Top Grandmasters 2008 games

This blog is about taking a closer look at the middle-game in chess. Top level chess provides lots of material to re-play, analyze and be inspired by.

From the top 10 chess players in the world, I have decided to select 4 Grandmasters with a collection of their 2008 games ( wins or losses, no draws) as of June 19, 2008. Around a hundred games are featured.

Here are the links with replayable games on a chessboard:

Anand:
http://games.top10chess.com/anandgames.htm

Aronian:
http://games.top10chess.com/aroniangames.htm

Carlsen:
http://games.top10chess.com/carlsengames.htm

Morozevich:
http://games.top10chess.com/morozevichgames.htm




Please drop a comment if you would like another player to be featured in the list, or if you have a comment on the presented collections. For example, if a particular game or position stands out, it could be analyzed in a separate post.

Tactical Position from Las Vegas 2008

In the game Kamsky-Paragua, played in Las Vegas 2008, the middlegame became sharp and rich in tactical possibilities. Black to play in the position below. White has sacrificed the exchange, and is currently attacking the Rook on a4 and the Queen on c6. Both kings are exposed though. Black has a few promising continuations. Paragua played an interesting move but overlooked a strong reply from Kamsky. Can you guess the strong and unexpected blow he could have dealt instead to Gata Kamsky in the following position with Black ?

Black to play and continue the attack !




Kamsky-Paragua, Las Vegas 2008


Feel free to post your ideas/variations in the comments section.
Good luck !

Warming up with tactics (Easy exercises)

Four simple tactical exercises. Tactical warm-up ! Here after finding the right first move, even the best defence will not save the weaker camp. It is a matter of researching all candidate moves, and selecting the decisive one to clinch the game. Calculate well !

1. Black to play and win (Anand-Aronian, 2008)

2. White to play and win (Kramnik-Leko 2004)

3. Black to play and win (Leko-Kramnik 2004)

4. White to play and win (Anand-Carlsen, 2007)

* * *

Solutions here http://games.top10chess.com/tactics08.htm

Sicilian Scheveningen Attacking Tactics ( Part II)

In the previous post, we have presented three GM games showing attacking themes occuring when White plays Qe1-g3 in the Scheveningen. The two following positions are taken from the same variation. The study of the previous post should facilitate solving the tactics here.
Good Luck !

1. White to play and win

* * * *

2. White to play and win

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Solutions here (replayable through a chess board)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Attacking against the Sicilian Scheveningen

Here are tactical themes in a a set-up against the sicilian Scheveningen.
The key position (Tabiya) is as follows with White to move :

The key move is Qe1, signaling the intention Qg3 attacking on the king side. White will try to play Bd3,Bd4, and then e4-e5 or f4-f5 in conjonction with Qg3. The Tabiya above is reached after the following sequence:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Qc7 7.Be3 Nf6 8.O-O Be7 9.f4 d6 10.Qe1 O-O

Before solving positions issued from this opening in a following post, let's go through three thematic games played from the tabiya (Bacrot-Lautier 2005, David-Plaskett 2000, Anand-Ivanchuk 2008)

Here's the link: http://games.top10chess.com/sicilianQe1var.htm

Kramnik-Anand tactical positions

Kramnik and Anand will compete in a world championship later on in 2008. Let's review four previous games between the two champions.

We will have 2 tactical positions won by Anand, and 2 won by Kramnik. Let's the best of these two exceptional chess players battle for the world chess title!

1. Black to play and win !

1. Kramnik-Anand Amber Nice (rapid) 2008

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2.White to play and win

2.Kramnik-Anand Corus Wijk-Aan-Zee 2007

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3. White to play and win

3. Anand-Kramnik, M-Tel Sofia 2005

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4. White to play and win

4. Kramnik-Anand Sparkassen Dortmund 2001

Replay all positions with annoted solutions on this link:

http://games.top10chess.com/kramnikanand.htm