Chessable Houska's Caro

4th London Chess Classic 2012 (6)

Carlsen beats Polgar to break Kasparov record in London Classic Round 6

Magnus Carlsen will set a new record at the end of the London Chess Classic. Photo ©

Magnus Carlsen will set a new record at the end of the London Chess Classic. Photo © | http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com

Magnus Carlsen took control of the 4th London Chess Classic after defeating Judit Polgar in deceptively simple style. Even if Carlsen were to lose his two remaining games it seems he will at least match Kasparov's 2851 record rating and no-one is expecting Carlsen not to add to his total. Polgar played a kind of hedgehog setup against Carlsen's English and was slowly squeezed to death with 22...g6 being a serious error. Carlsen's closest challenger Vladimir Kramnik drew an intricate struggle in the Berlin Defence against Levon Aronian, Kramnik may have had the better chances at one stage but the whole game will take some study to assess. World Champion Viswanathan Anand made a horrible blunder just after first time control where he allowed Michael Adams to checkmate him, an astonishing oversight that lifts Adams into third and was a welcome boost after his loss to Carlsen the round before. Luke McShane scored his first win beating London Classic debutant Gawain Jones in yet another English. McShane simply seemed to be seeing more and calculating more accurately throughout. Carlsen 16pts, Kramnik 12pts, Adams 10pts. etc. Round 7 Sat 2pm. Jones-Aronian, Adams-McShane, Polgar-Anand and Nakamura-Carlsen. Kramnik is in the commentary box.

Magnus Carlsen beat Judit Polgar

Magnus Carlsen beat Judit Polgar. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Carlsen,Magnus (2848) - Polgar,Judit (2705) [A33]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (6.2), 07.12.2012

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.a3 Bc5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.e4 0-0 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bf4 d6 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Re1 Ne5 14.Nd2 Nfd7 15.Be3

[15.b4 Kh8 16.Bg3 g5 17.Nb3 a6 18.Bf1 Rg8 19.Na4 Bc6 20.Nd4 Bb7 21.Nb3 Bc6 22.Nd4 Bb7 23.Nb3 1/2-1/2 Van Wely,L (2692)-Gashimov,V (2761)/Wijk aan Zee NED 2012/The Week in Chess 897]

15...Qc7 16.b4 Qb8 17.f4 Ng6 18.g3

This opening doesn't really seem to suit Polgar.

18...Rfe8 19.Bf3 Qa8 20.Bf2 Ngf8 21.Qe2 Qb8 22.Red1 g6?

Judit Polgar

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Magnus Carlsen

Position after 22...g6

This is really terribly commital and leaves black's kingside full of holes.

[22...a6; 22...h6]

23.e5 Bc6 24.Bd4 Red8 25.Bxc6 Rxc6 26.Nf3 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rdc8 28.Ne4 Qc7 29.Nfd2 a6 30.Nf2 Bg5

[30...h5 Trying to keep the knight out of the kingside might keep things going for the moment but f7 is going to be weak sometime.]

31.Rf1 Bxd2 32.Qxd2 Nxe5?

Polgar gambles on grabbling a pawn and hopes to hold on. Carlsen finishes things precisely.

[32...Rxc4 33.Rxc4 Qxc4 34.Ng4 Qd5 35.Nh6+ Kg7 36.Rxf7+ Kh8 37.Rf1]

33.Bxe5 Qxe5 34.Ng4 Rd6 35.Nh6+ Kg7 36.Rxf7+ Kh8 37.Qf2 Qd4

Black can get the queens off but unfortunately for her it doesn't stop the kingside attack.

38.c5!?

Judit Polgar

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Magnus Carlsen

Position after 38...c5!?

Polgar was very short of time and Carlsen had ages, this sets too many problems for her.

[38.Rf1 is perhaps objectively stronger.]

38...bxc5

[38...Qxf2+ 39.Kxf2 Rdc6; 38...Nd7 39.Re7 Ne5 40.cxd6 Rxc1+ 41.Kg2 Qxf2+ 42.Kxf2 Rd1 43.g4 Rd2+ 44.Kg3 g5 45.Rxe6 Nc4 wins in the end.]

39.Qxd4+ Rxd4 40.Rxc5 Rcd8

[40...Rxc5 41.bxc5 Rc4 42.Rxf8+ Kg7 43.Rf4!]]

41.Rcc7 Rd1+ 42.Kg2 R1d2+ 43.Kh3 R2d5 44.Ng4

Polgar could just as well resign here.

44...Rh5+ 45.Kg2 Rd2+ 46.Kf3 Rf5+ 47.Ke3 Rxf7 48.Rxf7 Rd8 49.Nf6 Rb8 50.Kf4 h6 51.Ke5 a5 52.bxa5 Ra8 53.a6 1-0

Vladimir Kramnik

Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Aronian,Levon (2815) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2795) [C67]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (6.1), 07.12.2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Bg5 Be6 12.b3 Be7 13.Rad1 h4 14.Ne4 b6

[14...Bd5 15.Rfe1 Rd8 16.Bf4 Rd7 17.Nfg5 Rh6 18.c4 Bxe4 19.Nxe4 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Re6 21.Ng5 Rg6 22.Nf3 c5 23.Rd3 Ra6 24.a4 c6 25.g4 1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S (2725)-Jakovenko,D (2725)/Dagomys RUS 2010/The Week in Chess 804]

15.c4 a5 16.Rd2 Rd8 17.Rfd1 Rxd2 18.Bxd2 c5 19.Bf4 a4 20.Nc3 axb3 21.axb3

Aronian thought he was better here but it is all about being in time and it seems he can't break through.

21...Bd8!

Vladimir Kramnik

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Levon Aronian

Position after 21...Bd8!

22.Kf1 Rg8 23.Ne4 Bc8 24.Ra1 Bb7 25.Neg5 f6

Now white has to be a bit careful.

26.exf6 gxf6 27.Ne4

Not really en-prise do to a pin on the e-file.

27...Kd7 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Re1 Rg7 30.Nfd2 Nd4 31.f3 Bc6 32.Nf2 Bd7 33.Ng4 Bf5 34.Kf2 Kd7

[34...Bg6! Both players agreed afterwards that this was a better try for black.]

35.Ne3 Bh7 36.Nd5 Bc2 37.Ne3 Bd3 38.Nd5 Nxb3

Vladimir Kramnik

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Levon Aronian

Position after 38...Nxb3

At first Kramnik thought this might win but white is now just in time to with the c5 pawn after which the game should finish in a draw.

39.Nxb3 Bxc4 40.Nxc5+ bxc5 41.Rd1! Kc8 42.Nc3 Rd7 43.Rc1

Now white wins the c5 pawn.

43...Bd3 44.Na4 c4 45.Nb2 Rd5 46.Nxc4 Rc5 47.Nb2 Rxc1 48.Bxc1 Bb5 49.g3 hxg3+ 50.Kxg3 Kd7 51.Nd1 Ke6 52.Nc3 Be8 53.Be3 Be7 54.h4

Both players are heading towards a draw but Aronian rather carelessly loses a pawn and has to concetrante again.

54...c5 55.Kf2 c4 56.Ke2 Bg6 57.Bd4 f5 58.f4 Bxh4 59.Ke3 Bf7 60.Bg7 Kd6 61.Bf8+ Kc6 62.Ne2 Be1 63.Nd4+ Kd5 64.Nxf5 c3 65.Kd3 Bg6 66.Ke2 Bxf5 67.Kxe1 1/2-1/2

Michael Adams

Michael Adams. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Anand,Viswanathan (2775) - Adams,Michael (2710) [A29]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (6.3), 07.12.2012

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Bg2 0-0 8.0-0 Re8 9.Nc2 d6 10.Bd2

[10.b3 0-1 Koksal,E (2254)-Sanal,V (2332)/Konya TUR 2012/The Week in Chess 924 (61)]

10...a6 11.Rc1 Ne5 12.b3 c6 13.Be3 Nfg4 14.Bd4 c5 15.Bxe5 Bxe5 16.Nd5 Rb8 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nce3 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Qa5 20.Rc2 Bf5 21.Qd2 Qd8

[21...Qa3!? 22.Rcc1 b5 23.Ne3 Be6 24.Nd5 Bf5]

22.Rcc1 b5 23.cxb5!? axb5 24.Rfd1 h5 25.h4 Bg4 26.Ne3 Bd7 27.Bf3 Bd4 28.Nd5 b4 29.Rc4 Be5

White was really threatening to sacrifice the exchange.

30.Kg2 Ra8 31.Ne3 Ra7 32.Rcc1 Qe7 33.Nc4 Be6 34.Rc2 Bf5 35.e4 Be6 36.Nxe5 dxe5 37.Qe3 Ra5 38.Be2 Rd8 39.Rxd8+ Qxd8 40.Rxc5 Rxa2

The players have made time control. Anand with a lot of time left.

Michael Adams

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Viswanathan Anand

Position after 40...Rxa2

41.Bc4??

Very, very careless of Anand. He probably missed Bh3+. But even Bxc4 is completely safe.

[41.Rxe5 Qd2 42.Qxd2 Rxd2 43.Bc4 Bxc4 44.bxc4 Rd4 45.c5 Rc4 46.Re7 Rxc5 47.Rb7 Rc4 48.Kf3 Rc3+ 49.Kf4 b3 50.Rb8+ Kg7 is just a draw.]

41...Qd1!

Adams took an age to play this move. Presumably he couldn't believe his luck.

42.Qh6 Bh3+

and mate follows.

0-1

Luke McShane beat Gawain Jones

Luke McShane beat Gawain Jones. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

McShane,Luke J (2713) - Jones,Gawain C B (2644) [A37]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (6.4), 07.12.2012

1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Nc3 e5 6.0-0 Nge7 7.a3 0-0 8.d3 d6 9.Rb1 a5 10.Ne1 Be6 11.Nc2 d5 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Ne3 Nde7 14.Nc4 Rb8 15.Bg5 f6 16.Be3 b6 17.f4 f5

[17...Bh6 18.Kh1 exf4 19.gxf4 Qd7 20.Qe1 Nd4 21.Bg1 a4 22.Rd1 b5 23.Ne4 Qc8 24.Ncd2 Bg4 25.Nf3 Nef5 26.Qc3 Nxe2 27.Nxf6+ Kh8 28.Qe5 Bxf4 29.Qxe2 Rxf6 30.Qe4 Nd6 31.Qd5 Rf5 32.Qa2 Rh5 33.b4 Nf5 34.Bxc5 Kg7 35.Qb2+ Kh6 36.Qf6 Qd8 37.Qxd8 Rxd8 38.Kg1 Be3+ 39.Bxe3+ Nxe3 0-1 Hickl,J (2600)-Maksimenko,A (2545)/Vienna AUT 1996]

18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.Bf4 Nxc4 20.dxc4 Bxc4 21.Bxb8 Qxb8 22.Qa4 Be6

[22...Bf7]

23.Rbd1 Qe5

White black nominally has enough for the exchange white's pieces look very well coordinated.

24.Kh1 c4 25.e4! Qc5 26.Rde1 Bd4 27.Qd1 Rd8?

This is the losing move.

[27...Bf7 28.exf5 Bxc3 29.bxc3 Nxf5 30.Qc1]

28.exf5 Bxf5 29.Qe2 Nc8 30.g4 Bd3 31.Qe6+ Kh8 32.Rf7 Nd6 33.Rd7 Rxd7 34.Qxd7 Bf6

Gawain Jones

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Luke McShane

Position after 34....Bf6

35.Nd1

White was very short of time but this move gets him to first time control safely with a decisive advantage.

[35.Re6]]

35...Qd4 36.g5 Bf5 37.Re8+ Nxe8 38.Qxe8+ Kg7 39.gxf6+ Qxf6 40.Qe3 Bd7

The ending is completely winning for white and now McShane spent a lot of time working out what to do next.

41.Kg1! b5?! 42.Qa7! Qd6 43.Nf2 Qd2 44.Bh3 Qg5+ 45.Bg4 h5 46.Qxd7+ Kh6 47.Qd4

Threat mate.

47...Kh7 48.h4

Going two pieces up.

48...Qxh4 49.Qa7+ Kh6 50.Qe3+ Kh7 51.Bd7 b4 52.axb4 axb4 53.Bb5 c3 54.bxc3 bxc3 55.Bd3 Qd8 56.Qc5 Qh4 57.Qxc3 Qg3+ 58.Kf1 h4 59.Qc8 1-0

4th London Chess Classic 2012 London ENG Sat 1st Dec 2012 - Mon 10th Dec 2012
Leading Round 6 (of 9) Standings:
RkNameFEDRtgGms123456789PtsPerf
1Carlsen, MagnusNOR28486*½1 111116.03146
2Kramnik, VladimirRUS27956½* 1½½1 112.02960
3Adams, MichaelENG271050 *½1 1110.02893
4Nakamura, HikaruUSA27605 0½* 1 ½18.0 2804
5Anand, ViswanathanIND27755 ½0 *½½1 6.0 2736
6Aronian, LevonARM281550½ 0½*1 5.02708
7McShane, Luke JENG2713500 ½0*1 4.0 2629
8Jones, Gawain C BENG264460 0½0 0*½2.02473
9Polgar, JuditHUN270550000 ½*1.02370
9 players
4th London CC Open London ENG Sat 1st Dec 2012 - Mon 10th Dec 2012
Leading Round 7 (of 9) Standings:
RkNameTiFEDRtg1234567PtsTPR
1Melkumyan, HrantGMARM264911111½½6.02715
2Williams, Simon KGMENG2515111½1½16.02643
3Rowson, JonathanGMSCO258611½½11½5.52560
4Van Kampen, RobinGMNED257011½1½1½5.52587
5Hebden, Mark LGMENG254711½1½½15.52550
6Hillarp Persson, TigerGMSWE25461½111½½5.52570
7Gundavaa, BayarsaikhanIMMGL2530111011½5.52541
8Hawkins, JonathanIMENG2507111½½½15.52544
9Schneider, DmitryIMUSA24771½11½½15.52520
10Sadzikowski, DanielIMPOL24491½11½½15.52487
11Hamitevici, VladimirIMMDA2440111½1½½5.52547
12Kiik, KalleIMEST24371½½1½115.52414
13Bartholomew, JohnIMUSA2427½111½1½5.52499
14Houska, JovankaIMENG2396½111½½15.52517
15Roberson, Peter TFMENG2350111½½1½5.52583
16Gunajew, RafalFMPOL2260½1101115.52386
17Guerrero, AndresVEN2206101½1115.52454
18Pert, Richard GIMENG24541½½01115.02308
19Boruchovsky, AvitalIMISR244811011½½5.02395
20Zhou, Yang-FanIMENG241911110105.02485
21Golubka, PetrIMUKR2418111½½015.02427
22Sarakauskas, GediminasIMLTU240811½1½015.02432
23Ferguson, MarkIMENG240211½101=5.02403
24Gullaksen, EirikIMNOR238411½1½015.02411
25Bates, Richard AIMENG237011½01½15.02406
26Kojima, ShinyaFMJPN234011011015.02391
27Richardson, John RFMENG2320½110½115.02331
28Zimmermann, JulianFMGER229911011½½5.02421
29Rudd, JackIMENG228810110115.02343
30Player, Edmund CENG224811010115.02294
31Luncasu, Raul-IonutROU211810101115.02210
32Seymour, Timothy PENG20930½11½115.02245
33Holzke, FrankGMGER2521½1½½1104.52321
34Arkell, Keith CGMENG2470110½½1½4.52305
35Cherniaev, AlexanderGMRUS2460101½0114.52243
36Shaw, JohnGMSCO2435111010½4.52387
37D`Costa, Lorin A RIMENG241711½1½½04.52386
38Hanley, Craig AIMENG2412111½0104.52389
39Rendle, Thomas EIMENG23811½11½½04.52345
40Ansell, Simon TIMENG237711½½1½04.52459
41Schneider, IgorFMUSA237611001½14.52307
42Weber, TomFMLUX23721101½½½4.52323
43Szabo, BenceHUN2365110½1104.52361
44Radovanovic, JovicaFMSRB23611½1010+4.52267
45Kvisvik, BredeFMNOR2316½1100114.52222
46Moriuchi, ToshiyukiJPN231611½01104.52384
47Arvola, BenjaminFMNOR22851110½014.52373
48Chapman, Terry P DENG2279==1½=½14.52333
49Ledger, Dave JFMENG226611½10014.52356
50Eames, Robert SFMENG2263½10½1½14.52138
243 players

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