A chess exchange programme may be possible
The impromptu visit of German grandmaster Rainer Buhmann to Guyana has deepened the conviction held by local chess players that for sure, the oldest game known to man is on the rise, and that in time, we may yet present our country as a global player on the international stage.
Grandmaster Buhmann said he was impressed by the enthusiasm for the game of our young, school-age chess players. It was a wonderful experience for him to observe kids from different schools clamouring for a place to face him in the simultaneous exhibition. Buhmann said he would play forty students simultaneously and no more. Some were disappointed when they had to be turned away. But he made it up to them with a promise that he would be back. Even at his chess club in Germany, Buhmann said, he had not seen such exuberance for the game as he witnessed in Guyana.
There is a possibility, the grandmaster noted, of developing a chess exchange programme for students between his chess club in Germany, and an equal number of selected students from the Guyana Chess Federation during the summer vacation. It would not be possible to negotiate and put in place such an ambitious exchange visit this year, but there is a possibility it could be arranged in due course. Here is a brilliant idea for the continued development of our finest student players in Guyana.
The immense undertaking of the Guyana Chess Federation is to convince big businesses in Guyana that it is worthwhile for them to support chess. Such a task will not be easy, since chess has not as yet been established in the national consciousness, and can be regarded only as an emerging pastime. Our biggest challenge would be to demonstrate the manner in which chess could be used to enhance businesses, etc. The federation understands that businesses do not sponsor events simply because you ask them to. It is more complicated than that. However, chess must be viewed as a propeller for progress in a nation.
The federation would love to work with big businesses to transform the game in a positive and spectacular manner. Computer behemoth Microsoft offered Kasparov over US$1M to play six games against a computer. At the moment, the GCF is looking for a sponsor for the Mackenzie High School-West Demerara Secondary School chess match which is due to take place following examinations in July. Both schools have some promising players, and it would be nice to witness a mind battle between them.
So far, Demerara Distillers Limited, Kei-Shar’s, Ansa McCal, GT&T, Ocean Spray Hotel, Oasis Cafe, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the King’s Plaza, Hotel Tower, Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, the Ramgopal family and Sasha Cells have been gracious in their support for chess, and have kept it going ever since we re-started the engines of the game in 2007. Hopefully we will be able to expand on this in the future.
Radjabov v Carlsen
Today’s game is taken from the 18th Amber Blindfold and Rapid tournament played in Nice in March. The world’s most talented teenagers, Teimour Radjabov and Magnus Carlsen clash in this one.
Radjabov, T (2761) – Carlsen, M (2776)
18th Amber Blindfold Nice FRA (11), 26.3.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Bb3 d5 7.Nbd2 Be6 8.Qe2 dxe4 9.dxe4 Qe7 10.0-0 Bxb3 11.axb3 a6 12.b4 Ba7 13.Nc4 Qe6 14.Na5 Nxa5 15.Rxa5 Nd7 16.Rd1 c6 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Qxe3 Rfd8 19.h3 f6 20.Raa1 Nf8 21.Qb6 Rd7 22.Nh4 Rc8 23.Nf5 Rcc7 24.Kh2 h5 25.Qe3 g6 26.Nh4 Kg7 27.Qe2 Qb3 28.g3 Ne6 29.Rg1
In this blindfold game Magnus did not see that his queen is trapped and requires a knight move or 29…b5 to provide an escape route. 29…Rd6?? 30.Ra3 and the Norwegian has to give up a piece to save his queen: 30…Nd4 31.cxd4 Qxb4 32.dxe5 Rd2 33.exf6+ Kf7 34.Qe3 Qxb2 35.Rg2 Re2 36.Qg5 Qxa3 37.Qxg6+ Kf8 38.Qh6+ Kg8 39.Qg5+ Kf8 40.Ng6+ Ke8 41.Qe5+ Kd8 42.Nf4 Re1 43.f7? (unnecessary) Rxf7 44.Qb8+ Ke7 45.Qxb7+ Ke8 46.Qc8+ Ke7 47.e5 Rxe5 48.Ng6+ Kf6 49.Nxe5 Kxe5 50.f4+ Kf6 51.Qh8+ Kg6 52.Qg8+ Rg7 53.f5+ Kf6 54.Qe6+ Black Resigns! 1-0.
Topaov v Aronian
Today’s game is taken from the 18th Amber Blindfold and Rapid chess tournament which took place in March in Nice. Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian emerged victorious at the tournament ahead of a world class field which included the world champion Anand; his challenger Kramnik who took the title from Kasparov in 2000; former world champion Topalov; teenage wunderkind Carlsen; Radjabov, at one time the youngest grandmaster in the world, and a few other top-notch grandmasters. In the following game, Topalov is winning, but the Armenian manages to hold on for a draw.
Topalov, V (2796) – Aronian, L (2750)
18th Amber Blindfold Nice FRA (11), 26.3.2009
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7 11.Rc1 0-0 12.Bb3 Qe7 13.Na4 Rd8 14.Qc2 Nf8 15.Ne5 Bd7 16.Qc5 Qxc5 17.Nxc5 Rab8 18.f4 Be8 19.Rc2 Nh7 20.Rfc1 Nf6 21.a3 Bf8 22.g3 Kg7 23.Kg2 a5 24.Kf3 b6? 25.Nxe6+ fxe6 26.Nxc6 a4? Now White is winning. 27.Nxd8 axb3 28.Rc7+ Kg8 29.Nxe6 g5 30.e4 Bd7 31.Nxf8 Bg4+ 32.Ke3 Re8 33.e5 Nd5+ 34.Ke4 Nxc7 35.Rxc7 Rxf8 36.d5 Bf5+ 37.Kd4 Bh3 38.fxg5 Rf2 39.e6 Rd2+ 40.Ke5 Rxb2 41.Rb7 Rb1 42.e7 Re1+ 43.Kf6 Rf1+ 44.Ke5 Re1+ 45.Kf6 Rf1+ 46.Ke5 Re1+ draw.
It is interesting to note that White did not try Kd6 (of course two moves earlier, before the repetition): 45.Kd6 hxg5 46.Rb8+ Kh7 47.e8Q Rxe8 48.Rxe8 is clearly won. Perhaps White was not clear about the accuracy of the following line: 45.Kd6 Kf7 46.gxh6 Bf5 47.Rxb6 Rxe7 48.Rxb3 Rd7+ 49.Ke5 Rxd5+ 50.Kxd5 Be6+, but even after this skewer White wins with his four pawns against the Bishop.The game was a blindfold one where neither of the two players had sight of the chess board and pieces.
