4/9/2018 – On a gorgeous Spring day in Baden-Baden there was another series of five draws in the eighth round. Magnus Carlsen tried to will his way to victory over Nikita Vitiugov, in the longest game of the round, but in the end, had to settle for a draw. Both remain a half point behind Caruana. It will be one of those three emerging as the GRENKE Chess Classic 2018 winner. Vitiugov, with White against Caruana in the final round (WATCH LIVE) has a chance to make a bold statement. For Magnus Carlsen, he'll have to try to win with black against Viswanathan Anand. Naiditch vs Anand is annotated by GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson. | Photos: Macauley Peterson
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Tiebreak possible
After a suite of draws today, the range of possibilities has narrowed, but one intriguing one still available is a tiebreak match between World Champion Magnus Carlsen and his challenger Fabiano Caruana. That would surely be a riveting contest. However, Vitiugov plays Caruana in the last round, so for that scenario to come to pass that game would have to end in a draw, while Carlsen would have to win on-demand with black against Anand. [WATCH LIVE]
Of course Carlsen would have greatly preferred to score a full point in his last White game on Sunday, and he seemed determined to do so. But Vitiugov was equally determined to hold, and the experienced Russian grandmaster is known for having nerves of steel. The game ran into the night, while all the rest were finished within a few hours, providing ample time for them to enjoy the absolutely perfect Spring weather in Baden-Baden.
This outdoor chess in idyllic surroundings is just two minutes walk from the venue | Photo: Macauley Peterson
Arkadij Naiditsch and Viswanathan Anand provided one of the more interesting games of the day, despite being among the first to finish (Aronian and Caruana beat them by a few minutes.) Anand noted how comfortable he feels after many visits:
"I’ve never hidden it, Baden is one of my favourite cities. It’s just incredibly beautiful — the parks and the scenery, there’s a river flowing through — I mean I find this place very calming. I wish I could play the chess to prove it but…it’s already my second bad year. 2015 was a disaster and this year is also not great. But I don’t know why — I like the town I like the tournament. I wish I would play better."
Strolling along the Lichtentaler Allee, a historic park and arboretum along the west bank of the Oos river, on a day like this one would make anyone disinclined to sit indoors at a chess board for six hours. The players' stay at the Brenners Park Hotel, a few minutes from the LA8 building on the opposite side of the main pedestrian path. You can get a sense of the clientele by the cars parked out front. First there was a red Mercedes sports car that caught my eye. But the pair of Bugatti roadsters that followed made the Mercedes look like a jalopy.
Click or tap to enlarge — more photos from the Lichtentaler Allee are in the gallery above | Photos: Macauley Peterson
Multi-million dollar cars are (still) out of range of even the most elite chessplayer
Naiditsch ½-½ Anand
In such environs, the players could be forgiven for wrapping things up within two or three hours. But commentator GM Tiger Hillarp-Persson found this game the most lively despite being the second to finish (Aronian and Caruana beat them by a few minutes).
Annotations by Tiger Hillarp-Persson
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Bc5I have not played 1.e4 in a while and I keep
getting surprised again and again in the next few moves. Chess is still
developing.4.c34.d3has the advantage of making Black's (critical)
Nf6-followed-by-d5-as-fast-as-possible-plan less critical:Nf65.0-00-06.a4!?and now6.h36.Nbd26...d57.exd5Nxd58.Re1looks better
for White compared to d3 after c3, as c2-c3 might not be the most wanted move
here.4...Nf65.d4When I last looked at these lines Black was doing
fine after5.d30-06.0-0d57.exd5Nxd5but then8.a4!?was
discovered. The point of this move is a bit obscure, but in a surprising
amount of lines the a-pawn becomes a source of annoyance for Black.8.Re1Bg4!9.h3Bh5looks to be doing very well for Black in classical chess
(whereas White has won a few rapid games).8...Bg48...Bf59.Re1Nb610.Bb5Ne711.a5c612.axb6cxb513.Be3axb614.Rxa8Qxa815.Bxc5bxc516.Rxe5Qd817.d4cxd418.Nxd4Bxb119.Qxb1b4was pretty equal, in
Mamedyarov,S (2800)-Kramnik,V (2785) 80th Tata Steel GpA 2018. The ball seems
to be in White's court here.9.a5a610.Nbd2and with Black's queenside
being frozen stiff, White can concentrate on the h3/Nd2-e4-g3-maneouvre.
Compared to the lines where White plays Re1 instead of a4, White is doing
significantly better.5...exd4I was under the (mistaken and obviously
simplified) impression that this didn't set Black any problems.6.e5!
This is the only ambitious move.6.cxd4Bb4+7.Bd2Bxd2+8.Nbxd2d59.exd5Nxd510.Qb3Na510...Nce7is more ambitious11.Qa4+Nc612.Qb3
forces a draw.6...d5!More than a hundred games with this position in
the few last years rubbing my face in my obvious ignorance.7.Bb5From a
rather superficial perspective (like mine)7.Be2!?is far, far more
uncommon, but seems to contain some poison.d3!?is principled7...Ne48.cxd4Bb68...Bb4+9.Bd2Nxd210.Nbxd20-011.0-0f6!12.Rc1!Kh8?!The engine prefers12...fxe5!13.dxe5a6, when14.Nb3Re815.Rxc6bxc616.Nfd4doesn't turn out as fun as I want it to afterRxe516...Qd717.f4c518.Nc217.Nxc6Qe818.Nxe5Qxe513.Nb3!put White
in the drivers seat, in Jobava,B (2702)-Karjakin,S (2786) Loo 2013, since
Black's bishop on b4 doesn't get access to the active b6-square.9.0-00-010.Nc3and compared to the usual line it is not as attractive to playBg410...f6!?11.Be3f6since12.exf6looks slightly nicer for White.8.exf6dxe29.Qxe2+Kf810.Bg5Qe811.Qxe8+Kxe812.fxg7Rg813.Bf4Bb614.0-0f615.Na3Rxg716.Rfe1+Kf717.Rad1Be618.Nb5Rc819.Be3Bg420.Kf1Bxf321.gxf3a622.Nd6+cxd623.Bxb6Ne5led to an unbalanced and
unorthodox position in Beerdsen,T (2400) -Van Foreest,L (2350) Bundesliga 2017,
which White eventually won.7...Ne48.cxd4Bb68...Bb4+9.Bd2Nxd210.Nbxd20-011.a3Bxd2+12.Qxd2Bg49.Nc3!Baadur Jobava's name keeps
popping up again and again in these lines. Lately he has tried9.h3a few
times. Considering how annoying Bg4 is later, it looks very human and logical
to want to stop it.0-0!9...Bd710.Ba4f611.0-0fxe512.dxe5led to a nicely unbalanced position in Jobava,B (2699)-Jakovenko,D
(2742) Sochi 2015.10.0-0f6!After this move White has to fight for
equality. Baadur tries to mess things up:11.Bxc6bxc612.Be3f5!13.Qc1f414.Bxf4c515.dxc5Nxc5!16.Be3Nd317.Qd1Ba61-0 (58) Jobava,B
(2705)-Kramnik,V (2805) GCT Blitz YourNextMove 20179...0-09...Bg410.Be310.Be3Bg4Black has plenty of other moves to chose from, but f6 and
Bg4 seem like the most critical candidates.10...Ne7also makes sense and
White's best chance to keep some pressure is11.Bd3Bf512.0-0when it is
a small victory for White to have stopped Bg4 without spending a tempo on h3.10...Be6would only be played by someone with a Bg4-phobia.10...f611.Qb3!?11.h3Bh512.Qc2I usually don't consider statistics, but the 8%
White-score after12.g4makes me suspicious.12.0-0f612...Nxc313.bxc3Na5was played in Svetushkin,D (2614)-Naiditsch,A (2710) Linares 2013
and now, instead of playing14.g4White would have kept some advantage with
14.Bd312...Bxf312...Bg613.Qb3Ne714.Nh4c515.Nxg6hxg616.dxc5Nxc517.Bxc5Bxc518.0-0Bd418...a6!?19.Rad1
was a bit better for White, in Ivanchuk,V (2731)-Kramnik,V (2793) Antalya 2013.
12...Ba5shows up in a game Najer - Rodshtein from last year and this
forces White to play some exact moves in order to keep the initiative:13.Bxc613.0-0?!Bxf3Rodshtein played13...Bxc3!?14.gxf3Nxd415.Bxd4Qg5+16.Kh1Bxc317.bxc3Qf5forces perpetual checks.13...bxc614.0-0Nxc315.bxc3f616.Qa4Bb617.g4Be818.Qc2Bg619.Qe2is a suggestion
by the engine, that ends with a small plus for White. White's king might look
shaky, but the bishop on b6 is obviously not in a happy place.13.gxf3Ng514.0-0-0Nxf3This is an improvement over an earlier game:14...Ne6?!15.Ne215.Bxc6bxc616.f4f517.Ne2±15...Ne716.Kb1f517.exf6?17.f417...Rxf6was fine for Black, in Kravtsiv,M (2621)
-Bruzon Batista,L (2659) Berlin 2015.15.Bxc6bxc616.Qf5!Nh417.Qg4Ng618.f4I have a suspicion that this position was part of - at least - one
of the players's preparation.Qh4The engine immediately strikes down on
this move, but it is quite human to avoid the alternative.The only other
move is18...Qc8, when it first looks like19.f5is a blunder due toNxe5However, after20.Qg3Nc421.Bh6g622.Rhf1!Things are not so
clear.Qd7!is the best defence and here22...Re8?23.fxg6fxg624.Rf6Re625.Qf3Qe826.Nxd5+-23.h4looks quite nasty, although taking
the exchange also merits attention. Perhaps Anand avoided this because he
(rightly) evaluated it as dangerous for him?!!19.Rd3!The point of this
move is to threaten f4-f5, when Nxe5 can be met with dxe5, without dropping
off the bishop on e3.Qxg420.hxg4f5!20...f621.f5Nxe522.dxe5Bxe3+23.Rxe3d424.Rd3dxc325.e6cxb2+26.Kxb2is not hopeless for Black, but
very awkward.21.g5!Kf722.Rxh7?!Arkady misses his chance to get
some real pressure here.22.Ne2!leaves Black with a cramped position.
An important point is that it is Rh8 and h6 doesn't solve Black's problems:Rh823.Rh5!Ke624.Kc2!?h6?!24...Rag825.Bd225.Bf2Nf825...c526.dxc5Bxc527.b4Bb628.a4a629.a5Ba730.Be3Bxe331.Rxe3Ke732.Rc3Kd733.Rch325.Bd2Rag826.a4a627.Rb3and Black is under heavy
pressure.22...Rh8Now Black gets counterplay and gets the knight to the
wonderful e6-square. White's extra pawn counts for nothing.23.Rxh8Rxh824.a324.Ne2Rh1+25.Kd2Ke626.Rc3?Ba524...Nf825.Ne2Ke726.Rc3Kd727.Kd2Ne628.Rc1g6Neither side can improve his pieces. After a bit of
jumping around the draw becomes unavoidable.29.b4a530.Kd3axb431.axb4Ba732.Ra1Bb633.Ra6Rb834.Ra2Rh835.Ra1Ke736.Ra2Kd737.Ra1Ke738.Ra2Without this game todays round would have been a rather dull affair.½–½
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.
Here are Anand's own thoughts on the game
Carlsen ½-½ Vitiugov
Critical for the standings, this game ran over six hours. It was clear that Carlsen needed to win to put himself in the best position to fight for first place in the last round. It was his first game ever against Nikita Vitiugov.
When Vitiugov exchanged queens, it came at the cost of a weakened pawn structure, giving Carlsen a position typically to his liking: an endgame in which he himself had a noticeable advantage with no risk. But sometimes such an advantage is just not big enough.
Black's position is holding together well.30...Qc4But this move leads to an unnecessary weakening,
giving Carlsen the chance to generate play. Vitiugov's life becomes
more difficult now; Nevertheless, it's doubtful that Carlsen now
really got a chance of winning. From here on out, Vitiugov defends himself extremely carefully.31.Qxc4bxc432.Ra1Rb833.Bc1Rb634.Ra4Rc635.Be3
Black's position is passive but stable.35...h5Perhaps this is not the best.35...g5threatening g5-g4, was probably better.36.Kf136.Ra5initiates the plan that the computers
suggest.Kg737.g3Kf638.f4Ke639.Kg2Kf640.Kf3Ke641.Ba7Kf642.g4White has gained space on the kingside, his pawns are dynamic, and there are potential targets in the black position. That looks
plausible.36...Kg737.Ke2Kf638.Kd1Ke639.Kc2Be740.f3
Now holes are opening on the dark squares of the kingside. The game is equal, but
Carlsen tries for a long time to capitalize on his active rook.40...Bh441.Ra5Bg342.Bc5g543.Bb4g444.fxg4hxg445.Ra8Kf746.Rc8Bf447.Kd1Kg748.Ke2Kf749.Rf8+Kg750.Rd8Kf751.Kf2Kg752.Rd7+Kf653.g3Bc154.Rd1Bg555.Ke2Ke656.Rh1Ra657.Ba3Rb658.Rh7Rb759.Kd1Rb860.Kc2Rd861.Rg7Rd2+62.Kc1Bf663.Kxd2Bxg764.Bc5Kd765.Be3½–½
On his second Ruy Lopez DVD Viktor Bologan shows how things continue after 3...a6 4.Ba4. Black has some possible deviations before we reach the main lines which are dealt with in Part 3. These include the solid Steinitz Defence and the Archangelsk Variation which has again been brought up to date.
Vitiugov summarises the encounter | GRENKE Chess on YouTube
Jan Gustafsson's round eight recap nicely explained the denouement:
Caruana ½-½ Aronian
A low-tension, 'correct' game that ended in an early draw. Both players obviously had no objection to this course of the game. Aronian offered a pawn sacrifice shortly before the end, which Caruana passed up. In view of the opposite-coloured bishops, pawn would have only extended the working day, rather than give chances to change the final result. A nice walk in the park was much more appealing.
Checking the reference games in the ChessBase online database, one comes across the slightly
amazing fact that the position has an extremely high draw rate, in this line beginning 5.Re1.
The conclusion is obvious that Caruana was happy with
a "quiet" game.10...Nf511.d5Re812.Bd3Rxe1+13.Qxe1Qe714.Qxe7Nxe715.d6
Caruana once again creates a little bit of
tension.15...cxd616.Na3d517.Nb5d6Black does not want the knight jumping to d6 and fixing the d7 pawn.18.Nxd6Nc619.Bf4Be620.Nxb7Nb421.Nc5Bxb222.Rb1Nxd323.cxd3Bd424.Be3Bxc525.Bxc5d4Aronian offers a pawn to activate his bishop, though it need not be taken.25...a626.d4=26.Bxa7Bxa2
27.Rb8+seals the draw.27.Rb2Bd5Or27...Be628.Kf1h529.Bxd428.f3h529.Bxd4would have won a pawn - but hardly the game!27...Rxb828.Bxb8Bb129.Ba7Ba230.Bb8Bb131.Ba7Ba232.Bb8½–½
Among the open games the only opening with which White can really fight for an advantage in the long term is the Ruy Lopez. But in order to make this serious effort, he has buckle down and learn a whole series of sub-variations. That is what the professionals do, including of course Viktor Bologan, who now reveals the secrets of his own grandmaster repertoire.
Aronian is nearing the end of a very long six weeks of chess | Photo: Macauley Peterson
Bluebaum ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave
Matthias Bluebaum has had a strong tournament, with draws against Carlsen, Caruana, and now Vachier-Lagrave. At the end he erected a fortress, in a position which computers, amusingly fail to understand.
"I couldn’t do much of anything else in the opening and I grabbed my chances when I got them, but they were just too little", Vachier-Lagrave said afterward.
Bluebaum had some advantage earlier due to extra space, but once black installed a pawn on e4
it evaporated.39...Na5With this move, Vachier-Lagrave tries
to generate tension again.40.Bxa5Or40.Rb2=40...bxa541.Rc2
This position has unforeseen problems - for the computers! The
Machines clearly see black with a large advantage, even if they do
not produce a viable plan.41...Rb842.Rc3h443.h3Kd644.Kc2Bxe3
Nach44...Bxc345.Kxc3White has built a fortress.45.Rxe3½–½
The 7th volume of this endgame series deals with many different aspects of endgame play: the art of pawn play, weaknesses, converting an advantage, stalemate, fortresses, the art of defence and typical mistakes. Learn how to convert an extra piece or an exchange or how to exploit space advantage and better mobility. The themes the art or defence, fortress and stalemate are also intertwined. If your position has a solid fundament then you may surprisingly reach a fortress which might even be based on a stalemate.
MVL is just starting his 2018 chess season | Photo: Macauley Peterson
Meier ½-½ Hou Yifan
Meier noted that he and Hou have played Catalans in the past, and indeed the game followed their 2015 encounter in Dortmund through move 13...Bxc5.
LiveBook: 3 Games16...Bb4NPredecessor:16...Nbd717.Ne1Bxg218.Kxg2h619.Bxf6Nxf61/2-1/2 (31) Onischuk,A (2666)-Karjakin,S (2785)
Istanbul 201217.Rc4
Black must now prevent Bxf6.17...Be718.Ne5Bxg219.Kxg2Nbd720.Nd3Rac821.Rac1Nb622.Rxc8Rxc823.Rxc8+Nxc824.e4Nd725.Be3Nd626.f4f527.Kf3Kf728.g4g629.h3Ke830.Bd4Kd831.Bc3Ke832.Bd4Kd833.Bc333.e5!?Ne834.Nc433...Ke8Precision: White = 20%, Black = 37%.½–½
On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black against the Catalan, based around maintaining the rock of a pawn on d5. Keeping central control ultimately gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king.
Standings after eight rounds
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In the event of a tie for first place there will be a tie-break match consisting of two games at 10 minutes plus 2 seconds per move; then if still tied, two games of 5 min. + 2 sec. per move; and finally a sudden-death 'Armageddon' game with 6 minutes for White and 5 minutes for Black (in the case of a draw, Black wins).
Macauley PetersonMacauley served as the Editor in Chief of ChessBase News from July 2017 to March 2020. He is the producer of The Full English Breakfast chess podcast, and was an Associate Producer of the 2016 feature documentary, Magnus.
Whether it’s a weak pawn, a vulnerable king, or poor piece coordination, this course will teach you how to pinpoint the critical targets, prioritise your attack, and execute a clear, effective plan.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
YOUR EASY ACCESS TO OPENING THEORY: Whether you want to build up a reliable and powerful opening repertoire or find new opening ideas for your existing repertoire, the Opening Encyclopaedia covers the entire opening theory on one product.
The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.
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