Famous Chess Players
Some of the most prominent Grandmasters in Chess
MAX LANGE
Max Lange (August 7, 1832, Magdeburg – December 8, 1899, Leipzig)
German chess player and composer. In 1858–1864, he was an editor of the Deutsche Schachzeitung (German Chess Newsletter). He was a founder of Westdeutscher Schachbund (West German Chess Federation, WDSB), and an organizer of the 9th DSB–Congress (Kongress des Deutschen Schachbundes) at Leipzig 1894. He was second President of the German Chess Federation..
Max Lange vs Wilfried Paulsen [Dusseldorf 1863 ]
The variation of the Two Knights Defense 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O–O Bc5 6.e5 is called the Max Lange Attack. The Vienna Game variation 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 is known as the Max Lange Defense.
The Max Lange Attack is a chess opening that can arise from many different opening lines, including the Two Knights Defense, Petroff’s Defense, Scotch Gambit, Bishop’s Opening, Center Game, and Giuoco Piano. Two of the most commonly seen move ordersare 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 (the Two Knights Defense) 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Bc5 6.e5 and 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 (the Scotch Gambit) Bc5 5.0-0 Nf6 6.e5.
After 6.e5, Black has two main replies. Black’s 6…Ng4 is playable, but rarely seen. More common is 6…d5, when the main line continues 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 (9…Qxf6?? 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qh5+ followed by 12.Qxc5 is a notorious trap) 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 0-0-0 with complex play.
EXAMPLES of the MAX LANGE ATTACK……….
Two knights Max Lange attack, Berger Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. g4 Qg6 12. Nce4 Bb6 13. f4 O-O-O
Two knights Max Lange attack, Marshall Variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4
Two knights Max Lange attack, Krause Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 Ng4 7. c3
* H. Vatter-John Nunn, 1986
Norway Chess 2013 / Round 8
The 8th Round of the Norway Chess tournament saw four decisive games and surprisingly the top two players Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen were both defeated. Karjakin still holds the lead with one round to go..
Nakamura played a sharp game with white against Radjabov’s sicilian defense ..who after the game says he may cancel his next tournament: the FIDE Grand Prix which starts in a few days in Thessaloniki.
Rd8 GM Nakamura (2775) – GM Radjabov (2745)
standings after 8 rounds..
| # | Name | Rtg | Perf | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | Pts | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karjakin,S | 2767 | 2900 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 19 | ||
| 2 | Carlsen,M | 2868 | 2837 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 | 18.25 | ||
| 3 | Anand,V | 2783 | 2856 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 17.25 | ||
| 4 | Svidler,P | 2769 | 2812 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4.5 | 18.25 | ||
| 5 | Nakamura,H | 2775 | 2829 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 4.5 | 17.5 | ||
| 6 | Aronian,L | 2813 | 2792 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4.5 | 15.5 | ||
| 7 | Wang Hao | 2743 | 2724 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 3.5 | 14.75 | ||
| 8 | Topalov,V | 2793 | 2719 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 3.5 | 13 | ||
| 9 | Radjabov,T | 2745 | 2632 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 2.5 | 7.25 | ||
| 10 | Hammer,J | 2608 | 2530 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1.5 | 5.25 |
Norway Chess 2013 / Round 7
by National Life Master Loal Davis
Teimour Radjabov |
Viswanathan Anand |
Anand has a very long and strong history of playing the Black side of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. He played it in his youth in its original form and later gravitated towards the Meran Defense and the Open Catalan; all are similar in that Black plays an relatively early dxc4. Yes a little time is lost and short term central control, but Black has an internal harmony of all of his pieces, especially the Bishops which in other (most) variations of the Queen’s Gambit are confined and a constant nuisance.
In the 7th round of Normay Chess, Vishy again shows us the pluses associated with opening the game up.
Radjabov,Teimour (2745) – Anand,Viswanathan (2783) Norway Chess 2013 Stavanger (7), 15.05.2013
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4
The Open Catalan. When you think about it, it’s a Queen’s Gambit Accepted.
5.Bg2 c5 6.Qa4+ Bd7
[Black can also play 6...Nbd7 and liberate the Queenside by a6/b5 (with tempo)/Bb7 - and if necessary (often is with a Bishop on g2) Rb8 (but watch out for Bf4).
Then Black's Bishops have nice long open diagonals while he fights for central control. It can also happen that Black ends up with a Queenside majority of Pawns for the ending.]
7.Qxc4 Bc6 8.0–0
The Pawn on c5 usually ends up being a temporary Pawn sacrifice and White may well be better off ignoring it.
8…Nbd7 9.Nc3 Rc8 10.Be3 b5
11.Qd3
[11.Nxb5 cxd4 12.Nxa7 Bxf3 13.Qxc8 Qxc8 14.Nxc8 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 dxe3 and White is a mess.]
11…b4 12.Nb1 c4
There’s that Queenside majority.
13.Qc2 Be7 14.a3 b3
Black refuses (with tempo) to let the White Rook out, but the Queenside Majority is now not so mobiile.
15.Qc1 Nb6 16.Nc3 Nfd5 17.Bd2 0–0 18.Ne5 Nxc3 19.Bxc3 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Na4 21.Re1 f5
At first this looked strange to me, but Anand wants to play Bf6 and not be bothered by Ng4.
22.f3 Bg5 23.e3 Bf6
Black is better. Look at that Rook on a1.
24.e4 Bxe5
Going for the ending. The d3 square is soft.
25.dxe5 fxe4 26.Rxe4 Qd3 27.Re3 Qd5 28.Qe1 Rfd8
29.Rc1 Qb5 30.Rd1 Rd3
Beautiful play by Anand; comletely developed, central control/pressure and White’s Bishop is playing the role of a Big Pawn.
31.Rexd3 cxd3 32.Bd4 Qc4 33.Be3 Nxb2 34.Rc1 d2
[34.Rc1 d2 35.Bxd2 (35.Qxd2 Qxc1 36.Qxc1 Rxc1 37.Bxc1 Nd3 and the Pawn from the Queenside Majority waltzes in.) 35...Nd3 36.Rxc4 Nxe1+ 37.Bxe1 Rxc4]
0–1
Supreme Masters 2013
Magnus the Magician pulls a win out of thin air…
Magnus Carlsen scores another win against Teimour Radjabov for the second time… moves within half a point of the leader Sergey Karjakin.
Supreme Masters 2013 Sandnes NOR
Rd6 GM Carlsen (2868) – GM Radjabov (2745)
| Supreme Masters 2013 Sandnes NOR (NOR), 8-18 v 2013 | cat. XXI (2766) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1. | Karjakin, Sergey | g | RUS | 2767 | * | 0 | . | 1 | ½ | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4½ | 2953 | |||
| 2. | Carlsen, Magnus | g | NOR | 2868 | 1 | * | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | . | 4 | 2897 | |||
| 3. | Nakamura, Hikaru | g | USA | 2775 | . | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | . | 3½ | 2851 | |||
| 4. | Aronian, Levon | g | ARM | 2813 | 0 | . | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | . | 1 | 3½ | 2798 | |||
| 5. | Anand, Viswanathan | g | IND | 2783 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | . | . | . | 3 | 2797 | |||
| 6. | Svidler, Peter | g | RUS | 2769 | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | . | . | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2765 | |||
| 7. | Topalov, Veselin | g | BUL | 2793 | . | ½ | ½ | . | 0 | . | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 2½ | 2696 | |||
| 8. | Radjabov, Teimour | g | AZE | 2745 | 0 | 0 | . | ½ | . | . | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | 2½ | 2708 | |||
| 9. | Wang, Hao | g | CHN | 2743 | 0 | . | 0 | . | . | 1 | ½ | ½ | * | 0 | 2 | 2617 | |||
| 10. | Hammer, Jon Ludvig | g | NOR | 2608 | 0 | . | . | 0 | . | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | * | 1½ | 2578 | |||
“I’m really very satisfied I managed to squeeze something out of this and am now fully in the tournament. It’s a very welcome turn of events for me.” – Carlsen.
*** UP DATE Round 7 results Magnus wins again…
| WANG Hao | ½ -½ | ARONIAN Levon |
| HAMMER Jon Ludvig | 0-1 | CARLSEN Magnus |
| SVIDLER Peter | ½ -½ | TOPALOV Veselin |
| RADJABOV Teimour | 0-1 | ANAND Viswanathan |
| KARJAKIN Sergey | 1-0 | NAKAMURA Hikaru |
| official site http://norwaychess.com/en/ | ||
Manny Pacquiao Cup
[Boxing Champ and Chess Enthusasist Manny Pacquiao]
The Asian Continental Chess Championship is scheduled May 18 to 27 at the Midas Hotel in Pasay City.
Grandmaster Eugene Torre, who is co-organizing the event, graced the PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate to announce the staging of the nine-round Swiss System tournament to be known as the Manny Pacquiao Cup.
A total cash prize of $100,000 will be up for grabs in the event that serves as the last qualifying tournament for the 2013 World Cup in August in Norway.
“This will be a historic event because one of the world’s sporting icons, Manny Pacquiao
U.S. Championship 2013 / Final
Gata Kamsky
Gata Kamsky won the playoffs with Alejandro Ramirez.
The Final game was a must-win situation in sudden death for Kamsky (Diagram).
Congratulations Gata ! ! U.S. Chess Champion for 2013.
Norway Chess 2013 / Rnd 4
by National Life Master Loal Davis
Hikaru Nakamura won a game in the fourth round of Norway Chess against the World Champion Viswanathan Anand.
Anand was unrecognizable. Bad form? I’m at a loss to explain so many slips in a row. Explanation or not, Nakamura was right there to pick up the pieces and he put the game away very strongly.
In the first Diagram (Top/Left) the position appears flat equal. Here – Black to play – Hikaru tried 24. b4.
If the Pawn was simply ignored and met by centralization – say 25. Rd2 (Diagram Top/Right) then Black has many problems to solve; back rank, Pawn on e5, and the newly offered Pawn on b4.
Even after the Pawn was taken 24. …. b4 25. cxb4 Nc6 26. Rd2 could still have been played.
Instead Anand opted for 26. Ba4 which resulted in 26. …. Nxb4 27. Qxe5 Qe7 28. Qh5 (Diagram Bottom/Left).
Here I think 28. Qc3 may have been better. There’s a lot to be said for going after that isolated c Pawn.
After 28… Nxa2 there was a chance to play 29. Ne5 which still appears flat equal.
Instead Anand played 29. g3 and after 29. …. Nc1 30. Rc2 Nd3 Diagram (Bottom/Right) Nakamura had a bone in White’s throat that could not be removed.
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 |
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Black went on to win the game.
A World Champion taken down hard. Congratulations to Nakamura.
Norway Chess 2013
Viswanathan Anand |
Veselin Topalov |
In the third round of Norway Chess, Anand played a brilliant game. In the Diagram position White could have played Bb3 with the same idea; as a matter of fact Anand thought that may well have been a better move than what he played. Better or not, the move he played was one for the books.
Alekhine Memorial Super-Tournament 2013 / Rnd 9 / Final
by National Life Master Loal Davis
Grave Site For Alexander Alekhine
Well Now – It’s All Over.
| # | Name | ELO | Pts | S-B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aronian, Levon | 0 | 5.5 | 24 |
| Gelfand, Boris | 0 | 5.5 | 23.75 | |
| 3 | Anand, Viswanathan | 0 | 5 | 21.75 |
| 4 | Vitiugov, Nikita | 0 | 4.5 | 20.25 |
| Fressinet, Laurent | 0 | 4.5 | 20 | |
| Kramnik, Vladimir | 0 | 4.5 | 19.75 | |
| Adams, Michael | 0 | 4.5 | 19.25 | |
| Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime | 0 | 4.5 | 18.5 | |
| 9 | Ding, Liren | 0 | 3.5 | 16 |
| 10 | Svidler, Peter | 0 | 3 | 13.75 |
The last game to complete was Kramnik’s win over Michael Adams; a valiant finish for Kramnik who again displayed tremendous fighting spirit.
The end result – A Tie for first place between Levon Aronian and Boris Gelfand. On tie-breaking (last column above) it turns out that first place goes to Levon Aronian.
For All Games This Round (PGN) – Please See Comments.
Alekhine Memorial Super-Tournament 2013 / Rnd 7
by National Life Master Loal Davis
Viswanathan Anand |
The Scotch Game |
Kasparov tried this opening a few times against Anand during their World Championship match in 1995.
Anand gave it a whirl against Fressinet and it turned into a whirlwind with good pressure, good centralization, and a beautiful harmony of attack and defense with heavy pieces on the board. The result never looked in any doubt.
Congratulations Anand.
For All Games (PGN) – See Comments.
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