12/2/2017 – The London Chess Classic is the last event in the Grand Chess Tour and is also the last of the classical tournaments with the world's elite this year. The roster is mouthwatering for all fans, with Carlsen, Aronian, Caruana, So, and more. The opening round was a bit slow to gain traction and while there were chances for a couple of decisive results, it was all draws in the end. Round two is on Sunday. Report and analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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What's at stake
The last stage of the 2017 Grand Chess Tour is the London Classic. The nine participants are joined by England's own Michael Adams to complete a field of 10 players, who will face each other in slow time control games.
Carlsen is leading the race with 34 GCT points, Vachier-Lagrave is second with 31, and Aronian is in third with 25 points. As stated in the regulations, a clear winner of an individual event takes home 13 points. If MVL manages to do this, then Carlsen would have to finish second to equal him at 44 points apiece. Otherwise, it is hard to see Maxime making up the difference, since no one can count on Magnus doing too badly in London.
Levon Aronian is third in the overall standings | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Aronian's situation is more precarious. As of now he gets nothing from the overall standings, because there are only two prizes for the overall top scorers. He has mathematical chances of taking first, but the more practical chance is for him to take second, if he wins London outright. Winning this tournament and getting 13 points would put some pressure on MVL, who, then would need to finish no lower than 4th. Can Levon do this? His track record in 2017 certainly does not exclude such a possibility.
A slow start
As expected, the tournament got off to a fairly slow start. All five games were drawn. This didn't prevent a generous turnout of stars and fans to see the greats. In the audience for example one could see Garry Kasparov seated next to Demis Hassabis, founder of Deep Mind, the AI company bought by Google and that produced Alpha Go. Demis Hassabis is more than just a celebrity intellectual who had the privilege of delivering the opening move as shown. He was once a chess prodigy of the highest order, no.2 in the world under 14, just losing to Judit Polgar. He later founded a PC game company, writing and producing PC games, left that to go to college and get a PhD in Neurophysics, and finally founded Deep Mind.
(Left) Garry Kasparov chatting with Demis Hassabis | (Right) Magnus Carlsen shakes Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Carlsen's effort against Caruana came short, albeit at some moments he did make Fabiano sweat. Caruana famously made headlines in the Isle of Man Open this year when he beat Kramnik in the opening round. This time he was nearly the headline on the wrong side of that tale.
Magnus Carlsen 1/2-1/2 Fabiano Caruana (Annotated by GM Alex Yermolinsky)
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1.e4
1,165,570
54%
2421
---
1.d4
946,474
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
281,312
56%
2441
---
1.c4
181,937
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,688
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,236
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,886
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,796
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,753
48%
2380
---
1.a3
1,197
54%
2403
---
1.e3
1,068
48%
2408
---
1.d3
948
50%
2378
---
1.g4
662
46%
2361
---
1.h4
446
53%
2374
---
1.c3
426
51%
2425
---
1.h3
279
56%
2416
---
1.a4
108
60%
2468
---
1.f3
91
47%
2431
---
1.Nh3
89
66%
2508
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
Please, wait...
1.d4d52.c4dxc4Caruana successfully relied on the Queens Gambit Accepted in his match with Grischuk in the Champions Showdown, St. Louis 2017.3.e3 The quietest line. White makes sure to get his pawn back.Alexander focused on3.e43...Nf64.Bxc4e65.Nf3c56.0-0a67.Be2!?Typical Magnus. This move is way down the list of White's options.Nbd7Caruana is careful to sidestep Carlsen's preparation.7...cxd48.exd4Nc69.Nc3Be710.Be3 was seen in Aronian-Caruana, Sinquefield Cup 2017. While the position of Be2 doesn't lend a hand to White's usual attacking ambition on the K-side, he can choose a different plan. Fabiano reacted quicklyNg4!?not allowing White to expand after10...0-011.Ne511.Bf4Nf6defended a slightly worse position very successfully, and later took advantage of Levon's blunder. The whole affair took 110 moves!8.Nc3
8...b6!?8...b5seems obvious, but therein lies the point of Carlsen's idea.9.e4b410.e5bxc311.exf6Nxf6Much worse is11...cxb2?!12.fxg7bxa1Q?13.gxh8QSame as in the similar position of the Meran Variation, the four queens on the board make the weak black king the decisive factor in the battle.12.bxc3With his bishop on e2, instead of d3, White is much better suited for subsequent play with Ne5 and Bf3.9.e4cxd410.Nxd4Bb711.Be3!?Still in Magnus's preparation. Now he offers a pawn sac.The immediate11.f3would have pointed Black into the right direction:Qb8!12.Be3Bd613.g3h5!?11...Bc5With this move Caruana accepts a slightly worse position.One wonders about11...Nxe412.Nxe4Bxe413.Bf3Bxf314.Qxf3Bc5Clearly, White has some play, but is it enough to claim an advantage? Practical testing is awaited.12.f3
There are many classical examples, some from Kramnik's games, of White benefiting from his g2-f3-e4 pawn chain. Black's Nf6 and Bb7 are restricted.12...0-013.Qe1The more direct13.Qd2Rc814.Na4Be715.b4b516.Nb2would leave Black searching for a suitable square for his queen, while a2-a4 won't be long in coming.13...Rc814.Qf2b515.Rac1Qe7 Now possible, as Bc5 can retreat along the other diagonal.16.a4I figure Kramnik would have preferred16.Nb3Bxe317.Qxe3eyeing that a5-square.16...bxa417.Nxa4Bd6?!A surprising choice.17...Ba7was safe, as18.Nf5?exf519.Bxa7fxe4loses a pawn for White.18.Nb3Bc619.Nc3Rb820.Na5Ba821.Nc4Bc522.Rfd1Rfc823.Na4?!True to his style of play, Magnus seeks some clarification, but taking his knight to the edge of the board cost him a big chunk of his advantage.The logical choice would have been23.Ra1to hit the weak pawn. White can also have plans for a central expansion, such as inBxe324.Qxe3Nc525.Nd6Rc626.e5Nfd727.f423...Bxe324.Qxe3Qb4!A timely activity to interfere with White's plans.25.Qa3This was expected from Magnus Carlsen.25.Nc325...h6
26.Kf1White could have accomplished more simplification with the help of a little tactic26.Ncb6!?Qxa327.Rxc8+Rxc828.bxa3Nxb629.Nxb6Rb830.Nxa8Rxa831.Rc126...g527.Rc3a528.Qxb4axb4A welcome pawn structure change if you're a Caruana fan. Still, White is a little better, and Magnus is Magnus.29.Rcc1Kf830.Na5Ke731.Kf2Rxc132.Rxc1Ne833.Ke3Nd634.Nc5Rc835.Nab3f5?!35...Ne5would have prevented White from trading rooks, which he needs to accomplish if he's serious about hitting that b4-pawn.36.Nxd7Rxc137.Nxc1Kxd738.Nd3?!It is surprising to see Carlsen neglecting a chance to win a clean pawn after38.Bd3fxe439.fxe4and there's no stopping the threat of Na2. Truth be told, White would still be a long ways from winning the game.e540.Na2Kc741.Nxb4Kb638...fxe439.fxe4Ke740.e5Another option was40.Bf3g441.Bxg4Bxe442.Bf3Bxd343.Kxd3e540...Nf5+41.Kf2Nd442.Bd1b343.Nb4Bd544.g344.Nxd5+exd545.Ke3Nf5+46.Kd3Ke647.Bxb3Kxe5An outside passer is always useful in B vs N endgames, but here Black is well centralized and therefore should hold.44...Bc445.Ke3Nf5+46.Ke4?!More promising seemed46.Kd2Kd747.Bf3Kc748.Kc346...Kd747.g4This pawn will be a target for Black's counterplay.Ne748.Kd4Bf149.Bxb3Be250.h3Bf151.Nd3Nc6+52.Kc5!?A fancy way to reach a draw that seemed inevitable anyhow.Bxd353.Ba4Be454.Kb6Bd5Of course Black cannot unpin, but he can wait for the White pawn to come to b5, and then his knight can move away.½–½
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An unconvincing handling of the endgame from Carlsen, who is a notoriously slow starter. I have a feeling people won't be able to escape as easily as Caruana did today later in the tournament, once Magnus hits his stride.
Providing the live commentary on-site were GM Daniel King and IM Lawrence Trent | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Garry Kasparov also made an appearance on the show with a school child, explaining the peaceful calming nature of chess | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In the other interesting game today it was Black who had all the chances.
Hikaru Nakamura 1/2-1/2 Vishy Anand (Annotated by GM Alex Yermolinsky)
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1.Nf3Nf62.g3Hikaru wanted a big fight, so he aimed to avoid theory.d53.Bg2c54.0-0g6!?On the black side of the Reti Vishy likes to fianchetto his bishop once he gets his pawns to the center.5.d4!? Suddenly, it's White who's playing the Grunfeld!cxd46.Nxd4Bg77.Nb3 Book says7.c40-08.cxd5Nxd59.Nc3Nxc310.bxc3The Chinese GM Li Chao defended the black side of this at least four times in recent practice.7...Nc68.Nc3e69.e4d410.Na40-011.c3dxc3It would have been too ambitious for Anand to pretend he was White and continue with11...e512.cxd4exd4since the extra tempo can be put into a good use, say by playing13.Re112.Nxc3e513.Be3Bg414.f3Be615.Nc5Qe716.Nxe6Qxe617.Qd2
White appears to be slightly better thanks to the bishop pair.17...Rfd818.Qf2Bf819.h3Bb420.Rac1Rd3Vishy turned down Hikaru's pawn offer,20...Bxc321.Rxc3Qxa2likely because he was concerned about22.Bg5Qe623.f4but thenexf424.gxf424.Qxf4Nh524...Nxe425.Bxe4Qxe426.Bxd8Rxd8appears to be playable for Black.21.Rfd1Rad822.Rxd3Rxd323.Bf1Rd824.a3Be7
Skillful display by Nakamura. White controls all the key squares while avoiding massive exchanges.25.g4?!Oh, I don't know about this. The weakening of the dark squares may come back to bite White.25.Kh2a626.Nd5!Nxd527.Bc4and White plays on without any risk.25...Kg726.Kh2h627.h427.Nb5a628.Bc4Qc829.Nc3Nh7and now we can see how ...Bg5 becomes an issue.27...Nd4!In the approach to the time control Anand begins to bother Nakamura with tactical play.28.g5hxg529.hxg5Nh730.Bh3Qb331.f4Nc6!White's position is grossly overextended. Something is going to give.32.Nd532.Rg1exf433.Bxf4Bxa332...exf433.Bxf4
33...Bxg5?This decision likely cost Anand a nice win in the opening round.Keeping the Be7 on to protect f6 was a must.33...Nxg5!Soon some other trades will be forced and Black will get to keep his extra pawn, e.g.34.Rc3Qd135.Qg2Nxh336.Rxh3Rh837.Rxh8Kxh838.Nxe7Nxe739.Be5+Kg840.Bc3Nc641.Qf2Qg442.Qf6Kf834.Bxg5Nxg535.Qf6+Kh636.Bg2Nh737.Qxf7Rf838.Qc7Qxb239.Rh1Qf240.Kh3Rf741.Qg3
The time control has been made, and White will soon be looking at a tough defensive task in an endgame down a pawn.41...Qb2?!All of a sudden Vishy moved his queen away.41...Kg742.Qxf2Rxf243.Rb1Rf744.Kg3Ne5was expected.42.Ne3!It is amazing how quick Hikaru was to pounce on that error.Nf6?!Still,42...Qd443.Rd1Ng5+44.Kh2Nf3+45.Bxf3Qxe346.Bg2Qxg3+47.Kxg3was there.43.Bf3Suddenly it's the black king that's in danger.Kh744.Nf5Draw was agreed based on the forced line44.Nf5Qxa345.Kg2+Nh546.Qg5Qb2+47.Kg1Qb6+48.Kg2and Black must keep on checking.½–½
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It was all Anand's show in his game with Hikary Nakamura, which bodes well for the Indian's many fans.
Hikaru Nakamura and Vishy Anand discuss their game briefly after the draw | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The schedule calls for an early rest day tomorrow. We'll see how the players do in an eight-round tournament that begins Sunday.
Round 1 Commentary
GM Yasser Seirawan, WGM Jennifer Shahade, and GM Cristian Chirila, with GM Maurice Ashley reporting live from London | Source: Saint Louis Chess Club on YouTube
Alex YermolinskyYermo is enjoying his fifties. Lives in South Dakota, 600 miles way from the nearest grandmaster. Between his chess work online he plays snooker and spends time outdoors - happy as a clam.
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