2/22/2017 – With breathtaking verve, Mamedyarov went all out against Adams, and scored a powerful win to join MVL in the lead. Most games drew, some with little or no effort to fight, though not all such as Eljanov vs Hou Yifan that went the distance. Li Chao was the other winner of the day, defeating Tomashevsky. Enjoy the illustrated report with analysis by Tiger Hillarp-Persson.
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The time control in the GP tournaments is 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move one.
The first leg, in Sharjah, will be held February 18 - 27 (with a rest day on the 23rd) at the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club. The first prize is €20,000; the total prize fund is is €130,000.
2017 Sharjah GP Participants
All photos by Max Avdeev
The round was one of disappointment, cautiousness, victory, and guts. In other words, there was a bit of everything. Mostly, unfortunately, one thing that stood out was how much rules such as the Sofia rule were still much needed. WHile some games ended in decisive results, and some that did not were fought all the way to the end, there were also a few very short lifeless draws in which little or no effort was made to make a game of it. Fortunately, this was not a widespread case, but the point of rules that prevent such quick draws at least ensures the audience and sponsors feel their time and investment are well spent.
The top board was the main draw of the round with Hikaru Nakamura fresh from a win to place him in the pack behind the leader MVL, facing the leader himself. Unfortunately after 18 moves, with all the pieces still on the board minus the queens, the players called it a day. Disappointing.
This was hardly the case of Hou Yifan's game against Pavel Eljanov, which was by far the longest game of the day, and fought to the very end, in spite of no swings to speak of.
P. Eljanov vs Hou Yifan
What does White play here? If you said Na7+, go to the end of the class, since after Kb7 the knight is lost. Eljanov played the picturesque 67. Nc3! and they drew. The point is that after 67...bxc3+ 68. bxc3, the game is a draw since the bishop is the wrong color and cannot help the a-pawn promote.
Michael Adams faced a ferocious...
... Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and succumbed to the storm.
Annotating the thrilling game is Tiger Hillarp Persson who explains that the choice was easy as he is a big fan of the Azeri player.
S. Mamedyarov vs M. Adams (annotated by Tiger Hillarp-Persson)
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1.d4Nf62.c4With two wins to chose between today, I arrived at the conundrum of seeming to either favour the a3-Queens Indian, or being a great fan of Mamedyarov. In the end I decided that the latter makes more sense, especially if he continues to play like this.e63.Nc3d54.cxd54.Nf3Be75.Bf4is the other variation that gives White some chances for an advantage.4.Bg5Be75.Nf3h6!6.Bh46.Bxf6Bxf6leads to well researched positions where Black should be able to equalize.6...0-07.e3Ne48.Bxe7Qxe79.Rc1c6has a terribly solid reputation.4...exd55.Bg5c66.e3h6This move, which is rather uncommon, comes with a clear plan: to force the bishop to h4 and then exchange it with Be7/Nh5. After the exchange Black hopes to have won a tempo if White plays Qc2/Bd3, since there is no need to defende the h-pawn.6...Bf57.Qf3Bg68.Bxf6Qxf69.Qxf6gxf6is another tabiya. White continues to score well from this position, but it's still unclear whether Black is actually worse.Playing "normally" with6...Be77.Bd3Nbd78.Nge2and now something else than exchanging the bishops, likeNf8 has been tried by Mamedyarov from the Black side. However, these line have worse reputation that the early exchange of the dark squared bishops. After something like9.0-0Ne610.Bh40-0the game revolves around moves like e3-e4, b2-b4 and c6-c5 and White seems to have greater freedom to lead the game in one or another directions.7.Bh4Be78.Bd3Unless we consider Ne4 to be a threat, there seem to be little reason to favour8.Qc2, over Bd3. A recent game wentNbd79.Bd3Nh510.Bxe7Qxe711.0-0-0Nb612.h3Be613.Nf3Nf614.Kb10-0-015.Nd2Kb816.Nb3Rhe817.f3Nfd718.Rhe1Rc819.Rc1when Black was on a steady route to equality, in Tomashevsky,E (2725) -Adams,M (2740) 78th Tata Steel GpA 2016.8...Nbd79.Nge2Nh5The only reason I can see for playing Qc2 before Bd3Nge2, is that Black has the option of playing9...Ne4!?So, the question is how the position after10.Bxe7Nxc310...Qxe7?!11.Bxe4dxe412.Ng3Nf613.Qc2±11.Bxd8Nxd112.Rxd1Kxd813.f3is to be evaluated. White has a clear plan in e3-e4 (and possibly g4/h4), whereas Black is somewhat passive. White ought to have a small advantage.9...0-0?!10.f3Nh511.Bf2gives White the extra option of 0-0-0 followed by a pawn storm on the kingside.10.Bxe7Qxe711.Qd2!This set-up, which aims to play f3 quickly, has been on my radar for quite some time and I even had the chance to play it before anyone else did. (See move 12)Nb6After11...0-0my intention was to play12.f312.0-0-0?!b513.Kb1Nhf6and Black is faster to create threats since it is hard to get g4 and h4 in:14.f3Re8!15.e4b412.0-0Re813.Rae1Nf8and I fail to see a great continuation for White.14.Nc1Ne615.f3b616.N1e2seems to slow.12...Re813.Kf2!?, but I don't know what Mamedyarov was planning.12.f3Had White's queen been on c2, this move would not have been possible.12.0-00-013.f3Be614.b3Rac815.Rac1c516.dxc5Rxc517.Nd4left me with a typical advantage, in Hillarp Persson,T (2520)-Merriman,J (2250) London Classic Open 2015.12...Bd713.0-0! This move gives Black little choice but to evacuate the king to g8.13.0-0-00-0-014.Rhe1can also be considered, but the e3-e4 idea seem stronger with Black's king on the kingside.13...0-0Not13...0-0-0?!14.a4! and Black's king is in trouble.14.g4!?
This move would make less sense if there was not a pawn on h6. Here it is quite principled and challenging. I am a bit puzzled and disappointed not to find it in my own preparations.My preparation, from a few years back, goes14.Rae1f515.Nf4!The "!" is from my old file, but perhaps15.b3is stronger.15...Nxf416.exf4Qf617.Re5"with an initiative for White".14...Nf615.Ng3It is also promising to play15.Nf4, with similar ideas as in the game. One possibility isNe816.Rae1Nd617.e4Qg518.Re2dxe419.fxe4! and with Rg2/Qf2/h4 coming, Black is already in trouble.15...Ne816.Rae1Nd617.e4!A surprising and strong idea. White is even prepared to give up the g4-pawn in order to get a mobile center and some files. I'm happy I was not the one who had to face this, unprepared, over the board.dxe418.fxe4Ndc4!Adams' move is possibly the strongest. After18...Bxg419.e5!Ndc420.Qg2White has a big attack with moves like Qe4 and Bf5.The engine is a fan of18...Rad819.e5Nb5and indeed, that is a clear case of not passing the Turing Test. I would not take every chance to steer clear of something like20.Qg2Qg520...Qb421.Nxb5cxb522.Qe4g623.Rf621.Nxb5cxb522.Nf5Bxf523.Rxf5Qe724.Re4The engine assures that Black is only somewhat worse, but my gut is not convinced.19.Qc1!Bxg420.b3Rad8!?Adams decides to change the course of the game and it is a respectable decision.The alternatives look shaky:20...Na5?!21.Rf4Qd722.Kh1and with Rg1 coming down the aisle, Black should do his best to cancel this wedding.And after20...Na321.e5White has a huge initiative.21.Nf5White has plenty of ways to keep some advantage, but the ruined pawn structure will cut down White's winning chances. Perhaps the best way to continue is21.bxc4Rxd422.Be2Bh323.Rf2, followed by Bf1 and Nf5. In this way Black doesn't get to exchange a pair of rooks under favourable circumstances.21...Bxf522.exf5Qf623.Bxc4Nxc424.bxc4Qxd4+25.Kh1Rfe826.f6!Rxe127.Qxe1Qxc428.fxg728.Rg1?!g5 and White is unable to activate the knight without inviting simplifications (which will favour Black).28...Rd6White has a clear advantage, but where the technical obstacles are quite big. White's king is vulnerable to checks and Black has a pawn majority on the queenside that can be put in motion. White can probably not avoid the exchange of rooks, but it is important to do it at a good moment.29.Rg1?!29.Qe8+Kxg730.Qe5+30.Rf3Rf631.Qe5Qe632.Rg3+Kh733.Qb8Rg634.Rxg6Kxg635.Qxa7is a more forcing way to get something similar to what happens in the game.30...Kh731.Qf5+Rg632.Qxf7+Qxf733.Rxf7+Rg734.Rxg7+Kxg735.Kg2Kf636.Kf3Ke537.Ke3 and I'm not sure whether White's advantage is enough for a win. It should be.29...Rg630.Qe530.Rxg6fxg631.Kg2Kxg732.Qe7+Qf733.Qe330...Qe6Here Adams had a chance to draw the game with30...Qd3!, with the idea that31.Rxg6Qf1+32.Rg1Qf3+is a direct draw. Chess is a very difficult game, especially when you are short on time and even more so when you believe you are worse.31.Qb8+!Kxg732.Qxa7!This little pawn makes all the difference in the endgame to come. Now Black's queenside pawns are much more prone to become weak.Qc433.Qe3b534.a3White doesn't have to keep the a-pawn since the h-pawn is all that is needed to win a knight vs no-knight endgame.c535.Ne4!?35.Qe5+Kh736.Re1Qd337.Qe3Qxe338.Rxe3Rb639.Kg2and winning becomes a matter of (advanced) technique. Mamedyarov's way is a better human route.35...f5?A miscalculation in time trouble.Adams' last chance to fight back was35...b4!, when36.axb436.a4!?36...cxb4gives us a position that is very, very hard to win for White.37.Rc1Qd5!38.Qf3b339.Rb1Rb640.Rd1Qc641.Rg1+Kf842.Qd3Rb843.Qd4Re8and Black hangs on.36.Rxg6+Kxg637.Nxc5Qd5+ Perhaps Adams missed that37...Qf1+38.Qg1+is check.38.Kg1Qd1+39.Kg2Qd5+40.Kh3The rest is easy.Qd141.Qe8+Kf641...Kg542.Ne6+!Kf643.Qd8+Qxd844.Nxd8Ke545.Kg3Ke446.Nf7Ke347.Nxh6f4+48.Kg2+-42.Nd7+Kg543.Qg8+and facing Qg3+/Nf6+, followed by Qd6+ and Qxd1, it was time to resign.1–0
Grischuk played a lightning draw against Ian Nepomniachtchi in 19 moves
Rapport drew with Salem and put a stop to the rot
There are few things worse than forgetting one's preparation...
Li Chao came prepared to the teeth, and surprised Tomashevsky and his Queen's Indian with an early 8.h4!?
Li Chao vs E. Tomashevsky
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1.d4(00)Nf6(07)2.c4(00)e6( 00:07)3.Nf3(00)b6(09)4.a3(12)Bb7(46)5.Nc3(17)d5(08)6.cxd5( 00:12)Nxd5(07)7.e3(11)g6(02:22)8.h4(25)Bg7(05:51) Clearly 8... h4 caught Tomashevsky by surprise, and he spend 6 minutes here and then 34 a couple of moves later. This still follows several notable games, with names such as Wang Hao, Wang Yue, Morozevich and more. h4 is very much a fighting move, so he knew without question that the quick draws on some of the boards around him were not going be his tale of the day.9.h5(32)Nd7(01:32)10.Bd3 (48)Nxc3(34:10) 34 minutes spent on this move, though still following two significant games in the databases.11.bxc3(35)e5(07)12.e4(53)Qe7(34)13.h6(00:21) This is the novelty, and also the top enigne choice. Since White played quikcly up til now and continues to do so, it is probably safe to say this is all well into Li Chao's preparation. The novelty is quite interesting, and not nly attacks the dark squares, but really disrupts Black's piece coordination. Placing his bishop on f6 was probably the last thing he had planned here.13.0-00-014.Re1Rfe815.a4a616.Bc4c617.h6Bf618.Ba3c519.dxc5Nxc520.Bxc5Qxc521.Qb3Re722.Rab1Bc623.Red1Rb824.Bd5Be825.c4Rc726.Ra1Kf827.Qb2a528.Rd3Kg829.Rb3Ra730.Ne1Qd431.Qa2Be732.Nf3Qc533.Nxe5Bg534.Ng4Qd435.c5Kf836.c6f537.Rf3Bf738.Ne3fxe439.Rd1Qc540.Bxe4Bxh641.Rd7Rxd742.cxd7Qc1+43.Kh21-0 (43) Andreikin,D (2706)-Karjakin,S (2762) Nizhnij Novgorod 201313...Bf6(34)14.0-0(11)0-0(01:27)15.Re1(14)Rfd8(06:43)16.Be3(13:16)Rac8(06:23)17.Qe2(15:04)Re8(10:58)18.Qa2(15:55)c6(15:35)19.a4(04:51)Rc7(09]20.Rad1(01:07)Bc8(06)21.Bc4(05:25)Rf8(03:17)22.Bc1(06:58)The immediate punch22.d5 was possible already and very strong.Qd822...cxd523.exd5Qd624.Nd223.d6Rb724.Rb1Keeping Black's pieces in check by preventing the ...b5 break. Black's postion is best described as awful with the pieces and pawns in disarray.22...Bh8(06:37)23.Bb3(11:38)a6(04:00)24.Bc4(01:42) Bf6(02:16)25.d5(07:59)cxd5(02:40)26.Ba3(25)Nc5(00:49)27.exd5(06)Qd6(04:00)28.Nd2!(00:21)Bf5(23) Black is more or less forced to abandon the a6 pawn.After a move such as28...Qd829.d6Rb729...Rd730.Bxc5bxc531.Ne4Bg532.Bd5Bxh633.Bc6Bg734.Qd5+-30.Bxc5bxc531.Ne4Bf532.Qd2Bxe433.Rxe4a534.Qd529.Bxa6(45)Ra8(01:33)30.Bb5(58)Qd8(04)31.Bc6(06:42)31.d6!Qxd632.Nc4Qe633.Rd6Qe731...Nxa4(01:26)32.Bxa8(22)Stronger was32.Qb3Ra633.Nc4Nc534.Bxc5bxc535.Nxe5Qf836.Nxg6!Qxh636...hxg637.Re837.d632...Nxc3(12)33.Qb3(00:04)Qxa8(01:09)34.d6(05:35)Rc6( 01)35.Ra1(02:51)Qc8(19)36.Bb4(52)Be6(57)37.Qa3 (01:04)e4(41)38.Qa8( 01:13)Ne2+(36)39.Kf1(01:20)39.Rxe2??would be a blunder afterBxa140.Qxc8+40.Qxa1?Rc1+40...Rxc841.Nxe4Rc442.Re1Bb2=39...e3(26)40.Ne4(00)1–0
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Albert SilverBorn in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.
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