The Daily Update: Adams Wins Again, Svidler Rolls, World Juniors Underway
There are plenty of other events taking place; I'll just pick out these highlights for your edification.
First, Michael Adams continues to look like a steamroller at the British Championship. He now has 7.5/8 after grinding Stuart Conquest into submission and leads by a point and a half with three rounds to go. Only Adam Hunt is even that close, so if Adams beats him tomorrow he'll have guaranteed himself at least a tie for first. Of course Adams was always a big favorite there, but it's nice to see him doing so well again after several years in the wilderness. On the live top list, he's back to #17 in the world. He has been higher (he has been as high as #4 in the world), but he's headed in the right direction.
Second, Peter Svidler finished off his rapid match with Peter Heine Nielsen with a win (with Black) and two draws (with White), good for a 4.5-1.5 overall victory. Tomorrow they start a two-day blitz match, and unfortunately all tomorrow's games will start with 1.b3?! (Motto: It's not as bad as 1.g4.) This will be done to honor Bent Larsen, who immortalized 1.b3 with games like this:
Larsen-Spassky, Russia vs. The Rest of the World (Beograd 1970):
1.b3(?!) e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3?! e4 5.Nd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 dxc6! 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qc2 Qe7 9.Be2 0-0-0 10.f4? Ng4 11.g3 h5! 12.h3 h4! 13.hxg4 hxg3 14.Rg1 Rh1!! 15.Rxh1 g2 16.Rf1 Qh4+ 17.Kd1 gxf1Q+ 0-1
(Yes, I know that Larsen is a legend of the game. But I admire him as a chessplayer because of his excellence and fighting spirit, not because he was an efficient fish-killer with 1.b3.)
Third, the real World Junior (the U-20) has just started. No super-GMs, but 7 2600s isn't bad!
Reader Comments (7)
Dennis, I think you comment on 1.b3 is a little bit too harsh. It is an option to have a good game. I think Peter and Peter will show this.
Best regards
Schleiermacher
Come on Dennis...it's just blitz. Entertainment. It's better than 1. e3 Black move 2. Ke2.
I'd find other moves more entertaining, but they can do whatever they want. And it's nice that they want to honor Bent Larsen. About your example, though, you're cheating - you're giving a two move sequence.
Huh? I said "Black move" after 1. e3, right?
You gave 1.e3 Black move 2.Ke2. That's two moves, not just one, as in 1.b3 and stop.
It was either 1.b3 or 1.f4. Guess we should be happy.
A true Larsen tribute would involve both players losing 6-0.
I like your way of thinking, David. Maybe one player could show up late six times in a row, while the other player's cell rings just as the arbiter is giving him the point for the other player's tardiness.