Grenke Classic: Anand joins Carlsen in the lead

by Antonio Pereira
4/24/2019 – Four out of five games saw the higher-rated player getting a win in round four of the GRENKE Chess Classic. Only Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen drew, after continuing the theoretical battle in the Sicilian Sveshnikov that began last year during their match in London. Meanwhile, Vishy Anand defeated Paco Vallejo and joined Magnus in the lead. Arkadij Naiditsch, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave also won. | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

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Anand counter-attacks

After saving a half point against Magnus Carlsen on Monday, Vishy Anand had the black pieces for a second round in a row, this time against Francisco Vallejo Pons. The former world champion responded to 1.e4 with the Caro-Kann Defence and put all his hopes on a queenside expansion. When most pieces had been developed and the landscape of the battleground had been established, Anand felt he was simply worse, but Vallejo could not find the best way forward:

 
Vallejo vs. Anand
Position after 18...c5

Vishy confessed that he mostly feared 19.g5 ♞fd7 20.♕h5, when White's attack would be difficult to parry. Instead, Paco played 19.f3, allowing Black to continue his queenside development with 19...c4

White kept pushing for a direct attack against the king, but soon enough Black managed to close the position on that side of the board. At the same time, Anand invaded on the queenside with his queen and correctly calculated that he could give up his strongest piece in exchange for a big portion of White's army:

 
Position after 36.Be2

Follow the line played by Vishy on the diagram above!

Vallejo had just blundered with 36.e2?, counting on 36...xd2 37.xh5 xg5 38.xg6+ xg6 39.g2, when there is no way to save the black queen. However, Anand had seen all this and knew in advance that Black is winning after 39...xg2+ 40.xg2 h8. The time control was reached and Paco played seven more moves before giving up the full point in a hopeless position.

GRENKE Chess Classic 2019

An empty hall, after the Open finished on Monday | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

An ongoing discussion

The biggest theoretical battleground during — and after — the 2018 World Championship match was the Sicilian Sveshnikov. Carlsen prepared this variation to neutralize Fabiano's king's pawn opening and managed to use this formation successfully in future games (Caruana also played the notorious line with Black a couple of days ago).

In Monday's fourth round, the players repeated the line explored in game twelve of the match (that was also the last time they had played a classical game). Instead of 13.a4, Caruana went for 13.g5, following the idea used by Sergey Karjakin against Magnus in Shamkir, but then went 14.a4 nonetheless:

 
Caruana vs. Carlsen
Position after 14.Qa4

Carlsen immediately responded with 14...d7, threatening ...a6 and demonstrating he has this line analysed to the core.

Magnus Carlsen

All eyes on the champ | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

The tense struggle continued without any of the players getting a considerable edge at any point. Nonetheless, the world champion was the one putting pressure, until Caruana decided to get into a rook and knight versus rook endgame in order to ease the defensive task:

 
Position after 45...Ra4

After 46.xg6 xg6 47.b6 the pawns did not take long to leave the board and the theoretically drawn endgame was played out until move 71, when only the kings and the black knight were left on the board.

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano is half a point behind the leaders | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

Keymer gets a good position...and loses, again

If Vincent Keymer manages to join the elite in the future — a very likely occurrence — he will certainly remember this event as a huge learning experience. The 14-year-old German lost for a fourth day in a row, but, for a third time in Karlsruhe, he got an excellent position out of the opening.

His latest opponent, Arkadij Naiditsch, decided to expand on the kingside, and in a critical position Vincent missed a chance to close that side of the board and get a lasting advantage:

 
Naiditsch vs. Keymer
Position after 21.f5

Instead of 21...cxe5, Keymer should have gone 21...g5, putting the brakes on White's attack, looking for a slow manoeuvring game that would favour his positional trumps. After the text, though, the game continued 22.xh6 fe8 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.g5, and Vincent faltered in the midst of a complex struggle with 24...f7.

Soon afterwards, Naiditsch proved his tactical strength by giving up a knight and an exchange in order to open some lines against White's king:

 
Position after 26...Nf7

Arkadij made an impression with the two-move sequence 27.h5 gxh5 28.f6 and kept playing accurately until forcing Keymer's resignation:

 
Position after 35...Qe7

Needless to say, Vincent was in deep time trouble. Naiditsch played 36.f6+ and the youngster resigned without allowing 37.♕g8# to appear on the board. 

Arkadij Naiditsch

It was a fine attack by Arkadij | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

"Slow and beautiful"

After getting his first win of the tournament, Levon Aronian joined the commentary team and uttered a memorable aphorism: "Chess should be slow and beautiful". He was interviewed once again afterwards and, when the press officer asked him about the maxim, Levon explained:

I generally like the games when there's a lot of manoeuvring, you know, when there are a lot of plans...a strategical game. I mentioned the game as it was [played before], you know, Chaturanga, the mother of chess, [which] was a much slower game, with lots of slow development of pieces.


Full interview with Levon Aronian


The Armenian took down Peter Svidler, who was sharing the lead after winning consecutively in rounds two and three. Until moves 15-16, the players reviewed a line explored by Sergey Karjakin and Svidler in 2014 and 2016. As explained by the commentators, Peter could never quite co-ordinate his play in the opening. This led to Aronian winning a pawn on move 25:

 
Aronian vs. Svidler
Position after 22...Ra7

After 23.e3, Black has nothing better than 23...xe3, losing a pawn after 24.xe3 c5 25.xe5. Levon manoeuvred his pieces slowly — and beautifully — until Svidler gave up shortly before the time control was reached. 

Levon Aronian, Peter Svidler

A couple of gentlemen, on and off the board | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

In another slow encounter, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave defeated Georg Meier with the black pieces. The Frenchman played a sideline of his pet Grünfeld Defence with 5...dxc4, leading to a rather quiet queenless middlegame. Despite the absence of brilliant tactical shots, numerous small calculations were needed by both players to keep the balance in the position. When the 40th move was reached, each side had a rook and a knight with connected passed pawns on opposite flanks:

 
Meier vs. Vachier-Lagrave
Position after 40...Rb2

MVL kept looking for chances with his advanced pawns and active king, until first gaining a pawn and then forcing Meier to go into a rook v knight endgame. By move 94, the German grandmaster decided it was useless to keep going and resigned the game.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

MVL still trusts his Grünfeld Defence | Photo: Georgios Souleidis


Round-up show

GM Yannick Pelletier analysed the action from Round 4


So, after four rounds, Carlsen and Anand share the lead on 3 points, but they have no less than four (highly dangerous) chasers a half point behind: Caruana, Vachier-Lagrave, Aronian and Svidler. Round five will be the last one before the rest day, when Carlsen-Naiditsch and Anand-Caruana will be on the menu.

Standings after Round 4

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
GM
GM
2845

1
GM
2516
1


3
GM
2774
½

4
GM
2819
½

Ø 2701
3/4
2845
3.0
4
2.00
2894
2
GM
GM
2774


2
GM
2516
1

3
GM
2845
½


Ø 2707
3/4
2774
3.0
4
1.00
2900
3
GM
GM
2819

1
GM
2735
½


3
GM
2516
1

4
GM
2845
½

Ø 2717
2.5/4
2819
2.5
4
1.00
2812
4
GM

1
GM
2774
½

2
GM
2819
½

3
GM
2695
½

4
GM
2628
1

Ø 2729
2.5/4
2773
2.5
4
1.00
2824
5
GM
GM
2735

1
GM
2819
½

2
GM
2695
1

3
GM
2628
1

4
GM
2763
0

Ø 2726
2.5/4
2735
2.5
4
1.00
2821
6
GM
GM
2763

1
GM
2695
½

2
GM
2628
½


4
GM
2735
1

Ø 2688
2.5/4
2763
2.5
4
0.00
2783
7
GM

1
GM
2763
½

2
GM
2735
0


4
GM
2516
1

Ø 2697
2/4
2695
2.0
4
0.00
2697
8
GM

1
GM
2628
½

2
GM
2845
0

3
GM
2763
½

4
GM
2774
0

Ø 2753
1/4
2693
1.0
4
0.00
2560
9
GM
GM
2628


2
GM
2763
½

3
GM
2735
0


Ø 2741
1/4
2628
1.0
4
0.00
2548
10
GM
GM
2516

1
GM
2845
0

2
GM
2774
0

3
GM
2819
0

4
GM
2695
0

Ø 2783
0/4
2516
0.0
4
0.00
1983
TBs: Wins with black, Games with black, Koya

All games

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 g6 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Be2 e5 8.0-0 Ne8 9.Ne1 f5 10.exf5 gxf5 11.f4 E92: King's Indian: Classical: 6 Be2 e5: 7 dxe5, 7 Be3 and Petrosian System without 7...Nbd7 Nd7 11...e4 12.Nc2 Na6 13.Be3 Nac7 14.Rf2 a6 15.a4 Bd7 16.g4 Bxc3 17.bxc3 fxg4 18.Bxg4 Nf6 19.Bxd7 Qxd7 ½-½ (43) Cruz,F (2344)-Rojas Keim,L (2330) Sant Aria de Besos 2017 12.Nd3 e4 13.Nf2 White is slightly better. 13.Ne1 feels hotter. Nc7 14.Nc2 Qe7 15.a4 Nf6 16.Bd2 13...Bxc3 14.bxc3 Ndf6 15.Be3 Ng7N Predecessor: 15...Qe7 16.h3 Ng7 ½-½ (48) Edwards,R (2013)-Turner,D (1832) High Wycombe 2011 16.Qe1 Bd7 17.Nd1 Ba4 18.h3 Bxd1 19.Qxd1 Qe8 20.Kf2 Qg6 21.Rg1 White should play 21.g4± 21...Kh8 22.a4 Rg8 23.Qf1 Nfh5 23...h5!= 24.g3 Raf8 25.Qg2 25.Rg2! 25...Qf6!= 26.Rac1 Qd8 26...Nxg3= 27.Qxg3 Nh5 28.Bxh5 Rxg3 29.Rxg3 Qh4 27.Qh2 Nf6 28.g4 Nd7 29.g5 Qa5 30.g6 30.Qh1± 30...h6 30...Nf6= keeps the balance. 31.Rb1 Rb8 32.Qg3 Qh4! is the strong threat. Qd8! 33.Ke1 33.Ra1 33...Ne8 34.Kd2 34.h4= 34...Nf8! 35.Bf2 Qe7 36.Ke3 36.h4 36...Qf6 Don't do 36...Nxg6 37.Bh5 36...Rxg6-+ 37.Qh4 Qg7 37.Kd2 Nxg6 38.h4 Ne7 39.Qh3 Rxg1 40.Rxg1 Qf7 41.h5 Nf6 42.Bh4 b6 43.Rb1 Qf8 44.Rg1 Qf7 45.Rb1! Qg7 46.Rg1 Qf8! 47.Kc2 Nfg8 48.Kd2 Qf7 49.Kc2 Rf8 50.Kd2 Qe8 51.Ra1 Rf7 52.a5 bxa5 53.Rxa5 Nc8 54.Ra1 Qf8 55.Rb1 Nb6 56.Rg1 Rg7 Better is 56...a5 And now ...a4 would win. 57.Rb1 Rb7 57.Rxg7!= Kxg7 58.Qg3+ Kh8 59.Qg6 a5       60.Bf1 a4 61.Kc2 a3       Black has some pressure. 62.Kb3
62...Na4!       63.Bh3 63.Kxa4 a2 63...Qg7 64.Qxg7+ Kxg7 65.Bxf5       Endgame KBB-KNN Nf6 66.Kxa3 Nxc3 67.Bf2? 67.Kb3= Ne2 68.Bxf6+ Kxf6 69.Bxe4 67...Ne2 68.Ka4? 68.Kb2 was the crucial defense. 68...Nxh5-+ 69.Ka5 Nf6 70.Kb6 Kf7 71.Kc7 Ke7 72.Be3 Nd4 73.Bg6 intending f5. h5 74.Bf2 Nf3 75.Bf5 75.Kb6 Ng4 76.Bxe4 Nxf2 77.Bxf3 75...Nd2 76.Bh4 e3 77.Bd3
77...Nf3! 78.Bxf6+ Kxf6 79.Kxd6 h4 Black mates. 80.Kc7
80...Nd4! 81.Kc8 e2 Accuracy: White = 48%, Black = 61%.
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Keymer,V2516Carlsen,M28450–12019A566th GRENKE Chess Classic 20191.1
Svidler,P2735Caruana,F2819½–½2019B346th GRENKE Chess Classic 20191.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2773Anand,V2774½–½2019B126th GRENKE Chess Classic 20191.3
Aronian,L2763Naiditsch,A2695½–½2019B906th GRENKE Chess Classic 20191.4
Meier,G2628Vallejo Pons,F2693½–½2019A066th GRENKE Chess Classic 20191.5
Vallejo Pons,F2693Carlsen,M28450–12019C786th GRENKE Chess Classic 20192.1
Anand,V2774Keymer,V25161–02019B906th GRENKE Chess Classic 20192.2
Caruana,F2819Vachier-Lagrave,M2773½–½2019B236th GRENKE Chess Classic 20192.3
Naiditsch,A2695Svidler,P27350–12019C686th GRENKE Chess Classic 20192.4
Meier,G2628Aronian,L2763½–½2019B526th GRENKE Chess Classic 20192.5
Carlsen,M2845Anand,V2774½–½2019A226th GRENKE Chess Classic 20193.1
Svidler,P2735Meier,G26281–02019C116th GRENKE Chess Classic 20193.2
Keymer,V2516Caruana,F28190–12019E166th GRENKE Chess Classic 20193.3
Vachier-Lagrave,M2773Naiditsch,A2695½–½2019C676th GRENKE Chess Classic 20193.4
Aronian,L2763Vallejo Pons,F2693½–½2019C116th GRENKE Chess Classic 20193.5
Caruana,F2819Carlsen,M2845½–½2019B346th GRENKE Chess Classic 20194.1
Naiditsch,A2695Keymer,V25161–02019B236th GRENKE Chess Classic 20194.2
Aronian,L2763Svidler,P27351–02019C886th GRENKE Chess Classic 20194.3
Vallejo Pons,F2693Anand,V27740–12019B116th GRENKE Chess Classic 20194.4
Meier,G2628Vachier-Lagrave,M27730–12019D906th GRENKE Chess Classic 20194.5
Carlsen,M2845Naiditsch,A2695½–½2019A296th GRENKE Chess Classic 20195.1
Anand,V2774Caruana,F2819½–½2019C676th GRENKE Chess Classic 20195.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2773Aronian,L2763½–½2019C886th GRENKE Chess Classic 20195.3
Svidler,P2735Vallejo Pons,F2693½–½2019C556th GRENKE Chess Classic 20195.4
Keymer,V2516Meier,G26281–02019D376th GRENKE Chess Classic 20195.5
Vallejo Pons,F2693Caruana,F2819½–½2019C486th GRENKE Chess Classic 20196.1
Naiditsch,A2695Anand,V27741–02019C486th GRENKE Chess Classic 20196.2
Meier,G2628Carlsen,M28450–12019A056th GRENKE Chess Classic 20196.3
Aronian,L2763Keymer,V2516½–½2019B236th GRENKE Chess Classic 20196.4
Svidler,P2735Vachier-Lagrave,M2773½–½2019A346th GRENKE Chess Classic 20196.5
Vachier-Lagrave,M2775Vallejo Pons,F26981–020196th GRENKE Chess Classic 20197.1
Keymer,V2516Svidler,P2735½–½2019E156th GRENKE Chess Classic 20197.2
Carlsen,M2845Aronian,L27631–02019D376th GRENKE Chess Classic 20197.3
Anand,V2774Meier,G26280–12019C106th GRENKE Chess Classic 20197.4
Caruana,F2819Naiditsch,A26951–02019E016th GRENKE Chess Classic 20197.5
Vallejo Pons,F2693Naiditsch,A2695½–½2019D306th GRENKE Chess Classic 20198.1
Meier,G2628Caruana,F28190–12019B316th GRENKE Chess Classic 20198.2
Svidler,P2735Carlsen,M28450–12019B306th GRENKE Chess Classic 20198.3
Vachier-Lagrave,M2773Keymer,V25161–02019B226th GRENKE Chess Classic 20198.4
Aronian,L2763Anand,V2774½–½2019C656th GRENKE Chess Classic 20198.5
Naiditsch,A2695Meier,G26281–02019A106th GRENKE Chess Classic 20199.1
Caruana,F2819Aronian,L2763½–½2019C896th GRENKE Chess Classic 20199.2
Carlsen,M2845Vachier-Lagrave,M27731–02019A376th GRENKE Chess Classic 20199.3
Keymer,V2516Vallejo Pons,F26930–12019A616th GRENKE Chess Classic 20199.4
Anand,V2774Svidler,P2735½–½2019C846th GRENKE Chess Classic 20199.5

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Antonio is a freelance writer and a philologist. He is mainly interested in the links between chess and culture, primarily literature. In chess games, he skews towards endgames and positional play.

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