Carlsen ends with yet another win
Despite having won both the series and the tour in advance, Magnus Carlsen arrived in San Francisco’s Ferry Building ready to fight on Sunday. He had to face none other than Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who finished the series in second place and was sharing the lead in this tournament until the third round.
Carlsen won games 2 and 4, both with black, to end the event with yet another win, a seventh in a row — six of which did not include blitz tiebreakers. In both games he won, Carlsen converted a superior endgame with a minor piece (and a few extra pawns) against a rook.
Duda vs. Carlsen - Game #2
Four extra pawns turned out to be too much to handle for Duda in the second game of the day!
Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.Tarjei J. Svensen is keeping track of Carlsen’s most important victories.
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1.g3 c5 2.c4 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 e6 6.h4 Nf6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Be3N 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bg5 Qa5 12.Nb3 Nxc3 13.Nxa5 Nxd1 14.Nxc6 Nxb2 15.Ne7+ Kh8 16.Rac1 10...Re8 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bd4 Bg4 14.Qd2 a5 15.Rfe1 a4 16.a3 h5 17.Rad1 Kh7 18.Bf3 18.Qc2= 18...Bh6 19.Qd3 Bf5 20.Bxf6 20.e4? dxe4 21.Qc4 21.Bxe4? Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Bxe4-+ 21.Nxe4? Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Nxe4-+ 21...Be6 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Qxe4 Bg4 24.Bxg4 Rxe4 25.Nxe4 Qxb2-+ 20...Qxf6 21.Qd4 21.e4= dxe4 22.Bxe4 21...Qxd4 21...Bg7!? 22.Qxf6 Bxf6 22.Rxd4 Reb8 23.e4 dxe4 24.Bxe4 Bxe4 25.Rexe4 Rxb2 26.Rxa4 Rxa4 27.Rxa4= Bf8 27...Bg7!? 28.Ne4 Ra2= 28.Ne4 Rb7 29.Ra6 Kg7 30.a4 Rb4 31.Nd2 c5 32.Ra7 Kf6 33.a5 Ra4 34.a6 c4 35.Ne4+ Ke5 36.Nc3 Ra1+ 37.Kg2 Bb4 38.Ne2 Ra2 39.Kf3 Ra3+ 40.Kg2 Ra2 41.Rb7 Rxe2 42.Rxb4 42...Ra2 43.Rxc4 Rxa6 44.Rf4 Ke6 45.Re4+! Kf6 46.Rf4+ Ke6 47.Re4+! Kf6 48.Rf4+ Ke6 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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| Carlsen,M | 2859 | Duda,J | 2731 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.1 |
| Duda,J | 2731 | Carlsen,M | 2859 | 0–1 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.2 |
| Carlsen,M | 2859 | Duda,J | 2731 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.3 |
| Duda,J | 2731 | Carlsen,M | 2859 | 0–1 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.4 |
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So loses to Giri in Armageddon, finishes in second place
Wesley So and Anish Giri had diametrically opposite runs going into their direct encounter in round 7 of the Meltwater Tour Finals — So had won his last four matches, while Giri had lost his last four matches. Fittingly, the players tied all four of their rapid games, traded wins in the blitz tiebreakers and decided their confrontation in an exciting Armageddon encounter.
In the sudden-death game, Giri had the black pieces and, under tremendous time pressure, got to find a mating attack following a blunder by his opponent.
So’s 55.Nf6 allowed 55...Qxf4+ 56.Kh5 Qf5+ 57.Kh4 Bxf6+ and White resigned.
Despite losing this game, and thus the match, So finished in sole second place with 13 points to his name. For Giri, getting to beat such a strong opponent (who, in addition, was in great form) will surely help him to more easily leave behind his bad run in San Francisco.
It was a crazy end to the Armageddon game, as demonstrated by Giri’s reaction!
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Be6 10.Re1! Nc6 11.a3 11...Rc8N 11...b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 Nxe4 14.Bb6 Qb8 15.Qd3 Bxd5 16.Qxd5 Qxb6 17.Qxe4 f5 12.Bf3 Na5 13.Nxa5 Qxa5 14.Qd2 Rfe8 15.Red1 b5 16.Nd5 Qxd2 17.Nxe7+ Rxe7 18.Rxd2 Rd7 19.Bg5 h6 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.c3 Kf8 22.a4 Ke7 23.h3 Rb7 24.axb5 axb5 25.Ra6 b4 26.cxb4 Rd8 27.Bg4 Rxb4 28.f3 Rb7 29.Rc2 Bxg4 30.hxg4= d5 31.exd5 Rxd5 32.Kh2 Rdb5 33.Rcc6 Rxb2 34.Rxf6 Re2 35.Rab6 35...Rxb6 36.Rxb6 f6 37.Rb7+ Kf8 38.Rh7 Kg8 39.Rxh6 Kg7 40.Rh5 Kg6 41.Kg3 Ra2 42.Rh8 Rb2 43.Rg8+ Kf7 44.Ra8 Kg6 45.Ra6 Rc2 46.Kh3 Rf2 47.Ra3 Rb2 48.Re3 Rc2 49.Ra3 Rb2! 50.Ra4 Rc2 51.Ra1 Re2 52.Rf1 Kg5 53.Kg3 Rb2 54.Rf2 54.Rc1 54...Rb3 54...Rxf2!= 55.Kxf2 Kh4 55.Re2 Ra3 56.Rb2 Rc3 57.Kh3 Ra3 58.Kg3 Rc3 59.Kf2 Ra3 60.Re2 60.Rb8 60...Rc3 60...Kh4= 61.Ra2 Rb3 62.Ra8 Kg6 63.Rg8+ Kf7 64.Rc8 Kg6 65.Rd8 Rb2+ 66.Kf1 Ra2 67.g3 67.Kg1 67...Rb2 68.Kg1 Ra2 69.Rg8+ Kf7 70.Rh8 Kg6 71.Rh2 Ra3 72.Kg2 Rb3 73.f4 exf4 74.gxf4 f5 75.g5 75...Rb2+ 76.Kg3 Rb3+ 77.Kg2 Rb2+ 78.Kh1 78.Kg3!? Rb3+ 79.Kf2 Rb2+ 80.Kg1 Rb1+ 81.Kg2 Rb2+= 78...Rb1+ 79.Kg2 Rb2+ ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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| So,W | 2760 | Giri,A | 2764 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.1 |
| Giri,A | 2764 | So,W | 2760 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.2 |
| So,W | 2760 | Giri,A | 2764 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.3 |
| Giri,A | 2764 | So,W | 2760 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.4 |
| So,W | 2760 | Giri,A | 2764 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.5 |
| Giri,A | 2764 | So,W | 2760 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.6 |
| So,W | 2760 | Giri,A | 2764 | 0–1 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.7 |
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Le beats Mamedyarov, climbs to third place
Once again, Le Quang Liem proved his mettle as a rapid-chess player by finishing the strong tour Finals in sole third place after beating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in round 7. It was a drawless match, with the Vietnamese winning three games to prevail and leapfrog Duda in the final standings.
Game 2 saw Mamedyarov blundering the game away by allowing a tactical shot in the middlegame.
Le vs. Mamedyarov - Game #2
25...Qg5 allowed 26.Bxd7 Rxd7 27.Qxd7, and after 27...Nf6 Black both attacks the queen and threatens mate on g2 — what had Shakh missed in his calculations?
White emerges with a better position after 28.Qxb7 Rxb7 29.Nf3 Qg6 30.exf6. Two rooks and two knights were stronger than a queen and a rook in this setup. Black’s resignation came six moves later.
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Nc2 h5 10.h4 0-0 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.Qd2 Re8 13.Rfd1N 13.Rac1 Qa5 14.Bf4 Nd8 15.b4 Qa6 16.b5 Qa5 17.Ne3 b6 18.Qd3 Ne6 19.Bg5 13...Qa5 14.Rac1 Be6 14...Nh7= 15.Ne3 a6 16.b3 Ng4 17.Ned5 Kf8 18.Na4 18.f3 Nge5 19.Be3 18...Qxd2 19.Bxd2 Nd4 19...Bd4 20.Nf4 b5 20...Bf5 21.Nb6+- Rb8 22.Nxe6+ fxe6 23.Nd7+ Kg8 24.Nxb8 Nxe2+ 25.Kf1 Nxc1 26.Nxa6 Nd3 26...Rf8 27.f3 27.Bxc1 Nxf2 28.Rd2 Ne4+ 29.Ke2 Nxd2 27...Nh2+ 28.Kg1 Nxf3+ 29.Bxf3 Rxf3 27.cxb5 Ndxf2 28.Rb1 Rf8 29.Ke2! Bd4 29...Rf5 30.Nb4 d5 31.Nc6 Bc5 32.Rf1 d4 33.Bg5 e5 33...d3+? 34.Kd2+- 34.b4 d3+ 35.Kd2 Bb6 36.Re1 Bc7 37.a4 e4 38.Bxe4 Bxg3 39.Bd5+ Kh8 40.Rxe7 Nh3 41.b6 Nxg5 42.hxg5 Nf2 43.Ne5 Bf4+ 44.Kc3 44.Ke1 d2+ 45.Kxf2 Bxe5+ 46.Ke2 Rf2+ 47.Kd1 47.Kxf2? d1Q-+ 47...Bf4+- 44...Rc8+ 45.Kb3 Bxe5 46.Rxe5 d2 47.Bf3 Rf8 48.Be2 h4 49.Rc5 h3 50.Rc4 Kg7 51.a5?? 51.b7+- h2 52.Rc7+ Kg8 53.Rc8 51...h2-+ 52.Rh4 Re8 52...h1R 53.Rxh1 Nxh1 54.Kc2± 53.Bd1 53...Nxd1? 53...h1R 54.Rxh1 Nxh1 55.Kc2 53...Re3+!-+ 54.Kb2 Nxd1+ 55.Kc2 Nf2 56.Kxd2 Nh3 57.Kxe3 h1Q 54.Rxh2? 54.Kc2= Nf2 55.Kxd2 54...Nf2! 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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| Mamedyarov,S | 2741 | Le,Q | 2728 | 0–1 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.1 |
| Le,Q | 2728 | Mamedyarov,S | 2741 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.2 |
| Mamedyarov,S | 2741 | Le,Q | 2728 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.3 |
| Le,Q | 2728 | Mamedyarov,S | 2741 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.4 |
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Pragg stops Arjun
The all-Indian confrontation between two prodigious players favoured the one playing on-site in San Francisco, as Praggnanandhaa defeated Arjun Erigaisi by a 2½-1½ score. The compatriots both finished the tournament with 9 points, with Pragg grabbing fifth place thanks to his victory in the head-to-head encounter.
Pragg had a great performance throughout the series: the 17-year-old got third place in the overall standings, with his showing at the FTX Crypto Cup — where he finished second behind Carlsen — the highlight of the series for him.
Facing such tough opposition is no easy task. The ever-enthusiastic Pragg had no energy left to enjoy a Golden State Warriors game in full!
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.cxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Bd6 7.Qb3 b6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.Nf3 9...Ng8N 9...0-0 10.0-0 c6 11.Rac1 Nbd7 12.e4 e5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Ne4 Qg6 15.g3 Rfe8 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Rxe5 10.h4 Ne7 11.h5 h6 12.g4 c6 13.0-0-0 Nd7 14.Kb1 c5 15.Rhg1 f6 16.e4 16.Nh4 16...0-0 16...Qf4!? 17.exd5 cxd4= 17.Rde1 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 exd5 20.dxc5 17...cxd4!= 18.Nb5 Qf4 19.Nfxd4 Nc5 20.Qc2 Rfc8 20...a6!? 21.Nc3 Rfc8 21.Qe2 21.exd5!= a6 22.Ne2 21...dxe4 22.dxe4 Nc6 22...a6 23.Nc3 b5 23.Nxc6 Rxc6 24.Qe3 e5 25.Nc3 Qxe3 26.Rxe3 Rd6 27.b4 Nd3 28.Nd5? 28.Nb5= Rd7 29.Rd1 28...Nxf2-+ 29.Ne7+ Kf7 29...Kf8-+ 30.Ng6+ Ke8 30.Nf5 Rd2 31.Rc1 Rad8 31...Nxg4? 32.Rg3 Rd7 33.Rxg4+- 32.Rc7+ R8d7 33.Rxd7+ Rxd7 34.Kc2 34.Re2 Nh3 35.a4 34...g6-+ 34...Nxg4 35.Rg3 Nf2 36.Rxg7+ Ke6 37.Rxd7 Kxd7 38.Nxh6 Nxe4 39.Nf5 35.hxg6+? 35.Nh4 35...Kxg6 36.a4 Kg5 37.a5 Nxg4 38.Rc3 Kf4 39.Kb3 bxa5 40.bxa5 Nf2 41.Nxh6 Nxe4 42.Rc8 f5 43.Rf8 Ng3 44.Ng8 e4 45.Nf6 Rd6 46.Ne8 Ra6 46...Rd8 47.Ng7 Rxf8 48.Ne6+ Kg4 49.Nxf8 f4 47.Kb4 e3 48.Nc7 e2 49.Re8 Ne4 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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| Erigaisi Arjun | 2718 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2678 | 0–1 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.1 |
| Praggnanandhaa R | 2678 | Erigaisi Arjun | 2718 | ½–½ | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.2 |
| Erigaisi Arjun | 2718 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2678 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.3 |
| Praggnanandhaa R | 2678 | Erigaisi Arjun | 2718 | 1–0 | 2022 | | Meltwater CCT Finals 2022 | 7.4 |
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Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
In this Videocourse we deal with different aspects of the middlegame which are important to study and improve your general understanding of chess structures.
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