Aimchess US Rapid 2021

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

August 30, 2021

Preliminaries

Day Three

Results

Round 11

Aronian-Duda 0.5-0.5
Van Foreest-Liang 1-0
Carlsen-Giri 0.5-0.5
So-Artemiev 0-1
Vidit-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
Le-Dominguez 0-1
Firouzja-MVL 1-0
Naroditsky-Hansen 0.5-0.5

Round 12

Duda-Hansen 0.5-0.5
MVL-Naroditsky 1-0
Dominguez-Firouzja 0-1
Mamedyarov-Le 0-1
Artemiev-Vidit 0.5-0.5
Giri-So 0.5-0.5
Liang-Carlsen 0-1
Aronian-Van Foreest 1-0

Round 13

Van Foreest-Duda 0-1
Carlsen-Aronian 0.5-0.5
So-Liang 1-0
Vidit-Giri 0.5-0.5
Le-Artemiev 0.5-0.5
Firouzja-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
Naroditsky-Dominguez 0-1
Hansen-MVL 0-1

Round 14

Duda-MVL 1-0
Dominguez-Hansen 1-0
Mamedyarov-Naroditsky 1-0
Artemiev-Firouzja 0.5-0.5
Giri-Le 0.5-0.5
Liang-Vidit 0.5-0.5
Aronian-So 0.5-0.5
Van Foreest-Carlsen 0.5-0.5

Round 15

Carlsen-Duda 0.5-0.5
So-Van Foreest 1-0
Vidit-Aronian 1-0
Le-Liang 1-0
Firouzja-Giri 0.5-0.5
Naroditsky-Artemiev 0.5-0.5
Hansen-Mamedyarov 0.5-0.5
MVL-Dominguez 0.5-0.5

Final Standings after Preliminaries

1 Artemiev 10.5
2 Carlsen 10
3-4 Aronian-Firouzja 9.5
5-7 So, Mamedyarov, Duda 9
8-9 Dominguez, Giri 8
10-11 MVL, Vidit 7.5
12-13 Naroditsky, Le 6
14 Van Foreest 4.5
15 Hansen 3.5
16 Liang 2.5

Quarter-Final Matches

August 31-September 1

Artemiev-Dominguez
So-Firouzja
Aronian-Mamedyarov
Duda-Carlsen

Selected Games

Round 11, August 30
Van Foreest, Jorden – Liang, Awonder
D15 QGD Slav, Slav Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 b5 6.Be2 e6 7.a4 b4 8.e5 bxc3 9.exf6 cxb2 10.fxg7 Bxg7 11.Bxb2 Qa5+ 12.Nd2 Ba6 13.Rc1 O-O 14.O-O Nd7 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.Nxc4 Qd5 17.Ne3 Qd6 18.Qf3 Rac8 19.Nc4 Qd5 20.Ba3 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Rfd8 22.Be7 Bxd4 23.Bxd8 Rxd8 24.Na5 Ne5 25.f4 Bb6 26.fxe5 Bxa5 27.Rxc6 Rd5 28.f4 Rd4 29.Kh1 Rxa4 30.Ra6 Ra3 31.Rxa7 Bb4 32.Rg1+ Kf8 33.Rb7 Bc5 34.Rb8+ Ke7 35.Rc1 Ra5 36.Rc8 Bb6 37.Rb1 Bd8 38.Rd1 Bb6 39.Rd6 Be3 40.Rc7+ Ke8 41.Rc4 Ra2 42.Rd3 Bf2 43.Rc8+ Ke7 44.Rb3 Ra7 45.Rh8 Be1 46.Rd3 Ra4 47.Rdd8 f5 48.Rd1 Bf2 49.Rxh7+ Ke8 50.Rb1 1-0

Round 11, August 30
Carlsen, Magnus – Giri, Anish
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.Bb5 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e5 dxe5 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.O-O c4 9.h3 Be6 10.Re1 Qc7 11.Qe2 cxd3 12.cxd3 Nf6 13.Nxe5 O-O 14.Bf4 Qb7 15.Rac1 Nd5 16.Bg3 Nxc3 17.Rxc3 Bd5 18.d4 a5 19.h4 Bxa2 20.Nxc6 e6 21.Be5 f6 22.Bd6 Rfe8 23.Ra1 Bd5 24.Nxa5 Qa6 25.Qxa6 Rxa6 26.Bc5 Rb8 27.b4 Bf8 28.Ra4 Bh6 29.Ra1 Raa8 30.Rc2 Bf8 31.Rb2 Rb5 32.Nb3 Rab8 33.Ra5 Rxb4 34.Bxb4 Rxb4 35.Rxd5 exd5 36.g3 f5 37.Kf1 Bg7 38.Rb1 Kf7 39.Ke2 h5 40.Nd2 Rxb1 41.Nxb1 Bxd4 42.Nd2 f4 43.Kf3 fxg3 44.fxg3 Bf6 45.Nb3 Ke6 46.Nc5+ Kf5 47.Nd3 Be5 48.Nf2 Ke6 49.g4 Bd6 50.gxh5 gxh5 51.Nd1 Ke5 52.Nc3 d4 53.Nb5 Be7 54.Nxd4 Kxd4 55.Kg2 Bxh4 56.Kh1 Bg5 57.Kg2 Ke4 58.Kh1 Kf3 59.Kg1 Kg3 60.Kh1 h4 61.Kg1 h3 62.Kh1 h2 1/2-1/2

23.Ne7+! could have been a big move for Magnus, with the point that after 23...Rxe7? 24.Bxe7 Qxe7 White traps the bishop with 25.b3!

Final Position



Round 11, August 30
So, Wesley – Artemiev, Vladislav
C76 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.O-O Bd7 6.c3 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.Re1 Nf6 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.dxe5 Nxe4 11.exd6 O-O 12.dxc7 Qxc7 13.Be3 Rfe8 14.Nbd2 Rad8 15.Nd4 Bd5 16.Nxe4 Rxe4 17.Qd2 Rg4 18.g3 Re4 19.Bh6 Bxd4 20.cxd4 Rde8 21.Rxe4 Rxe4 22.Rc1 Qd8 23.Qa5 Re8 24.Qxd8 Rxd8 25.Rc7 Bc6 26.g4 f5 27.gxf5 Rxd4 28.h3 Rd7 29.Rc8+ Kf7 30.Rf8+ Ke7 31.fxg6 Rd1+ 32.Kh2 Rh1+ 33.Kg3 Rg1+ 34.Kh4 Rxg6 35.Kh5 Rxh6+ 36.Kxh6 Kxf8 37.Kxh7 Kf7 38.h4 Bf3 0-1

Artemiev tricks So to win a piece! Wesley loses the 1st game of the day for a 3rd day in a row

Round 11, August 30
Firouzja, Alireza – MVL
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.h4 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.d5 b5 8.h5 Nxh5 9.Nxb5 O-O 10.Bxc4 Bg4 11.Qc2 Na6 12.Be3 Rb8 13.Qd2 Nc7 14.Nc3 Ne8 15.Bh6 Rxb2 16.Qxb2 Bxh6 17.Ne5 Bd7 18.Be2 Bg7 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Bxh5 gxh5 21.Rc1 Qg4 22.Qe2 Qg5 23.Qe3 Qxe3+ 24.fxe3 Be5 25.Rxh5 f6 26.Na4 Nd6 27.Nxc5 Rc8 28.Kd1 Bb2 29.Rc2 Ba3 30.Ne6 Rxc2 31.Kxc2 Nxe4 32.Rh4 1-0

Round 11, August 30
Naroditsky, Daniel – Hansen, Eric
C47 Four Knights, Belgrade Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5 Be7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O d6 8.h3 Nxd5 9.exd5 Ne5 10.Nxd4 Bf6 11.Be4 Re8 12.c3 Bd7 13.Qc2 g6 14.f4 Nc4 15.b3 Qe7 16.Re1 Bxd4+ 17.cxd4 Nb6 18.Bd2 Qf6 19.Qc3 Rxe4 20.Rxe4 Nxd5 21.Qf3 Bc6 22.Rae1 Qf5 23.g4 Qd7 24.Qf2 f5 25.Re6 Qf7 26.Qh4 Re8 27.gxf5 gxf5 28.Qg5+ Kf8 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.Rxe8+ Bxe8 31.Kh2 Kh8 32.Qg5 Bc6 33.Rg1 Qf8 34.Be1 h6 35.Qh4 Kh7 36.Bf2 Qf7 37.Qg3 a6 38.Be1 Bb5 39.Bc3 Bc6 40.Bb2 Bb5 41.Re1 Bc6 42.a4 Bd7 43.Rg1 Bc6 44.Re1 Bd7 45.Rg1 Bc6 46.Re1 Bd7 1/2-1/2

Round 12, August 30
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Hansen, Eric
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d6 7.Nf3 b6 8.g3 Bb7 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.O-O c5 11.Rd1 Qe7 12.b3 Rac8 13.Bb2 d5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Ne5 dxc4 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nxc4 Rfd8 18.Nd6 Rxd6 19.Rxd6 Nce4 20.Qd3 Nxd6 21.Qxd6 Qe4 22.Re1 h5 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Qe7 Kg7 25.Qxa7 Ra8 26.Qxb6 Rxa3 27.Qc5 Rxb3 28.Qxh5 Qb4 29.Rd1 Qe4 30.h3 Rb2 31.Re1 Qb4 32.Kf1 Qe4 33.Qf3 f5 34.Qc3+ Kg8 35.f3 Qb7 36.Qf6 Qb5 37.h4 Rc2 38.Qg5+ Kh7 39.g4 Qe5 40.Qh5+ Kg7 41.Qg5+ Kh7 42.gxf5 exf5 43.Qh5+ Kg7 44.Qg5+ Kh7 45.Qg2 Rc4 46.Qh3 Qf6 47.Kg2 1/2-1/2

Round 12, August 30
MVL – Naroditsky, Daniel
E90 King’s Indian, Zinnowitz variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 O-O 5.e4 d6 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Be2 exd5 9.exd5 h6 10.Be3 Bg4 11.Nd2 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 Re8 13.O-O Nbd7 14.Rae1 a6 15.a4 Qb6 16.b3 Qb4 17.Rc1 Re7 18.h3 Rae8 19.Qd3 Nh5 20.Nce4 Qb6 21.g4 Nhf6 22.Ng3 Ne5 23.Qc2 Qd8 24.Bf4 Qd7 25.Kg2 b5 26.axb5 axb5 27.Ra1 bxc4 28.bxc4 h5 29.g5 Nh7 30.Ra6 h4 31.Nge4 Qf5 32.Nf6+ Nxf6 33.Qxf5 gxf5 34.gxf6 Bxf6 35.Rxd6 Bg7 36.Bxe5 Rxe5 37.Rc6 Bf8 38.Rd1 Re2 39.d6 Rd8 40.Nf3 Re6 41.Nxh4 Rf6 42.Rxc5 Rfxd6 43.Rxd6 Rxd6 44.Rxf5 Rd2 45.Nf3 Rc2 46.Ne5 Bg7 47.Nxf7 Rxc4 48.Ng5 Bh6 49.Nf3 Rc2 50.Ne5 Bg7 51.Ng4 Kh7 52.h4 Bd4 53.h5 Rc7 54.Kg3 Bg7 55.Kh4 Rc6 56.f4 Rc7 57.Rd5 Rf7 58.f5 Bh8 59.h6 Bb2 60.Kg5 Bc1+ 61.Kh5 Bb2 62.f6 Bc3 63.Rf5 Bb2 64.Rf1 Bc3 65.Rf2 Bd4 66.Re2 Bc5 67.Re6 Bf8 68.Kg5 Rb7 69.f7 Rxf7 70.Nf6+ Rxf6 71.Kxf6 Bxh6 72.Kf7 Bf4 73.Re4 Bg5 74.Re1 1-0

Round 12, August 30
Dominguez, Leinier- Firouzja, Alireza
C54 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.O-O a6 7.a4 Ba7 8.Re1 O-O 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.b4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Rxe6 13.Qc2 Qd7 14.Nf1 d5 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nxe3 Ne7 17.Rab1 Ng6 18.c4 d4 19.Nf5 Rae8 20.c5 Ne7 21.Ng3 b5 22.cxb6 cxb6 23.b5 Rc8 24.Qa2 a5 25.Rbc1 Qd8 26.Nf5 Ng6 27.h4 Kh7 28.Rc6 Rcxc6 29.bxc6 Qc7 30.Rc1 Nf4 31.Qd2 Re8 32.Rb1 Ne6 33.Qb2 Rb8 34.Qb5 Nc5 35.Nd2 g6 36.Ng3 Ne8 37.Nc4 Nd6 38.Nxd6 Qxd6 39.Nf1 Rc8 40.Qxb6 Rxc6 41.Qxa5 Nxd3 42.Qb5 Nf4 43.g3 Ne6 44.Nd2 d3 45.Nc4 Qc7 46.Ne3 d2 47.Rd1 Rc1 48.Kg2 Rxd1 49.Nxd1 Qc2 50.Qe2 Nd4 51.Qg4 h5 52.Qd7 Qxe4+ 53.Kg1 Kg7 0-1

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

August 31, 2021

Preliminaries

Day Three (continued)

Selected Games

Round 12, August 30
Liang, Awonder – Carlsen, Magnus
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.O-O Nf6 9.e5 Nd7 10.Re1 c5 11.Na4 c4 12.Bf1 Bb7 13.b3 Bc6 14.Nc3 Bb4 15.Bd2 O-O 16.bxc4 dxc4 17.Ne4 Bxd2 18.Nxd2 c3 19.Nc4 Bb5 20.Qd4 Bxc4 21.Qxc4 Qa5 22.Qd4 Rfd8 23.Re3 Rac8 24.a3 Rc5 25.Qb4 Nxe5 26.Qxa5 Rxa5 27.Rxc3 g5 28.g3 Rd2 29.h3 Kg7 30.Rb1 h5 31.Rb6 g4 32.hxg4 hxg4 33.Kg2 Nf3 34.Rc4 Nd4 35.Bd3 e5 36.Rb7 Rb5 37.Ra7 Rb6 38.Rxd4 exd4 39.Rd7 Rf6 0-1

Round 13, August 30
Van Foreest, Jorden – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
D55 QGD, Neo-orthodox

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nc3 O-O 8.h4 c5 9.g4 cxd4 10.exd4 g6 11.g5 hxg5 12.hxg5 Bg7 13.Qd2 Nc6 14.O-O-O Re8 15.Rh4 a6 16.Kb1 dxc4 17.Bxc4 e5 18.Qc2 Bf5 19.Ne4 exd4 20.Ka1 d3 21.Rxd3 Nb4 22.Bxf7+ Kxf7 23.Qc4+ Re6 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Rh1 Bxe4 26.Qxb4 Rd3 27.Re1 Bxf3 28.Qf4+ Kg8 29.Qc4 Bd5 30.Qc8+ Kh7 31.Rb1 Re2 32.Qc1 Ra3 0-1

Round 13, August 30
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 c5 8.e3 cxd4 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.cxd4 O-O 11.Bxc4 b6 12.O-O Bb7 13.Qe2 Nd7 14.a4 Rfd8 15.Ba6 Bxa6 16.Qxa6 e5 17.a5 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nc5 19.Qb5 Rac8 20.axb6 axb6 21.Rab1 Rd6 22.Rfc1 Rcd8 23.h3 h5 24.Qe2 g6 25.Qf3 Kg7 26.Qxf6+ Rxf6 27.Rb5 Ra8 28.Rcb1 Ne4 29.R5b2 Ra3 30.g3 Ra5 31.Kg2 Rc5 32.g4 hxg4 33.hxg4 Nc3 34.Ra1 Ra5 35.Rc1 Rc5 36.f4 Nd5 37.Re1 Nxf4+ 38.exf4 Rxf4 39.Rb4 Rxg4+ 40.Kf3 Rgg5 41.Rxb6 Rge5 42.Rxe5 Rxe5 43.Rb7 Kf6 44.Nc6 Re6 45.Nd8 Re7 46.Rxe7 Kxe7 47.Nb7 Kf8 48.Kf4 Kg7 49.Ke5 Kh6 50.Kf6 g5 51.Nd6 g4 52.Nf5+ Kh5 53.Ng3+ Kh4 54.Ne4 g3 55.Nxg3 Kxg3 56.Kxf7 1/2-1/2

Round 13, August 30
So, Wesley – Liang, Awonder
D12 QGD Slav

1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Be4 7.f3 Bg6 8.Qb3 Qc7 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.e4 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Be7 12.Nxg6 hxg6 13.g3 Nd7 14.Kf2 e5 15.Be3 c5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Qb5+ Nc6 18.Rb1 O-O-O 19.Bc4 Bd6 20.Kg2 Rh5 21.Bd5 a6 22.Qa4 f5 23.f4 Na5 24.e5 Be7 25.Bf3 Rhh8 26.Rxb7 Nxb7 27.Qxa6 Rd7 28.e6 Rd6 29.Qa8+ Qb8 30.Bxb7+ Kc7 31.Qa5+ Rb6 32.Bd5 Kc8 33.Kf3 Rd8 34.c4 Rxd5 35.cxd5 Qb7 36.Rd1 Rxe6 37.Bxc5 Ra6 38.Qc3 Bxc5 39.Qxc5+ Kd7 40.Qc3 Kd8 41.Qc4 Qa7 42.Rc1 Ra3+ 43.Kg2 Qb7 44.Kh3 g5 45.fxg5 g6 46.Qh4 Qg7 47.Qh6 Qg8 48.Rc6 f4 49.Rxg6 Qe8 50.Re6 Qd7 51.Qf8+ Kc7 52.Qxa3 1-0

Round 13, August 30
Le, Quang Liem – Artemiev, Vladislav
B01 Scandinavian, Pytel-Wade variation

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.h3 g6 7.Bc4 Be6 8.Bb3 Bg7 9.O-O Bxb3 10.axb3 Nbd7 11.Re1 e6 12.Bg5 O-O 13.Qd2 c5 14.Bf4 Qc6 15.Rad1 Rfd8 16.d5 exd5 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Nf8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.c3 Ne6 22.Be3 b6 23.Kf1 f5 24.Ng5 Nxg5 25.Bxg5 Rd7 26.Re8+ Kf7 27.Ra8 Bf6 28.Be3 Ke6 29.Ke2 Kd5 30.g4 fxg4 31.hxg4 Bd8 32.Rc8 h5 33.Kf3 hxg4+ 34.Kxg4 Ke4 35.b4 cxb4 36.cxb4 Bf6 37.b3 Kd3 38.Rc1 Re7 39.Rc6 Bc3 40.Rxg6 Kc2 41.b5 Kxb3 42.Bf4 Ka4 43.Rg5 Bd4 44.Bg3 Bc5 45.f4 Kxb5 46.f5 Rf7 47.Be5 a5 48.f6 a4 49.Kf5 Rf8 50.Ke6 Re8+ 51.Kd7 Ra8 52.f7 Kc4 53.Rg8 Bf8 54.Bg7 Ra7+ 55.Ke6 Bxg7 56.Rxg7 Rxf7 57.Rxf7 a3 58.Ra7 Kb3 59.Kd5 a2 60.Kc6 Kb2 61.Kxb6 a1=Q 62.Rxa1 Kxa1 1/2-1/2

Round 13, August 30
Firouzja, Alireza – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyhar
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 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Nf5 13.Bf4 c6 14.Nd2 d5 15.h3 g6 16.Nf3 Ng7 17.Qd2 Bf5 18.Re1 Qf8 19.Ne5 Re8 20.g4 Bc8 21.Bh6 Qd6 22.Qf4 Qd8 23.Bd3 Ne6 24.Qf3 Qe7 25.Re3 Bg7 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.Qg3 f6 28.Nf3 Qc7 29.Qxc7+ Nxc7 30.Rxe8 Nxe8 31.Kg2 Nd6 32.Nd2 g5 33.Kg3 f5 34.f4 h6 35.Nf1 Kf6 36.Ne3 a5 37.a3 Be6 38.Bc2 Bc8 39.Bd3 Be6 40.Bc2 Bc8 41.Bd3 1/2-1/2

Round 13, August 30
Naroditsky, Daniel – Dominguez, Leinier
B90 Sicilian, Najdorf

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nb3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Qd2 h5 9.O-O-O Nbd7 10.f4 Qc7 11.Be2 b5 12.Bf3 Bb7 13.Kb1 O-O 14.h3 Nb6 15.Qf2 Na4 16.Bd4 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Nxa4 bxa4 19.Bb6 Qc8 20.Nc5 Bc6 21.Ba5 Rb8 22.Bc3 Nd7 23.Nxd7 Bxd7 24.Qe3 Be6 25.Be2 Bh6 26.Qf3 Qc5 27.Ka1 a3 28.b3 Rbc8 29.Rd3 Rfd8 30.Rhd1 Rxd3 31.Rxd3 Bc1 32.Bd1 Bc4 33.Rd7 Be6 34.Rd3 Bc4 35.Rd7 Qc6 36.Ra7 Be6 37.Kb1 Bf4 38.Be1 Rd8 39.Be2 Qc5 40.Bf2 Qb4 41.g3 Bg4 42.hxg4 hxg4 43.c3 gxf3 44.cxb4 fxe2 45.gxf4 Rd1+ 46.Kc2 exf4 47.Rxa6 Rf1 48.Bh4 g5 49.Kd2 gxh4 50.Kxe2 Ra1 51.b5 h3 52.b6 h2 53.b7 h1=Q 54.b8=Q+ Kh7 55.Qxf4 Qd1+ 56.Ke3 Qc1+ 57.Kf3 Qf1+ 58.Kg4 Qe2+ 59.Kf5 Rf1 60.Rh6+ Kg7 61.Rh4 Rxf4+ 0-1

Round 13, August 30
Hansen, Eric – MVL
C11 French, Burn variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6 7.Nf3 f5 8.Nc3 a6 9.g3 b5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.O-O O-O 12.Ne5 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 c5 14.Qf3 cxd4 15.Qxa8 dxc3 16.Qb7 Bf6 17.Nd3 cxb2 18.Rab1 Qc8 19.Qxc8 Rxc8 20.Nxb2 Nd7 21.Nd3 Nb6 22.Nb4 a5 23.Nd3 b4 24.a3 bxa3 25.Rxb6 a2 26.Ra6 a1=Q 27.Rxa1 Bxa1 28.Rxa5 Bd4 29.Ra4 Bc3 30.h3 Kg7 31.g4 fxg4 32.hxg4 Kf6 33.Kf3 Rc7 34.Re4 Kg5 35.Kg3 Kf6 36.Re2 Ba5 37.f4 Rc3 38.Kf3 Bc7 39.Rh2 Kg6 40.g5 e5 41.Rh6+ Kg7 42.f5 Rxc2 43.f6+ Kg8 44.Rh1 Rc4 45.Re1 h6 46.Nxe5 Rc3+ 47.Kg4 hxg5 48.Nd7 Rd3 49.Re8+ Kh7 50.Nf8+ Kh6 51.Re7 Rd4+ 52.Kf3 g4+ 53.Ke2 Bd6 54.Rxf7 Re4+ 55.Kd3 Re8 56.Rh7+ Kg5 57.Nd7 Kf4 58.Kd4 g3 59.Kd5 Ba3 60.Rg7 Ra8 61.Nb6 Ra5+ 62.Kc4 Rf5 63.Nd5+ Kf3 64.Rg6 Bd6 65.Ne7 Rc5+ 66.Kd4 g2 67.Nd5 Rc1 0-1

Position after Black’s 64…Bd6



What should Eric play here?

Round 14, August 30
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – MVL
E60 King’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.b3 O-O 7.Bb2 a5 8.O-O b5 9.cxb5 cxb5 10.Nc3 Ba6 11.Ne5 e6 12.Qd2 Nfd7 13.f4 f6 14.Nd3 f5 15.Nxd5 Nc6 16.Ne3 Nxd4 17.Bxa8 Qxa8 18.Nf2 Rd8 19.Bxd4 Nc5 20.Nc2 Ne4 21.Qe3 1-0

Round 14, August 30
Dominguez Leinier – Hansen, Eric
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 a6 8.a4 Ne7 9.d4 Ba7 10.h3 Ng6 11.Bd3 Re8 12.Nbd2 Nh5 13.Nf1 Nhf4 14.Bc2 Qf6 15.Ng3 Be6 16.Nh5 Qe7 17.Bxf4 Nxf4 18.Nxf4 exf4 19.Qd2 Qf6 20.e5 dxe5 21.Rxe5 h6 22.Rae1 Rad8 23.R1e4 g5 24.Bb3 Bd7 25.h4 Rxe5 26.Nxe5 Be6 27.hxg5 hxg5 28.Bxe6 Qxe6 29.Qe2 Qf5 30.Nd3 Kg7 31.Re5 Qg6 32.Qg4 f6 33.Re7+ Kf8 34.Rxc7 Bb8 35.Rc8 Ke7 36.Qe2+ Kd7 37.Rxd8+ Kxd8 38.f3 Bd6 39.Kf1 Qh7 40.Ke1 Qd7 41.b3 Qc6 42.Kd2 Qd5 43.Kc2 f5 44.Ne5 b5 45.c4 bxc4 46.Qxc4 1-0

Round 14, August 30
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.b3 O-O 6.Bb2 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4 Nc6 9.Be2 Ne4 10.O-O Bf6 11.Rc1 cxd4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 Qxd4 16.exd4 Rd8 17.Rfd1 Be6 18.f3 Bd5 19.Rc7 Rac8 20.Rdc1 Rxc7 21.Rxc7 e3 22.Kf1 g6 23.Bd3 Bc6 24.Ke2 Rxd4 25.Kxe3 Rd7 26.Rxd7 Bxd7 27.Be4 b6 28.Kd4 Kf8 29.Kd5 Ke7 30.f4 h6 31.Bd3 Be8 32.b4 Bd7 33.a3 Be8 34.h4 Bd7 35.Bc2 Bb5 36.g3 Bd7 37.a4 Be8 38.a5 Bb5 39.Be4 Bd7 40.Bd3 Be8 41.Ba6 Bd7 42.Bb7 Ba4 43.Bc8 Bb5 44.Bg4 Ba4 45.h5 gxh5 46.Bxh5 f6 47.Be2 Be8 48.Bd3 Bd7 49.Bg6 Ba4 50.Bf5 Be8 51.axb6 axb6 52.Bd3 Bd7 53.Bc2 Be8 54.Bd3 Bd7 55.Bc2 Be8 56.Bd3 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

August 31, 2021

Preliminaries

Day Three (continued)

Selected Games

Round 14, August 30
Liang, Awonder – Vidit, Santosh
A35 English, symmetrical, Four Knights System

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 d6 6.b3 Bg7 7.Bb2 e5 8.O-O O-O 9.Ne1 Be6 10.Nd5 Rb8 11.Nc2 Ne7 12.e4 b5 13.d3 bxc4 14.dxc4 Nc6 15.f4 Nd4 16.Kh1 Nd7 17.Nce3 exf4 18.gxf4 Qh4 19.Qe1 Qxe1 20.Raxe1 Rfe8 21.Nc7 Rec8 22.Nxe6 Nxe6 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Bh3 Rd8 25.Nd5 Nb6 26.f5 Nd4 27.f6+ Kf8 28.Ne7 Nd7 29.Bxd7 Rxd7 30.e5 a5 31.Nd5 Ne6 32.Rf3 h5 33.exd6 Rxd6 34.Kg2 Ra8 35.Rfe3 a4 36.Kg3 axb3 37.axb3 Kg8 38.Re5 Kh7 39.R1e3 Rb8 40.Kf2 Rb7 41.Ke1 Ra7 42.Kf2 Kh6 43.h4 Nc7 44.Re7 Nxd5 45.Rxa7 Nxe3 46.Kxe3 Rxf6 47.Ra5 Rf5 48.b4 cxb4 49.Rxf5 gxf5 50.c5 b3 51.Kd2 f4 52.c6 f3 53.c7 f2 54.Ke2 b2 55.c8=Q f1=Q+ 56.Kxf1 b1=Q+ 57.Kg2 Qe4+ 58.Kg3 Qe5+ 59.Kg2 Qe4+ 60.Kg3 Kg7 61.Qc3+ Kg6 62.Qc8 Qe5+ 63.Kg2 Qd5+ 64.Kg3 Qe5+ 65.Kg2 Kg7 66.Qc4 Qe3 67.Qb4 Kg6 68.Qc4 Qe6 69.Qc2+ Qf5 70.Qc6+ Kh7 71.Qc7 Qg4+ 72.Kf1 Qf3+ 73.Kg1 Kg6 74.Qd8 Qg4+ 75.Kh2 Kg7 76.Qe7 Qf4+ 77.Kg2 Qf6 78.Qb4 Qf5 79.Kg3 Qd3+ 80.Kg2 Kg6 81.Qf8 Qe4+ 82.Kg1 Qg4+ 83.Kf1 Qf3+ 84.Kg1 Qe3+ 85.Kf1 Qd3+ 86.Kg1 Qd4+ 87.Kg2 Qg7 88.Qc5 Kh6+ 89.Kh2 Qf6 90.Qc1+ Kg7 91.Qg1+ Kh7 92.Qb1+ Qg6 93.Qb4 Qg4 94.Qe7 Kg6 95.Qd8 Qf4+ 96.Kg2 Qe4+ 97.Kh2 Qe5+ 98.Kg2 f6 99.Qg8+ Kf5 100.Qc8+ Kf4 101.Qc1+ Kg4 102.Qc4+ Qf4 103.Qc8+ Kxh4 104.Qh3+ Kg5 105.Qc3 h4 106.Qd3 h3+ 107.Qxh3 Qg4+ 108.Qg3 Kf5 109.Kh1 Qe4+ 110.Kg1 Qd4+ 111.Kg2 Qd2+ 112.Kg1 Ke4 113.Qg4+ Ke5 114.Qg3+ Ke4 115.Qg4+ Qf4 116.Qg2+ Qf3 117.Qc2+ Kf4 118.Qc7+ Kg4 119.Qg7+ Kf5 120.Qd7+ Kf4 121.Qc7+ Kg4 122.Qg7+ Kh3 123.Qh6+ Kg3 124.Qg6+ Qg4 125.Qd3+ Kf4+ 126.Kf2 Qh4+ 127.Kf1 Qh1+ 128.Kf2 Qe4 129.Qd6+ Kg5 130.Qc5+ Kh4 131.Qc7 Qf5+ 132.Ke2 Kh3 133.Qc3+ Kg2 134.Qc6+ Kg3 135.Qc3+ Kg4 136.Qc4+ Qf4 137.Qg8+ Kh3 138.Qh7+ Kg3 139.Qd3+ Kg4 140.Qg6+ Qg5 141.Qe4+ Qf4 142.Qg6+ Kh3 143.Qh7+ Kg2 144.Qg6+ Qg5 145.Qe4+ Kh2 146.Qh7+ Kg3 147.Qd3+ Kh4 148.Qh7+ Kg4 149.Qe4+ Kg3 150.Qd3+ Kf4 151.Qf3+ Ke5 152.Qe3+ Kf5 153.Qd3+ Ke6 154.Qe4+ Kd6 155.Qd4+ Ke7 156.Qe3+ Kf7 157.Qxg5 fxg5 158.Kf3 g4+ 159.Kxg4 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 107.Qxh3



Black wins in 23 moves after 108..Kh5

Round 15, August 30
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B40 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 d6 6.d4 Nb6 7.Bb3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bd7 9.O-O Bc6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.exd6 Qxd6 12.Ne5 N8d7 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Ne4 Qb4 15.a3 Qb5 16.Nc3 Qa6 17.Qg4 Bf6 18.Ne4 O-O 19.Bc2 Qc4 20.Nxf6+ Nxf6 21.Qd1 Rfd8 22.Be3 Qb5 23.Qc1 Nbd5 24.Bg5 h6 25.Bh4 a5 26.Rd1 Rdc8 27.Bg3 c5 28.dxc5 Rxc5 29.Qd2 Rac8 30.Bd3 Qb3 31.h3 a4 32.Bd6 R5c6 33.Be5 Nd7 34.Bd4 Nc5 35.Bc2 Qb5 36.Bxc5 Rxc5 37.Be4 Qb6 38.Rac1 g5 39.Rxc5 Rxc5 40.Qd4 Rc1 41.Bh7+ Kxh7 42.Qd3+ Kg7 43.Rxc1 Qxb2 44.Rc2 Qa1+ 45.Kh2 h5 46.Rc4 Qe5+ 47.Qg3 Qf6 48.h4 g4 49.Rxa4 e5 50.Re4 Nf4 51.a4 Qd6 52.a5 Qd5 53.Qe3 f5 54.Rxf4 exf4 55.Qe7+ Kg8 56.Qg5+ Kf8 57.a6 g3+ 58.fxg3 f3 59.a7 fxg2 60.Qxh5 Kg7 61.Qe2 Qc5 62.Kxg2 Qxa7 63.Qe5+ Kg8 64.Qxf5 Qb7+ 65.Kh2 Kh8 66.Qe5+ Kh7 67.g4 Qb3 68.h5 Kg8 69.Qf6 Qd3 70.Kg2 Qe3 71.Qf3 Qe5 72.Kh3 Qg5 73.Qe4 Kh8 74.Kg3 Qf6 75.Qf4 Qe7 76.Qd4+ Kg8 77.Kf4 Qf7+ 78.Kg5 Qe7+ 79.Qf6 Qe3+ 80.Kg6 Qe4+ 81.Qf5 Qc6+ 82.Kg5 Qc1+ 83.Qf4 Qc5+ 84.Kh4 Qc6 85.Qg5+ Kh8 86.Qe5+ Kh7 87.Kg5 Qh6+ 88.Kf5 Qf8+ 89.Ke4 Qb4+ 90.Kf3 Qa3+ 91.Kg2 Qa6 92.Qe4+ Kh8 93.g5 Qd6 94.Kh3 Qd7+ 95.Kh4 Qf7 96.Qd4+ Kg8 97.Qd8+ Kg7 98.h6+ Kh7 99.Qd3+ Kh8 100.Qd4+ Kh7 101.Qe4+ Kh8 102.Kg3 Qc7+ 103.Qf4 Qd7 104.Kh4 Qb7 105.Qf8+ Kh7 106.Qf5+ Kh8 107.Kh5 Qf7+ 108.Kg4 Qc4+ 109.Kg3 Qc3+ 110.Qf3 Qe5+ 111.Kh4 Qh2+ 112.Kg4 Qc7 113.Qe4 Qd7+ 114.Kh4 Qf7 115.Qd4+ Kh7 116.Qd3+ Kh8 117.Qc3+ Kh7 118.Qc2+ Kh8 119.Kg3 Qd7 120.Qe2 Qd6+ 121.Kg4 Qd7+ 122.Kh4 Qf7 123.Qe5+ Kh7 124.Qe4+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 109.Kg3



What an amazing end! Magnus stumbles into a 3-fold repetition, so Artemiev wins the Prelims and now Magnus has to play Duda again in tomorrow's quarterfinals:

Round 15, August 30
So, Wesley – Van Foreest, Jorden
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nd7 10.Bf4 Qh4 11.g3 Qh5 12.O-O g5 13.cxd5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 gxf4 15.dxe6 Nxe5 16.Bxe4 Bxe6 17.Rfe1 Kh8 18.Bxb7 Rab8 19.Bg2 fxg3 20.fxg3 Bc4 21.Qa4 f6 22.Rxe5 fxe5 23.Qxc4 Qg6 24.Nb3 Qc2 25.Be4 Qf2+ 26.Kh1 Rb6 27.Qc7 Rh6 28.Qxe5+ Rff6 29.Bg2 Kg8 30.h3 Rhg6 31.Rg1 Kg7 32.Nc5 Qf5 33.Qd4 Qf2 34.Ne6+ Kh8 35.Nf4 1-0

Round 15, August 30
Vidit, Santosh – Aronian, Levon
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd2 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bd6 9.Qc2 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.f4 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Ng4 14.Bd4 c5 15.Bxc5 Re8 16.O-O Nxe3 17.Bxe3 Rxe3 18.Rae1 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 b5 20.Bf1 Be6 21.a3 Rc8 22.Qf2 a6 23.g3 g6 24.h4 Qf6 25.Re5 Rc1 26.Qd2 Rb1 27.Kf2 Bc4 28.Bg2 a5 29.Qd4 Kg7 30.h5 h6 31.hxg6 fxg6 32.a4 Bf7 33.axb5 g5 34.b6 gxf4 35.b7 Rd1 36.Rg5+ 1-0

Round 15, August 30
Le, Quang Liem – Liang, Awonder
B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange, Rubinstein variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.O-O O-O 12.Rfe1 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 Qc7 14.Qc2 g6 15.g3 Kg7 16.Kg2 Rab8 17.Qe2 a6 18.h4 h5 19.Rac1 Ng4 20.Qd2 Rbe8 21.Re2 Na5 22.Rce1 Nc4 23.Qc1 Nd6 24.Qf4 Qb8 25.Ne5 Nxe5 26.dxe5 Nf5 27.Bxf5 exf5 28.Qd4 Re6 29.Qxd5 Rd8 30.Qf3 b5 31.Qe3 Rd5 32.f4 Qd8 33.Qf3 Rd3 34.Re3 Rd2+ 35.R1e2 Rd1 36.b3 Qd7 37.Kh3 Ra1 38.Rd3 Qa7 39.Red2 Re8 40.Rd7 Qg1 41.Rd1 Rxd1 42.Rxd1 Qc5 43.Kg2 Rc8 44.Rd3 Qa3 45.Qe2 Qc1 46.e6 fxe6 47.c4 Kh6 48.Rd6 Re8 49.Qd2 Qb1 50.c5 Rc8 51.b4 Qe4+ 52.Kh2 a5 53.a3 axb4 54.axb4 Qb1 55.Rxe6 Ra8 56.Re1 Ra2 57.Rxb1 Rxd2+ 58.Kg1 Rc2 59.Ra1 Rc4 60.Kf2 Kg7 61.Ke3 Kf7 62.Ra7+ Ke6 63.Ra6+ Kf7 64.Rb6 Rxb4 65.Kd3 Ke7 66.Rxg6 Rc4 67.c6 Rc1 68.Kd4 b4 69.Kd5 b3 70.Rg7+ Kd8 71.Rb7 Rc3 72.Kd6 Kc8 73.Ra7 Rd3+ 74.Ke6 Rxg3 75.Kxf5 Rg4 76.Ke5 Rxh4 77.Kd6 Kb8 78.Rb7+ Ka8 79.Rxb3 Rxf4 80.c7 Rf8 81.Kc6 Rf6+ 82.Kd5 Rf8 83.Kc6 Rf6+ 84.Kd7 Rf7+ 85.Kd6 Rf8 86.Rb4 Rg8 87.Kc6 Rg6+ 88.Kc5 Rg5+ 89.Kb6 Rg6+ 90.Ka5 Rg8 91.Ka6 h4 92.Rb6 h3 93.Rd6 1-0

Final Position



Round 15, August 30
Hansen, Eric – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd8 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Qe2 h6 10.O-O Re8 11.Ne4 Bb6 12.a4 a5 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.fxe3 Qe7 16.Nd2 Be6 17.d4 Rad8 18.Bb5 exd4 19.exd4 Bd5 20.Qf2 Qg5 21.Rae1 Rxe1 22.Rxe1 Nb8 23.Ne4 Qg6 24.Bd3 Nd7 25.Qh4 Rc8 26.Qe7 Nf8 27.Re2 Qc6 28.Nc5 b6 29.Bb5 Qg6 30.Bd3 Qc6 31.Bb5 Qg6 32.Bd3 1/2-1/2

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

August 31, 2021

Quarter-Finals

Day One

Artemiev-Dominguez

Round 1, August 31
Artemiev, Vladislav – Dominguez, Leinier
D27 QGA, Classical

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 a6 6.O-O c5 7.b3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Be7 9.Bb2 O-O 10.Nd2 b5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.Bf3 Nd5 13.a4 Nc6 14.axb5 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 axb5 16.Qe2 Bc6 17.Rac1 Rc8 18.Ne4 Ba3 19.Rc2 Qe7 20.Ra1 e5 21.Bc5 Bxc5 22.Rxc5 f5 23.Rac1 Nb4 24.Qd2 fxe4 25.Bg4 Nd3 26.Rxc6 Rcd8 27.Rf1 Nxf2 28.Qe2 Nxg4 29.Qxg4 Rxf1+ 30.Kxf1 Qf7+ 31.Kg1 Qxb3 32.Qxe4 Qd5 33.Qxd5+ Rxd5 34.Kf2 e4 35.Kg3 Rg5+ 36.Kh3 Rg6 37.Rc8+ Kf7 38.Rb8 Rg5 39.g4 Ke6 40.Kg3 h5 41.h3 hxg4 42.hxg4 Re5 43.Rb6+ Kd7 44.Rb7+ Kc6 45.Rxg7 b4 46.Rg8 Rb5 47.Rc8+ Kd5 48.Kf4 b3 49.Rc1 b2 50.Rb1 Rb4 51.Kf5 Kc4 52.Kxe4 Kc3+ 53.Kf5 Kc2 54.Rxb2+ Rxb2 55.g5 Rb5+ 56.Kf6 Kd3 57.g6 Rb6+ 58.Kf7 Rb7+ 59.Kf8 Kxe3 60.g7 Rxg7 61.Kxg7 1/2-1/2

Round 2, August 31
Dominguez, Leinier – Artemiev, Vladislav
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Nd7 7.O-O Ne7 8.Nbd2 Nc6 9.c4 Be7 10.cxd5 exd5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Bxc5 Nxc5 13.Nb3 Nxb3 14.Qxb3 Qb6 15.Qxd5 Qxb2 16.Bb5 O-O 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Qxc6 Rfd8 19.h3 h6 20.a4 Rac8 21.Qb5 Qc3 22.Rac1 Qxc1 23.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 24.Kh2 Be6 25.Qb7 Rd7 26.Qa8+ Kh7 27.Qe4+ g6 28.Qh4 Kg7 29.Nd4 Bd5 30.Qf6+ Kh7 31.Nf5 gxf5 32.Qxf5+ Kg7 33.Qg4+ Kh7 34.Qxd7 Be6 35.Qxa7 1-0

Round 3, August 31
Artemiev, Vladislav – Dominguez, Leinier
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 c5 5.Nbd2 Qb6 6.Rb1 Bd6 7.Bg3 O-O 8.c3 Nbd7 9.Bd3 Qc7 10.b4 c4 11.Bc2 b5 12.a4 a6 13.e4 e5 14.O-O Bb7 15.axb5 axb5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nd4 Qb6 18.f4 Neg4 19.e5 Ne3 20.Qc1 Be7 21.exf6 Bxf6 22.Re1 Nxc2 23.Qxc2 Bxd4+ 24.cxd4 Qxd4+ 25.Bf2 Qxf4 26.Be3 Qg4 27.h3 Qd7 28.Bd4 Rfe8 29.Nf1 f6 30.Ng3 Rxe1+ 31.Rxe1 Re8 32.Rf1 Qf7 33.Qf2 Bc8 34.Qf3 h6 35.Nh5 Rd8 36.Kh1 Qg6 37.Nxg7 Qxg7 38.Bxf6 Rf8 39.Qxd5+ Qf7 40.Qe5 Qg6 41.Rf3 Kh7 42.Qc7+ Rf7 43.Qxc8 Rxf6 44.Qb7+ Qg7 45.Qe4+ Kh8 46.Qe8+ Kh7 47.Re3 Rf8 48.Qxb5 Rf1+ 49.Kh2 Qc7+ 50.Rg3 Rf7 51.Qd5 Rg7 52.Qe4+ Kh8 53.Qe8+ Kh7 54.Qe4+ Kh8 55.Qe8+ Kh7 56.Qe4+ 1/2-1/2

Round 4, August 31
Dominguez, Leinier – Artemiev, Vladislav
B07 Pirc-Robatsch

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Be3 a6 5.g4 b5 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.h4 h6 8.h5 g5 9.Nge2 Nd7 10.Ng3 e6 11.f4 gxf4 12.Bxf4 Nb6 13.Qd3 Nf6 14.g5 Nfd7 15.gxh6 Bxh6 16.Bxh6 Rxh6 17.Qe3 Rh7 18.b3 Qe7 19.a4 b4 20.Nce2 a5 21.O-O-O O-O-O 22.Kb1 Rg8 23.Bf3 Qg5 24.Qf2 Kb8 25.Rhg1 Qf6 26.Qe3 Ka7 27.c3 Qh6 28.Qf2 Kb8 29.cxb4 axb4 30.Rc1 Rg5 31.Qe1 c5 32.dxc5 dxc5 33.Qd2 f6 34.Qd6+ Ka7 35.Qxe6 Re5 36.Qg4 Qe3 37.Ka2 c4 38.Rb1 Nc5 39.Qf4 Qd3 40.Nc1 cxb3+ 41.Nxb3 Qc2+ 0-1

Artemiev finally won a crazy game on demand with the black pieces to tie today's match against Dominguez!

Firouzja-So

Round 1, August 31
Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 b5 6.e4 O-O 7.e5 Ne8 8.f4 exd5 9.cxd5 d6 10.Nf3 c4 11.a4 Nd7 12.Be2 Qb6 13.Bd2 Nc7 14.Nxb5 Nxd5 15.Bxb4 Nxb4 16.Nxd6 Ba6 17.Qd2 Nc5 18.a5 Qb8 19.O-O Nb3 20.Qe3 Nxa1 21.Ng5 h6 22.Nf5 Qc7 23.Ne4 f6 24.Qg3 Kh8 25.exf6 Rxf6 26.Nxf6 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 Qxf5 28.Nh5 Qf7 29.f5 Nac2 30.f6 g5 31.Ng7 c3 32.Bxa6 cxb2 33.Be2 Rf8 34.Nh5 Nd4 35.Qc3 Nxe2 36.Qxb4 Kg8 37.Ng3 Nxg3+ 38.hxg3 Qh5+ 39.Kg1 Qe2 40.Qb3+ Rf7 41.Rb1 Qe5 42.Qxb2 Qxa5 43.Qd4 Qc7 44.Qe4 Rxf6 45.Rb7 Qxb7 46.Qxb7 Rf7 47.Qc6 Kg7 48.Kh2 Rf8 49.Kh3 Rf6 50.Qd7+ Rf7 51.Qd4+ Kg6 52.Qe4+ 1-0

Round 2, August 31
So, Wesley – Firouzja, Alireza
D35 QGD, Exchange, positional line

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Nge2 Re8 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.f3 b5 12.O-O Nb6 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.Kh1 Rc8 15.a3 a5 16.Qd2 b4 17.axb4 axb4 18.Na2 c5 19.dxc5 Bxc5 20.Nd4 Nc4 21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.Nxb4 Ne4 23.fxe4 Qxh4 24.Nd5 Qxe4 25.Nc3 Qxe3 26.Qxe3 Rxe3 27.Nc2 Rd3 28.Rxd3 cxd3 29.Ne1 d2 30.Nf3 Be3 31.Rd1 Bg4 32.h3 Bxf3 33.gxf3 f5 34.Kg2 Rb8 35.Ra1 Rxb2 36.Ra8+ Kh7 37.Nd1 Rb1 38.Nxe3 f4 39.Nd1 Rxd1 40.Rd8 g5 41.Rd6 Kg7 42.h4 gxh4 43.Rd4 h3+ 44.Kh2 Kg6 45.Rd6+ Kg5 46.Rd8 Kh4 47.Rd6 Rf1 48.Rxd2 Rxf3 49.Ra2 h5 50.Rb2 Kg4 51.Ra2 Re3 52.Rb2 Re4 53.Rb8 Re2+ 54.Kg1 Kg3 55.Rg8+ Kf3 56.Rh8 h4 57.Ra8 Rd2 58.Ra3+ Kg4 59.Ra8 Kg3 60.Rg8+ Kf3 61.Rf8 Re2 62.Ra8 Re1+ 63.Kh2 Kf2 64.Kxh3 f3 65.Ra3 Re3 66.Ra1 Ke2 67.Ra2+ Kf1 68.Ra1+ Re1 69.Ra8 f2 70.Kh2 Ke2 0-1

Round 3, August 31
Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
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.d3 O-O 8.h3 Nb6 9.Na4 Nfd7 10.Nc3 a6 11.Bxd7 Bxd7 12.Be3 f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Bg5 Bc6 15.Re1 Rf7 16.Bh4 h6 17.Re6 Qd7 18.Qe2 Re8 19.Re1 Na8 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.cxd5 Nc7 22.Bxe7 Qb5 23.Bh4 Nxe6 24.dxe6 Rff8 25.e7 Rf7 26.Qe6 Qxd3 27.Qd7 Qb5 28.Qxd6 Qc6 29.Qxc6 bxc6 30.Rd1 Rfxe7 31.Bxe7 Rxe7 32.b3 c4 33.bxc4 Re4 34.Rd8+ Kf7 35.Rd7+ Kf8 36.g3 f4 37.Ra7 fxg3 38.fxg3 Re3 39.Kf2 Ra3 40.Rc7 a5 41.Rxc6 a4 42.Ra6 Rxa2+ 43.Ke3 a3 44.c5 Rc2 45.Rxa3 Rxc5 46.g4 1/2-1/2

Firouzja wins the Day 1 match 2.5-0.5

Alireza Firouzja clinches victory over Wesley So with a game to spare! Wesley will have to try and hit back on Wednesday:

Aronian-Mamedyarov

Round 1, August 31
Aronian Levon – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 O-O 8.O-O d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nbd2 f6 11.Ne4 Ba7 12.a3 Kh8 13.Re1 Bg4 14.h3 Bh5 15.Ng3 Bf7 16.Bc2 Qd7 17.Bd2 Rae8 18.b4 Nde7 19.a4 Bb6 20.Qe2 f5 21.Nh4 h6 22.Kh1 Qe6 23.axb5 axb5 24.d4 Qf6 25.Nhxf5 Nxf5 26.Nxf5 exd4 27.Qd3 Bc4 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Qg3 Nxb4 30.Bb1 d3 31.Nd4 Bxd4 32.cxd4 Nc6 33.Ra3 Qxd4 34.Bxd3 Ne5 35.Bxc4 bxc4 36.Bc3 Qd6 37.Ra5 Ng6 38.Qxd6 cxd6 39.Ra6 Re6 40.Rc6 Ne5 41.Rc8+ Kh7 42.f4 Nd3 43.Rc7 Kg8 44.f5 Re2 45.Rxg7+ Kf8 46.Rc7 Ne5 47.Bb4 Kg8 48.Bxd6 Nf7 49.Bf4 Re4 50.g3 h5 51.Kg2 Rd4 52.Kf3 h4 53.g4 Rd3+ 54.Ke4 Rxh3 55.g5 Rd3 56.g6 1-0

Round 2, August 31
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Aronian, Levon
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.Bd2 Qc5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Nb3 Qc7 12.O-O O-O 13.Bd3 Nc6 14.f4 e5 15.f5 Na5 16.Kh1 Nc4 17.Bxc4 Qxc4 18.Bg5 Bxc3 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Qg4+ Kh8 21.Qh4 Rg8 22.bxc3 Rg5 23.Nd2 Qc6 24.Nf3 Rg7 25.h3 Rag8 26.Rf2 h5 27.Rd1 Qa4 28.Rd6 Bc6 29.Rxf6 Qxe4 30.Rh6+ Rh7 31.Qf6+ Rg7 32.Qd8+ Rg8 33.Qf6+ Rg7 34.Rd2 1-0

Round 3, August 31
Aronian, Levon – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
C77 Ruy Lopez, Anderssen variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 O-O 8.O-O d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Re1 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nbd2 Ba7 13.Ne4 f6 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3 Kh8 16.Ng3 Bf7 17.d4 Qd7 18.dxe5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 fxe5 20.c4 Nb6 21.Qxd7 Nxd7 22.cxb5 Bxb3 23.axb3 axb5 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Rc1 Ra7 26.Rd1 c5 27.Ne4 h6 28.Kf2 c4 29.b4 Nb6 30.Nc3 Na4 31.Rd2 Nxc3 32.bxc3 Ra3 33.Rd8+ Kh7 34.Re8 Rxc3 35.Rxe5 Rb3 36.Rxb5 Kg6 37.Kf3 Kf6 38.h4 c3 39.h5 Ke6 40.g4 Kd6 41.Rc5 Ke6 42.b5 Kd6 43.Rc8 Ke5 44.Rc7 Kf6 45.Kf4 Rxb5 46.Rc6+ Kf7 47.Rxc3 Rb1 48.Rc7+ Kf6 49.Rc6+ Kf7 50.e4 Rf1+ 51.Ke5 Rg1 52.Rc7+ Kg8 53.Kf5 Rf1+ 54.Ke6 Rf4 55.e5 Rxg4 56.Rc8+ Kh7 57.Kd5 Rg1 58.e6 Rd1+ 59.Kc6 Rc1+ 60.Kd7 Rd1+ 61.Ke8 g6 62.Rc7+ Kg8 63.hxg6 h5 64.e7 Kg7 65.Rd7 Ra1 66.Rd6 h4 67.Kd7 Ra7+ 68.Ke6 Ra8 69.Rd8 1-0

Round 4, August 31
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Aronian, Levon
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 b5 6.e4 d6 7.Ne2 O-O 8.Nf4 e5 9.Ne2 bxc4 10.Ng3 Ba6 11.h4 Nbd7 12.Be2 Rb8 13.Qc2 Ne8 14.Nf5 Nb6 15.Kf2 Nc7 16.a4 Ba5 17.g4 Bc8 18.Nb5 Bxf5 19.gxf5 Na6 20.Nxa7 Nb4 21.Qd1 Qd7 22.Nb5 f6 23.h5 Nd3+ 24.Bxd3 cxd3 25.Qxd3 c4 26.Qc2 Rfc8 27.Nc3 Na8 28.h6 g5 29.fxg6 hxg6 30.h7+ Kh8 31.Rh6 g5 32.Be3 Qg7 33.Rah1 Nc7 34.Kg2 Rb3 35.Bc1 Bxc3 36.bxc3 Ra8 37.Kg3 Rxa4 38.Qh2 f5 39.Rxd6 Ne8 40.Rd8 f4+ 41.Kg4 Rb8 42.Rxb8 Qd7+ 43.Kxg5 Qg7+ 44.Kh5 Qf7+ 45.Kg4 Qg6+ 46.Kh3 Ra7 47.Rxe8+ Qxe8 48.Bxf4 exf4 49.Kg4 Qg6+ 50.Kxf4 Qf6+ 51.Kg3 Qg5+ 52.Kf2 Ra2+ 0-1

Aronian wins the Day 1 Match 3-1

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

August 31, 2021

Quarter-Finals

Day One

Carlsen-Duda

Round 1, August 31
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
A07 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O Nf6 5.c4 c6 6.b3 Ne4 7.d4 O-O 8.Bb2 Bf5 9.e3 a5 10.Nc3 Nd7 11.Qe2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qb5 Qc7 15.Rfc1 Qc6 16.Qxc6 bxc6 17.Ne1 g5 18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Rc2 Rfb8 20.Rac1 a4 21.b4 a3 22.Bd2 e6 23.Rxc6 Bf8 24.Nc2 Nf6 25.Rb1 Nd5 26.Rb3 g4 27.b5 Rb7 28.Bc1 Rba7 29.Rc5 Ra4 30.Bxa3 Bxc5 31.dxc5 e5 32.Nb4 Nxb4 33.Bxb4 Rxa2 34.b6 Rc2 35.Bc3 f6 36.b7 1-0

Round 2, August 31
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Carsen, Magnus
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.O-O Be7 6.c3 O-O 7.Re1 a6 8.Ba4 Re8 9.Nbd2 Bf8 10.Nf1 h6 11.Ng3 b5 12.Bc2 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.a4 Rb8 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.b4 Qd6 17.Nh4 Bg4 18.Qc1 Qd7 19.h3 Be6 20.Qd1 Rbd8 21.Nf3 Bd5 22.Be3 Qc8 23.Nd2 Ne7 24.Nge4 Nxe4 25.dxe4 Be6 26.Qe2 c6 27.Bb6 Rd7 28.Nf3 Ng6 29.Qe3 f6 30.h4 Nf4 31.g3 g5 32.Red1 Rg7 33.Kh2 Bc4 34.Ng1 Ne6 35.h5 g4 36.Rd2 Rg5 37.Bd3 Bxd3 38.Qxd3 Rxh5+ 39.Kg2 Rg5 40.axb5 cxb5 41.Rda2 Rg7 42.Rxa6 Qd7 43.Qd5 Qxd5 44.exd5 Ng5 45.Bc5 Rd7 46.Rxf6 Bg7 47.Rb6 Ne4 48.Ne2 Rxd5 49.Ra7 Red8 50.Be3 Nd6 51.Rc6 Nf5 52.Bc1 R8d7 53.Ra2 Kf7 54.c4 bxc4 55.Rxc4 h5 56.Rb2 Rb7 57.Be3 Nxe3+ 58.fxe3 Bf8 59.Nc3 Rd3 60.b5 Ke6 61.e4 Ba3 62.Rf2 Bd6 63.Rc6 Rf7 64.Rxf7 Kxf7 65.b6 Ke7 66.Nd5+ Kd7 67.Rc2 Rb3 68.Rf2 Bc5 69.Rf7+ Kc6 70.Rc7+ Kd6 71.b7 Ba7 72.Rh7 Kc5 73.Rd7 Kd4 74.Nb4+ Ke3 75.Nd5+ Kxe4 76.Nf6+ Kf5 77.Nxh5 Rb2+ 78.Kf1 Ke4 79.Ke1 Bd4 80.Kd1 Kd3 81.Kc1 Rc2+ 82.Kb1 Rb2+ 83.Kc1 Rc2+ 84.Kb1 Rb2+ 85.Kc1 1/2-1/2

Round 3, August 31
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B40 Sicilian, Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b3 Nc6 4.Bb2 a6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qa5+ 7.Nd2 Nf6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.Bd3 Bb4 10.Ke2 O-O 11.Nc4 Qc7 12.Be5 Qd8 13.c3 Be7 14.Bc2 Nd7 15.Bd6 b5 16.Ne3 a5 17.e5 b4 18.Qd3 g6 19.Rad1 Bxd6 20.Qxd6 Qg5 21.Qxc6 Ra7 22.c4 Qxe5 23.Qd6 Qh5+ 24.f3 f5 25.Qxe6+ Kg7 26.Qd6 Nf6 27.Qd4 Re7 28.Kf2 Rfe8 29.Rhe1 Bb7 30.Qf4 Kg8 31.Nf1 g5 32.Qxf5 Rxe1 33.Rxe1 Qh4+ 34.Ng3 Qd4+ 35.Kf1 Rxe1+ 36.Kxe1 Qe3+ 37.Ne2 Kg7 38.Qxa5 1-0

Magnus wins the Day 1 match 2.5-0.5

Magnus Carlsen clinches victory today against Jan-Krzysztof Duda with a game to spare! Duda will still have a chance to hit back tomorrow and force tiebreaks

[Hans Jung]

To me the most amazing game of the Aronian - Shak matchup was Game 1 where Aronian sacked his queen on move 27. It was declined and at some point Black was +5 ! Srangely the game went into an ending with White down a pawn but strange tactics happened and Aronian ended up winning.

[Hans Jung]

and Firoujza - So was also game 1 where Firoujza sacked the rook in the corner and the knights did amazing things on the kingside (move 22). Apparently the Ng5 was untouchable and then the F-pawn drove to f6 and the knight came into g7. Very picturesque.

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

September 1, 2021

Quarter-Finals

Day Two

Carlsen-Duda

Round 5, September 1
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Carlsen, Magnus
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Nb3 Bd6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 h5 12.Rg1 hxg4 13.hxg4 Qe7 14.Qe2 O-O-O 15.O-O-O Qe6 16.Kb1 Rde8 17.Rg3 Nd7 18.Bg5 f6 19.Be3 Bf7 20.c4 b6 21.Nfd2 g5 22.d4 exd4 23.Nxd4 Qe5 24.Nxc6 Qe6 25.Rgg1 Kb7 26.Nd4 Qe5 27.Nf5 Bc5 28.f3 Bxe3 29.Nxe3 Nc5 30.Ka1 Rd8 31.Ndf1 a5 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.Ng3 a4 34.Kb1 a3 35.Nd5 c6 36.Ne3 Na4 37.Qc2 Nxb2 38.c5 Rd3 39.Ngf5 bxc5 40.Rh1 Qe6 41.Nd5 cxd5 42.Qxc5 dxe4 0-1

Round 6, September 1
Carlsen, Magnus – Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
B40 Sicilian Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bc4 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Qe2 b6 10.Bxd5 exd5 11.Re1 Ba6 12.Qc2 dxe5 13.Nxe5 f6 14.Nc6 Nxc6 15.Qxc6 Qd6 16.Qa4 Bb7 17.Nc3 Rfe8 18.Bf4 Qc6 19.Qxc6 Bxc6 20.Re6 Rac8 21.Bd6 Bxd6 22.Rxd6 Kf7 23.Nxd5 Re2 24.Ne3 Rxb2 25.h4 Ba4 26.h5 Rd2 27.d5 Rd4 28.Re1 Re4 29.g4 h6 30.Re6 Re8 31.Rxe4 Rxe4 32.Rc1 Bd7 33.Rc7 Ke8 34.Rxa7 Bxg4 35.Rxg7 Bxh5 36.Rb7 Bf3 37.Kh2 Re5 38.Rxb6 Bxd5 39.Ng4 Re2 40.Nxf6+ Kf7 41.Nxd5 Rxf2+ 42.Kg3 Rxa2 43.Rxh6 Ra5 44.Rd6 Ra4 45.Kf3 Rd4 46.Ke3 Rd1 47.Ke4 Re1+ 48.Kf5 Rf1+ 49.Nf4 Ke7 50.Rd2 Rf3 51.Rd1 Rf2 52.Ke5 Rf3 53.Nd5+ Kf7 54.Ra1 Rb3 55.Ra7+ Kg6 56.Nf4+ Kg5 57.Rg7+ Kh4 58.Ng2+ Kh3 59.Kf4 Rb8 60.Ne3 Rb4+ 61.Kf3 Kh4 62.Nf5+ Kh5 63.Rg8 Rf4+ 64.Kxf4 1/2-1/2

Round 7, September 1
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof – Carlsen, Magnus
A22 English, Bremen, Smyslov System

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 Bb4 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Nc6 6.Nc2 Bxc3 7.dxc3 h6 8.Bg2 d6 9.h3 b6 10.Ne3 Bb7 11.Nd5 Ne5 12.Bf4 O-O 13.b3 Re8 14.Be3 a5 15.a4 Ned7 16.g4 Nc5 17.Rb1 Nxd5 18.cxd5 f5 19.Qd2 Re5 20.c4 Qh4 21.Bf4 Re7 22.Kf1 Rf8 23.g5 e3 24.Bxe3 Ne4 25.Qd3 f4 26.Bd4 Nxg5 27.f3 Bc8 28.Qd2 Nxh3 29.Qe1 Qxe1+ 30.Kxe1 Ng5 31.Rh4 Bf5 32.Rb2 Bd7 33.Kf2 Ref7 34.Rd2 Re8 35.Bf1 Nh7 36.Bc3 Nf8 37.Rd4 Ng6 38.Rh1 Kh7 39.Bd2 Ref8 40.Bg2 Ne5 41.Ra1 g5 42.b4 axb4 43.Bxb4 Ra8 44.a5 bxa5 45.Rxa5 Rxa5 46.Bxa5 c5 47.dxc6 Nxc6 48.Rd5 Be6 49.Rxd6 Nxa5 50.Rxe6 Nxc4 51.Bh3 Ne3 52.Bg4 Ra7 53.Ke1 Ra1+ 54.Kd2 Nxg4 55.fxg4 Rg1 56.Kd3 Rxg4 57.Ke4 Rg3 58.Kf5 Re3 59.Ra6 Rxe2 60.Kf6 Re8 61.Ra7+ Kg8 62.Rg7+ Kh8 63.Rf7 Rg8 64.Kf5 g4 65.Rf6 g3 66.Rxh6+ Kg7 67.Rh1 g2 68.Rg1 f3 69.Kf4 Rf8+ 70.Ke3 Kg6 71.Kf2 Kg5 72.Ra1 Kg4 73.Ra7 Rh8 74.Rg7+ Kh3 75.Kg1 f2+ 76.Kxf2 Rf8+ 0-1

Carlsen wins the match 2.5-0.5 and goes on to the Semi-Finals

Dominguez-Artemiev

Round 5, September 1
Dominguez, Leinier – Artemiev, Vladislav
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.Nd2 Nbc6 9.N2f3 Be4 10.O-O a6 11.Rc1 Rc8 12.c3 Qd7 13.Re1 h6 14.h3 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 Nc6 16.Nxc6 Rxc6 17.a4 Be7 18.b4 O-O 19.b5 axb5 20.Bxb5 Ba3 21.Bxh6 Bxc1 22.Bxc1 Qc7 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.f3 Bg6 25.Qd4 Rc8 26.Be3 Qxc3 27.Rc1 Bc2 28.Qxc3 Rxc3 29.Kf2 Rc4 30.a5 f6 31.exf6 gxf6 32.Ke1 Bd3 33.Rxc4 Bxc4 34.g4 e5 35.Kf2 d4 36.Bd2 Kf7 37.h4 f5 38.gxf5 Kf6 39.h5 Kxf5 40.h6 Kg6 41.Bg5 Bd3 42.h7 Kxh7 43.Bf6 e4 44.fxe4 Bxe4 45.Bxd4 Kg6 46.Ke3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, September 1
Artemiev, Vladislav – Dominguez, Leinier
A05 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 c5 3.Bb2 Nc6 4.e3 g6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O b6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Bf3 Qb8 11.Nc3 Nxd4 12.exd4 d5 13.cxd5 Rd8 14.Re1 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Rxe7 Qf4 17.Bxd5 Rxd5 18.g3 Qd6 19.Qf3 Qxe7 20.Qxd5 Rd8 21.Qc4 h5 22.Bc3 h4 23.Re1 Qd7 24.Qd3 h3 25.f3 Bxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 27.Bxd4 Rxd4 28.Kf2 f5 29.Ke3 Rd7 30.Rc1 g5 31.Rc6 Re7+ 32.Kf2 Kg7 33.a4 Rd7 34.Ke2 Re7+ 35.Kf2 Rd7 36.Ke2 Re7+ 37.Kf2 Rd7 1/2-1/2

Round 7, September 1
Dominguez, Leinier – Artemiev, Vladislav
C55 Two Knights Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 h6 8.a5 a6 9.h3 Nh7 10.Nc3 Ng5 11.Nd5 Nxf3+ 12.Qxf3 Kh7 13.c3 f5 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.d4 Bh4 16.Be3 Bg6 17.Qg4 Bf5 18.Qe2 exd4 19.cxd4 Ne7 20.Nf4 d5 21.Bd3 Qd7 22.Qg4 Bf6 23.Bd2 Kg8 24.Bxf5 Qxf5 25.Ne6 Rf7 26.Nxc7 Qxg4 27.hxg4 Rc8 28.Ne6 Rc2 29.Be3 Nc6 30.b3 g5 31.Rac1 Ra2 32.b4 Re7 33.Nc5 Nxb4 34.Rb1 Nc6 35.Rxb7 Rxb7 36.Nxb7 Nxd4 37.Nc5 Nc2 38.Rd1 Nxe3 39.fxe3 Rxa5 40.Nd7 Bg7 41.Nb6 d4 42.exd4 Ra1 43.Rxa1 Bxd4+ 44.Kf1 Bxa1 45.Ke2 Kf7 46.Nd5 a5 47.Kd3 Ke6 48.Ne3 Bg7 49.Nf5 Bf8 50.Ng3 Ke5 51.Nh5 a4 52.Kc4 Ke4 53.Kc3 Ke3 54.Kc2 Kf2 55.g3 Kf3 56.Nf6 Kxg3 57.Kb1 Kh4 58.Ka2 Bg7 0-1

Round 8, September 1
Artemiev, Vladislav – Dominguez, Leinier
E51 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 O-O 6.Bd2 b6 7.Rc1 Bb7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Re8 10.O-O Bf8 11.Ne5 c5 12.b3 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Ne2 Bd6 15.h3 Rc8 16.Bf5 Bd7 17.Bxd7 Qxd7 18.dxc5 bxc5 19.Bc3 Ne4 20.Bb2 Bb8 21.Qd3 Rc6 22.Rcd1 Rh6 23.f4 Rxh3 24.gxh3 Qxh3 25.Rf2 Re6 26.Rg2 Rh6 27.Qxe4 Qh1+ 28.Kf2 Qh4+ 29.Ng3 dxe4 30.Rh1 Qd8 31.Rxh6 gxh6 32.Nxe4+ Kf8 33.Bg7+ Ke8 34.Bf6 Qb6 35.Rg8+ Kd7 36.Rf8 Bc7 37.Rxf7+ Kc8 38.Rxh7 Qe6 39.Rh8+ Bd8 40.Rxd8+ Kc7 41.Kf3 Qh3+ 42.Ng3 h5 43.Rh8 Qg4+ 44.Kf2 Qd1 45.Rxh5 Kc6 46.Be7 c4 47.bxc4 Qc2+ 48.Ne2 Qxa2 49.Bb4 Qc2 50.Rc5+ Kd7 51.Ra5 Qxc4 52.Rxa7+ Kc6 53.Bc3 Qe4 54.Ra5 Kd6 55.Bd4 Qh1 56.Ng3 Qh2+ 57.Kf3 Qc2 58.f5 Qd1+ 59.Kf4 Qe1 60.Ne4+ Kc6 61.Rc5+ Kd7 62.Ke5 Qh4 63.Nf6+ Ke7 64.Rc7+ Kd8 65.Rh7 Qg3+ 66.Ke6 Kc8 67.Be5 Qg2 68.Rc7+ Kd8 69.Rd7+ Kc8 70.e4 Qg8+ 71.Kd6 Qf8+ 72.Re7 Kd8 73.Nd5 Qh6+ 74.Re6 Qc1 75.Bf6+ Kc8 76.Re8+ Kb7 77.Re7+ Ka6 78.Bd4 Qh6+ 79.f6 Qh2+ 80.e5 Kb5 81.f7 Qh6+ 82.Nf6 Kc4 83.Re8 1-0

Final Position



Let’s see, a queen is worth R, N, B and two pawns?

Artemiev wins the match 3-1

Mamedyarov-Aronian

Round 5, September 1
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Aronian, Levon
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.e3 O-O 9.Rc1 Rd8 10.Be2 dxc4 11.Qb5 Qe7 12.Bxc4 Na5 13.a3 Bd7 14.Qxb4 Qxb4 15.axb4 Nxc4 16.b3 Nd6 17.Ne5 a5 18.bxa5 Rxa5 19.Kd2 Be8 20.Kc2 c5 21.dxc5 Rxc5 22.Nd3 Rg5 23.g3 Bc6 24.Rhe1 Ne4 25.Rcd1 Nxc3 26.Kxc3 Bf3 27.Ra1 Rgd5 28.Nb2 b5 29.e4 Rd4 30.b4 e5 31.Ra5 Rc8+ 32.Kb3 Bxe4 33.Rxb5 Bd5+ 34.Ka3 Rc3+ 35.Ka4 Bc6 0-1

Round 6, September 1
Aronian, Levon – 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 Nce7 11.O-O O-O 12.Rfe1 c6 13.Ne4 Nb6 14.Bf1 h6 15.Nc5 Qc7 16.Ne5 Nbd5 17.Rad1 b6 18.Ne4 Be6 19.a3 Rad8 20.Qc2 Rfe8 21.h3 Nf4 22.Qc1 Nfg6 23.Nxg6 Nxg6 24.Nc3 Qd6 25.g3 Ne7 26.Bg2 Rc8 27.Rd2 Red8 28.Qd1 Rd7 29.Qa4 Rcd8 30.Red1 a5 31.b4 b5 32.Qxa5 Bb3 33.Rb1 Qb8 34.Rxb3 Ra7 35.Qxa7 Qxa7 36.d5 Nf5 37.Ne2 cxd5 38.Bxd5 Qe7 39.Rbd3 Kf8 40.Bf3 Rxd3 41.Rxd3 Nd6 42.Kg2 g6 43.Nc3 Qe5 44.a4 bxa4 45.Nxa4 Kg7 46.Rd5 Qf6 47.b5 Nc4 48.b6 Nxb6 49.Nxb6 Qxb6 50.h4 Qe6 51.h5 g5 52.g4 Qf6 53.Rf5 Qe7 54.Bd5 f6 55.Bf3 Qb4 56.Rd5 Qe7 57.Rf5 Qb4 58.Rd5 Qe7 59.Rf5 1/2-1/2

Round 7, September 1
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Aronian, Levon
E20 Nimzo-Indian, Kmoch variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 b5 6.e4 d6 7.Bd2 a6 8.Nge2 O-O 9.Nf4 exd5 10.cxd5 Nbd7 11.a4 bxa4 12.Qxa4 Ne5 13.Be2 Rb8 14.O-O c4 15.Qc2 g5 16.Nh3 Bxh3 17.gxh3 Nh5 18.Kh1 Kh8 19.Rg1 Nf4 20.h4 Nxe2 21.Nxe2 Bxd2 22.Qxd2 Nxf3 23.Qc3+ Ne5 24.Nd4 g4 25.Rxa6 Qxh4 26.Nf5 Qf2 27.Nxd6 f6 28.Rg2 Qf1+ 29.Rg1 Qf2 30.Rg2 Qf1+ 31.Rg1 Qf2 1/2-1/2

Aronian Wins the match 2-1

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

September 1, 2021

Quarter-Finals

Day Two (continued)

Firouzja-So

Round 5, September 1
So, Wesley – Firouzja, Alireza
A13 English Opening, Agincourt variation

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.b3 Be7 5.Bb2 O-O 6.Nc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.d4 Nc6 9.Be2 Ne4 10.O-O Bf6 11.Na4 Bg4 12.h3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Ng5 14.Nxc5 Nxh3+ 15.Kg2 Bxd4 16.Bxd4 Qg5+ 17.Kxh3 Qh5+ 18.Kg3 Qg5+ 19.Kh3 Qh5+ 20.Kg3 Qg5+ 21.Kh3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, September 1
Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
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 Nf5 8.Nf3 d5 9.d4 O-O 10.c3 Re8 11.a4 Bd6 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.a5 Nce7 14.a6 b6 15.c4 Be6 16.Nc3 c6 17.b3 f6 18.Qc2 Rc8 19.Bb2 Qd7 20.Bd3 g6 21.c5 Bc7 22.cxb6 axb6 23.Ne2 Ra8 24.Bc1 Nd6 25.Bf4 Ra7 26.h3 Ne8 27.Qd2 Bf5 28.Bxf5 Nxf5 29.Ne1 Qc8 30.Rc1 Rxa6 31.Nd3 Bxf4 32.Nexf4 Ra7 33.Nxd5 Nxd4 34.Qe3 Qd8 35.Qxd4 Qxd5 36.Qxb6 Rc7 37.Re1 Rc8 38.Nf4 Qb5 39.Qxb5 cxb5 40.Nd5 Kf8 41.Re6 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Rc2 43.Nxf6 Nxf6 44.Rxf6+ Ke7 45.Rf3 b4 46.Rf4 Rb2 47.Rxb4 Rxf2 48.Rb7+ Kf6 49.Rxh7 g5 50.Rc7 Rb2 51.Rc3 Kf5 52.Kg3 Ke4 53.Rc5 g4 54.h4 1-0

Round 7, September 1
So, Wesley – Firouzja, Alireza
C50 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.O-O d6 6.c3 a6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 Ba7 9.a4 g5 10.Bg3 O-O 11.Nbd2 Nh7 12.Kh1 Kg7 13.d4 h5 14.h3 Qf6 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.b4 g4 17.b5 gxf3 18.Nxf3 Na5 19.Bxe5 Nxc4 20.Bxf6+ Nxf6 21.Qe2 Be6 22.Nd4 Ne5 23.f4 Bc4 24.Qe3 Ng6 25.f5 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Rae8 27.fxg6 fxg6 28.e5 axb5 29.exf6+ Rxf6 30.Qxe8 Rxf1+ 31.Kh2 Bxd4 32.cxd4 bxa4 33.Qe5+ Kh6 34.Qxc7 b5 35.Qb8 a3 36.Qxb5 Rf4 37.Qb8 Rf7 1-0

Round 8, September 1
Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
C01 French, Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 O-O 7.cxd5 Nbd7 8.Be2 Nb6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.O-O Re8 12.Re1 Bg4 13.Ne5 Bf5 14.Bf3 Bxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Rxe5 Qxe5 17.Qe2 Qxe2 18.Bxe2 Re8 19.Rd1 Na4 20.Bb5 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Rd8 22.Be2 Kf8 23.f3 Ke7 24.Kf2 Kd6 25.Rd4 a5 26.h4 Rd7 27.Bc4 Bc2 28.Ke3 Kc5 29.Kd2 Bg6 30.Bb3 f6 31.Ra4 Kb6 32.c4 Re7 33.c5+ Kxc5 34.Rxa5+ Kd6 35.Ra7 b6 36.a4 Bf7 37.a5 bxa5 38.Ra6+ Kc5 39.d6 cxd6 40.Bxf7 Rxf7 41.Rxa5+ Kd4 42.Ra4+ Kd5 43.Ra5+ Ke6 44.Ke3 Rb7 45.h5 d5 46.Kf4 Rb4+ 47.Ke3 Ke5 48.f4+ Ke6 49.Ra7 Kf5 50.Rxg7 Re4+ 51.Kd3 Rxf4 52.Rg6 Rg4 53.Rxh6 Rxg2 54.Rh8 Rh2 55.Kd4 Ke6 56.h6 Rh4+ 57.Ke3 d4+ 58.Kd3 Kf7 59.h7 Kg7 60.Rg8+ Kxh7 61.Rg1 f5 62.Kc4 Kh6 63.Kd5 Re4 64.Rg2 Kh5 65.Rg1 Kh4 66.Rg8 d3 67.Rg1 d2 68.Rd1 Re2 0-1

So wins the second match 2.5-1.5

5-Minute Games

Round 9, September 1
So, Wesley – Firouzja, Alireza
B15 Caro-Kann, Old Defence

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qd3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 Nxe4 7.Qxe4 Nf6 8.Qd3 g6 9.Be2 Bg7 10.O-O O-O 11.Bf4 Nd5 12.Bg3 a5 13.c4 Nf6 14.Rfe1 a4 15.Rad1 Bg4 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 e6 18.h4 Qb6 19.Re2 Rfd8 20.Red2 Rd7 21.h5 Rad8 22.Qe3 Qb4 23.h6 Bh8 24.Be2 Ne8 25.Bh4 Bf6 26.Bxf6 Nxf6 27.Qe5 Ne8 28.g4 Qd6 29.f4 Qe7 30.g5 Qf8 31.d5 exd5 32.cxd5 Qc5+ 33.Kf1 cxd5 34.Bf3 Re7 35.Qd4 Qc8 36.Kg2 Qf5 37.Kg3 f6 38.Bg4 Qe4 39.Qxe4 Rxe4 40.Bf3 Re7 41.Rxd5 Rxd5 42.Rxd5 fxg5 43.fxg5 Nc7 44.Rd8+ Kf7 45.Bxb7 Ke6 46.Kf4 Rf7+ 47.Ke4 Ke7 48.Rb8 Ne6 49.Bc6 Nxg5+ 50.Ke3 a3 51.bxa3 Kd6 52.Bg2 Ra7 53.Rb3 Nf7 54.Bf1 Nxh6 55.Bb5 Nf5+ 56.Ke4 Kc5 57.a4 Re7+ 58.Kf4 Nd4 59.Rc3+ Kb6 60.Kg5 Re5+ 61.Kh6 Rh5+ 62.Kg7 Nxb5 63.Rb3 Ka5 64.axb5 Rxb5 65.Ra3+ Kb4 66.Rb3+ Ka4 67.Kxh7 Rxb3 68.axb3+ Kxb3 69.Kxg6 1/2-1/2

Round 10, September 1
Firouzja, Alireza – So, Wesley
C42 Petrov’s Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bd3 d5 6.Qe2 Qe7 7.O-O Nd6 8.Qd1 Qd8 9.Re1+ Be7 10.Nc3 c6 11.b3 O-O 12.Ba3 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.Qe2 Bf6 15.Qe3 Re8 16.Qf4 Rxe1+ 17.Rxe1 Ne8 18.g4 Bg6 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qb4 Nd7 21.Qxb7 Rc8 22.Na4 Nc7 23.Qxc6 Ne6 24.Qxd5 Rxc2 25.Bd6 Ndc5 26.Nc3 Bxc3 27.dxc3 Nf4 28.Qxc5 Nxh3+ 29.Kg2 Nxf2 30.Kg3 Qd7 31.Qd4 Qc6 32.Bf4 Qc8 33.Bd2 1-0

Firouzja wins the 5-minute games 1.5-0.5 and the match

What a game and what a match, but Alireza Firouzja is through to his first #ChessChamps semi-finals after knocking out Wesley So!

Semi-Final Pairings

Artemiev-Firouzja
Aronian-Carlsen

[Marc Andre Beaudry]

Firouza has the talent to maybe become world champion, the guy is only 18 !!

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

September 2, 2021

Semi-Finals

Day One

Daniel King and Simon Williams are the commentators on one of the English channels. They are fairly entertaining – then, Anish Giri comes on for a bit and then called away. A good way to spend an afternoon.

Carlsen-Aronian

Round 12, September 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
D38 QGD, Ragozin variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qb3 c5 6.dxc5 Nc6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bg5 Be6 9.O-O-O O-O 10.e4 dxe4 11.Rxd8 Bxb3 12.Rxa8 Rxa8 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Ndxe4 f5 16.a3 fxe4 17.axb4 Nxb4 18.Nxe4 Rc8 19.Be2 f5 20.Nc3 Rxc5 21.Kd2 Nd5 22.Ra1 Nxc3 23.bxc3 a5 24.c4 Kg7 25.Kc3 b6 26.Rb1 Rc6 27.f4 Kf6 28.g3 h6 29.Bf1 Bg8 30.Rb5 Bf7 31.Be2 Bg8 32.Bf1 Bf7 33.Bd3 Be6 34.Re5 Rc5 35.Rxc5 bxc5 36.Kb3 Bd7 37.Ka3 Bc6 38.Bc2 Ke6 39.Bd1 Kf6 40.Ba4 Bf3 41.Bc2 Bc6 42.Ba4 Bf3 43.Bc2 Bc6 44.Ba4 1/2-1/2

Round 13, September 2
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Ng5 Bc8 12.Ne2 a5 13.Nf4 h6 14.Nf3 a4 15.g4 Ne7 16.h3 c5 17.c4 b6 18.Kg2 Ba6 19.b3 Bb7 20.Bb2 a3 21.Bc3 Ng6 22.Nxg6 fxg6 23.Kg3 Be7 24.e6 Bd6+ 25.Rxd6 cxd6 26.Nh4 Be4 27.f3 g5 28.Nf5 Bxf5 29.gxf5 Rg8 30.f4 gxf4+ 31.Kxf4 Ke7 32.Rg1 g6 33.f6+ Kxe6 34.Re1+ Kd7 35.Re7+ Kc6 36.f7 Rgd8 37.Bg7 d5 38.Re6+ Kb7 39.Re7+ Kc6 40.Re6+ Kb7 41.Re7+ Kc6 1/2-1/2

Round 14, September 2
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
C53 Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.b4 Be7 7.Nbd2 d5 8.Bb3 a5 9.b5 Na7 10.a4 c6 11.bxc6 Nxc6 12.O-O Bg4 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 d4 15.cxd4 Nxd4 16.Qd1 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 Nd7 18.Ba3 b6 19.Nc4 Bxa3 20.Qxa3 Rc8 21.Rfb1 Rc6 22.Rb5 Re8 23.Rab1 Ree6 24.Rd5 Qc7 25.Rbb5 h6 26.Qa1 Nf6 27.Rxe5 Nxe4 28.Rxe6 Rxe6 29.Rxb6 Rxb6 30.Nxb6 Nxf2 31.Kxf2 Qxb6+ 32.Kf1 g5 33.Qd1 Qf6+ 34.Kg1 Qd4+ 35.Kf1 Kg7 36.Qb3 Qf4+ 37.Ke2 Qe5+ 38.Kf1 h5 39.Qc4 Qe3 40.Qc3+ Kg6 41.Qxa5 Qxd3+ 42.Kf2 Qd4+ 43.Kf1 g4 44.hxg4 hxg4 45.Qb5 g3 46.Qc6+ Kg5 47.Qf3 Kh4 48.Ke2 Qxa4 49.Qf6+ Kg4 50.Qg7+ Kh4 51.Qh6+ Kg4 52.Qg7+ Kh4 53.Qf6+ Kg4 54.Qg7+ 1/2-1/2

Round 15, September 2
Aronian, Levon – Carlsen, Magnus
C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Be7 8.Nc3 O-O 9.a4 Na5 10.axb5 Nxb3 11.cxb3 axb5 12.Rxa8 Bxa8 13.Nxb5 d5 14.Nxe5 dxe4 15.dxe4 Bxe4 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Nc3 Bb7 18.Nc4 Nd5 19.Rd1 f6 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Bf4 c6 22.h4 Kf7 23.Rc1 Bb4 24.f3 Bc5+ 25.Kf1 Ra8 26.Bd2 Rb8 27.Ne5+ fxe5 28.Rxc5 Rxb3 29.Bc3 Rb5 30.Rxb5 cxb5 31.Bxe5 h5 32.Kf2 g6 33.Ke3 Bc4 34.g4 hxg4 35.fxg4 Bb3 36.h5 gxh5 37.gxh5 Bd1 38.h6 Kg6 39.Bg7 Kh7 40.Bf8 Bb3 41.Bg7 Bd1 42.Bf8 Bb3 43.Bg7 Bd1 1/2-1/2

Match tied at 2-2

Four draws and no smiles on either of those faces. Carlsen and Aronian are tied 2-2 after the first day of the #AimchessUSRapid semifinal!

Firouzja-Artemiev

Round 12, September 2
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A14 English, Neo-Catalan declined

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.b3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bb2 Nc6 9.d4 Ne4 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 d4 13.Bb2 Bf5 14.Rc1 Qd6 15.b4 Nxb4 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Qxd4 18.Bxd4 Nc6 19.Bxc6 bxc6 20.Rxc6 Rfe8 21.e3 Rec8 22.Rcc1 Bd3 23.Rfe1 a5 24.g4 Bc4 25.a3 Be6 26.h3 a4 27.Kh2 Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rc8 29.Rd1 Bb3 30.Rd3 f6 31.Kg3 Kf7 32.Bb6 Ke6 33.Ba5 h5 34.Bb4 hxg4 35.hxg4 Rc6 36.Rd8 Rc7 37.f4 g6 38.Rd6+ Kf7 39.e4 Re7 40.Kf3 Rc7 41.Ke3 Be6 42.f5 gxf5 43.gxf5 Bb3 44.Rb6 Bc2 45.Kd4 Rd7+ 46.Ke3 Rc7 47.Re6 Bb3 48.Ra6 Bc2 49.Bd6 Rc3+ 50.Kf4 Bd1 51.Ra7+ Kg8 52.e5 Rc4+ 53.Ke3 Rc6 54.Ra8+ Kh7 55.exf6 Bb3 56.Ra7+ Kg8 57.Rg7+ Kh8 58.Be5 Rc5 59.Bd4 1-0

Round 13, September 2
Firouzja, Alireza – Artemiev, Vladislav
C65 Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 g6 6.O-O Bg7 7.Re1 O-O 8.Nbd2 Bd7 9.Nf1 Qe8 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Nh5 12.Ne3 Nf4 13.Bg3 Nh5 14.Bh4 Nf4 15.Bg3 Nh5 16.Nd5 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Rc8 18.a4 a6 19.Bc4 Ne7 20.Ne3 b5 21.Bb3 Rb8 22.axb5 axb5 23.d4 Qc8 24.dxe5 dxe5 25.Ra7 b4 26.c4 Rd8 27.Nd5 Nxd5 28.cxd5 Ra8 29.Qa1 Qb8 30.Rxa8 Qxa8 31.Rc1 Qxa1 32.Rxa1 Bg4 33.Nd2 Bf8 34.Nc4 Bd6 35.Nxd6 cxd6 36.Ra4 Kf8 37.Rxb4 Rc8 38.Bc4 Bd7 39.b3 Ra8 40.Rb6 Ra1+ 41.Kh2 Ke7 42.f3 f5 43.f4 exf4 44.e5 fxg3+ 45.Kxg3 dxe5 46.Rxg6 Rd1 47.Rxh6 Rd4 48.Kf3 f4 49.g3 fxg3 50.Kxg3 Bf5 51.Kf2 Bd3 52.Rc6 Bxc4 53.bxc4 Kd7 54.Ke3 Kd8 55.Rd6+ Kc8 56.c5 Kc7 57.Ke2 Rc4 58.Rc6+ Kd7 59.Kf3 Rf4+ 60.Ke2 Re4+ 61.Kf2 Rf4+ 62.Kg3 Rc4 63.Kh3 Rd4 64.Rd6+ Kc7 65.Kg3 Rc4 66.Rc6+ Kd7 67.Kf3 Rf4+ 68.Ke3 Rd4 69.Rd6+ Kc7 70.Ke2 Rc4 71.Rc6+ Kd7 72.Kf3 1/2-1/2

Final Position



Round 14, September 2
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A20 English Opening

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Nf3 d6 5.Bg2 f5 6.d3 Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.a3 Qe8 9.b4 Bb6 10.e3 a5 11.Rb1 axb4 12.axb4 Kh8 13.b5 Nd8 14.Na4 Ba5 15.Bb2 Ne6 16.Ra1 Rb8 17.Nc3 b6 18.Nd2 Bb7 19.Bxb7 Rxb7 20.Nb3 Bxc3 21.Bxc3 Ng4 22.Qe2 Qh5 23.f3 Nf6 24.Qg2 Rbb8 25.f4 Ng4 26.Rae1 Rbe8 27.h3 Nf6 28.fxe5 dxe5 29.Bxe5 Ng5 30.h4 Rxe5 31.hxg5 Qxg5 32.Nd4 Qh5 33.Rf4 Rfe8 34.Qf3 g6 35.Qxh5 Nxh5 36.Rf3 Nf6 37.Nc6 R5e6 38.e4 fxe4 39.dxe4 Rxe4 40.Rxe4 Nxe4 41.Rf7 Nd6 42.Rxc7 Nxc4 43.Nd4 Na5 44.Rd7 Re4 45.Kf2 Nc4 46.Nf3 h6 47.Rc7 g5 48.Rc6 Kg7 49.Ne1 h5 50.Nf3 g4 51.Ng5 Re5 52.Ne6+ Kf7 53.Nf4 Na3 54.Rxb6 Nxb5 55.Rh6 Nc3 56.Rxh5 Rxh5 57.Nxh5 Ne4+ 58.Ke3 Nxg3 59.Nxg3 Ke7 60.Kf4 Kd7 61.Kxg4 1/2-1/2

Round 15, September 2
Firouzja, Alireza – Artemiev, Vladislav
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.O-O Bd7 6.Re1 g6 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.c4 Bg7 9.Nc3 O-O 10.d4 Re8 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qc2 Bd7 13.Be3 Bg4 14.Nd2 c6 15.c5 Be6 16.h3 Qc7 17.a3 Rad8 18.Rad1 Nd7 19.Qa4 Bf8 20.b4 a5 21.Nf3 f6 22.Qc2 axb4 23.axb4 b6 24.Na4 bxc5 25.bxc5 Rb8 26.Rd3 Rb4 27.Red1 Qa5 28.Nb6 Nxc5 29.Rd8 Rxd8 30.Rxd8 Nb7 31.Ra8 Qxb6 32.Bxb6 Rxb6 33.Nd2 Kg7 34.Nc4 Rb4 35.Ne3 Rb6 36.Nd5 Bxd5 37.exd5 c5 38.Qa4 Nd6 39.Qd7+ Nf7 40.Ra7 1-0

This was a must-win game for Alireza. Artemiev seemed to weaken at the end and was in some time trouble. Alireza doubled the rooks and the rest is history.

Position after White’s 29.Rd8. Who has the better game here?



Match is tied 2-2 at the end of Day 1 of the Semi-finals

[Hans Jung]

Firouza has the talent to maybe become world champion, the guy is only 18 !!

No maybe, I believe it. In the short term I would like to see a team event with Firoujza on first board, MVL on second, and the legendary Bacrot on bottom board. France would be rocking.

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

September 3, 2021

Semi-Finals

Day Two

Aronian-Carlsen

Round 16, September 3
Aronian, Levon – 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 Bb7 9.d3 Re8 10.Bd2 b4 11.Bg5 Na5 12.Ba2 h6 13.Bh4 d6 14.Nbd2 c5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nc4 Nxc4 17.Bxc4 a5 18.g3 g6 19.h4 h5 20.Nd2 Bg7 21.Nf1 Bh6 22.Qf3 Rf8 23.Ne3 Ra7 24.Nd5 Kg7 25.Rf1 f5 26.exf5 Rxf5 27.Qe2 Bc6 28.Rae1 Qa8 29.Ne3 Bf3 30.Qd2 d5 31.Ba2 Rf8 32.c3 d4 33.cxd4 exd4 34.Qc2 dxe3 35.fxe3 Rc7 36.Qc4 Bg4 37.Rxf8 Qxf8 38.d4 Kh7 39.e4 Bg7 40.Rf1 Bxd4+ 41.Kg2 Qc8 42.Rf7+ Rxf7 43.Qxf7+ Bg7 44.e5 Qf5 0-1

Round 17, September 3
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
B23 Sicilian, Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.Nge2 d6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Nf6 8.h3 O-O 9.O-O Nc6 10.Be3 Bd7 11.Nd5 e6 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.c3 Qc7 14.Qd2 Rac8 15.Rfd1 Na5 16.Bh6 Rfd8 17.Rac1 Nc4 18.Qe2 b5 19.b3 Nb6 20.h4 Bg7 21.Qd2 e5 22.Nf5 Bxh6 23.Nxh6+ Kg7 24.h5 f6 25.Bf3 d5 26.exd5 Qc5 27.Kg2 f5 28.Qg5 Qd6 29.c4 bxc4 30.bxc4 Na4 31.g4 Qf6 32.Qxf6+ Kxf6 33.g5+ Kg7 34.hxg6 hxg6 35.Re1 Re8 36.Be2 Nc5 37.Rb1 Ne4 38.Bd3 Nxg5 39.Rb7 Rcd8 40.Nxf5+ gxf5 41.Bxf5 Re7 42.f4 Nf7 43.Rxd7 Rexd7 44.Bxd7 Rxd7 45.fxe5 Rc7 46.d6 Rxc4 47.d7 Nd8 48.e6 Nxe6 49.Rxe6 Rd4 50.Rxa6 Rxd7 51.Kf3 Kf7 52.Ke4 Ke7 53.Ke5 Rd2 54.Ra7+ Kd8 55.a4 Kc8 56.Ra5 Kb7 57.Rd5 Rxd5+ 58.Kxd5 Kb6 59.Ke4 Ka5 60.Kf3 Kxa4 1/2-1/2

Round 18, September 3
Aronian, Levon – 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 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.c3 Nb8 11.Nbd2 Nbd7 12.Nf1 Nc5 13.Bc2 Nxa4 14.Bxa4 bxa4 15.Rxa4 Nd7 16.Ng3 Re8 17.d4 exd4 18.cxd4 Nf8 19.Bd2 Qd7 20.h4 h6 21.Qc2 Rac8 22.Ra5 d5 23.e5 c5 24.dxc5 d4 25.b4 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Bxh4 27.Qf5 Bxg3 28.Qxd7 Nxd7 29.fxg3 Nxe5 30.Ra3 Nc4 31.Rd3 Red8 32.Re4 a5 33.bxa5 Nxd2 34.Rxd2 Rxc5 35.Rexd4 Rxd4 36.Rxd4 Rxa5 37.Kg2 Ra2+ 38.Kh3 g6 39.g4 Kg7 40.Kg3 Ra5 41.Rc4 h5 42.gxh5 gxh5 43.Rc6 f6 44.Rc8 Ra4 45.Rc5 Kg6 46.Rb5 h4+ 47.Kh3 f5 48.Rc5 Kg5 49.Rb5 Ra3 50.Kg2 Ra2+ 51.Kh3 Rf2 52.Rb3 Kf4 53.Rb4+ Kxf3 54.Kxh4 f4 55.Rb3+ Kg2 56.Kg4 f3 57.Ra3 Rb2 58.Rxf3 Rb4+ 59.Rf4 Rxf4+ 60.Kxf4 1/2-1/2

Round 19, September 3
Carlsen, Magnus – Aronian, Levon
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.a4 h6 10.Be3 Ng4 11.Bc1 Ngf6 12.Be3 Ng4 13.Bc1 b6 14.Nd2 Ngf6 15.Nc4 Nc5 16.b4 Ne6 17.Be3 Rb8 18.O-O O-O 19.Qd2 b5 20.axb5 axb5 21.Na3 Nc7 22.Naxb5 Nxb5 23.Nxb5 Nxe4 24.Qd3 Bf5 25.Ba7 Rc8 26.c4 Qd7 27.Qd5 Nf6 28.Qd2 d5 29.c5 d4 30.Bc4 Be6 31.Qe2 Rfd8 32.Bb6 d3 33.Qa2 Rf8 34.Nc3 Ra8 35.Qxa8 Bxc4 36.Qf3 Qd4 37.Rfc1 e4 38.Qe3 Qe5 39.h3 Re8 40.c6 Bd6 41.g3 Bxb4 42.Bd4 Qf5 43.Bxf6 gxf6 44.c7 Bc5 45.Qf4 Qxf4 46.gxf4 d2 47.Nxe4 dxc1=Q+ 48.Rxc1 Be7 49.Rxc4 Rc8 50.Nc3 Kf8 51.Nd5 1-0

Carlsen wins the match 3-1

Artemiev-Firouzja

Round 16, September 3
Firouzja, Alireza – Artemiev, Vladislav
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.Bb3 Be7 9.cxd4 O-O 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.Re1 Na5 12.Bc2 b4 13.Na4 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Nc5 Nc6 17.Rad1 Bf8 18.Rxe8 Qxe8 19.Bxf8 Kxf8 20.Ba4 Rd8 21.d5 Ne5 22.Qf6 Kg8 23.Kf1 Nec4 24.h4 Nb6 25.Bb3 Qf8 26.Na6 Rc8 27.Rc1 Qg7 28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.Nxb4 a5 30.Na6 a4 31.Bd1 a3 32.bxa3 Ra8 33.Be2 Nxd5 34.Nxc7 Nxc7 35.Rxc7 Kf6 36.Rxd7 Ke6 37.Rc7 Rxa3 38.Bd1 h6 39.Bb3+ Ke5 40.Re7+ Kf6 41.Rd7 Ra6 42.f4 g5 43.fxg5+ hxg5 44.hxg5+ Kxg5 45.Kf2 Kf4 46.g3+ Kg4 47.Kg2 Kg5 48.Kf3 Rc6 49.Kg2 f5 50.Rd8 Ne4 51.Rg8+ Kf6 52.Rf8+ Kg5 53.Rg8+ Kf6 54.g4 fxg4 55.Rxg4 Ke5 56.Kf3 Nd2+ 57.Ke2 Nxb3 58.axb3 Rc3 59.b4 Kd5 60.b5 Rb3 61.Rh4 Rxb5 62.Rh5+ Kc4 63.Rxb5 Kxb5 1/2-1/2

Round 17, September 3
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
E51 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 O-O 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 c5 8.O-O Nc6 9.a3 Ba5 10.Bd3 Qe7 11.Ne4 cxd4 12.exd4 Nd5 13.Bc2 Rd8 14.b4 Bb6 15.Qd3 e5 16.Nc3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Nxd4 18.Ne4 Bf5 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Qf3 Bg6 22.Rae1 Kg7 23.Bb1 f5 24.Ng3 f4 25.Nf5+ Bxf5 26.Bxf5 Qg5 27.Bb1 Rac8 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Bb6 30.Rf1 Rd2 31.Qxb7 f3 32.Qxf3 Rxf2 33.Qxf2 Bxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Qd2+ 35.Kg3 Qe3+ 36.Kh4 Qxa3 37.Bf5 Qxb4+ 38.g4 Qd2 39.Kg3 Qe3+ 40.Rf3 Qe1+ 41.Kg2 e4 42.Rf1 Qe3 43.Ra1 Qd2+ 44.Kf1 e3 45.Kg1 Qf2+ 46.Kh1 e2 0-1

Round 18, September 3
Firouzja, Alireza – Artemiev, Vladislav
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 e6 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nf6 11.Bd2 c5 12.O-O-O Nc6 13.Bc3 Qd5 14.dxc5 Qxd3 15.cxd3 Bxc5 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.d4 Bb6 18.d5 Ne7 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Rd6 Kf7 21.Ne4 Rhd8 22.Rhd1 Nd5 23.Nh4 f5 24.R1xd5 fxe4 25.Rd1 Rac8+ 26.Kb1 Rxd6 27.Rxd6 Bxf2 28.Ng6 e3 29.Rd7+ Kf6 30.Nf4 e5 31.Ne2 Kf5 32.Rxb7 Rd8 33.Rc7 a5 34.Kc1 Be1 35.Rc4 Rd2 36.Rc2 Rd7 37.Rc4 Rd2 38.Rc2 Rd5 39.Rc4 Kg5 40.g4 Bd2+ 41.Kb1 Be1 42.Kc1 Rd2 43.Ng1 Rf2 44.Kd1 Rf1 45.Nh3+ Kf6 46.Rc6+ Ke7 47.Ke2 Rh1 48.Rxh6 Bh4 49.Kxe3 Rxh3+ 50.Ke4 Bf6 51.Rh7+ Ke6 52.Ra7 Be7 53.Rxa5 Bd6 54.Ra8 Rh1 55.Re8+ Kf7 56.Ra8 Re1+ 57.Kd5 Rd1+ 58.Ke4 Rd4+ 59.Kf3 Rf4+ 60.Kg3 e4 61.Ra4 Rf3+ 62.Kh4 e3 63.Re4 Kf6 64.h6 Bf4 65.g5+ Kf5 0-1

Round 19, September 3
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A11 Reti, King’s Indian Attack, Yugoslav variation

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.O-O Bg4 5.c4 e6 6.Qb3 Qb6 7.d3 Nbd7 8.Be3 Bc5 9.Bxc5 Nxc5 10.Qa3 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 O-O 12.Nd2 a5 13.d4 Ncd7 14.e3 Qb4 15.Qc3 Rfe8 16.Rac1 h6 17.Rfd1 Rad8 18.a3 Qb6 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 e5 21.cxd5 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 cxd5 23.Nb3 e4 24.Qc7 Qxb4 25.Rb1 Qe7 26.Qxb7 Qg5 27.Na5 Nf6 28.Nc6 Ra8 29.Ne5 Qh5 30.Rdc1 Rf8 31.Rc7 Ra2 32.Rc8 Rxc8 33.Qxc8+ Kh7 34.g4 Qh4 35.Qf5+ g6 36.Qf4 Ra7 37.Kg2 Kg7 38.Qg3 Qxg3+ 39.Kxg3 Rc7 40.Rb5 Kf8 41.h4 g5 42.Rc5 Rb7 43.Rc6 Kg7 44.Ra6 Rc7 45.Rd6 Rb7 46.Rd8 Rc7 47.Rb8 Ra7 48.hxg5 hxg5 49.Rb5 Rc7 50.Rc5 Rb7 51.Nc6 Kg6 52.Ra5 Kg7 53.Ra6 Kg6 54.Ra5 Kg7 55.Ra7 Rxa7 56.Nxa7 Kf8 57.Nb5 Ke7 58.Nc3 Ke6 59.f3 exf3 60.Kxf3 Ne8 61.e4 dxe4+ 62.Nxe4 f5 63.Nxg5+ Kf6 64.Kf4 fxg4 65.Kxg4 Ke7 66.Kf5 Kd6 67.Ke4 Nf6+ 68.Kd3 Kd5 69.Nh3 Nh5 70.Ke3 Ng3 71.Nf4+ Kd6 72.d5 Nf5+ 73.Ke4 Ne7 74.Kd4 Nxd5 75.Nxd5 1/2-1/2

Match ends in a tie 2-2 and goes to playoff

5-minute games

Round 20, September 3
Firouzja, Alireza – Artemiev, Vladislav
C60 Ruy Lopez, Fianchetto Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.d4 exd4 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Bxc6 dxc6 8.Qxd4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Nd2 c5 11.Qe3 O-O-O 12.h3 Be6 13.O-O-O Rhe8 14.Rhe1 b6 15.g4 Kb8 16.f4 Bc8 17.g5 Nh5 18.Nf3 Bb7 19.h4 a6 20.a4 Qe6 21.Ne5 Rd6 22.a5 Nxf4 23.Qxf4 Qxe5 24.Qxe5 Rxe5 25.Rxd6 cxd6 26.axb6 Bc6 27.Rf1 Kb7 28.Rxf7+ Kxb6 29.Rf4 h6 30.gxh6 Rh5 31.Rf6 Rxh6 32.Rxd6 Kc7 33.e5 Rxh4 34.Rxg6 Rh5 35.e6 Re5 36.b3 Kd6 37.e7+ Kc7 38.Na4 c4 39.Rg7 Be8 40.bxc4 Kd6 41.Nb6 Rc5 42.Kb2 Rc6 43.Nd5 Rxc4 44.Nf6 Rc8 45.c4 Ke6 46.Nxe8 Rxe8 47.Kb3 Rxe7 48.Rg6+ Kd7 49.Rxa6 Re5 50.Kb4 Kc7 51.Ra5 Rxa5 52.Kxa5 Kc6 53.c5 Kxc5 1/2-1/2

Round 21, September 3
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A05 Reti, King’s Indian Attack, Spassky’s variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 b5 3.Bg2 Bb7 4.O-O e6 5.b3 Be7 6.Na3 a6 7.c4 bxc4 8.Nxc4 a5 9.d3 d5 10.Nce5 O-O 11.Qc2 c5 12.Bb2 Na6 13.a3 Ne8 14.Nd2 Nd6 15.e4 Rc8 16.Rfe1 Re8 17.Rac1 Bf8 18.h4 Nb5 19.Qd1 Rc7 20.exd5 exd5 21.Nef3 Rxe1+ 22.Qxe1 Nb8 23.d4 Nxd4 24.Nxd4 cxd4 25.Bxd4 Rxc1 26.Qxc1 Qd6 27.Bb2 Nc6 28.Qf1 Bc8 29.Qd3 Be6 30.Nf3 h6 31.Nd4 Nxd4 32.Qxd4 Qc5 33.Qxc5 Bxc5 34.Bc3 d4 35.Bxa5 Bxb3 36.Kf1 Bxa3 37.Ke2 Bc4+ 38.Kd2 Bc5 39.Be4 Kf8 40.Bd3 Bd5 41.Bb5 Ke7 42.Kd3 f5 43.Bd2 Be4+ 44.Ke2 Kf6 45.f3 Bd5 46.Bd3 h5 47.Bf4 g6 48.Bc7 Ke6 49.Bd8 Bb3 50.Bg5 Kd5 51.g4 Bc4 52.gxh5 gxh5 53.Kd2 Bb4+ 54.Ke2 Bxd3+ 55.Kxd3 Ke5 56.Ke2 Ba5 57.Kd3 Be1 58.Ke2 Bg3 59.Kd3 Bf4 60.Bd8 Be3 61.Bc7+ Kd5 62.Bd8 Bf4 63.Bf6 Be5 64.Bd8 Kc5 65.Be7+ Kb5 66.Bd8 Kb4 67.Bb6 Bf6 68.Bxd4 Bxh4 69.Be5 Kb3 70.Ke2 Kc4 71.Kf1 Kd3 72.Kg2 Ke2 73.Bd6 Bg5 74.Bc7 Be3 75.Bd6 Bf2 76.Bc7 h4 77.Bd6 Be1 78.Bc7 Ke3 79.Bb6+ Ke2 80.Bc7 Bf2 81.Bd6 h3+ 82.Kxh3 Kxf3 83.Bc7 Be3 84.Bd6 Bf4 85.Bf8 Be5 86.Bh6 Bd4 87.Bg5 Be3 88.Be7 Bf4 89.Bf8 Ke2 90.Kg2 Be5 91.Bh6 Bd4 92.Bf4 Bf2 93.Bd6 Be3 94.Be5 Bd2 95.Bd6 f4 96.Bxf4 1/2-1/2

Armageddon
Artemiev, Vladislav – Firouzja, Alireza
A45 Trompovsky Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 d5 3.Nd2 h6 4.Bh4 Bf5 5.e3 e6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.c4 O-O 8.Qb3 Nc6 9.Be2 Na5 10.Qa4 Nxc4 11.Nxc4 dxc4 12.Qxc4 Ne4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.O-O c5 15.Rfd1 cxd4 16.Nxd4 Bg6 17.Rac1 Rfd8 18.f3 Nd6 19.Qb4 Qg5 20.f4 Qf6 21.Nf3 Nf5 22.Kf2 Bh5 23.g3 e5 24.fxe5 Qe6 25.g4 Bxg4 26.Qxg4 Rxd1 27.Bxd1 g6 28.Bb3 Qb6 29.Qe4 Rd8 30.e6 Kf8 31.Qe5 a5 32.Rc7 1-0

Artemiev wins the playoff 2-1

Final

Artemiev-Carlsen

Third-Place Match

Aronian-Firouzja

[Wayne Komer]

Aimchess US Rapid 2021

September 4, 2021

Final

Day One

Artemiev-Carlsen

Round 23, September 4
Artemiev, Vladislav – Carlsen, Magnus
A34 English, symmetrical, Three Knights

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.Nc3 e6 4.e3 d5 5.d4 a6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.g3 c4 8.Bg2 Bb4 9.Bd2 O-O 10.Ne5 Nc6 11.O-O Re8 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.b3 a5 14.bxc4 Ba6 15.Qc2 Bxc4 16.Rfb1 Bxc3 17.Bxc3 Ne4 18.Be1 h5 19.Qd1 h4 20.g4 a4 21.a3 Bb3 22.Qe2 Re6 23.Rc1 Qg5 24.f4 Qe7 25.Bb4 Qc7 26.f5 Ree8 27.Qe1 Qd8 28.Rxc6 h3 29.Bxh3 Qg5 30.Qe2 Rac8 31.Rac1 Bc4 32.Rxc8 Bxe2 33.Rxe8+ Kh7 34.Bd2 Bxg4 35.Bg2 Bf3 0-1

Round 24, September 4
Carlsen, Magnus – Artemiev, Vladislav
D32 QGD, Tarrasch Defence, Tarrasch Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.dxc5 d4 6.Na4 b5 7.cxb6 axb6 8.b3 b5 9.Nb2 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 Nf6 12.e4 Nxe4 13.Bxb5+ Bd7 14.Qb4 Nc3 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.Kf1 Nc6 17.Re1+ Kd8 18.Qb6+ Qc7 19.Qc5 Rxa2 20.Nd3 Re8 21.Nf3 Ra5 22.Qc4 Rxe1+ 23.Ndxe1 Qd7 24.h4 Qd5 25.Rh3 Qxc4+ 26.bxc4 Ra4 27.Nxd4 Rxc4 28.Nf5 g6 29.Nd6 1-0

A dramatic end, as after pressing for most of the game Artemiev cracks in time pressure and blunders a full piece! Magnus has a 2:0 lead and now needs only a draw to clinch today's match

Round 25 September 4
Artemiev, Vladislav – Carlsen, Magnus
A05 Reti/English, Symmetrical, Three Knights System

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nc3 g6 7.h4 h6 8.O-O Bg7 9.d3 Be6 10.Bd2 b6 11.a3 Rc8 12.Rc1 O-O 13.Nxd5 Bxd5 14.b4 Nd4 15.Nxd4 Bxg2 16.Ne6 Qd7 17.Kxg2 Qxe6 18.bxc5 Rxc5 19.Rxc5 bxc5 20.Be3 c4 21.dxc4 Qxc4 22.Qd2 a6 23.Rc1 Qe4+ 24.Kg1 Rb8 25.Qa5 Qe5 26.Qxa6 Kh7 27.Bf4 Qb5 28.Qxb5 Rxb5 29.Rc7 g5 30.hxg5 hxg5 31.Be3 Kg6 32.a4 Rb2 33.a5 Ra2 34.Rc6+ Kf5 35.a6 Ke4 36.a7 Bd4 37.Bxd4 Kxd4 38.Rc7 g4 1-0

Position after White’s 25.Qa5




Magnus seems to have mouse-slipped Qe5 instead of Qe6, and now Artemiev can pick up the a6-pawn with a winning position!

Round 26, September 4
Carlsen, Magnus – Artemiev, Vladislav
B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.a4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.a5 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.a6 bxa6 9.Bxa6 Bxa6 10.Rxa6 Nb8 11.Ra3 Nc6 12.d3 Qb6 13.b3 Nd7 14.Bb2 Qb7 15.Qa1 a5 16.Nd5 Bxb2 17.Qxb2 a4 18.Qc1 e6 19.Ne3 axb3 20.Rxb3 Qc7 21.Qb2 Rfb8 22.Rxb8+ Rxb8 23.Qc3 Nde5 24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.Ra1 Nc6 26.Qf6 Qd8 27.Qxd8+ Rxd8 28.Ra6 Nb4 29.Rb6 d5 30.exd5 exd5 31.d4 cxd4 32.Rxb4 dxe3 33.fxe3 Rc8 34.Rb5 Rxc2 35.Rxd5 Kg7 36.Kf1 Kf6 37.Rd7 h5 38.h4 Ke6 39.Ra7 f6 40.Rg7 Kf5 41.e4+ Kxe4 42.Rxg6 Kf5 43.Rh6 Kg4 44.Rxf6 Kxh4 45.Rf4+ Kg5 46.Rf3 Rc4 47.Kf2 Rf4 48.Rxf4 Kxf4 49.g3+ Kg4 50.Kg2 h4 51.gxh4 Kxh4 1/2-1/2

"We know how this movie ends!" says Peter, as Magnus is about to gain a draw that clinches today's match

So despite the hiccup in Game 3, Magnus Carlsen takes the lead and Vladislav Artemiev will have to hit back tomorrow to force tiebreaks!

Final Match Day 1

Carlsen-Artemiev 2.5-1.5

[Hans Jung]

I was hoping to get Firoujza - Carlsen but we get Artemiev. The best game for Artemiev so far was game two, a nice creative try. Both kings uncastled and nice play on the queenside for Black but it fizzled. and this game decided todays matchup.