Paris Leuven GCT 2017

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 24, 2017

Rounds B5, B6 and B7

Magnus lost on time to Sasha. The players were going so fast that the clock and computer could not keep up.

After that Magnus seems to have lost some confidence. The good news in Round B5 is that Caruana is starting to play like himself. The bad news is that Wesley So is not playing well at all.

Round B5, June 24, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Grischuk, Alexander
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.O-O Bf5 5.c4 e6 6.d3 dxc4 7.dxc4 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Bc2 9.Rf1 Nbd7 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 a5 12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 a4 14.Rac1 Be4 15.Rfd1 Ke7 16.Bf1 c5 17.Ne1 Bc6 18.f3 Rhd8 19.Nd3 b6 20.Kf2 Ne8 21.e4 Bb7 22.Ke3 Ba6 23.h4 Rac8 24.Nf4 f6 25.Rd2 Nd6 26.Nh5 Ne8 27.Rcd1 Ne5 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rxd8 Kxd8 30.Bxe5 fxe5 31.g4 Ke7 32.Kd2 g6 33.Ng3 Nd6 34.Kc3 Nb7 35.Bd3 Na5 36.Nf1 Bc8 37.Nd2 Bd7 38.Bc2 h6 39.g5 hxg5 40.hxg5 Nb7 41.Nf1 Nd6 42.Ne3 Nf7 43.Ng4 Bc6 44.Kd2 Kd6 45.Ke3 Nxg5 46.Nf2 Nh7 47.Nd1 Nf6 48.Nc3 Nh5 49.Bxa4 Bb7 50.Bd1 Nf4 51.Be2 Ng2+ 52.Kf2 Nf4 53.Bf1 Bc6 54.b4 cxb4 55.axb4 Be8 56.Ke3 g5 57.b5 Kc7 58.Na4 Bh5 59.Be2 Ng2+ 60.Kf2 Nf4 61.Bf1 g4 62.fxg4 Bxg4 63.Ke3 Bd1 64.Nb2 Bc2 65.Bd3 Bb3 66.Kd2 Kd6 67.Kc3 Ba2 68.Nd1 Kc5 69.Nf2 Kd6 70.Kb4 Kc7 71.Bf1 Kd6 72.Nd1 Bb1 73.Nf2 Kc7 74.c5 bxc5+ 75.Kxc5 Bc2 76.b6+ Kb7 77.Bb5 Bb1 78.Bc6+ Ka6 79.b7 Ka7 80.Kd6 Kb8 81.Kxe5 Ne2 82.Kxe6 Kc7 83.Bd5 Nc3 84.Ke5 Nxd5 85.exd5 Kxb7 86.d6 0-1

Round B5, June 24, 2017
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 Bd6 5.Bb2 O-O 6.Nc3 b6 7.Qc2 c6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.cxd5 exd5 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Rac1 Re8 12.Rfd1 Nc5 13.d3 Rc8 14.b4 Ne6 15.Qb3 Qe7 16.a3 c5 17.bxc5 bxc5 18.Nb5 Bb8 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rb1 Bc6 21.d4 c4 22.Qc2 Nf4 23.Bf1 Ng6 24.a4 Qd7 25.Nc3 h5 26.g3 h4 27.Bg2 hxg3 28.hxg3 Kg7 29.Nd2 Qg4 30.Nf1 Qg5 31.e4 dxe4 32.d5 Bd7 33.Nxe4 Qe5 34.Ne3 f5 35.Rxb8 Qxb8 36.Ng5 Qb3 37.Qd2 c3 38.Qd4+ f6 39.Ne6+ Bxe6 40.dxe6 Qxe6 41.Bh3 Ne7 42.Re1 Kg8 43.Kh2 Qe5 44.Qd7 Red8 45.Qxa7 Rc7 46.Qb6 Qc5 47.Qe6+ Kg7 48.Bxf5 Qe5 49.Qb6 Rh8+ 50.Kg1 Qc5 51.Qb1 Nd5 52.Qe4 Nxe3 53.Rxe3 c2 54.Qg4+ Kf8 55.Bxc2 Qxc2 56.Qb4+ Kf7 57.Kg2 Qc6+ 58.Rf3 Rh2+ 59.Kxh2 Qxf3 0-1

Round B5, June 24, 2017
Nakamura, Hikaru – Bacrot, Etienne
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.c4 c6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 O-O 7.Nbd2 Re8 8.Qc2 e5 9.e4 Na6 10.a3 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.dxe4 Nc5 13.Rd1 Qc7 14.b4 Ne6 15.c5 b6 16.Be3 bxc5 17.bxc5 Ba6 18.Bh3 Rad8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Bxe6 Rxe6 21.Rd1 Qc7 22.Qd2 Re8 23.Qd7 Qb8 24.Kg2 h6 25.h4 Qc8 26.Qxa7 Bc4 27.h5 Qg4 28.Qd7 Qxd7 29.Rxd7 Ra8 30.hxg6 fxg6 31.Nh4 Kh7 32.Rd6 Rxa3 33.Nxg6 Bd3 34.Kf3 Bc2 35.g4 Ra4 36.Nh4 Bxe4+ 37.Kg3 Bf8 38.Rd7+ Kg8 39.f3 Bd5 40.Rd8 Kf7 41.Nf5 Ra3 42.Rd7+ Ke8 43.Rb7 e4 44.fxe4 Bxe4 45.Kf4 Ra4 46.Ke5 Bd5 47.Kf6 Ra8 48.Bf4 Rd8 49.Bd6 Bxd6 50.cxd6 Rd7 51.Ng7+ 1-0

Round B6, June 24, 2017
Bacrot, Etienne – So, Wesley
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 b5 7.c4 Ne5 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.Bf1 b4 10.d3 e6 11.Nd2 Bd6 12.a3 Nd7 13.Nb3 a5 14.axb4 cxb4 15.d4 exd4 16.Nxd4 Qb6 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Nb3 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 a4 20.c5 Qc6 21.Nd4 Qxc5 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Nc6 Nb8 24.Qd6 Nxc6 25.Rxc6 Qd8 26.Qxb4 Qe7 27.Qxe7+ Kxe7 28.Rc7+ Kd6 29.Rxf7 Rb8 30.Ra3 Rb4 31.Rxg7 Rxe4 32.Ra7 Rb4 33.Ra2 Bd7 34.b3 axb3 35.Rd2+ Ke5 36.Raxd7 b2 37.Bd3 Rc8 38.Rd1 Rc1 39.Bb1 Rbc4 40.Kf1 Ra4 41.Re1+ Kf6 42.Rdd1 1-0

Round B6, June 24, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus Karjakin, Sergei
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Nb5 Na6 7.c3 O-O 8.a4 Bd7 9.Ne5 Be8 10.Bd3 Nb8 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.O-O Nc6 13.Qf3 a6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Nd4 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Qg3 Qxg3 18.hxg3 Rfc8 19.a5 Ne8 20.e4 Nd6 21.e5 Nc4 22.Bxc4 dxc4 23.g4 Be4 24.Rfe1 Bd3 25.Ra4 Rc7 26.f4 Rd8 27.Kf2 Rd5 28.Ke3 g5 29.g3 h6 30.b4 Rc8 31.Rh1 Kg7 32.Ra2 Rh8 33.Rd2 Rh7 34.Nf3 Rh8 35.Rhh2 Rhd8 36.Nd4 Rh8 37.Rh1 Rh7 38.Nf3 Rh8 39.Rhd1 Rhd8 40.Ne1 Be4 41.Rxd5 Bxd5 42.Nf3 Rh8 43.f5 h5 44.Nxg5 hxg4 45.Kf4 Rh2 46.fxe6 fxe6 47.Ne4 Kg6 48.Rd2 Rh1 49.Nf6 Rf1+ 50.Ke3 Rf3+ 51.Kd4 Rxg3 52.Nxd5 exd5 53.Kc5 Rxc3 54.Re2 Rf3 55.e6 Rf8 56.e7 Re8 57.Kxd5 c3 58.Kd6 g3 59.Re3 g2 60.Rg3+ Kf7 61.Rf3+ Kg6 62.Rg3+ Kf7 63.Rf3+ Kg6 1/2-1/2

Round B7, June 24, 2017
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.O-O d6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 O-O 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Nf1 Ne7 14.Ng3 Ng6 15.d4 Qd7 16.d5 Ree8 17.a5 c6 18.c4 cxd5 19.cxd5 Rac8 20.Qd3 Rc7 21.Bd2 Rec8 22.Nf5 Rc4 23.Rac1 Rxe4 24.Rxc8+ Qxc8 25.Nxd6 Rxe1+ 26.Nxe1 Qd7 27.Ne4 Nxd5 28.Bxh6 Bd4 29.Qc4 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.Bd2 f5 32.Nd6 Nge7 33.Nf3 Ba1 34.Nb7 e4 35.Ng5 Nc7 36.Nc5 Bd4 37.Nge6 Nxe6 38.Nxe6 Ba7 39.Nc7 Nd5 40.Nxa6 Kf7 41.Nc5 Bxc5 42.bxc5 Nc7 43.h4 Na6 44.Be3 g6 45.g4 fxg4 46.Kg2 Ke6 47.Kg3 Kf5 48.Bd4 Nb4 49.Kg2 Na6 50.Be3 Ke5 51.Kh2 Ke6 52.Kg3 Kf5 53.Bd4 Nb4 54.Bb2 Na6 55.Ba3 Nc7 56.Kg2 Na6 57.Kf1 Ke5 58.Ke2 Kd4 59.Bb2+ Kxc5 60.Ke3 Kd5 61.Kf4 Nc5 62.Kxg4 Kc4 63.Ba3 Kb5 64.Bxc5 Kxc5 65.Kf4 Kb5 66.Kxe4 Kxa5 67.f4 c5 68.h5 gxh5 69.f5 h4 70.f6 h3 71.Kf3 1-0

Round B7, June 24, 2017
Nakamura, Hikaru – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
A16 English

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qh4 Nxc3 7.Qd4 f6 8.Qxc3 e5 9.e4 Nc6 10.a3 Bd6 11.Bc4 Qe7 12.h3 O-O-O 13.d3 Kb8 14.Be3 g5 15.b4 Qg7 16.b5 Ne7 17.a4 f5 18.a5 g4 19.hxg4 f4 20.Bxf4 Qxg4 21.Bg3 Ng6 22.b6 Nf4 23.Kf1 cxb6 24.axb6 axb6 25.Rh4 Qg6 26.Nxe5 1-0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 24, 2017

Rounds B8 and B9

A very nice ending in Carlsen-Nakamura with rook vs knight. Again the action was so fast that it was hard to keep up on the computer board – the video camera trained on the board was better.

In the last round for today Caruana beat Mamedyarov, Nakamura beat Karjakin and Carlsen took down Wesley So.
Nine more rounds tomorrow to finish off the Paris leg of the tournament. Remember starting time is 6:00 a.m.

Round B8, June 24, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Nakamura, Hikaru
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 O-O 8.h3 Ba7 9.Re1 Ne7 10.d4 Ng6 11.Bb3 Bd7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nbd2 Bc6 14.a5 h6 15.Ra3 Qc8 16.b4 Bd7 17.Nf1 b6 18.Ng3 bxa5 19.bxa5 Rb8 20.Be3 Qb7 21.Rb3 Qa8 22.Rxb8 Qxb8 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Bxa7 Qxa7 25.Nh5 Nxh5 26.Qxd7 Nf6 27.Qc6 Re6 28.Qc4 Ne8 29.g3 Nd6 30.Qd3 Kh7 31.Kg2 Qc5 32.Bb3 Rf6 33.h4 Qxa5 34.Nh2 Qb6 35.Qc2 Rxf2+ 36.Qxf2 Qxb3 37.Nf3 Qxc3 38.Qe3 Qxe3 39.Rxe3 h5 40.Nd2 Nf8 41.Ra3 Ne6 42.Rxa6 f6 43.Kf3 Nd4+ 44.Kf2 Kg6 45.Ra8 Ne6 46.Ke3 Nd4 47.Ra2 Kf7 48.Kd3 Ne6 49.Rc2 Ke7 50.Nf1 Nb7 51.Ra2 g6 52.Ra8 Nd6 53.Ra5 Nb7 54.Ra8 Nd6 55.Ra5 Nb7 56.Ra8 Nec5+ 57.Ke3 Nd6 58.Nd2 f5 59.exf5 Nxf5+ 60.Kf3 Nd4+ 61.Ke3 Nf5+ 62.Kf3 Nd4+ 63.Kf2 Nf5 64.Rg8 e4 65.Nc4 Nd3+ 66.Ke2 Nxg3+ 67.Ke3 Kf6 68.Rc8 Nc5 69.Rxc7 Nf5+ 70.Kf2 Nd3+ 71.Ke2 Nf4+ 72.Kf2 Nd3+ 73.Ke2 Nf4+ 74.Kf2 Nxh4 75.Rc6+ Kg5 76.Nd6 e3+ 77.Kxe3 Nf5+ 78.Nxf5 Kxf5 79.Kf3 g5 80.Rc5+ Kf6 81.Ke4 h4 82.Rc6+ Kf7 83.Kf5 h3 84.Kxg5 Ne2 85.Rh6 Ng1 86.Kg4 Kg7 87.Rh4 Kg6 88.Kg3 Ne2+ 89.Kf3 Nc3 90.Rxh3 Nd5 91.Ke4 Nf6+ 92.Ke5 Ng4+ 93.Kf4 Nf6 94.Rd3 Kf7 95.Ke5 Ke7 96.Rb3 Nd7+ 97.Kd5 Nf6+ 98.Kc6 Ke6 99.Rf3 Ke5 100.Rf1 Ke6 101.Re1+ Kf5 102.Kd6 Ne4+ 103.Kd5 Nf6+ 104.Kd4 Ng4 105.Rf1+ Ke6 106.Rg1 Kf5 107.Ra1 Ke6 108.Ra5 Nf6 109.Ra6+ Kf5 110.Rxf6+ Kxf6 1/2-1/2

Round B8, June 24, 2017
Topalov, Veselin – Caruana, Fabiano
A20 English, Kingside Fianchetto

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Qb6 6.Nb3 a5 7.d3 a4 8.N3d2 d5 9.dxe4 dxe4 10.e3 Bg4 11.Qc2 Nbd7 12.Nc3 Bb4 13.Ndxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4+ Be6 15.O-O O-O 16.Qh4 Ne5 17.Nd5 cxd5 18.cxd5 Bg4 19.f4 Be2 20.fxe5 Bxf1 21.Bxf1 Qc5 22.Qd4 Rfd8 23.d6 Qa5 24.Kg2 Rac8 25.Bd3 g6 26.Be4 Rd7 27.Bd3 Re8 28.a3 Be1 29.b4 axb3 30.Bb2 Qd2+ 31.Kh3 Re6 32.Bb5 Rd8 33.Rd1 Qf2 34.Qf4 Qxb2 35.Bc4 Qxe5 0-1

Round B9, June 24, 2017
Caruana, Fabiano – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.Nc3 d6 8.Nd5 h6 9.c3 O-O 10.O-O Rb8 11.Nxf6+ Qxf6 12.h3 Ne7 13.d4 Bb6 14.Be3 Ng6 15.a4 Nf4 16.a5 exd4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 18.axb6 Rxb6 19.Qxd4 Bxh3 20.e5 Qxd4 21.cxd4 Bg4 22.Rfc1 Rc8 23.exd6 Bxf3 24.gxf3 Rxd6 25.d5 c5 26.dxc6 Rcxc6 27.Rxc6 Rxc6 28.Rd1 g6 29.Rd7 Rf6 30.Bd5 Rf5 31.Be4 Rg5+ 32.Kf1 a5 33.Ke2 Kf8 34.Ke3 h5 35.f4 Rc5 36.Bd5 Ke8 37.Kd4 Rc2 38.Rb7 Rxf2 39.Ke5 Rxb2 40.Rxf7 a4 41.Kd6 Re2 42.Rg7 Kd8 43.Rxg6 a3 44.f5 Re8 45.f6 1-0

Round B9, June 24, 2017
So, Wesley – Carlsen, Magnus
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 O-O 5.Qc2 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 c5 9.dxc5 Nbd7 10.e3 Qa5 11.Bd3 Ne4 12.O-O Bxc3 13.bxc3 Ndxc5 14.Nd4 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 Re8 16.Rfc1 Bd7 17.c4 dxc4 18.Rxc4 Qd5 19.Rcc1 Rac8 20.Qa3 a6 21.f3 Nd6 22.Bf2 Nc4 23.Qd3 b5 24.e4 Qd6 25.Qb3 Qg6 26.Rd1 Nb6 27.Ne2 Be6 28.Qb4 Na4 29.a3 Rc2 30.Rd2 Rec8 31.Rad1 Kh7 32.h4 Qf6 33.Qd6 Qb2 34.Rxc2 Qxc2 35.Nf4 Nb2 36.Re1 Qc6 37.Qd4 Nc4 38.Rd1 f6 39.h5 Bf7 40.Qd7 Qc7 41.Qf5+ Kg8 42.Rd7 Qe5 43.Qg4 Qa1+ 44.Kh2 Ne5 45.Qf5 Nxd7 46.Qxd7 Re8 47.Nd5 Qe5+ 48.Bg3 Qxh5+ 0-1

Standing after Round Nine

1 Carlsen 20
2 Nakamura 19
3 Grischuk 17.5
4 MVL 17
5 Mamedyarov 14
6 Karjakin 13.5
7 So 10.5
8 Caruana 9
9 Topalov 8.5
10 Bacrot 6

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 25, 2017

Blitz Tournament
Rounds B10 and B11

The results so far this morning:

Round B10
Caruana-Carlsen 1-0
Bacrot-Mamedyarov 0-1
Grischuk-Topalov 1-0
So-Karjakin 0-1
Nakamura-MVL 0-1

Round B11
Nakamura-Grischuk 0.5-0.5
Karjakin-Caruana 0-1
Carlsen-Bacrot 1-0
Mamedyarov-Topalov 1-0
MVL-So 1-0

Standings after Round B11

1 Carlsen 21
2 Nakamura 19.5
3-4 MVL, Grischuk 19
5 Mamedyarov 16
6 Karjakin 14.5
7 Caruana 11
8 So 10.5
9 Topalov 8.5
10 Bacrot 6

A Selection of games:

Round B10, June 25, 2017
Caruana, Fabiano – Carlsen, Magnus
A0 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Bg4 4.O-O e6 5.d3 Be7 6.h3 Bh5 7.Nbd2 c5 8.e4 Nc6 9.Re1 dxe4 10.dxe4 O-O 11.e5 Nd7 12.g4 Bg6 13.Nc4 Nb4 14.Ne3 Nb6 15.Qe2 N6d5 16.Rd1 Qc7 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.a3 c4 19.Nd4 Rfd8 20.Kh1 c3 21.b4 Qb6 22.Nb3 Rd7 23.f4 Rad8 24.Rf1 h6 25.f5 Bh7 26.Na5 Qc7 27.Nc4 b5 28.Na5 a6 29.Nb3 Nb6 30.Bf4 Nc4 31.Bg3 Bg5 32.Rf3 Rd2 33.Nxd2 cxd2 34.h4 Ne3 35.hxg5 d1=Q+ 36.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 37.Kh2 Nxg4+ 38.Kh3 Rd4 39.g6 fxg6 40.fxe6 g5 41.Rf7 Qc8 42.Qf3 Bg6 43.Re7 Nxe5 44.Qf2 Qd8 45.Rxg7+ Kxg7 46.Bxe5+ Kg8 47.Bxd4 Qd6 48.Qf6 g4+ 49.Kxg4 1-0

Round B10, June 25, 2017
Grischuk, Alexander – Topalov, Veselin
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 O-O 9.O-O Nc6 10.Bg5 Be6 11.Bb3 Nd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Qe2 Nc5 15.Rfd1 h6 16.Qe3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Ne7 18.Nb6 Rb8 19.Nxe5 Qc7 20.Nec4 Rbd8 21.Qg3 Bxc4 22.Nxc4 Qc6 23.h3 d5 24.exd5 Nxd5 25.Qf3 Rfe8 26.Na5 Qf6 27.Nxb7 Qxf3 28.gxf3 Rb8 29.Rxd5 Rxb7 30.Rxa6 Re2 31.Rc6 Rbe7 32.Kg2 Re1 33.h4 Rb1 34.h5 Rxb2 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Rdd8 g5 37.Rh8+ Kg7 38.Rcg8+ Kf6 39.Rxh6+ Kf5 40.Rc6 Rb1 41.Rc5+ Kf6 42.Rgxg5 1-0

Round B10, June 25, 2017
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
E60 King’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.Be2 c5 6.d5 e6 7.O-O d6 8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5 Na6 10.Nd2 Re8 11.e4 Rb8 12.Re1 Bd7 13.h3 Nc7 14.a4 a6 15.a5 Nb5 16.Bf1 Nh5 17.g4 Nf6 18.Bg2 h5 19.Nxb5 Bxb5 20.Ra3 hxg4 21.hxg4 Nd7 22.Ree3 c4 23.b3 cxb3 24.Rexb3 Rc8 25.Bb2 Bxb2 26.Rxb2 Qf6 27.Rbb3 Kg7 28.Rg3 Ne5 29.Nf3 Qf4 30.Ra1 Qxe4 31.Nd4 Qf4 32.Nxb5 axb5 33.Qb3 Nxg4 34.Rf1 b4 35.Qb2+ Rc3 36.Rd1 Re5 37.Qd2 Qxd2 38.Rxd2 Rxg3 39.fxg3 Re1+ 40.Bf1 Ne3 41.Kf2 Nxf1 42.Rb2 Ra1 43.g4 b3 44.g5 Ra2 0-1

Round B11, June 25, 2017
Karjakin, Sergei – Caruana, Fabiano
C07 French, Tarrasch, open variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.O-O Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 a6 11.Re1 Qc7 12.Bf1 Bd6 13.Nf5 Bxh2+ 14.Kh1 Kf8 15.Qd4 exf5 16.Qxf6 h6 17.Qd4 Bd6 18.Bd2 Be6 19.Bc3 Rh7 20.Rad1 Be7 21.Qe3 h5 22.Qf3 Rc8 23.Bd3 Qc6 24.Qxc6 Rxc6 25.Bxf5 Rh6 26.Be4 Rc7 27.Be5 Rc5 28.Bd4 Rc7 29.Be3 Rf6 30.Bd4 Rh6 31.b3 b5 32.Be5 Rc8 33.f3 h4 34.Re2 Rh5 35.Bd4 b4 36.Bb7 Rd8 37.Bxa6 Rhd5 38.Red2 Bg5 39.Bc5+ Rxc5 40.Rxd8+ Bxd8 41.Rxd8+ Ke7 42.Rd2 Ra5 43.Bd3 Rxa2 44.Re2 Kd6 45.Re4 Kc5 46.Rxh4 Ra1+ 47.Kh2 Rd1 48.Be4 0-1

Round B11, June 25, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Bacrot, Etienne
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.Bb3 O-O 8.h3 h6 9.Re1 Re8 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Nf1 Bxb3 12.Qxb3 Qd7 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxe3 Ne7 15.Nh2 Ng6 16.Nhg4 Nh7 17.Qd1 Nf4 18.h4 d5 19.g3 dxe4 20.dxe4 Qxd1 21.Raxd1 Ne6 22.Nd5 f6 23.h5 Rad8 24.Kg2 Kf7 25.Nge3 Nhf8 26.Nf5 Rd7 27.Nde3 Red8 28.Rxd7+ Rxd7 29.Rd1 Rxd1 30.Nxd1 Nc5 31.f3 a5 32.Kf1 Nfe6 33.Ke2 Ke8 34.Nde3 Kd7 35.b4 Na4 36.Kd3 axb4 37.cxb4 b5 38.Nd5 Nb2+ 39.Kc3 Na4+ 40.Kd2 c6 41.Nde3 Nb6 42.Kd3 Na4 43.Nd1 Kc7 44.Ke3 Nb6 45.Nb2 Kd7 46.Nd3 Nc4+ 47.Ke2 Ke8 48.Nc5 Nxc5 49.bxc5 Kf7 50.Kd3 Nb2+ 51.Kc3 Na4+ 52.Kb4 Kf8 53.Nd6 Ke7 54.Nc8+ Kd8 55.Nd6 Ke7 56.a3 Ke6 57.Nf5 Kf7 58.f4 Kf8 59.Nh4 Kf7 60.Ng2 g6 61.hxg6+ Kxg6 62.Nh4+ Kf7 63.fxe5 fxe5 64.Nf3 Kf6 65.g4 Ke6 66.Ne1 Kf6 67.Nd3 Ke6 68.Ka5 Nc3 69.Kb6 Nxe4 70.Kxc6 Nc3 71.Kb7 e4 72.Nf4+ Ke5 73.c6 e3 74.c7 Ne4 75.Ne2 Nd6+ 76.Kc6 Ke6 77.Nd4+ Ke5 78.Nxb5 Nc8 79.Nc3 Kd4 80.Ne2+ Kd3 81.Ng3 Kd4 82.Nf5+ Ke4 83.a4 Kf4 84.Nxe3 Kxe3 85.a5 Kf4 86.Kb7 Nd6+ 87.Kb8 Kxg4 88.a6 1-0

Round B11, June 25, 2017
MVL – So, Wesley
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.Bg5 Be7 7.Nbd2 d6 8.Bb3 h6 9.Bh4 Nh5 10.Bg3 Na5 11.Bc2 f5 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.d4 Bxc2 14.Qxc2 exd4 15.cxd4 Kh8 16.O-O Qd7 17.d5 c5 18.Rae1 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Rae8 20.Re6 Nc6 21.Qa4 Rd8 22.Qe4 Ne5 23.Rxe5 dxe5 24.Nxe5 Qd6 25.Ndc4 1-0

Caruana is hot. Nakamura hasn’t warmed up yet. Carlsen is still ahead of his rivals.

Really, everything has been put together to make this tournament memorable. The spectators are sitting on the edge of their seats, not sure what will come next. I say this even though there is no audience in the French television studios where the tournament is being played.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 25, 2017

Rounds B12 and B13

Round B12
Topalov-Carlsen 0-1
Bacrot-Karjakin 1-0
Grischuk-Mamedyarov 0-1
Caruana-MVL 0.5-0.5
So-Nakamura 1-0

Round B13
MVL-Bacrot 1-0
So-Grischuk 1-0
Carlsen-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
Karjakin-Topalov 0.5-0.5
Nakamura-Caruana 0.5-0.5

Standings at the end of Round B13

1 Carlsen 22.5
2 MVL 20.5
3 Nakamura 20
4 Grischuk 19
5 Mamedyarov 17.5
6 Karjakin 15
7 So 12.5
8 Caruana 12
9 Topalov 9
10 Bacrot 7

In the chat room they are talking about various chess commentators:

- IM Houska is so much better than Shahade. She contributes so much to the broadcast
- Jovanka Houska, great discovery
- Yasser is so velvety and educational
- Jan and Peter are way better
- Miro is boring. Plus, his accent is hard to understand
- Leko is the best
- Yes, more Leko please
- How can we forget GM Cuenca? Ratatatatatata
- Khalifman is a great commentator
- Dmitry Komarov is the best. He even gives you the weather report for free- Both recruits are doing a real good job; Jovanka and Christian are a nice addition
- Susan Polgar would be better if she spent less time explaining how castling works

Round B12, June 25, 2017
Topalov, Veselin – Carlsen, Magnus
D45 QGD, Semi-Slav, Accelerated Meran

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nc3 e6 6.b3 Bb4 7.Bd2 Nbd7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Qc2 Qe7 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.f4 f5 13.g3 Rd8 14.h3 Nxe3 15.Bxe3 d4 16.Bd2 dxc3 17.Bxc3 Bxc3+ 18.Qxc3 c5 19.O-O-O b6 20.g4 Bb7 21.Rhg1 Qh4 22.Bc2 Rxd1+ 23.Bxd1 Qf2 24.Qg3 Qxa2 25.Qc3 Qf2 26.Qg3 Qd4 27.gxf5 Qa1+ 28.Kd2 Rd8+ 29.Ke2 Qb2+ 0-1

Round B12, June 25, 2017
Grischuk, Alexander – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Bb6 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.O-O Be6 12.Re1 Kh7 13.Bc2 Ne7 14.d4 Ng6 15.Bg3 Re8 16.Nf1 Nh5 17.Ne3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 c5 19.Nf5 cxd4 20.cxd4 exd4 21.Bb3 d5 22.N3xd4 Qf6 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Ne3 Rf8 25.Qe2 d4 26.Ng4 Qg5 27.Rad1 h5 28.Nh2 d3 29.Nf3 Qxg3 30.Qxd3 Bxf2+ 31.Kh1 Nh4 32.e5+ Kh8 33.Rg1 Nxf3 0-1

Round B12, June 25, 2017
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
A13 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8.O-O O-O 9.d4 Bg4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nc3 a6 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Rc1 Bd6 15.Ne2 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Rc8 17.Qd3 Nd7 18.f4 Re8 19.Ng3 Bf8 20.Qxa6 Nc5 21.Qe2 Ra8 22.Ba1 Qd7 23.Kh2 Ne6 24.Qg4 Rxa2 25.Nh5 Kh8 26.Nf6 Qd8 27.Qf5 g6 28.Nxe8+ Rxa1 29.Qxf7 1-0

Round B13, June 25, 2017
So, Wesley – Grischuk, Alexander
E99 King’s Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, main line

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.f3 f5 11.Be3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.c5 Nxc5 15.b4 Na6 16.Nb5 Bd7 17.a4 h5 18.Nd3 Rf7 19.Rc4 Bf8 20.Kh1 Rg7 21.Rg1 Nh8 22.g3 fxg3 23.Rxg3 Nf7 24.Qc1 g4 25.fxg4 hxg4 26.Nxc7 Nxc7 27.Rxc7 Rc8 28.Rxc8 Bxc8 29.Bxa7 Bd7 30.Be3 Qh4 31.Nf2 Kh8 32.Qg1 Bxa4 33.Bxg4 Kg8 34.Be6 Bb5 35.Rxg7+ Bxg7 36.Qg6 Qf6 37.Qxf6 Bxf6 38.Ng4 Kg7 39.Kg2 Ng5 40.Bf5 Be2 41.Kg3 Bd8 42.h4 Nf3 43.Bh6+ Kf7 44.h5 Bh4+ 45.Kg2 Ng5 46.Bg6+ Ke7 47.Ne3 Bf3+ 48.Kh2 Kf6 49.Nf5 Bxe4 50.Bg7# 1-0

The mate on the board looks like it came from a problem!




So-Grischuk, Round B13, Final Position

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 25, 2017

Rounds B14 and B15

Round B14
Grischuk-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov-Karjakin 0-1
Topalov-MVL 0.5-0.5
Caruana-So 1-0
Bacrot-Nakamura 1-0

Round B15
MVL-Mamedyarov 1-0
So-Bacrot 1-0
Nakamura-Topalov 1-0
Caruana-Grischuk 0-1
Karjakin-Carlsen 1-0

Standings after Round B15

1 Carlsen 23
2 MVL 22
3 Nakamura 21
4 Grischuk 20.5
5 Mamedyarov 17.5
6 Karjakin 17
7 So 13.5
8 Caruana 13
9 Topalov 9.5
10 Bacrot 8

Round B14, June 25, 2017
Grischuk, Alexander – Carlsen, Magnus
D52 QGD, Cambridge Springs Defence, Rubinstein variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.Nd2 dxc4 8.Bxf6 Nxf6 9.Nxc4 Qc7 10.Rc1 Be7 11.g3 O-O 12.Bg2 Rd8 13.O-O Bd7 14.Qb3 Rac8 15.Rfd1 Be8 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 b5 18.Nd2 h6 19.Bg2 c5 20.dxc5 Bc6 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 22.Qa3 Rd5 23.Nb3 Rxd1+ 24.Rxd1 Bxc5 25.Nxc5 Qxc5 26.Rd8+ Kh7 27.Qd3+ f5 28.Rxc8 Qxc8 29.Qxb5 Qc1+ 30.Kg2 Qb1 31.Qa4 Qd3 32.Qd4 Qa6 33.a3 Qc6+ 34.Kg1 Qc1+ 35.Kg2 Qc6+ 36.e4 fxe4 37.Qe3 a6 38.b4 Kg8 39.g4 Qd5 40.h3 Qc4 41.Qc5 Qd3 42.Qc8+ Kf7 43.Qc7+ Kg8 44.Qc8+ Kf7 45.Qc7+ Kg8 46.Qc8+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

Round B14, June 25, 2017
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
A18 English, Mikenas-Carls variation

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Be2 Be7 8.O-O Nc6 9.d3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 O-O 11.d4 Qd7 12.Bd3 Na5 13.Re1 Nc4 14.Rb1 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 b5 16.Nd2 Rab8 17.Nb3 Rb6 18.Bf4 Qg4 19.Bg3 Qg6 20.Qf3 a5 21.Rbd1 Qc2 22.Qxd5 Qxa2 23.Nc5 Rd8 24.Nd7 c6 25.Qe4 Ra6 26.e6 f6 27.d5 cxd5 28.Qxd5 Qb3 29.Qb7 Rxe6 30.Qd5 Nd2 31.Qxb3 Nxb3 32.Rxe6 Kf7 33.Ree1 a4 34.Bc7 Rc8 35.Bd6 Bxd6 36.Rxd6 Rxc3 37.Nb6 a3 38.Nd5 Rc4 39.Ra6 b4 40.Ra4 Nc1 41.Rxb4 a2 42.Rb7+ Kg6 43.Ra7 Rc2 44.Nb4 Rb2 45.Rxc1 1-0

Round B15, June 25, 2017
MVL – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
B11 Caro-Kann, Two Knights

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.Be2 Bc5 7.O-O Ne7 8.Na4 Bd6 9.d4 dxe4 10.Qxe4 Nd7 11.Rd1 O-O 12.Qf3 Qa5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Rad8 16.a4 Rd7 17.c3 Rfd8 18.Bc4 Qh5 19.Re1 a5 20.Be2 Qg6 21.Qxg6 Nxg6 22.g3 h6 23.h4 Ne7 24.h5 Nd5 25.Kg2 Nf6 26.Bf3 Kf8 27.Re2 Nd5 28.Bd2 Nb6 29.b3 Nd5 30.Rh1 Be7 31.Be1 b6 32.Be4 c5 33.dxc5 bxc5 34.c4 Nb4 35.Bc3 Rb8 36.Rd2 Rxd2 37.Bxd2 Bf6 38.Kf3 Bd4 39.g4 f6 40.Bf4 e5 41.Bd2 Rd8 42.Ke2 Ke7 43.Rd1 Kd6 44.f4 Kc7 45.g5 hxg5 46.fxg5 fxg5 47.Rf1 g4 48.Rf5 Kc8 49.Rf7 Rh8 50.Bf5+ Kb8 51.Bxg4 e4 52.Bf4+ Ka8 53.Bf5 Re8 54.Bg6 Re6 55.Bf5 Re8 56.Bd6 Nd3 57.Bd7 1-0

Round B15, June 25, 2017
Caruana, Fabiano – Grischuk, Alexander
A07 King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.O-O Bf5 5.d3 e6 6.b3 h6 7.Bb2 Be7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.c4 a5 10.a3 Bh7 11.Qc2 Na6 12.Ne5 Nd7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Nf3 Rfc8 15.Bc3 Qd8 16.Qb2 Bf6 17.Ne5 Nc5 18.Bd4 Qd6 19.f4 dxc4 20.dxc4 Nxb3 21.Qxb3 Qxd4+ 22.Kh1 Bxe5 23.fxe5 Qxe5 24.Qxb7 Bg6 25.Ra2 Rab8 26.Qa7 Rb2 27.Rxb2 Qxb2 28.Qxa5 Qxe2 29.Qa6 Rb8 30.Qxc6 Rb2 31.c5 Rc2 32.a4 Qe3 33.Qf3 Qxc5 34.h4 h5 35.Ra1 Qe5 36.Rg1 Rc3 37.Qf4 Qxf4 38.gxf4 Ra3 39.Bc6 Bc2 40.Rg5 Bxa4 41.Be4 Rh3+ 42.Kg2 Rxh4 43.Ra5 f5 44.Bf3 Rxf4 45.Bxh5 Kh7 46.Bf7 Bb3 47.Kg3 Rg4+ 48.Kh3 Bd5 49.Ra6 g6 0-1

Round B15, June 25, 2017
Karjakin, Sergei – Carlsen, Magnus
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.c3 d6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.h3 h6 10.Re1 Re8 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Qc2 Ne7 14.Nf1 Ng6 15.c4 a5 16.bxa5 Ne7 17.Rb1 Rb8 18.Bd2 Nc6 19.Ng3 Nd7 20.Rb5 Nc5 21.Reb1 Qc8 22.Be3 Re8 23.Nf5 Ne6 24.Qd2 h5 25.d4 exd4 26.N3xd4 Nexd4 27.Nxd4 Bxd4 28.Bxd4 Rxe4 29.Bc3 Rxc4 30.Rxh5 Qe6 31.Re1 Qg6 32.Rg5 Qxg5 33.Qxg5 Rxc3 34.Re4 Rc5 35.Qg3 Rxa5 36.Rg4 g6 37.Qb3 Kf8 38.Rh4 Ke7 39.Rf4 Nd8 40.Re4+ Kd7 41.Qe3 Nc6 42.Qf3 Rf8 43.Qf6 Re5 44.Rxe5 Nxe5 45.f4 Nc6 46.g4 Nd8 47.h4 Re8 48.h5 gxh5 49.gxh5 Re6 50.Qg7 d5 51.h6 Rg6+ 52.Kf2 Ke7 53.f5 Rf6 54.h7 Rxf5+ 55.Ke1 Ne6 56.Qh6 Re5+ 57.Kd1 Re4 58.h8=Q Rxa4 59.Qh2 Kd7 60.Qf6 Kc6 61.Qc2+ Rc4 62.Qxf7 Nc5 63.Qxc4 dxc4 64.Qxc4 b5 65.Qh4 Nb7 66.Qe4+ Kb6 67.Qg6+ Nd6 68.Kc2 Kc5 69.Kb3 Nc4 70.Qg1+ Kc6 71.Kb4 Nd6 72.Qc5+ Kd7 73.Qd5 c6 74.Qg8 Kc7 75.Qg7+ Kb6 76.Qd4+ Kc7 77.Ka5 Nb7+ 78.Ka6 Nd6 79.Qa7+ Kd8 80.Qh7 Nc8 81.Kb7 Ne7 82.Kb6 Kd7 83.Kc5 Ke6 84.Qh6+ Kd7 85.Qd6+ Ke8 86.Qe6 1-0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017


Rounds B16 and B17

Round B16
Mamedyarov-Nakamura 1-0
Bacrot-Caruana 0-1
Grischuk-Karjakin 0.5-0.5
Topalov-So 0-1
Carlsen-MVL 0-1

I have not heard commentators laugh so much as at the underpromotion in the Mamedyarov-Nakamura game.

Round B16, June 25, 2017
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Nakamura, Hikaru
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 O-O 5.Bg5 c5 6.e3 cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Be2 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.O-O Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 b6 14.Nd2 Be6 15.Nf1 Rac8 16.Ne3 Ne7 17.Rc1 Ng6 18.g3 Rc7 19.f4 Ne7 20.Bd3 Rfc8 21.Qd2 Bd7 22.Ba6 Rd8 23.Bd3 Qd6 24.f5 Kh8 25.Rf1 Ng8 26.Ng4 b5 27.Ne5 Be8 28.Rce1 Rdc8 29.Qf4 Rd8 30.Re3 f6 31.Ng6+ Bxg6 32.Qxd6 Rxd6 33.fxg6 Rd8 34.Bxb5 Ne7 35.Bd3 Rxc3 36.Rxe7 Rxd3 37.Rfe1 Rf8 38.Rf7 Rg8 39.Rxa7 Rxd4 40.a4 Rg4 41.Rd1 Rxg6 42.Rxd5 Rg4 43.Rdd7 Rb8 44.Kg2 Rb2+ 45.Kf3 h5 46.Rd5 Rb3+ 47.Kg2 Rb2+ 48.Kh3 Rg5 49.Raa5 Rxd5 50.Rxd5 g5 51.g4 Rb3+ 52.Kg2 hxg4 53.Rd4 Kg7 54.Rxg4 Kg6 55.Rc4 Kh5 56.h3 f5 57.Rc8 Rb2+ 58.Kf3 Rb3+ 59.Kg2 Ra3 60.Rh8+ Kg6 61.Ra8 Kf6 62.a5 Ke5 63.a6 Kf4 64.a7 Ra2+ 65.Kf1 Kf3 66.Ke1 f4 67.Rg8 Rxa7 68.Rxg5 Ra1+ 69.Kd2 Kf2 70.h4 Ra3 71.h5 Rh3 72.Rf5 f3 73.Kd3 Ke1 74.Re5+ Kf1 75.Rf5 Kg2 76.Ke3 f2+ 77.Ke2 f1=N 78.Rf2+ Kg1 79.Rxf1+ Kg2 80.Rf2+ Kg1 81.Rf5 Ra3 82.h6 Rh3 83.Rf6 Kh2 84.Kf2 Rh4 85.Kf3 Kh3 86.Rg6 Ra4 87.h7 Rh4 88.Rg7 Rh6 89.Kf4 Kh4 90.Kf5 Rh5+ 91.Kg6 Kg4 92.Kf7+ 1-0

77…f1=Q ensures the draw but Nakamura underpromoted to a N, misplayed the ending and lost.





Black to play and draw

_________

Round B16, June 25, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 h6 8.Nd2 b5 9.Nf1 Bb7 10.Bf3 Nbd7 11.Ne3 Nb6 12.O-O Rc8 13.Qd3 g6 14.Rd1 Be7 15.a4 b4 16.Na2 a5 17.c3 b3 18.Nb4 axb4 19.a5 bxc3 20.axb6 c2 21.Rd2 Qxb6 22.Ra3 O-O 23.Rxb3 Qa7 24.Ra3 Qd4 25.Qb3 Qxd2 26.Bxd2 c1=Q+ 27.Bxc1 Rxc1+ 28.Nf1 Bxe4 29.Qe3 Rc4 30.Qxh6 d5 31.Bxe4 Ng4 32.Qh3 Rxe4 33.Rc3 Rb4 34.Rc2 Kg7 35.Qd3 Nf6 36.Qg3 e4 37.Qe5 Re8 38.Ne3 d4 39.Ng4 d3 40.Rc1 Bd8 41.Qc3 Rb7 42.Ne3 Rc7 43.Qd2 Rxc1+ 44.Qxc1 Bb6 45.Kf1 Bxe3 46.Qxe3 Rb8 47.Qd4 Rb5 48.Ke1 Rg5 49.g3 Rd5 50.Qc3 d2+ 51.Kd1 Rd3 52.Qe5 Rd5 53.Qf4 g5 54.Qe3 Kg6 55.h3 Rd3 56.Qb6 Kg7 57.b4 Nd5 0-1

Round B17

Round B17, June 25, 2017
Nakamura, Hikaru – Carlsen, Magnus
D11 QGD Slav

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.d4 a6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.Nbd2 e6 7.h3 Bh5 8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 Bg6 10.Bxg6 hxg6 11.Qc2 Bb4 12.O-O O-O 13.Bc3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 c5 15.Rfd1 Rc8 16.Rac1 Qe7 17.Qb2 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.N2f3 Nxf3+ 20.Nxf3 dxc4 21.Rxc4 Rxc4 22.bxc4 Rc8 23.Ne5 g5 24.Qb6 g6 25.a4 Qc7 26.Qb2 Qe7 27.Qb6 Kg7 28.g3 Rc7 29.Qb2 Kg8 30.Rd4 Rc5 31.Rd1 Rc7 32.Kg2 Rc8 33.Rd3 Rc7 34.Rd1 Rc8 35.a5 Rc7 36.Qb6 Rc8 37.Rb1 Rc7 38.Rb2 Qc5 39.f4 gxf4 40.gxf4 Ne4 41.Kf3 Nd6 42.Rb4 Kg7 43.Ke2 f6 44.Qxc5 Rxc5 45.Nd3 Rxc4 46.Rb6 Ne4 47.Rxb7+ Kh6 48.Nb4 Rc3 49.Rb6 Ra3 50.Rxa6 Ra4 51.Nc6 Ra2+ 52.Kd1 Nc3+ 53.Ke1 Nd5 54.Ra8 Ra1+ 55.Kd2 Ra2+ 56.Kd3 Ra3+ 57.Kd4 Nxe3 58.a6 Nf5+ 59.Kc5 Rc3+ 60.Kb6 Nd6 61.a7 Rb3+ 62.Kc5 Ne4+ 63.Kd4 1-0

Carlsen crashes and burns against Nakamura and MVL is at the top of the leader board.

Standings after Round B17

1 MVL 23.5
2 Carlsen 23
3 Nakamura 22
4 Grischuk 21.5
5 Mamedyarov 19
6 Karjakin 18
7 So 15
8 Caruana 14
9 Topalov 10.5
10 Bacrot 8.5

Round B17, June 25, 2017
Caruana, Fabiano - Topalov, Veselin
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nge2 Nf6 4.h3 Nc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O Bd7 10.f4 Rc8 11.Nb3 a6 12.Kb1 b5 13.Qe1 Qc7 14.Bd3 Nb4 15.Rc1 Nxd3 16.cxd3 Qb8 17.g4 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Qd2 a4 20.Nbd4 Qb7 21.Ng3 Rfd8 22.f5 Qa6 23.g5 Ne8 24.h4 a3 25.b3 Bb5 26.Rc4 d5 27.exd5 Rxd5 28.Nxb5 Rxb5 29.fxg6 fxg6 30.Qc2 Rbb8 31.Ne4 Qe6 32.Bf4 Ra8 33.Re1 Qg4 34.Bd2 Rxc4 35.Qxc4+ Kh8 36.Bxb4 Qxh4 37.Bc3 Bxc3 38.Qxc3+ Ng7 39.Rf1 e5 40.Qxe5 Qh3 41.Qf6 Qxd3+ 42.Ka1 Qd8 43.b4 Qxf6+ 44.gxf6 Nf5 45.b5 Rb8 46.Nc3 Kg8 47.Rb1 Kf7 48.b6 Kxf6 49.Rb4 Ke5 50.Kb1 Nd6 51.Kc2 h5 52.Kb3 g5 53.Na4 Nb7 54.Rb5+ Kf4 55.Rd5 h4 56.Rd7 h3 57.Rh7 g4 58.Kc4 Kg3 59.Kd5 h2 60.Nc3 Na5 61.Ne2+ Kg2 62.Nf4+ Kf3 63.Rxh2 Kxf4 64.Kc5 g3 65.Rh4+ Kf3 66.Kb5 g2 67.Rh3+ Kf2 68.Rh2 Nb7 69.Kc6 Nd8+ 70.Kc7 Rb7+ 0-1

MVL is ahead and plays Grischuk in the last round

Carlsen is running second but is playing Wesley So and Carlsen has had three losses in a row!

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 25, 2016

Round B18

Round B18
Karjakin-Nakamura 0-1
Mamedyarov-Caruana 1-0
Grischuk-MVL 0.5-0.5
Topalov-Bacrot 1-0
Carlsen-So 1-0

Final Standings

1-2 MVL, Carlsen 24
3 Nakamura 23
4 Grischuk 22
5 Mamedyarov 20
6 Karjakin 18
7 So 15
8 Caruana 14
9 Topalov 11.5
10 Bacrot 8.5

Round B18, June 25, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – So, Wesley
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Nc3 a6 5.dxc5 e6 6.Na4 Bxc5 7.Nxc5 Qa5+ 8.c3 Qxc5 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Bd3 h6 11.Ne5 O-O 12.O-O Qe7 13.c4 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 dxc4 15.Bxc4 Rd8 16.Qf3 Nd5 17.e4 Nb6 18.Bb3 f6 19.Bc3 a5 20.a3 Kh8 21.Qe3 Ra6 22.Rad1 e5 23.Bxa5 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Be6 25.Bxb6 1-0

Round B18, June 25, 2017
Karjakin, Sergei – Nakamura, Hikaru
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 O-O 8.h3 Ba7 9.Re1 Ne7 10.d4 Ng6 11.Nbd2 Re8 12.Qb3 Qe7 13.a5 h6 14.Bf1 c6 15.Qc2 Be6 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 dxe5 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Be3 Bxc4 20.Bxc4 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 Rad8 22.Rd3 Rxd3 23.Qxd3 Rd8 24.Qe3 Rd7 25.g3 Qd6 26.b4 Qd2 27.Re1 h5 28.Qxd2 Rxd2 29.Kg2 h4 30.Kf3 hxg3 31.fxg3 Rc2 32.Re3 g5 33.Rd3 Kf8 34.Bb3 Rb2 35.Bd1 Ke7 36.Ke3 Rg2 37.Kf3 Rh2 38.Bb3 Rxh3 39.Kg2 Rh8 40.Rf3 g4 41.Rf5 Rh5 42.Rf1 Rg5 43.Bc4 Rh5 44.Rf2 Rg5 45.Rf1 Rh5 46.Rf2 Rh3 47.Rf5 Nh5 48.Rxe5+ Kd6 49.Rf5 f6 50.Kf2 Nxg3 51.Rxf6+ Ke5 52.Re6+ Kf4 53.Rf6+ Kg5 54.Re6 Nh5 55.Re7 Rxc3 56.Be2 g3+ 57.Ke1 Nf4 58.Rxb7 Re3 0-1

B18, June 25, 2017
Grischuk, Alexander – MVL
King’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Qa4 Bg7 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nf3 O-O 8.O-O Bf5 9.Nbd2 Nb6 10.Qa5 Qd5 11.Qa3 Qd6 12.b3 Na6 13.e4 Bd7 14.Bb2 Rfe8 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.Qa5 Qb4 17.Qg5 c5 18.a3 Qb5 19.Qe3 Bg4 20.Rc1 cxd4 21.Nxd4 Qd7 22.e5 Nd5 23.Qe1 Bh3 24.f4 Bxg2 25.Kxg2 Rc8 26.Qe2 Nc5 27.N2f3 Ne6 28.Nxe6 Qxe6 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Rc1 Rxc1 31.Bxc1 Qc6 32.Qc4 Qxc4 33.bxc4 Nb6 34.c5 Nc4 35.Kf2 f6 36.e6 f5 37.Ke2 Kf8 38.Kd3 Na5 39.Bd2 Nc6 40.Kc4 Bf6 41.a4 Ke8 42.Kd5 Kd8 43.h3 h5 44.Be1 Ke8 45.Bd2 Kd8 46.Be1 Ke8 47.Bd2 1/2-1/2

Playoff Format

2 x rapid games (10 min + 5 sec delay)
and, if necessary

2 x blitz games (5 min + 3 sec delay)
and, if necessary,

Armageddon

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris GCT 2017

June 25, 2017

Playoff

Magnus Carlsen wins the Paris leg of the tournament. It resumes in three days at Leuven, Belgium

Playoff 1, June 25, 2017
Rapid 10 min.
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d6 5.Be2 Nh5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 g5 8.Nfd2 Nf4 9.exf4 gxh4 10.c3 c5 11.dxc5 dxc5 12.Na3 O-O 13.O-O Nc6 14.Re1 h3 15.g3 e5 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Nf3 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Qf6 19.Nc4 Rd8 20.Qe2 Be6 21.Bg4 Bxg4 22.Qxg4 b5 23.Ne3 Rd2 24.Re2 Rad8 25.Rae1 Rxe2 26.Rxe2 Qe6 27.Qxe6 fxe6 28.Kf1 b4 29.cxb4 cxb4 30.Rc2 b3 31.axb3 Rb8 32.Rc6 Rxb3 33.Rxe6 Rxb2 34.Nf5 Bf8 35.Nxh6+ Kg7 36.Ng4 a5 37.Ra6 Ra2 38.f4 a4 39.f5 Bb4 40.Ra7+ Kf8 41.f6 Ra1+ 42.Ke2 a3 43.Nh6 Re1+ 44.Kd3 Re6 45.Ra8+ Re8 46.Ra6 Rc8 47.g4 Rd8+ 48.Ke4 Ke8 49.g5 Bf8 50.Kf5 Rd2 51.Ra8+ Rd8 52.Rxd8+ Kxd8 53.g6 a2 54.g7 Bxg7 55.fxg7 a1=Q 56.g8=Q+ Kc7 57.Qg3+ Kd7 58.Qxh3 Qg7 59.Kf4+ Kc7 60.Nf5 Qb2 61.Qh7+ Kc8 62.Qg8+ 1-0

Playoff 2, June 25, 2017
Rapid 10 min.
MVL – 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 Qh4 15.g3 Qh3 16.Be3 Bxd3 17.Nd2 Qf5 18.Bd4 Rfe8 19.a4 Kf8 20.h4 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 f6 22.Qxf5 Bxf5 23.c4 Nb4 24.axb5 axb5 25.cxb5 cxb5 26.Rc1 Nd3 27.Rc6 Be5 28.Be3 Ra1+ 29.Kh2 Bd7 30.Rc2 Ne1 31.Rc5 Nd3 32.Rc2 Ne1 33.Rc5 Nd3 1/2-1/2

Magnus could have played 33…Ke8 or Bxb2 but played Nd3 since he only needed a draw.
_________

(ChessBase) - It was a thrilling finish on day five, with everyone expecting it to come down to a race between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, but the chess gods had other plans. In an amazing last day surge, showing nothing was decided, French player Maxime Vachier-Lagrave surged, while both Carlsen and Nakamura faded, and ended tied with the World Champion in the overall standings. Once again Magnus Carlsen showed his pressure play chops and won the playoff and title.
________

Comments online:

- f1=N will go down in History
- can you promote a pawn to another pawn?
- $20,000 for 5 days work plus free accommodation..not bad naka
- $31,250 for 1st, peanuts for a millionaire
- I do like Chirila, fast and precise, also good psychological remarks, strong performance

(Tarjel Svensen)- Carlsen beat MVL 1.5-0.5 in the playoff for London Chess Classic in ’15. Since ’08 he has never lost a playoff

2007 Biel against Onischuk 3-2
2011 Bilbao against Ivanchuk 1.5-0.5
2012 Bilbao against Caruana 2-0
2015 Baden-Baden against Naiditsch 3-2
2015 London against MVL 1.5-0.5
2015 Doha against Yu 2-0
2016 New York against Karjakin 3-1

- If MVL hadn't made a very fast draw of his last white, but rather fought for a win, while he was in excellent shape all day long (in a way that was a gambling decision betting on another self-destructive game from Magnus), he would have gotten better chances to win the whole tournament without any playoff. Blaming Carlsen for reaching the playoff, after MVL decided to keep everything risk free in his last two games, that's really a funny kind of view.

The expression "smooth win" also amuses me:

- if a player has to fight hard instead of getting a "smooth win", he gets the blame for not showing clear superiority from first to last move.
- if the same player DOES get a "smooth win", he gets the blame for an opponent who made it all too easy for him.
In psychology they call that mechanism a "double bind": however you do it, you can be sure to get the blame, from someone determined to misuse the "double bind", either way, no matter what.

I like Maurice Ashley and his vivid way of commenting a lot! But Magnus was absolutely right to question the expression "smooth game", asking what it is supposed to mean at all in the given context, where it in fact was plain silly. If from the opening your opponent decides to get active play for a sac, and you have the chance to be better if you survive the activity and better coordination of your opponent, of course your best chance to win is to go for it. If Magnus had chosen to decline the sac, the position would have become very drawish instead. And then he might have faced the question, why he preferred a "smooth game" ending in a draw over the risk of accepting the sac.

"Smooth games" ending in wins are not lying around on the table just to take them as you please. I think Maurice unconsciously just mirrored a silly spectator expectation in his words, without meaning to do anyone harm. But the underlying unconscious expectation is what is just plain stupid, and Magnus was just right to reject that nonsense. If you are smart enough, you just have to reject it, even before any bad feelings might kick in. It's just too stupid to take it, from the very moment you really think about it. It's public expectation stupidity.

- well now Ivanchuk comes into the picture...

- The wild cards for Leuven are Grand Masters Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Anish Giri (Netherlands), Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) and Baadur Jobava (Georgia).

[John Coleman]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Thanks for these updates. Nice to have news, comments, results and gamescores all in the same place.

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Thanks for these updates. Nice to have news, comments, results and gamescores all in the same place.

Ditto from here. Wayne Komer does amazing work for Canadians and anyone else on ChessTalk who like to follow elite chess news and events. And I really like his presentation style... he presents both the news and the comments on the news from varied sources.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris Leuven GCT 2017

June 27, 2017

Your Next Move
Leuven, Belgium

Spectators may not be familiar with Leuven, but you should be. This city was a commercial centre and county capital more than a century before Brussels was even founded. Boasting the largest University in the Benelux Union, the city is a rich piece of European history waiting to be discovered. The participants in the YNM GCT tournament will play 9 games of rapid chess and 18 games of blitz for a total prize fund of $150,000.

Date: June 28 - July 2m 2017

Location: Leuven City Hall, Belgium

Format: 10-player Round Robin

Prize Fund: $150,000

Commentators: English - Yasser Seirawan, Cristian Chirila, Jovanka Houska, Maurice Ashley and Nigel Short
Spanish - Alejandro Ramierez and Ivette Garcia

Participants

Magnus Carlsen • Maxime Vachier-Lagrave • Viswanathan Anand • Wesley So • Ian Nepomniachtchi • Levon Aronian• Vladimir Kramnik (WC) • Anish Giri (WC) • Vassily Ivanchuk (WC) • Baadur Jobava (WC)

Schedule CET
Rapid

28 June
Round 1 14:00
Round 2 15:30
Round 3 17:00

29 June
Round 4 14:00
Round 5 15:30
Round 6 17:00

30 June
Round 7 14:00
Round 8 15:30
Round 9 17:00

Blitz

1 July
Rounds 1-9

2 July
Rounds 10-18
Playoffs/Prizegiving

Prize Fund

1st $37,500
2nd $35,000
3rd $20,000
4th $15,000
5th $12,500
6th $10,000
7th $7,500
8th $7,500
9th $7,500
10th $7,500

http://grandchesstour.org/YourNextMove

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris Leuven GCT 2017

June 27, 2017

Your Next Move, Leuven

Rapid Schedule

June 28, 2017

Round 1
So-Kramnik
MVL-Ivanchuk
Carlsen-Aronian
Jobava-Nepomniachtchi
Giri-Anand

Round 2
Kramnik-Anand
Nepomniachtchi-Giri
Aronian-Jobava
Ivanchuk-Carlsen
So-MVL

Round 3
MVL-Kramnik
Carlsen-So
Jobava-Ivanchuk
Giri-Aronian
Anand-Nepomniachtchi

June 29

Round 4
Kramnik-Nepomniachtchi
Aronian-Anand
Ivanchuk-Giri
So-Jobava
MVL-Carlsen

Round 5
Carlsen-Kramnik
Jobava-MVL
Giri-So
Anand-Ivanchuk
Nepomniachtchi-Aronian

Round 6
Kramnik-Aronian
Ivanchuk-Nepomniachtchi
So-Anand
MVL-Giri
Carlsen-Jobava

June 30

Round 7
Jobava-Kramnik
Giri-Carlsen
Anand-MVL
Nepomniachtchi-So
Aronian-Ivanchuk

Round 8
Kramnik-Ivanchuk
So-Aronian
MVL-Nepomniachtchi
Carlsen-Anand
Jobava-Giri

Round 9
Giri-Kramnik
Anand-Jobava
Nepomniachtchi-Carlsen
Aronian-MVL
Ivanchuk-So
________


Blitz games

July 1

Rounds 1 to 9

July 2

Rounds 10 to 18 and playoff, if applicable

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris Leuven GCT 2017

June 28, 2017

Leuven Rapid
Rounds One to Three

Peter Doggers at chess.com:

He had a bad tournament in Paris, but his start in Leuven was excellent. Wesley So leads the rapid segment of the Grand Chess Tour with 2.5/3, after beating Magnus Carlsen in round three.

The weather in central Europe changed dramatically on Wednesday. Also in Leuven, which is about 20 km east of Brussels, there was more rain than sunshine today. It was good weather for playing chess.

Nonetheless, the tournament in Leuven seemed to start where the one in Paris had finished: with quite a few errors. "Blunderfest" might be too strong, although one non-playing top GM called it just that.

A blunder occurred for instance in Magnus Carlsen vs Levon Aronian, and it was a pity because up till then it was actually a great game from both sides.

This Nimzo-Indian, the world champion explained, is a slightly unusual line where White gets the two bishops but Black gets serious counterplay in the center. "I need to open up at some point," said Carlsen, who sacrificed a pawn with the d4-d5 push.
"When he blundered, the position is a draw. In such a complicated position it's... considering that, I think the game was relatively well played until 28... Qf4. If he had played Qd1 it would have concluded in a more or less logical draw."

Vassily Ivanchuk didn't really blunder, but the way he handled the Philidor against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave wasn't great. He got a terrible endgame with a doubled pawn on the queenside, so it was kind of a Berlin endgame gone wrong for Black.

Birthday boy dad Anish Giri, who turned 23 today (and came to Leuven with his wife Sopiko and son Daniel), seemed to be receiving an early birthday gift from Ian Nepomniachtchi. However, although the Russian GM got absolutely nothing out of the opening and was two pawns down at some point, he still managed to win.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/so-b...in-leuven-2505
_______

Leuven Rapid 2017
Round 1, June 28, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
E49 Nimzo-Indian, Botvinnik System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Ba2 b6 11.O-O Ba6 12.Bb2 Nc6 13.Rc1 Rfd8 14.c4 cxd4 15.exd4 Ng4 16.Ng3 Qf4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Ne2 Qh4 19.d5 exd5 20.cxd5 Ne7 21.Re1 Nexd5 22.Nd4 Bb7 23.Nf3 Qh6 24.Ne5 Rf8 25.Nc6 Bxc6 26.Rxc6 Rad8 27.Qf3 Qd2 28.Re2 Qf4 29.Rxf6 gxf6 30.Bxd5 Qxf3 31.Bxf3 Rfe8 32.Rc2 Rc8 33.Rxc8 Rxc8 34.Bxf6 b5 35.Kf1 a5 36.Ke2 b4 37.axb4 axb4 38.Bd5 Rc5 39.Bb3 Rc6 40.Bd4 Kf8 41.Kd3 Ke7 42.Ke4 Rc1 43.Kd5 Kd7 44.h4 Re1 45.g3 f5 46.Be3 Ke7 47.Kc4 Kf6 48.Kxb4 Ke5 49.Bc2 1-0

Round 1, June 28, 2017
So, Wesley – Kramnik, Vladimir
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.Nbd2 dxe4 7.dxe4 O-O 8.O-O a5 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nxe5 Re8 11.Nxc6 Qd7 12.Nd4 Bxd4 13.cxd4 Qxd4 14.Nb3 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 Nxe4 16.f3 a4 17.Nd4 Nc5 18.Nb5 Ne6 19.Nc3 Bb7 20.Kf2 c5 21.Be3 f5 22.f4 Bc6 23.Rd6 Rac8 24.Rc1 Kf7 25.Ne2 Bb5 26.Nc3 Bc6 27.Ne2 Bb5 28.Ng1 g5 29.fxg5 a3 30.bxa3 Ra8 31.Rc3 Ra4 32.Rb6 f4 33.Rxb5 Nxg5 34.Rb7+ Kg8 35.Rxc5 fxe3+ 36.Ke1 Rg4 37.g3 Ne4 38.Rc4 Rg6 39.Rbb4 Nd6 40.Rc6 Nf5 41.Rc5 Nd6 42.Nf3 Ne4 43.Re5 Nf6 44.Rxe8+ Nxe8 45.Re4 Nc7 46.Rxe3 Ra6 47.Nd4 Nd5 48.Rf3 Nf6 49.Kd2 Kf7 50.Nb5 Kg6 51.Rf4 h5 52.a4 Ng4 53.h3 Ne5 54.Kc3 Rc6+ 55.Kd4 Nf7 56.Kd5 Rc2 57.a3 Rd2+ 58.Rd4 Rb2 59.Rb4 Rd2+ 60.Nd4 Ng5 61.a5 Nf3 62.a6 1-0

Round 1, June 28, 2017
Giri, Anish – Anand, Vishy
A08 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.O-O g6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Qa4+ Bd7 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 Qb6 9.Ne5 Be6 10.Qa4+ Nbd7 11.d3 O-O 12.Nc4 Qc7 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Nc3 Nb6 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.Qc2 Bh3 17.Qb3 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qc6+ 19.Kg1 Rfd8 20.Be5 Nh5 21.Bxg7 Nxg7 22.Qb5 Qe6 23.Qc4 Qc6 24.Qe4 Qxe4 25.Nxe4 Ne6 26.Rfc1 f5 27.Nc3 Kf7 28.Rab1 b5 29.Nxb5 Rxa2 30.Rc3 Ra4 31.Kg2 Rb4 32.Na3 Kf6 33.Nc2 Rb5 34.Na3 Rb4 35.Nc2 Rb5 36.e3 Ra8 37.b4 Ra2 38.Rc4 Nd8 39.d4 cxd4 40.Nxd4 Rd5 41.Rc5 Rd6 42.Ra5 Ra6 43.Rxa6+ bxa6 44.Rc1 Nf7 45.Rc6+ Nd6 46.b5 axb5 47.Nxb5 Ke6 48.Nxd6 exd6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, June 28, 2017
MVL – Ivanchuk, Vassily
C41 Philidor, Improved Hanham variation

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.a4 a5 8.Re1 c6 9.Ba2 Re8 10.h3 Bf8 11.Be3 h6 12.Nh4 exd4 13.Bxd4 Nc5 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.e5 Qxd1 16.Raxd1 Nh5 17.Ng6 Be6 18.Nxf8 Kxf8 19.Bxe6 Rxe6 20.Rd7 Rb8 21.Re3 g6 22.Rf3 Re7 23.Rxe7 Kxe7 24.Ne4 b6 25.g4 Ng7 26.Nd6 Rf8 27.Rf6 Ne6 28.f4 g5 29.f5 Nd4 30.Kf2 Nxc2 31.Rxh6 Nb4 32.Ke3 Nd5+ 33.Ke4 Rd8 34.h4 gxh4 35.g5 Rg8 36.Rh7 Rxg5 37.Rxf7+ Kd8 38.e6 1-0

Round 1, June 28, 2017
Jobava, Baadur – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
E60 King’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.d5 Bg7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.Nh3 cxd5 8.cxd5 d6 9.O-O Na6 10.Nf4 Bd7 11.Be3 Rfc8 12.Bd4 Nc7 13.a4 Na6 14.e3 Nb4 15.Qd2 Qd8 16.a5 Qf8 17.Rfc1 Na6 18.Rab1 Nc7 19.b4 a6 20.h4 Nb5 21.Nxb5 Bxb5 22.Bh3 Nd7 23.Bxg7 Qxg7 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rc1 Qf8 26.Kg2 h6 27.Qb2 Rxc1 28.Qxc1 Nf6 29.Bc8 g5 30.hxg5 hxg5 31.Nh3 Qh6 32.Bf5 Nxd5 33.Be4 Bc6 34.b5 Nf4+ 35.Nxf4 Bxe4+ 36.f3 gxf4 37.fxe4 fxg3 38.Kxg3 Qg5+ 39.Kf2 Qh4+ 40.Ke2 Qg4+ 41.Kd2 axb5 42.Qb1 Qg5 43.e5 Qg2+ 44.Kc3 Qc6+ 45.Kb2 dxe5 46.Qf5 f6 47.e4 Kf8 48.Qg6 Qc4 49.Qh6+ Ke8 50.Qh8+ Kd7 51.Qa8 Qxe4 52.a6 Qd4+ 53.Kb1 Qb4+ 54.Kc1 Qa3+ 0-1
________

Round 2, June 28, 2017
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Carlsen, Magnus
C89 Ruy Lopez Marshall, main line

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.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 f5 17.f4 Rae8 18.Nd2 g5 19.Qf1 Qh5 20.Qg2 gxf4 21.Bxd5+ cxd5 22.Qxd5+ Kg7 23.Bxf4 Bxf4 24.gxf4 Kh8 25.Nf1 Bf3 26.Ng3 Qg4 27.Rxe8 Bxd5 28.Rxf8+ Kg7 29.Rxf5 Qf3 30.Rg5+ Kf8 31.Rf5+ Kg8 32.Rg5+ Kf8 33.Rf5+ 1/2-1/2

Ivanchuk had two rooks for his queen and a slight advantage.

Round 2, June 28, 2017
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Giri, Anish
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 g6 7.O-O Bg7 8.Kh1 O-O 9.f4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.f5 a5 12.Qe1 Ba6 13.Qh4 a4 14.Bh6 Bxd3 15.cxd3 Qb6 16.fxg6 hxg6 17.Rab1 a3 18.b4 Qd4 19.Ne2 Qxd3 20.Ng3 Bxh6 21.Qxh6 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Qxe4 23.Rb3 Qc4 24.Rbf3 Rab8 25.Rf4 Qc3 26.Rh4 Qg7 27.Qe3 e5 28.Qxa3 d5 29.Qc1 d4 30.a3 Rbc8 31.Qc4 Rfe8 32.Re4 Qf8 33.h4 Kg7 34.h5 f5 35.hxg6 Qf6 36.Kg1 Re6 37.Rh4 Qxg6 38.b5 Rb8 39.a4 Rb7 40.Qc5 Qg5 41.Rh3 Rbe7 42.bxc6 Rc7 43.Qd5 Rcxc6 44.Kh2 f4 45.Rb1 Qe7 46.Rb8 Rcd6 47.Qb5 Rc6 48.Qb3 Qf7 49.Rbh8 Kf6 50.R3h7 1-0

Round 2, June 28, 2017
Kramnik, Vladimir – Anand, Vishy
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.h3 d6 7.c3 a5 8.Re1 h6 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.a4 Re8 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Nc4 Nb8 13.Bxd7 Nbxd7 14.Bd2 Nb6 15.b3 c6 16.Rb1 Qc7 17.d4 Nxc4 18.bxc4 exd4 19.cxd4 Bb4 20.Qc2 c5 21.d5 Re7 22.Re3 Rae8 23.Rbe1 Qd8 24.R1e2 Nh5 25.g3 Bxd2 26.Qxd2 Qd7 27.e5 Qxh3 28.exd6 Rxe3 29.Rxe3 Qd7 30.Rxe8+ Qxe8 31.Qxa5 Nf6 32.Qxc5 Qxa4 33.Qc8+ Kh7 34.Qf5+ Kg8 35.Ne5 Qb4 36.d7 Qd6 37.Qf3 b6 38.Kg2 h5 39.Kg1 1-0

Round 2, June 28, 2017
Aronian, Levon – Jobava, Baadur
D16 QBD Slav Accepted, Alapin variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 a5 6.e4 Bg4 7.Bxc4 e6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Qd3 Nbd7 10.Nd2 Bh5 11.f4 O-O 12.h3 Re8 13.O-O Qc7 14.Rae1 Rad8 15.Qc2 Nb6 16.Bb3 Nfd7 17.f5 e5 18.Kh1 exd4 19.Bxd4 Bc5 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 Ne5 22.g4 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Nxg4 24.Rh3 Nd7 25.Nf3 Ne3 26.Bxf7+ Kf8 27.Qf2 Nxf1 28.Bxe8 Rxe8 29.Qxf1 h6 30.Nd4 Qe5 31.Ne6+ Kg8 32.Qg2 1-0

Round 2, June 28, 2017
So, Wesley – MVL
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 a5 6.e4 Bg4 7.Bxc4 e6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.Qd3 Nbd7 10.Nd2 Bh5 11.f4 O-O 12.h3 Re8 13.O-O Qc7 14.Rae1 Rad8 15.Qc2 Nb6 16.Bb3 Nfd7 17.f5 e5 18.Kh1 exd4 19.Bxd4 Bc5 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 Ne5 22.g4 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Nxg4 24.Rh3 Nd7 25.Nf3 Ne3 26.Bxf7+ Kf8 27.Qf2 Nxf1 28.Bxe8 Rxe8 29.Qxf1 h6 30.Nd4 Qe5 31.Ne6+ Kg8 32.Qg2 1-0

To be continued in the next post in this thread

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris Leuven GCT 2017

June 28, 2017

Leuven Rapid
Round Three

Round 3, June 28, 2017
Anand, Vishy – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Adams Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nde2 h5 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Qd3 Nd7 11.Nd5 Qd8 12.O-O-O b5 13.Nec3 Rb8 14.Nb4 Qg5+ 15.Kb1 Nc5 16.Qf3 Be7 17.Ncd5 Bd8 18.Be2 Rb7 19.Ne3 Qf4 20.Qxf4 exf4 21.Nf5 O-O 22.Nxd6 Rb6 23.e5 Nd7 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Rxd5 Nxe5 26.Rhd1 Bc7 27.Bxh5 g6 28.Be2 Kg7 29.a3 Rfb8 30.c3 Kf8 31.Kc2 Rd8 32.Ne4 Rxd5 33.Rxd5 Ke7 34.Nc5 Rc6 35.a4 bxa4 36.Nxa6 Bd6 37.Ra5 f5 38.Rxa4 g5 39.Nb4 Rc8 40.Nd3 Ng6 41.Ra7+ Kf6 42.Ra6 Ke7 43.Bf3 Nh4 44.Bd5 g4 45.hxg4 fxg4 46.Ra4 Rf8 47.Re4+ Kd8 48.Re6 Kd7 49.Rh6 Nf5 50.Be6+ Ke7 51.Bxf5 Rxf5 52.c4 g3 53.f3 Ra5 54.Rh4 Ra1 55.c5 Bb8 56.Nxf4 Rg1 57.Nd5+ Kd7 58.Ne3 Kc6 59.b4 Be5 60.Kd3 Kb5 61.Re4 Bb2 62.Rg4 Be5 63.f4 Bc7 64.Rxg3 Bxf4 65.Rg4 Bh6 66.Nf5 Bc1 67.Nd4+ 1-0

Round 3, June 28, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – So, Wesley
E53 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 c5 6.Bd3 d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Bg4 9.O-O Nbd7 10.Bd2 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxc5 12.Bc2 Nce4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Rfd1 Qa5 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxb4 Qxb4 17.Qe2 Rfd8 18.h3 g6 19.Rac1 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rc8 21.b3 h5 22.g4 Qc5 23.Kg2 Qe5 24.Rd4 Kg7 25.Qd1 hxg4 26.Qxg4 Rc2 27.Qxe4 Qg5+ 28.Kf1 Rxa2 29.Ra4 Rd2 30.Ke1 Rd5 31.Rd4 Rb5 32.b4 a5 33.h4 Qg1+ 34.Ke2 Rf5 35.f4 Qg4+ 36.Kd3 Qd1+ 37.Kc3 Qc1+ 38.Kd3 a4 39.Ke2 a3 40.Rd2 Qg1 41.Qc4 Rf6 42.Qd4 a2 43.Rd1 Qg2+ 44.Kd3 Qc6 45.h5 Kh7 46.hxg6+ Rxg6 47.b5 Qxb5+ 48.Kc2 Rg2+ 49.Kc3 Qb2+ 50.Kc4 Rc2+ 51.Kd5 Qb3+ 0-1

Round 3, June 28, 2017
MVL-Kramnik, Vladimir
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Nbd2 d6 9.a4 Nh5 10.Bg3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 Nb8 12.Nf1 c6 13.Ne3 Na6 14.g4 Nc7 15.Nf5 d5 16.Bb3 Bf6 17.Qe2 Ne6 18.g3 Re8 19.Kf1 b6 20.Kg2 Bb7 21.Rh2 c5 22.Bc2 Rc8 23.Rah1 c4 24.dxc4 Rxc4 25.Rd1 Nc5 26.Nd2 Rxa4 27.b4 Ra2 28.Bb1 Nxe4 29.Bxa2 Nxc3 30.Qf3 e4 31.Nxe4 dxe4 32.Nxh6+ gxh6 33.Qf5 e3+ 34.f3 Bxf3+ 35.Qxf3 Nxd1 36.Qf5 Kg7 37.Qh5 Bg5 38.Qxf7+ Kh8 39.Qg6 Re7 40.Rxh6+ Bxh6 41.Qf6+ Bg7 42.Qh4+ Bh6 43.Qf6+ Bg7 44.Qh4+ 1/2-1/2

Round 3, June 28, 2017
Giri, Anish – Aronian, Levon
A29 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 e4 6.Nh4 O-O 7.Bg2 d6 8.b3 g5 9.Bb2 Nxd5 10.cxd5 Nb8 11.Qc2 gxh4 12.Bxe4 Re8 13.Bxh7+ Kf8 14.Qc4 Na6 15.gxh4 Re5 16.Qf4 Qe7 17.Rg1 Rxe2+ 18.Kd1 Rxd2+ 19.Qxd2 Qxh4 20.Rg8+ Ke7 21.Qe3+ Be6 22.dxe6 Qh5+ 23.Kc1 Rxg8 24.exf7+ Kxf7 25.Qf4+ Ke8 26.Bxg8 Nc5 27.Bc4 d5 28.Bb5+ c6 29.Qxb4 Qg5+ 30.Qd2 1-0

Round 3, June 28, 2017
Jobava, Baadur – Ivanchuk, Vassily
C15 French, Winawer, Alekhine Gambit

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.Nxf6+ Bxf6 8.Be3 O-O 9.Qd2 b6 10.O-O-O Bb7 11.h4 Nd7 12.Nf4 Be7 13.h5 Nf6 14.f3 Qc8 15.Qf2 Rd8 16.Rh3 c5 17.Rg3 Qb8 18.Bd3 cxd4 19.Bd2 Bd6 20.Rxg7+ Kxg7 21.Qh4 h6 22.Re1 Re8 23.Nxe6+ fxe6 24.Bxh6+ Kf7 25.Kb1 Rg8 26.Bg6+ Ke7 27.Bg5 Qf8 28.Qxd4 Rd8 29.f4 Bc5 30.Qa4 Rd4 31.Qb3 Bd5 32.Qc3 Kd7 33.b4 0-1

Standing after Round Three

1 So 5
2-3 Nepomniachtchi, MVL 4
4-8 Carlsen, Kramnik, Anand, Giri, Ivanchuk 3
9 Aronian 2
10 Jobava 0

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Paris Leuven GCT 2017

Paris Leuven GCT 2017

June 29, 2017

Leuven Rapid
Rounds Four to Six

Colin McGourty in chess24.com

Magnus Carlsen got in some high-level trolling when he beat Vladimir Kramnik with the Bird - 1. f4 - but his 2.5/3 for the day wasn’t enough to close the gap on leader Wesley So, who achieved the same score with wins over Vishy Anand and Baadur Jobava. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is level with Magnus in 2nd place after two draws and also beating Jobava, who left him sitting alone at the board for three and a half minutes. Baadur may have wished he never turned up at all, as he ended the day on 0/12.

For the second day in a row in the Your Next Move Grand Chess Tour in Leuven we had 11 decisive games and only 4 draws, with mayhem wherever you looked.

Vladimir Kramnik beat Magnus Carlsen in their last encounter in Altibox Norway Chess, which added even more spice than usual on Thursday to one of the biggest rivalries in chess. Playing White in Round 5 of the Leuven Grand Chess Tour, he decided to go for something offbeat - "the Bird" i. e. Henry Bird’s 1. f4.

By Carlsen’s standards that wasn’t so extravagant – he once played 1. a4!?? vs. Radjabov in the World Blitz Championship (yes, he won) – and Vladimir also took it in his stride, at least at first. Black seemed to be doing well, then the edge had vanished, and then it became critical. After swapping queens the a5-pawn dropped for no compensation and the white a-pawn was unstoppable. From a few moves before this moment until the end of the game Magnus’s play was absolutely flawless.

When Round Five started they couldn't find Jobava. It was only when Baadur’s clock had counted down over 3 minutes that he finally rushed to the stage, apparently having been found wandering about outside – you want to imagine dazed and disorientated. Jobava blitzed out his moves from that point on, but he was worse in a dozen moves and then had to sit in agony as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave slowly but very surely reeled home the full point. Resignation came on move 71.

https://chess24.com/en/read/news/leu...-bird-the-word

Ivanchuk beat Nepomniachtchi in Round Six. He had a post-mortem with Maurice Ashley and when asked about an h-pawn push by his opponent, Vassily talked about various pawn pushes and then recalled a game of his against Morozevich. For him nothing existed but the remembrance of that game, not Maurice, nor the audience nor anything else. He straight ahead, while describing the game as it played out in his memory. It's as funny as hell if you can see the clip. A man with a passion!

Games from Rounds Four and Five

Leuven Rapid 2017
Round Four, June 29, 2017
So, Wesley – Jobava, Baadur
E70 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 O-O 5.Be2 c6 6.Be3 d5 7.e5 Ne8 8.h4 dxc4 9.h5 c5 10.hxg6 hxg6 11.dxc5 Qxd1+ 12.Rxd1 Bxe5 13.Nf3 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Nc6 15.Bxc4 Bg4 16.Rh6 e6 17.Rd7 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Ne5 19.Bd4 Nxf3+ 20.Ke2 Nxd4+ 21.cxd4 Ng7 22.Bd3 Rab8 23.Rh1 Rfd8 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Rb1 Rd7 26.Ke3 Kf8 27.a4 e5 28.dxe5 Ne6 29.c6 bxc6 30.Bc4 Ke7 31.Rb8 Nd4 32.f4 Nf5+ 33.Kf3 Nd4+ 34.Ke4 Nf5 35.Kf3 c5 36.Rc8 Nd4+ 37.Ke3 Nc2+ 38.Kf3 Ne1+ 39.Kg4 Ng2 40.Bb5 Rd8 41.Rc7+ Kf8 42.Kg5 Rd4 43.Kh6 Rd8 44.Bc4 Rd4 45.Bb5 Rd8 46.Bc4 Rd4 47.Bxf7 Nxf4 48.Rxa7 c4 49.Kg5 Nd5 50.Bxd5 Rxd5 51.Kf6 Kg8 52.Kxg6 Kf8 53.Kf6 Kg8 54.e6 Rc5 55.Ra8+ Kh7 56.e7 Rc6+ 57.Kf5 1-0

Round 4, June 29, 2017
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knights variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Bf5 6.Nxf6+ gxf6 7.d3 Nd7 8.g3 Ne5 9.Nxe5 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qxe5 11.Qxe5 fxe5 12.Bg2 h5 13.O-O h4 14.Rae1 f6 15.f4 hxg3 16.hxg3 exf4 17.Rxf4 Bh6 18.Rh4 Bg7 19.Rb4 Bc8 20.d4 Bf8 21.Rc4 Bh3 22.Bf3 Rd8 23.d5 cxd5 24.Rc7 Rd7 25.Rxd7 Bxd7 26.Bxd5 b6 27.c4 e5 28.b4 Ke7 29.c5 Be6 30.Bf3 Bh6 31.Bxh6 Rxh6 32.cxb6 axb6 33.a4 Rh7 34.Rc1 f5 35.Rc6 Bd7 36.Rxb6 Bxa4 37.b5 Rh8 38.Bd5 Rc8 39.Re6+ Kd7 40.Rxe5 Bxb5 41.Rxf5 Rc1+ 42.Kg2 Kd6 43.Be4 Bd7 44.Rf2 Ke5 45.Bf3 Bf5 46.g4 Rc2 47.gxf5 Rxf2+ 48.Kxf2 Kxf5 1/2-1/2

Round 4, June 29, 2017
Kramnik, Vladimir - Nepomniachtchi, Ian
A48 King’s Indian, Torre Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.e3 d6 6.Bd3 Qe8 7.O-O e5 8.c3 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.a4 a5 11.Qc2 Bg7 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.Rfe1 f5 14.e4 f4 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.h3 Qe7 17.Be2 Be6 18.Rad1 g5 19.Rd5 Rad8 20.Rb5 b6 21.Ncxe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Qd6 24.Rb5 Qd2 25.Qxd2 Rxd2 26.b4 axb4 27.cxb4 Ra8 28.Re5 Kf7 29.Bg4 Bxg4 30.hxg4 Rxa4 31.Rc1 c6 32.g3 Raa2 1/2-1/2

Round 4, June 29, 2017
Aronian, Levon – Anand, Vishy
A21 English, Kramnik-Shirov Counter-Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.e3 d6 6.Bd3 Qe8 7.O-O e5 8.c3 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.a4 a5 11.Qc2 Bg7 12.Nc4 Nc6 13.Rfe1 f5 14.e4 f4 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.h3 Qe7 17.Be2 Be6 18.Rad1 g5 19.Rd5 Rad8 20.Rb5 b6 21.Ncxe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Qd6 24.Rb5 Qd2 25.Qxd2 Rxd2 26.b4 axb4 27.cxb4 Ra8 28.Re5 Kf7 29.Bg4 Bxg4 30.hxg4 Rxa4 31.Rc1 c6 32.g3 Raa2 1/2-1/2

Round 4, June 29, 2017
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Giri, Anish
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Bxc3 5.dxc3 d6 6.Bg2 h6 7.O-O Nc6 8.Qc2 Be6 9.b3 Qd7 10.e4 Bh3 11.Ne1 O-O 12.f3 Nh7 13.Be3 b6 14.Rd1 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 f5 16.exf5 Rxf5 17.f4 exf4 18.Nxf4 Ne7 19.Qe4 Re8 20.Qb7 Nc6 21.Nd5 Rxd5 0-1

Round 5, June 29, 2017
Giri, Anish – So, Wesley
D42 QGD, Semi-Tarrasch

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Bxc3 5.dxc3 d6 6.Bg2 h6 7.O-O Nc6 8.Qc2 Be6 9.b3 Qd7 10.e4 Bh3 11.Ne1 O-O 12.f3 Nh7 13.Be3 b6 14.Rd1 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 f5 16.exf5 Rxf5 17.f4 exf4 18.Nxf4 Ne7 19.Qe4 Re8 20.Qb7 Nc6 21.Nd5 Rxd5 0-1

Round 5, June 29, 2017
Carlsen, Magnus – Kramnik, Vladimir
A03 Bird’s Opening

1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.O-O b5 6.d3 Bb7 7.Qe1 c5 8.c3 O-O 9.a4 b4 10.cxb4 cxb4 11.Kh1 Nc6 12.Be3 Nd7 13.Nbd2 Bf6 14.Rb1 Re8 15.Nb3 a5 16.g4 g6 17.Qf2 Bg7 18.Nbd4 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 Rc8 20.Rbc1 Bxd4 21.Nxd4 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Qb6 23.Rf1 f6 24.h4 Rf8 25.Kg1 e5 26.Nb3 Qxf2+ 27.Kxf2 exf4 28.Nxa5 Ba8 29.Rc1 Ne5 30.Bf3 d4 31.Nc4 Bxf3 32.Nxe5 Bxe2 33.Nd7 Rf7 34.Nxf6+ Rxf6 35.Kxe2 Re6+ 36.Kf2 Kf7 37.a5 g5 38.hxg5 Kg6 39.Rc5 f3 40.Kxf3 Re3+ 41.Kf4 Rxd3 42.a6 Rd1 43.Ra5 d3 44.Ke3 1-0

Round 5, June 29, 2017
Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
A29 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O e4 7.Ne1 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Re8 9.f3 d5 10.cxd5 Qxd5 11.fxe4 Nxe4 12.Qb3 Qh5 13.Nd3 Bd7 14.Nf4 Qc5+ 15.e3 Na5 16.Qb4 Qxb4 17.cxb4 Nc6 18.a3 Nd8 19.d3 Nd6 20.e4 Bc6 21.a4 a6 22.Bb2 Ne6 23.Rfc1 Rad8 24.Ra3 Nc8 25.Nxe6 Rxe6 26.b5 axb5 27.axb5 Bxb5 28.Rxc7 Rc6 29.Rxc6 bxc6 30.Ra8 Re8 31.e5 Nd6 32.Ra7 Nc8 33.Rb7 Ne7 34.Ba3 Nf5 35.Be4 g6 36.Kf2 h5 37.h3 Rd8 38.g4 hxg4 39.hxg4 Bxd3 40.gxf5 Bxe4 41.e6 f6 42.Be7 c5 43.Rd7 Ra8 44.Bxf6 gxf5 45.Rg7+ Kh8 46.Ke3 Rf8 47.Be5 c4 48.Kf4 Ra8 49.e7 c3 50.Bxc3 Rc8 51.e8=Q+ 1-0

Round 5, June 29, 2017
Jobava, Baadur – MVL
A45 Trompovsky Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.e3 Qb6 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.exd4 Nc6 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.Nb3 Rg8 9.c3 Bf5 10.g3 O-O-O 11.Bd3 Bh3 12.Nh4 Kb8 13.Bxh7 Rh8 14.Qc2 e6 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Bf1 Bxf1 17.Kxf1 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Qe2 Qa4 20.Nf3 Bd6 21.Kg2 Qg4 22.h3 Qg7 23.Rad1 f5 24.Kf1 Rh6 25.Rd4 f4 26.gxf4 Qh7 27.Ng5 Qf5 28.Qd3 Qxd3+ 29.Rxd3 Bxf4 30.Rg1 Rg8 31.Nf3 Rxg1+ 32.Nxg1 Bg5 33.Rg3 Bf6 34.f4 Kc7 35.Nf3 Kd6 36.Kg2 b5 37.Ng5 Ke7 38.Kf3 Rh4 39.Ke3 Bxg5 40.fxg5 a5 41.Kd2 Rh5 42.Kc2 e5 43.Kd3 Rh4 44.Kd2 b4 45.Rf3 Rh5 46.Rf5 Kd6 47.Rxf7 Rxg5 48.Rf2 Rh5 49.Rf6+ Kc5 50.Ra6 Kb5 51.Rd6 e4 52.h4 a4 53.Rd8 Kc5 54.Rc8+ Kd6 55.Rd8+ Kc7 56.Ra8 Rxh4 57.Rxa4 bxc3+ 58.Kxc3 Kd6 59.Ra8 Rh3+ 60.Kb4 d4 61.a4 d3 62.Rd8+ Ke5 63.a5 Rh1 64.a6 Ra1 65.Kb5 Ra2 66.Re8+ Kf4 67.Rf8+ Kg3 68.Rg8+ Kf3 69.Rf8+ Ke2 70.Re8 e3 71.b4 d2 0-1

Round 5, June 29, 2017
Anand, Vishy – Ivanchuk, Vassily
B09 Pirc, Austrian Attack

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 Na6 7.O-O c5 8.d5 Rb8 9.Kh1 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Nc7 12.a4 b6 13.Nb5 Rb7 14.Qe2 Nfe8 15.c3 a6 16.Na3 Nf6 17.Nc4 Qd7 18.f5 b5 19.Na5 Rb6 20.Bg5 bxa4 21.Nc4 Rbb8 22.Bc2 a3 23.Rxa3 Qd8 24.Qf2 Nd7 25.Qh4 Bf6 26.Ra1 e5 27.Bxf6 Nxf6 28.Raf1 Nh5 29.f6 Kh8 30.Bd1 Ne8 31.g3 Rg8 32.R3f2 Qd7 33.Bxh5 gxh5 34.Rf5 1-0

To be continued in the next post of this thread