Road to succes

Road to becoming the
World School Chess Champion
Ognean Mihnea-Ionuț
Mihnea
ț
2
Road to becoming the
World School Chess Champion
I. Introducing Barátosi Iosif-Gavril,
Iosif
Chess Professor
My name is Barátosi Iosif-Gavril,
Iosif
born in Târgu Mureș at 12th June 1961. I studied
Physical
ysical Education and Sports at P.E.S.I.
P
Bucharest (between 1982-1985),
1985), completed at ”Babeș”Babe
Bolyai” University of Cluj Napoca (between 1998-2000).
1998 2000). I achieved my second specialty in chess
in the 1990 by taking
ng the exams of Romanian Chess Federation and P.E.S.I.
P.E.S I taught and I
continue to teach chess in primary and lower secondary schools and kindergartens. Since 1996 I
teach at the Târgu Mureș School Sports Club, together with my colleague Fugulyán Gergely,
Candidate Master.
After years and years of hard work and experience, the results soon appeared, both at
national and international
ational level.
level. I can say that today my main specialty is the selection and the
training of children, age 5-10.
II. Meeting the chess prodigy
pr
Mihnea
a little
ittle boy of 5 years and half came
ca
to
Two and a half year ago, Ognean Mihnea-Ionuț,
the Sports Club together with his grandfather, Truția
Tru Ioan, the one who taught Mihnea the basic
rules of chess at the little boy’s
’s insistence. They live in Reghin, a small city located 32 km from
Târgu Mureș. A former student of mine, Anton Teodor, who also lives in Reghin,
Reghin recommended
them my guidance for a superior chess play. And so the adventure started.
After a year and a half of trainings and preparations at School Sports Club in Târgu Mureș
Mure
and in Reghin and attending chess competitionss of all levels (beginners, for practice, recension),
including national competitions,
competition we were signing-up
up for the World School Chess Championship
(29th April -9th May 2011). There we were, Ognean Mihnea-Ionuțț playing in Open 7, his
grandfather and myself, traveling to Krakow, Poland and representing Romania, the three ones
that hit the road to fulfill a dream –winning the 7th edition of the World School
S
Chess
Championship. And Mihnea won!
III. The recipe for success
If you are wondering how we succeeded, what methods we used,, how much we trained
and what materials we used, I will gladly answer.
First of all, Mihnea trains 4 hours a day. He comes
to the
he club with a relative, his mother, grandfather,
grandmother or uncle and practices from 2 o’clock
to 6 o’clock.. On Saturdays, I usually go to Reghin
and work with him
im 4 hours, from 9 o’clock to 1
o’clock.. There were times during holidays when we
practiced 5 or 6 hours a day. Also, each hour of
practice comes with a 10 minutes break.
Currently in Mihnea’s training, I get more and
more help from the International Master Barátosi
Dániel, son of my twin brother,
bro
a chess player
himself (we are a family of chess players). At his
father initiative, Mihnea prepares periodically with
the International Master Mihai Ghindă.
Ghind Basically, Mihnea prepares daily at the School Sports
3
Club or at home, and if we cannot meet, he works individually. I once told the children during
practice that, according to some trainers, they need to solve daily at least 5 combinations for them
to maintain themselves at national level and 20 combinations for international level. Mihnea
asked me how many combinations he has to solve in order to be in the top 3, worldwide. I
answered that he has to solve daily between 20 and 50 combinations, endings, games etc. Since
then, the amount of problems he solves stands in these values and also plays on chess.com.
IV. Materials
1.Viktor Vámos, Chess tactics for beginners, Caissa Chess Books, Kecskemét, 2004
With themes like: Mate in one move, Mate in two moves, Mate in three moves, Simple ways of
winning material, Forcing the draw, Double attack, The weakness of the back rank, Pins and
batteries, Pawn promotions and Mixed combinations.
Even today I am still keeping the plan after which we solved the problems from the book –we
started in 02.10.2009 and finished in 13.03.2010
2.Ligia Jicman, “Check…mate!”, Timişoara, 2004
With the themes like: Basic mate positions, Famous mates, Mate solving problems (in 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7 and more moves).
For those interested, similar mate examples, examples from different games and tests for each
lesson I found in the book of Arthur Yusupov, Build Up Your Chess, volume 1 –The
Fundamentals, Quality Chess, 2008.
3.David Gurgenidze, Perviie Shahmatniie Shagi, Tbilisi, 2006.
This book was added and revised in 2009 and it is destined for children preparation, age 6 to 10. I
enjoyed this book since the first moment, when I got it signed from the author at the World Junior
Championship, Antalya, Turkey 2007.
It focus on mate positions in 1 or 2 moves that can be solved (the same position!) both with white
and black. There are also positions, in which white threatens mate and black counterplays it or
positions in which one part has two figures under attack and must save both of them. We also
have figure captures, pawn, rock, queen, and knight or bishop endings. And because the author is
a famous chess composer, you can find in his book mate in 2 moves and winning/draw studies,
similar to the ones in chess solving competitions.
These three main publications were followed by exercises, problems, endgames, combinations,
model games and annotated games from the following books:
4.Koszorus Pál, Györkös Lajos, Combinations School, Pécs, 2000
This is a box that contains over 1000 small cardboards with combinations for beginners and
advanced players on over 34 themes. Mihnea solves daily one theme (chapter) ~15-30 problems.
After these, he started solving combinations from Maxim Blokh book, Combinational motifs,
Moscow, 2003.
5.Volodea Vaisman, O idee străbate deschiderile, Ed.Sport-Turism, 1984
6.Marius Ceteraş, Lecţii de şah pentru începători, Ed.Mediamira, Cluj-Napoca, 2007
7.Mircea Pavlov, Cooperarea tactică, Ed.Black and White, 1994
8.Mircea Pavlov, Cooperarea strategică între figuri, vol.I, Ed.Gambit, Bucureşti, 2000
The books of Mircea Pavlov, International Master, are dedicated to form a complete chess player
and deserve to be translated in various international languages.
9.Kállai Gábor,Szabolcsi János,64 kockára 64 teszt
10.I.G.M. Yuri Averbach, Ce trebuie să ştim despre finaluri,F.R.Şah,2010
11.Karsten Müller and Frank Lampert, Fundamental Chess Endings, Gambit books
12.Pavel Dobrinetski, Shcola shahmat-Ending, Novograd-Volinski,2010
4
13.Kállai Gábor, munkatárs Szabolcsi János, Megnyitások könyve, Tatabánya
14.Anatoli Mazukewitsch,Verflixte Fehler-500 Lehrreiche Minipartien, Sportverlag Berlin,1986
15.A.Roisman,400 Miniature parties
16.Constantin Ştefaniu, Secretele marilor maeştri-Fischer,Karpov, Gheorghiu, Ed.Sport-Turism,
1978
17.300 partide alese ale lui Alehin, Ed.Tineretului, Cultură fizică şi sport,1957
18.Aaron Nimzovich, My system
19.Sergey Ivashchenko, Chess School –The Manual of Chess Combinations, Moskow, 2007
20.Jesper Hall, Chess Training for Budding Champions –A unique self-training course in the
essential of chess, Gambit, 2001
The lessons posted online on www.frsah.ro (Romanian Chess Federation website), in the
Specialist Corner were really helpful, especially Mircea Pavlov’s lesson on “Ways to improve
calculation in chess games” and “Threat, important fighting weapon in chess games”. Very
helpful were also the materials from chess magazines such as “ȘAH” (chief-editor M.I Mircea
Pavlov), “Gambit” (IGM Elisabeta Polihroniade), “Timșah” (Ligia Jicman, Bach Adrian
Kálmán) and Magyar Sakkvilág (with o focus on the articles of Mészáros András, Németh Zoltán
and Pinter József).
Regarding the endgame, I focused with Mihnea on pawn and rock endings, all kind of
combinations. Regarding the opening, Mihnea repertoire includes Italian Game, Two Knights
Defense with 1.d4, Close Sicilian, French Defense, Phillidor (for white) and Sicilian (Dragon
Variation), Queens Gambit Declined, English Opening with 1…e5 (for black).
We analyzed many variations, but we focused on the above opening, searching in
specialty books and database model games and annotated games. In time, his repertoire changed
and improved. For example, the c3, d4 Italian is now the one with d3, c3 and no doubt, Mihnea
will play as well the Spanish Opening. Also, he will include in his play the Sicilian Defense,
variation 2.Nf3, but all in due time. Also, Mihnea is an excellent chess problems solver, having
solved many mate positions in 1 or 2 moves but also winning/draw studies.
I want to show you two of Mihnea’s favorite problems and suggest them for practice:
1. Barbe-Saavedra’s Study (probably the most beautiful) in which little David, a “simple pawn”
(but the soul of the game –Phillidor) defeats Goliath, the rock.
White: Kb6, c6 Black: Ka1, Rd5. White moves and wins.
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + +
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + + +
+ + + +
! + + + "
#$%&'()*+,
2. The game between Paul Morphy and Count Isouard and Duke Carl, Paris Opera, 1858,
ECO 14 (probably the most beautiful game ever played).
5
V. Fulfilling
filling the dream
2011 was Mihnea’s year. Before departing for World School Chess Championship he won
every first prize in the “Elisabeta Polihroniade” National School Chess Contest –open, active,
blitz and solving and at only 7 years old he wins the National
National Championship, group age 8.
On 13th March we signed-up
sign up for the World School Chess Championship in Poland,
representing Romania and Târgu Mureș
Mure School Sports Club, two days before deadline. After a
month, just before departure, the management of Mihnea’s
Mihnea school, “Alexandru Ceușianu”
Ceu
Gymnasium, succeeded in obtaining financial support for the expenses (for Mihnea and me, his
trainer). The costs for Mihnea’s grandfather departure were covered by the family.
We were accomodated at the Galaxy Hotel, closed
clos to the
Vistula River. The playing venue was alos there and the
conditions were excellent. World School Chess
Championship was organized under the patronage of the
President of Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski. Famous
persons from chess world were present, such as Kirsan
Iliumjinov, FIDE President, Alexander Kostyev,
Kostyev President
of International School Chess Union,, Tomasz Sielicki, first
Vicepresident of European Chess Union and the president of
Polish Chess Federation. Organizerr was Jan Kusina, and
Andrzej Filipowici I.A was the chief arbiter.
Delegates from Poland, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Iran, Cyprus, Kenya, Zimbabwe, China,
Mongolia, Columbia, Peru, Hungary, Turkey, Israel, India,
Pakistan, United Arab Emirates and Romania lined up to the
start of the competition. The official opening brought up the
delegations parade in the center of the city and speeches
held by officials. Also there was a dance performance with
dancers representing chess pieces. A delegation from Iași, Romania (this year organizers) was
also present at the official opening for an exchange experience –Manole Vasile, Ungureanu Vlad,
Danilov Vladimir and an official from Iași
Ia City Hall wished us goodluck.
The hosts took us sightseeing around the city and we visited
the city center, the statue of the poet Adam Mickiewicz,
Mickiewicz the
Wawel Castle (where the kings of Poland were crowned and
buried –Krakow
Krakow was the capital of the country a long time),
the Jagellonian University where
ere Copernic, Marie Curie,
Pope John Paul II studied (and whose beautification was in
progress during the competition),
), many more monuments
and touristic attractions. We found out during our visit that
Krakow is one of the planet chakras and this
th is why the city
is guardedly and blessed. They celebrated the Constitution
Day in 3rd May; the Polish Constitution is one of the oldest
and democratic in the entire world. We had a day off and we
went on a trip in a lovely salt mine in Bochnia, the oldest
olde
salt mine in Europe
6
The World Championship was a challenge for
Mihnea, who encountered strong opponents from
Russia, Turkey, Poland, Hungary and Sri Lanka. He
lost the first game, even thought he had a winning
position (I believe the main reason for the result in
the first game
me was the exhaustion caused by the long
road). After that, Mihnea won all the remaining
games, eight in total. Unfortunately, the official
website of the tournament displays the wrong
notation of the first game (the rest are correct).
Every day, after the round was over, we analyzed
the game, search games of future opponents or even prepare for 2 or 3 hours.
VI. Game examples
Further there are 3 games of my student, one with annotation from myself, Mihnea in
collaboration with I.M Barátosi Dániel and Barátosi Tiberiu and
nd the other one with commentary
of FIDE Master Doroftei Nicolae.
Ognean Mihnea-Ionuţ
Mihnea
(Romania) –Baylav Can (Turkey)) [B 24]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3
Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2
4.B e6 (Not
Not the best plan. Much better was g6, Bg7, followed by
Rb8, b5, b4) 5.d3 Nf6 6.Be3 Be7 7.Nge2
7.N
(A
A slight inaccuracy, allowing Ng4) 7...0-0 8.0-0 a6
9.a4 Bd7 10.Qd2 (First
First h3) 10…Qc7 11.h3 (Finally!) 11...Rac8 12.f4 Rfe8 13.Rf2
13.R (White
prepares the attack slowly and surely) 13…Qb6 14.b3 (Not
Not necessary, after 14…Qb2 follows
15.Rb1 Qa3 16.Rb3 Qa1 17.Rf1
Rf1 and the queen is trapped) 14...h6 (Weakening
Weakening the kingside) )
15.g4 Nd4 16.Raf1 a5 (Black
Black senses
sense no danger for his lack of ideas) 17.Ng3
g3 (Towards the black
king) 17...Nh7
h7 18.g5 hxg5 19.fxg5
19.fxg White now reveals the powerful pair of rocks on f file.
19…f6 (Much
Much better was Rf8) 20.g6 Nf8 Apparently Black is safe and will capture the g6 pawn.
But here comes the bishop sacrifice
21.Bh6! No collaboration between black pieces and the attack is unstoppable.
unstoppable
+ + 13!+
+-+./. 045 0--0- /6
0- 0- + +
+ 13 + +
+ 12 + 12
+ 4Q 896+
+ + +9
"
#$%&'()*+,
7
21...gxh6 (21...Ng6 followed by 22.Bg7 Kxg7 23.Nh5 + Kh7 24.Nf6 + Bxf6 25.Rxf6 threatening
Rf7 and 25...Rf8 26.Rf7 + White retrieves his sacrifice, maintaining the attack). 22.Qxh6
(Threatening Nh5) 22...Qb4 23.Nh5 Ne2+ (Desperately) 24.Nxe2 Ng6 25.Qg7 # 1-0.
A very good example of collaboration in attack for White and lack of plan and
coordination for Black.
Minko Dmitri (Russia) –Ognean Mihnea-Ionuţ (Romania) [B 35]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3 a5 9.a4 Ng4
10.Qg4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 (Theory continues with Qh4, Gavrilescu David –Ognean Mihnea-Ionuț,
Căciulata, 2011). White gives up too soon the pair of bishops) 11...Bxd4 12.Qd1 Bg7 13.0-0 d6
14.Re1 Bd7 15.Qd2 Rc8 16.Rbd1 Bc6 17.f4 (White overlooks the simple threat Bxc3. Much
better is f3, followed by Qb6+, Qb4 or Rfd8) 17...Bxc3 18.bxc3 Bxe4 19.Qe3 Bf5 20.c4?
(Mistake. White cuts off his bishop in d3) 20...Be6 (Attacking the weakness, c4 pawn) 21.Qd4
(Not the best choice. White should have played 21.Rd4), after which Black can triple on the c file
with Rc5, Qc7 and Rc8. 21...Qc7 22.Qc3 Bxc4 23.Bxc4 Qxc4 24.Qxa5 Qxc2
25.Rc1 Qxc1 (Bold move and the best way to win)
+ + 8 !+
+-+ 0--++ 0- +-+
4Q + + +
+ + 0
+
+ + + +
+5+ + 0
+ 89 89
"
#$%&'()*+,
26.Rxc1 Rxc1 27.Kf2 Rc2 + 28.Kg3 Rfc8 29.h3 R8c3 (Much better was Rb2, getting rid of all
problems with b7 pawn, the only weakness in his position) 30.Kh2 Re3 (Black forgot about
theconsequences of his penultimate move and allows White to capture the b7 pawn) 31.Qa8 Kg7
32.Qxb7 Ree2.33.a5 Rb2 (Where should now White place his queen?) 34.Qa8 Ra2 (Black must
double his rocks on a file) 35.a6 Re3 36.a7 Rea3 (On time!) 37.Qc8 Rxa7 38.Qc3 + f6 39.Qe3
e5 40.fxe5 dxe5 41.Qb6 Rd7 42.Qe6 Rdd2 (White can now hope for better. More appropriate
was Raa7 with Re7 and passed pawn e)
43.Qe7+ Kh6 44.Qxf6 ?? (White overlooks the simplification for a winning pawn endgame)
45.Kh1 Rh2+ 46.Kg1 Rag2 +47.Kf1 Rf2+ 48.Qxf2 Rxf2 49.Kxf2 Kg5 50.Kg3 e4 51.h4 Kf5
52.h5 gxh5 53.Kh4 e3 54.Kxh5 e2 55.Kh6 e1Q 56.Kxh7 Qg3 57.Kh8 Kf6 58.Kh7 Qg7# 0-1
Ognean Mihnea-Ionuţ (Romania) –Dylag Jan (Poland)
Commentary of FM Doroftei Nicolae
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6, Two Knights Defense, a widely used opening in junior
competitions. One reason why most trainers recommend this opening to be played in early age is
that it allows a fast development. Not to mention the possibility of various traps and combinations
that forms a tactical sense. Black has another good continuation, 3…Bc5, switching to Italian
8
Game. 4.d4 Starting the fight for the center. 4...exd4 5.0-0 a pawn sacrifice, allowing a faster
development. 5…Be7 A passive move that should not lead to disadvantage. More energetic is
5…Nxe4, leading to a dynamic play with good chances for Black, for example: 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5
Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qa5 9.Nxe4 Be6 10.Bd2 Qd5 11.Bg5 Bd6 12.Bf6 0-0 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 1/21/2 Sveshnikov,E (2565) –Beliavsky,A (2615)/Bled 1996. 6.e5 Ne4 7.c3 a characteristic noose
for 7…dxc3? variation and Black falls for it. The correct response is 7…d5, after 8.Bb3 Nc5
9.cxd4 Nxb3 10.Qxb3 Rb8 11.Nc3 Be6 with equal chances, Kupreichik,V (2580) –Beliavsky,A
(2615), Frunze 1981. 8.Qd5! Double attack on f7 square and on the knight in e4. In order to
prevent mate, Black must give up his knight in e4. 8...0-0 Forced. 9.Qxe4 cxb2 10.Bxb2 Black
has two pawns for the knight, but the slight compensation loses in front of White’s attack
possibilities and active figures. 10…Nb4? Another tempo loss! 11.a3 Nc6 From this moment on,
White leads the attack. 12.Bd3 with 13.Qxh7# mate. 12...g6 Forced. 13.Bc4! After forcing Black
to weaken his castle with the previous move, the white bishop now returns on the strong diagonal
a2-g8. 13…Re8? A meaningless move, allowing White to place his queen with tempo on the
kingside. Much better was 13…d5, although Black has no compensation for the figure after
14.Qxd5 Qxd5 15.Bxd5. 14.Qf4! attacking the f7 square and practically forcing Black’s next
move. 14...Rf8 15.Qh6 with mate threat. 15...Re8 Hoping in vain for moves repetition.
16.e6!! The strike that kneels the black king. After opening the a1-h8 diagonal, the combined
attack of the white pieces is unstoppable.
+.45 +!+
0--0--/.-++3+ +-4Q
+ + + +
+6+ + +
0
+ +2+
/6 + 0
0
892+ +9
"
#$%&'()*+,
16…dxe6 No rescue for Black even after 16…f6; White continues with 17.exd7+ Kh8 18.Ng5!!
threatening 19.Qxh7# checkmate. 17.Qg7# 1-0
In the name of my student, Ognean Mihnea-Ionuț, World School Chess Champion in
Open 7, Krakow 2011 and participant of WSCC 2012 Open 9, Iași 2012 and myself, I address
you the worldwide chess players greeting “Gens una sumus”.
Chess Prof. SSC Târgu Mureș,
Barátosi Iosif-Gavril