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The Vugar Gashimov Memorial, is being held in Shamkir, Azerbaijan, from the 17th to the 26th of April, in memory of the great Vugar Gashimov, who passed away on the 10th of January 2014. The tournament consists of some of the strongest players in the World: reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen, former World Champions Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik, as well as, Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Michael Adams, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Rauf Mamedov will compete in this prominent event.
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Michael | 2746 |
½-½ |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
| Giri Anish | 2790 |
½-½ |
Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
0-1 |
Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
| So Wesley | 2788 |
½-½ |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
½-½ |
Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
Round six was the least exciting of them all so far
Adams, Michael ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
Adams was able to win a pawn, but with the opposite colored bishops on the board it was very difficult to make progress. MVL had to endure a long defense but the draw was never in question.
A little suffering down a pawn, but a solid draw at the end
Giri, Anish ½-½ Carlsen, Magnus
After 20 moves it was very obvious this game was going towards a draw. They played it out for a while, but to no avail.
No problems for the World Champion holding a draw
Kramnik, Vladimir 0-1 Caruana, Fabiano
Vladimir Kramnik was a bit too overeager
Team Caruana scored their first full point of the tournament
[Event "Vugar Gashimov Mem 2015"] [Site "Shamkir AZE"] [Date "2015.04.23"] [Round "6"] [White "Kramnik, V."] [Black "Caruana, F."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A48"] [WhiteElo "2783"] [BlackElo "2802"] [PlyCount "108"] [EventDate "2015.04.17"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. c3 O-O 5. Nbd2 d5 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 c5 8. O-O b6 9. a4 a6 10. b4 Bb7 11. a5 cxb4 12. cxb4 b5 13. Rc1 Ne8 14. Nb3 Nd6 15. Ne1 Nc4 16. Nd3 Ra7 17. Bh4 Ba8 18. Bf3 {Up until now it seems that Kramnik has been able to outplay his opponent. He has the better bishops and when he has access to c5 he will attack a6.} Nf6 19. Qe2 Ne8 20. g4 $5 {Gaining space on the kingside, but perhaps a little unnecessary.} Ned6 21. Bg2 Qc8 22. Nbc5 Re8 23. Bg3 Qd8 24. Rcd1 e6 25. f3 {White's plan is to push e4 at some point, but he doesn't seem particularly well placed to do so. After all, d4 will be very weak.} Qe7 26. Kh1 Bh6 27. Nf4 Nb7 28. Ncd3 Nd8 29. e4 $2 {Kramnik felt prepared force this advance, but he is far from. d4 is not the only weakness, b4 is also going to be difficult to defend. If anything the break seems to simply help Black.} Nc6 30. exd5 Nxb4 {The awkward moment for White. His structure is horrible and he has to somehow justify it.} 31. dxe6 (31. Nxb4 Qxb4 32. dxe6 Bxf4 33. Bxf4 Rxe6 $19 {Black's pieces are swarming, has the better structure and much better coordination.}) 31... Nxd3 32. Rxd3 (32. Nxd3 Qxe6 33. Qxe6 fxe6 {looks pretty bad for White also. The structure is very good for Black, Ne3 is a threat, a5 is also hanging...}) 32... fxe6 33. Qe1 Qd8 34. h4 Rf7 (34... Bxf4 35. Bxf4 Bd5 {is also unpleasant for Kramnik.}) 35. g5 Bg7 36. Bh3 Rxf4 $1 {A nice exchange sacrifice. This takes advantage of the speceific placement of the pieces now to maximize the activity of Black's minor pieces.} 37. Bxf4 e5 38. Bg3 e4 $1 39. Rd1 (39. fxe4 Bxe4+ {is completely winning.}) 39... Bd5 {Black's down the exchange. But it's obvious that White has nothing to play for, his pieces don't coordinate at all and his king is weak.} 40. Be5 exf3 41. Qf2 Qxa5 {two pawns and the position has not improved for White.} 42. Bg4 Rf8 43. Rd3 Qb4 44. Bg3 h5 $1 45. gxh6 Bxh6 46. Kh2 Nd2 $19 47. Ra1 Ne4 48. Qc2 Nxg3 49. Rxa6 (49. Kxg3 Qd6+ 50. Kh3 Be6 $19) 49... Be4 50. Bxf3 Qe1 51. Qb3+ Kh8 52. Bxe4 Rf2+ 53. Kh3 Qf1+ 54. Kg4 Rf4+ 0-1
So, Wesley ½-½ Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
A sharp line of the Slav that hasn't been seen as much in the past few years. So had a sizeable advantage, but had to keep an unbelievable level of accuracy to retain his advantage. But at some point he made a small error, allowing Mamedyarov into the game and with equality.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's position was not the best for a while, but he pulled through
Mamedov, Rauf ½-½ Anand, Viswanathan
Mamedov played, as usual for him in this tournament, very solidly. Anand didn't mind the draw with Black and peace was reached before move 30.
Well, if a draw is fine a draw is fine...
The most solid so far is probably Rauf Mamedov
Select from the dropdown menu to replay the games
Photos taken from the official website
Round 1
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
1-0 |
Adams Michael | 2746 |
| So Wesley | 2788 |
1-0 |
Giri Anish | 2790 |
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
½-½ |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
| Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
½-½ |
Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
| Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
½-½ |
Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
Round 2
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Michael | 2746 |
½-½ |
Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
| Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
1-0 |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
| Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
½-½ |
Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
| Giri Anish | 2790 |
½-½ |
Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
½-½ |
So Wesley | 2788 |
Round 3
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So Wesley | 2788 |
1-0 |
Adams Michael | 2746 |
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
½-½ |
Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
| Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
½-½ |
Giri Anish | 2790 |
| Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
½-½ |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
| Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
0-1 |
Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
Round 4
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Michael | 2746 |
½-½ |
Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
| Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
½-½ |
Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
| Giri Anish | 2790 |
½-½ |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
½-½ |
Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
| So Wesley | 2788 |
1-0 |
Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
Round 5
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
½-½ |
Adams Michael | 2746 |
| Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
1-0 |
So Wesley | 2788 |
| Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
1-0 |
Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
| Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
½-½ |
Giri Anish | 2790 |
| Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
1-0 |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
Round 6
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Michael | 2746 |
½-½ |
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
| Giri Anish | 2790 |
½-½ |
Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
0-1 |
Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
| So Wesley | 2788 |
½-½ |
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
½-½ |
Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
Round 7
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anand Viswanathan | 2791 | - | Adams Michael | 2746 |
| Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 | - | Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
| Caruana Fabiano | 2802 | - | So Wesley | 2788 |
| Carlsen Magnus | 2863 | - | Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
| Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 | - | Giri Anish | 2790 |
Round 8
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams Michael | 2746 | - | Giri Anish | 2790 |
| Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 | - | Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 |
| So Wesley | 2788 | - | Carlsen Magnus | 2863 |
| Mamedov Rauf | 2651 | - | Caruana Fabiano | 2802 |
| Anand Viswanathan | 2791 | - | Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 |
Round 9
| Name | Rtg | Res. | Name | Rtg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2754 | - | Adams Michael | 2746 |
| Caruana Fabiano | 2802 | - | Anand Viswanathan | 2791 |
| Carlsen Magnus | 2863 | - | Mamedov Rauf | 2651 |
| Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2762 | - | So Wesley | 2788 |
| Giri Anish | 2790 | - | Kramnik Vladimir | 2783 |
One of the major tournaments of the year, you can count on www.playchess.com to deliver quality commentary every round!
| Day | Date | Round | English | German |
| Friday | April 17 | Round 1 | GM Daniel King | GMs Oliver Reeh/Dorian Rogozenco |
| Saturday | April 18 | Round 2 | GM Simon Williams | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Sunday | April 19 | Round 3 | GM Simon Williams | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Monday | April 20 | Round 4 | GM Daniel King | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Tuesday | April 21 | Round 5 | GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Wednesday | April 22 | Free | ||
| Thursday | April 23 | Round 6 | GM Daniel King | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Friday | April 24 | Round 7 | GM Simon Williams | GM Klaus Bischoff |
| Saturday | April 25 | Round 8 | GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov | GMs Oliver Reeh/Karsten Müller |
| Sunday | April 26 | Round 9 | GM Daniel King | GM Klaus Bischoff |
English Commentators
LinksThe 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. |
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