Beijing Grand Prix

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Round Ten

Monday, July 15, 2013

Pairings and Results

Karjakin(.5)-Wang Yue(.5) 53 m Petroff’s Defence
Giri(1)-Topalov(0) 23 m Caro Kann
Morozevich(1)-Mamedyarov(0) 41 m Grunfeld
Gelfand(1)-Grischuk(0) 62 m King’s Indian
Leko(.5)-Wang Hao(.5) 29 m Slav
Kamsky(1)-Ivanchuk(0) 34 m Queen’s Pawn

Standings after Round Ten

Mamedyarov 6.5
Grischuk 6
Morozevich 5.5
Leko 5.5
Karjakin 5
Giri 5
Topalov 5
Wang Yue 5
Ivanchuk 4.5
Gelfand 4.5
Wang Hao 4
Kamsky 3.5
+++++++

Last Round Pairings (Tomorrow)

Ivanchuk-Karjakin
Wang Hao-Kamsky
Grischuk-Leko
Mamedyraov-Gelfand
Topalov-Morozevich
Wang Yue-Giri

Round Ten Summary

(ChessVibes) Tournament leader Shakhriyar Mamedyarov lost but so did runner-up Alexander Grischuk and so the top of the standings didn't change. Mamedyarov was slowly outplayed in an ending by Alexander Morozevich, who is now shared third with Peter Leko, half a point behind Grischuk who was ground down by Boris Gelfand. Veselin Topalov also lost, and very quickly, to Anish Giri. Gata Kamsky won his first game in the tournament at the expense of Vassily Ivanchuk.

Giri-Topalov The first game to finish was a shocker. Topalov was playing coffee-house chess. On move 17 he could take a pawn on f5 but thought to move his K off the open g file to h8. Giri pushed his pawn to f6 and there we were.

The chessbomb kibitzers:

- a piece for nothing!
- He should resign now, but it would look stupid to sac a piece and after several forced moves just to resign
- I don’t understand this at all, why all giri games have such weird blunders?
- It’s like yesterday’s game with shark, black is down a lot of material quickly for no reason
- Maybe Topa went to the wrong toilet before he played Kh8
- Wow, 23 moves

A miniature. Yesterday, I likened Mamedyarov-Giri to a contest between a shark and a goldfish. Today, the goldfish ate the shark!

I am afraid I have been influenced by the kibitzers and by a television program this past week. The science fiction channels in both the States and Canada have aired a disaster film called Sharknado. In it, a waterspout deposits thousands of man-eating sharks in the flooded streets of Los Angeles. Everyone was tweeting about it evidently. Hopefully, today is the last day I will write about sharks.
++++++++++

Kamsky-Ivanchuk was the second game to finish. Vassily came out of the opening with a slightly better game. On move 30 he doubled his rooks on the fifth rank seemingly ignoring what white is about to do with his rooks. Black’s rook is hemmed in with 32….Rbf5 and the game all but lost

- another big blunder by black
- I’m really starting to feel the players are getting tired from FIDEs tight schedule this year. I’ve seen so many terrible blunders by top GMs over the last couple of months.
- Poor chucky
- Tragedy at move 32
+++++++++

Leko-Wang Hao is solid, boring and ends in a draw.

- with a draw here Leko could even afford a decisive game in the last round and still secure the Leko prize for the most draws
- is there any chance that Leko can win this?
- No
- Why?
- Because he has already won a game in this tourney.
- Why does Leko play chess?
- He’s currently the 16th strongest player in the world

++++++++++++

Karjakin-Wang Yue starts from a Petroff and goes solidly to a perpetual.

- Karjakin isn’t really fighting for a top place in this tourney now
- But if he doesn’t score a bit higher here, he will have no chance to qualify in Paris
- He should get at least 100 points here (something like third place) or he might as well skip Paris
- Karjakin needs a stabilizing draw
+++++++++++

Morozevich-Mamedyarov has white coming out of the opening looking strong. Moro slowly increases the pressure, gets two connected rooks and then sticks his knight in the heart of black’s position with 35.Nc5

- Ouch! 35.Nc5! that’s nasty
- Wonderful Moro!!
- It must suck to play Black in this position
- It was rather Moro playing well than Mamedya playing bad
- Great game by Moro
- Flip the board to get a better feel of how truly awful Black’s position is
- Good game by Moro. Beating the tournament leader must feel nice
- Moro’s last 15 moves were all Houdini’s top choice
- I guess he’s learned from Ivanov
+++++++++++

Gelfand-Grischuk is a long game with Gelfand playing strongly from the first. His break-through move is 31.b4

- b4!!!! 1-0
- “Multiple exclamation marks are a sign of a deranged mind” – Terry Pratchett
- Gelfy looks angry since he missed his chance in the last game
- Wow. Grischuk should have resigned before playing 60…e3
- He should have resigned before playing any of those last 30 moves
- The game was positionally lost after b4!
- Good game by Gelfand
- Boris Houdini
- Near a perfect game
- One day I hope to play b4!!! and win a game
++++++

So, four white wins. Some sparkling games and everything over tomorrow. The round starts so early in China that you can check the first hour before you go to bed here.

Mark Crowther on the This Week in Chess website has been following the Ashes cricket Test at the same time as the chess. Life has to go on outside of the Beijing Grand Prix.
++++++++

Notes:

In the category of chess blunders in the last post, I was able to find Fabio Bellini vs Vugar Gashimov, Bled Olympiad, 2002. But I could find no player called either Aronkov or Biovosvky. It is hard to believe, but I think the author of that blunder record just made it up. Lying on the Internet? I am devastated.

There is a Valentin Arbakov, who would have been too young to play in 1963. He is the classic case of squandered potential.

Arbakov is as well known for his for his proclivity for alcohol as for his dominance at blitz, or speed chess, in which each player has five minutes for the entire game.

Arbakov is in Fred Waitzkin's book "Searching for Bobby Fischer." Waitzkin describes how he and his prodigy son, Josh, meet Arbakov in the Sokolniki Park chess club in northeast Moscow in 1984.

"Many grandmasters came to Sokolniki Park to test themselves [in blitz] against Arbakov," writes Waitzkin, "and though he was rarely sober, he almost never lost."

If you have a few moments and want to read about the search for Arbakov and chess in Sokolniki Park go to:

http://carlschreck.com/displayArticle.php?article_id=90

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Eleventh and Last Round

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Matchups and Results

Ivanchuk(.5)-Karjakin(.5) 51 m English
Wang Hao(1)-Kamsky(0) 42 m Nimzo Indian
Grischuk(.5)-Leko(.5) 19 m QGD Ragozin
Mamedyarov(.5)-Gelfand(.5) 29 m King’s Indian
Topalov(1)-Morozevich(0) 42 m Philidor’s Defence
Wang Yue(.5)-Giri(.5) 54 m English

Final Standings

Mamedyarov 7
Grischuk 6.5
Leko 6
Topalov 6
Morozevich 5.5
Giri 5.5
Karjakin 5.5
Wang Yue 5.5
Ivanchuk 5
Gelfand 5
Wang Hao 5
Kamsky 3.5

FIDE Grand Prix Leg 5 Standings

Topalov 410 (Best Three Total)
Mamedyarov 390
Grischuk 315
Caruana 305
Morozevich 280

The Grand Prix Series consists of six tournaments to be held over two years (2012-2013). 18 top players participate in four of these six tournaments. The winner and second placed player overall of the Grand Prix Series will qualify for the Candidates Tournament to be held in March 2014.
++++++++++++

Grischuk-Leko ended in a draw after just 19 moves. Since the games started 1 a.m. Toronto time, I watched the first 1.5 hours before retiring for the night. No sooner was my back turned than the draw was agreed. No consideration for others, that’s what!

Grischuk is counting on the last GP event to put him near the top.
+++++++++++

Ivanchuk-Karjakin had some entertaining possibilities around moves 34 and 35 but finished up dead equal with a draw at move 51.

At the press conference afterwards, both Vassily and Sergey appeared quite happy and animated and perhaps considerably relieved that the long tournament was over. They went through long variations and didn’t appear distracted by the considerable noise in the room.

You’ll remember at the end of Round Eight, Vassily fell into a brown study at the press conference while analyzing his game with Gelfand.
I once fell into a brown study in Manchester, but I was considerably heavier then and the floor of my flat, weakened. A terrible joke, I know.

(Anastasiya) How do you estimate this tournament for you?
(Vassily) Terrible play, terrible result, but OK good organization, only just that I need to improve my play, that is only my problem.
(Sergey) I concur completely. I have the same feeling completely. It is very funny that no one understood that I am in very bad form after I was three out of three. But I felt that I was not in great shape.
(Anastasiya) It was mentioned that there were very nice table tennis/ping pong games. Did you participate?
(Sergey) Well, actually I didn’t because I was swimming every evening. When I was swimming, I was winning and when I stopped, I stopped winning!
(Anistasiya) Something to think about!
++++++++

Mamedyarov-Gelfand had a trade-off of pieces mid-game. Mamedyarov can clinch first with a draw now that Grischuk has drawn. Gelfand cannot improve his position very much, so why not take the draw?

Chessbomb kibitzers:

- Re4 = draw offer and Gelfy finally lost his chances to qualify through the Grand Prix
- Hopefully he will do better in the WCup, that format is tailored for him
- Congratulations, Mamedyarov, the winner of the GP
- Congrats to Mamedyarov, he deserves a wild card

(ChessVibes) And so Mamedyarov can look back at quite a successful summer, in which he won the World Rapid Championship, the Geneva Masters and now the FIDE Grand Prix. It was also a very busy period for him, in which we counted no less than 105 games in 100 days! This includes the Russian Team Championship (starting on April 7th), the Zug Grand Prix, the World Rapid & Blitz Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, the Tal Memorial blitz, the Tal Memorial, the Geneva Masters and the Beijing Grand Prix!
+++++++++++

Topalov-Morozevich. Topalov always had the better game. On move 31 he formed an “Alekhine’s Gun”, but before he could discharge it at the black knight on d7, Morozevich moved the piece away. Still, Topalov smashes Moro in 42 moves.

- OK, so Topalov will have 410 GP point if Karjakin does not win, 403.3 if Karjakin does win, correct?
- Yes
- I was wrong, it seem Karjakin will only draw
- So Topa will have 410 points
- Smashed
- Congratulations, GM Topalov! You win the FIDE Grand Prix series with 410 points
- Very clean game. Браво Топи

(Anastasiya) Why did you have this interesting situation in the tournament with blunders and good games? Did you feel the pressure?
(Veselin) Yesterday I was playing more or less OK and overestimated my position and thought I was much better. Giri found Bf3, a very good move, and the position was more or less equal. Somehow I had the feeling that I had to crush him and it got completely crazy and then one mistake happened after another. Because I missed one move, I couldn’t keep control. It was very unpleasant.

With Shakriyar I had some options and I was under pressure and in fact there were not some many ways to equalize the position completely.
(Anastasiya) I have noticed that you have beaten Morozevich three times in Grand Prix events. Are you an unpleasant opponent for him?
(Veselin) You should ask him. Today it was very important for me to play a good game and I was lucky that all of my moves were natural and I didn’t have to calculate very much.

I won’t be playing in Norway.

(Morozevich) My mistake in this tournament was losing with white to Karjakin. I finished with plus one here. In three Grand Prix tournaments I have done well.
+++++++++++

Wang Yue-Giri is a long tortuous draw. Giri tries everything but Wang Yue defends well and the game is over at move 52.

(ChessVibes) Quite amazingly, the old line that was played in Mamedyarov-Gelfand also came on the board in the game Wang Yue-Anish Giri. The Dutchman explained at the press conference that he always thought it was very drawish, but that he now feels it leads to interesting play. White's novelty on move 21 was unfortunate, and from that point Black was better in the ending. Perhaps he could have brought his king over more quickly, because in the game White got some kind of fortress.
+++++++++++

Wang Hao-Kamsky is roughly equal out of the opening. Wang Hao thought that Black’s 16…Kh8 was a mistake. Kamsky let his opportunities pass, white got better and better and won.

- what a bad tournament from kamsky
- pawn endgame is winning for white
- white has already won the game, in fact
- so h5 is not a “blunder”, but just a faster way to lose
- how is a faster way to lose any different from a blunder lol!
- I think wang’s style follows Aronian’s
+++++++++

(At the final press conference)

(Mamedyarov) Before the tournament I was very tired and I could not show my best game. The first two games I played OK and normally. In the third round with Ivanchuk, he had the better position but gave me a chance to draw and then missed and lost. After that I started to play every game. First two games with draws, five wins and two losses.
(Anistasiya) Yesterday, after you lost in the tenth round (to Morozevich), what did you feel?
(Mamedyarov) I played like I did in Tashkent. I needed a draw, I wanted to exchange queens against Wang Hao, played badly and lost.
(Anistasiya) And Boris, how did you do?
(Gelfand) The result of this tournament is that I didn’t collapse. I just fell asleep against Giri. I forgot about the time, that the clock is ticking. I am an aged player – there is jet lag and all this. In the second half, I kind of adjusted. I had a chance to win the bishop endgame against Leko in the sixth round. After such a start one could collapse but I didn’t; I am perhaps an example for younger players. Maybe that is my mission. I have to recover and to do well in the World Cup.
+++++++++

There, already to be posted. I see I haven’t mentioned sharks, Ivanov or white suits at all this time.

That is all to the good in the final reckoning.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Now that we have set up a procedure for choosing the Candidates, let’s change it!

The proposal:

After the 5th stage of Grand Prix was finished it became clear that the last stage scheduled to take place from September 18th to October 2nd is decisive only for two players - Alexander Grischuk and Fabiano Caruana. According to the current overall Grand Prix standings one of these players can surpass Mamedyarov (who is currently second) only by taking clear first in the last stage. Others don't have even theoretical chances.

Russian businessman Oleg Skvortsov suggests holding a match between Grischuk and Caruana. He explains that the last Grand Prix makes no sense, while the match for the place in Candidates would attract spectators. There could be four or six classical games and rapid tie-break in case of a draw.
The businessman also suggests giving Mamedyarov an opportunity to play in the Candidates as the nominee of the organizers despite the venue of the competition.

"If there's no possibility of giving Mamedyarov the wild card, then there's another suggestion: the match-tournament between Grischuk, Caruana and Mamedyarov," Skvortsov says. "This has sense for Shakhriyar as well, because the chance that one of his rivals will finish first in the last stage is quite high, especially if taking into account the fact that other participants of the 6th stage absolutely have no motivation."

If all the interested parties - Grischuk, Caruana, Mamedyarov and the international chess federation - will agree to such proposition then Skvortsov is ready to take part in organization of such match-tournament. "Of course we will choose a nice venue for it, so the grandmasters won't complain," businessman added.

http://chess-news.ru/node/12713

[Tony Boron]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Eleventh and Last Round

[

Wayne,
Thanks for the updates ! Once again, you have saved me a lot of time.
Tony

[Laurentiu Grigorescu]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Great updates, Mr. Komer
Due to vacation in Europe, I missed most of the chess news and did not follow closely this Grand Prix.
It seems it was as terrible as the other ones, with players creating next to nothing. The old interzonals seemed more exciting, especially because there were "exotic" players playing along with the usual stars. Personally, I am sick and tired of Kamsky, Karjakin, Leko, Adams, Wue, etc, who play over and over again the same lines and seem to lack the consistency of Carlsen to achieve something.

A match between the three players? Better then a tournament that nobody will remember by end of October.

[Forest-Mingjia Guo]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

"This has sense for Shakhriyar as well, because the chance that one of his rivals will finish first in the last stage is quite high, especially if taking into account the fact that other participants of the 6th stage absolutely have no motivation."

First, the probability that either Grischuk or Caruano finish clear first isn't that high; even if it was, they still need to prove it.
Second, the other players could also have motivation, because they receive prize money according to their ranking in the tournament as well as in the cycle in general.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: Beijing Grand Prix

Friday, July 19, 2013

Fabiano Caruana comments on businessman Oleg Skvortsov's recent proposal for organizing the match or match-tournament for deciding who will qualify for the Candidates:

"The idea is undoubtedly interesting and I wouldn't decline it, especially taking into account Skvortsov's outstanding abilities in the organization of such events. Unfortunately, this idea won't be supported by other participants of the Grand Prix. First of all, there's still a fight for the last places in the series, which decide the prizes. Secondly, there's a chance that the specific outcome at World Cup would let those finishing third and fourth in Grand Prix to qualify for the Candidates."

Caruana's coach Vladimir Chuchelov said what should be changed in Grand Prix Series:

"We think that this preposterous rule "the worst result is not counted" should be revoked. In that case the tension will be kept till the very end of the competition."

http://www.chess-news.ru/en/node/12723

Friday, July 19, 2013

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov comments on Beijing and the proposal:

- In time trouble against Morozevich in the penultimate game I realized that I was going to lose. Of course, during the game I was watching the developments in Gelfand-Grischuk, and Grischuk came out of the opening with a difficult position, and in time trouble he also had a lost position. Again, we must remember that at this tournament, I was very tired, so not surprisingly, lost the second game. But the defeat of Grischuk raised my spirit, because I realized that I was still in the 1st place. Of course, I do not want anyone to lose, but the failure of the Russians allowed me to keep first place, so for me it was very good. I'm sure, if Grischuk knew that I was going to lose in the penultimate round, he would have chosen a quieter opening, but of course, he did not, and played riskily.

- Before the Beijing Grand Prix, you had a successful series, winning the world championship in rapid chess, then won the international tournament in Geneva. Did these victories contribute to your success in Beijing?

- After the World Cup Rapid I played at the Tal Memorial, and shared 3-5th places. This tournament for me was very important because I never lost and gained in ranking. Of course, every successful game motivates and stimulates future success. Therefore, after victories in Khanty-Mansiysk, and Geneva, and a good performance in Moscow, I believed that I would make a successful statement in Beijing.

- Now you have to wait for the final stage of the FIDE Grand Prix ...

- I did all that I could do myself. The final result will depend on how Grischuk and Caruana play in Paris. Grischuk and Caruana are very strong players, and each of them deserves to occupy first or second place in the overall Grand Prix. If even one of them wins the last stage, it won't spoil my mood, because I did everything I could, to share in one step first place, and in Beijing took a clean first place. If someone demonstrates a result better than mine, then it means that he will be more deserving of becoming one of the tournament contenders.

- Just the other day a Russian businessman Oleg Skvortsov suggested a match between Grischuk and Caruana, and you provide the wild-card to perform at the Candidates tournament, or arrange a match-tournament with the three of you, given that the rest of the last stage will not be motivating for the rest of the players. What is your attitude to such a proposal?

- Frankly, while on the road, I could not read the information about this offer. But it seems to me that in addition to the final stage of Grischuk and Caruana, and the rest of the players will be motivated. In the end, there is prize money, ranking, besides there is the World Cup, in which players can also qualify to be applicants. I do not think now would be a good time to break down the Grand Prix series. Of course, I am pleased that there are businessmen who pay great attention to chess, but I think that this idea should not be put into practice, as the last step is not only interesting to Grischuk and Caruana but to the rest of the combatants.

- Do you expect to qualify for the World Cup contenders through Tromso or, will you have a chance to pass on from your results in the Grand Prix?

- Now I am first and foremost thinking about resting, because I am very tired. But I think that by August 10 (the date of the start of the World Cup), I will be in good shape and will fight only for the first place. So far in my career there has not been a successful performance at the World Cup, but this time I will try to change that!


http://chess-news.ru/node/12724