Concrete is a chess term that has arisen in the last 10 years along with the strength of computer play. When computers were applied to many opening positions, new moves that violated opening principles were found. These counter principle moves backed by tactical analysis needed a new term. Concrete moves are counter to general principle, but still good moves that are backed with analysis.
I think the term is becoming overused and possibly overloaded with new meanings.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
World Championship 2013: Anand - Carlsen, round 4
The most interesting game so far. Lots of fireworks in the variations. Anand sacrifices a pawn to tie up Carlsen in a Ruy Lopez Berlin Wall, but Carlsen escapes the bind and keeps his extra pawn, but the resulting R+P ending is very drawish. The game is not over, but I have to go. I will update with an annotation of this game later today.
I am watching the chess.com/live coverage (starts at the half hour after start of the game) on my computer, and watching the game moves on my tablet with the World Championship app. For me this is better than chessbomb, because there is no computer evaluation. The chess.com coverage has a live board, but does not show the clocks.
Update: A very interesting draw. Much more fireworks than would be expected from a Berlin Wall. Anand's pawn sacrifice idea is one for Berlin players to watch out for, unless you are as good on defense as Carlsen.
I am watching the chess.com/live coverage (starts at the half hour after start of the game) on my computer, and watching the game moves on my tablet with the World Championship app. For me this is better than chessbomb, because there is no computer evaluation. The chess.com coverage has a live board, but does not show the clocks.
Update: A very interesting draw. Much more fireworks than would be expected from a Berlin Wall. Anand's pawn sacrifice idea is one for Berlin players to watch out for, unless you are as good on defense as Carlsen.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
World Championship 2013: Anand - Carlsen, round 3
A much more interesting game, today.
Carlsen with white again goes Barzca, but plays c4 before d4. Anand accepts the "gambit", which seems to surprise Carlsen.
I am definitely liking the chess.com./tv coverage better than the official feed. Today, Irina Krush (with her new GM title) provides commentary. Also, chessdom.com has a couple of choices for live annotation. Unfortunately, chessdom.com also has computer evaluation on the page. I have chessdom.com in a window with the computer analysis and chat covered with the chess.com/tv page.
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nc6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nc3 e5 7.Qxc4 Nge7 8.O-O O-O 9.d3 h6 10.Bd2 Nd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Ne4 c6
The natural plan is to advance the queenside pawns in a minority attack. GM Krush points out that Carlsen's 13.Bb4 is a non-obvious move. Carlsen delays the queenside advance to pin the Ne7, with perhaps the idea of trading the bishop for that knight. Long term Carlsen may be playing for a good knight versus bad bishop endgame after a trade of light square bishops.
13...Be6
14.Qc1 is another non obvious move by Carlsen, as it occupies a natural square for a rook.
14...Bd5 15.a4 b6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.a5 Rab8 19.Re1 Rfc8 19.axb6 axb6 20.Qf4 Rd1 and Carlsen takes time for a long think.
GM Krush thinks that he would like to play Nd2, but there are problems with it blocking the retreat of white's queen, and the possiblility of the queen being trapped or a perpetual is a real concern. Carlsen plays 21.h4, which may be preparation for Nd2
21...Kh7 22.Nd2 Be5 23.Qg4 h5 24.Qh3 Be6 25.Qh1
The queen on h1 is not as ugly as it might look. Anand will likely c6-c5 to remove all targets from the bishop-queen battery. Carlsen now controls the a8-square, and may get some play from the light squares on the queenside, but I think black is better and certainly has the initiative.
25...c5 26.Ne4 Kg7 27.Ng5 b5
Anand allows opposite colored bishops. The danger of a draw B+P ending is still a long way off, meanwhile black gets his queenside pawns in motion and may be able to take advantage of the passive position of white's queen. Carlsen has a long think. He decides not to take the bishop on e6, as that is likely a two result game not in Carlsen's favor. 28.e3!? gives Carlsen some counterplay, though it looks dangerous. after 28...dxe3 opens up both of black's bishops. 29.Rxe3
29...Bd4!? (Why not 29...Bxb2? I have no idea, except Anand may not have liked the counterplay white would get)
30.Re2 c4 31.Nxe6 fxe6 Carlsen is getting low on the clock with 8 moves to go to time control in a complicated position.
32.Be4 is a pawn sacrifice. cxd3 33.Rd2 Qb4 34.Rad1 Bxb2 35.Qf3 Bf6 36.Rxd3 Rxd3 37.Rxd3 Rd8 38.Rxd8 Bxd8 39.Bd3 Qd4 gives up the b-pawn. Anand has bailed out for a draw, but it is likely a draw at this point no matter what Anand plays.
I don't see how either player can make progress. Carlsen sometimes plays on a very long time in a drawn position, but this position is very dead. 40.Bxb5 Qf6 41.Qb7+ Be7 42.Kg2 Carlsen declines a draw here, very puzzling. 42...g5 43.hxg5 Qxg5 44.Bc4 h4 45.Qc7 hxg3 46.Qxg3 e5 47.Kf3 Qxg3+ 48.fxg3 Bc5 49.Ke4 Bd4 50.Kf5 Bf2 51.Kxe5 Bxg3+ 1/2-1/2
Carlsen with white again goes Barzca, but plays c4 before d4. Anand accepts the "gambit", which seems to surprise Carlsen.
I am definitely liking the chess.com./tv coverage better than the official feed. Today, Irina Krush (with her new GM title) provides commentary. Also, chessdom.com has a couple of choices for live annotation. Unfortunately, chessdom.com also has computer evaluation on the page. I have chessdom.com in a window with the computer analysis and chat covered with the chess.com/tv page.
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nc6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nc3 e5 7.Qxc4 Nge7 8.O-O O-O 9.d3 h6 10.Bd2 Nd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Ne4 c6
13...Be6
14.Qc1 is another non obvious move by Carlsen, as it occupies a natural square for a rook.
14...Bd5 15.a4 b6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.a5 Rab8 19.Re1 Rfc8 19.axb6 axb6 20.Qf4 Rd1 and Carlsen takes time for a long think.
21...Kh7 22.Nd2 Be5 23.Qg4 h5 24.Qh3 Be6 25.Qh1
25...c5 26.Ne4 Kg7 27.Ng5 b5
Anand allows opposite colored bishops. The danger of a draw B+P ending is still a long way off, meanwhile black gets his queenside pawns in motion and may be able to take advantage of the passive position of white's queen. Carlsen has a long think. He decides not to take the bishop on e6, as that is likely a two result game not in Carlsen's favor. 28.e3!? gives Carlsen some counterplay, though it looks dangerous. after 28...dxe3 opens up both of black's bishops. 29.Rxe3
29...Bd4!? (Why not 29...Bxb2? I have no idea, except Anand may not have liked the counterplay white would get)
30.Re2 c4 31.Nxe6 fxe6 Carlsen is getting low on the clock with 8 moves to go to time control in a complicated position.
I don't see how either player can make progress. Carlsen sometimes plays on a very long time in a drawn position, but this position is very dead. 40.Bxb5 Qf6 41.Qb7+ Be7 42.Kg2 Carlsen declines a draw here, very puzzling. 42...g5 43.hxg5 Qxg5 44.Bc4 h4 45.Qc7 hxg3 46.Qxg3 e5 47.Kf3 Qxg3+ 48.fxg3 Bc5 49.Ke4 Bd4 50.Kf5 Bf2 51.Kxe5 Bxg3+ 1/2-1/2
Sunday, November 10, 2013
World Championship 2013: Anand - Carlsen, round 2
Another short draw. The players reached an equal endgame after 18 moves, and found a repetition in the early twenties.
Game 2 is a Caro, a surprise from Carlsen. Happy times for a couple of our local players.
Carlsen is playing the opening quickly, so he is still in recent preparation, Anand is taking more time. The official site commentary is diving into the chess today. From time to time, Polgar is making comments suitable for novice players. Generally, the chess.com/tv coverage is targeting a more informed audience. I started with the youtube feed off the official site, today.
With 14...O-O, Carlsen castles on the opposite side. This could be a very exciting tactical game, but after Anand plays the centralizing 15.Ne4, which allows Carlsen to begin a series of exchanges that ends with an invitation to trade queens, and Anand accepts. We are in an endgame after moves 18.Qxd5 cxd5.
This endgame is mostly equal. White has more space, but a bad bishop. Neither player has a glaring weakness, but both have play on opposite wings. Carlsen plays the next few moves actively, which allows Anand to force a repetition of moves.
Game 2 is a Caro, a surprise from Carlsen. Happy times for a couple of our local players.
Carlsen is playing the opening quickly, so he is still in recent preparation, Anand is taking more time. The official site commentary is diving into the chess today. From time to time, Polgar is making comments suitable for novice players. Generally, the chess.com/tv coverage is targeting a more informed audience. I started with the youtube feed off the official site, today.
With 14...O-O, Carlsen castles on the opposite side. This could be a very exciting tactical game, but after Anand plays the centralizing 15.Ne4, which allows Carlsen to begin a series of exchanges that ends with an invitation to trade queens, and Anand accepts. We are in an endgame after moves 18.Qxd5 cxd5.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
World Championship 2013: Anand - Carlsen, round 1
Ack! A short draw for the first game. I got up early! Anand can chalk this one up to his excellent preparation.
The official site is having problems with their streaming commentary, but youtube.com has an alternate feed. Chess.com/tv also has live video coverage of the games with different commentators. tcec.chessdom.com has a live board with computer analysis of the current position. The chess.com coverage seems to be more about the chess, but the official site coverage changed commentators at the one hour mark. I expect in future games, there will be less discussion of the scene in Chennai and India.
The opening is a very interesting one for me. Carlsen chose 1.Nf3 and delayed a central pawn thrust till 4.d2-d4. Anand chose a Grunfeld like setup, while Carlsen chose a double fianchetto Reti like setup.
Anand heads into rare territory with 9...d5xc4. This simplifying move gives white a pawn center, but those pawns can be weak, and Anand grabs the initiative and begins to attack Carlsen's c&d pawns. My move order to this kind of position would end up in a neo-Grunfeld, as I play c2-c4 before committing to the kingside fianchetto.
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 c6 5. O-O Nf6 6. b3 O-O 7. Bb2 Bf5 8.
c4 Nbd7 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. bxc4 Nb6 11. c5 Nc4 12. Bc1 Nd5 13. Qb3 Na5 14. Qa3
Nc4 15. Qb3 Na5 1/2-1/2
The official site is having problems with their streaming commentary, but youtube.com has an alternate feed. Chess.com/tv also has live video coverage of the games with different commentators. tcec.chessdom.com has a live board with computer analysis of the current position. The chess.com coverage seems to be more about the chess, but the official site coverage changed commentators at the one hour mark. I expect in future games, there will be less discussion of the scene in Chennai and India.
The opening is a very interesting one for me. Carlsen chose 1.Nf3 and delayed a central pawn thrust till 4.d2-d4. Anand chose a Grunfeld like setup, while Carlsen chose a double fianchetto Reti like setup.
Anand heads into rare territory with 9...d5xc4. This simplifying move gives white a pawn center, but those pawns can be weak, and Anand grabs the initiative and begins to attack Carlsen's c&d pawns. My move order to this kind of position would end up in a neo-Grunfeld, as I play c2-c4 before committing to the kingside fianchetto.
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 c6 5. O-O Nf6 6. b3 O-O 7. Bb2 Bf5 8.
c4 Nbd7 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. bxc4 Nb6 11. c5 Nc4 12. Bc1 Nd5 13. Qb3 Na5 14. Qa3
Nc4 15. Qb3 Na5 1/2-1/2
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Following Kaufman - November 2013
The new issue of Following Kaufman is done.
This ebook collection of games is available for free in epub format on Smashwords.
Only 136 games this month, but all are relevant to "The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White" and present them with a diagram for each move.
This ebook collection of games is available for free in epub format on Smashwords.
Only 136 games this month, but all are relevant to "The Kaufman Repertoire for Black & White" and present them with a diagram for each move.
Word Championship: Anand - Carlsen 2013, Preview
I am excited about the upcoming world championship match between Viswanathan
Anand and Magnus Carlsen. Like most world championship matches many of the games will be draws, but I expect they will be interesting draws. Unlike the last championship, neither player has a tremendous advantage in rapid play, so they will have incentive to win the match in regulation.
I want to make a blog post after each round, like I did for Anand vs Gelfand, but the games will be live very early in the morning for me. The first round is on November 9th at 3pm India time (GMT+5:30), which is 4:30am EST (GMT-5), and 3:30am for me here in the land of 10,000 lakes. (Link to official site for match)
This should be a very interesting match of experience and preparation (Anand) versus talent (Carlsen). Both of these players (like all super GMs) have loads of talent and experience, plus I am sure both are working very hard on match preparation. But in comparing the contestants, they do have relative strengths.
Carlsen is like Capablanca in that he seems to have a deep understanding of chess. He plays solid openings and accumulates advantages. I expect that Carlsen will play some new opening lines to lessen Anand's preparation advantage.
Anand is like Botvinnik. He is rich in experience and very good in his preparation.
I also expect that if Anand loses this match, he will, like Botvinnik, be the leading challenger for the next round.
The match will be held in Chennai, which is Anand's home town. This kind of home field advantage is rare in chess world championships. Anand's career has been very good for chess in India, and this may be FIDE's attempt to cement that success. Considering India's population and growing economy, I think we will all benefit from continuing popularity of chess in India.
After Bobby Fischer's departure, participation in chess declined in the USA. If Anand loses, I do not think that will happen to chess in India. Certainly, Anand will (continue to) behave better than Fischer whether he retains the title or loses it.
I want to make a blog post after each round, like I did for Anand vs Gelfand, but the games will be live very early in the morning for me. The first round is on November 9th at 3pm India time (GMT+5:30), which is 4:30am EST (GMT-5), and 3:30am for me here in the land of 10,000 lakes. (Link to official site for match)
This should be a very interesting match of experience and preparation (Anand) versus talent (Carlsen). Both of these players (like all super GMs) have loads of talent and experience, plus I am sure both are working very hard on match preparation. But in comparing the contestants, they do have relative strengths.
Carlsen is like Capablanca in that he seems to have a deep understanding of chess. He plays solid openings and accumulates advantages. I expect that Carlsen will play some new opening lines to lessen Anand's preparation advantage.
Anand is like Botvinnik. He is rich in experience and very good in his preparation.
I also expect that if Anand loses this match, he will, like Botvinnik, be the leading challenger for the next round.
The match will be held in Chennai, which is Anand's home town. This kind of home field advantage is rare in chess world championships. Anand's career has been very good for chess in India, and this may be FIDE's attempt to cement that success. Considering India's population and growing economy, I think we will all benefit from continuing popularity of chess in India.
After Bobby Fischer's departure, participation in chess declined in the USA. If Anand loses, I do not think that will happen to chess in India. Certainly, Anand will (continue to) behave better than Fischer whether he retains the title or loses it.
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