Grenke Classic: Carlsen mates Svidler

by Antonio Pereira
4/28/2019 – After scoring his fifth win of the tournament, Magnus Carlsen almost secured yet another super-tournament triumph. His round eight victim was Peter Svidler, who allowed the world champion to mate him on the board. The only player with chances to catch Magnus is Fabiano Caruana — the American remained one point behind the leader thanks to a win over Georg Meier. Sole third place was taken by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who defeated Vincent Keymer. | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

ChessBase 18 - Mega package ChessBase 18 - Mega package

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

More...

Win after win

Nothing seems to be able to stop Magnus. Praise keeps coming in from chess spectators and, more importantly, from his peers and expert analysts. In 2019, the world champion has won fourteen out of the twenty-nine games he has played — he lost a classical game for the last time at the end of July 2018. And that is just one of many astounding stats we could list. 

Carlsen's classical live rating (2871.2) has surpassed his rapid rating (2869). After his twelve draws in the classical portion of the London match were followed by a dominant performance in the rapid, his preparation for the match has also paid-off in his classical performances (as pointed out by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave). Vidit Gujrathi noted that this will (very likely) be Magnus' fourth straight super-tournament victory!

After Mamedyarov finished ahead of him in Biel 2018, his performances in individual tournaments with a classical time control included a tie for first at the Sinquefield Cup 2018, another tie in the twelve 'slow' games of the London match, and clear first places in Wijk aan Zee and Shamkir. 

Peter Svidler, Magnus Carlsen

Peter beat Magnus twice in classical chess | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

Magnus had a negative score against Peter Svidler in classical chess before their round eight encounter in Baden-Baden. The player from Saint Petersubrg opened 1.e4 and faced the Sicilian Defence. The players left theory on move 13, when Svidler went 13.a3, to which Carlsen responded with 13...f5 after thinking long and hard:

 
Svidler vs. Carlsen
Position after 13...f5

With his king already safe on h8, Black is planning to use the f-file in his favour. The game continued 14.xf5 xc1 15.xc1 xf5 16.exf5 d5 17.a2 and White's light-squared bishop looks worse than Black's knight (at least less active in the short term):

 
Position after 17.Ba2

Magnus captured with 17...xf5 and some moves later put his queen on f8 — Carlsen later declared that Svidler had missed his 20...f8. On move 22, the knight joined the action with decisive effect:

 
Position after 22.Qf3

In the next three moves the knight made its way to d3 — 22...e5 23.e4 g4 24.ce1 e3. While Black's knight found a great post in Svidler's camp, White's rook from f1 went 25.f2, 27.fe2 and 28.f2 back, which goes to show how difficult it was for Peter to find a defensive plan against White's attack.

Carlsen kept pushing his f and g-pawns until mating White's king in the corner:

 
Position after 32.Rxf6

32...h2+ 33.h1 g2#. Obviously, Svidler could have resigned earlier...

During his match against Caruana last year, Magnus had declared that his favourite player from the past was...himself, some years ago. Naturally, the press team in Baden-Baden asked Magnus whether he feels he has reached a level of play comparable to the one he referred to in London. The world champion responded:

I don't want to particularly compare, but I'm very satisfied with the way it's going now, and I don't really think that I was better back then — it's just flowing so well now.


Post-game interview with Magnus Carlsen


Caruana prevents an early triumph

Had Fabiano Caruana not defeated Georg Meier in Saturday's round Magnus would have got the title with a round to spare for a second tournament in a row. Now, Fabiano needs to beat Levon Aronian in the last round and wait for Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to take down the leader in order to finish the event tied in points and force a play-off. 

Georg Meier, Fabiano Caruana

Georg came from beating Anand | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

Meier played the Rossolimo with White and was the first one to leave theory on move 11:

 
Position after 11.b4

Black had a number of choices here, including 11...cxb4 and the more aggressive 11...f5, but Caruana decided to re-route his knight with 11...f8, allowing White to gain a pawn after 12.bxc5 e6 13.cxb6 axb6.

Caruana's enterprising strategy allowed him to co-ordinate his pieces effectively, but the nature of the position called for a very precise treatment. Fabiano played inaccurately with 25...d8, which gave White a chance to get the upper hand with an astounding combination:

 
Position after 25...Rd8

The computers show 26.♖xg6, with the idea of 26...♚xg6 27.♘xf4!, when White's domination over the long diagonal and the open g-file prevent Black from capturing the knight. It is hard to criticize Georg for not finding this difficult recourse though — after a little over three minutes the German grandmaster played 26.gd1 instead. 

Fabiano doubled his rooks on the queenside and was the one clearly in the driver's seat from that point on. Meier faltered by allowing his opponent to close the kingside and, after the time control, with his position already in tatters, the German incorrectly gave up his queen:

 
Position after 43...Rc8

White attacked Black's queen with 44.a7 instead of saving his strongest piece with 44.a4 or 47.a7. The game continued 44...b5 45.xc8 xc8 46.xf7 g8 47.xg7 and Black went on to get the full point four moves later.

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano still has a slim chance | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

MVL in sole third place

After round six, no less than six players were tied in second place a full point behind Carlsen. Two days later, Caruana is the only player with a chance to catch-up with the leader and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is in sole third place on 5/8. The Frenchman defeated the two German players at the event — in round four, he had taken down Meier with the black pieces.

According to MVL, Keymer handled the opening correctly, equalizing with the black pieces out of a Sicilian...until he went 17...b5:

 
Vachier-Lagrave vs. Keymer
Position after 17...b5

Although this manoeuvre does not lead to any sort of direct win, the Frenchman explained that, from a practical point of view, the advance clearly favours White. Vachier-Lagrave simply has an easier task ahead.

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Vincent Keymer

The youngster fought hard but could not avoid another defeat | Photo: Eric van Reem

Nonetheless, Keymer kept the balance in the struggle that ensued, until he faltered two moves before the time control:

 
Position after 37.Qe3

After 37...c8, Black exchanged pawns and knights on f5 and went on to prove that his queen and rook are able to co-ordinate an attack against the opposite king more quickly than White's pieces.


Post-game interview with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave


Meanwhile, Francisco Vallejo Pons obtained a very favourable position against Arkadij Naiditsch. He was close to getting his first win of the event, but the Azeri player defended tenaciously in a rook+knight v rook+bishop endgame two pawns down. This was the position that Paco could not convert into a full point:

 
Vallejo vs. Naiditsch
Position after 52.Kxc4

The Spaniard tried during 35 moves but was not capable of breaking Arkadij's defences.

Francisco Vallejo Pons, Akadij Naiditsch

Paco showed strong chess but could not win | Photo: Georgios Souleidis

Viswanathan Anand

Vishy drew with Levon Aronian in 33 moves | Photo: Georgios Souleidis


Round-up show

GM Daniel King analysed the games from Round 8


Standings after Round 8

Loading Table...

All games

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
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
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
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

Links


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.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.