In tandem with the World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates, two Swiss tournaments were held: one for players FIDE rated 2000 and less, and one open to all. The top Open attracted dozens of grandmasters. Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta from India took clear first in the Open Tournament.
Overall, the youth championships turned out to be a gruelling affair for the many who sought glory in the different age groups. Garry Kasparov turned up to inspire the children, many of whom were accompanied by their parents. There were 1773 entrants from 171 countries. Guyana did not participate in the youth championships. Of all the nations, India was the biggest winner with a total of eight medals inclusive of three gold.
Although China won three golds, their total was not quite as expansive. Russia claimed one gold, one silver and three bronze. Clearly, the biggest surprise of the championship was Iran. Three of her athletes took medals with IM Pouya Idani ranked 14th in the U-8 age group, taking home the coveted gold medal. He was ranked Elo 125 points below the top seed and ran away with the gold following a flawless campaign.
Chess game
The Karpov v Timman match
Former world champion Anatoly Karpov played a four-game match last month with a former leading Dutch player, Jan Timman, as part of the celebrations for the Groningen Chess Festival. The first three games were drawn. Here is game four where Karpov triumphed.
Game 2 is taken from the Hastings Chess Congress in which Qun Ma was adjudged the joint winner of the tournament. The players castle on opposite sides of the board which makes the struggle interesting.
Game 3 features the Sport Accord Mind Games that was held in China. Sergei Karjakin won in the Men’s section.
Event: Karpov-Timman Match
Site: Groningen, Netherlands
Date: December 29, 2013
Round 4
Result: 1-0
White: Anatoly Karpov
Black: Jan Timman
WhiteElo 2619
Black Elo 2600
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 b5 6. cxb5 Bxb5 7. Bg2 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 a5 9. a3 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Bc6 11. O-O Qc8 12. Qc2 Qb7 13. Nbd2 O-O 14. Rfc1 Ra7 15. Ra2 Bd5 16. Rb2 d6 17. Ne1 Bxg2 18. Nxg2 Nbd7 19. Qc6 Rb8 20. Rbc2 h6 21. Qxc7 Qa6 22. Qc4 Qxc4 23. Rxc4 Nb6 24. Rc6 Ne8 25. e4 Kf8 26. Ne3 Ke7 27. d5 Kd7 28. dxe6+ fxe6 29. e5 d5 30. R6c5 Kd8 31. f4 Nd7 32. Rc6 Nc7 33. a4 Rb6 34. Rxb6 Nxb6 35. Rc6 Nd7 36. Nf3 Nb8 37. Nd4 Kd7 38. Rb6 Nba6 39. f5 Nc5 40. fxe6+ N5xe6 41. Rd6+ 1-0
Strugnell v Qun Ma match
Event: Hastings Chess Congress
Site: Hastings, England
Date: December 28, 2013
Round 1.3
Result: 0-1
White: Carl Strugnell
Black: Qun Ma
WhiteElo 2291
BlackElo 2595
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd2 c6 6. Bc4 Bg4 7. f3 Bf5 8. Nge2 Qb6 9. Bb3 h6 10. Na4 Qd8 11. c4 Nbd7 12. Ng3 Bh7 13. Qe2 e6 14. d5 e5 15. dxc6 bxc6 16. Bc3 Qb8 17. Bc2 Bxc2 18. Qxc2 Bb4 19. O-O-O O-O 20. Rhe1 Re8 21. Kb1 Bf8 22. Ne4 Nxe4 23. Qxe4 Qc7 24. Re2 Re6 25. Red2 Nf6 26. Qc2 e4 27. Bxf6 Rxf6 28. Qxe4 Qxh2 29. Nc3 Re6 30. Qc2 Rae8 31. Ne4 Qf4 32. Rd4 Qe5 33. Qa4 f5 34. Nc3 Be7 35. Nd5 Bc5 36. R4d3 cxd5 37. Rxd5 Qc7 38. Qb5 Bf8 39. Rxf5 Re5 40. Rd5 Re1+ 41. Kc2 Rb8 42. Qa4 Re2+ 0-1
Karjakin v Ponomariov match
Event: SportAccord World Mind Games (Men, Basque)
Site: Beijing, China
Date: December 17, 2013
Round 3.1
Result: 1-0
White: Sergey Karjakin
Black: Ruslan Ponomariov
WhiteElo 2756
BlackElo 2731
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 d6 7. c3 O-O 8. Nbd2 Re8 9. Re1 Bf8 10. h3 b5 11. Bc2 Bb7 12. d4 Nb8 13. a4 Nbd7 14. Bd3 c6 15. Qc2 Qc7 16. b3 g6 17. Bb2 Rac8 18. Rad1 exd4 19. cxd4 d5 20. e5 Nh5 21. e6 Rxe6 22. Rxe6 fxe6 23. Bxg6 Ndf6 24. Bxh5 Nxh5 25. Ne5 bxa4 26. bxa4 c5 27. dxc5 Qxc5 28. Qb3 Qb4 29. Qf3 Qxb2 30. Qxh5 Bg7 31. Ndf3 Rf8 32. Qg5 Kh8 33. Qe7 Bc8 34. Re1 a5 35. Nf7+ Kg8 36. Nd6 Qf6 37. Nxc8 Rxc8 38. Qxf6 Bxf6 39. Rxe6 Bc3 40. Rd6 Rc4 41. Rxd5 Rxa4 42. g4 Ra1+ 43. Kg2 a4 44. Rd7 a3 45. Ra7 Bb4 46. Nd4 Bc3 47. Nf5 Ra2 48. g5 Be1 49. Nh6+ Kf8 50. Ng4 Bc3 51. h4 Bd4 52. Ra5 Ke7 53. h5 Ke6 54. Kf3 Ra1 55. Ke4 a2 56. Ra6+ Ke7 57. Kf5 Kd7 58. f4 Kc7 59. Nf6 Kb7 60. Ra4 Bc3 61. Nd5 Be1 62. Nb4 Bxb4 63. Rxb4+ Kc6 64. Rb2 Kd7 65. Re2 1-0
Wilhelm Steintz v Henry Bird, London, 1866
Black to play and win
Solution to chess puzzle for Dec 29
Qh6 + g5 Rxf5 + Rxf5 Qd6+ .
