Gukesh D. wins the Gelfand Challenge

by Klaus Besenthal
6/14/2021 – On Sunday, the last four of the 19 rounds of the "Gelfand Challenge" were played. After 15 rounds Vincent Keymer from Germany had led the tournament but he only scored 1.5/4 on the final day. This was the chance for the 15-year old Indian Gukesh D., who had started the day two points behind Keymer, to catch up. After a 4.0/4 run Gukesh finished on 14.0/19 and tied first with his compatriot Praggnanandhaa but Gukesh won the tournament on tiebreak because he had won the direct encounter against "Pragg". Half a point behind the two Indians, Vincent Keymer came third. | Picture: Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour
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Gelfand Challenge, Day 4

The game that ultimately decided the tournament was played in round 17. In a long maneuvering game in which White was almost always better Gukesh won against Praggnanandhaa.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.Be3 Be7 10.h4 Nb4 11.Nc3 N4d5 12.Bd2 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bb7 14.h5 h6 15.Rh3 Qd7 16.Rg3 Bf8 17.Be3 Bd5 18.a4 a5 19.Nd2 Rb8 20.Rb1 Ra8 21.Ra1 Qc6 22.Kf1 Nc8 23.Qb1 Nb6 24.Ra2 Nxa4 25.Qa1 Nb6 26.Rxa5 Rxa5 27.Qxa5 Qa4 28.Nxc4 Bxc4 29.Qxa4+ Nxa4 30.Bxc4 Nxc3 31.Bc1 Nd5 32.Rb3 Nb6 33.Bb5+ Kd8 34.Rf3 Ke7 35.Rc3 Kd8 36.Rf3 Ke7 37.Bf4 Nd5 38.Bg3 f5 39.Ra3 Nb6 40.Bh4+ Kf7 41.Ra7 Be7 42.Bxe7 Nc8 43.Bc5 Nxa7 44.Bxa7 Ra8 45.Bc5 Ra1+ 46.Ke2 Rh1 47.Bc4 c6 48.Ba6 Rxh5 49.Bb7 Rh1 50.Bxc6 Rc1 51.Kd2 Rf1 52.d5 Ra1 53.d6 Ra2+ 54.Kc3 Ra5 55.Kb4 Ra1 56.d7 Rb1+ 57.Ka5 Rd1 58.Bd6 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gukesh D2578Praggnanandhaa R26081–02021D24Gelfand Challenge17.5

An impressive performance by Gukesh which helped him to qualify for the next Meltwater Champions Chess Tour where he will face some of the world's best players.

Of course, the last day of the tournament also offered interesting endgames. In Round 16, for example, Awonder Liang miraculously saved a rook ending against Carissa Yip though he was two pawns down. Karsten Müller has the floor:

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.d4 Bf5 4.Bg2 Qd7 5.c4 dxc4 6.Na3 0-0-0 7.Nxc4 f6 8.0-0 Bh3 9.Be3 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 h5 11.h4 Nh6 12.Qa4 Nf5 13.d5 Qxd5 14.Bxa7 Nxa7 15.e4 Qc5 16.exf5 Kb8 17.Rfd1 Rc8 18.Ne3 g5 19.fxg6 Bh6 20.Rac1 Qb5 21.Qe4 Rhg8 22.Rc3 Bxe3 23.Rxe3 Qe8 24.Nd4 e5 25.Rb3 b6 26.Nf5 Rxg6 27.Nd6 Qc6 28.Qxc6 Nxc6 29.Nxc8 Kxc8 30.Rc3 Nd4 31.a4 Kb7 32.b4 c6 33.Re3 Rg7 34.Kf1 c5 35.bxc5 bxc5 36.Rc3 Kc6 37.Rdc1 Ne6 38.a5 f5 39.Re1 e4 40.a6 Kd5 41.Rb1 Ra7 42.Rb6 c4 43.Rxc4 Kxc4 44.Rxe6 Kd5 45.Rh6 Ke5 46.Ke2 f4 47.Rxh5+ Kd4 48.Rh6 f3+ 49.Kd2 Rd7 50.h5 Ke5+ The king retreat Ke1 can be strong and weak Usually active defense is best in rook endings, but objectivly Black is lost in any case: 51.Ke1! Here the retreat is strong and forced. All other moves even lose. 51.Ke3?? Rd3# 51.Kc2? e3 52.Rb6 exf2 53.Rb1 Ke4-+ 51...Rc7 52.Rb6 Rc1+ Active defense gives the best practical chances. The passive 52...Ra7?! 53.h6 Kf5 54.Rb5+ Kg6 55.Ra5 Kxh6 56.Kd2+- loses easily. 53.Kd2 Ra1 53...e3+ is met by 54.Kxe3!+- Of course not 54.Kxc1?? exf2-+ 54.h6 Ra2+!? 54...Rf1?! 55.h7 Rxf2+ 56.Kc3 Rh2 57.a7 f2 58.a8Q f1Q 59.Qa5+ Qb5 60.Qxb5# 55.Ke1?! Here this king retreat is wrong as the king can not escape the rain of rook checks in this direction. 55.Kc3 wins as the checks will end sooner rather than later and then White always comes first, e.g. e3 55...Rxf2 56.h7 Rh2 57.a7 f2 58.a8Q+- 56.h7 e2 57.h8Q++- 55...Ra1+ 56.Kd2 Ra2+ 57.Ke1? 57.Kc3 still wins. 57...Ra1+ 58.Kd2 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Yip,C2430Liang,A2592½–½2021D02Gelfand Challenge16.3

The game between Gunay Mammadzada and Zhansaya Abdumalik from round 17 illustrates a truism of endgame play: liquidating into a pawn endgame transitions requires precise calculation!

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Ne7 12.Nxf6+ gxf6 13.Bd3 Rg8 14.g3 Bg4 15.f3 Be6 16.Qe2 Qb6 17.Nc2 f5 18.Ne3 fxe4 19.Bxe4 Rc8 20.Bxh7 Rh8 21.Bd3 f5 22.Qf2 Kf7 23.a3 a5 24.Rd1 b4 25.axb4 axb4 26.c4 f4 27.gxf4 exf4 28.Ng4 Qxf2+ 29.Kxf2 Bxc4 30.Be4 d5 31.Bb1 Nc6 32.h4 Rce8 33.Rd2 Rh5 34.Bc2 b3 35.Bd3 Nb4 36.Bf1 Reh8 37.Rd4 Rf5 38.Bxc4 dxc4 39.Rxc4 Nd3+ 40.Kg2 Nxb2 41.Rc7+ Ke6 42.Rb1 Kd6 43.Rc3 Na4 44.Rd3+ Kc6 45.Rdxb3 Rxh4 46.Rb4 Nc5 47.Rb6+ Kc7 48.R6b4 Rh7 49.Rc1 Rd7 50.Rb2 Rdd5 51.Rbc2 Kd6 52.Rh1 Rf7 53.Rh6+ Kc7 54.Rf6 Rxf6 55.Nxf6 Rg5+ 56.Kf2 Kd6 The mined squares Great care is required when exchanging into a pawn endgame: 57.Rxc5? The resulting pawn endgame is lost. The rook endgame after 57.Ne4+ Nxe4+ 58.fxe4 is a clear draw. 57...Rxc5 58.Ne4+ Kd5 59.Nxc5 59.Ng5 loses as well, e.g. Rc2+ 60.Kf1 Kd4 61.Nh3 Ke3 62.Ng1 Rc1+ 63.Kg2 Rxg1+ 64.Kxg1 Kxf3-+ 59...Kxc5 60.Kg2 60.Ke2 is met by Kc4 diagonal opposition 61.Kd2 Kd4 opposition 62.Ke2 Kc3-+ The king has reached a key square. 60...Kd4 61.Kh3 Kd3! Black's point. The king moves around the mined e3 square. Of course not 61...Ke3?? 62.Kg4+- 62.Kh4 Ke2 63.Kg4 Ke3 The final fatal zugzwang. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mammadzada,G2443Abdumalik,Z24720–12021B33Gelfand Challenge17.2

Day 4, results

16. Round
Bd. No. Gr Elo     Name Result   Name   Gr Elo No.
1 20 P 2591
 
 GM Keymer Vincent 0 - 1 IM Murzin Volodar
 
 P 2478 18
2 19 K 2627
 
 GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek 0 - 1 IM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat
 
 P 2494 17
3 1 K 2430
 
 IM Yip Carissa ½ - ½ GM Liang Awonder
 
 P 2592 16
4 2 P 2620
 
 GM Nihal Sarin 0 - 1 IM Salimova Nurgyul
 
 K 2397 15
5 3 P 2459
 
 WGM Zhu Jiner 1 - 0 IM Badelka Olga
 
 K 2433 14
6 4 K 2549
 
 IM Mendonca Leon Luke 0 - 1 GM Gukesh D
 
 P 2578 13
7 5 K 2608
 
 GM Praggnanandhaa R 1 - 0 IM Yoo Christopher Woojin
 
 K 2455 12
8 6 K 2550
 
 GM Bjerre Jonas Buhl ½ - ½ IM Saduakassova Dinara
 
 K 2500 11
9 7 K 2505
 
 GM Lei Tingjie 0 - 1 IM Mammadzada Gunay
 
 P 2443 10
10 8 P 2472
 
 IM Abdumalik Zhansaya ½ - ½ IM Shuvalova Polina
 
 P 2476 9
17. Round
Bd. No. Gr Elo     Name Result   Name   Gr Elo No.
1 9 P 2476
 
 IM Shuvalova Polina ½ - ½ GM Keymer Vincent
 
 P 2591 20
2 10 P 2443
 
 IM Mammadzada Gunay 0 - 1 IM Abdumalik Zhansaya
 
 P 2472 8
3 11 K 2500
 
 IM Saduakassova Dinara 0 - 1 GM Lei Tingjie
 
 K 2505 7
4 12 K 2455
 
 IM Yoo Christopher Woojin 0 - 1 GM Bjerre Jonas Buhl
 
 K 2550 6
5 13 P 2578
 
 GM Gukesh D 1 - 0 GM Praggnanandhaa R
 
 K 2608 5
6 14 K 2433
 
 IM Badelka Olga ½ - ½ IM Mendonca Leon Luke
 
 K 2549 4
7 15 K 2397
 
 IM Salimova Nurgyul 0 - 1 WGM Zhu Jiner
 
 P 2459 3
8 16 P 2592
 
 GM Liang Awonder 0 - 1 GM Nihal Sarin
 
 P 2620 2
9 17 P 2494
 
 IM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 1 - 0 IM Yip Carissa
 
 K 2430 1
10 18 P 2478
 
 IM Murzin Volodar ½ - ½ GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek
 
 K 2627 19
18. Round
Bd. Nr. Gr Elo     Name Result   Name   Gr Elo No.
1 20 P 2591
 
 GM Keymer Vincent 0 - 1 GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek
 
 K 2627 19
2 1 K 2430
 
 IM Yip Carissa 0 - 1 IM Murzin Volodar
 
 P 2478 18
3 2 P 2620
 
 GM Nihal Sarin 1 - 0 IM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat
 
 P 2494 17
4 3 P 2459
 
 WGM Zhu Jiner 0 - 1 GM Liang Awonder
 
 P 2592 16
5 4 K 2549
 
 IM Mendonca Leon Luke 1 - 0 IM Salimova Nurgyul
 
 K 2397 15
6 5 K 2608
 
 GM Praggnanandhaa R ½ - ½ IM Badelka Olga
 
 K 2433 14
7 6 K 2550
 
 GM Bjerre Jonas Buhl 0 - 1 GM Gukesh D
 
 P 2578 13
8 7 K 2505
 
 GM Lei Tingjie ½ - ½ IM Yoo Christopher Woojin
 
 K 2455 12
9 8 P 2472
 
 IM Abdumalik Zhansaya 1 - 0 IM Saduakassova Dinara
 
 K 2500 11
10 9 P 2476
 
 IM Shuvalova Polina 0 - 1 IM Mammadzada Gunay
 
 P 2443 10
19. Round
Bd. Nr. Gr Elo     Name Result   Name   Gr Elo No.
1 10 P 2443
 
 IM Mammadzada Gunay 0 - 1 GM Keymer Vincent
 
 P 2591 20
2 11 K 2500
 
 IM Saduakassova Dinara ½ - ½ IM Shuvalova Polina
 
 P 2476 9
3 12 K 2455
 
 IM Yoo Christopher Woojin 1 - 0 IM Abdumalik Zhansaya
 
 P 2472 8
4 13 P 2578
 
 GM Gukesh D 1 - 0 GM Lei Tingjie
 
 K 2505 7
5 14 K 2433
 
 IM Badelka Olga 1 - 0 GM Bjerre Jonas Buhl
 
 K 2550 6
6 15 K 2397
 
 IM Salimova Nurgyul 0 - 1 GM Praggnanandhaa R
 
 K 2608 5
7 16 P 2592
 
 GM Liang Awonder ½ - ½ IM Mendonca Leon Luke
 
 K 2549 4
8 17 P 2494
 
 IM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 0 - 1 WGM Zhu Jiner
 
 P 2459 3
9 18 P 2478
 
 IM Murzin Volodar 1 - 0 GM Nihal Sarin
 
 P 2620 2
10 19 K 2627
 
 GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek 1 - 0 IM Yip Carissa
 
 K 2430 1

Final standings

Rk. Name Pts.  Tb1 
1 Gukesh D 14,0 1,0
2 Praggnanandhaa R 14,0 0,0
3 Keymer Vincent 13,5 0,0
4 Murzin Volodar 13,0 0,0
5 Nihal Sarin 12,0 1,0
6 Abdusattorov Nodirbek 12,0 1,0
7 Yoo Christopher Woojin 12,0 1,0
8 Liang Awonder 11,5 0,0
9 Mendonca Leon Luke 10,0 0,0
10 Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 9,0 0,5
11 Lei Tingjie 9,0 0,5
12 Mammadzada Gunay 8,5 0,5
13 Bjerre Jonas Buhl 8,5 0,5
14 Zhu Jiner 7,5 2,0
15 Salimova Nurgyul 7,5 0,5
16 Saduakassova Dinara 7,5 0,5
17 Abdumalik Zhansaya 6,0 0,5
18 Shuvalova Polina 6,0 0,5
19 Yip Carissa 5,0 0,0
20 Badelka Olga 3,5 0,0

Games

 
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Klaus Besenthal is computer scientist, has followed and still follows the chess scene avidly since 1972 and since then has also regularly played in tournaments.

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