2019
You know that a lot has happened in an year when you find it tough to write a title for a new year blog. Impossible to summarize it in one sentence alone, so I instead just chose to label it as "2019", enough said.
That's how the year has been, mesmerizing games, unexpected results, shocking novelties, engines getting stronger than ever, jubilation, agony, fist-pumps, heartbreaks...
Magnus Carlsen (Best Player of 2019)
...and domination. The entire 2010's has belonged to Magnus Carlsen, with the Norwegian becoming No.1 on the World Rankings for the 1st time in January 2010, but there was something special about 2019 for him. He won just about everything he played, is unbeaten in his last 107 classical games, and is currently the World Champion in all formats.
So, what worked for him?
The change to an aggressive and ambitious play style and opening repertoire
The Sicilian Defense, followed by 3...e6 against the Rossolimo, which usually leads to very complicated and tricky positions, 7...d6!? totally wrecking his own pawn structure, but in turn getting dynamic advantage and opening up the position for two bishops, followed by a swift attack with h5-h4-h3 in AlphaZero's style. That's the new Magnus Carlsen. Or perhaps, not new already. He has been doing such stuff for the whole year..
Alireza Firouzja (Best Junior of 2019)
If it wasn't for Magnus, Alireza Firouzja is clearly the most successful player of 2019. The youngster started the year with a classical rating of 2607 and ends it with a rating of 2723! He also goes into the new decade with 2700+ ratings in all formats of the game, all of that just being 16 years old.
The World Rapid and Blitz Championships were particularly successful for Firouzja, who bagged a silver medal in the rapid and performed commendably in the blitz, coming 6th, and being at the top boards for most part of the event.
Firouzja's playing style is difficult to decipher. He is a well-rounded player, capable of playing different types of positions accurately.
Daniil Dubov- Rasmus Svane (Best Game of 2019)
The 2018 World Rapid Champion is well known for his exciting brand of chess. A very attacking and creative player, constantly conjuring up brilliant novelties out of nowhere, in the following game Dubov silences people who think chess isn't exciting!
In this opposite side castling middlegame, White is quick to go on the offensive, beginning with pushing the h pawn up the board, followed by a sacrificial attack and a classic king hunt. Mikhail Tal would approve!
