St. Louis Rapid & Blitz: Caruana beats Dominguez and So, leads

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
8/13/2021 – Fabiano Caruana climbed to sole first place at the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Tournament after bouncing back from a loss against Sam Shankland with back-to-back victories over Leinier Dominguez and Wesley So on Thursday. Hikaru Nakamura is in sole second place after drawing all three of his games on day 2. | Photo: Bryan Adams

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Shankland the top scorer on day 2

About two weeks ago, Sam Shankland was knocked out of the World Cup by Sergey Karjakin. The former US champion almost made it into the semifinals, after eliminating the likes of Baadur Jobava and Peter Svidler, and even winning the first game against Karjakin. Given how well he had played, the result was understandably disappointing, although he had once again proven he is absolutely capable of facing the very best in the world on equal terms.

The Californian had a tough first day in Saint Louis, but he bounced right back, beating top seed Fabiano Caruana in round 4.

 
Caruana vs. Shankland - Round 4

Caruana found the right idea to break White’s bind in the centre and kingside, but he played it one move too early — instead of his 41...g5, he needed to start with 41...Qe5+, when in case of 42.Qg3, it is actually good to untangle with 42...g5.

Shankland’s initiative had increased, and he made the most of it, eventually infiltrating Black’s position along the dark squares.

 

45.Be4 was the losing blunder, as it allowed 45...Qe3 46.f5 Qh6 and there is no defence for Black. Resignation came five moves later.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Re1 now supersedes 7.Bb3. a6 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 8.a4 h6 9.h3 Re8 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Bxe6 Rxe6 12.b4 Ba7 13.Qc2 Qd7 14.Rb1 b5 15.Ra1 Ree8 16.Nf1 d5 17.Bd2 Rad8 18.Ng3
18...Qe6N Predecessor: 18...dxe4 19.dxe4 Qe6 20.Rec1 Qc4 21.Be1 Bb6 22.Nd2 Qd3 23.Qxd3 Rxd3 24.Nf3 bxa4 25.Rxa4 1/2-1/2 (40) Giri,A (2772)-Sethuraman, S (2618) Tbilisi 2017 19.Nf5 Kh8 20.g4 dxe4 21.dxe4 Qc4 22.Qa2! Qxa2 23.Rxa2 Rd3 24.Kg2 h5 24...Kh7= 25.g5± Ng8 26.axb5 axb5 27.c4 bxc4 28.b5 28.Rc1± Bb6 29.Rxc4 28...Nd4= 29.N3xd4 Bxd4 29...exd4?! 30.Rxa7 Rxd2 31.Rxc7± 30.Rc1 c3 31.Be1 g6 32.Ng3 f6 33.Kf1 Ke2 is the strong threat. Rf3 33...fxg5? 34.Ke2+- 34.Kg2 Rd3 35.Kf1 h4
Don't go for 35...fxg5? 36.Ke2+- 35...Rf3= keeps the balance. 36.Ke2!± Rd2+ 37.Bxd2 cxd2 38.Rxc7 Hoping for Nf1. hxg3 39.fxg3 fxg5 40.Rxd2 40.Ra6 Rb8 41.Rxg6 41.Kxd2 Rxb5 42.Ra8 Rb2+ 43.Kc1 Rb3 40...Nf6= The position is equal. 41.b6 Bxb6 Don't blunder 41...Nxe4? 42.b7+- 42.Rc6
Double Attack 42...Nxe4 Double Attack 43.Rxb6 Threatens to win with Rd7. Nxd2 44.Kxd2 Endgame KR-KR Kg7 45.Ke3 Ra8 46.Rb7+ Kh6 47.Re7 Ra3+ 48.Kf2 g4 49.hxg4 Ra5 50.Re6 Kg5 51.Kf3 Rb5 51...e4+ feels hotter. 52.Rxe4 Ra3+ 53.Kg2 Ra1 54.Re5+ Kxg4 55.Re4+ Kg5 52.Kf2 Rb2+ 53.Kf3 Rb3+ 54.Kf2 Kxg4 55.Rxg6+ Kf5 56.Ra6 Rb2+ 57.Ke3 Rb3+ 58.Kf2 Ke4 59.Ra4+ Kd3 60.Kf3 Kd2+ 60...Rb6 seems wilder. 61.Ra3+ Kd4 62.Kg4 Rf6 63.Ra4+ Ke3 61.Ke4 Strongly threatening g4. Re3+ 62.Kf5 aiming for g4. Rxg3 63.Kxe5 Rc3 64.Rd4+ Rd3 65.Rxd3+ Kxd3 Weighted Error Value: White=0.05/Black=0.09
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dominguez Perez,L2758So,W2772½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20214.1
Shankland,S2709Caruana,F28061–02021GCT St Louis Rapid 20214.2
Xiong,J2710Mamedyarov,S2782½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20214.3
Le,Q2709Nakamura,H2736½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20214.4
Rapport,R2763Svidler,P2714½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20214.5

Sam Shankland

Sam Shankland | Photo: Austin Fuller

Shankland’s win allowed Leinier Dominguez to grab the sole lead after drawing Wesley So with the white pieces. The Cuban-born grandmaster could not hold on to first place, though, as he was outplayed by Caruana in a strategic battle.

 
Caruana vs. Dominguez - Round 5

White’s spatial advantage is crucial in this closed position, a factor which was masterly taken advantage of by Caruana, who followed with 33.Bd1 Qc7 34.Ba4 Rxa5 35.hxg5

 

Black cannot capture the bishop on a4 with either piece due to fxg6+, Qxh6 which wins for White. Notwithstanding, after 35...hxg5 36.Qh2, Caruana still left his bishop undefended, since he correctly assessed that the infiltration along the h-file was decisive. Dominguez threw in the towel shortly after.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.0-0 h6 6.a4 C50: Hungarian Defence and Giuoco Pianissimo. a5
7.Be3N Predecessor: 7.c3 0-0 8.Re1 Re8 9.Na3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.d4 exd4 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.Bxd5 dxc3 1/2-1/2 (59) Della Morte,G (2528)-Eden,J (2350) Chess.com INT 2020 7...Bxe3 8.fxe3 The position is equal. 0-0 9.Nc3 d6 10.d4 Bg4 11.Qd2 Bh5 12.Qf2 Ng4 13.Qe1 Nb4 14.Bb3 Kh8 15.h3 Nf6 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Nxe5 Qe7 18.Qg3 Rae8 19.Rf5 Kh7 20.Raf1 20.Nc4!± Bg6 21.Re5 21.Rxa5 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Bxe4 20...Bg6 Black puts up resistance 21.Nxg6 fxg6 22.Rxa5 22.R5f3= keeps the balance. 22...Nxe4 22...c6! 23.Ra7 Rb8 23.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Black must now prevent Nf2. Qxe4 25.Rc5 Na6
25...Nc6! 26.Rc4!± Qe7 27.c3 27.Rf4± 27...Qe6!= 28.a5 Qf5+ 29.Kg1 Qb1+ 29...Rf8? 30.Rf4+- 30.Kh2 Hoping for Rd4. Qxb2 31.Ba4 c6 32.Bxc6 bxc6 33.Rxc6 Double Attack g5 34.Qd6 Intending Qg6+ and mate. Qc2 35.Rxa6 Qd4 is the strong threat. Rxe3 Endgame KQR-KQR 36.Ra7? 36.Qd4= Qf2 37.Qg4 36...Qf5? Better is 36...Qf2-+ ( -> ...Rxh3+!) 37.Qd4 Qg3+ 38.Kh1 Re1+ 39.Qg1 Rxg1+ 40.Kxg1 Qe3+ Double Attack 41.Kh2 Qxa7 42.Kg3 Qxa5 43.Kf3 Qd5+ 44.Kf2 Qd2+ 45.Kf3 Qd3+ 46.Kf2 Kg6 47.Kg1 Kf5 48.Kf2 Qxc3 49.Kg1 g4 50.hxg4+ Kxg4 51.Kh2 Qd2 52.Kh1 Kg3 53.Kg1 Qxg2# 37.Qd4± Double Attack Qe5+ 38.Qxe5 Rxe5 KR-KR 39.a6 39.Ra8± Re3 40.Rc8 39...Rc5+- 40.Rb7? 40.Ra8+- Threatens to win with a7. Rxc3 41.a7 40...Rxc3= 41.a7 Ra3 42.Kg1 Kg6 43.Kf2 h5 44.Ke2 aiming for Kd2. h4? 44...Kh6= 45.Kd2 Kf5? 45...Kf6 46.Kc2 Ke5 46.Rxg7+- White is clearly winning. Ke4 47.Kc2 Kf4 48.Kb2 Ra6 49.Kb3 Ke3
50.Rf7! Kd4 51.Kb4 Ra1 52.Kb5 Kd5 53.Kb6 Kd6 54.Kb7 Rb1+ 55.Kc8 Ra1 56.Kb8 Kd5 White used his chance. Weighted Error Value: White=0.44/Black=0.29
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Svidler,P2714Le,Q27091–02021GCT St Louis Rapid 20215.1
Nakamura,H2736Xiong,J2710½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20215.2
Mamedyarov,S2782Shankland,S27090–12021GCT St Louis Rapid 20215.3
So,W2772Rapport,R2763½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20215.4
Caruana,F2806Dominguez Perez,L27581–02021GCT St Louis Rapid 20215.5

Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Tournament 2021

The playing hall | Photo: Austin Fuller

Wins for Shankland and Peter Svidler were also seen in round 5, while Hikaru Nakamura showed excellent defensive skills to save a half point against Jeffery Xiong. Naka went on to draw Shankland in the final round of the day to go into the third day of action in sole second place as the only player who remains undefeated so far in the tournament.

Meanwhile, Caruana beat So after the latter, in untypical fashion, blundered a piece in one move. The other decisive result of the day saw Shakhriyar Mamedyarov beating Dominguez with the black pieces.

 
Dominguez vs. Mamedyarov - Round 6

Dominguez resigned here, with a fully inoperative rook stuck on a2. 

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 h6 5.c3 Nf6 6.b4 Be7 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 d6
The position is equal. 9.a4N Predecessor: 9.Nbd2 Nh7 10.a4 Ng5 11.b5 Nb8 12.d4 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.Be2 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Bxf3 16.Nxf3 1/2-1/2 (68) So,W (2770) -Carlsen,M (2847) chess24.com INT 2021 9...Nb8 10.Bb3 c6 11.Nbd2 a5 12.b5 Nbd7 13.d4 cxb5 14.axb5 exd4 15.cxd4 Nb6! 16.Ba3 a4 17.Bc2 Be6 18.h3 d5 19.e5 Nh5 20.g3 20.Qe2 20...Bxa3= 21.Rxa3 Qe7 22.Ree3 Rfc8 23.Nh4
23.h4= keeps the balance. 23...g6! Don't play 23...Bxh3 24.Nf5 24.Nf5? gxf5 Weighted Error Value: White=0.53/Black=0.03
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2772Caruana,F28060–12021GCT St Louis Rapid 20216.1
Dominguez Perez,L2758Mamedyarov,S27820–12021GCT St Louis Rapid 20216.2
Rapport,R2763Le,Q2709½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20216.3
Shankland,S2709Nakamura,H2736½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20216.4
Xiong,J2710Svidler,P2714½–½2021GCT St Louis Rapid 20216.5

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Photo: Lennart Ootes


Standings after round 6 (Win = 2 points; Draw = 1 point)

Rk.NameRtg.Nt.Pts.n
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TBPerf.
1
2806
9.0
6
23.50
2922
2
2736
7.0
6
18.50
2788
3
2709
6.0
6
21.50
2770
4
2763
6.0
6
17.50
2733
5
2782
6.0
6
16.50
2723
6
2772
6.0
6
16.50
2743
7
2758
6.0
6
16.00
2757
8
2709
5.0
6
15.50
2705
9
2714
5.0
6
14.50
2694
10
2710
4.0
6
12.00
2636
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.

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