Tal Memorial Rd1 – A feeling of déjà vu

by ChessBase
11/16/2011 – It is a historic first with four players rated 2800 participating: Carlsen, Anand, Aronian, and Kramnik, followed by Ivanchuk, Karjakin, Nakamura, Gelfand, Svidler, and Nepomniachtchi. In the first round Kramnik lost to Nepomniachtchi, and while the top seeds failed to impress, Ivanchuk was also first to score, against Svidler. Illustrated report and analysis by GM Alejandro Ramirez

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Sixth Tal Memorial in Moscow

This event is a ten-player round robin event, is taking place from November 16th to 25th in Moscow, Russia. Time control: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one.

Round 1: Wednesday November 16, 2011
Levon Aronian
½ ½
Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
0-1
Ian Nepomniachtchi  
Vassily Ivanchuk
1-0
Peter Svidler
Vishy Anand
½ ½
Sergey Karjakin
Hikaru Nakamura
½ ½
Boris Gelfand

Round one


The stage as filmed by the Russian Federation's high-definition coverage.


Showing some unexpected diversity in their shots, the camera crew are no longer
just focused on just 45 degree angles of the board with the occasional close-up.


This year includes camera shots from all sides, including straight above! We love it.

The sixth Tal Memorial has just started and is remarkable in more ways than one. The foremost and most obvious is the presence of all four 2800 players: Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Levon Aronian, and Vladimir Kramnik, accompanied by an all-star field with Vassily Ivanchuk, Sergey Karjakin, Hikaru Nakamura, Peter Svidler, and Ian Nepomniachtchi. The presence of both Anand and Gelfand is also noteworthy considering they will meet each other in a match for the world championship quite soon, and as such one would have expected them to avoid playing in the same tournaments until then.


In the gorgeous playing hall, recently renovated, the audience fills in


As things settle down, so do the players, sinking into deep concentration

With such an illustrious field, and so many remarkable players all renowned for their fighting spirit, it is anyone's guess who will be at the top of the leaderboard when the dust settles after the final round. That said, the start of the tournament bears an uncanny resemblance to the start of the Grand Slam Masters in São Paulo one month ago. Just as in the start of the that same event, none of the top seeds were able to stamp their authority. And just as then, it was an ‘underdog’ who drew first blood.


Vishy Anand may not have been displaying his greatest chess, but this is to be
expected as he maintains some playing rhythm prior to his title defense.

The World Champion and Karjakin played a quiet and unremarkable game that ended in an equally quiet and unremarkable draw. Nakamura and Gelfand also drew after an uneventful game, and though Nakamura is hardly the kind of player to draw without attempting to shake things up first, he was unable to break the equilibrium.


Last year Hikaru came in close second. One better this time?


Gelfand also staying active while he prepares for his first world championship challenge

The first game to end with a decisive result was between Kramnik, until now displaying great form and great ambition, and Nepomniachtchi, fresh from a breakthrough year in 2010. Kramnik wasn't himself and seemed to lose his focus.


Admittedly difficult to stay completely focused with so many distractions...


Ian Nepomniachtchi couldn't ask for a better start than a black win over Kramnik

Ian was only too happy to exploit the ex-world champion’s lackadaisical play, posing difficulties possibly when Vladimir felt he clear of any possible danger. The young Russian proceeded to exploit his advantage and not only started the tournament with a win, but one against his country's greatest player.


GM Daniel King provides commentary on Kramnik-Nepomniachtchi on Playchess


One must say this much of Magnus, he doesn't dress meekly


After breaking into the 2800 club, Aronian has shown it wasn't a
one-time deal as he has kept close behind Anand and Carlsen.


Ivanchuk overlooks Carlsen's game. Will he avenge his Grand Slam Masters loss?

Aronian and Carlsen played a juicy affair which had chess fans on the edges of their seats until the very end. Both players played ambitiously and energetically yet after the first skirmishes it was the Armenian who held the edge. The young Norwegian teetered on the edge of the cliff but was spared a dastardly end when Levon blundered, missing a chance to open his account with a win over the world number one.


Svidler finally lost, but being only the first round, has plenty of time to recover


Ivanchuk is showing he has an uncanny ability to deliver when no one is looking his way

The last game of the round to end was between Vassily Ivanchuk, the greatest chess junkie in the elite, and the reigning six-time Russian champion, Peter Svidler, also enjoying an incredible run of undefeated games. The Ukrainian played a brilliant game against Svidler and it only took a miniscule mistake for him to wield his extraordinary technique and squeeze out yet another win worthy of inclusion in future textbooks.

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1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.a3 d6 7.0-0 Nge7 This solid setup for Black has a great deal of value and is an interesting way of meeting the English opening. 8.b4 This pawn is completely poisoned, but the queenside expansion doesn't guarantee White an advantage. Black must be swift though, or he will be crushed strategically. 8.Ne1 with the idea of Nc2-e3 is a common idea in this position, but White would definitely omit a3 in that case. 8...e4 9.Ne1 f5 10.Bb2 0-0 11.d3 Be6 12.dxe4 12.Rb1!? is Let's Check's recommendation. The game seems highly unstable, but I'd prefer White. 12...fxe4 13.Bxe4 Bxc4 This strange looking position is actually not new. It's hard to say exactly what is going on in this position, but let's give it a try. Black dreams of pushing forward his d-pawn, causing problems for the white pieces which currently hold the center. Black has a nagging pin on the long dark diagonal. On the other hand, White's pawn structure is slightly healthier. The next few moves are very key to determine who will win the opening battle. 14.Nc2?! The first new move of the game doesn't seem to be particularly successful. The move does little to impair the advance of the d-pawn. 14.Nd3 had been tried before. d5 15.Bg2 Bxd3 16.exd3 16.Qxd3!? c4 17.Qd1 d4 18.Ne4 and the pair of bishops does cause the central push some problems. 16...cxb4 17.axb4 Nxb4 18.Qb3 a5 19.Ba3 and White had some compensation for the pawn, but it's not clear how much in Zubarev-Borovikov, Ukraine ch 2008. Notice the recurring theme of the advancing central pawns. 14.bxc5 dxc5 15.Nd3 Nd4! Gives Black a lot of activity, although the position is still incredibly murky. 14...d5 15.Bg2 d4?! Nepo goes for the throat. It was possible to hold the center for a little longer. 15...b6 and Black's position must be preferable. His strong pawn center and greater activity can't be understimated, and White doesn't have a clear next move. 16.Ne3? d4 17.Nxc4 dxc3 is atrocious for White. 16.Ne4 16.Na4? b6! 17.bxc5? b5-+ is a nice trick. 16...Bxe2 I don't think any other move made sense after having played d4 so soon, but who will come up on top from the tactical melee? 17.Qxe2 d3 18.Qg4 Bxb2 19.Rad1 Qc8 20.Qxc8 Raxc8 21.Rxd3 cxb4 22.axb4 Rcd8 The dust has cleared somewhat and it seems clear that Black got no advantage from the tactical operations. However he isn't worse either, the game actually looks drawish because of the opposite colored bishops. Surely nothing wrong could happen to Kramnik here. 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.Rb1 24.b5 was more precise, since now Black does not have Nd4, it forces the N to a5 where it would be quite uncomfortable.. Nd4 25.Rb1 24...Bg7 25.h4 b5 26.Bf1 a6 27.Nc5?! This is the start of Vlad's downfall. He allows Ian to gather a strong initiative. It would've been safer to simply play... 27.Bh3 and keep an eye on d2. 27...Rd2 28.Ne3 Bd4 29.Ne4?! Backtracking, but it is too late... 29.Nxa6 Ne5 30.Bxb5 Nf5 and for all of White's extra material his position is very, very dicey. White might not be lost immediately but it seems incredibly frightening to play this over the board. 29...Rb2 30.Rxb2 Bxb2 31.Nc2 Nd5 The b4 pawn is lost, and the endgame is most unpleasant. The opposite colored bishops is the only thing giving White any hope for a draw. 32.Nc5 Ndxb4 33.Nxb4 Nxb4 34.Nd3 34.Nxa6!? Nxa6 35.Bxb5 Nc5 36.Kg2 I'm not 100% sure on how easy it is to break down this fortress. I do remember that it is not easy to coordinate an attack on the white pawns, since Black's bishop is the wrong color and the bishops can never be forced to be traded for each other. I guess Vlad didn't see a need for this though. 34...Nxd3 35.Bxd3 It seems that the opposite colored bishops scream DRAW out the door. However things are not so easy just yet. Kf7 36.f4 36.h5 gxh5 37.Bxh7 a5 38.Bd3 b4 is just hopeless, the B must guard the pawns for as long as possible. 36...Ke6 37.Kf2 Kd5 38.Ke2 Kc5 39.Kd2? This is not the losing move, but the idea is already incorrect. Kramnik should've immediately forced the liquidation of the kingside. 39.f5 would have drawn. gxf5 39...a5 40.fxg6 hxg6 40...a4 41.Bf5 a3 42.Be6 hxg6 43.Kd3 41.Bxg6 a4 42.Kd3= 40.Bxf5 a5 40...h6 41.g4 b4 41...Bf6 42.g5 hxg5 43.hxg5 Bxg5 44.Kd3 and the Bishop will keep the pawns attacked from behind, preventing Black from ever making any progress as he cannot go "around" the pawns. 42.Be6 a5 43.g5 a4 44.Bd7 is a simple draw. 41.Bxh7 a4 42.Kd3 Be5 43.Bf5 Bxg3 44.Bd7= 39...a5 40.f5? White has played very standard so far. He is trying to get rid of all the king-side pawns, but first he brought his king to catch the queenside pawns. It is hard to believe that such simple logic would failed so hard. 40.g4 a4 41.Bc2 Might still hold, but it isn't as easy. 40...a4-+ 40...gxf5? Transposes to the previous line 41.Bxf5 h6 42.g4 Bf6 43.g5 hxg5 44.hxg5 Bxg5+ 45.Kc2 a4 46.Bd7 41.Bc2? White has played very standard so far. He is trying to get rid of all the kingside pawns, but first he brought his king to catch the queenside pawns. It is hard to believe that such simple logic would fail so hard. 41.fxg6 b4! Must have been what Kramnik missed originally. Black isn't forced to retake on g6 since the bishop is neatly controlling the White pawns. On the other side of the spectrum, no one is able to catch the queenside pawns anymore. 42.gxh7 42.Bc2 b3 43.Bxb3 axb3 44.gxh7 Kb4!-+ 42...Bc3+ 43.Ke3 a3-+ 41...a3 42.Bb1 gxf5 Now that the kingside pawns cannot be exchanged, black is able to create two passers in opposite flanks, overburdening the K and the B. 43.Kc2 Kb4 44.Ba2 Be5 45.Be6 a2 45...h5 was slightly easier. 46.Bxa2 Bxg3 47.h5 h6 48.Kd3 Ka3 49.Bd5 b4 50.Kc2 Be5 51.Bb3 f4 52.Bd5 Bf6 53.Kb1 b3 Black will now proceed to swing the K to aid the f-pawn after cementing the pawn on b2; there is nothing White can do about it. There is a saying that it takes more than one minor mistake to lose a chess game. Kramnik erred several times, and although he almost scraped a draw, he just erred one time too many. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kramnik,V2800Nepomniachtchi,I27300–12011A376th Tal Memorial
Ivanchuk,V2765Svidler,P27551–02011D806th Tal Memorial1
Aronian,L2802Carlsen,M2826½–½2011E156th Tal Memorial1
Nakamura,H2758Gelfand,B2744½–½2011D376th Tal Memorial1
Anand,V2811Karjakin,S2763½–½2011E326th Tal Memorial1

Pictures by Yana Melnikova and the Russian Chess Federation

Playchess commentator schedule

Date
Commentator
16.11.2011
Daniel King
17.11.2011
Dejan Bojkov
19.11.2011
Robert Ris
20.11.2011
Lawrence Trent
21.11.2011
Sam Collins
22.11.2011
Free day
23.11.2011
Robert Ris
24.11.2011
Dejan Bojkov
25.11.2011
Daniel King

Schedule and Results

Round 1: Wednesday November 16, 2011
Levon Aronian
½ ½
Magnus Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik
0-1
Ian Nepomniachtchi  
Vassily Ivanchuk
1-0
Peter Svidler
Vishy Anand
½ ½
Sergey Karjakin
Hikaru Nakamura
½ ½
Boris Gelfand
Round 2: Thursday, November 17, 2011
Magnus Carlsen
  Boris Gelfand
Sergey Karjakin
  Hikaru Nakamura
Peter Svidler
  Vishy Anand
Ian Nepomniachtchi
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Levon Aronian
  Vladimir Kramnik
Round 3: Friday, November 18, 2011
Vladimir Kramnik
  Magnus Carlsen
Vassily Ivanchuk
  Levon Aronian
Vishy Anand
  Ian Nepomniachtchi
Hikaru Nakamura
  Peter Svidler
Boris Gelfand
  Sergey Karjakin
Round 4: Saturday, November 19, 2011
Magnus Carlsen
  Sergey Karjakin
Peter Svidler
  Boris Gelfand
Ian Nepomniachtchi
  Hikaru Nakamura
Levon Aronian
  Vishy Anand
Vladimir Kramnik
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Round 5: Sunday, November 20, 2011
Vassily Ivanchuk
  Magnus Carlsen
Vishy Anand
  Vladimir Kramnik
Hikaru Nakamura
  Levon Aronian
Boris Gelfand
  Ian Nepomniachtchi
Sergey Karjakin
  Peter Svidler
Round 6: Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Magnus Carlsen
  Peter Svidler
Ian Nepomniachtchi
  Sergey Karjakin
Levon Aronian
  Boris Gelfand
Vladimir Kramnik
  Hikaru Nakamura
Vassily Ivanchuk
  Vishy Anand
Round 7: Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Vishy Anand
  Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Boris Gelfand
  Vladimir Kramnik
Sergey Karjakin
  Levon Aronian
Peter Svidler
  Ian Nepomniachtchi
Round 8: Thursday, November 24, 2011
Magnus Carlsen
  Ian Nepomniachtchi
Levon Aronian
  Peter Svidler
Vladimir Kramnik
  Sergey Karjakin
Vassily Ivanchuk
  Boris Gelfand
Vishy Anand
  Hikaru Nakamura
Round 9: Friday, November 25, 2011
Hikaru Nakamura
  Magnus Carlsen
Boris Gelfand
  Vishy Anand
Sergey Karjakin
  Vassily Ivanchuk
Peter Svidler
  Vladimir Kramnik
Ian Nepomniachtchi
  Levon Aronian

Links

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