Medias Kings Rd8: three draws, Carlsen leads with two games to go

by ChessBase
6/19/2011 – After breathtaking battles day in and day out, and at least one knockout for the audience, today's games all ended in a draw. To be fair they were hard fought, but nobody fell to the mat. With only two rounds left, Carlsen maintains his lead and it is now that much harder to overtake him. Our GM commentator Dorian Rogozenco provides commentary in his entertaining and instructive style.
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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 eight results

Round 8: Sunday, June 19, 15:30h
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Hikaru Nakamura 
½-½
  Sergey Karjakin

Commentary by GM Dorian Rogozenco

Although in the eighth round of the Kings‘ Tournament all the games finished in draws, all the games were well-fought. Ivanchuk-Nisipeanu was a fantastic battle of a very high quality. The game started with 1.c4 c5 (the English Opening) and then transferred to a sharp line of Sicilian Kan Variation. Ivanchuk’s 13.Na4 forced Black to go for big complications. Nisipeanu sacrificed a pawn and started to play against the white king stuck in the center. Both players did their best and after wild complications the game finished in a draw by repetition.


Ivanchuk vs Nisipeanu, with tournament president Elisabeta Polihroniade looking on

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1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.e4 Qc7
This position can also arise via the following move order: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Qc7 7.a3 b6 8.Be3 Bb7 9.f3 Nc6 10.Be2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bd6 12.Qd2!? Ivanchuk offers the pawn h2 in order to quickly complete development, but Nisipeanu decides not to accept "the gift". Soon the Romanian GM will sacrifice a pawn himself. 12.g3 12...0-0 Nisipeanu didn't like his king after 12...Bxh2 13.0-0-0 Bf4 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 and there is no place on the board where the black monarch won't be in danger. White's plan here is to advance the g-pawn and increase pressure in the center and on the kingside. 13.Na4
13...b5! 13...Bxh2 is not a kind of move to consider after just having castling short. 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 White has to accept the challenge. Bf4 16.Qc3 16.Be3 runs into Bxe3 17.Qxe3 Rxa4! 18.Bxa4 Qa5+ 16...Qb8! 17.Nb6 After 17.Bxf6 gxf6 Black can also consider 17...Rc8 and if 18.Nc5 then gxf6 19.Bxd7 Be5 with advantage 18.Qxf6 Be5 19.Qg5+ Kh8 Black has compensation for the sacrificed two pawns. 17...Ba6!
Very inspired play by Nisipeanu. Black's main purpose is to keep the white king on e1. 18.Qa5 An interesting alternative was 18.Bc4 Ra7 Perhaps Black can consider 18...Bxc4 19.Nxa8 Ba6 20.Nb6 d5 19.g3 with the idea Bc7 20.Bxf6! Bxb6 20...gxf6 21.Nxd7 Bxg3+ 22.hxg3 Rxd7 23.Bxa6 21.Bxg7 After 18.Ba4 Black has the very sharp idea Qb7 18...Ra7 might be an option as well. 19.Nxa8 Nxe4 20.fxe4 Qxe4+ 21.Kf2 Bb7 and in spite of being a knight and a rook up (!) White's position is extremely dangerous. For instance: 22.Rhg1 Rc8 23.Rae1 Qf5 24.g4 Bg3+! 25.Kxg3 Rxc3+ 26.bxc3 Qf3+ 27.Kh4 f6 28.Rg3 Qf4 and Black wins. 18...Bxb5 19.Qxb5 19.Nxa8 Nxe4 20.fxe4 Qb7 offers Black a powerful initiative. 19...d5 Nisipeanu opens the position as much as possible. After 19...Qb7 20.a4 White consolidates. 20.Qe2 Be5! Again a very precise move from the Romanian grandmaster. After other moves White defends and remains with extra material. 20...dxe4 21.Nxa8 20...Ra7 21.e5 Nd7 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 23.g3 Bg5 24.0-0 21.Bxe5 Ivanchuk also chooses the best continuation. 21.Bc5 Qc7! 22.Rc1 Rab8 23.Rc2 Rfe8 24.Bd4 Qxc2 25.Qxc2 Bxd4 26.Na4 Rec8 27.Qb1 dxe4 is again in Black's favour. 21...Qxb6
White is still a pawn up, but his king is still in the center. .. The position is of dynamic equality. 22.Rd1 With the intention to play 23.Bd4. 22.Qf2 Qb5 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Qe2 Qb6 brings White nowhere. 22...Ra4!? Very creative, preventing White's intention. After 22...dxe4 23.Bd4 exf3 or 23...Qa5+ 24.Bc3 Qb6 25.fxe4 Rfd8 26.Rf1 24.Qxf3 Qa5+ 25.Bc3 25.Kf2 is doubtful, handing Black the initiative: e5! 25...Qb6 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Qg4+ Kh8 28.Qd4 Qxd4 29.Rxd4 Rfb8 30.Rd2 White can claim an edge. 23.Qf2 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.exd5 exd5 25.Rxd5 is asking for troubles: Rc8 and White is defenseless against Black's activity. 23...Qb5 24.Qe2 Qb6 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ivanchuk,V-Nisipeanu,L-½–½2011B415th Kings Tournament8

Radjabov-Carlsen saw another Queen’s Gambit Declined. The game confirmed its reputation of being a rock solid opening. White failed to get any advantage and the game was drawn on move 29 after some short and interesting complications in the end.


Azeri GM Teimour Radjabov preparing to do battle against...


... his Norwegian colleague Magnus Carlsen, who leads in Medias

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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3
6...b6 This continuation is less popular than 6...c5 and 6...Nbd7. 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.Bd3 Qa5+ 10.Ke2 10.Nd2 Ba6 is equal. 10...Ba6 11.a3 c5 12.b4 Bxd3+ 13.Qxd3 Qa4 13...cxb4 14.axb4 Qd5 14...Qxb4? 15.Rhb1 15.b5 gives White an advantage. 14.bxc5 14.Rhc1 has been played before. Then Black keeps equal chances with 14...Nd7, but not cxb4? 15.axb4 Qxb4? 16.Rcb1 and White catches the queen. At the press-conference Radjabov revealed that during the game he was calculating sharp variations starting with 14.h4 Nd7 15.Ng5 Nf6 16.Be5 c4 17.Qb1 g6 18.h5 Nd5 19.hxg6 when Black should continue f6 and now probably the strongest move for White is 19...Nc3+ can lead to a nice mate: 20.Kf1 Nxb1 21.gxh7# 20.Kf1 defending from the fork on c3. My computer says the position is .... equal. Here is why: fxe5 21.Nf7 Bf6 22.Qe4 Bg7 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Nf7+ Kg8 with a draw by repetition. When seeing such variations one can hardly avoid thinking about the draw death for chess. 14...bxc5 15.Rhc1 Nd7 16.Qc4
16...Qa5 Carlsen keeps the queens on, trying to use the fact that the opponent's king is in the center. But the position is very close to equal anyway. 16...Qxc4+ 17.Rxc4 Nb6 18.Rc2 Rfc8 19.dxc5 Rxc5 20.Rxc5 Bxc5 is equal. 17.dxc5 After 17.Qc3 Qa6+ 18.Qc4 Black might consider Qc6 17...Nxc5 18.Nd4 Rac8 19.Qb5 Another possibility was 19.Kf1 Rfd8 and only now 20.Qb5 when Black cannot avoid the exchange of queens, with an equal endgame. 19...Qd8 19...Qxb5+ 20.Nxb5 a6 would be just bad in view of 21.Na7 Ra8 22.Nc6 Bf6 23.Rab1 and White is clearly better. 20.Nc6 Qd7 21.Nxe7+ Qxe7
22.Be5 Somewhat better is 22.Rc4 preparing to double the rooks on the c-file. 22...Ne4! 23.f3 23.Qb4 Qh4 24.Bg3 Qg4+ 25.Kf1 is also about equal. 23...Qg5 24.fxe4
Black has many ways to force a draw. 24...Rcd8 24...f6 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Qd7 Qxg2+ 27.Ke1 Qg1+ 28.Ke2 Qg2+= 24...Qxg2+ 25.Ke1 25.Kd3? Rfd8+ 26.Bd4 Rb8 leads to troubles for White. 25...Qg1+ 26.Kd2 Rfd8+ 27.Bd4 Rxd4+ 28.exd4 Qf2+ 29.Qe2 Qxd4+ 30.Qd3 Qf2+ 31.Kd1 Qg1+= 24...Rxc1 25.Rxc1 f6 26.Qd7 Qxe5 27.Rc7 f5 28.exf5 Rxf5 29.Rc8+ Rf8 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8= 25.Qb2 Qxg2+ 26.Ke1 Qg1+ 27.Ke2 Qg2+ 28.Ke1 Qg1+ Both players came to the conclusion that 28...Qxe4 does not offer Black real winning chances. 29.Ke2 ½–½
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Radjabov,T-Carlsen,M-½–½2011D375th Kings Tournament8

Nakamura on the white side against Karjakin seemed to have some opening advantage in the Petrosian Variation of the Queen’s Indian. However, Karjakin’s play was precise, and after Nakamura made a slight inaccuracy on move 24, the Russian succeeded in fully solving all problems. The draw was agreed on move 47.


Hikaru Nakamura vs Sergey Karjakin in round eight


After eight rounds Nakamura is in third place, a full point behind...


... Sergey Karjakin, the player with the most varied – shirts!

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 The Petrosian Variation. White prepares Nc3 and wants to avoid the pin after Bb4. Bb7 5.Nc3
5...d5 Otherwise White will play d4-d5 himself. For instance 5...Be7 6.d5 followed by e2-e4 secures White advantage in the center. Here one can notice the importance for White of not being pinned with Bb4. 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Qc2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Be7 9.e4 0-0 10.Bd3 c5 11.0-0 Qc7 Another standard plan in this variation is 11...Qc8 12.Qe2 Ba6 12.Qe2 Nc6 13.Be3 After 13.d5 exd5 14.exd5 Black can consider a positional pawn sacrifice: c4!? 15.Bxc4 Na5 16.Ba2 Bf6 17.Bb2 Rac8 with the idea 18...Nc4. Then White should probably prevent it with 18.Nd2 It remains unclear if Black has a full compensation. Probably only future practice can give an answer to it. 13...Rfd8
14.h4 White is trying to expend on the kingside. e5! 15.d5 Na5 16.h5 Of course White would be happy to fortify his center with 16.c4 but this would allow Nb3 17.Rab1 Nd4 16...c4 17.Bc2
17...Nb3! After 17...h6 18.Nd2! White prevents the maneuver Na5-b3-c5. 18.Ra2 As the players established after the game, in case of 18.Bxb3 cxb3 19.c4 f5! 20.exf5 b5! 21.cxb5 Bxd5 Black is doing fine. 18...h6 19.Nh2 The American GM transfers the knight to f5, but as we'll see this doesn't promise White much. The position is about equal. Bd6 20.Rb1 Nc5 21.Nf1 21.Qxc4 Ba6 22.Qb4 leaves Black with many attractive options. One possibility is Nd3 23.Qa4 Bc4 24.Bb3 b5 25.Qa6 Bxb3 26.Rxb3 Qc4 27.Qxb5 Qxe4 with initiative. 21...Ba6 A more ambitious continuation is 21...f5!? 22.Ng3 Bf8 23.Nf5 Nd3
24.g3 At this moment Hikaru missed a good chance to get an advantage by continuing 24.a4 If then Bc8 25.Bxd3 cxd3 26.Qxd3 Bxf5 27.exf5 Rac8 White continues 28.a5! and in case of 28.Rb3 Qc6! 28...Qxc3 28...bxa5! 29.Qxc3 Rxc3 30.axb6 axb6 31.Bxb6 Rxd5 32.Ra8 Black has serious backrank problems. 24.Qg4 doesn't bring anything due to the obvious Kh8 or 24...Kh7 24...Bc8 25.Qf3 Bxf5 26.Qxf5 26.exf5 Qd7! 27.f6 Qxd5 28.Qg4 Rd6 29.fxg7 Bxg7 is just better for Black. 26...Bc5 27.Qf3 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 Nc5 29.Rb4 Nb7 30.Ba4 Nd6 31.Bc6 Rab8
No side can do much in this equal position. 32.a4 Rf8 33.g4 Kh7 34.f3 Qe7 35.Rh2 Qf6 36.Kf2 Rbc8 37.Ke1 Rc7 38.Kd1 Rd8 39.Ke2 Qe7 40.Rh1 Qf6 41.Ra1 Qh4 42.Rbb1 Qh2+ 43.Qf2 Qf4 44.Qe3 Qh2+ 45.Qf2 Qf4 46.Qe3 Qh2+ 47.Qf2 ½–½
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Nakamura,H-Karjakin,S-½–½2011E125th Kings Tournament8

Click to replay the games on a full JavaScript page or download them in PGN

All photos by Ionut Anisca

Standings after eight 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 
½-½
  Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
  Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Hikaru Nakamura 
½-½
  Sergey Karjakin
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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