Aeroflot Open: Artemiev in sole lead

by Niklesh Kumar Jain
2/25/2018 – The Aeroflot Open 2018 has passed the half-way mark, and Russia's talented young grandmaster Artemiev Vladislav is now the only player with 4½ points at the top of the table. On Saturday, he showed his class to outplay the experienced Moldavian, Victor Bologan, taking advantage of small inaccuracies to convert the full point. It will be exciting to see if Fedoseev, Vidit and Andreikin can make a comeback in the second half of the event. | Photo: Niklesh Jain

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Russian "prince" beats Bologan in key game

Vladislav Artemiev, who turns 20 on March 5th, is one of a cadre of young Russians who has been waiting in the wings for a shot on the world stage. He hasn't yet fulfilled the promise of his 2013 triumph at the Youth Stars tournament, which he won by a staggering margin of 2½ points, posting the imposing final tally of 10½ / 11. Since then, his rating has plateaued a bit, although he currently stands at his all-time peak and is on track to cross 2700 for the first time with his performance in Moscow through the first five days.

Artemiev's rating

With 4½ / 5, Artemiev currently stands at 2710 | Playerbase

In round 5, on board one, Artemiev outplayed Victor Bologan and scored a nice win in a kind-of reverse French structure, in which White played 9.g4!

 
V. Artemiev vs V. Bologan
9.g4 — the most active continuation

Just a few moves later, White was clearly for choice, as Bologan's centre collapsed, and his king was stuck there too.

 
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1.c4 e5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 The most usual is: 3...Nc6 4.Nf3 Bb4 5.Qc2 0-0 6.Nd5= 4.Nf3 d6 5.d4 e4 6.Nd2 d5 7.Be2 Bd6 8.Qb3 Bc7 9.g4 Now Artemiev chooses the most active continuation! Looking for some kind of early imbalance, another option was: 9.Qa3 Con idea de b4 9...h6 10.h4 a6 11.Rg1 g5 Important blocking, it would be risky to allow white g5, it is necessary to consider also: 11...Bh2 12.Rg2 Bc7 13.cxd5 Nxd5 13...cxd5 14.g5± 14.Rg1 Be6 15.Ncxe4 Qe7 16.Nc5± 12.cxd5 gxh4? Gm Bologan Mistake leaves now with much advantage to white, you should try to hold the position with: 12...cxd5 13.Rh1 0-0 14.hxg5 hxg5 15.Rh6 Nbd7 16.Nxd5 Ba5 13.Ndxe4 h3 14.Bd2 h2 15.Nxf6+ Qxf6 16.Rh1 Rg8 Now the black position is very sad: unfinished development, king in the center and pieces without coordination. We will see how Artemiev manages to impose this great advantage. 17.0-0-0 b5 18.f4 Qh4 more option 18...Bxg4 19.Rxh2 Bxe2 20.Rxe2 a5 21.Qc2 with the Nb5 or Nb4 19.Be1 Keeping the advantage but it is a shy move, much more better is: 19.dxc6 Nxc6 20.d5+- 19...Qe7 20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Nd5 Qd6 22.Rxh2 Bd8 23.e4 Bxg4 Not knowing if the remedy is worse than the disease. Bxg4 seems necessary, but this change will lead to the weakness of white squares in the near future. 24.Bxg4 Rxg4 25.Qh3 Qe6 It does not work either: 25...Rg1 26.Qxh6 Qxh6 27.Rxh6 Kd7 28.Rh7+- 26.Qf3 Rg1 27.Bc3 White advantage is very big, but more precise was to play: 27.f5 Nxd4 28.Qe3 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Qe5 30.Rg2+- 27...Rxd1+ 28.Kxd1 Ne7 29.Nxe7 Bxe7 30.d5 Qb6 31.Rg2 0-0-0 32.Qh3+ It is also strong: 32.Rg7 b4 33.Be5 Rf8 34.Qd3+- 32...Kb8 33.Be5+ Ka8 34.Qc3 b4 35.Qc4 Qb7 36.f5 Rc8 37.Qd3 Bg5 38.Rc2 Re8 39.Bg3 Qb6 40.Rc6 Qg1+ 41.Kc2 Qc1+ 42.Kb3 Qe3 43.Qxe3 Bxe3 44.d6 Rxe4 45.d7 Bg5 46.f6 With this victory the great Russian master is placed at the head of the classification, apparently a very strong and exciting rest of the tournament is coming. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Artemiev,V-Bologan,V-1–02018A21Aeroflot Open 2018

Victor Bologan

Nothing went well for Bologan | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Another co-leader Tigran Petrosian played a short draw against Dimitry Gordievsky and is now in joint second with two other players.

Former FIDE World Champion Alexander Khalifman also looks good in Aeroflot. In the fifth round he played top seed Vladimir Fedoseev to a draw. 

Petrosian and Khalifman

Tigran Petrosian and Alexander Khalifman | Photo: Niklesh Jain

After beating Rauf Mamedov in the previous round, Indian GM Murali Karthikeyan held another 2700-player, Maxim Matlakov, in round five.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0-0 D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4) 8.e3 Bf5 9.Qb3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nbd7 11.Be2 c5 LiveBook: 15 Games 12.dxc5 Nxc5 12...g5 13.Nd4 Bg6 14.c6 bxc6 15.Nxc6 1/2-1/2 (46) So,W (2792)-Karjakin,S (2753) Wijk aan Zee 2018 13.Qb4 Rc8 14.0-0 Re8N Find the theoretical novelty and annotate with similar games: 14...g5 15.Bg3 1/2-1/2 (41) Ingersol,H (2414)-Babic,D (2468) ICCF email 2016 15.Rad1 Nce4 16.Nd4 Bh7 17.c4 dxc4 18.Bxc4 Qe7 19.Qb3 g5 20.Bg3! The position is equal. a6 21.a4 h5 Hoping for ...h4. 22.h3 Nxg3 23.fxg3 Qxe3+ 24.Kh2 Qxb3 25.Bxb3 Kg7 26.Nf5+ Bxf5! 27.Rxf5 Black must now prevent Rd6. Kg6 28.Rdf1 Rc6 29.Ba2 g4 30.h4 Kg7 31.Bd5 Nxd5 32.Rxd5 f6 33.Rxh5 Re4 34.a5 Rc2 Precision: White = 78%, Black = 79%. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Matlakov,M2709Karthikeyan,M2585½–½201815th Aeroflot Open 20185

Matlakov vs Karthikeyan

Matlakov vs Karthikeyan | Photo: Niklesh Jain

The lowest rated, but best performing Indian player IM Eesha Karavade faced her first defeat of the tournament at the hands of GM Vladislav Kovalev, who moved to joint second with the score 4.0 / 5 points.

 
V. Kovalev vs E. Karavade
Position after 49.Ke5!

White tightened his grip with the king march from h2 to e5.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Qd3 g6 7.c4 Bg7 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.Rd1 B53: Sicilian: 2...d6: Lines with Qxd4 11.Nd4 Rc8 12.b3 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 d5 14.Nxc6 Rxc6 15.Rb1 dxe4 16.Qxe4 Qd6 17.Bg5 Bf6 18.Rbd1 Qc7 19.Bf4 Qc8 1/2-1/2 (49) Andreikin,D (2727)-Dominguez Perez,L (2723) Havana 2013 11...Nd7 12.Nd4 Rc8 LiveBook: 4 Games 13.Qe2 White is slightly better. Nc5 14.f3 Ne6N Predecessor: 14...Na4 15.Nxc6 Nxc3 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.bxc3 Bxc3 18.Rb1 Be5 19.Qd3 b6 1/2-1/2 (39) Rodriguez Perez,R (2097)-Randolph,D (1910) ICCF email 2014 15.Be3 Bd7 16.Rac1 a6 17.Nb3 b5 18.cxb5 Bxc3 19.bxc3 axb5 20.f4 Rc4 21.f5 Ng7 22.f6 22.Nd2 Ra4 23.c4 22...exf6 23.Rxd6 Qc7 Black should try 23...Rxe4 Threatens to win with ...Nf5. 24.Re1 Rxe3! 25.Qxe3 Nf5 24.Rcd1 Be6 25.Bb6 White has some pressure. Qb8 ...Ne8 is the strong threat. 26.Qe3 Qa8 27.Rd8 Rc8! 28.Rxf8+ Rxf8 29.Bd4 Qxa2 30.Nc5 Rd8 31.h3 31.Qe1 keeps more tension. Ne8 32.Ra1 Qc2 33.h3 Bc4 34.Qe3 31...Ne8 32.Rf1 Qc4 33.Rb1 Ra8 34.Qf3 Ra3 35.Kh2 Bc8? 35...Bd7= and Black is okay. 36.Qg3? 36.e5!+- fxe5 37.Rb4 Rxc3 38.Qxc3 exd4 39.Qxc4 39.Rxc4 dxc3 40.Rxc3 Kf8 39...bxc4 40.Rxc4 36...Ra8= 37.e5 Bf5 38.Qf3 38.Re1!? 38...Nc7 39.Re1 And now Qb7 would win. Qd5! 40.Qxd5 Nxd5 41.exf6 h5 42.Re5 Nc7 43.Nb7 Bd3 44.Re7 Ne8 45.Kg3 Bc4 46.Kf4 Bd5 46...h4= 47.g4 hxg4 48.hxg4 Bc4
Better is 48...Rc8 49.Ke5!± Rc8 50.g5 Kf8 51.Bc5 White wants to mate with Rc7+. Kg8 52.Bb4 Ra8 53.Na5 Rc8? 53...Bf1± 54.Nc6 Rc8 54.Nb7 Ra8! 55.Ba5 Kf8? 55...Kh7 56.Rd7 Ra7 56.Rd7+- Be6 57.Rd8 Rxd8 58.Nxd8 Endgame KBN-KBN Not 58.Bxd8 Kg8± 58...Bc4 59.Bb4+ Kg8
60.Bd6! Nxd6? 60...Kh7+- 61.Bb8 Bb3 61.Kxd6 KB-KN. White mates. Kf8 62.Kd7 Bd5 63.Nc6 Be4 64.Ne5 Bd5 65.Kd8 Bb3 66.Nd7+ Kg8 67.Ke7 Bc4 68.Ne5 Bb3 69.Ng4 Precision: White = 65%, Black = 42%.
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kovalev,V2641Karavade,E23861–0201815th Aeroflot Open 20185

Eesha vs Kovalev

IM Eesha Karavade and GM Vladislav Kovalev | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Igor Lysyj was another player to watch today. He outplayed talented Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo in a nice endgame. 

 
I. Lysyj vs P. Maghsoodloo
A crucial moment of the game. Can you find best move for black?

After Black missed a chance for advantage, White went on to convert his positional advantage in the queen and knight ending.

 
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1.Nf3 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bxf3 6.exf3 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 Nf6 1 A40: Unusual replies to d4 Another way to play is: 7...Nc6 8.f4 Qf6 9.d5 Nd4 10.Bg2 Rd8 11.Nc3 c5 12.0-0-0 Nh6 13.Ne4 Qe7 14.Rhe1 Nhf5 15.Qc3 0-1 (62) Aronian,L (2805)-Rapport,R (2707) Riadh 2017 7...d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.Bh3 0-0 11.0-0 Nd7 12.Rfe1 Nf6 13.b4 a6 14.Re2 Nc6 15.a3 Qd6 16.Rae1 Na7 17.Re3 Nc8 18.Re5 c6 19.Na4 Rb8 20.Bxc8 Rfxc8 21.Qd3 Nd7 22.Re7 Nf8 23.Qxa6 Qf6 24.Nxb6 Rd8 25.Rb7 h5 26.Qa7 Rxb7 27.Qxb7 h4 28.Qe7 Qxf3 29.Qxh4 Rb8 30.Re3 Qd1+ 31.Kg2 Ng6 32.Qg5 Nf8 33.Qf4 Rxb6 34.Qc7 Qxd4 35.Re8 g6 36.Qd8 Kg7 37.Rxf8 Qe4+ 38.Kg1 Qe1+ 39.Kg2 Qe4+ 1/2-1/2 (39) Gelfand,B (2737)-Morozevich, A (2765) Nice 2008 8.Bg2 d5 9.f4 Nc6 The position is equal. 10.0-0 0-0 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nc3 Nce7! 13.Rac1 c6 A good plan in this position is to relocate the knight to e3 via d1 14.Ne4 Rc8 15.Ng5N Predecessor: 15.Rfd1 15...Qd6 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.Qe2 h6 18.Nf3 Nf5 19.Rc4 Rc7 20.a3 c5 21.Qe5 f6 21...Qxe5= 22.dxe5 Kh7 22.Qe1 22.Qe4 looks sharper. cxd4 23.Rxc7 Nxc7 24.g4 Ne7 25.Rxd4 Ncd5 26.f5 22...cxd4 23.Nxd4 23.Bf1 feels hotter. b5 24.Rxc7 Nxc7 25.Rc1 Rd7 26.Qe4 23...Rxc4 24.Nxe6
'?' Rd4 is the kind of plays difficult to foresee! 24.Nxf5!= Qd7 25.Bxd5 exd5 26.Rxd5! Re8= 24...Nfe3? Play that give the advantage to white, in this crucial moment the GM Maghsoodloo had to assure a great advantage with: 24...Rd4! keeps the pressure on. 25.Nxd4 25.Nxd8 Rxd1 26.Qxd1 Nfe7 25.Rxd4 Nxd4 25...Nc7 '-/+' 25.Bxd5!± Don't play 25.Nxd8?! Nxd1 26.Qe8+ Kh7= 25...Nxd1 Also had to consider: 25...Nxd5 26.Nxd8 Qxd8 27.Qe6+± 26.Bxc4 Nxb2 And now ...Rc8 would win. 27.Nxd8+ Nxc4 28.Qe8+ Qf8
29.Qd7! aiming for Ne6. Kh8 30.Ne6 Qg8 31.f5 Little by little the white is having more space and definitely his two pieces coordinate better than his opponent's a5 32.a4 Ne5 33.Qb7 h5 34.Qxb6 Qa8
35.f4 It was very strong to play immediately: 35.Qd8+!± Qxd8 36.Nxd8 Kh7 37.Kg2 g6 38.Nb7 Nc4 39.Kf3± 35...Nf3+ '?!' The best defense method was: 35...Nf7!= keeps the balance. 36.Qc5 Nh6 37.Qf8+ Qxf8 38.Nxf8 Nxf5= 36.Kf2 Black must now prevent Qc7. Nxh2 37.Qd8+ Qxd8 38.Nxd8 Endgame Hoping for Nc6. KN-KN Ng4+ 39.Kf3 Nh6 40.Ke4 '?!' This impression of Lysyj gave his adversary chances to maneuver with knight through the squares g4-f2-d1-b2. 40.Nc6± Era mejor: 40.Nb7 Nxf5 41.Nxa5± 40...Kh7? 40...Ng4= 41.Nb7 Nf2+ 42.Kd4 42.Kd5 Nd1= 42...Nh1= 41.Nc6+- g5 42.fxg6+ Kxg6 43.Nxa5 Nf5 44.Kf3 Nd4+ 45.Ke3 Nf5+ 46.Kf2 Kf7 47.Nb7 Ke6 48.a5 a6 is the strong threat. Now the victory is easy for the white thanks to the pawn A away Kd5 48...Ne7+- 49.Nc5+ Kd5 49.a6 White mates. Kc6
50.Nc5! Kb6 50...Kxc5 51.a7 51.Nd7+ Kxa6 52.Nxf6 h4 53.g4 Ne7 54.Kg2 Kb6 55.Kh3 Kc6 56.Kxh4 Kd6 57.Kg5 Ke6 58.f5+ Kf7 59.Ne4 Nc6 60.Kf4 Nb4 61.g5 Nd3+ 62.Kg4 Ne5+ 63.Kh5 Kg7 64.Nd6 Kg8 65.g6 Nf3 66.f6 Ne5 67.Nf5 A good duel, where most of the time the white kept his advantage, after that in move 24 ... Ne3 the player of black pieces lost his great opportunity.
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lysyj,I2618Maghsoodloo,P25941–02018A4015th Aeroflot Open 20185

Igor Lysyj

His name means "Igor the bald" but that doesn't seem to be a concern just yet! | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Indian star GM Vidit Gujrathi is still missing his first win of the tournament. He played a fifth draw in a row, and stands on an even score 2½ / 5, well out of contention for first.

Vidit Gujrathi

GM Vidit Gujrathi | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Gata Kamsky

The great Gata currently on 3.0/4 | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Nodirbek

Uzbek child prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattorov looks very solid with a 2694 performance | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Antipov vs Andreikin

After scoring his first victory Dmitry Andreikin hold by Mikhail Antipov | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Alexander Skopovskiy

Alexander Skopovskiy manages the players' transportation, visas and the live broadcast

Standings after round five (top 25) 

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FIDE Instructor Niklesh Kumar Jain Jain is an international chess player who has participated in tournaments in almost in 20 different countries, winning the international tournament in Sri Lanka in 2010. He also worked for a television network as an anchor and news writer for two years and reported in Hindi during World Chess Championship 2013 and 2014.

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