FIDE Grand Prix
MANILA, Philippines — Top seeded Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France reached the quarterfinals at the Jerusalem FIDE Grand Prix by beating former world champion Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria, 3.0-1.0, in speed chess.tie-breaks.
MVL, who was held off in two classical games, is looking to win his first Grand Prix title and an outright qualification in next year’s Candidates tournament.
He will meet Russian Dmitry Andreikin, who defeated Poland’s Radek Wojtaszek, 2.5-1.5.
Also, fourth-seeded Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi advanced, beating Israeli stalwart Boris Gelfand, 3.0-1.0 in tie-break play-off.
Nepomniachtchi will next face American Wesleo So, who ousted China’s Yu Yangi, 1.5-0.5 in two classical games.
In other matches, Wei Yi upset third-seeded Dutchman Anish Giri, 2.5-1.5 to advance. The 20-year-old Chinese will next play Russian Sergey Kariakin, who beat Indian Pentala Harikrishna in Armageddon tie-breaker.
Russian Dmitry Jakovenko recovered well to beat Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, 3.5-2.5 and will take on Czech David Navara, who moved into the last eight by beating Wang Hao of China, 4.5-3.5.
Quarterfinal matches are underway at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center as we go to press.
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Jerusalem Grand Prix 2019
Classical Game Two
W) W. So (USA)
B) Y. Yangi (China)
Petroff Defense
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nf6
The solid Petroff Defense, which has become quite usual lately.
3. d4 .....
3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. 0-0 Be7 leads to equality,. Jakovenko-Yangi, Hamburg Grand Prix 2019.
3.... Nxe4
4. dxe5 ....
The game Predke-Yangi, 2019 Chinese Chess League, continued 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 6. 0-0 0-0 7. c4 c5 8. cxd5 Nf6 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nf3 Be7, and the game is about even.
4.... d5
5. Nbd2 ....
Both players followed the game Grischuk-Caruana 2018 Candidates Tournament.
5.... Nxd2
6. Bxd2 Be7
7. Bd3 c5
8. c3 Nc6
9. O-O Bg4
10. Re1 Qd7
11. h3 Bh5
12. Bf4 Qe6
13. Be2!? ....
And here’s White’s improvement from the above-mentioned game that had gone 13. a3 0-0 14. b4 h6 15. Bg3 b6 16. Nd4 Bxd1 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18. Raxd1 c4. with Black seizing the initiative, 0-1, 69 moves. One of the points of the move is to remove away the Queen from the unpleasant pin.
13.... O-O
14. Qd2 Bg6
15. Rad1 Be4
16. Ng5 Bxg5
17. Bxg5 h6
18. Be3 d4
19. cxd4 Rfd8
20. Qc3 Qg6
21. g3 cxd4
22. Bxd4 Qe6
23. Kh2 Rac8
24. Qe3 Bf5
The text is hardly commendable. The engine’s 24...Nxd4 is better as after 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Qxd4 Qd5, White’s advantage is only minimal.
25. Bc3! ....
Now White, in a slightly better position, retains the Bishop pair.
25.... Rxd1
26. Rxd1 Qxa2
27. g4 Be6
28. Qe4 Ne7
29. Qxb7 Nd5
30. Bd4 a5
31. Bf3 Qc4
32. b3 Qc2
After 32....Qc6 33. Qxc6 Rxc6 34. Be3!, White wins material.
33. Bxd5! ....
A brilliant idea. White is happy to give away the exchange in order to penetrate and choke the Black King. This sounds cruel, but as the French used to say, you cannot play at chess if you are kindhearted.
33.... Bxd5?
33...Qxd1 probably offers a longer resistance, e.g., . 34. Bxe6 Rf8 35. Bc5 fxe6 36. Bxf8 Kxf8, though White is a healthy Pawn up, the game continues.
34. Qxd5 Qxd1
35. e6! ....
The point, as this sharp Pawn stab, opens up Black’s King position.
35.... Qc2
White obtains a huge advantage in either 31....Rc7 32. Qd8ch Kh7 33. Qxc7, or 31....Qe1 32. exf7ch Kf8 33. Qf5.
36. exf7ch Kh7
Or 36....Kf8 37. Qd6ch Kxf7 38. Qd7ch Kf8 39. Qxg7ch and White’s material plus should win.
37.Qe5 Qg6
38. Qe7 1-0
Solution to last week puzzle
Black to move and win.
White=Kf3, Re7, Be5, Pd3, Pg5, Ph4
Black=Kg8, Ra4, Ne6, Pa7, Pc4, Pd4, Pg7, Ph7
1.... cxd3!
2. Rxe6 Ra1!
0-1
The threat is 3....d2 followed by 4....d1Q. . For instance 3. Bf4 Rf1ch 4. Ke4 Rxf4 ch and wins.
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White to play and win.
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