6/15/2018 – Wesley So survived the third day of the Grand Chess Tour in Leuven, Belgium, without a loss and won the tournament confidently with 14 out of 18 possible points. Three points behind are Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Tomorrow, the first nine of 18 rounds of blitz are on the program, and So must defend his lead against some legendary blitz specialists like Vachier-Lagrave, Karjakin, Nakamura and Grischuk. | Photo: Lennart Ootes, tournament page
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Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
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The hot hand continues on day three
For the first two days of the Leuven rapid tournament, Wesley So kept a firm grip on the top spot on the standings. He won four of his six games, with two draws and no losses. On the third day, one win and two draws were enough to keep him well ahead of his rivals.
Round 7
The seventh round brought So an additional '1' in the crosstable (worth 2 points in the standings). Wesley played with the black pieces against Hikaru Nakamura, who was in trouble right out of the opening: after only nine moves, Black was clearly better, and it wasn't long before So had a decisive advantage.
Not the way Nakamura hoped to start his afternoon | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour
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1.e4
1,166,623
54%
2421
---
1.d4
947,298
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
281,602
56%
2441
---
1.c4
182,102
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,702
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,265
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,897
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,801
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,756
48%
2380
---
1.a3
1,206
54%
2404
---
1.e3
1,068
48%
2408
---
1.d3
954
50%
2378
---
1.g4
664
46%
2360
---
1.h4
446
53%
2374
---
1.c3
433
51%
2426
---
1.h3
280
56%
2418
---
1.a4
110
60%
2466
---
1.f3
92
46%
2436
---
1.Nh3
89
66%
2508
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
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1.d4Nf62.Bf4d53.e3c54.dxc5e65.b4a56.c3Bd77.Qb3?!A new move, but not one that looks promising.axb48.cxb4b69.Bd6?After
this move White is already clearly worse off.9.Bd3
limits the damage. Black has no problems but White can hope to survive the opening.9...Ne4!With the threat of 10...Qf6.10.Qb2After10.Bxf8Qf611.f3Rxf8White loses material and Black is on track for a win.10...Nxd611.cxd6Qf6!Black forces a queen exchange and remains much better, as White loses the d6-pawn, his b4-pawn is weak and his pieces are not yet developed, while Black has a strong pawn centre.12.Qxf6gxf613.b5Bxd614.a4Ke715.Bd3Rc816.Ne2e517.f3f518.Ra2Be619.Rc2Bb4+20.Kf1Rxa4Now with a pawn to the good the win is in sight for So, who converted without much trouble.21.Rxc8Bxc822.Nec3Bxc323.Nxc3Ra324.Nxd5+Kd625.Nxb6Be626.Bb1Kc527.Nc8Bxc828.Kf2Be629.g4fxg430.Bxh7Nd731.Rb1Ra2+32.Kg3gxf333.h4f534.Kxf3Nf60–1
So's closest rival after the seventh round was Levon Aronian, who had to play with White against Karjakin. In this important game, Aronian was too impatient and Karjakin capitalised.
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Bc54.0-0Nf65.d3d66.Re1a67.c3h68.Nbd20-09.Bb3Ba710.Nf1Re811.Ng3Be612.Bc2d513.exd5Bxd514.Be3Bxe315.Rxe3Qd716.h3Re717.Qd2Rae818.Rae1g619.Nh4Nh720.Nh5?!
White tries the crowbar approach.Better is the solid20.Ne4
with rough compensation.20...Kh8A cautious move.According to the engine20...Re6was even better for Black.21.d4gxh522.Rg3Re623.dxe5Qd824.Nf5?This move throws away the game.With24.Qf4White was able to keep the position in balance, e.g.Ng525.c4Bxc426.Rd1Qe727.Qxc4Rxe5and this position is equal.24...Nxe5Suddenly Black threatens 25...Nf3+ and is winning.25.Rg7Nf3+26.gxf3Rxe1+27.Kh2Rh1+0–1
With two rounds to go, So was now three points clear of Karjakin and four points clear of Aronian, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and managed to secure his place in the standings for the third day already in round 8.
The Italian Game is considered a sound but quiet opening without early trades, giving rise to rich positions where plans are more important than forced variations. So shows black's plans on this DVD.
Round 8
So played with White against Karjakin and just needed a draw. With a well-known variant in the Catalan, he avoided any risk and easily succeeded. So he was three points ahead of Karjakin before the last round and had thus won the rapid portion. The rapid tournament in Leuven is just part of the story, however, as on Friday and Saturday, we will witness the blitz tournament which will determine the overall winner. The players will partake in a further double round-robin, this time with traditional scoring — one point for every win and a half point for a draw. Theoretically, each of the participants can score up to 18 points, and thus anyone has a chance of making up ground in the overall standings.
Round 9
Therefore, the ninth round remained contested as players jostled for position going into the blitz. Viswanathan Anand, with white against So decided that after two painful losses, a trouble-free draw was just fine. The pair played an exchange variation in the French and quickly exchanged off all the pieces until only opposite coloured bishops remained and they shook hands.
Aronian won with White against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Nakamura outplayed Mamedyarov with Black, bringing him up to 10 points.
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1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nf3d54.Nc3Be75.Bf40-06.e3c57.dxc5Bxc58.Qc2Nc69.a3Qa510.Rd1Re8LiveBook: 30 Games. White must now prevent ...e5. D37:
Queen's Gambit Declined: 5 Bf411.Bg3Better is11.Nd211.Nd2e512.Bg5Nd413.Qb1Bf514.Bd3Bxd315.Qxd3Ne416.Ndxe4dxe417.Qd2Ne618.Bh41/2-1/2 (66) Mamedyarov,S (2804)-Anand,V (2767) Wijk aan Zee 201811.Nd2e512.Bg5Nd413.Qb1Bf514.Bd3Bxd315.Qxd3Ne416.Nxd5Nxg517.exd4Bxd418.b41/2-1/2 (33) Mamedyarov,S (2809)-Nakamura,H (2787) Moscow
201811...Ne4!=12.cxd5exd5The position is equal.13.Rxd5Nxc3!14.bxc3Be615.Rd2NPredecessor:15.Rd1Qxa316.Ng5Bf517.Bd3Bxe318.Bxf5Bxg5+0-1 (33) Hejazipour,M (2357)-Zumsande,M (2442) Stockholm 201615...Be716.Bd3g617.0-0Qxa318.Nd418.Qb1=18...Nxd419.cxd4Rac820.Qb2Qxb221.Rxb2Rc322.Be2b623.e423.Ba6=23...Bc4
Black is in control.24.Bxc4Rxc425.Rd1Rd826.Rbd2b526...Bb427.Rd3a527.Kf1White should try27.d527...Bb428.Rd328.Ra228...a5-+29.d5a4!And now ...Bc3 would win.30.d6?30.Bh4Rd731.f330...Bc3!30...Rxe431.d7=31.d7
Threatens to win with Rxc3!31...b4!aiming for ...a3.32.Rd5?32.Rd6a333.Rb632...a3Black is clearly winning.33.Rb5a234.Rb8Rxb835.Bxb8
35...Rd4!Not35...Bf636.d8Q+Bxd837.Rxd8+=36.Rxd4a1Q+37.Ke2Qa6+Precision: White = 25%, Black = 75%.Weaker is37...Bxd438.d8Q+Kg739.Bd6-+0–1
This DVD offers a complete repertoire for handling this solid opening, often featuring a dynamic approach to pose the opponent more practical problems. Both of the main continuations 3...Nf6 and 3...Be7 are covered in two separate parts.
Mamedyarov is squarely in the middle of the pack | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour
Karjakin, however, suffered a setback against an old rival. He lost to Fabiano Caruana, who was already better after the opening and later in the game missed a flashy win, but in the end still managed to safely convert.
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nf63.Nxe5d64.Nf3Nxe45.c4Nc66.d4d57.c5Be78.Bb50-09.0-0Bg410.Bxc6bxc611.h3Bh512.g4Bg613.Ne5Bf614.Nxc6Qd715.Nb4Rab816.Nc2Bh417.f3Ng318.Rf2f519.Nc3Ne4Here Black played an original move19...Nh1!?E.g.20.Rh2Nf221.Rxf2Bxf2+22.Kxf2fxg4and Black clearly stands better if not winning.20.Rh2Nxc321.bxc3Rbe822.Bd2Bg323.Rg2f4White's position is perilous -
he has a pawn more but his pieces are terribly placed.24.Rc1Bd325.Ne1Bc426.Qc2Be2Here GM Alejandro Ramirez, on the live commentary webcast, suggested the move26...Qb5Black wants to play
27...Bf1 next, to win an exchange on g2 - an unusual motif. The game continuation is less original but at least as strong.27.c4White gives up a pawn to free himself, but his position remains in disarray.dxc428.Bc3Bxe129.Rxe1Bxf330.Rxe8Qxe831.Rf2Bd532.Qe2Qg633.Qe5c634.Kh2Qd335.Rxf4Qc2+36.Kg3Qxc3+37.Kh4Rxf438.Qxf4h60–1
The great popularity of the Petroff Defence at the highest level has attracted general attention as strong players employ this opening with great success and with both colours. Unfortunately, the opinion of the Petroff as a sterile drawish opening seems to be firmly implanted in many minds. The author tries to dispel these myths and examines the most popular lines and provides a large number of ideas that will enable you to play Petroff successfully, with either colour.
On Friday, So will start with three points ahead of Aronian and Vachier-Lagrave in the blitz tournament. He has a good chance of winning overall in Leuven, not least considering that he has performed well in blitz of late, finishing first in the Norway Chess blitz opener. But at least Nakamura still believes in his chances to go in Leuven as the overall winner of the field and said confidently in the interview after his final round game:
"He's is not the best blitz here, simply put. There are several of us that are much better blitz players than Wesley."
Nakamura chats with Maurice Ashley at the conclusion of day three | StLChessClub YouTube
Round-up show
Rapid tournament final standings (with double point scoring)
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.0-0Be76.d3b57.Bb3d68.a4Bd79.c3C84: Closed Ruy Lopez: Unusual White
6th moves0-09...Na510.Ba2bxa411.Nbd20-012.Bb1Bb513.Bc2Nb714.c4Bd715.Bxa4Bxa416.Qxa4Nc51/2-1/2 (53) Carlsen,M (2837)-Ding,L (2774)
Saint Louis 201710.Bc2Re811.Re1h612.Nbd2LiveBook: 10 Gamesb4NPredecessor:12...Bf813.Nf1d514.exd5Nxd515.Ng3b416.Bd2Rb817.a5bxc318.bxc3Qf619.Bb3Nf420.Ne4Qd821.Bxf4exf41/2-1/2 (43)
Jakovenko,D (2731)-Bu,X (2723) Sochi 201613.d4Rb814.d5bxc315.bxc3Na516.Ba3c617.c4Qc718.Bd3Nb719.Nb3a520.Bc1Bg421.Be3Nd722.h3Bxf323.Qxf3Nbc524.Nxc5Nxc525.Bxc525.Ra3is interesting.Rb226.Qg4Bg527.Bxc5dxc528.h425...dxc526.Bf1Rb427.Red1Reb828.g3cxd529.exd5White should play29.Rxd5=Qc830.h429...Bd630.h4Qd731.Bd3g632.g4Qe7Of course not32...Rxa4?!33.h5=33.h5Qg534.hxg6fxg635.Qg2
35...Rf8!Hoping for ...Rb2.36.Re1Rb337.Re3Rf438.Bf5Rb239.Be6+Kg740.Rf140.Re440...Rxc4-+41.Qg3Rbb441...Rxa442.Ra3-+42.Qh242.Qh342...Rf443.Kh143.Qh3c444.Rc343...e444.f3h5Weaker
is44...Rxf345.Rexf3exf346.Qxd6±45.Qh3hxg4Black mates.46.Bxg4Rb847.Qg3Rh8+48.Kg2Rxg4Precision: White = 45%, Black = 77%.0–1
Johannes FischerJohannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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