Do You Know What Jadrag Is?

One of the leading characters of the Soviet romantic comedy "Where is the Nophelet?" would ask attractive women a very cryptic question. Yet the pick-up line "Do you know where the Nophelet is?" worked like a charm, since everyone wanted to know what the mysterious Nophelet was.

In reality, "Nophelet" is just "telephone" spelled backward (in Russian)!

I am not sure if the question "do you know what jadrag is?" will enhance your romantic life, but it can definitely be a conversation starter!

Jadrag is chess in Armenian!

There are not many countries in the world where chess is as popular as in Armenia, and the results of this popularity are quite obvious. The Armenian national team won every single title you can win! They were Olympic champions three times (2006, 2008 ,2012), world team champions (2011) and European champions (1999)!

Moreover, I think that last week was the week of Armenian chess.

The leader of Armenian chess, GM Levon Aronian took an early lead in the Sinquefield Cup, thanks to the following technical win in a typical Berlin endgame:

I wouldn't call it a big surprise, since the super-talented GM Aronian is more than capable of beating any opponent or winning any tournament. But it was his compatriots who really turned the week into a showcase of Armenian chess. Not only did Hovhannes Gabuzyan win the Washington International tournament, but he also produced a true beauty on the way!

How many times have you seen a player sacrifice two queens in the same game? (A human player, not a computer.)

The young grandmaster David Paravian is not a household name yet, but he produced what could be the game of the year. It is both a pleasure to watch and also an excellent example of a king hunt.

Try to guess David's moves in this beauty. I am sure you'll learn a thing or two about attacking in chess!

Yes, this simple move is actually the start of a deadly attack against Black's king! I bet it was easy for you to find this idea, especially if you read my article about rook lifts.

How would you continue the attack?

At first it looks like White's attack is losing steam, but GM Paravian continues using the x-ray Qc2 vs. Qa4. Do you see how he did it?

Black has managed to capture the annoying knight, but his king is in a very dangerous situation now. With all of White's pieces attacking the black monarch, White should have many ways to win. Nevertheless, the finishing touch is breathtaking.

Finish the game just like GM Paravian did!

Unfortunately, I don't speak Armenian, but based on these games, I would guess that jadrag in Armenian also means "beauty."