No drawing streak this year
Are draws going to kill classical chess? This question is almost a hundred years old…and we are still waiting for the answer. After a first round that featured fighting chess that nonetheless led to five draws, the first three decisive games were seen already the next day. Both 2800+ participants won with White, while a topsy-turvy game eventually favoured Sergey Karjakin.
The first game to finish — like so many times in the past — was the one that faced compatriots Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov. None of the players took more than six minutes in any individual move before signing the draw in a completely symmetrical position. No surprises here...

The ever-solid Teimour Radjabov | Photo: Official site
The most anticipated match-up of the day, however, made us quickly forget the ‘Azeri draw’, as Magnus Carlsen defeated his former World Championship challenger Vishy Anand with the white pieces. This was Carlsen's 48th straight game without a loss and his second straight win with White against Vishy — Anand also lost at this year's Tata Steel Masters.
The players followed the line played in the second game of the 2018 World Championship match, until Magnus deviated on move 12. By move 28, they had reached a materially balanced endgame in which White had a slight pull. That is when Anand started faltering, though — the 'Tiger of Madras' was upset with his play in the post-game press conference, so much so that he asked for permission to leave the interview after showing some lines.
Norwegian GM Aryan Tari sent us meticulous analysis of the game:
1.e4 | 1,166,623 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 947,298 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 281,602 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 182,102 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,702 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,265 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,897 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,801 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,756 | 48% | 2380 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,206 | 54% | 2404 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,068 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
1.d3 | 954 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 664 | 46% | 2360 | --- |
1.h4 | 446 | 53% | 2374 | --- |
1.c3 | 433 | 51% | 2426 | --- |
1.h3 | 280 | 56% | 2418 | --- |
1.a4 | 110 | 60% | 2466 | --- |
1.f3 | 92 | 46% | 2436 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 89 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.Rd1 10.0-0-0 10...Rd8 10...Re8 11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 Nd4 13.Qb1 13.Qc1 Bf5 14.Bxf6 Nc2+ 15.Ke2 Nd4+ 16.Ke1 Nc2+ 17.Ke2 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Nc2+ 13...Bf5 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Ne4 16.Ncxe4 16.Ndxe4 dxe4 17.Qxe4 Bxa3! 16...dxe4 17.Qxe4 Qb6 18.Rb1 h6 19.Bh4 g5 20.b4 Bf8 10...Be7 11.Be2 11.b4 Nxb4 12.axb4 Bxb4 11...Ne4 12.cxd5N 12.0-0 Nxc3 13.bxc3 h6 14.a4 Ne7 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.cxd5 Nxd5 17.Bf3 Nxf4 18.exf4 Bxe5 19.Rxd8+ Qxd8 20.fxe5 Qc7 21.Rb1 Rb8 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 13.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 14.bxc3 exd5 13...exd5 14.0-0 h6 14...Qxa3?? 15.Ra1 14...Be6? 15.Ng5! 15.a4 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Rxd6 17.c4 Be6 18.c5 18.cxd5 Rxd5 19.Rxd5 Bxd5 18...Rdd8 18...Rd7 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.exd4 19.Rb1 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.exd4 Bd7 19...Qc7 20.Qb2 Rab8 21.Nd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 b6 23.cxb6 Rxb6 24.h3 Rc8 25.Rfd1 25.Rbc1 Qxc1 26.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 27.Kh2 Rc2 28.a5 Rbb2 29.Bf3 Rxf2 30.Kg3 a6 25...Qc3?! 25...Qc5 26.Qxc5 Rxc5 27.Rxb6 axb6 28.Rb1 Rc2 29.Kf1 Bd7 26.Qxc3 Rxc3 27.a5 Rxb1 28.Rxb1 Rc5? 28...Ra3 29.a6 29.Rb8+ Kh7 30.a6 Kg6 31.Rb7 Kf6 32.Rxa7 Ra1+ 33.Kh2 Ra2 34.Bb5 Rxf2 35.Rc7 Ra2 36.a7 Ke5 29...g5 30.Rb7 Ra1+ 31.Kh2 Ra2! 32.Bb5 Ra5 33.Bd3 Ra3 34.Bf1 Ra1 29.a6? 29.Rb8+ Kh7 29...Bc8?? 30.Ba6 30.a6 Bc8 30...Kg6 31.Rb7 31.Rb7!+- Bxb7 32.axb7 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 29...g6? 29...Bc8! 30.Rb8 g6! 30...Kh7?? 31.Rb7!+- 31.Rb7? 31.Ra8 Rc7 32.Bg4 f5 33.Bf3 Kg7 34.Bxd5 Bxa6= 31...Bxb7 32.axb7 Rc1+ 30.Rb7 Rc1+ 31.Kh2 Rc2 32.Bb5 Rb2 32...Rxf2 33.Rxa7 d4 33...Ra2 34.Rc7 d4 35.exd4 Bd5 36.Bf1 34.Ra8+ 34.e4 34...Kg7 35.Rd8 33.Kg3 Bc8 34.Rb8 Kg7 35.Rxc8 Rxb5 36.Rc7 Ra5 37.Rxa7 Kf6? 37...d4! 38.exd4 38.e4 Ra3+ 39.f3 Kf6 38...Rd5! 39.Kf4 Rxd4+ 40.Ke5 Ra4 41.Ra8 41.g4 h5 42.g5 h4 43.Ra8 Ra3 41...h5 42.Kd6 Ra2 43.Kc6 Kf6 43...Rxf2 44.Rb8 44.Kb6 Rb2+ 45.Ka7 Rxf2 46.Rb8 Rxg2 47.Rb5 Re2 48.Kb6 Re6+ 49.Ka5 Re7 38.Ra8 Ra3 38...d4 39.exd4 Rd5 40.a7+- 39.Kh2 h5 40.a7 Ra2 40...h4 41.g4 hxg3+ 42.fxg3! 42.Kxg3 d4 42...Kg7 43.Kg2 Kf6 44.Kf2 Kg7 45.Ke2 Kf6 46.Kd2 Kg7 47.Kc2 Kf6 48.Kb2 Ra4 49.Kc3 Ra1 50.Kb4 Ra2 51.Kc5 Ra5+ 52.Kb6 41.h4 Kf5 42.f3 Ra1 43.g3 43.g3 Ra2+ 44.Kg1 Kf6 45.Kf1 Kf5 46.Ke1 Kf6 47.Kd1 Kf5 48.Kc1 Kf6 49.Kb1 Ra5 50.Kb2 Ra4 51.Kb3 Ra1 52.Kb4 Ra2 53.Kc5 Ra3 54.Kxd5 Ra2 55.g4 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
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Carlsen | 2845 | Anand | 2779 | 1–0 | 2019 | | Gashimov Memorial | 2 |
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This DVD concentrates on the increasingly popular 5.Bf4 variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined and gives White a dynamic and aggressive weapon against Black's set-up.

Anand is having trouble facing the World Champion lately | Photo: Official site
The second game to finish saw Sergey Karjakin defeat Anish Giri from the black side of an Italian Opening. The Dutchman blitzed out his first thirteen moves, before spending over 23 minutes on move 14. Karjakin started taking his time a little earlier, aware of the fact that there were many hidden dangers in the position. Sergey, however, did not find the best setup for his pieces, and gave his opponent a golden opportunity in the early middlegame:
Feel free to move the pieces on the diagram above
Anish spent ten minutes before going for 20.♘h4 after having ruled out 20.♗xh6!, which was the right continuation. After 20...gxh6 White is able to bring all his pieces to the attack — e.g. 21.♘h4 ♚h8 22.♕g3 ♝xb5 23.axb5 ♞f4 24.♕f3 ♞bd5 25.♖e4.
But that is not what Anish chose, and perhaps that is what haunted him afterwards, as he lost control of the position when Karjakin tested him in complex continuations. The crucial mistake arrived in move 29:
The Italian Game is considered a sound but quiet opening without early trades, giving rise to rich positions where plans are more important than forced variations. So shows black's plans on this DVD.
29.♗a2? was a straightforward miscalculation by Giri, who probably thought he had a winning attack via the open g-file. The game followed 29...♝xa2 30.♖xg6+ ♛xg6 31.♕xg6+ ♜g7:
White needs to give back his queen, as Black would give mate with ♖g2-♖d1 otherwise. But after 32.♕xg7+ ♚xg7 33.♖xa2 ♜d1 34.♖a1 ♚f7 White's queenside pieces are paralysed and Black will capture the f-pawn soon, giving way for his own far advanced passer. Giri resigned.

Full concentration is needed to navigate such a wild position | Photo: Official site
Alexander Grischuk played the Modern Benoni with Black against Ding Liren, a nice way to honour Gashimov's memory in Azerbaijan — Vugar strongly advocated this defence. Ding deviated from a line previously played by Levon Aronian on move 11 and went on to gain a pawn in the middlegame:
After 20.♗xh5, Black cannot capture the piece with 20...gxh5, as White would steamroll with his pawns on the kingside. Grischuk, therefore, played 20...c4 instead.
A strategic struggle ensued, and Ding correctly gave up an exchange shortly afterwards:
The topic of this 60 minute video clip is the major idea of the 8.h3 0-0 9.Bd3 line. It has not won much love among defenders of the Benoni - White players are coming dangerously close to realising the dream of squeezing the opponent.
23.♖xb3! wiped out Black's most active piece, and the game continued 23…cxb3 24.♛xb3. White had two pawns for the exchange, and a very nice flexible centre to boot.
The sharp battle continued and at some point the computer considered the position to be completely drawn, but from a human point of view it seemed impossible to fathom all the possibilities. In the end, White's passed pawns on the kingside decided the game in his favour:
Understandably, Grischuk decided to eliminate the active light-squared bishop with 47...♜f3+ 48.♔g2 ♛e2+ 49.♔h3 ♜xf5 50.♕xf5 ♛xd2 and Black was temporarily a piece up:
But White has the safer king and a very well-placed queen. Things only went for bad to worse for Grischuk, who had to give up his knight on move 63 and eventually resigned after 77 moves and over six hours of play.

It's never easy when you face the number three in the world | Photo: Official site
Fifty-five moves lasted the draw between Veselin Topalov and David Navara. The Bulgarian was quickly on top in the opening, as Navara confessed that he was out of book for a second day in a row as early as move 6. Topalov put pressure on Black's position but faced a stubborn Navara in defence. When an endgame was reached, Veselin decided to simplify the position, when keeping the rooks on the board might have given him better chances:
The Caro Kann is a very tricky opening. Black’s play is based on controlling and fighting for key light squares. It is a line which was very fashionable in late 90s and early 2000s due to the successes of greats like Karpov, Anand, Dreev etc. Recently due to strong engines lot of key developments have been made and some new lines have been introduced, while others have been refuted altogether. I have analyzed the new trends carefully and found some new ideas for Black.
The game continued 29.♖e8+ ♜f8 30.♖xf8+ ♚xf8 and White is still for choice in the materially balanced knight endgame. However, 29.♘d6 would have left more chances for both players to err. The former FIDE World Champion apparently feared Black's passed d-pawn in that situation…
The story from round one repeated itself — Topalov could not make good use of a superior position and Navara escaped with a draw from an inferior spot.

Fans were waiting for Veselin outside the playing hall | Photo: Official site
Standings after Round 2
Rk. |
Name |
Rtg |
FED |
Pts |
1 |
Sergey Karjakin |
2753 |
RUS |
1 ½ |
2 |
Magnus Carlsen |
2845 |
NOR |
1 ½ |
3 |
Ding Liren |
2812 |
CHN |
1 ½ |
4 |
Teimour Radjabov |
2756 |
AZE |
1 |
5 |
David Navara |
2739 |
CZE |
1 |
6 |
Shak Mamedyarov |
2790 |
AZE |
1 |
7 |
Veselin Topalov |
2740 |
BUL |
1 |
8 |
Anish Giri |
2797 |
NED |
½ |
9 |
Alex Grischuk |
2771 |
RUS |
½ |
10 |
Vishy Anand |
2779 |
IND |
½ |
All games
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 g6 7.f3 Bg7 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qd2 Nxd4 9...0-0 10.0-0-0 Ne5 11.Be2 b5 12.Bh6 Qa5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxh6 16.Qxh6 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.g4 b5 12.h4 Qa5 13.a3 h6 14.0-0-0N 14.b4 Qc7 15.Ne2 Rc8 16.a4 Bc4 17.axb5 axb5 14...Rb8 15.g5! Nh5 16.Bxg7 Nxg7 17.gxh6 Nh5 18.Qg5 f6 19.Qxg6+ Bf7 20.Qg1! b4 21.axb4 Qxb4 22.Kd2 Nf4 23.Qe3 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 24.Kxd3± Rc8 25.Rb1 24...Rxh6 25.Qxa6 Kf8 26.Ra1 d5 27.Ra4 Qc5 28.exd5 Rxb2 29.Qa7 Qd6 30.Qe3 30.Kc1!± Rb4 31.Qe3 30...Rg6 30...Rh5 31.Ra8+ 31.Kc1!± Rb8 32.Ra7 31...Kg7? 31...Rb8= 32.Rxb8+ Qxb8 32.Kc1+- Qb4 33.Ra4? 33.h5 Rg2 33.Rh2!+- Qb6 34.Qxb6 34.Qxe7 Rg1+ 35.Nd1 Rb1+ 36.Kd2 Rbxd1+ 37.Kc3 Qd4+ 38.Kb3 Rb1+ 39.Ka3 Qa1# 34...Rxb6 35.Ra7 33...Rb1+! 34.Nxb1 Qxa4 35.Qxe7 Rg2 36.Qe4 Qa7 37.Re1 Rg1? 37...Qc5 38.Nc3!+- Qa1+ 39.Kd2 Rg2+ 40.Re2 Rg1 41.Qe7? 41.Qc4+- 41...Rd1+! 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.
Anand,V | 2779 | Navara,D | 2739 | ½–½ | 2019 | B90 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 1.1 |
Giri,A | 2797 | Topalov,V | 2740 | ½–½ | 2019 | C65 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 1.2 |
Radjabov,T | 2756 | Carlsen,M | 2845 | ½–½ | 2019 | C55 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 1.3 |
Karjakin,S | 2753 | Ding,L | 2812 | ½–½ | 2019 | C50 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 1.4 |
Grischuk,A | 2771 | Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | ½–½ | 2019 | C67 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 1.5 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | Radjabov,T | 2756 | ½–½ | 2019 | D02 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 2.1 |
Ding,L | 2812 | Grischuk,A | 2771 | 1–0 | 2019 | A50 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 2.2 |
Carlsen,M | 2845 | Anand,V | 2779 | 1–0 | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 2.3 |
Giri,A | 2797 | Karjakin,S | 2753 | 0–1 | 2019 | C54 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 2.4 |
Topalov,V | 2740 | Navara,D | 2739 | ½–½ | 2019 | B12 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 2.5 |
Grischuk,A | 2771 | Giri,A | 2797 | ½–½ | 2019 | D38 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 3.1 |
Karjakin,S | 2753 | Topalov,V | 2740 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 3.2 |
Navara,D | 2739 | Carlsen,M | 2845 | 0–1 | 2019 | B34 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 3.3 |
Radjabov,T | 2756 | Ding,L | 2812 | ½–½ | 2019 | C89 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 3.4 |
Anand,V | 2779 | Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | 1–0 | 2019 | C50 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 3.5 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | Navara,D | 2739 | ½–½ | 2019 | E21 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 4.1 |
Ding,L | 2812 | Anand,V | 2779 | ½–½ | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 4.2 |
Topalov,V | 2740 | Carlsen,M | 2845 | ½–½ | 2019 | E21 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 4.3 |
Karjakin,S | 2753 | Grischuk,A | 2771 | ½–½ | 2019 | A06 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 4.4 |
Giri,A | 2797 | Radjabov,T | 2756 | ½–½ | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 4.5 |
Grischuk,A | 2771 | Topalov,V | 2740 | 1–0 | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 5.1 |
Radjabov,T | 2756 | Karjakin,S | 2753 | ½–½ | 2019 | A05 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 5.2 |
Carlsen,M | 2845 | Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | ½–½ | 2019 | D32 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 5.3 |
Anand,V | 2779 | Giri,A | 2797 | 1–0 | 2019 | C65 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 5.4 |
Navara,D | 2739 | Ding,L | 2812 | 1–0 | 2019 | D49 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 5.5 |
Giri,A | 2797 | Navara,D | 2739 | ½–½ | 2019 | D38 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 6.1 |
Grischuk,A | 2771 | Radjabov,T | 2756 | ½–½ | 2019 | D20 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 6.2 |
Ding,L | 2812 | Carlsen,M | 2845 | ½–½ | 2019 | D71 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 6.3 |
Karjakin,S | 2753 | Anand,V | 2779 | 1–0 | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 6.4 |
Topalov,V | 2740 | Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | 1–0 | 2019 | C92 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 6.5 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | Ding,L | 2812 | ½–½ | 2019 | D30 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 7.1 |
Navara,D | 2739 | Karjakin,S | 2753 | ½–½ | 2019 | A13 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 7.2 |
Carlsen,M | 2845 | Giri,A | 2797 | 1–0 | 2019 | A29 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 7.3 |
Radjabov,T | 2756 | Topalov,V | 2740 | ½–½ | 2019 | C45 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 7.4 |
Anand,V | 2779 | Grischuk,A | 2771 | ½–½ | 2019 | C65 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 7.5 |
Grischuk,A | 2771 | Navara,D | 2739 | 1–0 | 2019 | B12 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 8.1 |
Radjabov,T | 2756 | Anand,V | 2779 | ½–½ | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 8.2 |
Karjakin,S | 2753 | Carlsen,M | 2845 | 0–1 | 2019 | B34 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 8.3 |
Topalov,V | 2740 | Ding,L | 2812 | 0–1 | 2019 | E21 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 8.4 |
Giri,A | 2797 | Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | ½–½ | 2019 | C54 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 8.5 |
Navara,D | 2739 | Radjabov,T | 2756 | ½–½ | 2019 | B12 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 9.1 |
Ding,L | 2812 | Giri,A | 2797 | ½–½ | 2019 | D38 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 9.2 |
Carlsen,M | 2845 | Grischuk,A | 2771 | 1–0 | 2019 | C65 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 9.3 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2790 | Karjakin,S | 2753 | ½–½ | 2019 | D37 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 9.4 |
Anand,V | 2779 | Topalov,V | 2740 | ½–½ | 2019 | C50 | 6th Shamkir Chess 2019 | 9.5 |
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