
Third Shamkir Tournament in memory of Vugar Gashimov
The Vugar Gashimov Memorial, is being held in Shamkir, Azerbaijan, from the May 26 to June 4, 2016, in memory of the great Vugar Gashimov, who passed away on the 10th of January 2014. The tournament features ten world-class players: Fabiano Caruana (2795), Anish Giri (2790), Sergey Karjakin (2779), Pavel Eljanov (2750), Pentala Harikrishna (2763), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2750), Teimour Radjabov (2726), Eltaj Safarli (2664), Hou Yifan (2663) and Rauf Mamedov (2650). The time control is 120/40 moves + 60/20 moves + 15 minutes + 30 seconds/move at 61st move.
All games start at 3 p.m. local time = 1 p.m. in Europe (CEST), one hour earlier in Britain, and 2 p.m. in Moscow. You can find the starting time at your location here. Today's pairings:
Round 7 – June 2, 2016 |
Fabiano Caruana |
½-½
|
Anish Giri |
Shak Mamedyarov |
1-0
|
Eltaj Safarli |
Sergey Karjakin |
½-½
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Pentala Harikrishna |
½-½
|
Rauf Mamedov |
Pavel Eljanov |
1-0
|
Hou Yifan |

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Round Seven
Everyone's eyes were clearly on the Caruana-Giri matchup, which would seemingly determine the fate of the tournament. The game was rather interesting, and all throughout the tactics were complicated and the battle fierce, but it was just at the end, with the clock ticking down, that Caruana was unable to find a really brilliant continuation to win the game. In other news, Eljanov escapes from last place by beating Hou Yifan, meanwhile Mamedyarov beat Safarli, but not without complications.
Caruana, Fabiano ½-½ Giri, Anish
Another player that essays the Open Spanish against Caruana. The fight in this game was very tactical, with pieces hanging consistently and many trades, which did not lead to a drawn position. White always kept an edge with his superior pieces and the queen and rook vs. queen and rook endgame was more pleasant for White. After some brilliant maneuvering, the following happened:

Caruana would've basically clinched the tournament had he found the brilliant Kh2 move
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.c4 bxc4 12.Bxc4 Bc5 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 Qb8 15.Bb3 Na5 16.Nd4 c5 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.f3 c4 19.fxe4 cxb3 20.exd5 bxa2 21.Rxa2 Nc4 22.Qd4 Qb3 23.Nc3 Rac8 24.Rb1 Ne3 25.Qxe3 Rxc3 26.Qxc3 Qxa2 27.Rd1 exd5 28.Qd4 Re8 29.Rc1 h6 30.h3 Kh8 31.e6 Rxe6 32.Rc8+ Kh7 33.Qd3+ Re4 34.Qf1 Re5 35.Qd3+ Re4 36.Qf1 Re5 37.Qd3+ Re4 38.Qf1 38.Qf1 Re5 39.Qf7 Qa4 39...Qxb2 40.Qg8+ Kg6 41.Rc6+ Kf5 42.Qf7+ Ke4 43.Qf3+ Kd4 44.Qd1+ Ke4 45.Kh2 40.Kh2‼ ½–½
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Caruana,F | 2804 | Giri,A | 2790 | ½–½ | 2016 | C81 | 3rd Shamkir Chess 2016 | 7 |
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Dodging a bullet: Anish Giri
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 1-0 Safarli, Eltaj
Mamedyarov's opening strategy was very successful, but when it came time to close he found himself with his king in a very weakened position, and he did not follow the best line of play. Safarli missed an amazing perpetual, and gave the game back to Mamedyarov.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 0-0 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5!? 7...dxc4 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.0-0 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nf3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 10.cxd4 10...Nc6 11.0-0 Ne4?! 12.c4 Re8 12...dxc4 13.Nxc6 12...Nc3 13.Nxc6 bxc6 13...Nxd1 14.Nxd8 Nc3 15.Nxf7+- 14.Qd3 13.Bb2 Na5 14.cxd5 Nc4 15.Rb1 15.Qb3! Ned2 15...Ncd2 16.Qd3 Nxf1 17.Bxe4+- 15...Nxb2 16.Qxb2 Qxd5 17.Rfc1 16.Qc3+- 15...Nxb2 15...Qxd5 16.Ba1 16.Rxb2 Qxd5 17.Qd3 Bd7 18.Rfb1 Rab8 19.Rb5! Bxb5 20.Rxb5 Nxf2 21.Kxf2 Qd6 22.Bxb7 Rbd8 23.e3 Re5 24.a4 h5 25.h4 Rde8 26.e4 Qf6+ 27.Kg2 Rxb5 28.axb5 g6 29.Bd5 Re7 30.Qd2 a6 31.bxa6? 31.Nc6 Rb7 32.e5+- 31...Qxa6 32.Nc6 Rc7 33.Nd8?! 33.Ne5± 33...Qa4 34.Qh6? Rc2+? 34...Qc2+ 35.Kh3 Qd1! 36.Qxg6+ Kf8 37.Qd6+ Kg7 35.Kh3 Qd7+ 36.Ne6! fxe6 37.Qxg6+ Kf8 38.Bxe6 Qg7 39.Qxh5 Rc3 40.Qg4 Qxg4+ 41.Kxg4 Kg7 42.Kf4 Rc1 43.Kg5 Re1 44.Bf5 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
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Mamedyarov,S | 2746 | Safarli,E | 2673 | 1–0 | 2016 | E20 | 3rd Shamkir Chess 2016 | 7 |
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Highlight of the day: an Azerbaijani duel that did not end in a draw
Karjakin, Sergey ½-½ Radjabov, Teimour
In these locked up French positions usually one side tries to break through on the kingside, either with f4-f5 by White or g6 or f6 by Black. If neither player does that, well, nothing ever happens.

Basically nothing happenered here today
Harikrishna, Pentala ½-½ Mamedov, Rauf
Harikrishna saw himself in danger of losing this game from very early on. Mamedov managed to win a pawn and get a comfortable endgame. The opposite colored bishops kept Harikrishna's chances to make a draw alive, and Mamedov simply did not have the best technique. The extra black pawn was able to reach e2, but it was clear it was going no further.

Putting on the pressure! Mamedov was close to a win today
Eljanov, Pavel 1-0 Hou Yifan
In another critical position, the Chinese player goes wrong and Eljanov cleans up with his extra piece:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.Bg3 0-0 8.Bb5 a5 9.a4 Ne7 10.Qe2 Nf5 11.Bd3 Be7 12.Be5 b6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.g4 Nd6 15.h4 Be7 16.g5 Bb7 17.Ne5 Qe8 18.Rg1 f5 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.Qg4 Ba6 21.Bc2 Ra7 22.Ndf3 Bxe5 23.dxe5 Nf5 24.Ng5 h6 25.Nh3 d4? 25...b5! 26.e4 d3 27.Bb3 c4 28.Bd1 Qb8 29.exf5 Qxe5+ 30.Kd2 Rxf5 31.f4 Qf6 32.Bf3 Bb7 33.Bxb7 Rxb7 34.Qf3 Rf7 35.h5 Qh4 36.Rg4 Qxh5 37.Rag1 Rd5 38.Nf2 Qf5 39.Ne4 Rdd7 40.Qe3 b5 41.Nc5 Rde7 42.Qe5 bxa4 43.Ke3 Kh7 44.Rh4 Qxe5+ 45.fxe5 Rf5 46.Rxc4 Rxe5+ 47.Ne4 g5 48.Rxa4 Kg6 49.Kxd3 Rf7 50.Nd2 h5 51.Re4 Rxe4 52.Nxe4 g4 53.c4 Rf3+ 54.Kd4 Kf5 55.Ng3+ Rxg3 56.Rxg3 h4 57.Rg1 g3 58.Ke3 Kg4 59.Rd1 e5 60.c5 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
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Eljanov,P | 2751 | Hou,Y | 2663 | 1–0 | 2016 | D02 | 3rd Shamkir Chess 2016 | 7 |
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No longer last, but still losing 12 points: Pavel Eljanov

A tough loss for Yifan who is now on -3
Round Seven Games

Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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Standings after seven rounds

Schedule and results
Round 1 – May 26, 2016 |
Rauf Mamedov |
½-½
|
Anish Giri |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½
|
Hou Yifan |
Eltaj Safarli |
½-½
|
Pavel Eljanov |
Fabiano Caruana |
½-½
|
Pentala Harikrishna |
Shak Mamedyarov |
½-½
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Round 3 – May 28, 2016 |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½
|
Anish Giri |
Eltaj Safarli |
½-½
|
Rauf Mamedov |
Fabiano Caruana |
1-0
|
Hou Yifan |
Shak Mamedyarov |
1-0
|
Pavel Eljanov |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0
|
Pentala Harikrishna |
Round 5 – May 30, 2016 |
Eltaj Safarli |
0-1
|
Anish Giri |
Fabiano Caruana |
1-0
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Shak Mamedyarov |
½-½
|
Rauf Mamedov |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0
|
Hou Yifan |
Pentala Harikrishna |
1-0
|
Pavel Eljanov |
Round 6 – June 1, 2016 |
Anish Giri |
½-½
|
Pavel Eljanov |
Hou Yifan |
½-½
|
Pentala Harikrishna |
Rauf Mamedov |
½-½
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½
|
Shak Mamedyarov |
Eltaj Safarli |
½-½
|
Fabiano Caruana |
Round 8 – June 3, 2016 |
Anish Giri |
-
|
Hou Yifan |
Rauf Mamedov |
-
|
Pavel Eljanov |
Teimour Radjabov |
-
|
Pentala Harikrishna |
Eltaj Safarli |
-
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Fabiano Caruana |
-
|
Shak Mamedyarov |
|
|
Round 2 – May 27, 2016 |
Anish Giri |
1-0
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Pentala Harikrishna |
1-0
|
Shak Mamedyarov |
Pavel Eljanov |
0-1
|
Fabiano Caruana |
Hou Yifan |
½-½
|
Eltaj Safarli |
Rauf Mamedov |
½-½
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Round 4 – May 29, 2016 |
Anish Giri |
1-0
|
Pentala Harikrishna |
Pavel Eljanov |
½-½
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Hou Yifan |
½-½
|
Shak Mamedyarov |
Rauf Mamedov |
0-1
|
Fabiano Caruana |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½
|
Eltaj Safarli |
May 31, 2016
|
Free day
|
Round 7 – June 2, 2016 |
Fabiano Caruana |
½-½
|
Anish Giri |
Shak Mamedyarov |
1-0
|
Eltaj Safarli |
Sergey Karjakin |
½-½
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Pentala Harikrishna |
½-½
|
Rauf Mamedov |
Pavel Eljanov |
1-0
|
Hou Yifan |
Round 9 – June 4, 2016 |
Shak Mamedyarov |
-
|
Anish Giri |
Sergey Karjakin |
-
|
Fabiano Caruana |
Pentala Harikrishna |
-
|
Eltaj Safarli |
Pavel Eljanov |
-
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Hou Yifan |
-
|
Rauf Mamedov |
|
Live commentary on Playchess
Date |
Round |
English |
German |
03.6.2016 |
Round 8 |
Yasser Seirawan |
Klaus Bischoff |
04.6.2016 |
Round 9 |
Daniel King |
Klaus Bischoff |