74th Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2012 (3)
Carlsen defeats Aronian in Tata Steel Round 3
IM Malcolm Pein - Thursday 19th January 2012
IM Malcolm Pein looks at the conclusion to Carlsen-Aronian that allowed Magnus Carlsen to take the lead in the Tata Steel tournament. He also looks at Teimour Radjabov against David Navara.
Magnus Carlsen in Round 3. Photo © Frits Agterdenbos. | http://www.tatasteelchess.com
Magnus Carlsen scored a significant victory in the third round of the 74th Tata Steel tournament at Wijk aan Zee. The world number one took the lead on 2.5/3 by defeating the world number two Levon Aronian who was the only player on 2/2. The victory put more distance between the players on the FIDE rating list. Carlsen's form at Wijk aan Zee suggests he might break Garry Kasparov's all time highest rating of 2851. Carlsen is 2835 and has already garnered 7.6 points at Wijk aan Zee.
Matthew Sadler spoilt a good position and allowed Elisabeth Paehtz to escape with a draw. The England number four has 2/3 in Group C.
Teimour Radjabov moved onto a positive score with this win. The game looks routine, but after White wins a pawn, Black missed his best chance for counterplay. Black's strategy in this line is based on restricting White's centre pawns by controlling the central light squares squares. After a tactical lapse on move 12 he is unable to do so.
T Radjabov - D Navara
Gruenfeld g3
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 d5 5.Bg2 dxc4 6.Na3 Nc6 7.Nxc4 Be6 8.b3 a5 9.Bb2 Bd5 10.Rc1 0-0 11.a3 Qc8 12.0-0 Qe6
(12...Rd8)
13.Ng5! Qg4 14.e4! Qxd1 15.Rfxd1 Bxc4 16.Rxc4
Two bishops, the centre and an open file give White a big advantage
David Navara
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Teimour Radjabov
Position after 16.Rxc4
16...e6 17.d5 Rfd8 18.Rcc1 exd5 19.exd5 Ne7 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Ne4 Be5 22.f4 Bd6 23.Nxd6 cxd6 24.Rc7 Nf5 25.Rxb7 Rac8 26.Bf1 Rc2
(26...Ne3)
27.Bb5 Ne3
(27...Rdc8 28.Ra7 Ra2= idea Rc2; 27...Rdc8 28.Bc6 h5 29.b4 axb4 30.Rxb4 h4 with counterplay)
28.Re1 Nxd5 29.Bc4 Nc7??
(29...Rd2)
30.Rxc7 d5
Today's puzzle, what was the decisive blow Navara had missed?
David Navara
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Teimour Radjabov
Position after 30...d5
31.Rd1! Re8 32.Bb5 1-0
The end of Carlsen-Aronian. This position is winning for White. He will preserve the b3 pawn, win the b4 pawn and even if Black wins the h4 pawn he will have insufficient time to create a diversion serious enough to deflect White from the task of ushering the 'b' pawn home
Levon Aronian
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Magnus Carlsen
White to play.
M Carlsen - L Aronian
52.Bd6 Ra1 53.Kd4 Rg1 54.Kc5 Kf5 55.Nxb4 Rc1+ 56.Kd4 Re1 57.Nc6 Re4+ 58.Kd5 Rxh4 59.b4 Rh1 60.b5 Rb1 61.Nd4+ Kg4
(After the game Carlsen said Kf6 was better but it would make no difference although more precision is required 61...Kf6 62.Kc6 h4 63.b6 Rc1+ 64.Bc5 h3 65.Nf3)
62.Kc6 Rc1+ 63.Kd7 Rb1 64.Kc7 h4 65.b6 Kh3 66.b7 Kg2 67.Nf5 h3 68.Nh4+ 1-0
Levon Aronian
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Magnus Carlsen
Final position after 68.Nh4+
