40 years ago, the World Championship match between Anatoly Karpov & Viktor Korchnoi was under way. One of my earliest chess memories is reading the score of the 1st match game (played 18th July 1978) in the newspaper, while on holiday in England.
@UnityChess
@UnityChess
☑️☑️☑️☑️
◼️ Chess History - Tournaments
▪️ Petrograd 1923
▪️The 2nd USSR Championship was held in Petrograd on July 6-24, 1923, and was not the 2nd USSR Championship. It wasn't the 1st either. Though the initial treaty forming the Soviet Union had been signed at the end of 1922, these thirteen players were vying for the title Champion of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, or Russia):
Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk;
🔻 Fyodor Ivanovich Dus Chotimirsky;
🔻 Nikolay Dmitrievich Grigoriev;
🔻 Alexander Ilyin-Zhenevsky;
🔻 Arvid Kubbel;
🔻 Sergey Fedorovich Lebedev;
🔻 Grigory Levenfish;
🔻 Vladimir Nenarokov;
🔻 Ilya Leontievich Rabinovich;
🔻 Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky;
🔻 Konstantin Alekseyevich Vygodchikov;
🔻 Yakov S Vilner;
🔻 Nikolay Zubarev
🔻 Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk
Two of the favorites met in round one, with Levenfish outduelling Romanovsky. However, the latter went on a tear with 10 points in his remaining 11 games, and in the end nobody could keep up.
✔️ The final standing was as above👆
.............................................................................
#chess_history_tornaments
#Petrograd_1923
@unitychess
◼️ Chess History - Tournaments
▪️ Petrograd 1923
▪️The 2nd USSR Championship was held in Petrograd on July 6-24, 1923, and was not the 2nd USSR Championship. It wasn't the 1st either. Though the initial treaty forming the Soviet Union had been signed at the end of 1922, these thirteen players were vying for the title Champion of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, or Russia):
Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk;
🔻 Fyodor Ivanovich Dus Chotimirsky;
🔻 Nikolay Dmitrievich Grigoriev;
🔻 Alexander Ilyin-Zhenevsky;
🔻 Arvid Kubbel;
🔻 Sergey Fedorovich Lebedev;
🔻 Grigory Levenfish;
🔻 Vladimir Nenarokov;
🔻 Ilya Leontievich Rabinovich;
🔻 Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky;
🔻 Konstantin Alekseyevich Vygodchikov;
🔻 Yakov S Vilner;
🔻 Nikolay Zubarev
🔻 Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk
Two of the favorites met in round one, with Levenfish outduelling Romanovsky. However, the latter went on a tear with 10 points in his remaining 11 games, and in the end nobody could keep up.
✔️ The final standing was as above👆
.............................................................................
#chess_history_tornaments
#Petrograd_1923
@unitychess
12.Nb5!
Intending to transfer the knight to the central square d4 and also creating the threat of a3, winning a piece.
12.a6
12...Q×b2?? 13.Rb1 +-
12...Bd7?? 13.a3 +-
13.Nbd4 b5 14.Be2 e5 15.Nc2 Rd8 16.N×b4 R×d1 17.Rf×d1 a5 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.N×e5 =
The strategically interesting game remained in dynamic equilibrium for a long time, but in the endgame, Carlsen reached a position in which his rook, knight and pawns are superior to a queen.
Intending to transfer the knight to the central square d4 and also creating the threat of a3, winning a piece.
12.a6
12...Q×b2?? 13.Rb1 +-
12...Bd7?? 13.a3 +-
13.Nbd4 b5 14.Be2 e5 15.Nc2 Rd8 16.N×b4 R×d1 17.Rf×d1 a5 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.N×e5 =
The strategically interesting game remained in dynamic equilibrium for a long time, but in the endgame, Carlsen reached a position in which his rook, knight and pawns are superior to a queen.
19...Na6?
A carelessness. 22-year-old Swiss GM should have got his queen off the a3-f8 diagonal. 19...Qd7+/-
20.d4 b4 21.Bb2 0-0 22.B×d5! N×d5 23.d×c5 N×c5 24.N×d5 +-
A carelessness. 22-year-old Swiss GM should have got his queen off the a3-f8 diagonal. 19...Qd7+/-
20.d4 b4 21.Bb2 0-0 22.B×d5! N×d5 23.d×c5 N×c5 24.N×d5 +-
26.Nf6+ Kh8 27.Qf5! g6
27...g×f6 28.B×f6 Bg7 29.B×d8 R×d8 30.Q×c5 +-
28.Ne4+ 1-0
A miniature win by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov against the Swiss representative GM Nico Georgiadis.
27...g×f6 28.B×f6 Bg7 29.B×d8 R×d8 30.Q×c5 +-
28.Ne4+ 1-0
A miniature win by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov against the Swiss representative GM Nico Georgiadis.
14...h6!
A typical defensive move to meet h5 with ...g5.
15.Bd3 Bd7 16.Rhe1 Rfc8!
Intending ...Rb8 and b5, attacking on the queenside.
17.Rd2 Rab8 18.Rde2 b5 19.Nd4 b4 20.N×c6 B×c6
Black has a more comfortable game.
A typical defensive move to meet h5 with ...g5.
15.Bd3 Bd7 16.Rhe1 Rfc8!
Intending ...Rb8 and b5, attacking on the queenside.
17.Rd2 Rab8 18.Rde2 b5 19.Nd4 b4 20.N×c6 B×c6
Black has a more comfortable game.
32. Rgh4?
32. Rh6!
A clever move to keep the balance.
32...Rbc8 33.Rf6 33...R8c7 34. Rg7 Kf8 35.Rg2 =
32... Rg8 {...Rg3+ is the strong threat.} 33. f5 Rg3+- 19 34. Kd2 Rg2+
35. Kd1 Rcxc2 36. f6+ Kd7 37. Rxb4 a5 38. Rb8 Rcf2! -+
32. Rh6!
A clever move to keep the balance.
32...Rbc8 33.Rf6 33...R8c7 34. Rg7 Kf8 35.Rg2 =
32... Rg8 {...Rg3+ is the strong threat.} 33. f5 Rg3+- 19 34. Kd2 Rg2+
35. Kd1 Rcxc2 36. f6+ Kd7 37. Rxb4 a5 38. Rb8 Rcf2! -+
24...Re5!
Luring another white kingside pawn to a dark square. Opposing pieces are much easier to attack if they are close-by!
Instead 24...f6 25.gxf6 Rxf6 26.Qb5 would be okay for White.
25.h4 f6 26.Qb5 Qd6!?
Risky, but I hadn't come all this way to play the endgame after 26...Qxb5. I felt that was too easy for White to play decently. I'm not sure about that decision objectively, but with White using up a lot of time, it was an unpleasant practical decision for him. 27.axb5 Rd8 28.c4 fxg5 29.hxg5 Rxg5+ 30.Kf1 is better for Black of course (Sadler).
27.Qxb7?
27.gxf6 Rxf6 28.Qxb7 Re8 is unclear.
27...fxg5 28.Rxf8+
If 28.Rf7 Rxe3 29.Rxg7 Rg3+
28...Qxf8 29.Rf1 Qd8!
Missed by White. Suddenly Black is completely winning.
Luring another white kingside pawn to a dark square. Opposing pieces are much easier to attack if they are close-by!
Instead 24...f6 25.gxf6 Rxf6 26.Qb5 would be okay for White.
25.h4 f6 26.Qb5 Qd6!?
Risky, but I hadn't come all this way to play the endgame after 26...Qxb5. I felt that was too easy for White to play decently. I'm not sure about that decision objectively, but with White using up a lot of time, it was an unpleasant practical decision for him. 27.axb5 Rd8 28.c4 fxg5 29.hxg5 Rxg5+ 30.Kf1 is better for Black of course (Sadler).
27.Qxb7?
27.gxf6 Rxf6 28.Qxb7 Re8 is unclear.
27...fxg5 28.Rxf8+
If 28.Rf7 Rxe3 29.Rxg7 Rg3+
28...Qxf8 29.Rf1 Qd8!
Missed by White. Suddenly Black is completely winning.
13.Qd3
A sharp move, which introduces a number of nasty tactical motifs against Black's main plan of ...Bd7-c6.
13...Bb4!?
13...Bd7? 14.Bxd5 exd5 15.e6 Bxe6 (15...fxe6 16.Qg6+ Kf8 17.Ne5 with an attack)16.Rxe6 fxe6 17.Qg6+ Kd7 18.Ne5+ Kc8 19.Nf7!! Qe8 20.Nxh8 Qxh8 21.Qxe6+ wins for White.
14.Bd2 Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Bd7 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.a3 0-0 18.Rac1
A sharp move, which introduces a number of nasty tactical motifs against Black's main plan of ...Bd7-c6.
13...Bb4!?
13...Bd7? 14.Bxd5 exd5 15.e6 Bxe6 (15...fxe6 16.Qg6+ Kf8 17.Ne5 with an attack)16.Rxe6 fxe6 17.Qg6+ Kd7 18.Ne5+ Kc8 19.Nf7!! Qe8 20.Nxh8 Qxh8 21.Qxe6+ wins for White.
14.Bd2 Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Bd7 16.Bxd5 exd5 17.a3 0-0 18.Rac1
Unity Chess Multiple Choice 573
public poll
B: Nd7 – 7
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 64%
@mehrchess77, Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @SinaKhansharifan, Rachel, Matthew
A: Ne5 – 2
👍👍 18%
@RichardPeng, Zhenrui
C: Qc7 – 2
👍👍 18%
Mieke, George
👥 11 people voted so far.
public poll
B: Nd7 – 7
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 64%
@mehrchess77, Jonas, Ramesh, Vincent, @SinaKhansharifan, Rachel, Matthew
A: Ne5 – 2
👍👍 18%
@RichardPeng, Zhenrui
C: Qc7 – 2
👍👍 18%
Mieke, George
👥 11 people voted so far.