“The game of chess is the most fascinating and intellectual pastime which the wisdom of antiquity has bequeathed to us.”

🔸 Howard Staunton

@UnityChess

Bled, Yugoslavia. 4th September, 1961. Bobby Fischer (USA) is in play v. Mikhail Tal (USSR) in the 2nd round of the great tournament held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the famous event in 1931, won by Alexander Alekhine.

@UnityChess

Interesting article on Lorentzos Mavilis, a Greek poet and chess problems composer.
https://goo.gl/Nebkcd

@UnityChess

Who needs Hou Yifan & Ju Wenjun? The Chinese Women's Team comprehensively beat Russia to lead with a perfect 10/10 with 4 rounds of the World Team Championship to go!

Congratulations to 18-year-old Jeffery Xiong, who warmed up for the US Championship by winning the Spring Chess Classic for a 2nd time!

Sadly we didn't get to see the best of Ivanchuk in St. Louis:

🔸chess.com IoM Masters Douglas ENG 2018
🔸Round 6
⚪️Keymer,Vincent (2491)
⚫️Hoefelsauer,Thomas (2380)
🔸1-0

33.h3! [Since the black pieces are completely passive on the queenside, White decides to open up the kingside and launch an attack there.]

33...Kg6 [33...gxh3? 34.Rh2 Bd8 35.Rxh3 h4 36.Rb2 Bf6 37.Rbh2 Qg6 38.d5! Bxc3 39.Rxh4+ Kg7 40.dxe6 Bxe6 41.Rh7+ Kg8 42.Bxe6+ Qxe6 43.R2h6 Qd5 44.Qh5!+–]

34.Rh2 Qf7 35.Kf2 Rh8 36.Qb3! [△Rbh1]

36...Rh7 37.Rbh1 Rah8 38.Qb2 h4?! [¹38...Qe8! 39.Bb3 Bd8 40.b5 axb5 41.axb5 Bf6 42.b6!±]

39.hxg4 hxg3+ 40.Kxg3 fxg4 41.Qe2 Rh3+ 42.Rxh3 Rxh3+ 43.Rxh3 gxh3 44.Qg4+ Kh6 45.Qg5+ Kh7 46.Qh4+ [¹46.d5!! exd5 47.Qh4+ Kg6 48.Be2+–]

46...Kg6 47.Qxh3+–

1–0

⚫️#162 (Strategy-Black to Move)
🔸Fedoseev,Vl3 (2715)
🔸Petrosyan,M (2564)
🔸Aeroflot Open A Moscow RUS 2019

11...Ne4! [A timely freeing move by Petrosyan.]

[11...c4 12.Bc2 Ne4? 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2±; 11...g5 would not be so good: 12.Bg3 Nh5 13.Ne5 Nxg3 14.hxg3 f5 15.g4+/=]

12.Bxe7 Nxe7

13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Bb1 a5 15.Ne5 Ba6 16.Nd3 Ng6 17.Qg4 Nf6=

1–0

⚪️#162 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Fedoseev,Vl3 (2715)
🔸Petrosyan,M (2564)
🔸Aeroflot Open A Moscow RUS 2019

34.f4! [34.Bg2 Ne6 35.Rd2 d4 36.e4 (36.exd4 Rxd4 37.Rxd4 Qc5=/+) 36...Qg5=/+; 34.Rf4 Qe5-/+]

34...Ne6 [34...Ne4 35.Bg2 Nf6 36.e4±]

35.e4 Qf6 36.e5 Qe7 37.Rxd5 Qc7 38.Rxd8 Nxd8 39.Qd5±

1–0

⚪️#163 (Strategy-White to Move)
🔸Mamedov,Rau (2703)
🔸Lomasov,Semyon (2559)
🔸Aeroflot Open A Moscow RUS 2019