Edmonton: Ganguly leads with 7.0/7

by André Schulz
6/25/2016 – Part of the 11th Edmonton Chess Festival in Canada is an international round-robin tournament with ten players, in which Canadian talents have the chance to play against strong grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov, Shekhar Ganguky, S.P. Sethuraman or Samuel Shankland. Shirov started as favorite but Ganguly decided to win all his games and leads with 7.0/7.
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Alexei Shirov began the tournament in style by winning a fine attacking game with White against Richard Wang. The Canadian was well prepared but not well enough.

The beginning of a theoretical battle

 
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.Bxh6 "Mainstream" is 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 8...gxh6 9.cxd4 Bd7 10.Ra2 Rg8 This line is a specialty of Shirov and he has played a number of games with it. 11.g3 11.h3 h5 12.g3 h4 13.g4 Be7 14.Be2 f6 15.b5 Nd8 16.Qd3 Rg7 17.Nc3 Nf7 18.0-0 h5 19.Na4 Qd8 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Nc5 hxg4 22.hxg4 b6 23.Nxd7 Qxd7 24.Kh1 Rc8 25.Rc2 Rxc2 26.Qxc2 Nd6 27.Ne5 Bxe5 28.dxe5 Ne4 29.Kg2 Nc5 30.Rh1 Qe7 31.Qc1 Rh7 32.Qe3 Qg7 33.Rc1 Qf8 34.a4 Rf7 35.f3 Rf4 36.Rxc5 bxc5 37.a5 h3+ 38.Kg3 h2 0-1 (38) Shirov,A (2684)-Nakamura,H (2787) Zuerich 2016 11...Rg4 12.Rd2 Nxb4 12...a5 13.b5 Re4+ 14.Be2 Qxb5 15.0-0 Qb6 16.Bd3 Rg4 17.Bxh7 a4 18.Bc2 Qa5 19.Ne1 Rg7 20.Ng2 b5 21.Nf4 b4 22.Nh5 bxa3 23.Nxa3 Bxa3 24.Nxg7+ Kd8 25.Rd3 Bf8 26.Rf3 Bxg7 27.Rxf7 Bh8 28.Qg4 a3 29.Rh7 a2 30.Qg8+ Kc7 31.Qxe6 Rd8 32.Ra1 Nxd4 33.Qd6+ Kc8 34.Bd3 Nb5 35.Rc1+ Nc7 36.Rxd7 Rxd7 37.Ba6+ Kb8 38.Qxd7 Qxa6 39.Qxc7+ Ka8 40.Qd8+ 1-0 (40) Shirov,A (2691)-Szelag,M (2456) Germany 2015 13.axb4 Bxb4 All this is still theory. Apparently, Black had prepared this sharp system against the Latvian tactician. 14.Bd3 A new move - Shirov was also well prepared. A previous game continued 14.Be2 Bxd2+ 15.Nbxd2 Rxd4? 15...Qb2= 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.0-0 a5 18.Qc2 Rc8 19.Qa2 Qxe5 20.Nf3 Qe4 21.Bd1 a4 22.Re1 Qb4 23.Be2 Rc3 24.Qd2 Rb3 25.Qc1 a3 26.Ne5 a2 27.Kg2 Qc3 28.Qf4 f5 29.Bh5+ Kd8 30.Nf7+ Kc8 31.Nd6+ Kb8 32.Nb5+ e5 33.Rxe5 0-1 (33) Grischuk,A (2792)-Caruana,F (2791) Dubai 2014 14...Bb5 15.0-0 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 Rc8 17.Na3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 a6 19.Rb1 Qc7 20.Qxh7 b5 20...Qc3 21.Rxb7+- 21.Kg2
Black has a rook and one pawn for the two knights and materially the position is roughly equal. However, Black's king is exposed and this leads to tactical opportunities for White. 21...Qc3? Better was 21...Qe7, but Black falls into the trap White set with his last move and goes straight for the knight on a3, which indeed seems to be in trouble. But Shirov surprises his opponent once again: 22.Rxb5! Qxa3 After 22...axb5 23.Nxb5 Qc2 24.Nd6+ Kd8 25.Qxf7+- White threatens Nb7# and Qxe6 and has a devastating attack. 23.Rb7 Qf8 24.Qd3 After this retreat Black is helpless against White's attack - White simply threatens 25.Qxa6 followed by a devastating check on a4 or b5 and after e.g. 24...Dg7 White wins with 25.Qa3. Therefore Black resigned. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Shirov,A2682Wang,R23411–02016C0211th Edmonton GM 20161.1

In round five Shirov played with Black against Sethuraman and again was willing to enter a sharp theoretical duel in a topical line. But this time Shirov's opponent had the better of it. 

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qc2 Rc8 11...h6 12.e4 e5 13.h3 Re8 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Be3 Bd4 17.Bxd4 Qxd4 18.Rad1 Qb6 19.Rfe1 Re7 20.Re3 Rae8 21.Qe2 a5 22.e5 Nd7 23.Bf5 Nxe5 24.Bd7 Rxd7 25.Rxd7 Bc8 26.Rd6 Qc5 27.Ne4 Qa7 28.Rxh6 gxh6 29.Nf6+ Kf8 30.Nxe8 Nc4 31.Re4 Bf5 32.Rf4 Bg6 33.Nf6 Qe7 34.Qg4 Qe6 35.Qd1 Qe7 36.Nd7+ Ke8 37.Nf6+ Kf8 38.b3 Ne5 39.Ne4 Kg7 40.Qd4 h5 41.b4 a4 42.Nf6 1-0 (42) Sethuraman,S (2647)-Sengupta,D (2543) Tashkent 2016 12.b4 c5 A well-known pawn sacrifice - White frees the diagonal of the bishop on b7. The alternative is 12...a5 13.bxc5 Bxf3 14.cxd6 14.gxf3 Nxc5 15.dxc5 Rxc5 16.f4 Nd5 17.Bb2 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Qc7 19.Rfc1 Rc8 20.Bb4 Rxc2 21.Rxc2 Qxc2 22.Bxc2 Bxb4 23.axb4 Rxc2 24.Rxa7 g5 25.Rb7 gxf4 26.exf4 Rc4 27.Rxb5 Rxf4 28.Kg2 Kg7 1/2-1/2 (28) Iturrizaga Bonelli,E (2646)-Shirov,A (2683) Caracas 2014 14...Nd5 15.gxf3 Qg5+ 15...Nxc3 might be better: 16.f4 Nf6 17.Qb2 Qd7 18.Bd2 e5 19.f3 exd4 20.e4 a5 21.Rae1 Rc5 22.Bc1 Nh5 23.e5 g6 24.Qf2 b4 25.axb4 axb4 26.Qxd4 Rd5 27.Qe3 Rc8 28.f5 Ng7 29.f6 Nh5 30.f4 Qg4+ 31.Kh1 Re8 32.Rg1 Qd7 33.Qf3 Nxf6 34.exf6 Rxd6 35.f5 Rxf6 36.Bg5 Rd6 37.Bc4 Rxe1 38.Rxe1 gxf5 39.Be7 Qc6 40.Rg1+ Kh8 41.Qxc6 Rxc6 42.Bxf7 h6 43.Bxb4 Ne4 44.Ba3 Nf2+ 45.Kg2 Nd3 46.Rf1 f4 47.Bd5 Rc2+ 48.Kg1 Kg7 49.Be4 Ra2 50.Bd6 Ra6 51.Bc7 1-0 (51) Wojtaszek,R (2734)-Shirov,A (2715) Skopje 2015 16.Kh1 Qh5 17.Be2 Nxc3 18.Rg1 Nf6 Wanting to play ...Nfe4 - but White simply parries Black's attack by developing his last undeveloped piece. 18...Rfd8 19.e4 e5 20.Be3 Nxe2 21.Qxe2 exd4 22.Bxd4 Ne5 23.Qe3 Rxd6 24.Rg5 Qxf3+ 25.Qxf3 Nxf3 26.Rxg7+ Kf8 27.Rxh7 Rc4 28.Bxa7 Ra6 29.Be3 Rxe4 30.Rb1 Ra5 31.Rh3 Ne5 32.Bb6 Raa4 33.Rxb5 Nc4 34.Bc5+ Kg7 35.Rg3+ Kf6 36.Kg2 Ra8 37.Rb7 Ra5 38.Bb4 Rf5 39.Rc7 Ne5 40.Ra7 Rh5 41.Bc3 Ke6 42.Ra6+ Ke7 43.Bb4+ Kd7 44.Rd6+ Kc7 45.Rf6 Kd7 46.Rd6+ Kc7 47.Rc3+ Kb7 48.Rd5 f6 49.Rg3 Rf5 50.Rg7+ Kc6 51.Rd6+ Kb5 52.Rb7+ Kc4 53.Rc7+ Kb5 54.Rd5+ Kb6 55.Rc3 Rg4+ 56.Kf1 Rh4 57.h3 Rhf4 58.Bc5+ Kc6 59.Rd6+ Kc7 60.Rd2 Kb7 61.Bd4 Nc6 62.Rb2+ Kc7 63.Bb6+ Kd6 64.Rd2+ Rd5 65.Bc7+ 1-0 (65) Gustafsson,J (2629)-Smirnov,A (2479) Bangkok 2016 19.Bb2
Black's attack came to a halt and White remains a pawn up, which is a passed pawn on d6 to boot. 19...Na4 Ein neuer Versuch, der aber die Variante auch nicht rettet. After 19...Nfe4 White calmly plays 20.Rg2 And after 19...Nce4 White answers 20.fxe4 Rxc2 21.Bxh5 Rxb2 22.Bf3 Rxf2 23.Rgf1 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 e5 25.Rc1 Rd8 26.Rc5 a6 27.Rc6 Even better is 27.Rxe5 Rxd6 28.Rc5 Rd8 29.e5 27...Ra8 28.dxe5 Nd7 29.Bg4 Nxe5 30.Rc5 Nxg4 31.d7 Rd8 32.Rc8 Kf8 33.Rxd8+ Ke7 34.Rf8 Kxd7 35.Rxf7+ Ke6 36.Rxg7 Nxe3 37.Rxh7 1-0 (37) Bacrot,E (2711)-Ter Sahakyan,S (2580) Jerusalem 2015 20.Qd2 Rfd8 21.e4 Rxd6
22.e5 After 22.e5 Black resigned. Qxe5 fails to 23.Qh6 23.dxe5? Rxd2 would be fine for Black. 23...Ne4 24.dxe5 Nxf2+ 25.Kg2 gxh6 26.Kxf2+ Kf8 27.exd6 Nxb2 28.Bxb5+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sethuraman,S2653Shirov,A26821–02016D4611th Edmonton GM 20165.1

Thus, it is not Elo-favorite Shirov who dominates the tournament but Indian Grandmaster Surya Shekhar Ganguly who still enjoys a 100%-score. In the following game he showed good preparation and tactical skills.

 
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5 6.b4 cxd4 7.Qg4 Ne7 8.bxa5 dxc3 9.Qxg7 Rg8 10.Qxh7 Nbc6 11.Nf3 Qc7 12.Bf4 Bd7 13.a6 0-0-0 14.axb7+ Kb8 15.Qd3 Rg4 16.g3 Ng6 17.Qxc3 Nxf4 18.h3 Nxh3 19.Rxh3 Re4+ 20.Kd2 f6 The first new move. A previous game continued 20...Qb6 21.Rh2 d4 22.Qb3 Qa5+ 23.Kc1 Nxe5 24.Nxe5 Qxe5 25.Bd3 Re1+ 26.Kb2 Rxa1 27.Kxa1 Bc6 28.Rh7 Rd7 29.Qb4 a5 30.f4 axb4 31.fxe5 bxa3 32.Ka2 Kxb7 33.Kxa3 Kb6 34.Kb4 Ra7 35.g4 Ra4+ 36.Kb3 Ra7 37.Kc4 1/2-1/2 (37) Dos Santos,R (2376)-Converset,J (2270) Buenos Aires 2006 21.Bd3 Qb6 22.Rh2
22...Rxe5 Black decides to give the exchange to create counterplay. But objectively this should not be enough. However, after 22...Rg4 23.exf6 White is three pawns up and it is difficult to see how Black can create convincing threats. 23.Nxe5 fxe5 24.Kc1 Nd4 25.Rb1 Qd6 26.Rh7 Nc6 27.Bb5 Nd4 28.Bd3 Nc6 Offering a repetition of moves - which White declines more or less politely. 29.f3 Be8 30.Rh8 e4 31.fxe4 dxe4 32.Bxe4 Nd4 33.Qd3 Ne2+ 34.Kd2 34.Qxe2?? Qxa3+ 35.Rb2 Qa1+ 36.Rb1 Qa3+ and Black has a perpetual. 34...Nd4 35.Rb4 e5 36.Rc4 Qe7 37.Rc8+ Now it is White who attacks. Rxc8 38.bxc8Q+ Kxc8 39.Qa6+ Kd8 40.Qa5+ Kc8 41.Ke1 Qg5 42.Qc5+ Kd7 43.Rh7+ Ke6 44.Qd5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ganguly,S2654Sambuev,B25401–02016C1811th Edmonton GM 20164.2

The only player who could keep the pace of Ganguly is US-American Grandmaster Samuel Shankland who has an impressive score of 6.5/7 but is half-a-point behind the leader.

Games - Rounds 1 to 7

 
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.Bxh6 gxh6 9.cxd4 Bd7 10.Ra2 Rg8 11.g3 Rg4 12.Rd2 Nxb4 13.axb4 Bxb4 14.Bd3 Bb5 15.0-0 Bxd2 16.Qxd2 Rc8 17.Na3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 a6 19.Rb1 Qc7 20.Qxh7 b5 21.Kg2 Qc3 22.Rxb5 Qxa3 23.Rb7 Qf8 24.Qd3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Shirov,A2682Wang,R23411–02016C0211th Edmonton GM 20161.1
Bitan,B2341Ganguly,S26540–12016D3511th Edmonton GM 20161.2
Sethuraman,S2653Haessel,D22341–02016A3411th Edmonton GM 20161.3
Findlay,I2257Sambuev,B25400–12016C0811th Edmonton GM 20161.4
Shankland,S2646Valencia,B22771–02016E9811th Edmonton GM 20161.5
Shankland,S2646Shirov,A2682½–½2016B3311th Edmonton GM 20162.1
Ganguly,S2654Sethuraman,S26531–02016B1211th Edmonton GM 20162.2
Valencia,B2277Sambuev,B25400–12016D1111th Edmonton GM 20162.3
Haessel,D2234Findlay,I22571–02016D3811th Edmonton GM 20162.4
Wang,R2341Bitan,B2341½–½2016E6011th Edmonton GM 20162.5
Shirov,A2682Valencia,B22771–02016E9111th Edmonton GM 20163.1
Findlay,I2257Ganguly,S26540–12016B9411th Edmonton GM 20163.2
Sethuraman,S2653Wang,R23411–02016D4511th Edmonton GM 20163.3
Bitan,B2341Shankland,S26460–12016B9211th Edmonton GM 20163.4
Sambuev,B2540Haessel,D2234½–½2016A4811th Edmonton GM 20163.5
Shirov,A2682Bitan,B2341½–½2016C0211th Edmonton GM 20164.1
Ganguly,S2654Sambuev,B25401–02016C1711th Edmonton GM 20164.2
Shankland,S2646Sethuraman,S26531–02016E8411th Edmonton GM 20164.3
Wang,R2341Findlay,I22570–12016D0511th Edmonton GM 20164.4
Valencia,B2277Haessel,D2234½–½2016A0511th Edmonton GM 20164.5
Sethuraman,S2653Shirov,A26821–02016D4711th Edmonton GM 20165.1
Haessel,D2234Ganguly,S26540–12016D4511th Edmonton GM 20165.2
Findlay,I2257Shankland,S26460–12016C9211th Edmonton GM 20165.3
Bitan,B2341Valencia,B2277½–½2016E7111th Edmonton GM 20165.4
Sambuev,B2540Wang,R23411–02016B7611th Edmonton GM 20165.5
Shirov,A2682Findlay,I22571–02016B7811th Edmonton GM 20166.1
Valencia,B2277Ganguly,S26540–12016E4611th Edmonton GM 20166.2
Bitan,B2341Sethuraman,S2653½–½2016A5011th Edmonton GM 20166.3
Shankland,S2646Sambuev,B25401–02016B0111th Edmonton GM 20166.4
Wang,R2341Haessel,D22341–02016A3611th Edmonton GM 20166.5
Sambuev,B2540Shirov,A26820–12016A0911th Edmonton GM 20167.1
Ganguly,S2654Wang,R23411–02016B7611th Edmonton GM 20167.2
Sethuraman,S2653Valencia,B22771–02016A4511th Edmonton GM 20167.3
Haessel,D2234Shankland,S26460–12016E1211th Edmonton GM 20167.4
Findlay,I2257Bitan,B23410–12016C0511th Edmonton GM 20167.5

 

Standings after seven rounds

 

Photos: Vladimir Pechenkin (Organiser)

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

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