Aronian garnered 8.5/13 points and a performance rating of 2816. Half a point behind was Azerbaijan’s Teimour Radjabov, who beat Ukraine’s Sergey Karjakin with the black pieces in the last round. Finishing in a tie for third place with American GM Gata Kamsky was the event’s only undefeated player — China’s Wang Yue, who, together with Carlsen and Gashimov, won the first Grand Prix in Baku last May.
Topalov’s second, Ivan Cheparinov, was the tournament leader during most of the first nine rounds, but he lost to Aronian and Karjakin in rounds 10 and 11 and to Russia’s Dmitry Jakovenko in the final round, and finished in a tie for 10th and 11th places with Grischuk.
Game of the week. Born on March 31, 1987, Wang Yue last year became the first Chinese player to cross the 2700-Elo mark. His style has been described as “so accurate, solid and bold.” Here he is against another 20-year-old rising star. IM Jack Peters annotates.
White: GM Wang Yue (2704)
Black: GM Teimour Radjabov (2744)
King’s Indian Defense
Sochi 2008
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 No surprise. Radjabov is the world’s leading advocate of the King’s Indian Defense. 4 e4 d6 5 f3 The Samisch Attack. 0-0 6 Be3 c5!? Fashionable for nearly 20 years. 7 dxc5 Declining the pawn sacrifice, by 7 d5 or 7 Nge2, poses fewer problems. dxc5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bxc5 Nc6 Theory claims Black has sufficient compensation due to his quicker development and his chance to occupy d4 or b4. 10 Nge2 If 10 Nd5, Black should fight back by 10…Nd7! 11 Nxe7+ Nxe7 12 Bxe7 Bxb2. b6 11 Ba3 Bb7 12 Rd1 a5! Preparing…Nc6-b4 and possibly…Nf6-d7-c5. 13 Nc1 More sensible than snatching a second pawn by 13 Na4, when 13…Nb4 14 Rxd8+ Rxd8 15 Bxb4 axb4 16 Nxb6 Nd7 17 Nxd7 Rxd7 18 b3 Bh6! lets Black invade. Nb4 14 Bd3 Bh6! 15 Nd5 Almost certainly best. The computer recommends 15 Bb1 Rxd1+ 16 Kxd1 Rd8+ 17 Ke2 Rd2+ 18 Kf1, but White would remain undeveloped. Nfxd5 Inevitable. After 15…Bxc1 16 Bxb4 axb4 17 Rxc1 Rxa2 18 Rb1!, Black will soon have to capture at d5. 16 cxd5 e6 17 Bxb4 axb4 18 dxe6! Not 18 Bc4?? because 18…Rdc8 19 b3 exd5 20 exd5 b5 wins a piece. Bxc1 19 e7 Rdc8?! One of the few slips in an exceptionally well-played game. The correct 19…Rd7! 20 Bb5 Rxe7 21 Rxc1 Rxa2 leads to an improved version of the game, while 20 Rxc1 Rxd3 21 Rc7 Bxe4! 22 fxe4 Re3+ 23 Kf2 Rxe4 produces a drawn endgame. Also 19…Rxd3!? 20 Rxd3 Bg5 21 h4! Bxe7! 22 Rd7 Rxa2 23 Rxe7 Bxe4! (inviting 24 fxe4 Ra1+) 24 0-0 Bc2 will draw. 20 e8Q+ Rxe8 21 Rxc1 f5!? White will neutralize this apparently powerful thrust. However, the alternative 21…Rxa2 22 Rb1 is also unpleasant for Black. If 22…Ba6 23 Bxa6 Rxa6 24 Kd2, the pawn at b4 is an easy target. 22 Rc7! Bd5 23 0-0 fxe4 24 fxe4 Bxa2 The more forcing 24…Bxe4 25 Bxe4 Rxe4 26 Rff7 Re1+ 27 Kf2 Rb1 runs into 28 Rg7+ Kf8 29 Rxh7 Rxb2+ 30 Kg3 Kg8 31 Rcg7+ Kf8 32 Rb7 Kg8 33 Rhg7+ Kh8 34 Rxg6 Raxa2 35 Kh3, winning for White. 25 Ra1 Bd5 Or 25…Bf7 26 Rxa8 Rxa8 27 Bc4!, picking up a pawn. 26 Rxa8 Bxa8 27 Bb5! The imprecise 27 Rc4?! lets Black escape by 27…Rd8 28 Be2 b3 29 Kf2 b5! 30 Rb4 Rd2. Re5 Allowing simplification, but 27…Rd8 28 e5 makes the e-pawn too strong. 28 Bc4+ Kf8 29 Rc8+ Re8 30 Rxe8+ Kxe8 31 e5 Ke7 Although Black can blockade the e-pawn, he cannot hold a draw. Circling around by 31…Kd7 32 Kf2 Kc6 33 Bf7! Kc5 also loses, as 34 Kg3 Be4 35 Kf4! Bxg2 36 Kg5 supports the passer. 32 Kf2 Bc6 33 g3 g5 34 Ke3 h6 35 Kd4 Bd7 36 Bd5 Threatening 37 Kc4. Bb5 37 Bf3 Be8 38 Bg2 Time pressure? White could obtain the Zugzwang position immediately by 38 Kd5 Bb5 39 Bg4. Ba4 39 Bd5 Bb5 40 Bg8 Kf8 41 Bc4 Ba4 42 Bd5 Bb5 43 Bf3 Ke7 44 Bg4! Bf1 45 Kd5! Now the King may enter through c4 or c6. Bb5 46 Bf5! Be8 Useless is 46…h5 47 h4. 47 Kc4 b3 48 Kxb3 Bb5 49 Kc3 Be2 50 Kd4 Bb5 Making White find one more good idea to break through. 51 Kd5 Ba4 52 b4 Bb5 53 Bg4 Ba4 54 Bc8! White plans 54…Bb5 55 e6 Ba4 56 Bd7! Bxd7 57 exd7 Kxd7 58 g4! Kc7 59 b5 Kd7 60 h3 Kc7 61 Ke6, winning the pawn at b6. Kd8 55 Ba6 Kd7 Against 55…Ke7, one method is 56 e6 Bb3+ 57 Bc4! Ba4 58 b5, followed by Kd5-c6xb6. 56 e6+ Ke7 After 56…Kc7 57 Ke5 Be8 58 Bd3, the e-pawn will cost Black his Bishop. 57 Bc8! Bb5 58 Bd7! Be2 59 Kc6 At last, White breaks in. Fine technique by the Chinese teenager. b5 60 Kb6 Bc4 61 Bxb5 Bxe6 62 Kc7, Black Resigns.
Puzzler. White — pawns on b3, b4, h2; Qa8, Ke1, Be4, Ne7
Black — pawns on a5, b5, e5, g5; Na7, Bb6, Ke3
White to play and mate in three moves.
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