Magnus Grabs the Lead

Round five of the Gashimov Memorial was crucial for the leaders. Wesley So suffered his first loss to the former world champion Vishy Anand who showed his best chess so far in Azerbaijan. In the meanwhile the reigning champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway produced a real masterpiece to take the sole lead. His opponent in this game Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France also appreciated the greatness of the game and did not look too disappointed at the end of it. Instead the two players spend a lot of time analyzing the game at a press-conference full of benevolence and positivness.

[Event "Shamkir Chess"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.04.21"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2863"]
[BlackElo "2762"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:15:45"]
[BlackClock "0:41:19"]

1. Nf3 {Magnus Carlsen managed to get his opponent away from his beloved
Gruenfeld early in the opening.} Nf6 2. g3 b5 3. Bg2 ({The two players spent a
lot of time analyzing some interesting possibilities after} 3. c3 e6 4. Qb3 {
an idea typical for the Sokolsky opening with colors reversed} a6 5. a4 Bb7 6.
axb5 Bd5 {an old trick, said Carlsen} 7. Qc2 (7. c4 $2 Bxc4 $1 {this is the
point} 8. Qxc4 axb5 $17) 7... axb5 8. Rxa8 Bxa8 9. Qb3 Bxf3 10. exf3 c6 {with
about equal position.}) 3... Bb7 4. Na3 {Diagram [#] A fresh position arose on
move number four!} a6 ({The immediate} 4... b4 {was also possible when after}
5. Nc4 a5 6. d3 {[%cal Ge2e4] "I liked my knight on c4" (Carlsen)}) 5. c4 b4 {
"I decided to play b5-b4 as in the QID the knight is not very well placed on
c2"(Vachier-Lagrave), "Yeah, but then you have to waste a lot of moves"
(Carlsen)} (5... e5 {was teh othe rmove that the two players analyzed. They
had a lot of fun in the arising original lines with Carlsen appologizing at
the end that they are wasting the time of the journalists.} 6. O-O e4 7. Nd4 (
7. Nh4 d5 8. cxd5 Qxd5 9. d3 g5 {Diagram [#]} 10. Nf3 $5) 7... d5 8. d3 (8.
cxb5) 8... c5 9. Nf5 g6 10. Ne3 d4 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. Bxe4 Bg7 {with equality.})
6. Nc2 e6 ({It is somewhat surpring but this has already been seen before in a
total of 26 games. Here is a recent one} 6... c5 7. O-O e6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Ncxd4
$14 {Efimenko,Z (2648)-Moiseenko,A (2707) Dubai 2014}) 7. d4 a5 {The players
agreed that White is somewhat better after} (7... Be7 8. a3 bxa3 9. b3 $14) 8.
O-O Be7 9. d5 Na6 10. Nfd4 Nc5 11. Re1 $146 {[%cal Ge2e4] Diagram [#] Only
this is a novelty. White prepares e2-e4.} ({Another recent game saw} 11. dxe6
fxe6 12. Bxb7 Nxb7 13. Bf4 O-O 14. Nb5 Ne8 15. e4 {with slight edge for White,
Neiksans,A (2559)-Kulaots,K (2563) Wroclaw 2014}) 11... O-O {Carlsen was
surprised that his opponent allowed the move e2-e4 that easily and suggested
instead} (11... Nfe4 12. f3 (12. Nb3 Nxb3 13. axb3 Nc5 14. e4 e5) 12... Nd6 13.
e4 O-O (13... Nxc4) 14. b3 e5 {with a better version to what had happened in
the game later.}) 12. e4 e5 ({Maybe} 12... d6 13. dxe6 Nfxe4 {but this is what
I was unhappy about (Vachier)} 14. Qg4 Nf6 15. Qe2 $16) 13. Nf5 d6 14. Bg5 $1 {
[%csl Yg5][%cal Rf6d5] Diagram [#] A wonderful positional sacrifice of a pawn.}
({The immediate} 14. f4 {is also possible but less appealing to the world
champion} Nfd7 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. f5 c6 {"too many loose ends, should be OK
for Black" (Carlsen)}) 14... Nxd5 {Vachier decided to bite the bullet. "So
Magnus, you were considering this move?" asked the jounalist and WGM Elmira
Mirzoeva. "I am capable of missing it, but not today..."(Carlsen)} (14... Bc8
15. Nce3 h6 16. Bh4 {looks terrible for Black (Carlsen)}) 15. Bh6 $1 {The
point of White's sacrifice. In return for the pawn he will ruin the black
castle and cement the knight on the wonderful outpost on f5. He will also
dominate on the light squares.} gxh6 16. Qg4+ (16. cxd5 Kh8 17. Qh5 {also
looks fun for White.}) 16... Bg5 17. cxd5 Kh8 18. h4 $1 {[%csl Yg5][%cal Gg2h3,
Yg4f3,Gh3g4,Gg4h5,Gc2e3] Diagram [#] The beginning of a nice regroupment on
the light squares that clearifies the situation.} Bf6 19. Nce3 Bc8 20. Qf3 Bg7
21. Bh3 $1 Rg8 22. Bg4 Qf6 23. Bh5 {With the bishop coming out all the white
pieces stand nicely. Now he can think of including the rooks into the battle.}
Bxf5 24. Nxf5 c6 {"If you do not play this then you will lose at some moment
because of the rook coming on f3" (Carlsen). "Even rook on the g file and
g3-g4 I thought. And g4-g5 at some moment" (Vachier).} 25. dxc6 Rac8 26. Qd1
Rxc6 (26... Nxe4 {does not work due to} 27. Bg4 $1) 27. Qd5 Rgc8 28. Rad1 Bf8
29. Qxf7 (29. Bxf7 Na4 {did not appeal to the Norwegian although this also
looks close to winning for White.}) 29... Qxf7 30. Bxf7 {White won the pawn
back and kept the dominant position of his pieces. He owes everything- the
bread, the butter and the knife.} Na4 31. Re2 Rc1 32. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 33. Kg2 Nc5
34. b3 {[%csl Gb3] Diagram [#] "I was very happy to play this move and to stop
any counterplay" (Carlsen). "I am playing a bishop and a king down" (Vachier).}
Rc3 35. Kh3 Nd7 36. Be6 Nc5 37. Bd5 Nd7 38. Ne3 Nf6 39. Be6 Rc5 40. Nc4 Kg7 ({
Vachier was always looking for counter-play but it never worked. Here for
instance} 40... a4 {fails to} 41. bxa4 d5 42. Ne3 (42. Nxe5 {should do as well}
)) 41. f3 $1 {Even in such a great position the world champion does not lose
focus! He rejected his original plan} (41. Kg2 {after seeing the tactical
continuation} Nxe4 $1 42. Rxe4 Kf6 43. Bg8 d5 {Diagram [#] which would have
complicated matters.}) 41... Ne8 42. Rd2 Nc7 43. Bg4 {It is over, Black's
position falls appart.} a4 (43... Nb5 44. Nxa5 {drops a pawn.}) 44. Nxd6 Bxd6
45. Rxd6 a3 46. Bd7 ({Vachier Lagrave suggested an alternative win after} 46.
Rd7+ Kf8 47. Rxh7 Rc2 48. f4 exf4 49. gxf4 Nb5 50. e5 Rxa2 51. e6) 46... Rc2 {
The last chance for Black is connected with the sacrifice of the knight.} 47.
Bc6 Rxa2 48. Rd7+ Kf6 49. Rxc7 Rc2 50. Rxh7 Kg6 (50... Rxc6 51. Rxh6+) 51. Rc7
{Now White is waiting for the pawn to come on a2 to play Rc7-a7.} Kf6 52. h5 $1
{Finishes the game in style with checkmate.} Rc1 53. Rh7 a2 54. Bd5 {[%csl Rf6]
[%cal Gh7f7] Diagram [#] Vachier resigned due to the checkmate.} (54. Bd5 a1=Q
55. Rf7+ Kg5 56. Rf5# {What a game by the world champion!}) 1-0

Report.

One Mistake

The only decisive game in round two of the Shamkir Tournament was the one between the world champion and the Azerbaijani's highest rated representative. Mamedyarov committed just one mistake in the opening but this proved one too many:

[Event "Shamkir Chess"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.04.18"]
[Round "2.3"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2863"]
[BlackElo "2754"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:39:35"]
[BlackClock "0:25:47"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 g6 {Mamedyarov chose the solid, but someone
passive Schlechter line of the Slav defense. The arising positions transform
into Gruenfeld set-ups.} 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be2 {This move is considered more
precise than} (6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O {which allows} Bg4) 6... O-O 7. O-O b6 ({Four
years ago Vugar Gashimov won a nice game against the world champion's second
after} 7... Nbd7 8. h3 b6 9. b3 Bb7 10. Bb2 c5 11. Qc2 Rc8 12. Rad1 dxc4 13.
Bxc4 Bxf3 14. gxf3 cxd4 15. Rxd4 Ne8 16. Rd2 Nd6 {Nielsen,P (2681)-Gashimov,V
(2760) Khanty-Mansiysk 2011}) ({The guru of the Schlechter line Gata Kamsky
prefers to play} 7... a6 {This should mean something.}) 8. a4 {The idea is
either to expand on the queenside or to weaken the b5 point. Also interesting
is} (8. b4 Ne4 9. Bb2 ({Please note that the capture on e4 leads only to
equality after} 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2 e5 $11) 9... Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Bb7 $14 {Anton
Guijarro,D (2607)-Li,C (2711) Germany 2015}) 8... a5 {Mamedyarov had some
doubts about this move.} (8... Ba6) (8... Bf5 {were tested as well previously.}
) 9. cxd5 {Diagram [#]} cxd5 $146 {Mamedyarov tries to improve upon a game by
Anand that saw:} (9... Nxd5 10. e4 Nb4 11. Be3 Bg4 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 $14 {
with long-lasting edge for White, Anand,V (2800)-Wang,Y (2732) Nanjing 2010})
10. b3 Ne4 $2 {Both players didn't like this move. It is quite common in the
Gruenfeld but here is just bad as Black cannot free himself in the center.} ({
Instead both} 10... Nc6 11. Ba3 Nb4) ({Or} 10... Ba6 {and only after} 11. Nb5
Ne4 {are playable for Black.}) 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Nd2 Bb7 {Mamedyarov is forced
to get into passive defense.} ({The point is that the usual freeing move} 12...
e5 {(see the note to move eight) can be refuted in two ways. Either with the
preliminary} 13. Ba3 $1 ({Or after the immediate} 13. d5 $1 Qxd5 14. Ba3 Rd8
15. Nxe4 $16) 13... Re8 14. Nxe4 exd4 15. Nd6 $16 {In both cases with large
advantage for White.}) 13. Ba3 f5 14. Rc1 {A clever move. Carlsen does not
want to put a piece yet on c4.} Kh8 {In case that Black continues he
development with} (14... Nd7 {White has} 15. Bb5 Nf6 16. Nc4 {with a bind. One
line goes} Nd5 17. Ne5 Rc8 18. Rxc8 Qxc8 19. Bd7 Qa8 20. Be6+ Kh8 21. Nf7+ Kg8
{Quite strangely White does not win material after the many discovered attacks,
but this does not change the evaluation of the position as clearly better for
White} 22. Nd8+ Kh8 23. Nxb7 Qxb7 24. Qc2 $16) 15. Nc4 Nd7 16. d5 $1 {[%csl
Rd5] Diagram [#]} Rc8 17. d6 {Carlsen: "Once I get the pawn to d6 then the
position is, I think, very unpleasant for Black. He cannot get serious
counterplay against the king and I break through on the queenside quickly.
Mamedyarov agreed with the world champion: "It was very easy to play for White.
"} e6 ({Black loses material after} 17... exd6 18. Nxd6 (18. Qxd6 {is also
great for him.}) 18... Rxc1 19. Qxc1 Bd5 20. Rd1 Bxb3 21. Nb7 $16) 18. b4 $1 {
Strong play by Carlsen. One weakness is not enough to win the game and he
opens the road for his pieces while the black ones are busy with the d6 passer.
} axb4 19. Bxb4 Bd5 20. a5 bxa5 21. Bxa5 Qe8 22. Qa4 Bc6 23. Qb4 Rb8 24. Nb6 {
The white pieces are easily improving themselves. Now the best blockader is
challenged.} Ne5 ({For good or for bad Black had to try} 24... Nxb6 25. Bxb6
Qd7 {It is doubtful that Black can say himself after say} 26. Ba6 {White
controls the open c file and will soon break in, but this was Mamedyarov's
best chance.}) 25. Qc5 Ba8 {This loses on the spot. Once that the blockade is
gone White wins with direct attack along the seventh rank.} ({Some extra
control of the seventh rank was needed, although I suspect that both the
players had already considered Black's position hopeless after} 25... Rf7 26.
Bc3 Nd7 27. Nxd7 Bxd7 28. Bxg7+ Kxg7 29. Qe5+) 26. Bc3 {[%csl Ye5,Yh8][%cal
Ra7h7,Ra1h8] Diagram [#] Domination.} Nd7 27. Bxg7+ Kxg7 28. Nxd7 Qxd7 29. Qe5+
{Black resigned due to the checkmate (or queen loss) after} (29. Qe5+ Kh6 (
29... Kg8 30. Rc7) 30. Rc7 Qd8 31. Qg7+ Kg5 32. h4+ Kxh4 33. Qh6# {Magnus
Carlsen needed only one mistake from his opponent to punish him harshly.}) 1-0

Report.

Shamkir Starts with Two Decisive Games

The first round of the super tournament in memory of Vugar Gashimov Shamkir started with two white wins and three draws. The former world champion Vladimir Kramnik won in his trademark style against the English GM Michael Adams.

[Event "Shamkir Chess"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.04.17"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Adams, Michael"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2783"]
[BlackElo "2746"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:31"]
[BlackClock "0:00:05"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. c4 O-O 6. d4 {It seems as the
Catalan is an opening specifically designed for Vladimir Kramnik. Small, but
lasting edge, no couterplay at all for the opponent, this suits his style
perfectly fine.} dxc4 7. Ne5 Nc6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Nxc6 Qe8 10. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {
Kramnik had tried this line twice at two different Candidates tournament.} 11.
Na3 {[%csl Yc4][%cal Ga3c4] Diagram [#] This is what he also did against Anand
in Khanty an year ago.} ({Against the future world champion he tried} 11. Qc2
e5 12. Rd1 Rb8 13. Nc3 h6 14. dxe5 Qxe5 15. Bf4 Qe7 16. Rd4 Be6 17. Rad1 {with
slight edge for White, Kramnik,V (2810)-Carlsen,M (2872) London 2013}) ({The
main move remains} 11. Qa4) 11... c5 ({Marin's recommendation was recently
tested by Naroditsky} 11... Rd8 12. Qc2 Rxd4 13. Nxc4 Qc5 14. b3 Rd8 15. Ba3
Qh5 16. f3 {although Black managed to win later, the opening seems to favor
White, Kjartansson,G (2439)-Naroditsky,D (2601) Saint Louis 2014}) 12. dxc5
Qxc5 13. Be3 Qc6 $146 {[%csl Rg2][%cal Rb7g2] Diagram [#] A novelty. It has
been though already mentioned by GM Marin as well.} ({Taken by surprise in
Khanty Anand chose} 13... Qh5 14. f3 c3 $1 15. bxc3 Qa5 16. Qc1 Ba6 17. c4 Rac8
{and kept the game leveled, Kramnik- Anand, FIDE Candidates, Khanty Mansiysk
2014. Or perhaps this was a perfect preparation by Black?}) ({Nakamura solved
the opening problems after} 13... Qb4 14. Qc1 Ba6 15. Bd4 Rfd8 16. Rd1 Rac8 17.
Qc3 Qa4 18. Qc2 Qxc2 19. Nxc2 c3 20. Bxc3 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Bxe2 {Aronian,L (2797)
-Nakamura,H (2767) Saint Louis 2014}) 14. Rc1 Bb7 15. f3 Ba6 ({The
counter-attacking attempt fails after} 15... Ng4 16. Bd4 e5 17. Rxc4 Qh6 18.
fxg4 $16) 16. Nxc4 Bxc4 17. Qd4 {An improvement upon Marin's line that goes} (
17. b3 Bxb3 (17... Bxe2 {might be better}) 18. Rxc6 Bxd1 19. Rxd1 {with slight
advantage for White (Marin).}) 17... Rfc8 $6 {This does not seem optimal.
Critical is the queen sacrifice after} (17... Nd5 $5 18. Rxc4 {Diagram [#]}
Qxc4 $1 19. Qxc4 Nxe3 20. Qa6 Nxf1 21. Kxf1 {White has a queen and a pawn for
the two rooks and chances for the advantage, but the rooks seem quite strong
as well.}) 18. b3 Qa6 19. bxc4 Qxa2 20. Kf2 $14 {Now White is a little better.
His pieces are more centralized and the bishop is clearly stronger than the
knight.} (20. Bg5 $5 {at once is also interesting.}) 20... a5 21. Bg5 {This
move is definitely part of White's plan but White should have prepared it with}
(21. Rfd1 $14) 21... e5 $1 {Strong play by Adams who almost equalizes after
this.} 22. Qd6 ({Naturally not} 22. Qxe5 $2 Re8) 22... Rd8 23. Qb6 {Diagram [#]
} Rab8 $6 {It is somewhat reliefing that even at the top level players tend to
chose the wrong rook. After the correct:} (23... Rdb8 $1 {White will lack the
nice resource that he used in the game. He will still be somewhat better after}
24. Qe3 ({Or} 24. Qc6 Rc8 25. Qb5 Rab8 26. Ra1 Rxb5 27. Rxa2 Rxc4 28. Rfa1 $11)
24... a4 25. Bxf6 gxf6 26. c5 a3 27. c6 Qb2 28. c7 Rc8 29. Rc4 {but Adams
would have decent chances for a draw.}) 24. Rfd1 $1 {Kramnik immediately
seizes the chance to occupy the open file with a tempo.} Re8 ({Alas, the queen
is untouchable} 24... Rxb6 25. Rxd8+ Ne8 26. Rxe8#) 25. Qe3 a4 ({In the line}
25... Re6 26. Bxf6 Rxf6 27. Qxe5 {Black has no time to play Rf6-e6 as the
other one hangs.}) 26. Bxf6 gxf6 27. Qe4 {Kramnik opened the enemy king and
now intends to combine the threats against the king with the advance of the
passed c pawn. Black's defense is extremely difficult.} ({The computer claims
that a better idea is to push at once} 27. c5 {but Kramnik remained true to
his style and avoided any counter-play connected with} e4) 27... a3 28. Rd7 {
Diagram [#] The culmination of the game.} Rbd8 $2 {Once again Adams chooses
the wrong rook!} (28... Red8 {would have been better, keeping both the open
files under control. If Black manages to trade a pair of rooks, he would
survive.} 29. Rcd1 (29. Ra7 Qb2 {and there is no Rc1-b1!}) 29... Rxd7 30. Rxd7
Qb3 {Compare this position with the one after 30...Qc3 from below.}) 29. Ra7 $1
Qb2 30. Rb1 {Two rooks in the attack and a queen can paint plenty of checkmate
pictures...} f5 {Desperation, but there was no way out.} ({Like the one after}
30... Qc3 31. Rxf7 $1 {[%csl Rg8][%cal Gb1b7,Ge4h7] Diagram [#]} Kxf7 32. Rb7+
{This is the difference. One rook is destroying the king's castle, the second
one assists the queen. Black is checkmated after both} {and} Kf8 (32... Ke6 33.
Qc6+ Kf5 34. g4+ Kg6 (34... Kg5 35. Rg7+ Kh4 36. Qxf6+ Kh3 37. Qh6#) 35. Qe4+)
33. Qxh7) 31. Rxb2 fxe4 32. Rxa3 Rd4 33. Rc2 Rc8 34. c5 exf3 35. Rxf3 {Kramnik
won a pawn and all his pieces are ideally placed.} Rc6 36. Rd3 Rxd3 37. exd3 f5
38. d4 $1 {[%csl Yc6][%cal Gf2e2,Ge2d3,Gd3d4,Gd4d5] Opens the road for the
king. Black resigned after} exd4 39. Ke2 {An excellent start for the former
world champion!} 1-0

Full report by Peter Doggers.