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Home » Chess News » Events » London Chess Classic 2010 » Anand defeats Carlsen, McShane just holds onto lead

World Champion Viswanathan Anand inflicted the second defeat of the event on Magnus Carlsen. The opening went so well for Carlsen as black that he started to think of an advantage. Unfortunately, although definitely level this was probably being a little over-optimistic and his 24...Be4 was a "huge oversight". Anand was hardly clinical in finishing things off but Carlsen's position was so miserable that practical defence proved impossible. The heavy piece ending actually meant that Carlsen did retain drawing chances but Anand just kept manouvering until he managed to achieve one of his winning ideas.

Anand,Viswanathan - Carlsen,Magnus [C95]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (3), 10.12.2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.b4 Rc8

[15...Nb6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.Nb3 Nfd7 19.Na5 Ba6 20.Qc2 1/2-1/2 Rogic,D (2461)-Gabriel,C (2560)/Austria 2003/CBM 097 ext; 15...g6 16.Bb2 Bg7 17.Qc2 Nh5 18.Bf1 Rc8 19.Nb3 1/2-1/2 Zelcic,R-Palac,M/Slavonski Brod CRO 1995]

16.axb5 cxb5 17.Bb2 d5 18.exd5 exd4 19.Rxe8 Qxe8 20.c4 bxc4 21.Nxc4 Nxd5 22.Nxd4 Nxb4 23.Nf5 Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Be4?

[24...Nc5]

25.Qd4 Bxf5 26.Nd6 Qd8

[26...Qe6 27.Nxc8 Nc5 28.Ba3]

27.Nxf5 f6

Carlsen's position is desperate and he looked at many possibilities including:

[27...Rc6 28.Nxg7 Bc5 29.Qf4]

28.Rd1 Rc2 29.Nh6+! gxh6 30.Qg4+ Bg7 31.Qe6+ Kh8 32.Rxd7 Qf8 33.Ba3

[33.Rf7 Qb8 34.Re7 Rc8 35.Rxg7 Finishes things neatly. ]

33...Qg8 34.Qxa6 Qe8 35.Qa7 Qg8 36.Be7 Rc8 37.Qa6 Qe8 38.Ra7 Kg8 39.Qe6+ Kh8 40.Qa6 Kg8 41.Qe6+ Kh8 42.Kh2 Rc6 43.Qb3 Rc8 44.Bd6 Qg6 45.Qb7 Rd8 46.Bg3 Rg8 47.h4 Qf5 48.Qc7 Qd5 49.Ra5 Qe4 50.Qd7 Qc4 51.Qf5 Qc8 52.Qf3 Qd7 53.Bf4 Qf7 54.g3 Re8 55.Be3 Rg8 56.Ra6 Re8 57.Ra7 Re7 58.Qa8+ Qf8 59.Ra6 Re8 60.Qc6 Rc8 61.Qf3 Qf7 62.Ra7 Qe6 63.Qb7 Qg8 64.Bf4 Rd8 65.Qa6 Re8 66.Rc7 Ra8 67.Qc6 Re8 68.Be3 Rb8 69.Bd4 Qf8 70.Qc3 Re8 71.Rc6 Qf7 72.Bxf6 Rf8 73.Bxg7+ Qxg7 74.Qe3 Qb2 75.Kg2 Qb7 76.Qxh6 Qf7 77.Rc2 1-0

David Howell mananged to hold on against Hikaru Nakamura's mega preparation. Nakamura pretty much had close to the final position on the board on the morning of the game so whilst he used 10 minutes for 35 moves Howell had less than 10 minutes left. Nakamura complimented Howell on the precision of his play and at the first time control Nakamura chose to repeat.

Nakamura,Hikaru - Howell,David [D72]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (3), 10.12.2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 0-0 8.0-0 c5 9.d5 e6 10.Nec3 Na6 11.a4 Nb4 12.Be3

[12.Na3 exd5 13.exd5 Bf5 14.Be3 Nd3 15.a5 Nd7 16.g4 Nxb2 17.Qb3 Qxa5 18.gxf5 Qb4 19.Qxb4 cxb4 20.Ncb5 bxa3 21.Rxa3 a6 22.Nc7 Rac8 23.d6 Nc4 24.Rd3 Nxd6 25.Rxd6 Rxc7 26.Rfd1 Nf6 27.Bb6 Rc2 28.Bxb7 gxf5 29.Bxa6 Ne4 30.Bd3 Rb2 31.Rc6 Re8 32.Re1 Rb8 33.Ba7 Ra8 34.Rc7 Be5 35.Re7 Bd6 36.Rd7 Bc5 37.Bxc5 Nxc5 38.Rd5 Nxd3 39.Rxd3 Ra6 1/2-1/2 Bukal,V (2378)-Zufic,M (2450)/Zagreb CRO 2010/The Week in Chess 800]

12...Bd4 13.Bxd4 cxd4 14.Na2 Nxa2 15.Rxa2 e5 16.b3

[16.Nd2 a5 17.Qb3 Qd6 18.f4 f6 19.fxe5 fxe5 20.Rxf8+ Kxf8 21.Nf3 Nd7 22.Qa3 Ke7 23.Ra1 Qxa3 24.bxa3 Kd6 25.Ng5 h6 26.Nf7+ Ke7 27.Nxh6 Nf6 28.Rf1 Ra6 29.h3 Bd7 30.g4 Bxa4 31.g5 Nh5 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rxb7 d3 34.Bf3 d2 35.Ng4 Bc2 36.Ne3 0-1 Karpov,A (2619)-Kasparov,G (2812)/Valencia 2009/CBM 132 Extra]

16...Bd7 17.f4 f6 18.Raf2 Qe7 19.a5 Nc8 20.fxe5 Qxe5 21.Nd2 Nd6 22.Nf3 Qxe4 23.Re2 Qxd5 24.Ne5 Qxe5 25.Rxe5 fxe5

26.Bd5+ Kg7 27.a6

Howell was very short of time down to his last 9 minutes or so whereas Nakamura had only used about 10 minutes.

27...Bc6 28.Rxf8 Rxf8 29.Qe1 Bxd5 30.Qxe5+ Rf6 31.Qxd5 bxa6 32.Qxd4 h5!

[32...Nb5 was seen by Nakamura's computer very briefly in preparing for the game.]

33.Qxa7+ Nf7 34.h4 Kg8 35.Qe7 Kg7 36.b4 Rf5 37.Qc7 Rf6 38.Kg2 Kg8 39.Qc8+ Kg7 40.Qc7 Kg8 41.Qc8+ Kg7 42.Qc7 1/2-1/2

Vladimir Kramnik put leader Luke McShane through the wringer after eventually taking the initiative on the black side of a Berlin.

McShane,Luke - Kramnik,Vladimir [C67]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (3), 10.12.2010

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.Ne2 b6

[11...Be7 1/2-1/2 Berg,E (2616)-Cheparinov,I (2667)/Montcada 2009/CBM 133 (55); 11...Be6 1-0 Bruzon,L (2568)-Miles,A (2579)/Varadero CUB 2000 (83)]

12.Bf4 c5 13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Ng5 Rh6 15.Ng3 Nh4 16.f3 Be7 17.Rfe1 Rg6 18.N5e4 Bc6 19.Kh2 Nxg2 20.Kxg2 h4 21.c4 hxg3 22.Nc3 Rd8 23.Nd5 Rd7 24.b3 Bd8 25.Re4 Bb7 26.Bxg3 b5 27.Kf2 Rh6 28.h4 Kf8 29.Ke2 Ra6 30.Rd2 bxc4 31.bxc4 c6 32.Nc3 Rxd2+ 33.Kxd2 Bc8 34.Bf2 Be7 35.Re1 Bf5 36.Kc1 Be6 37.Re4 Rb6 38.Na4 Rb4 39.Nb2 g6 40.a3 Rb3 41.Re3 Rb7 42.Rc3 Bf5 43.Na4 Kg7 44.Kd2 Bd8 45.Ke2 Rb1 46.Bxc5 Bxh4 47.Bxa7 Re1+ 48.Kd2 Rh1 49.Ke2 Re1+ 50.Kd2 Rh1 51.Ke2 Rh2+ 52.Kd1 Bg5 53.Nc5 Bf4

54.Nb3 g5 55.Nd4 Bh3 56.Rc2 Rh1+ 57.Ke2 Bd7 58.Bb8 c5 59.e6 Ba4 60.Bxf4 gxf4 61.Nf5+ Kf6 62.exf7 Rh8 63.Rd2 Kxf5 64.Rd5+ Kf6 65.Rxc5 Bc2 66.Rd5 Kxf7 67.Rd4 Rh2+ 68.Ke1 Ke6 69.Rxf4 Ke5 70.Rf7 Kd4 71.Re7 Bd3 72.a4 Ra2 73.a5 Bxc4 74.Re4+ Kd3 75.Re5 Kc3 76.Re7 Bd3 77.Re8 Kd4 78.Re7 Bb5 79.Re4+ Kd3 80.Re6 Bc4 81.Re5 Rb2 82.Re7 Bb5 83.Re6 Ra2 84.Kf1 Bc4 85.Re7 Bd5 86.Rd7 Kc4 87.Ke1 Bxf3 88.Rd2 Ra3 89.a6 Bd5 90.Rc2+ Kd3 91.Rd2+ Ke4 92.Re2+ Kf4 93.Kd2 Be4 94.a7 Ra2+ 95.Ke1 Rxa7 96.Kf2 Rd7 97.Rb2 Rd3 98.Ra2 Rf3+ 99.Ke1 Rh3 100.Rf2+ Bf3 101.Rb2 Rh8 102.Kd2 Rd8+ 103.Kc3 Ke3 104.Rb6 Rc8+ 105.Kb4 Kd4 106.Rd6+ Bd5 107.Rb6 Rc1 108.Rb5 Bc6 109.Rb6 Kd5 110. Ka5 Ra1+ 111. Kb4 Ra8 112. Kc3 Kc5 113. Rb2 Bd5 114. Rf2 Ra3+ 115. Kd2 Kd4 116. Rf4+ Be4 117. Rf2 Bf3 118. Ke1 Re3+ 119. Kd2 Rd3+ 120. Kc2 Kc4 121. Rh2 Be4 122. Re2 Bf5 123. Kc1 Rd8 124. Rd2 Bd3 125. Rf2 Kc3 126. Rc2+ Kd4 127. Rb2 Ke3 128. Rb6 Rd4 129. Kb2 Kd2 130. Ka3 Bc2 131. Rb8 Kc1 132. Ra8 Rc4 133. Ra7 Kd2 134. Rb7 Rh4 135. Rb6 Kc1 136. Ra6 Rc4 137. Ra7 Kd2 138. Rb7 Kc3 139. Rb3+ Bxb3 1/2-1/2

Nigel Short mananged to surprise Michael Adams in a sideline of the Caro-Kann Defence where he played g6. Probably Adams wasn't that precise as black had dynamic equality out of the opening. There was some intricate and interesting play but in the end a draw was the right result.

Adams,Michael - Short,Nigel [B17]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (3), 10.12.2010

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 g6

Short plays an unusual side-line of the Caro-Kann.

7.N1f3 Bg7 8.0-0

[8.Qe2 may be slightly more accurate.]

8...0-0 9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Nd5 11.e6!

The only real test of black's idea.

11...Bxe6 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.c3

[13.Qg4 Qd6 14.Re1 e5 15.Bg5 Nf6 16.Bc4+ Kh8 17.Qe6 Nd5 18.Qg4 Nf6 19.Qh4 Rad8 20.c3 e4 21.Re3 Qc5 22.Rh3 h5 23.Be2 Kg8 24.Rf1 b5 25.Rg3 Qf5 26.Bc1 Nh7 27.Qxe7 Rd7 28.Qh4 Be5 29.f4 Bg7 30.Bd1 c5 31.Bc2 c4 32.Qh3 Rd3 33.Bxd3 cxd3 34.Re1 b4 35.cxb4 h4 36.Qxh4 Rc8 37.Be3 Rc2 38.Qd8+ Kf7 39.Rc1 Bf6 40.Qd6 Be7 41.Qd4 Re2 42.h3 Nf8 43.Qh8 d2 44.Rf1 Bf6 45.Qh6 Rxe3 46.Rxe3 Bd4 47.Kf2 Bxe3+ 48.Kxe3 Qb5 49.Kxd2 Qxf1 50.f5 Qd3+ 51.Ke1 e3 52.fxg6+ Kg8 53.Qh4 Qd2+ 54.Kf1 e2+ 0-1 Korneev,O (2657)-Mateo,R (2415)/Granada ESP 2006/The Week in Chess 632]

13...Qd6 14.Bc2 b5 15.a3 a5 16.h4 Rad8 17.Qg4 b4 18.axb4 axb4 19.cxb4 Rb8! 20.Ra4 Nxb4

21.Be4

[21.Bb1 afterwards Adams suggested this may be more accurate.]

21...Nd5 22.Qe2 Nf4 23.Qc4 c5 24.g3 Nd5 25.Ra6 Rb6 26.Rxb6 Nxb6 27.Qe2 Nd5 28.Kg2 Bd4 29.h5 gxh5 30.Bh6 Rb8 31.Qxh5 Nf6 32.Qg5+ Kf7 33.Bf3 Rg8

[33...Ke8 34.Ra1]

34.Qh4 Bxb2 35.Bg5 Kg7 36.Rh1 Qd3 37.Bxf6+ Bxf6 38.Qg4+ Kf7 39.Qh5+

Now it is a question as to when the draw will be agreed.

39...Kg7 40.Qxc5 h6 41.Qc6 Qd6 42.Qe4 Qe5 43.Qg4+ Bg5 44.Be4 Rd8 45.Re1 Rd2 46.Re2 Rxe2 47.Qxe2 Bf6 48.Qg4+ Kf8 49.Qg6 Qg5 50.Qxg5 hxg5 1/2-1/2

2nd London Chess Classic London ENG Mon 6th Dec 2010 - Wed 15th Dec 2010. Category: 19. Ave: (2725)
Rk	Name	Title	FED	Elo	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Pts	GmBl	WiBl	Wins	TPR
1	McShane, Luke J	GM	ENG	2645	#			=		1		1	7	1	1	2	3031
2	Nakamura, Hikaru	GM	USA	2741		#	=	1			=		5	2	1	1	2860
3	Anand, Viswanathan	GM	IND	2804		=	#			1	=		5	1	0	1	2843
4	Kramnik, Vladimir	GM	RUS	2791	=	0		#				1	4	2	1	1	2689
5	Adams, Michael	GM	ENG	2723					#	0	1	=	4	1	0	1	2698
6	Carlsen, Magnus	GM	NOR	2802	0		0		1	#			3	2	0	1	2599
7	Howell, David W L	GM	ENG	2611		=	=		0		#		2	2	0	0	2631
8	Short, Nigel D	GM	ENG	2680	0			0	=			#	1	1	0	0	2447

Round 3. Fri 10th Dec 2010
Nakamura, Hikaru	1/2-1/2	Howell, David W L	42	D72	Neo-Gruenfeld, 5.cd, main line
Anand, Viswanathan	1-0	Carlsen, Magnus	77	C95	Ruy Lopez
Adams, Michael	1/2-1/2	Short, Nigel D	50	B17	Caro-Kann
McShane, Luke J	1/2-1/2	Kramnik, Vladimir	139	C67	Ruy Lopez

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