Carlsen wins Grand Chess Tour Leuven

by André Schulz
6/20/2016 – In Paris, at the first leg of the Grand Chess Tour 2016, Hikaru Nakamura was able to get the better of World Champion Magnus Carlsen. But at the second Grand Chess Tour tournament 2016 in Leuven Carlsen came back with a vengeance. He showed an impressive performance in the second part of the blitz tournament and won the event convincingly.
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The old city of Leuven

An gorgeous playing venue for a top tournament: the old city hall
in the center of Leuven

Ornate roofs...

...and facades

The entry to the chess tournament

The city of Leuven in Belgium and its fantastic old city hall offered a splendid venue for the second leg of the Grand Chess Tour. Over four days the world's best players showed their skills in rapid and in blitz chess. World Champion Magnus Carlsen won both tournaments even though he expressed some dissatisfaction with his play in an interview with Maurice Ashley at the end of the tournament.

With several teams of commentators the tournament was excellently presented and could be followed live on the internet.

Quiet before the round...

Tournament director Malcolm Pein

At the beginning of each tournament day the players sat down
among the spectators and waited until Malcolm Pein introduced then one by one.

Veselin Topalov

Vishy Anand

Wesley So

Vladimir Kramnik

Magnus Carlsen

Anish Giri

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Fabiano Caruana

Hikaru Nakamura

The tournament venue

Carlsen and Nakamura met in the last round and Carlsen was already clear first
but encounters between these two are always exciting.

Caruana had some trouble against Anand but escaped to a draw

Final standings Blitz

 

All blitz games

 
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1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Bc5 4.Nf3 c6 5.Nc3 d6 6.e3 Bb4 7.Qc2 Nf6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.d3 Re8 11.Be2 e4 12.Nd2 d5 13.0-0 exd3 14.Bxd3 Nbd7 15.cxd5 Ne5 16.Be2 Nxd5 17.Qc2 Bg4 18.Bxg4 Nxg4 19.Nf3 Qf6 20.Bd2 Qg6 21.Qb3 Rab8 22.Rad1 Ngf6 23.Bc1 h6 24.Rd4 Ne4 25.Rfd1 Re6 26.Qc2 Rbe8 27.b4 Rf6 28.Nh4 Rxf2 29.Rxe4 Rxg2+ 30.Qxg2 Qxe4 31.Qxe4 Rxe4 32.Nf5 Re5 33.Rf1 f6 34.Kg2 Nb6 35.Nd6 Re7 36.Rd1 Rd7 37.Rd2 Nd5 38.Nf5 g6 39.Nxh6+ Kg7 40.e4 Ne3+ 41.Kf3 Rxd2 42.Bxd2 Nc4 43.Bc1 Nxa3 44.Nf5+ gxf5 45.Bxa3 fxe4+ 46.Kxe4 Kg6 47.Kf4 b6 48.Bc1 a5 49.bxa5 bxa5 50.Ba3 Kh5 51.Kg3 f5 52.Be7 a4 53.h3 Kg6 54.Kf4 Kh5 55.Kg3 Kg6 56.Ba3 Kg5 57.Bc1+ Kh5 58.Ba3 Kg5 59.Bc1+ Kh5 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Topalov,V2761Anand,V2770½–½2016A21GCT Blitz YourNextMove1
Carlsen,M2855Aronian,L2792½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove1
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Nakamura,H27870–12016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove1
Kramnik,V2812So,W27701–02016A07GCT Blitz YourNextMove1
Caruana,F2804Giri,A27821–02016A06GCT Blitz YourNextMove1
Anand,V2770Giri,A2782½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove2
So,W2770Caruana,F28041–02016A35GCT Blitz YourNextMove2
Nakamura,H2787Kramnik,V2812½–½2016D00GCT Blitz YourNextMove2
Aronian,L2792Vachier Lagrave,M2789½–½2016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove2
Topalov,V2761Carlsen,M28550–12016B90GCT Blitz YourNextMove2
Carlsen,M2855Anand,V2770½–½2016D38GCT Blitz YourNextMove3
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Topalov,V2761½–½2016D78GCT Blitz YourNextMove3
Kramnik,V2812Aronian,L27921–02016A07GCT Blitz YourNextMove3
Caruana,F2804Nakamura,H2787½–½2016A05GCT Blitz YourNextMove3
Giri,A2782So,W2770½–½2016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove3
Anand,V2770So,W2770½–½2016C53GCT Blitz YourNextMove4
Nakamura,H2787Giri,A27821–02016D11GCT Blitz YourNextMove4
Aronian,L2792Caruana,F28041–02016E21GCT Blitz YourNextMove4
Topalov,V2761Kramnik,V2812½–½2016A13GCT Blitz YourNextMove4
Carlsen,M2855Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016B53GCT Blitz YourNextMove4
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Anand,V27700–12016A08GCT Blitz YourNextMove5
Kramnik,V2812Carlsen,M28550–12016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove5
Caruana,F2804Topalov,V27610–12016B90GCT Blitz YourNextMove5
Giri,A2782Aronian,L2792½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove5
So,W2770Nakamura,H27871–02016A18GCT Blitz YourNextMove5
Anand,V2770Nakamura,H2787½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove6
Aronian,L2792So,W27701–02016A09GCT Blitz YourNextMove6
Topalov,V2761Giri,A27821–02016A09GCT Blitz YourNextMove6
Carlsen,M2855Caruana,F28040–12016E21GCT Blitz YourNextMove6
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Kramnik,V28121–02016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove6
Kramnik,V2812Anand,V2770½–½2016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove7
Caruana,F2804Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove7
Giri,A2782Carlsen,M2855½–½2016C55GCT Blitz YourNextMove7
So,W2770Topalov,V27611–02016B54GCT Blitz YourNextMove7
Nakamura,H2787Aronian,L2792½–½2016A45GCT Blitz YourNextMove7
Anand,V2770Aronian,L2792½–½2016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove8
Topalov,V2761Nakamura,H2787½–½2016A13GCT Blitz YourNextMove8
Carlsen,M2855So,W27701–02016D11GCT Blitz YourNextMove8
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Giri,A2782½–½2016C77GCT Blitz YourNextMove8
Kramnik,V2812Caruana,F28041–02016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove8
Caruana,F2804Anand,V27701–02016A01GCT Blitz YourNextMove9
Giri,A2782Kramnik,V2812½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove9
So,W2770Vachier Lagrave,M27891–02016A04GCT Blitz YourNextMove9
Nakamura,H2787Carlsen,M2855½–½2016E11GCT Blitz YourNextMove9
Aronian,L2792Topalov,V27611–02016A14GCT Blitz YourNextMove9
Anand,V2770Topalov,V27611–02016B90GCT Blitz YourNextMove10
Aronian,L2792Carlsen,M2855½–½2016A90GCT Blitz YourNextMove10
Nakamura,H2787Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016B90GCT Blitz YourNextMove10
So,W2770Kramnik,V28120–12016A14GCT Blitz YourNextMove10
Giri,A2782Caruana,F2804½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove10
Giri,A2782Anand,V2770½–½2016A14GCT Blitz YourNextMove11
Caruana,F2804So,W2770½–½2016A05GCT Blitz YourNextMove11
Kramnik,V2812Nakamura,H2787½–½2016A14GCT Blitz YourNextMove11
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Aronian,L2792½–½2016C84GCT Blitz YourNextMove11
Carlsen,M2855Topalov,V27611–02016D80GCT Blitz YourNextMove11
Anand,V2770Carlsen,M28550–12016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove12
Topalov,V2761Vachier Lagrave,M2789½–½2016A20GCT Blitz YourNextMove12
Aronian,L2792Kramnik,V2812½–½2016D41GCT Blitz YourNextMove12
Nakamura,H2787Caruana,F28041–02016B08GCT Blitz YourNextMove12
So,W2770Giri,A2782½–½2016A13GCT Blitz YourNextMove12
So,W2770Anand,V2770½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove13
Giri,A2782Nakamura,H2787½–½2016C67GCT Blitz YourNextMove13
Caruana,F2804Aronian,L27921–02016A13GCT Blitz YourNextMove13
Kramnik,V2812Topalov,V27610–12016A07GCT Blitz YourNextMove13
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Carlsen,M28550–12016E11GCT Blitz YourNextMove13
Anand,V2770Vachier Lagrave,M27891–02016B90GCT Blitz YourNextMove14
Carlsen,M2855Kramnik,V2812½–½2016C67GCT Blitz YourNextMove14
Topalov,V2761Caruana,F28040–12016A30GCT Blitz YourNextMove14
Aronian,L2792Giri,A2782½–½2016D43GCT Blitz YourNextMove14
Nakamura,H2787So,W2770½–½2016D05GCT Blitz YourNextMove14
Nakamura,H2787Anand,V27700–12016A21GCT Blitz YourNextMove15
So,W2770Aronian,L2792½–½2016C89GCT Blitz YourNextMove15
Giri,A2782Topalov,V27611–02016D78GCT Blitz YourNextMove15
Caruana,F2804Carlsen,M28550–12016A09GCT Blitz YourNextMove15
Kramnik,V2812Vachier Lagrave,M27890–12016A48GCT Blitz YourNextMove15
Anand,V2770Kramnik,V2812½–½2016C50GCT Blitz YourNextMove16
Vachier Lagrave,M2789Caruana,F2804½–½2016B40GCT Blitz YourNextMove16
Carlsen,M2855Giri,A27820–12016B23GCT Blitz YourNextMove16
Topalov,V2761So,W27700–12016C53GCT Blitz YourNextMove16
Aronian,L2792Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E21GCT Blitz YourNextMove16
Aronian,L2792Anand,V27701–02016D17GCT Blitz YourNextMove17
Nakamura,H2787Topalov,V27611–02016D02GCT Blitz YourNextMove17
So,W2770Carlsen,M2855½–½2016A80GCT Blitz YourNextMove17
Giri,A2782Vachier Lagrave,M2789½–½2016A15GCT Blitz YourNextMove17
Caruana,F2804Kramnik,V28121–02016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove17
Anand,V2770Caruana,F2804½–½2016C65GCT Blitz YourNextMove18
Kramnik,V2812Giri,A27821–02016D03GCT Blitz YourNextMove18
Vachier Lagrave,M2789So,W2770½–½2016A36GCT Blitz YourNextMove18
Carlsen,M2855Nakamura,H2787½–½2016E21GCT Blitz YourNextMove18
Topalov,V2761Aronian,L2792½–½2016A28GCT Blitz YourNextMove18

 

Jennifer Shahade and Yasser Seirawan were commentating the games from St. Louis

Maurice Ashley was present in Leuven - here in an interview with
Garry Kasparov who paid a surprise visit to Leuven.

Sunil Weeramantry and Kris Littlejohn follow the games of Hikaru Nakamura

Winning is fun - and put Magnus Carlsen
in the mood for letting fans take pictures

Maurice Ashley with the winner of the Grand Chess Tour Leuven 2016

Congratulations!

Final result of the Grand Chess Tour Leuven 2016

The next GCT tournament is not that far away

 

All rapid games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Nbd7 9.Qd2 b5 10.0-0-0 h5 11.Nd5 Rc8 12.g3 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb6 14.Bh3 Nc4 15.Qe2 Rc7 16.Bg5 Be7 17.f4 Ng4 18.Bxg4 hxg4 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Rhe1 Kf8 21.fxe5 Qxe5 22.Nd4 Qxe2 23.Rxe2 g6 24.Nc6 Kg7 25.Rd4 f5 26.a4 Ne5 27.axb5 axb5 28.Nxe5 dxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxh2 30.c3 Ra7 31.Kb1 Rh3 32.d6 Rd7 33.Re3 Kf6 34.Kc2 g5 35.Red3 Ke6 36.Re3+ Kf6 37.Red3 Ke6 38.Re3+ ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
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  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2770Carlsen,M2855½–½2016B90GCT Rapid YourNextMove1.1
Kramnik,V2812Nakamura,H27871–02016A14GCT Rapid YourNextMove1.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2789Anand,V27700–12016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove1.3
Caruana,F2804Topalov,V27611–02016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove1.4
Aronian,L2792Giri,A27821–02016A15GCT Rapid YourNextMove1.5
Anand,V2770Aronian,L2792½–½2016C67GCT Rapid YourNextMove2.1
So,W2770Kramnik,V2812½–½2016D53GCT Rapid YourNextMove2.2
Carlsen,M2855Vachier-Lagrave,M2789½–½2016A20GCT Rapid YourNextMove2.3
Giri,A2782Caruana,F2804½–½2016C50GCT Rapid YourNextMove2.4
Topalov,V2761Nakamura,H27871–02016C53GCT Rapid YourNextMove2.5
Caruana,F2804Anand,V2770½–½2016A09GCT Rapid YourNextMove3.1
Aronian,L2792Carlsen,M28550–12016A40GCT Rapid YourNextMove3.2
Kramnik,V2812Topalov,V27610–12016A07GCT Rapid YourNextMove3.3
Vachier-Lagrave,M2789So,W2770½–½2016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove3.4
Nakamura,H2787Giri,A27820–12016D04GCT Rapid YourNextMove3.5
Carlsen,M2855Caruana,F28040–12016C77GCT Rapid YourNextMove4.1
Giri,A2782Topalov,V2761½–½2016C50GCT Rapid YourNextMove4.2
Anand,V2770Nakamura,H2787½–½2016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove4.3
So,W2770Aronian,L2792½–½2016E32GCT Rapid YourNextMove4.4
Vachier-Lagrave,M2789Kramnik,V28121–02016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove4.5
Caruana,F2804So,W27700–12016A09GCT Rapid YourNextMove5.1
Topalov,V2761Anand,V27700–12016A20GCT Rapid YourNextMove5.2
Nakamura,H2787Carlsen,M28551–02016D38GCT Rapid YourNextMove5.3
Aronian,L2792Vachier-Lagrave,M2789½–½2016D14GCT Rapid YourNextMove5.4
Kramnik,V2812Giri,A2782½–½2016D77GCT Rapid YourNextMove5.5
Anand,V2770Giri,A27821–02016C50GCT Rapid YourNextMove6.1
So,W2770Nakamura,H2787½–½2016D37GCT Rapid YourNextMove6.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2789Caruana,F2804½–½2016A78GCT Rapid YourNextMove6.3
Carlsen,M2855Topalov,V27611–02016E21GCT Rapid YourNextMove6.4
Aronian,L2792Kramnik,V2812½–½2016A14GCT Rapid YourNextMove6.5
Kramnik,V2812Anand,V27701–02016A14GCT Rapid YourNextMove7.1
Caruana,F2804Aronian,L27920–12016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove7.2
Topalov,V2761So,W27700–12016A10GCT Rapid YourNextMove7.3
Giri,A2782Carlsen,M28550–12016B12GCT Rapid YourNextMove7.4
Nakamura,H2787Vachier-Lagrave,M2789½–½2016B90GCT Rapid YourNextMove7.5
Carlsen,M2855Anand,V27701–02016C50GCT Rapid YourNextMove8.1
So,W2770Giri,A2782½–½2016D45GCT Rapid YourNextMove8.2
Aronian,L2792Nakamura,H27871–02016E21GCT Rapid YourNextMove8.3
Caruana,F2804Kramnik,V28121–02016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove8.4
Vachier-Lagrave,M2789Topalov,V2761½–½2016B51GCT Rapid YourNextMove8.5
Kramnik,V2812Carlsen,M28550–12016A04GCT Rapid YourNextMove9.1
Topalov,V2761Aronian,L27921–02016A28GCT Rapid YourNextMove9.2
Anand,V2770So,W2770½–½2016C65GCT Rapid YourNextMove9.3
Nakamura,H2787Caruana,F28041–02016A05GCT Rapid YourNextMove9.4
Giri,A2782Vachier-Lagrave,M27891–02016A04GCT Rapid YourNextMove9.5

 

Photos: André Schulz, Grand Chess Tour

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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