Levon Aronian won in round 10 (picture from rd1). Photo © Frits Agterdenbos - http://www.chessvista.com/

Levon Aronian took the sole lead with a win against Michael Adams in round 10. The players entered a double rook ending after 27 moves. This is a notoriously drawish ending although Aronian clearly had the much better pawn structure. Aronian won a couple of pawns and then managed to swap a pair of rooks off into what was a technical win that Adams wasn't interested in seeing.

Aronian,L - Adams,Mi [E04]

Corus Wijk aan Zee NED (10), 28.01.2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 9.Nc3 a6

[9...Bd7 10.0-0 a6 11.Ne5 b5 12.Qa3 Rb8 13.Nxc6 Nxc6 14.Qc5 Ne7 15.a4 bxa4 16.Qxc4 Bb5 17.Qc5 Qd6 18.Qxd6 cxd6 19.Rfb1 Kd7 20.e3 Rhc8 21.Nxa4 Rc2 22.Be4 Rd2 23.Nc3 Bc4 24.b3 Bd3 1/2-1/2 Pavlovic,M (2515)-Van den Doel,E (2568)/Dieren NED 2008/The Week in Chess 717]

10.Ne5 0-0 11.Nxc6 Nxc6 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qxc4 Rb8 14.b3 Qd6 15.Ne4 Qb4+ 16.Qxb4 Rxb4 17.0-0-0 e5 18.Rd2 a5 19.Rhd1 a4 20.Nc5 axb3 21.axb3 Be6 22.Kb2 Rb5 23.Rc1 Rfb8 24.Rc3 exd4 25.Rxd4 h6 26.Nxe6 fxe6 27.Rd7 R8b7 28.Rd4 Kf7 29.h4 Ke7 30.Re4 R7b6 31.Rce3 c5 32.Rg4 Kf7 33.Rf3+ Kg8 34.Rc3 Rd6 35.Ra4 Kf7 36.Kc2 Ke7 37.Rg4 Ra5 38.Rxg7+ Kf6 39.Rxc7 Ra2+ 40.Kc1 Rxe2

[40...Rdd2 41.R3xc5 Rxe2 42.Rc2 Rxf2 43.Rxa2 Rxa2]

41.Rf3+ Kg6 42.Rxc5 Rdd2 43.h5+ Kg7 44.Rc7+ Kg8 45.Re3

Adams has had enough. Aronian explained the game in the press conference.

1-0

Magnus Carlsen's first decisive game came from a completely drawn position against Leinier Dominguez Perez in round 10. After 25 moves all the pawns were on the kingside and Carlsen could hardly be said to be better. Carlsen is known for his tricky play but it must be the case that Dominguez switched off a bit because it wasn't that hard to work out why his 32...Bd3 was losing.

Carlsen,M (2776) - Dominguez Perez,L (2717) [D81]

Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (10), 28.01.2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 Nfd7 8.Be3 Nb6 9.Qd3 f5 10.Rd1 f4 11.Bc1 e5 12.d5 c6 13.Nf3 cxd5 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Qb3

[15.Qxd5+ Qxd5 16.exd5 Bf5 17.0-0 Nd7 18.Rfe1 a6 19.Bd2 Rac8 20.Ng5 Rc2 21.Ne6 Rfc8 22.Nxg7 Kxg7 23.Bc3 Kf6 24.Bf3 b5 25.g4 fxg3 26.hxg3 b4 27.Bxb4 Rxb2 28.a3 Rcc2 29.g4 Rxf2 30.Rf1 Rxf1+ 31.Rxf1 Bc2 32.Rf2 Kg7 33.Kg2 Ra2 34.d6 e4 35.Bd1 Bxd1 36.Bc3+ Kh6 37.Rxa2 Kg5 38.Bd4 Kxg4 39.Rb2 Kf5 40.Be3 Ke6 41.Bf4 h5 42.Rd2 Bb3 43.Rf2 Nf6 44.Kg3 Bc4 45.Rd2 Bd3 46.Kh4 Nd5 47.Kg5 Nxf4 48.Kxf4 Kxd6 49.Rg2 Kc5 50.Ke3 Kb5 51.Rxg6 Ka4 52.Rh6 Kxa3 53.Rxh5 Kb4 54.Rh8 Ka3 55.Ra8 Kb4 56.Rxa6 Bxa6 57.Kxe4 1/2-1/2 Jakovenko,D (2737)-Mamedyarov,S (2731)/Elista RUS 2008/The Week in Chess 737]

15...Kh8 16.Bc4 Nc6 17.Bxd5 Qe7 18.h3 Nb4 19.Bc4 b5 20.Bxb5 Nxa2 21.Bd2 Rb8 22.Qa4 Qb7 23.0-0 Qxb5 24.Qxa2 Qxb2 25.Qxa7 Qb7

There doesn't seem to be any reason for either side to worry here.

26.Qc5 Be6 27.Qd6 Bb3 28.Rb1 Qxe4

[28...Rfd8 29.Qa3 Rd3 30.Rfe1 Qc6]

29.Bc3 Rbd8 30.Qa3 Bc2 31.Rb5 Qa4 32.Qb2

32...Bd3?

There can't be anything wrong with skewering both of white's rooks can there? The main problem is that it loses. [32...Be4 33.Nxe5 Kg8 34.Ra1 Qc2 is equal]

33.Rb7 Qc2

[33...Rd7 34.Nxe5 Bxe5 35.Bxe5+ Kg8 36.Rxd7 Qxd7 37.Rc1; 33...Bxf1 34.Bxe5 is killing.]

34.Qb4 Rfe8 35.Re1 Be2 36.Nxe5 Bxe5 37.Bxe5+ Rxe5 38.Qxf4 Qf5 39.Qh6 1-0

Teimour Radjabov looked on target to collect the full point at various moments in his game against Jan Smeets. Rajdabov's 19.Nxe6 is a good sacrifice but probably just enough for equality, 20...Kd7? was a bad error and Radjabov then looked as though he was finishing things off nicely for a while but it never got that easy. 28.Bd6+ throws most of his advantage away although the slow build up that was required was only easy for a computer to find.

Then there was a huge time scramble when Radjabov on move 39 with only a second to go knocked the e8 bishop from its square and pressed the clock.

Radjabov,T (2761) - Smeets,J (2601) [A11]

Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (10), 28.01.2009

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.c4 dxc4 5.0-0 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Nb6 7.a4 a5 8.Na3 Be6 9.Ng5 Bg4 10.Nxc4 Bxe2 11.Ne5 Bh5 12.b4 Nbd7 13.Bb2 axb4 14.a5 Ra6 15.Rfe1 Nxe5 16.Rxe5 e6 17.Bf1 Bg6 18.Qb3 Bd6 [18...Be7 19.Bxa6 bxa6 20.Rae1] 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Rxe6+ Kd7?

[20...Kf8 21.Bxa6 bxa6 22.Qf3]

21.Rxd6+! Kxd6 22.Qxb4+ c5 23.Qxb7 Rc6 24.Bb5 Rc7 25.Qb6+ Ke7 26.Re1+

[26.Be5 Rd7 27.Bxf6+ gxf6 28.Re1+ Kf7 29.Qe6+ Kg7 30.Qxd7+ Qxd7 31.Bxd7 Ra8 32.Ra1 Bd3 33.f4]

26...Kf8 27.Be5 Rc8 28.Bd6+

Oddly enough this throws it all away. [28.Qb7 Bf7 (28...Bh5 29.Re3 c4 30.Bd6+ Kg8 31.Re7) 29.Bd6+ Kg8 30.Re7]

28...Kg8 29.Re7 h6 30.Bc4+ Kh7 31.Qb7 Qf8 32.Rd7 Rb8 33.Bxf8 Rxb7 34.Rxb7 Rxf8 35.d3 Ng4 36.a6 Ne5

White seems to have the advantage again. [36...Ra8 37.a7 Nf6]

37.Bd5 Ra8 38.a7 Be8 39.Re7

[and here the incident occurred with the bishop on e8 becoming displaced] ½-½

The details come from Peter Dogger's report http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/aronian-grabs-sole-lead-in-10th-round-corus/ he makes two points: "Smeets started his clock again and said something along the lines of "you should correct the piece first". Radjabov's flag fell, and the Azeri GM protested." and then mentions there was a big meeting of the arbiters. Peter Doggers then adds "Because both players had done something wrong (which is clear for Radjabov, but Smeets shouldn't have spoken during the game and probably he should have stopped the clock, instead of starting Radjabov's again), the arbiters suggested to the players a draw as the most ethical outcome."

I rather think Peter is right in saying that this is the right outcome in natural justice but I rather doubt it was the correct decision under, and interpretation of, the rules of chess.

I checked the rules of chess http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook?id=124&view=article (or BCF website with 2005 rules) and found no mention of it being fobidden to speak to one's opponent. One is only told "12.6 It is forbidden to distract or annoy the opponent in any manner whatsoever. This includes unreasonable claims or unreasonable offers of a draw. " When the player represses the clock in such a situation he might be expected to explain his actions briefly.

I also recall an example from probably 50 years ago when Paul Keres just pressed the clock back and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say "what's this mess?" when presented with a board with pieces tipped over and his opponent in time trouble. Maybe he knew to keep his mouth shut so as not to complicate things with the arbiters. (I can't recall where and when this event was but it made a strong impression on me and my understanding of the rules in this situation. If forced to guess I would say his opponent was Benko, I'm pretty sure someone else must have read this account)

That Smeets took the correct action in repressing the clock seems to be confirmed by the FIDE rule:

FIDE Rule 7.3 If a player displaces one or more pieces, he shall re-establish the correct position on his own time. If necessary, either the player or his opponent shall stop the clocks and ask for the arbiter's assistance. The arbiter may penalise the player who displaced the pieces.

I don't think the arbiter is required to establish the bishop is on e8 so why not just press the clock back? If he'd stopped the clock then Radjabov would have had the chance to recorrect the position on nobody's time by the time the arbiter arrived. It seems to me that the drafting of the rule is clear "If a player displaces one or more pieces, he shall re-establish the correct position on his own time." is the rule, the rest of the rule is clarification and there to say what an arbiter can do. That's clearly the intention of the drafting. If the interpretation has changed over the years to give weight to the 2nd and 3rd sentences above the first it seems to me then that interpretation has to be wrong.

There is nothing as ugly as a time scramble (except a time scramble in an Armageddon Game) and I think it would be quite interesting for the arbiters to issue a ruling not just on the game but also to say what the absolute ideal, perfect behaviour from Smeets would have been (obviously just setting the bishop back on the board and continuing on would have created the least trouble) so perhaps I'm asking "what was Smeets entitled to do?" I think it would be useful for pro and amateur alike to know in this not unheard of situation.

Sergey Karjakin and Loek van Wely castled on opposite wings in the Sicilian Najdorf but neither could break through and a completely drawn ending was reached.

Vassily Ivanchuk against Gata Kamsky transposed into a fairly quiet Gruenfeld with a lot of manoevering. After intricate play a draw was agreed on move 57.

Wang Yue played the Petroff Defence against Sergei Movsesian. Draw, nuff said.

Daniel Stellwagen and Alexander Morozevich played / copied the game Volokitin-Kasimdzhanov (with a single move inversion) from round 9 in the B group down to the perptual check.

Nigel Short held on to his half point lead in the B-Group drawing a pawn down (but no real losing chances) against Alexander Motylev. Five players are on 6 point.

After three rounds with 6 decisive games the C-Group managed all games decisive in round 10. Tiger Hillarp Persson leads on 7.5/10 half a point clear of Wesley So.

Corus A Wijk aan Zee (NED), 17 i-1 ii 2009														cat. XIX (2716)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2750	*	½	½	½	.	1	½	.	½	½	1	1	½	.	6½	2828
2.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	UKR	2706	½	*	½	½	.	1	½	½	0	½	.	.	1	1	6	2788
3.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2776	½	½	*	½	1	½	½	.	½	.	½	½	½	.	5½	2749
4.	Radjabov, Teimour	g	AZE	2761	½	½	½	*	½	.	0	½	1	.	½	1	.	½	5½	2752
5.	Dominguez Perez, Leinier	g	CUB	2717	.	.	0	½	*	½	½	½	.	½	½	½	1	1	5½	2743
6.	Movsesian, Sergei	g	SVK	2751	0	0	½	.	½	*	.	½	1	½	1	.	½	1	5½	2752
7.	Van Wely, Loek	g	NED	2625	½	½	½	1	½	.	*	½	½	½	.	.	½	0	5	2721
8.	Smeets, Jan	g	NED	2601	.	½	.	½	½	½	½	*	1	½	½	½	.	0	5	2728
9.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2779	½	1	½	0	.	0	½	0	*	1	.	½	½	.	4½	2668
10.	Wang Yue	g	CHN	2739	½	½	.	.	½	½	½	½	0	*	0	½	.	1	4½	2677
11.	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2712	0	.	½	½	½	0	.	½	.	1	*	½	½	½	4½	2684
12.	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	2725	0	.	½	0	½	.	.	½	½	½	½	*	½	1	4½	2685
13.	Stellwagen, Daniël	g	NED	2612	½	0	½	.	0	½	½	.	½	.	½	½	*	½	4	2659
14.	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2771	.	0	.	½	0	0	1	1	.	0	½	0	½	*	3½	2584

Round 10 (January 28, 2009)
Aronian, Levon	- Adams, Michael	1-0	45	E04	Catalan
Karjakin, Sergey	- Van Wely, Loek	½-½	42	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Carlsen, Magnus	- Dominguez Perez, Leinier	1-0	39	D81	Gruenfeld Botvinnik
Radjabov, Teimour	- Smeets, Jan	½-½	39	A07	Barcza System
Movsesian, Sergei	- Wang Yue	½-½	22	C42	Petroff's Defence
Ivanchuk, Vassily	- Kamsky, Gata	½-½	57	D94	Gruenfeld Closed
Stellwagen, Daniël	- Morozevich, Alexander	½-½	31	C92	Ruy Lopez Chigorin

Corus B Wijk aan Zee (NED), 17 i-1 ii 2009														cat. XVI (2641)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Short, Nigel D	g	ENG	2663	*	.	.	1	½	½	1	.	1	1	½	½	0	½	6½	2744
2.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2638	.	*	0	½	.	1	1	1	0	½	½	.	1	½	6	2716
3.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2646	.	1	*	½	½	½	0	0	1	.	½	1	.	1	6	2713
4.	Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	g	UZB	2687	0	½	½	*	½	.	1	½	.	½	1	.	1	½	6	2716
5.	Volokitin, Andrei	g	UKR	2671	½	.	½	½	*	.	½	.	½	1	1	½	½	½	6	2702
6.	Motylev, Alexander	g	RUS	2676	½	0	½	.	.	*	½	½	1	½	1	.	½	1	6	2709
7.	Vallejo Pons, Francisco	g	ESP	2702	0	0	1	0	½	½	*	½	.	1	.	1	.	1	5½	2675
8.	Efimenko, Zahar	g	UKR	2688	.	0	1	½	.	½	½	*	0	.	½	1	1	½	5½	2676
9.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2603	0	1	0	.	½	0	.	1	*	½	.	½	½	1	5	2641
10.	Reinderman, Dimitri	g	NED	2549	0	½	.	½	0	½	0	.	½	*	1	½	½	.	4	2576
11.	Hou Yifan	wg	CHN	2571	½	½	½	0	0	0	.	½	.	0	*	1	1	.	4	2577
12.	Mecking, Henrique	g	BRA	2567	½	.	0	.	½	.	0	0	½	½	0	*	1	½	3½	2531
13.	Sasikiran, Krishnan	g	IND	2711	1	0	.	0	½	½	.	0	½	½	0	0	*	.	3	2482
14.	Werle, Jan	g	NED	2607	½	½	0	½	½	0	0	½	0	.	.	½	.	*	3	2505

Round 10 (January 28, 2009)
Short, Nigel D	- Motylev, Alexander	½-½	48	B73	Sicilian Dragon
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam	- Vallejo Pons, Francisco	1-0	46	D80	Gruenfeld 4.Bg5
Volokitin, Andrei	- Mecking, Henrique	½-½	25	C96	Ruy Lopez
L'Ami, Erwin	- Werle, Jan	1-0	28	E12	Queens Indian Petrosian
Reinderman, Dimitri	- Navara, David	½-½	29	B80	Sicilian Scheveningen
Hou Yifan	- Caruana, Fabiano	½-½	56	B42	Sicilian Paulsen
Sasikiran, Krishnan	- Efimenko, Zahar	0-1	41	E59	Nimzo Indian

Corus C Wijk aan Zee (NED), 17 i-1 ii 2009														cat. XI (2521)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Hillarp Persson, Tiger	g	SWE	2586	*	.	1	0	½	1	.	1	1	1	.	½	½	1	7½	2719
2.	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2627	.	*	½	½	½	0	.	.	1	1	1	1	1	½	7	2653
3.	Giri, Anish	f	RUS	2469	0	½	*	1	.	½	½	½	.	.	½	½	1	1	6	2600
4.	Gupta, Abhijeet	g	IND	2569	1	½	0	*	0	1	1	1	.	.	0	0	.	1	5½	2557
5.	Harika, Dronavalli	m	IND	2473	½	½	.	1	*	½	½	1	½	0	½	.	½	.	5½	2562
6.	Holzke, Frank	g	GER	2524	0	1	½	0	½	*	1	.	0	1	½	.	1	.	5½	2541
7.	Bosboom, Manuel	m	NED	2418	.	.	½	0	½	0	*	1	1	0	1	1	.	½	5½	2558
8.	Howell, David W L	g	ENG	2622	0	.	½	0	0	.	0	*	1	1	.	1	1	1	5½	2548
9.	Iturrizaga, Eduardo	g	VEN	2528	0	0	.	.	½	1	0	0	*	1	0	1	.	1	4½	2492
10.	Leon Hoyos, Manuel	g	MEX	2542	0	0	.	.	1	0	1	0	0	*	1	1	0	.	4	2446
11.	Bitalzadeh, Ali	m	NED	2400	.	0	½	1	½	½	0	.	1	0	*	.	0	0	3½	2402
12.	Nijboer, Friso	g	NED	2560	½	0	½	1	.	.	0	0	0	0	.	*	1	½	3½	2423
13.	Pruijssers, Roeland	m	NED	2444	½	0	0	.	½	0	.	0	.	1	1	0	*	½	3½	2423
14.	Romanishin, Oleg M	g	UKR	2533	0	½	0	0	.	.	½	0	0	.	1	½	½	*	3	2373

Round 10 (January 28, 2009)
Hillarp Persson, Tiger	- Holzke, Frank	1-0	49	C53	Giuoco Piano
Giri, Anish	- Gupta, Abhijeet	1-0	33	D85	Gruenfeld Defence
Bosboom, Manuel	- Bitalzadeh, Ali	1-0	31	B57	Sicilian Sozin Attack
Howell, David W L	- Harika, Dronavalli	0-1	48	C65	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Nijboer, Friso	- Leon Hoyos, Manuel	0-1	62	B35	Sicilian Defence
Pruijssers, Roeland	- So, Wesley	0-1	47	B48	Sicilian Paulsen
Romanishin, Oleg M	- Iturrizaga, Eduardo	0-1	31	A04	Dutch System

UK Shop - US Shop

• All material © The Week In Chess
• Email Mark Crowther - TWIC
• Email London Chess Centre