Blindfold
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Round 10 (March 30, 2005)
Anand, Viswanathan - Svidler, Peter 1/2 20 B41 Sicilian Paulsen
Ivanchuk, Vassily - Morozevich, Alexander 1-0 36 C13 French Classical
Kramnik, Vladimir - Gelfand, Boris 1/2 26 D12 Slav Defence
Vallejo Pons, Francisco - Leko, Peter 0-1 41 C48 Four Knights Rubinstein
Topalov, Veselin - Van Wely, Loek 1-0 53 A30 English Symmetrical
Shirov, Alexei - Bareev, Evgeny 1/2 42 A90 Dutch Classical
Amber Blindfold Monte Carlo MNC (MNC), 19-31 iii 2005 cat. XX (2726)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
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1 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2786 * = = = 1 = 1 . 1 1 1 = 7.5 2916
2 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2711 = * = = 0 1 1 = = 1 0 . 5.5 2765
3 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2735 = = * 1 = = 0 1 . = 0 1 5.5 2758
4 Leko, Peter g HUN 2749 = = 0 * = 1 1 = 0 . = 1 5.5 2761
5 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2754 0 1 = = * 0 0 = 1 1 . 1 5.5 2764
6 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2741 = 0 = 0 1 * . = 0 1 1 1 5.5 2764
7 Vallejo Pons, Francisco g ESP 2686 0 0 1 0 1 . * = 1 0 1 1 5.5 2764
8 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2696 . = 0 = = = = * = = 1 = 5.0 2723
9 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2757 0 = . 1 0 1 0 = * = 1 = 5.0 2722
10 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2713 0 0 = . 0 0 1 = = * 1 = 4.0 2653
11 Van Wely, Loek g NED 2679 0 1 1 = . 0 0 0 0 0 * = 3.0 2579
12 Bareev, Evgeny g RUS 2709 = . 0 0 0 0 0 = = = = * 2.5 2536
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Rapid
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Round 10 (March 30, 2005)
Morozevich, Alexander - Ivanchuk, Vassily 1-0 44 A36 English Botvinnik
Leko, Peter - Vallejo Pons, Francisco 1/2 67 B90 Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Svidler, Peter - Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 22 C10 French Rubinstein
Bareev, Evgeny - Shirov, Alexei 1/2 38 D23 QGA
Gelfand, Boris - Kramnik, Vladimir 0-1 44 E21 Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
Van Wely, Loek - Topalov, Veselin 1/2 29 D39 QGD Ragozin
Amber Rapid Monte Carlo MNC (MNC), 19-31 iii 2005 cat. XX (2726)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2
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1 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2786 * = 1 = 1 1 = 0 . 1 1 = 7.0 2872
2 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2741 = * = 1 1 = 0 1 0 1 . = 6.0 2800
3 Leko, Peter g HUN 2749 0 = * = 1 . = 1 = 1 = = 6.0 2797
4 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2735 = 0 = * 0 = 1 = 1 . = 1 5.5 2758
5 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2711 0 0 0 1 * = 1 . = 1 = 1 5.5 2765
6 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2713 0 = . = = * = = 1 0 1 1 5.5 2761
7 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2754 = 1 = 0 0 = * = 1 = = . 5.0 2728
8 Bareev, Evgeny g RUS 2709 1 0 0 = . = = * = 0 = 1 4.5 2693
9 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2696 . 1 = 0 = 0 0 = * = = = 4.0 2651
10 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2757 0 0 0 . 0 1 = 1 = * = = 4.0 2650
11 Vallejo Pons, Francisco g ESP 2686 0 . = = = 0 = = = = * 0 3.5 2618
12 Van Wely, Loek g NED 2679 = = = 0 0 0 . 0 = = 1 * 3.5 2618
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Combined
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Amber Combined Monte Carlo MNC (MNC), 19-31 iii 2005 cat. XX (2726)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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1 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2786 ** == =1 =1 == 1= 11 .. 11 11 =0 1= 14.5 2898
2 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2741 == ** 0= 01 =1 10 1= =0 .. 01 11 1= 11.5 2778
3 Leko, Peter g HUN 2749 =0 1= ** =1 0= == .. == 1= 01 11 == 11.5 2775
4 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2711 =0 10 =0 ** =1 01 1= == 1= =1 .. 01 11.0 2765
5 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2735 == =0 1= =0 ** =1 == 11 0= .. 1= 01 11.0 2758
6 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2754 0= 01 == 10 =0 ** 1= =1 0= 1= 1= .. 10.5 2749
7 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2713 00 0= .. 0= == 0= ** =1 11 =0 == 11 9.5 2711
8 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2696 .. =1 == == 00 =0 =0 ** == == == 1= 9.0 2687
9 Vallejo Pons, Francisco g ESP 2686 00 .. 0= 0= 1= 1= 00 == ** 1= 1= 10 9.0 2692
10 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2757 00 10 10 =0 .. 0= =1 == 0= ** =1 1= 9.0 2686
11 Bareev, Evgeny g RUS 2709 =1 00 00 .. 0= 0= == == 0= =0 ** =1 7.0 2619
12 Van Wely, Loek g NED 2679 0= 0= == 10 10 .. 00 0= 01 0= =0 ** 6.5 2603
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Anand wins the blindfold and event over all, he's a point clear in the rapid. Photo © Official site.
Round 10 30th March 2005
Anand drew both of his games against Peter Svidler in the penultimate round to guarantee winning the tournament over all and also the blindfold event. He is a point clear in the rapid so only a loss in the final round could cost him.
Blindfold first three round 10 games
Ivanchuk beat Morozevich in an interesting struggle in a French. Black ended up in trouble and although white let him slightly back into the struggle it wasn't enough to save the game. Vallejo drifted into a bad position against Leko and couldn't save the game. Shirov and Bareev drew an interesting Dutch Defence.
Alexander Morozevich at the start of his blindfold game. Photo © Official site.
Ivanchuk,V - Morozevich,A [C13]
Amber Blindfold Monaco (10), 30.03.2005
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Qd2 b6 9.Bb5 Bb7 10.Nxf6+ gxf6 11.Qc3 c6 [11...0-0 12.Bc6 Bxc6 13.Qxc6 f5 14.0-0-0 Nf6 15.Rhe1 Qd6 16.Ne5 Ng4 17.Qf3 Nxe5 18.Rxe5 Kh8 19.g4 f6 20.Re3 fxg4 21.Qxg4 Rae8 22.Rde1 Rg8 23.Qh4 Rg6 24.Rg3 Reg8 25.Reg1 Kg7 26.Kb1 Qd5 27.Qf4 Rc8 28.Re1 Kf7 29.Rge3 c6 30.Qh4 Kg8 31.Rg3 Qf5 32.a3 Rd8 33.Ree3 c5 34.Rxg6+ hxg6 35.Rh3 Qh5 36.Qxf6 Qxh3 37.Qxd8+ Kg7 38.Qc7+ Kh6 39.Qf4+ g5 40.Qf6+ Kh7 41.Qxg5 Qf1+ 42.Qc1 Qxf2 43.dxc5 bxc5 44.Qd1 Kh6 45.Qg4 Qe1+ 46.Ka2 e5 47.Kb3 e4 48.h4 Qe3+ 49.c3 Qd3 50.Qg5+ Kh7 51.Qf5+ Kg7 52.h5 c4+ 53.Kb4 e3 54.Qg5+ Kf7 55.Qf4+ Ke6 56.Qg4+ Kf7 57.Qf4+ Ke6 58.Qg4+ Kf7 59.h6 e2 60.Qg7+ Ke6 61.Qg8+ Ke7 62.Qg7+ Ke6 63.Qg4+ Kf7 64.Qh5+ Kg8 65.Qe5 Qg6 66.Kxc4 Kh7 67.b4 Qg2 68.Kd3 e1Q 69.Qxe1 Qd5+ 70.Kc2 Qa2+ 71.Kc1 Qa1+ 72.Kd2 Qa2+ 73.Ke3 Qe6+ 74.Kf2 Qf5+ 75.Kg1 Qg4+ 76.Kh2 Qh5+ 77.Kg2 Qd5+ 78.Kg1 Qg5+ 79.Kf1 Qf5+ 80.Qf2 Qb1+ 81.Kg2 Qe4+ 82.Qf3 Qg6+ 83.Kf2 Qc2+ 84.Kg3 Qg6+ 85.Qg4 Qd3+ 86.Qf3 Qg6+ 87.Kh4 Kxh6 88.Qe3+ Kh7 89.Qxa7+ Kh6 90.Qe3+ Kh7 91.Qf3 Qc2 92.Kg3 1-0 Fressinet,L-Hamdouchi,H/Wijk aan Zee NED 2004/The Week in Chess 479; 11...Qe7; 11...Rg8] 12.Bxc6 Rc8 13.d5 0-0 14.Nd4 Kh8 15.Qd2 Ba6 16.0-0-0 Ne5 17.Qh6 Rg8 18.dxe6 Nd3+ [18...Rg6] 19.cxd3 Qxd4 20.exf7 Rg7 21.Kb1 Rxf7 22.Rhe1 Bxd3+ 23.Ka1 Qxf2 24.Bf3 Bg6 25.h4 Qg3 26.a3 Bc2 27.Rc1 Qg6 28.Qf4 Rfc7 29.Re6 Bb3? [29...Rc4 30.Re8+ Rxe8 31.Qxc4 Bf5 Looks a better idea.] 30.Rxc7 Bxe6
31.Rxa7? [31.Be4 is winning 31...f5 32.Qe5+ Kg8 33.h5 Qh6 34.Rxc8+ Bxc8 35.Qe8+ Kg7 36.Qe7+ Kh8 37.Bd5] 31...Rc4 32.Ra8+ Kg7 33.Ra7+ Kh8 34.Qe3?! Black is almost back level. [34.Qd2] 34...Qf5? [34...Bg8] 35.Qh6 Qg6 36.Ra8+ 1-0
Peter Leko during his game against Vallejo. Photo © Official site.
Vallejo Pons,F - Leko,P [C48]
Amber Blindfold Monaco (10), 30.03.2005
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Bc5 6.Nxe5 0-0 7.Nd3 Bb6 8.e5 Ne8 9.Nd5 c6 10.Ne3 d5 11.c3 Nf5 12.0-0 f6 13.Bb3 [13.Bc2 Bc7 14.f4 Nxe3 15.dxe3 Bf5 16.b3 Qe7 17.Qe2 Be4 18.Bb2 fxe5 19.fxe5 Rxf1+ 20.Rxf1 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qf2 Nf6 23.Bxe4 Qxe4 24.c4 Rf8 25.Qg3 Ne8 26.Rc1 dxc4 27.bxc4 Rf7 28.h3 h6 29.Kh2 Kh7 30.c5 Nc7 31.Rf1 1/2-1/2 Motylev,A-Shomoev,A/Togliatti RUS 2003/The Week in Chess] 13...Kh8 14.Qh5 Nh6 15.Ne1 fxe5 16.Qxe5 d4 17.Nc4 Ng4 18.Qh5?! White's position starts to go downhill from here. [18.Qe2] 18...g6! 19.Qh3 Bc5 20.Qg3 Nef6 21.Qh4 b5! 22.Ne3
Black is already winning. [22.cxd4 bxc4 23.dxc5 cxb3 24.d3; 22.Na3 dxc3 23.bxc3 g5 24.Qxg5 Qd6 25.Nf3 Bxa3] 22...dxe3 23.dxe3 Be7 24.f4 Nh5 25.Qh3 Nhf6?! White gets back into the game a little. [25...Bc5] 26.Qf3 Bf5 27.Qxc6 a6 28.h3 Nh6 29.Qf3 Be4 30.Qf2 Bb7 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qe1 Nf5 33.Nd4 Bh4 34.Qd1 Qb6 35.Bd2 Rae8 36.Qc2? [36.Bc1] 36...Nxd2 37.Qxd2 Nxe3 38.f5 Nxf1 39.Rxf1 Rxf5 40.Rxf5 gxf5 41.Qh6 Qxh6 0-1
Blindfold second three round 10 games
Topalov defeated Van Wely on the white side of an English. He entered a Rook and Pawn ending a pawn up and won the ending easily. Anand played a Maroczy Bind against Svidler and agreed a draw in a slightly better position after 20 moves. Vladimir Kramnik against Boris Gelfand was a Slav which ended in a draw after 25 moves.
Veselin Topalov. Photo © Official site.
Topalov,V - Van Wely,L [A30]
Amber Blindfold Monaco (10), 30.03.2005
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 g6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Bg7 8.Nc3 d6 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Be3 Rc8 11.Rac1 0-0 12.Qh4 a6 13.b3 Rc7 14.Bh3 Qb8 15.Bh6 Bxh6 [15...Bxf3 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.exf3 Ne5 18.Bg2 b5 19.cxb5 axb5 20.Qb4 Rfc8 21.f4 Ned7 22.Ne2 Rc2 23.Rxc2 Rxc2 24.Rd2 Rc5 25.Bf3 Qb6 26.a3 Nb8 27.Qd4 Qc7 28.Qb2 b4 29.axb4 Rb5 30.Nc3 Rxb4 31.Nd5 Qa5 32.Re2 Rb5 33.b4 Qd8 34.Nxe7 d5 35.Re5 Nbd7 36.Rxd5 Rb6 37.Rxd7 Qxd7 38.Nd5 Qd8 39.Nxb6 Qxb6 40.b5 Kg8 41.Bc6 1-0 Topalov,V-Psakhis,L/Las Vegas USA 1999] 16.Qxh6 Bxf3 17.exf3 b5 18.Bxd7 Rxd7 19.Rd4 e6 20.Rf4 Nh5 21.Rh4 d5 22.cxd5 exd5 23.Ne2 Rc8 24.Rd1 Qe5 25.Nd4 Rdc7 26.Kg2 Rc3 27.Qd2 b4 28.Re1 Qf6 29.Qh6 Qg7 30.Qg5 Qf6 31.Rxh5 Qxd4 32.Rh4 Qg7 33.Qxd5 Qf8 34.Re2 Rc2 35.Rhe4 Rxe2 36.Rxe2 Qc5 37.Re5 Qxd5 38.Rxd5 f5
Black is a pawn down but surely should have stronger drawing chances than he manages. 39.g4 f4 40.h4 h6 [40...Rc2 41.Ra5 Rc6] 41.Rd6 Kg7 42.Rxa6 g5 43.Ra7+ Kf6 44.h5 Rc6 45.Rb7 Ra6 Its all over. 46.Rxb4 Rxa2 47.Rb7 Ra6 48.Rh7 Ke5 49.Rg7 Rb6 50.Rg6 Rxb3 51.Rxh6 Rb5 52.Rg6 Kd4 53.h6 1-0
Rapid first three round 10 games
Morozevich got revenge for his loss in the blindfold game by beating Ivanchuk in an English. Ivanchuk seemed to be doing very well but Morozevich also had dangerous counter play. A couple of inaccuracies left Morozevich with a winning position. Bareev - Shirov was a sideline of the Slav. The game was balanced throughout and agreed drawn on move 38. Leko against Vallejo was a sharp dynamic Sicilian. Vallejo ended up with a significant advantage but couldn't make it count.
Vassily Ivanchuk. Photo © Official site.
Morozevich,A - Ivanchuk,V [A36]
Amber Rapid Monaco (10), 30.03.2005
1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.b3 Nf6 6.Bb2 0-0 7.d3 e6 8.Bxc6 dxc6 [8...bxc6 9.f4 e5 10.fxe5 Ng4 11.Nf3 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Qd2 d5 14.Na4 Bxb2 15.Qxb2 Bg4 16.0-0 dxc4 17.Rf4 f5 18.Rxc4 Qe7 19.Qd2 Qxe2 20.Qxe2 Bxe2 21.Nxc5 Rfd8 22.Rc3 Bf3 23.Kf2 Bd5 24.Re1 Re8 25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Na6 Kf7 27.Nb4 Re6 28.Rc5 Bh1 29.Rc1 Bd5 30.Rc5 Bh1 31.Ra5 Re7 32.Rc5 Re6 1/2-1/2 Markowski,T-Cyborowski,L/Warsaw POL 2001/The Week in Chess 333] 9.Qd2 e5 10.f3 Nh5 11.0-0-0 a5 12.Kb1 Rb8 13.Qe3 b6 14.Qf2 Rb7 15.e3 f5 16.f4 Rd7 17.Kc2 Nf6 18.Nf3 Ng4 19.Qg1 exf4 20.gxf4 Re8 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 Bxe5 23.h4 Qf6 24.Na4 Bxb2 25.Nxb2 Rde7 26.Re1 f4 27.e4 Re5 28.Rf1 Rh5 29.Na4 Rxh4 30.Rxh4 Qxh4 31.Nxb6 Bh3 32.Rf2 Qg3 33.Qe1 Rd8 Black seems to have a significant advantage but white has some counter play. 34.Na4 Qxd3+ 35.Kb2 Qg3 36.Ka3 Rd4 37.e5
37...Bf5 [37...Be6 38.Nxc5 Bxc4 39.e6 Qg5 40.Qxa5 Bxe6 41.Qa8+ Rd8 42.Qxc6 Bd5] 38.Nxc5 Rxc4 39.Qd2 Rxc5? [39...Kg7] 40.Qd8+ Kf7 41.Qf6+ Kg8 42.e6 h5 43.Qf7+ Kh8 44.e7 1-0
Rapid second three round 10 games
Van Wely against Topalov was a Queen's Gambit Ragozin Defence which saw pieces traded and a draw agreed in 29 moves. Svidler - Anand was also drawn after extensive piece trades. Boris Gelfand drifted into a lost end game against Vladimir Kramnik which he duly converted.
Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © Official site.
Gelfand,B - Kramnik,V [E12]
Amber Rapid Monaco (10), 30.03.2005
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.d4 e6 5.g3 Bb4 6.Bd2 0-0 7.Bg2 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0-0 Nc6 [9...d5 10.Ne5 Bd4 11.Nd3 Bc6 12.Nb4 Bb7 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Ncxd5 exd5 15.Bc1 Bc5 16.Bxd5 Bxd5 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Nxd5 Nc6 19.Be3 Nd4 20.Nc3 Rfe8 21.Rad1 Rad8 22.Rd2 Rxe3 23.fxe3 Nf3+ 24.exf3 Rxd2 25.Nd1 Kf8 26.Re1 a5 27.h4 h5 28.a3 g6 29.Kf1 Be7 30.Nc3 Rxb2 31.Rb1 Bxa3 32.Rxb2 Bxb2 33.Na4 Be5 34.Nxb6 Bxg3 35.Nc4 a4 36.Ke2 Bxh4 37.Kd3 Be7 38.Kc3 0-1 Nedberg,B-Ofstad,P/Oslo NOR 2004/The Week in Chess 493] 10.Rc1 h6 11.Bf4 d6 12.Qd2 Qe7 13.e4 Ng4 14.a3 g5 15.b4 Bxf2+ 16.Rxf2 gxf4 17.Re2 fxg3 18.Bh3 Nge5 [18...Nxh2] 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Qxh6 Nf3+ 21.Kg2 Qg5 22.Qxg5+ Nxg5 23.Kxg3 Nxh3 24.Kxh3 Rfd8 25.c5 dxc5 26.bxc5 Rd3+ 27.Kh4 Rc8 28.Nb5 Rxc5 29.Rxc5 bxc5 30.Nxa7 Rd4 31.Nb5 Rxe4+ 32.Rxe4 Bxe4
Long term this endgame must be winning. 33.a4 Bc6 34.Nc3 Kg7 35.Kg5 f6+ 36.Kf4 Kg6 37.a5 e5+ 38.Kg3 Bb7 39.Kf2 f5 40.Nb5 c4 41.Ke1 f4 42.Kd2 e4 43.Nc3 e3+ 44.Ke2 Kg5 0-1