The Nutcracker event ended surprisingly, as the young princes (average age 18½) won going away over the older (average age 42½) kings. The kings were nursing a slight lead of four points when they entered the faster time-control rapid matches. It’s here where the younger hands took over, easily overcoming the deficit to win the rapid matches by 5 points, 18.5 to 13.5, and thus winning the event by a 32.5-31.5 score.
The highest-scoring prince was Vladislav Artemiev, with 9 points. On the kings’ side, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Alexei Shirov led the way with 7.5 points. Particularly disappointing to the kings, and the major reason for their defeat, was the poor performance by Sergei Rublevsky, who managed only 2.5/12.
The World Rapid and Blitz championships have started in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, without the Israeli players. It would seem the Israelis were never going to be allowed to play, and FIDE was just covering for the Saudis to safeguard the very rich $2 million prize fund and the $400,000 bidding fee due to it. It’s a shame that history could have been made here for the positive, but instead we have yet another scandal for FIDE, an organization that shares in many ways the corrupt inclinations of the international football organization FIFA.
In the rapids event, world champ Magnus Carlsen, the defending champion in both rapids and blitz, suffered a first-round loss to Chinese grand master Bu Xiangzhi, who also beat him earlier this year at the Word Grand Prix event. Carlsen also suffered a surprising loss to former world champion Vishy Anand in the ninth round. After 10 rounds, the talented and erratic Russian Vladimir Fedoseev is in clear first with 8.5/10, with Peter Svidler, Anand, and Wang Hao in hot pursuit just a half-point behind. Carlsen is tied with a bunch of other players at 7/10.
We have just received a wonderful book from Russell Enterprises, (www.russell-enterprises.com): “Music and Chess, Apollo Meets Caissa’’ by music and chess teacher Achilleas Zographos. In this very handsome book, Zographos draws many interesting parallels between chess and music.
Coming events: Boylston January Swiss, Jan. 4, 11, 18, 25, www.BoylstonChess.org; Billerica January Friday Swiss, Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26, Billerica Chess Club, Council on Aging, 25 Concord Road, Billerica, Contact: Arthur978@Comcast.net.
Recent results: Billerica December, 1st: Tim Bromley, 3.5/4; Newburyport CC Club Championship, 1st: John Elmore, 6.5/8; BCC Winter G/80, Open, 1st: Lawyer Times, 3/3, Under, 1st: Bob Oresick, 3/3
Answer to today’s problem: From Popov vs. Novopashin, 1979. 1.Qh6!! gxh6 (1…KxQ 2.Rh8 is mate) 2.Rxb7 will lead to mate after Black gets done throwing his pieces in the way.
Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@ gmail.com.
