Garry Kasparov: "Carlsen definitely belongs to the greatest of the greats. The way he dominates chess reminds us of the three years of Bobby Fischer (1970-72), it reminds of my best years and I think that's enough already to recognize his great contribution to the game of chess."

⚫️#247 (Strategy-Black to Move)
🔸Gasanov,Zaur (2195)
🔸Aliyev,Ravan (2351)
🔸Baku Open 2018

19...Qg6! [Taking advantage of the white king's vulnerable position.]

[19...Nxd4 20.Bxd4 Qg6 21.Kf1 Qh5 22.Ng1=; 19...Bd7 20.Nxc6 Qxc6 21.Qb3 Nc5 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Qc2 Qc6 24.Qb3 Bb6 25.a5 Bxa5 26.Ne5 Qd6 27.Qxb7 Bc7 28.Bf1 Rab8 (28...Rxe5 29.Qxa8+) 29.Qxd5 Rxe5 30.Qxe5 Qxe5 31.Rxe5 Bxe5 32.Rxd7 Rxb2 33.Bxa6 Rb1+ 34.Bf1 Bxc3 35.g3=]

20.Kf1 Qh5 21.Ng1 Bd7 22.Nxc6 bxc6 23.Bxe4? [23.b4 Qf5 24.Nf3 Qh5 25.Ng1 Bd6 26.Bf4 Bxf4 27.Bxe4 g6 28.Bd3³ /=]

23...Rxe4=/+ [Obviously, Black has the initiative and more active pieces.]

0–1

⚪️#247 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Guliev,L (2312)
🔸Fier,A (2553)
🔸Baku Open 2018

56.Nc3!? [56.g7 f2 57.Nb6 f1Q 58.Nd5+ Ke8 59.g8Q+ Qf8 60.Qg6+ Kd8 61.Qg5+ Kc8 62.Qc1+ Bc4 63.Qxc4+ Qc5 64.Qxc5+ Kb7 65.Qb6+ Ka8 66.Nc7#; 56.Nb6 Kf8 57.Nd7+ Kg7 58.Kd6 f2 59.e7 Bxd7 60.Kxd7 f1Q 61.e8Q Qb5+ 62.Kd8 Qb6+ 63.Ke7 Qe3+ 64.Kd8 Qxb3=]

56...Kf8 57.Ne4 [57.Nxb5! f2 58.Kd6 f1Q 59.e7+ Kg7 60.e8Q Qd3+ 61.Kc7 Qc2+ 62.Kb6 Qxb3 63.Qd7+ Kxg6 64.Kxa5=]

57...Kg7 58.Kf4 Kxg6 59.Kxf3 a4 60.bxa4 Bxa4 61.Kf4 Bb3 62.Ke5 Bxe6

½–½

🔸Bistro Stella Limhamn Malmo 2018
🔸Round 7
⚪️Hansen,SuB (2583)
⚫️Semcesen,D (2464)
🔸1-0

24.d5! [White's pieces are all well-placed and ready for this central breakthrough.]

24...cxd5 25.Nxb7! Rxb7 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.exd5 [27.Qxb5? d4! 28.a4 e5=/+]

27...Rc8 [27...exd5 28.Bxd5! Bf6 29.Bxf7+ Rxf7 30.Rxd8++–]

28.dxe6!‚ [28.Rxc8? Qxc8 29.Qxb5 exd5 30.Qxd5 Ra7²]

28...Rxc1 29.exf7+ Kf8 30.Rxc1+–

⚪️#248 (Strategy-White to Move)
🔸Eynullayev,Altay (2180)
🔸Mgeladze,T (2395)
🔸Baku Open 2018

Unity Chess Strategy Multiple Choice 248
public poll

A) a5 – 7
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 58%
Akbar, @mahyarebrahimi1983, Nikhil, @Steve1234567890qwerty, @AryanLeekha, @ab0987654321Qwerty, Matthew

B) Bf4 – 4
👍👍👍👍 33%
Majid, @SophiaCat_does_Chess, Srikar, @Vicky143

C) f3 – 1
👍 8%
@MerissaWongso

👥 12 people voted so far.

⚫️#248 (Endgame-Black to Move)
🔸Sonis,Francesco (2499)
🔸David,Alb (2555)
🔸78th ch-ITA 2018

⚫️#248 (Endgame-Black to Move)
🔸Sonis,Francesco (2499)
🔸David,Alb (2555)
🔸78th ch-ITA 2018

Unity Chess Endgame Multiple Choice 248
public poll

B) Rfd8 – 7
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 39%
@Rasoulsamimi1361, Akbar, @mahyarebrahimi1983, @fantastic45, @MerissaWongso, @AryanLeekha, @ab0987654321Qwerty

A) B×e5 – 6
👍👍👍👍👍👍 33%
Jahanbakhsh, Majid, F, @SophiaCat_does_Chess, Srikar, @Vicky143

C) Bg5 – 5
👍👍👍👍👍 28%
Nikhil, @Steve1234567890qwerty, @raienr, اوین, Matthew

👥 18 people voted so far.

⚫️#248 (Strategy-Black to Move)
🔸Sonis,Francesco (2499)
🔸David,Alb (2555)
🔸78th ch-ITA 2018

17.Bf4! [Increasing the pressure on the weak d6–pawn.]

[17.a5!? Nb5 18.Bf4 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Nxc3 20.Qd2 Nb5 (20...Nxe4 21.Qc2 Qh4 22.Rxe4 Rxe4 23.Qxe4 g5 24.g3 Qh3 25.Kg1 gxf4 26.Qxf4+–) 21.Bg3 f6 22.f4±; 17.f3 b5 18.Na5 Nb6 19.Qc2 Qd7 20.b3 f5!? 21.Bg5 fxe4 22.fxe4 Qg4 23.Be3 Rf8 (23...Bxc3?? 24.Qxc3 Qxe4 25.Bh6) 24.Nc6=]

17...Ne5 18.Bxe5! Bxe5 19.Nb6?! [19.Nxe5 dxe5 (19...Qxe5 20.f4 Qg7 21.e5±) 20.a5 Rad8 21.Qc4+–]

½–½