London Classic: Bartel scores, Adams leads

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
12/6/2023 – Michael Adams continues to be the sole leader at the London Chess Classic after a fifth round with one decisive result. Going into the rest day, Adams has a half-point lead over four players, including Mateusz Bartel, who was the one participant to collect a full point on Tuesday. Adams played Gukesh in round 5, got a very promising position, and agreed to a draw by repetition while still in the driver’s seat. | Photo: Tao Bhokanandh
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Solid! Solid?

The race to reach the Candidates either by rating or via the FIDE Circuit is very likely to be decided by the smallest of margins. Both contenders and pundits are keeping a close eye to see what scenarios would favour each of the players in the hunt.

Surely, FIDE tried to make the World Championship cycle more inclusive by setting up the FIDE Circuit, but the degree of complexity of some qualification paths and the ability to ‘game’ the system (by creating last-minute tournaments, for example) do not make for the most enjoyable experience for spectators — except for hardcore fans of statistics, perhaps!

Nevertheless, this race created a subplot in the London Chess Classic: will Gukesh manage to get clear first place to overtake Anish Giri in the FIDE Circuit leaderboard? After round 5, the Indian prodigy stands in shared second place a half point behind sole leader Michael Adams.

In their direct confrontation on Tuesday, Adams and Gukesh signed a draw on move 54. However, at that point, the English veteran had two extra pawns in an endgame with two rooks and a knight per side. Adams’ decision to take the half point might have to do with the fact that his opponent had a passer on c4, but as Karsten Müller asserts in his analysis of the game (see below), White is winning in that position!

Tai Pruce-Zimmerman, a.k.a. Chess by the Numbers, noted what a big difference it made for Gukesh to escape with a half point (regarding the fight to reach the Candidates):

Giri has been making good use of the ‘mathematical’ race on social media, sharing clever, amusing posts while following the games live. Soon after Adams agreed to a draw, he quipped, “Solid! Solid?”. As the players now got a rest day, he joked about his alleged anxiety:

Adams and Gukesh signed one of the four draws seen in the last round before the rest day, as Mateusz Bartel scored the one win of the day. Bartel, who has yet to sign a draw in the event, collected a second win in a row to join the chasing pack on 3/5 points. The Polish GM is sharing second place with Gukesh, Jules Moussard and Hans Niemann.

Adams ½ - ½ Gukesh

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Adams, Michael2670½–½Gukesh D2746
13th London Chess Classic 2023
05.12.2023[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.Re1 b6 6.c3 a6 7.Ba4 c4 8.d4 cxd3 9.Qxd3 Ng6 10.Nd4 Qc7 11.Nxc6 dxc6 12.e5 Bb7 12...Nxe5? is met by 13.Rxe5 Even 13.Qg3!? is playable. 13...b5 14.Re4 bxa4 15.Bf4 Qa7 16.Nd2 with strong pressure on the dark squares. 13.Nd2 Be7 14.Bc2 c5 15.Nf3 Rd8 16.Qe2 Qc6 17.Kf1 Kd7?!
Very optimistic. 17...0-0 is more natural. 18.Bd3 b5 18...Nh4 19.Bxa6 Bxa6 20.Qxa6 Nxf3 21.Qd3+ Kc7 22.Qxf3 Qxf3 23.gxf3 is favored by the engines, but Gukesh probably wants to play for three results. 19.Qc2?! 19.a4! creates more pressure. 19...Kc7 20.Be4 Qd7 21.a4 Bxe4 22.Qxe4 Qd5 23.Qe2 Qd3 24.Qxd3 Rxd3 25.axb5 axb5 26.Be3 Rb8 27.Ra5 Rd5 28.Rea1 Rb7 29.Ra8 Nf8?
Now Black is too clumsy. 29...Bd8= is favored by the engines. 30.Bg5? This exchange reduces White's pressure. 30.Ke2 Rb8 31.R1a7+ Rb7 32.Rxb7+ Kxb7 33.Re8 Rd7 34.g4+- 30.Re8+- is also very strong. 30...Ng6 31.Bxe7 Nxe7 32.Rf8? This wins a pawn, but not the game as Black is quite quick now. 32.Ng5! Rxe5 33.Nxf7 Rd5 34.h4± was called for. Due to the main guideline for endgames with rook and knight against rook and knight White has winning chances. 32...Ng6 33.Rg8 33.Rxf7+ is met by Kb6 34.Rxb7+ Kxb7 35.Re1 Nf4= 33...Kb6 34.Rxg7 h5 35.Re1 Nf4 36.g3 Nd3 37.Re2 Ra7
Black's counterplay is just in time. 38.h4 c4 39.Rh7 Rd8?! 39...Ra1+!? 40.Kg2 Ra2= might be slightly more precise. 40.Rd2 40.Ng5 is met by Nc1 41.Re1 Nd3 42.Re2 Nc1= 40...Ra2 41.Rxf7 Rxb2 42.Re7 Rb1+ 43.Ke2 Rc1 The direct 43...b4!? was the alternative, e.g. 44.Rxe6+ Kb7 45.cxb4 c3 46.Rxd3 Rb2+ 47.Ke3 c2 48.Rxd8 c1Q+= 44.Rxe6+ Kc5 45.Ng5 45.Rh6 Rxc3 46.Rxh5 Kb4= is also equal in the computer's eyes. 45...b4? Black rushes. Only after 45...Re1+ 46.Kf3 can b4= be played. 46.cxb4+ Kxb4 47.Nf3 Rc3?! 47...Rg8!? offers more resistance, but White should win after 48.Rxd3 cxd3+ 49.Kxd3 Rc3+ 50.Ke2 Rc2+ 51.Kf1+- 48.Rb6+ Kc5 49.Rf6 Re8 50.e6 Nc1+ 51.Kf1 Nd3 52.Ke2 Nc1+ 53.Kf1 Nd3 54.Rd1 Kd5 55.Ng5 Rc2
The result is given as a draw in the game score, but White is winning: 55...Rc2 56.Rf5+ Kd4 57.Rf7 Kc5 58.Ra1+- ½–½

Michael Adams, Gukesh

Mickey Adams and Dommaraju Gukesh | Photo: Tao Bhokanandh

Royal 0 - 1 Bartel

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Royal, Shreyas24040–1Bartel, Mateusz2651
13th London Chess Classic 2023
05.12.2023[Mueller,Karsten]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Be6 8.b3 Ne4 9.Bb2 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 h6 11.Qc2 Bf5 12.Qb2 e6 13.Rfc1 g5 14.Nd2 Nd7 15.b4 Rc8 16.a4 16.b5!? 16...Re8 17.b5 c5 18.cxd5 exd5 19.dxc5?!
This opens many roads for Black. 19.Bf3 cxd4 20.Bxd4 creates more pressure. 19...Bxc3 20.Qxc3 Nxc5 21.Qb4 b6 22.Nf3 Qf6 23.Qa3 Ne4 24.Nd4 Bg6 25.Bf3 Nxf2!? Enterprising and correct. 26.Kxf2 26.Rf1 is the alternative: Nd3 27.Bxd5 Qe5 28.Bxf7+ Bxf7 29.Qxd3 Qxe3+ 30.Qxe3 Rxe3= 26...g4?! 26...Rxc1 27.Rxc1 g4= is more precise. 27.Rxc8?
This plays into Black's hand. 27.Rc6! Rxc6 28.bxc6 gxf3 29.gxf3 was called for as Black's rook cannot invade quickly now. 27...Rxc8 28.Rc1 Rc4 29.Ke2?! The wrong direction. 29.Kg1 gxf3 30.gxf3= was called for. 29...gxf3+ 30.Nxf3 Bc2 31.Nd4? 31.Qa1 was forced, with drawing chances, e.g. Qf5 31...Qxa1 32.Rxa1 Rxa4 33.Rxa4 Bxa4 34.Nd4= 32.Ke1 Rxa4 33.Qe5 31...Rxa4 32.Qb2 Be4 33.Qb3 Rc4 The human solution. 33...Ra5-+ is favored by the engines. 34.Rxc4 dxc4 35.Qxc4 Bxg2 36.Qc8+ Kh7 37.Qc2+ Qg6 38.Qc7 Be4? 38...Bd5 was called for, e.g. 39.Qxa7 Bc4+ 40.Kf3 40.Kd2 Qd3+-+ 40...Qh5+ 41.Kg3 Qe5+ 42.Kf3 Bd5+ 43.Ke2 Qxh2+ 44.Kd3 Qd6-+ 39.Kd2?
White does not have time for this. The greedy 39.Qxa7 is forced and defends due to Qg2+ 40.Ke1 Qg1+ 41.Kd2 Qxh2+ 41...Qf2+ 42.Ne2= 42.Kc3 Qf2 43.Qxb6 Qxe3+ 44.Kc4= 39...Qg2+ 40.Ke1 Qg1+ 41.Ke2 Bg6 42.Qe5 In the game Black's a-pawn is a big trump card. After 42.Qxa7 the other rook's pawn decides due to Qxh2+ 43.Kf3 Qh3+ 44.Kf2 Qh4+ 45.Ke2 Qf6-+ 42...Qg2+ 43.Ke1 Qe4 44.Nc6 44.Qxe4 Bxe4 45.Kf2 45.Nc6 a5-+ 45...Kg6 46.Kg3 Kh5 47.Kf4 Bd3-+ 44...Qb1+ The queen helps Black due to White's open king. Black's king is completely safe. 45.Kf2 a5 46.Ne7 46.bxa6 Qc2+-+ 46...Bd3 47.Nd5 Qf1+ 48.Kg3 Qg1+ 49.Kf3 Qf1+ 50.Kg3 Qg1+ 51.Kf3 Qg5 52.Qd4 Bxb5 53.h4 Qf5+ 54.Kg3 h5 55.Nf6+ Kg6 56.Qxb6 56.Nd5 can even be met by Qg4+ 57.Qxg4+ hxg4 58.Nxb6 58.Kxg4 a4-+ 58...Kh5-+ 56...Qe5+!?
Good technique! The direct 56...Qxf6 57.Qxb5 Qf5-+ wins as well, but is much more difficult to convert. 57.Kg2 Bf1+ 57...Bf1+ 58.Kxf1 Qxf6+ 59.Qxf6+ Kxf6 60.Ke2 Ke5 61.Kd3 a4 62.Kc3 Ke4-+ 0–1

Shreyas Royal and Mateusz Bartel

Shreyas Royal and Mateusz Bartel | Photo: Tao Bhokanandh

Standings - Round 5

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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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