Prague Masters: Firouzja and Shankland score

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
2/20/2020 – Vidit could not get his fourth straight win with White at the Masters section of the Prague Chess Festival, but nonetheless kept his one-point lead with two rounds to go. The winners of the day were Alireza Firouzja, who beat Jan-Krzysztof Duda in a swashbuckling tactical struggle, and Sam Shankland, who defeated Nils Grandelius to get his first win of the event. | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

It takes two to tango

Predicting that Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Alireza Firouzja would showcase sharp chess in their direct encounter was a safe bet to make before round seven of the Prague Masters Tournament. Although we already got used to see Duda in top-notch events, we should not forget that he is still quite young and that he has a rather adventurous playing style. Of course, he is nevertheless five years older than Firouzja, who has risen through the ranks at astronomical speed, becoming the talk of the town among chess enthusiasts.   

Playing White, Duda used a line he had employed against Robert Hovhannisyan at the 2018 World Rapid Championship. Despite knowing the position from his own game, he thought for 17 minutes before repeating the eighth move he had played a little over a year ago:

 
Duda vs. Firouzja
Position after 7...e5

The most common continuation here is 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.♘b5, entering a strategic battle. Duda's 8.e2, on the other hand, leads to complications after 8...e4, as was clear by the fact that the Polish once again spent over 17 minutes on his ninth move, 9.g5. Firouzja continued with the natural 9...h6, to which Duda answered with 9...h4. Naturally, the computer already gives Black a considerable advantage, but he must walk a tightrope to reach a point in which the edge can be materialized.

Firouzja was up to the task, expanding on the kingside while keeping his opponent confined on his own camp. The youngster got to infiltrate White's position on move 33:

 
Position after 33.Bxh5

Duda's position is about to collapse, as Firouzja had correctly calculated that after 33...xd2 34.xc6 Black has 34...d7 and White has no acceptable way to continue. The Polish grandmaster went for 35.g6+, but after 35...h7 36.c1, pinning the rook with 36...e8 effectively ends the game. Duda played three more moves before giving up. A commanding performance by the wunderkind.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 Bd6 6.Bb2 0-0 7.Qc2 A11: English Opening: 1...c6. e5 8.Be2 e4 9.Ng5
9.Nd4= 9...h6N Predecessor: 9...Bf5 10.f3 Bg6 11.fxe4 h6 12.Nf3 dxe4 13.Nh4 Bh7 14.0-0 Ng4 15.Bxg4 Qxh4 0-1 (28) Bosboom,M (2405) -Pijpers,A (2462) Belgium 2018 10.h4 next cxd5 is good for White. Re8 11.Nh3 Na6 12.a3 dxc4 13.Bxc4 b5 14.Be2 b4 15.Nd1 bxa3 16.Bxa3 Nb4 17.Bxb4 Bxb4 18.g3 Ng4 19.Ra2 Qf6 20.Kf1 Bf5 21.Kg2 Rad8 22.Nc3 a5 23.Nf4 Qe5 23...Qe7 24.h5 Rd6 24.Rc1 24.Nb1 24...Rd6 24...g5-+ 25.Nh5 gxh4 25.Qd1 Nf6 26.h5 Red8 Strongly threatening ...Bxc3. Keeping White busy. 27.Nb1 g5 28.hxg6 fxg6 28...Bxg6 29.Rcc2= 29.Qh1 Kg7 29...Bxd2? 30.Rxd2 Rxd2 31.Nxd2+- 30.Na3 30.Kg1 was necessary. 30...Bxa3!-+ Inferior is 30...Rxd2 31.Rxd2 Rxd2 32.Nc4± 31.Rxa3 g5! Don't take 31...Rxd2 32.Rxc6 Bg4 33.Bxg4 32.Nh5+ Nxh5 33.Bxh5 Rxd2 aiming for ...Qb2! 34.Rxc6?
34.Ra4 Bg6 35.Rf1 35.Rxc6? Be8-+ Skewer 34...Bd7! 35.Rg6+
35...Kh7! And now ...Rf8 would win. 36.Qc1 Be8 37.Rxa5 Qxa5 Black mates. 38.Qc4
38...Rxf2+! Decoy 39.Kxf2 Qf5+ Pin. Accuracy: White = 47%, Black = 69%.
0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Duda,J2755Firouzja,A27260–12020Prague Festival Masters 20207.4

Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alireza Firouzja

Deciding which sharp line to go for this time? — Jan-Krzysztof Duda | Photo: Vladimir Jagr 

Deep preparation by Sam Shankland was on display for a second day in a row. Facing Nils Grandelius' Grünfeld, the former US champion got a clear edge on the clock by the time a complex middlegame continued to present both players with tough practical questions. The position lent itself to sharp tactical possibilities:

 
Shankland vs. Grandelius
Position after 24...g5

White could have opted for 25.♗xg5 here, as Black needs to give back the piece after 25...fxg5 26.f6 if he wants to avoid facing a couple of connected passers that will make his life miserable. Instead, Shankland played 25.d2 in order to activate his bishop — 25...c4 26.d6

At this point, the computer gave a relatively balanced evaluation, but it's plain to see that Black is the one with a rough road ahead — his minor pieces need a couple of tempi to find better squares. Grandelius was holding up though, until he faltered decisively on move 33:

 
Position after 33.Rd1

33...e7 fails against the forcing 34.c7. Grandelius had planned to give up his queen with 34...xd6 35.xf7, counting on 35...c5+ but perhaps missing that 36.d4 is a strong response to the check. The game continued 36...xd4+ 37.cxd4 d6 38.e2 xf7 and White managed to consolidate his superior position with 39.dxe5. Resignation came six moves later.

In the diagrammed position, notice that after 33...e7 34.c7 Black's best chance is 34...♞xd6, but White keeps up the pressure with 35.♖xd6 ♜xd6 36.♕xa8 (the queen attacking the rook from e4 is key in the calculations) and it is all but impossible to save this position from the black side. 

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Rc1 e5 D87: Exchange Grünfeld: Classical Line: Variations without ...cxd4. 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.f4 Bg7 The position is equal. 15.Ng3 Bg4 16.Qc2 Qd7
17.Rf2N Predecessor: 17.e5 Rad8 18.Ba6 Qc6 19.Rb1 Bd7 20.a4 Qe6 21.Rf2 Bc6 22.Re1 Rfe8 23.Bb5 Bxb5 24.axb5 1/2-1/2 (46) Soberano,J (2599)-Weber,J (2594) ICCF email 2009 17...Rfd8 18.Bf1 Be6 19.f5 Bc4 20.Bg5 f6 Hoping for ... Bxf1. 21.Bf4 Bd3 22.Qd1 Threatens to win with Bxd3. Bxf1 23.Qxf1 Qd3 23...g5 24.Bd2 b5 24.Qe1! g5
25.Rd2 Better is 25.Bxg5! fxg5 26.f6 25...Qc4= 26.Bd6 White wants to play e5. Qf7 And now ...Nc4 would win. Black has some pressure. 27.e5 fxe5 28.Qe4 Nc4 Double Attack 29.Rd5 b5 29...Bf8!= 30.Qxc4 Rxd6 30.Rcd1 Nb2 31.Rf1! aiming for f6. Bf6
32.Rxc5 32.Qf3!± 32...Nc4= 33.Rd1 Be7 But not 33...Nxd6
34.Rxd6! Rxd6 35.Qxa8+ Rd8 36.Qc6±
33...a6= remains equal. 34.Rc7± f6 is the strong threat. Bxd6?? 34...Nxd6± 35.Rxd6 Rxd6 36.Qxa8+ Double Attack Rd8 35.Rxf7+- Black must now prevent Qb7! Bc5+ 36.Rd4! Threatening mate with Qb7! Bxd4+ 37.cxd4 White wants to mate with Qb7! Nd6 38.Qe2 Nxf7 39.dxe5 Rac8 40.e6 Rc1+ 41.Kf2 Nh6 42.e7 White mates. Re8 43.Qe6+ Nf7 44.Nh5 Rc2+ 45.Ke3 Accuracy: White = 88%, Black = 66%.
1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Shankland,S2683Grandelius,N26591–02020Prague Festival Masters 20207.1

Prague Chess Festival 2020

The round is about to begin | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Shankland had failed to convert his edge against Markus Ragger in round six, while it was David Anton who could not finish off the Austrian on Wednesday. Ragger played the Benoni with Black and got a good position out of the opening, even forcing White to put his knight on h1 at some point. When the position opened up on the kingside, however, Anton got an increasingly pleasant position, as he had better control of the g and h-files.

By move 35, the computer gave White a decisive advantage:

 
Anton vs. Ragger
Position after 35...Rae8

Anton's 36.g5 is good, but the more direct 36.♖hg2, targeting g6, was better. The Spaniard surely saw 36...♝f5 and missed the fact that after 37.exf5 ♜xe2+ 38.♖xe2 ♛a1+ 39.♔f2 ♛d4+ 40.♔f1 ♛a1+ he can escape the perpetual with 41.♘b1 ♛xb1+ 42.♕e1. We show this lengthy variation to demonstrate how tough it was for White to find a line that prevented Black from finding a triple repetition, especially with the clock dangerously ticking down!

After the text, there followed 36...xd5 37.xe5 e3, and Anton erred with 38.xe8+, as Black found 38...a1+ 39.f2 d1+ 40.g2 e3+ 41.f2, etcetera. Notice the key role of Black's d7-bishop, which controls the escape square on h3. Draw.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.e4 Bg7 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bg5 exd5 8.cxd5 h6 9.Be3 0-0 10.Qd2 Re8 11.Be2 Kh7
12.Rc1N A65: Modern Benoni: 6 e4. Predecessor: 12.g4 a6 13.a4 Nbd7 14.Nh3 Ne5 15.0-0 Rb8 16.Kg2 Bd7 17.a5 Qe7 18.Nf2 b5 19.axb6 Rxb6 20.Rxa6 1-0 (51) Flear,G (2445)-Konguvel,P (2343) Saint Affrique 2019 12...Qe7 13.b3 13.Nd1 seems wilder. a6 14.b4 Nbd7 15.a3 a5 16.Nh3 13...Na6 14.Bxa6 White has an edge. bxa6 15.Nge2 Nd7 16.0-0 Nb6 17.Ng3 a5 18.Bf2 Bd7 19.Nce2 h5 20.Qxa5 20.Be3= remains equal. 20...h4 21.Nh1 Qg5 Black should play 21...f5! 22.Nc3 Qg5 22.Be1= h3 23.Nhg3 Bd4+ 24.Bf2 hxg2 Black should try 24...Bg7= 25.Kxg2 Bxf2 26.Rxf2 f5 27.h4 Black is under pressure. Qh6 28.Rh1 f4 28...Rf8 29.Nf1+- Re5
30.Kg1! Rh5 intending ...g5. 31.Rfh2 Kg8 32.Kf2 Kh7 33.Ke1 Re5 34.Nd2 Qg7 35.Rg1 Rae8? 35...Re7 is a better defense. 36.Qc3 36.Nxf4? Qe5-+ 36...Qxc3 37.Nxc3 Kh6 36.Rg5 Nxd5 37.Rxe5? 37.exd5? Re3-+ 37.Qxa7 R5e7= 37.Nc4+- Nb4 38.Nxe5 Rxe5 39.a3 39.Qxa7 Re7= 39.Nxf4 Qf6 39...Nd3+ 40.Kd2 37...Ne3±
38.Rxe8 Don't blunder 38.Nxf4? Qxe5 39.Qc7 Re7-+ Don't play 38.Qxa7?! Rxe5 39.Kf2 39.Nxf4 Re7 39...Nd1+ 40.Kg1 Ne3= 38.Rxc5!± dxc5 39.Qc3 39.Qxc5 Rc8= 39.Nxf4 Qe5 39.Qxa7 Qa1+ 40.Kf2 Nd1+ 41.Kg2 Ne3+ 42.Kf2 Nd1+ 43.Kg2 Ne3+ 44.Kf2= 38...Qa1+!= The position is equal. 39.Kf2 Nd1+ 40.Kg2 Strongly threatening Re7+. Ne3+ 41.Kf2 Nd1+ 42.Kg2 Ne3+ 43.Kf2 Accuracy: White = 63%, Black = 58%.
½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Anton Guijarro,D2697Ragger,M2670½–½2020Prague Festival Masters 20207.2

David Anton Guijarro

David Anton almost got his second win of the event | Photo: Vladimir Jagr

In the meantime, David Navara played his creative brand of chess with White against Nikita Vitiugov, but correct play by both sides led to a 42-move draw, while Vidit tried to make something out of his white game against Harikrishna but could not prevent his opponent from tactically forcing a repetition starting on move 24.


Standings after Round 7

Loading Table...

Replay all games

 
Loading...
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.

Links


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.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.