Sinquefield Cup: So beats Rapport

Tactical shots all around

A decisive result was finally seen at the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis. Wesley So’s win over Richard Rapport was not the only exciting game of round 4, though. Anish Giri, for example, showed razor-sharp opening preparation in his game against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, while Alireza Firouzja almost managed to take down Leinier Dominguez in a double-edged struggle.

So is now the sole leader with 2½/4 points, as he is set to face Dominguez with black in the last round before the rest day. Resting on Saturday will be Fabiano Caruana, who was supposed to face Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the fifth round.

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Let us not forget that Giri and So are fighting to climb up the leaderboard in the FIDE Circuit, which grants a spot in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. Also with chances to clinch this spot is Dommaraju Gukesh, who will participate in the London Chess Classic next week.

Anish Giri | Photo: Lennart Ootes

So 1 - 0 Rapport

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

So, Wesley2752

1–0

Rapport, Richard2748

GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023 Saint Louis24.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.f3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.Rb1 9.Nc1!? 9...h5

Very creative play by Richard Rapport! This gains space, stops g4 and opens the h7 square for Black's pieces. 10.b4 Nh7 11.d5 Ne5 12.Nd4 Rc8 13.Be2 c5 14.dxc6 Bxc6 15.Rc1 Bd7 The bishop goes out of the way, so that Black can start counterplay. 16.Nd1 b5 17.Nb2 17.cxb5 is answered by Rxc1 18.Qxc1 axb5 19.0-0 Qa8= 17...Nxc4?! This activates White's sleeping knight on b2. 17...Qc7 18.0-0 Qb8= was called for. 18.Nxc4 e5?! 18...bxc4 19.Bxc4 e5 20.Ne2 Bb5 is a more precise order of moves. 19.Nb3?! 19.Nxb5!? Bxb5 19...axb5?! 20.Nxd6+- 20.0-0 is favored by the engines. 19...bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rxc4?

This goes too far as an exchange is too much material. 20...Bb5 was called for, e.g. 21.Bxb5 Rxc1+ 22.Nxc1 axb5 23.0-0 Qa8 24.Ne2 24.Qxd6 Rc8 24...Rc8 25.Nc3 Nf6 26.Nxb5 d5 with good compensation for the pawn in both cases. 21.Rxc4 Bb5 22.Rc1 22.Rc2!? might even be more precise and is favored by the engines. 22...d5? In the end this just activates White. The direct 22...Qh4+ gives more play, but one way to solve the problem of White's king is 23.Kd1 Qe7 24.Kc2 and Black does not have enough compensation. 23.Qxd5 Qh4+ 24.g3 Qf6?! 24...Qh3!? poses more practical problems for White, but is also not sufficient. 25.Kf2! The king is quite safe here. Rd8 25...g5 is answered by 26.Rhd1 g4 27.f4 Ng5 28.Qxe5 Qxe5 29.fxe5 Nxe4+ 30.Kg2 Bxe5 31.Bd4+- 26.Qb7 Rd3 27.Qb6!

Without queens Black's attack peters out. 27...Qxb6 27...Rd6 is met by 28.Qb8+ Nf8 29.Rhd1+- 28.Bxb6 Ng5 28...Bh6 29.Rc8+ Kg7 30.h4+- 29.h4 Rxf3+ Richard Rapport gives another exchange, but Wesley So's white rooks will reign supreme. 29...Nxf3 is met by 30.Rhd1 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Nh2 32.Rd8+ Kh7 33.Nc5 Ng4+ 34.Ke1 Bc4 35.a4+- 30.Kg2 Rxb3 31.axb3 Nxe4 32.Rhe1 Nd2 33.Rc8+ Kh7 34.Rc7 Kg8 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7 Kg8 37.Re3 37.Re3 e4 38.Rc2 Nf3 39.Rxe4+- 1–0

How to attack - principles of training

Most players prefer to attack rather than defend. But what is the correct way to do it? GM Dr Karsten Müller has compiled many rules and motifs to guide you, along with sharpening your intuition for the exceptions.

Richard Rapport | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Giri ½ - ½ Vachier-Lagrave

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Giri, Anish2752

½–½

Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime2734

GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023 Saint Louis24.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 a6 6.0-0 c5 7.Re1 Be7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nc3 Ke7 11.e4 b5 12.e5 Ng4 13.Ne4 Bb4 14.Bg5+ f6 15.exf6+ gxf6 16.Bd5!

White maximises the pressure, but Black can defend. 16...Ra7 The alternatives 16...exd5 17.Nxf6+ Bxe1 18.Rxe1+ Kf7 19.Nxg4 Nc6 16...Bxe1 17.Bxa8 Bxf2+ 18.Nxf2 Nxf2 19.Bxf6+ Kxf6 20.Kxf2 Bd7 are playable as well. 17.Bd2 Bxd2 18.Nexd2 Rc7 19.h3 Nh6 20.Bxe6 Bxe6 21.Nd4 Rc6! The only defense, but it should hold. 22.Nxc6+ Nxc6 23.Rac1 23.Ne4 is the alternative. 23...Rc8 24.f4?! 24.Rc5!? creates more pressure. 24...Nf5!

A strong counterblow based on precise calculation. 25.Rc5 Black's point is that 25.g4 can be met by Nfd4 26.f5 Ne5= 25...Nfd4 26.Rh5 26.Ne4 can even be met by Bxa2= 26...Kf7 27.Rxh7+ Kg6 28.Rb7 Nd8 29.Rb6 Rc2 30.Ne4 30.Nf1!?= was the alternative. 30...N8c6 31.Rxa6? 31.Re3 was called for, e.g. Bd5 32.Nc3 Rxg2+ 33.Kf1 Nb4 34.Nxd5 Nxd5 35.Kxg2 Nxe3+ 36.Kg3= 31...Rxb2?

This is too greedy. Often such a fight is more about harmony and coordination of the minor men than about material. 31...Bd5 was called for and wins in the long run, e.g. 32.Ra3 32.b3 Kf5 33.Nf2 Ne2+ 34.Kf1 Nxf4-+ 32...Ne2+ 33.Rxe2 33.Kf1 Ncd4 34.Nd6 Rxb2-+ Only now the pawn should be taken. 33...Rxe2 34.Rg3+ Kf5 35.Nc3 Rd2-+ 32.f5+ Bxf5 32...Kxf5?! is met by 33.Nd6+ Kg5 34.Rxc6 Nxc6 35.Rxe6= 33.Nd6 Bxh3?!

This forces a draw directly. With 33...Bd3 34.Re3 Bb1 or 33...Bd7 Black can play on, but now it should not win anymore. 34.gxh3 Nf3+ 35.Kf1 Nh2+ 36.Kg1 Nf3+ 37.Kf1 Nh2+ 38.Kg1 Nf3+ ½–½

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Firouzja ½ - ½ Dominguez

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

Firouzja, Alireza2777

½–½

Dominguez Perez, Leinier2745

GCT 10th Sinquefield Cup 2023 Saint Louis24.11.2023[Mueller,Karsten]

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 c5 5.Nbd2 Nc6 6.c3 cxd4 7.exd4 Nh5 8.Be3 Bd6 9.Bb5 Nf4 10.0-0 Ng6 11.Bd3 0-0 12.Ng5 h6 13.Ngf3 Nce7 14.Re1 Bd7 15.Nf1 Rc8 16.a4 f6 17.Qb3 Bc6 18.Bd2 Qd7 18...e5 is favored by the engines. 19.h4 Rce8?! 19...Nf5 is favored by the engines. 20.h5 Nf4 21.Bxf4 Bxf4 22.Bb1 Bc7 23.Qc2 Kf7?! 23...f5 is more solid. 24.Ng3?! 24.b4 a6 25.Nh4 f5 26.Qe2 creates more pressure. 24...Rg8 25.b3 g6 26.Nh4 26.b4!? 26...f5 27.Nf3 27.Qe2!? 27...gxh5 28.Nxh5 Rg4 29.Qd2 29.b4!? was an alternative. 29...Reg8 30.Qxh6 Rxg2+?!

This is very risky and the open roads can later be used by White. 30...R8g6= was safe. 31.Kf1!? The right king direction to the left. 31.Kh1 is met by R8g6 Now this is the right rook. 31...R2g6? runs into 32.Qh7+ Ke8 32...Kf8 33.Rg1+- 33.Nh4 Qd6 34.f4 Rg4 35.Nf6+ Kd8 36.Nxg8 Rxg8 37.Ng2 Bd7 38.Bd3+- 32.Qh7+ Kf8 33.Nf6 Qd6 34.Ne5 Qxe5 35.dxe5 d4 36.Be4 fxe4 37.Nd7+ Ke8 38.Nf6+= 31...R2g6 Now this is the right rook. 32.Qh7+ Kf8 33.Bd3?! This is too slow. 33.Nh4!? gives White a strong attack, but Black can probably defend with very precise play: Rg1+ 34.Ke2 Rxe1+ 35.Kxe1 Rg1+ 36.Kd2 Ng8 37.Ng6+ Rxg6 38.Qxg6 Qe7 39.Bxf5 Be8 40.Qxe6 Bxh5 and Black should be able to hold. 33...Nc8! This forces the exchange of queens and so Black's defense is safe. 34.Qxd7 Bxd7 35.Ne5 Bxe5 36.dxe5 Rh8 37.Nf6 Bc6 38.Ke2 Ne7?! 38...Rgh6!? creates more pressure, but should not win, e.g. 39.b4 Ne7 40.b5 Be8 41.c4= 39.Rh1

This neutralises Black's pressure. 39...Rgh6 40.Rxh6 Rxh6 41.f4 Ng6 42.Rf1! Rh4 43.Ke3 Rh3+ 44.Kd4 Rh4 45.Ke3 Rh3+ 46.Kd4 Rh4 47.Ke3 ½–½

Calculation Training for 1400-1600 players

Mastering these tactical motifs is essential to deepen your understanding of the game and become a better player. After all, you neither want to overlook the given chances by your opponent, nor blunder yourself!

Alireza Firouzja | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Standings after round 4

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Links

• Grand Chess Tour website
• Race for the Candidates: Four Two places still up for grabs
• Alireza Firouzja conquers Saint Louis! (2022)