Grenke Chess Classic 2-9 February 2015

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Mon Jan 19, 2015 7:05 am

Carlsen's next stop after Wijk aan Zee will be an 8 player round robin, the Grenke Chess Classic in Baden-Baden, Germany and its a high class field:

1.GM Magnus Carlsen, world champion (rated: 2862), 24, Norway
2.GM Fabiano Caruana, world no. 2 (2820), 22, Italy
3.GM Viswanathan Anand, world no. 5 (2797), 45, India
4.GM Levon Aronian, world no. 6 (2797), 32, Armenia
5.GM Michael Adams, world no. 17 (2738), 43, England
6.GM Etienne Bacrot, world no. 39 (2711), 31, France
7.GM Arkadij Naiditsch, world no. 49 (2694), 29, Germany
8.GM David Baramidze, world no. 236 (2594), 26, Germany

This will be the second strongest tournament ever held on German soil although the organisers are clinging on to the hope that by the time the February ratings come out it may end up being the strongest. Shame Kramnik's not around lately though.

http://www.chess.com/news/baden-baden-t ... steel-8716

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:24 am

Tournament kicks off today at 2pm. Nigel Short will be commentating and live game link is here. http://www.grenkechessclassic.de/en/gre ... 2015/games Juicy Caruana-Anand clash to start proceedings.

Schedule:
Round 1, 2nd February, 14:00 (GMT)
Round 2, 3rd February, 14:00
Round 3, 4th February, 14:00
Rest day: 5th February
Round 4, 6th February, 14:00
Round 5, 7th February, 14:00
Round 6, 8th February, 14:00
Round 7, 9th February, 14:00

Round 1 pairings

GM Caruana, Fabiano vs GM Anand, Viswanathan
GM Bacrot, Etienne vs GM Baramidze, David
GM Aronian, Levon vs GM Carlsen, Magnus
GM Adams, Michael vs GM Naiditsch, Arkadij

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:29 am

Round 1 results:

Caruana Fabiano – Anand Viswanathan 1/2-1/2
Bacrot Etienne – Baramidze David 1/2-1/2
Aronian Levon – Carlsen Magnus 1/2-1/2
Adams Michael – Naiditsch Arkadij 1/2-1/2

Round 2 pairings:
Anand Viswanathan – Naiditsch Arkadij
Carlsen Magnus – Adams Michael
Baramidze David – Aronian Levon
Caruana Fabiano – Bacrot Etienne

MJMcCready · Post by **MJMcCready** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:01 pm

I was enjoying Carlsen v Adams until the blunder came along... .

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Wed Feb 04, 2015 5:23 am

Disappointing result for Mickey and for Anand for that matter who failed to convert a r+p ending

Round 2 results:

Anand Viswanathan 1/2 Naiditsch Arkadij
Carlsen Magnus 1–0 Adams Michael
Baramidze David 1/2 Aronian Levon
Caruana Fabiano 1/2 Bacrot Etienne

http://www.chess.com/news/carlsen-beats ... und-2-8104
http://en.chessbase.com/post/grenke-rd2 ... rly-leader

Round 03

Bacrot Etienne (2711) - Anand Viswanathan (2797)
Aronian Levon (2777) - Caruana Fabiano (2811)
Adams Michael (2738) - Baramidze David (2594)
Naiditsch Arkadij (2706) - Carlsen Magnus (2865)

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 5:09 am

Good grief Naiditsch beats Carlsen again! Carlsen played an absolute shocker on move 10 (see links below)

Round 3

Bacrot Etienne (2711) ½-½ Anand Viswanathan (2797)
Aronian Levon (2777) 0-1 Caruana Fabiano (2811)
Adams Michael (2738) 1-0 Baramidze David (2594)
Naiditsch Arkadij (2706) 1-0 Carlsen Magnus (2865)

http://en.chessbase.com/post/grenke-rd3 ... lsen-again
http://www.chess.com/news/carlsen-falte ... renke-2721

Todays a rest day so they’ll resume on Friday. Will Anand take advantage of a wounded Carlsen?

Round 4 pairings:

Anand Viswanathan (2797) - Carlsen Magnus (2865)
Baramidze David (2594) - Naiditsch Arkadij (2706)
Caruana Fabiano (2811) - Adams Michael (2738)
Bacrot Etienne (2711) - Aronian Levon (2777)

Clive Blackburn · Post by **Clive Blackburn** » Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:06 am

Naiditsch - Carlsen from round 3 was a sensatonal game.

I bet that Carlsen is now regretting his piece sac on move 10, although the resulting position was incredibly complicated and Naiditsch had to play brilliantly to achieve the win.... it's never easy to beat Carlsen in an endgame!

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2015"]
[Site "Baden-Baden"]
[Date "2015.02.04"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B06"]
[WhiteElo "2694"]
[BlackElo "2862"]
[Annotator "Robot 11"]
[PlyCount "121"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[TimeControl "40/6000+30:20/3000+30:900+30"]

1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:25]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:
00:00]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:21]} a6
{[%emt 0:00:09]} 5. a4 {[%emt 0:02:34]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:11:33]} 6. h3 {[%emt 0:01:
37]} O-O {[%emt 0:06:01]} 7. g4 {[%emt 0:06:58]} e5 {[%emt 0:09:40]} 8. d5 {
[%emt 0:05:29]} c6 {[%emt 0:07:43]} 9. Nge2 {[%emt 0:04:03]} cxd5 {[%emt 0:01:
15]} 10. exd5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Bxg4 {[%emt 0:04:11]} 11. hxg4 {[%emt 0:01:07]}
Nxg4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 12. Qd2 {[%emt 0:22:36]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 13. Ne4 {
[%emt 0:16:49]} f5 {[%emt 0:15:06]} 14. Bg5 {[%emt 0:01:24]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:01:
21]} 15. Bh3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Ndf6 {[%emt 0:13:51]} 16. Nxf6+ {[%emt 0:02:55]}
Nxf6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 17. Nc3 {[%emt 0:02:36]} Qxb2 {[%emt 0:01:39]} 18. Rb1 {
[%emt 0:01:30]} Qa3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 19. Rxb7 {[%emt 0:06:52]} Rf7 {[%emt 0:14:
14]} 20. Rb3 {[%emt 0:02:59]} Qc5 {[%emt 0:00:43]} 21. Qe3 {[%emt 0:05:14]} Qc7
{[%emt 0:02:52]} 22. Qb6 {[%emt 0:01:42]} e4 {[%emt 0:01:42]} 23. Qc6 {[%emt 0:
06:16]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:02:58]} 24. O-O {[%emt 0:04:23]} Qxc6 {[%emt 0:02:41]} 25.
dxc6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Rxc6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 26. Rfb1 {[%emt 0:00:33]} h6 {
[%emt 0:02:32]} 27. Bxf6 {[%emt 0:04:46]} Bxf6 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 28. Nxe4 {
[%emt 0:00:52]} Be5 {[%emt 0:00:52]} 29. Nd2 {[%emt 0:02:39]} Rxc2 {[%emt 0:00:
27]} 30. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Ra2 {[%emt 0:02:41]} 31. Bg2 {[%emt 0:05:44]} Bf6
{[%emt 0:01:14]} 32. Nh2 {[%emt 0:00:41]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 33. Bd5 {[%emt
0:00:47]} Re7 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 34. Rb4 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Rd2 {[%emt 0:00:38]}
35. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} a5 {[%emt 0:03:23]} 36. Rb7 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rd4 {
[%emt 0:01:22]} 37. Rxe7+ {[%emt 0:00:22]} Bxe7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 38. Bb5 {
[%emt 0:00:22]} h5 {[%emt 0:01:09]} 39. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:28]} Rf4 {[%emt 0:00:
09]} 40. Kg2 {[%emt 0:01:37]} h4 {[%emt 0:01:07]} 41. Rd1 {[%emt 0:09:46]} Rg4+
{[%emt 0:01:42]} 42. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:59]} h3 {[%emt 0:01:08]} 43. Rd3 {[%emt 0:
09:11]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:13:37]} 44. Nh2 {[%emt 0:08:25]} Rh4 {[%emt 0:03:06]} 45.
Kg1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bd4 {[%emt 0:02:28]} 46. Rf3 {[%emt 0:07:49]} Kf6 {[%emt
0:03:02]} 47. Nf1 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Be5 {[%emt 0:01:41]} 48. Ne3 {[%emt 0:01:58]
} Kg5 {[%emt 0:02:45]} 49. Kh1 {[%emt 0:03:33]} Kf6 {[%emt 0:13:22]} 50. Nc4 {
[%emt 0:01:04]} g5 {[%emt 0:00:32]} 51. Nxa5 {[%emt 0:05:43]} g4 {[%emt 0:04:
32]} 52. Rd3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} f4 {[%emt 0:03:38]} 53. Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Rh7
{[%emt 0:02:20]} 54. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:02:36]} dxe5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 55. a5 {[%emt
0:00:46]} Rc7 {[%emt 0:03:02]} 56. Ra3 {[%emt 0:03:04]} Rc1+ {[%emt 0:01:45]}
57. Kh2 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Rc2 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 58. a6 {[%emt 0:01:19]} Rxf2+ {
[%emt 0:01:01]} 59. Kh1 {[%emt 0:01:01]} g3 {[%emt 0:01:29]} 60. a7 {[%emt 0:
00:33]} Rd2 {[%emt 0:00:43]} 61. Ra1 {[%emt 0:15:46]} 1-0

Barry Sandercock · Post by **Barry Sandercock** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:22 pm

Surprising to see Magnus playing the Dutch Stonewall. I don't believe it is often played at the top level. I may be wrong of course.

Jonathan Rogers · Post by **Jonathan Rogers** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:35 pm

I think you're right. Occasionally we have seen the Leningrad version though, sometimes with a ...d5 hybrid. I have wondered before why we do not see more Stonewalls. I presume the reason is that the top players think that White with his space advantage can quietly press and there won't be many winning chances for Black even if White goes nowhere; therefore they prefer, say, the Grunfeld where White has to play a sharp line to get anywhere and thus take more risk - indeed White is quite likely to risk receiving an important novelty given the forcing nature of many lines.

But why not indeed at least put the Stonewall to the test?

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:00 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote: But why not indeed at least put the Stonewall to the test?

At move 11, they've transposed to an old game by Simon Williams (against Fressinet in the 1998 world U-20).

Jonathan Rogers · Post by **Jonathan Rogers** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:04 pm

Ah, Magnus Carlsen, Simon Williams, that whole connection there.

Barry Sandercock · Post by **Barry Sandercock** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 5:48 pm

Brilliant win by Carlsen.

Matt Mackenzie · Post by **Matt Mackenzie** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 6:11 pm

One of many qualities that makes a champion is how they respond to defeat. Carlsen seems pretty good at it, tbh.

Jonathan Bryant · Post by **Jonathan Bryant** » Fri Feb 06, 2015 6:31 pm

Matt Mackenzie wrote:One of many qualities that makes a champion is how they respond to defeat. Carlsen seems pretty good at it, tbh.

Indeed. I think "ballsy win" probably more appropriate response than "brilliant" tbh.

Good pawn sac from Mickey today I thought. Watching it live I got the feeling he was going to get squeezed but giving up the pawn really turned the game around.

Chris Rice · Post by **Chris Rice** » Sat Feb 07, 2015 3:24 am

The quality of the round 4 report overnight by chess24 is exceptional, a quick read, really entertaining and instructive as well. A model for any aspiring chess journalist. Conclusion: Even though it was an "Anand" position, his nerves gave way under pressure again as they did in Sochi which Anand admitted himself during that match.

https://chess24.com/en/read/news/grenke ... r-pressure

Round 4 - results

Anand Viswanathan 2797 0-1 Carlsen Magnus 2865
Baramidze David 2594 0-1 Naiditsch Arkadij 2706
Caruana Fabiano 2811 ½-½ Adams Michael 2738
Bacrot Etienne 2711 ½-½ Aronian Levon 2777

Standings after round 4

1 Naiditsch 3

2= Carlsen, Caruana 2½

4= Adams, Bacrot 2

6= Aronian, Anand 1½

8 Baramidze 1

http://en.chessbase.com/post/grenke-rd4 ... ack-wins-2
http://www.chess.com/news/carlsen-strik ... und-4-6898

Round 5

Aronian Levon 2777 - Anand Viswanathan 2797
Adams Michael 2738 - Bacrot Etienne 2711
Naiditsch Arkadij 2706 - Caruana Fabiano 2811
Carlsen Magnus 2865 - Baramidze David 2594

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