St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

    St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

    September 14, 2020

    The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz will be held online and will showcase some of the world’s top rapid and blitz players including World Champion Magnus Carlsen and a few of the American favorites - Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Leinier Dominguez and Jeffery Xiong. The ten players will be competing for a $250,000 prize fund in nine rapid games and eighteen blitz games over five days of play.

    Games will start daily at 1:00pm CDT (GMT-5) from September 15-19 with expert commentary featuring GM’s Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Viewers can watch live on uschesschamps.com or on STLChessClub’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.

    The Field

    Carlsen, Magnus
    Nepomniachtchi, Ian
    Grischuk, Alexander
    Aronian, Levon
    So, Wesley
    Dominguez, Leinier
    Nakamura, Hikaru
    Firouzja, Alireza
    Xiong, Jeffery
    Harikrishna Pentala

    The Schedule

    Rapid Round Robin and Blitz Double Round Robin

    Sept. 15 Rapid Rounds 1-3

    Sept. 16 Rapid Rounds 4-6

    Sept. 17 Rapid Rounds 7-9

    Sept. 18 Blitz Rounds 1-9

    Sept. 19 Blitz Rounds 1-9

    Games start each day at 2 PM Toronto/Montreal time


    Rapid 25+5 Blitz 5+3 per game

    Venue: The Event 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

    Scoring:

    In each rapid game, a win is worth 2 points, a draw is worth 1 point and a loss is worth 0 points.
    In each blitz game, a win is worth 1 point, a draw is worth ½ point and a loss is worth 0 points.
    Games will not be rated.

    Arbitration:

    The tournament shall be played according to the rules set by lichess.org. Players shall use lichess accounts provided by the organizer.
    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 CO shall be Tony Rich, IA, IO.

    Decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.

    Players are required to sign into Skype on their playing computer one hour before the start of play and enable both video and audio. Skype camera feeds shall be used throughout the event as part of the live commentary show. The CA shall also monitor players via Skype.

    If a player disconnects from lichess.org, that player shall lose all time for which they are disconnected.

    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.

    Zoom shall be used by the Arbiters to ensure fair play. In addition to 9.3 above, Players must connect to a Zoom conference room from their playing computer and enable screen sharing with the CA.

    Player must also connect to a Zoom conference room on a separate computer, tablet, phone or other device. Player must enable both video and audio in the Zoom conference. Placement of the Zoom camera should ensure that the playing screen, the Player and the room are visible.

    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.

    https://www.uschesschamps.com/2020-s...tz/regulations
    Last edited by Wayne Komer; Monday, 14th September, 2020, 04:20 PM.

  • #2
    St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

    September 15, 2020

    Rapid Rounds One to Three

    Round One

    Game 1, September 15
    Nakamura, Hikaru – Carlsen, Magnus
    B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

    1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 e6 7.Bg5 Qa5+ 8.Nd2 Qa6 9.c4 Ne7 10.Ngf3 Nf5 11.O-O Nd7 12.b3 Bb4 13.Rfd1 Nb6 14.Rac1 O-O 15.Nf1 c5 16.dxc5 dxc4 17.Qb1 Bxc5 18.b4 Be7 19.Ng3 Nxg3 20.fxg3 Rae8 21.Bxe7 Rxe7 22.Ng5 g6 23.Qe4 Nd5 24.Kh1 c3 25.Rc2 Rc8 26.Qf3 Qa4 27.Rf2 c2 28.Rc1 Rc3 29.Qe2 Qxb4 30.Kh2 Rxg3 31.Kxg3 Qa3+ 32.Kh2 Qxc1 33.Qc4 Rc7 34.Qb5 Qxg5 0-1

    - Magnus Carlsen gets to end a crushing win over Hikaru Nakamura with a queen sac!

    Game 2, September 15
    So, Wesley – Xiong, Jeffery
    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.Bd3 Ng6 9.c4 Bc5 10.Nc3 Bd4 11.Ne2 Bc5 12.Rb1 a5 13.Nc3 Bd4 14.Na4 Qc7 15.c5 O-O 16.Re1 d6 17.Be3 dxc5 18.Nxc5 Rd8 19.Bxd4 Rxd4 20.Qc2 e5 21.Rbd1 Nf8 22.Bc4 Qe7 23.Rxd4 exd4 24.Nd3 Bg4 25.f4 Be6 26.f5 Bxc4 27.Qxc4 Qd7 28.Ne5 Qc7 29.Qxd4 Rd8 30.Qc5 Nd7 31.Nxd7 Rxd7 32.e5 Rd5 33.Qe3 Qe7 34.h3 Qc5 35.Kh2 Qxe3 36.Rxe3 Kf8 37.f6 gxf6 38.exf6 Rd2 39.Re5 Rxb2 40.Rxa5 Ke8 41.Kg3 c5 42.a4 Kd7 43.Rxc5 Ke6 44.Rc6+ Kf5 45.a5 Ra2 46.a6 Ra4 47.Kf3 Ra3+ 48.Ke2 h5 49.Kd2 Ra2+ 50.Kc3 Rxg2 51.Rc5+ Kxf6 52.Ra5 Rg8 53.a7 Ra8 54.Kc4 h4 55.Kb5 Ke5 56.Kb6+ Kf4 57.Kb7 Rf8 58.a8=Q Rxa8 59.Kxa8 Kg3 60.Ra3+ Kg2 61.Kb7 f5 62.Kc6 f4 63.Kd5 f3 64.Ke4 f2 65.Rf3 f1=Q 66.Rxf1 Kxf1 67.Kf3 1-0

    Final Position White wins in 17 moves

    

    Game 3, September 15
    Dominguez, Leinier – Harikrishna, Pentala
    B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

    1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 c4 10.b4 Qd8 11.O-O Bg6 12.Ne1 Nge7 13.f4 Nf5 14.Bf2 h5 15.Nb2 b5 16.a4 a6 17.Nc2 Be7 18.Qd2 O-O 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8 Qxa8 21.Ra1 Qb7 22.Nd1 Ra8 23.Qc1 Rxa1 24.Qxa1 f6 25.Qb2 fxe5 26.dxe5 Bd8 27.Nde3 Nxe3 28.Bxe3 Bb6 29.Nd4 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 Qf7 31.Qd2 Be4 32.g3 h4 33.Qe3 hxg3 34.hxg3 Qg6 35.Kf2 Qh6 36.Bc5 Qh1 37.Bg4 Kf7 38.Be2 Kg8 39.Bg4 Kf7 40.Be2 Qb1 41.g4 Qc2 42.Ke1 Bd3 43.Bxd3 Qxc3+ 44.Qd2 Qxd3 45.Qxd3 cxd3 46.Kd2 g5 47.fxg5 Nxe5 48.Kc3 Kg6 49.Be3 Nc4 50.Bc5 d2 51.Kc2 Kxg5 0-1

    Game 4, September 15
    Firouza, Alireza – Aronian, Levon
    D78 Neo-Grunfeld

    1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.d4 O-O 6.c4 c6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Rd1 Bf5 9.Qa3 dxc4 10.Ne5 Be6 11.Qxe7 Na6 12.Nc3 Rad8 13.Qa3 Rfe8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Be3 Bf8 16.d5 Qxe3 17.fxe3 Bxa3 18.dxe6 Rxd1+ 19.Nxd1 Rxe6 20.Nxc6 Bxb2 21.Nxb2 c3 22.Nxa7 cxb2 23.Rb1 Rb6 24.Nc8 Rb4 25.Ne7+ Kf8 26.Nd5 Rc4 27.Rxb2 Rc1+ 28.Kf2 Ng4+ 29.Kf3 Nxh2+ 30.Kf4 Rg1 31.Bf3 Nc5 32.g4 h5 33.gxh5 g5+ 34.Kf5 g4 35.Be4 g3 36.Nf4 Nf1 37.Bf3 Nxe3+ 38.Kf6 Rd1 39.h6 g2 40.h7 Nd7+ 0-1

    Final position

    

    Black mates in 10

    Game 5, September 15
    Grischuk, Alexander – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
    A35 English, symmetrical, Four Knights System

    1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 d5 5.d4 e6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bg2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.cxd4 Bd6 12.a4 Rb8 13.a5 Ke7 14.O-O Rd8 15.e4 Kf8 16.Be3 b6 17.Rfb1 Bd7 18.axb6 axb6 19.Ra6 Bc7 20.d5 exd5 21.exd5 Bf5 22.Rc1 Rdc8 23.h3 h5 24.d6 Bxd6 25.Rxc8+ Bxc8 26.Rxb6 Rxb6 27.Bxb6 Be6 28.h4 g6 29.Be3 Kg8 30.Bd4 Bf8 31.Be3 Bd6 32.Bd4 Bf8 33.Be3 Bd6 1/2-1/2

    Round Two

    Game 6, September 15
    Carlsen, Magnus – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
    A20 English Opening

    1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 h5 4.Nc3 h4 5.e3 Nf6 6.Nge2 h3 7.Bf3 e4 8.Nxe4 Ne5 9.N2c3 Nxc4 10.Nxf6+ Qxf6 11.Nd5 Qd6 12.d4 c6 13.Nc3 Qb4 14.a3 Qa5 15.O-O d5 16.e4 dxe4 17.Bxe4 Be6 18.d5 cxd5 19.Bxd5 Rd8 20.Qe2 Rxd5 21.Qxc4 Re5 22.Qd3 Qc5 23.Qf3 Qc8 24.Bf4 Rc5 25.Ne4 Rc6 26.Ng5 Be7 27.Nxe6 fxe6 28.Be5 Bf6 29.Bxf6 O-O 30.Qg4 Rxf6 31.Qxh3 Rc2 32.b4 Qc6 33.Rad1 Qb6 34.Qg2 Rc3 35.Qe4 Rxa3 36.Rd2 Raf3 37.Kg2 a6 38.Rc2 Rf8 0-1

    At first it looked like Carlsen might have lost on time but it turned out that it was a disconnect and Ian was awarded the game.

    Game 7, September 15
    Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
    E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 b5 6.e4 d6 7.Bd2 a6 8.Nge2 O-O 9.Nf4 exd5 10.Ncxd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Nc6 13.cxb5 Nd4 14.bxa6 Qh4+ 15.Kd1 Bxa6 16.Qf4 Qd8 17.Qe3 Kh8 18.Qc3 Bb7 19.Bc4 f5 20.exf5 Rxf5 21.Ne3 Re5 22.Nc2 d5 23.Bb5 Qg5 24.Nxd4 Qxg2 25.Rf1 cxd4 26.Qxd4 Rae8 27.Qf2 Qxf2 28.Rxf2 Re1+ 29.Kd2 Rxa1 30.Bxe8 Rxa2 31.Kc3 g6 32.f4 Kg7 33.Bd7 Kf6 34.Re2 Ra6 35.Kd4 Rb6 36.Kc5 Rb3 37.Rf2 d4 38.Kxd4 Ke7 39.Bg4 Kd6 40.Bd1 Rb4+ 41.Kc3 Re4 42.Bc2 Re3+ 43.Kd4 Rh3 44.f5 Rh4+ 45.Ke3 gxf5 46.Bxf5 Ke5 47.Kd2 h6 48.Bd3 Bd5 49.Bf1 Kd4 50.h3 Be6 51.Rf3 Ke5 52.Kc3 Bd5 53.Re3+ Re4 54.Rxe4+ Bxe4 55.Kc4 h5 56.b4 Bc6 57.Kc5 Bd7 58.h4 Kf4 59.Kd6 Be8 60.Ke7 Ba4 61.Be2 Kg3 62.Bxh5 Kxh4 63.Be8 Bc2 64.b5 Kg3 65.Kd6 Bd3 66.b6 Ba6 67.Kc7 Kf4 68.Bb5 1-0

    Jaideep Unudurt (tweet):

    The computer points out two incredible moments where Grischuk could have turned the tide.
    The first is at the 25th move where Grischuk played cxd4, instead 25...c4! cuts off the white rook from the bishop's support and forces it to e1 after which white's position crumbles.

    - The second moment comes after 27. Qf2. Here Grischuk could drop his queen back to g6. If white takes the rook on e8 then Black queen gives a check on d3 and coolly recaptures the rook. the white king is denuded of defenders and will soon fall.

    Game 8, September 15
    Harikrishna, Pentala – Firouzja, Alireza
    D02 Queen’s Pawn game

    1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Be7 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 c5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Be2 Rd8 14.O-O Bg4 15.Nd4 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Rac8 17.Qb5 a6 18.Qa5 Qd6 19.Qc3 Qd7 20.h3 Ne6 21.Qb4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Rc8 24.Rc5 Rxc5 25.Qxc5 Qf5 26.a4 Qb1+ 27.Kh2 Qxb2 28.Qc8+ Kh7 29.Qf5+ Kg8 30.Qc8+ Kh7 31.Qf5+ Kg8 32.Qc8+ 1/2-1/2

    Game 9, September 15
    Xiong, Jeffery – Dominguez, Leinier
    C82 Ruy Lopez, open, Motzko Attack

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Bc5 10.Qd3 O-O 11.Be3 f6 12.Nbd2 Nxd2 13.Qxd2 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 fxe5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Bf7 17.Rfe1 Re8 18.Qf4 c5 19.Bc2 Qf6 20.Qc7 Rec8 21.Qe7 Qxe7 22.Rxe7 Kf8 23.Rb7 Rab8 24.Ra7 Ra8 25.Rb7 Rab8 26.Ra7 Ra8 27.Rb7 1/2-1/2

    Game 10, September 15
    Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
    C42 Petrov’s Defence

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Bc5 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 Re8 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bb6 11.Be3 Ba5 12.Bd2 Bb6 13.Rb1 Bf5 14.Be3 Qd7 15.Nd2 Rad8 16.Rb5 Bh3 17.Bh1 f6 18.a4 Be6 19.Qa1 Bxe3 20.fxe3 b6 21.Rf1 Ne7 1/2-1/2

    Round Three

    Game 11, September 15
    So, Wesley – Carlsen, Magnus
    B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 b6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Bb7 9.O-O e6 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.Be3 Ng4 12.Bg5 Rc8 13.Bh4 Ngf6 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.Nf3 Nc6 16.Qd2 Be7 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Kxd8 21.Nd1 Kc7 22.c3 Rd8 23.Ne3 Ne5 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Nc4 Bf6 26.e5 Be7 27.Rd1 Rxd1+ 28.Bxd1 b5 29.axb5 axb5 30.Nd6 Bxd6 31.exd6+ Kxd6 32.f4 Kc5 33.Kf2 b4 34.cxb4+ Kxb4 35.g3 Kc4 36.Ke3 Bc6 37.h4 h6 38.g4 f6 39.g5 hxg5 40.hxg5 Kc5 41.Bb3 Bd7 42.gxf6 gxf6 43.Bd1 e5 44.fxe5 fxe5 45.b4+ Kxb4 46.Ke4 Bf5+ 47.Kxf5 e4 48.Bb3 Kxb3 49.Kxe4 1/2-1/2

    Game 12, September 15
    Dominguez, Leinier – Nakamura, Hikaru
    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 Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Ne2 b6 12.Bg5 c5 13.Nc3 Bb7 14.Rad1 Bxf3 15.gxf3 c6 16.f4 Be7 17.Ne4 Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Bxd8 19.Rd1 Bxg5 20.fxg5 Ke7 21.Nd6 Nd4 22.c3 Nf3+ 23.Kg2 Nxg5 24.f4 Ne6 25.f5 Nf4+ 26.Kg3 Nd5 27.c4 Ne3 28.Rg1 Nc2 29.Kf4 Kf8 30.Ke4 Rg8 31.Rg2 Nd4 32.b4 g6 33.f6 Ne6 34.a3 g5 35.Nf5 g4 36.h4 g3 37.Rxg3 Rxg3 38.Nxg3 cxb4 39.axb4 a5 40.c5 axb4 41.cxb6 Ke8 42.Kd3 Nc5+ 43.Kc2 Kd7 44.Nxh5 b3+ 45.Kc3 Ke6 46.Nf4+ Kf5 47.Nd3 Na4+ 48.Kxb3 Nxb6 49.Kc3 c5 50.h5 c4 51.Nf4 Kxe5 52.h6 Kxf6 53.Kd4 c3 54.Kxc3 Nd5+ 55.Nxd5+ Kg6 56.Kd4 Kxh6 57.Ke5 f6+ 58.Nxf6 1/2-1/2

    Position after Black’s 46…Kf5

    

    - Dominguez was the only player to beat Nakamura in #Chess9LX - if he'd played 47.h5! he could have beaten Hikaru again, but low on time he missed his chance and we got a draw

    (to be continued)

    Comment


    • #3
      St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

      September 15, 2020

      Rapid Rounds One to Three (continued)

      Game 13, September 15
      Firouzja, Alireza – Xiong, Jeffery
      A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack (Barcza System)

      1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nd7 3.Bg2 e5 4.d3 Bd6 5.O-O c6 6.c4 Ne7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bd2 Nb6 11.a4 Be6 12.a5 Nd7 13.Nb5 Bb8 14.Bb4 Re8 15.Nd2 Nc6 16.Qb3 e4 17.Qa4 a6 18.Nc3 f5 19.dxe4 dxe4 20.Rfd1 Be5 21.e3 Qf6 22.Nc4 Rad8 23.Bf1 Qf7 24.Bd6 Kh8 25.Rd2 Qh5 26.Be2 Qh3 27.Rad1 Bxc4 28.Qxc4 Nf6 29.Bxe5 Nxe5 30.Rxd8 Nxc4 31.Rxe8+ Nxe8 32.Bxc4 Qh5 33.Rd7 f4 34.Rf7 Qc5 35.Nxe4 Qb4 36.Rxf4 Nf6 37.Nxf6 gxf6 38.Bd5 Qxb2 39.Kg2 Qb5 40.e4 Kg7 41.Rg4+ Kh6 42.Rh4+ Kg7 43.Rg4+ Kh6 44.Rh4+ Kg7 45.Rg4+ 1/2-1/2

      Game 14, September 15
      Grischuk, Alexander – Harikrishna Pentala
      D44 QGD, Semi-Slav, Botvinnik System

      1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.a4 Qb6 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.O-O Bb7 10.a5 Qa6 11.b3 Bb4 12.Bd2 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 c5 14.dxc5 Bxe4 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qa4 Rg8 18.g3 Qc6 19.Nd4 Qxa4 20.Rxa4 Rc8 21.Rxc4 Rxc5 22.Rxc5 Nxc5 23.Rc1 Rg5 24.Nb5 Nd3 25.Rc8+ Kd7 26.Rb8 Rc5 27.f3 Bg6 28.a6 Rc1+ 29.Kg2 Rc2 30.Kf1 Rc1+ 31.Kg2 Rc2 32.Rb7+ Kd8 33.Nd4 Ra2 34.Rxa7 Nc1 35.Nc6+ Ke8 36.Re7+ Kf8 37.a7 Nxe2 38.Kf1 Nd4 39.Rc7 Bd3+ 40.Ke1 Nxf3+ 0-1

      - What a start for Harikrishna, who beats Grischuk to co-lead with Aronian!

      Game 15, September 15
      Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
      C44 Konstantinopolsky Opening

      1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nc3 Qd6 6.Bg2 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.d3 Nge7 10.Be3 O-O-O 11.Nd2 f5 12.Nb3 Bf7 13.Qf3 Qg6 14.O-O-O f4 15.Bd2 Nd5 16.Qe4 Qf6 17.Qe2 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Nd4 19.Bxd4 exd4 20.Kb1 g5 21.Be4 h6 22.Qf3 c6 23.h4 gxh4 24.Qh3 Kc7 25.Qxh4 Qxh4 26.Rxh4 Be7 27.Rh2 Bxb3 28.axb3 a5 29.Kc1 Bg5 30.Kd2 f3+ 31.Ke1 Rhf8 32.Rh3 Rde8 33.Kf1 Re5 34.Rxf3 Rxf3 35.Bxf3 Rc5 36.Re1 Rxc2 37.Re2 Rxe2 38.Kxe2 Bc1 39.Be4 Bxb2 40.Kd2 Ba3 41.Kc2 Bd6 42.Bf5 Bf4 43.Be6 Kd6 44.Bc8 b5 45.Kb2 c5 46.Ba6 Kc6 47.Kc2 Kb6 48.Bc8 c4 49.dxc4 bxc4 50.bxc4 a4 51.Bd7 a3 52.Kb3 Bc1 53.Bf5 Kc5 54.Bd3 Kd6 55.f4 Bxf4 56.Kxa3 1/2-1/2

      - Levon Aronian reveals that he'll be multitasking playing the #STLRapidBlitz and also the Chess Bundesliga, that starts in Karlsruhe tomorrow!

      Standings

      1-2 Aronian, Harikrishna 5
      3-4 Nepo, So 4
      5 Carlsen 3
      6-9 Nakamura, Dominguez, Firouzja, Xiong 2
      10 Grischuk 1

      Comment


      • #4
        St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

        September 16, 2020

        Rapid Rounds Four to Six

        Round Four


        Game 16, September 16
        Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
        D97 Grunfeld, Russian, Alekhine variation

        1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 O-O 7.e4 a6 8.e5 b5 9.Qb3 Ng4 10.h3 Nh6 11.Bd3 Be6 12.d5 Nd7 13.Bb1 Bf5 14.Bxh6 Bxh6 15.Bxf5 gxf5 16.O-O e6 17.dxe6 Nc5 18.exf7+ Rxf7 19.Qa3 Ne6 20.Rad1 Qf8 21.Qb3 Re8 22.Nd5 Bg7 23.Rfe1 c5 24.Qa3 Ra7 25.Qa5 c4 26.a4 b4 27.Nf6+ Bxf6 28.exf6 Qxf6 29.Qxb4 Rg7 30.Qxc4 Kh8 31.Rd6 Reg8 32.Rexe6 Rxg2+ 33.Kf1 Qxb2 34.Qd4+ 1-0

        - Magnus catches the leader Levon Aronian with a crushing win in Round 4!

        Game 17, September 16
        Harikrishna, Pentala – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
        B53 Sicilian, Chekhover variation

        1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Be2 Nc6 6.Qe3 g6 7.O-O Bg7 8.h3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Nb6 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Nb5 Qb8 14.Qa3 O-O 15.Nbd4 Bd5 16.Be3 e6 17.Rac1 Bxf3 18.Nxf3 Nd5 19.Bc5 Rd8 20.c4 Nf4 21.Bf1 e5 22.Bd6 Qc8 23.c5 Qf5 24.Re1 e4 25.Nd2 Nd3 26.Bxd3 exd3 27.Ne4 Ne5 28.Bxe5 Bxe5 29.Rcd1 Rd4 30.Nd2 Bf6 31.Nf3 Rd7 32.b4 Rad8 33.Rd2 Bg7 34.Qb3 Bh6 35.Rdd1 d2 36.Re5 Qf6 37.Qc4 Rd3 38.Qe4 Rc3 39.Re8+ Rxe8 40.Qxe8+ Kg7 41.Qe2 Rc1 42.Nxd2 Rxd1+ 43.Qxd1 Qd4 44.Qf3 Qxd2 45.a3 Qc1+ 0-1

        Game 18, September 16
        Xiong, Jeffery – Grischuk, Alexander
        B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

        1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 g6 7.a5 Bg7 8.O-O O-O 9.Re1 b5 10.axb6 Bb7 11.d3 a5 12.Be3 Qxb6 13.Nd2 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qxc3 15.Rxb7 Rfb8 16.Rxb8+ Rxb8 17.Nc4 Qb4 18.Bd2 Qa4 19.Bxa5 Ne8 20.c3 Qa2 21.d4 cxd4 22.cxd4 Rc8 23.Qd3 Rxc4 24.Qxc4 Qxa5 25.Rd1 Nef6 26.Qc6 Qb6 27.Bb5 Qxc6 28.Bxc6 Nf8 29.e5 dxe5 30.dxe5 Nh5 31.Re1 Nf4 32.Re3 g5 33.g3 N4g6 34.Be4 Nxe5 35.Kg2 Bf6 36.Bc2 Kg7 37.Ra3 Ne6 38.Ra4 h6 39.h3 Nc7 40.Ra5 Ne8 41.Rc5 Nd6 42.Bb1 Nd7 43.Ra5 Nf8 44.Ba2 Ng6 45.Bb1 h5 46.h4 gxh4 47.Rxh5 hxg3 48.fxg3 Nc4 49.Bd3 Nce5 50.Bc2 Nd7 51.Rb5 Ndf8 52.Rh5 Be5 53.Kf3 Bd6 54.Kg2 Ne6 55.Ra5 Ne5 56.Ra4 Kf6 57.Rh4 Ng6 58.Rc4 Ng7 59.Kf3 Ne5+ 0-1

        Game 19, September 16
        Nakamura, Hikaru – Firouzja, Alireza
        B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

        1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Qa5+ 7.Bd2 Qa6 8.e6 Qxd3 9.exf7+ Kxf7 10.cxd3 Nh6 11.Nf3 Nf5 12.O-O Rg8 13.Re1 Ke8 14.Bg5 Na6 15.a3 g6 16.Nc3 Bg7 17.Ne2 Nc7 18.Ng3 Bf8 19.Nxf5 gxf5 20.Bf4 Kd7 21.Bxc7 Kxc7 22.Re5 Rg4 23.Rxf5 Bg7 24.Re1 Bxd4 25.Rxe7+ Kb6 26.Nxd4 Rxd4 27.Rxh5 Rxd3 28.Rhh7 Rd1+ 29.Kh2 Rd2 30.Rxb7+ Kc5 31.Rhf7 d4 32.b3 Rh8 33.Kh3 Rd1 34.g3 d3 35.Rbd7 Rh5 36.Rf4 Rd5 37.b4+ Kb5 38.Rxd5+ cxd5 39.Rd4 Ka4 40.Kg2 Kb3 41.h5 Kc2 42.Rxd5 Re1 43.g4 d2 44.h6 Re6 45.Rxd2+ Kxd2 46.g5 1-0

        Final Position Four pawns for a rook!

        

        Game 20, September 16
        So, Wesley – Dominguez, Leinier
        C80 Ruy Lopez, open, Bernstein variation

        1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 d4 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.cxd4 Ncxd4 13.a4 Bb4 14.Ne4 O-O 15.Be3 Nf5 16.Qc2 Nxe3 17.fxe3 Qe7 18.Nd4 Nxd4 19.exd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 c5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qd3 cxd4 23.Rf5 g6 24.Rdf1 Kg7 25.Ng5 Kg8 26.Qh3 h5 27.Qg3 d3 28.Nxf7 Bc5+ 29.Kh1 Rxf7 30.Rxf7 Qxf7 31.Rxf7 Kxf7 32.Qf3+ Kg8 33.e6 Kh7 34.Qf7+ Kh6 35.Qf4+ Kg7 36.Qc7+ 1-0

        Round Five

        Game 21, September 16
        Dominguez, Leinier – Carlsen, Magnus
        C41 Philidor, Exchange variation

        1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bf4 O-O 7.Qd2 c6 8.O-O-O b5 9.f3 b4 10.Nb1 a5 11.g4 a4 12.h4 c5 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.gxf5 Nc6 15.h5 Nd4 16.Qg2 Kh8 17.Be3 h6 18.Bd3 Nd7 19.Rhg1 Bf6 20.f4 Re8 21.Bxd4 cxd4 22.Nd2 Nc5 23.Nc4 b3 24.Kb1 bxc2+ 25.Bxc2 Rb8 26.Bd3 Rb4 27.a3 Rb3 28.Bc2 Rb8 29.e5 dxe5 30.fxe5 Rxe5 31.Nxe5 Bxe5 32.Bd3 Bf6 33.Qc2 Qa5 34.Rg2 Nxd3 35.Qxd3 Qd5 36.Re2 Kh7 37.Qe4 Rxb2+ 38.Kxb2 d3+ 39.Kc1 Qc5+ 40.Kd2 Qc2+ 41.Ke1 Bh4+ 0-1

        Game 22, September 16
        Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
        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.h4 c5 13.Bg5 Bc6 14.Qf4 h6 15.Bf5 Nh5 16.Qg4 Nf6 17.Qg3 Nh5 18.Qg4 Nf6 19.Qg3 Nh5 20.Qg4 1/2-1/2

        Game 23, September 16
        Grischuk, Alexander – Nakamura, Hikaru
        D37 QGD, Hastings variation

        1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 c6 8.b4 b6 9.Bd3 a5 10.a3 Ba6 11.O-O Qc8 12.Rb1 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 axb4 14.axb4 Qb7 15.Rfc1 Ra3 16.b5 Rc8 17.bxc6 Rxc6 18.Qb5 Qa8 19.cxb6 Rxb6 20.Qf1 Rxb1 21.Nxb1 Ra1 22.Bg5 h6 1/2-1/2

        - Grischuk 1/2-1/2 Nakamura is the first result of Round 5

        - Alexander's 6-minute think on move 17 was presumably looking at the sac 17.Nxd5!?, though the consequences are far from clear

        Game 24, September 16
        Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Xiong, Jeffery
        B04 Alekhine’s Defence, Modern, Larsen variation

        1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 g6 6.Qf3 Be6 7.Bc4 Bg7 8.Qb3 Bxe5 9.dxe5 Nc6 10.Qxb7 Ndb4 11.Bb5 Nxc2+ 12.Ke2 O-O 13.Bxc6 Rb8 14.Qxa7 Nd4+ 15.Ke1 Nc2+ 16.Ke2 Rb6 17.Na3 Nd4+ 18.Ke1 Nxc6 19.Qa4 Nxe5 20.Bh6 Qd5 21.f3 Rxb2 0-1

        Final Position

        


        - Ian Nepomniachtchi resigns on move 21 vs. Jeffery Xiong. Yasser: "That was his best move of the game!"

        Game 25, September 16
        Aronian, Levon – Harikrishna, Pentala
        B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

        1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Ne2 Qa5+ 7.c3 Qa6 8.Qd1 c5 9.Be3 Nd7 10.O-O Ne7 11.Ng3 cxd4 12.cxd4 f6 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Bg5 Ng6 15.Nc3 Be7 16.f4 O-O 17.f5 Nd7 18.Re1 Bxg5 19.Rxe6 Qc4 20.fxg6 hxg6 21.Rxg6 Be3+ 22.Kh1 Rf7 23.Nh5 Qxd4 24.Nxd5 Qxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Bd4 26.b3 Raf8 27.g3 Rf1+ 28.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kg2 Rf2+ 30.Kh3 Rxa2 31.Rd6 Ne5 32.Ne7+ Kf7 33.Rxd4 Rxh2+ 34.Kxh2 Nf3+ 35.Kg2 Nxd4 36.Nc8 Nxb3 37.Nxa7 g6 38.Nf4 g5 39.Ne2 g4 40.Nb5 Nd2 41.Nec3 Ke6 42.Kf2 Kd7 43.Ke2 Nf3 44.Ke3 Nh2 45.Kf2 Nf3 46.Ke3 Nh2 47.Ke2 Kc6 48.Nd4+ Kc5 49.Ndb5 Kc4 50.Ke3 b6 51.Kf4 Kb4 52.Ke3 Kc4 53.Ke4 Nf1 54.Kf4 Nh2 55.Kf5 Kb4 56.Ke4 Kc4 57.Kf4 Kb4 58.Ke3 Kc4 1/2-1/2

        - Carlsen and So are the co-leaders with one round to go today!


        (to be continued)

        Comment


        • #5
          St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

          September 16, 2020

          Rapid Rounds Four to Six (continued)


          Day two of the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz kicked off with an all-decisive bloody round. Magnus Carlsen came back powerfully, winning all three games today after finishing day one with a fifty percent score. While the World Champion called his games from rounds four and six “gifts”, he particularly enjoyed his round five win against Leinier Dominguez. Carlsen now sits on top of the leaderboard, a full point ahead of his closest rivals. Tomorrow is the last day of the rapid portion of the tournament, where each win is worth double the points.

          https://www.uschesschamps.com/2020-s...id-blitz/recap


          Round Six

          Game 26, September 16
          Carlsen, Magnus – Harikrishna, Pentala
          B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

          1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.c3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nge7 9.Nxf5 Nxf5 10.Bd3 g6 11.Qe2 Bg7 12.f4 O-O 13.Nd2 f6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Nf3 Rae8 16.Bb5 Qd8 17.Bd2 Nd6 18.Bd3 e5 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Rxe5 21.Rxf8+ Qxf8 22.Qg4 Ne4 23.Be3 Nc5 24.Rf1 Rxe3 25.Rxf8+ Bxf8 26.Bc2 Re1+ 27.Kf2 Re5 28.Qc8 b6 29.b4 Ne6 30.Bb3 Ng5 31.Bxd5+ 1-0

          Game 27, September 16
          Xiong, Jeffery – Aronian, Levon
          D92 Grunfeld

          1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.Rc1 dxc4 7.e3 c5 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nbd7 10.Bg3 Nb6 11.Be2 Nfd5 12.O-O e5 13.Ndb5 a6 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Nc7 Nxc7 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Rxc7 b5 18.Bh4 Rd2 19.Bf3 Rb8 20.Rd1 Rxd1+ 21.Bxd1 Be6 22.Bb3 Bxb3 23.axb3 f6 24.Kf1 Rd8 25.Ke2 g5 26.Bg3 f5 27.f3 e4 28.Ra7 Rd3 29.Ra8+ Kf7 30.Ra7+ Kg8 31.Ra8+ Kf7 32.Ra7+ Kg8 1/2-1/2

          Game 28, Sept. 16
          Nakamura, Hikaru – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
          B50 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen/Najdorf/dragon

          1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.h3 a6 5.a4 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nb3 g6 9.a5 Bg7 10.Be3 O-O 11.Be2 Be6 12.Bb6 Qc8 13.O-O Nd7 14.Na4 Rb8 15.c4 Nxb6 16.Nxb6 Qd8 17.Qd2 Ne5 18.f4 Nd7 19.f5 Bxf5 20.exf5 Nxb6 21.c5 Nc8 22.Rad1 Qe8 23.Qf4 Be5 24.Qe4 Qc6 25.Qe3 Bxb2 26.Bc4 dxc5 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Qh6 Nd6 29.Nd4 Qe4 30.Rf4 Qxf4 31.Qxf4 Bxd4+ 32.Rxd4 cxd4 33.Bd3 Rbc8 34.Qxd4 Rfd8 35.Qe5 e6 36.h4 Nf5 37.Bxf5 exf5 38.h5 Re8 39.Qd5 gxh5 40.Qxb7 Rc1+ 41.Kh2 h4 42.Qd5 Re6 43.Qd8+ Kh7 44.Qd7 Rf6 45.Qe7 Rcc6 46.Kh3 Kg7 47.Kxh4 Rce6 48.Qc5 Re2 49.Kg3 Rg6+ 50.Kf3 Rexg2 51.Qe5+ Kh7 52.Qxf5 Rg3+ 53.Kf2 Kg8 54.Qd5 R3g5 55.Qd8+ Kg7 56.Qc7 Re6 57.Qc3+ Kh7 58.Qd3+ Kh6 59.Qc3 Rf5+ 0-1

          Position after Black’s 44….Rf6

          

          Game 29, September 16
          So, Wesley – Grischuk, Alexander
          D37 QGD, Hastings variation

          1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Be2 dxc4 8.O-O c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Bxc4 Qxd1 11.Rfxd1 b6 12.Bd6 Bxd6 13.Rxd6 Bb7 14.Rad1 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Nb7 16.R6d4 Rfd8 17.f4 Rxd4 18.Rxd4 Kf8 19.Be2 Rd8 20.Rxd8+ Nxd8 21.Bf3 1/2-1/2

          Game 30, September 16
          Dominguez, Leinier – Firouzja, Alireza
          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.dxc5 Nc6 14.Ba3 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Rd8 16.Qb1 Ncd4 17.Re1 Rh6 18.cxd5 Rxd5 19.Nc4 Rg6 20.Re4 Nxh4 21.g3 Nhf3+ 22.Kg2 Qc6 23.Na5 Qd7 24.Nc4 Qc6 25.Na5 Qc7 26.Nc4 Ng5 27.Rh4 1-0

          Magnus: "Being a frontrunner in chess is unbelievably hard, but I think that just applies to everybody. It's very easy to play well when you're winning & you don't have too many scares, but as soon as you lead & lose one important game... it's very, very easy to collapse"

          Standings after Round Six

          1 Carlsen 9
          2-3 Nepo, So 8
          4 Aronian 7
          5 Harikrishna 6
          6-8 Nakamura, Grischuk, Xiong 5
          9 Dominguez 4
          10 Firouzja 3

          Comment


          • #6
            Nice refutation of Nepo's play by Xiong.

            Comment


            • #7
              St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

              September 17, 2020

              Rapid Rounds Seven to Nine


              Round Seven

              Game 31, September 17
              Firouzja, Alireza – Carlsen, Magnus
              E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

              1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c6 7.a4 Qa5 8.Qd2 O-O 9.e3 Re8 10.Bd3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 b6 12.Bd3 Ba6 13.c4 c5 14.Ne2 Nc6 15.Kf2 Nb4 16.Bb2 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Rad8 18.Bc3 Nxd3+ 19.Qxd3 Qc5 20.Qc2 Bxc4 21.Rhd1 Nd5 22.Bd2 e5 23.Nf5 Nf4 24.Kg3 Nd3 25.Qc3 Be6 26.Qxc5 Nxc5 0-1

              Magnus marches on, beating 17-year-old Alireza Firouzja to open up a 2-point lead at the top! Up next? 19-year-old Xiong!

              Game 32, September 17
              Grischuk, Alexander – Dominguez, Leinier
              E04 Catalan, open

              1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.Qc2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 c6 9.a4 b5 10.axb5 cxb5 11.Qg5 O-O 12.Qxb5 Ba6 13.Qa4 Qb6 14.O-O Bb5 15.Qa3 Nc6 16.Nc3 Rab8 17.e3 Nd5 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Rfc1 Qxb2 20.Rxc4 Qxa3 21.Rxa3 Rfc8 22.Rc5 g6 23.Ra1 Kg7 24.Nd2 Ncb4 25.Rcxa5 Rc2 26.Ne4 Nd3 27.Bf1 Rb3 28.Bxd3 Rxd3 29.R5a2 Rd1+ 30.Rxd1 Rxa2 31.Rd2 Ra3 32.Kg2 Nf6 33.Nc5 g5 34.h3 h5 35.Rc2 g4 36.hxg4 hxg4 37.Kf1 Nd5 38.Ke2 Kg6 39.Kd2 Nf6 40.Rb2 Kf5 41.Ke2 Ne4 42.Rc2 f6 43.Nxe4 Kxe4 44.Rb2 Ra1 45.Rd2 Ra4 46.Rc2 Ra1 47.Rb2 Ra4 48.Rd2 Ra1 49.d5 exd5 50.Rd4+ Kf5 51.Rxd5+ Kg6 52.e4 Ra3 53.Rd3 Ra1 54.Rd5 Ra3 55.Rf5 Rb3 56.Ra5 Rc3 57.Ra6 Kf7 58.Ra4 Ke6 59.Ra5 Rc4 60.Kd3 Rb4 61.Rf5 Rb3+ 62.Ke2 Rb2+ 63.Ke3 Ra2 64.Rf4 Ra3+ 65.Ke2 Ra2+ 66.Kf1 Ra4 67.Rxg4 Ke5 68.Rf4 Rxe4 69.Rxe4+ Kxe4 70.Ke2 f5 71.f3+ Ke5 72.Kd3 Kd5 73.Kd2 Kd4 74.Ke2 Ke5 75.Kf1 Kd4 76.Kg2 Ke3 77.f4 Ke4 78.Kh3 Kf3 79.Kh4 1-0

              Position after Black’s 69….Kxe4

              

              White would win in 24 moves after 70.Kg2. It was a hard move to find in rapid.

              Game 33, September 17
              Nepomniachtchi, Ian – So, Wesley
              C24 Bishop’s Opening, Berlin Defence

              1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 Bb4+ 6.c3 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Bg5 Be6 10.c4 d4 11.c5 Bxb3 12.Qxb3 Bxc5 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxb7 Nc6 15.Qb5 Be7 16.Rc1 Rfc8 17.Nbd2 Qe6 18.a3 Rab8 19.Qc4 Nd8 20.Qxe6 Rxc1+ 21.Rxc1 Nxe6 22.b4 f6 23.g3 a5 24.Rc6 Nd8 25.Rc7 Rb7 1/2-1/2

              Game 34, September 17
              Aronian, Levon – Nakamura, Hikaru
              E47 Nimzo-Indian

              1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Ne2 d5 7.cxd5 cxd4 8.exd4 Nxd5 9.Qc2 h6 10.O-O Nc6 11.Rd1 Bd6 12.Bh7+ Kh8 13.Be4 Nce7 14.Bd2 Bd7 15.Qc1 Kg8 16.Bxh6 Nxc3 17.Nxc3 gxh6 18.Qxh6 f5 19.d5 fxe4 20.Qg5+ Kh7 21.Nxe4 exd5 22.Nxd6 Ng6 23.Qh5+ Kg7 24.Rxd5 Qf6 25.Ne4 Qe7 26.Ng3 Qf7 27.f3 Be6 28.Rd6 Rad8 29.Rad1 Qc7 30.Ne4 Rxd6 31.Rxd6 Qc1+ 32.Kf2 Qxb2+ 33.Rd2 Qb4 34.Qc5 Qxc5+ 35.Nxc5 Bc8 36.Kg3 Ne7 37.Kf2 b6 38.Ne4 Be6 39.h4 Bd5 40.Nc3 Bc6 41.Ne2 Rh8 42.g3 Kf7 43.Nf4 b5 44.h5 a5 45.g4 b4 46.g5 a4 47.Rd4 Rb8 48.Nd3 b3 49.axb3 axb3 50.Nb2 Bd5 51.Rf4+ Kg7 52.Ke3 Rh8 53.h6+ Kg6 54.Rg4 Re8 55.f4 Nf5+ 56.Kd3 Rd8 57.Rg1 Bf7+ 58.Kc3 Rc8+ 59.Kb4 Ne3 60.Nd3 Nd5+ 61.Kb5 Be8+ 62.Ka6 b2 63.Rb1 Bb5+ 64.Kxb5 Nc3+ 65.Kb4 Nxb1 66.Nxb2 Rb8+ 0-1

              Final Position

              

              - Cute final position, K skewered and unable to defend the N

              Game 35, September 17
              Harikrishna, Pentala – Xiong, Jeffery
              B06 Pirc-Robatsch

              1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Be3 d6 4.Nc3 a6 5.Qd2 b5 6.h4 h5 7.O-O-O Bb7 8.f3 Nd7 9.Nh3 Ngf6 10.Ng5 e6 11.Kb1 Qe7 12.Qf2 Nb6 13.Bd3 Nfd7 14.Qg3 b4 15.Ne2 c5 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxc5 Nd5 18.Bf2 O-O 19.Ne4 Bc6 20.Qg5 Rfd8 21.Qxe7 Nxe7 22.Nd6 Bf8 23.Ng3 Nc8 24.Be4 Nb8 25.Nc4 Bd5 26.Nxe5 Ne7 27.Nc4 Nd7 28.Nd6 f5 29.Bxd5 Nxd5 30.Nb7 Rdc8 31.Rhe1 Nxc5 32.Nxc5 Bxc5 33.Bxc5 Rxc5 34.Rxe6 Nf4 35.Red6 Kg7 36.b3 Re8 37.Rxa6 Nxg2 38.Nxh5+ Kh6 39.Rg1 Re1+ 40.Rxe1 Nxe1 41.Nf4 Nxc2 42.Rxg6+ Kh7 43.Rg2 Nd4 44.Nd3 Rc3 45.Nxb4 Rxf3 46.Nd5 f4 47.h5 Kh6 48.Rg4 Ne2 49.Nf6 Rg3 50.Kc2 Rxg4 51.Nxg4+ Kxh5 52.Ne5 Kg5 53.Kd2 Nd4 54.Kd3 Ne6 55.b4 Kf5 56.Nf3 Kg4 57.Ke4 Kg3 58.a4 Nc7 59.Nd4 Na6 60.Ne2+ Kg4 61.Nxf4 Nxb4 62.Nd3 Na6 63.a5 Kg5 64.Ke5 Kg6 65.Kd6 Kf6 66.Kc6 1-0

              Round Eight

              Game 36, September 17
              Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
              C19 French, Winawer, Advance, positional main line

              1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Nf3 Bd7 8.a4 Qa5 9.Bd2 c4 10.h4 Bxa4 11.h5 h6 12.g3 Nbc6 13.Bh3 Bxc2 14.Qc1 Ba4 15.O-O b5 16.Nh4 Qb6 17.Be3 Bb3 18.f4 b4 19.f5 exf5 20.Bxf5 bxc3 21.Qxc3 O-O 22.Qd2 Qb4 23.Qf2 c3 24.Qf4 c2 25.Rac1 Qc3 26.Rf2 Rab8 27.Kh2 Ba4 28.Bxc2 Bxc2 29.Rcxc2 Qd3 30.Rfd2 Qe4 31.Qxe4 dxe4 32.d5 Nxe5 33.Bf4 e3 34.Re2 f6 35.d6 Nd5 36.Rc5 Nxf4 37.gxf4 Nd3 38.Rc4 Rb2 39.Rxb2 Nxb2 40.Re4 f5 41.Re7 Nc4 42.d7 Nb6 43.Kg2 Kh7 44.Ng6 Rb8 45.Kf3 a5 46.Ne5 Rd8 47.Ke2 a4 48.Re6 Nxd7 49.Rd6 a3 50.Nxd7 a2 51.Nf6+ gxf6 52.Ra6 Rd2+ 53.Kxe3 Rh2 54.Ra7+ Kg8 55.Kd4 Re2 56.Kd5 Kf8 57.Kd6 Kg8 58.Ra8+ Kf7 59.Ra7+ Kf8 60.Ra8+ Kf7 61.Ra7+ Kf8 62.Ra8+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

              - A real thriller as both Carlsen and Xiong missed wins in mutual time trouble before reaching a draw!

              Game 37, September 17
              Nakamura, Hikaru – Harikrishna, Pentala
              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.Ne2 Qa6 9.c4 Nh6 10.Ng3 c5 11.dxc5 Nc6 12.b3 Ng4 13.Bb2 Bxc5 14.O-O Ncxe5 15.Qe2 Ng6 16.cxd5 Qxe2 17.Nxe2 exd5 18.Bxg7 Rg8 19.Bd4 Bxd4 20.Nxd4 Nxh4 21.Rac1 Kd7 22.Rfd1 Nf6 23.g3 Ng6 24.Rc3 Ne5 25.N4f3 Neg4 26.Rdc1 Rac8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.Rxc8 Kxc8 29.Ng5 Nh6 30.Kg2 Kd7 31.Kf3 Nfg4 32.Ke2 Kd6 33.Ndf3 Ne5 34.Nh4 Kc5 35.a3 a5 36.Nh3 Kd4 37.Kd2 a4 38.bxa4 Nc4+ 39.Kc2 Nxa3+ 40.Kb3 Nc4 41.Nf4 Ng4 42.Nf3+ Kc5 43.Nd3+ Kd6 44.Ng5 f6 45.Nh3 f5 46.Nhf4 Nce5 47.Kc3 Nxd3 48.Nxd3 Ne5 49.Nf4 Ng4 50.Nd3 Nf6 51.a5 Ne4+ 52.Kb4 Kc6 53.Ne5+ Kd6 54.Nd3 Kc6 55.Ne5+ Kd6 56.Nd3 1/2-1/2

              Game 38, September 17
              So, Wesley – 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.a4 d5 14.a5 c6 15.Bf4 g6 16.Nd2 Ng7 17.Be5 Be7 18.h3 Be6 19.Nb3 Qf8 20.Qd2 Re8 21.Re1 Bc8 22.Bb8 a6 23.Bf4 Bd8 24.Bh6 Rxe1 25.Qxe1 Qd6 26.Qe3 Qe7 27.Qxe7 Bxe7 28.Nc5 g5 29.Bd3 Ne8 30.h4 gxh4 31.Bf4 Bd8 32.b4 Nc7 33.Kh2 Nb5 34.Na4 Be7 35.Bh6 Nd6 36.Nc5 Bf5 37.Bxf5 Nxf5 38.Bf4 Bxc5 39.bxc5 Kg7 40.Kh3 Kg6 41.Kg4 h5+ 42.Kh3 Ng7 43.Kxh4 Ne6 44.Bd6 Ng5 45.f3 Ne6 46.Be5 Nf8 47.Bd6 Nd7 48.Be7 Kh6 49.Bg5+ Kg6 50.Be7 Kh6 51.Kg3 Kg7 52.Kf4 Kg6 53.g3 Nf6 54.Ke5 Ne8 55.Bd8 Kg7 56.Kf5 h4 57.Bxh4 Nc7 58.Bf6+ Kf8 59.Ke5 Nb5 60.g4 Ke8 61.g5 Na3 62.Kf5 Nc4 63.g6 Kf8 64.Be5 Nd2 65.Kf6 fxg6 66.Bd6+ Ke8 67.f4 Nf3 68.Kxg6 Nh4+ 69.Kf6 Kd7 70.f5 Nf3 71.Kg7 Ng5 72.Bf4 Nh3 73.Be3 1-0

              - Endgame mastery as Wesley So quietly moves to an unbeaten +3 by beating Levon Aronian. Wesley is now just one point behind Magnus before the last round of rapid chess

              Game 39, September 17
              Dominguez, Leinier – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
              B12 Caro-Kann

              1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.Bd3 Nd7 6.Nf3 Nxc5 7.O-O Bd7 8.c4 Nxd3 9.Qxd3 Ne7 10.Nc3 dxc4 11.Qxc4 Rc8 12.Qe2 Ng6 13.Rd1 Be7 14.h4 Bxh4 15.Nxh4 Qxh4 16.Ne4 Bc6 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.Be3 Nf4 19.Qd2 Nh3+ 20.Kf1 Bd5 21.Qxd5 1-0

              - One of Dominguez’s best games ever
              - Nepo went full Nepo again
              - So, Nepo gifts every day a game for the poor? He really has become a modern Robin Hood.

              Game 40, September 17
              Firouzja, Alireza – Grischuk, Alexander
              C54 Giuoco Piano

              1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 Bb6 8.h3 Ne7 9.Bb3 Ng6 10.Nbd2 c6 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.e5 Nh5 14.Bc2 Nhf4 15.Nf1 f6 16.Bxf4 Nxf4 17.Ng3 fxe5 18.Rxe5 Bc7 19.Re3 Qf6 20.Ne2 Bxh3 21.gxh3 Nxh3+ 22.Kg2 Nxf2 23.Kxf2 Qh4+ 24.Kg2 Qg4+ 25.Kf2 Qh4+ 26.Kg2 Qg4+ 27.Kf2 Qh4+ 1/2-1/2

              Standings after Round Eight

              1 Carlsen 12
              2 So 11
              3-4 Nepo, Harikrishna 9
              5-6 Nakamura, Grischuk 8
              7 Aronian 7
              8-9 Dominguez, Xiong 6
              10 Firouzja 4

              (to be continued)

              Comment


              • #8
                I think Jeffrey missed several wins against Magnus and a French Defence, no less!!

                Comment


                • #9
                  St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                  September 17, 2020

                  Rapid Rounds Seven to Nine (continued)

                  The dramatic third day of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz certainly shook up the standings. After going 3 - 0 yesterday, it seemed as if Magnus Carlsen was going to be unstoppable. The World Champion scored a lukewarm 50% today, and with three players hot on his heels, it wasn’t enough to maintain the lead. With the exception of Carlsen’s loss due to disconnection in round two, Alexander Grischuk spoiled what was otherwise a perfect event thus far for the World Champion.


                  Round Nine

                  Game 41, September 17
                  Grischuk, Alexander – Carlsen, Magnus
                  B75 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack

                  1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 a6 8.Qd2 h5 9.Bc4 Nbd7 10.Bb3 Nc5 11.O-O-O b5 12.Kb1 Bb7 13.a3 Nxb3 14.cxb3 Rc8 15.Nc2 Qc7 16.Bd4 O-O 17.Qf2 e5 18.Bb6 Qd7 19.Nb4 Rxc3 20.bxc3 Qe6 21.Kb2 Rc8 22.Ba5 d5 23.Qa7 Ba8 24.Nxa6 Bf8 25.Nc7 Qe7 26.Nxb5 Qe8 27.Nc7 Qe7 28.Bb6 dxe4 29.Nxa8 Qxa7 30.Bxa7 Rxa8 31.Bf2 Bxa3+ 32.Kc2 Be7 33.Ra1 Rc8 34.Rhd1 exf3 35.gxf3 e4 36.fxe4 Nxe4 37.Bd4 f5 38.Kb2 Kf7 39.b4 g5 40.Kb3 g4 41.Ra7 Ke6 42.Ra6+ Kf7 43.c4 Bd6 44.Bg1 Ke7 45.c5 Be5 46.Rd5 1-0

                  Position after Black’s 19….Rxc3

                  


                  - Magnus has gone for the famous Rxc3 exchange sac in the Sicilian, but will he have enough compensation?

                  - Alexander Grischuk takes down Magnus Carlsen and it looks as though Wesley So will lead going into the blitz!

                  Game 42, September 17
                  Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Firouzja, Alireza
                  B10 Caro-Kann Defence

                  1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.e5 f6 5.d4 Bg7 6.exf6 Nxf6 7.Be2 Qd6 8.O-O Nbd7 9.c4 e5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nc3 exd4 12.Nxd4 N7b6 13.Bf3 O-O 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Nb5 Qc5 16.Bxd5+ Qxd5 17.Qxd5+ cxd5 18.Nc7 Rb8 19.Nxd5 Be6 20.Nc3 b5 21.a3 a5 22.Re1 Bc4 23.Be3 b4 24.axb4 1/2-1/2

                  Game 43, September 17
                  Aronian, Levon – Dominguez, Leinier
                  C50 Giuoco Pianissimo

                  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 O-O 6.O-O d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Re1 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Nb6 10.h3 Bh5 11.Bb3 Qxd3 12.Nxe5 Qf5 13.Nef3 Rad8 14.Qe2 Qc8 15.Qf1 Rfe8 16.Ne4 Be7 17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Bg3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 a6 20.Rad1 Qf5 21.Qc4 Nb6 22.Qe2 Ne5 23.f4 Ng6 24.Ng5 Nd5 25.Qg4 Qxg4 26.hxg4 c6 27.Nf3 Bf8 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Bxd5 cxd5 30.Rxd5 Re2 31.Rd8 f6 32.f5 Ne7 33.Nd4 1-0

                  Game 44, September 17
                  Harikrishna, Pentala – 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.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.a4 a5 14.d5 d6 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.Na3 Bg5 17.Qe4 g6 18.Bb5 Bxc1 19.Rxc1 Qg5 20.Re1 Nf6 21.Qd4 Re8 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.f4 Qe7 24.h3 Bxb5 25.Nxb5 Qe1+ 26.Kh2 Ng7 27.Qg1 Qd2 28.Qd4 Qe1 29.Qg1 Qe2 30.Qa7 Nh5 31.Qd4 Qe1 32.Nxc7 Qg3+ 33.Kh1 Nxf4 34.Qe4 Qf2 35.Qf3 Qxf3 36.gxf3 Kf8 37.b4 axb4 38.cxb4 Ke7 39.b5 b6 40.a5 bxa5 41.b6 Kd7 42.Nb5 Kc8 43.Nxd6+ Kb8 44.Nc4 a4 45.d6 Kb7 46.d7 Ne6 47.Kg1 Kc6 48.Kf2 Kxd7 49.Ke3 Kc6 50.Kd2 f6 51.Kc3 Nc5 52.Kb4 Nd7 53.Nd2 Nxb6 54.Ne4 h6 55.h4 f5 56.Ng3 h5 57.Ne2 Kd6 58.Ka3 Ke5 59.Kb4 Kd6 60.Ka3 Ke5 61.Kb4 Nd5+ 62.Kxa4 Nf4 63.Nc3 Ng2 64.Ne2 f4 65.Kb4 Nxh4 66.Ng1 Nxf3 67.Nxf3+ Ke4 68.Nd2+ Ke3 69.Nc4+ Ke2 0-1

                  Final Position

                  

                  Black wins in 15 moves

                  Game 45, September 17
                  Xiong, Jeffery – Nakamura, Hikaru
                  E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

                  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 dxc4 10.Qxc4 Nc6 11.Qc3 Re8 12.Rd1 e5 13.d5 Nb8 14.e3 Bg4 15.Be2 Nd7 16.e4 Qd6 17.O-O Nf6 18.Qc4 Bxf3 19.Bxf3 Rec8 20.Qc3 Rab8 21.Rd2 Rd8 22.Rfd1 Rbc8 23.h3 Qe7 24.Qa5 a6 25.Qc3 c6 26.d6 Qe6 27.d7 Rc7 28.Qa5 Rdxd7 29.Rxd7 Rxd7 30.Rxd7 1/2-1/2

                  Standings after Rapid Portion of the Tournament

                  1 So 13
                  2 Carlsen 12
                  3-4 Nepo, Grischuk 10
                  5-7 Nakamura, Aronian, Harikrishna 9
                  8 Xiong 7
                  9 Dominguez 6
                  10 Firouzja 5
                  Last edited by Wayne Komer; Thursday, 17th September, 2020, 09:44 PM.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                    September 18, 2020

                    Blitz Rounds One to Nine (I)


                    Round One, Sept. 18

                    Carlsen-Nakamura 1-0
                    Xiong-So 1-0
                    Harikrishna 0-1
                    Aronian-Firouzja 1-0
                    Nepomniachtchi-Grischuk

                    Round 1, Sept. 18
                    Carlsen, Magnus – Nakamura, Hikaru
                    A22 English Opening

                    1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qh5 Nc6 6.Bb5 Nb4 7.Qxe5+ Be6 8.Qe4 a6 9.Be2 Be7 10.a3 Nd5 11.Nf3 O-O 12.O-O Na5 13.Nd4 Nxc3 14.dxc3 Bd5 15.Qg4 Nb3 16.Nxb3 Bxb3 17.e4 Bc5 18.Bg5 Qd6 19.Bf4 Qe7 20.Qg3 Rad8 21.e5 Qe6 22.h4 Kh8 23.h5 h6 24.Bg4 Qc6 25.Bf3 Bd5 26.Rad1 Bxf3 27.Qxf3 Qxf3 28.gxf3 c6 29.Kg2 Rfe8 30.Bg3 Kg8 31.f4 Be7 32.f5 Bc5 33.Kf3 a5 34.Ke4 a4 35.f4 Be7 36.Bf2 b5 37.Rg1 Kf8 38.Bb6 Rb8 39.Bc7 Rb7 40.Bd6 c5 41.Bxe7+ Rbxe7 42.Rxg7 Kxg7 43.f6+ Kf8 44.fxe7+ Kxe7 45.Rd5 Rc8 46.f5 Rc6 47.f6+ Ke8 48.Rd6 Rc8 49.Rb6 1-0

                    Round 1, Sept. 18
                    Xiong, Jeffery – So, Wesley
                    E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

                    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5 7.Nf3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Bg5 Ba6 10.Qa4 h6 11.Bh4 c5 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Rd1 Qb6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.e3 Bxf1 16.Kxf1 Nc6 17.h4 Rfd8 18.Rb1 Rd5 19.Rh3 Rad8 20.Kg1 Kf8 21.Rg3 Ke7 22.Rg4 h5 23.Rc4 Ne5 24.Nxe5 Rxe5 25.b4 Red5 26.Rbc1 cxb4 27.Rxb4 Qd6 28.Rb7+ Rd7 29.Qxa7 Rxb7 30.Qxb7+ Kf8 31.Qb4 Qxb4 32.axb4 Rb5 33.Rc4 Ke7 34.g4 hxg4 35.Rxg4 f5 36.Rc4 Rb8 37.Kg2 Kf6 38.Kf3 Kg6 39.Ke2 Kh5 40.Kd3 e5 41.Kc3 e4 42.Rc7 Kxh4 43.Rxf7 Kg4 44.Kb3 Rb6 45.Rf8 Rb7 46.Rd8 Kf3 47.Rd2 f4 48.exf4 Kxf4 49.Rd5 Rf7 50.b5 Kf3 51.Rd2 Kg2 52.Re2 Kf3 53.Re3+ Kf4 54.Kb4 Rf6 55.Ka5 Rf5 56.Ka6 Rc5 57.b6 Rc2 58.b7 Ra2+ 59.Kb6 Rb2+ 60.Kc7 Rc2+ 61.Kd7 Rb2 62.Kc6 Rc2+ 63.Kd5 Rd2+ 64.Kc4 Rxf2 65.Rb3 Rc2+ 66.Kb5 1-0

                    Final Position

                    

                    White wins in 10 moves

                    Round Two, Sept. 18

                    Nakamura-Grischuk 1-0
                    Firouzja-Nepomniachtchi 1-0
                    Dominguez-Aronian 0.5-0.5
                    So-Harikrishna 1-0
                    Carlsen-Xiong 1-0

                    Round 2, Sept. 18
                    Firouzja, Alireza – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
                    B08 Pirc, Classical (Two Knights) System

                    1.Nf3 d6 2.d4 g6 3.e4 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 Bg7 6.h3 Nc6 7.Bc4 Nxe4 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Nxe4 d5 10.Nc5 Rf8 11.O-O Kg8 12.c3 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.a5 c6 16.Be3 Bc7 17.b4 Qd6 18.f4 g5 19.Qh5 gxf4 20.Bd4 Qg6 21.Qxg6+ hxg6 22.Rae1 Bd6 23.Be5 Bxc5+ 24.bxc5 Bf5 25.Rxf4 Rae8 26.Rh4 g5 27.Rh5 g4 28.hxg4 Bd3 29.Rg5+ Kf7 30.Rg7+ Ke6 31.Bd6+ Kf6 32.Rge7 Rc8 33.R1e6+ Kg5 34.Rg7+ 1-0

                    Round 2, Sept. 18
                    Carlsen, Magnus – Xiong, Jeffery
                    B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

                    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Qc7 8.Bf4 Ne7 9.Bd3 Ng6 10.Bxg6 hxg6 11.Bg3 c5 12.O-O Bb7 13.Re1 Be7 14.Ne4 Rb8 15.b3 c4 16.Qd4 cxb3 17.cxb3 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 O-O 19.Rad1 Rfc8 20.h4 Rb4 21.Qd3 a5 22.Qxd7 Bxh4 23.Qxc7 Rxc7 24.a3 Rg4 25.Bxh4 Rxh4 26.g3 Rh5 27.b4 Rb7 28.Re4 Rb5 29.Rd8+ Kh7 30.Rf8 axb4 31.axb4 Rf5 32.Rh4+ Rh5 33.Rc4 Rf5 34.g4 Rf3 35.g5 Rh3 36.Rcc8 1-0

                    Round Three, Sept. 18

                    Xiong-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
                    Harikrishna-Carlsen 1-0
                    Aronian-So 0.5-0.5
                    Nepo-Dominguez 1-0
                    Grischuk-Firouzja 0.5-0.5

                    Round 3, Sept. 18
                    Xiong, Jeffery – Nakamura, Hikaru
                    C45 Scotch game

                    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bd3 d6 7.Qe2 Qe7 8.Be3 Bb6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.O-O-O O-O 11.h3 Rb8 12.Rhe1 Nd7 13.Na4 Re8 14.f4 Bxe3+ 15.Qxe3 Nb6 16.Nc3 c5 17.Qf2 f6 18.g4 Be6 19.Rg1 Rf8 20.h4 Bc4 21.Qf3 c6 22.g5 Rbd8 23.Bxc4+ Nxc4 24.Qd3 Nb6 25.Rg4 d5 26.gxf6 Rxf6 27.Rdg1 Rf7 28.e5 Kh8 29.h5 Rdf8 30.Qg3 Rg8 31.Nd1 d4 32.Nf2 Qe6 33.b3 Qf5 34.Qd3 Nd5 35.Qxf5 Rxf5 36.Nd3 Rxh5 37.Nxc5 Ne3 38.Rg5 Rh2 39.Ne4 g6 40.Nd2 Rf8 41.e6 Nf5 42.Re1 Re8 43.Nf3 Rf2 44.Ne5 Kg7 45.Reg1 Rxf4 46.Nd3 Rf3 47.Ne5 Rf2 48.Nd3 Rf3 49.Ne5 Rf4 50.Nd3 Rf3 1/2-1/2

                    Round 3, Sept. 18
                    Harikrishna, Pentala – Carlsen, Magnus
                    B50 Sicilian

                    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 Bd7 5.Qc2 Bc6 6.d3 Nbd7 7.O-O e6 8.Nbd2 Rc8 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Be7 11.Nxc6 Rxc6 12.Nb3 O-O 13.Be3 a6 14.Rad1 Rc8 15.f4 Qc7 16.Kh1 b5 17.Bd3 g6 18.Qe2 Nb6 19.f5 gxf5 20.exf5 e5 21.Nd2 Kh8 22.Ne4 Nbd5 23.Nxf6 Nxf6 24.Bg5 d5 25.Bc2 Rcd8 26.Bb3 e4 27.Bxf6+ Bxf6 28.Bxd5 Rfe8 29.Bxe4 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 b4 31.Qxa6 Kg7 32.Qd3 bxc3 33.bxc3 Qe5 34.Bf3 Qe1+ 35.Qf1 Qxc3 36.Qf2 Qe5 37.Qg3+ Qxg3 38.hxg3 Re5 39.g4 Ra5 40.Bd5 Ra4 41.Bb3 Rxg4 42.Rd7 Kh6 43.Rxf7 Rh4+ 44.Kg1 Kg5 45.Be6 h5 46.Kf2 R
                    b4 47.Rf8 h4 48.Ke3 Bd4+ 49.Kf3 Bc5 50.Rg8+ Kf6 51.Rg6+ Ke5 52.Rg4 Rb1 53.Re4+ Kf6 54.Rxh4 Rf1+ 55.Ke4 Kg5 56.Rh8 Re1+ 57.Kd5 Ba3 58.Rg8+ Kf4 59.g3+ Kf3 60.f6 Rd1+ 61.Kc4 Rd6 62.Bd5+ Ke3 63.Ra8 1-0

                    Round 3, Sept. 18
                    Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Dominguez, Leinier
                    A06 Nimzowitsch- Larsen Attack

                    1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 g6 5.c4 dxc4 6.Bxc4 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Nd2 Nc6 11.N4f3 a6 12.Rc1 b5 13.Be2 Qb6 14.a3 Rfd8 15.Qc2 Rac8 16.Qb1 Ne8 17.Bxg7 Nxg7 18.Qb2 Bf5 19.b4 Ne6 20.Rc3 Bg4 21.Rfc1 Na7 22.h3 Bxf3 23.Nxf3 Rxc3 24.Rxc3 Rc8 25.Rd3 Rd8 26.Ne5 Rxd3 27.Nxd3 Qd6 28.Qc3 Qc6 29.Qe5 Qc7 30.Qd5 Kg7 31.Bf3 Nc8 32.Bg4 Nb6 33.Qe4 Nf8 34.Qd4+ f6 35.Nc5 e5 36.Qd3 f5 37.Bd1 Nc4 38.Bb3 Nd6 39.Qd5 e4 40.Qg8+ 1-0

                    Standings after Blitz Round Three

                    1 So 14.5
                    2 Carlsen 14
                    3 Nepo 11.5
                    4-5 Grischuk, Aronian 11
                    6 Nakamura 10.5
                    7 Harikrishna 10
                    8 Xiong 8.5
                    9 Dominguez 7.5
                    10 Firouzja 6.5

                    (to be continued)
                    Last edited by Wayne Komer; Friday, 18th September, 2020, 03:27 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                      September 18, 2020

                      Blitz Rounds One to Nine (I) (continued)


                      Round Four, Sept. 18

                      Nakamura-Firouzja 1-0
                      Dominguez-Grischuk 0-1
                      So-Nepo 1-0
                      Carlsen-Aronian 1-0
                      Xiong-Harikrishna 0-1

                      Round 4, Sept. 18
                      Nakamura, Hikaru – Firouzja, Alireza
                      B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

                      1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.Ba4 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bc2 Bb7 7.O-O Ngf6 8.Re1 g6 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bg7 11.Nbd2 O-O 12.Nf1 Rc8 13.Ng3 Qc7 14.Bd3 Qb8 15.Bd2 e5 16.d5 Nc5 17.Bc2 Ba8 18.h3 Kh8 19.b4 Ncd7 20.a4 Nb6 21.axb5 axb5 22.Bd3 Nc4 23.Qe2 Nxd2 24.Qxd2 Ng8 25.Ra5 Bh6 26.Qb2 Qc7 27.Rxb5 Bc1 28.Qa1 Bf4 29.Ra5 Qb6 30.Ra6 Qxb4 31.Ne2 Bh6 32.Rb1 Qc5 33.Ra7 Be3 34.fxe3 Qxe3+ 35.Kh1 Qxd3 36.Ng3 Nf6 37.Re1 Kg8 38.Kh2 h5 39.Ra3 Qc2 40.Ra6 Rfd8 41.Nxe5 h4 42.Nf1 Nxe4 43.Ng4 Nc3 44.Ra3 Bxd5 45.Nfe3 Qd2 46.Nf6+ Kf8 47.Nfxd5 Nxd5 48.Qh8+ Ke7 49.Nxd5+ Kd7 50.Nf6+ Kc6 51.Qxh4 d5 52.Rea1 g5 53.Ra6+ Kb5 54.Qa4+ Kc5 55.Ra5+ Kd6 56.Rxd5+ 1-0

                      Round 4, Sept. 18
                      So, Wesley – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
                      D85 Grunfeld, Modern Exchange variation

                      1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 O-O 9.Be2 Bg4 10.Rxb7 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Bxd4 13.O-O Nc6 14.Qa4 Rc8 15.Ba3 Bb6 16.Rd1 Qe8 17.Be2 Na5 18.Bb5 Nxb7 19.Bxe8 Rfxe8 20.g3 Nc5 21.Bxc5 Bxc5 22.Kg2 Red8 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Qc2 Bb6 25.a4 e5 26.h4 h5 27.f3 Be3 28.Qc3 Bd4 29.Qc7 Re8 30.a5 Re6 31.f4 Kg7 32.Kf3 Rf6 33.Qd7 Bc3 34.Qxa7 exf4 35.gxf4 Be5 36.Qe3 Bc7 37.Qc3 Bb8 38.a6 Ba7 39.f5 gxf5 40.exf5 Bb8 41.Ke4 Ba7 42.Qb2 Bb6 43.Qc3 Bf2 44.Kf4 1-0

                      The Carlsen-Aronian game was something to experience. At one point Yasser said it looked like a Space Invaders game with the black pawns all descending on Magnus. Play it through to see how he survived and won.

                      Round 4, Sept. 18
                      Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
                      A22 English Opening

                      1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.e3 Bb4 4.Nge2 O-O 5.a3 Be7 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qd1 Re8 9.Nf4 Bd6 10.Nfd5 Be5 11.Be2 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Ne5 14.O-O d6 15.c4 Qh4 16.Qc2 b6 17.Bb2 Qh6 18.e4 Nd7 19.Rae1 Nc5 20.Bd1 Qg6 21.Re3 Nxe4 22.Rfe1 Bf5 23.g4 Bxg4 24.Bxg4 Qxg4+ 25.Kh1 f5 26.f3 Qh4 27.fxe4 f4 28.Qg2 Re7 29.R3e2 Qh5 30.Rf2 Rf8 31.Rg1 Rff7 32.Bd4 f3 33.Qg4 Qxg4 34.Rxg4 h5 35.Rh4 g6 36.Kg1 Kh7 37.Rd2 Kh6 38.e5 dxe5 39.Be3+ g5 40.Re4 Kg6 41.c5 Kf5 42.Rc4 bxc5 43.Rxc5 Re8 44.Kf2 g4 45.Rc6 Rh8 46.Bxa7 h4 47.Be3 Rg7 48.a4 e4 49.d6 g3+ 50.Kf1 cxd6 51.h3 Rd8 52.Rd5+ Ke6 53.Rh5 Rb7 54.Rh6+ Kd5 55.Rc1 Rb3 56.Bg5 Re8 57.Bxh4 g2+ 58.Kg1 e3 59.Rd1+ Kc4 60.Rhxd6 f2+ 61.Kxg2 Rg8+ 62.Kf3 Rg1 63.R6d4+ Kc3 64.Bxf2 exf2 65.Kxf2 Rxd1 66.Rxd1 Kc2 67.Rh1 Ra3 68.h4 Kd3 69.Kf3 Kd4+ 70.Kf4 Rxa4 71.h5 Kd5+ 72.Kf5 Ra2 73.h6 Rf2+ 74.Kg6 Rg2+ 75.Kf6 Rf2+ 76.Ke7 Re2+ 77.Kd7 Ra2 78.Rh5+ Ke4 79.h7 Ra7+ 80.Ke6 1-0

                      Position after 49….g3+

                      

                      Carlsen smiling after game over. You don’t expect to escape a game like that.

                      Round Five, Sept. 18

                      Harikrishna-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
                      Aronian-Xiong 0-1
                      Nepo-Carlsen 1-0
                      Grischuk-So 0.5-0.5
                      Firouzja-Dominguez 0.5-0.5

                      Round 5, Sept. 18
                      Aronian, Levon – Xiong, Jeffery
                      A57 Benko Gambit

                      1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nf3 g6 5.Qc2 bxc4 6.e4 Bg7 7.Bxc4 d6 8.O-O O-O 9.Nc3 Nfd7 10.Re1 a5 11.Bf4 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 13.Qd2 Qb8 14.Bh6 Qb4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.a3 Qb3 17.e5 Rae8 18.Re3 Nc7 19.Rae1 dxe5 20.Nxe5 Nf6 21.Rh3 h5 22.g4 h4 23.Rxh4 Rh8 24.Rxh8 Rxh8 25.d6 exd6 26.Qxd6 Ne6 27.Qe7 Ng5 28.Re3 Qxb2 29.Nd7 Nxg4 30.Ne4 0-1

                      Round 5, Sept. 18
                      Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Carlsen, Magnus
                      A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

                      1.b3 g6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e4 c5 4.f4 Bg7 5.Qf3 d6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.Ne2 O-O 9.O-O Nc6 10.d3 b5 11.c4 b4 12.h3 a5 13.a4 bxa3 14.Rxa3 Rab8 15.Bc3 Ne8 16.Qe3 f5 17.exf5 gxf5 18.Bxg7 Nxg7 19.Nbc3 Ne6 20.Nb5 Rf6 21.Rf3 Rg6 22.Rg3 Kf7 23.Kh2 Qd8 24.Qf3 Rc8 25.Qh5 Ng7 26.Qxh7 Rxg3 27.Kxg3 Qg8 28.Qxg8+ Rxg8 29.Kf3 Ne6 30.Ra1 Kf6 31.g4 Rh8 32.g5+ Kg6 33.Kg3 Nb4 34.d4 cxd4 35.Nbxd4 Nc5 36.Rxa5 Ne4+ 37.Kg2 Nc5 38.Rb5 Nbd3 39.b4 Ne4 40.Nxf5 Ne1+ 41.Kf1 Rxh3 42.Kxe1 Rh1+ 43.Ng1 Rxg1+ 44.Ke2 e5 45.Nh4+ Kh5 46.Nf3 Rg4 47.Ke3 Nc3 48.Rb6 Rxf4 49.Rxd6 Rxc4 50.Rh6+ Kg4 51.Rh4+ 1-0

                      Now everyone is going to be playing 1.b3 against Magnus

                      Round Six, Sept. 18

                      Nakamura-Dominguez 1-0
                      So-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
                      Carlsen-Grischuk 1-0
                      Xiong-Nepo 0.5-0.5
                      Harikrishna-Aronian 0.5-0.5

                      Round 6, Sept. 18
                      Nakamura, Hikaru – Dominguez, Leinier
                      C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

                      1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.O-O d6 9.axb5 axb5 10.h3 h6 11.Nc3 O-O 12.Ne2 Re8 13.c3 Bb6 14.Ng3 Be6 15.Re1 d5 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 dxe4 18.dxe4 Qxd1+ 19.Bxd1 Ra8 20.Rc1 Ra2 21.b4 Bc4 22.Be2 Bxe2 23.Nxe2 Rb2 24.Ng3 Na7 25.Ne1 Nc8 26.Nd3 Ra2 27.c4 bxc4 28.Rxc4 Ra7 29.Re1 Nd6 30.Rc6 g6 31.f3 Kg7 32.Rec1 Re7 33.R6c5 Ra3 34.Nxe5 Nd7 35.Rxc7 Rxe5 36.Rxd7 Nb5 37.Ne2 Ra2 38.Nf4 g5 39.Nh5+ Kg6 40.g4 Re6 41.f4 Rd6 42.f5+ Kh7 43.Rxf7+ 1-0

                      Round 6, Sept. 18
                      Carlsen, Magnus – Grischuk, Alexander
                      D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

                      1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 Ne4 7.Rc1 Nc6 8.Nd2 g5 9.Be3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Ba3 11.Rb1 f5 12.g3 O-O 13.f4 Qe7 14.Bf2 gxf4 15.Bg2 Bd6 16.Bxd5+ Kh8 17.Nf3 Nd8 18.Qd2 c6 19.Bb3 Ne6 20.d5 cxd5 21.Bxd5 fxg3 22.hxg3 f4 23.gxf4 Bxf4 24.Qd3 Rf7 25.Rb4 Bd6 26.Rbh4 Kg8 27.Nd4 Qf6 28.Nxe6 Bxe6 29.Bd4 Be5 30.Rh6 1-0

                      - Magnus gets revenge for his loss to Grischuk in rapid chess!

                      Standings after Blitz Round Six

                      1 So 16.5
                      2 Carlsen 16
                      3-4 Nakamura, Nepo 13
                      5 Grischuk 12.5
                      6 Harikrishna 12
                      7 Aronian 11.5
                      8 Xiong 10
                      9 Dominguez 8
                      10 Firouzja 7.5

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                        September 18, 2020

                        Blitz Rounds One to Nine (I) (continued)


                        Round Seven, Sept. 18

                        Aronian-Nakamura 0-1
                        Nepo-Harikrishna 0.5-0.5
                        Grischuk-Xiong 0.5-0.5
                        Firouzja-Carlsen 0-1
                        Dominguez-So 0.5-0.5

                        Round 7, Sept. 18
                        Aronian, Levon – Nakamura, Hikaru
                        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.Kh1 Na6 14.e3 Nb4 15.Qe2 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 c6 17.Rg1 Qe7 18.Rg5 Kh8 19.Rag1 g6 20.Qc2 Nxc2 0-1

                        Final Position

                        

                        Round 7, Sept. 18
                        Firouzja, Alireza – Carlsen, Magnus
                        C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

                        1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.O-O Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Nbd2 Nd7 9.Nc4 f6 10.Rb1 a5 11.Bd2 b6 12.Be3 Be7 13.b3 Nc5 14.a4 Ne6 15.Qe2 c5 16.c3 Qd7 17.Rfd1 Rd8 18.Rb2 Qc8 19.Rbd2 O-O 20.g4 Bf7 21.Nh4 g6 22.Ng2 g5 23.f3 h5 24.Bf2 Kh7 25.Nce3 Rh8 26.Nf5 Bf8 27.d4 cxd4 28.cxd4 hxg4 29.hxg4 Bb4 30.d5 Ng7 31.Rc2 Nxf5 32.gxf5 Qd7 33.Ne3 Kg7 34.Rdc1 Rc8 35.Rc6 Rh3 36.Kg2 Rch8 37.Ng4 Bd6 38.Bg3 R3h7 39.Qb2 Qe7 40.R1c4 Bh5 41.Qc3 Bxg4 42.Rxc7 Bh3+ 43.Kf2 Bxc7 44.Rxc7 Kh6 45.Rxe7 Rxe7 46.d6 Rd7 47.Bxe5 fxe5 48.Qxe5 Kh7 49.Qf6 Rg8 50.e5 Rgg7 51.Kg3 Rdf7 52.Qd8 Bxf5 53.Qe8 Bd7 54.Qa8 Rg6 55.Qb7 Re6 56.Qe4+ Kg7 57.Qe3 Rf5 58.Qxb6 Rexe5 59.Qa7 Rf7 60.Qd4 Kf6 61.b4 axb4 62.Qxb4 Kg6 63.a5 Re3 64.a6 Rexf3+ 65.Kg2 Rf2+ 66.Kg1 Rf1+ 67.Kg2 Bc6+ 68.Kg3 R7f3+ 69.Kh2 R3f2+ 70.Kg3 Rg2+ 0-1

                        Near the end, the commentators shouted out that Firouzja had won Carlsen’s queen. Well, Magnus had two rooks and a bishop…

                        In this position, after Black’s 51….Rdf7, White should have played 52.Qxf7 and won

                        

                        Round Eight, Sept. 18

                        Nakamura-So 0.5-0.5
                        Carlsen-Dominguez
                        Xiong-Firouzja
                        Harikrishna-Grischuk
                        Aronian-Nepo 0.5-0.5

                        Round 8, Sept. 18
                        Carlsen, Magnus – Dominguez, Leinier
                        D02 Queen’s Bishop game

                        1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nbd2 Bd6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e4 Qd8 8.e5 Be7 9.c3 c5 10.Bd3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.N2f3 Qb6 13.Qe2 Bd7 14.O-O g5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.b3 g4 17.Nd2 h5 18.Kh1 f5 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Rac1 Qc7 21.f4 O-O 22.Bg6 Be8 23.Qxe6+ Kg7 24.Bb1 Bd7 25.Qe3 Rae8 26.Qd3 Rf7 27.Qg6+ Kf8 28.Qxh5 Re2 29.Bg6 Rg7 30.Rce1 Re6 31.Qh8+ Rg8 32.Qh6+ Bg7 33.Qh5 Rh8 34.Qf5+ Rf6 35.Qg5 Qd6 36.Bd3 Bh6 37.Qe5 Qxe5 38.fxe5 Rxf1+ 39.Nxf1 Be6 40.Ne3 Ke7 41.Nf5+ Bxf5 42.Bxf5 g3 43.Re2 Bf4 44.h3 Rh5 45.Bg4 Rxe5 46.c4 dxc4 47.bxc4 c5 48.Rxe5+ Bxe5 49.Kg1 Kf6 50.Kf1 Kg5 51.Ke2 Kf4 52.Bf3 Bf6 53.Kd3 Ke5 54.Kc3 Kd6+ 55.Kb3 Kc7 56.Bd5 Bg5 57.Kc3 Kd6 58.Ba8 Bf6+ 59.Kd3 Ke5 60.Ke3 Kf5 61.Kf3 Be5 62.h4 Bd6 63.Be4+ Kf6 64.Kg4 Be5 65.h5 Bd6 66.h6 Bc7 67.h7 Kg7 68.Kf3 a5 69.Bc2 Be5 70.Ke4 Bc3 71.Kf4 Be1 72.Ke5 Kh8 73.Kd5 Bb4 74.Kc6 Kg7 75.Kb5 Kh8 76.Ka4 Kg7 77.a3 Bd2 78.Kb5 Bc1 79.a4 1-0

                        - Magnus takes the sole lead with a 5th win in 5 with the white pieces today, but to say it was shaky would be an understatement! 43...Rf8! would simply have won on the spot for Dominguez...

                        Round 8, Sept. 18
                        Xiong, Jeffery – Firouzja, Alireza
                        D02 Queen’s Pawn, London System

                        1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 b6 4.e3 Bb7 5.Nbd2 Be7 6.h3 O-O 7.Bd3 d6 8.O-O Nbd7 9.a4 a6 10.Bh2 Re8 11.c3 Bf8 12.e4 e5 13.Re1 g6 14.b4 Bg7 15.Qb3 Qe7 16.a5 b5 17.d5 c6 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.c4 Reb8 20.Rac1 h6 21.Bg3 Qe6 22.Qd1 Nh5 23.Bh2 Qe7 24.Nf1 Kh7 25.Ne3 bxc4 26.Rxc4 Bb5 27.Nd5 Qd8 28.Rc1 Bxd3 29.Qxd3 Nhf6 30.Red1 Rc8 31.Bg3 Nh5 32.Rxc8 Qxc8 33.Ne7 Qb7 34.Qxd6 Nxg3 35.Qxd7 Qxd7 36.Rxd7 Nxe4 37.Nc6 f6 38.Nd2 Nxd2 39.Rxd2 Bf8 40.Rd7+ Kg8 41.Rb7 e4 42.Kf1 Bd6 43.Ke2 Rc8 44.Rb6 Ra8 45.g4 Kf7 46.Ke3 f5 47.gxf5 gxf5 48.Nd4 Bf8 49.Nxf5 h5 50.Kxe4 Rd8 51.Nd4 Re8+ 52.Kf3 Re1 53.Nc6 Ke6 54.Rxa6 Kd5 55.Rb6 Ra1 56.a6 Bd6 57.a7 Ra3+ 58.Kg2 1-0

                        Round Nine, Sept. 18

                        Nepo-Nakamura 1-0
                        Grischuk-Aronian 0.5-0.5
                        Firouzja-Harikrishna 1-0
                        Dominguez-Xiong 1-0
                        So-Carlsen 0.5-0.5

                        Round 9, Sept. 18
                        Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Nakamura, Hikaru
                        A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Classical variation

                        1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 c5 3.Nf3 f6 4.e3 e5 5.d4 cxd4 6.exd4 e4 7.Nfd2 f5 8.c4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bb5+ Nc6 12.O-O Be7 13.Nc4 O-O 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Ne5 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 Bd5 17.f4 exf3 18.Nxf3 Bd6 19.Qd2 Rf6 20.Ne5 Bxe5 21.dxe5 Rg6 22.Rf2 Qh4 23.Re1 Re8 24.e6 Be4 25.Qd7 Rexe6 26.Qc8+ Kf7 27.Rd1 Re8 28.Rd7+ Re7 29.Rd8 Rge6 30.Rg8 Rg6 31.Rf8# 1-0

                        Position after 30…Rg6??

                        

                        Round 9, Sept. 18
                        Firouzja, Alireza – Harikrishna, Pentala
                        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 Qa6 9.c4 Nh6 10.O-O Nf5 11.b3 c5 12.Qb1 dxc4 13.d5 c3 14.dxe6 Qxe6 15.Ng5 Qg6 16.e6 cxd2 17.exf7+ Kd7 18.Qe4 Nc6 19.Bxd2 Bd6 20.Rad1 Kc7 21.Bf4 Bxf4 22.Qxf4+ Kb6 23.Rfe1 Nfd4 24.b4 Qf6 25.bxc5+ Kb5 26.Rb1+ Ka6 27.Qg3 b5 28.cxb6 axb6 29.Qc7 Nb5 30.Rxb5 Kxb5 31.Rb1+ Nb4 32.Ne4 Qd4 33.Nd6+ Ka4 34.Qd7+ Ka3 35.Nb5+ 1-0

                        Standings after Blitz Round Nine

                        1 Carlsen 18.5
                        2 So 18
                        3 Nepo 15
                        4-5 Nakamura, Grischuk 14.5
                        6-7 Aronian, Harikirshna 12.5
                        8 Xiong 11.5
                        9 Dominguez 9.5
                        10 Firouzja 8.5

                        Day 4 Recap

                        The Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz is now a two-horse race, as Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So have separated themselves from the rest of the field with a three point lead. After nine exhilarating blitz rounds, the World Champion leads the tournament, overtaking So by half a point. Ian Nepomniachtchi finished the day in third place, but expressed doubt in his chances of catching the leaders. He promised to play 1.b3 again tomorrow, an unusual opening with which he defeated Carlsen today. The tournament will conclude tomorrow after another full day of blitz, with the winner taking home the $50,000 prize.

                        https://www.uschesschamps.com/2020-s...id-blitz/recap

                        There will be nine rounds tomorrow with the same pairings as today but with colours reversed.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                          September 19, 2020

                          Blitz Rounds One to Nine (II)


                          Round One, Sept. 19


                          Nakamura-Carlsen 1-0
                          So-Xiong 0.5-0.5
                          Dominguez-Harikrishna 0.5-0.5
                          Firouzja-Aronian 0-1
                          Grischuk-Nepomniachtchi 1-0

                          Round Two, Sept. 19

                          Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi 0.5-0.5
                          Aronian-Grischuk 1-0
                          Harikrishna-Firouzja 0-1
                          Xiong-Dominguez 0.5-0.5
                          So-Nakamura 0.5-0.5

                          Round Three, Sept. 19

                          Carlsen-So 1-0
                          Dominguez-Nakamura 0-1
                          Firouzja-Xiong 1-0
                          Grischuk-Harikrishna 0.5-0.5
                          Nepo-Aronian 0-1

                          Standings after Blitz Second Day, Round Three

                          1 Carlsen 20
                          2 So 19
                          3 Nakamura 17
                          4 Grischuk 16
                          5-6 Nepo, Aronian 15.5
                          7-8 Harikrishna, Xion 13.5
                          9 Dominguez 10.5
                          10 Firouzja 9.5

                          Round 1, Sept. 19
                          Nakamura, Hikaru – Carlsen, Magnus
                          B42 Sicilian, Kan, Polugaievsky variation

                          1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Ba7 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Be3 d6 9.O-O Nf6 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Rad1 b5 12.f4 e5 13.Bxa7 Rxa7 14.f5 Rd7 15.Nd5 Bb7 16.c4 bxc4 17.Bxc4 Ne7 18.Nxf6+ gxf6 19.Kh1 Kh8 20.Rd3 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 d5 22.Qh4 Ng8 23.Rg3 1-0

                          - Magnus arrives late, still buttoning up his shirt!

                          - Maurice: "This round we have seen some of the worst chess they have played this whole tournament"
                          Yasser: "They're getting tired"
                          Maurice: "What do you mean they're getting tired? They just woke up!"


                          Round 1, Sept. 19
                          Grischuk, Alexander – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
                          A48 King’s Indian, East Indian Defence

                          1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nbd2 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.b4 O-O 6.Bb2 a5 7.b5 a4 8.c4 a3 9.Bc3 Ne4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Nd2 f5 12.Qb3 e5 13.c5+ Kh8 14.d5 Nd7 15.Bb4 Nf6 16.Bc4 f4 17.c6 b6 18.h3 Bf5 19.Bxa3 Rxa3 20.Qxa3 Ne8 21.Be2 Qg5 22.Rg1 Nf6 23.d6 cxd6 24.g4 d5 25.O-O-O Be6 26.Kb1 Qh4 27.g5 Ne8 28.Qe7 Bg8 29.Rdf1 f3 30.Bd1 d4 31.Bb3 Bxb3 32.axb3 Qxh3 33.Nc4 Qc8 34.Rh1 dxe3 35.fxe3 Nc7 36.Rd1 f2 37.Nd6 Qa8 38.Nf7+ Kg8 39.Rd7 Ne8 40.Qe6 h5 41.Nxe5+ Kh7 42.Qxg6+ Kg8 43.Qe6+ 1-0

                          Round 2, Sept. 19
                          Carlsen, Magnus – Nepomniachtchi, Ian
                          A22 English, Bremen, reverse Dragon

                          1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nb6 6.b3 Nc6 7.Bb2 Be6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.d4 exd4 11.Qxd4 f6 12.Qe4 Kf7 13.Qxc6 Qe8 14.Qe4 h5 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.Qxe8+ Rhxe8 17.f3 c5 18.Nc2 Be5 19.Nd1 Bxb2 20.Nxb2 Bb5 21.e4 f5 22.Ne3 fxe4 23.f4 Red8 24.Rd1 Rd4 25.Nf5 Rad8 26.Nxd4 cxd4 27.a4 Ba6 28.a5 Nc8 29.Nc4 Ne7 30.Kf2 Nf5 31.Rhe1 e3+ 32.Kf3 Bb7+ 33.Ke2 Ke6 34.Rg1 Be4 35.Ne5 Rb8 36.Nf3 Bxf3+ 37.Kxf3 Rxb3 38.Ke4 e2 39.Rd3 Rb5 40.Re1 Rxa5 41.Rxe2 g6 42.Kf3+ Kd6 43.h3 Ra4 44.g4 hxg4+ 45.hxg4 Ne7 46.Ke4 Nc6 47.Rh2 Ra1 48.Rh6 Re1+ 49.Kf3 Rf1+ 50.Kg3 Rg1+ 51.Kh4 Rh1+ 52.Kg5 Rxh6 53.Kxh6 Kd5 54.Kxg6 Ke4 55.Rd1 Kxf4 56.g5 Ne5+ 57.Kh5 Ke4 58.Re1+ Kf5 59.Rf1+ Ke4 60.Re1+ Kf5 61.Kh6 Nf7+ 62.Kh5 Ne5 1/2-1/2

                          - Carlsen and Nepo both missed wins! That was exactly the kind of game Magnus was winning yesterday:

                          Round 2, Sept. 19
                          Harikrishna, Pentala – Firouzja, Alireza
                          E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights

                          1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.Bd2 Bb7 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.O-O a6 10.Ne2 Bd6 11.Ng3 Re8 12.Nf5 Bf8 13.Ne5 c5 14.f4 Nc6 15.Be1 g6 16.Bh4 gxf5 17.Bxf5 Bg7 18.Rf3 Qd6 19.Rg3 Ne7 20.Bc2 Ng6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qh5 cxd4 23.exd4 Qxf4 24.Nf3 Re2 25.Bd3 Qe3+ 26.Kh1 Qxd3 27.Ng5 Qd2 28.Qxh7+ Kf8 29.Rf1 Re1 30.Ne6+ Ke7 31.Rf3 Rxf1+ 32.Rxf1 Bf6 33.Ng7 Rh8 34.Nf5+ Kf8 0-1

                          Round 3, Sept. 19
                          Carlsen, Magnus – So, Wesley
                          D37 QGD, Hastings variation

                          1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Be2 dxc4 8.O-O c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Bxc4 Qxd1 11.Rfxd1 b6 12.Ne5 Bb7 13.f3 Nh5 14.b4 Na6 15.a3 Bf6 16.Bxa6 Bxa6 17.Ne4 Rfd8 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Rc1 Bb5 20.g4 Nxf4 21.exf4 Bh4 22.Kg2 f5 23.Ng5 fxg4 24.fxg4 Rd2+ 25.Kh3 Bxg5 26.fxg5 Kf8 27.Rc7 Re2 28.g6 h5 29.Nd7+ Ke7 30.Nxb6+ Kf6 31.Rxa7 Re3+ 32.Kh4 hxg4 33.Kxg4 Kxg6 34.a4 Re4+ 35.Kg3 Rxb4 36.axb5 Rxb5 37.Nc4 Rb3+ 38.Kg2 Rc3 39.Ne5+ Kf6 40.Ra5 Kf5 41.Nf3+ Kf4 42.Ra4+ Kf5 43.Ra7 Kf6 44.Ra6 Rc4 45.Kg3 Rb4 46.h4 Rb3 47.Kg4 Rb4+ 48.Kg3 Rb3 49.Ra4 e5 50.Kg4 Rb6 51.Ng5 Rc6 52.h5 Rb6 53.Ne4+ Ke6 54.Ra7 Kd5 55.Ng5 e4 56.Rxg7 e3 57.Re7 Kd4 58.Ne6+ Kc3 59.Nf4 Kd2 60.Kf3 Rb3 61.Rd7+ Ke1 62.Ng2+ 1-0

                          Position after White’s 34.a4

                          

                          Should Black play 34…Re4+ here?

                          - He who dares wins! Magnus Carlsen beats Wesley So and takes a 1-point lead, but there are still 6 rounds to go today

                          Round 3, Sept. 19
                          Dominguez, Leinier – Nakamura, Hikaru
                          C75 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence

                          1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.d4 Nf6 7.O-O g6 8.Re1 Bg7 9.h3 O-O 10.Bc2 Re8 11.Nbd2 b5 12.Nf1 Na5 13.Ng3 c5 14.d5 h6 15.b3 Nb7 16.Be3 Qc7 17.Qd2 Kh7 18.Rf1 a5 19.Nh2 a4 20.b4 Rac8 21.Bd3 cxb4 22.cxb4 Qc3 23.Rac1 Qxd2 24.Bxd2 h5 25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Rc1 Rxc1+ 27.Bxc1 Ne8 28.Ne2 Nc7 29.Nc3 f5 30.Nf3 Bf6 31.Be3 fxe4 32.Bxe4 Bf5 33.Nd2 Kg7 34.f3 h4 35.Ndb1 Na6 36.a3 Nc7 37.Bb6 Na8 38.Ba7 Nc7 39.Bb6 Na8 40.Be3 Nc7 41.Kf2 Kf7 42.Bb6 Na8 43.Ba7 Nc7 44.Bb6 Na8 45.Be3 Nc7 46.Ke2 Ke7 47.Bb6 Na8 48.Ba7 Nc7 49.Bb6 Na8 50.Be3 Nc7 51.Bd3 Kf7 52.Nd2 e4 53.Ndxe4 Bxe4 54.Nxe4 Bb2 55.Bb6 Nxd5 56.Be3 Nxe3 57.Kxe3 d5 58.Ng5+ Kf6 59.f4 Bxa3 60.Bxb5 Bc1+ 61.Kd3 a3 0-1

                          Round 3, Sept. 19
                          Firouzja, Alireza – Xiong, Jeffery
                          B01 Scandinavian (Centre Counter) Defence

                          1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bf4 Bg7 7.Qd2 a6 8.Bc4 O-O 9.Bb3 Nc6 10.O-O-O Bg4 11.d5 Bxf3 12.gxf3 Na5 13.Bh6 c6 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Rhe1 Qc7 16.Qe3 Rfe8 17.dxc6 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 Qxc6 19.Rd4 b5 20.Red1 Rac8 21.R1d2 a5 22.Ne4 Rc7 23.Kb1 Rcc8 24.h4 Ra8 25.R2d3 Rac8 26.Rd2 Ra8 27.Ng3 a4 28.b4 h5 29.Ne4 Nxe4 30.fxe4 Rec8 31.Rd7 Qf6 32.Qd4 Rc4 33.Qd5 Ra6 34.Qxb5 Rxe4 35.Ka2 Rb6 36.Qc5 Rexb4 37.c3 Qe6+ 38.Ka1 Rxh4 39.Rd1 a3 40.b4 Rc4 41.Qg5 Rxc3 42.Rxe7 Qf6 43.Qxf6+ Kxf6 44.Re4 Rf3 45.Rd2 g5 46.Ka2 h4 47.Rd8 h3 48.Rh8 Ra6 49.Re2 Kg7 50.Rh5 Kg6 51.Rh8 Rb6 52.Rg8+ Kf5 53.Rc2 f6 54.Rc5+ Kg4 55.Rh8 Rxb4 56.Ka1 Rbf4 57.Ra5 Rxf2 58.Rxa3 Rf1+ 0-1

                          Nepo said that he would play 1.b3 today. Perhaps Aronian prepared against it.

                          Round 3, Sept. 19
                          Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Aronian, Levon
                          A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Classical variation

                          1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.d3 e6 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.g3 h6 6.Bg2 Bh7 7.a3 Be7 8.e4 O-O 9.Qe2 c5 10.Ngf3 Nc6 11.O-O Qc7 12.Rfe1 Rfd8 13.Rad1 a5 14.a4 Nb4 15.Rc1 Rac8 16.Ne5 Na2 17.Ra1 Nb4 18.Rac1 Na2 19.Rcd1 Nb4 20.Nf1 c4 21.bxc4 dxe4 22.dxe4 Na6 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Ng4 Nxg4 25.Qxg4 Bf8 26.Ne3 Nc5 27.Ra1 Qc6 28.e5 Be4 29.Bxe4 Nxe4 30.Qf3 Rd2 31.Rf1 Bc5 32.Bc1 Bxe3 33.Bxd2 Bxd2 34.Rd1 Qxc4 35.Qd3 Qc6 36.Rxd2 Nxd2 37.Qxd2 Qxa4 38.Qd8+ Kh7 39.Qc7 Qc6 40.Qxa5 Qxc2 41.h4 Qb1+ 42.Kh2 b5 43.Qa7 Qf5 44.Qd4 b4 45.Qxb4 Qxf2+ 46.Kh3 Qf5+ 47.Kh2 Qxe5 48.Qb7 Qf5 49.Qd7 h5 50.Kg2 Qd5+ 51.Kf2 Qxd7 0-1

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                            September 19, 2020

                            Blitz Rounds One to Nine (II) (continued)


                            Round Four, Sept. 19


                            Aronian-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
                            Harikrishna-Nepomniachtchi 0.5-0.5
                            Xiong-Grischuk 0.5-0.5
                            Firouzja-Nakamura 0-1
                            So-Dominguez 1-0

                            Round Five, Sept. 19

                            Dominguez-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
                            Firouzja-So 0.5-0.5
                            Grischuk-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
                            Nepo-Xiong 0-1
                            Aronian-Harikrishna 1-0

                            Round Six, Sept. 19

                            Carlsen-Harikrishna 1-0
                            Xiong-Aronian 0.5-0.5
                            Nakamura-Nepo 0.5-0.5
                            So-Grischuk 0.5-0.5
                            Dominguez-Firouzja 0-1

                            Standings after Round Six

                            1 Carlsen 22
                            2 So 21
                            3 Nakamura 19
                            4-5 Aronian, Grischuk 17.5
                            6 Nepo 16.5
                            7 Xiong 15.5
                            8 Harikrishna 14
                            9-10 Dominguez, Firouzja 11

                            Round 4, Sept. 19
                            Firouzja, Alireza – Nakamura, Hikaru
                            C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

                            1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.O-O Bd6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 Qe7 9.Nbd2 Bg4 10.Nc4 O-O-O 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qe2 g5 13.Bg3 g4 14.hxg4 Bxg4 15.Bh4 Rdg8 16.d4 exd4 17.e5 Rg6 18.Rae1 Rhg8 19.Bg3 Nh5 20.exd6 Qxe2 21.Rxe2 Bxf3 22.gxf3 cxd6 23.Kh2 Nxg3 24.fxg3 b5 25.Na5 Kc7 26.Rg1 Kb6 27.Nb3 c5 28.Re7 Rf6 29.Nd2 h5 30.Kg2 d5 31.Rh1 Rg5 32.Kf2 Rfg6 33.Nf1 Rf5 34.Re8 Re6 35.Rxe6+ fxe6 36.Rh4 e5 37.Ke2 c4 38.b4 a5 39.a3 axb4 40.axb4 Kc6 41.Nd2 Kd6 42.Rh1 Rf8 43.Rxh5 Ra8 44.Rh6+ Ke7 45.Rh5 Kd6 46.Rh6+ Ke7 47.Rh5 Ra2 48.Kd1 Ra1+ 49.Ke2 Rc1 50.Rxe5+ Kd6 51.Rh5 Rxc2 52.Kd1 Ra2 53.Rh6+ Kc7 54.Rh7+ Kd6 55.Rh6+ Ke7 56.Rh7+ Ke6 57.Rh6+ Kf7 58.Rh7+ Kg6 59.Rd7 d3 60.Ke1 c3 61.Nb3 Rb2 62.Rxd5 Rxb3 63.Rxd3 Rb1+ 0-1

                            Incredibly painful loss for Alireza Firouzja, who loses despite having been a clear piece up against Hikaru Nakamura!

                            Position after White’s 58.Rh7+

                            

                            Round 4, Sept. 19
                            So, Wesley – Dominguez, Leinier
                            A06 Reti Opening

                            1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 b6 5.Bb2 Bb7 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4 Bd6 9.g3 Qe7 10.Bg2 a6 11.O-O O-O-O 12.a4 h5 13.a5 b5 14.h4 Ne4 15.Qc2 Kb8 16.Rfc1 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 f6 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Rc2 Rdg8 20.Qd2 g5 21.Ba3 Bxa3 22.Rxa3 Nf8 23.Qc3 Rh7 24.hxg5 h4 25.Nxh4 fxg5 26.Nf3 g4 27.Ne5 Rgh8 28.Nc6+ Kc8 29.Na7+ Kb8 30.Nc6+ Kc8 31.Qc5 Qf6 32.Qxd5 1-0

                            Round 5, Sept. 19
                            Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Xiong, Jeffery
                            C24 Bishop’s Opening, Berlin Defence

                            1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.f4 d6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Na4 Bb6 8.Nxb6 axb6 9.a3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.O-O O-O 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Nxf4 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.Qxf4 Qd4+ 16.Rf2 Qxb2 17.Re1 Qxa3 18.Qxc7 Qc5 19.Qxb7 Ra7 20.Bxf7+ Kh8 21.d4 Qxd4 22.Re8 Rxe8 23.Qxc6 Rf8 0-1

                            - To grab one pawn on b7 with your queen vs. Xiong and get it immediately trapped may be regarded as a misfortune, to do it twice in one tournament looks like carelessness!

                            Position after White’s 19.Qxb7

                            

                            Round 5, Sept. 19
                            Aronian, Levon – Harikrishna, Pentala
                            B50 Sicilian

                            1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.h3 g6 5.Bd3 Bg7 6.Bc2 e5 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 O-O 9.O-O cxd4 10.Nxd4 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Bf4 Nc6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Nc3 e3 17.fxe3 Bf5 18.Rac1 Bd3 19.Rfd1 c5 20.Na4 c4 21.b3 cxb3 22.axb3 Be2 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Rc7 h6 25.Nc5 Re8 26.Kf2 Bb5 27.Rxa7 g5 28.Bg3 Rc8 29.b4 Bf8 30.Ra5 Bc4 31.Kg1 Rb8 32.Nd7 Bxb4 33.Ra4 Bb3 34.Ra6 Rd8 35.Nf6+ Kg7 36.Rb6 Rd1+ 37.Kh2 Bc3 1-0

                            Round 6, Sept. 19
                            Carlsen, Magnus – Harikrishna, Pentala
                            C02 French, Advance, Milner-Barry Gambit

                            1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.O-O Bd7 8.Nbd2 Rc8 9.Nb3 dxc3 10.bxc3 Qc7 11.Re1 Nge7 12.h4 Ng6 13.Qe2 Be7 14.h5 Ngxe5 15.Nxe5 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Bf6 18.Re3 Rxc3 19.Rb1 d4 20.Rg3 O-O 21.Bb2 Rfc8 22.Bxc3 dxc3 23.Rd1 Bc6 24.Bc2 Kf8 25.Re3 b6 26.Nd4 Bd5 27.a4 g6 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Nb5 Rc4 30.Nxa7 Rb4 31.Nb5 Rb2 32.Rc1 Bg5 33.Nxc3 Bxe3 34.fxe3 Bc6 35.Be4 Bd7 36.Bd3 Bc6 37.Rc2 Rb4 38.Bb5 Bxb5 39.axb5 Rc4 40.Kf2 Ke7 41.Ke2 f5 42.Kd3 Rb4 43.Ra2 Kf6 44.Ra6 Rb2 45.Rxb6 Rxg2 46.Nd5+ Ke5 47.Nf4 1-0

                            - Magnus scores an impressive win against Hari's French to take a 1-point lead with just 3 rounds to go!

                            Round 6, Sept. 19
                            Dominguez, Leinier – Firouzja, Alireza
                            B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer

                            1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.f3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Be7 11.h4 Qc7 12.Kb1 b5 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Bd3 b4 15.Ne2 a5 16.g4 h5 17.gxh5 Nxh5 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.Rhg1 g6 20.Qg5+ Nf6 21.Nf4 Qc5 22.Rde1 Qxg5 23.hxg5 Ne8 24.Rh1 Nc7 25.Bc4 Bb5 26.Bxb5 Rxh1 27.Rxh1 Rxb5 28.Rg1 e5 29.Nd3 Ne6 30.b3 Rb8 31.Kb2 Rh8 32.a3 bxa3+ 33.Kxa3 Nd4 34.f4 Nxc2+ 35.Ka4 Rh3 36.Rd1 Ne3 37.Rd2 exf4 38.Nxf4 Rh4 39.Nd5+ Nxd5 40.Rxd5 Rxe4+ 41.Kxa5 Ke6 42.Rb5 d5 43.b4 d4 44.Rb8 d3 45.Re8+ Kd5 46.Rd8+ Kc4 47.b5 Re5 48.Rc8+ Rc5 49.Rb8 d2 0-1



                            Comment


                            • #15
                              St. Louis Rapid and Blitz 2020

                              September 19, 2020

                              Blitz Rounds One to Nine (II) (continued)


                              Round Seven, Sept. 19


                              Carlsen-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
                              Grischuk-Dominguez 0.5-0.5
                              Nepomniachtchi-So 0-1
                              Nakamura-Aronian 0.5-0.5
                              Harikrishna-Xiong 1-0

                              Round Eight, Sept 19

                              Xiong-Carlsen 0-1
                              Nakamura-Harikrishna 0.5-0.5
                              So-Aronian 1-0
                              Dominguez-Nepo 0.5-0.5
                              Firouzja-Grischuk 1-0

                              Round Nine, Sept. 19

                              Grischuk-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
                              Nepo-Firouzja 1-0
                              Aronian-Dominguez 0.5-0.5
                              Harikrishna-So 0-1
                              Nakamura-Xiong 1-0

                              Final Standings

                              1-2 Carlsen, So 24
                              3 Nakamura 21
                              4-5 Grischuk, Aronian 18.5
                              6 Nepo 18
                              7-8 Harikrishna, Xiong 15.5
                              9-10 Dominguez, Firouzja 12.5

                              Round 7, Sept. 19
                              Nepomniachtchi, Ian – So, Wesley
                              C26 Vienna, Falkbeer variation

                              1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3 Bc5 6.Bf4 O-O 7.O-O-O Re8 8.f3 d6 9.Qd2 Be6 10.Kb1 a6 11.Nge2 b5 12.Nc1 Ne5 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 b4 16.N3e2 a5 17.Nf4 a4 18.h4 Qe7 19.g4 a3 20.b3 Bxg4 21.fxg4 Nexg4 22.Qd4 c5 23.Qxd6 Qxd6 24.Rxd6 Nxe4 25.Rd7 Ngf2 26.Bc4 Nxh1 27.Bxf7+ Kh7 28.Nce2 Nhg3 29.Bg6+ Kh8 0-1

                              - Wesley So wins a great attacking game against Ian Nepomniachtchi to move within half a point of Magnus again with now just 2 rounds to go!

                              Round 7, Sept. 19
                              Harikrishna, Pentala – Xiong, Jeffery
                              B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Kristiansen Attack

                              1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Ng3 b5 10.Bg5 Be6 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 g6 14.a5 Nbd7 15.Bc4 Nc5 16.Bd2 Rb8 17.b3 Qc7 18.Qe1 Qb7 19.f4 exf4 20.Bxf4 Rfe8 21.Qf2 Nfe4 22.Qf3 f5 23.Nxe4 Nxe4 24.g4 Bf6 25.Rad1 fxg4 26.Qxg4 Bg7 27.Kg2 Re7 28.Rde1 Rbe8 29.Re3 Qc7 30.Rfe1 Kh8 31.Qf3 Nc5 32.Rxe7 Rxe7 33.Rxe7 Qxe7 34.Qe3 Qd7 35.Qh3 Qd8 36.Be3 Be5 37.Qf3 Kg7 38.Qg4 Qxa5 39.h4 Qa2 40.Bxc5 Qxc2+ 41.Bf2 h5 42.Qe2 Qf5 43.Qf3 Qc8 44.Bg3 Bxg3 45.Qxg3 Qf5 46.Qxd6 Qe4+ 47.Kf2 Qd4+ 48.Ke2 Qe4+ 49.Kd2 Qd4+ 50.Bd3 Qc3+ 51.Ke3 Qc1+ 52.Ke4 Qe1+ 53.Kd4 Qc3+ 54.Ke3 Qe1+ 55.Kf3 Qd1+ 56.Be2 Qh1+ 57.Kf2 Qxh4+ 58.Ke3 Qg5+ 59.Kf2 Qh4+ 60.Kg2 Qe4+ 61.Bf3 Qc2+ 62.Kg3 Qc3 63.Qe7+ Kh6 64.d6 g5 65.d7 h4+ 66.Kg4 Qd4+ 67.Kh3 g4+ 68.Bxg4 1-0

                              Round 8, Sept. 19
                              Xiong, Jeffery – Carlsen, Magnus
                              A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

                              1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 d6 5.d4 e4 6.Nfd2 d5 7.c4 Ne7 8.Be2 h5 9.Ba3 c6 10.Nc3 Nf5 11.Bxf8 Kxf8 12.Qc1 g6 13.Qa3+ Kg7 14.h3 Be6 15.Rc1 a6 16.Qb4 Rb8 17.cxd5 cxd5 18.Na4 Nd7 19.Nc5 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Qg5 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qc3 a5 23.O-O Ne7 24.Kg2 Qxc3 25.Rxc3 h4 26.g4 f5 27.f3 d4 28.exd4 Nd5 29.Nb1 Nf4+ 30.Kf2 Nxh3+ 31.Ke1 exf3 32.Rfxf3 fxg4 33.Rfe3 Bf5 34.Nd2 Nf4 35.Bc4 Ng2+ 0-1

                              Well, 1.b3 worked for Nepo against Carlsen…

                              Round 8, Sept. 19
                              So, Wesley – Aronian, Levon
                              A13 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

                              1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3 c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8.O-O O-O 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bc7 11.Nd2 Qd6 12.N4f3 Bg4 13.Rc1 Rfe8 14.h3 Bh5 15.Re1 Rac8 16.Nf1 Ba5 17.Re2 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nh5 19.Rec2 Qg6+ 20.Kh1 Qf5 21.Kg2 Re6 22.f4 Rg6+ 23.Kh2 Qe4 24.Ng3 Nxg3 25.Bd3 Qe6 26.Bxg6 hxg6 27.Kxg3 Re8 28.Rc5 d4 29.Rxc6 bxc6 30.Qxd4 f6 31.Qxa7 Bd2 32.Rd1 Bb4 33.Qd7 Qxd7 34.Rxd7 Ra8 35.a4 Rb8 36.Rc7 c5 37.Rd7 Ba5 38.Rd5 Rxb3 39.Rxc5 Bb6 40.Rb5 Rxb5 41.axb5 Kf7 42.e4 Ke6 43.Ba3 f5 44.f3 Bd4 45.Bb4 Kd7 46.exf5 gxf5 47.Kh4 Kc7 48.Kg5 Kb6 49.Bd6 Kxb5 50.Be5 1-0

                              Round 8, Sept. 19
                              Firouzja, Alireza – Grischuk, Alexander
                              C28 Vienna game

                              1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.d3 Bb4 5.Bd2 Bxc3 6.Bxc3 d5 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Nf3 O-O 9.O-O Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Re1 Re8 12.Qe2 Qd6 13.Qe4 Nf6 14.Qf5 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Re7 16.Re3 a6 17.Rae1 Rae8 18.a4 h6 19.g3 a5 20.R3e2 b6 21.Bb5 Nd5 22.Bxc6 Qxc6 23.Rxe5 Rxe5 24.Rxe5 Rxe5 25.Bxe5 Qe6 26.Qe4 f6 27.Bf4 Kf7 28.c4 Qxe4 29.dxe4 Nxf4 30.gxf4 Ke6 31.Kg2 Kd6 32.Kg3 Kc5 33.Kg4 g6 34.f5 h5+ 35.Kf4 g5+ 36.Ke3 Kxc4 37.e5 Kd5 38.e6 Kd6 39.f3 c6 40.Kd4 Ke7 41.Kc4 Kd6 42.b4 axb4 43.Kxb4 Ke7 44.a5 bxa5+ 45.Kxa5 Kd6 46.Kb6 h4 47.Ka5 Kc7 48.Kb4 Kc8 49.Kc4 Kd8 50.Kd4 Kc8 51.Kc5 Kc7 52.e7 Kd7 53.e8=Q+ Kxe8 54.Kxc6 Ke7 55.Kc7 1-0

                              Round 9, Sept. 19
                              Nepomniachtchi, Ian – Firouzja, Alireza
                              A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

                              1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 e4 5.d5 exf3 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.gxf3 Nf6 8.Qd4 Be6 9.Rg1 c5 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Nc3 Rg8 12.Ne4 f6 13.e3 Kf7 14.O-O-O Nb6 15.Qa5 Qe7 16.Bb5 h6 17.Bc6 Rd8 18.Qxa7 d5 19.Nc3 Qd6 20.Bb7 Be7 21.Qa6 c4 22.Nb5 Qxh2 23.Nd4 Qxf2 24.e4 Bc8 25.Bxc8 Rxc8 26.exd5 Ra8 27.Qb7 Bd6 28.Nf5 Bf4+ 29.Kb1 Rxa2 30.Qc6 Rxb2+ 31.Kxb2 Be5+ 32.Kb1 1-0

                              Round 9, Sept. 19
                              Harikrishna, Pentala – So, Wesley
                              B50 Sicilian

                              1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.Bb5+ Nbd7 7.Re1 a6 8.Bf1 b5 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Bb7 11.Bd3 O-O 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Nh5 15.Nc3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 e6 17.Qe2 g4 18.Nh2 b4 19.Nd1 h5 20.d5 Qf6 21.Rc1 Nc5 22.e5 Qg5 23.Ne3 Qxe5 24.Bb1 Qxb2 25.Qc4 a5 26.Nhf1 Ba6 27.Qf4 Qe5 28.Nf5 Qxf4 29.Ne7+ Kh8 30.gxf4 Bb2 31.Rxc5 dxc5 32.dxe6 Bc3 33.Rd1 Rad8 34.Ng6+ fxg6 35.e7 Rde8 36.exf8=Q+ Rxf8 37.Bxg6 Rxf4 38.Ng3 Bd4 39.Nxh5 Rxf2 40.Kh2 Be5+ 41.Kg1 Bd4 42.Rxd4 Rf1+ 43.Kh2 cxd4 0-1

                              Congratulations to Magnus Carlsen and Wesley So on tying for 1st in the Rapid/Blitz! Wesley got the job done when needed, winning the final 3 games

                              Tarjei Svensen:

                              Carlsen now on 8 major wins online in 2020:

                              St Louis Rapid & Blitz (*)
                              Chess 9LX (*)
                              Grand Final
                              c24 Legends of Chess
                              Chessable Masters
                              Steinitz Memorial
                              Clutch Chess
                              MC Invitational

                              Wesley So: "A very shocking day. I’d like to thank Ian, because he played very aggressively in our game and I offered a draw, but he declined. I wasn’t expecting anything, I was just hoping to secure

                              Magnus: "Today I was frankly not in good shape at all... with that in mind I'm actually pretty happy with the result I managed to put up!"

                              Magnus: "Not to be too salty, but if I hadn't lost a game by disconnect there wouldn't even have been an issue at the end!"

                              Prize Money

                              1-2 Carlsen, So $45,000 each
                              3 Nakamura $35,000
                              4-5 Aronian, Grischuk $27,000 each
                              6 Nepomniachtchi $20,000
                              7-8 Xiong, Harikrishna $14,000
                              9-10 Firouzja, Dominguez $11,000 each

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X