Clutch Chess: Caruana and So move on to the finals

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
5/28/2020 – In matches of different nature, Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So advanced to the finals of the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown organized by the Saint Louis Chess Club. Caruana won eight of twelve games to beat Leinier Dominguez by a landslide, while So scored three consecutive wins at the start of day two to take down Hikaru Nakamura. The finals will be played on Thursday and Friday. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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Multitasking

With everyone locked down at home and a number of online chess tournaments going on, a unique opportunity has come up for some members of the elite: to play more than one tournament at a time! Both Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So signed up to participate both at the Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge and the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown, which have some of their dates overlapping.

So was knocked out from the Lindores Abbey event on Tuesday, some hours prior to the start of the Clutch Chess tournament, while Nakamura secured his spot in the semifinals of Lindores Abbey on Monday, a day before the all-American event kicked off. ‘Naka’ was then eliminated by So, a day before his much-anticipated match-up against Magnus Carlsen begins — in fact, had he beaten So, he would have faced world numbers one and two, Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, one after another, for two days in a row! 

As it happened, So and Caruana won the semifinals of the Clutch Chess event.

So 9½:8½ Nakamura

Nakamura had a one-point lead after day one, when the players drew four times and won a game apiece — Nakamura had, however, won one of the "clutch games", getting two points for that victory. 

The tables turned starting on Wednesday, as So kicked off the day with three straight wins. He finished off his opponent in style in game 7:

 
So vs. Nakamura - Game 7
Position after 20...Be8

21.Rd7 is a good-looking tactical shot. Black cannot capture with 21...Bxd7 due to 22.h7+ with mate-in-two. Nakamura played three more moves before conceding defeat.

After So's streak of victories, Nakamura bounced back with a 21-move win in game 10. Going into the final two clutch games — which granted three points and $3,000 each — So had merely a one-point lead. However, the Filipino-born grandmaster showed great nerves and obtained his pass to the finals by drawing both of the deciding encounters.

  Total G1 G2 G3 G4 G5* G6* G7 G8 G9 G10 G11** G12**
Hikaru Nakamura ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 1 ½ ½
Wesley So ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 0 ½ ½
*Games 5 and 6 are worth two points each
** Games 11 and 12 are worth three points each
 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 Nh5 8.Be2 D37: Queen's Gambit Declined: 5 Bf4. 8.Bd3 Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Ba6 13.Bxa6 Rxa6 14.Qe2 Ra7 15.g3 Bf6 16.Ne5 Bxe5 17.fxe5 Qa8 18.Rab1 axb4 19.axb4 Rb8 20.Qc2 Nf8 21.f4 Ng6 22.f5 exf5 23.Qxf5 bxc5 24.bxc5 Rxb1 25.Rxb1 1/2-1/2 (70) Nakamura,H (2745)-So,W (2767) chess.com INT 2020 8...Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.g3 axb4 14.axb4 Rxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 16.Re1 bxc5 17.bxc5 e5
18.Bf1N Predecessor: 18.Bd3 g5 19.Qb1 Rf7 20.fxe5 fxe5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Rxe5 Bd7 23.Ne2 Bf6 24.Re3 1/2-1/2 (48) Grischuk,A (2766)-Karjakin,S (2782) Paris 2018 18...e4 19.Nd2 f5 20.Nb3 Bf6 21.Rb1 Re8 22.Nd1
22.Qa4 22...g5 22...Nf8! 23.Qc3 Bd7 23.fxg5 Bxg5 24.Qa5! Bd8 24...Qb7 is interesting. 25.Nc3 Nf6 26.Qa2 Qf7 27.Na5 Bd7 25.Qxc7 Bxc7 26.Ra1 Nf8 27.Bh3 f4 27...Be6= 28.Ra8! White has the initiative. Bd7
29.Bxd7! Rxa8 29...Nxd7 30.Rxe8+ 30.Bxc6 Double Attack Rb8 31.Nc3 Kg7 32.Bxd5 e3 33.fxe3 fxe3 34.Kf1 h5 35.Nd1 Re8 36.Ke2 Ng6 37.Bf3 aiming for d5. h4 The position is equal. 38.Nxe3 hxg3 39.hxg3 Bxg3 Threatens to win with ...Bf4. 40.Na5 Nf4+ 40...Bf4!? 41.Nac4 Bxe3 42.Nxe3 Nf4+ 43.Kd2 Ne6= 41.Kd2 Be1+ Decoy 42.Kxe1 Rxe3+= Endgame Double Attack. KRN-KBN 43.Kf2 Rd3 44.c6 c7 is the strong threat. Nh3+ 45.Ke2 Nf4+ 46.Kf2 Black must now prevent c7. Nh3+ 47.Ke2 Nf4+ 48.Kf2 Accuracy: White = 86%, Black = 88%.
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2829So,W2741½–½2020Clutch Chess 20201
So,W2741Nakamura,H2829½–½2020Clutch Chess 20202
Nakamura,H2829So,W2741½–½2020Clutch Chess 20203
So,W2741Nakamura,H28291–02020Clutch Chess 20204
Nakamura,H2829So,W2741½–½2020Clutch Chess 20205
So,W2741Nakamura,H28290–12020Clutch Chess 20206
So,W2741Nakamura,H28291–02020Clutch Chess 20207
Nakamura,H2829So,W27410–12020Clutch Chess 20208
So,W2741Nakamura,H28291–02020Clutch Chess 20209
Nakamura,H2829So,W27411–02020Clutch Chess 202010
So,W2741Nakamura,H2829½–½2020Clutch Chess 202011
Nakamura,H2829So,W2741½–½2020Clutch Chess 202012

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Meanwhile, Caruana got a massive overall victory over Leinier Dominguez. Just by looking at the scoreboard, however, we do not get a full picture of how the match developed. In fact, Caruana's domination was markedly clearer on day, as Dominguez got plenty of good positions in games 7 to 12.

It was the time management what did Dominguez in, as all first five games of the day lasted more than 60 moves, and almost always it was Caruana who had more time on his clock when things got complicated in the endgame. This is, after all, rapid chess (10 minutes for the game plus 5-second increments), and handling the clock skilfully is key. 

  Total G1 G2 G3 G4 G5* G6* G7 G8 G9 G10 G11** G12**
Fabiano Caruana 15 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1
Leinier Domínguez 3 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 0
*Games 5 and 6 are worth two points each
** Games 11 and 12 are worth three points each
 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d5 C78: Ruy Lopez: Archangelsk and Möller Defences. 8.exd5 8.a4 dxe4 9.axb5 exf3 10.Qxf3 e4 11.Bxe4 Ne5 12.Qe2 0-0 13.d4 Bg4 14.Qc2 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Nf3+ 16.gxf3 Bh3 17.dxc5 Bxf1 18.Kxf1 Qd1+ 1/2-1/2 (58) Dominguez Perez,L (2763)-Caruana,F (2818) Saint Louis 2019 8...Qxd5
9.d4! exd4 10.Bb3 Qd6 11.Re1+ Be6 12.Ng5
12...0-0-0N Predecessor: 12...Nd8 13.Qf3 0-0 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.Be5 Bxb3 16.axb3 dxc3 17.Nxc3 Bxf2+ 18.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 19.Kxf2 1/2-1/2 (51) Kotronias,V (2486)-Kollars,D (2567) Aarhus 2019 13.Bxe6+ 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Rxe6 Qd7 13...fxe6 14.Nf7 Qe7 15.Nxd8 Rxd8 16.Qf3 Nd5 Black has some pressure. 17.Qe4 Rf8 18.Rf1 Rf5 19.a4 Qf6 20.Nd2 20.axb5= axb5 21.Ra2 20...dxc3 21.Nf3 Nd4 Inferior is 21...cxb2 22.Bxb2! Qe7 23.axb5± 22.bxc3? 22.axb5 Nxf3+ 23.gxf3 Rxf3 24.Kh1 axb5 25.bxc3 22...Nxf3+-+ 23.gxf3 Nxc3 23...Rxf3? 24.Kh1 24.Qa8+ Kd7 25.Be3 25.axb5 Ne2+ Discovered Attack 26.Kh1 25...Bd6 Less strong is 25...Bxe3 26.fxe3 Rd5 27.axb5 26.f4 Nd5 27.axb5 Qg6+? Black should play 27...Rxf4-+ 28.Qc6+ Ke7 29.Bxf4 Qxf4 28.Kh1= Rh5 29.Qc6+ Ke7 30.Rg1! Qe4+ Double Attack 31.Rg2 axb5 32.Ra8 Kf6 33.Qd7 Be7
34.Qe8 34.Bc5!= Bxc5 35.Qxg7+ Kf5 36.Qg4+ Double Attack Kf6 37.Qg7+ Kf5 38.Qg4+ Double Attack Kf6 39.Qg7+ 34...Nxe3 35.fxe3 Rc5 35...Rd5!? 36.Ra1 Rd2 36.Ra1 Rc2 37.Rag1 Rxg2 38.Rxg2 Qxe3 ...Qc1+ is the strong threat. 39.Qxb5 Endgame KQR-KQB Bc5 But not 39...Qxf4? 40.Qb2+ Kf7 41.Rf2+- 40.Qf1 g6 41.Rg3 Qe4+ 42.Qf3! Qxf3+ 42...Qa4 is interesting. 43.Kg2 Bd6 44.Qc3+ Kf7 45.Rf3 Qa2+ 43.Rxf3 KR-KB Bd4 44.Kg2 Kf5 45.Rh3 Kxf4 46.Rxh7 c5 47.Re7? 47.Rh6= 47...e5 48.h4 c4 49.Re6 c3 50.Rxg6 Ke3 51.Rc6 e4 52.h5 Kd2? Black should try 52...Kd3-+ 53.h6 e3 53.Rd6 Ke3 aiming for ...c2. 54.Rxd4 Kxd4 KPP-KP 55.h6 Black must now prevent h7. c2 56.h7 c1Q 57.h8Q+ KQ-KQ Kd3 58.Qd8+ Ke2 Threatens to win with ...Qf1+. 59.Qf6 Qd2 59...e3!? 60.Qa6+ Kd1= 60.Qf5 Ke1+ 61.Kg1 Qd4+ 62.Kg2 Qd3 And now ... Qc2+ would win. 63.Qf2+ Kd1 64.Qf5 Qe2+ 65.Kg3 Qd3+ 66.Kg4 Qd4 Hoping for ...Qe3. 67.Kf4 The position is equal. e3+ 68.Kf3 Kd2 68...e2!? 69.Qb1+ Kd2 70.Qa2+ Kd3 71.Qxe2+ Kc3= 69.Qa5+ Kc2 70.Qa2+ Kc3 71.Qa1+ Kc4 72.Qxd4+ Kxd4 73.Ke2 Ke4 74.Ke1 Kd3 ( -> ...e2) 75.Kd1 e2+ 76.Ke1 Ke3 Black had all chances to win. Accuracy: White = 79%, Black = 88%.
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F2773½–½2020Clutch Chess 20201
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L27861–02020Clutch Chess 20202
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F27730–12020Clutch Chess 20203
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L27861–02020Clutch Chess 20204
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F2773½–½2020Clutch Chess 20205
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L27861–02020Clutch Chess 20206
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L2786½–½2020Clutch Chess 20207
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F27730–12020Clutch Chess 20208
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L27860–12020Clutch Chess 20209
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F27730–12020Clutch Chess 202010
Caruana,F2773Dominguez Perez,L27861–02020Clutch Chess 202011
Dominguez Perez,L2786Caruana,F27730–12020Clutch Chess 202012

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.

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