Meier jumps out of the basement after beating Fridman in Baden-Baden Round 7

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1st GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden 2013 (7)

Meier jumps out of the basement after beating Fridman in Baden-Baden Round 7

Mark Crowther - Thursday 14th February 2013

Georg Meier won in Round 7 against Daniel Fridman. Photo © Georgios Souleidis.

Georg Meier won in Round 7 against Daniel Fridman. Photo © Georgios Souleidis. | http://www.grenkechessclassic.de

Fabiano Caruana continues to lead the Baden-Baden chess tournament with 4.5/7 after finishing on the better side of a draw against second placed Viswanthan Anand. Georg Meier scored his first win of the event by defeating Daniel Fridman on the white side of an Open Catalan. Meier has steadily improved throughout the tournament and has been playing some strong new opening ideas that have troubled his opponents. Today he broke through although not without help from Fridman who seemed a little off form after his loss to Naiditsch the day before. This mostly showed in uncertainty leading to bad clock handling. 40 minutes on move 17 and he later commented on another position "Best solution was to play something but quicker." Meier didn't find the cleanest win in Fridman's time trouble and the endgame with an extra pawn he settled for could have been tricky if Fridman had played 41....Ne4 but instead he played 41....Kd6 ("Typical 41st move.") and couldn't hold back the pawns. Fabiano Caruana had a threatening position against Viswanthan Anand who chose a passive setup in a Sicilian in order to try and hold the position. Anand was pleased with his play after the first time control and Caruana spent a lot of time trying to find ideas before the game was agreed drawn. Anand thought his opponent close to winning but there wasn't anything that emerged afterwards to suggest he was lost. "I had a very nice position but steadily made it worse move by move but not enough to lose." was Michael Adams summation of his draw against Arkadij Naiditsch. Naiditsch chose quite an eccentric setup which had been tried by his second Etienne Bacrot against Magnus Carlsen. Nothing clear emerged afterwards even though Adams had control of a lot of dark squares inside black's camp. It wouldn't surprise me if something good emerged for white later. As it was Adams allowed Naiditsch's king to get active in the endgame and even though he was a pawn up he was the one who had to be accurate to hold the draw. Round 7 Standings: Caruana 4.5pts, Anand, Naiditsch 4pts, Adams, Meier 3pts, Fridman 2.5pts Round 8 Friday 15th Feb 2013 2pm GMT: Fridman-Adams, Naiditsch-Caruana, Anand-Meier.

Meier 1-0 Fridman

Meier,Georg (2640) - Fridman,Daniel (2667) [E06]
1st GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden GER (7.3), 14.01.2013

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.g3 Nf6 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 b5 8.a4 b4 9.Nfd2 c6 10.Nxc4 Qxd4 11.Rd1 Qc5 12.Nbd2

Meier thought this was the novelty.

12...Rd8

[12...Ba6 13.b3 Qh5 14.Bb2 Rc8 15.Nf3 Nbd7 16.Rac1 Nb6 17.Nce5 c5 18.a5 Nbd5 19.Nc4 Rd8 20.h3 Qg6 21.Qxg6 hxg6 22.Nfe5 Bf8 23.e4 Nc7 24.g4 Nb5 25.f4 Bb7 26.Re1 Nd4 27.Re3 Ne8 28.Bxd4 Rxd4 29.a6 Bxa6 30.Nc6 Bxc4 31.bxc4 Rd2 32.e5 Rxg2+ 33.Kxg2 a5 34.Rd3 a4 35.Rd7 Rc8 36.Na7 Rc7 37.Rd8 Rxa7 38.Rxe8 Rd7 39.Kf3 a3 40.Rb8 Rd4 41.g5 f6 42.Ke3 Kf7 43.Rc2 Be7 44.h4 Rd1 45.Rd2 Rb1 46.Rd7 a2 47.Rbb7 a1Q 48.Rxe7+ Kf8 49.Rf7+ Ke8 50.Rbe7+ Kd8 51.Rd7+ Kc8 52.Rc7+ 1/2-1/2 Gordon,S (2556)-Medina,W (2311)/Jakarta INA 2012/The Week in Chess 937]

13.b3 Ba6 14.Bb2 Nbd7 15.Rac1

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 15,Rac1

15...Bxc4

I think Bc4 is a strong move. - Meier.

[15...Rac8 16.Bf3! removing counterplay according to Meier's preparation with a computer. (16.Qb1) ]

16.Nxc4 Nb6 17.Nxb6

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 17.Nxb6

[17.Rxd8+ may have been more accurate.]

17...Qxc2

You cannot spend 40 minutes on this position. - Fridman.

[17...Qxb6 18.Qxc6 was the alternative he was considering which could be tricky.]

18.Rxd8+

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 18.Rxd8

18...Rxd8

[18...Bxd8 19.Rxc2 Bxb6 could be better than the game.]

19.Rxc2 Rd1+ 20.Bf1 axb6 21.Rxc6 Rd6

[21...Ne4 22.Rc8+ Bf8]

22.Rc4 Rd2 23.Bd4 Nd7 24.Be3

[24.e4; 24.Rc8+ Bf8 25.Ba1 Nc5]

24...Rd1 25.Rc8+ Bf8 26.h4 f5 27.Kg2 Kf7 28.Rc7 Be7 29.Bg5 h6 30.Bxe7 Kxe7 31.e3 Kd6 32.Rc4 Nc5 33.Rxb4

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 33.Rxb5

Fridman missed this was en prise in his calculations due to shortage of time.

33...Kc7 34.g4 g5 35.hxg5 hxg5 36.gxf5 exf5 37.Rb5 Rb1 38.b4 Nxa4 39.Rxf5 Rxb4 40.Rxg5 Nc3 41.f4

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 41.f4

41...Kd6?

"Typical 41st move." Fridman who played this inferior move just after first time control.

[41...Ne4 42.Re5 Rb2+ (42...Nd6) 43.Kh3 Nd6 and white has a lot of work to do to win.]

42.Kf3

"I checked many lines here but then I realised the mistake was the move before." Fridman.

42...Rb1 43.Bd3 Rd1 44.Bc4 Rh1 45.Re5 Rb1 46.e4 b5 47.Bd3 Rb2 48.Rg5 b4 49.e5+ Kc5 50.e6+ Kd6 51.Bc4 Rb1 52.Re5 Ke7 53.f5 b3 54.f6+ Kxf6 55.e7 Kxe5 56.Bd3!

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 56.Bd3

The most accurate although queening wins too.

[56.e8Q+ Kd4 57.Ba6]]

56...Rc1 57.e8Q+ Kd5 58.Qd7+ Ke5 59.Qc7+ Kd5 60.Qc4+ 1-0

Daniel Fridman

Georg Meier

Position after 60.Qc4+

Caruan draw Anand

Caruana,Fabiano (2757) - Anand,Viswanathan (2780) [B90]
1st GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden GER (7.1), 14.01.2013

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.Bb3 Be6 11.Nh4 g6 12.Bh6 Re8 13.Qd2 Ng4

[13...Nc6 1-0 Kosintseva,T (2524)-Cmilyte,V (2520)/Ankara TUR 2012/The Week in Chess 933 (92)]

14.Nf3 Nd7 15.Bg5 Ngf6 16.a4 Rab8

Viswanathan Anand

Fabiano Caruana

Position after 16...Rab8

"I was trying to avoid my game with Judit" - Anand (similar position)

17.Qe2 Bxb3 18.cxb3 b5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bxf6 Nxf6 21.Rfd1 Rec8 22.Ne1 b4 23.Nd5 Nxd5 24.Rxd5 Rb6?

"The rook kind of gets in the way of everything and it's already unpleasant for black. Not a fun position to play." Anand.

25.g3 Bf8 26.Qe3 Rb7 27.Nd3 Rcb8 28.Rc1 Qe7 29.Rc4

[29.Rc6 Qe8 30.Rc4 Qe6]

29...f5

Viswanathan Anand

Fabiano Caruana

Position after 29...f5

Black has to generate counterplay, or something that looks like counterplay according to Anand.

30.Kg2

[30.f3]

30...fxe4 31.Qxe4 Qf7 32.Qf3 Be7 33.Ra5 Qxf3+ 34.Kxf3 Bd8 35.Rd5 Rb6 36.Ke4 Kf7 37.g4

[37.h4 Ke7 38.f4 exf4 39.Nxf4 Kd7]

37...Ke6 38.f4 exf4 39.Nxf4+ Kd7 40.Rd3 Rb5

Viswanathan Anand

Fabiano Caruana

Position after 40...Rb5

"Now I found some very difficult moves."" Anand.

[40...Bg5 41.Nd5 R6b7; 40...R6b7 41.Nd5 Bg5 42.Rf3 Rb5 43.Rc7+ Ke6 44.Rf6+ Bxf6 45.Nf4# was a line that Anand saw.]

41.Nd5 Ba5

Viswanathan Anand

Fabiano Caruana

Position after 41...Ba5

"This is the one move in the game that I'm proud of." - Anand.

[41...Bg5]

42.Kf4 h6 43.Re4 Bd8 44.Kg3 h5

Anand felt the need to explain that he felt that this liquidation left no winning chances. It wasn't strictly his place to offer.

1/2-1/2

Adams draw Naiditsch

Adams,Michael (2725) - Naiditsch,Arkadij (2716) [A20]
1st GRENKE Chess Classic Baden-Baden GER (7.2), 14.01.2013

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 e4 5.Nc3 d5 6.Bg5 Nbd7 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Qb3 h6 9.Bf4 g5

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 9...g5

[9...Qa5 10.Bd2 Qb6 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5 Nf6 13.Qb3 Be6 14.Qxb6 axb6 15.a3 b5 16.Rc1 Bd6 17.e3 b4 18.Bxb4 Bxb4+ 19.axb4 Ra2 20.Ne2 Rxb2 21.Nc3 Bf5 22.0-0 Ke7 23.Rb1 Rc2 24.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 25.Rxc1 Rc8 26.Kf1 Be6 27.Ke1 Rc4 28.b5 b6 29.Kd2 Rb4 30.Nxe4 Rxb5 31.Nxf6 gxf6 32.Be4 Rb2+ 33.Bc2 Kd6 34.Rb1 Rxb1 35.Bxb1 Ke7 36.Kc3 Kd6 37.Kb4 Bd7 38.Ba2 Ke7 39.Bc4 Bc6 40.Bd3 Bd7 41.Be4 Be8 42.Bd3 Bc6 43.e4 Bd7 44.f4 Kd6 45.Bb5 Bg4 46.Bc4 Bf3 47.e5+ fxe5 48.fxe5+ Ke7 49.Kb5 f6 50.exf6+ Kxf6 51.Kxb6 Ke7 52.Kc5 1-0 Bacrot,E (2713)-Carlsen,M (2837)/Biel SUI 2012/The Week in Chess 924]

10.Be5 Bg7

[10...Nxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.Rd1 Be6 13.Bxe4 was Naiditsch's thought after the game.]

11.Bd6 Nb8

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 11...Nb8

[11...Nb6 12.Nb5 Nc4 13.Nc7+ Kd7 14.Nxa8 Kxd6 15.Qb4+ Ke6]

12.Nb5 Na6 13.e3 Qa5+

According to Naiditsch this may be wrong but Adams expected it.

[13...Bf8 was Naiditsch's initial intention. 14.Be5 Bb4+ 15.Nc3 0-0 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qxd5 Be6 should be good for white.]

14.Nc3 Qb6

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 14...Qb6

"I think it's the best try." Adams.

15.Qxb6

15...axb6 16.Nge2

[16.f3]

16...Be6 17.0-0 Rd8 18.Nb5 Kd7 19.Nec3

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 19.Nec3

Here I was really quite happy. I thought I passed the worse moment. - Naiditsch.

19...Ne8 20.Ba3 Nec7 21.Nxc7 Nxc7 22.Na4 Na8 23.f3 f5 24.g4

[24.fxe4 fxe4 25.Bh3 Bxh3 26.Rf7+ Ke6 27.Rxg7 Rd7 holds.]

24...exf3 25.gxf5 fxg2 26.fxe6+ Kxe6 27.Kxg2 Bf8 28.Rf2

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 28.Rf2

[28.Bxf8 Rhxf8 29.Rxf8 Rxf8 In general my structure is not very good. White's clearly not going to be better here. Adams.]

28...Bxa3 29.bxa3 Rhf8 30.Rb2 Rd6 31.Rab1 h5 32.Nxb6 Nxb6 33.Rxb6 Rxb6 34.Rxb6+ Kf5 35.Rxb7 Re8 36.Rf7+

[36.h4 Sensible way to head for a draw now. Adams.; 36.Kf2 g4]

36...Kg4

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 36...Kg4

Adams thought he was going to play Kg6.

37.Rf3 Rc8 38.h3+ Kh4 39.Rf2 Rc3 40.Re2

Maybe black's even doing well. Adams.

40...Rxa3 41.Kh2 g4 42.hxg4 Kxg4 43.Kg2 h4 44.Kf2 h3 45.Rb2 Ra8 46.Rb7 Rxa2+ 47.Kg1 Re2 48.Rd7 Kg3 49.Rg7+ Kf3 50.Rd7 Re1+ 51.Kh2 Re2+ 52.Kh1 Re1+ 1/2-1/2

Arkadij Naiditsch

Michael Adams

Position after 52...Re1+

Table

1st GRENKE Chess Classic Baden Baden GER (GER), 7-17 ii 2013											cat. XIX (2714)
					1		2		3		4		5		6
1.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2757	*	*	½	½	1	.	½	.	1	½	½	.	4½	2808
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2780	½	½	*	*	1	.	½	½	½	.	½	.	4	2762
3.	Naiditsch, Arkadij	g	GER	2716	0	.	0	.	*	*	1	½	1	.	½	1	4	2758
4.	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2725	½	.	½	½	0	½	*	*	½	.	½	.	3	2672
5.	Meier, Georg	g	GER	2640	0	½	½	.	0	.	½	.	*	*	½	1	3	2674
6.	Fridman, Daniel	g	GER	2667	½	.	½	.	½	0	½	.	½	0	*	*	2½	2608

Round 7 (February 14, 2013)
Caruana, Fabiano	- Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	44	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Adams, Michael	- Naiditsch, Arkadij	½-½	52	A20	English Opening
Meier, Georg	- Fridman, Daniel	1-0	60	E06	Catalan