Norway Chess, Round 5: Carlsen still on top, Yu Yangyi in second place

Altibox Norway Chess, Round 5

All five classical games on Sunday finished drawn, which meant they all went down to Armageddon. Four out of five sudden death games favoured the player who had the black pieces.

Results of Round 5 - Classical

Results of Round 5 - Armageddon

Mamedyarov ½:1½ Grischuk

In the classical game, Grischuk quickly gave up a pawn. A little later, Mamedyarov had to go for a repetition in order to prevent Grishuk's heavy pieces to infiltrate on the d-file. In the subsequent Armageddon match-up, we saw once again how the need to win led the white player to make decisions he otherwise might not have made:

A lifetime repertoire: Play the Nimzo Indian

This DVD provides everything you need to know to be able to play one of the most classical openings with Black, the Nimzo-Indian, arising after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4. Nearly every World Championship and top tournament features the Nimzo-Indian.

Will this game serve as a turning point for Alexander Grischuk? | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Ding Liren ½:1½ Aronian

In the classical game, Aronian launched a sacrificial kingside attack, which only gave him a draw by perpetual check. The Armageddon game lasted 97 moves. In the final position, Ding Liren had a queen against Aronian's rook and two pawns. The Armenian finally managed to secure the draw and thus was awarded the full point despite having a material disadvantage.

Ding Liren is now three points behind the leader | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Vachier-Lagrave ½:1½ Carlsen

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave opened with 1.e4 in the classical game, whereupon Carlsen predictably chose the Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian Defence. The Frenchman never got even a slight chance to fight for the win:

In Armageddon, Vachier-Lagrave opted for 1.c4 and the World Champion responded with 1...e5, a move that is currently hugely popular in the elite. Also in this game, Carlsen was completely in control at all times:

My best games in the Sveshnikov

The Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian Defence is considered one of the most promising replies to 1.e4, often giving rise to sharp and complex positions which require precise and inventive play from both sides. Thus, an opening tailor-made for Alexei Shirov (FIDE World Cup finalist in 2007), who has included it into his repertoire with both White and Black and knows the mutual tricks and traps all too well.

Two draws with Black added 1½ points to the world champion's tally | Photo: Lennart Ootes

So ½:1½ Anand

In the classical game, none of the players found a way to get winning chances, so they simply exchanged their pieces. Finally, not much happened and a draw was agreed.

The Armageddon game followed the same storyline. Making use of a strategy similar to the one employed by Magnus Carlsen, Anand secured the full point by drawing with the black pieces:

My Career Vol. 1

The first DVD with videos from Anand's chess career reflects the very beginning of that career and goes as far as 1999. It starts with his memories of how he first learned chess and shows his first great games (including those from the 1984 WCh for juniors). The high point of his early developmental phase was the winning of the 1987 WCh for juniors. After that, things continue in quick succession: the first victories over Kasparov, WCh candidate in both the FIDE and PCA cycles and the high point of the WCh match against Kasparov in 1995.
Running time: 3:48 hours

Wesley So had to relinquish second place to Yu Yangyi | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Yu Yangyi 1½:½ Caruana

The Catalan was played in the classical game. With two well-placed knights against Caruana's rook, the Chinese player obtained an advantage early in the game. However, he could not make much of it and repeated the position before move thirty. Perhaps Yu Yangyi felt he had a better chance against Caruana in the blitz encounter  — after all, the American has a reputation of not being so strong in this discipline. And, indeed, Yu Yangyi got the point in the Armageddon match-up, but only after a tough struggle...and quite a bit of luck:

Power Play 24: A repertoire for black against the Catalan

On this DVD Grandmaster Daniel King offers you a repertoire for Black against the Catalan, based around maintaining the rock of a pawn on d5. Keeping central control ultimately gives Black good chances to launch an attack against the enemy king.

Yu Yangyi needed some luck to defeat Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Round 5 round-up show

Part 1 of 2

GM Yannick Pelletier recaps the action from round five

Standings after Round 5

All games - Classical

All games - Armageddon

Links

• Official site
• Round 1: Five draws, five times Armageddon
• Round 2: Mamedyarov grabs the lead
• Round 3: Carlsen leads
• Round 4: Carlsen ahead of So and Yu Yangyi