Tata Steel Chess: And then there were three (again)

by Macauley Peterson
1/25/2018 – Wins from Carlsen and Mamedyarov — the latter with the black pieces — re-established a three-way tie between the pair and Anish Giri, who drew with Sergey Karjakin. Kramnik also won to move within a half point of the leaders. Anand too notched a full point and is a full point back. In the Challengers no change at the top but newcomers Dmitry Gordievsky and Matthias Bluebaum improved to plus one scores with their victories today. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess on Facebook
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Chess on tour

Today the tournament moved about two hours across the country to Groningen, a famous city in chess circles, and also a university town. The games were played at in the main hall of the Academy Building of the University of Grongingen before a standing room only crowd.

But before the games began, the players received a very brief tour of the city's Museum of Art and Art History:

Magnus Carlsen

Come in, make yourself at home! | Photo: Juriaan Hoefsmit © 2018 Tata Steel

You'll find glimpse in the daily "impressions" video being produced by the official media team — essentially a little mini movie trailer for each round!

Impressions of Round 10 | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Magnus Carlsen and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov were back to their winning ways, but they got there very differently — Mamedyarov won with black in just 21 moves, while Carlsen needed 75, and over six hours, to prosecute an unusual endgame where he had two pairs of connected passed pawns for a bishop. 

Aside from the log jam at the top, Vladimir Kramnik is a mere half point behind in sole fourth place and Vishy Anand is just a point behind as well. He sacrificed a pawn and then an exchange against Gawain Jones, to earn a vital win with the black pieces. Here he is reflecting on nearly thirty years since his first trip to Wijk aan Zee, as well as the importance of practice:

One minute with Anand | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

It looks like we may be heading for a photo finish!

Standings after ten rounds

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Analysis and comments by GM Daniel Fernandez

Magnus Carlsen 1-0 Wesley So

The game everyone has been talking about! Unlike Anand-Carlsen or Carlsen-Caruana earlier in this event, here the reigning world champion shows both depth of homework and at-the-board industry and creativity to dispatch one of his possible challengers for the crown later this year. It is actually quite hard to patch up Black's opening after the incisive sequence of forced moves prepared by Carlsen, though I have suggested two ways in which this could be done. The endgame battle, featuring a piece-versus-pawns material imbalance, is worth seeing as well, and the practical decision to go for that rather than the maybe objectively better alternatives was both brave and well-rewarded.

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bf4 Today, it seems like the London System is a better winning weapon than the Catalan or, God forbid, allowing the Nimzo. Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.c4 Bxb1 This line is, of course, very well known to Wesley So, as the following notes will make clear. 6.Qxb1 Bb4+ 7.Kd1 Bd6 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bxf6 9.Bh4 was played in an online game between the same players. Following Nbd7 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 c6 12.Ke2 Be7 13.b4 a6 14.Rc1 0-0 15.a4 White had a reasonable minority-attack position, and the early movements of his king have not been particularly to his detriment. Ne4 16.Bxe4 Bxh4 17.Bh7+ Kh8 18.Bf5 Nb6 19.b5 cxb5 20.axb5 a5 21.g3 Be7 22.Kf1 Carlsen,M-So,W chess.com INT 2017 9...Qxf6 10.cxd5 An interesting sequence of forcing moves, which even the cloud engines don't immediately get. 10.c5 was chosen by Wesley from the White side. Following Bf8 11.Qc2 c6 12.b4 a6 13.Bd3 Nd7 14.Ke2 g5 14...e5 was probably also playable 15.h3 Bg7 16.a4 White was probably marginally for choice in So,W -Wojtaszek,R Shamkir 2017 10...exd5 11.e4 Be7 12.Bb5+ c6 13.e5! White needs to close the centre, at least for the next 10 moves until his king finds a home or the queens come off. Qf4 14.Bd3 c5 15.dxc5 Nc6 15...Nd7 16.Bb5!? might have been the intention, and after 0-0-0 17.Bxd7+ Rxd7 18.b4 there follows an interesting fight for compensation- White is a few moves away from consolidation. I suspect this is the next direction for Black to look in for answers to the deep theoretical question Magnus asks in this game. 16.Qc1 Presumably still in preparation, Magnus is playing the most incisive continuations. Qb4 17.a3 Qxc5 18.Ke2 Nd4+ 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.f4 At a guess, I would say Magnus had seen this position in his preparation, and noted the idea of e6 against ...f6, and left it at that. 0-0 21.Qd2 Qb6 22.Rhe1 f6 22...Rac8 23.Kf3 is unexpectedly difficult for Black to play given the opening. This is chiefly due to his isolated pawn. 23.e6 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.Kf3 is not completely without venom too. 23...Qxe6+ 24.Kf3 Qd7 25.Rad1 25.g4 is another natural idea White could use. 25...Rad8 25...f5= is a rather solid move, giving back the isolated pawn in an uncomplicated way, and setting up with ...Bf6 and ...g6. 26.Qe3 Bd6 27.Bg6 f5 A bit late. Now Black ends up giving more pawns than intended. 27...Kh8 28.Rxd5 f5 29.Qd3 is similarly bad, but with queens on, so maybe Black can play more easily. 28.Qe6+ Qxe6 29.Rxe6 Bc5 29...Bc7 30.h4± is deeply unpleasant since Black lacks moves of any sort that don't lose material, but maybe this followed by Rf6 31.Rxf6 gxf6 32.Bxf5 Kf7 was the way to go 30.Re5 Rf6 31.Bxf5 Bd6 32.Rdxd5! 32.Rexd5 g6= 32...Kf7 33.Re4 g6 34.Bg4 h5 35.Bh3± White has consolidated his extra pawn. Re8 36.Red4 Allowing a motif that hits the bishop on h3. 36.Rxe8 Kxe8 37.g3 was worth considering, and the bishop can hit one of b7 and g6 next. This position is also technically winning. 36...Be5 37.Rb4 g5 Black is trying his best! 38.g3 b6 38...g4+ 39.Bxg4 hxg4+ 40.Kxg4± will also be deeply unpleasant with White taking on b7 next, but I'd have taken the extra piece anyway. 39.Rd7+?! Objectively not a great move, but in practical terms the pawns will be hard to handle. It was not necessary to offer the piece again, for instance 39.Bf1 kept great winning chances 39...Kf8 40.Rh7 g4+ 41.Bxg4 hxg4+ 42.Kxg4 Bd6 43.Rc4 a5 44.Rc6 Kg8 44...Be7!= was the most precise defence, though I suspect Black didn't see salvation in the rookless position after 45.Rh8+ Kf7 46.Rxf6+ Bxf6 47.Rxe8 Kxe8 48.b3 . Nevertheless, another 15 computer moves should see him save this. 45.Rb7 Be5 46.Rcxb6 Rxb6 47.Rxb6 Bd4 48.Rb5 Now once more White has four pawns for the piece. Due to the reduced material and practical difficulties it is hard to offer any advice other than to cheat... Re2 49.b3 Rxh2 49...a4 50.bxa4 Rxh2 would at least have compromised White's structure- and I suspect the a3-pawn will be dropping soon. 50.Rxa5 Re2 51.Rd5 Bb2 52.a4 And just like that, the position is technically winning. At no point does it slip away. Bc3 53.Kf5 Re8 54.g4 Rf8+ 55.Ke4 Rb8 56.Rb5 Re8+ 57.Kd3 Be1 58.a5 Bf2 59.b4 Re3+ 60.Kc4 Re4+ 61.Kb3 Kf7 61...Rxf4 62.Rf5+- 62.Re5 Rd4 63.b5 Rd3+ 64.Kc2 Rg3 65.g5 Bd4 66.Rd5 Be3 67.Rd3 Rg2+ 68.Kb3 Bc1 69.b6 Ke6 70.Rd4 Rb2+ 71.Ka4 Kf5 72.Rb4 Ra2+ 73.Kb5 Bxf4 74.Rxf4+ Kxf4 75.b7 A very strong creative effort by White, although it might just have appeared like technique on the surface. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M2834So,W27921–02018Tata Steel Masters

Carlsen: "It was certainly a complicated game, and I'm happy to beat a strong player" | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

After the interview Carlsen went through the game on the live webcast with GM Eric Hansen:

"I was not as well prepared as I should be" | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Vladimir Kramnik 1-0 Maxim Matlakov

The first of the three wins today by male world champions was Kramnik-Matlakov. At many stages it looked like White had taken leaves out of his successor's book, and the game resembled Anand-Matlakov from the first round in a few ways, notably the opening and the way Black had an objectively fine but practically horrendous position. It is also surprisingly hard to find Black's actual errors in this game, though he missed a couple of chances to take the upper hand round about move 20.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0-0 6.Bg5 Opting, oddly enough, for a similar strategy to the one Anand used against Matlakov in the first round, despite that opening beginning with 3.Bb5. Here it seems like the immediate idea is probably to prevent Black using a setup with ...d5. h6 7.Bh4 Be7 7...g5 led to a draw in a recent high-profile game. 8.Bg3 d6 9.a4 a6 10.Qd2 Nh5 11.h4 Nxg3 12.fxg3 g4 13.Qxh6 gxf3 14.Qg6+ Kh8 15.Qh6+ Kg8 16.Qg6+ Kh8= Vachier Lagrave,M-Karjakin,S Paris 2017 8.Nbd2 d6 8...Na5!? is not a completely pointless gambit: 9.Nxe5 Nxc4 10.Nexc4 10.dxc4 Nxe4 10...d5 11.Ne3 dxe4 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Nxe4 Be7 With two bishops for two knights and a pawn, Black has very reasonable counterplay, analogous perhaps to the Gajewski line of the Ruy Lopez. 9.Bb3 9.a4 was faced by Kramnik himself from the other side of the board recently. Nh5 10.Bg3 Nxg3 10...Nb8!? could have been played immediately, not giving White the needed clarity on what is happening on the h-file. 11.Nf1 11.Nxe5 is obvious, but following Nxg3 12.Nxf7 Rxf7 13.hxg3 Qf8∞ White will soon have nothing better than to enter a double-edged material balance of two pawns plus rook against two bishops, which probably should ultimately favour the bishops. 11...c6 12.Ne3 Nd7= Playing for ...Ndf6 and ...d5. White should probably castle short, but the moment he does that, he will no longer ever use the h-file. 11.hxg3 Nb8 12.Nf1 c6 13.Ne3 Na6 14.g4 14.Bxa6 bxa6 15.d4 14...Nc7= Following a slightly complicated opening battle Black had equalised in Vachier Lagrave,M-Kramnik,V Leuven 2017 9...Nh5 9...Na5 10.Bc2 c5 is another standard plan, and Black will probably continue with ...Be6, ...Nc6 and consider ...d5. 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc4 Qf6 Telegraphing a kingside attack rather clearly, but this then prompts White's overreaction. 11...Be6 12.Ne3 Nf6 was solid in Baramidze, D-Fressinet,L Germany 2009 12.Ne3 Nf4 13.Bc2 13.0-0 followed by g3 could have been one way to go. Ne7 14.d4 g5 15.g3 13...Ne7 14.g3 Nh3 15.Qe2 Now we can see what Kramnik is playing for: a sharp opposite-side castling position. c5 16.0-0-0 16.Ng1= or something was technically still legal, but who plays chess like this? 16...Be6 17.d4 17.Kb1!? is almost always useful preparation, and that holds here too. Rfc8 18.d4 cxd4 19.cxd4 17...cxd4 18.cxd4 Rac8 Missing a chance. 18...Bxa2!? is possible here according to the machines, and it seems to get an edge! The critical line is 19.b3 a5 20.Kb2?! a4 21.Kxa2? axb3+ 22.Kxb3 d5-+ 19.Kb1 Rc7 19...Rxc2 was another noteworthy chance, though not obvious if you're not looking for it. The point is the non-trivial 20.Kxc2?! Qg6‼ 20.Rd2 Rfc8 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Rhd1 Now everything is under control, and just like in Anand-Matlakov from round 1, the position is just easier for White, even if not actually better. g6 22...b5!? is a little bit faster. 23.Rd6 Rc6 24.Bb3 Rf8? 24...Rxd6 25.Rxd6 h5 survives according to the machine, but White is definitely significantly better after even the simple 26.a3 25.R1d3? If I had to guess I would say Black's last move was based on using the f-file after 25.Bxe6 but neither order quite works: Rxd6 25...fxe6 26.Rd8!± 26.Bxh3!+- 26.Rxd6 fxe6 25...Rfc8 26.Rd1 Rf8 27.a3 Missing the same idea again. h5 It is generally useful to avoid Ng4 motifs. 28.Bxe6 fxe6 29.Rd7 Nc8? 29...Qxf3 30.Qxf3 Rxf3 31.Rxe7 Rf7 almost equalises, and so should be preferred. 30.Nc4 30.Nh4± is another option, cuing up interesting Nd5 ideas. 30...Nxf2 31.Ncxe5 An alluring and practically tricky option, but not objectively best. 31.Rf1!? Rxc4 32.Rxf2 leaves Black with bizarrely few options against Qe3-h6. The only move is Rd4 but now if nothing else White acheives a large advantage with 33.Nxd4 Qxf2 34.Qxf2 Rxf2 35.Nxe6 Rxh2 36.Rxb7± 31...Nxd1 32.Qxd1 Rc5 32...Rb6 33.Qd2 g5= is the machine defence. 33.Qd4 This is now practically impossible to defend, but the errors understandably continue from both sides. Nb6 33...Rb5 34.Rc7 might look like a lethal battery, but Black can execute the text move now: Nb6 and Black has gained a tempo over the text. 34.Rxb7 Rb5 35.Rxa7 Rd8 36.Qc3 36.Rf7‼± 36...Rc8 36...Nd7‼ 37.Rc7 No further accidents. Rd8 38.Qc6 Rb3 38...Rxe5 39.Nxe5 Qxe5 40.Qxb6 Qxe4+ 41.Ka2 Qd5+ 42.Qb3± is basically over too. 39.Rf7! Enough to force resignation even if this was a time scramble. 39.Rf7 Qxf7 40.Nxf7 Kxf7 41.Ng5+ wins a rook with the next check. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kramnik,V2787Matlakov,M27181–02018Tata Steel Masters10

Kramnik: "I decided to go for the sharpest possible play with long-castling" | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Gawain Jones 0-1 Viswanathan Anand

The reigning British Champion slightly refines the theory of the Alapin Sicilian, but underestimates first a pawn sacrifice and then an exchange sacrifice by his opponent. It is almost as if everyone knows they have to go material down against this man to try and win. However, in this case the exchange sacrifice was close to winning, and the technique was merciless.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.c3 Another rare guest at the top levels, but Gawain Jones is nothing if not a connoisseur of anti-Sicilians. Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bc4 5.d4 is marginally more popular, but has been largely de-fanged. 5...Nb6 6.Bb3 c4 Seizing control of c4 now gives White slightly fewer options and makes clear that Black is playing for a win. 6...d6 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Na3!? is an interesting idea, seen in a number of elite games. For instance, Be6 9.d4 Bxb3 10.Qxb3 cxd4 11.Nb5 Qb8 12.Nbxd4 Nakamura,H-Nepomniachtchi, I Baku 2015 7.Bc2 d6 8.exd6 Qxd6 8...e5!? is even more militantly maximalist, but it is a bit unncessary and could come unstuck, e.g. 9.a4 Bxd6 10.0-0 Be6 11.d3 h6 12.a5 Nc8 13.a6 Howell,D-Lazarev,V France 2006 9.0-0 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Re1 0-0-0 12.Be4 Discouraging all kinds of ...Qf6 ideas. This move has far more to it than meets the eye. 12.b3 Qf6 13.bxc4 brings about an interesting imbalance 12.Na3 could be another implementation of the game idea: Qf6 13.Be4 Ne5 14.g4 Vysochin, S-Kokarev,D Olginka 2011 12...e6 12...Qd7!? might be a slight improvement. 13.b3 f5 14.Bxc6 14.Bc2 e5 14...Qxc6 15.Qc2! 15.g4 fxg4 16.Ne5 Qf6 17.hxg4 Be8 should practically favour Black 15...Bxf3 16.Qxf5+ e6 17.Qxf3 Qxf3 18.gxf3 Rd3 Black has good compensation, and practical chances based on White's exposed king, but I don't think he is actually better. 13.b3 f5 14.Bc2 g6 15.bxc4 e5 16.d4?! 16.d3 keeps chances of a slight objective edge, although neither I nor the engine properly understand Black's pawn sacrifice. 16...exd4 17.Bg5 Bg7! A really powerful exchange sacrifice, which must have been underestimated. 17...d3 18.Bb3 Be7= 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 19.Qd3 Qf4 White finds it impossible to disentangle because of the pressure on the long diagonal. 20.Qd2 20.Na3 dxc3 21.Qe3 might have been a better wriggle 20...Qxd2 21.Nbxd2 dxc3 22.Nb3 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Nb4 24.Re2 Nxc4 Now Black has reached material parity, and the difference in quality of pieces is obvious. Nevertheless, it is not so clear how precisely Black should push the queenside pawns. 25.Rc1 b5 26.Na1 Bh6 27.Rb1 a5 28.Kg2 Nd2 29.Rbe1 Bf4 Fully under control. White can barely move. The rest is just good (although not tricky) technique. 30.Re7 Rd7 31.Re8+ Kc7 32.Ra8 a4 33.Re6 Kb7 34.Rae8 Bd6 35.Bd1 Nd5 36.Re1 Nf4+ 37.Kh1 Bc5 38.Be2 Nxe2 39.R1xe2 b4 40.R2e5 Rc7 The time control was reached and despite still not being material down, there is precious little White can do about ...b3 et cetera, so he resigned. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Jones,G2640Anand,V27670–12018Tata Steel Masters10

Anand: "Both of us were trying to recollect our preparation." | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Sergei Tiviakov started playing the line 1.e4 c5 2.c3 in the Sicilian Defence as White in 1988. Since then, he has employed it in more than 100 games, including a yearlong period when he I managed to win twelve 2.c3-games in a row. White tries to occupy the centre with a second pawn, and Black must know his stuff very well in order to be able to equalize. And this is only possible with 2...Nf6 – all other lines give the first player a small edge everywhere. Especially against stronger opponents, 2.c3 is an excellent weapon.
Peter Svidler 0-1 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

To be fair to the White player in Svidler-Mamedyarov, I won't try and make this game more of an event than it was. He quite simply didn't show up to play a 2700+ level game of chess, and the punishment was merciless. Sometimes that happens. The most famous example might be Polgar-Anand, San Luis 2005.

 
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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Bb4 The Ragozin: known to me as the opening which won Jonathan Hawkins his first British national title. 5.cxd5 5.Bg5 and 5.e3 are also played. exd5 6.Bf4 6.Bg5 is the main move, and after h6 7.Bh4 c5 the current fashion is for the ambitious 8.dxc5!? 6...Ne4 7.Qa4+ A second minor move in a row by Peter Svidler lands him not in completely new territory but certainly in slight danger. 7.Rc1 was a more solid move in an obvious ideological precedent. Nc6 8.Nd2 g5 9.Be3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 Svane,R-Socko,B Germany 2016 7...Nc6 8.Rc1 0-0 9.g3 9.h4 was necessary if a little uncomfortable. There could follow Bg4 10.e3 Qe7 11.Be2= 9.e3 g5 10.Bg3 h5 11.h4 g4 12.Ne5 Bxc3+ 13.Rxc3 13.bxc3 Nxg3 14.fxg3 Qe7 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Bf5 Ermenkov, E-Shyam,S Albena 2015 9...g5 10.Be3 f5 10...Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 f5 was a marginally more precise order. 11.Bg2 Kind of a wasted move since White will never get to castle. 11.Bd2!? Bxc3 12.Bxc3 was an additional option granted by Black's last. 11...f4 12.gxf4 12.Bd2 can be met in various ways, including g4 13.Ne5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nxd2 15.Kxd2 Nxe5 16.dxe5 fxg3 12...Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 gxf4 14.Bd2 Kh8! The absolute best move. After less than 15 moves White has no castling prospects and is close to lost. 15.Qb3? Not helping. 15.Rg1 Be6 16.Bf1 is one way of trying to get belated counterplay. After 15.0-0 Qf6! White will be unable to form a coherent defence against doubling on the g-file. 15...Na5 Unfortunately, this natural move gains a great many tempi. 16.Qc2 Nc4 The obvious threat is ...Bg4 trapping the d2-bishop, but there are others. 17.Rd1 Rg8 17...Qe7 is most favoured by machines, which want to continue ...Bf5 and ...Rae8, but it is much of a muchness by now. 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Bxe4 Qg5 19...dxe4 20.Bxf4 Ng6 21.Bg3 is also dead, but the game might last a bit longer since White has a good bishop. 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Bxd5 Bf5! It's a clear piece and maybe even more. A shame that Svidler was not able to demonstrate his usual good chess today. 0–1
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Svidler,P2768Mamedyarov,S28040–12018Tata Steel Masters10

Mamedyarov: "Today I wanted to play really active chess." | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Wei Yi ½-½ Fabiano Caruana

The game Wei-Caruana wasn't terribly interesting, to put it mildly. The most noteworthy missed chance in the game was when White could have maybe acheived a 4-v-3 rook endgame on move 22, and even then he would have still had doubled pawns.

 
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 Black had no truly adventurous choices in any case, except the slightly odd 4...Bd6. Quite solid are the well-known 4...d6 and 4...Bb4. 5.Bc4 5.Ba4!? is the main line, trying to prevent Black from playing ...d5 under favourable conditions. Play could continue: Bc5!? 5...Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 Bc5= is stable equality, though White has also tried the pawn recapture. 6.Nxe5 0-0 7.Nd3 Bb6 8.e5 Ne8 9.Nd5 Now see, for instance, Morozevich-Svidler, Thessaloniki 2013, or Kasparov-Dominguez, Saint Louis 2017. 5...Bc5 6.d3 6.Nxe5 Qe7! is vaguely reminiscent of the Traxler Counter-Gambit and is in any case more dangerous for White than Black. 6...d6 7.Na4 Initiating large-scale exchanges in a tried and tested manner. 7.h3 is most played, but seems a little slow, especially since Black can just respond to Bg5/Nd5 ideas with a laconic ...c6. 7...b5 8.Nxd4 bxc4 9.Nf5 Bxf5 10.exf5 cxd3 11.Nxc5 dxc5 12.cxd3 So far following a source game from 2 years ago. What seems likely is that central pawn exchanges will follow and then a draw. Qd7 13.Qf3 0-0 14.0-0 14.Bg5 e4 15.dxe4 Nxe4= 14...Rfd8 15.Be3 Qxd3 16.Rac1 To be honest with you, I doubt it makes much difference which rook White plays with here. 16.Rfc1 e4 17.Qg3 Qd5 18.Qxc7 Rac8 19.Qf4= was the source game, maybe marginally more pleasant for Black but still ultimately agreed drawn without much trouble. Maze,S-Fressinet,L Agen 2016 16...c4 17.h3 h6 17...e4= kept equality more easily. 18.Rc3 Qe4 18...Qd5! 19.Qxd5 Nxd5 20.Rxc4 a5= keeps everything watertight 19.Qxe4 Nxe4 20.Rxc4 Nd2 21.Bxd2 Rxd2 22.Rb1 Black has made a few very minor inaccuracies, and now 22.Rxc7!? Rxb2 23.Re1! Rxa2 24.Rxe5 might still make Black do a little bit of work in an unpleasant 4-v-3 rook endgame 22...Rad8 23.Rxc7 Re2! The sacrificed pawns will return home. 24.Rxa7 Rdd2 25.Rf1 Rxb2 26.g4 Rxa2 27.Rxa2 Rxa2 28.Re1 The draw was agreed here, none too soon. ½–½
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Wei,Y2743Caruana,F2811½–½2018Tata Steel Masters10
Anish Giri ½-½ Sergey Karjakin

Equally uneventful was Giri-Karjakin (I expect there are all kinds of jokes going round on social media about this one!) Similar to Karjakin himself yesterday, Giri demonstrated a reasonable opening concept in a Catalanesque position, but while his position was slightly nicer he didn't manage to make much of his advantage. That, or he decided to have a rest day.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Nd2 Maybe similarly to yesterday, Anish Giri goes for the creation of a slight imbalance. Bd2 is played more often. c5 And Karjakin does not object. In principle, if one plays these ...Bb4 lines, be they in the Ragozin, Nimzo-Indian, Bogo-Indian or even something else, one should not object to giving this bishop for a knight and then arranging all one's pawns on dark squares. 4...d5 5.Bg2 0-0 6.Ngf3 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 is another normal way to play this position with Black 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 cxd4 7.Nf3 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qd3 0-0 9.Bg2 d5= 7...d5 7...b6!? 8.Nxd4 Bb7 9.f3 could lead to some kind of almost Maroczy-like play 8.Bg2 dxc4 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.Nxd4 0-0 The position is now 'more open than closed' and so I would probably slightly prefer to be White, but very accurate play is needed to make anything of this. 11.Be3 11.Bg5!? e5 12.Nb5 Nc6 13.Rd1 is maybe one way to go; White will choose soon whether to play with Bxf6, Nd6 etc or with Be3, h3, Nc3, 0-0 and try and make use of the bishop pair only once the rooks come off. The Catalan bishop always guarantees at least sufficient compensation. 11...Nd5 12.Rc1 12.0-0!? Nxe3 13.fxe3 e5= is creative but probably nothing 12...c3! 12...Nxe3 13.fxe3 e5 14.Nb5 Nc6 15.Nd6 13.b3 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Nd7 15.Rxc3 Rd8 16.0-0 Nf6 17.Rc7 17.Nf3!? is a counter-intuitive machine suggestion that makes a lot of sense once you look at it a few times, but in any case Black might be able to neutralise the pressure with the standard bishop-for-knight swap, because the machine overrates bishops. For instance: Bd7 18.Ne5 Rac8 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 and Black is getting nice and active, whether White accepts the unusual swap offer or not. 17...Rb8! An ugly but necessary move, and after a few more similar ones it transpires that White is not better. 18.Nb5 a5 19.Na7 Bd7 20.Rd1 20.Rxb7? Rxb7 21.Bxb7 Rb8 20...b6 With equality. 21.Bc6 Bxc6 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Nxc6 Rd1+ 24.Kg2 h5 25.Ne5 Ng4 25...Re1!? might deserve consideration at lower levels, to try and play on based on White's structure 26.Nxg4= The rook endgame is almost completely equal, with White's activity counterbalanced by a structural issue. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Giri,A2752Karjakin,S2753½–½2018Tata Steel Masters10

Giri: "He seemed to be very well prepared for today." | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Hou Yifan ½-½ Baskaran Adhiban

The final draw of round ten was in Hou-Adhiban, a very hard-fought game where both sides were winning at different stages. White doesn't play for an opening advantage, but instead plays to increase her comfort level in the position, and at the apex of this effort the knights could have given Black a really tough time indeed. Instead, White misses a wrinkle or two, plays a few passive moves and is then left on the defensive. Thankfully for her, when Black cashes out and enters a rook and knight ending two pawns up, his pieces are so completely tied up that winning efforts are actually very hard to find. There were a few though, as we shall see.

 
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1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
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1.c4182,10256%2442---
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1.d395450%2378---
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 White opts to play that rare creature, the Fianchetto KID without c4. There can be nothing really wrong with it but the game now resembles something more like a Philidor with a slightly strange fianchetto for White. Nbd7 7.e4 e5 8.Nc3 c6 9.a4 Re8 9...a5 10.h3 Re8 11.Be3 exd4 12.Bxd4 Rb8 13.Re2 Qc7 14.Qe1 Ne5 15.Nd2= Lobron,E-Gelfand,B Biel 1993 10.h3 Qc7 11.Be3 b6 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Rad1 Rad8= So, both sides have completed development and it is up to White what he wants to do about ...d5, which may be coming soon. It is perhaps not so strange that the play vaguely resembles some of the Breyer sidelines examined yesterday in the notes to Anand-Carlsen. 14.Bg5 14.Bh6 a6 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 is no panacea for White, who must still worry about slow play: ...h6, ...b5, .. .Qb6, maybe eventually ...c5. 14...a6 15.h4 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.b3 17.h5!? initiates some bizarre complications. For instance: exd4 18.Nxd4 b4 19.Na2 Ne5∞ 17...Qb8 18.dxe5 18.h5 is again worth at least calculating, though Black has a bail-out option in ...h6 intending ...Nxh5. 18...dxe5 19.Bh3 Nf8 20.Qe3 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Bc8 22.Bxc8 Rxc8 This is now a fully believable Breyer Ruy Lopez, except the pawn at c2, which should be on c4. 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Na2 Ne6 25.Nb4 As a firm believer in the knight, it was interesting to watch this game and see how convincing or otherwise the 'bad' dark-square bishop was against it. ('bad' is in quotes because I do know a thing or two about the KID!) Be7 26.Nd3 f6 27.h5 g5?! 27...Kf7= was maybe better, not making too many pawn weaknesses. 28.b4 Rd8 28...Rc7 29.Ndxe5∞ is messy, but could have been Black's best. 29.Ra1 Rd7 30.Nh2 Nd4 31.Ra2 31.Qd2!? tries to arrange a queen lift to a2. Ra7 causes a cascade of tactical issues, beginning 32.Rxa7 Qxa7 33.c3 31...Ra7 32.Rb2 Ra3 33.Qd2 Qa8 33...c5 is a better 'human' move, trying to get the queen to c6. 34.Nxc5 Qe8 and White is having to defend on a number of fronts. 34.c3 Ne6? 35.Ne1?! 35.Nxe5 fxe5 36.Qd7 Kf7 37.Ng4± is winning after some convoluted tactical lines! 35.Ng4 is safe and 'normal'. 35...Ra1 36.Kf1? 36.Kg2 is still good for the knights. For instance: c5 37.Nc2! 37.Qd5?! Qxd5 38.exd5 Nc7 37...Ra6 38.Qe2 36...c5 37.f3 cxb4 38.cxb4 Nd4 38...Qa3 is almost winning, e.g. 39.Kf2 Bd8 39...Rd1!? 39.Kg2 Qa3 By contrast with the last note, now Black lacks the tempo to play ...Rxe1 against Kg2. 40.Nd3 Qa4 41.Nc1 Qa3 42.Ne2 Bxb4 There is nothing better than cashing in. In what follows, I have made brief notes rather than giving variations, knowing that better analysts than myself will pick apart the endgame. 43.Qxb4 Qxb4 44.Rxb4 Ra2 45.Ng4 Kg7 46.Kf1 Nxe2 47.Rxb5 Nxg3+ 48.Kg1 And so we reach an unpleasant endgame for White, but still one that is probably technically drawn. Ne2+ 49.Kf1 Ng3+ 50.Kg1 Nxh5 51.Rb7+ Kg6 52.Rb6 Kg7 53.Rb7+ Kg6 54.Rb6 Ra5 55.Kf2 Black lacks moves here- all his pieces are tied down to their present positions. A pawn sacrifice will become necessary. Kg7 56.Rb7+ Kg6 57.Rb6 Rc5 58.Ra6 Kg7 59.Ra7+ Kg6 60.Ra6 Rc2+ 61.Kg1 Kg7 62.Ra7+ Kg6 63.Ra6 Rc7 Ultimately this had to be done, but the pressure on f6 is not relieved. 64.Nxe5+ Kg7 65.Ng4 Rf7 66.Ne3 Nf4 67.Nf5+ Kg6 68.Ra8 h5 69.Rg8+ Kh7 70.Rd8 h4 71.Rd6 Kg6 72.Ne3 Re7 73.Kf2 Nh3+ 74.Kf1 Nf4 75.Kf2 Re6 75...Rb7!? 76.Ng4 Rb2+ 77.Kf1 Nh5 was another try, but probably not one that deserves to succeed. 76.Rd7 Ra6 77.Nf5 Ra2+ 78.Kg1 Ne2+ 78...Nh3+ 79.Kh1 Nf2+ 80.Kg1 g4 kept the game a bit more lively, but is unlikely to ultimately lead to more than rook and knight vs rook. 79.Kh1 Ng3+ 80.Nxg3 hxg3 81.Rd6! Kf7 81...g4 82.e5!= 82.Rd5 Re2 83.Kg1 Kg7 84.Rf5! Against this construction there is not a lot that can be done. Kg6 85.Kf1 Ra2 86.Kg1 Rf2 87.Kh1 Re2 87...g4 88.fxg4= 88.Kg1 Kf7 88...g4 89.Rf4!= 89.f4 gxf4 90.Rxf4 Ke6 91.Rg4 Re3 92.Rf4 Ke5 93.Rf5+ Ke6 94.Rf4 Re2 95.Rg4 Ke5 96.Rxg3 Kxe4 97.Ra3 f5 98.Kf1 Re3 99.Ra5 Rb3 100.Kf2 Rb2+ 101.Kf1 f4 102.Ra3 Rc2 Black didn't bother disrespecting his opponent by forcing her to demonstrate the need to play Ra8 only after ...f3. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Hou,Y2680Adhiban,B2655½–½2018Tata Steel Masters10

Impressions from Round 10

Scenes from Groningen | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube

Yannick Pelletier's round-up of Round 10

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Full commentary

Commentary by GM Eric Hansen and GM Sipke Ernst| Tata Steel Chess YouTube

Challengers

Vidit and Korobov continue to have a 1½ point lead going into the final four rounds. But one player who started poorly has found his feet in rencent rounds, and that's Matthias Bluebaum. Bluebaum has received some high-level invitations in the past year, most noteably to the Grenke Chess Classic last April. Still just twenty years old, he's risen to number three in Germany.

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Standings after ten rounds

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Macauley served as the Editor in Chief of ChessBase News from July 2017 to March 2020. He is the producer of The Full English Breakfast chess podcast, and was an Associate Producer of the 2016 feature documentary, Magnus.

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