2017 Tata R8 Express: Carlsen commits seppuku

by ChessBase
1/22/2017 – It is hard to explain what happened in round eight, and to speculate seems an exercise in futility. The game between Richard Rapport and Magnus Carlsen had been quite balanced, with no real edge going to either, yet in the space of five moves, the world no.1 made one error after another, losing a piece at the end. And that was all she wrote. Aronian defeated Giri in record time, while Adhiban beat Andreikin. The Challengers saw a surprising six draws. What a day. Express report.
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The elite Tata Steel tournaments in Wijk aan Zee are underway and take place from January 13-29, with two main tournaments, the Masters with both Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin as headliners, as well as Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Anish Giri, Baskaran Adhiban, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Richard Rapport, Dmitri Andreikin, Wei Yi, Pavel Eljanov, and Loek van Wely. All rounds in Wijk aan Zee begin at 1.30pm, except for the last round on 29 January 2017, which begins at 12.00pm. Both rounds on the Chess On Tour days start at 2.00pm.

Full report with grandmaster annotations to follow...

Masters tournament

Round 8 - Sunday, January 22
Aronian, L.
1-0
 Giri, A.
Rapport, R.
1-0
 Carlsen, M.
Van Wely, L.
½-½
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
 Wei, Y.
Adhiban, B.
1-0
 Andreikin, D.
Eljanov, P.
½-½
 Wojtaszek, R.
Karjakin, S.
½-½
 So, W.

The game of the day, or result of the day, however you look at it, it was astonishing. Speculating on how or why suggest mind-reading abilities we do not profess to have, but the fact is the game was not decided by a single blunder. It was not a simple, involuntary act of seppuku.

Instead it looked more like a lemmings rush towards a cliff as he flung himself... in chess terms of course

Consider the engine evaluation graph. Notice how it gradually climbs in the space of five moves from move 22 to 27, from equal, to dead lost.

This opened the way for his rivals, and one nearly took advantage of it: Pavel Eljanov. Once again he was presented with a chance to win outright and missed it, allowing a counter tactic by the Polish GM. To be fair the position was a mess, with three connected passed pawns far advaced on the queenside, and distractions were all over the board.

The quickest win of the day, Levon Aronian swept past Anish Giri as if he were barely an afterthought

Adhiban has certainly been a newfound terror for openings, with choices that promise anything but the usual elite GM fare. It started with 1.e4 e5 2. Nc3, almost daring Black to enter a Vienna, but Andreikin declined, and a Closed Sicilian was the result. It didn't help and the Indian notched another win.

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1.e4 0 e5 11 2.Nc3 0 Nc6 1:35 3.g3 0 g6 2:09 4.Bg2 0 Bg7 30 5.d3 6 d6 18 6.f4 4 Nge7 15:48 7.Nf3 3 Nd4 0 8.0-0 9:54 Bg4 2:01 9.Be3 3:20 c5 14:49 10.Qd2 1:09 0-0 23 11.Nh4 0 exf4 4:10 12.Bxf4 1:35 Qd7 3:53 13.Rf2 11:33 Rae8 1:38 14.Bh6 12:42 Bxh6 2:21 15.Qxh6 2 b5 8 16.h3 0 Be6 1:49 17.Raf1 50 Qd8 9:52 18.Nb1 11:51 d5 3:41 19.Nd2 8:20 dxe4 15 20.Nxe4 47 Nef5 7 21.Rxf5 45 Nxf5 32 22.Rxf5 7 Qd4+ 0 23.Rf2 3:15 f5 6 24.Ng5 1:37 Qg7 37 25.Qxg7+ 23 Kxg7 4 26.Bc6 13 h6 7 27.Nxe6+ 1:46 Rxe6 0 28.Bxb5 1 Rb8 45 29.a4 3:22 a6 6 30.Bc4 6 Re1+ 4 31.Kg2 2:38 Rxb2 6 32.Bxa6 9 Rc1 0 33.Bc4 2:20 Rcxc2 46 34.Rxc2 0 Rxc2+ 3 35.Kf3 19 Kf6 4 36.a5 53 g5 15 37.a6 7 Rc1 0 38.Ng2 34 Ke5 6 39.Ne3 4:46 h5 7 40.Nc2 0 g4+ 29 41.Ke3 8:39 gxh3 1:55 42.a7 2:27 h2 0 43.a8Q 38 h1Q 7 44.Qb8+ 21 Kf6 10 45.Qf8+ 9 Kg6 12 46.Bf7+ 14 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Adhiban,B2653Andreikin,D27361–02017B2579th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Aronian,L2780Giri,A27731–02017E1179th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Eljanov,P2755Wojtaszek,R2750½–½2017B9279th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Harikrishna,P2766Wei,Y2706½–½2017C4379th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Karjakin,S2785So,W2808½–½2017A1379th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Rapport,R2702Carlsen,M28401–02017A1279th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8
Van Wely,L2695Nepomniachtchi,I2767½–½2017D8379th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters8

Current Masters standings

Challengers tournament

Round 8 - Sunday, January 22
Grandelius, N.
½-½
 Hansen, E.
Dobrov, V.
1-0
 Tingjie, L.
Lu, S.
½-½
 Xiong, J.
Jones, G.
½-½
 l'Ami, E.
Guramishvili, S.
½-½
 van Foreest, J.
Smirin, I
½-½
 Ragger, M.
Tari, A.
½-½
 Bok, B.

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1.c4 0 c6 1:14 2.Nf3 45 d5 0 3.e3 3:18 Nf6 9 4.Nc3 1:20 e6 1:29 5.b3 36 Nbd7 40 6.Qc2 0 Bd6 3:32 7.Bb2 4 0-0 3:06 8.Rg1 4:12 b5 4:00 9.cxb5 27 Bb7 0 10.bxc6 56 Bxc6 20 11.Nb5 3:32 Bxb5 5:27 12.Bxb5 13 Rc8 18 13.Qd1 2:06 Qa5 10:35 14.Be2 31 e5 0 15.g3 11 Ba3 16:13 16.Bxa3 3:59 Qxa3 1:53 17.Kf1 16 Rc7 3:28 18.Kg2 1:43 Rfc8 11 19.Bb5 11:17 a6 0 20.Be2 12:23 Rc2 4:23 21.Rf1 13:53 R8c7 7:53 22.Kg1 4:25 g6 1:03 23.d4 3:37 e4 59 24.Ne5 3 Nxe5 0 25.dxe5 15 Nd7 5:51 26.Bc4 26 Nxe5 1:06 27.Qxc2 33 Nf3+ 1:08 28.Kg2 13 Qe7 6 29.Rad1 37 dxc4 0 30.Qc3 10:06 Rc8 4:15 31.Rd5 41 f6 9:40 32.Rfd1 38 Rc7 40 33.Qa5 1:26 Ne5 23 34.bxc4 47 Kg7 0 35.R1d4 1:16 Nf7 1:17 36.Qxa6 2:21 Kh6 1:23 37.c5 1:38 Ng5 1:12 38.Qd6 25 Qf7 33 39.h4 50 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dobrov,V2499Lei,T24671–02017A1179th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Grandelius,N2642Hansen,E2603½–½2017C5479th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Guramishvili,S2370Van Foreest,J2612½–½2017A4079th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Jones,G2665L'Ami,E2605½–½2017C4579th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Lu,S2612Xiong,J2667½–½2017B9079th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Smirin,I2667Ragger,M2697½–½2017C2679th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8
Tari,A2584Bok,B2608½–½2017C1179th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers8

Current Challengers standings

Schedule, pairings, and results

Tata Steel Masters 2017

Round 1 - Saturday, January 14
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
  Aronian, L.
Adhiban, B.
½-½
  Van Wely, L.
Eljanov, P.
1-0
  Rapport, R.
Karjakin, S.
½-½
  Giri, A.
So, W.
½-½
  Carlsen, M.
Wojtaszek, R.
½-½
  Nepomniachtchi, I.
Andreikin, D.
½-½
  Wei, Y.
Round 2 - Sunday, January 15
Aronian, L.
½-½
 Wei, Y.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
½-½
 Andreikin, D.
Carlsen, M.
1-0
 Wojtaszek, R.
Giri, A.
½-½
 So, W.
Rapport, R.
½-½
 Karjakin, S.
Van Wely, L.
0-1
 Eljanov, P.
Harikrishna, P.
1-0
 Adhiban, B.
Round 3 - Monday, January 16
Adhiban, B.
½-½
 Aronian, L.
Eljanov, P.
½-½
 Harikrishna, P.
Karjakin, S.
1-0
 Van Wely, L.
So, W.
1-0
 Rapport, R.
Wojtaszek, R.
½-½
 Giri, A..
Andreikin, D.
½-½
 Carlsen, M.
Wei, Y.
1-0
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Round 4 - Tuesday, January 17
Aronian, L.
½-½
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Carlsen, M.
1-0
 Wei, Y.
Giri, A.
½-½
 Andreikin, D.
Rapport, R.
½-½
 Wojtaszek, R.
Van Wely, L.
0-1
 So, W.
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
 Karjakin, S.
Adhiban, B.
0-1
 Eljanov, P.
Round 5 - Thursday, January 19
Eljanov, P.
0-1
 Aronian, L.
Karjakin, S.
0-1
 Adhiban, B.
So, W.
1-0
 Harikrishna, P.
Wojtaszek, R.
1-0
 Van Wely, L.
Andreikin, D.
½-½
 Rapport, R.
Wei, Y.
½-½
 Giri, A.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
½-½
 Carlsen, M.
Round 6 - Friday, January 20
Aronian, L.
½-½
 Carlsen, M.
Giri, A.
1-0
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Rapport, R.
0-1
 Wei, Y.
Van Wely, L.
½-½
 Andreikin, D.
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
 Wojtaszek, R.
Adhiban, B.
½-½
 So, W.
Eljanov, P.
½-½
 Karjakin, S.
Round 7 - Saturday, January 21
Karjakin, S.
1-0
 Aronian, L.
So, W.
½-½
 Eljanov, P.
Wojtaszek, R.
0-1
 Adhiban, B.
Andreikin, D.
½-½
 Harikrishna, P.
Wei, Y.
1-0
 Van Wely, L.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
½-½
 Rapport, R.
Carlsen, M.
1-0
 Giri, A.
Round 8 - Sunday, January 22
Aronian, L.
1-0
 Giri, A.
Rapport, R.
1-0
 Carlsen, M.
Van Wely, L.
½-½
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
 Wei, Y.
Adhiban, B.
1-0
 Andreikin, D.
Eljanov, P.
½-½
 Wojtaszek, R.
Karjakin, S.
½-½
 So, W.
Round 9 - Tuesday, January 24
So, W.
 
 Aronian, L.
Wojtaszek, R.
 
 Karjakin, S.
Andreikin, D.
 
 Eljanov, P.
Wei, Y.
 
 Adhiban, B.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
 
 Harikrishna, P.
Carlsen, M.
 
 Van Wely, L.
Giri, A.
 
 Rapport, R.
Round 10 - Wednesday, January 25
Aronian, L.
 
 Rapport, R.
Van Wely, L.
 
 Giri, A.
Harikrishna, P.
 
 Carlsen, M.
Adhiban, B.
 
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
Eljanov, P.
 
 Wei, Y.
Karjakin, S.
 
 Andreikin, D.
So, W.
 
 Wojtaszek, R.
Round 11 - Friday, January 27
Wojtaszek, R.
 
 Aronian, L.
Andreikin, D.
 
 So, W.
Wei, Y.
 
 Karjakin, S.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
 
 Eljanov, P.
Carlsen, M.
 
 Adhiban, B.
Giri, A.
 
 Harikrishna, P.
Rapport, R.
 
 Van Wely, L.
Round 12 - Saturday, January 28
Aronian, L.
 
 Van Wely, L.
Harikrishna, P.
 
 Rapport, R.
Adhiban, B.
 
 Giri, A.
Eljanov, P.
 
 Carlsen, M.
Karjakin, S.
 
 Nepomniachtchi, I.
So, W.
 
 Wei, Y.
Wojtaszek, R.
 
 Andreikin, D.
Round 13 - Sunday, January 29
Andreikin, D.
 
 Aronian, L.
Wei, Y.
 
 Wojtaszek, R.
Nepomniachtchi, I.
 
 So, W.
Carlsen, M.
 
 Karjakin, S.
Giri, A.
 
 Eljanov, P.
Rapport, R.
 
 Adhiban, B.
Van Wely, L.
 
 Harikrishna, P.
  

Tata Steel Challengers 2017

Round 1 - Saturday, January 14
Jones, G.
½-½
 Grandelius, N.
Guramishvili, S.
½-½
 Lu, S.
Smirin, I
½-½
 Dobrov, V.
Tari, A.
½-½
 Hansen, E.
Bok, B.
1-0
 Tingjie, L.
Ragger, M.
1-0
 Xiong, J.
van Foreest, J.
1-0
 l'Ami, E.
Round 2 - Sunday, January 15
Grandelius, N.
½-½
 l'Ami, E.
Xiong, J.
1-0
 van Foreest, J.
Tingjie, L.
0-1
 Ragger, M.
Hansen, E.
½-½
 Bok, B.
Dobrov, V.
½-½
 Tari, A.
Lu, S.
½-½
 Smirin, I
Jones, G.
1-0
 Guramishvili, S.
Round 3 - Monday, January 16
Guramishvili, S.
0-1
 Grandelius, N.
Smirin, I
1-0
 Jones, G.
Tari, A.
0-1
 Lu, S.
Bok, B.
0-1
 Dobrov, V.
Ragger, M.
1-0
 Hansen, E..
van Foreest, J.
0-1
 Tingjie, L.
l'Ami, E.
½-½
 Xiong, J.
Round 4 - Tuesday, January 17
Grandelius, N.
0-1
 Xiong, J.
Tingjie, L.
0-1
 l'Ami, E.
Hansen, E.
1-0
 van Foreest, J.
Dobrov, V.
0-1
 Ragger, M.
Lu, S.
1-0
 Bok, B.
Jones, G.
1-0
 Tari, A.
Guramishvili, S.
0-1
 Smirin, I
Round 5 - Thursday, January 19
Smirin, I
½-½
 Grandelius, N.
Tari, A.
1-0
 Guramishvili, S.
Bok, B.
0-1
 Jones, G.
Ragger, M.
½-½
 Lu, S.
van Foreest, J.
1-0
 Dobrov, V.
l'Ami, E.
½-½
 Hansen, E.
Xiong, J.
1-0
 Tingjie, L.
Round 6 - Friday, January 20
Grandelius, N.
1-0
 Tingjie, L.
Hansen, E.
1-0
 Xiong, J.
Dobrov, V.
½-½
 l'Ami, E.
Lu, S.
1-0
 van Foreest, J.
Jones, G.
1-0
 Ragger, M.
Guramishvili, S.
0-1
 Bok, B.
Smirin, I
0-1
 Tari, A.
Round 7 - Saturday, January 21
Tari, A.
½-½
 Grandelius, N.
Bok, B.
0-1
 Smirin, I
Ragger, M.
1-0
 Guramishvili, S.
van Foreest, J.
0-1
 Jones, G.
l'Ami, E.
½-½
 Lu, S.
Xiong, J.
1-0
 Dobrov, V.
Tingjie, L.
½-½
 Hansen, E.
Round 8 - Sunday, January 22
Grandelius, N.
½-½
 Hansen, E.
Dobrov, V.
1-0
 Tingjie, L.
Lu, S.
½-½
 Xiong, J.
Jones, G.
½-½
 l'Ami, E.
Guramishvili, S.
½-½
 van Foreest, J.
Smirin, I
½-½
 Ragger, M.
Tari, A.
½-½
 Bok, B.
Round 9 - Tuesday, January 24
Bok, B.
 
 Grandelius, N.
Ragger, M.
 
 Tari, A.
van Foreest, J.
 
 Smirin, I
l'Ami, E.
 
 Guramishvili, S.
Xiong, J.
 
 Jones, G.
Tingjie, L.
 
 Lu, S.
Hansen, E.
 
 Dobrov, V.
Round 10 - Wednesday, January 25
Grandelius, N.
 
 Dobrov, V.
Lu, S.
 
 Hansen, E.
Jones, G.
 
 Tingjie, L.
Guramishvili, S.
 
 Xiong, J.
Smirin, I
 
 l'Ami, E.
Tari, A.
 
 van Foreest, J.
Bok, B.
 
 Ragger, M.
Round 11 - Friday, January 27
Ragger, M.
 
 Grandelius, N.
van Foreest, J.
 
 Bok, B.
l'Ami, E.
 
 Tari, A.
Xiong, J.
 
 Smirin, I
Tingjie, L.
 
 Guramishvili, S.
Hansen, E.
 
 Jones, G.
Dobrov, V.
 
 Lu, S.
Round 12 - Saturday, January 28
Grandelius, N.
 
 Lu, S.
Jones, G.
 
 Dobrov, V.
Guramishvili, S.
 
 Hansen, E.
Smirin, I
 
 Tingjie, L.
Tari, A.
 
 Xiong, J.
Bok, B.
 
 l'Ami, E.
Ragger, M.
 
 van Foreest, J.
Round 13 - Sunday, January 29
van Foreest, J.
 
 Grandelius, N.
l'Ami, E.
 
 Ragger, M.
Xiong, J.
 
 Bok, B.
Tingjie, L.
 
 Tari, A.
Hansen, E.
 
 Smirin, I
Dobrov, V.
 
 Guramishvili, S.
Lu, S.
 
 Jones, G.
  

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