Baku R12: Five wins, two draws, Gashimov and Wang lead

First FIDE Grand Prix in Baku

The first FIDE Grand Prix tournament is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 20th to May 6th, 2008. There are thirteen rounds and two rest days (April 26 and May 1st). The event, organised by Global Chess, is part of a series of six tournaments to be held over two years (2008-2009). 21 top world players are selected to compete in these tournaments, with each player contracting to participate in exactly four of these tournaments. The winner of the Grand Prix series at the end of 2009 will play the winner of the World Cup held in 2009 in an eight game match to become the challenger to the World Champion in a match to be held in the third quarter of 2010.

Round twelve report

Please note that the games are being annotated in the Chess Media System by GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili, who is also a Vice President of FIDE. Instructions on how to view these files is given at the bottom of this page.

Kamsky-Svidler was summarised in the press conference by the successful wielder of the black pieces: "I decided I should play something new today. What we got is a topical line in the Najdorf, and Gata's choice at move nine led to a complex endgame, in which Black is somewhat cramped, but he has the bishop pair and no weaknesses. Still, it was about equal all the time and the game was mainly decided by my time advantage on the clock." His white-pieced opponent replied: "I didn't realize how unpleasant it was, and then I couldn't find a plan."

Kamsky,G (2726) - Svidler,P (2746) [B96]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (12), 04.05.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Qh5 Qc5 10.Qxc5 dxc5 11.Nb3 Bd6 12.g3 Ke7 13.Bg2 Ra7 14.0-0-0 Rd8 15.a4 b6 16.Nd2 Rad7 17.Nc4 Bc7 18.Rxd7+ Bxd7 19.Re1 Be8 20.Na3 Kf8 21.Bf1 Bc6 22.b3 Bb7 23.Rd1 Rd4 24.Bd3 Nc6 25.Ne2 Rd8 26.c3 Ke7 27.Bc2 Rb8 28.Bd3 Na7

29.c4? After this move, played in time trouble, White's position starts to fall apart. 29...Nc6 30.Nc2 h5 31.h4 Rg8 32.Kd2 Nd4! 33.Ncxd4 cxd4 34.b4 e5! 35.c5 bxc5 36.Rc1 f5! 37.exf5 e4 38.Bc4 d3 39.Nc3 Rxg3 40.Nxe4 Bxf4+ 0-1. [Click to replay]

Inarkiev-Wang Yue was a tough, 57-move draw – a success for the Chinese player, who held on to first place on the tournament table. For Inarkiev it was only his fourth draw in twelve games, which means his drawing averag is just 33%. Organisers, do not forget this number. The solution to the draw problem in chess could be a simple one: Morozevich, Shirov, Topalov and Inarkiev.

Mamedyarov-Bacrot was a long, complicated game that lasted 73 moves and ended in a second consecutive defeat for the shell-shocked Frenchman (Bacrot had drawn seven games before that).

Etienne Bacrot (pronounced "Back-row") facing Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (pronounced "Shak")

Mamedyarov,S (2752) - Bacrot,E (2705) [D15]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (12), 04.05.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.c5 Nbd7 6.Bf4 Nh5 7.Qd2 b6 8.e4 bxc5 9.exd5 cxd4 10.Qxd4 c5 11.Qd2 Nxf4 12.Qxf4 g6 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Qxe5 Rg8 15.Bc4 Bg7 16.Qe2 Bd4 17.0-0 Kf8 18.Rfe1 Rb8 19.Rad1 Rb6 20.Rd3 Bf5 21.Rd2 Qd6 22.Qf3 Kg7 23.Rde2 Qf6 24.Nd1 Re8 25.b3 Bd7 26.Qg3 Rd6 27.Re4 h6 28.h4 Kf8 29.Rf4 Qg7 30.Rfe4 Qf6 31.Ne3 h5 32.Nc2 Bf5 33.Rf4 Bc3 34.Re2 Qg7 35.Ne3 Bd7 36.Re4 f5 37.Rxe7 Qxe7 38.Ng4 f4 39.Qxc3 Qg7 40.Ne5 Bg4 41.Re1 Kg8 42.a4 Qf6 43.a5 Kg7 44.g3 fxg3 45.Qxg3 Bc8 46.Kh2 Rf8 47.Nd3 Bg4 48.Kg1 Rc8 49.Re5 Bf3 50.Kh2 Rcd8 51.Rg5 Rf8 52.Nxc5 Qa1 53.Qe5+ Qxe5+ 54.Rxe5 Rf5 55.Rxf5 gxf5 56.b4

Black is in trouble, with his rook for knight and two pawns. Now he self-destructs: 56...Rg6? 56...Bxd5 57.Bxa6 Rg6 58.Bb7 Bxb7 59.Nxb7 would have offered some chances of holding. 57.Ne6+ Kf6 58.Ng5 Bd1 59.Bxa6 Ke5 60.Bb7 Be2 61.Nf7+ Kf6 62.Ng5 Ke5 63.Bc6 Bc4 64.f4+ Kxf4 65.b5 Ke5

66.b6. 66.Nf7+ Kd4 67.a6 would have been quicker. 66...Bxd5 67.Bxd5 Bxd5 67.Bxd5 Kxd5 68.b7 Rg8 69.a6 Kc6 70.Ne6 Kb6 71.Nc5 Rd8 72.Nd7+ Kc7 73.b8Q+ 1-0. [Click to replay]

Carlsen-Adams was a fine victory for the 17-year-old top seed from Norway. Magnus Carlsen delved deeply into the mysteries of this Nimzo-Indian line, sacrificed and exchange and produced a nice novelty on move 19. "For the exchange White had good positional compensation," Magnus said, "but for a while it was about equal. I got some advantage and then I was lucky I had this trick."

Carlsen,M (2765) - Adams,Mi (2729) [E37]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (12), 04.05.2008
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5 8.dxc5 Nc6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.e3 Qa5+ 11.b4 Nxb4 12.axb4 Qxa1 13.Bb5+ Kf8 14.Ne2 a6 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.f3 Ba4 17.Qb2 Qxb2 18.Bxb2 Ng5 19.Nd4 Bd7 20.Kf2 f6 21.Ra1 Ke7 22.Bc2 Rhd8 23.h4 Nf7 24.Bxh7 Rh8 25.Bc2 Rxh4 26.Bb3 Rh5 27.Ne2 Bc6 28.Nf4 Rg5 29.b5 Bxb5 30.Nxd5+ Kf8 31.Nc7 Rd8 32.Ne6+ Ke8 33.Bd4 Bd7 34.Nxd8 Nxd8 35.Rh1 Ke7 36.e4 Ne6 37.Be3 Re5 38.Rh7 Kf8 39.Bc2 Bc6 40.f4 Bxe4 41.Rh8+ Ke7

42.Rb8. The "trick" Magnus mentioned. 42...Nd8 43.fxe5 Bxc2 44.exf6+ gxf6 45.Bd4 f5 46.Be3 Kd7 47.Bg5 Ne6 48.Rxb7+ Kc8 49.Rb2 Be4 50.Be7 Nf4 51.Ra2 Kd7 52.Bd6 Nxg2 53.Rxa6 f4 54.Ra4 Bc6 55.Ra7+ Ke6 56.Ra6 Kd5

and Adams resigned, noticing that White has 57.Rxc6 Kxc6 58.Kxg2 1-0. [Click to replay]

Gashimov-Grischuk was a great win for the Azeri, who knocked the leading Grischuk from his pole position and occupied this himself. The country echoed with applause at this achievement. Vugar revealed that the victory was all home preparation, all the way up to move 16.

Gashimov,V (2679) - Grischuk,A (2716) [C72]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (12), 04.05.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3 h5 7.d4 b5 8.Bb3 Nxd4 9.hxg4 Nxb3 10.axb3 hxg4 11.Ng5 Qd7 12.Qd3 Rb8 13.Rxa6 f6 14.Nc3 fxg5 15.Bxg5 Be7

16.f4. In his preparation, Gashimov says, "I thought White is much better, maybe even winning, after f4." The tournament commentator Sergey Shipov and the brood of chess engines around Fritz do not share this optimism. They all give 16…Bxg5 17.fxg5 c6! followed by 18...Ne7 as the way to hold the game. 16...gxf3 17.Qxf3 Nf6 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Qf7+ Kd8 20.Qxg7 Kc8 21.Qxh8+ Kb7 22.Qh7 Qg4 23.exd5 Qd4+ 24.Kh1 Bxg5 25.Rfa1 Be3 26.Ra7+ Qxa7 27.Rxa7+ Bxa7 28.g4 Rf8 29.g5 Rf2 30.Qe4 Rf1+ 31.Kh2 Rf4 32.Qxf4 exf4 33.c3 1-0. [Click to replay]

Radjabov-Navara was an important game for the Czech grandmaster. It was David Navara's first win in this tournament, which had brought him four defeats and seven draws until today. But the painfully modest Navara was the first to admit he had been lucky: "After the opening my position looked suspicious; I somehow managed to forget how to play this line. Later I missed the move 28.Qg5 and I was lucky to have a decent reply that was sufficient for a draw. White was very close to winning around move 25 and later on he spoilt it in timetrouble."

Czech GM David Navara facing local hero Teimour Radjabov

Radjabov,T (2751) - Navara,D (2672) [B46]
FIDE GP Baku AZE (12), 04.05.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 0-0 10.a4 Bd7 11.Nb3 Na5 12.Nd2 Be8 13.Bd3 d5 14.e5 d4 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Nde4 Be7 17.f5 exf5 18.Rxf5 dxe3 19.Nd5 Nc6 20.Nef6+ Bxf6 21.Nxf6+ Kh8 22.Qh5 h6 23.Raf1 Nb4 24.Rg5 e2 25.Bxe2 Qd2 26.Rg3 Nxc2 27.Bd3 Ne3

Now 28.Qe5 Qxd3 29.Rxe3 is definitely winning. 28.Qg5? Qxg2+ 29.Rxg2 hxg5 30.Rxg5 g6 31.Rf3 Kg7 32.h4 Rd8 33.Nh5+ Kh6 34.Nf4 Nf5 35.Bxf5 gxf5 36.Rxf5 Rg8+ 37.Kf2 Rg4 38.Rh5+ Kg7 39.Rg5+ Rxg5 40.hxg5 Rd2+ 41.Kg3 Rxb2 42.a5 Rb5 43.Kh4 Rxa5 44.Nh5+ Kg8 45.Nf6+ Kf8 46.Kh5 Ra1 47.Rh3 Bc6 0-1. [Click to replay]

Cheparinov-Karjakin was a draw in 92 moves. The Bulgarian GM admitted that he had been in trouble with the white pices: "My opening play was bad, I didn't see 24...Qe8 and I was lucky I didn't lose by force." With long, deep manoeuvres Cheparinov was, however, able to lead the game into a slightly worse ending which he managed to save.

All video press conferences are available as videos on the official tournament page.
All pictures and videos by courtesy of FIDE.com.

Standings after twelve rounds

We would like to mention that the pictures on the tournament page are mainly the work of Ali Nihat Yazici, the President of the Turkish Chess Federation and Vice President of FIDE. Ali Nihat has a Canon EOS 400D, a.k.a. the Digital Rebel XTi, and a Canon Super Nova flash he bought during the World Championship in Mexico City (we were witness to all of this). Although he is still engaged in a heroic struggle with the intricacies of white balance Ali Nihat's pictures are getting better round by round. They are posted very soon after the games start, the way it should be. We are grateful to have received permission from Global Chess to use the pictures, and the video embeds in our reports. We hope this excellent service will be continued in the Grand Prix events to com.

Schedule and results

Links FIDE Global Chess Grand Prix Home Page Tournament web site for Baku Grand Prix 2008 All games in PGN 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 ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use it to read, replay and analyse the PGN games. Download free PGN reader ChessBase Light

Multimedia Commentary on Playchess

Currently FIDE and Global Chess are producing live wrap-up commentary of the games of the Grand Prix in Baku. This is done using the Chess Media System developed by ChessBase, which allows the annotator to move the pieces, draw coloured arrows or highlight squares while he or she is speaking. In Baku grandmaster (and FIDE Vice President) Zurab Azmaiparashvili is commenting on the games.

To watch the audio-video chess commentary you should log into the Playchess server. You can do this with many ChessBase products: Fritz, Shredder, Hiarcs, ChessBase 9.0, etc. If you have none of these you can download ChessBase Light using the link given above. Even if you do not have an account on Playchess you can use this program to log in as a "Guest".

On Playchess you should go into the area reserved for Audio/Video Training on Demand, where there is a special room for FIDE and the Grand Prix tournaments. Click on this to enter the room.

The FIDE Grand Prix room displays the Grand Prix web site when you enter the room.

Click on the tab "Games" on the top left to get a list of the files available for viewing.

Double-click an entry, sit back and enjoy the game commentary by GM Azmaiparashivili. There is no charge for this service – you can watch as many game commentaries as you like. There may be a small delay though, for technical reasons, before the charge is changed from two Ducats (twenty cents) per game to free.