Most important rules and principles in endings of opposite-coloured bishops

1) Most of the time, material is not as important as positional considiration

2) The defender's aim is to construct an impregnable fortress of one of the following typed:

Type 1: The king stops the passed pawn, while the bishop protects the other pawns.

Type 2: The bishop stops the passed pawns while the king assists it and stops the atacking king breaking through.

3) If a fortress of the second type can be broken, then the attacker usually creates two passed pawns on different wings and his king helps one pawn to advance, eventually winning the bishop.

4) If the attacker sacrifices material himself to create passed pawns, his bishop must be able to halt the resulting enemy passed pawns on diagonal. The principle of one diagonal is important for the attacker and the defender as a methode to avoid falling into zugzwang or being diverted.

5) As defender, attack your opponent's pawns with your bishop to force them onto squares of the opposite colour to your bishop. It is then easier to create a safe blockade.

Opposite coloured bishops

 

These are two interesting games I've played recently.

The first game was in very agressive line, known as "poison pawn" in Naidorf variant against IM Alexikov, the second was positional game, which I've played today against Zalkin D in "Paulsen" line.

Games
 

Many games ended in draws as always in these last rounds. One of them was Polgar-Aronian they smashed 27 moves of Marshall theory onto the board in no time. 27…Re5 was new compared to Nakamura-Aronian, Gibraltar 2005, and the ending was drawish.

Carlsen has took out from opening book, played unusual scheme! after a very hard fight in opposite colored bishop's position followed draw agreement.

Another important game was between Anand and Kramnik, was played as usual Petroff's defence. They followed Svidler-Kramnik, Mexico 2007, until Black brought a novelty with 23…hxg4. Vishy was winning… until he missed 51.Rd1!, which is winning according to the engines. Anand could shared the 1-3 places with Aronian and Carlsen! In the end of game followed draw agreement.

Leko finished his tournament with a victory against Mamedyarov, who disappointed this year. Out of the opening Black got some troubles and after he missed 22…Ne5, it was over already.

Michael Adams was a bit surprised today by Veselin Topalov’s choice of opening today. Most of the moves were known theory, including the temporary pawn sac by black, and the well-advised returning of it by white. In the post mortem, Adams said that maybe 22.f3 wasn’t necessary, but in any event black was doing well, and a draw was agreed one move later.

Finally a win for Boris Gelfand, at the expense of Pavel Eljanov. After the game Boris said he already played this opening “before my opponent was born” . Black’s hanging pawn formation makes it hard for him to find an active plan, and when he tried anyway, his weaknesses started to tell. Gelfand managed to provoke 23...f6, with a softening of the kingside, and soon won a pawn. Black’s 33...d4?  gave up a second pawn, hoping to get some counterplay, but the Israeli carefully defused it. After 37.f3, massive material losses were inevitable for black, and so he had to resign shortly thereafter.

Michael Adams was a bit surprised today by Veselin Topalov’s choice of opening today. Most of the moves were known theory, including the temporary pawn sac by black, and the well-advised returning of it by white. In the post mortem, Adams said that maybe 22.f3 wasn’t necessary, but in any event black was doing well, and a draw was agreed one move later.

In Vassily Ivanchuk - Loek van Wely, the Dutchman confused his move order (10...Nbd7?! instead of 10...dxc4) and so had to allow his opponent to weaken his kingside pawn structure. Later, after black had sacrificed a pawn, the Ukrainian should have tried 20.f3!  getting rid of the centralized knight and reactivating his passive bishop, instead of the game’s 20.Na5?. Once white had missed this, black managed to tactically hold his position, and after a few moves in the knight ending, a draw was registered.

Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen drew their games today, and are the joint winners of the 70th Corus Chess Tournament Grandmaster Group A!

Final tabale:

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Score	place
1	V. Kramnik	RUS	2799	x	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	6½	7-8
2	T. Radjabov	AZE	2735	½	x	½	1	½	0	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	7½	3-4
3	S. Mamedyarov	AZE	2760	½	½	x	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	1	6	9-11
4	P. Eljanov	UKR	2692	0	0	½	x	½	½	0	1	1	0	½	0	½	½	5	12-14
5	M. Adams	ENG	2726	½	½	½	½	x	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	6½	7-8
6	L. Aronian	ARM	2739	0	1	½	½	½	x	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	8	1-2
7	V. Ivanchuk	UKR	2751	½	½	½	1	½	½	x	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	7	5-6
8	J. Polgar	HUN	2707	½	½	½	0	1	½	½	x	½	1	½	0	0	½	6	9-11
9	V. Topalov	BUL	2780	1	½	½	0	½	0	½	½	x	1	1	½	0	0	6	9-11
10	B. Gelfand	ISR	2737	½	0	½	1	½	0	½	0	0	x	½	½	½	½	5	12-14
11	P. Leko	HUN	2753	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	½	0	½	x	1	½	½	7	5-6
12	M. Carlsen	NOR	2733	1	½	1	1	½	½	½	1	½	½	0	x	0	1	8	1-2
13	V. Anand	IND	2799	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	1	x	½	7½	3-4
14	L. van Wely	NED	2681	½	½	0	½	0	0	½	½	1	½	½	0	½	x	5	12-14

Games round 13

Press conference Aronian and Carlsen

Interview winer Group "B"  Movsesian

Interview winer Group "C" Caruana

 

Magnus Carlsen played a magnificent game against Vladimir Kramnik, beating the former World Champion with the black pieces. Levon Aronian could not overcome Ivanchuk's defence and only drew, so that now, before the final round, Aronian and Carlsen are in the lead. Judit Polgar outplayed Michael Adams on the black side of a Petroff. And sensationally Veselin Topalov went down against Pavel Eljanov in a Modern Benoni.

In last round Carlsen has white against Radjabov, who would desperately like to move into the top, but will probably be fairly cautious against the obviously in-form Norwegian. Aronian is Black against Judit Polgar, who is probably in an optimistic mood and will be seeking to improve her position on the final table. Naturally the big match is Anand vs Kramnik, where anything might happen. Anand might try to set the tone for the September World Championship match with a fine victory; Kramnik might strike out for once with the black pieces to climb to a less embarrassing position on the table.

Video analysis Kramnik vs Carlsen (Part 1)

Video analysis Kramnik vs Carlsen (Part 2)

Kramnik vs Carlsen (Part 3)

Games round 12

 

Round 11 was a very hot! Almost all games were effective. The curent World champion has outplayed the junior Magnus in a very dangerouse position for him. The young choose unexpect e4 for this game. Anand offered line of sicilian, where he was feeling like a fish in a water.

The exciting game was Aronioan vs Van Wely. Levon has chosen a line with white which he was played with black against Gelfand in round 2 and was successful. This time he had a white colour and has got a full point. Aronian has took over Carlsen relay-race of leader with 7 points!

Another runner up Radjabov played with black against Gelfand. The favour Old Indian defence of Radjabov gave him progress. Now he and Anand are sharing 2-3 places with 6.5pts.

The first win for outsider Eljanov, who's defeated Polgar in Ray Lopez variant. Another important game was Ivanchuk vs Adams. Both players played sharp but carefully and followed draw.

In game Topalov vs Mamedyarov there was unexpected Old Indian defence (Radjabov's influence). The game finished with draw agreement in dynamic position!?

One more time Petroff's defence was met in game Leko vs Kramnik. the game finished with a perpetual check. 

Video analysis Carlsen vs Anand (Part1)

Video analysis Carlsen vs Anand (Part2)

Interview Aronian

Games round 11

 

Weekly Study

Today we shall look at two endings which was met last week in Wijk aan Zee. There were two theretical endings. the first is from game Kramnik vs Aronian (Rook ending with two passing pawns f,h). The second from the game Radjabov vs Van Wely, (rook against bishop with white pawn on a4 and black one on a5).

 

The leader of the tournament has choosen "Volzhyn" Gambit  against Van Wely. A terribly tragic finish of the game, for Loek van Wely. He had reached a completely winning position, but without much time on the clock, but Carlsen had even less, and in a ridiculous timescramble, White's position went from plus 5 something to minus 5 something. A stroke of unexpected luck for Carlsen, who’s now clear first again with 6.5 out of 9. And, to be honest, his defeat against Leko yesterday was highly unfortunate, so now the scales are in balance again. Some short comments by Carlsen.

Kramnik couldn’t get through a solid Gelfand today and Topalov managed to create enough counterplay to hold the draw despite being an exchange down. Ivanchuk beat Eljanov and it took longer than it was expected. He outplayed his opponent and won a pawn, but then Eljanov started to defend quite well - but to no benefit.

In game Adams vs Aronian: Adams played is not very dangerous for Black, when he knows what he’s doing, and so this game has already ended in 21 moves. Understandable for Aronian, who’s on shared first and played Black, but Adams could have shown some more fighting spirit.

 

Anand-Leko was even quieter than we thought, and they are already back in their hotel rooms as well. And so another White game is gone for Anand, right when he started to have some chances for the tournament victory too, but perhaps he has faith in his coming Black games against Van Wely and Carlsen. In the last round he’s White against Kramnik...

 

Games round 10

 

The high tension duel was between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik. The two did not shake hands before the game, as neither one offered his first, but they would have obliged if one would have been offered. Topalov beats Kramnik, in a deeply prepared hodge-podge of moves that started with a knight sacrifice on f7. It was all found by Cheparinov, who was given all credits by Topalov

Adams has finally put an end to his series of draws, by beating Van Wely. Since he doesn’t play 6.Bc4 against the Najdorf that often, it might well have been a little Fischer tribute...

Leko was pressed Carlsen. In the end of the first control Magnus blundered and lost the game.

The game Aronian vs Eljanov finished with draw agreement. Aronian has joined Carlsen in the lead with 5½ points.

Interview Leko

Video analysis Topalov vs Kramnik (part1)

Video analysis Topalov vs Kramnik (part2)

Games round 9

Standing after 9th round:

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Score
1	V. Kramnik	RUS	2799	x	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	0					½	5
2	T. Radjabov	AZE	2735	½	x	½	1	½	0	½	½					1	½	5
3	S. Mamedyarov	AZE	2760	½	½	x	½	½	½	½					0	½	1	4½
4	P. Eljanov	UKR	2692	0	0	½	x	½	½					½	0	½	½	3
5	M. Adams	ENG	2726	½	½	½	½	x					½	½	½	½	1	5
6	L. Aronian	ARM	2739	0	1	½	½		x			1	1	½	½	½		5½
7	V. Ivanchuk	UKR	2751	½	½	½				x	½	½	½	½	½	½		4½
8	J. Polgar	HUN	2707	½	½					½	x	½	1	½	0	0	½	4
9	V. Topalov	BUL	2780	1					0	½	½	x	1	1	½	0	0	4½
10	B. Gelfand	ISR	2737					½	0	½	0	0	x	½	½	½	½	3
11	P. Leko	HUN	2753				½	½	½	½	½	0	½	x	1		½	4½
12	M. Carlsen	NOR	2733			1	1	½	½	½	1	½	½	0	x			5½
13	V. Anand	IND	2799		0	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	½			x		5
14	L. van Wely	NED	2681	½	½	0	½	0			½	1	½	½			x	3½

 

Will play Short or not? Short has announced on TWIC not to play. Well, 15 minutes to go...

 Probably, they still shaking hands?!  ....maybe this will take a few minutes (feel good)

Oh! the game started!

Silvio “The Toilet” Danailov does it again!

...

Shaking hands

The soap dispute around the game Short vs Cheparinov has finished! Nigel was controled all the game,  and won but with some difficulties.

More and more people bilieve that this scandal may precede to one in game Topalov vs Kramnik. We shall wait...

Game Short, N vs Cheparinov, I

 

The Corus press officer has just confirmed that the tournament committee have received Ivan Cheparinov’s written apologies. At the moment it’s not yet clear whether the game Short-Cheparinov will indeed be played. To the Organizing Committee Corus chess tournament CC : Dear All, I accept the decision of the Appeal Committee and on the name of chess, the chess fans and showing respect to the opinion of my colleagues would like to state the following: I apologize officially to Mr. Short, to the Organizing Committee and the sponsors of Corus chess tournament. I am ready to play the game today at 13:30 and will shake hands with Mr.Short according to the decision of the Appeal Committee. Best regards, Ivan Cheparinov.