4/24/2015 – A bloody and exciting round seven. Fabiano Caruana won a very nice game against Wesley So, the second consecutive win for the Italian and the second consecutive loss for the American. Speaking of consecutive losses, Kramnik "long-castled" (0-0-0) with his loss against Carlsen. Meanwhile Adams lost to Anand, who gains in the ranking and currently sits in second place.
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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.
Rest Day
The grandmasters gave simultaneous exhibitions to young locals
Michael Adams showing his skill
Local favorite Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Hard at work...
Tandem simultaneous are some of the hardest things to coordinate...
Wesley So will surely punish that early queen escapade
The players and young players posing
After that, of course, came the soccer match
They look slightly better than the last time a chess-soccer match was featured
Yup, much better
MVL ready for action
The game even had a strong cheering section!
Round Seven
Name
Rtg
Res.
Name
Rtg
Anand Viswanathan
2791
1-0
Adams Michael
2746
Mamedyarov Shakhriyar
2754
½-½
Mamedov Rauf
2651
Caruana Fabiano
2802
1-0
So Wesley
2788
Carlsen Magnus
2863
1-0
Kramnik Vladimir
2783
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime
2762
½-½
Giri Anish
2790
Video by Vijay Kumar
Anand, Viswanathan 1-0 Adams, Michael A nice exchange sacrifice from Anand gave him a pawn and a strong pawn structure in the center. Adams seemed at a loss on what to do with his rooks. Anand kept improving his position, slowly, until it was clear that Black's rooks lacked targets and that Black's king would be a permanent weakness. Anand won a very clean game!
A lovely game from Anand
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar ½-½ Mamedov, Rauf Normally games between top Azeris in a tournament end up in theoretical draws or perpetuals, but this was very very far from that. Mamedyarov tried to kill Mamedov down the a1-h8 diagonal, but Black was able to find some important resources to keep himself afloat. Mamedyarov held an advantage, couldn't find all the exact moves and let Mamedov escape.
The Azerbaijani derby was hard fought
Caruana, Fabiano 1-0 So, Wesley
Two in a row for Caruana
After scoring only half a point from his last three games Wesley So is now tied for third with Caruana
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Elo
Players
1.e4
1,189,145
53%
2421
---
1.d4
962,140
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
287,563
56%
2440
---
1.c4
185,553
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,927
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,658
54%
2429
---
1.f4
5,973
48%
2376
---
1.Nc3
3,942
50%
2383
---
1.b4
1,794
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,258
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,084
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
469
54%
2381
---
1.c3
440
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
120
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
93
66%
2506
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nc3Bb44.Nf3b65.e3It's always pleasant to see a Rubinstein Variation.Ne46.Qc2Bb77.Bd3f58.0-0Bxc39.bxc30-010.c5!?10.Nd2has been played hundreds of times, and is considered to be the main line.10...Rf6Black isn't kidding around; he weill try to checkmate White with his rook and bishop and queen. His queenside development will be stalled, but for now that is ok. White might develop them for him, if for example he takes on b6.11.Ne1!using hte fact that the knight on e4 doesn't have many retreat options with the rook on f6.bxc511...Rh612.g3!keeps the queen away. White won in both Leko-Andreikin and Georgiev, V-Eljanov.12.Rb1Qc813.f3Ng514.Be2cxd415.cxd4White's down a pawn, but Black's develompent is awkward. His bishop on b7 is exposed, the g5 knight will have to retreat, the f6 rook doesn't do much but be a potential target. However White does still need to do something concrete.Nc616.Nd3Ba617.Bb2Ne718.d5Rh619.dxe6Nxe620.Nf4Nxf421.exf4Bxe222.Qxe2How the game has changed. White has a powerful bishop and still has the better coordination. Black has two passed pawns, but hey are not going to be a factor yet.Re623.Qd3Ng623...Rb8looked stronger. The knight will be useful on e7.24.g3Rb825.Qxf5Reb626.Bd4Rxb127.Rxb1Rxb1+28.Qxb1With material equality in the endgame it is time to take stock once agian. White is clearly better: his bishop dominates the open board and coordinates much better than the queen and knight.c529.Qb3+c429...Kh830.Qc3+-30.Qb5With little effort White has already blockaded the pawns. Now they are ripe for the taking.Ne731.Qg5!?31.Bc5Nd532.Qxc4Qc633.Qd4±31...Qf832.Bc5Kf733.Qe5Qe834.Kf2Black is paralyzed.Nc6losing a pawn, but what else to do?35.Qh5+g636.Qxh7+Ke637.Qg7Qf738.Qxf7+Kxf739.Ke3White has too many pawns on the kingside.Ke640.g4d641.Ba3d542.Bb2Nb443.a4Nc2+44.Kd2Nb445.h4Nd346.Bd4a646...Nxf447.Bxa7leaves Black with too many passed pawns to deal with.47.h5gxh548.f5+Kd649.gxh5+-Ne550.Ke3Nf751.Bg71–0
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5Nf64.d3Bc55.c30-06.0-0d67.h3Ne78.d4Bb69.Bd3d510.Nbd2dxe411.Nxe4Nxe412.Bxe4exd413.Qc213.cxd4Bf5?!14.Bxb7Rb815.Ba6Be4was better for White in Duda-Vallejo Pons, but of course Black doesn't have to give up that pawn on b7.13...h614.a4!? White is in no hurry to regain his pawn. Taking on c3 looks very dangerous.c614...dxc315.Rd1!Qe816.Qxc3with the idea of a5-a6, with an initiative. Perhaps with best play Black can survive without issues, but it looks scary to not be able to develop.15.Rd1Nd516.Nxd4Symmetrical pawn structure, but White's slight lead in development gives him a nice and dangerous edge. Black needs just a couple of tempi to catch up to White's position, but it's a valuable couple of tempi.Re817.a5!What a move! White sacrifices a pawn simply to discoordinate the Black pieces.17.Nf3Qe718.Bxd5cxd519.Rxd5Be617...Bxa518.Nf3the point is that now c4 is a hard move to parry.b518...Qc719.Bxd5cxd520.Qa4is a nasty double attack.19.Nd4returning to d4 and regaining the pawn. The rules of chess say Kramnik can't put his pawn from b5 on b7, with a repetition.Bc7?!A tactical mistake.19...Bb7!20.Nxc6Qd621.g3Bb722.Bf4Qxc623.Bxd5Black is in very serious problemsRe1+23...Qb624.Bxb7Qxb725.Rd7Rec825...Rac826.Qf5Rf827.Be3isn't much better ,with the dual threat of Bc5 and Rxa7.26.Qf5leaves Black helpless against Qf7.24.Kh2! A very important move.24.Rxe1Qxd5leaves White nothing better than25.Qe4Qxe426.Rxe4Bxe427.Bxc7=24...Qxd525.Rxd5Rxa126.Rd1!Rxd127.Qxd1Rd828.Qe2White's queen here will dominate the bishop and rook. There are too many targets, and White just needs a couple of moves to safeguard his king against the combined action of Black's pieces.Bb629.Be3Bxe330.Qxe3Rd131.g4Bc631...Rh1+32.Kg3Rg1+33.Kf4isn't really that scary. The king chills on f4.32.Qc5Bd733.Qxa7Rd234.Kg3Rd3+35.Kf4Kh736.Qb7Rd237.Ke3Rd638.f4g639.Qb8Rd540.Ke4Be641.Qb7Rc542.Kd4Rc4+43.Ke5b444.cxb4Rc245.Kf6Rxb246.Qb8The king is an aggressive piece!Rf247.f5gxf548.Qg3!Rf149.g5Black cannot escape checkmate.1–0
Vladimir Kramnik losing his third (!) game in a row
Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime ½-½ Giri, Anish A sharp Ragozin, but even though Giri was always in a bit of pressure his position held enough resources for him to maintain equilibrium until the end.
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.
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