Grand Chess Tour resumes
The Grand Chess Tour third leg (Croatia rapid and blitz) will take place July 5-12 in Croatia’s capital city of Zagreb.
World challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia leads a packed field that includes first-leg winner Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE), world No. 7 Alexander Grischuk (RUS), No. 8 Anish Giri (NED), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL) and former world champions Viswanathan Anand (IND) and Garry Kasparov of the host country.
Also in the mix are Wijk aan Zee champion, Jorden Van Foreest (NED), Anton Korobov (UKR) and local GM Ivan Saric.
The over-the-board competition, sans world champion Magnus Carlsen, is still a very strong tournament considering the rare participation of Kasparov, former dean of Russian chessers. Called “the child of change,” Kasparov’s star was of the first magnitude in the 90s.
Format will be single-round robin rapid chess (25+10) and double-round blitz (5+2) with a whopping $150,000 total prize fund.
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Meanwhile, the Goldmoney Asian Rapid online tournament, the seventh leg of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, will be in its final stages as we go to press.
Contrary to expectation, Norwegian top seed Carlsen failed to advance as he was dismissed by world No. 5 Levon Aronian (Armenia), 2-0, in the semifinal tie-break playoff. Having fallen behind 0-1 in the first set, Aronian dug deep in the second set to run away, 3-1, and forced a playoff tie-breaker.
In the other semifinal matchup, Russia’s former chess prodigy, Vladislav Artemiev, 23, rallied from a set down to beat No. 2 seed Chinese Ding Liren, 1.5-0.5, in tie break playoff, to set a two-day final clash with Aronian.
The finals can be viewed live with commentaries at various websites starting at 7 a.m. est.
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In inverse proportion to Aronian’s gain in strength as the match progressed, Carlsen’s play deteriorated. The game below gives Aronian his second win in the deciding tie-break A disorganized Carlsen is no match for the invigorating and polished strategy of Aronian.
2021 Goldmoney Asian Rapid
Semifinals Tie-break Game 2
W) M. Carlsen (NOR)
B) L. Aronian (ARM)
Giuoco Piano
1. e4 e5; 2. Nf3 Nc6; 3. Bc4 Bc5; 4. c3 Nf6; 5. d3 ....
In the So-Carlsen Game 3, quarterfinals, play went 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 0-0 10. Be3 Bg4 11. Qb3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Ng5 13. 0-0-0, and the game is unclear.
5.... d6; 6. Bg5 h6; 7. Bh4 a6; 8. Nbd2 Ba7; 9. O-O ....
After 9. a4 Qe7 10. 0-0 Be7 11. b4 0-0, the game leads to equality. So-Carlsen, Game 1, quarterfinals same tournament.
9.... O-O; 10. a4 Na5; 11. Ba2 g5; 12. Bg3 Nh5; 13. b4 Nxg3; 14. hxg3 Nc6; 15. Nh2 Kg7; 16. g4 Qf6; 17. g3 Ne7; 18. Kg2 Ng8; 19. f4? ....
Eager to open up the kingside, Carlsen goes astray, giving up a pawn without compensation. Better is 19. Bd3, according to the engine.
19.... exf4; 20. d4 Ne7; 21. Nc4 d5; 22. e5? ....
Another premature action. which loses material. Correct is 22. Ne5. Now Aronian uses one of his development trademarks, getting his queen into action via the c file.
22.... Qc6; 23. b5 axb5; 24. axb5 Qxb5; 25. Nd2 Ng6; 26. Qc2 Be6; 27. Bb1? ...
27. Rab1 should have been tried, though white’s game is already unsatisfactory.
27.... c5
A fine move which strategically refutes white’s last. Stronger, however, is the engine’s 27....Bxd4!, picking up another pawn, as 28. Rxa8 loses to
28....Qe2ch.; 28. Ndf3 cxd4; 29. Rxa7 ....
Seems forced to reduce the sting of black’s pressure. If 29. cxd4, 29.... fxg3 30. Kxg3 Rfc8, brings down the curtains..
29.... Rxa7; 30. Nxd4 Qb6; 31. Nf5ch Kh8; 32. Nf3 fxg3 33. Rh1 Qf2ch!
This queen swap converts into a won endgame, and it’s time for white to hoist the white flag.. The rest needs no comment.
34. Qxf2 gxf2; 35. Kxf2 Ra1; 36. Rxh6ch Kg8; 37. Bd3 Rc8; 38. N5d4 Nf4; 39. Bf5 Rxc3; 0-1
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