Nanjing: Wang Yue stops Carlsen rampage

by ChessBase
9/30/2009 – For a long time in round three it looked like Magnus Carlsen was going to pick up his third victory. The Norwegian had an extra pawn and great attacking opportunities. But he had used too much time and on his last move before the time control spoilt it to a draw. Peter Leko struggled with black against Veselin Topalov, but held; while Radjabov-Jakovenko was a less exciting draw. Illustrated report.

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Second Nanjing Pearl Spring Chess Tournament

This event, organized by the Municipal People’s Government of Nanjing, is taking place from 27th September to 9th October 2009 in Nanjing, China. Time controls are 90 minutes for 40 moves and 60 minutes for the rest of the game, with no increment. The tournament is a six-player double round robin and has a total prize fund of 250,000 Euros, with the winner taking 80,000 Euros.


The start of round three in Nanjing

Round three

Round 3: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wang Yue 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Dmitry Jakovenko
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Peter Leko

Wang Yue (2736) - Carlsen,M (2772) [D83]
2nd Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (3), 30.09.2009
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 0-0 6.Rc1 Be6 7.c5 c6 8.Bd3 Bg4 9.Qc2 Nfd7 10.Bxb8 Nxb8 11.h3 Bc8 12.f4 b6 13.Na4 e5 14.dxe5 f6 15.exf6 Qxf6 16.Nf3 Qe7 17.Kf2 b5 18.Nc3 Na6 19.Qd2 Nxc5 20.Bb1 Kh8 21.b4 Nb7 22.Ne2 Nd6 23.Ned4 Nc4 24.Qd3 Bd7 25.h4 Rae8 26.Rce1 Qxb4 27.h5 Nd6 28.hxg6 Ne4+ 29.Kg1 h6 30.Rc1 Qb2 31.Qc2 Qa3 32.Nb3 c5 33.Re1 Bf5 34.Nh4 c4 35.Nxf5 Rxf5 36.Nd2

36...Rxf4! This probably came for Wang Yue out of the blue Nanjing sky. The rook cannot be taken: 37.exf4 Bd4+ 38.Re3 (or 38.Kh2 Qg3#; or 38.Kf1 Ng3#) 38...Qxe3+ and mate on the next move.

37.Qd1 Rf6 38.Nxe4 dxe4 39.Qd7 and now, in desperate time trouble, Magnus lets the win slip through his fingers: 39...Qe7 [39...Re7! is better] 40.Qxb5

40...Qe6. This final move before the time control was made with just a few seconds left on the clock. With more time – let's say 30 seconds – the young Norwegian would have found 40...Rxg6 41.Rh5 (41.Rh4 Rg5–+) 41...c3–/+ and Black has very good winning chances. Now the game is a draw. 41.Rh4 Rf5 42.Qa4 Ref8 43.Rxe4 Qxg6 44.Re8 Rxe8 45.Bxf5 Qf7 46.Qd7 Qxd7 47.Bxd7 Rd8 48.Rd1 c3 49.Ba4 Rxd1+ 50.Bxd1 Be5 51.Kf1 Kg7 52.Ke2 h5 53.Kd3 h4 54.Bf3 Kf6 55.Kc2 Ke6 56.Kd3 Kf6 57.Kc2 Ke6 58.Kd3 draw.


Wang Yue during his round three game, where he was struggling against...


...Magnus Carlsen, who is backed by Garry Kasparov


Rueful: Magnus talks about game, which he came so close to winning


Relieved: Wang Yue talks to Chinese TV news after his narrow escape



They are wearing the same dress! Veselin Topalov vs Peter Leko in round three

Topalov,V (2813) - Leko,P (2762) [C88]
2nd Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (3), 30.09.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nbd2 Nf4 12.Ne4 Na5 13.Bxf4 exf4 14.d4 Qd7 15.Ne5 Qf5 16.Qd3 Rad8 17.Nc5 Qxd3 18.Nexd3 Bxc5 19.dxc5 f3 20.gxf3 Bxf3 21.Re7 Rc8

22.Bxf7+ Rxf7 23.Rxf7 Kxf7 24.Ne5+ Kf6 25.Nxf3. White is a pawn up, but Black is more active and can hope for a draw. Especially since Black is Peter Leko, 25...Rd8 26.Kg2 Nc6 27.a3 a5 28.Rb1 a4 29.b4 axb3 30.Rxb3 Rb8 31.Rd3 b4 32.axb4 Nxb4 33.Rd7 Na6 34.Nd2 Nxc5 35.Rxc7 Ne6 36.Rc4 Rd8 37.Nf3 g5 38.h4 h6 39.Kg3 Kf5 40.Ra4 Rd5 41.hxg5 hxg5 42.c4 Nc5 43.Ra8 Ne4+ 44.Kg2 Rd3 45.Rf8+ Nf6 46.c5 g4 47.Ng1 Rd2 48.c6 Rc2 49.Ne2 Rc4 50.Ra8 Ke5 51.Ra6 Nd5 52.Kg3 Kd6 53.f3 gxf3 54.Kxf3 Rxc6 55.Rxc6+ draw.


Dmitry Jakovenko, Russia, drew his round three game against...


... Teimour Radjabov, top GM from Azerbaijan

Results and standings after round three

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