Tata 01: Many mistakes, many wins

by ChessBase
1/11/2014 – Only two draws were seen in the opening round of the 2014 Tata Steel tournament. Karjakin, Caruana, So and Nakamura all started with victories after taking advantage of their opponent's mistakes. Today's round was not marked by outplaying maneuvers as much as by self-destruction and mistakes. In some cases, rather obvious ones. Analysis and report of round one

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The 76th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament takes place from 10 to 26 January 2014. The top players will compete in two groups (previously there were three), with twelve players in each, instead of fourteen. The structure of the amateur tournaments remains unchanged. Both groups start on January 11th 2014, with all rounds starting at 13:30h (1:30 p.m.) local time, except for the last round on January 26th, which begins at 12:00h. Two rounds will be played in Amsterdam and Eindhoven and will start at 14:00. The time controls are 100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move.

The amateurs play in the same room as the Masters,
but there is a big divisor between the sections

Spectators watch from every angle possible

Round One

Group A: Round 1 - Saturday Jan. 11
Leinier Dominguez - Anish Giri
½-½
Loek van Wely - Sergey Karjakin
0-1
Pentala Harikrishna - Levon Aronian
½-½
Fabiano Caruana - Boris Gelfand
1-0
Richard Rapport - Wesley So
0-1
Hikaru Nakamura - Arkadij Naiditsch
1-0

Nakamura, Hikaru 1-0 Naiditsch, Arkadij
In what seemed to be an equal position, Naiditsch either blundered or overestimated the power of the pawns that he received as compensation for losing a knight. Nakamura played very precisely from then on and used the power of his extra bishop to convert into a victory.

Nakamura took advantage of his opponent's mistake and finished him off with surgical precision

Dominguez Perez, Leinier ½-½ Giri, Anish
A solid Berlin ended in a boring draw.

Van Wely, Loek 0-1 Karjakin, Sergey
Van Wely simplified into a slightly worse position in which Black's extra pawn gave him the only chances to win. The resulting rook endgame was still a draw, but yet another mistake allowed Karjakin to win. The Russian didn't do anything special in this game, he simply had to wait for Van Wely to err.

Van Wely was quite close to a draw today

Harikrishna, Pentala ½-½ Aronian, Levon
Even though Black's king was quickly placed on e6, Aronian was simply following a well known recommendation that gave him approximate equality. Harikrishna's powerful knight on e5 was offset by his weakness on d4, and it was hard for him to push his pawns on the kingside.

Harikrishna was unable to pose any serious problems to Aronian

Rapport, Richard 0-1 So, Wesley
Wesley's tight flight schedule, which made him arrive to the tournament only a few hours before the round, didn't prevent him from outplaying his opponent. Rapport's 1.b3 choice was probably not the best. These kinds of systems are acceptable against weak grandmasters, or as a surprise weapon in one game, but playing it consistently as Rapport has been doing recently will not net him anything from the opening. So was able to equalize without any problems. The game became interesting when White dominated the f-file and had a good knight on e4, but he was unable to do anything with it due to his terrible bishop on b2. Nearing time pressure So found an excellent breakthrough with 37...d5! and 38...e4! putting his opponent against the ropes. In a difficult position Rapport made a mistake and lost the game.

It seems unlikely that Rapport will continue to rely on 1.b3 in this tournament

Caruana took advantage of Gelfand's self-destruction

Daniel King analyses Caruana - Gelfand

Caruana, Fabiano 1-0 Gelfand, Boris

[Event "76th Tata Steel Chess Masters"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "2014.01.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Gelfand, Boris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2782"] [BlackElo "2777"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] [EventCountry "NED"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 {Gelfand goes back to the Najdorf Sicilian, probably expecting Caruana to have something ready against the Sveshnikov which Gelfand has been employing in recent times.} 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be3 h5 9. Nd5 Bxd5 10. exd5 Nbd7 11. Qd2 g6 (11... Qc7) 12. Be2 Bg7 13. O-O O-O 14. Rac1 {A hard to understand move. This must be Caruana's home preparation, though, as he spent only about a minute on this move.} (14. Na5 Rb8 15. c4 e4 16. f4 Ng4 17. Bxg4 hxg4 18. f5 Qh4 {was played in the game Leko-Wojtaszek from 2012. Eventually it ended in a draw, black has already obtained enough play in this position.}) 14... b6 {Gelfand avoids the b3 knight coming to a5, and at the same time stops a potential c4-c5.} 15. h3 $5 { White shifts to the kingside. The move is also useful because Black, like in the Leko-Wojtaszek game, sometimes plays e4 to try to force f4, weakening g4. This move takes care of that.} Re8 16. g4 hxg4 17. hxg4 Nh7 $2 {The start of a bad idea} (17... Nc5 {would have seriously put the question to White on how exactly he was going to proceed. g5 is not an option here.} 18. Kg2 Qd7 { already threatens to play e4.}) 18. g5 f5 (18... e4 19. f4 Bxb2 20. Rb1 Bg7 21. Nd4 {with excellent compensation for the pawn. White already has a pleasant advantage.}) 19. gxf6 Bxf6 20. Rf2 {Caruana's simple moves underline how weak Gelfand's kingside is. It is difficult to say how he planned to defend g6.} Bg5 21. Rg2 Bxe3+ 22. Qxe3 Ndf8 23. Bd3 Ra7 24. Rf1 Rf7 25. Qh6 Kh8 26. Nd2 Rf4 27. Rg4 b5 28. Ne4 {Black's position is already very unpleasant. It's difficult to find a move, he has no concrete plan, his king is weak and g6 and d6 are easily targetted.} Nd7 $4 {The pressure got to Gelfand and this simple blunder ends his misery.} 29. Rxg6 Rg8 30. Ng5 {A rough start for Gelfand, who will have to try to bounce back against Rapport tomorrow with White.} 1-0

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Challenger Section

Group B: Round 1 - Saturday Jan. 11
Etienne Goudriaan - Zhao Xue
0-1
Baadur Jobava - Jan-Krzysztof Duda
½-½
Merijn van Delft - Kayden Troff
0-1
Radek Wojtaszek - Dimitri Reinderman
0-1
Anna Muzychuk - Jan Timman
½-½
Ivan Saric - Benjamin Bok
½-½
Yu Yangyi - Sabino Brunello
0-1

China's number two woman and the World's number four
started the Challenger section with a win

The Challenger section started with a few surprises. Wojtaszek, one of the pre-tournament favorites, lost to Reinderman, whose new hair color must have shocked his opponent. Yu Yangyi, also one of the top players in the event, lost to Brunello. Both favorites lost with the white pieces which makes it even more unusual.

Muzychuk played a Spanish against Timman, who defended solidly and held a draw

The American IM Kayden Troff, the 2012 World Champion U-14, rated 2457, started strong with a win against Van Delft. The other win of the game was by Zhao Xue against Goudriaan. Interestingly in the Challengers all games that was decisive was won by black.

One of the big winners of today: Reinderman vanquished Wojtaszek

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Photos by Alina l'Ami

Schedule and results

Group A: Round 1 - Saturday Jan. 11
Leinier Dominguez - Anish Giri
½-½
Loek van Wely - Sergey Karjakin
0-1
Pentala Harikrishna - Levon Aronian
½-½
Fabiano Caruana - Boris Gelfand
1-0
Richard Rapport - Wesley So
0-1
Hikaru Nakamura - Arkadij Naiditsch
1-0
Group A: Round 2 - Sunday Jan. 12
Anish Giri - Arkadij Naiditsch  
Wesley So - Hikaru Nakamura  
Boris Gelfand - Richard Rapport  
Levon Aronian - Fabiano Caruana  
Sergey Karjakin - Pentala Harikrishna  
Leinier Dominguez - Loek van Wely  
Group A: Round 3 - Monday Jan. 13
Loek van Wely - Anish Giri  
Pentala Harikrishna - Leinier Dominguez  
Fabiano Caruana - Sergey Karjakin  
Richard Rapport - Levon Aronian  
Hikaru Nakamura - Boris Gelfand  
Arkadij Naiditsch - Wesley So  
Group A: Round 4 - Wednesday Jan. 15
Anish Giri - Wesley So  
Boris Gelfand - Arkadij Naiditsch  
Levon Aronian - Hikaru Nakamura  
Sergey Karjakin - Richard Rapport  
Leinier Dominguez - Fabiano Caruana  
Loek van Wely - Pentala Harikrishna  
Group A: Round 5 - Friday Jan. 17
Pentala Harikrishna - Anish Giri  
Fabiano Caruana - Loek van Wely  
Richard Rapport - Leinier Dominguez  
Hikaru Nakamura - Sergey Karjakin  
Arkadij Naiditsch - Levon Aronian  
Wesley So - Boris Gelfand  
Group A: Round 6 - Saturday Jan. 18
Anish Giri - Boris Gelfand  
Levon Aronian - Wesley So  
Sergey Karjakin - Arkadij Naiditsch  
Leinier Dominguez - Hikaru Nakamura  
Loek van Wely - Richard Rapport  
Pentala Harikrishna - Fabiano Caruana  
Group A: Round 7 - Sunday Jan. 19
Fabiano Caruana - Anish Giri  
Richard Rapport - Pentala Harikrishna  
Hikaru Nakamura - Loek van Wely  
Arkadij Naiditsch - Leinier Dominguez  
Wesley So - Sergey Karjakin  
Boris Gelfand - Levon Aronian  
Group A: Round 8 - Tuesday Jan. 21
Anish Giri - Levon Aronian  
Sergey Karjakin - Boris Gelfand  
Leinier Dominguez - Wesley So  
Loek van Wely - Arkadij Naiditsch  
Pentala Harikrishna - Hikaru Nakamura  
Fabiano Caruana - Richard Rapport  
Group A: Round 9 - Thursday Jan. 23
Richard Rapport - Anish Giri  
Hikaru Nakamura - Fabiano Caruana  
Arkadij Naiditsch - Pentala Harikrishna  
Boris Gelfand - Leinier Dominguez  
Wesley So - Loek van Wely  
Levon Aronian - Sergey Karjakin  
Group A: Round 10 - Saturday Jan. 25
Anish Giri - Sergey Karjakin  
Leinier Dominguez - Levon Aronian  
Loek van Wely - Boris Gelfand  
Pentala Harikrishna - Wesley So  
Fabiano Caruana - Arkadij Naiditsch  
Richard Rapport - Hikaru Nakamura  
Group A: Round 11 - Sunday Jan. 26
Hikaru Nakamura - Anish Giri  
Arkadij Naiditsch - Richard Rapport  
Wesley So - Fabiano Caruana  
Boris Gelfand - Pentala Harikrishna  
Levon Aronian - Loek van Wely  
Sergey Karjakin - Leinier Dominguez  

Grandmaster Group B

Group B: Round 1 - Saturday Jan. 11
Etienne Goudriaan - Zhao Xue
0-1
Baadur Jobava - Jan-Krzysztof Duda
½-½
Merijn van Delft - Kayden Troff
0-1
Radek Wojtaszek - Dimitri Reinderman
0-1
Anna Muzychuk - Jan Timman
½-½
Ivan Saric - Benjamin Bok
½-½
Yu Yangyi - Sabino Brunello
0-1
Group B: Round 2 - Sunday Jan. 12
Zhao Xue - Sabino Brunello  
Benjamin Bok - Yu Yangyi  
Jan Timman - Ivan Saric  
Dimitri Reinderman - Anna Muzychuk  
Kayden Troff - Radek Wojtaszek  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Merijn van Delft  
Etienne Goudriaan - Baadur Jobava  
Group B: Round 3 - Monday Jan. 13
Baadur Jobava - Zhao Xue  
Merijn van Delft - Etienne Goudriaan  
Radek Wojtaszek - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Anna Muzychuk - Kayden Troff  
Ivan Saric - Dimitri Reinderman  
Yu Yangyi - Jan Timman  
Sabino Brunello - Benjamin Bok  
Group B: Round 4 - Tuesday Jan. 14
Zhao Xue - Benjamin Bok  
Jan Timman - Sabino Brunello  
Dimitri Reinderman - Yu Yangyi  
Kayden Troff - Ivan Saric  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Anna Muzychuk  
Etienne Goudriaan - Radek Wojtaszek  
Baadur Jobava - Merijn van Delft  
Wednesday, Jan. 15 – Free day
Group B: Round 5 - Thursday Jan. 16
Merijn van Delft - Zhao Xue  
Radek Wojtaszek - Baadur Jobava  
Anna Muzychuk - Etienne Goudriaan  
Ivan Saric - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Yu Yangyi - Kayden Troff  
Sabino Brunello - Dimitri Reinderman  
Benjamin Bok - Jan Timman  
Group B: Round 6 - Friday Jan. 17
Zhao Xue - Jan Timman  
Dimitri Reinderman - Benjamin Bok  
Kayden Troff - Sabino Brunello  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Yu Yangyi  
Etienne Goudriaan - Ivan Saric  
Baadur Jobava - Anna Muzychuk  
Merijn van Delft - Radek Wojtaszek  
Group B: Round 7 - Saturday Jan. 18
Radek Wojtaszek - Zhao Xue  
Anna Muzychuk - Merijn van Delft  
Ivan Saric - Baadur Jobava  
Yu Yangyi - Etienne Goudriaan  
Sabino Brunello - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Benjamin Bok - Kayden Troff  
Jan Timman - Dimitri Reinderman  
Group B: Round 8 - Sunday Jan. 19
Zhao Xue - Dimitri Reinderman  
Kayden Troff - Jan Timman  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Benjamin Bok  
Etienne Goudriaan - Sabino Brunello  
Baadur Jobava - Yu Yangyi  
Merijn van Delft - Ivan Saric  
Radek Wojtaszek - Anna Muzychuk  
Monday, Jan. 20 – Free day
Group B: Round 9 - Tuesday Jan. 21
Anna Muzychuk - Zhao Xue  
Ivan Saric - Radek Wojtaszek  
Yu Yangyi - Merijn van Delft  
Sabino Brunello - Baadur Jobava  
Benjamin Bok - Etienne Goudriaan  
Jan Timman - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Dimitri Reinderman - Kayden Troff  
Group B: Round 10 - Wednesday Jan. 22
Zhao Xue - Kayden Troff  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Dimitri Reinderman  
Etienne Goudriaan - Jan Timman  
Baadur Jobava - Benjamin Bok  
Merijn van Delft - Sabino Brunello  
Radek Wojtaszek - Yu Yangyi  
Anna Muzychuk - Ivan Saric  
Thursday, Jan. 23 – Free day
Group B: Round 11 - Friday Jan. 24
Ivan Saric - Zhao Xue  
Yu Yangyi - Anna Muzychuk  
Sabino Brunello - Radek Wojtaszek  
Benjamin Bok - Merijn van Delft  
Jan Timman - Baadur Jobava  
Dimitri Reinderman - Etienne Goudriaan  
Kayden Troff - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Group B: Round 12 - Saturday Jan. 25
Zhao Xue - Jan-Krzysztof Duda  
Etienne Goudriaan - Kayden Troff  
Baadur Jobava - Dimitri Reinderman  
Merijn van Delft - Jan Timman  
Radek Wojtaszek - Benjamin Bok  
Anna Muzychuk - Sabino Brunello  
Ivan Saric - Yu Yangyi  
Group B: Round 13 - Sunday Jan. 26
Yu Yangyi - Zhao Xue  
Sabino Brunello - Ivan Saric  
Benjamin Bok - Anna Muzychuk  
Jan Timman - Radek Wojtaszek  
Dimitri Reinderman - Merijn van Delft  
Kayden Troff - Baadur Jobava  
Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Etienne Goudriaan  

Commentary schedule on Playchess

Day Date Round English German
Saturday January 11 Round 1 Lawrence Trent Klaus Bischoff
Sunday January 12 Round 2 Chris Ward Klaus Bischoff
Monday January 13 Round 3 Yasser Seirawan Klaus Bischoff
Tuesday January 14 Free    
Wednesday January 15 Round 4 Daniel King Klaus Bischoff
Thursday January 16 Free    
Friday January 17 Round 5 Simon Williams Oliver Reeh
Saturday January 18 Round 6 Yasser Seirawan Klaus Bischoff
Sunday January 19 Round 7 Daniel King Klaus Bischoff
Monday January 20 Free    
Tuesday January 21 Round 8 Lawrence Trent Klaus Bischoff
Wednesday January 22 Free    
Thursday January 23 Round 9 Daniel King Klaus Bischoff
Friday January 24 Free    
Saturday January 25 Round 10 Simon Williams Klaus Bischoff
Sunday January 26 Round 11 Daniel King Klaus Bischoff

Links

The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


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