Did Kasparov destroy his own legend? An opinion piece.

The Rapid and Blitz in St. Louis is over, and we have seen that Kasparov still belongs to the top players of the world - in the top 20 to top 30 in any case, possibly even in the top 10 - but he is not the eight-eyed monster that sees everything anymore. He is not the Linares winner of 2005 anymore. He is not the world champion anymore. Kasparov has demontaged his own legend, he has become a mortal, an aging chess master over his zenith. He still is a great player, and for many having the strength that Kasparov showed in St. Louis is a target they can only dream of, but he now is one of many, not even a primus inter parem, far less the number one.

The world champion who played David Braben's Elite in his free time has matured into a political activist for whom chess has become a hobby, just like Elite back then. Maybe it is time to train hard, to have the greatest comeback in chess history. Or maybe it is time to just enjoy chess, play some tourneys for fun, win some opens, retire from politics and enjoy life.

Or maybe it is time for something new. Who knows what is Garry's next invention? The video game loving boy of the 1980s soon ventured into chess software and hardware, having an own series of chess computers. Will the mature Kasparov use his influence once more to find ways to improve chess for the general public? Now he is a politician, and countries that teach chess in schools have proven it to be successful for the social development of children. And in fact Kasparov already worked towards chess in schools. Why not again?

Garry, you might not be the best anymore. But you are still a legend. Use it for the best!

Development of a Sabra Tourney helpmate

The 20th Sabra Tourney called for the opening and closing of a line by a black piece. I have come up with a simple idea, and after sending it to Paz Einat, I found that I can have two variations with a small change, so I also sent him the new position.

Siegfried Hornecker

Original for 20th Sabra Tourney

(Original publication)

Helpmate in 2, 2 solutions

1.Bd5 Qh7 2.0-0-0 Qc7 mate

1.Bd3 Qh1 2.0-0-0 Q:b7 mate

This small idea has the flaw of Black castling both times to the same side, and Paz decided to work on it. After an earlier unthematic version, he presented a final result, which he sent as original to the judge.

Paz Einat & Siegfried Hornecker

20th Sabra Tourney 2017, 4th prize

Helpmate in 2

a) Diagram above

b) Diagram below

a) 1.S4g5 R:h4 2.0-0 B:h7 mate

b) 1.S4c5 B:f3 2.0-0-0 B:b7 mate

Pinning the white queen prevented many unwanted solutions, but there is unfortunately a lot of material necessary to ensure the correctness. However, the helpmate shows both castlings, and this was pretty difficult to develop. So of course the bottle of Sabra we won went to Paz, as he did most of the work! But - hopefully we will see it in the FIDE Album! And what better celebration of the friendship of our countries Israel and Germany?


Addendum, 14 August 2017: The complete award is now available on the Variantim website:
http://www.variantim.org/20th%20Sabra%20Tourney%20award.pdf 

Is this the end of humanity?

With evermore and deeper worrying I look at the events that unfold in North Korea, at an onmicidal maniac that develops intercontinental nuclear weapons.

After the past few days, the Doomsday Clock should righteously be set to mere seconds before midnight. More and more it seems to me, that even with Donald Trump, who might be a time traveller that specifically came to avoid this, the nuclear holocaust in unavoidable. As much as in the height of the Cuba Crisis, as in the fateful seconds of Stanislav Petrov's decision, humanity faces its own extinction. With every passing day, Kim Jong-Un gets one step closer to starting a nuclear war.

God has protected us throughout the twentieth century, throughout the most improbable events, to prevent this end of the world. In this time that might be the end of time, may It protect us once more!

By now, God might be all that stands between our everyday life and the end of the world.
The clock ticks, and soon it might be not be two-and a half minutes left anymore, soon it might be midnight...

Errata (02): EG 209, p.184

I made a small mistake in EG 209, page 184. In the very last lines of the article, after "however," the word "than" is missing.

12 years later, Kasparov returns to play chess in St. Louis - but only Rapid and Blitz

As Peter Doggers on chess.com reports, Kasparov will be attending the Rapid and Blitz tourneys in St. Louis this year. A one-time event, or does Kasparov return to professional chess? In Kasparov's own words, there is little time for the dedication serious chess requires and deserves. So it seems like a one-time event, but who knows?

Even if it is just this one time, it will be interesting to see if Kasparov can hold up to a new generation of chess. Or if he still dominates with ease.

Zoltán Sárosy (23.viii.1906-19.vi.2017)

If legends would never die, you would have been immortal.

FIDE Album 2013-2015, section D (endgame studies) scores

The scores are online.

http://www.wfcc.ch/fide-albums/fa1315sl/fa1015d/

Welcome to Levon Aronian in the exclusive club of FIDE Album composers! Inspired by Smyslov and Co.?