3rd London Chess Classic 2011 (9)
Kramnik draws way to London Classic Title
IM Malcolm Pein - Wednesday 14th December 2011
Vladimir Kramnik only needed a draw with white against Levon Aronian to win the 3rd London Chess Classic. Kramnik won all four games against the English contingent and drew the rest.
Vladimir Kramnik drew against Levon Aronian in the final round. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill. | http://www.rmhphoto.eu
Vladimir Kramnik smoothly secured the draw he needed to secure tournament victory at the 3rd London Chess Classic which concluded on Monday at Olympia. Kramnik's tie break was superior to Magnus Carlsen's who was the only player who could catch him. As soon as Levon Aronian played a solid variation of the Queen's Gambit, it as clear that Kramnik's victory was assured. Exchanges and a draw by repetition resulted to take Kramnik to the winning score of 16/24 under the three points for a win system.
Kramnik was ruthless with the English quartet, defeating them all and drawing with the visitors in a typically professional performance. At the closing dinner, Garry Kasparov, who awarded the trophy to Kramnik, joked that Kramnik's long term residence in France must have contributed to his merciless treatment of the home contingent.
Magnus Carlsen's hopes rested on a Kramnik defeat, but his position was soon on the edge after he overpressed against Nigel Short. In Carlsen's words, he "played a horrible series of moves". Short held a clear edge based on Carlsen's weak pawns but the world number one cooly gave the weakest pawn to reach a drawn rook and pawn endgame.
Luke McShane ended on 13 points with 3 wins and four draws. I awarded
him the title of 'world's strongest amateur' at the opening of the
final round. Luke will be back at work tomorrow in the City of
London. He played brilliantly and in the words of the world champion
Vishy Anand " Especially in some tricky positions in the early rounds
he acquainted himself beautifully".
Final scores: 1 Kramnik 16; 2 Nakamura 15; 3 Carlsen 14; 4 McShane 13; 5-6 Anand, Aronian 9; 7 Short 6; 8 Howell 4; 9 Adams 3;
Hikaru Nakamura grabbed second place after boldly playing the King's Gambit and turning round a bad position in the the time scramble against Michael Adams.
H Nakamura - M Adams
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bc4 Nxd5 6.0-0 Be6 7.Bb3 c5
(7...Bd6 8.c4 Ne7 9.d4 Bronstein-Zaitsev 1969)
8.Kh1
Has to be wrong - Nakamura
8...Nc6 9.d4 c4! 10.Ba4
(10.Bxc4 Ne3! 11.Bxe3 Bxc4)
10...Bd6 11.b3 c3 12.Qd3 0-0 13.Bxc6
(13.Nxc3? Ncb4 14.Qd2 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 Rc8)
13...bxc6 14.Nxc3 Re8 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.c4 Be4 17.Qc3 a5
Black's bishops and activity give him the advantage
18.a3 f6 19.Bb2 Ra7 20.Rad1 Rae7 21.b4
The only source of counterplay
21...axb4 22.axb4 Kh8 23.Qb3 Rb7 24.Bc3 Qb8
Michael Adams
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Hikaru Nakamura
Position after 24...Qb8
25.b5! cxb5 26.c5! b4! 27.Bd2 Bf8 28.Rde1 g5 29.Qc4 g4 30.Nh4 f3 31.d5 fxg2+ 32.Nxg2 Bf3!
Black is better but it's hugely complex
33.Kg1 Rc8 34.c6 Rb5 35.Nf4 Bc5+
(Looks natural but the pin does not prove as strong as it looks 35...b3 36.Rxf3 gxf3 37.Bc3 Rb4! 38.Bxb4 Bxb4 39.Rb1(39.Qd4 f2+!)39...Bc5+! 40.Qxc5 Qxf4 wins)
36.Be3 Bxe3+ 37.Rxe3 Qb6 38.Rfe1
Ne6 transforms the game
38...b3 39.Qc3 Rf8 40.Ne6 b2 41.c7 1-0
Michael Adams
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Hikaru Nakamura
Final position and 41...b1Q 42.Qxf6+ Rxf6 43.c8Q+ Rf8 44.Qxf8 is mate
