The highly creative Jobava - Part 1
"I consider chess an art, and accept all those responsibilities which art places upon its devotees. -Alexander Alekhine"
Chess is an art, as every single game is an unique game. The idea that chess is more of a science, than art, was started to be debated, after the arrival of computers into the chess scene. The main reason for saying chess as a science is the opening theory, which generally ends around move 20. Whenever, you find a player, who plays highly unorthodox and original openings, they catch your attention instantly. Such players in the modern world are undoubtedly Morozevich,Jobava,Rapport, and Zvjaginsev in my opinion.
Baadur Jobava was born in Georgia on November 26,1983. He became an International Master in the year 2000, and Grandmaster a year later. His first elite breakthrough was winning the Dubai Open in 2003, with a score of 7/9. He has represented his country in six successive chess olympiads from 2000-2010. His best performance in the Olympiad came in 2004, when he scored 8.5/10 and won the gold medal on board 4, with an astounding rating performance of 2842. He reached the 2700 elite rating club, for the first time in January 2010, and has been a consistent member of that privileged club. His peak rating was 2734 in September 2012, and his current rating stands at 2716.
If you had seen my games, you would have known, that I love to play crazy and unorthodox openings. The love for unorthodox chess, obviously made me follow Jobava and his games. Jobava's recent success in Bronstein Memorial, Al Ain Classic, and a very strong showing in Tata Steel-B group, motivated me to write this article and to celebrate this chessplayer, who plays the game in a true and creative spirit!
The first game, shows his creative brilliance, and his flair for attacking, when he was just a 2500 rated player in 2002, when he dispatched his fellow countrymen and GM Izoria Zviad in style!
We all know that Berlin Defense in RuyLopez, is one of the most solid variations for black and in this game played in 2007, Jobava cracks the Berlin Wall with ease against the strong and solid GM Arkadij Naiditsch.
I will meet you soon with the 2nd part of the article, where we will look at few more of Jobava's amazing games
.