Wijk R05: Dominguez defeats Morozevich, Karjakin leads

Results of round five

GM Group A

GM Group B

GM Group C

I'm a Grandmaster – get me out of here!

Round five report by Steve Giddins

I don't know how you spent yesterday's rest day, but I devoted part of it to thinking about how we can rescue the chess world from its current state. As I mentioned a few days ago, the latest news from FIDE concerns the collapse of the Karlovy Vary leg of its Grand Prix. The full GP schedule makes sombre reading. Of the original six events announced, three have collapsed completely, one was moved at very short notice from Krasnoyarsk to Sochi, and another was moved at even shorter notice from Dubai to Elista. Whatever one's opinion on who is to blame for this farce, it seems to be impossible to schedule any kind of tournament series, without a similar scenario unfolding.

However, I have the answer! It is really quite simple, when you think about it. My proposal for the world chess championship is to organise it in the Australian jungle, and re-brand the whole thing as "I'm a Grandmaster, Get Me Out of Here!". Just think of the benefits. No need to incur massive hotel costs, for a start – each player would get a hammock, tied to a tree, and that's that. And the chess would be much more interesting, too – no long lines of computer-aided preparation, because there would be no electricity available, and hence nobody's laptop would work. And there would be no short draws either, if the players knew that anyone agreeing a draw in under 40 moves had to do one of the dreaded Bushtucker Trials! Yes, I can see it now – what I wouldn't pay to see a certain diminutive chess organiser of my acquaintance, standing in a jungle clearing, wearing a diving helmet filled with bucketfuls of insects...

Alas, though, I fear that my idea would never be accepted by the powers that be in FIDE. Instead, the current shambles will continue, with events scheduled, announced and then cancelled, almost at weekly intervals. Thankfully, we still have a few oases of reliability in the chess world, such as Wijk aan Zee. Today the players returned to battle, refreshed by a day of rest, and much interesting chess was played. The star game on paper was the meeting of Ivanchuk and Carlsen, but after serving up an interesting opening and early middlegame, the players then agreed a draw.

Ivanchuk,V (2779) - Carlsen,M (2776) [C92]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (5), 22.01.2009
Notes by Sergey Shipov, translation by Steve Giddins

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. The Spanish, regarded over the past 5–10 years as one of the most solid ways to play for Black. Several elite players (eg. Aronian) confidently hide behind its bastions, without any fear at all. 3...a6 4.Ba4. It has been known since time immemorial that the win of the pawn by 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 is only temporary: 5...Qd4] 4...Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5. But now this is necessary, since Bxc6 and Nxe5 was a threat. 7.Bb3 0–0. Most modern-day players castle with the pawn still on d7. It is always nice to threaten a Marshall, even if one actually intends to play another, quieter line. 8.c3. Vassily is not afraid of anything... 8...d6. Nor is Magnus, but even so, he decides not to risk a theoretical duel. Mind you, one cannot escape from a serious theoretical examination, whatever move one plays here - the Spanish has been analysed deeply in all its variations.. 9.h3. The classical recipe. From time to time, White chooses the more direct 9.d4 allowing the bishop out to g4. 9...a5. So that's his idea...Excuse my excessive emotion, but when you are expecting to see the main line, on which you have commentated innumerable times before, and then you get a fresh move – well, your eyes light up, the sun shines, and your brain starts to work again. Actually, the move has been known for a long time. It was first played in 1935 by the Swedish master G Stoltz. At the end of the 1940s it was taken up by the likes of Bondarevsky, Bolbochan, Rossolimo, etc. But then its popularity waned, and theory was evidently not convinced of its merits. But lately, it has become popular again. Black prepares to drive the dangerous Spanish bishop off the diagonal by means of a5-a4. 10.d4. Ivanchuk decides not to prevent his opponent's plan, but to get on with his own. In a clash between two of the line's pioneers, the continuation 10.a4 was tested. After 10...b4 11.d4 bxc3 12.Nxc3 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 exd4 14.Qxd4 Rb8 15.Bc4 c6 16.b3 Nd7 17.Bf4 Bf6 18.Qe3 Ne5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Rad1 Be6 Black had excellent play (Konstantinopolsky-Bondarevsky, USSR Ch 1948). 10...a4. The father of the variation played it differently: 10...exd4 11.cxd4 a4 12.Bc2 Nb4 13.Nc3 Nxc2 14.Qxc2 c6 15.d5 cxd5 16.exd5 b4 17.Nxa4 Bd7 18.b3 Nxd5 19.Qc4 Bf6 20.Bb2 Bxa4 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.bxa4 Rxa4 and Black had the advantage (Sir G Thomas-Stoltz, Warsaw 1935). 11.Bc2 Bd7. Introduced into practice by Smyslov. The bishop develops very modestly. Its main object is not to obstruct the other pieces, and, of course, also to support the pawn on b5. 12.Na3. It seems that Ivanchuk is well acquainted with the theory, although he can hardly have prepared for this variation. He spent some time trying to recall his old knowledge, and then quickly utilises it. The move 12.Be3 allows Black to exchange the strong Spanish bishop, in the style of Stoltz: 12...exd4 13.cxd4 Nb4!; Another move which has been played here is 12.Nbd2 One recent example is 12...Re8 13.Bd3 Rb8 14.Qe2 Bf8 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Nf3 h6 18.b3 Bc5 19.Be3 Qe7 20.bxa4 bxa4 21.Rab1 Rb6 and Black obtained equal chances (G Garcia-Becerra Rivero, USA 2008).

12...Rb8. Black is prepared for further action on the queenside. Formerly the main line was considered to be 12...Qb8 This queen manoeuvre becomes possible, thanks to the modest move Bc8-d7. The game Renet-Agdestein, Lyon 1988 continued 13.Bd3 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 Qb7 16.Bg5 Rad8 17.Nc2 Na6 18.Ne3 Rfe8 19.Qd3 g6 20.a3 c5 21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Bc6 23.Qc3 Nd5 and Black won after a sharp struggle. 13.d5. Apparently a novelty. The last word of theory here is 13.Bd3 b4 14.Nc4 bxc3 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nfxe5 dxe5 17.bxc3 Bd6 18.Bc2 Bc6 19.Bg5 a3 20.Qf3 h6 21.Bc1 Qe7 22.Ne3 Bd7 23.Bb3 Kh8 ½–½ Yagupov,I (2482)-Zaitsev,I (2417)/Moscow 2000/EXT 2001. 13...Na7. After some thought, Carlsen retreats the knight deep within its own camp. Of course, a7 is only a temporary post - Black needs to regroup as quickly as possible and advance c7-c6. Thus far, White has not yet definitely seized the initiative. A concrete battle is starting...The clocks times are not surprising: 1.12 - 1.44. On 13...Na5 the reply 14.b4! is unpleasant, eg. 14...axb3 15.axb3 and the threat of b3-b4 gives Black some problems.; The counter-blow 13...b4 also does not promise equality: 14.Nc4! Na7 15.cxb4 Rxb4 16.b3 and White can even attack the queenside successfully: 16...axb3 17.axb3 Nc8 18.Ra8. 14.c4. The whole time Vassily was thinking, I was studying precisely this move, the sharpest and most aggressive. 14...Ra8. An amazingly quick response, like a table tennis. response. Magnus frees the square b8 for his queen. But this leads us to ask the question: was 12...Rb8 really a good move? Wasn't the more usual 12...Qb8 better? Amazingly quick...Black had a number of interesting moves, the consequences of which were not easy to assess. In the variation 14...b4 15.Nb1 Qe8 White obtains the advantage by 16.c5!; Black is simply worse after 14...bxc4 15.Nxc4 Qe8 16.Be3 Nc8 17.Rc1 etc.; It seems to me that the young Norwegian's fighting temperament is suited by the pawn sacrifice 14...c6 15.dxc6 Bxc6 16.cxb5 Nxb5 17.Bxa4 Qd7 18.Nxb5 Bxb5 19.Bxb5 Rxb5 20.b3 Qb7 21.Qe2 Rc8 and a quick central break with d6-d5 will follow. On the other hand, of course, it is always easier to sacrifice somebody else's pawns... 15.Be3. Now Black would answer 15.c5 with 15...c6! After 16.cxd6 Bxd6 17.dxc6 Bxc6 he has everything defended, whereas with the queen on e8 (as in the variation above beginning 14...b4), the bishop on d6 would be hanging.; whilst after 15.cxb5 Nxb5 16.Bxa4 Nc3! 17.bxc3 Rxa4 Black would obtain a definite initiative for the pawn.; The modest 15.Bd2 deserves attention. 15...b4. This is the drawback of 15.Be3. Black now keeps the c-file closed, on which he has a backward pawn on c7. 16.Nb1 c5. Slamming the door! 17.a3. Note that exchanging a central pawn for a flank pawn by means of 17.Bxa4 Nxe4 would not be good for White. However, it was possible to exchange central pawns: 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.d6 although without great effect: 18...Re8 19.dxe7 Qxe7 with complicated play. 17...b3. The key goes into the lock. Now the queenside is sealed up for good. 18.Bd3. Now all hopes rest on the other side of the board. Possibly the two sides will prepare the corresponding breaks f2-f4 and f7-f5.The position looks about equal.

18...Nxe4. Lightning from a clear sky! Carlsen decisively abandons the slow manoeuvering. However, with a knight on a7, such complications are unlikely to be favourable. Black will regain his piece, of course, but in the subsequently play, the white army should be better coordinated. At first, the official site showed Black's move as 18...Nxd5, producing shock the whole chess world over. Admittedly, though, even the move 18...Nxe4 can hardly be described as the most normal.; I think that 99 players out of 100 would have played 18...Nc8 aiming to put the knight on b6 and then slowly prepare something on the kingside. The 100th player is Carlsen. True, as far as the rating list is concerned, he is closer to first. And the rest of us, we ordinary players, follow at a respectful distance...] 19.Bxe4 [Vassily does not need much time to take himself in hand. Weaker is 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.Bxe4 Bd6 and after f7-f5, Black has a good structure and attacking chances. 19...f5 20.Nfd2. A surprise in return. Evidently, Vassily wants to put his queen's knight on d2. I was looking at 20.Bd3 e4 21.Nc3! and in my view, whichever way Black recaptures the piece, he does not obtain equality. White stands much better in the centre.; One mystery remains: why did White not play 20.Nc3 fxe4 21.Nxe4? By comparison with the game, his knight is on f3, instead of b1, which is obviously a significant gain. 20...fxe4 21.Qh5. I would ask you to bear in mind that I am writing my comments as the game is being played, and before seeing the next move! I have to make a lot of guesses, based on my own understanding of the logic of the position. Now it turns out that Ivanchuk is not planning 21.Nxe4 on which one can recommend 21...Qe8 and the queen comes to g6. 21...Be8. One can well ask what the queen is doing on h5. I prefer the reply 21...Qe8 In the ending, Black puts his bishop on g6 and his knight on b6, although this can hardly lead to any serious disturbance of the equality. 22.Qe2 Bd7 23.Qh5 Be8 24.Qe2 Bd7. The players are evidently worn out by the stress of the game. After the opening, the battle was very hard and non-standard, and the move 18...Nxe4 was the icing on the cake. Draw. [Click to replay]

The Dutch had a mixed day. Smeets held Adams with the black pieces, but Stellwagen was ground down in a long ending by Kariakin. Meanwhile, van Wely restored himself to 50%, by winning in crushing style, in the latest instalment of his eternal theoretical battle with Radjabov in the Bayonet KID.

Van Wely,L (2625) - Radjabov,T (2761) [E97]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (5), 22.01.2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.f3 Kh8

13.Rb1. Not a novelty, but a new move as far as encounters between van Wely and Radjabov are concerned. The move 13.Ne6 has been the scene of no fewer than four previous games between the two players. Van Wely won the first, but has lost the last three. The text move was introduced in a game Ponomariev-Radjabov, played at Wijk aan Zee in 2003. 13...h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 fxe4 16.fxe4 Nc6 17.Nd5 Ng8 18.Bd3 Nd4 19.Qg4 g5 20.h4. This is the move recommended by Ftacnik, in his Chessbase Magazine annotations to the above-mentioned Ponomariev-Radjabov game. Pono instead chose 20.Qh3 and went on to lose. 20...Nf6 21.Qg3 gxh4. One crazy variation offered by Fritz 11 is 21...Nxe6 22.hxg5 Nxd5 23.gxh6 Bf6 24.exd5 Bh4 25.Qg4 Bxe1 26.dxe6 Bf2+ with an extremely obscure position. 22.Qxh4 Nxe6 23.Bxh6 Kg8? After the text, Black's king falls under a decisive attack. It seems that 23...Nh7 was mandatory, although White still looks to be better after 24.Bxg7+ Kxg7 25.Qg4+

24.Qh3! Once and for all eliminating possible queen exchanges after Nxd5, and preparing a rook transfer to the third rank. Black's king is not long for this world. 24...Bxh6 25.Qxh6 c6 26.Re3 Kf7 27.Rf1 cxd5. There is no defence. If 27...Nf4 28.Nxf4 exf4 and now 29.e5 is even more decisive than the capture on f4. 28.exd5 Ke7 29.dxe6 Kxe6 30.Ref3 a5 31.Be4 1–0. [Click to replay]

Morozevich also suffered a crushing defeat, after a highly entertaining game.

Dominguez Perez,L (2717) - Morozevich,A (2771) [B90]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (5), 22.01.2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.f3 b5 10.0–0–0 Rc8 11.g4 Nb6 12.g5 b4 A novelty, it would seem. 13.Na4 Nxe4 Mutual desperadoes! 14.fxe4 Nxa4 15.Qxb4 Qc7 16.Rd2 Bd7 17.Qa5 Qc6 18.Bxa6 Rb8 19.Rd5 Be7 20.Ba7 Ra8

One of the more picturesque positions I have seen in grandmaster chess. 21.Bb5 Qb7 22.Qxa4 Rxa7 23.Na5 Qc7 24.Rhd1 Bxb5 25.Qxb5+ Kf8 26.Kb1. After the fun and games, we have reached every Najdorf player's nightmare scenario – the good knight v bad bishop position. 26...g6 27.Nc4 Rb7 28.Qa4 Qb8 29.b3 Ra7 30.Qc6 Rc7 31.Rb5 Qa7 32.Qd5 Qf2 33.Qd2 Qf3 34.Nxd6 Bxg5

At this point, with Fritz screaming for 35.Nf5!!, a certain Playchess spectator (handle: "Frederic"), made the outrageous request that somebody in Wijk go over to Dominguez, tap him on the shoulder, and tell him that 34.Nf5 wins. It seems that somebody did. 35.Nf5!! Rc8 36.Rb8! 1–0. [Click to replay]

Finally, in the longest game of the day, Aronian opened his winning account, and in the process ended Movsesian's unbeaten start. The Armenian won with a characteristic endgame grind, following a very early queen exchange.

Aronian,L (2750) - Movsesian,S (2751) [D15]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (5), 22.01.2009

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.g3 dxc4 7.Bg2 c5 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 Nc6 10.Ne3 Bxc5 11.Nxc4 Ke7 12.0–0 Nd5 13.Rd1 f6 14.Nfd2 Rd8 15.Nb3 Ba7 16.Nca5 Rb8 17.Nxc6+ bxc6 18.Na5 Bd7 19.b3 Bc5 20.Bd2 Bb4

21.Rac1 Rdc8 22.Bxb4+ Nxb4 23.f4 c5 24.Kf2 Rc7 25.Rc3 Be8 26.Rdc1 Kd6 27.Re3 Bf7 28.Bh3 Ke7 29.Re4 g6 30.Rec4 Kd6 31.Bg2 Nd5 32.h4 Nb4 33.g4 h6 34.g5 hxg5 35.hxg5 fxg5 36.fxg5 Nd5 37.Rh1 Rb4 38.Rh8 Ke7 39.Be4 e5 40.Rh7 Kd6

41.e3 Ke6 42.Bd3 Rb8 43.Rc1 Be8 44.Rch1 Rxh7 45.Rxh7 Nb4 46.Be4 Rd8 47.Nc4 Bc6 48.Bxg6 Rf8+ 49.Ke2 Bf3+ 50.Ke1 e4 51.Rh6 Nd3+ 52.Kd2 Ke7 53.Kc3 Rd8 54.Rh7+ Ke6 55.Rc7 Rh8 56.Bh7 Nb4 57.Rxc5 Nd5+ 58.Rxd5 Kxd5 1–0. [Click to replay]

Videos reports by Europe Echecs

GM Robert Fontaine wraps up each round for the French Chess magazine and portal Europe Echecs

Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group A

Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group B

Schedule and results of Grandmaster Group C

Links Official web site All games in PGN: Group A – Group B – Group C All ChessBase reports on Wijk aan Zee 2009 Live coverage is available on the Playchess server 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 it to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.