5th Zurich Chess Challenge 2016

Photos by Frederic Friedel for ChessBase
From 12 to 15 February 2016 the world chess elite will arrive again in Zurich for the fifth edition of the Zurich Chess Challenge at the Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville.
The oldest chess club in the world and its honorable member Oleg Skvortsov have suggested a most important innovation for the future of new classical chess: a new time control of 40 minutes per game with additional 10 seconds for each move.
Round Three
All three games in round three finished in draws, but they took very different paths to get there.

An excited audience waiting for the show
The first game to finish was Aronian's battle against Giri. It was a relatively quiet game in which White almost always had a slight pull, but not enough to pose real problems. Giri was able to equalize the endgame and force a draw.

Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov doing commentary
For the second time in this tournament Nakamura found himself in a lost position with the white pieces, but found a way to save it:
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Be6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Ng5 Bxb3 10.axb3 f6 11.Nf3 Nc5 12.Nd2 0-0 13.Nc4 Ne6 14.Kh1 Qd7 15.Qg4 Rad8 16.Be3 Bd4 17.Bxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd7 Rxd7 19.Rxa7 Nxc2 20.Rxb7 Rxd3 21.h4 Nd4 22.b4 Ne6 23.Rc1 Ra8 24.b5 cxb5 25.Rxb5 Rad8 26.f3 h5 27.Kh2 Nf4 28.Rc5 R8d7 29.Na3? Rd2 30.R1c2 Nxg2 31.Rxc7 Ne3+ 32.Rxd2 Rxd2+ 33.Kh3 Rf2 34.Kg3 Rxb2 35.Rc1 f5? 35...Rg2+ 36.Kh3 Ra2 37.Nc4 Ng2 36.Nc4 f4+ 37.Kh3 Rf2 38.Nxe5 Nf1 39.Rxf1 Rxf1 40.Kg2 Ra1 41.Ng6 Ra2+ 42.Kg1 Ra1+ 43.Kg2 Ra2+ 44.Kg1 Kf7 45.Nxf4 g6 46.Ng2 Kf6 47.Kh2 Ke5 48.Kg3 Ra1 49.Nf4 Kd4 50.Kg2 Ra2+ 51.Kg3 Ra1 52.Kg2 Ra8 53.Kf2 Ra6 54.Ne2+ Ke5 55.Kg3 Rf6 56.Kf2 Rf8 57.Kg3 Rf7 58.Kf2 Ra7 59.Kg3 Ra8 60.Nf4 Rg8 61.Ne2 g5 62.hxg5 Rxg5+ 63.Kh4 Rg2 64.Ng3 Rh2+ 65.Kg5 h4 66.f4+ Ke6 67.Nf5 h3 68.Kg4 Rh1 69.Ng3 Rh2 70.e5 Rf2 71.Ne4 Rg2+ 72.Kxh3 ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Nakamura,H | 2787 | Kramnik,V | 2801 | ½–½ | 2016 | C65 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 3 |
Please, wait...
A big miss by Big Vlad.
Anand was probably the lucky one in his game against Shirov. After a very interesting struggle in the Spanish the Latvian reached a winning endgame but was unable to finish off the Tiger of Madras.

Shirov was very close to a win.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Re1 Nh5 10.Nf1 f5 11.Ng3 fxe4 12.Bb3+ Kh8 13.Ng5!? 13.Nxe4 13...Nf4 14.Nf7+ Rxf7 15.Bxf7 Qf8 16.Bb3 exd3 17.Bc4 d5 18.Bxd3 e4 18...Be6 19.Bf1 19.Bc2 Be6 20.Nxe4! 19...g5 20.c4 dxc4 21.Nxe4 Ne5 22.Bxf4 gxf4 23.Ng5 23.f3!? 23...Bf5 24.Qd5 c6 25.Qa5 b5 26.Rad1 Qe7 27.Ne4 Rg8 28.Nd6?! Bc2 29.Qd2 29.Rd2 Nf3+ 30.gxf3 Bd4+ 31.Kh1 Qxe1 29...Bxd1 30.Qxd1 Rf8 31.Ne4 f3 32.g3 Rd8 33.Qc1 Nd3?! 34.Bxd3 cxd3 35.Qxc6 Bxb2 36.Kf1 Qd7 37.Qxd7 Rxd7 38.Rd1 Rd5 38...b4! 39.Ng5 39.Nc5 Rd5 40.Nxd3 Bc3 41.Nb2 Ra5 39...a5 40.Nxf3 a4 41.Nd2 Rc7 39.Nd2 b4 40.Nxf3 Bc3 41.Ne1 d2 42.Nf3 Ra5 43.Nxd2 Rxa2 44.Ne4 a5 45.Nxc3 bxc3 46.Rc1 Ra3 47.Ke2 a4 48.Rc2 Rb3 49.Kd3 a3 50.Kc4 a2 51.Rxa2 Rb2 52.Ra8+ ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Anand,V | 2784 | Shirov,A | 2684 | ½–½ | 2016 | C77 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 3 |
Please, wait...
Round Four
Two games were decided, one ended in a draw. Anand, rather intrepidly, tried playing the Grunfeld from the White side, but down a tempo, against Nakamura. Usually these positions require precision from Black as the extra tempo tends to be quite significant in this sharp opening. Anand knew exactly what he was doing and even managed to get an extra pawn, but in the resulting opposite-colored bishop endgame this pawn did not mean anything.

Nakamura wondering why he can't get anything with the White pieces
Shirov lost again with the white pieces:

Aronian is back to 50%.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Be7 10.h3 Nh4 11.Rd1+ Ke8 12.Nd4 Ng6 13.f4 h5 14.Ne4 h4 15.Be3 a6 16.c4 Rh5 17.Rd3 f6 18.exf6 gxf6 19.Rf1 Bd7 20.f5 Ne5 21.Rc3 Kf7 22.Bf4 Rd8 23.Bxe5 fxe5 24.Nf3 Bxf5 25.Nxh4 25.Nxe5+ Ke6 25...Bxh4 26.g4 Ke7 27.gxf5 Rd4 28.Nc5 Rd2 29.Kh1 29.Rd3 Rg5+ 30.Kh1 Rgg2 29...Rxb2 30.Rd3 Bf6 31.Ne4 Rh4 32.Re3 Rxa2 33.Rb1 b6 34.Rbe1 Rc2 35.c5 b5 36.Ra3 Rf4 37.Rxa6 Bh4 38.f6+ Kf7 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Shirov,A | 2684 | Aronian,L | 2792 | 0–1 | 2016 | C67 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 4 |
Please, wait...
Kramnik put a lot of pressure on Giri and the Dutch player finally cracked:

Kramnik let Nakamura go, but he wasn't so merciful with Giri
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 c6 5.0-0 Nf6 6.b3 0-0 7.Bb2 Bf5 8.c4 a5 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.cxd5 Nxc3 11.Bxc3 cxd5 12.Ne5 Nc6 13.Qd2 a4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.b4 Bc8 16.e4 Ba6 17.Rfe1 dxe4 18.Bxe4 Bb5 19.Rac1 e6 20.a3 Qd6 21.Bb2 Rfd8 22.Red1 Rac8 23.Rc5 Qb8 24.Rdc1 Qb7 25.Qg5 h6 26.Qf4 Qd7 27.Bf3 g5?! 28.Qe3 Rc7 29.Qc3 29.h4 gxh4 30.Qf4! hxg3 31.Rxb5+- 29...Rdc8 30.Be4 Qd6 31.Bb1 Kf8 32.Qc2 Ke7 32...Bxd4 33.Rd1 e5 34.Rxe5 33.Re1 Kf8 34.d5! e5 34...cxd5 35.Bxg7+ Kxg7 36.Qh7+ Kf8 37.Rxb5+- 35.Rc1 Bf6 36.Qf5 Bg7 37.dxc6 Bxc6 38.Qc2 Qe6 39.Qf5 Qd6 40.Ba2?! 40.Qd3! Ke7 41.Qc3 Qe6 42.b5 40...Be8 41.Qxc8 Rxc8 42.Rxc8 Qd2? 42...e4!? 43.R1c7 Qxb2 44.Rxf7+ Kg8 45.Rxe8+ Kh7 46.Bd5 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Kramnik,V | 2801 | Giri,A | 2798 | 1–0 | 2016 | A07 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 4 |
Please, wait...

Things aren't clicking yet for the Dutch player,
his results in the blitz and the rapid have been bad.

Anand: still in the lead
Anand keeps his lead, but Kramnik and Nakamura both trail him by half a point (that is by one point because in Zurich rapid games count 2-1-0).
Rapid Standings

Note: Rapid results count for double (two for a win, one for a draw, none for a loss).
Opening Blitz Standings

Note: Opening Blitz standings only count towards determining who has more whites than blacks
Replay Today's Rapid Games

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Be6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Ng5 Bxb3 10.axb3 f6 11.Nf3 Nc5 12.Nd2 0-0 13.Nc4 Ne6 14.Kh1 Qd7 15.Qg4 Rad8 16.Be3 Bd4 17.Bxd4 Nxd4 18.Qxd7 Rxd7 19.Rxa7 Nxc2 20.Rxb7 Rxd3 21.h4 Nd4 22.b4 Ne6 23.Rc1 Ra8 24.b5 cxb5 25.Rxb5 Rad8 26.f3 h5 27.Kh2 Nf4 28.Rc5 R8d7 29.Na3? Rd2 30.R1c2 Nxg2 31.Rxc7 Ne3+ 32.Rxd2 Rxd2+ 33.Kh3 Rf2 34.Kg3 Rxb2 35.Rc1 f5? 35...Rg2+ 36.Kh3 Ra2 37.Nc4 Ng2 36.Nc4 f4+ 37.Kh3 Rf2 38.Nxe5 Nf1 39.Rxf1 Rxf1 40.Kg2 Ra1 41.Ng6 Ra2+ 42.Kg1 Ra1+ 43.Kg2 Ra2+ 44.Kg1 Kf7 45.Nxf4 g6 46.Ng2 Kf6 47.Kh2 Ke5 48.Kg3 Ra1 49.Nf4 Kd4 50.Kg2 Ra2+ 51.Kg3 Ra1 52.Kg2 Ra8 53.Kf2 Ra6 54.Ne2+ Ke5 55.Kg3 Rf6 56.Kf2 Rf8 57.Kg3 Rf7 58.Kf2 Ra7 59.Kg3 Ra8 60.Nf4 Rg8 61.Ne2 g5 62.hxg5 Rxg5+ 63.Kh4 Rg2 64.Ng3 Rh2+ 65.Kg5 h4 66.f4+ Ke6 67.Nf5 h3 68.Kg4 Rh1 69.Ng3 Rh2 70.e5 Rf2 71.Ne4 Rg2+ 72.Kxh3 ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Nakamura,H | 2787 | Kramnik,V | 2801 | ½–½ | 2016 | C65 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 3 |
Anand,V | 2784 | Shirov,A | 2684 | ½–½ | 2016 | C77 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 3 |
Aronian,L | 2792 | Giri,A | 2798 | ½–½ | 2016 | D30 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 3 |
Kramnik,V | 2801 | Giri,A | 2798 | 1–0 | 2016 | A07 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 4 |
Shirov,A | 2684 | Aronian,L | 2792 | 0–1 | 2016 | C67 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 4 |
Nakamura,H | 2787 | Anand,V | 2784 | ½–½ | 2016 | A08 | 5th Zurich CC 2016 | 4 |
Please, wait...
Schedule
Friday |
February 12 |
6 p.m. Opening Ceremony, concert, Blitz |
Saturday |
February 13 |
3 pm first round, 6 pm second round |
Sunday |
February 14 |
3 pm third round, 6 pm. fourth round |
Monday |
February 15 |
3 pm. fifth round, 6 pm. blitz, closing |
Round 1 - Sat, February 13th, 3:00 pm
White |
|
Black |
Alexei Shirov |
1-1 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-1 |
Anish Giri |
Viswanathan Anand |
2-0 |
Levon Aronian |
Round 2 - Sat, February 13th, 6:00 pm
White |
|
Black |
Vladimir Kramnik |
1-1 |
Levon Aronian |
Anish Giri |
0-2 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Alexei Shirov |
0-2 |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Round 3 - Sun, February 14th, 3:00 pm
White |
|
Black |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-1 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Viswanathan Anand |
1-1 |
Alexei Shirov |
Levon Aronian |
1-1 |
Anish Giri |
Round 4 - Sun, February 14th, 6:00 pm
White |
|
Black |
Vladimir Kramnik |
2-0 |
Anish Giri |
Alexei Shirov |
0-2 |
Levon Aronian |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-1 |
Viswanathan Anand |
Round 5 - Mon, February 15th, 3:00 pm
White |
|
Black |
Viswanathan Anand |
- |
Vladimir Kramnik |
Levon Aronian |
- |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Anish Giri |
- |
Alexei Shirov |