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Home » Chess News » Events » Tal Memorial 2011 » Svidler, Karjakin and Aronian win, Kramnik-Carlsen draw in Tal Memorial Rd3

Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen played an exhausting game in an English in the style of Botvinnik. In spite of knowing the dangers of the variation Carlsen got himself a miserable position. However actually finishing him off proved rather more problematic. Even after the game the players, whilst convinced of white's advantage, didn't seem to find anything concrete (although Carlsen said "I didn't see anything clear at this point" possibly implying he might well have seen something clear at another). Carlsen was in danger of being better before Kramnik found a second wind with a very dangerous exchange sacrifice. At the end both players seems to accept that a draw by perpetual check was the right result. However Houdini found that black is much better in the final position but it didn't enter either of the players heads that this resource existed and I'm not sure any human would have been looking for it at that point in such a tiring game. Carlsen later on Twitter said he would have played on had he seen it.

According to analysis by Anish Giri for "ChessVibes Training" and reported in brief in the ChessVibes Round 3 report the main Kramnik opportunities missed were 20.Qg4! (not looked at by the players) and 24.Nxc8 which was Carlsen's line clearly not looked at by Kramnik.

Draw vs Kramnik in another insanely complicated game today. Didn't see Bc8 at the end, would have played on if I had.

Magnus Carlsen on Twitter

Kramnik,Vladimir - Carlsen,Magnus [A20]
6th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (3.1), 18.11.2011

1.c4

Press conference at: 19:18 on the HD coverage.

1...e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 h6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e4 Nc6 6.Nge2 Bc5 7.d3

[7.0-0 d6 8.a3 a6 9.h3 0-0 10.Kh2 Re8 11.d3 Nd4 12.f4 c6 13.b4 Ba7 14.f5 b5 15.Ra2 bxc4 16.dxc4 a5 17.b5 Bb7 18.bxc6 Bxc6 19.g4 Rb8 20.Rd2 Nxe2 21.Qxe2 Rb3 22.Rd3 Bd4 23.Nd5 Rxd3 24.Nxf6+ Qxf6 25.Qxd3 Qh4 26.Bd2 Rb8 27.Be1 Qd8 28.f6 Rb2 29.fxg7 Qa8 30.Qf3 Qb7 31.Bf2 Rxf2 32.Rxf2 Bxf2 33.Qxf2 Kxg7 34.Qd2 Bxe4 35.Bxe4 Qxe4 36.Qxd6 Qe2+ 37.Kg3 Qe3+ 38.Kg2 Qe2+ 39.Kg3 Qe3+ 1/2-1/2 Buhmann,R (2603) -Balogh,C (2613)/Austria 2009/EXT 2010]

7...d6 8.h3

Kramnik mentioned Botvinnik in connection with this opening. Carlsen - "Obviously I did something wrong because the position I got was not too great. This line is tricky for black, I've lost one tempo with Bb4-c5 and you could also argue that in some cases 3...h6 might be a lost tempo rather than a won tempo. Still I believe it should be playable for black, just not not the way I played it.

8...Nh7

[8...0-0 Carlsen - "If I castle here white gets play with 0-0 and Kh2." - "Actually in the game my King would be better place on f8." 9.0-0 Nd4 10.Kh2 c6 11.f4]

9.a3 a6 10.0-0 Ng5

[10...0-0 11.Kh2 f5 12.b4 Ba7 13.f4 "I didn't like this at all. Somehow this doesn't look harmonious at all for black." - Carlsen. "It was even less harmonious in the game!" - Kramnik.]

11.Kh2 Ne6 12.f4

"Here I just couldn't find a decent move at all for black." - Carlsen.

12...Bd7

"Maybe I should play 12.Ba7 instead." - Carlsen.

[12...Ba7 13.b4 Ned4 "At least I get a little more play." - Carlsen. "If you exchange one pair of knights it is already more decent." - Kramnik.]

13.b4 Ba7 14.Nd5 Ned4

[14...Ncd4 15.f5 Nxe2 16.fxe6 wins for white.]

15.Nec3

15...Be6

"Here my intention was actually to castle." - Carlsen.

[15...0-0 16.fxe5 (16.Qh5 That was what I was most worried about. - Carlsen. 16...f6 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Bxh6 Carlsen. "But now I see maybe it is not so good." 18...Be8; 16.b5 "I also have some b5 stuff here. I'm not sure if I can make it work." - Kramnik. 16...axb5 17.cxb5 Ne7 18.fxe5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 dxe5 20.Bxh6 gxh6 21.Rf6 "Not easy to mate but it can be mate." - Kramnik. 21...Kg7 22.Qh5 Qxf6 23.Nxf6 Kxf6) 16...Nxe5 17.Qh5 "and trying to take on f6. Either Nf6 or Rf6 and I'm not sure if isn't just mate." - Kramnik. 17...c6]

16.f5

"Maybe I shouldn't play 16.f5 as it is not so clear what your next move is." - Kramnik. "I was going to play f6. If I'm given the chance to play f6 then I can survive." - Carlsen.

16...Bd7

[16...Bxd5 17.exd5 Carlsen made a hand gesture waving white's pieces on indicating he liked their attacking prospects.]

17.Rb1

[17.Qg4 Kf8; 17.Qh5 Nb3]

17...Nb8

[17...f6 "I was not sure about this." - Kramnik. 18.b5 "I was worried about b5." - Carlsen. (18.Nxf6+ "Maybe you can consider 18.Nxf6." - Carlsen. 18...gxf6 19.Qh5+ Kf8 20.Bxh6+ Rxh6 21.Qxh6+ Kf7 22.Qh7+ Kf8 23.Nd5 Winning for white.) 18...axb5 19.cxb5 Ne7 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Bxh6+ Rxh6 "It's a draw probably." - Kramnik. Which seems right as white doesn't seem to be able to support his queen which can immediately make a draw. 23.Qxh6+ Kf7 24.Qh7+ Kf8]

18.c5

[18.Be3 c6 19.f6 g6 20.Ne7 Be6 "and you cannot castle, yeah?" - Kramnik. "Yes but my knight is coming to d7 and ...". - Carlsen. 21.c5 "Looks good." - Kramnik.]

18...dxc5 19.bxc5

[19.Qh5 "Yeah, maybe this was more precise." - Carlsen. 19...cxb4 "Yeah then maybe you can take [on b4] and it's the same story [Black is OK]." - Kramnik.]

19...Bc8

"Well I just couldn't believe somehow I wasn't winning by force." - Kramnik. "But still given just a couple of moves I'm OK." - Carlsen. Kramnik tries to find an engine on the computer they are using but fails.

[19...Bxc5 "I thought you would take." - Kramnik. 20.Rxb7 Bd6 "Of course white is much better." - Kramnik. 21.Qg4 Kf8]

20.Qh5

[20.f6 g6 21.Ne7 Bxc5 and black is fine.]

20. Qg4 is winning according to Giri and Houdini but if he's right the line certainly isn't simple to find.

20...Nd7

21.Na4

[21.Bg5 "Maybe this?" - Kramnik. "No I think this is OK for black." - Carlsen. 21...Qxg5 22.Nxc7+ Kd8 23.Qxf7 "This was very interesting. Such a mess." - Kramnik. (23.Qxg5+ hxg5 24.Nxa8 Bxc5 25.Na4 Bxa3 26.N8b6 Nxb6 27.Nxb6 is about level.) 23...Kxc7 24.Nd5+ (24.f6 gxf6 25.Nd5+ Kb8 "I was calculating Rb6 or event Rb7." - Kramnik. These lines turn out not to work however. "I couldn't find anything.") 24...Kb8 25.f6 gxf6; 21.h4 Bxc5 22.Bg5 Nf6 "Couldn't find anything." - Kramnik. 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Qg4 Bf8; 21.g4 "Maybe this and g5." - Kramnik. 21...Nf6 And black is OK. "Did you see anything here?" - "I didn't see anything clear at this point. " - Carlsen.]

21...c6

[21...Nf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6; 21...Nf6 22.Nxf6+ Qxf6 23.Be3]

22.Ndb6

[22.Ne3 Nxc5 23.Nxc5 (23.f6 g5 24.Nxc5 Bxc5 25.Nc4 Qc7 26.Bxg5 Be6 (26...b5) ) 23...Bxc5 24.Nc4]

22...Nxc5 23.f6

23...g5

[23...gxf6? 24.Bg5!! "is just a killer." - Kramnik. (24.Nxc8 "is winning now because: " - Carlsen. 24...Qxc8 (24...Rxc8 - Kramnik. Seems to be fine.) 25.Nxc5 Bxc5 26.Rxf6 Qc7 27.Rxf7 Qxf7 28.Qxe5+) 24...fxg5 (24...hxg5 25.Qxh8+) 25.Qxf7# "Just for the public..." - Kramnik.]

24.Bxg5

[24.Nxc8 "I thought you should just take on c8." - Carlsen. "It's strange to take the bishop on c8." - Kramnik. 24...Qxc8 25.Nxc5 Bxc5 26.h4 Rf8 "Still it's not clear." - Carlsen.]

24...Nxa4 25.Nxa8

[25.Nxa4 b5 26.Nc3 Qd6 27.Bxh6 Ne6 "and I'm kind of stuck." - Kramnik.]

25...b5 26.Be3

[26.Bxh6 Ne6 "and I'm pinned. I'm not better anymore." - Kramnik.]

26...Bb8

[26...Qd6 27.g4]

27.g4

"I was not so happy about g4 myself." - Kramnik.

[27.Rb4 Nc2 28.Ba7 Bxa7; 27.Rbc1 Bb7 28.Qg4 Ne6]

27...Rg8

[27...Be6]

28.Qxh6 Be6 29.Rbc1

[29.Kh1 c5 30.Bxd4 Qxd4 31.Qh7 Rf8 32.g5 may be a good alternative.]

29...Kd7

[29...c5 30.Bxd4 Qxd4 (30...exd4+) 31.Qh7 Rf8]

30.Bxd4 exd4+ 31.e5 Nc3

[31...Bxe5+ 32.Kh1 Qxa8 33.Rfe1 "I thought this was quite dangerous." - Kramnik.]

32.Rxc3

"This was desperado. But from the other point of view dangerous for black. Maybe black has a win but it is not easy to play." - Kramnik.

[32.Qf4 Ba7 33.g5 Qxa8 "I think white is lost probably." - Kramnik.]

32...Bxe5+

[32...dxc3 33.Qe3 Bxe5+ 34.Kh1 Bb8 (34...Qxa8 35.Qxe5) 35.Qc5]

33.Kh1 dxc3 34.Qe3 Qb8

[34...Bb8 35.Qc5 wins for white. "The knight on a8 is remarkably strong." - Carlsen.]

35.Qc5

[35.d4 Just to confuse you - Kramnik. 35...Bd6 36.d5 cxd5 37.Nb6+ Kd8 Equal. 38.Nxd5 Bxd5 39.Bxd5 Qc7]

35...Qd6 36.Qa7+ Kd8

Seems best.

[36...Ke8 "I just put the king on a dark square." - Carlsen. 37.Nb6 Kf8? Doesn't work. (37...c5 38.Qa8+ Qb8 39.Qxa6 Kd8) ]

37.Qxa6

[37.Qb6+ Kd7 38.Qb7+ Kd8 39.Nb6 Rg6! and black is fine.]

37...Bd4

[37...Bd5 38.Nb6 Bxg2+ 39.Kxg2 Qb8]

38.Qa5+

White settles for perpetual. Kramnik asked if Carlsen thought he had anything. He suggested Ke8, which loses, without any enthusiasm.

38...Kc8

[38...Ke8 39.Nc7+ (39.Nb6 is actually winning.) 39...Kd7]

39.Qa6+

39...Kd8

[39...Kb8 40.Nb6 (40.Rb1 doesn't work.) 40...Qc5 (40...Bc8 is being given as a win by Houdini but this was not seriously considered by either player.) 41.Qa8+ Kc7 42.Qa7+ Kd6 43.Qe7+ Ke5 44.Nd7#]

40.Qa5+ Kc8 41.Qa6+ 1/2-1/2

Taking on Peter Svidler in his favourite Gruenfeld Defence is a dangerous game to play as Hikaru Nakamura found out. Svidler seemed comfortable enough out of the opening and he took the initiative once he was forced to sacrifice the exchange. It seems Nakamura over-estimated his chances. The game was still balanced but Nakamura got himself tied up and didn't find the right way to return the exchange after which Svidler brought home the point fairly comfortably.

Thought I was completely winning and Svidler defended correctly...oh well, at least it is Friday night and the girls are out in Moscow!

Hikaru Nakamura on Twitter.

Nakamura,Hikaru - Svidler,Peter [D87]
6th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (3.4), 18.11.2011

1.d4

Svidler press conference at 19:56 on the HD version of the webcast.

1...Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bg4 11.f3 Bd7 12.Rb1 Qc7 13.Bd3 Rfd8

Seems to be new from Svidler.

[13...a6; 13...e5]

14.Qd2 a6

[14...e6 15.Rfc1 Be8 16.Bg5 Rd7 17.Bb5 a6 18.Bxc6 Qxc6 19.Qe3; 14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Qa5 16.Qxa5 Nxa5 17.Rfc1 Rac8 18.Rxc8 Bxc8 19.d5 (19.Rc1) ]

15.f4 e6 16.dxc5

[16.f5 exf5 17.exf5 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qa5]

16...Na5 17.Nd4

[17.Bd4 Bf8 (17...Bb5 18.Bxb5 axb5 19.Rxb5 e5 20.fxe5 Nc4 21.Qd3 (21.Qf4 Seems to be strong for white.) 21...Nxe5 22.Qg3 Qc6 was a creative line worked out over the board by Svidler but it doesn't seem to quite work.) 18.f5 Bxc5]

17...e5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Qb2

[19.c4 Be8 20.Qxa5 Rxd4]

19...Rac8 20.Qb4

[20.Qb6 Qxc5 (20...Qc7) 21.Nf5 Qxb6 22.Ne7+ Kf8 23.Bxb6 Kxe7 24.Bxa5 b5 25.Bxd8+ Rxd8]

20...Qxc5

[20...Qc7 21.Rxf7 Kxf7 22.Bc4+ Ke8 (22...Nxc4 23.Qxc4+ Ke7 24.Bg5+ Bf6 25.Bxf6+ Kxf6 26.Rf1+ Kg7 27.Qf7+ Kh8 with a draw. (27...Kh6) ) 23.Rf1 was a dangerous line Svidler saw over the board.]

21.Qxc5 Rxc5 22.Ne2 Rc6 23.Bb6!?

A key moment in the game. Svidler absolutely has to give up the exchange but it turns out he has at the very least enough compensation.

23...Rxb6 24.Rxb6 Bc6 25.Rf3

[25.Nf4 Bxc3 (25...Bh6 Both give practical chances. 26.Bb1 Nc4 27.Rb4 Ne3 Svidler. (27...Nd2 is also possible and maybe even stronger.; 27...b5) ) ]

25...f5 26.Rb4

[26.Ng3 Bxc3 27.Rb1 Bd4+ (27...Be5 28.Re1 f4 29.Ne2 g5) ]

26...Bf8

27.Rd4

[27.Ng3 Svidler suggested this pragmatic idea returning the exchange here. Given how tied up white is about to be it looks a very good suggestion. 27...Bxb4 (27...Bc5+ 28.Kf1 Bxb4 is also possible but probably not stronger.) 28.cxb4 fxe4 29.Bxe4 Best. (29.Nxe4 Rd4 Is slightly awkward.) ]

27...Bc5 28.Re3 Re8 29.e5 Bd5

30.Kf2?

[30.a4 Saving the a-pawn seems better. 30...Nc6 31.Kf1 Nxd4 (31...Bf7 32.e6 Bxe6 33.Rxe6 Rxe6 34.Bc4 is good for white.; 31...Nxe5? 32.Rxe5 Rxe5 33.Rxd5 Rxd5 34.Bc4) 32.cxd4 Bb4]

30...Bxa2 31.Ra4

White is in trouble but this loses.

31...Bxe3+ 32.Kxe3 Rxe5+ 33.Kf4 Bb3!

Now black has a decisive advantage. Perhaps this is the sting in the tail that Nakamura overlooked.

34.Kxe5 Bxa4 35.Kd6 Bc6 36.g3 Kg7 37.Nd4

[37.Kc5 Nb3+ 38.Kb6 a5]

37...Be4!

Good technique. Svidler shows the rest is easy.

38.Bxe4 fxe4 39.Nc2 Nc4+ 40.Kd5 Nd2 41.Kc5 Kf6 42.Kb6 Ke5 43.Kxb7 Kd5 44.Ne3+ Kc5 45.Kxa6 Nb1 46.Kb7 Nxc3 47.Kc8 Kd4 48.Ng2 Ke5 0-1

Boris Gelfand decided to follow a previous game his opponent Sergey Karjakin played against Fabiano Caruana. Black was fine throughout and once Gelfand missed a nice simplification with good chances to draw he went down fairly fast after that.

Gelfand,Boris - Karjakin,Sergey [E06]
6th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (3.5), 18.11.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bf4 a5 11.Nc3 Na6 12.Ne5 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nd5 14.Rad1 Nxf4+ 15.gxf4 Bd6 16.Rd3

[16.e3 Qh4 17.Qe2 Bxe5 18.fxe5 f6 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.f4 Nb4 21.Kh1 Rg6 22.Rg1 Rxg1+ 23.Rxg1 Qe7 24.Rg5 h6 25.Re5 Qf7 26.Qg2 c6 27.Qe4 Nd5 28.Rxe6 Qh5 29.Re5 Nxc3 30.bxc3 Qd1+ 31.Kg2 Qxa4 32.Re7 Qa2+ 33.Kg3 Qa1 34.Rxb7 Qxc3 35.Qe5 Qe1+ 36.Kg2 Qe2+ 37.Kg3 Qe1+ 38.Kg2 1/2-1/2 Caruana,F (2712)-Karjakin,S (2772)/Poikovsky RUS 2011/The Week in Chess 883]

16...Qe8 17.Rf3 Nb4 18.Nb5 f6 19.Nd3 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Rd8 21.Rh3 f5

[21...Qc6+ 22.Kg1 f5 23.e3 Bb4 with a small plus for black.]

22.e3 Qc6+ 23.Kg1 Bb4 24.Rg3 Qd7 25.Qb3 c6 26.Nc3 b5 27.Rc1 Rb8 28.axb5 cxb5 29.d5 Rfe8 30.dxe6 Qxe6

31.Nd5?!

Gelfand suddenly gets optimistic when it isn't warranted.

[31.Qxe6+ Rxe6 32.Ne2 Rd6 33.Nd4 and white seems to have sufficient counter-play.]

31...Kh8 32.Rc7 Rbd8 33.e4

[33.Rgxg7 Rg8 34.Rxg8+ Qxg8+]

33...Bf8 34.Qc3 b4 35.Qd4 Rd7 36.Qa7 Rxc7 37.Nxc7 Qf7 38.Qxa5 Rc8 39.Nd5 fxe4 40.Ne3 Qxf4

Black is winning but it still requires technique.

41.Qd5 Bd6 42.Qb7 Qf8 43.Rh3 Re8 44.Rh5 Qf3 45.Rg5 Rg8 46.Qc6 Qf4 47.Rg2 Be5 48.Qc4 Rb8 49.b3 h6 50.Rg3 Rf8 51.Rg2 Ra8 52.Qc6 Ra1+ 53.Nf1 Qf5 54.Qb6 Rd1 55.Qa6 Bd4 56.Qe2 Rd3 57.Rg3 Rc3 58.Qd2 Be5 59.Ne3 Qe6 0-1

Vassily Ivanchuk got a slight space advantage against Levon Aronian's Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence but then went astray and Aronian made no mistake in exploiting the advantage.

Ivanchuk,Vassily - Aronian,Levon [C67]
6th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (3.3), 18.11.2011

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.Bf4 Bd7

[11...Be7 12.Rad1 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Ne2 Bd7 15.e6 Bxe6 16.Nd4 Bf6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Bxc7 Rc8 19.Bf4 Ke7 20.Be3 b6 21.b3 Rhd8 22.g4 hxg4 23.hxg4 Bc3 24.Bg5+ Bf6 25.Be3 Bc3 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Kg2 Bd2 28.Rd1 Bxe3 29.Rxd8 Kxd8 30.fxe3 Ke7 31.Kf3 Kf6 32.Kf4 e5+ 33.Kf3 Kg5 34.Kg3 a5 35.c3 b5 1/2-1/2 Dominguez Perez,L (2717)-Wang Yue (2739)/Wijk aan Zee NED 2009/The Week in Chess 742]

12.Rad1 Rd8 13.b3 Be7 14.Rfe1 Bb4 15.Bd2 Bc8 16.Ne2 Bxd2 17.Nxd2 Ne7 18.Nc4 Nd5 19.a3 Ke7 20.f3 h4 21.Kf2 Rh5 22.Rd2 Re8 23.Nd4 Kf8 24.a4 a6 25.a5 Nb4 26.Ne2 Nd5 27.Nd4 Ne7 28.Re4 Rh6 29.f4 Nd5 30.Kf3

White has gained some space but it isn't enough for an advantage. However Ivanchuk now goes wrong.

30...Rg6

31.f5?!

[31.Ne2]

31...Rh6 32.Re1 c5 33.Ne2 Ne7 34.Nf4

[34.f6]

34...Nxf5 35.c3 Ne7 36.Red1 Ng6 37.Nd3 Be6 38.Re1 Rh5 39.Kf2 Rf5+ 40.Kg1 Bxc4 41.bxc4 Nxe5 42.Rde2 f6 43.Re4 b6 44.axb6 cxb6 45.Rxh4

The rest is just technique.

45...Ng6 46.Rhe4 Rxe4 47.Rxe4 Kf7 48.Re2 Ne5 49.g4 Rf3 50.Nxe5+ fxe5 51.Kg2 Rxc3 52.Rf2+ Kg6 53.Rb2 a5 54.Rxb6+ Kg5 55.Rb5 a4 56.Rxc5 Kf4 57.Ra5 a3 0-1

Viswanathan Anand achieved nothing against Ian Nepomniachtchi's Gruenfeld. Anand didn't play the most incisive continuation and quickly allowed a draw by repetition which as black Nepomniachtchi didn't object to.

Anand,Viswanathan - Nepomniachtchi,Ian [D97]
6th Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (3.2), 18.11.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 a6 8.Be2 b5 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.e5 Be6 11.Qd1

Not played at the highest level before. Attention has really focused on the queen sacrifice here for instance in a couple of Peter Svidler games.

[11.exf6 Bxb3 12.fxg7 Kxg7 13.axb3 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.0-0 Qb4 16.Bf3 Qxb3 17.Nd5 (17.Bd5 Qb4 18.Bxa8 Rxa8 19.Nd5 Qc5 20.Rd1 Rd8 21.Be3 Qc6 22.Bd4+ Kf8 23.Ne3 Qe4 24.Bc5 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Ke8 26.b4 a5 27.Nd5 axb4 28.Bxb4 Qc2 29.Ne3 Qb3 30.Ba5 f6 31.Bxc7 b4 32.Bb6 Qa2 33.Bd4 b3 34.Nc4 Qc2 35.Ne3 Qe2 36.Rb1 Qd3 37.Rd1 Qe2 38.Rb1 Qd3 1/2-1/2 Bologan,V (2661)-Svidler,P (2765)/Asnieres sur Seine FRA 2006/The Week in Chess 600) 17...e6 18.Nxc7 Rac8 19.Nxa6 Rfd8 20.h3 Rd3 21.Be2 Rd4 22.Be3 Re4 23.Bf3 Rxe3 24.fxe3 Qxe3+ 25.Kh1 Qb3 26.Rad1 Qxb2 27.Rb1 Qa3 28.Nb4 Rc4 29.Nc6 Qc3 30.Na7 b4 31.Rf2 Qd4 32.Ra2 b3 33.Rxb3 Rc1+ 34.Kh2 Qg1+ 35.Kg3 h5 36.h4 Qe1+ 37.Kh3 Qh1+ 38.Kg3 Rc4 39.Kf2 Qxh4+ 40.g3 Qh2+ 41.Bg2 h4 42.Re2 h3 0-1 Piket,J (2619)-Svidler,P (2713)/ICC Internet 1999]

11...Nd5 12.0-0 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bd5

[13...Na5 14.h4 c5 15.h5 Qd7 16.hxg6 fxg6 17.dxc5 Bd5 18.a4 e6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bg5 Qc7 21.Bf6 Bxf6 22.exf6 Rad8 23.Qb1 Nb3 24.Ra3 Nxc5 25.Qxb5 Rxf6 26.c4 Bxf3 27.Bxf3 Rb8 28.Qc6 Rf7 29.Rfa1 Qxc6 30.Bxc6 Rc7 1/2-1/2 Bukic,E-Popovic,P/Donji Milanovac 1979/EXT 2010]

14.Be3 Na5 15.Nd2 c5 16.Bf3 cxd4 17.cxd4 Nc4

[17...Rc8 is an alternative considered by Nepomniachtchi. 18.Ne4 Nc4 19.Nc5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 Nxe3 21.fxe3 Rxc5 (21...Bxf3 22.Qxd8 Rfxd8 23.Nxa6 Be4 and black is better.) 22.Qd4 Bxf3 23.Qxc5 Be2 24.Rfe1 Qd3; 17...Ra7 was another alternative. 18.Ne4 Qa8 19.Nc5 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Nc4 22.Rfc1]

18.Nxc4 bxc4 19.Rc1 e6 20.Qa4

White has nothing, this simply invites black to draw by perpetual check.

20...Bxf3

[20...Rc8 21.Bxd5 (21.Be2 Qh4) 21...Qxd5 22.Qxa6 Rc6]

21.gxf3 Qd5 22.Rxc4 Qxf3 23.Rfc1

[23.Qc6 Qg4+ 24.Kh1 (24.Qg2 Qe2 25.Rfc1 Qxa2 26.Qxa8 Rxa8 27.Rc8+ Rxc8 28.Rxc8+ Bf8 29.Bh6 Qb1+ 30.Kg2 Qb7+ wins.) 24...Qe2]

23...Qg4+ 24.Kh1

[24.Kf1 Rab8 (24...Qh3+ 25.Kg1) ]

24...Qe4+ 25.Kg1 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qe4+ 27.Kg1 1/2-1/2

6th Tal Memorial 2011 Moscow (RUS), 16-25 xi 2011															cat. XXII (2776)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2802	*	.	½	.	.	1	.	½	.	.	2	2925
2.	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	g	RUS	2730	.	*	.	.	½	½	.	1	.	.	2	2920
3.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2826	½	.	*	.	.	.	.	½	.	1	2	2907
4.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2763	.	.	.	*	½	.	.	.	½	1	2	2896
5.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2811	.	½	.	½	*	.	½	.	.	.	1½	2749
6.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2775	0	½	.	.	.	*	1	.	.	.	1½	2762
7.	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	2755	.	.	.	.	½	0	*	.	1	.	1½	2781
8.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2800	½	0	½	.	.	.	.	*	.	.	1	2661
9.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2758	.	.	.	½	.	.	0	.	*	½	1	2629
10.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2744	.	.	0	0	.	.	.	.	½	*	½	2509

Round 3 (November 18, 2011)
Anand, Viswanathan	- Nepomniachtchi, Ian	½-½	27	D97	Gruenfeld Russian
Ivanchuk, Vassily	- Aronian, Levon	0-1	57	C67	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Carlsen, Magnus	½-½	41	A20	English Opening
Nakamura, Hikaru	- Svidler, Peter	0-1	48	D86	Gruenfeld Simagin
Gelfand, Boris	- Karjakin, Sergey	0-1	59	E06	Catalan

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