Grenke Classic: Rapport widens the gap after eventful pair of rounds

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
3/27/2024 – Two rounds featuring turnarounds and missed chances left Richard Rapport atop the standings of the Grenke Chess Classic with a 1-point lead over Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren and Vincent Keymer. Rapport drew Keymer and beat Daniel Fridman in rounds 3 and 4, while both Carlsen and Keymer obtained big advantages which they were unable to convert into full points. The marquee matchup of the day saw Ding holding a draw with black against Carlsen. | Photo: Angelika Valkova
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Turnarounds, missed chances

A “fast-classical” time control is in place at the Grenke Chess Classic in Karlsruhe, with 45 minutes for the game and 10-second increments per move. After four rounds of play, it is apparent that this format allows both for interesting theoretical battles and tense-filled tactical sequences (which might lead to game-losing blunders). Naturally, it also tends to deprive us of accurate endgame play or long, intricate middlegames.

Rounds 3 and 4 of the event featured three major turnarounds.

  • Daniel Fridman survived a clearly losing position before turning the tables and beating Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in round 3.
  • Vincent Keymer misplayed a winning pawn endgame and thus failed to convert his clear advantage against world champion Ding Liren in round 4.
  • Magnus Carlsen had an extra piece against Vachier-Lagrave, but a single misstep with his knight gave away his advantage, and the round-4 game ended in a draw.

The one player who has managed to avoid making big mistakes is, consequently, the sole leader: Richard Rapport. The Romanian representative scored 1½ out of 2 on each of the first two days of action and now has a 1-point lead over Carlsen, Ding and Keymer.

On Wednesday, Rapport played with the white pieces twice. First, he drew Keymer after getting a slight edge in the middlegame. Then, he took advantage of an early blunder by Fridman to get a 25-move victory.

Vachier-Lagrave 0 - 1 Fridman

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime27280–1Fridman, Daniel2590
GRENKE Chess Classic 2024
Karlsruhe27.03.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 Nh6 7.Bd3 cxd4 8.0-0 Bd7 9.b4 Rc8 10.h3 a6 11.Bb2 Nf5 12.Bxf5 exf5 13.cxd4 Na5 14.Nc3 Nc4 15.Bc1 Qc6 16.Re1 Be7 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 0-0 19.Ne2 h6 20.Nf3 Nb2 21.Qb1 Qc2 22.Nf4 Be6 23.a4 g5 24.Ra2 Qxb1 25.Rxb1 gxf4 26.Rbxb2 Rc1+ 27.Kh2 Rfc8 28.Ng1 Rf1 29.Ne2 f3 30.gxf3 Rxf2+ 31.Kg3 Rf1 32.b5 a5 33.Rc2 Rc4 34.Rxc4 dxc4 35.Nc3 Rc1 36.Ra3 Rc2 37.d5 Bd7
38.d6? This was the first time MVL made a big mistake to lose his advantage. Better was 38.Nd1! e.g. Rc1 39.Ne3 c3 40.Kf4 c2 41.Rc3 Ra1 42.Nxc2 Rxa4+ 43.Ke3 Bxb5 44.Rc8+ Kg7 45.d6 f4+ 46.Kd2 Bd7 47.Rc7 Bxh3 48.d7 and White should win. 38...Be6 39.Nd5 Kf8 After 39...Bxd5 40.d7 the d-pawn becomes a queen. 40.Rc3? The position is hair-raisingly complicated and Vachier-Lagrave once again fails to find the best continuation. Better was 40.Nf6 e.g. c3 41.Kf4 Rc1 42.Ke3 Re1+ 43.Kd3 Rf1 44.f4 Rxf4 45.Ra1 Rf3+ 46.Kd4 f4 47.Kc5 c2 48.Kb6 Bxh3 49.Rc1 Rc3 50.d7 Bxd7 51.Nxd7+ Ke7 52.Nc5 and White wins. 40...Re2 41.Ne3 Ra2 42.Kf4 Rxa4 43.Nxf5 Ra1 44.Nd4 Bd5 45.Nc2 Rb1
46.Na3? Now White is actually losing. After 46.Ne3 Be6 47.Ng4 Ke8 a complicated position arises, which the engines assess as balanced. 46...Rb3 47.Rxb3 cxb3 48.Ke3 Ke8 49.f4 Be6 50.h4 b2 51.Kd4 Bf5 52.Kc5 Kd7 53.Kb6 a4 54.Ka5 Bc2 0–1

Daniel Fridman

Daniel Fridman | Photo: Angelika Valkova

Carlsen ½ - ½ Vachier-Lagrave

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Carlsen, Magnus2830½–½Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime2728
GRENKE Chess Classic 2024
Karlsruhe27.03.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Be2 e5 5.Bc4 Be7 6.d3 Nc6 7.Bg5 Nd7 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.h4 h6 11.c3 Nf6 12.Nd2 0-0 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 14.Nf1 Kh8 15.Ne3 Qg6 16.g4 Nd8 17.Qf3 Bd7 18.g5 Ne6 19.gxh6 gxh6 20.Nd5 f5 21.0-0-0 b5 22.Rhg1 Qh7 23.Bb3 c4 24.Bc2 fxe4 25.Qxe4 Qxe4 26.dxe4 Be8 27.f4 Bh5 28.Rd2
28...exf4? Overlooks White's tactical opportunity. After 28...Nxf4 29.Nxf4 Rxf4 30.Rxd6 Kh7 the position remains balanced. 29.Nc7‼ With this surprising move White gains a piece. Rg8 In case of 29...Nxc7 30.Rxd6 Black has no satisfactory way of protecting the pawn on h6. After Rf7 31.e5 Rg7 32.Rxh6+ Kg8 33.Rxg7+ Kxg7 34.Rh7+ Kg8 35.Rxh5 White regains the material with interest and has a winning position. 30.Rxg8+ Rxg8 31.Nxe6 Rg1+ 32.Bd1 Rf1 33.Rxd6 f3 34.Nf4 Bg4
35.Ng6+? White is a piece up, but the position remains complicated as Carlsen has difficulties stopping the black f-pawn. One path to victory was 35.Kc2 f2 36.Ng6+ Kg7 37.Bxg4 Rc1+ 38.Kxc1 f1Q+ 39.Rd1 and the white pieces will prevail against the black queen. Another possibility was 35.Nh5 e.g. Bxh5 36.Rxh6+ Kg7 37.Rxh5 Re1 38.Rf5 and White wins. 35...Kg7 36.Kc2 h5 37.Ne5 f2 The advanced f-pawn forces White to give back the piece. 38.Rg6+ Kh7 39.Rf6 Bxd1+ 40.Kd2 Bg4 41.Ke3 Re1+ 42.Kxf2 Rxe4 43.Nxg4 Rxg4 44.Rf5 This endgame is drawn - it's hard to believe, but Vachier-Lagrave has managed to save his losing position. Kg6 45.Rxb5 Rxh4 46.Kg3 Rg4+ 47.Kh3 Re4 48.a4 a6 49.Ra5 Re6 50.Kh4 Re4+ 51.Kg3 Re6 52.Rc5 Rb6 53.Rxc4 Rxb2 54.Rc6+ Kf7 55.Rxa6 Ke7 56.Kf4 h4 57.Ke5 h3 58.Ra7+ Kd8 59.Rh7 h2 60.c4 Rd2 61.c5 Kc8 62.a5 Rd1 63.Rxh2 Kb7 64.Rh6 Re1+ 65.Kd6 Rd1+ 66.Ke7 Kc7 67.a6 Ra1 68.Rf6 Ra5 69.c6 Rxa6 70.Re6 Rxc6 71.Rxc6+ Kxc6 ½–½

Magnus Carlsen, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Magnus Carlsen and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Photo: Angelika Valkova

Rapport 1 - 0 Fridman

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Rapport, Richard27201–0Fridman, Daniel2590
GRENKE Chess Classic 2024
Karlsruhe27.03.2024[Fischer]
1.e4 e6 2.d3 c5 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.f4 Bg7 6.Nf3 Nge7 7.0-0 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.a4 b6 10.Na3 Rb8 11.Be3 Ba6 12.Bf2 Qd7 13.Re1 Rbd8 14.d4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Nb4 16.Nb5 Rc8 17.Re2 Bxb5 18.axb5 Qxb5 19.Rxa7
19...Nd3?! Threatens 20...Rc1, but is a bit too bold. Safer and better was 19...Nbc6 20.Bf1 Rc1? Consistent, but a mistake. After 20...Nxf2 21.Kxf2 Rfe8 White is at most a little better. 21.Qd2 After this simple move the black pieces turn out to be overloaded - White is winning. Nc6 22.Ra3 Ncb4 23.Ne1 Nxe1 24.Qxc1 Nbd3 25.Rxe1 1–0

Richard Rapport

Sole leader Richard Rapport facing Ding Liren on Tuesday | Photo: Angelika Valkova

Ding ½ - ½ Keymer

Analysis by Johannes Fischer

Ding, Liren2762½–½Keymer, Vincent2738
GRENKE Chess Classic 2024
Karlsruhe27.03.2024[Johannes Fischer]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d6 5.Qc2 0-0 6.Bd2 b6 7.e4 c5 8.a3 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 e5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nc6 13.0-0-0 Rc8 14.Qd3
14...Qc7 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 Ne4 17.Rd7 Nxc3 18.bxc3 Rfd8 Black has sacrificed a pawn, but he has a much better pawn structure and his knight is far superior to his opponent's bishop. 19.Rxd8+ Nxd8 20.Be2 Kf8 21.Rd1 Ke7 22.Rd5 f6 23.Kc2 Nb7 24.Kb3 Nc5+ 25.Kb4 Rd8 26.a4 Ne4 27.f3?! Better was 27.Rxd8 Kxd8 28.c5! Nxc5 29.a5 White has given back his extra pawn, but freed his bishop - this is a position White should not lose. 27...a5+ 28.Kb3 Nc5+ 29.Ka3 Rd6 30.Bd1 Na6 31.Bc2 Nc7 32.Rxd6 Kxd6 33.Be4 Na6 34.g4? This weakens White's position too much and gives Black the opportunity for a marvellous double pawn sacrifice. More solid was 34.Kb2 and there is no sign of Black wanting to make any progress. 34...Nc5 35.h4
35...h5! With this pawn sacrifice Black puts White in zugzwang. 36.gxh5 Ke7 37.Bc6
37...e4! And with this pawn sacrifice Black gives his king access to the opponent's position. 38.fxe4 Kd6 39.Bd5 White has three extra pawns in the endgame, but is still losing. A fantastic example of a good knight versus bad bishop position. Ke5 40.Bc6 Nxe4 41.Bxe4 Kxe4 42.Kb3 Kxf5 43.c5 bxc5 44.Kc4
44...Ke4? Incredible, but this natural move gives away the win. Correct was 44...Kg4! 45.Kxc5 f5 46.c4 f4 47.h6 gxh6 48.Kb6 f3 49.c5 f2 50.c6 f1Q 51.c7 Qf8 52.Kb7 Kxh4 53.c8Q Qxc8+ 54.Kxc8 Kg4 and the pawn ending is easily winning for Black. 45.Kxc5 f5 46.c4 f4 47.Kb6 f3 48.c5 f2 49.c6 f1Q 50.c7
50...Qf5 As in the variation with 44...Kg4, Black turns his pawn into a queen one move earlier. But since Black cannot enter the square b5 with his queen, the position is drawn. In the line with 44...Kg4 Black could calmly exchange queens and then collect the white pawns on the h-file. But with the king on e4 he doesn't have the time. 51.Kb7 Qd7 52.Kb8 Qd6 53.Kb7 Qd7 54.Kb8 Qxa4 Keymer makes one last attempt and enters the queen endgame. But here Black can save himself by perpetual check. 55.c8Q Qd4 56.Qg4+ Kd5 57.Qd7+ Ke4 58.Qg4+ Kd5 59.Qd7+ Ke4 A game well played by Keymer, which in the end led to a bitter draw due to a study-like save by White. ½–½

Standings after round 4

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
TBPerf.
1
Rapport,R
2720
3.0
4
½
½
1
1
5.50
2923
2
Ding,L
2762
2.0
4
½
½
½
½
4.25
2754
3
Keymer,V
2738
2.0
4
½
½
½
½
4.00
2700
4
Carlsen,M
2830
2.0
4
0
½
½
1
3.25
2700
5
Vachier-Lagrave,M
2728
1.5
4
½
½
½
0
3.00
2643
6
Fridman,D
2590
1.5
4
0
½
0
1
2.50
2667
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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1.d4 5 d5 1 2.Nf3 3 Nf6 2 3.e3 2 e6 10 4.Nbd2 3 c5 1:49 5.b3 4 Nc6 11 6.Bb2 12 cxd4 34 7.exd4 5 g6 3 8.a3 4:47 Bg7 4 9.Bd3 1 0-0 2 10.Qe2 36 Qb6 35 11.0-0 6:00 Nd7! 10 12.Qe3 13:57
12...e5! 2 13.dxe5 19 Qxe3 2 14.fxe3 4 Ndxe5 2 15.Rab1 4:53 Nxd3 4:37 16.cxd3 2:03 Bf5 2 17.e4 22 dxe4 3 18.dxe4 1
Bxg7 would now be deadly. 18...Be6 2 19.Bxg7 1:25 Kxg7 2 20.Rfc1 2:43 Rfd8 1:16 21.Rc3 46 Rd7 19 22.Rb2 2:54 Rad8 7 23.Kf2 29 Nd4 9:04 24.Nxd4 2:28 The position is equal. Rxd4 2 25.Ke3 1 f5 56 26.Rc7+ 41 R8d7 2 27.Rxd7+ 48 Rxd7= 2       Endgame. KRB-KRN 28.g3 1:58 fxe4 2:52 29.Nxe4 2 Bf5 2 White must now prevent ...Re7. 30.Rd2 1:31 Re7 4:49 31.Rd4 1 Bd7 2:42 32.Kf2 36 Rf7+ 40 33.Ke3 2 Re7 24 34.Kf2 1 Rf7+ 47 35.Ke3 1 Re7 Weighted Error Value: White=0.05 (flawless) /Black=0.05 (flawless) . Inaccurate: White=3 Black=1 OK: White=12 Black=9 Strong: --- Black=1 Brilliant: --- Black=1 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Keymer,V2738Fridman,D2590½–½2024D05GRENKE Chess Classic 20241.1
Rapport,R2720Carlsen,M28301–02024B12GRENKE Chess Classic 20241.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2728Ding,L2762½–½2024A45GRENKE Chess Classic 20241.3
Ding,L2762Rapport,R2720½–½2024A62GRENKE Chess Classic 20242.1
Fridman,D2590Carlsen,M28300–12024A47GRENKE Chess Classic 20242.2
Keymer,V2738Vachier-Lagrave,M2728½–½2024D20GRENKE Chess Classic 20242.3
Vachier-Lagrave,M2728Fridman,D25900–12024C02GRENKE Chess Classic 20243.1
Carlsen,M2830Ding,L2762½–½2024E10GRENKE Chess Classic 20243.2
Rapport,R2720Keymer,V2738½–½2024C50GRENKE Chess Classic 20243.3
Rapport,R2720Fridman,D25901–02024C00GRENKE Chess Classic 20244.1
Carlsen,M2830Vachier-Lagrave,M2728½–½2024B50GRENKE Chess Classic 20244.2
Ding,L2762Keymer,V2738½–½2024E21GRENKE Chess Classic 20244.3
Vachier-Lagrave,M2728Rapport,R27201–02024C18GRENKE Chess Classic 20245.1
Keymer,V2738Carlsen,M28300–12024A61GRENKE Chess Classic 20245.2
Fridman,D2590Ding,L2762½–½2024A05GRENKE Chess Classic 20245.3
Fridman,D2590Keymer,V2738½–½2024A05GRENKE Chess Classic 20246.1
Carlsen,M2830Rapport,R27201–02024A61GRENKE Chess Classic 20246.2
Ding,L2762Vachier-Lagrave,M2728½–½2024A48GRENKE Chess Classic 20246.3
Rapport,R2720Ding,L27621–02024C26GRENKE Chess Classic 20247.1
Carlsen,M2830Fridman,D25901–02024C08GRENKE Chess Classic 20247.2
Vachier-Lagrave,M2728Keymer,V2738½–½2024E46GRENKE Chess Classic 20247.3
Fridman,D2590Vachier-Lagrave,M2728½–½2024D79GRENKE Chess Classic 20248.1
Ding,L2762Carlsen,M2830½–½2024E11GRENKE Chess Classic 20248.2
Keymer,V2738Rapport,R27200–12024A67GRENKE Chess Classic 20248.3
Ding,L2762Fridman,D2590½–½2024D45GRENKE Chess Classic 20249.1
Carlsen,M2830Keymer,V27381–02024E21GRENKE Chess Classic 20249.2
Rapport,R2720Vachier-Lagrave,M2728½–½2024D30GRENKE Chess Classic 20249.3
Fridman,D2590Rapport,R2720½–½2024E17GRENKE Chess Classic 202410.1
Vachier-Lagrave,M2728Carlsen,M2830½–½2024A05GRENKE Chess Classic 202410.2
Keymer,V2738Ding,L27621–02024A06GRENKE Chess Classic 202410.3

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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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