Zug R07: Kamsky beats Morozevich

by ChessBase
4/25/2013 – The Russian GM, true to his style, played a fairly unusual opening. His American opponent used the opportunity to prepare a kingside assault. A few incautious actions around move 24 put Alexander Morozevich on the spot and Gata Kamsky turned the assault into a full-scale attack and took the full point. All other games were drawn. Full report with pictures and commentary.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

From April 14 to April 30, 2013, the third stage of the FIDE Grand Prix Series 2012-2013 is taking place in Zug, Switzerland. Twelve players are competing in a round robin tournament with time controls of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes and an increment of 30 seconds per move for each player. The Grand Prix Series consists of six tournaments to be held over two years, with 18 top players, each participating in four of the six tournaments. The winner and second placed player overall of the Grand Prix Series will qualify for the Candidates Tournament to be held in March 2014.

Round seven report

Only one game was decisive in the seventh round, while all others finished in draws. Gata Kamsky defeated one of the leaders Alexander Morozevich. The central game of the round between the two other leaders Veselin Topalov (White) and Ruslan Ponomariov (Black) finished peacefully after a long and precise defence by White in a worse endgame.

Round 07 – April 25 2013, 14:00h
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Gata Kamsky 2741
1-0
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Veselin Topalov 2771
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793

Kamsky – Morozevich 1-0
Gata Kamsky (above right) got a position with a small space advantage out of the opening, but was not sure how to fight for more, as he estimated the position as equal. Help suddenly came from his opponent, who chose the wrong plan with 19…Nf6 and 20…Nh5. During the press conference Alexander Morozevich pointed out that the game was completely lost for Black after Nf6.

The American player could have got advantage after an accurate 22.Bh4 but played Rae1 instead, allowing Black to cover the h4 square by playing Qd8. However, Black continued making mistakes and Gata Kamsky, despite the fact he was in time trouble, found the exact way to win.

Leko-Mamedyarov ½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (above left in the press conference) chose to play a fairly rare line of the Ruy Lopez (with 4...Nge7), while Peter Leko was expecting the Caro-Kann. He mentioned during the press-conference that his preparation started relatively late because he could not miss the football match Real-Borussia. The Hungarian player tried to find a way to get an edge with White, but it seems Shakhriyar had better preparation and was following his analyzes at least until the 15th move. The Azeri player managed to equalize, and after the nice blow Rf2 it was White who had to find the exact moves to make a draw.

Giri – Caruana ½-½
The Gruenfeld appeared in the game Giri-Caruana, where the Dutch grandmaster (above right) spent only five minutes for 30 moves! The players ended up in a sharp endgame, and suddenly Anish Giri spent next 70 minutes on his 31st move. According to Giri he was trying to find the disadvantages of the opponent’s move h6, and thought he had winning chances in the beginning. Afterwards he realized that there was no victory and it was time to look for the correct way to make a draw. Black sacrificed a rook for two pass pawns, and after 42 moves the opponents signed a peace agreement.

Topalov – Ponomariov ½-½
The longest game of the round finished in a draw, so both players lost the chance to become the sole leader. In a Nimzo Indian Ruslan Ponomariov (above left) got the better pawn structure after c4. Black increased his edge by choosing the correct plan with Nc7, a6, Nb5. Veselin Topalov decided to exchange queens to fight for a draw in a worse endgame. Ponomariov managed to grab a pawn in the knight endgame, but it was not enough to win a full point.

Karjakin – Kasimdzhanov ½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov (above left) was ready for the Scotch as Karjakin had already played this opening a few rounds earlier. The former World Champion repeated the line from his game against Wang Hao (which he won in Tashkent) and was ready for the endgame which happened today. 28…Bc8 was a strong move which doesn’t leave illusions for White, and few moves later the game finished in a draw.

Nakamura – Radjabov ½-½
Teimur Radjabov (above) got a comfortable position against Hikaru Nakamura in a Chelyabinsk Variation. The American player was hoping to get some play on the kingside but didn’t manage to do it during the game. Both players played very solidly and after 54 moves only opposite color bishops were left on the board and the game was drawn.

North American GM Hikaru Nakamura

Current standings

After seven rounds Ruslan Ponomariov and Veselin Topalov share first place with 4.5 points. Two Russian players, Alexander Morozevich, Sergey Karjakin and Italian Fabiano Caruana are half a point behind.

Replay all games

Select games from the dropdown menu above the board

Information and pictures by WGM Anastasiya Karlovich and GM Robert Fontaine

Schedule and pairings

Round 01 – April 18 2013, 14:00h
Alexander Morozevich 2758
1-0
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Fabiano Caruana 2772
1-0
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Gata Kamsky 2741
Round 02 – April 19 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
1-0
Gata Kamsky 2741
Veselin Topalov 2771
1-0
Peter Leko 2744
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
1-0
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Round 03 – April 20 2013, 14:00h
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Fabiano Caruana 2772
½-½
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Gata Kamsky 2741
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Round 04 – April 21 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Gata Kamsky 2741
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Peter Leko 2744
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Round 05 – April 23 2013, 14:00h
Fabiano Caruana 2772
1-0
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Sergey Karjakin 2786
1-0
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Anish Giri 2727
0-1
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Gata Kamsky 2741
1-0
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Veselin Topalov 2771
1-0
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Round 06 – April 24 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
0-1
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
1-0
Gata Kamsky 2741
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Peter Leko 2744
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Fabiano Caruana 2772
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Round 07 – April 25 2013, 14:00h
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Gata Kamsky 2741
1-0
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Veselin Topalov 2771
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Round 08 – April 26 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov
2709
-
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Ruslan Ponomariov
2733
-
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Alexander Morozevich
2758
-
Veselin Topalov 2771
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
2766
-
Gata Kamsky 2741
Fabiano Caruana
2772
-
Peter Leko 2744
Sergey Karjakin
2786
-
Anish Giri 2727
Round 09 – April 28 2013, 14:00h
Anish Giri 2727
-
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Peter Leko 2744
-
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Gata Kamsky 2741
-
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Veselin Topalov 2771
-
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
-
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Teimour Radjabov 2793
-
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Round 10 – April 29 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
-
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Alexander Morozevich 2758
-
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
-
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Fabiano Caruana 2772
-
Veselin Topalov 2771
Sergey Karjakin 2786
-
Gata Kamsky 2741
Anish Giri 2727
-
Peter Leko 2744
Round 11 – April 30 2013, 12:00h
Peter Leko 2744
-
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Gata Kamsky 2741
-
Anish Giri 2727
Veselin Topalov 2771
-
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
-
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Teimour Radjabov 2793
-
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
-
Alexander Morozevich 2758

The games start at 14:00h European time, 16:00h Moscow, 8 a.m. New York. You can find your regional starting time here. The commentary on Playchess begins one hour after the start of the games and is free for premium members.

Links

The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register