Zug GP R09: three wins, Topalov continues to lead

by ChessBase
4/28/2013 – Fabiano Caruana beat Gata Kamsky from the black side of a Closed Ruy Lopez; Hikaru Nakamura profited from a disastrous error committed by a dejected Alexander Morozevich to take the full point; and Teimour Radjabov took a similar opportunity after Ruslan Ponomariov erred badly on move 40. Veselin Topalov drew against Mamadyarov and continues to lead. Round nine report with GM analysis.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

From April 14 to April 30, 2013, the third stage of the FIDE Grand Prix Series 2012-2013 is taking place in Zug, Switzerland. Twelve players are competing in a round robin tournament with time controls of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes and an increment of 30 seconds per move for each player. The Grand Prix Series consists of six tournaments to be held over two years, with 18 top players, each participating in four of the six tournaments. The winner and second placed player overall of the Grand Prix Series will qualify for the Candidates Tournament to be held in March 2014.

Round nine report

It was raining hard during the second free day, and most of players preferred to stay in the hotel and relax before the final part of the tournament. Three decisive games were played in the ninth round. It could have been more, as Peter Leko and Rustam Kasimdzhanov were close to win against Sergey Karjakin and Anish Giri respectively. The leader of the tournament, Veselin Topalov, drew against Shakhriyar Mamdeyarov and remains half a point ahead of Fabiano Caruana, who won his game against Gata Kamsky and is now alone in second place. Ruslan Ponomariov moved from second to third after his loss against Teimur Rajabov. He shared this place with Hikaru Nakamura and Sergey Karjakin. Alexander Morozevich lost a third consecutive game, in spite of the fact that he had a huge advantage against Hikaru Nakamura.

The playing hall, with a smattering or spectators

It's the commentary area where the public can follow the games

GMs Klaus Bischoff and Robert Fontaine providing analysis on flat panels

Round 09 – April 28 2013, 14:00h
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Gata Kamsky 2741
0-1
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Veselin Topalov 2771
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
1-0
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Teimour Radjabov 2793
1-0
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733

Anish Giri - Rustam Kasimdzhanov ½-½
Another symmetrical English, and once again Anish Giri’s enterprising play led to a dynamic position with lots of complex variations on the board. 11...Be6 instead of 11...e6 was the new move and White decided to spice life up with 18.Ne5!? Black missed 18…Qa6 and instead allowed the exchange sacrifice and subsequent attack by White. However White pursued this attack a bit too aggressively and after 25.Rc1? Black simply took the rook and after a forced continuation Black could have played the strong 31…Rd8 or the computer move 32...e6, leaving White with some activity but down on material. Black decided to go for the endgame an exchange up but 36...e5 instead of Ra8 would have created more problems for White to solve. After 59 moves peace was signed.

Anish Giri and Rustam Kasimdzhanov discussing their game

Peter Leko - Sergey Karjakin ½-½
The players transposed quite quickly to a main line of the Queen’s Indian Defence. Leko was very well prepared and got a positional advantage shortly after the opening. His 13.Bf4 was the new move on the board, but White is relatively safe and comfortable after that. Sergey started to get into a bit of trouble in the early middlegame and lost a few tempi with his minor pieces. 18…Ne4?! allowed 19.cxd5! and White had a big advantage from that point on, despite the initial complications. But as is the norm with Karjakin you have to keep the pressure up, and one slight slip, 29.Ra3, allowed Black to get some counter play. After 40th move Peter Leko pointed out it was hard to find any edge for White.

Italian GM Fabiano Caruana, with an early novelty in the Ruy Lopez

Gata Kamsky - Fabiano Caruana 0-1
It’s always amazing how in such well-played lines as the Ruy Lopez one can still get new moves early in the opening. Kamsky tried to catch Black out with the rare 9.Be3 instead of the main line 9.c3. This did not seem to pose too much problems for Caruana, and he equalised and kept the balance throughout the game. The players spent a great deal of time on the ensuing moves, and after 25 moves White had just five minutes left against Black’s 17 minutes. Caruana got a slight edge after 18.Ng4, and the inaccurate 33.Qe3 allowed Black’s queen to enter the first rank. The position of White’s king became dangerous. Fabiano Caruana played precisely and managed to win the game on the 40th move.

Veselin Topalov - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov ½-½
Mamedyarov (above left) was well prepared after the free day and did not repeat his game against Karjakin earlier in the tournament. After 14.Nf5 the moves came fast this time, and the first new move was by Black with 19…Qd7. The position was dynamically equal as the two knights in the center compensated for the space advantage that White had. After the multiple exchange of rooks and minor pieces we had an endgame with queen + bishop versus queen + knight. White had to go for a perpetual due to the advancing h-pawn.

Hikaru Nakamura - Alexander Morozevich 1-0
Both players wanted to win and move up in the tournament. A King’s Indian quickly transposed into a Benoni and 13.a4 did not seem to stop Morozevich’s exuberance as he went 13…b5 in gambit fashion anyway. Nakamura tried to refuse the pawn offer with 15.b4 but this allowed Black the immediate tactical initiative with 15…Ng4! According to Nakamura, he didn’t like his position after 22...Na3. Black obtained a winning position and might have netted the full point if instead of 25…Ra6 he went 25…Bg7 immediately. The delay in this allowed Nakamura to consolidate and equalise. The game was unexpectedly decided after the blunder of Black 31... Re4.

Teimour Radjabov - Ruslan Ponomariov 1-0
Teimour Radjabov (above) managed to win his first game in this tournament. In an earlier round Leko remarked that one of Ponomariov’s favourite lines was the Queens Gambit Accepted, and today he went for it. Radjabov seemed to get a very strong position and the position looked aesthetically very difficult for Black. 11..f5 was the new move on the board, but after 12.a5!? White seemed to be doing fine. Until move 22 the players followed the computer's first or second moves and kept a very delicate equality. 22...c6 was the first weaker option by Black, allowing White to increase his advantage. Both sides left themselves with very little time and by move 28 had started to play faster. As happens in many games, Ponomariov made a mistake on the last move of the first time control. This exchange was fatal for Black and after ten moves he has to resign. 40...g5, 40...Ka2, 40...Kb3 would have led to a draw.

Analysis by GM Karsten Müller

[Event "Renova FIDE GP Zug"] [Site "Zug SUI"] [Date "2013.04.28"] [Round "9.6"] [White "Radjabov, Teimour"] [Black "Ponomariov, Ruslan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D20"] [WhiteElo "2793"] [BlackElo "2733"] [PlyCount "101"] [EventDate "2013.04.18"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bxc4 Nb6 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Bg4 8. Be3 Qd7 9. Nbc3 O-O-O 10. a4 Nxe5 11. Be4 f5 12. a5 Nbc4 13. Bxb7+ Kxb7 14. Qb3+ Ka8 15. dxe5 Nxe3 16. fxe3 Bxe2 17. Nxe2 Qd5 18. Qxd5+ Rxd5 19. Kf2 g6 20. Rhd1 Rxd1 21. Rxd1 Bg7 22. Rd5 Rb8 23. Nd4 Rxb2+ 24. Kf3 Kb7 25. Ne6 Bh8 26. Rc5 c6 27. Nd8+ Ka6 28. Rxc6+ Kxa5 29. Re6 Ka4 30. Rxe7 a5 31. Re8 Bg7 32. Ne6 Bh6 33. Re7 Rb5 34. Nd4 Bg5 35. Re8 Rc5 36. Ne2 Ka3 37. g3 a4 38. h4 Bh6 39. e6 Re5 40. Nf4 {Radjabov's Radient Rook Every exchange must be considered very carefully:} Bxf4 $2 {Probably in high time trouble Ponomariov miscalculates. He should keep his strong bishop, e.g.} (40... g5 41. hxg5 (41. Nd3 g4+ 42. Kg2 Rxe3 43. Nc5 f4 44. gxf4 Bxf4 $11) 41... Bxg5 $11 {(Baburin in Chess Today 4555)}) (40... Ka2 $11 {is also playable.}) 41. Kxf4 Re4+ (41... Rb5 42. e7 Rb7 43. Kg5 Kb2 44. Kf6 a3 45. Ra8 Rxe7 46. Kxe7 a2 47. Kf6 a1=Q 48. Rxa1 Kxa1 49. Kg7 $18) 42. Kg5 Rxe3 43. Kf6 Rxg3 (43... Kb2 44. e7 a3 45. Rb8+ Kc2 46. e8=Q Rxe8 47. Rxe8 a2 48. Ra8 Kb2 49. Kg7 $18) 44. e7 Re3 45. Rb8 Ka2 ({After} 45... f4 46. e8=Q {is the right way to win} ({and not} 46. Rb6 $2 f3 47. Kf7 f2 48. Rf6 Kb3 49. e8=Q Rxe8 50. Kxe8 a3 $11) 46... Rxe8 47. Rxe8 Kb2 48. Re4 a3 49. Rxf4 a2 50. Rf2+ Kb3 51. Rxa2 Kxa2 52. Kg7 $18) 46. Rb6 $1 {Radjabov's radient rook threatens to move behind White's passed e-pawn and keeps Black's king locked in.} ({The direct} 46. e8=Q $2 Rxe8 47. Rxe8 Kb2 $11 {(Baburin) spoils it.}) 46... Rxe7 (46... a3 {does not help due to} 47. Re6 Rxe6+ 48. Kxe6 Kb2 49. e8=Q a2 50. Qb5+ Kc2 51. Qc4+ Kb2 52. Qb4+ Kc2 53. Qa3 Kb1 54. Qb3+ Ka1 $6 55. Qc2 f4 56. Qc1#) 47. Kxe7 a3 48. Kf6 Ka1 (48... f4 49. Kg7 f3 50. Kxh7 f2 51. Rf6 $18) 49. Kg7 a2 50. Kxh7 f4 51. Rb3 (51. Rb3 f3 52. Rxf3 Kb2 53. Rf2+ Kb3 54. Rf1 Kb2 55. Kxg6 $18) 1-0

Ruslan Ponomariov and Teimour Radjabov in the post mortem

Current standings

Replay all games

Select games from the dropdown menu above the board

Chess pieces on display in Zug – here some examples:

Information and pictures by WGM Anastasiya Karlovich and GM Robert Fontaine

Schedule and pairings

Round 01 – April 18 2013, 14:00h
Alexander Morozevich 2758
1-0
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Fabiano Caruana 2772
1-0
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Gata Kamsky 2741
Round 02 – April 19 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
1-0
Gata Kamsky 2741
Veselin Topalov 2771
1-0
Peter Leko 2744
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
1-0
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Round 03 – April 20 2013, 14:00h
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Fabiano Caruana 2772
½-½
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Gata Kamsky 2741
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Round 04 – April 21 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Gata Kamsky 2741
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Peter Leko 2744
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Round 05 – April 23 2013, 14:00h
Fabiano Caruana 2772
1-0
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Sergey Karjakin 2786
1-0
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Anish Giri 2727
0-1
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Gata Kamsky 2741
1-0
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Veselin Topalov 2771
1-0
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Round 06 – April 24 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
0-1
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Teimour Radjabov 2793
½-½
Veselin Topalov 2771
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
1-0
Gata Kamsky 2741
Alexander Morozevich 2758
½-½
Peter Leko 2744
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Fabiano Caruana 2772
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Round 07 – April 25 2013, 14:00h
Sergey Karjakin 2786
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Gata Kamsky 2741
1-0
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Veselin Topalov 2771
½-½
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Round 08 – April 26 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov
2709
½-½
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Ruslan Ponomariov
2733
½-½
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Alexander Morozevich
2758
0-1
Veselin Topalov 2771
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
2766
½-½
Gata Kamsky 2741
Fabiano Caruana
2772
½-½
Peter Leko 2744
Sergey Karjakin
2786
½-½
Anish Giri 2727
Round 09 – April 28 2013, 14:00h
Anish Giri 2727
½-½
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Peter Leko 2744
½-½
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Gata Kamsky 2741
0-1
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Veselin Topalov 2771
½-½
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
1-0
Alexander Morozevich 2758
Teimour Radjabov 2793
1-0
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Round 10 – April 29 2013, 14:00h
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
-
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
Alexander Morozevich 2758
-
Teimour Radjabov 2793
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
-
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
Fabiano Caruana 2772
-
Veselin Topalov 2771
Sergey Karjakin 2786
-
Gata Kamsky 2741
Anish Giri 2727
-
Peter Leko 2744
Round 11 – April 30 2013, 12:00h
Peter Leko 2744
-
Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2709
Gata Kamsky 2741
-
Anish Giri 2727
Veselin Topalov 2771
-
Sergey Karjakin 2786
Hikaru Nakamura 2767
-
Fabiano Caruana 2772
Teimour Radjabov 2793
-
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov 2766
Ruslan Ponomariov 2733
-
Alexander Morozevich 2758

The games start at 14:00h European time, 16:00h Moscow, 8 a.m. New York. You can find your regional starting time here. The commentary on Playchess begins one hour after the start of the games and is free for premium members.

Links

The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register