Caruana wins double-edged encounter
Classical chess can be exciting. The recent FIDE World Cup and the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis provide plenty of evidence. At the last event of this year’s Grand Chess Tour, 17 out of 35 games have finished decisively, and the fans have ‘withstood’ no more than a few ‘grandmaster draws’. With two rounds to go, four players are fighting for first place, with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave the current sole leader.
These DVDs are about Understanding Middlegame Strategies. In the first DVD dynamic decisions involving pawns are discussed. The second DVD deals with decision making process concerning practical play.
MVL beat Jeffery Xiong’s Berlin Defence on Tuesday, thus scoring his fourth win — in four attempts — with the white pieces. The Frenchman will again get white in the penultimate round, when he will face one of the three players currently standing a half point behind: Wesley So.
So is joined in the chasing pack by Leinier Dominguez and Fabiano Caruana. The latter bounced back from his round-6 loss against Xiong by defeating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in a sharp tactical struggle.

In the chasing pack — Leinier Dominguez | Photo: Austin Fuller
Vachier-Lagrave and Xiong followed 14 moves of theory out of a Berlin Defence. Soon after, the American faltered by opening the h-file with his king still stuck in the centre.
Vachier-Lagrave vs. Xiong
After 18...hxg4 19.hxg4 g6 20.Rh1 Black cannot exchange the rooks, as White will get a big initiative by combining a potential infiltration along the h-file with the advancement of his central pawn mass. Xiong thus continued with 20...Rf8, another mistake — 20...Rg8 was a must for reasons that will quickly become clear, although Black was already in deep trouble.
Ever since the Kasparov-Kramnik WCh match (London 2000) players with the white pieces have been breaking their teeth biting on the Berlin Wall in the Ruy Lopez. The situation from White’s point of view has become precarious – ducking it is equivalent to capitulation, because in all alternative variations to the Berlin endgame White gives up from the start on the struggle for an opening advantage. White has to find ways to crack open Black’s defence. There is hardly any other grandmaster of his class who is as well known for his uncompromising and creative play as the Latvian Alexei Shirov.
21.f6 and Black’s dark-squared bishop is almost out of squares. There followed 21...Bb4 22.Ne4 Be6 23.c3 Bd5 (pinning the knight) 24.Kf3 Bd6
The piece has been trapped. Going for an immediate 25.exd6 was good enough for White, but MVL played the precise 25.c4 and went on to win the game four moves later. Putting a single foot wrong in the Berlin can be very costly.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3 Bd7 10.Rd1 Be7 11.Nc3 Ke8 11...Kc8 12.a4 a5 13.b3 b6 14.Ne2 c5 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Bf4 14...Rd8N 14...Be7 15.Kg2 Be6 16.f3 Rd8 17.b3 h6 18.Ne2 Bc5 19.Bg3 Ke7 20.Bh4+ g5 15.Kg2 Be7 16.Be3 a5 17.f4 h5 18.f5 hxg4 18...g6! 19.f6 Bb4 19.hxg4 g6 20.Rh1! Rf8 20...Rg8± 21.f6!+- Bb4 22.Ne4 Be6 23.c3 Bd5 24.Kf3 Bd6 25.c4 25.exd6 Kd7+- 25...Bxe4+ 26.Kxe4 Bb4 27.a3 Bd2 28.Bc5 Rg8 29.e6 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Vachier Lagrave,M | 2751 | Xiong,J | 2710 | 1–0 | 2021 | | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.5 |
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Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Jeffery Xiong | Photo: Austin Fuller
While MVL obtained a rather quick, devastating win, Mamedyarov and Caruana were battling hard in a time-trouble fuelled struggle. A principled player, Caruana created havoc on the board by (correctly) pushing his g-pawn on move 14.
White has prioritized keeping a strong pawn centre and the bishop pair, while Black got to grab the initiative on the kingside in return — thus 14...g5.
Caruana knew that he needed to make the most of his dynamic trumps, as he continued to create threat after threat while giving up two pawns on the kingside. Moreover, both players were already in time trouble 15 moves prior to reaching the control. Shakh erred on move 27.
The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.
With so many lines to calculate in so little time, we cannot blame the Azerbaijani for not finding why it was needed to play 27.Qf2 instead of 27.Qd1.
The game continued with 27...Bxd3 28.gxf6 Bxf1 29.Qg4+ (had White played 27.Qf2, he would have given this check from g3, which is an important detail in this line) Kh8 30.Rxf1 Rxf6
If the exact same variation had been played after 27.Qf2, White would have had 31.Be5 here, in fact getting a big advantage — of course, it is very likely that Caruana would not have entered this specific line.
In the game, there followed 31.Rf3 Rg8 32.Qh4 Qxb2, and Black, who was up material, had managed to stabilize the position. Six moves later, Mamedyarov ran out of threats and tricks, so he decided to resign.
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 d6 6.e4 b5 7.Bd2 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Nge2 exd5 9.cxd5 a6 10.0-0 7...Bxc3 8.Bxc3 b4 9.Bd2 0-0 10.Ne2 10...exd5N 10...Nh5 11.Be3 f5 12.dxe6 Bxe6 13.exf5 Rxf5 14.Qd2 Nd7 15.0-0-0 Qa5 16.Kb1 Bxc4 11.exd5 Nh5 12.Kf2 12.Qc2 Qh4+ 13.Kd1 Nd7 14.g4 Nhf6 15.Be1 12...f5 13.Nf4 13.a3= 13...Nxf4 13...Qh4+ 14.g3 Nxg3! 15.hxg3 Qxh1 14.Bxf4= g5 15.Bc1 Nd7 15...f4= 16.f4 16.h4! 16...Nf6 17.Kg1 Ne4 18.fxg5 f4 19.Bd3 Qe7 20.Qe2 Bf5 21.Bxf4 Qg7 22.Rf1 Bg6 23.h3 Rae8 24.Qc2 Qd4+ 25.Kh2 Rf7 26.Qe2 Nf6 27.Qd1 27.Qf2!= Bxd3 28.gxf6 Bxf1 29.Qg3+ Kh8 30.Rxf1 27...Bxd3 28.gxf6 Bxf1 29.Qg4+ Kh8 30.Rxf1 Rxf6 30...Qxf6 31.Qh5 31.Rf3? 31.b3 31...Rg8-+ 32.Qh4 Qxb2 33.Rg3 Rxg3 34.Bxg3 34.Qxg3 Rg6 35.Qf3 34...Qd4! 35.Qh5 Qe4 36.Qg5 36...Qg6 37.Qe3 Qf7 38.Qb3 Rg6 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | Caruana,F | 2806 | 0–1 | 2021 | | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.3 |
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Calculating — Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Austin Fuller
Earlier in the day, Svidler had scored his first win of the event. The 8-time Russian champion beat Dariusz Swiercz in 35 moves from the white side of a Spanish. Richard Rapport and Leinier Dominguez entered a sharp opening variation but were the first ones to sign a draw, while Wesley So got a slight advantage against Sam Shankland but could not make much of it in the late middlegame. The Filipino-born grandmaster confessed:
Standings after round 7
Rk. | | Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | n | | | | | | | | | | | TB | Perf. |
---|
1 | GM | | 2751 | | 5.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 14.00 | 2889 |
2 | GM | | 2758 | | 4.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 14.75 | 2842 |
3 | GM | | 2806 | | 4.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 14.50 | 2836 |
4 | GM | | 2772 | | 4.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 12.50 | 2836 |
5 | GM | | 2763 | | 3.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 12.50 | 2742 |
6 | GM | | 2710 | | 3.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 12.25 | 2695 |
7 | GM | | 2782 | | 3.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 10.00 | 2690 |
8 | GM | | 2709 | | 3.0 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 9.75 | 2707 |
9 | GM | | 2714 | | 2.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 6.75 | 2639 |
10 | GM | | 2655 | | 1.5 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | 4.50 | 2526 |
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger |
All games
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.h3 d6 7.c3 Ne7 8.Re1 Ng6 9.d4 Bb6 10.Bd3 10...d5N 10...h6 11.Be3 Nh5 12.Nbd2 Nhf4 13.Bf1 Qf6 14.Kh2 Re8 15.a4 a6 16.g3 exd4 17.cxd4 11.exd5 exd4 12.c4 c6 13.Qc2 cxd5 14.c5 Bc7 15.Nxd4 Re8 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 17.Nc3 Qe1+ 18.Bf1 Bd7 19.Qe2 Qxe2 20.Ndxe2 Rc8 21.Be3 Ne7 22.Rd1 a6 23.g4 Bc6 24.f3 h6 25.b4 Re8 26.Kf2 Bd7 27.Bf4 Bxf4 28.Nxf4 d4 28...Be6 29.Rxd4+- Nc6 30.Rd6 Nxb4 31.Rb6 a5 32.Rxb7 Bc6 33.Ra7 g5 34.Nd3 Rd8 35.Ne5 Rd2+ 36.Kg3 Rc2 37.a3! Nbd5 38.Nxd5 38.Nxc6?! Rxc3 39.Ne5 39.Rxa5 Ne4+ 40.Kh2 Nd2= 39...Ne4+ 40.Kh2 Nd2 38...Nxd5 39.Bd3 39.Rxf7 39...Ne3! 40.Rf8+ Kxf8 41.Ng6+ Kg7 42.Be2 Rxe2 43.h4 Nf1+ 44.Kh3 Rh2# 39.h4+- Be8 40.Rxa5 39...Rxc5± 40.Nxf7 40.Nxc6± Rxc6 41.Rxa5 40...Nf4!= 41.Bf5 Bd5 42.Ne5 42.Nxh6+ Kf8 43.Be4 Bxe4 44.fxe4 Rc3+ 45.Kf2 42...Rc3 43.Rxa5 Re3 44.Nd3 Rxf3+ 45.Kh2 Rxh3+ 46.Kg1 Rg3+ 47.Kf2 Rf3+ 48.Kg1 Rg3+ 49.Kf2 Rf3+ 50.Kg1 Rg3+ ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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So,W | 2772 | Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | ½–½ | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 1.1 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | Svidler,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2021 | E73 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 1.2 |
Xiong,J | 2710 | Rapport,R | 2763 | ½–½ | 2021 | E38 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 1.3 |
Caruana,F | 2806 | Shankland,S | 2709 | 1–0 | 2021 | A48 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 1.4 |
Swiercz,D | 2655 | Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | 0–1 | 2021 | C42 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 1.5 |
Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | Caruana,F | 2806 | ½–½ | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 2.1 |
Shankland,S | 2709 | Xiong,J | 2710 | ½–½ | 2021 | B38 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 2.2 |
Swiercz,D | 2655 | So,W | 2772 | 0–1 | 2021 | C67 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 2.3 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | ½–½ | 2021 | E60 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 2.4 |
Svidler,P | 2714 | Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | ½–½ | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 2.5 |
So,W | 2772 | Svidler,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2021 | A37 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 3.1 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | Rapport,R | 2763 | 1–0 | 2021 | D49 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 3.2 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | Shankland,S | 2709 | 1–0 | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 3.3 |
Xiong,J | 2710 | Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | ½–½ | 2021 | C47 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 3.4 |
Caruana,F | 2806 | Swiercz,D | 2655 | 1–0 | 2021 | B30 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 3.5 |
Swiercz,D | 2655 | Xiong,J | 2710 | 1–0 | 2021 | B96 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 4.1 |
Caruana,F | 2806 | So,W | 2772 | ½–½ | 2021 | A33 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 4.2 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Svidler,P | 2714 | 1–0 | 2021 | D02 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 4.3 |
Shankland,S | 2709 | Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | 1–0 | 2021 | C65 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 4.4 |
Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | 1–0 | 2021 | B90 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 4.5 |
Svidler,P | 2714 | Shankland,S | 2709 | ½–½ | 2021 | B90 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 5.1 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | Swiercz,D | 2655 | 1–0 | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 5.2 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | ½–½ | 2021 | D27 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 5.3 |
Xiong,J | 2710 | Caruana,F | 2806 | 1–0 | 2021 | D02 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 5.4 |
So,W | 2772 | Rapport,R | 2763 | ½–½ | 2021 | C67 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 5.5 |
Caruana,F | 2806 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | ½–½ | 2021 | B90 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 6.1 |
Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | Svidler,P | 2714 | ½–½ | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 6.2 |
Xiong,J | 2710 | So,W | 2772 | ½–½ | 2021 | D02 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 6.3 |
Shankland,S | 2709 | Rapport,R | 2763 | ½–½ | 2021 | C45 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 6.4 |
Swiercz,D | 2655 | Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | ½–½ | 2021 | C67 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 6.5 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | ½–½ | 2021 | D23 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.1 |
So,W | 2772 | Shankland,S | 2709 | ½–½ | 2021 | A20 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.2 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | Caruana,F | 2806 | 0–1 | 2021 | E20 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.3 |
Svidler,P | 2714 | Swiercz,D | 2655 | 1–0 | 2021 | C88 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.4 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | Xiong,J | 2710 | 1–0 | 2021 | C67 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 7.5 |
Xiong,J | 2710 | Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | ½–½ | 2021 | D32 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 8.1 |
Caruana,F | 2806 | Svidler,P | 2714 | ½–½ | 2021 | C54 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 8.2 |
Swiercz,D | 2655 | Rapport,R | 2763 | ½–½ | 2021 | D02 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 8.3 |
Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | So,W | 2772 | ½–½ | 2021 | C67 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 8.4 |
Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | Shankland,S | 2709 | ½–½ | 2021 | B90 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 8.5 |
Shankland,S | 2709 | Swiercz,D | 2655 | ½–½ | 2021 | A11 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 9.1 |
Mamedyarov,S | 2782 | Vachier-Lagrave,M | 2751 | ½–½ | 2021 | D85 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 9.2 |
So,W | 2772 | Dominguez Perez,L | 2758 | ½–½ | 2021 | D27 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 9.3 |
Svidler,P | 2714 | Xiong,J | 2710 | ½–½ | 2021 | C55 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 9.4 |
Rapport,R | 2763 | Caruana,F | 2806 | ½–½ | 2021 | B44 | GCT Sinquefield Cup 2021 | 9.5 |
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