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Home » Chess News » Events » 73rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2011 » Nakamura leads on 5.5/7 half a point clear of Anand who drew quickly with Carlsen

Hikaru Nakamura took the lead alone after beating Jan Smeets on the white side of a Slav Botvinnik Attack. He chose a sideline on move 20 and Smeets thought for a long time over his 21...Bc6?! which I don't think will find any followers. It did put Nakamura on his own resources and he probably didn't find quite the best. Only detailed analysis will reveal quite what the proper assessment of the play is but certainly by first time control Nakamura was winning.

Nakamura,Hikaru - Smeets,Jan [D44]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (7), 13.01.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.g3 Bb7 12.Bg2 Qb6 13.exf6 c5 14.d5 0-0-0 15.0-0 b4 16.Na4 Qb5 17.a3 exd5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Bf4 Bh6 20.Qd2 Bxf4 21.Qxf4 Bc6?!

After a very long think Jan Smeets came up with this reply to Hikaru Nakamura's surprise opening choice. It does have the merit of probably not having been prepared by Nakamura.

[21...Nc5 22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.Rfe1 Rd7 24.Re5 Bc6 25.h4 a5 26.Bh3 a4 27.Rae1 a3 28.bxa3 b3 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Rxe8+ Kb7 31.Qb8+ Ka6 32.Bxd7 Bxd7 33.Re1 Bc6 34.h5 d4 35.Re5 Qxa3 36.Qc8+ Kb6 37.Qd8+ Ka6 38.Qc8+ Kb6 39.Qd8+ 1/2-1/2 Zakhartsov,V (2602)-Michalczak,T (2370)/Guben GER 2011/The Week in Chess 843]

22.Qd4

[22.Rfe1 Straight away looks very powerful too.]

22...Kb8 23.Rfe1 Rhe8 24.Re7 Qa5 25.Rxf7 Bxa4 26.Bxd5 Qc5 27.Qf4+ Ne5 28.Be4 Rd7

[28...Bd7 29.Rg7 looks better.]

29.Rg7 Bb5 30.Rxd7 Bxd7 31.Bg6 Rf8 32.Re1 Qd6 33.Qxe5

White has won back his piece.

33...Rxf6 34.Qxd6+ Rxd6 35.Bf7 Rd2

[35...c3 36.bxc3 bxc3 37.Rc1 Rc6]

36.Bxc4 Rxb2 37.h4 Bg4 38.Kg2 a5?! 39.Re5 Rc2 40.Rb5+ Kc7 41.Bd5 Rd2 42.Bf7 Bd7 43.Rxa5 Bc6+ 44.Kf1 Bf3 45.Ra1 Kd6

White just needs to unwind to win.

46.Bb3 Rd3 47.Rb1 Kc5 48.Ke1 Kb5 49.Bd1 Bxd1 50.Rxd1 Rc3 51.h5 b3 52.Kd2 Rc8 53.Rc1 Rf8 54.f4 Kb4 55.Rh1 Ka3 56.Ke3 b2 57.g4 Rc8 58.Rb1 Ka2 59.Rxb2+ Kxb2 60.h6 Kc3 61.g5 1-0

Whatever the idea Magnus Carlsen had in playing a double fianchetto on the white side of a Sicilian against World Champion Viswanathan Anand it didn't work. Anand at the very least equalised when they agreed a draw after 18 moves.

Ian Nepomniachtchi got very little on the white side of a French against Ruslan Ponomariov and a draw was agreed after 22 moves.

Erwin L'Ami did a bit better than equalise on the black side of an English against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave but probably he just was happy with the draw which was agreed on move 24.

Vladimir Kramnik won against Anish Giri, after the Grunfeld opening Giri chose the wrong setup (he should probably not play c4), and although Rb8 blunders a pawn, it's not clear he has better alternatives. Kramnik played precisely after this, therefore there was not much of a fight.

Kramnik,Vladimir - Giri,Anish [D85]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (7), 13.01.2011
[Michiel Abeln]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Qb3 0-0 9.Be3

[9.Nf3 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.Bd3 Nc6 12.Rd1 Na5 13.Qb1 c5 14.0-0 cxd4 15.cxd4 Rac8 16.d5 Nc4 17.Bd4 Bxd4 18.Nxd4 e5 19.Nf3 f6 20.Bxc4 Rxc4 21.Rc1 Rfc8 22.Nd2 R4c5 23.Rxc5 Rxc5 24.Rc1 Qc7 25.Rxc5 Qxc5 26.h3 Ba6 27.Nf1 Qb5 28.Qa1 Qxf1+ 29.Qxf1 Bxf1 30.Kxf1 b5 31.Ke2 a5 32.g4 1/ 2-1/2 Sokolov,I (2641)-Cheparinov,I (2661)/Khanty Mansiysk 2010/CBM 139]

9...c5 10.d5N

[10.Rd1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nc6 12.Nf3 Qd6 13.a3 Bg4 14.e5 Qd7 15.Be2 Na5 16.Qb4 b6 17.0-0 Rac8 18.d5 Bxf3 19.e6 fxe6 20.Bxf3 exd5 21.Rxd5 Qe6 22.Rfd1 Nc6 23.Qg4 Qxg4 24.Bxg4 Rc7 25.Rc1 Bb2 26.Rc2 Bxa3 27.Rd3 Bc5 28.Bxc5 Nd8 29.Rcd2 Rxc5 30.Rxd8 Rc1+ 31.Rd1 Rxd1+ 32.Rxd1 a5 33.Bd7 Rb8 34.Rb1 Kf7 35.Kf1 Kf6 36.Ke2 Ke5 37.Ke3 Kd6 38.Ba4 Kc5 39.Rb5+ Kc4 Jorczik,J (2381)-Strache,M (2218)/Saarbruecken 2009/CBM 128 Extra/1-0]

10...e6 11.Bc4 exd5 12.Bxd5 Qc7

[12...Qg4 13.h3 c4 (13...Qxg2 14.e5) 14.hxg4 cxb3 15.Ne2 bxa2 16.Rxa2 Nc6 17.f3]

13.Ne2 Nd7 14.Bf4 Ne5

[14...Be5 15.Bh6 Bg7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.0-0 Nb6]

15.0-0 c4

[Safer was 15...Rb8 16.h3 Bd7]

16.Qb4 Re8 17.Bg3

[17.Rab1 a6 18.h3 Bf8 19.Qb2 Bd6]

17...Rb8

a blunder but it's not easy for black to move his pieces anyway

[17...Bf8 18.Qb5 Qd7 19.Nd4 a6 20.Qxd7 Nxd7 21.Bxc4 Rxe4]

18.Qxc4 Qxc4 19.Bxc4 Bd7 20.Rfd1 Nxc4 21.Bxb8 Ba4 22.Bxa7 Bxd1 23.Rxd1 Rxe4 24.Rd8+ Bf8 25.Bc5 Rxe2 26.g4 Rxa2

[26...Kg7 27.Bxf8+ Kf6 28.a3 Rc2 29.Bb4]

27.g5 Ne5

[27...b6 28.Bxf8 f5 29.gxf6 Kf7 30.Bg7 g5 31.Rd7+ Kg6]

28.Bxf8 f6 29.Be7+ Kf7 30.Bxf6 Ra5 31.Kg2 Ng4 32.Rd7+ Ke6 33.Re7+ Kf5 34.Bd4 Kxg5 35.Rxh7 Ne5 36.Rxb7 Nc4 37.Rc7 Nd6 38.Be3+ Kf5 39.Kf3 Ra4 40.Bd4 Ke6 41.Rg7 Kf5 42.Ra7 Rxa7 43.Bxa7 Nc4 44.Bb8 Nb2 45.Bg3 Nc4 46.h3 g5 47.Ke2 Ke4 48.f3+ Kd5 49.Bc7 Ke6 50.Kd3 Kd5 51.f4 gxf4 52.Bxf4 Nb2+ 53.Kc2 Nc4 54.h4 Ke4 55.Bc1 Ne5 56.h5 Nd7 57.h6 Nf6 58.c4 Nh7 59.Kb3 1-0

Levon Aronian won and again matters became clear early on, Alexander Grischuk could have gone for some very interesting lines with 22.Ng5, but instead went for 23.Qa7 which was too optimistic. After that black was simply better and on top of that white's time trouble decided the game.

Grischuk,Alexander - Aronian,Levon [C85]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (7), 13.01.2011
[Michiel Abeln]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nc3 Nd7 8.d4 exd4 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.Qe2 Bd6N

[10...Ne5 11.Be3 Bd6 12.Rad1 Qh4 13.h3 Re8 14.f4 Ng6 15.e5 Bc5 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Ne4 Bxd4 18.Bxd4 f5 19.Ng3 Be6 20.b3 Rad8 21.c4 Rd7 22.Rd2 Red8 23.Rfd1 a5 24.Ne2 c5 25.Be3 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Rxd2 27.Bxd2 b6 28.Qd3 Qd7 29.Qxd7 Bxd7 30.Nc3 Bc6 31.Kf2 Kf7 32.g3 Ke6 33.Be3 1/2-1/2 Ivanchuk,V (2787)-Leko,P (2755)/Mukachevo 2007/CBM 121]

11.Be3 Nf6 12.f4

[White can also play with a very different structure: 12.f3 ]

12...Ng4 13.Rad1 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 f6 15.Nce2 Qe7 16.Kh1 Re8 17.Ng3 Qf7 18.b3 Bg4 19.Rde1 Bd7 20.Nf3 Rad8 21.e5

21...fxe5

Maybe black should not have taken here, white had now the chance to go for some very complex lines 21...Qd5 22.Ne4 Bf5 23.Nxd6 cxd6 24.Qb6 Bxc2 25.exf6 gxf6 26.Qxb7;

21...Bc8

22.fxe5

The critical move was 22.Ng5 Qd5 (22...Qxf4 23.Rxf4 exf4 24.Qc3 Rxe1+ 25.Qxe1 fxg3 26.Qe4 g6 27.Qh4 h5 28.Qc4+) 23.f5 Rf8 24.f6 Rxf6 25.Rxf6 gxf6 26.Nh5 Be7 27.c4 Qa5 28.Ne4 Bf5 29.Nexf6+ Kf7 30.Nd5 cxd5 31.Qxe5 Qxe1+ 32.Qxe1]

22...Qg6 23.Qa7

This move is probably a bit too ambitious

23...Bb4 24.Rd1 Bc8 25.Qf2 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Rf8 27.Qe2 Be7 28.Rf1 h6 29.Nd4 c5 30.Rxf8+ Bxf8 31.Nf3 Be6 32.Nf1 b5 33.c4 bxc4 34.bxc4 Qb1 35.h3 Qc1 36.N3d2 Be7 37.Kh2 Bg5 38.g3 Qc2 39.a3 Qf5 40.g4 Bf4+ 41.Kg2 Qxe5 42.Qxe5 Bxe5 43.Ne3 Bb2 44.Nb1 Kf7 45.Kf3 Kf6 46.Ke4 Kg5 47.Nd5 Bxd5+ 48.cxd5 Kh4 49.Nd2 Bxa3 0-1

Alexei Shirov played a Stonewall formation which came from a Semi-Slav structure as black against Wang Hao. He followed it up with a piece sacrifice. There were probably chances for both sides at one point or another but in the end Shirov liquidated the position to a draw.

Wang Hao - Shirov,Alexei [D11]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (7), 13.01.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.b3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Ne4 7.0-0 f5 8.Ba3 Bxa3 9.Nxa3 0-0 10.b4 a5

[10...a6 1/2-1/2 Gajewski,G (2568)-Stopa,J (2494)/Warsaw POL 2010/The Week in Chess 793 (59)]

11.Nc2 axb4 12.Nxb4 g5 13.Nd2 Qe7 14.a3 Ndf6 15.f3 c5

Sacrificing a piece for an attack.

16.dxc5 Qxc5 17.fxe4 dxe4 18.Be2 Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 Rd8 20.Ra2 Rxa3 21.Rxa3 Qxa3 22.Qb3 Qxb3 23.Nxb3

23...e3 24.Nc2 Ne4 25.Nxe3 Nc3 26.Re1 Nxe2 27.Rxe2 Rd3 28.Nc5 Ra3 29.Kg1

[29.Nf1 Kf7 30.Rb2 Rc3 31.Nxb7 Ke7 32.c5 Kf6 33.Rb6]

29...Kf7 30.Kf2 b6 31.Nc2 Rc3 32.Na4 Rxc4 33.Nxb6 Rf4+ 34.Kg1 Ba6 35.Re1 Bd3 36.Rc1 Ke7 37.Ne3 Rd4 38.Rc7+ Kd6 39.Rd7+ Kc5 40.Na4+ Rxa4 41.Rxd3 Ra1+ 42.Kf2 Ra2+ 43.Kf3 h5 44.h3 g4+ 45.Kf4 Ra4+ 46.Kg5 f4 47.Nd1 e5 48.Rd2 f3 49.gxf3 gxh3 50.Nb2 Ra3 51.Nd3+ Kd4 52.Ne1+ Ke3 53.Rh2 Rc3 54.Nc2+ Kd3 55.Ne1+ Ke3 56.f4 exf4 57.Rxh3+ Kd4 58.Nf3+ Ke4 59.Nd2+ Kd4 60.Rh4 Ke3 61.Nf1+ Ke2 62.Rxf4 Rf3 1/2-1/2

73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XX (2740)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2751	*	.	½	.	.	.	.	½	½	.	1	1	1	1	5½	2947
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2810	.	*	.	½	½	.	.	1	.	1	½	½	1	.	5	2891
3.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2805	½	.	*	½	½	1	½	.	.	½	.	1	.	.	4½	2859
4.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2784	.	½	½	*	.	½	.	.	1	½	.	½	.	1	4½	2853
5.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2814	.	½	½	.	*	.	.	½	0	.	1	.	1	½	4	2772
6.	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	g	RUS	2733	.	.	0	½	.	*	.	½	1	1	.	½	.	½	4	2799
7.	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2715	.	.	½	.	.	.	*	½	½	½	½	½	.	1	4	2777
8.	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2744	½	0	.	.	½	½	½	*	.	.	½	.	1	.	3½	2730
9.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2686	½	.	.	0	1	0	½	.	*	.	½	.	½	.	3	2676
10.	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2731	.	0	½	½	.	0	½	.	.	*	.	1	.	½	3	2713
11.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2628	0	½	.	.	0	.	½	½	½	.	*	.	½	.	2½	2638
12.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2773	0	½	0	½	.	½	½	.	.	0	.	*	.	.	2	2603
13.	Smeets, Jan	g	NED	2662	0	0	.	.	0	.	.	0	½	.	½	.	*	1	2	2578
14.	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	2722	0	.	.	0	½	½	0	.	.	½	.	.	0	*	1½	2511

Round 7 (January 22, 2011)
Nakamura, Hikaru	- Smeets, Jan	1-0	61	D44	Anti-Meran Gambit
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Giri, Anish	1-0	59	D85	Gruenfeld Defence
Carlsen, Magnus	- Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	18	B91	Sicilian Najdorf with 6.g3
Nepomniachtchi, Ian	- Ponomariov, Ruslan	½-½	22	C11	French Defence
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	- L'Ami, Erwin	½-½	24	A19	English Opening
Wang, Hao	- Shirov, Alexei	½-½	62	D11	Slav Defence
Grischuk, Alexander	- Aronian, Levon	0-1	49	C85	Ruy Lopez Steenwijker Defence

The B-Group opened up after the leader Luke McShane lost to Le Quang Liem. McShane, probably in time trouble missed a shot that ended the game almost straight away after a fascinating struggle. McShane shares the lead on 5/7 with Wesley So who has won three on the bounce after a slow start and Zahar Efimenko.

37. Qxf5 Rd7?

(37... Qd6)

38. Bh4!

Clearly this shot was missed by McShane.

38...Qc8 39. Bf6 Rf7 40. Bxg7+ Rxg7 41. Re6 Kg8 42. Qh5 Qc7 43. Rxh6 Rh7 44. Rxh7 Qxh7 45. Rg1+ Kh8 46. Qe5+ 1-0

73rd Tata Steel GMB Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XVII (2659)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2673	*	.	½	½	.	½	1	.	.	1	1	.	.	½	5	2835
2.	McShane, Luke J	g	ENG	2664	.	*	.	.	1	0	.	1	1	½	.	1	½	.	5	2802
3.	Efimenko, Zahar	g	UKR	2701	½	.	*	.	.	.	1	½	.	½	½	1	.	1	5	2812
4.	Sargissian, Gabriel	g	ARM	2667	½	.	.	*	.	.	½	½	½	.	1	½	1	.	4½	2737
5.	Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	g	POL	2726	.	0	.	.	*	.	0	1	½	1	.	½	1	.	4	2692
6.	Le, Quang Liem	g	VIE	2664	½	1	.	.	.	*	½	0	½	.	.	0	1	.	3½	2637
7.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	0	.	0	½	1	½	*	.	.	.	1	.	.	½	3½	2675
8.	Li, Chao b	g	CHN	2649	.	0	½	½	0	1	.	*	.	.	.	.	½	1	3½	2664
9.	Tkachiev, Vladislav	g	FRA	2636	.	0	.	½	½	½	.	.	*	½	.	.	½	1	3½	2665
10.	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2707	0	½	½	.	0	.	.	.	½	*	1	.	½	.	3	2612
11.	Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	g	IND	2651	0	.	½	0	.	.	0	.	.	0	*	1	.	1	2½	2562
12.	Spoelman, Wouter	g	NED	2547	.	0	0	½	½	1	.	.	.	.	0	*	.	0	2	2516
13.	Nijboer, Friso	g	NED	2584	.	½	.	0	0	0	.	½	½	½	.	.	*	.	2	2515
14.	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2647	½	.	0	.	.	.	½	0	0	.	0	1	.	*	2	2494

Round 7 (January 22, 2011)
So, Wesley	- Navara, David	1-0	34	E60	King's Indian without Nc3
Efimenko, Zahar	- Li, Chao b	½-½	30	C42	Petroff's Defence
Sargissian, Gabriel	- Nijboer, Friso	1-0	70	E98	King's Indian Classical
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	- Fressinet, Laurent	1-0	45	D31	Semi-Slav Defence
Le, Quang Liem	- McShane, Luke J	1-0	46	E94	King's Indian Classical
Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	- Spoelman, Wouter	1-0	26	B94	Sicilian Najdorf with 6.Bg5
Hammer, Jon Ludvig	- Tkachiev, Vladislav	0-1	38	D30	Queen's Gambit (without Nc3)

Illya Nyzhnyk and Daniele Vocaturo both won in round 7 to lead on 5.5/7 half a point clear of Kateryna Lahno.

73rd Tata Steel GMC Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XI (2507)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Nyzhnyk, Illya	g	UKR	2530	*	.	.	½	1	½	1	.	.	.	.	1	½	1	5½	2718
2.	Vocaturo, Daniele	g	ITA	2570	.	*	.	1	1	.	0	.	.	1	½	.	1	1	5½	2720
3.	Lahno, Kateryna	g	UKR	2518	.	.	*	½	.	0	1	½	.	.	1	1	.	1	5	2647
4.	Bluvshtein, Mark	g	CAN	2590	½	0	½	*	0	.	.	.	1	1	.	.	1	.	4	2575
5.	Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	g	KAZ	2637	0	0	.	1	*	.	1	.	.	1	0	.	1	.	4	2537
6.	Van Der Werf, Mark	m	NED	2439	½	.	1	.	.	*	.	½	1	0	½	0	.	.	3½	2507
7.	Tania, Sachdev	m	IND	2391	0	1	0	.	0	.	*	1	1	½	.	.	.	.	3½	2552
8.	Ivanisevic, Ivan	g	SRB	2630	.	.	½	.	.	½	0	*	½	.	1	½	.	½	3½	2466
9.	Swiercz, Dariusz	g	POL	2540	.	.	.	0	.	0	0	½	*	.	.	1	1	1	3½	2487
10.	Van Kampen, Robin	m	NED	2443	.	0	.	0	0	1	½	.	.	*	.	.	1	½	3	2456
11.	Bok, Benjamin	m	NED	2453	.	½	0	.	1	½	.	0	.	.	*	½	0	.	2½	2422
12.	Siebrecht, Sebastian	g	GER	2439	0	.	0	.	.	1	.	½	0	.	½	*	.	½	2½	2411
13.	De Jong, Jan-Willem	m	NED	2437	½	0	.	0	0	.	.	.	0	0	1	.	*	.	1½	2307
14.	Pruijssers, Roeland	m	NED	2484	0	0	0	.	.	.	.	½	0	½	.	½	.	*	1½	2294

Round 7 (January 22, 2011)
Nyzhnyk, Illya	- Siebrecht, Sebastian	1-0	34	A57	Volga Gambit
Vocaturo, Daniele	- Pruijssers, Roeland	1-0	29	C53	Giuoco Piano
Lahno, Kateryna	- Bok, Benjamin	1-0	58	C67	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	- Tania, Sachdev	1-0	61	D31	Semi-Slav Defence
Swiercz, Dariusz	- Ivanisevic, Ivan	½-½	68	C60	Ruy Lopez
Van Kampen, Robin	- Van Der Werf, Mark	1-0	47	C91	Ruy Lopez
De Jong, Jan-Willem	- Bluvshtein, Mark	0-1	50	E32	Nimzo Indian 4.Qc2

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