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Chinese GM Tan Zhongyi made a powerful statement ahead of her world title match next year against reigning womens world champion GM Ju Wenjun, capturing the 4th Cairns Cup over an elite field of female rivals at the St. Louis Chess Club last week.

Tan, looking to reclaim the womens title that she held from 2027 to 2018, was undefeated at 6-3, finishing a half-point ahead of Ukraines GM Anna Muzychuk.

Fourteen-year-old IM Alice Lee, the rising superstar of the American womens chess scene, scored a credible 4-5 at Cairns, tying eight-time U.S. womens champ GM Irina Krush. Lee stumbled out of the gate with a Round 1 loss to the vastly more experienced Tan, but would bounce back with a nice win over another former womens world champion later in the event.

Tans modest Queens Fianchetto Defense is a sensible choice against her far less experienced opponent, and with the appearance of what GM Joel Benjamin calls the snake bishop 5Bd6!? awaiting its marching orders, the opening produces a taut positional struggle.

After 14. Bg3 (Lee eschews the more provocative 14. Nxg5!? hxg5 15. Bxg5 Re8 16. Qd4 Kg7 17. Rae1, with credible compensation for the sacrificed piece) Bxg3 15. hxg3 Nfxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Nd4, Black has won a pawn but White has good pressure and a target in Tans isolated and exposed d-pawn.

Black shows her strategic chops on 21. Nd4 (again resisting a more forceful alternative in 21. Nd6!? Qxb2, which could lead to entertaining lines such as 22. Rb1 Qxa3 23. Qd4 Qa2 24. Rb2 Qd5 25. Qf5 Qxd6 26. Qxh6 f5 27. Qg6+ Kh8 28. Qh6+ with a perpetual check) Bc4 22. Re1 Rfe8 23. Qd2 Kf8! (Black rightly refuses to cede the e-file, and her king turns out to be perfectly safe despite the move toward the center) 24. Nf5?! (Lees first real misstep of the game; better was 24. Rad1 Rxe1+ 25. Qxe1 Re8 26. Qc3 d5 27. f3, and the fight goes on) d5! (and not 24Qxb2?? 25. Qd6+ Kg8 26. Qxh6 Qh8 27. Ne7+! Rxe7 28. Qxg5+ Qg7 29. Qxe7) 25. g4? (and here, 25. Rab1 was indicated) Qxb2 26. Nxh6 Blacks kingside appears on the verge of collapse, but Tan now neatly picks her way through the tactical minefield.

Thus: 26Ne4! (guarding the g-pawn and disrupting the flow of Whites attack) 27. Qd1 Nc3 28. Qf3 Ne2+ 29. Kh2 (Rxe2 Qxa1+ 30. Kh2 Qg7 defends) Nf4 30. g3 Be2! (Black repeatedly finds the only defensive idea that preserves her edge) 31. Qb3 (Rxe2 Rxe2 32. gxf4 Rxc2 33. Rf1 Qf6 and Black is winning) Qxb3 32. Bxb3 Nd3 33. Bxd5 Rad8 34. Bxf7 Nxe1 35. Rxe1 Re7, and White must lose material; e.g., 36. Bh5 Bf3 37. Rb1 Re2 38. Rf1 Rdd2 39. Kg1 Re5 40. Nf5 Rxf5 41. gxf5 Bxh5.

After 43. f3 b5 44. Rc3 (fxg4 Rh8 mate) a5, Black is up a full piece for a pawn and the end is in sight. White struggles on, but after 59. Rg2 Kg6, the White g-pawn will soon fall and there will be no reason to play on. Lee resigned.

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Lee improved on that performance with a win over another storied (and higher-rated) veteran three rounds later, taking down Russian-born Swiss former womens world champ GM Alexandra Kosteniuk in a Petroffs which featured attacks on both wings against besieged kings.

With the kings castled in opposite directions, Kosteniuk as White gets in the first blow on 11. Ng5 h6 12. Bc4! Be6 (hxg5?! 13. hxg5 Be6 14. Rh2!, and if 14 Bxc4?, White crashes through with 15. Rdh1 f5 16. g6) 13. Nxe6 Nxe6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Kb1 the first wave of attack has been beaten off, but White still has a clear initiative while it seems Lees queenside play is nowhere to be seen.

But now White seems to dawdle as her young opponent rushes to rewrite the narrative: 18. c4 Rb8! (better late than never, Black hustles to open some queenside attacking lines) 19. Be3 b5 20. cxb5?! (giving Black the half-open file without a fight; better was 20. c5 d5 21. g4, returning to her kingside attacking plans) Rxb5 21. c4 Rb4 22. Qc2 c5 23. g4 (several moves too late) Qa6, and now White faces the difficult psychological chore of defending when she had hoped to be on the attack.

Lee conducts the final assault here with impressive precision: 24. b3? (plowing ahead with 24. g5 Qxc4 25. Qxc4 Rxc4 26. gxh6 was indicated, as the game remains unbalanced after 26gxh6 27. Bxh6 Rxf2 28. Rdg1+) d5! 25. cxd5 c4!, correctly judging that open lines are more important than material considerations in this position.

Blacks army flows to the point of attack with remarkable speed: 27. Rh3?! (trying to enlist the rook in the defense, but it only becomes another target here) Qe6! 28. Rg3 Bd6 29. f4 Rc7 30. gxh6 cxb3 31. Qg6 bxa2+ 32. Ka1 (see diagram); White has ginned up strong pressure on the g-file and offers a queen trade to de-fang the Black attack, but Lee has prepared a knockout blow.

After 32Be5+! 33. Kxa2 (fxe5 Qxe5+ 34. Bd4 Rxd4 35. Rxd4 Qxd4+ 36. Kxa2 Qd2+ 37. Kc3 Qc1+ and Whites king will soon be run to ground) Rb2+ 34. Ka1 (Ka3 Qe7+) Rd2+ 35. fxe5 Qxe5+, White gave it up as its over on 36. Bd4 (Kb1 Qb2 mate) Qxd4+ 37. Rc3 Qxc3+ 38. Kb1 Qb2 mate.

(Click on the image above for a larger view of the chessboard.)

Lee-Tan, 4th Cairns Cup, St. Louis, June 2024

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. a3 e6 5. d5 Bd6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. e4 exd5 8. exd5 c6 9. Be2 cxd5 10. cxd5 Na6 11. O-O Nc7 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. hxg3 Nfxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Nd4 Qf6 18. Bd3 Ne6 19. Nf5 Nc5 20. Bc2 Be6 21. Nd4 Bc4 22. Re1 Rfe8 23. Qd2 Kf8 24. Nf5 d5 25. g4 Qxb2 26. Nxh6 Ne4 27. Qd1 Nc3 28. Qf3 Ne2+ 29. Kh2 Nf4 30. g3 Be2 31. Qb3 Qxb3 32. Bxb3 Nd3 33. Bxd5 Rad8 34. Bxf7 Nxe1 35. Rxe1 Re7 36. Nf5 Kxf7 37. Nxe7 Bf3 38. Nf5 Rh8+ 39. Nh4 gxh4 40. Kh3 Rg8 41. Re3 Bxg4+ 42. Kxh4 Kf6 43. f3 b5 44. Rc3 a5 45. Rc6+ Be6 46. g4 Rh8+ 47. Kg3 Rb8 48. f4 Ke7 49. f5 Bd5 50. Rc2 b4 51. axb4 axb4 52. Kf4 b3 53. Rb2 Kd6 54. g5 Rb4+ 55. Ke3 Ke5 56. Kd3 Kxf5 57. Kc3 Rf4 58. Rd2 Bf7 59. Rg2 Kg6 White resigns.

Kosteniuk-Lee, 4th Cairns Cup, St. Louis, June 2024

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Bf4 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O Nc5 10. h4 Re8 11. Ng5 h6 12. Bc4 Be6 13. Nxe6 Nxe6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. Kb1 Rf8 16. Qe3 Qc8 17. Qe4 Rf7 18. c4 Rb8 19. Be3 b5 20. cxb5 Rxb5 21. c4 Rb4 22. Qc2 c5 23. g4 Qa6 24. b3 d5 25. cxd5 c4 26. g5 exd5 27. Rh3 Qe6 28. Rg3 Bd6 29. f4 Rc7 30. gxh6 cxb3 31. Qg6 bxa2+ 32. Ka1 Be5+ 33. Kxa2 Rb2+ 34. Ka1 Rd2+ 35. fxe5 Qxe5+ White resigns.

David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email at dsands@washingtontimes.com.

Continued here:
Lee impresses, but Tan takes the top prize in chess at hard-fought Cairns Cup - Washington Times

Gauteng, South Africa (27 June 2024) Along with numerous budding chess superstars from across the continent, Kaylee Budhram from Phoenix found herself facing a fierce challenge as she competed in the African Youth Chess Championship.

Taking place in South Africas own Gauteng province, the championship gathered not only some of Africas most skilled young chess players but also the most competitive. There, from 15 to 23 June, players representing their countries went up against each other, proving their place in the tournament and, in many cases, outdoing even their own expectations.

Chess, as many of us know, is a game of calculation. It requires extreme mental discipline. So when that inner world is shaken, its only natural to conclude that the game would, too, especially for young players. It was here, in this space of pushing through despite her outer and inner worlds shaking, that Kaylee rose above and beyond and managed to remain undefeated, drawing for three games.

Kaylee had received the news that a close family member had passed away, as Shannon Budgram tells Good Things Guy.

This was the hardest tournament of her life as mentally and physically she was pushed to her limits when she received the sad news of the passing away of her close cousin brother Tyler Theo David.

Still, Kaylee played and played extraordinarily well. She went on to win silver for our country and honoured Tyler Theos memory, dedicating her victory to him.

Kaylee is currently South Africas National Chess Champion and this win now places her [at] number 2 in the continent of Africa which is a huge achievement for someone her age, Shannon adds.

Joining her on the podium was South Africas Aaradhya Suresh who earned bronze, while gold went to Mohamed Ahmed from Egypt.

See more here:
Phoenix's Kaylee Takes the Silver Crown at Chess Championship - Good Things Guy

The Grand Hotel Bucharest in the capital of Romania is hosting the second event of the 2024 Grand Chess Tour. Ten strong grandmasters are set to battle in a single round-robin with a revamped classical time control. This year, the participants of the GCT will receive 120 minutes for the whole game plus 30-second increments in the two classical events of the series, the Superbet Classic and the Sinquefield Cup.

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

Adding to the fact that the time control means that players will never get a respite if they find themselves in time trouble, two of the round-1 games saw the contenders entering sharp positions right out of the opening.

In fact, commentator Yasser Seirawan described Fabiano Caruanas opening approach as dodgy talking to Christian Chirila after the round, Caruana responded to Seirawans comment by evaluating his position as much worse than dodgy, even close to lost. The risky strategy worked wonders for the defending champion, though, as he ended up scoring a 59-move victory over Alireza Firouzja with the black pieces.

Tied for first with Caruana is D Gukesh, who played his first classical game since his victory at the Candidates Tournament in Toronto. Much like his US colleague, Gukesh prevailed by showing resourcefulness in a complex battle to outplay his opponent, Bogdan-Daniel Deac, in a position that saw the evaluation favouring either contender at different points of the game.

The remaining three games ended drawn, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and R Praggnanandhaa playing the longest encounter that ended peacefully. In a technical struggle, Pragg gained a pawn in the late middlegame, but Abdusattorov had enough compensation and showed good technique to keep the balance.

Results - Round 1

Check out the times on the clock incredibly, Bogdan-Daniel Deac often stood up from the board while living on increments in his game against Gukesh | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Attack like a Super Grandmaster

In this Fritztrainer: Attack like a Super GM with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Photo: Lennart Ootes

After playing his dodgy opening, Caruana found himself dealing with a sort of Kings Indian Defence structure in which Black struggles to create counterplay. But, as the defending champion later noted, Firouzja missed his chance to create a one-sided battle on move 16.

Caruana noted that 16.a4 here would completely close off the queenside, which would allow White to safely look for attacking schemes on the kingside. Black would then be stuck defending his king without many chances to create counterplay.

Instead, Firouzja went for an immediate 16.g4, and the game continued 16...Rb8 17.g5 hxg5 18.Bxg5 b5, with pawn breaks on opposite flanks of the board.

Chaos ensued. Firouzja went for a number of tactical continuations as he tried to create a deadly attack on the kingside, while the ever-resourceful Caruana showcased his calculation abilities to successfully deal with the charge.

Eventually, the battle cooled off and Black emerged with an extra pawn in a position with a closed pawn structure in the centre. Firouzja decided to offer a queen trade on move 34.

It is understandable for Firouzja to enter the queenless endgame, as it is difficult to foresee a winning plan for Black especially with Caruana having 5 minutes on the clock.

However, engines show that the position is winning for Black, and the US grandmaster patiently made progress until finding the perfect time to play the winning 53...f3

After 54.Nxf3 Kf7 55.Bg3 Black created a passer on the queenside with 55...Nxb3. Firouzja attempted desperately to muddy the waters, but Caruana continued to find good moves. The French representative resigned the game four moves later.

Alireza Firouzja smiling despite having just lost the game | Photo: Lennart Ootes

View original post here:
Superbet Classic: Caruana and Gukesh start off with wins - Chess News | ChessBase

Background:

Magnus Carlsen was born on November 30, 1990, in Tonsberg, Norway. He displayed exceptional chess talent from an early age and quickly rose through the ranks in both local and international competitions.

Career Journey:

1. Young Grandmaster: Carlsen achieved the title of Grandmaster at the age of 13, making him one of the youngest players to attain this prestigious rank. He continued honing his skills and aiming for higher achievements.

2. World Champion: In 2013, Carlsen captured the World Chess Championship title from Viswanathan Anand. The match showcased intense and tactical play. Carlsen successfully defended his world champion status in subsequent matches.

3. Elo Dominance* Carlsen holds the record for the highest Elo rating ever achieved by a chess player. He consistently tops the world rankings and faces tough opponents with confidence.

Playing Style:

Carlsen is known for his flexible playing style. He doesn't adhere rigidly to specific openings or strategies. Instead, he adapts well to different positions and opponents. Carlsen excels in tactical play and often finds surprising combinations on the chessboard.

Leadership:

Beyond his playing prowess, Carlsen actively promotes chess. He hosts exhibition events, gives interviews, and engages with fans on social media. Carlsen serves as an inspiration for aspiring young players dreaming of becoming world champions.

Read the original post:
Magnus Carlsen: The Chess World Champion - Chess.com

The chess tradition of tournaments in Teplice began in 1922. In October of that year a "Chess Congress" was held there. Fourteen European chess masters took part in this tournament. Some of the world's best players of the time were missing, such as World Champion Jos Ral Capablanca, former World Champion Emanuel Lasker and future World Champion Alexander Alekhine, but twelve of the fourteen participants were among the top 25 players of the time. The participants included such famous names as Akiba Rubinstein, Siegbert Tarrasch, Geza Maroczy, Rudolph Spielmann, Ernst Grnfeld and Savielly Tartakower, with Richard Rti and Karel Treybal representing the host country.

At the end of the tournament, Rti and Spielmann shared first with 9.0/13. Rti had lost three games, but had also won eight, and he had beaten Spielmann, Tartakower and Rubinstein, who were at the top of the table. In round 6 Heinrich Wolf won the brilliancy for his win against Rti, and Tartakower received this prize for win against Maroczy in round four. Rubinstein won no less than five brilliancy prizes for his victories.

Winning the tournament was a great achievement for Spielmann. He has always impressed with his creativity and willingness to attack, but has not always been successful. Rti confirmed his impressive form by sharing first place in Teplice. Two years earlier, in 1920, he had won the tournament in Gothenburg.

Teplice 1922. Standing from left to right: 1. Borislav Kostic 2. Paul Johner 3. Karel Treybal 4. Ernst Grnfeld 5. Richard Rti 6. Friedrich Smisch 7. Rudolf Spielmann, 8. Savielly Tartakower 9.? Sitting from left to right: 1. Akiba Rubinstein 2. Geza Maroczy 3. Siegbert Tarrasch 4. ? 5. Jacgues Mieses 6. Heinrich Wolf 7. Richard Teichmann 8.?

In the following years chess tournaments were held regularly in Teplice, but it was not until 1979 that a similarly large tournament was organised. The best players in Czechoslovakia met strong international grandmasters. Jan Smejkal won the tournament, which had 15 participants, ahead of Lubomir Ftacnik and Vlastimil Hort.

Since 2006, a major open has been held in Teplice every year. This year almost 250 players took part, including over 100 title holders and 18 grandmasters. With 20 participants, Germany had the largest contingent after the hosts and India.

In a tight race for the tournament title, no fewer than six players were tied for the lead with 6.5 points going into the final round. Max Warmerdam beat Alexander Motylev in the final round, while Tin Jingyao defeated Vlastimil Babula. German grandmasters Alexander Donchenko and Frederik Svane faced each other, with Donchenko coming out on top.

In the end, Warmerdam, Tin Jingyao and Donchenko all finished first with 7.5/9, but it was Warmerdam who won the tournament on tie-break.

From left to right: Alexander Donchenko, Tin Jingyao, Max Warmerdam

Final standings

...240 players

Games

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Dutch Grandmaster Max Warmerdam wins Teplice Open - Chess News | ChessBase