Wijk R04: Judit, Kramnik win, Topalov loses to van Wely

by ChessBase
1/15/2008 – When is the last time you saw Veselin Topalov languishing at the bottom of a table with minus two? A second loss, to Dutch local Loek van Wely, in round four of the Wijk aan Zee Super-GM left the former FIDE world champion at the bottom of the table. Judit Polgar scored a victory over luckless Boris Gelfand. After a draw against each other Carlsen and Aronian remain in the lead. Express report.

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Results of round four

Group A: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Loek van Wely - Veselin Topalov
1-0
Boris Gelfand - Judit Polgar
0-1
Peter Leko - Vassily Ivanchuk
½-½
Magnus Carlsen - Levon Aronian
½-½
Vishy Anand - Michael Adams
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik - Pavel Eljanov
1-0
Teimour Radjabov - Shak. Mamedyarov
½-½
Group B: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Nigel Short - Koneru Humpy
½-½
Gabriel Sargissian - Erwin L’Ami
½-½
Ivan Cheparinov - Ian Nepomniachtchi
1-0
Michal Krasenkow - Jan Smeets
½-½
Etienne Bacrot - Sergei Movsesian
½-½
P. Harikrishna - Wouter Spoelman
1-0
Hou Yifan - Daniël Stellwagen
½-½
Group C: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Irina Krush - Efstratios Grivas
0-1
Fabiano Caruana - Dimitri Reinderman
½-½
Pontus Carlsson - Dennis Ruijgrok
1-0
Arik Braun - Mark van der Werf
1-0
John van der Wiel - Peng Zhaoqin
½-½
Li Shilong - Parimarjan Negi
0-1
Anna Ushenina - Friso Nijboer
0-1

Round four express

Report from Wijk aan Zee by Steve Giddins

Chess players are notoriously superstitious folk. Lucky pens, lucky shirts – you name it, we have it. This otherwise harmless diversion can occasionally have serious downsides. The player who insists on wearing the same "lucky shirt" nine days in a row is one of the worst of these, and recently caused one British arbiter to suggest that every chess tournament should have a notice hanging over the entrance, reading "Abandon soap, all ye who enter here".

Lucky pens and similar objects cause much less trouble. Looking at the pictures of yesterday's C group "killer", Hou Yifan, one cannot help noticing that she always wears the same bright yellow hair clip. I wonder if this is a lucky souvenir, or whether it conceals a more sinister purpose. Such is the deadliness of her tactical vision that one chess scribe of my acquaintance has wondered whether it is actually a secret antenna, possibly wired directly into her brain. But all such thoughts must now be abandoned, as today Hou came to the board without the item in question. It is the first time I have ever seen her not wearing it. Naturally, I was tempted to go up and ask her why she had come in disguise, but I was not sure how well my English humour would translate into Mandarin, so the mystery remains.

Group A

In today's fourth round, there were wins for Judit Polgar (with black) over Boris Gelfand; Vladimir Kramnik over Pavel Eljanov in a six-hour grind by the former World Champion; and Loek van Wely, who spent 81 moves and close to seven hours pushing Veselin Topalov over the edge. Anand was in trouble with white against Michael Adams, but held the pawn-down position with equanimity. Radjabov vs Mamedyarov was a slugfest that ended after 28 moves in a clean draw. Carlsen vs Aronian was a perilous, to-and-fro affair which ended after 36 moves in a formal peace accord.

Carlsen (Magnificent Magnus) and Aronian remain in the lead, ahead of a group of four players with a win and three draws apiece to their names. Behind them are three players with all games drawn, then two with "minus one" (one loss, three draws) and three with minus two. Shocking that Anand is in the second last group and Topalov in the minus two section. Stand by for big comebacks.

Group A standings

Full analysis of the key games will follow tomorrow...

Group B

The Semi-Slav Moscow Gambit is fast becoming the dominant opening of the tournament. Today it featured in the B Group clash between Cheparinov and Nepomniashy, a brave choice by the latter, against Topalov's second. The result was a devastating defeat for the Russian, whose opening play left Nigel Short almost speechless.

Cheparinov,I (2713) - Nepomniachtchi,I (2600) [D43]
Corus B Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 15.01.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 Bb4 10.Be2 Nxe4 11.0–0 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nxc3 13.Qc2 Nxe2+ 14.Qxe2

14...h5 15.f4 f5 16.fxg5 Qxg5 17.Rae1 h4 18.Nf3 Qg4 19.Qe5 0–0 20.Nxh4 Rf7 21.Qd6 Nd7 22.Rxe6 Nf8 23.Re8 c3 24.Ng6 Be6 25.Ne7+ Rxe7 26.Rxa8 Qg5 27.Qd8 Qg7 28.Be5 Qf7 29.Bd6 1–0.

Harakrishna beat the luckless young Dutch talent, Wouter Spoelman, and with the other games in the group being drawn, it is Bacrot, Smeets and Harakrishna who share the lead, heading into the rest day.

Group B standings

Group C

The C Group is already turning into a shootout between Braun and Caruana. The former needed barely 90 minutes' total playing time to demolish his fourth successive opponent.

Braun,A (2536) - Van der Werf,M (2389) [D31]
Corus C Wijk aan Zee NED (4), 15.01.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Na6 9.Bd6 Qxg2 10.Qd2 Nf6 11.Bf3 Qg6 12.0-0-0 e5 13.Bxe5 0-0 14.Ne2 Qf5 15.Qe3 Nb4

16.Nd4 Nxa2+ 17.Kd2 Rd8 18.Ke2 Qxe5 19.Qxe5 Re8 20.Qxe8+ Nxe8 21.Nxc6 bxc6 22.Rd8 1-0.

Meanwhile, Caruana dropped his first half point of the tournament, when was held to a draw by Reinderman, so it is the German IM Braun who leads alone after three rounds.

Group C standings


Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group A

Group A: Round 1 - Sat. Jan. 12th
Vladimir Kramnik - Loek van Wely
½-½
Teimour Radjabov - Vishy Anand
1-0
Shak. Mamedyarov - Magnus Carlsen
0-1
Pavel Eljanov - Peter Leko
½-½
Michael Adams - Boris Gelfand
½-½
Levon Aronian - Veselin Topalov
1-0
Vassily Ivanchuk - Judit Polgar
½-½
Group A: Round 2 - Sun. Jan. 13th
Loek van Wely - Judit Polgar
½-½
Veselin Topalov - Vassily Ivanchuk
½-½
Boris Gelfand - Levon Aronian
0-1
Peter Leko - Michael Adams
½-½
Magnus Carlsen - Pavel Eljanov
1-0
Vishy Anand - Shak. Mamedyarov
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik - Teimour Radjabov
½-½
Group A: Round 3 - Mon. Jan. 14th
Teimour Radjabov - Loek van Wely
½-½
Shak. Mamedyarov - Vladimir Kramnik
½-½
Pavel Eljanov - Vishy Anand
½-½
Michael Adams - Magnus Carlsen
½-½
Levon Aronian - Peter Leko
½-½
Vassily Ivanchuk - Boris Gelfand
½-½
Judit Polgar - Veselin Topalov
½-½
Group A: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Loek van Wely - Veselin Topalov
1-0
Boris Gelfand - Judit Polgar
0-1
Peter Leko - Vassily Ivanchuk
½-½
Magnus Carlsen - Levon Aronian
½-½
Vishy Anand - Michael Adams
½-½
Vladimir Kramnik - Pavel Eljanov
1-0
Teimour Radjabov - Shak. Mamedyarov
½-½
Wednesday, January 16th – Free day
Group A: Round 5 - Thurs. Jan. 17th
Shak. Mamedyarov - Loek van Wely  
Pavel Eljanov - Teimour Radjabov  
Michael Adams - Vladimir Kramnik  
Levon Aronian - Vishy Anand  
Vassily Ivanchuk - Magnus Carlsen  
Judit Polgar - Peter Leko  
Veselin Topalov - Boris Gelfand  
Group A: Round 6 - Fri. Jan. 18th
Loek van Wely - Boris Gelfand  
Peter Leko - Veselin Topalov  
Magnus Carlsen - Judit Polgar  
Vishy Anand - Vassily Ivanchuk  
Vladimir Kramnik - Levon Aronian  
Teimour Radjabov - Michael Adams  
Shak. Mamedyarov - Pavel Eljanov  
Group A: Round 7 - Sat. Jan. 19st
Pavel Eljanov - Loek van Wely  
Michael Adams - Shak. Mamedyarov  
Levon Aronian - Teimour Radjabov  
Vassily Ivanchuk - Vladimir Kramnik  
Judit Polgar - Vishy Anand  
Veselin Topalov - Magnus Carlsen  
Boris Gelfand - Peter Leko  
Group A: Round 8 - Sun. Jan. 20nd
Loek van Wely - Peter Leko  
Magnus Carlsen - Boris Gelfand  
Vishy Anand - Veselin Topalov  
Vladimir Kramnik - Judit Polgar  
Teimour Radjabov - Vassily Ivanchuk  
Shak. Mamedyarov - Levon Aronian  
Pavel Eljanov - Michael Adams  
Monday, January 21st – Free day
Group A: Round 9 - Tues. Jan. 22th
Michael Adams - Loek van Wely  
Levon Aronian - Pavel Eljanov  
Vassily Ivanchuk - Shak. Mamedyarov  
Judit Polgar - Teimour Radjabov  
Veselin Topalov - Vladimir Kramnik  
Boris Gelfand - Vishy Anand  
Peter Leko - Magnus Carlsen  
Group A: Round 10 - Wed. Jan. 23th
Loek van Wely - Magnus Carlsen  
Vishy Anand - Peter Leko  
Vladimir Kramnik - Boris Gelfand  
Teimour Radjabov - Veselin Topalov  
Shak. Mamedyarov - Judit Polgar  
Pavel Eljanov - Vassily Ivanchuk  
Michael Adams - Levon Aronian  
Thursday, January 24th – Free day
Group A: Round 11 - Fri. Jan. 25th
Levon Aronian - Loek van Wely  
Vassily Ivanchuk - Michael Adams  
Judit Polgar - Pavel Eljanov  
Veselin Topalov - Shak. Mamedyarov  
Boris Gelfand - Teimour Radjabov  
Peter Leko - Vladimir Kramnik  
Magnus Carlsen - Vishy Anand  
Group A: Round 12 - Sat. Jan. 26th
Loek van Wely - Vishy Anand  
Vladimir Kramnik - Magnus Carlsen  
Teimour Radjabov - Peter Leko  
Shak. Mamedyarov - Boris Gelfand  
Pavel Eljanov - Veselin Topalov  
Michael Adams - Judit Polgar  
Levon Aronian - Vassily Ivanchuk  
Group A: Round 13 - Sun. Jan. 27th
Vassily Ivanchuk - Loek van Wely  
Judit Polgar - Levon Aronian  
Veselin Topalov - Michael Adams  
Boris Gelfand - Pavel Eljanov  
Peter Leko - Shak. Mamedyarov  
Magnus Carlsen - Teimour Radjabov  
Vishy Anand - Vladimir Kramnik  
 

Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group B

Group B: Round 1 - Sat. Jan. 12th
P. Harikrishna - Nigel Short
½-½
Hou Yifan - Etienne Bacrot
0-1
Daniël Stellwagen - Michal Krasenkow
1-0
Wouter Spoelman - Ivan Cheparinov
0-1
Sergei Movsesian - Gabriel Sargissian
½-½
Jan Smeets - Koneru Humpy
1-0
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Erwin L’Ami
½-½
Group B: Round 2 - Sun. Jan. 13th
Nigel Short - Erwin L’Ami
1-0
Koneru Humpy - Ian Nepomniachtchi
½-½
Gabriel Sargissian - Jan Smeets
½-½
Ivan Cheparinov - Sergei Movsesian
½-½
Michal Krasenkow - Wouter Spoelman
1-0
Etienne Bacrot - Daniël Stellwagen
½-½
P. Harikrishna - Hou Yifan
1-0
Group B: Round 3 - Mon. Jan. 14th
Hou Yifan - Nigel Short
1-0
Daniël Stellwagen - P. Harikrishna
½-½
Wouter Spoelman - Etienne Bacrot
0-1
Sergei Movsesian - Michal Krasenkow
1-0
Jan Smeets - Ivan Cheparinov
1-0
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Gabriel Sargissian
1-0
Erwin L’Ami - Koneru Humpy
1-0
Group B: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Nigel Short - Koneru Humpy
½-½
Gabriel Sargissian - Erwin L’Ami
½-½
Ivan Cheparinov - Ian Nepomniachtchi
1-0
Michal Krasenkow - Jan Smeets
½-½
Etienne Bacrot - Sergei Movsesian
½-½
P. Harikrishna - Wouter Spoelman
1-0
Hou Yifan - Daniël Stellwagen
½-½
Wednesday, January 16th – Free day
Group B: Round 5 - Thurs. Jan. 17th
Daniël Stellwagen - Nigel Short  
Wouter Spoelman - Hou Yifan  
Sergei Movsesian - P. Harikrishna  
Jan Smeets - Etienne Bacrot  
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Michal Krasenkow  
Erwin L’Ami - Ivan Cheparinov  
Koneru Humpy - Gabriel Sargissian  
Group B: Round 6 - Fri. Jan. 18th
Nigel Short - Gabriel Sargissian  
Ivan Cheparinov - Koneru Humpy  
Michal Krasenkow - Erwin L’Ami  
Etienne Bacrot - Ian Nepomniachtchi  
P. Harikrishna - Jan Smeets  
Hou Yifan - Sergei Movsesian  
Daniël Stellwagen - Wouter Spoelman  
Group B: Round 7 - Sat. Jan. 29st
Wouter Spoelman - Nigel Short  
Sergei Movsesian - Daniël Stellwagen  
Jan Smeets - Hou Yifan  
Ian Nepomniachtchi - P. Harikrishna  
Erwin L’Ami - Etienne Bacrot  
Koneru Humpy - Michal Krasenkow  
Gabriel Sargissian - Ivan Cheparinov  
Group B: Round 8 - Sun. Jan. 20nd
Nigel Short - Ivan Cheparinov  
Michal Krasenkow - Gabriel Sargissian  
Etienne Bacrot - Koneru Humpy  
P. Harikrishna - Erwin L’Ami  
Hou Yifan - Ian Nepomniachtchi  
Daniël Stellwagen - Jan Smeets  
Wouter Spoelman - Sergei Movsesian  
Monday, January 21st – Free day
Group B: Round 9 - Tues. Jan. 22th
Sergei Movsesian - Nigel Short  
Jan Smeets - Wouter Spoelman  
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Daniël Stellwagen  
Erwin L’Ami - Hou Yifan  
Koneru Humpy - P. Harikrishna  
Gabriel Sargissian - Etienne Bacrot  
Ivan Cheparinov - Michal Krasenkow  
Group B: Round 10 - Wed. Jan. 23th
Nigel Short - Michal Krasenkow  
Etienne Bacrot - Ivan Cheparinov  
P. Harikrishna - Gabriel Sargissian  
Hou Yifan - Koneru Humpy  
Daniël Stellwagen - Erwin L’Ami  
Wouter Spoelman - Ian Nepomniachtchi  
Sergei Movsesian - Jan Smeets  
Thursday, January 24th – Free day
Group B: Round 11 - Fri. Jan. 25th
Jan Smeets - Nigel Short  
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Sergei Movsesian  
Erwin L’Ami - Wouter Spoelman  
Koneru Humpy - Daniël Stellwagen  
Gabriel Sargissian - Hou Yifan  
Ivan Cheparinov - P. Harikrishna  
Michal Krasenkow - Etienne Bacrot  
Group B: Round 12 - Sat. Jan. 26th
Nigel Short - Etienne Bacrot  
P. Harikrishna - Michal Krasenkow  
Hou Yifan - Ivan Cheparinov  
Daniël Stellwagen - Gabriel Sargissian  
Wouter Spoelman - Koneru Humpy  
Sergei Movsesian - Erwin L’Ami  
Jan Smeets - Ian Nepomniachtchi  
Group B: Round 13 - Sun. Jan. 27th
Ian Nepomniachtchi - Nigel Short  
Erwin L’Ami - Jan Smeets  
Koneru Humpy - Sergei Movsesian  
Gabriel Sargissian - Wouter Spoelman  
Ivan Cheparinov - Daniël Stellwagen  
Michal Krasenkow - Hou Yifan  
Etienne Bacrot - P. Harikrishna  
 

Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group C

Group C: Round 1 - Sat. Jan. 12th
Li Shilong - Irina Krush
1-0
Anna Ushenina - John van der Wiel
0-1
Friso Nijboer - Arik Braun
0-1
Parimarjan Negi - Pontus Carlsson
0-1
Peng Zhaoqin - Fabiano Caruana
0-1
Mark van der Werf - Efstratios Grivas
1-0
Dennis Ruijgrok - Dimitri Reinderman
0-1
Group C: Round 2 - Sun. Jan. 13th
Irina Krush - Dimitri Reinderman
½-½
Efstratios Grivas - Dennis Ruijgrok
1-0
Fabiano Caruana - Mark van der Werf
1-0
Pontus Carlsson - Peng Zhaoqin
½-½
Arik Braun - Parimarjan Negi
1-0
John van der Wiel - Friso Nijboer
1-0
Li Shilong - Anna Ushenina
1-0
Group C: Round 3 - Mon. Jan. 14th
Anna Ushenina - Irina Krush
½-½
Friso Nijboer - Li Shilong
1-0
Parimarjan Negi - John van der Wiel
1-0
Peng Zhaoqin - Arik Braun
0-1
Mark van der Werf - Pontus Carlsson
½-½
Dennis Ruijgrok - Fabiano Caruana
0-1
Dimitri Reinderman - Efstratios Grivas
½-½
Group C: Round 4 - Tues. Jan. 15th
Irina Krush - Efstratios Grivas
0-1
Fabiano Caruana - Dimitri Reinderman
½-½
Pontus Carlsson - Dennis Ruijgrok
1-0
Arik Braun - Mark van der Werf
1-0
John van der Wiel - Peng Zhaoqin
½-½
Li Shilong - Parimarjan Negi
0-1
Anna Ushenina - Friso Nijboer
0-1
Wednesday, January 16th – Free day
Group C: Round 5 - Thurs. Jan. 17th
Friso Nijboer - Irina Krush  
Parimarjan Negi - Anna Ushenina  
Peng Zhaoqin - Li Shilong  
Mark van der Werf - John van der Wiel  
Dennis Ruijgrok - Arik Braun  
Dimitri Reinderman - Pontus Carlsson  
Efstratios Grivas - Fabiano Caruana  
Group C: Round 6 - Fri. Jan. 18th
Irina Krush - Fabiano Caruana  
Pontus Carlsson - Efstratios Grivas  
Arik Braun - Dimitri Reinderman  
John van der Wiel - Dennis Ruijgrok  
Li Shilong - Mark van der Werf  
Anna Ushenina - Peng Zhaoqin  
Friso Nijboer - Parimarjan Negi  
Group C: Round 7 - Sat. Jan. 19st
Parimarjan Negi - Irina Krush  
Peng Zhaoqin - Friso Nijboer  
Mark van der Werf - Anna Ushenina  
Dennis Ruijgrok - Li Shilong  
Dimitri Reinderman - John van der Wiel  
Efstratios Grivas - Arik Braun  
Fabiano Caruana - Pontus Carlsson  
Group C: Round 8 - Sun. Jan. 20nd
Irina Krush - Pontus Carlsson  
Arik Braun - Fabiano Caruana  
John van der Wiel - Efstratios Grivas  
Li Shilong - Dimitri Reinderman  
Anna Ushenina - Dennis Ruijgrok  
Friso Nijboer - Mark van der Werf  
Parimarjan Negi - Peng Zhaoqin  
Monday, January 21st – Free day
Group C: Round 9 - Tues. Jan. 22th
Peng Zhaoqin - Irina Krush  
Mark van der Werf - Parimarjan Negi  
Dennis Ruijgrok - Friso Nijboer  
Dimitri Reinderman - Anna Ushenina  
Efstratios Grivas - Li Shilong  
Fabiano Caruana - John van der Wiel  
Pontus Carlsson - Arik Braun  
Group C: Round 10 - Wed. Jan. 23th
Irina Krush - Arik Braun  
John van der Wiel - Pontus Carlsson  
Li Shilong - Fabiano Caruana  
Anna Ushenina - Efstratios Grivas  
Friso Nijboer - Dimitri Reinderman  
Parimarjan Negi - Dennis Ruijgrok  
Peng Zhaoqin - Mark van der Werf  
Thursday, January 24th – Free day
Group C: Round 11 - Fri. Jan. 25th
Mark van der Werf - Irina Krush  
Dennis Ruijgrok - Peng Zhaoqin  
Dimitri Reinderman - Parimarjan Negi  
Efstratios Grivas - Friso Nijboer  
Fabiano Caruana - Anna Ushenina  
Pontus Carlsson - Li Shilong  
Arik Braun - John van der Wiel  
Group C: Round 12 - Sat. Jan. 26th
Irina Krush - John van der Wiel  
Li Shilong - Arik Braun  
Anna Ushenina - Pontus Carlsson  
Friso Nijboer - Fabiano Caruana  
Parimarjan Negi - Efstratios Grivas  
Peng Zhaoqin - Dimitri Reinderman  
Mark van der Werf - Dennis Ruijgrok  
Group C: Round 13 - Sun. Jan. 27th
Dennis Ruijgrok - Irina Krush  
Dimitri Reinderman - Mark van der Werf  
Efstratios Grivas - Peng Zhaoqin  
Fabiano Caruana - Parimarjan Negi  
Pontus Carlsson - Friso Nijboer  
Arik Braun - Anna Ushenina  
John van der Wiel - Li Shilong  
 

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