Aronian joins Carlsen in the lead after 4 rounds of Tata Steel

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74th Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2012 (4)

Aronian joins Carlsen in the lead after 4 rounds of Tata Steel

Mark Crowther - Tuesday 17th January 2012

Levon Aronian in interview after the game. Photo ©

Levon Aronian in interview after the game. Photo © | http://www.tatasteelchess.com

Levon Aronian scored his third win in four rounds of the 74th Tata Steel tournament to join Magnus Carlsen in the lead going into the first rest day. Aronian kept grinding away against Gata Kamsky and eventually emerged with a winning position. Fabiano Caruana drew with Carlsen in a Berlin where both players thought white should be much better but they couldn't point out where and the game drifted to a draw. Sergey Karjakin got back to 50% with a win against David Navara on the black side of a Berlin where Navara should have taken a draw by repetition. Vassily Ivanchuk was visably upset when Loek van Wely found a tactical escape to draw after being under strong pressure. Remaining games drawn. Round 5 Thur 19th January 2012 12:30 GMT. Radjabov-Topalov, Karjakin-Gelfand, Nakamura-Navara, Carlsen-Giri, Kamsky-Caruana, Van Wely-Aronian, Gashimov-Ivanchuk.

Aronian beats Kamsky

Aronian-Kamsky. Photo © http://tatasteelchess.com

Levon Aronian emerged the winner after a long an difficult game against Gata Kamsky. Aronian's Gruenfeld Russian System as white seemed to promise something out of the opening but Kamsky is very experienced and he seemed to manage to get himself almost out of danger. The position was a little better for white and perhaps Kamsky should have taken knights off on move 45 when it appears he may have had better drawing chances. Pretty soon after that he was lost. Thus Levon Aronian catches Magnus Carlsen as joint leader on 3/4 going into the first rest day.

So great recoveray from yesterday?

Aronian

Yes. I found myself on the other side because today was very similar to yesterday, I was the one who was pressing and I also managed to let my opponent get away and get chances for a draw but in the end he was the last one to make the mistake.

So now you're shared first again it's a nice feeling?

Definitely it's so eventful this tournament, this edition for me because I normally win three games in a year, not in one tournament in the first four rounds is already very good I'm happy about that.

What does it say about your form?

I think not counting yesterday when I was playing badly I think I was doing alright but I have something which is very common for me, to play better after the end. I'm still hoping.

Aronian,Levon - Kamsky,Gata [A15]
74th Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (4.3), 17.01.2012

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qb3 Nb6 6.d4 Bg7 7.e4 0-0 8.Be3 Bg4 9.Rd1 e6 10.Be2 Nc6 11.Ng1 Bxe2 12.Ngxe2 Qe7 13.0-0 Rfd8 14.e5 h6 15.a3 Na5

[15...Qd7 16.Ne4 Qd5 17.Qc2 Qc4 18.N2c3 Nd5 19.b3 Qa6 20.Nc5 Qxa3 21.Nxb7 Ncb4 22.Qd2 Nxc3 23.Qxc3 Nd5 24.Qc6 Re8 25.Nc5 Qb4 26.Ra1 a5 27.Rfc1 Bf8 28.Rc4 Qb8 29.Bd2 Bxc5 30.Rxc5 Qxb3 31.Rcxa5 Rab8 32.Bxh6 Qd3 33.Re1 Qxd4 1/2-1/2 Babula,V (2571)-Fogarasi,T (2425)/Graz AUT 2004/The Week in Chess 524]

16.Qc2 c5

[16...Nac4 17.Ne4 Rac8 18.N2g3 c5 19.Nxc5 Nxe3 20.fxe3 Nd7 21.b4 b6 22.Qa4 bxc5 23.bxc5 Nxe5 24.dxe5 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Qxc5 26.Qd4 Bxe5 27.Qxc5 Rxc5 28.Rd3 Ra5 0-1 Naumann,A-Pfretzschner,R/ICCF corr 1990/Corr 2000]

17.dxc5 Nbc4 18.Bc1 Nxe5 19.b4 Nac6 20.Ne4 a6 21.h3 f5 22.Nd6 Nf7 23.Nc4 e5 24.Rde1 Kh7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Bxd4 Rad8 28.Bb2 e4 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.f3 Qf6 31.fxe4 Qd4+ 32.Kh2 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Qxe4 34.Qxe4 fxe4 35.Kg3 Rd4 36.Na5 g5 37.Kf2 Rd3 38.Re1 Rxa3 39.Rxe4 Kf6 40.Nxb7 Ne5 41.Rd4 Ke7 42.Nd6 Rb3 43.Nc8+ Kf7 44.Nd6+ Ke6 45.Nc4

Gata Kamsky

Levon Aronian

Position after 45.Nc4

Perhaps the final error is 45...Nd3+ which Kamsky played here. Certainly black starts to lose material soon after.

[45...Nxc4 46.Rxc4 Kd7 47.h4 gxh4 48.Rxh4 h5 49.Re4 Kc6 50.Re6+]

45...Nd3+?! 46.Kg1 Nf4 47.Rd6+ Ke7 48.Ne5 Rb2 49.Rxa6 Rxg2+ 50.Kf1 Rb2 51.Rxh6 Nd5 52.Rd6 Ne3+ 53.Ke1 Nc2+ 54.Kd1 Nxb4 55.Rb6 Kf8 56.Rb8+ Kg7 57.Nc4 Rb3 58.c6 1-0

Navara lost to Karjakin

Sergey Karjakin got back to 50% with a victory over David Navara on the black side of a Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence. Navara turned down a draw by repetition on move 26 after which his opponent Sergey Karjakin believes white is slightly worse. 35.Ne2 was a further error and later he allowed the transition to a King and Pawn ending that was easy for a top GM to calculate as winning for black. One would have to worry for Navara who has now lost two in a row. He will have to hope that the rest day will allow him to get some form back together.

Two wins in a row, great recovery?

Very, very nice to win two in a row and I will have a good mood for the rest day.

Could you tell us a little bit about the game today? It seems that the queens came off quite quickly and it was kind of drawish.

OK this was a Berlin line and I think he should have agreed to a draw by move repetition, he already repeated two times but he wanted to play on and then he got a slightly worse position. Then he should have been more careful. After he played 35.Ne2 Rg6 the position is already very unpleasant for him.

Navara,David - Karjakin,Sergey [C67]
74th Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (4.5), 17.01.2012

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.Rfd1 Be7 13.b3 h4

[13...f6 14.Bf4 Rc8 15.Ne2 Kf7 16.Ned4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 g5 18.Be3 f5 19.f4 g4 20.hxg4 hxg4 21.Nxe6 Kxe6 22.Kf2 Rh2 23.Rh1 Rch8 24.Rxh2 Rxh2 25.Rd1 a5 26.a4 Rh8 27.c4 b5 28.cxb5 cxb5 29.Rc1 bxa4 30.bxa4 Rb8 31.Rxc7 Rb2+ 32.Kg3 Rb3 33.Kf2 Rb2+ 34.Kg3 Bb4 35.Rc1 Kd5 36.Rd1+ Ke6 37.Rc1 Kd5 38.Rd1+ Ke6 1/2-1/2 Hou Yifan (2612)-Ni Hua (2661)/Danzhou CHN 2011/The Week in Chess 863]

14.Rd3 Rd8 15.Rxd8+ Bxd8 16.Rd1 Be7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Ng5 Bc8 19.Nce4 Rh8 20.c4 b6 21.Nf3 Rh5 22.Kf1 Bd8 23.Nfg5 Be7 24.Nf3 Bd8 25.Nfg5 Be7 26.Rd3?!

Sergey Karjakin

David Navara

Position after 26.Rd3?!

Navara doesn't really have a good reason not to agree to a draw by repetition according to Karjakin who believes white is slightly worse after this.

26...c5 27.Nf3 Bb7 28.Nc3 Bxf3 29.Rxf3 Nd4 30.Rd3 Ne6 31.Bh2 a6 32.f4 c6 33.Kf2 Nd4 34.Ke3 Rh6 35.Ne2?

Sergey Karjakin

David Navara

Position after 35.Ne2

35...Rg6

"The position is already very unpleasant for him" - Karjakin

36.Nxd4 cxd4+ 37.Kf3 c5 38.g4 hxg3 39.Bxg3 f5 40.exf6 Rxf6 41.b4 Rh6 42.Kg4 Re6 43.Kf3 g6 44.Bf2 Kd7 45.Ra3 cxb4 46.Rd3

[46.Rxa6 d3]

46...Bf6 47.Bxd4 Rd6

The king and pawn ending is winning for black.

48.Ke3 Bxd4+ 49.Rxd4 Rxd4 50.Kxd4 Kd6 51.Kd3 a5 52.a3 bxa3 53.Kc3 Kc5 54.h4 a2 55.Kb2 Kxc4 56.f5 gxf5 57.h5 f4 58.h6 f3 59.h7 f2 60.h8Q a1Q+ 0-1

Caruana draw Carlsen

Fabiano Caruana against Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Frits Agterdenbos: http://www.chessvista.com

Magnus Carlsen played an unusual variation of the Berlin Defence against Fabiano Caruana. Whilst he ususally goes for the two bishops this time he gave them both up. Caruana's position looked far more attractive than black's and that was the feeling of both players but it seems Carlsen may have had everything under control by being precise and when the draw was agreed they were probably going to repeat after 34...Kc5 anyway. One for further study.

Question to Carlsen. Draw with black, quite an OK result?

Yes it was an OK result, definitely the play wasn't that great, I did something wrong at some point and I was worse but maybe it wasn't as good for him as it looked.

Caruana's comments.

At some point I thought I had good chances to win but of course a draw against Carlsen is always a good result. At some point I had feeling that I could win. I didn't really see how he would stop my plan of pushing f5 but I missed this Na5 idea.

It was always in the draw margin?

Carlsen: That's what I'm thinking now maybe I'll be proven otherwise/

Caruana: So maybe I wasn't really better at all.

Caruana,Fabiano - Carlsen,Magnus [C67]
74th Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (4.4), 17.01.2012

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 Bb4

An unusual sideline. As the game goes it seems black's bishop doesn't belong on this square. Usually Carlsen plays the Berlin for the two bishops, this time he exchanges both of them off.

11.Ne2 Be6

[11...b6]

12.Nf4 Bd5

[12...Bc4]

13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.g4 Ne7 15.Nd4N

[15.Be3; 15.a3; 15.Bf4]

15...Bc5 16.Rd1 h5 17.Kg2 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 c5 19.Rd3 d4 20.b4 cxb4 21.Rxd4 Nc6 22.Rd5 hxg4 23.hxg4

Black has to be very precise otherwise he could easily get into trouble.

23...Rd8 24.Rxd8+ Kxd8 25.Bg5+ Kc7 26.f4 b5 27.Rd1 a6 28.Rd5 Re8 29.Kf3 Rh8 30.Kg2 Re8 31.Bh4 Na5 32.Bf2 Nc4 33.Kf3 g6 34.Bd4

There were plenty of way for black to go wrong but it seems Carlsen managed to avoid them all. Now black can play

Magnus Carlsen

Fabiano Caruana

Final Position after 34.Bd4.

34.Bd4 Kc6 35.Rc5+ Kb7 36.Rd5 Kc6 with a repetition.

1/2-1/2

Ivanchuk - Van Wely

Ivanchuk was upset at only drawing with Loek van Wely. Photo © http://tatasteelchess.com

Vassily Ivanchuk got nice pressure for a pawn out of an Open Catalan against Loek van Wely. Van Wely defended well and found a nice temporary piece sacrifice that secured him the draw. Ivanchuk's reaction was quite extreme, he was agitated and upset that the game finished in a draw but at first sight he didn't miss any clear chances.

Loek van Wely

Vassily Ivanchuk

Position after 27...dxe3!

28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. Qxc5 exf2+ 30. Kg2 f1=Q+ 31. Kxf1 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Qd2+ 33. Kf3 Qxb2 34. Qxb5 Kf8 35. Qc4 Ke7 36. Kg4 Qe5 1/2-1/2

Luke, what did you do to Chucky?

I don't know. I was defending myself and maybe I was worse but I thought it's controlable. The guy probably had high hopes especially in this game and the final result didn't match his expectations and then he kind of collapsed.

See the full interview with Loek van Wely and Ivanchuk's reaction after the game. Van Wely is pleased with his start especially as he has had three blacks so far.

Gelfand draw Radjabov

Teimour Radjabov held the draw on the black side of a King's Indian when he found a nice rook sacrifice for perpetual check against Boris Gelfand.

Giri draw Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura. Photo © Frits Agterdenbos: http://www.chessvista.com

Hikaru Nakamura surprised Anish Giri by playing an old variation of the Dragon. Giri said that it hadn't been played by strong players recently so hadn't crossed his radar. He was soon behind on the clock. Giri decided to trade Queens and offer a draw in a position that has been seen a few times before and is indeed equal.

Question to Anish Giri, Were you surprised in the opening?

Yes, very much, I did not know this variation with 9.Nxd4 and 10...Be6, OK it looks very simple and very logical but I think it was not played by strong players lately so I wasn't really aware of it. And then I tried to play critical moves with first long castle and then at least I was thinking about this h4-h5 like they usually do but this time OK I got a little bit worried about his counter-play so I decided to play it safe.

Were you disappointed by your loss [to Karjakin] yesterday?

Yes, very much. Yesterday I was getting too optimistic at some point for just no reason because I had a good score and he had a bad one. I just thought I'll push some pawns and everything is going to be fine instead of just playing normal and basically equalising, so it was very disappointing. Usually when you try to play for a win and lose instead. But it did not affect my game today. I wanted to play very much and to win but it just didn't work out from the opening.

Topalov - Gashimov

Veselin Topalov against Vugar Gashimov. Photo © Frits Agterdenbos: http://www.chessvista.com

Veselin Topalov and Vugar Gashimov both seemed comfortable in playing a variation of the Slav that led to a Queen and Pawn ending where Topalov as white had an extra pawn. It is entirely possible both players had studied the ending in detail as the line is quite forcing. Topalov obviously had no losing chances but Gashimov's speed of play suggested he wasn't that worried either. Indeed the game was drawn in about three hours and 55 moves without any scares at all for black.

Full Round 4 report.

74th Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-29 i 2012 cat. XXI (2755)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

1. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2835 * 1 ½ . ½ . . . . . 1 . . . 3 2960

2. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2805 0 * . . . . . . 1 1 . . 1 . 3 2966

3. Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2736 ½ . * ½ . . . . 1 ½ . . . . 2½ 2879

4. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2773 . . ½ * . ½ . . . . . ½ . 1 2½ 2820

5. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2766 ½ . . . * . ½ . . ½ . . ½ . 2 2754

6. Giri, Anish g NED 2714 . . . ½ . * . . 0 ½ . 1 . . 2 2760

7. Van Wely, Loek g NED 2692 . . . . ½ . * ½ . . ½ . ½ . 2 2757

8. Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2770 . . . . . . ½ * . . ½ ½ . ½ 2 2726

9. Karjakin, Sergey g RUS 2769 . 0 0 . . 1 . . * . . . . 1 2 2741

10. Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2759 . 0 ½ . ½ ½ . . . * . . . . 1½ 2668

11. Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2761 0 . . . . . ½ ½ . . * . ½ . 1½ 2670

12. Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2739 . . . ½ . 0 . ½ . . . * . ½ 1½ 2655

13. Kamsky, Gata g USA 2732 . 0 . . ½ . ½ . . . ½ . * . 1½ 2669

14. Navara, David g CZE 2712 . . . 0 . . . ½ 0 . . ½ . * 1 2569

Round 4 (January 17, 2012)

Aronian, Levon - Kamsky, Gata 1-0 58 A15 English counter King's Fianchetto

Caruana, Fabiano - Carlsen, Magnus ½-½ 34 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin

Ivanchuk, Vassily - Van Wely, Loek ½-½ 36 E04 Catalan

Giri, Anish - Nakamura, Hikaru ½-½ 18 B77 Sicilian Modern Dragon

Topalov, Veselin - Gashimov, Vugar ½-½ 55 D16 Slav Lasker/Smyslov

Gelfand, Boris - Radjabov, Teimour ½-½ 30 E92 King's Indian Classical

Navara, David - Karjakin, Sergey 0-1 60 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin

B and C Groups

The B-Group was exciting with Sipke Ernst emerging a rook up against Erwin L'Ami and eventually converted it to a win. Leader Pentala Harikrishna was held by Viktorija Cmilyte in a very wild tactical struggle and now has a point lead over the field. Sergei Tiviakov was blown away with a nice Queen sacrifice by Alexander Motylev.

Sergei Tiviakov

Alexander Motylev

Position after 25.Qxc4

25... Bxc4 26. Rab1 Be5 27. b7 Bd5 28. Bxd5 exd5 29. Rxd5 Bc7 30. Rd7 Be5 31. bxa8=Q Qxa8 32. Bh6 Qe8 33. Rbd1 Bf6 34. R7d6 Be7 35. Re1 a5 36. Rb6 Qd8 37. Rxe7 1-0

Maxim Turov moved to 4/4 but he has played the bottom four in the standings and there are far tougher struggles ahead. Matthew Sadler is yet to play himself into form and had his third draw in a row.

74th Tata Steel GMB Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-29 i 2012 cat. XV (2603)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

1. Harikrishna, Pentala g IND 2665 * . . . . . . 1 . 1 . . ½ 1 3½ 2902

2. L'Ami, Erwin g NED 2596 . * . . . 1 ½ . 1 . . 0 . . 2½ 2694

3. Motylev, Alexander g RUS 2677 . . * ½ . 1 . . . ½ ½ . . . 2½ 2753

4. Reinderman, Dimitri g NED 2581 . . ½ * . . . ½ . ½ . . . ½ 2 2610

5. Timman, Jan H g NED 2571 . . . . * 0 1 . ½ . ½ . . . 2 2618

6. Tiviakov, Sergei g NED 2677 . 0 0 . 1 * . . . . 1 . . . 2 2632

7. Nyzhnyk, Illya g UKR 2568 . ½ . . 0 . * . . . ½ . 1 . 2 2588

8. Lahno, Kateryna g UKR 2557 0 . . ½ . . . * . ½ . 1 . . 2 2635

9. Vocaturo, Daniele g ITA 2545 . 0 . . ½ . . . * . . . 1 ½ 2 2546

10. Bruzon Batista, Lazaro g CUB 2691 0 . ½ ½ . . . ½ . * . . . . 1½ 2533

11. Potkin, Vladimir g RUS 2684 . . ½ . ½ 0 ½ . . . * . . . 1½ 2536

12. Ernst, Sipke g NED 2606 . 1 . . . . . 0 . . . * 0 ½ 1½ 2456

13. Cmilyte, Viktorija g LTU 2503 ½ . . . . . 0 . 0 . . 1 * . 1½ 2509

14. Harika, Dronavalli g IND 2516 0 . . ½ . . . . ½ . . ½ . * 1½ 2512

Round 4 (January 17, 2012)

Harikrishna, Pentala - Cmilyte, Viktorija ½-½ 40 A62 Benoni

Motylev, Alexander - Tiviakov, Sergei 1-0 37 B01 Centre Counter

Reinderman, Dimitri - Harika, Dronavalli ½-½ 55 A16 English Opening

Nyzhnyk, Illya - Potkin, Vladimir ½-½ 55 D43 Anti-Meran Gambit

Vocaturo, Daniele - Timman, Jan H ½-½ 43 C11 French Defence

Bruzon Batista, Lazaro - Lahno, Kateryna ½-½ 49 B20 Sicilian Wing Gambit

Ernst, Sipke - L'Ami, Erwin 1-0 50 A40 Unusual Replies to 1.d4

74th Tata Steel GMC Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-29 i 2012 cat. IX (2454)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4

1. Turov, Maxim g RUS 2645 * . . . . . . . . . 1 1 1 1 4

2. Tikkanen, Hans g SWE 2549 . * ½ . 1 ½ . . 1 . . . . . 3 2648

3. Adhiban, Baskaran g IND 2561 . ½ * . . . ½ 1 . . 1 . . . 3 2617

4. Sadler, Matthew D g ENG 2660 . . . * . ½ . . ½ ½ . . 1 . 2½ 2528

5. Goudriaan, Etienne f NED 2279 . 0 . . * . 1 . . . ½ . . 1 2½ 2458

6. Brandenburg, Daan g NED 2527 . ½ . ½ . * ½ ½ . . . . . . 2 2516

7. Ootes, Lars NED 2326 . . ½ . 0 ½ * . . . . 1 . . 2 2464

8. Grover, Sahaj m IND 2532 . . 0 . . ½ . * 1 ½ . . . . 2 2488

9. Paehtz, Elisabeth m GER 2454 . 0 . ½ . . . 0 * 1 . . . . 1½ 2451

10. Tania, Sachdev m IND 2411 . . . ½ . . . ½ 0 * . . ½ . 1½ 2410

11. Haast, Anne wm NED 2290 0 . 0 . ½ . . . . . * ½ . . 1 2300

12. Danielian, Elina g ARM 2490 0 . . . . . 0 . . . ½ * . ½ 1 2194

13. Hopman, Pieter NED 2342 0 . . 0 . . . . . ½ . . * . ½ 2299

14. Schut, Lisa wm NED 2290 0 . . . 0 . . . . . . ½ . * ½ 2198

Round 4 (January 17, 2012)

Tikkanen, Hans - Goudriaan, Etienne 1-0 24 E06 Catalan

Sadler, Matthew D - Brandenburg, Daan ½-½ 39 D27 QGA

Ootes, Lars - Danielian, Elina 1-0 41 B14 Caro Kann Panov

Grover, Sahaj - Adhiban, Baskaran 0-1 38 E34 Nimzo Indian 4.Qc2

Tania, Sachdev - Paehtz, Elisabeth 0-1 36 E92 King's Indian Classical

Haast, Anne - Turov, Maxim 0-1 38 B13 Caro Kann Exchange

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