Pavel Eljanov wins Deutschland Grand Prix

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
7/19/2021 – Thanks to a final-round win over Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Pavel Eljanov took clear first place at the Deutschland Grand Prix in Dortmund. The Ukrainian grandmaster had been in the sole lead until round 7, when he was beaten by Dmitrij Kollars. Kollars, who lost his penultimate game against Kasimdzhanov, finished in shared second place, together with Daniel Fridman.

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Kollars and Fridman a half point back

Pavel Eljanov arrived in Dortmund as the top seed in a strong 10-player single round robin tournament. This was one of many attractive events organized by Initiative Pro Schach as part of the summer chess festival which takes place yearly at the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Ukrainian had a strong start, winning three out of his first four games. Two draws followed, against Ruslan Ponomariov and Daniel Fridman, which allowed him to keep the sole lead going into round 7. In sole second place at that point was Dmitrij Kollars, who was paired up against the leader.

In the crucial encounter, the 21-year-old grandmaster got a much better structure with the white pieces out of the opening. Patient play by the German prevented his opponent from creating counterplay. Only a pawn down, and without a clear tactical threat by White on the board, Eljanov resigned on move 39.

 
Kollars vs. Eljanov - Round 7

39.Kg2 was the last move of the game. It was a great technical effort by Kollars, who counts with full light-square domination in the final position.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.Bd2 0-0 9.0-0 Rb8 is currently scoring better than 9...Bxc3. C47: Scotch Four Knights and Four Knights with 4 g3. 10.Re1 Bg4 11.Qc1
11...Be6N The position is equal. Predecessor: 11...Re8 12.h3 Bh5 13.exd5 Rxe1+ 14.Qxe1 cxd5 15.a3 Bf8 16.b4 c5 17.Bf4 Rb7 18.bxc5 Bxc5 1/2-1/2 (40) Chigaev,M (2615)-Esipenko,A (2683) Sochi 2020 12.a3 Be7 13.Bf4 Nh5 14.exd5 Nxf4 15.dxe6 But not 15.Qxf4 cxd5 16.Rab1 c5 15...fxe6 16.Ne4 Qd4 17.Rb1 Rf5 Black is on the road to losing. 17...Nxd3= 18.cxd3 Rb6 18.Bf1± Nd5 19.c3 Qb6 20.Qc2 Kh8 21.Kh1 Rbf8 22.g3 e5 23.Bh3 Rh5 24.Bg2 Rh6 24...Nf6± was worth a try. 25.Re2 Qb8 26.Rbe1 Qe8 27.c4 Nf6 28.Nxf6 gxf6
29.c5! Qh5 30.h3 Rg6 31.b4 Rd8 32.Qa4 Rgg8 33.Qxc6 Rd1
Threatens to win with ...Qxe2. 34.Kh2 Black must now prevent Bf3. Don't take 34.Rxd1 Qxe2 35.Rd7 Qxf2 34...Rxe1 35.Rxe1 Qf5 36.Re2 Qd3 37.Re3 Qd8 37...Qf5 38.Bf3 Bd8 38.Be4+- Qd2 39.Kg2 Weighted Error Value: White=0.09/Black=0.31
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kollars,D2607Eljanov,P26711–02021Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.5

Dmitrij Kollars

Dmitrij Kollars

The roles had been reversed, as Kollars was now the sole leader with two rounds to go, except that he was not only chased by Eljanov but also by Fridman. However, for a second round in a row, the sole leader gave up a full point. Former FIDE world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov defeated Kollars with the white pieces.

Early in the game, a material imbalance was created on the board: Black had a rook and a pawn against White’s bishop and knight. The minor pieces proved to be stronger, as Kasimdzhanov slowly increased his advantage. 

 
Kasimdzhanov vs. Kollars - Round 8

50.Bg6+ Kxg6 51.Ne7+ Kxh6 (51...Kf7 also loses) 52.Rxd8, and White soon won the game.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 g6 9.c4 Ba6 10.b3 Bg7 11.Bb2 0-0 12.Bg2
12...Rfe8! 13.0-0! C45: Scotch Game. Bxe5 14.Qxe5 Qxe5 15.Bxe5 The position is equal. Rxe5 16.cxd5 Hoping for Rc1. Bxf1 17.Kxf1 cxd5 18.f4 Re3 19.Bxd5 Rae8 Strongly threatening ...Re1+. 20.Nd2
20...Kf8N Predecessor: 20...Kg7 21.Bg2 Rc3 22.Ne4 Rc2 23.Bf3 d5 24.Nf2 d4 25.Bd1 Rc3 26.Be2 Rc2 1-0 (52) Van Overdam,J (2367)-Ernst,S (2540) Belgium 2015 21.Rd1 c6 22.Bf3 22.Bg2 is interesting. Rd3 23.Kf2 a5 24.Bf3 Rc3 25.Ne4 22...Rc3 23.Be4! d5
24.Nb1! Re3 24...Rc5 25.Bd3 25.Bd3 Ke7 26.Kf2 Kd6 27.Na3 a5 28.Nc2 R3e7 29.h4 Rb7 30.Be2 Rd8 31.h5 Ke6 32.h6 f5 33.Nd4+ Kd6 34.Rc1 Rb6 35.Nf3 Rd7 36.Ne5 Rc7 37.Nd3 c5
38.Rd1! Ke6 39.Ne5 g5 40.Nf3 gxf4 41.gxf4 Rd6
Black cannot hold the game after this. 41...c4± is a better defense. 42.Bd3!+- Kf6 43.Nh4 Rd8 44.Nxf5 c4 45.Bb1 cxb3 46.axb3 Rc3 47.Ne3 Rxb3 48.Bxh7 a4 49.Nxd5+ Kf7
49...Ke6 50.Re1+ Kd6 50.Bg6+! Deflection, Decoy Kxg6 50...Ke6 51.f5+ 51.Ne7+ Discovered Attack Kxh6 52.Rxd8 Kh5 If only Black now had time for ...Kg4.... 53.Rg8 Nf5 would kill now. Kh4 54.Nf5+ Kh3 55.Ne3 Weighted Error Value: White=0.02/Black=0.35
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Kollars,D26071–02021Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.2

Rustam Kasimdzhanov

Rustam Kasimdzhanov

The curious turn of events meant three players entered the last round tied atop the standings table on 5 points each, with 16-year-old grandmaster Vincent Keymer a half point behind. Moreover, none of the contenders for first place were paired up against each other.

Much like in round 8, there was only one decisive game on the last day of action: the highest-rated player in the field finished the tournament in style, beating the ever-fighting Kasimdzhanov with the white pieces to claim first place.

 
Eljanov vs. Kasimdzhanov - Round 9

Out of the opening, Eljanov had given up a pawn to get the initiative with his bishop pair in a complex struggle. Kasimdzhanov eventually recovered the pawn, but was nonetheless in deep trouble in the diagrammed position. At this point, the Ukrainian should have prioritized to keep the queens on the board with 29.Qf3 or 29.Qg3 — his 29.Bd3, on the other hand, was responded by 29...Qxb3 30.cxb3, and Black had enough resources to fight back.

White still had the upper hand in the ensuing position, but Eljanov needed to work hard until getting a 64-move victory, as Kasimdzhanov showed great resilience in defence throughout.

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bg4 3.Bb2 Nd7 4.e3 Ngf6 5.h3 Bh5 6.d3 A06: Réti Opening: 1 Nf3 d5. e6 7.Nbd2 a5 8.a3
The position is equal. 8...h6N Predecessor: 8...c6 9.Be2 Bxf3 10.Nxf3 Bd6 11.c4 0-0 12.0-0 Re8 13.Re1 e5 14.Bf1 Qe7 1/2-1/2 (61) Miles,A (2590)-Fressinet,L (2455) Hastings 1999 9.e4 dxe4 10.dxe4 Nc5 11.Qe2 Be7 11...c6= keeps the balance. 12.g4± Bg6 13.Ne5 Bxe4 14.Nxe4 Nfxe4 15.Bg2 Nd6 16.0-0-0 White has strong compensation. 0-0 17.f4 Qe8 18.Qe3 Nd7 19.h4 a4! 20.Nxd7! Qxd7 21.g5 White is up to no good. axb3 21...Qb5! 22.Qc3! f6 23.Qxb3 Kh8 Wrong is 23...hxg5? 24.hxg5 fxg5 25.Bh3+- 25.Qh3 Kf7+- 24.gxh6 gxh6 25.Rhe1 Qa4 26.Rxe6 Bd8 26...Qxb3 was worth a try. 27.cxb3 Bd8 27.Kb1 27.Qe3 27...Ra6 28.Bf1 Ra5 28...Qxb3± 29.cxb3 Ra5 29.Bd3? 29.Qe3+- 29...Qxb3 30.cxb3 Rh5 31.Rh1 Rg8 32.Rxf6 But not 32.Bxf6+?! Bxf6 33.Rxf6 Rg3= 32...Bxf6 33.Bxf6+ Rg7 34.Kc2 Kg8 35.Bxg7 Kxg7 Endgame KRB-KRN 36.Be2 Rc5+ 37.Kd3 Rd5+ 37...Kf6= 38.Ke3 Nf5+ 39.Ke4 Ra5 Strongly threatening ...Ng3+. 40.Rg1+ Kf6 41.a4 Nxh4 42.Rg8 Rc5 43.Rh8 Kg7 44.Rb8 Hoping for b4. 44.Rd8 keeps more tension. Nf5 45.b4 Ng3+ 46.Ke3 Rc3+ 47.Bd3 44...Nf5 45.Rd8 Nd6+ 46.Kd4 Rc1 47.a5 Kf6 48.Bd3 48.Rf8+ is interesting. Kg7 49.Rb8 Rb1 50.Bd3 Rb2 51.Kc3 48...Nf5+ 49.Bxf5 Kxf5= KR-KR 50.Rf8+ Kg4 51.f5 Kf4 52.b4 h5 52...c5+= 53.bxc5 Rd1+ 54.Kc4 Ke5 53.Kd5 53.f6± Kf5 54.f7 53...Re1 53...Kg5= 54.f6± And now Rb8 would win. Re5+? 54...Kf5± 55.Kd4+- Re4+ 55...Rf5 56.Rf7 h4 56.Kd3 Re6 57.f7 Rd6+ 58.Ke2? 58.Kc3+- Rc6+ 59.Kd2 Rd6+ 60.Kc2 Rc6+ 61.Kd3 Rd6+ 62.Kc3 Rc6+ 63.Kb3 58...Re6+?
58...Rd7!= and Black has nothing to worry. 59.Kd2! Rd6+ 60.Ke1? 60.Kc2+- Rc6+ 61.Kd3 Rd6+ 62.Kc4 Rc6+ 63.Kb3 60...Re6+ 61.Kf2 Rf6?
61...Re7= 62.b5! White is clearly winning. Kf5 63.Ke3 Ke6 64.a6 Kd5 Weighted Error Value: White=0.26/Black=0.35
1–0
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Eljanov,P2671Kasimdzhanov,R26621–02021Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.5

Interview with Daniel Fridman (instructive endgames included)


Final standings

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
GM
GM
2671

1
GM
2599
1

2
GM
2591
1

3
GM
2628
½

4
GM
2626
1

5
GM
2608
½

6
GM
2631
½

7
GM
2607
0

8
GM
2658
½


Ø 2623
6/9
2671
6.0
9
5.00
2748
2
GM
GM
2607

1
GM
2591
1

2
GM
2628
½

3
GM
2626
1

4
GM
2608
½

5
GM
2631
½

6
GM
2658
½

7
GM
2671
1


9
GM
2599
½

Ø 2630
5.5/9
2607
5.5
9
5.00
2710
3
GM
GM
2608

1
GM
2626
1

2
GM
2658
½

3
GM
2631
½

4
GM
2607
½

5
GM
2671
½


7
GM
2599
1

8
GM
2591
½

9
GM
2628
½

Ø 2630
5.5/9
2608
5.5
9
5.00
2710
4
GM
GM
2591

1
GM
2607
0

2
GM
2671
0


4
GM
2599
½

5
GM
2658
1

6
GM
2628
½

7
GM
2626
1

8
GM
2608
½

9
GM
2631
½

Ø 2632
5/9
2591
5.0
9
4.00
2675
5
GM

1
GM
2628
½

2
GM
2626
½

3
GM
2608
½

4
GM
2658
½

5
GM
2607
½

6
GM
2671
½


8
GM
2599
½

9
GM
2591
½

Ø 2628
4.5/9
2631
4.5
9
5.00
2628
6
GM
GM
2628

1
GM
2631
½

2
GM
2607
½

3
GM
2671
½


5
GM
2599
½

6
GM
2591
½

7
GM
2658
½

8
GM
2626
½

9
GM
2608
½

Ø 2628
4.5/9
2628
4.5
9
4.00
2628
7
GM
GM
2658


2
GM
2608
½

3
GM
2599
½

4
GM
2631
½

5
GM
2591
0

6
GM
2607
½

7
GM
2628
½

8
GM
2671
½

9
GM
2626
½

Ø 2625
4/9
2658
4.0
9
5.00
2582
8
GM

1
GM
2658
½

2
GM
2599
½

3
GM
2591
0

4
GM
2628
½

5
GM
2626
½

6
GM
2608
½

7
GM
2631
½

8
GM
2607
1

9
GM
2671
0

Ø 2624
4/9
2662
4.0
9
4.00
2581
9
GM
GM
2626

1
GM
2608
0

2
GM
2631
½

3
GM
2607
0

4
GM
2671
0


6
GM
2599
1

7
GM
2591
0

8
GM
2628
½

9
GM
2658
½

Ø 2628
3/9
2626
3.0
9
4.00
2503
10
GM
GM
2599

1
GM
2671
0


3
GM
2658
½

4
GM
2591
½

5
GM
2628
½

6
GM
2626
0

7
GM
2608
0

8
GM
2631
½

9
GM
2607
½

Ø 2631
3/9
2599
3.0
9
4.00
2506
TBs: Games with black, Wins

All games

 
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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.0-0 0-0 5.d4 d5 6.c4 c6 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Ne5 e6 9.Nc3       Nfd7 D79: Fianchetto Grünfeld: Symmetrical Variation (6 0-0 c6 7 cxd5 cxd5). 10.e4 Nxe5 11.dxe5 d4 The position is equal. 12.Nb5
12...Nc6N Predecessor: 12...d3 13.Nd6 Bxe5 14.Nxc8 Nc6 15.f4 Bg7 16.Nxa7 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Rxa7 18.Rf3 d2 19.Qxd2 Qxd2 20.Bxd2 Bxb2 0-1 (73) Carlstedt,J (2413)-Khachiyan,M (2530) Chess.com INT 2017 13.f4! Qb6 14.Nd6 Rd8 15.Rf3 Bf8 16.Rb3 Qc7 17.Bd2 Bxd6 18.exd6 Qxd6 19.e5 Qe7 20.Rc1 a5       21.a3 21.Bxc6 bxc6 22.Qc2 Ra6 21...a4 22.Rb6 Qe8 23.Rc4 Bd7 24.Rxb7 Ne7 25.Rcc7
Threatens to win with Rxd7! Reject 25.Rxd4 Bc6 25...Rac8 26.Bb4 Rxc7 27.Rxc7 Nd5 28.Bxd5 exd5 29.Qxd4 Rc8 30.Rxc8 Qxc8 31.Bc3
And now e6 would win. 31...Qc4 32.Qxc4 dxc4±       Endgame KB-KB 33.Kf2 h5 34.Ke3 Kf8 35.Kd4 Ke7 36.Kxc4 Be6+ 37.Kb4 Bb3 38.h3 Ke6 39.g4 hxg4! 40.hxg4 Bd1 41.Kb5 Bb3 42.Kc5 Bd1 43.Kb5 Bb3 44.Kc5 Bd1 45.Kb4 Bb3 46.Kb5 Bd1 Weighted Error Value: White=0.08/Black=0.05
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Kamsky,G2658½–½2021D79Deutschland Grand Prix 20211.1
Keymer,V2591Kollars,D26070–12021D37Deutschland Grand Prix 20211.2
Heimann,A2599Eljanov,P26710–12021C77Deutschland Grand Prix 20211.3
Meier,G2628Ponomariov,R2631½–½2021C68Deutschland Grand Prix 20211.4
Bartel,M2626Fridman,D26080–12021B12Deutschland Grand Prix 20211.5
Kamsky,G2658Fridman,D2608½–½2021E06Deutschland Grand Prix 20212.1
Kollars,D2607Meier,G2628½–½2021C07Deutschland Grand Prix 20212.2
Ponomariov,R2631Bartel,M2626½–½2021C50Deutschland Grand Prix 20212.3
Eljanov,P2671Keymer,V25911–02021B23Deutschland Grand Prix 20212.4
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Heimann,A2599½–½2021A08Deutschland Grand Prix 20212.5
Heimann,A2599Kamsky,G2658½–½2021D15Deutschland Grand Prix 20213.1
Keymer,V2591Kasimdzhanov,R26621–02021D12Deutschland Grand Prix 20213.2
Meier,G2628Eljanov,P2671½–½2021C68Deutschland Grand Prix 20213.3
Bartel,M2626Kollars,D26070–12021A06Deutschland Grand Prix 20213.4
Fridman,D2608Ponomariov,R2631½–½2021D02Deutschland Grand Prix 20213.5
Kamsky,G2658Ponomariov,R2631½–½2021C67Deutschland Grand Prix 20214.1
Kollars,D2607Fridman,D2608½–½2021B12Deutschland Grand Prix 20214.2
Eljanov,P2671Bartel,M26261–02021C50Deutschland Grand Prix 20214.3
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Meier,G2628½–½2021C01Deutschland Grand Prix 20214.4
Heimann,A2599Keymer,V2591½–½2021E42Deutschland Grand Prix 20214.5
Keymer,V2591Kamsky,G26581–02021E15Deutschland Grand Prix 20215.1
Meier,G2628Heimann,A2599½–½2021C68Deutschland Grand Prix 20215.2
Bartel,M2626Kasimdzhanov,R2662½–½2021C77Deutschland Grand Prix 20215.3
Fridman,D2608Eljanov,P2671½–½2021E17Deutschland Grand Prix 20215.4
Ponomariov,R2631Kollars,D2607½–½2021C50Deutschland Grand Prix 20215.5
Kamsky,G2658Kollars,D2607½–½2021E04Deutschland Grand Prix 20216.1
Eljanov,P2671Ponomariov,R2631½–½2021C84Deutschland Grand Prix 20216.2
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Fridman,D2608½–½2021B12Deutschland Grand Prix 20216.3
Heimann,A2599Bartel,M26260–12021E04Deutschland Grand Prix 20216.4
Keymer,V2591Meier,G2628½–½2021D37Deutschland Grand Prix 20216.5
Meier,G2628Kamsky,G2658½–½2021D79Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.1
Bartel,M2626Keymer,V25910–12021E10Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.2
Fridman,D2608Heimann,A25991–02021A46Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.3
Ponomariov,R2631Kasimdzhanov,R2662½–½2021C49Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.4
Kollars,D2607Eljanov,P26711–02021C47Deutschland Grand Prix 20217.5
Kamsky,G2658Eljanov,P2671½–½2021A46Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.1
Kasimdzhanov,R2662Kollars,D26071–02021C45Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.2
Heimann,A2599Ponomariov,R2631½–½2021C88Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.3
Keymer,V2591Fridman,D2608½–½2021A06Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.4
Meier,G2628Bartel,M2626½–½2021D79Deutschland Grand Prix 20218.5
Bartel,M2626Kamsky,G2658½–½2021C95Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.1
Fridman,D2608Meier,G2628½–½2021D37Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.2
Ponomariov,R2631Keymer,V2591½–½2021B10Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.3
Kollars,D2607Heimann,A2599½–½2021C65Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.4
Eljanov,P2671Kasimdzhanov,R26621–02021A06Deutschland Grand Prix 20219.5

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.

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