Shamkir: Five draws in Round 4

by Johannes Fischer
4/4/2019 – Five draws — that was the result of the fourth round of the "Gashimov Memorial" in Shamkir, Azerbaijan. As days go, there have been others more exciting. David Navara, who played Black against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, had the best chance of winning. But after more than five hours of play, this game also ended in a draw, leaving Magnus Carlsen with 3 out of 4, as the sole leader. Report with analysis by GM DANIEL FERNANDEZ. | Photo: ShamkirChess.com
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Carlsen keeps half point edge

Perhaps the most notable feature of the day was the curious fact that the final position of the game Topalov vs Carlsen was almost identical to the final position of the game Karjakin vs Grischuk. With only five games in play, that's a pretty freak occurrence. Magnus himself mused that he would have been amused to see the exact same final position.

 
V. Topalov vs M. Carlsen
Position after 36.Kf3
 
S. Karjakin vs A. Grischuk
Position after 32...Kg7

Alexander Grischuk no doubt chuckled as well | Photo: ShamkirChess.com

Results of Round 4

 

GM Daniel Fernandez takes you for a spin through all the day's play:

V. Topalov ½–½ M. Carlsen

The game between Veselin Topalov and Magnus Carlsen was unspectacular. Already after 20 moves a balanced rook ending was on the board, and another 16 moves later, the game was drawn by repetition. 

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0-0 8.e3 Bf5 9.Ne5 It is not too late by any means for White to try and prove something, and the obvious idea is 9.Qb3 threatening both the bishop on b4 and the trick with Bxf6. In fact, a fair sample of present company had been on one or other side of this position. Bxc3+ 10.Qxc3 Nbd7 10...g5 11.Bg3 Ne4 12.Qxc7 Qxc7 13.Bxc7 Nc6 14.Bb5 Rfc8 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Ba5 Grischuk,A-Sethuraman,S Astana 2019 11.Be2 c6 12.Nd2 12.Qb4!? 12...Ne4 13.Nxe4 Qxh4 14.Nd6 Bg4 Here I will refer you to my annotations of Mamedyarov,S-Carlsen,M Porto Carras 2018, but suffice it to say the b7-pawn was never takeable. 9...c5 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.exd4 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Qd6 13.Bxf6 White might have marginally better chances keeping the bishop. 13.0-0 Bxc3 13...Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Bg3 Qc6 16.Rac1= when White still has better co-ordination 14.Qxc3 Nbd7 15.Rac1 Ne4 16.Qc7 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Qb6!= 13...Qxf6 14.0-0 Bxc3 15.Qxc3 Re8 16.Rac1 Nc6 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Qxc6 bxc6 19.Rxc6 19.f3!? could be a move to try at lower levels, but for these guys it is trivial that also after Rab8 20.b3 Rb4 21.Rxc6 Rxd4 22.Rc2 everything west of the f-file will be hoovered off. 19...Re2 20.Ra6 Rxb2 21.g3 Re8 22.Rxa7 Ree2 23.Ra5 Rxa2 24.Rxd5 Red2 25.h4 Ra4 26.Kg2 Raxd4 27.Rxd4 Rxd4 The remainder was even more painfully unnecessary. 28.Kf3 h5 29.Kg2 g6 30.Kf3 Kg7 31.Kg2 Rd5 32.Kf3 Rf5+ 33.Kg2 Rd5 34.Kf3 Rf5+ 35.Kg2 Rd5 36.Kf3 ½–½
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Topalov,V-Carlsen,M-½–½2019D38Shamkir Chess4

This DVD offers a complete repertoire for handling this solid opening, often featuring a dynamic approach to pose the opponent more practical problems. Both of the main continuations 3...Nf6 and 3...Be7 are covered in two separate parts.

S. Karjakin ½–½ A. Grischuk

Karjakin and Grischuk got to their strikingly similar endgame despite some minor skirmishes in the middlegame — after 26 moves and a lot of exchanges the excitement dwindled.

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 I've generally thought this move-order was good for encouraging White to re-enter symmetry with d4. 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 Nf6 5.c4 c6 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Ne5 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nc3 leads to the position where Black can choose ...e6, ...Nc6 or ...Ne4, in all cases with a level position. 7...Ne4 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Qa4 Qb6 13.e4 White tries to make something happen, breaking the strict symmetry. However, there being few open lines as yet, nothing comes of it. 13.Ba3!? Qa6 14.Qxa6 Bxa6 Believe it or not, 8000 people have analysed this position on their computers. 15.Rfb1 15.Rfe1 f5 15...Rfe8= 16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.Bc5 Bxe2 18.Bf1 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Bf8 21.Re6 21.Rb1 21...Bxc5 21...Rc8= 22.dxc5 Rc8 23.Rd6!± Pert, N-Hawkins,J Ascot 2014 15...Bxe2 An accurate move. After the symmetrical 15...Rfb8 Black is a bit worse: 16.Bxe7 Bxe2 17.Bd6 15...Bf6 16.Bf1 Rfb8 17.Bc5 Bc4 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 a5 20.Ke2 16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.Rb7 Ba6! 18.Rc7 Rec8 19.Rxc8+ Rxc8 Now White should accept equality after (e. g.) Bf1, because otherwise the e-file will become at least as important as the b-file. 20.Rb1 Re8 21.Bc5 Bd3 13...Qa6 14.Qb4 dxe4 15.Bxe4 e5 16.dxe5 Bxe5 17.Be3 Be6 18.Qc5 Bg7 19.Rfd1 Rad8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.h4 21.a4 at least seemingly threatens to take a pawn for free. Bh3! 22.Qxc6 22.Qxa7 Qe2-+ 22...Qxc6 23.Bxc6 Bxc3 24.Rc1 a5!= If you ignore some- mostly imaginary- concerns about this pawn being on the wrong coloured square, the position is a total draw. 21...Qc4 22.Qxc4 Bxc4 23.Bxa7 Bxc3 24.Rc1 Bd4 25.Bxd4 Rxd4 26.Bxc6 Bxa2 27.Kg2 Bd5+ 28.Bxd5 Rxd5 An amusing nugget is that this game could easily have reproduced the position from Topalov-Carlsen. As there, a few unncessary moves were made, possibly because the rules demanded a repetition rather than an offered draw? 29.Rh1 h5 30.Rg1 Kg7 31.Rh1 Kg8 32.Rg1 Kg7 ½–½
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Karjakin,S-Grischuk,A-½–½2019D79Shamkir Chess4

Sergey Karjakin | Photo: Shamkirchess.com

Ding Liren ½–½ V. Anand

Much more lively was the encounter between Ding Liren and Vishy Anand. Ding played aggressively and stormed out early with his g-pawn to attack the black king. But Anand parried the white threats on the kingside without much difficulty and generated counterplay on the queenside. After beating Mamedyarov in the third round, however, he did not seem to want to try his luck for the second time, so the game ended drawn in a double-edged position after 34 moves.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Qc2 c6 7.e3 It's a hard position to be ambitious in, but maybe something like 7.Bf4 0-0 8.h3 would have been a bit interesting, at least ensuring that Black's optimal plan of ...Bd6 is one he doesn't really want to implement. Nbd7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.g4 It's safe to assume this was over-the-board inspiration rather than anything more sinister, since the best player to use it before was 2260! Bb4 A stable move, but it's already possible for Black to think about advantages. 9...g6!? 10.Rg1 b5 9...Ne4 This rather shocking pawn sacrifice is given by the engine, which vehemently rejects the idea of taking it. 10.Bd2 10.Bxe4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nf6 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 The tactical vulnerability of White's light squares more than adequately compensates for the missing pawn. 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Bxe4 Nf6 12.g5? Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Re8-+ 10...Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Nf6 12.g5 Ne4 13.h4 f6 10.Bd2 10.g5 Ne4 11.h4 was also possible immediately 10...Qe7 11.Rg1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Ne4 13.g5 It is wiser to place the attack on hold and force Black to take on c3 now or forever hold his piece. 13.0-0-0 Nxc3 14.Qxc3 Nf6 and now for instance 15.g5 Ne4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Nd2∞ 13...a5 Now Black seems to be slightly better. 14.a4 14.h4 b5 is what White didn't want to see on the board, but after 15.b3 b4 16.Bb2 it's not clear what the objective damage is 14...Re8 15.h4 b6 16.h5 16.Qe2 is the move to avoid light-squared catastrophe. 16...Ba6 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Nh4 Qe6 19.Rg3 Bd3 19...Qc4 20.Rg1 Nf8 was already a lot better for Black 20.Qd1 b5 21.axb5 cxb5 22.Ng2 b4 23.Nf4 Qf5 24.Bd2 Nb6 Black still has something in this position, but probably not as much as he could have gotten. 25.g6 fxg6 The engine's 25...Rec8 is a slightly hard move to ask people to play 26.hxg6 h6 27.Qg4?! 27.Rh3!= achieves full equality: Black doesn't have a real way to infiltrate with his queen anymore so now is a good time to play Qg5 28.Rg3 and repeat before White's rook gets to c5. There is also the slightly funny Qf5 29.Rh3 Nd5 with mate on g2 being the point, but I don't think Black is risking any less than White after 30.Qh5 Qxh5 31.Rxh5 Nxf4 32.exf4 Ra6 33.Rhxa5 Rxg6 34.Be3! when both sides get passed pawns and some kind of tactical threats against the opposing king. 27...Qxg4 28.Rxg4 Nc4 29.Nxd3 exd3 30.d5 Ne5 31.Rg3 Nc4 Here or after repeating, it was Black's prerogative to play on with 31...h5 32.Rh3 h4! when it is a bit tricky for White to unravel. 32.Rg4 Ne5 33.Rg3 Nc4 34.Rg4 ½–½
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Ding,L-Anand,V-½–½2019D35Shamkir Chess4

Ding Liren | Photo: Shamkirchess.com

A Giri ½–½ T. Radjabov

The fourth draw of the day was played by Anish Giri and Teimour Radjabov. In the Queen's Gambit with 5.♗f4 there arose a very closed position in which Black had no problems, but also little prospects. After 40 moves, the game ended in a draw by perpetual check.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 In recent elite practice, 6...c5 has dominated rather, and indeed I have analysed the line in some depth on these pages. 7.c5 The main move. 7.Be2 Notwithstanding that this 'loses a tempo' in the standard sense of the Queen's Gambit, it's quite popular. dxc4 8.0-0 a6 9.a4 b6 10.Bxc4 10.Nd2!? 10...Bb7 11.Qe2 Nh5 12.Rad1 Nxf4 13.exf4 Nf6 14.Rfe1 Bb4 15.Ne5 Nd5 16.Qd2 Rc8 17.Nd3 Bd6 18.Ne4 Nf6 Black had extracted some small concessions in Harikrishna,P-Caruana,F Saint Louis 2019 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 cxd4 9.Rxd4 Qa5 10.Bg3 Nb6 11.Nd2 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nxc4 13.Nxc4 Qa6= Mamedyarov,S-Giri,A Shamkir 2018 7.g4 I'm not sure whether elite imitation levels are quite high enough to encompass this kind of irony, but here is one of the numerous positions where g4 is a reasonable idea in the Queen's Gambit. As in Ding-Anand, the best reply is probably based on ....Ne4 at some moment. c5 7...Bb4 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 b6 11.h4 Bb7 12.h5∞ 8.g5 Nh5 9.Be5 dxc4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bd6 7...Nh5 I'm far more a fan of an ambitious move, which tries to hunt down the f4-bishop with ...f5 and ...g5 instead. 7...Ne4 8.Rc1 Nxc3 8...g5 9.Bg3 f5 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Bf6= 9.Rxc3 b6 10.c6 Nf6 11.a3 Ne4 12.Rc2 a5 13.Bd3 f6 14.Qe2 g5!?∞ Nakamura,H-Carlsen,M chess.com INT 2018 8.Bd3 Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.g3 Ba6 This position is alright for Black, but rather uninspiring. 14.Kg2 14.Bxa6 Rxa6 15.Qe2 was a relatively obvious tactical possibility; the idea is f5. Raa8 Black needs the rooks to connect round the back. 15...Rfa8? 16.b5 cxb5 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Qxe7 15...Ra7 16.f5 e5 16...bxc5 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Qxe6+ Kh8 19.Qxe7 Rxf3 20.Qe2! Rf8 21.bxc5± 17.dxe5 16.f5!? bxc5 17.fxe6 17.bxc5 e5 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Qxe5 Qxe5 20.dxe5 Bxc5 21.Ne2 Rfe8 22.Rfc1 Rxe5 23.Rxc5 Rxe2 24.Rxc6= 17...fxe6 18.Qxe6+ Kh8 19.Qxe7 Rae8 20.Qxe8!? Rxe8 21.bxc5 Normally, this wouldn't be considered a good deal for White, but here the Black queen is particularly lacking in entry points. 14...Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Ra7 16.Rfc1 Rfa8 17.Qd1 17.cxb6 Qxb6 18.b5 a4 19.bxc6 Qxc6 20.f5 might have led to some advantage 17...b5 There's not a whole lot Black can do, and this is a (very) natural move, but something like ...g6 might have been better, as now White regroups in a very logical way. 18.Rab1 Threatening a4, so Black needs to react. axb4 19.axb4 Ra3 20.Rb3 R3a7 21.Qe2 Bf6 22.h4 h5 23.Rc2 g6 24.Ra2 Rxa2 25.Nxa2 Qa7 26.Rb2 Qa3 27.Qd2 Qa6 28.Nc1 Qb7 29.Nd3 This focuses in on e5, but cedes the a-file for the time being. Something like 29.Ne5!? also came into consideration, trying to clear the d4-square for a knight. The question then is really whether Black has some kind of fortress after Nxe5 30.dxe5 Bd8 31.Ra2 : it looks plausible, but it seems to me more likely that in the very long run, White can probably break with g4. 29...Ra7 30.Nde5 Qa8 31.Qe3 Kg7 32.Rb3 Kg8 33.Ng5 33.Nxd7 Rxd7 34.Ra3 Ra7 35.Rxa7 Qxa7 36.f5!? keeps some intrigue in the position. gxf5 37.Qh6 Qe7 38.Kh3 Qd8 39.Qxh5 Qf8 40.g4 and the game somehow continues. 33...Nxe5 34.fxe5 Bxg5 35.Qxg5 Ra3!= Black only needs to see that in the worst case where White plays (at some moment) Qxc6, it will be possible to give a psuedo-perpetual with ... Qe4+ and ...Qc2. 36.Rxa3 Qxa3 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qf6+ Kg8 39.Qd8+ Kg7 40.Qf6+ Kg8 ½–½
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Giri,A-Radjabov,T-½–½2019D37Shamkir Chess4

Anish Giri | Photo: ShamkirChess.com

S. Mamedyarov ½–½ D. Navara

In round three, Mamedyarov lost to Anand, and he again was on the defensive in round four against David Navara. The game initially followed Mamedyarov's loss to Vidit in Wijk aan Zee, but Navara deviated, and soon returned the gambited pawn. Mamedyarov sacrificed another pawn, aiming for a kingside attack, but when it fizzled he was left with a worse position. He finally succeeded in limiting the damage and held on for a draw in the rook ending.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nbd7 9.e3 b5 10.a4 c6 11.Qb1 Qa5 Black didn't feel like checking what was in store in the line 11...a6 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0 Qe8!? as seen in a recent loss by the same White player: Mamedyarov,S -Vidit,S Wijk aan Zee 2019 12.Qb2 Ne4 13.axb5 Qxb5 14.Qc1 14.Qc2!? looks like it wins a tempo, but in fact it could easily lose one to Qb3! 15.Rc1 15.Qxb3 cxb3 16.Ra3 Nxc3 17.Rxb3 Nd5 18.e4 N5f6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Bd3= is another valid try 15...Qxc2 16.Rxc2 Ba6 17.Nd2 Nxd2 18.Kxd2 Bb5 There isn't an obvious way to win back the pawn, but as usual for these things, if White manages it then another pawn will follow soon after. 14...c5 15.Be2 0-0 16.0-0 Bb7 17.Rb1 Qc6 18.Bxc4 cxd4 19.Bb5 Qc7 20.cxd4 Rfc8 Here is the exception that proves the rule: a wide-open position where the knights are not really inferior to the bishops. 21.Qb2 21.Qxc7 Rxc7 22.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 23.Rxc1 Nb6 The main reason White has no advantage here isn't the a-pawn so much as the fact that he must go through some contortions just to retain his bishop-pair. 24.Be7 a5 With the idea of ...Ba6. 25.Bd3 a4 26.Ba3 Rc8 27.Rxc8+ Nxc8 28.Ne1 It is somehow possible to press for a win here, but there is also risk- a piece could drop in the next 5 moves. 21...Nb6?! 21...Bd5 22.Rfc1 Qb7= was more solid 22.Rfc1 Qd6 23.Ne5 g5 24.f3? Now White ends up worse. 24.Bg3 Nxg3 25.hxg3± It is not immediately obvious to me why this should be '+1', but the computer advocates simply placing the e5-knight on c5 and awaiting further developments. 24...gxh4 25.fxe4 Bxe4 26.Qf2 Qe7 White lacks tricks and is now left scrambling somewhat. 27.Ra1 Rxc1+ 28.Rxc1 Nd5 29.Bd3 Bxd3 30.Nxd3 Qf6 A perfectly normal human move. Black now plays with very good technique for the next 15 moves. 30...a5 looks more natural at first sight (since White can't muster mate), though the justifying tactic is not: 31.e4 Nb4 32.Ne5 a4 33.Qf4 a3 34.Ng4 Similar is 34.Qxh6 a2 35.Ra1 Nc2 36.Rxa2 Rxa2 37.Ng4 in view of Ne3‼ 34...a2 35.Ra1 Qa7! 36.Nxh6+ Kh7 37.e5 Nd5 38.Qxh4 Kg6! White's knight is trapped and he stands much worse. 31.Qxf6 31.e4 was called for, in the spirit of gaining as much activity as possible for the pawn. 31...Nxf6 32.Kf2 a5 33.Ra1 a4 34.Ra3 Ne4+ 35.Ke1 Rb8 36.Nc5 Rb1+ 37.Ke2 Rb2+ 38.Kd3 Nf6 38...Nf2+?! 39.Kc4 Nd1 40.e4 Rxg2 41.d5 Nb2+ 42.Kb5 Rxh2 43.d6 Rd2 44.d7= 39.Rxa4 Rxg2 40.d5! Rg5 40...Nxd5 41.Rxh4 Kh7 seems on principle a better winning try, because White's remaining pawns are so bad. 41.Ne4 Rxd5+ 42.Ke2 Nxe4 43.Rxe4 h3 44.Rh4 Kg7 45.Rxh3 Kg6 46.Rh4 Rh5 47.Rg4+ Rg5 48.Rh4 Rf5 49.Rg4+ Kh5 50.Ra4 Kg5 51.Rb4 Kg6 52.Rg4+ Rg5 53.Rh4 Rh5 54.Rg4+ Kf6 55.Rf4+ Ke7 56.h4 Re5 57.Ra4 f5 58.Kf3 Kf6 59.Rb4 Kg6 60.Kf4 Ra5 61.Kf3 Kh5? Both sides have played the endgame well up to this point, it is just a shame for White that his side is objectively probably lost. It seems like a bright idea to play: 61...Ra3 62.Rb6 Kf6 63.Rb4 Rc3 64.Kf2 h5-+ and await an opportunity to play ...Ke5-d5 and ...Rc4-g4. 62.e4 Ra3+ 63.Kf2 f4 64.Rb6 Kg4 65.Rxe6 Ra2+ 66.Kg1! Kf3 67.Rxh6 Ke3 68.e5 It might be simpler to draw with 68.Rf6 considering that the h-pawn is the real MVP here. 68...f3 69.e6 Rg2+ 70.Kh1?? 70.Kf1! draws; I'm not sure which move Mamedyarov thought was better than going back with this rook to the queenside. Presumably Rh2 , however it transpires that White has the surprising 71.Rg6! 71.Kg1 f2+ 72.Kxh2 f1Q 73.Rg6 Qf4+-+ 71...Rh1+ 71...Rxh4 72.e7 Rh1+ 73.Rg1 Rh8 72.Rg1 Rxh4 72...Rxg1+?? 73.Kxg1 Ke2 74.e7 f2+ 75.Kh2 f1Q 76.e8Q+ Kd2 and White could even win, though it's a tablebase draw 73.e7 Rh8 74.e8Q+ Rxe8 75.Rg7= 70...Rg7?? 70...Rg8! is winning, strangely enough. The point is that in the key position after 71.Rf6 f2 72.Kh2 Ke2 73.Kh3 f1Q+ 74.Rxf1 Kxf1 75.h5 Kf2 76.Kh4 Kf3 77.h6 Black's rook is not attacked and so he can play Kf4! 78.h7 Rh8 79.Kh5 Kf5 80.Kh6 Kf6! 81.e7 Kf7! stopping both pawns. The fact that White could play e7 earlier was less important than this fact. 71.Kh2 f2 72.Rf6 Ke2 73.Kh3 f1R 74.Rxf1 Kxf1 75.h5 Kf2 76.Kh4 Kf3 77.h6! The key move, this is now just a draw. Rg1 78.Kh5 Kf4 79.h7 Kf5 80.Kh6 Rg6+ 81.Kh5 Rg2 82.Kh6 Kxe6 83.h8Q Rh2+ 84.Kg7 Rxh8 85.Kxh8 Ke5 ½–½
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Mamedyarov,S-Navara,D-½–½2019D38Shamkir Chess4

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Photo: ShamkirChess.com

Standings after Round 4

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Round-up show with GM Daniel King

All games

 
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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 B72: Sicilian Dragon: 6 Be3, lines with h3+Bc4 and sidelines 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 ½-½ (45) Paravyan,D (2630)-Sjugirov,S (2677) St Petersburg 2018 10.Bxd4 Be6 White is slightly better. 11.g4 b5 12.h4 Qa5 13.a3 h6 14.0-0-0N Predecessor: 14.b4 Qc7 15.Ne2 Rc8 16.a4 Bc4 17.axb5 axb5 0-1 (40) Dorst,K-Schassan,H Dresden 2006 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 White should try 24.Kxd3± Ra1 is the strong threat. Rc8 25.Rb1 24...Rxh6 25.Qxa6 Kf8 26.Ra1 d5 Hoping for ...Rg6. 27.Ra4 Qc5 28.exd5 Rxb2 29.Qa7 Qd6 30.Qe3 30.Kc1!± Rb4 31.Qe3 30...Rg6 Black should play 30...Rh5 31.Ra8+ 31.Kc1!± Rb8 32.Ra7 31...Kg7? 31...Rb8= and Black has nothing to worry. 32.Rxb8+ Qxb8 32.Kc1+- Qb4
33.Ra4? And not 33.h5 Rg2 33.Rh2!+- Qb6 34.Qxb6 34.Qxe7 leads to mate. Rg1+ 35.Nd1 Rb1+ 36.Kd2 Rbxd1+ 37.Kc3 Qd4+       Double Attack 38.Kb3 Rb1+ 39.Ka3 Qa1# 34...Rxb6 35.Ra7 33...Rb1+! 34.Nxb1 Qxa4 35.Qxe7 And now h5 would win. Rg2 36.Qe4 Qa7 next ...Bg6 is good for Black. 37.Re1 Rg1?
37...Qc5 38.Nc3!+- Qa1+ 39.Kd2 Rg2+ 40.Re2 Rg1 White must now prevent ...Qc1+. 41.Qe7? 41.Qc4+- 41...Rd1+! Accuracy: White = 58%, Black = 43%. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Anand,V2779Navara,D2739½–½2019B906th Shamkir Chess 20191.1
Giri,A2797Topalov,V2740½–½2019C656th Shamkir Chess 20191.2
Radjabov,T2756Carlsen,M2845½–½2019C556th Shamkir Chess 20191.3
Karjakin,S2753Ding,L2812½–½2019C506th Shamkir Chess 20191.4
Grischuk,A2771Mamedyarov,S2790½–½2019C676th Shamkir Chess 20191.5
Mamedyarov,S2790Radjabov,T2756½–½2019D026th Shamkir Chess 20192.1
Ding,L2812Grischuk,A27711–02019A506th Shamkir Chess 20192.2
Carlsen,M2845Anand,V27791–02019D376th Shamkir Chess 20192.3
Giri,A2797Karjakin,S27530–12019C546th Shamkir Chess 20192.4
Topalov,V2740Navara,D2739½–½2019B126th Shamkir Chess 20192.5
Grischuk,A2771Giri,A2797½–½2019D386th Shamkir Chess 20193.1
Karjakin,S2753Topalov,V2740½–½2019C546th Shamkir Chess 20193.2
Navara,D2739Carlsen,M28450–12019B346th Shamkir Chess 20193.3
Radjabov,T2756Ding,L2812½–½2019C896th Shamkir Chess 20193.4
Anand,V2779Mamedyarov,S27901–02019C506th Shamkir Chess 20193.5
Mamedyarov,S2790Navara,D2739½–½2019E216th Shamkir Chess 20194.1
Ding,L2812Anand,V2779½–½2019D376th Shamkir Chess 20194.2
Topalov,V2740Carlsen,M2845½–½2019E216th Shamkir Chess 20194.3
Karjakin,S2753Grischuk,A2771½–½2019A066th Shamkir Chess 20194.4
Giri,A2797Radjabov,T2756½–½2019D376th Shamkir Chess 20194.5
Grischuk,A2771Topalov,V27401–02019D376th Shamkir Chess 20195.1
Radjabov,T2756Karjakin,S2753½–½2019A056th Shamkir Chess 20195.2
Carlsen,M2845Mamedyarov,S2790½–½2019D326th Shamkir Chess 20195.3
Anand,V2779Giri,A27971–02019C656th Shamkir Chess 20195.4
Navara,D2739Ding,L28121–02019D496th Shamkir Chess 20195.5
Giri,A2797Navara,D2739½–½2019D386th Shamkir Chess 20196.1
Grischuk,A2771Radjabov,T2756½–½2019D206th Shamkir Chess 20196.2
Ding,L2812Carlsen,M2845½–½2019D716th Shamkir Chess 20196.3
Karjakin,S2753Anand,V27791–02019D376th Shamkir Chess 20196.4
Topalov,V2740Mamedyarov,S27901–02019C926th Shamkir Chess 20196.5
Mamedyarov,S2790Ding,L2812½–½2019D306th Shamkir Chess 20197.1
Navara,D2739Karjakin,S2753½–½2019A136th Shamkir Chess 20197.2
Carlsen,M2845Giri,A27971–02019A296th Shamkir Chess 20197.3
Radjabov,T2756Topalov,V2740½–½2019C456th Shamkir Chess 20197.4
Anand,V2779Grischuk,A2771½–½2019C656th Shamkir Chess 20197.5
Grischuk,A2771Navara,D27391–02019B126th Shamkir Chess 20198.1
Radjabov,T2756Anand,V2779½–½2019D376th Shamkir Chess 20198.2
Karjakin,S2753Carlsen,M28450–12019B346th Shamkir Chess 20198.3
Topalov,V2740Ding,L28120–12019E216th Shamkir Chess 20198.4
Giri,A2797Mamedyarov,S2790½–½2019C546th Shamkir Chess 20198.5
Navara,D2739Radjabov,T2756½–½2019B126th Shamkir Chess 20199.1
Ding,L2812Giri,A2797½–½2019D386th Shamkir Chess 20199.2
Carlsen,M2845Grischuk,A27711–02019C656th Shamkir Chess 20199.3
Mamedyarov,S2790Karjakin,S2753½–½2019D376th Shamkir Chess 20199.4
Anand,V2779Topalov,V2740½–½2019C506th Shamkir Chess 20199.5

Round 4 webcast

Commentary by GM Arkadij Naiditsch

Translation from German: Macauley Peterson

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Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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