Magistral Ciudad de León 2017 decided in blitz final
Wesley So has great respect for Vishy Anand, and has said openly in the past that he has learnt a lot from the five-time World Champion and his games. But on July 9th, So could look back on dramatic days in Leon, Spain, having beaten Vishy Anand with a score of 3.5-2.5 to pick up the title of the 30th Leon Masters 2017.
A jubilant So and more subdued Anand after the final | Photo: Official Facebook page
| Player |
Elo |
P1 |
P2 |
P3 |
P4 |
Total |
D1 |
D2 |
Final |
| Wesley So |
2810 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
2 |
1 |
1/2 |
1,5 |
| Vishy Anand |
2783 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
2 |
0 |
1/2 |
0,5 |
It was four rapid games of 20 minutes + 10 seconds increment and in case of a tie, two blitz games with 5 miuntes + 3 seconds increment, with a final "Armageddon" to follow, if necessary.
Four draws in rapid was followed by Wesley's win in the blitz. A final draw in the sixth game sealed Vishy's hope. So how did it all happen? Let's get down to the games:
Is Wesley So following Baadur Jobava's advice on protective eyewear? | Photo: Official Facebook page
Rapid Game 1
The first game was an Anti-Berlin, where Vishy with the black pieces played quite well. He was better at some point, but Wesley held fort and drew the game.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.0-0 d6 9.Bg3 Bd7 10.h3 Nh7 11.Nbd2 Ng5 12.Re1 Nxf3+ 13.Nxf3 Bf6 6...Re8 7.Bg5 a6 8.Bc4 Be7 9.a4 d6 10.Nbd2 h6 11.Bh4 Nh5 12.Bxe7N 12.Bg3!? 12.Bg3 g6 13.Re1 Bf6 12...Qxe7 13.Re1 Nf4 14.Nf1 Be6 15.Bxe6 15.g3!? Nh5 16.N3d2= 15...Qxe6 16.g3 Ng6 16...Nh5 17.Ne3 Nf6 18.b4 Rad8 19.Qc2 d5 17.d4 exd4 18.cxd4 d5 19.e5 a5 20.Rc1 Qd7 21.Ne3 Nf8 21...Nb4= 22.Qb3 22.Nh4 22...Nb4 22...Ne6 23.Qb5 Red8 24.Red1 Ra6 25.b3 Rb6 23.Nc2 23.Nh4 23...Nxc2= 24.Rxc2 Ne6 25.Rc3 Reb8 26.Qb5 Qxb5 27.axb5 a4 28.Ra1 Ra5 29.b4 Ra7 30.Rca3 Rba8 31.Rc1 g5 32.h3 h5 33.g4 hxg4 34.hxg4 Kg7 35.Kf1 Rh8 35...c6!? 36.bxc6 bxc6 36.Ke2 Rh3 37.Rca1 Ra8 38.Rxa4 Nf4+ 39.Ke3 ½–½
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| So,W | 2810 | Viswanathan,A | 2783 | ½–½ | 2017 | C65 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.7 |
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Rapid Game 2
In the second game Wesley played the French and very quickly got a positional advantage. He exchanged queens so that all Anand's hopes for an attack were lost. And one by one all the pawns started to fall like ripe mangoes. In order to continue the game Anand had to give up a piece. It seemed as if all was over, but Vishy magically managed to draw the game! It was quite unbelievable!
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Kf8 8.Bd2 b6 8...Qa5 9.a4 c4 10.h4 Bd7 11.h5 h6 12.Rh3 Nbc6 13.Rf3 Rg8 14.Qf4 Nd8 15.Bc1 Ke8 16.Ba3 Qxa4 9.Nf3 Ba6 10.dxc5 Bxf1 11.Kxf1 bxc5N 11...Nd7 12.cxb6 Nxb6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.Qb4 Nc4 16.Ke2 12.h4 h5 13.Qf4 Ng6 14.Qe3 Nd7 15.Rh3 15.c4= 15...Rb8 15...c4 16.c4= d4 17.Qe4 Qc7 17...Nb6!? 18.Re1 Qb7 19.Qd3 Kg8 20.Rg3 Ne7 21.Kg1 Nf5 22.Rg5 22.Rh3! 22...Nf8 22...g6 23.Bf4 Qc6 23.Bf4 Ng6 24.Bg3 Re8 25.Nd2 Qe7 25...Qc7 26.Ne4 Rb8 27.c3 dxc3 28.Rxf5 exf5 29.e6 fxe4 30.Qxe4 Qc8 26.Ne4 Rf8 27.Rb1 Rh6 28.Qf3 Nfxh4 29.Bxh4 Nxh4 30.Qf6 Qxf6 31.exf6 Rg6 32.Rb5 32.fxg7= Kxg7 33.Rb7 32...Rxg5 32...gxf6?! 33.Nxf6+ Kg7 34.Nxh5+ Kh6 35.Rxg6+ Nxg6 36.Nf6= 36.Rxc5 Rb8 33.Nxg5 gxf6 34.Ne4 f5 35.Nf6+! Kg7 36.Nxh5+ Kh6 37.Nf4 37.Nf6! 37...Rg8 37...e5 38.Ne2 Rc8 38.Rxc5 38.Nd3! 38...e5!-+ 39.Nd3 39.Rc6+ Kh7 40.Nd5 Rxg2+ 41.Kf1 39.Rxe5 Nf3+ 39...Rxg2+ 40.Kf1 e4! 41.Ne1 Rh2! 42.Rc8? 42.Kg1 Rh3 43.Ra5 42...Rh1+ 43.Ke2 f4 44.Rh8+ 44.c5 Kg7 45.f3 Rh2+ 46.Kf1 44...Kg7 45.Rh5 Kg6 46.Rh8 Kg7 47.Rh5 f3+ 48.Nxf3 exf3+ 49.Kd2 Kf6? 49...Rh2 50.Kd3 Kg6 50.c5 Ke6 51.Rh6+ Kd7 52.a4 Kc7 53.a5 53...f6! 54.Kd3 54.Rxf6 Rf1 54...Rd1+ 55.Ke4 55.Kc4 55...Ng2! 56.Rxf6 Rd2 57.a6 Rxc2 58.Rf7+? 58.Rxf3 Rxc5 59.Kxd4 58...Kc6 59.Rxa7 Rxf2 60.Rf7 Kxc5 61.Rxf3 61...Ra2? 61...Re2+!-+ 62.Kd3 Re5 62.Rf8 Ra4 63.a7 Rxa7 64.Rc8+ ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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| Viswanathan,A | 2783 | So,W | 2810 | ½–½ | 2017 | C18 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.8 |
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Anand hunkers down | Photo: Official Facebook page
Rapid Game 3
Wesley played 1.d4 and Anand replied with the Nimzo Indian. Very soon the American GM built up a great position, only to be ruined by a few inaccuracies. Once again Anand managed to come out of it unscathed.
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nge2 d5 7.cxd5 cxd4 8.exd4 Nxd5 9.a3 Bd6 10.Qc2N 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Be3 Re8 13.Nf4 Qg5 14.Qd2 Nxd4 15.Bxh7+ Kxh7 16.Qxd4 Re4 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Nxd5 Be5 10...h6 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Rd1 Nxc3 13.Nxc3 Ne7 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Qe4 15...Ng6 16.Be3 a6 17.g3 f5 18.Qf3 Rb8 19.Qh5 Ne7 20.d5 e5! 21.Ba7 Ra8 22.Bb6 g6 23.Bxd8 gxh5 24.Bb6 Bd7 25.b4 Rac8 26.Rac1 Kg7 27.h4 Ng8 28.Bf1 Nf6 29.Bg2 Rc4 30.Bf1 Rcc8 31.Bg2 Rc4 32.Bf1 Rcc8 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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| So,W | 2810 | Viswanathan,A | 2783 | ½–½ | 2017 | E48 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.9 |
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Rapid Game 4
Anand was on the back foot. He was a pawn down and Wesley was pushing. But yet again the Indian showed tremendous defensive skills to hold the game. The rapid portion of the event had ended with a 2-2 tie.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Bd3 8.Qd2 Nf6 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.Bd3 c5 11.Rhe1 Be6 12.Bg5 d5 13.Qf4 Re8 14.Kb1 h6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 8...0-0 9.Qe2 Re8 10.0-0-0 Bf6 11.h4 Nf8N 11...Ne5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Qh5 g6 14.Qe2 Bf4 15.g4 Bxe3+ 16.fxe3 12.Ng5 d5 12...h6= 13.Qh5 g6 14.Qf3 h5 15.Qg3 Bg4 16.Rde1 c6 17.f3! Bd7 18.Qf2 Qa5 19.Kb1 Re7 20.g4 20.Rd1± 20...Rae8= 21.Bd2 Qb6 21...hxg4?! 22.fxg4 Rxe1+ 23.Bxe1± 22.Qxb6 22.Qg3 22...Rxe1+ 23.Bxe1 axb6 24.gxh5 gxh5 25.Bf2 c5 26.c4 dxc4 27.Ne4 Be7 28.Bxc4 Ng6 29.Bd5 Bc6 30.c4 30.Bxc6= bxc6 31.a4 30...Rd8 30...Bxd5 31.cxd5 Rd8 31.Bxc6 bxc6 32.Kc2 Ne5 33.Nd2 Nd3 34.Be3 34.Bg3 34...f5! 35.Rg1+ Kf7 36.Bg5 Nb4+ 37.Kd1 Nxa2 37...Rd4 38.a3 Nd3 38.Bxe7 Kxe7 39.Rg5 Kf6 40.Rxh5 Nb4 41.b3? 41.Rh7 41...Ke5!-+ 42.Rh7 42...Kd4! 43.Re7 Rh8 43...Kd3-+ 44.Nf1 Kc3+ 45.Ke2 Kxb3 44.f4 Kd3 45.Nf3 45.Nf1 45...Nc2 45...Kc3 46.Re3+ Kb2 46.Re2 Nd4 47.Ne5+ Kc3 48.Re3+ Kb4 49.Rh3 Rh5 50.Kc1 Nxb3+ 51.Kb2! Nd4 52.Rc3! b5 53.cxb5 53.Nd3+= Ka5 54.cxb5 53...cxb5 53...Kxb5 54.Rh3 c4 54.Nd3+= Ka5 55.Rxc5 Rxh4 56.Rd5 Rh2+ 57.Kb1! Rh1+ 58.Kb2 Rh2+ 59.Kb1! Ne2 60.Rxf5 Nc3+ 61.Kc1 Ka4 62.Re5 Kb3 63.Nc5+! Kc4 64.Ne4! Ne2+ 65.Kd1 Nd4 66.Nd2+ Rxd2+ ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
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| Viswanathan,A | 2783 | So,W | 2810 | ½–½ | 2017 | C42 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.10 |
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So took the white pieces in the first blitz game | Photo: Official Facebook page
Blitz tiebreak
Anand's error was punished brutally by Wesley as he chalked up a win in just 22 moves! The final move Nd8 was quite pretty.
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1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.0-0 g6 5.c4 dxc4 5...Bg7 6.Qa4+ Bd7 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 Qb6 9.Ne5 Be6 10.Qa4+ Nbd7 11.d3 0-0 12.Nc4 Qc7 6.Qa4+ Bd7 6...Nfd7 7.Qxc4± Qb6 8.Nc3N 8.Ng5± 8.d3 Bg7 9.Qc2 0-0 10.Nc3 Na6 11.a3 Rac8 12.Ne5 Be6 8...Bg7 9.d3 0-0 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Rab1 Be6 11...Qb4 12.Qh4 Qa6 12...Nbd7± 13.Ng5+- Nbd7 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Qc4 Qxc4 16.dxc4 Rab8 17.Rfd1 Ne5 18.b3 b6 18...a6± 19.Bf4 Nh5 19.Nb5 a6 20.Bf4 Nfg4 21.Na7 Rc7 21...Rf8 22.h3 Nxf2 22.Nc6! Rbc8 22...Rxc6 23.Bxc6 23.Nd8 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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| So,W | 2810 | Viswanathan,A | 2783 | 1–0 | 2017 | A08 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.11 |
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Anand had one final chance to equalize the score in the match and take the game into the Armageddon phase. But Wesley's Petroff was just too solid. Seeing that there is absolutely no way to win the game, Anand offered a draw which was accepted by Wesley. And thus the youngster became the Leon Masters Champion.
Moments after the final handshake | Photo: Official Facebook page
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Bd3 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.0-0-0 Ne5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Bd3 Be6 12.Kb1 Qe8 13.Qe2 f5 14.f3 Qf7 15.b3 Bd6 16.Rhf1 Kh8 17.Bc1 b6 18.h4 Qh5 19.Qe1 8...Nc6 9.Qe2 Bg4 10.h3N 10.0-0-0 a6 11.h3 Be6 12.Nd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Bf6 14.d5 Bd7 15.h4 Bb5 10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Ne5 11...Re8= 12.Qxb7± Rb8 13.Qxa7 Rxb2 14.0-0 Bf6 15.a4 Qc8 16.Rab1 16.Be4± 16...Nc6 17.Qa6 Qxa6 18.Bxa6 Rfb8 19.Bb5 Rxb1 20.Rxb1 Na5 21.Rd1 Bxc3 22.Rd3 Bb4 23.c3 Ba3! 24.Rd1 Kf8 25.h4 c6 26.Bd3 g6 27.Re1 f6 28.Ra1 Bc5 29.Bxc5 dxc5= 30.Rb1 Rd8 31.Bf1 Ke7 32.g3 c4 33.Rb6 Ra8! 34.Rb2 Nb3 35.Ra2 Ra5 36.Bxc4 Nc5 37.Bg8 h6 37...Kf8 38.Bc4 Rxa4 39.Rxa4 Nxa4 38.Bh7 Rxa4 39.Rxa4 ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
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| Viswanathan,A | 2783 | So,W | 2810 | ½–½ | 2017 | C42 | Magistral Ciudad Leon XXX | 1.12 |
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A squeaker of a final match for So, who was able to shrug off a rare blunder in the semi-final match against Jan Krzysztof Duda, when he left his queen en prise.
Likely to be the most remarkable oversight at this level you will see all year!
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
Links:
