1/29/2017 – Pressure was certainly added to the leader, Wesley So, as with one round to go there are three super grandmasters close behind. Only trailing by half a point are Wei Yi, with whom he drew today, and the winners of the decisive games today, Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian. In the Challengers section, Markus Ragger and Gawain Jones regain the lead as Jeffery Xiong proved he is still human.
Winning starts with what you know The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
In this video course, kings will play a role of strong and active pieces. We will explore how Kings can be helpful in defence and prophylaxis, or even in attack!
€34.90
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.
All photos by Alina l'Ami for the official website
Masters tournament
Round 12 - Saturday, January 28
Aronian, L.
1-0
Van Wely, L.
Harikrishna, P.
½-½
Rapport, R.
Adhiban, B.
½-½
Giri, A.
Eljanov, P.
0-1
Carlsen, M.
Karjakin, S.
½-½
Nepomniachtchi, I.
So, W.
½-½
Wei, Y.
Wojtaszek, R.
½-½
Andreikin, D.
Quick review of round 12
Today's round was in memory of Vugar Gashimov
Two decisive results in what was a very hard fought round. But before we get into that, the players had a quick pop-quiz! They had to define who was their favorite World Champion:
Consensus was not high
Levon Aronian moves ito a tie for second place, putting additional pressure on Wesley So, by defeating Dutch Loek Van Wely, who unfortunately has secured last place, currenly two points behind 13th, Richard Rapport with one round left.
26...Bxc4Neither of the captures on c4 lead to match, but Aronian has other ideas.27.f4!27.Rxc4Nd7with Bf6 coming up next looks good for Black.27.bxc4Nd728.f4Qg7is also not very convincing.27...Qxe4Trying to muddy the waters, but Aronian has everything under control.27...Qe728.Rxc4is ugly, as Black has no choice but to play Bg7 and h6, giving up the h-pawn, to break the pin.28.Nxe4!28.bxc4Qe729.Re2 was winning, but not as flashy.28...Nxe429.Re1!Bc329...Bb5 was the only chance to survive, but after30.f5gxf531.g4and White's extra queen should eventually prevail.30.f5!30.Rxe4Rxe431.Bf6Bf1 is not nearly as clear.30...Bxd230...Bxd531.Rxd5Bxe132.Qxe1 is too much material for White.31.Bxd2Black has unsolvable problems on the dark squares.Bxd532.Rxe4Bxe433.Qf6and nothing will prevent Bh6 next move.Bxg2+fine, almost nothing.34.Kg11–0
Levon is gaining a very respectable 10 points so far this event
Even Loek's favorite lucky charm, his baby boy, couldn't help today
Harikrishna managed to blunder after playing only nine moves, and landed down a pawn in an uncomfortable endgame. Somehow, many moves later, he actually missed a win against Rapport:
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.e4c62.d4d53.e5Bf54.Nf3e65.Be2Ne76.0-0Ng6A rare, but playable line.7.Be3Nd78.Ne1h59.Nd2?This is bad for White already.Ndxe5Oops!10.dxe5d411.Nc4dxe312.Nxe3Nxe513.Nxf5exf514.Nd3Bd615.Nxe5Bxe516.Qxd8+Kxd8Black is simply up a pawn. Because of the opposite colored bishops, conversion is very, very difficult, but Black is pushing. Fast forward to many moves later...17.c3f418.Bc4f619.Rfe1Kc720.Rad1Rae821.h3Re722.Bd3g523.Bf5Rg824.f3a525.a4Rb826.Kf1b527.axb5Rxb528.Rd2a429.Re4Ra530.Bg6h431.Rc4Bd632.Be4Bc533.Rd1Kb634.Ra1Rb535.Ra2Rd736.Rcxa4Kc737.b4Be338.c4Rb839.c5Rd1+40.Ke2Rg1Somehow White recovered his pawn, and the queenside is looking shaky.41.Kd3?41.Ra7+Rb742.R2a6Rxg2+43.Kd3Rxa744.Rxa7+Kc845.Bxc6 should be a winning endgame for White. Plenty of analysis needs to be done still, but it's clear that White is pushing hard.41...Rd1+42.Kc3Rc1+43.Bc2Bf244.Ra7+Rb745.Rxb7+Kxb746.Kb3Bd447.Kc4Ra148.Ra5Rxa549.bxa5Bf250.Be4Be151.a6+Kxa652.Bxc6Ka753.Kd4½–½
Richard almost got into hot water after a gift in the opening
Adhiban Baskaran essayed the Bishop's Opening against Giri, but got nothing and the pieces were quickly swept off the board. The resulting rook endgame was a bit tricky for White, but not that much.
Anish, cheeky as always
The other decisive game was of Magnus Carlsen against Pavel Eljanov. This is annotated by GM Julio Sadorra, who held Carlsen to a draw himself in the Baku 2016 Olympiad:
If you go through this game, Magnus holding Julio to a draw is far more accurate
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
1.d4e62.c4f53.g3Nf64.Bg2d55.Nf3Bd66.Nc3c6For a must-win game, it is interesting that the Magnus chooses the Dutch Stonewall which is also part of the repertoire of other World Champions such as Steinitz, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Petrosian etc!7.Bf4The most common way to continue here is7.0-00-08.Bf48.Qc28...Bxf49.gxf4Nbd7leading to similar paths as in the game.7...Bxf48.gxf40-09.e3Bd7This is one of the typical ways to develop the famous or infamous, depending on your perspective and experience, Stonewall bishop.Another way to bring it out is9...b610.0-0Bb710...Ba6?!11.Ne5now Black cannot develop the b8-knight.Nfd712.b3!Nxe513.dxe5dxc414.Qxd8Rxd815.b4!shutting out the Black bishop followed by exploiting the development advantage and weak a8-h1 diagonal is the idea behind b2-b3.11.Ne5Nbd712.Rc1Qe7with a solid position.12...Ne4!?is also playable.10.Qb3Qc711.0-0Be812.Rfc1White now starts to make threats before Black finishes development which can bring him closer to equality.Qe712...Bh5??13.cxd5exd514.Nxd5+-13.Qa3!One of the well-known ideas in the Stonewall for White is to trade off Black's good dark-squares bishop in order to weaken the dark squares and sometimes even leave Black with the "worse minor piece." Eljanov rightfully extends this idea by trading off Black's queen which serving the same function of the aforementioned bishop.Another good way to increase the advantage is to simply keep improving his pieces and prepare the Qa3 idea or a queenside expansion.13.Ne5Bh514.Rab1Na614...Kh815.Qa3!15.cxd5!?15.Qa3Nb415...exd515...cxd516.Qa3Nb417.Nb5±with a clear plan of invasion.16.Qc2Ne417.b4with an easy plan of using the minority attack.13.Rab1!?13...Qxa314.bxa3Nbd715.Rab1 White has successfully transformed a slightly better middlegame into superior endgame position.Rb816.a4!a nice prophyactic move-- it both prepares to meet Nb6 and plans to further weaken the queenside pawns in the future.a516...Nb617.c517.Bf1!?17...Nc4now the a-pawn is not under attack!18.Bf1!18.Ne5Na519.Rb4Nd718...Na519.Rb4and Black will have to be very careful and alert in this complex ending as White has a dangerous plan of doubling on the b-file and then bring his knight to b3!17.Rb2Ne4?!It was objectively better to do "trench warfare" with17...Bh518.Ne518.Rcb1?Bxf319.Bxf3b6and there's no way to break through the Black's fortress.18...Rfc819.Rcb1b620.Bf1Be8but it's probably too deressing for Carlsen's taste.18.Nxe4dxe419.Ng5!the right square and plan19.Ne5Nxe520.dxe520.fxe5c5!and things start to look complicated for White. Just look at Black's famous/infamous bishop!21.d5Bxa422.Rcb1?b5!20...c519...Rf620.f3!this pawn break is all part of the plan. Because if not, then what is the future of his knight after h7-h6??h621.Nh3exf322.Bxf3Rf723.Nf2c524.Nd3!Eljanov has been playing excellently, exercising good control on the board and on his clock.He has 30 min left to Magnus's 39 min in a great position that he knows he's fully capable of winning.cxd425.exd4Nf626.Nc5Another way to step up the pressure is to prepare the march of the future passed c-pawn:26.Ne5Rc727.c5!27.Rcb1Rd8gives Black some counterplay27...Bxa427...Rd828.Rxb7Rxb729.Bxb7Rxd430.c6+-28.Rcb1±26...Ne427.Nxe6Bxa428.d5Bd729.Bxe4?!a misjudged exchange. It's not disastrous, but it already allows Black counterplay in the form of piece activity.fxe430.Nc5Bg431.Re1all part of Eljanov's plan connected on his decision to trade on move 29, at least according to the quick pace at which he played the moves.Rc8!This is most probably what he missed in his analysis as he now stops for 10 min before making his next move.32.Nxe4Rxf4just look at Black's pieces now compared when they are living under the Stonewall bridge, say around move 22.33.Nd6Rcf8!Magnus now starts playing quickly and more confidently.34.Rb3Eljanov now starts to switch to more solid play.34.Rxb7??Bh335.Rbb1Rg4+36.Kh1Bg2+37.Kg1Be4#is one line that shows the dynamic power of Black's pieces, thus the game move.34...R8f635.Ne4Rg636.Rg3b6!a nice little move that makes a big impact as it makes it difficult for White to push his passed pawn in the future.37.d6?! a risky decision.I think it's best to go for waiting tactics especially as time control is approaching:37.Nd2Bf5and White at least has a sure way to keep the balance.37...Rgf638.Ne437...Kh738.Re4!38.Rxg6Bxg639.Re6=37...Kh738.Nf2?Panic sets in as Eljanov tries to make time control with 2 minutes left.38.Ree3or38.h4!?Bf539.h5!Rxg3+40.Nxg3∞38...Rxc439.Nxg4Rgxg440.Rxg4Rxg4+41.Kf2Rd442.Re6Kg8Suddenly, it is White that must play for a draw.43.Ke3Rd144.d7 the best chance to obtain drawing chances as holding on to the pawn only makes things worse for White.E.g.44.Ke4Kf7Not44...Re1+??45.Kd5Rxe646.Kxe6Kf847.d7??45.Re7+Kf646.Rd7h547.Rd847.h4g6!48.Rd8Ke649.Rg849.Re8+Kd7-+49...Rg150.Rd8Rg4+netting another pawn.47...Ke648.Rg848.Re8+Kd749.Re7+Kxd650.Rxg7Rd2similar to the mainline.48...Rd2!the enemy passed pawn isn't going anywhere!48...Rxd649.Rxg7Rd250.Rg6+is a big difference.49.Rxg7Kxd6-+44...Rxd745.Rxb6Rd5At this point of the game, one can't help but stop and wonder at how Magnus was able to turn the game around against a strong strategic player!46.Rb2Kh747.Ke4Rh548.Kf4Rh4+49.Kg3g550.Rb7+Kg651.Rb6+Kh552.h3Ra453.Rc6Defending the a-pawn doesn't help as well.53.Rb2Ra3+54.Kg2Kh4-+53...Ra3+54.Kg2Rxa2+55.Kg3a456.Ra6a357.Kf3Rb258.Kg358.Rxa3Kh4-+and the h-pawn falls.58...a259.Kf3a1Q60.Rxa1Kh4and because there's nothing White can do to hold on to his h-pawn, Black resigns. An very important win for the current World Champion, setting up a tense and dramatic finale in the last round!0–1
Not exactly a poker face. Magnus got quite a bit of help today.
Karjakin and Nepomniachtchi drew in 21 moves, far from thrilling, while Wesley So repeated a line that Ding Liren played against Wei Yi a couple of years ago, but got the exact same result. This should come as little surprise, as So likes to play it very safe once he has a comfortable lead, always relying on an excellent black repertoire to not get in trouble in key games.
Most professional fortune tellers predicted this wouldn't be a chaotic and messy game
The Wojtaszek-Andreikin game was crazy, with Black's passed pawns being enough compensation for White's massive material advantage. It's definitely worth replaying.
Craziness here
With three people chasing Wesley So, anything can still happen in the Masters! All eyes en Nepomniachtchi-So, as the Russian tries to take revenge from their encounter in the Baku Olympiad.
The Challengers section had the leaderboard rocked with several decisive games. The most important, of course, was Aryan Tari defeating the tournament leader, Jeffery Xiong. To put it bluntly, Xiong essayed a dubious variation of the Petroff and was duly punished.
Learning the hard way that even 2500s are very tough
This oppened up the path for Gawain Jones or Markus Ragger to pass Jeffery if they won their games, and they both did so!
New ...
New Game
Edit Game
Setup Position
Open...
PGN
FEN
Share...
Share Board (.png)
Share Board (configure)
Share playable board
Share game as GIF
Notation (PGN)
QR Code
Layout...
Use splitters
Swipe notation/lists
Reading mode
Flip Board
Settings
Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
Replay and check the LiveBook here
Please, wait...
23.Kb1Rb5??A true gift.23...Qh6is still wildly unclear.24.Nd6!Rd525.Rxe7!This is the problem. The rook is taboo to the fork on f5.25.Qxc6?Qd3+26.Ka1Rb825...Rd826.Rf7+Kg827.Rxg7+Kh828.Rg31–0
Meanwhile Ragger and Jorden van Foreest played a crazy game, with Black's king dancing around the board with White's queen hunting him around, in exchange for more material. Eventually the Dutch player couldn't keep his king safe anymore and it perished. To be fair, van Foreest survived in this game much more than he should have. The Dutch talent has had a truly forgettable tournament, dropping a whole 29 points so far in Wijk.
Markus Ragger is tied for first again
Even last place has a big fan base!
Sopiko came very close to her first win of the event, but missed the killing blow
In other important results, Lu Shanglei defeated Nils Grandelius to sneak into fifth place, while Ilia Smirin defeated Lei Tingjie to tie for third. The tournament can be won by any of Ragger, Jones, Smirin or Xiong, so there's everything to play for in the last round!
The tiebreak in the Challengers is a mathematical one, so there will be no playoffs in this section.
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 14 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.
If you're looking to revamp your opening repertoire and surprise your opponents with powerful, modern ideas, The Ultimate Scotch Gambit is the perfect choice.
Tata Steel 2025 with game analyses by Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov, Giri and many others. Opening videos by Ganguly, Blohberger and King. 10 opening articles with new ideas for your repertoire. Special on Korttschnoj and much more!
A cutting-edge Sicilian weapon, this variation has only gained traction since 2021, yet it has already caught the attention of elite players, including Magnus Carlsen.
If you're looking to expand your opening knowledge with a modern, cutting-edge approach, the Ragozin Carlsbad is a must-have addition to your repertoire.
The Modern Steinitz (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 d6!?) is an uncompromising weapon that lets Black put White under pressure from the very start.
€49.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.
