FIDE GP in Palma: Grit and determination

by Albert Silver
11/24/2017 – Although little changed overall in round seven, perhaps the buzzword that best describes the action of the day was ‘determination’. On board one, it was Rapport’s tenacity that won out over Aronian, who came close to winning, while Radjabov overcame his disappointment to outplay Li Chao. Finally, Boris Gelfand scored his first win, beating Riazantsev in a game analyzed by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson. | Photo: Valerij Belobeev
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FIDE Grand Prix Palma de Mallorca - Round 7

There is a saying in poker that it is great to be the no.10 player in world, except when the top nine are all playing at your table. In a sense, that is very much the tale of Palma for many of the players. Take a player like Vallejo Pons. The Spaniard is a great player in every sense of the word, with imagination and talent that are a pleasure to watch.

Top Spaniard Francisco Vallejo Pons | Photo: Valerij Belobeev

When he will play in the Florianopolis Open in Brazil in a couple of months, he will be the top seed by far and have a deserved red-carpet treatment, yet in a field such as Palma, he is not even in the top half. To be fair, this is a situation he is well acquainted with, having faced all the best in fields much tougher than this, and having been hardened by those experiences. 

Richard Rapport gets ready for the ultimate challenge in Palma: facing in-form Levon Aronian | Photo: Valerij Belobeev

Richard Rapport is an immensely talented player with enormous reserves of creativity, that can be hit-or-miss depending on the level of his opposition. Against the likes of Levon Aronian, it was tough trying to rock the boat enough to have the Armenian frown. The game started well for the young Hungarian, and for a good long time he was fine, but things went badly and the leader gradually outplayed him into an ending that began to look decidedly dodgy for Rapport.

 
Richard Rapport - Levon Aronian
Position after 51. Nf6

White just played 51.Nf6 with the obvious threat of Nd7+ winning the rook or the b6 pawn. Therefore if Black plays 51...Rxc4, White will equalize with Nd7+ and Nxb6. In the game, Black played 51...Ke7?, and after 52.Nd5+ Kd6 53. Rd1 Nxc4 54.Nxb6+, the danger was past and White was able to resume breathing.

However, instead Black could have played 51...Kg7! and because White suddenly has no checks, Black will indeed pick up a pawn with good winning chances. Ex: 52.Ne8+ Kh8 53. Rd1 Nxc4 and though Black will need to tread carefully after 54. Rd8 he has every reason to hope.

It’s a problem every player encounters when he stands better in a game: how to convert his plus into a full point? In this DVD the author answers this difficult question of chess strategy, considering both the psychological aspects of the realisation of an advantage and the technical methods.

Teimour Radjabov has every reason to frown, but his persistence in pursuing the win against Li Chao allows him to still hope | Photo: Valerij Belobeev

After his loss to Tomashevsky in round six, setting up a truly desperate situation that many would argue was insurmountable, Teimour Radjabov struck back in round seven by outplaying Li Chao in a complex endgame out of sheer grit and determination. This only brings him to the 50% mark, meaning he absolutely needs to win his last two games to entertain hopes of qualifying for the Candidates, but nothing is written for some.

 
Pavel Eljanov - Jon Hammer

Black was done for and knew it, but had been trying his best to create as many swindle chances as he could. In this position, Black just played 24...Ne4 with threats of Nd2 mate, Qf2 mate, and Nxg3+, all with bad news for White. White had seen this in advance, and after 25. Qxg7+!! Black was forced to capitulate.

Finally, the player we had been waiting to score did so. Boris Gelfand overcame Alexander Riazantsev with Black to score his first win of the tournament. Enjoy the detailed instructive notes by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson.

Alexander Riazantsev 0-1 Boris Gelfand (Annotated by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson)

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 This is basically an anti-Queen's-Indian move order. Bb4+ 3...d5 4.Nf3 Is traditionally met with Bd2, but lately there have been many examples of strong players trying Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 0-0 6.Bg2 , which is another way the game position after 6.Ngf3 can arise. 4.Nd2 The knight is not optimally placed here, which makes it worth it for Black to lose a tempo with the bishop. After 4.Bd2 Black can chose between the Bogo Indian set-ups with a5, or Qe7, bt is also quite possible to play Be7 , intending 5.Bg2 d5 with a typical Catalan. 4...0-0 5.Bg2 d5 6.Ngf3 b6!? 6...dxc4 7.a3!? Bxd2+ 8.Bxd2 Nc6 9.e3 Rb8 10.0-0 b5 11.b3! cxb3 12.Qxb3 Bb7 13.Rfc1 Ne7 14.Bb4 Re8 15.Ne5 and White had a lot of pressure for the pawn, in Grischuk,A (2750)-Nakamura,H (2785) Moscow Grand Prix 2017. The usual remedy against Nbd2, is to play 6...c5 , since the d5-pawn will be less of a target than if the knight had gone to c3. Here 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2! Also looks somewhat better for White. There is no direct way for Black to take advantage of the slight weaness of the light squares. 7.0-0 Bb7 More than 10% of all games with this position were played during the last year, so it is something of a fashionable "tabiya". Now White has a wide choice: 8.a3 8.Ne5 looks most principled, but allows Black to force exchanges. Nbd7 9.Qa4 Bd6 10.Nxd7 10.Nc6?! Qe8 10...Qxd7 11.Qxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 Bxd5 12...exd5 is very equal indeed, and possibly that is why Anand avoided. 13.e4 Bb7 14.Rd1 Lenderman,A (2565)-Anand, V (2790) chess.com IoM Masters 2017 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne5 Re8 10.Ndf3?! Ne4 and White will soon have to retreat the knight from e5, while Ne4 will dominate the game for a long time. 8.b3 is a harmonious move that makes a lot of sense. After Qe7 9.Bb2 a5 10.a3 Bd6 11.Qc2 Na6?! 11...c5! 12.Nh4! c5 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Ne4 White had Black exactly where he wanted him, in Lenderman,A (2565)-Vallejo Pons,F (2715) chess.com IoM Masters 2017. 8...Be7 After 8...Bd6 9.b4 a5 10.c5 Be7 11.Bb2 Ba6 12.Ne5 Nfd7 White is slightly better, but Black usually fares well in these structures as long as the light squared bishop does not get boxed in. 9.cxd5 exd5 10.b4 a5!? This move surprised me a lot, since it leads to a pawn structure that can only be better for White. However, there is more to chess than pawn structures. 10...c6 preparing ...a5, would be the standard reaction here. I cannot spot a clear way for White to keep an advantage here, but perhaps the move in the game is just more challenging?! 11.b5 11.Rb1?! axb4 12.axb4 Nc6! 13.b5 Nb4 was already promising for Black, in Firat,B (2480)-Pap,M (2490) 5th Pontevedra Open 2017. 11...c6! 12.bxc6 Nxc6 A highly unusual position, where White would be better if only Nd2 was on c3 instead. Intuitively I would say that White is better if he can get control of the light squares on the queenside (when White can continue with Bb2 and Ne5, tageting the d5-pawn), but it is not that easy, at all. 13.Bb2 13.e3 b5 14.Ne5 Bd6 14...a4!? looks more to the point. 15.Bb2 a4 16.Qb1 Rb8 17.Bc3 Ba8 18.Nxc6 Bxc6 and draw was agreed in Wei,Y (2728)-Yu, Y (2749) Beijing 2017, since White cannot blockade the b-pawn: 19.Bb4 Qe7 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Nf3 b4 22.axb4 Rxb4 13.Rb1 , stopping b6-b5 for the time being, is another possibility. After Ba6 14.Re1 b5 15.Ne5 Nxd4 16.e3 Ne6 17.Nc6 Qd7 18.Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Nb3 Ne4 20.Bb2 White has some compensation for the pawn, but hardly enough to claim an advantage. 13...a4 Earlier champions of the Black side have used a simple but effective game-plan; to push the a- and b-pawn, while using the c4- and e4-square as outposts, but we will see Gelfand take a more flexible stand, waiting for the right moment to push. White will try to coordinate his forces and - hopefully - set up a blockade on b4. In order to achieve the latter, Nc6 must be exchanged. Gelfand improves on a much earlier game: 13...b5 leaves White's knight with a route to c5. 14.Ne5 ...which is missed. 14.Nb3!? Ne4! 15.Rc1 a4! 16.Nc5 Na5 17.Bc3! 17.Nxb7 Nxb7 18.Ne5 Na5 18...Nbd6 19.Bc3 17...Nxc5 18.dxc5 Nc4 19.Qd4 Bf6 20.Qd3 and I don't dare to make an objective statement about the position. Unclear. 14...b4 15.axb4 Bxb4 16.Nd3 Qb6 17.Rb1 Ba6 Danielian,V (2289)-Vlasov,E (2155) St Petersburg 1999. 14.Qb1 b5 15.Ne5 Qb6 Instead 15...b4 16.axb4 Bxb4 , can get messy after 17.Ndc4 Gelfand keeps the threat of b5-b4 for a moment when it is more awkward to meet. 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Bc3 Hooray!! White has succeeded in blockading the b-pawn. That seems like a success, especially if we think of the bishop on g2 as "good" and the one on c6 as "bad". But, we shouldn't think of it that way. In fact, the bishop on g2 is not yet in the game, while Bc6 has easy access to f5. In the meanwhile White's knight looks really out of place. It is important for White not to celebrate the blockade for too long and forget about the other guys. Rfc8 18.e3?! A slow move that adds little to White's position. Why not play 18.Bb4! immediately? Black has two choices: Ra7! is clearly the best 18...Qd8 19.Rc1 Bd7 20.Qb2 Qf8 21.Bxe7 Qxe7 22.e3 , followed by Nd2-f3-e1/e5-d3, is much better than the game for White. 19.Bh3! Bxb4! 19...Bd7 20.Bxe7 Bxh3 21.Bc5 20.Qxb4 Bd7 21.Bxd7 Rxd7 22.Rac1 Rdc7 23.Rxc7 Rxc7 24.Rb1 and now with Rc2 Black's activity is enough to keep the balance. 18.Rc1?! Bd7! and it becomes hard to play Bb4. 18.Nf3 Be8! 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.Qxb4 Rc4 18...Bd7 Gelfand continues to play purposeful moves. 19.Bb4 Bxb4 20.Qxb4 If only the knight was on d3. Rc7!? 20...Qc6!? looks too contrived, but 20...Rc2 is a worthy alternative. Perhaps Gelfand wanted to have the queen in front of the rook in case of exchanges on the c-file?! 21.Nf3 It looks like White is slowly succeding in everything he'd dreamed of. Next the knight is going to d3 via e5, no? White is unable to challenge Black for control of the c-file: 21.Rfc1 Rac8 22.Rxc7 Qxc7 23.Nf3 Qc3 and we get the kind of position that Gelfand has been aiming for all along. Perhaps White can keep this together, but the defence looks difficult. 21...Rac8 22.Ne5 Bf5! That is painful for White. The knight is unable to go to d3 and the rook cannot go to b1. What to do? 23.Ra2 That looks sensible. The rook can attack b5 from b2. Ne4! 24.Rb2 Nc3 Everything protected. 25.Ra1? White squanders his last chance to change the course of the game. If I was White I would do anything within my power to avoid what went down: 25.g4! suggests itself... Bg6! 25...Be6?! 26.h3 f6 27.Nd3 Rc4 28.Qe7 R4c7 29.Qb4 Rc4= 26.Re1 26.f3 f6 27.Nxg6 hxg6 28.Re1 Kf7 26...h5!? 26...f6?! 27.Nxg6 hxg6 28.Bf1 27.gxh5 Bf5 28.f3 Qh6 29.Bf1 Qxh5 30.Rg2 and although Black is still better, it is less of a one sided affair. 25...f6 26.Nf3 Kf7! Covering the e7-square with the least active piece and setting up the threat of ...Rc4. I prefer Gelfand's move to 26...Rc4 27.Qe7 Qb8 28.Nh4 Bg4 29.h3 Re8 which wins the queen, but is more prone to random upsets after 30.Qxe8+ Qxe8 31.hxg4 Qc8 32.Kh2 27.Rd2? It is understandable that White didn't like 27.Nd2 Bd3 28.Re1 Qe6 , but this is clearly the better of two evils. 27...Rc4 28.Qb2 Ne4 Here 28...b4! 29.axb4 Rxb4 30.Qc1 Ne2+ 31.Rxe2 Rxc1+ 32.Rxc1 Rb1 would win easily, but Gelfand knows that White is beyond saving anyway. 29.Re2 Or 29.Ne1 b4 30.Bxe4 Bxe4 31.axb4 Rxb4 32.Qa2 Qb5 with complete domination. The idea Bb1, Rcc4 and Rb3 is impossible to defend against. 29...b4! 30.Nh4 Bg4 31.h3 31.f3 b3 32.fxg4 Rc2 33.Rxc2 Rxc2 34.Qb1 b2 doesn't end well either. 31...Bxe2 32.Qxe2 g6 33.axb4 Qxb4 34.Qg4 Qb7 35.Bxe4 dxe4 36.Kg2 Rc2 37.d5 37.Rf1 Rc1 37...Rxf2+ 38.Kg1 38.Kxf2 Qb2+ 38...f5 39.Qd1 Rcc2 40.Qd4 Qb2 A haunting game that illustrates the power of a well drafted game-plan. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Riazantsev,A2651Gelfand,B27190–12017E16FIDE Grand Prix Palma 20177

Constancy and a striving for solid positions are what define Sergei Tiviakov’s opening repertoire. On his two repertoire DVDs against 1.d4 the top Dutch grandmaster presents to you exactly those variations and ideas with which he himself has been successful in tournament chess for many years. On the two DVDs all important systems which are available to White after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 are dealt with in detail. Also, in many areas Tiviakov offers you a choice between alternative variations for Black, between which you can decide according to your temperament. A further highlight of the DVDs is Tiviakov’s collection of all the games which he has played during his career with the Catalan, the Queen’s Indian and the Nimzo-Indian. Many of these are published on these DVDs for the very first time. Video running time: 5 hrs 36 min.

Results of round seven

Name Pts. Result Pts. Name
Rapport Richard 3½ ½ - ½ 4 Aronian Levon
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 3½ ½ - ½ 3½ Tomashevsky Evgeny
Svidler Peter 3½ ½ - ½ 3½ Nakamura Hikaru
Jakovenko Dmitry 3½ ½ - ½ 3½ Harikrishna P.
Ding Liren 3½ ½ - ½ 3 Giri Anish
Inarkiev Ernesto 3 ½ - ½ 2½ Vallejo Pons Francisco
Radjabov Teimour 2½ 1 - 0 2½ Li Chao B
Eljanov Pavel 2½ 1 - 0 2 Hammer Jon Ludvig
Riazantsev Alexander 2½ 0 - 1 1½ Gelfand Boris

Standings after seven rounds

Rk. Name Pts.
1 Aronian Levon 4,5
2 Vachier-Lagrave Maxime 4,0
  Nakamura Hikaru 4,0
  Ding Liren 4,0
  Svidler Peter 4,0
  Harikrishna P. 4,0
  Jakovenko Dmitry 4,0
  Tomashevsky Evgeny 4,0
  Rapport Richard 4,0
10 Giri Anish 3,5
  Radjabov Teimour 3,5
  Eljanov Pavel 3,5
  Inarkiev Ernesto 3,5
14 Vallejo Pons Francisco 3,0
15 Li Chao B 2,5
  Gelfand Boris 2,5
  Riazantsev Alexander 2,5
18 Hammer Jon Ludvig 2,0

All games of Round 7

 
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Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, where he completed his Baccalaureat, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech.

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