Biel 2018

[Wayne Komer]

Biel 2018

July 30, 2018

Round Eight

Daniel King had an interesting comment today:

“We were discussing the venue for the World Championship Match in London that is being organized by World Chess, who are organizing the WC cycle.

But, so far, they have given no details of the venue where the match is going to take place in London.

So, I said, if they are stuck, they could play at my house in the front room. Now, someone tweeted that Daniel King offers his front room for the venue for the WCC Match. He tagged World Chess and FIDE and World Chess actually replied saying that they will keep the offer in mind!

My office is set up for recording, so if you want to commentate with me (to Anna), I am ready to go.

I also got an additional reply from Agon, World Chess, saying that the announcement of the venue will be made in a week’s time.

My house is in a nice part of town, with a park next door so that Magnus and Fabiano could go for a jog in the morning and play the match games in the afternoon.

By the way, Fabiano just turned 26 today (born on July 30, 1992) and there was a Wall Street Journal article on him a couple of days ago.”

++++++++++

The WSJ article entitled “A Day in the Life of Chess Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana” by Mickey Rapkin is at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-day-i...ana-1532526822

There may be a pay-wall.

I was wondering at which ages World Chess Champions first won the title – to see where Fabiano at 26 years old stands


1. Alekhine 1927 35 years old
2. Botvinnik 1948 37 years old
3. Smyslov 1957 36 years old
4. Tal 1960 24 years old
5. Petrosian 1963 34 years old
6. Spassky 1969 32 years old
7. Fischer 1972 29 years old
8. Karpov 1975 24 years old
9. Kasparov 1985 22 years old
10. Kramnik 2006 31 years old
11. Anand 2007 38 years old
12. Carlsen 2013 22 years old

I don’t think I have made any mistakes in that list, but I welcome corrections if I have.

Round Eight Games

Round 8, July 30
MVL –- Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C82 Ruy Lopez, open, Dilworth variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Bc5 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Bc2 Nxf2 12.Rxf2 f6 13.Nf1 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 fxe5 15.Kg1 Qd6 16.Ng3 h6 17.Qe1 Bg4 18.Nh4 e4 19.h3 Bd7 20.Be3 Qf6 21.Nh5 Qe5 22.Nf4 Rxf4 23.Ng6 Rf1+ 24.Kxf1 Qf5+ 25.Nf4 g5 26.Qg3 Kh7 27.Ke2 gxf4 28.Qxf4 Qxf4 29.Bxf4 Rg8 30.Kf2 Rf8 31.Ke3 Ne7 32.Bxc7 Nf5+ 33.Ke2 b4 34.Bf4 bxc3 35.bxc3 Nh4 36.g3 Ng2 37.c4 Nxf4+ 38.gxf4 Rc8 39.Rd1 Rxc4 40.Bb3 Ba4 41.Rxd5 Bxb3 42.axb3 Rc3 1/2-1/2

Round 8, July 30
Svidler, Peter -– Carlsen, Magnus
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Be6 7.Qe2 Nd7 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Ng5 Nf8 10.Be3 Qe7 11.g3 Bxb3 12.axb3 f6 13.Nf3 Ne6 14.Bxb6 cxb6 15.O-O a6 16.c3 O-O-O 17.Rad1 Kb8 18.Qe3 Ka7 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd4 Nxd4 21.Rxd4 h5 22.Rfd1 Rxd4 23.cxd4 h4 24.d5 hxg3 25.hxg3 Qe5 26.Qf3 cxd5 27.exd5 Qxb2 28.d6 Rd8 29.d7 Qc2 30.Rd6 Qc5 31.Qd1 Qf5 32.Rd5 Qe4 33.Rd4 Qc6 34.Rd6 Qe4 35.Rd4 Qc6 36.Rd6 Qe4 1/2-1/2

Round 8, July 30
Navara, David -– Georgiadis, Nico
E52 Nimzo-Indian, main line

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.f4 c5 11.Ne2 cxd4 12.exd4 Bd6 13.Ng3 Ne4 14.Nf5 Ndf6 15.Qf3 Bc7 16.Be3 Nd6 17.Rac1 Nfe4 18.Nxd6 Bxd6 19.f5 Rc8 20.Rce1 f6 21.Ng6 Re8 22.Nf4 Bxf4 23.Bxf4 Qd7 24.Qd1 Qxf5 25.Bb8 Qe6 26.Bxa7 Ra8 27.Qb3 Qf7 28.Qxb6 Re6 29.Qa5 Bc6 30.Rxe4 dxe4 31.Bc4 Rxa7 32.Qc5 Rc7 33.Rc1 e3 34.b4 e2 35.Re1 Kh8 36.b5 Qe7 37.Bxe6 Qxc5 38.dxc5 Bxb5 39.Bg4 Rxc5 40.Bxe2 Ba4 41.Rb1 g6 42.Rb4 Rc2 43.Bd1 Rc1 44.Rxa4 Rxd1+ 45.Kf2 Rd2+ 46.Kf3 Kg7 47.Ra7+ Kh6 48.a4 Ra2 49.a5 Kg5 50.a6 h5 51.Ra8 Kf5 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Eight

1 Mamedyarov 6
2 Carlsen 5
3 Svidler 4.5
4 MVL 4
5 Navara 3.5
6 Georgiadis 1

[Hans Jung]

The Shak - Magnus today (right now!) for all the marbles (if decisive).

[Hans Jung]

Chessbrah's right now! Uncle Yaz is in preaching mode - grin - and Aman is a supportive and humorous foil.

[Hans Jung]

Annie get your gun the shootouts just begun.

[Wayne Komer]

Biel 2018

July 31, 2018

Round Nine

Mamedyarov has just defeated the World Champion and won the tournament with one round to go!

Round 9, July 31
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar –- Carlsen, Magnus
E65 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6 8.e3 d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.Ne5 Qd6 12.Nc4 Qc7 13.d5 Rd8 14.Bd2 Nb4 15.Bxb4 cxb4 16.Rc1 a5 17.a3 bxa3 18.bxa3 a4 19.Qd3 Bf5 20.e4 Bd7 21.Qe3 Ra6 22.e5 b5 23.d6 Qb8 24.dxe7 Re8 25.Rfd1 Rxe7 26.Qc5 Qf8 27.Ne3 Be6 28.Qxb5 Raa7 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.Rxd5 Reb7 31.Qd3 Rb8 32.h4 Qe8 33.Qd4 Qe7 34.f4 Bf8 35.Kh2 Rab7 36.Qxa4 Qxa3 37.Qxa3 Bxa3 38.Rcd1 Be7 39.Kh3 Rc7 40.h5 gxh5 41.f5 f6 42.e6 Rb3 43.Rd7 Rbc3 44.Ra1 Kg7 45.Ra8 Kh6 46.Re8 Bb4 47.Rb8 Be7 48.Be4 R3c4 49.Bd5 R4c5 50.Be4 Rc4 51.Bd5 R4c5 52.Rb7 Rxd7 53.Rxd7 Ra5 54.Bc6 Ba3 55.Rf7 Re5 56.Kh4 Bc1 57.Kh3 Rxf5 1-0

Position after Shakh’'s 56.Kh4

• 2 point lead with 1 round to go. Yeah, Shak has definitely cleaned up this time.

• Magnus the gentleman! Congrats Shakh on an absolutely brilliant performance!

Round 9, July 31
Navara, David –- Svidler, Peter
A33 English, symmetrical variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.a3 Bc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.c5 Bc7 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 O-O 11.e3 d5 12.cxd6 Qxd6 13.Bxf6 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 gxf6 15.Nb5 Be5 16.f4 Bxb2 17.Rd2 a6 18.Nc7 Ra7 19.Rxb2 b6 20.Nb5 axb5 21.Bxb5 Ne7 22.a4 Bd7 23.Bxd7 Rxd7 24.Kf2 Ra8 25.Ra1 Rda7 26.Nd2 Nd5 27.Nc4 Rxa4 28.Rxa4 Rxa4 29.Nxb6 Nxb6 30.Rxb6 Kg7 31.Kf3 f5 32.h3 h5 33.g4 hxg4+ 34.hxg4 fxg4+ 35.Kxg4 Kg6 36.Kf3 Rc4 37.Rb5 f5 38.Re5 Kf6 39.e4 Rxe4 40.Rxe4 fxe4+ 1/2-1/2

Round 9, July 31
Georgiadis, Nico -– MVL
E60 King’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Nbd2 Ne4 7.b3 O-O 8.Bb2 Na6 9.O-O Bf5 10.Nh4 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 Be6 12.Rac1 Qd7 13.Rfd1 Rfd8 14.Nf3 Rac8 15.Ne5 Bxe5 16.dxe5 dxc4 17.Qxd7 Rxd7 18.Rxd7 Bxd7 19.Rxc4 Be6 20.Rd4 Kf8 21.f4 Ke8 22.Ra4 Rc7 23.Kf2 Bc8 24.Rc4 c5 25.a3 Be6 26.Rc3 b5 27.Ke3 Nb8 28.b4 Nd7 29.bxc5 Nxc5 30.Be4 Bc4 31.Bc2 Nd7 32.Be4 a5 33.Rc1 Nc5 34.Bf3 Nb3 35.Rc2 Kd8 36.Bd4 Nxd4 37.Kxd4 Be6 38.Be4 Bc4 39.e3 f5 40.exf6 exf6 41.Rc3 f5 42.Bf3 Ke7 1/2-1/2


Standings after Round Nine

1 Mamedyarov 7
2-3 Carlsen, Svidler 5
4 MVL 4.5
5 Navara 4
6 Georgiadis 1.5

__________

From Peter Doggers at chess.com

Mamedyarov Beats Carlsen, Wins Biel With Round To Spare

An excellent tournament turned into a brilliant tournament for Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who today beat Magnus Carlsen for the first time in a decade and won the Biel Chess Festival with a round to spare.

For the last time Mamedyarov beat Carlsen in a classical game, we have to go all the way back to the Baku FIDE Grand Prix tournament in 2008, won by Carlsen, Wang Yue and the late Vugar Gashimov.

Ever since, Mamedyarov was Carlsen's “client” (or “bunny”, as GM Ian Rogers called it!), like Hikaru Nakamura was too, for several years. But things have changed.

Rogers was discussing it with GM Danny King in the live broadcast of the ninth round. Their explanation was that, whereas Carlsen's openings were never his strongest suit, his talent and hard work at the board made him a dominating player anyway.

But in recent years, many of his colleagues have adapted in areas where Carlsen used to excel. Now, “the technique[s] of others have improved to cope with the Carlsen pressure,” as Rogers put it.

As a result, Carlsen isn't winning tournaments with high margins anymore, and he also doesn't win as many tournaments anymore. After today, Biel is out of reach as well.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/mame...round-to-spare

[Hans Jung]

The Shak delivers with a squeeze at the end. First and a nice win over Magnus!

[Hans Jung]

Clear win of the tournament for the Shak with one round left to go!

[Hans Jung]

Last round. I feel sorry for Magnus (first time in my life) as he's struggling to draw the tail ender. Maybe they should have chess soap operas so I can fully indulge my emotions.

[Wayne Komer]

Biel 2018

August 1, 2018

Round Ten

The consensus yesterday was that Carlsen would come into this game, having lost to Mamedyarov yesterday, and eat Georgiadis alive. The game went on after the others had finished and Nico seemed to have a draw in his pocket and then looking for something more, he blundered with 46. …b3 and resigned shortly thereafter. Neither player could be happy with the game and the commentators decided to shut everything down with no interview.

Peter Doggers at chess.com - Carlsen had started the game with 1.e4 c5 2.Na3!?, a rare but known system. Vadim Zvjaginsev was the first strong grandmaster who started playing it, back in 2005. Players such as Dubov, Malakhov, Morozevich, Savchenko, Shabalov and even Svidler have tried it as well.


Round 10, Aug. 1
Carlsen, Magnus - Georgiadis, Nico
B20 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Na3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.c3 d5 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Bc4 Qe4+ 7.Kf1 Be6 8.Qa4+ Nd7 9.d4 Nf6 10.Bg5 Bxc4+ 11.Qxc4 Qd5 12.Re1 e6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Qb5+ Nd7 15.Ne5 a6 16.Qc4 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Rd8 18.Qxd5 Rxd5 19.f4 g5 20.fxg5 Ke7 21.h4 Rxe5 22.Rxe5 Bxe5 23.Ke2 b5 24.Nc2 Rd8 25.Ne1 c4 26.Nf3 Bg7 27.Nd2 h6 28.Ne4 hxg5 29.hxg5 Rd5 30.a3 a5 31.Re1 Be5 32.g3 Kf8 33.Kf3 Kg7 34.Kg4 Kg6 35.Rf1 Rd3 36.Rf3 Rd1 37.Rf2 Rd5 38.Nd2 Bc7 39.Nf3 Bd8 40.Nh4+ Kg7 41.Nf3 Bb6 42.Re2 Bc7 43.Re4 Bd6 44.Rd4 Rxd4+ 45.Nxd4 b4 46.a4 b3 47.Nf3 1-0

Position after 46…. b3



Round 10, August 1
Svidler, Peter -– Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
A18 English, Mikenas-Carls, Flohr variation

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 d4 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qxf6 7.Nf3 b6 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.Bc2 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Nd7 12.d4 c5 13.O-O cxd4 14.cxd4 Rc8 15.Bd3 Bd6 16.Rb1 O-O 17.f4 Rfd8 18.Be3 g6 19.Rfd1 Be7 20.a4 Nb8 21.Be2 Rc7 22.c5 bxc5 23.dxc5 Rxd1+ 24.Bxd1 Na6 25.c6 Rxc6 26.Bxa7 Bc5 27.Bxc5 Rxc5 28.Be2 Ra5 29.Bxa6 Rxa6 30.Rb4 Rc6 31.Kg2 Rc3 32.a5 Ra3 33.Rb5 Kg7 34.Rc5 Kg8 35.Rc8+ Kg7 36.Rc5 Kg8 37.Rc8+ Kg7 38.Rc5 Kg8 1/2-1/2

Round 10, August 1
MVL –- Navara, David
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.c3 h6 8.Nbd2 a5 9.Nf1 Ne7 10.Bb3 Ng6 11.d4 Ba7 12.h3 Bd7 13.Ng3 a4 14.Bc2 Nh7 15.Nf5 Ng5 16.Nxg5 hxg5 17.Qh5 Nf4 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.h4 g6 20.Qh6 gxf5 21.exf5 f6 22.Qg6+ Kh8 23.hxg5 Bc6 24.Rad1 Qd7 25.Rd3 Qg7 26.Rh3+ Kg8 27.Re7 Qxg6 28.fxg6 f5 29.Rhh7 Rfe8 30.Reg7+ Kf8 31.Rxc7 Kg8 32.Bxf5 Bb6 33.Rcg7+ Kf8 34.Rf7+ Kg8 35.d5 Bxd5 36.Rfg7+ Kf8 37.Rd7 Kg8 38.g7 Bf7 39.g6 1-0


Final Standings after Round Ten

1 Mamedyarov 7.5
2 Carlsen 6
3-4 MVL, Svidler 5.5
5 Navara 4
6 Georgiadis 1.5

__________

Daniel King got a message that the venue for the World Championship Match in London would be in Holborn in Central London. The official announcement will be made momentarily.

[Hans Jung]

Turns out it was only a momentary twinge about Magnus as his opponent pooched and resigned a simple drawn endgame. The horror.