Games
[Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 $146 (1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nf5 8. Nf3 O-O 9. d4 d5 10. c3 Bd6 11. Bd3 Re8 12. Rxe8+ Qxe8 13. Qc2 Nce7 14. Nbd2 f6 15. Nf1 {1/2-1/2 (37) Shankland,S (2666)-So,W (2822) Saint Louis 2017}) 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 a6 7. Ne2 Nc6 8. c3 b5 9. a3 c4 10. g4 h5 11. gxh5 Rxh5 12. f5 exf5 13. Nf4 Rh8 14. Qe2 Nb6 15. Rg1 Ra7 16. h4 Na8 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Nxe6 fxe6 19. Rg6 Nc7 20. Bf4 Bd6 21. Qh2 Bxf4 22. Qxf4 Kd7 23. Rxg7+ Kc8 24. O-O-O Qf6 25. Qg5 Qxg5+ 26. hxg5 Ne8 27. Rg6 Re7 28. Re1 Kd7 29. Rh6 Rg8 30. Bh3 Nd6 31. Rg1 Ne4 32. Kd1 Reg7 33. Rh5 Nd8 34. Ke2 Nf7 35. g6 Rxg6 {[#]} 36. Rxf5 $1 Rxg1 (36... exf5 37. Bxf5+) 37. Rxf7+ Ke8 38. Ra7 Rb1 39. Bxe6 Rxb2+ 40. Ke3 Rg3 41. Bxd5 Nxc3 42. Bc6+ Kf8 43. d5 Rg4 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 e6 {A07: Réti Opening: New York and Capablanca Systems} 4. O-O Nf6 5. h3 Bh5 6. c4 c6 7. d3 Be7 8. cxd5 cxd5 $146 (8... Bxf3 9. Bxf3 cxd5 10. Nc3 Nc6 11. e4 {1/2-1/2 (52) Saric, I (2666)-Kraemer,M (2570) Germany 2017}) 9. Qb3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Qd7 11. Be3 O-O 12. Rc1 Nc6 13. Nd2 a5 14. a4 (14. Qd1 $5 {feels hotter.} a4 15. a3 Rfc8 16. Bg2 Na5 17. Bd4) 14... Ne8 ( 14... Rfc8 $5 {is interesting.} 15. Bg2 h6 16. Qd1 Bd6 17. Nb3 e5) 15. Bc5 $1 Bxc5 16. Rxc5 Nd6 17. e3 h6 18. d4 Nb4 19. Rac1 Rac8 20. R5c3 Rfd8 21. Be2 Rb8 22. h4 Rdc8 23. Kg2 Qd8 24. Qa3 Rc6 25. Nf3 Ne4 26. Rxc6 Nxc6 27. Qb3 Nb4 28. Ne5 Rc8 29. Qd1 Rc7 30. Bh5 {[#] Threatens to win with Rxc7.} Nd6 31. Rc3 Rxc3 32. bxc3 Nc6 33. Nd3 Qc7 34. Bf3 Nb8 35. Qc2 Nd7 36. Nb2 Nb6 37. Qb3 g6 38. Be2 Qc6 39. f3 (39. Qc2 $15) 39... h5 (39... Nf5 $142 40. Kf2 Qc7) 40. Kf2 $17 Kg7 41. Qa3 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2634"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. e4 O-O 6. h3 Na6 7. Be3 c5 8. Be2 { [%emt 0:00:06] E90: King's Indian: Classical: Early deviations and h3} (8. d5 e6 9. Bd3 exd5 10. exd5 Bf5 11. Bxf5 gxf5 12. O-O Ne4 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Ng5 Qe7 15. Qb1 Rae8 16. h4 h6 17. Nh3 Qxh4 18. Nf4 {0-1 (39) Postny,E (2658)-Jones,G (2623) Berlin 2015}) 8... cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nc5 10. Qc2 {White is slightly better.} b6 11. O-O Bb7 12. Bf3 Rc8 $146 (12... Nfd7 13. b4 Na6 14. a3 Ne5 15. Be2 Rc8 16. Qb3 {1-0 (42) Mohorea,V (2087)-Gonzalez Gonzalez,A (2173) Caleta 2016}) 13. Rad1 Qc7 14. b3 Qb8 15. Rfe1 Rfe8 16. Bc1 a6 17. Qe2 e6 18. Bb2 Rcd8 19. Qc2 Qa8 (19... e5 $5 20. Nde2 $8 Rc8 $11) 20. Qe2 h5 21. Ba1 Ncd7 22. g3 {[#]} (22. Qd2 $11 {keeps the balance.}) 22... d5 $1 $17 23. Bg2 e5 ({Better is} 23... dxe4 $17 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Bxe4 Bxe4 26. Qxe4 Qxe4 27. Rxe4 Ne5) 24. Nc2 $11 dxe4 (24... d4 $5 {is more complex.} 25. Nd5 Rc8 26. Ncb4 a5 27. Nd3 Nxd5 28. cxd5 Nc5) 25. Nxe4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bxe4 27. Qxe4 Qxe4 28. Rxe4 Nc5 29. Ree1 Nd3 30. Re3 e4 31. Bxg7 Kxg7 32. Ne1 Nc5 33. Rxd8 Rxd8 $15 {Endgame KRN-KRN} 34. b4 Nd3 35. Rxe4 Nxb4 36. a3 Nc6 37. Nc2 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 a5 39. Ne3 Ra1 40. Nd5 Rxa3 41. Nxb6 Rc3 42. Re8 {The position is equal.} Rb3 43. c5 Rc3 44. Na4 Rc4 45. Rc8 $1 Ne5 46. Nb6 Rc2 47. Nd5 $1 a4 48. Ne3 Rc3 49. Nd5 Rc1 50. Ra8 Rxc5 51. Ne3 Nc4 {White must now prevent ...Ra5.} (51... Rb5 $5 {looks sharper.} 52. Rxa4 Rb3 53. Rd4 Rb2 54. Rd5 f6) 52. Rxa4 Nxe3+ 53. fxe3 $11 {KR-KR} Rc2+ 54. Kf3 g5 55. Ra5 f6 56. e4 Rc3+ 57. Kf2 Rc2+ 58. Kf3 Rc3+ 59. Kf2 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2817"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 4. O-O {[%emt 0: 00:38]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 5. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} ({ Not} 5... d5 $2 6. d3 Bb4 7. c3 (7. dxe4 Bxe1 8. Qxe1 f6 9. exd5 Qxd5 $16) 7... Nxf2 8. Bxc6+ (8. Kxf2 Bd6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Nxe5 O-O $18) (8. Nxe5 O-O 9. Kxf2 Nxe5 10. Rxe5 Qf6+ 11. Kg1 Qxe5 $11) 8... bxc6 9. Kxf2 $18 (9. Rxe5+ Be6 10. Kxf2 Bd6 $18)) 6. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. Bf1 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} O-O {[%emt 0:02:22] C67: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence: 4 0-0 Nxe4} 8. d4 { [%emt 0:01:35]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 9. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:22] } 10. c3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 11. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:01:42] LiveBook: 6 Games} Nce7 {[%emt 0:07:34]} 12. Qc2 {[%emt 0:07:09]} c6 {[%emt 0: 05:30]} 13. Bd3 {[%emt 0:04:07]} g6 {[%emt 0:02:12]} 14. Nf1 {[%emt 0:02:19]} f6 $146 {[%emt 0:08:40]} (14... Ng7 15. Ng3 {1-0 (43) Topalov,V (2760) -Nakamura,H (2779) Saint Louis 2016}) 15. h3 {[%emt 0:01:59]} Rf7 {[%emt 0:16: 03]} 16. Bd2 {[%emt 0:07:09]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:14:10]} 17. Re2 {[%emt 0:02:02]} c5 {[%emt 0:05:11]} (17... b6 $14) 18. dxc5 {[%emt 0:09:31]} Bxc5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 19. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:07:46]} 20. Rae1 {[%emt 0:06:20]} g5 { [%emt 0:14:37]} 21. Ng3 {[%emt 0:23:24]} Nxg3 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 22. Bxg3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} a5 {[%emt 0:06:04]} 23. Qd2 {[%emt 0:03:04]} a4 {[%emt 0:08:01] } 24. b4 {[%emt 0:02:12]} axb3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 25. axb3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Ng6 { [%emt 0:02:33]} 26. h4 {[%emt 0:07:03]} gxh4 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 27. Nxh4 { [%emt 0:00:22]} Nxh4 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 28. Bxh4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qf8 {[%emt 0: 02:36]} 29. Qf4 {[%emt 0:05:33]} ({White should try} 29. b4 Bd6 30. Bc2) 29... Bd6 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 30. Qd4 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} (30... Qg7 $16) 31. Re3 {[%emt 0:08:17]} ({But not} 31. Qxd5 $6 Bg4 32. Qe4 Bxe2 33. Rxe2 (33. Bxe2 Re8 34. Qf3 Qe7 $11) (33. Qxe2 Qh6 34. g3 Re7 $11) 33... Bh2+ 34. Kf1 Be5 $14) 31... Bc8 {[%emt 0:02:23] [#]} (31... Bc5 {was necessary.} 32. Rg3+ ( 32. Qxd5 Bxe3 33. Rxe3 Bc6 $16) 32... Kh8 33. Qxd5 Bb5) 32. b4 $1 {[%emt 0:03: 24]} Kg7 $2 {[%emt 0:01:29]} (32... Be5 33. Rxe5 fxe5 34. Rxe5 (34. Qxe5 Rd6 $18) 34... Re8 35. Rxd5 h6) 33. Bb5 {[%emt 0:01:17]} Bc7 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 34. Re8 {[%emt 0:02:07]} Qd6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 35. Bg3 {[%emt 0:03:54]} Qb6 { [%emt 0:00:08]} 36. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:01:10]} 37. Bxd7 { [%emt 0:04:03]} Rdxd7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 38. Qf5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bxg3 {[%emt 0: 00:47]} 39. Qg4+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} Kh6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 40. Qh3+ {[%emt 0:00:00] } 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2817"] [Annotator "Elshan Moradiabadi "] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00] In this game, Fabiano kept his decisive-result streak by losing to Hou Yifan. This is the second time a lady beats a 2800, if my recollection of chess history is still working!} e5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 3. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00: 00] Fabiano opts for a solid Berlin. His Spanish adventure in the Breyer went sour against Zherebukh in the US championship.} 4. O-O {[%emt 0:00:38]} Nxe4 { [%emt 0:00:06]} 5. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:28] Hou Yifan goes for an ultra solid line. This is the problem with Berlin these days. If White decides, she can kill all of Black's counterplay and reduce his winning chances to zero!} Nd6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 6. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. Bf1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} O-O {[%emt 0:02:22]} 8. d4 {[%emt 0:01:35]} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 9. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:07]} (9. c3 Nxe5 10. Rxe5 (10. dxe5 d6 {easily equalizes.}) 10... d6 11. Re1 d5 12. Bf4 Bd6 (12... c6 13. Bd3 Bd6 14. Qf3 Bxf4 15. Qxf4 Qd6 16. Qf3 g6 17. Nd2 Bd7 18. Re2 Ng7 19. Rae1 Rae8 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Rxe8+ Nxe8 22. Qe3 f6 23. Nf3 Ng7 24. Kf1 g5 25. h3 h6 26. Ng1 Kf7 27. Ne2 h5 28. Kg1 h4 29. Bc2 Bf5 30. Bxf5 Nxf5 31. Qd3 Qe6 32. Kf1 Qe4 33. Nc1 Nd6 34. f3 Qxd3+ 35. Nxd3 Ke6 36. Ke2 Kf5 37. b3 a5 38. Nc5 Kf4 39. Kf2 b6 40. Nd3+ Kf5 41. a4 b5 42. Nc5 bxa4 43. Nxa4 Kf4 44. Nc5 Nb5 45. Na4 f5 46. Nc5 g4 47. Ne6# {1-0 (47) So,W (2770)-Kramnik,V (2812) Paris 2016}) 13. Bxd6 Nxd6 14. Bd3 c6 15. Nd2 Bf5 16. Bxf5 Nxf5 17. Qg4 Nd6 18. Re2 Qc7 19. Rae1 Rae8 20. Qf4 Qd8 21. h4 h6 22. Re5 Qd7 23. Rxe8 Nxe8 24. Nb3 b6 25. Nc1 Nf6 26. Nd3 Re8 27. Re5 Rxe5 28. Qxe5 Qg4 29. f3 Qxh4 30. a4 c5 31. dxc5 Qxa4 32. b4 bxc5 33. Nxc5 Qb5 34. Qc7 Qb6 35. Qc8+ Kh7 36. Qf5+ g6 37. Qe5 g5 38. Kh1 Kg6 39. Nd3 Qe6 40. Qc7 a6 41. Qa7 h5 42. Qd4 h4 43. Kh2 Kf5 44. Kg1 Qe2 45. c4 h3 46. gxh3 Qxf3 47. Nf2 Qg3+ 48. Kf1 Qb3 49. cxd5 Qxd5 50. Qe3 Qc4+ 51. Nd3 Nd5 52. Qe5+ Kg6 53. Qe2 Kg7 54. Kg1 Qd4+ 55. Kh1 Kh6 56. Qf3 Kg6 57. Qe2 Ne3 58. Ne1 Qb6 59. Nf3 f6 60. Qd3+ Nf5 61. h4 Qe6 62. hxg5 fxg5 63. Kg2 Kh5 64. Qd2 Qf6 65. Qe2 g4 66. Qe8+ Kh6 67. Ne5 Kg5 68. Qg8+ Kf4 69. Nxg4 Qc6+ 70. Kg1 Qc1+ 71. Kg2 Nh4+ 72. Kh2 Nf3+ 73. Kh3 Qf1# {0-1 (73) Mista,A (2585)-Kovalenko,I (2682) Warsaw 2015}) 9... d5 { [%emt 0:00:22]} 10. c3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 11. Nbd2 {[%emt 0: 00:00] A rare line after some thought. Black hopes to achieve a setup with Qf6- h6 and Nc6-e7 but White is planning to play Bd3 and Nd2-f1-Ng3 to kill all Black's activity on the kingside. The tricky thing about this move is that it is hard to understand if White wants to concede a draw or still has some ambition to play on in this position.} (11. Bd3 Re8 12. Rxe8+ Qxe8 13. Qc2 Nce7 14. Nbd2 f6 15. Nf1 g6 16. Bd2 Be6 17. Re1 Qd7 18. Ng3 Ng7 19. Nh4 c6 20. Bh6 Re8 21. Re3 Kf7 22. Kf1 Bxg3 23. hxg3 Ngf5 24. Nxf5 Nxf5 25. Bxf5 Bxf5 26. Qe2 Rg8 27. f3 g5 28. g4 Bb1 29. Qd1 Bxa2 30. Kf2 Rg6 31. Qh1 Qd6 32. g3 Qd7 33. Bxg5 Rxg5 34. Qxh7+ Rg7 35. Qh5+ Rg6 36. Qh7+ Rg7 37. Qh5+ {1/2-1/2 (37) Shankland,S (2666)-So,W (2822) Saint Louis 2017}) 11... Nce7 {[%emt 0:07:34]} ( 11... Qf6 {[#]} 12. Bd3 h6 13. Nf1 Be6 14. Bd2 (14. Ng3 Nxg3 15. fxg3 Bf5 16. Qc2 Ne7 17. Nh4 Bxd3 18. Qxd3 g5 19. Rf1 Qe6 20. Nf5 Nxf5 21. Rxf5 Rfe8 22. Bd2 Qe2 23. Qc2 Qe4 24. Qxe4 dxe4 25. Be3 Be7 26. Raf1 f6 27. d5 Rad8 28. Bd4 Rd7 29. g4 Bd8 30. Bxf6 Bxf6 31. Rxf6 Kg7 32. R6f5 e3 33. Re1 Re4 34. h3 c6 35. Rf3 Rxd5 36. Rfxe3 Rxe3 37. Rxe3 Kf6 38. Kf2 Rd2+ 39. Re2 Rd3 40. Ke1 Rd5 41. Re4 Re5 42. Re2 b5 43. Kd2 Rxe2+ 44. Kxe2 Ke5 45. Ke3 c5 46. b3 c4 47. b4 a6 { 1/2-1/2 (47) Melia,S (2459)-Zhao, X (2527) Sochi 2015}) 14... Rae8 15. Qc2 Nfe7 16. b4 Ng6 17. Ng3 Bg4 18. Rxe8 Rxe8 19. Re1 Rf8 20. Be2 Nf4 21. Bxf4 Qxf4 22. h3 Bd7 23. Qd1 g6 24. Bd3 Re8 25. Rxe8+ Bxe8 26. Nf1 Ne7 27. Ne3 Bd7 28. g3 Qf6 29. Ng4 Bxg4 30. hxg4 Qe6 31. Nh2 Kg7 32. Nf1 Ng8 33. Qe2 Qd7 34. Bb5 Qd8 35. Kg2 Nf6 36. Ne3 a5 37. a3 Qa8 38. Bd3 axb4 39. axb4 Qa1 40. Qd2 c6 41. g5 Ng8 42. gxh6+ Nxh6 {1/2-1/2 (42) Nijboer,F (2562)-Meier,G (2663) Rijeka 2010}) 12. Qc2 $146 {[%emt 0:07:09]} c6 {[%emt 0:05:30]} 13. Bd3 {[%emt 0:04:07] Transposes to Topalov-Nakamura.} g6 {[%emt 0:02:12]} 14. Nf1 {[%emt 0:02:19]} f6 $6 {[%emt 0:08:40] I am not sure if I can be a fan of this move. It surely covers e5 but it damages Black's king for the rest of the game and almost kills the idea of any breakthrough or active plan for Black. Now White has a simple play: occupy the e-file and wait!} (14... Ng7 15. Ng3 f6 16. Bh6 Re8 17. Nh4 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Nef5 19. Qd2 g5 20. Rxe8+ Qxe8 21. Re1 Qd8 22. Nxf5 Nxf5 23. Bxf5 Bxf5 24. Qe2 Kf7 25. g4 Bd7 26. f4 Kg6 27. fxg5 fxg5 28. Qe5 Qf6 29. Qh2 Bxg4 30. Re5 Bf5 31. g4 Bxg4 32. Rxg5+ Qxg5 33. Bxg5 Kxg5 34. Qxh7 b6 35. Qb7 Rc8 36. Qxa7 b5 37. b3 Kf4 38. Kf2 Bf5 39. a4 bxa4 40. bxa4 Ke4 41. a5 Rh8 42. Qc7 Kd3 43. a6 {1-0 (43) Topalov,V (2760)-Nakamura,H (2779) Saint Louis 2016}) 15. h3 {[%emt 0:01:59]} Rf7 {[%emt 0:16:03]} 16. Bd2 {[%emt 0:07:09]} Bd7 { [%emt 0:14:10]} 17. Re2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 $2 {[%emt 0:05:11] A strange decision by Fabiano, which was made too quickly. Black is already in a difficult situation and misses what turns out to be a decisive moment. Caruana's choice does not really pose White any trouble and only exacebrates his own tenuous situation.} ({Black needed to prepare his ...c5 idea with} 17... b6 $1 {If White lashes out with} 18. c4 {then Black plays} dxc4 19. Bxc4 Nd5 20. Rae1 Rc8 {and Black should be ok.}) 18. dxc5 {[%emt 0:09:31]} Bxc5 { [%emt 0:00:04] Now Black is also saddled with an isolated pawn with no obvious compensation.} 19. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:21]} (19. Ne3 {is also annoying.}) 19... Rc8 {[%emt 0:07:46]} 20. Rae1 {[%emt 0:06:20]} g5 $6 {[%emt 0:14:37]} (20... b5 { followed by ...a5 would have been my choice in this position. Nevetheless, the position remains really bad for Black. Caruana, however decides to go for a 'make or break' direction in my opinion.}) 21. Ng3 $1 {[%emt 0:23:24] A very strong move after a long think. Hou Yifan eliminates Black's only active piece and takes away all of Black's possible play, leaving him with numerous weaknesses.} Nxg3 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 22. Bxg3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} a5 $6 {[%emt 0:06: 04] Although I could say this move is weakening, the truth is that it is hard to suggest anything for Black. These pawn moves are more aimed at stopping White than expanding for Black.} 23. Qd2 {[%emt 0:03:04]} a4 {[%emt 0:08:01]} 24. b4 {[%emt 0:02:12]} axb3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 25. axb3 {[%emt 0:00:03] White's advantage is near decicive. h4, b4, or even c4 may lead to opening the game into an uncomfortable situation for Black.} Ng6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 26. h4 { [%emt 0:07:03]} (26. b4 Bf8 27. Bc2 Bc6 (27... Bb5 28. Re3 f5 29. Re6 f4 30. Bxg6 hxg6 31. Bh2 {and White is almost attacking every single pawn in Black's camp}) 28. Nd4 $18) 26... gxh4 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 27. Nxh4 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Nxh4 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 28. Bxh4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 29. Qf4 { [%emt 0:05:33]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 30. Qd4 {[%emt 0:00:17] It is really hard to suggest a good move for Black!} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 31. Re3 {[%emt 0:08:17] } Bc8 {[%emt 0:02:23]} 32. b4 $1 {[%emt 0:03:24] World women No. 1 player takes her time.} Kg7 {[%emt 0:01:29]} ({She sees that after} 32... Be5 33. Rxe5 fxe5 34. Rxe5 Re8 35. Rxd5 {Her attack over Black's king is decisive.}) 33. Bb5 {[%emt 0:01:17] Now Re8 is a threat that cannot be prevented.} Bc7 {[%emt 0:00: 39]} 34. Re8 {[%emt 0:02:07]} (34. Be8 {is simpler and it also looks cute!}) 34... Qd6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 35. Bg3 {[%emt 0:03:54]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 36. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:01:10]} 37. Bxd7 {[%emt 0:04:03]} Rdxd7 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 38. Qf5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:11] The Chinese star had seen through these lines when she played Qd3.} Bxg3 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 39. Qg4+ {[%emt 0:00: 05]} Kh6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 40. Qh3+ {[%emt 0:00:00] A great victory for Hou Yifan.} 1-0 [Event "Grenke Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlruhe"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Aleksandr Lenderman"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Welcome everyone! This is GM Aleksandr Lenderman presenting to you round one game of the day. I chose this game between Vachier-Lagrave and Naiditsch as I found it to be a very rich game in no small part thanks to the material imbalance. Games like this always interest me quite a bit, since I'm always fascinated with the fight of material against initiative and other positional factors.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 a6 $5 { The first mini-surprise. The most common move here as far as I know is 6... Nc6, although 6... Be7 or 6...b6 are also quite common. 6.Be7 and 6.Nc6 I've played myself more than once in tournament practice.} (6... Nc6) (6... Be7) ( 6... b6) 7. Ne2 {Of course 7.Be3 is also a serious alternative, in which case Black has a choice of either transposing into the main line with 7...Nc6 or trying to play without committing the knight to c6, by playing 7....b5!? or 7. ..Qb6!?} (7. Be3) 7... Nc6 {By far the most common move here.} 8. c3 {A very logical way of following up the move Ne2, by solidifying the center.} b5 $5 { This move is already quite rare. Much more frequent in practice has been 8... Qb6 or 8...Be7. Radjabov has also once tried 8...f6. Also it's important to note that based on the clocks, it's clear that Naiditsch is still in his home preparation, while Vachier-Lagrave already had around a 10-minute think on move 7.Ne2, meaning that he was probably surprised by Naditsch's choice of lines, in particular 6...a6. After 8...b5, Vachier-Lagrave thought for about 7 more minutes before choosing...} 9. a3 {The idea of this move is prophylaxy against the move b4. However it's also has a drawback, since after Black plays ...c4, he can get quicker play with a5 and b4, since the a3 pawn serves as a hook for quick queenside play. However, it seems that if Black does get b4 in, he might be already doing quite well, so most likely the move b5!? was the just very good preparation on Naiditsch's part.} (9. Be3 b4 $1 {I think this was Black's plan in case of 9.Be3. At first the computer doesn't like the move 9...b4 but then it starts to realize it's quite a good move.} 10. cxb4 (10. dxc5 bxc3 11. Nxc3 Bxc5 12. Bxc5 Nxc5 13. Rc1 O-O $1 14. Nxd5 exd5 15. Rxc5 Qb6 16. Qc1 Bd7 17. Rxd5 Rac8 $36 {Also offers quite good counterplay for Black thanks to the significant initiative for two pawns.}) (10. g3 bxc3 11. Nxc3 Rb8 $11) 10... cxd4 11. Nexd4 Bxb4+ 12. Kf2 (12. Bd2 Bxd2+ 13. Qxd2 Nxd4 $1 (13... Bb7 14. Nxc6 Bxc6 15. Nd4 $14) 14. Qxd4 (14. Nxd4 Nc5 15. Bd3 a5 $11) 14... a5 $1 $11 {And it seems that this plan of trying to trade off the light squared bishops should equalize for Black.}) 12... Nxd4 13. Bxd4 (13. Nxd4 Bc5 $1 $11) 13... O-O $132 {Black gets decent counterplay here with ideas like f6 and/or Nc5.}) 9... c4 {This move is already almost a novelty, it has been played only in one game according to my database in a game between two 2000 rated players.} 10. g4 {This move is officially a novelty according to my database, and a very logical one. Since the structure is fixed, it becomes clear. Black's space is on the queenside, so he should play on the queenside, while White's only play is on the kingside, therefore g4 is the only move that makes sense. In the other game, 10.f5 was played right away.} (10. f5 $6 exf5 {is probably a bit too optimistic for White and should just be good for Black.}) 10... h5 $1 { This is again the only logical move, since otherwise White's plan becomes too strong. It disturbs White's plans and makes it harder for White to get in his f5.} (10... a5 $6 {would be too slow since...} 11. f5 $1 Bb7 12. Nf4 Qe7 13. Bh3 $16 {And White is way ahead in the race here.}) 11. gxh5 Rxh5 12. f5 $5 { A very interesting pawn sacrifice.} (12. Ng3 {Doesn't help White get the f5 break right away because...} Rh8 13. f5 {This move is still a pawn sacrifice.} exf5 14. Nxf5 $2 (14. Qc2 $5 g6 15. h4 {Maybe deserves attention.}) 14... Ndxe5 $1 $17) 12... exf5 (12... Rxf5 $2 {Of course not Rxf5 because of} 13. Ng3 $16) 13. Nf4 Rh8 14. Qe2 $5 {Played after a very long think and probably a good move.} (14. Nxd5 {was of course possible, and would lead to interesting play as well. One sample line might be...} Nb6 (14... Nf6 $5) (14... Ndb8 $5) 15. Nxb6 Qxb6 16. Qe2 (16. d5 $6 Na5 $17) 16... Bb7 17. Be3 Na5 18. Bg2 Be7 19. Nd2 O-O-O {With very complex play.}) (14. Qc2 {was also possible but I doubt this move is best.} Na5 {And it's not clear what White should do here.}) 14... Nb6 $6 {As tempting as this move is, solidifying the position, it might not be the most accurate.} (14... Be7 $3 {Seems stronger since it seems to help Black more in building harmony, while preventing White from achieving his ideal. First of all, the obvious...} 15. Nxd5 {fails because of} (15. Qg2 {The move that would've been excellent after Nb6 would now fail to g5!} g5 16. Nxd5 g4 $17 17. Nxe7 Qxe7 18. Nd2 Bb7) (15. Rg1 g5 $5 16. Nxd5 g4 17. Bg2 $1 gxf3 18. Bxf3 Bb7 19. e6 {would lead to a crazy mess.}) (15. h4 Nf8 16. Qg2 Ne6 17. Nxe6 (17. h5 Kd7 18. Nxd5 Bb7) 17... Bxe6 18. Qxg7 Kd7 19. Qg3 Qa5 {would lead to a more stable but also very complex position.}) 15... Nc5 $1 16. Nxe7 Nd3+ 17. Kd1 (17. Qxd3 $2 cxd3 18. Nxc6 Qd5 $19) 17... Nxe7 $36) 15. Rg1 $6 {This move was probably the best in case of 14)...Be7 but in this case it seems not quite the best.} (15. Qg2 $3 {This would've been a very strong move, but it's probably very difficult to find. The purpose of this move is both to disturb the opponent's harmony (not allowing Black easy development with ideas like Be7, and potentially g5, and also, helps White build up his own harmony in the best way.} Qe7 (15... Ra7 16. Be2) (15... Na5 16. Be3 Rg8 17. h4 $44) 16. Be2 Nd8 17. h4 Ne6 18. h5 $36 {and White has very strong initiative here with ideas like Bd1-c2 and Nh4, and has no bad pieces. Black in the meantime is struggling.}) 15... Ra7 $5 {Played after a 30-minute think by Naiditsch and it certainly deserves a lot of attention since it seems to build up harmony in a very unconventional way. There doesn't seem to be any way for White to crash through Black's position.} (15... Qe7 {with idea of Nd8-e6 was also possible here.} 16. h4 Nd8 17. h5 Ne6 {with complex play.}) 16. h4 (16. Rg3 $1 {was probably the best way to take advantage of Black's slightly slow plan. Now Black can't follow up with Na8 right away anymore.} Qe7 {And now Black probably has to revert to the plan which was possible in the previous move.} ( 16... Na8 $6 17. Qg2 $1 Nc7 18. Rxg7 $1 Bxg7 $6 19. Qxg7 $16) 17. Ng5 Nd8 { And Black seems to be solid enough even though White has obvious compensation.} ) 16... Na8 $1 17. e6 {Otherwise Black will blockade the e6 square. Maybe this idea wasn't objectively the most sound, but it was probably worth a try at least in a practical game.} (17. Bh3 Nc7 18. Qc2 Ne6 19. Bxf5 Nxf4 20. Bxf4 Bxf5 21. Qxf5 Qd7 {would lead to a more balanced position.}) 17... Bxe6 $1 { The only move in the position but Naiditsch spent around half his remaining time here, probably trying to make sure he's not losing by force. However, Black seems to be doing very well.} 18. Nxe6 fxe6 {Seems like White doesn't quite have enough compensation, since the key squares for Black are well defended.} 19. Rg6 Nc7 20. Bf4 Bd6 21. Qh2 Bxf4 22. Qxf4 Kd7 (22... Kf8 { It was also possible to try to hold on to both pawns. Understandably though Black decides to sacrifice his weak pawn on g7 in order to get his king to safety.}) 23. Rxg7+ Kc8 24. O-O-O (24. Be2 {Perhaps it was better to put the king on f2 since in the endgame it will be better served closer to the passed pawn.} Qf6 25. Qg5 Qxg5 26. hxg5) 24... Qf6 25. Qg5 $1 {Otherwise Black will be the one to start the attack with a5 and b4. White is now banking his hopes on the passed pawn.} (25. Qg3 a5 $17) 25... Qxg5+ 26. hxg5 Ne8 $1 $17 {A nice defensive move stabilizing everything.} 27. Rg6 Re7 28. Re1 Kd7 29. Rh6 Rg8 30. Bh3 $6 {The last inaccuracy. Now White is lost. White should've tried to prevent the idea Nd6-e4.} (30. Nh4 $1 Nd6 $6 (30... Nd8 31. Ng6 Reg7 32. Nf4 Rxg5 33. Nxe6 Nxe6 34. Rhxe6 $17 {with some saving chances.}) 31. Ng6 {And here White gets some activity.} Ree8 32. Rh7+ Kc8 33. Nf4 Rxg5 34. Rxe6 Rxe6 35. Nxe6 Rg1 36. Rc7+ Kb8 37. Rxc6 Rxf1+ 38. Kc2 $132) 30... Nd6 $19 {The rest is a matter of technique for Black, especially after he makes the time control. } 31. Rg1 Ne4 32. Kd1 Reg7 33. Rh5 Nd8 34. Ke2 Nf7 {White is about to lose his only hope of the position and will be down two pawns for no compensation.} 35. g6 Rxg6 36. Rxf5 {The last chance to muddy the waters.} Rxg1 37. Rxf7+ Ke8 38. Ra7 Rb1 39. Bxe6 Rxb2+ 40. Ke3 Rg3 41. Bxd5 Nxc3 42. Bc6+ Kf8 43. d5 $6 (43. Kf4 {would prolong the game a little bit but probably not for long.}) 43... Rg4 {White is losing more material here. A very nice battle where Arkadij Naiditsch used some excellent preparation to get a very good 3-result battle against a top player such as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave who is always well-prepared. Then he boldly took the challenge, accepted the material and found some very nice defensive resources to neutralize White's initiative. Great game!} 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C67"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2817"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 O-O 8. d4 Nf5 9. Nf3 d5 10. c3 Bd6 11. Nbd2 Nce7 ({Normal is} 11... Re8 {e.g.} 12. Rxe8+ Qxe8 13. Bd3 f6 14. Nf1 b6 15. Ng3 Nce7 16. Bd2 Qf7 17. Qc2 g6 {Guliyev, N (2579)-Kramnik,V (2777) Berlin GER 2015}) 12. Qc2 c6 13. Bd3 g6 14. Nf1 f6 15. h3 {A "super move" according to GM Peter Leko and IM Lawrence Trent.} Rf7 ( 15... Bc7 16. N1h2 Nd6 17. Ng4 $1) (15... Ng7 16. Ne3 {Leko/Trent}) 16. Bd2 Bd7 17. Re2 c5 {A "critical moment" (Hou Yifan). "Desperation" (Leko).} (17... Ng7) (17... b6) 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. Bf4 Rc8 20. Rae1 g5 21. Ng3 $1 {Very nice. After this White is much better.} Nxg3 22. Bxg3 a5 23. Qd2 a4 24. b4 axb3 25. axb3 Ng6 26. h4 gxh4 27. Nxh4 Nxh4 28. Bxh4 Qf8 29. Qf4 Bd6 30. Qd4 Rd8 31. Re3 Bc8 32. b4 Kg7 33. Bb5 Bc7 34. Re8 Qd6 35. Bg3 Qb6 36. Qd3 Bd7 37. Bxd7 Rdxd7 38. Qf5 Bxg3 39. Qg4+ Kh6 40. Qh3+ 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.15"] [Round "1.3"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C11"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2702"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 a6 7. Ne2 {MVL somehow "got attracted to this move" but he wasn't sure if it was that good.} (7. Be3) 7... Nc6 8. c3 b5 9. a3 c4 {Logical, after a2-a3, said Naiditsch. Theoretically a black knight might end up on b3.} 10. g4 $5 {Allowing black to damage the structure with...} h5 {Always an option when White cannot reply with h2-h3.} 11. gxh5 Rxh5 12. f5 $5 (12. Ng3 Rh8 13. h4 f5 $5 {MVL}) 12... exf5 13. Nf4 Rh8 14. Qe2 $5 ({MVL showed} 14. Nxd5 Bb7 15. Bg2 Ncxe5 {but apparently both players missed} 16. Nxe5 $1 Nxe5 17. Qe2 $1 {and White wins material.}) 14... Nb6 15. Rg1 Ra7 16. h4 Na8 $5 {A remarkable maneuver. "I think I need to get my knight to e6 as fast as possible." (Naiditsch)} (16... Qe7 {with the same idea Nc6-d8-e6 might be met by} 17. a4 {(Naiditsch)}) 17. e6 Bxe6 18. Nxe6 (18. Ng5 Nc7 19. Bh3 {Naiditsch}) 18... fxe6 19. Rg6 Nc7 20. Bf4 Bd6 {Somehow things didn't work out for White. MVL felt he was worse already.} 21. Qh2 Bxf4 22. Qxf4 Kd7 23. Rxg7+ Kc8 24. O-O-O Qf6 25. Qg5 Qxg5+ 26. hxg5 Ne8 27. Rg6 Re7 28. Re1 Kd7 29. Rh6 Rg8 30. Bh3 Nd6 31. Rg1 Ne4 32. Kd1 Reg7 33. Rh5 Nd8 34. Ke2 Nf7 35. g6 Rxg6 36. Rxf5 Rxg1 37. Rxf7+ Ke8 38. Ra7 Rb1 39. Bxe6 Rxb2+ 40. Ke3 Rg3 41. Bxd5 Nxc3 42. Bc6+ Kf8 43. d5 Rg4 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2838"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "140"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 b4 9. d3 Bc5 {C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall Systems} 10. c3 (10. Be3 Bxe3 11. Rxe3 d6 12. Nbd2 Na5 13. Ba2 c5 14. Nc4 Nxc4 15. Bxc4 Be6 16. a5 Bxc4 17. dxc4 {1/2-1/2 (29) Yu,Y (2729) -Aronian,L (2785) Doha 2016}) 10... bxc3 11. bxc3 Rb8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 $146 (13... Be7 14. Nbd2 d6 15. d4 exd4 16. cxd4 Nh5 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 {1/2-1/2 (28) Barata,A (2200)-Parkes Navea,R (2038) ICCF email 2007}) 14. Bg3 Nh5 15. Nbd2 Nxg3 16. hxg3 Qf6 17. Nc4 d6 18. Ne3 Be6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Qc2 h5 21. Rab1 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 h4 23. gxh4 gxh4 24. Rb7 h3 { ...Bb6 is the strong threat.} 25. Rxc7 {Threatens to win with d4.} (25. Ng4 $2 Qg7 26. Nfh2 Qg5 27. gxh3 Rxf2 28. Qxf2 Bxf2+ 29. Kxf2 Qd2+ 30. Kg3 Qxc3 $19) 25... hxg2 26. Qe2 $1 $36 {White has some pressure.} (26. d4 $2 exd4 27. Nf5 exf5 $19) 26... Ne7 {Black wants to play ...Ng6.} 27. Ne1 $1 (27. Kxg2 $2 Ng6 28. Kf1 Qxf3 $19) 27... Rb8 (27... Qh6 $14 28. N1xg2 Rf7) 28. Qg4+ (28. N3xg2 $6 Ng6 $11) (28. N1xg2 $6 Rb1+ 29. Nf1 Kf8 $11) (28. Qf3 $16 Qg5 29. Ng4 (29. N3xg2 $2 Rf8 30. Qe2 Bxf2+ 31. Qxf2 Rxf2 32. Kxf2 Qd2+ 33. Kf1 Kf8 $19) (29. Qxg2 Qxg2+ 30. Kxg2 Kf7 $16) (29. N1xg2 Rb1+ 30. Nf1 Rb2 $11)) 28... Ng6 $2 ( 28... Kf8 $11 {and Black has nothing to worry.} 29. Qf3 (29. Qxg2 Rb1 30. N3c2 Ke8 $17) 29... Qxf3 30. Nxf3 Ke8) 29. Nf3 $1 $18 (29. Qxg2 Rb1 30. N3c2 Bb6 $15 ) (29. N1xg2 $6 Bxe3 30. fxe3 (30. Nxe3 Kf8 $11) 30... Rb2 $16) 29... Rb2 ( 29... Bxe3 {keeps fighting.} 30. fxe3 Kf8) 30. d4 $1 (30. Nxg2 Rxf2 31. Rxc5 Rxf3 $15) 30... exd4 31. e5 $1 (31. cxd4 Bxd4 32. Nd1 Rb4 $14) 31... dxe5 32. Nc4 (32. Nxg2 Bd6 33. Rc6 (33. Rc8+ Kg7 34. cxd4 Rb1+ 35. Nge1 Qxf3 36. Rg8+ Kxg8 $17) 33... dxc3 34. Rxc3 (34. Rxd6 $2 c2 35. Rd8+ Kg7 36. Rd7+ Kg8 37. Rd8+ Kg7 38. Rd7+ Kg8 39. Rd8+ $19) 34... Rb1+ 35. Nfe1 Kf7 $17) 32... Rb1+ 33. Kxg2 e4 {[#]} 34. Qxe4 $2 (34. Nfe5 $1 $18 Qf5 35. Qxg6+ (35. Rxc5 e3 36. Rc8+ Kg7 37. Rc7+ Kg8 38. Rc8+ Kg7 39. Rc7+ Kg8 40. Qxf5 Nh4+ 41. Kg3 Nxf5+ 42. Kf3 exf2 43. Kxf2 dxc3 $18) 35... Qxg6+ 36. Nxg6 dxc3 37. Ne3 (37. Rxc5 c2 38. Rc8+ Kg7 $14) 37... Bxe3 38. fxe3) 34... Nf4+ $11 35. Kg3 Ne2+ $1 36. Kg4 {White wants to mate with Qh7+.} Qf5+ $1 37. Qxf5 exf5+ 38. Kxf5 dxc3 {Hoping for ... c2.} 39. Rxc5 c2 40. Rc8+ Kg7 $1 41. Rc7+ Kg8 $1 42. Kf6 Rg1 {[#]} ({Much worse is} 42... c1=Q $6 43. Rc8+ Kh7 44. Ng5+ Qxg5+ 45. Kxg5 $16) (42... Rb8 $1 $11 {remains equal.} 43. Nce5 c1=Q 44. Rg7+ (44. Rxc1 $2 Rf8+ 45. Kg5 Nxc1 $19) 44... Kf8 45. Rf7+ (45. Ng6+ $2 Ke8 46. Rg8+ Kd7 47. Rxb8 Kc7 $19) 45... Kg8 46. Rg7+ Kf8 47. Rf7+ (47. Ng6+ $2 Ke8 48. Rg8+ Kd7 49. Rxb8 Kc7 $19) 47... Kg8 48. Rg7+) 43. Nxg1 (43. Ng5 $1 $16 Rxg5 44. Ne3) 43... c1=Q 44. Nxe2 Qh6+ 45. Ke7 {And now Ng3 would win.} Qh7+ 46. Kd6 Qd3+ 47. Kc5 {Black must now prevent Nd4.} Qxe2 {Endgame KQ-KRN} 48. Kb6 Qxf2+ 49. Kxa6 Kf8 50. a5 Ke8 51. Nb6 Qf5 52. Rd7 Qc5 53. Rh7 Qe5 54. Rd7 Qc5 55. Rd5 Qc6 56. Rh5 Qc3 57. Kb7 Qg7+ 58. Ka6 Kd8 59. Rd5+ Kc7 60. Rd7+ Kb8 61. Rd8+ Kc7 62. Rc8+ Kd6 63. Nc4+ Kd7 64. Rc5 Qg1 65. Kb6 Qb1+ 66. Ka7 Qb4 67. Nb6+ Kd6 68. Rh5 {next Kb7 is good for White.} Kc6 {( -> ...Qe7+)} 69. Rh6+ Kb5 70. Rh5+ Kc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2817"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3 Na5 5. Nge2 Bc5 {Threatens to win with ... Ng4.} 6. O-O {C28: Vienna Game: 2...Nf6 3 Bc4 Nc6} O-O 7. Ng3 (7. a4 Nxc4 8. dxc4 a5 9. Qd3 d6 10. b3 Be6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Rad1 f5 13. f4 b6 {1/2-1/2 (28) Carlsen,M (2855)-Giri,A (2782) Paris 2016}) 7... h6 8. h3 {The position is equal.} d6 9. Bb3 $146 (9. Kh1 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Na4 Bb6 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. f4 Nc6 {1/2-1/2 (68) Rodriguez Guerrero,E (2450)-Cox,J (2396) England 2012}) 9... c6 10. Na4 Nxb3 11. axb3 Bb4 12. Bd2 Bxd2 13. Qxd2 d5 14. Qb4 b6 15. Nc3 ( {Don't play} 15. Nxb6 Rb8 16. Rxa7 Qxb6 17. Qxb6 Rxb6 $17) 15... c5 16. Qa3 d4 17. Nce2 a5 18. f4 Be6 19. Rae1 exf4 20. Nxf4 Nd7 21. Qa1 Qg5 22. Kh2 Ne5 23. Qd1 Rae8 24. Nge2 Ng6 25. Qc1 Qe5 (25... Qh4 $5 {feels hotter.} 26. g3 Qe7 27. g4 Ne5 28. Ng3 Qh4) 26. Kg1 Nh4 27. g3 Ng6 28. Kg2 Qd6 29. Kh2 (29. Nxg6 $11 { keeps the balance.} fxg6 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rf1) 29... Ne5 $17 30. Kg2 f5 31. Nxe6 Rxe6 32. exf5 Qd5+ 33. Kg1 {[#]} ({White must play} 33. Kh2 $15 Ref6 34. g4 (34. Nf4 Nf3+ 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 $17)) 33... Ref6 $1 $36 {Black has strong initiative.} 34. Nf4 (34. g4 {keeps fighting.} Nf3+ 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 36. Qf4 Qxh3 37. Qg3 Qxg3+ 38. Nxg3) 34... Nf3+ 35. Kf2 Qxf5 36. Kxf3 {And now Kg2 would win.} Qxh3 $1 {Strongly threatening .. .g5.} 37. Re4 $2 {[#]} (37. Rg1 { was called for.}) 37... g5 38. Ke2 Qxg3 ({Less strong is} 38... gxf4 39. gxf4 Re6 40. Rxe6 Qxe6+ 41. Kd2 $17) 39. Rf3 (39. Rg1 $142 Qh4 40. Qe1 Qxe1+ 41. Kxe1 Rxf4 42. Re2) 39... Qg4 40. Qh1 Rxf4 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Meier, Georg"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Nd2 O-O 6. Ngf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 {E16: Queen's Indian: 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Bb4+} Nbd7 9. Bb2 Qe7 10. Ne5 $146 { The position is equal.} (10. Qc2 Rac8 11. e3 Ba3 12. cxd5 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Bxd5 14. b4 c5 15. bxc5 bxc5 {1/2-1/2 (50) Fedoseev,V (2668)-Dragun,K (2518) Warsaw 2014}) 10... Rfd8 11. Nd3 Bd6 12. e3 Rab8 13. Rc1 Ne4 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Re1 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Qc2 Rbc8 18. Nf4 Nef6 (18... Ndf6 $14) 19. Nc4 $1 $16 Bc7 20. Red1 Bxf4 21. exf4 (21. gxf4 $6 Qe6 $11) 21... Ba8 22. Ne3 Qe6 23. Nf5 { Threatens to win with Re1.} Re8 24. h3 ({Better is} 24. b4 $1 $16) 24... d4 $11 25. Bxa8 Rxa8 26. b4 Rac8 {[#]} (26... Rab8 $1 $11 {remains equal.} 27. bxc5 d3 28. Qxd3 Rxb2) 27. Qb1 ({White has to play} 27. Re1 $1 $16 Qxe1+ 28. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 29. Kg2) 27... Ne4 (27... cxb4 $2 28. Rxc8 (28. Bxd4 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 h5 $14) 28... Rxc8 29. Re1 $18 (29. Bxd4 Re8 $14) (29. Rxd4 a5 $11)) 28. g4 {bxc5 is the strong threat.} g6 $36 {Black has the initiative.} 29. Nh4 $2 (29. Nh6+ $11 Kg7 30. bxc5 Kxh6 31. Bxd4) 29... Nxf2 $19 {Black is clearly winning.} ({Not} 29... cxb4 30. Rxc8 (30. Bxd4 Nc3 31. Bxc3 bxc3 $15) 30... Rxc8 31. Re1 $15) 30. Kxf2 {[#]} Qe2+ $1 31. Kg1 Re3 {( -> ...Rg3+)} 32. Qc2 Rg3+ 33. Kh1 Rxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ ({Weaker is} 34... Qxg4+ 35. Ng2 $15) 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Meier, Georg"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [BlackElo "2649"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Nd2 O-O 6. Ngf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 {E16: Queen's Indian: 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Bb4+} Nbd7 9. Bb2 Qe7 10. Ne5 $146 (10. Qc2 Rac8 11. e3 Ba3 12. cxd5 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Bxd5 14. b4 c5 15. bxc5 bxc5 { 1/2-1/2 (50) Fedoseev,V (2668)-Dragun,K (2518) Warsaw 2014}) 10... Rfd8 11. Nd3 Bd6 12. e3 Rab8 13. Rc1 Ne4 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Re1 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Qc2 Rbc8 18. Nf4 Nef6 (18... Ndf6 $14) 19. Nc4 $1 $16 Bc7 20. Red1 Bxf4 21. exf4 (21. gxf4 $6 Qe6 $11) 21... Ba8 22. Ne3 Qe6 23. Nf5 {Threatens to win with Re1.} Re8 24. h3 ({Better is} 24. b4 $1 $16) 24... d4 $11 25. Bxa8 Rxa8 26. b4 Rac8 {[#]} (26... Rab8 $1 $11 {remains equal.} 27. bxc5 d3 28. Qxd3 Rxb2) 27. Qb1 ({ White has to play} 27. Re1 $1 $16 Qxe1+ 28. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 29. Kg2) 27... Ne4 ( 27... cxb4 $2 28. Rxc8 (28. Bxd4 Rxc1 29. Rxc1 h5 $14) 28... Rxc8 29. Re1 $18 ( 29. Bxd4 Re8 $14) (29. Rxd4 a5 $11)) 28. g4 {bxc5 is the strong threat.} g6 $36 {Black has the initiative.} 29. Nh4 $2 (29. Nh6+ $11 Kg7 30. bxc5 Kxh6 31. Bxd4 ) 29... Nxf2 $19 {Black is clearly winning.} ({Not} 29... cxb4 30. Rxc8 (30. Bxd4 Nc3 31. Bxc3 bxc3 $15) 30... Rxc8 31. Re1 $15) 30. Kxf2 {[#]} Qe2+ $1 31. Kg1 Re3 {( -> ...Rg3+)} 32. Qc2 Rg3+ 33. Kh1 Rxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ ({Weaker is} 34... Qxg4+ 35. Ng2 $15) 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2817"] [Annotator "Elshan"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3 Na5 5. Nge2 Bc5 6. O-O {C28: Vienna Game: 2...Nf6 3 Bc4 Nc6} O-O 7. Ng3 (7. a4 Nxc4 8. dxc4 a5 9. Qd3 d6 10. b3 Be6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Rad1 f5 13. f4 b6 {1/2-1/2 (28) Carlsen,M (2855)-Giri,A (2782) Paris 2016}) 7... h6 8. h3 {The position is equal.} d6 9. Bb3 $146 (9. Kh1 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Na4 Bb6 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. f4 Nc6 {1/2-1/2 (68) Rodriguez Guerrero,E (2450)-Cox,J (2396) England 2012}) 9... c6 10. Na4 Nxb3 11. axb3 Bb4 12. Bd2 Bxd2 13. Qxd2 d5 14. Qb4 b6 15. Nc3 (15. Nxb6 $2 {is tempting but loses to} Rb8 16. Rxa7 Qxb6 17. Qxb6 Rxb6 $17) 15... c5 16. Qa3 d4 17. Nce2 a5 18. f4 Be6 19. Rae1 exf4 20. Nxf4 Nd7 21. Qa1 Qg5 22. Kh2 Ne5 23. Qd1 Rae8 24. Nge2 Ng6 25. Qc1 Qe5 (25... Qh4 $5 {feels hotter.} 26. g3 Qe7 27. g4 Ne5 28. Ng3 Qh4) 26. Kg1 Nh4 27. g3 Ng6 28. Kg2 Qd6 29. Kh2 (29. Nxg6 $11 {keeps the balance.} fxg6 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rf1) 29... Ne5 $17 30. Kg2 f5 31. Nxe6 Rxe6 32. exf5 Qd5+ 33. Kg1 {[#]} ({White must play} 33. Kh2 $15 Ref6 34. g4 (34. Nf4 Nf3+ 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 $17)) 33... Ref6 $1 $36 {Black has a strong initiative.} 34. Nf4 (34. g4 {keeps fighting.} Nf3+ 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 36. Qf4 Qxh3 37. Qg3 Qxg3+ 38. Nxg3) 34... Nf3+ 35. Kf2 Qxf5 36. Kxf3 Qxh3 $1 {Strongly threatening .. .g5.} 37. Re4 $2 {[#]} (37. Rg1 {was called for.}) 37... g5 38. Ke2 Qxg3 ({Less strong is} 38... gxf4 39. gxf4 Re6 40. Rxe6 Qxe6+ 41. Kd2 $17) 39. Rf3 (39. Rg1 $142 Qh4 40. Qe1 Qxe1+ 41. Kxe1 Rxf4 42. Re2) 39... Qg4 40. Qh1 Rxf4 0-1 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2.2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2838"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "140"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:26:38"] [BlackClock "0:37:12"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O { Aronian is a famous Marshall specialist.} 8. a4 {And Carlsen does not want to test his knowledge. Some time ago Tal would say that this move is giving up any hopes of advantage. Nowadays the top players will argue that it gives a a chance for them to play some moves of their own.} b4 9. d3 Bc5 10. c3 ({ Aronian had also faced} 10. Be3 Bxe3 11. Rxe3 d6 12. Nbd2 Na5 13. Ba2 c5 { with an approximately equal game in Yu,Y (2729)-Aronian,L (2785) Doha 2016}) 10... bxc3 11. bxc3 Rb8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 g5 $146 {All of these moves were played quickly, including this novelty. An email game saw instead:} (13... Be7 14. Nbd2 d6 15. d4 exd4 16. cxd4 Nh5 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. Qe2 {with slight edge for White in Barata,A (2200) -Parkes Navea,R (2038) ICCF email 2007}) 14. Bg3 { The sacrifice does not work:} (14. Nxg5 hxg5 15. Bxg5 {due to the pretty refutation} Rxb3 $1 16. Qxb3 Bxf2+ 17. Kxf2 Ng4+) 14... Nh5 15. Nbd2 Nxg3 16. hxg3 Qf6 {Black can be happy with the outcome of the opening. He traded the strong dark-squared bishop of the opponent, while keeping his one on commanding position.} 17. Nc4 d6 18. Ne3 Be6 19. Bxe6 {A dubious decision. Carlsen obviously wanted to avoid the position with opposite-colored bishops on the board, but now he is risking a lot.} ({After} 19. Nd5 Bxd5 (19... Qg7 $5 ) 20. Bxd5 Ne7 {the positon would be even.}) 19... fxe6 20. Qc2 h5 {Black's position is very pleasant. He simply wants to advance his kingside pawns and discover as many files as he can. The bishop on c5 is doing a great job into the attack.} 21. Rab1 Rxb1 {Why!? This rook would be a great piece to attack with. After the correct:} (21... Rbe8 $1 22. a5 Re7 {followed by Re7-g7 (f7, h7) this rook will mate, while the white one will sadly look at the empty b-file!} (22... g4 23. Nh4)) 22. Rxb1 h4 23. gxh4 gxh4 24. Rb7 h3 {This also appears to be inaccuracy. Aronian could have attacked with} (24... Qg7 $1 { instead, not fearing} 25. Nxh4 $2 Bxe3 26. fxe3 Na5 (26... Qg3 {at once might be even stronger with the idea} 27. Rxc7 $2 Qe1+) 27. Rb1 Qg3 {and the knight is trapped on the rim.}) 25. Rxc7 {Carlsen simply took the pawn. The black one on g2 will shield him against the black heavy pieces. But what about the f-file?} hxg2 26. Qe2 $1 {This is what it is all about. The knight could not move due to:} (26. Nh2 $4 Bxe3 27. fxe3 Qf1+) 26... Ne7 ({In the line} 26... Qxf3 27. Qxf3 Rxf3 {White will not capture the knight at once:} 28. Rxc6 ({ But would first play} 28. Kxg2 $1 Rxe3 29. fxe3 Na5 30. Rc8+ (30. Kf3 $5) 30... Kf7 31. Ra8 {with good winning chances.}) 28... Bxe3 29. fxe3 d5 (29... Rxe3 30. Rxd6) 30. Kxg2 Rxe3 {which will be equal.}) 27. Ne1 {Now he can move.} Rb8 (27... Bxe3 28. Qxe3 $16) 28. Qg4+ {Surprisingly, it is Carlsen who attacks on the kingside. Had the second black rook been on g7...} (28. Qf3 $5 {was also very good for White.}) 28... Ng6 (28... Kf8 $1 {is the better defense.}) 29. Nf3 Rb2 {Now the world champion finds a very strong continuation:} 30. d4 exd4 31. e5 $1 {Both the white knights get perfect jobs while the black pieces stall.} dxe5 32. Nc4 Rb1+ 33. Kxg2 e4 ({The endgame after} 33... Qf5 34. Qxf5 exf5 35. Rxc5 {is hopeless for Black.}) 34. Qxe4 {Carlsen thought this is safer and simplier, but it leads only to a draw.} ({Carlsen had seen the right continuation} 34. Nfe5 $1 e3 (34... dxc3 35. Rxc5) (34... Qf5 35. Qxg6+ Qxg6+ 36. Nxg6 dxc3 37. Ne3) 35. Rf7 Qxf7 36. Nxf7 Kxf7 {and thought that White should play now} 37. Qh5 {and here he calculated the beautiful line:} ({ In fact after} 37. Qf3+ $1 Kg7 38. Qe4 {he is just winning.}) 37... Kg7 38. Qxc5 e2 39. Qxd4+ e5 40. Nxe5 Rg1+ 41. Kh3 Rh1+ 42. Kg2 Rg1+ {that leads to a draw.}) 34... Nf4+ 35. Kg3 Ne2+ {This shot is what White missed!} 36. Kg4 ({ The knight capture leads to perpetual after} 36. Qxe2 Qg6+ 37. Kh2 ({As the attempt to deviate with} 37. Kh3 $4 Rh1+ 38. Nh2 Qh6+ {would be disastrous for White.}) 37... Qh5+ $11) 36... Qf5+ 37. Qxf5 exf5+ 38. Kxf5 dxc3 39. Rxc5 c2 40. Rc8+ Kg7 {The c-pawn survived and saves Aronian. There are still some nasty little traps that he had to avoid.} 41. Rc7+ Kg8 ({Avoids the temptation to go "active" with the king} 41... Kh6 $4 42. Nce5 c1=Q 43. Ng4+ Kh5 44. Rh7+ Qh6 45. Rxh6#) 42. Kf6 Rg1 {A pretty move. There was also the dull:} (42... Rb8 43. Rg7+ Kf8 {which would not be that pleasant of a defense since White still has plenty of attacking resources. For example:} 44. Nfe5 (44. Ng5 Nf4 45. Nh7+ Ke8 46. Rg8+ Kd7 47. Rxb8 {when Black needs to avoid one last trap:} c1=Q ( 47... Nd5+ $1 $11 {first is a draw though.}) 48. Nb6+ Kd6 49. Rd8+ Kc7 50. Rc8+ {and wins.}) 44... Nf4 $1 {And now it is time for White to force the draw with: } (44... c1=Q $4 45. Ng6+ Ke8 46. Rg8+ Kd7 47. Nge5+ Kc7 48. Rg7+ Kd8 49. Rd7+ Ke8 50. Nd6+ Kf8 51. Ng6+ Kg8 52. Rg7#) 45. Ng6+ (45. Nd7+ Ke8 46. Kf5 c1=Q 47. Nf6+ Kf8 48. Rg8+ Kf7 49. Ne5+ Ke7 50. Rxb8 $11) 45... Nxg6 46. Nd6 $3 c1=Q 47. Rf7+ Kg8 48. Rg7+ Kf8 (48... Kh8 $4 49. Nf7#) 49. Rf7+ $11) (42... c1=Q { should also lead ultimately to a draw after} 43. Rc8+ Kh7 44. Ng5+ Qxg5+ (44... Kh6 $4 45. Rh8#) 45. Kxg5 {but hey, do you know anyone wishing to defend this against Carlsen?}) 43. Nxg1 ({The players saw} 43. Ng5 Rxg5 44. Ne3 c1=Q 45. Rxc1 Nxc1 46. Kxg5 {and evaluated it as a draw.} Nd3 47. f4 a5) 43... c1=Q 44. Nxe2 Qh6+ {Aronian regains the knight with checks and the arising imbalanced position is equal.} 45. Ke7 Qh7+ 46. Kd6 Qd3+ 47. Kc5 Qxe2 48. Kb6 Qxf2+ 49. Kxa6 Kf8 50. a5 {Carlsen tried to push here for another twenty moves but in vain.} Ke8 51. Nb6 Qf5 52. Rd7 Qc5 53. Rh7 Qe5 54. Rd7 Qc5 55. Rd5 Qc6 56. Rh5 Qc3 57. Kb7 Qg7+ 58. Ka6 Kd8 59. Rd5+ Kc7 $1 {Nice defense!} 60. Rd7+ Kb8 $1 ( 60... Qxd7 $4 {is lost of course after} 61. Nxd7 Kxd7 62. Kb7) 61. Rd8+ ({Or} 61. Rxg7 {Stalemate!}) 61... Kc7 62. Rc8+ Kd6 63. Nc4+ Kd7 64. Rc5 Qg1 65. Kb6 Qb1+ 66. Ka7 Qb4 67. Nb6+ Kd6 68. Rh5 Kc6 69. Rh6+ Kb5 70. Rh5+ Kc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Karlsruhe GER"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Meier, Georg"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E01"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [BlackElo "2649"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Nd2 O-O 6. Ngf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. b3 Nbd7 (8... c5 9. Bb2 Nc6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Ne1 Qe7 13. Ndf3 Rfe8 14. Nd3 Ba3 {Karjakin,S (2769)-Eljanov,P (2760) Wijk aan Zee NED 2016}) 9. Bb2 Qe7 (9... Re8 10. Rc1 Rc8 11. a3 Bf8 12. Ne5 c5 13. Nxd7 Nxd7 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Nb1 Ba6 {Wei Yi (2700)-Yu Yangyi (2738) China CHN 2016}) 10. Ne5 Rfd8 11. Nd3 Bd6 12. e3 Rab8 13. Rc1 Ne4 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Re1 c5 16. dxc5 bxc5 17. Qc2 Rbc8 $6 18. Nf4 Nef6 $6 (18... Ndf6 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. Rcd1 {with a slight edge for White, who go "the maximum he can get." (Meier)}) 19. Nc4 $1 Bc7 20. Red1 (20. Rcd1 Ne5 21. Qf5 $1 {was another way of playing.}) 20... Bxf4 (20... Ne5 { fails to} 21. Nxe5 Bxe5 22. Bxe5 Qxe5 23. Nd3) 21. exf4 Ba8 22. Ne3 Qe6 23. Nf5 (23. b4 d4 24. Bxd4 $2 (24. Bxa8 $1) 24... Bxg2 25. Bxf6 Be4 {Meier}) 23... Re8 {From here it starts to go downhill for Meier.} 24. h3 $6 (24. b4 $1 {and the engines still like White very much.}) 24... d4 25. Bxa8 Rxa8 26. b4 Rac8 27. Qb1 $6 (27. Re1 $5 Qxe1+ 28. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 29. Kg2) 27... Ne4 28. g4 g6 29. Nh4 $2 ({And here} 29. Nh6+ Kg7 30. bxc5 $1 {is still not so clear.}) 29... Nxf2 $1 { Crashing through.} 30. Kxf2 Qe2+ 31. Kg1 Re3 32. Qc2 Rg3+ 33. Kh1 Rxh3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ 0-1 [Event "Karlsruhe GER"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.16"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C24"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2817"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nc3 Na5 5. Nge2 Bc5 6. O-O O-O 7. Ng3 (7. a4 Nxc4 8. dxc4 a5 9. Qd3 d6 10. b3 Be6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Rad1 f5 {Carlsen,M (2855) -Giri,A (2782) Paris FRA 2016}) 7... h6 8. h3 d6 9. Bb3 c6 10. Na4 Nxb3 11. axb3 Bb4 12. Bd2 Bxd2 13. Qxd2 d5 14. Qb4 b6 {"He was trying to create something," said Caruana about White's not very successful opening strategy.} 15. Nc3 c5 16. Qa3 d4 (16... a5 $5 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Qxd5 19. Qa4 Bb7 20. Qe4 f5 {Caruana}) 17. Nce2 a5 (17... g5 18. b4 {Caruana}) 18. f4 Be6 19. Rae1 exf4 20. Nxf4 Nd7 21. Qa1 Qg5 22. Kh2 Ne5 23. Qd1 Rae8 {Here Caruana was very optimistic.} 24. Nge2 (24. Qe2 Qh4 25. Nf5 Bxf5 26. exf5 Nf3+ {was one of the points of Black's 23rd move.}) 24... Ng6 25. Qc1 Qe5 26. Kg1 Nh4 27. g3 { "A little bit surprising." (Caruana)} (27. Rf2) 27... Ng6 28. Kg2 Qd6 29. Kh2 $6 ({Better was} 29. Nxg6 fxg6 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Rf1 {according to Caruana. "Maybe he was still ambitious."}) 29... Ne5 30. Kg2 (30. Nxe6 fxe6 31. Rxf8+ Rxf8 32. Rf1 {Caruana}) 30... f5 $1 31. Nxe6 Rxe6 32. exf5 (32. Nf4 Ref6 33. Nd5 R6f7 {"looks very dangerous for him." (Caruana)}) 32... Qd5+ (32... Qc6+ $6 33. Kg1 Ref6 $2 34. Nxd4 {Caruana}) 33. Kg1 $2 ({Better was} 33. Kh2 Ref6 34. g4 Nf3+ 35. Rxf3 Qxf3 36. Qf4 {with drawing chances.}) 33... Ref6 {Now Black is winning in all lines.} 34. Nf4 Nf3+ 35. Kf2 Qxf5 36. Kxf3 Qxh3 37. Re4 g5 38. Ke2 Qxg3 39. Rf3 Qg4 40. Qh1 Rxf4 0-1 [Event "Karlsruhe"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Be3 Bd6 {C10: French with 3 Nc3: Unusual Black 3rd moves and 3...dxe4} 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qe2 b6 10. O-O-O Bb7 11. Kb1 {LiveBook: 3 Games} c5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 $146 ( 13. h4 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Be7 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Qxe6+ {1-0 (24) Kulaots,K (2564)-Meier,G (2648) Sweden 2017}) 13... Rc8 14. c3 Be7 15. Bg3 cxd4 16. Nxd4 Rc5 17. Rhe1 Qc8 (17... Bxg2 $6 18. Nxe6 $1 (18. f3 Bh3 $11) 18... fxe6 19. Qxe6+ Kh8 20. Qxe7 $16) 18. Be5 Nd7 (18... Bxg2 19. Rg1 Qb7 20. f3 Rxe5 21. Qxe5 Bxf3 22. Qg3 $1 $18 (22. Nxf3 Qxf3 23. Bc2 Rc8 $14)) 19. Bf4 { Hoping for Nxe6!} Nf6 $1 (19... Bxg2 $2 20. Rg1 Qb7 21. Bxh6 $1 (21. Qg4 Bg5 $16) 21... gxh6 22. f4 $18) 20. h4 Rd8 (20... Bxg2 21. Rg1 Bd5 22. Bxh6 $16) 21. Be5 h5 22. f3 Bd6 (22... Nd7 $14 23. Bg3 Nf6) 23. Bxf6 $1 $16 gxf6 24. Qe3 {Black must now prevent Qh6.} Kg7 25. f4 Rg8 26. Bc2 (26. Be2 $16) 26... Bb8 27. Bb3 {Nxe6+! is the strong threat.} f5 $2 (27... Bxg2 $2 28. Nxe6+ $1 fxe6 29. Bxe6 $18) (27... e5 $16) 28. Nxe6+ $18 fxe6 29. Qd4+ (29. Bxe6 Be4+ 30. Qxe4 fxe4 $17) 29... Kh7 $2 (29... e5 30. Qd7+ (30. fxe5 Be4+ 31. Rxe4 fxe4 32. Bxg8 Qxg8 33. Qd7+ Kh8 $11) 30... Kh8) 30. Rxe6 {Intending Re7+ and mate.} Be4+ {[#]} (30... Rg7 31. Qf6 Be4+ 32. Ka1 Bxf4 33. Re7 Rxe7 34. Qxe7+ Kh6 35. Rd8 Qxd8 36. Qxd8 $18) 31. Ka1 $1 {Threatening mate with Re7+.} ({Don't play} 31. Rxe4 $6 fxe4 32. Qxe4+ (32. Bxg8+ Qxg8 33. Qf6 Rd5 34. Qe7+ Kh6 35. Qf6+ Kh7 36. Qe7+ Kh8 37. Qf6+ Kh7 $11) 32... Kh6 $18) 31... Rg7 $2 (31... Rc7 32. Rxe4 fxe4) 32. Qf6 {White threatens Qh6+ and mate.} Bxf4 33. Rd8 Qa6 (33... Qxd8 $18 34. Qxd8 Re5) 34. Ree8 Qf1+ 35. Bd1 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2803"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. d4 e4 {A34: Symmetrical English: 2 Nc3, lines with ...d5} 6. d5 exf3 7. dxc6 dxc6 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. gxf3 {LiveBook: 8 Games} Kc7 10. b3 Be7 11. Bb2 Rd8 12. h4 g6 13. Ne4 $146 (13. Bh3 Bxh3 14. Rxh3 {1/2-1/2 (33) Aronian,L (2781) -Vachier Lagrave,M (2765) London 2015}) 13... Nxe4 14. fxe4 h5 15. Be5+ Bd6 16. Bf6 {Strongly threatening e5.} Re8 17. f3 a5 18. a4 Be7 19. Bc3 Be6 20. O-O-O b6 21. Be2 Red8 22. Rdg1 b5 23. Kc2 ({ Much worse is} 23. axb5 cxb5 24. cxb5 Bxb3 $17) 23... b4 24. Be5+ Kb7 25. Bf4 Rd7 26. e5 Bf8 27. Rd1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Bg7 29. Bd3 Rd8 30. Bg5 Rd7 31. f4 Bg4 { [#]} 32. Be2 $1 {Hoping for Bxg4.} Bf5+ $1 (32... Bxe2 33. Rxd7+) 33. Kc1 $1 Kc7 34. Bf3 Bf8 {[#]} (34... Bd3 $14) 35. e4 $1 $36 {White is really pushing.} Bh3 $2 {[#]} (35... Be6 $16 {was worth a try.}) 36. f5 $1 gxf5 37. Bxh5 fxe4 $2 (37... Be7 $16) 38. Rxd7+ {White is clearly winning.} Kxd7 39. Bxf7 {KBB-KBB} Bg7 40. e6+ Bxe6 41. Bxe6+ ({Not} 41. Bg6 Bg4 $14) 41... Kxe6 42. Kd2 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bg5 Be6 {B90: Sicilian Najdorf: Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 Ng4 and 6 Be3 e5} 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nd5 Nd7 11. Bc4 Rc8 12. Qe2 Nb6 {LiveBook: 3 Games} (12... Bg4 $5 {seems wilder.} 13. b3 Nb6 14. O-O O-O 15. h3 Be6) 13. Nxf6+ (13. Nxb6 $5 { looks sharper.} Qxb6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15. c3 O-O 16. a5) 13... Qxf6 14. Bxe6 Qxe6 15. O-O O-O 16. Rfd1 Rc6 $146 17. a5 Nd7 18. b3 Rfc8 19. Rd2 Nc5 20. Rad1 Qe7 21. Qe3 g6 22. g3 b5 23. axb6 $1 Rxb6 24. Rd5 Rcc6 {[#]} 25. Nd2 $1 Nb7 26. Nc4 Rb5 27. Qa7 {Threatens to win with Rxd6!} Qc7 28. Rxb5 axb5 {[#]} 29. Nxd6 (29. Ne3 $1 $16 Rxc2 30. Nxc2 Qxc2 31. Re1) 29... Nxd6 $11 {The position is equal.} ({Much worse is} 29... Rxd6 $6 30. Rxd6 Qxd6 31. Qxb7 $16) 30. Qxc7 Rxc7 31. Rxd6 Rxc2 $16 {Endgame KR-KR} 32. Rd5 Re2 33. Rxe5 {Strongly threatening Kf1.} b4 34. Rb5 Rxe4 35. Kg2 Rd4 36. Kf1 Re4 37. Kg2 Rd4 38. Kf1 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2634"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Be3 {[%emt 0: 00:05] E04: Open Catalan: Nf3} Bd7 $146 (7... Nd5 8. Bg5 Be7 9. Bxe7 Ndxe7 10. e3 O-O 11. Nbd2 b5 12. b3 c3 13. Ne4 Nd5 14. a3 f5 {1-0 (42) Eljanov, P (2717) -Sethuraman,S (2640) Berlin 2015}) 8. Qc1 b5 9. b3 {The position is equal.} cxb3 10. axb3 Bd6 11. Ne1 Nd5 12. Nc3 Ncb4 13. Nxd5 exd5 14. Bd2 c6 15. Bxb4 Bxb4 16. Nd3 Bd6 17. Nc5 O-O 18. Nb7 Qc7 19. Nxd6 Qxd6 20. Qd2 Ra7 21. Rfc1 h6 22. Rc5 Rfa8 23. Qa5 Be8 24. e3 g5 25. Rc2 Qg6 26. Rca2 Bd7 27. Bf1 Kg7 28. b4 h5 29. Qb6 h4 30. Qc5 ({Don't take} 30. Rxa6 $2 Rxa6 31. Rxa6 {[#]} Qb1 $1 $19) 30... Bf5 31. Rc1 ({White should try} 31. Ra3 $15) 31... a5 $17 32. Qb6 $2 ({ But not} 32. Qxc6 $2 Qxc6 33. Rxc6 axb4 34. Rxa7 Rxa7 $19) (32. bxa5 $17 { keeps fighting.} hxg3 33. hxg3) 32... Ra6 33. Qc7 $2 (33. Qc5) 33... axb4 $19 34. Rxa6 Rxa6 35. Qb7 Ra2 36. Rxc6 Be6 37. Qe7 Qf6 (37... b3 $142 {Threatens to win with ...b2.} 38. Rxe6 Qxe6 39. Qxg5+ Qg6 40. Qe5+ Qf6) 38. Qxf6+ Kxf6 39. gxh4 {Endgame KRB-KRB} b3 {[#] And now ...Ra1 would win.} (39... gxh4 $2 40. Rb6 $19) 40. hxg5+ (40. Rb6 $142 b2 41. Bd3 Ra1+ 42. Kg2) 40... Kxg5 { Strongly threatening ...Ra1.} 41. f4+ Kh4 42. Bd3 Rd2 43. f5 Rxd3 44. fxe6 b2 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3.1"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2838"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bg5 (8. Bc4 Be6 9. Bb3 h6 10. O-O O-O 11. Nh4 Nc6 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 Nd4 14. Nd5 Nxb3 15. cxb3 Rc8 {Carlsen,M (2857)-Grischuk,A (2754) chess.com INT 2016}) 8... Be6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nd5 Nd7 11. Bc4 Rc8 12. Qe2 Nb6 13. Nxf6+ (13. Nxb6 $5 Qxb6 14. Bxe6 Qxb2 (14... fxe6 15. c3) 15. Bxc8 Qxa1+ 16. Qd1 Qc3+ 17. Ke2 Qxc8 18. Qxd6 Qc4+ 19. Kd2 {Carlsen}) 13... Qxf6 ({Carlsen considered} 13... gxf6 { as well. "Let's say if I had been more desperate I might have done this."}) 14. Bxe6 Qxe6 15. O-O (15. b3 O-O 16. Rd1 Rc6 {½-½ Svidler,P (2739)-Grischuk,A (2746) Khanty-Mansiysk RUS 2011}) 15... O-O (15... Qc4 16. Qe3 Rc6 17. Qg5 O-O 18. Nh4 {Carlsen} g6 $1 19. Nf5 f6 20. Qg4 Kh8 21. Ne3 f5 $11) 16. Rfd1 Rc6 17. a5 Nd7 18. b3 Rfc8 19. Rd2 {"Probably very good." (Carlsen)} (19. c4 b6) 19... Nc5 (19... Rc3 20. Rad1 R8c6 21. Ne1 R3c5 22. b4 Rc3 23. b5 axb5 24. Qxb5 Nc5 25. Qxc6 $1 bxc6 26. Rxd6 {Carlsen}) 20. Rad1 Qe7 21. Qe3 g6 22. g3 b5 $6 ({ Carlsen should have stuck with his original plan of} 22... Qc7) 23. axb6 Rxb6 24. Rd5 $1 {Missed by Carlsen. White will regroup his knight to c4, and there's nothing to do about it.} Rcc6 25. Nd2 Nb7 26. Nc4 Rb5 27. Qa7 Qc7 28. Rxb5 ({Carlsen was hoping for} 28. Ra1 Rb4 29. Rxa6 $2 Rcxc4 $1 30. bxc4 Rb1+ 31. Kg2 Qxc4 32. Rd3) ({A great waiting move, however, is} 28. h4 $1 {and maybe even 29.h5 when Black cannot really untangle. After} h5 {White can go} 29. Ra1 {after all when} Rb4 30. Rxa6 Rcxc4 31. bxc4 Rb1+ 32. Kh2 $1 Qxc4 33. Ra1 {is the big difference.}) 28... axb5 29. Nxd6 $6 (29. Ne3 {is also good for White.}) 29... Nxd6 30. Qxc7 Rxc7 31. Rxd6 Rxc2 32. Rd5 Re2 $1 {Equalizing instantly.} 33. Rxe5 b4 34. Rb5 Rxe4 35. Kg2 Rd4 36. Kf1 Re4 37. Kg2 Rd4 38. Kf1 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3.3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C10"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2630"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:02:58"] [BlackClock "0:00:36"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 {Meier's opening repertoire is quite narrow, albeit solid. This allows some in-depth preparations like the one that we are about to see.} 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Be3 Bd6 {The last game between these two players in the Rubinstein French took somewhat different course:} (7... Nd5 8. Bd2 c5 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11. c4 Nb6 12. Rc1 { and at the end White prevailed, Caruana,F (2757)-Meier,G (2640) Baden-Baden 2013}) 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qe2 b6 10. O-O-O Bb7 11. Kb1 c5 12. Bg5 {To provoke h7-h6 makes sense. In the pawn races which are about to start soon every hook counts. } h6 {All of this was executed fast and Caruana uncorked a novelty:} 13. Bh4 $146 {"Less direct, but Black still needs to solve the problem with the development of he pieces" - Caruana. One has to be from another planet not to expect Meier to be unprepared after:} (13. h4 {A move which the German GM faced a few months ago.} cxd4 14. Nxd4 Be7 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Qxe6+ Kh8 18. Qf5 g6 19. Qxg6 Qc7 20. Qxh6+ Kg8 21. Qg6+ Kh8 22. Bf5 Bc8 23. Qh5+ Kg8 24. Rd7 {1-0 (24) Kulaots,K (2564)-Meier,G (2648) Sweden 2017}) 13... Rc8 14. c3 {Both Caruana and Meier believed that this is actually the new move. } Be7 15. Bg3 {"It is important that this moves stops Qd8-c7" (Caruana).} cxd4 ({Caruana only mentioned that} 15... Bxf3 16. gxf3 cxd4 {allows White many dangerous possibilities and it was obvious that this was still part of his preparation.}) 16. Nxd4 Rc5 {The best defense. Meier lifts a rook to defend the fifth rank and prepares to double along the c-file.} ({None of the player did not even bother to mention the suicidal} 16... Bxg2 {which self-opens the guns against the Black king. The punishment could be:} 17. Rhg1 Bd5 18. Bf4 Kh8 19. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 20. Qe3 Ng8 21. Rxg8+ $1 Kxg8 22. Qxh6 f5 23. Rg1+ Kf7 24. Qg6#) 17. Rhe1 {An useful central move, although both} (17. f3 {and}) (17. f4 { deserve further investigation.}) 17... Qc8 18. Be5 $1 {Caruana wants to get the kingside pawns in a clash as quick as possible. This clever move wins a tempo.} Nd7 {A good decision. The problem was that Black spent tons of time on it.} 19. Bf4 ({Meier used the time to calculate the lines after:} 19. f4 Nxe5 20. fxe5 Bd8 21. Bc2 Bc7 22. Qd3 g6 23. Qg3 Qb8 $1 24. Nxe6 (24. Bxg6 Bxe5 { followed by Be5-g7 is solid for Black.}) 24... Bxe5 25. Qh3 ({There is a slight glitch in Black's calculations. In the line:} 25. Qd3 Rd5 26. Qxd5 Bxd5 27. Nxf8 Bxa2+ 28. Kxa2 Kxf8 29. g3 {White should be better thanks to the active rooks.}) 25... Bc8 $1 {and this indeed might end in a draw after some further fireworks:} 26. Qxh6 Bxe6 27. Bxg6 fxg6 28. Qxg6+ Bg7 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qh3+ {Needless to say, Caruana calculated none of it...}) 19... Nf6 {There seems to be nothing better.} 20. h4 ({The other option was:} 20. g4 Nd5 (20... Rd8 21. Be5 Nd7 22. Bg3 {and Black still has problems to solve.}) 21. Bd2 Bg5 22. h4 Bxd2 23. Qxd2 {Now Black seems to be close to equality after} Qb8 $1 { with the idea} ({Rather than} 23... Rd8 24. g5 Rxc3 25. gxh6 {(Caruana) which is indeed painful for Black.}) 24. g5 hxg5 25. hxg5 Qf4) 20... Rd8 {White could not see a straightforward way to improve his position and tried} 21. Be5 {Which suddenly gave the desired effect.} h5 {"I could not spend more time calculating this stuff" (Meier). "Positionally motivated, but still too risky. " (Caruana). The things that the German GM did not have the time to calculate might have exploded after:} (21... Nd7 22. Bxg7 {The move that they both calculated.} ({Later Caruana admitted that he would have simply repeated the position once had Meier have played Nf6-d7 and then would look for something else.} 22. Bf4) 22... Kxg7 23. Nxe6+ ({Caruana spent some time calculating the line} 23. Qg4+ Kf8 24. Qf4 ({There is a draw after} 24. Nxe6+ fxe6 25. Qxe6 Ne5 26. Qxh6+ Kf7 ({But not} 26... Ke8 $2 27. Rxe5 $1 Rxe5 28. Bg6#) 27. Qh5+ Kf8 28. Qh6+ $11) 24... Bf6 25. Rxe6 fxe6 26. Qxh6+ Ke7 27. Qh7+ Kd6 {but found nothing for White.}) 23... fxe6 24. Qxe6 ({White can still transpose to the above-mentioned draw with:} 24. Qg4+ Kf8 25. Qxe6 Ne5 $1 26. Qxh6+ Kf7 27. Qh5+ $11) 24... Bf6 25. Qg4+ Kf8 26. Bh7 Ne5 $1 {when Black repels the attack with extra material.} ({When Black would not fall for} 26... Bg7 27. Qe6 Nf6 28. Qe7# {(Caruana)})) 22. f3 {Heading for the h5 pawn.} Bd6 ({Perhaps} 22... Nd7 $5 {was sill best although} 23. f4 {is a much better version for White to what we have seen from above.}) 23. Bxf6 gxf6 24. Qe3 Kg7 ({After} 24... Bf8 {both} 25. f4 ({and especially} 25. g4 {seem strong for White.})) 25. f4 Rg8 (25... Qc7 26. g3 {might have been Black's best defense (Caruana)}) 26. Bc2 {Now White calmly prepares the sacrifice on e6.} Bb8 27. Bb3 f5 (27... e5 {seems horrible after} 28. fxe5 Rxe5 29. Qg3+ Kf8 30. Qf4 {due to the leaky pawn structure.}) 28. Nxe6+ {There he goes! On the top of the objective problems Meier was in severe time-trouble.} (28. Bxe6 $5 {would have also won material after} Be4+ ({Or} 28... fxe6 29. Nxe6+ Kg6 30. Nxc5 bxc5 31. Qe7 Be4+ 32. Rxe4 fxe4 33. Rd7 {with powerful attack.}) 29. Qxe4 fxe4 30. Bxc8 Rcxc8 31. Rxe4 Kf6 {The good bishop compensates Black a bit, but two pawns are two pawns!}) 28... fxe6 29. Qd4+ Kh7 ({Or:} 29... e5 30. Qd7+ Kh8 31. Qf7 {and wins.}) 30. Rxe6 { This also wins, although} (30. Bxe6 $1 {was more precise with complete domination after} Qf8 31. Bxg8+ Kxg8 32. Qd7 Rc7 33. Qe6+ Rf7 34. Rd7 Be4+ 35. Ka1) 30... Be4+ 31. Ka1 ({There is no need to calculate} 31. Rxe4 fxe4 32. Qxe4+) 31... Rg7 ({After} 31... Rc7 {with the idea} 32. Qf6 ({Caruana intended } 32. Rxe4 fxe4 33. Qxe4+ Kh8 34. Rd5 {with decisive attack.} (34. Rd6 { is actually the move when Black is indeed hopeless. For example} Rh7 35. Qd4+ Rhg7 (35... Rgg7 36. Rd8+ Qxd8 37. Qxd8+ Rg8 38. Qxg8#) 36. Rh6#)) 32... Qf8 $1 ) (31... Qf8 32. Rf6) 32. Qf6 Bxf4 33. Rd8 Qa6 34. Ree8 {The simplest. There was a forced mate too:} (34. Rh8+ Kxh8 35. Re8+ Kh7 36. Bg8+ Kh8 37. Bf7+ Kh7 38. Bg6+) 34... Qf1+ 35. Bd1 {Meier's opening survived, but he had to spend too much time in various moments of the game and this proved decisive at the end.} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3.2"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A04"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2803"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. d4 e4 6. d5 exf3 7. dxc6 dxc6 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. gxf3 Kc7 10. b3 Be7 11. Bb2 Rd8 12. h4 g6 13. Ne4 (13. Bh3 Bxh3 14. Rxh3 Kd7 15. Rd1+ Ke6 16. Rxd8 Bxd8 17. Ke2 Rb8 18. Nb1 b5 {Aronian,L (2788)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2773) London ENG 2015}) 13... Nxe4 14. fxe4 h5 15. Be5+ Bd6 16. Bf6 Re8 17. f3 a5 18. a4 Be7 (18... Be5 {has to be a draw objectively, according to Aronian.}) 19. Bc3 Be6 20. O-O-O b6 21. Be2 Red8 22. Rdg1 b5 {"Suspicious." (Aronian)} 23. Kc2 b4 24. Be5+ Kb7 25. Bf4 {Here Aronian thought it was already unpleasant for Black.} Rd7 26. e5 Bf8 27. Rd1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Bg7 (28... Be7 {was better to keep the white bishop from g5.}) 29. Bd3 Rd8 30. Bg5 Rd7 31. f4 Bg4 32. Be2 Bf5+ 33. Kc1 Kc7 34. Bf3 Bf8 (34... Rxd1+ 35. Kxd1 Kd7 36. e4 Bh3 37. Ke2 Be6 38. Kf2 Bh3 39. Be2 Be6 40. Kg3 Ke8) 35. e4 Bh3 36. f5 {This is more or less decisive.} gxf5 37. Bxh5 fxe4 38. Rxd7+ Kxd7 39. Bxf7 Bg7 40. e6+ Bxe6 41. Bxe6+ Kxe6 42. Kd2 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "Elshan Moradiabadi"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 6. a4 { [%emt 0:05:20] A choice of Carlsen himself.} e5 {[%emt 0:03:25]} 7. Nf3 { [%emt 0:00:07]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 8. Bg5 {[%emt 0:01:52] Less ambitious but more solid!} (8. Bc4 Be6 (8... O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. a5 Nc6 12. Be3 Qd7 13. Re1 Rae8 14. Bb6 Bd8 15. Na4 Nxa5 16. Nc5 dxc5 17. Qxd7 Nxd7 18. Bxa5 Bxa5 19. Rxa5 Rc8 20. Kf1 h6 21. Rd1 Rc7 22. Rd6 Re8 23. Ra1 Kf8 24. h4 Ke7 25. Rad1 Rf8 26. R6d2 Rf4 27. Re1 c4 28. Re3 Rf8 29. h5 Rfc8 30. c3 b5 31. Nh4 Nf8 32. Rg3 Kf7 33. Ng6 Nxg6 34. Rxg6 a5 35. Rd6 Re7 36. Rb6 Rc5 37. Ke2 a4 38. f3 Rcc7 39. Kd2 Ra7 40. Rxb5 Reb7 41. Rxb7+ Rxb7 42. Kc2 Ra7 43. g4 a3 44. bxa3 Rxa3 45. g5 hxg5 46. Rxg5 Kf6 47. Rg6+ Kf7 48. Rg5 Kf6 {1/2-1/2 (48) Carlsen,M (2864)-Gelfand,B (2755) Moscow 2013}) 9. Bb3 h6 10. O-O O-O 11. Nh4 Nc6 12. Nf5 Bxf5 13. exf5 Nd4 14. Nd5 Nxb3 15. cxb3 Rc8 16. Be3 Rc6 17. b4 Nxd5 18. Qxd5 Qd7 19. b5 Rc2 20. Rac1 Rxb2 21. b6 Rc8 22. g3 Rc6 23. Rxc6 Qxc6 24. Qxc6 bxc6 25. Rc1 c5 26. a5 Kf8 27. Rd1 Ke8 28. Kg2 Rb5 29. f6 Bxf6 30. Rxd6 Rxa5 31. Rc6 Rb5 32. Bxc5 Bd8 33. Kf3 f5 34. Be3 Kd7 35. Rg6 Bf6 36. Bxh6 Rxb6 37. Bxg7 Rb3+ 38. Kg2 Bxg7 39. Rxg7+ Ke8 40. Rg5 Kf7 41. Rxf5+ Ke6 42. Rh5 a5 43. Rh6+ Kf5 44. Ra6 Ra3 45. h4 e4 46. h5 Ra2 47. h6 e3 48. h7 Rxf2+ 49. Kg1 {1-0 (49) Carlsen,M (2857)-Grischuk,A (2754) chess.com INT 2016}) 8... Be6 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 9. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:01:19]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 10. Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 11. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:50]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:52]} 12. Qe2 { [%emt 0:06:14]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:15:06] The World Champion spent a lot of time here. I am sure he knew the right continuation but was unhappy with the course of the game which has let White dry up the position.} 13. Nxf6+ {[%emt 0:08:57] } Qxf6 {[%emt 0:01:44]} 14. Bxe6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Qxe6 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 15. O-O {[%emt 0:00:48]} (15. b3 O-O 16. Rd1 Rc6 {1/2-1/2 (16) Svidler,P (2739) -Grischuk,A (2746) Khanty-Mansiysk 2011}) 15... O-O {[%emt 0:18:40]} 16. Rfd1 { [%emt 0:05:39]} Rc6 {[%emt 0:06:59]} 17. a5 {[%emt 0:18:39] Finally a new move after a long think by the World Women's number one.} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 18. b3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rfc8 {[%emt 0:03:14]} 19. Rd2 {[%emt 0:07:35]} Nc5 { [%emt 0:07:45]} 20. Rad1 {[%emt 0:12:17]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:01:06]} 21. Qe3 { [%emt 0:00:25]} g6 {[%emt 0:07:16]} 22. g3 {[%emt 0:02:33] The position is balanced but unlike most of the cases, it is Carlsen who does not have the patience to wait.} b5 $6 {[%emt 0:02:05] Played after just a short thinking although black needs to save time as Carlsen spent a lot of time early on in the game.} (22... Ne6 23. c4 Rb8 {and now b6 where black compensate his weaknesses by attacking to b3.}) 23. axb6 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Rxb6 {[%emt 0:00:02] } 24. Rd5 {[%emt 0:05:39]} Rcc6 $6 {[%emt 0:16:20] [#] A strange square for the rook.} (24... Rbc6 25. Nd2 Ne6 26. Nc4 Nd4 27. c3 Nxb3 28. Nxd6 Rf8 29. c4 Nd4 30. c5 {is not fun to play but is better than what Carlsen did.}) 25. Nd2 $1 {[%emt 0:03:59]} Nb7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 26. Nc4 {[%emt 0:01:40]} Rb5 {[%emt 0: 00:02]} 27. Qa7 $1 $16 {[%emt 0:00:00] Excellent play by Hou Yifan, Black is completely tied up!} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 28. Rxb5 $2 {[%emt 0:12:11] A pity. Hou Yifan concedes a draw precisely when she had the World Champion on the ropes!} (28. h4 h5 29. Ra1 Rb4 $1 {[#]} 30. Rd2 $1 {An excellent prophylactic move.} ({Rushing to take the pawn with} 30. Rxa6 {would let Black confuse the issue with the strong exchange sacrifice} Rcxc4 $1 31. bxc4 Rb1+ 32. Kh2 $1 { The reason this is the best move will be clear in an instant:} Qxc4 33. Ra1 { Now it is understood. If the king had been on g2, Black could have struck with Qf1+, but now there is not such killer blow. Therefore} Rxa1 34. Qxa1 Qxc2 35. Kg1 Nc5 36. Rxd6 Nxe4 37. Rd8+ Kh7 38. Qa7 Qb3 {with good winning chances but it is not clear how winning this position is... if at all.}) 30... a5 31. Ne3 Nc5 32. Qxc7 Rxc7 33. Rxd6 Nxe4 34. Rd5 f6 35. Raxa5 Rd4 36. Kg2 {and I believe Carlsen would be first in line to play this position!}) 28... axb5 { [%emt 0:00:29]} 29. Nxd6 {[%emt 0:00:10] And now draw is inevitable.} Nxd6 { [%emt 0:00:39]} 30. Qxc7 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Rxc7 {[%emt 0:00:12]} 31. Rxd6 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Rxc2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 32. Rd5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Re2 {[%emt 0:00: 47]} 33. Rxe5 {[%emt 0:00:25]} b4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 34. Rb5 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Rxe4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 35. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Rd4 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 36. Kf1 { [%emt 0:00:19]} Re4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 37. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Rd4 {[%emt 0:00: 06]} 38. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.17"] [Round "3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "Elshan Moradiabadi"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:02] George Meier is the world's leading expert in this line.} 4. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 5. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ngf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 6. Nxf6+ {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nxf6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 7. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:11] My knowledge of this opening is a bit rusty but my recollection tells me that this is the sharpest line in this variation with players castling on opposite sides most of the time.} Bd6 { [%emt 0:00:25] Meier goes for the most principled continuation.} (7... Be7 8. Bd3 O-O 9. Qe2 b6 (9... a6 10. Ne5 Qd5 11. c4 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Bb4 13. O-O-O Bxd2+ 14. Rxd2 b5 15. c5 {is just bad for Black.} Qxa2 16. Bb1 Qd5 17. f3 Nd7 18. Be4 Qa2 19. Rhd1 Rb8 20. Nc6 b4 21. Bb1 Qa4 22. Nxb8 Nxb8 23. Qc4 g6 24. Qa2 Qb5 25. Bd3 Qb7 26. Bc4 Bd7 27. d5 exd5 28. Rxd5 Qc8 29. R5d2 Bb5 30. Bxf7+ Kg7 31. Bc4 Qe8 32. Re2 Qc6 33. Bxb5 Qxb5 34. Re7+ Kh6 35. Qd5 Rf5 36. Qd2+ g5 37. Re6+ Kg7 38. Qd4+ Kf7 39. Re5 {1-0 (39) Van Kampen,R (2636)-Reinderman,D (2604) Amsterdam 2014}) 10. O-O-O Bb7 11. Kb1 Qc8 (11... Nd5 12. Bd2 c5 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. c4 Nf6 15. Bc3 {leads to White's advantage}) 12. c4 c5 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Ne5 Rd8 15. f3 Nd7 16. Bf4 Nxe5 17. Bxe5 Bc6 18. Qf2 Rd7 19. Qg3 Qf8 20. Bc2 Rad8 21. a3 h6 22. Bc3 Bd6 23. Qf2 Bc7 24. Rxd7 Rxd7 25. Re1 Qe7 26. f4 Rd8 27. Qg3 Qf8 28. Qg4 f5 29. Qe2 Bd7 30. Qe3 Bc8 31. h3 Qd6 32. Rd1 Qc6 33. Rg1 Rf8 34. g4 e5 35. fxe5 fxg4 36. hxg4 Rf3 37. Qe1 Rf4 38. Qe2 Be6 39. Qd3 Kf8 40. Qh7 Bg8 41. Qh8 Qe6 42. Bf5 Qxc4 43. e6 Rf1+ 44. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 45. Ka2 Qc4+ 46. Ka1 {1-0 (46) Demchenko,A (2632)-Stupak,K (2562) Subic Bay 2016}) 8. Bd3 { [%emt 0:00:23]} O-O {[%emt 0:01:32]} 9. Qe2 {[%emt 0:00:31]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:06] } 10. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 11. Kb1 {[%emt 0:02:02]} c5 { [%emt 0:00:11]} 12. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:21]} 13. Bh4 {[%emt 0: 00:00] Caruana deviates from Meier's game earlier this year where he lost to Estonian GM Kaido Kulaots. He does not want to test Meier's improvement over his game and he is already sure h4 is not going to work in this game.} (13. h4 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Be7 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Qxe6+ Kh8 18. Qf5 g6 19. Qxg6 Qc7 20. Qxh6+ Kg8 21. Qg6+ Kh8 22. Bf5 Bc8 23. Qh5+ Kg8 24. Rd7 {1-0 (24) Kulaots,K (2564)-Meier,G (2648) Sweden 2017}) 13... Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 14. c3 {[%emt 0:00:46]} Be7 {[%emt 0:06:00] Meier spends some time while Caruana is still blitzing his moves. It seems that c3 may not have been part of Meier's preparation.} 15. Bg3 {[%emt 0:00:24]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:25:12]} 16. Nxd4 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} Rc5 $1 {[%emt 0:02:15] Played quickly and accurately! Meier is not only the opening expert but has a deep understanding of the position. The queen will move and the other rook will occupy d-file.} 17. Rhe1 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} Qc8 {[%emt 0:01:59]} 18. Be5 {[%emt 0:07:22] Fabiano's moves are all good according to the engines!} Nd7 {[%emt 0:32:55] The position is hard and it is not easy to find a move for Black. Meier's play is good but he has to spend a lot of time to check on many things. He is caught in a balanced yet unclear position. A feat for Fabiano and not exactly what Meier had in mind.} 19. Bf4 { [%emt 0:01:47]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 20. h4 {[%emt 0:39:50] Now g4-g5 is a threat.} Rd8 {[%emt 0:11:54]} 21. Be5 {[%emt 0:07:45]} (21. g4 $2 Nd5 22. Bg3 Rxc3 {with a great position for Black.}) 21... h5 $1 {[%emt 0:15:02] Another excellent stopping move.} 22. f3 {[%emt 0:05:01]} Bd6 $2 {[%emt 0:04:17] with time pressure reaching, Meier makes a bad mistake by letting his king be exposed.} (22... Nd7 {was again a choice.} 23. Bg3 Nf6 {Meier might have missed } 24. Nf5 $6 exf5 25. Qxe7 Nd5 26. Qg5 f4 $17 {with devastating horizontal effect!}) 23. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:03:23]} gxf6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 24. Qe3 {[%emt 0:13: 07]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:06:43]} 25. f4 $1 {[%emt 0:02:39] Great play now Rg8 is forced.} Rg8 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 26. Bc2 {[%emt 0:02:34]} Bb8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} ( 26... Bf8 {is ugly but at least covers Black's king.}) 27. Bb3 $5 {[%emt 0:08: 39] Fabiano targets e6} f5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 28. Nxe6+ $1 {[%emt 0:00:00] And he sees that his attack is crushing! Now Black's king is exposed and White's pieces are all going to swarm Black's.} fxe6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 29. Qd4+ { [%emt 0:00:02]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:01:15]} 30. Rxe6 {[%emt 0:02:14]} Be4+ {[%emt 0: 00:43]} 31. Ka1 {[%emt 0:02:48]} Rg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 32. Qf6 {[%emt 0:01:31]} Bxf4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 33. Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Qa6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 34. Ree8 { [%emt 0:01:23] Fabiano misses a mate but his move is winning enough!} (34. Rh8+ Kxh8 35. Re8+ Kh7 36. Bg8+ Rxg8 (36... Kh8 37. Bf7+ Kh7 38. Bg6+ Rxg6 39. Rh8#) 37. Re7+ Rg7 38. Qxg7#) 34... Qf1+ {[%emt 0:01:33]} 35. Bd1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "135"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d5 {C65: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence (3...Nf6), unusual lines and 4 0-0 Bc5} 6. Nbd2 (6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Bc4 Qd6 8. b4 Bb6 9. a4 e4 10. dxe4 Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 Nxe4 12. Kc2 Nd6 13. Re1+ { 1/2-1/2 (58) Caruana,F (2817)-Xiong,J (2674) Saint Louis 2017}) 6... dxe4 7. dxe4 O-O 8. O-O a5 {LiveBook: 4 Games} 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Nxe5 Ba6 11. Re1 Re8 $146 (11... Qd6 12. Ng4 Nxg4 13. Qxg4 Rae8 {1/2-1/2 (24) Savio,G-Arbis,F (2131) ICCF email 2013}) 12. Nxc6 Qd6 {[#]} 13. Nd4 $1 ({But not} 13. Nxa5 Qb6 14. Nac4 Bxf2+ 15. Kh1 Qe6 $17) 13... Bxd4 14. cxd4 Qxd4 15. Nb3 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 { aiming for f3.} a4 17. Nc5 {f3 is the strong threat.} Nxe4 18. Nxa6 Rxa6 19. Be3 h5 20. Rac1 c6 21. Kf1 Nf6 22. Bc5 Nd5 23. Rc4 Nc7 24. a3 Rb8 25. Rd2 Nd5 26. Ke1 f6 27. Kd1 Kf7 28. Kc2 Rb5 29. Kb1 g6 30. Ka2 Ke6 31. f3 Rb8 32. Re4+ Kf7 $1 33. Rdd4 Rba8 34. Rc4 Ra5 35. Bf2 R5a6 36. Bc5 Ra5 37. g3 R5a6 38. h4 Ra5 39. Bf2 R5a6 40. Kb1 Rb8 41. Ka2 Rba8 42. g4 hxg4 43. fxg4 Re8 44. Rxe8 Kxe8 $14 {Endgame KRB-KRN} 45. h5 Kf7 46. Be1 gxh5 47. gxh5 f5 48. Bd2 Nf6 49. Rc5 Ne4 $2 (49... Ke6 $16 {was necessary.}) 50. Rxf5+ $18 Ke6 51. Ra5 Rxa5 52. Bxa5 {KB-KN} Kf6 53. b3 $2 (53. Bd8+ $18 Kg7 54. b3) 53... Kg5 $2 (53... axb3+ 54. Kxb3 Kg5 55. Kb4 c5+ 56. Kc4 $18) (53... Nc5 $11) 54. Bb4 (54. bxa4 Nc5 55. Bb6 Na6 $16) 54... Kxh5 55. bxa4 {White mates.} Nf6 56. a5 Nd5 57. a6 Nc7 58. a7 Kg6 59. Ba5 Na8 60. Kb3 Kf7 61. Kc4 Ke7 62. Kc5 Kd7 63. Bb6 Kc8 64. Kxc6 Nc7 65. Bg1 Na8 66. Bh2 Nc7 67. Kb6 Na8+ {[#]} 68. Ka6 $1 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "136"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Bg4 6. c3 e6 7. Qb3 {[%emt 0: 00:03] D02:1 d4 d5 2 Nf sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3 g3 and 2...Nf6 3 Bf4} Qc8 8. h3 Bh5 {LiveBook: 4 Games} 9. g4 Bg6 10. Nh4 Be4 $146 (10... Ne4 11. Nxg6 Nxd2 12. Qd1 hxg6 13. Qxd2 Qd7 14. Bg2 cxd4 15. exd4 {1/2-1/2 (22) Prohaszka,P (2591)-Horvath,J (2508) Hungary 2016}) 11. f3 Bg6 12. Be2 Be7 13. Bg3 a6 14. Kf2 b5 15. Qd1 Qd8 16. a4 b4 17. a5 c4 18. Nxg6 hxg6 19. h4 Bd6 20. f4 Rb8 21. Qc2 Rb5 ({Black should play} 21... Qc7 $17) 22. h5 (22. e4 $1 $11) 22... bxc3 ({Not} 22... Rxa5 23. hxg6 Ke7 24. Rxh8 (24. g5 Nh5 $16) 24... Qxh8 25. Rxa5 Nxa5 26. gxf7 $18) 23. bxc3 Qb8 (23... gxh5 $15 24. g5 Nd7) 24. hxg6 $11 Rxh1 25. Rxh1 Rb2 26. Rh8+ Ke7 (26... Bf8 $11 27. Qa4 Qb5 28. Qxb5 axb5) 27. Rxb8 Rxc2 28. Rb7+ Nd7 (28... Kd8 $16) 29. gxf7 Rxd2 30. Bh4+ Kf8 31. Rxd7 Be7 32. Bxe7+ Nxe7 $18 {Endgame KRB-KRN} 33. g5 Kxf7 34. Ra7 Rc2 35. Ke1 ({ Better is} 35. Rxa6 $18 Nf5 36. Rc6) 35... Rxc3 $14 36. Kd2 Ra3 37. Bh5+ $1 g6 {[#]} 38. Bxg6+ $1 Kxg6 39. Rxe7 {KR-KR} Ra2+ 40. Kc3 $1 Ra3+ 41. Kd2 (41. Kb2 $16 Rxe3 42. Ra7) 41... Ra2+ $11 {The position is equal.} 42. Ke1 Kf5 $1 43. Kf1 c3 44. Rc7 $1 Rc2 (44... c2 $5 45. Ke1 $8 Ke4 $11) 45. g6 Kxg6 {[#] aiming for ...Kf5.} 46. Ke1 $1 Kf5 47. Kd1 $1 Rd2+ 48. Kc1 Rd3 49. Kc2 Rxe3 50. Rc6 Rf3 51. Rxa6 Ke4 52. Rxe6+ Kxd4 53. a6 Rf2+ 54. Kb3 $1 {Hoping for a7.} Rb2+ 55. Ka3 {Strongly threatening a7.} Rb1 56. Rc6 Kd3 57. a7 Ra1+ 58. Kb3 $1 d4 59. Rc7 c2 {...Rxa7! is the strong threat.} 60. Kb2 c1=Q+ 61. Rxc1 Rxa7 { White must now prevent ...Rb7+.} 62. Rh1 Rc7 63. f5 Rc2+ 64. Kb3 {And now Rh3+ would win.} Rf2 65. Rh3+ Ke4 66. Rh4+ Kd5 67. Rh8 Rxf5 68. Kc2 Ke4 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "135"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:18:54"] [BlackClock "0:20:12"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 {I was wrong. Even Vachier-Lagrave avoids the Berlin endgame nowadays...} Bc5 5. c3 d5 6. Nbd2 ({Another popular line runs:} 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. Bc4 Qd6 8. b4 {For example} Bb6 9. a4 e4 10. dxe4 Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 Nxe4 12. Kc2 Nd6 13. Re1+ Ne7 14. Bb3 Bf5+ 15. Kb2 {as in Caruana,F (2817)-Xiong,J (2674) Saint Louis 2017}) 6... dxe4 7. dxe4 O-O 8. O-O a5 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. Nxe5 Ba6 11. Re1 Re8 $146 {A novelty.} ({MVL knew that the main line was} 11... Qd6 12. Ng4 Nxg4 13. Qxg4 Rae8 {and one email game ended in a draw here after} 14. Qg3 f5 15. Qxd6 cxd6 16. Nb3 Rxe4 17. Rxe4 fxe4 18. Nxc5 dxc5 19. Be3 Rb8 20. b3 c4 21. h4 Kf7 22. Kh2 Ke6 23. Kg3 Kf5 24. h5 {1/2-1/2 (24) Savio,G-Arbis,F (2131) ICCF email 2013}) 12. Nxc6 {Now an endgame emerges by force.} Qd6 13. Nd4 Bxd4 14. cxd4 Qxd4 15. Nb3 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 a4 {The pawn sacrifice deserved attention:} (16... Nxe4 17. Nxa5 Be2 18. Re1 Bb5 {with the idea} 19. Nb3 ({But White can improve upon his play with} 19. b4 $5 Nc3 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 21. Be3 {with the knights still on the board White should have decent winning chances.}) 19... Nc5 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 21. Be3 Nxb3 22. axb3 { and the opposite-colored bishop endgame should be a draw. But in any case Black cannot enter any of these lines without proper preparation.}) 17. Nc5 Nxe4 18. Nxa6 Rxa6 19. Be3 {The endgame is favorable for White. The bishop is superior to the knight in play on both flanks, and White has the better pawn structure. But since there are only five pawns left for each side Black's chances to hold are very high. Vachier-Lagrave starts torturing his opponent in a not-very-gentleman's way.} h5 20. Rac1 c6 21. Kf1 Nf6 22. Bc5 Nd5 { That is the good thing about the knights. They feel wonderful on central outposts. You also noticed that neither the knight, nor the pawn on c6 can be attacked by the enemy bishop.} 23. Rc4 Nc7 (23... f6 24. Rdd4 Rb8 {seems more natural, although it will most likely lead to the same thing later.}) 24. a3 Rb8 25. Rd2 Nd5 26. Ke1 {The king goes to the queenside to defend the b2 pawn and set free the second rook.} f6 27. Kd1 Kf7 28. Kc2 Rb5 29. Kb1 g6 30. Ka2 Ke6 {Hou also improved everything as much as possible.} 31. f3 Rb8 32. Re4+ Kf7 33. Rdd4 Rba8 34. Rc4 {White achieved a lot. His rooks are way more active than their counterparts. The only problem is that there is no proper usage of the bishop yet. Vachier-Lagrave figured he needs it on d2, but could not find a way to bring it there without trading the rooks.} Ra5 35. Bf2 ({In the line} 35. Bb4 Nxb4+ 36. axb4 (36. Rxb4 R5a7 {should be holdable for Black.}) 36... R5a6 37. b5 cxb5 38. Rc7+ Kf8 39. Ree7 {Black should hold (Vachier-Lagrave).}) 35... R5a6 36. Bc5 ({If} 36. Be1 Re8 {and Black will relief her position by swapping off a pair of rooks. Of course} 37. Rxa4 $2 Rxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxe1 { is not good for White.}) 36... Ra5 37. g3 R5a6 38. h4 $1 {Classy! It is time to create a second weakness on the opposite wing.} Ra5 39. Bf2 R5a6 (39... Re8 $2 40. Rxc6) 40. Kb1 Rb8 41. Ka2 Rba8 42. g4 hxg4 $6 ({I have the feeling that it was better not to allow a passer on the kingside and opt for} 42... Re8 { at once. After} 43. Rxe8 ({Or} 43. Bc5 Rxe4 44. Rxe4 hxg4 45. fxg4 f5 {trading a bunch of pawns.}) 43... Kxe8 44. gxh5 gxh5 {Black still has to suffer but it should be easier to hold than in the game.}) 43. fxg4 Re8 $1 {The best chance.} ({Here} 43... f5 {does not look convincing due to} 44. gxf5 gxf5 45. Re5 Kf6 46. Bd4 $1) 44. Rxe8 ({Vachier-Lagrave quoted the line} 44. Rxa4 Rxa4 45. Rxa4 Re2 46. Ra7+ Ke6 47. Bc5 Rc2 48. Bf8 Rc4 {Instead both} (48... f5 $5 49. h5 gxh5 50. gxh5 f4 51. h6 f3) ({And} 48... Rh2 $5 {seem quite convincing.}) 49. h5 gxh5 50. gxh5 Rh4 51. h6 f5 {"and White does not have good control."}) 44... Kxe8 45. h5 (45. b3 $5 {at once made sense too.}) 45... Kf7 46. Be1 gxh5 47. gxh5 f5 {Hou defended great. All she needs now is to trade the last two dangerous pawns on b2 and h5; then she can draw even down a bishop with the corner pawn.} 48. Bd2 Nf6 49. Rc5 ({Or} 49. Rf4 Ke6 50. Rh4 Ra7) 49... Ne4 $1 { Now after the forcing} ({White believed he is technically winning after} 49... Nd5 50. Bg5) 50. Rxf5+ Ke6 51. Ra5 Rxa5 52. Bxa5 Kf6 {White realized that it might be a draw and tried the devilish} ({Not} 52... Kf5 53. Bd8 {when the king cannot attack the pawn from in front.}) 53. b3 $1 (53. Bb4 c5 {is equal}) ({The other winning attempt would be} 53. Kb1 Kg5 54. Kc2 Kxh5 55. Kd3 Nd6 $1 ( {Vachier-Lagrave also thought it will be a draw after} 55... Nc5+ 56. Kc4 Nb7 57. Kb4 Kg6 58. Kxa4 Kf7 59. Bb6 Ke7 60. Kb4 Kd7 61. a4 Nd6 {but things does not seem as easy here.}) 56. Kc3 Kg6 57. Kb4 Kf5 58. Kc5 Ke6 59. Kxc6 Nc4 60. Bc3 Ke7 61. Kb5 Nxb2 62. Bxb2 Kd7 {with a text-book draw.}) 53... Kg5 {Hou was very low on time and could not find the draw.} ({The correct move was} 53... Nc5 $3 {with the idea:} 54. Bd8+ Kg7 55. Bg5 Nxb3 56. Kb2 Nc5 {Black is ready to sacrifice the knight for the pawns. For example:} 57. Kc2 {Here the most convincing is} (57. Be3 Ne4 58. Kc2 c5 59. Kd3 Nd6 60. Bxc5 Nb5 {when both White pawns will disapper.}) 57... Ne6 (57... Ne4 58. Bf4) 58. Bc1 (58. Be3 Nc7 $1 {followed by Nc7-b5xa3 in the proper moment.}) 58... Nd4+ 59. Kd3 Nb5 60. Kc4 Nxa3+ 61. Bxa3 Kh6 {draws}) 54. Bb4 $3 {Now the knight is restricted and White wins.} Kxh5 ({Or} 54... axb3+ 55. Kxb3 c5 56. Be1 {and the knight is too far away from the critical squares.} Kxh5 57. a4 Kg6 58. a5 Nd6 59. a6 Nb5 60. Kc4 Na7 61. Kxc5 {and White wins.}) 55. bxa4 Nf6 56. a5 Nd5 57. a6 Nc7 58. a7 Kg6 59. Ba5 Na8 {Once more the knight is trapped.} 60. Kb3 Kf7 61. Kc4 Ke7 62. Kc5 Kd7 63. Bb6 {Zugzwang.} Kc8 64. Kxc6 Nc7 $1 {Last chance. Alas, it does not work.} 65. Bg1 (65. Bxc7 {is stalemate!}) 65... Na8 66. Bh2 Nc7 67. Kb6 Na8+ 68. Ka6 {Another zugzwang and Hou resigned.} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4.4"] [White "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D10"] [WhiteElo "2634"] [BlackElo "2774"] [PlyCount "92"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. Qc2 b5 6. b3 g6 (6... Bg4 7. Bd3 Bh5 8. Nge2 Bg6 9. Nf4 Bxd3 10. Nxd3 e6 11. O-O Nbd7 12. c5 a5 {Mamedyarov,S (2757) -Morozevich,A (2724) Sochi 2014}) 7. Bd3 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bb2 ( 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. b4 Bb7 12. a4 (12. Qb3) 12... Rc8 13. axb5 Ne4 14. Bxe4 dxe4 15. bxa6 Bxa6 16. Rxa6 exf3 17. gxf3 e5 {Aronian}) 10... Bb7 11. h3 $6 { "Matthias got careless." (Aronian)} (11. c5 e5 {Aronian}) (11. e4 dxc4 12. bxc4 e5 {Aronian}) 11... dxc4 $146 (11... Re8 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Qe2 Nb6 14. Rac1 Nfd7 15. c5 Na8 16. b4 Nc7 17. Nb1 e5 {Akhmadeev,V (2429)-Kovsharev,V (2282) Nabereznye Chelny 2010}) 12. bxc4 c5 13. Qe2 (13. Nd2 {Aronian}) 13... cxd4 14. exd4 bxc4 15. Bxc4 Nb6 16. Bb3 a5 {"I felt this is already very unpleasant." (Aronian)} 17. a4 Nbd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 Bxd5 20. Ba3 Re8 21. Bc5 Bb7 22. Rfb1 Bxf3 23. Qxf3 Bxd4 24. Bxd4 Qxd4 25. Rd1 Qe5 26. Qd5 Qf6 27. Rac1 e6 28. Qc5 Red8 29. Qc7 h5 30. Rxd8+ Qxd8 31. Qe5 Qd7 32. Rc4 Qd3 33. Rd4 Qb1+ 34. Kh2 Qb8 35. Rd6 Qe8 36. Qb5 $6 (36. Qd4 $1 {and if} Rb8 (36... Qb8) 37. Rd7 { and White can hold.}) 36... Qe7 37. Rd7 Qf6 38. Qb6 Rc8 39. Qd4 Qxd4 40. Rxd4 Rc2 41. Kg3 Kg7 42. h4 Kf6 43. Rf4+ Ke7 44. Rd4 Rc3+ 45. f3 Rc2 46. Kh3 Rb2 0-1 [Event "Karlsruhe GER"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2838"] [BlackElo "2817"] [PlyCount "79"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. Qe2+ Be6 (8... Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Kxe7 10. O-O Re8 11. Re1+ Kf8 12. Rxe8+ Kxe8 13. Nc3 c6 14. Bd2 h6 {Carlsen,M (2838)-Akobian,V (2645) chess.com INT 2017}) 9. c4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qe7 11. O-O O-O 12. Nc3 h6 $146 (12... Re8 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. Rfe1 Qd7 15. Bxe6 Rxe6 16. Qb5 a6 17. Qb3 Na5 18. Qc2 Rae8 {Taksrud,V (2091) -Cerveny,L (2144) corr. 2011}) (12... Nc6 {Kasimdzhanov} 13. Bg5 Rfe8) 13. d5 ( {Here are some of the lines Carlsen was looking at:} 13. Re1 Re8 14. d5 (14. Bf4 $5 Bxf4 (14... Nc6 15. Bxe6 (15. d5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Qxe7 Nxe7) 15... Bxf4 16. d5 Nb4) 15. d5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. Qxe7 Rxe7 18. Rxe7 {and now there's the intermediate move, not mentioned by the players,} Nc6 $1 {when} 19. Re2 Bxc4 20. Re4 Bxh2+ 21. Kxh2 Bd5 {is about equal.}) (14. Qd1 Qd7 15. Ne5 Qd8 ) 14... Bg4 15. Qxe7 Rxe7 16. Rxe7 Bxe7 17. Nd4 Nbd7) 13... Bg4 14. Qxe7 Bxe7 15. Nb5 $6 {Carlsen went as far as calling this a blunder. However, the alternatives don't give White an advantage either.} (15. Ne5 Bf5) (15. Re1 Bd6 16. Nb5 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Nbd7 18. Nxd6 cxd6 19. Bf4 Rfd8) (15. Nd4 Nbd7 16. h3 Nb6 17. Bb3 Bd7 18. a4 Bb4) 15... Nbd7 16. Re1 ({It doesn't make sense to go for} 16. Nxc7 Rac8 (16... Rfc8 $5) 17. Bf4 Ne8 18. Rfe1 Bd6 19. Nxe8 Bxf4 20. Re4 g5 21. Rae1) 16... Bc5 $1 {A simple and active solution.} (16... Bb4 17. Bd2 Bxd2 18. Nxd2 Nb6 19. Nxc7 Rad8 20. Re7 Nbxd5 21. Nxd5 Nxd5 {is OK for Black because } 22. Rxb7 {fails to} Nb6) 17. Bb3 (17. Nxc7 $2 {fails to} Rac8 18. Nb5 Bb4 { double attack.}) 17... Rac8 $1 {The start of a very forcing variation that leads to complete equality.} 18. Bf4 Bxf3 19. gxf3 a6 20. Nxc7 Nh5 21. Ne6 Nxf4 22. Nxf4 Bd6 23. Nd3 Nc5 24. Nxc5 Rxc5 25. Rac1 Rxc1 26. Rxc1 Re8 27. Ba4 Rd8 28. Kg2 Kf8 29. Re1 g6 30. h3 Kg7 31. Re8 Rxe8 32. Bxe8 Kf6 33. Bd7 a5 34. a4 b6 35. b3 Ke7 36. Bc6 Kf6 37. Be8 Ke7 38. Bc6 Kf6 39. Be8 Ke7 40. Bc6 1/2-1/2 [Event "Karlsruhe"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C65"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "Krikor Mekhitarian"] [PlyCount "135"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Hou Yifan has been the sensation of the Grenke Chess Classic so far! She was the sole leader after the 3rd round, having beaten world number 3 Fabiano Caruana and GM Georg Meier, and achieved a draw after building a great advantage against the world champion Magnus Carlsen. Today she had a tough task, to hold her ground against the world number 5, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, known for his strong play with the white pieces.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 {the well-known berlin defense!} 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d5 $5 (5... O-O {White can follow with 6.O-O or accept the sacrifice} 6. Bxc6 (6. O-O d6 7. Nbd2 { is a standard line}) 6... bxc6 7. Nxe5 d5 {may transpose to 5...d5 - See analysis on White's 6th move}) 6. Nbd2 (6. Nxe5 {accepting the sacrifice is dangerous} O-O 7. Bxc6 (7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bxc6 Bxf2+ $1 9. Kxf2 Ng4+ 10. Kg1 Qf6 11. Qe2 Qxc6 $44) 7... bxc6 8. d4 {seen recently at top level} Bb6 {Black trusts his bishop pair and the development advantage} 9. O-O (9. Nxc6 $2 { would be too much} Qe8 10. Ne5 Ba6 $1 $17) 9... dxe4 (9... Nxe4 {was fine as well} 10. Nxc6 Qd6 11. Nb4 $44 {with decent compensation for Black with a5 followed by c5 or c5 right away: 1/2-1/2 (40) Morovic Fernandez,I (2550) -Faizrakhmanov,R (2432) Moscow 2017}) 10. Bg5 c5 11. Nd2 cxd4 $2 {according to Karjakin, he mixed up the lines during the game and ended up in a lost position - this was the main mistake probably} (11... Bb7 $5) (11... h6 $5) 12. Nxe4 dxc3 13. Qf3 $1 $16 {1-0 (31) Wei,Y (2706)-Karjakin,S (2785) Wijk aan Zee 2017}) (6. exd5 $5 {trying to maintain a more dynamic position, played in last October by Svidler} Qxd5 7. Bc4 Qd6 8. Qe2 O-O 9. Nbd2 a5 10. Ng5 Qe7 11. Nde4 Bd6 12. a4 h6 13. h4 $1 $36 {looks very scary for Black. White soon obtained a winning advantage and won a long endgame: 1-0 (59) Svidler,P (2745)-Inarkiev,E (2732) Novosibirsk 2016}) 6... dxe4 7. dxe4 O-O 8. O-O a5 $5 {Black stops b2-b4 with this move, and at the same time, creates a possible idea of playing Na7. And clearly invites White once again to grab the pawn on e5, a challenge that Maxime accepts!} (8... Qe7 {was a solid way to play this position. Whenever White plays Bxc6, Black has enough compensation with the bishop pair and the weak light-squares (the a6-f1 diagonal specially)}) 9. Bxc6 $5 bxc6 10. Nxe5 Ba6 $6 (10... Re8 $5 {was an option} 11. Nxc6 (11. Nb3 Qxd1 12. Rxd1 Bb6 13. Nc4 Nxe4 $11 {looks safe for Black}) 11... Qd6 12. Nd4 Bxd4 13. cxd4 Qxd4 $11 {was another way to reach this position (similar to the game, after the 14th move).}) 11. Re1 Re8 12. Nxc6 Qd6 (12... Bxf2+ $2 13. Kxf2 Qd6 14. Nd4 $1 Qxh2 15. Rh1 $1 Ng4+ 16. Qxg4 Qxh1 17. Nf5 g6 18. Ng3 $18 {and White is certainly very happy}) 13. Nd4 {White threatens to consolidate with N2b3} Bxd4 14. cxd4 Qxd4 15. Nb3 $1 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 a4 (16... Nxe4 17. Nxa5 Be2 18. Re1 $1 $16) 17. Nc5 Nxe4 18. Nxa6 (18. Nxa4 $2 Bb5 19. Nc3 Nxc3 20. bxc3 Ba4 21. Rf1 Bb5 $11 {guarantees a draw}) 18... Rxa6 19. Be3 $14 {after a long series of exchanges, White emerges with an advantage in the endgame. The bishop is clearly superior to Black's knight, and his pawn structure is also better. In the other hand, the reduced material increases possible drawing chances.} h5 20. Rac1 c6 {It is good to find a solid square for your pieces in endgames - in this case Hou Yifan looks to place her knight on d5. I like the way Maxime plays from now on, slowly improving his pieces until move 36.} 21. Kf1 Nf6 22. Bc5 Nd5 23. Rc4 Nc7 24. a3 Rb8 25. Rd2 Nd5 26. Ke1 {White prepares to defend the b2 pawn with the king, to follow up with Rdd4} f6 27. Kd1 Kf7 28. Kc2 Rb5 29. Kb1 g6 30. Ka2 Ke6 31. f3 Rb8 32. Re4+ Kf7 33. Rdd4 Rba8 34. Rc4 Ra5 35. Bf2 R5a6 36. Bc5 Ra5 {White achieves the ideal position, and has to create something on the king-side now to get winning chances} 37. g3 (37. g4 $5 { trying to create a weakness on h5} hxg4 (37... Rh8 $5 {keeping an eye on h2 in case White takes on a4} 38. Bd6 $14) 38. fxg4 $14 {at some point White will intend to play h4-h5}) 37... R5a6 38. h4 Ra5 39. Bf2 R5a6 40. Kb1 {naturally, White has no reason to hurry} Rb8 41. Ka2 (41. Rxa4 $4 Nc3+ $19) 41... Rba8 42. g4 hxg4 (42... Re8 $5 43. Rxe8 (43. Rxa4 Rxa4 44. Rxa4 Re2 $1 {threatening the bishop and Nc3+} 45. Ra7+ Ke6 46. Bc5 Rh2 $132) 43... Kxe8 44. gxh5 gxh5 45. b3 axb3+ 46. Kxb3 $14 {still keeps chances for White, pushing slowly his a-pawn}) 43. fxg4 Re8 44. Rxe8 (44. Rxa4 Rxa4 45. Rxa4 Re2 $1 $132) 44... Kxe8 45. h5 Kf7 46. Be1 gxh5 47. gxh5 f5 48. Bd2 Nf6 49. Rc5 (49. Rf4 $1 Ke6 50. h6 Ra8 51. Rh4 $16 {followed by Kb1, Kc2}) 49... Ne4 {Hou Yifan tries to force a minor piece endgame to guarantee a draw, instead of continuing to suffer} (49... Nd5 $1 {then White would probably start to bring his king over to b1-c2-d3} 50. Kb1 $16) 50. Rxf5+ Ke6 51. Ra5 {forced} Rxa5 52. Bxa5 Kf6 53. b3 {I won't put a question mark here, because the forced win was something very artistic and hard to find} (53. Bd8+ $1 Kg7 54. Be7 $3 {was the only way to guarantee the win, a very counterintuitive idea, losing two important tempi, but avoiding the knight retreat to c5 or d6} Kh6 (54... Kf7 55. h6 $1 $18) 55. b3 $1 axb3+ 56. Kxb3 Kxh5 57. a4 $18 {and White wins!}) 53... Kg5 (53... Nc5 $1 {would force a draw. For example:} 54. bxa4 (54. b4 Ne6 $11) 54... Kg5 $1 55. Bd8+ Kxh5 56. a5 Kg6 $11 {and Black returns in time}) 54. Bb4 $1 {Now Maxime finds the correct idea in a similar way, the bishop controls the c5-d6 squares and the knight can't return in time} Kxh5 (54... c5 55. bxa4 $1 cxb4 56. axb4 $18) 55. bxa4 Nf6 56. a5 Nd5 57. a6 Nc7 {the knight stops the pawn, but it is not enough for a draw} 58. a7 Kg6 59. Ba5 Na8 60. Kb3 Kf7 61. Kc4 Ke7 62. Kc5 Kd7 63. Bb6 $1 Kc8 64. Kxc6 Nc7 65. Bg1 (65. Bxc7 $4 $11 {wouldn't be smart!}) 65... Na8 66. Bh2 Nc7 67. Kb6 $1 Na8+ 68. Ka6 {now without having Nc7, Black is forced to allow Kb7, and thus the resignation comes in the right moment. A very nice game from the Frenchman, who is still having a hard time in 6th place with 2/4. The new leader is Levon Aronian, the only player at !} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D02"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "A. Silver"] [PlyCount "136"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Bg4 6. c3 e6 7. Qb3 {[%emt 0: 00:03] D02:1 d4 d5 2 Nf sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3 g3 and 2...Nf6 3 Bf4} Qc8 8. h3 Bh5 {LiveBook: 4 Games} 9. g4 Bg6 10. Nh4 Be4 $146 (10... Ne4 11. Nxg6 Nxd2 12. Qd1 hxg6 13. Qxd2 Qd7 14. Bg2 cxd4 15. exd4 {1/2-1/2 (22) Prohaszka,P (2591) -Horvath,J (2508) Hungary 2016}) 11. f3 Bg6 12. Be2 Be7 13. Bg3 a6 14. Kf2 b5 15. Qd1 Qd8 16. a4 b4 17. a5 c4 18. Nxg6 hxg6 19. h4 Bd6 20. f4 Rb8 21. Qc2 Rb5 ({Black should play} 21... Qc7 $17 {and the idea is that if White plays} 22. h5 {now Black has the nasty counter} g5 $1 {and the pawn is pinned in view of the hanging bishop on g3 behind.}) 22. h5 bxc3 ({Not} 22... Rxa5 23. hxg6 Ke7 24. Rxh8 (24. g5 Nh5 $16) 24... Qxh8 25. Rxa5 Nxa5 26. gxf7 $18) 23. bxc3 Qb8 {Black had a slight edge, but not after this.} ({First he needed to take with} 23... gxh5 24. g5 Nd7 25. Rxh5 Rxh5 26. Bxh5 Qc7 $15 { followed by Ne7 and Nf5}) 24. hxg6 Rxh1 25. Rxh1 Rb2 26. Rh8+ Ke7 $2 {Feeling the pressure of the clock, Meier goes astray.} (26... Bf8 $11 27. Qa4 Qb5 28. Qxb5 axb5) 27. Rxb8 Rxc2 28. Rb7+ Nd7 29. gxf7 Rxd2 30. Bh4+ Kf8 31. Rxd7 Be7 32. Bxe7+ Nxe7 $18 {Endgame KRB-KRN} 33. g5 Kxf7 34. Ra7 ({White misses a chance to wrap things up in his favor with} 34. Ke1 $1 Rc2 35. Bh5+ g6 36. Bxg6+ Kxg6 37. Rxe7 Kf5 38. Rf7+ Ke4 39. Rf6 Kxe3 40. Rxe6+ Kxf4 41. g6 { and White has a winning position.} Rxc3 42. Rxa6 Rb3 43. Rb6 Re3+ 44. Kd2) 34... Rc2 35. Ke1 ({White could still gain a decisive advantage after} 35. Rxa6 $18 g6 (35... Nf5 36. Rc6) 36. Rb6 Rxc3 37. Bg4 Nf5 38. Rb7+ Ne7 39. a6 Rc2+ 40. Ke1 Ra2 41. a7 Ra6 42. Kd2 $18) 35... Rxc3 {Now the position peters out to a draw, though both players will push it to the end.} 36. Kd2 Ra3 37. Bh5+ g6 { [#]} 38. Bxg6+ Kxg6 39. Rxe7 Ra2+ 40. Kc3 Ra3+ 41. Kd2 Ra2+ 42. Ke1 Kf5 $1 43. Kf1 c3 44. Rc7 Rc2 45. g6 Kxg6 46. Ke1 $1 Kf5 47. Kd1 $1 Rd2+ 48. Kc1 Rd3 49. Kc2 Rxe3 50. Rc6 Rf3 51. Rxa6 Ke4 52. Rxe6+ Kxd4 53. a6 Rf2+ 54. Kb3 $1 { Hoping for a7.} Rb2+ 55. Ka3 Rb1 56. Rc6 Kd3 57. a7 Ra1+ 58. Kb3 $1 d4 59. Rc7 c2 {...Rxa7! is the strong threat.} 60. Kb2 c1=Q+ 61. Rxc1 Rxa7 62. Rh1 Rc7 63. f5 Rc2+ 64. Kb3 Rf2 65. Rh3+ Ke4 66. Rh4+ Kd5 67. Rh8 Rxf5 68. Kc2 Ke4 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.19"] [Round "4"] [White "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D10"] [WhiteElo "2634"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "A. Silver"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 a6 5. Qc2 b5 6. b3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} g6 (6... Bg4 7. Bd3 Bh5 8. Nge2 Bg6 9. Nf4 Bxd3 10. Nxd3 e6 11. O-O Nbd7 12. c5 a5 13. b4 a4 {1/2-1/2 (63) Mamedyarov,S (2757)-Morozevich,A (2724) Sochi 2014}) 7. Bd3 Bg7 8. Nf3 {White is slightly better.} O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bb2 Bb7 11. h3 dxc4 $146 (11... Re8 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Qe2 Nb6 14. Rac1 Nfd7 15. c5 Na8 16. b4 { 1-0 (54) Akhmadeev,V (2429)-Kovsharev,V (2282) Nabereznye Chelny 2010}) 12. bxc4 c5 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. exd4 bxc4 15. Bxc4 Nb6 {White must now prevent ... Bxf3.} 16. Bb3 a5 17. a4 Nbd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Bxd5 Bxd5 20. Ba3 Re8 21. Bc5 Bb7 {Threatens to win with ...Ba6.} 22. Rfb1 ({White should try} 22. Rfe1 $15) 22... Bxf3 $17 23. Qxf3 Bxd4 24. Bxd4 Qxd4 25. Rd1 Qe5 26. Qd5 Qf6 27. Rac1 e6 28. Qc5 Red8 29. Qc7 h5 30. Rxd8+ Qxd8 31. Qe5 Qd7 32. Rc4 Qd3 33. Rd4 Qb1+ 34. Kh2 Qb8 35. Rd6 Qe8 36. Qb5 ({White should play} 36. Qd4 $15) 36... Qe7 $36 { Black is in control.} 37. Rd7 $2 {This is a mistake that gives Black a clear winning path.} (37. Qe5 $17 {was worth a try.}) 37... Qf6 $1 $19 38. Qb6 {[#]} Rc8 $1 ({But not} 38... Qf4+ 39. g3 Qf5 40. Kg2 $17) 39. Qd4 Qxd4 40. Rxd4 Rc2 41. Kg3 Kg7 42. h4 Kf6 43. Rf4+ Ke7 44. Rd4 Rc3+ 45. f3 Rc2 46. Kh3 Rb2 { White resigned here as he cannot protect his a-pawn. For example:} 47. Rd1 ({ White cannot keep the rook on the 4th since after} 47. Kg3 Rb4 48. Re4 Rxe4 $1 {It's all over.} 49. fxe4 Kd6 50. Kf4 e5+ 51. Kg5 Kc5 52. Kf6 Kd4) 47... Ra2 48. Rd4 f6 49. Kg3 e5 50. Re4 Ke6 51. Rc4 Kd5 {and the rook is evicted.} 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Meier, Georg"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. g3 dxc4 {LiveBook: 29 Games} 6. Qa4+ {D90: Grünfeld: 4 Nf3 Bg7 sidelines} Nfd7 7. Qxc4 Nb6 8. Qd3 {Black has an edge.} O-O 9. Bf4 Nc6 10. Rd1 $146 (10. Bg2 Nxd4 11. Nxd4 Qxd4 12. Qxd4 Bxd4 13. Nb5 Bxb2 {1/2-1/2 (46) Bruedigam,M (2312) -Lagunow,A (2441) Germany 2013}) 10... Bf5 11. Qd2 Bg4 12. Bg2 ({White should play} 12. Ne5 $15 Nxe5 13. Bxe5) 12... Bxf3 $1 $17 13. Bxf3 Nxd4 14. Bxb7 Nc4 $36 {Black is really pushing.} 15. Qc1 Rb8 16. b3 Rxb7 17. bxc4 c5 18. O-O Rb4 19. Bh6 (19. Qe3 $17) 19... Bxh6 $19 (19... Rxc4 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Qe3) 20. Qxh6 Rxc4 21. Ne4 {And now Ng5 would win.} Nxe2+ 22. Kg2 {Intending Ng5 and mate.} Qa8 $1 ({Less strong is} 22... Rxe4 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Qg5 $15) ({Don't take} 22... Rd4 $2 23. Ng5 $1 Qd5+ 24. f3 Qxg5 25. Qxg5 $18) 23. f3 {White threatens Ng5 and mate.} Rxe4 $1 24. fxe4 Qxe4+ 25. Kf2 {Hoping for Rfe1.} Nd4 {( -> ...Qf3+)} 26. Qe3 Qd5 27. Rd2 e5 28. Re1 Re8 29. Qe4 Qe6 30. Re3 Kg7 31. Rb2 c4 32. g4 Qf6+ 33. Ke1 (33. Kg2 $142) 33... Qg5 34. Kf2 (34. Kf1 {is a better defense.}) 34... Re6 35. Ke1 (35. Kg1 $142) 35... h5 {Black is clearly winning.} 36. h3 Rf6 {Strongly threatening ...c3!} 37. Kd2 Rf4 38. Qxe5+ Qxe5 39. Rxe5 {[#]} Nf3+ $1 ({Not} 39... hxg4 40. Ke3 c3 41. Rb1 $15) 40. Ke3 Nxe5 41. Kxf4 Nd3+ 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Hou, Yifan"] [Black "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2649"] [BlackElo "2634"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 O-O 7. e3 h6 { D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4)} 8. Bh4 Bf5 9. Qb3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Nbd7 11. Be2 c5 12. dxc5 (12. Qxb7 Qa5 13. O-O Rab8 $15) 12... g5 $146 (12... Nxc5 13. Qb4 Nce4 14. Nd4 Bh7 15. O-O {1-0 (48) Grischuk,A (2742)-Eljanov,P (2759) Sharjah 2017}) 13. Bg3 {Hoping for Bd6.} Nxc5 14. Qb5 Nfe4 15. Rc1 (15. Be5 $11) 15... Qe7 16. Be5 Rac8 {[#] ...g4 is the strong threat.} 17. Bd4 a6 18. Qa5 Qc7 19. Qb4 Ne6 (19... Rfe8 $11) 20. h4 (20. O-O $14) 20... Nxd4 ({Black should play} 20... g4 $15 21. Bb6 Qd6 22. Qxd6 Nxd6) 21. Nxd4 $11 (21. Qxd4 g4 22. Nd2 Nxc3 23. Bxg4 Nb5 24. Rxc7 Nxd4 25. Rxc8 Rxc8 $11) 21... Bg6 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Nf3 Qc5 24. Qxb7 {[#]} Nxc3 (24... g4 $1 $17 { aiming for ...g3.} 25. Nd4 g3 26. fxg3 (26. Qxa6 gxf2+ 27. Kf1 Ra8 $17) 26... Nxc3) 25. Qb2 (25. Nxg5 $2 Qa3 26. Ra1 Rb8 $19) (25. Bxa6 Qa5 26. O-O Ra8 $15) (25. Qxa6 Qb4 26. Kf1 Qb2 $15) 25... Qa5 (25... g4 $5 {is interesting.} 26. Ne5 g3 27. Nd7 Qa5 28. O-O gxf2+ 29. Rxf2 Nxe2+ 30. Rxe2 Rxc1+ 31. Qxc1 Rd8) 26. O-O Qxa2 27. Qxa2 Nxa2 28. Rxc8 (28. Ra1 $5 {seems wilder.} Rc2 29. Bxa6 g4 30. Nd4 Rd2 31. g3) 28... Rxc8 29. Bxa6 Rc5 30. Ra1 Nb4 31. Ra4 Nc2 32. Be2 f6 33. Nh2 Rc7 34. Bf3 Bf7 35. Ng4 Kg7 36. Ra6 d4 37. e4 d3 38. Rd6 ({Much worse is} 38. Nxf6 Nd4 39. Bg4 Rc1+ 40. Kh2 d2 41. Nh5+ Kh7 42. Nf6+ (42. Ra7 $2 Kg6 43. f4 gxf4 $19) 42... Kg7 43. Nh5+ Kh7 44. Nf6+ (44. Ra7 $2 Kg6 45. f4 gxf4 $19) 44... Kg7 $17) 38... Nb4 (38... Rc3 $11 {keeps the balance.}) 39. Nxf6 ({ White should try} 39. Rxf6 $16 Rd7 40. Rf5) 39... Rc6 {The position is equal.} (39... Rc1+ $5 40. Kh2 $8 Rc6 41. Nh5+ Bxh5 42. Rxc6 Nxc6 43. Bxh5 Kf6 $11) 40. Rxc6 Nxc6 {Endgame KBN-KBN} 41. Ng4 Nd4 42. Ne3 Nxf3+ 43. gxf3 {KB-KN} d2 44. Kg2 Bb3 45. Kg3 d1=Q 46. Nxd1 Bxd1 47. f4 gxf4+ 48. Kxf4 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A13"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "115"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:21:54"] [BlackClock "0:16:50"] 1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. O-O Nbd7 6. Qc2 c5 ({Black often tries to defend the pawn on c4 with} 6... Nb6 7. Na3 Bxa3 8. bxa3 Bd7 9. Bb2 Bc6 {as in Gajewski,G (2648)-Cornette,M (2590) Montpellier 2015}) 7. Na3 Nd5 8. Nxc4 b5 9. Ne3 $146 {An early novelty which definitely put a lot of pressure on Naiditsch.} ({Two games saw} 9. Nce5 {instead but Black did not experience any problems after} Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bd6 11. Nf3 Bb7 $11 {Mansour,S (2249)-Mareco, S (2574) Tromsoe 2014}) 9... Bb7 {Now White's game is too easy. Aronian believed that Black's best was:} (9... Nb4 10. Qe4 Rb8 11. d4 Bb7 12. Qb1 { "with a complicated position." (Aronian)}) 10. Nxd5 Bxd5 ({Or} 10... exd5 11. Nh4 {and due to the constant threat of Qc2-b3 Black has difficulties with the development.}) 11. e4 Bb7 12. d4 {The position is symmetrical but the lack of development in Black's camp is palpable.} cxd4 {"A horrible move" said Naiditsch and suggested instead:} (12... Be7 13. d5 exd5 14. exd5 O-O {But Aronian rightly pointed that he will have big advantage here as well after} 15. d6 $1 (15. Rd1 Bd6) 15... Bf6 16. Ng5) 13. Nxd4 Rc8 14. Qe2 a6 15. Rd1 Bc5 ({ Perhaps the modest} 15... Be7 {was better.}) 16. Nb3 Be7 17. Rd3 $1 {Prevents the normal development of the black pieces.} Qc7 ({There is no time for} 17... O-O 18. Qd1 Bc6 19. Nd4 Ba8 20. Nxe6 $1) 18. Bf4 Ne5 {Aronian achieved huge positon and the tempting options are all over the place.} 19. Rc3 ({One convincing line for White was} 19. Rc1 Qb8 20. Rxc8+ Bxc8 21. Na5 f6 22. Qc2 O-O 23. Nc6 {and wins.}) (19. Qh5 $5 {at once seemed very tempting too.}) 19... Qb8 20. Qh5 Bd6 21. Rxc8+ {White goes for a forcing line.} ({Naiditsch sugegsted instead the winning move} 21. Nc5 $5 Rxc5 (21... Bxc5 22. Bxe5 g6 23. Qg5 Be7 24. Rxc8+ Qxc8 25. Qh6 {is horrible for Black.}) 22. Rxc5 Bxc5 23. Bxe5 g6 24. Qg5 Be7 25. Qf4 {which Aronian also saw, but which he thought it will be "too little" after} g5 26. Bxb8 gxf4 27. Bxf4 {Although of course White should be winning with the extra pawn.}) ({The Armenian GM was also tempted by the move} 21. Rd1 {but then saw} Rxc3 22. Rxd6 Qxd6 23. bxc3 g5 $3 {"and Black is in the game." (Aronian)}) 21... Bxc8 22. Rd1 Bc7 (22... O-O 23. Rxd6) 23. Na5 Bd7 (23... Bxa5 $2 24. Bxe5 Bc7 25. Bxg7) 24. Bxe5 Bxe5 25. Rxd7 $1 { That was the point behind White's play. The black king will stay in the center, under the attack of the remaining White pieces.} Kxd7 26. Qxf7+ Kd6 27. Bh3 Re8 (27... Qe8 28. Qa7 {is not enough to defend Black.}) 28. Nb7+ ({From far away Aronian intended to play here} 28. f4 {but then he could not find a win after} Bxb2 (28... Qb6+ 29. Kf1) 29. e5+ Kc5 {"when the king is dancing around." (Aronian) Although White remains better after} 30. Bg2) 28... Kc6 29. b4 Rf8 30. Qe7 ({Objectively better was to start with} 30. Na5+ Kb6 31. Qe7 Qc8 32. Nc6 Qxc6 33. Qxf8 Qd6 {with good winning chances.}) 30... Bd6 {Now Naiditsch misses a good defensive chance.} ({Aronian pointed out that a better defense was} 30... Bc7 31. Nc5 Qd8 32. Qxg7 {"if I am not missing something" and then he went on with} Qd1+ ({However he really missed something, the pretty} 32... Rxf2 $1 33. Kxf2 Qd2+ 34. Kf3 Qd1+ 35. Ke3 Qc1+ {when White cannot avoid the perpetual.}) 33. Bf1 {White is actually winning here.}) 31. Na5+ Kb6 32. Qxe6 Re8 33. Qd7 Bxb4 {Naiditsch could not find anything better but to return the exchange.} ({If} 33... Re7 34. Qc6+ Ka7 35. Qd5 {the attack on the light squares would be most likely deadly for Black.}) 34. Nc6 Qd6 35. Qxe8 Qxc6 36. Qb8+ Qb7 ({Worse was} 36... Kc5 37. Qa7+ Qb6 38. Qxg7) 37. Qxb7+ Kxb7 38. f4 { "I would say this is more a win than a draw." (Aronian). "If I could trade the queenside pawns it will be a draw." (Naiditsch) Unfortunately for Black the a2 pawn remains alive and he can never use the idea of sacrificing his bishop for the central pawns.} Kc6 ({White will apply a similar plan after} 38... Bc5+ 39. Kg2 Kc6 40. Kf3 Kd6 41. e5+ Ke7 42. Bc8 a5 43. Ba6 b4 44. Bb5) 39. Kf2 a5 ({ Carlsen suggested} 39... Bc5+ 40. Kf3 Kd6 41. e5+ Ke7 42. Bf1 (42. Ke4 h6 43. Bf1) 42... h6 43. Ke4 Bg1 44. h3 Bf2 45. g4 Be1 {and thought this might be a fortress.}) 40. Kf3 a4 {The next maneuvers of the white bishop are designed to tame the black pawns.} 41. Bf5 h6 42. Bg6 Kd7 43. e5 Bc5 44. Bd3 Kc6 45. Bc2 Kd5 {Now it is easy for White. The last chance was:} (45... Bg1 46. h4 Kd5 47. Bg6 b4 48. Bf7+ Kc5 {when it is not definite that White is winning.}) 46. Be4+ Kc4 47. Bc6 Bg1 48. h4 Kc5 49. Be8 Bd4 50. h5 $1 {Fixes the pawn on h6.} Bc3 51. Ke4 Be1 52. g4 Bd2 53. Kf5 a3 54. g5 b4 ({Or} 54... hxg5 55. fxg5 $1) 55. Ba4 Kd5 56. gxh6 gxh6 {The two connected passers cannot be stopped.} 57. Bb3+ Kc5 58. Ke4 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5.3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B96"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2803"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 h6 8. Bh4 Qb6 9. a3 Be7 (9... Nbd7 10. Be2 e5 11. Nf5 g6 12. Bf2 Nc5 13. b4 gxf5 14. O-O Nfxe4 15. Nxe4 fxe4 16. bxc5 dxc5 17. fxe5 Be6 {Wei,Y (2706)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2767) Wijk aan Zee 2017}) 10. Bf2 Qc7 11. Qf3 Nbd7 12. O-O-O b5 13. g4 Bb7 ( 13... g5 14. h4 gxf4 15. Be2 Rg8 16. Rdg1 d5 {Giri,A (2790)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2788) Stavanger NOR 2016}) 14. h4 $146 (14. Bg2 Rc8 15. Kb1 g5 16. Qh3 Nc5 17. Rhe1 h5 18. Nf5 Ncxe4 19. Bxe4 Nxe4 20. Bd4 Rg8 {Nakamura,H (2779)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2804) London 2016}) 14... d5 15. e5 Ne4 16. Rh3 {"An unpleasant surprise." (MVL)} Nxf2 (16... b4 17. axb4 Bxb4 18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Qb3 {Caruana}) 17. Qxf2 b4 18. axb4 Bxb4 19. f5 {The players thought this was not good.} (19. Kb1 $5 Rb8 (19... Rc8)) 19... Nxe5 20. fxe6 O-O 21. Qg1 ({White might still be doing alright with} 21. g5 $1 h5 {and Caruana didn't see where his play is, but } 22. Qe2 {could well be promising for White.}) 21... Rae8 22. g5 h5 23. Be2 g6 24. exf7+ Qxf7 {Now Black is definitely better.} 25. Nb3 $1 {Missed by MVL.} Nc4 26. Rf3 Qg7 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 ({Better was} 27... Qxf8 {when} 28. Bxc4 dxc4 29. Qb6 {is equal.}) 28. Qd4 {Now White is better again.} Qxd4 29. Rxd4 Rc8 30. Bd3 Nxb2 31. Rxb4 Nxd3+ 32. cxd3 Rxc3+ 33. Kd2 Rc7 34. Ke3 Bc8 35. Kd4 Kf7 36. Nc5 Ra7 37. Kxd5 a5 38. Rf4+ Bf5 39. Kc6 Ke7 40. Rd4 a4 41. Kb6 Ra8 42. Nxa4 Bxd3 43. Nc5 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classics"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2702"] [Annotator "Tiger Hillarp-Persson"] [PlyCount "115"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. c4 e6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Nf6 ({There is something to be said for} 3... dxc4 { now, before the knight has been developed to f6. After} 4. Nf3 a6 {Black has gained some extra flexibility, whereas it is unclear what White can do differently.}) 4. Nf3 dxc4 (4... Be7 {is most respectable. White has two ways to fight for the initiative:} 5. O-O (5. d4 {is the Catalan. Now} O-O 6. O-O ( 6. Qc2 $5 {is another fashionable line. The critical response is} c5) 6... dxc4 {is a position one which one could write at least a hundred pages. Many strong players try to find ways around this line.}) 5... O-O 6. b3 {is what Kramnik has played lately. Perhaps he has lost faith in the Catalan, or perhaps he is just aiming for lesser known positions.}) 5. O-O $5 {This, on the other hand, is a move that gives White some extra flexibility.} (5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. O-O c5 { and White has nothing better than taking with the queen on c4, since} 7. Na3 a6 {is awkward.}) (5. Qc2 {is another possibility that makes sense, although after } c5 {, there is no longer the possibility of playing Na3 instead of Qc2.}) 5... Nbd7 ({This looks more reliable than} 5... a6 {, when} 6. Qc2 b5 7. Ne1 $1 {(This move was first played by A Grigorian, but the idea is much older.)} Nd5 8. d3 $1 cxd3 9. Nxd3 Bb7 10. Nc3 {leaves White with splendid compensation for the pawn.}) 6. Qc2 $1 {So I drone about flexibility this and flexibily that and here I go again. It is more flexible than} (6. Qa4 a6 7. Qxc4) 6... c5 $5 ( {After} 6... a6 {White has the option of taking on c4, but can also consider} 7. a4 $5 c5 (7... Nc5 8. Qxc4 Qd5 9. Qa2 Qxa2 10. Rxa2 Nb3 11. d4 Nd5 12. Nbd2 $36 {1/2-1/2 (40) Mozharov,M (2523)-Oparin,G (2496) Moscow 2013}) 8. a5 $5) 7. Na3 {...and the fleixibility pays off. With the queen on a4, this move makes no sense.} Nd5 $5 {The best advice I ever read about openings, is to try to find an idea of your own in every position you study. "That sounds like a lot of work", you might say, but the point is not to come up with a truly original idea in every such position, but rather to find a narrative that is your own (and which has some coherence). In that way you will both bind your memory of the variation to a narrative (improving memory) and push deeper, understanding more. Considering how the position develops in the coming few moves, I wonder what kind of narrative Arkadij had in mind.} 8. Nxc4 b5 $1 9. Ne3 $1 (9. Nce5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bd6 11. Nf3 Bb7 {was very comfortable for Black, in Foisor,O (2425)-Inkiov,V (2450) Cuxhaven 1992.}) 9... Bb7 $6 ({After} 9... Nxe3 10. fxe3 (10. dxe3 Bb7 11. b3 Be7 {is also a bit better for White, if the engine is to be believed. I find it hard to swallow. As long as Black doesn't mess up completely or give up three pawns for one on the queenside, it will be hard for White to gain any winning chances.}) 10... Bb7 11. Ne5 $1 Nxe5 12. Bxb7 Rb8 13. Bg2 {White has the bishop pair in an open and unbalanced position. I'd rather play White here. Still, this is a line where Black's 7th move makes sense. In the game, Nd5 leads to a loss of three tempi (Nd5/Bxd5/Bb7) so it is probably the right way to go anyway.}) 10. Nxd5 Bxd5 ({After} 10... exd5 { White has a typical resource:} 11. b4 $1 cxb4 (11... c4 12. Bb2 f6 13. Nd4 $36) 12. Bb2 {and Black will not be able to finish developing without f7-f6, which will turn Nf3-d4 into a marvelous move.}) 11. e4 $1 Bb7 12. d4 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Rc8 14. Qe2 a6 15. Rd1 {Something has gone wrong for Black. White is developing fast and with Bh3 hanging in the air, Black has tactical problems on the d-file.} Bc5 (15... Be7 16. Be3 O-O 17. Bh3 $1 $16) 16. Nb3 Be7 ({After } 16... Bb6 17. Bf4 {Black is struggling to avoid the bind on the knight. The queen cannot go to e7, so the best defence is} Rc4 18. Rd2 Qc8 {However, it doesn't solve his problems, as} 19. Rad1 Nf6 20. Be3 Bxe3 21. Rd8+ Qxd8 22. Rxd8+ Kxd8 23. Qxe3 {, followed by Na5 is very strong indeed.}) 17. Rd3 $1 { A great move. I use to tell juniors that when it comes to choosing between two or three seemingly good moves, a good place to start is to see if there are any pieces which you absolutely know where they belong. If there is such a piece, it is often a good idea to start with that one. In this position it is quite obvious that White needs to mount the pressure on the d-file, but there is also the possibility of playing Bc1-somewhere. But where is that somewhere? Is it on f4, on e3, or even on d2? You don't know. Ahh, so perhaps move the rook first?} Qc7 ({So why not castle?} 17... O-O 18. Qd1 $1 {is the point behind Rd3.} Rc7 (18... Bc6 19. Nd4 Ba8 20. Nxe6) 19. Bf4 e5 20. Bxe5 Nxe5 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Qh5 {and Black doesn't have enough for the exchange.}) 18. Bf4 Ne5 ({White gets a very comfy advantage after} 18... Qb6 19. Be3 Qc7 20. Rc1 Qb8 21. Rxc8+ Qxc8 22. Na5 O-O 23. Rc3 Qb8 24. Nxb7 Qxb7 25. Qc2 $16 {There is no way for Black to deviate.}) 19. Rc3 Qb8 20. Qh5 $1 Bd6 (20... Bf6 21. Rxc8+ Bxc8 22. Rc1 {and Black cannot defend against both Rxc8/Bxe5 and Rc5. Something's gotta go.}) 21. Rxc8+ $1 Bxc8 22. Rd1 Bc7 $8 23. Na5 Bd7 $6 { I don't envy Arkadij's position and I even find it hard to find fault with his play. Something went wrong before this move.} ({Black's best chance of survival was} 23... O-O $1 24. Bxe5 Bxe5 25. Nc6 Qc7 26. Nxe5 g6 $1 {although White has excellent winning chances after} 27. Nxg6 (27. Qg5 $5 f6 28. Rc1) 27... hxg6 28. Qg5) 24. Bxe5 $5 ({Aronian's choice is alluring, but there were plenty of less-spectacular-but-good moves. For instance:} 24. b4 Ng6 25. Be3 { and Black is in a pickle.}) 24... Bxe5 25. Rxd7 Kxd7 26. Qxf7+ Kd6 27. Bh3 Re8 28. Nb7+ Kc6 29. b4 $1 {This far it has all been forced and it is clear why Aronian went down this rabbit-hole. Black's pawn are in tatters and the king is in danger of losing its head.} Rf8 ({Or} 29... Bf6 30. Na5+ Kb6 31. Qd7 Re7 32. Qc6+ Ka7 33. Qc2 Rc7 34. Nc6+ Kb7 35. e5 Bg5 36. Bg2 $18 {Black has no coordination and his pieces nothing to aim for.}) 30. Qe7 $2 {This is a mistake that could have thrown away the win.} ({Perhaps White missed} 30. Na5+ Kb6 31. Qe7 Qc8 32. Nc6 $3 {A beautiful move that is quite hard for a human to spot. (It's much more difficult to find such a move when the knight doesn't take anything. If, instead, we place a pawn on c6, then it becomes obvious).} Qxc6 (32... Kxc6 33. Bxe6 {and the price to hold onto the rook is high:} Qb8 $2 34. Bd5+ Kb6 35. Qc5#) 33. Qxf8 {would have been quite similar to the game.}) 30... Bd6 $2 (30... Bc7 $1 {is the only chance. After} 31. Na5+ Bxa5 32. Bxe6 Bxb4 33. Qxb4 Rf6 34. Qd4 {White still has a nasty initiative, but Black is not significantly worse if he can find} Qc7 $1 35. Bd5+ Kd7 $1 36. e5 Rb6 $1 { Still for a human to defend Black's position with success would almost put that person in danger of failing a Turing test.}) 31. Na5+ Kb6 32. Qxe6 { White is back on track.} Re8 33. Qd7 Bxb4 (33... Re7 34. Qc6+ Ka7 35. Qd5 Rc7 36. Nc6+ Rxc6 37. Qxc6 $16) 34. Nc6 Qd6 35. Qxe8 Qxc6 36. Qb8+ Qb7 {This is the right move if you know that the bishop ending is a draw. Otherwise it's better to go for} (36... Ka5 {, when the technical difficulties are less clear. }) 37. Qxb7+ Kxb7 38. f4 {Since there is no way for Black to create a passed pawn on the queenside, White is basically two pawns up, but is it a win?} Kc6 39. Kf2 a5 40. Kf3 a4 41. Bf5 h6 ({Tricks, like} 41... Bf8 42. Bxh7 b4 43. Bg8 b3 {, doesn't work due to} 44. axb3 a3 45. b4 $1) 42. Bg6 Kd7 43. e5 Bc5 44. Bd3 Kc6 45. Bc2 {So, there is nothing Black could have done to avoid this position. Next White will play h4, g4, Ke4, h5 and then - as soon as Black's king leaves c6 for the defence - harass the queenside pawns until they become static. Then, finally, White will win by playing g5. We will soon see this scenario up close.} Kd5 {The king has nothing to do here, but going backwards would have changed nothing:} (45... Bg1 46. h4 Bc5 47. h5 Kd7 48. Bd3 Ke7 49. Bxb5 a3 50. Ke4 Bf2 51. g4 Kf7 52. Bc4+ Ke7 53. g5 hxg5 54. fxg5 Kf8 55. h6 g6 56. Kd5 Be3 57. Bd3 Bxg5 58. h7 Kg7 59. Bxg6 {and then K-d7, followed by e5-e8. 1-0}) 46. Be4+ Kc4 47. Bc6 Bg1 48. h4 {I followed this game on a server where some patzer desribed this a "blunder" since the engines game 48.e6 as winning. Well, Mr. Patzer, Aronian has it all under control.} (48. e6 {1 is indeed winning, but you shouldn't put your pawns on squares on which they could be blockaded , unless you calculate with terrible precision. At this late a stage in the game, the human way of doing it (h4) is much better. Patzer vs Aronian: 0 -}) 48... Kc5 49. Be8 Bd4 50. h5 Bc3 51. Ke4 Be1 52. g4 Bd2 53. Kf5 a3 54. g5 b4 55. Ba4 Kd5 56. gxh6 gxh6 57. Bb3+ Kc5 58. Ke4 {and Black resigned.} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.20"] [Round "5"] [White "Meier, Georg"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2621"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "Elshan Moradiabadi"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} g6 {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {7 Not sure whether I should consider this a surprise or not. However, when I first saw the first three moves I thought the world champion was actually opting for a King's Indian Defense!} 4. Nf3 {83 } Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 5. g3 $5 {117 An interesting line!} (5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. g3 {is also very interesting!}) 5... dxc4 {[%emt 0:00:57]} 6. Qa4+ {131} Nfd7 $1 { 216 The best move but very well-known!} 7. Qxc4 {372} Nb6 {244} 8. Qd3 {151} O-O {112} 9. Bf4 {1283} (9. Bg2 Nc6) 9... Nc6 {235} 10. Rd1 $6 {104 I'm not a fan of this move. I understand that White is trying to protect d4 with Rd1 but that costs him too many tempi. Instead, I think White should have tried to get his king to safety as soon as possible.} (10. Bg2 Nxd4 11. Nxd4 e5 $1 (11... Qxd4 12. Qxd4 Bxd4 13. Nb5 Bxb2 14. Rb1 a6 15. Rxb2 axb5 16. Rxb5 Bd7 17. Re5 Bc6 18. Bxc6 bxc6 19. Rxe7 Nd5 20. Re4 Rfe8 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Kd2 Nxf4 23. gxf4 Re4 24. e3 Ra4 25. Ra1 Kf8 26. Kc3 Ke7 27. Kb3 Ra5 28. Rc1 Rb5+ 29. Kc3 Rc5+ 30. Kd2 Rxc1 31. Kxc1 Kf6 32. Kd2 g5 33. fxg5+ Kxg5 34. f4+ Kg4 35. Kd3 Kf3 36. f5 f6 37. a4 h5 38. a5 h4 39. a6 h3 40. e4 Kg2 41. Ke2 Kxh2 42. Kf2 c5 43. e5 c4 44. exf6 c3 45. f7 c2 46. f8=Q c1=Q {1/2-1/2 (46) Bruedigam,M (2312) -Lagunow,A (2441) Germany 2013}) 12. Bxe5 (12. Ndb5 Qxd3 13. exd3 exf4 14. Nxc7 Rb8 15. O-O fxg3 16. hxg3 Rd8 $17 {1/2-1/2 (59) Huebner, R (2595)-Topalov,V (2750) Dortmund 1996}) 12... Bxe5 13. Rd1 Qe7 14. O-O c6 $15) 10... Bf5 {493} 11. Qd2 {126} Bg4 {255} 12. Bg2 $2 {240 this is too much.} (12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 14. dxe5 Qxd2+ 15. Rxd2 Nc4 16. Rd4 Nxe5 17. Re4 f6 18. Bg2 {may give White some chances}) 12... Bxf3 {117} 13. Bxf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nxd4 { [%emt 0:00:28]} 14. Bxb7 {91} Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 15. Qc1 {[%emt 0:00:56]} Rb8 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 16. b3 {1304} Rxb7 {167} 17. bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} c5 {207} 18. O-O {538} Rb4 {54 You *know* things are going really bad when every natural move for Black poses serious problem for White.} 19. Bh6 {419} Bxh6 { 271} 20. Qxh6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Rxc4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 21. Ne4 {130} Nxe2+ {97} 22. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Qa8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 23. f3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Rxe4 $1 { 99 strong and forced otherwise Ng5 was a threat.} 24. fxe4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Qxe4+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} 25. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:00:42]} 26. Qe3 { [%emt 0:00:47]} Qd5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 27. Rd2 {108} e5 {123 The game is over. The rest is just an agony.} 28. Re1 {[%emt 0:00:44]} Re8 {82} 29. Qe4 {[%emt 0: 00:22]} Qe6 {3 no exchange this time} 30. Re3 {248} Kg7 {294} 31. Rb2 {214} c4 {340} 32. g4 {114} Qf6+ {552} 33. Ke1 {391} Qg5 {71} 34. Kf2 {280} Re6 { [%emt 0:00:56]} 35. Ke1 {[%emt 0:00:44]} h5 {91} 36. h3 {[%emt 0:00:24]} Rf6 { [%emt 0:00:47]} 37. Kd2 {200} Rf4 {233} 38. Qxe5+ {5 I am sure Meier had seen the end but decided to give the joy of geometry to the spectators} Qxe5 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 39. Rxe5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Nf3+ {[%emt 0:00:01] 6 Fork number} 40. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 41. Kxf4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Nd3+ { 17 And fork number 2 decides the game!} 0-1 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6"] [White "Vachier Lagrave, Maxime"] [Black "Meier, Georg"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2803"] [BlackElo "2621"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bg5 cxd4 {C10: French with 3 Nc3: Unusual Black 3rd moves and 3... dxe4} 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. Bf3 O-O 12. Qd3 {LiveBook: 23 Games} (12. Re1 Qb6 13. Be3 Qxb2 14. Qd3 Nd5 15. Bxd5 exd5 16. Nb5 Bf5 17. Qxd5 {1/2-1/2 (32) Navara,D (2734)-Ivanchuk, V (2710) Huaian 2016}) 12... Bc5 13. Rad1 e5 14. Nb3 Qxd3 15. cxd3 Bb6 $146 (15... Bb4 16. a3 Bd6 17. Rfe1 {1-0 (59) Poetsch,H (2498)-Schild, C (2375) Berlin 2015}) 16. Rfe1 h6 17. Bh4 Be6 18. Bg3 Rac8 19. Bxe5 Bxb3 20. axb3 {With the idea Bc3.} Rc2 21. Rf1 Rd8 $1 22. Bxb7 Ng4 23. Bg3 Rxb2 24. Bf3 f5 25. h3 f4 $36 {Black is more active.} 26. Bh4 ({Much worse is} 26. Bxg4 fxg3 27. Be6+ Kh7 $17) 26... Nf6 27. Bxf6 $1 gxf6 28. Rde1 Rxd3 29. Re4 Rd4 ({ Inferior is} 29... Rbxb3 30. Be2 $18 (30. Rxf4 Rd2 $14)) 30. Re8+ Kg7 31. Rfe1 {[#] R1e7+ would kill now.} Rd7 32. R8e2 Rxe2 33. Rxe2 $15 {Endgame KRB-KRB. The position is equal.} Rd1+ 34. Kh2 Rf1 35. g3 Rxf2+ 36. Rxf2 Bxf2 37. gxf4 Bb6 38. Be4 Bc7 39. Kg3 Bd6 40. Kf3 Bc7 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Qc2 dxc4 6. e4 {[%emt 0:00:05] D37: Queen's Gambit Declined: Bf4} c5 {LiveBook: 13 Games} 7. Bxc4 (7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bxc4 Qc7 9. O-O a6 10. Bb3 b5 11. Qe2 b4 12. Na4 Bb7 13. e5 Nd5 14. Nxc5 Nxc5 { 1/2-1/2 (32) Topalov,V (2760)-Anand,V (2779) Saint Louis 2016}) 7... a6 8. d5 $146 {White is slightly better.} (8. Be2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Qc7 10. a4 b6 11. Be3 Bb7 12. f3 Rc8 13. Rc1 Bc5 14. Qd2 {0-1 (43) Juarez Flores,R (2207) -Perunovic,M (2575) Mallorca 2004}) 8... Nb6 9. Be2 exd5 10. e5 Ne4 (10... Ng8 $1 $15) 11. Nxe4 $14 dxe4 12. Qxe4 Qd5 13. Qf4 Be7 14. O-O O-O 15. Rd1 Qe6 16. Ng5 Qf5 17. Bf3 Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Nc4 19. b3 Bxg5 $1 20. Bxg5 Nxe5 21. Be4 Re8 22. f3 h6 23. Bh4 c4 24. bxc4 Nxc4 25. Rac1 Be6 26. Bxb7 Ra7 27. Be4 a5 28. Rd4 $36 {White has some pressure.} Ne5 29. Bg3 f6 30. a3 Rd7 ({Black should play} 30... Bb3) 31. Bxe5 $16 fxe5 32. Rxd7 Bxd7 {Endgame KRB-KRB} 33. Rc7 Bb5 34. Rc5 Rb8 35. Rxe5 a4 36. h4 Kf7 37. Rc5 Be8 38. Bc2 Rb2 {[#]} 39. Rc4 $1 Ra2 $2 (39... Bb5 { was worth a try.} 40. Rf4+ Ke7) 40. Bxa4 $18 Ra1+ 41. Kh2 Bxa4 42. Rxa4 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6"] [White "Bluebaum, Matthias"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2634"] [BlackElo "2817"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "158"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Nf6 4. Bxc4 e6 5. Nf3 c5 6. O-O a6 7. b3 b6 {[%emt 0: 00:07] D2: Queen's Gambit Accepted: Classical main line: 7 e4!? and 7 a4} 8. Bb2 Bb7 {LiveBook: 13 Games} 9. dxc5 {Qxd8+ is the strong threat.} Bxc5 $146 ( 9... Qxd1 10. Rxd1 Bxc5 11. Be2 Nbd7 12. Nbd2 O-O 13. Nc4 Rfd8 14. Rac1 b5 15. Nce5 Rac8 16. Kf1 h6 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. Ne5 Rdc7 19. Bf3 Ne4 20. Bxe4 Bxe4 21. f3 {1/2-1/2 (67) Tomashevsky,E (2714)-Karjakin,S (2770) Sochi 2014}) 10. Qxd8+ Kxd8 11. Ne5 Ke7 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. Nxd7 Nxd7 14. Nd2 Rhd8 15. Bf3 Bxf3 16. Nxf3 f6 17. Rfd1 e5 18. Kf1 a5 19. Nd2 a4 20. Ne4 Ke6 21. bxa4 Rxa4 22. Nc3 Rc4 23. Nb5 Rc8 {White must now prevent ...Rb4.} 24. Ba3 Bxa3 25. Nxa3 Rb4 26. Rab1 Rxb1 27. Rxb1 $11 {Endgame KRN-KRN} Ra8 28. Nc4 $1 Rxa2 29. Nxb6 Nc5 30. Rd1 Rc2 31. f3 e4 32. fxe4 (32. h4 $11) 32... Nxe4 $17 33. Nd5 {[#]} g5 $1 34. Nb4 Rf2+ 35. Kg1 Re2 36. Nc6 Rxe3 37. Nd4+ Ke5 38. Nf3+ Kf5 39. Rf1 Nc3 40. h4 Kg4 41. Nh2+ Kxh4 {Threatens to win with ...Ne4.} 42. Rxf6 Re1+ (42... h5 $5 { with more complications.} 43. Nf1 Rd3 44. Re6 Kg4 45. Re8 Kf5) 43. Nf1 h5 { Strongly threatening ... Ne4.} 44. Kh2 Kg4 45. Rf3 {Threatening Ne3+.} Nd1 46. Rf6 h4 47. Rf8 Kh5 {aiming for ...Re2.} 48. g3 Re2+ 49. Kg1 h3 50. Rh8+ Kg4 51. Nh2+ Kxg3 52. Nf1+ Kg4 {( -> ...Rg2+)} 53. Nh2+ Kf4 {And now ...Rg2+ would win. } 54. Rxh3 g4 {[#]} 55. Nxg4 $1 Kxg4 $15 {KRN-KR} 56. Rh8 Nf2 57. Kf1 Rc2 58. Ke1 Kf3 59. Rf8+ Ke3 60. Re8+ Ne4 61. Kd1 Rh2 62. Kc1 Kd4 63. Rd8+ Kc4 64. Rc8+ Nc5 65. Kd1 Rg2 66. Ke1 Kd4 67. Rd8+ Ke3 68. Re8+ Ne4 69. Kd1 Rg6 (69... Kd4 $5 {creates asymmetry.} 70. Rd8+ Ke5 71. Kc1 Nd6 72. Rh8 Rg3) 70. Kc2 Rc6+ 71. Kb3 Kd3 72. Rd8+ Nd6 73. Rh8 Rb6+ 74. Ka4 Nc4 75. Rh3+ Kd4 76. Rh4+ Kd5 ({Black should try} 76... Kc3 $1 $15 77. Rh3+ Kd4) 77. Rd4+ $1 $11 {The position is equal.} Kc5 78. Rd5+ $1 Kc6 79. Rc5+ $1 Kxc5 $2 (79... Kd6) 1/2-1/2 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2838"] [Annotator "TA"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 {A45: Trompowsky Attack} 4. e3 Bg7 5. h4 h5 { LiveBook: 6 Games} 6. Be2 (6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 c6 8. Ne5 Bxe2 9. Qxe2 Nbd7 10. O-O-O Nxe5 11. Bxe5 {1-0 (49) Karjakin,S (2785)-Li,C (2720) Doha 2016}) 6... O-O 7. Nf3 c5 8. dxc5 $146 (8. Ne5 cxd4 9. exd4 Nc6 10. O-O Bf5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 { 0-1 (40) Kalajzic,I (2184)-Cebalo,M (2409) Zagreb 2016}) 8... Qa5 9. O-O Qxc5 10. Nb5 a6 11. Nc7 Ra7 12. Nb5 (12. a3 $5 {seems wilder.} Nbd7 13. b4 Qc6 14. Nd4 Qb6 15. Nf3) 12... axb5 13. Bxb8 Ra8 14. Be5 b4 15. Bd4 Qa5 16. c3 Bg4 17. Qb3 $36 {Black is under pressure.} bxc3 18. Bxc3 Qc7 19. Rac1 {[#] aiming for Bxf6.} Qd8 20. Rfd1 e6 21. Bb4 Re8 22. Bb5 Nd7 23. e4 Bxf3 24. Qxf3 Ne5 25. Qh3 (25. Qb3 $5 {feels hotter.} Nc6 26. g3 d4 27. Bxc6 bxc6 28. Rxc6 Qd7 29. Qc2) 25... Nc6 26. exd5 exd5 ({Don't go for} 26... Nxb4 $2 27. dxe6 Rxe6 28. Rxd8+ Rxd8 29. Qf3 $18) 27. Rxc6 bxc6 28. Bxc6 Rxa2 29. Bxd5 Kh7 30. Qf3 Rxb2 31. Bxf7 Rxb4 (31... Qxh4 $5 {is more complex.} 32. Bxe8 Rxb4 33. g3 Qf6 34. Qxf6 Bxf6 35. Rd7+ Kh6) 32. Rxd8 Rxd8 33. g3 {Black must now prevent Qc6.} Rb6 34. Bxg6+ (34. Bc4 $14) 34... Rxg6 {The position is equal.} 35. Qxh5+ Rh6 36. Qf5+ Kh8 37. Kg2 Rf6 38. Qh5+ Kg8 39. Qe2 Rdf8 40. Qc2 Rxf2+ 41. Qxf2 Rxf2+ 42. Kxf2 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "1:30:17"] [BlackClock "0:47:39"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. Qc2 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 (7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Bxc4 Qc7 9. O-O a6 10. Bb3 b5 11. Qe2 b4 12. Na4 Bb7 13. e5 {Topalov,V (2760)-Anand,V (2779) Saint Louis 2016}) 7... a6 {A typical comment for Aronian was: "I actually did not remember so much about this a6 move." And then he quickly throws a novelty on the board...} 8. d5 $146 {White sacs a pawn but makes sure that the opponent will not be fast with the development.} ( {Previously Black did not experience any problems after} 8. Be2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Qc7 10. a4 b6 {Juarez Flores,R (2207)-Perunovic,M (2575) Mallorca 2004}) 8... Nb6 9. Be2 exd5 10. e5 Ne4 {Hou decided to give the pawn back and speed up the development.} ({Aronian believed that Black's best might be the seemingly timid } 10... Ng8 {with the idea Ng8-e7-c6. White can then try} 11. a4 {hoping for} a5 ({But instead Black can proceed with the development} 11... Ne7 {as} 12. a5 {would be met with} Bf5 13. Qb3 Nc4 {with unclear position.}) 12. Nb5 {when Black's plan is spoiled.}) ({White liked the position after} 10... Ng4 11. O-O) 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Qxe4 Qd5 {With the queenside majority Black is happy to swap off the queens.} 13. Qf4 (13. Qc2 $5 g6 14. b3 Bf5 15. Qc3 {"might have been more precise." (Aronian)}) (13. Qxd5 $6 Nxd5 {is maybe even a bit better for Black.}) 13... Be7 ({Perhaps Hou should have tried the long castling after} 13... h6 $5 14. O-O Be6 15. Rd1 Qc6 16. Qg3 Nd5 {Next 0-0, then the knight can be brought to f5 to torture the white queen.}) 14. O-O O-O 15. Rd1 {Now White seems a bit better. His center is stronger and this is very important into the middlegame.} Qe6 16. Ng5 Qf5 {"I blundered this move." (Aronian)} ({"For some weird reason I was only considering:"} 16... Qg6 17. Bd3 Rd8 18. Qf3 {"and White wins." (Aronian)} Bg4 19. Bxg6 Rxd1+ 20. Qxd1 Bxd1 21. Bxf7+ ({Or} 21. Bxh7+ {in both cases with a clear extra pawn.})) 17. Bf3 {"I could not find anything better than this. The endgame seems drawish, but there are some practical problems that Black needs to solve. It is also very easy to play it as White." (Aronian)} (17. Qg3 $5 {was not that bad actually as after} h6 18. Nh3 {The knight can be nicely rerouted to the f4 square.} Kh8 19. Nf4 {White seems like having more fun now.}) ({White disliked the immediate} 17. Ne4 Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Be6 {although here too Black has problems to solve after} 19. Be3) 17... Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Nc4 19. b3 Bxg5 ({Instead} 19... Nxe5 20. Bxe5 Bxg5 21. Bd6 Re8 22. Bxc5 {is clearly better for White thanks to his active bishops.}) 20. Bxg5 Nxe5 21. Be4 Re8 22. f3 {A pawn is well compensated in the endgame by the bishop pair. With the board wide opened the bishops rule the game. On the top of that Hou has a problem with her queenside.} h6 {A tricky move.} (22... f6 { looks more solid though} 23. Be3 (23. Bf4)) ({Aronian did nto mention this but it was obvious that he was considering the line} 22... Rb8 23. Be7 $1 Bf5 $5 24. Bd6 Bxe4 25. Bxb8 Bxf3 26. Bxe5 Bxd1 27. Rxd1 {where White wins thanks to the back-rank motifs.}) 23. Bh4 {Hou's idea is seen in the line} (23. Be3 Nd7 $1 {with the threat Nd7-f6!}) 23... c4 ({Here Leko's suggestion} 23... Rb8 $5 { was more effective. Without the back-rank mates Black has good chances to survive after} 24. Be7 Bf5 25. Bd6 Bxe4 26. Bxb8 Bxf3 27. Re1 Rxb8 28. Rxe5 Bc6 29. Rxc5 {"this looks close to a draw." (Aronian)}) 24. bxc4 Nxc4 25. Rac1 Be6 ({Up to hear Hou defended excellently and had she played} 25... Ne3 $5 26. Rd2 {and now not, as suggested by Aronian,} Nf5 ({But} 26... f5 $1 {to kick the bishop away from the long diagonal she would have most likely survived. For example} 27. Bb1 ({Or} 27. Bd3 Be6 28. Bf2 f4 {with a draw as a most probably outcome.}) 27... Be6 28. Rd6 b5 {followed by Ne3-c4 and Black is rock-solid.}) 27. Bf2 Be6 28. Bxb7 Rad8 29. Rxd8 Rxd8 30. a4 {when Black suffers.}) 26. Bxb7 Ra7 27. Be4 a5 {The last chance according to White was:} (27... f5 28. Bxf5 ( 28. Bc6 {might be actually better although Black gets "control" after} Rc8 29. Ba4 Rac7 {(Aronian)}) 28... Bxf5 29. Rxc4 {Aronian believed that this is won. But this might be because he has 5/6...}) 28. Rd4 {"Now it should be won" said the Armenian GM. Indeed, the bishops and rooks can attack easily both flanks.} Ne5 ({But maybe Hou could have tried to build a rock-solid fortress after} 28... Rc7) 29. Bg3 f6 30. a3 Rd7 31. Bxe5 $1 {You know that one of the main advantages of the bishops is that you can always trade them.} fxe5 32. Rxd7 Bxd7 33. Rc7 {White wins a pawn and the game.} Bb5 (33... Re7 34. Bf5) 34. Rc5 Rb8 35. Rxe5 a4 36. h4 Kf7 37. Rc5 Be8 38. Bc2 Rb2 39. Rc4 Ra2 40. Bxa4 Ra1+ ( 40... Rxa3 41. Rf4+) 41. Kh2 Bxa4 42. Rxa4 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe GER"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A45"] [WhiteElo "2702"] [BlackElo "2838"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.04.15"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. h4 (5. Nf3 O-O 6. h3 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 {was a bit similar as in the game, and here, as Levon Aronian pointed out today, 3rd World Champion José Capablanca once played the knight maneuver} 8. Nd2 Qxc5 9. Nb3 Qb6 10. Be5 e6 11. Nb5 Ne8 12. Bxg7 Nxg7 13. h4 a6 14. Nc3 Nc6 15. Bd3 f5 {Capablanca,J-Yates,F New York 1924}) 5... h5 6. Be2 O-O 7. Nf3 c5 8. dxc5 Qa5 9. O-O (9. Nd2 {would be à la Capablanca. Naiditsch said that he missed 10...a6 and that he would have gone for 9.Nd2 if he had seen it.}) 9... Qxc5 10. Nb5 a6 $1 11. Nc7 Ra7 12. Nb5 (12. a3 $5) 12... axb5 13. Bxb8 Ra8 14. Be5 b4 15. Bd4 Qa5 {"Stupid." (Carlsen)} (15... Qd6 16. Be5) 16. c3 {"I should already worry about not getting worse." (Carlsen)} Bg4 17. Qb3 bxc3 18. Bxc3 Qc7 {"Rubbish. Way too risky." (Carlsen)} (18... Qd8 19. Qxb7 Ne4 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Qb4 e6 22. Qd4+ Qf6 {"should be equal." (Carlsen)}) 19. Rac1 (19. Rfc1 Rfc8 {Carlsen}) 19... Qd8 20. Rfd1 e6 21. Bb4 Re8 22. Bb5 Nd7 23. e4 (23. Bd6 $5 Bf6 {"Maybe there are other moves but it stinks for Black." (Carlsen)} 24. Rc7 $6 ( 24. e4 $1) 24... Nc5 $1 25. Rxc5 Qxd6 26. Bxe8 Qxc5 27. Bxf7+ Kh8 $1 {is equal. }) 23... Bxf3 24. Qxf3 Ne5 25. Qh3 (25. Qb3 Qxh4 26. Bxe8 Rxe8 27. exd5 Ng4 28. Qg3 Qxg3 29. fxg3 exd5 {is holdable for Black.}) 25... Nc6 26. exd5 exd5 27. Rxc6 (27. Ba3 {Naiditsch} Re6) 27... bxc6 28. Bxc6 Rxa2 29. Bxd5 Kh7 30. Qf3 ( 30. Bb3 Qb6 31. Bxa2 Qxb4) 30... Rxb2 31. Bxf7 Rxb4 32. Rxd8 Rxd8 33. g3 Rb6 34. Bxg6+ (34. Bd5 Rb1+ 35. Kg2 Rf8 36. Qd3 Rb2 {is not better.}) 34... Rxg6 35. Qxh5+ Rh6 36. Qf5+ Kh8 37. Kg2 Rf6 38. Qh5+ Kg8 39. Qe2 Rdf8 40. Qc2 Rxf2+ 41. Qxf2 Rxf2+ 42. Kxf2 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "Karlsruhe"] [Date "2017.04.21"] [Round "6"] [White "Aronian, Levon"] [Black "Hou, Yifan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2774"] [BlackElo "2649"] [Annotator "Krikor Mekhitarian"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 {One of the many possible moves in this position. It has a solid reputation and was used repeatedly last year by Vishy Anand.} 5. Qc2 {White may play almost any move here, like Bf4, Bg5, cxd5, e3, g3. Levon chooses a flexible Qc2, keeping all the possible developments available.} ({For example} 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 (6. Bf4 $5 {also possible}) 6... c6 7. e3 Be7 {transposes to a standard QGD} 8. Qc2 Nh5 {this idea, forcing the exchange of the bishops, and preparing a further O-O-O for Black (after Nb6), has acquired a good reputation. It's playable in many similar positions} (8... O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. h3 Nf8 11. g4 $5 a5 12. O-O-O $40 {1-0 (41) Yu,Y (2738) -Wang,Y (2718) China 2016}) 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. O-O-O Nb6 11. Kb1 g6 12. Bd3 Be6 { is the classical setup} (12... Bg4 $5 {Ivanchuk proves in every game why he's known as one of the most creative players in the world} 13. Rc1 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Qh4 15. Ka1 f5 16. Rhg1 Nf6 17. f4 Kf7 18. Rg2 Rae8 $13 {0-1 (40) Buhmann,R (2633)-Ivanchuk,V (2722) Germany 2016}) 13. h3 O-O-O 14. Na4 Ng7 15. Rc1 Kb8 $13 {with a balanced position: 1/2-1/2 (78) Tomashevsky,E (2722)-Inarkiev,E (2686) Sochi 2016}) 5... dxc4 $5 (5... c6 {was more solid, inviting White once again to take on d5 and enter typical QGD positions}) 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 a6 $146 (7... cxd4 {until now they were following a recent Giri - Anand game from Tal Memorial, in last October. White managed to keep a very small advantage in that game, but it wasn't enough for much:} 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Nb3 Bb6 10. O-O (10. Bf4 $5 O-O 11. Rd1 {was another way to try something}) 10... O-O 11. Be2 Qc7 12. Bg5 Ne5 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Rac1 Rd8 15. Na4 Qxc2 16. Rxc2 Bd7 17. Nxb6 axb6 18. Rd1 Kf8 19. a3 {=/+/=, ½-½ (52) Giri,A (2755) -Anand,V (2776) Moscow 2016 }) 8. d5 $1 Nb6 9. Be2 exd5 10. e5 $1 {a very energetic way to try to punish Black's 7...a6} Ne4 (10... Ng8 $5 {mentioned in the post-mortem, was the critical move. It is very counterintuitive, but Black tries to keep his pawn up, hold his center and doesn't concede an advantage to White right away (as in the game, after 10...Ne4)} 11. a4 $1 Be6 (11... a5 $2 12. Nb5 $1 $16 { and Black has trouble developing his knight to e7 (because of Nd6+)}) 12. Ng5 ( 12. a5 Nd7 13. O-O Ne7 $13) 12... Ne7 13. O-O Nc6 $13 {White's position is attractive, but the outcome remains unclear, Nd4 is coming}) 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Qxe4 $14 Qd5 (12... Be7 {standard development for Black is not enough anymore, White has real pressure on the king-side} 13. O-O O-O $2 14. Rd1 Qc7 15. Ng5 Bxg5 16. Bxg5 $16 {it will be hard to defend against Bd3 (forcing g6, to weaken the dark squares)}) 13. Qf4 Be7 14. O-O O-O 15. Rd1 Qe6 16. Ng5 Qf5 17. Bf3 $5 {the bishop stands well in this diagonal when Black has already moved the pawn to c5} (17. Ne4 $5 {was another option} Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Be6 19. Be3 $16 {followed by Rac1}) 17... Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Nc4 $1 {Hou finds a good way to defend actively - she will give away the bishop pair to win a pawn} 19. b3 Bxg5 20. Bxg5 Nxe5 21. Be4 $44 Re8 22. f3 h6 23. Bh4 c4 24. bxc4 $6 (24. Bg3 $1 { threatening Bxe5 and Rd8 with mate} Nd3 25. bxc4 Nc5 26. Bd5 Be6 {White keeps the advantage, but Black develops all his pieces at least} 27. Rab1 $14) 24... Nxc4 25. Rac1 Be6 $6 (25... Ne3 $1 {as mentioned by Aronian in the post-mortem, was a great chance for Black} 26. Rd2 (26. Re1 Nf5 27. Rxc8 {is not something Black should be scared of:} (27. Bf2 Nd6 $1 $15 {Black solves the b7 problem and could even claim an advantage after Be6 or Bf5}) 27... Raxc8 28. Bxf5 Rxe1+ 29. Bxe1 Rc1 30. Kf1 Ra1 31. Be4 {threatening Bd5 to hold the a2 pawn} Rxa2 32. Bxb7 a5 $11 {which should be a draw}) 26... f5 $1 {followed by Be6}) 26. Bxb7 Ra7 27. Be4 $16 {with the bishop pair in this open position, White guarantees a big advantage. Black also has a problem on where to place his knight} a5 28. Rd4 Ne5 29. Bg3 f6 30. a3 {threatening moves like Rc5} Rd7 $2 {makes it easier for White, but the position was very unpleasant already} (30... Bf7 31. Rc5 $16 {and most likely the a5-pawn will fall}) 31. Bxe5 $1 {This is one of the advantages of having the bishop pair - normally you can choose the right time to give the pair away in exchange for some other strategical advantage (in this case, the creation of a serious weakness on e5)} fxe5 32. Rxd7 Bxd7 33. Rc7 Bb5 34. Rc5 Rb8 35. Rxe5 $18 {this should be hopeless, because Black's a-pawn is also problematic} a4 36. h4 Kf7 37. Rc5 Be8 38. Bc2 Rb2 {in time trouble, Hou loses a4, but it doesn't make much of a difference} (38... Ra8 { is needed to defend the pawn, but it is too passive, and after slowly improving his king, White should easily win the endgame.}) 39. Rc4 Ra2 40. Bxa4 Ra1+ 41. Kh2 Bxa4 42. Rxa4 {another great win by Levon Aronian, that guarantees the title of the Grenke Chess Classic 2017, since he goes into the last round 1.5 points ahead of the 2nd place! He has scored two draws followed by an amazing sequence of four wins to reach 1st!} 1-0 [Event "4th GRENKE Chess Classic 2017"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "2017.04.22"] [Round "7"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Elshan Moradiabadi "] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nc6 { [%emt 0:00:05]} 3. Bc4 {0 Not surprised at all! It is no fun playing against the Berlin!} Bc5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 4. d3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 5. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:06]} 6. a4 $5 {10 A line that is becoming fashionable thanks to Anand. In general Aronian plays actively against the Italian, setting up an immediate castle, and preparing d5. Had he gone for a6, planning Ba7, instead of a5, he would have ended up in one of those 'timid' positions, though the line is losing popularity in light of recent theoretical developments.} a5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} (6... a6 {leads to the main lines but Aronian is not interested in a mainline theoretical battle today!} 7. c3 d6 8. Nbd2 (8. h3 h6 9. Re1 Ba7 10. Na3 (10. Nbd2)) (8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 {with complicated play.}) 8... Ba7 9. Re1 Ng4 10. Re2 Kh8 11. h3 Nh6 (11... f5 $5) 12. Nf1) 7. Bg5 $146 {7 A novelty according to the Online Database!} h6 {[%emt 0:00:31]} 8. Bh4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Be7 $1 {6 I like this manuever! Black loses a tempo but unpins his knight and plans to exchange his then to be bad bishop soon!} 9. Bg3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 10. h3 {4 Nh5 was a threat.} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:50]} 11. Nc3 {1190} Nb6 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 12. Bb3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Kh8 $5 {51 Aronian opts for f5. This set-up is risky. I am sure he would not have played like this if he hadn't already won the tournament.} 13. d4 {93 A natural reaction.} Nxd4 {189} 14. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00: 18]} exd4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 15. Qxd4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Bf6 {587} 16. e5 $1 { 2067 The best reaction!} (16. Qe3 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. b3 (18. e5 $2 {runs into} Nc4) 18... Nd7 {should be ok for Black.}) 16... dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:49]} ( 16... Bxe5 $2 17. Bxe5 dxe5 18. Qxe5 {is extremely dangerous. White is way ahead in development and Black's pieces are awkwardly placed!}) 17. Qxd8 { [%emt 0:00:05]} Rxd8 {125} 18. Rfe1 {235} (18. Bxf7 Bf5 19. Bb3 c5 {is not advantageous for White at all!}) 18... Be6 {628} 19. Bxe6 {680} fxe6 {[%emt 0: 00:10]} 20. Ne4 {[%emt 0:00:33]} (20. Bxe5 Bxe5 21. Rxe5 Rd2 22. Rc1 Nc4 23. Rc5 Nxb2 24. Rxc7 Rb8 25. Ne4 Rd4 26. Ng3 (26. Nc5 Rc4 27. Rxb7 Rxb7 28. Nxb7 Rxa4 29. Kf1 Kg8 {and this endgame should be a draw.}) 26... Nxa4 27. Re1 Nb6 28. Rxe6 Nd5 29. Rd7 Rd1+ 30. Kh2 Ne3 31. Rf7 Nf1+ 32. Nxf1 Rxf1 33. Ree7 a4 $1 34. Rxg7 a3 {and White does not have more than a perpetual.}) 20... Kg8 {217} 21. Nc5 {443} Rd5 {139 Ok, draw?} 22. Nxe6 $2 {776 isn't this knight going to feel uncomfortable?} Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 23. b3 $4 {4 And trapped?} c5 $1 { 142 Black wants to win the knight with either Kf7, Rd6 or Rc6!} 24. c4 {360} Rd6 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 25. Nxg7 {3 The best practical chance!} Kxg7 {[%emt 0:00: 56]} 26. Bxe5 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Rd3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 27. Bxf6+ {287} Kxf6 { 5 Black is a piece up! In an endgame!} 28. Re4 $1 {3 Fabiano does not defend the pawn on b3. He realizes that his only chance is to create some play and pray for a blunder from Levon's side.} Rc7 {239} 29. Rae1 {155} Rxb3 {[%emt 0: 00:11]} 30. Rf4+ {106} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 31. Re6 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Nxa4 { 21 Suddenly, the two extra pawns are gone! The problem now is that the rook and knight are a bit distant from the king.} 32. Rg4+ {[%emt 0:00:51]} Kf8 {282 } (32... Kh7 {would have been my choice probably. White needs to spend some tempi winning the h6 pawn.} 33. Rgg6 Nc3 34. Rxh6+ Kg8 35. Reg6+ Rg7 36. Rd6 Re7 (36... a4 $4 37. Rd8+ Kf7 38. Rd7+ Kg8 39. Rd8+ $11) 37. Rd8+ Kg7 38. Rhh8 a4 39. h4 a3 40. h5 a2 41. h6+ Kf6 {This is winning but it is impossible to check every possible line to this point. I just love it when the rooks control a rank in vain, and for that reason alone I would have opted for this line!}) 33. Rxh6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Rf7 {[%emt 0:00:19]} (33... Rg7 34. Rh8+ Kf7 35. Rf4+ Ke7 36. h4 Nc3 37. Kh2 a4 38. h5 a3 39. h6 Rg6) 34. Rh8+ {155} Ke7 {89} 35. h4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nc3 {100} 36. h5 a4 {347} 37. h6 {238} a3 {121} 38. h7 { [%emt 0:00:06]} a2 {147} 39. Re8+ {[%emt 0:00:31]} Kxe8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 40. h8=Q+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 41. Kh2 {476} a1=Q {[%emt 0:00:10]} 42. Rg8 {1048 Aronian might have given up too much counter-play but Black is winning anyways! [#]} Qa5 $4 {2970 After 50 minutes of thinking Aronian plays this unfortunate move to let go of the win! It was not easy to see the win especially when it involves giving up your queen!} (42... Qe1 $1 43. Qh3+ Qe6 44. Rd8+ Kxd8 45. Qxe6 Rh7+ 46. Kg3 Nd5+ 47. f3 Rg7+ 48. Kh4 Ne7 {And Komodo claims a win on depth 40!} 49. Kh3 (49. Qd6+ Ke8 50. Qxc5 Rxg2) 49... Rg6 50. Qe5 Rh6+ 51. Kg3 b6 {And material advantage is enough to win!}) 43. Qh3+ $1 { 78 Now it is Black who needs to play accurately to ensure the draw!} Kc7 {113} 44. Qg3+ {100} Kd7 {120} 45. Qd3+ {159} Ke7 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 46. Qe3+ {[%emt 0: 00:06]} Kd6 {65} 47. Rg6+ {455} Kc7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 48. Qe5+ {63} Kc8 { [%emt 0:00:19]} 49. Rg8+ {173} Qd8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 50. Qxc5+ {71} Rc7 {71} 51. Rxd8+ {130} Kxd8 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 52. Qf8+ {[%emt 0:00:09]} Kd7 {[%emt 0:00:05] } 53. g4 {179 This is very different than what we saw in the analysis of move 42.} Rb2 {1047} 54. Qf3 {275} Ke8 $1 {125 Well played by Aronian, and ensures the draw.} 55. Qxc3 {73} Rxf2+ {[%emt 0:00:08]} 56. Kg3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rff7 { 15 This position is a fortress!} 57. g5 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Rg7 {[%emt 0:00:58]} 58. Kg4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Kf8 {120} 59. Qf6+ {159} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 60. g6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Rxg6+ {[%emt 0:00:24]} 61. Qxg6+ {146 An exciting draw!} (61. Qxg6+ Rg7 62. Kg5 Rxg6+ 63. Kxg6 Kf8 64. Kf6 Ke8 65. Ke6 Kd8 66. Kd6 Kc8 $11) 1/2-1/2 [Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"] [Site "?"] [Date "2017.04.22"] [Round "7.2"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Aronian, Levon"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C50"] [WhiteElo "2817"] [BlackElo "2774"] [Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] [WhiteClock "0:17:36"] [BlackClock "0:51:17"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. a4 {The modern theory of the Giuoco Pianissimo is full of Aronian's games. Check this one for instance:} (6. h3 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Re1 Be6 9. c3 Bb6 10. Bb3 f6 11. d4 Bf7 { played not long time ago, Karjakin,S (2785)-Aronian,L (2780) Wijk aan Zee 2017} ) 6... a5 7. Bg5 $146 {Nevertheless, it is Caruana who makes a novelty first.} ({One of the eight predecessors saw:} 7. c3 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Nbd2 Nb6 10. Bb5 Bd6 {quite a recent game too, Nepomniachtchi,I (2767)-Aronian,L (2785) Doha 2016}) 7... h6 8. Bh4 Be7 $1 {This is the reason why Bc1-g5 is not as effective as White wishes it to be. The pin is broken and the bishop has very little to do on the h4-d8 diagonal.} 9. Bg3 d6 10. h3 Nd7 11. Nc3 Nb6 12. Bb3 Kh8 13. d4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Qxd4 Bf6 {An equalizer.} ({Both players spent some time analyzing the consequences of the logical advance:} 15... f5 { Aronian disliked that in the line} 16. e5 ({While Caruana thought that he is OK after} 16. Qe3 fxe4 17. Qxe4 c6 18. Rfe1) 16... c5 (16... d5 17. Nxd5 f4 18. Bh2 ({Black actually missed in preliminary calculations the tricky} 18. Nxe7 Qxd4 19. Ng6+ Kh7 20. Nxf8+ {with big advantage for White.})) 17. Qd2 dxe5 ( 17... c4 18. exd6) 18. Qxd8 Bxd8 19. Bxe5 c4 20. Ba2 {White has just one bad piece which he can easily free with b2-b3.}) 16. e5 ({After} 16. Qd3 {both} Be6 {(Aronian)} ({and} 16... Nd7 {(Caruana) are playable.})) 16... dxe5 17. Qxd8 Rxd8 18. Rfe1 Be6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Ne4 {Now Caruana rejected the obvious:} ( 20. Bxe5 Bxe5 21. Rxe5 Rd2 {since it will be a draw and decided that he can keep on pressing.}) 20... Kg8 {Aronian was unimpressed and thought he is simply up a pawn.} 21. Nc5 Rd5 22. Nxe6 {"This came as a pleasant surprise" (Aronian). "Just horrible." (Caruana)} ({As usual the objective truth is somewhere in the middle. After} 22. Nd3 Nd7 23. f3 Rd8 24. Bf2 {the posiiton is balanced. White has compensation for a pawn thanks to the pressure on the half-open e-file and the more active pieces. Do not tell this to Levon, he is still frustrated though...}) 22... Rc8 23. b3 c5 {The knight is trapped on e6. "Next time I should try not to blunder my pieces that early." (Caruana)} 24. c4 Rd6 25. Nxg7 Kxg7 {Black is simply up a piece. But the sixth part of "Die Hard" was on the German cinemas today. Fabiano Caruana had to replace Bruce Willis for it.} 26. Bxe5 Rd3 (26... Re6 {"You have to play professionally instead of like an excited puppy!" (Aronian). The trade of the rook pair would have made things simplier for Black.} 27. Bxf6+ Kxf6 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6) 27. Bxf6+ Kxf6 28. Re4 Rc7 {Aronian should have been aware. After all he was the one who praised Caruana's resourcefulness yesterday!} (28... Rcd8 {"simply wins as you trade rooks." (Caruana)}) ({So does} 28... Rxb3 29. Rae1 Rc6) 29. Rae1 { Now Caruana finds some clever tricks to stay in he game.} Rxb3 30. Rf4+ Kg7 31. Re6 Nxa4 32. Rg4+ Kf8 {Avoids the possible skewers along the seventh rank, or the ideas of perpetual after:} (32... Kh7 33. Rh4 Kg7 34. Rhxh6 {although Black can win here as well after say} Nc3 35. Rhg6+ Kf8 36. Rgf6+ Rf7) 33. Rxh6 Rf7 34. Rh8+ Ke7 35. h4 {"And I thought this was like a desperate try." (Aronian) "Yeah, it was." (Caruana)} Nc3 36. h5 a4 37. h6 a3 38. h7 a2 { Now comes:} (38... Rxh7 39. Rxh7+ Kf6 {"I was in time trouble and could not see any defense," said the American GM. Actually, White has} 40. Rh6+ Kf5 ( 40... Kf7 41. Rf4+ Kg7 42. Rff6 {with perpetual on g6 and h6.}) 41. Rg8 a2 42. Ra8 Rb1+ 43. Kh2 a1=Q 44. Rxa1 Rxa1 45. Rh5+ {and it is not a win yet!}) 39. Re8+ $3 Kxe8 40. h8=Q+ Kd7 41. Kh2 a1=Q 42. Rg8 {Black won also a rook. But his practical problems rose and after 50 minutes of thought Aronian could not find the win.} Qa5 (42... Qe1 $1 {was winning. There was a mutual case of blindness as they both thought that} 43. Rd8+ {would be a draw but the queen on e1 is in fact playing an important defensive role in the line} ({The most stubborn defense objectively is} 43. Qh3+ Qe6 44. Rd8+ Kxd8 45. Qxe6 Rh7+ 46. Kg3 Nd5+ 47. f3 Rg7+ 48. Kh4 Ne7 {but in comparison to the game the difference is huge as the white king is in danger. Black should wn after some technical hard work.}) 43... Kc7 44. Rc8+ Kd6 45. Qd8+ (45. Rd8+ Rd7) 45... Rd7 46. Qf6+ Qe6 $1) ({They both saw as well that} 42... Ne2 {is perpetual. Say} 43. Rd8+ Kc7 44. Rc8+ Kd7 (44... Kb6 45. Qd8+ Rc7 $8 (45... Ka6 46. Ra8#) 46. Qxc7+ Ka7 47. Qb8+ $11) 45. Qe8+ (45. Rd8+ $11) 45... Kd6 46. Rd8+ Kc7 47. Rc8+ Kb6 48. Qd8+ Rc7 49. Qxc7+ Ka7 50. Qb8+ Kb6 51. Qc7+ $11) 43. Qh3+ Kc7 44. Qg3+ { Missed by Aronian. He loses his queen by force. Good that he had won the tournament already, otherwise I cannot even imagine what his frustration would have been. "I got actually lucky that I am not checkmated..." (Aronian)} (44. Rc8+ {"Even"} Kb6 45. Qe6+ Ka7 46. Qxf7 Na4 47. Qf8 {"is not a win for Back" (Aronian)}) 44... Kd7 45. Qd3+ Ke7 46. Qe3+ Kd6 ({Surely not} 46... Kd7 $4 47. Qe8+ Kd6 48. Qxf7 {when Black is getting checkmated.}) 47. Rg6+ Kc7 48. Qe5+ Kc8 (48... Kd8 $4 49. Qd6+ Kc8 50. Rg8+ {is mate as well.}) 49. Rg8+ Qd8 50. Qxc5+ Rc7 51. Rxd8+ Kxd8 52. Qf8+ Kd7 53. g4 Rb2 54. Qf3 ({The both agreed that White could have even tried to play for a win after} 54. Kh3 Nd1 55. f4 { although this seems like an exaggeration.} Nf2+ 56. Kh4 Re2 57. Qf7+ Kd8 58. Qd5+ Rd7 {Black is well co-ordinated and should not lose.}) 54... Ke8 55. Qxc3 Rxf2+ 56. Kg3 Rff7 {And it will ended peacefully.} 57. g5 Rg7 58. Kg4 Kf8 59. Qf6+ Kg8 60. g6 Rxg6+ 61. Qxg6+ {They agreed to a draw due to the line:} (61. Qxg6+ Rg7 62. Qxg7+ Kxg7 63. Kf5 Kf7 64. Ke5 Ke7 65. Kd5 Kd7 66. Kc5 Kc7) 1/2-1/2