Medias Kings Rd5: Thrilling chess by all; Carlsen leads

by ChessBase
6/15/2011 – The fifth round was certainly a looker with all games featuring action-packed chess. Carlsen beat Nisipeanu with his signature play, and is now on 3.5/5 with a nigh 2900 performance. Karjakin faced Ivanchuk's Giuoco Piano and shocked him with 16...Bxh3!! in a fantastic attack. Radjabov and Nakamura played a Najdorf that drew after mind-boggling tactics. Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco.

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ROMGAZ and the Chess Club Society "Elisabeta Polihroniade” of Bucharest are staging a double round robin tournament with six top GMs: the world's second highest ranked player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway; Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, currently the world's number five; Sergey Karjakin, former child prodigy and youngest GM of all time; top US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, clear winner of this year's Wijk aan Zee tournament; Teimour Radjabov, one of Azerbaijan's top GMs, and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, the best Romanian player. The competition is taking place from June 11th to 22nd 2011 in Medias, Romania.

Round five results

Round 5: Wednesday, June 15, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Hikaru Nakamura
Vassily Ivanchuk 
0-1
 Sergey Karjakin
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu

Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

The last round of the first half of Kings’ Tournament turned out to be very exciting with two decisive games and one interesting draw. The curious thing is that both decisive games started with quiet openings, while Radjabov-Nakamura displayed a very sharp line in Sicilian Najdorf, which looked like anything but a draw. Nakamura’s opening preparation was impressive once again and Radjabov had a difficult task to find many precise moves over the board in a wild position. He managed it very well, but obviously was consuming more time than his opponent. The players entered an endgame with slightly better chances for Black, which Radjabov succeeded to hold rather confidently.


Teimour Radjabov on the defence in his round five game against...


... Hikaru Nakamura, who played a sharp Sicilian Najdorf

Carlsen-Nisipeanu was a Queen’s Gambit Accepted, the variation 7.dxc5, where White exchanges queens right in the opening. Then Nisipeanu mixed something up and produced a novelty that quickly led to an unpleasant position for Black, where White’s bishops’ pair dominated. Carlsen converted his advantage into a full point with an amazing ease.


Magnus Carlsen converting his advantage sith consummate ease


On the receiving end: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu

In Ivanchuk-Karjakin the Ukrainian chose a quiet line in Italian Game and it seems that there will be long maneuvering before (and if!) anything captivating could happen. Then suddenly Ivanchuk overlooked a well hidden tactical resource, which immediately secured Black a large advantage. Karjakin was precise until the end and won his first game in the Kings’ Tournament.


Sergey Karjakin playing the black side of an Italian Game


Vassily Ivanchuk on his way to a second loss in this tournament

Thus after the first half of the tournament Carlsen is leading with 3.5 point out of five, Karjakin is in the sole second place with 3.0 points, Nakamura is alone third with 2.5 points and three players are sharing places 4-6 with 2.0 points each: Nisipeanu, Ivanchuk and Radjabov.


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Commentator Dorian Rogozenco analyses with Hikaru Nakamura after the game


Animated and expressive in his analysis: GM Teimour Radjabov


Trying to convince the resident GM of a line he saw in the game

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
The Sicilian Najdorf is extremely complex and it often leads to very sharp positions. The present game is just another proof for it. 6.Bg5 Nbd7 The main move is 6...e6 7.f4 e5 8.Nf5
8...Qb6 9.Qd2 Qxb2 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Be2 As a compensation for the sacrificed pawn White has an obvious lead in development and very active pieces. Black must continue to play very sharp in order to justify his risky opening plan. h6 12.Bh4 exf4
13.0-0 A new move in this wild position. As Radjabov put it after the game: "These days you can't remember all variations. It is important to know the general ideas". Indeed, the Azerbaijani GM managed very well to cope with Nakamura's outstanding opening preparation. In the only game played so far (Ganguly,S (2651)-Spoelman,W (2547)/Wijk aan Zee 2011) White was successful with 13.Bf2 Nc5 14.0-0 Bxf5 15.exf5 Be7 16.Bd4 0-0 17.Rf3 but there are certainly many ways to improve for Black. 13...g6 After 13...g5 14.Bf2 White's compensation for the two sacrificed pawns is enormous. The immediate threat is 15.Rb3 followed by 16.Nxd6. 14.Rxf4! White must play actively and the piece sacrifice is a logical follow-up of the previous play. g5 14...gxf5 15.Rxf5 is bad, since White is not only threatening to recapture the knight on f6, but also to catch the queen with 16.Rb3, 15.Rb3 Qa5 16.Nxd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxd6
17...gxf4 17...gxh4 18.Rxf6 is hardly an option for Black. 18.Ra3 After 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.Qxf6 Rg8 the position remains double-edged. The important point is that 20.Nd5 is answered by Qe1+ 21.Bf1 Rxg2+! 22.Kxg2 Qxe4+ 23.Kf2 Qxd5 and Black is better 18...Qb6+ 19.Qxb6 Nxb6 20.Bxf6 Rg8 21.Rb3 Nd7 22.Nd5 Rg6 23.Bd4
Until this moment Nakamura played all the moves extremely quickly, spending less than 10 minutes altogether and openly showing that this is his home preparation. Only now for the first time did the American stop to blitzing out and took about 15 minutes before continuing. After the game Nakamura revealed that his opening preparation went as far as this: 23.Nc7+ Kf8 24.Bb2 Ra7 25.Ba3+ Kg7 26.Ne8+ Kh7 27.Nd6 Ra8 28.Bh5 Rg7 29.Bxf7 Ne5 30.Bd5 f3 31.g3 Bh3 32.Bb2 Rf8 33.Nf5 Re7 34.Bg8+ Kh8 35.Bd5 Kh7 with repetition and a draw. All these moves are the best for both sides! There is little to comment on that... Except maybe that chess became very deep these days indeed and that the homework in opening preparation fully pays off. 23...Rc6 24.c4 b5 25.cxb5 Radjabov thought that 25.c5 Rb8 26.Nxf4 b4 would favour Black. At least from the practical point of view taking on b5 was certainly a wiser decision: with little time there was no point to complicate matters. 25...axb5 26.Nc3 Both players thought that 26.Bxb5 Rc1+ 27.Kf2 Rxa2+ 28.Kf3 Kd8 would favour Black. 26...Ba6 27.Kf2
Here Nakamura missed the chance to set more serious problems to his opponent. 27...Rd6 After 27...Nc5 White's task would have been more complicated, since there are many possibilities, but no clear way to achieve equality. 28.Rb4! White is still a clear exchange down, but the strong bishop on d4 together with weak black pawns provide White sufficient compensation to keep the balance. f6 28...Rc8 is hardly an improvement: 29.Nxb5 Bxb5 30.Bxb5 Rc2+ 31.Kf3 Rxa2 32.Kxf4 with the idea Rxg2 33.e5 Rdg6 34.Ra4 and White gets counterplay. 29.Kf3 Rc8 29...Ne5+ 30.Kxf4 Nc6 would have kept some practical chances for a win. 30.Nxb5 Bxb5 31.Bxb5 Ke7
After 32.a4 White has nothing to fear, so the players agreed to a draw. It must be said that some spectators felt sorry that in the tournament regulations the players are allowed to agree to a draw after move 30.
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Radjabov,T-Nakamura,H-½–½2011B945th Kings Tournament5


Sergey Karjakin discussing his game with Dorian Rogozenco


Pleased as Punch after his stunning win over former compatriot Vassily Ivanchuk

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3
Ivanchuk's quiet approach in the opening remembers a bit of his second round game versus Carlsen. 5...0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.h3 Ne7 8.Re1 Ng6 9.Nbd2 c6 10.Nf1 d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Ng3 12.Nxe5 is not good due to Nxe5 13.Rxe5 Bxf2+! and the bishop cannot be taken due to the check on f6. 12...h6
13.Bb3 Here the Grandmaster Viorel Iordachescu pointed out that White has a tricky move 13.Nh5!? covering square f6, which means that now the pawn on e5 is under attack. White's tactical justification is that the natural answer Re8 suddenly brings Black into trouble: 14.d4! exd4 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.Bxd5 cxd5 17.Bxh6! with large advantage for White. 13...Re8 14.Bd2 Bb6 15.Qc2 Be6 16.Rad1
16.Nxe5 is not possible for the same reason as before: Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Qf6+ and White loses. 16...Bxh3‼ A bolt out of the blue. Karjakin admitted that he didn't see it at once and was going to play 16...Nf6 first. The reason he didn't do it quickly was that he wasn't very happy about "another boring draw". Indeed, sometimes avoiding even a hypothetical draw can really help! After 16...Bxh3 White is in deep troubles. 17.c4 The point is that 17.gxh3 loses to Qf6 Then 18.Kg2 Nh4+! 19.Nxh4 Qxf2+ 20.Kh1 Qxg3 21.Re2 Qxh4 is of course completely hopeless. 17.d4 Bg4 18.Qe4 or 18.c4 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Ndf4 18...Qd7 19.dxe5 Bc7 is also bad for White. 17...Ndf4 18.c5
18...Nxg2! 18...Bxg2 19.Nxe5 is less precise. 19.cxb6 Qf6! Again Karjakin finds the best move order. Taking on e1 first makes White's defence easier: 19...Nxe1 20.Rxe1 Qf6 21.Re3 axb6 22.Ne4 Qe7 23.Nxe5! attacking the bishop on h3. 20.Nh2 Nxe1 21.Rxe1 axb6
With a rook and three pawns for two minor pieces Black is close to winning. White's second problem is the vulnerability of his king. 22.Bc3 Be6 23.Re3 Nf4 24.Rf3 Qh4 25.Bd2 Bg4 26.Qc4 Be6! 26...Bxf3 27.Qxf7+ Kh8 28.Nxf3 Qg4 also should win, but Karjakin's decision is much easier. 27.Qc2 Bxb3 28.Qxb3 Re6 29.a3 Black mates after 29.Qxb6 Rxa2 30.Qxb7 Ra1+ 31.Nhf1 Qh3 32.Bxf4 exf4 33.Rxf4 Rg6 34.Qxf7+ Kh7 29...Rae8 30.Qb4 Again 30.Qxb6 is losing on the spot: Qh3 31.Bxf4 exf4 32.Rxf4 Re1+ 33.Nhf1 Rxf1+ 34.Nxf1 Re1 30...Rf6 31.Qe4 Ree6
White is completely lost. Apart from being material down his king is under decisive attack. 32.Ne2 Nxe2+ 33.Qxe2 Rxf3 34.Qxf3 Rg6+ 35.Kh1 Rf6 36.Qg3 Qxg3 37.fxg3 Rd6
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ivanchuk,V-Karjakin,S-0–12011C545th Kings Tournament5


Our commentator analyses with Magnus Carlsen minutes after the game

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6 5.Nf3 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8
Magnus Carlsen has played this line before and it shouldn't have come as a surprise for Nisipeanu. Even is White's next move is out of fashion, it soon transposed to the main line. 9.Be2 Usually White starts with 9.Nbd2 then after Ke7 10.Be2 we have a transposition to the game. 9...Ke7 10.Nbd2 Bd7 11.Nb3
Possibly the critical position of the game. 11...Bd6?! 11...Bb6 or even 11...Ba7 must be played. 12.Na5! A nasty surprise for Black. Although Nisipeanu spent a lot of time here, Black is not able to avoid the exchange of one of his bishops for a knight, which will secure White a pleasant, long-lasting advantage. Ra7 The main alternative was 12...b5 13.Nb7 Bb4 with the idea 14.a3 Bc6. But perhaps White can play 14.Bd2 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 when the weakened square c5 and the exposed queenside pawns should secure White somewhat better chances. And there is an additional way. Instead of 13.Nb7 the simple 13.Bd2 preparing next Nb7 might be even more unpleasant for Black. 13.Nc4 Bb5 13...Bc7 14.b3 followed by a check from a3 looks horrible for Black. 14.b3! Rd8 15.Bb2 Bxc4 After 15...Nc6 16.Rfd1 Raa8 17.Rxd6 Rxd6 18.Nxd6 Kxd6 Magnus was going to keep the bishops' pair with 19.Bd1! 16.Bxc4 Nc6 17.Rfd1 Raa8 18.h3
Black's position is worse than it looks. White's bishops' pair together with the lack of any counterplay makes it difficult to defend it especially in a practical game and especially with little time. White's plan is to advance the kingside pawns, gaining more space and trying to create a weakness in Black's pawn formation. Possibly disappointed by the course of the game Nisipeanu fails to put up his usual tough resistance. 18...g6 This somewhat strange-looking move is meant to prepare Nf6-d5. But on d5 the knight won't be doing much anyway, while the weaknesses created by 18...g6 will soon be fatal. 18...h5 was preferable, stopping at least for a while g2-g4. 19.g4 h6 19...h5 is answered by 20.g5 20.Bf1 Rac8 21.Rac1 Nd5 22.h4
22...Ke8 Something like 22...Ncb4 was called for, trying some counterplay as quickly as possible. 23.g5 hxg5 After this inaccuracy the position becomes really difficult. Black must try to keep the kingside closed and 23...h5 was necessary. 24.hxg5 Be7 25.Kg2 Nb6 26.Bd3! Nb4 27.Be4 Nxa2 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Rh1
Black is temporarily a pawn up, but his position is lost. The bishops' pair dominate the board, the rook is going to come to h7 and the knight to e5. Black just can't stand such a pressure. 29...Nd5 30.Ne5 f5 31.Bxd5 Black resigned due to 31.Bxd5 exd5 32.Rh8+ Kc7 33.Rh7 Kd8 34.Bd4 and big material losses are unavoidable.
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M-Nisipeanu,L-1–02011D275th Kings Tournament5

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Standings after five rounds

Schedule and results

Round 1: Saturday, June 11, 15:30h
Vassily Ivanchuk 
1-0
 Teimour Radjabov
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Hikaru Nakamura
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
 Sergey Karjakin
Round 2: Sunday, June 12, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Sergey Karjakin
Hikaru Nakamura 
1-0
 Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Round 3: Monday, June 13, 15:30h
Magnus Carlsen 
½-½
 Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
1-0
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
 Hikaru Nakamura
Round 4: Tuesday, June 14, 15:30h
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
 Teimour Radjabov
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura 
½-½
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Round 5: Wednesday, June 15, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Hikaru Nakamura
Vassily Ivanchuk 
0-1
 Sergey Karjakin
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Round 6: Friday, June 17, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
   Vassily Ivanchuk
Hikaru Nakamura 
   Magnus Carlsen
Sergey Karjakin 
   Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
GamesReport
Round 7: Saturday, June 18, 15:30h
Sergey Karjakin 
   Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
   Hikaru Nakamura 
Magnus Carlsen 
   Vassily Ivanchuk
GamesReport
Round 8: Sunday, June 19, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
   Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk 
   Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Hikaru Nakamura 
   Sergey Karjakin
GamesReport
Round 9: Monday, June 20, 15:30h
Hikaru Nakamura 
   Teimour Radjabov
Sergey Karjakin 
   Vassily Ivanchuk
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
   Magnus Carlsen
GamesReport
Round 10: Tuesday, June 21, 13:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
   Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Magnus Carlsen 
   Sergey Karjakin
Vassily Ivanchuk 
   Hikaru Nakamura 
GamesReport

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