Champions Showdown 2016: Anand and Topalov lead

by Priyadarshan Banjan
11/13/2016 – While Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin play for the World Title in New York, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Vishy Anand and Veselin Topalov show their skills in classical, rapid and blitz chess in the 2016 Champions Showdown in St. Louis. Two days of play are left, Anand and Topalov lead. An illustrated report.
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Champions Showdown 2016: Anand and Topalov lead after the classical games

A preview of the tournament and its format

Round Robin 02 — Round Two

With 2.5/4 Vishy Anand began day three in the first place. Veselin Topalov had bamboozled Caruana in the first round with a fine, intuitive sacrifice, but then had blundered against Nakamura in round three - after four rounds he had 2.0/4. With one win, one loss and two draws Hikaru Nakamura also had 2.0/4. Fabiano Caruana was yet to win.

Results Round Robin 02 - Round Two:

White Result Black
Nakamura, Hikaru 1 - 0 Caruana, Fabiano
Anand, Viswanathan ½ - ½ Topalov, Veselin

Things became worse for Caruana in the second round of the second round robin.

Nakamura won a pawn and then things just got better and better.

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 3 d5 0 2.c4 0 e6 0 3.Nf3 48 Nf6 4 4.Nc3 17 Be7 28 5.Bg5 7 h6 0 6.Bh4 0 0-0 1 7.e3 0 Ne4 2 8.Bxe7 0 Qxe7 0 9.cxd5 76 Nxc3 0 10.bxc3 0 exd5 0 11.Bd3 0 c5 95 12.0-0 3 Nc6 127 13.Re1 0 Rd8 220 13...Be6 was played by Russian Jakovenko against Nakamura in 2014. 14.e4 dxe4 15.Bxe4 cxd4 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Nxd4 Qc5 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Re3 Rf6 20.Qe2 Raf8 21.Rf1 Kh8 22.g3 Rd8 23.Rxe6 Rxe6 24.Qxe6 Qxc3 25.Qe7 Qd4 26.Rc1 Rb8 27.Qf7 a5 28.Qf5 Qd2 29.Rc2 Qd1+ 30.Kg2 Rb1 31.Qf8+ Kh7 32.Qf5+ Kh8 33.Qf8+ Kh7 34.Qf5+ 1/2-1/2 (34) Nakamura,H (2764) -Jakovenko,D (2747) Tashkent 2014 14.e4 14 dxe4 6 15.Bxe4 24 Qf6 41 16.d5 17 Ne7 216 17.c4 201 the first completely new move. 17.Ne5 was Topalov's choice against Anand. Bf5 18.Bf3 Ng6 19.Nxg6 Bxg6 20.Qb3 b6 21.Re3 Bf5 22.Rae1 Qd6 23.h3 Bd7 24.Bg4 Bxg4 25.hxg4 b5 26.Re5 Rab8 27.R1e3 c4 28.Qc2 b4 29.cxb4 Qxb4 30.g3 Qb1+ 31.Qxb1 Rxb1+ 32.Kg2 Rd1 33.Re8+ Rxe8 34.Rxe8+ Kh7 35.Rc8 Rxd5 36.Rxc4 1/2-1/2 (36) Topalov,V (2775) -Anand,V (2817) Monte Carlo 2011 17...Bg4 522 18.Qb3 58 Bxf3 16 19.Bxf3 0 Nf5 181 20.Qxb7 102 Nd6 0 21.Qc6 73 Rdc8 579 22.Qa6 39 g6 38 23.Rab1 159 Rd8 44 24.Qc6 178 Rdc8 88 25.Qa6 99 Rd8 0 26.Re3 10 Qd4 159 27.Be2 118 Nf5 374 28.Reb3 21 Nd6 29 29.Rd1 77 Qf6 87 30.Qa5 212 Re8 42 31.Bf1 18 Rec8 88 32.g3 126 Qf5 207 33.Qd2 47 h5 7 34.Ra3 0 Re8 60 35.Ra6 53 Ne4 4 36.Qf4 0 Qxf4 24 37.gxf4 0 Rab8 6 38.Rxa7 78 Nd6 52 39.Ra6 3 Nf5 21 40.Rc6 8 Re4 69 41.d6 43 Rd8 3 42.d7 4 Kf8 3 43.Rxc5 7 Rxf4 23 44.Bh3 33 Nd4 38 45.Rc8 22 Ke7 24 46.c5 0 g5 46 47.Re1+ 20 Ne6 0 48.Bxe6 0 fxe6 0 49.c6 0 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2779Caruana,F28231–02016D572016 Champions Showdown5.1

Results Round Robin 02 - Round 03:

White Result Black
Caruana, Fabiano ½ - ½ Anand, Viswanathan
Topalov, Veselin 1 - 0 Nakamura, Hikaru

In the first round robin Topalov defeated Caruana and only lost to Nakamura. In the second round robin things went differently: Nakamura beat Caruana but lost to Topalov!

A lot of chess fans were glad when Magnus Carlsen did not try the Berlin
against Sergey Karjakin in round two of their match in New York.
But in St. Louis Nakamura tried against Topalov! And an interesting game developed...

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Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 0 e5 0 2.Nf3 0 Nc6 3 3.Bb5 1 Nf6 0 The Berlin! Nakamura has played it many times before, though. 4.0-0 0 Nxe4 0 5.Re1 0 Nd6 1 6.Nxe5 0 Be7 0 7.Bf1 0 Nakamura has actually played this with White as well and has beaten Magnus Carlsen in a classical game (for the first time in his career). Nf5 0 7...0-0 8.Nc3 Nxe5 9.Rxe5 Ne8 10.Nd5 Bd6 11.Re1 c6 12.Ne3 Bc7 13.Nf5 d5 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxc8 Rxc8 16.g3 Nd6 17.Bh3 f5 18.d3 Qd7 19.Qh5 Rce8 20.Bf4 g6 21.Qf3 Nf7 22.Bd2 Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 Re8 24.Qd1 Kg8 25.a4 a6 26.a5 Qd8 27.b4 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 Ne5 29.Qe2 d4 30.Bg2 Qd7 31.Bf4 Nf7 32.Bd2 Nd8 33.c4 dxc3 34.Bxc3 Ne6 35.d4 Bd8 36.d5 cxd5 37.Qe5 d4 38.Bd5 Kf7 39.Bxd4 Be7 40.Qg7+ Ke8 41.Qg8+ Nf8 42.Qf7+ Kd8 43.Bb6+ Kc8 44.Bb3 Bd6 45.Qc4+ Qc6 46.Qd4 Bc7 47.Qg7 Bxb6 48.axb6 Qc1+ 49.Kg2 Qc6+ 50.Kh3 Qd6 51.Bd5 Nd7 52.Qg8+ Nf8 53.Qf7 Nd7 54.Qe8# 1-0 (54) Nakamura,H (2787) -Carlsen,M (2853) chess.com INT 2016 8.Nf3 0 0-0 1 9.d4 0 d5 0 10.c3 0 10.g3 was MVL's choice in their recent chess.com Blitz Battle. Re8 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Ne2 g5 13.Bg2 13.c3 h6 14.h3 Bf6 15.Bd2 Nd6 16.Nc1 Bg7 17.Nb3 Ne4 18.Nc5 Nxc5 19.dxc5 d4 20.cxd4 Nxd4 21.Nxd4 Qxd4 22.Be3 Qxd1 23.Rexd1 c6 24.Rd2 Rad8 25.Rad1 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Bxa2 27.Rd7 Rb8 28.b4 Be6 29.Rd2 Bc3 30.Rc2 Bxb4 31.h4 gxh4 32.gxh4 a5 33.Bxh6 a4 34.Bd3 a3 35.f4 f5 0-1 (35) Vachier Lagrave,M (2819)-Nakamura,H (2791) chess.com INT 2016 13...Bf6 14.c3 h6 15.Bd2 Nd6 16.Nc1 Bf5 17.Rxe8+ Qxe8 18.Nb3 Nc4 18...Bg7 19.h4 f6 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.Nc5 Ne7 22.Qb3 b6 23.Na6 Rc8 24.Re1 Nf7 25.Nb4 c6 26.c4 dxc4 27.Qxc4 a5 28.Nd3 Qd7 29.Nc1 Nd5 30.Ne2 Nd6 31.Qb3 Be6 32.Nc3 Bf7 33.Nxd5 Bxd5 34.Qxb6 g4 35.Nh4 Nc4 36.Qc5 Bf8 0-1 (36) Vachier Lagrave,M (2819)-Nakamura,H (2791) chess.com INT 2016 19.Bc1 b6 20.Nbd2 Nxd2 21.Bxd2 Be4 22.h4 g4 23.Nh2 h5 24.f3 gxf3 25.Bxf3 Qe6 26.Bxe4 Qxe4 27.Qxh5 Nxd4 28.Qg4+ Qxg4 29.Nxg4 Nf3+ 30.Kf2 Nxd2 31.Nxf6+ Kg7 32.Nxd5 Rd8 33.Ne3 Ne4+ 34.Kf3 Nd2+ 35.Ke2 Ne4 36.Nf5+ Kg6 37.Rf1 Re8 38.Kd3 Nc5+ 39.Kd2 Ne4+ 40.Kc2 Re5 41.g4 Nf6 42.h5+ Kg5 43.Nd4 Rd5 44.h6 Kg6 45.Nf5 Rd7 46.Nh4+ Kxh6 47.g5+ Kxg5 48.Nf3+ Kf5 49.Nd4+ Kg6 50.Rg1+ Kh5 51.Rh1+ Kg6 52.Rg1+ Kh5 53.Rh1+ Kg5 54.Rg1+ Ng4 55.b4 f5 56.b5 f4 57.Kd3 Re7 58.Nf3+ Kh5 59.Kd4 Re3 60.Rf1 Nf6 61.c4 Re4+ 62.Kd3 Kg4 63.Nd2 Re3+ 64.Kd4 Re2 65.Kd3 Re3+ 66.Kd4 Kf5 67.a4 Ra3 68.Re1 Nd7 69.Ne4 Ne5 0-1 (69) Vachier Lagrave,M (2819)-Nakamura,H (2791) chess.com INT 2016 10...Bd6 8 11.Bd3 76 Nce7 2 12.Nbd2 200 c6 2 13.Qc2 179 First new move. 13.Nf1 Ng6 14.Qc2 Nfh4 15.Nxh4 Qxh4 16.g3 Qh3 17.f4 Bg4 18.f5 Ne7 19.Ne3 Bf3 20.Qf2 Qh5 21.Rf1 Bg4 22.f6 gxf6 23.Nxg4 Qxg4 24.Qxf6 Bxg3 25.Kh1 Bh4 26.Bxh7+ Kxh7 27.Qh6+ Kg8 28.Rg1 Qxg1+ 29.Kxg1 Ng6 30.Bf4 Bf6 31.Be5 Bxe5 32.dxe5 Rae8 33.Kh1 Rxe5 34.Rg1 Rfe8 35.Rxg6+ fxg6 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 1/2-1/2 (36) Anand,V (2784)-Nakamura,H (2787) Zuerich 2016 13...g6 0 14.Nf1 4 Ng7 0 15.Ng3 55 f6 133 16.Bh6 157 Re8 84 17.Nh4 116 Bxg3 0 18.hxg3 209 Nef5 74 19.Qd2 463 g5 161 What will be the bishop's fate? 20.Rxe8+ 99 Qxe8 0 21.Re1 126 Qd8 54 22.Nxf5 182 Nxf5 0 23.Bxf5 18 Bxf5 0 24.Qe2 135 Kf7 29 25.g4 63 Bd7 0 26.f4 295 Kg6 3 27.fxg5 32 fxg5 0 28.Qe5! 0 The point. Qf6 2 28...Kxh6 29.Qd6+ Kg7 30.Re7+ Kg8 31.Qf6 Qf8 32.Qxg5+ Kh8 33.Rxd7+- 29.Qh2 202 Bxg4 308 30.Re5 0 Bf5 18 31.g4 0 Bxg4 0 32.Rxg5+ 0 Qxg5 0 33.Bxg5 0 Kxg5 0 34.Qxh7 0 b6 105 35.Qb7 42 Rc8 23 36.Qxa7 1 b5 0 37.b3 20 Kf4 13 38.Kf2 81 Bf5 206 39.a4 7 bxa4 60 40.bxa4 0 Ke4 18 41.a5 0 Rh8 7 42.Qc7 40 Kd3 129 43.a6 0 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Topalov,V2760Nakamura,H27791–02016C672016 Champions Showdown6.2

Anand drew both of his games on day three to finish the classical leg of the multi-format
tournament with 3.5/6. He now leads together with Topalov who also has 3.5/6.

Standings:

Rank Name Rating Classical Rapid Blitz Total Score
1-2 GM Viswanathan Anand 2779 3½/6 - - 3½
1-2 GM Veselin Topalov 2760 3½/6 - - 3½
3 GM Hikaru Nakamura 2779 3/6 - - 3
4 GM Fabiano Caruana 2823 2/6 - - 2

Games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.Nf3 0 d5 0 2.c4 0 e6 0 3.b3 2 c5 25 4.e3 21 Nc6 21 5.cxd5 exd5 0 6.Bb5 1:08 Nf6 23 7.0-0 35 Bd6 26 8.Bb2 0 0-0 1:50 9.d4 17 cxd4 2:23 10.Nxd4 0 Bg4 2:09 11.Be2 4:21 Bxe2 57 12.Nxe2 38 Re8 3:50 13.Nd2 6:27 Be5 40 14.Bxe5 26 Nxe5 0 15.Nf3 32 Nxf3+ 1:27 16.gxf3 0 Qa5 2:49 17.Qd3 5:16 Rac8 4:02 18.a4 22 Rc5 7:45 19.Rfb1 3:47 Qc7 0 20.Rc1 1:50 b6 4 21.Rc3 3:26 Rc8 1:43 22.Rac1 1 a5 14 23.Kg2 5:58 h6 47 24.Qa6 1:33 Qd8 0 25.Rxc5 3:15 bxc5 35 26.Ng3 25 g6 1:11 27.Qb5 8:28 Qc7 51 28.Ne2 32 c4 1:54 29.Nf4 29 Qc5 0 30.e4 1:37 Qxb5 3:27 31.axb5 0 Rb8 0 32.bxc4 42 dxc4 0 33.Rxc4 36 Rxb5 0 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2823Anand,V2779½–½2016A062016 Champions Showdown6.1
Topalov,V2760Nakamura,H27791–02016C672016 Champions Showdown6.2
Nakamura,H2779Caruana,F28231–02016D572016 Champions Showdown5.1
Anand,V2779Topalov,V2760½–½2016C542016 Champions Showdown5.2
Caruana,F2823Topalov,V2760½–½2016A092016 Champions Showdown4.1
Nakamura,H2779Anand,V27790–12016A212016 Champions Showdown4.2
Anand,V2779Caruana,F2823½–½2016B322016 Champions Showdown3.1
Nakamura,H2779Topalov,V27601–02016E352016 Champions Showdown3.2
Caruana,F2823Nakamura,H2779½–½2016C652016 Champions Showdown2.1
Topalov,V2760Anand,V2779½–½2016A212016 Champions Showdown2.2
Topalov,V2760Caruana,F28231–02016A172016 Champions Showdown1.1
Anand,V2779Nakamura,H2779½–½2016C542016 Champions Showdown1.2

There are many good reasons to watch the broadcast of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis. One is is the sheer quality of it.

Guest commentator for the third day of play was Garry Kasparov
who joined Tania Sachdev, Yasser Seirawan, and Alejandro Ramirez to entertain the viewers.

An added feature to this tournament is that anyone can make a phone call to the commentators and ask questions that they have. It gives you a unique opportunity to speak to great chess players and ask them questions about chess which have always been on your mind. The live commentary can be followed here and the phone number to call is 314-361-5465. The live broadcast begins at 1 p.m. local time in Saint Louis.

Go to 01:25:10 if you want to jump directly to the point when Kasparov joins the commentators!

In this 2-min video, Nakamura talks about his recent blitz match with Carlsen

A 1-min clip in which Alejandro Ramirez asks Caruana a number of quick questions.

Follow the games live on playchess.com

he 2016 Champions Showdown shall be an exhibition event featuring four players (Viswanathan Anand, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Veselin Topalov). Over five days, the Players shall complete two Classical Round Robins (G/60 +5” delay), two Rapid Round Robins (G/15 +5” delay) and four Blitz Round Robins (G/3 +2” delay).

Day Date Time Showdown in Saint Louis

Wednesday

9-Nov

  

Arrival

Thursday

10-Nov

1:00 PM

RR1: Round 1

   

3:30 PM

RR1: Round 2

Friday

11-Nov

1:00 PM

RR1: Round 3

   

3:30 PM

RR2: Round 1

Saturday

12-Nov

1:00 PM

RR2: Round 2

   

3:30 PM

RR2: Round 3

Sunday

13-Nov

1:00 PM

Rapid (6 rounds)

Monday

14-Nov

1:00 PM

Blitz (12 rounds)

Tuesday

15-Nov

  

Departure

 

Place

Prize

1st

$60,000

2nd

$40,000

3rd

$30,000

4th

$20,000

Total Prize Fund: $150,000 USD

When:

November 10th, 2016 1:00 PM CST through November 14th, 2016 12:00 AM CST

Location:

Chess Club & Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
4657 Maryland Ave Saint Louis
MO 63108
United States

Official website

Priyadarshan Banjan is a 23-year-old club player from India. He works as an editor for ChessBase News and ChessBase India. He is a chess fanatic and an avid fan of Vishy Anand. He also maintains a blog on a variety of topics.

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