11/26/2017 – What an astonishing event Palma turned out to be. From the get-go, the question was on what both Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Teimour Radjabov needed to earn a spot in the Candidates. However, in spite of promising starts and chances at the end for both, neither made it and the spots will go to Mamedyarov and Grischuk. Enjoy this final report with analysis by GM Moradiabadi. | Photo: World Chess
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Round nine
It would be unfair to call the final round of the FIDE Grand Prix in Palma de Mallorca anticlimactic but for those who followed it hoping to see at least one of the players pull off the result needed to qualify for the Candidates in Berlin, it was.
It is no surprise that not only did most of the game end in draws, but quick ones at that. With neither prize money or qualifying spots on the line, there was little incentive to play hard or take risks, and most took the easy route. Still, it wasn’t quite that easy or straightforward. Consider the game between Anish Giri and Francisco Vallejo Pons. On the surface, the 23 move draw would lead one to think little or nothing happened, but that doesn’t tell the story at all. After all, 18 of those moves were not theory, and things even became dicey for Giri, though all’s well that ends well for him.
Anish Giri - Francisco Vallejo Pons
Position after the novelty 5...Na6!?
The games by the leaders all produced hard battles though, and the spectators were not left disappointed with listless battles. Teimour Radjabov was one of the players who needed a win to ensure a place, and had white against Richard Rapport. As much as he tried to shake things up, Rapport was on his guard and quite mature in his approach. He is normally the first to take off the gloves for a bare-knuckled fight, but here he knew what the score was, and he was not going to roll over for his opponent’s benefit. A fairly uneventful Queen’s Gambit Declined never even threatened to become imbalanced and a draw was the result.
Teimour Radjabov was dying for a good fight, but Richard Rapport was having none of it, and played a mature, controlled game | Photo: World Chess
On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black with the QGD. The repertoire is demonstrated in 10 stem games, covering all White's major systems: 5 Bg5, 5 Bf4, and the Exchange Variation.
Levon Aronian was playing black, and although he was the leader with a half point over the field, with nine players trailing by that smallest of margins, he knew how tenuous his position was. Facing Hikaru Nakamura, he played his favorite Marshall Gambit and after a strange novelty found himself a pawn down in a queenless middlegame, almost an endgame. He still enjoyed some of Black’s usual development advantages and bishop pair, but it was unclear he had equalized. In a bold decision, befitting the standard he has shown, and his no.2 spot in the world rankings, he sacrificed a second pawn for activity, and this got him his draw. A fascinating game overall.
Hikaru Nakamura and Levon Aronian played an interesting Marshall Gambit, continuing their lengthy debate on the opening's merits | Photo: World Chess
16...Bg4NThe novelty. It is interesting this zwischenzug had never been played before, at least no record exists in Mega 2018.16...cxd5was played in the 122 previous games in the database.17.Qxd5Rad818.Qg2Qxg2+18...Qh519.Be3Bh320.Qh1f521.Bb6Rd722.Qd5+Kh823.Nd2Bxg324.Qxd7Bf425.Qc6Bxd226.Bc5Rg827.Qd5Bf428.Re3Bxe329.fxe3Qe230.Bd4h631.b3Kh732.Qb7Kg633.Qxa6+Kh534.Qc6Rc835.Qb7Re836.Qf7+g60-1 (36) Paravyan,D (2525)-Swiercz,D (2645) Moscow 201719.Kxg2Bxd320.Be3Rfe821.Nd2b422.Rad1bxc323.bxc31/2-1/2 (41) Almasi,Z (2689)-Tomashevsky,E (2743) Reykjavik 201517.Qg2cxd518.Qxh3Bxh319.Be3Granted Black still has a development edge and pressure on the White squares, but with no queens on board or mate threats, it is hard to understand why Black would enter this line willingly.Bf520.d4Rfe8 The back rank pressure isn't really serious, so why not play the minority attack with20...Rfc8with the idea of ...b4?21.Nd2f622.Bf4Bf823.Nf1Rxe124.Rxe1Rc825.f3Kf726.Bd2h527.Ne3Be628.f4Bd629.f5Bd730.Rf1White has some pressure.Re831.Rf2Bc632.Ng2b433.cxb4Bb5Black is down two pawns now, but in exchange has a ton of activity. Even if it is not quite enough compensation objectively, the practical problems for White extricate himelf from it are not to be underestimated.34.Rf3Re2
35.Bc3!Ke836.Rf2Kd737.Nh437.a3±Usually the wisdom is to exchange pieces when ahead in pawns, but here after37.Rxe2Bxe238.Kf2Bd339.Ne3Be4White had very little. Ex:40.h3Kc641.g4Kb542.gxh542.Nf1Bb143.a3hxg444.hxg4Bc245.Kg2Bf446.Ng3Bh642...Bf443.h4Bxe3+44.Kxe3Bxf5and White is cut off.45.Kf4Bc246.h6gxh647.Kg4Bd1+48.Kf5h537...Kc638.a3Re839.Kg2Be240.Nf3White's only ace up his sleeve is the trap threatening Ne5+! Aronian sees this easily and sidesteps it.Bd3To illustrate, if Black played40...Re7?White would have the winning trick41.Ne5+!fxe542.dxe5Bg443.exd6Rf7+- and now those extra pawns are fatal.41.Ne1Be242.Nf3A last try.Bd3 No dice so White accedes to the draw.43.Ne1Be2½–½
The Marshall Attack is one of the most dynamic replies Black has at his disposal against 1.e4. At the cost of a pawn, Black takes over the initiative from the get - go and goes after the white king. Wrongly considered to be mainly a drawing weapon by some, this DVD offers many new ideas for Black, showing how to keep the queens on the board and to play for a win in almost all cases.
An interview with Levon Aronian after his final game | World Chess on YouTube
MVL was unable to keep his cool in his game against Jakovenko, who weathered a tough position to turn the tables and win in the end | Photo: World Chess
The final decisive game was that between Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Dmitry Jakovenko. The Frenchman achieved a sizable advantage and was quite possibly winning according to the Russian after the game, but nerves failed him and the game went wrong in a big way.
M. Vachier-Lagrave 0-1 Dmitry Jakovenko (Annotated by GM Elshan Moradiabadi)
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In what was probably the most important game of MVL's career to this point, he needed to beat the solid Jakovenko!1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Bc54.c3Nf65.d3a66.0-0d67.a4Ba7!?The Russian's approach to Anand's a4!8.Re18.Na3would have been my choice but proabably the two super GMs had this prepared till the end so MVL chose a line that keeps more pieces on the board and avoids early exchanges.h69.Nc20-010.Be3Bxe310...Ne7?!11.Bxa7Rxa712.Ne3c613.Qc211.Nxe3Be612.Bxe6fxe613.a513.b4Qe8 does not seem to offer whole lot13...d514.Qb3Qd615.exd5exd516.c4Kh717.Nxd5Rad818.Qxb7Nxd519.cxd5Qxd520.Rac1Rd621.Nd2Rg622.Ne4Qxd323.Ng3Nd424.Rc3Ne2+25.Nxe2Qxe226.Re3Qd227.Qe4Qxb228.Rg3Rff629.Rxg6Rxg630.g3Qd431.Qf5Qd532.Re1Qxa533.Rxe5Qa1+34.Kg2Qc135.h4Qc6+36.Kg1Qf637.Qe4Qc638.Qd3Kh839.Qd8+Kh740.Qd3Kh841.Qd8+Kh742.Qd31/2-1/2 (42) Adams,M (2761)-Eljanov,P (2751) Shamkir 2017 8...0-09.h39.Nbd2Ng410.Re2Kh811.h3f5would not be so much fun at all! Especially when you are desperate for a win!12.exf5Nxf213.Rxf2Bxf2+14.Kxf2d515.Bb3Bxf516.Kg1Bxd317.Ne1Bg618.Ndf3e419.Nh2Ne720.Be3Qd621.Nc2Rad822.Qd2c523.Rd1h624.Ng4Bh525.Ba2a526.Qe1Be827.b3b628.Bf2Bh529.Bh4Rd730.b4axb431.cxb4d432.Nce3Bxg433.hxg4Ng634.Bg3Qf635.Nf5e336.bxc5bxc537.Qe2Ne538.Bb1Rfd839.Bxe5Qxe540.Nh4Qg541.Ng6+Kg842.Qc4+Rd543.Be4Qxg444.Bxd5+Kh745.Qd3 1-0 (45) Topalov,V (2761)-Nakamura,H (2787) Leuven 20169...h610.Nbd2Re8The most solid line.10...Ne711.Nf111.Bb3was played twice by MVL himself.Ng612.d4Re813.Bc2Bd714.a5c615.dxe5dxe516.Nc4Qe717.Qd6Qxd618.Nxd6Re619.Rd1Rb820.Kf1Re721.Nc4Rbe822.b3Be623.Nb6Bxb624.axb6Rd725.Be3Rc826.c4Rxd1+27.Rxd1c528.Ne1Nd729.Nd3f630.Ra1Ne731.Ke2Kf732.Kd2f533.f4exf434.Nxf4g535.Nxe6Kxe636.exf5+Nxf537.Bg1Nd438.Re1+Kf639.Rf1+Ke740.Re1+Kd841.Be4Nxb3+42.Kc3Nd443.Bh21-0 (43) Vachier Lagrave,M (2791)-So,W (2810) Saint Louis 2017 11...Ng612.Ba2Re813.Ng3Be614.Bxe6Rxe615.d4Qd716.Be3Ree817.dxe5dxe518.Bxa7Rxa719.Qxd7Nxd720.Rad1Nc521.a5Raa822.b4Na423.Ne2Rad824.Kf1f625.g3Ne726.Rd2Rxd227.Nxd2Rd828.Nc4Rd329.Rc1Nc830.Ke1b531.axb6cxb632.Rd1Rxd1+33.Kxd1Kf734.Kc2Ke635.Ne3Nd636.f3b537.Nc1Nc438.Nf5Kf739.g4Nab640.Nb3Nd741.Kd3Nb2+42.Kc2Nc443.Kd3Nb2+44.Kc2Nc41/2-1/2 (44) Giri,A (2782)-Caruana,F (2804) Leuven 201611.b4Ne7!?An interesting idea.12.Qb3So Black loses a tempo but how good is the queen on b3?Rf813.d4exd4the typical reaction.14.cxd4d515.exd5Nexd516.b5Be6?!A serious inaccuracy.16...axb517.axb5Be6seems reasonably more solid! I do not know why Jakovenko chose such a provocative move.17.bxa6bxa618.Ba3Re819.Ne5Nf4
Here comes the moment of truth!20.Ndf3?!A poor practical decision.20.Nc6Qd721.Qf3is rather artificial but poses more problems.Bxd422.Rad1Bxc423.Nxc4Rxe1+24.Rxe1what else?Bxf2+25.Qxf2Nxh3+26.gxh3Qxc627.Qg2Qxg2+28.Kxg2Good or bad MVL should have gone for this endgame!20.Ndf3Bxc421.Qxc4Qd522.Qxd5N4xd523.a5Nc324.Bb2Nb525.Nc6Nd526.Rac1Rxe1+27.Nxe1Re828.Kf1Re629.g3h530.Nf3f631.Ne1g532.Nd3Rd633.Kg2Re634.Rc2Rd635.h4g436.Rc4Re637.Kf1Nd638.Rc1Nb539.Nxa7Nxa740.Nc5Rd620...Bxc421.Qxc4Qd5!And Black equalizes easily. MVL tries some tricks but the position remains close to equal until Jakovenko starts making inaccuracies.22.Qxd5N6xd523.Nc6Rxe1+23...Re2! makes more sense.24.Kf1Rc225.Rac1Rxc126.Rxc1a5!equalizes.24.Rxe1a525.g3!Now MVL has a tangible initiative. The e-file is very important and Jakovenko has been neglecting it.Ng626.Nxa7Rxa727.Re8+Kh728.h4!Let's go to the Candidates! Just not yet!Rb729.Nd2?!29.Bc5Rb330.Nd2would have posed a lot of difficulties for Black.29...Nc330.h5Nh8an awkward square but the knight will come back to the game soon. Without the a4-pawn White's hopes to win this game would be close to zero!31.Nc4Nxa432.Ne5Nb633.Bc5a4It is time to make a draw but MVL goes all in. He has never been this close to making it to the Candidates so his choice, regardless of its incorrectness, is praiseworthy. Any great player would have tried this regardless of the result!34.d5?Now the position is bad for White but still manageable.f635.Nc6Nd7?gives back White some hope after he had given up!35...Nxd536.Nd4Nf737.Ra8is better for Black but still very tenacious.36.Bd4Rb537.Nd8??A terrible blunder37.d6cxd638.Re7Ne539.Bxe5dxe540.Ra7should still be a draw.37...Rb8!A deadly pin! The game and fate of the Candidates is sealed now.38.Bb2Rxb239.Ne6a340.Re7Nf7!No miracle this time!41.Rxf7a242.Rxg7+Kh843.Rxd7a1Q+44.Kg2Qe1There is no perpetual! White resigned. MVL fought hard but a few misses prevented him from scoring the much needed win! I am sure we will see MVL in the coming Candidates cycles soon! Just not this time!0–1
Short interview with the co-winner of Palma, Dmitry Jakovenko after his win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | World Chess on YouTube
A tragic result for the French player and his fans, but two players will be heaving huge sighs of relief: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Alexander Grischuk. Prior to the beginning of Palma, both had known they could easily see their results beaten and be left out of Berlin, In fact, Grischuk declared before the beginning that he already considered he would not make it, and was conformed to this. With the lower total score of the two, his qualification was by far the most vulnerable. Even in the final round here, all it took was one of the two players to score a win and he was out. However, the stars aligned in his favor, and both he and Mamedyarov will have the right to play in Berlin for a chance at a match with Carlsen at the end of 2018.
The winners of the tournament were Levon Aronian and Dmitry Jakovenko, both with 5½ / 9. Jakovenko had the slightly better tiebreak and was thus the official gold.
1.c45.9e61:212.g321d5493.Bg212Nf64:044.Nf318Be7165.0-0180-056.b339c511:197.cxd51:07exd53:008.d412Nc6399.Bb213Ne41:1210.Nc37Bf62:2111.Na411cxd47:3212.Nxd48Bd7613.Rc156 D34: Tarrasch Defence: 6 g3 Nf6 7 Bg2 Be7.Qe71:1414.e34:05Rac87:4215.Nc329:25Nxc33:3816.Rxc31:23Bxd48:4817.exd48Be6N30Predecessor:17...Qd618.Qd2h619.Rfc1b620.Re3Rfe821.h3a522.Kh2Be623.Rec3Bd718.Re17:29Qd7319.Qd24:15Rfd82:2820.Ba32:56h641 The position is symmetric and equal. The position is equal.21.h449Bh35122.Bh11:14Re85323.Rxe8+2:37Rxe81024.Re35Rc81:5425.Kh21:34Be64926.Rc32:24Re85927.Re31:35Rc81828.Rc311Qd814:0629.Rc51:50Qf61:4530.Qe37:00Rd82:3431.Bb22:21Qf52232.a34:21a65:1033.Bg22:58Rc81:0734.Qf34:15Qb13:3935.Qc34:28Qf51936.Qf32:37Qb11737.Qc35Qf54
Weighted Error Value: White=0.06 (flawless) /Black=0.04 (flawless)
OK: White=4 Black=14
Best: --- Black=2 ½–½
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.
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
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