2/25/2013 – In a tournament where there are only two boards, the spectators run the risk that in both games the white pieces will be neutralized with some precise opening preparation and the games will simply wither into a stale draw. Luckily that was the case in only one of the games. Round two report with video commentary and postgame analysis.
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In one of the strongest tournaments of the year the World Champion Viswanathan Anand (India) is facing the former title-holder Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), last year’s World Championship challenger Boris Gelfand (Israel) and the rising star Fabiano Caruana (Italy). At the Savoy Hotel, Paradeplatz, Zurich, the four masters are playing a double round-robin tournament from 23 February to 1 March 2013.
Round two report
By GM Alejandro Ramirez
2nd round: 34 February 2013 at 15:00
Vladimir Kramnik
2810
½-½
Viswanathan Anand
2780
Boris Gelfand
2740
½-½
Fabiano Caruana
2757
Kramnik, Vladimir – Anand, Vishy ½ - ½
A strange opening move order led into a very standard Catalan setup. The variation improved by Kramnik has practical value, and I'm sure he would win the resulting endgames against 90% of grandmasters, but Vishy just happens to be in the other 10%. The Indian swiftly simplified the position and forced an easily drawn rook endgame.
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1.e4
1,184,215
54%
2421
---
1.d4
958,932
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
286,327
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,722
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,884
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,598
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,953
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,906
50%
2384
---
1.b4
1,790
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,250
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,081
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.Nf3d52.g3Nf63.Bg2c54.0-0Nc65.d4e66.c4dxc47.dxc5despite the high scoring natuer of this move, at the hands of a player like Vishy Black's position should be comfortably held.Qxd18.Rxd1Bxc59.Nbd2c310.bxc30-011.Nb3Be712.c4Bd713.Bb2Rfd814.Nfd4Rac815.c5Nthis move doesn't seem dangerous at all.15.Nb5has been played twice before but not with any success.15...Nxd416.Bxd4Bc617.Rab1Bxg218.Kxg2h619.e3Nd720.Na5Nxc521.Nxb7Nxb722.Rxb7Bf623.Rdb1Bxd424.exd4a525.Ra7Rd526.Rbb7Rf527.Rc7Rd828.Rc5Rxd429.Rxf5exf530.Rxa5the game has been excessively simplified and having a passed pawn on the queenside is of little value. This position is an easy draw.f431.a4g532.Ra8+Kg733.a5fxg334.hxg3Ra435.a6h536.Kf3Ra3+37.Kg2h438.gxh4gxh439.a7Kf640.Rh8h3+41.Rxh3½–½
Gelfand, Boris – Caruana, Fabiano ½ - ½
Caruana went into the round well prepared as he uncorked a great improvement over his game against Aronian in Moscow last year. Gelfand did not react in the best manner, and soon found himself in trouble. Despite having an open h-file against Caruana's king and a pawn phalanx in the center that was keeping the dark squared bishop at bay, his position had no active prospects and Black's pieces dominated the board. The Italian played a wonderful game until move 35, where he missed the winning blow 35... Bg4! A difficult move to see for sure, but the paralyzed nature of White's position would've caused it to collapse in only a few more moves. The mistake allowed Gelfand to get back in the game and within one move get complete equality.
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1.d4Nf62.c4g63.f3d54.cxd5Nxd55.e4Nb66.Nc3Bg77.Be30-08.Qd2Nc69.0-0-0Qd610.Nb5Qd711.Kb1Rd812.d5a613.Nc3Qe814.Qe1Na7!?NStrong preparation - the knight is headed towards b5, and White does not want to take there because of the opening of the a-file.In a previous game Caruana had played14...Ne515.Be2e616.Bxb6cxb617.f4Nd718.dxe6Qxe619.Nf3Qe820.Qh4Bf621.Ng5Nf822.Bc4Kg723.Qg3Bxg524.fxg5Be625.Nd5Bxd526.Bxd5Rd727.h4Rc828.a3Qd829.Qf2Ne630.Ka2Qe731.Rhf1b532.Rd3Rcc733.Kb1a534.g4a435.Rf3Qd636.Rf6Qc537.Qg3b438.axb4Qc2+39.Ka1a340.bxa3Rxd541.exd5Nd442.Rxf7+Rxf742...Kh843.Qe5+Kf844.Qb8+Aronian,L (2825)-Caruana,F (2770) Moscow 2012 1-015.h415.Bf4!?Might be critical.15...Nb516.Nge2Nc417.Bd4Nxd418.Nxd4Nb619.h5e6!Black has secured the pair of bishops advantage and now he proceeds to open up the position.20.hxg6hxg621.f4Qe722.Nf3exd523.e5d424.Nxd4c525.Nf3Bf5+26.Ka1Rxd1+27.Qxd1Rd828.Qe1In the post mortem press conference the two players discuss this very interesting line:28.Qb3Qc729.Be2Bf830.Ng5c431.Nce4and now ifBxe4?then White has a forced win:32.Rh8+Kxh833.Qh3+Bh633...Kg834.Qh7#34.Qxh6+Kg835.Nxe4f536.Nf6+Kf737.Qh7+Kf838.Qxc7The computer suggests28.Qc1but Gelfand said he was not comfortable withc429.Be2Bd328...Qd729.Be2Nd530.Nxd5Qxd531.Qc1Be632.b3Qc633.Rd1Rxd134.Qxd1Qe435.g3Bf5?!Black missed an excellent chance:35...Bg4!White is in near zugzwang.36.Nd436.Ng1Bf5!-+36...Bxe5+also wins37.fxe5Qxe5+38.Kb1Bf5+39.Bd3Qd440.Kc2Bxd3+41.Qxd3Qxg1and the endgame must be winning.36...cxd437.Bxg4d3and White is in deep trouble, as the bishop will reroute to the darksquares via f8.36.Bc4Bh637.Bd5Qe338.Qd2Qxd239.Nxd2g540.Bxb7gxf4½–½
In the following videos GM Yannick Pelletier and IM Werner Hug comment on the
games as they progress, and also interview the players after they are over.
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 a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Alejandro RamirezGrandmaster Alejandro Ramirez has been playing tournament chess since 1998. His accomplishments include qualifying for the 2004 and 2013 World Cups as well as playing for Costa Rica in the 2002, 2004 and 2008 Olympiads. He currently has a rating of 2583 and is author of a number of popular and critically acclaimed ChessBase-DVDs.
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