The Week In Chess

   

LCC Home
TWIC Home
Chess Shop
Chess Express
Email TWIC
Email LCC

Online Poker
Online Poker Room directory

New Products

 

LINKS

Kingpin
Book archive
Book Reviews
Dvoretsky Sale
Half price Books
Chessbase9

Bridge
Go
Backgammon Poker Shop
LCC Links
Special Events

TWIC Message Board
Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2007

Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2007. Round 2 13th January 2007. Comments by Mark Crowther. Additional brief notes by Michiel Abeln.


Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008 A-Group 11th-27th January 2008
Round 2 13th January 2008
Carlsen, Magnus - Eljanov, Pavel 1-0 54 D91 Gruenfeld 5.Bg5
Kramnik, Vladimir - Radjabov, Teimour ½-½ 79 E97 King's Indian Classical
Van Wely, Loek - Polgar, Judit ½-½ 37 E21 Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
Lékó, Peter - Adams, Michael ½-½ 98 C92 Ruy Lopez Chigorin
Topalov, Veselin - Ivanchuk, Vassily ½-½ 36 A65 Benoni
Gelfand, Boris - Aronian, Levon 0-1 30 D15 Slav Defence
Anand, Viswanathan - Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar ½-½ 36 C76 Ruy Lopez Modern Steinitz


Corus A Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2008 cat. XX (2742)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
1. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2739 * . . . . . . . . 1 . 1 . . 2
2. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2733 . * . . . . . . . . 1 . . 1 2
3. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2735 . . * ½ . . . . . . . . 1 . 1½ 2992
4. Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2799 . . ½ * . ½ . . . . . . . . 1 2708
5. Polgar, Judit g HUN 2707 . . . . * ½ ½ . . . . . . . 1 2716
6. Van Wely, Loek g NED 2681 . . . ½ ½ * . . . . . . . . 1 2753
7. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2751 . . . . ½ . * . . ½ . . . . 1 2743
8. Adams, Michael g ENG 2726 . . . . . . . * ½ . . ½ . . 1 2745
9. Lékó, Peter g HUN 2753 . . . . . . . ½ * . ½ . . . 1 2709
10. Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2780 0 . . . . . ½ . . * . . . . ½ 2552
11. Eljanov, Pavel g UKR 2692 . 0 . . . . . . ½ . * . . . ½ 2550
12. Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2737 0 . . . . . . ½ . . . * . . ½ 2539
13. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2799 . . 0 . . . . . . . . . * ½ ½ 2554
14. Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar g AZE 2760 . 0 . . . . . . . . . . ½ * ½ 2573



Carlsen took the lead with 2/2 after beating Eljanov in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Magnus Carlsen took a tiny initiative in a queenless middlegame in the Gruenfeld and ground down Pavel Eljanov in mature style. Its hard to say precisely where it all went wrong but certainly after black's last move before first time control he was flat lost.

Carlsen,M (2733) - Eljanov,P (2692) [D91]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Bh4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxc4 b6 10.e3 Ba6 11.Qb3 Bxf1 12.Kxf1 0-0 13.Ke2 c5 14.dxc5 Na6 15.Rhd1 Qb7 16.c6 Qxc6 17.Bxe7 Rfe8 18.Ba3 Qxc3 [18...Rad8 19.Rac1 Nc7 20.c4 Ne6 21.Kf1 Qe4 22.Rd5 Rc8 23.Qd3 Qxd3+ 24.Rxd3 Rc7 25.Nd2 f5 26.Rb1 Bf8 27.Bxf8 Kxf8 28.h3 Nc5 29.Rd4 h5 30.h4 Ke7 31.g3 Rec8 32.Ke2 Rc6 33.Rb5 Ne6 34.Rd3 Nc5 35.Rd5 Kf6 36.Rb2 R8c7 37.Rb4 Na6 38.Rb2 Nc5 39.Rc2 Rc8 40.Rd4 Ke7 41.f3 Ne6 42.Rd5 Nc7 43.Rd3 Nb5 44.a4 Nd6 45.Rd4 Rc5 46.g4 hxg4 47.fxg4 fxg4 48.Rxg4 Kf7 49.Ne4 Nxe4 50.Rxe4 Ra5 51.Ra2 Rd8 52.Ra1 Rd6 53.Kf3 Rd2 54.Rd4 Rh2 55.Ra3 Rc2 56.Ke4 Rh2 57.Kd3 Ke6 58.Ra1 Rg2 59.Re4+ Kd6 60.Kc3 Re5 61.Rxe5 Kxe5 62.a5 Rg3 63.Kd3 Kd6 64.axb6 axb6 65.Ra8 Rg4 66.Rf8 Rxh4 67.Rf6+ Kc5 68.Rxg6 Rxc4 69.Rxb6 Kxb6 70.Kxc4 1/2-1/2 Grivas,E (2465)-Leko,P (2385)/Dortmund 1992/TD] 19.Qxc3 Bxc3 20.Rac1 Bb4 21.Bb2 Bf8 22.Nd4 Nc5 23.g4 Re4 24.Kf3 Rae8 25.h3 f6 26.Ba3 Kf7 27.Rc2 Na6 28.Bxf8 Kxf8 29.Rc6

White has a nasty initiative but whether it should be enough to win is another question. 29...Kg7 30.Nb5 R4e7 31.Rdd6 Nc5 32.Nc7 Rf8 33.h4 Rff7 34.Nd5 Rd7 35.Rxd7 Nxd7 36.Kg3 Nc5 37.f3 h6 38.Nf4 g5 39.Nh5+ White has made real progress. 39...Kg6 40.f4 gxf4+? Probably a concession too far. White is now certainly winning. 41.exf4 Kh7 42.f5 Kg8 43.Kf3 Nd7 44.Ke4 Kf8 45.Rc8+ Ke7 46.Kd5 b5 47.Rh8 Nb6+ 48.Kc6 Nc4 49.Ra8 Ne5+ 50.Kc5 Nd7+ 51.Kxb5 Kd6 52.Rxa7 Rf8 53.Kb4 Nc5 54.Kc4 1-0


Gelfand's position collapsed rather suddenly against Aronian in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Levon Aronian's preparation in the Slav Defence yielded him a nice position. The assessment was probably unclear but white was certainly the one under pressure. 29.Rxg6?? was a terrible blunder that caused Gelfand's position to melt down.

Gelfand,B (2737) - Aronian,L (2739) [D15]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008
[Michiel Abeln]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nc3 b5 6.c5 Nbd7 7.Bd3 The so-called Gelfand variation 7...e5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Ng4 10.f4 Bxc5 11.Qf3 Qb6 Karjakin played here Nd1 in the recently finished worldcup tournament 12.Ke2 [Brave and possibly not bad MP 12.Nd1!?] 12...Nh6 13.h3 Nf5 A novelty prepared by Aronian before the world championship in Mexico [13...a5 14.Bd2 Ba6 15.Kf2 Be7 16.Rhd1 0-0 17.Kg1 f6 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Kh2 b4 20.Na4 Qa7 21.e4 Bb5 22.Bxb5 cxb5 23.e5 Rad8 24.exf6 Rxf6 25.Be1 Nf7 26.Bf2 d4 27.Bxd4 Rxd4 28.Qe3 Qb8 29.Rxd4 bxa4 30.Re1 Nd6 31.Qe5 1-0 Gelfand,B-Sokolov,I/Merida ESP 2005/The Week in Chess 554] 14.g4 Ne7 15.Bd2 Aronian had studied something like 7 different alternatives for white here, quite a complex position with lots of different ideas 15...0-0 16.Rac1 [16.f5! when matters are unclear MP] 16...f6 17.exf6 Rxf6 18.e4 and here Aronian could not remember his home analysis anymore. 18...Bd4 a safe option [18...Be6 19.e5 Rff8 and Aronian could not work out the piece sacrifices on f5] 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Kd1 [20.Nxd5? [Re6+! 21. Kd1 Nxd5 22. Qxd5 Bb7 is winning for black MP] Nxd5 21.Qxd5+ Re6+ 22.Kd1 Bb7; 20.Bb1 was a serious alternative, with the idea of Qd3] 20...Rf7 more straight forward than the alternative Bb7 [20...Bb7 21.Ne2 Bxb2 22.Rc2] 21.Re1 Bb7

22.Qe2? with the idea that after an immediate f5 black would have played Ng6 and transferring it to e5 with a winning position, however the game move is even worse. [22.Kc2 was probably a better alternative or 22. Bb1 Rc8 23. Qd3] 22...Ng6 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Qe6 Aronian thought he was winning here because it's hard to stop his d-pawn, the computer thinks white is still ok. 24...Rd8 25.Qxb6 Bxb6 26.Re6 Ba7 27.Ne2 d4 28.Ng3 d3 29.Rxg6?? [29.Ne4 was only move to stay in the game] 29...Bf2 30.Ba5 Bxg3 0-1



Anand vs Mamedyarov Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played one of his pet lines against Viswanathan Anand. There was one interesting moment, 22.Qc3 where Vishy could also have tried 22.h3 for an advantage. In the game continuation black was just safe enough to escape to a drawn rook endgame.

Anand,V (2799) - Mamedyarov,S (2760) [C76]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 g6 6.d4 Bd7 7.0-0 Bg7 8.Re1 b5 9.Bc2 exd4 10.cxd4 Bg4 11.Be3 [11.d5 Ne5 12.Nbd2 Bh6 13.h3 Bxd2 14.Bxd2 Bxf3 15.gxf3 g5 16.f4 gxf4 17.Bxf4 Qf6 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.Qd2 Nf6 20.Qc3 Rg8+ 21.Kf1 Nh5 22.Qxe5+ dxe5 23.Bd1 Nf4 24.Bg4 h5 25.Bf5 Rg2 26.Rac1 Rh2 27.Kg1 Rg2+ 28.Kf1 Rh2 29.Kg1 Rg2+ 1/2-1/2 Jakovenko,D (2710)-Mamedyarov,S (2752)/Moscow RUS 2007/The Week in Chess 679] 11...Nge7 12.Nc3 0-0 13.Rc1 Kh8 [13...f5 14.exf5 Nxf5 15.Nxb5 axb5 16.Bxf5 Rxf5 17.Rxc6 Kh8 18.d5 Be5 19.Bd4 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Qg5+ 21.Kh1 Raf8 22.Rxc7 Qh6 23.Bxe5+ dxe5 24.Re3 Rh5 25.Qg1 Rg5 26.Qf1 Rh5 27.Qg2 Rg5 1/2-1/2 Ivanchuk,V (2729)-Mamedyarov,S (2709)/Wijk aan Zee NED 2006/The Week in Chess 586] 14.Qd2 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Qd7 16.Ne2 f5 17.Bd1 fxe4 18.fxe4 d5 19.e5 Nf5 20.Nf4 Nxe3 21.fxe3 Bh6

22.Qc3 [22.h3 may have been a chance for the advantage.] 22...Nd8 23.Qxc7 Qxc7 24.Rxc7 Bxf4 25.exf4 Ne6 26.Rd7 Rxf4 27.Bb3 Nxd4 28.Bxd5 Re8 29.e6 Nf3+ 30.Bxf3 Rxf3 31.Ra7 Rd3 32.Rxa6 Rd2 33.b4 Re7 34.a4 bxa4 35.b5 Rb2 36.b6 Re8 1/2-1/2


Two games with the white pieces and not a lot to show for it from Kramnik. Here he was held by Radjabov in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

When I was learning my chess the Benoni was very dubious and the King's Indian was under some pressure. Both openings seem entirely playable at the moment. If anyone is going to show the King's Indian's positional weakness you'd have thought it would be Kramnik. Here he eventually emerged with 2 pawns vs 1 on the Kingside and try as he might he couldn't make this turn out to be a win.

Kramnik,V (2799) - Radjabov,T (2735) [E97]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 Kh8 14.f3 c6 15.dxc6 bxc6 [15...Nxc6 16.Nb3 Nxb4 17.Qxd6 Na2 18.Bb2 Nxc3 19.Bxc3 Ra2 20.Rb2 Rxb2 21.Bxb2 fxe4 22.fxe4 Qb6+ 23.Qxb6 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 Nxb6 25.Ba3 Na4 26.Bd6 b6 27.Bc7 Be6 28.Nd2 Kg8 29.Bd1 Nb2 30.Bb3 Bh6 31.c5 Bxb3 32.Nxb3 bxc5 33.Nxc5 Bg7 34.Ke2 Kf7 35.Nd7 Nc4 36.Kd3 Ke7 37.Nc5 Nb2+ 38.Kc3 Nd1+ 39.Kd2 Nb2 40.g4 Bf6 41.h3 Nc4+ 42.Kc3 Ne3 43.Nd3 Ke6 44.Nc5+ Ke7 45.Kd2 Ng2 46.Nd3 Bg5+ 47.Kc3 Nf4 48.Bxe5 1/2-1/2 Chuchelov,V (2533)-Roeder,M (2426)/Antwerp BEL 1999] 16.Nb3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Be6 18.Kh1 Bg8 19.Qd2 Rb8 20.b5 cxb5 21.cxb5 d5 22.exd5 Nexd5 23.Nxd5 Qxd5 24.Na5 Qxd2 25.Bxd2 Nd5 26.Bc4 e4 27.fxe4 Nc3 28.Rb3 Bxc4 29.Nxc4 Nxb5 30.exf5 gxf5

This position ought to be drawn but if anyone can make something of it its Kramnik. 31.g3 Nd4 32.Rxb8 Rxb8 33.Be3 Rc8 34.Nd6 Rc6 35.Nxf5 Nxf5 36.Rxf5 Rc2 37.h4 h6 38.Kg1 Kh7 39.Rd5 Re2 40.Bf4 Rc2 41.Kf1 Ra2 42.Be3 Rc2 43.Bf2 Kg6 44.h5+ Kh7 45.Kg2 Rc7 46.Be3 Rf7 47.Bf4 Rb7 48.Kf3 Re7 49.Rd6 Rb7 50.Rd5 Re7 51.Rb5 Kg8 52.Bd6 Re6 53.Rb8+ Kh7 54.Rd8 Rf6+ 55.Ke4 Rf7 56.Rc8 Rf6 57.Rd8 Rf7 58.g4 Ra7 59.Rb8 Ra4+ 60.Kf5 Ra5+ 61.Ke6 Ra4 62.Bb4 Ra6+ 63.Kd5 Ra7 64.Rb6 Rd7+ 65.Bd6 Ra7 66.Ke6 Ra4 67.Bb4 Ra7 68.Rb8 Ra6+ 69.Kd5 Ra7 70.Re8 Rd7+ 71.Bd6 Ra7 72.Re4 Rd7 73.Ke6 Ra7 74.Rb4 Bc3 75.Rb5 Bg7 76.Bc5 Rc7 77.Ra5 Bc3 78.Ra7 Rxa7 79.Bxa7 1/2-1/2


Leko tortured Michael Adams for a long time in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Michael Adams was never in any serious trouble defending the Ruy Lopez against Peter Leko. At first time control he went into a Queen ending a pawn down with all the pawns on one side. This offered few winning prospects for Leko but did allow him to test Adams for a very long time.

Leko,P (2753) - Adams,Mi (2726) [C92]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 14.N3h2 Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.Qxg4 Rc8 22.Bb3 Bd7 23.Qf3 Be6 24.Red1 [24.Bxe6 fxe6 25.a4 Qc7 (25...Qd7 26.axb5 axb5 27.Qd3 Qc6 28.Ra3 d5 29.exd5 exd5 30.Ne3 d4 31.cxd4 exd4 32.Qxd4 Re4 33.Qa1 Bxb4 34.Ra6 Qe8 35.Rc1 Rxc1+ 36.Qxc1 Bf8 37.Rc6 Ra4 38.g3 Qa8 39.Qc2 Ra1+ 40.Kh2 Qa2 41.Kg2 Qxc2 42.Rxc2 Ra7 43.Kf3 b4 44.Ke4 Kf7 45.Kd3 Ke6 46.Rc6+ Kd7 47.Rc2 Ra1 48.Kc4 g5 49.h4 gxh4 50.gxh4 Rh1 51.Rd2+ Kc6 52.Nf5 Rh3 53.Rd3 Rxd3 54.Kxd3 Kb5 55.h5 Ka4 56.Kc2 Ka3 57.Kb1 Kb3 58.Ne3 Kc3 59.Ng4 Bg7 60.Ne3 Kd3 61.Nf5 Bf8 62.Ng3 Kd4 63.Kc2 Ke5 64.Kb3 Kf4 65.Kc4 Bd6 66.Kd5 Be7 67.Kc4 Kg4 68.Kb3 Bf8 69.Kc4 Kf4 70.Kb3 Bc5 71.Kc4 Be7 72.Kb3 Ke5 73.Kc4 Bd6 74.Kb3 Bc5 75.Kc4 Bd6 76.Kb3 Kf4 77.Kc4 Kg4 78.Ne4 Be7 79.Ng3 Bh4 80.f3+ Kxg3 81.Kxb4 Kxf3 82.Kc4 Ke3 83.Kc3 Bf6+ 84.Kc2 Ke2 85.Kc1 Bg5+ 86.Kc2 Bd2 87.Kb3 Kd3 88.Kb2 Be3 89.Kb1 Kc3 90.Ka1 Bd4 91.Kb1 Kd2 92.Ka2 Kc2 93.Ka3 Bg7 94.Ka2 Kc1 95.Kb3 Kb1 96.Ka3 Bh8 97.Kb3 Bb2 98.Kc4 Kc2 99.Kb4 Bc1 100.Kc4 Be3 101.Kb4 Bd4 102.Ka3 Bc5+ 103.Ka2 Bb4 104.Ka1 Kd3 105.Kb2 Ke3 106.Kc2 Ba5 107.Kd1 Kf3 108.Kc2 Be1 109.Kd1 Bh4 110.Kd2 Bf2 111.Kd1 Kg2 112.Ke2 Kg1 113.Kd1 Kf1 114.Kd2 Bh4 115.Kd1 Bg5 116.Kc2 Ke2 117.Kc3 Kd1 118.Kb2 Bf6+ 119.Kb1 Bd4 120.Ka2 Ke2 121.Kb1 Kf3 122.Kc2 Kg4 123.Kd3 Kxh5 0-1 Kulaots,K (2570)-Bacrot,E (2729)/Gothenburg SWE 2005/The Week in Chess 561) 26.axb5 axb5 27.Ra3 Ra8 28.Rea1 Rxa3 29.Rxa3 Be7 30.Qd3 Qc6 31.Ne3 Rc8 32.g3 Bg5 33.h4 Bxe3 34.Qxe3 Kh7 35.Ra5 Qxc3 36.Qxc3 Rxc3 37.Rxb5 Rc4 38.Rb6 Rxe4 39.Rxd6 Rxb4 40.Rxe6 Rb5 41.Kg2 1/2-1/2 Leko,P (2763)-Bacrot,E (2729)/Dortmund GER 2005/The Week in Chess 558; 24.Qd3 Qc7 25.Rec1 Be7 26.Rc2 Bg5 27.Bxe6 fxe6 28.a4 Qc4 29.Qxd6 Qxe4 30.Qd1 Red8 31.Qb1 Rd3 32.axb5 axb5 33.Qa2 Qd5 34.Qa6 Rcxc3 35.Rxc3 Rxc3 36.Ra5 Rc1 37.Qxb5 Qxb5 38.Rxb5 Re1 39.Ra5 e4 40.Ra3 Rb1 41.b5 Rxb5 42.Ra4 Re5 43.Ne3 h5 44.Nc4 Rd5 45.Ne3 Bxe3 46.fxe3 Re5 47.Kh2 Kf7 48.Kg3 g5 49.h4 Kf6 50.Ra8 Rd5 51.hxg5+ Rxg5+ 52.Kf2 Rb5 53.Rf8+ Kg5 54.Rg8+ Kh4 55.Rg6 Rf5+ 56.Kg1 e5 57.Kh2 Rg5 58.g3+ Kg4 59.Rxg5+ Kxg5 1/2-1/2 Van den Doel,E (2587)-L'Ami,E (2519)/Leeuwarden NED 2005/The Week in Chess 566] 24...Qg5 25.Rd3 Qf4 26.Qe2 Bxb3 27.axb3 d5 28.Rxd5 Rxc3 29.Rxa6 Rxb3 30.Nd2 Rxb4 31.g3 Qg5 32.Rb6 Rd8 33.Rbxb5 Rxd5 34.Rxd5 Rb2 35.h4 Qf6 36.Qe3 Rc2 37.Nf3 Bc5 38.Rxc5 Rxc5 39.Qxc5 Qxf3 40.Qxe5

Adams clearly headed to this as being drawn. He probably didn't think Leko would play on quite so long trying in vain to prove he was wrong. 40...h5 41.Qb8+ Kh7 42.Qf4 Qd1+ 43.Kg2 Kg8 44.Qb8+ Kh7 45.Qb5 f6 46.Qf5+ Kh6 47.Qf3 Qd7 48.Qc3 Qd6 49.Qc2 Qd4 50.Kf3 Qa1 51.Qd3 Qb2 52.Qd5 Qc3+ 53.Ke2 Kg6 54.Qd2 Qb3 55.Qd3 Qb2+ 56.Ke3 Kf7 57.Qd4 Qc1+ 58.Qd2 Qc5+ 59.Ke2 Qb5+ 60.Qd3 Qb2+ 61.Kf3 Qa1 62.Qc2 Qd4 63.Ke2 Qb4 64.Qa2+ Kg6 65.Qd5 Qb2+ 66.Ke3 Qc3+ 67.Qd3 Qc5+ 68.Ke2 Qe5 69.f4 Qb2+ 70.Kf3 Qb7 71.g4 hxg4+ 72.Kxg4 Qc8+ 73.Kg3 Kf7 74.e5 fxe5 75.fxe5 Qe6 76.Qe4 g6 77.Qb7+ Ke8 78.Qb8+ Kd7 79.Qb5+ Ke7 80.Qb4+ Kf7 81.Qe4 Kg7 82.Kf4 Qf7+ 83.Ke3 Qe6 84.Qd4 Qb3+ 85.Qd3 Qb6+ 86.Ke4 Qc6+ 87.Qd5 Qc2+ 88.Qd3 Qc6+ 89.Ke3 Qc5+ 90.Qd4 Qc1+ 91.Kd3 Qd1+ 92.Kc4 Qa4+ 93.Kc5 Qa7+ 94.Kd5 Qd7+ 95.Ke4 Qg4+ 96.Ke3 Qg1+ 97.Kd3 Qd1+ 98.Ke4 Qg4+ 1/2-1/2


Topalov couldn't make any progress against Ivanchuk's Benoni in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Ivanchuk was happy with his draw against Topalov, stating he never felt to be in danger. He played the Modern Benoni, something Topalov has also played in the past

Topalov,V (2780) - Ivanchuk,V (2751) [A65]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.h3 Bg7 8.Nf3 a6 9.a4 Nbd7 10.Be3 [10.Bd3 Nh5 11.Bg5 (11.0-0 Ne5 12.Be2 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 Qh4 14.Bg4 Be5 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.Qg4 Qxg4 17.hxg4 Nf6 18.f3 Bd4+ 19.Kh2 Nd7 20.Kg3 h5 21.gxh5 Rxh5 22.Bd2 Ke7 23.Rh1 Nf6 24.Rh3 Rch8 25.Rb1 Be5+ 26.Kf2 Rxh3 27.gxh3 Rxh3 28.Ne2 Rh2+ 29.Ke3 Nd7 30.b4 Bd4+ 0-1 Cox,J (2411)-Lie,E (2335)/Gausdal NOR 2007/The Week in Chess 650) 11...Bf6 12.Bh6 Ne5 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.Qd2 Ng7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Ne2 f5 17.exf5 gxf5 18.Bg5 Bf6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Nf4 Qd4 21.b3 Bd7 22.Ne2 Qf6 23.f4 Kh8 24.b4 b5 25.Rfc1 c4 26.Bc2 Nh5 27.Ra3 Rg8 28.Nd4 Rae8 29.Kh2 Rg7 30.Rg1 Reg8 31.g3 Qf7 32.Ne2 Nf6 33.axb5 axb5 34.Ra7 Qh5 35.Nd4 Ne4 36.Bxe4 fxe4 37.Rxd7 Rxd7 38.Ne6 h6 39.Qd4+ Kh7 40.Qxe4+ Qg6 41.f5 Qf6 42.Nf4 Re7 43.Nh5 Qb2+ 44.Rg2 Rxe4 0-1 Szromba,K (2118)-Wojtaszek,R (2449)/Laczna 2002/CBM 089 ext] 10...0-0 11.Be2 Qe7 12.Nd2 Ne8 13.Nc4 Rb8 14.0-0 Ne5 15.Nb6 Nd7 16.Nxc8 Rxc8 17.Re1 Nef6 18.Bg5 Rfe8 19.Bf1 h6 20.Bd2 c4 21.a5 Nc5 22.e5 dxe5 23.Bxc4 Red8 24.Rc1 Ne8 25.Bf1 Nd6 26.b4 Nd7 27.b5 axb5 28.Nxb5 Rxc1 29.Qxc1 Nxb5 30.Bxb5 Nf6 31.Qb2 Nxd5 32.Qb3 Qd6 33.Bc4 Rd7 34.Bb5 Rd8 35.Bc4 Rd7 [35... Qd7 36. Bxh6 Bxh6 37. Rd1 MP] 36.Bb5

White is a pawn down and black can't really unravel so a repetition seems reasonable. 1/2-1/2


Van Wely was held by Polgar in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Loek Van Wely emerged with a clear advantage from the opening but failed to convert it to a full point. Polgar got sufficient counterplay after 27…f4 to escape with a draw but surely should not have escaped.

Van Wely,L (2681) - Polgar,Ju (2707) [E21]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.Qb3 c5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 g5 8.Bg3 Ne4 9.e3 Bb7 10.Bd3 Nxg3 [10...Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Nxg3 12.hxg3 d6 13.d5 Nd7 14.a4 Ba6 15.Rd1 g4 16.Nd2 Ne5 17.Be2 Qe7 18.a5 Qb7 19.f4 gxf3 20.gxf3 exd5 21.cxd5 Bxe2 22.Kxe2 b5 23.c4 a6 24.Rh5 Rb8 25.Qb2 f6 26.Ne4 Qe7 27.cxb5 Rxb5 28.Qc3 Kf8 29.Rf5 Kg7 30.Rxf6 Rb4 31.Re6 Qf7 32.Rxe5 dxe5 33.Qxe5+ Kh7 34.Rh1 Qg7 35.Qf5+ Qg6 36.Nf6+ Kg7 37.Nh5+ Kh7 38.Qd7+ Kg8 39.e4 Qf7 40.Qc8+ Kh7 41.Qxc5 Rb2+ 42.Ke3 Rb3+ 43.Kd4 Rhb8 44.Qd6 R8b4+ 45.Ke5 Qe8+ 46.Qe6 Qb8+ 47.d6 Rb5+ 48.Kf4 Qf8+ 49.Nf6+ Kg7 50.Qe7+ Qf7 51.Qxf7+ Kxf7 52.Rxh6 Rxa5 53.e5 Raa3 54.Ne4 Rxf3+ 55.Kg4 Rfe3 56.Rf6+ Kg7 57.Kf4 Rf3+ 58.Kg4 Rxf6 59.Nxf6 Kf7 60.Ne4 Ra1 61.Ng5+ Ke8 62.e6 Re1 63.Kf5 a5 64.Nf7 Rf1+ 65.Kg6 Rd1 66.d7+ Rxd7 67.exd7+ Kxd7 68.Kf5 a4 69.Ne5+ Kd6 70.Ke4 Kc5 71.Kd3 a3 72.Kc3 a2 73.Kb2 Kd4 74.Nf3+ 1-0 Pachman,L-Muse,M (2415)/Baden-Baden 1987/TD] 11.hxg3 g4 12.Ne5 d6 13.Nxg4 Bxg2 14.Rh2 Bf3 15.Be2 Bxg4 16.Bxg4 Nc6 17.Bf3 Qd7 18.0-0-0 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 0-0-0 20.Rdh1 cxd4 21.exd4 e5 22.Bxc6 Qxc6 23.d5 Qd7 24.Rxh6 Rxh6 25.Rxh6 Qg4 26.b3 f5 27.Qe3 f4

28.gxf4 Rf8 29.Rxd6 Rxf4 30.Qg3 Qe2 31.Qh3+ Rg4 32.f3 [32. Qh8+ Kb7 33. Rd7+ Ka6 34. Qc8+ Ka5 35. Rxa7+ Kb4 36. Ra4+ Kc3!; 32. Qh8+ Kb7 33. Rd7+ Ka6 34. Qc8+ Ka5 35. b4+ Kxb4 36. Qf8+ Kc3 37. Qa3+ Kd4 38. Qb2+ Qxb2+ 39. Kxb2 Kxc4= MP] 32... Qe1+ 33.Kc2 Qe2+ 34.Kc3 Qe3+ 35.Kc2 Qe2+ 36.Kc3 Qe3+ 37.Kc2 1/2-1/2

Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008 B-Group 11th-27th January 2008
Round 2 13th January 2008
Short, Nigel D - L'Ami, Erwin 1-0 38 C51 Evans Gambit
Bacrot, Etienne - Stellwagen, Daniël ½-½ 26 B85 Sicilian Scheveningen
Harikrishna, P - Hou Yifan 1-0 55 C00 French Defence
Cheparinov, Ivan - Movsesian, Sergei ½-½ 20 D11 Slav Defence
Sargissian, Gabriel - Smeets, Jan ½-½ 54 D11 Slav Defence
Krasenkow, Michal - Spoelman, Wouter 1-0 25 E14 Queens Indian
Koneru, Humpy - Nepomniachtchi, Ian ½-½ 34 A84 Dutch


Corus B Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2008 cat. XV (2618)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
1. Stellwagen, Daniël g NED 2625 * . . ½ . . . . . 1 . . . . 1½ 2861
2. Short, Nigel D g ENG 2645 . * . . ½ . . . . . 1 . . . 1½ 2815
3. Smeets, Jan g NED 2573 . . * . . . . ½ . . . 1 . . 1½ 2837
4. Bacrot, Etienne g FRA 2700 ½ . . * . . . . . . . . 1 . 1½ 2769
5. Harikrishna, P g IND 2664 . ½ . . * . . . . . . . 1 . 1½ 2779
6. Cheparinov, Ivan g BUL 2713 . . . . . * ½ . . . . . . 1 1½ 2743
7. Movsesian, Sergei g SVK 2677 . . . . . ½ * ½ . . . . . . 1 2694
8. Sargissian, Gabriel g ARM 2676 . . ½ . . . ½ * . . . . . . 1 2625
9. Nepomniachtchi, Ian g RUS 2600 . . . . . . . . * . ½ ½ . . 1 2596
10. Krasenkow, Michal g POL 2636 0 . . . . . . . . * . . . 1 1 2524
11. L'Ami, Erwin g NED 2581 . 0 . . . . . . ½ . * . . . ½ 2429
12. Koneru, Humpy g IND 2612 . . 0 . . . . . ½ . . * . . ½ 2393
13. Hou Yifan wg CHN 2527 . . . 0 0 . . . . . . . * . 0
14. Spoelman, Wouter m NED 2424 . . . . . 0 . . . 0 . . . * 0


Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008 C-Group 11th-27th January 2008
Round 2 13th January 2008
Caruana, Fabiano - Van der Werf, Mark 1-0 27 C90 Ruy Lopez
Li Shilong - Ushenina, Anna 1-0 62 D85 Gruenfeld Defence
Braun, Arik - Negi, Parimarjan 1-0 31 A34 English Symmetrical
Van der Wiel, John - Nijboer, Friso 1-0 39 C91 Ruy Lopez
Carlsson, Pontus - Peng Zhaoqin ½-½ 11 B47 Sicilian Paulsen
Grivas, Efstratios - Ruijgrok, Dennis 1-0 35 A10 Dutch, QI and KID Systems
Krush, Irina - Reinderman, Dimitri ½-½ 41 E73 King's Indian Averbakh


Corus C Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2008 cat. X (2494)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
1. Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2598 * . . . . . 1 . 1 . . . . . 2
2. Li Shilong g CHN 2502 . * . . . . . . . 1 1 . . . 2
3. Braun, Arik m GER 2536 . . * . . . . . . . . 1 1 . 2
4. Van der Wiel, John g NED 2490 . . . * . . . . . . 1 1 . . 2
5. Carlsson, Pontus m SWE 2501 . . . . * . . . ½ . . . 1 . 1½ 2686
6. Reinderman, Dimitri g NED 2533 . . . . . * . . . ½ . . . 1 1½ 2594
7. Van der Werf, Mark m NED 2389 0 . . . . . * 1 . . . . . . 1 2553
8. Grivas, Efstratios g GRE 2509 . . . . . . 0 * . . . . . 1 1 2359
9. Peng Zhaoqin g NED 2461 0 . . . ½ . . . * . . . . . ½ 2356
10. Krush, Irina m USA 2473 . 0 . . . ½ . . . * . . . . ½ 2324
11. Ushenina, Anna m UKR 2484 . 0 . 0 . . . . . . * . . . 0
12. Nijboer, Friso g NED 2578 . . 0 0 . . . . . . . * . . 0
13. Negi, Parimarjan g IND 2526 . . 0 . 0 . . . . . . . * . 0
14. Ruijgrok, Dennis NED 2329 . . . . . 0 . 0 . . . . . * 0



Short is the big star of the B-Group and he beat Erwin L'Ami in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Short,N (2645) - L'Ami,E (2581) [C51]
Corus B Wijk aan Zee NED (2), 13.01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Be7 6.d4 Na5 7.Nxe5 Nxc4 8.Nxc4 d5 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ne3 Qd7 11.Nd2 [11.0-0 Nf6 12.c4 0-0 13.Nc3 c6 14.Qd3 (14.d5 cxd5 15.Ncxd5 Nxd5 16.Nxd5 Bd8 17.Rb1 Qc6 18.Qd4 Be6 19.Rb3 Rc8 20.Ba3 Re8 21.Rg3 f6 22.Nxf6+ Bxf6 23.Qxf6 Qc7 24.Qd4 Rcd8 25.Qc3 Bxc4 26.h4 Rd7 27.Rc1 b5 28.Bb2 Ree7 29.a4 a6 30.axb5 axb5 31.Ra1 Qd8 32.h5 h6 33.Ra6 Rf7 34.Rd6 Qe7 35.Rxd7 Qxd7 36.Kh2 Qd6 37.Qc2 Qc7 38.Qg6 b4 39.Qe4 Re7 40.Qd4 Rd7 41.Qg4 b3 42.f4 Re7 43.f5 Be2 44.Qd4 Rd7 45.Qe3 Bxh5 46.Qxb3+ Kh7 47.Qe3 Re7 1/2-1/2 Nunn,J (2515)-Larsen,B (2590)/London 1980) 14...Ng4 15.h3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 b6 17.Bb2 Ba6 18.Rac1 Rad8 19.Rf3 f5 20.Ne2 Rf7 21.Qb3 Bg5 22.Qa3 Bc8 23.Nf4 Re8 24.Qc3 b5 25.Nh5 Qe7 26.Kh1 bxc4 27.d5 cxd5 28.Rg3 d4 29.Qxc4 Bh6 30.Qxd4 Rd8 31.Qc3 Bb7 32.Qa5 Rc8 33.Rd1 Qc7 34.Qa4 Rd8 35.Rc1 Qe7 36.Qb3 Bd5 37.Qc3 Bb7 38.Qb3 Bd5 39.Qa4 Bb7 40.Kh2 Rc8 41.Rd1 Bc6 42.Qb3 Kh8 43.Rd6 Qxd6 44.Qxf7 Qf8 45.Qxa7 Ra8 46.Qd4 1-0 Ganguly,S (2559)-Sundararajan,K (2476)/Visakhapatnam IND 2004/The Week in Chess 528] 11...Nf6 12.Nf3 0-0 13.0-0 b6 14.c4 Ng4 15.Nd5 Bb7 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.h3 Nf6 18.Qb3 Rfe8 19.Bb2 Ne4 20.Rfe1 f6 21.d5 Qd7 22.Nd4 c6 23.dxc6 Bxc6 24.c5+ Bd5 25.c6 Qf7 26.Qc2 Nc5 27.Ba3 Qg6 28.Qxg6 hxg6 29.c7 Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Rc8 31.Re7 a6 32.Bxc5 bxc5 33.Rd7 Kh7 34.Rxd5 cxd4 35.Rd7 g5 36.Kf1 Kg6 37.Ke2 Kf5 38.Re7

An instructive example of cutting the king off. White's King just marches in.

1-0


Humpy Koneru lies just outside the top 100 in the world. She halved out against the interesting up and coming player Ian Nepomniachtchi in Round 2. Photo © Michiel Abeln


Fritz 11.
Just $49.95!
  


New Books
  


5 pounds and half price books
 


New Software

 


Subscribe to "Chess" Magazine
  


7 New Foxys

  


ChessBase 9
  

Chess
Express
  

Kasparov Books
  

Giant
Chess Sets
  

Chess Computers
  


Books 2000/1/2/3