Tata Steel Chess: Five leaders

by Alex Yermolinsky
1/13/2020 – Four decisive results, all favouring White, left five players sharing first place on 1½/2 at the 2020 Tata Steel Masters. Wesley So obtained a quick win over Vishy Anand, Vladislav Artemiev defeated his compatriot Nikita Vitiugov, Daniil Dubov inflicted Vladislav Kovalev's second loss and Jeffery Xiong got the better of Jorden van Foreest. In the Challengers, Jan Smeets and Rauf Mamedov joined the leading pack. GM ALEX YERMOLINSKY reports; round-up show by GM DANNY KING. | Photo: Alina l'Ami

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White wins


The 82nd edition of the chess festival in Wijk aan Zee takes place from January 11th to 26th. The Masters and the Challengers are both 14-player single round robins. Rounds start at 12:30 UTC, except January 16th in Eindhoven, when it starts 30 minutes later.


What can I say? The 2020 Tata Steel Festival is off to a flying start. In Round 2, six out of seven games were quite interesting, with Yu vs Carlsen being the exception. It is understandable that the Chinese GM wanted to stop the bleeding after his surprising loss in Round 1. As for the World Champion, by now he has learned to shrug off such games, where his opponents use the white pieces to build an ultra-solid position with no ambition in order to split the point. A draw here and there isn't a disaster, neither rating-wise, nor in terms of chances for overall tournament success. I'm sure we will see @realmagnuscarlsen (forgive my boomer's attempt at 21st-century humour) at full strength in the rounds to come.

A visibly disappointed Carlsen explained that if he had wanted to get the sort of position he got against Yu, he would have "at least played the Sveshnikov". He concluded:

It was a bit depressing. Anyway half a point is okay, but obviously it's not inspiring. 

Yu Yangyi

Yu Yangyi held the World Champion to a draw | Photo: Alina l'Ami

Once again, there were two match-ups between Mount Olympus dwellers, and one of them produced a decisive result not long after Carlsen's game was drawn. Wesley So confidently turned back Anand's attack to safeguard his king and retain the extra piece.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.h3 a6 8.Bb3 Be6 9.Bc2 d5 The most aggressive choice. Both 9...Ba7 and 9...h6 are acceptable alternatives. 10.Ng5!?
This natural move had previously been played in correspondence games only. Were the players headed deep into their home preparation? 10...dxe4 10...Nxe4 was another option, leaving mutual chances after 11.Ndxe4 dxe4 12.Qh5 h6 13.Nxe4 Be7 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.dxe4 Bxf2+!? It's hard to tell whether this sacrifice is correct, but it surely was enthusiastically greeted by the online audience. Of course, the calmer course of action, 12...Qe8 13.0-0 Nh5 was entirely possible. 13.Kxf2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1! Wesley correctly avoided 14.Ke2 Nd4+! 15.cxd4 Qxd4 16.Nb3 Qf2+ 17.Kd3 Rad8+ which is winning for Black. 14...Ne3 15.Qe2 Nxc2 16.Rb1
Black has regained the sacrificed piece, and even stands a pawn up, but his Nc2 is trapped, so further material investments are required. 16...N6d4 16...Qh4 fails to rescue the knight after 17.Nf3 Qg3 18.h4! as the threat of Rh3 forces the following: Rxf3 19.Qxf3 Qe1+ 20.Kh2 Qxh4+ 21.Qh3 Qxe4 22.Qxe6+ Kh8 23.Bg5! This last move is very strong. Suddenly the white king is safe, and the decisive rook infiltration on the f-file seems unavoidable. 17.cxd4 Qxd4+ 17...exd4 18.Nf3 d3 19.Qf2 Qd6 20.Bd2 is hopeless in the long run. 18.Kh2 Rf2 19.Qg4 Ne3 20.Qxe6+ Kh8 21.Rg1 Qd3 22.Qxe5
The most frustrating thing for Vishy must have been the uncanny speed with which his opponent was executing his moves. Did Wesley have it all analyzed? 22.Qe7 would have stopped the sacrifice on g2 because of the white queen's control over the f8-square. 22...Raf8? If so, then I wonder what the answer was to 22...Nxg2 Perhaps, 23.Kh1 However, White's task remains difficult after 23.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 24.Kxg2 should lead to perpetual, either right away Qe2+ 25.Kg1 Qe3+ 25...Qe1+ 26.Nf1 Rf8 loses to 27.Qxg7+! Kxg7 28.Bh6+ 26.Kg2 Qe2+ or after 27.Kg3 Rf8 23...Raf8 24.Qc3 Qe2 25.Qg3 R8f7 as his pieces remain awkwardly placed. 23.Qg3 Qe2? In the face of his opponent's confident play Anand's resolve to attack melts away fast. Better swindling chances were offered by 23...R8f6 albeit, objectively speaking, White is already better in more than one line. 24.b4 Rxg2+ 25.Rxg2 Nxg2 26.Qg4 An abrupt end to a very interesting game. Some may think we witnessed a triumph of precise preparation over an at-the-board inspiration, but I think Wesley won the psychological battle first, and the game itself second.
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2765Anand,V27581–02020C5482nd Tata Steel Masters 20202.7

It's hard to tell what was on the background of this game. My guess is both players were on their own earlier than they are willing to admit.


Post-game interview with Wesley So

More videos at the official YouTube channel


Anish Giri continues to impress. After holding Carlsen with Black (and even giving Magnus a scare), he pushed real hard against Caruana. A sharp line of the 4.c2 Nimzo went off the theoretical path on move 13 and led White to a better endgame. Give credit to Fabiano for buckling down and defending tough for the required 60+ moves.

Vladislav Kovalev's misfortunes continued. It's always hard to have two Blacks at the start of a tournament, and here Kovalev received no break as Dubov's original handling of the English posed problems early in the game.

 
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 c5 4.e5 Ng8 5.d4 A relative sideline. Re-discovering those is Dubov's specialty. Since the 1970s many theoretical discussions have revolved around the pawn sacrifice, 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Nxe5 8.Ndb5 5...cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qf4!? Here it comes! Previously seen was 7.Qe4 where Black chooses between f5 and 7...d6 or the recently introduced 7...f6!? 7...d6 Finding himself in an unfamiliar territory, Kovalev plays sensible moves. 7...Nge7 8.Bd3 Ng6 9.Bxg6 hxg6 10.Nf3 d6 seemed OK, but not 7...f5 here, without an attack on the white queen. 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.exd6 Ng6 10.Qe4 Qxd6 11.Bd2 Be7 12.0-0-0
Dubov's idea has been revealed. A combination of a pawn on c4 with castling Q-side looks a bit loose, but small details such as this are routinely ignored by Daniil. Of course, we remember his outrageous 0-0-0!! against Giri (FIDE Grand Prix Moscow) when White had no pawns on the Q-side. 12...f5!? An energetic reply. Vladislav is fighting for the initiative, and, besides, there was no other way to stop White's plan of Bd3 and h2-h4-h5. 13.Qe1 0-0 14.h4 Dubov plays it anyway. Bf6 15.Kb1 Qe7 16.Bg5!? Another original idea. Most of us would go for 16.h5 Nge5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.f4 Bf6 19.h6 g6 20.Be2 Bd7 21.g4 16...Bd7 17.c5!
Absolutely brilliant. White gets d6 for the rook and c4 for the bishop. The backward e6-pawn is really in danger now. 17...Rad8 18.h5 It remains a mystery what Daniil didn't like about the logical 18.Rd6 18...Nge5 19.Nxe5 Bxg5 I'd think the bishop pair would be a useful asset in 19...Nxe5 20.Qxe5 Bxg5 21.Bc4 Bf6 22.Qe3 Kh8 I don't think Black has much to worry about. 20.Nxd7 Rxd7 21.Rxd7 Qxd7 22.Bc4
As is, White retains some pressure. 22...Kh8? Still, caving in so quickly was not expected from Vladislav Kovalev. 22...Re8 23.Nb5 Bf4 23.Qxe6 Qxe6 24.Bxe6 Be7 25.Na4! In the immortal words of Roman Dzindzi, White has the pawn and the compensation. Kovalev's time trouble sped up the end. Rd8 26.Bxf5 Rd2 27.Bc8 b5 28.cxb6 axb6 29.Re1 Rxf2 30.Bb7 Nd4 31.a3 Bf8 32.Re8 g5 33.h6 Rf6 34.Nxb6 Rxh6 35.Nd7 Kg7 36.Nxf8 Rd6 37.Be4 h5 38.Nh7 g4 39.Re5
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dubov,D2683Kovalev,V26601–02020A1982nd Tata Steel Masters 20202.3

Once again, a rather strange disregard to his own pawn from Kovalev. He's 0/2 now, and in dire need of one solid game.

Dubov, on the other hand, thought he could have won the game much more quickly. In his usual self-deprecating style, he was very critical of his play at multiple points. In the end, it was time trouble that left Kovalev completely lost.

Daniil Dubov, Vladislav Kovalev

Daniil Dubov defeated Vladislav Kovalev | Photo: Alina l'Ami

It would be a tough call to award the Game of the Day Trophy, if such prize existed. One candidate is Duda vs Firouzja, the game that certainly lived up to the billing.

 
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Qxd4 This rare line isn't considered to be troublesome for Black. Qxd4 6.Nxd4 Bc5 7.Nb5 Na6 8.Bf4 As expected, Duda shows ambition. Probably, at the right time, as 8.Bxc4 c6 9.N5c3 Nb4 isn't satisfactory for White. 8...Nf6 9.N1c3
9...Ng4!? It's so much fun to watch these two playing their kind of chess. The motto is, don't give an inch! Clearly White would have had some compensation in case of 9...c6 10.Nd6+ Bxd6 11.Bxd6 Be6 10.Bg3 0-0 11.Bxc4 11.h3 fails to extinguish Black's initiative: c6 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Nxc4 Rd8! preparing to meet 14.Be2 with b5 15.Na5 Nxe4! 11...c6 12.Nd6 b5
Alireza continues to force the issue, but Jan keeps his cool. 13.Bb3! A major alternative was 13.Be2 but a closer look shows that Black will not back down: Nxf2 14.Rf1 Ng4 15.Nxc8 Ne3 16.Nd6 Rad8 17.e5 f6
This position would be pretty hard to handle. First thing, White has to make sure not to blunder into a mate-in-one 18.Nde4?? Nc2#
13...Nxf2 14.Rf1 Nd3+ 15.Kd2 Nxb2 16.Rab1 Nc4+ 17.Nxc4 bxc4 18.Bxc4 Rd8+ 19.Kc2 Nb4+ 20.Kb3 Be6 21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.Rbd1 Be7
All forced, leading to this point. Black is up a pawn, but the white king can turn from the hunted to the hunter once a trade of two happen, and that extra pawn on c6 isn't very impressive. All in all, Duda's evaluation of this position as acceptable was spot on. 23.Kc4? However, this mistake ruins the whole thing. 23.Bc7! Rdc8 24.Bd6 would achieve an important trade, Bxd6 25.Rxd6 Rab8 26.Kc4 Nc2 and then the king can go forward 27.Kc5! White isn't worse at all. 23...Nc2 Now, trouble. 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Rf3 Rd7 White had no useful moves in his disposal, so getting more pawns involved, 25...a5 26.a4 g5 27.Be5 h5 was the right strategy. After, say, 28.h3 Black is ready for action Ne1 etc. 26.Ne2 Rd2 27.Nf4 e5 28.Nd3
28...Na3+ Here Firouzja went wrong. The logical continuation of previous play would have been 28...Re2 29.Nxe5 Rxe4+ 30.Kd3 Rxe5 31.Bxe5 Ne1+ 32.Ke4 Nxf3 33.gxf3 but the resulting endgame is going to be tough to win against White's powerful centralization: Kf7 34.f4 g6 35.f5 29.Kb3 Nb5 30.Bxe5 Rxg2 31.Rg3! Trading rooks is the key. Now White has the advantage of "extra king", which is more than enough to offset a minimal pawn deficit. Rxg3 32.Bxg3 Nd4+ 33.Kc4 Nf3 34.Bb8 a5 34...a6 35.Nc5 Nd2+ 36.Kd4 Bxc5+ 37.Kxc5 Nxe4+ 38.Kxc6 Kf7 39.Kb6 Ke6 40.Kxa6 Kd5= 35.a4 Nd2+ 36.Kd4 Nb3+ 37.Kc4 Nd2+ 38.Kd4 g5 39.Ne5 Bf6 39...Bf6 40.Kd3 Nb3 41.Nxc6 Nc5+ 42.Kc4 Nxa4 43.e5 Bg7 44.e6 Kf8=
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Duda,J2758Firouzja,A2723½–½2020D2082nd Tata Steel Masters 20202.4

That's how close Alireza was to a prefect start!

For a second day in a row, Duda saved a half point from a clearly inferior position. The Polish grandmaster confessed:

I'm playing very badly I think, but somehow I managed not to lose any game. I hope I will perform better.

Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Alireza Firouzja

Two fearless contenders — Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Alireza Firouzja | Photo: Alina l'Ami

The battle between the two Russian participants went to Artemiev's favour. The opening looked like a Queen Gambit Accepted where White omitted playing one move, d2-d4! It seemed the game was headed for a heavy positional struggle, when Vituigov's decision to change the pawn structure (13...c4) altered the course completely. As a result, White got a pleasant edge in the endgame, which Artemiev skilfully converted to a full point.

Another interesting game I followed closely brought success to the young American star. Jeffery Xiong made just one careless move, but, overall, his play was very impressive.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.f3 0-0 10.Be3 Nc6 11.0-0 a6 12.Qd3 Rfc8 13.b3 b5!?
Jorden's own invention, which he successfully introduced against McShane just a couple of months ago. 14.cxb5 Ne5 15.Qd2 d5 16.Nxd5! Jeffery finds the best move. The above mentioned game saw 16.Nc6 Nxc6 17.bxc6 Rxc6 18.Rad1 Rac8 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Rc2 with sufficient compensation. 16...Nxd5 17.exd5 axb5 18.Rad1 b4 18...Qxd5 doesn't bring relief, as White has 19.Qe2 19.Qe2
19...Rc3? This pseudo active move doesn't accomplish anything. Correct was the calm 19...Bf6 preparing to finally take back the pawn. 20.Bf2 Bf6 21.Nb5 Rcc8 22.d6 Rab8 23.Nc7! exd6 24.Nd5 A nice roundabout journey for the white knight, culminating in arriving to the most dominating square. Bd8
25.f4? I'm sure Xiong felt he was moving in for a kill, but in reality, this loose move gives Black tactical chances. Whatever happened to prophylaxis, 25.h3! and then f3-f4 next? 25...Ng4 26.Bd4 Rb5 27.Qf3 Qf5 28.Rfe1 Bh4 29.Bb2 29.h3 with the idea Qxd5 30.Qxg4 Double Attack. 29...Bf2+ Jorden left himself with too little time to figure out the tactics. Amazingly, 29...Qc2! 30.Ne7+ 30.Qxg4 Rxd5-+ 30...Bxe7 31.Qxg4 would equalize: h5 32.Qe2 Qxe2 33.Rxe2 Bf8 30.Kh1 Bh4 31.g3+- Nf2+ 32.Qxf2 Rxd5 33.gxh4 Rxd1 34.Rxd1 Rc2 35.Qd4 f6 36.Rc1
1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Xiong,J2712Van Foreest,J26441–02020B5282nd Tata Steel Masters 20202.5

Xiong kicked off the event with two Whites, but now has to face Magnus Carlsen with Black in round three. Will he prepare specially to come up against such difficult challenge? Jeffery responded:

I think I'll take it just as a normal game. [...] No reason to change anything.

Bloody round it was, but it was White that went 4:0.

Jorden van Foreest, Jeffery Xiong

Jorden van Foreest is on 50% after losing against Jeffery Xiong | Photo: Alina l'Ami

With plenty of action in the Masters group I didn't have time to take a longer look at the Challengers. A couple of things worth mentioning: Jan Smeets' nice win with Black over the young Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Rauf Mamedov using the Fried Liver Attack to beat Nils Grandelius in deep endgame.

Interesting fact: both groups have exactly five people sharing the lead!

Erwin l'Ami

Co-leading on home soil — Erwin l'Ami | Photo: Alina l'Ami


Round-up show

A review of the day's action by GM Daniel King


Standings after Round 2 - Masters

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Standings after Round 2 - Challengers

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Yermo is enjoying his fifties. Lives in South Dakota, 600 miles way from the nearest grandmaster. Between his chess work online he plays snooker and spends time outdoors - happy as a clam.

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