3/31/2024 – Magnus Carlsen continues to be the sole leader at the Grenke Chess Classic in Karlsruhe. Second-placed Richard Rapport closed the gap between him and the leader to a half point after collecting back-to-back victories on Saturday. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave stands in sole third place a full point behind Rapport, and is set to face the Romanian representative in the penultimate round. | Photo: Angelika Valkova
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Rapport beats Ding and Keymer
Thursday was a disastrous day for Richard Rapport. After grabbing the lead in the first four rounds of play, the Hungarian-born grandmaster suffered two consecutive losses in rounds 5 and 6 to find himself a full point behind the new sole leader, Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen, as has often happened in the past, started slowly, but consecutive wins on the third day of action (over Vincent Keymer and Rapport himself) allowed him to take pole position.
Friday was a rest day for the players in the main event of the Grenke Chess Festival, which apparently helped Rapport to regroup and recover his form. On Saturday, he defeated Keymer and Ding Liren to go into the final two rounds of the double round-robin a half point behind Carlsen, who beat Daniel Fridman and drew Ding in rounds 7 and 8.
As per the regulations, those placed first and second at the end of the double round-robin will face off in a match for tournament victory on Monday. While Carlsen is almost certain to reach the final, Rapport still needs to work hard on Sunday, as he is paired up against third-placed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in round 9 — the Frenchman stands a full point behind Rapport after signing two draws (in two sharp battles) on Sunday.
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Ding Liren obtained a nice position due to Richard Rapport's unusual opening choice.13.Bg5Bg614.Kh1He couldn't possibly remain pinned any longer.
Qb6?!This is probably too optimistic.14...Qd6!=now results in15.Bxf6Qxf616.Bxd5with an equal position afterNxd417.Nxd4Rad815.Bxf6gxf616.Nf4!
This knight move retains some advantage.Ne717.Qd2Kg718.Rfe1Bxd419.Qxd4Qxd420.cxd4Nf521.Red1Rad822.Rac1Ne323.Re1
The computers all calculate White's advantage to be around one pawn. In any case, White has the better minor pieces; Rapport can play for a win without much stress.23...Nc4?!After this move, White's advantage increases.After the stronger23...Nf524.Red1Ne325.Rd2nothing would have changed in the assessment.24.Rxe8Rxe825.h4!Of course he has to get his king an exit.b526.Nxd5Nxb227.Rc7a528.Nf4!The knight clears the d5-square for the bishop and at the same time threatens to eliminate the protecting piece on f7.a429.Bd5Nd3It turns out that f7 was beyond saving:29...Rf8??30.Ne6++-30.Nxg6hxg631.Rxf7+Kh632.Rxf6Rd833.Bc6Kg734.Re6Rxd435.Bxb5Rxh4+36.Kg1
White's virtual extra pawn has become a real one thanks to the activity of his pieces.36...Rd437.a3g538.Re3?But this rather timid move is not good.38.Re4Rxe439.fxe4Nc540.Bc6+-was a better alternative - the white king first moves to g4, while the black knight is not allowed to move.38...Nf439.Re4Now this no longer works as in the previous variation.Rd1+!40.Bf1Nd5?More precise was40...Ra141.Rxa4Nd542.Kf2Ra2+43.Kg3Ne344.Bb5Rxg2+45.Kh3Rf246.Bc6Kf6and the king defends the pawn.41.Kf2Rd2+42.Kg3?Once again White's advantage, which had once again become promising, evaporates.Rd1?This is not the way to do it.42...Kf6!43.Rxa4Ne3as shown above.43.Bc4Nf444.Kg4!
Now a completely new motif appears, which Rapport had certainly already seen: a mating attack against the black king.44...Nxg245.Kxg5Ra146.Re8Rxa347.Rg8+Kh748.Rf8Rc349.Rf7+Kg850.Be6Re351.Bd5a3Or this fascinating variation, which is difficult to calculate:51...Rd352.Rd7+Kf853.Kf6Ke854.Rd6Nf455.Bf7+Kf856.Ra6Rd857.Rxa4Rd6+58.Ke5+-52.Kh6Rd353.Bc4Or simply:53.Rf5+Rxd554.Rxd5+-53...Ne354.Rg7+1–0
It is always tough to play against a friend, confirmed by the world champion. Not the best day for Ding Liren, but let’s see what he shows us in the last two rounds of the second cycle! ♟️
After these rather wild first 25 moves, it can be said that none of the players made a serious mistake - so the computers evaluate the position as balanced.26.Ne2?!Better was26.Nd1!and the knight does not place itself in the line of the black rook, it covers b2 and it can secure the a7-g1 diagonal by defending f2. In general, this is a rare, somewhat curious position: the two white knights on the first rank are by no means as bad as they seem. For example:Qa7+27.Nf2Qc528.d7Rd829.Nf3Nd330.Qe2Ne531.Rd126...Re627.Rxf527.Qxb4Rxe2-+27...Rxe228.Qxe2Qxf529.Qe8+Bf8?!29...Qf830.d7Bf6was probably better.30.d7Nc631.d8QNxd832.Qxd8b4After this move, Black's advantage is actually gone, but it comes with a small trap.
More precise was32...h6with the intention of getting out of the pin with Kh7.33.Qd1?Did Vincent Keymer want to control the c2-square to stop a potential passed pawn?33.Kg2!c334.bxc3bxc335.Qd4Qc536.Qe4=33...Bc5+White will be checkmated.34.Kg2Qf2+35.Kh3Qf1+36.Kg4h5+!Mate in three moves.0–1
In this course, we will learn how to identify passively placed pieces in any given situation and how to improve their health by bringing them into active squares.
Carlos Alberto ColodroCarlos 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.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
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