Medias Kings Rd3: Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

by ChessBase
6/14/2011 – Round three of the Kings' Tournament in Romania was marked by the victory of Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu over the international star Vassily Ivanchuk. In the postmortem session with our resident commentator Dorian Rogozenco the local son was very animated in his comments. Rogozenco has again prepared some fine analysis of all three games, which we present here for your study and enjoyment.
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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 three results

Round 3: Monday, June 13, 15:30h
Magnus Carlsen 
½-½
  Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
1-0
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
  Hikaru Nakamura

Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

The game of the day was Nisipeanu's win against Ivanchuk. The Romanian Grandmaster nicely outplayed his opponent in the Berlin Variation of the Ruy Lopez. "I think he underestimated the dangers in his position" said Nisipeanu after the game.


Romanian GMs: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu and Dorian Rogozenco discuss the game

Carlsen didn't get much out of the opening against Radjabov and had to settle for a draw. The same happened with Karjakin against Nakamura: in these games Black's better opening preparation fully paid off.


Magnus Carlsen and Teimour Radjabov in their postmortem session


Sergey Karjakin comes to go through his game with Rogozenco

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.Ne4 Ng6 11.b3 Ke8 12.Bb2 The so-called "Berlin Wall" Variation - which thanks to Kramnik's efforts became fashionable at the top level after his 2000 World Championship match versus Garry Kasparov. c5 A new move. 13.Nfd2!
A very strong plan. White prepares to use his kingside pawn majority by advancing the f-pawn. At some moment Black will have to keep the blockade on f5 and therefore Nisipeanu transfers the knight to e3. 13...h5 "I don't like this move at all" (Nisipeanu) 14.Nc4 14.f4 Bf5 followed by h5-h4 Black keeps the blockade on f5. 14...b6 Now after 14...Bf5 the Romanian GM wanted to play the very strong 15.f3! followed by Nc4-e3. 15.f4
15...Ne7 "I think this is the only move", commented Nisipeanu after the game. On the other hand this looks pretty ugly for Black and perhaps already here Ivanchuk should have tried to change the character of the position. Both 15...Bf5 16.Ng3 Bxc2 17.f5 Ne7 with the idea to answer 18.Rf2 with h4! and 15...Nh4 16.Ng3 Nf5 17.Nxf5 Bxf5 18.Ne3 Be4 19.f5 Rd8 were preferable. 16.Ne3 16.Ncd6+ cxd6 17.Nxd6+ Kd7 18.Nxf7 Rg8 19.f5 was attractive, but Nisipeanu was right that it is far from clear. For instance: Nc6 20.e6+ Kc7 21.Rad1 Be7 16...Nf5 17.Nd5 Bb7 18.Rfd1 Bxd5 19.Rxd5 a5 20.Re1
White threatens a check on f6. Black is in deep troubles. 20...Rd8 20...Rh6 21.Nf6+ gxf6 21...Ke7 22.Ng8+ 22.exf6+ Ne7 23.Rde5 Rxf6 24.Rxe7+ Bxe7 25.Bxf6 wins 21.Nf6+ Ke7 22.e6! Very impressive Rxd5 22...fxe6 23.Rxf5 gxf6 24.Bxf6+ Kf7 25.Bxd8+ exf5 26.Bxc7 also wins easily 23.Nxd5+ Kd6 24.exf7 Kxd5 25.Re5+ Kd6 26.Rxf5 Ke6 27.Rg5 Kxf7
28.Be5 28.c4 Rh7 29.f5 Be7 30.Rg6 Bf6 31.Bxf6 gxf6 32.h4 Rh8 is far from simple. Black also gets counterplay. 28...c4 29.Bxc7 Bc5+ 30.Kf1 Rc8 31.Be5 g6 32.f5 gxf5 33.Rxh5 Rightly avoiding 33.Rxf5+ Ke6 34.Rxh5 Rf8+ 35.Ke1 Rf2 33...Rd8 34.Bc3 cxb3
Around here Nisipeanu was in severe time trouble, which explains the following mistakes. 35.cxb3 Both players missed 35.Rxf5+ Kg6 36.Rf6+ Kg5 37.cxb3 with two extra pawns for White. 35...Kg6 36.Rh8 Rd3 37.Rh3 Be3 37...Rxh3 38.gxh3 is hopeless for Black 38.Be1 38.Be5 wins on the spot 38...f4 39.Ke2 Rd8 40.g3 Rc8 41.gxf4 Bxf4 42.Rc3! Re8+ 42...Rxc3 43.Bxc3 Bxh2 44.Kd3 should be winning for White, see also next comment 43.Kd1 Rd8+ 44.Kc2
44...Re8 The bishops endgame after 44...Bxh2 45.Rc6+ Rd6 46.Rxd6+ Bxd6 47.Kd3 seems to be lost for Black. For instance: Kf5 48.Kc4 a4 48...Bc5 49.Bxa5 49.b4 Bxb4 50.Bxb4 Ke6 51.Kb5 Kd7 52.Kxb6 Kc8 53.Bd6 Kd7 54.Bc7 and this endgame is mathematically winning for White, who will at some moment force Black to play a4-a3 and take the pawn with the bishop, while keeping the opponent's king away from square a8. Ke6 55.Kc6 Ke7 56.Ba5 Ke6 57.Bb4 Ke5 58.Kd7 45.Bg3 Be3 46.Kd3 Bc5 47.Kc4 a4 48.Kb5! axb3 49.axb3 Re2 50.Bc7 Re6 51.b4 Be7 52.Rc4 Kf5 53.Bxb6 Bd6 54.Bc7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nisipeanu Liviu Dieter-Ivanchuk Vassily-1–02011C675th Kings Tournament3
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1.c4 e6 After the first round loss in the King's Indian Radjabov decides the change the opening in favour of the solid Queen's Gambit Declined. 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7
4.Nf3 Carlsen also changes the variation he used in the first round. Against Nakamura Magnus played 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 4...Nf6 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5 Bf6
12.Bxf6 \/One month ago Kramnik didn't achieve much against Radjabov either: 12.Be2 Bxe5 13.Nxe5 Be6 14.Nf3 Qb6 15.Qd4 Rfc8 16.0-0 Nb3 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.Rab1 Bf5 19.Rbd1 Rc2 20.Rxd5 Rxb2 21.Re1 Be6 22.Rb5 Rxa3 23.Rxb6 Raa2 24.Rxb7 g5 25.Bf1 h6 26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Rxb2 Rxb2 28.exd4 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V (2788)-Radjabov,T (2744)/Kazan 2011. 12...Qxf6 13.Qd4 Qe7 Possibly this caught Magnus a bit surprise. More often Black continues 13...Qd6 14.Qf4 Qe4 15.Qxe4 dxe4 16.Nd4
White's dominating knight looks very strong, but Black will quickly develop pieces and then either exchange White's knight, or drive it away from d4. Radjabov shows that Black can achieve a draw without many difficulties. 16...Be6 A new move. Radjabov prepares to exchange knights via b3. 16...Bd7 17.Bc4 Rac8 has been played before. 17.Be2 Rfd8 18.0-0 Nb3! 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Rad1 Kf7
White cannot exploit the isolated doubled pawns, which means that the better pawn structure is not an important factor in the evaluation of the position. What matters is that the knight on b3 is very annoying for White, while the black king is more active. 21.f4!? An interesting attempt to gain more space and change the pawn structure. The alternative was 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Rd1 21...Kf6 22.Kf2 Radjabov was concerned about 22.g4 but Black has sufficient counterplay after Rac8 23.g5+ Ke7 24.f5 Rxd1 25.Bxd1 Nd2 22...Nd2 23.Rfe1 Rac8
24.Rc1 Nb3 25.Rc4 Rxc4 26.Bxc4 Nc5 27.Ke2 27.b4 Nd3+ 27...b5!? 28.Ba2 After 28.Bxb5 Rb8 29.a4 a6 it is rather White who must play precisely to achieve a draw. 28...Nd3 Black's domination forces White to play accurately to keep the balance. 29.Rd1 29.Rb1 Rc8 30.Kd2 Rd8 31.Ke2 was a reasonable alternative but not 31.Kc3 Rc8+ 32.Kd4 Nc1! 33.Ra1 Nxa2 34.Rxa2 Rc4# with a sudden mate 29...Rc8 30.Bb1 Nxb2 31.Rd7 Na4
32.Bxe4 Ater the game both players established that after 32.Kd2 a5 33.g4 Nc5 34.Ra7 b4 35.axb4 axb4 36.g5+ Kg6 Black has a strong counterplay. 32...Nc5 33.Rd4 Nxe4 34.Rxe4 Rc2+ 35.Kf3 Ra2 36.Rb4 a6 37.Rb3
37...Ke7 38.Rd3 Rb2 39.h3 a5 40.g4 a4 41.Ke4 b4 42.Rd4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen Magnus-Radjabov Teimour-½–½2011D375th Kings Tournament3
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7
10.h3 Ne5 11.f3 Nbc6 12.Bf2 Be6 13.Qd2 Rc8
14.Nd5 A new move, which, however, didn't surprise the American GM. After 14.0-0-0 Black had scored good results in practice. 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd5 16.exd5 Qc7
All the previous moves where blitzed out by Nakamura. 17.c3 White would like to play 17.c4 but then Black has a nice tactical possibility to sacrifice the rook: Nxc4 18.Bxc4 Bxd4! 19.Qxd4 Qxc4! 20.Qxh8+ Kd7 and with the rook up White must think about excaping, which can be achieved by 21.Qh7, because 21.Qxh6 suddenly loses: Qd3 22.Qxg5 Rc2 These variations still belonged to Hikaru's home preparation. Quite impressive. 17...Qa5 Attacking pawn d5. That's why Black provoked the move 17.c3. 18.Be3 Nc4 19.Bxc4 Rxc4 20.0-0
20...Be5! 20...0-0 would be a big mistake, allowing White to use the weaknesses on opponent's kingside by playing 21.f4 21.Qd3 Now 21.f4 is bad: gxf4 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 23.Rxf4 Rxf4 24.Qxf4 Qxd5 with a healthy pawn up. 21...Qb5 22.Rac1
22...Ra4! Nakamura plays very precisely. In the resulting endgame Black is out of danger. After 22...Rb4 23.c4! Qa4 White has a pleasant choice between 24.b3 or 24.Qf5 24...Qxa2 25.Rb1 with compensation for the pawn. 23.Qxb5+ axb5 24.a3 Kd7 25.Kf2 Rc8 26.Rcd1 f5 27.Ke2 Rg8 28.Kd3 h5 29.Rde1 h4 30.Bf2 Bf6 Karjakin showed that after 30...g4 White has 31.hxg4 fxg4 32.Bxh4 gxf3 33.g3! with advantage, since Bxg3 34.Rxe7+ is clearly better for White. 31.Rh1 Rh8 In this approximately equal position it looks like that there are plenty fighting resources, but the players thought that after massive exchanges soon it should be a draw and they agreed to it immediately. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin Sergey-Nakamura Hikaru-½–½2011B905th Kings Tournament3

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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