Highlights
Dubov – Malakhov
Daniil Dubov played a brilliant attacking game against Vladimir Malakhov in the 3rd round of the event. Dubov had the opportunity to play one of his favourite opening setups against the Slav, which led to him seizing the initiative early in the middlegame. The double pawn sacrifice that followed provided Dubov’s pieces with excellent outposts and forced Malakhov to defend passively for the entire middlegame.
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 4...e6 5.g3 5.g3!? dxc4 6.Bg2 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.e4 8.a4 a5 9.e4 Na6 10.Qe2 Nb4 8...0-0 9.Qe2 b5 10.a4!? b4 11.Nd1 a5 12.Re1 Ba6 12...Be6? 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ng5 12...Nfd7!? 13.Qxc4 c5 14.d5 Ba6 15.Qc2 c4 16.Be3 13.e5 Nd5 14.e6! f5 14...f6?! 15.Ne3 15.Ne5 Rf6 15...Nc7 16.Nf7! Qc8 17.Ne3 17.Bg5? c3! 18.Qe5 c2 17...Rxe6 18.Ng5 c3?! 18...Rxe3 19.Bxe3 Nd7 19...h6 20.Nh3! 20.Ne6! Bf6 21.Qd2 19.Qc2 Rxe3 20.Bxe3 cxb2 21.Qxb2 Nd7 22.Rac1 N7b6 23.Qb3 Bb7 24.Bf4 Bf6 25.Ne6 Kh8 26.Bh6 Qg8 27.h4! Rb8 28.Rc5 Ra8 29.Ng5 Ra7 29...Bxd4 30.Rxe7! 30.Rc2 Qe8 31.Re6 Bxd4 32.h5! Bf6 33.Rce2 Bxg5 33...Ba6 34.Bxd5 Nxd5 35.Rxf6! Nxf6 36.Nf7+ 34.Qb2+ Nc3 35.Bxg5 Nbxa4 36.Qa1 Kg8 37.Re1 Ba6 38.Bxc6 Qd8 39.Bxa4 Qd5 40.Bc6 1–0
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Dubov,D | 2714 | Malakhov,V | 2666 | 1–0 | 2021 | D15 | FIDE World Cup 2021 | 3.1 |
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Carlsen – Wojtaszek
The Round 4 matchup between Magnus Carlsen and Radoslaw Wojtaszek featured two incredibly tense and complicated classical games. Both games saw Carlsen create attacks with the kings castled on the same side of the board. He achieved serious chances in both games, but Wojtaszek’s resourcefulness led to two draws and brought the match into tiebreaks.
The following game is the second classical game of their match, where Carlsen introduced a dangerous new idea against Wojtaszek’s Sicilian. Interestingly, the day after this game was played, Svidler successfully employed the same opening idea in his match with Vitiugov and advanced into the final 16.
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1.e4 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 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Nf4 Bd6 12.Be3 Bxf4 13.Bxf4 Qf6 14.Be3 Nb4 15.Bb1 Bf5 16.Qb3 Bxb1 17.Raxb1 Qd6 18.a3 Na6 19.Rbc1 1...c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4!? 5.Qxd4 5...Ngf6 6.0-0!? 6.Bd3 6...a6 6...Nxe4? 7.Re1 d5 7...Nef6 8.Nf5 8.c4 7.Ba4 e6 7...g6 8.c4 Bg7 9.Nc3 0-0 7...Nxe4 8.c4 e6 9.Re1 7...e5 8.Nf5 Nxe4 9.c4! g6 10.Ne3 f5∞ 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 8.c4 Be7 8...Nxe4 9.Re1 Nec5 10.Nc3 Be7 10...Nxa4? 11.Qxa4 Be7 12.Nd5! exd5 13.Nf5 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7 12.Rxe6! Ne5 12...fxe6? 13.Nxe6 Qb6 14.Nd5 13.Rxe7+ Qxe7 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.f4 Nc6 16.Qe2+ Kf8 17.Be3 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Qe2 Qc7 11.f4 Nb6 12.Bb3 e5 12...Bd7 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 Rfe8 15.g4! exf4 15...d5!? 16.cxd5 Nfxd5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qc5+ 19.Ne3 exf4 20.Rxf4 Bg5 21.Rf3 Rad8 22.Kf1 Qd4?! 23.a4! Qe4 24.Ra3 Rc8 25.Rc3± 16.Bxf4 Bf8? 16...h6 17.h4 Nh7 16...Qc6! 17.g5 d5! 18.Qg2 Bc5+ 19.Kh1 dxc4 17.Qg2 Nxc4 18.g5 Nh5 19.Nd5 Qc5+ 20.Kh1 b5 21.g6 Rab8 22.Rad1 Nxf4 23.Rxf4 23.gxf7+ Kxf7 24.Nxf4 Kg8 25.f6 23...Re5 24.Rh4 Rxf5 25.Bc2?? 25.Rxh7! fxg6 26.Qxg6 Rxd5 27.Rg1 Rb7 28.Bc2 25...Qf2! 26.gxf7+ Kxf7 27.Bxf5? 27.Qe4! Qf3+ 28.Qxf3 Rxf3 29.Kg2 27...Qxh4 28.Rf1 Kg8 29.Rf4 Qe1+ 30.Rf1 Qe5 30...Qh4 31.Rf4= 31.Qh3! Qxd5+ 32.Rf3 Qd1+ 33.Rf1 Qd5+ 34.Rf3 Qd1+ ½–½
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Carlsen,M | 2847 | Wojtaszek,R | 2691 | ½–½ | 2021 | B51 | FIDE World Cup 2021 | 4.2 |
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Ivic’s Attacking Play
Compared to previous World Cups, there are quite a few lower rated players in the remaining 16. One of these players is Velimir Ivic, who has scored three upsets in a row by winning his matches against Francisco Vallejo Pons, Matthias Bluebaum, and Dmitry Andreikin. Ivic’s games with the White pieces have been especially impressive because he demonstrated strong preparation in sharp lines of the French and Caro-Kann and launched crushing attacks.
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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Be3 Bd6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Qe2 b6 10.0-0-0 Bb7 11.Kb1 c5 12.Bg5 Qc7? 12...h6 13.Bh4 Rc8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.d5 Bxd5 15.Nh4 Rfd8 16.Qh5 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Ne2!? Qb6 9.Qc1 Be7 10.c3 f6 10...0-0 11.h4 f6 12.h5 11.h4! 11.exf6 Nxf6 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Bxc5 Qxc5 14.Ned4 0-0 15.Be2 Bd7 16.0-0 Rae8 17.Qe3 Ng4 18.Qd2 e5 19.fxe5 Ngxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 11...0-0 12.h5 Qa5?! 12...h6 13.Rh3 Qa5 14.Kf2?! 14.Bd2 Qd8 15.Qc2 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 fxe5 16.fxe5 Ndxe5! 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Kg1 Ng4 19.Rg3 19.Bd4?! e5! 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Bxh3 19...e5 13.h6! g6 14.Kf2 cxd4?! 14...b5 15.Kg1 b4 16.Rh3 Rb8 17.a3 bxc3 18.bxc3 c4 19.g4 15.cxd4 fxe5 15...g5!? 16.Kg1 gxf4 17.Nxf4 fxe5 18.dxe5 Ndxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Rh3 16.fxe5 Ndxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Kg1 Ng4 18...Nxf3+ 19.gxf3 Rxf3 20.Bg2 Rf7 21.Bd4 19.Bd4 Bd7 20.Qe1! Qd8 21.Qg3 e5 22.Nxe5 Bd6 23.Qb3 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Qg5 25.Bd4 Rf7 26.Qg3 Raf8 27.Rh4 Qf5 28.Rxg4! Qxg4 29.Qe5 Rf6 30.Nc3 Bc6 31.Nxd5 1–0
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Ivic,V | 2582 | Vallejo Pons,F | 2710 | 1–0 | 2021 | C11 | FIDE World Cup 2021 | 2.1 |
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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 h5! 10.0-0 h4 11.h3 Nd7 12.Bd2!? 12.Be3 Nf8 13.Rae1 12...Nf8 13.Rae1 Be6 13...Bc7 14.f4 14.c4 Ne6 14...g6! 15.f5 g5 14.f4! Qc7? 14...c5! 15.f5 Bd7 16.d5 b5 15.f5 Bd7 16.c4 b6 17.b4! c5 18.dxc5 bxc5 19.b5 Nh7 20.Nc3 Ng5 21.Nd5 Bh2+ 22.Kh1 Qd6 23.Rd1! 23.Bxg5? Rxe1 24.Rxe1 fxg5 25.f6 gxf6 23...Be5 24.Bxg5 fxg5 25.f6 Bd4 26.Bh7+ Kh8 27.fxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nf6? 28.Bf5! Bxf5 29.Qxf5 f6 29...Qg6 30.Nc7 30.Qg4 Re6 31.Nc7! 28...Re5! 29.Be4 29.Bg8 Bf5! 30.Rxf5 Rxf5 31.Qxf5 Qxf6 32.Qh7+ Kf8 29...Rh8 30.Bd5 Be6 31.Ng4 Rxd5 32.cxd5 Bd7? 32...Bxg4! 33.hxg4 h3 34.g3 Re8 34...Qxg3?! 35.Qe2! 35.Qf5 f6 33.Qc1 Rh5 34.Rxd4! cxd4 35.Nf6 Rh6 36.Qxg5+ Rg6 37.Nh5+ Kf8 38.Qxh4 Bxb5 39.Rb1 Bc4 40.Rc1 Ba6 41.Qxd4 Bb7 42.Qh8+ Rg8 43.Qb2 Rxg2 44.Kxg2 Bxd5+ 45.Kf1 1–0
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Ivic,V | 2582 | Bluebaum,M | 2669 | 1–0 | 2021 | B15 | FIDE World Cup 2021 | 3.1 |
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Velimir Ivic | Photo: Anastasiia Korolka (FIDE)
Tabatabaei – Yu Yangyi
In Rounds 3 and 4, Amin Tabatabaei scored two upsets against Yu Yangyi and Pentala Harikrishna by winning the classical portion of both matches 1.5-0.5. His two wins against these 2700+ Grandmasters had a completely different character. The game against Yu Yangyi was won with a very aggressive style, as Tabatabaei chose a sharp variation of the Italian opening and sacrificed a piece to create a decisive kingside attack. In the following match, the Iranian Grandmaster outplayed Harikrishna in an endgame and exploited a mistake on move 30 to take the full point.
Tabatabaei’s win against Yu Yangyi is analyzed below.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 a6 8.a4 Qe7 8...Ba7 9.Nbd2 Qe7 10.h3?! 10.0-0 10...g5 11.Bg3 Nh5 12.Qe2 Qf6 13.Bh2 Nf4 14.Bxf4 gxf4 15.g4 Ne7 16.b4 Ng6 17.Kd1 h5 9.0-0 Ba7 10.Nbd2 0-0 10...g5 11.Bg3 Nd7! 12.b4 Nf8 13.b5 Nd8 14.d4 Ng6 15.h3 h5 11.Re1 11.b4 Be6 12.b5 Nb8 13.d4 axb5 14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.axb5 Nd7 17.Nc4 Qe6 11...Be6 12.b4 Bxc4 13.Nxc4 Qe6! 14.b5 Ne7 15.Rb1 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Rb1 axb5 17.axb5 17.Rxb5 17...Ng6 18.g3 Rfc8 19.Kg2 Nf8 15...Nd7 15...g5 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.h4 f6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.d4 Qe6 18.Qd3 Nb6?! 18...axb5 19.Rxb5 Rfe8 19.Ne3 a5 20.Nd2 Rfd8 21.Nf5 h5 22.Qg3 22.Re3! 22...g6? 22...Qf6 23.Re3 Kh8 24.Rf3 Qg6 25.Qh4 Qg4 23.Re3 Kf8 24.Qg5! gxf5 25.exf5 Qa2 26.Rbe1 Nd5 26...Qxd2 27.Qh6+ Ke8 28.Rxe5+ dxe5 29.Qxd2 27.Rh3 Ke8 28.f6+- c6 29.c4 Nxf6 30.dxe5 dxe5 31.Rxe5+ Kd7 32.Rd3+ Kc7 33.Re7+ Nd7 34.Qe5+ Kc8 35.Rexd7 Bb6 36.Rxd8+ Bxd8 37.b6 1–0
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Tabatabaei,M | 2613 | Yu,Y | 2705 | 1–0 | 2021 | C54 | FIDE World Cup 2021 | 3.1 |
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M. Amin Tabatabaei | Photo: Anastasiia Korolka
The second part of this article will follow soon and examine the most interesting games of the remaining players.
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