1/29/2017 – Emil Sutovsky and Ju Wenjun were leading the tournament with 4.0/4. Behind them were a pack of super elite grandmasters on 3.5/4. The top board clash between Sutovsky and Wenjun ended in a tame draw. However, that was the only peaceful result of the round. All the top players including Caruana, Nakamura, Adams were able to win their games. Gelfand, however, lost to David Anton Guijarro. We have an illustrated report withpictures, videos and analysis.
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Gibraltar 05: Halfway down the line
The biggest chess open in the world currently, the Gibraltar Masters, has reached the halfway mark. After four rounds of play, GM Ju Wenjun and ACP President, GM Emil Sutovsky were leading the tournament with a perfect score of 4.0/4. As round five of the ten-round event began, Ju Wenjun was heading closer to reaching the 2600 rating mark and becoming the sixth woman in the history of the game to have reached that feat. With only three points to gain, she sat down to play against Sutovsky. Behind these two who had a perfect score, a strong league of Grandmasters including the likes of Mickey Adams, Hikaru Nakamura and MVL was roughing it out to catch them in the lead. There was blood anticipated over the chessboard.
To the disappointment of the crowd, Ju Wenjun agreed to a draw against Emil Sutovsky in just 15 moves of a Grunfeld Defence
Knowing that the spectators would be disappointed with the result, Emil Sutovsky went into the commentary room and explained to the commentators Simon Williams and Jovanka Houska that he felt bad about having taken a draw so early. He further explained that he might have ended in a worse position if he hadn’t taken the repetition at that point. Not to mention the fact that he was taken by surprise by Wenjun’s opening choice.
“The tournament situation sometimes dictates what you do” – Emil Sutovsky
What Wenjun had to say...
Although the top board game was a quick and disappointing draw, it sent a wave of motivation for the players trying to catch Wenjun and Sutovsky in the lead and there were quite a few decisive results on the top boards.
Hikaru Nakamura crushed the Venezuelan GM Eduardo Itturizaga Bonelli in just 28 moves of a Queen’s Indian Defence on board 3.
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1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3b64.g3Bb75.Bg2Be76.0-00-07.Nc3Ne48.Bd2Bf69.Rc1d610.d5Nxd211.Nxd2e512.b4a513.a3axb414.axb4Na615.Qb3Bg516.e3f517.f4Bf618.fxe5Bxe519.Nf3Kh819...Bf6Keeping the bishop could have been better.20.Nxe5dxe521.Nb5Qd722.Qc3Rae823.Rcd1Rf624.e4fxe425.Bxe4c6?Black's position was worse, but this just hastens the end.25...Qf7±26.dxc6!Rxf1+27.Rxf1Bxc628.Qf3!+-The move that Iturrizaga had missed. There's a mate on f8 and the c6 bishop is hanging.1–0
The board 4 encounter between Michael Adams and the Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan was a long tumultuous battle that ended in a victory for the English Grandmaster.
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1.c4c52.Nf3Nc63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3e66.a3Bc57.Nb3Be78.e40-09.Be2b610.0-0Bb711.Be3d612.f4Rc813.Rc1Nb814.Qd3a615.Nd4Nc616.b4Nxd417.Bxd4Nd718.Qg3Bf619.Rfd1Qc720.Bxf6Nxf621.e5dxe522.fxe5Nd723.Rd6f624.exf6Rxf625.Bd3Rcf826.Rd1g627.Be2Nc5!?28.Qe328.bxc5Qxc5+29.Kh1It's a question what Hou Yifan had in mind here.Rf230.Rg1Bxg2+31.Rxg2Rf1+32.Bxf1Rxf1+33.Rg1Rxg1+34.Qxg1Qxd635.Qe3±White is clearly better.28...Rf229.Qxf2Rxf230.Kxf2Kg7?31.bxc5Qxc5+32.R1d4?!32.Kf1Would have ended the game immediately.Qe333.R1d3+-32...Bd5!Black is back with a fighting chance.33.Rd7+Kh634.Ke3Bc635.Ne4Qxa3+36.Kf2Qf8+37.Bf3Bxd738.Rxd7Qc839.Ra7Qxc4This should be close to a draw now.40.h4Qd4+41.Kg3Qe5+42.Kh3Qf5+43.Kg3Qe5+44.Kh3Qf5+45.Kh2Qf4+46.g3Qxf347.Rxh7+!?Kxh748.Ng5+Kg749.Nxf3Even this is not an easy position to win.a550.g4a4?The critical mistake of the game.50...Kf6!would have led to a draw.51.Nd4!a351...Kf752.Nb5Stops the pawns and just wins.52.Nxe6+Kf653.Nd4Ke554.Nc2Kf455.Kh3a256.g5b557.Na1b458.Nb3Ke559.h5gxh560.Kh4Kd561.g6Kc462.Na1Kc363.g7Kb264.g8QKxa165.Qc4Kb266.Qxb4+Kc267.Qa3Kb168.Qb3+Ka169.Kg5h470.Qc21–0
The Spaniard, David Anton Guijarro got the better of the former World Championship Challenger, GM Boris Gelfand after the Israeli Grandmaster made an inaccuracy one move before reaching the time control in an English Opening.
Fabiano Caruana had to fight a long arduous battle against Mikhail Antipov to secure victory in an Accelerated Dragon.
Sethuraman drew a complicated game against…
…the ultra-artistic Vadim Zvjaginsev
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1.e4e52.Bc4Nf63.d3Nc64.Nc3Bb45.Nf3d56.exd5Nxd57.Bd2Bxc38.bxc3Bg49.h3Bh510.0-00-011.g411.Re1f612.Bb3Kh8The position should be around even.11...Bg612.Re1Re813.a4h614.a5e415.dxe4Bxe416.a6!I like this move. It softens up the c6 knight and makes the next idea possibele.bxa617.Bg5!?A very original move that launches a discovered attack on the knight on d5. The threat now is to take on e4.17.Bxh6doesn't work because ofNb6!17...gxh6?18.Rxe4±17...Nf6!Sethuraman sidesteps the danger.17...hxg5?18.Rxe4!Rxe419.Bxd5±White will recover the material with interest.18.Qxd8Raxd819.Bxf6gxf620.Nd4Nxd421.cxd4Rxd422.Bxa6The position is just equal.Re523.c3Rd824.f4Re625.Bf1Ra826.Bc4Ree827.Ra6Kg728.Rea1f529.Rxa7fxg430.hxg4Rxa731.Rxa7½–½
GM Lalith Babu is standing strong against the storm of elite GMs the Gibraltar Masters is throwing at him. This time he drew against Vassily Ivanchuk…
…who was caught musing around after the game.
Game of the day
There were quite a few grueling encounters in round five. But the one that stood out from the rest was Veselin Topalov’s game against Deac Bogdan-Daniel.
With the hope of reaching a solid position, Topalov chose to play the Catalan. But him being him; and him being awesome, the position turned wild in no time. In just 25 moves, Deac was on his knees!
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1.e4
1,183,387
54%
2421
---
1.d4
958,449
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
286,131
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,608
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,877
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,598
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,953
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,905
50%
2384
---
1.b4
1,790
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,249
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,081
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
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1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3d54.g3dxc45.Bg2Bd76.Ne5Bc67.Nxc6Nxc68.e3Qd79.0-0Rd810.Qe2e511.Nc3Be712.dxe5Nxe513.Bxb7Bb413...0-0And Black has a fine position out of the opening.14.Rd1Nd315.e4Bxc316.bxc3Qb5!Deac is playing quite accurately.17.e5Nd5?!17...0-0!18.exf6Qxb719.Qg4g6And Black is better. This should haveen preferred by Deac.18.Rb1!Nxc3?The most natural move actually turns out to be a blunder.18...Qc5!=18...Qxb119.Bc6+Rd720.Bxd7+Kxd721.Qg4++-19.Qf3Qxe519...Nxb120.Bc6++-19...Qxb120.Bc6+Ke720...Rd721.Bxd7+Kxd722.Qg4+!22.Qxf7+?Kc8-+22...Ke722...Kc623.Qxc4++-23.Bg5+f624.exf6+gxf625.Rxb1+-21.Bg5++-20.Qc6+Kf821.Bb2!Ne2+22.Kg2c323.Ba3+Kg824.Qe4c225.Rxd3 A brilliant game by Veselin Topalov.1–0
Tania Sachdev and Stuart Conquest dancing before the battle of Sexes!
About the author
Aditya Pai is an ardent chess fan, avid reader, and a film lover. He has been an advertising copywriter and is currently pursuing a Master's in English Literature at the University of Mumbai. He loves all things German and is learning the language. He has also written scripts for experimental films.
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