Russian Super Final 08: Svidler, Gunina lead

by ChessBase
10/13/2013 – With only one round to go in Nizhny Novgorod both Svidler and Gunina have a half point lead over their rivals. In the men's section Kramnik and Nepomniatchi will play a decisive round tomorrow as they trail Svidler by half a point, who in turn will be black against Karjakin. Gunina missed a chance today to increase her lead as she did not finish off a winning endgame. GM Analysis of round 8.

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Russian Championship Super Finals

The tournament is hosted by the Russian Chess Federation in cooperation with the Charity Foundation of Elena and Gennady Timchenko , with the support of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The Super Final will be a continuation of the program "chess in the museums", started by the match for the world title in 2012 at the Retyakov Gallery in Moscow on the initiative of businessmen Andrei Filatov and Gennady Timchenko. The venue for the prestigious tournament in Nizhny Novgorod will be the State Historical and Architectural Museum Manor Rukavishnikov. The Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum will also take part in the organization of the tournament. The tournament is a ound robin with ten players over nine rounds. Sofia-Rules. If first place is shared than the champion will be decided through a tiebreaker match. Time Control: 90 minutes/40 moves + 30 minutes + 30 seconds/move starting with the 1st move.

round eight underway

Round 8: Men's

Round 08 – October 13 2013, 15:00h
Shomoev, Anton 2579
0-1
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
½-½
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Svidler, Peter 2740
½-½
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
½-½
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
1-0
Motylev, Alexander 2676

Andreikin, Dmitri ½-½ Inarkiev, Ernesto
Black dealt with White's initial pressure comfortably, and after trading many pieces White's structural weakness on d4, the isolated queen pawn, came into play. Black was slightly better after that until the end of the game, but Andreikin's accurate defense let him draw without ever being in real danger.

Two players are in hot pursuit of Svidler's lead: Nepomniachtchi and Kramnik are only half a point behind

Svidler, Peter ½-½ Vitiugov, Nikita
Svidler went for a variation that did not yield him anything. Despite having a good pawn structure, far superior to his opponent's, Vitiugov's faster development and easy piece activity allowed him to retain the balance. Svidler forced a repetition when the game was quite equal, but maybe it was more comfortable to play with black.

Vitiugov had very little difficulties in today's game

Nepo has a decisive game tomorrow as he plays Kramnik with white in the last round

Shomoev, Anton 0-1 Nepomniachtchi, Ian
Shomoev must have underestimated the power of Black's advancing pawns. Nepomniachtchi held the advantage from the opening and never let go, but he kept moving pieces back and forth waiting for Shomoev to make a mistake. Despite Black's extra pawn it was hard to make progress because of White's light-squared blockade. Eventually Shomoev erred decisively and Nepo took the game.

Qualifying for the Super Final is already a great achievement, but Shomoev has not been in the best form this tournament

Goganov, Aleksey 1-0 Motylev, Alexander

[Event "Russian Superfinal 2013"] [Site "Novgorod, Russia"] [Date "2013.10.13"] [Round "8"] [White "Goganov, A."] [Black "Motylev, A."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [WhiteElo "2575"] [BlackElo "2676"] [Annotator "Friedel,Joshua"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e5 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. a4 c6 8. a5 Rb8 9. Qe2 Qc7 10. Be3 b5 11. axb6 axb6 12. d5 b5 13. Ra7 Bb7 14. dxc6 bxc4 15. cxd7 Qxd7 16. Qxc4 Rfc8 17. Qd3 h6 {At this point, White is up a pawn for dubious compensation at best, but the game took an unusual turn.} 18. Nh4 $2 { I'm not a believer in this kingside escapade.} (18. Nd2 {looks simple, solid, and strong.}) 18... Bf8 19. f4 $2 {This is consistent, but as is often the case when pursuing the wrong path, consistency is not a positive quality.} (19. f3 {was probably best, solidifying the center, but there is no way White would play Nh4 with the intention of following it up with f3.}) 19... Ng4 $2 (19... Qc6 $1 {was possible now, and I'm unsure how White will defend this e4 pawn.} 20. Nf5 (20. fxe5 dxe5 {only helps out Black's dark-squared bishop.}) 20... Ra8 (20... Nxe4 21. Rxb7 Rxb7 22. Nxe4 {is less clear.}) 21. Rxa8 Rxa8 {and I think Black is just better, as the e4 pawn is extremely weak and Black's pieces have a lot of active potential.}) 20. Nf5 Nxe3 $6 {Once again, consistency is not a virtue.} (20... Qc6 {was best even here, with the point that it isn't so easy for White to find a move.}) 21. Nxe3 exf4 (21... Qc7 { was better, trying to bring the queen to the g1-a7 diagonal and discourage a knight from hopping onto the d5 square.}) 22. Rxf4 (22. Ned5 $1 {was more accurate, as it shuts down Black's options of d5 and ra8.}) 22... d5 {I'm not sure this move is good objectively, but it is an understandable practical try.} (22... Ra8 {was the main alternative, but after} 23. Rxa8 Rxa8 24. Ncd5 {White is clearly in charge.}) 23. Ncxd5 Rd8 {This couldn't have been his intention.} (23... Bc5 {was the first idea that came to my mind, which automatically makes it suspect, but there is some chance Motylev had some idea like this as well.} 24. Nf6+ {No, I didn't miss this move.} gxf6 25. Qxd7 Bxe3+ 26. Kh1 Bxa7 (26... Bxf4 27. Rxb7 {is simply lost for Black.}) 27. Rg4+ Kh8 28. Qd2 $1 {Yes, this one I missed, although Qxf7 is perfectly sufficient as well.} Kh7 29. Rh4 { with mate to follow.}) (23... Qd6 {is best according to the infernal machine, though after} 24. g3 Qe5 25. b4 {it is clear Black won't have enough.}) 24. b4 {Once White takes away the c5 square, Black's counterplay is limited. The rest should be fairly straightforward.} Qe6 25. c3 Rd7 26. Ra1 Re8 27. Rd1 Kh8 28. Nf5 Qe5 29. Rff1 g6 30. Nxh6 $1 {Nicely calculated.} Bxd5 (30... Bxh6 31. Qh3) 31. Ng4 Qg5 32. Qh3+ Qh5 33. Qxh5+ gxh5 34. Nf6 Bc6 35. Nxd7 Bg7 36. Nf6 Rc8 37. Rf5 Bh6 38. Rxh5 Kg7 39. Ng4 Bf4 40. Rc5 Bb8 41. Kh1 1-0

Karjakin's had to many draws this tournament to be a serious contender for the title

Kramnik, Vladimir ½-½ Karjakin, Sergey

[Event "Russian Superfinal 2013"] [Site "Novgorod, Russia"] [Date "2013.10.13"] [Round "8"] [White "Kramnik, V."] [Black "Karjakin, S."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E06"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2762"] [Annotator "Friedel,Joshua"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [TimeControl "5400+30"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. b3 c6 8. O-O b6 9. Bb2 Ba6 10. Nd2 Rc8 11. e4 dxe4 12. Re1 c5 13. Ndxe4 cxd4 14. Qxd4 Nc5 15. Qe3 Qc7 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. Qf3 Rfd8 18. Ne2 Qe7 19. Rad1 Rxd1 20. Rxd1 Rd8 21. Rxd8+ Qxd8 22. Nd4 {It has been a tense and high quality struggle thus far. Don't let the innocuous appearance of these positions fool you - they require precision!} h5 $1 {Karjakin correctly assesses that this is the best way to provide counterplay. He gives his king luft and allows for Ng4 ideas.} 23. Qa8 Bc8 {Once again, best. The self-pin looks rather unusual, but Black will get counterplay using the powerful bishop on c5.} (23... Qxa8 24. Bxa8 {is what Kramnik was hoping for, and Black will have to struggle for the draw here. White's plan is to play Kg2 followed by an eventual Nc6, and if Black takes on d4 then he will suffer for a long time against the bishops.}) 24. Bf3 {This move is quite understandable, covering the g4 and d1 squares.} (24. h3 Bxd4 25. Bxd4 Qxd4 26. Qxc8+ Kh7 {doesn't looks like much.}) 24... Kh7 25. Ne2 { Otherwise Black was going to snap off the knight.} Ng4 (25... Qd1+ 26. Kg2 Ng4 {was even more precise, preventing the idea White played in the game.}) 26. Bd4 $1 Bxd4 27. Qe4+ f5 28. Qxd4 {Now Black has to be cautious again, as the c-pawn must be treated with caution and there are potential weaknesses.} Qe7 29. Nf4 $1 {The only real try for advantage.} e5 30. Nd5 Qd6 31. Qd2 (31. Qc3 { was a better square for the queen, which now supports the advance of the c-pawn, and I think White is slightly better.}) 31... g6 32. b4 Kg7 {Accurate play, planning Nf6.} 33. Qc1 Nf6 {It is slightly inaccurate here, however.} ( 33... Be6 {first was better, as now c5 can't really be played.} 34. c5 (34. a3 $11) 34... bxc5 35. bxc5 Qc6 {with an annoying pin.}) 34. c5 bxc5 35. bxc5 (35. Nxf6 {was simpler, and now after} Kxf6 36. bxc5 {White's c-pawn should present some difficulties, though with accurate play Black should hold of course.}) 35... Qc6 36. Qc3 e4 {and here Nxf6 isn't an option.} 37. Nb4 (37. Nxf6 Qxf6 { and after the queen trade Black will be better due to his superior king.}) 37... Qe6 38. Be2 a5 39. Nc2 Qxa2 {Now the position is still complicated but White isn't better. In fact, I think accuracy is required by both sides now.} 40. c6 Qb1+ 41. Kg2 h4 {The c-pawn is a potential hazard, not to mention that Black's king isn't the happiest camper. The reason why it is drawn is because White's king can be made to feel uncomfortable as well.} 42. Qc5 f4 43. Qe7+ Kh6 44. Qf8+ {White opts for a perpetual instead of getting checkmated.} Kh7 45. Qf7+ Kh6 46. Qf8+ Kh7 47. Qf7+ Kh6 48. Qf8+ {A very high quality and entertaining game!} 1/2-1/2

 

Joshua Friedel

Josh was born in 1986 in New Hampshire, USA and is currently living in Wisconsin. He obtained his international master title in 2005 and his grandmaster in 2008. He has participated in five US Championships, including a tie for fourth in 2008. Major Open tournament victories include: the 2003 Eastern Open, 2005 Berkeley Masters, 2008 National Open, 2009 Edmonton International, 2009 North American Open, 2010 Saint Louis Open, 2010 American Open, 2013 Chicago Open.

Josh is the current US Open Champion and is the first person qualified for the 2014 US Chess Championship.

Round 8: Women's

Round 08 – October 13 2013, 15:00h
Kosintseva,T 2515
½-½
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
Charochkina,D 2343
½-½
Goryachkina, A 2436
Bodnaruk, A 2459
0-1
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Gunina,V 2506
½-½
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Kovanova, B 2396
0-1
Pogonina,N 2485

Bodnaruk, Anastasia 0-1 Kosteniuk, Alexandra
A very strange game. The evaluation kept swinging from better for one side, to better for the other and back consistently as both players kept miscalculating variations. Eventually Kosteniuk obtained a nice grip on her opponent's position and was able to convert an endgame, even though her technique was not stellar.

Kovanova, Baira 0-1 Pogonina, Natalia
Kovanova's passive opening didn't allow her any advantage, but she was not worse either. However she allowed too much activity for Black in the endgame and she exposed her king for no good reason. This allowed Pogonina to sacrifice her passed a-pawn for some activity against her opponent's king, and although with correct play Kovanova should have held, she didn't find the correct way and she ended up getting mated.

Gunina is also only half a point ahead of her closest competitor, in this case that is Kosteniuk

Gunina, Valentina ½-½ Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina
Kovalevskaya's opening gave her some activity for a pawn, but it is known that White is able to consolidate it in these kinds of positions. Slowly Gunina made her pawn more and more powerful and she obtained a completely winning endgame. However her technique faltered big time when she allowed her king to become passive (the move 56.Kd5 would have won easily as Black would be looking at a zugzwang very soon), instead she never found a way around the blockade and had to conceded a draw.

Kovalevskaya's 50% allows her to win a few rating points as she is doing better than expected

Charochkina is last, but she was also the lowest rated participant by a fair margin

Charochkina, Daria ½-½ Goryachkina, Alexandra
The anti-Sveshnikovs in which White has an absolute control over d5 usually are not very dangerous, simply because besides having d5 there is no obvious plan to follow it up with. Black showed that these positions are indeed ok for her and drew without problems.

Kashlinskaya defended her rook endgame accurately

Kosintseva, Tatiana ½-½ Kashlinskaya, Alina
A very interesting and tactical game turned technical as Kosintseva held the slightest of advantages in a rook endgame. However Kashlinskaya defended well and entered a theoretical draw where White has an extra h-pawn but her king is locked in the corner. Kosintseva pushed this endgame for many, many moves, probably out of frustration.

Kosintseva tried for perhaps too many moves after it was clear the game would end in a draw. She is still at -1 and barely holding on to her 2500.

Standings

Pictures and information by Etery Kublashvili

Replay Men's Round 8 games

Replay Women's round 8 games

Schedule

Men

Round 01 – October 05 2013, 15:00h
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
1-0
Shomoev, Anton 2579
Svidler, Peter 2740
1-0
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
1-0
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
0-1
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Motylev, Alexander 2676
0-1
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Round 02 –October 06 2013, 15:00h
Shomoev, Anton 2579
½-½
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Vitiugov, Nikita 2706
1-0
Motylev, Alexander 2676
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
½-½
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
1-0
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
½-½
Svidler, Peter 2740
Round 03 – October 07 2013, 15:00h
Svidler, Peter 2740
1-0
Shomoev, Anton 2579
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
1-0
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
½-½
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Motylev, Alexander 2676
½-½
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
½-½
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Round 04 – October 08 2013, 15:00h
Shomoev, Anton 2579
1-0
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
½-½
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
½-½
Motylev, Alexander 2676
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
1-0
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
Svidler, Peter 2740
1-0
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
Round 05 – October 09 2013, 15:00h
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
1-0
Shomoev, Anton 2579
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
½-½
Svidler, Peter 2740
Motylev, Alexander 2676
0-1
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
0-1
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Vitiugov, Nikita 2727
½-½
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Round 06 – October 11 2013, 15:00h
Shomoev, Anton 2579
0-1
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
1-0
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
1-0
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Svidler, Peter 2740
1-0
Motylev, Alexander 2676
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
1-0
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
Round 07 – October 12 2013, 15:00h
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
1-0
Shomoev, Anton 2579
Motylev, Alexander 2676
½-½
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
½-½
Svidler, Peter 2740
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
½-½
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
½-½
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Round 08 – October 13 2013, 15:00h
Shomoev, Anton 2579
0-1
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702
Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
½-½
Karjakin, Sergey 2762
Svidler, Peter 2740
½-½
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729
Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
½-½
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695
Goganov, Aleksey 2575
1-0
Motylev, Alexander 2676
Round 09 – October 14 2013, 13:00h
Motylev, Alexander 2676   Shomoev, Anton 2579
Inarkiev, Ernesto 2695   Goganov, Aleksey 2575
Vitiugov, Nikita 2729   Andreikin, Dmitri 2706
Karjakin, Sergey 2762   Svidler, Peter 2740
Nepomniachtchi, Ian 2702   Kramnik, Vladimir 2796
 

Women

Round 01 – October 05 2013, 15:00h
Charochkina,D 2343
½-½
Kosintseva,T 2515
Bodnaruk, A 2459
0-1
Kashlinskaya,A 2435
Gunina,V 2506
1-0
Goryachkina,A 2436
Kovanova,B 2396
1-0
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Pogonina,N 2485
½-½
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Round 02 –October 06 2013, 15:00h
Kosintseva,T 2515
½-½
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Kosteniuk,A 2506
1-0
Pogonina,N 2485
Goryachkina, A 2436
½-½
Kovanova, B 2396
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
0-1
Gunina,V 2506
Charochkina,D 2343
½-½
Bodnaruk, A 2459
Round 03 – October 07 2013, 15:00h
Bodnaruk, A 2459
1-0
Kosintseva,T 2515
Gunina,V 2506
½-½
Charochkina,D 2343
Kovanova, B 2396
1-0
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
Pogonina,N 2485
½-½
Goryachkina, A 2436
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
½-½
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Round 04 – October 08 2013, 15:00h
Kosintseva,T 2515
0-1
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Goryachkina, A 2436
½-½
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
½-½
Pogonina,N 2485
Charochkina,D 2343
0-1
Kovanova, B 2396
Bodnaruk, A 2459
0-1
Gunina,V 2506
Round 05 – October 09 2013, 15:00h
Gunina,V 2506
0-1
Kosintseva,T 2515
Kovanova, B 2396
½-½
Bodnaruk, A 2459
Pogonina,N 2485
1-0
Charochkina,D 2343
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
½-½
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
Kosteniuk,A 2727
½-½
Goryachkina, A 2436
Round 06 – October 11 2013, 15:00h
Kosintseva,T 2515
½-½
Goryachkina, A 2436
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
0-1
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Charochkina,D 2343
0-1
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Bodnaruk, A 2459
0-1
Pogonina,N 2485
Gunina,V 2506
1-0
Kovanova, B 2396
Round 07 – October 12 2013, 15:00h
Kovanova, B 2396
0-1
Kosintseva,T 2515
Pogonina,N 2485
0-1
Gunina,V 2506
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
0-1
Bodnaruk, A 2459
Kosteniuk,A 2495
1-0
Charochkina,D 2343
Goryachkina, A 2436
1-0
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
Round 08 – October 13 2013, 15:00h
Kosintseva,T 2515
½-½
Kashlinskaya, A 2435
Charochkina,D 2343
½-½
Goryachkina, A 2436
Bodnaruk, A 2459
0-1
Kosteniuk,A 2495
Gunina,V 2506
½-½
Kovalevskaya,E 2410
Kovanova, B 2396
0-1
Pogonina,N 2485
Round 09 – October 14 2013, 13:00h
Pogonina,N 2485   Kosintseva,T 2515
Kovalevskaya,E 2410   Kovanova, B 2396
Kosteniuk,A 2495   Gunina,V 2506
Goryachkina, A 2436   Bodnaruk, A 2459
Kashlinskaya, A 2435   Charochkina,D 2343

Links

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