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[Added] I actually think last year's Nakamura-Carlsen SCC final (which Nakamura won in an Armageddon game iirc) was even more epic than yesterday's, but they were both classic / epic / trot out your favourite cliche.

Tonight's chessgames.com puzzle position.
It's not that difficult, but a truly beautiful checkmating pattern which I'd never seen before.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1028832&m=20.5

Spot on Geeker, a thing of real beauty.

I've just been catching up with AI Cup games and seen MC miss a forced mate in 3 against Nepo in Game 2 - the reaction from Magnus when he finally sees it is priceless!

.... plus, in Game 1 the eval bar was almost at 8 in MC's favour and he only drew!!

Brendan, I had little time to watch chess today, but large chunks of MC-Nepo games 1 and 2 were basically my viewing.

I tuned in just at the moment of the missed checkmate. I think it was mate in 3 only if White accepted the offered Qg5, and mate in 5 with best defense by White.

The highest evaluation during my game 1 watching was around +5, but White was only up by one pawn. The modern computers are so strong that their evaluations are often beyond my comprehension, and this was one of those cases. I saw the extra pawn and a significant White initiative, but could not visualize a winning line! In such instances I'm inclined to think the position is holdable with "tenacious D" (US musical reference), and that turned out to be the case.

I have to cut Ian some slack, because he played those AI Cup games right after the final 4 games of the "Levitov Chess Week" rapid tournament in Amsterdam, which he won by a clear 2 points with 12.5/18! I believe he had to miss the Levitov closing ceremony.

Amazing game in World Girls Junior Championship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t98Sp5MdQTU

Black, trailing by 1 point in the final round, had to win. She offered to play the Benoni, but White played an anti-Benoni line and the opening transposed to a Maroczy Bind formation vs. a Sicilian Hedgehog.

Black sac'd a Pawn for decent compensation and built up a strong attacking formation. Just before time control she played a spectacular Q sacrifice and White went wrong in complications.

Black won the tournament!

Thanks Geeker, that was good.

It looked so natural for the N to take the sac'd Q but I suppose that's what Candela was banking on.

Coincidentally, just 10 minutes before I saw your post I was watching Marshall's famous Q sac against Levitsy - the one where "gold coins were tossed onto the board" - although I think that's of dubious veracity.

Brendan,

In the European Club Cup today, young German GM Vincent Keymer made the principled decision to essay the Najdorf against Carlsen's 1. e4 (VK is a Najdorf player).

It didn't work out. 😁 Things went downhill for Black after the pretty 12. Nf5 (1-0, 29).

Commentaries will likely appear on the usual websites.

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/european-club-cup-2023-2/5/2/1

Didn't take long...
agadmator has already opined that "No One will Play the Najdorf Ever Again!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il_WHX-34ns

From today’s Azed…

15. Lizzie was champing at the bit for Rev. William in chequer design (10)