Tata Steel 2017

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 17, 2017

Round Four (continued)

Wow! No draws today.

Round Four Challengers Results

1. Lu, Shanglei – Bok 1-0
2. Hansen – Van Foreest 1-0
3. Grandelius – Xiong 0-1
4. Lei Tingjle – L’Ami 0-1
5. Guramshivili – Smirin 0-1
6. Jones – Tari 1-0
7. Dobrov – Ragger 0-1

Challengers Standing after Round Four

1. Ragger 4.0
2. Smirin 3.5
3. Xiong 2.5
4. Lu 2.5
5. Jones 2.5
6. L’Ami 2.0
7. Grandelius 2.0
8. Dobrov 2.0
9. Hansen 2.0
10. Bok 1.5
11. Lei 1.0
12. Van Foreest 1.0
13. Tari 1.0
14. Guramishvili 0.5

Tata Steel Challengers 2017
Round 4, Jan. 17, 2017
Grandelius, Nils – Xiong, Jeffrey
B01 Scandinavian, Patel-Wade Variation

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bg5 g6 6.Qd2 Bg7 7.O-O-O O-O 8.Bh6 Bxh6 9.Qxh6 Nc6 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Be2 Rfd8 12.d5 Nb8 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Nbd7 15.h4 Ne5 16.h5 Nc4 17.Rd4 Qb4 18.Rxc4 Qxc4 19.hxg6 fxg6 20.Ne4 Rd7 21.Ng5 Qf4+ 22.Kb1 Rad8 23.g3 Qd2 24.c4 e6 25.Ka1 exd5 26.cxd5 Rxd5 27.Bxd5+ Rxd5 0-1

The play in the following was roundly abused:

Round 4, Jan. 17, 2017
Guramishvili, Sopiko – Smirin, Ilia
A25 English, Closed

1.c4 g6 2.g3 Bg7 3.Bg2 e5 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Rb1 f5 6.b4 Nf6 7.d3 O-O 8.b5 Ne7 9.Qb3 Kh8 10.Nf3 d6 11.O-O h6 12.Nd2 f4 13.a4 Nf5 14.c5 Nd4 15.Qa2 dxc5 16.Ba3 Be6 17.Nc4 b6 18.e3 f3 19.exd4 fxg2 20.Rfe1 Qxd4 21.Qe2 e4 22.Bb2 exd3 23.Qxe6 Rae8 24.Na2 Rxe6 25.Bxd4 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 cxd4 27.Nb4 Nd7 28.Nxd3 Nc5 29.Nxc5 bxc5 30.Re7 d3 31.Rxc7 Rd8 32.Rxa7 d2 33.Nxd2 Rxd2 34.b6 Rb2 35.a5 Bd4 36.Kxg2 c4 37.Rc7 c3 38.b7 Ba7 39.a6 Rxf2+ 40.Kh3 c2 41.Kg4 Rxh2 42.Kf3 Rf2+ 43.Ke4 h5 44.Kd5 g5 45.Rc4 h4 46.gxh4 g4 0-1

Round 4, Jan. 17, 2017
Dobrov, Vladimir – Ragger, Markus
A34 English, Symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 g6 7.h4 Bg7 8.h5 Bf5 9.Nh4 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be6 11.Rb1 Qd7 12.Qa4 Rc8 13.Nf3 Bf5 14.Rb2 b6 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Rxh8+ Bxh8 17.Ng5 Ne5 18.Qh4 Bg7 19.a4 f6 20.Qh7 Kf8 21.Nf3 Nxf3+ 22.Bxf3 g5 23.Qh5 Qxa4 24.Bd5 e6 25.Ra2 Qd7 26.Bc4 Ke7 27.Bb5 Qc7 28.Qf3 g4 29.Qg2 a5 30.d3 Bg6 31.Bf4 e5 32.Be3 Bf7 33.Ra4 Be6 34.Kd2 Kf7 35.f3 Qb7 36.Qh1 Rh8 37.Qg2 Bh6 38.Bxh6 Rxh6 39.Ra1 Kg7 40.Qf2 gxf3 41.exf3 Qa8 42.f4 Qh8 43.Rg1 Bd5 44.Qe3 Rh2+ 45.Kc1 Ra2 0-1

and finally, who can resist a Benoni which ends with three queens on the board?

Round 4, Jan. 17, 2017
Lei, Tingjle – L’Ami, Erwin
A62 Benoni, Fianchetto variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Bg2 Bg7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.O-O Re8 10.Bf4 h6 11.Qc1 g5 12.Bd2 Bf5 13.h4 g4 14.Nh2 h5 15.Bg5 Nbd7 16.Qf4 Bg6 17.Qxd6 Re5 18.f4 Rxg5 19.fxg5 Ne8 20.Qf4 Be5 21.Qf2 Nd6 22.Rfd1 b5 23.e3 b4 24.Ne2 Bxb2 25.Rab1 Be5 26.Nf4 a5 27.Bf1 Bxf4 28.gxf4 c4 29.Rbc1 c3 30.Bg2 Nc5 31.Nf1 Nce4 32.Qe1 a4 33.Rd4 Rb8 34.Bxe4 Nxe4 35.Rxe4 Bxe4 36.Ng3 Qxd5 37.Nxh5 Rb6 38.a3 Qa2 39.Qf1 b3 40.f5 b2 41.Rxc3 b1=Q 0-1

Tomorrow is a free day

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 19, 2017

Round Five

In less than two hours Karjakin has a losing game against Adhiban. Some comments from chessbomb kibitzers:

- Who the f* is Adhiban?
- From India and won the Tata Steel Challengers 2016 to win a place in Tata Steel Masters 2017
- 2653 on the live ratings
- he is doing something Carlsen failed to do in new york
- French is the best defense
- Re5 looks awesome
- Re5 played
- Karjakin thinks Ne3 is okay it seems
- Bb5!! Inhuman
- wow Bb5, dynamic protection of g6
- he found it
- well done
- I have new respect for Adhiban
- Sergey is the Prisoner of Adhiban

Tata Steel Masters 2017
Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Karjakin, Sergey – Adhiban, B.
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.a3 O-O 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Qf2 Nd7 12.Nd4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 f6 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.g3 g5 17.O-O-O gxf4 18.Kb1 f3 19.g4 Ne5 20.g5 Qg7 21.g6 hxg6 22.Bd3 Bd7 23.Rdg1 Nxd3 24.cxd3 Rf5 25.Rg4 Raf8 26.Rhg1 Be8 27.Nd1 Rh5 28.h4 Re5 29.Ne3 Bb5 30.Rd4 Re4 31.Rxg6 Bxd3+ 0-1

Peter says that Karjakin is uncharacteristically weak today. He must be sick. He never plays like this.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 19, 2017

Round Five

Peter and Jan host again. Before the break, it looks like Karjakin is playing suicide chess. After the break IM Robert Baskin comes in to sit with Peter for a bit. Robert is recording some videos and they are giving him a chance in the chair.

Jan comes back and, in the meantime, Nepo-Carlsen has drawn and Karjakin shortly falls to Adhiban. Levon Aronian is poised to win against Pavel Eljanov. Harikrishna got into trouble in the opening against Wesley So. Anish Giri got a good position but failed to cash in at the end. Wei Yi showed great analytical skills.

The guys joke about the movies Ice Age and the March of the Penguins and trade puns with Lawrence Trent, who comes in on the chat room. Peter thinks that he has one day to commentate before getting ready for Gibraltar. Jan says that he has two days left not one and that they might kidnap Peter so he doesn’t go after tomorrow. His producer will send Peter an email but the success rate of a kidnapper spirals downward when he announces his kidnapping in advance.

All this because the endgame of Andreikin-Rapport continues.

The guys are asked what other chess commentators they like. The list: Lawrence Trent, Yasser Seirawan, Alejandro Ramirez, Robert van Kampen, Nigel Short, Mig Greengard and Jan Nepomniachtchi.

Commenting on Anish Giri and draws, Jan says that Anish spends most of his time playing 2700+ opponents and so the draws aren’t bad. As far as the last big tournament he won, it was Reggio Emilia in 2012, when the 17-year old Anish won, one point ahead of Nakamura, Morozevich and Caruana. Ivanchuk and Vitiugov were also in the six-man tournament.

The games:

Tata Steel Masters 2017
Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Carlsen, Magnus
A21 English, Kramnik-Shirov Counter-attack

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Bc5 4.Nf3 c6 5.Nc3 d6 6.e3 Qe7 7.d4 exd4 8.Nxd4 Nf6 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O d5 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Nb3 Bb4 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Rd8 15.Qh5 Nc6 16.a3 Bd6 17.Nd4 Be5 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Bc4 g6 20.Qe2 Be6 21.Bxe6 Qxe6 22.Rb1 Rab8 23.b4 c5 24.Bb2 Qa2 25.Rfe1 Bxb2 26.Qxb2 Qxb2 27.Rxb2 a5 28.Kf1 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Wei Yi – Giri, Anish
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 e6 8.Ne5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nd7 11.f4 Be7 12.Bd2 Nxe5 13.fxe5 Bxh4 14.O-O-O Bxg3 15.Qxg3 Ne7 16.Bb4 Nf5 17.Qf4 g5 18.Qf2 g4 19.c4 Qb6 20.Bc5 Qa6 21.b3 g3 22.Qd2 O-O-O 23.Kb2 b6 24.Bd6 Nxd6 25.exd6 Rxd6 26.Qf4 Rd7 27.d5 cxd5 28.cxd5 exd5 29.Qg4 Qb7 30.Qf4 Qb8 31.Qf6 Kb7 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Qxf7+ Kc6 34.Rc1+ Rc5 35.Qf3+ Kb5 36.Qd3+ Ka5 37.Qd4 Ka6 38.Qa4+ Ra5 39.Qc4+ Rb5 40.Qa4+ Ra5 41.Qc4+ Rb5 42.Qa4+ Kb7 43.Qe4+ Ka6 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Eljanov,Pavel – Aronian, Levon
E05 Catalan, Open, Classical Line

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.d4 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Qc1 Bxf4 12.Qxf4 Qd6 13.Qc1 Bd5 14.Nc3 Nc6 15.e3 Nb4 16.Qb1 Qe7 17.a5 c5 18.Nxd5 Nfxd5 19.e4 Nc7 20.dxc5 Qxc5 21.e5 Qe7 22.h4 h6 23.Qe4 Nb5 24.Rfc1 Rad8 25.Rc4 Nc6 26.Qf4 Rd7 27.Ne1 Nbd4 28.Qe3 Rfd8 29.h5 Nf5 30.Qc5 Qg5 31.Bxc6 bxc6 32.Qxc6 Qxh5 33.Qf3 Qg5 34.b4 Rd2 35.Qf4 Qxf4 36.Rxf4 Rb2 37.Rc1 Nd4 0-1

Karjakin-Adhiban 0-1, given in previous post

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
So, Wesley – Harikrishna, P.
A15 Reti, Bremen

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 c5 5.Nc3 d5 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 dxc4 8.Qa4+ Nbd7 9.O-O O-O 10.Rd1 Nb6 11.Qa3 Qd6 12.Qxd6 exd6 13.a4 a6 14.Bf4 d5 15.a5 Nbd7 16.Rac1 Rd8 17.Bc7 Re8 18.Bd6 Ne5 19.Bxd5 Nxd5 20.Nxd5 Bg4 21.Rd2 Red8 22.Nb6 Rxd6 23.Nxa8 Nc6 24.Nf3 Rxd2 25.Nxd2 Bxb2 26.Rxc4 Bxe2 27.Re4 Bd3 28.Re3 Nb4 29.Nb6 Bd4 30.Re7 Nc6 31.Rxb7 Nxa5 32.Rd7 Nc6 33.Nb3 Bf5 34.Rxd4 Nxd4 35.Nxd4 Bd3 36.Kg2 Kf8 37.Kf3 Ke7 38.Ke3 Bf1 39.Nf3 Kd6 40.Kd4 f6 41.Nd2 Be2 42.Nd5 f5 43.Nc3 Bh5 44.Nc4+ Ke6 45.f4 Kd7 46.Kc5 h6 47.Nd5 Ke6 48.Nc7+ 1-0

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw – Van Wely, Loek
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Ne2 O-O 6.Nbc3 c6 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.Qd2 a6 9.c5 b5 10.cxb6 Nxb6 11.Nf4 a5 12.Be2 Nfd7 13.O-O Ba6 14.Bxa6 Rxa6 15.Qe2 Qa8 16.Rac1 Rb8 17.Rc2 a4 18.Bf2 Ra5 19.Nd3 e6 20.Nb1 c5 21.dxc5 Nxc5 22.Nxc5 dxc5 23.Rd1 Qc6 24.Qd2 Rba8 25.Na3 h5 26.Qd6 Rc8 27.Qxc6 Rxc6 28.Rd8+ Kh7 29.Rb8 Ra7 30.Rxc5 Rd6 31.Rc1 Rad7 32.Rf1 Bxb2 33.Nb5 Nc4 34.Nxd6 Rxd6 35.Rb4 Rc6 36.Rxa4 g5 37.h3 g4 38.hxg4 hxg4 39.fxg4 Ne5 40.Bd4 Bxd4+ 41.Rxd4 Rc2 42.Ra1 Kg6 43.a4 Kg5 44.a5 Kxg4 45.a6 Kg3 46.Ra3+ 1-0

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Andreikin, Dmitry – Rapport, Richard
C55 Two Knight’s Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Nc3 d6 7.a3 Be6 8.Nd5 Qd7 9.Bg5 Bxd5 10.exd5 Nd4 11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Qf3 Rae8 13.Rae1 Bd8 14.h3 Qa4 15.Qd1 Qd7 16.Bd2 h6 17.b4 Re5 18.Qa1 Nxd5 19.Qxd4 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Nb6 21.Bb3 Re8 22.Rxe8+ Qxe8 23.Qe4 Qxe4 24.dxe4 Nd7 25.g3 b5 26.a4 Ne5 27.Kf1 bxa4 28.Bxa4 Nc4 29.Be1 c5 30.Ke2 cxb4 31.Bb3 Nb6 32.Bxb4 Bc7 33.f4 Nd7 34.Kd3 g5 35.Kd4 a5 36.Bd2 Bb6+ 37.Kc4 Nf6 38.e5 Ne4 39.Be1 gxf4 40.gxf4 dxe5 41.fxe5 Ng5 42.Bd2 Kg7 43.h4 Nf3 44.Bc3 Kg6 45.h5+ Kf5 46.Kb5 Bc7 47.Bxf7 Bxe5 48.Bg6+ Kg5 49.Bxa5 Nd4+ 50.Kc4 Nxc2 51.Kd3 Nd4 52.Ke4 Kf6 53.Kd5 Kg7 54.Bc3 Bf6 55.Bxd4 1/2-1/2

Standing in Masters after Round 5

1. So 4.0
2. Carlsen 3.5
3. Eljanov 3.5
4. Aronian 3.0
5. Giri 2.5
6. Wei Yi 2.5
7. Andreikin 2.5
8. Karjakin 2.5
9. Harikrishna 2.5
10. Wojtaszek 2.5
11. Nepomaniachtchi 2.0
12. Adhiban 2.0
13. Rapport 1.5
14. Van Wely 0.5
_______

From the E.C. Forum:

- Wesley So is about to take the undivided lead in yet another super-tournament. After his miracle save against Rapport, who can stop him?

- A half point lead over Magnus with eight rounds to go isn't such a commanding lead.

- Wesley So was asked by Van Kampen after today's game if he was going to win this. He replied "this is the longest tournament in the world and there are two weeks left". However, he then did go on to say that now he was leading, the pressure would be less as he wouldn't be forced to take great risks to try and win games. Interesting that as you normally find that people feel the pressure more when they are leading.

and from chess.com

new proposal for board prize...

in lieu of "best game" prize, I'd like to propose "best self-immolation" prize!

leading candidates through 5 rounds:

rapport (v so) -- wei (v carlsen) -- karjakin (v adhiban)

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 19, 2017

Round Five (continued)
The Challengers

Markus Ragger finally draws a game (against Lu Shingle):

Selected games:

Tata Steel Challengers 2017
Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Van Foreest, Jorden – Dobrov, Vladimir
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O h6 7.a4 Nd7 8.a5 g5 9.Nbd2 f6 10.exf6 Ng6 11.Ne1 e5 12.c4 Qxf6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.a6 b6 15.dxe5 Ndxe5 16.Ndf3 Be4 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bb5+ Kf7 19.Nd3 Qf6 20.Bd2 Bd6 21.Re1 Qf5 22.Bc3 Rhd8 23.f3 d4 24.Bc4+ Bd5 25.g4 Bxh2+ 26.Kxh2 Qd7 27.Bxd5+ Qxd5 28.Bb4 h5 29.Rc1 Re8 30.Qc2 hxg4 31.Qc7+ Kg8 32.Qc4 Qxc4 33.Rxc4 Nh4 34.Rxe8+ Rxe8 35.fxg4 Re3 36.Nc1 Re4 37.Kg3 Rf4 38.Rc8+ Kh7 39.Rc7+ Kg6 40.Rc6+ Kf7 41.Rc7+ Kg6 42.Rxa7 Rf3+ 43.Kh2 Rf2+ 44.Kg1 Rxb2 45.Nd3 Ra2 46.Ra8 Nf3+ 47.Kf1 Nh2+ 48.Ke1 Nxg4 49.a7 Nf6 50.Be7 Ra1+ 51.Ke2 Ra2+ 52.Kd1 Ra1+ 53.Kc2 Nd5 54.Rg8+ Kf5 55.a8=Q Rxa8 56.Rxa8 Nxe7 57.Rf8+ Kg4 58.Ne5+ Kh3 59.Kd3 1-0

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Xiong, Jeffery – Lei Tinglie
D11 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bg4 5.h3 Bh5 6.Nc3 e6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Ne5 Nfd7 9.Nd3 Bg6 10.Qd1 f6 11.Be2 Bf7 12.b3 Be7 13.O-O O-O 14.Bb2 Rd8 15.Na4 Qc7 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Bh5 Bxh5 18.Qxh5 Nf8 19.Rfe1 Bd6 20.b4 Nbd7 21.b5 Qa5 22.Nc3 Nb6 23.Rab1 Na4 24.Nxa4 Qxa4 25.bxc6 bxc6 26.Rec1 Rab8 27.Qe2 Nd7 28.e4 dxe4 29.Qxe4 Qxa2 30.Qxc6 Nb6 31.Ra1 Qf7 32.Qf3 Nd5 33.Ba3 Bxa3 34.Rxa3 Nb4 35.Qg3 Nxd3 36.Rxd3 Rb7 37.d5 Rbd7 38.d6 a5 39.Rc7 a4 40.Rd4 Qb3 41.Rxd7 Rxd7 42.Qg4 Rd8 43.Rxa4 h5 44.Qd4 Qe6 45.Ra6 Rd7 46.Qd1 Qe5 47.h4 Kf7 48.g3 g6 49.Qa4 Rxd6 50.Ra7+ Ke6 51.Qc4+ Kf5 52.Qc2+ Kg4 53.Kh2 Rd4 54.f3+ Kxf3 55.Ra3+ 1-0

Round 5, Jan. 19, 2017
Tari, Aryan – Guramishvili, Sopiko
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.a4 Ne5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Na3 Be6 9.Bc4 Bxc4 10.Nxc4 Nxe4 11.Qf3 Nd6 12.Nxd6+ Qxd6 13.Qxb7 Rb8 14.Qe4 g6 15.b3 Bg7 16.Bb2 O-O 17.Bc3 f5 18.Qc4+ Kh8 19.d3 Rf6 20.Rae1 Re6 21.Re2 g5 22.Bd2 f4 23.Re4 g4 24.f3 gxf3 25.Rxf3 Rg6 26.Bc3 Rg5 27.Re2 Rg8 28.Qe4 Qh6 29.Kf1 Rh5 30.h3 Rg5 31.Ke1 Bf6 32.Kd1 Rxg2 33.Rxg2 Rxg2 34.Bxe5 Qg5 35.Bxf4 Rg1+ 36.Ke2 Rg2+ 37.Rf2 Rxf2+ 38.Kxf2 Qh4+ 39.Kg2 Qh5 40.Qa8+ Kg7 41.Qf3 Qe8 42.Be3 Kh8 43.Bxc5 Qc8 44.Qd5 Qf8 45.Be3 Qg7+ 46.Kf1 Qf8 47.Qf5 Qa8 48.Ke2 Qc6 49.d4 a5 50.d5 Qd6 51.c4 Qb8 52.Qd3 Qh2+ 53.Bf2 Qe5+ 54.Kf1 h5 55.c5 h4 56.c6 Qa1+ 57.Kg2 Qc1 58.Qc4 Qg5+ 59.Kf1 Qf5 60.c7 Qxh3+ 61.Ke2 Qc8 62.Bxh4 Be5 63.Bxe7 Bxc7 64.d6 Qh3 65.Bf6+ 1-0

Round 6, Jan. 19, 2017
L’Ami, Erwin – Hansen, Eric
D85 Grunfeld, Modern Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 O-O 9.Be2 b6 10.O-O Bb7 11.Qd3 e6 12.Bg5 Qc7 13.Qe3 Nd7 14.h4 Nf6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.e5 Bg7 17.Ng5 Rad8 18.Rbd1 Rd7 19.f4 h6 20.Ne4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 cxd4 22.cxd4 Rfd8 23.Rf3 h5 24.Kh2 Rd5 25.Rfd3 b5 26.Qe3 Qb6 27.Bf3 R5d7 28.Qg1 Bf8 29.d5 Qxg1+ 30.Kxg1 exd5 31.Bxd5 Bc5+ 32.Kf1 Kf8 33.Ke2 Ke7 34.g3 Bb6 35.Be4 Rxd3 36.Bxd3 Rd4 37.Bc2 Rxd1 1/2-1/2

Bok – Jones 0-1
Ragger-Lu 1/2-1/2
Smirin-Grandelius 1/2-1/2
________

Challengers Standing after Round 5

1. Ragger 4.5
2. Smirin 4.0
3. Xiong 3.5
4. Jones 3.5
5. Lu Shanglei 3.0
6. L’Ami 2.5
7. Grandelius 2.5
8. Hansen 2.5
9. Van Foreest 2.0
10. Doborov 2.0
11. Tari 2.0
12. Bok 1.5
13. Lei Tinglie 1.0
14. Guramshivili 0.5

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 20, 2017

Round Six

If you have some time, it would be worthwhile to look at the analysis of Karjakin-Adhiban from Round Five:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/2017-ta...stuns-karjakin

ChessBase says this about the extensive notes:

Our guest analyst Aleksandr Lenderman, a specialist in the French Defense, sent in notes so detailed they could constitute a book on the line.

Peter and Jan seem tired today and digress more than they usually do. They also answer dozens of comments in the chat room. Early on they talk about Vin Diesel and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Peter answers a question about being a schoolboy where he was not known for chess. He was in the top three of his class, which meant that you got to go the university of your choice. They also discuss polar bears, honey badgers and the origin of Nepomniachtchi’s name. It used to mean one who doesn’t know/is oblivious (to) his parentage.

Last year the guys talked about an English television series called Peaky Blinders. Today, Peter says that The Detectorists is one of the best.

It concerns the lives of two eccentric metal detectorists, who spend their days plodding along ploughed tracks and open fields, hoping to disturb the tedium by unearthing the fortune of a lifetime. It is set in small fictional town of Danebury in northern Essex.

A kibitzer in the chat room sums it all up this way:

The goofiness of this show along with super high quality is what makes it so enjoyable
________

I don’t know how long these postings will exist in the future. For some future reader, let me put today in context. It is Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day.

Lawrence Trent comes on the chat and asks if one of the kibitzers is watching the inauguration or listening to Jan explain rook endings.

Two games are still going on Van Wely-Andreikin and Harikrishna-Wojtaszek. I don’t know if I have ever heard of the opening used in the last-named game.

Aronian and Carlsen drew. Anish Giri broke his draw streak by beating Nepomniachtchi, Adhiban-So and Eljanov-Karjakin were draws.

The games:

Tata Steel Masters 2017
Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
D10 QGD Slav Defence

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Be2 h6 7.Qb3 Ra7 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Ne5 e6 10.Bd2 Be7 11.O-O O-O 12.Rfc1 Nfd7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Na4 Nc6 15.Qb6 Rfa8 16.Nc5 Qc8 17.a3 Bd6 18.g3 Bc7 19.Qb3 Qe8 20.Bf1 Rb8 21.Qc3 Bd8 22.Nxa6 bxa6 23.Qxc6 Qxc6 24.Rxc6 Rxb2 25.Be1 Be7 26.Rxa6 Rab7 27.Rc6 Rb1 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Bxa3 30.Ra1 Rb1 1/2-1/2

Giri wins!!

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Giri, Anish – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
B91 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.Bg2 Nbd7 9.a4 b6 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Qxd5 Rb8 12.Nc3 O-O 13.O-O Bb7 14.Qd1 Rc8 15.Re1 h6 16.Bh3 Rc6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Qg4+ Bg5 19.Qxd7 Qxd7 20.Bxd7 Rc7 21.Bf5 Bd2 22.Red1 Bxc3 23.bxc3 Rd8 24.Rab1 Rc6 25.f4 exf4 26.e5 Bc8 27.Be4 Rxc3 28.Rxd6 Rxd6 29.exd6 Rc4 30.Bd3 Rc6 31.Rd1 Kf8 32.Bxa6 fxg3 33.hxg3 1-0

Two lovely moves that Nepo missed: first, 17 Bxh6!, then 32 Bxa6!

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Adhiban, B. – So, Wesley
C33 King’s Gambit Accepted, Bishop’s Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 d5 4.Bxd5 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nxd5 6.Nxd5 Bd6 7.Nf3 O-O 8.d4 Re8 9.e5 c6 10.Nxf4 f6 11.Nd3 fxe5 12.dxe5 Qb6 13.Qe2 Bf5 14.Be3 Qa5+ 15.c3 Bc7 16.O-O Qa6 17.Rad1 Nd7 18.Bd4 c5 19.Bf2 Nxe5 20.Nfxe5 Bxe5 21.Qf3 Be4 22.Qh3 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 Qxa2 24.Bxc5 Qxb2 25.Bxa7 Bxc3 26.Bf2 Be5 27.Rb1 Qa2 28.Rxb7 Rf8 29.Qb3+ Qxb3 30.Rxb3 Ra2 31.Rf3 Rxf3 32.gxf3 Kf7 33.Bg3 Bd4+ 34.Kh1 Rd2 35.Bf4 Re2 36.Rd1 Bc3 37.Rd3 Bb4 38.Rd4 Bc5 39.Rd2 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Eljanov, Pavel – Karjakin, Sergey
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Qe2 Nd7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Nd1 Re8 9.Ne3 Nf8 10.g3 Ne6 11.Nf5 Bf8 12.h4 c5 13.h5 Qf6 14.c4 b5 15.Ne3 a6 16.Bd2 Bb7 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.b3 Rc8 19.Kf1 h6 20.a4 c6 21.Ne3 Nd4 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.Nf5 c5 24.axb5 axb5 25.Kg2 Qd7 26.Qg4 Kh7 27.Ra5 Bc6 28.Rha1 Rb8 29.Ra7 Rb7 30.R7a6 bxc4 31.bxc4 Reb8 32.R1a2 Rb6 33.Ra7 R6b7 34.R7a6 Rb6 35.Ra7 R6b7 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Rapport, Richard – Wei Yi
C42 Petrov, Paulsen Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nc4 Nxe4 5.Qe2 Qe7 6.Ne3 Be6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.g3 Nc6 9.Bg2 Qd7 10.b4 d5 11.b5 Nd4 12.Qd3 c5 13.O-O O-O-O 14.Re1 h5 15.h4 g5 16.b6 a6 17.hxg5 Ng4 18.Ncxd5 h4 19.Nc7 h3 20.Bxb7+ Kxb7 21.Qxa6+ Kc6 22.Nxg4 Bxg4 23.b7+ Kxc7 24.Qa5+ Kb8 25.Qa8+ Kc7 26.Qa5+ Kd6 27.Qb6+ Kd5 28.Re3 h2+ 29.Kh1 Qc6 30.Rb1 Qxb6 31.Rxb6 Bd6 32.Bb2 Rde8 0-1

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Van Wely, Loek – Andreikin, Dmitry
E10 Dzindzikhashvili Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.Nc3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 Be6 7.e3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Nh5 11.Be5 Ng7 12.h3 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Bd6 14.O-O h5 15.f4 g4 16.f5 Bc8 17.f6 Ne6 18.Bf5 c6 19.hxg4 Qc7 20.gxh5 Bxe5 21.dxe5 Qxe5 22.Qe2 Nc5 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.g4 Rg8 25.Kh1 Ne4 26.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 27.Qf3 Qxg4 28.Qxg4 Rxg4 29.Rf4 Rg5 30.Rh4 Kd7 31.Rg1 Rcg8 32.Rxg5 Rxg5 33.h6 Rg8 34.e4 Ke6 35.exd5+ Kxd5 36.a4 Ke6 37.a5 Kxf6 38.h7 Rh8 39.Rb4 Rxh7+ 40.Kg2 Rh5 41.Rxb7 Rxa5 42.Rb6 Rc5 43.Rxa6 Ke5 44.b4 Rc3 45.Rb6 f5 46.Rb8 Kf4 47.b5 Rc2+ 48.Kg1 Rb2 49.b6 Kg3 50.Kf1 Kf3 51.Ke1 c5 52.Kd1 c4 53.Kc1 c3 54.Rb7 f4 55.Rb8 Kg3 56.Rg8+ Kf2 57.Rb8 Kf3 58.b7 Kf2 59.Rf8 Rxb7 60.Rxf4+ Ke3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Harikrishna, P. – Wojtaszek, Radoslaw
C88 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Ba2 c5 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.d3 h6 13.Bd2 Rb8 14.Rb1 a5 15.a4 b4 16.Nb5 Re8 17.c3 Bf8 18.Qc2 Qb6 19.Be3 Na7 20.Bc4 Ba6 21.Nc7 Qxc7 22.Bxa6 d5 23.cxb4 Nc6 24.Bb5 Nxb4 25.Qd1 Red8 26.exd5 Nfxd5 27.Bd2 Bd6 28.Qe2 Nf4 29.Qe4 Nc2 30.Rec1 Nb4 31.g3 Ne6 32.Bxb4 axb4 33.h4 Rf8 34.Re1 Qd8 35.Kg2 Nc7 36.Bc4 Re8 37.Qf5 Qf6 38.Qh5 Ne6 39.Nxe5 g6 40.Nxg6 Kh7 41.Qd5 Nc7 42.Qxf7+ Qxf7 43.Bxf7 Rxe1 44.Rxe1 Kg7 45.Ne5 Bxe5 46.Rxe5 Kxf7 47.Rxc5 Ne6 48.Rc4 b3 49.Kf3 Ke7 50.d4 Kd6 51.Ke4 Nc7 52.Rc5 Rb4 53.Rh5 Rxa4 54.Rxh6+ Ne6 55.f4 Rxd4+ 56.Ke3 Rd5 57.g4 Ke7 58.f5 Re5+ 59.Kd3 Nf4+ 60.Kc4 Re4+ 61.Kxb3 Ng2 62.g5 Nxh4 63.Rh7+ Kf8 64.f6 Rg4 65.Rh8+ Kf7 66.Rh7+ Kf8 67.Rh8+ 1/2-1/2

Standing after Round Six

1. So 4.5
2. Carlsen 4.0
3. Eljanov 4.0
4. Wei Yi 3.5
5. Aronian 3.5
6. Giri 3.5
7. Harikrishna 3.0
8. Karjakin 3.0
9. Wojtaszek 3.0
10. Andreikin 3.0
11. Adhiban 2.5
12. Nepomniachtchi 2.0
13. Rapport 1.5
14. Van Wely 1.0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 20, 2017

Round Six (continued)

Challengers

Tata Steel Challengers 2017
Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Hansen, Eric – Xiong, Jeffrey
B04 Alekhine’s Defence, Modern

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 c6 6.O-O Bg7 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Re1 O-O 9.c3 Bg4 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 e6 13.a4 a5 14.Bg5 N7b6 15.Bf1 c5 16.dxc5 Qxc5 17.Qb3 Rfc8 18.Rad1 h6 19.Bc1 Rd8 20.Nd4 Rd6 21.Nb5 Rd7 22.g3 Rad8 23.h4 Nc8 24.Na3 Nd6 25.Nc4 Nf5 26.Qb5 Qc7 27.Rd3 Rc8 28.Rf3 b6 29.Qb3 Nfe7 30.Rd1 Nf5 31.Na3 Bf8 32.Nb5 Qb8 33.h5 Bc5 34.hxg6 fxg6 35.Bf4 Qb7 36.Bg2 Rf8 37.Rfd3 g5 38.Rxd5 exd5 39.Rxd5 Rdf7 40.Rxc5 Qe7 41.Rxf5 gxf4 42.Rxf4 1-0

Chessbomb kibitzers:

- Wei and Xiong seem to be potential WC challengers on the horizon. Might need 5 to 6 years yet
- go Canada
- eric has seven fans here
- wow eric is on form
- this will be a game that eric will brag to his grandkids
- xiong resigns
- Eric making Canada great again

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Smirin, Ilia – Tari, Aryan
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.c3 Nd7 7.O-O c5 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Nd4 Bg6 10.Bg5 Qc7 11.f4 Nf5 12.Nxf5 Bxf5 13.g4 h6 14.Bb5+ Nd7 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.gxf5 hxg5 17.fxg5 exf5 18.Nd2 Bc5+ 19.Kh1 Be3 20.Nf3 f4 21.Qe2 O-O-O 22.Rad1 Rh3 23.Rd3 Rdh8 24.Rxe3 fxe3 25.Qxe3 Qf5 26.Rf2 Qe4 27.Qxe4 dxe4 28.Nd4 e3 29.Re2 Kd7 30.Kg1 R8h4 31.Rg2 g6 0-1

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Jones, Gawain – Ragger, Markus
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Nb6 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.b3 O-O-O 11.Bb2 Re8 12.f4 f6 13.O-O-O fxe5 14.fxe5 Qxe5 15.Qxe5 Rxe5 16.a4 d6 17.g3 Re8 18.Bh3+ Nd7 19.Rhe1 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Kd8 21.Ne2 Ne5 22.Nf4 Bc8 23.Bxc8 Kxc8 24.Bxe5 dxe5 25.Nd3 Bd6 26.b4 Rf8 27.Kc2 a6 28.Re2 Rf1 29.c5 Be7 30.Nxe5 Bf6 31.Nxc6 Ra1 32.Kb3 Rb1+ 33.Kc4 Ra1 34.Na5 Rxa4 35.g4 h6 36.Nb3 Kd7 37.c6+ Kc8 38.Nc5 Ra1 39.Re8+ Bd8 40.Ne6 Rd1 41.h4 g6 42.Kb3 Rd2 43.Rg8 h5 44.g5 Rd6 45.Nxd8 Rxd8 46.Rxg6 Kb8 47.Rh6 Ka7 48.Rxh5 Rd3+ 49.Kc4 Rg3 50.Kc5 1-0

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Dobrov, Vladimir – L’Ami, Erwin
A83 Dutch, Staunton Gambit

1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nc6 5.d5 Ne5 6.Qe2 Nf7 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.Nxe4 Qe7 9.d6 Nxd6 10.Nxd6+ cxd6 11.O-O-O Qxe2 12.Bxe2 Rb8 13.Nf3 a6 14.h4 b5 15.h5 Bb7 16.Nh4 Kd8 17.Rh3 Kc7 18.Bf3 Bc6 19.Nf5 Re8 20.g4 Re5 21.Bh1 Bxh1 22.Rdxh1 d5 23.Rc3+ Kb7 24.Rd3 Kc6 25.a3 Bc5 26.f3 Rg8 27.Rc3 Kb6 28.b4 Bf2 29.Rf1 d4 30.Rd3 Be3+ 31.Kb2 d5 32.Rfd1 g6 33.hxg6 hxg6 34.Nxd4 Rd8 35.Rh1 Bxd4+ 36.Rxd4 Re2 37.Rhd1 Rf2 38.Rf4 Rd6 39.Kc1 Kc6 40.Rd2 Rf1+ 41.Rd1 Rxd1+ 42.Kxd1 Re6 43.Kd2 Kd6 44.Rd4 Ke5 45.c3 g5 46.Ke2 Rc6 47.Rd3 Rc7 48.Re3+ Kd6 49.Kd3 Rc8 50.Re1 Rh8 51.a4 Rh3 52.axb5 axb5 53.Re3 Rg3 54.Kd2 Rh3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Guramishvili, Sopiko – Bok, Benjamin
C03 French, Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.c3 c5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.N4f3 Nf6 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.O-O O-O 11.Re1 Qc7 12.Bf1 Rad8 13.c4 Nf6 14.b3 e5 15.Qc2 Ng4 16.g3 f5 17.h3 Nf6 18.Bb2 e4 19.Nd4 Bc5 20.Ne2 Nb4 21.Qb1 Nd3 22.Bd4 Qb6 0-1

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Lu, Shanglei – Van Foreest, Jorden
B40 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Nc3 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.d4 Bg4 7.Be2 Nc6 8.O-O c4 9.Nh4 Be6 10.Bf3 h6 11.Bg2 Be7 12.f4 O-O 13.f5 Bc8 14.Kh1 b6 15.Bf4 Bb7 16.Be5 Re8 17.Qf3 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.f6+ Nxf6 20.Nf5+ Kh7 21.Nxe7 Qxe7 22.Qxf6 Qxf6 23.Rxf6 Kg7 24.Raf1 Nd8 25.R6f2 Re7 26.Nxd5 Bxd5 27.Bxd5 Rc8 28.c3 Rcc7 29.Kg2 Ne6 30.a4 Ng5 31.h4 Nh7 32.Rf4 h5 33.Kh3 f6 34.Bf3 Ng5+ 35.hxg5 fxg5 36.d5 Re3 37.d6 Rd7 38.Rxc4 Rxf3 39.Rxf3 g4+ 40.Kh2 gxf3 41.Rc7 Rf7 42.d7 1-0

Round 6, Jan. 20, 2017
Grandelius, Nils – Lei, Tinjie
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 e6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nf6 11.Bd2 Be7 12.O-O-O O-O 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Qd5 15.Qg4 Kh8 16.Kb1 Nd7 17.Qf4 Nf6 18.Ne5 Rad8 19.Bc1 Qe4 20.Qxe4 Nxe4 21.Be3 Kg8 22.g4 Rfe8 23.f3 Nd6 24.Rd3 f6 25.Ng6 Kf7 26.Re1 Nc4 27.Bc1 Bd6 28.b3 Nb6 29.c4 Nd7 30.f4 Nf8 31.Nh4 Bc7 32.g5 hxg5 33.fxg5 fxg5 34.Bxg5 Rd7 35.Kc2 Bd8 36.Bxd8 Rexd8 37.Nf3 Kg8 38.Rde3 Rf7 39.Rg1 Rf6 40.Kc3 Kh7 41.Ne5 Re8 42.Kb4 Rf5 43.Reg3 Re7 44.h6 gxh6 45.Kc5 Rd7 46.Rg8 Rdf7 47.Kd6 Rxe5 48.Kxe5 h5 49.b4 a6 50.a4 Rf5+ 51.Kd6 Rf7 52.a5 Rd7+ 53.Kc5 Rf7 54.Kb6 Nd7+ 55.Ka7 Nf8 56.Ka8 Nd7 57.R8g5 Nf6 58.Re5 Re7 59.Rge1 Kg6 60.Rxe6 Rd7 61.Rf1 Rf7 62.d5 cxd5 63.cxd5 1-0

Standing after Round Six

1. Jones 4.5
2. Ragger 4.5
3. Smirin 4.0
4. Lu 4.0
5. Hansen 3.5
6. Xiong 3.5
7. Grandelius 3.5
8. L’Ami 3.0
9. Tari 3.0
10. Dobrov 2.5
11. Bok 2.5
12. Van Foreest 2.0
13. Lei 1.0
14. Guramishvili 0.5

[Hans Jung]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Rd 6 was a schlachtfest (bloodbath) Top 3 lost.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 21, 2017

Round Seven

Peter Doggers in chess.com

It's quite rare, but it happened today: a world champion missing a mate in three. (Strictly speaking it wasn't a forced mate in three, but if one doesn't take into account Black giving up lots of material, it was.)

Magnus Carlsen had built up a winning position and seemed to be on his way to scoring his second win against Anish Giri, but then he just failed to deliver.

See the position after 55….Kg8

Carlsen played Bf7+ without thinking, by the way. Later on, he must have felt that he was winning at some point. He eventually got a position with a bishop, rook and two pawns against a queen, and played on for a long time—even until stalemate appeared on the board after seven hours of play.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/carl...e-vs-giri-4218

Pavel Eljanov also reached a won position against Wesley So, but failed three consecutive moves to find the winning sequence and let him escape.

Aronian blundered a piece on move 10 but Karjakin missed it. Karjakin still won.

The games:
Tata Steel Masters
Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Giri, Anish
D06 Colle System

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 b6 6.O-O Bb7 7.Nbd2 Be7 8.b3 O-O 9.Bb2 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Bd6 11.c4 cxd4 12.exd4 Qe7 13.Ne5 Ba3 14.Bxa3 Qxa3 15.f4 Qb2 16.Nef3 dxc4 17.bxc4 Bxf3 18.Nxf3 Qxe2 19.Bxe2 Rac8 20.a4 Rc7 21.a5 Rd8 22.axb6 Nxb6 23.Rfc1 Nc8 24.g3 Ne7 25.Ra4 Nc6 26.c5 Nd5 27.Ne5 Nde7 28.Rcc4 Nxe5 29.fxe5 f6 30.exf6 gxf6 31.Bf3 e5 32.dxe5 fxe5 33.c6 Nf5 34.Ra5 Re8 35.Rcc5 Nd4 36.Be4 Kf7 37.Kg2 Kf6 38.Ra2 Ke6 39.Rca5 Ree7 40.Rf2 Rg7 41.h4 h5 42.Kh2 a6 43.Bd5+ Ke7 44.Rxa6 Kd6 45.Bg2 Rge7 46.Ra5 Nxc6 47.Rf6+ Re6 48.Rd5+ Ke7 49.Rf5 e4 50.Rxh5 e3 51.Rh7+ Ke8 52.Rxc7 e2 53.Bf3 e1=Q 54.Bh5+ Kf8 55.Rf5+ Kg8 56.Bf7+ Kh8 57.Rh5+ Kg7 58.Bxe6+ Kf6 59.Rh6+ Ke5 60.Bh3 Qd2+ 61.Bg2 Qxh6 62.Rxc6 Qh7 63.Rc4 Kf6 64.Rg4 Qd7 65.Rg5 Qc7 66.Rb5 Qc2 67.Rb6+ Kg7 68.Re6 Qa2 69.Re7+ Kf6 70.Re4 Kg7 71.Kh3 Qf7 72.Re2 Qf5+ 73.Kh2 Qf6 74.Be4 Qf1 75.Rc2 Qe1 76.Bf3 Qf1 77.Bg2 Qe1 78.Rc7+ Kh8 79.Rc4 Qe2 80.Re4 Qd2 81.Re6 Qa2 82.Re8+ Kg7 83.Re7+ Kh8 84.Re3 Qd2 85.Rf3 Qd7 86.Rb3 Qe6 87.Rb2 Qe5 88.Rf2 Qe6 89.Bf3 Qe5 90.Kg2 Qf6 91.Re2 Qd8 92.Ra2 Qf6 93.Rc2 Qe7 94.Rc6 Qd8 95.Rc2 Qe7 96.Rc8+ Kg7 97.Rc6 Kh8 98.Rh6+ Kg7 99.Rh5 Qe1 100.Rd5 Qe7 101.Rb5 Qe1 102.Rb7+ Kh8 103.Rd7 Qe8 104.Rd1 Qc8 105.Re1 Qc3 106.Rf1 Qd2+ 107.Kh3 Qd7+ 108.g4 Qd3 109.Kg2 Qd2+ 110.Rf2 Qe1 111.h5 Kg7 112.Re2 Qa5 113.Re4 Kf6 114.Rf4+ Kg5 115.Rf5+ Qxf5 116.gxf5 Kxf5 117.Kg3 Kg5 118.Bg4 Kh6 119.Kh4 Kg7 120.Kg5 Kh8 121.h6 Kh7 122.Be6 Kh8 123.Kg6 1/2-1/2

56.Rc8+ Re8 57.Rxe8+ Qxe8 58.Bxe8 Nd4

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
So, Wesley – Eljanov, Pavel
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Na3 h6 9.Nc2 Qe7 10.Be3 Be6 11.Bxe6 Qxe6 12.Bxa7 Rxa7 13.d4 Ne7 14.Nd2 O-O 15.Qe2 Raa8 16.g3 Rfe8 17.a5 Rac8 18.d5 Qd7 19.Ne3 Nh7 20.Ra3 Rf8 21.Rb3 Rb8 22.Ra1 f5 23.exf5 Nxf5 24.Qg4 h5 25.Qxh5 Nxe3 26.fxe3 Rf5 27.Qh4 Ng5 28.Rb4 e4 29.Kg2 Qf7 30.Nxe4 Qxd5 31.Rd4 Nf3 32.Nf6+ Rxf6 33.Rxd5 Nxh4+ 34.gxh4 Rbf8 35.Rd2 Rg6+ 36.Kh1 Rf3 37.Re1 Re6 38.Rd4 1/2-1/2

Stockfish recommends Black play Rbf8 for moves 27, 28 and 29.

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Karjakin, Sergey – Aronian, Levon
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.h3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Re1 Be6 9.c3 Bb6 10.Bb3 f6 11.d4 Bf7 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.Nxe5 fxe5 15.Be3 Bc6 16.Nd2 Qf6 17.Qe2 Qg6 18.f3 Rad8 19.Bxb6 axb6 20.Ne4 Rf4 21.Rad1 Rdf8 22.Qc4+ Kh8 23.Kh2 h6 24.Rd2 Kh7 25.Qd3 Kh8 26.Rde2 Qe6 27.b3 R4f7 28.Qe3 Re7 29.Qf2 Qd5 30.Re3 Qa5 31.Qb2 Rfe8 32.c4 Bd7 33.Nc3 c6 34.Ne4 Re6 35.Rd1 Bc8 36.b4 Qa8 37.Nd6 R8e7 38.Red3 Rd7 39.Qc2 Ree7 40.Qf2 Qb8 41.Qxb6 e4 42.fxe4 Rxe4 43.Qf2 Kg8 44.Qg3 Ree7 45.c5 Qc7 46.Nf5 Qxg3+ 47.Rxg3 Rf7 48.Nxh6+ Kh7 49.Nxf7 Rxd1 50.Re3 Bf5 51.Nd6 Bb1 52.a4 Bc2 53.a5 Rb1 54.Rc3 Bb3 55.Nxb7 Bd5 56.a6 Rxb4 57.Ra3 Rb2 58.h4 1-0

(11. c4 Ndb4 12. c5 Bxb3 13. Qxb3+ Qd5 14. Qxd5+ Nxd5 15. cxb6 Ndb4 16. Na3 cxb6 17. Rd1 Rad8 18. Ne1 Rd5 19. Be3 Rfd8 20. Nac2 Nxc2 21. Nxc2 Rxd3 22. Rxd3 Rxd3 23. Kf1 Rd7 24. Ke2 Kf7 25. Kf3 f5)

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Rapport, Richard
C56 Two Knights Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Nc3 d6 7.a3 Be6 8.Nd5 a5 9.Ng5 Bxd5 10.exd5 Nb8 11.f4 Nbd7 12.Ba2 a4 13.Kh1 c6 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.d4 Ng6 17.c3 d5 18.Bb1 Bd6 19.Bf5 Re8 20.Qf3 h6 21.Nh3 Nh4 22.Qf2 Nxf5 23.Qxf5 Qd7 24.Qxd7 Nxd7 25.Bf4 Bf8 26.Rae1 Re4 27.Rxe4 dxe4 28.Nf2 Re8 29.Re1 g5 30.Bc1 Nf6 31.g3 Kg7 32.c4 Kg6 33.Bd2 Bg7 34.Kg2 h5 35.h3 Nd7 36.Rxe4 Rxe4 37.Nxe4 Bxd4 38.Bc3 Bb6 39.g4 f5 40.Nd2 Be3 41.b4 Nb6 42.b5 cxb5 43.cxb5 Nd5 44.gxh5+ Kxh5 45.Ba5 Bxd2 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Wei Yi – Van Wely, Loek
B94 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.Bc4 Qb6 8.O-O Qc5 9.Bd5 e6 10.Re1 Be7 11.Be3 Qa5 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Nxe6 Nc5 14.b4 Qxb4 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.N3d5 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Qa3 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nc4 Qb4 20.Nxd6 Nd3 21.Qxd3 Qxd6 22.Qxd6+ Bxd6 23.Rad1 Kc7 24.Rxd6 Kxd6 25.Bf4+ Ke6 26.Bxb8 Bd7 27.Ba7 Rc8 28.Rc1 Rc4 29.f3 Ra4 30.Ra1 Rc4 31.c3 b5 32.a3 a5 33.Bb6 Ra4 34.Bd4 g6 35.Kf2 g5 36.Ke3 Bc6 37.Kd2 h5 38.Kc2 b4 39.cxb4 axb4 40.axb4 Rxb4 41.Kc3 Ra4 42.Rxa4 Bxa4 43.g3 h4 44.f4 gxf4 45.gxf4 h3 46.Kd2 Kd6 47.Ke3 Bc2 48.f5 Kc6 49.Kf4 Bd3 50.Bb2 Bc2 51.e5 Kd5 52.Kg5 Bd3 53.e6 1-0

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Andreikin, Dmitry – Harikrishna, Pentala
A00 Saragossa Opening

1.c3 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.cxd4 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bf4 Bd6 6.Bg3 Ne7 7.e3 Nf5 8.Bxd6 Nxd6 9.Bd3 Bf5 10.Bxf5 Nxf5 11.Qg4 g6 12.e4 dxe4 13.Qxe4+ Ne7 14.h4 O-O 15.h5 Nd5 16.Nge2 Re8 17.Qf3 Qf6 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Qh3 Qf7 20.O-O-O Nd7 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Nc3 Nb6 23.Rd3 Re7 24.Rf3 Qg7 25.Re3 Rf8 26.Qh4 Rxe3 27.fxe3 Qd7 28.e4 dxe4 29.Qxe4 Re8 30.Qd3 Nd5 31.Kb1 Qe6 32.a3 Nxc3+ 33.Qxc3 Qe4+ 34.Ka2 Qd5+ 35.Ka1 Qxg2 36.Qb3+ Kh8 37.Rd1 Qe2 38.d5 Re3 39.Qa4 Re4 40.Qb3 Re3 41.Qa4 Re4 42.Qb3 Re3 43.Qa4 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw – Adhiban, Baskaran
A40 Queen’s Pawn, Keres Defence

1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Bb7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 f5 7.Nh3 Nf6 8.f3 O-O 9.e3 Nh5 10.Be2 Qh4+ 11.Nf2 d6 12.b3 Nd7 13.Bb2 e5 14.d5 f4 15.e4 a5 16.g3 Qe7 17.g4 Nhf6 18.Qc2 c6 19.dxc6 Bxc6 20.b4 axb4 21.axb4 Rxa1+ 22.Bxa1 Ra8 23.Bb2 Nf8 24.Qd2 Ne6 25.O-O h5 26.Rd1 Ra2 27.b5 Bd7 28.c5 Nd4 29.c6 Be6 30.g5 Ne8 31.h4 Nc7 32.Kg2 Bb3 33.Rc1 Nxe2 34.Qxe2 Ba4 35.Qc4+ Qf7 36.Qb4 Bxb5 37.Nd1 Kh7 38.Qxd6 Be2 39.Qxe5 Ra5 40.Qd6 Ra2 41.Qb4 b5 42.Nf2 Ne6 43.Ra1 Rxa1 44.Bxa1 Qa7 45.Qd2 Qe3 46.Qxe3 fxe3 47.Be5 b4 48.c7 exf2 49.Kxf2 Ba6 50.Ke3 g6 51.Kd2 Kg8 52.Kc2 Bc8 53.Kb3 Nc5+ 54.Kc4 Na6 55.Bd6 Be6+ 56.Kd4 Kf7 57.f4 b3 58.Kc3 Ke8 59.c8=Q+ Bxc8 60.Kxb3 Kd7 61.Ba3 Bb7 62.f5 Bxe4 63.f6 Bd5+ 64.Kc3 Nc7 65.Kd3 Ke6 66.Bc1 Nb5 0-1

In the last three rounds Adhiban has beaten Karjakin, drawn with So and beaten Wojtaszek. Not bad at all.

Standing after Round Seven

1. So 5.0
2. Carlsen 4.5
3. Eljanov 4.5
4. Wei Yi 4.5
5. Giri 4.0
6. Karjakin 4.0
7. Harikrishna 3.5
8. Aronian 3.5
9. Adhiban 3.5
10. Andreikin 3.5
11. Wojtaszek 3.0
12. Nepomniachtchi 2.5
13. Rapport 2.0
14. Van Wely 1.0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 21, 2017

Round Seven (continued)

Challengers

Tata Steel 2017
Challengers
Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Lai, Tinjie – Hansen, Eric
D74 Neo-Grunfeld

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O Nc6 8.e4 Nb6 9.d5 Na5 10.Nc3 c6 11.Bf4 Nac4 12.dxc6 Qxd1 13.Nxd1 bxc6 14.e5 Nd5 15.Rc1 Ncb6 16.Nd4 Bd7 17.Re1 Rac8 18.Bd2 c5 19.Nb3 c4 20.Na5 Be6 21.Bf1 Rfd8 22.Nxc4 Nxc4 23.Rxc4 Nc7 24.Rxc7 Rxd2 25.Rxc8+ Bxc8 26.a3 Bh6 27.h4 Be6 28.f4 Bb3 29.Ne3 Rxb2 30.Rc1 Bf8 31.Rc8 Ra2 32.Rc3 Ba4 33.e6 fxe6 34.Bc4 Ra1+ 35.Kf2 Kf7 36.Ng4 Bg7 37.Ne5+ Bxe5 38.fxe5 Bc6 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Rxc6+ Kxe5 41.Ra6 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Bok, Benjamin – Smirin, Ilia
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qd2 O-O 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.h3 e5 9.d5 Ne7 10.O-O-O b5 11.Bh6 b4 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Ne2 c6 14.dxc6 Nxc6 15.Bc4 Qb6 16.Ng3 Na5 17.Bb3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 Re8 19.Rhf1 a5 20.Nh4 d5 21.f4 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.f5 e3 24.Qd5 Ra7 25.f6+ Kg8 26.Qd6 Qxd6 27.Rxd6 Ra6 28.Rd5 a4 29.Re1 axb3 30.Rxe3 Be6 31.Rexe5 Rc8 32.Rc5 Rd8 33.Ra5 Rad6 34.Re1 Rc6 35.c3 bxc3 36.bxc3 Rxc3+ 37.Kb1 Rb8 38.Re2 Bc4 0-1

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Ragger, Markus – Guramishvili, Sopiko
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.Re1 O-O 9.d4 Ne8 10.Be3 b5 11.a4 b4 12.cxb4 cxb4 13.Nbd2 Nc7 14.Rc1 d5 15.e5 a5 16.Qc2 Ra7 17.Qc6 Re8 18.Nb3 h6 19.Nxa5 Rxa5 20.Qxc7 Rxa4 21.Qc6 Ra2 22.e6 fxe6 23.Qxe6+ Kh7 24.Bf4 Nf6 25.Ne5 Rf8 26.b3 Rb2 27.h4 Qd6 28.Nxg6 Qxe6 29.Nxf8+ Bxf8 30.Rxe6 Rxb3 31.Rc8 Ng4 32.f3 1-0

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Xiong, Jeffery – Dobrov, Vladimir
B27 Sicilian, Katalimov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Qe2 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O Nf6 7.e5 Nd5 8.d4 Nc7 9.Rd1 Qc8 10.c3 Bc6 11.h4 Qa6 12.Qe3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nd5 14.Qe1 Qb7 15.h5 O-O 16.Nh4 Na6 17.a3 e6 18.Nd2 d6 19.Nc4 dxe5 20.dxe5 Qe7 21.b4 g5 22.h6 Bxh6 23.Nd6 Nac7 24.a4 Bg7 25.Nf3 f6 26.b5 Be8 27.Ba3 Qd7 28.Ne4 f5 29.Nexg5 Bh5 30.Bxf8 Rxf8 31.Rac1 Qe7 32.Rc6 f4 33.Rxd5 exd5 34.Qb1 Bg6 35.Rxg6 hxg6 36.Qxg6 Rd8 37.Nh4 Kf8 38.Nf5 1-0

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Tari, Aryan – Grandelius, Nils
A15 English, Neo-Catalan

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxc4 c5 7.Ne5 Qc8 8.O-O Nc6 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.Nc3 Rc8 11.d3 Be7 12.a4 b6 13.Be3 O-O 14.Rac1 Rfd8 15.Rfe1 Nd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Qb5 Qe6 18.d4 c4 19.b3 Nb4 20.a5 cxb3 21.Rxc8 Qxc8 22.axb6 axb6 23.Bd2 Nc2 24.Rc1 Ba3 25.Rb1 Nxd4 26.Qxb6 Bc5 27.Qa5 Nxe2+ 28.Kf1 Nd4 29.Bc3 h5 30.Rd1 Ne6 31.Bxd5 Bb6 32.Qb4 Qc5 33.Qxc5 Nxc5 34.Rd4 Ne6 35.Rd1 Rc8 36.Rd3 Ba7 37.Bxe6 fxe6 38.Ke2 Rc7 39.f3 Kf7 40.Be5 Rb7 41.Bb2 Bc5 42.Kd2 Bg1 43.h3 Bh2 44.f4 h4 45.gxh4 Bxf4+ 46.Ke2 Kg6 47.Rd8 Kf5 48.Ra8 Rb5 49.Kd3 e5 50.Kc4 Rb7 51.Kd5 Bg3 52.Rh8 e4 53.Rf8+ Kg6 54.h5+ Kxh5 55.Kxe4 Kg6 56.Rh8 Rc7 57.Kd3 Rb7 58.h4 Bf4 59.Kc4 Bh6 60.Rd8 Kh5 61.Rd3 g6 62.Rxb3 Rc7+ 63.Kd3 Kxh4 64.Rb6 Kh5 65.Ke4 g5 66.Kf3 Rc2 67.Be5 g4+ 68.Kg3 Bd2 69.Rb5 Be1+ 70.Kf4 Rf2+ 71.Ke3 Kh4 72.Rb8 Kh3 73.Rh8+ Kg2 74.Rh2+ Kg1 75.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 76.Ke2 Kg2 77.Bf4 Bg1 78.Be5 Kh1 79.Bg3 Bh2 80.Kf2 Bg1+ 81.Kf1 Bd4 82.Bf4 Bc5 83.Be5 Ba7 84.Bc7 Bg1 85.Bg3 Bh2 86.Kf2 Bxg3+ 87.Kxg3 Kg1 88.Kxg4 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
Van Foreest, Jorden – Jones, Gawain
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.a4 a5 7.O-O h6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 O-O 10.Nbd2 Ne7 11.Bb3 Ng6 12.Qe2 Re8 13.Rad1 c6 14.Qf2 Be6 15.Bxe6 Rxe6 16.h3 Qb6 17.Nc4 Qc7 18.Rfe1 Rd8 19.Nh4 b5 20.axb5 cxb5 21.Nd2 Nxh4 22.Qxh4 d5 23.exd5 Rxd5 24.d4 e4 25.Rf1 Rh5 26.Qf4 Qe7 27.Qb8+ Kh7 28.Qf4 Kg8 29.Qb8+ Kh7 30.Qf4 Rg5 31.c4 bxc4 32.Nxc4 Qb4 33.Ne5 Qxb2 34.Rf2 Qb7 35.Ra1 Qc7 36.Rfa2 Rb6 37.Qf2 Rb5 38.Qe2 Rd5 39.Rc2 Qb7 40.Rac1 Rdxe5 41.dxe5 Rxe5 42.Rc7 Qb3 43.Ra7 Rf5 44.Qd2 Nd5 45.Rxa5 Nxe3 46.Rac5 Rxc5 47.Rxc5 Qd3 48.Qe1 Qd4 49.Qc3 Qd1+ 50.Kf2 Nd5 51.Qc2 Qd4+ 52.Kg3 Nb4 53.Qc4 Qd6+ 54.Kg4 Qg6+ 55.Kh4 Nd3 56.Rb5 Qf6+ 0-1

Round 7, Jan. 21, 2017
L’Ami, Erwin – Lu, Shanglei
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 Qb6 6.dxc5 Qxb2 7.Rb1 Qa3 8.Bb5 e6 9.Ne5 Bd7 10.O-O Bxc5 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.c4 O-O 13.cxd5 exd5 14.Ne4 dxe4 15.Qxd7 Na5 16.Qd5 Rad8 17.Qxe4 a6 18.Ba4 b5 19.Bc2 g6 20.Be5 Rfe8 21.Qf4 Bd6 22.Bxd6 Rxd6 23.Bb3 Nxb3 24.axb3 Rd3 25.b4 Rb3 26.Rxb3 Qxb3 27.Qd6 Qc4 28.Rd1 Re6 29.Qd2 Rc6 30.h3 Kg7 31.Qd7 1/2-1/2

Challengers Standing after Round 7

1. Jones 5.5
2. Ragger 5.5
3. Smirin 5.0
4. Lu 4.5
5. Xiong 4.5
6. Hansen 4.0
7. Grandelius 4.0
8. L’Ami 3.5
9. Tari 3.5
10.Dobrov 2.5
11. Bok 2.5
12. Van Foreest 2.0
13. Lei 1.5
14. Guramishvili 0.5

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 22, 2017

Round Eight

Magnus has just lost to Richard Rapport

Tata Steel 2017
Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Rapport, Richard – Carlsen, Magnus
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bf5 3.Bb2 e6 4.d3 h6 5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.c4 c6 7.g3 Be7 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O Nbd7 10.a3 a5 11.Qb1 Bh7 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 Qb6 14.Bc3 Rxa1 15.Qxa1 Bxb4 16.Bxb4 Qxb4 17.Rb1 Qd6 18.Rxb7 e5 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 c5 21.N4b3 d4 22.Bh3 d3 23.e3 Ne5 24.Bg2 Rc8 25.f4 Neg4 26.e4 Re8 27.e5 Nxe5 28.fxe5 Rxe5 29.Rb6 Qe7 30.Rb8+ Ne8 31.Bc6 Re1+ 32.Qxe1 Qxe1+ 33.Nf1 1-0

That long game yesterday between Carlsen and Giri cost both players this round

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 22, 2017

Round Eight

Jan Gustafsson and Lawrence Trent are commentating today.

The premier game today was between Rapport and Carlsen. The two had never met before.

Lawrence says that among the top players, Wesley So is the hardest worker. He has fifty games now unbeaten. Anish Giri has never beaten Levon Aronian. Levon’s score against him is +5 =14 and -0.

In an interlude, Lawrence Trent talks about a German television series he liked very much. Deutschland 83 is an eight-episode starring Jonas Nay as a 24-year-old native of East Germany who in 1983 is sent to the West as an undercover spy for the HVA, the foreign intelligence agency of the Stasi.

They talk about the chess babies. Anish and Sopiko are both playing at Tata Steel and they have a four-month-old baby. Jan and his Norwegian girlfriend have a five-month-old baby. Loek Van Wely’s baby is six- or seven-months old and he appeared at the tournament a couple of days ago.

Sopiko has been struggling in the tournament because she is outrated by all her opponents by a couple of hundred points. She is playing Jorden van Foreest today.

Lawrence is asked if he is going for the grandmaster title but Lawrence says that was not to be. He plays in the Bundesliga. About his present situation with Caruana, he plays his cards very close to his chest. Not sure if there is anything going on there.

Rapport beats Carlsen. He usually loses about three games a year. Giri goes down to Aronian. Adhiban is going to win again for quite an amazing streak in the last four games.

Magnus is now only eight ELO points ahead of Caruana in the rating lists. Lawrence says that Fabi might be Number 1 by February.

All games are finished except Van Wely-Nepo. They guys talk about going home to their significant other for supper. Both live within half an hour of the studio in Hamburg.

Earlier, Lawrence said that Donald Trump becoming president was just fake news. Jan says that John Lennon is still alive and living in the United States. Why aren’t these items headline news? You heard them first here.

The games:

Rapport, Richard – Carlsen, Magnus 1-0

Given in an earlier posting.

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Aronian, Levon – Giri, Anish
E11 Bogo-Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O c6 8.Na3 Nbd7 9.Rc1 Ne4 10.Be3 Bxa3 11.bxa3 Nd6 12.c5 Nc4 13.Rxc4 dxc4 14.Qc2 h6 15.Qxc4 b6 16.Bf4 Re8 17.Bd6 Bb7 18.Ne5 bxc5 19.dxc5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 a5 21.Rb1 Ra7 22.Qc3 f6 23.Bd6 Ba8 24.Be4 f5 25.Bc2 Rb7 26.Rd1 Rd7 27.e4 Qf6 28.Qc4 Kh8 29.Re1 Qf7 30.Qd3 f4 31.gxf4 e5 32.Qh3 Rxd6 33.cxd6 Qg6+ 34.Qg3 Qxd6 35.Rd1 Qc5 36.Rd7 Rg8 37.Bb3 exf4 38.Qg6 f3 39.h4 Qc3 40.Bxg8 Qe1+ 41.Kh2 Qxf2+ 42.Kh3 Qf1+ 43.Kg4 1-0

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Adhiban, Baskaran – Andreikin, Dmitry
C25 Vienna, Paulsen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.f4 Nge7 7.Nf3 Nd4 8.O-O Bg4 9.Be3 c5 10.Qd2 O-O 11.Nh4 exf4 12.Bxf4 Qd7 13.Rf2 Rae8 14.Bh6 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 b5 16.h3 Be6 17.Raf1 Qd8 18.Nb1 d5 19.Nd2 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Nef5 21.Rxf5 Nxf5 22.Rxf5 Qd4+ 23.Rf2 f5 24.Ng5 Qg7 25.Qxg7+ Kxg7 26.Bc6 h6 27.Nxe6+ Rxe6 28.Bxb5 Rb8 29.a4 a6 30.Bc4 Re1+ 31.Kg2 Rxb2 32.Bxa6 Rc1 33.Bc4 Rcxc2 34.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 35.Kf3 Kf6 36.a5 g5 37.a6 Rc1 38.Ng2 Ke5 39.Ne3 h5 40.Nc2 g4+ 41.Ke3 gxh3 42.a7 h2 43.a8=Q h1=Q 44.Qb8+ Kf6 45.Qf8+ Kg6 46.Bf7+ 1-0

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Harikrishna, P. – Wei Yi
C43 Petrov, Modern Attack, symmetrical variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.dxe5 d5 5.Nbd2 Nc5 6.Be2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Nc6 9.Nf1 f6 10.exf6 Bxf6 11.Ng3 Qd6 12.c3 Be6 13.Ng5 Bd7 14.Bf3 Ne7 15.Be3 Ne6 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.Qe2 Bf7 18.Rad1 Rfe8 19.Qb5 a6 20.Qa4 b5 21.Qc2 Qc6 22.Nh5 Be5 23.Nf4 Rad8 24.Nd3 Bf6 25.Bf4 Ng6 26.Bg3 Rxe1+ 27.Rxe1 Qb6 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Karjakin, Sergey – So, Wesley
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 b6 5.Bb2 Bb7 6.Nc3 a6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4 Bd6 9.g3 O-O 10.Bg2 Nbd7 11.O-O Qe7 12.a4 Ne4 13.Ne2 a5 14.Nf4 Rac8 15.Re1 Bb4 16.Re2 Nc3 17.Bxc3 Bxc3 18.Rc1 Bb4 19.Rec2 c6 20.Nd3 Bd6 21.Qd2 g6 22.Qc3 Rfe8 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Eljanov, Pavel – Wojtaszek, Radoslaw
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 Be6 9.Nd5 Nbd7 10.Qd3 Bxd5 11.exd5 O-O 12.a4 Rc8 13.a5 Ne8 14.O-O Bg5 15.c4 f5 16.f3 Bxe3+ 17.Qxe3 f4 18.Qf2 g5 19.Nd2 Ndf6 20.b4 Ng7 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.fxe4 g4 23.c5 Qg5 24.c6 bxc6 25.Bxa6 g3 26.Qf3 Rc7 27.dxc6 gxh2+ 28.Kxh2 d5 29.exd5 Nf5 30.d6 Qh6+ 31.Qh3 Qxd6 32.Bc4+ Kh8 33.b5 Rg7 34.Rad1 Nd4 35.Rxd4 Qxd4 36.Qd3 Qc5 37.Rf3 Qe7 38.Bd5 Qg5 39.Rh3 Rd8 40.b6 e4 41.Qxe4 f3 42.Qxf3 Rxd5 43.c7 Qe5+ 44.Rg3 Rxg3 45.Qxg3 Qh5+ 46.Qh3 Qe5+ 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Van Wely, Loek – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
D83 Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, Casablanca variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Rc1 Be6 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.b3 Na6 10.Nf3 Qa5+ 11.Qd2 Nb4 12.Be2 Qa3 13.O-O c6 14.Ng5 Bd5 15.e4 h6 16.exd5 hxg5 17.Bxg5 Nxd5 18.h4 Qb4 19.Qxb4 Nxb4 20.Bxe7 Rfe8 21.Bxb4 Rxe2 22.Rfd1 Rd8 23.a4 Rb2 24.Bc5 b6 25.Be7 Rxd4 26.Rxd4 Bxd4 27.Rxc6 Rxb3 28.Rc2 Rb1+ 29.Kh2 Ra1 30.Rc4 Bxf2 31.Bf6 Bg1+ 32.Kg3 Ra3+ 33.Kf4 Be3+ 34.Ke5 Bc5 35.g4 Rd3 36.Ke4 Rd1 37.a5 Rf1 38.g5 Kf8 39.Kd5 Ke8 40.Kc6 Re1 41.Kb7 Bf2 42.Rc2 Be3 43.a6 b5 44.Rb2 Kd7 45.Rxb5 Rd1 46.Be5 Ke6 47.Bb8 f6 48.Rb3 Bg1 49.gxf6 Kxf6 50.Rb5 Be3 51.Bc7 Rd3 52.Be5+ Ke6 53.Bh2 Kf6 54.Bc7 Ke6 55.Bb8 Kf6 56.Bg3 Rd7+ 57.Kc6 Rd3 58.Bd6 Bf2 59.Bb8 Rc3+ 60.Kb7 Rd3 61.Bf4 Rd7+ 62.Kc6 Rd3 63.Bb8 Rc3+ 64.Kb7 Rd3 65.Rb1 Rd2 66.Ka8 Ra2 67.Rf1 Ke6 68.Bxa7 Bxh4 69.Kb7 Rb2+ 70.Kc6 Ra2 71.Kb5 Rb2+ 72.Kc6 Ra2 73.Kb7 Rb2+ 74.Kc6 1/2-1/2

Lawrence summed up the day: It was a day of good chess and bad jokes. Magnus self-destructed and lost quickly today. A great win for Rapport. Levon crushed Anish Giri after a novelty Na3 on move 8. Adhiban had a deadly king’s side attack against Andreikin. Eljanov had an exciting game against Wojtaszek but it resulted in a draw. Harikrishna – Wei Yi had as bizarre an opening as you will see and ended in a draw. So had no problems out of the opening against Karjakin and that ended in a draw. Loek van Wely was able to draw when Nepo made some inaccuracies and now we can all go home to dinner.

Tomorrow is a rest day

Standing after Round Eight

1. So 5.5
2. Eljanov 5.0
3. Wei Yi 5.0
4. Adhiban 4.5
5. Aronian 4.5
6. Karjakin 4.5
7. Carlsen 4.5
8. Harikrishna 4.0
9. Giri 4.0
10. Andreikin 3.5
11. Wojtaszek 3.5
12. Rapport 3.0
13. Nepomniachtchi 3.0
14. Van Wely 1.5

Live Ratings as of today

1. Carlsen 2835.6
2. Caruana 2827.0
3. So 2816.3
4. Kramnik 2811.0
5. MVL 2796.0
7. Karjakin 2785.2
9. Aronian 2782.4
10. Giri 2772.9
12. Harikrishna 2764.0
13. Eljanov 2763.6
28. Wei Yi 2721.0

Adhiban has gained 22 rating points so far and is number 80 in the first 100 players with a rating of 2669.5, just ahead of Xiong, Robson and Onischuk (all of the US).

From the E.C. Forum today:

- Adhiban is scorching hot!

- Yes - beautiful double rook sac

- The mutual queening at the end was nice as well.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 22, 2017

Round Eight
Challengers

Tata Steel Challengers
Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Guramishvili, Sopiko – Van Foreest, Jorden
A40 Queen’s Pawn, Keres Defence

1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.Qc2 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 f5 7.Qg3 Kf7 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.Ne5+ Kg8 10.f3 d6 11.Nd3 Nc6 12.e3 Na5 13.Nf4 Kf7 14.Bd2 Nb3 15.Rd1 Nxd2 16.Rxd2 Re8 17.c5 bxc5 18.dxc5 e5 19.Bc4+ d5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Bxd5+ Nxd5 22.e4 f4 23.Qh3 Ne3 24.Rxd8 Raxd8 25.Ke2 Rd4 26.Rc1 Red8 27.Qh5+ Kg8 28.Qxe5 Rd2+ 29.Ke1 h6 30.Qxc7 R8d3 31.c6 Kh7 32.Qa5 Rxg2 33.c7 Rd1+ 34.Rxd1 Nc2+ 35.Kf1 Ne3+ 36.Ke1 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Jones, Gawain – L’Ami, Erwin
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation, main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Ba6 9.b3 g6 10.Ba3 d6 11.exd6 Qxe2+ 12.Bxe2 Bg7 13.cxd5 Bxe2 14.Kxe2 Bxa1 15.Rc1 O-O-O 16.f4 c5 17.Bxc5 Kb7 18.Nd2 cxd6 19.Bb4 Bd4 20.Kd3 Bc5 21.Bxc5 dxc5 22.Rxc5 Rhe8 23.Nf3 f6 24.b4 a6 25.g4 Re7 26.f5 gxf5 27.gxf5 Rg7 28.a4 Rg2 29.a5 Rf2 30.Nd4 Rxh2 31.b5 axb5 32.Rxb5+ Kc8 33.Kc4 Rd7 34.Rb6 Rc7+ 35.Nc6 Kd7 36.a6 h5 37.Rb8 Rc8 38.a7 Ra2 39.Kc5 h4 40.Rb7+ Rc7 41.Rb8 Rc8 42.Rb7+ Rc7 43.Rb8 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Lu, Shanglei – Xiong, Jeffery
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a3 g6 7.h3 Bg7 8.Bc4 O-O 9.Ba2 Nc6 10.O-O Bd7 11.Be3 Rc8 12.f4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bc6 14.Re1 Qc7 15.Qd3 b5 16.Rad1 Qb7 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Rc7 19.Rd2 Rfc8 20.c3 a5 21.Bb3 Nd7 22.Qe3 Nc5 23.Bd1 Bh6 24.Qf3 b4 25.axb4 axb4 26.c4 b3 27.Rde2 Qb4 28.Rxe7 Rxe7 29.Rxe7 Qxc4 30.Qe3 Bf8 31.Ra7 Qxd5 32.Bg4 Ne6 33.Bc3 Qc5 34.Qxc5 dxc5 35.Bxe6 fxe6 36.Rb7 c4 37.Kf2 h5 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Grandeliius, Nils – Hansen, Eric
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 h6 9.Nbd2 O-O 10.h3 Ne7 11.d4 Ng6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Bc2 b5 14.Nf1 Bd7 15.Ng3 c5 16.Be3 exd4 17.cxd4 c4 18.Qd2 Bb6 19.a5 Bc7 20.Bxh6 gxh6 21.Qxh6 Qe7 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Nh7 24.e6 Bxe6 25.Bxg6 fxg6 26.Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Nh5 Qd7 28.Ng5 Bg8 29.Nxh7 Bxh7 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Qg5+ Kh8 32.Qf6+ Kg8 33.Qg5+ Kh8 34.Qf6+ 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Smirin, Ilia – Ragger, Markus
C26 Vienna, Paulsen-Mieses variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Bc5 5.Nf3 d6 6.d3 a6 7.h3 h6 8.Be3 Bxe3 9.fxe3 Be6 10.O-O Ne7 11.Nh4 d5 12.exd5 Nfxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Nf5 O-O 15.Qd2 c6 16.Kh2 Qb6 17.c4 Bxf5 18.cxd5 Bd7 19.d4 exd4 20.Qxd4 Qxd4 21.exd4 Rad8 22.dxc6 Bxc6 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.Rfd1 Rfe8 25.Rd2 Re4 26.Rc1 Rexd4 27.Rxd4 Rxd4 28.Rxc6 Rd2+ 29.Kg1 Rxb2 30.Rxa6 h5 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Tari, Aryan – Bok, Benjamin
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.Be2 O-O 10.Nd1 b5 11.c3 b4 12.cxb4 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bxb4 14.Nc3 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 a5 16.O-O Ba6 17.Bxa6 Rxa6 18.a3 Bc5 19.Na4 Bxd4+ 20.Qxd4 Rc6 21.Rac1 Qc7 22.Rxc6 Qxc6 23.Rf3 Qc1+ 24.Rf1 Qc2 25.Rf2 Qc1+ 26.Rf1 Qc2 27.Rf2 Qc1+ 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Jan. 22, 2017
Dobrov, Vladimir – Lei, Tingjie
A11 English

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.b3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bb2 O-O 8.Rg1 b5 9.cxb5 Bb7 10.bxc6 Bxc6 11.Nb5 Bxb5 12.Bxb5 Rc8 13.Qd1 Qa5 14.Be2 e5 15.g3 Ba3 16.Bxa3 Qxa3 17.Kf1 Rc7 18.Kg2 Rfc8 19.Bb5 a6 20.Be2 Rc2 21.Rf1 R8c7 22.Kg1 g6 23.d4 e4 24.Ne5 Nxe5 25.dxe5 Nd7 26.Bc4 Nxe5 27.Qxc2 Nf3+ 28.Kg2 Qe7 29.Rad1 dxc4 30.Qc3 Rc8 31.Rd5 f6 32.Rfd1 Rc7 33.Qa5 Ne5 34.bxc4 Kg7 35.R1d4 Nf7 36.Qxa6 Kh6 37.c5 Ng5 38.Qd6 Qf7 39.h4 1-0

Standing after Round Eight

1. Jones 6.0
2. Ragger 6.0
3. Smirin 5.5
4. Lu 5.0
5. Xiong 5.0
6. Hansen 4.5
7. Grandelius 4.5
8. L’Ami 4.0
9. Tari 4.0
10. Dobrov 3.5
11. Bok 3.0
12. Van Foreest 2.5
13. Lei 1.5
14. Guramishvili 1.0

The next round is on Tuesday. Tomorrow is a rest day.
_______

Lu Shanglei (born 1995) is a Chinese chess grandmaster and world junior chess champion in 2014. He was awarded by FIDE the title Grandmaster (GM) in October 2011.

In June 2014, at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Dubai, Lu was the only one who won a game against the eventual winner, Magnus Carlsen, in the blitz event. In October 2014, Lu won the World Junior Chess Championship in Pune, India with a score of 10/13 points.

At the Chess World Cup 2015 he knocked out Alexander Moiseenko and Wang Hao in rounds one and two respectively, then he was eliminated by Veselin Topalov in the third round after the first set of rapid tiebreaker games. ELO 2612
________

Lei Tingjie (born 1997) is a Chinese chess player. She was awarded the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) by FIDE in 2014.

She finished third on tiebreak in the Women's Chinese Chess Championship of 2014. In the same year she won the 4th China Women Masters Tournament in Wuxi.

In 2015 Lei won the women's open event of the Moscow Open, ahead of World Junior Girls Champion Aleksandra Goryachkina. She competed in the Women's World Chess Championship 2015, where she was knocked out in the second round by top seed Humpy Koneru. In December 2015, Lei tied for 1st–5th with Alexander Zubarev, Olexandr Bortnyk, Jure Skoberne and Maximilian Neef in the 32nd Böblingen International Open scoring 7/9 points. ELO 2467

I don't see her listed as a participant in the WWCC in Tehran next month.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 24, 2017

Round Nine

Jan and Lawrence are in the commentator chairs. Peter Svidler is playing at Gibraltar, where the first round starts today.
The guys are in a strange mood. Jan says, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are sitting here without pants on. There is a term for this, it is called ‘Donald Ducking it”.

They talk about John Malkovich and from him to Nicholas Cage. They like his trilogy of 1996-1997 – The Rock, Con Air and Face/Off. Jan says that one of his favorite websites has Cage’s face on other people. See:

http://niccageaseveryone.blogspot.ca

The game they come back to again and again is Nepo-Harikrishna where Nepo is absolutely winning and doesn’t see 27. Nf5 and blows his advantage:

Nepomniachtchi, Ian (RUS) - Harikrishna, P. (IND)

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e3 e6 6. Nxd5 exd5 7. b4 c4 8. Bb2 Bxb4 9. Bxg7 Rg8 10. Be5 Nc6 11. Bg3 Bf5 12. Be2 Be7 13. O-O h5 14. d3 h4 15. Bf4 d4 16. exd4 Nxd4 17. dxc4 Nxe2+ 18. Qxe2 Bd3 19. Qe5 Bxf1 20. Rxf1 Rc8 21. Re1 21... Rc6 22. Nd4 Rcg6 23. g3 hxg3 24. hxg3 Kf8 25. Rd1 Qd7 26. Rd2 Rf6 (27. Nf5 Rxf5 28. Bh6+ Ke8 29. Qb8+ Bd8 30. Rxd7 Kxd7 31. Qxb7+ Bc7 32. Qe4 Ra5 33. Bd2 Re5 34. Qh7 Rf8 35. Bh6 Rfe8 36. Qxf7+ R8e7 37. Qf3 Bd6 38. Qb7+ Bc7 39. Qxa7 Ra5 40. Qd4+ Kc8 41. Qg4+ Kb8 42. c5 Ra6 43. Be3 Be5) 27. Qh5 *

Lawrence: Hari is very resourceful and it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t lose. And, it wouldn’t surprise me if he did lose.

Jan: What would surprise you?

Lawrence: If he didn’t make a win, loss or a draw

Jan: Wow! What a bold prediction!

There are three draws after four hours or so:

Tata Steel Masters 2017
Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Wojtaszek, R. – Karjakin, Sergey
E15 Queen’s Indian, Nimzowitsch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.Bc3 d5 9.O-O Nbd7 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Qc2 Bb7 12.Rfd1 c5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Qb6 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Rac1 Rac8 18.e3 Rfd8 19.Qf5 g6 20.Qf4 Nh5 21.Qg4 Nf6 22.Qf4 Nh5 23.Qf3 Qe6 24.Bb2 Rd7 25.Qe2 Bf6 26.Bxf6 Nxf6 27.Qb5 Rdc7 28.Qa4 Kg7 29.Qf4 h6 30.h4 Nh5 31.Qa4 Nf6 32.Qf4 Nh5 33.Qa4 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
So, Wesley – Aronian, Levon
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+ Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.h4 Qb4 14.Rh3 a6 15.Be2 Ne5 16.Rb1 Qd6 17.Qd2 Bd7 18.Rxb7 Bb5 19.Rc3 Rd8 20.Nf3 Qxd2 21.Bxb5+ axb5 22.Nxd2 O-O 23.Nf3 Nxf3 24.Rxf3 Rb8 25.Rg3+ Kh8 26.Rxb8 Rxb8 27.Rb3 Ra8 28.Rxb5 Rxa2 29.Rb4 Kg7 30.g3 Ra5 31.Kg2 f5 32.exf5 Rxf5 33.g4 Ra5 34.Kg3 h6 35.Rc4 Rb5 36.Rd4 Ra5 37.Rc4 Rb5 38.Rd4 Ra5 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Giri, Anish – Rapport, Richard
E16 Queen’s Indian, Yates variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.O-O O-O 8.Bf4 Be7 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 d6 12.Qc2 f5 13.Rad1 Be4 14.Qc1 Qe8 15.Qe3 Bf6 16.c5 bxc5 17.dxc5 e5 18.Qb3+ Qf7 19.Bg5 Qxb3 20.axb3 h6 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.cxd6 cxd6 23.Nd2 Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Nc6 25.Nc4 Nd4 26.f4 Nxb3 27.Rxd6 Rxd6 28.Nxd6 exf4 29.Rxf4 Rd8 30.Nxf5 Rd2 31.Kf2 Nc1 32.Rc4 Nxe2 33.Rc8+ Kf7 34.Rb8 Nc3+ 35.Kf3 Nd1 36.b3 1/2-1/2

Loek ran into difficulties in the opening and never equalized.

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Van Wely, Loek
B81 Sicilian, Schevenigen, Keres Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4 h6 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.h3 g5 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e5 Nd5 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.O-O Ba6 13.Re1 Be7 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.c4 Nb4 16.b3 Rd8 17.Qf3 Nd3 18.Rd1 Nxc1 19.Raxc1 Qf4 20.Rxd8+ Bxd8 21.Qxf4 gxf4 22.Nc5 Bc8 23.Bxc6+ Ke7 24.Bf3 Bb6 25.Nd3 Rd8 26.Nb4 Bd7 27.c5 Ba5 28.Rc4 Rc8 29.c6 Bxb4 30.Rxb4 Bxc6 31.Bxc6 Rxc6 32.Rxf4 a5 33.Kg2 Rc5 34.h4 Rd5 35.Kf3 f6 36.Ke3 h5 37.f3 hxg4 38.fxg4 Rd1 39.Ra4 Re1+ 40.Kf3 Re5 41.Rc4 Rd5 42.h5 Rd2 43.Ra4 Rd5 44.Ke3 Rg5 45.Rc4 Kd6 46.Kf4 Rd5 47.Rc8 Rd4+ 48.Kg3 Kd7 49.Ra8 Rd3+ 50.Kg2 Rd2+ 51.Kf3 Rd3+ 52.Ke4 Rh3 53.Rxa5 e5 54.Kf5 Rf3+ 55.Kg6 e4 56.h6 e3 57.h7 Rh3 58.Ra7+ Kd6 59.Ra8 Kd5 1-0

The ever-resourceful Hari pulls off the draw

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Harikrishna, Pentala
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e3 e6 6.Nxd5 exd5 7.b4 c4 8.Bb2 Bxb4 9.Bxg7 Rg8 10.Be5 Nc6 11.Bg3 Bf5 12.Be2 Be7 13.O-O h5 14.d3 h4 15.Bf4 d4 16.exd4 Nxd4 17.dxc4 Nxe2+ 18.Qxe2 Bd3 19.Qe5 Bxf1 20.Rxf1 Rc8 21.Re1 Rc6 22.Nd4 Rcg6 23.g3 hxg3 24.hxg3 Kf8 25.Rd1 Qd7 26.Rd2 Rf6 27.Qh5 a6 28.Bg5 Rd6 29.Bh6+ Ke8 30.Qe5 b6 31.a4 Qb7 32.Bf4 Rd7 33.Nf5 Rxd2 34.Bxd2 Rg6 35.Bb4 Re6 36.Ng7+ Kd7 37.Qd4+ Rd6 38.Bxd6 Bxd6 39.Nf5 Qc6 40.Qf6 Bc5 41.Qxf7+ Kc8 42.Qg8+ Kb7 43.Qg7+ Kc8 44.Qh8+ Kb7 45.Qh7+ Kb8 46.g4 Qxa4 47.Qh2+ Kb7 48.Qf4 a5 49.g5 Qc6 50.Nd4 Qg6 51.Nb5 Qg7 52.Kg2 a4 53.Qf3+ Kb8 54.Qg3+ Kc8 55.g6 a3 56.Nd6+ Kd7 57.Nf5 Qg8 58.g7 a2 59.Qg4 a1=Q 60.Nh6+ Qe6 61.Qxe6+ Kxe6 62.g8=Q+ Kd7 63.Qf7+ Kc6 64.Ng4 Qd4 65.Qf5 Bd6 66.Ne3 Qg7+ 67.Kf1 Bc5 68.Qc8+ Qc7 69.Qe6+ Kb7 70.Qe4+ Qc6 71.Nd5 b5 72.Qh7+ Ka6 73.Qe4 Ka7 74.Qh7+ Ka6 75.Nc7+ Ka5 76.Nxb5 Qf3 77.Qc2 Kb4 78.Qd2+ Kxc4 79.Qe2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Andreikin, Dmitry – Eljanov, Pavel
A45 Trompovsky Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 e6 3.Nd2 h6 4.Bh4 d5 5.e3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Bd3 Qb6 8.Rb1 e5 9.Ne2 cxd4 10.exd4 e4 11.Bc2 g5 12.Bg3 Bg7 13.O-O O-O 14.b4 Nh5 15.Bd6 Rd8 16.Bc5 Qc7 17.f3 e3 18.b5 b6 19.bxc6 bxc5 20.Nb3 c4 21.Nc5 Nf4 22.Re1 Bf8 23.Ba4 Bxc5 24.dxc5 Nd3 25.Nd4 Nxe1 26.Qxe1 Re8 27.h4 Re7 28.hxg5 hxg5 29.Rb7 Bxb7 30.cxb7 Rb8 31.c6 Rbe8 32.Ne2 f6 33.Qd1 Rh7 34.Qxd5+ Kg7 35.g3 Rd8 36.Qe6 Rdh8 37.f4 Rh1+ 38.Kg2 R1h2+ 39.Kf3 Rf2+ 40.Kxe3 Rhh2 41.Bd1 gxf4+ 42.Nxf4 Qb6+ 43.Ke4 Qb1+ 44.Kd5 Qxd1+ 45.Kc5 Rxf4 46.Qe7+ Kg6 47.Qe8+ Kg7 48.Qe7+ Kh6 49.Qf8+ Kh7 50.Qf7+ Kh6 51.Qf8+ Kh7 52.Qf7+ Kh6 53.Qf8+ Kh7 54.Qf7+ 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Wei Yi – Adhiban, Baskaran
E61 King’s Indian

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 O-O 5.e4 d6 6.h3 Na6 7.Be3 c6 8.Rc1 Nc7 9.Be2 b5 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.cxb5 cxb5 13.O-O Bb7 14.Nxb5 Nd5 15.e6 fxe6 16.Qb3 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 18.Bg4 Kh8 19.Bd4 Bf6 20.Bxf6+ Rxf6 21.Nc7 Rb8 22.Nxe6 Qg8 23.Nc5 Ba6 24.Be6 Rxb3 25.Bxg8 Kxg8 26.Nxb3 Bxf1 27.Kxf1 Nb4 28.Rc7 Nd3 29.Ke2 Nf4+ 30.Kf1 Nd3 31.Rd7 Nxb2 32.Rxa7 Nd3 33.f3 Re6 34.Kg1 Nf4 35.Rd7 Ne2+ 36.Kf2 Nc3 37.Rd2 Ra6 38.Nc1 Kf7 39.Ke3 Ke6 40.Kd4 Nb5+ 41.Kc5 Nd6 42.Nb3 Kd7 43.Kb4 Rb6+ 44.Kc3 Rc6+ 45.Kb2 Kc7 46.Nd4 Rb6+ 47.Kc3 e5 48.Ne6+ Kc6 49.Kd3 Ra6 50.Rc2+ Kb6 51.Nd8 Kb5 52.Rb2+ Kc5 53.Ne6+ Kc6 54.Rc2+ Kb6 55.Kc3 Ra3+ 56.Kb4 Rd3 57.Nf8 Rd4+ 58.Kb3 Nf5 59.Kc3 Ne3 60.Re2 Nd5+ 61.Kc2 Rc4+ 62.Kb3 Rc3+ 63.Kb2 Rc7 64.Rd2 Rb7 65.Ne6 Kc6+ 66.Kc1 Ra7 67.Ng5 Nf6 68.Re2 Kd5 69.Kb2 Rb7+ 70.Kc2 Ra7 71.Kb2 Rb7+ 72.Ka1 Rb4 73.a3 Rd4 74.Kb2 Rd3 75.a4 h6 76.Nf7 e4 77.fxe4+ Nxe4 78.Nxh6 Rd4 79.a5 Ra4 80.Ng8 Kd4 81.Ne7 Kd3 82.Rc2 Rxa5 83.Nxg6 Ra2+ 84.Kxa2 Kxc2 85.h4 Nf6 86.Ne5 Kc3 87.Kb1 Kd4 88.Nf3+ Ke3 89.Kc2 Kf2 90.Kd3 Kxg2 91.Nd2 Kg3 92.Ne4+ Kxh4 1/2-1/2

- What an amazing defence demonstrated by Adhiban. Well done!

- I thought Adhi would surely lose this. Bravo!

Standing after Round Nine

1. So 6.0
2. Carlsen 5.5
3. Eljanov 5.5
4. Wei Yi 5.5
5. Adhiban 5.0
6. Karjakin 5.0
7. Aronian 5.0
8. Harikrishna 4.5
9. Giri 4.5
10. Andreikin 4.0
11. Wojtaszek 4.0
12. Rapport 3.5
13. Nepomniachtchi 3.5
14. Van Wely 1.5

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 24, 2017

Round Nine
Challengers

Tata Steel Challengers
Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Lei, Tinglie – Lu Shanglei
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne-Almjsi Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1 Nf6 8.f3 e5 9.Nb3 Be6 10.Be3 Nbd7 11.Qd2 h5 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 Be7 14.Be2 h4 15.O-O-O Rc8 16.Qb4 b5 17.a4 Nb6 18.Bxb6 Qxb6 19.Kb1 Qf2 20.Qd2 O-O 21.axb5 Nxd5 22.Rdf1 Qe3 23.bxa6 Qxd2 24.Nxd2 Ne3 25.Rc1 Nxg2 26.Bb5 Nf4 27.Rce1 Ne6 28.c3 Ra8 29.Kc2 Nc7 30.Bc4 Nxa6 31.f4 Rfc8 32.fxe5 d5 33.Bxa6 Rxa6 34.Nf3 Rb8 35.Ra1 Rab6 36.Ra2 f5 37.Rg1 Kf7 38.b4 Rc8 39.Kd3 Rbc6 40.Ra3 g6 41.Nd4 Rc4 42.h3 R8c7 43.Nb5 Rb7 44.Ra5 Rb6 45.Rg2 Re4 46.Nc7 Rxe5 47.Nxd5 Rbe6 48.Rg1 Kg7 49.Nxe7 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Ragger, Markus – Tari, Aryan
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O c5 7.c4 Nbc6 8.dxc5 d4 9.Qb3 Qd7 10.Rd1 Ng6 11.Nc3 Bxc5 12.Nb5 Ngxe5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Qg3 f6 15.Be3 O-O 16.Nxd4 Qe7 17.Nxf5 exf5 18.Rd5 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 Rfe8 20.Rad1 Nc6 21.Rd7 Qxe3 22.fxe3 Rab8 23.Bf3 Ne5 24.Rc7 Kf8 25.Bxb7 Re7 26.Rc8+ Re8 27.Rc7 Re7 28.Rc8+ Re8 29.Rc7 Re7 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Xiong, Jeffery – Jones, Gawain
E64 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nf3 c5 7.d5 e6 8.O-O exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.Re1 Ne4 11.Nxe4 Rxe4 12.Qc2 Bf5 13.Bh3 Na6 14.Bxf5 gxf5 15.Ng5 Re5 16.Bf4 Nb4 17.Qb3 a5 18.a3 a4 19.Qc4 b5 20.Qxb5 Nc2 21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Qb7 Qe8 23.Nxf7 Rb8 24.Qc7 Rc8 25.Qb7 Rb8 26.Qc7 Rc8 27.Nd6 Rxc7 28.Nxe8 Rd7 29.Nxg7 Kxg7 30.Kf1 Nxa1 31.Rxa1 Rxd5 32.Rc1 Rd2 33.Rxc5 Kf6 34.Rc6+ Kg5 35.Rb6 Rc2 36.f3 f4 37.h4+ Kh5 38.gxf4 exf4 39.Rb4 Kxh4 40.Rxf4+ Kg3 41.Rg4+ Kh3 42.Rxa4 Rxb2 43.Kf2 h5 44.Ra8 h4 45.a4 Kh2 46.a5 Rb7 47.Rh8 h3 48.Rh4 Rb1 49.Ra4 Kh1 50.a6 h2 51.a7 Rf1+ 52.Ke3 Kg2 53.Rg4+ Kh1 54.a8=Q Rxf3+ 55.Qxf3# 1-0

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Van Foreest, Jorden – Smirin, Ilia
B07 Pirc-Robatsch

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.h4 Nf6 6.f3 b5 7.Qd2 h5 8.Nh3 Nbd7 9.O-O-O Nb6 10.a3 c6 11.Ng5 O-O 12.g4 hxg4 13.h5 Nxh5 14.fxg4 Bxg4 15.Be2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 bxc4 17.Rdg1 Qd7 18.Qg2 f5 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Nf3 Qe6 21.Bd2 Be4 22.Nxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxh5 Rxf3 24.Rg5 Raf8 25.Rxg6 Rf1+ 26.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 27.Qxf1 Qxg6 28.Qxc4+ d5 29.Qf1 Bxd4 30.Bc3 Qg1 31.Qxg1+ Bxg1 32.Kd2 Kf7 33.Kd3 Ke6 34.Bb4 Kf6 35.a4 e5 36.Bf8 e4+ 37.Ke2 d4 38.Bd6 Be3 39.c3 Bc1 40.cxd4 Bxb2 41.Ke3 Ke6 42.Bc5 Kd5 43.Bb6 Bc1+ 44.Ke2 Kc4 45.a5 e3 46.Ba7 Bd2 47.Bb6 Kb5 48.d5 cxd5 49.Kd3 Bxa5 50.Bxe3 Bb6 51.Bc1 a5 52.Bb2 a4 53.Kc3 d4+ 54.Kd3 Kb4 55.Bc1 Kb3 0-1

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
L’Ami, Erwin – Guramshvili, Sopiko
A49 King’s Indian, Fianchetto

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d6 6.a4 Bf5 7.a5 a6 8.c4 Nc6 9.d5 Bxb1 10.dxc6 Be4 11.Nd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 bxc6 13.Nxc6 Qd7 14.Qa4 Qe6 15.Ra3 Rfe8 16.Re3 Qd7 17.b4 Ng4 18.Ra3 Ne5 19.Nxe5 Qxa4 20.Rxa4 Bxe5 21.Be3 Reb8 22.Rb1 c6 23.f4 Bf6 24.Bb6 d5 25.Kf3 e6 26.e4 Bd8 27.Bc5 dxe4+ 28.Kxe4 Bc7 29.Rd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8+ Rxd8 31.Bb6 Rd7 32.Bxc7 Rxc7 33.Kd4 c5+ 34.bxc5 f6 35.Rb4 e5+ 36.fxe5 fxe5+ 37.Kd5 e4 38.c6 e3 39.Kd6 1-0

Round 9, Jan. 24, 2017
Hansen, Eric – Dobrov, Vladimir
C11 French, Burn variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Qd2 b6 9.O-O-O Bb7 10.Qf4 Qe7 11.Bc4 O-O-O 12.Rhe1 Kb8 13.c3 h6 14.h4 Rhg8 15.h5 g5 16.hxg6 Rxg6 17.d5 Bg5 18.Nfxg5 hxg5 19.d6 cxd6 20.Qxd6+ Qxd6 21.Nxd6 Bc6 22.Nxf7 Rf8 23.Bxe6 Nc5 24.Bc4 b5 25.Ne5 bxc4 26.Nxg6 Rxf2 27.Ne5 Kc7 1-0

Round 9, Jan.24, 2017
Bok, Benjamin – Grandelius, Nils
C89 Ruy Lopez, Marshall Counter-Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d3 Bd6 13.Re1 Bf5 14.Qf3 Qh4 15.g3 Qh3 16.Be3 Bxd3 17.Nd2 Qf5 18.Bd4 Rfe8 19.a4 Kf8 20.Kg2 f6 21.Qxf5 Bxf5 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.axb5 axb5 24.Ra6 Re2 25.Rxc6 Be5 26.Bc5+ Ke8 27.Bxd5 Rxd2 28.Bf3 Rxb2 29.Ra6 Rd2 30.Ra7 Bxc3 31.Bc6+ Bd7 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Bxb5 Kd8 34.Bxd7 Kxd7 35.Kf3 Ke6 36.Ke4 1/2-1/2

Standing after Round Nine

1. Ragger 6.5
2. Smirin 6.5
3. Xiong 6.0
4. Jones 6.0
5. Hansen 5.5
6. Lu 5.5
7. L’Ami 5.0
8. Grandelius 5.0
9. Tari 4.5
10. Dobrov 3.5
11. Bok 3.5
12. Van Foreest 2.5
13. Lei 2.0
14. Guramishvili 1.0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Tata Steel 2017

Tata Steel 2017

January 25, 2017

Round Ten
Challengers

Eric Hansen wins in 20 moves

Tata Steel Challengers
Round 10, Dec. 25, 2017
Lu, Shanglei – Hansen, Eric
A00 Dunst (Sleipner/Heinrichsen/Baltic) Opening

1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nxe4 Nf6 4.Nxf6+ exf6 5.d4 Bd6 6.Bd3 O-O 7.c3 Re8+ 8.Ne2 c5 9.Be3 Nd7 10.Qc2 g6 11.O-O-O Qc7 12.Qd2 c4 13.Bb1 Nb6 14.h4 Nd5 15.h5 Bg4 16.Rh4 f5 17.Rdh1 Re7 18.Bc2 Rae8 19.Ba4 Rxe3 20.hxg6 fxg6 0-1

What adjective would you use to describe this game?