2017 Shamkir - Gashimov Memorial

[JustinHorton]

Very odd finish: Karjakin, under a little pressure but nothing onerous, blundered a piece. Chess 24 computer reckons he might have played on for a bit.

Meanwhile Eljanov, having been winning against Mamedyarov and set for 3/3, let it slip and is now struggling to hold.

[Ian Thompson]

Good win for Michael Adams against Karjakin today.

If the ChessBomb analysis is to be believed, the resignation was a bit premature. It has Black giving up 3 pawns to avoid perpetual check, leading to an ending of Q+N+P v Q+3Ps. It would probably only have taken one or two inaccurate moves from Black for there to be a perpetual.

[Chris Rice]

Eljanov blows it.

Round 3 results:

Radjabov, T. (½) 2710 ½ - ½ Harikrishna. (½) 2755
Topalov, V. (1½) 2741 ½ - ½ Kramnik, V. (1) 2811
Eljanov, P. (2) 2751 0 - 1 Mamedyarov (1½) 2772
So, Wesley (½) 2822 ½ - ½ Wojtaszek, R. (½) 2745
Karjakin, S. (1) 2783 0 - 1 Adams, M. (1) 2761

Standings:
1 Mamedyarov 2½
2-4 Eljanov, Topalov, Adams 2
5 Kramnik 1½
6-10 Harikrishna, Karjakin, So, Wojtaszek, Radjabov 1

Round 4 pairings:
Kramnik, V. (1½) 2811 — Harikrishna. (1) 2755
Mamedyarov (2½) 2772 — GM Radjabov, T. (1) 2710
Adams, M. (2) 2761 — Eljanov, P. (2) 2751
Wojtaszek, R. (1) 2745 — Karjakin, S. (1) 2783
Topalov, V. (2) 2741 — So, Wesley (1) 2822

[Matt Mackenzie]

Kramnik getting a draw with Topalov is the first time Black has avoided defeat in their games for a while.

[JustinHorton]

Good win for Michael Adams against Karjakin today.

If the ChessBomb analysis is to be believed, the resignation was a bit premature. It has Black giving up 3 pawns to avoid perpetual check, leading to an ending of Q+N+P v Q+3Ps. It would probably only have taken one or two inaccurate moves from Black for there to be a perpetual.

Apparently he lost on time

[Chris Rice]

Round 4 produced a win for Kramnik over Harikrishna while the other four games were draws. On the live ratings Kramnik is the only player within 20 points of Carlsen. Round 5 will feature a massive game between the World numbers 2 & 3.

Standings:
1 Mamedyarov 3
2-5 Eljanov, Topalov, Adams, Kramnik 2½
6-9 Wojtaszek, So, Karjakin, Radjabov 1½
10 Harikrishna 1

Round 5 pairings:
So, Wesley (1½) 2822 — Kramnik, V. (2½) 2811
Karjakin, S. (1½) 2783 — Topalov, V. (2½) 2741
Eljanov, P. (2½) 2751 — Wojtaszek, R. (1½) 2745
Radjabov, T. (1½) 2710 — Adams, M. (2½) 2761
Harikrishna. (1) 2755 — Mamedyarov (3) 2772

[Chris Rice]

Tiger Hillarp-Persson analyses that amazing Kramnik rook sac yesterday http://en.chessbase.com/post/gashimov-m ... s-his-rook and the Chess.com report suggests he only did it because he wanted to show that he could play a better rook sac than Toplov's rook sac the day before https://www.chess.com/news/view/kramnik ... amkir-7875 though in all seriousness Kramnik's position had been deteriorating and he had to come up with something big to change the course of the game.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Tiger Hillarp-Persson analyses that amazing Kramnik rook sac yesterday http://en.chessbase.com/post/gashimov-m ... s-his-rook and the Chess.com report suggests he only did it because he wanted to show that he could play a better rook sac than Toplov's rook sac the day before https://www.chess.com/news/view/kramnik ... amkir-7875 though in all seriousness Kramnik's position had been deteriorating and he had to come up with something big to change the course of the game.

That is amazing. Thanks for pointing that out (and the other highlights and results you have been flagging up - makes it much easier to keep up with what is going on!).

[Matt Mackenzie]

The amazing thing wasn't the rook sacrifice as such, but the fact Kramnik had to have seen the possibility a fair few moves before.

Reminds one somewhat of Spielmann's fabled remark about Alekhine.

[LawrenceCooper]

An effortless draw with black against Radjabov to leave Mickey on 3/5 going into the rest day. White against Harikrishna followed by blacks against Mamedjarov & Kramnik and white against Wojaszek to follow.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

An effortless draw with black against Radjabov to leave Mickey on 3/5 going into the rest day. White against Harikrishna followed by blacks against Mamedjarov & Kramnik and white against Wojaszek to follow.

Yes, though it could have been better. Mickey missed a win against Eljanov, which was a pity.
Still, the potential is there for a good result, as you say.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Wesley's recent "winless streak" is over.

[LawrenceCooper]

An effortless draw with black against Radjabov to leave Mickey on 3/5 going into the rest day. White against Harikrishna followed by blacks against Mamedjarov & Kramnik and white against Wojaszek to follow.

Yes, though it could have been better. Mickey missed a win against Eljanov, which was a pity.
Still, the potential is there for a good result, as you say.

I didn't actually comment on how things may turn out, white with Harikrishna looks like a good pairing but he did have two recent losses to him so is a potential banana skin. The double black is definitely tough.

[Chris Rice]

Round 5 results and as Matt refers to above the World number 3 beat the World number 2 and appropriately they now switch positions on the live ratings:
Eljanov, P. (2½) 2751 ½ - ½ Wojtaszek, R. (1½) 2745
So, Wesley (1½) 2822 1 - 0 Kramnik, V. (2½) 2811
Harikrishna. (1) 2755 ½ - ½ Mamedyarov (3) 2772
Karjakin, S. (1½) 2783 1 - 0 Topalov, V. (2½) 2741
Radjabov, T. (1½) 2710 ½ - ½ Adams, M. (2½) 2761

Standings:
1 Mamedyarov 3½
2-3 Eljanov, Adams 3
4-7 So, Karjakin, Topalov, Kramnik 2½
8-9 Wojtaszek, Radjabov 2
10 Harikrishna 1½

Rd 6 pairings:
Kramnik, V. (2½) 2811 — Mamedyarov (3½) 2772
Adams, M. (3) 2761 — Harikrishna. (1½) 2755
Wojtaszek, R. (2) 2745 — Radjabov, T. (2) 2710
Topalov, V. (2½) 2741 — Eljanov, P. (3) 2751
So, Wesley (2½) 2822 — Karjakin, S. (2½) 2783

[Chris Rice]

Tiger Hillarp-Persson annotates So's win against Kramnik. It's definitely worth looking at, his explanation of what was going on in that game is above the normal standard and you even get an exercise in how So could have won earlier. Karjakin's win over Topalov was also pretty impressive though I find that game was not annotated by Hillarp-Persson and is better explained in the Chess.Com report.