MVL is on a streak of 4 wins in a row before he plays Magnus in tomorrow's first round!

MVL (2858,4) is just 5 points behind Carlsen (2863,4) on the rapid rankings and can overtake him on Monday.

Second Round of Russian Championships Superfinals

⚪️#272 (Strategy-ًWhite to Move)
🔸Raccanello,Marianna (2030)
🔸Gueci,Tea (2184)
🔸78th ch-ITA Women 2018

22.Rab1!? [A Karpovian move! White start preparing the b2–b4 pawn advance, in order to open the b-file and attack on the black pawn on b7.]

[22.h4 e6 23.h5 g5= 24.Ra3 exd5 25.cxd5 Kg8 26.b4 Be5 27.bxc5 dxc5 28.Bxc5 Bf4 29.Be3„; 22.Ra2 e6 23.b4 exd5 24.cxd5 c4 25.Bd4 Be5 26.Bxe5 Rxe5 27.Qd4 Bb5 28.f3² /=]

22...e6 23.b4 exd5 24.cxd5 c4 25.Bb6? [25.Bd4 Bb5 26.Bxg7 Rxg7 27.Qd4 Rge7 28.f3 Re5 29.Ne4±]

25...c3 26.Qa2? Qc8 27.Ne2 Bf5–+

0–1

⚫️#272 (Endgame-Black to Move)
🔸Palozza,Christian (2296)
🔸Di Benedetto,Edoardo (2324)
🔸78th ch-ITA U20 2018

47...Rxa5+! [47...Rg8 48.a4 g5 49.Ra6 Kh7 50.Ra7+ Kg6 51.a5 h5 52.Ra6+ Kh7 53.gxh5 g4=; 47...Rb8+ 48.Kc5 Rc8+ 49.Kb4 g5=]

48.Kxa5 g6! 49.Kb6 h5 50.gxh5 gxh5 51.a4 h4 52.a5 h3 53.a6 h2 54.Ka7 h1Q 55.Kb8 Qb1+ 56.Ka8 Qe4+ 57.Kb8 Qe5+

0–1

🔸TCh-CZE Extraliga 2018–19
🔸Round 3
⚪️Slovak,Kilian (2288)
⚫️Krejci,Jan2 (2563)
🔸0-1

19...Nxe5! [Black correctly captures the e5–pawn with the knight. White's kingside is very weak the c5–pawn comes under fire as well.]

[19...dxc5? 20.f4! Qc7 21.Ne4 Rad8 22.Qf3= △Be3]

20.Be3 dxc5! 21.Bxc5 Qc7! [Black vacates the d8–square for his rook with tempo and does not allow his opponent to consolidate his position.]

[21...Rc8!?‚ 22.b4 Nac4 23.Rb3 Qh4 24.Re4 Qxh3 25.f4 Ng4! 26.Nf1 Qh4–+]

22.Be3 Rad8!–+ [△Nac4]

⚫️#273 (Strategy-ًBlack to Move)
🔸Di Benedetto,Desiree (2271)
🔸Brunello,M (2338)
🔸78th ch-ITA Women 2018

Unity Chess Strategy Multiple Choice 273
public poll

B) Nb6 – 6
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 86%
Nikhil, Majid, @Squirtle1, @SophiaCat_does_Chess, @A_Somewhat_Cool_Guy, Arianna

A) Bf6 – 1
👍 14%
@fantastic45

C) Ndf8
▫️ 0%

👥 7 people voted so far.

⚪️#273 (Endgame-White to Move)
🔸Loiacono,Antonio (2293)
🔸Varriale,Luca (2226)
🔸78th ch-ITA U20 2018