MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 24th July, 2016, 01:32 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 24, 2016

Rapid Games

It has been suggested that the heading for the four rapids games should be Black is OK! This after the series of books by Andras Adorjan championing the black pieces. Black won in each of the decisive games and was better in the drawn one.

Biel Masters Rapid 2016
Round 1, July 24, 2016
Svidler, Peter – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Adams Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e6 7.g4 h6 8.Bg2 Be7 9.Be3 Nc6 10.f4 Nd7 11.O-O O-O 12.Nce2 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 e5 14.Nf5 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 16.Qd2 Bxf5 17.exf5 Rc8 18.b3 b5 19.Rad1 Re8 20.Rfe1 Qb6+ 21.Be3 Qc7 22.Re2 Bf6 23.Bd5 Re7 24.g5 hxg5 25.Bxg5 Ng4 26.Rg2 Bc3 27.Qf4 Ne3 28.Bxe7 Nxg2 29.Qg5 Nf4 30.Kh1 Nxd5 31.Rxd5 f6 32.Qe3 Be5 33.Bxd6 Qb7 34.Qe4 Bxd6 35.Qe6+ Kh7 36.Qxd6 Rxc2 37.Qd7 Qxd7 38.Rxd7 Rxa2 39.Ra7 a5 40.Rb7 b4 41.h4 Ra3 42.Ra7 Rxb3 0-1

30.Kh1?, better is Qxf4

Round 2, July 24, 2016
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Svidler, Peter
B42 Sicilian, Kan, Polugaievsky Variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.Be3 Nf6 8.N1d2 d6 9.g4 h5 10.gxh5 Nxh5 11.Qe2 Bg5 12.Nc4 Nf4 13.Qg4 Rh4 14.Qg3 Rh3 15.Bxf4 Rxg3 16.hxg3 Bh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Rxh6 Ke7 19.O-O-O b5 20.Nca5 Qb6 21.f4 Nd7 22.Kb1 Bb7 23.f5 e5 24.f6+ Nxf6 25.Nxb7 Qxb7 26.Rf1 Nd7 27.g4 Rg8 28.Nc1 Rxg4 29.Ne2 Rg6 30.Rh3 b4 31.Ng3 Nc5 32.Bc4 Rf6 33.Rxf6 Kxf6 34.Rh6+ Kg5 35.Rh7 Nxe4 36.Rxf7 Qc6 37.Rg7+ Kf4 38.Ne2+ Ke3 39.Bd3 Nc5 40.Nc1 e4 41.Bf1 d5 42.Rg2 Qf6 43.Re2+ Kd4 44.Bg2 a5 45.Rd2+ Ke5 46.c3 bxc3 47.bxc3 Na4 48.Kc2 Qc6 49.Ne2 Qc4 0-1

Black’s king gets to the third rank. In the third game, below, Black’s king marches down the left side of the board and ends up on d2!

Round 3, July 24, 2016
Svidler, Peter – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange Variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 O-O 9.Qd2 e5 10.dxe5 Qxd2+ 11.Kxd2 Rd8+ 12.Kc2 Bd7 13.f4 Bc6 14.Nf3 Bxe4+ 15.Kb2 Nd7 16.Bc4 Nb6 17.Bb3 Nd5 18.Rhe1 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Nxe3 20.Rxe3 b5 21.Rd1 c4 22.Bc2 Bh6 23.Re4 Rxd1 24.Bxd1 Rd8 25.Kc2 Kf8 26.Be2 Ke7 27.Bf1 a6 28.a4 Rd7 29.h4 Rd8 30.axb5 axb5 31.Bh3 Rd3 32.Bg4 Kd8 33.h5 Kc7 34.hxg6 hxg6 35.e6 fxe6 36.Re5 Kb6 37.Rxe6+ Ka5 38.f5 Rd2+ 39.Kb1 Ka4 40.fxg6 Kb3 41.f4 Rg2 42.Bd1+ Kxc3 43.Re3+ Kd2 44.Rh3 Bxf4 45.Rh1 Rxg6 46.Bc2 Rg5 0-1

Round 4, July 24, 2016
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Svidler, Peter
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 Na5 9.Ba2 c5 10.Bg5 Nc6 11.b4 cxb4 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Bd5 Qc7 14.axb4 Rb8 15.Qd2 O-O 16.Qc3 Bb7 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Rxa6 Rfc8 19.Nbd2 d5 20.Rfa1 dxe4 21.dxe4 Be8 22.Qxc7 Rxc7 23.Nf1 Rc4 24.c3 Rxc3 25.Ne3 Bc6 26.Ng4 Be7 27.Ngxe5 Bxe4 28.Nd4 Rbc8 29.f3 Bd5 30.Nxb5 Re3 31.Nd6 Bxd6 32.Rxd6 Rxe5 33.f4 Re4 1/2-1/2

28.Nd4?, better is Bxb4

So MVL wins the rapids leg of the match 2.5-l.5

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 25th July, 2016, 03:14 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 25, 2016

Classic Match

Game One

It seems to be a period of friendly matches. There was Gelfand-Inarkiev and Ding Liren-Grischuk and now MVL-Svidler. We are not quite sure what “friendly” means – it is either unrated or perhaps, just leads to nothing else – like a qualifying stage or a championship.

Anyway, there were four rapid games yesterday and the result was a 2.5-1.5 score for Vachier-Lagrave. Peter confessed to having not played chess for a while and it showed.

At the same time at the Biel Festival, there are two more matches underway Bok (Netherlands) – Georgiadis (Switzerland) and Rambaldi (Italy) – Studer (Switzerland).

Danny King is doing the commentary and Yannick Pelletier came in to help in the analysis of the games. Peter and Maxime dropped down for a brief interview after their game which was a draw.

MVL-Peter Svidler Match
Biel 2016
Classical Game 1, July 25, 2016
Svidler, Peter – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 b5 7.c4 Rb8 8.cxb5 axb5 9.a3 Ne5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.Qe2 Ba6 12.b4 e6 13.Nc3 Nd7 14.Nxb5 Be7 15.Bc4 O-O 16.bxc5 Nxc5 17.a4 Qd7 18.Ba3 Rfc8 19.Reb1 Bd8 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 21.d3 g6 22.g3 Be7 23.Rd1 Bxb5 24.Bxb5 Qc7 25.Bc4 Qa5 26.Qc2 Rcc8 27.Kg2 Bc5 28.Rab1 Bd4 29.Rxb8 Rxb8 30.Bb5 Kg7 31.Qd2 Bc3 32.Qc2 Bd4 33.Qd2 Bc3 34.Qc2 1/2-1/2

The guys said after that there were two prior games of interest, both with 7…g5: Carlsen-Topalov, Sinquefield Cup, 2015 and Carlsen-Grischuk, London Chess Classic, 2015. Here Black deviated with 7..Rb8. Peter thought he got the better game but finally couldn’t see any way of making progress and let it go to a draw.

Kibitzers thought that result was too friendly and Peter should have played on for another few moves.

Chessbomb comments at the end:

- both heading for the bar

- booo, too friendly !

- He outplayed him in the opening and suddenly...

- "Let the one, who never drew with a friend, throw his rock first!"
______

In the 4-game classical segment, wins and draws count double towards cumulative score

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 26th July, 2016, 01:17 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 25, 2016

Classic Match

Game Two

Daniel King (b. 1963, Beckenham, England, GM 1989) is the commentator. He appears fluent in German and French from his pronunciation but a quick search of his education revealed nothing about his studies or degrees. In any case, he has a very clear presentation and in fifteen minutes or so had analyzed the game from start to near finish.

It is a Ruy, a Marshall and quite standard up until 19.Rxe4. Then Peter, instead of playing 19…Rae8, played f5. White played to retain the bishop pair. Both players agreed at the post mortem that Black could draw with precise play. Peter said that there were “pockets of unease” for Black. One assumes that two of these are the black pawns at a6 and c6. Black drifted in the endgame, which was black-square bishops and pawns and MVL won in 47 moves.

In the post mortem, Peter gave his thoughts and ideas but Maxime looked masterful and, I think, won the analysis. Score to him now in the Classical leg 1.5-0.5. Tomorrow is a rest day.

See:

https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-to...ler-2016/1/1/2

MVL-Peter Svidler Match
Biel 2016
Classical Game 2, July 26, 2016
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Svidler, Peter
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 Qf6 15.Nd2 Qg6 16.Bd1 Bxd3 17.Ne4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Qxe4 19.Rxe4 f5 20.Re2 Rfe8 21.Bd2 Bf4 22.Be1 Nb6 23.g3 Bc7 24.Rxe8+ Rxe8 25.Bf3 Re6 26.b3 Be5 27.Rd1 Kf7 28.Kf1 g6 29.Rc1 a5 30.c4 bxc4 31.Bxa5 cxb3 32.axb3 Nd5 33.Rxc6 Rxc6 34.Bxd5+ Re6 35.Bd2 Ke7 36.Bxe6 Kxe6 37.Ke2 Kd5 38.Kd3 h5 39.b4 Bd6 40.Kc3 h4 41.Be3 h3 42.b5 Ke4 43.b6 Kf3 44.b7 Bb8 45.Kd3 Kg2 46.Bf4 Ba7 47.g4 1-0

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 28th July, 2016, 03:50 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL vs Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 28, 2016

Classical Match

Game Three

This was a Najdorf Sicilian like in the first rapid game. Peter appeared to have a good game.
Danny King analyzed with Benjamin Bok, who had finished his game. In the audience, with a few comments, was Sam Shankland, who is playing in the Master Tournament.

Peter seemed to go wrong taking the bishop on d7 (move 31) and then there was the hunt of the White king by Black’s Q+N. Quite horrible to watch Peter getting mangled.

I believe that MVL has not lost a game since Norway 2015. He should be the favorite in the Sinquefield Cup, which starts next Friday.

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel
Classical, Game 3, July 28, 2016
Svidler Peter – Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Adams Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e6 7.g4 h6 8.Bg2 Be7 9.h4 Nc6 10.g5 hxg5 11.hxg5 Rxh1+ 12.Bxh1 Nh7 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.g6 fxg6 15.Qd3 e5 16.Qc4 Bd7 17.Bd2 Bg5 18.O-O-O Qf6 19.Na4 Rb8 20.Bxg5 Qxg5+ 21.Kb1 Nf6 22.a3 Qh4 23.Qd3 d5 24.Nc5 d4 25.Qxa6 Qxf2 26.Rf1 Qg3 27.Bf3 Qh3 28.Rh1 Qxf3 29.Rh8+ Ke7 30.Rxb8 Nxe4 31.Nxd7 Nd2+ 32.Ka2 Qd5+ 33.b3 Qh1 34.a4 Qb1+ 35.Ka3 Qa1+ 36.Kb4 Qc3+ 37.Ka3 Nb1+ 0-1

31.Nxd7? After 31.Nxe4 Black could force a draw: 31 ... Qh1 + 32.Ka2 Qxe4
________

Classical Score 2.5-0.5 in MVL’s favour with one game to go.
________

Peter recently had an interview with the Kazakhstan edition of Esquire Magazine.

http://esquire.kz/4162-pravila_jizni...ista?_utl_t=fb

Some excerpts:

The most important event in history for the growth of chess was the match in Reykjavik between Fischer and Spassky. I know a lot of people who told me that if it weren’t for that match they would never in their life have started to play the game. Those are people who’ve reached the top. They got into chess because of one event – the battle of a lone American against the Soviet machine.

Chess is my life’s work. I’m supported by my family, but what does that support mean? It’s more a question of understanding. My wife and I have already been together for 15 years. We don’t always go to tournaments together - after all we have two children - but we sometimes manage.

I don’t think I’m the worst husband and father. I’m happy that my sons don’t play chess. It would be tough for my children to play chess in St. Petersburg – they wouldn’t be anonymous kids and there would be serious pressure. Of course I showed them the pieces, familiarised them with the game and watched for their reaction. Neither one nor the other showed any great interest in the process. I didn’t insist. Chess isn’t the only way to help a child’s all-round development. They’re 14 years old and I’m happy with how they’re growing up. At the age of 14 myself, I was a dull, quiet boy who read books in the corner.

I still read a great deal and omnivorously. More in English than in Russian. Soviet schooling takes away a love of the Russian classics, so it would do no harm to go through that program again from an adult perspective. As for modern Russian literature – I haven’t liked much that I’ve read. Therefore I read reams of foreign literature. On the plane I finished the final part of Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake trilogy.

I’m not planning to get involved in any way in the political life of my city or country, though I do hold positions on various questions. I’m not in favour of making declarations, though, because I only feel comfortable speaking about those matters where I understand something. There aren’t many such areas in life. I have an opinion but, realising its significance, I keep it to myself.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 29th July, 2016, 01:53 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL vs Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 29, 2016

Classical Match

Game Four

One gets the impression that Peter just wants to liquidate to a draw, whereas Maxime wants to win this final game.

In the postmortem, Svidler used the expression “commits honorable sudoku”. Danny King was completely taken aback and asks Peter to explain before they went any further.

The actual term for honorable suicide is seppuku. It is a meme/joke to replace it with sudoku or other Japanese words/names, automobile brands being a popular choice as well. It is a streaming/chat room–type thing.

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel, 2016
Game 4, July 29, 2016
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime – Svidler, Peter
C92 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Re8 10.d4 Bb7 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 14.N3h2 Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 Qc7 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.hxg4 Be7 22.Bb3 Bg5 23.Qf3 Qb7 24.Rad1 Red8 25.c4 bxc4 26.Bxc4 g6 27.a3 Rd7 28.Qd3 Kg7 29.Nh2 d5 30.exd5 Rad8 31.Nf3 Bxd5 32.Bxd5 Rxd5 33.Qe4 Bf6 34.g5 Be7 35.g3 Qb5 36.Rxd5 Rxd5 37.Kg2 Bd6 38.a4 Qd3 39.Qxd3 Rxd3 40.Nxe5 Rb3 1/2-1/2
________

Tomorrow, there is a blitz tournament among the six match players.

It is an open secret that Vladimir Kramnik has bowed out of Sinquefield Cup 2016
to get treatment for chronic back trouble.

The organizers asked Peter to take his place. The one problem – no visa. With some action on the American side, Peter was issued a visa in Switzerland the next day in the morning and is flying to St. Louis with Maxime for the tournament.

August 4 in St. Louis is autograph day and the first round is on August 5.

Peter is always a colorful and interesting participant. Good luck to him in St. Louis. Maxime doesn’t need good luck – he is in top form.

Also see post # 3 at:

http://forum.chesstalk.com/showthrea...109#post106109

________

Score at the end of the two matches: MVL 5.5
Svidler 2.5

**Jack Maguire** · Friday, 29th July, 2016, 02:41 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

Assuming the four classical games get rated for FIDE's August 1 list, MVL will have a solid 11 (10.5 before rounding) point lead over Kramnik for #2 status.

http://www.2700chess.com/

MVL has also passed both Kramnik and Nakamura in highest career rating, who now rank # 7, 9, and 8 respectively. Coincidentally, MVL and Nakamura have near tantamount dismal records against number one, Carlsen. MVL is +1, -6, =9, or 34.4%, while Nakamura is only a smidgin worse, +1, -12, =19, or 32.8%.

**Wayne Komer** · Saturday, 30th July, 2016, 10:13 PM

Re: MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

July 30, 2016

There was an exhibition blitz tournament all-play-all today among the six match players. The rate was 3 min + 2 sec/move. The final standings:

1. Svidler, Peter 3.5
2. MVL 3.5
3. Rambaldi, Francesco 2.5
4. Bok, Benjamin 2.5
5. Studer, Noel 2.0
6. Georgiadis Nico 1.0

Then, there was a two-game playoff which MVL won 2-0 against Peter Svidler

The playoff games:

Exhibition Blitz Final, Biel 2016
Game 1 July 30, 2016
Vachier-Lagrave Maxime – Svidler, Peter
A87 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.g3 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Na3 Bg7 5.Nxc4 Nc6 6.d3 e5 7.Be3 Nge7 8.Bg2 O-O 9.h4 Nf5 10.Bc5 Re8 11.h5 Be6 12.Rc1 g5 13.e3 h6 14.Qe2 Qd7 15.O-O Rad8 16.Rfd1 b6 17.Ba3 b5 18.Ncd2 b4 19.Nxg5 Ncd4 20.exd4 Nxd4 21.Qe3 bxa3 22.Nxe6 axb2 23.Nxd8 bxc1=Q 24.Rxc1 Rxd8 25.Nf3 Nf5 26.Qxa7 Qxd3 27.Qxc7 e4 28.Ne5 Bxe5 29.Qxe5 e3 30.fxe3 Nxe3 31.Bf3 Nf5 32.Rf1 Nd4 33.Be4 Qc4 34.Qf6 Re8 35.Bg2 Re2 36.Qxh6 Qc5 37.Kh1 Rxa2 38.Be4 Nf5 1-0

Game 2, July 30, 2016
Svidler, Peter - Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
A30 English, Symmetrical

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.b3 e5 4.Bb2 e4 5.Ng1 Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.g3 O-O 8.Bg2 Re8 9.Nh3 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nxe4 Bf5 12.Nc3 Bf6 13.O-O Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Bxc3 15.dxc3 Qf6 16.Nf4 Qxc3 17.Rc1 Qe5 18.e4 Rad8 19.Nd3 Qf6 20.exf5 Nb4 21.Rxc5 b6 22.Rc7 Nxd3 23.Qf3 a5 24.h4 h6 25.Qc6 Qxf5 26.Qxb6 Ne5 27.Rc3 Rd2 28.a4 Nd3 29.Qb5 Re5 30.Qb8+ Kh7 31.Qa7 Ree2 0-1

Here they appeared to lose the connection and since Peter was posting a loss, Danny and Yannick assumed that he had either lost on time or resigned.

Chessbomb shows he still had six seconds left and that the position is a draw in spite of the heavy black artillery aimed at f2.

(31...Ree2 32.Rc7 Ne5 33.Rc3 h5 34.Qc5 g6 35.Qa7 Kg7 36.Qb6 Nd3 37.Qd4+ Ne5 38.Qb6)

Off to St. Louis for the guys.

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

MVL-Svidler Match, Biel 2016

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