Goldmoney Asian Rapid: Carlsen knocks out So in tiebreaks

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
7/1/2021 – Two of the four quarterfinal matches at the Goldmoney Asian Rapid tournament were decided on tiebreaks. After winning the first set and the first game of the second set, it seemed like Magnus Carlsen was going to have an easy day at the office, but back-to-back wins by Wesley So meant it would all be decided in blitz. The world champion finally moved on to the semis thanks to a win and a draw in the 5-minute games. Levon Aronian also had a tough time against Arjun Erigaisi, but managed to advance, while Vladislav Artemiev and Ding Liren won their matches in the rapid section of the second set. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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Aronian, Ding and Artemiev also in semis

All the rating favourites won their quarterfinal matches at the Goldmoney Asian Rapid tournament — yes, Vladislav Artemiev is higher rated than Anish Giri in rapid. The semifinals will see world champion Magnus Carlsen facing Levon Aronian and Ding Liren playing Artemiev. 

For Carlsen and Aronian, getting a ticket to semis was no easy task. While it was to be expected that Wesley So would pose a big challenge to the world champion, it was refreshing to see a new face making Aronian work extra hard to win the match, as 17-year-old Arjun Erigaisi could have easily beaten the Armenian in a very close confrontation.

Aronian told Kaja Snare:

It was very tough. I didn’t know him well, and he turned out to be a very difficult opponent and very motivated guy. I am happy to have gone through.

While Aronian had a tough time from the get go of the second set — he was on the back foot in the first three games — Carlsen seemed en route to get a clean victory over So. However, the American grandmaster scored back-to-back wins on demand to impressively come back from behind and force tiebreaks.

Carlsen was happy to advance to the semis:

I thought after the first two games today, this may be the one time that I will have a very clean performance. But it wasn’t to be. Overall I am happy to go through. I am not that upset with my losses. It wasn’t good, but happy to have pulled myself together.

Goldmoney Asian Rapid Chess 2021

Click to enlarge

Carlsen* 1½ - 2½ So

*Won the tiebreaker 1½-½

Both victories by So in the second set of the match were obtained thanks to his technical abilities in rook endgames. In game 4, Carlsen made the decisive mistake on move 55.

 
Carlsen vs. So - Game 4

White is stuck defending a miserable position, but rook endgames are notorious for their drawing tendencies. At this point, the right way to wait was with 55.Ra7, while the world champion’s 55.Kg3 allowed Black to unleash his e-pawn after 55...Rg4+ 56.Kh3 e4. So needed fifteen more moves to convert his position into a victory.

GM Karsten Müller took a more in-depth look at the ending. Find his instructive analysis in the replayer below (game 4).

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 a6 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.a4 Qe7 10.0-0 Be6 11.b4 0-0 12.Re1 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 Qe6 14.b5 Ne7 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Rb1 axb5 17.axb5 Ng6 18.g3 Rfc8 19.Kg2 Nf8 20.d4 Qe6 21.Qd3 Nd7 22.h4 Bb6 23.Ne3 Nf6 24.Nc4 Ra2 25.Nfd2 Rca8 26.Re2 R8a4 27.Rbe1 g6 28.Nxb6 cxb6 29.Nf3 Kg7 30.Rxa2 Rxa2 31.c4 Ra4 32.Nd2 Ra2 33.Re2 Qg4 34.f3 Qc8 35.Rf2 Ra4 36.Qb3 Qa8 37.Qc3 Qa5 38.Qxa5 bxa5 39.dxe5 dxe5 40.Nb3 b6 41.Rc2 Ra3 42.Nd2 Nd7 43.c5 Nxc5 44.Nc4 Rb3 45.Nxb6 Rxb5 46.Nc4 a4 47.Nxe5 Nxe4 48.Nd3 Nd6 49.Rc6 Rd5 50.Nb4 Rd2+ 51.Kh3 Nf5 52.Ra6 Rf2 53.Kg4 h5+ 54.Kf4 Rd2 55.g4 Rd4+ 56.Ke5 hxg4 57.fxg4 Rxg4 58.Nd5 Rxh4 59.Nf6 Rh1 60.Ne8+ Kf8 61.Nf6 Re1+ 62.Kf4 Kg7 63.Ne4 Ra1 64.Nc3 a3 65.Ke4 Ng3+ 66.Kf3 Nh5 67.Ra7 g5 68.Ra6 f5 69.Ra7+ Kf6 70.Ra6+ Kf7 71.Ra7+ Ke6 72.Ra6+ Kd7 73.Ra5 g4+ 74.Kf2 Ke6 75.Nb5 a2 76.Nd4+ Kd7 77.Ra7+ Ke8 78.Nxf5 Rh1 79.Ng3 Nxg3 80.Rxa2 Nf5 81.Ra4 g3+ 82.Kg2 Rh2+ 83.Kg1 Re2 84.Rg4 Re1+ 85.Kg2 Ne3+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2770Carlsen,M28470–12021C53Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.1
Carlsen,M2847So,W2770½–½2021C67Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.2
So,W2770Carlsen,M28471–02021C53Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.3
Carlsen,M2847So,W27700–12021D37Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.4
Carlsen,M2847So,W27701–02021A29Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.5
So,W2770Carlsen,M2847½–½2021D31Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.6

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Aronian* 2 - 2 Arjun

*Won the tiebreaker 1½-½

As mentioned above, Arjun could have won the match in the rapid phase of the second set. The Indian was in the driver’s seat in the first three encounters of the day, so kudos should be given to Aronian for his resourcefulness in defence.

In game 3, Arjun, playing white, was a pawn up in the middlegame.

 
Arjun vs. Aronian - Game 3

Converting this position is no easy task, but the 17-year-old Indian could have posed more problems to his opponent had he gone for 35.Rd1 or 35.Rg4, planning to slowly improve his position.

The suggested rook moves would have prevented what happened after 35.Bd1, as Aronian quickly restored material balance with 35...Bxd4. The game would end in a 58-move draw.

After all four rapid games finished drawn — by no means for a lack of fighting spirit — the match was decided in the blitz tiebreakers. Aronian prevailed in game 1 and drew the second 5-minute encounter to knock out his young colleague.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 0-0 7.Bg5 h6 8.Be3 Na6 9.h3 Nc7 10.Nf3 b6 11.Qd2 Kh7 12.g4 Nfe8 13.h4 e6 14.0-0-0 exd5 15.exd5 f5 16.gxf5 Bxf5 17.Rdg1 Qd7 18.Rg3 a6 19.Rhg1 b5 20.Bd3 bxc4 21.Bxf5 Qxf5 22.Rxg6 Qxf3 23.Bxh6 Bxc3 24.Qc2 Rf5 25.Be3 Bg7 26.R6g5 Qxd5 27.Rxf5 Qd3 28.Qxd3 cxd3 29.b3 a5 30.Kd2 a4 31.Kxd3 axb3 32.axb3 Nf6 33.Bc1 Rb8 34.Bb2 Rxb3+ 35.Kc2 Rxb2+ 36.Kxb2 Ne6 37.Ka3 Nd4 38.Rfg5 Bh6 39.Rg6 Ne8 40.h5 Nf5 41.Ka4 Neg7 42.Rf6 Bd2 43.Kb5 Bc3 44.Rf7 Be5 45.Kc4 Kh6 46.Rf8 Kh7 47.Rf7 Bd4 48.Rg5 Nh6 49.Rd7 Ng8 50.f4 Bf6 51.Rg6 Bd4 52.f5 Kh8 53.Rd8 Kh7 54.Rxg8 Kxg8 55.h6 Kf7 56.hxg7 Bxg7 57.Rxd6 Bd4 58.Kd5 Ke7 59.Re6+ Kf7 60.Ke4 Kg7 61.Kf4 Bf6 62.Rc6 Bd4 63.Kg5 Be3+ 64.Kg4 Bd4 65.Kf4 Kf7 66.Ke4 Ke7 67.Re6+ Kf7 68.Kd5 Kg7 69.Ra6 Kf7 70.Rc6 Ke7 71.Re6+ Kf7 72.Kd6 Bf2 73.Ke5 Bd4+ 74.Kf4 Bc3 75.Rc6 Bd4 76.Rd6 Bb2 77.Rc6 Bd4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Erigaisi,A2567Aronian,L2781½–½2021A56Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.1
Aronian,L2781Erigaisi,A2567½–½2021A36Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.2
Erigaisi,A2567Aronian,L2781½–½2021D37Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.3
Aronian,L2781Erigaisi,A2567½–½2021A35Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.4
Aronian,L2781Erigaisi,A25671–02021D04Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.5
Erigaisi,A2567Aronian,L2781½–½2021E03Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.6

Artemiev 2 - 1 Giri

For a second day in a row, a fourth game was not needed in this matchup. Artemiev had won all three games on Tuesday, and continued with his winning streak in the second set, as he obtained a fourth straight victory after his rival played an imprecision as early as move 11.

 
Giri vs. Artemiev - Game 1

11.Qd3 allowed 11...b5 12.Bb3 Nc5 gaining the bishop pair in the next move. Giri tried to complicate matters, but to no avail. Artemiev’s sharp eye for the smallest of tactical resources gave him a 21-move victory, while draws in the following two games granted him a spot in the semifinals of the online event.

 
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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 Nd7 8.Nge2 Be7 9.g3 Bg4 10.Bf4 Nh6 11.Qd3 b5 12.Bb3 Nc5 13.Qd1 Nxb3 14.axb3 b4 15.Bxh6 bxc3 16.Bxg7 cxb2 17.Rb1 Rg8 18.Bf6 Qd5 19.Rh2 Ba3 20.Bg5 Bf5 21.Nc3 Bb4 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Giri,A2780Artemiev,V27040–12021B12Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.1
Artemiev,V2704Giri,A2780½–½2021A07Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.2
Giri,A2780Artemiev,V2704½–½2021D00Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.3

Ding 3 - 1 Duda

After drawing all four games in a hard-fought and entertaining first set, Ding and Duda played four decisive encounters on Wednesday. The Polish grandmaster kicked off with a win, but his Chinese colleague won the three remaining confrontations to secure match victory.

In game 3, Ding made good use of his passed pawns in an endgame.

 
Ding vs. Duda - Game 3

53...Kf7 was Duda’s losing mistake. White quickly activated his king and started pushing his pawns until forcing his opponent to resign.

GM Müller analysed the position and provided instructive annotations (game 3 in the interactive replayer below). 

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.e3 h6 8.Bh4 Be7 9.Qc2 0-0 10.Bd3 Re8 11.Nd2 Nh5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.0-0 Nhf6 14.h3 Nb6 15.Rab1 a5 16.Rbe1 Be6 17.f4 Nc8 18.Nf3 Nd6 19.g4 Nfe4 20.Qg2 f6 21.Nh4 a4 22.Bxe4 dxe4 23.a3 Bf7 24.f5 Kh7 25.Rf2 b5 26.Qg3 Rac8 27.Rd1 Nc4 28.Ng2 Ra8 29.h4 Nxb2 30.Rxb2 Qxa3 31.Rc2 Qe7 32.d5 b4 33.Nxa4 Rxa4 34.Rxc6 b3 35.d6 Qd8 36.Rc7 b2 37.Rxf7 Ra1 38.Qe1 Rxd1 39.Qxd1 Qb6 40.Qb1 Ra8 41.Kf2 Qb3 42.g5 Qa2 43.g6+ Kg8 44.Qxa2 Rxa2 45.Kg3 b1Q 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2799Duda,J27290–12021D43Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.1
Duda,J2729Ding,L27990–12021C02Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.2
Ding,L2799Duda,J27291–02021D52Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.3
Duda,J2729Ding,L27990–12021C59Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO2.4

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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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