Biel 04: King March!

by Alejandro Ramirez
7/23/2015 – Navara takes the lead in the Biel Super Tournament, and in incredible fashion! A deep opening preparation against Wojtaszek forced the Czech player to advance his king through the ranks... White's king ended up on h8! Black seemed to have a draw at hand, but in severe time pressure Wojtaszek could not find it. Adams made a grave blunder and allowed Eljanov back into the tournament.
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The traditional Biel/Bienne Chess Festival is going strong in Switzerland. The festival includes a series of events, but the crown jewel is the Grandmaster Tournament, with an average rating of 2720.

Draw offers are forbidden for the first 40 moves and If two (or more) players share first place, the winner will be determined according to the results of a tiebreak played on July 31st (in the morning). 

Round Four

Round 04 - July 23, 2015
Navara, David 2724
1-0
 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2733
Rapport, Richard 2671
½-½
 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2731
Adams, Michael 2740
0-1
 Eljanov, Pavel 2723

Round 4 report by Daniel King

David Navara after his win over Wojtaszek

Play of the day analysed by Daniel King

Today all eyes were on David Navara's prep:

Navara, David 1-0 Wojatszek, Radoslaw
Navara's preparation was obvious: he played many risky looking moves almost instantly. But that doesn't detract of how beautiful and brave this game was!

The man of the day: David Navara

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.h3 Not the most common move, but certainly one that is gaining momentum. It was used by Navara this year already, against Wesley So in their match in Prague. Be7 9.g4!? Usually this move is done to hinder d5, but d5 is fully playable here! 9.f4 exf4 10.Bxf4 Nc6 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.0-0-0 Nce5 with a complex position, Navara-So, 2015. 9...d5 definitely the test of fire. 9...0-0 10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 is more or less White's idea: now he controls d5 and starts attacking on the kingside. 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Bg2 Nxe3 12.Qxd8+ Bxd8 13.fxe3 White has some pressure on the queenside with his powerful bishop on g2, but his king is a bit exposed and Black does have the pair of bishops. Bh4+ 13...Nc6 14.Nc5 runs into White's plan. Bh4+ 15.Ke2 Bc4+ 16.Nd3! White follows up with b3 and a very nice position. 14.Kf1 Nc6 Black has to play this sooner or later. 15.Nc5 Bc4+ 16.Kg1 0-0-0 16...Bg5 17.Kf2 17.Re1 0-0-0 18.b3 transposes back into the game. 17...Bh4+ 18.Kg1 18.Kf3 0-0 seems to risky for White. 18...Bg5= 17.b3 Bg5 18.Re1 Bh4 19.Rb1! Beautiful! The rook is very slightly better placed on b1 as when White takes on c4 it will be hitting b7. Bg5 20.Kf2 Bh4+ 21.Kf3 White is fearless, and I guess it is easier to do so when you have prepared the whole thing, but it is still impressive. How do we know it was all prep? well, he spent less than 30 seconds per move up to this point! e4+ Played aftre a long think, and still the computer recommendation. 21...Bd5+ 22.Nxd5 Rxd5 23.Ne4 White's powerful knight on e4 gives him a small advantage. 21...Rd2 22.N5e4 Bd5 23.Nxd5 Rxd5± 22.Kf4 played instantly, of course. 22.N5xe4 Ne5+ 23.Kf4 Ng6+ is a draw by perpetual. 22...g5+ 22...Rd6!? was looked at in depth in the post-mortem. You will be able to find Danny King's comments on this move later on. 23.Kf5 Black seems to be on the verge of mating his opponent, but no such thing is available. Rhe8 23...Be6+ 24.Nxe6 fxe6+ 25.Kxe4 Rd2! 26.Bf3 should give Black enough counterplay to claim equality. Perhaps this is the correct continuation. 24.Rhd1 Re5+ 25.Kf6 Rg8 25...Rxc5 26.Rxd8+ Nxd8 27.bxc4 Rxc4 28.Nxe4 Rc6+ 29.Ke7 Rc7+ 30.Kf8 Rxc2 31.Nd6+ Kc7 32.Be4 favors White, slightly. 26.bxc4 The first move that Navara realy thought about, though it was kind of forced. Rg6+ 27.Kxf7 Re7+ 28.Kf8 Rf6+?! Perhaps the truly first inaccurate move from Wojtaszek. 28...Reg7! Was the way to equalize. The silicon beast claims that there is a draw by perpetual. 29.Kg8 Rg6+ 30.Kh8! Fearless! Rf6 31.Rf1 White is not interested in repeating moves when he is up so much time on his opponent. Bf2 32.Rxf2 Rxf2 33.Rf1 There is no checkmate. Rxg2? 33...Re8+! 34.Kxh7 Rxg2 35.N3xe4 Re7+ 36.Kg6 b6 prevents the game continuation. 34.Rf8+ Kc7 35.Nd5+? 35.N5xe4! Was a hard move to spot, but very strong. Black's king is the one that comes under fire, suddenly! 35...Kd6 36.Nxe7 Kxc5 37.Rf5+ Kxc4 38.Nxc6 bxc6 39.Rxg5 A complex endgame, in which either side can easily go wrong. Rg3? 39...Rxc2 40.Kxh7 Kd3 41.Rh5 Kxe3 42.g5 Rc5 will probably end up in a drawn queen endgame. 40.h4 h6? 40...Rxe3 41.Kxh7 Rg3 42.h5 e3 43.h6 Kc3 44.Kg6 e2 45.h7 e1Q 46.h8Q+ is only a little better for White, close to a draw. 41.Rg6 Rxe3 42.Kg7 Black is in serious trouble now. The two passed pawns are too strong. Rg3 43.Kxh6 e3 44.Kg5? 44.g5!+- 44...Kd5? Black had to be active in the endgame! 44...Kc3 45.h5 e2 46.Re6 Kd2 47.h6 e1Q 48.Rxe1 Kxe1 49.h7 Rh3 50.Kg6 Ke2 51.Kg7 Kf3= 45.Kf4 Rh3?! making it easy for White. 45...e2 46.c4+ Kxc4 47.Re6 Rh3 48.Rxe2 Rxh4 49.Rc2+ Kd5 50.Kf5 looks very bad for Black. 46.h5 c5 47.Rg5+ Kd4 48.Re5 Re4+ cannot be stopped. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Navara,D2724Wojtaszek,R27331–02015B9048th Biel GM 20154

Rapport, Richard ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
Rapport's game was actually the most normal of the day. He was unable to obtain much from the opening, and MVL decided to sacrifice a pawn in order to achieve a double rook endgame with good activity. When he recovered his pawn, Black had a very slight initiative, but he was never close to presenting real problems to White.

Richard Rapport played a somewhat normal opening today!

MVL had no problem neutralizing White's opening advantage

Adams, Michael 0-1 Eljanov, Pavel
Adams was slowly outplaying Eljanov in an exchange Slav, but then he missed some of his opponent's resources:

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38...Be8 39.Rb1 39.Bc5 39...a3 40.e4 Qa5 41.exf5 41.Nxc4∞ 41...a2 42.Ra1 exf5 43.Nxc4 43.Bb4 43...Qb5 44.Nd6 44.Qe6+ Bf7 45.Qxf7+ Kxf7 46.Nd6+ Kxe7 47.Nxb5 Bc1 is ugly for White. The endgame is very bad: 48.Rxc1 a1Q 49.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 50.Kf2 Ra2+ 51.Kg3 Kd7 44...Qd5! Suddnely White's pieces are in horrible positions. He is, surprisingly, lost. The threat is Bf4. 45.Qe2 45.Nxe8 Rxe8 and White has no good answer to Kf7. 45...Bf4 46.Nxe8 Rxe8 47.Rxa2 Kf7 White is simply losing a piece. 48.Ra7 Bb8 49.Qa2 Qxa2 50.Rxa2 Bg3! More precise than taking the bishop right away. A nice finishing touch. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Adams,M2740Eljanov,P27230–12015D1048th Biel GM 20154

Adams started leading, but not he finds himself tied for third
(or last, depending on how you want to see things).

Standings

Round Four Games

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.h3 Not the most common move, but certailny one that is gaining momentum. It was used by Navara this year already, against Wesley So in their match in Prague. Be7 9.g4!? Usually this move is done to hinder d5, but d5 is fully playable here! 9.f4 exf4 10.Bxf4 Nc6 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.0-0-0 Nce5 with a complex position, Navara-So, 2015. 9...d5 definitely the test of fire. 9...0-0 10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 is more or less White's idea: now he controls d5 and starts attacking on the kingside. 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Bg2 Nxe3 12.Qxd8+ Bxd8 13.fxe3 White has some pressure on the queenside with his powerful bishop on g2, but his king is a bit exposed and Black does have the pair of bishops. Bh4+ 13...Nc6 14.Nc5 runs into White's plan. Bh4+ 15.Ke2 Bc4+ 16.Nd3! White follows up with b3 and a very nice position. 14.Kf1 Nc6 Black has to play this sooner or later. 15.Nc5 Bc4+ 16.Kg1 0-0-0 16...Bg5 17.Kf2 17.Re1 0-0-0 18.b3 transposes back into the game. 17...Bh4+ 18.Kg1 18.Kf3 0-0 seems to risky for White. 18...Bg5= 17.b3 Bg5 18.Re1 Bh4 19.Rb1! Beautiful! The rook is very slightly better placed on b1 as when White takes on c4 it will be hitting b7. Bg5 20.Kf2 Bh4+ 21.Kf3 White is fearless, and I guess it is easier to do so when you have prepared the whole thing, but it is still impressive. How do we know it was all prep? well, he spent less than 30 seconds per move up to this point! e4+ Played aftre a long think, and still the computer recommendation. 21...Bd5+ 22.Nxd5 Rxd5 23.Ne4 White's powerful knight on e4 gives him a small advantage. 21...Rd2 22.N5e4 Bd5 23.Nxd5 Rxd5± 22.Kf4 played instantly, of course. 22.N5xe4 Ne5+ 23.Kf4 Ng6+ is a draw by perpetual. 22...g5+ 22...Rd6!? was looked at in depth in the post-mortem. You will be able to find Danny King's comments on this move later on. 23.Kf5 Black seems to be on the verge of mating his opponent, but no such thing is available. Rhe8 23...Be6+ 24.Nxe6 fxe6+ 25.Kxe4 Rd2! 26.Bf3 should give Black enough counterplay to claim equality. Perhaps this is the correct continuation. 24.Rhd1 Re5+ 25.Kf6 Rg8 25...Rxc5 26.Rxd8+ Nxd8 27.bxc4 Rxc4 28.Nxe4 Rc6+ 29.Ke7 Rc7+ 30.Kf8 Rxc2 31.Nd6+ Kc7 32.Be4 favors White, slightly. 26.bxc4 The first move that Navara realy thought about, though it was kind of forced. Rg6+ 27.Kxf7 Re7+ 28.Kf8 Rf6+?! Perhaps the truly first inaccurate move from Wojtaszek. 28...Reg7! Was the way to equalize. The silicon beast claims that there is a draw by perpetual. 29.Kg8 Rg6+ 30.Kh8! Fearless! Rf6 31.Rf1 White is not interested in repeating moves when he is up so much time on his opponent. Bf2 32.Rxf2 Rxf2 33.Rf1 There is no checkmate. Rxg2? 33...Re8+! 34.Kxh7 Rxg2 35.N3xe4 Re7+ 36.Kg6 b6 prevents the game continuation. 34.Rf8+ Kc7 35.Nd5+? 35.N5xe4! Was a hard move to spot, but very strong. Black's king is the one that comes under fire, suddenly! 35...Kd6 36.Nxe7 Kxc5 37.Rf5+ Kxc4 38.Nxc6 bxc6 39.Rxg5 A complex endgame, in which either side can easily go wrong. Rg3? 39...Rxc2 40.Kxh7 Kd3 41.Rh5 Kxe3 42.g5 Rc5 will probably end up in a drawn queen endgame. 40.h4 h6? 40...Rxe3 41.Kxh7 Rg3 42.h5 e3 43.h6 Kc3 44.Kg6 e2 45.h7 e1Q 46.h8Q+ is only a little better for White, close to a draw. 41.Rg6 Rxe3 42.Kg7 Black is in serious trouble now. The two passed pawns are too strong. Rg3 43.Kxh6 e3 44.Kg5? 44.g5!+- 44...Kd5? Black had to be active in the endgame! 44...Kc3 45.h5 e2 46.Re6 Kd2 47.h6 e1Q 48.Rxe1 Kxe1 49.h7 Rh3 50.Kg6 Ke2 51.Kg7 Kf3= 45.Kf4 Rh3?! making it easy for White. 45...e2 46.c4+ Kxc4 47.Re6 Rh3 48.Rxe2 Rxh4 49.Rc2+ Kd5 50.Kf5 looks very bad for Black. 46.h5 c5 47.Rg5+ Kd4 48.Re5 Re4+ cannot be stopped. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Navara,D2724Wojtaszek,R27331–02015B9048th Biel GM 20154
Rapport,R2671Vachier Lagrave,M2731½–½2015A1548th Biel GM 20154
Adams,M2740Eljanov,P27230–12015D1048th Biel GM 20154

Select from the dropdown menu to replay the games

Master Tournament

The master tournament is, after three rounds, being led by Alexandr Fier from Brazil and Tigran Gharamian from France. They have a fateful meeting today, but there are plenty of grandmasters trailing them by only half a point. Unforunately, the games for this section are not available yet.

Photos by: Marie Boyard, Simon Bohnenblust, Christian Ostermeier and Pascal Simon

Commentary on Playchess

Danny King live in Biel

We will be bringing you interviews, photos, reports and videos from Biel, and of course we will have live commentary on our website, www.playchess.com

Day Date Round German English
Friday July 24 Round 5 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Daniel King
Saturday July 25 Round 6 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Sunday July 26 Free    
Monday July 27 Round 7 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Tuesday July 28 Round 8 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Wednesday July 29 Round 9 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Thursday July 30 Round 10 GM Klaus Bischoff GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Round 01 - July 20, 2015
Adams, Michael 2740
1-0
 Navara, David 2724
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2733
½-½
 Rapport, Richard 2671
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2731
½-½
 Eljanov, Pavel 2723
Round 02 - July 21, 2015
Rapport, Richard 2671
½-½
 Adams, Michael 2740
Eljanov, Pavel 2723
0-1
 Navara, David 2724
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2731
½-½
 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2733
Round 03 - July 22, 2015
Navara, David 2724
1-0
 Rapport, Richard 2671
Adams, Michael 2740
0-1
 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2731
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2733
1-0
 Eljanov, Pavel 2723
Round 04 - July 23, 2015
Navara, David 2724
1-0
 Wojtaszek, Radoslaw 2733
Rapport, Richard 2671
½-½
 Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2731
Adams, Michael 2740
0-1
 Eljanov, Pavel 2723

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.
Grandmaster Alejandro Ramirez has been playing tournament chess since 1998. His accomplishments include qualifying for the 2004 and 2013 World Cups as well as playing for Costa Rica in the 2002, 2004 and 2008 Olympiads. He currently has a rating of 2583 and is author of a number of popular and critically acclaimed ChessBase-DVDs.

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