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Home » Chess News » Events » 20th Amber Tournament 2011 » Amber Chess Round 8 Aronian beats Anand to stay half a point clear of Carlsen

Viswanthan Anand against Levon Aronian

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. Anand and Aronian drew after 19 moves of a quiet Ruy Lopez.

Rapid Game. Levon Aronian just keeps winning and winning. Here he played a quiet symmetrical setup but this soon became very unbalanced. Anand had a passed or isolated d-pawn depending on how things turned out. The position was entirely unclear for sometime and then suddenly, as so often in this event, Aronian was suddenly at first better and then winning. An interesting game that deserves a look.

21. Rd1 Rd8 22. h3 g6 23. Qb2 Qf4 24. Bf3 d3 25. Qd2 Qd4 26. Bxb7 a5 27. Bf3 axb4 28. Qxb4 d2 29. c6 Qe5 30. Nd7 Nxd7 31. Qxd2 Qc7 32. Qd4 Rc8 33. cxd7 Rd8 34. Qb2 Rxd7 35. Rxd7 Qxd7 36. Qb8+ Kg7 37. Qb4 Qd3 38. a4 Bxh3 39. Qb2+ Kg8 40. Be2 Qe4 41. gxh3 Qxa4 42. Qb8+ Kg7 43. Qe5+ Kg8 44. Bf3 Qd7 45. Bd5 Qxh3 46. Qe8+ Kg7 47. Qxf7+ Kh6 48. Qf4+ Kg7 49. Qe5+ Kh6 50. Qe3+ Qxe3 51. fxe3 Kg5 52. Kg2 Kf5 53. Kf3 Ke5 54. Bg8 h6 55. Bf7 Kf5 56. Be8 h5 57. e4+ Kf6 58. Ke3 h4 59. Bd7 1-0

Alexander Grischuk against Hikaru Nakamura

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. After playing his favourite Dutch Defence Hikaru Nakamura was faced with enterprising play from Alexander Grischuk. Nakamura had a strong passed pawn on the queenside to counter-act a windy king. This was amazingly complicated game to play blindfold and eventually Grischuk went all out for an attack as he allowed Nakamura to queen his a-pawn. Grischuk missed a couple of opportunities to win (46.Rh8 or 48.Qh7), one before and one after going a queen down but in the end Nakamura had enough for a draw. An amazing game.

Here it seems 46.Rh8 wins.

46. Qxb3 Qd8 47. Qd3 a1=Q

And now 48.Qh7 is very strong

48. Qf5+ Ke7 49. Rh7 Qg8 50. Bxg7 Qxh7 51. Qxh7 Qe1 52. Be5+ Ke8 53. Qg8+ Ke7 54. Qg7+ Ke8 55. Qg6+ Rf7 56. Qe6+ Kf8 57. Bd6+ Kg7 58. Be5+ Kf8 59. Qc8+ Ke7 60. Qc7+ Ke8 61. Qc6+ Ke7 62. Qb7+ Ke8 63. Qc8+ Ke7 64. Qc5+ Ke8 65. Qc6+ Ke7 66. Qd6+ Ke8 67. Qe6+ Kf8 1/2-1/2

Rapid Game. Fortunately Hikaru Nakamura can explain his game against Alexander Grischuk. Nakamura tried 6.h3 and played a very strange setup and what happened was a really wild struggle full of tactics which Nakamura found his way through best. After this dry explanation I should say this was all highly entertaining.

Hikaru Nakamura explains his blindfold win against Alexander Grischuk in a 15 minute video. Produced for the Association Max Euwe by Macauley Peterson.

23. Ng4 Nxg4 24. Bxg4 Rg7 25. Bxd7 Qxd7 26. Qf3 cxb4 27. axb4 Nc7 28. Na3 Rag8 29. Rh2 b6 30. Kf1 Ne8 31. Ra1 Qc8 32. Rc1 Qd7 33. Nc2 Be7 34. Ne1 Nf6 35. Bc3 Rc8 36. Qe2 Qe8 37. Nf3 Qg6 38. Re1 Ng4 39. Rh3 a5 40. bxa5 b5 41. a6 Bd8 42. Ra1 Bb6 43. Nxh4 Qg5 44. Be1 Rxc4 45. Nf5 Rg8 46. Nxd6 Rc7 47. Qf3 Bd4 48. Rc1 Ra7 49. Rc6 b4 50. Nb5

Both players were almost down to their increment.

Rf7 51. a7 b3 52. Nxd4 exd4 53. Qd3 Ne5 54. Qxd4 Qxg2+ 55. Ke2 Qg4+ 56. f3 Qg7 57. Bc3 Re7 58. Rh5 Nxc6 59. dxc6 b2 60. Qxg7+ Rexg7 61. Bxb2 1-0

Boris Gelfand against Vassily Ivanchuk

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. Ivanchuk has been involved in some incredibly complex blindfold games since he got his form back after the first rest day. Here there was more razor edge play and in the end Gelfand emerged with an extra exchange but Ivanchuk knew the theoretical way of holding the position and drew. Great game.

Rapid Game. More great chess from Ivanchuk as he found a way to cause problems for Boris Gelfand's normally solid Petroff. Ivanchuk found a way to mass his pieces for an attack on the king along with a breakthrough for his d-pawn. Gelfand may have missed a miracle escape but this was still very satifying stuff from Ivanchuk.

29. Qh7

29. Qxb7 Qc3 30. Be4 Kg8 31. Rb3 Qc5 32. Rb5 Qc3 33. Bd5 Rf8 34. Qxa7 may have been objective the best continuation.

29... g6 30. Bxg6 fxg6 31. Rxb7

Looks winning but there is a get out of jail free card here.

31...Qa1+?

31... Qc1+ 32. Kg2 Qc6+ 33. Kh3 Qe8 34. Qxh6+ Kg8 35. Qh7+ Kf8 36. Qh6+ with a draw. But Gelfand isn't a computer.

32. Kg2 Bg7 33. Qxg6 Qf6 34. Rxg7!! 1-0

Veselin Topalov against Magnus Carlsen

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. Topalov-Carlsen was a Ruy Lopez Breyer that briefly burst to life with a lively tactical idea from Carlsen but Topalov found his way to a tiny edge which traded to a sterile position a few moves later.

Rapid Game. Veselin Topalov faced the Grand Prix Attack of the Sicilian as black and played the truly horrible idea of 10...f5 and after 11.Nd5 sank into thought as he struggled to keep his position alive, this he didn't manage to do as he lost in 29 moves.

As soon as 10...f5 was played it was met by universal condemnation by the commentators on ICC and they were right, black's position is close to unplayable already.

11. Nd5 fxe4 12. dxe4 Rb8 13. Ng5 Bxd5 14. exd5 Qf5 15. Ne6 Bf6 16. Qe2 h5 17. Ra3 Nh6 18. Rg3 Kd7 19. Rg5 Bxg5 20. fxg5 Qxd5 21. Nf4 Qd4+ 22. Be3 Qe4 23. gxh6 Rxh6 24. Nd5 Rhh8 25. Qd2 Rhf8 26. Re1 Rf5 27. Nb6+ Kc6 28. Bxc5 Rbf8 29. Bd4 1-0

Sergey Karjakin against Anish Giri

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. The Karjakin-Giri blindfold game was a lively Petroff Defence that ended in a drawn Queen and pawn ending.

Rapid Game. In a fairly balanced English Four Knights Defence Sergey Karjakin when berserk with 25...g5 exposing his king and Giri quickly made him pay for it.

Another "What were you thinking?" moment from the second session of rapid Karjakin played 25...g5?. In just a few moves Giri rips open the kingside for an attack.

26. e4 dxe3 27. Nxg5 Kg8 28. Ne4 Qe6 29. Rd7 Rad8 30. Rxd5 Qxd5 31. Qxd5+ Rxd5 32. Nxf6+ Kf7 33. Nxd5 e2 34. Bc3 e1=Q 35. Bxe1 Rxe1 36. Nc3 1-0

Vugar Gashimov against Vladimir Kramnik

Game Summaries

Blindfold Game. In a Symmetrical English Vladimir Kramnik got into trouble and played a really difficult idea which eventually netted him a rook and pawn ending which was difficult if not lost for him (39....Rf3 or ...Rc3), Gashimov proceeded to misplay it and even looked in slight danger of losing before finding a way to draw it.

Rapid Game. Kramnik's bad form continued, In a sideline of the Berlin Defence Ruy Lopez where white played a Worrell Attack setup Gashimov got a big initiative on the kingside and after 21...g6 there was no saving the game for Kramnik.

20th Amber Blindfold Monaco (MNC), 12-24 iii 2011															cat. XXI (2770)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2
1.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2808	*	½	½	½	.	.	1	1	½	1	1	.	6	2955
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2817	½	*	½	.	1	½	½	.	½	½	.	½	4½	2815
3.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2747	½	½	*	.	0	½	1	.	½	½	.	1	4½	2823
4.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2815	½	.	.	*	½	½	.	1	0	½	½	1	4½	2809
5.	Topalov, Veselin	g	BUL	2775	.	0	1	½	*	½	½	½	.	.	1	0	4	2763
6.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2776	.	½	½	½	½	*	0	½	.	.	½	1	4	2763
7.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2733	0	½	0	.	½	1	*	.	½	½	.	1	4	2782
8.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2746	0	.	.	0	½	½	.	*	1	½	1	½	4	2775
9.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2779	½	½	½	1	.	.	½	0	*	0	½	.	3½	2723
10.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2774	0	½	½	½	.	.	½	½	1	*	0	.	3½	2723
11.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2690	0	.	.	½	0	½	.	0	½	1	*	½	3	2695
12.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2785	.	½	0	0	1	0	0	½	.	.	½	*	2½	2621

Round 8 (March 20, 2011)
Anand, Viswanathan	- Aronian, Levon	½-½	19	C65	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Grischuk, Alexander	- Nakamura, Hikaru	½-½	67	A80	Dutch
Topalov, Veselin	- Carlsen, Magnus	½-½	26	C95	Ruy Lopez Breyer
Karjakin, Sergey	- Giri, Anish	½-½	38	C42	Petroff's Defence
Gelfand, Boris	- Ivanchuk, Vassily	½-½	89	D34	Tarrasch Defence, Main Line
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Gashimov, Vugar	½-½	54	A04	Dutch System

20th Amber Rapid Monaco (MNC), 12-24 iii 2011															cat. XXI (2770)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2
1.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2815	*	½	0	1	1	.	.	1	.	1	1	1	6½	3017
2.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2808	½	*	1	½	1	1	0	.	½	1	.	.	5½	2903
3.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2779	1	0	*	½	0	1	1	.	1	½	.	.	5	2861
4.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2774	0	½	½	*	1	½	1	.	0	½	.	.	4	2766
5.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2746	0	0	1	0	*	.	.	1	.	½	½	1	4	2775
6.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2817	.	0	0	½	.	*	1	½	1	.	½	½	4	2772
7.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2747	.	1	0	0	.	0	*	1	½	.	0	1	3½	2737
8.	Topalov, Veselin	g	BUL	2775	0	.	.	.	0	½	0	*	1	½	½	1	3½	2720
9.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2733	.	½	0	1	.	0	½	0	*	.	1	0	3	2695
10.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2690	0	0	½	½	½	.	.	½	.	*	1	0	3	2695
11.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2776	0	.	.	.	½	½	1	½	0	0	*	½	3	2676
12.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2785	0	.	.	.	0	½	0	0	1	1	½	*	3	2675

Round 8 (March 20, 2011)
Carlsen, Magnus	- Topalov, Veselin	1-0	29	B23	Sicilian Closed
Aronian, Levon	- Anand, Viswanathan	1-0	59	A35	English Symmetrical
Ivanchuk, Vassily	- Gelfand, Boris	1-0	34	C42	Petroff's Defence
Nakamura, Hikaru	- Grischuk, Alexander	1-0	61	E90	King's Indian Classical
Gashimov, Vugar	- Kramnik, Vladimir	1-0	39	C65	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Giri, Anish	- Karjakin, Sergey	1-0	36	A29	English Four Knights

20th Amber Combined Monaco (MNC), 12-24 iii 2011																				cat. XXI (2770)
					1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		10		11		12
1.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2808	*	*	½	½	½	1	½	1	½	0	1	1	1	½	.	.	.	.	1	½	1	1	.	.	11.5	2928
2.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2815	½	½	*	*	0	0	.	.	.	.	1	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	.	.	½	1	1	1	11.0	2907
3.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2779	½	0	1	1	*	*	½	1	½	1	0	0	0	½	.	.	.	.	½	1	½	½	.	.	8.5	2787
4.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2817	½	0	.	.	½	0	*	*	½	1	.	.	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	1	.	.	½	½	8.5	2793
5.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2747	½	1	.	.	½	0	½	0	*	*	.	.	½	0	0	1	½	0	1	½	.	.	1	1	8.0	2780
6.	Gashimov, Vugar	g	AZE	2746	0	0	0	0	1	1	.	.	.	.	*	*	½	0	½	1	½	½	.	.	1	½	½	1	8.0	2775
7.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2774	0	½	½	0	1	½	½	½	½	1	½	1	*	*	.	.	.	.	½	0	0	½	.	.	7.5	2745
8.	Topalov, Veselin	g	BUL	2775	.	.	½	0	.	.	0	½	1	0	½	0	.	.	*	*	½	½	½	1	1	½	0	1	7.5	2742
9.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2776	.	.	½	0	.	.	½	½	½	1	½	½	.	.	½	½	*	*	0	0	½	0	1	½	7.0	2720
10.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2733	0	½	.	.	½	0	½	0	0	½	.	.	½	1	½	0	1	1	*	*	.	.	1	0	7.0	2739
11.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2690	0	0	½	0	½	½	.	.	.	.	0	½	1	½	0	½	½	1	.	.	*	*	½	0	6.0	2695
12.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2785	.	.	0	0	.	.	½	½	0	0	½	0	.	.	1	0	0	½	0	1	½	1	*	*	5.5	2645

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