Anand wins year’s last grand slam
The 2014 London Chess Classic, the last grand slam of the year, ended in a logjam with three players scoring 7.0 points apiece out of a possible 15.0. (3.0 for a win and 1.0 for a draw). In tiebreak order, Viswanathan Anand (India) nosed out his co-winners; Anish Giri (Netherlands) came second and Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) completed the triumvirate.
The last two earned six ratings points. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) wound up fourth with 6.0, followed by Michael Adams (England) and Fabiano Caruana (Italy) at 4.0 each.
In the following game, Black adopts a line which requires immediate counter-play in the center, but indulges instead in ineffective maneuvering with minor pieces, getting nowhere. At any rate, this is a fine struggle, full of captivating points throughout.
6th London Chess Classic
W) V. Kramnik (Russia)
B) H. Nakamura (USA)
King’s Indian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 0-0 6. Nf3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Bg5 ...
This is known as the Petrosian System, introduced by the late Armenian world champion Tigran Petrosian (1963-1969).
8... h6
9. Be3 ...
In the early days of the system, White used to try for an advantage with 9. Bh4, but it is now considered tame.
9... Ng4
10. Bd2 ...
Provoking Black’s center pawn advance.
10... f5
Also possible is 10...Na6, and after 11. 0-0 f5.
11. h3 Nf6 12. exf5 gxf5 13. Qc1 ...
White ignores Black’s pawn thrust in the center. 13. 0-0 is normal and after 13... Na6 14. Qc1, chances are about equal.
13... f4
Not a good choice as will be seen later in the game. Black could have tried 13...e4. E.g. 14. Nh2 Kh7 15. Nf1 Na6 16. Ng3 Bd7 17. 0-0 Qe8 18. Bf4 Nc5 19. b3 Qg6 with equal chances.
14. g3!? ...
The refutation of Black’s wrong judgment lies in this move. Black’s pawn roller will be neutralized and the h4 square will be secured for the White Knight.
14... e4 15. Nh4 e3
15...f3 is met by 16. Bd1 with a slight edge for White.
16. fxe3 fxg3
17. Ng6 Rf7?!
The Rook is badly placed here as soon appears. Better is the engine’s choice 17...Re8. For example 18. Rg1 Nbd7 19. Rxg3 Nc5 20. Nf4 Nfe4 21. Nxe4 Nxe4 22. Rg2 Re5 23. Bf3 Qh4ch and the game hangs in the balance.
18. Qc2 ...
After the text, White obviously will initiate Kingside action. Black is slightly inferior here.
18... Nfd7?!
A weak time-wasting continuation.
The engine’s 18...Na6 is preferable. E.g. 19. Nf4 (19. 0-0-0 b5!?) Nc5 20. Ne6 Bxe6 21. dxe6 Nxe6 22. Rg1 Qe7 23. Rxg3 Ng5 24. 0-0-0, White has only a slight edge.
19. 0-0-0 Ne5
19...Nc5 20. e4 Rf6 21. Nnf4 Nba6 22. Rhg1 Nb4 is perhaps unclear.
20. Rhf1!? ...
Exchanging one of Black’s few pieces defending the K-side, thus obtaining control of the important White squares.
20... Rxf1 21. Rxf1 Bxh3
Seems forced as other moves cannot improve Black’s position. E.g. 21...Nbd7 22. Rg1 Qg5 23. Nf4 Nc5 24. Nh5 Bxh3 25. Rxg3 Bg4 26. Nxg7 Kxg7 27. Ne4 Nxe4 28. Qxe4 h5 29. Bc3 clearly favors White.
22. Rg1 Qf6
After the text, Black faces too much danger for his poorly protected King. The engine offers the following possibilities, 22...g2 23. Nxe5 dxe5 24. Qg6 Ra6 25. Qg3 Qc8, White is better but Black may be able to set up a good defense.
23. Rxg3 Nxg6 24. Rxg6 Qf7 25. Rg3 Bf5 26. e4 Bg6 27. Bg4 Qf1ch
27...Kh8 28. Nd1 Be5 29. Rf3 Qc8 30. Rh3 h5 31. Qb3 Nd7 32. Qe3 Bg7 33. Bxh5 Bxh5 34. Qg5 Nf6 35. Bc3 and White has a big advantage.
28. Nd1 Be5 29. Bh3 ...
29. Rf3! Qh1 30. Be6ch Kg7 31. Rh3 and White’s advantage is decisive.
29... Qf6 30. Rg1 Kh7 31. Bf5 Bxf5 32. exf5 Nd7
32...h5 33. Rg6 Qf7 34. Qf3 Nf6 35. Bg5 Ng4 36. Ne3 is also hopeless for Black. Now White breaks the game wide open.
33. Rg6 Qf7 34. Rxh6ch Kg8
34...Kg7 35. Rg6ch Kf8 36. Nf2 Ke8 37. Ng4 is winning for White.
35. Rg6ch Kf8 36. Nf2! ...
White chooses the most energetic continuation. There is no good reply against the coming threat 37. Ng4. Resignation is honorable at this point, as White’s material advantage will certainly prevail. The rest needs no comment.
36... b5 37. Ng4 bxc4 38. Qxc4 Qxf5 39. Rg8ch Ke7 40. Bg5ch Bf6 41. Qe2ch 1:0
Solution to last week’s puzzle:
-----Original Message-----
From: Edgar De Castro <[email protected]>
To: sports <[email protected]>
Cc: gerrycarpio <[email protected]>
Sent: Sat, Dec 13, 2014 12:13 am
Subject: Let’s Play Chess
With the resurgence
of chess activity in England
and the frenzied support
from all quarters, the London
Chess Classic, which traditionally
ends major chess calendar
for the year, has gotten underway
last week at the Kensington
Olympia Conference Center in
central London. Dutch GM Anish
Giri scored one win and two draws
that gave him 5.0 points (3.0 for a
win and 1.0 for a draw) and share
of the lead with former world
champion Vladimir Kramnik of
Russia entering the final two
rounds of the category 22
single round robin event.
Other scores read: Mikey Adams
(England), 4.0; Vishy Anand
(India), 3.0; Hikaru Nakamura
(USA) and Fabiano Caruana
(Italy), 2.0. Earlier, Nakamura
won the Super Rapid event
witn a very impressive 9.5/10.0.
Giri wound up second, while
Caruana, Anand and Kramnik
tied for third. In the elite Blitz
tournament, hometown bet
Adams prevailed via tie-break
over co-winners Nakamura
and Kramnik.
Here’s a fine positional
win by the 20-year-old
Dutch GM.
6th London Classic
W) A. Giri (NED)
B) M. Adams (ENG)
Catalan System
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. g3 d5
4. Bg2 ...
So far the Catalan
System.
4... Bb4ch
4...Be7 is more
usual here.
5. Nd2 ...
5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nf3
0-0 7. 0-0 c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7
seems equal.
5... 0-0
6. Nf3 dxc4
7. Qc2 c5
7...b5 is met by 8. a4
and White has the edge.
8. dxc5 c3
With the text, Black
will be able to split
White’s Q-side Pawns.
However, White maintains
a small but lasting advantage
due to his control of the half
open b file plus space and
development advantage
as well.
9. bxc3 Bxc5
10. 0-0 Qc7
11. Ne4! ...
A fine move suggested
by the engine. The idea
is to accumulate pressure
on Black’s dark square.
11... Nxe4
12. Qxe4 Nd7
13. Bf4 Bd6
14. Bxd6 Qxd6
15. Rfd1 Qc7
White has gained
an important tempo
for development and
is in control of the
dark squares.
16. Qb4 Nf6
17. Nd4 a6
18. Nb3 a5
19. Qc5 Qb8
Strategically Black
is lost. All of his pieces
are tied down defending
the weakened Q-side
Pawns.
20. Rab1 b6
21. Qd6 Nd5
22. Qxb8 Rxb8
23. Bxd5 exd5
24. Nxa5 Bf5
Black loses a Pawn.
Now he seeks compensation,
but unfortunately is insufficient.
25. Nc6 Bxb1
26. Nxb8 Bxa2
27. Nd7 Re8
28. Nxb6 Rxe2
29. c4! ...
Exploiting Black’s
back rank weakness.
29... Kf8
30. Rxd5 Bb1
31. Rd8ch Ke7
32. Rd1 Bc2
33. Nc8ch Kf6
34. Rd6ch Kg5
35. Kf1 Re8
36. Rd5ch Kf6
37. Nd6 Ra8
38.Ke2 Ra1?
38,,,Ke7 seems
forced. The text loses
another Pawn.
39. Ne8ch Kg6
40. Rd6ch f6?
41. Rd7 Kh6
42. Nxg7 Ra2
43. Ke3 Ra5
44. Re7 Rc5
45. Kd4 Re5
46. Rxe5 fxe5ch
47. Kc3 1:0
After 47...Be4 48. Ne8
Kg5 49. Kb4 Bc6 50. Nd6
Bg2 51. Kb5 Kg4 52. c5 Kf3
53. c6 Kxf2 54. c7 Bh3
55. Kf4 clinches matters
for White.
* * *
White to play and win.
white=Kf1, Rb1, Bd4, Pa5, Pc5, Pe3, Pf3, Pg2, Ph4
black=Ke6, Rc7, Nd7, Pa6, Pd5, Pf5, Pg6, Ph5
1. Rb6ch! Nxb6
2. axb6 Re7
3. c6 Re8
4. b7 Kd6
5. Be5ch! 1;0
5...Kxe5 (5...Kxc6/Rxe5 6. b8Q) 6. c7, followed by 7. b8Q.
Hi Gerry,
Thank you and have a nice day.
Edgar
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