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This year's Russian Championship Super Final also marks a special edition: the 64th. Oddly though, instead of some mega event with more, the tournament has been cut down from last year's eleven-round edition with twelve players to a mere seven rounds and eight players. Still, don't think that makes it a lesser event by any means, as it also brings together a fantastic field with Kramnik, Karjakin, Grischuk, Morozevich, Svidler, Nepomniachtchi, and Galkin for a 2715 average rating. Once more the Russian Federation hosts the championship at a level that few can rival, with high resolution video broadcasting and of course grandmaster commentary. Round one through four will be commented by GM Sergey Makarichev, while rounds five through seven will be commented on by world-famous coach Mark Dvoretsky.
The tournament poster and one of the cameras to film the event
The camera crew sets up the equipment
The four boards as they start
White fared well in the second round of the Russian Men's Superfinal with Vladimir Kramnik and Alexander Morozevich winning against Artyom Timofeev and Alexander Grischuk respectively. The new seven-round system might prove to be a treat for spectators as participants seem eager to score faster and take an early lead.
Kramnik and Timofeev in round two
Kramnik came back strongly from his first round loss to Peter Svidler and beat Timofeev with white in a Symmetrical English. The former World Champion cornered his younger opponent's queen after the latter dubiously posted the black lady at the edge of the board on move 25.
Kramnik bounced back from his opening loss with a convincing win
Kramnik missed a quick and simple finish when he played 30. Rxc5 instead of 30.Rc4! which could have immediately won him the black queen. In the game, black could have complicated matters with 30…Nxc5 but the position after 31. dxc5 Qxa1 32. Qf5 Rf8 33. Ng5 g6 34. Qh3 h5 35. Rxf7 still holds some bite for White. Artyom's choice of 30….Rxc5 did not help him much and white picked up the point five moves later.
The other decisive result came from a Queen's Gambit between Moro and Grischuk. Moro played very aggressively, and bravely. He invested heavily in his attack ultimately found himself in a do or die situation where either his attack went through or he would be left looking foolish. It was a tense affair and both players got into time-trouble. Morozevich's attack seemed to be in danger of stalling when he played a poisonous little move that was in fact a mistake. Grischuk not only missed the point but the refutation, and suddenly found himself facing mate or losing his queen.
Grischuk suddenly realizing he has blundered
Morozevich's gutsy play finally paid off after sweating a bit
The games between Nepomniachtchi-Galkin and Svidler-Karjakin were both drawn after the players simplified into equal endgames.
Photographs by Vladimir Barsky and Russian Federation (Russiachess.org)
LinksThe 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 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |
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