Medias Kings Rd2: Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

by ChessBase
6/13/2011 – Once the games of a round are over the players – well, at least the ones who have not suffered a disaster – proceed to the press room to discuss the moves with the resident GM. Later in the evening Dorian Rogozenco inserts much of this into his own analysis and sends us his commentary in ChessBase format. On this news page we present it to you with our new JavaScript player.
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ROMGAZ and the Chess Club Society "Elisabeta Polihroniade” of Bucharest are staging a double round robin tournament with six top GMs: the world's second highest ranked player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who at the age of 20 has an Elo rating of 2815. Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, currently the world's number five, rated 2776; Sergey Karjakin, former child prodigy and youngest GM of all time, now playing for Russia, rated 2776; top US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, clear winner of this year's Wijk aan Zee tournament; Teimour Radjabov, at 2744 one of Azerbaijan's top GMs, and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, the best Romanian player, currently rated 2659. The competition is taking place from June 11th to 22nd 2011 in Medias, Romania.

Round two results

Round 2: Sunday, June 12, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
  Sergey Karjakin
Hikaru Nakamura 
1-0
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen

Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

The second round saw the two leaders face each other: Ivanchuk had the white pieces against Carlsen. In order to keep queens on the board and thus have more fighting resources the Ukrainian chose to avoid the Berlin Defense, only to enter in another kind of position where there was very little White could do in order to improve. Draw on move 33 was a natural outcome.

Radjabov got a pleasant advantage on the White’s side of the Slav Defense and was pressing Karjakin’s position, but the Russian grandmaster defended well and in the end the draw was agreed in a pawn endgame on move 78.

The only decisive game of the round saw a very tense battle between Nakamura and Nisipeanu. The Romanian surprised his opponent by playing a line, which Nakamura used to play himself. Both players did their best and showed high-quality chess. The position was balanced for a long time, until the Romanian grandmaster made a few inaccuracies and then blundered in time-trouble in the endgame.


Vassily Ivanchuk analysing with Dorian Rogozenco immediately after his game


Lively analysis by Sergey Karjakin, Teimour Radjabov and Dorian Rogozenco


Hikaru and Doru – the two grandmasters discuss what has just transpired in the hall

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1.e41,168,43054%2421---
1.d4948,59355%2434---
1.Nf3282,13556%2441---
1.c4182,40456%2442---
1.g319,72456%2427---
1.b314,32154%2427---
1.f45,91348%2377---
1.Nc33,81451%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22154%2405---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
4.d3 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 leads to the Berlin Defense, with a lot of games on the highest level. In spite of White's efforts, in the last years this opening variation proved to be very solid for Black. 4...d6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 0-0 7.c3 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bc2 d5 10.Nbd2 Black should worry neither about 10.d4 Nxe4 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 f5 nor 10.exd5 Qxd5 10...dxe4 11.dxe4 Be6 The structure is almost similar and there are few fighting resources. Ivanchuk goes for an interesting plan to exchange the light-squared bishops. 12.Bb3
White's long-term idea is to prove some superiority of his dark-squared bishop. But with accurate play Carlsen has no difficulties to neutralize it. 12...Bxb3 Carlsen felt that 12...Qd7 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.Qb3 Qxb3 15.Nxb3 might be better for White. 13.axb3 Qd3 14.b4 An important move in White's plan: to free the square b3 for the knight and blockade the weakness on a6. But Black has some pressure in the center and a lead in development, which will allow him to play at some moment a6-a5. Rfd8 15.Qb3 Qd7 As pointed by Magnus, his original intention 15...Nd7 runs into the strong 16.Qd5 when the only move is the somewhat ugly-looking retreat. Ndb8 Then after 17.Qxd3 Rxd3 18.Kf1 White can claim an edge in endgame. 16.Qc2 Qe6 17.Qb3 17.Nb3 is answered by Qc4 (threatening to take on b4 with the knight) 18.Nfd2 18.Re2? allows a lovely combination: Nxb4! 19.cxb4 Qxc2 20.Rxc2 Rd1+ 21.Ne1 Rxe1# 18...Qe6 19.Nf1 Qc4 and White is getting nowhere. 17...Qd7 18.Qc2 Qe6
By playing 19.Qb3 Ivanchuk could repeat the position and make a quicker draw, but he keeps on playing. However, the position is just equal. 19.h3 a5 20.bxa5 Rxa5 21.Rxa5 Nxa5 22.b4 Nb7 23.Qb3 Qxb3 24.Nxb3 Nd7 25.Be3 Nd6 25...Ra8= 26.Nfd2 26.Na5 Nxe4 27.Nc6 Re8 28.Bd4 exd4 29.Rxe4 doesn't work in view of dxc3! (Ivanchuk) . 26...Ra8 27.Kf1 f6 28.Ke2 Kf7 29.Kd3 Ke6 30.f3 Ra2 31.Ra1 Rxa1 32.Nxa1 Nb7 33.Nab3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ivanchuk Vassily-Carlsen Magnus-½–½2011C845th Kings Tournament2
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.d4 d5 4.e3
A quiet and safe variation against the Slav. By choosing it White usually wants to play for a slight advantage with as little risk to lose as possible. 4...Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0-0 Bd6 9.g3 The immediate 9.b3 is bad in view of Bxh2+ or the immediate 9...Ne4 10.Kxh2 Ne4 11.Nxe4 Qxh4+ 12.Kg1 Bxe4 9...Qe7 10.b3 Ne4 11.Bb2 It is not recommended to take on g6 before Black castles short: 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bb2 Ndf6 and Black will castle long, using the open h-file for direct attack against the white king. 11...Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bb4 13.Bxb4 White can't avoid the exchange of bishops: 13.Bb2 Ba3 13...Qxb4 14.c5 0-0 15.a3 Qa5 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.b4
White's space advantage and the superiority of the bishop over the knight secure Radjabov a comfortable small, but lasting advantage. 17...Qc7 17...Qd8 deserved attention with the idea to meet 18.f4 with 18.b5 e5 18...g5 but such decisions are always difficult to make in a practical game, because there is no clear answer to which pawn structure would be the best in a future play. 18.f4 Now that White prevented e6-e5, he can slowly prepare the advance of his b-pawn. a6 19.Bd3 19.g4!? 19...f5
Black's position is unpleasant; he must always watch out for his opponent's active plans on both sides. Until the end of the game Radjabov tried hard to achieve progress, but Karjakin defended accurately and achieved the desired draw rather convincingly. 20.Qe2 Radjabov also considered 20.g4 Nf6 21.g5 Ne4 but decided to keep the pawn on g3. 20...Nf6 21.Kg2 Qe7 22.a4 Ne4 23.h4 Ra7 This somewhat strange-looking preparation to double rooks on the a-file is designed to be ready for White's b4-b5. 24.Rh1 Nf6 25.Qb2 Rfa8
26.Be2 26.b5 axb5 27.axb5 Qd8 28.b6 Rxa1 29.Rxa1 Rb8! "is just a draw" - Karjakin. 26...Qf8 26...Qf7 was somewhat more accurate, to rule out the immediate 27.h5. 27.Qc2 27.h5 was an attractive alternative. After Qf7 27...Nxh5 28.Bxh5 gxh5 29.Rxh5 Kf7 30.Rah1 is rather difficult for Black. 28.hxg6 Qxg6 29.Rh4 Black keeps on struggling in an unpleasant position. 27...Kf7 28.Rab1 Qe7 29.Rb3 Rh8 30.Bf3 Rha8 31.Qe2 Rh8 32.Rhb1 Ne4 33.Qe1 Nf6 34.R1b2 Rha8 35.Qb1 Qd8 36.Ra2 Ng8 37.Qb2 Ne7 38.Be2 Qd7 39.Ra1 Ng8 40.Rba3 Ne7 41.Rh1 Ng8 42.Bd3 Nf6 43.Rha1 Ng8 44.Kf3 Ne7 45.Ke2 Ng8
46.b5 Finally Radjabov advances the b-pawn. axb5 47.axb5 Rxa3 48.Rxa3 Rxa3 49.Qxa3 cxb5 Otherwise the advance of the pawn to b6 followed by Qa7 is very unpleasant for Black. 50.Qa5 Ne7 50...Nf6 51.Bxb5 Qc8 also holds the position. 51.Bxb5 Nc6 52.Qa4 Qc8
White is still better, of course, but he cannot achieve much progress. 53.Kd3 Ke7 54.Kc3 Kd8 55.Kb3 Kc7 56.Kb2 Kb8 57.Kc3 Kc7 58.Kd2 Kd8 59.Kd3 Ke7 60.Ke2 Kf7 61.Ke1 Ke7 62.Kf2 Kf7 63.Be2 Qd8 64.Bb5 Qc8 65.Kf3 Ke7 66.Kg2 Kf7 67.Be2 Qd8 68.Qb5 Qc7 69.Bd3 Kf6 70.Kh3 Kf7 71.Qa4 Qc8 72.Be2 Kf6 73.Kh2 Kf7 74.Kg1 Kf6 75.Kf1 Kf7 76.Ke1 Ke7 77.Kd2 Kd7 78.Qa1 Kc7 79.Bd3 Qd8 80.Bb5 Qc8 81.Kc3 Qb8 82.Qa4 Qc8 83.Bxc6 bxc6 84.Qa5+ Kd7 85.Qa7+ Qc7 86.Qa8 Qc8 87.Qxc8+ Kxc8 88.Kb4 Kb7 89.Ka5 Ka7 90.Kb4
So far the longest game of the Kings Tournament 2011. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Radjabov Teimour-Karjakin Sergey-½–½2011D125th Kings Tournament2
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 "I spent all my time preparing other things than this whole Ruy Lopez" - Nakamura 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7
12.d5 12.Nbd2 exd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Nf1 Bf6 15.Be3 Bb7 16.Ng3 g6 was about equal in Giri,A (2690) -Nakamura,H (2774)/Monte Carlo 2011 (54) White got some advantage after 12.b3 Bf6 13.Be3 exd4 14.cxd4 Bb7 15.Nc3 Nc6 16.Rc1 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Dominguez Perez,L (2716)-Nakamura,H (2733)/Khanty Mansiysk 2010. 12...Nb6 13.Nbd2 g6 14.b4 Nb7 After the game Anand-Carlsen, Morelia/Linares 2007 Black started to experience problems after the natural 14...cxb4 15.cxb4 Nac4 16.Nxc4 Nxc4 17.Bb3! 15.Nf1 a5 16.Bh6 Re8 17.a3
17...Bd7 This natural continuation is a new move. Black prepares massive exchanges on the a-file. 18.Ng3 Qc7 19.Bd3 axb4 20.axb4 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 Ra8 22.Qb1 c4 23.Bc2 f6 24.Be3 Nd8 25.Nd2 Nf7 26.f4 exf4 27.Bxf4
27...Ne5 An interesting alternative was to prevent the white bishop from coming to the diagonal a7-g1 by continuing 27...Na4 28.Ne2 Qb6+ 29.Kh2 Ne5 with a very complex middlegame, where both sides have their chances. 28.Be3! Ra3! A strong answer by Nisipeanu, which cost the Romanian grandmaster a lot of time: before placing the knight on a4 Black activates his rook. 29.Ne2 Na4 30.Bd4 Bf8
The rook on a3 looks shaky, but White cannot use this factor. The position is about equal. 31.Rf1 Qd8 32.Qc1 Ra2 33.Nf3 33.Bb1 Ra1 (or even 33... Rb2) and the rook cannot be attacked. 33...Bg7 34.Nxe5 fxe5 35.Be3 Nb6 36.Kh2 Be8 37.Ng1 h6 38.Bb1 Ra1 39.Qb2 Ra8 40.Bc2
40...Nd7 Both players assessed this to be an inaccuracy. Nakamura considered that after 40...Na4 the position is close to equal. 41.Ra1 Rxa1 42.Qxa1 Nf6 43.Qa6 Now White has built some pressure, although Black is still very solid and close to equal. Bf8 44.Nf3 Bd7 45.Nd2 Nh5 46.Nf3 Nf6 47.Kg1 Qc8 48.Qa1 Qb8 49.Kf1 Nh5 50.g4
50...Nf4 A very responsible decision. The simple 50...Nf6 was perfectly playable. 51.Bxf4 exf4 52.e5 dxe5 53.Qa6 Qd6 54.Qxd6 Bxd6 55.Bxg6 Kg7 56.Be4 h5
The endgame should be a draw, but Nisipeanu was in time trouble and started to produce mistakes. 57.Nh2! The best way to keep the pressure. Kh6 58.Kg2 hxg4 Completely unnecessary, giving square h3 to White's king. After 58...Bc7 Black has no problems whatsoever. 59.hxg4 Kg5 60.Kh3
60...f3? Blundering with the last move before the time-control is always very painful. It is not clear if White has something real after 60...Bc7 61.Nf3+ Kf6 62.Kh4 Kg7 61.Kg3 f2 62.Nf3+ Probably missed by Nisipeanu when he played 60...f3. Not 62.Kxf2? Kf4 and it is Black who can win. 62...Kh6 63.g5+ Kh5 64.Kxf2
White won a pawn and the rest is a matter of technique. 64...Be8 65.Ke3 Bf7 66.g6 Bxg6 67.Bxg6+ Kxg6 68.Ke4 Kf6 69.Nd2 Bf8 70.Nb1 Bh6 71.Na3 Bc1 72.Nxb5 Bd2 73.Nd6 Bxc3 74.b5 Ke7 75.Nxc4 Be1 76.Kxe5 Bg3+ 77.Kd4 Bf2+ 78.Kc3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura Hikaru-Nisipeanu Liviu-Dieter-1–02011C965th Kings Tournament2

Schedule and results

Round 1: Saturday, June 11, 15:30h
Vassily Ivanchuk 
1-0
  Teimour Radjabov
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
  Hikaru Nakamura
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
  Sergey Karjakin
Round 2: Sunday, June 12, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
  Sergey Karjakin
Hikaru Nakamura 
1-0
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen
Round 3: Monday, June 13, 15:30h
Magnus Carlsen 
    Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
    Vassily Ivanchuk
Sergey Karjakin 
    Hikaru Nakamura
Games – Report
Round 4: Tuesday, June 14, 15:30h
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
    Teimour Radjabov
Sergey Karjakin 
    Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura 
    Vassily Ivanchuk
Games – Report
Round 5: Wednesday, June 15, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
    Hikaru Nakamura
Vassily Ivanchuk 
    Sergey Karjakin
Magnus Carlsen 
   Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Games – Report
Round 6: Friday, June 17, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
    Vassily Ivanchuk
Hikaru Nakamura 
    Magnus Carlsen
Sergey Karjakin 
    Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Games – Report
Round 7: Saturday, June 18, 15:30h
Sergey Karjakin 
    Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
    Hikaru Nakamura 
Magnus Carlsen 
   Vassily Ivanchuk
Games – Report
Round 8: Sunday, June 19, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
    Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk 
    Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Hikaru Nakamura 
    Sergey Karjakin
Games – Report
Round 9: Monday, June 20, 15:30h
Hikaru Nakamura 
    Teimour Radjabov
Sergey Karjakin 
    Vassily Ivanchuk
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
    Magnus Carlsen
Games – Report
Round 10: Tuesday, June 21, 13:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
    Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Magnus Carlsen 
   Sergey Karjakin
Vassily Ivanchuk 
    Hikaru Nakamura 
Games – Report

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