3/19/2013 – The World #1 proves again that he can win any type of position. A powerful dark squared blockade enabled Magnus Carlsen to be safe in the kingside while his knights tore apart the weakened structure on Alexander Grischuk’s queenside. The other three games of the round were drawn, which meant that Carlsen and Aronian are now tied in the lead with 3.0/4 points. Full report with GM commentary.
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From March 14 to April 1, 2013, FIDE and AGON – the World Chess Federation’s
commercial partner – are staging the 2013 Candidates Tournament for the
World Chess Championship 2013. It will be the strongest tournament of its kind
in history. The venue is The IET,
2 Savoy Place, London. The Prize Fund to be shared by the players totals €510,000.
The winner of the Candidates will become the Challenger to Viswanathan Anand
who has reigned as World Champion since 2007. The main sponsor for the Candidates
is State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic SOCAR,
which has sponsored elite events chess in the past.
Round four report
By GM Alejandro Ramirez
Round 4 March 19 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
1-0
Alexander Grischuk
Teimour Radjabov
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik
Levon Aronian
½-½
Peter Svidler
Boris Gelfand
½-½
Vassily Ivanchuk
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel King
Aronian-Svidler
Black sacrificed a pawn to simplify the queenside and create strong pressure
on the remaining a-pawn. This paid off as White had to eventually give it back
and a dull draw was reached. It seems Aronian was simply caught off preparation
and that he did not expect this variation of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted,
especially since Svidler plays the Gruenfeld almost always.
Gelfand-Ivanchuk
A bizarre opening led to a bizarre game. White had a bishop stuck on h2 the
entire game, hitting its own f4 pawn, meanwhile on the other side Black sacrificed
a piece for counterplay, and although it was almost enough to win, Ivanchuk
missed his chance and had to settle on a draw.
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Elo
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1.e4
1,170,319
54%
2421
---
1.d4
949,867
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
282,628
56%
2440
---
1.c4
182,731
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,745
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,347
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,917
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,816
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,759
48%
2379
---
1.a3
1,222
54%
2404
---
1.e3
1,073
49%
2409
---
1.d3
955
50%
2378
---
1.g4
666
46%
2361
---
1.h4
449
53%
2374
---
1.c3
435
51%
2426
---
1.h3
283
56%
2419
---
1.a4
114
60%
2465
---
1.f3
93
46%
2435
---
1.Nh3
90
66%
2505
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
Please, wait...
1.d4d52.c4The Chigorin, an unusual guest in high level chess!Nc63.Nf3Bg44.Nc3e65.Bf4Bxf36.gxf3Bb47.e3Nge78.Qc2dxc49.Bxc4Nd510.Bg3h511.h3Qd7White emerged with the pair of bishops, a good central structure
and good prospects out of the opening. His next move however is a little questionable,
as it does not put enough pressure on Black.12.0-0-012.a3!Bd6?13.Bxd6Qxd614.Ne4Qe715.Rg1±12...0-0-013.Ne4Kb814.Kb114.Bb5and crippling the c-pawns seemed like a more logical idea to me.14...h415.Bh2Bd616.f4f517.Ng5Na518.Be2Rc819.Qd2Bb420.Qd3c5!A bold move, that was almsot forced. Without this rupture Black's postion
would've been confined to passivity.21.dxc5Rxc522.e4Rhc8The point,
of course; taking on e4 was impossible.22...fxe4?23.Qxe4and every
Black piece is hanging.23.Rc123.exd5was critical, without accepting
the 'gift' White will find himself in some problems.Rxd524.Qf3Rxd1+25.Rxd1Qxd1+!26.Bxd1Nc427.Kc2Nd2+28.Qc3Bxc329.bxc3Nc4 leads
to a very strange endgame. Black has less material but White has lots of issues
with coordination and his pawn structure is terrible.23...Nc424.Rxc4Rxc425.exd5exd5?Allowing White back into the game.25...Rc2!
The computer says this wins, but why it does is beyond me. Feel free to explore
the variations with your engine, or wait for the entire explanation in the
next ChessBase Magazine!26.a3Bxa3!27.bxa3Qa4!28.Bd1Rc1+29.Ka2Qa530.dxe6Qb6-+is just a sample variation.26.Qb3Qc627.Bxc4dxc428.Qf3Qb529.Qe2Re830.Qc2c331.bxc3Bxc3+32.Qb3Black's initative
compensated for the knight, but now it is coming to an end and forcing the
draw is mandatory. A very strange and entertaining game.Qd3+33.Qc2Qb5+34.Qb3Qd3+35.Qc2Qb5+½–½
Carlsen-Grischuk
The World #1 proves again that he can win any type of position. This time his
powerful dark squared blockade enabled him to be safe in the kingside while
his knights tore apart the weakened structure on Black’s queenside. Black’s
bishop on f8 proved to be useless the entire game and after some desperation
sacrifices Grischuk had to resign. The game seemed very one-sided as Magnus
was never in any real danger.
Ready to play the world's number one: Alexander
Grischuk of Russia
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5Nf64.d3Carlsen avoids the Berlin with this move. The setups
with an early d3 are becoming more and more popular.Bc55.c30-06.0-0d67.h3a68.Bxc68.Ba4b59.Bb3transposes to a line that is supposed
to be ok for Black. Carlsen instead tries to punish the late a6 move by changing
the pawn structure.8...bxc69.Re1Re810.Nbd2d5!?11.exd5Qxd5What's
more valuable here? Black has a strong pair of bishops and activity, but his
structure is ruined... people sometimes call this a 'dynamic balance'.12.Nb3Bf813.c4Qd614.Be3Nd715.d4e416.Nfd2a517.a4f518.c5Qg618...Qe6would have delayed the knight jumping to c4 for an extra move
that Black could have used in his own attack.19.Nc4Nf620.Bf420.Ne5?Rxe5!A strong exchange sacrifice that was no doubt Black's idea.20...Qh5?21.Qxh5Nxh522.Nxc6and there is no compensation.21.dxe5Nd5And Black is following up with f4 and a huge intiative. Not exactly what
Carlsen was bargaining for!20...Nd521.Qd2Be622.Nbxa5 White's coordination
is not the best now, but the blockade on the dark squares allows him to snatch
this pawn without retaliation.Reb8?!22...Nxf423.Qxf4Qf6!Gave
more chances. Now Black is preparing g5 at an opportune time and is targeting
d4.23.Ne5Qf624.Bh2The compensation is dwindling, and Black becomes
desperate.Rxa525.Qxa5Rxb226.Rab1Ra227.Qa6e328.fxe3Qg529.Re2!The point of White's 27th move.Nxe330.Nf3Qg631.Rxa2Bxa232.Rb2White has, as they say, the material and the compensation.Bc433.Qa5Bd534.Qe1f435.Bxf4Nc236.Qf2Bxf337.Rxc2Carlsen yet again makes a very
complex position look easy.1–0
GM Daniel King analyses the game Carlsen vs Grischuk
Switch the video to HD (cogwheel icon on the bottom right) and switch to
full screen for enjoyment
Radjabov-Kramnik
The Karpov variation of the Nimzo Indian has been tested time and time again.
Kramnik’s Ng4 venture is nothing new, and it forced Radjabov to concede
his light squared bishop, but at the same time he was able to get in his c4
push so he wouldn’t be blockaded on that square. After much maneuvering
nothing exciting happened, and the game fizzled out.
Pensive: former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik
with 2.0/4 points
World number four Teimour Radjabov, also at 50%
Nigel Short helping out with commentary in round
four
Select games from the dropdown menu above the board
Schedule and results
Round 1 March 15 at 14:00
Levon Aronian
½-½
Magnus Carlsen
Boris Gelfand
½-½
Teimour Radjabov
Vassily Ivanchuk
½-½
Alexander Grischuk
Peter Svidler
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
Round 2 March 16 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik
Alexander Grischuk
½-½
Peter Svidler
Teimour Radjabov
1-0
Vassily Ivanchuk
Levon Aronian
1-0
Boris Gelfand
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
Round 3 March 17 at 14:00
Boris Gelfand
0-1
Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk
0-1
Levon Aronian
Peter Svidler
1-0
Teimour Radjabov
Vladimir Kramnik
½-½
Alexander Grischuk
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
Round 4 March 19 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
1-0
Alexander Grischuk
Teimour Radjabov
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik
Levon Aronian
½-½
Peter Svidler
Boris Gelfand
½-½
Vassily Ivanchuk
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
Round 5 March 20 at 14:00
Vassily Ivanchuk
-
Magnus Carlsen
Peter Svidler
-
Boris Gelfand
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Levon Aronian
Alexander Grischuk
-
Teimour Radjabov
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
Round 6 March 21 at 14:00
Peter Svidler
-
Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Vassily Ivanchuk
Alexander Grischuk
-
Boris Gelfand
Teimour Radjabov
-
Levon Aronian
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
Round 7 March 23 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
-
Teimour Radjabov
Levon Aronian
-
Alexander Grischuk
Boris Gelfand
-
Vladimir Kramnik
Vassily Ivanchuk
-
Peter Svidler
Playchess commentary: GM Alejandro
Ramirez
Round 8 March 24 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
-
Levon Aronian
Teimour Radjabov
-
Boris Gelfand
Alexander Grischuk
-
Vassily Ivanchuk
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Peter Svidler
Playchess commentary: GM Alejandro
Ramirez
Round 9 March 25 at 14:00
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Magnus Carlsen
Peter Svidler
-
Alexander Grischuk
Vassily Ivanchuk
-
Teimour Radjabov
Boris Gelfand
-
Levon Aronian
Playchess commentary: GM Maurice
Ashley
Round 10 March 27 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
-
Boris Gelfand
Levon Aronian
-
Vassily Ivanchuk
Teimour Radjabov
-
Peter Svidler
Alexander Grischuk
-
Vladimir Kramnik
Playchess commentary: GM Yasser
Seirawan
Round 11 March 28 at 14:00
Alexander Grischuk
-
Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Teimour Radjabov
Peter Svidler
-
Levon Aronian
Vassily Ivanchuk
-
Boris Gelfand
Playchess commentary: GM Chris
Ward
Round 12 March 29 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
-
Vassily Ivanchuk
Boris Gelfand
-
Peter Svidler
Levon Aronian
-
Vladimir Kramnik
Teimour Radjabov
-
Alexander Grischuk
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
Round 13 March 31 at 14:00
Teimour Radjabov
-
Magnus Carlsen
Alexander Grischuk
-
Levon Aronian
Vladimir Kramnik
-
Boris Gelfand
Peter Svidler
-
Vassily Ivanchuk
Playchess commentary: GM Daniel
King
Round 14 April 1 at 14:00
Magnus Carlsen
-
Peter Svidler
Vassily Ivanchuk
-
Vladimir Kramnik
Boris Gelfand
-
Alexander Grischuk
Levon Aronian
-
Teimour Radjabov
Playchess commentary: GM Maurice
Ashley
The games start at 14:00h = 2 p.m. London time = 15:00h European time,
17:00h Moscow, 8 a.m. New York. You can find your regional starting time here.
Note that Britain and Europe switch
to Summer time on March 31, so that the last two rounds will start an hour
earlier for places that do not swich or have already done so (e.g. USA). The
commentary on Playchess begins one hour after the start of the games
and is free for premium members.
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