Our Price: € 9.45

Publisher: New In Chess, 2009
Edition: Magazine
ISBN: 978-90-5691-286-4
Pages: 108
Language: English

Tal Memorial World Blitz Chess Life in Moscow Azerbaijan European Team Champions Vugar Gashimov S.O.S. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave wins in Patagonia The Teuton Reno Western States Open Jonathan Rowson Just Checking: Stuart Conquest

Content Your Move Kramnik Stands Tall in Tal Memorial In his winner’s speech, Vladimir Kramnik compared the 2009 Tal Memorial to legendary predecessors such as AVRO ’38 and Zurich ’53. That may be stretching it a bit, but there’s no denying that with eight players from the world’s top 10 this splendidly organized Tal Memorial was a unique event and in all probability the strongest classical tournament of the year. And it is true that the ex-World Champion had every reason to be satisfied. Shedding his usual caution as Black, Kramnik baffled his opponents with wonderfully aggressive play, going full throttle with both colours. Carlsen Sweeps World Blitz Feeling better after a week of health problems, a hungry Magnus Carlsen attacked the field in the World Blitz Championship in Moscow. At the end of 42 gruelling rounds the insatiable Norwegian had notched up 28 wins, 6 draws and suffered 8 defeats, trouncing both Anand and Kramnik 2-0 in the process. Chess Life in Moscow Today For most of the twentieth century Moscow was the chess capital of the world and maybe it still is, but there’s no denying that the collapse of communism has created new realities in the Russian capital. Vladimir Barsky likes to believe that Moscow chess life is seeing changes for the better and takes you on a tour of his city. Tesla Girls and Azeri Boys Stuart Conquest finds it ‘terribly boring to report chess events conventionally, with round-by-round reports and so on.’ We couldn’t agree more and we’re happy that in his report of the European Team Championship in Novi Sad he enlightens us with lots of fascinating details from the life of Nikola Tesla! Of course, there are highlights from the competition as well, expertly annotated by the champions from Azerbaijan. Interview: Vugar Gashimov ‘A man without a dream lives in vain.’ Misha Savinov talks to Vugar Gashimov, the great unknown in the current world’s top 10. A former prodigy, Gashimov only rose to the top after several bouts of brain surgery. S.O.S. Jeroen Bosch presents the Alekhine in Jonny Hector’s way. In Patagonia In faraway Patagonia, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France became the new Junior World Champion. The Teuton The 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th provides Dirk Poldauf with an opportunity to give us a portrait of a most remarkable chess player from the erstwhile German Democratic Republic. Winner Takes All Redefined Can you win a chess tournament by winning only one game? Sergey Tiviakov’s answer is: ‘Yes you can!’ Seven Reasons to Go to Reno Of late Loek van Wely has been a regular guest on the American circuit. But why would he want to go to Reno? Why Study the Classics? That’s the question Jonathan Rowson tries to answer this time. Carlsen Continued Jan Timman takes a closer look at Magnus Carlsen’s recent achievements in Nanjing and Moscow. Just Checking Which three people would Stuart Conquest like to invite for dinner? Did they play your opening? In this issue games with the following openings were annotated by world class players: Sicilian Yakovenko-Carlsen, by Timman Leko-Carlsen, by Timman Khachiyan-Brooks, by Khachiyan Carlsen-Ponomariov, by Carlsen Tiviakov-Polgar, by Tiviakov Vachier-Lagrave-Andreikin, by Vachier-Lagrave McShane-Cheparinov, by McShane Caro-Kann Gashimov-Stellwagen, by Gashimov Carlsen-Bareev, by Carlsen Queen's Gambit Declined Anand-Carlsen, by Notkin Slav Mamedyarov-Postny, by Mamedyarov Carlsen-Wang Yue, by Timman Nimzo-Indian Carlsen-Kramnik, by Kramnik Morozevich-Kramnik, by Notkin Grünfeld Indian Anand-Svidler, by Anand English Opening Greanias-Van Wely, by Van Wely 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.f3 Van Wely-Zierk, by Van Wely