Bucharest 03: Nisipeanu strikes back

by ChessBase
10/10/2013 – Nisipeanu played a powerful game and was able to run over China's number one, Wang Hao. With good opening preparation and an even better follow up the Romanian player found himself up an exchange, and although he gave his opponent some chances Wang Hao was in such deep time trouble that it did not matter. Caruana keeps his lead. Analysis and post-mortems of round 3.
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The opening ceremony of the 7th edition of Kings Tournament Romgaz took place on the 6th of October in the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Piata Romana Nr.6). This international tournament is organized by the Sports Club “Elisabeta Polihroniade” and is a part of the Grand Slam circuit. The Kings Tournament will be a double round robin competition with 5 world-class participants: Fabiano Caruana (Italy, GM, 2779), the former World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine, GM, 2756), Wang Hao (China, GM, 2736), Radjabov Teimour (Azerbaijan, GM, 2733) and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, (Romania, GM, 2665). This year’s edition will be played in the Magna Auditorium and Conference Hall "Virgil Madgearu" of the  Bucharest University of Economic Studies – a partner of the Kings Tournament. The rounds will start every day from the 7th until the 17th October at 3:30 p.m. (last round starts at 1:30 p.m) and entrance will be free for spectators.

Round 3

Wang Hao was definitely surprised by Nisipeanu's opening, and he stood no chance in the endgame as he was down material and his time management was not good

Caruana still leads the tournament as he is the only player at +1

Ponomariov suffered a little today, but at the end he was able to obtain a draw

Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco again brings us analysis of the games:

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In today’s round players with the White pieces put considerable pressure on their opponent’s. Caruana achieved a pleasant strategic advantage against Ponomariov, but converting it into a full point proved to be impossible and the draw was agreed on move 41. In the other game Wang Hao with the black pieces was constantly under pressure against Nisipeanu and lost an exchange in a complicated middlegame. The arising endgame was difficult for Black and Nisipeanu converted his advantage by sacrificing back the exchange and creating a passed pawn, which decided the game. White won on move 42. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 Apparently the Petrov's Defence is starting to be popular in Bucharest. 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Ponomariov himself against Nisipeanu played yesterday 7.Bf4 but the opening outcome was more than satisfactory for Black. 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 Another plan is 8...Be6 9.0-0-0 Qd7 after which Black can choose later which side to castle. 9.0-0-0 Ne5 Caruana had this position in his previous practice four times and in all games he inevitably chose 10.h4. But in the present game the Italian GM went for a completely different set-up. 10.Nxe5 A relatively rare move, never met on the high level before. dxe5 11.Bd3 Be6 Looking at the position it seems that Black is doing very well thanks to his superior pawn structure. All he needs to do is to exchange pieces, ideally the queens. But obviously things are not so simple. White will avoid the exchange of queens and will try to create some activity on the kingside, using the fact that his own king is potentially better protected against a possible advance of opponent's pawns. As we'll see soon, Caruana's plan is to provoke the advance f5-f4 and then use square e4 for his pieces. 12.Qe2 Qe8 13.Kb1 f5 After some 20 minutes of thought Ponomariov chooses the most natural move in the position: Black is trying to make use of his kingside pawn majority. 14.Bc4 Bf6 A serious inaccuracy, after which Black will suffer the entire game. As indicated after the game by the players, Black shouldn't have had much problems after 14...Bd6 15.g4! Now suddenly White gets a strategic advantage. Bxc4 If Black tries to keep his mighty pawn on f5 with 15...g6 then after 16.gxf5 gxf5 17.Bh6 White has good attacking prospects. 15...fxg4 16.Qxg4 16.Qxc4+ Qf7 17.Qb4! As mentioned before, White is avoiding the trade of queens. Black has no problems whatsoever in endgame: 17.Qxf7+ Rxf7 18.gxf5 Bh4!? 17...f4 18.Bc5 18.Bc1 was suggested by Caruana as a possible improvement. The idea is to transfer later the bishop to the long diagonal to put pressure on e5. 18...Rfb8 Protecting b7. 19.f3 b6 19...Bh4!? 20.Bf2 Rd8 21.Qe4 Qe6 22.c4 g6 23.h4 Kf7 24.h5 c6 25.a4 Here White missed the opportunity to transfer the bishop to the desired diagonal: 25.hxg6+ hxg6 26.Bd4! and Qxc4? loses due to 27.Rh7+ Ke6 28.Qxg6 25...Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rd8 27.hxg6+ hxg6 28.Rxd8 Bxd8 29.Be1 a5! 30.Bf2 Qd6 31.Kc1 Ke8 32.c3 Kd7 33.Kc2 c5 White's positional advantage is not enough for a win. 34.Qb7+ Bc7 35.Qd5 g5! 35...Qxd5 36.cxd5 looks very dangerous for Black. After the game Ponomariov indicated the following win for White if Black continues Kd6 : 37.Kd3 Kxd5 38.c4+ Ke6 39.Bh4! Kd6 40.Ke4 Ke6 41.b3 Kd6 42.Bf6 Ke6 43.g5 and Black loses due to zugzwang. 36.Be1 Ke7 37.Qe4 Qh6 38.Bd2 Qh1 Now that Black has counterplay Caruana gave up his hopes. 39.Qb7 Kd8 40.b4 Qf1 41.Qd5+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2779Ponomariov,R2751½–½2013C427th Kings Tournament3
Nisipeanu,L2674Wang,H27331–02013E507th Kings Tournament3

Information and photos by Dorian Rogozenco

Round 3 post-mortems:

We bring you the videos of players analysis after the game. Quite a treat - especially to see the differences in the player's understanding of certain positions.

Caruana vs. Ponomariov


 

Nisipeanu vs. Wang Hao


 

Standings

note: Ponomariov and Nisipeanu have played one more game than the other players

Schedule

Round 1 – October 07, 15:30h
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
½-½
 Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
0-1
 Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Wang Hao 2733
bye
    
Round 2 – October 08, 15:30h
Wang Hao 2733
½-½
 Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
½-½
 Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
bye
    
Round 3 – October 09, 15:30h
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
1-0
 Wang Hao 2733
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
½-½
 Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
bye
    
Round 4 – October 10, 15:30h
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Wang Hao 2733
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
bye
    
Round 5 – October 11, 15:30h
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Wang Hao 2733
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
bye
    
Round 6 – October 12, 15:30h
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Wang Hao 2733
bye
    
Round 7 – October 13, 15:30h
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Wang Hao 2733
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
bye
    
Round 8 – October 14, 15:30h
Wang Hao 2733
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
bye
    
Round 9 – October 15, 15:30h
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Wang Hao 2733
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
bye
    
Round 10 – October 16, 13:30h
Wang Hao 2733
Ponomariov, Ruslan 2751
Radjabov, Teimour 2723
Caruana, Fabiano 2779
Nisipeanu, L.-D. 2674
bye
    

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