![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares001-logo.gif)
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares002-logo.gif)
Round eleven
Round 11: Tuesday, March 6th |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Peter Leko |
Alex. Morozevich |
½-½ |
Vishy Anand |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
|
|
Round 12: Wednesday, March 7th |
Peter Leko |
- |
Peter Svidler |
Veselin Topalov |
- |
Magnus Carlsen |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
- |
Alex. Morozevich |
Vishy Anand |
- |
Levon Aronian |
Games – Report |
|
Standings after eleven rounds![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/table11.gif)
Commentary by GM Mihail Marin
The following express commentary was provided by Romanian GM Mihail Marin,
who is the author of a number of very popular ChessBase training CDs and articles
for ChessBase Magazine. GM Marin will study the games of the Morelia/Linares
tournament in greater detail and provide the full results of his analysis in
the next issue of ChessBase
Magazine.
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares024.jpg)
At the start of Carlsen vs Ivanchuk: the Mayor of Linares Juan Fernandez,
organiser Paco Ablate
Carlsen,M (2690) - Ivanchuk,V (2750) [D87]
XXIV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (11), 06.03.2007 [Mihail Marin]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2
Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Rc1 cxd4 13.cxd4 e6 14.Qd2 Bb7
This variation does not enjoy a good reputation. Ivanchuk might have hoped that
his opponent's lack of experience would prevent him from finding the best plan.
15.h4! Which is not the case. Since the pressure against the d4-square
has been somewhat released, White can start active operations on the wings.
15...Qe7.
15...Qd7 is the more popular continuation, but the character of the position
remains the same.
16.h5 Rfc8 17.e5!? A new move, aiming to take advantage
of the chronic weakness of Black's kingside dark squares. White usually plays
17.Bg5.
17...Rxc1 18.Rxc1 Rc8. Black aims to exchange as many pieces as
possible, in order to approach an ending where his queenside majority would offer
him the better chances. However, White's attack remains dangerous even in positions
with a reduced number of pieces.
19.Rxc8+ Bxc8 20.Bg5 Qc7
21.Bf6. The exchange of the dark-squared bishops (which is usually carried
out by means of Bh6) gives White's attack a strategic character. The fact that
there is an enemy king around only makes the perspective more enjoyable...
21...Nc6.
Black cannot afford to capture on f6. After 21...Bxf6 22.exf6 Qd8 23.Qg5
Qe8 24.Nf4 Black cannot prevent a decisive sacrifice on g6.
22.Qg5. Threatening
Bxg7 followed by Qf6+, with a decisive attack.
22...h6 23.Qc1. 23.Qh4
would have been equally good, by making 23...g5? impossible in view of 24.Qe4!
with decisive threats. The point behind placing the queen on the apparently modest
c1-square will be revealed soon.
23...g5 24.Bb5. The exchange of this bishop
for the c6-knight is generally designed to increase White's domination on dark
squares. Here, in view of the pin along the c-file, White simply wins a piece.
24...Bd7
25.d5! Clearing the d4-square for the knight. Compare with the same
pawn break from Carslen's game against Topalov, earlier in the same tournament.
25...exd5 26.Nd4. Black is lost. The rest of the moves were played by
inertia. 26...Bxf6 27.exf6 Qd6 28.Bxc6 Qxf6 29.Bxd7 Qxd4 30.g3 Qc5 31.Qxc5
bxc5 32.Bc6 d4 33.Bb5 Kf8 34.f4 gxf4 35.gxf4 1-0. [Click
to replay]
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/carlsen01.jpg)
Magnus Carlsen in the press room after his victory over Ivanchuk
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/anand01.jpg)
Anand at the start of his game against Morozevich
Morozevich,A (2741) - Anand,V (2779) [E15]
XXIV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (11), 06.03.2007 [Mihail Marin]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qb3 d5 6.cxd5 Qxd5
7.Qd1!? As expected, Morozevich takes the first chance to avoid a theoretical
dispute on the well known paths. Anand had some experience against the popular
continuation 7.Qc2 , although it only consisted of blitz games: against Ivanchuk
and Gelfand, at Monte Carlo in 2003.
7...c5. The only game where 7.Qd1
had been played before continued with 7...Bb4+ 8.Bd2 Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 Ne4 10.Qe3 Qa5+
11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 and White's compact centre offered him the more pleasant position
in Tkachiev-Gaspariants, Biel 2003.
8.Nc3 Qd8 9.Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Bf4
Be7
The position is typical for the Catalan opening. White's chances for an advantage
are connected with the weakness of the light squares from Black's queenside.
12.dxc5
Nxc5 13.Qxd8+. Carried out before Black's castling, this exchange is aimed
to misplace the enemy rooks. Indeed, the natural development would consist of
Rac8 and Rfd8, occupying both open files. The main alternative was 13.Qc2 but
after 13...0-0 14.Rfd1 Qe8 White has no obvious way to take advantage of the temporary
passive placement of the black queen.
13...Rxd8 14.Ne5 Nd5 15.Nb5. A more
natural continuation would have been 15.Nxd5 Bxd5
(15...exd5 is less favourable
than in the game, because White has not given away his fianchetto-bishop.
)
16.Nc6 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Rd7 18.b4 eventually followed by the consolidation of
the c6-knight with b5. White would have retained a stable advantage.
15...f6
16.Bxd5 exd5 17.Nf3 Kf7 18.Nfd4 a6 19.Nc3 Rc8
The absence of the white light-squared bishop makes itself felt. The weakness
of the e6-square is hardly relevant now, while the black rook have the c8-square
at their disposal (no Bh3 available), making the fight for the c-file just even.
20.Rfd1 Rhd8 21.f3 b5 22.a3 Bf8 23.Be3 Nd7! The knight is heading for
c4, a square which has been indirectly weakened by the advance of the white
a-pawn. 24.Nc2 Ne5 25.Bd4 Rd7 26.Kf2 Nc4 27.Ra2 Na5 28.Bb6 Nc4 29.Bd4 Na5
1/2-1/2. [Click to replay]
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares021.jpg)
Aronian,L (2744) - Leko,P (2749) [E00]
XXIV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (11), 06.03.2007 [Mihail Marin]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2. Maintaining
the game within Catalan paths. 6.Nc3 would have transposed to a Nimzo Indian.
6...Bc5. The alternative is 6...Be7 7.Bg2 0-0 8.0-0 d5 , when the bishop
is not optimally placed on d2. 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.Nc3 b6 10.Bf4 0-0 11.0-0
Bb7 12.e4 d6
Finally, we have reached a Hedgehog type of position. The main drawback of Black's
development is the presence of the queen's knight on c6 rather than on d7. This
leaves the c5- and b6-squares insufficiently defended.
13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Nb5 Qb8
15.Rad1 Rd8 16.c5!?
Taking advantage of the aforementioned negative aspect regarding the arangement
of Black's pieces.
16...bxc5 17.Nxc5 e5 18.Nxb7 Qxb7 19.Bc1. White's pair
of bishops is not too active yet, while the black centre invites to permanent
surveillance. Chances are approximately equal.
19...Qa6 20.b3 Rab8 21.Nd4 Qxe2
22.Nxe2 Nb4 23.Nc3 Rdc8
24.Bb2? White obviously underestimated Black's dynamic potential. 24.Bd2
was imperative, although Black would have retained a comfortable position with
24...Bd8 followed by ...Bb6. 24...Nxa2! 25.Nxa2 Rc2 26.Bxe5 dxe5 27.Nc1.
White has managed to maintain the material equality, but his position has
become very passive. 27...Bc5. This move allows WHite obtain certain
counterplay. A policy of calmly strengthening his position starting with, say,
27...a5!? followed by ...h5 might have been more promissing. 28.Nd3 Bd4 29.Ne1
Re2 30.Nf3 Rxe4 31.Nd2 Rg4 32.Bh3 Rg6 33.Nf3 Rh6 34.Bg2 Rh5 35.h3 Rf5 36.Nxd4
exd4 37.Rxd4 Rfb5 38.Ra1 a5 39.Bf1 Rxb3 40.Rxa5 R3b7 41.Kg2 1/2-1/2.
[Click to replay]
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares022.jpg)
Svidler,P (2728) - Topalov,V (2783) [B90]
XXIV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (11), 06.03.2007 [Mihail Marin]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 h5.
A controversial move. Black prevents the standard advance of the white g-pawn,
but ireparably weakens his kingside. 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Be7 11.h3!?
An ambitious move, aiming to start active kingside operations as soon as possible.
Earlier this year, a game between the same opponents continued with 11.Kb1 Qc7
12.Bd3 b5 13.Bg5 Nb6 14.f4 Rb8 15.Rhe1 Nc4 , Svidler-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 2007.
Black has a very active position and we can understand Svidler's desire to deviate
in spite of the favourable result. 11...Qc7 12.Bd3. It is interesting
to quote here the game played by one of Topalov's seconds: 12.Kb1 h4 13.f4 b5
14.Bd3 Nb6 15.Bxb6 Qxb6 16.Rhe1 0-0 and Black's stability on dark squares offered
adequate compensation for White's strong centralisation, Cheparinov-Borovikov,
Pamplona 2003. 12...h4. Preventing 13.g4. 13.f4. It appears that
the move h3 is useful anyway, by controlling the g4-square. 13...b5 14.Rhe1
Rb8 15.Kb1 Nb6 16.Qf2 b4 17.Ne2 Nc4 18.Nd2 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 a5 20.b3 a4
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/dia046.gif)
Black's initiative has reached concrete forms, while White is mainly defending.
21.Bc4 axb3 22.cxb3 Bd7 23.Nf3 0-0 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.Nxh4 Bc6 26.Ng3 Nxe4 27.Nxe4
Bxh4 28.g3 Be7 29.Nf2 Rbd8 30.Rxd8 Qxd8 31.Rd1 Qa5 32.Ng4 e4 33.Nh6+ gxh6 34.Qxh6
Qf5 35.g4 Qc5 36.Qg6+ Kh8 37.Qh6+ Kg8 38.Qg6+ 1/2-1/2. [Click
to replay]
![](http://en.chessbase.com/portals/4/files/news/2007/linares/linares023.jpg)
Topalov's seconds Silvio Danialov and Ivan Cheparinov follow the game
Photos by Jesus J. Boyero/David Llada
Schedule
Round 8: Friday, March 2nd |
Peter Leko |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Vishy Anand |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
Alex. Morozevich |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
|
Round 9: Saturday, March 3rd |
Alex. Morozevich |
1-0 |
Peter Leko |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Levon Aronian |
Peter Svidler |
½-½ |
Vishy Anand |
Veselin Topalov |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
|
Round 10: Sunday, March 4th |
Peter Leko |
½-½ |
Veselin Topalov |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
½-½ |
Peter Svidler |
Vishy Anand |
1-0 |
Magnus Carlsen |
Levon Aronian |
½-½ |
Alex. Morozevich |
|
|
Free day: Monday, March 5th |
|
Round 11: Tuesday, March 6th |
Levon Aronian |
- |
Peter Leko |
Alex. Morozevich |
- |
Vishy Anand |
Magnus Carlsen |
- |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Peter Svidler |
- |
Veselin Topalov |
Games – Report |
|
Round 12: Wednesday, March 7th |
Peter Leko |
- |
Peter Svidler |
Veselin Topalov |
- |
Magnus Carlsen |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
- |
Alex. Morozevich |
Vishy Anand |
- |
Levon Aronian |
Games – Report |
|
Free day: Thursday, March 8th |
|
Round 13: Friday, March 9th |
Vishy Anand |
- |
Peter Leko |
Levon Aronian |
- |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Alex. Morozevich |
- |
Veselin Topalov |
Magnus Carlsen |
- |
Peter Svidler |
Games – Report |
|
Round 14: Saturday, March 10th |
Peter Leko |
- |
Magnus Carlsen |
Peter Svidler |
- |
Alex. Morozevich |
Veselin Topalov |
- |
Levon Aronian |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
- |
Vishy Anand |
Games – Report |
|
|
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