GCT Croatia: Nepo leads as Kasparov struggles

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
7/11/2021 – It was a tough day at the office for Garry Kasparov in Zagreb. The former world champion scored ½ point in the 9 rounds of blitz played at the Croatia Grand Chess Tour. The strongest performer in the first half of the blitz section was Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who collected 6½ points and goes into the last day of action a half point behind sole leader Ian Nepomniachtchi. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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MVL the top scorer on Saturday

No player managed to go through the first 9 rounds of blitz undefeated at the Croatia Grand Chess Tour, but two of them only lost once on Saturday — Anish Giri and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. While Giri collected 3 wins, though, MVL managed to get full points no fewer than 5 times, including a crucial victory over tournament leader Ian Nepomniachtchi. Thanks to his 6½/9 score, Vachier-Lagrave is now only a half point behind the Russian.

For Nepo, things did not start all that well on Saturday, as he lost 2 out of his first 4 games. However, the Russian star lined up 4 victories in the remaining rounds to keep his spot atop the standings table.

Even though the fight for first place in the tournament has heated up, most eyes were put on the retired grandmaster in the field, as Garry Kasparov once again agreed to face some of the strongest active players in the world in a blitz tournament. Given how much Vladimir Kramnik had struggled in Paris, it was to be expected that Kasparov would not have it easy against his young opponents. However, his 8 losses in 9 rounds were a bit painful to see.

Chess fans all over the world know how competitive the man from Baku actually is. Thus, we expect to see the 58-year-old showing some of the brilliant play he is so well-known for in the remaining 9 rounds.

Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov | Photo: Lennart Ootes

MVL’s play was mostly impressive throughout, but he also had his fair share of luck to finish the day as the top scorer — as is usually the case in blitz events. The Frenchman saved lost positions against Jan-Krzysztof Duda and, most notably, against Garry Kasparov!

 
Vachier-Lagrave vs. Kasparov - Round 8

Things had gone badly wrong for White (MVL) in the opening phase of the game. At this point, the engines evaluate the position as completely winning for Black, as White’s rook and bishop on the queenside are mere spectators while Black is threatening to break through on the other flank of the board.

Kasparov, however, came from losing 6 out of 7 games, and lacked the confidence to find the sharp moves needed to convert his position into a win. Imprecise moves by the Russian slowly allowed White to untangle and, when time trouble reared its ugly head, the living legend blundered in an equal position and went on to lose the game.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 d5 4.e5 d4 5.Bd3 Bd7 6.0-0 B40: Sicilian: 2...e6, Unusual lines. Bc6 7.Re1 g5 8.h3 The position is equal. h5
9.Na3N 9.h4 Predecessor: 9.Nh2 g4 10.hxg4 hxg4 11.Qxg4 dxc3 12.Be4 Nh6 13.Qf4 cxb2 14.Bxb2 Bxe4 15.Qxe4 0-1 (56) Quillan,G (2409)-Koneru,H (2589) Caleta 2012 9...g4 10.Nh2 Nh6 10...gxh3-+ is more deadly. 11.g3 h4 11.Be4 d3 12.b4 12.hxg4 hxg4 13.Nxg4 12...Bxe4-+ 13.Rxe4 Qd5! 14.Qa4+ 14.Rf4 was called for. 14...Nc6 15.bxc5 Bxc5 15...gxh3 16.Nb5 0-0-0 16.Nb5 0-0-0 17.Qc4? 17.Ba3 is the only way for White. Bxa3 18.Nxa3 gxh3 19.Qc4 17...g3 18.Nf1 gxf2+ 19.Kh2 Nf5 19...a6 20.Qxd5 exd5 20.Ba3 Bxa3 21.Nxa3 Kb8 22.Qxd5 Rxd5 22...exd5?! 23.Rf4= 23.Nc4 b5 23...h4! 24.Rb1 b6 24.Nce3 Nxe3 25.Nxe3 Rxe5 26.Rf4 f5 27.Kg3
27...Kc7 27...Ne7! Hoping for ...Nd5. 28.Kxf2 Ng6 28.a4 a6 29.axb5 axb5 29...f1R keeps more tension. 30.Nxf1 axb5 31.Ne3 Rc5 32.Kf2 h4 30.Kxf2 Re4 31.Rxe4 fxe4= Endgame KRN-KRN 32.Kg3 32.Nf1= 32...Rf8 Better is 32...e5 33.Re1? 33.Rf1!= Ra8 34.Rb1 33...Ne7-+ 34.Rb1?
34.Nd1 Nf5+ 35.Kh2 34...Kc6? 34...Nd5!-+ and Black stays clearly on top. 35.Re1 35.Nxd5+? exd5 36.Rxb5 h4+ 37.Kxh4 Rf2-+ 35...h4+ Deflection 36.Kxh4 Rf2 35.Rb4 Nf5+ 36.Kf4 Nd6+ 37.Ke5 Rf2 38.Rd4 Nf7+ Black should play 38...Nb7 39.Kxe6 Rxd2 39.Kxe6= Don't play 39.Kxe4 Rxd2 40.h4 Nd6+ 41.Ke5 Nb7 39...Ng5+ 40.Ke5 Rxd2 41.h4 Re2 42.Rd6+ Kb7 Threatens to win with ... Nf7+. 43.hxg5 Rxe3 44.g6 Kf4 is the strong threat. Re2? 44...Kc7= 45.Rd5 Rg3 46.Kxe4 Kc6 47.Rxh5 d2 45.g4!+- White wants to mate with g7.White is clearly winning. Rg2 46.gxh5 d2 47.Kxe4 What a bad dream for Black. Weighted Error Value: White=0.37/Black=0.45
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vachier Lagrave,M2749Kasparov,G28121–02021GCT Croatia Blitz 20218

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Garry Kasparov

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ready to face the legend | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Nepo and MVL are clearly the main contenders to take first place on Sunday, but Giri’s chances should not be underestimated. The Dutchman stands a full point behind Vachier-Lagrave with 9 rounds to go, and has shown great tactical awareness on the first half of the blitz section.

Giri kicked off the day with a win over Vishy Anand. The Indian blundered into a mating net on move 35.

 
Giri vs. Anand - Round 1

Black needed to block the check with 35...Nf8, which would have kept the dynamic balance in the position. Anand’s 35...Kg7, on the other hand, was swiftly punished by Giri — 36.Rg8+ Kh6 37.Bf4 (perhaps what Anand had missed?) exf4 38.Qxf4 Qxf2 39.Rg6+

 

Anand resigned, as after 39...Kh5 the light-squared bishop decisively joins the attack with 40.Bd1+. A pretty find by Giri!

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5 a6 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 7.Nbd2 Ba7 8.0-0 h6 The position is equal. 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 0-0 11.a4 Nh7 12.h3 h5 13.d4 h4 14.Bh2 g4 15.hxg4 Bxg4 16.Be2
16...Bxf3N 16...Qf6= keeps the balance. Predecessor: 16...Qf6 17.Kh1 Qh6 18.b4 exd4 19.cxd4 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Rc1 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Rac8 1/2-1/2 (30) Cvak,R (2396)-Loisel,D (2243) ICCF email 2018 17.gxf3 17.Nxf3± exd4 18.cxd4 18.Nxd4 Qg5± 17...exd4= 18.f4 Kh8 19.Kh1 Rg8 20.Bd3 dxc3 21.bxc3 Qd7 22.f5 22.Qh5= Qh3 23.Qf3 22...Ne5 23.Nf3 23.Bxe5+ dxe5 24.Nf3 23...Qe7 23...Ng4 24.Qd2 Nhf6 24.Nxe5= dxe5 25.Rb1 c6 26.Qh5 Hoping for Rxb7! b5 27.axb5 axb5 28.Ra1 f6 29.Bc2 Rg5 Better is 29...b4= 30.Qf3 White should try 30.Qxh4 Qf7 31.Bd1 30...Rd8 30...Rg7! 31.Bb3 Rd2
31...Bb6= remains equal. 32.Rad1 32.Rg1!± aiming for Rxg5. Bxf2 33.Rxg5 Nxg5 34.Qh5+ Nh7 35.Bg1 Bxg1 36.Rxg1 32...Rxd1 33.Rxd1 Bb6 34.Ra1 Qc5 35.Ra8+ Kg7? 35...Nf8= 36.Rg8+ Kh6
Threatens to win with ...Rxg8. 37.Bf4! White mates. exf4 38.Qxf4 Qxf2 39.Rg6+! Weighted Error Value: White=0.23/Black=0.42
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Giri,A2776Anand,V27531–02021GCT Croatia Blitz 20211

Anish Giri

Anish Giri right after knocking down both kings in his game against Anton Korobov | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Despite his early loss, Anand managed to bounce back and finish the day with a strong 5½/9 performance, scoring victories over Kasparov, Duda, Anton Korobov and Jorden van Foreest. The Indian is in shared fourth place in the standings table, 2½ points behind the leader.

Van Foreest was in an uncomfortable position against the man from Madras when he blundered decisively with the white pieces.

 
Van Foreest vs. Anand - Round 7

43.Rb1 loses to 43...Nd2 44.Ra1 Rc2. Black not only captured the b-pawn — he also trapped his opponent’s: 45.Nd4 Rxb2 46.Ra3 Rb1+ 47.Kf2 Nc4. White resigned.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1 a6 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.Nf1 now scores much better than the old 9.Bb3. Na5 The position is equal. 10.Bb3 Nxb3 11.axb3 Re8 12.Ng3 h6 13.h3 Bd7
14.b4N Predecessor: 14.Bd2 Qe7 15.d4 Qf8 16.Qc2 Bb6 17.Be3 Re7 18.Re2 Rae8 19.Rae1 g6 20.Qd2 1/2-1/2 (39) Svane,R (2592)-Mastrovasilis,A (2521) Batumi 2019 14...c5 15.bxc5 Bxc5 16.d4 Bb6 17.Be3 a5 18.c4 a4 19.Qd3 Ra6 20.Rad1 exd4 20...Ba5= 21.Bxd4 21.Nxd4± Bc5 22.Ndf5 Bxf5 23.Bxc5 23.Nxf5 Nxe4 24.Bd4 Bxd4 23.exf5 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Rxe3 21...Bxd4 22.Nxd4 Strongly threatening Ndf5. Qb6 23.Qc3 Qa5 24.Qxa5 Rxa5 25.f3 Threatening Ndf5. Rc8 26.Ndf5 Bxf5 27.Nxf5 Rxc4 28.Rxd6 Rc2 29.Rb6 Rc7 30.Ra1 Nd7 31.Rd6
Hoping for Ne7+. 31...Ne5 32.Rd4 b5 32...Nc4= 33.Rd5 Nc4 34.Rb1? 34.Rc1 keeps the upper hand. 34...Nb6 Black should try 34...b4 35.Re5 35.Rd6= keeps the balance. Nc4 36.Rd4 35...Nc4 Black has good play. 36.Rd5 Nb6 Black should play 36...b4 37.Rd6 37.Re5= remains equal. 37...Nc4 38.Rd5 Nb6 39.Rd6 Nc4 40.Rd5 b4 41.Rc1 Raa7 42.Rb5 b3 43.Rb1
White does not recover from this. 43.Ne7+ Rxe7 44.Rxc4 43...Nd2-+ Black is clearly winning. 44.Ra1 Rc2 45.Nd4 Rxb2 46.Ra3 Rb1+ 47.Kf2 Nc4 Weighted Error Value: White=0.28/Black=0.17
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Van Foreest,J2688Anand,V27530–12021GCT Croatia Blitz 20217

Viswanathan Anand

Still got it — Vishy Anand | Photo: Lennart Ootes


Overall standings 

Croatia Grand Chess Tour 2021

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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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