Paris: Nakamura wins rapid tournament

by Klaus Besenthal
6/10/2016 – The rapid tournament of the Grand Chess Tour Paris was exciting to the end. After five rounds Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen were sharing the lead with 3.5/5 each, and on day two both tried hard to win the tournament. In the end Nakamura, who scored 3.5/4 out of the four last rounds, had the better of it and finished half a point ahead of Carlsen.
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Round eight, the penultimate round, proved to be crucial. While Nakamura won against Aronian Carlsen had much more time on the clock and the much better position against Laurent Fressinet but failed to convert his advantage to a win. Now Nakamura was leading by half a point before the ninth and final round.

Hikaru Nakamura

Thus, the last round had to decide who would win the Rapid Event of the Paris Grand Chess Tour. Carlsen was playing with White against Vladimir Kramnik and had to hope that Nakamura would stumble with Black against Fabiano Caruana.

Carlsen once again showed his amazing ability to keep calm under pressure and managed to convert a slightly better position gradually into a win. But this time Nakamura proved to be more lucky. In a sharp game he profited from the fact that Caruana was not in top form and missed a couple of chances to put Nakamura under serious pressure.

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.0-0 Be7 5.c4 0-0 6.b3 c5 7.e3 d4 8.exd4 cxd4 9.d3 Nc6 10.Qe2 Nd7 11.Nbd2 e5 12.Ne4 Re8 13.a3 a5 14.Rb1 h6 15.g4 Nf8 16.g5 hxg5 17.Nexg5 Bf5 18.c5 Ng6 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 Qd7 21.Re1
The engines prefer Black in this position. After 21...b5 or 21...f6 Black is clearly better. But now Nakamura gradually loses control. 21...Bf8?! 22.Qc2 b5 23.Qb3 Ra6 24.h4 Bg4 25.Re4 Bf5 26.Re1 Bg4 27.Re4 Nd8 Black does not want a draw through repetition. 28.Bd2 Kh8 29.h5 Bxh5 30.Bh3 f5 31.Kg2 Nf4+ 32.Bxf4 exf4 33.Rxf4 g6 34.Rxd4
Now White is a pawn up and clearly better. 34...Qb7 35.Qd5 Qxd5 36.Rxd5 Nc6 37.Nd4 Nxd4 38.Rxd4 Kg7 39.Rc1 Re7 40.c6 Kf6
41.f4 Perhaps White was afraid to play against the bishops and shied away from 41.c7 Rxc7 42.Rxc7 Kxg5 but after 43.Rb7 White should be winning. 41...Rc7 42.Nh7+ Caruana had too little time to spot the devious win White had after 42.Rd7 Rxd7 43.cxd7 Be7 44.Rc8 Rd6 45.Rh8 Rxd7 namely 46.Rh7 and Black is caught in a mating net. 42...Kg7 43.Rd7+ Rxd7 44.cxd7 Be7 45.Re1? White is still better after 45.Rc7 Bd8 46.Rc8 e.g. Ra2+ 47.Kg3 Bb6 48.Ng5 Bf2+ 49.Kg2 Be3+ 50.Kh1 Ra1+ 51.Bf1 Rxf1+ 52.Kh2 Bxf4+ 53.Kg2 Bxg5 54.Kxf1 and White will soon be an exchange up and his passed d-pawn should guarantee the win. 45...Kf7 46.Ng5+ Bxg5 47.fxg5 Rd6 48.Re5 Rxd7 49.Rxb5 Rxd3 50.Rb6 Bf3+ 51.Kh2 Be4 52.Bf1 Rd1 53.Bc4+ Kg7 54.b5?
Misses Black's threat completely. After54.Kg3 the game should end in a draw. 54...f4 Suddenly White gets mated. 55.Kh3 Bf3 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2804Nakamura,H27870–12016A14GCT Rapid Paris 20169

GM Maurice Ashley (right) interviews Anish Giri

Anish Giri

Could not get going: Fabiano Caruana (left)

Jennifer Shahade and Yasser Seirawan commented the games from St. Louis

The stage in the "Maison de la Chimie" in Paris

Results:

1. round, 09.06.2016, 14:00
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 1 2846 GM Nakamura Hikaru ½ - ½ GM Kramnik Vladimir 2799 10
2 2 2771 GM Topalov Veselin 0 - 1 GM Caruana Fabiano 2829 9
3 3 2738 GM Giri Anish ½ - ½ GM Aronian Levon 2739 8
4 4 2695 GM Fressinet Laurent ½ - ½ GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2784 7
5 5 2878 GM Carlsen Magnus 0 - 1 GM So Wesley 2652 6
2. round, 09.06.2016, 15:30
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 10 2799 GM Kramnik Vladimir ½ - ½ GM So Wesley 2652 6
2 7 2784 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 0 - 1 GM Carlsen Magnus 2878 5
3 8 2739 GM Aronian Levon 1 - 0 GM Fressinet Laurent 2695 4
4 9 2829 GM Caruana Fabiano ½ - ½ GM Giri Anish 2738 3
5 1 2846 GM Nakamura Hikaru 1 - 0 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 2
3. round, 09.06.2016, 17:00
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 2 2771 GM Topalov Veselin 0 - 1 GM Kramnik Vladimir 2799 10
2 3 2738 GM Giri Anish ½ - ½ GM Nakamura Hikaru 2846 1
3 4 2695 GM Fressinet Laurent 1 - 0 GM Caruana Fabiano 2829 9
4 5 2878 GM Carlsen Magnus 1 - 0 GM Aronian Levon 2739 8
5 6 2652 GM So Wesley 0 - 1 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2784 7
4. round, 09.06.2016, 18:30
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 10 2799 GM Kramnik Vladimir 0 - 1 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2784 7
2 8 2739 GM Aronian Levon 0 - 1 GM So Wesley 2652 6
3 9 2829 GM Caruana Fabiano 0 - 1 GM Carlsen Magnus 2878 5
4 1 2846 GM Nakamura Hikaru 1 - 0 GM Fressinet Laurent 2695 4
5 2 2771 GM Topalov Veselin 1 - 0 GM Giri Anish 2738 3
5. round, 09.06.2016, 20:00
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 3 2738 GM Giri Anish ½ - ½ GM Kramnik Vladimir 2799 10
2 4 2695 GM Fressinet Laurent ½ - ½ GM Topalov Veselin 2771 2
3 5 2878 GM Carlsen Magnus ½ - ½ GM Nakamura Hikaru 2846 1
4 6 2652 GM So Wesley ½ - ½ GM Caruana Fabiano 2829 9
5 7 2784 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime ½ - ½ GM Aronian Levon 2739 8
6. round, 10.06.2016, 14:00
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 10 2799 GM Kramnik Vladimir ½ - ½ GM Aronian Levon 2739 8
2 9 2829 GM Caruana Fabiano 0 - 1 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2784 7
3 1 2846 GM Nakamura Hikaru ½ - ½ GM So Wesley 2652 6
4 2 2771 GM Topalov Veselin 0 - 1 GM Carlsen Magnus 2878 5
5 3 2738 GM Giri Anish 1 - 0 GM Fressinet Laurent 2695 4
7. round, 10.06.2016, 15:30
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 4 2695 GM Fressinet Laurent 0 - 1 GM Kramnik Vladimir 2799 10
2 5 2878 GM Carlsen Magnus ½ - ½ GM Giri Anish 2738 3
3 6 2652 GM So Wesley ½ - ½ GM Topalov Veselin 2771 2
4 7 2784 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 0 - 1 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2846 1
5 8 2739 GM Aronian Levon 1 - 0 GM Caruana Fabiano 2829 9
8. round, 10.06.2016, 17:00
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 10 2799 GM Kramnik Vladimir 1 - 0 GM Caruana Fabiano 2829 9
2 1 2846 GM Nakamura Hikaru 1 - 0 GM Aronian Levon 2739 8
3 2 2771 GM Topalov Veselin 0 - 1 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 2784 7
4 3 2738 GM Giri Anish ½ - ½ GM So Wesley 2652 6
5 4 2695 GM Fressinet Laurent ½ - ½ GM Carlsen Magnus 2878 5
9. round, 10.06.2016, 18:30
Br. Nr. Elo   Name Result   Name Elo Nr.
1 5 2878 GM Carlsen Magnus 1 - 0 GM Kramnik Vladimir 2799 10
2 6 2652 GM So Wesley 1 - 0 GM Fressinet Laurent 2695 4
3 7 2784 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime ½ - ½ GM Giri Anish 2738 3
4 8 2739 GM Aronian Levon 1 - 0 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 2
5 9 2829 GM Caruana Fabiano 0 - 1 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2846 1

All games

 
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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.Ba4 a6 9.d4 Ba7 10.Bc2 d5 11.Nxe5 Nxe4 12.Nd2 Nd6 13.Ndf3 Bf5 14.Re1 Bxc2 15.Qxc2 Ne4 16.Qb3 Qc8 17.Ng5 Nxg5 18.Bxg5 f6 19.Nd3 Qd7 20.Bf4 c6 21.Re2 Ng6 22.Rae1 Rad8 23.Re6 Kf7 24.Bg3 Rde8 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.Rxe8 Kxe8 27.a4 Qe7 28.a5 Kd8 29.Qd1 Qe4 30.Kh2 Ne7 31.Qb3 Kc8 32.Qb4 Qe6 33.Nf4 Qf7 34.Kg1 Bb8 35.Nd3 Bxg3 36.fxg3 Nf5 37.g4 Ng3 38.Nc5 h5 39.gxh5 Qe7 40.Kf2 Nf5 41.g4 Qe3+ 42.Kf1 Qxh3+ 43.Ke1 Qg3+ 44.Kd2 Nd6 45.Nxb7 Qg2+ 46.Kc1 Qf1+ 47.Kc2 Qe2+ 48.Kc1 Qe1+ 49.Kc2 Qe4+ 50.Kb3 Nxb7 51.Qf8+ Kc7 52.Qxg7+ Kb8 53.h6 Qd3 54.Ka3 Qb1 55.h7 Qa1+ 56.Kb3 Qd1+ 57.Kb4 Ka7 58.h8Q Qa1 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M2855So,W27700–12016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20161
Fressinet,L2687Vachier Lagrave,M2789½–½2016D85GCT Rapid Paris 20161
Nakamura,H2787Kramnik,V2812½–½2016D35GCT Rapid Paris 20161
Topalov,V2761Caruana,F28040–12016C45GCT Rapid Paris 20161
Giri,A2782Aronian,L2792½–½2016D37GCT Rapid Paris 20161
Kramnik,V2812So,W2770½–½2016D78GCT Rapid Paris 20162
Caruana,F2804Giri,A2782½–½2016C80GCT Rapid Paris 20162
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Carlsen,M28550–12016C78GCT Rapid Paris 20162
Nakamura,H2787Topalov,V27611–02016A29GCT Rapid Paris 20162
Aronian,L2792Fressinet,L26871–02016A20GCT Rapid Paris 20162
So,W2770Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016D83GCT Rapid Paris 20163
Fressinet,L2687Caruana,F28041–02016D78GCT Rapid Paris 20163
Giri,A2782Nakamura,H2787½–½2016A14GCT Rapid Paris 20163
Carlsen,M2855Aronian,L27921–02016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20163
Topalov,V2761Kramnik,V28120–12016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20163
Caruana,F2804Carlsen,M28550–12016C78GCT Rapid Paris 20164
Kramnik,V2812Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016A04GCT Rapid Paris 20164
Nakamura,H2787Fressinet,L26871–02016D31GCT Rapid Paris 20164
Aronian,L2792So,W27700–12016D15GCT Rapid Paris 20164
Topalov,V2761Giri,A27821–02016C24GCT Rapid Paris 20164
Carlsen,M2855Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E21GCT Rapid Paris 20165
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Aronian,L2792½–½2016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20165
So,W2770Caruana,F2804½–½2016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20165
Giri,A2782Kramnik,V2812½–½2016A14GCT Rapid Paris 20165
Fressinet,L2687Topalov,V2761½–½2016D58GCT Rapid Paris 20165
Nakamura,H2787So,W2770½–½2016D38GCT Rapid Paris 20166
Topalov,V2761Carlsen,M28550–12016C84GCT Rapid Paris 20166
Caruana,F2804Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016A48GCT Rapid Paris 20166
Kramnik,V2812Aronian,L2792½–½2016C53GCT Rapid Paris 20166
Giri,A2782Fressinet,L26871–02016C45GCT Rapid Paris 20166
Carlsen,M2855Giri,A2782½–½2016C24GCT Rapid Paris 20167
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Nakamura,H27870–12016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20167
So,W2770Topalov,V2761½–½2016D37GCT Rapid Paris 20167
Aronian,L2792Caruana,F28041–02016A09GCT Rapid Paris 20167
Fressinet,L2687Kramnik,V28120–12016C65GCT Rapid Paris 20167
Nakamura,H2787Aronian,L27921–02016D35GCT Rapid Paris 20168
Fressinet,L2687Carlsen,M2855½–½2016D05GCT Rapid Paris 20168
Giri,A2782So,W2770½–½2016D38GCT Rapid Paris 20168
Kramnik,V2812Caruana,F28041–02016A07GCT Rapid Paris 20168
Topalov,V2761Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016B51GCT Rapid Paris 20168
Caruana,F2804Nakamura,H27870–12016A14GCT Rapid Paris 20169
Carlsen,M2855Kramnik,V28121–02016D35GCT Rapid Paris 20169
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Giri,A2782½–½2016C77GCT Rapid Paris 20169
So,W2770Fressinet,L26871–02016A30GCT Rapid Paris 20169
Aronian,L2792Topalov,V27611–02016A09GCT Rapid Paris 20169

Table

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Klaus Besenthal is computer scientist, has followed and still follows the chess scene avidly since 1972 and since then has also regularly played in tournaments.

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