
2008 Pearl Spring Chess Tournament, Nanjing, China
Round 7:
Thursday, 18 December 2008 |
Bu Xiangzhi |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Sergei Movsesian |
0-1 |
Peter Svidler |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
0-1 |
Levon Aronian |
|

Ivanchuk,V (2786) - Aronian,L (2757) [A20]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (7), 18.12.2008
1.c4 e5 2.g3 f5 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.0-0 Bc5
8.Nb3 d6 9.Nfxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 0-0 11.Nc2 Qe8 12.b4 Bb6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxe3 f4
15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Qxd5+ Kh8 17.Rfe1 Rf6 18.Rad1 c6 19.Qe4 Qf7 20.Rd4 Bg4 21.Qd3
Rf8 22.Qd2 h5 23.Bf3 fxg3 24.hxg3 Bxf3 25.exf3 Rxf3 26.Re2 c5 27.bxc5 dxc5 28.Rd8
Qxc4 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 30.Re5 b6 31.Rxh5+ Kg8 32.Rh4 Qe6 33.a4 a6 34.Rh5 c4 35.Qd4
Qf7 36.Rd5 c3 37.Rd6 b5
Ivanchuk has been struggling, but after 38.axb5 axb5 he can hope to hold the
position to s draw. Not, however, after 38.Rxa6?, which hands
over the point on a platter to Aronian: 38...Rc8 39.Qg4 Qc4 0-1.

An accident during the game (not the one at move 38): Ivanchuk's chair collapses

A flimsy Chinese chair for a strapping Ukrainian GM? Not such a good idea...
Peter Svidler played a very nice black game against Sergei Movsesian, with
an exchange sacrifice on move 24, and a long instructive endgame of rook and
bishop vs two white rooks. The St Petersburg GM won the game in 64 moves.
Standings after seven rounds

A view through the doors at the players on the stage

Bu Xiangzhi in his game against Veselin Topalov

Veselin Topalov, lucky to hold a draw against Bu

Levon Aronian after his win against Vassily Ivanchuk

... and discussing the result with his opponent

Peter Svidler discussing his 64-move win over Movsesian

A line-up of all the players in their smart Chinese suits: Bu, Topalov, Movsesian,
Svidler, Aronian, Ivanchuk
All pictures provided by Yu Feng (俞峰).
A brief Introduction of Pukou District
Extracts from the Event Profile by Lisa Jingxia

Click to enlarge
Pukou District is located at the northwestern of Nanjing city, between the
Yangtze River and Chu River. It is seperated from the main part of the city
by the Yangtze River with hundred miles of mountains and forests. It has an
area of 902 square kilometers with a population of 480 thousand. In 2007, the
GDP in the Yangtze River reached up to 16.21 billion yuan. There are four towns
and seven block offices. Ancient culture and profound history left behind many
cultural heritages, natural landscape and places of interests, including National
Ancient Mountain and Forest Park, Pearl Spring, Tang Spring, Amber Spring, Damo
Stela, Huji Temple Site, Doulv Temple, Wen Temple and old gingko trees. A male
ceramic mask found in the Panying Mountain Ancient Cultural site is honored
as “the ancester of Nanjing”, the oldest ever found artwork in this
area.. Pukou District has been the transportation intersecter between the north
and south part, as well as the thoat Gate of the North in Nanjing city. Facing
the Yangtze River and with a overall control of Huai River Area, Pukou District
is said to be “the Entrance of Nanjing” and “ the Natural
Fortress in the northwest” with Jinpu railway and the 312, 328, 104 State
Road through it. The first, second and third Bridge across the Yangtze River
make it really convinient to travel.

Click to enlarge
Pukou District is a big meltpot of natural scenery, cultural sites and historical
heritages and has been a tourist scenic area from ancient times. In this district,
there are over hundreds and thousands of peaks, mountains and springs. It was
awarded the status of National Forest Park in 1991 with forests covering over
80 percent and the main scenery area in the western part of Nanjing. Pukou District
is a modern area brimming with dynamism and confidence. It has mild climate,
moderate rainfall and clear-cut distinctions between the four seasons, comprehensive
strengths with complete infrastructure and is an important transportation and
communication hub in Nanjing. With rich tourist resources, dynamic trade and
commerce sectors, Pukou District has gradually become a brilliant pearl in the
land of the northside of the Yangtze River.
Schedule and results
First half
Round
1: Thursday, 11 December 2008 |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
Sergei Movsesian |
0-1 |
Bu Xiangzhi |
|
Round
2: Friday, 12 December 2008 |
Veselin Topalov |
½-½ |
Bu Xiangzhi |
Peter Svidler |
0-1 |
Sergei Movsesian |
Levon Aronian |
1-0 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Round
3: Saturday, 13 December 2008 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Sergei Movsesian |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
Bu Xiangzhi |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
|
Round
4: Sunday, 14 December 2008 |
Sergei Movsesian |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Bu Xiangzhi |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
|
Round
5: Monday, 15 December 2008 |
Veselin Topalov |
1-0 |
Peter Svidler |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Bu Xiangzhi |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
Sergei Movsesian |
|
|
Second half
Round
6: Wednesday, 17 December 2008 |
Veselin Topalov |
1-0 |
Levon Aronian |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Bu Xiangzhi |
1-0 |
Sergei Movsesian |
|
Round
7: Thursday, 18 December 2008 |
Bu Xiangzhi |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Sergei Movsesian |
0-1 |
Peter Svidler |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
0-1 |
Levon Aronian |
|
Round
8: Friday, 19 December 2008 |
Veselin Topalov |
- |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Levon Aronian |
- |
Sergei Movsesian |
Peter Svidler |
- |
Bu Xiangzhi |
Games – Report |
Round
9: Saturday, 20 December 2008 |
Peter Svidler |
- |
Veselin Topalov |
Bu Xiangzhi |
- |
Levon Aronian |
Sergei Movsesian |
- |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Games – Report |
Round
10: Sunday, 21 December 2008 |
Veselin Topalov |
- |
Sergei Movsesian |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
- |
Bu Xiangzhi |
Levon Aronian |
- |
Peter Svidler |
Games – Report |
|
Links
The games will be being broadcast live on the official web site and on
the chess server Playchess.com.
If you are not a member you can download
the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access.
You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games. |
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