Medias Kings Rd7: Carlsen supreme with 2913 performance

by ChessBase
6/18/2011 – The impulse is to use words like impressive and powerful, but with three rounds to go, the thesaurus might soon run out of synonyms. Magnus Carlsen outwitted Vassily Ivanchuk in an endgame, doing what he does best, by finding every possible way to give his opponent ways to go wrong, however slightly. He now leads alone with 5.0/7. Videos and commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco.

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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; Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk, currently the world's number five; Sergey Karjakin, former child prodigy and youngest GM of all time; top US grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, clear winner of this year's Wijk aan Zee tournament; Teimour Radjabov, one of Azerbaijan's top GMs, and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, the best Romanian player. The competition is taking place from June 11th to 22nd 2011 in Medias, Romania.

Round seven results

Round 7: Saturday, June 18, 15:30h
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
  Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
  Hikaru Nakamura 
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
  Vassily Ivanchuk

Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco


Round seven of the Kings' Tournament in Medias, Romania


Tian Hongwei, Deputy Director General of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Chess
Association, ceremonially executes the first move for Magnus Carlsen in round seven


Carlsen vs Ivanchuk under way

In the seventh round Magnus Carlsen retook the lead by beating Vassily Ivanchuk with the white pieces. The Norwegian didn’t get much out of the opening in the Ragozin Variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined, but kept on fighting, slowly improving his position. After the exchange of queens Carlsen nicely outplayed his strong opponent in the endgame. Especially impressive was the way he created more and more weaknesses in Black’s camp, first by advancing his pawns on the kingside, and then switching to the queenside.

Note that you can also replay GM Rogozenco's analysis on a full page with diagrams

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Qc2 The point of this move is that White keeps the possibility of returning the bishop to d2, if needed. Such idea was successfully popularized by Kramnik back in 1993, when Magnus was just three years old... c5 8.dxc5
White is ready to play against an isolated pawn on d5. It must be said that the modern theory considers that Black doesn't have particular problems in this variation. 8...h6 8...Qa5 is also answered by 9.Bd2. 9.Bd2 0-0 10.e3 It is interesting that Ivanchuk himself played this line with the white pieces. Bxc5 10...Re8 11.Be2 Bxc5 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Nb6 14.Rfd1 Be6 15.Be1 Qe7 16.Nd4 Rac8 17.Rac1 Ivanchuk,V (2700)-Lautier,J (2655)/Monte Carlo 1995 10...Qe7 11.Be2 Bxc5 12.0-0 a6 13.Qb3 Nb6 14.Rac1 Be6 15.Nd4 Rac8 16.Rfd1 Ivanchuk,V (2739)-Mamedyarov,S (2719)/Moscow 2009 (blitz game). 11.Rc1 The usual move is 11.Bd3 followed by 12.0-0. 11...Qe7 12.Be2 Now 12.Bd3 is answered with d4 completely equalizing right away. 12...a6 13.Qd3!? A tricky move. Before castling White attacks the pawn d5, forcing Black to misplace one of his pieces. Nb6 14.0-0 Bg4 15.Nd4
15...Bd7 Typically for the side having the ISQ (isolated queen pawn) Ivanchuk tries to keep as many pieces as possible. After the exchange on e2 Black would have also weakened square f5. 16.Bf3 Rfe8 17.b3 Limiting the activity of the knight b6. Ba3 18.Rc2 Rac8 There was another option: 18...Ne4 19.Bc1 Bd6 and here at least White doesn't exchange so many pieces as in the game. 19.Nce2! Rxc2 20.Qxc2 Be6 21.Bc1! Rc8 22.Bxa3 Qxa3 23.Qd2
White has achieved a slight plus, because Black couldn't take any advantage of his IQP. Notice that the knight on b6 is still misplaced. 23...Bg4 This allows White to use the light squares in order to create some pressure on the kingside. 24.Bxg4 Nxg4 25.Nf5 Nf6 26.h3 26.Qd4 Nbd7 27.Nf4 was tempting, but Carlsen didn't find anything convincing after Qc5 since winning a pawn with 28.Nxd5 Qxd4 29.Nfe7+ Kf8 30.exd4 allows Black to get counterplay after Rc2 26...Kh7 27.Qd4 Here White has the same problem as at the previous move: the queen looks very well centralized on d4, but there is nothing concrete and it forces Black to improve the position of the knight from b6. 27.f3!? 27...Nbd7 28.Qf4 Nf8 28...Qxa2 29.Ned4 looks scary for Black with his queen left far away from the king. However, after Qa3 White still must prove that his compensation is worth more than a pawn. 29.Neg3 29.Nxh6 doesn't work because of Ne6 29...Ng6 30.Qd4 Qc5 31.f3 Qxd4 32.Nxd4 Ne5 33.Rd1
White is only slightly better, but he can play for long, since there is no clear way for Black to simplify the position. 33...g6 34.Kf2 Kg7 35.Nge2 Kf8 36.g4! Nc6 37.Rc1 Ke7 Perhaps Ivanchuk had to offer the exchange of rooks with 37...Ne7 38.h4! Kd6 39.h5 Ne7 After 39...gxh5 40.Nf5+! 40.gxh5 Nxh5 41.Rh1 Ng7 42.Rxh6+ Ne6 Black holds the balance. 40...Ke5 41.Ned4! the black king is suddenly very exposed in the center. For instance hxg4 leads to a mate after 42.f4+ Ke4 43.Rd1 with inevitable mate with the knight either on d6 or g3. 40.Rh1! gxh5 41.gxh5 Rg8 42.Ng3 Rg5
43.b4! Kd7 44.Rh4 Ne8 45.Rf4 Nd6 46.a4 46.Rg4!? f6 47.Rf4 Ng8 48.a4 46...b6 46...Kc7 47.Rg4! 47.a5!? After 47.Rf6 Ng8 the rook must return to f4. 47...bxa5 48.bxa5 f5 Preferable was 48...Kc7 49.Rg4 Rg8 49.Rh4 Nc4?! 49...Rg8 50.Rh1 Rb8 was called for 50.f4 Rg4 51.Rh3 51.Rh1 Nxe3 52.Kf3 Rg8 53.Rb1 Nc4 54.Rb7+ Kd6 55.Ndxf5+ Nxf5 56.Nxf5+ Kc5 57.Rc7+ Kb5 58.Rh7 also looks strong 51...Nd6 52.Rh1! Rg8 53.Rb1 Ra8 54.Kf3
The difference between white and black pieces became obvious. Black's position is already difficult to save. For some reasons Ivanchuk kept on playing very quickly here, although he's got plenty of time. 54...Kc7 55.Ne6+ Kc8 Better was 55...Kd7 56.Nc5+ Kc6 57.Nd3 Nc4 56.Nc5 Rb8 This move that leads to a lost knight endgame also took Ivanchuk less than a minute. On the other hand the position should be lost anyway. 57.Rxb8+ Kxb8 58.Nxa6+ Kb7 59.Nb4 Nc4 60.a6+ Kb6 61.Ke2 Nd6 62.Kd3 Nb5 63.Ne2 Ka5
64.Nc3! Nc7 64...Kxb4 65.Nxb5 Kxb5 66.a7 queens. 65.Nbxd5! Very nice. White's passed pawns decide the game. Nexd5 66.Nxd5 Nxd5 67.a7 Nc7 68.Kd4 Kb6 69.Ke5 Kxa7 70.Kxf5 Nd5 71.Kg6 Nxe3 72.Kxh6 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M-Ivanchuk,V-1–02011D385th Kings Tournament7

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Karjakin-Radjabov saw another Schliemann Gambit, where the Azerbaijani grandmaster showed his excellent home preparation and confidently achieved a draw. It must be said that the Schliemann is holding very well so far – in no game did White succeed to show an opening advantage against it. Does it mean that the Schliemann will become popular in the near future on the top level? The answer very much seems to be “yes”.


GM Dorian Rogozenco analysing with Teimour Radjabov and Sergey Karjakin

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 In the Kings' Tournament nobody is surprised by the Schliemann Gambit any more. 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 Nisipeanu preferred here the variation starting with 5...d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qg5 were the games Carlsen-Nisipeanu, 2010 and Karjakin-Nisipeanu 2011. 6.Nxf6+ Qxf6 7.Qe2 Be7 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxe5 Qe6 Much more often Black plays 9...0-0 10.Nf3 Qxe2+ Strictly speaking, only this is a new move, but in principle the entire Black's conception is quite remarkable: Black enters an endgame a pawn down in belief that the bishop pair will secure enough compensation for a draw. Such a conception is typical for instance in the Marschall Attack of the Ruy Lopez. 10...d6 and 10...Qf7 have been played before. 11.Kxe2 c5 12.Re1 Bb7 13.Kf1 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Rf8
This looks like the critical position for the evaluation of the entire line starting with 9...Qe6. In his home preparation Radjabov came to the conclusion that it is a draw. 15.Kg2 A possible try to play for advantage is 15.d4 cxd4 16.Bg5 Rf7 17.Re4 d5 18.Re5 Rd8 19.Rae1 Rd7 20.b4 h6 21.Bxe7 Rfxe7 22.Re6! Black is out of danger in the pawn endgame: 22.Rxe7+ Rxe7 23.Rxe7+ Kxe7 24.Ke2 Ke6 25.Kd3 Ke5 26.b5 g5 15...Rf5 16.d3 d5 17.f4 Rf7 Radjabov indicated that Black can play even the direct 17...Kd7 and after 18.Re5 Raf8 19.Rxf5 Rxf5 20.Bd2 g6 just wait with Bd6 and c6. 18.Re5 0-0-0 19.Rb1 After 19.Bd2 Radjabov was ready to demonstrate another line of his home preparation: Bf6 20.Re6 Bxb2 21.Rb1 Bd4 22.c3 Bf6 23.Ra6 d4 24.c4 Be7 25.Rxa7 Kd7 "and this is equal according to my computer" (Radjabov). 19...c6 20.Bd2 Bd6 21.Re6 Kd7 22.Rbe1 Rdf8 23.R1e2
It is obvious that Black is out of danger here. 23...Rf6 The most precise, exchanging one pair of rooks. Certainly not 23...Bxf4? 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.Re7+ 24.Rxf6 Rxf6 25.Be3 Re6 25...Rg6+ 25...d4 26.Bd2 Bxf4 27.Bxf4 Rxf4 28.Re5 Kd6 29.Re8 Rf7 30.Kg3 Re7 31.Ra8 31.Rxe7 Kxe7 32.Kf4 Kf6 33.Ke4 h5 33...a5 34.a3 34.b4 31...Re2 32.Rxa7 Rxc2 26.Kf3 d4 27.Bd2 Rxe2 28.Kxe2 Ke6 29.Kf3 Kf5 30.h3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S-Radjabov,T-½–½2011C635th Kings Tournament7

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Spanish journalist Leontxo Garcia opening the game Nisipeanu vs Nakamura

Nisipeanu got a pleasant advantage on the White side against Nakamura’s Sicilian Najdorf, but then let it quickly slip away. In an equal position White forced the repetition of moves in order to secure the draw.

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1.e4 c5 So far Nakamura is the only player in Medias who sticks to Sicilian Defence. For some reasons other players prefer to answer 1.e4 with 1...e5. 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 The Najdorf Sicilian. Hikaru drew already with it against Karjakin and Radjabov. In those games Black was absolutely fine after the opening. This time things got worse for the American though, and after the game he was visibly unhappy with the opening outcome. 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 Nbd7 8...Be6 "is just equal", according to Nakamura. 9.a4 h6 10.Bh4 b6
11.Nd2! A new and strong move. Similarly to his game versus Ivanchuk from the third round, Nisipeanu improves the position of the knight, transferring it to square e3. 11.Bc4 is the usual continuation, but then the knight remains misplaced on b3. 11...Bb7 12.Nc4 Qc7 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.f3 Bb7 16.Nxd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxd6 clearly favours White. 13.Ne3 0-0 13...Nxe4 loses due to 14.Ncd5 14.0-0 Rfe8 15.Bc4 Qc5 The key square in such pawn formations is d5, which is excellently controlled by White. In order to keep the advantage Nisipeanu had to continue to develop the pieces in the center, after which Black would have had problems to get any sort of counterplay. Again 15...Nxe4 is bad. The simplest solution for White is 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Bd5 winning an exchange. 16.Bxf6 16.Qd3! secures White a pleasant advantage. For instance: Qd4 17.Nf5 Qxd3 18.Nxe7+ or 18.cxd3 Bf8 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ne3 with a firm control of square d5. 18...Rxe7 19.cxd3 and the bishop pair secure White better prospects. 16...Nxf6 17.Qf3 Rac8 18.Ncd5 A better try was 18.Bb3 Qb4 19.Ned5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5 Bf6 22.Qb3 Qxb3 23.Bxb3 where White can claim an edge thanks to his better bishop and superiour pawn formation. However, the opposite-coloured bishops make the position drawish. 18...Nxd5 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Nxd5 Qxc2
White's knight clearly dominates the opponent's bishop, but Black's extra pawn compensates for it. The position is equal. 21.Nxb6 21.b4 Bd8= 21...Rb8 22.Nd5 22.a5 Bd8= 22...Qxb2 23.g3 Bg5 Nakamura's move is stronger than 23...Bd8 24.Qd3 Qd4 25.Qxa6 because Black cannot take on e4: Qxe4? runs into 26.Qc6 (threatening besides taking the rook also a check on e7) Kf8 27.Qxd6+ Be7 28.Nxe7 and White wins 24.h4 Bd2!
It is funny how the bishop from d2 is trying to limit the influence of the knight d5. 25.Rad1 Bb4 This allows White to force a draw. However, the position was about equal anyway. 25...Qc2 26.Qe2 Rb2 27.Qxa6 and again Black cannot take on e4 because of 28.Qc6. 25...Qd4 26.Qe2 Rb2 27.Qxa6 can be worse only for Black. 26.Rb1 Qa3 27.Ne7+ Kf8 Black cannot avoid the repetition. Both 27...Rxe7? 28.Qxa3 Bxa3 29.Rxb8+ or 27...Kh8 28.Qxf7 are just bad for Black 28.Ng6+ Kg8 29.Ne7+ Kf8 30.Ng6+ Kg8 31.Ne7+ Kf8 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nisipeanu,L-Nakamura,H-½–½2011B925th Kings Tournament7

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Note that you can also replay GM Rogozenco's analysis on a full page with diagrams


In the lead with a "modest" 2915 performance: Magnus Carlsen

Thus after seven rounds Carlsen is leading the tournament with five points. Half a point behind him is Karjakin, with Nakamura in the third place with 3.5 points. The Norwegian prodigy has been doing what he does best, and seems to find every single possible way to give his opponent problems to solve and ways to go wrong, however slightly.

All photos by Ionut Anisca

Standings after seven rounds

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 
½-½
  Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
1-0
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
  Hikaru Nakamura
Round 4: Tuesday, June 14, 15:30h
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
  Teimour Radjabov
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura 
½-½
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Round 5: Wednesday, June 15, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
  Hikaru Nakamura
Vassily Ivanchuk 
0-1
  Sergey Karjakin
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Round 6: Friday, June 17, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Hikaru Nakamura 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen
Sergey Karjakin 
1-0
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Round 7: Saturday, June 18, 15:30h
Sergey Karjakin 
½-½
  Teimour Radjabov
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu 
½-½
  Hikaru Nakamura 
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
  Vassily Ivanchuk
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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