ChessBase Journal (CBM 212) affords a window to the world {of professional} chess.  The most recent subject, CBM #213 is simply out. Our columnist, Nagesh Havanur,  critiques a latest subject, CBM #212. Here’s a glimpse of the contents:

 3260  video games (49 annotated)  from  Tata Metal, Meltwater Tour Remaining and World Blitz &World Speedy Championships amongst others.  12 opening surveys, 7 demo. lectures and a number of other workout routines for coaching. Annotators embody Anish Giri,  Jorden Van Forrest, Jan Duda, Peter Heine Nielsen  amongst others. The icing on the cake is a function on Tony Miles (1955-2001) with 21 annotated video games.

CBM 212 Evaluation by Nagesh Havanur

At the same time as I write these strains, the world championship match is drawing to a detailed.  Sadly, the occasion has misplaced its luster on account of the withdrawal of Carlsen.  It stays to be seen whether or not the efficiency of Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren on this duel would meet the requirements set by their predecessors.

In the meantime their rivals on the match circuit have proved repeatedly that in addition they deserve their place below the solar. CBM 212 showcases their play in three occasions, the Tata Metal Chess Match, Meltwater  Remaining and World Speedy & Blitz Championships held on the finish of 2022.

A shock winner in Tata Metal

As is thought,  Anish Giri received the 2023 Version of Tata Metal Match  with a rating of 8.5 factors out of 13 edging out Abdusattorov and Carlsen  who completed with 8 factors out of 13. He remained unbeaten all through. On this subject, CBM 212, he annotates three of  his video games, with Gukesh, Carlsen and Rapport. Because it turned out, the victory over Carlsen performed an necessary position in figuring out the ultimate standing. Nonetheless, the sport with Gukesh is extra satisfying in aesthetic phrases:

https://tatasteelchess.com/2023-photo-gallery/photo-gallery-round-2/

Photograph: Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Metal Chess Match 2023

Giri-Gukesh, Tata Metal Match  2023 ( obtain pgn)

http://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2023/4/27/Game307687.html

There are a number of exceptional video games from this occasion in CBM 212, and I used to be notably fascinated by Abdusattorov’s victory over Carlsen. The world champion took horrible dangers to win this sport as he had remained behind within the rating desk after shedding to Giri. Sadly, he discovered an opponent who was well-prepared. Subsequently Abdusattorov was to put in writing on this encounter:

“This sport was performed in Spherical 5. It was  my first classical sport in opposition to Magnus Carlsen. I had ready lots of issues on the remaining day the day earlier than, and I  was extraordinarily concentrated. I checked out his video games and he performs each 1.e4 and 1.d4.  However earlier than this sport I had additionally checked out 1.c4. So, I used to be prepared for just about each first transfer.”

–New in Chess Journal, #2, 2023

 Photograph: Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Metal Chess Match 2023

In CBM 212, Dorian Rogozenco affords a video presentation  on this sport. My very own annotations to the sport aided by Abdusattorov’s commentary in New in Chess Journal, subject, #2, 2023 could function a complement to this sport.

Carlsen-Abdusattorov, Tata Metal Match  2023 (obtain pgn)

http://view.chessbase.com/cbreader/2023/4/28/Game3282703.html#

Carlsen’s Most interesting hour

Carlsen  had it comparatively straightforward within the Meltwater Remaining Match through which he completed with 20.5 factors out of 27far forward of Wesley So who ended up with 16 factors out of 27. You will see that the video games in CBM 212. Nonetheless,  his most interesting hour was his triumph within the World Speedy & Blitz Championships. Within the Speedy occasion he completed with 10 factors out of 13 forward of Vincent Keymer and Fabiano Caruana who scored 9.5 out 13. In CBM 212, Robert Ris analyses his victory over Abdusattorov within the Transfer-by-Transfer column.

 Within the Blitz Part he completed with 16 factors out of 21 forward of Hikaru Nakamura and Haik Martirosyan who scored 15 factors of 21. Carlsen shone particularly within the following sport, and it’s annotated by Peter Heine Nielsen on this subject.

Carlsen-Rapport, World Blitz Championship (obtain pgn)

A sport through which the loser deserves as a lot credit score because the winner.

 The standard of video games in speedy and blitz might be uneven and outcomes unpredictable.  On this World Blitz Championship, you  would additionally discover a sport through which Nepomniachtchi beats Carlsen after the latter runs out of time after 41 strikes. The sport itself shouldn’t be spectacular and Nepo solely has a superior place on the finish of all of it. However then who can win in opposition to Time? Amongst different video games one did make waves and received the brilliancy prize. Older readers listed below are fairly aware of the next encounter. Nonetheless, it’s value a glance:

Giri-Dubov, World Blitz Championship 2023 (obtain pgn)

A Tony Miles Particular

CBM 212 additionally carries a particular function on Tony Miles with twenty-one annotated video games. The opponents embody such illustrious names as Spassky, Korchnoi, Geller, Polugaevsky Beliavsky, Ljubojevic, Ulf Andersson and Walter Browne. The well-known sport, Karpov-Miles, 1980 additionally deserved to be included. The life and video games of Tony Miles benefit extra detailed consideration. Sometime I hope to return to this theme.  

For now, I shall draw the eye of readers to a exceptional e book,

Tony Miles: ‘It’s solely me’ England’s First Chess Grandmaster, lovingly compiled by Geoff Lawton:

There are as many as 3030 video games of Tony Miles within the Massive Base alone. They’re value a glance.

 Opening movies and surveys

There are 3 opening movies in CBM 212.

The primary affords  an introduction to an uncommon line within the QGD Trade variation (D35)

  by Nico Zwirs:

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Bg4

The second presents  evaluation  of a line within the Evans Gambit  (C52) by Mihail Marin.

The third is a lecture on the  Anti-Marshall Line (8.a4 ) within the Spanish  (C88) by Rustam Kasimdzhanov.

 Take your decide.

What’s extra, there are as many as  opening surveys starting from  the  Caro-Kannto the Catalan. Amongst them I might single out the analyses on the Ulvestad Variation of the Two Knights Protection (5…b5) by Robert Ris and the Petrosian Variation of the King’s Indian (7.d5) by Krisztian Szabo.

The Ulvestad Variation

The primary of them deserves a diagram:

Olaf Ulvestad, the pioneer of this variation wrote manner again in 1941,

“It meets the pawn assault on the knight by a pawn assault on White’s most successfully positioned piece. White’s unique assault is totally damaged up and Black obtains a strong initiative. As a substitute of committing the identical mistake as White, by shifting the identical piece  twice within the opening, Black assaults with a transfer  which furthers his normal growth. 5..PN4 gives helpful freedom to his QB and QR.”

The evaluation by Robert Ris  in CBM 212 comes near the same train by Jonathan Tait in his latest work, A disreputable opening  repertoire (Everyman Chess. 2022).  Tait affords a historic perspective and has a private expertise of taking part in this line, to not point out information of video games that don’t seem in common databases. Robert Ris affords an evaluation that’s trendy and up to date.  It’s exact and sharp,  user-friendly in that one can take a look at the evaluation on ChessBase. For my part readers can profit from  learning each.

 Right here I’ve room for a chicken’s eye view of  the primary line on this exceptional variation.

The Italian Sport-Ulvestad Variation 2023 (obtain pgn)

The final phrase on this variation is but to be written.

The Petrosian Variation of the King’s Indian

Krisztian Szabo’s therapy of the 7.d5 Variation of the King’s Indian covers the trendy line 7…Na6, not the older line 7…Nbd7.  Again then in the course of the Nineteen Sixties and the Seventies  7.d5 was named after Tigran Petrosian who outplayed opponents every time they tried 7…Nbd7. Lately there have been  sporadic makes an attempt to revive 7…Nbd7. Maybe this line additionally deserves a re-evaluation.

Moreover opening surveys, this subject has customary options on ways, technique, and the endgame. Right here I might single out Karsten Müller’s demo lecture on rook and pawn versus rook ending. He’s lucid and it’s a deal with to study the ultimate section of the sport from him.

Final, however not least, we’ve got Jan Markos’ demo lecture on the subject,  “Easy methods to cope with draw affords”.  Sensible recommendation for the match participant.

Summing up

The principle database of the problem has 3260 latest video games of which forty-nine are deeply annotated. There may be a lot else on this DVD that deserves to be explored. Aside from the veterans I’ve already talked about, the commentators  additionally embody younger lions like Jorden Van Forrest and Praggnanandhaa. Their annotations to the video games with Carlsen and Ding Liren supply a refreshing departure from what we see elsewhere. They’re frank, candid, and are available straight from the guts.

It could be famous that there are extra annotated video games within the opening and coaching sections of this subject.

Effectively, observe makes excellent.

Notes:

   1) Olaf Ulvestad (1912-200) was an American participant with an unorthodox thoughts. Throughout the 1946 USSR-USA Match he drew stage with David Bronstein, profitable one,  shedding one and drawing two video games.

 2) Tony Miles was known as “The Beast of Birmingham”  by a malicious press.  He was a real avenue fighter over the chessboard.

Nonetheless, beneath that fierce exterior, there was a heat and a weak  coronary heart: https://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/chess-corner-4/

Nagesh Havanur:

https://en.chessbase.com/writer/nagesh-havanur

Prof. Nagesh Havanur (in any other case often known as “chessbibliophile”) is a senior tutorial and analysis scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for 3 many years and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His pursuits embody chess historical past, biography, and opening concept. He has been writing on the Royal Sport for practically three many years. His articles and critiques have appeared on a number of web pages and magazines.