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Caruana wins anew

6th Altibox Norway Chess 2018
Stavanger, Norway
May 27-June 8, 2018

Final Standings
1. Fabiano Caruana USA 2822, 5.0/8
2-4. Magnus Carlsen NOR 2843, Hikaru Nakamura USA 2769, Viswanathan Anand 2760, 4.5/8
5-6. Wesley So USA 2778, Levon Aronian ARM 2764, 4.0/8
7. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE 2808, 3.5/8
8-9. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA 2789, Sergey Karjakin RUS 2782, 3.0/8
Average ELO 2790 Category 22
Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves followed by the rest of the game in 15 minutes. Sixty seconds is added to your time after every move starting move 61.
Fabiano Caruana won an exciting last round game against co-leader Wesley So to claim the 2018 Altibox Norway Chess Championship. Here is what he has accomplished in the last 6 months:
December 2017. Tied for first in the 8th London Chess Classic with Ian Nepomniachtchi ahead of Magnus Carlsen. He then won the blitz playoff against Ian to be declared champion.
January 2018. This was a bad tournament for Fabi. One win over last-placer Hou Yifan then four losses against eight draws. 11th out of 14 players. Magnus Carlsen won this one after a tie-breaker vs Anish Giri.
March 2018. A tremendous win in the Berlin Candidates to anoint himself as Magnus Carlsen’s challenger in the November 2018 World Chess Championship to be held in London. From Berlin he traveled to Karlsruhe (also in Germany) to play in the category-20 Grenke Chess Classic. He won this as well ahead of Magnus Carlsen.
April 2018. A slight letdown, but not by much. Caruana finished in second place at the 2018 USA Championship held in the Saint Louis Chess Club. His 8/11 (6 wins 4 draws 1 loss) score would normally have been enough to win but this was the year of the rampaging Samuel Shankland who went on a memorable win streak and finished with 8.5/11.
Which leads us here, to the 6th Altibox Norway Chess tournament in Stavanger. Strangely enough Caruana almost withdrew from the event — his playing schedule had been unusually busy and the tiredness and fatigue was already creeping in. After some soul-searching the Italian-American GM decided to proceed to Norway anyway as he felt obligated to the Altibox organizers.
His start was not very promising — a first round loss to the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen followed by blundering a pawn against Mamedyarov in the 2nd round which turned a superior position to an inferior one. Good thing he was able to hold that one. The third game was a rather correct draw.
His 4th round opponent Ding Liren fractured his hip in the free day between the 3rd and 4th rounds and had to withdraw. This additional rest day seemed to energize Caruana, for he scored an impressive victory over the always hard-to-beat “Minister of Defense” Sergey Karjakin. After two short draws against Aronian and Nakamura Fabi finished his tournament with two wins in a row. Here is the most impressive one.

Anand, Viswanathan (2760) — Caruana, Fabiano (2822) [C01]
6th Altibox Norway Chess Stavanger (8.3), 06.06.2018

Caruana started working with GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov in 2016. Kasimdzhanov’s credentials are mind-blowing: a former FIDE World Champion, an expert in all three phases of the game, a very creative player with lots of opening ideas, and a much sought-after coach and second. He was Anand’s second during the Indian’s world championship years and is credited with working out the Meran Semi-Slav which accounted for 2 of Anand’s 3 wins against Vladimir Kramnik in their 2008 match for the title.
Recently Caruana has developed the Petroff Defense into a fighting weapon for Black. You can guess who was behind that.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3 Nf6 6.d4 d5 7.Bd3 Bd6 8.0–0 0–0 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4
This is already the French Exchange Variation. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0–0 0–0 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4. Perhaps Kasim’s influence too? You will notice that many of his DVDs in the opening cover the Nimzo-Indian and French.
10…Nc6 11.c3
So far so normal. Caruana now advances his g- and later f-pawn to work up an assault against the enemy King. Risky? Well, not so much if you have studied it at home.
11…g5!?
OK, obviously Caruana does not want a boring draw.
12.Bg3
The thematic sacrifice here of 12.Nxg5 hxg5 13.Bxg5 does not work. Black has 13…Kg7 14.Qf3 Rh8 15.h3 Be7 16.Re1 Be6 and the second player is better.
12…Ne4 13.Bxd6 cxd6
Of course normal is 13…Qxd6. Caruana said in the post-game interview: “It was sort of a bluff — I analyzed it, I remember that it wasn’t supposed to be very good for Black, but it’s some kind of a mess.”
14.Nfd2
Anand went into passive play too early. GM Fabiano confessed that he was afraid of 14.Qb3 here. After 14…Ne7 15.Nfd2 Be6 (15…Nf6 16.f4! White takes over the initiative) 16.Re1 (Taking the pawn with 16.Qxb7 Ng6 17.Qb3 Nf4 18.Qc2 Rb8 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 f5 does not look very appetizing) 16…g4 17.c4 White has a counter going on against the queenside and center.
14…f5 15.Na3 Be6 16.Nc2 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 f4
One of the GM commentators to this game, Peter Svidler, remarked that it is not true that Caruana made the Petroff into a killer weapon — in the two previous Black game where the Italian-American GM had won with it (against Grischuk at the London Candidates and Vitiugov in Grenke) the White player had gone for needlessly sharp lines. This time though if Black wins it then you can really start talking about his “Killer Petroff,” for it came from a quiet line and now Black is playing with the advantage.
18.Rae1 Qf6 19.f3 Rf7
To be followed by …h6–h5 and …g5–g4.
20.Re2 Raf8 21.Ne1 Ne7 22.Bc2 a5 23.Bb3 23.Nd3 Nf5 (23…h5 24.Rfe1 Bd7 concerned Caruana because he can’t yet play …g4 with f4 hanging, since the queen is overloaded defending the knight on e7.) 24.Rfe1 Ne3 25.Nf2 Bd7
23…Rg7 24.Qd3 Bd7 [To prevent White’s Qb5 attacking his queenside pawns.]
25.a4 Kh8 26.Qd2 h5 27.Nd3 Nf5! [Winning the exchange.]
28.Bxd5 Ne3
[Attacking both the bishop on d5 and White’s f1–rook.]
29.Rxe3 fxe3 30.Qxe3 Bxa4 31.Ra1 Re7 32.Qd2 Bb5 33.Rxa5 Bxd3 34.Qxd3 Re1+ 35.Kf2 Rfe8 <D>
POSITION AFTER 35…RFE8
36.Ra8
Caruana: “After the game Vishy said that 36.g3 was a draw but actually I was really hoping he would play this, because 36…Qf5!! was my main point.”
36…Qf4 37.Rxe8+
[37.g3 Qc1 is fatal for White]
37…Rxe8 38.Qd1
Vishy could try to close the e-file with 38.Be4 but Caruana had intended 38…d5! 39.Bxd5 Qh4+ Black is clearly winning.
38…Qxh2?!
539.Qd2 Qh4+ 40.Kf1 Qh1+?!
Another inaccuracy. 40…Kg7! followed by …g5–g4 is the straightest way to a win. Let us see what happens: 41.Bxb7 g4! 42.Bc6 (42.fxg4 Rf8+ 43.Bf3 hxg4) 42…g3! 43.Bxe8 Qh1+ 44.Ke2 Qxg2+ 45.Ke1 Qxd2+ 46.Kxd2 g2 and queens.
41.Kf2 Qh4+ 42.Kf1 Ra8 43.Ke2
[43.Qe1 Ra1! 44.Qxa1 Qh1+ wins the queen]
43…Ra1 44.Kd3 b5 45.c4 bxc4+ 46.Kxc4
The White king is surprisingly slippery.
46…Qf4 47.Qe2?
Both players thought that 47.Qxf4 gxf4 48.Be6 Rb1 49.Kd5 was won for Black, but it isn’t. After 49…Rxb2 (49…Kg7 50.Kxd6 Kf6 51.Bh3 Rxb2 with a long ending ahead.) 50.Kxd6 Rxg2 51.d5 h4 52.Ke7 it is a draw.
47…Qc1+ 48.Kb5 Qc8!
Caruana finally gets back on track. He takes away White’s possible queen check on e8.
49.Kb6 Qb8+ 50.Kc6 Rc1+ 0–1
[50…Rc1+ 51.Bc4 (51.Kd7 Rc7+ 52.Ke6 Qe8+) 51…Qc8+ 52.Kd5 Qg8+]
Well, in response to GM Svidler, I guess the conclusion we can draw from this game is that truly Caruana has a new weapon, the “Killer Petroff!”
 
Bobby Ang is a founding member of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and its first Executive Director. A Certified Public Accountant, he taught accounting in the University of Santo Tomas for 25 years and is currently Chief Audit Executive of the Equicom Group of Companies.
bobby@cpamd.net

Free agent James

It’s far from a surprise that attention has moved on to the upcoming free agency sweepstakes even as the Warriors just put the finishing touches on an successful 2017-2018 campaign. It’s the way competition has evolved in the modern era. The demands of winning places a significant burden on those who aim to break the supremacy of the blue and yellow, and to an extent that any advantage, real or imagined, is sought. And a head start is especially crucial in prepping for all the wheeling and dealing beginning next month, what with LeBron James, still the best of the best and fresh off an otherworldly playoff campaign, slated to go through The Decision 3.0.
Significantly, James’ immediate past showing — arguably the finest of his 15-year career — isn’t enough to quell the scope and extent of criticism being thrown his way. To a vocal minority, it’s as if he can do no right, or that he does rarely and with caveats. True, he’s not perfect. Then again, nobody is. He may be a prima donna, but so was, say, Michael Jordan. He may complain a lot, but not unlike, say, Tim Duncan. He may covet the limelight, but so does, say, Kobe Bryant.
From the vantage point of most other quarters, James is, at worst, the second-best player to have ever graced the hardwood. His peak is nowhere near Jordan’s, but his longevity cannot be denied. And in assessing his place in history, context is important. For instance, naysayers are fond of pointing out that he’s three and six in the Finals. Yet, advanced analytics comparing strength of rosters show that of those nine appearances, only in 2011 did he not exceed expectations.
It’s easy for — and the right of — fans and armchair pundits to draw conclusions based on subjective arguments. Some like apples. Others like oranges. The flipside, of course, is that it’s even easier not to engage in differentiation, and to just appreciate greatness as it unfolds regardless of source. Before James set foot in the NBA as a Number One draft pick, he already carried the burden of unreasonable demands. And yet he has, throughout his career, exceeded them.
By all accounts, James has an outstanding work ethic, the first to arrive in the weight room and the last to leave the practice court. He leads by example, and is most certainly a role model. He’s socially aware, has donated considerable time and money to help the plight of the less fortunate, and avoids trouble. He’s a devout family man and has never fallen prey to temptations of stardom.
All things considered, it’s no wonder, then, that James is looked up to my those whose opinions matter most to him: other players. They’re in awe of his exploits, and there can be no better psychic income than that coming from his peers, who know exactly how hard it is to compile a body of work like his. Which is why franchises are scrambling to engage his services, never mind his high-maintenance predilections. He’s worth the headaches, and the risk of upending the status quo for the prospect of greatness.
 
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.

NIA plans to build floating solar power plants on dams, reservoirs

The National Irrigation Administration is venturing into floating solar power plant on its dams and reservoirs, the agency said on Wednesday, June 13, as it looks into a proposal from the SN Aboitiz Power group to put up water-based energy project in Magat dam in Isabela.
“Such power group will conduct a 2,500-square meter pilot project over the Magat reservoir, a small-scale preliminary study prior to the performance of the large-scale project. The floating solar power project size is yet to be decided after the study,” it said in a statement.
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya said that one hectare of solar field can produce one megawatt (MW).
For instance, in Magat dam with a reservoir of 4,500 hectares, if 200 hectares will be utilized for water-based solar power, 200 MW will be generated and 200 hectares of agricultural lands will be saved. — Victor V. Saulon

More illegally connected pipes uncovered in Boracay’s drainage system

Boracay Island Water Co., Inc. has plugged 36 more illegally connected pipes to the island’s drainage system, its parent firm said on Wednesday, June 13, as the water company takes part in the island’s drainage clearing operations.
“We need everyone to act responsibly and to properly connect to a reliable sewer system to permanently put a stop to the illegal connections of sewer lines to the drainage system which is intended solely for rain water and not wastewater. These illegal acts of violators have become the main cause of our system overflows polluting our waters,” said Joseph Michael Santos, Boracay Water general manager and chief operating officer.
The plugging of the illegally pipe connections is part of the continuing efforts by the company to ensure proper wastewater management on the island in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). — Victor V. Saulon

DTI preparing rules to implement new ease of doing business law

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has directed involved agencies to fast-track the terms of the new Ease of Doing Business Law of 2018.
“The future gameplan calls for the immediate organization of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). I direct the DTI Competitiveness Bureau, which is the Temporary Secretariat of the ARTA, to ensure that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) are approved within 90 working days,” Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said during the 6th Ease of Doing Business Summit (EODB) held Wednesday in Pasay City.
The council will be coming up with a strategic EODB Work Plan which will take into account the reforms that are in progress. — Janina C. Lim

SEIPI sees production cost rising by 40% because of TRAIN 2

The Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (SEIPI) said the proposed terms under the tax reform’s second package may hike the production cost of its member-firms by an average of 40%.
“The bottomline is it was gonna increase the cost for the compan[ies] on the average by about 40%,” SEIPI President Danilo C. Lachica said in a press briefing in Pasay City.
The official emphasized that the figure resulted from the group’s computation of the average assessment of all its members, noting that some firms may not be as hurt as others by the TRAIN 2. — Janina C. Lim

China may use control over disputed sea to challenge US presence in region — US report

A report from the United States Congressional Research Service revealed China’s capability to control the South China Sea in the event that a war breaks out between China and the United States.
US Navy Admiral Philip Davidson was quoted as saying in the report in part that “China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States.”
The official made the statement during a hearing last April by the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
Mr. Davidson also warned that if the Chinese military facilities in South China Sea would be occupied, it may “use these bases to challenge US presence in the region.” He added that “any forces deployed to the islands would easily overwhelm the military forces of any South China Sea-claimants.”
The report also mentioned that the US may be drawn into a conflict due to its obligations under bilateral security treaties with Japan and the Philippines.
It also described China’s approach to assert its claims in South China as “salami-slicing strategy” in order to “gradually change the status quo in China’s favor.” — Camille A. Aguinaldo

Chances of passing fiscal incentives reform "higher than ever", think tank says

Advocacy think tank Action for Economic Reforms (AER) said that the chances of passing fiscal incentives reform in the 17th Congress are at their highest level, after over a decade of continued attempts.
“We think that the chances are highest now than ever,” said AER Industrial Policy Coordinator Jenina Joy Chavez.
The first proposal to streamline fiscal incentives given to firms begun in the 10th Congress, Ms. Chavez said. But these had not gained much traction.
Ms. Chavez said that now would be an “opportune time,” given the availability of comprehensive data to back deliberations on corporate tax incentives after the enactment of the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act.
She added that the Finance and Trade department are now in sync in pushing for the reform, as both were at loggerheads in the past.
Ms. Chavez also said that the Duterte administration’s infrastructure program would be concrete evidence that the recouped funds from streamlining tax incentives would be used in actual projects that would benefit the country. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

BIR uncovers 11 smuggled cigarette-making machines in Pampanga complex

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue (BIR) has uncovered a number of smuggled cigarette-making machines, the Department of Finance (DoF) reported.
In a statement, the DoF said that the BIR “seized four unlicensed cigarette making machines, six cigarette-packing machines and a filter-making machine along with fake cigarette tax stamps inside the San Simon Industrial Park in Pampanga. The bureau reported to the Finance chief that the machines were smuggled into the country.”
“Two factories in Cagayan de Oro, meanwhile, yielded unregistered cigarette making machines, packaging machines and a filter making machine during recent operations also conducted by the BIR strike team. Filter rods, tipping paper, cigarette paper, cut filters, inner liners pack and wrap film, plug wraps, acetate tow and other materials used to manufacture cigarettes were also seized during the raids,” it added.
This comes after the BIR seized a total of 531 mastercases of smuggled cigarettes with various brands so far.
“You better trace where these machines came from,” Dominguez said. “Who are the people behind this? How did these machines get in?,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said to the Customs bureau during their Executive Committee meeting on Monday.
Customs Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy Buco meanwhile said that the unsanctioned entry of machines will be investigated. — Elijah Joseph C. Tubayan

Ombudsman team recommends graft charges against former VP Jejomar Binay

The Office of the Ombudsman special fact-finding team has recommended charging graft complaints against former Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay and 36 others over the sale of the Boy Scout of the Philippines-owned property in Makati City.
The Field Identification Office (FIO) reported it has completed investigations over the “grossly undervalued” sale of the 10,000- square meter property to Alphaland Makati Place, Inc. (AMPI)
The FIO found the property was sold in June 2011  for P600 million, way below the P1.75 billion mortgage price.
The sale was grossly undervalued considering that under the Omnibus Loan and Security Agreement between BSP and AMPI, the Malugay property was mortgaged for P1,750,000,000.00 which is indicative of the property’s true value,” the Ombudsman said in a statement issued Wednesday. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

MB gearing up to tackle rising inflation, rapid economic activity

The Monetary Board (MB) is gearing up for its next rate-setting meeting given a “fairly complex” context of faster inflation and rapid economic activity, the central bank chief said, as the exchange rate also treads a fresh low in over a decade.
“The MB will be evaluating a very rich and broad range of information at its policy meeting next week,” BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. said in a text message to reporters. “Recent developments on inflation and economic activity are key inputs but these are certainly not the only consideration.”
“We’ll be examining closely all the potential drivers of future inflation through the various transmission channels as affected by global developments, expectations formation, and uncertainty. It’s a fairly complex environment that we need to navigate,” he said.
Mr. Espenilla made the remarks when asked to comment on the continued depreciation of the peso, which weakened further to P53 per dollar on Wednesday. Some analysts are reportedly attributing the downtrend to uncertainty over the BSP’s next moves, ahead of their June 21 rate-setting meeting. — Melissa Luz T. Lopez

Malacañang welcomes successful Trump-Kim summit, promises PH support

Malacañang on Wednesday welcomed the successful meeting of United States (U.S.) President Donald J. Trump with North Korean (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12, saying it underscores the “value of diplomacy and peaceful dialogue.”
“We welcome the landmark summit between US President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement.
“This development, which has underscored in the strongest terms the value of diplomacy and peaceful dialogue, augurs well for the peace, security and stability in the region and the world,” he said.
The Palace also said it is willing to support the budding US-DPRK friendship. “History has indeed been written. At the same time, this is but the beginning of a process. The Philippines is ready and willing to lend its support toward bringing it to fruition,” Mr. Roque also said. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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