Sinquefield Cup 2019

[Hans Jung]

On Vishy's chances for first: I dont deserve to win.

[Hans Jung]

The Ding-Shak game is headed for a draw and MVL-Magnus is mysterious.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2019

August 28, 2019

Playoff Format Tomorrow (if required)

2-Way Tie for First

- 2 game rapid match: G/25 with 10 sec. delay

If undecided,

- 2 game blitz match: G/5 with 3 sec. delay

If undecided after 3 blitz matches,

- GCT Chief Arbiter’s Discretion

3+ Tie For First

- Rapid Round-Robin: G/10 with 5 sec. delay

If undecided,

- Blitz Round-Robin: G/5 with 3 sec. delay

If undecided after 3 Round-Robins

- GCT Chief Arbiter’s Discretion

Round Eleven (still in progress)

Round 11, August 28
Ding, Liren – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
E60 King’s Indian, Fianchetto

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.dxc5 Qa5 8.O-O dxc4 9.Qd4 Nc6 10.Qxc4 Be6 11.Qh4 Qxc5 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Nd5 15.Qc5 Qxc5 16.Bxc5 Rfc8 17.Bxd5 Rxc5 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Rfd1 Rac8 20.Rd7 R8c7 21.Rad1 Bxc3 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.bxc3 Kf7 24.Rb1 e5 25.Kf1 b6 26.Rb3 Rc5 27.a4 Ra5 28.Rb4 Rc5 29.Rb3 Rc4 30.Ra3 Ke6 31.Ke1 Kd5 32.Kd2 e4 33.Ra1 g5 34.Kc2 Ke5 35.a5 b5 36.a6 b4 37.Ra5+ Kf6 38.Rb5 Rxc3+ 39.Kd2 Ra3 40.Rxb4 e3+ 41.fxe3 Rxa6 42.h4 h6 43.hxg5+ Kxg5 44.Re4 Kf6 45.Rh4 Kf5 46.Rf4+ Ke5 47.g4 e6 48.Rf7 Ra2+ 49.Kd3 Ra3+ 50.Kd2 Ra2+ 51.Kd3 Ra3+ 52.Kd2 Ra2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 11, August 28
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B31 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 f6 7.O-O d6 8.c4 c5 9.Qd3 Bg7 10.b3 Nh6 11.Nc3 Rb8 12.Bd2 O-O 13.Rae1 Nf7 14.h4 Rb7 15.h5 g5 16.Nh2 Ne5 17.Qg3 Kh8 18.f4 gxf4 19.Bxf4 Rg8 20.Re3 Nc6 21.Qf2 f5 22.Nf3 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 e5 24.Rd3 exf4 25.Qb2+ Rbg7 26.h6 fxe4 27.Rd2 exf3 28.hxg7+ Rxg7 29.Rxf3 Qg5 30.Rdf2 Nd4 31.Rxf4 Bf5 32.b4 Be6 33.Rf8+ Bg8 34.bxc5 dxc5 35.Qb8 Qe3 36.Qd6 Qc1+ 37.Kh2 Qg5 38.Qd5 Qh4+ 39.Kg1 Qe7 40.Qh5 Qe3 41.Qh4 Ne2+ 42.Kh1 Qc1+ 43.Rf1 Ng3+ 44.Kg1 Qe3+ 0-1

Round 11, August 28
Caruana, Fabiano – Karjakin, Sergey
A29 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Bc5 6.Bg2 d6 7.O-O O-O 8.e3 Re8 9.b3 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.d3 a5 12.a3 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Ne7 14.g4 Bg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.dxe5 Be4 17.e6 fxe6 18.dxe6 Ng6 19.h4 Qf6 20.Ra2 Rf8 21.e7 Rf7 22.h5 Bxf3 23.Bxf3 Qxf3 24.hxg6 hxg6 25.Qxf3 Rxf3 26.Kg2 Rf7 27.e4 Rxe7 28.Re2 Kf7 29.Bb2 Rh8 30.f4 Ree8 31.f5 gxf5 32.Rxf5+ Kg6 33.Bc1 Rh4 34.Rg5+ Kh7 game still in progress

Round 11, August 28
Anand, Vishy – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 h5 11.Bg5 Be6 12.Rfd1 Be7 13.Rd2 Rd8 14.Rxd8+ Kxd8 15.Rd1+ Ke8 16.b3 h4 17.Ne2 Bd5 18.Bf4 Bxf3 19.gxf3 g6 20.Bc1 Ng7 21.Kg2 Ne6 22.Nd4 Kd7 23.Nf5+ Ke8 24.Nd4 Kd7 25.Nf5+ Ke8 26.Nd4 Kd7 1/2-1/2

Round 11, August 28
Giri, Anish – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
D83 Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, Capablanca variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Rc1 Be6 7.c5 c6 8.Bd3 b6 9.Na4 Nfd7 10.h3 bxc5 11.Nxc5 Nxc5 12.Rxc5 Qb6 13.Qc2 Rc8 14.Nf3 Nd7 15.Rc3 c5 16.O-O c4 17.b3 Nc5 18.bxc4 Nxd3 19.c5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Qa5 21.Nd4 Bd7 22.c6 Be8 23.Rc5 Qa6 24.Rxd5 Bxc6 25.Nxc6 Rxc6 26.Qd2 Bc3 27.Rd8+ Rxd8 28.Qxd8+ Kg7 29.Qxe7 Bf6 30.Be5 Qxa2 31.Ra1 Qe6 32.Bxf6+ Qxf6 33.Qxa7 Rc2 34.Rf1 h5 35.Qb7 Rb2 36.Qd5 Re2 37.Qf3 Qxf3 38.gxf3 Ra2 39.Rd1 Ra5 40.Kg2 Rg5+ 41.Kh2 Rf5 42.f4 Ra5 43.Kg3 Ra2 44.Rd5 f5 45.Kf3 Kf6 46.Rd6+ Kg7 47.Rd1 Kf6 48.Re1 Rb2 49.Re2 Rb1 50.Kg3 Rg1+ 51.Kh2 Ra1 52.Rb2 Rc1 53.Ra2 Rb1 54.Kg2 Re1 55.Rb2 Kg7 56.Kf3 Kf6 57.Re2 Rg1 58.Rd2 Re1 59.Kg2 Kg7 60.Ra2 Kf6 61.Ra3 Kf7 62.f3 Re2+ 63.Kg3 Kf6 64.Kh4 Re1 65.Ra6+ Kf7 66.Kg5 Rg1+ 67.Kh6 Rg3 68.Ra7+ Kf6 game still in progress

Round 11, August 28
So, Wesley – Aronian, Levon
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.Ne5 Nc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxc6 Qe8 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Qa4 e5 12.dxe5 Qxe5 13.Nc3 Ne4 14.Qxc4 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Be6 16.Bf4 Bxc4 17.Bxe5 Rfe8 18.Bxc7 Rxe2 19.a4 Rc8 20.Bf4 Rc2 21.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 22.Rxc1 a5 23.Rb1 f6 24.Rb8 Rxb8 25.Bxb8 Bb3 26.Bc7 Bxa4 27.Bxa5 Kf7 28.f3 Ke6 29.Kf2 Kd5 30.Bb6 g6 31.Bd4 f5 32.Bh8 Bb5 33.Bd4 Ba4 34.Bg7 Bb5 35.Bd4 Ba4 1/2-1/2

Standings in Progress

1-2 Carlsen, Ding Liren 6.5/11
3 Anand 6/11
4 Nepo 5.5/10
5 Mamedyarov 5.5/11
6 Karjakin 5.5/10
7 Caruana 5/10
8. MVL 5/11

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2019

August 28, 2019

Round Eleven (concluded)

Caruana is able to draw and Nepo blunders

Round 11, August 28
Caruana, Fabiano – Karjakin, Sergey
A29 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Bc5 6.Bg2 d6 7.O-O O-O 8.e3 Re8 9.b3 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.d3 a5 12.a3 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Ne7 14.g4 Bg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.dxe5 Be4 17.e6 fxe6 18.dxe6 Ng6 19.h4 Qf6 20.Ra2 Rf8 21.e7 Rf7 22.h5 Bxf3 23.Bxf3 Qxf3 24.hxg6 hxg6 25.Qxf3 Rxf3 26.Kg2 Rf7 27.e4 Rxe7 28.Re2 Kf7 29.Bb2 Rh8 30.f4 Ree8 31.f5 gxf5 32.Rxf5+ Kg6 33.Bc1 Rh4 34.Rg5+ Kh7 35.Bd2 c5 36.Be1 Rh6 37.Bg3 Rhe6 38.Kf3 Bd8 39.Rd5 Be7 40.a4 Kg6 41.e5 Rf8+ 42.Kg2 Rc8 43.Kf3 dxe5 44.Rexe5 Rxe5 45.Bxe5 Bf6 46.Bf4 c4 47.bxc4 Rxc4 48.Rxa5 Rc3+ 49.Ke4 Rc4+ 50.Kf3 Rc3+ 51.Ke4 Rc4+ 52.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Round 11, August 28
Giri, Anish – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
D83 Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, Capablanca variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Rc1 Be6 7.c5 c6 8.Bd3 b6 9.Na4 Nfd7 10.h3 bxc5 11.Nxc5 Nxc5 12.Rxc5 Qb6 13.Qc2 Rc8 14.Nf3 Nd7 15.Rc3 c5 16.O-O c4 17.b3 Nc5 18.bxc4 Nxd3 19.c5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Qa5 21.Nd4 Bd7 22.c6 Be8 23.Rc5 Qa6 24.Rxd5 Bxc6 25.Nxc6 Rxc6 26.Qd2 Bc3 27.Rd8+ Rxd8 28.Qxd8+ Kg7 29.Qxe7 Bf6 30.Be5 Qxa2 31.Ra1 Qe6 32.Bxf6+ Qxf6 33.Qxa7 Rc2 34.Rf1 h5 35.Qb7 Rb2 36.Qd5 Re2 37.Qf3 Qxf3 38.gxf3 Ra2 39.Rd1 Ra5 40.Kg2 Rg5+ 41.Kh2 Rf5 42.f4 Ra5 43.Kg3 Ra2 44.Rd5 f5 45.Kf3 Kf6 46.Rd6+ Kg7 47.Rd1 Kf6 48.Re1 Rb2 49.Re2 Rb1 50.Kg3 Rg1+ 51.Kh2 Ra1 52.Rb2 Rc1 53.Ra2 Rb1 54.Kg2 Re1 55.Rb2 Kg7 56.Kf3 Kf6 57.Re2 Rg1 58.Rd2 Re1 59.Kg2 Kg7 60.Ra2 Kf6 61.Ra3 Kf7 62.f3 Re2+ 63.Kg3 Kf6 64.Kh4 Re1 65.Ra6+ Kf7 66.Kg5 Rg1+ 67.Kh6 Rg3 68.Ra7+ Kf6 69.e4 Rxf3 70.e5+ Ke6 71.Ra6+ Ke7 72.Ra4 Rg3 73.Ra7+ Ke6 74.Ra6+ Kf7 75.Rf6+ Ke7 76.Rxg6 Rxh3 77.Kg5 1-0

Position after Black’s 72…Rg3?




Broadcast Announcement


Super Thursday!

Playoff Coverage Begins at 9:50 AM

Tomorrow, August 29

Ding Liren vs Magnus Carlsen

Followed by

Ultimate Moves 30 minutes after the end of playoffs.

Final Standings

1-2 Carlsen, Ding Liren 6.5
3-4 Anand, Karjakin 6
5-8 Caruana, Giri, Nepo, Mamedyarov 5.5
9-10 MVL, Nakamura 5
11-12 So, Aronian 4.5

Post-game Interview with Anish Giri

I was a pawn up but Nepo still thought I would repeat moves for a draw.

Ian has made blunders but he has won lots of games with his quickplay. He shows you the absolute extremes of such play.

After this, I’m going to Khanty-Mansiysk for the World Cup, European Team Championship, Isle of Man Grand Swiss Qualifier, one more Grand Prix and some Grand Chess Tour rapids…

Magnus had a shock during the Rapid and Blitz. That was a cultural shock for him. Before this he had an incredible year and then he was totally out of shape. After this, in the Sinquefield, he started with draws, a sort of recovery therapy. He made so many draws he forgot all of his life before this. He was just playing chess again. In the last two rounds, he was playing like his old self.

[Ian Findlay]

Very exciting finish. Magnus has never lost a playoff. Ding Liren is playing very well. I think it is about 60/40 in favour of Magnus.

[Hans Jung]

Magnus pulled off a great comeback. Thanks to MVL for making it interesting. Whats also interesting is that Magnus is known for his endgame skill but his game was decided in the middlegame, All the other last round games were endgames.

[Hans Jung]

Bonus: we get a playoff tomorrow (morning?) !

[Ian Findlay]

Bonus: we get a playoff tomorrow (morning?) !

Yes, 2 25 rapid games. Then Armageddon if tied. Broadcast starts at 9:50 EDT I believe.

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2019

August 29, 2019

Playoffs/Tie-Break

Quite amusing – the broadcast starts just before 11 AM but the English stream is transmitting the Russian coverage.
There is Almira Skripchenko and Evgenyi Miroshnichenko. Almira breaks from the Russian language to tell everyone that there is a slight technical difficulty with the English stream and they will switch over when it is fixed.

All sorts of comments on the Chat – blaming Russian hackers and saying that there is definitely no collusion. I switch over to Jan Gustafsson in German. Others go over to Laurent Fressinet in French. I also have the sesse supercomputer on so that I can see the game:

https://analysis.sesse.net

OK, let’s get serious, the broadcast is back to normal

Playoff Game 1, August 29
25+ 10
Carlsen, Magnus – Ding, Liren
D43 QGD, Semi-Slav

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 b5 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Nd5 11.Ne4 Bb7 12.Bg2 c5 13.Bd2 Be7 14.Rc1 c4 15.Kc2 O-O-O 16.Rhd1 f5 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.exd6 Rxd6 19.Bxd5 exd5 20.Bc3 Re8 21.e3 g5 22.Rd4 Re4 23.Rh1 Rh6 24.h4 Kd7 25.a3 g4 26.Rxe4 fxe4 27.b4 Ra6 28.Kb2 h5 29.Rd1 Ke6 30.Rd2 Bc6 31.Bd4 Be8 32.Bc3 Bc6 33.Bd4 Be8 34.Bc3 Bc6 1/2-1/2

Playoff Game 2, August 29
25+ 10
Ding, Liren – Carlsen, Magnus
E03 Catalan, open


1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Be3 Bd6 8.Nh3 O-O 9.O-O h6 10.Nc3 b5 11.Qb3 Rb8 12.Nf4 Bb7 13.Bxb7 Rxb7 14.Nd3 Qe7 15.Rac1 Rbb8 16.Rfd1 Rfc8 17.a3 c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Bxc5 Bxc5 20.Nxc5 Rxc5 21.Na2 a5 22.Qe3 Rxc1 23.Nxc1 b4 24.axb4 Qxb4 25.Nd3 Qd6 26.Rc1 Nd5 27.Qd4 Qb6 28.Rc5 Qb3 29.Kg2 Qb7 30.f3 Qa6 31.Kf2 a4 32.Qc4 Qa7 33.Qd4 Qa6 34.Qc4 Qa7 35.Qd4 1/2-1/2

Playoff Game 3, August 29
5+3
Ding, Liren – Carlsen, Magnus
A13 English, Neo-Catalan open

1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qc2 c5 8.Nc3 Qc7 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bc5 11.Nb3 Bd6 12.O-O O-O 13.Rd1 Be5 14.Be3 Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Rac1 Nf6 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Rxd5 Qxc2 19.Rxc2 Bf6 20.Nc5 Re8 21.Bd4 Be7 22.Re5 f6 23.Re3 Bf5 24.Rd2 Bxc5 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Bxc5 Rc8 27.b4 a5 28.a3 axb4 29.axb4 Rc7 30.f3 Rd7 31.Ra2 h5 32.Kf2 Kf7 33.h4 Be6 34.Ra8 b5 35.e4 Bc4 36.Ke3 Rd3+ 37.Kf4 Rd7 38.Rh8 Kg6 39.g4 hxg4 40.fxg4 Kf7 41.h5 Bb3 42.e5 fxe5+ 43.Kxe5 Rd5+ 44.Kf4 Rd1 45.Rf8+ Ke6 46.Re8+ Kf7 47.Rf8+ Ke6 48.Kg5 Bc2 49.Re8+ Kf7 50.Re7+ Kg8 51.Rb7 Rd5+ 52.Kh4 Bd3 53.g5 Rd8 54.g6 Bc4 55.Kg5 Rd5+ 56.Kf4 Rd8 57.Bd6 Be2 58.Be5 Bxh5 59.Kg5 Be2 60.Rxg7+ Kf8 61.Rf7+ Ke8 62.Kf6 Bc4 63.Rh7 Rd1 64.Re7+ Kd8 65.Ra7 Rf1+ 66.Kg7 Ke8 67.Bf6 Re1 68.Kh8 Rh1+ 69.Kg7 Re1 70.Rb7 Re2 71.Ra7 Re1 72.Rc7 Re2 73.Ra7 Re1 74.Ra3 Re2 75.Ra8+ Kd7 76.Kf8 Rf2 77.Kg7 Rg2 78.Rd8+ Ke6 79.Re8+ Kd7 80.Re5 Kd6 81.Re3 Kd7 82.Re7+ Kd6 83.Re3 Kd7 84.Kh6 Rh2+ 85.Kg7 Rg2 86.Bd4 Rg4 87.Bc5 Rg2 1-0

Final position



Ding had winning positions in the endgame but couldn’t convert. With seconds left on both clocks, Magnus finally flagged and lost.

There is an amusing comment in the Chat;

- Damn, it’s 3 AM here and I can’t sleep until this is over

I calculate that that viewer is in Australia.

Playoff Game 4, August 29
5+3
Carlsen, Magnus – Ding, Liren
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.c3 Na5 9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 cxd4 11.cxd4 O-O 12.h3 Re8 13.d5 Bd7 14.Nc3 Qb8 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Ne2 Nb7 17.g4 Nc5 18.Ng3 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 b4 20.Re1 Qb5 21.Qd1 Rc7 22.Be3 Rac8 23.Nd2 g6 24.b3 Qb7 25.Nc4 Bb5 26.Na5 Qb8 27.Qd2 Rc3 28.a3 bxa3 29.Nc6 Bxc6 30.Qxc3 Bxd5 31.Qa5 Bxe4 32.g5 Ba8 33.Qxa6 Nd5 34.Ba7 Qc7 35.Rec1 Qxc1+ 36.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37.Kh2 Bc6 38.Qxa3 Bxg5 39.Qxd6 Bf4 40.Bc5 Ne7 0-1

Final position



A brilliant game by Ding. He is the worthy winner of the tournament and the Sinquefield Cup.. Carlsen is not too unhappy with his loss and says that Ding was the better player today.

[Hans Jung]

Ding wins! and with a wonderful display in the final game!

[Hans Jung]

Brilliant chess by Ding Liren at many points throughout the tournament.

[Serge Archambault]

0123456789

[Wayne Komer]

Sinquefield Cup 2019

August 30, 2019

Wrap-up

In the first blitz game, Carlsen with seconds to go repeated the position but lost on time. This discussion on the EC Forum:

Nick Faulks: In the first blitz game, which Magnus lost, the position was the same after black's 67th, 69th, 71st and 73rd move. So Magnus had two chances to claim a draw and didn't, but apparently no five-fold repetition.

Remind me, if you want to claim a draw when into your last second, what are you supposed to do? I would shout "draw" and bang the clock, but I have a feeling that is wrong

To which Alex Holowczak answered:

Well, you have to claim when it's your turn to move, so if you shout draw and bang the clock, you've successfully made an illegal move because you've pressed the clock without moving. If you've made a move, shouted draw, and banged the clock, the arbiter will inform you that you can't claim a draw because it isn't your turn to move.

(Edit: This assumes your shout of "draw" is an attempt to claim a draw with the arbiter, and not offering your opponent a draw!)

Given Carlsen needs to claim that the position after Re1 is a draw, rather than the position before he has moved, he'd normally be obliged to write the move down and then pause the clock, before claiming. Given it's blitz, it's generally accepted - but not written in the Laws - that he could pause the clock and tell the arbiter the move given you can't write it down. The arbiter can then investigate with anything he or she likes, but the three most likely routes are:

1. His or her own observation, which with a normal plastic set is the best you can hope for
2. The DGT board transmission
3. The video camera

The claim is also a draw offer, so the opponent might accept it before you get around to doing any investigating.

_________

Leonard Barden’s latest column wraps up the tourney:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...inquefield-cup

_________

Final Points and Prizes

1 Ding Liren 16.5 GCT points $82,500
2 Carlsen 16.5 $67,500
3-4 Karjakin, Anand 11 $35,00
5-8 Nepo, Mamedyarov, Caruana, Giri 6.5 $16,000
9-10 MVL, Nakamura 3.5 $10,000
11-12 So, Aronian 1.5 $10,000

[Hans Jung]

Great column by Leonard Barden. At age 90 he writes like a much younger man, using youthful language.

[Hans Jung]

A healthy prize fund for the players. $10.000 (plus expenses) for just finishing. (bottom of the field)