Monthly Archives: February 2013

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd10-IM Hambleton A(CAN)

Hambleton ground out an extra P in an opposite color B-B ending with GM persistence and a bit of luck.

Muir,Andrew J (2313) – Hambleton,Aman (2472) 
Nimzo-Indian Karpov Variation 11.Ne5[E54] 
Reykjavik Open 2013, Iceland (10.16), 27.02.2013


Position 1
Black has won a pawn but is hampered by the open kingside. What do you suggest for white?

White to Play

22…Bc5

Position 2
White is down a pawn and is facing the gradual advance of the queenside majority. Black has a mobile with a clear path to the queenside on the dark squares. How should white defend?

White to Play

32…f5

Position 3
White has a difficult defence but is not lost. Ke2 is tied to the f2 pawn which leaves black’s king free to infiltrate unopposed on the queenside. Is there a defence for white?

White to Play

41…Bxh4


Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd9-IM Hambleton A(CAN)

Hambleton had a nice position right way in the opening and soon bagged an extra P. There was no trouble converting in the ending.

Hambleton,Aman (2472) – Jayakumar,Adarsh (2271)
Delayed Stonewall[A84] 

Reykjavik Open 2013, Iceland (9.39), 26.02.2013

Position 1
White won a pawn early and returned it to complete development. Now white has pressure with the bishop pair while black has a loose structure to worry about. What do you recommend for white now?

White to Play

27…Nd6

Beauty and Chess Geek-Ipatov Interview

Here’s the latest video from BeautyandChessGeek done by Orlova in Reykjavik.

Orlova says ‘Hi’ from Reykjavik

Orlova’s site YelizavetaOrlova

Her Youtube Channel BeautyandChessGeek 

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd10 Standings

Results Chess-results Site Reykjavikopen 2013
Hambleton won his last two games to finish with a respectable 6.5/10.

‘Pavel Eljanov and Wesley so finish on top with 8 points after their mutual draw but Amin Baseem managed to catch up with his last round victory.’-Tournament site report 
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SNo Name FIDE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts.
39 FM Hambleton Aman 2472 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 6.5
125 Murray Michael A. 2017 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 5
139 WCM Orlova Yelizaveta 1978 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 4.5

Hambleton Results by Round

FM Hambleton Aman 2472 CAN Rp:2343 Pts. 6.5

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Rd. SNo Name RtgI FED Pts. Res.
1 152 Leimeister Winfried 1909 GER 4 w 1
2 93 Omarsson Dadi 2212 ISL 6 s ½
3 90 Wang Yiye 2226 CHN 5.5 w ½
4 88 Karason Askell O 2235 ISL 5 s ½
5 102 Maack Kjartan 2136 ISL 5.5 w ½
6 76 FM Cubas Pons Juan Miguel 2284 ESP 6 s 1
7 47 NM Norowitz Yaacov 2432 USA 7.5 w ½
8 73 WGM Cherednichenko Svetlana 2307 UKR 6.5 s 0
9 81 FM Jayakumar Adarsh 2271 USA 5.5 w 1
10 71 IM Muir Andrew J 2313 SCO 5.5 s 1

Orlova Results by Round

WCM Orlova Yelizaveta 1978 CAN Rp:1764 Pts. 4.5

Rd. SNo Name RtgI FED Pts. Res.
1 26 GM Maze Sebastien 2556 FRA 6 w 0
2 196 Ramtin Raman 1661 IRI 2 s 1
3 70 FM Kvisvik Brede 2314 NOR 5.5 w 0
4 202 Jacobsen Trond 1610 NOR 2.5 s ½
5 209 Davidsdottir Nansy 1479 ISL 3.5 w 0
6 175 Bauza Mercere Eduardo 1809 ARG 3.5 s 0
7 218 Hrafnsson Hilmir 1331 ISL 3 s 1
8 185 Leosson Atli Johann 1736 ISL 4.5 w ½
9 189 Seim Fredrik 1714 NOR 4 s 1
10 176 Hyotyla Tapio 1792 SUI 4.5 w ½

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd5-Hansen E

Thanks to Hugh Brodie for posting the PGN on Chesstalk
A quiet draw for Hansen in rd5.

Gurevich,M(2581)-Hansen,Eric(2557)

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd8-Hambleton A

This game was full of drama and missed chances for both sides. White was given the first go on the attack as Hambleton chose to keep the queens on. Later Black missed winning chances and eventually blundered to allow white the win.

Cherednichenko,Svetlana (2307) – Hambleton,Aman (2472) 
Colle vs Queen’s Indian[A46]
Reykjavik Open 2013 (8.15), 25.02.2013


Position 1
White’s pieces look scattered and are not making any direct threats. What do you suggest for white?

White to Play

20…Bf8

Reykjavik Open 2013 Rd9 Standings

Hambleton and Orlova both won in rd9(See chess-results).
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SNo Name RtgI FED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pts.
39 FM Hambleton Aman 2472 CAN 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 5.5
125 Murray Michael A. 2017 CAN 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 4
139 WCM Orlova Yelizaveta 1978 CAN 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 4

Hambleton’s Results by  Round
A win in rd9 brings Hambleton up to Rp:2304 and 5.5/9.

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Rd. SNo Name RtgI FED Pts. Res.
1 152 Leimeister Winfried 1909 GER 4 w 1
2 93 Omarsson Dadi 2212 ISL 5 s ½
3 90 Wang Yiye 2226 CHN 5.5 w ½
4 88 Karason Askell O 2235 ISL 5 s ½
5 102 Maack Kjartan 2136 ISL 4.5 w ½
6 76 FM Cubas Pons Juan Miguel 2284 ESP 5 s 1
7 47 NM Norowitz Yaacov 2432 USA 6.5 w ½
8 73 WGM Cherednichenko Svetlana 2307 UKR 5.5 s 0
9 81 FM Jayakumar Adarsh 2271 USA 4.5 w 1

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd4-Hansen E(CAN)

Hansen chose a quiet positional approach to exploiting black’s uncastled king and compromised pawn structure.

Hansen,E (2557) – Kambrath,Y (2232) 
Sicilian Kan[B46] 
Cappelle La Grande(4), 26.02.2013


Position 1

White to Play


17..Rg8

Cappelle La Grande 2013 Rd3-GM Hansen E(CAN)

Hansen had to weather a storm in the middlegame before taking over in a complex R-R ending.

Todorcevic,M (2419) – Hansen,E (2557) 
French Winawer 4.Bd2[C15]
Cappelle La Grande(3), 26.02.2013


Position 1
The position is complicated and it is not clear who has the safer king and who is attacking who. Black’s king is hiding behind a wall of pawns while Kb2 is exposed on the b-file. 

What do you suggest for white?

White to Play


37…Qa5