FIDE World Cup Open Sochi 2021

[Hans Jung]

Game one in the Fedoseev - Karjakhin match started out well but ended drying up, kind of like the weather today.

[Wayne Komer]

FIDE World Cup Open Sochi 2021

August 1, 2021

Semi-Final

Game One

Commentators Peter Svidler and Jan Gustafsson

Game 1, August 1
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
D24 QGA

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bxc4 Nxe4 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qe2 O-O 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 Be7 11.Rad1 Nc6 12.Rfe1 Nd5 13.Bxd5 Bxh4 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Qc4 Rb8 16.Nxh4 Qxh4 17.b3 Rd8 18.Qxc6 Bb7 19.Qc5 Qg5 20.Qxg5 hxg5 21.h3 Bd5 22.Re5 f6 23.Nxd5 fxe5 24.Ne7+ Kf8 25.Nc6 Ra8 26.Nxd8 Rxd8 27.Rc1 exd4 28.Rxc7 d3 29.Rc1 Ke7 30.f3 Rc8 31.Rd1 Rc2 32.Rxd3 1/2-1/2

If you get to play cute moves like 30...Rc8! in a rook endgame against Magnus Carlsen, you are doing well.

Carlsen-Duda is drawn, with Jan-Krzysztof having the white pieces tomorrow!

Game 1, August 1
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Karjakin, Sergey
D41 QGD, Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.e3 O-O 9.Be2 h6 10.Bh4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Qb6 12.O-O Rd8 13.Nb5 Bg4 14.Nfd4 Bxe2 15.Qxe2 a6 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Nc3 Qb4 18.Bg3 Ne4 19.Be5 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Rxd6 21.Rac1 a5 22.Rfd1 Re8 23.Qc2 Nxc3 24.bxc3 Qc5 25.Rd4 Re4 26.h3 Rde6 27.Rb1 g6 28.Qb2 Kg7 29.Rbd1 Kh7 30.a4 h5 31.Qa1 h4 32.Qb2 Re8 33.Rb1 R8e7 34.Qa1 Qa7 35.Qb2 Qc5 36.Rbd1 Re8 37.Rc1 R8e7 38.Rb1 Kg7 39.Qa1 Qa7 40.Rbd1 Rxd4 41.cxd4 Rb7 42.Qc3 Qa6 43.Rc1 Rb4 44.Qxc6 Qxc6 45.Rxc6 Rxa4 46.Kf1 Ra2 47.Rc5 a4 48.Rxd5 a3 49.Ra5 f5 50.Ra6 Kf7 51.d5 g5 52.f3 Ra1+ 53.Kf2 Ra2+ 54.Kg1 Ra1+ 55.Kh2 a2 56.e4 fxe4 57.fxe4 Ke7 58.e5 Rd1 59.Ra7+ Ke8 60.Ra8+ Ke7 61.Ra7+ Ke8 62.Rxa2 Rxd5 63.Re2 Ke7 64.e6 Rd8 65.g4 hxg3+ 66.Kxg3 Rd6 67.Kg4 Rxe6 68.Rxe6+ Kxe6 69.Kxg5 1/2-1/2

The #FIDEWorldCup semi-final 1st game between Fedoseev & Karjakin also ends in a draw

Jan: "What do you call Shatner hate on Twitter — a Shatstorm?"
Peter: "Something like that, yes"
Jan: "Sorry, I know not all my jokes are not great... you'll have to Kirk your enthusiasm"
Peter: "...I don't know if I'm worthy to share a Zoom call with you"

[Hans Jung]

Game Two Karjakhin - Fedoseev Simple chess but elegant. Look at e6 and knight transfers to g6, what an outpost!

The position translates (by force) to White having two connected passed pawns in the center. Fascinating!

[Hans Jung]

Game Two Duda - Carlsen Ruy Lopez (Spanish) is the opening ordered up today. Magnus marshalls his forces in the Marshall but Duda is ready for him and sacrifices the exchange. That looks good but then there is the stutter step by the rook (Rd1,Re1). What is that all about?

The endgame after a rook exchange ends up with (in several positions) a knight and two connected passed pawns vs a rook. Are there winning chances for White? The computer seems to think not, but interesting to ponder.

[Hans Jung]

Game Two Fedoseev realizes the connected passed pawns are too strong and resigns.

[Hans Jung]

Nice try by Duda in game two but draw.

[Wayne Komer]

FIDE World Cup Open Sochi 2021

August 2, 2021

Semi-Final

Game Two

Game 2, August 2
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Carlsen, Magnus
C88 Ruy Lopez, Closed, anti-Marshall

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 Rb8 9.c3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.axb5 axb5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5 c6 14.d4 Bd6 15.Re1 Qh4 16.g3 Qh3 17.Re4 g5 18.Qf1 Qxf1+ 19.Kxf1 Bf5 20.Nd2 Bxe4 21.Nxe4 Be7 22.Bxg5 Bxg5 23.Nxg5 Ra8 24.Rd1 Nb6 25.Re1 Nc4 26.Bxc4 bxc4 27.Nf3 Rfb8 28.Ne5 Rxb2 29.Nxc4 Rc2 30.Re3 Ra1+ 31.Kg2 Rac1 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Ne5 Rxc3 34.Re7 R3c2 35.Rxf7+ Kg8 36.Rc7 h5 37.Nd7 Rd1 38.Nf6+ Kf8 39.Nxh5 Rdd2 40.h4 Rxf2+ 41.Kh3 Rf7 42.Rc8+ Ke7 43.Nf4 Kd6 44.h5 Rd2 45.Kg4 Rg7+ 46.Kf3 Rxd4 47.h6 Rh7 48.Rd8+ Ke5 49.Re8+ Kd6 50.Rd8+ Ke5 51.Re8+ Kd6 52.Re6+ Kd7 53.Rg6 Ke7 54.Rxc6 Rd6 55.Ng6+ Kd7 56.Ne5+ Ke6 57.Rxd6+ Kxd6 58.Kf4 Ke6 59.Ng4 Ra7 60.Kg5 Kf7 61.Ne3 Kg8 62.g4 Kh7 63.Kh5 Ra3 64.Nf5 Ra5 65.Kg5 1/2-1/2

Final Position



Svidler: "I understand why Magnus is sitting there not looking very happy... it doesn't feel like you're making a draw here, you're just making moves and hoping nothing bad happens to you!"

Draw! So Magnus Carlsen and Jan-Krzysztof Duda come back tomorrow for tiebreaks, with a place in the #FIDEWorldCup final (and the Candidates for Duda) at stake

Game 2, August 2
Karjakin, Sergey – Fedoseev, Vladimir
C92 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Flohr-Zaitsev System

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3 h6 13.Bc2 d5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5 16.Nf3 Re8 17.e5 Ne4 18.Bf4 c5 19.a4 f5 20.h4 Be7 21.h5 Rf8 22.axb5 axb5 23.Rxa8 Bxa8 24.e6 Re8 25.Ne5 Bg5 26.Ng6 d4 27.cxd4 Nxf2 28.Kxf2 Bxf4 29.Nxf4 Qh4+ 30.Kg1 Qxf4 31.d5 Qg3 32.Re2 Qg5 33.Qd2 1-0

Karjakin has also booked his spot in the 2022 Candidates Tournament, where he joins Teimour Radjabov! Fedoseev will play the 3rd place match and will still have a chance of reaching the Candidates if Carlsen beats Duda

[Hans Jung]

Congratulations to Sergei Karjakhin for surviving the previous matches and being the best player in this one.

[Hans Jung]

Duda is being put to the test. Sharp first playoff game.

[Wayne Komer]

FIDE World Cup Open Sochi 2021

August 3, 2021

Semi-Final

Tie-Break

Game 1, August 3
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Carlsen, Magnus
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 g6 7.O-O Bg7 8.Re1 O-O 9.h3 Nb8 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Bc2 b5 12.a4 Bb7 13.b4 c5 14.bxc5 Nxc5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Qb1 Bc6 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 b4 20.Bb2 b3 21.dxc5 bxc2 22.Qxc2 dxc5 23.Ne5 Ba4 24.Rxa4 Rxa4 25.Qxa4 Qxd2 26.Qa1 Nh5 27.Bc3 Qc2 28.Qa7 Qb3 29.Qxc5 Nf4 30.Re3 Qd1+ 31.Re1 Qb3 32.Re3 Qd1+ 33.Re1 Qb3 1/2-1/2

Game 2, August 3
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B52 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.O-O Nf6 6.Qe2 Nc6 7.c3 e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Nbd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Bb4 13.Bf4 O-O 14.Qd3 Be7 15.a3 Rac8 16.g3 Na5 17.b3 Qc6 18.Bd2 Qb6 19.Rfb1 a6 20.Kg2 Nc6 21.Re1 Qb5 22.Qb1 Rc7 23.h4 Rfc8 24.Ra2 a5 25.Rh1 a4 26.b4 h6 27.Be3 Na7 28.Bd2 Qe2 29.Re1 Qc4 30.Re3 Nb5 31.Rd3 Rc6 32.Rb2 Bd8 33.g4 Bb6 34.Be3 Nc3 35.Qf1 Qb5 36.Rc2 Ne4 37.Rxc6 Rxc6 38.Rd1 Rc4 39.Nd2 Nxd2 40.Rxd2 Qc6 41.Qe2 Rc3 42.Ra2 Bd8 43.g5 hxg5 44.hxg5 Qc4 45.Qxc4 dxc4 46.d5 exd5 47.Rd2 Rd3 48.Rxd3 cxd3 49.f4 Kf8 50.Kf3 Ke7 51.Bc5+ Ke6 52.Ke3 Kf5 53.Kxd3 g6 54.Be3 Bc7 55.b5 Bd8 56.Kd4 Bb6+ 57.Kd3 Bd8 58.Kd4 Be7 59.Bc1 Ke6 60.Bb2 Bd8 61.Kc5 Ba5 62.Bc1 Bc3 63.b6 d4 64.Kc4 Kd7 65.Be3 Bb2 66.Bxd4 Bxa3 67.Be3 Bb2 68.Kb4 a3 69.Kb3 Ke6 70.Ka2 Kd5 71.Kb3 Ke4 72.Bd2 Bd4 73.Kxa3 Bxb6 74.Kb4 Bf2 0-1

Position after White’s 49.f4



Svidler: "I don't know how Magnus survives the next 5 moves here" (spoken at move 32 in the game).

With a damaged queenside and shaky center, Magnus Carlsen finally goes for 33.g4. It's mate or bust.

Both players are missing things now the game has reached absolutely maximum tension! Magnus has chances of escaping

49...f6! was completely winning for Duda, but it seems now Magnus is escaping!

Rauf Mamedov - #FIDEWorldCup oh my god, what a thriller in Magnus Duda game

Jan-Krzysztof Duda has done it, beating Magnus Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates and the #FIDEWorldCup final against Sergey Karjakin after an incredible rollercoaster finish!

Jan-Krzysztof Duda hasn't lost a game at the #FIDEWorldCup and his victory in the final game was completely deserved, even if there were chances for Magnus to escape until just before the finish!

Magnus Carlsen - Unforgiving indeed. Huge congrats to @GM_JKDuda and @SergeyKaryakin for making the finals and candidates! Losing today certainly hurts, but I am nevertheless happy with my progress in the tournament, and also getting great practice for later this year

The final between Karjakin and Duda starts tomorrow. Carlsen and Fedoseev also play for third place.

[Hans Jung]

What a thriller, what a fight!

[Hans Jung]

and I enjoyed the endgame (almost like second, third, and fourth chances to win). Magnus beaten in the endgame! Hugh congratulations to Duda.

[Wayne Komer]

FIDE World Cup Open Sochi 2021

August 4, 2021

Final

Game 1

Jan Gustafsson and Laurent Fressinet are the commentators. Jan is at his irrepressible best saying that Laurent is very fussy when they dine at a French restaurant together, demanding that there is white bread and enough garlic on the snails. All nonsense, of course.

He also says that grandmasters like bishops over knights because it is easier to understand how they move. With knights they jump over men, not in a straight line!

Game 1, August 4
Karjakin, Sergey – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
D24 QGA

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bxc4 Nxe4 7.O-O Nf6 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.Ne5 Rb8 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Rd1 Bd7 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Qxa7 Ra8 14.Qb7 Rb8 15.Qa7 Ra8 16.Qb7 Rb8 17.Qa7 1/2-1/2


Third Place Match

Game 1, August 4
Fedoseev, Vladimir – Carlsen, Magnus
E60 King’s Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.h4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 Nc6 6.d5 Ne5 7.Be2 h5 8.Bf4 O-O 9.Nf3 Nxf3+ 10.gxf3 c6 11.Qd2 cxd5 12.cxd5 Kh7 13.a4 Nd7 14.a5 f5 15.Ra3 Ne5 16.Be3 f4 17.Bxf4 Bd7 18.Nd1 Rxf4 19.Qxf4 Bh6 20.Qg3 Qf8 21.Ne3 Bf4 22.Qg2 Rc8 23.Rc3 Rxc3 24.bxc3 Qc8 25.c4 b5 26.axb6 axb6 27.Qg1 Qa8 28.Kf1 Qa2 29.Ng2 Qa1+ 30.Ne1 Qb2 31.Ng2 Qc1+ 32.Ne1 Qd2 33.Qg2 Kg7 34.Rg1 Kf8 35.Qh1 e6 36.Rg3 exd5 37.exd5 Bf5 38.Rg1 Kf7 39.Rg3 Nd7 40.Rg5 Bxg5 41.hxg5 Ne5 0-1

Position after White’s 27.Qg1



Magnus Carlsen bounces back from his #FIDEWorldCup loss to win a fantastic exchange sacrifice game against Vladimir Fedoseev in the 3rd place match

Magnus Carlsen has produced an instant classic that goes straight into his collection of best games.

Final Position

[Hans Jung]

What a lovely game Magnus played. ...Rxf4 must have been a what the heck decision. Its so deep that all you can see is that you have all the play and as it turns out it leads to a form of paralysis (zugzwang). Thanks from the chess fans.

[Hans Jung]

Powerhouse performances by Duda and Magnus!