1 Bf5 30. h4 g6 31. Rxd6+ Kc8 32. Bd2 Rd8 33. Bxf4 Rxd6
34. exd6 Kd7 35. Ke3 Bc2 36. Kd4 Ke8 37. Ke5 Kf7 38. Be3 Ba4 39. Kf4 Bb5 40.
Bc5 Kf6 41. Bd4+ Kf7 42. Kg5 Bc6 43. Kh6 Kg8 44. h5 Be8 45. Kg5 Kf7 46. Kh6 Kg8
47. Bc5 gxh5 48. Kg5 Kg7 49. Bd4+ Kf7 50. Be5 h4 51. Kxh4 Kg6 52. Kg4 Bb5 53.
Kf4 Kf7 54. Kg5 Bc6 55. Kh6 Kg8 56. g4 1-0

jrobichess makes chess videos and has a chess blog along with a personal chess site at http://www.jrobichess.com.