Round 13

R.Ponomariov (2723) – A.Motylev (2647) [D47]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤c3 ¤f6 4.e3 e6 5.¤f3 ¤bd7 6.Ґd3 dxc4 7.Ґxc4 b5 8.Ґd3 b4 9.¤e4 ¤xe4 10.Ґxe4 Ґb7 11.0–0 Ґd6 12.b3?! Without the classical 12.a3 White has nothing to count on.

12...¤f6 13.Ґd3 c5

It's time to review the opening results – Black hasn't got any problem.

14.Ґb5+ ўe7. The loss of castling is of no particular importance.

15.Ґb2 cxd4 16.Ґxd4 Јa5 17.Ґe2

17...¤e4! 18.Јe1 ¤c3 19.¤d2 Јc7 20.¤c4 Ґxh2+ 21.ўh1 Ґd6 22.Ґxc3 bxc3 23.Јxc3 Јc5! 24.Јa5 ¦ac8 25.Јxc5 Ґxc5

26.b4. In a quiet play White's position is also inferior.

26...Ґxb4 27.¦fb1 ¦b8 28.¦xb4 Ґxg2+ 29.ўxg2 ¦xb4. The rook and two pawns are stronger than two minor pieces as the knight has no bearing post.

30.a3 ¦bb8 31.¦h1 h6 [stronger was 31...g6!] 32.¦h5 f5. More dangerous for White is 32...g5!?, keeping the position closed.

33.e4! Opening the scope for the white pieces. Obtaining the e3 square for the knight White confidently escapes to a draw.

33...ўf6 34.exf5 exf5 35.¤e3 g6 36.¦h4 ¦b2 37.Ґf3 h5 38.¦a4 ¦h7 39.¤c4 ¦c2 40.¦a6+ ўg5 41.¤e5 ¦g7 42.Ґd5 ¦cc7 43.¤f3+ ўh6 44.¤d4 ¦gd7 45.¤xf5+ ўh7 46.¤e3 ¦e7 47.¦a5 ўh6 48.Ґf3 ¦e6 49.¦d5 ¦f7 Ѕ–Ѕ

V.Kramnik (2766) – L.Van Wely (2683) [D30]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.¤f3 ¤f6 4.e3 e6 5.Ґd3 ¤bd7 6.b3 b6 7.0–0 Ґb7 8.Ґb2 Ґe7 9.¤c3 0–0 10.Јc2 ¦c8 11.¦ad1 Јc7 12.¤e5 h6 13.Јe2 ¦fd8 14.f4

White has placed his pieces very well. They all are looking at the lonely black king.

14...c5 15.cxd5 ¤xd5 16.¤b5 Јb8

17.¤xd7. White opens the diagonal for the black queen while the wedge on e5 could be of use for him. Here is an illustrative line showing White's attacking possibilities pointed by Alexander Khalifman: 17.f5!? ¤xe5 18.dxe5 a6 19.fxe6 axb5 20.Јh5! c4 21.Ґb1 c3 22.¦xd5! Ґxd5 23.Јxf7+ ўh8 24.Ґxc3 ¦xc3 25.Јf5, and White checkmates.

17...¦xd7 18.f5 Ґg5 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Јg4? Caused by a tactical miscalculation. Since White had begun to open the diagonal for his dark-squared bishop two moves earlier he should have continued to do it – 20.dxc5! bxc5 21.Јg4 with a decisive attack.

20...¦e7? 20...Ґxe3+ 21.ўh1 ¤f4 led to a crazy position; as it was correctly pointed again by Alexander Khalifman White should have to find 22.d5!! (in case f the natural 22.¦xf4 Јxf4 23.Јxe6+ ¦f7 24.¦f1 Ґf2 25.d5 ¦d8 26.Ґc4 Ґc8 27.Јe5 ўh7 White is facing the fight for salvation) 22...Ґxd5 23.Ґe4! Јb7 24.¤c3!, and White retains sufficient counterchances.

21.Јe4 ¤f6 22.Јg6 ўh8 23.dxc5 ¦xc5

24.¦xf6 gxf6 25.Ґxf6+ Ґxf6 26.Јxf6+ ¦g7 27.Јxh6+ ўg8 28.Јxe6+ ўh8 29.Јh6+ ўg8 30.e4 a6 31.¤d6 b5 32.Јe6+ ўh8 33.¤f7+ ўg8 34.¤g5+ ўh8 35.Јh6+ ўg8 36.Јe6+ ўh8 37.Јh6+ ўg8 38.¤e6 ¦h7 39.Јg6+ ўh8 40.e5 1–0

V.Anand (2779) – D.Navara (2719) [C88]

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.Ґb5 a6 4.Ґa4 ¤f6 5.0–0 Ґe7 6.¦e1 b5 7.Ґb3 0–0 8.h3 Ґb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Јd7 11.¤bd2 ¦fe8 12.c3 Ґf8 13.Ґa2 ¤d8 14.¤f1 ¤e6 15.¤g3 c5 16.d4

16...exd4 17.cxd4 d5 18.dxc5 dxe4 19.¤xe4 Јxd1 20.¤xf6+ gxf6 21.¦xd1

21...¦ad8! In case of 21...¤xc5 22.Ґe3 or 21...Ґxc5 22.b4 White preserves some pressure.

22.¦xd8 ¦xd8 23.b4 ¦d1+ 24.ўh2 Ґh6 25.Ґb2 Ґf4+ 26.g3 ¦d3 27.gxf4. The opening discussion ended in a win for David Navara and in the final position there will be more exchanges to follow: 27...¦xf3 28.ҐBxe6 fxe6 29.ҐBxf6 ¦f4, therefore the opponents agreed to a draw.Ѕ–Ѕ

T.Radjabov (2729) – V.Topalov (2783) [E08]

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 d5 4.g3 Ґb4+ 5.Ґd2 Ґe7 6.Ґg2 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.Ґf4 ¤bd7 9.Јc2 a5 10.¦d1 ¤h5 11.Ґc1 b5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e4 dxe4 14.Јxe4 ¦b8 15.Јe2 ¤hf6 16.Ґf4 ¦b6 17.¤e5 ¤d5 18.Ґxd5 exd5 19.¤c3

19...¤xe5! A novelty that leads to a forced draw. After 19...¤f6 Veselin lost one of the games in his match against Vladimir Kramnik.

20.dxe5 d4 21.Ґe3 dxe3! 22.Јxe3! Aprudentdecision. In case of 22.¦xd8 exf2+ 23.Јxf2 Ґxd8 the white king is too open.

22...Ґg5 23.Јc5 Ґe7 24.Јe3 Ґg5 25.Јc5 Ґe7 26.Јe3 Ѕ–Ѕ

L.Aronian (2744) – S.Tiviakov (2667) [E17]

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 b6 4.g3 Ґb7 5.Ґg2 Ґe7 6.0–0 c6 7.¤c3 d5 8.¤d2 0–0 9.e4 dxc4 10.¤xc4 Ґa6 11.b3 b5

12.¤e3! A strong positional pawn sac. 12...b4 13.¤e2 Ґxe2 14.Јxe2 Јxd4 15.Ґb2 Јb6 16.¤c4 Јb5 17.Ґxf6! Levon doesn't allow the queen's knight to be developed on d7.

17...Ґxf6 18.e5 Ґe7 19.¦ad1 a5 20.Ґe4 ¦a7

21.h4! ¤d7 22.h5

22...¤xe5. Sergey either resolves to sacrifice or overlooks Levon's next in-between move. Itend to thinkthiswasthelattercase.

23.Јe3! ¤g4 24.Јxa7 Јxh5 25.ўg2 Ґc5 26.Јxa5. The smoke has gone and it transpires that Black has no real threats.

26...Јh2+ 27.ўf3 Ґxf2 28.¦d8. 28.Ґxh7+ won on the spot but the way chosen by Levon is convincing as well.

28...Јxg3+ 29.ўe2 Ґc5 30.¦xf8+ Ґxf8 31.Јa7 Јh2+ 32.ўd1 f6 33.Јd7 ¤f2+ 34.ўe1 ¤xe4 35.Јxe6+ ўh8 36.Јxe4 Јxa2 37.Јe8 ўg8 38.¦f3 Јb1+ 39.ўf2 c5 40.Јe6+ ўh8 41.¤e5 h6 42.¤d7 Јc2+ 43.Јe2 1–0

M.Carlsen (2690) – A.Shirov (2715) [C90]

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.Ґb5 a6 4.Ґa4 ¤f6 5.0–0 Ґe7 6.¦e1 b5 7.Ґb3 0–0 8.a3 d6 9.c3 ¤a5 10.Ґc2 c5 11.d4 ¤d7 12.b4 cxb4 13.cxb4 ¤c4 14.¤c3 ¤db6 15.h3 exd4 16.¤xd4 Ґf6

17.¦b1 Ґd7?! The bishop is placed passively here. It was better to put it on b7.

18.¦b3 ¦e8 19.f4 ¦c8 20.ўh1 g6 21.¦f1 Ґg7 22.¤ce2

22...¤a4?! More logical is 22...¦c7, overprotecting the 7th rank and preparing the bishop's transference via c8 to b7.

23.f5 ¤ab6 24.¤f4. As a result of Black's unintelligible play White has seized the initiative.

24...Јf6 25.fxg6 fxg6

26.¤f5. A spectacular move but objectively stronger the simple 26.¤fe6, winning the queen for two pieces. Black is left with many pawn "islands" and White should win.

26...ўh8 27.¤xg7 Јxg7 28.¦g3 ¦f8

29.e5! Magnus is conducting the attack vigorously. This move opens the way for the bishop c2.

29...¤xe5 30.Ґb2 ¤bc4

31.¤xg6+! hxg6 32.¦xf8+ ¦xf8 33.Ґxg6 Ґg4 34.¦xg4 Јf6 35.Ґd4 Јf1+ 36.Јxf1 ¦xf1+ 37.ўh2 ¤xa3. White is clearly better but the restricted material and Magnus's uncertain play allowed Alexey Shirov to hold.

38.Ґd3 ¦d1 39.¦g3 ¤ac4 40.h4 ¤d2 41.Ґc3 ¤dc4 42.h5 ¤b6 43.h6 ¤d5 44.¦f3 ¤f6 45.Ґf5 ¤g8 46.h7 ¤f6

47.¦h3?! Stronger is 47.¦g3 ¦f1 48.¦g5 with good winning chances.

47...¦f1 48.g4 ¦f4 49.¦g3 ўg7 50.¦h3 ўh8 51.¦g3 ўg7 52.ўg2 ¤xh7 53.¦d3 ¤f6 54.¦xd6 ¤exg4 55.Ґxg4 ¦xg4+ 56.ўf3 ¦g6 57.¦xa6 ўf7 58.¦a7+ ўe6 59.¦a6+ ўf7 60.¦xf6+ Ѕ–Ѕ

P.Svidler (2728) – S.Karjakin (2678) [B90]

1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 5.¤c3 a6 6.Ґe3 e5 7.¤b3 Ґe6 8.Јd2 ¤bd7 9.0–0–0 Ґe7 10.f3 b5 11.g4 b4 12.¤d5 Ґxd5 13.exd5 ¤b6 14.¤a5 ¤bxd5 15.¤c6 Јc7 16.¤xb4 ¤xb4 17.Јxb4 0–0

18.g5? Now Black involves the slumbering rook with a tempo and White is exposed to the direct attack. It was possible to bring slight disharmony into Black's camp by 18.Јb6! Јc8 19.g5 ¤d7 20.Јa5 with unclear play.

18...¦fc8 19.Јa4

19...¦ab8! 20.Ґd3. Forces as 20.gxf6 is bad due to 20...¦b4.

20...¤d7 21.Јe4 g6 22.Ґxa6. ¦xb2 was threatening.

22...¦b4 23.Јd3 ¦cb8 24.b3 ¤c5 25.Ґxc5 Јxc5. Black's attack develops it self.

26.Јd5 Јa7 27.Ґc4 Ґxg5+ 28.ўb2 ¦a4 29.a3 ¦a5 30.Јe4 Ґe3 31.c3 ¦xa3 32.¦a1 ¦a8 0–1

 

Now a few words about every player.

Topalov – played with an energy characteristic for him, showing his advantage in the knowledge of opening play almost in every game. If not for the accident against Peter Svidler, he would be the sole winner of the tournament.

Aronian – Levon played very well, easily and strongly, with fantasy. His principal drawback is the opening repertoire, which needs to be still more widened and strengthened, although lately Levon's progress in this sphere has been obvious.

Radjabov – a brilliant start, a good finish, but the burden of leadership has been hanging too heavily on Teimour's shoulders in the middle of the tournament. But it is no matter; for him the time of great achievements is still to come.

Vladimir Kramnik – his play gave joy, his technique in some games was really something else. His victory over Anand is particularly impressive. Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to win the tournament with such kind of opening game for Black (I mean Petroff's Defense and his decision not to play for a win in some games).

Vishi Anand – his defeat in the game against Kramnik has upset him a bit, and the rest of the tournament he played without fervor. It is common knowledge, that Anand can do better than this.

Peter Svidler – a highly unstable play, in some games Peter just gave the points away (but, to tell the truth, he had also got a present from Veselin Topalov). I wish Peter would win some super-tournament at last, his potential is more than enough for that.

Sergey Karjakin – Seriozha played not badly at all. It can be said that he is moving in the right direction. His time is surely to come soon.

David Navara – a "shadow leader" of the tournament. Just like Peter Svidler, he had given away a whole lot of points as presents. David is young and has great potential.

Ruslan Ponomariov – for some reasons he was not in the mood to play. Being at his best advantage, Ruslan is capable of playing much stronger. He had demonstrated this during the recent Tal Memorial in Moscow, where he shared the first place.

Alexander Motylev – Sasha had been "cut down" by the game against Anand in the beginning of the tournament, after which he seemed to lose his self-confidence. Nevertheless, in some games he used to outplay his opponents showing fine opening preparation and interesting play. 

Sergei Tiviakov – being conscious of the fact that some participants of this tournament are better players, he made up his mind to play without ambitions, "drying up" the game in order to guarantee himself from a failure. He has succeeded in this, although his final result is not something to boast of anyway.

Loek van Wely – played creatively, won a couple of games, but, with the tournament being as strong as it was, his negative result should not be something to grieve over for Loek.

Alexey Shirov – sharing the last place is undeserved by him. I think that it would come as no surprise to anybody if he had finished in the upper part of the table.

Magnus Carlsen – he is not a mature player yet, so it seems too early to talk about his great perspectives. To my mind, Magnus is, for the time being, weaker than every other participant of this tournament.