FTX Crypto Cup 2021

**Mike Ivanov** · Monday, 17th May, 2021, 06:10 PM

A $100000 bitcoin bonus? What do they need 89500 in Bitcoin for? For that 112300 in bitcoin Nepo could buy a lot of super-computers...

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 02:50 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 23, 2021

Preliminaries

Day One

Rounds One and Two

It appears that the pairings given a week ago have been changed. These are correct, of course. In the advanced English commentary we have Peter Leko and Tania Sachdev.

Round 1

Svidler-Aronian 1-0
Caruana-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
Radjabov-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov-Carlsen 0-1
Nepo-Dubov 1-0
So-Grischuk 1-0
MVL-Ding 0.5-0.5
Pichot-Giri 0-1

Round 1, May 23
Svidler, Peter – Aronian, Levon
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 a5 8.Nbd2 Be6 9.Bb5 Qb8 10.Nf1 Qa7 11.d4 exd4 12.Bxc6 dxc3 13.Ba4 Bxf2+ 14.Kh1 Bxe1 15.Qxe1 Ng4 16.h3 Nf2+ 17.Kh2 cxb2 18.Bxb2 Nd3 19.Qc3 Nxb2 20.Qxb2 Qc5 21.a3 d5 22.Rc1 Qe7 23.e5 c5 24.Ne3 Rfd8 25.Bb5 a4 26.Qf2 Ra5 27.Bd3 g6 28.Bb1 d4 29.Nf1 c4 30.Nxd4 Qc5 31.Rd1 Qxe5+ 32.Ng3 Rad5 33.Nf3 Qd6 34.Re1 b5 35.Be4 Qc5 36.Qb2 c3 37.Qc1 Rd2 38.Rf1 Bc4 39.Rg1 Qe3 40.Bc6 f5 41.Re1 Qf2 42.Rg1 c2 43.Nxd2 Rxd2 44.Bf3 Qd4 45.Re1 Kf7 46.Nf1 Bxf1 47.Rxf1 Qc3 48.Kh1 Kg7 49.Qe1 Kf8 50.Bc6 Rd1 51.Qxc3 Rxf1+ 52.Kh2 1-0

Round 1, May 23
Caruana, Fabiano – Firouzja, Alireza
A10 English Opening

1.c4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d3 e5 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.e3 Nc6 7.Nge2 a6 8.d4 Ba7 9.b4 O-O 10.b5 axb5 11.cxb5 Na5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Ba3 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Re8 15.Bb4 Bb6 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5+ Be6 18.O-O Bxd5 19.Rxd5 Nc4 20.Nc3 c6 21.bxc6 bxc6 22.Rd7 c5 23.Rb1 Red8 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Ba3 Ba5 26.Nb5 Rb8 27.Bxc5 Nd2 28.Rb2 Bc3 29.Ba7 Rb7 30.Rc2 Nf3+ 31.Kf1 Rxb5 32.Rxc3 Rb1+ 33.Kg2 e4 34.Rc8+ Kf7 35.Rc7+ Kg6 36.h4 Kh6 37.Bc5 g6 38.Ba3 Rg1+ 39.Kh3 Rh1+ 40.Kg2 Ra1 41.Kh3 Rh1+ 42.Kg2 Rg1+ 43.Kh3 Rh1+ 1/2-1/2

After 20...c6! the bar has dipped like Bitcoin, but now Fabiano comes back in crypto style!

Round 1, May 23
Radabov, Teimour – Nakamura, Hikaru
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5 Bf5 12.Be2 Bf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd4 Qd6 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Qd2 Qf6 17.Qd4 Qd6 18.Qd2 Qf6 19.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, May 23
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Carlsen, Magnus
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Bg4 4.d3 Nd7 5.Nbd2 e6 6.e4 Bd6 7.h3 Bh5 8.O-O Ne7 9.d4 O-O 10.Re1 b5 11.a4 b4 12.c4 bxc3 13.bxc3 Rb8 14.e5 Bc7 15.Ba3 c5 16.Nb3 c4 17.Nc5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Ba5 19.Qc1 Qd7 20.Nh4 Rfe8 21.f4 Rb3 22.Re3 Bg6 23.Nxg6 hxg6 24.g4 Reb8 25.Qe1 Rb2 26.Qh4 Bd8 27.Qe1 Nc6 28.Kh1 Be7 29.Bxe7 Qxe7 30.Qg3 Rb1+ 31.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 32.Kh2 Qa3 33.f5 Qc1 34.h4 gxf5 35.gxf5 Ne7 36.fxe6 Nf5 37.e7 Rb8 38.Re1 Qd2 39.Rb1 Re8 40.Qg5 Ne3 41.Kh1 Qxc3 42.e6 Qxd4 43.exf7+ Kxf7 44.Bf3 Rxe7 45.Bh5+ Ke6 46.Qg6+ Qf6 47.Qg3 Qe5 48.Qg6+ Kd7 49.Bf3 Qe6 50.Qg3 Qd6 51.Qg5 Kc7 52.Re1 Qe5 53.Qg6 Qf4 0-1

Position after Black’s 42…Qxd4

White could win here with 43.Bf3

Round 1, May 23
Nepo, Ian – Dubov, Daniil
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 g6 4.Nb5 Na6 5.e3 Bg7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.h3 Ne4 8.c3 c6 9.Na3 Nb8 10.Be2 Bf5 11.O-O Nd7 12.c4 Nb6 13.Rc1 c5 14.Be5 Bxe5 15.dxe5 dxc4 16.Nxc4 Qxd1 17.Rfxd1 Na4 18.g4 Be6 19.Bd3 Bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rad8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Rc2 Nb6 23.Kg2 Kg7 24.Be2 Rd5 25.a3 a5 26.Bc4 Rd1 27.Be2 Rd5 28.Kf1 e6 29.Ke1 Kf8 30.Bf1 Rd7 31.Ng1 c4 32.Bxc4 Nc5 33.Be2 Nd3+ 34.Bxd3 Rxd3 35.Nf3 Rd7 36.Nd4 g5 37.Ke2 h6 38.Nb5 Ke7 39.Nd6 f6 40.f4 gxf4 41.exf4 Nd5 42.Kf3 fxe5 43.fxe5 a4 44.Rc8 Rd8 45.Rxd8 Kxd8 46.Nxb7+ Ke7 47.Nc5 Nb6 48.Ke4 1-0

Round 1, May 23
So, Wesley – Grischuk, Alexander
D32 QGD, Tarrasch, von Hennig-Schara Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qd1 exd5 7.Qxd5 Bd6 8.Bg5 Nge7 9.Qd2 h6 10.Rd1 hxg5 11.Qxd6 Qb6 12.Qa3 O-O 13.e3 Nb4 14.Qa4 Bf5 15.e4 Be6 16.a3 Na2 17.Nxa2 Bxa2 18.Qb5 Qe6 19.Bd3 Rfd8 20.Ne2 Nc6 21.O-O Ne5 22.Nc1 Nxd3 23.Nxa2 a6 24.Qxb7 Nf4 25.Nc3 Rdb8 26.Qd7 Rxb2 27.Qxe6 fxe6 28.g3 Ng6 29.Rd6 Kf7 30.Rd7+ Kf6 31.Rc7 Rd8 32.Rc6 Kf7 33.Rc7+ Kf6 34.Rc6 Kf7 35.Na4 Re2 36.Nc5 Ne5 37.Rxa6 Nf3+ 38.Kg2 g4 39.Ra7+ Kf6 40.Ra6 Rdd2 41.Nxe6 Kf7 42.Nf4 Rxe4 43.h3 Ne1+ 44.Rxe1 Rxe1 45.hxg4 Ra2 46.g5 Kf8 47.g6 Re8 48.Ne6+ Kg8 49.Ra7 Kh8 50.Nd4 Rf8 51.Nf5 Rb2 52.g4 Rg8 53.Re7 Rb6 54.Re1 Rgb8 55.Rh1+ Kg8 56.Rd1 Kf8 57.Rh1 Kg8 58.Ne7+ Kf8 59.Nd5 1-0

Round 1, May 23
MVL – Ding, Liren
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.O-O Nbc6 9.Bb5 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.c4 Qd7 12.Nc3 dxc4 13.Na4 Nd5 14.Nxf5 exf5 15.Rc1 c3 16.Nxc3 Nxe3 17.fxe3 g6 18.Qxd7+ Kxd7 19.Rfd1+ Ke7 20.Ne2 Bh6 21.Kf2 Rhc8 22.Rc5 Rab8 23.b3 Rb5 24.Rdc1 Kd7 25.Nd4 Rxc5 26.Rxc5 Bf8 27.Rc4 c5 28.Nf3 Ke6 29.Ke2 h6 30.h3 Bg7 31.b4 Bxe5 32.bxc5 Bg7 33.Ra4 Rxc5 34.Rxa6+ Ke7 35.Ne1 Rc1 36.Ra7+ Kf8 37.Ra8+ Ke7 38.Ra7+ Kf8 39.Ra8+ Ke7 40.Ra7+ 1/2-1/2

Round 1, May 23
Pichot, Alan – Giri, Anish
B32 Sicilian, Labourdonnais-Loewenthal variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.c4 g6 7.N1c3 a6 8.Na3 Bg7 9.Nc2 Nf6 10.Be2 O-O 11.Be3 Be6 12.O-O Rc8 13.f3 Nh5 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Qxd5 Nd4 16.Bd3 b5 17.Nxd4 exd4 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.cxb5 Rc5 20.Qb3 Rxg5 21.bxa6 Qxb3 22.axb3 Nf4 23.Bc4 Rxg2+ 24.Kh1 Rxb2 25.Rfb1 Rc2 26.Rc1 d3 27.Rxc2 Bxa1 28.Rc1 Bd4 29.Rd1 Bc5 30.h4 Kg7 31.Kh2 Kf6 32.Kg3 Ke5 0-1

Round 2

Aronian-Giri 0.5-0.5
Ding-Pichot 1-0
Grischuk-MVL 0-1
Dubov-So 0-1
Carlsen-Nepo 0.5-0.5
Nakamura-Mamedyarov 1-0
Firouzja-Radjabov 0.5-0.5
Svidler-Caruana 0-1

Round 2, May 23
Aronian, Levon – Giri, Anish
C59 Two Knights Defence, Steinitz variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 h6 9.Nh3 Bd6 10.d3 Nb7 11.Ng1 Nc5 12.Nf3 e4 13.dxe4 Ncxe4 14.O-O O-O 15.Nbd2 Qc7 16.Nc4 Bc5 17.Be3 Rd8 18.Qc1 Bxe3 19.Nxe3 Rb8 20.c3 Bg4 21.Rd1 Ng5 22.Nxg5 Bxe2 23.Re1 Bh5 24.Nh3 Re8 25.b3 Re6 26.Nc4 Rxe1+ 27.Qxe1 Re8 28.Qd2 Bg4 29.Nf4 g5 30.Nd3 Re2 31.Qc1 Bf5 32.Qd1 Ng4 33.g3 Qe7 34.h3 Bxd3 35.Qxd3 Nxf2 36.Qf5 Re1+ 37.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 38.Kg2 Ne4 39.Qf3 Nxc3 40.h4 Ne4 41.Qe3 Qxe3 42.Nxe3 Nc3 43.a4 Ne4 44.Nf5 Kh7 45.b4 gxh4 46.gxh4 c5 47.Kf3 Nc3 48.bxc5 Nxa4 49.c6 Nb6 50.h5 a5 51.Ke4 a4 52.Kd4 a3 53.Kc3 Nc4 54.Nd4 a2 55.Nc2 Ne3 56.Na1 Nd5+ 57.Kc4 Ne7 58.c7 Kg7 59.Kb3 Kf6 60.Kxa2 Kg5 61.Kb3 Kxh5 62.Nc2 Kg5 63.Kc4 h5 64.Kd3 h4 65.Ke2 Kf6 66.Nd4 Nc8 67.Kf3 Ke5 68.Nc6+ Kd6 69.Nd8 Kxc7 70.Nxf7 Nd6 71.Nxd6 Kxd6 72.Kg4 h3 73.Kxh3 1/2-1/2

Round 2, May 23
Ding, Liren – Pichot, Alan
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 O-O 5.d4 d6 6.O-O Nc6 7.Nc3 e5 8.d5 Nb8 9.e4 a5 10.Rb1 Na6 11.Re1 Nc5 12.b3 c6 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Ba3 Qe7 15.Qd2 Rd8 16.Rbd1 Be6 17.h3 Qc7 18.Ng5 Qb6 19.Qe3 Bh6 20.h4 Ne8 21.Bxc5 Qxc5 22.Qxc5 dxc5 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Na4 Bd2 25.Rf1 Nc7 26.Nxc5 Bc3 27.Bh3 Kf7 28.Kg2 Ke7 29.f4 Bd4 30.Nb7 Rdb8 31.fxe5 Bxe5 32.Nc5 Rd8 33.Nd3 Bc3 34.Rf3 Na6 35.Rdf1 Rf8 36.Nf4 Be5 37.Nxe6 Rxf3 38.Rxf3 a4 39.Ng5 a3 40.Rf7+ Kd6 41.Rxh7 Kc5 42.Rb7 Kd4 43.Nf3+ Kc3 44.Nxe5 Kb2 45.b4 Kxa2 46.c5 Re8 47.Nc4 Rxe4 48.Ra7 Rxc4 49.Be6 1-0

Round 2, May 23
Grischuk, Alexander – MVL
D85 Grunfeld, Modern Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Rb1 a6 11.Rc1 cxd4 12.cxd4 Qxd2+ 13.Kxd2 e6 14.h4 h6 15.Bd3 O-O 16.Rc5 Bd7 17.Rb1 b5 18.a4 bxa4 19.Rb7 Nb8 20.Ra5 Rc8 21.Rb1 Be8 22.Ke2 Nc6 23.Rxa4 a5 24.Rba1 Rab8 25.Bd2 Rb2 26.R4a2 Rcb8 27.e5 Rxa2 28.Rxa2 a4 29.Bc2 Nb4 30.Bxb4 Rxb4 31.Kd2 Bb5 32.Bd3 Bc6 33.Kc3 Rb3+ 34.Kc2 Bf8 35.Nd2 Rb4 36.Kc3 Bxg2 37.Be4 Bh3 38.Bc2 Be7 39.h5 gxh5 40.Ra1 Rb8 41.Rxa4 Bg2 42.Be4 Bxe4 43.Nxe4 h4 44.Ra7 Kf8 45.Ra1 Bg5 46.Rh1 Rc8+ 47.Kd3 Rc1 48.Rh2 Rd1+ 49.Kc4 Kg7 50.f4 Bxf4 51.Rxh4 Bg5 52.Rh3 Rc1+ 53.Kd3 Kg6 54.Rf3 Rg1 55.Nxg5 Rxg5 56.Rf6+ Kg7 57.Ke3 h5 58.Rf4 Rg6 59.Kf3 Rg1 60.Kf2 Rg5 61.Ke3 Kf8 62.Rf6 Rg3+ 63.Kf2 Rg4 64.Rh6 Rxd4 65.Rxh5 Rd5 66.Ke3 f5 67.Kf4 Rd4+ 68.Kg5 Kg7 69.Rh1 Rg4+ 70.Kh5 Re4 71.Kg5 Rxe5 72.Ra1 Re4 73.Ra7+ Kf8 74.Kf6 Ke8 75.Re7+ Kd8 76.Rh7 f4 77.Rf7 Re3 78.Kg5 e5 79.Kf5 f3 80.Ke6 e4 81.Kd6 Ke8 82.Re7+ Kf8 83.Ke6 Re2 84.Ra7 f2 0-1

Final Position

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 03:41 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 23, 2021

Preliminaries

Day One (continued)

Rounds Two and Three

Round 2, May 23
Dubov, Daniil – So, Wesley
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.Qc2 c5 7.dxc5 d4 8.b4 a5 9.b5 Bxc5 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Nb3 e5 12.O-O Re8 13.Nxc5 Nxc5 14.Ba3 Qc7 15.Rab1 Bd7 16.Nd2 Rab8 17.b6 Qc8 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.Ne4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 g6 21.Bd5 Bf5 22.Qd2 Bxb1 23.Rxb1 Rbd8 24.e4 Rd6 25.Rb5 Rxd5 26.exd5 Qxc4 27.Rxa5 d3 28.h4 h5 29.Kg2 Rc8 30.Qg5 Qb4 31.d6 Qxa5 0-1

Round 2, May 23
Carlsen, Magnus – Nepo, Ian
B49 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 b5 8.Nxc6 Qxc6 9.e5 Bb7 10.Bf3 Qc7 11.Bxb7 Qxb7 12.Qd3 Ne7 13.Bc5 Qxg2 14.O-O-O Qc6 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Bxf8 Rxf8 17.Rhe1 Rc8 18.Kb1 f6 19.f4 fxe5 20.fxe5 h6 21.Rg1 Qd5 22.Nd6+ Ke7 23.Nxc8+ Rxc8 24.Qxd5 exd5 25.Rxd5 Ke6 26.Rd3 g5 27.a4 bxa4 28.Rg4 Rc6 29.Rxa4 h5 30.Rda3 g4 31.Kc1 Kxe5 32.Rxa6 h4 33.Rxc6 dxc6 34.Kd1 h3 35.Ke2 g3 36.Kf3 gxh2 37.Ra1 Nd4+ 38.Kg3 Nxc2 39.Rc1 Nb4 40.Kxh2 Kd4 41.b3 c5 42.Kxh3 Nc6 43.Rc4+ Kd5 44.Kg2 Ne5 45.Rc1 c4 46.bxc4+ Nxc4 47.Rxc4 Kxc4 1/2-1/2

Peter Leko as Nepo grabs a pawn against Magnus: "This is completely crazy - it has to be super-deep preparation or just zero respect towards your opponent!" (13…Qxg2)

Ian Nepomniachtchi was dead lost after blundering a tactic, but he managed to escape in the endgame!

Round 2, May 23
Nakamura, Hikaru – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.Nc3 Ne8 10.Nd5 Bd6 11.Re2 c6 12.Ne3 Bc7 13.Nf5 d5 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxc8 Rxc8 16.g3 Qd7 17.d3 Nd6 18.Be3 Rce8 19.Qd2 Bb6 20.Bf4 Rxe2 21.Qxe2 Re8 22.Qf3 Qf5 23.Bg2 Re6 24.h4 Ne8 25.Kh2 Qf6 26.c3 Bc7 27.Bg5 Qxf3 28.Bxf3 h6 29.Bd2 Nf6 30.h5 Kg8 31.Kg2 a5 32.c4 dxc4 33.dxc4 Ne4 34.Be1 Kf8 35.Rd1 Ke7 36.Bg4 Rd6 37.Rxd6 Bxd6 38.Bxa5 Be5 39.Bf3 f5 40.Bxe4 fxe4 41.b3 Kf6 42.Bd2 g6 43.hxg6 Kxg6 44.a4 h5 45.b4 Kf5 46.Kh3 Bf6 1-0

Round 2, May 23
Firouzja, Alireza – Radjabov, Teimour
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 2, May 23
Svidler, Peter – Caruana, Fabiano
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 h6 6.O-O d6 7.Re1 O-O 8.Nbd2 Bb6 9.h3 Ne7 10.a4 a5 11.Bb3 c6 12.d4 Ng6 13.Nf1 d5 14.Ng3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Rxe4 Bf5 17.Re1 e4 18.Nd2 Qh4 19.Re3 Rae8 20.Nf1 Bc7 21.Ng3 Bd7 22.Qc2 Bf4 23.Re2 Bxg3 24.fxg3 Qxg3 25.Re3 Qh4 26.Bd2 Kh7 27.Be1 Qg5 28.Rg3 Qe7 29.Bd2 f5 30.Rf1 Qd6 31.Re3 f4 32.Rxe4 Bf5 33.Rfe1 Rxe4 34.Rxe4 f3 0-1

Round 3

Caruana-Aronian 0.5-0.5
Radjabov-Svidler 1-0
Mamedyarov-Firouzja 0-1
Nepo-Nakamura 0-1
So-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
MVL-Dubov 0.5-0.5
Pichot-Grischuk 0-1
Giri-Ding 1-0

Round 3, May 23
Caruana, Fabiano – Aronian, Levon
C45 Scotch, Mieses variation, main line

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.g3 g6 9.c4 Ba6 10.b3 Bg7 11.Bb2 O-O-O 12.Nd2 Rhe8 13.O-O-O Nb6 14.f4 d5 15.Qe3 f6 16.c5 Bxf1 17.cxb6 Ba6 18.bxa7 Kb7 19.Nf3 Qb4 20.Rd4 Qb6 21.Qd2 Bf8 22.Re1 Bc5 23.exf6 Bxd4 24.Bxd4 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 c5 26.Qe7 cxd4 27.Qxd8 Qc5+ 28.Kd1 Kxa7 29.f7 d3 30.Nd4 d2 31.Ne2 Bd3 32.Kxd2 Qc2+ 33.Ke3 Qxe2+ 34.Kd4 Qe4+ 35.Kc3 Qe1+ 36.Kxd3 Qe4+ 37.Kd2 Qd4+ 38.Ke2 Qe4+ 39.Kf2 Qc2+ 40.Kf1 Qb1+ 41.Kg2 Qc2+ 42.Kh3 Qf5+ 43.g4 Qxf7 44.Kg3 Kb7 45.Qh8 Qe7 46.Qe5 Qc5 47.f5 Qg1+ 48.Kh4 d4 49.Qf4 Qe1+ 50.Kh3 Qc3+ 51.Kg2 d3 52.Qf3+ c6 53.f6 Qc2+ 54.Kh3 d2 55.f7 d1=Q 56.Qxd1 Qxd1 57.f8=Q Qc2 58.Qf7+ Kb6 59.a4 Ka5 60.Kg3 Kb4 61.h4 c5 62.Qf3 Qd2 63.g5 Qd6+ 64.Kg2 Qd4 65.Kh3 Qe5 66.Qd3 Qd4 67.Qf3 Qe5 68.Qd3 Qd4 69.Qb5+ Kc3 70.a5 Qe3+ 71.Kg2 Qe4+ 72.Kf2 Qxh4+ 73.Kf3 Qh3+ 74.Kf2 Qf5+ 75.Ke2 Qc2+ 76.Kf3 Qd1+ 77.Kf2 Qd4+ 78.Kf3 Qd5+ 79.Kf2 Qf5+ 80.Ke2 Qg4+ 81.Kf2 Qf4+ 82.Ke2 1/2-1/2

Round 3, May 23
Radjabov, Teimour – Svidler, Peter
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Qc7 7.e4 e6 8.Bd3 Bd7 9.Qd2 Bc6 10.Qf4 Qxf4 11.Bxf4 Nd7 12.O-O-O Be7 13.Bc2 f6 14.e5 Nb6 15.exf6 gxf6 16.Rhe1 Kf7 17.Bg3 Rad8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Bd1 Bf8 20.Nh4 Bh6+ 21.f4 Nd5 22.Bh5+ Kg8 23.Rf1 e5 24.Rd1 Rf8 25.Rxd5 Bxd5 26.Nf5 Be6 27.Nxh6+ Kg7 28.Ng4 1-0

Round 3, May 23
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Firouzja, Alireza
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Na3 Nc6 5.Nxc4 Bg7 6.d3 e5 7.Bd2 Nge7 8.Bg2 a5 9.O-O Be6 10.Rc1 O-O 11.Qa4 Qd7 12.Rfd1 f6 13.a3 Rfb8 14.Qb5 Nf5 15.Bc3 Qf7 16.e4 Nfe7 17.Nxa5 Na7 18.Qa4 b6 19.Nc4 b5 20.Ncxe5 fxe5 21.Qb4 Nac6 22.Qc5 Bg4 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Bxe5 Bxd1 25.Rxd1 Nxe5 26.Qxe5 Rf8 27.f4 Rfd8 28.Rc1 Qg7 29.Qe6+ Kf8 30.e5 c6 31.Be4 Qf7 32.Qh3 Kg8 33.Rf1 Kh8 34.g4 Qe6 35.Kh1 Rd4 36.Qh6 Ng8 37.Qh4 Rf8 38.Qf2 Rfd8 39.Qh4 Rf8 40.b4 Rd7 41.Qg3 Rdf7 42.h3 Ne7 0-1

Round 3, May 23
Nepo, Ian – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, Showalter variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Ba4 exd4 7.c3 b5 8.Bc2 Be7 9.Re1 O-O 10.a3 Bb7 11.cxd4 Bf6 12.Nc3 Re8 13.Rxe8+ Qxe8 14.Nd5 Bd8 15.Qd3 f5 16.Bf4 Ne7 17.Nc3 a6 18.Re1 Qg6 19.d5 Nc4 20.Nd4 Qf7 21.Nxf5 Nxf5 22.Qxf5 Qxf5 23.Bxf5 Nb6 24.Re8+ Kf7 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Bxc7 Re8 27.Ne4 Nc4 28.f3 Bxd5 29.Ng5+ Kf6 30.Bxd7 Re1+ 31.Kf2 Rb1 32.Bd8+ Ke5 33.b4 Kd6 34.Bc8 Rb2+ 35.Kg3 Ne3 36.Bxa6 h6 37.Ne4+ Bxe4 38.fxe4 Kc6 39.e5 Rd2 40.Ba5 Ra2 41.e6 Nd5 42.Bc8 Rxa3+ 43.Kg4 Kd6 44.Ba6 Ra2 45.g3 Rxh2 46.Bxb5 Kxe6 47.Bc4 Ke5 48.Bxd5 Kxd5 49.Kf5 Rh5+ 50.Kf4 Ke6 51.Bb6 Rf5+ 52.Ke4 h5 53.Bd8 Rb5 54.Ba5 Rg5 55.Kf3 Rf5+ 56.Kg2 Rb5 57.Kh3 Kf5 58.Kh4 g6 59.g4+ hxg4 60.Kg3 Rd5 61.Bb6 Rd3+ 62.Kg2 Rb3 63.Bc5 g3 64.Kh3 Kf4 65.Bd6+ Kf3 66.Bxg3 Rxb4 67.Bd6 Rd4 68.Ba3 g5 69.Kh2 g4 0-1

Final Position

Black wins in 5 moves

Round 3, May 23
So, Wesley – Carlsen, Magnus
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.exd6 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 3, May 23
MVL – Dubov, Daniil
B22 Sicilian, Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.Bxc3 e4 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Ne7 12.Qa4+ Bd7 13.Qb4 a5 14.Qd6 Bc6 15.Be2 Qe6 16.O-O O-O 17.Rfd1 Nd5 18.Qxe6 fxe6 19.Bd2 Rf5 20.Rac1 Rxe5 21.Rc5 a4 22.Re1 Rf8 23.Bg4 h5 24.Bh3 e3 25.fxe3 g5 26.g3 Nf4 27.Bxe6+ Rxe6 28.exf4 Rxe1+ 29.Bxe1 gxf4 30.Rxh5 fxg3 31.hxg3 Rf3 32.a3 Kf7 33.Rc5 Kg6 34.Rc2 Be4 35.Rc5 Bc6 36.Bf2 Rb3 37.Rc2 Rd3 38.Kf1 Kf5 39.Be1 Ke4 40.Rc3 Rxc3 41.Bxc3 1/2-1/2

26...Nf4!! by Daniil was an only move to stay in the game, but a beautiful one!

Round 3, May 23
Pichot, Alan – Grischuk, Alexander
C11 French Defence

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Nf3 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Ng3 Qb6 11.Bd3 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.O-O O-O 15.Ne2 Qb6 16.Be3 Bc5 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Qc1 Qd6 19.f4 Qb6+ 20.Kh1 Bd7 21.Qc3 Bb5 22.Bxb5 Qxb5 23.Qe5 Rae8 24.Ng3 Ng4 25.Qd4 Qc4 26.Qxa7 Rxf4 27.Rxf4 Qxf4 28.Rf1 Qb4 29.a3 Qb5 30.Rf4 Rc8 31.Rf1 Qxb2 32.h3 Nf6 33.Qe3 Re8 34.Qg5 Qd4 35.Kh2 Rf8 36.Rf3 h6 37.Qc1 Qe5 38.Kh1 Qd6 39.Qb1 b6 40.Qg6 Qe5 41.Qb1 Qd6 42.Qg6 b5 43.Qb1 Qd7 44.Qg6 Qe7 45.Qb1 Qd7 46.Qg6 d4 47.Ne2 e5 48.Ng3 Qf7 49.Qb1 Qd7 50.Qg6 Kh8 51.Ne4 Qe7 52.Ng3 Qf7 53.Qb1 Qe8 54.Qb4 Nh7 55.Rxf8+ Nxf8 56.Qd6 Ng6 57.Kh2 Kh7 58.Qd5 Qf8 59.Qe4 Qf4 60.Qd3 h5 61.Kh1 h4 62.Ne4 Qf5 63.Qe2 Nf4 64.Qf3 d3 65.Kh2 Kh6 66.Kh1 Qh5 67.Qf2 Kh7 68.Kh2 Kh6 69.Kh1 g5 70.Qb6+ Qg6 71.Qb7 g4 72.Nf2 gxh3 73.gxh3 d2 74.Qf3 Qg3 75.Qc6+ Kh5 76.Qe8+ Ng6 0-1

Round 3, May 23
Giri, Anish – Ding, Liren
A20 English, Modern Nimzowitsch

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.O-O Nb6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.d3 O-O 9.Be3 Re8 10.Rc1 Bf8 11.Bg5 Qd7 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bd2 a5 14.Nc5 Bxc5 15.Rxc5 Qd6 16.Rc1 Be6 17.a3 a4 18.Be3 Bb3 19.Qe1 Bd5 20.Bc5 Qe6 21.e4 Bb3 22.Qc3 Nd7 23.Be3 Nf6 24.Nd2 Ba2 25.f4 Rad8 26.Nf3 exf4 27.Bxf4 Rd7 28.Rfe1 Bb3 29.Nd2 Red8 30.Nxb3 Rxd3 31.Qxd3 Rxd3 32.Nc5 Qe7 33.Nxd3 g5 34.Be3 Ng4 35.Bc5 Qe6 36.e5 1-0

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 04:03 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 23, 2021

Preliminaries

Day One (continued)

Round Four

Round 4

Aronian-Ding 0.5-0.5
Grischk-Giri 0-1
Dubov-Pichot 1-0
Carlsen-MVL 0-1
Nakamura-So 0.5-0.5
Firouzja-Nepo 0.5-0.5
Svidler-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
Caruana-Radjabov 0.5-0.5

Round 4, May 23
Aronian, Levon – Ding, Liren
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 e6 5.c3 Qb6 6.Qb3 c4 7.Qc2 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.b3 cxb3 10.axb3 O-O 11.Nbd2 Nc6 12.Bd3 Bd7 13.O-O Rfc8 14.Qb2 a5 15.Rfc1 b6 16.Bf1 h6 17.c4 Nb4 18.Ne5 Ra7 19.Qa3 Qf8 20.cxd5 exd5 21.Nd3 Nc2 22.Qxf8+ Kxf8 23.Rab1 Rac7 24.Ne5 Nb4 25.Nxd7+ Nxd7 26.Rxc7 Rxc7 27.Rb2 Rc1 28.f3 f5 29.Kf2 Ke7 30.Nb1 Nf6 31.Na3 Ne8 32.Rb1 Rc3 33.Ke2 Nd6 34.Kd2 Rc8 35.Rc1 Rxc1 36.Kxc1 f4 37.exf4 Nc6 38.Nc2 Nf5 39.Kd2 Ncxd4 40.Nxd4 Nxd4 41.Kc3 Nc6 42.g4 Kd6 43.h4 Kc5 44.f5 d4+ 45.Kd2 Kb4 46.g5 hxg5 47.hxg5 Kxb3 48.Bb5 Ne7 49.f6 gxf6 50.gxf6 Ng6 51.Kd3 a4 52.Kxd4 a3 53.Bc4+ Kb2 54.Bd5 Nf8 55.f7 a2 56.Bxa2 Kxa2 57.Kc4 Kb2 58.Kb5 Kc3 59.Kxb6 Kd4 60.Kc7 Ke5 61.Kd8 Kf6 62.Ke8 Nh7 63.f4 Kf5 64.f8=Q+ Nxf8 65.Kxf8 Kxf4 1/2-1/2

Round 4, May 23
Grischuk, Alexander – Giri, Anish
D85 Grunfeld, Modern Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 O-O 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.h3 Qe6 13.Bd3 a5 14.O-O a4 15.Qe2 a3 16.Bc4 Qd7 17.Bc3 Nc6 18.Rfd1 e6 19.Qa2 Rd8 20.Bb5 Qc7 21.Rb3 Bd7 22.d5 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 exd5 24.exd5 Qd6 25.Qa1 a2 26.dxc6 Qxd1+ 27.Qxd1 a1=Q 28.Rc1 Bxc6 29.Rxa1 Rxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Bxb5 31.Rb1 Bc6 32.Nd4 Bd5 33.Rb5 Rd8 34.Rb4 Kf8 35.f3 Ke7 36.Rb6 Rd6 37.Rb2 Ra6 38.Rd2 Ra2 39.Rd1 Rb2 40.Nf5+ Ke6 41.Ng7+ Ke5 42.Ne8 Be6 43.Re1+ Kd4 44.Nf6 h5 45.h4 b5 46.g4 b4 47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Nxh5 b3 49.Ng3 Ra2 50.h5 b2 51.h6 Ra1 52.h7 Rxe1+ 53.Kf2 b1=Q 54.h8=Q+ Kc4 55.Qh4+ Kb3 56.Qd4 Rc1 57.Ne2 Rc4 58.Qb6+ Kc2 59.Qa7 Qb2 0-1

Round 4, May 23
Dubov, Daniil – Pichot, Alan
A19 English, Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian variation

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 c5 4.e5 Ng8 5.d4 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qf4 d6 8.Nf3 Nh6 9.Bd2 dxe5 10.Nxe5 Bd6 11.Nxc6 Bxf4 12.Nxd8 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Kxd8 14.Bd3 Ke7 15.Rhe1 Rd8 16.Kc2 Ng4 17.f3 Nf6 18.b4 b6 19.Rad1 Bb7 20.Bf1 g5 21.h3 h6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Nb5 a6 24.Nc3 Rd4 25.Na4 Nd7 26.Kc3 Rf4 27.Nb2 h5 28.Nd3 Rf5 29.Be2 Kd6 30.Rd1 Kc7 31.Kd4 Rf6 32.Ke3 h4 33.Rc1 Rf5 34.a3 Ne5 35.Nf2 Nd7 36.Bd3 Rf4 37.Be4 Bxe4 38.Nxe4 Rf5 39.Kd4 Nf6 40.Nxf6 Rxf6 41.Re1 Kd6 42.Kc3 Rf5 43.Rd1+ Kc7 44.Kd4 Rf4+ 45.Kd3 Rf5 46.Ke3 Re5+ 47.Kf2 Rf5 48.Rd4 a5 49.Ke3 Re5+ 50.Kd2 Rf5 51.Ke3 Re5+ 52.Kd2 Rf5 53.Kd3 Re5 54.f4 Rf5 55.fxg5 Rxg5 56.Rg4 Rh5 57.Rf4 Rh7 58.Rg4 Kd6 59.Rg5 axb4 60.axb4 f6 61.Rg8 Ra7 62.Rb8 Kc7 63.Rf8 Ra2 64.Rxf6 Rxg2 65.Rxe6 Rg3+ 66.Re3 Rg1 67.Kd4 Rd1+ 68.Ke5 Rh1 69.b5 Kd7 70.Rd3+ Ke7 71.Kf5 Rh2 72.Re3+ Kd6 73.Kg4 Rg2+ 74.Kxh4 Kc5 75.Re4 Rg1 76.Kh5 Rg2 77.h4 Rg8 78.Kh6 Rg1 79.h5 Rg2 80.Kh7 Rg3 81.h6 Rg2 82.Kh8 Rg6 83.h7 Rg5 84.Re6 1-0

Round 4, May 23
Carlsen, Magnus – MVL
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f3 Nc6 4.Bb5 g6 5.Nge2 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Be3 Nf6 9.Qd2 O-O 10.O-O-O Rc8 11.Be2 a6 12.Kb1 b5 13.g4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.Be3 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 e4 18.fxe4 Re8 19.Bd4 Rxe4 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.h3 a5 22.Rhf1 Qe7 23.Bd3 Re5 24.Qf2 Rxd5 25.Rde1 Re5 26.Qd4 Rc5 27.Re4 Be6 28.b3 Kg8 29.Rfe1 Rxe4 30.Rxe4 Qc7 31.h4 Re5 32.g5 Rxe4 33.Qxe4 Qc5 34.Qa8+ Kg7 35.Qf3 Qg1+ 36.Kb2 Qd4+ 37.Kb1 h5 38.Qf1 Bd5 39.Qe1 Kf8 40.Qg3 Ke7 41.Qe1+ Be6 42.Qh1 Bd5 43.Qe1+ Qe5 44.Qf2 Be6 45.Qf1 Bf5 46.Bxf5 gxf5 47.Qd1 f4 48.Qxh5 Qe1+ 49.Kb2 Qc3+ 50.Kb1 f3 51.g6 Qe1+ 52.Kb2 f2 53.Qg5+ f6 0-1

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has now beaten both Alexander Grischuk and Magnus Carlsen today, with the black pieces!

Round 4, May 23
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 4, May 23
Firouzja, Alireza – Nepo, Ian
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 Qa5 9.Qd2 O-O 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Ng5 h6 12.h3 Bd7 13.Nf3 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qxd2+ 15.Bxd2 e6 16.h4 Nc6 17.e5 Rfd8 18.Bd3 Be8 19.Be3 Rac8 20.Kd2 Nb4 21.Be4 Bc6 22.Bxc6 Nxc6 23.Rc3 Bf8 24.a3 Rd5 25.Rb1 Rc7 26.g4 Ra5 27.Rbb3 Rd7 28.Ke2 Kg7 29.Rd3 Ra4 30.Rbc3 Be7 31.Kd1 Bd8 32.Kc2 Bb6 33.Kb3 Ra5 34.Kc2 Rad5 35.Rc4 Rc7 36.Kd2 Rb5 37.Ke2 Rd7 38.Rc2 Rbd5 39.Rc4 a6 40.Kd2 Ba7 41.Ke2 Rd8 42.Kd2 Na5 43.Rcc3 b5 44.Ke2 Nc4 45.a4 Nb2 46.Rd2 Nxa4 47.Rc6 a5 48.Ra2 Rb8 49.Kd3 Bb6 50.Ke4 Rb7 51.h5 g5 52.Ne1 Rc7 53.Rxc7 Bxc7 54.Bd2 Bb6 55.Nc2 Rd7 56.Ra3 Rd8 57.f4 gxf4 58.Bxf4 Rc8 59.g5 hxg5 60.Bxg5 Rxc2 61.Rg3 Rh2 62.Bf6+ Kf8 63.h6 b4 64.Rg4 Nc3+ 65.Kf3 Nd5 66.Bh4 Bxd4 67.h7 Rxh4 68.Rxh4 Bxe5 69.h8=Q+ Bxh8 70.Rxh8+ Ke7 71.Ra8 Kd6 72.Rxa5 f5 73.Ke2 Ke5 74.Kd3 f4 75.Ra8 Ne7 76.Rb8 Nc6 77.Rb5+ Kd6 78.Ke4 e5 79.Rd5+ Ke6 80.Rb5 Kd6 81.Rd5+ Kc7 82.Rb5 f3 83.Ke3 Kd6 84.Kf2 e4 85.Ke3 Ne7 86.Rxb4 Nd5+ 87.Kxe4 f2 88.Rb1 Nc3+ 89.Kf3 Nxb1 90.Kxf2 1/2-1/2

A big miss for Nepomniachtchi, who squandered a won position with a huge edge on the clock against Firouzja (who very nearly lost on time)

Round 4, May 23
Svidler, Peter – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.O-O h6 7.Re1 O-O 8.Nbd2 a6 9.a4 Ne7 10.d4 Ba7 11.h3 Ng6 12.Bf1 c6 13.a5 Re8 14.Qc2 d5 15.exd5 exd4 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 17.Nxd4 Nxd5 18.N2f3 Ne5 19.Bd2 Nxf3+ 20.Nxf3 Be6 21.c4 Ne7 22.Bc3 Rd8 23.Rd1 Rxd1 24.Qxd1 Qd7 25.Qxd7 Bxd7 26.b4 f6 27.Nd2 Kf7 28.Ne4 Ke6 29.Nc5+ Bxc5 30.bxc5 g5 31.f3 h5 32.g4 hxg4 33.hxg4 Ng6 34.Kf2 Kf7 35.Ke3 Be6 36.Bd3 Kg7 37.Be2 Kf7 38.Bd3 Kg7 39.Be2 Kf7 40.Bd3 1/2-1/2

Round 4, May 23
Caruana, Fabiano – Radjabov, Teimour
B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.Nf3 c5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bd2 cxd4 8.exd4 Nc6 9.Bd3 O-O 10.O-O Be7 11.a3 Bf6 12.Qc2 g6 13.Bh6 Re8 14.Rad1 Bd7 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Qd2 Qa5 17.Qxa5 Nxa5 18.b4 Nc6 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.Rc1 Bf8 21.Bg5 f6 22.Bd2 a5 23.b5 Nce7 24.Rfe1 Kf7 25.g4 h6 26.h4 g5 27.b6 Nxb6 28.Rb1 Ned5 29.hxg5 hxg5 30.Rb5 Nd7 31.Nxe6 Rxe6 32.Rxe6 Nc7 33.Re3 Nxb5 34.Bxb5 Nb6 35.Rc3 Bd6 36.Be2 Be6 37.Ne1 Rc8 38.Rxc8 Nxc8 39.Bxa5 Bxa3 40.Nc2 Bb2 41.Bd8 Ne7 42.Bf3 Bb3 43.Ne3 Bxd4 44.Bxb7 Be6 45.Bxe7 Kxe7 46.Nf5+ Bxf5 47.gxf5 Kd6 48.Kg2 Ke5 49.Bc8 Kf4 50.f3 Be5 51.Be6 Bd4 1/2-1/2

Anish Giri is in the sole lead with 1 round to go today!

(to be continued)

**Hans Jung** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 04:26 PM

So smooth.

**Wayne Komer** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 04:40 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 23, 2021

Preliminaries

Day One (continued)

Round Five

Round 5

Radjabov-Aronian 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov-Caruana 1-0
Nepo-Svidler 0.5-0.5
So-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
MVL-Nakamura 0.5-0.
Pichot-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
Giri-Dubov 0.5-0.5
Ding-Grischuk 1-0

Before the other players have started their final games MVL & Nakamura make a lightning draw to end the day on 3.5/5

Round 5, May 23
Radjabov, Teimour – Aronian, Levon
C78 Ruy Lopez, Moeller Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.d3 d6 7.c3 O-O 8.h3 Ne7 9.d4 Ba7 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Qxd1 12.Bxd1 Nxe4 13.Nd2 Nxd2 14.Bxd2 Rd8 15.Bf4 Be6 16.Re1 Nd5 17.Bg3 Nf6 18.Bf4 c6 19.Bb3 Bxb3 20.axb3 Nd5 21.Bg3 Bb8 22.Rad1 Bxe5 23.Bxe5 f6 24.Bg3 Kf7 25.Rd2 Ne7 26.Red1 Rxd2 27.Rxd2 Ke8 28.Kf1 Rd8 29.Rxd8+ Kxd8 30.f3 Kd7 31.Ke2 h5 32.b4 Nf5 33.Bf2 Ke6 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 Ne7 36.Kd3 f5 37.Bd4 g6 38.c4 b5 39.b3 fxg4 40.fxg4 Ng8 41.Ke3 Nh6 42.Kf4 Nf7 43.c5 Nd8 44.Bc3 Nf7 45.Bd4 g5+ 46.Ke4 Nh6 47.Kf3 Kd5 48.Bc3 Nf7 49.Bf6 Ke6 50.Bc3 Kd5 51.Bf6 Ke6 52.Bc3 Nh6 53.Bg7 Ng8 54.Ke4 Ne7 55.Bc3 Nd5 56.Bd2 Kf6 57.Be1 Ke6 58.Bd2 Kf6 59.Be1 Ke6 60.Bd2 1/2-1/2

Round 5, May 23
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Caruana, Fabiano
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.d3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 e5 6.O-O a5 7.c3 Bd6 8.e4 dxe4 9.dxe4 O-O 10.a4 Be6 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.Nc4 h6 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.Nh4 Bc5 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.exf5 Rfe8 17.Nd2 Nf6 18.Ne4 Rad8 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.Nxc5 Qxc5 21.Be3 Qd6 22.Qb5 e4 23.Bf4 Qd7 24.Re1 b6 25.Bxe4 Re8 26.f3 Nxe4 27.fxe4 f6 28.Kf2 Rd8 29.Re2 Ne5 30.Bxe5 Qxb5 31.axb5 fxe5 32.Ke3 Rd1 33.Rd2 Re1+ 34.Kf3 h5 35.Rd5 Rb1 36.Rxe5 Rxb2 37.Re8+ Kf7 38.Rc8 Rxb5 39.Rxc7+ Kf6 40.Rc6+ Ke7 41.c4 Rc5 42.Rxb6 Rxc4 43.Ra6 a4 44.Kf4 Kf7 45.h3 Rb4 46.g4 Rb3 47.g5 a3 48.g6+ Ke7 49.Ra7+ Kf8 50.e5 1-0

Mamedyarov hits back with a win over the world no. 2!

Fabiano Caruana: "I haven't played an online game in 8 months!"

Round 5, May 23
Nepo, Ian – Svidler, Peter
A16 English

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.h4 h6 6.e4 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 Nd7 9.Bf4 c6 10.Kc2 a5 11.a4 Nc5 12.Nd2 h5 13.Be3 e5 14.f3 f6 15.Bc4 Ne6 16.Nb3 Bd6 17.Rad1 Ke7 18.Rd2 Bc7 19.Rhd1 b6 20.g3 Rd8 21.Rxd8 Nxd8 22.Nd2 Nb7 23.Be2 Nd6 24.f4 Bg4 25.Bxg4 hxg4 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Bg5+ Ke6 28.Rf1 Rg8 29.Kd3 Bd8 30.Nc4 Nxc4 31.Kxc4 Be7 32.b4 axb4 33.Bxe7 Kxe7 34.cxb4 Rd8 35.a5 Rd4+ 36.Kb3 c5 37.a6 Rxb4+ 38.Ka3 Rb5 39.Ra1 c4 40.Ra2 Ra5+ 41.Kb2 c3+ 42.Kb3 c2 43.Rxc2 Rxa6 44.Rc6 Kf7 45.Rc7+ Kf6 46.Rc6+ Kf7 47.Rc7+ Kf6 48.Rc6+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

Round 5, May 23
So, Wesley – Firouzja, Alireza
D02 Queen’s Pawn game

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Be7 7.e3 O-O 8.Rc1 c5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 11.Be2 b6 12.O-O Bb7 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.b4 Nd7 15.Nb5 Nf6 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 17.Rc7 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Ned5 19.Rxa7 Rxa7 20.Nxa7 Ra8 21.Nc6 Rxa2 22.h3 g5 23.Rc1 Rb2 24.Ra1 Nxb4 25.Ra8+ Kg7 26.Ne5 Ra2 27.Rb8 Ra7 28.Rxb6 Nbd5 29.Bxd5 Nxd5 30.Rb1 Rc7 31.Ra1 Ne7 32.g4 Ng6 33.Nxg6 Kxg6 34.Kg2 Kf6 35.Kf3 Kg6 36.Kg3 Kf6 37.Kf3 Kg6 38.Kg3 Kf6 39.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Round 5, May 23
MVL – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d5 10.exd6 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 5, May 23
Pichot, Alan – Carlsen, Magnus
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.exd5 cxd5 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.g3 a6 8.Bg2 dxc4 9.Bf4 Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.dxc4 Qc7 12.Qe2 O-O 13.O-O b6 14.Ne5 Bb7 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.Rfd1 Nbd7 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Rd4 Rad8 19.Rad1 Qc7 20.b4 h6 21.a3 Nf6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.Ne4 Nd7 25.c5 Qa8 26.Qc2 Qc6 27.Qe2 bxc5 28.Nxc5 Nxc5 29.bxc5 f6 30.Qd3 Kf7 31.h4 a5 32.Qc3 a4 33.Qd4 Ke7 34.Qg4 g5 35.hxg5 hxg5 36.Qc4 e5 37.Qc2 Kd7 38.Qf5+ Kc7 39.Qh7+ Qd7 40.Qh8 Qd1+ 41.Kg2 Qd5+ 42.Kg1 Qf3 43.Qf8 Qd1+ 44.Kh2 Qd8 45.Qf7+ Kc6 46.Qa7 Qd4 47.Qb6+ Kd7 48.Qb7+ Ke6 49.Qc6+ Ke7 50.Qb7+ Ke6 51.Qc6+ Kf5 52.Kg2 g4 53.Qc8+ Kg6 54.c6 Qd5+ 55.Kg1 Qd1+ 56.Kh2 Qd4 57.Qg8+ Kh6 58.Qf8+ Kg6 59.Qg8+ Kh6 60.Qf8+ Kg6 61.Qg8+ 1/2-1/2

After 4 losses in a row, Alan Pichot holds a draw against... Magnus Carlsen! The World Champion faces a tough task to win a 6th preliminary event in a row

Round 5, May 23
Giri, Anish – Dubov, Daniil
C55 Two Knights Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Nc3 d6 7.a3 h6 8.Re1 Re8 9.h3 Bf8 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Ne7 12.Bb3 Ng6 13.Be3 Qf6 14.Nh2 Be6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6 16.Qg4 a5 17.Qxe6 Rxe6 18.a4 Ne7 19.f4 exf4 20.Bxf4 f5 21.exf5 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Nxf5 23.Nf3 Kf7 24.Bd2 b6 25.g4 Ne7 26.Nd4 Ng6 27.Rf1+ Kg8 28.Ne6 Rc8 29.Bc3 c5 30.b3 d5 31.Rf5 d4 32.Nxf8 Rxf8 33.Rxf8+ Kxf8 34.Bd2 Ke7 35.Kf2 Ke6 36.Kg3 Ne5 37.h4 Nc6 38.h5 Ne7 39.g5 hxg5 40.Bxg5 Nd5 41.Kf3 Ke5 42.Bh4 Ke6 43.Bg3 Kf5 44.Bh4 Nf6 45.Kf2 g5 46.hxg6 Kxg6 47.Bxf6 Kxf6 48.Ke2 Kg5 49.Kf3 Kf5 50.Kg3 Kg5 51.Kf3 Kf5 52.Kg3 Kg5 53.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Giri missed some chances against Dubov, but a draw still makes him the sole leader after Day 1 of the #FTXCryptoCup!

Round 5, May 23
Ding, Liren – Grischuk, Alexander
D32 QGD, Tarrasch, von Hennig-Schara Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Qxd5 Nf6 8.Qd1 Bc5 9.Nf3 O-O 10.e3 Nc6 11.Be2 Qe7 12.O-O Rfd8 13.Qb3 Bf5 14.Bd2 a6 15.Na4 Be6 16.Qc2 Ba7 17.Rfd1 Rac8 18.Nc3 Nb4 19.Qb1 g6 20.Ne4 Nc2 21.Nxf6+ Qxf6 22.Bc3 Rxc3 23.bxc3 Nxa1 24.Qxa1 Rc8 25.Nd4 Bd5 26.Bf1 h5 27.Qb2 h4 28.c4 Be4 29.Rd2 h3 30.Ne2 Qe7 31.gxh3 Bb8 32.Ng3 Be5 33.Qb3 Bc6 34.Bg2 Bxg2 35.Kxg2 Qc7 36.Rd5 Bg7 37.h4 Qc6 38.h5 Be5 39.hxg6 fxg6 40.Qd3 Kh7 41.Qe4 Bg7 42.c5 Re8 43.Rh5+ Kg8 44.Qxc6 bxc6 45.Rh4 1-0

A day to forget for Alexander Grischuk

Standings after Day One

1 Giri 4
2-4 Nakamura, MVL, So 3.5
5-7 Radjabov, Firouzja, Ding 3
8-10 Nepo, Carlsen, Caruana 2.5
11-13 Svidler, Dubov, Aronian 2
14 Mamedyarov 1.5
15 Grischuk 1
16 Pichot 0.5

This note half-way through Day One: Levon Aronian has suffered a power cut and is trying to play on while laptop battery/mobile phone allows!

**Hans Jung** · Sunday, 23rd May, 2021, 05:05 PM

Entertaining game of the day - Giri - Ding

I also enjoyed Caruana - Firoujza (if Fabi had only finished what he started!)

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 24th May, 2021, 01:43 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 24, 2021

Preliminaries

Day Two

Rounds Six and Seven

Round 6

Aronian-Grischuk 1-0
Dubov-Ding 0.5-0.5
Carlsen-Giri 0.5-0.5
Nakamura-Pichot 1-0
Firouzja-MVL 0.5-0.5
Svidler-So 0.5-0.5
Caruana-Nepo 1-0
Radjabov-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5

Round 7

Mamedyarov-Aronian 1-0
Nepo-Radjabov 0-1
So-Caruana 0.5-0.5
MVL-Svidler 0.5-0.5
Pichot-Firouzja 1-0
Giri-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
Ding-Carlsen 0.5-0.5
Grischuk-Dubov 0.5-0.5

Round 6, May 24
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 c5 7.g3 O-O 8.Bg2 c4 9.O-O Nc6 10.Bg5 Be6 11.Ne1 Be7 12.Nc2 Rc8 13.Rc1 Qa5 14.f4 Ne8 15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.f5 Bd7 17.g4 h6 18.Qe1 Qb6 19.Bxd5 Bc6 20.Bxc4 Nf6 21.Bd3 Nxg4 22.Qg3 Nf6 23.Kf2 Kh8 24.Rg1 Rg8 25.Qh4 Qxb2 26.Ne3 Qb6 27.Nc4 Qd8 28.Ne5 Qf8 29.e4 Rd8 30.Ke3 Be8 31.Rg3 Nc6 32.Nxc6 Bxc6 33.e5 Qa3 34.Rc2 Rde8 35.Kf2 Nh7 36.f6 Qf8 37.fxg7+ Rxg7 38.Qxh6 Rd8 39.Bxh7 Rxg3 40.Qxf8+ Rxf8 41.Kxg3 Kxh7 42.d5 Bd7 43.Ne4 Bf5 44.Nf6+ Kg6 45.Rg2 1-0

Round 6, May 24
Dubov, Daniil – Ding, Liren
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 dxc4 6.Bg2 b5 7.Ne5 Qxd4 8.Nc6 Nxc6 9.Bxc6+ Bd7 10.Bxa8 c6 11.O-O O-O 12.Bb7 Qb6 13.Ne4 Qxb7 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Bh6 Rd8 16.Qd4 e5 17.Qh4 Be7 18.Rad1 Qc8 19.f4 e4 20.g4 Be6 21.f5 Rxd1 22.Rxd1 Bd5 23.Be3 a5 24.Kf2 b4 25.Rg1 c3 26.bxc3 bxc3 27.Bd4 c2 28.Bxf6 Bxf6 29.Qxf6 Qb8 30.Qg5+ Kh8 31.Rg3 Qb6+ 32.Kg2 e3+ 33.Kh3 Qc5 34.Qd8+ Kg7 35.Qg5+ Kh8 36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qg5+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

Beautiful from Dubov (33.Kh3), allowing Black to queen the c-pawn, but after f6! White would be winning!

A sad end, though - Daniil was winning at the end with Rxe3! but instead decided to take a draw by 3-fold repetition

Round 6, May 24
Carlsen, Magnus – Giri, Anish
A00 Sokolsky Opening

1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5 Nf6 4.c3 Be7 5.g3 d6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Bg2 O-O 8.e3 d5 9.Ne2 c6 10.d4 Bf5 11.Nd2 Nd7 12.O-O Re8 13.c4 dxc4 14.Nxc4 Qc7 15.Rc1 Rad8 16.Nf4 Nb6 17.Nxb6 Qxb6 18.Qa4 g6 19.Rc3 Bg5 20.Rb3 Qc7 21.Qxa7 Re7 22.Nd3 Bxd3 23.Rxd3 c5 24.Rc3 b6 25.Qxc7 Rxc7 26.Rb1 Rd6 27.a4 Bf6 28.Bf1 Rcd7 29.dxc5 Bxc3 30.cxd6 Rxd6 31.Rc1 Rc6 32.Rd1 Rc7 33.Rd6 Ba5 34.Bb5 Kg7 35.e4 Rc1+ 36.Kg2 Rc2 37.e5 Bb4 38.Rf6 Be7 39.Rxb6 Rxf2+ 40.Kxf2 Bc5+ 41.Kf3 Bxb6 42.Ke4 Kf8 43.Kd5 Ke7 44.g4 h5 45.h3 hxg4 46.hxg4 Ba5 47.Bd3 Bd2 48.Bc2 Be1 49.Bd3 Bd2 50.Ba6 Be1 51.Bc8 Kd8 52.e6 fxe6+ 53.Bxe6 Kc7 1/2-1/2

1.b4 worked brilliantly for Magnus, but he wasn't able to convert his advantage into a win

Round 6, May 24
Nakamura, Hikaru – Pichot, Alan
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.O-O Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Ba4 Ne5 10.Qe2 Bd7 11.Bxd7 Qxd7 12.Rd1 Rfc8 13.b3 a6 14.Bb2 Rab8 15.h3 Nc6 16.Nf3 Qe8 17.Nd5 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qb2+ Kg8 20.Rac1 Nde5 21.Ne1 Qf8 22.Qe2 Nd7 23.Qe3 Qg7 24.Rc2 Kf8 25.f4 a5 26.Nf3 Rd8 27.Nc3 Nc5 28.Rcd2 b6 29.Nd5 b5 30.cxb5 Rxb5 31.Nc3 Rbb8 32.e5 Nb7 33.Na4 dxe5 34.Nxe5 Nxe5 35.fxe5 Kg8 36.Nb6 Rxd2 37.Rxd2 Nd8 38.Nc4 Nc6 39.Qc5 Rc8 40.Rd7 Qh6 41.Nb6 Rd8 42.Qxc6 Qe3+ 43.Kh1 Qe1+ 44.Kh2 Qxe5+ 45.g3 Rf8 46.Nc4 Qe1 47.Qf3 a4 48.Qe3 Qb1 49.Rd2 axb3 50.Qxb3 Qe1 51.Qd1 Qe6 52.Qe2 Qa6 53.Ne5 Qb7 54.Nd7 1-0

Nakamura's win means it's still only Magnus who's failed to beat underdog Pichot

Round 6, May 24
Firouzja, Alireza – MVL
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.O-O e6 7.Re1 Be7 8.Bf1 O-O 9.c4 Re8 10.Nc3 Bf8 11.a4 Ne5 12.Bf4 Ng6 13.Bg3 a6 14.h3 b6 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.a5 bxa5 17.Nb3 Rb8 18.Nxa5 Ba8 19.Ra4 Qd7 20.c5 e5 21.Bxa6 dxc5 22.Qxd7 Nxd7 23.Bb5 Red8 24.Nc4 Nb6 25.Ra7 Nc8 26.Ra5 f6 27.f3 Nf4 28.Rea1 Bb7 29.Bf2 Ne6 30.Ba6 Bc6 31.Bb5 Bb7 32.Ba6 Bc6 33.Bb5 Bb7 1/2-1/2

Round 6, May 24
Svidler, Peter – So, Wesley
A13 English Opening, Agincourt variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.b3 Bd6 5.Bb2 O-O 6.Be2 c5 7.O-O b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.d4 Bb7 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.Nc4 Be7 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Nd4 Bf6 15.Bf3 Ba6 16.Qd2 Qd7 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Nf5 exf5 19.Bxd5 Qe7 20.Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Qd4 Qxd4 22.Rxd4 Bxc4 23.Bxc4 Rxd4 24.exd4 Ne6 25.d5 Nc5 26.Bb5 Rd8 27.b4 Ne4 28.Rc7 g6 29.Bc6 Nc3 30.Rxa7 Nxd5 31.Bxd5 Rxd5 32.g3 f4 33.gxf4 Rd4 34.b5 Rb4 35.a4 Rxf4 36.Ra6 h5 37.Rxb6 Rxa4 38.Rc6 Rb4 39.b6 h4 40.Kg2 Rb3 41.h3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, May 24
Caruana, Fabiano – Nepo, Ian
B07 Pirc-Queen’s Pawn-KID-East Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nbd2 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 O-O 7.O-O cxd4 8.cxd4 e5 9.d5 Nbd7 10.b4 a5 11.Ba3 axb4 12.Bxb4 Nc5 13.Bxc5 dxc5 14.Nc4 Nh5 15.a4 Nf4 16.Bc2 f5 17.Rb1 Ra6 18.Re1 fxe4 19.Bxe4 Qd7 20.Nfxe5 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxa4 22.d6 Rd8 23.Qf3 Rf8 24.Bd5+ Kg7 25.Bb3 Qd4 26.Rbd1 Nh3+ 27.gxh3 Rxf3 28.Rxd4 cxd4 29.Nxf3 Rxd6 30.Re7+ Kh6 31.h4 d3 32.Ne5 Rd4 33.Bg8 1-0

When Azeri meets Azeri

Round 6, May 24
Radjabov, Teimour – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Qb3 Na5 13.Qa4+ Nc6 14.Qb3 1/2-1/2

Round 7, May 24
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Aronian, Levon
E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 O-O 6.Nf3 Na6 7.g3 Nxc5 8.Bg2 Nce4 9.O-O Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11.e4 d6 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Qc7 14.Qe2 Bd6 15.Bf4 Ne8 16.c5 Qxc5 17.c4 Bxe5 18.Qxe5 Qxe5 19.Bxe5 f6 20.Bf4 e5 21.Be3 Be6 22.c5 Rf7 23.Rfb1 Rb8 24.a4 f5 25.Rb4 Nf6 26.c6 b6 27.Rb5 e4 28.Rd1 Rc8 29.Rd6 Re7 30.Bg5 Kf7 31.Bf1 Ne8 32.Bxe7 Kxe7 33.Rd1 Rxc6 34.Rbb1 Nd6 35.Rdc1 Bd7 36.Rxc6 Bxc6 37.Ra1 Nb7 38.Bb5 Bd5 39.Rc1 Nc5 40.a5 g5 41.Kf1 f4 42.Bc4 Ke6 43.axb6 axb6 44.Ke2 h6 45.Bxd5+ Kxd5 46.Rb1 Kc6 47.gxf4 gxf4 48.Rg1 b5 49.Rg6+ Kd5 50.Rxh6 Ne6 51.h4 b4 52.Rh8 b3 53.Rb8 Nd4+ 54.Kd1 e3 55.fxe3 fxe3 56.h5 Kc4 57.h6 Kd3 58.Kc1 e2 59.Re8 Nf5 60.h7 Ne3 61.Rd8+ Kc4 62.Kd2 b2 63.Rb8 Nc2 64.Kxe2 Nb4 65.Rxb4+ Kxb4 66.h8=Q 1-0

Round 7, May 24
Nepo, Ian – Radjabov, Teimour
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Nbd7 7.O-O-O e6 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Nf6 11.Qe2 Qd5 12.Kb1 Qxg2 13.Nf3 Qg4 14.Be3 Qh5 15.Rhg1 h6 16.Bf4 O-O-O 17.Rd3 Nd5 18.Be5 Qf5 19.Rb3 Rg8 20.a3 g5 21.Ka2 Bd6 22.c4 Nf4 23.Qe3 Kb8 24.d5 exd5 25.Nd4 Qd7 26.Rc1 Bxe5 27.Qxe5+ Ka8 28.Qe1 Ne6 29.Nf3 Nc5 30.Ne5 Nxb3 31.Nxd7 Nxc1+ 32.Qxc1 Rxd7 33.cxd5 cxd5 0-1

Radjabov once again shows that if you push him he can be lethal! Nepo has now lost 3 games and won 0 since beating Dubov in yesterday's 1st round

Round 7, May 24
So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano
67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence, l’Hermet variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 d5 9.exd6 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 7, May 24
MVL – Svidler, Peter
B11 Caro-Kann, Two Knights

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.Be2 Bc5 7.O-O Ne7 8.Na4 Bd6 9.d4 dxe4 10.Qxe4 Nd7 11.Rd1 Nf6 12.Qf3 Qa5 13.b3 e5 14.dxe5 Bxe5 15.Rb1 O-O 16.Bd2 Qc7 17.Nb2 Ng6 18.g3 Rad8 19.Nc4 Bd4 20.c3 Bc5 21.b4 Be7 22.h4 h5 23.Be3 b5 24.Na5 Ne5 25.Qg2 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 c5 27.Qb7 Qxb7 28.Nxb7 cxb4 29.cxb4 Bxb4 30.Bxb5 a5 31.Bb6 Ne4 32.a4 Nc3 33.Ra1 Nxb5 34.axb5 Rb8 35.Bxa5 Bxa5 36.Nxa5 Rxb5 37.Ra2 g6 38.Kg2 Kg7 39.Ra4 Rb2 40.Nc4 Nxc4 41.Rxc4 1/2-1/2

Round 7, May 24
Pichot, Alan – Firouzja, Alireza
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Bg4 4.h3 Bh5 5.Qe2 e6 6.g4 Bg6 7.h4 h5 8.Ne5 Bh7 9.g5 Bd6 10.Nxf7 Kxf7 11.Qxh5+ Kf8 12.Qg4 Bg6 13.h5 Bf7 14.Nc3 Nd7 15.f4 Ne7 16.Bd2 Qb6 17.O-O-O Ke8 18.g6 Bg8 19.Qg5 d4 20.Ne2 Rh6 21.e5 Bb4 22.Bxb4 Qxb4 23.a3 Qb6 24.Ng3 Nc5 25.Ne4 Na4 26.Nd6+ Kd7 27.Nc4 Qc5 28.Bh3 b5 29.b4 Qd5 30.Bg2 bxc4 31.Bxd5 cxd5 32.dxc4 Nc3 33.Rd3 Rf8 34.Rxc3 dxc3 35.Qg1 Nc8 36.cxd5 exd5 37.Rh3 Rxf4 38.Rxc3 Rxh5 39.Qc5 Rc4 40.Rxc4 Rh1+ 41.Kb2 dxc4 42.Qb5+ Kd8 43.Qb7 Rh3 44.c3 Be6 45.Qxg7 Ne7 46.Qf6 Kd7 47.Qf2 Nc8 48.g7 Nb6 49.Qg2 Rd3 50.g8=Q Na4+ 51.Kb1 Nxc3+ 52.Kc2 Bxg8 53.Qxg8 Nd5 54.Qg4+ Kd8 55.Qxc4 Rd1 56.Qh4+ 1-0

After 5 losses, and a draw against Magnus, Alan Pichot beats Alireza Firouzja!

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 24th May, 2021, 02:42 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 24, 2021

Preliminaries

Day Two (continued)

Rounds Seven and Eight

Round 7, May 24
Giri, Anish – Nakamura, Hikaru
C45 Scotch game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bb4+ 5.c3 Bc5 6.Be3 Bb6 7.Nf5 Bxe3 8.Nxe3 Nge7 9.c4 d6 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Be2 f5 12.exf5 Nxf5 13.Nxf5 Bxf5 14.O-O Be6 15.Qd2 Qf6 16.Rad1 Qf4 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Ne5 19.Qxf4 Rxf4 20.Rc1 Re4 21.Rc2 Re8 22.f3 Rb4 23.b3 Nd7 24.Bc4 Ne5 25.a3 Rb6 26.b4 Nxc4 27.Rxc4 Ra6 28.Rc3 Re2 29.Rf2 Re1+ 30.Rf1 Re2 31.Rf2 Re1+ 32.Rf1 Re2 1/2-1/2

Round 7, May 24
Ding, Liren – Carlsen, Magnus
D31 QGD, Janowski variation

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 h6 6.Bf4 Nf6 7.e3 Bd6 8.Be5 c6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.h3 Be6 11.O-O Nbd7 12.Bh2 O-O 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.Bb1 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nd4 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Qf3 Qe5 19.Rfd1 Nce4 20.Nce2 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Rc8 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Qf4 Qxf4 24.Nxf4 Nd6 25.Bd3 Kf8 26.b3 Ke7 27.f3 Nde8 28.Kf2 Nc7 29.g4 Bd7 30.h4 Nfe8 31.h5 Nd6 32.a4 a5 33.Ke2 Kf6 34.Kd2 Ke5 35.Bc2 Ne6 36.Nd3+ Kf6 37.Nf4 Nxd4 38.exd4 Be6 39.Ke3 Nc8 40.Bd3 Ne7 41.Bb5 Bc8 42.Be8 g5 43.Nd3 Kg7 44.Bb5 f6 45.Kf2 b6 46.Kg3 f5 47.Ne5 fxg4 48.fxg4 Kf6 49.Kf3 Ke6 50.Kg3 Ng8 51.Bd3 Ke7 52.Nc6+ Kd6 53.Ne5 Ke7 54.Nc6+ Kd6 55.Ne5 Ke7 1/2-1/2

Round 7, May 24
Grischuk, Alexander – Dubov, Daniil
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.O-O Ngf6 6.Qe2 e6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Rc8 9.c4 Qc7 10.b3 Be7 11.Nc3 O-O 12.Bb2 Rfe8 13.Rad1 a6 14.f4 Bf8 15.Nf3 e5 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Kh1 Qc6 18.Nd5 b5 19.Nd2 Nxd5 20.exd5 Qg6 21.Ba1 e4 22.Rf4 e3 23.Nf1 bxc4 24.bxc4 Ne5 25.h3 Bd6 26.Nxe3 Qg3 27.Qf2 Qxf2 28.Rxf2 Nxc4 29.Nf5 Bf8 30.d6 Nxd6 31.Nxd6 Bxd6 32.Rxd6 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 Rxa1 34.Rxa6 h5 35.Ra7 f6 36.Rc2 Re5 37.Rc3 Rg5 38.Rg3 Rxg3 39.Kxg3 Kh7 40.h4 Kg6 41.Ra5 Kf7 42.Ra7+ Kg6 43.Ra5 Kf7 44.Ra7+ Kg6 1/2-1/2

Round 8

Aronian-Dubov 0.5-0.5
Carlsen-Grischuk 1-0
Nakamura-Ding 0.5-0.5
Firouzja-Giri 0-1
Svidler-Pichot 1-0
Caruana-MVL 0.5-0.5
Radjabov-So 0.5-0.5
Mamedyarov-Nepo 0.5-0.5

Round 8, May 24
Aronian, Levon – Dubov, Daniil
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bf5 10.Qd1 c5 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Nh4 Bd7 13.dxc5 b4 14.Ne4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Rc8 16.Nf3 Bh3 17.Re1 Qxd1 18.Rxd1 Rfd8 19.Rd3 Rxd3 20.Bxd3 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.a3 b3 23.Bc4 Rxc5 24.Bxb3 Rc7 25.Bh6 Bxb2 26.Rd1 Rc8 27.a4 Bg7 28.Be3 a6 29.f3 h5 30.Kf2 Bf6 31.a5 Kg7 32.Bd5 Rc2 33.Rb1 Bf5 34.Rc1 Rxc1 35.Bxc1 Bc3 36.Bb7 Bxa5 37.Bxa6 Bc3 38.Bc4 Bd7 39.h4 Be5 40.Be3 Bc6 41.Bc5 1/2-1/2

Round 8, May 24
Carlsen, Magnus – Grischuk, Alexander
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Bc5 6.Nf5 d5 7.Nxg7+ Kf8 8.cxd5 Bd4 9.Nc3 Ne7 10.e3 Bxc3 11.dxc3 Kxg7 12.c4 Ng6 13.g4 h6 14.h4 c5 15.Be2 Kg8 16.Qc2 Rh7 17.O-O-O Nxg4 18.h5 Nf8 19.Qxe4 f5 20.Qc2 Nxf2 21.Rhg1+ Kf7 22.Rdf1 Qh4 23.Be5 Qe4 24.Qc3 Nh3 25.Rg4 1-0

Peter Leko feels Grischuk's decision to try and punish 1.b3 was the wrong approach: "Just be solid, treat 1.b3 with respect, and then you might get your chances!"

1.b3! and Magnus scores a crushing win - his first in 7 rounds, taking him back to a plus score

Round 8, May 24
Nakamura, Hikaru – Ding, Liren
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bf4 c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e3 Bf5 10.Bd3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Qxc5 13.Rb1 b6 14.Be5 Nbd7 15.Bd4 Qa3 16.Qc2 Rfc8 17.O-O Ne4 18.Rfc1 Ndc5 19.Nd2 Nd6 20.Rd1 Qa4 21.Nb3 Ne6 22.Qe2 Nb5 23.Be5 f6 24.Na1 Nxc3 25.Bxc3 Rxc3 26.Rxd5 Qe4 27.Rdd1 Rac8 28.Rb2 Qc4 29.Kf1 Rc1 30.Rd2 Rxd1+ 31.Rxd1 Kf8 32.Nb3 Qxe2+ 33.Kxe2 Rc2+ 34.Rd2 Rxd2+ 35.Kxd2 Ke7 36.e4 Kd6 37.Ke3 g5 38.f3 Ke5 39.g3 h5 40.h4 gxh4 41.f4+ Kd6 42.gxh4 a6 43.Nd2 b5 44.Nf1 a5 45.Ng3 Ng7 46.Kd4 Ne6+ 47.Ke3 Ng7 48.Kd4 Ne6+ 49.Ke3 1/2-1/2

Round 8, May 24
Firouzja, Alireza – Giri, Anish
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 d6 7.a4 a5 8.c3 Qe7 9.O-O g5 10.Bg3 Bd7 11.Re1 Rg8 12.d4 Ba7 13.Na3 h5 14.h4 gxh4 15.Bxh4 O-O-O 16.Nc2 Rg4 17.Bb5 exd4 18.cxd4 Rdg8 19.Ne3 Rxh4 20.Nxh4 Nxe4 21.Nef5 Qg5 22.Qf3 d5 23.Rad1 Kb8 24.g3 Nxd4 25.Nxd4 Bxb5 26.Kh2 Bxa4 27.b3 Be8 28.Re2 Bb6 29.Ng2 Bd7 30.Qxf7 Bg4 31.Nf3 Qg7 32.Qxg7 Rxg7 33.Ngh4 Bxf2 34.Rxf2 Nxf2 35.Rxd5 b6 36.Nd4 Kb7 37.Ng2 Ne4 38.Re5 Nd2 39.Nf4 Rd7 40.Nb5 Nf3+ 0-1

Round 8, May 24
Svidler, Peter – Pichot, Alan
B50 Sicilian, Kopec System

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.c3 Bg4 5.Bc2 e6 6.h3 Bh5 7.d4 d5 8.exd5 Qxd5 9.Bb3 Qe4+ 10.Be3 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Qf5 12.Nd2 cxd4 13.Bxd4 Nc6 14.Ba4 Be7 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Qb3 O-O 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.O-O-O Rab8 19.Qc4 Rb5 20.Kc2 Rfb8 21.b3 Rd5 22.Qe4 Re5 23.Qd3 g6 24.Ne4 Qf4 25.Rhe1 Rf5 26.Qd7 Bf8 27.Qxa7 Rbb5 28.Rd8 Ra5 29.Qe7 Qh6 30.a4 Rxf3 31.Red1 Rd5 32.R1xd5 cxd5 33.Nf6+ Rxf6 34.Qxf6 Qh5 35.Qe7 Qe2+ 36.Kc1 Kg7 37.Qxf8+ Kf6 38.Qc5 1-0

Round 8, May 24
Caruana, Fabiano – MVL
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.f3 O-O 10.Be3 Nc6 11.O-O a6 12.Qd3 Rfc8 13.b3 b5 14.cxb5 Ne5 15.Qd2 d5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 axb5 18.Rad1 Qxd5 19.Qe2 Nc6 20.Nxb5 Qe6 21.Rd2 Nb4 22.Re1 h5 23.Nd4 Qa6 24.Qxa6 Rxa6 25.a4 Rc3 26.Bf2 Nd3 27.Red1 Nxf2 28.Kxf2 Bxd4+ 29.Rxd4 Rxb3 30.Ra1 Rb2+ 31.Kg3 Ra5 32.h4 Kg7 33.Kh3 Rb7 34.Ra2 Rba7 35.Rb4 R7a6 36.Kg3 Ra7 37.Kf2 R7a6 38.Kg3 Ra7 39.Kf2 R7a6 40.Kg3 1/2-1/2

Round 8, May 24
Radjabov, Teimour – So, Wesley
D37 QGD, Hastings variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 Nbd7 7.a3 c5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Be5 Bf5 12.Be2 Bf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd4 Qd6 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Qd2 Qf6 17.Qd4 Qd6 18.Qd2 Qf6 19.Qd4 Qd6 1/2-1/2

Round 8, May 24
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Nepo, Ian
A48 King’s Indian, Torre Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.c3 Nd7 8.Bc4 N5b6 9.Bb3 c5 10.O-O cxd4 11.Re1 Re8 12.Ne4 Nf8 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.cxd4 Be6 16.Nc5 Bxb3 17.axb3 Nd5 18.Nxb7 Ne6 19.Be3 Reb8 20.Na5 Rb5 21.Rec1 a6 22.g3 f6 23.Rc4 Kf7 24.Kg2 Rd8 25.Nc6 Rd6 26.Rxa6 Rxb3 27.Bc1 Rb7 28.Na5 Rxa6 29.Nxb7 Ra1 30.h4 Nb6 31.Rc3 Nd5 32.Rc4 Nb6 33.Rc3 Rb1 34.Na5 Nd5 35.Rc4 Nb6 36.Rc3 Nd5 37.Rc4 Nb6 38.Rc6 Nxd4 39.Rxb6 Rxc1 40.Nb3 Nxb3 41.Rxb3 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 24th May, 2021, 04:00 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 24, 2021

Day Two (continued)

Rounds Nine and Ten

Round 9

Nepo-Aronian 1-0
So-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
MVL-Radjabov 0.5-0.5
Pichot-Caruana 0-1
Giri-Svidler 0-1
Ding-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
Grischuk-Nakamura 0.5-0.5
Dubov-Carlsen 0-1

Round 10

Aronian-Carlsen 1-0
Nakamura-Dubov 0.5-0.5
Firouzja-Grischuk 0-1
Svidler-Ding 0.5-0.5
Caruana-Giri 1-0
Radjabov-Pichot 1-0
Mamedyarov-MVL 1-0
Nepo-So 0.5-0.5

Round 9, May 24
Nepo, Ian – Aronian, Levon
C50 Giuoco Piano, Italian Four Knights variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Nd5 Qd8 9.c3 d6 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 Ba7 12.h3 Ne7 13.Ne3 b5 14.Bd3 c5 15.a4 cxd4 16.Nf5 Nxf5 17.exf5 O-O 18.O-O bxa4 19.Rxa4 a5 20.b4 Bb6 21.bxa5 Rxa5 22.Rxa5 Bxa5 23.Nxd4 Bb7 24.Qb3 Ba8 25.Bc4 Qf6 26.Rd1 Rc8 27.Bd5 Bxd5 28.Qxd5 Bb6 29.Qb7 Bxd4 30.Qxc8+ Kh7 31.Qc6 Qe5 32.Qf3 Bc5 33.g3 Qf6 34.Kg2 Qe5 35.Rb1 Qd4 36.Rb7 Kg8 37.h4 Qd2 38.f6 g6 39.h5 Qc2 40.Rb8+ Kh7 41.Rf8 Qa2 42.hxg6+ Kxg6 43.Rg8+ Kh7 44.Rg7+ Kh8 45.Qf5 1-0

Round 9, May 24
So, Wesley – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Qb3 Na5 13.Qa4+ Nc6 14.Qb3 1/2-1/2

Round 9, May 24
MVL – Radjabov, Teimour
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.Nc3 Ne8 10.Nd5 Bd6 11.Re1 c6 12.Ne3 Bc7 13.Nf5 d5 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxc8 Rxc8 16.d3 Qd6 17.g3 Nf6 18.Qf3 Rce8 19.Bd2 Qc5 20.c3 Qd6 21.h4 Kg8 22.Bh3 Qd8 23.Kg2 a5 24.a4 h6 25.Bf5 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Nxe8 28.d4 g6 29.Bd3 h5 30.b3 Qd7 31.c4 dxc4 32.Bxc4 Nd6 33.Qf6 Qf5 34.Qxf5 Nxf5 35.d5 Nd6 36.Bf4 b5 37.axb5 cxb5 38.Bd3 a4 39.bxa4 bxa4 40.Bc1 Nb7 41.Bb5 Nc5 42.Ba3 Bd6 43.f3 Kg7 44.g4 Kf6 45.gxh5 gxh5 46.f4 Ke7 47.Bxc5 Bxc5 48.Bxa4 1/2-1/2

Round 9, May 24
Pichot, Alan – Caruana, Fabiano
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.d4 f6 6.exf6 exf6 7.Bd3 Ne7 8.O-O Na6 9.Bxa6 bxa6 10.Re1 Kf7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Nc3 Nd5 13.Qa4 Nb6 14.Qxc6 Bd7 15.Qd6 Re8 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Qa3 Qc8 18.d5 Bf8 19.Qa5 Qb7 20.Bc5 Bh6 21.d6 Bf8 22.Qb4 Rec8 23.Rad1 Bd3 24.b3 Rab8 25.bxc4 Bxc4 26.d7 Bxc5 27.dxc8=Q Bxb4 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Re3 Qf7 30.Ne4 Nd5 31.Neg5 fxg5 32.Nxg5 Qg8 33.Qd7+ Kh8 34.Nf7+ Kg7 35.Ne5+ Kh8 36.Nxc4 Nxe3 37.Nxe3 Bc5 38.Ng4 Qg7 39.Qxg7+ Kxg7 40.Rd7+ Kf8 41.g3 Rb2 42.a4 h5 43.Ne3 Ra2 44.Rc7 Bb6 45.Rc4 Ke7 46.Rf4 g5 47.Rf5 g4 48.Rxh5 Rxa4 49.Rg5 a5 50.Nxg4 Rd4 51.Ne3 a4 52.Nf5+ Kf6 53.Nxd4 Kxg5 54.Nc2 Bc5 55.Kf1 a3 56.Ke2 a2 57.Kd3 Bf8 58.Kc4 Bg7 59.Kb3 a1=Q 60.Nxa1 Bxa1 61.Ka4 Kg4 62.Ka5 Bd4 63.f4 Bg1 64.Ka6 Kf5 65.h3 Bf2 66.h4 Kg4 67.h5 Kxh5 68.f5 Kg5 69.g4 Bd4 0-1

Tragedy for Alan Pichot, who was on the verge of beating world no. 2 Fabiano Caruana but in the end went on to lose!

Round 9, May 24
Giri, Anish – Svidler, Peter
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2 Nb6 6.e3 Bg7 7.h4 e5 8.dxe5 Nc6 9.Nf3 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Bxe5 11.h5 Qe7 12.a4 Be6 13.a5 Nd7 14.a6 bxa6 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Rxh8+ Bxh8 17.Bxa6 Rb8 18.Qa4 Rxb2 19.Qa3 Qxa3 20.Rxa3 Nc5 21.Bb5+ Kd8 22.Be2 Nb3 23.Rxa7 Be5 24.f4 Bd6 25.Ra8+ Ke7 26.Rb8 Rxd2 27.Bb5 Rc2 28.Ne4 Bb4+ 29.Kd1 Rc1+ 30.Ke2 Bg4+ 31.Kd3 Nc5+ 32.Nxc5 Bxc5 0-1

Peter Svidler inflicts a first loss of the #FTXCryptoCup on leader Anish Giri and moves to a plus score!

Round 9, May 24
Ding, Liren – Firouzja, Alireza
A81 Dutch (stonewall & Ilyin-Genevsky)

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.c4 c6 6.Bf4 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Nbd2 Ne4 9.Rc1 Nd7 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Ne5 Bg5 12.Bxg5 Qxg5 13.f4 Qe7 14.Qb3 Nxe5 15.fxe5 Rxf1+ 16.Bxf1 a5 17.e3 Qb4 18.Qc2 Qe7 19.Be2 Bd7 20.c5 Qg5 21.Qd2 Be8 22.Rf1 Bh5 23.Bxh5 Qxh5 24.Qf2 a4 25.Kg2 h6 26.h3 Rb8 27.g4 Qg6 28.Kg3 Qe8 29.Qc2 Ra8 30.Qd2 Qe7 31.h4 Rf8 32.Rxf8+ Qxf8 33.Qf2 Qd8 34.h5 Qe7 35.Qc2 Qf8 36.Qf2 Qe7 37.Qc2 Qf8 38.Qf2 Qe7 1/2-1/2

Round 9, May 24
Grischuk, Alexander – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.h3 h6 11.b3 b6 12.Bb2 Kc8 13.Rad1 a5 14.Rd3 Be7 15.Rfd1 Be6 16.g4 Nh4 17.Nxh4 Bxh4 18.f4 g6 19.a4 Kb7 20.Ne2 c5 21.c4 h5 22.g5 Bf5 23.Re3 Rhd8 24.Rd5 Be1 25.Bc3 Bxc3 26.Nxc3 c6 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Ne4 Rd1+ 29.Kg2 Kc7 30.Nd6 Be6 31.h4 Rd2+ 32.Kg3 Rd1 33.Kg2 Rd2+ 34.Kg3 Rd1 35.Kg2 1/2-1/2

Round 9, May 24
Dubov, Daniil – Carlsen, Magnus
D06 QGD, symmetrical (Austrian) Defence

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 cxd4 4.cxd5 Nf6 5.Nxd4 Qxd5 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.e4 Bd7 8.Bd2 Nc6 9.Ndb5 Rc8 10.Rc1 e5 11.Bc4 a6 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Nbc3 Nd4 14.Bb3 Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Bc6 16.O-O Bc5 17.Qg4 O-O 18.Kh1 Bxd5 19.Nxd5 f5 20.Qg5 fxe4 21.Qxe5 Rf5 22.Qxd4 Bxd4 23.Rxc8 Rxd5 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.g3 Bxb2 26.Bf4 b5 27.Re1 Rd4 28.Kg2 Rc4 29.Rd1 Bf6 30.Rd2 Kf7 31.g4 Bd4 32.Re2 Bc5 33.Rd2 Ke6 34.h4 a5 35.h5 a4 36.h6 gxh6 37.Bxh6 b4 38.Bf4 b3 39.axb3 axb3 40.Rb2 Rc3 41.Rb1 Kd5 0-1

Round 10, May 24
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6 7.Nb3 Bg4 8.a4 a6 9.a5 Qd8 10.h3 Bh5 11.g4 Bg6 12.Ne5 Nd7 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.c3 e6 15.Bd3 Nf6 16.Qf3 Bd6 17.Kf1 Bxf4 18.Qxf4 Nd7 19.Kg2 g5 20.Qg3 Rc8 21.Rhe1 Qc7 22.Nd2 Qxg3+ 23.fxg3 Ke7 24.Nf3 f6 25.Bf5 Nf8 26.c4 Kf7 27.cxd5 exf5 28.dxc6 fxg4 29.hxg4 Rxc6 30.Rac1 Ng6 31.d5 Rcc8 32.Nd4 Rhd8 33.Ne6 Re8 34.b4 Ne5 35.Nxg5+ Ke7 36.Ne6 g5 37.Nc5 Red8 38.Rcd1 Kf7 39.Rd4 Rc7 40.Re2 Rd6 41.Ne4 Rdd7 42.Nxg5+ Kg6 43.Nf3 Nxf3 44.Kxf3 Rc1 45.d6 Rc6 46.Re7 Rdxd6 47.Rxd6 Rxd6 48.Rxb7 Rd3+ 49.Ke4 Rxg3 50.Kd5 Rxg4 51.Kc5 1-0

Magnus Carlsen still has to sweat on qualification after losing to Levon Aronian in today's final round!

"This really, really pisses me off this last game!" - Carlsen's reaction to a shocking loss against Aronian. The Norwegian is currently on 7th, and in danger of being knocked out of #FTXCryptoCup. Can the world champion strike back on day 3 to qualify for the finals?

Round 10, May 24
Nakamura, Hikaru – Dubov, Daniil
D78 Neo-Grunfeld

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.Qb3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qb3 Be6 10.Qd1 c5 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.dxc5 b4 13.Nb5 Bd5 14.Nbd4 Qa5 15.a3 Qxc5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Bd2 bxa3 18.Rxa3 Rad8 19.Qc1 Qxc1 20.Bxc1 Rd7 21.Ne5 Bxg2 22.Nxd7 Bxf1 23.Nxf6+ Bxf6 24.Kxf1 Rc8 25.Be3 Bxb2 26.Rxa7 Bf6 27.Rb7 h5 28.Bf4 Ra8 29.Rb8+ Rxb8 30.Bxb8 Kg7 31.h3 Kg8 32.f3 e6 33.g4 hxg4 34.hxg4 Be7 35.e4 f5 36.gxf5 gxf5 37.exf5 exf5 38.Ke2 Kf7 39.Bf4 Ke6 40.Bd2 Kd5 41.Bc1 Bd6 42.Bd2 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

**Wayne Komer** · Monday, 24th May, 2021, 04:15 PM

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

May 24, 2021

Day Two (continued)

Round Ten

Round 10, May 24
Firouzja, Alireza – Grischuk, Alexander
B40 Sicilian, Anderssen variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 Bb4 7.O-O Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nxe4 9.Qd3 d5 10.Ba3 Nd6 11.Qg3 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Nf5 13.Qh3 Bd7 14.Bd3 Qf6 15.Rab1 b6 16.Rfe1 Ne7 17.Bd6 Ng6 18.Qe3 Rd8 19.c3 Bc6 20.Ba3 Rd7 21.Qg3 Nf4 22.Bf1 Ng6 23.Bd3 Nf4 24.Bc2 g5 25.Bc1 h6 26.h4 Rg8 27.Bd2 Rc7 28.Re3 Kd7 29.Rbe1 Kc8 30.Rf3 Qg7 31.Bc1 Bb5 32.Bd1 Nh5 33.Qe5 gxh4 34.Qxg7 Nxg7 35.Bxh6 Nf5 36.Bf4 Rc6 37.Bc2 Nxd4 38.cxd4 Rxc2 39.Be5 f5 40.Bf6 Rg6 41.Bxh4 Rxa2 42.Rh3 Re2 43.Ra1 Kb7 44.Bg3 Rg7 45.Rh8 Rxg3 46.fxg3 a5 47.g4 fxg4 48.Rg8 Re4 49.Rd1 Bc4 50.Rg7+ Kc6 51.Rg8 a4 52.Ra8 Kb5 53.Kf2 Kb4 0-1

Round 10, May 24
Svidler, Peter – Ding, Liren
A08 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.O-O e6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.c4 Nc6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Nc3 O-O 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Ba5 Bxb3 14.Bxd8 Bxd1 15.Bxe7 Bxe2 16.Bxf8 Bxf1 17.Bxc6 Kxf8 18.Bxb7 Rb8 19.Kxf1 Rxb7 20.b3 Rc7 21.Rd1 Rc2 22.Rd5 Rxa2 23.Rxe5 Rb2 24.Ra5 Rxb3 25.Rxa7 g6 26.h4 h5 27.Kg2 Kg7 28.Ra8 Rb2 29.Ra7 Rb3 30.Ra8 Rb2 31.Ra7 Rb3 1/2-1/2

Round 10, May 24
Caruana, Fabiano – Giri, Anish
C78 Ruy Lopez, Archangel variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.Be3 O-O 10.h3 Re8 11.Nbd2 h6 12.Re1 exd4 13.cxd4 Nb4 14.d5 Nd3 15.Re2 Nh5 16.Bxb6 cxb6 17.Re3 Nxb2 18.Qc2 Nc4 19.Bxc4 bxc4 20.Qxc4 b5 21.Qd4 Nf4 22.Rae1 Ng6 23.e5 dxe5 24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.Rxe5 Rxe5 26.Rxe5 Bd7 27.Nb3 Qf6 28.Nc5 Rd8 29.Qe4 g6 30.g4 Kh7 31.Re7 Bc8 32.Rc7 Kg8 33.Kg2 h5 34.Qf3 Kg7 35.Ne4 Qxf3+ 36.Kxf3 hxg4+ 37.hxg4 Bd7 38.Nc5 Bxg4+ 39.Kxg4 Rxd5 40.f4 Kh6 41.Kf3 f5 42.Ke3 Rd6 43.Ra7 Rc6 44.Kd4 Rd6+ 45.Ke5 1-0

Fabiano Caruana beats and leapfrogs Anish Giri to move up to shared 1st place!

Round 10, May 24
Radjabov, Teimour – Pichot, Alan
A05 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Be2 h6 6.d3 Be7 7.Nbd2 Bh7 8.O-O O-O 9.c4 a5 10.a3 Nbd7 11.Qc2 Bd6 12.Bc3 Qe7 13.Qb2 c6 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 e5 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.d4 exd4 18.Nxd4 Ne5 19.c5 Bc7 20.N4f3 Neg4 21.Bd4 Ne4 22.h3 Ngf6 23.Nxe4 Bxe4 24.b5 Re8 25.Ra1 Kh7 26.Kf1 cxb5 27.Qxb5 Rb8 28.Ra7 Bxf3 29.gxf3 Qe6 30.Bd3+ Kg8 31.Rxb7 Qxh3+ 32.Ke2 Qc8 33.c6 Ra8 34.Bxf6 gxf6 35.Qxd5 Ra5 36.Qd7 1-0

Round 10, May 24
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – MVL
B22 Sicilian, Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Na3 a6 7.Nc4 Nbd7 8.Be2 b5 9.Ne3 Qc6 10.O-O Bb7 11.a4 b4 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Rd8 14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Bf3 Qc7 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nc4 Nb6 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Bxe7 Kxe7 20.Na5 Qc7 21.cxb4 Nd5 22.Rac1 Rb8 23.Qg3 Rxb4 24.Qxg7 Rbb8 25.Qg5+ Kd7 26.Qh5 Kc8 27.Nc4 Kb7 28.f4 Ka7 29.f5 Rhd8 30.fxe6 fxe6 31.Rf7 Rd7 32.Rcf1 Rbd8 33.Qxh7 Ne7 34.Nd6 Nf5 35.h3 c4 36.Rf4 Nxd6 37.exd6 Qxd6 38.Qe4 e5 39.Rxd7+ Rxd7 40.Qe3+ 1-0

Round 10, May 24
Nepo, Ian – So, Wesley
D41 QGD, Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.e4 dxe4 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Ng5 Be6 10.Nxe6+ fxe6 11.Bg5 h6 12.O-O-O+ Ke7 13.Bxf6+ gxf6 14.Nxe4 Bg7 15.Ng3 f5 16.Bd3 Nc6 17.Rhe1 Be5 18.Nxf5+ exf5 19.f4 Rad8 20.fxe5 Rhf8 21.Re3 Rd5 22.Rf1 f4 23.Rh3 Nxe5 24.Re1 Rf6 25.Be4 Rc5+ 26.Kb1 b6 27.b4 Rc4 28.a3 Rd4 29.Bb7 Kd6 30.Kc2 a5 31.Kc3 Rc4+ 32.Kb3 Rd4 33.Rh5 Rd3+ 34.Ka4 Nc4 35.Rc1 Rxa3+ 36.Kb5 Ne3 37.Rc6+ Ke7 38.Re5+ Kf7 39.Rc7+ Kf8 40.Be4 axb4 41.Kxb4 Ra5 1/2-1/2

Standings after Day Two

1-3 Radjabov, Caruana, Nakamura 6.5
4-5 Giri, So 6
6-9 MVL, Ding, Svidler, Carlsen 5.5
10 Mamedyarov 5
11-12 Nepo, Aronian 4.5
13-14 Firouzja, Dubov 4
15 Grischuk 3
16 Pichot 1.5

**Hans Jung** · Monday, 24th May, 2021, 05:14 PM

Aronian lovely coordinated pieces against Grischuk rd 6.
Giri vs Svidler dueling checkmates but Peter saw further (rd 8).
Aronian nice tactics against Carlsen. (rd 10)

**Hans Jung** · Tuesday, 25th May, 2021, 11:59 AM

Rd 11 Entertaining game of the round Dubov - Firoujza Pawn chains and pawn levers. And what was Firoujza doing with his knights anyways? Well then ...Ne5 happened! and then the breakthough.

Maximum effort MVL - Nepo

**Hans Jung** · Tuesday, 25th May, 2021, 01:51 PM

Rd 13 Entertaining game of the round Nakamura - Firoujza. Firoujza played the Benko Gambit and it was pressure all the way until the most entertaining part - the king hunt at the end!

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

FTX Crypto Cup 2021

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