New Year´s Eve - Rilton Cup, Half Time

It is time to say good bye to 2013 and to say welcome to 2014 year.
I wish Happy New Year to all my readers, many success on the chess board (not against me) and outside of sixty four squares.
For my part, it will not be some crazy celebrations later on, as tomorrow I had unpleasant task to stop 2600+ player with black pieces.

Rilton Cup 2013/2014

In the next, almost two weeks I will pal in Rilton Cup, the biggest open tournament in Sweden.
The tournament is shared in three groups, but I will only write from the first group (Rilton Cup).
Only players who are rated above 2200 in Elo can play in the highest group, but organisers gave some wild cards for some promising player who are under 2200 in Elo.
It is interesting that the tournament is played over New Years Eve, so it will be played in 2013 and in 2014.

Report from Desert - World Youth Championship 2013

There are still three rounds to go in 
World Youth Championship for 2013, and I got the report from a parents of my student Baldur Teodor Petersson who is playing in U12 category, and the rest of Swedish delegation in this competition helped with the report.
All the pictures in this article was taken by 

Hallfríður Sigurðardóttir and Robert Petersson.

The original text is written in Swedish, and the following text is the best form of translation that the readers can get from my knowledge of Swedish and English.

Quality over Quantity

Recently, I played some games in which I was forced to think about giving up material to keep the initiative alive or just to stay in the game.
In some of my games I missed my chance by giving up a material.
I shall show some positions in which quality mattered more than quantity, but also some positions when it was good to keep material and stand a ground.
You can try to guess (and answer with yes or no) the right thing to do in every position...

Solution for December combinations

The solutions for December combinations will be published in clear and simple form.
The positions demands more analysis, but  the purpose of this rubric is to inspire you to analyse these positions and eventually improve in chess.
As always, if something is not clear you can ask in the comments or by messaging me on Facebook.
As there were no combinations published during November I decided to show somehow harder combinations for December.
I hope that you enjoyed.

December Combinations

The rubric about combinations was not updated in November due to other things in schedule, but in December we will continue as before.
I will always continue to underline an importance of solving combinations in order to improve in chess.
If you are the regular reader of this blog you could solve around one hundred combinations in 2013.
If you are not, then you can open the archive of all combinations published on this site, and solve it as in the chess book.
The link is here Monthly combinations .

The Hedgehog

I decided to publish my best game from Västerås.
I played against player who had a very successful season, winning Swedish B Championship and qualifying for the main group in 2014.
During the same week, Tommy Andersson won Swedish Blitz Championship.
In the previous season he won the game in the match against Eksjö S.K. (against GM Jacek Gdanski), so this time it was the time for revenge.
The quality of the game was very high as I think that he didn´t made any obvious mistakes.

Michael de Verdier - Elitserien

The first 3 rounds of the Swedish League was a success for my club, Eksjö SK. 
With a refurbished line-up consisting of 3 Grandmasters and 2 International Masters we had a very strong team going into the first 3 games.
In the first round we defeated the solid team Upsala ASS with 7-1. 
Only two draws were conceded (from admittedly lost positions).

Memorial E. Crespi 2013, Milan Italy

The tournament in Milan is over, and it is time to rise up the activity on Chess&Life.
The trip to Italy can be considered as a success from the point of view of my result and the level of enjoyment that we got there.
However, there are the spots on the Sun (as there is a light at the end of the tunnel, when the result is not so good) and I will try to be as much objective as possible.
The games, and some other details will be discussed in some of my next posts, but for now I will concentrate on the most important things.

Cheater is back - 34th. MEMORIAL E. CRESPI 2013

I had the idea to play chess in Milan, Italy for more than a year.
Fortunately, this Autumn, Michael de Verdier and I decided that it would be the right time to complete our plans for the second part of 2013 and we took the decision to play in Milan.
International festival in Milan are one of those open tournaments that you can not easily find on a chess map of Europe, but there has always been a very good players.
As we expected the same thing this year, we decided to contact the organisers as soon as possible.
However, this year there is a big surprise in the starting list.

We are top of the league

I knew it that November will be properly filled with the articles and reports on this blog.

On Friday 22nd November, Magnus Carlsen became the 16th World Champion, and as in my last article I predicted exactly how the last game will end (also I predicted the result of the match, before it started) I have no intention to go deeper in the analysis of this match. You can find that everywhere on the Internet.

In this article I will write about start of Swedish Elitserien, the highest division in Sweden.

Anand-Carlsen 3:6

Nothing can stop Magnus Carlsen of becoming 16th World Champion in chess (undisputed).
That fact is the most important thing that we can take from today´s game.
Carlsen´s lead now is the whole three points, and he need only one draw from the last three games to become that what was his dream when he started to play chess.

Michael de Verdier: Anand-Carlsen 3-5

Before I leave the word to Michael de Verdier I have to say something about my analysis of game number six. I showed the position which not reached in the game number six.
The real position was reached before h3, gxh3, Rg6 sequence, so my analysis were two tempos down for White.
It is proved by extended analysis that in that case White really could save a draw with b2-b4.
There is no big difference in that, because if you have to play the only moves to save a draw in the position when couple of moves before that he could drew in his dream, then it is most probably that you will not find these moves.

Elitserien 2013/2014

It is only four days before start of the new season in Swedish league, Elitserien.
This article will be some sort of a preview, with forecast of four players from four different clubs.
Before their opinion I will write some thoughts and facts about the league.

Anand-Carlsen 2-4

Eventually we got some decisive games in the last two games, and it seems that everything goes as the most people foreseen.
Magnus Carlsen will be the next (16th) World Champion in chess.
He won the games number five and number six, and now has a +2 lead in this match.
I still can not see how Anand can win the single game with this strategy, not to say to win another two games without losing the single one.
This match is for now, the one way road.

de Verdier´s thoughts: Anand-Carlsen 2:2

For the report about games four and five, I´ll give the word to occasional guest blogger here, Mr. Michael de Verdier:
He wrote about the games, but also some general thoughts about this match.

Not so minor details

Today we could see very good game by Carlsen and Anand, but I will wait for my report about WC match until they finish their fourth game.
In the meanwhile, I want to show you one game that I played on my recent tournament, in which the luck changed sides couple of times.
I was in control for the most of the game, when I missed one good resource of my opponent.
After then I was probably lost, but somehow managed to save the game.
As usual, there will be some questions to the readers.

Anand-Carlsen 1-1

I don´t know what is general opinion about the start of this match, but I am hugely disappointed.
I did not expect from Anand or Carlsen part to go for everything in the very beginning or to play for a public, but a bit more volume in the games could be expected.
The first two games were more boring then the games in Gelfand-Anand match.

Anand-Carlsen

This text will be my modest contribution to the biggest chess event in 2013.
All possible predictions are available on every corner of chess world and this site will not be an exception.

Welcome to Belfast

During my stay in Cork and Dublin, Michael de Verdier and I took decision to visit the capital of Norther Ireland, Belfast.
Usually when I visit some city, you can notice that on this blog, as I like to make an pictorial reportage.
This particular city left very deep impression on me, so I need to write something about it.
I shall try to do that in a way that you can not already find on the Internet.

Unexpected solutions

Today I will show you two games from my last tournament, and one of those games is analysed, while the second game is of high complexity so I decided that it can be too much for this blog, so I took only two positions from the game that illustrates the thinking process during the game.
The both games are played against Bosnian FIDE Masters, and in one of the games, while everything went smooth, I can be very satisfied with my decisions. These maybe can be a school examples of the play in given opening, but a play after 1.d4 from the White´s stand point is not my strongest side.

Dark square strategy

The game I will show today is, in strategical terms, my best game in this year.
My opponent was FIDE master from Bosnia&Herzegovina that already passed his best chess years, but still manage to keep his elo around 2200.
The commentary of this game will not be about concrete variations, except in some cases when there are some beauty in the variations.
I will focus on strategical parts of the game, and try to explain what it means to make a plan for the whole game.

This is how it´s supposed to be...

Today, I am going to finish analysis of my games from Gothenburg (it´s a good bit over the imaginary deadline).
The game that I want to show is played against the newest Swedish Grandmaster, Erik Blomqvist.
I already played this guy, twice, and in the very significant games, beating him both times.
The beginning of this game indicated that it could be triple, but once again in this tournament, I was not ready to finish off my opponents. 
The way I presented the game in the last period will be the same.

Third time luck - Edinburgh

It is not strange that I will start the picture reports with my favourite city in Europe, the Capital of Scotland, Edinburgh.
This was my third visit in last fifteen months...and every time I experienced something new and unexpected.
The all photos in this report are taken by me, and I edited them to take the maximum from them.
For those who are interested in these photos (in full size), or for publishing somewhere, they can contact me on my facebook profile: Jasmin Bejtovic .


The home of Heart of Midlothian Football Club...

Easter road, the home of Hibernian Football Club
*Edinburgh´s derby is the oldest football derby in World

The view from Edinburgh´s Castle

This is what I call the advantageous position

The view to the North
* You can see Waverley station, Northern bridge and many other sights

Georgie Road Edinburgh

Scottish National Gallery
*the same as the majority of Edinburgh's museums and galleries, it is free of admission

The Grassmarket

...and again

Portabello, Edinburgh

The seaside, Portabello Edinburgh

One of the many pubs in Edinburgh´s New Town
*The only thing which is new in New town is the name, as it is build in 18th century

The new period

The period of the last three weeks was very intense in my life.
There were a lot of football and travels, but not so much chess.
As this blog is not exclusively about chess I will write about these travels too, but the concept of blog would be ruined if I would write from every city that I visited in the last three weeks, as in that case there would not be articles about chess.
However, in front of me is a chess period, the time when I will do a lot of training and also I will play in some tournaments.
I did not forgot the games that I will show here, from my recent tournaments, even if there is more then two months old.

Solution for October combinations

If you select the option on the menu just under the header on this blog Monthly combinations, you can see only the articles with the exercises and solutions for the exercises.
Solving the combinations are one of the most important parts of chess training.
On this blog, during the time, I collected about 130 combinations which have high instructional value.
They are free to use for all the readers, and the experienced eye can spot the most important parts of the combinations, for their own training, or for the training of the others.
Here are the solutions for the month of October.

October combinations

As very soon I will travel again (this time in the opposite direction from the last trip), and as my texts about travels has to go through some phases (idea, planing, conceptual, physical) I decided to at least publish something in the regular rubric on this blog.
As it is a tradition on Chess & Life, I will publish the combinations in the order of the level of complexity, from easier to harder exercises.
The first three combinations is somehow easier and the latest two, are harder.
The latest two are from my own games.

Auld Reekie

The loyal readers of this blog, could witnessed the longest pause between two articles from the time when I opened this blog.

There is a very strong reason behind the pause.

I spent some time in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with the common guest writer on this blog, Mr. de Verdier.

In the last period that was almost only chess reports on the blog, and what can you expect in the following period will be some reports from the travels.

Michael de Verdier will (most probably) write an article about Cork and Dublin, while I will write two articles.

One about Belfast, and my impressions about this divided city.

The second article will be from my favourite city, Edinburgh, with some special remarks about football in Scottish Capital.

Of course, I did not forgot about my most recent tournaments, so after some travels related

articles you can expect some games from my last tournament.

Leonid Kubbel´s study

This is the initial position of Leonid Kubbel´s study from 1925.
He was very popular studies composer, born in Leningrad in 1892, and for those who enjoy to solve chess studies, his name is not unknown.
However, when I tried to solve this study together with some guy who loves islands, we experienced unexpected problems.
It is the reason why I want to go through this study with readers, step by step.
I do not need to repeat how big effect on one´s development in chess has solving of chess studies.

Faith will move mountains

I am back on the analysis of my games from my recent tournaments.
This game is still from Gothenburg and after this and my next article, I shall move to my games from Neum.
In between it is possible that I shall publish some other articles, especially about my travels as it seems that I have some unresolved things in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
The title of this article has something to do with the surname of my opponent, but in Swedish.
Let´s see the what am I talking about.

Twin brothers

Before I continue with the analysis of my games, I will publish one study, which left very deep impression on me, and one guy from Republic of Ireland.
White is on move, and his task is to win this position, that at the first look seems insane, as always in the studies.
For those who want to solve it by themselves, it is better not to look at the rest of the text, as it contain spoilers.
Please keep in mind the title of this article, and I will tell you that I did not referred it to the passed pawns on a2 and b2....

English symmetrical, Fischer setup

This is the position from English symmetrical opening, when chosen setup for Black was the favorite setup of legendary player, Robert James Fischer.
I reached this position in Manhem´s chess week in Gothenburg, in the third round against Norwegian International Master, Thorsten Bae.
Bae did not played the critical lines, and he tried to avoid possible opening preparation.
However, his choice was very good as you can see in the comment of the game.
The real problems for Black in this variation starts with Bologan´s recommendation.

Adventure in Winawer variation

I promised to analyse some of my games from the last two tournaments and I am going to keep my promise.
The very first game on the list was the game against Eduardas Rozentalis, in Gothenburg.
It was very intensive game, with a rich strategical battle.
He defended with Winawer variation in French defence, and I got an extra pawn, not without some compensation for Black.
This was quite successful moment for me.
In the second part of the game, he tried to defend with active counterplay and succeeded in obtaining a draw, but as analysis shows it was far from perfect play from both players.

Solutions for September combinations

My very intensive period eventually finished...and I can spend more time writing articles on this blog.
It will last almost to the end of this month, when I have very interesting non-chess projects on the edge of our continent.
It will involve many characters that you already had a chance to know better if you are the regular reader of this blog, and I am sure that some of the most passionate readers will enjoy the new adventures of them.
However, for today I have the solutions of combinations from my last article.
Let´s start...

Sptember Combinations - Tactics from Neum

For Sptember´s monthly combinations rubric I chose to show you some combinations from my recent tournaments
(before I start to publish the games from it).
Due to very tight schedule during August (I played in the two tournaments, Manhem GM chess week, and Bosnian first A division) I could not publish the combinations for that month, but I will compensate with double tactics article in September.
This time I will publish four positions, in which you have to find the best continuation.
In some position more then one move is good enough to achieve the goal, but the task is to find the best.