Clutch Chess

**Hans Jung** · Wednesday, 27th May, 2020, 11:41 AM

Well apparently not. The players are juggling playing times successfully.

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 5th June, 2020, 01:10 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 5, 2020

Dates: June 6 to 14
Format: Clutch Chess: 8-Player Knock-out Tournament
Time control: 10 + 5
Prize Fund: $265,000

In this second installment of Clutch Chess, the tournament will expand internationally. Eight of the world's top chess players will battle online from Saturday, June 6 - Sunday, June 14, 2020 for an extraordinary $265K in prize money - the largest prize fund ever offered for an online chess event. As players compete, it becomes clear that Clutch Chess tests a player’s ability to perform under pressure in the most critical phases of a match. This allows drama until the very end; a player who is trailing significantly still has a chance to come back until the very end.

https://www.uschesschamps.com/2020-c...ional/overview

The Field:

Magnus Carlsen
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Leinier Dominguez
Alexander Grischuk
Levon Aronian
Fabiano Caruana
Wesley So
Jeffery Xiong

Schedule: See the official site (above) for details

Quarterfinal games start at 1:00 PM CT (2:00 PM Toronto/Montreal)

Format: Clutch Chess is a knock-out tournament played at rapid time controls. Game points are weighted at critical phases of each match and are worth additional prize money, as discussed in further detail in Sections 3 and 5 below.

Venue: Clutch Chess is an online event. Players will compete from their homes under the supervision of a Chief Arbiter. The Chief Arbiter shall be Chris Bird, IA.

Pairings & Scoring:

Players will be paired for individual matches consisting of twelve (12) rapid games.

Players will be seeded into the quarterfinals based on their current FIDE Rapid Rating.

Pairings for the quarterfinal matches shall be seeds: 1 vs 8 (Match A), 2 vs 7 (Match B), 3 vs 6 (Match C), 4 vs 5 (Match D).

Pairings for the semifinal matches shall be as follows: the winner of 1 vs 8 against the winner of 4 vs 5 (Match E) and the winner of 3 vs 6 against the winner of 2 vs 7 (Match F).

Players who fail to win their match are eliminated from the competition. Players who win their match advance to the next stage of competition.

Colors for game 1 in each match shall be determined by coin toss. Players will then continually alternate colors for games 2 - 6 in each match. Players will start with the opposite color on day two (2).

Games will not be rated.

Draw offers are not allowed to be made before move sixty (60) in any match.

Players must complete every game of the match, even if the match is decided before the final game.

Time Control: The time control shall be ten (10) minutes per game, with a five (5)-second increment from move one (G/10+5).

Prizes: The total prize fund shall be $265,000. Each match shall have a prize fund commensurate with the stage of the event. Furthermore, games 5, 6, 11 and 12 in each of the Matches (the “Clutch Games”) shall also have bonus prize money available (“Clutch Prize”).

A player must win their Clutch Game to earn the Clutch Prize.

If Clutch Games 5 or 6 end in a draw, the Clutch Prize for that game shall be divided evenly and added to the Clutch Prize for games 11 and 12.

If the result of Clutch Game 11 is a draw, any accumulated Clutch Prize for that game shall be added to the Clutch Prize for Clutch Game 12.

If the result of either semifinal Clutch Game 12 is a draw, any accumulated Clutch Prize money from that game shall be divided evenly and added to the Clutch Prize for Finals Games 11 and 12.

If the Finals Clutch Game 12 result is a draw, any accumulated Clutch Prize money for that game shall not be paid out in prizes.

Playoff & Tiebreak

In the event of a tie for first place in any match, the following tiebreaks shall be used:
The player with the most points from Clutch Games shall advance.

If both players have the same amount of points from Clutch Games, then a two (2)-game blitz match with a time control of game in five (5) minutes plus two (2) seconds increment (G/5+2) shall be played by the players. Colors shall be determined by a coin toss.

If the two (2) game blitz match ends in a tie, then the players shall compete in an Armageddon Game. White shall have five (5) minutes and Black shall have four (4) minutes. Black shall be declared the winner if the result is a draw. Colors shall be determined by a coin toss.

Arbitration

The tournament shall be played according to the rules set by lichess.org.

The tournament shall be supervised by the Chief Arbiter (the “CA”).

The CA shall be responsible for ensuring fair play and implementing any anti-cheating measures.

If a player wishes to appeal a decision of the CA, they must do so immediately after the game by notifying the CA.
The Chief Organizer (the “CO”) shall appoint a three (3)-person appeals committee consisting of at least two (2) arbiters (the “Appeals Committee”). The Appeals Committee shall be decided prior to the start of the event and players shall be made aware of its members. The CO shall be Tony Rich, IA, IO.

Decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.

Each two (2)-player match shall have its own Zoom conference room, allowing the CA to communicate directly with the players without disturbing other players.
If a player disconnects from lichess.org, that player shall lose all time for which they are disconnected.
If a player disconnects from the Zoom screen sharing, they must immediately reconnect.

In the event of an unexpected occurrence, the CA reserves the right to make all decisions in conjunction with or on behalf of the CO.

Anti-Cheating Measures

Players are required to allow the CA to inspect the playing area and computer on which the player will compete at any time throughout the competition upon request.

Players are not allowed to leave the computer while their game is in progress.

Players are required to share their computer screen with the CA via Zoom conference for the entirety of play.

Players shall not run any software other than a web browser with one tab open to lichess.org, Zoom and Skype unless expressly allowed by the CA and CO.

Players shall not use any other electronic devices while playing, including headphones, mobile phones, etc.

Games may be submitted for anti-cheating analysis

**Wayne Komer** · Saturday, 6th June, 2020, 09:18 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 6, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games One to Six

Commentators are Jennifer Shahade, Maurice Ashley and Yasser Seirawan

Game 1, June 6
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.e3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.exd4 d5 6.Qb3 Bg7 7.cxd5 O-O 8.Be2 Na6 9.Bf3 b5 10.Nge2 Rb8 11.Bf4 Rb6 12.Nxb5 g5 13.Bxg5 Nc7 14.a4 a6 15.d6 exd6 16.O-O axb5 17.a5 Rb8 18.Ng3 Ne6 19.Be3 Nc7 20.Bg5 Ne6 21.Be3 Nc7 22.Rfc1 Be6 23.Qd1 Nfd5 24.a6 Ra8 25.a7 Qe7 26.Nh5 Nxe3 27.fxe3 Bh6 28.Bxa8 Bxe3+ 29.Kh1 Bxc1 30.Qxc1 Rxa8 31.Qc3 Nd5 32.Qc6 Nc7 33.Qb7 Bg4 34.Qb8+ Qf8 35.Nf6+ Kg7 36.Qxf8+ Kxf8 37.Nxg4 Ke7 38.Ne3 Kd7 39.d5 Kc8 40.Nf5 Kd7 41.h4 Nxd5 42.Ra6 Nc7 43.Rxd6+ Ke8 44.Rh6 Rxa7 45.Rxh7 Ne6 46.h5 b4 47.h6 Ra5 48.g4 Ra1+ 49.Kh2 Ra2 50.Rh8+ Kd7 51.Kg3 Rxb2 52.h7 Rb3+ 53.Kh4 Rb1 54.g5 b3 55.Ng3 Nf4 56.Kg4 Ng6 57.Rg8 b2 58.Rxg6 Rh1 59.Rb6 1-0

Position after White’s 54.g5

Fortune favoured the brave as Magnus Carlsen won a completely wild first game against Jeffery Xiong after rejecting a draw by repetition

Game 2, June 6
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
D31 QGD

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Ne7 5.Qc2 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.a4 c6 8.Bd2 O-O 9.Be2 Bb7 10.O-O a6 11.Rfd1 Nd7 12.Nxb5 Bxd2 13.Nd6 Bb4 14.Nxb7 Qc7 15.Nc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 c3 17.bxc3 Bxc5 18.g3 a5 19.Kg2 Ng6 20.Rab1 Rfd8 21.Ne1 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Ne5 23.Nd3 Nd7 24.Rb1 g6 25.Qa2 Be7 26.Qc4 Nb6 27.Qb3 Rb8 28.Bf3 c5 29.Qc2 c4 30.Nb2 Qc6 31.Nd1 Nd7 32.e5 Qc5 33.Rxb8+ Nxb8 34.Ne3 Nd7 35.Qe4 Nxe5 36.Be2 f5 37.Qa8+ Kf7 38.Qa6 Qc6+ 39.Qxc6 Nxc6 40.Bxc4 Nd8 41.Kf1 Bf6 42.Nd1 Nb7 43.Bb3 Nc5 44.Bc2 e5 45.f3 Ke6 46.Ke2 e4 47.fxe4 fxe4 48.Nf2 Kd5 49.Ke3 Bg5+ 50.Ke2 Bh6 51.h4 Bc1 52.g4 Bf4 53.h5 Bg3 54.hxg6 hxg6 55.Nxe4 Nxe4 56.c4+ Kd4 57.Kf3 Nd2+ 58.Kxg3 g5 59.c5 Kxc5 60.Kf2 Kd4 61.Ke2 Ne4 62.Kf3 Nc5 63.Ke2 Kc3 64.Bd1 Kb4 65.Ke3 Nxa4 66.Kd4 Nc5 67.Bc2 Nb3+ 68.Ke5 a4 0-1

Position after Black’s 60….Kd4

Game 3, June 6
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.O-O Ngf6 6.Re1 Rc8 7.c3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Be7 13.Qf4 O-O 14.Qg4 Re8 15.h4 Qc7 16.Bh6 g6 17.Qf4 Qc2 18.g4 b6 19.b3 Ba3 20.Kg2 Qb2 21.Ng5 Re7 22.Rad1 Rc2 23.Re3 Rc3 24.h5 Qc2 25.Rxc3 Qxc3 26.Nxh7 Kxh7 27.Bg5 Kg8 28.Bxe7 Bxe7 29.Rc1 Qb4 30.Rc8+ Nf8 31.h6 g5 32.h7+ Kg7 33.h8=Q+ Kxh8 34.Qxf7 Qxd4 35.Rxf8+ Bxf8 36.Qxf8+ Kh7 37.Qf7+ Kh8 38.Qh5+ Kg7 39.Qxg5+ Kh7 40.Qe7+ Kh8 41.Qf6+ Kh7 42.Qxe6 Qd1 43.Qf5+ Kg8 44.e6 1-0

Game 4, June 6
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
B22 Sicilian, Alapin’s variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 e5 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bd3 O-O 10.O-O Re8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 g5 14.Bg3 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Rxe4 16.f4 Ba6 17.Rf2 Qe7 18.fxg5 hxg5 19.Bd6 Qe6 20.Qd2 Qg6 21.Bc5 Rae8 22.h3 d5 23.Bxa7 Re2 24.Qc1 Bd3 25.a4 R8e4 26.Bd4 Rxf2 27.Bxf2 g4 28.Qb2 gxh3 29.Qb8+ Kg7 30.Qh2 Qxg2+ 31.Qxg2+ hxg2 32.a5 Ba6 33.Kxg2 Kg6 34.Bd4 Kf5 35.Kf3 Rh4 36.Rb1 Rh3+ 37.Kg2 Rd3 38.Rb6 Bb5 39.a6 Rd2+ 40.Kf3 Ra2 41.Rb7 Bxa6 42.Rxf7+ Ke6 43.Rf6+ Kd7 44.Rf7+ Ke8 45.Ra7 Be2+ 46.Kf4 Rxa7 47.Bxa7 Bb5 48.Ke5 Kd7 49.Bc5 Bc4 50.Bd4 Bb5 51.Bc5 Bc4 52.Bd4 Bb5 53.Bc5 1/2-1/2

Game 5, June 6
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
B41 Sicilian, Kan, Maroczy bind (Reti variation)

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.a3 b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.f3 Be7 10.Be3 O-O 11.O-O d6 12.Rc1 Nbd7 13.b4 Rfc8 14.Kh1 Qd8 15.Nb3 Ne5 16.Na4 Nfd7 17.Qd4 b5 18.Na5 Nc6 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.cxb5 Bxb5 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Qd1 Qc7 23.Bd4 Qc2 24.Bxb5 axb5 25.Nb6 Nxb6 26.Bxb6 Qxd1 27.Rxd1 Rc3 28.Ra1 Bf6 29.Rd1 Rxa3 30.Kg1 Ra6 31.Bc7 Be5 32.Rc1 Kf8 33.Ba5 d5 34.exd5 exd5 35.Kf1 Bxh2 36.Rc5 Re6 37.g4 d4 38.Rxb5 d3 39.Rd5 Rd6 40.Rxd6 Bxd6 41.b5 g6 42.b6 Ke8 43.b7 Kd7 44.Bb4 Bb8 45.Kf2 h5 46.gxh5 gxh5 47.Be1 h4 48.Kg2 Kc6 49.Kh3 Kxb7 50.Kg4 Bg3 0-1

Jeffery Xiong wins the 1st clutch game, $2,000 and 2 points, making the score now only 3.5:2.5 for Magnus!

Game 6, June 6
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
D31 QGD, Semi-Slav, Marshall Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 c5 7.a3 Ba5 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Ne2 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nc6 12.Bc5 Ne4 13.Be3 Nxc3 14.Nxc3 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 e5 16.Rb1 Kd8 17.f4 Re8 18.Kf2 Kc7 19.Bd3 h6 20.Rb5 f6 21.Rhb1 Re7 22.Be4 Kd8 23.Rd5+ Kc7 24.fxe5 Nxe5 25.Bf4 Rb8 26.Ke3 Bd7 27.Rc5+ Bc6 28.Bxc6 b6 29.Bxe5+ fxe5 30.Rd5 Kxc6 31.Rf1 Rc8 32.Rf5 Kb7 33.Rfxe5 Rxe5+ 34.Rxe5 Rxc4 35.Kd3 Rg4 36.g3 Kc6 37.c4 Rg5 38.Re7 a5 39.Kd4 Kd6 40.Rb7 Rg4+ 41.Kd3 Kc6 42.Re7 h5 43.Re6+ Kc7 44.Re5 g6 45.Re6 Rg5 46.Kd4 Kb7 47.Rf6 h4 48.gxh4 Rg4+ 49.Kc3 Rxh4 50.Rxg6 Rxh2 51.c5 Rh3+ 52.Kc4 bxc5 53.Kxc5 Rxa3 54.Kb5 a4 55.Rg7+ Kc8 56.Rg4 Kc7 57.Rxa4 Rxa4 58.Kxa4 1/2-1/2

Carlsen-Xiong 4.5-3.5

Game 1, June 6
So, Wesley – MVL
D12 QGD

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Bd2 Nbd7 9.Qb3 Rb8 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.e4 dxe4 13.fxe4 Be7 14.e5 Ng4 15.Bc4 O-O 16.Rf1 Bh4+ 17.g3 Bg5 18.Bxf7+ Kh8 19.O-O-O c5 20.Qe6 Nh6 21.Qxg6 Bxd2+ 22.Rxd2 cxd4 23.Rxd4 Qe7 24.Rh4 Qxh4 25.gxh4 Nxe5 26.Qg3 Nhxf7 27.Rf5 Rfe8 28.a3 Rbc8 29.Kb1 Rc4 30.Nd5 Rg4 31.Qb3 Rxh4 32.Qxb7 Nd6 33.Rxe5 Nxb7 34.Rxe8+ Kh7 35.Re7 Nd6 36.Rxa7 Rxh2 37.Nf6+ Kg6 38.Ng4 Rd2 39.Kc1 Rd4 40.Ne3 Kf6 41.Kc2 g5 42.Rd7 Ke6 43.Rg7 Ke5 44.Nd1 Ne4 45.Nc3 Kf5 46.Nxe4 Rxe4 47.Kb3 g4 48.a4 Re3+ 49.Kb4 Re4+ 50.Ka3 Re5 51.b4 Re3+ 52.Kb2 Re4 53.Kc3 Re3+ 54.Kc4 Re4+ 55.Kb5 Re5+ 56.Ka6 Re6+ 57.Ka5 Rg6 58.Rf7+ Ke6 59.Rf1 g3 60.b5 g2 61.Rg1 Kd7 62.b6 Kc8 63.Ka6 Kb8 64.a5 Rg8 65.Kb5 Rg5+ 66.Kc6 Rg6+ 67.Kd5 Rg5+ 68.Kd6 Kb7 69.Ke6 Rxa5 70.Rxg2 Kxb6 1/2-1/2

Wesley So looked on course to win a crushing miniature against MVL but the French no. 1 managed to pull off an unlikely escape in 70 moves!

Game 2, June 6
MVL – So, Wesley
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nf3 c5 8.Bd3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nd7 10.Bf4 Qh4 11.g3 Qh5 12.O-O g5 13.cxd5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 exd5 15.Be3 Nxe5 16.f3 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Nd6 18.g4 Qg6 19.Qxg6+ hxg6 20.Bxg5 f6 21.Bf4 Nc4 22.Nb5 Bd7 23.Nc7 Rac8 24.Nxd5 Rc5 25.Rad1 Be6 26.Nb4 g5 27.Rfe1 Bxg4 28.fxg4 gxf4 29.Nd3 Ra5 30.Nxf4 Rxa2 31.Ng6 Rf7 32.h4 Kg7 33.h5 Kh6 34.Rd4 b5 35.Re8 f5 36.Rh8+ Kg5 37.Rg8 Kh6 38.Rh8+ Kg5 39.Rg8 Kh6 40.g5+ Kxh5 41.Nf4+ Kg4 42.g6 Rb7 43.Rf8 Ne5 44.Nh5+ Kxh5 45.Rxf5+ Kxg6 46.Rxe5 a5 47.Rd6+ Kg7 48.Rg5+ Kf8 49.Rf6+ Ke7 50.Ra6 Kf7 51.Rag6 Ke8 52.Rg8+ Kd7 53.R8g7+ Kc8 54.Rxb7 Kxb7 55.Rxb5+ Ka6 56.Rb8 a4 57.c4 a3 58.c5 Ka5 59.Ra8+ Kb4 60.Rb8+ Ka4 61.Ra8+ Kb4 62.Rb8+ Kxc5 63.Rb3 Ra1+ 64.Kh2 Kc4 65.Rg3 Ra2+ 66.Kh1 Ra1+ 67.Kh2 Kd4 68.Rg4+ Ke3 69.Rg3+ Kf4 70.Rb3 Ke4 71.Rg3 Kd4 72.Rg4+ Kc3 73.Rg3+ Kc4 74.Rg4+ Kc3 75.Rg3+ Kc4 76.Rg4+ 1/2-1/2

Game 3, June 6
So, Wesley – MVL
D12 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Bd2 Be7 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.Qc2 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nbd7 12.O-O-O b5 13.Be2 a6 14.Kb1 c5 15.d5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bc3 b4 18.Bxg7 Rh7 19.Rxd5 Rxg7 20.Rhd1 Ra7 21.Qa4 Qc8 22.Bb5 axb5 23.Qxa7 Nf6 24.Re5 Nd7 25.Red5 Nf6 26.Re5 Nd7 27.Red5 1/2-1/2

Game 4, June 6
MVL – So, Wesley
E34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.Bd2 O-O 9.h3 a5 10.g4 a4 11.Qxb4 Nxb4 12.gxf5 Nc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxa1 14.e3 a3 15.bxa3 exf5 16.Kc1 Be6 17.Kb2 Ne4 18.Nxe4 fxe4 19.d5 Bxd5 20.Nd4 c5 21.Nb5 Rfd8 22.Bc3 Bc6 23.Rg1 g6 24.Be2 Rd3 25.Bxd3 exd3 26.Rxa1 Bxb5 27.Bd2 Ra4 28.f4 Rc4 29.Rc1 Rxc1 30.Bxc1 f5 31.Kc3 Kf7 32.a4 Ba6 33.Ba3 c4 34.Bc5 Ke6 35.h4 Kd5 36.Bd4 Ke4 37.Kd2 Kf3 38.a5 Bb5 39.a3 Be8 40.Bf6 Bf7 41.Bd4 Kg3 42.Bf6 Kg4 43.Bg5 Bd5 44.Bf6 h6 45.Bg7 g5 0-1

Game 5, June 6
So, Wesley – MVL
D23 QGA

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 e6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Qb3 Qb6 10.Nc3 a5 11.Qxb6 Nxb6 12.Ne5 Nbd5 13.f3 Nd7 14.Nxd7 Kxd7 15.e4 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bg6 17.a4 b5 18.axb5 cxb5 19.f4 Rhc8 20.g4 f5 21.exf5 exf5 22.Bxa8 Rxa8 23.g5 Bf7 24.Ba3 Bxa3 25.Rxa3 Bd5 26.Re1 Be4 27.Rea1 a4 28.c4 Kc6 29.d5+ Kc5 30.cxb5 Kxb5 31.d6 Rd8 32.Rxa4 Rxd6 33.Ra7 Rd2 34.R1a2 Rd1+ 35.Kf2 Rd3 36.Rxg7 Rf3+ 37.Ke2 Rxf4 38.Ke3 Rh4 39.Rc7 Kb6 40.Rc3 Bc6 41.Rb2+ Kc7 42.Rbc2 Re4+ 43.Kf3 Rc4+ 44.Kg3 1-0

Game 6, June 6
MVL – So, Wesley
A28 English, Four Knights, Capablanca variation

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Bc5 8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O Bb6 10.a4 Re8 11.Kh1 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bg6 14.Nd2 f6 15.Nc4 Na5 16.Ne3 Bxe3 17.Bxe3 b6 18.f4 exf4 19.Rxf4 c5 20.c4 Nc6 21.Qg1 Qd7 22.h4 h6 23.Qg3 Nd4 24.Bxd4 Qxd4 25.Rg1 Re5 26.g5 fxg5 27.hxg5 Rxg5 28.Rg4 Rxg4 29.Bxg4 Re8 30.Qh3 Re5 31.Be6+ Kh7 32.Bg8+ Kxg8 33.Rxg6 Kh7 34.Qg4 Re7 35.Qf5 Qe5 36.Qxe5 Rxe5 37.Rd6 Rg5 38.Kh2 h5 39.a5 bxa5 40.Ra6 g6 41.Rxa5 Kh6 42.Rxa7 h4 43.Kh3 Rg3+ 44.Kxh4 Rxd3 45.Rc7 Rd4 46.Rxc5 Rxe4+ 47.Kg3 g5 48.Rc8 Kh5 49.Rh8+ Kg6 50.c5 Rc4 51.Rc8 Kf5 52.Rf8+ Ke6 53.Rc8 Kd7 54.Rg8 Rxc5 55.Kg4 Kc6 56.Rxg5 Rxg5+ 57.Kxg5 1/2-1/2

So-MVL 5.5-2.5

Tomorrow, Dominguez-Caruana and Grischuk-Aronian

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 7th June, 2020, 11:21 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 7, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games One to Six, Day Two

Commentators are Jennifer Shahade, Maurice Ashley and Yasser Seirawan

Fabiano has not had his hair cut since the Candidates and is also sporting a moustache. I thought no one had as much hair as Magnus but Fabiano seems to!

From Peter Doggers about yesterday’s matches:

The format is the same as last week. Each match consists of 12 games with six games played each day. The final two games of each day are "clutch" games that are worth double the points on day one and triple on day two, as well as a $2,000 bonus per game on day one and $3,000 on day two.

The idea being the clutch games is that even if someone takes a big lead, the match can be exciting till the very end because the opponent can make a big comeback in just one game. And that's exactly what happened in the clash between Carlsen and Xiong.

The world champion got off to a great start and took a 3-0 lead vs the American youngster. Carlsen was then also winning in game four but let it slip away. After this draw, Xiong won the sixth game, a clutch that was awarded double points, to set a 3.5-2.5 score at halftime.

Especially game three was a great one by Carlsen, who executed a splendid kingside attack starting with pushing his h- and g-pawns while holding together his queenside with tactical means.

Holding the draw from a lost position was highly important for Xiong, who said: "Game four was extremely critical because I was on the ropes again, and usually he converts these 90 percent of the time so had I lost that, it would be a question of whether or not it would be a whitewash."

Xiong's win was the result of another great fight. The quick analysis done by this author revealed some hidden ideas which mean that Carlsen might have missed several chances to draw in the bishop endgame.

https://www.chess.com/news/view/clut...national-day-1

Game 1, June 7
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 e6 7.Nf3 Be7 8.c4 dxc4 9.Qxc4 Nd7 10.Qc2 c5 11.d5 exd5 12.e6 fxe6 13.Qg6+ Kf8 14.Qxe6 Bf6 15.O-O Ne7 16.Nc3 Rc8 17.Ng5 Bxg5 18.Bxg5 Rc6 19.Bxe7+ Qxe7 20.Qxd5 Nf6 21.Qf3 Kf7 22.Rfe1 Qd7 23.Ne4 Kg6 24.Ng5 Rd6 25.Qc3 Rc8 26.Re5 c4 27.Rae1 Rd3 28.Qb4 b6 29.Re7 Qd6 30.Qa4 a5 31.Qc2 Rc7 32.R7e6 Qf4 33.g3 Qf5 34.Qe2 Rcd7 35.Rxb6 Rd8 36.Ne6 Rd2 37.Qe3 R8d6 38.Nf8+ Kf7 39.Rb7+ Kg8 40.Ne6 Kh8 41.Ng5 Kg8 42.Rb8+ Rd8 43.Qxd2 Rxb8 44.Qd6 Rf8 45.Qd4 Qc2 46.Re7 Qb1+ 47.Kg2 Qf5 48.Ne6 Re8 49.Nxg7 1-0

Game 2, June 7
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.e3 O-O 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5 8.Nf3 b6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Ne5 Re8 11.Bd3 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 13.O-O Nb8 14.Bb2 Nbd7 15.c4 cxd4 16.Nc6 Qc8 17.cxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxd4 Nc5 19.Nb4 Nxb4 20.axb4 Ne6 21.Bc3 Qc4 22.Rfc1 Rec8 23.Qf5 Qb3 24.Qe5 Rc7 25.Be1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Rd8 27.h3 h6 28.Kh2 Qd5 29.Qxd5 Rxd5 30.g4 h5 31.Kg2 hxg4 32.hxg4 Rd7 33.f4 g6 34.Rc8+ Rd8 35.Rc6 Rd3 36.Bc3 Kf8 37.f5 gxf5 38.gxf5 Nd8 39.Rc7 Rxe3 40.Bf6 Ke8 41.b5 Rd3 42.Re7+ Kf8 43.Rxa7 Rd5 44.Ra8 Ke8 45.Kg3 Rd6 46.Be5 Rd5 47.Bc7 Rxf5 48.Bxd8 Rxb5 49.Kf4 Kd7 50.Bf6 Kc6 51.Ke4 Kb7 52.Rf8 Rc5 53.Bd4 Rc6 54.Kd5 Rc7 55.Be5 Rc5+ 56.Kd4 Rc1 57.Rxf7+ Ka6 58.Rf2 Rd1+ 59.Kc4 Rc1+ 60.Kb4 Rb1+ 61.Bb2 Rh1 62.Rd2 Rg1 63.Rd6 Rb1 64.Ka3 Kb5 65.Bd4 Ka6 66.Ka4 Kb7 67.Rh6 Ka6 68.Bc3 Kb7 69.Rh8 Ka6 70.Rh7 Rg1 71.Kb3 Rg4 72.Rd7 Kb5 73.Rd5+ Kc6 74.Rh5 Kb7 75.Kc2 Kc6 76.Kd3 Rg1 77.Bd4 Rd1+ 78.Kc3 Kb7 79.Rh7+ Ka6 80.Rh6 Rb1 81.Kc4 Rb5 82.Rh8 Rb1 83.Kd5 Kb7 84.Rh7+ Ka6 85.Be3 Rb3 86.Re7 Rb2 87.Kd6 Rc2 88.Re4 Kb5 89.Kd7 Rc4 90.Re6 Rc2 91.Rxb6+ Kc4 92.Ke6 Re2 93.Kd7 Rxe3 94.Re6 Rxe6 95.Kxe6 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 92.Ke6

Worst attempt ever to win Rook + Bishop vs. Rook? Fabi starts 92.Ke6? and after 92...Re2! there was no saving the bishop - draw!

Game 3, June 7
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bd3 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.Nc3 g6 10.Nd5 Bh4 11.b3 c6 12.Ba3 cxd5 13.Bxd6 Bxf2+ 14.Kh1 Bd4 15.Rxd5 Bxa1 16.Bxf8 Bf6 17.Bd6 b6 18.Qg4 Qe8 19.Bg3 Bb7 20.Rf5 Qe6 21.Rf4 Be5 22.Qxe6 fxe6 23.Rg4 Bxg3 24.Rxg3 Kf7 25.Kg1 e5 26.Rh3 h5 27.Rg3 Rg8 28.h4 Kf6 29.Kf2 Bd5 30.c3 Be6 31.Be2 a5 32.Ke3 Rc8 33.Rf3+ Bf5 34.Rf1 d5 35.g3 Ke6 36.Ba6 Rc7 37.Bb5 Rg7 38.Be2 Rd7 39.d4 Rc7 40.c4 Kd6 41.Rd1 Re7 42.dxe5+ Rxe5+ 43.Kf2 Rxe2+ 44.Kxe2 Bg4+ 45.Kd2 Bxd1 0-1

42.dxe5+? by Dominguez allowed Caruana to win on the spot with 42...Rxe5+ 43.Kf2 Rxe2+! 44.Kxe2 Bg4+! 45.Kd2 Bxd1 and Leinier resigned as the pawn ending is lost

Game 4, June 7
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
C51 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 d5 5.e3 O-O 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5 8.a4 Qa5 9.Bd2 Ne4 10.Bd3 Nc6 11.Qc2 cxd4 12.exd4 Nxd2 13.Nxd2 h6 14.O-O Qc7 15.Rfe1 Na5 16.cxd5 exd5 17.Re3 Be6 18.Rae1 Rac8 19.h3 Kh8 20.Bf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Qc6 22.Nf3 Nc4 23.Re7 Kg8 24.a5 Rcd8 25.Rb1 Nxa5 26.Ne5 Qf6 27.Qxf6 gxf6 28.Ng4 Kg7 29.Ra1 b6 30.Ne3 Nc6 31.Rc7 Rc8 32.Rxc8 Rxc8 33.Nxd5 Na5 34.Kf1 Rd8 35.Ne3 Rc8 36.Ra3 Nc4 37.Nf5+ Kh7 38.Rxa7 Re8 39.Rxf7+ Kg6 40.Re7 Rxe7 41.Nxe7+ Kf7 42.Nf5 h5 43.Ke2 1-0

Game 5, June 7
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 e6 7.Nf3 Qb6 8.Nbd2 Nh6 9.O-O Nf5 10.c4 Be7 11.g3 Qa6 12.b3 Nd7 13.a4 O-O 14.Qc2 Rac8 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 c5 17.cxd5 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Qe4 exd5 20.Qxd5 Rfd8 21.Qxd4 Nc5 22.Qe3 Rd3 23.Qe1 Ne6 24.Ra2 Nd4 25.Kg2 Qa5 26.e6 fxe6 27.Ne4 Qd5 28.f3 Nc2 29.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 30.Rf2 Qxb3 31.Ng5 Rd1 32.Qa5 Rxf2+ 33.Kxf2 Qc2+ 34.Ke3 Rd3+ 35.Kf4 Qc1+ 0-1

Caruana wins a 3rd game in a row, this time a clutch game worth double points, to take a 3-point lead!

Game 6, June 7
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
E46 Nimzo-Indian, Simagin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2 d5 6.a3 Bd6 7.Ng3 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.b4 Be7 10.Bb2 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Qxd1+ 12.Rxd1 Nbd7 13.Nce4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Nb6 15.Be2 Bd7 16.O-O Bc6 17.f3 a6 18.Bd4 Nd5 19.Kf2 Rfc8 20.Rc1 Bb5 21.Bc5 f5 22.Bxe7 fxe4 23.Bc5 exf3 24.gxf3 Rc6 25.Bd4 Rac8 26.Rc5 b6 27.Rxc6 Rxc6 28.Bxb5 axb5 29.f4 Rc2+ 30.Kf3 Ra2 31.Ra1 Rxh2 32.Rc1 Kf7 33.Rc8 Ra2 34.Ra8 Rc2 35.Be5 Nf6 36.Ra7+ Kg6 37.Bd6 Kf5 38.Bf8 Ne4 39.Rf7+ Kg6 40.Rxg7+ Kf5 41.Rf7+ Kg6 42.Rg7+ Kf5 43.Rf7+ Kg6 44.Rg7+ 1/2-1/2

Despite losing the first game, Fabiano Caruana ends the day with a 5.5:2.5 lead over Leinier Dominguez!

Caruana-Dominguez 5.5-2.5

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 7th June, 2020, 11:23 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 7, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games One to Six, Day Two (continued)

Game 1, June 7
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
D41 QGD, Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 O-O 11.Bc4 Nd7 12.O-O b6 13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.Bb3 Re8 16.h3 Nf6 17.Qf4 Qc7 18.Ne5 Re7 19.Qh4 Qd8 20.f3 h6 21.Qf2 Rec7 22.h4 Rc3 23.d5 exd5 24.exd5 Qd6 25.Qd4 R3c5 26.Nc4 Qg3 27.Ne3 Re8 28.Re2 Qe5 29.Kf2 Qxd4 30.Rxd4 Kf8 31.g4 g6 32.Red2 Nd7 33.Nc4 Ba8 34.Nd6 Rd8 35.Ne4 Ra5 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 Kg7 38.Rc2 Nc5 39.Nf6 Nd7 40.Rc7 Nxf6 41.gxf6+ Kxf6 42.d6 Ke5 43.Rd3 Bd5 44.d7 Bxb3 45.Rc8 Rxd7 46.Rxd7 Rxa2+ 47.Kg3 Be6 48.Re8 Kf6 49.Rb7 Ra3 50.Rd8 g5 51.Kf2 Ke5 52.Rc7 a5 53.Rc1 a4 54.Re1+ Kf6 55.Re4 b5 56.Rb4 Rb3 57.Rxb3 Bxb3 58.Ra8 Ke5 59.Ke3 f5 60.Re8+ Be6 61.Rb8 f4+ 62.Kd3 Bc4+ 63.Kc3 a3 64.Re8+ Kf5 65.Rf8+ Kg6 66.Rh8 a2 67.Kb2 Kf5 68.Rf8+ Ke5 69.Rd8 Bd5 70.Rb8 Bxf3 71.Kxa2 Bd5+ 72.Kb2 Bc4 73.Kc3 Ke4 0-1

Position after White’s 44.d7?

Aronian over-pressed in Grischuk's time trouble and Alexander gets off to a winning start

Game 2, June 7
Grischuk, Alexander – 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.Bd3 Qc7 10.Bb2 b6 11.Qe2 Bb7 12.Nf3 Be4 13.c4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Rd8 15.O-O cxd4 16.exd4 Nc6 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.cxd5 Ne7 20.Rac1 Qd6 21.Rc4 Rac8 22.Rg4+ Kh8 23.Rh4 Ng6 24.Rh5 Rc5 25.Rd1 Qf4 26.h3 Qc4 27.Qf5 Kg7 28.Rd4 Qc1+ 29.Kh2 Qc2 30.Rxh7+ Kxh7 31.Qxf6 Rf8 32.Ne5 Kg8 33.Rg4 Qc3 34.f4 Rxd5 35.Rxg6+ fxg6 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Qh6+ Kg8 38.Qe6+ Kg7 39.Qxd5 Rxf4 40.Qd6 Rf8 41.Qe7+ Kg8 42.Qg5+ Kh7 43.Qe7+ Kg8 44.Qg5+ Kh7 45.Qh5+ Kg7 46.Qg6+ Kh8 47.Qh6+ Kg8 48.Qg6+ Kh8 49.Nf7+ Rxf7 50.Qxf7 Qxa3 51.h4 Qd6+ 52.Kh3 a5 53.h5 Qe5 54.g4 a4 55.Kh4 Qh2+ 56.Kg5 Qe5+ 57.Kh4 Qh2+ 58.Kg5 Qe5+ 59.Kh4 1/2-1/2

Game 3, June 7
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
D45 QGD, Semi-Slav

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.Rd1 a6 11.a4 cxd4 12.exd4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bd7 14.Bg5 Rc8 15.Qd3 Bc6 16.Bc2 g6 17.Ne5 Be7 18.Bh6 Re8 19.Qh3 Nbd5 20.Re1 Bf8 21.Bb3 Nh5 22.Bxd5 Bxd5 23.Bxf8 Rxf8 24.Rad1 Rc7 25.Re3 Re8 26.Ng4 Kg7 27.Re5 f6 28.Rxh5 gxh5 29.Qxh5 Rf8 30.Nxd5 exd5 31.Ne3 Kh8 32.Nxd5 Rg7 33.Nf4 Qd6 34.Qf3 Re8 35.g3 Rge7 36.Kg2 Re4 37.d5 f5 38.Ne6 Re5 39.Qc3 Kg8 40.Rd3 Re7 41.Qc8+ Kf7 42.Qf8+ Kg6 43.Nf4+ 1-0

Aronian levels the score vs. Grischuk by catching his opponent in a mating net

Game 4, June 7
Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Qd3 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.O-O Bb7 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Bf4 c5 12.b3 a5 13.a4 Bf6 14.Rfd1 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nc5 16.Qb1 Re8 17.Ra2 Qd7 18.Nb5 Be5 19.Bxe5 Rxe5 20.Rad2 Rd8 21.e4 Ba6 22.Rxd5 Rxd5 23.Rxd5 Qe7 24.Qd1 Rxd5 25.Qxd5 Bxb5 26.axb5 g6 27.e5 Kg7 28.Bf1 Nd7 29.Qd4 Kg8 30.f4 g5 31.Bc4 gxf4 32.gxf4 Nc5 33.Kg2 Qh4 34.Qe3 Kf8 35.h3 Qh5 36.Qd2 Qg6+ 37.Kh2 Qf5 38.Qd8+ Kg7 39.Qg5+ Qxg5 40.fxg5 Nd7 41.e6 fxe6 42.Bxe6 Nc5 43.Bd5 h6 44.gxh6+ Kxh6 45.Kg3 a4 46.bxa4 Nxa4 47.Kg4 Nc3 48.Bc4 Kg7 49.Kg5 Kh8 50.h4 Kg7 51.h5 Kh8 52.h6 Nxb5 53.Bxb5 Kh7 54.Bd3+ Kh8 55.Kg6 b5 56.Bxb5 Kg8 57.h7+ Kh8 58.Kh6 1/2-1/2

Game 5, June 7
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
D45 QGD, Semi-Slav

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.Rd1 a6 11.Bd3 Qc7 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.e4 b6 14.Bc4 Ng4 15.h3 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.Be3 Bb7 18.f3 Rac8 19.Rac1 b5 20.Bb3 Qe7 21.Nd5 exd5 22.Bxc5 Bd6 23.Bxd6 Qxd6 24.Qd2 Qb6+ 25.Qf2 Qxf2+ 26.Kxf2 Rxc1 27.Rxc1 dxe4 28.Rc7 Ba8 29.Ra7 g6 30.Bxf7+ Rxf7 31.Rxa8+ Kg7 32.Rxa6 exf3 33.g4 Rd7 34.b4 h5 35.gxh5 gxh5 36.Ra5 Kg6 37.Kxf3 Rd2 38.h4 Rh2 39.Kg3 Rd2 40.Rxb5 Rxa2 41.Rg5+ Kh6 42.Rf5 Ra8 43.Rf6+ Kg7 44.Rf3 Rb8 45.Rb3 Rb5 46.Kf4 Kf6 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.Kd4 Kd6 49.Kc4 Rf5 50.Rd3+ Kc6 51.Rd4 Kb6 52.Rd6+ Kc7 53.Rd5 Rf4+ 54.Rd4 Rf5 55.b5 Kb6 56.Rd6+ Kb7 57.Rh6 Rf4+ 58.Kc5 Rxh4 59.Rh7+ Kc8 60.Kb6 Rh3 61.Rc7+ Kb8 62.Rh7 Kc8 63.Rc7+ Kb8 64.Rf7 Kc8 65.Rf8+ Kd7 66.Kb7 h4 67.b6 Rb3 68.Ka7 Ra3+ 69.Kb8 h3 70.b7 h2 71.Rf7+ Ke6 72.Rh7 Ra2 73.Rh5 Rc2 74.Rh3 Ke7 75.Re3+ Kf6 76.Re1 Kg5 77.Rb1 Kg4 78.Ka7 Rc7 79.Rh1 Kg3 80.Ka8 Rxb7 81.Kxb7 Kg2 82.Rxh2+ Kxh2 1/2-1/2

Position after 70.b7

Game 6, June 7
Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon
C67 Ruy 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.Nc3 Be7 10.Bf4 Nh4 11.Rad1+ Ke8 12.Nxh4 Bxh4 13.Ne2 Be7 14.Nd4 a6 15.e6 Bxe6 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Rfe1 Bf6 18.b3 Ke7 19.Bxc7 Rhc8 20.Bd6+ Kf7 21.Bc5 Rd8 22.Bb6 Rd5 23.c4 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Ke8 25.Rd6 Ke7 26.Rd3 Rc8 27.b4 e5 28.Bc5+ Ke6 29.Rd6+ Kf5 30.Bb6 Re8 31.Kf1 h5 32.Ke2 Re6 33.Rd1 Re8 34.a4 Ke6 35.h3 Be7 36.Rb1 Rf8 37.b5 Rf4 38.bxa6 bxa6 39.Rc1 c5 40.Ba5 Re4+ 41.Kd3 Rd4+ 42.Ke2 e4 43.Rc2 Bf6 44.Bb6 Kd6 45.Ba5 Kc6 46.Bd2 Rd3 47.a5 Rb3 48.Be3 Bc3 49.Bd2 Bb4 50.Ra2 g6 51.Kd1 Rd3 52.Ke2 Rd4 53.Rc2 Bxd2 54.Rxd2 Rxc4 55.Ke3 Ra4 56.Rd8 Rxa5 57.Kxe4 Ra4+ 58.Ke5 Ra2 59.Rd6+ Kb5 60.Rxg6 Re2+ 61.Kd5 Rxf2 62.g4 hxg4 63.hxg4 a5 64.g5 a4 65.Rg8 Rd2+ 66.Ke5 a3 67.g6 Rg2 68.Kf6 Kc4 69.Ra8 Kb3 70.Rb8+ Kc3 71.Ra8 Rf2+ 72.Ke7 Re2+ 73.Kf7 Rf2+ 74.Ke7 Re2+ 75.Kf7 a2 76.g7 Rf2+ 77.Ke7 Rg2 78.Kf7 Kb2 79.Rb8+ Ka1 80.g8=Q Rxg8 81.Kxg8 c4 82.Rc8 c3 83.Kf7 Kb2 84.Rb8+ Kc2 85.Ra8 Kb3 86.Rb8+ Kc4 87.Rc8+ Kd3 88.Rd8+ Ke3 89.Re8+ Kf3 90.Re1 c2 91.Ke6 Kf2 92.Rh1 Ke3 93.Kd5 Kd2 94.Ra1 c1=Q 95.Rxa2+ Ke3 96.Ra6 Qd1+ 97.Ke6 Ke4 98.Ke7 Qb3 99.Rh6 Qb7+ 100.Ke8 Qg7 101.Ra6 Qe5+ 102.Kf7 Kf5 103.Rh6 Qc7+ 104.Ke8 Qg7 105.Ra6 Qb7 106.Rh6 Qc7 107.Rh3 Qc6+ 108.Ke7 Qc7+ 109.Ke8 Kg6 110.Rd3 Qe5+ 111.Kd8 Qa5+ 112.Ke7 Qc7+ 113.Ke8 Qe5+ 114.Kd8 Qe4 115.Rd6+ Kf7 116.Kc7 Qc4+ 117.Rc6 Qf4+ 118.Kb6 Ke7 119.Kb5 Kd7 120.Rc4 Qe3 121.Kb4 Kd6 122.Ka4 Kd5 123.Rc2 Qb6 124.Rc3 Kd4 125.Rc2 Kd3 126.Rc1 Qd4+ 127.Kb3 Qd5+ 128.Kb4 Qb7+ 129.Ka3 Qb5 130.Rf1 Qa6+ 131.Kb3 Qb6+ 132.Ka3 Kc2 133.Rf3 Qa5# 0-1

Position after White’s 100.Ke8

Grischuk-Aronian 5-3

Just in time Levon Aronian grabs a 133-move win over Alexander Grischuk to take a 5:3 lead into the 2nd half of the match! "The last game is just terrible all round" (Grischuk)

Levon Aronian asked about the reason for the blunders: "I think it’s difficult to explain. The only explanation I have is that it’s 2:40 am! I’m not used to playing chess at this hour" (it was 1:40 am for Grischuk in Moscow
__________

I suppose these online tournaments are exciting because of the speed chess and the blunders. But the contestants are not under the same conditions and frankly, I shall be happy when we go back to the classical time limits.

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 8th June, 2020, 09:57 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 8, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games Seven to Twelve, Day One

Game 7, June 8
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
C45 Scotch, Paulsen Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bb5 O-O 8.O-O Bb6 9.a4 Qg6 10.Bd3 Bxd4 11.cxd4 Nb4 12.Nc3 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 d5 14.f3 c6 15.Qd2 Be6 16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Ne2 f6 18.e5 fxe5 19.dxe5 b6 20.b4 Rc8 21.Rc1 Rfd8 22.Nd4 h6 23.a5 Rd7 24.Rfe1 Rb7 25.axb6 axb6 26.Qe2 Rbb8 27.Bf2 Bh3 28.Bg3 c5 29.Nb5 Be6 30.Nd6 Rc6 31.Qb5 Ra8 32.bxc5 Ra5 33.Qb4 Raxc5 34.Rxc5 bxc5 35.Qb7 c4 36.Qxe7 c3 37.Qb7 Rc5 38.Qb6 1-0

Magnus Carlsen lost his way in complications and 19-year-old Jeffery Xiong has levelled the scores after the first game today!

Carlsen-Xiong Game 2 has begun - can Magnus hit back? He starts with the "hilariously bad" (Yasser) 1.e4 e6 2.Qe2!?:

Game 8, June 8
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
C00 French, Chigorin variation

1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 c5 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.O-O Nge7 7.c3 e5 8.a3 O-O 9.b4 d6 10.d3 a6 11.Be3 cxb4 12.axb4 Be6 13.Ng5 Bd7 14.Nd2 h6 15.Ngf3 Be6 16.Rfb1 f5 17.Nf1 f4 18.Bd2 g5 19.h3 Qd7 20.g4 Rfc8 21.Qd1 b5 22.N1h2 d5 23.Ne1 d4 24.Nhf3 dxc3 25.Bxc3 Nd4 26.Bxd4 exd4 27.h4 gxh4 28.Nxh4 Bxg4 29.Qb3+ Kh8 30.Qf7 Re8 31.e5 Be6 32.Qxf4 Rg8 33.Qh2 Bd5 34.f4 Qg4 35.Rb2 h5 36.Kh1 Bh6 37.Bxd5 Nxd5 38.Rg2 Qxf4 39.Ng6+ Rxg6 40.Rxg6 Qxh2+ 41.Kxh2 Bf4+ 42.Kh1 Nxb4 43.e6 Kh7 44.Rf6 Be3 45.Rf7+ Kg6 46.Ng2 Nxd3 47.Nxe3 dxe3 48.Rg1+ Kh6 49.Rf6+ Kh7 50.e7 Re8 51.Rf7+ Kh6 52.Rf6+ Kh7 53.Re6 Nf2+ 54.Kg2 Ng4 55.Rf1 Kg7 56.Rf5 b4 57.Kf3 b3 58.Rxh5 Kf7 59.Rb6 e2 60.Kxe2 Rxe7+ 61.Kd2 Nf6 62.Rh1 Ne4+ 63.Kc1 Nc5 64.Rh7+ Ke8 65.Rh5 b2+ 66.Kd2 Rb7 67.Rxb7 Nxb7 68.Kc2 Kd7 69.Kxb2 Kc6 70.Kb3 Kb6 71.Kb4 a5+ 72.Kc4 Nd6+ 73.Kd5 Nb7 74.Rh8 Kb5 75.Ra8 Kb6 76.Rb8 Kc7 77.Rh8 Kb6 78.Kd4 Kc6 79.Rh5 Kb6 80.Kd5 Kb5 81.Rh1 Kb6 82.Rb1+ Kc7 83.Rb5 a4 84.Rb4 Nd6 85.Rxa4 Nb7 86.Ra6 Nd8 87.Rh6 Nb7 88.Rh7+ Kb6 89.Rg7 Na5 90.Rg1 Nb7 91.Rc1 Na5 92.Rb1+ Kc7 93.Ke6 Nb7 94.Rc1+ Kb6 95.Rc2 Nc5+ 96.Kd6 Nb7+ 97.Kd5 Na5 98.Rb2+ Kc7 99.Kc5 Nb7+ 100.Kb5 Nd6+ 101.Ka6 Kc6 102.Rc2+ Kd5 103.Rc1 Nc4 104.Rxc4 Kxc4 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 81.Rh1

- Who knew Magnus would have a hard time against Jeffrey?

- Something is wrong with Carlsen, he's playing 200 points below his strength

Game 9, June 8
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 g6 7.f3 Bg7 8.Be3 Nc6 9.Qd2 Bd7 10.O-O-O Rc8 11.Nxc6 Rxc6 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 Rxc3 14.bxc3 Qa5 15.Kd2 Bc6 16.h4 Qxa2 17.Rb1 Qa3 18.Qe3 Qa5 19.g4 Nd7 20.Ra1 Qc5 21.f4 e5 22.Qxc5 dxc5 23.Rhf1 Ke7 24.Ra5 h6 25.fxe5 Nxe5 26.Rxc5 Nxg4 27.e5 Rd8 28.Rf4 h5 29.Rd4 Re8 30.Bxa6 Kf8 31.Bb5 Nxe5 32.Bxc6 bxc6 33.Re4 f6 34.Ke3 Kf7 35.Kf4 Ra8 36.Rexe5 fxe5+ 37.Kxe5 Re8+ 38.Kf4 Re6 39.c4 Rf6+ 40.Ke4 Kg7 41.Re5 Rf1 42.Kd4 Rf4+ 43.Re4 Rxe4+ 44.Kxe4 Kf6 45.Kf4 c5 46.c3 g5+ 47.hxg5+ Kg6 0-1

Position after White’s 42.Kd4

Magnus Carlsen edges back in front after winning a first game in six as Jeffery Xiong cracked when low on time in a drawish ending!

Game 10, June 8
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Ne2 O-O 6.a3 Be7 7.Ng1 c5 8.Nf3 Nh5 9.dxc5 Nxf4 10.exf4 Bxc5 11.Bd3 g6 12.h4 Nc6 13.h5 Qf6 14.Qd2 e5 15.Nxd5 Qd6 16.Bc4 b5 17.Ba2 exf4 18.O-O-O b4 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.Ng5 Bf5 21.Nh7 Rfd8 22.Nhf6+ Kf8 23.Rh8+ Kg7 24.Rh7+ Kf8 25.Rdh1 1-0

Magnus winning in 15 moves in the last non-clutch game!

Game 11, June 8
Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
B33 Sicilian, Sveshnikov, Novosibirsk variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.c4 f5 14.O-O O-O 15.Qh5 d5 16.cxd5 Qd8 17.exf5 Qxd5 18.Rad1 e4 19.Bxb5 Qxf5 20.Qxf5 Bxf5 21.Bd7 Bxd7 22.Rxd7 Bxb2 23.Nc4 Bg7 24.Rfd1 Rac8 25.Ne3 Rc5 26.g4 Ra5 27.R1d2 Bh6 28.Re7 Bxe3 29.fxe3 Rg5 30.Rxe4 f5 31.Ra4 Rxg4+ 32.Rxg4+ fxg4 33.Rd4 h5 34.Rd5 Rf3 35.Rxh5 Rxe3 36.Rg5+ Kh7 37.Rxg4 Ra3 38.Rg2 a5 39.Kf1 a4 40.Ke1 Rh3 41.Kd2 Ra3 42.Kc1 Rh3 43.Kb2 Kh6 44.Rg3 Rxh2+ 45.Ka3 Kh5 46.Rg8 Rd2 47.Ra8 Kg5 48.Rxa4 Kf5 49.Rc4 Ke5 50.Kb3 Kd6 51.a4 Kd7 52.Kb4 Rb2+ 53.Ka5 Rb1 54.Ka6 Rb2 55.a5 Rb1 56.Ka7 Rb5 57.a6 Rb1 58.Rh4 Kc7 59.Rh7+ Kc8 60.Rb7 Rh1 61.Rb2 Rc1 62.Rh2 Rb1 63.Rh6 Kc7 64.Rh7+ Kc8 65.Rb7 Rh1 66.Ka8 Ra1 67.Rb6 Kc7 68.Rh6 Rb1 69.Rh7+ Kc8 70.Rh8+ Kc7 71.Rh7+ Kc8 72.Rh8+ Kc7 73.Rh7+ 1/2-1/2

A draw in the first clutch game means Magnus needs a draw with White in the last game to reach the semifinals, but Jeffery could still steal victory with a win!

Game 12, June 8
Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
B40 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 d6 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.O-O Be7 12.Nc3 O-O 13.Qf3 Ba6 14.Rd1 Nd5 15.Ne4 Qb6 16.Qg3 Qb8 17.Bg5 f6 18.Bd2 Qxg3 19.hxg3 Bd3 20.Nc3 Rfc8 21.Rac1 Kf7 22.Na4 Bb5 23.Nc5 Bxc5 24.Rxc5 Nb6 25.Re1 Re8 26.Ra1 Red8 27.a4 Bc4 28.Bxc4 Rxd4 29.a5 Rxc4 30.axb6 1-0

Magnus Carlsen makes it 3 wins in the last 4 games and qualifies for a semifinal against either Grischuk or Aronian!

Carlsen-Xiong 11.5-6.5

Congratulations to Magnus Carlsen on qualifying to the semifinals! He also picked up an extra $8,000 for winning the final clutch game

Sam Shankland - Proud of Jeffery. He's really come into his own in the last year, and while he didn't manage to pull off an upset for the ages, he really challenged the GOAT, took advantage of the format brilliantly, and played a match to be very proud of. Major props.

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 8th June, 2020, 09:58 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 8, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games Seven to Twelve, Day One (continued)

Game 7, June 8
MVL – so, Wesley
E04 Catalan, open

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.d4 e6 5.O-O Nf6 6.c4 dxc4 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Rc8 10.Nc3 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bc5 12.Qd3 Bc6 13.Bxc6+ Rxc6 14.Qf3 O-O 15.Rd1 Qa5 16.Bd2 Qa6 17.Bg5 Be7 18.Ne4 Nd5 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Nc3 Ng6 21.Qe3 Qb6 22.Qxb6 Rxb6 23.Na4 Ra6 24.b3 b5 25.Nc3 b4 26.Na4 Ne7 27.Rac1 Nd5 28.e4 Nc3 29.Nxc3 bxc3 30.Rc2 Rc6 31.Kf1 h5 32.Ke2 Rfc8 33.Rd4 e5 34.Rd5 f6 35.h4 R8c7 36.Kd3 Kf7 37.f4 Ke6 38.fxe5 fxe5 39.Ke2 Rd7 40.Rxd7 Kxd7 41.Kd3 Rg6 42.Rg2 Rg4 43.Kxc3 Rxe4 44.Kd3 Rg4 45.Ke3 Ke6 46.Kf3 e4+ 47.Kf2 Rg6 48.Rg1 Rf6+ 49.Ke2 Ke5 50.Rc1 Rf3 51.Rc5+ Kd4 52.Rxh5 Rxg3 53.Ra5 Rg2+ 54.Kf1 Rh2 55.Rxa7 e3 56.Rxg7 Rxa2 57.h5 Ra1+ 58.Ke2 Ra2+ 59.Kf3 Rf2+ 60.Kg3 Rf1 61.Rd7+ Kc3 62.Re7 Kd2 63.Rd7+ Kc3 64.Re7 Kd2 65.Rd7+ Kc3 1/2-1/2

Game 8, June 8
So, Wesley – MVL
D12 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 Qc7 9.Bd2 Be7 10.O-O-O dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nbd7 12.g4 b5 13.Be2 b4 14.Na4 c5 15.Qc4 O-O 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.dxc5 Nxc5 18.Kb1 Qe5 19.Nxc5 Bxc5 20.e4 Rfc8 21.Bxb4 Bxb4 22.Qxb4 Rab8 23.Qd4 Qa5 24.Rc1 Rd8 25.Qc3 Qb6 26.Rc2 Rbc8 27.Qxc8 Rxc8 28.Rxc8+ Kh7 29.g5 Qe3 30.gxf6 Qxe2 31.fxg7 Kxg7 32.Rc3 Qg2 33.Rd1 Qxh2 34.a3 g5 35.Ka2 Kg6 36.Rd8 Qf2 37.Rg8+ Kf6 38.e5+ Kxe5 39.Rxg5+ f5 40.Rg7 Qd4 41.Rgc7 Qd5+ 42.Ka1 Qd1+ 43.Ka2 Qd5+ 44.Ka1 Qd1+ 45.Ka2 Qd5+ 1/2-1/2

Game 9, June 8
MVL – So, Wesley
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 e6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.c4 O-O 6.Nc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.h4 Nc6 9.Qb1 f5 10.Bb5 Bd7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.h5 h6 13.O-O Qe8 14.d4 Nxd4 15.exd4 Bxb5 16.Re1 Qf7 17.a4 Ba6 18.Qd1 Bf6 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.Rxe5 c4 21.Qf3 cxb3 22.Ba3 Bc4 23.Bxf8 Rxf8 24.Rae1 Qf6 25.a5 b6 26.axb6 axb6 27.Rxd5 Bxd5 28.Qxd5+ Qf7 29.Qb5 Qxh5 30.Qxb3+ Qf7 31.Qxb6 Qf6 32.Qb3+ Kh7 33.d5 Ra8 34.Qd3 Rd8 35.g3 Qg6 36.Re5 f4 37.Qxg6+ Kxg6 38.gxf4 Kf6 39.Kg2 Ra8 40.Kf3 Ra1 41.Re6+ Kf5 42.Re7 Rd1 43.Re5+ Kf6 44.Ke4 Rd2 45.f3 Kf7 46.Rh5 Ke7 47.Rh1 Kd6 48.Rg1 Re2+ 49.Kd4 Rd2+ 50.Kc4 Rc2+ 51.Kd3 Ra2 52.Ke4 Re2+ 53.Kf5 Re7 54.Kg6 Kxd5 55.Rd1+ Kc4 56.f5 Ra7 57.f4 Kc5 58.Rd8 h5 59.Kxh5 Rf7 60.Kg6 Rf6+ 61.Kg5 Rf7 62.f6 1-0

MVL cuts the gap to Wesley So to just 2 points after winning what looked sure to be a 3rd draw today!

Game 10, June 8
So, Wesley – MVL
E92 King’s Indian, Andersson variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.cxd5 c6 12.Bc4 b5 13.Bb3 a5 14.a3 Bb7 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Bd5 Rab8 17.O-O-O Nd4 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Be3 b4 20.a4 b3 21.Bd2 Rc7+ 22.Kb1 Rc4 23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Rc1 Rxa4 25.Rc5 Ra2 26.Rhc1 d3 27.Bc3 d2 28.Rd1 Rxe4 29.Rc8+ Bf8 30.Rb8 a4 31.Bxd2 Re2 32.Bh6 Raxb2+ 33.Ka1 Ra2+ 34.Kb1 Reb2+ 35.Kc1 Rc2+ 36.Kb1 Rcb2+ 37.Kc1 Rc2+ 38.Kb1 Rcb2+ 1/2-1/2

Game 11, June 8
MVL – So, Wesley
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 O-O 7.Nbd2 a6 8.a4 Ba7 9.h3 h6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.d4 Ng6 12.Bb3 Re8 13.Bc2 Nh5 14.Nf1 Nhf4 15.Ng3 c6 16.Be3 Qf6 17.Nf5 Bb8 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Bb6 a5 20.b4 axb4 21.cxb4 Ne7 22.Bd8 Bxf5 23.exf5 Bd6 24.Bxe7 Rxe7 25.g3 Nd5 26.Nh2 Bxb4 27.Ng4 Qd6 28.f6 Nxf6 29.Qxd6 Bxd6 30.Nxf6+ gxf6 31.Bf5 Bc5 32.a5 Bd4 33.Ra4 Kf8 34.Kg2 b5 35.Ra2 Rea7 36.Rc2 c5 37.Be4 Rxa5 38.Bxa8 Rxa8 39.Kf3 f5 40.Ke2 Ke7 41.Rb1 Ra5 42.g4 Ke6 43.Rb3 c4 44.Rb1 f4 45.h4 Kd5 46.g5 h5 47.Rd2 c3 48.Rc2 Kc4 49.Kf3 b4 50.Ke4 b3 51.Rcc1 b2 52.Rxb2 Ra1 53.Rbc2 Rxc1 54.Rxc1 Bxf2 55.Rc2 Be3 56.Rg2 Kb3 57.Kd3 c2 58.Rxc2 e4+ 59.Kxe4 Kxc2 0-1

Position after White’s 22.Bd8

It was probably a bad move, but MVL's Bd8 was at least an unusual pin from behind!

Huge relief for Wesley So and his fans as despite blundering 51...b2?? instead of 51...c2! it turns out that after 52.Rxb2 Ra1! he's still winning

Game 12, June 8
So, Wesley – MVL
B00 KP, Nimzowitsch Defence

1.d4 Nc6 2.e4 e5 3.dxe5 Nxe5 4.Nf3 Qf6 5.Nc3 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 Qxf3 7.gxf3 c6 8.Rg1 Ne7 9.Be3 d5 10.exd5 Nf5 11.O-O-O Be7 12.Bf4 Bd7 13.Bh3 O-O-O 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.Rxd7 1-0

So-MVL 13-5

Ouch! Wesley So also wins the last game in 15 moves, taking all the $10k clutch money as well as beating MVL to reach the semifinals

**Hans Jung** · Tuesday, 9th June, 2020, 01:28 PM

Wesley over MVL in 15 moves? but then I looked and its not easy to play as black. The opening is bad after what looks like the natural forcing 5...Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 Qxf3 7.gxf3 After 7...C6 its not easy to play black.
14.dxc6 and 15.Rxd7 are a combo of devistating shots!

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 9th June, 2020, 10:17 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 9, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games Seven to Twelve, Day Two

Game 7, June 9
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
E35 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 c5 7.dxc5 Nc6 8.e3 O-O 9.Nf3 d4 10.O-O-O Bxc5 11.exd4 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.a3 Be6 14.Kb1 Na5 15.d5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Bd3 g6 18.Be4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Qb6 20.Ne5 Rfe8 21.Qf4 Qe6 22.Nd7 Kg7 23.Rhe1 Qc4 24.Qf6+ Kg8 25.Qd6 Kg7 26.Re7 Rxe7 27.Qxe7 Qf4 28.Qb4 Qf5+ 29.Ka1 Rc8 30.g4 Qf3 31.Qd4+ f6 32.Qd6 Re8 33.Nc5 Qxg4 34.h3 Qc8 35.Ka2 b6 36.Qd7+ Qxd7 37.Rxd7+ Kh6 38.Nd3 Nc6 39.Rc7 Re6 40.Kb3 Rd6 41.Kc3 Nd4 42.a4 a5 43.b4 Ne2+ 44.Kc2 axb4 45.Nxb4 Nf4 46.Kb3 Nxh3 47.Kc4 Nxf2 48.Kb5 g5 49.Rc6 Rxc6 50.Nxc6 g4 51.Nd4 Nd3 52.Kxb6 Nb2 53.Kb5 Nxa4 54.Kxa4 Kg5 55.Kb3 Kf4 56.Kc3 Ke3 57.Nf5+ Kf2 58.Kd3 g3 0-1

Dominguez is now just 2 points behind Caruana after winning the 1st game of the day for a 2nd day in a row!

Game 8, June 9
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ 7.Nd2 e6 8.Nf3 Nh6 9.O-O Nf5 10.Nb3 Qb5 11.Qd1 c5 12.a4 Qb6 13.a5 Qb5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Re1 a6 16.Nbd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxd4 18.Qxd4 Nc6 19.Qf4 Qb4 20.c3 Qxf4 21.Bxf4 O-O-O 22.Be3 d4 23.cxd4 Rd5 24.Rec1 Kb8 25.Rc5 Rxc5 26.dxc5 Rd8 27.Ra4 Kc8 28.Re4 Rd5 29.g4 hxg4 30.Rxg4 g6 31.f4 Kd7 32.h5 gxh5 33.Rg8 Nxa5 34.Rf8 Ke7 35.Rb8 Rd8 36.Rxd8 Kxd8 0-1

Game 9, June 9
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
E46 Nimzo-Indian, Simagin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2 d5 6.a3 Bd6 7.c5 Be7 8.Ng3 b6 9.b4 c6 10.Be2 a5 11.Bd2 Ba6 12.O-O Bxe2 13.Ngxe2 Nbd7 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.Rfc1 axb4 16.axb4 Qb7 17.f3 Rfe8 18.Be1 e5 19.Bg3 exd4 20.exd4 Nf8 21.Nf4 h6 22.Bf2 b5 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Re1 Re8 25.Nd1 Bd8 26.Rxe8 Nxe8 27.Qa2 Nc7 28.Nb2 Nfe6 29.Ne2 h5 30.Nd3 g6 31.h4 Ng7 32.g3 Nce6 33.g4 Qc8 34.Kg2 Nf8 35.g5 Bc7 36.Qd2 Nf5 37.Nef4 Bxf4 38.Qxf4 Ne6 39.Qe5 Qa8 40.Nf4 Nxf4+ 41.Qxf4 Qe8 42.Kf1 Qe6 43.Qb8+ Kh7 44.Qc7 Kg7 45.Qf4 Kh7 46.Qc7 Ng7 47.Qf4 Qh3+ 48.Kg1 Qf5 49.Qxf5 Nxf5 50.Kg2 Kg8 51.Kh3 Kf8 52.Kg2 Ke7 53.Kh3 Ke6 54.Kg2 Ng7 55.Kg3 Kf5 56.Bg1 Ne6 57.Be3 f6 58.gxf6 Kxf6 59.f4 Ng7 60.Kf3 Nf5 61.Bf2 Ke6 62.Ke2 Nh6 63.Kf3 Kf5 64.Be3 Ng4 65.Bg1 Nf6 66.Bf2 Ne4 67.Be1 Ke6 68.Ke2 Nf6 69.Bf2 Ne8 70.Kf3 Nc7 71.Be1 Kf6 72.Bg3 Kf5 73.Bf2 Na6 74.Be1 Nb8 75.Bd2 Nd7 76.Be1 Nf8 77.Bf2 Nh7 78.Be3 Nf6 79.Bf2 Ng4 80.Bg1 Ke6 81.Ke2 Kf6 0-1

Position after Black’s 80…Ke6

Game 10, June 9
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ 7.Nd2 e6 8.Nf3 Nh6 9.O-O Nf5 10.a4 Qa6 11.c4 Bb4 12.b3 c5 13.Ba3 Nc6 14.dxc5 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Nxe5 16.Qe2 Ng4 17.b4 O-O 18.b5 Qa5 19.cxd5 exd5 20.Qd3 Nxh4 21.c6 Rfe8 22.cxb7 Rab8 23.Nb3 Qd8 24.Nc5 Ng6 25.Qg3 N4e5 26.Rae1 h4 27.Qe3 d4 28.Qe4 h3 29.g3 d3 30.Na6 d2 31.Rd1 f5 32.Qxf5 Rxb7 33.Qxh3 Nf3+ 34.Kg2 Qd5 35.Nb4 Qe4 36.Qh5 Ne1+ 37.Kh3 Qg2+ 38.Kg4 Qf3+ 0-1

Game 11, June 9
Caruana, Fabiano – Dominguez Perez, Leinier
E03 Catalan, open

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 c5 7.Nc3 Nb6 8.Qb5+ Bd7 9.Qd3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Rc8 11.Bxb7 Bc5 12.Qf4 Rb8 13.Bg2 O-O 14.Nf3 Nbd5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Qe4 Bb4+ 17.Kf1 Qc7 18.h3 Rfc8 19.Kg1 Bc5 20.e3 Nf6 21.Qc2 Qb6 22.Qd1 Rd8 23.Kh2 Bc6 24.Qe2 Bb5 25.Qe1 Bc6 26.a4 Qa6 27.Qf1 Bb5 28.Qe1 Bc6 29.Qf1 Bb5 30.axb5 Qxa1 31.Ne5 Rbc8 32.Nc6 Rd7 33.Qc4 Bb6 34.Ne7+ Rxe7 35.Qxc8+ Re8 36.Qc2 Qa5 37.Bc6 Rd8 38.Qc3 Qa4 39.b3 Qa5 40.Qxa5 Bxa5 41.Kg2 Bb6 42.Bb2 Rd2 43.Bd4 Bxd4 44.exd4 Ra2 45.Rc1 g5 46.Rc4 Ra3 47.Ra4 Rxb3 48.Rxa7 h5 49.Rb7 Kg7 50.Bf3 Kg6 51.Bc6 Kg7 52.b6 Nd5 53.Be8 Rxb6 54.Rxf7+ Kh6 55.Rf3 Rd6 56.Rf7 Rd8 57.Bc6 Kg6 58.Rb7 Nf6 59.Rb4 Rd6 60.Bf3 g4 61.Be2 Nd5 62.Rc4 Nf6 63.h4 Nd5 64.Bd3+ Kf7 65.Rc5 Nf6 66.Rc4 Rd5 67.Bc2 Rd6 68.Kf1 Nd5 69.Ke2 Ra6 70.Bd3 Ra2+ 71.Rc2 Ra4 72.Rc4 Ra2+ 73.Ke1 Kf6 74.Rc8 Ra4 75.Rc4 Ra2 76.Bc2 Ne7 77.Kd2 Nf5 78.Kc3 Ra3+ 79.Kd2 Ra2 80.Rb4 Ra3 81.Bb1 Rf3 82.Ke2 Ra3 83.Bxf5 exf5 84.Rb6+ Kg7 85.d5 Ra5 86.d6 Kf6 87.d7+ Ke7 88.Rd6 Kd8 89.Rd3 Re5+ 90.Re3 Ra5 91.Re8+ Kxd7 92.Rh8 f4 93.gxf4 Ke6 94.Rg8 Ra2+ 95.Kf1 Kf5 96.Rf8+ Ke4 97.Kg2 Ra5 98.Rf7 Rb5 99.Rf8 Rf5 100.Rxf5 Kxf5 101.Kg3 Ke4 102.f5 Kxf5 103.f3 gxf3 104.Kxf3 Ke5 105.Ke3 Kf5 106.Kf3 Ke5 107.Ke3 Kf5 108.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Position after white’s 88.Rd6

After the 88.Rd6! trick Fabiano Caruana came very close to clinching the match in the 1st clutch game, but it ends in a draw and the match goes down to the final game! If Dominguez wins he makes the semifinal

Game 12, June 9
Dominguez Perez, Leinier – Caruana, Fabiano
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ 7.Nd2 e6 8.Nf3 Nh6 9.O-O Nf5 10.Nb3 Qb5 11.Qd1 c5 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Bg5 Nc6 14.a4 Qb6 15.c3 a6 16.Nxc5 Qxc5 17.Re1 Qc4 18.Nd2 Qc5 19.Rc1 b5 20.Ra1 Rc8 21.axb5 Qxb5 22.b3 Qd3 23.c4 Ncd4 24.Rxa6 O-O 25.Qxh5 Nxb3 26.Nxb3 Qxb3 27.cxd5 Qxd5 28.Raa1 Rc4 29.Rad1 Qc6 30.Rc1 Rxc1 31.Rxc1 Qe4 32.Rd1 Nd4 33.Be3 Nf5 34.Bg5 Nd4 35.Be3 Nf5 36.Bg5 1/2-1/2

Fabiano Caruana gets the draw he needed and will play Wesley So in the semifinal!

Caruana-Dominguez 10.5-7.5

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Tuesday, 9th June, 2020, 10:18 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 9, 2020

Quarterfinals

Games Seven to Twelve, Day Two (continued)

Game 7, June 9
Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Qd3 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.O-O Bb7 10.Rd1 N7f6 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.b4 c6 15.Rab1 Qe7 16.a4 Rfc8 17.Rdc1 Rc7 18.e3 g6 19.Qb3 Rd8 20.Ne1 Bc8 21.Nd3 Bf5 22.Rc2 c5 23.bxc5 bxc5 24.Rxc5 Rxc5 25.dxc5 Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Qxc5 27.h4 Qc4 28.Rd1 Qxd3 29.Rxd3 d4 30.exd4 Rxd4 31.Rxd4 Bxd4 32.Kf1 h5 33.Ke2 a5 34.Kf1 Kf8 35.Ke2 Kg8 36.Kf1 Kf8 37.Ke2 Kg8 1/2-1/2

Game 8, June 9
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
A80 Dutch, King’s Knight

1.d4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.Nbd2 Be7 5.Bxf6 Bxf6 6.e4 d5 7.exf5 exf5 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O Be6 11.Re1 Nd7 12.c4 Qf7 13.Qb3 Rab8 14.a4 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Qa3 Ne4 17.cxd5 Bxd5 18.Rad1 Rbd8 19.Qb4 Be7 20.Qa5 b6 21.Qxa7 Nxf2 22.Bc4 Bc5 23.Qxf7+ Rxf7 24.b4 Nxd1+ 25.bxc5 Bxc4 26.cxb6 Nb2 27.Rb1 Nxa4 28.Nxc4 Rb7 29.Rb4 Nc5 30.h3 Ra8 31.Rb5 Ne4 32.Na5 Nd6 33.Nxb7 Nxb5 34.Nc5 Nd6 35.Ne5 Ra1+ 36.Kf2 Rb1 37.Ned7 Kf7 38.g4 Ne4+ 39.Nxe4 fxe4 40.Ke3 Ke7 41.Nc5 Rxb6 42.h4 Kd6 43.Nxe4+ Ke5 44.Nd2 Rb4 45.Nf3+ Kd5 46.Nh2 Re4+ 47.Kf3 Ke5 48.h5 Ra4 0-1

Position after Black’s 21….Nxf2

Grischuk started with the Dutch and now with 21...Nxf2! looks set to reduce the deficit to a single point!

Game 9, June 9
Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Qd3 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.O-O Bb7 10.Rd1 N7f6 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.b4 c6 15.Rab1 b5 16.a4 bxa4 17.Ra1 a5 18.Rxa4 axb4 19.Rxb4 Ba6 20.Qd2 Qe7 21.e3 Bc4 22.Rdb1 Ra2 23.Qc1 c5 24.dxc5 Qxc5 25.Bf1 Rc8 26.Rb8 Ra8 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Nd2 Rc8 29.Qc2 Qc6 30.Bh3 Ra8 31.Rc1 Ra3 32.Qb1 Qa8 33.Bg2 Bd3 34.Qb4 Ra1 35.Rxa1 Qxa1+ 36.Bf1 Bc3 37.Qb3 d4 38.exd4 Qc1 39.Qb8+ Kh7 40.Qf4 Bxd2 0-1

Aronian hits straight back after Grischuk was unable to navigate some tactics in time trouble!

Game 10, June 9
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
E73 King’s Indian, Semi-Averbakh System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Be3 Na6 7.h4 e5 8.d5 h5 9.Qd2 Nc5 10.f3 Bd7 11.Bd1 a5 12.b3 Qb8 13.Nge2 b5 14.cxb5 Bxb5 15.Nxb5 Qxb5 16.O-O Rfb8 17.Rc1 Kh7 18.Nc3 Qd3 19.Qxd3 Nxd3 20.Rc2 Bh6 21.Bxh6 Kxh6 22.Na4 Ra7 23.Be2 Nb4 24.Rd2 Nd7 25.Rc1 Rbb7 26.Kf2 f5 27.Ke3 f4+ 28.Kf2 g5 29.Rc6 Rb8 30.hxg5+ Kxg5 31.Rc3 Rbb7 32.g3 fxg3+ 33.Kxg3 h4+ 34.Kf2 Ra8 35.Rc1 Nf6 36.Rg1+ Kh6 37.Rh1 Kg5 38.Rdd1 Nh5 39.f4+ exf4 40.Bxh5 Kxh5 41.Kf3 Rg8 42.Rxh4+ Kxh4 43.Rh1+ Kg5 44.Rg1+ Kf6 45.Rxg8 Nxa2 46.Kxf4 Nc1 47.Rf8+ Ke7 48.Rh8 Rxb3 49.Rh7+ Kd8 50.Kf5 Ne2 51.e5 Nd4+ 52.Ke4 Rb4 53.Rh8+ Kd7 54.Rh7+ Kc8 55.Nc3 Nb5+ 56.Kd3 Rb3 57.Rh8+ Kb7 58.e6 Rxc3+ 59.Kd2 Rc5 60.e7 Rxd5+ 61.Kc2 Re5 62.e8=Q Rxe8 63.Rxe8 d5 64.Kb3 Nd6 65.Rd8 Kc6 66.Ra8 Nc4 67.Rh8 Kb5 68.Rh7 c6 69.Rb7+ Kc5 70.Ka4 d4 71.Kb3 Nb6 72.Ra7 Kb5 73.Kc2 c5 74.Kd3 a4 75.Rh7 a3 76.Ra7 Na4 77.Rb7+ Kc6 78.Ra7 Kb5 79.Rb7+ Ka6 80.Rb3 Nb2+ 81.Kc2 Nc4 82.Rb8 Ka7 83.Rb1 Ka6 84.Rb8 Na5 85.Rb1 c4 86.Rb4 a2 87.Ra4 Kb5 88.Rxa2 Nc6 89.Ra3 Kb4 90.Ra8 Kc5 91.Rc8 Kd5 92.Rc7 Ne5 93.Kd2 Ke4 94.Re7 Kd5 95.Rc7 Nc6 96.Kc2 Kd6 97.Rc8 Kc5 98.Rc7 Kd5 99.Rc8 Ne7 100.Rd8+ Kc5 101.Re8 d3+ 102.Kd2 Nd5 103.Rh8 Nf6 104.Rd8 Ne4+ 105.Ke3 Nd6 106.Kd2 Kd5 107.Kc3 Kc6 108.Rh8 Kd5 109.Rh5+ Ke4 110.Rh4+ Ke5 111.Rxc4 Nxc4 112.Kxd3 1/2-1/2

Position after 88.Rxa2. Black misses the win by playing Nc6? instead of Kb4.

Alexander Grischuk missed a win in a 112-move draw, but effectively it makes no difference at all. He trails by 2 points and still just needs to win one of the clutch games now to beat Levon Aronian

Game 11, June 9
Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon
E47 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Ne2 cxd4 7.exd4 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bc2 Nc6 10.Qd3 Qh4 11.Bg5 Qh5 12.g4 Qg6 13.Qd2 f5 14.Rg1 e5 15.gxf5 Bxf5 16.Bb3 Be6 17.Be7 Qf5 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.O-O-O Nxc3 20.Bxe6+ Qxe6 21.bxc3 Ba3+ 22.Kb1 Rxf2 23.d5 Qf5+ 24.Ka1 Na5 25.d6 Nc6 26.d7 Be7 27.Qd5+ Qf7 28.Ng3 Qxd5 29.Rxd5 Kf7 30.Rf1 Rxf1+ 31.Nxf1 Ke6 32.c4 Bd8 33.Kb2 Nb8 34.Ng3 Nxd7 35.Nf5 Nb6 36.Nxg7+ Ke7 37.Nf5+ Ke6 38.Rxd8 Kxf5 39.Kc3 Na4+ 40.Kb4 b5 41.cxb5 Nb6 42.a4 Ke6 43.a5 Nd5+ 44.Kc5 Nf6 45.b6 axb6+ 46.axb6 1-0

37.Nf5! from Grischuk and he wins the 1st clutch game and takes the lead. Now Aronian must win the final game or it'll be Grischuk-Carlsen in the semifinal

Game 12, June 9
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
B50 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen/Najdorf/dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qe3 d5 7.Bb5 Nxe4 8.Nd4 Bd7 9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Qxe4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qd5 13.Qe3 c5 14.Ne2 e6 15.Bc3 Bc6 16.f3 Be7 17.Nf4 Qf5 18.h4 Bd6 19.Ne2 Qxc2 20.Rd1 Be7 21.Nf4 O-O 22.O-O Rfd8 23.Rc1 Qa4 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Qxe6+ Kf8 26.Bxg7+ Kxg7 27.Qxe7+ Kg8 28.Qe6+ Kh8 29.Rc4 1-0

Aronian-Grischuk 10-8

Levon Aronian has done it! He wins on demand to beat Alexander Grischuk 10:8 and set up a #ClutchChess semifinal against Magnus Carlsen

Maurice's question was: "How does this moment feel, when you say, "I need to deliver," and you deliver?"

Levon: "It’s a great feeling, it’s like falling in love. You don’t get to experience it many times in your life, when you get this extreme rush of love and you don’t have anything else going through your mind. It’s a beautiful feeling, and that’s what we play chess for, I guess"

Tomorrow is a rest day.

On Thursday June 11, the matches resume with the Semifinals, games 1-6.

Carlsen-Aronian

Caruana-So

From the official site:

2020 CLUTCH CHESS INTERNATIONAL - DAY 4 RECAP

Congratulations to Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana for defeating Alexander Grischuk and Leinier Dominguez respectively and qualifying to the semifinals. Both matches were highly contentious and were decided in the final clutch game. Dominguez and Grischuk are eliminated from the event, earning $15,000 each, with Grischuk picking up an extra $4,000 for his clutch game victories.

Two very exciting semifinal matches are ahead as Aronian plays World Champion Carlsen, while Caruana and So show a rematch of Clutch Chess USA finals. The action will resume on Thursday as players take a rest day tomorrow.

The final standings of the Clutch Chess International quarterfinals

Levon Aronian vs Alexander Grischuk 10-8

It comes as no surprise that the match between these two entertaining and creative players was a nail-biter. Even though Aronian entered the day with a two point lead, the match could have gone either way at any point. After a draw in the first game, Grischuk punished his opponent’s adventurous pawn grab, narrowing the score. Although Grischuk is a three-time World Blitz Champion, he is notorious for time trouble in longer games and was severely punished for it in game three. Game 10 ended in a draw after big missed opportunities by Grischuk. However the game was irrelevant for the standings, as the Russian Grandmaster needed to score a win and a draw in the final two clutch games in order to advance to the semifinals. He did just that in the penultimate game with an aggressive attack right out of the opening, leapfrogging his opponent and only needing a draw in the final game. The dramatic final game was the perfect culmination to the match. The evaluation of the position changed several times throughout the game, but it was Grischuk who made the decisive mistake, allowing a beautiful tactical sequence which sealed the deal for his opponent. With this true clutch win, the Armenian Grandmaster earned an extra $4,000 and a spot in the semifinals.

Congratulations to Levon Aronian for qualifying to the semifinals

Fabiano Caruana vs Leinier Dominguez 10.5 - 7.5

This back and forth match was a combative affair which resulted in four decisive games. Surprisingly, the tumultuous pre-clutch games all ended in Black’s favor. Since the disaster in the first game, Caruana’s Caro Kann has held up quite nicely, yielding him two points today. Dominguez’s wins were in the Nimzo Indian during long technical battles. His second win of the day came as Caruana blundered on move 81, finding himself in a zugzwang. Dominguez entered the clutch games with a three point deficit but could still qualify to the semifinals with a win and a draw. Caruana mishandled the winning rook endgame in a time scramble in game 11, allowing his opponent to escape with a draw and keep his hopes alive. During the final game, the world number two’s new pet line, Caro Kann Defense, proved to be unbreakable as Caruana earned a draw to qualify for the semifinals.

https://www.uschesschamps.com/2020-c...al-day-4-recap

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 11th June, 2020, 09:36 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 11, 2020

Semifinals

Games One to Six, Day One

The semifinalists returned to action after the rest day ready to fight, as Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So took a commanding four point lead over Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana respectively. The matches mirrored each other in results, as neither Caruana nor Aronian were able to find their footing and score a single win. Even with a big score discrepancy, neither match is in the bag as wins in games 11 and 12 will be worth three points each, leaving room for big comebacks. Tomorrow, the two Clutch Chess International finalists will be decided.

https://uschesschamps.com/2020-clutc...national/recap

Game 1, June 11
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Nbd2 a5 7.c4 a4 8.Ne5 Nbd7 9.Ndf3 c5 10.Bf4 d4 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.e4 b5 13.b3 Qb6 14.Rb1 axb3 15.axb3 Bb7 16.h4 Bc6 17.h5 Ra2 18.Bh3 Rfa8 19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Bd7 21.h6 g6 22.Qf3 Qd8 23.Bg7 b4 24.e5 Bf8 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 26.Bg2 R8a6 27.Qf4 Bc6 28.Bxc6 Rxc6 29.Rfe1 Rca6 30.Re4 Rc2 31.Qf3 Raa2 32.Rf1 Rcb2 33.Rf4 Qc7 34.Rg4 Qxe5 35.Re4 Qh5 36.Qf6 Qxh6 37.Rxe6 1-0

Position after Black’s 35…Qh5?

Levon Aronian blundered in a winning position and Magnus Carlsen grabs the first win!

Game 2, June 11
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B03 Alekhine’s Defence, Exchange variation

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.h3 O-O 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.d5 Na5 11.Bd4 Bxd4 12.Qxd4 e5 13.dxe6 Bxe6 14.Ne4 Nc6 15.Nf6+ Kh8 16.Qf4 Bf5 17.Ng4 Re8+ 18.Be2 Bd3 19.Ne3 Bxe2 20.Kxe2 d5 21.Ng5 Qe7 22.Rhe1 d4 23.Kf1 dxe3 24.Rxe3 Qd7 25.Nxf7+ Kg7 26.Rf3 Qd4 27.Nd6 Re7 28.Qxd4+ Nxd4 29.Rd3 Nc6 30.b3 Nd7 31.Rad1 Nc5 32.R3d2 a5 33.g3 a4 34.Rb2 Nb4 35.bxa4 Rxa4 36.a3 Nbd3 37.Rb3 Nxb3 0-1

Game 3, June 11
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 Bxc3 5.bxc3 O-O 6.f3 Re8 7.Nh3 c6 8.Nf2 d5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bg2 b6 11.O-O Ba6 12.Re1 Nc6 13.d3 h6 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.f4 Rc8 16.c4 Nf6 17.fxe5 Rxe5 18.Rxe5 Nxe5 19.Bb2 Ned7 20.Qa4 Nc5 21.Qa3 Bb7 22.Bxb7 Nxb7 23.Qxa7 Nc5 24.Qa3 h5 25.Re1 Ng4 26.Nxg4 hxg4 27.Qc3 f6 28.Re3 Qd7 29.Qd4 Rd8 30.Qxd7 Rxd7 31.d4 Na4 32.Ba1 Rc7 33.c5 bxc5 34.Ra3 cxd4 35.Bxd4 Rc4 36.Be3 Nc3 37.Kf1 Kh7 38.Ke1 Kg6 39.Ra7 Rb4 40.Kd2 Nd5 41.Bc5 Rb2+ 42.Kd3 Rxh2 43.Rd7 Rh5 44.Bf8 Re5 45.Kd4 Nb6 46.Rxg7+ Kf5 47.Ra7 Re4+ 48.Kd3 Nc4 49.Bh6 Ne5+ 50.Kc3 Rc4+ 51.Kb3 Rd4 52.Rc7 Ke4 53.a4 Rd3+ 54.Rc3 Rxc3+ 55.Kxc3 Kd5 56.Bg7 Nf3 57.Bxf6 Nh2 58.Kb4 Kc6 59.Bd4 Kb7 60.Bg1 Nf3 61.Bf2 Nh2 62.Kb5 Ka8 63.a5 Kb7 64.a6+ Ka8 65.Kc6 Nf1 66.Kd5 Nxg3 67.Bxg3 Ka7 68.Ke4 Kxa6 69.Kf4 Kb5 70.Kxg4 1/2-1/2

Game 4, June 11
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 a6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 Ng6 9.c4 Bc5 10.Nc3 Ba7 11.Kh1 O-O 12.f4 f5 13.e5 Qc7 14.Qd3 Rd8 15.Rd1 Bb7 16.Be3 c5 17.Qd6 Qc8 18.Na4 Bc6 19.b3 Qb7 20.Bf1 Rac8 21.Qd2 Bxa4 22.bxa4 Qc6 23.Rab1 Bb8 24.Be2 Nh4 25.Bh5 Qxa4 26.Qf2 Ng6 27.Bxg6 hxg6 28.Bxc5 Qxc4 29.Bb6 Bc7 30.h3 Bxb6 31.Rxb6 a5 32.Rbd6 Qa4 33.Kh2 g5 34.R1d4 Rc4 35.fxg5 Kf7 36.g6+ Kxg6 37.Qh4 Rxd4 38.Rxd4 Qb5 39.Qg3+ Kf7 40.Rh4 Qc5 41.Rh7 Rg8 42.h4 Qd4 43.h5 Kf8 44.Kh3 a4 45.Qa3+ Kf7 46.Qg3 Kf8 47.Qa3+ Ke8 48.Qg3 f4 49.Qg6+ Kf8 50.Qg5 Qd3+ 51.Kh4 Qxh7 52.Qd8+ Kf7 53.Qxd7+ Kf8 54.Qd8+ Kf7 55.Qd7+ Kf8 56.Qd8+ Kf7 57.Qd7+ 1/2-1/2

Game 5, June 11
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 Bxc3 5.dxc3 d6 6.f3 Be6 7.Nh3 a5 8.a4 O-O 9.b3 Na6 10.Ng5 Bd7 11.Be3 Nc5 12.Ra2 Ra6 13.Rd2 Rb6 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.Bh3 h6 16.Bxd7 hxg5 17.h4 Rd6 18.Rxd6 cxd6 19.Bf5 Nh5 20.Kf2 g6 21.Bg4 Nf6 22.Qd2 Nxg4+ 23.fxg4 Kg7 24.h5 Rh8 25.Ke2 f6 26.Kd1 Qd7 27.Qe2 b6 28.Qf3 Rh6 29.Kc2 Qe6 30.Kb2 Qd7 31.Ka3 Qe6 32.Rd1 Rh8 33.Rd5 Rd8 34.Rd2 Rd7 35.Rh2 Rd8 36.hxg6 Kxg6 37.Qh1 Qg8 38.Rh6+ Kf7 39.Qh5+ Ke6 40.Rg6 Qf7 41.Qxg5 Ke7 42.Qf5 Rg8 43.Rh6 Rg5 44.Qc8 Rg8 45.Qc7+ Ke6 46.Qc6 Re8 1-0

Magnus demolishes Levon's "fortress" to win the first clutch game and take a 4-point lead.

Game 6, June 11
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qb6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 Ng6 9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 O-O 11.b3 c5 12.f4 Bb7 13.Bd3 d5 14.e5 Nh4 15.g3 d4 16.Ne4 Nf5 17.g4 Ne3 18.Bxe3 dxe3 19.Qe2 Qc6 20.Ng3 f5 21.exf6 Bxf6 22.Be4 Qc7 23.Rad1 Bxe4 24.Nxe4 Bd4 25.b4 e5 26.f5 cxb4 27.Ng5 Rac8 28.Rc1 Qc6 29.c5 Qd5 30.Ne6 Rf6 31.h3 a5 32.Kh2 Rxe6 33.fxe6 Qxe6 34.c6 h6 35.g5 hxg5 36.c7 a4 37.Qb5 Qxa2+ 38.Kg3 e2 39.Qd7 exf1=N+ 40.Rxf1 Rxc7 41.Qe8+ Kh7 42.Qh5+ Kg8 43.Qe8+ Kh7 44.Qh5+ Kg8 45.Qe8+ 1/2-1/2

Carlsen-Aronian 6-2

Magnus Carlsen takes a 4 point lead after day 1 of semifinals. Aronian revealed his comeback plan: going berserk tomorrow!

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Thursday, 11th June, 2020, 09:37 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 11, 2020

Semifinals

Games One to Six, Day One (continued)

Game 1, June 11
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 c5 9.f3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 Qxh1 12.Qf2 Qh5 13.Bd3 f6 14.exf6 Rxf6 15.g4 Qf7 16.Qh4 g6 17.Bg5 Nd7 18.Kf2 dxc4 19.Bxc4 cxd4 20.cxd4 b5 21.Bxb5 Bb7 22.Qg3 Rf8 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Kg2 h5 25.gxh5 Nxh5 26.Qg4 Nf4+ 27.Kf2 e5 28.Ne2 Bxf3 29.Kxf3 Qb3+ 30.Kf2 Qxb5 31.Ke1 Kg7 32.Ng3 Qb2 0-1

Position after White’s 21.Bxb5?

Game 2, June 11
So, Wesley – 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 O-O 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.O-O-O Nf6 10.Bd3 Re8 11.Kb1 Bd7 12.Rhe1 c5 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Be4 Qb6 16.Ka1 Bc6 17.Bd5 Rad8 18.h4 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qc6 21.Qxc6 bxc6 22.g4 Kf8 23.Kb1 d5 24.Kc1 c4 25.g5 hxg5 26.hxg5 Be7 27.Rg1 c5 28.b3 cxb3 29.axb3 Rd6 30.Kd2 Bd8 31.Kd3 Re6 32.Nd2 Re5 33.f4 Rf5 34.Rg4 Bc7 35.Ke3 f6 36.Nf3 fxg5 37.Nxg5 Ke7 38.Nf3 Kf6 39.Rh4 Kf7 40.Ng5+ Ke7 41.Nf3 a5 42.Nd2 Ke6 43.c4 Bd8 44.Rg4 Bf6 45.cxd5+ Rxd5 46.Nc4 Kf5 47.Kf3 Rd4 48.Ne3+ Ke6 49.Rg2 a4 50.bxa4 Rxa4 51.Re2 Kd6 52.Rd2+ Kc6 53.Rg2 Ra7 54.c4 Kd6 55.Nd5 Ke6 56.Ke4 Bd4 57.Rg6+ Kf7 58.Rc6 g6 59.Nc7 Ra1 60.Ne6 Re1+ 61.Kd5 Be3 62.Ng5+ Kg7 63.Rc7+ Kg8 64.Ne6 Kh8 65.Nf8 Rg1 66.Ke4 Bd4 67.Rc8 Re1+ 68.Kd5 Rd1 69.Ne6+ Kh7 70.Nxc5 Ba1+ 71.Ke6 Rf1 72.Nd3 Rf3 73.Rd8 Re3+ 74.Kf7 Re4 75.c5 Rc4 76.Ke6 Rc2 77.Rd5 Kg7 78.Kd7 1-0

Wesley So pumps his fist again as he takes a 2:0 lead over Fabiano Caruana!

Game 3, June 11
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Bf1 Be7 7.Nc3 Nf5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Rxe5 d6 10.Re1 d5 11.d4 O-O 12.Ne2 c6 13.c3 Re8 14.Bf4 Bd6 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.Ng3 Qc7 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.a4 a5 19.Nh5 Qh6 20.Qxh6 Nxh6 21.Nf4 Nf5 22.Nd3 Nd6 23.Rxe8+ Bxe8 24.f3 b6 25.Kf2 f6 26.h4 Bg6 27.b3 Kf7 28.Rc1 Bxd3 29.Bxd3 c5 30.h5 f5 31.Re1 c4 32.Bc2 Rc8 33.Re5 cxb3 34.Bxb3 Rxc3 35.Bxd5+ Kf8 36.h6 gxh6 37.Re6 Nc4 38.Bxc4 Rxc4 39.Ke3 Rxa4 40.Rxb6 Kg7 41.Ra6 h5 42.g3 f4+ 43.Kxf4 Rxd4+ 44.Ke5 Rd3 45.Ke4 Ra3 46.Kf4 a4 47.Kg5 Rxf3 48.Ra7+ Kg8 49.Rxa4 Rxg3+ 50.Kxh5 Rf3 51.Ra8+ Rf8 52.Rxf8+ Kxf8 53.Kh4 Ke8 54.Kh3 Kd8 55.Kh4 h5 56.Kxh5 1/2-1/2

Game 4, June 11
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
C43 Petrov, Modern Attack, symmetrical variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.dxe5 d5 6.exd6 Nxd6 7.O-O Be7 8.Nc3 Be6 9.Re1 O-O 10.Bf4 Bf6 11.Bxd6 cxd6 12.Ne4 Be7 13.Qd2 h6 14.Ng3 Bf6 15.c3 Ne5 16.Nd4 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Be5 18.Nxe6 fxe6 19.Re2 Rf7 20.Ne4 Qe7 21.Rd1 Rd8 22.Nd2 Qh4 23.g3 Qg4 24.f3 Qa4 25.b3 Qd7 26.Rde1 Qc7 27.c4 Qa5 28.b4 Qb6+ 29.Kg2 Qd4 30.Re3 Qxd3 31.Rxd3 Rfd7 32.f4 Bf6 33.Rxe6 Kf7 34.Re2 d5 35.c5 Rc7 36.Nb3 b6 37.Red2 bxc5 38.Nxc5 d4 39.Kf3 a5 40.a3 axb4 41.axb4 Be7 42.Ne4 Rc4 43.b5 Rb4 44.g4 Bf6 45.Ra2 Rxb5 46.Ra7+ Be7 47.h4 Kf8 48.g5 Rb6 49.f5 hxg5 50.hxg5 Rb1 51.Kf4 Rf1+ 52.Kg4 Re1 53.Kf4 Rf1+ 54.Kg4 Re1 55.Kf4 1/2-1/2

Game 5, June 11
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
C51 Evans Gambit, Cordel variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 Na5 7.Bd3 d6 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nf6 10.O-O O-O 11.Qc2 Bd6 12.Nf3 Nc6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Bxg3 16.hxg3 g4 17.Nh4 Ne5 18.Be2 Re8 19.Nd2 b6 20.Rad1 Qe7 21.Rfe1 Be6 22.Nf1 Rad8 23.Ne3 Qc5 24.Nef5 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 h5 26.Rd4 Qf8 27.Qd2 Nh7 28.a4 Nc6 29.Nh6+ Kg7 30.N4f5+ Kg6 31.Bd3 Ng5 32.Qf4 f6 33.Bb5 Nxd4 34.Bxe8+ Qxe8 35.cxd4 Bxf5 36.Nxf5 Qxe4 37.Nh4+ Kf7 38.Qxc7+ Qe7 39.Qc4+ Qe6 40.d5 Qd6 41.Qd3 Qe5 42.Qg6+ Ke7 43.Nf5+ Kd8 44.Kh2 Ne4 45.Qg8+ Kd7 46.Qf7+ Kd8 47.Ng7 h4 48.Ne6+ Kc8 49.Qg8+ Kb7 50.Qh7+ Ka6 51.Qxh4 Nxf2 52.Qh8 Qe1 53.Nc5+ Ka5 0-1

Position after Black’s 50…Ka6

Fabiano Caruana overpresses and loses a position it seemed he could only win or draw. He's now trailing Wesley So by 4 points before the final game of the day!

Teymur Rajabov - Nice comments by @STLChessClub commentators team, but I guess @FabianoCaruana just blundered this Qh4+, hope I am wrong

Game 6, June 11
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
B47 Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.g3 a6 7.Bg2 d6 8.O-O Bd7 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.a4 Nf6 11.a5 Be7 12.Be3 O-O 13.Bb6 Qc8 14.Re1 Nd7 15.Bd4 Re8 16.Qd2 Qc7 17.Na4 Bxa4 18.Rxa4 Rac8 19.c3 Bf6 20.Rd1 Bxd4 21.cxd4 Nf6 22.h3 h5 23.Bf3 h4 24.gxh4 e5 25.Rb4 Rcd8 26.Qc3 Qe7 27.Qb3 Rd7 28.dxe5 Qxe5 29.Rxb7 Qxa5 30.Qb4 Qxb4 31.Rxb4 a5 32.Rbd4 Rb7 33.R1d2 Rbb8 34.Bg2 g6 35.Kh2 Kg7 36.h5 Nxh5 37.Rxd6 Nf4 38.Ra6 Re5 39.Ra7 Rb6 40.Rdd7 Rf6 41.Rd2 Rb6 42.Rdd7 Rf6 43.Rd2 Rc5 44.Bf1 Ne6 45.Bg2 Kh6 46.Rad7 Nf4 47.Ra7 Kg7 48.Bf1 Ne6 49.Bg2 Nf4 1/2-1/2

So-Caruana 6-2

**Wayne Komer** · Friday, 12th June, 2020, 09:31 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 12, 2020

Semifinals

Games Seven to Twelve, Day Two

Game 7, June 12
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B00 KP, Nimzowitsch Defence

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qa5 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.O-O a6 7.Ba4 Nf6 8.d3 O-O-O 9.Ng5 Bg4 10.Qd2 Bh5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qe1 h6 13.Nge4 e6 14.Bd2 Be7 15.b3 Bg6 16.Na4 Qd5 17.Ng3 c5 18.Be3 Ng4 19.Qa5 Nxe3 20.Qxa6+ Qb7 21.Qxb7+ Kxb7 22.fxe3 Ra8 23.Rf4 Bg5 24.Rf3 c4 25.dxc4 Kc6 26.Ne2 Rxa4 27.bxa4 Ra8 28.Nd4+ Kc5 29.Nb3+ Kxc4 30.h4 Bf6 31.Rd1 Be5 32.a5 Bh5 33.Rd7 Bxf3 34.gxf3 Rf8 35.f4 Bd6 36.a6 Ra8 37.Rxf7 Rxa6 38.Rxg7 Rxa2 39.Rg2 e5 40.f5 Kc3 41.Nd2 Ra1+ 42.Kh2 Kxc2 43.Ne4+ Kd3 44.Nxd6 cxd6 45.Rg6 d5 46.Rxh6 Kxe3 47.h5 d4 48.Re6 e4 49.f6 d3 50.Kg2 d2 0-1

Magnus Carlsen wins an amazing rollercoaster game to take a 5-point lead over Levon Aronian!

Game 8, June 12
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 O-O 5.Nge2 d6 6.h3 Nc6 7.Bg2 a6 8.O-O b5 9.d3 bxc4 10.dxc4 Bc5 11.Kh2 Rb8 12.b3 a5 13.Nd5 a4 14.Be3 axb3 15.axb3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 Nd7 17.Nec3 Nc5 18.Nb5 Ne6 19.h4 Bd7 20.Bh3 Rb7 21.b4 Ne7 22.Ra2 Nc8 23.Ra8 Kh8 24.Qh5 Qe8 25.Bf5 h6 26.Bh3 c6 27.Nxd6 Nxd6 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Nf6 Re7 30.c5 Nc4 31.Nxd7 Rbxd7 32.Rxf7 Rxf7 33.Bxe6 Rf2+ 34.Kh3 1-0

It's hard to win a #ClutchChess match before the clutch games, but Carlsen might manage it after he scores a crushing 2nd win of the day to take a 6-point lead over Aronian!

Game 9, June 12
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.Re1 Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.c3 Nc6 8.d3 a6 9.Bxc6 dxc6 10.cxd4 Qxd4 11.Be3 Qd8 12.d4 Be7 13.Nd2 O-O 14.Rc1 f5 15.f4 Bb4 16.Qb3 a5 17.a3 Bxd2 18.Bxd2 Qxd4+ 19.Be3 a4 20.Qxe6+ Bxe6 21.Bxd4 fxe4 22.Rxe4 Bd5 23.Re7 Rf7 24.Rce1 Raf8 25.Rxf7 Kxf7 26.Bc5 Re8 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.Kf2 h5 29.h3 g6 30.g4 hxg4 31.hxg4 Be6 32.f5 gxf5 33.gxf5 Bxf5 34.Ke3 Bc2 35.Kd4 Bb3 36.Bb6 Kd7 37.Kc5 Bd5 38.Ba5 Bb3 39.Bb6 Bd5 40.Ba5 Bb3 41.Bb6 1/2-1/2

Game 10, June 12
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Nbd2 a5 7.e4 a4 8.a3 c5 9.Re1 Nc6 10.e5 Nd7 11.Nf1 f6 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.c3 Bd6 14.d4 cxd4 15.cxd4 Bd7 16.Ne5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Ne4 18.f4 Be8 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Qxd8 Rxd8 21.Be3 Rd5 22.Rac1 g5 23.Bc5 Rf7 24.Rxe4 gxf4 25.gxf4 Na5 26.Bb4 Bc6 27.Re3 Nb3 28.Rg3+ Kh8 29.Re1 Nd4 30.Ne3 Rdd7 31.f5 Nxf5 32.Nxf5 Rxf5 33.Rf1 Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 Rg7 35.Rxg7 Kxg7 36.Ke2 Kg6 37.Be1 Kf5 38.Bg3 Ke4 39.Kd2 Kd4 40.Kc2 Be4+ 41.Kd2 Bc6 42.Bf4 Be4 43.Bg3 Bc6 1/2-1/2

Game 11, June 12
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.Re1 a6 6.Bf1 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.d4 Nf6 9.Be3 Be7 10.c4 O-O 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.h3 Bd7 14.Bf4 Ng6 15.Bg3 Qb6 16.Nb3 Bc6 17.Qd4 Qb4 18.Rad1 a5 19.Bd6 Bxd6 20.Qxd6 Rfd8 21.Qxd8+ Rxd8 22.Rxd8+ Nf8 23.Rd2 a4 24.Nc1 a3 25.Nd3 Qxc4 26.Rc1 axb2 27.Rxb2 Qd4 28.Nb5 Bxb5 29.Rxb5 b6 30.a4 Nd5 31.a5 bxa5 32.Rxa5 g5 33.Rac5 Ng6 34.R5c4 Qa7 35.Nb4 Nxb4 36.Rxb4 Kg7 37.Rb5 Kf6 38.Rc3 h6 39.Rf3+ Kg7 40.g3 Ne7 41.Re5 Nc6 42.Re4 Qc5 43.h4 Nd4 44.Rd3 e5 45.hxg5 hxg5 46.Rexd4 exd4 47.g4 Kf6 48.Rf3+ Ke7 49.Rg3 Qc1 50.Kg2 Qc6+ 51.Kg1 Qc1 52.Kg2 Qd1 53.Bd3 Kd6 54.Bf5 Kc5 55.Rh3 Kc4 56.Rg3 d3 57.Rxd3 Qxd3 58.Bxd3+ Kxd3 59.f4 gxf4 60.Kf3 f6 61.Kxf4 Ke2 62.g5 fxg5+ 63.Kxg5 1/2-1/2

Game 12, June 12
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.Bf4 d5 14.Bd3 g6 15.Nd2 Ng7 16.Nf3 c6 17.Qe2 Nh5 18.Bh6 Bg4 19.Re1 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Bg5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.g3 Rf8 23.h4 Qd8 24.Qe3 Nf6 25.Qe7 Re8 26.Qxd8 Rxd8 27.Re7 Rd7 28.Re5 Kf8 29.Kg2 Ng4 30.Re2 Re7 31.Kf3 Nf6 32.Rxe7 Kxe7 33.Kf4 h6 34.g4 Ne8 35.g5 hxg5+ 36.hxg5 Kd6 37.Kg4 Ng7 38.f4 Ke6 39.b4 b5 40.Bc2 f5+ 41.Kf3 Ne8 42.Ke3 Nd6 43.Bd1 Ne4 44.Kd3 Nf2+ 45.Kd2 Nxd1 46.Kxd1 Kd7 47.Kc2 Kc7 48.Kb3 Kb6 49.a3 a6 50.Kb2 Kb7 51.Kb1 Kb8 52.Kb2 Kb7 53.Kb1 Kb8 54.Kb2 Kb7 1/2-1/2

Carlsen-Aronian 12-6

What advice would you give to Fabiano?

Levon Aronian: "Just in every position try to think what kind of move Lev would do, and don’t do it!"

Game 7, June 12
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
D19 QGD Slav, Dutch variation, main line

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.O-O O-O 9.Qe2 Bg6 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Bd2 a5 14.Rac1 Rad8 15.Ba2 Nb6 16.Be1 e5 17.dxe5 Qxe5 18.g3 Nbd7 19.Qc2 Qh5 20.Bc4 Ne5 21.Be2 Qh3 22.f3 g5 23.Ne4 Qf5 24.Bxb4 axb4 25.Nxf6+ Qxf6 26.Kg2 Ng6 27.Qb3 Qe7 28.a5 Rfe8 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Rd1 Rxd1 31.Bxd1 Qc5 32.Qd3 Qxa5 33.Bb3 Nf8 34.Qc4 Ne6 35.Qe4 Qa1 36.Bxe6 Qxb2+ 37.Kh3 fxe6 38.Qxe6+ Kf8 39.Qc8+ Ke7 40.Qxb7+ Kd6 41.e4 Qc3 42.Qb8+ Kc5 43.e5 Qxf3 44.Qd6+ Kc4 45.e6 Qf5+ 46.Kg2 Qe4+ 47.Kh3 b3 48.e7 b2 49.Qd1 Kc3 50.e8=Q Qxe8 51.Qf3+ Kb4 52.Qg4+ Ka3 53.Qf3+ Ka2 0-1

At the start of today Caruana only needed to win 1 normal game and 1 clutch game vs. So to win the match... and he's started with that normal win!

Game 8, June 12
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
D86 Grunfeld, Exchange, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O b6 11.Qd2 Bb7 12.Rfd1 Rc8 13.Rac1 e6 14.Bg5 Qd7 15.h4 Na5 16.Bd3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Rxc1 18.Rxc1 Rc8 19.Rxc8+ Bxc8 20.h5 Nc6 21.h6 Bf8 22.Bb5 a6 23.Ba4 b5 24.Bb3 Bb7 25.d5 exd5 26.Bxd5 Ne5 27.Bxb7 Qxb7 28.Nc3 Ng4 29.Nd5 f6 30.Qd1 fxg5 31.Qxg4 Bxh6 32.Qe6+ Qf7 33.Qxa6 Bg7 34.Qxb5 Bd4 35.Qe2 g4 36.g3 h5 37.Kg2 Kg7 38.a4 Qa7 39.Qc2 Kh6 40.Qd2+ g5 41.a5 Bc5 42.Qc3 1-0

Game 9, June 12
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
D00 Queen’s Pawn, Mason variation

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Bf5 3.e3 e6 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.Nf3 O-O 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxd5 exd5 11.O-O a6 12.Qb3 Be6 13.Na4 Rb8 14.Bxc7 Qxc7 15.Qxb4 Nxb4 16.Rxc7 Rfc8 17.Rxc8+ Rxc8 18.a3 Nd3 19.b4 Rc2 20.Nc5 Nxc5 21.bxc5 Bf5 22.Ra1 f6 23.h3 Rb2 24.g4 Bd3 25.Kg2 Kf7 26.g5 a5 27.Kg3 a4 28.h4 Ke6 29.Ne1 Bc4 30.Ng2 Kd7 31.Nf4 b6 32.Nh5 fxg5 33.hxg5 bxc5 34.dxc5 g6 35.Nf6+ Kc6 36.Nxh7 Kxc5 37.Nf8 Bd3 38.Ne6+ Kd6 39.Nf4 Bb1 40.Ne2 Rb3 41.Nd4 Rb2 42.Ne2 Rb3 43.Kf4 Kc5 44.Nc3 Rxc3 45.Rxb1 Rxa3 46.Ke5 Ra2 47.f4 Re2 48.Kf6 Rxe3 49.Kxg6 a3 50.f5 Kc4 51.f6 a2 52.Ra1 Kb3 53.f7 Rf3 54.Kg7 d4 55.f8=Q Rxf8 56.Kxf8 Kb2 57.Rxa2+ Kxa2 58.g6 1-0

Game 10, June 12
Caruna, Fabiano – So, Wesley
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 e6 10.Bd2 Ngf6 11.O-O-O Be7 12.Kb1 O-O 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 15.Qe2 Qd5 16.Ne5 Qe4 17.Be3 Nd5 18.Qd3 Qxd3 19.Rxd3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 h5 21.Rb3 Bd6 22.Nc4 Bg3 23.Rh3 Bf2 24.Rxb7 Rfb8 25.Rxb8+ Rxb8 26.Ne5 1-0

Final Position

Caruana scores a 3rd win in 4 games today! He still trails So by 2 points, but a win and a draw in the clutch games would put him in the final

Game 11, June 12
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
D10 QGD Slav Defence, Exchange variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.e3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.f3 Bh5 8.Qb3 Qd7 9.Ne2 e6 10.Nd2 Bg6 11.Bb5 Be7 12.Rc1 O-O 13.Kf2 Rfc8 14.Qa4 a6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Nb3 Qb7 17.Rhd1 a5 18.Rd2 Bb4 19.Nc5 Qb6 20.Qd1 Bxd2 21.Qxd2 Qd8 22.Nc3 Nh5 23.Bg3 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Qe7 25.Ne2 f6 26.Na4 Ra7 27.Nf4 Be8 28.Rc5 Rca8 29.Qc3 Qd6 30.Nd3 Qd8 31.Nf4 Bd7 32.Qa3 Rb8 33.Rc3 Qf8 34.Rc5 e5 35.Ne2 Qd6 36.Qc3 Rb5 37.b3 h6 38.Nc1 Ra8 39.Nd3 Re8 40.Qb2 e4 41.Nf4 g5 42.Ne2 exf3 43.gxf3 Qe6 44.Rc3 Qh3 45.Kg1 h5 46.Qb1 Kg7 47.Nc5 h4 48.Qf1 Qxf1+ 49.Kxf1 Bf5 50.g4 Bg6 51.Kf2 Re7 52.Na4 Rc7 53.Nc5 Re7 54.Na4 Rb8 55.Ng1 f5 56.gxf5 Bxf5 57.Rxc6 Rbe8 58.Rc3 h3 59.Ne2 h2 60.Ng3 Bh3 61.Nb6 Be6 62.Kg2 Rh8 63.e4 dxe4 64.fxe4 Rf7 65.d5 Bg4 66.e5 Rf4 67.e6 Bf5 68.Rc1 Bh3+ 69.Kxh2 Bxe6+ 70.Kg1 Bf7 71.d6 Rg4 72.Kg2 Bg6 73.d7 Rd4 74.Rc8 Rxd7 75.Rxh8 Rd2+ 76.Kf3 Kxh8 77.a4 Bf7 78.Ne4 Rd3+ 79.Ke2 Rxb3 80.Nd7 Bc4+ 81.Kd2 Rd3+ 0-1

Things got completely out of control for a while, but Fabiano Caruana wins the 1st clutch game and now it's suddenly Wesley So who needs to win on demand with Black to reach the final!

Game 12, June 12
Caruana, Fabiano – So, Wesley
E54 Nimzo-Indian, Gligoric System, main line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.O-O cxd4 8.exd4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b6 10.Qe2 Bb7 11.Rd1 h6 12.Bf4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nd5 14.Bd2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Nd7 16.Bb5 Bc6 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.c4 N5f6 19.Bc3 Rfe8 20.h3 Rac8 21.Bb2 Rc7 22.Rc3 Qa4 23.Rdc1 Rec8 24.Ra3 Qb4 25.Rb3 Qa4 26.Ra3 Qb4 27.Rb3 Qa4 28.Ra3 1/2-1/2

Caruana-So 9.5-8.5

Wesley So: "The Fabi today and the Fabi yesterday was not comparable – a different Fabi showed up!"

Wesley So on why he took a draw in a must-win game: "I just realised that today he’s playing much better than me and he was outplaying me from equal positions, from slightly better positions, so I figured enough is enough"

Chris Bird - This makes little to no sense, you can guarantee there is no way to win if you take the draw but not repeating leaves open a multitude of possibilities. I don't understand it, everything to gain by playing on and absolutely nothing to lose.

It's going to be another Carlsen-Caruana 12-game match after Magnus beats Levon with a game to spare to reach the #ClutchChess final!

**Wayne Komer** · Saturday, 13th June, 2020, 10:59 PM

Clutch Chess International 2020

June 123, 2020

Final

Day One

Games One to Six

Day One of the Clutch Chess International finals was an absolute thriller from start to finish. The two highest-ranked players, World Champion Magnus Carlsen and Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana faced off in an echo of their 2018 World Championship match. This time around both players left blood on the battlefield; the commentators were enthralled and fans were left on the edge of their seats during the back-and-forth affair.

Game 1, June 13
Carlsen, Magnus – Caruana, Fabiano
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 4.e4 Bxc3 5.bxc3 O-O 6.f3 Re8 7.Kf2 c6 8.d4 d5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.dxe5 Rxe5 11.c4 d4 12.Ne2 Nc6 13.Nf4 Nd7 14.Nd5 Re8 15.Bf4 Nde5 16.Bxe5 Rxe5 17.Bd3 f5 18.Re1 fxe4 19.Bxe4 Bf5 20.Bxf5 Rxf5 21.f4 Qd7 22.Rb1 Raf8 23.Kg1 R5f7 24.Rb2 Re8 25.Rbe2 Rff8 26.a4 Qf7 27.Qd3 Rxe2 28.Qxe2 Rd8 29.Qe4 g6 30.g4 Kf8 31.Kf2 Kg7 32.Kg3 Kf8 33.h3 a6 34.Kf3 Kg7 35.Qe6 Qxe6 36.Rxe6 Kf7 37.f5 gxf5 38.gxf5 Rg8 39.Rh6 Kg7 40.Rd6 Rf8 41.Kf4 d3 42.Nc7 Rc8 43.Ne6+ Kf7 44.Rxd3 Ne7 45.Ng5+ Ke8 46.Ke5 Rc5+ 47.Ke6 Nxf5 48.Ne4 Ng7+ 49.Kd6 Rxc4 50.Ke5 Rxa4 51.Nd6+ Ke7 52.Nxb7 Rh4 53.Ra3 Rh6 54.Nc5 Rh5+ 55.Kd4 a5 56.Rxa5 Ne6+ 57.Kc4 Nxc5 58.Rxc5 Rxh3 59.Kd4 Kf6 60.Ke4 Kg6 61.Kf4 Rh5 62.Rxh5 Kxh5 63.Kg3 Kg5 64.Kh2 Kh5 65.Kh1 Kg5 66.Kg1 Kh5 67.Kh1 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 46.Ke5?

Frustration for Magnus as he blows a winning position in Game 1!

Game 2, June 13
Caruana, Fabiano – Carlsen, Magnus
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.O-O d6 7.h3 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bc2 Bb6 10.a4 Bd7 11.Re1 Ne7 12.Nbd2 Ng6 13.Nf1 h6 14.Ng3 Re8 15.d4 bxa4 16.Bxa4 exd4 17.cxd4 Bxa4 18.Qxa4 Qd7 19.Qxd7 Nxd7 20.Be3 d5 21.exd5 Nf6 22.d6 cxd6 23.Nf5 Re6 24.Rec1 Bd8 25.Bd2 d5 26.Ne1 Ne4 27.Be3 Ne7 28.Nxe7+ Bxe7 29.Nd3 Rb6 30.Kf1 Rb5 31.Rc2 Bf6 32.b4 Be7 33.Ra4 Rab8 34.Bf4 R8b7 35.f3 Ng5 36.Bxg5 hxg5 37.Rxa6 Bxb4 38.Nxb4 Rxb4 39.Rd2 Rb1+ 40.Kf2 R7b2 41.Ra2 Rxa2 42.Rxa2 Rd1 43.Ke3 f5 44.f4 gxf4+ 45.Kxf4 Rxd4+ 46.Kxf5 Kh7 47.g4 Rd1 48.Kg5 d4 49.Ra4 d3 50.Rd4 d2 51.h4 Ra1 52.Rxd2 Ra5+ 53.Kf4 g5+ 54.hxg5 Kg6 55.Rd6+ Kg7 56.Re6 Rb5 57.Re5 Rb1 58.Re6 Rf1+ 59.Kg3 Rg1+ 60.Kf3 Rf1+ 61.Kg2 Ra1 62.g6 Ra3 63.Kf2 Rb3 64.Re3 Rxe3 65.Kxe3 Kxg6 66.g5 Kxg5 1/2-1/2

Game 3, June 13
Carlsen, Magnus – Caruana, Fabiano
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 Nh5 6.dxc5 Nxf4 7.exf4 Qa5 8.Bd3 Qxc5 9.O-O g6 10.Nb3 Qd6 11.Qd2 Bg7 12.c3 O-O 13.Rfe1 Bg4 14.Qe3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 e6 16.h4 h5 17.g3 Rfe8 18.Rad1 a6 19.Nd2 b5 20.Ne4 Qd7 21.Ng5 Rad8 22.Bc2 b4 23.Ba4 bxc3 24.bxc3 Qc8 25.f5 gxf5 26.c4 Nd4 27.Rxd4 Bxd4 28.Bxe8 Rxe8 29.Qxh5 Qc7 30.cxd5 Re7 31.dxe6 f6 32.Qg6+ Kf8 33.Nf3 Bc3 34.Rc1 Rxe6 35.Nd4 Rb6 36.Qh6+ Kg8 37.Qe3 1-0

Position after White’s 25.f5

Carlsen "blows everything open" with the brilliant f5!!, the idea the idea being exf5 Rxe8 Rxe8 Qxd5! The World Champion is winning.

Game 4, June 13
Caruana, Fabiano – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Qc7 6.O-O Ne7 7.h4 e5 8.h5 d6 9.Nh2 Ng8 10.f4 Nf6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.h6 Be6 13.hxg7 Bxg7 14.Bg5 Nd7 15.Nd2 h5 16.Qe1 f6 17.Bh4 O-O-O 18.Kh1 Bh6 19.Nc4 Bf4 20.b4 Bxc4 21.dxc4 Rhg8 22.Nf3 cxb4 23.Qxb4 Be3 24.Rab1 a5 25.Qe7 Rde8 26.Qh7 Nc5 27.Qf5+ Qd7 28.Bxf6 Qxf5 29.exf5 Nd7 30.Rbe1 Nxf6 31.Rxe3 Ng4 32.Re4 Rgf8 33.Ne1 Nh6 34.f6 Ng4 35.Nd3 Nxf6 36.Rxe5 Ng4 37.Rxf8 Rxf8 38.Re1 Rd8 39.Re4 Kc7 40.g3 Rf8 41.Kg2 Rf5 42.Nf4 Kd6 43.Nxh5 Rxh5 44.Rxg4 Kc5 45.a3 a4 46.Re4 Rh8 47.g4 Rd8 48.g5 Rd2+ 49.Kf3 Rxc2 50.g6 Rc3+ 1-0

Caruana hits straight back to level the scores before the clutch games!

Game 5, June 13
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 O-O 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.O-O-O Nf6 10.Bd3 Re8 11.Rhe1 Bg4 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.a3 Bf5 14.Nd4 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Nd5 16.Bxe7 Nxe7 17.h4 Ng6 18.h5 Ne5 19.Qg3 h6 20.Re4 Nc6 21.Rg4 Nxd4 22.Rxg7+ Kh8 23.cxd4 Qf5 24.f3 Re2 25.Rd2 Rxd2 26.Kxd2 Re8 27.Rg4 Qa5+ 28.Kd1 Qb5 29.Re4 Rxe4 30.fxe4 Qxb2 31.Qe3 Kg7 32.e5 Qb5 33.Qg3+ Kh7 34.Qf3 Qc4 35.Qe4+ Kg7 36.exd6 cxd6 37.Kd2 Qb5 38.Qf3 Qg5+ 39.Kc3 d5 40.g4 b6 41.Kb2 Kf8 42.a4 Ke7 43.Qe2+ Kd6 44.a5 bxa5 45.Qa6+ Ke7 46.Qxa7+ Kf6 47.Qxa5 Kg7 48.c4 Qxg4 49.Qxd5 f5 50.Qe5+ Kf7 51.c5 f4 52.Qd5+ Kf6 53.Qd6+ Kg5 54.Qg6+ Kh4 55.Qxg4+ Kxg4 56.c6 f3 57.c7 1-0

Disaster for Fabiano Caruana as he blunders away a drawn ending in a clutch game, with Magnus Carlsen taking a 4:2 lead!

Game 6, June 13
Caruana, Fabiano – Carlsen, Magnus
B30 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Qc7 6.O-O Ne7 7.h4 e5 8.h5 Ng8 9.Nh2 Nf6 10.f4 Be7 11.Nc3 d6 12.h6 gxh6 13.f5 Rg8 14.Bxh6 c4 15.Kh1 Ba6 16.b3 cxd3 17.cxd3 d5 18.exd5 O-O-O 19.Rc1 Nxd5 20.Qf3 Ba3 21.Ne4 Bxc1 22.Rxc1 Nb4 23.Nc5 Bxd3 24.f6 Bb5 25.a4 Ba6 26.Ng4 Kb8 27.Nxa6+ Nxa6 28.Nxe5 Qb7 29.Nxc6+ Ka8 30.Nxd8 Rxd8 31.Qe2 Nb8 32.Bf4 Qd5 33.Rc7 Nd7 34.Be3 Nxf6 35.Rxa7+ Kb8 36.Re7 Rd7 37.Bf4+ Kb7 38.Rxd7+ Nxd7 39.b4 Nb6 40.Qe7+ Nd7 41.Qd6 Qxd6 42.Bxd6 Kc6 43.Be7 Nb6 44.a5 Nd5 45.Bf8 Kb5 46.Kh2 f5 47.Kg3 h5 48.Bc5 Ka6 49.Kh4 Nf4 50.g3 Ne2 51.Bd6 Kb5 52.Kxh5 Nc3 53.Kg6 Ne4 54.Bf4 1-0

Black’s 8…Ng8 is a move that few would dare make.

It's all level after an incredible final game of the day! Magnus looked poised to take a 4-point lead but then lost the thread in time trouble and allowed Fabi to make another comeback

Magnus: "Obviously he’s a strong player, he fights incredibly well. I would love to play faster, but if I were to play faster I would have to play a lot less complicated chess, but I think that would also be less fun for the spectators"

Carlsen-Caruana 4-4

Games Seven to Twelve tomorrow