1/16/2011 – It was a quiet day overall, with not much to drum up strong emotions or free-flowing adrenaline. In the main "A" tournament, spectators were left wondering whether the omission of the anti-draw Sofia rules might not have been a mistake after all, with Nepomniachtchi the only winner. In the "B" event, GM Luke McShane took the early lead with 2.0/2. Report with analysis by GM Karsten Mueller.
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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.
It was a quiet day overall, with not much to drum up strong emotions or free-flowing adrenaline. In the main "A" tournament, spectators were left wondering whether the omission of the anti-draw Sofia rules might not have been a mistake after all. Although a few draws, while short, were pretty much sucked dry of the life in them, such as Anand-Kramnik, or Grischuk-Vachier Lagrave, one barely left the starting gate (Aronian-Nakamura), and a couple were agreed despite having plenty of play in them, such as Ponomariov-l'Ami, and above all Giri-Smeets.
Unfortunately, these expressions of sheer excitement also translated into their game
The latter was the biggest disappointment for the audience who had few (used as a synonym of 'zilch') options for action-packed games, and this was one intense battle that left even Playchess commentator, GM Daniel King, breathless. After managing to reach the time control alive, with ample playing options for both sides, the hands were stuck out and a quick escape was made to the analysis area. A pity.
Giri and Smeets had the most exciting game of the round in the "A" tournament
Giri,A (2686) - Smeets,J (2662) [D44]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2011
This had been played only days before elsewhere, though it is probably an independent find by Smeet's second, GM Jan Gustafsson. 20.Bd6. 20.Qd2 Bxf4 21.Qxf4 Nc5 22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.Rfe1 Rd7 24.Re5 Bc6 25.h4 a5 26.Bh3 a4 27.Rae1 a3 28.bxa3 b3 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Rxe8+ Kb7 31.Qb8+ Ka6 32.Bxd7 Bxd7 33.Re1 Bc6 34.h5 d4 35.Re5 Qxa3 36.Qc8+ Kb6 37.Qd8+ Ka6 38.Qc8+ Kb6 39.Qd8+ 1/2-1/2 Zakhartsov,V (2602)-Michalczak,T (2370)/Guben 2011/Mega2011 Update 03 20...Bf8 21.Be7 Bxe7 22.fxe7 Rde8 23.Qd4 Rh6
24.b3?! This looks suspicious frankly, as it makes the pawn advance that much easier. Perhaps the young Dutchman hoped to undermine and work past the queenside pawns. Give some, take some. 24...Rxe7 25.Rfc1 Ne5 26.Nc5 c3
Which is stronger? The knight or the bishop? The bishop on b7 is slightly hampered by the d5 pawn, but it also not only helps keep the position together, protecting d5, as it maintains threats along the long a8-h1 diagonal. It is a tough judgement call. 27.Rxa7. 27.Nxb7 Qxb7 is anything but clear. For example 28.Ra4 (28.Bxd5 Qb6 and after the exchange the protected passed pawn is going to hurt.) 28...Rb6 29.h4!? (29.Bxd5 would just draw. 29...Qd7 30.Rxb4 Rxb4 31.Qxb4 Qxd5 32.Qxe7 Nf3+ 33.Kf1 Nd2+ 34.Kg1 Nf3+ etc.)27...Nc6 28.Qg4+
28...Rhe6. Forced since both king moves lose outright. 28...Kd8? 29.Nxb7+ Rxb7 30.Rxb7 Qxb7 31.Qg5+; 28...Kb8? 29.Rxb7+ Rxb7 30.Qg8+ Ka7 31.Ra1+ Kb6 32.Nxb7 Kxb7 33.Qxf7+ Kb8 34.Qf4+ 29.Nxe6 fxe6 30.Ra4 Qc5 31.Qg8+ Kd7 32.Bf1 d4 33.Bc4 Na5. By now both players had less than ten minutes left to make the time control, though of course they also still have their 30-second increment kicking in every move. 34.Qb8. Has Giri blundered? Does Qc6 win? 34...Qc6 35.f3! This actually holds, even though it looks more like one of those computer moves, forestalling an inevitable mate by any means. 35...Nxc4. Taking with 35...Qxf3 Doesn't win believe it or not. By taking on f3, Black allows 36.Bb5+ Bc6 37.Bxc6+ Nxc6 38.Ra7+ Nxa7 39.Qxa7+ Kc6 (39...Ke8 40.Qb8+ Kd7 (40...Kf7 41.Rf1) 41.Qa7+) 40.Qxe7 Qe3+ 41.Kg2 Qxc1 42.Qxe6+ with a perpetual. 36.Rxb4 Nb6 37.Rxd4+ Nd5 38.Qe5 Qc7
Draw??!!? Come on you guys. It may be balanced, but this should be played out, unless *both* actually thought they were worse, which is very hard to believe. 1/2-1/2.[Click to replay]
Nepomniachtchi milked his advantageous endgame with Hao to the end, and there were no miracle saves this time for the resourceful Chinese GM, for the only decisive game of the top key. The renowned endgame expert, GM Karsten Mueller, pointed out that Hao missed a chance to save the endgame and was kind enough to share his analysis.
After a slip in the endgame, allowing the Russian a chance to win a pawn, Nepomniachtchi
never let go and reeled the point in.
Wang,Hao (2731) - Nepomniachtchi,Ian (2733) [E60]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 16.01.2011 [Mueller,Karsten]
Fortress or Zugzwang?
When a knight fights against a bishop for a draw it often wants to construct a fortress: 78.Nb1? Then White's forces will be dominated. Astonishingly Black cannot win after 78.Kd3! For example: 78...Be5 (78...Kf2?! runs into the fork 79.Nd1+=) 79.Nb1 Kf2 (79...Bd6 80.Kc2 Kxe4 81.Nd2+ Kd4 82.Kxb2 Kd3 83.Kc1 Bf4 84.Kd1 Bxd2 stalemate is another point.) 80.Kd2 Kf1 (80...Bf4+ 81.Kc2 Bc1 82.Nc3 Ke3 83.Nd5+ Kxe4 84.Nxf6+=) 81.Kd1 Bf4 82.Kc2 Bc1 83.Na3 Ke2 84.Nc4 Kf3 85.e5=; 78.Kxb2? runs into 78...Be5 79.Kc2 Bxc3 80.Kxc3 Kxe4-+ and Black's king has occupied a key square. 78...Kxe4 79.Kxb2. 79.Nc3+ Kf3 80.Nd5 Be5-+
79...Kd3! dominates the knight and gives a bodycheck. 80.Kb3 Be5 80...Be5 81.Na3 f5 82.Nc4 Bd4 83.Nd6 f4 84.Nf5 f3 85.Ng3 f2 86.Kb4 Be5 87.Nf1 Ke2-+ 0-1.[Click to replay]
The "B" event was also somewhat sparse in ones and zeros, but the couple that appeared were significant. After a fairly crazy game with Efimenko in the first round, against whom Carlsen's compatriot GM Jon Hammer had spent the greater part dead lost, it was precisely when he attained his miracle drawn endgame that he crumbled and capitulated. Still unrecovered from it, he was unable to show his best and lost again in round two against Ganguly.
GM Luke "catch me if you can" McShane
On the opposite side of the spectrum, English GM Luke McShane, who had shocked everyone with his "catch me if you can" opening sprint at the London Classic a few weeks ago, showed his result was not some wild fluke, and is the only one on 2.0/2.
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.
A sample of the first round commentary by GM Daniel King, commenting and
analyzing the moves of the game
as well as suggestions by the spectators in the chat.
The variations and arrows can be saved for later replay by
all who are watching.
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.
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!
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