Controvery at Quebec Open

Round 6 of the Quebec Open Championship was a controversial one. The game: Anastasovski, Nikola v John Yoos was at the centre of attention. Richard Berube, executive director of Fédération Québécoise des Echecs, and a member of the appeals commitee that was formed to address the situation, explained the sequence of events as he understood them.

Richard Berube: A phone rang during the game. We believed at the time that the phone belonged to Mr. Anastasovski, and in front of severel witnessess he ran out of the room. But, afterward we could not find a phone on his person, and Mr. Anastasovski denied having one. The arbiter decided that the game must go on, and the game was continued under protest by Mr. Yoos, and Mr. Yoos won. However, the phone was discovered at the front desk of the hotel, it was in an envelope under the name of Nikola Anastasovski. An appeals committee was formed, and the recomendation of the appeals committee was to expell Mr. Anastasovski from the tournament. However, head arbiter Yves Casaubon, decided not to expell Mr. Anastasovski.

Mr. Anastasovski has since withdrawn from the tournament.

Round 6

Nigel Short's woes continued with another loss, this time to Canadian GM Pascal Charbonneau. That makes Nigel a distant last as we head into the final leg of the International. For a player of his class to score 1/2 from six games is unprecedented in the modern era. Explanations vary - he had a toothache for the first two rounds and was in pain and loopy from medications. Then, he "was shell shocked from having started with naught out of two" as I overheard him say during his post mortem with Sutovsky after round four. Some are suggesting that the mere presence of Gata Kamsky is unnerving Short. Whatever the explanation, the chess disaster of the modern era is unfolding before our eyes in Montreal.

Bluvshtein v Tiviakov saw the Canadian hope use up oodles of time in the opening (an hour for moves 10-14) which left him little time for the rest of the game. At move 25 he had just 90 seconds(with a 30 second increment) on his clock to make the final 15 moves before time control. Needless to say, he blundered, and resigned before move 30.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Kamsky v Sutovsky was a quick draw. However, it did look like there was little left to play for.

Replay the game here
Pgn


Miton v Harikrishna was also drawn quickly, and looked worthy of playing out.

Replay the game here
Pgn

The heat must have been getting to the players, because the all Ukrainian matchup, Elyanov v Ivanchuk, was also drawn with a board full of pieces.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Charbonneau v Short was a long and difficult struggle, ending with a victory for Pascal on move 68. Charbonneau unleashed some tactics right out of the opening (Scotch C45) which left Short with a miserable pawn structure and down a pawn. Charbonneau nonetheless had to switch to defense, and for a while it looked like Short had just enough activity to hold the draw.

Replay the game here
Pgn


Nigel Short goes down again. This time to Pascal Charbonneau


Gata Kamsky is due to play Short in round 7

Please contact rockrobinoff@gmail.com if you wish to use any images for your site. Larger versions are available.

All images copyright Robin Lindsay 2007.

Interview with Pia Cramling

Swedish GM, Pia Cramling, granted me an interview after her round 6 victory over WGM Cristina Adela Foisor.

Q: Could you tell me about today's game?

I got a nice initiative. She played very quickly but then made a big mistake with 23. ... Qa7, because after I take on d6, my position is just overwhelming. She had to take on c5 probably. Then I will play 24. Ne5, and then a4 and Re3, with an attack. She didn't want me to enter with the knight, and this is why she didn't want to take on c5. (replay)

Q: What is your opinion of Myriam Roy?

I think she is very young. She is very good for her age. It is very important that she has someone who helps her. For her, it doesn't matter what the result is, the main thing is that she learns from all the games, and she analyzes the game with someone. She also has to work and to enjoy playing chess.

Q: How important is it for chess to have women's only events?

I think its important still because only 5% of players are women. When I was playing 20 years ago it was about 2%. We have to give benefits to women players, to help the young players. Women players should be encouraged to play in mixed events, but then we have this extra, which also has a social element, which is important for women. It is also important to have this grand prix, because while the ACP has a grand prix open to everyone, the difference between the top men and the women players is so great, except for Judit Polgar.

Q: So the goal of women's events is to popularize women's chess, so one day you won't have to have women's events anymore?

Yes. This is my opinion. If 40% of all the players were women, then we wouldn't need them. I think there should be much more women in all parts of chess, in organization, in the clubs, as trainers, and that's why this is so nice, because the women organizers here are organizing with their hearts, and I think we are all happy to be here.

Q: Is this your first time playing chess in Canada?

No. Its my fifth time. I was in Vancouver twice and I was in Toronto twice. The first time was in 81 and I played in a women's event and then in an open, and I had to speak English. It was very good for my English, becuase I was alone for a month, and I had to get around some how. Also, in 2003 I was invited to play in Toronto and Guelph.

Q: Does your daughter play chess?

Yes. She knows the rules.

Q: She does not play competitively?

She is only 5!

Q: Do you wish for your daughter to play competitively?

I would like her to play because I think children benefit from chess. But I also think its very good to do lots of things.

Q: What do you think of Montreal?

I like it very much. I liked how when we are on top of the mountain I could see how green the city was. I am from Stolkhom, which is also green, but Montreal is even more so.

Q: You are due to play Irina Krush tomorrow, is that game going to be important for the overall standings?

I think every game is important, so not especially so.

This interview is property of Robin Lindsay, all rights reserved. Please contact Robin Lindsay at rockrobinoff@gmail.com if you wish to reprint this interview.

Interview with Pentala Harikrishna

Harikrishna, sponsored by The Sun Group, was kind enough to grant me an interview after his Round 6 draw with Kamil Miton. Harikrishna's comments are in italics.

Q: You played an interesting ending against Sutovsky in the first round. When did this Zugzwang idea occur to you?

I was calculating the idea before he played Re6. I was very happy to see it because it is the only way white is winning in this position. (replay)

Q: You also played a nice ending against Bluvshtein, do you have any thoughts on that?

He made a few mistakes in the middlegame, but the endgame was very nice and complicated as well. (replay)

Q: Did you have to be brave to allow black two queens for several moves?

There were very few queen moves for black as my knight was supporting most of the squares and my king was quite safe, so I had just to calculate a few moves – nothing special.

Q: Is this your first trip to Canada?

Yes.

Q: What do you think about Montreal?

I haven’t had much time to go around but its quite nice here and I am very happy to be here.

Q: India is becoming a very strong chess playing nation, you have yourself, Sasikiran, Anand, Humpy. Would you say there is a style that Indian players share?

Nothing in particular as such. I think every player is different. The styles of Sasikiran and myself and Humpy are completely different. Indians don’t play positionaly or tactically it depends on the player and his choice.


Q: In the second round you played Nigel Short. What does it feel like to play your former coach?

In fact, before I took coaching from him he defeated me twice, and after I took coaching from him he defeated me again twice. So I had to be careful for this game. I think it was equal (Short v Harikrishna 0-1 rd 2 Montreal International, click to replay), he just missed Ne4.

Q: Is he okay after Qg4?

I was seeing this variation, and I think white is going into a slightly worse endgame but should be holding.

This interview is property of Robin Lindsay, all rights reserved. Please contact Robin Lindsay at rockrobinoff@gmail.com if you wish to reprint this interview.

Round 5 Short Draws!

'Short Draws!' may sound like a less than sensational headline, but until round 5, points on the scoreboard for the English grandmaster had been the rarest of commodities at the Montreal International.

Sutovsky v Short was a Marshall gambit ("I haven't played the Marshall in 15 years" said Short during a very good natured postmortem), where black equalized comfortably. The players seemed to agree that in this position:



bxc3 was a better try than Sutovsky's Rxc3, after which black has no problems.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Ivanchuk v Kamsky was a Marshall gambit as well, and followed Sutovsky and Short for some way. The peace was signed in a very drawish rook and bishops of opposite colours ending.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Tiviakov v Elyanov was another Ruy Lopez (Anderssen C77) which saw Elyanov resign in a hopeless position with only seconds on his clock. Tiviakov, who is playing very inspired chess this tournament, sacrificed a piece for two dangerous mobile and connected passed pawns in the centre. Game of the tournament in my opinion.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Harikrishna v Bluvshtein was a very long game, where Harikrishna permitted Bluvshtein two queens to his one for several moves in an ending. However, careful analysis (care of grandmaster Fritz) shows that Pentala was never in any danger of losing. An interesting and brave game from the Indian.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Miton v Charbonneau was a terrific middle game tussle with mutal sacrifices. Miton came out on top after the dust cleared.

Replay the game here
Pgn


Tied for the lead: Vassily Ivanchuk


Kamsky and Ivanchuk after their game


Tiviakov tears Elyanov apart in an inspired game


Leading alone in the Women's Grand-Prix: Jovanka Houska of England

Please contact Rockrobinoff@gmail.com if you wish to use any images for your site. Larger versions are available.

All images copyright Robin Lindsay 2007.

Video of Round 5

Round 4

A new trio of leaders has emerged at the Montreal International. Ivanchuk, Kamsky, and Elyanov, all won their games and are on 3/4. Sutovsky also won, getting him on the scoreboard, which leaves Nigel Short all alone in the cellar with zero(!) points from four games.

Charbonneau v Sutovsky was a Scotch game (C45). In this interesting position:



White is down two exchanges for a pawn, but might be almost okay after 27. Bxb7 Rae8 28. Bc3. Instead, Charbonneau played Nh5? and went down quickly after: 27. ... Nxf5 28.gxf5 Rad8 29.c4 Rxd5 30.cxd5 Rxf5 31.Bxc7 Rxh5 32.d6 Bf4 0-1

Replay the game here
Pgn

Ivanchuk launched himself into a tie for the lead with his win over the struggling Nigel Short. A French Tarrasch (C07), Short seemed to be defending almost from the outset, and resigned two moves after Chucky's second queen appeared on the board.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Kamsky v Tiviakov was a Queens Indian where white omits c2-c4 (A47). Kamsky's victory placed him at the top of leaderboard, and knocked Tiviakov out of a tie for first in doing so.

Replay the game here
Pgn

A game that could have been played 100 years ago, Bluvshtein v Miton was a Queen's Gambit Cambridge Springs variation(D52). Another solid draw for Canadian Mark Bluvshtein, who is resting comfortably at +1.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Another important encounter was Elyanov v Harikrishna. Another Slav(D19) brought Elyanov to the top of the leaderboard, and HariKrishna down into a tie for second with Tiviakov.

Replay the game here
Pgn

Moments before the Charbonneau v Sutovsky game

A critical encounter, Kamsky v Tiviakov


GM Pia Cramling

Please contact Rockrobinoff@gmail.com if you wish to use any images for your site. Larger versions are available.

All images copyright Robin Lindsay 2007.