World Cup R3.1: Top players clash, Polgar, Kamsky, Sutovsky win

by ChessBase
9/4/2011 – Round three of the World Cup saw top players finally encountering each other, with upsets still possible. The big one was the victory of the only remaining female in the event, Judit Polgar, over top seed Sergey Karjakin. Emil Sutovsky brought down the great Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexander Grischuk outwitted Alexander Morozevich with an obscure line of play. Illustrated report.

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The tournament is taking place in the Ugorian Chess Academy in the very heart of Khanty-Mansiysk, which has hosted three previous World Cups: 2005, 2007, and 2009. The 128 participants hail from 46 different countries, and are playing for a total prize fund of US $1.6 million. In addition the first three finisher get tickets to the Candidates tournament in the next World Championship cycle.

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Round three game one – Polgar, Kamsky, Sutovsky win

In two games Black faced 1.e4 and selected the super-solid Berlin Defence, also nicknamed the "Berlin Wall" after the Kramnik-Kasparov match in London, 2000. The majority of games in this variation end in draws, but today the wall was breached: the highest rated player Sergey Karjakin (Russia) fell to the pressure of Judit Polgar (Hungary), and Igor Lysyj (Russia) lost to Lenier Dominguez (Cuba).


Cuban GM Lenier Dominguez


Judit in her sensational game against...


...top seed Sergey Karjakin

Polgar played an inspired game – carried out the standard e5-e6 break, invaded Black's queenside with her bishop, and virtually trampled down the opponent's soldiers:

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2011"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2011.09.03"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Polgar, Judit"] [Black "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteTitle "GM"] [BlackTitle "GM"] [WhiteElo "2699"] [BlackElo "2788"] [ECO "C67"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez"] [Variation "Berlin defence, open variation"] [WhiteFideId "700070"] [BlackFideId "14109603"] [EventDate "2011.08.28"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Ke8 10. h3 h5 11. Rd1 Be7 12. Ne4 Bd7 13. b3 h4 14. Bg5 Rd8 15. c4 b6 16. Rd2 Bc8 17. Rxd8+ Kxd8 18. Rd1+ Ke8 19. Bf4 c5 20. e6 Bxe6 21. Bxc7 f6 22. Bb8 a6 23. Ba7 Bd8 24. Nc3 Kf7 25. Na4 b5 26. Nxc5 Bc8 27. cxb5 axb5 28. a4 bxa4 29. bxa4 Re8 30. Rb1 g5 31. Bb6 Be7 32. a5 Bxc5 33. Bxc5 Re6 34. Rb6 Ng7 35. Be3 Nf5 36. Rb8 Re8 37. Ra8 Bb7 38. Ra7 Re7 39. Bc5 Rd7 40. a6 Bc6 41. Rxd7+ Bxd7 42. Nd2 Ke6 43. Nc4 Bc6 44. Nb6 Nd6 45. Bxd6 Kxd6 46. a7 Kc7 47. a8=Q Bxa8 48. Nxa8+ Kb7 49. f4 1-0


How could anyone not root for this amazing lady?

After a difficult first round, and potential scare, against Brazilian IM di Berardino, Kamsky had to have felt he had dodged the bullet to a degree, especially after equally unimpressive rapid games. A player can react in one of two ways: he can feel upset about his performance and get down on himself, which usually leads to disaster, or he can feel reborn, and that luck is on his side. Considering the American's superb play in round two, there is no need to guess how he felt, and it would seem this has continued into the third round. With his incredibly deep match experience, which would benefit him in later rounds, and his recent run of exceptional form, Kamsky is now looking like one of the tournament favorites.

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2011"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2011.09.03"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Kamsky, Gata"] [Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D86"] [WhiteElo "2741"] [BlackElo "2711"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2011.08.28"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Qc7 11. Rb1 a6 12. Bf4 Qa5 13. Bd5 cxd4 14. cxd4 Bg4 15. f3 Be6 16. Bd2 Qc7 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Bc3 Rad8 19. Qb3 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 21. Nxd4 Rxd4 22. Qxe6+ Rf7 23. Rbc1 Qd6 24. Qc8+ Kg7 25. Qxb7 Rd2 26. Qb3 e5 27. Rcd1 Qd4+ 28. Kh1 Rd7 29. Rxd2 Qxd2 30. Qe6 Qd6 31. Qxd6 Rxd6 32. h4 Rd2 33. Rc1 Rxa2 34. Rc7+ Kf6 35. Rxh7 a5 36. Ra7 a4 37. Kh2 a3 38. Kh3 Ke6 39. Ra6+ Kf7 40. Kg3 Kg7 41. Re6 Re2 42. Rxe5 a2 43. Ra5 Kf6 44. f4 Rxe4 45. Rxa2 Kg7 46. Kg4 Rb4 47. Ra5 1-0

The game between Alexander Grischuk (Russia, 2757, number 9 in the world) and Alexander Morozevich (Russia, 2737, number 17) was also in the spotlight today.

Grischuk (above right), playing white, decided to counter Morozevich's pet French Defence by an old-fashioned gambit variation in which White sacrifices a pawn for the initiative. Black fell behind in development, and his queen got stuck on the kingside.

In order to castle and connect his pieces, Morozevich (above) sacrificed two pawns, but the compensation appeared insufficient, and Grischuk converted his advantage after very sharp and nervous struggle spiced up by mutual time trouble.

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2011"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2011.09.03"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Grischuk, Alexander"] [Black "Morozevich, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "2746"] [BlackElo "2694"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "2011.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Bd7 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 8. O-O Bxd4 9. cxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Re1 Bc6 12. Ne2 Qg4 13. h3 Qh5 14. Bf4 Bb5 15. Qb3 Ne7 16. Bxb5+ axb5 17. Qxb5+ Nbc6 18. Qxb7 O-O 19. Qb3 Rab8 20. Qc3 Rfc8 21. Qd2 h6 22. Rac1 Qh4 23. b3 Nf5 24. g4 Nfe7 25. Kg2 Ra8 26. Rc5 f5 27. gxf5 Nxf5 28. Rec1 Nce7 29. Rxc8+ Nxc8 30. Rc6 Qe7 31. Qc2 Qe8 32. a4 Qg6+ 33. Bg3 Nce7 34. Nf4 Qf7 35. Rc7 g5 36. Ne2 Rf8 37. a5 h5 38. Qd2 Qg6 39. a6 h4 40. Bh2 g4 41. Nf4 Qg5 42. Qe2 Nh6 43. Rxe7 gxh3+ 44. Kxh3 Qxe7 45. Ng6 Qb4 46. Nxf8 Kxf8 47. a7 Qa5 48. Bf4 Nf5 49. Qh5 Kg7 50. Qg5+ Kh7 51. Qh5+ Kg7 52. Bg5 Qc3+ 53. Kg2 h3+ 54. Qxh3 Qc6 55. Bf6+ Kg6 56. Qg4+ 1-0

The only win with black was achieved by Emil Sutovsky (Israel), who defeated Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine). The achievement of the Israeli grandmaster is highly remarkable, as Sutovsky had never before won a games against Ivanchuk, losing six times and making six draws.


Israeli GM Emil Sutovsky scroing an important victory with the black pieces


Aren't I supposed to be beating this guy? Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2011"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2011.09.03"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"] [Black "Sutovsky, Emil"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B54"] [WhiteElo "2768"] [BlackElo "2700"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2011.08.28"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. f3 e5 6. Nb3 Be7 7. c4 a5 8. Be3 a4 9. Nc1 Qa5+ 10. Qd2 Bd8 11. Ne2 Be6 12. Na3 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Ba5+ 14. Nc3 Nc6 15. Nab5 Ke7 16. Be2 Rhc8 17. Rhc1 Bb4 18. Rab1 Nd7 19. Ke1 Bc5 20. Bf2 Na5 21. Nd5+ Bxd5 22. cxd5 g6 23. Bh4+ f6 24. Kd2 g5 25. Bg3 f5 26. exf5 Nf6 27. Nc3 Bb4 28. Kd3 Rc4 29. Bf2 Rac8 30. Be3 a3 {White is much better, but we now reach a turning point.} 31. Nb5 $2 axb2 32. Rxc4 Nxc4 33. Bxg5 e4+ 34. Kd4 Na3 35. Nxa3 ({First} 35. Bxf6+ Kxf6 {and then} 36. Nxa3 {would have put up a better defence.}) 35... Bc5+ 36. Kc3 Bxa3+ 37. Bc4 b5 38. Kb3 bxc4+ 39. Kxa3 c3 40. fxe4 Rb8 0-1


Ukrainian GM Alexander Moiseenko put up heroic resistance
and saved half a point against Czech GM David Navara.

[Event "FIDE World Cup 2011"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2011.09.03"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Navara, David"] [Black "Moiseenko, Alexander"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A20"] [WhiteElo "2722"] [BlackElo "2715"] [PlyCount "143"] [EventDate "2011.08.28"] 1. c4 e5 2. g3 c6 3. d4 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 d6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Bg2 O-O 8. e3 Re8 9. Nge2 Nbd7 10. h3 Nf8 11. O-O e4 12. f4 exf3 13. Rxf3 h6 14. Raf1 N8h7 15. e4 Be6 16. b3 a6 17. R3f2 Qe7 18. g4 Rad8 19. Ng3 b5 20. cxb5 axb5 21. Nd1 c5 22. Ne3 cxd4 23. Qxd4 Bd7 24. Rd1 Bc6 25. Nef5 Qe5 26. Qxe5 Rxe5 27. Rxd6 Rxd6 28. Nxd6 Rc5 29. Ngf5 Bd7 30. Ne7+ Kf8 31. Nd5 Be6 32. b4 Rc1+ 33. Kh2 Re1 34. a3 Bd7 35. Rf1 Re2 36. Nc3 Rc2 37. Ncxb5 h5 38. e5 hxg4 39. Nd4 Rd2 40. exf6 gxh3 41. fxg7+ Kg8 42. Rxf7 Rxg2+ 43. Kh1 Rxg7 44. Rxg7+ Kxg7 45. b5 Nf6 46. b6 Ba4 47. Ne6+ Kg6 48. Nf8+ Kg7 49. Ne6+ Kg6 50. Nf8+ Kg7 51. b7 Bc6+ 52. Kh2 Bxb7 53. Ne6+ Kg6 54. Nxb7 Kf5 55. Nc7 Ng4+ 56. Kxh3 Ne3 57. a4 Nc4 58. Kh4 Kf6 59. Nc5 Ke5 60. Nb3 Kd6 61. Nb5+ Kc6 62. N5d4+ Kb6 63. Ne6 Nb2 64. a5+ Kb5 65. Ned4+ Ka6 66. Ne6 Nc4 67. Nec5+ Ka7 68. a6 Kb6 69. Kg5 Ne5 70. Na5 Nd7 71. Nc4+ Ka7 72. Nxd7 1/2-1/2

A very tense game between good friends, Ruslan Ponomariov and Zakhar Efimenko, both from Ukraine, also ended in a draw. Two games ended quickly and without much fight: Vladimir Potkin (Russia) drew with Nikita Vitiugov (Russia), and Etienne Bacrot split the point with Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan).

Results of round three

Name
G1
G2
 R1
 R2
 r3
 r4
 B1
 B2
 SD
Tot
 Polgar, Judit (HUN)
1
               
1.0
 Karjakin, Sergey (RUS)
0
               
0.0
 
 Ivanchuk, Vassily (UKR)
0
               
0.0
 Sutovsky, Emil (ISR)
1
               
1.0
 
 Zherebukh, Yaroslav (UKR)
½
               
0.5
 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (AZE)
½
               
0.5
 
 Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR)
½
               
0.5
 Efimenko, Zahar (UKR)
½
               
0.5
 
 Tomashevsky, Evgeny (RUS)
½
               
0.5
 Gashimov, Vugar (AZE)
½
               
0.5
 
 Grischuk, Alexander (RUS)
1
               
1.0
 Morozevich, Alexander (RUS)
0
               
0.0
 
 Bacrot, Etienne (FRA)
½
               
0.5
 Radjabov, Teimour (AZE)
½
               
0.5
 
 Kamsky, Gata (USA)
1
               
1.0
 Nepomniachtchi, Ian (RUS)
0
               
0.0
 
 Caruana, Fabiano (ITA)
½
               
0.5
 Svidler, Peter (RUS)
½
               
0.5
 
 Jakovenko, Dmitry (RUS)
1
               
1.0
 Jobava, Baadur (GEO)
0
               
0.0
 
 Potkin, Vladimir (RUS)
½
               
0.5
 Vitiugov, Nikita (RUS)
½
               
0.5
 
 Parligras, Mircea-Emilian (ROU)
½
               
0.5
 Nielsen, Peter Heine (DEN)
½
               
0.5
 
 Le, Quang Liem (VIE)
½
               
0.5
 Bruzon Batista, Lazaro (CUB)
½
               
0.5
 
 Navara, David (CZE)
½
               
0.5
 Moiseenko, Alexander (UKR)
½
               
0.5
 
 Gupta, Abhijeet (IND)
½
               
0.5
 Bu, Xiangzhi (RUS)
½
               
0.5
 
 Dominguez Perez, Leinier (CUB)
1
               
1.0
 Lysyj, Igor (RUS)
0
               
0.0

Results as a bracket table

View the table in full size on a separate page

On Wednesday, August 31, 64 chess players will continue their battles in the 1/32 of the World Cup Final. We should mention such pairings as Kamsky (USA) vs Kasimdzhanov (UZB), Movsesian (ARM) vs Polgar (HUN), Grischuk (RUS) vs Feller (FRA).

The live commentary on Playchess will continue daily at 13:00h CEST (= 15:00h Moscow, 7 a.m. New York), with GM commentary in English and German. At around 19:00h there will be a wrap-up of the day's events.

Remaining schedule of the World Chess Cup 2011

Date Day Time   Rounds
Players
04.09.2011 Sunday 15:00 Round 3, game 2
05.09.2011 Monday 15:00 Tiebreak
06.09.2011 Tuesday 15:00 Round 4, game 1
16
07.09.2011 Wednesday 15:00 Round 4, game 2
08.09.2011 Thursday 15:00 Tiebreak
09.09.2011 Friday 15:00 Round 5, game 1
8
10.09.2011 Saturday 15:00 Round 5, game 2
11.09.2011 Sunday 15:00 Tiebreak
12.09.2011 Monday 15:00 Round 6, game 1
4
13.09.2011 Tuesday 15:00 Round 6, game 2
14.09.2011 Wednesday 15:00 Tiebreak
15.09.2011 Thursday   Free Day
16.09.2011 Friday 15:00 Round 7, game 1
2
17.09.2011 Saturday 15:00 Round 7, game 2
18.09.2011 Sunday 15:00 Round 7, game 3
19.09.2011 Monday 15:00 Round 7, game 4
20.09.2011 Tuesday 11:00 Tiebreaks, Closing
21.09.2011 Wednesday   Departure

Links

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