Superbet Chess Classic 2021

[Hans Jung]

Even the great Aronian succumbs to the Shak's tactics.

[Hans Jung]

Did MVL miss a win?

[Wayne Komer]

Superbet Chess Classic 2021

June 12, 2021

Round Seven

Round 7, June 12
Caruana, Fabiano – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nc3 Nd4 6.Ba4 c6 7.O-O d6 8.Nxd4 Bxd4 9.h3 g5 10.Ne2 Bb6 11.c3 Rg8 12.d4 Nxe4 13.Bc2 d5 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.dxe5 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 g4 17.h4 g3 18.Nd4 Bd8 19.fxg3 Rxg3 20.Re1 Rg4 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.hxg5 Ke7 23.Rad1 Bd7 24.e6 fxe6 25.g6 hxg6 26.Nb3 e5 27.Na5 Be6 28.Rd2 Rb8 29.b4 Kf6 30.a4 Rg3 31.Rxe4 Bd5 32.Rh4 Rxc3 33.Rh7 b6 34.Nxc6 Bxc6 35.Rc7 Rc1+ 36.Kf2 Rf8 37.b5 Ke6+ 38.Kg3 Rc3+ 39.Kh2 Rh8+ 40.Kg1 Rh1+ 41.Kxh1 Bxg2+ 42.Rxg2 Rxc7 43.Rxg6+ Kd5 44.a5 Kc5 45.axb6 axb6 46.Re6 Kxb5 47.Rxe5+ Rc5 48.Re1 Rg5 0-1

Mamedyarov's 9...g5!? was a trademark move, but 10.Nd5!? might have boosted Caruana's chances of beating and catching the leader!

Round 7, June 12
Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander
D40 QGD, Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 a6 8.O-O b5 9.Ba2 Bb7 10.d5 exd5 11.Nxd5 Be7 12.e4 O-O 13.Bf4 c4 14.Re1 Re8 15.Qd2 Bc5 16.Bg5 Be7 17.h4 h6 18.Bf4 Bc5 19.Bc7 Qc8 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Qf4 Nd4 22.Nxd4 Bxd4 23.Rad1 Bc5 24.Bb1 Bf8 25.Re3 Bg7 26.Rg3 Kh8 27.e5 Qe6 28.Bf5 Qe7 29.Rd7 1-0

Levon Aronian bounces back to beat leader Alexander Grischuk - if Mamedyarov beats Caruana he'll have a full-point lead with 2 rounds to go:

Round 7, June 12
Radjabov, Teimour – So, Wesley
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Bxc4 c5 9.e5 Qd8 10.O-O cxd4 11.Ne4 O-O 12.Qe2 Be7 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.Ng3 Bd7 15.Nh5 g6 16.Bd3 Bc6 17.Nxd4 Nd7 18.Rfe1 Nxe5 19.Qxe5 Qxe5 20.Rxe5 gxh5 21.Nxc6 bxc6 22.Rxh5 Kg7 23.Kf1 Rfd8 24.Ke2 Rd5 25.Rh3 Rad8 26.Rg3+ Kf8 27.Bc2 Re5+ 28.Re3 Rxe3+ 29.fxe3 Rxd1 30.Kxd1 Bf6 31.Be4 Bxb2 32.Bxc6 a5 33.a4 Be5 34.g3 Ke7 35.Ke2 Kf8 36.Kd1 Ke7 37.Ke2 Kf8 38.Kd1 1/2-1/2

Round 7, June 12
Giri, Anish – MVL
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.d4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 g6 7.e3 Bg7 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Bd3 O-O 10.O-O Qa5 11.Qb3 Qc7 12.Rb1 b6 13.Ba3 Nc6 14.dxc5 Be6 15.cxb6 axb6 16.Qxb6 Qxb6 17.Rxb6 Rxa3 18.Rxc6 Bd5 19.Rc5 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Bxc3 21.Bc4 Bb4 22.Rb5 Bd6 23.Rc1 Rfa8 24.f4 Kg7 25.Bb3 R8a5 26.Rd5 Rxd5 27.Bxd5 h6 28.h3 g5 29.fxg5 hxg5 30.Bb3 Ra5 31.a4 Rc5 32.Rb1 Kf6 33.Kg2 Bc7 34.Bd1 Rd5 35.Rc1 Bd6 36.Be2 Rc5 37.Ra1 Rc3 38.a5 Ra3 39.Rxa3 Bxa3 40.Kf3 e6 41.Bd3 Ke7 42.Kg4 Kf6 43.a6 Bc5 44.Bb5 Ba7 45.Be8 Ke7 46.Bxf7 Kxf7 47.Kxg5 Kg7 48.h4 e5 49.Kf5 Bb8 50.Ke4 1-0

Round 7, June 12
Lupulescu, Constantin – Deac, Bogdan-Daniel
A22 English Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.e3 Nc6 4.a3 g6 5.d4 exd4 6.exd4 d5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Be2 Be6 10.cxd5 Bxd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Bh6 Re8 13.O-O Bf6 14.Rc1 a6 15.Bc4 Qd6 16.Ba2 Bg7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qb3 Nce7 19.Rfe1 Qb6 20.Qxb6 cxb6 21.Re5 Red8 22.g3 Rd7 23.Re2 f6 24.Bxd5 Nxd5 25.Rec2 g5 26.Kf1 Re8 27.Re2 Red8 28.Ne1 Kf7 29.Nc2 b5 30.Ne3 Ne7 31.Rd2 h5 32.Rcd1 Nc8 33.d5 Nd6 34.Rc2 Kg6 35.Rd4 Re8 36.h4 Ne4 37.Kg2 Nd6 38.Kf1 Rde7 39.Rc1 Ne4 40.Ng2 Nd6 41.Ne3 Rf7 42.Kg2 Re5 43.Kg1 Rd7 44.Kf1 Rde7 45.Kg2 Rd7 46.Kf1 Rde7 47.Kg2 gxh4 48.gxh4 Re4 49.Rcd1 f5 50.Kf3 Kf6 51.Ng2 Ke5 52.Rxe4+ fxe4+ 53.Ke2 Nc4 54.Ne3 Nxb2 55.d6 Rd7 56.Rd5+ Ke6 57.Rxh5 Kxd6 58.Rh8 Nc4 59.h5 Ke5 60.Re8+ Kf4 61.Rf8+ Kg5 62.Rf5+ Kh4 63.Nxc4 bxc4 64.Rc5 b5 65.a4 Rh7 66.axb5 axb5 67.Rxb5 Rxh5 68.Rb8 Rc5 69.Re8 c3 70.Rxe4+ Kh3 71.Kd1 c2+ 72.Kc1 Kg2 73.Re2 Kf3 74.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 75.Kxc2 Kxf2 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Seven

1 Mamedyarov 5
2-3 Grischuk, So 4
4-7 Deac, Aronian, Giri, Radjabov 3.5
8 Caruana 3
9-10 Lupulescu, MVL 2.5

After beating world no. 2 Caruana today, Mamedyarov leads So and Grischuk by a full point going into the final two rounds of the Superbet Chess

[Hans Jung]

The older I get the more interesting I find endgames. Giri - MVL looked superficially to be headed to a bishops of opposite colour ending ( so assumption draw) but Giri found the entertaining Be8 and Bxf7 and all of a sudden with the sacrificed bishop more passed pawns then he needed and a nice win.
Fabulous Fabi - Shak was humorous (or I found it so) in the bizarre pawn play that just ended up winning the endgame for Shak.
Grischuk's Nd4 was too relaxed and then Bc5 was all Levon needed to find his way to the king (on which he had his eye all the time)
This tournament might end up being the Shaks.

[Hans Jung]

In rd 8 Shak forces a draw to at least tie for first in the tournament.

[Wayne Komer]

Superbet Chess Classic 2021

June 13, 2021

Round Eight

Round 8, June 13
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – 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.O-O Bg4 13.Rxb7 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Bxd4 15.e5 Na6 16.Rxe7 Rad8 17.e6 fxe6 18.Qe1 Nc5 19.Bc3 Nd3 20.Bxd4 Nxe1 21.Rg7+ Kh8 22.Rd7+ Kg8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rd7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ 1/2-1/2

Round 8, June 13
Grischuk, Alexander – Caruana, Fabiano
C78 Ruy Lopez, Moeller Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.a4 Bg4 10.axb5 axb5 11.Rxa8 Qxa8 12.h3 Bh5 13.Re1 h6 14.g4 Bg6 15.Be3 exd4 16.cxd4 O-O 17.d5 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Na5 19.Bc2 Nc4 20.Re1 Nxb2 21.Qd4 Nc4 22.Bd3 Qa4 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Nc3 Qc2 25.Qd2 Qb3 26.Nd4 Qa3 27.Ndb5 Qa5 28.Nd4 Re8 29.f3 Nd7 30.Kg2 Ne5 31.Rb1 Ra8 32.Kg3 Nd3 33.Nde2 Qc5 34.Nf4 Ne5 35.Qf2 Qa5 36.Qd4 Kh7 37.Nfe2 f6 38.f4 c5 39.dxc6 Nxc6 40.Qxd6 Rc8 41.Rb7 Qd8 42.Rd7 Qf8 43.Qxf8 Rxf8 44.Rc7 Be8 45.Rc8 Kg8 46.Nd5 Bd7 47.Rc7 Rd8 48.Kf2 Be8 49.Ng3 Nd4 50.Rxc4 Nb5 51.Nf5 Kf8 52.h4 Bd7 53.Nfe3 Nd6 54.Rd4 Bc6 55.Rb4 h5 56.Nc3 hxg4 57.Nxg4 Bxe4 58.Nxe4 Nxe4+ 59.Rxe4 f5 60.Re5 fxg4 61.Kg3 Kf7 62.Kxg4 Rd1 63.Rf5+ Kg8 64.Re5 Kf7 65.Rf5+ Kg8 66.Re5 Kf7 1/2-1/2

Position after Black’s 55….h5



Caruana finds 55...h5!, and today, unlike yesterday, a pawn sac may save him!

Round 8, June 13
So, Wesley – MVL
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bc4 Nd3+ 7.Ke2 Nf4+ 8.Kf1 Ne6 9.h4 Nd4 10.Nb5 Ndc6 11.d4 a6 12.d5 axb5 13.Bxb5 e6 14.Qe2 Be7 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Rh3 O-O 17.Rg3 Bxh4 18.Nxh4 Qxh4 19.Rh3 Qf6 20.Qh5 h6 21.Rg3 Kh7 22.Bxc6 bxc6 23.Kg1 Ra4 24.e5 Qh4 25.Qxh4 Rxh4 26.Rc3 Re4 27.Rxc5 Re1+ 28.Kh2 Rd8 29.Bg5 Rxa1 30.Bxd8 Rxa2 31.Rxc6 Bb7 32.Rc7 Bd5 33.Rxf7 Rxb2 34.Bf6 Rb7 35.Rxb7 Bxb7 36.Bd8 Bd5 37.Bc7 Bb7 38.Bd8 Bd5 39.Bc7 Bb7 40.Bd8 1/2-1/2

Round 8, June 13
Deac, Bogdan-Daniel – Aronian, Levon
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Be2 Ngf6 7.O-O e6 8.Rd1 Be7 9.Nc3 Qc7 10.a4 O-O 11.a5 Rd8 12.Be3 Ng4 13.Bg5 Ngf6 14.Qc4 Qxc4 15.Bxc4 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Be2 Bb7 18.Nd2 Rd7 19.Bd3 Rc7 20.f3 d5 21.Be3 dxe4 22.Ndxe4 Nfd5 23.Bd4 f6 24.b3 Kf7 25.Nxd5 Nxd5 26.Bc4 a5 27.c3 g5 28.Ra4 f5 29.Ng3 Bc5 30.Bxc5 Rxc5 31.Bxd5 Bxd5 32.c4 Bc6 33.Ra3 a4 34.Rda1 Rg8 35.bxa4 g4 36.f4 Rxc4 37.Ne2 Rb8 38.R3a2 Bd5 39.a5 Rcb4 40.Rd2 Rb2 41.Rad1 Rxd2 42.Rxd2 Ra8 43.Nc3 Rxa5 44.Kf2 Bc6 45.Nd1 Ra4 46.g3 Ra1 47.Nb2 Rh1 48.Nd3 Rxh2+ 49.Ke3 Rxd2 50.Kxd2 Ke7 51.Ne5 Kd6 52.Ke3 Kd5 53.Kd3 Be8 54.Ke3 h5 55.Nd3 Kc4 56.Ne5+ Kc3 57.Nd3 h4 58.gxh4 g3 59.Ne5 Bh5 60.Nd7 e5 61.Nxe5 Kc2 62.Nd3 Kd1 0-1

Round 8, June 13
Radjabov, Teimour – Lupulescu, Constantin
B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Bd7 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O e6 9.f4 b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Kb1 Qb6 12.Nce2 b4 13.f5 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 e5 15.Nf3 h5 16.Bc4 Rc8 17.Qd5 Rh7 18.Nd2 Bc6 19.Qd3 a5 20.Bd5 Bb5 21.Bc4 Bc6 22.Bd5 Bb5 23.Bc4 Bd7 24.Rhe1 a4 25.Nf1 Bh6 26.b3 Ke7 27.Qe2 h4 28.Rd3 axb3 29.cxb3 Bb5 30.Bxb5 Qxb5 31.Nd2 Bxd2 32.Qxd2 Qb6 33.Rd1 Rc6 34.g4 hxg3 35.hxg3 Rg7 36.Qe2 Rg8 37.g4 Qc5 38.Rd5 Qc3 39.R5d3 Qc5 40.Rd5 Qc3 41.R5d3 Qc5 1/2-1/2

At one point, Radjabov let his clock run down to only 4 seconds and when he moved the whole broadcasting team back in St. Louis cheered.

Olimpiu G. Urcan (tweet) - Win, lose, or draw, you've got to respect the players who use every goddamn second in a classical game. That's hard work.

Standings after Round Eight

1 Mamedyarov 5.5
2-4 Aronian, Grischuk, So 4.5
5-6 Giri Radjabov 4
7-8 Deac, Caruana 3.5
9-10 Lupulescu, MVL 3

[Wayne Komer]

Superbet Chess Classic 2021

June 14, 2021

Round Nine

Round 9, June 14
MVL – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C47 Four Knights, Scotch variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.O-O O-O 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 Bd6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxf6 gxf6 14.Ne2 c5 15.Rad1 Bg4 16.h3 Bxe2 17.Bxe2 d4 18.Bc4 Rab8 19.b3 Bc7 20.Rd3 Ba5 21.Rf3 Kg7 22.Rg3+ Kh8 23.Rf3 Kg7 24.Rg3+ Kh8 25.Rf3 Kg7 1/2-1/2

Round 9, June 14
Giri, Anish – Grischuk, Alexander
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 a6 8.Nbd2 Ba7 9.O-O Qe7 10.b4 Be6 11.a4 O-O 12.b5 Nb8 13.d4 axb5 14.Bxe6 Qxe6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.axb5 Nd7 17.Nc4 Qe6 18.Qd3 exd4 19.cxd4 Bb6 20.h3 Rae8 21.Rfe1 d5 22.exd5 Qxd5 23.Ne3 Qe4 24.Qc4 Nf6 25.Ng4 Qf5 26.Nxf6+ Qxf6 27.Qd5 Rb8 28.Re5 Rbd8 29.Qe4 Qg6 30.Qxb7 Rxd4 31.Nxd4 Bxd4 32.Ree1 Bxa1 33.Rxa1 Qd6 34.Rc1 Re8 35.Qc6 Qxc6 36.Rxc6 Re5 37.Rxc7 Rxb5 38.Rc8+ Kh7 39.Rc7 Kg8 40.Rc8+ Kh7 41.Rc7 Kg8 42.Rc8+ 1/2-1/2

Round 9, June 14
Aronian, Levon – 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 9, June 14
Lupulescu, Constantin – So, Wesley
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5 7.Nf3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Bg5 Ba6 10.Qa4 h6 11.Bh4 c5 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Rd1 Qb6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.e3 Bxf1 16.Kxf1 Nc6 17.g3 Qb7 18.Kg2 Ne5 19.Qf4 Kg7 20.e4 Nxf3 21.Qxf3 Qxb2 22.Rd7 Rfd8 23.Rhd1 Rxd7 24.Rxd7 Qe5 25.Qg4+ Kf8 26.Qe2 Rb8 27.Rxa7 f5 28.Qh5 Qxe4+ 29.f3 Rb2+ 30.Kh3 Rxh2+ 31.Kxh2 Qe2+ 32.Kg1 Qe1+ 33.Kg2 Qe2+ 34.Kg1 Qe1+ 35.Kg2 Qe2+ 36.Kg1 1/2-1/2

Round 9, June 14
Caruana, Fabiano – Deac, Bogdan-Daniel
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Be7 5.d3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 e5 7.e4 d4 8.Nc4 Nd7 9.a4 O-O 10.b3 Re8 11.h4 Bb4 12.Bg5 f6 13.Bd2 Rb8 14.h5 a6 15.a5 Nf8 16.Nh4 b5 17.axb6 cxb6 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Qd2 Nc6 20.Nf5 g6 21.Nh4 b5 22.Na5 Nxa5 23.Rxa5 Rb6 24.Raa1 Qe7 25.hxg6 hxg6 26.f4 Qh7 27.fxe5 fxe5 28.Rf2 Qg7 29.c3 dxc3 30.Qxc3 Ne6 31.Nf3 Rd6 32.Rc1 Bd7 33.Nxe5 Nd4 34.Nxd7 Qxd7 35.b4 Qg4 36.Re1 Rd7 37.Re3 Qg5 38.Qc1 Kg7 39.Bh3 Rde7 40.Kg2 Rh8 41.Re1 Qh5 42.Rh1 Qe5 43.Qb2 Nc6 44.Rc1 Qxb2 45.Rxb2 Ne5 46.Rd1 Rd8 47.d4 Nc6 48.d5 Rd6 49.Rf1 Ne5 50.Be6 Rc7 51.Ra1 Rc4 52.Rba2 Rxe4 53.Rxa6 Rxa6 54.Rxa6 Rxb4 55.Kf2 Ra4 56.Rb6 Ra2+ 57.Kf1 Nc4 58.Rxb5 Kf6 59.Ke1 Nd6 60.Rb3 Ke5 61.Kd1 Rg2 62.g4 Ne4 63.Ke1 Rh2 64.Ra3 Rb2 65.Bf7 g5 66.Be6 Nf6 67.Ra5 Rb4 68.Ke2 Nxg4 69.Bxg4 Rxg4 70.Kf3 Rd4 71.Kg3 Rxd5 72.Rxd5+ Kxd5 73.Kg4 Ke4 74.Kxg5 1/2-1/2

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov wins the Superbet Chess Classic by a full point ahead of Aronian, Grischuk & So! Caruana is fighting to get back to 50% in the remaining game against Deac

Final Standings

1 Mamedyarov 6
2-4 Aronian, Grischuk, So 5
5-6 Giri, Radjabov 4.5
7-8 Deac, Caruana 4
9-10 Lupulescu, MVL 3.5

Reminder: Paris Rapid & Blitz 2021 starts in Paris on June 16.

https://forum.chesstalk.com/forum/ch...021#post213604

Mark on your event calendar:

2021 Croatia Grand Chess Tour July 5-12
2021 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz August 9-16
2021 Sinquefield Cup August 16-28

[Hans Jung]

Fab Fabi kept the home fans entertained two hours after the other games finished and made them happy when Deac got a draw.