Sinquefield Cup 2018

[Hans Jung]

Rd 6 in the middlegame all 5 games have interesting, dynamic positions. Spectators delight.

[Hans Jung]

Nakamura is trying to make something happen with triple E pawns. Bizarre.

[Hans Jung]

Peter Svidler is a guest with Maurice Ashley. He says the Russian Superfinals start tomorrow and its the first time in 15 years he is not taking part. Why? There is only one thing that would keep him from the Superfinals. - St Louis. He loves St Louis. Highly entertaining interview.

[Hans Jung]

Did Magnus miscalculate? It looks like Magnus is in trouble.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2018

August 24, 2018

Round Six

The Grischuk-Carlsen game (in progress):

Round 6, August 24
Grischuk, Alexander -– Carlsen, Magnus
E60 King’'s Indian, Fianchetto variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.O-O c5 7.d5 b5 8.cxb5 a6 9.bxa6 Bf5 10.Nfd2 Nxa6 11.Nc3 Nb4 12.Nc4 Nc2 13.g4 Nxg4 14.e4 Nxa1 15.exf5 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nf6 17.Qe2 Re8 *

Position after Black’'s 17^thmove, Re8



IN PROGRESS

[Hans Jung]

These guys are great survivors and sure know their draw margins. I thought all the games were going to be decisive but three are draws.

[Hans Jung]

Sergei Karjakhin, the great defender, couldnt survive Fabi Caruana's relentless pressure and Fabulous Fabi won a nice game.

[Hans Jung]

Magnus survived, although it was very hard for his opponent to find all the best moves. Having said that Grischuk, a graduate of the Russian school, must be kicking himself for giving away the two bishops natural advantage. Very complicated variations.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2018

August 24, 2018

Round Six

The following was announced today:

Champions Showdown Chess 960

Garry Kasparov vs Veselin Topalov
Hikaru Nakamura vs Peter Svidler
Wesley So vs Anish Giri
Sam Shankland vs M. Vachier-Lagrave
Levon Aronian vs Leinier Dominguez

Live September 11 to 14

Prize Fund $250,000

__________

Mike Klein at chess.com:

Today's win by Caruana at the 2018 Sinquefield Cup just amped up the gravitas of tomorrow's head-to-head match with world champion Carlsen. Not only is Caruana now the lone leader of the tournament (4.0/6), should he win as Black on Saturday, he would usurp the number-one spot in the live ratings list.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/caru...stake-tomorrow

Round 6, August 24
Grischuk, Alexander -– Carlsen, Magnus
E60 King’'s Indian, Fianchetto variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.O-O c5 7.d5 b5 8.cxb5 a6 9.bxa6 Bf5 10.Nfd2 Nxa6 11.Nc3 Nb4 12.Nc4 Nc2 13.g4 Nxg4 14.e4 Nxa1 15.exf5 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nf6 17.Qe2 Re8 18.Bg5 Qd7 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Rxa1 Qf5 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qf3 Qh4 23.Qe4 Qf6 24.Qf3 Qh4 25.Qe4 Qf6 26.Qd3 Reb8 27.a3 Rb3 28.Rc1 Ra4 29.Qc2 Qf4 30.Qxb3 Qxc1+ 31.Bf1 Qg5+ 32.Bg2 Qc1+ 33.Bf1 Qg5+ 34.Bg2 Qc1+ 1/2-1/2

Position after Black'’s 19....…hxg6



"“For the current number-one player, his place at the top would have been even more tenuous if Grischuk had gone for that messier, but ultimately better continuation with 20. Nb6. Before that became a possibility, some opening transpositions unfolded.

For the current number-one player, his place at the top would have been even more tenuous if Grischuk had gone for that messier, but ultimately better continuation with 20. Nb6. Before that became a possibility, some opening transpositions unfolded.

(20. Nb6 Qf5 21. Nxa8 Qxg5 22. Nc7 Rc8 23. Nb5was winning, but Grischuk was fearful of ...Nxd5 and ...Nf4)”" ( Mike Klein op. cit.)


Round 6, August 24
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar -– MVL
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Bb5 c6 9.Bd3 O-O 10.Nf3 c5 11.Qxd7 Bxd7 12.Rb1 b6 13.Be3 Rd8 14.O-O Ba4 15.Rfc1 e6 16.h3 Nd7 17.Ba6 Bc6 18.Nd2 Nb8 19.Bb5 Bxb5 20.Rxb5 Na6 21.e5 Nc7 22.Rbb1 Nd5 23.Bg5 Rd7 24.Ne4 h6 25.Bd2 cxd4 26.cxd4 Rad8 27.g4 g5 28.Rc4 Nf4 29.Bxf4 gxf4 30.Rbb4 f3 31.Nf6+ Bxf6 32.exf6 Kh7 33.Kh2 Kg6 34.Kg3 Rd6 35.Rc7 Rxd4 36.Rxd4 Rxd4 37.Rxa7 Kxf6 38.Rb7 Ra4 39.Rxb6 Rxa2 40.Kxf3 Ra3+ 41.Kg2 Ra2 42.Kf3 Ra3+ 43.Kg2 Ra2 44.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, August 24
Caruana, Fabiano - Karjakin, Sergey
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Romanishin-Kasparov System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 dxc4 7.O-O Nc6 8.Qa4 Bd7 9.Bg5 a5 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qd8 13.Qxc4 a4 14.Nd2 Na5 15.Qb4 Ra7 16.Rab1 b6 17.e3 Bc6 18.Bxc6 Nxc6 19.Qb5 Qa8 20.c4 Rd8 21.Rfc1 e5 22.d5 Nb8 23.c5 Ra5 24.Qb2 Qxd5 25.cxb6 cxb6 26.Nc4 Rc5 27.Qxb6 f6 28.Rd1 Qxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 30.Kg2 1-0

Round 6, August 24
Nakamura, Hikaru -– Aronian, Levon
A29 English, Bremen

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bc5 7.O-O O-O 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.d3 Qd8 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 e4 12.dxe4 Qe7 13.Qc2 Bg4 14.Rac1 Rad8 15.h3 Bc8 16.a3 Rde8 17.e5 h6 18.Qc5 Qxc5 19.Rxc5 Ne7 20.Rxc7 Nd5 21.Rc5 Nxe3 22.Rfc1 Rd8 23.R1c3 Nxg2 24.Kxg2 Bf5 25.Rc7 Be4 26.Kf2 Rfe8 27.R3c4 Bxf3 28.Kxf3 Rxe5 29.Rxb7 Rd2 30.e3 g5 31.Rd4 Rc2 32.Rdd7 Rf5+ 33.Ke4 Rf6 34.Rb8+ Kg7 35.Rxa7 Re6+ 36.Kf3 Rf6+ 37.Ke4 Re6+ 38.Kd3 Rg2 39.g4 Rg3 40.Rbb7 Rexe3+ 41.Kc2 Ref3 42.a4 Rxh3 43.a5 Rh4 44.a6 Rxg4 45.Ra8 Ra4 46.a7 g4 47.Rc8 g3 48.a8=Q Rxa8 49.Rxa8 h5 50.Rbb8 Kf6 51.Rg8 h4 52.Ra6+ Ke7 53.Rh6 Rf2+ 54.Kd3 Rh2 55.Ke4 g2 56.Ke5 h3 57.Rc6 f6+ 58.Kd5 Kf7 59.Rg3 Rh1 60.Rc7+ Kf8 61.Rc8+ Kf7 62.Rc7+ Kf8 63.Ke6 Re1+ 64.Kxf6 Rf1+ 65.Ke6 Re1+ 66.Kf6 Rf1+ 67.Ke6 Re1+ 68.Kf6 1/2-1/2

Position after Black’'s 51…....h4. What is White’s winning line from here?




(52. Ra3 Rf2+and now White can win by either keeping his c-pawn with 53. Kc3 or perhaps even more simply just getting the king involved with 53. Kd3 Rxb2 54. Ke4) M.K.

Round 6, August 24
So, Wesley -– Anand, Viswanathan
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.a3 Nc6 11.Bd3 Bb6 12.O-O Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bb1 d4 15.Qd3 Bg6 16.e4 Re8 17.Re1 Qe7 18.Qb5 f6 19.Nh4 Bf7 20.Nf5 Qc5 21.Qe2 Ne5 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Bd3 Bg6 24.Qd2 Bxf5 25.exf5 Qd5 26.Qc2 Kf8 27.Re6 Rxe6 28.fxe6 g6 29.Re1 Re8 30.Bc4 d3 31.Qxd3 Qxd3 32.Bxd3 Ke7 33.Bc4 Rd8 34.Re2 Ba5 35.b4 Rd1+ 36.Kh2 Bc7+ 37.g3 Rc1 38.Ba2 Rc3 39.a4 Bd6 40.b5 Ra3 41.Bd5 b6 42.Ra2 Rxa2 43.Bxa2 f5 44.Kg2 Be5 45.g4 fxg4 46.hxg4 h5 47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Kh3 Bf6 49.Bc4 Kd6 50.Kg3 Ke7 51.Kf4 h4 52.Kg4 Kd6 53.f3 Ke7 54.f4 Kd6 55.Kf5 Ke7 56.Bf1 Ba1 57.Bh3 Bf6 58.Bg4 Ba1 59.Ke4 Kd6 60.Bh3 Bb2 61.Kd3 Bf6 62.Kc4 Be7 63.Kd4 Bf6+ 64.Kc4 Be7 65.Kd4 Bf6+ 66.Kc4 1/2-1/2


Standings after Round Six

1 Caruana 4
2-5 Grischuk, Carlsen, Mamedyarov, Aronian 3.5
6-7 MVL, Anand 3
8 So 2.5
9 Nakamura 2
10 Karjakin 1.5

[Hans Jung]

Levon Aronian is usually much more precise when given a chance in the endgame. Nakamura had a +1 advantage at move 31 but his play slipped downhill until suddenly he was -3 if Aronian found the move. He didnt and the position in a few moves swung back to +4 for Nakamura and as Wayne pointed out above missed the win. Where is endgame doctor Karsten Mueller. I'm sure he'll weigh in on this game.

[Hans Jung]

All eyes on Magnus-Fab Fabi this round.

[Hans Jung]

Has Karjakhin found an improvement on Kasparov-Dominguez or is Shak better? Exciting to watch.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2018

August 25, 2018

Round Seven

In the premier game after 16.Qxe2

the position is





Round 7, August 26
Carlsen, Magnus –- Caruana, Fabiano
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Bc4 O-O 9.Qd2 Bf5 10.O-O-O Qd7 11.Kb1 Rfe8 12.h4 Bf8 13.h5 h6 14.Be2 Bg4 15.Nh2 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 (game in progress - 55 minutes left on each clock)

Viewers who like to see all the moves and variation might try going over to

http://analysis.sesse.net

where a supercomputer that follows all of Carlsen’'s games evaluates all the possible moves in the current position.

[Hans Jung]

Three fascinating endgames (in the games that are still going) are happening, the bonus in a great game of chess. Magnus is squeezing Fabi, Karjakhin-Shak is computer unclear but I favor Shak's passed pawn, and Aronian is squeezing So.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2018

August 25, 2018

Round Seven

The premier game ends in a draw and so Carlsen is still atop the live ratings with 2835.3, followed by Caruana at 2828.5

Mike Klein at chess.com: "In the game that everybody wanted to see, the two players that will contest the next world championship were situated on the middle board at the Saint Louis Chess Club. Before the round, the press marked their territory with tripods and chairs, while fans endured several queues for entry into the tournament hall.

Even fellow players unwittingly took part. One by one, like lapped race cars moving to the apron to allow the leaders to pass, the other four outlying games all ended drawn. Carlsen (4.0/7) and Caruana (4.5/7) had the room to themselves, but the champ said he couldn't trust his normally reliable intuition" (see analysis below).

https://www.chess.com/news/view/caru...ds-sinquefield

Round 7, August 25
Carlsen, Magnus –- Caruana, Fabiano
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Bc4 O-O 9.Qd2 Bf5 10.O-O-O Qd7 11.Kb1 Rfe8 12.h4 Bf8 13.h5 h6 14.Be2 Bg4 15.Nh2 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Ne5 17.Bc1 Qc6 18.f4 Nc4 19.Qd3 Qe4 20.g4 Ne3 21.Rde1 Qxd3 22.cxd3 Nd5 23.Reg1 Re6 24.g5 Ne7 25.gxh6 Rxh6 26.f5 Rh7 27.Ng4 Kh8 28.f6 Ng8 29.fxg7+ Rxg7 30.Be3 c5 31.Bf4 Re8 32.Ne3 Rxg1+ 33.Rxg1 Re6 34.Nd5 Nf6 35.Nc7 Re2 36.Nb5 Re6 37.Rf1 Kg8 38.Nc7 Re2 39.Nb5 Re6 40.Nc7 Re2 41.Nb5 Re6 1/2-1/2

Position after Black’'s 24…....Ne7



After Carlsen played 25.gxh6 he went into the confessional booth and just put one finger to his lip, telling the viewers in effect not to say a word.

25 ... Rxh6 26.f5 Rh7Carlsen: " I felt that now 27.f6 should be stronger. In recent times I cannot bring myself to trust my instinct - that's what upsets me ...!"

Indeed, 27.f6! It puts black in a difficult position. The main option: 27 ... Nd5 (even worse 27 ... Nf5 28.Rg5) 28.Ng4 g6 29.c4 Nb6 30.Nh6 +! Bxh6 31.hxg6 fxg6 32.Rxg6 + Kf7 33.Rgxh6 etc.

Ng8 28.f6 Kh8 27.Ng4 29.fxg7 +(more interesting and probably more 29.h6! Gxf6 30.Rf1) 29 ... Rxg7 30.Be3 c5 31.Bf4 Re8 32.Ne3 Rxg1 + 33.Rxg1 Re6 34. Re2 Nf6 35.Nc7 Nd5 36.Nb5 Re6. Here Magnus, when he was in time trouble, made a decisive easing: 37.Rf1? Kg8and did not find anything better than a repetition of moves: 38.Nc7 Re2 39.Nb5 Re6 40.Nc7 Re2 41.Nb5 Re6 1/2 - 1/2

Analysis from http://chess-news.ru/node/24989

Round 7, August 25
Aronian, Levon -– So, Wesley
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.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bf4 Bd6 11.Nc3 Bxf4 12.gxf4 a5 13.e3 Nbd7 14.Kh1 Ra6 15.Rg1 Rb6 16.Qe2 Ne4 17.Qc2 f5 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Qc3 Bxf3 20.Bxf3 Nf6 21.Qxa5 Rxb2 22.Rg2 Nd5 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Qc3 Rb6 25.a5 Rb5 26.Rg5 Rf6 27.Qc2 g6 28.h4 Qe7 29.h5 Qe4+ 30.Qxe4 dxe4 31.Rgg1 c5 32.dxc5 Rxc5 33.Rab1 Rxa5 34.Rxb7 Rfa6 35.Rbb1 Kg7 36.Kg2 Ra7 37.Rh1 h6 38.Kg3 R5a6 39.Kh4 gxh5 40.Kxh5 Rg6 41.Rhg1 Rxg1 42.Rxg1+ Kh7 43.Rg6 Ra1 44.Rxh6+ Kg7 45.Rb6 Rg1 46.Kh4 Kf7 47.Kh3 Rg8 48.Kh2 Ke7 49.Rh6 Kf7 50.Rh3 Kf6 51.Rg3 Rh8+ 52.Kg2 Ra8 53.Rh3 Rg8+ 54.Kf1 Ra8 55.Rh6+ Ke7 56.Rc6 Ra1+ 1/2-1/2

Round 7, August 25
Anand, Vishy -– Grischuk, Alexander
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 O-O 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.Nf1 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxe3 d5 15.Qc2 a5 16.Rad1 Qd7 17.Qb3 Rd8 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.d4 exd4 20.Nxd5 Qxd5 21.Qxb7 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 dxc3 23.bxc3 Qd6 24.Qb5 g6 25.Nd4 Nxd4 26.cxd4 Qb4 27.Re8+ Rxe8 28.Qxe8+ Kg7 29.Qe5+ Kg8 30.Qe8+ Kg7 31.Qe5+ Kg8 32.Qe8+ Kg7 1/2-1/2

Round 7, August 25
Karjakin, Sergey - Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
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 g5 9.Be3 Nbd7 10.Qe2 Ne5 11.O-O-O Nfd7 12.h4 Rg8 13.hxg5 hxg5 14.Kb1 b5 15.f4 gxf4 16.Bxf4 Bb7 17.g5 Qb6 18.Rh7 O-O-O 19.Be3 Qa5 20.Rf1 Rg7 21.Rxg7 Bxg7 22.g6 Nxg6 23.Rxf7 Bxd4 24.Bxd4 Nge5 25.Rf2 Qb4 26.Be3 Nc4 27.Bc1 Kb8 28.Nd1 Rc8 29.b3 Na3+ 30.Bxa3 Qxa3 31.Bh3 Nc5 32.e5 Be4 33.Qe3 Nd3 34.Rf7 Qc5 35.Qxc5 Nxc5 36.exd6 Rd8 37.Nc3 Rxd6 38.Kb2 Bc6 39.a3 Nb7 40.Rh7 Nc5 41.Rh6 Kc7 42.b4 Ne4 43.Rxe6 Rxe6 44.Bxe6 Nxc3 45.Kxc3 Kb6 46.Kd4 a5 47.Bd5 Be8 48.bxa5+ Kxa5 49.Kc5 Bg6 50.c3 Bd3 51.Bc6 Be2 52.Bd7 Bd3 53.Bc6 Be2 54.Bd7 Bd3 55.Bc6 Be2 56.Bd7 1/2-1/2

Round 7, August 25
MVL –- Nakamura, Hikaru
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.O-O d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.a4 Bf5 9.Nbd2 Nb6 10.Bb5 Bxd3 11.Re1 e4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Qxd8 Rfxd8 14.Rxe4 Rd1+ 15.Re1 Rxe1+ 16.Nxe1 a6 17.Be2 Nd5 18.Nd3 Ba7 19.a5 Re8 20.Kf1 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Rxe5 22.Ra3 Nf6 23.Bf3 c6 24.Rb3 Re7 25.Rb4 h6 26.h4 Kf8 27.g4 Nd5 28.Ra4 Bb8 29.g5 hxg5 30.Bxg5 f6 31.Bd2 Rd7 32.h5 f5 33.Rh4 Kg8 34.c4 Nf6 35.Bc3 Kh7 36.Bxf6 gxf6 37.h6 Be5 38.Bg2 Kg6 39.h7 Rxh7 40.Rxh7 Kxh7 41.b4 Bc3 42.b5 axb5 43.cxb5 cxb5 44.Bxb7 Bxa5 45.Ke2 b4 46.Kd3 b3 47.Bd5 b2 48.Kc2 Bc3 49.f3 Be5 50.Kb1 f4 51.Ba8 Kh8 52.Bd5 Kg7 53.Ba8 Kh8 54.Bd5 Kg7 55.Ba8 1/2-1/2

Final position of MVL-Nakamura.

Does Black have any chance of winning or just a draw?




Standings after Round Seven

1 Caruana 4.5
2-5 Grischuk, Carlsen, Mamedyarov, Aronian 4
6-7 MVL, Anand 3.5
8 So 3
9 Nakamura 2.5
10 Karjakin 2

_________

A note from Peter Doggers on the upcoming Chess960 Tournament:

"Only a few months after Kasparov tried bughouse for the first time, the chess legend will also be making his first moves of Chess960. From September 10 to 14, the Saint Louis Chess Club is hosting another showdown with Fischer Random games only.

The participants will play six rapid games (30+10) and 14 blitz games (5+5) for a total prize fund of $250,000. The games will all be Chess960, meaning that the position of the pieces in the starting position will be shuffled."

https://www.chess.com/news/view/kasp...chess960-debut