12/9/2017 – What a fun round it was. Round six may not have had many wins, but it was not short of excitement. The big game was between Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen, with the American completely winning all the way until move 59 when he missed his chance. Aronian continues to play with no inhibitions, though drew against So, while Nepomniachtchi beat Adams. Report and analysis by GM Alex Yermolinsky. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Fritz has fascinated the chess world for 30 years. And the success story continues. In Vienna, the most popular chess program ever was once again able to underline its premier position: the newly developed neural engine with NNUE technology won the official Chess Software World Championship!
Rules of thumb are the key to everything when you are having to set the correct course in a complex endgame. In this final DVD of his series on the endgame, our endgame specialist introduces you to the most important of these rules of thumb.
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Round six
The leader, Fabiano Caruana, had Black against Vachier-Lagrave, and surprised his opponent with the Petroff. The game followed an old trail from Svidler-Ivanchuk, Morelia/Linares 2007. I wonder if Maxime was aware of that. If he was, it's OK. Maxime certainly has tried his hardest in 2017, and he has reason to be disappointed with missing the Candidates. Time to finish this tournament with a solid 50% result, cash in the $50,000 2nd place Grand Chess Tour prize, and go home to rest and recharge the batteries.
Fabiano Caruana has seized the lead. Will he continue his run? | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Anand-Karjakin had a promising start with a sharp English, but Vishy saw something unpleasant in the lines following Sergey's novelty on move 12, and decided to wrap up the game with repetition.
The former world champion also had some interesting comments on the recent AlphaZero news:
"Oviously this four hour thing is not too relevant — though it's a nice punchline — but it's obviously very powerful hardware, so it's equal to my laptop sitting for a couple of decades. I think the more relevant thing is that it figured everything out from scratch and that is scary and promising if you look at it...I would like to think that it should be a little bit harder. It feels annoying that you can work things out with just the rules of chess that quickly."
The other three games went full tilt, and offered a lot of enjoyment to the spectators.
Wesley So must have prepared for this line of the Ruy Lopez, as Aronian plays it all the time. What Wesley didn't count on was Levon's extremely aggressive response. Levon is playing like he's having a a good time in London, which bodes well for his chances at the big show in Berlin in the spring.
Levon Aronian has been unleashed in the London Classic, and in spite of the lack of wins, his play has been denuded of any inhibitions | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Wesley So ½ - ½ Levon Aronian (annotated by GM Alex Yermolinsky)
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1.e4
1,166,623
54%
2421
---
1.d4
947,298
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
281,602
56%
2441
---
1.c4
182,102
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,702
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,265
54%
2427
---
1.f4
5,897
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,801
51%
2384
---
1.b4
1,756
48%
2380
---
1.a3
1,206
54%
2404
---
1.e3
1,068
48%
2408
---
1.d3
954
50%
2378
---
1.g4
664
46%
2360
---
1.h4
446
53%
2374
---
1.c3
433
51%
2426
---
1.h3
280
56%
2418
---
1.a4
110
60%
2466
---
1.f3
92
46%
2436
---
1.Nh3
89
66%
2508
---
1.Na3
42
62%
2482
---
Please, wait...
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.0-0Be76.Re1b57.Bb30-08.a4b49.d4d610.dxe5dxe5Levon has been relying on this captureinstead of 10...Nxe5ever since he lost to Nakamura in the Sinquefield Cup 2013. There's a different opinion, though. Ding Liren recently won a nice game against Inarkiev in the FIDE Grand Prix in Palma, and there have been efforts from Carlsen and Svidler to uphold this line.11.Nbd2Bc512.a5Be6!? The newest idea.Levon twice tried12...Ng4While others, including Caruana, Tomashevsky and Svidler, preferred the restrained12...h613.Bxe6Surprisingly this was never played before, at least not in high profile games. Dominguez-Aronian, St. Louis Blitz 2017 saw13.Qe2Qe714.Bc4Nd415.Nxd4Bxd416.Nb3White doesn't get anywhere after16.Bxa6Qc516...Rfd817.Nxd4Bxc418.Nf5Qe619.Qf3Ne813...fxe614.Qe2
It seems like White is about to take all the commanding squares, but Black has active counterplay.14...Ng4!?15.Rf1Bxf2+Another option was15...Nd4but Levon must have seen the good reply16.Qc4!16.Nxd4Rxf2!17.Rxf2Qxd4 is Black's main idea.16...Qd617.h3Now Black has to go all the way.Nxf3+17...Nf618.c3bxc319.bxc3Nxf3+20.Nxf3±18.Nxf3Nxf219.Rxf2Qd1+20.Qf1Qxc2he seems to be getting enough pawns, but21.Qe1Bxf2+22.Qxf2Qxe423.Be3allows White to keep enough material on the board, which is critical for success in battles between two minor pieces and a rook.16.Rxf2Nd417.Qc4?Wesley chooses the wrong square for his queen. Black would be under the pressure to prove his compensation after the correct17.Qd3Nxf218.Kxf217...Nxf218.Kxf2
18...Qh4+In turn, Levon misses the best move18...Qg5!The only way for White to untangle would be19.Kg1but then Black gets his material back:Rxf320.Nxf3Nxf3+21.Kh1Qh5 The knight is taboo, as22.Qxe6+Kh823.gxf3loses toQxf3+24.Kg1Qd1+25.Kg2Qe2+26.Kg1Qe1+27.Kg2Rf819.Kg1Qg4Possibly19...Qf4 was better.20.h3?!Again, Wesley So is not precise with his calculations. 20.Qd3Rad821.h3would bring Black's attack to its end.Nxf3+Else,21...Qg322.Nxd4Qe1+23.Kh2Rxd424.Qg3Qxg3+25.Kxg3Rfd826.Nf1Rxe427.Be3Rc428.Rc1Rd529.Nd2Rc630.b3Rxa531.Nc4holds the black rooks activity in check.22.Nxf3Rxd323.hxg4Rd1+24.Kf2There's a question whether White can win this, but he'll have his chances.20...Qg321.Qd3Rxf3!Aronian was not going to miss that. The following is forced.22.Nxf3Rf823.Nxd4Qe1+24.Kh2Rf125.Qxf1Qxf126.Nf3c5
On paper White has enough for a queen, and his king is safe, but the pin on the back rank holds him down.27.b3?!Wesley decides to address this issue, even at the cost of some pawns.Objectively, White is safe after27.c3b328.c4Qd129.Nxe5h6=but it's impossible to play this position for a win.27...Qd128.Bb2Qxc229.Bxe5Qxb330.Rf1h6?Aronian shows too much respect for White's non-existent threats.30...Qc2!would have kept White from activating his rook.31.Kg331.Ng5h6-+31...c432.Rf2Qxe433.Rd2Qg6+34.Kf2Qe8leaving Black with decent chances of victory.31.Rf2! Just at the last moment Wesley's rook breaks out in the open.c432.Rd2c333.Rd8+Kf734.Rc8Qb135.Rc7+Ke836.Rc8+Kf737.Rc7+Ke838.Rc8+Kf7 No escape for the king, as seen from38...Kd739.Rc7+Kd840.Nd4Qxe441.Nxe6+Ke842.Nxg7+½–½
Nepo finally lit the scoreboard with the game nobody expected him to win. Maybe that's the ticket to successful play in elite tournaments: sit tight and wait for your chance. Ian is learning this the hard way, as his stints in top tournaments are coming to an end for now. One has to be rated way higher than 2750 to get invitations to premier events. At 27 years of age, Nepo still has time for another rating push.
Ian Nepomniachtchi showed once more his ability to surprise as he won a game few had any expectations about | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Mickey Adams is an old warrior, who simply never quits. Last year at the London Classic he was able to draw all of his games. Not this time though, but there are still three rounds left, and I root for Mickey to win!
Michael Adams 0 - 1 Ian Nepomniachtchi (annotated by GM Alex Yermolinsky)
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White kept a slight edge he obtained in the opening until Adams somewhat impatiently pushed his passed pawn forward.33.b4Nc734.b5Ra8!Nepo handles his defensive task with precision.34...Ra235.b6Na636.Bxa6Rxa637.g4±35.Rb735.Rxa8Nxa836.Kf2Kf637.Ke3Ke738.Kd4Kd639.c4dxc440.Bxc4Nb6is impossible for White to win.35...Ne8The knight is about to escape.36.c4?There must have been some mistake in Mickey's calculations.Still, a draw was well within White's reach:36.b6Ra1+37.Kf2Nd638.Rd7Ne4+39.Ke3Rb140.Bd3Rxb641.Bxe4dxe442.Kxe436...Nd6It's all forced now.37.Rc7dxc438.Bxc4Ra1+39.Kf2Rc140.b6Nxc441.b7Rb142.Rxc4Rxb7
Adams had already pulled off a similar escape earlier in the tournament against Vachier-Lagrave. The rook endgame with 4 vs. 3 on the same side of the board is drawn under most circumstances, but in this case the white f-pawn is sticking out, which gives Black a chance.43.Ra4h6!Nepo hits on the right plan immediately.44.Ra5Rb2+45.Kf3Rb3+46.Kf2Rd347.h4Mickey is aiming to trade as many pawns as possible, which is a sound strategy.47.Rb5Rd548.Rb7g549.fxg5hxg5looks more dangerous for White. Indeed, if Black is allowed to advance his pawns to f4 and e3 he will win easily, which means White has to act now.50.g4!Rd351.Kg2 The only realistic way for Black to make progress would be to playKg652.Re7Rd653.Kf3f554.gxf5+exf5
reaching the position similar to the one in the game continuation.47...Rd548.Ra7g549.hxg5hxg550.fxg5One last alternative was to stay put with50.g3g451.Rb7Rd2+52.Kg1 Instinctively, experienced players don't like to see their king cut off on the back rank. There may followKg653.Ra7f654.Ra5Rd555.Ra6Kf556.Kf2Rd2+57.Kf1e558.fxe5fxe5and White must defend with59.Ra4Rd460.Ra8Ke461.Ke2Rb462.Ra2
The same position happened in S.B. Hansen-Leko from Istanbul Olympiad 2012, and Black won.50...Rxg551.g3Kg652.Kf3Rf5+53.Kg2Rb554.Re7e555.Kf2f656.Re8Kf557.Rf8Keeping the rook in enemy camp to attack from behind is a proven defensive technique.Rb358.Kg2Rb2+59.Kf3Rb3+60.Kg2Ke661.Kf2Ra362.Re8+Kf563.Rf8Ra764.Kf3Rg765.Re8Kg566.Re6?!There was no reason for Adams to reject66.g4Kg667.Ra8Rb768.Rg8+Kf769.Ra8Rb3+70.Kf2aside of a superstitious fear of having his king separated from the pawn.66...Rg867.Re7Kf568.Rh7Ra869.Rh5+Kg670.Rh4?Last call for70.g4=similar to Serper-Emelin, 1995 with colors reversed.70...f571.Rb4Kg5
Now the white rook is too late to check the black king away.72.Rb772.Kg2Ra2+73.Kh3Kf674.Rb6+Ke775.Rc6e476.Rb6Rf277.Ra6e3-+72...e4+!73.Ke3Ra3+74.Kf2Ra2+75.Ke3Kg4-+76.Rg7+Kh3!Now we can see the difference compared with the position from the note to White's 47th move. With the pawns shifted one file toward the center the Black king can sneak in along the h-file.77.Rg5Ra3+78.Kf278.Kd4e379.Rxf5Kxg378...Rf3+79.Ke1Kg280.Ke2Rf2+81.Ke381.Ke1e381...Kf1!82.g4One last attempt but it falls way short.Rf3+83.Kd4e384.Rxf5Rxf585.Kxe3Rf8An excellent technical display from Yan, who seems to be settling down finally toward the end of his unsuccessful 2017 campaign.0–1
Rook endings are amongst the most frequently encountered endgames there are, and so your training effort will be quickly repaid in the form of half and full points. Knowing even a few rules of thumb and key methods makes life a great deal easier and provides a guiding light even in complex positions. This DVD focuses on the important themes which are to be found in common rook endings.
Michael Adams is a tireless warrior, always game for a good battle | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Happy 30th Birthday to Hikaru Nakamura! What would be a better way to celebrate than a win over the World Champion, Hikaru's old nemesis, Magnus Carlsen. It almost happened.
It was a thrilling battle in which Hikaru Nakamura nearly made it one step closer to rebalancing their score | Photo: Lennart Ootes
A fascinating battle it was from the opening to the middlegame, and I wish I had the time to analyze this game in depth. The parameters of this report only allow me to focus on the final stage.
Hikaru Nakamura ½ - ½ Magnus Carlsen (annotated by GM Alex Yermolinsky)
44.Rh3Hikaru's choice shows his desire to stabilize the situation.He had a direct plan of bringing his king up, but there were many tactics to calculate.44.Ke3! is a very human move, in reply to whichKf6is the toughest defense.44...Rc845.Nd4+Kd746.Rh7+Kd647.Kd3!f447...Rg848.Nxf5+Ke549.Ne348.Rh6+!Ke549.Re6+Kd5and finally,50.Rg6!
puts Black in Zugzwang.50...Ke550...Rc751.Rg5+Kd652.Nb5+51.Nc6+Kf552.Ne7+45.Kd4Rc8!45...Rg7gets turned away by46.Ne3f447.Nd5+Kf748.Nxf4+-45...f4!?is a try, but the black king can never support the pawn, so White should be able to navigate his way to a win after46.Ke4Rc4+46...Rg747.Rf5+Ke648.Nd4+Ke749.Kf3Rg3+50.Kf2Rd351.Ne2+-47.Kf3Kg648.Rh4!Kg549.g3+-46.Rh6+46.Rh3Rg847.Ne1c248.Rc3Re849.Nxc2Re2=46...Kg547.Rh3
the c3-pawn drops, and it has to over now, right?47...f4Well, not quite.47...Kg448.Ne3+Kg549.Rg3+Kh550.Nc2is an important step forward, as the black king is now cut off on the h-file.48.Rxc3We're making progress now, but there's still a lot of work to be done.Rd8+49.Ke4Kg450.Nd450.Rf3Rh8‼is surprisingly a draw.50...Re8+51.Kd5Rd8+52.Ke5Ra8I must admit I don't see a forced win here. Nevertheless, I would have gone for this position, hoping to find a solution over the board.There was also a rather mechanical plan of rounding up the c-pawn:44.Rh1Ke545.Rc1f4!45...Ke446.Na3!Rc547.Nb1c248.Na3aiming for a pawn ending:Kd348...Rc349.Nxc2Kf4would have been nice for Black if it wasn't for knight forks:50.Ne1+-49.Rxc2Rxc2+50.Nxc2Kxc251.Ke3+-46.Na3Rc547.Nb1c2
Look out!48.Nd2is the only way to win.Not48.Na3because Black has the amazing resourcef3‼49.gxf3Rc350.Nxc2Kf6staying away from the forks and keeping White tied up.48...Rc849.Nf3+Ke450.Ne1+-Remember this position, it represents White ultimate goal in this entire endgame.44...Ke545.Rd3Kf446.Rd4+Kg547.Kf3Rc848.Ra4Rc749.Ra8Kf650.Ra6+Kg5Carlsen's defensive plan is taking shape. He avoids playing his pawn to f4, while keeping his king ready for counterattack should White attempt to move his king to the Q-side. Hikaru has to regroup.51.Nd4‼
51...Rc4!Magnus avoids a devilish trap:51...c2?loses to a mating attack!52.Ne6+Kh452...Kh553.Nf4+Kg554.Rg6+Kh455.g3#53.g3+Kh354.Nf4+Kh255.Rh6+Kg156.Ne2+Kf157.Rh1#The knight, as an extra piece, still has its limitations when it comes to playing on both sides of the board. It's strength, however, is in tactical motifs.52.Ne6+A good chance to get on the winning track was52.Ne2!c253.Ra1Kf654.Rc1Kg555.Kf2Kg4and now the final knight transfer:56.Ng1Kf457.Nf3Rc858.Ne1+-52...Kf653.Nf4+Ke554.Nd3+Kd555.Ra255.Ra5+Kd456.Nf4was an idea, asc257.Ne2+Kd358.Rd5+ ends in mate. This and similar lines illustrate the difficulty of playing such endgames. One has to calculate variations all the time!55...Kd456.Nc1c257.Ra5Rc3+58.Kf4Rc859.Rxf5?A tragic miss.59.Ra3!Rc560.Rd3+Kc461.Re3Rc762.Kxf5would have clinched it for Nakamura.59...Re860.Rf760.Ra5Re161.Ra1Rd162.g4Kc363.g5Kb2=60...Re1Black will attack the knight that cannot leave the c-pawn unattended.61.Rd7+Kc362.Rc7+Kd263.Nb3+Kd364.Nc5+Kd465.Nb3+Kd366.Nc5+Kd467.Nb3+Kd368.g4Rf1+69.Kg5Rb170.Nc5+Ke371.Nb3Kd372.Nc5+Ke373.Nb3½–½
Endings with rook and minor piece against rook and minor piece occur very frequently, even more often than rook endings, yet there's not much literature on them. This endgame DVD fills this gap. The four different material constellations rook and knight vs rook and knight, rooks and opposite coloured (and same coloured ) bishops and rook and bishop vs rook and knight are dealt with. In view of the different material constellations Karsten Mueller explains many guidelines like e.g. "With knights even a small initiative weighs heavily".
Here were the World Champion's thoughts after the game. He is clearly suffering from a cold here in chilly London.
A wider look at the boradcast setup, as Magnus Carlsen goes over his game with Maurice Ashley | Photo: Macauley Peterson
We can see now that Magnus Carlsen dodged a major bullet today. While it might inspire him to try his hardest in the remaining rounds, one has to wonder why Carlsen cannot translate his dominating performances in rapid and blitz events into similar results in classical chess.
Hikaru's enterprising play in London hasn't been rewarded with wins yet. Yes, chess can be very cruel at times.
Round six commentary
Commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan, WGM Jennifer Shahade and GM Cristian Chirila, with GM Maurice Ashley reporting 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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