TWIC is 30. First issue 17th September 1994.
Dortmund 2010 (7)
Mamedyarov back in it after beating Leko in Dortmund Rd7
Mark Crowther - Thursday 22nd July 2010
Kramnik, Karpov and Ponomariov at the start of Round 7 Karpov was in Dortmund campaigning for the FIDE Presidency. Photo © Georgios Souleidis. | http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/2010/
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov has been the major point of interest over the last few fairly dull rounds. Today he made the headlines for the right reasons when he won the only decisive game. He sacrificed two pieces for Rook and two pawns and even though Peter Leko had chances to hold, he couldn't. Vladimir Kramnik and Ruslan Ponomariov had a photo opportunity at the start of their game with FIDE Presidential Candidate Anatoly Karpov. There was some interesting play in the opening but quickly a drawn heavy piece ending was reached. Arkardij Naiditsch kept his position going in the face of a smashed pawn structure against Le Quang Liem. They quickly reached a drawn double rook ending. Ponomariov leads on 4.5/7 half a point clear of Le Quang Liem and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.
| Sparkassen GM Dortmund (GER), 15-25 vii 2010 | cat. XX (2731) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |||||||||||||
| 1. | Ponomariov, Ruslan | g | UKR | 2734 | * | * | 0 | . | 1 | . | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 4½ | 2841 |
| 2. | Le Quang Liem | g | VIE | 2681 | 1 | . | * | * | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | 4 | 2789 |
| 3. | Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar | g | AZE | 2761 | 0 | . | 1 | . | * | * | ½ | . | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2770 |
| 4. | Kramnik, Vladimir | g | RUS | 2790 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | * | * | 1 | . | ½ | . | 3½ | 2715 |
| 5. | Naiditsch, Arkadij | g | GER | 2684 | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | . | * | * | ½ | . | 3 | 2684 |
| 6. | Leko, Peter | g | HUN | 2734 | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | * | * | 2 | 2577 |
| Round 7 (July 22, 2010) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar | - Leko, Peter | 1-0 | 39 | A15 | English counter King's Fianchetto | |
| Kramnik, Vladimir | - Ponomariov, Ruslan | ½-½ | 37 | E17 | Queens Indian | |
| Naiditsch, Arkadij | - Le Quang Liem | ½-½ | 35 | B12 | Caro Kann Advanced | |
Former Champions Kramnik, Karpov and Ponomariov Photo © Georgios Souleidis : http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/2010/fotos.html
Anatoly Karpov attended Round 7 to speak on his election campaign to be FIDE President.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov got back on track with a win against Peter Leko. Photo © Georgios Souleidis : http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/2010/fotos.html
After a very rough couple of rounds where he dropped at least 1.5 points Shakhriyar Mamedyarov roared back with an impressive win against Peter Leko. Indeed it is the much maligned Leko who must be having pause for thought with his play in this and recent events especially with the arrival of new stars. Leko is just 31 and should be reaching his peak, but his play is curiously lack-luster at the moment and out of step with the modern style.
Today Leko defended a Symmetrical English where he allowed the following position to arise.
Peter Leko
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Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Position after 21...Nce7
White isn't winning but black is under pressure and he blunders.
22. Ncxb6 Rxb6 23. Nxb6 Qxb6 24. Qxc5 Qd8 25. d4 exd4 26. e4 Nh6 27. Rfd1 Nc6 28. b4 axb4 29. axb4 d3 30. Rc3 d2?
Here Leko had to eliminate the b-pawn 30... Qb8 31. b5 Ne5 32. f4 Nd7 33. Qd4 Qxb5 34. Rcxd3
31. Rc2 Qb8 32. b5 Ne5 33. Qc7+ Bd7 34. Rdxd2 Qxb5 35.f4 Nhf7 36.fxe5 Nxe5 37.Bf1 Qa4 38.Rc4 Qb5 39.Rcd4 1-0
Le Quang Liem and Arkadij Naiditsch in Round 7. Photo © Georgios Souleidis : http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/2010/fotos.html
Arkardij Naiditsch won a pawn against Le Quang Liem in return for a smashed pawn structure and even that was won back quickly.
Le Quang Liem
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Arkadij Naiditsch
Position after 14.Nc4
However the open nature of the position led to quick exchanges and a comletely drawn double rook and pawn ending. The game finished on move 35.
Vladimir Kramnik and Ruslan Ponomariov in Round 7. Photo © Georgios Souleidis : http://www.sparkassen-chess-meeting.de/2010/fotos.html
Ruslan Ponomariov steered towards a Queen's Indian as black against Vladimir Kramnik. His 7...a5 was slightly unusual and 8.a3 was even more so. Ponomariov exploited a pin on the d-pawn to play Na6-c5-e4 and after that they quickly reached this drawish ending.
Ruslan Ponomariov
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Vladimir Kramnik
Position after 22...e5
Kramnik quickly forced a draw by repetition starting on move 34.
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