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.
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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.
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.
Highlights of round 12
[Event "79th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "12"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Van Wely, Loek"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E81"] [WhiteElo "2780"] [BlackElo "2695"] [Annotator "alera"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4r1kb/1r3p1p/p2p1np1/1bpPq1B1/1pB1P2Q/1P3PNP/P2R2P1/2R4K b - - 0 26"] [PlyCount "16"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {[#]} 26... Bxc4 {Neither of the captures on c4 lead to match, but Aronian has other ideas.} 27. f4 $1 (27. Rxc4 Nd7 {with Bf6 coming up next looks good for Black.}) (27. bxc4 Nd7 28. f4 Qg7 $14 {is also not very convincing.}) 27... Qxe4 {Trying to muddy the waters, but Aronian has everything under control.} ( 27... Qe7 28. Rxc4 {is ugly, as Black has no choice but to play Bg7 and h6, giving up the h-pawn, to break the pin.}) 28. Nxe4 $1 (28. bxc4 Qe7 29. Re2 { was winning, but not as flashy.}) 28... Nxe4 29. Re1 $1 Bc3 (29... Bb5 { was the only chance to survive, but after} 30. f5 gxf5 31. g4 {and White's extra queen should eventually prevail.}) 30. f5 $1 (30. Rxe4 Rxe4 31. Bf6 Bf1 { is not nearly as clear.}) 30... Bxd2 (30... Bxd5 31. Rxd5 Bxe1 32. Qxe1 { is too much material for White.}) 31. Bxd2 {Black has unsolvable problems on the dark squares.} Bxd5 32. Rxe4 Bxe4 33. Qf6 {and nothing will prevent Bh6 next move.} Bxg2+ {fine, almost nothing.} 34. Kg1 1-0
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:
[Event "79th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "12"] [White "Harikrishna, Pentala"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2766"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "alera"] [PlyCount "105"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. O-O Ng6 {A rare, but playable line.} 7. Be3 Nd7 8. Ne1 h5 9. Nd2 $2 {This is bad for White already.} Ndxe5 {Oops!} 10. dxe5 d4 11. Nc4 dxe3 12. Nxe3 Nxe5 13. Nxf5 exf5 14. Nd3 Bd6 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. Qxd8+ Kxd8 {Black 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. c3 f4 18. Bc4 f6 19. Rfe1 Kc7 20. Rad1 Rae8 21. h3 Re7 22. Bd3 g5 23. Bf5 Rg8 24. f3 a5 25. a4 Rb8 26. Kf1 b5 27. axb5 Rxb5 28. Rd2 a4 29. Re4 Ra5 30. Bg6 h4 31. Rc4 Bd6 32. Be4 Bc5 33. Rd1 Kb6 34. Ra1 Rb5 35. Ra2 Rd7 36. Rcxa4 Kc7 37. b4 Be3 38. c4 Rb8 39. c5 Rd1+ 40. Ke2 Rg1 {Somehow White recovered his pawn, and the queenside is looking shaky.} 41. Kd3 $2 (41. Ra7+ Rb7 42. R2a6 Rxg2+ 43. Kd3 Rxa7 44. Rxa7+ Kc8 45. 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. Kc3 Rc1+ 43. Bc2 Bf2 44. Ra7+ Rb7 45. Rxb7+ Kxb7 46. Kb3 Bd4 47. Kc4 Ra1 48. Ra5 Rxa5 49. bxa5 Bf2 50. Be4 Be1 51. a6+ Kxa6 52. Bxc6 Ka7 53. Kd4 1/2-1/2
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
[Event "79th Tata Steel Chess-Masters "] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Eljanov, Pavel"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A90"] [WhiteElo "2755"] [BlackElo "2840"] [Annotator "Sadorra, Julio"] [PlyCount "120"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [SourceDate "2017.01.28"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Nc3 c6 {For 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. Bf4 ({The most common way to continue here is} 7. O-O O-O 8. Bf4 (8. Qc2) 8... Bxf4 9. gxf4 Nbd7 {leading to similar paths as in the game.}) 7... Bxf4 8. gxf4 O-O 9. e3 Bd7 {This 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 is} 9... b6 10. O-O Bb7 (10... Ba6 $6 11. Ne5 {now Black cannot develop the b8-knight.} Nfd7 12. b3 $1 $14 Nxe5 13. dxe5 dxc4 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. b4 $1 {shutting out the Black bishop followed by exploiting the development advantage and weak a8-h1 diagonal is the idea behind b2-b3.}) 11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. Rc1 Qe7 {with a solid position.} (12... Ne4 $5 {is also playable.})) 10. Qb3 Qc7 11. O-O Be8 12. Rfc1 {White now starts to make threats before Black finishes development which can bring him closer to equality.} Qe7 (12... Bh5 $4 13. cxd5 exd5 14. Nxd5 $18) 13. Qa3 $1 {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. Ne5 Bh5 14. Rab1 Na6 (14... Kh8 15. Qa3 $1) 15. cxd5 $5 (15. Qa3 Nb4) 15... exd5 (15... cxd5 16. Qa3 Nb4 17. Nb5 $16 {with a clear plan of invasion.}) 16. Qc2 Ne4 17. b4 $36 {with an easy plan of using the minority attack.}) (13. Rab1 $5 $14) 13... Qxa3 14. bxa3 Nbd7 15. Rab1 { White has successfully transformed a slightly better middlegame into superior endgame position.} Rb8 16. a4 $1 {a nice prophyactic move-- it both prepares to meet Nb6 and plans to further weaken the queenside pawns in the future.} a5 (16... Nb6 17. c5 (17. Bf1 $5) 17... Nc4 {now the a-pawn is not under attack!} 18. Bf1 $1 (18. Ne5 Na5 19. Rb4 Nd7) 18... Na5 19. Rb4 $14 {and 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. Rb2 Ne4 $6 ({It was objectively better to do "trench warfare" with} 17... Bh5 18. Ne5 (18. Rcb1 $2 Bxf3 19. Bxf3 b6 {and there's no way to break through the Black's fortress.}) 18... Rfc8 19. Rcb1 b6 20. Bf1 Be8 {but it's probably too deressing for Carlsen's taste.}) 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Ng5 $1 {the right square and plan} (19. Ne5 Nxe5 20. dxe5 (20. fxe5 c5 $1 $132 {and things start to look complicated for White. Just look at Black's famous/infamous bishop!} 21. d5 Bxa4 22. Rcb1 $2 b5 $1 $15) 20... c5) 19... Rf6 20. f3 $1 {this pawn break is all part of the plan. Because if not, then what is the future of his knight after h7-h6??} h6 21. Nh3 exf3 22. Bxf3 Rf7 23. Nf2 c5 24. Nd3 $1 {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.} cxd4 25. exd4 Nf6 26. Nc5 ({Another way to step up the pressure is to prepare the march of the future passed c-pawn:} 26. Ne5 Rc7 27. c5 $1 (27. Rcb1 Rd8 {gives Black some counterplay}) 27... Bxa4 ( 27... Rd8 28. Rxb7 Rxb7 29. Bxb7 Rxd4 30. c6 $18) 28. Rcb1 $16) 26... Ne4 27. Nxe6 Bxa4 28. d5 Bd7 29. Bxe4 $6 {a misjudged exchange. It's not disastrous, but it already allows Black counterplay in the form of piece activity.} fxe4 30. Nc5 Bg4 31. Re1 {all 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 $1 {This is most probably what he missed in his analysis as he now stops for 10 min before making his next move.} 32. Nxe4 Rxf4 {just look at Black's pieces now compared when they are living under the Stonewall bridge, say around move 22.} 33. Nd6 Rcf8 $1 {Magnus now starts playing quickly and more confidently.} 34. Rb3 {Eljanov now starts to switch to more solid play.} ( 34. Rxb7 $4 Bh3 35. Rbb1 Rg4+ 36. Kh1 Bg2+ 37. Kg1 Be4# {is one line that shows the dynamic power of Black's pieces, thus the game move.}) 34... R8f6 35. Ne4 Rg6 36. Rg3 b6 $1 {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 $6 { a risky decision.} ({I think it's best to go for waiting tactics especially as time control is approaching:} 37. Nd2 Bf5 {and White at least has a sure way to keep the balance.} (37... Rgf6 38. Ne4) (37... Kh7 38. Re4 $1) 38. Rxg6 Bxg6 39. Re6 $11) 37... Kh7 38. Nf2 $2 {Panic sets in as Eljanov tries to make time control with 2 minutes left.} (38. Ree3 $142) ({or} 38. h4 $5 Bf5 39. h5 $1 Rxg3+ 40. Nxg3 $13) 38... Rxc4 39. Nxg4 Rgxg4 40. Rxg4 Rxg4+ 41. Kf2 Rd4 42. Re6 Kg8 {Suddenly, it is White that must play for a draw.} 43. Ke3 Rd1 44. d7 { the best chance to obtain drawing chances as holding on to the pawn only makes things worse for White.} ({E.g.} 44. Ke4 Kf7 ({Not} 44... Re1+ $4 45. Kd5 Rxe6 46. Kxe6 Kf8 47. d7 $4) 45. Re7+ Kf6 46. Rd7 h5 47. Rd8 (47. h4 g6 $1 48. Rd8 Ke6 49. Rg8 (49. Re8+ Kd7 $19) 49... Rg1 50. Rd8 Rg4+ {netting another pawn.}) 47... Ke6 48. Rg8 (48. Re8+ Kd7 49. Re7+ Kxd6 50. Rxg7 Rd2 {similar to the mainline.}) 48... Rd2 $1 {the enemy passed pawn isn't going anywhere!} (48... Rxd6 49. Rxg7 Rd2 50. Rg6+ {is a big difference.}) 49. Rxg7 Kxd6 $19) 44... Rxd7 45. Rxb6 Rd5 {At 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. Rb2 Kh7 47. Ke4 Rh5 48. Kf4 Rh4+ 49. Kg3 g5 50. Rb7+ Kg6 51. Rb6+ Kh5 52. h3 Ra4 53. Rc6 ({Defending the a-pawn doesn't help as well.} 53. Rb2 Ra3+ 54. Kg2 Kh4 $19) 53... Ra3+ 54. Kg2 Rxa2+ 55. Kg3 a4 56. Ra6 a3 57. Kf3 Rb2 58. Kg3 (58. Rxa3 Kh4 $19 {and the h-pawn falls.}) 58... a2 59. Kf3 a1=Q 60. Rxa1 Kh4 {and 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.
Current Masters standings
Challengers tournament
Round 12 - Saturday, January 28
Grandelius, N.
0-1
Lu, S.
Jones, G.
1-0
Dobrov, V.
Guramishvili, S.
½-½
Hansen, E.
Smirin, I
1-0
Tingjie, L.
Tari, A.
1-0
Xiong, J.
Bok, B.
½-½
l'Ami, E.
Ragger, M.
1-0
van Foreest, J.
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!
[Event "79th Tata Steel Chess 2017-Challengers"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "12"] [White "Jones, Gawain C B"] [Black "Dobrov, Vladimir"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B22"] [WhiteElo "2665"] [BlackElo "2499"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "rr3k2/p2Rb1pp/2p2p2/4p3/1PQ1N3/2P1q3/P5PP/2K4R w - - 0 23"] [PlyCount "11"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {[#]} 23. Kb1 Rb5 $4 {A true gift.} (23... Qh6 {is still wildly unclear.}) 24. Nd6 $1 Rd5 25. Rxe7 $1 {This is the problem. The rook is taboo to the fork on f5.} (25. Qxc6 $2 Qd3+ 26. Ka1 Rb8 $17) 25... Rd8 26. Rf7+ Kg8 27. Rxg7+ Kh8 28. Rg3 1-0
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.
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