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Home » Chess News » Events » London Chess Classic 2010 » Anand shares lead with McShane, Carlsen beats Nakamura

Viswanathan Anand moved into a share of the lead with Luke McShane with a win against a struggling Nigel Short. Initially Short's choice of the Grand Prix Attack looked certain to get him into trouble as his knight and bishop had very little scope. However Anand went astray and gave Short near equality, however Short found a brilliant attacking idea, unfortunately this was refuted by just one move, one that Anand had seen well in advance. Short lost a piece for no compensation and soon resigned.

Short,N (2680) - Anand,V (2804) [B23]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (4), 11.12.2010

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Be2 Bg7 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Qe1

The Grand Prix Attack. Anand hadn't prepared this specifically for this game.

[7.Kh1 0-0 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 b6 11.Bf3 Bb7 12.Qf2 Nd7 13.Bd2 Rc8 14.Rab1 Nc5 15.Rfe1 Qd7 16.Qe3 Rcd8 17.Red1 Qc8 18.Ne2 Nd7 19.Bc3 Bxc3 20.Nxc3 Qc5 21.Qxc5 Nxc5 22.Nd5 e6 23.Nc3 f5 24.b4 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Bxe4 26.Bxe4 fxe4 27.g3 d5 28.Rd2 Rd7 29.Kg2 Rc8 30.Rc1 Rc4 31.a3 Rc3 32.a4 Rc4 33.c3 Rdc7 34.a5 b5 35.a6 Rxc3 36.Rb1 Rc2 37.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 38.Kg1 e3 39.h4 d4 40.Kf1 d3 41.g4 Rf2+ 42.Ke1 d2+ 43.Kd1 Rf1+ 0-1 Mangarai,A-Mouradian,S/Bled SLO 2002/The Week in Chess 418]

7...0-0 8.d3 e6

A key move taking the sting out of white's attack.

9.Kh1

[9.h3 a6 10.g4 Ne8 11.Qg3 b5 12.h4 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 14.Kg2 Bb7 15.h5 Rc8 16.hxg6 fxg6 17.Bf3 Rc7 18.Ne2 Bh8 19.c3 d5 20.e5 Rcf7 21.d4 c4 22.Bd2 Nc7 23.Ng1 Bg7 24.Nh3 Bh6 25.g5 Bg7 26.Nf2 Rd7 27.Ng4 Ne8 28.Rh1 Rff7 29.Nf6+ Nxf6 30.exf6 Bf8 31.Rae1 Qb6 32.Bg4 Rd6 33.Re2 Bc8 34.Rhe1 a5 35.Qh3 b4 36.Bxe6 Bxe6 37.Rxe6 bxc3 38.Bxc3 a4 39.a3 Rxe6 40.Qxe6 Qc7 41.Kg3 Qd8 42.Re5 h6 43.Rxd5 1-0 Bonucci,R-Gianferrari,F/Italy 1997/EXT 2001]

9...b6 10.Bd2 Bb7 11.Qh4 Ne8 12.Qh3 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Nd1 f5 15.c4 dxc3 16.Nxc3 Qd7 17.Rae1 Nc7 18.Bf3 Rab8 19.exf5 exf5 20.Bxb7 Rxb7 21.Qf3 d5 22.Rf2 Rbb8 23.Rfe2 Rf7 24.a3 d4 25.Nd1

Around about here Short did not like his position at all.

25...Qd5 26.Qg3

If the queens come off then white is in big trouble.

26...Rff8 27.h4 Rfe8 28.h5 gxh5?!

This was Anand's idea along with Kh8 and Rg8 with an attack, however this is not all that practical. White is back in the game.

29.Re7 Rxe7 30.Rxe7 Ne6 31.Rxa7

Short was very happy with the way things have gone and felt he had no problems here.

31...Kh8 32.Nf2 Bf6 33.Nh3 h4 34.Qf2

34...h6 35.Ng5

[35.Rf7 Rf8 36.Rxf8+ Nxf8 37.Qe2 Kg7 38.Bb4 Qd7 39.Qf3 Ne6 40.Qa8 Nc5 41.Bxc5 bxc5 42.a4 Be7]

35...Nxg5

[35...hxg5 36.fxg5 Bg7 37.Qxh4+ Kg8 38.g6 Nf8 39.Qe7 Qe5 40.Qf7+ Kh8 41.Bf4 Qe1+ 42.Kh2 Qh4+]

36.fxg5 hxg5 37.Bxg5

Short was dreaming of a smashing win.

[37.Qe2 g4 38.Bf4 Rg8 wasn't that appetising either.]

37...Bxg5 38.Qe2 Qd6!

The only move but more than sufficient for the win. Anand saw this well in advance, Short not at all.

39.Qh5+ Qh6 40.Qf3 Rc8 41.Qxf5 Rc1+ 42.Kh2 Qd6+ 43.Kh3 Qg3# 0-1

Joint leader Luke McShane didn't get too much against Michael Adams and some intricate play led to a sterile ending.

McShane,L (2645) - Adams,Mi (2723) [A07]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (4), 11.12.2010

1.g3

A bit of surprise value from McShane but Adams claimed not to be too surprised.

1...d5 2.Nf3 Bg4 3.Bg2 c6 4.c4 e6 5.0-0 Nd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.d3 Ngf6 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nh4

A tricky little move.

[9.e4 dxe4 10.dxe4 Bc5 11.Qc2 0-0 12.Nc3 Re8 13.Kh2 Bxf3 14.Bxf3 Qe7 15.Bg2 Bb4 16.Bd2 Rad8 17.a3 Ba5 18.Rae1 Ne5 19.f4 Nc4 20.Bc1 Bc7 21.e5 Nd7 22.Ne4 Ncb6 23.b4 Nf8 24.Be3 Ne6 25.Bc5 Qd7 26.Rd1 Nd5 27.Nc3 Nxc5 28.Nxd5 cxd5 29.Rxd5 Qe7 30.Rxc5 Bb6 31.Rd5 Rxd5 32.Bxd5 Rd8 33.Rd1 Kh8 34.h4 g6 35.Bb3 Kg7 36.Rxd8 Qxd8 37.f5 Qc7 38.Qe4 gxf5 39.Qxf5 Qe7 40.Bc2 Kf8 41.e6 Bc7 42.Kh3 f6 43.Be4 b6 44.Qg4 Bd6 45.Bf5 a5 46.bxa5 bxa5 47.a4 Qb7 48.Qd1 Qe7 49.Qd2 Bb4 50.Qd3 Kg8 51.Qe4 Qc7 52.Bg4 Qe5 53.Qf3 Bd6 54.Bf5 Kg7 55.Kg4 Kh6 56.Qd3 Kg7 57.Qf3 Kh6 58.Qd3 Kg7 59.h5 Qc5 60.Qe4 Qe5 61.h6+ Kh8 62.Qd3 Qc5 63.Qf3 Qc8 64.Kh4 Qg8 65.Qe3 Qf8 66.Kh3 Qe8 67.Kg4 Qg8+ 68.Kh4 Qf8 69.Bd3 Bc5 70.Qf4 Bd6 71.Qd2 Bb4 72.Qe3 Bc5 73.Qe4 Qxh6+ 74.Kg4 Qg6+ 75.Kf3 Qxe4+ 76.Kxe4 Kg7 77.Kd5 Bb4 78.Kc6 Kf8 79.Kd7 h6 80.g4 1/2-1/2 Jenni,F (2516)-Caruana,F (2649)/Rogaska Slatina SLO 2009/The Week in Chess 757; 9.Qc2 Be7 10.Nh4 0-0 11.e4 Re8 12.Nc3 Nc5 13.e5 Nfd7 14.Nf5 Bg6 15.d4 Ne6 16.Be3 Bf8 17.g4 c5 18.Rad1 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Nxd4 20.Rxd4 Nxe5 21.Rxd5 Qc7 22.Rb5 Rab8 23.Qb3 b6 24.Nd5 Qc4 25.Qxc4 Nxc4 26.Nc7 Re2 27.b3 Na3 28.Rd5 Rxa2 29.Rd7 Nc2 30.Rfd1 Ra1 31.Rxa1 Nxa1 32.Bd5 Nc2 33.Nh4 Nb4 34.Bc4 Nc6 35.Nxg6 hxg6 36.Bxf7+ Kh7 37.f4 Nd4 38.Kg2 Rc8 39.Rxd4 Rxc7 40.Bc4 a5 41.Rd8 Be7 42.Rb8 g5 43.Bd3+ g6 44.Rxb6 gxf4 45.Bxg6+ Kg7 46.Kf3 Bg5 47.Bd3 Rc3 48.Rg6+ Kf7 49.Rxg5 Rxd3+ 50.Kxf4 Rxh3 51.Rxa5 1/2-1/2 Bauer,C (2590)-Salgado Lopez,I (2555)/Ourense 2009/EXT 2010]

9...Bc5 10.d4

Played with a heavy heart. White has to be a bit careful here. g4 may encourage some kind of sacrifice.

10...Bb6 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Qd3 Re8 13.Bd2 Qe7 14.g4 Bg6 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.Bf4 Ne4 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Qb3 Nf6 19.Be5 Nd5 20.Bxe4 Bxd4 21.Bxd5 Bxe5 22.Bg2 a5 23.a3

Probably just level here but both sides have to concentrate.

23...a4 24.Qc2 Qe6 25.Rad1 Ra5 26.Rd2 Rb5 27.Qxa4 Bxb2 28.e3 Qa2 29.Rd3 Bf6 30.Rfd1 Rb2 31.Bd5!

Missed by Adams but as it turns out there is a satisfactory reply.

31...b5! 32.Bxa2 bxa4 33.R1d2 Reb8 34.Kg2 Kf8 35.Bc4 Rxd2 36.Rxd2 Ke7 37.Rc2 Rb2 38.Rxb2 Bxb2 39.Bd3 Bxa3 40.Bc2 g5 41.Bxa4 c5 42.Bb3 Bb4 43.Bc4 Be1 44.Kf1

Nothing of interest remains.

1/2-1/2

Magnus Carlsen moved up a gear with by far and away his best performance in London so far. He found a nasty positional idea which left him with a very easy position to play and drove Hikaru Nakamura into time trouble and a lost position which he finished very precisely indeed.

Carlsen,M (2802) - Nakamura,Hi (2741) [A10]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (4), 11.12.2010

1.c4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.e3 Bg7 6.Nge2 0-0 7.0-0 e5 8.b3 Nbd7

[8...Nc6 9.Bb2 Ne7 10.d3 c6 11.Rc1 g5 12.f4 Qb6 13.d4 Ng4 14.Qd2 gxf4 15.exf4 e4 16.Na4 Qc7 17.d5 Bxb2 18.Nxb2 Qb6+ 19.c5 dxc5 20.Nc4 Qd8 21.dxc6 Qxd2 22.Nxd2 b6 23.a3 Nxc6 24.b4 Nd4 25.Rfe1 Ba6 26.Nc3 Rac8 27.Nd5 Kh8 28.h3 Nf6 29.Nxf6 Rxf6 30.Bf1 Bb7 31.bxc5 Rxc5 32.Rxc5 bxc5 33.Rc1 e3 0-1 Saeed,M (2072)-Soon Wai Cheong/Kuala Lumpur MAS 2002/The Week in Chess 408]

9.d3 c6

[9...Kh8 10.Bb2 Rb8 11.Qd2 a6 12.f4 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.b4 Bb7 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.e4 Nb6 17.Qc2 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.dxe4 Nc4 21.Rxf8+ Qxf8 22.Qc3 Qd6 23.Re1 Qb6+ 24.Kh1 Qf2 25.Bc1 Rf8 26.Ng1 Qxa2 27.Nh3 h6 28.Qd3 Qa8 29.Qe2 Qa4 30.Rf1 Qxb4 31.Rxf8+ Qxf8 0-1 Stanke,J (2240)-Kalinitschew,S (2465)/Berlin 1992/EXT 1998]

10.Ba3 Qc7 11.Qd2 Re8 12.Rae1 Nc5 13.h3 e4 14.dxe4 Nfxe4 15.Qc2 Nxc3 16.Nxc3 Be6 17.Rd1 Rad8 18.Bb2 Bf7 19.Rd2 a5 20.Rfd1 Be5 21.Ne2 a4!?

Nakamura said that he would have to look at this move in light of the way Carlsen played. It may be dubious.

22.b4 Nd7 23.Bd4!

A very simple move that protects the c-pawn and appears to leave white with a very nice advantage.

23...Nb6 24.Bxb6! Qxb6 25.Rb1 Qc7 26.Nd4 Rc8 27.Rc1 Qe7 28.Rd3

28...c5 29.bxc5 Rxc5 30.Qxa4 Rec8 31.Rb1 Rxc4 32.Qd1 b6 33.Nb5

Here Nakamura was getting short of time and couldn't work out the ramifications of

33...R4c5

[33...Rd8 34.f4 Bf6 35.Nxd6 Rc3 36.Rxb6 Qc7 37.Rxc3 Qxc3 (37...Qxb6 is probably better.) 38.Qe2 Bd4]

34.Nxd6 Bxd6 35.Rxd6 Bxa2 36.Ra1 Rc1 37.Rxc1 Rxc1 38.Rxg6+!

Completely missed by Nakamura.

38...hxg6 39.Qxc1 Qd6 40.h4 Bf7

[40...Be6 41.Qc6 needs to be considered.]

41.h5 Kh7 42.hxg6+ Kxg6 43.Qc2 b5

Nakamura isn't about to be ground down. He is lost but goes active to finish things one way or another.

[43...Be6]

44.g4 Qe5 45.gxf5+ Kg7 46.Qe4!

Very precise. Carlsen has worked out the pawn doesn't queen so this is now an easy win.

46...Qd6 47.Qh4 Bc4 48.Bf3 Qf6 49.Qxf6+ Kxf6 50.Be4 Ba2 51.f4 b4 52.Kf2 b3 53.Bd5!

The exclam is for seeing this well in advance.

53...Kxf5 54.Kf3 Kf6 55.e4 Kg6 56.Ke3 Kh5 57.Kd4 Kg4 58.f5 Kg5 59.Ke5

Carlsen's nicest game in the event so far.

1-0

Vladimir Kramnik admitted that yesterday's marathon, the longest of his career at 7 hours 40 had left him tired. He came up with a sideline against David Howell's Gruenfeld that he had prepared some time ago. The new ideas were probably not that vicious but Howell couldn't orientate himself in this new position and was gradually ground down.

Kramnik,V (2791) - Howell,D (2611) [D85]
2nd London Chess Classic London ENG (4), 11.12.2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 Qa5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.Nf3 Rd8 11.d5 e6 12.Bg5 f6

Forcing the f-pawn on to a bad square.

13.Be3

A slight surprise. Kramnik revealed that after his marathon the day before he only got up shortly before the game and didn't have that much time for preparation. He decided on this ususual line which he prepared a few months ago.

[13.Bf4]

13...exd5

[13...f5 Doesn't seem possible. 14.Bc4 fxe4 (14...b5 15.dxe6 bxc4 16.e7 Re8 17.Qd5+) 15.dxe6 Rxd2 16.e7+]

14.exd5 Na6

[14...Nc6 15.h4 Bg4 16.Be2 Ne7 (16...Bxf3 17.gxf3 Ne7 1/2-1/2 Harika,D (2445)-Gupta,A (2565)/Paleohora 2009/CBM 131 Extra) 17.c4 Qc7 18.Ng5 Bf5 19.Nh3 Nc8 20.g4 Bd7 21.h5 gxh5 22.Nf4 hxg4 23.Qc2 f5 24.Bxg4 Nd6 25.Be2 Re8 26.Rg1 Re7 27.Kf1 Rf8 28.Qb2 Ne8 29.Bf3 Kh8 30.Qd2 b6 31.Rg3 Be5 32.Kg2 Rg8 33.Rh1 Rxg3+ 34.fxg3 Rg7 35.Rh4 Qd8 36.Rh3 Nd6 37.Qe2 Ne4 38.Bc1 Qc7 39.Bxe4 fxe4 40.Rh4 Bf6 41.Bb2 Bxh4 42.Nh5 Kg8 43.Bxg7 Bxg3 44.Qxe4 Bh2 45.Bb2 Kf7 46.Qxh7+ Kf8 47.Qg7+ Ke8 48.Nf6+ 1-0 Sundararajan,K (2526)-Konguvel,P (2420)/Chennai IND 2010/The Week in Chess 796]

15.Be2 Be6 16.c4 Qxd2+ 17.Nxd2 Bd7 18.Ne4 b6

[18...f5]

19.h4 Bf5?

Both players seemed to agree that this move was not all that good although black is certainly under pressure here.

20.Nc3 Nb4 21.Kd2 Nc6 22.h5 Kf7

[22...Ne5 23.Bf4]

23.g4 Bc8 24.hxg6+ hxg6 25.Ne4 Ba6 26.Rh7

[26.f4 may be more accurate.]

26...Kg8 27.Rch1 Ne5 28.Kc3 Nf7 29.Bd3 Ne5

30.g5 fxg5 31.Bxg5 Rf8 32.Be2 Nf3+ 33.Nf6+ Rxf6 34.Rxg7+ Kxg7 35.Bxf6+ Kxf6 36.Bxf3

The ending is miserable for black and offers few practical chances for saving it.

36...Re8 37.Rh7 Re7 38.Rh8 Ke5 39.Bg4 b5 40.Rd8 Rf7 41.Re8+ Kf4 42.Be6 1-0

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	Anand, Viswanathan	GM	IND	2804	#			1	=		=	1	8	2	1	2	2902
2	McShane, Luke J	GM	ENG	2645		#	=	1		=		1	8	1	1	2	2942
3	Kramnik, Vladimir	GM	RUS	2791		=	#		0		1	1	7	2	1	2	2764
4	Carlsen, Magnus	GM	NOR	2802	0	0		#	1	1			6	2	0	2	2728
5	Nakamura, Hikaru	GM	USA	2741	=		1	0	#		=		5	3	1	1	2752
6	Adams, Michael	GM	ENG	2723		=		0		#	1	=	5	2	0	1	2685
7	Howell, David W L	GM	ENG	2611	=		0		=	0	#		2	3	0	0	2572
8	Short, Nigel D	GM	ENG	2680	0	0	0			=		#	1	1	0	0	2419

Round 4. Sat 11th Dec 2010
McShane, Luke J	1/2-1/2	Adams, Michael	44	A07	Reti
Short, Nigel D	0-1	Anand, Viswanathan	43	B23	Sicilian
Carlsen, Magnus	1-0	Nakamura, Hikaru	59	A10	English
Kramnik, Vladimir	1-0	Howell, David W L	42	D85	Gruenfeld

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