Written by me on 25th February, 2018 after my 6th round game in Aeroflot Open, Moscow. The idea of opening a blog was conceived on that day after witnessing what I am going to narrate...
The ongoing tournament in Moscow- Aeroflot Open- is one of the most famous tournaments in the world! I am playing in the B tournament-and it is like a nightmare for me! After the first round win, I have been suffering continuous losses. Yesterday after my fourth straight loss, I told my coach that I don’t see why I want to continue playing chess. “It has been 30 long years since am playing! The losses are a pain which I cannot take anymore. The suffering has to end”.
Today was no better. I drew in 14 moves! Sometimes when I cease to win at chess, crazy thoughts travel through my mind and I believe that this happens to many chess players. I came back to my hotel room and asked myself “Why have I spent 1 lac rupees to play this tournament? Am playing so terrible!” When I forget how to win at chess, then I get back to basics- I see how others play and win! So I came back to my room, analysed my 14 move game and decided to head back to the tournament hall downstairs (such is the advantage of staying and playing in the same venue!). I glanced at a few games and then my eyes chanced upon a game which seemed quite crowded. The position on the board looked thrilling.
This is when I first glanced at the game. Black has just played 17...Re2 in the game Fedoseev V- Tabatabaei M, Aeroflot OpenA, 2018.
Both kings are naked and that was what made the game look very interesting from a spectator's point of view!
The next few moves were 18.Kxe2 Qg2. 19.Kd3 I tried to understand what was happening on the board. It was not an easy task for my little brain, which was also very sad! I decided to quickly glance at the other boards.
After a few minutes I returned to see that the Black player had made a move.
19…Qf2! Wow, the game now looked really exciting! White has to deal with some mate threats!
The next few moves were 20.Nd4 Nc5 21.Kc3 Ne4 22. Kd3 Nc5 23.Kc3 Ne4
I thought that they are going to draw but hold on…
24.Kb3. White refuses to take the draw! The top seed had nerves of steel!
I was not there to judge whether White's decision to play was right or wrong! For me it was a good thing to happen - I did not want the game to end so soon. Two naked kings dancing in a chess board is an awesome sight to see! The game continued 24...Qxd4 25.c3 Qd3 26.Qf1 and it looks like White may have defended everything!
I got a feeling that when White decided not to take a draw on move 24, this was the position he had foreseen.
The game continued 26...Nc5 27.Ka3.
27...Rh5!! This was the nicest move to my eyes! I just loved it! The whole battle is going on on the other side of the board and suddenly a bolt from the blue from this side!!
By now, I had completely forgotten the sad feeling within me due to my own performance! My eyes were full of the excitement and joy which I wanted to share with the world - the joy of having watched a beautiful game! This is when I conceived the idea of a blog!!
These were the next few moves: 28. Rg1 Qc2 29.b4 a5 30.gxf6 axb4 31.cxb4 Qa4 32.Kb2 Qxb4 33.Kc2 Qa4 34.Kb2 Qd4 35. Kc2 Qe4 36.Kd1 Rf5 37.Qg2 Qa4 38.Ke2 Qc2 39.Nd2 Re5 40.Kf2
…Ne4 was the final beautiful move - the 40th move! White resigned.
All through the game, black had lesser time and White enjoyed a good amount of time on the clock.
How precise can players be even in time pressure! Hats off to both the players for such an exciting and fighting game! I haven’t checked the computer accuracy. I am just showing the thrill from a human angle as enjoyed by a spectator!
People often ask me my target in chess. They question me as to what motivates me in chess after playing for 30 long years. The truth is that the happiness I derive from watching such thrilling games is unparalleled! I play with a dream - not to become world champion or to win a tournament- but to play one such game! What a thriller! After many days, finally I felt happy from within! In the tension of the tournament I had forgotten why I am here. I am here to enjoy chess!
P.S.- I came out of the tournament hall. The happiness within me was like I had just won some tournament! A young friend whom I met on the way to my room uttered some words. I just nodded. All I was doing at that time was visualizing the beautiful game in my mind and thinking to myself "This is how chess should be played! Fearlessly!".
I came back to my room and showed the game online to two of my very close friends- who were in India at that time and it was half past midnight for them!!! The game was so exciting that I could not wait until the morning.
Picture courtesy Aditya Mittal's mother.
I finally finished the tournament with a last round win. Here I am analyzing and talking to my 79 year old last round opponent, Zilbert Oleg, who impressed me with his immense energy to keep playing chess non-stop!
The ongoing tournament in Moscow- Aeroflot Open- is one of the most famous tournaments in the world! I am playing in the B tournament-and it is like a nightmare for me! After the first round win, I have been suffering continuous losses. Yesterday after my fourth straight loss, I told my coach that I don’t see why I want to continue playing chess. “It has been 30 long years since am playing! The losses are a pain which I cannot take anymore. The suffering has to end”.
Today was no better. I drew in 14 moves! Sometimes when I cease to win at chess, crazy thoughts travel through my mind and I believe that this happens to many chess players. I came back to my hotel room and asked myself “Why have I spent 1 lac rupees to play this tournament? Am playing so terrible!” When I forget how to win at chess, then I get back to basics- I see how others play and win! So I came back to my room, analysed my 14 move game and decided to head back to the tournament hall downstairs (such is the advantage of staying and playing in the same venue!). I glanced at a few games and then my eyes chanced upon a game which seemed quite crowded. The position on the board looked thrilling.
Both kings are naked and that was what made the game look very interesting from a spectator's point of view!
The next few moves were 18.Kxe2 Qg2. 19.Kd3 I tried to understand what was happening on the board. It was not an easy task for my little brain, which was also very sad! I decided to quickly glance at the other boards.
After a few minutes I returned to see that the Black player had made a move.
The next few moves were 20.Nd4 Nc5 21.Kc3 Ne4 22. Kd3 Nc5 23.Kc3 Ne4
I was not there to judge whether White's decision to play was right or wrong! For me it was a good thing to happen - I did not want the game to end so soon. Two naked kings dancing in a chess board is an awesome sight to see! The game continued 24...Qxd4 25.c3 Qd3 26.Qf1 and it looks like White may have defended everything!
I got a feeling that when White decided not to take a draw on move 24, this was the position he had foreseen.
The game continued 26...Nc5 27.Ka3.
 |
| Can you find the next black move which was the killer move in the game? |
27...Rh5!! This was the nicest move to my eyes! I just loved it! The whole battle is going on on the other side of the board and suddenly a bolt from the blue from this side!!
By now, I had completely forgotten the sad feeling within me due to my own performance! My eyes were full of the excitement and joy which I wanted to share with the world - the joy of having watched a beautiful game! This is when I conceived the idea of a blog!!
These were the next few moves: 28. Rg1 Qc2 29.b4 a5 30.gxf6 axb4 31.cxb4 Qa4 32.Kb2 Qxb4 33.Kc2 Qa4 34.Kb2 Qd4 35. Kc2 Qe4 36.Kd1 Rf5 37.Qg2 Qa4 38.Ke2 Qc2 39.Nd2 Re5 40.Kf2
…Ne4 was the final beautiful move - the 40th move! White resigned.
All through the game, black had lesser time and White enjoyed a good amount of time on the clock.
How precise can players be even in time pressure! Hats off to both the players for such an exciting and fighting game! I haven’t checked the computer accuracy. I am just showing the thrill from a human angle as enjoyed by a spectator!
People often ask me my target in chess. They question me as to what motivates me in chess after playing for 30 long years. The truth is that the happiness I derive from watching such thrilling games is unparalleled! I play with a dream - not to become world champion or to win a tournament- but to play one such game! What a thriller! After many days, finally I felt happy from within! In the tension of the tournament I had forgotten why I am here. I am here to enjoy chess!
P.S.- I came out of the tournament hall. The happiness within me was like I had just won some tournament! A young friend whom I met on the way to my room uttered some words. I just nodded. All I was doing at that time was visualizing the beautiful game in my mind and thinking to myself "This is how chess should be played! Fearlessly!".
I came back to my room and showed the game online to two of my very close friends- who were in India at that time and it was half past midnight for them!!! The game was so exciting that I could not wait until the morning.
I finally finished the tournament with a last round win. Here I am analyzing and talking to my 79 year old last round opponent, Zilbert Oleg, who impressed me with his immense energy to keep playing chess non-stop!
