12/10/2016 – The London Chess Classic kicked off quite fast as today's 2nd round brought three decisive games. Anand showed good preparation against the Najdorf and didn't shy away when Maxime Vachier-Lagrave gave him the chance to sacrifice an exchange - notes by Krikor Mekhitarian. Wesley So nurtured a slight but nagging advantage against Adams until the Englishman collapsed. Topalov and Caruana played a rollercoaster game but in the end the star from the U.S. had the better of it.
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London Chess Classic 2016
Round 2, Anand - Vachier-Lagrave - Notes by Krikor Mekhitarian
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1.e4
1,184,215
54%
2421
---
1.d4
958,932
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
286,327
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,722
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,884
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,598
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,953
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,906
50%
2384
---
1.b4
1,790
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,250
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,081
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
Notes by Krikor Mekhitarian -1.e4!By far Anand's #1 choicec52.Nf3d63.d4cxd44.Nxd4Nf65.Nc3a6It is always exciting seeing such a
confrontation - Anand, known for his extremely deep and ambitious opening
preparation, continuously finding new ideas and putting problems to his
opponents. In the other side, we have one of the world's top specialist in the
Najdorf variation (as white and black) - current number 4 in the world, having
an amazing 2016 year, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave or simply MVL. Both players have
drawn their first round games, meaning a higher chance they would both seek a
very tense battle.6.h3!? The Adams attack has become a
fashionable idea against the Najdorf, leading to extremely complicated
positions. I always found it weird to have it called after Michael Adams, who
is such a positional genius (he indeed played it 5 times), but I have just
come to realize it is named after the american master Weaver Adams, who
started playing it back in the 1940s! Black has some options here, e5 being
the most common.e56...Qc7was tried in the very first game of this
variation against Mr. Weaver in 19487.g4e68.Bg2Nc69.Be3Na510.Qe2Bd711.Rd1h612.Bc1!Be713.f40-0-014.0-0a very odd situation
to have white to castle K-side and black to castle Q-side in an open sicilian.
White went on to win it in 29 moves!: 1-0 (29) Adams,W-Pavey,M Baltimore 19487.Nb3Anand has played this 7.Nb3 only once before (in 2014, against
Nepomniachtchi). White's idea is to play something like an english attack
(with Be3, f4 ideas, or even f4 right away, normally connected with castling
on the Q-side).7.Nde2 is the most common move, aiming
for g4-Ng3h5black normally stops white's K-side expansion with this move,
and white develops with either g3 or Bg5 now, and even the creative Ng1
followed by Nf3 and Ng5 is possible.7...Be68.f4Nbd79.g4!?A very
interesting move, preparing f5 under better conditions. Now g5 is a threat.
There are two important games that have similarities to this one:9.Qf3Rc810.f5Bxb311.axb3d5!?is a typical pawn sacrifice that probably led MVL
to an important decision later in this game, as you will see.12.exd5e4!?12...Bb4!?13.Qg3Nh5∞with an unclear position: 0-1 (57) Gormally,D
(2488)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2757) Douglas 20149.f5Bxb310.axb3d5!
right away!11.exd5Bb412.Bd212.g4?now fails drasticallyNe4!12...0-013.Qe2Bxc314.bxc3e41-0 (34) Sutovsky,E (2635)-Shirov,A
(2712) Poikovsky 201514...Nxd5!?9...Rc8N9...b5has been
played in 201410.Bg210.g5?!b4!10...Nb611.g5Nfd712.f5Bc413.Na5Rc8∞with complex play. 0-1 (32) Khismatullin,D (2714)-Duda,J
(2563) Yerevan 201410.f510.g5?would be a very bad mistakeRxc3!11.bxc311.gxf6Rc8since white can not take on g7 because of Qh4+11...Nxe410...Bxb310...Bc4?!11.Bxc4Rxc412.Qd3± the light-squared B exchange is positionally
good for white11.axb3 It is clear that white's
position is threatening, g5 looks very annoying and Vachier-Lagrave has to do
something, and here he follows a very important advice - meet a flank attack
with a center counterattack!d5!?Black decided to go for a pawn sacrifice,
to open up the position while white wants to create a wing attack (with g5).
It goes to reinforce the idea that MVL is a very brave player, that doesn't
shy away from complications, even when it is clear that his opponent is in his
preparation.11...Rxc3!?was a critical moment - the typical exchange
sacrifice also follows the golden counterattack rule and looks very attractive,
specially because black creates a devastating threat of Qh4+ now:12.bxc3Nxe413.h4Qb613...Be7!?is a similar version14.g5Qb615.Qf3d5now black has a strong h6! threat, trying to open up even more
lines against the white king.14.Qf3d5as MVL himself mentioned after
the game, was something he was seriously considering and has to be at least
very interesting.12.exd5Bb413.Bg2Qb6?natural, but from now on
black faces a difficult position because of this move.13...Rxc3!
would get the pawn back and achieve a complex middlegame position after:14.bxc3Bxc3+15.Bd2Bxa116.Qxa10-0white has the pure bishop pair, but in
the other hand he also has many weaknesses around his king and after:17.0-0Qb6+followed by either e4 or Rc8 shows that black's activity could
become very dangerous.14.Bd2e415.Qe20-016.0-0-0Nc517.Kb1Rfd8
The last moves were kind of expected and now the game surrounds about the
moment when black will release the pressure to get the d5-P back, and for many
moves, white's g5 move will need to be analysed.18.Rhe1a strong move,
bringing the last piece into play, but it was already possible to think about
clearing the dust with the aforementioned g5.18.g5!?Bxc319.Bxc3Nxd520.Bd4!20.Bxe4?Nxc3+21.bxc3Rxd1+22.Rxd1Na4!-+
and suddenly white loses!20...Nf421.Qf2Nxg222.Bxc5Qc623.Qxg2Qxc524.Qxe4±with a promising endgame18...a518...Bxc3?
is simply a worse version compared to the last move analysis.19.Bxc3Nxd520.Bd4+-with an additional Rhe1 already played, black has to be in deep
trouble.19.Qf2?!19.d6!a very counterintuitive and
difficult move, worsening the black's R position before inserting g5.Rxd620.g5!is much stronger now:Bxc321.Bxc3Nd522.Be5!this is the key,
white wins a very important tempo.Rdd823.Bxe4Nxe424.Qxe4+-with a
winning position.19...Qc719...Bxc3!20.Bxc3Nxd521.Bd4a4!
probably underestimated by both players, since apparently black doesn't have
time for such a move. A sample line could go like this:22.bxa4Qb4!
threatening Nxa423.Qg323.Bxc5?Nc3+!24.Kc1Nxd1!25.Bxb4Nxf223...Qxa4 now Nb4 is a serious threat24.Qa3Qxa325.bxa3=and black has every reason to feel relieved winning the pawn back,
and ruining white's structure on the Q-side.20.Bf420.g5!?it was the
last chance to play this move, but the complications were too scary.Nxd520...Bxc321.Bxc3Nxd522.Bd4±21.Nxe4Nd3!22.cxd3Qc2+23.Ka1Qxb3threatening Rc224.Rc1Bxd225.Qxd225.Nxd2?Qa4+26.Kb1Nb427.Bd5Nxd525...Nb426.Nc3All of this was
amazingly mentioned by Anand in the post-game interview (and I'm sure MVL had
similar calculations), showing how good these guys are. He said he wasn't sure
of the evaluation, which is totally understandable, since it involves a
serious risk against your own king! And he is correct, after a4! the position
remains totally unclear.a4!26...Rxd3?27.Qe2!+-threatening
mate and following with Be4-Bc220...Qb621.Be5a4!22.bxa4Bxc323.Bxc3Nxd524.Rxd5!a good practical decision, maintaining excellent
chances on the following position with the strong bishop pair and many strong
pawns on the Q-side24.Bd4Qb4!-- 19...Bxc324...Rxd525.Bxe4Rd626.a5Qb527.Qe2!Qxe228.Rxe2now it was urgent for
black to eliminate one of white's strong bishops.Rd1+28...Nxe4!29.Rxe4Rdc630.Ka2∞ the pawn majority on the Q-side may
be decisive, and white should have the better prospects, but there is a lot to
be played, it is not too easy to advance those pawns.29.Ka2Re8?
a huge mistake, not only because of the way the game continued, but because
black will not be able to deal with these strong bishops29...Nxe4was
again forced, achieving a similar version of the last move, but having lost an
important tempo.30.Bf3!Rxe231.Bxe2Rc132.Bf3Rxc233.Bxb7!
Maxime resigned since the a-P is unstoppable. A brilliant presentation from
the legendary world champion Vishy Anand, showing hard work with a deep
opening preparation, strong dynamic play and impressive calculations.
Vachier-Lagrave put up a strong resistance after being surprised in the
opening, and could have defended the endgame, if it wasn't fo the final
mistake on move 29. Now Anand joins the 2nd place with three other players at
1,5/2, but for now the man to watch for is Wesley So, with a perfect 2/2 score
and a newly acquired ticket into the 2800 club!33.Bxb7!Nxb734.a6
followed by a7, if the N leaves.Re2the rook is
also not in time:35.axb7Re836.Be5!+-1–0
Krikor Mekhitarian's commentary will be delivered with the next ChessBase Magazine #176, together with most of the games of the London Chess Classic annotated - and many more. You can find the fresh ChessBase Magazine #175 with annotations by Vladimir Kramnik, Wesley So, David Navara, Pavel Eljanov, Simon Williams, Daniel King any many other exclusive authors in our shop → here.
Daniel King's Highlights from Round 2
Photos: Lennart Ootes
Before round two we had three leaders: Wesley So, Vladimir Kramnik and Levon Aronian who all won in round one.
Two of the leaders faced each other, but the game between Kramnik and Aronian was the first one to end in a draw. Kramnik, after having experimented a lot with 1.e4 this year, chose the Réti and claimed some slight pressure after the opening. Aronian's position was a bit passive but solid. After Kramniks 20.e5 the position turned into a middlegame with opposite coloured bishops. Kramnik retained pressure, but Aronian also had his trumps and after 32 moves the game ended in a repetition.
Kramnik and Aronian played a short but interesting draw. They now both have +1.
In a very complex game Anand showed ambition.
The first victory of the day went to Vishy Anand, who was well prepared against MVL's Najdorf and outplayed the French grandmaster in a highly complex middlegame. Anand sacrificed the exchange for two pawns and the bishop pair which gave him a very pleasent position. Vachier-Lagrave blundered soon after and had to resign before the time control was reached.
Position after 28.Rxe2: White is better and even after the best move ...Nxe4 Black will suffer for a long time. However, MVL played 28...Rd1+, which is a mistake and gives White tactical opportunities based on the idea Bxb7.
Position after 33.Bxb7 - the a-pawn will queen, therefore Back resigned.
After this loss Vachier-Lagrave drops below the 2800.
MVL's spot in the world ranking was immediately taken by Wesley So, who reached the prestigious 2800-mark for the first time in his career.
Wesley So beats Adams, storms to 2/2 and becomes the 12th player in history to cross the 2800 mark! Congratulations! Photos: @LennartOotespic.twitter.com/BldSCM9Dig
So won against Michael Adams and now leads with 2.0/2. Thanks to his bishops and a 4 vs 3 majority on the kingside So always had some pressure, but to win he needed some help from Adams who went low on time and got into trouble with his queen.
Great start for Wesley So, who is leading the tournament and Grand Chess Tour.
Nakamura seemed to have recovered after yesterday's catastrophe and drew without too many problems against Giri, who played the interesting and rare 7.Qxd4, planning to swing her majesty over to h4 and launch an attack against the castled black king. Nakamura took his time and went into the tank for 42 minutes, to then come up with the interesting idea of ...Qa5 followed by ...Qh5 which prevented Giri's idea.
Position after Giri's 7.Qxd4 - it took Nakamura 42 minutes to decide on 7...Qa5 followed by ...Qh5.
In terms of excitement, the game of the day was undoubtedly played by Topalov and Caruana.
Caruana and Topalov were putting up a good fight in the French Defense.
Caruana tried the French Defense, an opening hehad already used at the Sinquefield Cup this year. Topalov surprised his opponent with the advance variation, a line he hadn't played for four years. Caruana spent a lot of time in the opening and soon got into horrible time trouble. However he somehow "managed not to blunder" (Caruana) in a crazy and complicated position. At some point Caruana felt his "position is basically lost", but Topalov started to drift and Caruana had a great comeback, finishing the game in style with 36...Re8!!
Caruana commenting on this tough encounter: "Every move he played surprised me"
Apart from the London Chess Classic, the British KO Championship is taking place in London. After today's semi-finals, Nigel Short and David Howell will meet in the final.
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