2/10/2015 – What a thrilling finish! Carlsen missed a chance to convert against Bacrot, and had to settle for a tiebreak match to determine the winner against Naiditsch... though both were lucky that Caruana did not join them as he missed a win against Baramidze! In the match Carlsen won the first, Naidtisch retaliated, and after two draws The World Champion triumphed in the Armageddon...
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
This course isn’t just another addition to your chess library—it’s the definitive guide to elevate your endgame play. From fundamental principles to advanced techniques, “Practical Endgames” covers every aspect of endgame strategy.
€39.90
Round 07 - February 09, 2015, 15:00
Adams Michael
2738
1-0
Anand Viswanathan
2797
Naiditsch Arkadij
2706
½-½
Aronian Levon
2777
Carlsen Magnus
2865
½-½
Bacrot Etienne
2711
Baramidze David
2594
½-½
Caruana Fabiano
2811
Round seven under way
The final round! Magnus Carlsen came close to winning the tournament without tiebreaks, but it was not meant to be!
The opening move for the World Champion
Adams, Michael 1-0 Anand, Viswanathan
Adams obtained a very small amount of pressure in the rook endgame, torturing his opponent even though he was not making any real progress. Anand kept defending well, until suddenly his decision to activate his rook gave White too much activity and real winning chances. The game was still drawn, probably, until disaster struck:
This last round win for Michael Adams gave him +1 and a tie for third with Caruana
Viswanathan Anand ran out of patience in a difficult and long defense
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Position not in LiveBook
Please, wait...
84.Kf2Ke5??84...Ra2+85.Ke3Ra3+86.Kd4Ra4+87.Kc5Kg7=It doesn't seem as if White can make progress in this position.85.h6Ra2+85...Rh786.Ke3Kf687.Ke4+-Eventually Black will run out of moves.86.Kg3Ra887.h7Rh888.Rh6Kd689.Kf289.Kf2Ke790.Ke3Kf791.Ke4Kg792.Rh5Rxh793.Rxh7+Kxh794.Ke5is a completely lost endgame.1–0
Naiditsch, Arkadij ½-½ Aronian, Levon
The German player chose a relatively safe approach in this game, going for a slight edge and trying to pressure Black... however Aronian was easily up to the task and drew without too many problems.
Levon Aronian's 50% was not a bad result, but it cost him a couple of Elo points
Arkadij Naiditsch didn't want to risk everything in his game today
Carlsen, Magnus ½-½ Bacrot, Etienne
Carlsen played a fantastic game, and just when it was time to finish Bacrot off he ran into some unexpected difficulties:
Etienne Bacrot found a magic defense against Magnus Carlsen
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
34...b535.Na535.Na3!Even though this move looks rather awkward, it is actually very powerful. Once c6 falls so does b5, and then a7.c536.Nc6Rf737.Nxb5+-35...c536.Nbc6Rf737.Nb737.dxc5dxc538.Rd8+Bf839.Ra8+-c440.b4!This key move locks out the bishop and gives White a winning position.37...Nf438.dxc5dxc539.Nxa7?Too hasty! This gives Black unexpected counterplay!Bd4+40.Kh140.Rxd4Ne2+!40...cxd441.Nxb5+-41.Kg2Nxd442.c3Rf6!And a6 falls, with White's winning chances really.40...Nh3!A miracle perpetual! White cannot escape the threats, for now Nf2+ would win the rook.41.Kg241.Ra1Rg7gets White mated, nearly, and is way too risky. The a-pawn is not that fast.41...Nf4+42.Kg3Ne2+43.Kg4Rf4+44.Kh344.Kh5Rf5+45.Kxh6??45.Kg6Rf6+46.Kh5=45...Nf4-+44...Rf3+45.Kg4Rf4+46.Kh3Rf3+½–½
Baramidze, David ½-½ Caruana, Fabiano
Baramidze found a way to lose a pawn in what was almost a dead drawn position with opposite colored bishops and a bunch of pieces, but was still holding down the fort. He somehow let Black get too active, until Caruana simply gave back half a point:
Fabiano Caruana missed a key chance to make the tiebreak match a three way
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
71.Nd2Kf6??Of course, Black had to be active! The numer of pawns is not as important as their quality.71...Kd4!72.Kxe6Kd3!72...Ke373.Nc4+=73.Nf3Ke374.Ng574.Nh2Kf2traps the knight on h2, with an easy victory.74...f3And since the knight must already sacrifice itself, the pawn race is easily lost for White.72.Kc6g573.Ne4+Kf574.Nxg5Kg475.Kd6Now there is no chance to win this, the knight can stop the pawns just in time for the king to get back.Kxh476.Ne4Kg477.Kxe6h478.Ke5f379.Kd4h380.Ke3h281.Nf2+Kg382.Nh1+Kg283.Nf2h1Q84.Nxh1Kxh185.Kxf3½–½
With the tournament ending with a tie at the top between Naiditsch and Carlsen a tiebreak match was needed:
Things started off well for the World Champion as he was able to score a victory in the first game
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3Bb4+4.Nbd2b65.a3Bxd2+6.Qxd20-07.e3Bb78.b4a59.Bb2axb410.axb4Ne411.Qc2Rxa1+12.Bxa1Qe713.c5f514.Be2Nc615.Bc3bxc516.dxc5Ra817.0-0Nxc318.Qxc3Qf619.Qd2Rd820.b5Ne521.Nxe5Qxe522.c6!Using the pin on the d-file White kills the bishop on b7.Bc823.Rd1d524.Qd4Qxd425.exd4Kf826.f4Black's position is simply sad. The bishop on c8 has absolutely no moves. White simply has to march his forces forward.Ke727.Ra1g628.Kf2Kd629.Ra3Rf830.h4Ke731.h5Rg832.hxg6hxg633.Rh3g534.fxg5Kd635.Rh6Ke736.Bf3e537.Rh7+Kd638.dxe5+Kc539.Rxc7Kxb540.Bxd51–0
However Naiditsch was able to strike back, saving his skin! The game was full of errors but at the end the German triumphed, forcing another two games. Those were drawn, forcing another tiebreak... and Armageddon game to determine the winner of the tournament:
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.e4c52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a66.g3e57.Nde2Be78.Bg20-09.0-0Nbd710.a4b611.Nd5Nxd512.Qxd5Rb813.Nc3Nf614.Qd3Be615.Qxa6!A nice positional sacrifice. The pawn was certainly not free: Naiditsch had seen a way to recover his material, but Carlsen decided that he was going to keep his pawn, by giving up the exchange!Qc716.Qe2Bc417.Qf3Bxf118.Bxf1The light square weaknesses that Black has currently make his position very difficult.d519.exd5e420.Qf5Rbd821.Bf4Qc522.Rd1Qb423.Be5Bc5??An almost inexplicable move. This allows White ti simply rip apart the kingside and annihilate the opponent king.24.Bxf6gxf625.Nxe4 Now it's very clearly all over, Black is even down material.Qxb226.Bd3Rfe827.Nxf6+Kf828.Nxh7+Ke729.Re1+Kd630.Qf4+Kxd531.Nf6+Kc632.Nxe81–0
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3d54.g3Be75.Bg20-06.0-0dxc47.Qc2a68.a4Bd79.Qxc4Bc610.Bf4Bd611.Bg5Nbd712.Nc3h613.Bxf6Nxf614.a5Qe715.Nh4Bxg216.Kxg2Rfd817.e4Bb418.e5Nd519.Nf5Qd720.Ne3Bxc321.bxc3Qb522.Qxb5axb523.Rfc1c524.Nxd5Rxd525.Rcb1cxd426.cxd4Rc827.Rb4Rc428.Rab1Rcxd429.Rxd4Rxd430.Rxb5Rd731.Kf3g532.h4Kg733.h5f634.exf6+Kxf635.g4Ke736.Ke4Kf637.Rb3Ke738.f3Kf639.Rb6Ke740.Rb5Kf641.Rb3Ke742.Rd3Rc743.Kd4Kf644.Rb3Rf745.Rb5Rc746.Rb4Ke747.Rc4Rd7+48.Kc5Rd649.Rb4Rc6+50.Kb5Rd651.Rb3Kf652.Kc5Rc6+53.Kd4Rd6+54.Ke4Rd755.Rb6Rd556.Rxb7Rxa557.Rh7Ra4+58.Ke3Ra3+59.Kf2Ra2+60.Kg3Ra361.Rxh6+Kf762.Rh7+Kf663.Rd7Ra264.Rd3Rb265.Re3Rb466.Re2Ra467.Kf2Ra368.Rd2Ra469.Ke3Ra3+70.Ke4Ra4+71.Rd4Ra172.Ke3Ra3+73.Rd3Ra474.Rb3Ra175.Rb7Ra3+76.Kf2Ra2+77.Kg3Ra378.Rb8Kf779.Rb1Kf680.Re1Ra481.Kf2Ra2+82.Kg3Ra483.Rh1Ra784.Kf2Ke5??84...Ra2+85.Ke3Ra3+86.Kd4Ra4+87.Kc5Kg7=It doesn't seem
as if White can make progress in this position.85.h6Ra2+85...Rh786.Ke3Kf687.Ke4+-Eventually Black will run out of moves.86.Kg3Ra887.h7Rh888.Rh6Kd689.Kf289.Kf2Ke790.Ke3Kf791.Ke4Kg792.Rh5Rxh793.Rxh7+Kxh794.Ke5is a completely lost endgame.1–0
The games are being 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 13 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Alejandro RamirezGrandmaster 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.
If you're looking to revamp your opening repertoire and surprise your opponents with powerful, modern ideas, The Ultimate Scotch Gambit is the perfect choice.
Tata Steel 2025 with game analyses by Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov, Giri and many others. Opening videos by Ganguly, Blohberger and King. 10 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire. Special on Korttschnoj and much more!
A cutting-edge Sicilian weapon, this variation has only gained traction since 2021, yet it has already caught the attention of elite players, including Magnus Carlsen.
If you're looking to expand your opening knowledge with a modern, cutting-edge approach, the Ragozin Carlsbad is a must-have addition to your repertoire.
Unleash your chess potential with this dynamic course focused on mastering the initiative.
€39.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.