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Home » Chess News » Events » 73rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2011 » Nakamura wins Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee

The traditional final press conference saw Jeroen Van den Berg expressed satisfaction with the tournament and perhaps even more importantly he passed on the news that Tata Steel were also happy. This is important as major chess tournaments are feeling the squeeze in this economic crisis. It seems very unlikely that we will have a Linares tournament this year (all has gone silent on that front according to Miguel Illescas in commentary on ICC although Van den Berg said that local elections may have an impact), Sofia too is almost certain not to happen. Basna in Romania will be in the Grand Slam series.

For the Dutch Anish Giri made a big impact, especially when he beat world number one Magnus Carlsen, in those terms it was a shame for the organisers he didn't beat Anand! Giri himself stated he was happy with his end result, but now focussing again on school.

This was Hikaru Nakamura's first win in a top level Grandmaster tournament. At 23 Nakamura has been threatening to make such a breakthrough for some time and in particular he blew a winning position against Alexander Grischuk in the final round of the Tal Memorial late last year which would have tied him for first. Nakamura said that his approach to chess is nowadays a lot more professional, with better choices of openings (no 2.Qh5! eccentricites) and also he was playing much less blitz online. His aim is to reach 2800 this year. I can only see him improving. Nakamura's Tweet after winning the event was "YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hikaru Nakamura played the rather risky Benoni as black against Wang Hao probably hoping that the surprise and preparation would get him the advantage. Wang played rather unusually and maybe had the better of it in the final position where he accepted Nakamura's draw offer.

Wang Hao - Nakamura,Hikaru [A62]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Michiel Abeln]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c5 5.d5 d6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Nf3 e6 8.0-0 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.a4 a6 11.Re1 Ne4

[11...Nbd7 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.e4 h6 15.Bd2 Rb8 16.Bf1 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Rxe5 18.h3 Re8 19.Rb1 Bd7 20.Qf3 1/2-1/2 Dautov,R (2601)-Degraeve,J (2544)/Germany 2008/CBM 126 Extra]

12.Ra3 Nxc3N

[12...Nd7 13.Qc2 Nef6 14.Bf4 Qc7 15.e4 Ng4 16.h3 Nge5 17.Nd2 Rb8 18.Bf1 c4 19.Rea1 Rf8 20.Be3 f5 21.f4 Nd3 22.Nxc4 fxe4 23.Nxe4 b5 24.axb5 axb5 25.Ra7 Rb7 26.Qxd3 bxc4 27.Qxc4 Qxc4 28.Bxc4 Nb6 29.Rxb7 Nxc4 30.Rxg7+ Kxg7 31.Bd4+ Kh6 32.Ra7 1-0 Karsa,L (2415)-Anbuhl,E (2220)/Kecskemet 1983/EXT 2008]

13.bxc3 Nd7 14.c4 Rb8 15.a5 b5 16.axb6 Rxb6

Black is completley fine here

17.Bf4 Qc7 18.e4 Rb4 19.Bf1 a5 20.Bd2 Ne5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.Bc3 Bd7

[Nakamura decided to offer a draw, it can get very sharp, but black is ok and at this point it was clear to him that Vishy would not win. 22...Bd7 23.f4 (23.Bxe5 dxe5) 23...Bxc3 24.Rxc3 a4 25.Rce3 Qb6 26.e5 dxe5 27.fxe5 Rb3]

1/2-1/2

Vladimir Kramnik has a very good record against the Gruenfeld. It looked like he got something from the opening but Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played very actively and the position was pretty unclear when the draw was agreed on move 23.

Kramnik,Vladimir - Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime [D85]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Mark Crowther]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 0-0 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.Be2 Qa5 11.0-0

[11.Qd2 Rd8 12.d5 e6 13.0-0 exd5 14.exd5 Nd7 15.c4 Qxd2 16.Bxd2 Nf6 17.h3 Bf5 18.Be3 Rac8 19.Rfe1 Rd6 20.g4 Bd7 21.Bf4 Ra6 22.Ne5 Ba4 23.Rb1 Rb6 24.Rxb6 axb6 25.Bd1 Bxd1 26.Rxd1 Ne4 27.d6 Rd8 28.d7 Kf8 29.f3 Nc3 30.Re1 h6 31.h4 Kg8 32.g5 h5 33.Re3 Nxa2 34.Ra3 Nb4 35.Ra7 Kf8 36.Rxb7 Ke7 37.Rxb6 Bxe5 38.Bxe5 Kxd7 39.Kf1 Nc6 40.Bg3 Ra8 41.Rb5 Ra5 42.Bf2 Rxb5 43.cxb5 Nd4 44.Bxd4 cxd4 45.Ke2 Kd6 46.Kd3 Kc5 47.f4 Kxb5 48.Kxd4 Kc6 49.Ke5 Kd7 50.Kf6 Ke8 51.Kg7 Ke7 52.Kg8 Ke8 53.Kg7 1/2-1/2 Ponomariov,R (2722)-McShane,L (2643)/Biel SUI 2004/The Week in Chess 508]

11...Qxa2 12.Bg5

[12.Rc2 Qa5 13.Ng5 Bc8 14.f4 h6 0-1 Stewart,B (2000)-Klimakovs,S (2265)/ICCF email 2007/Corr 2008]

12...Qe6 13.Re1

[13.h3 Bh5 14.Rb1 b6 15.Qd3 h6 16.d5 Qd6 17.Bh4]

13...Qd7 14.d5 e5 15.Qb3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Na6 17.Be2 c4 18.Qxc4 Qd6 19.Bg4 f5 20.exf5 gxf5 21.Bh5 Nc5 22.Rcd1 Rac8 23.Qh4

and the players agreed a draw in a position of dynamic equality.

1/2-1/2

Magnus Carlsen played the strategically risky Chigorin's Defence as black against Alexander Grischuk. White looked to have a good position but it was hardly something Carlsen would have not been familiar with. Grischuk traded into a level position and after Nakamura drew Carlsen could not longer catch him and so agreed the draw.

Grischuk,Alexander - Carlsen,Magnus [D02]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Mark Crowther]

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c4 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nge7

[9...Nf6 10.c4 Qd6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Rb1 b6 13.Bb4 c5 14.dxc6 Qxd1+ 15.Rxd1 Nxc6 16.Ba3 Rd8 17.Bd6 Nd4 18.c5 bxc5 19.Rxd4 cxd4 20.Bb5+ Nd7 21.Rg1 a6 22.Ba4 g6 23.Ke2 f6 24.Rc1 dxe3 25.fxe3 h5 26.Rc7 Rh7 27.Kd3 Re7 28.Ke4 Kf7 29.Bxe7 Kxe7 30.Kd5 f5 31.Rxd7+ Rxd7+ 32.Bxd7 Kxd7 33.Kxe5 Ke7 34.h4 g5 35.Kxf5 gxh4 36.Kf4 Kf6 37.e4 a5 38.a4 Kg6 39.Ke3 Kg5 40.Kf2 Kf4 41.Kg2 1-0 Giri,A (2642)-Short,N (2685)/Amsterdam NED 2010/The Week in Chess 810]

10.c4 Qd6 11.d5 Nb8 12.Rb1 b6 13.Bb4

[13.Rg1 Nd7 14.Qc1 0-0 15.Bb4 Nc5 16.Qa3 Ng6 17.Be2 Rfb8 18.Kf1 a5 19.Bc3 c6 20.Rd1 Rd8 21.Kg2 Nh4+ 22.Kf1 f6 23.Qc1 Rd7 24.Rg4 Ng6 25.Qb1 Qc7 26.h4 Rad8 27.h5 Ne7 28.f4 cxd5 29.fxe5 fxe5 30.cxd5 Nxd5 31.Bc4 Kh8 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Bxd5 Rxd5 34.Qf5 Kg8 35.Rg5 h6 36.Qg6 Qe7 37.Qxh6 Ne4 38.Qc6 Nxc3 39.Rg4 Qd7 40.Qa8+ Kh7 0-1 Coelho,L (2395)-Cubas,J (2447)/Santos BRA 2007/The Week in Chess 656; 13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.Bh3 c6 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.Rxb6 0-0 17.Rb3 Qh3 18.Bb4 Qxf3 19.Rg1 Qf6 20.d6 Nf5 21.Qxc6 Rfd8 22.c5 Rac8 23.Qf3 e4 24.Qd1 Nh4 25.Rg3 Nf3+ 26.Ke2 Qe6 27.Kf1 h5 28.h3 h4 29.Rxf3 exf3 30.Qxf3 Qc4+ 31.Kg2 Rxc5 32.Bxc5 Qxc5 33.Rb7 Qg5+ 34.Kf1 Qg6 35.d7 Qa6+ 36.Kg1 Qxa2 37.Qc6 Qa1+ 38.Kg2 Qa5 39.Rc7 Qg5+ 40.Kf1 Qf5 41.Rc8 Qb1+ 42.Kg2 1-0 Tokarczyk,T (2162)-Hnydiuk,A (2445)/Police 2010/EXT 2011]

13...c5 14.dxc6 Qxc6 15.Bd3 Qe6 16.c5

[16.Rg1; 16.Be4 Nbc6 17.Bxe7 Kxe7 18.Qc2]

16...Nbc6 17.cxb6 Nxb4 18.Rxb4 axb6 19.Qb3

The position is completely equal.

1/2-1/2

Viswanathan Anand was hit by some original preparation by Ian Nepomniachtchi which he neutralised as black fairly easily but he didn't get the sharp position with winning prospects his situation required. The Russian Champion had to part with the exchange for a pawn but it seems this position was a fortress and Anand agreed a draw after 38 moves without really trying to break it. However Nakamura said that one of the reasons that he agreed a draw against Wang Hao when he did was that he thought the position was just a draw.

Nepomniachtchi,Ian - Anand,Viswanathan [B90]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Michiel Abeln]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Nd7 12.c4

[12.Qd3 Nf6 13.Bb3 Bd7 14.a4 b5 15.Bg5 Rab8 16.a5 Rfd8 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Bd5 b4 19.Nd2 Rb5 20.Nc4 Be6 21.Ra4 Bxd5 22.exd5 Qc5 23.Rd1 g6 24.b3 Bg7 25.Qh3 Qc7 26.Qh4 f5 27.f3 Re8 28.g4 f4 29.Qe1 e4 30.fxe4 Qe7 31.Qf2 f3 32.Qxf3 Rf8 33.Qe3 Be5 34.h3 Rbb8 35.Rf1 Bc3 36.Raa1 Bxa1 37.Rxa1 Rbe8 38.Re1 Qh4 39.Nxd6 Rf3 40.Qxf3 Qxe1+ 41.Kh2 Rf8 Socko,B (2610)-Sprenger,J (2505)/Germany 2005/CBM 111/0-1]

12...Nf6 13.Qb3N Nxd5 14.cxd5 b5

somewhere around here Anand realized he did not have the kind of position he was hoping for, not the big fight he needed, but a position in which he is slightly worse.

15.Rfc1 Qb8 16.Qc3 f5 17.Qc7 Rf7

[17...Bd8 18.Qxb8 Rxb8 19.Rc6]

18.Nd2

White decides to sacrifice an exchange

18...Qxc7 19.Rxc7 Bd8 20.Rc6

[20.Rxf7 Kxf7 was also playable for white]

20...Bd7 21.Rxd6 Bc7 22.Rxd7 Rxd7 23.f3 f4

[23...Bd6 24.Rc1 Rc7 25.Rxc7 Bxc7]

24.Bc5 Bd6 25.Bxd6 Rxd6 26.Nb3 Rc8

[Anand also calculated 26...a5 27.Nc5 Rc8 28.Nd3 Rc2 29.Nxe5 Rxb2 30.Nd3 Rc2 31.Nxf4 but this is very dangerous and might even be better for white]

27.Rf1 Kf7 28.Na5 Rc2 29.Rf2 Rc1+ 30.Rf1 Rxf1+ 31.Kxf1 g5 32.Nc6 Kf6 33.b4 Rd7 34.h3 h5 35.Kf2 Rg7 36.Kf1 g4 37.hxg4 hxg4 38.Kf2 g3+

[white has a fortress, nothing black can do, even sacrificing the exchange back on c6 will lead to a drawn pawn ending 38...g3+ 39.Kf1 Rh7 40.Kg1 Rh8 41.Na5 Ke7 42.Nc6+ Kd6 43.Na5 Rh7 44.Nc6]

1/2-1/2

Giri,Anish - Ponomariov,Ruslan [E00]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Mark Crowther]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 c6 7.Qc2 0-0 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Rd1 b6 10.b3 Ba6 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 Nh5 13.Bc1 Nhf6

[13...f5]

14.e4 dxc4 15.Bf4 Bb4 16.Nd2 Qe7

[16...c5 17.d5 e5 18.Bg5 cxb3 19.axb3 c4 20.Rxa6 cxb3 21.Qxb3 Bxc3 22.Rxa7 Bd4 23.Nf3 Nc5 24.Bxf6 Nxb3 25.Bxd8 Rfxd8 26.Ra3 Rc3 27.Nxd4 exd4 28.e5 Na5 29.Ra4 Nc4 30.e6 Nd6 31.Ra7 d3 32.e7 Re8 33.Rd7 1-0 Nielsen,P (2620)-Beliavsky,A (2650)/Bled SLO 2002/The Week in Chess 418]

17.Nxc4 Bxc4 18.bxc4 e5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.a3 Bc5

[20...Bd6 21.Ne2 Bc5 22.h3 Rcd8 23.Qc3 Ned7 24.e5 Nh5 25.Bxc6 Qe6 26.Bg2 Rde8 27.Nd4 Bxd4 28.Rxd4 Nxf4 29.gxf4 Nc5 30.Qg3 Rd8 31.Bd5 Qf5 32.Rad1 Rd7 33.Kh2 Rfd8 34.Rg1 g6 35.Qh4 b5 36.Rg5 Qc2 37.f5 bxc4 38.fxg6 hxg6 39.Rxc4 Qd3 40.Rd4 Qc2 41.Bxf7+ Kxf7 42.Qh7+ Ke8 43.Qh8+ Ke7 44.Qf6+ Ke8 45.Rxg6 Qa2 46.Qh8+ Ke7 47.Rg7+ Ke6 48.Qh6+ Kxe5 49.Qf4+ Ke6 50.Qg4+ Ke5 51.Qf4+ Ke6 52.Qg4+ Ke5 53.Rg5+ Kf6 54.Qf5+ Ke7 55.Qxc5+ Rd6 56.Qe5+ Qe6 57.Qxe6+ Rxe6 58.Rg7+ Kf6 59.Rxd8 Kxg7 60.Rd7+ 1-0 Dragomirescu,A (2288)-Ignacz,M (2142)/Szombathely HUN 2004/The Week in Chess 495 '1-0 Dragomirescu,A (2288)-Ignacz,M (2142)/Szombathely 2004/CBM 100 ext']

21.Na4 Rfe8

[21...Nfd7 22.Nxc5 Nxc5 23.Bxe5 Qxe5 24.f4 Qc7 25.e5 Rcd8 26.Qe2 Nb3 27.Rab1 Nd4 28.Qe3 c5 29.Bd5 Kh8 30.Qe4 Rfe8 31.Rf1 f6 32.Rbe1 Re7 33.Re3 Rde8 34.g4 g6 35.Rh3 g5 36.Qg6 Ne2+ 37.Kh1 Rf8 38.exf6 Rd7 39.fxg5 Nf4 40.Qh6 Re8 41.g6 Nxd5 42.g7+ 1-0 Plachetka,J (2435)-Grecescu,G (2264)/Stare Mesto 2004/EXT 2006]

22.Nxc5 Qxc5 23.Rdc1 Rcd8 24.Be3 Qe7 25.h3 Ng6 26.Re1 Nxe4 27.h4 Nf6 28.Bxc6 Ne5 29.Bg2 Qc7 30.Rec1 Neg4 31.Bf4 Qc5 32.Rab1

Black is not worse but clearly both players didn't really see the merit in fighting this out.

1/2-1/2

Shirov,Alexei - L'Ami,Erwin [C83]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Mark Crowther]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.c3 Nc5 11.Bc2 d4 12.Nb3 d3 13.Bb1 Nxb3 14.axb3 Bf5 15.b4 0-0 16.Re1 Bg6

An attempted improvement over Shirov's win against Caruana in Wijk last year.

[16...Qd7 17.h3 Bg6 18.Ba2 Kh8 19.Bf4 a5 20.bxa5 Rxa5 21.b4 Ra4 22.Bb3 Rxa1 23.Qxa1 Nd8 24.Qa7 Ne6 25.Bd2 Rd8 26.Bxe6 fxe6 27.Nd4 Bxb4 28.Nxb5 Qxb5 29.cxb4 Rc8 30.Qa5 Qd7 31.Ra1 Be4 32.Qc5 Qd5 33.Qxd5 Bxd5 34.f3 Bc4 35.Ra5 c6 36.Kf2 Kg8 37.Ke3 Rc7 38.Kd4 Bb5 39.g4 Rd7+ 40.Kc3 Kf7 41.h4 g6 42.h5 gxh5 43.gxh5 Ke8 44.h6 Rd5 45.f4 Ke7 46.Ra7+ Rd7 47.Ra1 c5 48.bxc5 Bc6 49.Rg1 Be4 50.Rg7+ Kd8 51.Kc4 Kc7 52.Rg8 Kc6 53.Rc8+ Rc7 54.Re8 Kd7 55.Rg8 Rb7 56.Ba5 Rb2 57.Rd8+ Ke7 58.Rd6 Rc2+ 59.Bc3 Kf7 60.Rd4 d2 61.Kb3 Kg6 62.Bxd2 Kxh6 63.f5+ Kg7 64.f6+ 1-0 Shirov,A (2723)-Caruana,F (2675)/Wijk aan Zee NED 2010/The Week in Chess 793]

17.h3 a5 18.bxa5 Rxa5 19.Rxa5 Nxa5 20.e6 fxe6 21.Rxe6 c5 22.Qe1 Bf6 23.Bf4 c4 24.Bd6 Bf7 25.Bxf8 Bxe6 26.Bxg7 Bf7 27.Bxf6 Qxf6 28.Nd4 Nc6 29.Nxb5 Qg5 30.Nd6 Ne5 31.Qe4 Bg6 32.Qd5+ Kf8 33.Nxc4 Qc1+ 34.Kh2 Qf4+ 35.Kg1 Qc1+

Draw by perpetual check.

1/2-1/2

Levon Aronian allowed Jan Smeets to escape with a draw in the final game of the A-Group to be completed. This was probably a slightly disappointing result for the Armenian, not that being tied for third with Carlsen is a terrible result its just it could have been better. He has been on fire recently and had claims to the world number one spot. Here he allowed a number of favourable opportunities to drift away but also he went through undefeated which can't be a bad thing.

Aronian,Levon - Smeets,Jan [D43]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Doe,John]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Qd3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 b5 7.Qd3 Nbd7 8.e4 b4 9.Na4 Qa5 10.b3 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nd2

There have been a number of high level games in this position but this seems to be new.

[12.Be2; 12.Bd2]

12...cxd4 13.Nc4 Qd8 14.Qxd4 Bb7 15.Bb2 Be7 16.Bd3 0-0 17.0-0 Bc6 18.Bc2 Rc8 19.Rac1 g6 20.g3 Bxa4 21.bxa4 Nc3 22.Bxc3 bxc3 23.Bb3 Rc5 24.Rfd1 c2 25.Bxc2 Nb6 26.Nd6 Qc7

[26...Rd5 27.Qe3 Bxd6 28.exd6 Qxd6]

27.Nb5 Qb8

[27...Qc8]

28.Bb3

Black is now under pressure.

28...Rfc8 29.Rxc5 Bxc5 30.Qf4 Rd8 31.Rc1?!

Looks like Aronian allows equalisation here.

[31.Nd6]

31...Nd5 32.Qg5 Be7 33.Qg4 a6 34.Nd4 Qxe5 35.Nc6 Qc7 36.Qc4 Ra8 37.Qe4 Rd8 38.Qc4 Ra8 39.a5 Bf6 40.Qc5 Ne7 41.Nb4 Qb7 42.Rc4 Rc8 43.Qb6 Qxb6 44.axb6 Rb8 45.Nxa6 Rxb6 46.Nc5 Nd5 47.Nd7 Rb7 48.Nxf6+ Nxf6 49.Bc2 Rb2 50.a4 Ra2 51.Kf1 Nd5 52.Ke1 Nb6 53.Rb4 Rxc2 54.Rxb6 Ra2 55.Ra6 g5 56.a5 Kg7 57.h3 Kf6 58.Ra7 h5 59.a6 h4 60.gxh4 gxh4 61.Kf1 Ke5 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	0	½	½	1	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	9	2880
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2810	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	1	1	8½	2844
3.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2814	1	½	*	½	1	½	0	½	0	1	½	1	1	½	8	2821
4.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2805	½	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	½	1	8	2821
5.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2784	½	½	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	7½	2793
6.	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2715	0	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	1	½	½	½	1	1	7½	2798
7.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2686	½	½	1	½	0	½	*	½	0	1	½	½	½	½	6½	2744
8.	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2744	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	*	½	0	1	½	1	½	6½	2739
9.	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	g	RUS	2733	0	½	1	0	½	0	1	½	*	1	½	½	0	½	6	2711
10.	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2731	½	0	0	½	½	½	0	1	0	*	1	1	½	½	6	2711
11.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2773	0	½	½	0	½	½	½	0	½	0	*	½	1	0	4½	2627
12.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2628	0	½	0	½	0	½	½	½	½	0	½	*	½	½	4½	2638
13.	Smeets, Jan	g	NED	2662	0	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	1	½	0	½	*	1	4½	2635
14.	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	2722	0	0	½	0	0	0	½	½	½	½	1	½	0	*	4	2600

Round 13 (January 30, 2011)
Aronian, Levon	- Smeets, Jan	½-½	61	D43	Anti-Meran Gambit
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	½-½	23	D85	Gruenfeld Defence
Giri, Anish	- Ponomariov, Ruslan	½-½	32	E00	Catalan
Nepomniachtchi, Ian	- Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	38	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Wang, Hao	- Nakamura, Hikaru	½-½	22	E60	King's Indian without Nc3
Grischuk, Alexander	- Carlsen, Magnus	½-½	19	D02	Queen's Pawn Game
Shirov, Alexei	- L'Ami, Erwin	½-½	35	C80	Ruy Lopez Open

Luke McShane qualified for next year's A-Group on tie-break from David Navara after surviving a tricky endgame against his rival. Zahar Efimenko having beaten both the leaders would probably have taken the place had he beaten Gabriel Sargissian but that too ended in a draw.

Navara,David - McShane,Luke J [E62]
73rd Tata Steel GMB Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Doe,John]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.0-0 Rb8 8.e3 e5 9.d5 Ne7 10.e4 Nd7

Seems to be new.

11.b4 h6 12.Be3 a6 13.Nd2 f5 14.f3 f4 15.Ba7 Ra8 16.Bf2 h5 17.c5 g5 18.Nc4 Nf6 19.cxd6 cxd6 20.Bb6 Qd7 21.Qa4

Probably not the best in this position but Navara is world class in the ending so he was probably happy to cut out black's attacking options.

21...Qxa4 22.Nxa4 Bd7 23.Nab2 Nc8 24.Rac1 Rf7 25.Bd8 Rf8 26.Bc7 Ne8 27.Nb6 Nxb6 28.Bxb6 Bf6 29.Nc4 h4 30.g4 Bb5 31.Rf2 Bxc4 32.Rxc4 Bd8 33.Bxd8 Rxd8 34.Bf1 Rf7 35.Rfc2

White is the only one with winning chances here but Luke McShane defends well.

35...Kf8 36.a4 Rdd7 37.Rc8 Rc7 38.R2xc7 Rxc7 39.Rb8 Ke7 40.b5 axb5 41.axb5 Nf6 42.b6

The critical position. It seems black is just in time to save the game. He does however have to abandon the b-pawn which looks very scarey for him.

42...Rc1 43.Rxb7+ Nd7 44.Rc7 Rb1

[44...Rxc7 45.bxc7 Nb6 46.Bb5 will eventually lose.]

45.b7 Kd8 46.Rc8+ Ke7 47.Rg8

The only way to play on but it doesn't lead to an advantage for white.

47...Kf7 48.b8R

[48.Rxg5 Nf6 49.Kf2 Rxb7 50.h3 Rb8 and white's rook is useless.]

48...Rxb8 49.Rxb8 Nxb8 50.Bb5 Ke7 51.Kf2 Kd8 52.Ke2 Kc7 53.Kd3 Kb6 54.Kc4 Ka5 55.h3 Na6 56.Bxa6 Kxa6 57.Kb4 Kb6

[57...Kb6 58.Kc4 Ka5 59.Kc3 Kb5 60.Kb3 Kc5 61.Kc3 is just a draw.]

1/2-1/2

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.	McShane, Luke J	g	ENG	2664	*	½	0	0	1	½	1	1	1	½	1	1	½	½	8½	2768
2.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	½	*	0	½	0	½	1	1	1	½	1	1	½	1	8½	2765
3.	Efimenko, Zahar	g	UKR	2701	1	1	*	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	1	1	½	8	2742
4.	Le, Quang Liem	g	VIE	2664	1	½	½	*	½	1	½	0	0	1	½	0	1	1	7½	2715
5.	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2673	0	1	½	½	*	½	½	½	0	1	1	1	½	½	7½	2714
6.	Sargissian, Gabriel	g	ARM	2667	½	½	½	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	1	½	½	1	7½	2715
7.	Tkachiev, Vladislav	g	FRA	2636	0	0	1	½	½	½	*	½	0	½	1	1	1	½	7	2689
8.	Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	g	POL	2726	0	0	½	1	½	0	½	*	1	1	0	½	½	1	6½	2653
9.	Li, Chao b	g	CHN	2649	0	0	½	1	1	½	1	0	*	0	½	0	1	½	6	2630
10.	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2707	½	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	1	*	1	0	1	½	6	2626
11.	Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	g	IND	2651	0	0	½	½	0	0	0	1	½	0	*	1	1	1	5½	2602
12.	Spoelman, Wouter	g	NED	2547	0	0	0	1	0	½	0	½	1	1	0	*	0	1	5	2580
13.	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2647	½	½	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	0	0	1	*	½	4	2518
14.	Nijboer, Friso	g	NED	2584	½	0	½	0	½	0	½	0	½	½	0	0	½	*	3½	2489

Round 13 (January 30, 2011)
Navara, David	- McShane, Luke J	½-½	57	E62	King's Indian 6...Nc6
Efimenko, Zahar	- Sargissian, Gabriel	½-½	45	C84	Ruy Lopez Centre Attack
So, Wesley	- Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	½-½	24	D37	QGD 5.Bf4
Li, Chao b	- Tkachiev, Vladislav	1-0	45	D20	QGA
Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	- Le, Quang Liem	½-½	20	C11	French Defence
Spoelman, Wouter	- Nijboer, Friso	1-0	50	E70	King's Indian Fianchetto
Hammer, Jon Ludvig	- Fressinet, Laurent	0-1	51	E91	King's Indian Classical

21 year old Daniele Vocaturo achieved the required draw with white against 14 year old Illya Nyzhnyk to take clear first place in the C-Group and the main prize of a place the B-Group next year. This game was not without incident. Vocaturo seemed to have a very solid positional advantage but then he launched a dangerous but eventually unsound sacrificial attack on his opponents king. However Nyzhnyk was down to his last minute and missed his way through the dangerous complications and allowed perpetual check. It would not surprise me if Nyzhnyk also follows Vocaturo in getting an invitation for the B-Group next year, especially if he continues to improve.

Vocaturo,Daniele - Nyzhnyk,Illya [B90]
73rd Tata Steel GMC Wijk aan Zee NED (13), 30.01.2011
[Doe,John]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.a4 Be7 9.a5 Nbd7 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 b5 12.axb6 Nxb6 13.Nd2 Bb7 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Nc4 Qc5 16.Ra5 Qc7 17.Qd3 Rad8

[17...Rfd8 1/2-1/2 Landa,K (2610)-Aronian,L (2522)/Cappelle la Grande FRA 2001 (84)]

18.Bf3 Rc8 19.b3 Rfd8 20.h3 g6 21.Rd1 h5 22.Qe2 Bf8 23.Rd3 Re8 24.Ra4 Nd7 25.Nd5 Qd8 26.Rb4 Bc6 27.Bxh5!? a5 28.Rg3?

Should lose but in fairness Illya Nyzhnyk was already short of time here.

[28.Ra4 and the bishop will be deflected to a4 when it also wants to take on d5 and there will be at least perpetual check for white.]

28...Bxd5! 29.exd5 axb4 30.Bxg6 fxg6 31.Rxg6+ Kf7

Doesn't throw away the win yet.

[31...Bg7 also wins and perhaps would have been easier to defend in time trouble. 32.Qg4 Re7 33.Nxd6 Nf8 34.Nxc8 Nxg6 35.Nxe7+ Nxe7]

32.Nxd6+ Bxd6

Black has a choice of two moves here, unfortunately he choses the one that allows perpectual check but he was down to about a minute.

[32...Kxg6 33.Qe4+ Kh6 34.Nf7+ Kg7 35.Nxd8 Nf6 36.Ne6+ Rxe6 37.Qf5 Ree8 and there is too much material and no perpetual.]

33.Qh5 Nf6 34.Rxf6+ Kxf6 35.Qh6+

Now there is a forced perpetual check.

35...Kf5 36.Qh7+ Kf6 37.Qh6+ Kf5 38.Qh7+ Kf6 39.Qh6+ 1/2-1/2

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.	Vocaturo, Daniele	g	ITA	2570	*	½	1	0	0	1	1	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	9	2643
2.	Nyzhnyk, Illya	g	UKR	2530	½	*	½	0	0	½	1	1	1	1	½	1	1	½	8½	2615
3.	Lahno, Kateryna	g	UKR	2518	0	½	*	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	0	½	1	1	8	2593
4.	Ivanisevic, Ivan	g	SRB	2630	1	1	½	*	½	0	½	1	0	½	½	½	½	1	7½	2554
5.	Swiercz, Dariusz	g	POL	2540	1	1	½	½	*	0	½	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	7½	2561
6.	Bluvshtein, Mark	g	CAN	2590	0	½	½	1	1	*	0	0	1	1	½	1	0	1	7½	2557
7.	Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	g	KAZ	2637	0	0	½	½	½	1	*	0	1	0	1	1	½	1	7	2526
8.	Bok, Benjamin	m	NED	2453	½	0	0	0	1	1	1	*	½	½	½	½	1	0	6½	2511
9.	Tania, Sachdev	m	IND	2391	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	½	*	0	1	½	½	1	6½	2516
10.	Siebrecht, Sebastian	g	GER	2439	0	0	0	½	0	0	1	½	1	*	1	1	½	0	5½	2455
11.	Van Der Werf, Mark	m	NED	2439	0	½	1	½	1	½	0	½	0	0	*	0	1	0	5	2425
12.	Van Kampen, Robin	m	NED	2443	0	0	½	½	0	0	0	½	½	0	1	*	½	1	4½	2402
13.	Pruijssers, Roeland	m	NED	2484	0	0	0	½	0	1	½	0	½	½	0	½	*	½	4	2368
14.	De Jong, Jan-Willem	m	NED	2437	0	½	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	½	*	4	2371

Round 13 (January 30, 2011)
Vocaturo, Daniele	- Nyzhnyk, Illya	½-½	39	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Bluvshtein, Mark	- Ivanisevic, Ivan	1-0	47	A32	English Symmetrical
Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	- Swiercz, Dariusz	½-½	81	D38	QGD Ragozin
Tania, Sachdev	- Siebrecht, Sebastian	0-1	36	D43	Anti-Meran Gambit
Van Kampen, Robin	- Bok, Benjamin	½-½	50	C67	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Pruijssers, Roeland	- Van Der Werf, Mark	0-1	51	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
De Jong, Jan-Willem	- Lahno, Kateryna	0-1	75	D93	Gruenfeld 5.Bf4

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