I’ve been a bit lazy about blogging recently, but one ChessBase article from a day ago was worth a mention.
ChessBase hasn’t been particularly good with regards to chess news for some time in my view, but every once in a while, they still manage to get a good annotator for their games. The latest example of the new normal – poor annotations – is from their article about round 1 at the World Team Championships involving the game between GM Alexander Areshchenko and IM Samy Shoker.
(FEN: r3k2r/p4p1p/q2p1npQ/8/1pnRP3/1N3N1P/PpP2PP1/1K1R4 w - - 0 23)
Quoting ChessBase:
“Instead of taking an easy win with 23.Qg7 GM Alexander Areshchenko, rated 2682, blundered with 23.e5??
[23.Qg7 Rc8 24.Ne5]”
Wow, what’s next?
“The fool didn’t see Ne5, how did he get to be rated 2682?”
“Title inflation, I tell you!”
“Revoke his GM title!”
If only all of us could play with an engine running to help us out.
By the way, for those trying to figure this out without the benefit of Fritz or Rybka, the point is that 23.Qg7 Rc8 24.Qxh8+ Ke7 25.Qg7 Na3+ 26.Kxb2 Rxc2+ 27.Ka1 Nb5 wins for Black (the mating attack is overwhelming).
Meanwhile, after 23.Qg7 Rc8 24.Ne5!!, if 24…Nxe5, then 25.Rxd6 crashes through (no more mating net), and if 24…dxe5 25.Rd8+! Ke7! (25…Rxd8 26.Qxh8+ and 27.Qxd8+ wins) 26.Qxh8 Na3+ 27.Kxb2 Rxc2+ 28.Ka1 wins for White. You still have to see that 28…Rxa2+ 29.Kxa2 Nc4+ doesn’t draw, but that’s really a footnote to a footnote if you have the engine running. Obviously.
There and Back Again 
These days Chessbase’s energy must be entirely focused on not mentioning Rybka.
Yeah, not even a peep about the whole Rybka scandal. Probably unlike their anti-cheating measure spat with NewInChess, the legal team is telling them not to shoot themselves in the foot.
I love this post. Especially the last line.