The second game was very similar in its essence to the first one. White tried a little bit, didn’t get anywhere and simplified to a draw.

It is still the beginning of the match, the opponents are testing each other, warming up, but that phase is over now and I expect the real fight to begin starting from Game 3.

Karjakin went for his usual 1 e4 and somewhat surprisingly Carlsen didn’t go for the Berlin. This is perhaps a sign that he will not just sit and defend with black, but will try to obtain his own chances in more complex play (like in their game from Norway Chess in 2013 when Karjakin got an overwhelming position in the Breyer but went wrong and Carlsen won the game). He went for the normal Spanish and Karjakin went for the popular setup with d3, Nc3 and a3. I remember studying this setup some time ago, when it was still fresh and posed problems to the black players (I even won a very nice game in the 4NCL in early 2015) but nowadays white’s ideas seem to have dried up while black has several reliable systems to choose from.

Carlsen actually chose a plan that he already implemented this year in a rapid game against Topalov and I was surprised that Karjakin failed to pose even the slightest problems against it. Poor preparation or he expected the Berlin? In either case, Carlsen’s decision to avoid the Berlin (for now?) paid off.

If Carlsen repeats the Spanish in Game 4 I expect Karjakin to go for the main lines and then we will see what Carlsen prepared – the Marshall, the Breyer (these two he has played before more than once) or something else.

Another point worth noting is that it is more difficult to avoid theory and go your own ways with black. This means that Carlsen will most likely go down analysed paths with black, so we can expect some good theoretical battles further on. As for his approach with white, Game 3 should give us more clues about it, as I believe the Trompowsky was a one-game surprise.

Here’s the second game with detailed analysis.

And great news for the Macedonian chess fans – at the finished European Club Cup in Novi Sad Alkaloid won the tournament and for the first time in history a Macedonian club not only wins a medal (in the open section, last year Gambit’s women team won silver) but in fact wins the competition! A result that cannot be improved upon, only equalled, I whole-heartedly congratulate all the team members, from players to officials. After many years of hard work and investments they finally achieved their aim!

Gambit did well, too bad that Nikolovski lost in the last round, he had a great run of 5.5/6 and a win in the last round against a lowly-rated opponent would certainly have given him a medal on his board.

My team Cheddleton finished on a high note, winning the last round and finishing around the starting ranking. The team was weakened by my absence and I hope next year, the third one being a charm, we will finally achieve a proper European breakthrough!

The first game of the match is always full of various revelations. What follows is what I saw from the game.

Carlsen’s choice of the Trompowsky cannot possibly be serious, but the way he played and the positions he aimed for definitely are. The choice of this opening reminds me of his choice of the Caro-Kann in the first game of his match with Anand in Chennai 2013. A surprise value that is never to be repeated during the match; additionally it gives the opponent’s team additional work that will most probably be in vain for the remainder of the match.

More important in my opinion is the way in which Carlsen successfully directed the game toward positions and manner that suit him best. This has been his “secret power” for many years now, from literally any opening he manages to obtain middlegame and ideally endgame positions that he likes and plays better than his opponents.

That he didn’t succeed to pose more serious problems in Game 1 speaks favourably for Karjakin. He did the required job to prepare both practically and psychologically to defend slightly inferior positions. This reminds me of the work Kasparov did before his first matches with Karpov, training himself to play quiet positions where Karpov was at his best. As a result of this work Kasparov was no longer inferior to Karpov in these positions, which forced Karpov to search for other strategies in order to beat him. Something similar happened in Buenos Aires in 1927, when Alekhine showed Capablanca that he wasn’t at all inferior to the great Cuban in technical and simple positions. Will the same happen in New York? Will Karjakin prove to be up to the task in defending unpleasant positions againt the greatest “squeezer” or our time? The short match of only 12 games certainly is in his favour as he won’t have to suffer in too many games, like Kasparov and Alekhine had to. Additionally, he will use his opening preparation to limit the number of the games where he ends up in such positions to a minimum.

These questions will have their answers in the remaining games. In Game 2 we will see what strategy Karjakin will implement to pose problems with white.

Here’s the first game with detailed analysis:

Much to my regret and disappointement, due to an unforeseen force majeure, I was forced to withdraw from this year’s edition of the most prestigious club championship. As last year, I was supposed to play for my English team Cheddleton, and in view of having a stronger team than last year we had high hopes for this one. Alas, it was not meant to be…

Held in Novi Sad, Serbia, the tournament is a bit less strong than last year’s edition, mainly because it coincides with the World Championship match (due to start in a couple of days) and the strong tournament in the USA comprising of Caruana, Nakamura, Anand and Topalov.

My team Cheddleton started well, with two wins in the first two rounds, but then lost two in a row – if the first one was more or less expected, against the second ranked Alkaloid, today they lost to the Romanian team ranked next to them. But Cheddleton is famous for its exciting members and this translates to the boards. Take a look at this, for example:

Williams,S-Nevednichy,V

It’s a pity that Simon lost this one, as he got a very promising position after gratuitously giving away a pawn on move 2.

The Macedonian teams are doing great so far. Alkaloid, won all their matches and tomorrow they face the first stern test when they play Mednyi Vsadnik (Svidler, Dominguez, Vitiugov, Bu Xiangzhi).

Gambit are also on a fine run, they won two matches, drew one and lost one, but tomorrow they face the best Serbian team VSK Sveti Nikolaj Sprski (Mamedyarov, Rapport, Morozevich). I’m sure they will be enjoying themselves!

Here is a short selection of some fragments that caught my attention:

Kramnik continued to use 1 e4 on a regular basis. Today he faced the Dragon against Mamedov and he chose a positional line instead of the most critical Yugoslav Attack. Carlsen also played like this recently (albeit in an online blitz), so perhaps this line is up for a revival? However, note that Kramnik got nothing out of the opening, quite a rare occurrence in his practice.

Here’s Cheddleton’s best chance to score a win against Alkaloid:

And who said you have to treat the Spanish in traditional ways? Take a look at Ivanisevic’s idea against Leko:

10…g5?!?!

With 3 rounds left to play the tournament is wide open for all. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Cheddleton (who face Cercle d’Echecs Fontainois) and the Macedonian teams!