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GMMagnus Carlsenis back as the sole leader at thechess24 Legends of Chess tournament. He beat GM Ding Liren in four games whileGM Ian Nepomniachtchi needed an armageddon to inflict a sixth match loss on GMViswanathan Anand.

As was agreed in advance, Carlsen started his match against Ding four hours earlier so he could watch... football. It was the final weekend in England and therefore the decisive phase for Fantasy Premier League, an online competition with over seven million participants and Carlsen had been ranked number-one twice during the season. Hewent into the final weekend in fourth place and ended finishing 11th.

In a match with three draws, all was decided in game two where it seems Ding made an early mistake inthe Anti-Moscow variation of the Slav. Carlsen played quickly for 17 moves, and two moves later Ding made another mistake that was, in fact, a losing novelty.

Nepomniachtchi is the only other player who also won all his matches, but he needed one more armageddon than Carlsen. On Sunday his victim was the luckless Anand, who is still the only player to lose in all rounds. From a tournament rating perspective, Anand and Ding have performed equally disappointing, even though playing at the 2672 level isn't so bad for most of our readers.

The game of the day is Nepomniachtchi's first win, mostly chosen because of the romantic opening moves. Anand was lost quickly:

Anand's on-demand win in game four is all the more fascinating. Nepomniachtchi again played in Nezhmetdinov style, giving up no fewer than three pawns and then a piece for a not too convincing attack, which Anand stylishly refuted.

The Top Five Moves of Rashid Nezhmetdinov

Check out our Lesson with GM Simon Williams on one of the most spectacular players in chess history.

The armageddon game was a repeat of what we've seen before in this tournament with Anand having difficulty keeping the pace, getting low on time, and then blundering. One seasoned chess reporter tweeted his ambivalence with this mixture of great chess and gross blunders. GM Jonathan Tisdall wrote:

"At the risk of causing heated debate on the internet, I have to confess that I am feeling saturated with all this online fast chess.... I guess/fear that the splat factor is what is making the new formats popular though....

"I don't think I want muchjust a better chance of games ending less randomly. Like maybe testing a higher increment for starters. My awe at how good the games can be at high velocity steadily increased, but is now matched by chronic sadness of how often these games are sure to be spoiled by the tempo.... The splat factor has become too high for me to really enjoy the games."

The match between legends GM Boris Gelfand and GM Vladimir Kramnik was a clash between two great players who have played 95 games since they first met over the board at the 1993 Linares tournament. It was Gelfand who started with an excellent win:

Kramnik dominated the armageddon game where Gelfand was struggling on the clock and on the board:

There was even a third armageddon game on this dayin the match between GM Vasyl Ivanchuk and GM Peter Svidler. The Russian GM was calling the shots for most of the game that was eventually decided by the clock. Ivanchuk lost on time in an endgame that was perhaps still holdable:

GM Anish Giri and GM Peter Leko both won good games before they drew in game three: Giri managed to outplay the Hungarian GM in an equal endgame, and then Leko played a positional beauty where his 44.Bb5 recalls Capablanca's 55.Ba6 against Treybal at Karlsbad 1929 (included in the annotations):

While his openings are generally still quite good, Leko quickly slipped into a lost position in game four:

Preliminary Phase | Round 6 Standings

All games round 6

The chess24 Legends of Chess runsJuly 21-August 5. The preliminary phase is a 10-player round-robin with rounds consisting of four-game rapid matches each day. The knockout phase will have three such matches per round.The prize fund is $150,000 with $45,000 for first place, while the winner also qualifies for the Grand Final of the Magnus Carlsen Tour. The time control is 15 minutes and a 10-second increment.

Earlier posts:

Excerpt from:
Carlsen Back To Sole Lead At Legends Of Chess - Chess.com

Talking over phone from Prague, P. Harikrishna sounded cheerful on Thursday evening. He had reasons to be happy; he finally was able to play in a chess tournament after a gap of five months.

The Biel International Chess Festival, which concluded in Switzerland on Wednesday, was the first major chess tournament after the coronavirus crisis impacted the world. Harikrishna did rather well, too. He won the titles in the classical and Chess960 events and finished runner-up overall, by just half-a-point.

It was a great feeling to be back in a tournament hall after five months, the World No. 26 told The Hindu. Though I have been playing quite a bit of online chess like everybody else, there is nothing like sitting in front of a chessboard, facing your rival. But the conditions were a lot different in Biel as the COVID-19 guidelines had to be followed. The organisers were very careful and implemented all the precautions prescribed by the doctors, Harikrishna said. The players were separated by a plexiglass; I could get used to it pretty quickly.

The players also had to get used to the practice of not shaking hands. Normally, a game of chess would begin and end with a handshake.

Michael Adams had extended his hand when he decided to concede a game to me, but both of us remembered that we were not supposed to do that, Harikrishna smiled. The board and the chess pieces were frequently disinfected and there were separate doors to enter and exit the venue.

Though there were only eight players in the main event, some 150 took part in the open tournament. A distance of 1.5m was maintained between the players, he said. For the blitz event, there was no plexiglass, so we had to wear masks.

Harikrishna feels the organisers could take credit for organising such a big event when very few people were willing to. No one would have blamed them if they didnt conduct this tournament, he said. Fortunately, everything went off well.

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Nothing like playing chess over the board, says Harikrishna - The Hindu

In his recent stream, Russian GM Alexey Dreev called a certain opening "indecent." Moreover, he said that it is disrespectful towards your opponent to play this opening. He also said that if you don't understand why it is disrespectful behavior then it would be very difficult for him to explain why it is. I know you are wondering by now what opening he is talking about. It is the good old 2.Qh5 opening.

If you understand Russian, here is the relevant fragment of the stream.

Alexey Dreev is a very strong grandmaster who got a classical training under the world's most famous coach, Mark Dvoretsky. Some 10 years ago I would endorse every single word he said. But hey, it is 2020 now and nothing is normal here. Super-grandmasters play K +R vs. K+R endgames, and our world champion played the following "game."

Of course, there is reason in Magnus Carlsen's madness, and I see it as a very noble if somewhat bizarre behavior. You can read the full story here.

But let's get back to the 2.Qh5 opening. In my opinion, this position is not any weirder than Fischer Random chess, where you can even castle on the very first move. In fact, I would prefer the 2.Qh5 opening to Fischer Random chess anytime! So, can I offend anyone by offering to play Fischer Random chess?

GM Dreev mentioned the game that Magnus Carlsen lost after playing 2.Qh5, but to be fair, the result of the game had nothing to do with the opening. In fact, at some point the world champion missed a winning tactical shot.

Let me start with a disclaimer: I am not recommending you play 2.Qh5 since there are many openings in chess that promise White an opening advantage, and 2.Qh5 is not one of them. But as a tricky weapon of internet chess for players rated below 1600, it can be quite dangerous. Let's examine the main appeal (or should I say tricks) of 2.Qh5.

After you play 2.Qh5, your opponent might intend to play 2...Qe7, but the opponent may mouseslip and play 2...Ke7 instead.

Can you possibly checkmate your opponent in three moves in a Ruy Lopez?

Black can simply forget that the e5-pawn is under attack. Here is a typical example. (Just as I do in all my articles, I have withdrawn the names of the amateur players.)

Yes, it is the good old "Scholars Mate."

Black plays g7-g6 in order to defend against the Scholar's Mate but then develops the bishop in the traditional way to c5. The subsequent pin costs Black a knight.

Black plays g7-g6 and then correctly fianchettoes the bishop to g7. White's Qf3 really tempts Black to play Bg4 and attack the queen. On g4, the bishop becomes very vulnerable. Here is a good example of the possible mutual mistakes:

These are the most common tricks in the 2.Qh5 opening.

Today's question for our readers is: Do you play 2.Qh5 opening? If so, please share your best wins in the comments!

More here:
The "Offensive" Chess Opening - Chess.com

Streaming services, games, and screens of all types have gotten more action during quarantine, but according to data from Social Blade and several analytics firms, chess content on YouTube and Twitch has performed particularly well.

Chess videos have been watched more than 350 million times worldwide on YouTube since January, according to data provided to Insider by the platform, which they said showed a significant trend.

Chess channels have experienced great growth during quarantine on YouTube.

Kingscrusher, run by British chess obsessive Tryfon Gavriel, has seen gains of over 10,000 views per day.

Gavriel runs the chess website ChessWorld.net and stepped into the realm of online video after encouragement from one of the site's members, who asked him to record videos on popular chess matches. He set up his channel in 2007.

He graduated from analyzing and recounting popular matches throughout history to live commentating games as he played them. Now Gavriel has 9,000 videos and 110,000 followers on his YouTube channel and said that interest has spiked during quarantine.

Gavriel also said he has more people accessing his correspondence server, where he plays chess online. Players use the online platform to make moves in games across the world. "I'm playing a lot more people," he said. "I've got over 3,000 current games now."

It's not just Gavriel seeing a boom from chess's popularity at present. Hungarian grandmaster Anna Rudolf breaks out from the standard chess game analysis to more inventive videos for her 43,000 subscribers, including playing choker, a combination of chess and poker.

According to data from SullyGnome, an analytics partner of livestreaming services provider StreamElements, chess is booming on Twitch as well.

Chess is now one of the top 20 games streamed on Twitch, with the number of hours watched increasing from around three million in March 2020 to more than eight million in May.

Chess has always been a part of Twitch which partnered with Chess.com in 2017 but the platform has seen significant viewership increases since the coronavirus hit.

"Nothing compares with the rise it experienced in recent months when some of the top streamers, such as xQc, Reckful, and LIRIK, streamed it," said Doron Nir, CEO of StreamElements. "While the chess community has achieved a lot of success on its own, this latest move illustrates the power of influencers to broaden the appeal of a brand."

Coleen Cusack, a US Chess Federation-rated player who competed in the 1990s, has been a devoted chess watcher on Twitch since starting to watch after self-isolating due to COVID-19 in mid-March. "Twitch is a platform that has made chess appealing and accessible to persons who might be fans but who don't know where to go and watch and cheer," she said.

That's something Jennifer Shahade, a chess professional who streams on Twitch, can identify with. "Chess works well on Twitch because there's no hidden information, so you can play it in real-time or with a very short delay," she said.

The streams also give viewers the opportunity to learn in a way that they wouldn't elsewhere. "Chess at a high level is played on instinct as much as intense calculations, so it's possible for titled players and champions to educate and entertain while the level of player doesn't degrade as much as one may expect," she said.

Narrating decisions made over the course of several minutes, rather than a quick-reaction button press as is commonplace in video game streaming, is possible in a way that it isn't for gamers. That helps foster a sense of community.

It's also glammed up the game and made it more accessible. Taking elements of the frenetic presentation of video game streamers that are commonplace on Twitch has made chess seem less boring. "It packs a certain level of energy that watching a long, slow chess game between two grandmasters doesn't offer," Cusack said.

Cusack believes the pandemic has benefitted chess because "everyone has more time." Professionals like Shahade and Alexandra Boatez, who also stream on Twitch, hosted a tournament for women that gave ordinary people the chance to play against grandmasters. Cusack took part.

"While competing, I didn't have time to worry about the pandemic," she said. "It's been a huge escape and release for me."

That's also why Kevin Allocca, head of culture and trends at YouTube, believes the game has done so well on the world's biggest video sharing platform. "Chess works surprisingly well on YouTube because both creator and viewer can be active participants as events unfold, learning, discussing, and, in some cases, playing along simultaneously," he explains.

"And the variety or skill levels catered to means the experience can be somewhat personalized to the viewer's proficiency. That this serves as something of an antidote to the isolation of lockdown has attracted new fans to this already vibrant community."

That's what Shahade also thinks is behind the amazing surge in chess watching online. "Chess is a great game for our moment, as it's a way to keep our minds occupied and challenged during these very strange and often devastating times," she said. "Chess allows us to connect through so many ages and cultures. No one should be left out and it's wonderful to see so many new aficionados, as they can learn so much about art and history through the ancient game."

Link:
Online chess has surged during quarantine on platforms like Twitch and Youtube - Insider - INSIDER

A seasoned chess pro teaches USC Dornsife students critical thinking, decision-making strategy and history lessons through a 1,500-year-old board game. [5 min read]

Stroll around the USC campus on a clear day when were not in the midst of a pandemic and you might run into Jack Peters, lecturer in Slavic languages and literature, playing a dozen chess matches simultaneously beneath the Tommy Trojan statue.

Once a term, Peters sets up an array of checkered boards and invites passing students to a game. Moving swiftly between opponents, taking only seconds for each move, he often completes 50 games in a couple of hours.

Youd imagine Peters brain to be on the verge of shorting out by the end of it all, but he admits the challenge is mostly physical. I move really quickly, and its usually hot, so I get pretty tired walking around for hours, he says.

Thats because chess allegro is all in a days work for Peters. Hes been an International Master since 1979, a lifetime title of distinction awarded to world-class players, and has squared up against greats like Mikhail Tal, the eighth person to hold the title of World Chess Champion.

Peters was chess columnist for the Los Angeles Times and has published multiple books on the game. Hes taught the class Chess and Critical Thinking at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences since 2002, guiding hundreds of students into the game that he has played since he was 8 years old.

A mind game

To Peters, theres much to learn from chess besides how to best your opponent. Mastering chess is a means to master critical, tactical thinking, which can be applied almost universally to lifes big challenges.

Students have to first recognize the situation they are in and then set priorities: What are the important features here? says Peters. Constant adaptation is also key. One of the hardest parts about chess is that you might have a great idea, but your opponent might also have their own idea, and then the plans change.

Such skills are also attractive to employers the ability to plan, solve problems and analyze information are frequently cited as some of the top desirable traits in recruits.

Its not just for sharpening the mind, however. Peters class touches on a little of everything, from art to science to business. A particular focus is the way chess became intertwined with both Russian cultural identity and Soviet strategy abroad.

After the games invention in India around 530 A.D., traders spread chess into Russia where it became a popular pastime for noble and commoner alike. Ivan the Terrible, ruler of Moscow from 1533 to 1547, was an avid player and earned his name in part for killing an opponent with a chessboard during a game.

After the Russian Revolution in the early 20th century, Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin hoped to empower a demoralized populace by producing a great generation of chess players. The USSR established the Soviet Chess Federation to train children starting at the age of 5 to become formidable players.

Lenins successor, Joseph Stalin, continued Lenins efforts, placing Nikolai Krylenko, public face of the ruthless Soviet justice system, at the head of the organization. Krylenko saw chess as a propaganda opportunity, explains Peters. Skilled players could demonstrate Russian intellectual might on the world stage.

Jack Peters has been an International Master of chess since 1979 and has written several books on the game.

Chess became so synonymous with USSR prowess that a 1972 match between world champion Boris Spassky and upstart American Bobby Fischer turned into a heated, symbolic showdown between world powers poised at the knifes edge of battle.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, chess reverted to something of a Russian export. Over the next 10 years, many of the grandmasters raised in theSovietUnion actually became citizens in other countries and started playing for those national teams.One of the jokes at the chess Olympics was our Russians can beat your Russians, as every team would have one or two Russians who emigrated, recalls Peters.

Despite this history, chess is actually an immensely diplomatic game, Peters reminds us. As long as both players know the rules, no common language is needed to play chess.

Game, set, match

These days, Peters isnt playing chess in person much due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic moved classes online, Peters switched to software, and he plays against students virtually. The transition went pretty smoothly, but he had to adjust his methods for the final exam.

Normally Id set up 20 or so boards in the classroom and play all the students at once. Now, Im limited by the software to only playing eight at a time, says Peters, sounding a bit wistful for bygone days of a chess bonanza played at lighting speed.

He doesnt often get bested. Maybe once a year or so I have someone that beats me, he says.

Losing to the professor isnt a problem in Peters class, however. Their final isnt about winning. They write about the game we played, describe their strategy and any mistakes they made. Theyre graded on how well they understand what happened and the principles of the game.

To Peters, the lesson he wants students to learn isnt one of victory but how critical thinking, careful strategy and learning from ones mistakes can better you for the next challenge.

Keep calm and play on

Despite the mental rigor chess demands, Peters class is a popular one. Vespera Luo, who is majoring in chemistry at USC Dornsife and journalism at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, enrolled after seeing recommendations for the class on the USC Reddit forum, and members of USCs chess team sometimes pop by for a game or to recruit new players.

Its enduring popularity likely has to do with Peters calm, expert approach. Mr. Peters is so patient with a beginner, he doesntfeed you answers but leads you to the right path of thinking, says Luo.

Its also a rare opportunity for chess enthusiasts to try their hand against an expert. I really enjoyed playing against Jack and seeing in person how good someone can be at chess, says Tristan Tausch, a business administration major at USC Marshall School of Business.

For Luo, lessons from the class extend to the meditative as well, referencing a memorable anecdote from Peters. While working for the L.A. Times, Peters found himself hastily writing an article on the infamous match between Russian chess master Gerry Kasparov and IBMs computer Deep Blue. (Kasparov was defeated, marking a shift in humankinds perceived mental power over machine.)

Mr. Peters said it was the first time his editor rushed him to write something because there are no emergencies in the chess world. I remember him saying this sentence, and it just struck me somehow, says Luo. Were living in such a fast-paced world today, and at that moment I realized I prefer some quietness and slowness in my life.

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