THE semi-final opening games of the 2021 Icelandic Cup-World Cup Qualifier in Reykjavik, Iceland, ended March 10with fine victories for the ranking favorites.
Top seed and top Icelandic player GM Hjörvar Steinn Grétarsson and thirteen-time Icelandic chess champion 2nd seed GM Hannes Hlífar Stefánsson showed excellent form and play in crushing their respective semi-final opponents IM Guðmundur Kjartansson and GM Helgi Áss Grétarsson. The younger Grétarsson made short work of Kjartansson in just 34 moves of an English Opening, while Stefánsson proved too much for the older Grétarsson whom he overwhelmed in 37 moves of a Queen’s Indian Defense.
As we reported earlier, the winner of the event automatically gets a slot at the World Chess Cup which will take place in Sochi, Russia from July to August this year with all travel expenses paid by the Icelandic Chess Federation. The runner-up receives 100,000 Icelandic Krona, or roughly P37,933 in travel grants to a chess tournament of choice outside Iceland.
Gretarsson, HS (2578)-Kjartansson, G (2483) [A11]
Reykjavik (2.1) 2021
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 e6 5.b3 Bd6 6.Bb2 0-0 7.Qc2 e5 8.Be2 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.d3 a6 11.g4 Bg6 12.g5 Nfd7 13.h4 dxc4 14.bxc4 Nc5 15.h5 Bf5 16.Ne4 Bxe4 17.dxe4 Nbd7 18.0-0-0 Qc7 19.Nh4 Be7 20.Nf5 Bxg5 21.Rhg1 h6 22.f4 Bf6 23.Nxh6+ Kh8 24.Ng4 exf4 25.h6 Bxb2+ 26.Qxb2 Rg8 27.hxg7+ Rxg7 28.Rg2 f6 29.Nxf6 Nxf6 30.Qxf6 Qf7 31.Rh2+ Kg8 32.Rd8+ Rxd8 33.Qxd8+ Qf8 34.Rh8+ 1-0
Gretarsson, HA (2440)-Stefansson, H (2536) [E12]
Reykjavik (2.1) 2021
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Qc2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Nd7 9.e4 c5 10.Bf4 cxd4 11.cxd4 Rc8 12.Qb3 h6 13.Bd3 g5 14.Bg3 Bg7 15.Bd6 Rc6 16.e5 g4 17.Nd2 Rxd6 18.exd6 Bxd4 19.Rc1 Nc5 20.Bb5+ Kf8 21.Qg3 Qg5 22.h4 Qf6 23.d7 Ke7 24.Rxc5 Bxc5 25.Qc7 Rd8 26.Qxb7 Qa1+ 27.Ke2 Qxh1 28.Bc6 Qa1 29.Qxa7 Qe5+ 30.Kd1 Bxf2 31.Qa4 f5 32.h5 Qd4 33.Qb4+ Qxb4 34.axb4 Rxd7 35.Bxd7 Kxd7 36.Ke2 Bg3 37.Kd3 Kc6 0-1
*******
PUZZLERS
WHITE TO MOVE,
MATE IN TWO.
The key to our last problem is 1.Rc3!, and Black’s futile options are: 1…Qd6, Kxc3 2.R(x)d6#; 1…Qxf6+ 2.Bxf6#; 1…Qc4 2.Rf5#; 1…Qxc3 2.Qd5#; 1…Qd5/xb7 2.Rf4#; 1…Ke4/e5 2.Re6#./PN
