Carlsen keeps top rating; Wesley So is World No. 10

The FIDE has released its Jan. 2015 rating list, and the top four players were unchanged for the third consecutive month.

World champion Magnus Carlsen was again the world’s No. 1 for the fourth year running.

The 24-year-old Norwegian star had 2862 rating points, the highest ever in Elo rating history.

Fabiano Caruana, the 22-year-old Italian world contender, again ranked second: his ratings fell from 2829 to 2820.

Russian star Alexander Grischuk placed third with 2810 and former world champion Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria, rounded out the top four with 2800.

They were followed by Indian Vishy Anand, another ex-world champion and Armenian star Levon Aronian at 2797 apiece.

Anish Giri, the 20-year-old Dutch hope, rose three slots to No. 7 with 2784. Next was Vladimir Kramnik, the Russian former world champion, who edged up to eight with 2783.

He was followed by Hikaru Nakamura (USA), who fell to ninth with 2776, and 21-year-old Wesley So. The Philippine-born So, who now carries the American flag, moved to 10th place for the second time in three months with 2762 ratings.

Judit Polgar (Hungary), who recently announced her retirement from active competition, retained top spot in the women’s ranking with 2675. Reigning world champion Hou Yifan of China was close behind with 2673, and Indian Koneru Humpy occupied third with 2581.

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The Hastings Chess Congress, which traditionally ushers in the chess calendar for the New Year, is in full swing at the seaside resort town of Hastings in southeast England. Play has begun Dec. 29 and will last up to Jan. 6. One hundred ten players are competing in the nine-round Swiss system masters group. After five rounds, Chinese GM Zhao Jun led the field with a perfect 5.0 points. French GM Edouard Romain was alone in second at 4.5, while six GMs were among 10 players sitting another half point back.

90th Hastings Congress

W) Zhao Jun g (CHN)

B) M. Legarde g (FRA)

Sicilian Defense

1. e4      c5

2. Nf3     e6

3. c3      ...

   This is the Alapin Variation, one of those rarely played anti-Sicilian lines, sharp and risky, but not necessarily bad. It is named after the Russian theoretician SemyonAlapin.

3...        Nf6

4. e5      Nd5

5. d4      cxd4

6. cxd4    d6

7. a3      Bd7

An alternative is 7...Be7 and after 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. 0-0 b6!? 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. Nc3, White has a slight edge.

8. Bd3     Bc6

9. 0-0     Nd7

10. Re1    ...

Transposition of moves had led to a standard line of the Alapin.

10...      Qc7

11. Bf1    Rd8

12. Nbd2   dxe5

13. dxe5   Nc5?!

This is a bad idea. Better is the developing move 13...Be7.

14. Nd4    Nf4

14...Ne7 15. Nxc6 Nxc6 16. Qc2 Nd4 17. Qc4 Be7 18. b4 Na6, White is slightly better because of his bishop pair.

15. Nxc6   bxc6?!

Not a good choice. 15...Qxc6 seems better. E.g. 16. b4 Ncd3 17. Re3 Nxc1 18. Rxc1 Qd7 19. Qg4 Nd3 20. Rd3, and Black is only slightly inferior.

16. Qc2    Nfd3

17. Re3    Nxe5

18. b4     Ncd7

19. Bb2    ...

White’s pawn sacrifice nets him a quick positional advantage.

19...       Ng4

20. Rg3    Ndf6?

20...Ngf6 or 20...h5 seems better as suggested by the engine.

21. Nc4    Rd5

Preferable it seems is 21...Nh6.

22. h3     h5?

22...Nxf2 23. Kxf2 Be7 followed by castling may have offered longer resistance. The text simply loses a piece without compensation.

23. hxg4   hxg4

24. Be5!   Qd8

25. Re3    Nd7

26. g3     Qg5

27. Bg2    Nxe5?

Now White wins right off. But if 27...Rxe5, 28. Bxc6 Rxe3 29. Nxe3 Bd6 30. Qd3, White’s advantage is also decisive.

28. Bxd5   Nxc4

29. Bxc6ch  1:0

Solution to last week’s puzzle:

White to move and win.

White=Kb4, Qf1, Re2

Black=Kc6, Qg7, Rf6

1. Re6ch    Rxe6

2. Qa6ch    Kd5

If 2...Kd7 3. Qa7ch wins.

3. Qc4ch    Kd6

Or 3...Ke5 4. Qc3ch.

4. Qc5ch    Kd7

5. Qa7ch wins the Queen.