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.
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!
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.
The first DVD with videos from Anand's chess career reflects the very beginning of that career and goes as far as 1999. It starts with his memories of how he first learned chess and shows his first great games (including those from the 1984 WCh for juniors). The high point of his early developmental phase was the winning of the 1987 WCh for juniors. After that, things continue in quick succession: the first victories over Kasparov, WCh candidate in both the FIDE and PCA cycles and the high point of the WCh match against Kasparov in 1995. Running time: 3:48 hours
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:
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.Nf3d52.d4Nf63.Bf4Today, it seems like the London System is a better
winning weapon than the Catalan or, God forbid, allowing the Nimzo.Bf54.e3e65.c4Bxb1This line is, of course, very well known to Wesley So, as the
following notes will make clear.6.Qxb1Bb4+7.Kd1Bd68.Bg5h69.Bxf69.Bh4was played in an online game between the same players. FollowingNbd710.cxd5exd511.Bd3c612.Ke2Be713.b4a614.Rc10-015.a4White had a
reasonable minority-attack position, and the early movements of his king have
not been particularly to his detriment.Ne416.Bxe4Bxh417.Bh7+Kh818.Bf5Nb619.b5cxb520.axb5a521.g3Be722.Kf1Carlsen,M-So,W chess.com
INT 20179...Qxf610.cxd5An interesting sequence of forcing moves, which
even the cloud engines don't immediately get.10.c5was chosen by Wesley
from the White side. FollowingBf811.Qc2c612.b4a613.Bd3Nd714.Ke2g514...e5was probably also playable15.h3Bg716.a4White was
probably marginally for choice in So,W -Wojtaszek,R Shamkir 201710...exd511.e4Be712.Bb5+c613.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.Qf414.Bd3c515.dxc5Nc615...Nd716.Bb5!?might have been the intention,
and after0-0-017.Bxd7+Rxd718.b4there 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.Qc1Presumably still in preparation,
Magnus is playing the most incisive continuations.Qb417.a3Qxc518.Ke2Nd4+19.Nxd4Qxd420.f4At 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.0-021.Qd2Qb622.Rhe1f622...Rac823.Kf3is
unexpectedly difficult for Black to play given the opening. This is chiefly
due to his isolated pawn.23.e623.exf6Bxf624.Kf3is not completely
without venom too.23...Qxe6+24.Kf3Qd725.Rad125.g4is another
natural idea White could use.25...Rad825...f5=is a rather solid
move, giving back the isolated pawn in an uncomplicated way, and setting up
with ...Bf6 and ...g6.26.Qe3Bd627.Bg6f5A bit late. Now Black
ends up giving more pawns than intended.27...Kh828.Rxd5f529.Qd3
is similarly bad, but with queens on, so maybe Black can play more easily.28.Qe6+Qxe629.Rxe6Bc529...Bc730.h4±is deeply unpleasant since
Black lacks moves of any sort that don't lose material, but maybe this
followed byRf631.Rxf6gxf632.Bxf5Kf7was the way to go30.Re5Rf631.Bxf5Bd632.Rdxd5!32.Rexd5g6=32...Kf733.Re4g634.Bg4h535.Bh3±White has consolidated his extra pawn.Re836.Red4Allowing a
motif that hits the bishop on h3.36.Rxe8Kxe837.g3was worth
considering, and the bishop can hit one of b7 and g6 next. This position is
also technically winning.36...Be537.Rb4g5Black is trying his best!38.g3b638...g4+39.Bxg4hxg4+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 instance39.Bf1kept great winning chances39...Kf840.Rh7g4+41.Bxg4hxg4+42.Kxg4Bd643.Rc4a544.Rc6Kg844...Be7!=
was the most precise defence, though I suspect Black didn't see salvation in
the rookless position after45.Rh8+Kf746.Rxf6+Bxf647.Rxe8Kxe848.b3
. Nevertheless, another 15 computer moves should see him save this.45.Rb7Be546.Rcxb6Rxb647.Rxb6Bd448.Rb5Now 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...Re249.b3Rxh249...a450.bxa4Rxh2would at least have compromised White's structure- and I suspect
the a3-pawn will be dropping soon.50.Rxa5Re251.Rd5Bb252.a4And just
like that, the position is technically winning. At no point does it slip away.Bc353.Kf5Re854.g4Rf8+55.Ke4Rb856.Rb5Re8+57.Kd3Be158.a5Bf259.b4Re3+60.Kc4Re4+61.Kb3Kf761...Rxf462.Rf5+-62.Re5Rd463.b5Rd3+64.Kc2Rg365.g5Bd466.Rd5Be367.Rd3Rg2+68.Kb3Bc169.b6Ke670.Rd4Rb2+71.Ka4Kf572.Rb4Ra2+73.Kb5Bxf474.Rxf4+Kxf475.b7A very
strong creative effort by White, although it might just have appeared like
technique on the surface.1–0
"Simple yet aggressive!" Enjoy this new exciting DVD by Simon Williams. Let the famouns Grandmaster from England show you how to gain a very exciting yet well founded opening game with the London System (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4).
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.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Bc54.c3Nf65.d30-06.Bg5Opting, 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.h67.Bh4Be77...g5led to a draw in a recent high-profile game.8.Bg3d69.a4a610.Qd2Nh511.h4Nxg312.fxg3g413.Qxh6gxf314.Qg6+Kh815.Qh6+Kg816.Qg6+Kh8=Vachier Lagrave,M-Karjakin,S Paris 20178.Nbd2d68...Na5!?is not a completely pointless gambit:9.Nxe5Nxc410.Nexc410.dxc4Nxe410...d511.Ne3dxe412.Bxf6Bxf613.Nxe4Be7With two
bishops for two knights and a pawn, Black has very reasonable counterplay,
analogous perhaps to the Gajewski line of the Ruy Lopez.9.Bb39.a4
was faced by Kramnik himself from the other side of the board recently.Nh510.Bg3Nxg310...Nb8!?could have been played immediately, not giving
White the needed clarity on what is happening on the h-file.11.Nf111.Nxe5is obvious, but followingNxg312.Nxf7Rxf713.hxg3Qf8∞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...c612.Ne3Nd7=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.hxg3Nb812.Nf1c613.Ne3Na614.g414.Bxa6bxa615.d414...Nc7=Following a slightly complicated opening
battle Black had equalised in Vachier Lagrave,M-Kramnik,V Leuven 20179...Nh59...Na510.Bc2c5is another standard plan, and Black will
probably continue with ...Be6, ...Nc6 and consider ...d5.10.Bxe7Qxe711.Nc4Qf6Telegraphing a kingside attack rather clearly, but this then prompts
White's overreaction.11...Be612.Ne3Nf6was solid in Baramidze,
D-Fressinet,L Germany 200912.Ne3Nf413.Bc213.0-0followed by g3
could have been one way to go.Ne714.d4g515.g313...Ne714.g3Nh315.Qe2Now we can see what Kramnik is playing for: a sharp opposite-side
castling position.c516.0-0-016.Ng1=or something was technically
still legal, but who plays chess like this?16...Be617.d417.Kb1!?
is almost always useful preparation, and that holds here too.Rfc818.d4cxd419.cxd417...cxd418.cxd4Rac8Missing a chance.18...Bxa2!?
is possible here according to the machines, and it seems to get an edge! The
critical line is19.b3a520.Kb2?!a421.Kxa2?axb3+22.Kxb3d5-+19.Kb1Rc719...Rxc2was another noteworthy chance, though not obvious if
you're not looking for it. The point is the non-trivial20.Kxc2?!Qg6‼20.Rd2Rfc821.dxe5dxe522.Rhd1Now 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.g622...b5!?is a little bit faster.23.Rd6Rc624.Bb3Rf8?24...Rxd625.Rxd6h5survives according to the
machine, but White is definitely significantly better after even the simple26.a325.R1d3?If I had to guess I would say Black's last move was
based on using the f-file after25.Bxe6but neither order quite works:Rxd625...fxe626.Rd8!±26.Bxh3!+-26.Rxd6fxe625...Rfc826.Rd1Rf827.a3Missing the same idea again.h5It is generally useful to
avoid Ng4 motifs.28.Bxe6fxe629.Rd7Nc8?29...Qxf330.Qxf3Rxf331.Rxe7Rf7almost equalises, and so should be preferred.30.Nc430.Nh4±is another option, cuing up interesting Nd5 ideas.30...Nxf231.Ncxe5
An alluring and practically tricky option, but not objectively best.31.Rf1!?Rxc432.Rxf2leaves Black with bizarrely few options against Qe3-h6. The
only move isRd4but now if nothing else White acheives a large advantage
with33.Nxd4Qxf234.Qxf2Rxf235.Nxe6Rxh236.Rxb7±31...Nxd132.Qxd1Rc532...Rb633.Qd2g5=is the machine defence.33.Qd4This is
now practically impossible to defend, but the errors understandably continue
from both sides.Nb633...Rb534.Rc7might look like a lethal battery,
but Black can execute the text move now:Nb6and Black has gained a
tempo over the text.34.Rxb7Rb535.Rxa7Rd836.Qc336.Rf7‼±36...Rc836...Nd7‼37.Rc7No further accidents.Rd838.Qc6Rb338...Rxe539.Nxe5Qxe540.Qxb6Qxe4+41.Ka2Qd5+42.Qb3±is basically over
too.39.Rf7!Enough to force resignation even if this was a time
scramble.39.Rf7Qxf740.Nxf7Kxf741.Ng5+wins a rook with the next
check.1–0
In recent years the Italian Game has undergone a renaissance, transforming it from the Cinderella of 1.e4 openings into a major system which offers excellent chances for White to gain the advantage.
Kramnik: "I decided to go for the sharpest possible play with long-castling" | Tata Steel Chess on YouTube
Kramnik continues to play very ambitious/risky stuff, insisting on maximum dynamics. Love to see this from the veterans. #TataSteelChess
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.e4c52.c3Another rare guest at the top levels, but Gawain Jones is
nothing if not a connoisseur of anti-Sicilians.Nf63.e5Nd54.Nf3Nc65.Bc45.d4is marginally more popular, but has been largely de-fanged.5...Nb66.Bb3c4Seizing control of c4 now gives White slightly fewer options
and makes clear that Black is playing for a win.6...d67.exd6Qxd68.Na3!?is an interesting idea, seen in a number of elite games. For instance,Be69.d4Bxb310.Qxb3cxd411.Nb5Qb812.Nbxd4Nakamura,H-Nepomniachtchi,
I Baku 20157.Bc2d68.exd6Qxd68...e5!?is even more militantly
maximalist, but it is a bit unncessary and could come unstuck, e.g.9.a4Bxd610.0-0Be611.d3h612.a5Nc813.a6Howell,D-Lazarev,V France 20069.0-0Bg410.h3Bh511.Re10-0-012.Be4Discouraging all kinds of ...Qf6
ideas. This move has far more to it than meets the eye.12.b3Qf613.bxc4brings about an interesting imbalance12.Na3could be another
implementation of the game idea:Qf613.Be4Ne514.g4Vysochin,
S-Kokarev,D Olginka 201112...e612...Qd7!?might be a slight
improvement.13.b3f514.Bxc614.Bc2e514...Qxc615.Qc2!15.g4fxg416.Ne5Qf617.hxg4Be8should practically favour Black15...Bxf316.Qxf5+e617.Qxf3Qxf318.gxf3Rd3Black has good compensation,
and practical chances based on White's exposed king, but I don't think he is
actually better.13.b3f514.Bc2g615.bxc4e516.d4?!16.d3keeps
chances of a slight objective edge, although neither I nor the engine properly
understand Black's pawn sacrifice.16...exd417.Bg5Bg7!A really
powerful exchange sacrifice, which must have been underestimated.17...d318.Bb3Be7=18.Bxd8Rxd819.Qd3Qf4White finds it impossible to
disentangle because of the pressure on the long diagonal.20.Qd220.Na3dxc321.Qe3might have been a better wriggle20...Qxd221.Nbxd2dxc322.Nb3Bxf323.gxf3Nb424.Re2Nxc4Now 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.Rc1b526.Na1Bh627.Rb1a528.Kg2Nd229.Rbe1Bf4Fully under control. White can barely
move. The rest is just good (although not tricky) technique.30.Re7Rd731.Re8+Kc732.Ra8a433.Re6Kb734.Rae8Bd635.Bd1Nd536.Re1Nf4+37.Kh1Bc538.Be2Nxe239.R1xe2b440.R2e5Rc7The 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
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.c4Nf62.Nf3e63.Nc3d54.d4Bb4The 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.exd56.Bf46.Bg5is the main move, and
afterh67.Bh4c5the current fashion is for the ambitious8.dxc5!?6...Ne47.Qa4+A second minor move in a row by Peter Svidler lands him not in
completely new territory but certainly in slight danger.7.Rc1was a more
solid move in an obvious ideological precedent.Nc68.Nd2g59.Be3Nxc310.bxc3Bd6Svane,R-Socko,B Germany 20167...Nc68.Rc10-09.g39.h4was necessary if a little uncomfortable. There could followBg410.e3Qe711.Be2=9.e3g510.Bg3h511.h4g412.Ne5Bxc3+13.Rxc313.bxc3Nxg314.fxg3Qe713...Nxc314.bxc3Nxe515.Bxe5Bf5Ermenkov,
E-Shyam,S Albena 20159...g510.Be3f510...Bxc3+11.bxc3f5was a
marginally more precise order.11.Bg2Kind of a wasted move since White
will never get to castle.11.Bd2!?Bxc312.Bxc3was an additional option
granted by Black's last.11...f412.gxf412.Bd2can be met in various
ways, includingg413.Ne5Bxc314.bxc3Nxd215.Kxd2Nxe516.dxe5fxg312...Bxc3+13.bxc3gxf414.Bd2Kh8!The absolute best move. After
less than 15 moves White has no castling prospects and is close to lost.15.Qb3?Not helping.15.Rg1Be616.Bf1is one way of trying to get
belated counterplay.After15.0-0Qf6!White will be unable to form a
coherent defence against doubling on the g-file.15...Na5Unfortunately,
this natural move gains a great many tempi.16.Qc2Nc4The obvious threat
is ...Bg4 trapping the d2-bishop, but there are others.17.Rd1Rg817...Qe7is most favoured by machines, which want to continue ...Bf5 and ...Rae8, but
it is much of a muchness by now.18.Ne5Nxe519.Bxe4Qg519...dxe420.Bxf4Ng621.Bg3is also dead, but the game might last a bit longer since
White has a good bishop.20.Bxf4Qxf421.Bxd5Bf5!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
The Ragozin is being played by every top grandmaster in the world - it is time you also add it to your repertoire to get interesting and dynamic positions against 1. d4! GM Alejandro Ramirez analyses every single move that White can play once the Ragozin is reached, but due to several transpositional possibilities he always emphasises strategic goals to keep in mind.
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.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Nc3Nf64.Bb5Nd4Black 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.Bc45.Ba4!?is the main line, trying to
prevent Black from playing ...d5 under favourable conditions. Play could
continue:Bc5!?5...Nxf3+6.Qxf3Bc5=is stable equality, though
White has also tried the pawn recapture.6.Nxe50-07.Nd3Bb68.e5Ne89.Nd5Now see, for instance, Morozevich-Svidler, Thessaloniki 2013, or
Kasparov-Dominguez, Saint Louis 2017.5...Bc56.d36.Nxe5Qe7!
is vaguely reminiscent of the Traxler Counter-Gambit and is in any case more
dangerous for White than Black.6...d67.Na4Initiating large-scale
exchanges in a tried and tested manner.7.h3is most played, but seems a
little slow, especially since Black can just respond to Bg5/Nd5 ideas with a
laconic ...c6.7...b58.Nxd4bxc49.Nf5Bxf510.exf5cxd311.Nxc5dxc512.cxd3So far following a source game from 2 years ago. What seems likely
is that central pawn exchanges will follow and then a draw.Qd713.Qf30-014.0-014.Bg5e415.dxe4Nxe4=14...Rfd815.Be3Qxd316.Rac1
To be honest with you, I doubt it makes much difference which rook White plays
with here.16.Rfc1e417.Qg3Qd518.Qxc7Rac819.Qf4=was the source
game, maybe marginally more pleasant for Black but still ultimately agreed
drawn without much trouble. Maze,S-Fressinet,L Agen 201616...c417.h3h617...e4=kept equality more easily.18.Rc3Qe418...Qd5!19.Qxd5Nxd520.Rxc4a5=keeps everything watertight19.Qxe4Nxe420.Rxc4Nd221.Bxd2Rxd222.Rb1Black has made a few very minor inaccuracies, and now22.Rxc7!?Rxb223.Re1!Rxa224.Rxe5might still make Black do a
little bit of work in an unpleasant 4-v-3 rook endgame22...Rad823.Rxc7Re2!The sacrificed pawns will return home.24.Rxa7Rdd225.Rf1Rxb226.g4Rxa227.Rxa2Rxa228.Re1The draw was agreed here, none too soon.½–½
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.d4Nf62.c4e63.g3Bb4+4.Nd2Maybe 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...d55.Bg20-06.Ngf3b67.0-0Bb7
is another normal way to play this position with Black5.a3Bxd2+6.Qxd2cxd47.Nf37.Qxd4Nc68.Qd30-09.Bg2d5=7...d57...b6!?8.Nxd4Bb79.f3could lead to some kind of almost Maroczy-like play8.Bg2dxc49.Qxd4Qxd410.Nxd40-0The 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.Be311.Bg5!?e512.Nb5Nc613.Rd1is 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...Nd512.Rc112.0-0!?Nxe313.fxe3e5=
is creative but probably nothing12...c3!12...Nxe313.fxe3e514.Nb5Nc615.Nd613.b3Nxe314.fxe3Nd715.Rxc3Rd816.0-0Nf617.Rc717.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:Bd718.Ne5Rac819.Rxc8Rxc8
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.Nb5a519.Na7Bd720.Rd120.Rxb7?Rxb721.Bxb7Rb820...b6With equality.21.Bc6Bxc622.Rxd8+Rxd823.Nxc6Rd1+24.Kg2h525.Ne5Ng425...Re1!?
might deserve consideration at lower levels, to try and play on based on
White's structure26.Nxg4=The rook endgame is almost completely equal,
with White's activity counterbalanced by a structural issue.½–½
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.d4Nf62.Nf3d63.g3g64.Bg2Bg75.0-00-06.Re1White 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.Nbd77.e4e58.Nc3c69.a4Re89...a510.h3Re811.Be3exd412.Bxd4Rb813.Re2Qc714.Qe1Ne515.Nd2=
Lobron,E-Gelfand,B Biel 199310.h3Qc711.Be3b612.Qd2Bb713.Rad1Rad8=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.Bg514.Bh6a615.Bxg7Kxg7
is no panacea for White, who must still worry about slow play: ...h6, ...b5, ..
.Qb6, maybe eventually ...c5.14...a615.h4b516.axb5axb517.b317.h5!?initiates some bizarre complications. For instance:exd418.Nxd4b419.Na2Ne5∞17...Qb818.dxe518.h5is again worth at least calculating,
though Black has a bail-out option in ...h6 intending ...Nxh5.18...dxe519.Bh3Nf820.Qe3Rxd121.Rxd1Bc822.Bxc8Rxc8This is now a fully
believable Breyer Ruy Lopez, except the pawn at c2, which should be on c4.23.Bxf6Bxf624.Na2Ne625.Nb4As 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!)Be726.Nd3f627.h5g5?!27...Kf7=
was maybe better, not making too many pawn weaknesses.28.b4Rd828...Rc729.Ndxe5∞is messy, but could have been Black's best.29.Ra1Rd730.Nh2Nd431.Ra231.Qd2!?tries to arrange a queen lift to a2.Ra7
causes a cascade of tactical issues, beginning32.Rxa7Qxa733.c331...Ra732.Rb2Ra333.Qd2Qa833...c5is a better 'human' move, trying
to get the queen to c6.34.Nxc5Qe8and White is having to defend on a
number of fronts.34.c3Ne6?35.Ne1?!35.Nxe5fxe536.Qd7Kf737.Ng4±is winning after some convoluted tactical lines!35.Ng4is safe
and 'normal'.35...Ra136.Kf1?36.Kg2is still good for the knights.
For instance:c537.Nc2!37.Qd5?!Qxd538.exd5Nc737...Ra638.Qe236...c537.f3cxb438.cxb4Nd438...Qa3is almost winning, e.g.39.Kf2Bd839...Rd1!?39.Kg2Qa3By contrast with the last note,
now Black lacks the tempo to play ...Rxe1 against Kg2.40.Nd3Qa441.Nc1Qa342.Ne2Bxb4There 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.Qxb4Qxb444.Rxb4Ra245.Ng4Kg746.Kf1Nxe247.Rxb5Nxg3+48.Kg1And so we reach an unpleasant endgame
for White, but still one that is probably technically drawn.Ne2+49.Kf1Ng3+50.Kg1Nxh551.Rb7+Kg652.Rb6Kg753.Rb7+Kg654.Rb6Ra555.Kf2
Black lacks moves here- all his pieces are tied down to their present
positions. A pawn sacrifice will become necessary.Kg756.Rb7+Kg657.Rb6Rc558.Ra6Kg759.Ra7+Kg660.Ra6Rc2+61.Kg1Kg762.Ra7+Kg663.Ra6Rc7Ultimately this had to be done, but the pressure on f6 is not relieved.64.Nxe5+Kg765.Ng4Rf766.Ne3Nf467.Nf5+Kg668.Ra8h569.Rg8+Kh770.Rd8h471.Rd6Kg672.Ne3Re773.Kf2Nh3+74.Kf1Nf475.Kf2Re675...Rb7!?76.Ng4Rb2+77.Kf1Nh5was another try, but probably not one that
deserves to succeed.76.Rd7Ra677.Nf5Ra2+78.Kg1Ne2+78...Nh3+79.Kh1Nf2+80.Kg1g4kept the game a bit more lively, but is unlikely to
ultimately lead to more than rook and knight vs rook.79.Kh1Ng3+80.Nxg3hxg381.Rd6!Kf781...g482.e5!=82.Rd5Re283.Kg1Kg784.Rf5!Against this construction there is not a lot that can be done.Kg685.Kf1Ra286.Kg1Rf287.Kh1Re287...g488.fxg4=88.Kg1Kf788...g489.Rf4!=89.f4gxf490.Rxf4Ke691.Rg4Re392.Rf4Ke593.Rf5+Ke694.Rf4Re295.Rg4Ke596.Rxg3Kxe497.Ra3f598.Kf1Re399.Ra5Rb3100.Kf2Rb2+101.Kf1f4102.Ra3Rc2Black didn't bother disrespecting his opponent
by forcing her to demonstrate the need to play Ra8 only after ...f3.½–½
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.
Macauley PetersonMacauley 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.
Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
The Black Sniper is back – sharper and deadlier than ever! This dynamic system (1...g6, 2...Bg7, 3...c5 against 1.e4, 1.d4 and 1.c4) creates unpredictable, high-pressure positions, leaving opponents struggling to adapt.
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