Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 12, 2020

Round Three, 1+1 (continued)

Game 25, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Indian variation

1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.d4 b6 6.Be2 Bb7 7.O-O e6 8.c4 d6 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rad1 Qe7 12.Rfe1 a6 13.e4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Rfd8 15.Bf1 Nc5 16.g3 Rac8 17.Bg2 h5 18.h3 h4 19.g4 e5 20.Nf3 Ne6 21.Bc1 Nh7 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 Neg5 24.Nd4 Qf6 25.Nc6 Re8 26.Qd3 e4 27.Bxe4 Qc3 28.Kg2 Nxe4 29.Rxe4 Qxd3 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.Rxd3 Re2 32.a4 Nf6 33.Bf4 Bf8 34.Bg5 Nd7 35.Re3 Rb2 36.Bxh4 Nc5 37.b4 Nxa4 38.Bf6 1-0

Game 26, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deterred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d6 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 Bg4 12.Be3 Nge7 13.Nc3 O-O 14.Ne2 d5 15.e5 Nf5 16.Bxf5 Bxf5 17.Ng3 Bd7 18.Qd2 f6 19.exf6 Qxf6 20.Rfc1 Bg4 21.Ra6 Rb6 22.Rxb6 cxb6 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Qxe5 25.Bxb6 Qxb2 26.Qxd5+ Kh8 27.Re1 b4 28.h3 Bc8 29.Bc5 Rg8 30.Ne4 h6 31.Nd6 b3 32.Kh2 Qc2 33.Bd4 b2 34.Bxg7+ Rxg7 35.Nxc8 Qxc8 36.Qb5 Qc7+ 37.g3 Qb7 38.Qe8+ Kh7 39.Rb1 Qb6 40.Qe2 Rb7 41.h4 h5 42.Kg2 Qd4 43.Qc2 Qf6 44.Kh2 Kg7 45.Kg2 Qd4 46.Kh2 Kh6 47.Kg2 Kh7 48.Kh2 Qb4 49.Kg2 Qa3 50.Kh2 Qa2 51.Kg2 Qa8 52.Kh2 Qb8 53.Kg2 Rb6 54.Kh2 Rb4 55.Kg2 Kg7 56.Kh2 Rxh4+ 57.Kg1 Rb4 58.Qc3+ Kh7 59.Qc2 Qb7 60.Qd3 h4 61.Qc3 h3 62.f3 Rb3 63.Qf6 Rxf3 64.Rxb2 Qa7+ 65.Qb6 Rxg3+ 66.Kh2 Qxb6 67.Rxb6 Rd3 68.Rb5 Kh6 69.Rb4 Kh5 70.Rb5+ g5 71.Rb4 g4 0-1

Game 27, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
A05 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 g6 3.Bb2 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.O-O b6 8.c4 Bb7 9.Nc3 e6 10.Qc2 c5 11.Rad1 Qe7 12.Rfe1 a6 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Nd2 Rfd8 15.Bf3 Rac8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Qb1 d5 18.cxd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Rxd5 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Nf3 Rcd8 22.h4 h6 23.Rxd5 Qxd5 24.Qb2+ Kg8 25.Qc3 Ne4 26.Qc7 Qd6 27.Qxd6 Rxd6 28.Rc1 Kg7 29.Kf1 a5 30.Ke2 Nc5 31.Nd2 Nd3 32.Rc7 b5 33.Ne4 Rd8 34.g4 a4 35.bxa4 bxa4 36.g5 h5 37.Rc4 a3 38.Rc3 Nb4 39.Rxa3 Rc8 40.Rc3 Ra8 41.a3 Nd5 42.Rb3 Ra4 43.f3 Kf8 44.Rb8+ Ke7 45.Rb7+ Kf8 46.Nd6 Rxa3 47.Rxf7+ Kg8 48.e4 Nc3+ 49.Kf2 Nb5 50.Rd7 Rd3 51.Rd8+ Kh7 52.Nf7 Rxd8 53.Nxd8 Nc7 54.Ke3 Kg7 55.Kd4 Kf8 56.Ke5 Ke7 57.Nc6+ Kf7 58.Nd4 Ke7 59.f4 Kf7 60.Kd6 Ne8+ 61.Kd7 1-0

Game 28, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.e3 c5 5.Be2 Nc6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.O-O cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Bf3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Bc6 11.Rd1 Qb6 12.Qe5 Nf6 13.Bxc6+ Qxc6 14.Nc3 Be7 15.b3 Nd7 16.Rxd7 Bf6 17.Re7+ Kxe7 18.Ba3+ Ke8 0-1

4 wins in a row now for Hikaru, who is almost home and dry!

Game 29, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
A04 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nc6 3.Bb2 d6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.e3 e5 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.c4 Be7 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O a5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Qc2 Nd7 13.Na4 Qc7 14.Rfd1 f5 15.Rac1 c5 16.Nc3 Nf6 17.Bf3 e4 18.Be2 Qc6 19.Nb5 Rfd8 20.Rd2 a4 21.Rcd1 axb3 22.axb3 Ne8 23.Qb1 Rd7 24.f3 Rad8 25.fxe4 fxe4 26.Kh1 Bg5 27.Bf1 Bg4 28.Re1 Bf6 29.Be2 Be6 30.Nc3 Rb8 31.Qc2 Be5 32.Nxe4 Bxb2 33.Bf3 Bf5 34.Nf6+ Nxf6 35.Qxf5 Qa6 36.Rxb2 Re7 37.Qd3 Kh8 38.Rd2 Rb6 39.e4 h6 40.e5 Rxe5 41.Rxe5 dxe5 42.Qd8+ Kh7 43.Qd3+ Kh8 44.Qd8+ Kh7 45.Qd3+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

Game 30, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C25 Vienna, Hamppe-Muzio Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4 g4 6.O-O gxf3 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qxf3 Qh4 9.d4 Nxd4 10.Qd3 Ne6 11.Bxf4 Nxf4 12.Nd5 Bd6 13.Nxf4 Bxf4 14.g3 Qg5 15.Rxf4+ Ke7 16.Qd4 Nf6 17.Rf5 Qxf5 18.exf5 d5 19.Qe5+ Kf7 20.Re1 Re8 21.Qxc7+ Bd7 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Qxb7 Re2 24.Qxa7 Rxc2 25.Qd4 Bxf5 26.a4 Be4 27.h3 Nh5 28.Qe5 Rg2+ 29.Kf1 Nxg3+ 30.Ke1 Re2+ 0-1

Game 31, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
A47 Queen’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.c4 Bb7 4.Nc3 e6 5.Qc2 d5 6.e3 Be7 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.a3 Nd7 9.Nxd5 Bxd5 10.Bb5 O-O 11.O-O c5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Rd1 a6 14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.dxc5 Qc7 16.Be3 bxc5 17.Rac1 Rac8 18.Nd2 Rfd8 19.Nc4 h6 20.f3 Bf6 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Rd1 Bd4 23.Bxd4 cxd4 24.b3 h5 25.a4 h4 26.Qf2 h3 27.Rxd4 hxg2 28.Kxg2 Rb8 29.Qg3 Qc8 30.a5 Bc6 31.Nb6 Qf8 32.Qc7 Bb5 33.Qd6 Qe8 34.e5 g6 35.h4 Kg7 36.Qc7 Qh8 37.Qe7 Qh6 38.Qf6+ Kg8 39.Rf4 Rf8 40.Kg3 Qh5 41.Rd4 Bc6 42.Nc4 Rb8 43.Rd8+ Rxd8 44.Qxd8+ Kg7 45.Qf6+ Kg8 46.Nd6 Qh7 47.Qd8+ Kg7 48.Qf6+ Kg8 49.Nc8 Bb5 50.b4 Qh6 51.Qd8+ Kg7 52.Qf6+ Kg8 53.Nd6 Qe3 54.Qxf7+ Kh8 55.Qf8+ Kh7 56.Qe7+ Kh8 57.Qf8+ Kh7 58.Qf7+ Kh8 59.Qf6+ Kh7 60.Qe7+ Kh8 61.Qd8+ Kh7 62.Qc7+ Kh8 63.Nf7+ Kg8 64.Ng5 Qg1+ 65.Kf4 Qh2+ 66.Ke3 Qe2+ 67.Kd4 Qf2+ 68.Kc3 Qe1+ 69.Kc2 Qe2+ 70.Kb3 Qd1+ 71.Kb2 Qd2+ 72.Kb3 Qd1+ 73.Kb2 Qd2+ 74.Qc2 Qxb4+ 75.Kc1 Qe1+ 76.Kb2 Qb4+ 77.Qb3 Qd2+ 78.Ka3 Qxa5+ 79.Kb2 Qd2+ 80.Qc2 Qb4+ 81.Kc1 Qe1+ 82.Kb2 Qxe5+ 83.Kb3 Qd5+ 84.Kb4 Qd6+ 85.Ka5 Qd8+ 86.Kb4 Qe8 87.Qc7 Qf8+ 88.Ka5 Qa3+ 89.Kb6 Be8 90.Qh7+ Kf8 91.Nxe6# 1-0

Final Position



Result of Round Three 1+1 Nakamura-MVL 8-3

Final Result of Match Nakamura-MVL 18.5-12.5

Congratulations to Hikaru Nakamura on winning the 2020 #SpeedChess Championship after ending with 7.5/8 in the last 8 bullet games!

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 12, 2020

Round Two, 3+1 (continued)

Oops! After a great escape in the previous game Maxime blunders into a lightning fast 19-move loss

Tania: "Someone asking about the dog barking on my end - that's just an over-excited Maxime fan!"

Game 14, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 b5 8.Bc2 exd4 9.cxd4 O-O 10.h3 d6 11.Nc3 Na5 12.Bf4 Bb7 13.Qc1 c5 14.d5 b4 15.Ne2 Nc4 16.b3 Na3 17.Bh6 Nxc2 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qxc2 f6 20.Nf4 Bc8 21.Nd2 Bd7 22.Nc4 Nc8 23.a4 Qe7 24.Rfe1 Rb8 25.Nd3 g5 26.Re3 Be8 27.f4 Nb6 28.Nxb6 Rxb6 29.Rf1 Bg6 30.Nb2 gxf4 31.Rxf4 Rbb8 32.Nc4 Rbe8 33.Qf2 Qd8 34.Qg3 Kh8 35.Rh4 f5 36.exf5 Rxe3 37.Nxe3 Bxf5 38.Rh6 Qe7 39.Nxf5 Rxf5 40.Rxd6 Rg5 41.Qf4 c4 42.Re6 Qc5+ 1-0

Game 15, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.Bb3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.c3 Nbd7 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.Re1 O-O 11.Bc2 b5 12.d4 Qc7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Rfd8 16.Ng3 Nf8 17.Qe2 c4 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rxa8 Rxa8 20.h4 b4 21.cxb4 Nxb4 22.Bb1 Rd8 23.h5 Nd3 24.Bxd3 cxd3 25.Qe3 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Qc2 27.Qd2 Nd7 28.Kg2 Nc5 29.Nf1 Nb3 30.Qf4 Rd4 31.Qe3 h6 32.f4 Bb4 0-1

MVL wins a 2nd game in a row and we're level again at 7.5:7.5!

Game 16, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O h6 7.Nbd2 a5 8.Re1 O-O 9.Nf1 Be6 10.Bb5 Ne7 11.d4 exd4 12.cxd4 Bb6 13.Ng3 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Bd3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Bg4 17.Bc2 c5 18.dxc5 Bxc5 19.Be3 Rc8 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 21.Qd2 Qc7 22.Bd3 Nc6 23.Qe3 Nb4 24.Nd4 Nxd3 25.Qxd3 Qb6 26.f3 Bd7 27.Qd2 Rfc8 28.Kh2 Qg6 29.g4 h5 30.gxh5 Qxh5+ 31.Kg1 a4 32.Qf2 a3 33.bxa3 Rc3 34.Rab1 b5 35.a4 bxa4 36.Rb7 R3c7 37.Rxc7 Rxc7 38.Qg3 Rc4 39.e6 fxe6 40.Nxe6 Bxe6 41.Rxe6 Rc1+ 42.Re1 Qh6 43.Qb8+ Kh7 44.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 45.Kh2 d4 46.Qe5 Qh6+ 47.Kg3 Qg6+ 48.Kf2 Qc2+ 49.Kg3 Qg6+ 50.Kf2 Qc2+ 51.Kg3 Qg6+ 1/2-1/2

Game 17, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.O-O b6 7.Bb3 Bb7 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.Re1 Nbd7 10.c3 O-O 11.d4 Qc7 12.e5 Nd5 13.Ne4 dxe5 14.dxe5 Rfd8 15.Bc2 c4 16.Qe2 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Qxc4 Rac8 19.Qf1 Qc7 20.Bg5 h6 21.Bxe7 Nxe7 22.Qe2 Ng6 23.Qe3 Ne5 24.Qe2 Nc4 25.b3 Nd6 26.c4 Nf5 27.f3 Nd4 28.Qf2 Bxe4 29.Rxe4 Qc5 30.Bd1 Rd7 31.a5 bxa5 32.Qe3 Rcd8 33.Kh1 Qb4 34.Qe1 Nxb3 35.Qxb4 Nxa1 36.Qxa5 Rxd1+ 37.Re1 Rxe1+ 38.Qxe1 Nc2 39.Qe2 Nd4 40.Qa2 Nf5 41.Kg1 Rd6 42.c5 Rc6 43.Qa5 Kh7 44.Kf2 Ne7 45.Qb4 Nd5 46.Qd4 Rc7 47.f4 g6 48.g4 Kg8 49.f5 gxf5 50.gxf5 Rc6 51.f6 Kf8 52.Qe5 Ke8 53.Qb8+ Kd7 54.Qf8 Rxc5 55.Qxc5 1-0

In a great position MVL goes for a brilliancy... but he probably missed that 37...Nc2 can be defended by 38.Rg1, and it's Hikaru who went on to win and take the lead again!

Game 18, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 Nge7 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 d6 10.h3 O-O 11.Nc3 Na5 12.Bf4 Bb7 13.Qc1 f5 14.Bh6 fxe4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Bxe4 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd5 18.Re1 Qd7 19.b3 Rae8 20.Ng3 Rxe1+ 21.Qxe1 Nc6 22.Qe4 Nf6 23.Qh4 Re8 24.Re1 Rxe1+ 25.Nxe1 Qe7 26.Nc2 Qe6 27.Qf4 Ne7 28.Qf3 Ned5 29.Ne3 h5 30.Nxd5 Nxd5 31.Ne4 Qf5 32.Qe2 Qe6 33.Qc2 Qf5 34.a3 h4 35.b4 Kh6 36.f3 Qf4 37.Qc6 Qe3+ 38.Kh2 Qxd4 39.Qxa6 Qe5+ 40.Kg1 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 Ne3 42.Qxb5 d5 43.Nd2 Qe1 44.Qd3 Qg3+ 0-1

Game 19, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.Nbd2 Nbd7 8.O-O g6 9.Re1 Bg7 10.Nf1 O-O 11.Ng3 Rc8 12.d4 cxd4 13.cxd4 e5 14.d5 Nc5 15.Bc2 b4 16.a3 a5 17.axb4 axb4 18.Be3 Qb6 19.Nd2 Qb5 20.b3 Ra8 21.Nc4 Rxa1 22.Qxa1 Ra8 23.Qb2 Ra6 24.Ra1 Nfd7 25.Rxa6 Qxa6 26.Bd2 Bf8 27.Bxb4 Qb5 28.Bd2 Ba6 29.h3 h5 30.Qc3 h4 31.Nf1 Nf6 32.f3 Nh5 33.Be3 Nf4 34.Kh2 Ne2 35.Qb2 Nd4 36.Nfd2 Qb4 37.Bd1 Bxc4 38.Nxc4 Qe1 39.Qd2 Qg3+ 40.Kg1 Ncxb3 41.Qf2 Nc5 42.Qxg3 hxg3 43.Bg5 f5 44.exf5 gxf5 45.Be3 f4 46.Bxd4 exd4 47.Nd2 d3 48.Ne4 Nd7 49.Kf1 Ne5 50.Ke1 Nc4 51.Ba4 Ne3 52.Kd2 Nxg2 53.Kxd3 Nh4 54.Ke2 Bg7 0-1

Game 20, Dec. 12
MLV – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 Nge7 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Re1+ Be6 12.Nc3 O-O 13.Bg5 Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qd7 15.Nd2 b4 16.Ne4 bxc3 17.Nf6+ Bxf6 18.Bxf6 Bd5 19.Re3 Qd6 20.Be5 Nxe5 21.dxe5 Qc5 22.Qe1 Rab8 23.Rxc3 Qa5 24.Bb3 Rfe8 25.Re3 Qxe1+ 26.Raxe1 Bxb3 27.axb3 Rb5 28.g3 Reb8 29.Rc1 Rxb3 30.Rxb3 Rxb3 31.Rxc7 g5 32.Ra7 Rb5 33.Rxa6 Rxe5 1/2-1/2

Round Two 3+1 Score Nakamura-MVL 5-5

Match Score Nakamura-MVL 10.5-9.5

Round Three 1+1

Game 21, Dec. 12
Hikaru, Nakamura – MVL
A04 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 e6 4.e3 Be7 5.d4 b6 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.O-O d5 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.c4 O-O 10.Qe2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc5 12.Bc2 dxc4 13.Nxc4 Qd5 14.f3 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Qh5 16.b4 Ncd7 17.a3 Rac8 18.Bb3 Bd5 19.Rac1 Nf8 20.e4 Bb7 21.Ne5 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Bd6 23.Ndc6 Bxc6 24.g4 Bb5 25.Qxb5 Qh6 26.Re1 Ng6 27.Re2 Bxe5 28.Bxe5 Qg5 0-1

MVL wins the first bullet game and we're level again with less than 30 mins to go!

Game 22, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
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 h6 8.Re1 a5 9.Nf1 Bb6 10.Bb3 Be6 11.Bc2 Re8 12.Ng3 d5 13.h3 d4 14.Qe2 a4 15.c4 a3 16.bxa3 Nd7 17.Rb1 Ba5 18.Rf1 Nc5 19.Nh2 Ne7 20.Ng4 Ng6 21.Nh5 Ra6 22.g3 f5 23.exf5 Bxf5 24.Rb5 e4 25.Rxc5 exd3 26.Qf3 Be4 27.Qxe4 Rxe4 28.Bxd3 Ree6 29.Rd5 Qe8 30.c5 Kh7 31.Nf4 Re4 32.Bxa6 bxa6 33.c6 Bb6 34.Rd7 Kg8 35.Nh5 Qe6 36.Nxg7 Qxc6 37.Nf5 Re6 38.Ngxh6+ Kf8 39.Rg7 Ke8 40.Bg5 d3 41.Ng4 Nf8 42.Be3 Bxe3 43.Ngxe3 Qc5 44.Rg4 d2 45.Ng7+ Kf7 46.Nxe6 Nxe6 47.Rd1 Qxa3 48.Rxd2 c5 49.Rd7+ Ke8 50.Ra7 Kf8 51.Rh4 Kg8 52.Kg2 Qxa2 53.Re4 Qb3 54.Re7 Nd4 55.Re8+ Kf7 56.R4e7+ Kg6 57.h4 Qb6 58.g4 Qc6+ 59.Re4 Kf7 60.Re5 c4 61.Nd5 Nb5 62.Rf5+ Kg7 63.Re7+ Kg8 64.Re4 c3 65.Ne7+ 1-0

Game 23, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B35 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Uogele variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 O-O 8.Bb3 d6 9.h3 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bd7 11.O-O Bc6 12.Qd3 a5 13.a3 Nd7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ba2 Qb6 16.Rab1 Rac8 17.Kh1 Nf6 18.f4 Rfd8 19.Rfe1 e6 20.Kh2 d5 21.e5 Ne4 22.Ne2 Bb5 23.Qd4 Qa6 24.Qe3 Rxc2 25.Nd4 Rcc8 26.Rbd1 Bd7 27.Bb1 Bc6 28.g4 Kg8 29.f5 Qb6 30.Re2 Qc7 31.Nf3 d4 32.Qf4 d3 33.Rxd3 Rxd3 34.Bxd3 Nc5 35.f6 Qd8 36.Bc2 Bxf3 37.Qxf3 Qd4 38.Qe3 Qxe3 39.Rxe3 Rd8 40.Rc3 b6 41.b4 axb4 42.axb4 Na6 43.Rc4 b5 44.Rc3 Nxb4 45.Be4 h6 46.h4 Nd5 47.Rc5 Ne3 48.Kg3 b4 49.Rb5 Nc4 50.g5 hxg5 51.hxg5 b3 52.Kf4 b2 53.Bb1 Rd1 54.Bc2 Rd4+ 55.Kf3 Rd5 56.Rb8+ Kh7 57.Rb7 Nxe5+ 58.Kf4 Rc5 59.Be4 Ra5 60.Rxb2 Nd7 61.Rb7 Ne5 62.Rc7 Kg8 63.Rb7 Kh7 64.Rb8 Nd7 65.Rd8 Ne5 66.Rf8 Rc5 67.Ra8 Rb5 68.Ra7 Rc5 69.Rb7 Ra5 1/2-1/2

Game 24, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d6 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 Nge7 12.d5 Nb4 13.Bb3 O-O 14.Nc3 Na6 15.Be3 Nc5 16.Bc2 b4 17.Bxc5 bxc3 18.Bd4 cxb2 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qd4+ f6 21.Rab1 c5 22.dxc6 Nxc6 23.Qc3 Qb6 24.Rfd1 Ne5 25.Rd2 Be6 26.Nd4 Ba2 27.Re1 Rfc8 28.Qa3 Rxc2 29.Nxc2 b1=Q 30.Rxd6 Q6b2 31.Qa7+ Rb7 0-1

Too many queens... Hikaru hits back and we're level again at 12:12!

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 12, 2020

Final

Nakamura-MVL

Round One, 5+1

Game 1, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bb3 e6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.Re1 O-O 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Bc2 Qc7 12.e5 Nd5 13.Ne4 cxd4 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Qxd4 Rac8 17.Bg5 Rc4 18.Qd3 g6 19.Rad1 Rfc8 20.Qe2 Qf8 21.Bb3 R4c7 22.Qd2 Nc5 23.Bc2 Rd7 24.Ne5 Rdc7 25.Ng4 h5 26.Ne5 Qg7 27.Bh4 Nd7 28.Nxg6 fxg6 29.Rxe6 Nf8 30.Rd6 Rd7 31.Rxd7 Nxd7 32.Qg5 Ne5 33.f4 Ne3 34.fxe5 Nxd1 35.Bb3+ Kh7 36.Bxd1 Rc5 37.Bg3 Rd5 38.Bc2 Qh6 39.Qxh6+ Kxh6 40.h4 Rd2 41.Bf4+ 1-0

Game 2, Dec. 12
MVL – 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.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 h5 11.Bf4 Be7 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Ng5 Rh6 14.Rfe1 Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 h4 17.g4 hxg3 18.fxg3 Ne7 19.h4 Nd5 20.Bc1 b5 21.c4 bxc4 22.Rd4 c3 23.Rc4 Rb8 24.Rxc6 Rb1 25.Kf2 Kd7 26.Rc5 Rh8 27.Ne4 Rhb8 28.Nxc3 Nxc3 29.Rxc3 R8b5 30.h5 Rd5 31.Bf4 Rxe1 32.Kxe1 Bg4 33.e6+ Kxe6 34.Rc6+ Kf5 35.h6 gxh6 36.Rxc7 Ra5 37.Rxf7+ Kg6 38.Rc7 Rxa3 39.Rc6+ Kf5 40.Rxh6 Ra2 41.Kd2 Bf3 42.Ke3 Ra3+ 43.Kd4 Be2 44.Rc6 a5 45.c4 Rd3+ 46.Kc5 a4 47.Ra6 a3 48.Ra5 Kg4 49.Be5 Rd8 50.Kb4 Re8 51.Bd4 Kxg3 52.Rxa3+ Bf3 53.Ra7 Kf4 54.Rf7+ Ke4 55.Bb6 Bg2 56.Bc7 Rc8 57.Rf4+ Kd3 58.Bd6 Bc6 59.c5 Be4 60.Kb5 Ke3 61.Rh4 Bc6+ 62.Kb6 Bf3 63.Bc7 Re8 64.Rh6 Bd5 65.Rh3+ Kd4 66.Bd6 Rc8 67.Rh4+ Be4 68.Bc7 Re8 69.Rh2 Kc4 70.Rh6 Bd5 71.Bd6 Re6 72.Rh4+ Be4 73.Kc7 Kb5 74.Kd7 Bf5 75.Rf4 Bh3 76.Kc7 Rh6 77.Rf7 Bg2 78.Rf2 Rh7+ 79.Kd8 Bd5 80.Be7 Rf7 81.Rxf7 Bxf7 82.Kd7 Bd5 83.c6 Bxc6+ 1/2-1/2

Game 3, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bb3 e6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.O-O Be7 9.Re1 O-O 10.Bc2 Nbd7 11.d4 Qc7 12.e5 Nd5 13.Ne4 cxd4 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Qxd4 Rfc8 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bh4 Qf4 19.Qd3 N7f6 20.Bg3 Qc4 21.Qd1 Rd8 22.Ne5 Qc5 23.Qe2 Qb6 24.Rad1 Rac8 25.h3 Ne7 26.Kh2 Nf5 27.Bf4 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Nd5 29.Bc1 Qc7 30.Kg1 Rd8 31.Nf3 Nde7 32.Rxd8+ Qxd8 33.Qd1 Qd5 34.a3 Qxd1+ 35.Bxd1 Nd6 36.Ne5 Bd5 37.Nd3 Nc6 38.a4 Nb7 39.Nf4 Be4 40.f3 Bb1 41.axb5 axb5 42.Be2 Nd6 43.Nd3 Ba2 44.Bf4 Nb7 45.Ne5 Nxe5 46.Bxe5 Bc4 47.Bd1 f6 48.Bd4 e5 49.Bb6 Kf7 50.Kf2 Ke6 51.Ke3 Nd6 52.Bc5 g5 53.b3 Bd5 54.g3 Nf5+ 55.Kf2 h5 56.g4 hxg4 57.hxg4 Nh4 58.Be3 Ng6 59.Be2 Bxb3 60.Bxb5 Nf4 61.Bb6 Bd5 62.Ba6 Bc6 63.Bc4+ Bd5 64.Ba6 Bc6 65.Bc4+ Bd5 66.Ba6 1/2-1/2

Game 4, Dec. 12
MVL – 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.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 h5 11.Bf4 Be7 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Ng5 Rh6 14.Rfe1 Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 h4 17.g4 hxg3 18.fxg3 Ne7 19.h4 Nd5 20.Bc1 b5 21.Rd4 Nb6 22.Ne4 Rh5 23.Nc5 Rd8 24.Rxd8+ Kxd8 25.Nxe6+ fxe6 26.g4 Rh8 27.h5 Nd5 28.Bd2 Ke7 29.Kg2 c5 30.Kg3 c4 31.Rh1 c5 32.Rb1 Rb8 33.g5 b4 34.axb4 cxb4 35.cxb4 c3 36.Be1 Rxb4 37.Ra1 Nf4 38.Rxa7+ Kf8 39.Ra8+ Kf7 40.g6+ Ke7 41.Ra7+ Ke8 42.h6 Nh5+ 43.Kh3 gxh6 44.g7 Nxg7 45.Rxg7 Re4 1-0

Another day, another Berlin bites the dust and MVL has levelled the scores at 2:2!

Game 5, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bb3 e6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Re1 Be7 10.Bc2 Qc7 11.d4 Rc8 12.Bb1 O-O 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Rfd8 16.Ng3 Nf8 17.Qe2 c4 18.Nh5 Ng6 19.a3 Nb6 20.Nd4 Nd7 21.f4 Nc5 22.f5 Rxd4 23.cxd4 Nb3 24.fxg6 hxg6 25.Ra2 Nxd4 26.Qg4 gxh5 27.Qxh5 Nf5 28.Bxf5 exf5 29.Qxf5 Qc6 30.Qg4 Rd8 31.Be3 Bc5 32.e6 Rd2 33.exf7+ Kf8 34.b4 Bxe3+ 35.Rxe3 Rxa2 36.Re8+ Kxf7 37.Qh5+ g6 0-1

"A stunning game by Maxime!" (Tania)
MVL wins a 2nd game in a row to take the lead

Game 6, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O a5 7.Re1 h6 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Nf1 Ne7 10.Bb3 Ng6 11.d4 Bb6 12.h3 exd4 13.cxd4 d5 14.e5 Ne4 15.Be3 c6 16.N3d2 Nxd2 17.Nxd2 Bf5 18.Nf1 Nh4 19.Ng3 Bh7 20.Bc2 Bxc2 21.Qxc2 Qd7 22.a4 Rae8 23.Ra3 f6 24.Rb3 Ba7 25.exf6 Rxf6 26.Qc3 Rfe6 27.Ra3 Bb8 28.Raa1 Qd6 29.Bd2 Nf5 30.Rxe6 Rxe6 31.Re1 Nxg3 32.fxg3 Rxe1+ 33.Bxe1 Qe7 34.Bf2 Bc7 35.Qb3 Bd6 36.Kf1 Bb4 37.Qf3 Qe6 38.g4 b5 39.b3 bxa4 40.bxa4 Qe8 41.Qf5 Bc3 42.Qd3 Bb4 43.Qf5 Bc3 44.Qd3 Bb4 45.Qf5 1/2-1/2

Game 7, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.c3 b5 6.Bb3 e6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.O-O Be7 9.Re1 Nbd7 10.Bc2 Qc7 11.Nf1 O-O 12.Ng3 Rfe8 13.h3 Bf8 14.d4 Rac8 15.Bd3 e5 16.d5 c4 17.Bc2 g6 18.a4 Nc5 19.Be3 Nfd7 20.Nh2 Bg7 21.Qd2 Rf8 22.Bh6 f6 23.Ng4 Rf7 24.h4 Nf8 25.axb5 axb5 26.h5 Rb8 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.Bxg7 Kxg7 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.Qh4 Kg7 31.Re3 Bc8 32.Nh6 Nh7 33.Nxf7 Qxf7 34.f4 Bd7 35.f5 Rh8 36.fxg6 Qxg6 37.Nf5+ Bxf5 38.exf5 1-0

Game 8, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.O-O Nge7 7.d4 b5 8.Bb3 exd4 9.cxd4 d6 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Nd5 h6 12.h3 Na5 13.Nxe7+ Qxe7 14.Bc2 c5 15.Bf4 Rd8 16.d5 Nc4 17.b3 Na3 18.Rc1 f5 19.Re1 Nxc2 20.Qxc2 fxe4 21.Rxe4 Qf7 22.Qe2 Bb7 23.Rd1 Bxd5 24.Re7 Bxf3 25.Qe3 Qxe7 26.Qxe7 Bxd1 27.Qe4 Kh7 28.Qd3 Rf8 29.Be3 d5 30.Qxd1 d4 31.Bc1 c4 32.h4 d3 33.h5 g5 34.Qg4 Rae8 0-1

Game 9, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 g6 5.e5 dxe5 6.Nxe5 e6 7.Qf3 Nbd7 8.Bb5 Be7 9.Bxd7+ Bxd7 10.Qxb7 Rb8 11.Qf3 Qc7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.O-O O-O 14.Nd2 Ne5 15.Qg3 Rfc8 16.b3 Nc6 17.Qxc7 Rxc7 18.Nc4 Rd7 19.a3 Nd4 20.Ra2 g5 21.Be3 h5 22.Bxd4 Rxd4 23.Re1 Rc8 24.Raa1 Rc6 25.Re2 f6 26.g3 Kf7 27.Kg2 Rc7 28.h3 e5 29.Ne3 Kg6 30.g4 Bf8 31.f3 h4 32.Nf5 Rd8 33.Re4 a6 34.Ra4 Rc6 35.Kf2 Kf7 36.Ke2 Ke6 37.Rc4 Rdc8 38.Kd2 Be7 39.Re1 Kd7 40.f4 gxf4 41.Nxe7 Kxe7 42.Rxf4 Rd8 43.g5 1-0

Game 10, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.h4 h6 7.d3 Nge7 8.Ne2 b5 9.Bb3 Na5 10.h5 g5 11.g4 d5 12.Nh2 c5 13.c3 Nxb3 14.axb3 Be6 15.Qc2 O-O 16.Ng3 Qd7 17.Nf5 Rfd8 18.Nf1 c4 19.bxc4 dxe4 20.dxe4 Nxf5 21.gxf5 Bxc4 22.f3 Bd3 23.Qb3 Bf8 24.Be3 Qc6 25.Kf2 a5 26.Nh2 a4 27.Qa2 Bc5 28.Ng4 Bc4 29.Qb1 Rd2+ 30.Kg3 Bxe3 31.Nxe3 Rad8 32.Ng4 R8d3 33.Re1 Qd6 34.Re3 Rxe3 35.Nxe3 Re2 36.Ng4 Qd2 37.Qc1 Rg2+ 38.Kh3 Qe2 39.Qd1 Qxd1 40.Rxd1 Rxb2 41.Nxe5 a3 42.Nxc4 bxc4 43.Rd8+ Kg7 44.Ra8 Rb3 45.e5 a2 46.f6+ Kh7 47.Rxa2 Rxc3 48.Ra7 Rxf3+ 49.Kg2 Rf5 50.Rxf7+ Kg8 51.e6 c3 52.Rg7+ 1-0

"This game will drive Hikaru crazy!" (Leko)
Just when Nakamura looked certain to win a 4th game in a row and take a 3-point lead after the 5-minute section, MVL finds a way to win and cut the gap to 1 point!

Score after Round One 5+1

Nakamura-MVL 5.5-4.5

Round Two 3+1

Game 11, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.Bb3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Re1 Be7 9.c3 O-O 10.Nbd2 b5 11.Nf1 Nbd7 12.Ng3 Re8 13.d4 Qc7 14.h3 Bf8 15.Bc2 Rad8 16.axb5 axb5 17.Qe2 Bc6 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bd2 Qb7 20.Bd3 g6 21.Nh2 Bg7 22.Bc2 Ra8 23.Rad1 Ra2 24.Bc1 Ra1 25.e5 dxe5 26.dxe5 Nh7 27.f4 c4 28.Ne4 Bxe4 29.Bxe4 Qc7 30.Be3 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Nc5 32.Bc2 Bf8 33.Ng4 Rd8 34.Kh2 h5 35.Nf2 Be7 36.Ra1 Nf8 37.g4 hxg4 38.hxg4 g5 39.Rh1 gxf4 40.Bxf4 Bf6 41.Kg2 Bg7 42.Qe3 Ng6 43.Bxg6 fxg6 44.g5 Nd3 45.Nxd3 cxd3 46.Qe4 Qc4 47.Kf3 Rf8 48.Ke3 Rf5 49.Rd1 Bf8 50.Rxd3 Bc5+ 51.Kf3 Be7 52.Qxc4 bxc4 53.Rd4 Bxg5 54.Rxc4 Bxf4 55.Rxf4 Rxe5 56.b4 g5 57.Rd4 Kf7 58.Rd1 Ke7 59.c4 Rf5+ 60.Ke3 Rf4 61.Rc1 Kd6 62.c5+ Kc6 63.b5+ Kxb5 64.c6 Rf8 65.c7 Rc8 66.Ke4 Kb6 67.Ke5 Rxc7 68.Rb1+ Kc6 69.Kxe6 g4 70.Kf5 g3 71.Kf4 Rb7 72.Rc1+ Kd5 73.Kxg3 Rb3+ 1/2-1/2

Game 12, Dec. 12
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C70 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 b5 8.Bc2 exd4 9.cxd4 O-O 10.h3 d6 11.Nc3 Na5 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Bb7 14.Ne4 Nec6 15.Qe1 Nd4 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Qxa5 Bxe4 18.Rd1 Qxe5 19.Re1 f5 20.Bxe4 fxe4 21.Be3 c5 22.Rad1 Qxb2 23.Bxc5 Bc3 24.Qb6 Bxe1 25.Qe6+ Rf7 26.Rxe1 Qc2 27.Bd4 Rf8 28.Qe5 Rf6 29.Qd5+ R6f7 30.Qe5 Rf6 31.Qd5+ R6f7 32.Qe5 1/2-1/2

Game 13, Dec. 12
Nakamura, Hikaru – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.Bb3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Nbd2 Be7 9.Re1 O-O 10.c3 Nbd7 11.d4 b5 12.Bc2 Qc7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.Ng5 Qf6 18.Bxh7+ Kh8 19.Qh5 1-0

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 11, 2020

Round Three 1+1 (continued)

Game 23, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 Ne7 6.h3 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.b3 Ng6 9.a3 dxc4 10.bxc4 c5 11.g4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxg4 13.hxg4 Ndxe5 14.Be2 Bc5 15.Nb3 Qxd1+ 16.Nxd1 Bd6 17.Be3 Rc8 18.c5 Bb8 19.Nc3 Nd7 20.Ne4 O-O 21.Rd1 Rfd8 22.Nd6 Bxd6 23.cxd6 a6 24.Na5 b5 25.O-O Nde5 26.f4 Nc4 27.Bxc4 bxc4 28.Nb7 Rd7 29.Nc5 Rdd8 30.d7 Rc7 31.Rd6 c3 32.Rc1 Nxf4 33.Bxf4 Rxc5 34.Rd3 e5 35.Be3 Rc7 36.Rcxc3 Rxc3 37.Rxc3 Rxd7 38.Kf2 f6 39.Rc6 a5 40.Rc5 a4 41.Rc4 Kf7 42.Rxa4 Rd3 43.Ra7+ Ke6 44.a4 Ra3 45.a5 g6 46.Ra6+ Kd5 47.Rxf6 Rxa5 48.Rxg6 Ke4 49.Bxh6 Ra2+ 50.Kg3 Ra3+ 51.Kh4 Ra2 52.Rf6 Ra1 53.Kh5 Rh1+ 54.Kg6 Rg1 55.g5 Kd3 56.Kf7 e4 57.g6 e3 58.Rd6+ Ke4 59.Re6+ Kf5 60.Bxe3 Rxg6 61.Rxg6 1-0

From the Chat: Holy crap, what a comeback by magnus

Game 24, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B06 Robatsch Defence, Two Knights variation

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 5.Be3 b5 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.O-O c5 8.dxc5 dxc5 9.e5 Bb7 10.e6 fxe6 11.Ng5 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qb6 13.c4 Ngf6 14.a4 b4 15.Qe2 Ne5 16.Bf4 Qc6 17.f3 Nxd3 18.cxd3 Bc8 19.Rfe1 h6 20.Nh3 g5 21.Be5 Rf8 22.Nf2 a5 23.d4 cxd4 24.Bxd4 Ba6 25.Rac1 Rd8 26.Ba1 Kf7 27.Nd3 Kg8 28.Ne5 Qc5+ 29.Kh1 Nh5 30.Ng6 Rf7 31.Qxe6 Qd6 32.Nxe7+ Qxe7 33.Qxe7 Rxe7 34.Rxe7 Nf4 35.Ra7 Bxc4 36.Rxa5 1-0

Magnus flags

Score of Round Three, the bullet round 1+1 Carlsen-MVL 4-4

Final Score of the match Carlsen-MVL 11-13

It's MVL vs. Nakamura in tomorrow's #SpeedChess final after Magnus won 3 games in a row but couldn't get the 4th he needed to force a playoff!

Few saw it coming, but if Maxime Vachier-Lagrave can beat Magnus no-one's going to underestimate him again in tomorrow's final against Hikaru Nakamura!

What we saw today could be the next World Championship Match

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 11, 2020

Round Two 3+1 (continued)

Game 13, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.h4 d6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e4 e5 6.d5 Nd4 7.Nge2 c5 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Qxd4 Bg7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Be3 O-O 13.Qd2 Ng4 14.Bd4 Ne5 15.O-O-O Be6 16.f4 c5 17.Bxe5 dxe5 18.Qf2 Qf6 19.f5 gxf5 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.cxd5 fxe4 22.Qxf6 Bxf6 23.d6 Rab8 24.Bc4 Kg7 25.g3 e3 26.Rhe1 e4 27.Rxe3 Bxb2+ 28.Kc2 f5 29.Rd5 Bd4 30.Rb3 Kf6 31.d7 Rxb3 32.axb3 Rd8 33.b4 Be5 34.bxc5 Bxg3 35.c6 Bc7 36.Rb5 Ke7 37.Rxf5 Rf8 38.Rb5 Kd6 39.Rh5 Kxc6 40.Bb5+ Kb6 41.Ba4 Bd8 42.Rxh6+ Kc7 43.h5 Rf6 44.Rxf6 Bxf6 45.h6 Kd6 46.h7 Ke7 47.Kd2 Bd4 48.Kc2 a5 49.Kb3 e3 50.Kc2 Bg7 51.Kd3 Kd8 52.Kxe3 Ke7 53.Ke4 Bh8 54.Kd5 Bg7 55.Kc6 Kd8 56.Kd6 1-0

Game 14, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knight’s variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Nxe4 6.Qxe4 Nd7 7.Bc4 Nf6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qe2 b5 10.Bb3 Qc7 11.d4 Bd6 12.Bg5 a5 13.c3 Ba6 14.O-O Nd5 15.Bc2 c5 16.Bd3 O-O 17.Bd2 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qb7 19.Qe4 f5 20.Qe2 Bxe5 21.Qxe5 Rf6 22.a3 b4 23.Bxa6 Rxa6 24.axb4 axb4 25.Rxa6 Qxa6 26.Bxb4 h6 27.Qb8+ Kh7 28.Bd6 Rf7 29.Be5 Qb7 30.Qd6 Qb6 31.Qxb6 Nxb6 32.Rc1 Nd5 33.h4 Kg6 34.Rc6 Re7 35.Kh2 Kh5 36.Kh3 g5 37.hxg5 hxg5 38.f3 g4+ 39.fxg4+ fxg4+ 40.Kg3 Kg5 41.Rc8 Rb7 42.Rg8+ Kf5 43.Rxg4 Rxb2 44.Rg7 Ke4 45.Kh3 Ne3 46.Rg6 Rb1 47.Rxe6 Rh1+ 48.Kg3 Nf5+ 49.Kf2 Ra1 50.Bf6+ Kf4 51.g3+ Kg4 52.Re4+ Kh3 53.Be5 Ra3 54.g4 Nh6 55.g5 Ng4+ 56.Ke2 Ra2+ 57.Ke1 Nf2 58.Re3+ Kg4 59.g6 Kf5 60.g7 Ng4 61.g8=Q Ra1+ 62.Ke2 1-0

Game 15, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 g6 5.O-O Bg7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.h3 Nc6 8.a3 a6 9.Ba2 b5 10.Re1 Bb7 11.Bf4 e5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.c3 Ne7 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.a4 Kh7 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bb3 f5 20.Rxa8 Bxa8 21.Nd2 Bc6 22.Bd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 Qb7 24.Qb3 Ra8 25.Nb1 h5 26.Na3 Rb8 27.c4 bxc4 28.Qxb7 Rxb7 29.Nxc4 Rb3 30.Rd1 Bf8 31.Kf1 Kg7 32.Ke2 e4 33.dxe4 fxe4 34.Kd2 Kf6 35.Kc2 Rb7 36.Ra1 Rf7 37.Kd2 Kg5 38.Ke2 Rb7 39.Ra3 Rb4 40.b3 h4 41.Kd2 Rb7 42.Ra8 Be7 43.Kc2 Kf6 44.Ra4 g5 45.Ra8 Kf7 46.Ra6 Rb4 47.Nxd6+ Bxd6 48.Rxd6 Rd4 49.Re6 Rxd5 50.Rxe4 Kf6 51.Re3 Rf5 52.Re2 Rf4 53.f3 Rd4 54.Re4 Rd5 55.Rc4 Kf5 56.Kc3 Re5 57.Kd3 Rd5+ 58.Ke3 Re5+ 59.Re4 Rd5 60.f4 gxf4+ 61.Rxf4+ Kg5 62.Rg4+ Kh5 63.Rc4 Rg5 64.Kf2 Rf5+ 65.Ke2 Re5+ 66.Kf3 Rf5+ 67.Rf4 Rd5 68.Ke4 Rd4+ 69.Ke3 Rd5 70.Rf8 Re5+ 71.Kd3 Kg5 72.Rg8+ Kh5 73.Kc4 Kh6 74.Rc8 Re2 75.Rh8+ Kg5 76.Rg8+ Kf4 77.Kxc5 1-0

Magnus wins an incredibly tense squeeze to get within a point again

Game 16, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
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.h3 h6 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.b3 Kc8 12.Bb2 c5 13.Nd5 a5 14.a4 Ne7 15.Nf4 Ra6 16.Rfe1 Rg8 17.Nd2 Ng6 18.Nd3 Bf5 19.Ne4 c4 20.bxc4 Rc6 21.c5 Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Bxc5 23.e6 fxe6 24.Rg4 Ne7 25.Nxc5 Rxc5 26.Ba3 Rxc2 27.Bxe7 b6 28.Bf6 g5 29.Bd4 Rd8 30.Be3 Rd5 31.h4 gxh4 32.Rxh4 h5 33.g3 Rb2 34.Kg2 Rb4 35.Rah1 Rxh4 36.Rxh4 Kb7 37.Kf3 c6 38.Re4 Rf5+ 39.Ke2 e5 40.Rh4 b5 41.Kd3 Ka6 42.Ke4 Rf7 43.Rxh5 bxa4 44.Rxe5 a3 1-0

Position after White’s 26.Ba3




Score at the end of Round Two 3+1 Carlsen-MVL 3.5-4.5

Total Score Carlsen-MVL 7-9

Round Three 1+1

Game 17, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.O-O a6 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Re1 e6 7.c3 b5 8.Bc2 c4 9.a4 Bb7 10.axb5 axb5 11.Rxa8 Bxa8 12.d4 cxd3 13.Qxd3 Qb8 14.Na3 b4 15.cxb4 Qxb4 16.Nb5 Bxe4 17.Nc7+ Kd8 18.Qe2 Kxc7 19.Bd2 Qb7 20.Ba5+ Kb8 21.Bxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4 d5 24.Re3 Bc5 25.Rb3+ Ka7 26.Ng5 Ne5 27.Bc3 d4 28.Be1 h6 29.Ne4 Be7 30.f4 Nc6 31.Kf1 Rb8 32.Rxb8 Kxb8 33.Ke2 Kc7 34.Kd3 f5 35.Nd2 Kd6 36.Kc4 Bf6 37.Nf3 g5 38.g3 g4 39.Nd2 e5 40.b4 e4 41.Nb3 d3 42.b5 Nd8 43.Bb4+ Kd7 44.Kd5 Nb7 45.Bd2 Kc7 46.Be3 Kd7 47.b6 Be7 48.Nd2 Bb4 49.Nc4 Bc3 50.Ne5+ Bxe5 51.fxe5 Nd8 52.e6+ Nxe6 53.b7 Nc7+ 54.Ke5 Na6 55.Kxf5 Kc7 56.Kxe4 Nc5+ 57.Kd4 Nxb7 58.Kxd3 Kd6 59.Ke4 h5 60.Kf5 Kd5 61.Bf4 Nc5 62.Kg5 Ke4 63.Kxh5 Kf3 64.Kh4 Ne4 65.h3 gxh3 66.Kxh3 Nxg3 1/2-1/2

Game 18, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B40 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 d6 6.O-O dxe5 7.Nxe5 Bd6 8.Re1 O-O 9.d3 Qc7 10.Nf3 b6 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Ne4 Be7 13.a4 Nd7 14.Qc2 Rad8 15.a5 Bc6 16.axb6 axb6 17.Bd2 h6 18.Bb3 N7f6 19.Ng3 Bd6 20.Ne4 Bf4 21.Nxf6+ Nxf6 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Ne5 Ng4 24.Nxc6 Qxh2+ 25.Kf1 Rd6 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Ra4 Qh1+ 28.Ke2 Qxg2 29.Rf4 e5 30.Rf3 f5 31.Nxf5 Rdf6 32.Nh4 Rxf3 33.Nxg2 Rxf2+ 34.Kd1 Rxc2 35.Bxc2 Rf3 36.Kd2 g5 37.Ne3 Nxe3 38.Rxe3 Rf5 39.Re2 Kg7 40.d4 Rf4 41.dxe5 Kf7 42.e6+ Ke7 43.Bg6 g4 44.Bf7 Rf5 45.Rh2 g3 46.Rg2 Rg5 47.Ke3 1-0

MVL wins the 2nd bullet game to take a 3-point lead!

Comment in the Chat by Fortius2000 – Stop the match, I have to pee

Game 19, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.e4 Nb6 8.Qc2 e6 9.Be3 O-O 10.Rd1 Bd7 11.h4 h6 12.e5 Ne7 13.h5 Nf5 14.hxg6 fxg6 15.Bd3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bc6 17.Bxg6 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Rxf3 19.Ke2 Rg3 20.Rdg1 Qg5 21.Rxg3 Qxg3 22.Bh7+ Kh8 23.Be4 Rf8 24.Kd3 c5 25.Ne2 c4+ 26.Kd2 Rf2 27.Rf1 h5 28.Rxf2 Qxf2 29.Bxb7 Bh6 30.Qe4 c3+ 31.bxc3 Nc4+ 32.Kd3 Nb2+ 33.Kd2 Bxe3+ 0-1

Game 20, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B08 Pirc, Classical, h3 system

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.h3 Nf6 5.Nc3 c6 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O Qc7 8.Ne2 e5 9.c3 Re8 10.Ng3 Nbd7 11.Re1 b6 12.Be3 Bb7 13.Qd2 Rad8 14.Bh6 Nf8 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Bc4 c5 17.d5 Bc8 18.a4 a6 19.Qd3 a5 20.Rf1 Ng8 21.Bb5 Re7 22.Nd2 Nd7 23.Nc4 Rf8 24.f4 exf4 25.Rxf4 Ne5 26.Nxe5 Rxe5 27.Raf1 Qe7 28.Qd2 Qg5 29.Qf2 Nh6 30.Bd3 Bd7 31.b3 Qe7 32.Kh2 Ng8 33.c4 Rg5 34.Ne2 Re5 35.Ng1 Qe8 36.Kh1 f6 37.Nf3 Re7 38.Nh2 Ref7 39.Rf3 Nh6 40.Qb2 Qe5 41.Qxe5 dxe5 42.R3f2 f5 43.Nf3 Re8 44.Ng5 Rff8 45.Kh2 f4 46.g3 fxg3+ 47.Kxg3 Rxf2 48.Rxf2 Re7 49.h4 Bc8 50.Be2 Nf7 51.Nxf7 Rxf7 52.Rxf7+ Kxf7 53.Bg4 Bb7 54.Be6+ Kf6 55.Kg4 h6 56.Bd7 Ba6 57.Be6 Bb7 58.Bd7 Ba6 59.Be6 Bb7 1/2-1/2

Game 21, Dec. 11
Carlsen Magnus – MVL
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Byrne Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.Qd2 Nc6 11.Nb3 b5 12.h4 gxh4 13.Bxh4 Be6 14.O-O-O Nce5 15.f3 Nf6 16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Kb1 Bc4 18.Nf5 Kf8 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Rxh6 Ng6 21.Rxh8+ Bxh8 22.Qh6+ Ke8 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Nd5 Rb8 25.Nfxe7 Bxb2 26.c3 Bxc3+ 27.Kc2 Qa5 28.Nxc3 Kxe7 29.Qd2 Qc5 30.Nd5+ Ke8 31.Qc3 Ne5 32.f4 Qf2+ 33.Qd2 Nd3 34.Qxf2 Nxf2 35.Rd4 Nd3 36.Rxc4 Ne1+ 37.Kd2 Nxg2 38.Ra4 Rb2+ 39.Kc3 Rf2 40.f5 Nf4 41.Nxf4 Rxf4 42.Kd4 Ke7 43.Rxa6 Rf2 44.a4 Rd2+ 45.Kc4 Rc2+ 46.Kd3 Ra2 47.a5 Ra4 48.Ke3 Kd7 49.Ra7+ Ke8 50.f6 Ra1 51.a6 Ra5 52.Re7+ Kf8 53.a7 1-0

Game 22, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B04 Alekhine’s Defence, Modern, Larsen variation

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.c3 c5 9.Nf3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bf3 Rb8 13.Re1 Qc7 14.Na3 Rd8 15.Qa4 Bf5 16.Nc4 Rb5 17.Ne3 Nb6 18.Qh4 Be6 19.a4 Re5 20.Qg3 Nc4 21.Rf1 Nd2 22.Bxd2 Rxd2 23.b4 Rd3 24.Rac1 Bh6 25.Rfe1 Qd6 26.c4 c5 27.b5 Rexe3 28.fxe3 Qxg3 29.hxg3 Bxe3+ 30.Rxe3 Rxe3 31.a5 Rb3 32.Ra1 Bxc4 33.b6 axb6 34.a6 Bxa6 35.Rxa6 e6 36.Ra7 b5 37.Rc7 c4 38.Bc6 Kf8 39.g4 g5 40.Kf2 c3 41.Be4 h6 42.Bc2 Ra3 43.Ke3 b4 44.Bd3 Ra1 45.Kd4 Rd1 46.Ke3 Rd2 47.g3 Rg2 48.Kf3 Rb2 49.Ke3 Kg7 50.Be4 Kf6 51.Rc5 Ke7 52.Rc7+ Kd6 53.Rc6+ Kd7 54.Rc4 f6 55.Bc6+ Kd6 56.Be4 Rb3 57.Ke2 c2 58.Bxc2 Rxg3 59.Rxb4 Kc5 60.Re4 Rg2+ 61.Kd3 Kd6 62.Bd1 f5 63.gxf5 exf5 64.Ra4 Rg3+ 65.Ke2 Rh3 66.Kf2 h5 67.Ra5 Ke6 68.Bf3 g4 69.Bb7 Kf6 70.Bc8 Rf3+ 71.Ke2 h4 72.Ra7 h3 73.Rh7 Kg5 74.Rh8 Kf4 75.Rh5 Re3+ 76.Kf2 Re5 77.Kf1 Rc5 78.Bd7 Kg3 79.Bxf5 h2 80.Ke2 Rxf5 0-1

Magnus grinds out a win and makes it 10:12, with 5 minutes to go!


(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 11, 2020

Semi-Finals

Carlsen-MVL

Round One, 5+1

Game 1, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Qa4+ Nc6 7.e4 Nb6 8.Qc2 O-O 9.d5 Nb4 10.Qb3 a5 11.a3 Na6 12.Bg5 Nc5 13.Qc2 a4 14.Rd1 Bg4 15.Be2 Nb3 16.Be3 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Qd7 18.h4 e5 19.Nb5 Rac8 20.h5 f5 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.exf5 gxf5 23.d6 cxd6 24.Qd3 Nc4 25.Qxc4+ Rxc4 26.Bxc4+ Rf7 27.Nxd6 1-0

Game 2, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
C84 Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Nb8 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.a4 Rb8 12.axb5 axb5 13.Ne2 Nc5 14.Ba2 b4 15.Bc4 c6 16.Be3 d5 17.Nxe5 dxc4 18.Nxc6 Qc7 19.Nxb8 Qxb8 20.Bxc5 Bxc5 21.d4 Rd8 22.f3 Bd6 23.g3 h5 24.c3 h4 25.Kg2 Nh5 26.Ra5 g6 27.Qe1 bxc3 28.bxc3 Qb2 29.Rf2 Bd7 30.g4 h3+ 31.Kg1 Qb6 32.Rxh5 gxh5 33.e5 Be7 34.Nf4 Bh4 35.Nxh5 Rb8 36.Ng3 Bc6 37.Qe3 Qb1+ 38.Rf1 Qc2 39.Qe2 Qxc3 40.Nf5 Rb2 41.Qd1 Rd2 42.Qa1 Bf2+ 0-1

"Finishing it beautifully for a second time in a row!" (Tania)
Magnus Carlsen takes a 2:0 lead

Game 3, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Qa4+ Bd7 7.Qa3 Bc6 8.h4 a5 9.h5 Na6 10.Qb3 Qd6 11.h6 Bf6 12.e4 a4 13.Qc2 Nxc3 14.bxc3 e5 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.O-O O-O 17.Rd1 exd4 18.cxd4 Qe7 19.Re1 Re8 20.Ne5 Bb5 21.Bf4 c5 22.Rab1 Ra5 23.Bd2 cxd4 24.Bxa5 Qxe5 25.Bc7 Qg5 26.Qc1 Ba6 27.Bf4 Qg4 28.e5 Be7 29.Bg3 Qe6 0-1

Match on, after Magnus loses on time in a game where he'd been completely winning!

Game 4, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.Nc3 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 6.Nxf6+ exf6 7.g3 Bd6 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O Re8 10.Nd2 Be6 11.Ne4 Nd7 12.Re1 Bf8 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Qd2 Bd5 15.Be3 Qc7 16.c4 Be6 17.b3 a5 18.a3 Rad8 19.Qc2 h6 20.d4 f5 21.Nd2 Nf6 22.Nf3 Bd6 23.Ne5 Bxe5 24.dxe5 Ng4 25.Qc3 Nxe3 26.Rxe3 Rd7 27.Bf1 Red8 28.Rd3 Rxd3 29.Bxd3 Qd7 30.Rd1 a4 31.Bc2 Qxd1+ 32.Bxd1 Rxd1+ 33.Kg2 axb3 34.Qxb3 Rd7 35.a4 g5 36.h4 Kg7 37.a5 Kg6 38.Qb4 Kg7 39.h5 Kg8 40.Kf1 Kg7 41.Ke1 Kg8 42.f4 g4 43.Ke2 Kg7 44.Ke3 Kg8 45.c5 Kg7 46.Qa4 Rd5 47.a6 bxa6 48.Qxc6 a5 49.Qb5 a4 50.Qb4 Bd7 51.e6 Bxe6 52.c6 Rd1 53.Qxa4 Rc1 54.Qd4+ Kh7 55.Qd6 Rc4 56.c7 Rc1 57.Qd8 Rc4 58.Kd3 Rc6 59.Kd4 Kg7 60.Ke5 Rc3 61.Kd6 Rxg3 62.Ke7 Re3 63.Qf8+ 1-0

And now MVL has levelled the scores at 2:2!

Game 5, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B50 Sicilian

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 g6 5.h3 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.Bb3 Nc6 8.c3 e5 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Nbd2 Kh7 12.Nc4 Qd8 13.a4 f5 14.Ne3 f4 15.Nd5 g5 16.Nh2 Ne7 17.Nxe7 Qxe7 18.a5 g4 19.hxg4 f3 20.gxf3 h5 21.Kg2 hxg4 22.Nxg4 Bxg4 23.fxg4 Rf4 24.Rh1+ Kg6 25.Qe2 Bf6 26.Rh5 Bg5 27.Rah1 Raf8 28.Rh8 Qd7 29.f3 Qg7 30.Rxf8 Rxf8 31.Be6 Rh8 32.Bf5+ Kf6 33.Qd1 Rxh1 34.Qxh1 Qh6 35.Qxh6+ Bxh6 36.Bc8 b6 37.a6 Bc1 38.b4 cxb4 39.cxb4 b5 40.Bd7 Bd2 41.Bxb5 Bxb4 42.Kf2 Ba5 43.Ke2 Kg5 44.Kd1 Kf4 45.Kc2 Bd8 46.Bd7 Kxf3 47.Kc3 Kf4 48.Kc4 Bb6 49.Kd5 Kg5 50.Kxd6 Bd4 51.Bf5 Kf6 1/2-1/2

A great escape by Maxime as we get the first draw of the match!

Game 6, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.Nc3 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.Be2 Nd7 8.O-O Ngf6 9.Be3 e6 10.Qd2 Nd5 11.Rae1 Nxe3 12.Qxe3 Be7 13.d4 O-O-O 14.c3 Kb8 15.b4 Nf6 16.Ne5 Bg6 17.Nc5 Nd5 18.Qf3 Bd6 19.Bc4 Bxe5 20.Rxe5 Nb6 21.Bb3 Nd7 22.Re2 Nxc5 23.bxc5 Rhe8 24.Rfe1 Re7 25.Bc2 Bxc2 26.Rxc2 e5 27.Rce2 Rde8 28.Qe4 g6 29.dxe5 Rd8 30.Qh4 h5 31.e6 Rxe6 32.Rxe6 fxe6 33.Qf6 a6 34.Qxg6 Rd5 35.Qxe6 Rxc5 36.Qf6 Ra5 37.Qd4 c5 38.Qd5 c4 39.Qd4 Qc5 40.Re8+ Kc7 41.Qd8+ Kc6 42.Re6+ Kb5 43.Qd7+ 1-0

Maxime takes a 3.5.2.5 lead! As Peter pointed out, we're seeing a repeat of Nakamura-So, where Wesley won the first two decisive games in the 5-minute section but Hikaru won the next three

Game 7, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B53 Sicilian, Chekhover variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.h3 Nc6 6.Qe3 e6 7.Be2 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Rd1 d5 10.exd5 exd5 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Qf4 h6 13.Be3 Be6 14.a3 a6 15.Nd4 Rc8 16.Nxc6 Rxc6 17.Bd4 Qc7 18.Qxc7 Rxc7 19.Bf3 Rc4 20.Rd2 Rd8 21.Rad1 Ne4 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bg5 24.Rd3 Rxc2 25.Bxg7 Rxd3 26.Bxd3 Rc1 27.Rxc1 Bxc1 28.Bc3 Bd5 29.g4 Bg5 30.Bf1 Be6 31.Bg2 b6 32.Bd4 Bd8 33.Be4 b5 34.Kg2 a5 35.f4 b4 36.axb4 axb4 37.Kg3 b3 38.h4 Bc4 39.g5 hxg5 40.fxg5 Be2 41.Be5 Bd1 42.Bd5 Bc2 43.Kf4 Ba5 44.h5 Bd2+ 45.Kg4 Bd1+ 46.Kh4 Be1+ 47.Bg3 Bxg3+ 48.Kxg3 Bxh5 49.Bxb3 Kg7 50.Kf4 f6 51.Ba4 fxg5+ 52.Kxg5 Be2 53.b4 Kf7 54.Kf5 Ke7 55.Ke5 Bf1 56.Kd5 Kd8 57.Kc6 Kc8 58.Bb5 Bg2+ 59.Kb6 Kb8 60.Bc6 Bf1 61.b5 Bxb5 1/2-1/2

Game 8, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B31 Sicilian, Nimzowitsch-Rossolimo Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.O-O Bg7 5.c3 Nf6 6.Re1 Qb6 7.Bf1 d6 8.Na3 O-O 9.Nc4 Qc7 10.d3 d5 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.a4 Bf5 13.Ne3 Nxe3 14.Bxe3 b6 15.d4 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.cxd4 Rfd8 18.a5 Qd6 19.axb6 axb6 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Qb3 Bxd4 22.Bxd4 Qxd4 23.Rxe7 Be6 24.Qb5 Kg7 25.Qc6 Bd5 26.Qd7 Ra4 27.h4 Rb4 28.h5 Qf6 29.Re2 Rd4 30.Qh3 g5 31.Qe3 h6 32.Rd2 Re4 33.Qc3 Be6 34.f3 Rh4 35.Rd6 Qxc3 36.bxc3 Rxh5 37.g3 g4 38.fxg4 Rc5 39.Rxb6 Rxc3 40.Kf2 Bxg4 41.Rb4 h5 42.Rf4 f5 43.Bg2 Kf6 44.Rb4 Kg5 45.Rb8 Rc2+ 46.Kg1 Be2 47.Rg8+ Kf6 48.Rf8+ Kg6 49.Rg8+ Kf7 50.Rb8 Bg4 51.Rb6 Ke7 52.Bd5 Rd2 53.Bg2 Rd3 54.Kf2 Kf7 55.Rb7+ Kf6 56.Rb6+ Kg5 57.Rb8 Rd2+ 58.Kg1 Kf6 59.Rf8+ Ke7 60.Ra8 Rb2 61.Ra7+ Kd6 62.Ra6+ Kc5 63.Ra5+ Kd4 64.Ra4+ Ke3 65.Ra3+ Kd2 66.Bf3 Ke1 67.Re3+ Kd2 68.Re2+ Kc3 69.Rxb2 Kxb2 70.Kf2 Kc3 71.Ke3 Bxf3 72.Kxf3 Kd3 73.Kf4 Ke2 74.Kxf5 Kf3 75.Kg5 Kxg3 76.Kxh5 1/2-1/2

MVL survives some dicey moments to end the 5-minute section with a 4.5:3.5 lead over Magnus Carlsen!

Score at the end of Round One 5+1

Carlsen-MVL 3.5-4.5

Round Two 3+1

Game 9, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.h4 d6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.e4 e5 6.d5 Nc5 7.Qc2 a5 8.Be2 Be7 9.h5 g5 10.Be3 h6 11.Nf3 Bd7 12.Bxc5 dxc5 13.Nxe5 Bd6 14.Nd3 Qe7 15.f3 Bg3+ 16.Kd1 O-O 17.a4 Ne8 18.Kc1 b6 19.Kb1 Nd6 20.Nc1 f5 21.Bd3 Rae8 22.Ra3 Be5 23.N1e2 fxe4 24.Nxe4 Nf5 25.Qc1 Qg7 26.Rf1 Nd4 27.Nxd4 Bxd4 28.g4 Rf4 29.Bc2 Qf8 30.Ng3 Qf6 31.Be4 Bxg4 32.Bg6 Rf8 33.fxg4 Rxf1 34.Nxf1 Qxf1 35.Qxf1 Rxf1+ 36.Ka2 Rf2 37.Rb3 Kf8 38.d6 cxd6 39.Rxb6 Ke7 40.Bf5 Be5 41.Rb5 Kf6 42.Kb1 Bd4 43.Bc2 Rf1+ 44.Ka2 Rf2 45.Kb1 Rf1+ 46.Ka2 Rf2 47.Kb1 1/2-1/2

Game 10, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
B33 Sicilian, Pelikan variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Nf5 d5 7.exd5 Bxf5 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Qf3 Qd7 10.Bg5 e4 11.Qd1 Qe6 12.Qd4 Rd8 13.Qa4 Bc5 14.Bc4 Qe5 15.Qxc6+ Bd7 16.Bxf6 Bxf2+ 17.Kf1 gxf6 18.Qxe4 Bd4 19.Re1 Kf8 20.Bd3 Be6 21.Qh4 Qg5 22.Qxg5 fxg5 23.Ke2 Rb8 24.Ne4 Rxb2 25.Nxg5 Bxa2 26.Kd2 Kg7 27.Re4 Bf6 28.Rg4 Kh6 29.h4 Rd8 30.Rf1 Bxg5+ 31.Rxg5 Rb6 32.Rf4 Bd5 33.g4 Rg6 34.Rh5+ Kg7 35.Rd4 Rgd6 36.Rxh7+ Kg8 37.Rh5 Be6 38.Rxd6 Rxd6 39.Ra5 Bxg4 40.Rg5+ 1-0

Game 11, Dec. 11
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.h4 d6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e4 e5 6.d5 Nd4 7.Nge2 c5 8.dxc6 bxc6 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Qxd4 Bg7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Be3 O-O 13.Qd2 Re8 14.f3 d5 15.Rd1 Qc7 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.Bb5 Bb7 18.Bxe8 Rxe8 19.O-O dxe4 20.Nb5 Qc6 21.Nd6 Rd8 22.Qb4 Ba6 23.Nxe4 Nd5 24.Qa5 Rd7 25.Rfe1 Nxe3 26.Rxd7 Qxd7 27.Qxa6 Qd4 28.Kh1 Nf5 29.h5 Ng3+ 30.Nxg3 Qh4+ 31.Kg1 Bd4+ 32.Kf1 Qxg3 33.Qe2 Qh4 34.Qd2 Qh1+ 35.Ke2 Qxg2+ 36.Kd3 Bf2 37.Re8+ Kh7 38.Qf4 Qf1+ 39.Kd2 1-0

For the first time in 9 (!) games Magnus grabs a win, reducing the gap to 1 point again!

Game 12, Dec. 11
MVL – Carlsen, Magnus
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Nb8 10.Bd2 Nbd7 11.a4 Rb8 12.axb5 axb5 13.Ne2 Nc5 14.Ba2 Be6 15.Ng3 Re8 16.Be3 Bxa2 17.Rxa2 Ne6 18.h3 Qd7 19.Qd2 Ra8 20.Rfa1 Rxa2 21.Rxa2 Qc6 22.b3 Ra8 23.c4 bxc4 24.bxc4 Nd7 25.Ne2 Rxa2 26.Qxa2 Ndc5 27.Ne1 Qb7 28.Nc3 c6 29.g3 Bg5 30.Bxc5 Nxc5 31.h4 Bd8 32.Qc2 Ba5 33.Nf3 Bxc3 34.Qxc3 Qb1+ 35.Kg2 Qxd3 36.Qa5 h6 37.Qa8+ Kh7 38.Qxc6 Nxe4 39.Qc8 Nf6 40.c5 dxc5 41.Qxc5 Ng4 42.Nxe5 Qf5 43.f4 Qe4+ 44.Kh3 Ne3 45.Qc6 Qb1 46.Qf3 Qg6 47.Nxg6 1-0

Position after White’s 46.Qf3



It's just not Magnus' day! First, he lets a win slip, then he mouse-slips his queen and is 2 points behind again:

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 9, 2020

Semi-Finals (continued)

1+1

Game 25, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O e6 6.Re1 a6 7.c4 Be7 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 O-O 10.Nc3 Ne5 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Bb3 Bd7 13.f4 Nc6 14.Be3 Rac8 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Bf2 Rfe8 17.Rad1 Qa5 18.Bc2 b5 19.e5 dxe5 20.fxe5 Nd7 21.Rxd7 Bxd7 22.Qd3 g6 23.Qxd7 Bb4 24.Ne4 Bxe1 25.Nf6+ Kg7 26.Nxe8+ Rxe8 27.Qxe8 Qd2 28.Bc5 Bf2+ 0-1

Game 26, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.h3 d5 5.e5 f6 6.f4 Nh6 7.Nf3 O-O 8.Bd3 Bf5 9.O-O Nd7 10.Ne2 Be4 11.Bxe4 dxe4 12.Nd2 f5 13.Nc4 Nb6 14.Ne3 Nd5 15.c4 Nxe3 16.Bxe3 e6 17.Qb3 Qe7 18.Rad1 Rfd8 19.Rd2 Nf7 20.Rfd1 g5 21.d5 exd5 22.cxd5 gxf4 23.Bxf4 cxd5 24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.Rxd5 Rd8 26.Nd4 Rxd5 27.Qxd5 Qd8 28.Qxd8+ Nxd8 29.Nxf5 Ne6 30.Bg3 Bf8 31.Nd6 e3 32.Kf1 Nd4 33.Bf4 e2+ 34.Kf2 Be7 35.g3 b6 36.Be3 Nc6 37.Bf4 Nd4 38.Be3 Nc6 39.Kxe2 Nxe5 40.Nc8 Bf6 41.Nxa7 Nc4 42.b3 Nd6 43.Bxb6 Ne4 44.Kf3 Nc3 45.a4 Nd5 46.a5 Nb4 47.Bc5 Na6 48.b4 Be5 49.Nc6 Bc7 50.Be3 Bd6 51.b5 Nc7 52.b6 Nd5 53.b7 Kf7 54.b8=Q Bxb8 55.Nxb8 Ke6 56.a6 Nc7 57.a7 Kd5 58.Bf4 Na8 59.Na6 Kc6 60.Nc7 Nb6 61.a8=Q+ Nxa8 62.Nxa8 Kd7 63.Nc7 Ke7 64.g4 Kf6 65.g5+ Kg6 66.Kg4 Kf7 67.h4 Ke7 68.h5 Kf7 69.h6 Kg6 70.Ne6 Kf7 71.Nd4 Kg6 72.Nf3 Kf7 73.Bg3 Ke6 74.g6 hxg6 75.h7 Kd5 76.h8=Q Kc6 77.Qe5 Kb7 78.Qd6 g5 79.Kxg5 Ka7 80.Kf5 Kb7 81.Ke6 Ka7 82.Kd7 Kb7 83.Nd4 Ka7 84.Nb5+ Kb7 85.Qc6# 1-0

Score after 1+1 Nakamura-So 5-4

Final Score Nakamura-So 13.5-12.5

Carlsen vs MVL on Friday, Dec. 11

The Final will be Saturday, Dec. 12

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 9, 2020

Semi-Finals (continued)

3+1

Game 15, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nbd2 O-O 6.O-O Nd4 7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.Nf3 Bb6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 c6 11.Ba4 d6 12.Nd2 g5 13.Bg3 Bg4 14.Qe1 Be6 15.Qe2 Bg4 16.Qe1 Nh5 17.Nc4 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Bc7 19.Ne3 Bd7 20.g4 a5 21.c3 b5 22.Bd1 a4 23.g3 Bb6 24.Kg2 Kg7 25.Rh1 Rh8 26.Nf5+ Bxf5 27.gxf5 d5 28.Bf3 Qd6 29.Qe2 a3 30.b3 Rad8 31.Rad1 Rhe8 32.Rh5 Qe7 33.Rhh1 Rd6 34.Rhe1 Qd8 35.Qc2 Qf6 36.b4 Red8 37.Qb3 g4 38.Bxg4 dxe4 39.dxe4 Qg5 40.Bf3 h5 41.Qxa3 h4 42.Qc1 Qxc1 43.Rxc1 Rd2 44.Re2 Rxe2 45.Bxe2 Rd2 46.Kf3 hxg3 47.fxg3 Rxa2 48.c4 Ra3+ 49.Kg2 Ra2 50.Kf1 Be3 51.Rd1 bxc4 52.Bxc4 Rf2+ 53.Ke1 f6 54.Rd3 Rc2 55.Be6 Bd4 56.Kd1 Rb2 57.Rb3 Rxb3 58.Bxb3 Bc3 59.Ba4 Bxb4 60.Bxc6 Kh6 61.Ke2 Kg5 62.Kf3 Be1 63.Bd5 Bc3 64.Bc4 Bd4 65.Bd3 Bc5 66.Bc2 Bd4 67.Bd1 Bc5 68.Be2 Bd4 69.Bf1 Bc5 70.Bc4 Bb6 71.Ba6 Ba7 72.Bb7 Bb6 73.Ba8 Ba7 74.Bc6 Bb6 75.Bb5 Ba7 76.Ba4 Bb6 77.Bb3 Ba7 78.Ba2 Bb6 79.Bb1 Ba7 80.Bc2 Bb6 81.Bd1 Ba7 82.Kg2 Bb6 83.Kh2 Ba7 84.Kh3 Bb6 85.Kh2 Ba7 86.Kg2 Bb6 87.Bb3 Ba7 88.Ba4 Bb6 89.Bb5 Ba7 90.Ba6 Bb6 91.Bb7 Bd8 92.Ba8 Be7 93.Kf3 Bf8 94.Bc6 Bh6 95.Bd5 Bg7 96.Bg8 Bh6 97.Bh7 Bg7 98.Bg6 Bh6 99.Bf7 Bg7 100.Bd5 Bh6 101.Bg8 Bg7 102.Bh7 Bh6 103.Bg6 Bg7 104.g4 Bh6 105.Bh5 Bg7 106.Be8 Bh6 107.Bd7 Bg7 108.Bc6 Bh6 109.Bb5 Bf8 110.Ba4 Bh6 111.Bb3 Bg7 112.Bc4 Bh6 113.Bd3 Bg7 114.Bc2 Bh6 115.Bd1 Bg7 116.Be2 Bh6 117.Bf1 Kh4 118.Bg2 Bg5 119.Bf1 Bh6 120.Bc4 Bg5 121.Bb5 Bh6 122.Ba6 Bg5 123.Bb7 Bh6 124.Ba8 Bg5 125.Bb7 Bf4 126.Bc8 Bg5 127.Bd7 Bf4 128.Bc6 Bg5 129.Bd5 Bf4 130.Bc4 Bg5 131.Bb3 Bf4 132.Ba4 Bg5 133.Bb5 Bf4 134.Ba6 Bg5 135.Be2 Bf4 136.Bd1 Bg5 137.Bc2 Bf4 138.Bb1 Bg5 139.Ba2 Bf4 140.Bb3 Bg5 141.Ba4 Bf4 142.Be8 Bg5 143.Bh5 Bf4 144.Bg6 Bg5 145.Bh7 Bf4 146.Bg8 Bg5 147.Bf7 Bf4 148.g5 Bxg5 149.Be6 Bf4 150.Bd5 Bg5 151.Bc4 Bf4 152.Bb3 Bg5 153.Ba2 Bf4 154.Bb1 Bg5 155.Bc2 Bf4 156.Bd1 Bg5 157.Be2 Bf4 158.Bb5 Bg5 159.Ba6 Bf4 160.Bb7 Bg5 161.Ba8 Bf4 162.Ke2 Bg5 163.Kd3 Bf4 164.Kc4 Bg5 165.Kb5 Bf4 166.Ka6 Bg5 167.Kb7 Bf4 168.Kc8 Bg5 169.Kd7 Bf4 170.Ke6 Kg5 171.Kf7 Be3 172.Bd5 Bd4 173.Kf8 Be3 174.Kg8 Bd4 175.Kh7 Be3 176.Kh8 Bd4 177.Kg8 Be3 178.Kf8 Bf4 179.Ke8 Bh2 180.Kd7 Bg3 181.Kc6 Bf4 182.Kb5 Bg3 183.Ka4 Bf4 184.Kb3 Bg3 185.Kc2 Bf4 186.Kb1 Kh4 187.Ka1 Bg5 188.Ka2 Kg4 189.Kb2 Kf4 190.Ka3 Kg4 191.Kb3 Kf4 192.Kc3 Kg4 193.Kc4 Kf4 194.Kc5 Kg4 195.Kd6 Kf4 196.Ke7 Kg4 197.Kd7 Kf4 198.Kd6 Kg3 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s move 100



Game 16, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.Qe2 O-O 9.Bg5 Bf5 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Nbd2 Bb6 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.h4 h6 15.h5 Bh7 16.Nh4 Rad8 17.Ng6 Qg5 18.Ne4 Qxg2 19.O-O-O Bxg6 20.hxg6 Qxg6 21.Rdg1 Qf5 22.Rxh6 Qf4+ 23.Qd2 Qxe4 24.Rhg6 Qh4 25.Rxg7+ Kh8 26.R7g4 Qh7 27.Qg5 f6 28.Qh4 1-0

Game 17, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
B50 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 dxe5 5.Nxe5 a6 6.a4 Qc7 7.Nc4 Nc6 8.d3 Be6 9.g3 Bxc4 10.dxc4 Rd8 11.Bd3 e6 12.O-O Be7 13.Be3 O-O 14.Qe2 Nd4 15.Bxd4 Rxd4 16.f4 g6 17.Nd1 Rfd8 18.Qf3 Ne8 19.Nf2 Bf6 20.b3 R4d6 21.Rae1 Bd4 22.Kg2 f5 23.Nh3 Qc6 24.Qxc6 Rxc6 25.Ng5 Nc7 26.Re2 Bf6 27.Nf3 Na8 28.Re3 Nb6 29.Be2 Kf7 30.g4 fxg4 31.Ng5+ Bxg5 32.fxg5+ Ke7 33.Bxg4 Rd2+ 34.Rf2 Rxf2+ 35.Kxf2 Rd6 36.Rh3 Rd2+ 37.Ke1 Rxc2 38.Rxh7+ Kd6 39.Rh6 Rg2 40.h3 1-0

Score after the 3+1 round Nakamura-So 3.5-4.5

1+1

Game 18, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
B06 Robatsch

1.e4 g6 2.d4 c6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e5 Bg7 5.h3 f6 6.f4 Nh6 7.Nf3 Nf5 8.Bd3 c5 9.dxc5 Nc6 10.exf6 Bxf6 11.O-O O-O 12.Bxf5 Bxf5 13.Nxd5 Bg7 14.c3 Be4 15.c4 e6 16.Nc3 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Rad8 20.Be3 Kf7 21.Rab1 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Ke7 23.Kf2 Rc8 24.Rb1 Rc7 25.Ke2 Kf6 26.Rg1 Ne7 27.Bd4+ Kf7 28.Kd3 Nc6 29.h4 h5 30.Rg5 Rd7 31.Ke3 Na5 32.Kd3 Nc6 33.Rg1 Rd8 34.a4 Rd7 35.Rb1 Ke7 36.Ke4 Kf7 37.Be5 Na5 38.Rb4 Nc6 39.Rb5 Ke8 40.Bd6 Kf7 41.Rb1 Kf6 42.Rg1 Kf7 43.Ke3 Kf6 44.Ke4 Kf7 45.f5 exf5+ 46.Kd5 Ne7+ 47.Ke5 Nc6+ 48.Kd5 Ne7+ 49.Ke5 Nc6+ 50.Kd5 1/2-1/2

Game 19, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.b3 g6 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.d4 O-O 5.e3 b6 6.Be2 c5 7.O-O Bb7 8.dxc5 bxc5 9.c4 d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 11.Qc2 Ne4 12.Rac1 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 a5 15.Nd2 a4 16.Rb1 axb3 17.axb3 Qa5 18.Qb2 Rfb8 19.h4 h5 20.f4 Qa2 21.Qc3 Nf6 22.Bd3 Qa5 23.Qc2 Ng4 24.Rfe1 Kg7 25.e4 e6 26.Qb2+ Kg8 27.Re2 Qa2 28.Qc3 Qa5 29.Qc1 Qd8 30.Nf3 Bc6 31.Qe1 Ra3 32.Bc2 Ra2 33.Rd1 Qf6 34.Rxd6 Ra1 35.Bd1 Ba8 36.f5 Ne5 37.Ng5 Rxb3 38.fxe6 fxe6 39.Rxe6 Qf4 40.Re8+ 1-0

Game 20, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
B15 Caro-Kann, Gurgenidze

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Bd3 Nh6 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 e6 10.g3 Nf5 11.Ne2 Nd7 12.c3 c5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Bb5+ Nd7 15.Bd3 Nc5 16.Bc2 Rc8 17.Bd2 Qb6 18.O-O-O Qa6 19.Kb1 Ne7 20.Nd4 Nc6 21.g4 Nxd4 22.cxd4 Ne4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Qc6 25.Qxc6+ Rxc6 26.Be3 b6 27.Rc1 Kd7 28.g5 Rxc1+ 29.Rxc1 Rc8 30.Rd1 Kc6 31.Rc1+ Kb7 32.Rd1 Kc6 33.Rc1+ Kb7 34.Rxc8 Kxc8 35.Kc2 Kc7 36.Bd2 Bf8 37.Kd3 Kc6 38.Ke4 a5 39.a4 Be7 40.b3 Bf8 41.Bc3 Ba3 42.Bd2 Be7 43.Bc3 Ba3 44.Bd2 Bf8 45.Be3 Bb4 46.Bf2 Ba3 47.Be3 Be7 48.Bd2 Ba3 49.Bc3 Be7 50.Bb2 Bb4 51.Bc1 Be7 52.Bd2 1/2-1/2

Game 21, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Qe7 5.Ne2 a6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.d3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbc3 O-O-O 10.Qd2 Nd7 11.O-O-O f5 12.g4 fxg4 13.Ng3 Qf7 14.Nxh5 Qxh5 15.hxg4 Qxg4 16.Rdg1 Qe6 17.Ne4 h6 18.Qe2 Rg8 19.Qf3 Be7 20.Rh5 Rdf8 21.Qg2 Rf7 22.Qh2 Nf6 23.Rxe5 Qd7 24.Nxf6 Bxf6 25.Rh5 Bxb2+ 26.Kxb2 Qe7 27.Qh3+ Kb8 28.f4 Re8 29.Re5 Qf6 30.d4 Ref8 31.Qh5 g5 32.fxg5 hxg5 33.Qxg5 Qd6 34.Rc5 Rf2 35.Rg2 R2f3 36.Re5 Ka7 37.Qe7 R8f7 38.Qe8 Rf8 39.Qe6 R8f6 40.Qxd6 cxd6 41.Re7 Rf7 42.Rxf7 Rxf7 43.Kc3 d5 44.Kd3 b5 45.c4 bxc4+ 46.bxc4 Kb6 47.cxd5 cxd5 48.Rg6+ Kb5 49.Re6 Rd7 50.Kc3 a5 51.Kb3 a4+ 52.Kc3 Rc7+ 53.Kd3 Rd7 54.a3 Rd8 55.Re5 Kc6 56.e4 dxe4+ 57.Kxe4 Rh8 58.Rc5+ Kd6 59.Rc3 Rh4+ 60.Kd3 Kd5 61.Rc5+ Kd6 62.Kc4 Rh3 63.Kb4 Rd3 64.Rc4 Kd5 65.Rc5+ Kd6 66.Kxa4 Rxd4+ 67.Kb5 Rd1 68.Rc2 Rb1+ 69.Ka5 Rb7 70.a4 Rc7 71.Rb2 Rc4 72.Kb5 Re4 73.Rc2 Re1 74.a5 Rb1+ 75.Ka6 Kd7 76.Ka7 Rb3 77.Rc4 Rb2 78.Rc5 Rb3 79.Rh5 Rb2 80.Rh6 Kc7 81.Rh5 Rb1 82.Rc5+ Kd7 83.Rc2 Rb3 84.Ka6 Rb4 85.Re2 Rb3 86.Rh2 Rb4 87.Rh6 Rb3 88.Rb6 Ra3 89.Kb5 Rb3+ 90.Ka6 Ra3 91.Rb1 Ra2 92.Rc1 Rb2 93.Rc5 Rb1 94.Rf5 Rb2 95.Rf6 Kc7 96.Rf7+ Kb8 97.Rf8+ Kc7 98.Ka7 Rb7+ 99.Ka8 Rb5 100.a6 Rb6 101.Ka7 Rb5 102.Rf2 Kc8 103.Rc2+ Kd7 104.Rc3 Kd6 105.Rc8 Kd7 106.Rb8 Ra5 107.Kb6 Ra1 108.a7 1-0

Game 22, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
E94 King’s Indian, Orthodox variation

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 Nf6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Nf3 e5 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Be3 Re8 9.d5 Nc5 10.Nd2 a5 11.g4 Kh8 12.Kh1 Ng8 13.Rg1 h6 14.Rg3 Bf6 15.Nf3 Bg5 16.Nxg5 hxg5 17.Qd2 f6 18.Kg2 Kg7 19.Rh1 Ne7 20.b3 Rh8 21.Kf1 Bd7 22.h3 Na6 23.Kg2 a4 24.Bd1 axb3 25.axb3 b6 26.Bc2 Be8 27.Bb1 Nc5 28.Bc2 Nd7 29.b4 Bf7 30.Bd3 Qc8 31.Be2 Qd8 32.Rc1 Rc8 33.Bd1 c6 34.Be2 c5 35.Nb5 Nb8 36.Ra1 Be8 37.Nc3 Rc7 38.bxc5 bxc5 39.Ra8 Rb7 40.Qa2 Nc8 41.Bd2 Nb6 42.Ra7 Qe7 43.Rxb7 Qxb7 44.Qb2 Qa6 45.Qb3 Bd7 46.Nd1 Rh7 47.Nb2 Be8 48.Qa3 Kf8 49.Qxa6 Nxa6 50.Rb3 Nc8 51.Nd1 Ra7 52.Nc3 Ra8 53.Nb5 Rb8 54.Ra3 Bxb5 55.cxb5 Nc7 56.Ba5 Nb6 57.Bc3 Nc8 58.Ba5 Ra8 59.b6 Nxb6 60.Bxb6 Rxa3 61.Bxc7 Ke7 62.Bb6 Ra4 63.f3 c4 64.Kf2 c3 65.Bd3 c2 66.Be3 Ra1 0-1

Game 23, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
B23 Neo-Sicilian, Grand Prix Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.d3 Qd7 9.O-O f5 10.Qe1 Nf6 11.e5 Nd5 12.Bd2 O-O 13.Nxd5 Bxd5 14.Bc3 b5 15.a3 Rae8 16.b4 Qc6 17.Bb2 Bxf3 18.Rxf3 cxb4 19.axb4 Qxc2 20.Rf2 Qxd3 21.Rxa7 dxe5 22.Bxe5 Bxe5 23.Qxe5 Qb1+ 24.Rf1 Qxb4 25.Rb7 Qd6 26.Qxd6 exd6 27.Rxb5 Rd8 28.Rd1 Kf7 29.Rb7+ Kg8 30.Rb6 Rf6 31.Ra1 Rd7 32.Kf2 Re6 33.Ra8+ Kf7 34.Rh8 Kf6 35.Rbb8 d5 36.Rbf8+ Kg7 37.h3 d4 38.Rfg8+ Kh6 39.g4 fxg4 40.hxg4 d3 41.Rd8 Re2+ 42.Kf3 Ree7 43.Kg3 d2 44.Kh4 d1=Q 45.g5+ Kg7 46.Rhg8+ Kf7 47.Rgf8+ Ke6 48.Rf6+ Kd5 49.Rxd7+ Rxd7 50.Ra6 Ke4 51.Ra3 Qe1+ 52.Kh3 Rd3+ 53.Rxd3 Kxd3 54.Kg2 Ke3 55.f5 Qf2+ 56.Kh3 Kf3 0-1

Game 24, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
A88 Dutch, Leningrad, main variation

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nc3 f5 5.g3 Nf6 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O c6 8.d5 e5 9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.b3 Re8 11.Bb2 Na6 12.Qc2 Nc5 13.Rad1 Qe7 14.Nd4 Bf7 15.e3 Ng4 16.Nde2 a5 17.Rd2 a4 18.Rfd1 axb3 19.axb3 Rad8 20.h3 Nf6 21.b4 Nce4 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Bxe4 Qxe4 24.Bxg7 Qxc2 25.Rxc2 Kxg7 26.b5 c5 27.Nf4 Kf6 28.Nd5+ Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Re5 30.Rd1 Re4 31.Rd5 Ke6 32.Kg2 Rxc4 33.Rxd6+ Rxd6 34.Rxc4 Kd5 35.Rh4 Rd7 36.Kf3 b6 37.Ke2 Ra7 38.g4 fxg4 39.Rxg4 Ra2+ 40.Kf3 Rb2 41.h4 Rxb5 42.h5 gxh5 43.Rg5+ Kc6 44.Rxh5 c4 45.Rh6+ Kc5 46.Rxh7 Rb1 47.Rc7+ Kd5 48.e4+ Kd4 49.Rd7+ Kc3 50.e5 Re1 51.Kf4 b5 52.Kf5 b4 53.e6 b3 54.Kf6 b2 55.Rb7 b1=Q 0-1

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

December 9, 2020

Quarter-Finals

Nakamura-Fedoseev 21.5-5.5
So-Duda 16-10
Carlsen-Artemiev 13.5-9.5
MVL-Aronian 14.5-12.5

Semi-Finals

5+1

Game 1, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C24 Bishop’s Opening, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bb3 O-O 6.Nbd2 d6 7.Nf1 Nbd7 8.c3 d5 9.Bc2 dxe4 10.dxe4 Nc5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.Ng3 Re8 13.O-O Bf8 14.b4 Ncd7 15.Bb3 g6 16.Be3 Ng4 17.Bd2 a5 18.a3 b5 19.Rfd1 h6 20.a4 axb4 21.cxb4 bxa4 22.Bxa4 Bb7 23.Bxh6 Nxh6 24.Rxd7 Reb8 25.Nxe5 Bg7 26.f4 Ng4 27.Ra2 Bxe5 28.fxe5 Nxe5 29.Rd1 Kg7 30.Bb3 Rxa2 31.Bxa2 Ba6 32.Rd4 Nd3 33.Rd7 Ne5 34.Rd4 Nd3 35.Rd7 Ne5 36.Rd4 1/2-1/2

Game 2, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.O-O Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Na3 c6 9.Ba4 d6 10.Bb3 h6 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.Qe2 O-O 13.f4 exf4 14.Bxf4 d5 15.Bxc7 Qxc7 16.Ne3 dxe4 17.d4 Qe7 18.Rf4 a5 19.a4 c5 20.Raf1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Ra6 22.Nd5 Nxd5 23.Bxd5 Be6 24.Rxe4 Qd7 25.Bxe6 Rxe6 26.Rxe6 fxe6 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8 28.Qc4 b6 29.b3 Qd6 30.Qc8+ Kf7 31.Qb7+ Kf8 32.Qc8+ Kf7 33.Qb7+ Kf8 34.Qf3+ Kg8 35.Qa8+ Kf7 36.Qb7+ 1/2-1/2

Game 3, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.O-O Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Na3 c6 9.Ba4 d6 10.Bb3 a5 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.Ne3 O-O 13.Qf3 a4 14.Bc2 d5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Qd7 17.Qf3 Qg4 18.Qe3 Rfd8 19.h3 Qe6 20.Qg3 Rd7 21.Re1 b5 22.Bg5 h6 23.Be3 d4 24.Bd2 Kh8 25.a3 Ba5 26.Red1 Bb6 27.Qf3 Rd6 28.Qe2 dxc3 29.Bxc3 Rad8 30.Kh1 Bd4 31.Rf1 Nd7 32.f4 exf4 33.Rxf4 Ne5 34.Rd1 f6 35.Bb1 c5 36.Rc1 Bxc3 37.Rxc3 c4 38.dxc4 Rd2 39.Qh5 Rd1+ 40.Kh2 Rxb1 41.cxb5 Rxb2 0-1

Game 4, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Rg1 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.g4 Nc6 9.g5 Nd7 10.h4 Rc8 11.h5 Be7 12.Be3 Na5 13.g6 fxg6 14.hxg6 h6 15.Nd5 Nxb3 16.axb3 Nf6 17.Bc4 Nxd5 18.Bxd5 Qd7 19.c3 O-O 20.Qg4 Rf6 21.O-O-O Rd8 22.Qh5 Bxd5 23.Rxd5 Rdf8 24.Bxh6 gxh6 25.Qxh6 Bd8 26.Rd3 Qg7 27.Qh3 Bb6 28.Rg2 d5 29.exd5 e4 30.Rdg3 Re8 31.Kb1 Bxf2 32.Qh7+ Kf8 33.Rh3 Qg8 34.Qxb7 Qxg6 1-0

Game 5, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.Qe2 d6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Nh5 10.Nbd2 Qf6 11.h3 Ne7 12.Nh2 Nf4 13.Bxf4 gxf4 14.O-O-O a6 15.Bc4 b5 16.Bb3 b4 17.Ng4 Qg7 18.cxb4 Bxb4 19.Nf3 a5 20.g3 a4 21.Bc4 Ng6 22.Rhg1 Bxg4 23.hxg4 a3 24.g5 c6 25.Kb1 Ra5 26.gxf4 d5 27.gxh6 Qxh6 28.exd5 cxd5 29.Bb3 Qxf4 30.Nxe5 Kg7 31.Rg4 1-0

Game 6, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C66 Ruy Lopez, Closed Berlin Defence, Showalter variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Bd7 5.O-O Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Qd3 Nd7 9.Be3 b6 10.Rad1 Qc8 11.Qc4 Bb7 12.dxe5 Ba6 13.Nb5 c6 14.Nc7+ Qxc7 15.Qxa6 dxe5 16.Rd3 O-O 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Qc4 Nf8 19.Qc3 Ng6 20.g3 Rxd3 21.cxd3 Qd7 22.Kg2 c5 23.Rd2 f6 24.a3 Qb5 25.Qc4+ Qxc4 26.dxc4 Kf7 27.Ng1 Rd8 28.Ne2 Rxd2 29.Bxd2 Ke6 30.Nc3 Nh8 31.Nb5 Nf7 32.Kf3 Nd6 33.Nxd6 Bxd6 34.g4 g5 35.h3 Kd7 36.b3 Kc6 37.a4 a5 1/2-1/2

Game 7, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.Nbd2 dxe4 7.dxe4 O-O 8.O-O a5 9.a3 Qe7 10.Rb1 Rd8 11.Qc2 h6 12.b4 Bd6 13.Re1 Be6 14.Nb3 axb4 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.cxb4 Ra6 17.Na5 Bd7 18.Bd2 Rda8 19.Rec1 Qe6 20.Be3 Be8 21.Nd2 Nd7 22.Ndb3 h5 23.Qe2 f6 24.Rc3 h4 25.h3 Bg6 26.f3 f5 27.exf5 Bxf5 28.Rbc1 Nf6 29.Bg5 Nd5 30.Rxc6 Rxc6 31.Rxc6 Qg6 32.Qd2 Be6 33.Nc5 Qb1+ 34.Qc1 Qxc1+ 35.Bxc1 Bf7 36.Ne4 Bxb4 37.axb4 Nxb4 38.Rxc7 Rxa5 39.Ng5 Be8 40.Be3 Ra8 41.Bf2 Nd5 42.Rc5 Nf4 43.Rxe5 Ng6 44.Re4 Bc6 45.Rc4 Bb5 46.Rb4 Bd7 47.Bxh4 1-0

Game 8, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.O-O Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Na3 c6 9.Ba4 d6 10.Bb3 a5 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.a4 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 h5 16.f3 h4 17.Be1 g4 18.Bd2 d5 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Ne3 g3 21.h3 Nh5 22.Ng4 f5 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Re1 Qd6 25.Qe2 Bf4 26.Qxe6+ Qxe6 27.Rxe6+ Kd7 28.Bxf4 Nxf4 29.Re5 Rhf8 30.d4 Rae8 31.Rd1 Rxe5 32.dxe5 Ke6 33.Kf1 Kxe5 34.Re1+ Kf6 35.Bc2 d4 36.cxd4 Rd8 37.Re5 Rxd4 38.Re8 Rd2 0-1

Game 9, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.Qe2 d6 7.h3 a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bb3 Ne7 10.Nh4 Kh8 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Ng6 13.Nxg6+ fxg6 14.Nd2 Qe7 15.Nf1 Nh5 16.g3 Be6 17.Bd1 Rf7 18.Nd2 Raf8 19.Rh2 Qd7 20.Nf3 h6 21.d4 Bxh3 22.dxe5 Kh7 23.exd6 cxd6 24.Nh4 Nf6 25.f3 g5 26.Ng2 Nh5 27.g4 Bxg2 28.Rxg2 Nf4 29.Rd2 Ng6 30.Be2 Qe6 31.Qb6 Rxf3 32.Bxf3 Rxf3 33.O-O-O Qxa2 34.Qxd6 Qa1+ 35.Kc2 Qa4+ 36.Kc1 Qa1+ 37.Kc2 Qa4+ 38.Kc1 Qa1+ 1/2-1/2

The 5-minute games end with Nakamura leading 5:4 after So missed some chances in the final game!

3+1

Game 10, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4 O-O 10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.Ba3 e4 12.dxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Bxe4 15.a5 Rfe8 16.O-O Bxf3 17.gxf3 Ne5 18.Be2 Ng6 19.Bd3 Nh4 20.Be4 c6 21.axb6 f5 22.Bd3 axb6 23.Bc1 b5 24.f4 Ra2 25.c4 Re6 26.cxb5 cxb5 27.Bxb5 Rc2 28.Ba4 Rc3 29.Rd8+ Kf7 30.Rd7+ Kg8 31.Bb2 Rg6+ 32.Kh1 Rh3 33.Rd8+ Kf7 34.Be8+ Ke7 35.Bxg6 Kxd8 36.Bxh7 Ke7 37.Bg8 Kf8 38.Bd5 Rd3 39.Bxb7 Kf7 40.Be5 Rd2 41.b5 Ng6 42.b6 Nxe5 43.fxe5 Rb2 44.Bd5+ Kg6 45.b7 f4 46.Kg2 Kf5 47.e6 Kf6 48.Re1 Ke7 49.Be4 g5 50.Rb1 Re2 51.b8=Q Rxe4 52.Rb7+ Kxe6 53.Qe8+ Kf5 54.Rf7+ Kg4 55.f3+ 1-0

The 3-minute games started with Hikaru Nakamura making a losing move on move 13! All level again

Game 11, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.Nbd2 d6 7.O-O Ne7 8.Re1 Ng6 9.d4 Bb6 10.h3 c6 11.Bd3 Re8 12.Nc4 Bc7 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.a4 h6 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.Ne3 Nhf4 17.Bf1 Qf6 18.Nf5 Ne7 19.Bxf4 exf4 20.Nxe7+ Rxe7 21.Rad1 Qg6 22.Kh1 Bd7 23.Qd2 Rae8 24.e5 Bb6 25.a5 Bxa5 26.Qxf4 Bb6 27.Bd3 Qh5 28.Re2 Bc7 29.Rde1 f6 30.Qe4 f5 31.Qb4 Bc8 32.e6 Bb6 33.Bc4 g5 34.Bb3 g4 35.Nh2 gxh3 36.g3 Kg7 37.Qf4 Qg5 38.Qe5+ Qf6 39.Nf3 Qxe5 40.Rxe5 Bxf2 41.R1e2 Bxg3 42.Rxf5 Bxe6 43.Rf4 Bxf4 0-1

Game 12, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 h6 8.Nd2 Be6 9.Nc4 b5 10.Ne3 Nbd7 11.O-O Be7 12.a4 b4 13.Ncd5 a5 14.Bf3 O-O 15.Re1 Rc8 16.Re2 Rc5 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Bd2 Rfc8 19.c3 b3 20.h3 R5c7 21.c4 Bxc4 22.Re1 Be6 23.Bxa5 Ra7 24.Bc3 Nc5 25.Bb4 Ncxe4 26.a5 Rb8 27.Ba3 Qc7 28.Bxe4 Nxe4 29.Nd5 Qc2 30.Qxc2 bxc2 31.Nb4 Rc8 32.Rac1 Nf6 33.Rxc2 Rxc2 34.Nxc2 Rxa5 35.Bxd6 Nd7 36.Ne3 Ra6 37.Rd1 f6 38.f4 exf4 39.Bxf4 Kf7 40.h4 Ra4 41.g3 Rb4 42.Rd2 g5 43.hxg5 hxg5 44.Bd6 Rb3 45.Kf2 f5 46.Nd1 Nf6 47.Nc3 Ng4+ 48.Kg2 Rb6 49.Bc5 Rb8 50.b4 Rh8 51.Bg1 Bc8 52.b5 Bb7+ 53.Kf1 Bf3 54.Rd3 Bh1 55.b6 Ra8 56.b7 Rb8 57.Rd7+ Ke6 58.Ba7 Kxd7 59.Bxb8 Bxb7 60.Nd1 Ba6+ 61.Kg1 Ke6 62.Nf2 Ne3 63.Nh3 g4 64.Nf4+ Kd7 65.Ba7 Nc4 66.Kf2 Nd6 67.Bc5 Ne4+ 68.Ke3 Nxc5 69.Kd4 Ne4 0-1

Game 13, Dec. 9
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.Nbd2 d6 7.Nf1 Ne7 8.Ng3 Ng6 9.h3 c6 10.Ba4 d5 11.O-O dxe4 12.dxe4 h6 13.Bb3 a5 14.a4 Qe7 15.Nf5 Qc7 16.Re1 Re8 17.Ng3 Nf4 18.Be3 Qb6 19.Bxc5 Qxc5 20.Qd2 Be6 21.Bxe6 Nxe6 22.Rad1 Rad8 23.Qc2 b5 24.Nf5 b4 25.Nd2 bxc3 26.bxc3 Nd4 27.Nxd4 exd4 28.c4 Qb4 29.e5 d3 30.Qb1 Nd7 31.Qxd3 Nxe5 32.Qc2 Rxd2 33.Qxd2 Qxd2 34.Rxd2 Nf3+ 35.gxf3 Rxe1+ 36.Kg2 Ra1 37.Rd6 Rxa4 38.Rxc6 Rb4 39.c5 a4 40.Rc8+ Kh7 41.c6 a3 42.Ra8 Rc4 43.c7 Rxc7 44.Rxa3 Rc6 45.Re3 Rg6+ 46.Kf1 Rf6 47.Kg2 Rg6+ 48.Kh2 Rf6 49.Ra3 h5 50.h4 g6 51.Kg3 Rf5 52.Rb3 Kg7 53.Ra3 Rf6 54.Ra4 Rf5 55.Rb4 Rf6 56.Rc4 Rf5 57.Rd4 Rf6 58.Re4 Rf5 59.Ra4 Kf6 60.Ra6+ Kg7 61.f4 Rf6 62.Ra5 Rf5 63.Ra3 Rf6 64.Rb3 Re6 65.Rf3 Re1 66.f5 Rg1+ 67.Kh3 g5 68.hxg5 Rxg5 69.Ra3 Rxf5 70.f3 Kg6 71.Kg3 Kg5 72.Ra4 f6 73.Ra8 h4+ 74.Kg2 Rd5 75.Rg8+ Kf5 76.Rg4 Rd2+ 77.Kh3 Rf2 78.Rxh4 Rxf3+ 79.Kg2 Rf4 80.Rh3 Rg4+ 81.Kf2 Rf4+ 82.Kg2 Rg4+ 83.Kf3 Rf4+ 84.Ke2 Re4+ 85.Kf2 Rf4+ 86.Kg2 1/2-1/2

Game 14, Dec. 9
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4 O-O 10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.Ba3 e4 12.dxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Qxd6 cxd6 15.O-O-O Rac8 16.Bd5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Ne5 18.Kc2 Nc4 19.Bc1 Bxf2 20.Kb3 Rfe8 21.Bf4 h6 22.Rhd1 g5 23.Bc1 Be3 24.Nd4 a5 25.bxa5 Bxc1 26.Rxc1 Re5 27.Rxe5 dxe5 28.Nf5 Nxa5+ 29.Kb4 Nc6+ 30.Kb5 Rd8 31.Kb6 Rd2 32.Kxb7 Nd8+ 33.Kb6 Rxg2 34.c4 Rf2 35.Nxh6+ Kg7 36.Ng4 Rb2+ 37.Kc7 Ne6+ 38.Kd6 e4 39.c5 Rd2+ 40.Ke5 Ra2 41.c6 e3 42.Nxe3 Nc7 43.Nd5 Na6 44.c7 Nxc7 45.Rxc7 Rxa4 46.Rc2 Ra5 47.Rf2 Kg6 48.Ke4 Ra4+ 49.Kf3 f5 50.Kg2 Ra5 51.Ne3 Re5 52.Nf1 f4 53.h3 Ra5 54.Nh2 Ra3 55.Nf3 Kf5 56.Rc2 Ra5 57.Rb2 g4 58.Nd4+ Ke4 59.hxg4 Kxd4 60.Kf3 Ke5 61.Re2+ Kf6 62.Kxf4 Ra4+ 63.Re4 Rxe4+ 64.Kxe4 Kg5 65.Ke5 Kg6 66.Kf4 Kf6 67.g5+ Kg6 68.Kg4 Kg7 69.Kf5 Kf7 70.g6+ Kg7 71.Kg5 Kg8 72.Kf6 Kf8 73.g7+ Kg8 74.Kg6 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 17, 2020

Quarterfinals set at Speed Chess Championship

By Peter Doggers at the FIDE site:

https://www.fide.com/news/808

GM Vladislav Artemiev (@Sibelephant) will be GM Magnus Carlsen's opponent in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event. The Russian grandmaster beat GM Anish Giri (@AnishGiri) 15.5-11.5.

Based on his online experience and the Chess.com ratings, Artemiev was the slight favorite and he lived up to the expectations. Playing just a little bit faster than his opponent and with great tactical vision, the Russian player deservedly won this match.

The match started quite even and was still tied after four games. Artemiev had won a nice, smooth first game and after a draw, Giri won his first. That was one of the rare moments in the match where Artemiev stumbled in a winning position.

Artemiev won game five in a technical endgame and then also game eight, this time again with a small tactical shot. The score at the end of the five-minute segment was 5.5-3.5 and never in the match could Giri level the score again.

Giri held on and even ended up winning the three-minute segment with a one-point margin. He got a little help in one of the games as Artemiev briefly had issues with his internet and flagged in a drawn position, shortly after missing a win.

With 9-8 for Artemiev, the players started the bullet segment and in that phase, more than before, the Russian player was faster and more accurate. The impression was that Giri didn't make the most out of his promising positions. In the post-match interview, he didn't agree he was doing so well in the openings:

Giri won $851.85 based on win percentage; Artemiev won $2,000 for the victory plus $1,148.15 on percentage, totaling $3,148.15. He moves on to the quarterfinals, where he will play GM Magnus Carlsen.

The first quarterfinal has been scheduled and will be played on Thursday, November 19, at 12 Noon EST / 18:00 Central Europe between GM Wesley So and GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda.

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 16, 2020

The Anish Giri - Vladislav Artemiev Match (continued)

Laurence Fressinet is the commentator

3+1 (VA-AG 3.5-4.5)

Round 2, Game 14, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C42 Petrov, Classical Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.h3 b6 9.c4 Bb7 10.Nc3 d5 11.Bf4 Nbd7 12.Re1 Bd6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 a6 16.a4 c5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Bd5 Bxd5 19.Nxd5 g5 20.Nxg5 Nxd5 21.Qxd5 hxg5 22.Bxg5 Qc7 23.Bh6 Qd6 24.Qxd6 Bxd6 25.Rad1 Bc5 26.Rxd7 Rfe8 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Kf1 Re6 29.Bd2 1-0

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
C47 Four Knights, Ioseliani-Glek

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bc5 8.O-O O-O 9.d3 Re8 10.Qe1 Bf5 11.Ng5 h6 12.Ne4 Bb6 13.a4 Qd7 14.Be3 Bh3 15.a5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Bxa5 17.Qb1 Bb6 18.Qb5 f5 19.Nd2 Kh8 20.Bxb6 cxb6 21.Rfe1 Re7 22.Re2 Rae8 23.Rae1 Qc7 24.Qd5 a6 25.Qf3 Qd7 26.Nc4 b5 27.Ne3 Rf7 28.Qd5 Qxd5+ 29.Nxd5 Rd8 30.Nb4 Rc8 31.Nd5 Rd8 32.Nb4 Rd6 33.Na2 g6 34.Nc1 Kg7 35.Nb3 Rd5 36.Nd2 Rc7 37.f4 exf4 38.gxf4 Kf7 39.Nf3 Re7 40.h4 Rxe2+ 41.Rxe2 Rc5 42.d4 Rxc3 43.d5 Nb4 44.Ne5+ Kf6 45.Nd7+ Kf7 46.Ne5+ Kf6 47.Nd7+ Kf7 48.Ne5+ 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Game 16, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 e6 6.Be3 Nd7 7.c4 Qd6 8.Nc3 Ngf6 9.Be2 b6 10.O-O Bb7 11.Qd2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Qc7 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Rfe1 Bc5 15.Nb3 Be7 16.Bd6 Qc6 17.Bf3 Qxd6 18.Bxb7 Qxd2 19.Nxd2 Ra7 20.Bf3 O-O 21.Red1 Rc7 22.Rac1 Rfc8 23.Be2 Ne5 24.Kf1 g5 25.h3 Kg7 26.c5 Bxc5 27.Bxa6 Rd8 28.Be2 Be7 29.Nde4 Nxe4 30.Nxe4 Rxd1+ 31.Rxd1 f5 32.Nc3 Bb4 33.Nb5 Rc2 34.a3 Be7 35.b4 Kf6 36.Rb1 Ra2 37.Ke1 g4 38.hxg4 Nxg4 39.Bxg4 fxg4 40.Rb3 h5 41.g3 e5 42.Re3 Kf5 43.Nc7 Bg5 44.Rb3 h4 45.gxh4 Bxh4 46.Nd5 Bxf2+ 47.Kf1 Bd4 0-1

Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.e3 Bd6 5.b3 O-O 6.Bb2 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Nc3 dxc4 10.bxc4 c5 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.cxd5 Qe7 14.Qc2 g6 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.Qc3 f6 17.e4 Ne5 18.Nd2 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Be5 20.Bxe5 Qxe5 21.Qa3 Qc7 22.Rfe1 f5 23.Qc3 fxe4 24.Nxe4 Qg7 25.Qb3 Rf5 26.d6+ Qf7 27.Qb2 Bxe4 28.Rxe4 Rd5 29.Rde1 R5xd6 30.Qc3 Rd3 31.Qe5 R3d5 32.Qg3 Rd1 33.h4 Qxa2 34.Kh2 Rxe1 35.Rxe1 Qd5 36.Qg4 Qf5 37.Qg3 Rf8 38.Kg1 Qf6 39.Qb3+ Rf7 40.Qc2 Qxh4 41.Re8+ Kg7 42.g3 Qf6 43.Qe2 h5 44.Re6 Qf5 45.Qb2+ Kh7 46.Re8 Qf6 47.Qe2 c4 48.Rc8 c3 49.f4 Qd4+ 50.Kh1 Qd5+ 51.Kg1 Qd4+ 52.Kh1 Rd7 53.Qe6 Qd1+ 0-1

Score at the end of Round Two

Vladislav Artemiev – Giri, Anish 9-8

1+1 (VA-AG 6.5-3.5)

Round 3, Game 18, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Nf6 6.Be3 cxd4 7.cxd4 e6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.O-O Be7 10.Nc3 Qd6 11.Rc1 O-O 12.Re1 Nb4 13.Bb1 b5 14.Bg5 Bb7 15.a3 Nbd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Qd3 g6 18.Bh6 Rfc8 19.Ne5 Bf8 20.Bxf8 Rxf8 21.Qd2 Rad8 22.h4 Qe7 23.h5 Qh4 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.Be4 Ba8 26.g3 Qf6 27.Qe2 Qe7 28.Rc5 Qd6 29.Rec1 Ne7 30.Bxa8 Rxa8 31.Nf3 Rae8 32.Qe4 Nf5 33.Rc6 Nxg3 34.Qg4 Qd5 35.fxg3 Rxf3 36.R1c5 Qb3 37.Kg2 Rd3 38.Rc2 Qd5+ 39.Kh2 Rxd4 40.Qe2 e5 41.Rc7 Rd1 42.Qg2 e4 43.Qf2 Qh5+ 44.Kg2 Qh1# 0-1

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 26
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Classical variation

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.h3 h6 6.d3 a5 7.a3 Nbd7 8.Nbd2 Bh7 9.g3 Bd6 10.Bg2 O-O 11.O-O c6 12.Qe2 Qe7 13.e4 dxe4 14.dxe4 e5 15.Nh4 Rfd8 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Re8 18.Rfe1 Bc7 19.Rad1 Rad8 20.h4 Qc5 21.Qc4 Qa7 22.Qe2 Qc5 23.Qc4 Qa7 24.Qe2 Qc5 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 20, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e5 6.Nf5 d6 7.Ne3 g6 8.Nc3 Bh6 9.Nc2 Bxc1 10.Rxc1 Nge7 11.Be2 O-O 12.O-O Be6 13.Qd2 Qd7 14.Rcd1 Rad8 15.b3 f5 16.exf5 Nxf5 17.Bd3 Nfd4 18.Be4 Nxc2 19.Qxc2 Nd4 20.Qd3 Bg4 21.f3 Bf5 22.Ne2 Ne6 23.Qe3 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 Qc6 25.Qe3 b5 26.Rc1 Qc5 27.Qxc5 dxc5 28.Rfd1 bxc4 29.bxc4 Rxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Nd4 31.Nc3 Rb8 32.Ne4 Rb4 33.Nxc5 Rxc4 34.Nxa6 Ra4 35.Nc5 Rxa2 36.Nd3 Ne2+ 37.Kf1 Nf4 38.Nxf4 exf4 39.Rd4 Ra1+ 40.Kf2 Ra2+ 41.Kf1 Ra1+ 42.Ke2 Ra2+ 43.Rd2 Ra3 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 21, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Classical variation

1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Bf5 3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 h6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 c6 8.d3 O-O 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.a3 a5 11.Qc2 Re8 12.Bc3 Bd6 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 e5 15.e4 Bh7 16.Rxa8 Qxa8 17.Ra1 Qb8 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Qb3 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Nf6 22.Qb3 e4 23.dxe4 Nxe4 24.Nxe4 Bxe4 25.Rd1 Bf8 26.h3 Qc7 27.Ne1 b5 28.Bxe4 Rxe4 29.Nd3 Rd4 30.Re1 Qc4 31.Qxc4 bxc4 32.Ne5 c3 33.Rc1 f6 34.Nf3 Rc4 35.b5 Ba3 36.Rc2 Bb2 37.Kf1 Rb4 38.Ng1 Rxb5 39.Ke2 Rc5 40.Kd3 Kf7 41.Ne2 Ke6 42.Nxc3 Bxc3 43.Rxc3 Rxc3+ 44.Kxc3 Ke5 45.Kd3 f5 46.Ke3 g5 47.f4+ gxf4+ 48.gxf4+ Kd5 49.Kd3 h5 50.h4 Kc5 51.Kc3 Kd5 52.Kd3 Kc5 53.Kc3 Kd5 54.Kd3 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 22, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qd3 d5 8.Qg3 Ne7 9.h4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nf5 11.Qf4 c5 12.Bd3 Bb7 13.h5 Qd4 14.Rh3 c4 15.c3 Qd5 16.Bc2 Be7 17.Qg4 O-O 18.Bg5 Kh8 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.h6 g6 21.Qh4 f6 22.Rd1 Nf5 23.Qf4 Qb5 24.g4 Ne7 25.b4 cxb3 26.axb3 Nd5 27.Qd2 Qb6 28.g5 fxg5 29.Nxg5 Nf4 30.Rf3 Bxf3 31.Nxf3 Rad8 32.Nd4 e5 33.Qe3 Ng2+ 0-1

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A11 English

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Qc2 g6 5.b3 Bg7 6.Bb2 O-O 7.Be2 Bg4 8.O-O Nbd7 9.Nc3 e5 10.h3 Bf5 11.d3 Re8 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e4 Be6 14.Ng5 d4 15.Nb5 Rc8 16.Qd2 Qb6 17.Nxe6 Rxe6 18.Na3 Rec6 19.Rac1 Bf8 20.Rxc6 Rxc6 21.Rc1 Qa6 22.Rxc6 Qxc6 23.Nc2 a5 24.Bd1 b6 25.Qc1 Nc5 26.Ne1 Qb5 27.Qc2 h5 28.Bc1 Kh7 29.f4 Nfd7 30.f5 Bh6 31.Bxh6 Kxh6 32.fxg6 fxg6 33.g4 Qb4 34.Kf2 h4 35.Be2 g5 36.Nf3 Qc3 37.Qxc3 dxc3 38.Ke3 Ne6 39.Bd1 b5 40.d4 Nf4 41.dxe5 Nxh3 42.e6 Nf6 43.e7 Nf4 44.e5 N6d5+ 45.Kd4 Nxe7 46.Kxc3 h3 47.Kd4 Kg7 48.Nxg5 h2 49.Bf3 Kg6 50.Ne4 Ne6+ 51.Ke3 Nd5+ 52.Kf2 Ndf4 53.Kg3 Nd3 54.Kxh2 Nxe5 55.Kg3 Nd4 56.Nc5 Ndxf3 57.Kf4 Kf6 58.Nb7 a4 59.bxa4 bxa4 60.a3 Ng5 61.Ke3 Ne6 62.Ke4 Nxg4 63.Kd5 Ne3+ 64.Kc6 Nc2 65.Kb5 Nxa3+ 66.Kxa4 Nc4 67.Kb4 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Game 24, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C50 Hungarian Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 d6 5.O-O Bg4 6.c3 Nf6 7.d5 Nb8 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.h3 Bh5 10.Be2 Nbd7 11.Re1 c6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Nh4 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 g6 15.Nhf3 Nc5 16.c4 a5 17.b3 Qb6 18.Rb1 Rfb8 19.Ba3 Nfd7 20.Red1 Ne6 21.Nf1 Qc7 22.Ne3 Ndc5 23.Qc2 h5 24.g3 Bf8 25.Bc1 Rb7 26.Bd2 Nd4 27.Nxd4 exd4 28.Ng2 Re8 29.Re1 d3 30.Qc3 Bg7 31.Qxa5 Qxa5 32.Bxa5 Ra7 33.b4 Nxe4 34.Rbd1 Bc3 35.Re3 Bd4 36.Rexd3 Bxf2+ 37.Kh2 c5 38.a3 Bd4 39.Re1 Re5 40.Nf4 Nf2 41.Rxe5 dxe5 0-1

They used to say take the kids into the endgame, now it's take the "veterans" into the bullet section... Duda crushed Caruana in bullet yesterday, while Artemiev has now taken a 14:10 lead over Giri with under 8 minutes to go

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
E60 King’s Indian, Fianchetto

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 a5 7.O-O Bf5 8.Nh4 Bc8 9.b3 Nc6 10.Bb2 e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nf3 Nfd7 13.Qd2 a4 14.Nb5 axb3 15.axb3 Rxa1 16.Bxa1 Nxf3+ 17.Bxf3 Ne5 18.Bg2 Re8 19.Rd1 b6 20.Nc3 Bd7 21.h3 h5 22.f4 Nc6 23.Nd5 Be6 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Qc3+ f6 26.Nxf6 Qxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kxf6 28.Bxc6 Re7 29.Bg2 Bf5 30.Kf2 Bc2 31.Rc1 Bxb3 32.g4 hxg4 33.hxg4 Ba4 34.g5+ Kg7 35.e4 Bc6 36.Ke3 b5 37.cxb5 Bxb5 38.Kf2 Ba6 39.f5 gxf5 40.exf5 Re5 41.Rxc7+ Kf8 42.Bh3 Bd3 43.Rc8+ Kf7 44.g6+ Kg7 45.Rc7+ Kg8 46.f6 Bxg6 47.Rg7+ Kf8 48.Rxg6 Kf7 49.Rh6 Rg5 50.Bd7 d5 51.Kf3 d4 52.Kf4 Rg1 53.Bb5 Re1 54.Bc4+ 1-0

Round 3, Game 26, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.O-O Nf6 8.h3 Bh5 9.Be3 Nbd7 10.c4 Qd6 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Be7 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.b3 O-O 16.Rc1 Rfd8 17.Rfd1 h6 18.Nf3 Ba3 19.Rc2 Bb4 20.Bd2 Qa5 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Nc5 23.Qe2 Bxd2 24.Rcxd2 Qc7 25.Qe5 Rxd2 26.Qxc7 Rxd1+ 27.Kh2 Nd3 28.Qxb7 Rf8 29.b4 Nxf2 30.c5 f5 31.Kg3 Ne4+ 32.Kf4 g5+ 33.Ke5 Rf6 34.Nd4 Rf7 35.Qc8+ Kh7 36.Qxe6 Kg8 37.Nxf5 1-0

Round 3, Game 27, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Indian variation

1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 d5 3.Nf3 Bf5 4.g3 e6 5.Bg2 h6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 O-O 8.d3 c6 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.a3 a5 11.Qc2 Bd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Be7 14.Rfd1 Qc7 15.Qe2 Rfd8 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.d4 Be4 19.Qe3 b5 20.Rac1 Qb7 21.Ne5 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 a4 23.bxa4 Rxa4 24.Qf3 bxc4 25.Rxc4 Rxc4 26.Nxc4 Qb5 27.Ne5 Rd5 28.Rc1 Rxd4 29.Nxc6 Rd7 30.Nb4 Qb8 31.Rd1 Rxd1 32.Qxd1 e5 33.Qd3 Qa8+ 34.Kg1 e4 35.Qb3 Ng4 36.Qd5 Qxa3 37.Qxe4 Qc1+ 38.Kg2 Qh1+ 39.Kxh1 Nxf2+ 40.Kg2 Nxe4 41.Nd3 g5 42.Kf3 Nf6 43.g4 Kf8 44.Nb4 Ke7 45.Nc6+ Ke6 46.Nd8+ Ke7 47.Nc6+ Kd7 48.Nd4 Ng8 49.Ke4 Ne7 50.Ke5 Ke8 51.Kf6 Kf8 52.Ke5 Kg7 53.Ke4 Kf6 54.Ke3 Ke5 55.Nf3+ Kd5 56.Nd2 f5 57.gxf5 Nxf5+ 58.Kf3 Ke5 59.Kg4 Kf6 60.Kh5 Kg7 61.Ne4 Kh7 62.Nxg5+ hxg5 63.Kxg5 Ng7 64.h4 Ne6+ 65.Kf5 Ng7+ 66.Kf6 Nh5+ 67.Kg5 Ng7 68.h5 Nxh5 1/2-1/2

Score after Round Three

Vladislav Artemiev – Anish Giri 15.5-11.5

Vladislav Artemiev will play Magnus Carlsen in the #SpeedChess quarterfinals after beating Anish Giri 15.5:11.5

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 16, 2020

The Anish Giri - Vladislav Artemiev Match

Laurence Fressinet is the commentator

5+1 (VA-AG 5.5-3.5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
D11 Queen’s Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qc2 g6 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.e3 O-O 9.Be2 Bf5 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qb4 a6 12.O-O Rc8 13.Rfc1 b5 14.Ne5 Nc6 15.Nxc6 Rxc6 16.a4 bxa4 17.Nxa4 a5 18.Qb7 Rxc1+ 19.Rxc1 Ne4 20.Bc7 Qa8 21.Qxa8 Rxa8 22.Nb6 Ra7 23.Nxd5 Bf8 24.f3 Nd2 25.Nb6 Rb7 26.g4 Bb1 27.Rc6 Ra7 28.Bf4 f6 29.e4 Nxe4 30.fxe4 Bxe4 31.Rc8 Rb7 32.Bh6 1-0

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B28 Sicilian, O’Kelly variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c3 e6 4.d4 d5 5.e5 Nc6 6.Be2 Bd7 7.O-O Rc8 8.a3 Qb6 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.b4 Be7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Nbd2 c3 13.Nc4 Qc7 14.Be3 b5 15.Nb6 Rd8 16.Rc1 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bd4 Qb8 19.Bxg7 Bc6 20.Qb3 Bf6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Qxc3 Qxb6 23.Qxf6 Rg8 24.Bf3 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Rg5 26.Rc6 Qd4 27.Rxa6 Qd5 28.Qxd5 Rdxd5 29.g3 Rd2 30.a4 bxa4 31.Rxa4 Rb2 32.Kg2 Kf8 33.Ra5 Rxa5 34.bxa5 Ra2 35.Re1 Rxa5 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 3, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
B26 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 e6 7.Qd2 Rb8 8.Nge2 Nd4 9.O-O b5 10.Nd1 Nxe2+ 11.Qxe2 Ne7 12.Qd2 O-O 13.Bh6 b4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Ne3 a5 16.f4 f5 17.Rae1 Bb7 18.exf5 exf5 19.Nc4 Bxg2 20.Qxg2 d5 21.Nxa5 Ra8 22.Nb3 Qd6 23.d4 c4 24.Nc5 Rf6 25.Re5 Rxa2 26.Rfe1 Ra7 27.h3 c3 28.bxc3 bxc3 29.Kh2 h6 30.R1e3 Kf7 31.Rxc3 Qb6 32.Rce3 Qc6 33.Qe2 Ng8 34.Re8 Kg7 35.R3e6 Rxe6 36.Nxe6+ Kh7 37.Nf8+ Kg7 38.Qe5+ Kf7 39.Nxg6 Qxc2+ 40.Qe2 Qxe2+ 41.Rxe2 Kxg6 42.g4 Nf6 43.Kg3 Ra3+ 44.Kh4 Rd3 45.Re6 Rxd4 46.Kg3 Kf7 47.Ra6 Ne4+ 48.Kh4 Nf6 49.Kg3 Re4 50.Ra7+ Re7 51.Ra6 d4 52.g5 Ne4+ 53.Kh4 hxg5+ 54.fxg5 Re6 55.Ra7+ Kg6 56.Rd7 Rd6 0-1

Round 1, Game 4, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
B41 Sicilian, Kan, Maroczy bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Qc7 7.Be2 b6 8.Be3 Bb7 9.f3 Be7 10.Qd2 d6 11.g4 Nfd7 12.g5 Nc6 13.h4 Rc8 14.Rc1 Qd8 15.Rg1 g6 16.h5 Nce5 17.b3 gxh5 18.f4 Ng4 19.Bxg4 hxg4 20.Rxg4 Nc5 21.f5 Qd7 22.f6 Bf8 23.Rh4 Qc7 24.Kf1 Nd7 25.Nce2 Ne5 26.Nf4 Qd7 27.Qg2 b5 28.cxb5 Rxc1+ 29.Bxc1 axb5 30.Bb2 b4 31.Qe2 Qc8 32.Qb5+ Nd7 33.Nfxe6 fxe6 34.Nxe6 Ba6 35.Nc7+ Qxc7 36.Qxa6 Ne5 37.Bxe5 Qc1+ 38.Kf2 Qc5+ 39.Kf3 Qxe5 40.Qc8+ Kf7 41.Qg4 Qc3+ 42.Ke2 Qc2+ 43.Ke3 Qc1+ 44.Ke2 Qc2+ 45.Ke3 Qc1+ 46.Ke2 Qc2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
E20 Nimzo-Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.Bxc3 Ne4 7.Rc1 b6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.g3 Bb7 10.Bg2 d6 11.O-O Nxc3 12.Rxc3 Nd7 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.b4 Ne4 15.Rd3 Qe7 16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Qxd2 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Rac8 19.Qf4 Rfd8 20.Rfd1 h6 21.Rxd6 Rxd6 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Rxd6 Rxc4 24.Rd8+ Kh7 25.Rd7 Kg6 26.Rxa7 Rc3 27.a4 Rb3 28.b5 Ra3 29.e3 h5 30.Kf3 Ra2 31.h3 Kf6 32.Ra6 g5 33.Ke4 g4 34.hxg4 hxg4 35.Kf4 Rxf2+ 36.Kxg4 Rb2 37.Kf3 Rb4 38.Ra7 Kg6 39.Ke2 f5 40.Kd3 Kg5 41.Ra6 Kg4 42.Rxb6 Rxa4 43.Rxe6 Kxg3 44.b6 Rb4 45.Kc3 Rb1 46.Kd4 Kf3 47.Kc5 Rc1+ 48.Kd6 Rd1+ 49.Kc7 Rc1+ 50.Rc6 Rb1 51.Rc3 Ke2 52.b7 Kd2 53.Ra3 Rc1+ 54.Kb6 Rb1+ 55.Ka7 1-0

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Re1 Re8 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bxg6 hxg6 13.d5 c6 14.Bf4 Nbd7 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Bxd6 Bxd6 17.Qxd6 Ne5 18.Qxe5 Rxe5 19.Rxe5 Qb6 20.b3 Nd7 21.Re3 Nf8 22.Rd1 Rd8 23.Rde1 Ne6 24.Ne4 Qa5 25.a4 Kf8 26.h4 Nf4 27.Neg5 f6 28.Ne6+ Nxe6 29.Rxe6 Qc3 30.Kg2 Qxc2 31.g5 Qf5 32.R6e4 c5 33.R1e3 Kg8 34.Kg3 Rf8 35.gxf6 gxf6 36.Rf4 Qd7 37.Rc4 Qd6+ 38.Kg2 Qd5 39.Rec3 Qe6 40.Rxc5 Qg4+ 41.Kh2 Re8 42.R5c4 Qd7 43.Kg2 Re7 44.a5 Kg7 45.b4 Qd5 46.Rc5 Qe6 47.R5c4 Rb7 48.Rd4 Kh6 49.Re3 Qf5 50.Ree4 Rc7 51.Rf4 Qe6 52.Nh2 Kg7 53.Nf3 Rc2 54.Rde4 Qd6 55.Nd4 Rd2 56.Ne6+ Kf7 57.Ng5+ Kg7 58.Ne6+ Kf7 59.Ng5+ Kg7 60.Ne6+ 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
C27 Vienna game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Qxe5+ Qe7 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7 7.Be2 Nf5 8.Nf3 c6 9.g4 Nh4 10.Nxh4 Bxh4 11.Ne4 Be7 12.d4 d5 13.Ng3 O-O 14.Bf4 Be6 15.O-O Nd7 16.Rfe1 Rfe8 17.h3 Nf8 18.Nf5 Bxf5 19.gxf5 Nd7 20.Bd3 Nf6 21.Kg2 Rad8 22.Kf3 Bd6 23.Bg5 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Kf8 25.c3 Re8 26.Re3 h6 27.Bxf6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Game 8, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C45 Scotch, Potter variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Qe2 a5 8.a4 Nb4 9.Bf4 Qf6 10.Bg3 Ne7 11.O-O-O O-O 12.Kb1 Be6 13.h4 Nec6 14.h5 Nxc2 15.Bh4 Qh6 16.Qxc2 Nb4 17.Qd2 Bxb3 18.Qxh6 gxh6 19.Rh3 f5 20.Rd2 Rae8 21.Bb5 c6 22.Rxd6 Bc7 23.Rd7 Be5 24.Be2 fxe4 25.Rxb7 Bc2+ 26.Ka1 Bd3 27.Bd1 Kh8 28.Rh1 Bd4 29.f3 e3 30.Ne2 Bg7 31.Be1 Rb8 32.Rxb8 Rxb8 33.Bc3 Bxe2 34.Bxg7+ Kxg7 35.Bxe2 Nc2+ 36.Kb1 Nd4 37.Re1 Kf6 38.Bd3 Re8 39.Bxh7 Kg5 40.Be4 e2 41.Kc1 Kf4 42.Kd2 Kg3 43.Kd3 c5 44.Ke3 Nc2+ 45.Kxe2 Nxe1 46.Kxe1 Kxg2 47.Ke2 Kg3 48.Kd3 Rb8 49.Kc3 Rb4 50.b3 Kh4 51.Bg6 Kg5 52.Be8 Kf6 53.Bg6 Ke5 54.Be4 Kd6 55.Bg6 c4 56.Kd4 cxb3+ 0-1

Round 1, Game 9, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A28 English, Four Knights, Capablanca variation

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e3 g6 7.Bd2 Bg7 8.a3 a5 9.Be2 O-O 10.O-O Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Be6 12.Rc1 a4 13.Nd2 Na5 14.Bb4 Re8 15.Qc2 c6 16.Bd1 Nb3 17.Nxb3 Bxb3 18.Qe2 Bd5 19.Qd2 Qd7 20.Re1 b6 21.e4 Be6 22.Bc3 c5 23.Qe3 Qd6 24.h3 h5 25.g4 hxg4 26.Bxg4 Bf6 27.Kg2 Kg7 28.Rh1 Rh8 29.Rcf1 Rh4 30.Qg3 Rah8 31.f4 Qd7 32.f5 gxf5 33.Bxf5+ Kf8 34.Bxe6 Qxe6 35.Rxf6 Qxf6 36.Bxe5 Qh6 37.Bxh8 Qd2+ 38.Qf2 Qg5+ 39.Kh2 Rxh8 40.Rf1 Qe5+ 41.Qf4 Qxf4+ 42.Rxf4 Ke7 43.Kg3 Ke6 44.h4 b5 45.Rf5 Rd8 46.Rxc5 Rxd3+ 47.Kg4 Rb3 48.Rc2 b4 49.axb4 Rxb4 50.Kf3 f5 51.exf5+ Kxf5 52.h5 Kg5 53.Rh2 Kh6 54.Ke3 a3 55.bxa3 Rb3+ 56.Kd4 Rxa3 57.Ke4 Ra5 58.Kf4 Rxh5 59.Rxh5+ Kxh5 1/2-1/2

Score after Round One

Vladislav Artemiev – Anish Giri 5.5-3.5


3+1 (VA-AG 3.5-4.5)

Round 2, Game 10, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C45 Scotch, Romanishin variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb4+ 6.c3 Be7 7.f4 d6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.N1d2 Re8 11.Nf3 Bf8 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Nbd2 g6 14.Re1 Bg7 15.Nf1 Bg4 16.Qf2 Rad8 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Qxf3 Nd7 19.Bc2 d5 20.e5 Ndxe5 21.fxe5 Nxe5 22.Qg3 Nf3+ 23.Qxf3 Qxe1 24.Rb1 Qe7 25.Bf4 Be5 26.Be3 d4 27.cxd4 Bxd4 28.Bxd4 Rxd4 29.Bb3 Re4 30.Kh1 Kg7 31.Ng3 Re3 32.Qf2 Re1+ 33.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 34.Qxe1 Rxe1+ 35.Kh2 Rb1 36.Ne4 Rxb2 37.Ng5 b5 38.Ne4 a5 39.Bd5 a4 40.Kg3 b4 41.Nc5 b3 42.a3 Rd2 43.Be4 b2 44.Nxa4 Rd4 0-1

Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 a6 4.e3 e6 5.g4 Bb4 6.Ne2 O-O 7.a3 Be7 8.Ng3 c5 9.g5 Nfd7 10.Qh5 Re8 11.h4 Nc6 12.O-O-O b5 13.dxc5 b4 14.axb4 Nxb4 15.e4 Qa5 16.Kb1 Nxc5 17.exd5 exd5 18.Qf3 Be6 19.Nge2 Bf5 20.Nd4 Nb3 21.Nxb3 Bxc2+ 22.Kc1 Bxb3 23.Bd3 Qa1+ 24.Bb1 Na2+ 25.Nxa2 Bxa2 26.Qd3 Rac8+ 0-1

Round 2, Game 12, Nov. 16
Giri, Anish – Artemiev, Vladislav
C45 Scotch, Romanishin variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb4+ 6.c3 Be7 7.f4 d6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.O-O O-O 10.N1d2 Re8 11.Nf3 Bf8 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Re1 g6 14.Nbd4 Bg7 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Bf2 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 c5 18.Nb3 Qc7 19.Nd2 Bd7 20.Kh1 Bc6 21.c4 Bh6 22.f5 Ng4 23.Bg1 Ne5 24.Be2 Qe7 25.Rad1 Rad8 26.b3 Qh4 27.Nf3 Qxe4 28.Qxe4 Bxe4 29.Nxe5 Rxe5 30.fxg6 hxg6 31.Bf1 Rde8 32.Re2 R8e6 33.h3 Bf4 34.Rde1 Bg3 35.Rd1 b6 36.Bh2 Bxh2 37.Kxh2 f5 38.Red2 Kf7 39.Rxd6 Rxd6 40.Rxd6 Re6 41.Rd7+ Re7 42.Rd6 Re6 43.Rd7+ Re7 44.Rd6 f4 45.Kg1 Re6 46.Rd7+ Re7 47.Rd6 Bb1 48.Rd2 Bf5 49.Kf2 g5 50.Be2 Rd7 51.Rb2 Kf6 52.Bf3 Rd3 53.Re2 Rc3 54.Rd2 Rc2 55.Ke2 Ke5 56.Kd1 Rxd2+ 57.Kxd2 Kd4 58.Be2 Be4 59.Bf3 Bb1 60.a3 a5 61.a4 Bd3 62.Bd1 Be4 63.Bf3 Bf5 64.Bd1 Be6 65.Bf3 1-0

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 16
Artemiev, Vladislav – Giri, Anish
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bf5 3.Bb2 e6 4.g3 h6 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.O-O Nbd7 7.d3 Be7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Qe1 Bh7 10.e4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.Qe2 Qb6 13.Rab1 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qa6 15.Qe3 Rfd8 16.h3 a4 17.b4 c5 18.b5 Qa7 19.c4 Qa5 20.Rbd1 Qc7 21.e5 Ne8 22.Ne4 Nb6 23.Rc1 Rd7 24.Qe2 Rad8 25.Bc3 Rd3 26.Ne1 Rxc3 27.Nxc3 Rd4 28.Nd1 g5 29.Ne3 Ng7 30.Ng4 Nf5 31.Nf3 Rd8 32.Rfd1 Nd7 33.h4 gxh4 34.Nxh4 Bxh4 35.gxh4 Kh8 36.b6 Qc8 37.Qd2 Nd4 38.Qe3 Rg8 39.Nxh6 Rg7 40.Kh2 Qd8 41.Qf4 Nxe5 42.Bh1 Nd3 43.Rxd3 Bxd3 44.Rg1 Qe7 45.Rxg7 Kxg7 46.Ng4 Bg6 47.Qh6+ Kg8 48.Be4 Nf5 49.Bxf5 exf5 50.Ne3 Qe5+ 51.Kg1 f4 52.Nd5 Qe1+ 53.Kg2 Be4+ 54.Kh3 Qh1+ 55.Kg4 Qg2+ 56.Kxf4 Qf3+ 57.Ke5 Bxd5 58.Qg5+ Kf8 59.cxd5 Qc3+ 60.Kd6 c4 61.Qd8+ Kg7 62.Qg5+ Kf8 63.Kc7 Qxa3 64.d6 c3 65.d7 1-0

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 15, 2020

The Fabiano Caruana – Jan-Krzysztof Duda Match (continued)

1+1 (FC-JD 1-8)

Round 3, Game 18, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
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.Bd3 Nd7 9.Qe2 b6 10.O-O-O Bb7 11.Nd4 Bf6 12.h4 Nc5 13.Bb5 a6 14.Bc6 Bxd4 15.cxd4 Bxc6 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Bxc5 Re8 18.Qg4 Qc8 19.Qxc8 Raxc8 20.Bd4 Re4 21.f3 Re2 22.Rd2 Rce8 23.Rhd1 f6 24.b3 Kf7 25.c4 Bd7 26.Kc2 Bf5+ 27.Kc3 h5 28.Bf2 R8e5 29.Rxe2 Rxe2 30.Rd2 Rxd2 31.Kxd2 Ke6 32.Kc3 c5 33.b4 cxb4+ 34.Kxb4 Bb1 35.a3 Bd3 36.g3 g5 37.f4 g4 38.Bd4 Kf5 39.c5 dxc5+ 40.Kxc5 Ke4 41.Bxf6 Kf3 42.f5 Kxg3 43.Kd4 Bxf5 44.Ke3 Kg2 45.Be5 g3 46.Bb8 Bd7 47.Bc7 Be6 48.Bd6 Kh3 49.Be5 Kxh4 50.Kf3 Bd5+ 51.Kf4 Kh3 0-1

"That's going to sting quite a bit!"

Duda squeezes out an endgame win in the first bullet game to take a 2-point lead for the first time:

Round 3, Game 19, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.O-O Re8 11.f3 b6 12.Ra2 Qc7 13.Ng3 h5 14.Re2 h4 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Bxf5 g6 17.Bd3 cxd4 18.cxd4 Re6 19.Qe1 h3 20.Qh4 hxg2 21.Rxg2 Kg7 22.Bd2 Rh8 23.Qg3 Qe7 24.Bb5 Rh5 25.a4 Na5 26.Bxa5 bxa5 27.e4 dxe4 28.fxe4 Nxe4 29.Qf4 Rf6 30.Qe3 Rxf1+ 31.Bxf1 Qh4 32.Bd3 Ng5 33.Qe5+ Kh7 34.Qe3 Nh3+ 35.Kh1 Qf4 36.Qxf4 Nxf4 37.Rd2 Rh3 38.Bc4 Rc3 39.Bf1 Kg7 40.d5 Kf8 41.d6 Ke8 42.Kg1 Kd8 43.Kf2 Rc5 44.Bb5 Rd5 45.Rxd5 Nxd5 46.Kf3 Nb6 47.Ke4 f6 48.Kd4 a6 49.Bc6 Kc8 50.Kc5 Nd7+ 51.Kd5 Kd8 52.Ke6 Ne5 53.Be4 Nc4 54.Bxg6 Nb2 55.Bc2 f5 56.Kxf5 1-0

Round 3, Game 20, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
A46 Queen’s Pawn, Fianchetto

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 b5 5.O-O Bb7 6.c3 Be7 7.a4 a6 8.Re1 O-O 9.Bf4 Nbd7 10.Nbd2 c5 11.Ne5 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Nd7 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.Nb3 b4 18.Qd2 Rc8 19.Rc1 Rxc1+ 20.Qxc1 Qc6 21.Qxc6 Bxc6 22.Na5 Bb5 23.e3 g5 24.Bc7 g4 25.Bf1 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 Nf6 27.Nc6 Bf8 28.b3 Ne4 29.Ke2 Nc3+ 30.Ke1 h5 31.Ba5 Na2 32.Kd2 Kg7 33.Ne5 Bd6 34.Nd3 Kf6 35.Ke2 Kf5 36.f3 f6 37.Kf2 e5 38.dxe5 fxe5 39.Ne1 Nc1 40.Nc2 Bc5 41.Kg2 Nd3 42.fxg4+ hxg4 43.Kf1 Ke4 44.Ke2 Nc1+ 45.Kd1 Na2 46.Kd2 Be7 47.Bc7 Bg5 48.Bd6 d4 49.Bxb4 Bxe3+ 50.Kd1 Nxb4 51.Nxb4 Bg1 0-1

Round 3, Game 21, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
E83 King’s Indian, Samisch

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 Bg7 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nge2 e5 8.Qd2 a6 9.O-O-O Rb8 10.d5 Na5 11.Ng3 b5 12.Bh6 b4 13.Nb1 Ne8 14.h4 f5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Nh5 Qf7 18.Nxg7 Nxg7 19.Bd3 Bd7 20.h5 Nb7 21.Qxb4 Nc5 22.Qd2 f4 23.Nc3 Nf5 24.Rde1 Nd4 25.Kb1 Rb4 26.Ne4 Rfb8 27.Nxc5 Rxb2+ 28.Qxb2 Rxb2+ 29.Kxb2 dxc5 30.Rxe5 Qf8 31.Rhe1 Qb8+ 32.Ka1 Qb4 33.Re8+ Bxe8 34.Rxe8+ Kf7 35.Re7+ Kf8 36.Bxh7 Qxc4 37.Kb1 Qb4+ 38.Kc1 Qc3+ 39.Kd1 Qa1+ 40.Kd2 Qxa2+ 41.Kd3 Qxg2 42.Bf6 Qxf3+ 43.Kc4 Qxh5 44.Kxc5 Nf5 45.Rxc7 Qh6 46.Be5 Ne7 47.d6 Qxh7 48.dxe7+ Ke8 49.Rc8+ Kxe7 50.Rc7+ Ke6 51.Rxh7 Kxe5 52.Re7+ Kf5 53.Kd4 1-0

Caruana here missed mate-in-1 (41...Qc2#)... twice, and mate-in-2 once! It definitely hasn't been his day

Round 3, Game 22, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
C49 Four Knights, double Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.d3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 d6 7.O-O O-O 8.h3 h6 9.Re1 a6 10.Bc4 Na5 11.Bb3 c5 12.c4 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Bd2 c4 15.Bxa5 Rxa5 16.dxc4 bxc4 17.Bxc4 Qc7 18.Bb3 Bb7 19.Nd2 Rc5 20.Re3 d5 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Rg3 Nf4 23.Qg4 g6 24.Re1 Kh7 25.Nf3 f5 26.Qh4 Bxf3 27.Rxf3 g5 28.Qg3 Qa5 29.Rfe3 Ng6 30.R3e2 e4 31.Qd6 Qc7 32.Qxc7+ Rxc7 33.Rd2 Rf6 34.a4 h5 35.Red1 g4 36.hxg4 hxg4 37.g3 f4 38.gxf4 Nxf4 39.Rd7+ Rxd7 40.Rxd7+ Kg6 41.Rd2 Kg5 42.Bc4 Nh3+ 43.Kg2 Kh4 44.a5 Nf4+ 45.Kf1 g3 46.fxg3+ Kxg3 47.a6 e3 48.Rd8 Rh6 49.Rg8+ Kf3 50.a7 e2+ 51.Bxe2+ 1-0

Caruana grabs a win after losing the first 4 bullet games, but Duda still has a huge 13:9 lead!

Round 3, Game 23, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
E63 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Panno System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O Nc6 7.Nc3 a6 8.b3 Rb8 9.Bb2 b5 10.cxb5 axb5 11.Rc1 Bd7 12.e3 e6 13.Qe2 Ne7 14.b4 Ned5 15.a3 c6 16.e4 Nb6 17.e5 Ne8 18.Ne4 d5 19.Nc5 Nc4 20.Rc3 Nc7 21.Bc1 Ra8 22.h4 h6 23.Nh2 Na6 24.Nxd7 Qxd7 25.Ng4 h5 26.Nf6+ Bxf6 27.exf6 Rfe8 28.g4 e5 29.Rg3 exd4 30.Qd1 hxg4 31.Rxg4 Nc7 32.h5 Qf5 33.hxg6 fxg6 34.Rf4 1-0

Round 3, Game 24, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.O-O d5 6.c4 c6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Rd1 Rd8 9.Nc3 Be6 10.Qxb6 axb6 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.a3 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Rxd4 15.Be3 Rxd1+ 16.Rxd1 Na6 17.Bxb6 Bxb2 18.a4 Ba3 19.a5 Bc5 20.Rd7 Bxb6 21.axb6 Nc5 22.Rxe7 Ra1+ 23.Kg2 Rb1 24.e3 Rxb6 25.h4 h5 26.g4 hxg4 27.Bxg4 Rb4 28.Kf3 Kf8 29.Rc7 f5 30.Bh3 Rxh4 31.Bf1 Re4 32.Rh7 Re7 33.Rh8+ Kg7 34.Rb8 Nd7 35.Rd8 Ne5+ 36.Kf4 Rd7 37.Re8 Kf6 38.e4 g5+ 0-1

Round 3, Game 25, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
E53 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Nbd7 9.Be2 Bxc3+ 10.Bd2 Nxc5 11.Bxc3 Nce4 12.Bd4 Be6 13.O-O Qe7 14.h3 Rfc8 15.Qb3 Nc5 16.Qa3 b6 17.Rfc1 Nfe4 18.b4 Nd7 19.Qb2 Ndf6 20.Ba6 Rxc1+ 21.Rxc1 Nd6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Nd4 Nc4 24.Qe2 Ne5 25.a3 Kh8 26.Qh5 Rg8 27.Bf1 Bd7 28.Rc3 Qd6 29.f4 Nc6 30.Bd3 Rg7 31.Nf5 Bxf5 32.Bxf5 d4 33.Rd3 Qd5 34.e4 Qc4 35.Qd1 Rg8 36.Kh2 Rg7 37.Qd2 b5 38.Bd7 Rg8 39.Bxc6 Qxc6 40.Rxd4 Qc7 41.Rd6 Qe7 42.Qd4 Kg7 43.g4 Rc8 44.g5 Kg8 45.gxf6 Qf8 46.Kg3 Kh8 47.Qe5 Re8 48.Qd5 Qg8+ 49.Qg5 Qf8 50.e5 Rc8 51.Kh4 Qe8 52.Qg7# 1-0

Final Position



Round 3, Game 26, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Rg1 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.g4 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Bg2 Nxc3 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Be3 Kc7 14.Rb1 Rc8 15.Be4 Be7 16.Ke2 b5 17.g5 Rcd8 18.h4 Bd5 19.Kf3 Bxe4+ 20.Kxe4 Rd7 21.Nd2 Rhd8 22.Nf3 Re8 23.h5 Na5 24.a4 Nc4 25.Nh4 bxa4 26.Nf5 g6 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.Nh6 Ba3 29.Ra1 Rb8 30.Ng4 Rb2 31.Nf6 Rd8 32.Rh1 Rxc2 33.Rh7 Kc6 34.Rxf7 Nd6+ 35.Kd3 Rb2 36.Rh7 Nb5+ 37.Kc4 Rb3 38.Ne4 Rd5 39.Rf7 Rxc3+ 40.Nxc3 Nd6# 0-1

Final Mate



Nice one!

Mate ends the match as Jan-Krzysztof Duda beats Fabiano Caruana 17:9 despite losing the first 3 games. Duda now plays Wesley So in the #SpeedChess quarterfinals!

Score after Round Three

Duda-Caruana 17-9

The one remaining #SpeedChess Last 16 match is tomorrow's Artemiev-Giri to decide who plays Magnus Carlsen in the quarterfinals!

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 15, 2020

The Fabiano Caruana – Jan-Krzysztof Duda Match (continued)

3+1 (FC-JD 4-4)

Round 2, Game 10, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h4 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f4 exf4 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.Qd2 d5 11.O-O-O Bb4 12.Bg5 Nxe4 13.Qe3 Nxg5 14.Nxd5 Bd6 15.hxg5 Ne7 16.Bc4 b5 17.Nxe7 Qxe7 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Kb1 Rd8 20.Na5 Rc8 21.Qe4 e5 22.g6 h6 23.Rhf1 Rf8 24.Rxf8+ Qxf8 25.Qg4 Rc7 26.Qe6+ 1-0

Round 2, Game 11, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 h6 9.Nbd2 Nh7 10.b4 Qf6 11.d4 Ng5 12.b5 Na5 13.Be2 O-O 14.Ba3 Re8 15.Qc2 Nxf3+ 16.Nxf3 Bg4 17.Bb4 Bb6 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.c4 c5 20.Ba3 Rad8 21.Bb2 Bc7 22.Nd2 Bxe2 23.Rxe2 axb5 24.axb5 b6 25.Nf1 Qe6 26.Ne3 Ra8 27.Nd5 Rec8 28.Re3 Bd8 29.h3 Nb7 30.Rd1 Ra2 31.Qb3 Rca8 32.Rg3 Kh7 33.Rf3 R8a7 34.Rb1 Nd6 35.Qd3 R2a4 36.Rc1 Ra2 37.Rc2 R7a4 38.Qb3 Ra7 39.Qd3 R2a4 40.Kh2 Ra2 41.g3 Qg6 42.Re3 Qe6 43.Kg2 R2a4 44.Ree2 Ra2 45.Qb3 R2a4 46.Bc1 Ra1 47.Bb2 R1a4 48.Qd3 Ra2 49.Ne3 R2a4 50.Ng4 f6 51.Ne3 Be7 52.Nd5 Bd8 53.h4 Nf7 54.f3 h5 55.Bc1 Nd6 56.Red2 Nf7 57.Rd1 Nd6 58.Nc3 Rxc4 59.Qxd6 Qxd6 60.Rxd6 Be7 61.Rxb6 Rd4 62.Ra6 1-0

Round 2, Game 12, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h4 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f4 exf4 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.Qd2 d5 11.O-O-O Bb4 12.Bg5 Nxe4 13.Qe3 Nxg5 14.Nxd5 Bd6 15.hxg5 Ne7 16.Bc4 Nf5 17.Qd2 Ng3 18.Rh4 b5 19.Bd3 Bxd5 20.Rd4 Qc7 21.Qe1+ Qe7 22.Rxd5 Bf4+ 23.Kb1 Qxe1 24.Rxe1+ Kf8 25.Nc5 g6 26.Rd4 Bxg5 27.Rg4 Bd8 28.Rxg3 Bh4 29.Ree3 Bxg3 30.Rxg3 Kg7 31.b4 Rhe8 32.Kb2 h5 33.a4 bxa4 34.Bxa6 Re5 35.Bc4 h4 36.Rf3 a3+ 37.Rxa3 Rxa3 38.Kxa3 Rg5 39.Bf1 Rf5 40.Bd3 Rf2 41.b5 Rxg2 42.b6 h3 43.Be4 Rd2 44.b7 Rd8 45.Nd7 f5 46.Bd5 g5 47.b8=Q Rxb8 48.Nxb8 g4 49.Nc6 Kf6 50.c4 g3 51.Nd4 g2 52.Ne2 f4 53.c5 Ke5 54.Bf3 Ke6 55.c6 1-0

Jan: "It's 6:6... So far the same number of draws as in the hit series the Queen's Gambit!"

Peter: "I don't know if this features the same number of ridiculous draw offers..."

Round 2, Game 13, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Qe7 10.b4 Bb6 11.a4 a5 12.b5 Nd8 13.Nbd2 Nh5 14.d4 Nxg3 15.hxg3 Kg7 16.Bb3 Bg4 17.Nc4 f6 18.Ne3 Bd7 19.Re1 Nf7 20.Nh2 c6 21.bxc6 bxc6 22.Rb1 Rab8 23.g4 Rfd8 24.Nhf1 h5 25.Ng3 Nh6 26.Nxh5+ Kg6 27.Nf5 Nxf5 28.gxf5+ Kh6 29.Re3 1-0

Round 2, Game 14, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
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 c5 11.Rhe1 Be6 12.a3 c4 13.Bf1 Ne4 14.Qe2 d5 15.Bd4 b5 16.Nd2 Nd6 17.g3 Re8 18.Bg2 Nf5 19.Nf3 a5 20.Ne5 Qc7 21.Qh5 g6 22.Qf3 b4 23.a4 Rab8 24.h4 bxc3 25.Bxc3 d4 26.Rxd4 Nxd4 27.Bxd4 Bc5 28.Bc3 Bb4 29.Nc6 Bxc3 30.Qxc3 Rb6 31.Nxa5 Reb8 32.b3 Qc5 33.Nxc4 Bxc4 34.Qxc4 Qxc4 35.bxc4 Rb1+ 36.Kd2 Rxe1 37.Kxe1 Rb4 38.Bd5 Rxa4 39.Kd2 Kf8 40.Kd3 Ke7 41.Kd4 Ra2 42.Kd3 f6 43.c5 Ra4 44.c6 Kd6 45.c4 Ra2 46.Ke3 Rb2 47.Kf3 h6 48.g4 g5 49.hxg5 hxg5 50.Ke3 Rb8 51.Ke4 Ke7 52.Kf5 Rc8 53.f3 Rc7 54.Kg6 Rc8 55.Kf5 Rc7 56.Kg6 Rc8 57.Kg7 Rc7 58.Kh6 Rc8 59.Kg6 Rc7 60.Kf5 Rc8 61.Ke4 Rc7 62.Kd4 Kd6 63.Ke4 Ke7 64.f4 gxf4 65.Kxf4 Kd6 66.Kf5 Ke7 67.c5 Rc8 68.Ke4 Rc7 69.Kd4 Rc8 70.Kc4 Kd8 71.Kd4 Kc7 72.Ke4 Re8+ 73.Kd4 Re5 74.Be4 Rg5 75.Bf3 Kc8 76.Kc4 Kd8 77.Kd4 Re5 78.Be4 Kc7 79.Bf3 Rg5 80.Kc4 Kb8 81.Kd4 Kc8 82.Kc4 Kc7 83.Kd4 Re5 84.Be4 Rg5 85.Bf3 1/2-1/2

After 13 decisive games we finally have a draw, just when it seemed Duda was going to take a 2-point lead

Round 2, Game 15, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C42 Petrov, Classical Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bf5 7.O-O Be7 8.c4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 O-O 10.Re1 Nc6 11.Nc3 Nd6 12.Bb3 Nb4 13.a3 Nd3 14.Re2 Nxc1 15.Qxc1 c6 16.Qf4 Bf6 17.Rae1 g6 18.g4 g5 19.Qg3 Bg6 20.Ne5 Kg7 21.Ba2 Rc8 22.Re3 Rc7 23.Ne2 Re8 24.Nc3 Rce7 25.f4 gxf4 26.Qxf4 h6 27.R3e2 Nc8 28.Kh1 Nb6 29.Rf1 Bg5 30.Qf2 Qd6 31.h4 Bf6 32.h5 Bh7 33.Nxf7 Qxd4 34.Rxe7 Rxe7 35.Qxd4 Bxd4 36.Nd6 Be5 37.Nf5+ Bxf5 38.Rxf5 Bxc3 39.bxc3 Re1+ 40.Kg2 Re2+ 41.Rf2 Rxf2+ 42.Kxf2 Na4 43.c4 Kf6 44.Bb3 Nc5 45.Bc2 Nd7 46.Kg3 Ne5 47.Bb3 Kg5 48.c5 Nd3 49.Be6 Nxc5 50.Bc8 b6 51.Kf3 Nb3 52.Ke4 c5 53.Kd5 Nd4 54.a4 Ne2 55.a5 bxa5 56.Kxc5 Nc3 57.Bd7 Ne4+ 58.Kb5 Nf6 59.Be6 Nxg4 60.Bf7 Nf6 61.Kxa5 Nxh5 62.Ka6 Ng7 63.Kxa7 Kf6 64.Bd5 h5 65.Kb6 h4 66.Bg2 Ke5 67.Kc5 Ne6+ 68.Kc4 Kf4 69.Bh3 Ng5 70.Bc8 Ke4 71.Kc3 Ke3 72.Kc2 Nf3 73.Kd1 Kf2 74.Bg4 Ne5 75.Be6 Kg3 76.Ke2 Ng4 77.Bxg4 Kxg4 78.Kf2 h3 79.Kg1 Kg3 80.Kh1 h2 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Game 16, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
C42 Petrov, Nimzowitsch Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O Nf6 10.Bd3 Be6 11.Nd4 Bd7 12.c4 Re8 13.f3 d5 14.Rhe1 c5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Bxf5 d4 17.Bf4 Nh5 18.Kb1 g6 19.Bd3 Nxf4 20.Qxf4 Qd6 21.Qe4 Qd7 22.g3 Bg5 23.Qd5 Qxd5 24.cxd5 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rd8 26.f4 Bf6 27.Bc4 Kf8 28.a4 Re8 29.Rxe8+ Kxe8 30.Kc1 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Game 17, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
E53 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Nbd7 9.Be2 Nxc5 10.Bd2 Bf5 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Nfe4 13.Bd4 Ne6 14.O-O Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Qd6 16.Rfd1 Rfd8 17.Rac1 h6 18.Bd3 Qe7 19.Qe5 Qxe5 20.Nxe5 Be6 21.Rc7 Rac8 22.Rdc1 Nd6 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Rxc8+ Bxc8 25.Kf1 Kf8 26.Ke1 Ke7 27.Nf3 Bf5 28.Bf1 Be4 29.Nd4 g5 30.Kd2 h5 31.f3 Bg6 32.Kc3 h4 33.Nb5 Nxb5+ 34.Bxb5 f6 35.Kd4 Kd6 36.Ba4 Bh5 37.Bb3 Bf7 38.e4 b6 39.Bxd5 Be8 40.g3 hxg3 41.hxg3 Bd7 42.Bc4 Bc6 43.Bd3 Bd7 44.Bf1 a5 45.Bc4 Bc6 46.Bd5 Bd7 47.Bf7 Bc6 48.Bg6 Bd7 49.Bf5 Bc6 50.f4 gxf4 51.gxf4 Bb7 52.Bh3 Bc6 53.Bg2 Bd7 54.Bf3 Bb5 55.Bd1 Bc6 56.Bb3 Bb5 57.Bd5 Bd7 58.Bb7 Bb5 59.Ba8 Bd7 60.Bd5 Bb5 61.Bf7 Bc6 62.Bh5 Bd7 63.Bf3 Bb5 64.Bd1 Bc6 65.Bb3 Bb5 66.Bd5 Bd7 67.Ke3 Bb5 68.Kd4 1/2-1/2

Score at the end of Round Two

Duda-Caruana 9-8

[Wayne Komer]

Speed Chess Championship Main Event 2020

November 15, 2020

The Fabiano Caruana – Jan-Krzysztof Duda Match

Jan Gustafsson and Peter Svidler are the commentators

5+1 (FC-JD 4-5)

Round 1, Game 1, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.Be2 b5 10.O-O O-O 11.a3 Qb6 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Kh1 Bb7 15.Bd3 Rad8 16.Qf2 h6 17.b4 Nd7 18.Qh4 f6 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.Rae1 Rdf8 21.f5 Nd8 22.fxe6 Nxe6 23.Qg4 Qd6 24.Nd1 Nf4 25.Ne3 Nxd3 26.cxd3 Rf4 27.Qg3 d4 28.Nd1 Ne5 29.Nd2 Rg4 30.Rxf8+ Qxf8 31.Rxe5 Rxg3 32.hxg3 Qc8 33.Nf2 Qc1+ 0-1

Jan: "The question if Caruana is taking this seriously or not has been answered by his very first move with a resounding no! He's playing the French Defence”

Round 1, Game 2, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nc6 9.Be3 Nf6 10.h3 O-O 11.O-O Rfc8 12.Nde2 Qd8 13.Qd2 a6 14.f3 Rab8 15.Rac1 b5 16.cxb5 axb5 17.Nf4 b4 18.Nce2 Ra8 19.b3 Nd7 20.Rc2 Nc5 21.Rfc1 e6 22.Rd1 Be5 23.Nd3 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Ne7 25.Rxc8 Nxc8 26.Qd2 Qa5 27.Rc1 Na7 28.a4 Qa6 29.Nd4 Rb8 30.Qe2 Qb7 31.Qd3 h5 32.f4 Bg7 33.Nf3 d5 34.exd5 exd5 35.f5 gxf5 36.Qxf5 Re8 37.Bf2 Nc8 38.Ng5 Nd6 39.Qh7+ Kf8 40.Bc5 Qd7 41.Rf1 Re7 42.Qxh5 d4 43.Bxd6 Qxd6 44.Rxf7+ 1-0

Round 1, Game 3, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsy variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.Be2 b5 10.O-O O-O 11.Kh1 b4 12.Nd1 a5 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Bb7 15.d5 exd5 16.Bxd5 Nb6 17.Be4 Qxd2 18.Bxd2 Rfd8 19.Rc1 Rac8 20.Ne3 Ba6 21.Rfe1 g6 22.Ng4 Nc4 23.Rc2 Nd4 24.Nxd4 Rxd4 25.Bc1 Rcd8 26.Nf2 Nd2 27.Bxd2 Rxd2 28.Rec1 c4 29.Bf3 a4 30.Ne4 Rxc2 31.Rxc2 b3 32.axb3 cxb3 33.Rc6 Bb7 34.Rc1 Bxe4 35.Bxe4 Rd4 36.Bc6 Rxf4 37.Ra1 a3 38.bxa3 b2 39.Rg1 Rc4 40.Bb5 Rc1 0-1

Round 1, Game 4, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h4 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.g3 Qd7 11.Qd2 Nc6 12.O-O-O Rd8 13.Nd5 O-O 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Qh6 Qe7 16.f4 Kh8 17.f5 Bxb3 18.axb3 Rg8 19.Rg1 Rg4 20.Qe3 Nd4 21.Kb1 Qc7 22.Bd3 a5 23.Rg2 Rdg8 24.Bc4 b5 25.Bd5 a4 26.Rc1 axb3 27.cxb3 Qe7 28.b4 Kg7 29.Qc3 Rd8 30.Qc7 Rd7 31.Qc8 Ra7 32.Qb8 Kh6 33.Rc8 Kh5 34.Rg8 Qc7 35.Qxc7 Rxc7 36.Rh8 Rg7 37.g4+ Kxh4 38.Rh2+ Kg3 39.R8xh7 Rxh7 40.Rxh7 Kxg4 41.Rxf7 Rxf7 42.Bxf7 Kf4 43.Bd5 Ke3 44.Kc1 Ke2 45.Ba8 Kd3 46.Bd5 Ne2+ 47.Kd1 Nf4 48.Bc6 Kc4 49.Kd2 Kxb4 50.Ke3 Kc5 51.Be8 Kc4 52.Bf7+ Kb4 53.Be8 Kc5 54.Bf7 d5 55.exd5 Nxd5+ 56.Ke4 Nb6 57.Be8 Nc4 58.Kf3 Nxb2 59.Kg4 Nc4 60.Kh5 Nd6 61.Bd7 b4 62.Be6 Kd4 63.Kg6 Ne4 64.Kg7 Ke3 65.Bd5 Kf4 66.Bxe4 Kxe4 67.Kxf6 b3 68.Ke6 b2 69.f6 b1=Q 0-1

Duda picks up a 1st win to make it 1:3, despite having been dead lost at some point in Game 4!

Round 1, Game 5, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C11 French, Stenitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.Be2 b5 10.a3 O-O 11.O-O Qb6 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Bxc5 Nxc5 14.Kh1 Bb7 15.Bd3 h6 16.Rae1 Rad8 17.Qf2 b4 18.Ne2 d4 19.Ng3 Ne7 20.Rd1 bxa3 21.bxa3 Qb2 22.Nh4 Rc8 23.Nh5 Nxd3 24.Qg3 g6 25.cxd3 Ba8 26.Rb1 Qd2 27.Nf6+ Kg7 28.Ne4 Qe3 29.Nd6 Rc2 30.f5 Qxg3 31.f6+ Kg8 32.hxg3 Nd5 33.Rfc1 Re2 34.Rc8 Rxc8 35.Nxc8 Ne3 36.Rb8 Re1+ 37.Kh2 Ng4+ 0-1

Round 1, Game 6, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h4 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f4 exf4 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.Qd2 d5 11.O-O-O Bb4 12.Qe3 d4 13.Nxd4 Bc5 14.Nce2 Qb6 15.Kb1 Ng4 16.Qc3 Rd8 17.Nxe6 Rxd1+ 18.Bc1 fxe6 19.Qxg7 Rf8 20.Qxg4 Ba3 21.Qxe6+ Kd8 22.b3 Qd4 0-1

Round 1, Game 7, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C11 French, Steinitz, Enevoldsen variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.f4 Be7 8.Nf3 a5 9.a4 O-O 10.h4 f6 11.Rh3 Nb6 12.Ng3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nb4 14.Bd3 Nxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Bd7 16.b3 Rc8 17.Bd2 Na8 18.h5 h6 19.Ne2 b6 20.g4 Nc7 21.Rc1 Ne8 22.Qg6 Rxc1+ 23.Bxc1 Nc7 24.exf6 Rxf6 25.Qd3 Rf8 26.Ne5 b5 27.g5 Bd6 28.gxh6 Bxe5 29.fxe5 bxa4 30.Qg6 Ne8 31.hxg7 1-0

Round 1, Game 8, Nov. 15
Caruana, Fabiano – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h4 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f4 exf4 9.Bxf4 Nc6 10.Qd3 d5 11.O-O-O dxe4 12.Qe3 Qc8 13.Kb1 Ng4 14.Qg3 f5 15.Be2 Nf6 16.h5 Kf7 17.Qf2 h6 18.g4 fxg4 19.Bg3 Kg8 20.Qe3 Bf7 21.Nxe4 Nxh5 22.Bd6 Qe6 23.Rxh5 Bxh5 24.Nbc5 Qe8 25.Bxf8 Qxf8 26.Rd7 Re8 27.a3 Ne5 28.Rxb7 Kh7 29.Qd4 Re7 30.Rb6 Bg6 31.Ne6 Qf5 32.N6c5 Rf8 33.Ka2 g3 34.Nxg3 Qxc2 35.Qd1 Qxd1 36.Bxd1 Rf6 37.Rxf6 gxf6 38.Nxa6 f5 39.Ne2 h5 40.Nf4 h4 41.Nc5 Bf7+ 42.b3 Ng6 43.Nh3 Bd5 44.Kb2 Re3 45.Ng5+ Kh6 0-1

Round 1, Game 9, Nov. 15
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Caruana, Fabiano
C11 French, Steinitz, Enevoldsen variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.f4 a5 8.Nf3 a4 9.Be3 Be7 10.Qd2 O-O 11.h4 b5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bxc5 Bxc5 14.Ned4 Nxd4 15.cxd4 Be7 16.Kf2 b4 17.Rc1 Qb6 18.g4 Bd7 19.Kg3 Rfc8 20.Bd3 b3 21.a3 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Rc8 23.Re1 Bb5 24.Bb1 Qc7 25.h5 Bd8 26.Kf2 Qa5 27.Qe3 Qa7 28.Rg1 Bb6 29.f5 Rc4 30.Rd1 exf5 31.gxf5 Rc6 32.f6 Qd7 33.Qg5 1-0

A beautiful final move by Duda as Black wins a 4th game in a row!

Standing after Round One

Duda-Caruana 5-4