Tata Steel Rd.12: Test of mettle tomorrow

This event is taking place from January 14th to 30th, 2011 in the traditional De Moriaan Center in Wijk aan Zee. There are three Grandmaster Groups, with 14 players each and each competitor playing against every other. The rate of play is 100 minutes for 40 moves, then 50 minutes for 20 moves and finally 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30 seconds/move increment starting with the first move of the game. Games begin at 13:30h local time (CET), except for the last round on January 30th, which begins at 12:00h. There are three rest days, on January 19th, 24th, and 27th.

Results of round twelve

The spectators pressing against each other in order to follow the action of the "A" group

Throughout the event we have seen several players take the sole lead in their groups, sometimes with as much as 1.5 points ahead of the rest, only to be caught up or even surpassed. As the final two rounds approached, it became a veritable free-for-all as almost no player was able to get through unscathed. The only two undefeated players in any group are Anand and Aronian, and almost ironically, they are not leading their event, though Anand will obviously be in a position to do so if the stars line up right for him.

This twelfth round has set up the players for their final chance to decide their fates, and incredibly, nothing is decided in ANY of the events. The first big game of the round turned out to be a big dud for those hoping for a ruthless battle. Nakamura against Kramnik was a non-event as they quickly exchanged off into into a position whose ashes even a phoenix could not rise from.

Nakamura and Kramnik in round twelve with Carlsen watching

Nakamura,Hi (2751) - Kramnik,V (2784) [C67]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 29.01.2011 [Elshan Moradiabadi]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Nf5 13.Bd3 d5 14.Bf4 c6 15.Nd2 Nh4 16.Qe2 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Nf3 Qe7 19.Re1 Qxe2 20.Rxe2

What can one say? On the one hand, one might be disappointed by Nakamura's decision: he has killed the story for a day. In the meantime he also gave Anand the chance to take advantage of his White against Giri. Just as in Curacao in 1962, when the leader, Petrosian, didn't feel in the 'mood' to see how Keres-Fischer would turn out. It will be our duty to check Nakamura's blood pressure during the Anand-Giri encounter. 1/2-1/2. [Click to replay]

In theory, this was an extremely risky decision, since although Kramnik is also a very dangerous proposition to risk one's tournament life on, the fact is that Anand was facing Giri with White, and would be doubly motivated to take advantage of this opportunity.

Anand nearly suffered an unthinkable upset against his prodigy opponent

Things however did not turn out as expected, and the youngest participant of the group nearly caused the biggest upset imaginable, by threatening to beat him. Sure, he had won against Carlsen earlier, but that game will always be looked upon with a frown due to the way it ended. This time there were no easy pawn or piece gifts, and his play was nearly flawless as he built up a nigh decisive advantage against the World Champion.

Anand,V (2810) - Giri,A (2686) [D43]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 29.01.2011 [Elshan Moradiabadi]

This game had the power to decisively affect the final crosstable and standings, and a single move could have catastrophic consequences. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 Giri does play the Slav quite often. 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5

Anand shows all his eagerness and enormous will to catch up with Nakamura. 5...h6 Another Moscow? 6.Bxf6 No. Vishy seeks a slight yet solid advantage in this game. 6...Qxf6 7.e3 g6 8.Bd3 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Rc1 dxc4. 10...Nd7 11.cxd5 exd5 12.b4 a6 13.Qb3 leads to the oft examined "Carlsbad" system, in which Black is fine thanks to his pair of bishops. 13...Nb6 14.a4 Be6 15.Ne5 Qe7 16.f4 Nd7 17.a5 Nxe5 18.fxe5 f6 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.Na4 Bf7 21.Bc2 Re8 22.Rxf6 Bxf6 23.Kf2 Bg5 24.Re1 Qf6+ 25.Kg1 Bxe3+ 26.Rxe3 Qxd4 27.Kf2 Qd2+ 28.Kf3 Rf8 29.Kg3 d4 30.Re6 Qg5+ 31.Kh3 Qh5+ 32.Kg3 Qg5+ 33.Kh3 h5 0-1 Kacheishvili,G (2587)-Van Wely,L (2653)/Wheeling 2010/CBM 136 Extra 11.Bxc4 Nd7 12.e4. 12.Re1 with the idea of facing 12...Rd8 13.e4 e5 14.d5 Nb6 15.Bb3 Bg4 with 16.Re3 12...c5N This new move is quite logical. Later a big discussion will take place on the issue, and could be the subject of a survey in the next CBM. (Hint, hint) 13.d5 Nb6 14.b3 exd5 15.Nxd5 Qd8 16.h3 Nxc4 17.bxc4 Re8 18.Re1 Bd7 19.Qd2 Rc8 20.Qf4

20...b5! Perfectly timed. By creating play on the queenside, Giri wisely reduces White's piece concentration in the center and kingside. 21.e5 g5. Sharp and in accordance with the "silicon" mind. Despite the weaknesses the pawn advance causes, its benefits overtly overweigh its minor advance. 22.Qg3 bxc4 23.Red1 Rc6. Anish Giri plays cool and stays cool against the world champion. Contrary to the image one might get from White's full force concentration, Black is in no danger. 24.Ne3 Qc7 25.Nxc4 Be6 26.h4 g4 27.Nfd2 Rd8. Again, absolutely accurate. A reduction in material would favor Black, due to his bishop pair and only "temporarily" blockaded c-pawn. 28.Re1?! Being half a point behind the leader and only one round to go, Anand tries to keep the tension in order to fight for win, a try that turns out to be a desperate one. 28.Qe3 Rd4 29.Qe2 Qd8 30.g3 Qd5 and Black is slightly better. 28...Rd4 29.Qe3 Qd8 30.g3 Qd5 31.Na5 Rc8 32.Ndc4 Rb8 33.Qe2 Bf8

I dare say that Black has a clear advantage at this point. 34.Ne3 Qe4 35.Nb3! The best chance for Vishy. He "sacs" a pawn in order to get rid of Black's dominant bishops, or at least one of them. 35...Bxb3 36.axb3 Rxb3 37.Qa2 Qb7 38.Qc2 Rb2 39.Qf5 Qe4 40.Qxe4 Rxe4 41.Ra1 Black is not "fully" a pawn up, however in just a few moves and with the help of a few inaccuracies from Anand's side, it could become decisive. 41...c4 42.Rxa7 Bc5 43.Ra8+ Kh7 44.Rf1 c3 45.Rc8 Bd4 46.Rc7 Rxe5 47.Rxf7+ Kg6 48.Rd7 Bxe3 49.fxe3 Rd2? Giri makes Caissa's day and saves her champion. 49...Rb6! would really have put the question to Anand, whether this could be defended or not. 50.e4 (50.Kg2 Rxe3 51.Rf2 Rc6 52.Rd5 Rf3 (52...c2 53.h5+ Kh7 54.Rd7+ is draw) 53.Rc2 Kf6 would have sealed his fate.) 50...Rc5! 51.Rdd1 c2 52.Rc1 Rc3 (52...Rd6 53.e5 Rd3 54.Kh1 Rd2 55.Rce1 Rc7 56.e6 Re7 57.Kg1 Rd3 58.Kg2 Rc3 59.h5+ Kg7 60.Ra1 Rc5 61.Rae1 Re8 62.e7 Rcc8 63.Kh2 is a draw as neither side can improve.) 53.Kg2 Rf6 54.Rfe1 Rff3 55.e5 Rxg3+ 56.Kh2 Rh3+ 57.Kg2 Kf7 58.Re2 should have saving sorties for White. 50.Rc7! One cannot blame Giri for not being able to convert his advantage against the world champion. As shown by the few lines above, the ending was not a piece of cake but rather food for Dr. Mueller's next article. In the end one should thank Anand for his persistance in order to keep our hopes alive for one more exciting day at Wijk aan Zee! 1/2-1/2. [Click to replay]

Anand has to be counting his lucky stars after this repreive, since a loss would have thrown out any parayer of a last round miracle dash to the podium. Of course, Nakamura might choose the safe path and secure at least a shared first with a quick draw in the last round (his fans will be hoping for blood), which would allow Anand to catch him with a win, but Hikaru could also simply crush any such hope by playing for the win. We'll see what comes.

Wang Hao was outmatched as he fought Lasker, Capablanca, Tarrasch and Euwe!
(See GM Moradiabadi's game comments)

Carlsen compounded his victory over Kramnik with a second one over Wang Hao. As pointed out in the notes by GM Elshan Moradiabadi, the play of the number one was an echo of classicism at its finest, and would have been applauded by the players it modeled.

Carlsen,M (2814) - Wang Hao (2731) [B12]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 29.01.2011 [Elshan Moradiabadi]

1.e4 A classical outcome. The unpredictable aspect of this game was that it was conducted by Lasker, Capablanca, Tarrasch and Euwe! 1...c6 Caro-Kann. A rare guest at top level! 2.d4 d5 3.e5 The continuation which has put the system under question, however, one should not forget that it is still playable. 3...Bf5 4.Be3

The solidest continuation, which is in full accordance to Carlsen's style. 4...e6 5.Nd2 Nd7 6.Ngf3 Bg6 May not be the most accurate. Despite the "closed" nature of the line, the move order does matter! 7.Be2 Ne7 8.Nh4 c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.Nf3 Rc8 A classic position. Black wants to prove that White's two bishops are ineffective, however White's center is not under any pressure and he can consolidate his attack on the kingside. 12.0-0 a6 13.g3 Be7 14.h4 b5 15.a4! Stylish and classic. If the word 'classic' seems overused, consider that Carlsen's play is a textbook example of the teachings of the masters of the past. White's bishop pair is flexing its muscles and he is "allowed" to play on both wings. 15...Qb6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Kg2 c4?! This move has two problems: Black no longer pressures White center, and in the meantime, the majority of his pieces are cut off from the kingside. 18.Ng5 Qd8 19.Bg4

Carlsen is dying to sac something on e6, and Wang is just as anxious to avoid it. 19...Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qc7 21.Rh1 Nb6 22.h5 gxh5 23.Bxh5 Na4

24.Bxf7+! Black's kingside is indefensible. 24...Kxf7 25.Qf3+ Kg8 26.Rxh8+ Kxh8 27.Rh1+ Kg8 28.Qh5 Rf8 29.Bf6

A deserved diagram for a modern classical classic! 1-0. [Click to replay]

GM Daniel King also provided comments in his video Daily Round-up show at Playchess. By the way, live GM commentary will be free and open to all during the games on Sunday. This win brought Carlsen to 7.5/12 and equal third with Aronian. In the last round, Anand will be playing with black against Nepomniachtchi while Nakamura will be black against Wang Hao.

 
GM Daniel King's analysis of Carlsen-Hao from round twelve

The "B" and "C" events have a finale worth of a movie, and it is really an incredible coincidence that in both events, the top two leaders will be playing each other for the top prize. In "B", after having gone from untouchable to lost in the fray, and back again, English GM Luke McShane won an incredibly important game against Wesley So...

The game between So and McShane was decisive for the final standings in "B"

...taking him to 8.0/12 while David Navara also beat Friso Nijboer, and is also at 8.0/12. As fate would have it, they are paired to play on Sunday with Efimenko just behind on 7.5/12.

Swiercz beat Vocaturo (cap) to ensure a thrilling last-round game to decide first place

The "C" event is closer in appearance to the "A" group in that Vocaturo is on 8.5/12, having lost his game to Swiercz, while 14-year-old Ilya Nyzhnyk won his and is not only at 8.0/12 but is paired against Vocaturo. That is one game you can be certain will not end in a quick peaceful draw.

All photos © Frits Agterdenbos of ChessVista

 
Europe Echecs is kindly providing reports in English. Here is the round 12 report with an interview of Luke McShane

Current standings after twelve rounds

Grandmaster "A" tournament

Grandmaster "B" tournament

Grandmaster "C" tournament

Watching the games

It goes without saying that the options to watch the games live are wide and varied. You can watch them at no cost on Playchess, enjoying the software's new options to display multiple boards at the same time, and if you are a Premium member, live grandmaster commentary will be provided on Playchess for every round by GM Daniel King, author of the best-selling Power Play series, and GM Lubomir Ftacnik.

If you miss the live games, you can always watch the commentary after the fact, or get an abridged tale via the Daily Roundup show also hosted on Playchess. Again, if you miss the show, it remains available on the server at your disposal.

Schedule of Grandmaster Group A

Schedule of Grandmaster Group B

Schedule of Grandmaster Group C

Links Official tournament site "A" tournament games in PGN "B" tournament games in PGN "C" tournament games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!