Gelfand Challenge 2021

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 10, 2021

The $100,000 Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour returns today with the Gelfand Challenge offering talented youngsters another chance to break into the bigtime.

The fast-paced online chess event pits 20 of the world’s top young chess stars against each other in a unique team battle spanning four days.

Team Polgar for the Gelfand Challenge

Awonder Liang
Polina Shuvalova
Vincent Keymer
Gukesh D
Zhansaya Abdumalik
Sara Khadem
Nihal Sarin
Zhu Jiner
Volodar Murzin
Gunay Mammadzada

Team Kramnik

Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Praggnananadhaa
Olga Badelka
Dinara Saduakassova
Nurgyul Salimova
Carissa Yip
Christopher Yoo
Jonas Bjerre
Volodar Murzin
Lei Tingjie


At the start of the four-event tour, the players were divided into two teams headed by chess greats Judit Polgar and Vladimir Kramnik.
Each player receives special coaching from a pool of tutors throughout the Tour as the two team leaders compete to improve their charges.
Team Polgar is currently in the lead after winning the Polgar Challenge 96.5 points to 88. Team Kramnik will be hoping to close that gap before the Tour reaches the half-way stage.

Players from both teams will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of 15-year-old Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa, the current tour leader.
Praggnanandhaa triumphed in the first Polgar Challenge and won a place on the prestigious Meltwater Champions Chess Tour.
The youngster found himself up against the world’s best, including World Champion Magnus Carlsen, in the New in Chess Classic.

Tournament schedule

Polgar Challenge April 8-11
Gelfand Challenge June 10-13
Hou Yifan Challenge July 15-18
Kramnik Challenge August 12-15

New GM in the Gelfand Challenge

Since the last event, the Tour has a new Grandmaster. Kazakhstan’s Zhansaya Abdumalik earned the title at the start of this month while winning the Gibraltar FIDE Women’s Grand Prix in truly spectacular style.

The American Christopher Yoo is also on the road to becoming a GM having just made his first grandmaster norm.

In a tweak to the line-up, four reserve players have also been added after Dinara Saduakassova was forced to withdraw from the Polgar Challenge after connection issues.

Reserves

The reserves are India’s Vaishali R and Aditya Mittal, Yahli Sokolovsky from Israel and Russia’s Leya Garifullina.

The format is once again a 20-player round-robin held online on chess24, with five rounds on the first three days and four on the last.

The time control is 10 minutes for all moves, with a 5-second increment from move 1.


Play begins at 15:00 CEST Thursday, June 10. That is 9 AM Toronto/Montreal time

https://challengerschesstour.com/gel...st-each-other/

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 10, 2021

Day One

Rounds 1 to 5

Round One

Yip, Carissa – Keymer, V. 0-1
Nihal Sarin – Abdusattorov 0-1
Zhu, Jiner – Murzin, V 0-1
Mendonca, L – Khademalshar 0-1
Praggna – Liang, A 0-1
Bjerre, J.B. – Salimova 0.5-0.5
Lei, Tinjie – Badelka, Olga 1-0
Abdumalik, Z. – Gukesh, D. 0-1
Shuvalova, P. – Yoo, C. 0-1
Mammadzada – Saduakoassova 0-1

Round Two

Keymer, V. – Saduakassova 1-0
Yoo, C. – Mammadzada 0-1
Gukesh, D. – Shuvalova 1-0
Badelka, Olga – Abdumalik, Z. 1-0
Salimova, N. – Lei, Tingjie 0.5-0.5
Liang, A. – Bjerre, J. 1-0
Khademalshar – Pragg 0-1
Murzin, V. – Mendonca, L 0-1
Abdusattorov – Zhu, Jiner 0.5-0.5
Yip, Carissa – Nihal Sarin 0.5-0.5

Round Three

Nihal Sarin – Keymer, V. 1-0
Zhu, Jiner – Yip, Carissa 1-0
Mendonca, L. – Abdusattorov 0-1
Pragg – Murzin, V. 1-0
Bjerre, J. – Khademalshar 1-0
Lei, Tingjie – Liang, A. 0-1
Abdumalik, Z. – Salimova, N. 1-0
Shuvalova – Badelka, Olga 1-0
Mammadzada – Gukesh, D. 0.5-0.5
Saduakassova – Yoo, C. 0.5-0.5

Round Four

Keymer, V. – Yoo, C. 0.5-0.5
Gukesh, D. – Saduakassova 0.5-0.5
Badelka, Olga – Mammadzada 0-1
Salimova, N – Shuvalova, P. 1-0
Liang, A. – Abdumalik, Z. 1-0
Khademalshar – Lei, Tinjie 0.5-0.5
Murzin, V. – Bjerre, J. B. 1-0
Abdusattorov – Pragg 1-0
Yip, Carissa – Mendonca 0-1
Nihal Sarin – Zhu, Jiner 1-0

Round Five

Zhu, Jiner – Keymer, V. 0-1
Mendonca – Nihal Sarin 0.5-0.5
Pragg – Yip, Carissa 1-0
Bjerre – Abdusattorov 0.5-0.5
Lei, Tingjie – Murzin, V. 1-0
Abdumalik, Z. – Khademalshar 0.5-0.5
Shuvalova – Liang, A. 0-1
Mammadzada – Salimova 1-0
Saduakassova – Badelka, Olga 1-0
Yoo, C. – Gukesh, D. 1-0

Standings after Round Five

1 Liang 5
2 Abdusattorov 4
3-4 Mammadzada, Keymer 3.5
5-10 Yoo, Saduakassova, Gukesh, Pragg, Nihal, Lei 3
11 Mendonca 2.5
12-15 Bjerre, Murzin, Salimova, Khademalsharieh 2
16-17 Abdumalik, Zhu 1.5
18-19 Shuvalova, Badelka 1
20 Yip 0.5

Selected Games from Rounds 1-5

Round 1, June 10
Yip, Carissa – Keymer, Vincent
A11 English, Caro-Kann

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Bg4 4.c4 e6 5.O-O Nd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.d3 Bc5 8.h3 Bh5 9.Qc2 Ne7 10.e4 O-O 11.Nc3 Bb6 12.Bg5 f6 13.Bd2 Bf7 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.d4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Bc7 17.Bb4 Re8 18.Nd6 Bxd6 19.Bxd6 Nb6 20.Bc5 Qd7 21.Nd2 Nf5 22.Be4 Bg6 23.Rad1 Nd5 24.Nc4 b6 25.Ba3 b5 26.h4 Rxe4 27.Qxe4 Nfe3 28.Qf3 Nxc4 0-1

Round 1, June 10
Nihal Sarin – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Be4 5.f3 Bg6 6.e6 Qd6 7.exf7+ Bxf7 8.Nc3 Nd7 9.f4 g5 10.fxg5 O-O-O 11.Be3 Bg7 12.Qd2 e5 13.O-O-O Ne7 14.Nf3 Rhf8 15.Bh3 Ng6 16.Rhf1 Be6 17.Rde1 e4 18.Ng1 Nb6 19.b3 Nd7 20.Rf5 Nh4 21.Ref1 a6 22.Kb1 Ng6 23.R1f2 Nh4 24.Bf4 Qe7 25.Be3 Qd6 26.Bf4 Qe7 27.Bg3 Bxf5 28.gxf5 e3 29.Nxd5 cxd5 30.Qa5 Be5 31.Bxe5 Qxe5 32.dxe5 exf2 33.Nf3 Rxf5 34.Nxh4 f1=Q+ 35.Bxf1 Rxf1+ 36.Kb2 Re8 37.Qxd5 Nxe5 38.g6 hxg6 39.Nxg6 Re1 40.Nf4 Nc6 41.h4 Rd8 42.Qf5+ Kb8 43.Ne6 Rdd1 44.Qf4+ Ka7 45.Qf2+ Kb8 46.Nc5 Nd4 47.Qf7 Rb1+ 48.Kc3 Nb5+ 49.Kb4 Nd6 50.Qd7 Rbd1 51.Qd8+ Ka7 52.Nd7 Re8 53.Qb6+ Ka8 54.Qf2 Nc8 55.Nc5 Rd5 56.c4 Rde5 57.h5 Rh8 58.h6 Rxh6 59.Qf4 Rb6+ 60.Ka3 Rxc5 61.Qf8 Rbc6 62.Qf4 Na7 63.Qf8+ Rc8 64.Qd6 Ra5+ 65.Kb2 Nc6 66.Qe6 Rh8 67.Qe2 Rah5 68.Qe3 Rh2+ 69.Ka3 Rg2 70.Qf3 Rhh2 71.Qf8+ Nb8 0-1

Round 1, June 10
Praggnanandhaa, R. – Liang, Awonder
E46 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd2 b6 6.Nf3 Bb7 7.Bd3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Rc1 a6 10.O-O Bd6 11.Ne5 c5 12.f4 Nc6 13.Be1 cxd4 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Ne2 Bb5 16.Nxd4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Ne4 18.Nf5 g6 19.Nh6+ Kg7 20.Qxd5 Qe7 21.Ng4 Rad8 22.Rc4 Rfe8 23.Rxe4 Qxe4 24.Bc3+ Kf8 25.Qg5 Qf5 26.Qh6+ Ke7 27.Bf6+ Kd7 28.Ne5+ Bxe5 29.fxe5 Qe4 30.Bxd8 Kxd8 31.Rxf7 Qxe5 32.Qh4+ g5 33.Qd4+ Qxd4 34.exd4 Re2 35.Rxh7 Rxb2 36.a3 Ra2 37.Rg7 Rxa3 38.Rxg5 b5 39.h4 b4 40.Rg8+ Kc7 41.d5 Ra5 42.Rg5 Rb5 43.h5 b3 44.Rg7+ Kd6 45.Rg6+ Kxd5 46.Rg5+ Ke6 47.Rg6+ Kf7 48.Rxa6 b2 49.Ra7+ Kg8 0-1

Round 2, June 10
Liang, Awonder – Bjerre, J.B.
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.f4 Nf6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.Nf3 g6 7.O-O Bg7 8.d3 Ba6 9.Kh1 O-O 10.Qe1 c4 11.d4 Qa5 12.f5 gxf5 13.e5 dxe5 14.dxe5 Ng4 15.Bf4 f6 16.exf6 exf6 17.Qe6+ Kh8 18.Nd4 Qb6 19.Qxf5 Bc8 20.Qe4 f5 21.Qxc6 Qxd4 22.Qxa8 Nf2+ 23.Rxf2 Qxf2 24.Qb8 Qxc2 25.Be5 Re8 26.Bxg7+ Kxg7 27.Qc7+ Kh8 28.Qc6 Rg8 29.Re1 Be6 30.Qb7 Qf2 31.Rg1 f4 32.Qe7 Qe3 33.Qf6+ Rg7 34.Qf8+ Rg8 35.Qf6+ Rg7 36.Nb5 f3 37.Qxf3 Qxf3 38.gxf3 Rb7 39.Nd4 Bf7 40.Rg2 c3 41.bxc3 Rb1+ 42.Rg1 Rxg1+ 43.Kxg1 Bxa2 44.Kf2 Kg7 45.Ke3 Kf6 46.Kd3 Ke5 47.c4 Kd6 48.Kc3 a5 49.f4 Bb1 50.Nb3 a4 51.Nd2 Bf5 52.Kb4 Bd7 53.Ne4+ Kc6 54.Kxa4 Bf5 55.Ng3 Bg6 56.Kb4 h5 57.f5 Bf7 58.Ne4 Kd7 59.Kc5 Ke7 60.Kd4 Be8 61.c5 Bd7 62.Ke5 1-0

Round 2, June 10
Khademalsharieh, S. – Pragg, R.
E67 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4 b6 9.Re1 exd4 10.Nxd4 Bb7 11.Be3 c6 12.h3 Qc7 13.Rc1 Rad8 14.Qc2 Rfe8 15.Rcd1 a6 16.f4 Re7 17.g4 h6 18.Nde2 Qb8 19.Ng3 b5 20.cxb5 cxb5 21.a3 Ree8 22.Qf2 Ba8 23.Bf3 a5 24.Ba7 Qb7 25.Rxd6 Bf8 26.Rdd1 Qc7 27.Be3 b4 28.axb4 axb4 29.Nb5 Qb8 30.Nd4 Nc5 31.e5 Nd5 32.Nc6 Bxc6 33.Bxc5 Nxf4 34.Kh2 Bxc5 35.Qxc5 Bxf3 36.Rxd8 Rxd8 37.Rf1 Rd2+ 0-1

Round 3, June 10
Nihal Sarin – Keymer, Vincent
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Be4 5.f3 Bg6 6.e6 fxe6 7.h4 h5 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Qd6 10.Ne2 Nd7 11.Bf4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Qc3 d4 14.Nxd4 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Qxd4 16.Nc3 e5 17.Bg5 hxg4 18.Qf5 Ne7 19.Qe6 Qd7 20.Qxe5 Qf5 21.Qe3 O-O-O 22.Rf1 Qxc2 23.Rf2 Qg6 24.Qxa7 g3 25.Qa8+ Kc7 26.Nb5+ cxb5 27.Rc1+ Kd7 28.Rd2+ Ke6 29.Qxd8 Kf7 30.Re2 g2 31.Rxg2 Qe4+ 32.Re2 Qb4+ 33.Kf1 Rxh4 34.Rf2+ Kg6 35.Bxh4 Qxh4 36.Qd3+ Kh6 37.Qe3+ g5 38.Kg2 Qg4+ 39.Kh1 Ng6 40.Rg1 Qh5+ 41.Rh2 Nh4 42.Rxg5 Qxg5 43.Rxh4+ Kg6 44.Qe4+ Kf6 45.Rf4+ Kg7 46.Rg4 1-0

Round 4, June 10
Liang, Awonder – Abdumalik, Zhansaya
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 Nd3 9.h4 e6 10.Rh3 Nf4 11.Rg3 Nh5 12.Rg5 g6 13.Ne5 Bg7 14.d3 h6 15.Rxh5 gxh5 16.Qxh5 Qf6 17.Bb5+ Kf8 18.Nf3 Qe7 19.a4 a6 20.Bc4 Nc6 21.e5 Rb8 22.Ne4 b5 23.axb5 axb5 24.Be3 Kg8 25.Bb3 c4 26.dxc4 bxc4 27.Bxc4 Qb4 28.b3 Rh7 29.Kg1 Na5 30.Bc5 Qb7 31.Nd6 Qc7 32.Rxa5 Bf8 33.b4 Qc6 34.Bd3 Rg7 35.Be4 Qc7 36.Ra7 Qd8 37.Rxf7 Ba6 38.Ng5 1-0

Round 4, June 10
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – Pragg
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Romanishin-Kasparov System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 d6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.Qd3 e5 9.Nd2 Qe7 10.O-O Re8 11.e4 b6 12.Re1 Ba6 13.Ba3 Nd7 14.f4 Qf6 15.Bh3 Bc8 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.d5 Na5 19.Nb3 Nb7 20.c5 bxc5 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Bxc5 Qg6 23.Rf1 h5 24.c4 Bh3 25.Rf2 a5 26.Ba3 Rad8 27.Re1 h4 28.c5 hxg3 29.Qxg3 Qxg3+ 30.hxg3 f5 31.Rd2 fxe4 32.Rxe4 Bf5 33.Re1 e4 34.Kf2 Re5 35.d6 cxd6 36.cxd6 Bd7 37.Ke3 Rde8 38.Rd4 Rg5 39.Rg1 Rg4 40.Bb2 Re6 41.Rd5 a4 42.Be5 Rg5 43.Kd4 Re8 44.Re1 Be6 45.Rc5 Rd8 46.a3 Bf5 47.Bf4 Rh5 48.Rxe4 Bxe4 49.Rxh5 Bg6 50.Ra5 Kf7 51.Ra7+ Kf6 52.Be5+ Kf5 53.Rxg7 Bh5 54.Bf4 Bd1 55.Kc5 Bf3 56.Re7 Kf6 57.Be5+ Kf5 58.d7 Rxd7 59.Rxd7 Kxe5 60.Rd4 1-0

Round 5, June 10
Shuvalova, Polina – Liang, Awonder
B01 Scandinavian Defence

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 a6 9.Bf4 b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.Ne5 Nd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.a4 b4 14.a5 Nc6 15.Qd2 Qe8 16.Bf3 Rd8 17.Bxd5 Rxd5 18.c3 Nxa5 19.Qe2 bxc3 20.bxc3 Bxe5 21.dxe5 Qc6 22.Ra4 Qxa4 0-1

[Hans Jung]

Awonder Liang made his merry way in the lead until round 7 when an incredible fighting game occurred between Awonder and Dinara Saduakassova. Awonder was holding his own in the tactical slugfest until a final blunder. He then lost the next two games to lose his chances for the lead. Sad but it happens in chess.

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 11, 2021

Day Two

Rounds 6 to 10

Round Six

Keymer-Gukesh 1-0
Badelka-Yoo 0-1
Salimova-Saduakassova 0.5-0.5
Liang-Mammadzada 1-0
Khademalsharieh-Shuvalova 1-0
Murzin-Abdumalik 1-0
Yip-Bjerre 0-1
Abdusattorov-Lei 1-0
Nihal Sarin-Pragg 0-1
Zhu-Mendonca 0-1

Round Seven

Mendonca-Keymer 0-1
Pragg-Zhu 1-0
Bjerre-Nihal Sarin 0.5-0.5
Lei-Yip 0-1
Abdualik-Abdusattorov 0-1
Shuvalova-Murzin 0.5-0.5
Mammadzada-Khademalshar 1-0
Saduakassova-Liang 1-0
Yoo-Salimova 1-0
Gukesh-Badelka 1-0

Round Eight

Keymer-Badelka 1-0
Salimova-Gukesh 0-1
Liang-Yoo 0-1
Khademalshar-Saduakoassova 1-0
Murzin-Mammadzada 1-0
Abdusattorov-Shuvalova 1-0
Yip-Abdumalik 1-0
Nihal-Lei 0-1
Zhu-Bjerre 0.5-0.5
Mendonca-Pragg 0-1

Round Nine

Pragg-Keymer 1-0
Bjerre-Mendonca 0.5-0.5
Lei-Zhu 0.5-0.5
Abdumalik-Nihal 0-1
Shuvalova-Yip 0.5-0.5
Mammadzada-Abdusattorov 1-0
Saduakassova-Murzin 0.5-0.5
Yoo-Khademalshar 0.5-0.5
Gukesh-Liang-0
Badelka-Salimova 0-1

Round Ten

Keymer-Salimova 0.5-0.5
Liang-Badelka 1-0
Khademalshar-Gukesh 0-1
Murzin-Yoo 1-0
Abdusattorov-Saduakassova 1-0
Yip-Mammadzada 0.5-0.5
Nihal-Shuvalova 0.5-0.5
Zhu-Abdumalik 0-1
Mendonca-Lei 0.5-0.5
Pragg-Bjerre 1-0

Standings at the end of Day Two

1-2 Abdusattorov, Pragg 8
3-5 Keymer, Gukesh, Liang 7
6 Yoo 6.5
7-8 Murzin, Mammadzada 6
9-11 Lei, Saduakassova, Nihal 5
12-14 Bjerre, Khademalsharieh, Mendonca 4.5
15 Salimova 4
16 Yip 3.5
17-19 Abdumalik, Zhu, Shuvalova 2.5
20 Badelka 1

Awonder Liang was very close to losing 4 games in a row after winning the first 6, but he got a welcome gift at the end of the last game of Day 2

Praggnanandhaa and Abdusattorov lead Keymer, Gukesh & Liang by a point at the midway point of the #GelfandChallenge, while Team Kramnik and Team Polgar are locked at 50:50!

Selected Games

Round 6, June 11
Keymer, Vincent – Gukesh, D.
A15 English Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 b6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.g3 Bb7 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.O-O g6 9.b3 Bg7 10.Bb2 O-O 11.Rc1 a6 12.Re1 Qe7 13.d3 Rfe8 14.Re2 Rad8 15.Rec2 c5 16.d4 c4 17.Nd2 cxb3 18.Nxb3 Qd6 19.Nb1 Rc8 20.Ba3 Qb8 21.Nc3 Bf8 22.Bxf8 Kxf8 23.Ne2 Rxc2 24.Rxc2 Rc8 25.Nf4 Rxc2 26.Qxc2 Qd6 27.Nc1 Ke7 28.Nce2 Nf8 29.Nd3 Ne6 30.Qb3 Ne4 31.h4 Nd2 32.Qd1 Ne4 33.Qb3 Nd2 34.Qc2 Ne4 35.Qb2 a5 36.Nc3 Nxc3 37.Qxc3 f6 38.Qb3 Qc6 39.h5 g5 40.Qb1 b5 41.Nc5 Nf8 42.a3 Bc8 43.Qb3 Kd6 44.e4 Nd7 45.exd5 Nxc5 46.Qf3 Qd7 47.Qxf6+ Ne6 48.Qe5+ Ke7 49.dxe6 Qxe6 50.Qxg5+ Qf6 51.Qc5+ Kd8 52.Qxb5 Qxd4 53.Qxa5+ Ke8 54.Qb5+ Bd7 55.Qb8+ Kf7 56.Qb3+ Be6 57.Qf3+ Kg7 58.Kh2 Bg4 59.Qe3 Qf6 60.h6+ Kg6 61.a4 Qa1 62.Be4+ Kh5 63.Qc5+ Kxh6 64.Qf8+ Kh5 65.Qf7+ 1-0

Round 6, June 11
Liang, Awonder – Mammadzada, Gunay
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.Nge2 d6 4.a4 Nf6 5.g3 e6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.d3 Nc6 9.h3 Qc7 10.g4 Nd4 11.Nxd4 cxd4 12.Ne2 e5 13.f4 Kh8 14.Ng3 exf4 15.Bxf4 Nd7 16.Nf5 Ne5 17.Kh1 Bxf5 18.exf5 Rac8 19.Rf2 Bh4 20.Re2 f6 21.a5 Rfe8 22.Ra4 Qc5 23.b3 d5 24.Kh2 h6 25.Qf1 Bg5 26.Bg3 Nc6 27.h4 Be3 28.Qf3 Rcd8 29.g5 hxg5 30.hxg5 fxg5 31.f6 Rf8 32.Qh5+ Kg8 33.fxg7 Rf7 34.Qh8# 1-0

Round 6, June 11
Nihal Sarin – Pragg, R.
B50 Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 dxe5 5.Nxe5 a6 6.g3 Qd6 7.Nc4 Qc6 8.Rg1 Bg4 9.Be2 h5 10.Ne3 Nbd7 11.f3 Bh3 12.f4 e5 13.Bf3 e4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.d3 f5 16.dxe4 fxe4 17.Bxh5+ g6 18.Bg4 O-O-O 19.Bd2 Bg7 20.Bxh3 Rxh3 21.Qg4 Rxh2 22.O-O-O Bd4 23.c3 Bxe3 24.Bxe3 Qa4 25.Rd2 Rxd2 26.Bxd2 Qxa2 27.Re1 Qd5 28.Be3 Qf5 29.Qe2 Nb6 30.g4 Qd5 31.Rd1 Qxd1+ 32.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 33.Kxd1 Nc4 34.Bc1 Kd7 35.b3 Nd6 36.Ke2 b5 37.Ke3 Ke6 38.b4 Kd5 39.Bd2 Nc4+ 40.Ke2 a5 41.bxa5 Nxa5 42.Be3 b4 43.cxb4 cxb4 44.Bc1 Nc4 45.f5 gxf5 46.gxf5 Ke5 0-1

Final Position



Round 7, June 11
Pragg, R. – Zhu, Jiner
E51 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Bd2 b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Rc1 a6 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bd6 12.f4 Ne4 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.f5 Rad8 16.Qg4 Rfe8 17.Be1 f6 18.Bg3 Bf8 19.Ne2 c5 20.b4 Rc8 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.h4 Qf7 23.h5 h6 24.Rfd1 Bd5 25.Bf4 Kh8 26.Nc3 cxd4 27.Rxd4 Bxa2 28.Nxa2 Qxa2 29.Rcd1 Qf7 30.Ra1 Rc6 31.Qg6 Qxg6 32.hxg6 Bc5 33.Rda4 Ra8 34.Rxe4 Kg8 35.Rc1 Rac8 36.Kh2 a5 37.Rec4 h5 38.Kh3 Kf8 39.Rxc5 1-0

Round 7, June 11
Abdumalik, Zhansaya – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
B01 Scandinavian Defence

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Bf5 6.Be2 e6 7.O-O c6 8.Ne5 Nbd7 9.Nc4 Qc7 10.g3 Nb6 11.Bf4 Qd8 12.Ne3 Bg6 13.h4 h6 14.h5 Bh7 15.Re1 Bd6 16.Ng2 O-O 17.Qd2 Bb4 18.Bf3 Nc4 19.Qc1 Qxd4 20.Rd1 Qc5 21.Na4 Qa5 22.a3 Be7 23.b3 Ne5 24.Be2 Neg4 25.Ne3 Qxh5 26.Nxg4 Nxg4 27.Bxg4 Qxg4 28.Rd7 Bf6 29.Rb1 Qf3 30.Qe3 Qxe3 31.Bxe3 b6 32.Rc1 Rfd8 33.Rc7 Be4 34.c4 Rd3 35.Re1 Bf3 0-1

Round 7, June 11
Saduakassova, Dinara – Liang, Awonder
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Kavalek variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.Nh4 Bc8 8.Nf3 c6 9.O-O Qa5 10.h3 e5 11.d5 cxd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qxd5 14.cxd5 Na6 15.Bg5 Re8 16.e4 Bd7 17.Nd2 Rac8 18.Rfc1 f5 19.Be3 b6 20.Bf1 Nc5 21.b4 f4 22.gxf4 exf4 23.Bxf4 Nxe4 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Re1 Nxd2 26.Bxd2 Kf7 27.Bf4 Bc3 28.Rb1 Bf5 29.Rb3 Ke7 30.Bg5+ Bf6 31.Re3+ Kf7 32.Bf4 Be7 33.Bb5 Rc1+ 34.Kg2 Rb1 35.a3 Rb2 36.Rc3 Be4+ 37.Kg3 g5 38.Be3 Rb1 39.f3 Bxd5 40.Rc7 h6 41.Rxa7 Rb3 42.Kf2 Rb2+ 43.Kg3 Kf8 44.Bd4 Rd2 45.Bg7+ Kf7 46.Bxh6 Ke6 47.Rxe7+ 1-0

Round 7, June 11
Gukesh, D. – Badelka, Olga
A05 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.O-O Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Nbd2 c5 7.e4 Nc6 8.Re1 Qc7 9.Qe2 Rd8 10.e5 Nd7 11.Nf1 b5 12.Bf4 b4 13.h4 a5 14.h5 Ba6 15.h6 g6 16.Ne3 Nf8 17.Ng4 a4 18.Qe3 Nd4 19.Rac1 Nf5 20.Qd2 c4 21.Bg5 c3 22.bxc3 bxc3 23.Qf4 Kh8 24.Nf6 Nd7 25.Nxh7 Kxh7 26.Bxe7 Nxe5 27.Ng5+ Kh8 28.Bf6+ 1-0

Round 8, June 11
Keymer, Vincent – Badelka, Olga
D24 QGA

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.O-O Be7 10.Qd2 Bb7 11.Qf4 a6 12.Nc3 g5 13.Nxg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 Qxg5 15.Bxg5 Nxd4 16.h4 Rg8 17.f3 Nxe2+ 18.Nxe2 Nd7 19.Bf4 O-O-O 20.Rac1 Nb6 21.Be3 Rd3 22.Bxb6 cxb6 23.Rxc4+ Kb8 24.Rf4 Rd2 25.Rf2 Rxb2 26.Nd4 Rxf2 27.Kxf2 Rg7 28.g4 h6 29.Rf6 Rh7 30.f4 Kc7 31.Kg3 Kd7 32.f5 Ke7 33.fxe6 1-0

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 11, 2021

Day Two (continued)

Rounds 8 to 10

Round 8, June 11
Liang, Awonder – Yoo, Christopher
A14 English, symmetrical, hedgehog

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.b3 d5 4.Bb2 Be7 5.g3 O-O 6.Bg2 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.e3 Nbd7 9.Qe2 c5 10.Nc3 Rc8 11.Rac1 Qc7 12.Rfd1 Qb8 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.a3 Qa8 15.Ne4 Rfd8 16.d3 a5 17.a4 Nb4 18.Nfg5 h6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Qg4 e5 21.Qe6+ Kf8 22.f4 Bd5 23.Qg4 Qc6 24.fxe5 Qe6 25.Qh5 Kg8 26.Rf1 Bxe4 27.Bxe4 Bg5 28.Bf5 Qe7 29.Rce1 Nc2 30.e6 Nxe1 31.Bh7+ Kxh7 32.Rf7 Nf6 33.Qh3 Qe8 34.Qf5+ Kh8 35.Qg6 Qg8 36.e7 Re8 0-1

Round 8, June 11
Mendonca, Leon – Pragg, R.
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 b6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4 Bb7 7.b3 a6 8.Bb2 Nbd7 9.g3 Bd6 10.Bg2 Qe7 11.O-O O-O-O 12.a4 h5 13.Qc1 Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 h4 16.Ba3 Bxa3 17.Qxa3 Qe6 18.Rfc1 f5 19.Rc2 Nf6 20.Rac1 Nd5 21.a5 hxg3 22.hxg3 b5 23.b4 Rh5 24.Nb3 Rdh8 25.Nc5 Qh6 26.Kf1 Rh2 27.Nxb7 Rxg2 28.Nd6+ Kb8 29.Nxf5 Qh1+ 30.Ke2 Rxf2+ 0-1

Round 8, June 11
Nihal Sarin – Lei, Tingjie
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 e6 4.e3 b6 5.c4 Bb7 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Rc1 a6 9.d4 Bd6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Bg2 O-O-O 12.O-O h5 13.Re1 Ne4 14.Qc2 Kb8 15.h4 f6 16.a4 g5 17.b4 Rhg8 18.b5 a5 19.Qb3 Nxc3 20.Bxc3 Qg7 21.Rc2 Rde8 22.Rec1 Re4 23.hxg5 h4 24.Nxh4 Rxh4 25.gxh4 fxg5 26.Bxd5 gxh4+ 27.Kf1 Qg1+ 28.Ke2 Qg4+ 29.Kd2 Bxd5 30.Qxd5 Nf6 31.Qh1 Qf5 32.Rg1 Rxg1 33.Qxg1 Ne4+ 34.Kc1 h3 35.f4 Qe6 36.Kb2 Qc4 37.Qh1 Ba3+ 38.Kxa3 Nxc3 39.Rxc3 Qxc3+ 40.Ka2 Qd2+ 41.Kb3 Qxe3+ 42.Kc4 Qe2+ 43.Kc3 Qg2 44.Qe1 h2 45.Qe8+ Ka7 0-1

Round 8, June 11
Yip, Carissa – Abdumalik, Zhansaya
D76 Neo-Grunfeld

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.c4 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.O-O O-O 7.d4 Nb6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.d5 Nb4 10.e4 a5 11.a3 Na6 12.Qc2 e6 13.Bg5 Qe8 14.Rfe1 Bd7 15.Rad1 Rc8 16.Qc1 e5 17.Bh6 Nc5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qg5 f6 20.Qe3 Qe7 21.Nd2 Nba4 22.Nxa4 Bxa4 23.b3 Bb5 24.Bf1 Bxf1 25.Kxf1 b6 26.Nc4 Qd7 27.Kg2 Qb5 28.d6 Qxb3 29.Qxb3 Nxb3 30.dxc7 Rxc7 31.Nxb6 Rc2 32.Rd5 f5 33.Nd7 Rf7 34.Nxe5 Rf8 35.Nd7 Re8 36.e5 a4 37.e6 Re7 38.Re3 h5 39.Nb6 Nc5 40.Rd7 Kf8 41.Rd8+ Kg7 42.Rc8 Rb2 43.Nd5 Rxe6 44.Rxc5 Rxe3 45.Nxe3 Rb3 46.Nc4 Rc3 47.Rc6 f4 48.gxf4 h4 49.f3 Kh7 50.Ne5 Rxa3 51.Rxg6 Re3 52.Ra6 a3 53.Ra7+ Kg8 54.Kh3 1-0

Round 9, June 11
Gukesh, D – Liang, Awonder
A50 Queen’s Indian Accelerated

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 e5 8.Nf3 exd4 9.Bc4 d3 10.Qb3 Qe7 11.Ng5 Nd7 12.Bxf7+ Kd8 13.Be3 h6 14.Bd5 Kc8 15.Nf7 Rh7 16.Rd1 Nf6 17.Be6+ Kb8 18.e5 Bc8 19.Bxc8 Kxc8 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Qd5 Rb8 22.Qf5+ 1-0

Round 9, June 11
Pragg, R. – Keymer, Vincent
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.h3 c6 3.d4 Bf5 4.c4 e6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.g4 Bg6 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.c5 Qc7 9.Bf4 Qc8 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Bg2 e5 13.dxe5 Nxc5 14.Qc2 Nfd7 15.Bg3 Ne6 16.f4 Qd8 17.e3 Bc5 18.Qe2 Qb6 19.f5 Nc7 20.Bf4 g5 21.Bxg5 Nxe5 22.O-O-O f6 23.Bf4 O-O-O 24.Na4 Qa5 25.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 26.Kb1 Rhe8 27.Qc2 Nc4 28.Ka1 Na6 29.Rc1 Qa5 30.e4 Nb6 31.Rhd1 d4 32.a3 Nc7 33.Bh2 Qb5 34.Rd3 Qa4 35.Qxa4 Nxa4 36.Rc4 b5 37.Rxc6 Re7 38.Rd1 Kb7 39.e5 Nd5 40.Rd6 1-0

Position after White’s 29.Rc1



Vincent is ahead on time and in position and then just comes to equality in the next two moves.

Round 10, June 11
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – Saduakassova, Dinara
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Romanishin-Kasparov System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 dxc4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 c5 9.O-O Bd7 10.Ne5 Bc6 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.dxc5 Qa5 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qd4 Rfd8 15.Qxc4 Rd5 16.Be3 Rad8 17.f3 Nd7 18.Qb4 Qa6 19.c4 Re5 20.Qc3 f6 21.Rfd1 Qc8 22.Rab1 Nf8 23.Rxd8 Qxd8 24.Bf4 Rxc5 25.Rb8 Qd1+ 26.Kf2 a5 27.Qd3 Qh1 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Qd8+ Kf7 30.Qd7+ 1-0

Round 10, June 11
Liang, Awonder – Badelka, Olga
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.f4 e6 6.Nf3 a6 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.O-O Nc6 9.d3 Be7 10.Qe1 O-O 11.Qg3 Kh8 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Nd4 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Bg5 f6 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Bh6 Rg8 19.Qh3 Rg6 20.Bf4 Rag8 21.Bg3 Ne3 22.Rf2 Ng4 23.Rf4 Rh6 24.Qxg4 Rxg4 25.Rxg4 Rg6 26.Rf4 f5 27.Nd2 Bg5 28.Nc4 Bxf4 29.Bxf4 Qd5 30.g3 Qf3 31.Rf1 Qe2 32.Rf2 Qd1+ 33.Kg2 Kg8 34.Ne5 Rg7 35.Nf3 Rd7 36.Rd2 Qa1 37.b3 Qc3 38.Re2 Qc6 39.Kf2 Re7 40.Be5 b5 41.axb5 axb5 42.Bxd4 e5 43.Bxe5 Rxe5 44.Nxe5 Qh1 45.Nf3 Qc1 46.d4 Qa3 47.Kg2 Qd6 48.Rd2 Qd5 49.Re2 b4 50.Re5 Qc6 51.Rc5 Qe6 52.Kf2 Qe4 53.d5 f4 54.gxf4 Qxf4 55.Rc4 Qd6 56.Rd4 Kf7 57.Ke3 Ke8 58.h4 Kd8 59.Rd3 Qc5+ 60.Kd2 Qd6 61.Kc1 Qf4+ 62.Kb1 Qd6 63.Ng5 h5 64.Nf7+ 1-0

Position after 42.Bxd4



Olga loses the game with the next two moves

Round 10, June 11
Pragg, R. – Bjerre, Jonas
E46 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd2 c5 6.a3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Ne2 b6 9.d5 Ba6 10.Qc2 exd5 11.cxd5 Re8 12.Ng3 Nxc3 13.Bxa6 Nxa6 14.Qxc3 Nc7 15.Rd1 Qg5 16.Qd3 Qg6 17.Qxg6 hxg6 18.Ke2 Re5 19.e4 Rae8 20.Kd2 g5 21.f3 Nb5 22.h4 Nd6 23.Kc1 g6 24.h5 f5 25.hxg6 fxe4 26.Rh7 R8e7 27.Rdh1 Rxh7 28.Rxh7 e3 29.Kd1 Rxd5+ 30.Ke2 Nc4 31.Ne4 Rf5 32.Rxd7 Rf8 33.Nxg5 Ne5 34.Rxa7 Nxg6 35.Ne6 Rf6 36.Ra8+ Kh7 37.Ng5+ Kh6 38.Ne4 Nf4+ 39.Kxe3 Nxg2+ 40.Kf2 Rg6 41.Rf8 Kg7 42.Rf5 c4 43.Ng3 Nh4 44.Rf4 1-0

Round 10, June 11
Zhu, Jiner – Abdumalik, Zhansaya
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 Nxe5 7.Rxe5+ Be7 8.Bf1 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 b6 12.Bf4 Bb7 13.Na3 Ne4 14.Bd3 g6 15.Nc4 d5 16.Ne5 Bg7 17.Ng4 Qd7 18.Nh6+ Kh8 19.Qf3 f5 20.Qh3 c5 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.Rad1 d4 23.f3 Nf6 24.Be5 Rxe5 25.Rxe5 Nd5 26.Re2 Nf4 27.Qh4 Nxe2+ 28.Bxe2 Re8 29.Bf1 Qe7 0-1

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 12, 2021

Day 3

Rounds 11 to 15

Round 11

Bjerre-Keymer 0-1
Lei-Pragg 0-1
Abdumalik-Mendonca 0-1
Shuvalova-Zhu 1-0
Mammadzada-Nihal 0-1
Saduakassova-Yip 1-0
Yoo-Abdusattorov 1-0
Gukesh-Murzin 0-1
Badelka-Khademalshar 0.5-0.5
Salimova-Liang 0-1

Round 12

Keymer-Liang 1-0
Khademalshar-Salimova 1-0
Murzin-Badelka 1-0
Abdusattorov-Gukesh 0-1
Yip-Yoo 0-1
Nihal-Saduakassov 1-0
Zhu-Mammadzada 1-0
Mendonca-Shuvalova 0.5-0.5
Pragg-Abdumalik 0-1
Bjerre-Lei 0-1

Round 13

Lei-Keymer 0-1
Abdumalik-Bjerre 0-1
Shuvalova-Pragg 0-1
Mammadzada-Mendonca 0-1
Saduakassova-Zhu
Yoo-Nihal 0-1
Gukesh-Yip 1-0
Badelka-Abdusattorov 0-1
Salimova-Murzin 0.5-0.5
Liang-Khademalshar 1-0

Round 14

Keymer-Khademalshar 1-0
Murzin-Liang 1-0
Abdusattorov-Salimova 0-1
Yip-Badelka 1-0
Nihal-Gukesh 1-0
Zhu-Yoo 0-1
Mendonca-Saduakassova 1-0
Pragg-Mammadzada 1-0
Bjerre-Shuvalova 1-0
Lei-Abdumalik 1-0

Round 15

Abdumalik-Keymer 0-1
Shuvalova-Lei 0.5-0.5
Mammadzada-Bjerre 0.5-0.5
Saduakassova-Pragg 0.5-0.5
Yoo-Mendonca 1-0
Gukesh-Zhu 1-0
Badelka-Nihal 0-1
Salimova-Yip 1-0
Liang-Abdusattorv 0.5-0.5
Khademalshar-Murzin 1-0

Standings after Day Three

1 Keymer 12
2 Pragg 11.5
3 Yoo 10.5
4-5 Nihal, Gukesh 10
6-8 Murzin, Liang, Abdusattorov 9.5
9 Mendonca 8
10 Lei 7.5
11-12 Bjerre, Khademalshar 7
13-15 Saduakassova, Mammadzada, Salimova 6.5
16-18 Shuvalova, Zhu, Yip 4.5
19 Abdumalik 3.5
20 Badelka 1.5

Selected Games

Round 11, June 12
Bjerre, Jonas – Keymer, Vincent
E10 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Nbd2 dxc4 6.Bg2 b5 7.O-O O-O 8.a4 c6 9.Ne1 Nd5 10.Nc2 Be7 11.e4 Nb6 12.a5 N6d7 13.e5 Bb7 14.Ne4 Qc8 15.Qh5 c5 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.Nd6 Bxg2 18.Nxc8 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Rxc8 20.Qxg5 Nc6 21.dxc5 Nxc5 22.Qe3 Nd3 23.b3 Ndxe5 24.bxc4 Nxc4 25.Qg5 a6 26.Ne3 h6 27.Qf4 N6xa5 28.Ng4 Rd8 29.Qc7 Rac8 30.Qe7 Nc6 31.Qb7 Nb4 32.Kg2 h5 33.Rb1 Nd5 34.Ne3 Ncxe3+ 35.fxe3 Nxe3+ 36.Kf3 Rc3 37.Qxa6 Nf5+ 38.Kg2 Rd2+ 39.Kg1 Nd4 40.Qa8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ f5 42.Qb7 Nf3+ 43.Kf1 Nxh2+ 44.Ke1 Nf3+ 45.Kf1 Ng5 46.Ke1 Ne4 47.Qf7 Re3+ 48.Kf1 Nxg3+ 49.Kg1 Ree2 50.Qb7 Ne4 51.Qxb5 Rg2+ 52.Kf1 Rdf2+ 53.Ke1 Rg1+ 54.Qf1 Rgxf1# 0-1

Round 11, June 12
Lei, Tinjie – Pragg, R.
B69 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Be7 9.f4 Bd7 10.Nf3 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 12.Kb1 Qb6 13.Bd3 O-O-O 14.Rhe1 Kb7 15.g4 Rhg8 16.g5 fxg5 17.Nd5 exd5 18.exd5 Bf6 19.dxc6+ Bxc6 20.Nxg5 Rg7 21.Nxh7 Bh4 22.Re3 f6 23.Rh3 Rg2 24.Qc3 Rg1 25.Be2 Re8 26.Qd3 Qf2 27.Rxg1 Qxg1+ 28.Bd1 Re1 29.Kc1 Qg4 30.b3 Rxd1+ 31.Qxd1 Qxh3 32.Qxd6 Qd7 33.Qxd7+ Bxd7 34.Kd2 Bf5 35.Nf8 Kc7 0-1

Round 11, June 12
Mammadzada, Gunay – Nihal Sarin
B15 Caro-Kann, Gurgenidze

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 5.e5 h5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be3 Nh6 8.h3 Nf5 9.Bf2 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 h4 11.Bd3 e6 12.O-O Nd7 13.Kh2 Bf8 14.Ne2 Be7 15.Qg4 Kf8 16.b3 a5 17.a4 Qb6 18.Ng1 Rc8 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Qe2 Kg7 21.e6 Nf6 22.exf7 Ne4 23.Nf3 Kxf7 24.Qe1 Qc7 25.Bxh4 Qxf4+ 26.Bg3 Qxg3+ 27.Qxg3 Nxg3 28.Kxg3 Kf6 29.Rae1 Rce8 30.Kf2 Bb4 31.Re3 Re4 32.Rd1 Rhe8 33.Rxe4 dxe4 34.Ne5 f4 35.c4 Kf5 36.Ke2 Rd8 37.Nf7 Rd7 38.Ne5 Rh7 39.c5 Bxc5 40.dxc5 Kxe5 41.Rd8 f3+ 42.gxf3 exf3+ 43.Kf2 Rxh3 44.Rd7 Ke4 45.Re7+ Kf4 46.Rf7+ Kg4 47.Rxb7 Rh2+ 48.Ke3 Re2+ 49.Kd3 Re5 50.Rg7 g5 51.Rf7 Kg3 52.Kd4 Rd5+ 53.Kc4 f2 54.b4 axb4 55.a5 Kg2 0-1

Round 11, June 12
Salimova, Nurgyul – Liang, Awonder
B07 Pirc-Queen’s Pawn-KID

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nbd2 Bg7 4.e4 O-O 5.Bd3 d6 6.O-O c5 7.c3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nc6 9.Re1 Nd7 10.Nb3 a5 11.a4 Nf6 12.Bd2 d5 13.e5 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Rxe4 Qd5 16.Rh4 f6 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Rh6 Bg4 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Kg7 22.Re1 g5 23.Rxf6 exf6 24.Bc3 Rfe8 25.Rd1 b6 26.Nd2 Ne7 27.d5 Nxd5 28.Bd4 Kg6 29.Ne4 Rad8 30.Rb1 Re6 31.Kh2 h6 32.h4 f5 33.Nd2 Nf4 34.Nb3 Re2 35.Rc1 Rd6 36.Rc8 Ne6 37.Be3 f4 38.Bc1 Rxf2+ 39.Kg1 Rxf3 40.Nd2 Rg3+ 41.Kh2 Rxd2+ 42.Bxd2 Nd4 43.Rg8+ Kh5 0-1

Round 12, June 12
Keymer, Vincent – Liang, Awonder
E18 Queen’s Indian, old main line

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Bd2 d6 9.Qc2 Nxd2 10.Nxd2 c6 11.b4 Nd7 12.Rab1 Rc8 13.e3 Qc7 14.Rfc1 Qb8 15.a4 Rfe8 16.a5 Qc7 17.Qa4 Bf8 18.a6 Ba8 19.b5 c5 20.d5 exd5 21.Nxd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Nf6 23.Bc6 Re5 24.Qc2 Rd8 25.Rd1 Qc8 26.h4 g6 27.Kg2 Ng4 28.Bf3 h5 29.Ne4 Qf5 30.Rbc1 d5 31.Nc3 d4 32.Nd5 Qe6 33.exd4 cxd4 34.Rxd4 Bc5 35.Rd2 Nf6 36.Nf4 Rxd2 37.Qxd2 Qf5 38.Qd3 Ne4 39.Re1 Nxf2 40.Qxf5 Rxf5 41.Re8+ Kg7 42.Ra8 Re5 43.Rxa7 Re1 44.Rc7 Ng4 45.Rxc5 1-0

Round 12, June 12
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – Gukesh, D.
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 O-O 10.Be3 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qc2 Nxc3 13.bxc3 f6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Be2 Ne7 16.Ne5 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qe6 18.O-O Nf5 19.a4 c6 20.Rab1 Rab8 21.g4 Nd6 22.f4 Ne4 23.Qd3 Bc7 24.f5 Qe7 25.Bf4 Rfe8 26.Rbe1 Kh8 27.g5 Rf8 28.Rxe4 dxe4 29.Qxe4 Rbe8 30.Re1 Bxe5 31.dxe5 Qf7 32.f6 gxf6 33.gxf6 Qh5 34.e6 Rxf6 35.e7 Qg6+ 36.Qxg6 Rxg6+ 37.Kf2 Kg8 38.Bc7 Rf6+ 39.Kg2 Kf7 40.Bd8 Rg8+ 41.Kh1 Ke8 42.Re3 Rf1+ 43.Kh2 Rf2+ 44.Kh1 Rfg2 45.Re1 R2g3 46.Kh2 Rxc3 47.Rf1 Re3 48.a5 Re2+ 49.Kh1 Rxe7 50.Bxe7 Kxe7 51.Rb1 Rb8 52.Rg1 Kf7 53.Rd1 Re8 54.Kg2 Re7 55.Kf3 Ke8 56.Rd6 Rd7 57.Rh6 Kd8 58.h4 Kc7 59.h5 b5 60.axb6+ axb6 61.Ke3 b5 62.Rf6 Kb6 63.h6 b4 64.Rf4 Kb5 0-1

Round 12, June 12
Pragg, R. – Abdumalik, Zhansaya
D20 QGA

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nd5 Qb7 8.Bf4 e5 9.Bxe5 Nd7 10.Bg3 Ngf6 11.Nc7+ Kd8 12.f3 Rb8 13.Na6 Ra8 14.Nh3 h6 15.Qd2 Ne8 16.Nf4 Qc6 17.Nb4 Bxb4 18.Qxb4 Nc7 19.d5 Qb6 20.Bf2 Qf6 21.Ne2 Ne5 22.Nd4 a6 23.Be2 h5 24.b3 h4 25.h3 Rh6 26.bxc4 bxc4 27.Bxc4 a5 28.Qc5 Rg6 29.Rc1 Ne8 30.Bb5 Rxg2 31.Kf1 Rxf2+ 32.Kxf2 Bd7 33.Rhd1 Nd6 34.Bxd7 Nxe4+ 35.Ke3 Nxc5 36.Rxc5 Nxd7 37.Rc6 Qe5+ 38.Kf2 Rb8 39.Rc2 Qg3+ 40.Ke2 Ke8 41.Nc6 Qg2+ 42.Kd3 Rb3+ 0-1

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 12, 2021

Day 3 (continued)

Rounds 13-15

Round 13, June 12
Lei, Tingjie – Keymer, Vincent
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Adams Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3 h6 9.g3 O-O 10.Bg2 Be6 11.O-O Nbd7 12.a4 Nb6 13.Na5 Qc7 14.Qd2 Rfd8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Rdc8 17.Rfc1 Nc4 18.Nxc4 Qxc4 19.a5 Nd7 20.Ra3 Qc7 21.Rc3 Qd8 22.Rb3 Nc5 23.Ra3 Bg5 24.b4 Nd7 25.c4 Rab8 26.h4 Bxe3 27.Qxe3 Nf6 28.Bh3 Rc7 29.Rd3 Qe7 30.c5 Rd8 31.c6 bxc6 32.dxc6 d5 33.Qb6 d4 34.Bg2 Nd5 35.Bxd5 Rxd5 36.Qxa6 Qxb4 37.Qa8+ Kh7 38.Qe8 Rxa5 39.Qd8 Rxc6 40.Rxc6 Qb1+ 41.Kg2 Ra1 42.Rxh6+ gxh6 0-1

Round 13, June 12
Shuvalova, Polina – Pragg, R.
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Kristiansen Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bd3 e5 7.Nde2 Be7 8.O-O Be6 9.Ng3 Nc6 10.a3 Rc8 11.Re1 h6 12.h3 O-O 13.Bd2 Qd7 14.Qe2 Bd8 15.Rad1 Bb6 16.Kh2 Rfe8 17.Qf1 Qc7 18.f4 exf4 19.Bxf4 Ne5 20.Kh1 Qe7 21.Qe2 Nfg4 22.Rf1 Qh4 23.Bxe5 dxe5 24.Rf3 Nf2+ 25.Rxf2 Qxg3 26.Rf3 Qh4 27.Rff1 Bd4 28.Nd5 f5 29.c3 Ba7 30.c4 f4 31.b4 Bd4 32.c5 Kh8 33.Rc1 Bxh3 34.gxh3 Qxh3+ 35.Qh2 Qxd3 36.Qg2 Rcd8 37.Rcd1 Qxa3 38.Rf3 Qa4 39.Rxd4 Qa1+ 40.Kh2 Qxd4 41.Qg6 Qd2+ 42.Kh1 Rf8 43.Rh3 f3 44.Rh5 f2 45.Rf5 f1=Q+ 0-1

Round 13, June 12
Yoo, Christopher – Nihal Sarin
D06 QGD symmetrical Defence

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c5 3.cxd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Nc3 Qa5 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.g3 e5 8.Nb3 Qc7 9.Bg2 Bb4 10.Bd2 O-O 11.O-O Nc6 12.Rc1 Be6 13.Ne4 Rfd8 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.Qe1 Rxd2 16.Nxd2 Qa5 17.Rc3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Qxc3 19.Qb1 Qxd2 20.Qxb7 Rb8 21.Qxc6 Qxa2 22.f4 Qxe2 23.f5 Bc4 24.Kh1 Rb2 25.Rg1 Bd3 26.g4 h6 27.h4 Kg7 28.Qc1 Rb1 29.Qc3 Be4 30.Qg3 Qxg2+ 31.Qxg2 Bxg2+ 32.Kxg2 Rxg1+ 33.Kxg1 a5 0-1

Round 13, June 12
Gukesh, D. – Yip, Carissa
A40 Queen’s Pawn-KID

1.c4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.d4 e6 4.g3 Ne7 5.Bg2 d5 6.O-O O-O 7.Nc3 Nbc6 8.e3 b6 9.b3 Ba6 10.Nd2 Na5 11.Bb2 Rc8 12.Qc2 c6 13.Rfd1 Nf5 14.Rac1 Qd7 15.Nf3 Rfd8 16.e4 Ne7 17.c5 bxc5 18.dxc5 Qc7 19.Na4 Bxb2 20.Qxb2 dxe4 21.Ng5 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rd8 23.Re1 e3 24.fxe3 Nd5 25.Ne4 Bd3 26.Nf2 Ba6 27.Bxd5 cxd5 28.Ng4 h5 29.Nf6+ Kf8 30.c6 Nxc6 31.Nc5 Bc8 32.Rf1 Qe5 33.Qf2 Qc7 34.Nfd7+ Rxd7 35.Nxe6+ 1-0

6 wins in the last 7 for Gukesh - 34.Nfd7+! Rxd7 35.Nxe6+! was a brutal finish

Round 13, June 12
Liang, Awonder – Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
A45 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 d5 3.e3 c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 cxd4 6.exd4 Bf5 7.c3 e6 8.Qb3 Bd6 9.Qxb7 Bxf4 10.Qxc6+ Kf8 11.Qa6 g6 12.Bd3 Ne4 13.Nb3 h5 14.g3 Bh6 15.Ne5 Kg7 16.f3 Nd6 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.O-O h4 19.g4 Be3+ 20.Kg2 Qg5 21.Nc5 Rae8 22.Ncd3 Bf4 23.Rf2 Ne3+ 24.Kh1 Re7 25.Rg1 Bg3 26.f4 Qf6 27.Rf3 Nc4 28.Nxc4 dxc4 29.Nc5 Bxf4 30.Ne4 1-0

Round 14, June 12
Keymer, Vincent – Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
D31 QGD

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Bb4 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.e3 Bd6 7.Bg3 Ne7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Qb3 Qc7 10.Bd3 Bf5 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.Bxf5 Nxf5 13.Qxb7 Nd7 14.Qb3 Qg6 15.O-O Rab8 16.Qa3 Rb7 17.b3 Re8 18.Rac1 h5 19.Qa6 Reb8 20.Ne2 Ne7 21.Nf4 Qh6 22.Nd3 h4 23.h3 Rc7 24.Nfe5 Rb6 25.Qa3 Nxe5 26.Nxe5 Nf5 27.Rc3 Nd6 28.Qc1 Ne4 29.Rc2 Qd6 30.Nd3 Qg6 31.Qd1 Ng5 32.Nf4 Qf5 33.Rc5 Ne6 34.Nxe6 Qxe6 35.Qh5 Qf6 36.Rfc1 Rd7 37.Qg4 Rd8 38.Qf3 Qxf3 39.gxf3 Rd6 40.Ra5 Rd7 41.f4 f5 42.Kf1 Kf7 43.Ke2 Kf6 44.Rcc5 Re7 45.Kf3 Rd7 46.Ra4 Ke6 47.Rca5 Rbb7 48.Ra6 Kd6 49.b4 Rdc7 50.a3 Ke7 51.R4a5 Kd7 52.Ke2 Ke7 53.Kd3 Kd7 54.Kc3 Kc8 55.Kb3 Kb8 56.Rc5 Rb6 57.Raa5 a6 58.Rc1 Rb5 59.Rxa6 Kb7 60.Ra5 Rxa5 61.bxa5 Ka6 62.Ka4 g6 63.Rg1 Rg7 64.Kb4 Rb7+ 65.Kc5 Rb2 66.Rxg6 Rxf2 67.Rxc6+ Kxa5 68.Rh6 Rf3 69.Rxh4 Rxe3 70.Kxd5 1-0

Round 14, June 12
Murzin, Volodar – Liang, Awonder
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.O-O Nf6 8.d4 g6 9.Bg5 Bg7 10.Nd2 O-O 11.c3 h6 12.Bh4 Rb8 13.Nb3 Ne4 14.f3 Nd6 15.Qe2 Re8 16.Nc5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Nb7 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Qe3 Kg7 20.Qxa7 c5 21.Qa6 Nd8 22.Qe2 c4 23.Kh1 Ne6 24.f4 Nc5 25.f5 gxf5 26.Qh5 Qe6 27.Rxf5 Qg6 28.Qf3 Rxb2 29.Rf1 Ne6 30.Rxf7+ Kg8 31.Bxe7 Rb1 32.Rf6 Rxf1+ 33.Qxf1 Qd3 34.Bb4 Ng5 35.h4 Qxf1+ 36.Rxf1 Ne4 37.Kh2 Rxe5 38.a4 Re6 39.a5 Kg7 40.Rd1 Nf6 41.Bc5 Ra6 42.Bb6 Kg6 43.Bd8 Ng4+ 44.Kg1 Ne3 45.Re1 Nf5 46.g4 Ng3 47.Re5 d4 48.cxd4 Rc6 49.Kg2 c3 50.Kxg3 c2 51.Re1 c1=Q 52.Rxc1 Rxc1 53.Kf4 Kf7 54.Ke5 Ke8 55.Bb6 Ke7 56.Bc5+ Kd7 57.a6 1-0

Round 14, June 12
Nihal Sarin – Gukesh, D
B22 Sicilian, Alapin’s variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 e6 6.O-O d6 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Nc3 dxe5 11.dxe5 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bd7 13.Bd3 Qc7 14.Qe4 g6 15.Bh6 Rfd8 16.Rad1 Be8 17.Qf4 Rd5 18.Be4 Rc5 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 20.Ng5 Bf8 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.Rfe1 h6 23.Ne4 Bxe4 24.Rxe4 Kh7 25.h4 Rd5 26.Rxd5 exd5 27.Re3 Qc4 28.Qf6 Qxa2 29.Rf3 Qb1+ 30.Kh2 Qb6 31.e6 Qd6+ 32.g3 Qc6 33.Qxf7+ Rxf7 34.exf7 1-0

A 4th win in 4 today for Nihal Sarin, who takes down Gukesh!

Round 14, June 12
Pragg, R. – Mammadzada, Gunay
D45 QGD, Semi-Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Be2 Bd6 7.b3 O-O 8.Bb2 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.O-O Be6 12.Nb5 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Be7 14.Rc1 a6 15.Nc7 Rc8 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Rxc8 Qxc8 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc2 20.Bd4 b5 21.Qb7 Ba3 22.Qxa6 b4 23.Qd6 Qxa2 24.Qe5 f6 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Qe7 Kg8 27.Bc5 Ra8 28.Qb7 Rd8 29.Be7 Re8 30.Qd5+ Kh8 31.Qf7 Ra8 32.Bf8 1-0

Round 15, June 12
Abdumalik, Zhansaya – Keymer, Vincent
B91 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.g3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg2 Be6 9.O-O Nbd7 10.h3 Rc8 11.Re1 b5 12.Nd2 Nb6 13.Nf1 O-O 14.Ne3 Rxc3 15.bxc3 Qc7 16.Bd2 Na4 17.Qf3 Rc8 18.g4 Nd7 19.Nf5 Bf8 20.g5 Ndb6 21.h4 Nc4 22.Bc1 Qa5 23.Bf1 Qxc3 24.Qxc3 Nxc3 25.Bd3 g6 26.Ne3 Nb6 27.a3 Be7 28.Bd2 Nba4 29.Nd1 Nxd1 30.Rexd1 Kf8 31.f4 Ke8 32.f5 Bd7 33.Kf2 Nb2 34.Rdc1 Bd8 35.f6 Bb6+ 36.Be3 Ba5 37.Be2 Be6 38.a4 Nxa4 39.c4 Bd7 40.cxb5 Rxc1 41.Rxa4 Be1+ 42.Kf3 axb5 43.Bxb5 Rc8 44.Bxd7+ Kxd7 45.Ra1 Bb4 46.h5 gxh5 47.Rh1 Rc3 48.Ke2 Bc5 49.Bd2 Rc4 50.Rxh5 Rxe4+ 51.Kf3 Rd4 52.Rxh7 Ke6 53.Ke2 Rg4 54.Rh8 Rg2+ 55.Ke1 d5 56.Re8+ Kf5 57.Rc8 Ba3 58.Rc7 Kg6 59.Ra7 Bc5 60.Ra5 Rxd2 61.Rxc5 Rd4 62.Rc7 Rg4 63.Rd7 d4 64.Ke2 Rxg5 65.Rd6 Rf5 66.Kd3 Rxf6 67.Rd5 Kf5 0-1

Vincent Keymer is the latest player to score 5/5 and will go into tomorrow's final 4 rounds of the #GelfandChallenge with a half-point lead over Praggnanandhaa!

Round 15, June 12
Gukesh, D. – Zhu, Jiner
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 d5 4.e3 c5 5.Nbd2 Nc6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Ne5 O-O 8.Bd3 Qc7 9.Ndf3 Ne7 10.O-O b6 11.Qb1 Ng6 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Ne5 a5 15.f4 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.Rf3 Ne4 18.Rh3 b5 19.Qd1 Qe7 20.Qg4 c4 21.a3 Raa8 22.Rh4 g5 23.fxg5 Qxg5 24.Qh3 g6 25.Rh8+ Kg7 26.Qh7+ Kf6 27.Rf1+ 1-0

Round 15, June 12
Badelka, Olga – Nihal Sarin
A40 Queen’s Pawn-KID

1.Nf3 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.d5 Ne5 6.Nxe5 Bxe5 7.e4 Nf6 8.Qd3 O-O 9.Be2 Re8 10.O-O e6 11.Bg5 exd5 12.Nxd5 h6 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Bxh6 Qe7 15.f3 Bxb2 16.Rab1 Bg7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd5 Qe5 19.Rfd1 Rb8 20.g3 b6 21.Qd2 Bd7 22.Bd3 Bc6 23.Qf2 Qf6 24.Re1 Re7 25.Re3 Qd4 26.Rbe1 Rbe8 27.g4 Re5 28.Bf1 Ra5 29.h4 Qe5 30.f4 Qd4 31.Bg2 Rc5 32.h5 Rxc4 33.hxg6 fxg6 34.f5 g5 35.Rf1 Kf6 36.Rfe1 Rh8 37.Bf1 Rc5 38.Bg2 Qe5 39.Bf1 Rh4 40.Rg3 Rc3 41.Rxc3 Rxg4+ 42.Bg2 Qxc3 43.Qe2 Bxe4 44.Qxg4 Qxe1+ 45.Kh2 Bxf5 46.Qc4 Qh4+ 0-1

Round 15, June 12
Liang, Awonder – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
C81 Ruy Lopez, open, Howell Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Rd1 O-O 11.c4 bxc4 12.Bxc4 Bc5 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Qxe3 Qb8 15.Bb3 Qb6 16.Nbd2 Qxe3 17.fxe3 Na5 18.Nxe4 Nxb3 19.axb3 dxe4 20.Nd4 Rfb8 21.Rdc1 Rb7 22.Ra3 g6 23.Kf2 Rab8 24.Rxa6 Bxb3 25.Kg3 Bd5 26.Rc5 c6 27.Nxc6 Bxc6 28.Raxc6 Rb3 29.Rc3 Rxb2 30.e6 fxe6 31.Rxe6 Rf8 32.Re7 Rf7 33.Rxf7 Kxf7 34.Rc4 g5 35.Rxe4 h5 36.h3 Kf6 37.Kf3 Ra2 38.Rc4 Ra3 39.Rc6+ Kg7 40.Rb6 Ra2 41.Rb5 Kf6 42.Rb8 Rc2 43.Rh8 Kg6 44.Rg8+ Kf6 45.Rf8+ Kg7 46.Rf5 Kg6 47.Ra5 Kf6 48.Ra1 g4+ 49.hxg4 hxg4+ 50.Kg3 Re2 51.Ra3 Kf5 52.Rb3 Kg5 53.Rb5+ Kf6 54.Rb3 Kg5 55.Rd3 Kf5 56.Kh2 Kg5 57.Kg3 Kf5 1/2-1/2

[Hans Jung]

The surprise leader who today went 5 for 5 was Vincent Keymer which proves that strategy triumphs over tactics in the long run. A game I really enjoyed was Keymer - Liang from round12 which had a strategical battle and a real battle for squares.

[Hans Jung]

In rd 16 and rd 18 Vincent Keymer failed to take into account tactics as regards strategy. Even grandmasters have lessons to learn.
Gukesh gave a great demonstration of the two bishops over the rook in the endgame against Pragga to win and tie for the lead with Pragga.

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 13, 2021

Day Four

Rounds 16 to 19

Round 16

Keymer-Murzin 0-1
Abdusattorov-Khademalshar 0-1
Yip-Liang 0.5-0.5
Nihal-Salimova 0-1
Zhu-Badelka 1-0
Mendonca-Gukesh 0-1
Pragg-Yoo 1-0
Bjerre-Saduakassova 0.5-0.5
Lei-Mammadzada 0-1
Abdumalik-Shuvalova 0.5-0.5

Round 17

Shuvalova-Keymer 0.5-0.5
Mammadzada-Abdumalik 0-1
Saduakassova-Lei 0-1
Yoo-Bjerre 0-1
Gukesh-Pragg 1-0
Badelka-Menonca 0.5-0.5
Salimova-Zhu 0-1
Liang-Nihal 0-1
Khademalshar-Yip 1-0
Murzin-Abdusattorov 0.5-0.5

Round 18

Keymer-Abdusattorov 0-1
Yip-Murzin 0-1
Nihal-Khademalshar 1-0
Zhu-Liang 0-1
Mendonca-Salimova 1-0
Pragg-Badelka 0.5-0.5
Bjerre-Gukesh 0-1
Lei-Yoo 0.5-0.5
Abdumalik-Saduakassova 1-0
Shuvalova-Mammadzada 0-1

Round 19

Mammadzada-Keymer 0-1
Saduakassova-Shuvalova 0.5-0.5
Yoo-Abdumalik 1-0
Gukesh-Lei 1-0
Badelka-Bjerre 1-0
Salimova-Pragg 0-1
Liang-Mendonca 0.5-0.5
Khademalshar-Zhu 0-1
Murzin-Nihal 1-0
Abdusattorov-Yip 1-0

Final Standings

1-2 Gukesh, Pragg 14
3 Keymer 13.5
4 Murzin 13
5-7 Nihal, Abdusattorov, Yoo 12
8 Liang 11.5
9 Mendonca 10
10-11 Khademalsharieh, Lei 9
12-13 Mammadzada, Bjerre 8.5
14-16 Zhu, Salimova, Saduakassova 7.5
17-18 Abdumalik, Shuvalova 6
19 Yip 5
20 Badelka 3.5

Team Kramnik

Pragg, Abdusattorov, Yoo, Mendonca, Lei, Bjerre, Salimova, Saduakassova, Yip and Badelka

Team Polgar

Gukesh, Keymer Murzin, Nihal, Liang, Khadem
Mammadzada, Zhu, Abdumalik, Shuvalova

Team Kramnik – Team Polgar 89-101

Selected Games

Round 16, June 13
Keymer, Vincent – Murzin, Volodar
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, lesser Simiagin variation

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.d4 Nc6 7.O-O Bf5 8.Ne1 Re8 9.h3 Qc8 10.g4 Bd7 11.Nc2 h5 12.f3 e5 13.d5 Na5 14.b3 e4 15.Bb2 exf3 16.exf3 c6 17.Kh1 a6 18.dxc6 Nxc6 19.Qxd6 Be6 20.Na4 Qd8 21.Rad1 Qxd6 22.Rxd6 Bf8 23.Rdd1 Nd7 24.gxh5 Bf5 25.Nd4 Nxd4 26.Bxd4 b5 27.Nc3 bxc4 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.bxc4 Rac8 30.f4 Bg7 31.Bb7 Rc7 32.Bxa6 Bxd4 33.Rxd4 Nc5 34.Bb5 Re3 35.Nd5 Rxh3+ 36.Kg2 Ra7 37.Rf2 Kf8 38.Re2 Raa3 39.Nf6 Rag3+ 40.Kf2 Nd3+ 41.Rxd3 Bxd3 42.Re8+ Kf7 43.Nd5 Rf3+ 44.Ke1 Rh2 45.Re7+ Kf8 46.Re8+ Kg7 47.Re7+ Kh6 48.Ne3 Rg3 49.Nf1 Rg1 50.Kd1 Rxf1+ 51.Re1 Bc2+ 0-1

Round 16, June 13
Yip, Carissa – Liang, Awonder
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack (Barcza System)

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.d4 Bf5 4.Bg2 Qd7 5.c4 dxc4 6.Na3 O-O-O 7.Nxc4 f6 8.O-O Bh3 9.Be3 Bxg2 10.Kxg2 h5 11.h4 Nh6 12.Qa4 Nf5 13.d5 Qxd5 14.Bxa7 Nxa7 15.e4 Qc5 16.exf5 Kb8 17.Rfd1 Rc8 18.Ne3 g5 19.fxg6 Bh6 20.Rac1 Qb5 21.Qe4 Rhg8 22.Rc3 Bxe3 23.Rxe3 Qe8 24.Nd4 e5 25.Rb3 b6 26.Nf5 Rxg6 27.Nd6 Qc6 28.Qxc6 Nxc6 29.Nxc8 Kxc8 30.Rc3 Nd4 31.a4 Kb7 32.b4 c6 33.Re3 Rg7 34.Kf1 c5 35.bxc5 bxc5 36.Rc3 Kc6 37.Rdc1 Ne6 38.a5 f5 39.Re1 e4 40.a6 Kd5 41.Rb1 Ra7 42.Rb6 c4 43.Rxc4 Kxc4 44.Rxe6 Kd5 45.Rh6 Ke5 46.Ke2 f4 47.Rxh5+ Kd4 48.Rh6 f3+ 49.Kd2 Rd7 50.h5 Ke5+ 51.Ke1 Rc7 52.Rb6 Rc1+ 53.Kd2 Ra1 54.h6 Ra2+ 55.Ke1 Ra1+ 56.Kd2 Ra2+ 57.Ke1 Ra1+ 58.Kd2 1/2-1/2

Round 16, June 13
Mendonca, Leon – Gukesh, D.
D02 Queen’s Pawn game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nd7 3.Bf4 Ngf6 4.e3 e6 5.c4 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O b6 10.Nb3 Ba6 11.Rc1 Rc8 12.cxd5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Nxd5 14.Bg3 Qe7 15.a3 Rfd8 16.Rfd1 h6 17.Nfd4 Bxd4 18.Nxd4 Nc5 19.f3 Qg5 20.Bf2 a5 21.h4 Qe5 22.Nb5 Nf4 23.Rxd8+ Rxd8 24.Qf1 Nfd3 25.Rb1 Nxf2 26.Qxf2 Nd3 27.Qe2 Qxb5 28.Rd1 Rd5 29.Kh2 Qxb2 0-1

Round 16, June 13
Pragg, R. – Yoo, Christopher
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 O-O 5.Bg5 d5 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.O-O-O Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 c6 14.Kb1 Qd6 15.h4 Nd7 16.h5 Rfd8 17.Rg1 Qh2 18.Bd3 Qxh5 19.f4 Nf8 20.Rh1 Qf3 21.Rh2 c5 22.Be2 cxd4 23.Bxf3 dxc3 24.bxc3 1-0

Round 17, June 13
Shuvalova, Polina – Keymer, Vincent
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Qd3 Be6 10.Bd2 Re8 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Bc8 13.c4 a5 14.Bc3 Nd7 15.Rae1 Bf6 16.Kh1 g6 17.Qc2 Bg7 18.Bd1 a4 19.Nd2 Nc5 20.f3 Bd7 21.b4 axb3 22.axb3 b5 23.Ne4 Qb6 24.Qf2 Qc7 25.Nxc5 dxc5 26.Bc2 Ra2 27.Re2 b4 28.Be1 Rea8 29.Qe3 Rb2 30.Be4 Raa2 31.Rxb2 Rxb2 32.Rf2 Rxf2 33.Bxf2 Bf8 34.g4 Qa5 35.Kg2 f6 36.Qd2 Qa6 37.Qc2 Be8 38.Qb2 Bd6 39.Be3 Bd7 40.Qf2 Qa5 41.Qc2 Kg7 42.Qf2 Qc7 43.Qa2 Bc8 44.h3 f5 45.Bc2 Kf6 46.Qa8 Kf7 47.Bb1 h5 48.Bc2 Kg7 49.Bb1 Kf6 50.Bc2 hxg4 51.hxg4 Kf7 52.Bb1 Kg7 53.Bc2 fxg4 54.fxg4 Bxg4 55.Qe8 Bf5 56.Bxf5 gxf5 57.Bg5 Qf7 58.Qd8 Qg6 59.Kf2 f4 60.Qd7+ Kg8 61.Qd8+ Bf8 62.Be7 Qg3+ 63.Kf1 Qf3+ 64.Kg1 Qd1+ 65.Kf2 Qd2+ 66.Kf1 Qd3+ 67.Kf2 Qg3+ 68.Kf1 Qh3+ 69.Kg1 Qh6 70.Bxc5 Qg6+ 71.Kf1 Qb1+ 72.Kf2 Qc2+ 73.Kf1 Qd1+ 74.Kf2 Qd2+ 75.Kf1 Qd3+ 76.Kg1 Qg3+ 77.Kf1 Qf3+ 78.Kg1 Qd1+ 79.Kh2 Qe2+ 80.Kg1 Qd1+ 81.Kh2 Qh5+ 82.Kg1 Qg6+ 83.Kf1 Qb1+ 84.Kf2 Qc2+ 85.Kf1 Qd3+ 86.Kg1 1/2-1/2

Round 17, June 13
Gukesh, D. – Pragg, R.
D24 QGA

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nxb5 Nb6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.Be3 Be7 10.h4 Nb4 11.Nc3 N4d5 12.Bd2 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bb7 14.h5 h6 15.Rh3 Qd7 16.Rg3 Bf8 17.Be3 Bd5 18.a4 a5 19.Nd2 Rb8 20.Rb1 Ra8 21.Ra1 Qc6 22.Kf1 Nc8 23.Qb1 Nb6 24.Ra2 Nxa4 25.Qa1 Nb6 26.Rxa5 Rxa5 27.Qxa5 Qa4 28.Nxc4 Bxc4 29.Qxa4+ Nxa4 30.Bxc4 Nxc3 31.Bc1 Nd5 32.Rb3 Nb6 33.Bb5+ Kd8 34.Rf3 Ke7 35.Rc3 Kd8 36.Rf3 Ke7 37.Bf4 Nd5 38.Bg3 f5 39.Ra3 Nb6 40.Bh4+ Kf7 41.Ra7 Be7 42.Bxe7 Nc8 43.Bc5 Nxa7 44.Bxa7 Ra8 45.Bc5 Ra1+ 46.Ke2 Rh1 47.Bc4 c6 48.Ba6 Rxh5 49.Bb7 Rh1 50.Bxc6 Rc1 51.Kd2 Rf1 52.d5 Ra1 53.d6 Ra2+ 54.Kc3 Ra5 55.Kb4 Ra1 56.d7 Rb1+ 57.Ka5 Rd1 58.Bd6 1-0

Gukesh says he's not sure if starting to use engines in the last year is a good idea, but he did use them when checking the novelty 10.h4, which gave him a crucial win over Praggnanandhaa!

Round 17, June 13
Liang, Awonder – Nihal Sarin
C79 Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 Na5 8.d4 Nxb3 9.axb3 Bb7 10.dxe5 Nxe4 11.Nc3 d5 12.Qe2 Bb4 13.Bd2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 O-O 15.Re2 Qd7 16.Rd1 Rad8 17.Qf4 Be7 18.Red2 Qe6 19.Nd4 Qg6 20.h4 Rfe8 21.Rd3 Bc8 22.h5 Qxh5 23.Nc6 Bg5 24.Qg3 Rd7 25.Nxd5 Bb7 26.Na5 Bxd5 27.Rxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxd5 h6 29.f4 Be7 30.Nc6 Bf8 31.Rd7 Bc5+ 32.Kf1 Re6 33.Nd4 Rg6 34.Qf3 Qh1+ 35.Kf2 Qc1 36.Qe4 Qd2+ 37.Kf1 Qd1+ 38.Kf2 Qg4 39.Rd8+ Kh7 40.c3 b4 41.Qf3 Qh4+ 42.Kf1 Qxd8 0-1

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Gelfand Challenge 2021

June 13, 2021

Day Four (continued)

Rounds 18 to 19

Round 18, June 13
Keymer, Vincent – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
A35 English, symmetrical, Four Knights System

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3 e5 8.d3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Qa4 Qc7 11.Nd2 Bd7 12.Qc2 b5 13.a4 b4 14.Bb2 Rac8 15.Rfd1 a5 16.Nc4 Be6 17.Rac1 f6 18.Ne3 Rfd8 19.c4 Nd4 20.Bxd4 cxd4 21.Nf1 f5 22.Re1 Bg5 23.Rcd1 e4 24.dxe4 Qxc4 25.Qxc4 Bxc4 26.exf5 Bb3 27.Ra1 Bc2 28.f4 Bf6 29.Nd2 d3 30.e4 Bc3 31.Rad1 Bxd1 32.Rxd1 Bxd2 33.Rxd2 b3 34.e5 Rc2 0-1

Abdusattorov has probably ended Keymer's hopes of qualifying for the #ChessChamps this time round!

Round 18, June 13
Nihal Sarin – Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
C47 Four Knights game

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.a4 g6 5.Bc4 Bg7 6.d3 d6 7.h3 h6 8.Be3 O-O 9.Qd2 Kh7 10.g4 Ng8 11.O-O-O Nd4 12.Bxd4 exd4 13.Ne2 c5 14.h4 Bxg4 15.Ng5+ hxg5 16.hxg5+ Nh6 17.Rdg1 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Qd7 19.f4 Qxa4 20.Kb1 Qd7 21.f5 1-0

Round 18, June 13
Zhu, Jiner – Liang, Awonder
B01 Scandinavian Defence

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd8 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.h3 O-O 8.O-O a6 9.a4 b6 10.Re1 Nc6 11.Bg5 Bb7 12.Qd2 Qd6 13.Rad1 Rad8 14.Qe2 Nb4 15.Ne5 e6 16.Nb1 h6 17.Bc1 a5 18.c3 Nbd5 19.Na3 Qe7 20.Bd3 Nd7 21.Nac4 Qf6 22.Ng4 Qh4 23.Kh2 Kh7 24.g3 Qh5 25.Nce5 N7f6 26.c4 Nxg4+ 27.Nxg4 f5 28.Ne5 Qxe2 29.Bxe2 Nb4 30.Bf3 Ba6 31.Nc6 Nxc6 32.Bxc6 Bxc4 33.Bf4 Rxd4 34.Rxd4 Bxd4 35.Rc1 Ba6 36.Bxc7 Bxf2 37.Rd1 Bc8 38.Be5 Bc5 39.Kg2 g5 40.Kf3 Kg6 41.b3 h5 42.Rd3 Be7 43.Rd1 Rd8 44.Rxd8 Bxd8 45.Bd6 g4+ 46.hxg4 hxg4+ 47.Ke3 Bg5+ 48.Kd4 Bf6+ 49.Ke3 Bd8 50.Be5 Be7 51.Be8+ Kg5 52.Bc7 Bc5+ 53.Kd2 Kf6 54.Kd3 e5 55.Kc4 Be6+ 56.Kb5 Bxb3 0-1

Final Position



Round 18, June 13
Pragg, R. – Badelka, Olga
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 O-O 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 d5 7.e3 c5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.dxc5 Be6 10.Be2 Nc6 11.O-O Bxc5 12.Rc1 Be7 13.Qa4 Qb6 14.Qb5 Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Qxb5 16.Nxb5 g5 17.Bg3 Ne4 18.Nfd4 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 Rac8 21.f4 Bf6 22.Kf2 Bxd4 23.exd4 Kg7 24.Bd3 Kf6 25.Rh1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Rc8 27.Rh1 Kg7 28.Kf3 Bd7 29.Ke3 a6 30.Kd2 Bb5 31.Bxb5 axb5 32.fxg5 hxg5 33.Re1 Rc4 34.Kd3 Ra4 35.Re5 Rxa2 36.Kc3 Ra4 37.Rxg5+ Kf6 38.Rxd5 Rc4+ 39.Kd3 Rb4 40.Kc3 Rc4+ 41.Kd3 Rb4 42.Kc2 Rc4+ 43.Kb1 b4 44.Rd7 Ke6 45.Rxb7 Rxd4 46.Ka2 Rg4 47.Kb3 Rxg3+ 48.Kxb4 Rxg2 49.Kc3 1/2-1/2

What a twist! Olga Badelka holds Praggnanandhaa and now Gukesh is top with the better tiebreak after beating Pragg in the last round. If Gukesh beats Lei Tingjie in the last round he's in the #ChessChamps Tour!

Round 18, June 13
Bjerre, Jonas – Gukesh, D.
E94 King’s Indian, Orthodox variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Na6 8.Be3 Qe8 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Rb1 Ng4 11.Bc1 Nc5 12.b4 Ne6 13.Ba3 c6 14.b5 c5 15.Nd5 f5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.h3 Nh6 18.Qc1 Kh8 19.Ng5 Nd4 20.Bd1 b6 21.Nc7 Qg6 22.Nxa8 f4 23.h4 Bf5 24.Ra1 Rxa8 25.Re1 Rf8 26.Bf3 Nf7 27.Nxf7+ Rxf7 28.Bd5 Rd7 29.Bb2 Rxd5 30.cxd5 Bh3 31.g3 Nf3+ 32.Kh1 fxg3 33.fxg3 Qxg3 34.Qc2 Bg2+ 35.Qxg2 Qxh4+ 36.Qh3 Qxh3# 0-1

A beautiful checkmating finish as Gukesh keeps the pressure on Praggnanandhaa!

Gukesh (with a better tiebreaker) is the favourite going into the final round, but Praggnanandhaa and Keymer are still in the hunt!

Round 19, June 13
Mammadzada, Gunay – Keymer, Vincent
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf, Adams Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nde2 h5 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Nd5 Qd8 11.Nec3 g6 12.Bc4 Bh6 13.Qd3 Nc6 14.O-O O-O 15.Bb3 Nd4 16.Rad1 Rc8 17.Ne3 Qh4 18.Ne2 Bxb3 19.cxb3 Nxe2+ 20.Qxe2 Qxe4 21.Rxd6 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Qxe3 23.fxe3 Rfd8 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Rf2 Rd1+ 26.Kh2 Re1 27.Rc2 Rxe3 28.Rc7 Re2 29.Rxb7 Rxb2 30.Re7 Re2 31.a4 Kg7 32.Kg3 Kf6 33.Rb7 Re3+ 34.Kf2 Rc3 35.b4 Rb3 36.h4 Ke6 37.a5 f6 38.Rb6+ Kf5 39.Ke2 e4 40.Kd2 Rb2+ 41.Ke3 Ke5 42.g3 Rb3+ 43.Kf2 Kf5 44.Ke2 g5 45.Kf2 gxh4 46.gxh4 Ke5 47.Ke2 f5 48.Rxa6 Rxb4 49.Rh6 Rb2+ 50.Ke1 Ra2 51.Rxh5 Rxa5 52.Rh8 Kf4 53.Rg8 Kf3 54.Kd2 e3+ 55.Kd3 f4 0-1

Round 19, June 13
Gukesh, D. – Lei, Tingjie
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Nbd2 O-O 6.Bd3 b6 7.Ne5 c5 8.c3 Qc7 9.h4 Nbd7 10.Ndf3 Ne4 11.Ng5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.Qh5 h6 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bxe5 Qf7 16.Qxf7+ Rxf7 17.f3 Nf6 18.O-O-O a5 19.Bg6 Rb7 20.g4 Nh7 21.Bc2 Bd7 22.g5 h5 23.g6 Nf6 24.Rhg1 Bb5 25.Rd2 Rf8 26.e4 Bc6 27.exd5 Bxd5 28.Bd6 Rd8 29.Bh2 Rbd7 30.Rf1 Bxa2 31.Rxd7 Rxd7 32.Be5 Bc4 33.Re1 b5 34.b3 Bd5 35.Re3 Bc6 36.Bxf6 gxf6 37.Rxe6 Bxf3 38.Rxf6 Bg4 39.Ra6 a4 40.bxa4 bxa4 41.Rxa4 Kg7 42.Ra5 Rc7 43.Ra6 Bf3 44.Kd2 Rd7+ 45.Ke3 Bd1 46.Bf5 Re7+ 47.Kf4 Be2 48.Rc6 c4 49.Rd6 Rc7 50.Ke5 Bd3 51.Bxd3 cxd3 52.Rxd3 Rc4 53.Kf5 Rc5+ 54.Ke6 Rc4 55.Rh3 Kxg6 56.Kd5 Rc8 57.Rg3+ Kf5 58.c4 Rd8+ 59.Kc5 Rc8+ 60.Kd4 Rd8+ 61.Kc3 Rd1 62.Rg5+ Kf6 63.Rxh5 Rh1 64.Kb4 Kg6 65.Rg5+ Kf6 66.Rg4 Kf5 67.Rd4 Ke5 68.Kc5 1-0

Gukesh's final-round win over Lei Tingjie was an absolute nail-biter, so it was a mixture of joy and relief when he finally won!

Round 19, June 13
Salimova, Nurgyul – Pragg, R.
E67 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 d6 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.Qc2 exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.Rd1 a5 11.b3 Nc5 12.Ba3 Qe7 13.Rac1 c6 14.h3 h5 15.e3 Nh7 16.Nce2 Bd7 17.h4 Nf6 18.Nf4 Ng4 19.Qe2 Rad8 20.Qe1 Bc8 21.Rc2 Qc7 22.Rcd2 a4 23.Qf1 Ne4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4 25.Nf3 Bf8 26.Ng5 Ree8 27.Bb2 Ne5 28.Qe2 Bg7 29.f3 axb3 30.axb3 Qb6 31.Rxd6 Rxd6 32.Rxd6 Qxb3 33.Ne4 Qxb2 34.Qxb2 Nxf3+ 35.Kf2 Bxb2 36.Kxf3 Bg4+ 37.Kf2 Rxe4 38.Nd3 Be5 39.Rd8+ Kg7 40.c5 Bf6 41.Rb8 Re7 0-1

Praggnanandhaa wins his last game, so Keymer's hopes are over and it's all eyes on Gukesh!

Round 19, June 13
Murzin, Volodar – Nihal Sarin
C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 g6 7.O-O Bg7 8.h3 O-O 9.Be3 h6 10.Nbd2 Nd7 11.Nh2 Ne7 12.f4 exf4 13.Bxf4 Nc5 14.Bc2 Ne6 15.Be3 f5 16.d4 f4 17.Bf2 Qe8 18.Ndf3 Bd7 19.Qd2 g5 20.Rfe1 Ng6 21.e5 d5 22.Qd3 Kh7 23.Ng4 Bb5 24.Qd1 Qf7 25.h4 Kg8 26.a4 Be8 27.h5 Ne7 28.Nf6+ Bxf6 29.exf6 Qxf6 30.Qd3 Rf7 31.Ne5 Nf8 32.g3 Rg7 33.gxf4 Bxh5 34.Qh3 Bg6 35.Ng4 Qxf4 36.Bg3 Qd2 37.Nxh6+ Kh8 38.Be5 Qxc2 39.Bxg7+ Kxg7 40.Rxe7+ Kf6 41.Ng8# 1-0

Final Position



Round 19, June 13
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek – Yip, Carissa
B06 Pirc-Robatsch

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 Nd7 5.Qd2 c6 6.Nf3 b5 7.Bd3 Nb6 8.h4 h6 9.e5 Be6 10.a4 a6 11.O-O Nd5 12.Be4 Rc8 13.axb5 axb5 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Bd3 Bd7 16.exd6 exd6 17.Bf4 Ne7 18.Bxd6 O-O 19.h5 g5 20.Ra7 Re8 21.Ne5 Bxe5 22.dxe5 Nf5 23.Qb4 Nxd6 24.Qxd6 Be6 25.Bxb5 Qxd6 26.exd6 Red8 27.d7 Rb8 28.Bc6 Rxb2 29.Rfa1 Kf8 30.Ra8 Rbb8 31.Rxb8 Rxb8 32.Ra5 Ke7 33.Bxd5 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 Bxd7 35.Ra7 Rb6 36.Bxf7 Rf6 37.Bd5 Kd6 38.Ra6+ 1-0

Congratulations to @DGukesh on winning the #GelfandChallenge with a brilliant final day! He'll join the world's best in the @Meltwater Champions Chess Tour event, starting June 26^th

Vishy Anand (tweet) - Congrats to both my boys for 1 st place @DGukesh and @rpragchess ! Great result. Now @DGukesh lets get ready for the big one

The #GelfandChallenge had an incredibly close finish, but it's Gukesh who gets a 1st chance in the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour! Team Polgar scored a big win over Team Kramnik #ChessChallengers

Gukesh: "It's just a great honour to play in the Champions Chess Tour. I haven't thought about it and I don't have many expectations. I just want to enjoy playing the top players and learn something from them!"

[Hans Jung]

It will be interesting to see how Gukesh will do against the big guns.