Gashimov Memorial 2015

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 3rd April, 2015, 12:40 AM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015
Apr 1, 2015

Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov was forced to withdraw from the 2nd Vugar Gashimov Memorial for health reasons. Radjabov will be replaced with Michael Adams (England). The official website is currently showing photos of nine participants.

http://www.shamkirchess.az/content/3

The organizers have also announced live games commentary in three languages. GM Evgeny Miroshnichenko will provide commentary in English language, while GM Viorel Iordachescu from Moldova will comment in Russian language.

The commentary in Azerbaijani language will be by IM Anar Allahverdiyev and GM Farid Abbasov.

Schedule

The rounds are scheduled from 15:00

April 16 - 18.30 - Opening ceremony and drawing of lots
April 17 - 15.00 - Round 1
April 18 - 15.00 - Round 2
April 19 - 15.00 - Round 3
April 20 - 15.00 - Round 4
April 21 - 15.00 - Round 5
April 22 – Free day
April 23 - 15.00 - Round 6
April 24 - 15.00 - Round 7
April 25 - 15.00 - Round 8
April 26 - 14.00 - Round 9

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 13th April, 2015, 01:41 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015

The opening ceremonies take place this Thursday, April 16, in Shamkir, Azerbaijan.

Wesley So is one of the ten participants.

In a 52 second promotional he made for the organizers he says:

Hi, I am Wesley So. I am honored to participate in this memorial for one of the greatest chess players, who ever lived. I have been following Vugar Gashimov’s games since I was a kid and when I finally met him for the first time, when I was fourteen, it was an unforgettable moment for me.

This is going to be a very exciting event with very strong chess players and I am looking forward to the challenge.

I have also always wanted to visit Azerbaijan, because I have heard it’s a very beautiful country and hopefully I will get to see some of it when I am there.

Thank you for inviting me.

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 14th April, 2015, 01:51 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015

It was reported yesterday that Magnus Carlsen had arrived in Baku and will be travelling to Shamkir. Vishy Anand is in Ganja, where he flew by a direct flight, with the rest of the competitors coming in today.

Peter Doggers has a review of the players and what they have been doing so far in 2015:

http://www.chess.com/news/2nd-gashim...ts-friday-6100

Shamkir lies in the foothills of the lesser Caucasus.

The Final Jeopardy! question a few nights ago was:

The Caucasian Isthmus lies between these two large inland bodies of water. (What are they?)

And the answer Alex, of course, is the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 16th April, 2015, 12:54 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015

Pairings

Round 1, April 17

Kramnik-Adams
So-Giri
Mamedov-MVL
Anand-Carlsen
Mamedyarov-Caruana

Round 2, April 18

Adams-Caruana
Carlsen-Mamedyarov
MVL-Anand
Giri-Mamedov
Kramnik-So

Round 3, April 19

So-Adams
Mamedov-Kramnik
Anand-Giri
Mamedyarov-MVL
Caruana-Carlsen

Round 4, April 20

Adams-Carlsen
MVL-Caruana
Giri-Mamedyarov
Kramnik-Anand
So-Mamedov

Round 5, April 21

Mamedov-Adams
Anand-So
Mamedyarov-Kramnik
Caruana-Giri
Carlsen-MVL

Free Day

Round 6, April 23

Adams-MVL
Giri-Carlsen
Kramnik-Caruana
So-Mamedyarov
Mamedov-Anand

Round 7, April 24

Anand-Adams
Mamedyarov-Mamedov
Caruana-So
Carlsen-Kramnik
MVL-Giri

Round 8, April 25

Adams-Giri
Kramnik-MVL
So-Carlsen
Mamedov-Caruana
Anand-Mamedyarov

Round 9, April 26

Mamedyarov-Adams
Caruana-Anand
Carlsen-Mamedov
MVL-So
Giri-Kramnik

Games start at 15:00 Shamkir time, which is 6 a.m. in Montreal/Toronto.

**Eric Hansen** · Thursday, 16th April, 2015, 09:51 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Robin and I will be posting some predictions and thoughts throughout the event on our youtube channel. First video is up : https://youtu.be/ii9Pn1KHhXE

**Nathan Zeap** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 10:02 AM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Wesley So playing white just destroyed Giri in 32 moves !

**Hans Jung** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 11:47 AM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Great initiative guys! Very interesting.

**Hans Jung** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 11:47 AM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

What went wrong for Anish? Seems to be confused thinking.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 12:12 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015

Round One
April 17, 2015

The commentator is Evgenij Moroshnichenko. I believe I see Anna Burtasova later on in the video.

So beats Giri for the first time in classical chess.

So has won all three games played after his forfeit in St. Louis. In this game Giri got confused in the opening and started playing dubious moves early one. Robin van Kampen tweeted, “4 out of the first 11 moves with the bishop by Anish, only to see it back on f8. Sounds like trouble to me!”

The players seemed to be following the Korchnoi-Timman game, Leeuwarden, 1976.

There was a discussion on the E.C. Forum as to the name of the opening. Someone called it the “Anglo-Indian”. The idea of the early .. e5 has been attributed to Adorjan. The earliest games, including one by Adorjan, date back to 1972. The idea spread amongst top players including the British ones, as Tony Miles used it as Black in the 1972 British against Alan Perkins.

So went for the most critical move 6.Kf1 and right after Giri, lost a lot of time. Two subtle rook moves followed by h2-h4! cemented White’s advantage. Giri’s desperate attempts to gain counter play were nicely met by So.

Round 1, April 17, 2015
So, Wesley – Giri, Anish
A10 English, Adorjan Defence

1.c4 g6 2.e4 e5 3.d4 Nf6 4.dxe5 Nxe4 5.Bd3 Bb4+ 6.Kf1 Nc5 7.Nf3 Ne6 8.a3 Be7 9.Nc3 d6 10.exd6 Bxd6 11.b4 Bf8 12.Qe2 Bg7 13.Bg5 Bf6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qd2 O-O 16.Re1 Qd8 17.Rd1 a5 18.h4 axb4 19.axb4 Nd7 20.h5 Nf6 21.c5 b6 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Qe3 Qe7 24.Bc4 bxc5 25.b5 Rb8 26.Re1 Rb6 27.Na4 Rd6 28.Nxc5 Ng4 29.Qe4 Nxf2 30.Kxf2 Rd2+ 31.Kg3 Rxf3+ 32.gxf3 1-0

Lawrence Trent – Vishy clearly feeling uncomfortable after Carlsen’s TN 14..Bg6 spent over 30 minutes on this move. Marshall never ceases to impress.

Chess Vibes – Anand safely keeping the extra Marshall pawn as Carlsen seems to have missed a tactic. Beating Marshall and Carlsen on one day would be rare.

Tarjel Svensen – Carlsen draws Anand in their 24th encounter in just 18 months.

Round 1, April 17, 2015
Anand, Vishy – Carlsen, Magnus
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 Bg6 15.Bxd5 cxd5 16.Bf4 d4 17.cxd4 Bb4 18.Nc3 Qxd4 19.Be5 Qd7 20.Nd5 f6 21.Nxb4 fxe5 22.Qd5+ Qxd5 23.Nxd5 Bxd3 24.Rxe5 Rfe8 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Ne3 Rc8 27.a3 a5 28.h4 Bg6 29.Rd1 b4 30.axb4 axb4 31.g4 b3 32.h5 Bf7 33.Kg2 Kf8 34.Kg3 Ra8 35.Rd2 h6 36.Nf5 Be6 37.Nd4 Bf7 38.f3 Rc8 39.Kf4 Rc1 40.Nf5 Kg8 41.Rd8+ Kh7 42.Rd7 Kg8 43.Rd8+ Kh7 44.Rd7 Kg8 45.Nd6 Be6 46.Re7 Bd5 47.Kf5 Rc6 48.Ke5 Bxf3 49.Nf5 g5 50.Rg7+ Kh8 51.Rg6 Kh7 52.Rg7+ Kh8 53.Rg6 Kh7 1/2-1/2

Round 1, April 17, 2015
Mamedov, Rau – Vachier Lagrave, Maxime
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack, Sokolsky Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.f3 O-O 10.Be3 Nc6 11.O-O a6 12.Qd3 Rfc8 13.b3 Qd8 14.Rac1 Nd7 15.Rfd1 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 b5 18.Nd5 bxc4 19.Rxc4 Rxc4 20.Qxc4 Nb6 21.Qc7 Nxd5 22.Qxd8+ Rxd8 23.Rxd5 Rc8 24.Ra5 Rc6 25.Kf2 Kf8 26.Ke3 Ke8 27.Kd3 Kd7 28.Ra4 h5 29.h4 f5 30.Ra5 Ke6 31.b4 Kf6 32.a4 e5 33.b5 axb5 34.Rxb5 Rc1 35.a5 Ra1 36.Kc3 Ke6 37.Kb2 Ra4 38.Kb3 Ra1 39.Kb2 Ra4 40.Kb3 Ra1 1/2-1/2

Round 1, April 17, 2015
Kramnik, Vladimir – Adams, Michael
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.Ne5 Nc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxc6 Qe8 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Na3 c5 12.dxc5 Qxc5 13.Be3 Qc6 14.Rc1 Bb7 15.f3 Ba6 16.Nxc4 Bxc4 17.Qd4 Rfc8 18.b3 Qa6 19.bxc4 Qxa2 20.Kf2 a5 21.Bg5 e5 22.Qd6 Rd8 23.Qb6 Rab8 24.Rfd1 Re8 25.Qe3 a4 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Qe4 a3 28.Rd7 Rbd8 29.Ra7 Qb2 30.Rb1 f5 31.Rxb2 fxe4 32.Rxa3 Rd4 33.Rc2 Rc8 34.c5 exf3 35.Rxf3 Rc6 36.Rd3 Rxd3 37.exd3 f5 38.d4 exd4 39.Ke2 1-0

An interesting move from Mamedyarov, where a developed bishop takes an undeveloped knight at move 10! Even so, Caruana did not like his position out of the opening.

Round 1, April 17, 2015
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Caruana, Fabiano
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knight’s Variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 c5 6.dxc5 Ne4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.O-O-O+ Ke8 10.Bxb8 Rxb8 11.Nd4 Bd7 12.e3 a5 13.Be2 Rc8 14.Rd2 f5 15.Rhd1 a4 16.b4 axb3 17.axb3 Rxc5 18.b4 Rc8 19.Ra2 Kf7 20.Ra7 Rc7 21.c5 Be5 22.Kc2 Rhc8 23.Kb3 Kf6 24.Bc4 e6 25.g3 g5 26.f4 exf3 27.Nxf3 Bc6 28.Nxe5 Kxe5 29.Rd6 Re7 30.b5 Bxb5 31.Bxb5 Rxc5 32.Rb6 Rec7 33.Rbxb7 Rc3+ 34.Kb4 Rxb7 35.Rxb7 Rxe3 36.Rxh7 f4 37.g4 f3 38.Rf7 Re4+ 39.Bc4 Rxg4 40.Rxf3 Rh4 41.Rf2 Kd4 42.Rg2 e5 43.Be6 Rh6 44.Bg4 Rb6+ 45.Ka5 Rb8 46.Rd2+ Ke3 47.Rd5 Ke4 48.Rd7 Kf4 49.h3 e4 50.Rf7+ Kg3 51.Rf5 Re8 52.Rxg5 Kh4 53.Rh5+ Kg3 54.Bd7 Re7 55.Rg5+ Kh2 56.Bg4 e3 57.Be2 Kxh3 58.Kb4 Kh4 59.Rg4+ Kh3 60.Rg8 Kh4 61.Kc3 Rd7 62.Re8 Kg5 63.Rxe3 Rd8 64.Rf3 Rd6 65.Rf1 Rf6 66.Rg1+ Kf4 67.Kd2 Rh6 68.Rg4+ Ke5 69.Ke3 Rb6 70. Bd3 Rb3 71. Rg5+ Kf6 72. Rd5 Rb4 73. Be4 Ke6 74. Kf4 Rb2 75. Rh5 Rf2+ 76. Bf3 Rf1 77. Rh6+ Ke7 78. Ke4 Kf7 79. Bh5+ Ke7 80. Ke5 Re1+ 81. Kd5 Re3 82. Bg6 Ra3 83. Be4 Ra1 84. Ke5 Re1 85. Rh7+ Ke8 86. Ra7 Kf8 87. Kf5 Ke8 88. Rh7 Kd8 89. Rh1 Rxh1 90. Bxh1 ½-½

**Nathan Zeap** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 12:17 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post

What went wrong for Anish? Seems to be confused thinking.

Giri got caught in an unconventional opening and Wes cramped him up early and he ended up in time trouble which added to his demise. These 2 guys tend to outwit each other in the opening stage.

**Vlad Dobrich** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 06:54 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

In the drawing for position, Carlsen was not happy with drawing the #7 spot which gives him more Blacks than Whites.
But the toughest draw was for Mikey Adams who gets the following in the first four rounds :

1 Kramnik
2 Caruana
3 So
4 Carlsen

.......and already he's lost his round 1 game :( It's not going to get easier.

**Vlad Dobrich** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 07:08 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

For X-table & pairings, go to >>>>>file:///C:/Users/user/Desktop/CHESS%202015.html

**Eric Hansen** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 11:31 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post

Great initiative guys! Very interesting.

Thanks,Hans! Our second video with round recap plus predictions : https://youtu.be/HOjireu__g0 special appearance by Keith MacKinnon

**Jack Maguire** · Friday, 17th April, 2015, 11:50 PM

Re: Gashimov Memorial 2015

While he may not win tomorrow, Michael Adams certainly seems like an excellent bet tomorrow at 24/5 with White against Caruana, especially given his plus 6, minus 2, equal 3 record against Fabiano (:

https://www.marathonbet.com/en/betting/Chess/

Gashimov Memorial 2015

Gashimov Memorial 2015

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