Awestruck

‘I can comprehend Alekhine’s combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from and how he infuses such life into the very opening – that is beyond me. Give me the positions he obtains, and I should seldom falter. Yet I continually get drawn games, even out of the King’s Gambit!’ Those words of admiration for the fourth world champion are usually attributed to Rudolf Spielmann, a strong contemporary of his in the interwar period. I am struck by the same sense of awe when I watch Shakhriyar Mamedyarov play. The grandmaster from Azerbaijan was at his sparkling best in the early rounds of the Aimchess Rapid, the latest online event in the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. Both of the games below would be worthy of a brilliancy prize, and Mamedyarov described the game against Giri as one of the best of his career.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov-Anish Giri

Aimchess Rapid Prelims, October 2022

1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4 The ‘Jobava London System’, popularised by the Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava, is a fashionable opening weapon. e6 4 Nb5 Na6 5 e3 Be7 6 h4 O-O 7 Nf3 c6 8 Nc3 Qb6 9 a3 c5 9…Qxb2? 10 Na4 traps the queen. 10 Bxa6 Qxa6 11 h5 h6 12 g4 Nxg4 13 Rg1 f5 14 Ne5 cxd4 15 exd4 Bf6 16 Rxg4 The sacrifice of rook for knight secures the knight’s splendid outpost on e5. Instead 16 Nxg4 fxg4 17 Qxg4 e5! turns the tables. fxg4 17 Qxg4 b5 17…Kh7 18 O-O-O prepares Qg6+ and Bxh6. 18 Bxh6 Qb7 19 O-O-O a5 (see diagram 1) Now the fireworks begin. The following knight sacrifice deflects the queen from the second rank. 20 Nxb5! Qxb5 21 Bxg7! Bxg7 22 h6 Ra7 23 Rh1! The highlight of the combination, which Mamedyarov must have seen well in advance, as he played it in a matter of seconds. Surprisingly, the h-file offers a faster route to Black’s king than the g-file. Rxf2 23…Rf6 24 hxg7 Rxg7 25 Qh4! with Qh8 mate to follow. 24 h7+ The cute point is that sheltering on h8 allows Ne5-g6 mate. Kf8 25 Qxg7+ Rxg7 26 h8=Q+ Rg8 27 Ng6+ Ke8 28 Qxg8+ Kd7 29 Ne5+ Kd6 30 Nd3 Extinguishing counterplay with Rf2-f1+, so Black resigns

Richard Rapport-Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Aimchess Rapid Prelims, October 2022

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 g3 Nf6 4 d3 d5 5 exd5 Qxd5 6 Bg2 e4 7 Nc3 Bb4 8 Ng5 Bg4 9 Qd2 Bxc3 10 bxc3 O-O-O 11 O-O Ne5 12 c4 Qd4 13 Rb1 h6 14 Qb4 hxg5 15 Qxb7+ Kd7 16 Bb2 (see diagram 2) Rxh2!! A move of astounding force. After 17 Bxd4 Rxg2+ 18 Kxg2 Bf3+ 19 Kg1 Rh8 20 Qb5+ c6 21 Qb7+ Ke6 the checks expire and mate on h1 is imminent. No better is 17 Kxh2 Rh8+ 18 Kg1 Nf3+ 19 Bxf3 Bxf3, with mate soon to follow. White resigns