Baku 2014

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Five
October 7, 2014

A very peaceful round. All games were drawn. Is it because yesterday was the free day?

Teimour Radjabov spent it walking, eating, and reviewing a few lines. Mamedyarov went to a wedding of a mutual friend of his and Radjabov. Both grandmasters agreed to celebrate the wedding properly later but not during the Grand Prix.

Caruana went on the excursion. The participants were shown the venue for the 42nd Chess Olympiad which is going to take place in Baku in 2016.
Caruana likes Baku and so likes playing there. It appears that he is there without his coach Chuchelov but that really doesn’t affect his preparation very much.

Kasimdzhanov finished his day by going to the gym and running 5 km.

Svidler spent the rest day trying to fix his broken notebook. He thanks the organisers for going over and above in helping him.
_______

Gelfand took an aggressive line in his game but it petered out. This was the only eventful game with the exception of Nakamura’s.

Baku 2014
Round Five
Oct. 7, 2014
Gelfand, Boris – Tomashevsky, Evgeny
A84 Dutch Stonewall Defence, Main Line

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. e3 f5 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O Bd6 7. b3 Qe7 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Nc3 Bd7 10. Ne5 Be8 11. Ne2 Nbd7 12. f3 c5 13. Rc1 Rd8 14. Qc2 dxc4 15. Bxc4 cxd4 16. exd4 Nb6 17. Nf4 Nxc4 18. Qxc4 Bd7 19. Nxd7 Bxf4 20. Nxf8 Bxc1 21. Nxe6 Be3+ 22. Kh1 b5 23. Qc7 Qxc7 24. Nxc7 b4 25. d5 Bb6 26. Bxf6 gxf6 27. Rc1 a5 28. g3 Bxc7 29. Rxc7 Rxd5 30. Rc2 Kf7 31. Kg2 ½-½

The game that went the longest was Nakamura – Dominguez. White had c and g pawns, R and B against Dominquez’s R and B but everyone kept calling it a draw.

Baku 2014
Round Five
Oct. 7, 2014
Nakamura, Hikaru – Dominguez, Leinier
A37 English, Symmetrical, Botvinnik System Reversed

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. a3 O-O 8. Rb1 d5 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Qxd5 11. d3 Qd6 12. b4 cxb4 13. axb4 Nxb4 14. Ba3 a5 15. Nd2 Be6 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. dxc4 Qe7 18. Qb3 e4 19. Bxb4 axb4 20. Qxb4 Qxb4 21. Rxb4 f5 22. Rxb7 Rfc8 23. Rc1 Bd4 24. g4 Ra2 25. e3 Bf6 26. gxf5 Bh4 27. Bxe4 Bxf2+ 28. Kh1 gxf5 29. Bxf5 Bxe3 30. Re1 Re8 31. Rxh7 Re5 32. Bb1 Rb2 33. Rh3 Bd4 34. Rd1 Bc5 35. Rg3+ Kf8 36. Rf1+ Ke7 37. Bd3 Rf2 38. Rb1 Kd6 39. Rd1 Kc7 40. Rb1 Kd6 41. Bf1 Rd2 42. Rg8 Ke7 43. Rg4 Kf6 44. Ra1 Bd6 45. h4 Rh5 46. Ra6 Kf5 47. Rg5+ Rxg5 48. Ra5+ Be5 49. hxg5 Rh2+ 50. Kg1 Rh5 51. c5 Rxg5+ 52. Kf2 Ke4 53. Bg2+ Kd4 54. Rb5 Bg3+ 55. Kf3 Rxc5 56. Rxc5 Kxc5 ½-½

Everybody has left the hall after 5.5 hours when the press conference is held.

To show the level of boredom that has set in with this round the main question is about Red Bull, which Hikaru is a representative for and which he has been drinking in Baku.

Interviewer: Red Bull is banned in some countries (as not being healthy). What do have to say to that?

Nakamura: I’ll let the scientists figure that one out.

Caruana and Gelfand are still in the lead with 3.5 each. Caruana, with white, plays Svidler next round and Gelfand is black against Karjakin.

Health scientists around the world are working non-stop testing Red Bull....

[Jack Maguire]

Re: Baku 2014

Caruana's win today against Svidler's Grunfeld takes his live rating to 2851.3. That's just 5.4 points shy of Kasparov's peak rating of 2856.7 and 11.7 points of Carlsen's current 2863.

http://www.top40chess.com/

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Six
October 8, 2014

Fabiano Caruana defeated Peter Svidler to move into the sole lead with 4.5 points. Yesterday’s co-leader Boris Gelfand was held to a draw by Sergey Karjakin.

In the other decisive games Rustam Kasimdzhanov scored against Dmitry Andreikin, while Alexander Grischuk collapsed during time trouble against Teimour Radjabov.

Dominguez-Mamedyarov and Tomashevsky-Nakamura were drawn.

Baku 2014
Round Six
Oct. 8, 2014
Caruana, Fabiano – Svidler, Peter
D70 Neo-Grunfeld Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 O-O 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.O-O-O Qd6 10.Kb1 a6 11.h4 Rd8 12.d5 Ne5 13.Qf2 h5 14.Bc5 Qf6 15.Bd4 Qd6 16.g4 hxg4 17.f4 Ned7 18.e5 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bxe5 20.Bg2 Bxd4 21.Rxd4 Bf5+ 22.Ka1 e5 23.Rd1 Nc4 24.h5 Qb6 25.Qe2 Ne3 26.Rd2 Kg7 27.Be4 Rh8 28.Rd3 Nc4 29.b3 Nd6 30.Bxf5 Nxf5 31.Qxg4 e4 32.Nxe4 Rae8 33.Ne2 1-0

These two players play the same opening with colours reversed every 15 months or so. This variation was played in Svidler-Caruana, Thessaloniki Grand Prix 2013.
10…a6 is new. The idea is to prevent the unpleasant 11. Nb5

Black plays 27..Rh8 not seeing that the reply 28. Rd3 was very strong and winning.

During the press conference Svidler was his usual optimistic self:

Caruana: Bad for Black

Svidler: It might be, but that has to be proven

And Svidler: It’s not horrible, horrible, but I think I will be worse forever

Mark Crowther in TWIC says that Caruana wasn’t playing well enough to win his early games by his own admission and now he is.

Standings after Round Six

Caruana 4.5
Gelfand 4.0
Radjabov 3.5
Nakamura 3.5
Kasimdzhanov 3.5
Tomashevsky 3.0
Karjakin 3.0
Svidler 3.0
Dominguez 2.5
Grischuk 2.0
Mamedyarov 2.0
Andreikin 1.5

Round Seven Pairings

Gelfand-Kasimdzhanov
Nakamura-Karjakin
Mamedyarov-Tomashevsky
Radjabov-Dominguez
Svidler-Grischuk
Andreikin-Caruana

[Jack Maguire]

Re: Baku 2014

Caruana, who lost to Carlsen's Scandinavian at the Olympiad in Tromso, is playing a Scandinavian himself (the much more popular Tiviakov variation with c6 & g6) today against Andreikin. If nothing else, he's caught Andreikin off guard since he has better than a 30-minute time advantage after just 8 moves (:

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Seven
October 9, 2014

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar-Tomashevsky, Evgeny 0.5-0.5

Radjabov, Teimour-Dominguez, Leinier 0.5-0.5

Svidler, Peter-Grischuk, Alexander 0.5-0.5

The game that I thought would be a walkover for Caruana has him in a lost position against Andreikin. Playing the Scandinavian was risky – Caruana lost last to Carlsen in a Scandinavian.

Arthur Kogan (tweet) – Breaking News: Fabiano is human! A strange opening choice when u lead a tournament … but taking risks is also a champion style.

That having been said, Caruana didn’t lose from the opening but with the move 26..h6.

Baku 2014
Round Seven
Oct. 9, 2014
Andreikin, Dmitry – Caruana, Fabiano
B01 Scandinavian, Pytel-Wade Variation

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Nb5 Qb6 7.Be2 c6 8.Na3 Bg7 9.O-O O-O 10.c3 Qc7 11.Bg5 Bf5 12.Qc1 Nbd7 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Rd1 Rd8 15.Nc4 c5 16.d5 Nb6 17.d6 Qe6 18.Bf1 Nxc4 19.Ng5 Qc8 20.Bxc4 e6 21.Be5 Qc6 22.a4 a6 23.Be2 c4 24.Rd4 Qc5 25.Nf3 b5 26.h3 h6 27.d7 Qe7 28.axb5 axb5 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Qd1 Nd5 31.Bxg7 Kxg7 32.Ne5 f6 33.Nc6 Qxd7 34.Nb4 Qa7 35.g4 Bd3 36.Bxd3 cxd3 37.Qxd3 Qa1+ 38.Kg2 Qxb2 39.Nxd5 exd5 40. Rxd5 Ra7 41. Rxb5 Qa2 42. Rd5 Qa4 43. Rd6 Qe8 44. Qd4 Qa8+ 45. Kh2 Rf7 46. c4 Qe8 47. c5 Qe5+ 48. Qxe5 fxe5 49. Kg2 Rf4 50. Re6 Re4 51. f3 Re2+ 52. Kf1 Rd2 53. Rxe5 Kf6 54. Re2 Rd1+ 55. Re1 Rd3 56. Rc1 Rxf3+ 57. Ke2 Ra3 58. c6 Ra8 59. c7 Rc8 60. Rc5 Ke6 61. Kd3 h5 62. g5 Kd6 63. Kc4 h4 64. Kb5 1-0

With the time control coming up, Caruana had to make 5 moves in less than a minute. They emerged from the time scramble with Andreikin still with a large advantage. Slowly, Andreikin grinds Caruana down and on move 62…Kd6 Stockfish announces a mate for White in 56 moves!

The Gelfand game goes to a draw and the Caruana game continues and finally Fabiano resigns on move 64.

At the press conference Andreikin said he was surprised by the Scandinavian. Caruana said he made many mistakes after the opening and slowly ruined his game. Considering those mistakes, maybe he should have played a different opening.

Karjakin beats Nakamura

Baku 2014
Round Seven
Oct. 9, 2014
Nakamura, Hikaru – Karjakin, Sergey
D01 Richter-Veresov Attack

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Qd3 c5 5. O-O-O c4 6. Qg3 Qa5 7. e4 b5 8. Kb1 dxe4 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nxe4 Bb7 11. Nc5 Nxc5 12. dxc5 Rc8 13. Be2 Qc7 14. Qh3 Bg7 15. Bf3 Bxf3 16. Nxf3 e6 17. Rhe1 O-O 18. Rd4 Qxc5 19. Rg4 Rfd8 20. Qh6 Qf8 21. Qxf6 Kh8 22. Qf4 Rd5 23. Ng5 Rf5 24. Qe3 Rd8 25. Rh4 Kg8 26. Rg4 h5 27. Re4 Qb4 28. c3 Bxc3 29. Qxc3 Qxc3 30. bxc3 Rxg5 31. g3 Kg7 32. Kc2 Rd3 33. f4 Rgd5 34. R1e2 Kf6 35. a4 a6 36. Rf2 Kf5 37. Re5+ Rxe5 38. fxe5+ Kg6 39. a5 Rd5 40. Re2 Kf5 41. Rf2+ Kg6 42. Re2 Rd3 43. Re4 Rf3 44. Rd4 Rf2+ 45. Kb1 Rxh2 46. Rd6 Rg2 47. Rxa6 Rxg3 48. Kb2 b4 49. cxb4 Rb3+ 50. Ka2 Rxb4 51. Ka3 Rb5 52. Ka4 Rc5 53. Rb6 c3 54. Rb1 c2 55. Rc1 h4 56. a6 h3 57. a7 Rc8 58. Kb5 h2 59. Kb6 Rh8 60. Rh1 Kf5 0-1

Gelfand-Kasimdzhanov is a draw although Gelfand tried his darndest to win the endgame.

Standings after Round Seven

Caruana 4.5
Gelfand 4.5
Radjabov 4
Karjakin 4
Kasimdzhanov 4
Nakamura 3.5
Svidler 3.5
Tomashesky 3.5
Grischuk 3
Dominguez 3
Mamedyarov 2.5
Andreikin 2.5
______

Next round pairings Kasimdzhanov-Caruana, Grischuk-Andreikin, Dominguez-Svidler, Tomashevsky-Radjabov, Karjakin-Mamedyarov, Gelfand-Nakamura.

Someone says that the Gelfand-Nakamura game will be interesting because they tend to beat each other when Black!

Online Comments

- This was really an interesting chess day, and learning some more about rook endings by following Gelfand and Kasimdzhanov analyze their ending for about half an hour after the game was just as fascinating as the games.

P.S. I do not have the impression that anything is wrong with the Skandiavian, and Caruana had no real trouble from the opening, until he played ...Qe6 instead of simplifying.

- Haha. Although I really support Caruana, I'm glad he finally lost. He was already starting to gain way too much confidence by playing so well. I mean playing the Scandinavian and going for the kill against a super GM is already a sign of arrogance. Andreikin is no patzer.

- what a day!!!
leaderboard was riding troubled waters and in play up to the very end (7 hours).
•caruana loses but maintains a share of the lead; his elo climb back to 19 points
•gelfand misses a 2nd chance to take the sole lead after earlier forfeiting same
•karjakin and kasimdzhanov leap frog to the top of the standings
•and the radjabov-dominguez leinier game was absolute mayhem (fire on board!)
momma mia!

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Baku 2014

If nothing else, he's caught Andreikin off guard since he has better than a 30-minute time advantage after just 8 moves (:

It can be hard to decide when you have many good lines to play. A won game can be difficult to win.

By the way, I notice someone called Ruben comments on the games. I take it that's spectators comments. In case anyone wonders, it is not me. I NEVER comment at that site.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Eight
October 10, 2014

First, an unexpected ending:

Baku 2014
Round Eight
Oct. 10, 2014
Karjakin, Sergey – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
D45 QGD, Semi-Slav (5….Nd7)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 a6 7. b3 Bd6 8. Bb2 Qe7 9. Be2 e5 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. O-O O-O 13. Rfd1 Be6 14. Rac1 Rac8 15. Qb1 Rc7 16. h3 Rfc8 17. Qa1 Nxf3+ 18. Bxf3 Ba3 19. Ne2 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 21. Qxc1 Bxb2 22. Qxb2 Qd6 23. Qd4 Kf8 24. g4 h6 25. a4 b6 26. Kg2 Ke7 27. b4 Qc6 28. a5 bxa5 29. bxa5 Qb5 30. Qc3 Kd6 31. Nd4 Qc5 32. Qb2 Kc7 33. Nb3 Qb4 34. Qc2+ Kd6 35. Nd4 Bd7 36. Qa2 Bc8 37. Qc2 Bd7 38. Qa2 Bc8 39. Qc2 Ke5 ½-½

White has been much better and if he can reach the first time control, he will probably win. On move 39 with 26 seconds to go, Black plays Ke5 and the players agree to a draw. Karjakin says that the position was unclear.

But Black has a bishop en prise and what is far worse, White has just to play Nc6 ch to fork King and Queen. The Stockfish evaluation is 24.27 White is winning.

Baku 2014
Round Eight
Oct. 10, 2014
Kasimdzhnaov, Rustam – Caruana, Fabiano
D97 Grunfeld, Russian, Alekhine Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 8. e5 b5 9. Qb3 Nfd7 10. Be2 c5 11. e6 fxe6 12. Qxe6+ Kh8 13. dxc5 Ne5 14. Qd5 Qxd5 15. Nxd5 Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Bb7 17. Nc7 Bxf3 18. gxf3 Ra7 19. Ne6 Rxf3 20. Ke2 Rf6 21. Nxg7 Kxg7 22. Be3 Nc6 23. Rad1 Rf5 24. h4 Kf7 25. Rh3 Rc7 26. a3 Ke6 27. h5 gxh5 28. Rdh1 Kd5 29. Rd1+ Ke6 30. Rdh1 Kd5 31. Rd1+ Ke6 ½-½

Caruana said at the press conference that yesterday was quite disappointing. His play throughout the tournament has been shaky. "I don’t prepare much at night, I just wanted to forget the game. Losing is part of life and if you can’t deal with it you will not be successful in the long run. He just wanted to play a normal game today."

Clearly his confidence was shaken and during the analysis, he kept saying that he was worried about this position or that.

______

Black doesn’t win in Gelfand-Nakamura, a draw from a Dutch. Tomashevsky-Radjabov is also drawn.

There is some discussion between the commentators and at the press conference about the Grand Prix cycle. With just three tournaments, there is less room for error compared to the last when your worst tournament was dropped from the evaluation. Nakamura would rather have rating considered for the Candidates rather than the Grand Prix results. Caruana is disappointed at the reduced prize fund compared to last year.

Two games continue towards the sixth hour. These are Grischuk-Andreikin and Dominguez-Svidler.

The commentators Miroshnichenko and Sutovsky have missed supper. They say strange things have happened today – Karjakin offering a draw in a winning position and now Svidler in a winning endgame allowing it to deteriorate to a draw.

Baku 2014
Round Eight
Oct. 10, 2014
Dominguez, Leinier – Svidler, Peter
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed (6.d3)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 d6 7. c3 O-O 8. Nbd2 Re8 9. d4 b5 10. Bc2 exd4 11. cxd4 Bg4 12. h3 Bh5 13. g4 Bg6 14. Re1 h5 15. e5 Bxc2 16. Qxc2 Nb4 17. Qf5 dxe5 18. dxe5 g6 19. Qb1 Bc5 20. Ne4 Nxe4 21. Qxe4 hxg4 22. hxg4 Qd3 23. b3 Qxe4 24. Rxe4 Nd3 25. Be3 f5 26. gxf5 gxf5 27. Rh4 Nxe5 28. Nxe5 Rxe5 29. Bxc5 Rxc5 30. Rd1 Kf7 31. Rh7+ Kf6 32. Rdd7 Rg8+ 33. Kf1 Rc1+ 34. Ke2 Re8+ 35. Kf3 Rc3+ 36. Kg2 c6 37. Ra7 Rg8+ 38. Kf1 Rc1+ 39. Ke2 Rc2+ 40. Kf3 Rxa2 41. Rhc7 Rc2 42. Rxa6 Rc3+ 43. Ke2 Re8+ 44. Kd2 Rf3 45. Raxc6+ Kg5 46. Rg7+ Kf4 47. Rh6 Rxf2+ 48. Kc3 Rf3+ 49. Kb4 Ree3 50. Kxb5 Rxb3+ 51. Kc4 Rh3 52. Ra6 Rhc3+ 53. Kd5 Rb5+ 54. Kd4 Rbb3 55. Rf7 Rd3+ 56. Kc4 Rbc3+ 57. Kb4 Rb3+ 58. Kc4 Rdc3+ 59. Kd4 Re3 60. Ra1 Red3+ 61. Kc4 Ra3 62. Rh1 Rh3 63. Rd1 Rhe3 64. Rf1+ Rf3 65. Rd1 Ra4+ 66. Kb5 Re4 67. Rf8 Kg3 68. Rd5 Rb3+ 69. Kc5 f4 70. Rg5+ Kf2 71. Rgf5 f3 72. R5f7 Rg4 73. Rf6 Re3 74. R6f7 Kg2 75. Rf6 Rg3 76. Kd4 Re2 77. Kd3 Ra2 78. Kd4 0-1

The endgame is White - two rooks against Black with two rooks and an f-pawn. Emil Sutovsky: I like Svidler but he doesn’t deserve to win this game. The guys feel that the other game in progress, Grischuk’s (at move 59), is going to go on for another 40 moves. The word “endless” is mentioned.

Mark Crowther tweets:

- Looks like Svidler will beat Dominguez. Good time to ask about the much vaunted Soviet R plus P endgame technique he was brought up on.

- It took a mere 44 moves for Svidler’s f-pawn to make it from f5 to f4.

Finally, Svidler wins.

At the press conference Peter said he was worried about everything in the opening.

He thought Dominguez had a draw in the endgame. "It took me a tremendous amount of time to formulate a plan. It looked like I was getting nowhere and then it was over in five moves."

Sutovsky sits in the audience and gives Peter a probable line in the rooks/rooks/pawn endgame. His response: “I was scared to give White any active moves, particularly checks. I was trying not to blunder the pawn. This is the first time I have beat Leinier. He has been beating me like a drum for years.”

Finally, Grischuk-Andreikin is over in 77 moves. The transmission suddenly ceases during their press conference. One suspects the technicians quit en masse to get something to eat!

Standings after Round Eight

Caruana 5
Gelfand 5
Kasimdzhanov 4.5
Radjabov 4.5
Karjakin 4.5
Svidler 4.5
Nakamura 4
Tomashevsky 4
Dominguez 3
Grischuk 3
Andreikin 3

Tomorrow is a rest day. Play resumes Sunday with these pairings: Nakamura-Kasimdzhanov, Mamedyarov-Gelfand, Radjabov-Karjakin, Svidler-Tomashevsky, Andreikin-Dopminguez and Caruana-Grischuk.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Baku 2014

There is some discussion between the commentators and at the press conference about the Grand Prix cycle. With just three tournaments, there is less room for error compared to the last when your worst tournament was dropped from the evaluation. Nakamura would rather have rating considered for the Candidates rather than the Grand Prix results. Caruana is disappointed at the reduced prize fund compared to last year.

Who cares what your rating is if you can't win important events? Nakamura should pull out his F-18's and show them his after burners.

Caruana should take into consideration he's not playing as well as he did in the Sinqufeld. The idea here is to try to make it to the big match. That's where to find the big money.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Nine
October 12, 2014

The two leaders have gone down to defeat:

Baku 2014
Round Nine
Oct. 12, 2014
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Gelfand, Boris
E60 King’s Indian, Nf3

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. e3 O-O 5. Be2 c5 6. d5 d6 7. O-O e6 8. Nc3 Re8 9. e4 exd5 10. exd5 Bf5 11. Bd3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Nbd7 13. Bf4 Qb6 14. b3 a6 15. h3 Re7 16. Rae1 Rae8 17. Rxe7 Rxe7 18. g4 Qc7 19. Kg2 Qb8 20. a3 Re8 21. b4 Bf8 22. Rb1 Qd8 23. b5 a5 24. Bh2 Nb6 25. g5 Nh5 26. Ne4 h6 27. gxh6 Nf6 28. Nfg5 Bxh6 29. Nxf6+ Qxf6 30. Ne4 Qf5 31. Re1 Nd7 32. Bxd6 Bg7 33. Re2 Bd4 34. Bc7 a4 35. b6 Kg7 36. Qf3 Bb2 37. Bf4 1-0

Baku 2014
Round Nine
Oct. 12, 2014
Caruana, Fabiano – Grischuk, Alexander
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Be3 b6 6. Nc3 Ba6 7. cxb6 axb6 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bf2 Bxc4 11. e4 Bxf1 12. Kxf1 Nc6 13. Nge2 Bc5 14. Nd4 Qe7 15. Ncb5 Kf8 16. a3 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Kg7 18. b4 Bxd4 19. Bxd4 e5 20. Bxb6 Qe6 21. Be3 d5 22. Qb3 Rhb8 23. Ke2 Qa6+ 24. Qd3 Qe6 25. Qb3 Qa6+ 26. Qd3 Qe6 27. exd5 Nxd5 28. Kf2 Rd8 29. Qc4 Qf5 30. Rhe1 Rac8 31. Bc5 Nf4 32. Kg1 Rd2 33. Ra2 Nxg2 34. Rxd2 Nxe1 35. Rf2 Nxf3+ 36. Kg2 e4 37. Re2 Re8 38. a4 Qf4 39. Kh1 Rd8 40. Qc3+ f6 41. Qc2 Rd3 42. a5 Ne1 43. Rxe1 Rd2 44. Qxd2 Qxd2 45. Re3 f5 46. Kg1 Qa2 47. Re1 f4 48. a6 e3 49. Bd4+ Kg6 50. Ra1 Qf2+ 51. Kh1 Qf3+ 52. Kg1 Qg4+ 0-1

Caruana was surprised by 4…e6.
He had a draw by repetition at one time but rejected it to play on.

Mark Crowther (tweet) - Baku Grand Prix Round 9. Caruana and Grischuk both in time trouble but Caruana blunders: 32.Kg1? Rd2 33.Ra2 Nxg2!!

- Caruana has mostly avoided time trouble in his big winning run. Now it's back and he's blundering. A real lesson there?
______

A blunder by Kasimdzhanov:

Baku 2014
Round Nine
Oct. 12, 2014
Nakamura, Hikaru – Kasimdzhanov, Rustam
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. h3 Nd7 7. Be3 Bd6 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. c3 c5 11. a3 a5 12. Re1 Nf8 13. d4 cxd4 14. cxd4 exd4 15. Nxd4 Be5 16. N2f3 Bxd4 17. Bxd4 b6 18. Be5 Qxd1 19. Rexd1 Ra7 20. Rac1 c5 21. Rd6 Rb7 22. Bg3 Rxe4 23. Rd8 Bd7 24. Re1 1-0

(24... Rxe1+ 25. Nxe1 f6 26. Bd6 Kf7 27. Bxf8 Bf5 28. Nf3 a4 29. Bd6 Ke6 30. Bg3 g5 31. Rd6+ Ke7 32. Kf1 h5 33. h4 g4 34. Ne1 c4 35. f3 b5 36. fxg4 Bxg4 37. Nf3 Rd7 38. Rb6 Rd1+ 39. Kf2)
_____

Other results:

Andreikin-Dominguez 1-0
Radjabov-Karjakin 0.5-0.5
Svidler-Tomashevsky 0.5-0.5

Gelfand went down without a fight, Caruana in time trouble, Kasimdzhanov’s blunder, Andreikin’s sacrifice blunder but still won.. Strange round!

Looking at the leaderboard..

Caruana 5
Gelfand 5
Radjabov 5
Karjakin 5
Svidler 5
Nakamura 5
Kasimdzhanov 4.5
Tomashevsky 4.5
Mamedyarov 4
Grischuk 4
Andrekin 4
Dominguez 3

It is anybody’s tournament

Tenth Round Pairings

Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk, Dominguez-Caruana, Tomashevsky-Andreikin, Karjakin-Svidler, Gelfand-Radjabov, Nakamura-Mamedyarov

See the next posting for The Nakamura Interview

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Oct. 12, 2014

Emil Sutovsky conducted a studio interview with Hikaru Nakamura today. It was 31 minutes long and very friendly and extensive. Perhaps Hikaru was too candid but here is my transcription. I have designated Sutovsky as IN(terviewer):

The Nakamura Interview

HN: I probably shouldn’t have won the game today but in the end it makes up for some of the other results.

IN: I think you had decent winning chances, against Grischuk and Dominguez.

HN: The problem with Grishchuk game, if I had played the line I had looked at, I would have lost the game. It should have been a draw; I spent twenty minutes looking at a losing line.

IN: I thought for the spectators it might be interesting to talk about things not directly related to the games but about your years of chess. You seem to be not moving upwards, but stabilizing in the top ten.

HN: There is a lack of motivation. I have been in the top ten for so long. There are only so many opportunities – the Grand Prix or the World Cup. If you don’t play really well in the high stakes events then it is kind of irrelevant in a way. Boris Gelfand is good at this. He doesn't play well in some events like Zurich. He didn’t have a good event there but in the World Cup and the Grand Prix he plays like a genius. For me it is a lack of motivation and I don’t play really well when the stakes are high. I have to find a way to fix that.

IN: What is your explanation for that, growing up in American tournaments, when you have to play really well when it matters?

HN: There you have to win at all costs. You have to win every single game. The tournament in Vegas, for example, you have to win every game. The quality and the objective evaluations go out the window. You do anything. You can’t really do that in other tournaments with very strong players. I have had to change a lot.

IN: I have a feeling that it has left traces in your career. From time to time, something from the past – your game with Karjakin. I can’t imagine Gelfand going down in the same fashion. You opt for something “must win”.

HN: I had the position. In general I didn’t like what I had prepared. I chose something that was not the right choice. This was the American style where you try to win at all costs. There are traces of the old me, the one who played in all those open tournaments. It got me to where I am now.

IN: We know most players have a trainer. Almost no one knows if you work with a trainer. You are a notable exception.

HN: It is certainly true. With the exception of Kasparov I have not worked with any of the top trainers. That is good and bad. I come from the American System where it is winning at all costs instead of studying deeply. There are people I am working with, but I won’t name names. Most would not know them. I don’t work with the Chuchelovs or Tukmakovs or other high profile trainers. I may make changes in the future. If things go the way they are going now, I may have to. On the other hand, if I win the next two games I will win the tournament, then I don’t know.

In St. Louis I did quite badly. I kind of lost my mind a little bit there. I went straight from there to Bilbao and then here, without a break. To take one of Gelfand’s quotes: At this point for me it is just game after game.

There is also Tashkent coming up too, don’t forget.

IN: I have known you for 12 years – 2003 in Pamplona. I have noticed a considerable change in you as a person in the past few years. How are you changing in your attitude towards life and do you think these changes will affect you over the chessboard – more pleasant, less brutal?

HN: It is definitely true. I was not the most pleasant person when I was young. As you get older you become calmer. It is all an evolution. I am not anywhere near as aggressive as I once was. Maybe it has rubbed off on my chess.

The way I was seven or eight years ago, it was generally me against the world. It was just about me. It was a very selfish attitude. As you get older you kind of mellow out. That is probably the main reason I have calmed down. As you get older you want to be friendly and enjoy talking to other people.

IN: What is your ambition now?

HN: My career has been very successful. There are only three American players who have been in the top ten, unless you go back to the 50s. Me, Seirawan and Fischer – going from present to past.

IN: You don’t consider Gata (Kamsky) to be an American player?

HN: I had forgotten about him. Much of his training was Soviet instead of American. Actually, he has been a teammate for five or six Olympiads and has done a lot for American chess. I don’t want to take anything away from him.

IN: What about games from this round?

HN: I was surprised by the opening choice of Mamedyarov-Gelfand - sort of a Benoni. I would prefer to be Black in Caruana-Grischuk. Easier to play for Black in time trouble.
IN: What do you think of Caruana’s latest results?

HN: He has been playing really well and is well prepared. He has blown two positions against me at St. Louis and here. He is definitely improved and number two player in the world. He doesn’t have the X-factor that Magnus has of not blowing a winning position. That is the one slight difference. It is a bit of a surprise that he not having quite as a good tournament here. He’ll be a strong contender for everyone in the next five to ten years.

IN: What are your expectations in Carlsen-Anand?

HN: A lot is going to depend on what Vishy learned in the last match. It was not competitive. Carlsen had no problems with Black outside of one game and with White he was always pressing. It depends whether Anand has learned what kind of positions he needs to avoid and what openings too.

Everyone has written him off in the past few years. The same with Boris Gelfand. Both continue to play strongly. It is still 70-30 in favour of Carlsen.

IN: What are you preferences in terms of authors?

HN: The last three books I have read are Ali and Nino because Peter Doggers mentioned it to me, one on the Rothschild Dynasty and a biography of Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson, who wrote the biography of Steve Jobs.

IN: Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

HN: I like science fiction – Isaac Asimov – the Foundation Series. Obviously I have read Harry Potter and all that stuff too. I prefer fiction with a fantasy component. If there are science or outer space elements – then I love it.

IN: How about music?

HN: I listen to a bit of everything. Lately, Italian – classical. I am engaged to an Italian girl. Verdi, Bellini, Rossini…

Otherwise, calm stuff – very relaxing. No techno, I am too old for that now.

IN: Do you speak Italian?

HN: Nowadays I do. I am not fluent but I can speak it reasonably well. I learn certain words for certain discussions. If it gets specific about finance, or soccer for example, I can’t communicate.

IN: They say that when you are in America and start enjoying American football then you really have become an American. It is the same for you perhaps in Italy enjoying soccer?

HN: I enjoy soccer the way I enjoy ice hockey. It is start to finish and fast play. There are few stoppages – 20 minutes per period. Soccer is 45 minutes per period. American football and American baseball there are just too many commercials stopping play. The flow to them doesn’t excite me any more.

IN: Do you enjoy Italian Soccer or Barcelona or English football?

HN: My favorite team is Napoli. I root for them. They are only doing OK this year. Juventus is always at the top. I always root for Barcelona. Internationally I try to root for the USA but it is just not competitive enough.

IN: How do you find European life in general in contrast to the U.S.?

HN: It is much different. The quality of food is much higher in Europe. In America you can get the best quality but you have to know what you are looking for. In America a general restaurant can’t compare in quality to European restaurants. If I go to a specialty restaurant there though I can find something as good or better.

IN: So Europe is a lot like Carlsen who always retains his high quality level!

HN: An interesting way of putting it. America is a great place but there are issues. In America they don’t know anything about other countries or world capitals, which most Europeans do. A good friend in England said that 98 or 99% of Americans are lacking in culture or not particularly bright. But the top 1 or 2 per cent are among the most brilliant people in the world. I tend in general to believe that.

IN: Perhaps it is 90-10?

HN: Perhaps the percentages are different, so people can’t get too angry at me for that. The best inventions and brightest things come out of America and I am proud to be an American.

IN: Do you frequent Italian museums?

HN: I spend most of my time in Napoli but haven’t gone to the northern cities. I like going to museums and picking up things from different cultures. That is the best way of being informed instead of watching Fox News and getting a distorted image of the world.

http://baku2014.fide.com/en/main-pag...-video-gallery

See Round Nine – GM Hikaru Nakamura in the studio.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Ten
October 13, 2014

Round Ten Results

Karjakin-Svidler 0.5-0.5
Gelfand-Radjabov 1-0
Nakamura-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
Dominguez-Caruana 0-1
Kasimdzhanov-Grischuk 0-1
Tomashevsky-Andreikin 1-0
______

Baku 2014
Round Ten
Oct. 13, 2014
Gelfand, Boris-Radjabov, Teimour
E05 Catalan, Open, Classical Line

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 12. Bf4 Nd5 13. Rd1 Nxf4 14. Qxf4 Qd6 15. Nbd2 Nd7 16. Rac1 Rad8 17. Nb3 Bd5 18. Nfd2 Nb6 19. Rxc7 Bxb3 20. Nxb3 Nc4 21. Qxd6 Bxd6 22. Ra7 a5 23. Rb1 Bb4 24. a3 Nd2 25. axb4 Nxb1 26. bxa5 f5 27. Rc7 e5 28. Rc1 1-0

Baku 2014
Round Ten
Oct. 13, 2014
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam-Grischuk, Alexander
D31 QGD, Semi-Slav

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nd7 5. Qc2 Nh6 6. Bd2 f5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O-O Nb6 10. h3 Be6 11. Nf3 Qe7 12. Ne2 O-O-O 13. Nf4 Bd7 14. Ba5 Kb8 15. Qb3 Bc7 16. Bc2 Nf7 17. Nd3 Bc8 18. Nc5 g5 19. Kb1 Rde8 20. Rhe1 h5 21. Nd3 g4 22. Ng1 h4 23. Ne2 Rhg8 24. a3 g3 25. fxg3 Nc4 26. Bxc7+ Qxc7 27. gxh4 Nxe3 28. Ndf4 Nxd1 29. Rxd1 Nd6 30. Ka2 Nc4 31. Rd3 Rxg2 32. Nxg2 Rxe2 33. Ne3 Qh2 0-1

Baku 2014
Round Ten
Oct. 13, 2014
Dominguez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
A36 English, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation

1. c4 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Rb1 b6 6. a3 Bb7 7. b4 d6 8. Bb2 e6 9. Nb5 Bxb2 10. Rxb2 Nge7 11. e3 O-O 12. Nf3 Ne5 13. d3 Bxf3 14. Bxf3 d5 15. Be2 d4 16. exd4 cxd4 17. a4 a6 18. Na3 a5 19. O-O axb4 20. Rxb4 Qd6 21. Nc2 Nd7 22. Qa1 e5 23. f4 f6 24. Rb5 Nc5 25. fxe5 fxe5 26. Rxf8+ Rxf8 27. a5 bxa5 28. Qxa5 Nc6 29. Qe1 e4 30. Nb4 Ne5 31. dxe4 d3 32. Bd1 Qd4+ 33. Kg2 d2 34. Qe2 Nxe4 0-1

Online Comments

• caruana and gelfand - crème de la crème; always rises to the top!

• gelfand - at age 46 is "unreal!" a force to be reckoned with, ultimate competitor

• nakamura -habitating 'rarified air' for the moment

• grischuk - has he finally found his form?

ps... gelfand's tactics were nothing less than amazing today

- Karlovich [after a 15-minute Svidler bilingual talk]: "Sergey, would you like to add anything?" Karjakin: "No. Peter showed all the lines."

- Olimpiu Urcan (tweet) (on Nakamura’s comments given in my last posting) - That lovely dig at FOX News by Nakamura was accompanied by a great smirk. Wait until "FOX and Friends" start picking up on America's No 1.

- Mark Crowther (tweet) Grischuk says he's playing much better now than at the start of the Baku GP. Says maybe he'll tell the reason why after the final round.

Standings after Round Ten

Gelfand 6
Caruana 6
Nakamura 5.5
Karjakin 5.5
Svidler 5.5
Tomashevsky 5.5
Radjabov 5
Grischuk 5
Kasimdzhanov 4.5
Mamedyarov 4.5
Dominguez 3

Last Round Pairings

Mamedyarov-Kasimdzhanov, Radjabov-Nakamura, Svidler-Gelfand, Andreikin-Karjakin, Caruana-Tomashevsky and Grischuk-Dominguez

Round Eleven begins at an impossible hour here - 3 a.m. Toronto/Montreal time.

The good news is that next week, Tashkent time is the same as Baku time, so you wont have to change your alarm setting.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

Round Eleven
October 14, 2014

Results of Final Round

Caruana – Tomashevsky 0.5-0.5
Svidler - Gelfand 0.5-0.5
Andreikin – Karjakin 0.5-0.5
Grischuk – Dominguez 1-0
Radjabov – Nakamura 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov – Kasimdzhanov 0.5-0.5

Final Standings

Caruana, Fabiano 6.5
Gelfand, Boris 6.5
Karjakin, Sergey 6
Tomashevsky, Evgeny 6
Svidler, Peter 6
Nakamura, Hikaru 6
Grischuk, Alexander 6
Radjabov, Teimour 5.5
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 5
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 5
Andreikin, Dmitry 4.5

Boris Gelfand and Fabiano Caruana finished joint winners of the Grand Prix in Baku after drawing in the final round. Their nearest followers didn’t win either and the only decisive match was Alexander Grischuk against Leinier Dominguez.

Baku 2014
Round Eleven
Oct. 14, 2014
Caruana, Fabiano – Tomashevsky, Evgeny
C88 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Anti-Marshall (8.a4)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Nbd2 Na5 11. Ba2 c5 12. Nf1 bxa4 13. Ne3 Bc6 14. Nh4 Bd7 15. Nhf5 Rb8 16. Qf3 Kh8 17. Qg3 Nh5 18. Qg4 g6 19. Qf3 Nc6 20. c3 Nf4 21. Nxe7 Qxe7 22. Nd5 Nxd5 23. Bxd5 f6 24. Qg3 Rb6 25. f4 exf4 26. Bxf4 Ne5 27. d4 g5 28. Bc1 cxd4 29. cxd4 Ng6 30. Qf2 Bc6 31. Be6 Rb4 32. Bf5 Nh4 33. d5 Bb5 34. Ra3 ½-½

It appears that near the end, Caruana faltered with 31.Be6. Tomashevsky underestimated his position and agreed to the draw. At the press conference Caruana asked him about 34…Qe5. Tomashevsky was afraid of 35.Rh3 to which Caruana responded “Can you take with 35.Nxf5?

The resulting positions look better for Black but the players seemed to agree at the press conference that the draw was the natural outcome. Not everyone agreed with this assessment.

The hero of the finish in Baku was Alexander Grischuk who has won his last three games and went from his disastrous 3 out of 8 to sharing the 3rd place.

During his press conference after round 11 Grischuk admitted that the reason for his unlucky start was the inability to open a window in his room.

The Hilton hotel (where the participants were accommodated) doesn't provide a possibility to open the windows, so Grischuk relocated to the adjacent Park Inn in order to get fresh air. As a result, things quickly improved.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Baku 2014

Gelfand tied for first. I guess I was half right when I wrote I hoped he won it. The other half goes to Caruana.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Baku 2014

Baku 2014

I stayed at a good hotel in Stratford in the 80s for the Festival and when we pulled open the curtain, we found there was no window.

Grischuk said that at Baku, he started winning games after changing from a hotel room with no windows to one with.

Online Viewers’ Comments on Baku 2014

- For every FIDE event, small or big, local organizers rather than the FIDE headquarters are responsible for adequate hotel accommodation. If Tromso was too small a city, they either shouldn't have bid, or should have taken proper measures - new hotels were built in Khanty-Mansiysk before their Olympiad.

If all players in Baku stayed in the same hotel and Grischuk was the only one getting a bad room, the local organizers can hardly be blamed - for inspecting some but not all hotel rooms. If Grischuk didn't want to stay in the same hotel and chose a different one himself, the organizers can't be blamed - should they have given him a warning list of bad hotels? Grischuk staying in his dark room for about half the tournament makes me lean to the second option - else he could have contacted/complained to the organizers already after one or two nights.

P.S.: In a way, the tournament was decided in one second when Grischuk lost on time against Gelfand - everything else remaining equal, Grischuk would have shared first place with Caruana if he had been one second faster. He can only blame himself and his notoriously bad time management, not the hotel room!?

- Don't tell me that it was impossible to find 12 good hotel rooms in Baku!

It's unfair to give one of the players a room where he feels like a pr*gn*nt woman in a submarine.

Grischuk is a very strong player, and he could well have won the whole tournament if he had lived in a decent room from the beginning. I'm angry on his behalf.
I have travelled a lot, but I have never lived in a room without windows.

Frankly, I didn't know that windowless hotel rooms existed, at least in not in the relative rich parts of the world.

- I can't yet realize that Caruana managed to draw his last game. I stood up in mourning, with my Rybka assigning +1.03 to Toma, and after a drink I came back, only to see the 1/2-1/2 on the board.

- Gelfand won by SB score but Caruana won by tie break

[Laurentiu Grigorescu]

Re: Baku 2014

I am not convinced of Grischuk's argument with regards to his initial hotel room being responsible for his weak performance in the beginning of the tournament. For any traveler the yes/no decision on a hotel room is a 30 second decision. Hope he was joking...
On another note, glad to see Fabiano keeping the pace of very good results, and it looks like he plays every week somewhere.