CHESS #625

Aeroflot used to be the cheapest airline to Europe and the only connector to the vast hinterland of Mother Russia, where Indians went to sell tea, ballpoints and disposable needles. Oldtimers will remember Tupolev aircraft, the vodka and stewardesses, who looked like rejects from the USSR’s powerlifting squad. It’s still among the world’s largest airlines.

The Aeroflot Open offers over Euro180,000 in prize money and sweeteners like spots in the Dortmund Super GM and the World Blitz. It's played in four sections with the top league (A1) restricted to ratings above 2550. That 9-round Swiss has over 80 players, including Bacrot, Bu Xiangzhi, Cheparinov, Motylev, Khalifman, Niaditsch, Nepomniatchi, Sargissian, Sasikiran, Smirin, Timofeev, Vachier-Lagrave, Van Wely and Zvjaginsev. After two rounds, Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi and Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem are the only people with perfect scores.

The Super GM at Linares also kicks off this weekend. The double round-robin features Topalov, Aronian, Grischuk, Gashimov, Gelfand, Vallejo. The spotlight will be on Topalov. It’s his last outing before the Title Match. He will be looking to generate form without giving away preparation.

Aronian is a threat under any cricumstances and if Topalov is hobbled, the Armenian must be favourite. Grischuk is defending champion, though his form can be variable. Gashimov plays his first tradtional Super GM but he’s done brilliantly in the Grand Prix events, which are marginally weaker. Gelfand is stable but unlikely to challenge for first. Vallejo is likely to be the whipping boy.

Neither Anand nor Topalov have revealed their teams for the Sofia match. It’s normal to play cards close to the chest since the team name can offer many clues in the guessing game of opening preparation. Topalov is backed by Ivan Cheparinov for sure, while Peter Heine Nielsen will continue heading Anand’s team. However, nobody knows if the champion’s associations with Kasimdzhanov, Ganguly and Wojtaszek continue and Topalov’s team has previously included Erwin L’ami and Vallejo, as well as others.

Anish Giri won the Corus B convincingly to qualify for the 2011 A. However, he had a huge slice of luck in a battle of prodigies.

The DIAGRAM, WHITE TO PLAY (So Vs Giri, Corus B 2010). Black is about to go down after heavy sacrifices met by cool defence. Both prodigies had run through their time and were playing on the 30sec/ move increment.

The cold-blooded 35. Rxd1 Rf1+ 36. Kxf1! Qxe3 37. Ne2 wins eventually and also 35. Qe2 Nf2 36. Rf1 Nxh3+ 37. Kh2 — there’s no perpetual. Instead 35.Qc1? Qg3?!. Instead 35...Nf2 could pull out a draw by perpetual since white's extra material is now stuck out of play. Variations like 36. Kh2 Ng4+ also come into question. But 36.Ne2?? Rf1+ (0-1).

Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player

Write to us at editorfeatures@bsmail.in