October `99 Update
September!With the FIDE World Championships, August was a bumper month for top chess. This way to September's Update! |
October's Update!
After all the excitement of August it was perhaps only inevitable that chess would take a breather in September. Even so, there was a lot of good chess played: the World Junior Championships were held, and various team tournaments as well.
English Opening
In TK85 White tries to prove that his space advantage and bishop pair are more important than the weakness of his doubled pawns.
Rather than play a level ending Black decides to keep queens on the board, and stop his opponent from castling kingside, in TK89. However, White simply castled queenside, instead, and Black found himself 'under the cosh'.
TK86 demonstrates a simple 'grandmasterly' drawing line for Black.
A clever new idea in the endgame proves victorious in TK92.
Whilst, in TK93, Black finds bold and powerful moves to show-up the deficiencies of White's innovation, only to slip and find himself in a mating net.
Réti
One of White's sharpest, and most successful lines makes an appearance in TK94, where Black finds a very strong new defence.
Other Flank Openings
Bird's opening is back in the limelight, subtle new ideas from White in TK91 being crowned with a marvellous rook sac.
White uses one of the 'anti-Slav' lines in TK87 to trick his opponent into an inferior sideline, and then unleashes a powerful attack involving a profound piece sacrifice. Unfortunately for him, after one slight slip he suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of similar treatment!
One of the most surprising, and original, second moves I have ever seen is featured in TK88, I don't think I will be recommending it, though!