World Blitz 2009 (Day 3)
Carlsen wins World Blitz
IM Malcolm Pein - Saturday 21st November 2009
Magnus Carlsen was a comfortable winner of the World Blitz Championship and extended his lead in the third day's play at Moscow. This was an epic tournament held at the huge GUM shopping mall in Red Square.
Magnus Carlsen was a comfortable winner of the World Blitz Championship and extended his lead in the third day's play at Moscow. This was an epic tournament held at the huge GUM shopping mall in Red Square.
The 22 players had an average rating of well over 2700 which was remarkable. Of the leading players only Veselin Topalov, Teimour Radjabov and Alexei Shirov were absent.
The 42 round tournament saw 862 games played and at the frenetic time limit of 3 minutes plus 2 seconds a move, only about a quarter of the battles ended in a draw.
Carlsen started the third and final day in the lead but lost his first game to Ruslan Ponomariov after spurning a perpetual check. Howeer after that he was imperious losing just one more, again after trying too hard when the game was drawn and that was after he had already secured first prize.
Final scores
- Carlsen (Norway) 2801 31/42
- Anand (India) 2788 28
- Karjakin (Ukraine) 2723 25
- Kramnik (Russia) 2772 24.5
- Grischuk (Russia) 2736 23.5
- Ponomariov (Ukraine) 2739 23.5
- Svidler (Russia) 2754 23.5
- Leko Hungary) 2752 22
- Mamedyarov Azerbaijan 2719 22
- Morozevich (Russia) 2750 21.5
- Gashimov (Azerbaijan) 2758 21.5
- Aronian (Armenia) 2786 21
- Dominguez (Cuba) 2719 20
- Bareev (Russia) 2634 20
- Ivanchuk (Ukraine) 2739 19.5
- Karpov (Russia) 2619 19
- Gelfand (Israel) 2758 18.5
- Jakovenko, (Russia) 2736 17.5
- Polgar (Hungary) 2680 17
- Tkachiev (France) 2642 16
- Naiditsch (Germany) 2689 15
- Kosteniuk (Russia) 2517 12.5
Viswanathan Anand
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Magnus Carlsen
Position after 60.Bb6
A critical moment from day two. At first sight Carlsen appears to have the advantage as he has a strong passed 'a' pawn and a bishop which can operate on both wings. Anand obviously felt the same way as he loses a vital tempo trying to block the enemy pawn when he is actually winning here by force. The game continued.
60...Nd2?
(60...h5 61.Bc7 Ne5 wins. The bishop is blocked by the knight and the 'h' pawn is fast)
61.a4 Nc4 62.Kb5 Nd6+
(After 62...Nxb6 63.Kxb6 h5 64.a5 White promotes first and stops the black pawn)
63.Kc6 Nc4 64.Kc5 Nd2 65.Kd5!
(65.a5 Nb3+ 66.Kd5 Nxa5=)
65...Nb3 66.Kc4! Nd2+ 67.Kb4 h5 68.a5 Ke6 69.a6 1-0
Here is Carlsen's second win over Anand. Anand is never able to justify his h3 and g4. A standard looking Queen's Gambit position is reached but one where White's king is weakened and his bishop on g2 not d3. Carlsen launches a fierce attack
V Anand - M Carlsen
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 Bf5 7.h3 c6 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9.g4 Be4 10.Bg2 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Nd2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Nf8 15.b4 Ng6 16.Bg3 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Rab1 a6 19.a4 Nh4 20.b5 axb5 21.axb5 Qg6 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Rfc1 h5 24.Qc2 Qg5 25.Qxc6 Nxg2 26.Kxg2 hxg4 27.h4 Qf5 28.Qd6 Qf3+ 29.Kg1 Ra2 30.Rf1
Magnus Carlsen
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 30.Rf1
30...Rxe3 31.Qd8+ Kh7 32.Qg5 g3 33.Qxe3 gxf2+ 34.Qxf2 Rxf2 35.Rxf2 Qg4+ 36.Rg2 Qxd4+ 37.Kh1 Qe4 38.Rf1 f5 39.Kg1 d4 40.Rgf2 d3 41.h5 Qg4+ 42.Rg2 Qd4+ 43.Kh1 d2 44.Rgg1 f4 45.Kg2 Qe3 46.Rh1 Qg3 mate 0-1
Magnus Carlsen
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Viswanathan Anand
Final position after 46...Qg3#
