Chessable Lowenthal Sicilian

4th London Chess Classic 2012 (3)

Adams starts with two wins, leaders Kramnik-Carlsen draw in London Classic Round 3

Although not leading Michael Adams is the only player remaining on 100%. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill.

Although not leading Michael Adams is the only player remaining on 100%. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill. | http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com

Joint leaders Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen drew in Round 3 of the 4th London Chess Classic. Carlsen went badly wrong in the opening and quickly was in a struggle to save a heavy piece middlegame where the loss of a pawn was inevitable. Both players were up to the task of deep calculation necessary to play this position. Carlsen admitted that he found the key 27...h5! only by elimination after which the game finished in a well played draw. The only decisive game allowed Michael Adams to move to 6 points and 100% (having been in commentary in round 2) by destroying Judit Polgar who was caught in an opening system she did not understand nearly as well as Adams. The game was effectively over by move 20 if not earlier. Levon Aronian's desperate form continued into his game against Viswanthan Anand, he forgot his opening preparation, and probably followed this with several other inaccuracies leaving him a pawn down but he did find a very nice liquidation into a rook and pawn ending which just drew. Anand was disappointed he couldn't make more of his advantage and there surely was something, the players thought 28...f6 might have been better but it wouldn't do to describe this as definitely winning. Both are in for long events if they don't pick up some form. Hikaru Nakamura got the better of a messy Gruenfeld but although he had all the winning chances the ending proved to be just a draw. Round 4 Tue 3rd Dec starts later at 4pm so people who work can visit. Nakamura-Adams, Carlsen-Jones, Anand-Kramnik, McShane-Aronian. Polgar in commentary.

Aronian-Anand draw.

Aronian-Anand draw. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Aronian,Levon - Anand,Viswanathan [D10]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (3.2), 03.12.2012

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Bf4 Nc6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qb3 Na5 8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qc2 e6 10.Bd3 Rc8 11.h3

I coudn't remember the way to play. Perhaps h3 was not the right move.

[11.Nf3 Be7 (11...Bb4 12.0-0 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.Ne5 Rc8 15.Qb3 Qa5 16.Nxd7 Nxd7 17.a3 Bxc3 18.Qxb7 0-0 19.bxc3 Nb6 20.Bc7 Qb5 21.Qxa7 Nc4 22.Bg3 Ra8 23.Qe7 Rfc8 24.h3 Qa5 25.Qb4 Nxa3 26.Bd6 Qxb4 27.cxb4 Nc4 28.Bc5 Na3 29.Ra2 Nb5 30.Ra5 Rab8 31.Rfa1 h6 32.Ra6 Kh7 33.R1a5 Nc3 34.Ra7 Kg6 35.Rd7 Nb5 36.f3 Rc6 37.Kh2 f6 38.e4 dxe4 39.fxe4 Kh7 40.d5 exd5 41.exd5 Rcc8 42.d6 Rc6 43.Rxb5 Rxb5 44.Rc7 Rbb6 45.Rxc6 1-0 Kramnik,V (2780)-Aronian,L (2783)/Shanghai CHN 2010/The Week in Chess 827) 12.0-0 0-0 13.Ne5 Nc4 14.Rac1 Bc6 15.Rfd1 Nd6 16.Qe2 Qa5 17.Rc2 Rfd8 18.Bg5 Ba4 19.Nxa4 Qxa4 20.b3 Qe8 1/2-1/2 Fressinet,L (2718)-Gelfand,B (2751)/Plovdiv BUL 2010/The Week in Chess 833]

11...Nc4 12.Nf3 Bb4 13.a3 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Qa5 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rfb1?

Viswanathan Anand

__r__rk_
pp_b_ppp
____pn__
q__p____
__nP_B__
P_PBPN_P
__Q__PP_
RR____K_

Levon Aronian

Position after 16.Rfb1

"For some reason I've gone completely berserk here." - Aronian

[16.Qb1 I think I have some compensation. Temporarily I have some activity.; 16.a4]

16...Ba4 17.Qe2 Qxc3 18.Bg5 Nd6 19.Bxf6 gxf6

It's not trivial for black. I've played some really bad moves around here.

20.Ne1

I was actually very frustrated here.

[20.Ne5 fxe5 (20...Rfd8 21.Ng4 f5 (21...Kg7 22.Rc1) 22.Nf6+ Kg7 23.Nh5+) 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7]

20...f5 21.Qf3 Qc7 22.Rc1 Qe7 23.g4 fxg4 24.hxg4 Bb5 25.Bxb5 Nxb5 26.Kg2 Nd6

[26...Rxc1 27.Rxc1 Nxa3 28.Nd3 (28.Rc5 Nc4 (28...a6) 29.Qf4 Nd6 30.Rc7) 28...Nc4 29.Rh1]

27.Nd3 Ne4 28.Qf4

Viswanathan Anand

__r__rk_
pp__qp_p
____p___
___p____
___PnQP_
P__NP___
_____PK_
R_R_____

Levon Aronian

Position after 28.Qf4

28...Qf6?

According to both players.

[28...f6 According to Aronian is better.]

29.Qxf6 Nxf6 30.Rab1

I simply missed Rab1.

30...b6 31.f3 Kg7 32.a4 Nd7 33.Nb4

One or two bad move and black could even be worse - Anand.

33...Nb8 34.Kf2 Kf6 35.e4 dxe4 36.fxe4 Ke7 37.Ke3 Rg8 38.Kf4

I thought I had good chances for a draw here.

38...Rgd8 39.d5 Rxc1 40.Rxc1 a5 41.Nc6+ Nxc6 42.Rxc6 exd5 43.exd5 Rxd5 44.Rxb6 Rd4+

"I wouldn't have played it" (this way without seeing the final drawing idea) - Aronian

[44...h5 Is an interesting try but which still draws. 45.g5 Rd4+ 46.Kf5 Rxa4 47.Ra6 Kf8 48.Kf6 Rf4+ 49.Ke5 Rf1 50.Rxa5 Kg7 51.Ra6 h4 52.Rh6]

45.Kg5 Rxa4 46.Ra6 Ra1 47.Kh6 a4 48.Kxh7 a3 49.g5 a2 50.Kg7 Kd7 51.Kf8 Rg1 1/2-1/2

Viswanathan Anand

_____K__
___k_p__
R_______
______P_
________
________
p_______
______r_

Levon Aronian

Position after 51...Rg1

Adams beat Polgar

Adams beat Polgar. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Adams,Michael - Polgar,Judit [B40]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (3.4), 03.12.2012
[Crowther,Mark]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.Qe2 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.0-0 Be7

[7...Nd4 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.c4 Nb4 10.d3 with a reverse Benoni.]

8.Rd1 0-0 9.d4 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Rxd4 Bf6 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.c4 Nb4

[13...Ne7 14.Nc3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Nc6 16.Ba3 Rd8 (16...Re8 17.Bd6 Qa5 18.Qb2 e5) ]

14.Nc3 a6 15.Bf4

The most direct.

15...e5 16.Be3 Be6

[16...Bf5]

17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Bf5 19.d6 Qd7 20.Bb6

Judit Polgar

r____rk_
_p_q_ppp
pB_P_b__
____pb__
________
______P_
PP__QPBP
R__R__K_

Michael Adams

Position after 20.Bb6

This move is important. - Adams. White is already pretty close to the win here.

20...Rac8 21.Bc7 Bg4 22.Bf3 h5 23.Rac1 Rfe8 24.Bxg4 hxg4 25.Qe4 Bg5 26.Rc5 Bd8 27.Qxb7 Re6

[27...f5 28.Qxc8 Qxc8 29.d7]

28.Rdd5

Judit Polgar

__rb__k_
_QBq_pp_
p__Pr___
__RRp___
______p_
______P_
PP___P_P
______K_

Michael Adams

Position after 28.Rdd5

Extinguishing all hope.

[28.Qc6 Rxc7]

28...Rf6 29.Qxa6 Qf5 30.Qe2 Qb1+ 31.Rd1 Qxa2 32.Rxe5 Bxc7 33.Re8+ Rxe8 34.Qxe8+ Kh7 35.dxc7 Qa7 36.Qe4+ 1-0

Kramnik-Carlsen draw.

Kramnik-Carlsen draw. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Kramnik,Vladimir - Carlsen,Magnus [A37]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (3.1), 03.12.2012

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0-0 Nge7 7.a3 a5 8.Ne1 d6 9.Nc2 0-0 10.d3 Rb8

Magnus Carlsen

_rbq_rk_
_p__npbp
__np__p_
p_p_p___
__P_____
P_NP__P_
_PN_PPBP
R_BQ_RK_

Vladimir Kramnik

Position after 10...Rb8

Rb8 is just stupid. - Carlsen. I forgot why people play Be6 first.

[10...Be6 11.Ne3 Rb8 12.Rb1 Qd7 13.Ned5 b6 14.Bd2 Bh3 15.Bxh3 Qxh3 16.b4 axb4 17.axb4 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Qe6 19.Bc3 Ne7 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Qa4 Ra8 22.Qc6 Ra3 23.Rfc1 Ra2 24.Rb2 Rxb2 25.Bxb2 Rb8 26.b5 Bf8 27.Ra1 Qb7 28.Qxb7 Rxb7 29.Ra8 f5 30.f4 exf4 31.gxf4 Kf7 32.Kg2 Bh6 33.Kf3 Ke7 34.h3 Kf7 35.Bc3 Ke7 36.Be1 Bg7 37.Bh4+ Bf6 38.Rh8 Kf7 39.Bxf6 Kxf6 40.h4 h5 41.Rc8 Ke6 42.e4 Ra7 43.Rg8 fxe4+ 44.Kxe4 d5+ 45.cxd5+ Kf7 46.Rb8 Re7+ 47.Kf3 Re1 48.Rxb6 Rf1+ 49.Ke3 Re1+ 50.Kd2 Rf1 51.Rb8 Rxf4 52.b6 1-0 Chekhov,V (2499)-Bator,R (2431)/Koszalin POL 1999; 10...Be6 11.Ne3]

11.Rb1 Be6 12.b4 axb4 13.axb4 cxb4 14.Nxb4 Nxb4 15.Rxb4 d5 16.cxd5

[16.Qb3 dxc4 17.dxc4 Nc6; 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Ra4 (17.Nb5) 17...dxc4 18.dxc4 Qxd1 19.Rxd1 e4 20.Nxe4 b5 21.Ra7 Nc8; 16.Qa4]

16...Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Rb5

Blocks b5.

18...Bxg2

[18...Bc6 19.Bxc6 bxc6 20.Rc5 is certainly better than the game.]

19.Kxg2 Qd7 20.Qb3

White has a very serious advantage here. - Kramnik.

20...Rfc8 21.Bb2 Qd6

[21...Rc2 22.Bxe5]

22.Rb1

[22.f3]

22...Rc5 23.Rb6 Rc6

[23...Qc7 24.Ba3 Rc3 25.Bd6]

24.Rxb7

[24.Ba3 Rxb6 25.Bxd6 Rxb3 26.Rxb3 Rd8 27.Bc7 Rd7 28.Rxb7 Bf8 just a draw in the end. 29.f4 exf4 30.gxf4 f5 31.Ra7 Kf7 32.Bb6 Rxa7 33.Bxa7 Ke6 34.Kf3]

24...Rxb7 25.Qxb7 Rb6 26.Qc8+ Qf8 27.Qd7

I was very happy when I found this move.

27...h5!!

Magnus Carlsen

_____qk_
___Q_pb_
_r____p_
____p__p
________
___P__P_
_B__PPKP
_R______

Vladimir Kramnik

Position after 27...h5!!

An amazing resource - Kramnik who missed this slow move. He can refute all queen moves. White has very big winning chances if the queens come off. Carlsen admitted he found the defence by elimination of other moves which lost.

[27...Qb8 28.Rc1; 27...Rb3 28.Qd5; 27...Qa8+ 28.f3 Rb7]

28.e4

By a process of elimination.

[28.f3 Qb4 29.Bd4 Qxb1 30.Bxb6 Qe1 31.e4 Qe2+ 32.Bf2 Bh6; 28.Qd5 Qe8 29.Ra1 Rxb2 30.Ra8 Rb8; 28.Kh3 Qb4; 28.Rc1 Rxb2 29.Rc8 Rxe2 30.Rxf8+ Bxf8 is very drawish.]

28...Qd6 29.Qe8+ Qf8 30.Qd7 Qd6! 31.Qxd6

[31.Qe8+ Kh7? 32.Bxe5 It's amazing how many tricks there are. Carlsen.]

31...Rxd6 32.Rd1 f5!

Kramnik believes he's 1 tempo short here. f4 was coming soon without this move from Carlsen.

33.f3 fxe4 34.fxe4 Rb6!

Stopping the bishop getting to e3.

35.Bc3 Rb3 36.Ba1

[36.Be1 Rb2+ 37.Bf2 Bh6 (37...g5) 38.Kf3 g5]

36...Kf7 37.Kf3 Ke6 38.h3 Bh6 39.Ke2 Bg5 40.Rg1 Bh6 41.h4 Kd6?! 42.Rd1

[42.g4 Bf4 43.gxh5 gxh5 44.Rg6+ Kd7 45.Ra6 Rb1 (45...Ke7 46.Ra5 Ke6) 46.Ra5 Ke6 47.d4 Rb3 48.Ra6+]

42...Ke6 43.Rf1 Rb4!

Kramnik thought he'd got Carlsen in zugzwang but Rb4 is good enough.

44.Rd1 Rb3 45.Rg1 Kf6 46.Rh1 Ke6 47.Rd1 Kf6 48.d4 Re3+ 49.Kf2 Rxe4 50.dxe5+ Kf5 51.Rd7 Kg4 52.Rd6 Be3+ 53.Ke2 Bf4+ 54.Kd3 Re3+ 55.Kc4 Bxe5 56.Rxg6+ Kf3 57.Bxe5 Rxe5 58.Rg5 Re4+ 59.Kd5 Rg4 60.Ke5 Kxg3 61.Rxh5 Rxh4 62.Rxh4 Kxh4 1/2-1/2

Jones-Nakamura draw.

Jones-Nakamura draw. Photo © Ray Morris-Hill http://raymorris-hill.smugmug.com/.

Jones,Gawain C B - Nakamura,Hikaru [D97]
4th London Chess Classic London ENG (3.3), 03.12.2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Na6 8.Be2 c5 9.d5 e6 10.0-0 exd5 11.exd5 Re8 12.Rd1 Qb6 13.d6

[13.Bf4 1-0 Skatchkov,P (2456)-Gajsin,E (2366)/Tomsk RUS 2001/The Week in Chess 348 (54)]

13...Be6 14.Qh4

Hikaru Nakamura

r___r_k_
pp___pbp
nq_Pbnp_
__p_____
_______Q
__N__N__
PP__BPPP
R_BR__K_

Gawain Jones

Position after 14.Qh4. Nakamura found a complicated and slightly irrational position which was nevertheless about equal.

14...Qb4 15.Bg5 Nd7 16.Be7 Qxh4 17.Bxh4 Nb4 18.Rd2 a6 19.Ng5 Nd5 20.Rxd5 Bxd5 21.Nxd5 Rxe2 22.Ne7+ Rxe7 23.dxe7 Re8 24.Ne4 f6 25.Re1 Rxe7 26.Nxf6+ Bxf6 27.Rxe7 Bxe7 28.Bxe7 Kf7 29.Bg5 Ne5 30.Kf1 Nd3 31.b3 Nb4 32.a4 Ke6 33.Ke2 Kd5 34.Kd2

Hikaru Nakamura

________
_p_____p
p_____p_
__pk__B_
Pn______
_P______
___K_PPP
________

Gawain Jones

Position after 34.Kd2. Jones faced a long defence but the position should be a draw.

34...c4 35.Kc3 cxb3 36.Kxb3 Nd3 37.Be3 Ne1 38.g3 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.Bb6 Kc6 41.Ba7 Nf3 42.h4 Ne5 43.Kb4 Ng4 44.Bc5 Nf6

[44...h5]

45.Bd4 Nd5+ 46.Ka5 Nc7 47.Kb4 Na6+ 48.Ka5 Nc5 49.Kb4 Nd3+ 50.Kc3 Ne1 51.Ba7 Nf3 52.Kb3 h6 53.Be3 h5 54.Ba7 Ne5 55.Kb4 Ng4 56.Bc5 Kd5 57.Kxb5 Ke4 58.Kc6 Kf3 59.Kd5 Nxf2 60.Ke6 Ne4 61.Be7 Kg4 62.Bd8 Nxg3 63.Kf7 Kf5 64.Kg7 Ne4 65.Kh6 Nc5 66.Bg5 Ne6 67.Be7 Nd4 68.Bg5 Nc6 69.Kg7 Nd4 70.Kh6 Nf3 71.Bd8 Ne5 72.Kg7 Nf3 73.Kh6 Kg4 74.Kxg6 Nxh4+ 75.Kh6 Nf3 76.Bf6 Nd2 77.Kg6 Nc4 78.Kh6 Nd6 79.Kg6 h4 80.Bxh4 Kxh4 1/2-1/2

4th London Chess Classic 2012 London ENG Sat 1st Dec 2012 - Mon 10th Dec 2012
Leading Round 3 (of 9) Standings:
RkNameFEDRtgGms123456789PtsTB1Perf
1Kramnik, VladimirRUS27953*½ 1 17.08.503050
2Carlsen, MagnusNOR28483½* 11 7.05.503053
3Adams, MichaelENG27102 * 1 16.03474
4Nakamura, HikaruUSA276030 *½ 1 4.0 2752
5Jones, Gawain C BENG26443 0½* ½2.02.50 2605
6Anand, ViswanathanIND27752 *½½ 2.01.00 2764
7Aronian, LevonARM28153 0 0 ½* 1.01.002515
8McShane, Luke JENG27132 0 ½ * 1.01.00 2621
9Polgar, JuditHUN270530 0 ½ *1.01.002437
9 players
4th London CC Open London ENG Sat 1st Dec 2012 - Mon 10th Dec 2012
Leading Round 3 (of 9) Standings:
RkNameTiFEDRtg123PtsTPR
1Melkumyan, HrantGMARM26491113.03026
2Gundavaa, BayarsaikhanIMMGL25301113.02976
3Williams, Simon KGMENG25151113.02958
4Hawkins, JonathanIMENG25071113.02965
5Hamitevici, VladimirIMMDA24401113.02915
6Shaw, JohnGMSCO24351113.02905
7Zhou, Yang-FanIMENG24191113.02900
8Golubka, PetrIMUKR24181113.02885
9Hanley, Craig AIMENG24121113.02888
10Roberson, Peter TFMENG23501113.02940
11Arvola, BenjaminFMNOR22851113.02910
12Rowson, JonathanGMSCO258611½2.52540
13Van Kampen, RobinGMNED257011½2.52528
14Hebden, Mark LGMENG254711½2.52523
15Hillarp Persson, TigerGMSWE25461½12.52444
16Schneider, DmitryIMUSA24771½12.52434
17McDonald, NeilGMENG245411½2.52465
18Sadzikowski, DanielIMPOL24491½12.52426
19Bartholomew, JohnIMUSA2427½112.52361
20D`Costa, Lorin A RIMENG241711½2.52430
21Sarakauskas, GediminasIMLTU240811½2.52415
22Ferguson, MarkIMENG240211½2.52403
23Houska, JovankaIMENG2396½112.52337
24Gullaksen, EirikIMNOR238411½2.52376
25Crouch, Colin SIMENG238211½2.52525
26Rendle, Thomas EIMENG23811½12.52385
27Ansell, Simon TIMENG237711½2.52510
28Bates, Richard AIMENG237011½2.52477
29Radovanovic, JovicaFMSRB23611½12.52408
30Richardson, John RFMENG2320½112.52313
31Kvisvik, BredeFMNOR2316½112.52337
32Moriuchi, ToshiyukiJPN231611½2.52496
33Ledger, Dave JFMENG226611½2.52428
34Gunajew, RafalFMPOL2260½112.52158
35Tan, JustinAUS223911½2.52360
36Caoili, ArianneWIMAUS22021½12.52616
37Fayard, AlainFMFRA220211½2.52509
38Dole, AnantRSA213811½2.52410
39McKenna, Jason PENG2102½112.52785
40Szalontay, MihalyHUN20111½12.52350
240 players

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