Tata Steel Chess 2012

Farewell pictures...
Congratulations to the winners and see you again for the jubileum (75th edition) in 2013!

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - Highlights

If before we saw the mistakes that even the best of the very best make, it's time to learn from the same players. No wonder they are so good!

Tata Steel Chess 2012

Pictures from the last two rounds and a bonus: the chess struggles seen through Pia's eyes!

Invisible Chess Moves

'Discover your blind spots and stop overlooking simple wins'


authors: Emmanuel Neiman & Yochanan Afek


Have you ever lived the miserable moment of total astonishment, when you realized, back to your room and with en engine on, that your game was in fact winning at some point and not losing?! I bet you did. 
But I am not talking about blunders, which are evident and spotted out almost instantly after you made the 'fantastic' and fatal move. The mistakes I am referring to are more subtle and more difficult to correct. No matter how much the engine jumps from one estimation to another, it's not a sign of how easy or difficult the idea was. Of course, if we tend to dramatize and if we judge by the computer's conclusion, we will get depressed and cought in the vicious circle of blaming the others, ourselves and eventually give up looking for the real reason behind the missed chance.

Free day in Den Haag

Days are flying, especially if you are in Wijk aan Zee, for the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Don't ask me how and when, but it's almost round number 10! A lot of work and efforts are put into the games, so it's normal to have some free days, especially for such a long tournament of 13 rounds. Yesterday the players had the chance to relax, to recharge the batteries and, if they felt like, to join the organized excursion to The Hague! Let's see how it was:

Tata Steel Chess 2012

More pictures!

Humans are not machines

There is no such thing as perfection. Without intending to enter the endless philosophical discussions, I would like to share with you just a few samples (all from Tata Steel 2012) of how human mind works. We are not machines, we get tired, annoyed, distracted and thus, we cannot have a 'perfect' game. Not always at least!
As you will see underneath, even the best of the best make mistakes. You can try for yourself to find the correct moves, which Grandmasters missed:

Tata Steel Chess 2012

Round 6
Wijk aan Zee is back, with its hard winds and unpleasant weather. Nevertheless, who cares?! We didn't come here to go on the beach, but to play our great game. Indoors! Not everybody agrees though, as you can see at the end of today's post...

Tata Steel Chess 2012

Round 5!

After the well deserved rest and the traditional football match, it's time to get back on board and burn a few more neurons. To warm up, some players choose to enter in the 'chess zone' by solving Afek's daily challenge, with literally a couple of minutes before the game is supposed to start! 

Tata Steel Chess 2012

Wijk aan Zee
Free day in Tata Steel Chess tournament. Time to relax, recharge the batteries and move on. And because there are no games to follow today (yes, I know...I also regret that), let's take a tour around, to see where everything happens.

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - Portraits

And more...
If your favourite player didn't make the winning move yet, you can spare your nerves by taking a look into today's photos!

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - more pictures

More pictures from Wijk aan Zee!

Tata Steel Chess 2012

Today's pictures: youngest, oldest and the ladies!


Many things have changed over the years in Wijk, contributing to the worldwide known atmosphere of this special tournament. But there is one detail, one tradition, which will stand forever, hopefully: hitting the gong! Let the 'fun' begin!

The Swedish Grandmaster Ulf Andersson was the one who did the honors today, announcing the start of the third round.


The games are still in the opening phase, so we can take a look into the 'theme' of today, as mentioned in the title:

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - Second round

Second round is ongoing and I cannot wait to go back to the livegames section. Before I do that, here are today's pictures:

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - First round

First round pictures! Many interesting and decisive games from the very beginning - time is flying here...


I'll come back soon with a few more details on the photos you can enjoy right now.

Tata Steel Chess 2012 - first pictorial impression!

In less than an hour, the first round in TataSteel Chess tournament will start! Get your computers ready to watch the live games, it will surely be as interesting as always! Meanwhile, you can take a look into the opening ceremonies of the A, B and C groups.


Click on the images to enlarge! 

Tata Steel Chess - "Schach" magazine's article

Latest issue

This is my first article which I wrote for the well known German magazine "Schach". It was about struggle, pain and hapiness - high class chess in Wijk aan Zee. It has been a while since it was published in February this year, but I hope you'll still enojy it, in case you haven't read it in the original form.


"Every year, long time before the month of January comes and long time after it’s gone, chess lovers all over the world have one favorite subject to discuss: Wijk aan Zee and its famous tournament.

Interview with Mihail Marin

It is always difficult to find the best words to describe a person that you respect and appreciate very much. I will give it a try, although I am afraid words might look too small or sound empty when compared to his achievements.
I am honoured to present you my dear friend: Mihail Marin, who doesn't need any further introduction. His name has its own well deserved place in the chess world and everybody heard of him.

Interview with the winner of the C-Group!

Daniele Vocaturo

If Daniele was shared 3rd last year in Wijk aan Zee, when the tournament was called "Corus", this year in Tata Steel Chess Tournament, he finished alone on the 1st position, half a point ahead of the 2nd place, with a convincing score: 9 points out of 13!
Success didn't come overnight for Daniele. It is the result of hard work carried over the years, with the combined efforts of Yuri Garett (his manager) and Mihail Marin (his trainer). Ups and downs, happy and sad moments, a tremendous work and love for the game, determination, hopes and illusions, they are all present in Daniele's career. What we can see, is only the top of the iceberg, the beautiful result of his struggles, culminating in his attacking style and tendency for seeking complications.

Dramatic moments in Wijk aan Zee

No matter how strong they are, top Grandmasters are not gods, they are still humans, they do get tired and yes, they all make mistakes. Their errors make chess even more interesting to watch, a sport where psychology plays an important role. Besides, a good physical shape is highly recommended!
Let's take a look to a few critical moments that appeared in all A, B and C groups.