Bilbao, Rd. 8: Two draws and So beats Giri

by André Schulz
7/21/2016 – In round eight of the "Masters" in Bilbao Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin played a last time against each before they will meet in the World Championship match in November. However, it was hard to get excited about the game which quickly ended in a draw through a repetition of moves. The games of the other players offered more, particularly the encounter between Wesley So and Anish Giri, which So won after being worse. With two rounds to go Carlsen continues to lead the field.
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The next game between Carlsen and Karjakin is probably the
first game of the upcoming match for the World Championship.

In round three Karjakin played with Black against Carlsen and suffered a bitter defeat. In round eight Karjakin had White and controlled the game right from the start. However, the game had hardly begun when both players did not mind a repetition of moves that led to a draw after 19 moves - the shortest game with classical time-control Carlsen and Karjakin ever played against each other.

The other players created more action. Wei Yi and Hikaru Nakamura discussed an interesting sideline of the Catalan but though they tried neither player got much out of the opening and the middlegame. After 45 moves the game ended in a draw.

 
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1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Nc3 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxc6 Qe8 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Qa4 leads to a position that is similar to one of the main lines of the Catalan, however, with the difference that the white knight on b1 has not moved yet. Recently, Nakamura had this position on the board. e5 12.dxe5 Qxe5 13.Qxc4 Be6 14.Qd3 Rad8 15.Qe3 Qh5 16.f3 Bc4 17.Nc3 Rfe8 18.g4 Qg6 19.Qf2 Nd5 20.Nxd5 Rxd5 21.Re1 h5 22.g5 f6 23.h4 Rde5 24.e4 f5 25.Bf4 R5e7 26.Rac1 Bxa2 27.Qxa7 Bf7 28.Rxc7 Rxc7 29.Qxc7 fxe4 30.Rxe4 Rxe4 31.fxe4 Qxe4 32.Qe5 Qf3 33.Bg3 Bd5 34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.g6+ Kh6 36.Qh8+ Kxg6 37.Qe8+ Kh7 0-1 (37) Kramnik,V (2812) -Nakamura,H (2787) Paris 2016 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxc6 Qe8 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Qa4 c5 12.dxc5 After 12.Qxc4 cxd4 13.Qxd4 e5 14.Qh4 Rb8 15.0-0 Rb4 16.e4 h6 Black scored well. 12...Qxc5 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Rd1 Bd7 A new move - however, it does not change the evaluation of the position much. 14...Bb7 14...Nd5 15.Qa3 Nd5 16.Bd4 a5 17.Rd2 Nb4 18.0-0 Qb7 19.Na4 Bxa4 White threatened 19...-- 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Nc5 20.Qxa4 Rfc8 21.Rc1 f6 22.f3 Qa6 23.Bf2 Nd5 24.Rdc2 Nb4 25.Rd2 Nd5 26.Rdc2 Nb4 27.Rc3 Wei Yi rejects the invitation to repeat moves. But there is not much play left in the game. h6 28.Kg2 Rab8 29.b3 cxb3 30.Rxc8+ Rxc8 31.Rxc8+ Qxc8 32.Qxb3 Kf7 33.Qa4 Qa6 34.Qd7+ Kg8 35.Qd2 Qc4 36.Qd8+ Kh7 37.Qxa5 Nxa2 38.Qd2 Nb4 39.Qb2 Nc6 40.Qb1+ Kg8 41.Qb7 Ne5 42.Qb8+ Kh7 43.Qb1+ Kg8 44.Qb8+ Kh7 45.Qb1+ Kg8 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wei Yi2696Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E069th Masters Final 20168

The most entertaining game of the round was doubtless the one between Wesley So and Anish Giri. The Dutch player chose an aggressive set-up against So's Italian and equalized without problems. However, he did not continue his energetic and step by step So was the one who set the pace. Eventually Giri found himself in an endgame that was difficult to defend and ended when Giri's was caught in a mating-net.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Re1 The most popular move is 6.c3 6...Ng4!? Or the quieter 6...d6 7.c3 7.h3 7...Bb6 8.Bb3 Ne7 9.Nbd2 e.g. c6 10.Nf1 Ng6 11.Ng3 h6 12.d4 Bg4 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 exd4 15.Nf5 dxc3 16.bxc3 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Rxe4 dxe4 19.Qg4 Kh7 20.Qxe4 Qc7 21.Bf4 Nxf4 22.Qxf4 f6 23.Nh4 Qxe5 24.Bc2+ Kg8 25.Bb3+ Kh7 26.Bc2+ Kg8 27.Bb3+ 1/2-1/2 (27) Anand,V (2770)-Giri,A (2782) Leuven 2016 7.Re2 With the rook on e1 it does not make much sense to open the f-file with 7.Be3 Nxe3 8.fxe3 d6 . 7...Kh8 7...Nd4 8.Nxd4 Bxd4 9.h3 Nf6 10.Nd2 d6 11.Nf3 Bb6= 0-1 (51) Brkic,A (2606)-Filippov,A (2606) Sibenik 2011 8.h3 f5 9.Nc3 9.c3 fxe4 10.dxe4 Rxf3 11.hxg4 Rg3 12.g5 d6 13.b4 Bb6 14.Rc2 Rg4 15.Bd3 Be6 16.Na3 Qg8 17.Nc4 Qf7 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.g3 Qh5 20.Be2 Ne7 21.Bf3 Ng6 22.Bg2 Nh4 23.Qf1 Nxg2 24.Qxg2 Rxe4 25.Qxe4 Qd1+ 26.Kh2 Bd5 27.Rd2 Qxd2 28.Bxd2 Bxe4 29.a4 Kg8 30.Be3 Kf7 31.g4 Ke6 32.Kg3 Kd5 33.f3 Bc2 34.a5 bxa5 35.bxa5 Kc4 36.Ra3 Ra6 37.Kf2 b6 0-1 (37) Jandourek, L (2192)-Londyn,R (2380) Czech Republic 2015 9.hxg4? fxg4 was no serious option for White. After 10.Ng5 Black plays g3 11.-- gxf2+ 12.Kf1 d6 and 13.-- Bg4 with a winning attack. 9...Nf6 The position is similar to the Jänisch-Variation of the Ruy Lopez.
10.Be3 Alternatives: 10.Ng5 Nd4 11.Re1 Qe8= Or 10.Nd5 fxe4 11.dxe4 Nxd5 12.exd5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.c3 Bb6 15.Rxe5 Qf6 16.Re2 Bxf2+= 10...Bxe3 11.fxe3!? 11.Rxe3 f4 12.Re1 d6 did not seem to be to White's liking. Black has good chances for an attack on the kingside. 11...fxe4 12.dxe4 d6 Black now has very comfortable and active play. 13.a3 Qe8 14.Qd3
14...Nd8 14...Qg6!? 15.Kh1 Qh6 with the idea 16.-- Bxh3 was well worth considering. 15.Rf2 Be6 16.Raf1 a6 17.Nd2 b5 18.Bxe6 Nxe6 19.Nd5 Nd7 20.Rxf8+ Ndxf8 21.c4 c6 22.Nc3 Qe7 23.b4 After his energetic opening play Black slowed down a bit allowing White to equalize the game. Nd7 24.Nb3 Nf6 25.Na5 Qc7 26.Rc1 Qd7 27.cxb5 axb5 28.a4
28...bxa4? 28...Ng5!? with the idea 29.axb5 29.h4? Nh3+ 29...Nxh3+ 30.gxh3 Qxh3 with the strong threat Ng4 offered Black good chances for counterplay, e.g. 31.Rc2 Qg3+ 32.Rg2 Qe1+ 33.Kh2 h5!? and White is under pressure. 29.Nxa4 Rf8 30.Nb6 Qf7 31.Nxc6 After 31.Nbc4!? Nh5 32.Rf1 Qxf1+ 33.Qxf1 Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 Ng3+ 35.Ke1 Nxe4 36.Nxc6± White's b-pawn is dangerous. 31...Ng5 32.Rf1 Qc7 33.Qb5 Ngxe4 After 33...Qb7= White has difficulties to make progress. 34.Nd5± Qd7 35.Nxf6 gxf6?! Hoping for counterplay on the g-file - but this plan does not work. 35...Nxf6 36.Qc4 Rc8 37.b5± 36.Qd5 Nc3 37.Qc4 Na4 38.b5 Nb6 39.Qd3 Rg8 40.e4 Qe6 41.Rd1 Nd7 42.Kh2 Nc5 43.Qxd6 Qxd6 44.Rxd6 Nxe4 45.Re6 Nc5 46.Rxf6 e4 47.Rf5 Nb7 48.Re5 Nd6 49.Nd4 Rb8 50.g4 Kg8 51.Kg3 Kf7 52.Nf5 Kf6 52...Nxb5? 53.Rxb5 Rxb5 54.Nd6++- 53.Kf4 Nxb5 Black was in trouble - but now Black's king is caught in a mating-net. 54.g5+ Kg6 55.Re7 Rh8 56.Kg4 h5+ 57.Kf4 There's no defense against the threats of 58.Nh4# or 58.Rg7#. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2770Giri,A27851–02016C509th Masters Final 20168

Results of round eight

  Title Name Country ELO Res. Title Name Country ELO
1 GM Wesley So
 
 2775 3 - 0 GM Anish Giri
 
 2790
2 GM Sergey Karjakin
 
 2779 1 - 1 GM Magnus Carlsen
 
 2851
3 GM Wei Yi
 
 2694 1 - 1 GM Hikaru Nakamura
 
 2787

Games - Rounds 1 to 8

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.h3 Ne7 8.d4 Bb6 9.Bd3 Ng6 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nbd2 c6 12.Nf1 d5 13.Bg5 dxe4 14.Rxe4 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Re3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Qxf5 18.Ng3 Qd7 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rxe5 Rxe5 21.dxe5 Qe7 22.Qh5 g6 23.Qe2 Qg5 24.Kf1 Kf8 25.Re1 Re8 26.Qd3 Rxe5 27.Qd6+ Re7 28.Ne4 Qf5 29.Re2 Bc7 30.Qd4 Qe5 31.Qxa7 Qh2 32.Ng3 Bxg3 33.Rxe7 Qh1+ 34.Ke2 Kxe7 35.Qe3+ Kf6 36.Qxg3 Qb1 37.Qf4+ Kg7 38.Qd4+ Kg8 39.Qb4 Qxa2 40.Qxb7 Qc4+ 41.Ke3 Qc5+ 42.Kf3 Qd5+ 43.Kg3 Qg5+ 44.Kh2 Qf4+ 45.Kg1 Qc1+ 46.Kh2 Qf4+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S2773So,W2770½–½2016C659th Masters Final 20161
Carlsen,M2855Nakamura,H27870–12016B209th Masters Final 20161
Giri,A2785Wei Yi2696½–½2016C509th Masters Final 20161
So,W2770Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E329th Masters Final 20162
Wei Yi2696Carlsen,M28550–12016B069th Masters Final 20162
Karjakin,S2773Giri,A2785½–½2016C509th Masters Final 20162
Giri,A2785So,W2770½–½2016C509th Masters Final 20163
Carlsen,M2855Karjakin,S27731–02016B509th Masters Final 20163
Nakamura,H2787Wei Yi2696½–½2016D419th Masters Final 20163
Wei Yi2696Karjakin,S2773½–½2016E009th Masters Final 20164
Carlsen,M2855So,W27701–02016C659th Masters Final 20164
Nakamura,H2787Giri,A2785½–½2016D459th Masters Final 20164
Karjakin,S2773Nakamura,H2787½–½2016D379th Masters Final 20165
Giri,A2785Carlsen,M2855½–½2016D229th Masters Final 20165
So,W2770Wei Yi2696½–½2016C429th Masters Final 20165
Wei Yi2696Giri,A27851–02016C679th Masters Final 20166
Nakamura,H2787Carlsen,M2855½–½2016E069th Masters Final 20166
So,W2770Karjakin,S2773½–½2016E469th Masters Final 20166
Giri,A2785Karjakin,S2773½–½2016E009th Masters Final 20167
Carlsen,M2855Wei Yi2696½–½2016D769th Masters Final 20167
Nakamura,H2787So,W2770½–½2016D029th Masters Final 20167
So,W2770Giri,A27851–02016C509th Masters Final 20168
Karjakin,S2773Carlsen,M2855½–½2016D389th Masters Final 20168
Wei Yi2696Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E069th Masters Final 20168

 

Standings after eight rounds

  Title Name Nation Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pts. TB
1 GM Magnus Carlsen
 
 2851   01 31 3  31 1  13.0 / 8  
2 GM Hikaru Nakamura
 
 2787 31   11 11 1  1  10.0 / 8  
3 GM Wei Yi
 
 2694 01 11   1  1  13 9.0 / 8 33.50
4 GM Wesley So
 
 2775 0  11 1    11 13 9.0 / 8 30.50
5 GM Sergey Karjakin
 
 2779 01 1  1  11   11 7.0 / 8  
6 GM Anish Giri
 
 2790 1  1  10 10 11   6.0 / 8  

Tournament page...

André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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