Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2025 i British Chess Magazine

After years of spats, the tense relationship between Carlsen and FIDE has finally erupted into open war. Could this be the last year Magnus Carlsen holds the title of “World Champion” in one of the recognized chess formats? Can you separate the artist from their art? This is one of those evergreen questions which usually come up when a musician or actor we adore does something that is completely opposite to our own views, shattering our idealised picture of them. Some in the chess world are asking the same question after the recent public breakdown of relations between the world’s top-rated player Magnus Carlsen and the International Chess Federation (FIDE). Even before the recent developments, it was no secret in the chess world that Magnus Carlsen, to put it lightly,…

The European Senior Chess Championship 2024 took place from 25 October to 3 November in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, drawing nearly 180 seasoned players from 31 European federations. Hosted at the Bella Italia EFA Village, the event provided a competitive yet serene setting for some of the continent’s most experienced chess players. The tournament continues to serve as a key event in the European Chess Union’s calendar, offering an opportunity for seasoned players In the over 50s Stephen Dishman and Paul Motwani both scored 6/9. In the over 65s Terry Chapman and John Nunn both scored 6.5/9. While the emphasis in chess is most often on the newest theory and computer moves, the games played by seasoned seniors, many of them belonging to a different (pre-chess-engine dominated) era, bring some wisdom…

The 2025 Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee marked not just the start of the new year but also the beginning of a new era in the chess world. In a dramatic finale between two Indian youngsters, 19-year-old R Praggnanandhaa outdueled reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh in a tiebreak to claim the prestigious title. With four players under 21 finishing in the top ranks, the tournament underscored the rise of a new generation of chess superstars. The term Wimbledon of chess was originally associated with the famed Linares tournament, a favourite of Kasparov. With the Linares tournament now a part of history, the title of Wimbledon of chess has shifted to the tournament held in Wijk aan Zee, nowadays known as the Tata Steel tournament. This year marked…

As the world—including the chess world—moves into 2025, this article reflects on some of the key events of 2024 in British chess and their significance for the year ahead and the future of the game. The year opened (give or take a few weeks) with a splendid result by veteran Mickey Adams, winning the London Classic outright in the dying embers of 2023. The year ended with a parallel victory by a resurgent Gawain Jones in the 2024 London Classic. Only a loss by Mickey in his direct confrontation with British Champion Gawain, prevented the old campaigner from repeating his success from the previous year. Gawain, who has enjoyed a sensationally successful twelve months, may represent the future of British chess, but it is also clear that Mickey not only…

6284 New ideas in the openings have often been attributed to later/ more famous innovators. First, the Charlick Counter Gambit is over twenty years older than previously thought. Ware himself was no stranger to unorthodox openings. Preston Ware - Captain George Mackenzie New York CC, 1870 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 d6 2...♘c6 3.♘f3 ♕e7 is the Englund Counter Gambit, which is suspect, as long as White is familiar with 4.♙f4 ♕b4+ 5.♙d2 ♕xb2 6.♙c3?? ♙b4 7.♕d2 ♙xc3 8.♕xc3 ♕c1#. 3.exd6 This is better than 3.♙f4 ♘c6 4.exd6 ♕f6 5.♙c1 ♙xd6 6.c3 ♙f5 7.e3 0-0-0 (Apperley - Charlick, Adelaide 1894). 3...♙xd6 4.e4 ♘f6 5.♙d3 ♘c6 6.f4? This is too ambitious. White has an extra pawn; he should content himself with sound development. 6...♙g4 7.♘f3 ♙c5! 8.♕e2 0-0 9.e5? He needed to play…

The 2024 XTX Markets London Chess Classic, held from 29 November to 6 December at Emirates Stadium, brought top-level chess back to the British capital. Featuring an eight-player round-robin, the event showcased a mix of homegrown talent and international stars, with players such as Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Vidit Gujrathi, and Ju Wenjun competing alongside Michael Adams, Nikita Vitiugov, and Gawain Jones. The event was held at the Emirates Stadium in December 2024. Gawain Jones was a worthy winner of the Classic with 5/7. There was a four-way tie for second place on 4/7 including Michael Adams and Nikita Vitiugov. There was also a very strong Open tournament won jointly by Raunak Sadhwani and Ilya Smirin with 7/9. The top placings were as follows Gawain Jones showed his will to win in…

1 C. Salvioli Nuova Rivista degli Scacchi, 1875 DRAW 2 A. Kubbel Shakhmatny Listok, 1925 WIN 3 A. Maksimovski Soyuz Apollo, 1975 WIN 4 P. Byway Original composition, 2025 WIN LOOK BACK IN ANTICIPATION We look back over 150 years of endgame studies, while anticipating 2025’s new compositions. Salvioli’s study, from 150 years ago, shows an idea that is probably familiar both to study enthusiasts and to over-the-board players; Salvioli disguised it neatly. The second study, a Kubbel composition from a century ago, is not by the best-known of the three Kubbel brothers, Leonid, but by the eldest of the three, Arvid Kubbel. Arvid was executed by the Soviet secret police in 1938, reportedly for sending his compositions to bourgeois foreign newspapers, though I guess that was a convenient pretext…