Chess World Cup 2017 Final Tie Breaks - Tblisi

After the four classical games of the 2017 world cup final ended in draws, the match moved into tie breaks. This brought additional pressure on Aronian. The Chinese player is higher rated in blitz, they are about equal in 10 minute rapid, while Aronian is slightly stronger at the 25 minute time control. So for Aronian it was a case of the sooner he wrapped up the match, the better his chances would be.

In the end Aronian won both 25 minute games to become the first player in history to twice win the 128 player knock out world cup.

My final comment on the 2017 world cup relates to the prize fund allocation by FIDE: The prize money in each round of the world cup has been well documented. What is less well documented is how much of the prize money the players will actually receive. Sure, every country in the world has a tax policy on the amount of tax that is deducted from the winnings of all foreign professional sports people. That is a given, across all professional sports events across the planet.

There is, however, one factor about chess that makes it completely different from every other professional sport in the way that professionals get paid. That is the FIDE “levy” or “administration fee”.  I have yet to find any other professional sport where the international federation charges a 20% levy that is to be deducted from the prize cheque of every prize winner at every major international chess event. This holds true, even for the events that are organized by FIDE and where FIDE puts up and pays the prize money.

So, in the case of Aronian’s 120.000 euro first prize from FIDE, 24.000 euros was deducted by FIDE. So, in effect Aronian will receive 96.000 euros less whatever tax Georgia will levy on 120.000 euros.

This has become especially critical for those players eliminated from the first round of the tournament. Their budget for the tournament was built around the guaranteed 6.000 euros of prize money for those eliminated in round 1. However, FIDE took a 1.200 euro levy from each of those players and after the tax on 6.000 euros has been paid the foreign players will likely be left with less than 4.000. That would need to cover flights, visas, hotel, taxis and meals for the player, their assistant, and any other support staff.

My conclusion here is that there is something out of alignment when close to 64 of the chess professionals who competed in the FIDE World Cup 2017 will be hard pressed to cover their out of pocket expenses to be able to compete in an event that has put FIDE in the media spotlight for many diverse reasons. While at the same time FIDE as the organizer will bank more than double the first place prize cheque in levy deductions from all the players in the tournament.

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.5), 27.09.2017

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qb3 Nd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Qf4 10.Bd3 e5 D43: Semi-Slav: 5 Bg5 h6 

11.0–0 [11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.0–0 Be7 14.Rfe1 0–0 15.Ng3 Qc7 16.Bf5 Bf6 17.Rad1 Bxf5 18.Nxf5 0–1 (47) Belov,V (2614)-Anand,V (2803) Berlin 2015] 

11...Be7 12.Rae1 Ng3 is the strong threat. 

12...exd4! The position is equal. 

13.Bb1 0–0 14.Ng3

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14...Bd8N [14...Nc5 15.Qa3 Qc7 16.Nxd4 Rd8 17.Ndf5 Bxf5 18.Nxf5 1/2–1/2 (29) Ivanisevic,I (2588)-Schenk,A (2495) Gonfreville 2006] 

15.Qd3 g6! 16.h4 Nf6 17.h5 White has compensation. 

17...g5 18.Ne5ƒ White is more active. 

18...Ba5 [18...Kh8²] 

19.Ng6 Qd2 aiming for ...Qxd3. 

20.Ne7+! Kg7 Hoping for ...Qxd3. 

21.Qb3 Qf4 [21...d3±] 

22.Rd1? [22.Ngf5+!+- Kh8 23.Rd1] 

22...Bb6 [22...c5²] 

23.Ngf5+ Bxf5 24.Nxf5+ Kh8

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25.g3! Qg4 26.Nxh6 Qxh5? 

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[26...Qe6 27.Rfe1 Ne4] 
27.Kg2!+- White is clearly winning. 
27...d3 [¹27...Qxh6 28.Rh1 Qxh1+ 29.Rxh1+ Kg7] 
28.Qc3 Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg6 30.Rh1 Precision: White = 70%, Black = 28%. 1–0

Ding,Liren (2771) - Aronian,Levon (2802)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.6), 27.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4) [6.Bg5 0–0 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qb3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Bd3 c6 12.Bxf5 Qxf5 13.Qb3 Qc8 14.0–0 Nd7 15.Rfe1 1/2–1/2 (60) Nakamura,H (2785)-Aronian,L (2793) Stavanger 2017] 

6...c6 7.e3 Bf5 8.Be2 White has an edge. 

8...0–0 9.0–0

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9...Be7N [9...Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Nh4 Be6 12.Nf3 Bf5 13.Nh4 Be6 14.Nf3 Bf5 15.Nh4 1/2–1/2 (15) Erdos,V (2585)-Parligras,M (2599) Novi Sad 2016] 

10.Nh4 Bg6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Qb3 Qb6 13.Qc2 a5 14.g4 Nbd7 15.g5 Ne8 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Qd8 18.h4 Nb6 19.Be5 Nd5 20.Bg4 Kh8 [20...Nd6=] 

21.Rae1± Nef6 [¹21...Bb4] 

22.gxf6 gxf6

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23.Bh2 [23.Qd2± White threatens Qh6+ and mate. 23...Kh7 24.Bg3] 

23...f5² 24.Bxf5 gxf5 25.Qd1 Rg8+ [25...fxe4 26.Qh5+ Kg7 27.Kh1+-] 

26.Kh1 [26.Ng3= Rg4 27.Kh1 Rxh4 28.Nxf5] 

26...Rg4µ 27.Ng3 Rxh4

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...Bd6 is the strong threat. 
28.Nxf5 Rh7 Strongly threatening ...Bd6. 
29.Nxe7 

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Threatens to win with Qf3. 
29...Nxe7 [Black should play 29...Qd6!µ 30.f4 (30.Re5? Qh6–+) 30...Nxe7] 
30.Re5³ 

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30...Nf5!‚ ( -> ...Qh4). White needs to defend precisely. 
31.Rfe1? [Avoid the trap 31.Rxf5? Qh4–+; 31.Qg4³ Qh4 32.Qxh4 Nxh4 33.Re3] 
31...Qh4–+ Black is clearly winning. 
32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rg1+ Kf6 Precision: White = 40%, Black = 64%. 0-1

Chess World Cup 2017 Final Game 4 - Tblisi

In game 4 it was a another case of oh so close he could practically taste it for Aronian. Ding got himself into all sorts of positional trouble straight out of the opening. From there on things continued to look bleak for the Chinese player who spent most of the game heavily dug into defence mode.

At one point it seemed as if Ding had no chance of survival at all, but for time on the clock – so he started to play more quickly so that he could place Aronian under even more time pressure.

The strategy worked as Aronian was not able to find the key moves to drive home his advantage.

In the end we had the fourth draw in a row that will take us through tie breaks for the final.

Ding,Liren (2771) - Aronian,Levon (2802)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.4), 26.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Bxc4 c5 9.0–0 0–0 10.e5 D39: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence with 5 Bg5 dxc4 

10...Qd8! 11.Ne4 Black must now prevent a3. 

11...cxd4 12.Qe2 Bd7 13.Rfd1 Nc6

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14.Ng3N [14.a3 Be7 15.b4 Qb8 16.Ng3 b5 17.Bxb5 Nxe5 18.Bxd7 Nxd7 19.Nxd4 1/2–1/2 (101) Grischuk,A (2736)-Aronian, L (2781) Linares 2010] 
14...Bc5 15.a3 Ne7ƒ White is under pressure. 
16.Ne4 Bb6 17.Nxd4 Ng6! 18.Qh5 Qh4 19.Qxh4 Nxh4 20.a4 Ng6 21.a5 Bxd4! 22.Rxd4 Bc6 23.b4 Nxe5 

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Strongly threatening ...Rad8. 
24.b5 Bxe4! 25.Rxe4 Nd7 26.Rd4 Nc5 27.Rad1 Rfc8 28.h4 Kf8 29.h5 Ke7 30.Rg4 Rg8 31.Be2 b6 32.Bf3 Rac8 33.axb6 axb6 34.Ra1 Rc7 35.Bc6 f5 36.Rg3 Kf7 37.Rd1 Ra7 38.Rg6 Ra3 39.g4 fxg4! 40.Rxg4 Rh3 41.Be4 Nxe4 42.Rxe4 Rxh5µ Endgame KRR-KRR 
43.Rd7+ Kf6 44.Rd6 Re5 45.Rxe5 Kxe5 46.Rxb6 KR-KR 
46...g5 [46...Kf6µ] 
47.Rb7= 

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The position is equal. 
47...h5 48.b6 h4 49.Rf7 Rd8 [49...Rb8!? 50.b7™ g4=] 
50.b7 Rd1+ 51.Kg2 Rb1 52.f3 Precision: White = 67%, Black = 69%. ½–½

Chess World Cup 2017 Final Game 3 - Tblisi

Game 3 was Aronian’s last classical game with white in the final of this year’s world cup. Based simply on ratings, it is in Aronian’s best interest to wrap up the match during the classical games. The shorter the time controls become the further the pendulum of advantage swings toward Ding.

For this third game Aronian uncorked an interesting idea in the Reti. In order to try and pressure Ding’s development into a cramped space white needed to make four queen moves within the first ten moves.

However, Ding kept to the basics and made strong but simple developing moves. The result was a position that left white without any tangible offensive options. So it was little surprise that everything distilled down into a tame draw.

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.3), 25.09.2017

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Bd7 6.Qxc4 A13: English Opening: 1...e6 

6...c5 7.Ne5 Qc8 8.Qd3 Nc6 [8...Be7 with more complications. 9.Nxd7 Nfxd7 10.b3 Nc6 11.Bb2 0–0] 

9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.Qb3N

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[10.Qb5 Nde5 11.f4 a6 12.Qa4 Nd7 13.Bxc6 bxc6 1–0 (72) Grischuk,A (2737)-Wojtaszek, R (2749) Doha 2016] 
10...Be7 11.Nc3 0–0 12.0–0 Rd8 13.d3 Nb6 14.Be3 Nd4 15.Bxd4 

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Black must now prevent Be3. 
15...Rxd4 16.Rfc1 Rd7 17.a4 

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Threatens to win with a5. 
17...Qd8 18.a5 Nd5 19.Nxd5 exd5 20.d4 cxd4 21.Rc2 g6 22.Bh3 Rc7 23.Rac1 Rxc2 24.Rxc2 b6 25.Bg2 Rc8 

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The position is equal. 
26.Rxc8 Qxc8 27.Bxd5 Qf5 28.Qc4 bxa5 29.b3 d3 30.exd3 Bd8 31.Qe4 Precision: White = 56%, Black = 64%. ½–½

Chess World Cup 2017 Final Game 2 - Tblisi

Game 2 of the World Cup Final 2017 was a case of so near but yet so far for Aronian with black.

Ding came up with the opening novelty that presented Aronian with no problems at all and black easily equalized. Sentiment in the commentary booth was that the position was completely dry and lacking creative scope for either player – and that there would be a handshake for the draw by the 30 move mark.

Then Ding went wrong and Aronian brought out the thumb screws and started squeezing. Somehow Ding managed to slither out from under what was effectively a completely lost position.

Ding,Liren (2771) - Aronian,Levon (2802)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.2), 24.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bg5 a5 11.Nc3 Na6 12.e3 E05: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3 Be7 [12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.e4 Nb4 14.Rad1 g6 15.h4 Bg7 16.Rfe1 Qd7 17.b3 Rad8 18.Qe2 Qe7 19.Rd2 Bh6 20.Rdd1 Bg7 21.Rd2 Bh6 22.Rdd1 Bg7 23.Rd2 1/2–1/2 (23) Eljanov,P (2765)-Aronian,L (2784) Stavanger 2016]

12...Nb4 13.Rfd1

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13...Nd7N [13...h6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Rac1 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 c6 17.h4 Qb6 18.Ne4 Be7 19.Nc5 Qc7 1/2–1/2 (66) Bareev,E (2675)-Shneider,A (2530) Moscow 1995] 
14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.e4 Rfd8 16.Rd2 Nb6 17.Qe2 Be8 18.b3 c5 19.Qe3 [19.Nb5=] 
19...Rac8 20.Rc1 c4 21.d5! Qc5 22.Qxc5 Rxc5 23.dxe6 Rxd2 24.Nxd2 fxe6 25.Bf1 cxb3 26.Nxb3 Rc7! 27.Nxa5 Nxa4 28.Na2 Rxc1 29.Nxc1 Nc5 30.Ncb3 b6 31.Nxc5 bxa5= Endgame KBN-KBN 
32.Bc4 a4 33.Kf1 a3 34.Nb3 Ba4 35.Nc1 [35.Bxe6+= keeps the balance. 35...Kf8 36.Nc1] 
35...Bc2 [35...Kf7µ 36.Ke2 Bc2] 
36.Ke2 [36.Bxe6+= remains equal. 36...Kf8 37.Na2] 
36...Bxe4 [36...Kf7 is interesting. 37.Kd2 Bxe4 38.Kc3 Nc6 39.Bb5 Ne5] 
37.Bxe6+ Kf8 38.Kd2 Ke7 39.Bb3 Nd5 40.Ne2 Kd6 41.f3 Bb1 

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 Threatens to win with ...a2. 
42.Kc1 Bg6 43.Nd4 Nc7 44.Ne2 Kc5 45.Nf4 Bf5 46.g4 Bd7 47.g5 [47.Nh5!=] 
47...Nb5 48.Bg8 Bf5 49.Nh5 [¹49.Kd2] 49...g6µ 50.Ng3 [50.Ng7µ is the only way for White. 50...Bd3 51.Ne6+ Kb4 52.Nf4] 
50...Bd3!–+ 51.Bxh7? [51.Ne4+ Kb4 52.Nf2] 
51...Nd4 ( -> ...Nb3+) 
52.Ne4+ Kb4! aiming for ...Nb3+. 
53.Bg8 Nxf3? [53...Nb3+!–+ has better winning chances. 54.Bxb3 Kxb3 55.Nd2+ Kb4] 
54.Nf6µ Kc5 55.h3 [55.Ba2µ] 
55...Kd4 [55...Nxg5–+ 56.h4 Nf3] 
56.Ba2? [56.h4µ] 
56...Nxg5–+ 57.h4 Ne4! 58.Nd7 Nc5 59.Nf6 

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59...Ke5 [59...Bf5!–+ is more deadly. 60.Bg8 Na4] 
60.Nd5 Bf5 [Better is 60...Na6!µ 61.Bb3 Kd4] 
61.Ne3³ Nd3+ 62.Kc2 Nb4+ [62...Ne1+ with more complications. 63.Kc3 Be6 64.Nc4+ Kf4 65.Bb1 Bf5] 
63.Kb3 The position is equal. 
63...Nxa2 64.Kxa2= KB-KN 
64...Ke4 65.Nc2 Kf4 66.Nd4 Kg4 And now ...Be4 would win. [66...Ke5 seems wilder. 67.Nf3+ Kf6 68.Kxa3 Bg4 69.Ng5 Kf5] 
67.Kxa3 Kxh4 Strongly threatening ...Kg3. 
68.Kb2 Kg3 White must now prevent ...Bd7. 
69.Kc3 Kf2 70.Kd2 Bg4 ...Bd7 is the strong threat. 
71.Nc2 g5 White should prevent ...Bd7. 
72.Ne3 Be2 Hoping for ...Kf3. 
73.Nd5! Bg4 74.Nf6 Bf5 [74...Bf3!?] 
75.Kd1! Precision: White = 48%, Black = 49%. ½–½

Chess World Cup 2017 Final Game 1 - Tblisi

For the final of the World Cup 2017 we had the second venue change of the tournament. The new venue the spectacular auditorium of the Biltmore Hotel in the heart of Tbilisi.

Game one of the final had Aronian with white, but he walked straight into Ding’s solid home preparation. As a result the Chinese GM had no problem at all holding the draw against one of Aronian’s preferred openings.

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.1), 23.09.2017

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nf3 [Much weaker is 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Qa4+ Nc6µ]

6...Bf5 A18: English Opening: Flohr-Mikenas System (1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 e6 3 e4)

7.Be2 d4 [7...Be7 8.0–0 Nc6 9.d3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 0–0 11.d4 Qd7 12.Bd3 Na5 13.Re1 Nc4 14.Rb1 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 1–0 (45) Caruana,F (2808)-So,W (2812) Paris 2017]

8.Nxe4 Bxe4 9.Bc4 Bd5 10.Qb3 Bxc4 11.Qxc4 Nc6 12.0–0 Qd7 13.d3

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13...Qe6N [13...0–0–0 14.Bd2 1–0 (57) Gierth,K (2226)-Krejcir,S (2078) ICCF email 2009]

14.Qxe6+ fxe6 15.Ng5 Kd7 16.f4 Be7 17.Ne4 Raf8 18.Bd2 g5 19.g3 Rhg8 20.Kh1 gxf4 21.gxf4 Rg6 22.Rac1 Rfg8 23.a3 a5 24.Rf3 b6 25.Rh3 R8g7 26.Ng3 Nd8 27.b4 axb4 28.axb4 b5 29.Kg2 Nc6

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 The position is equal. 
30.Rb1 Rf7 31.Rh5 Rg8 32.Rh6 Bf8 33.Rh3 Be7 34.Rh6 Bf8 35.Rh3 Be7 Precision: White = 66%, Black = 75%. ½–½

Chess World Cup 2017 Semi Final Tie Breaks - Tblisi

As expected, the match between Aronian and MVL went all the way to Armageddon where MVL won the toss and elected to play black – giving him a minute less on the clock, but more importantly only needing to hold Aronian to a draw to be able to reach the final.

I was expecting the Ding match to hold out until the blitz games where the Chinese GM held the rating advantage, but the match was decided in the first of the two 10 minute rapid games.

So,Wesley (2792) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.5), 21.09.2017

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.d4 Nf6 5.c4 c6 6.0–0 0–0 7.Nbd2 a5 8.b3 a4 9.Bb2 Bf5 D78: Fianchetto Grünfeld: 6 0–0 c6 

10.e3 Nbd7 11.Qe2 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Qb5 Ra5 15.Qxb7 Nc5! 16.Qb4 Nd3 17.Qd2 Rb5

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18.Bc3N aiming for Ng5. [18.Ng5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Nxb2 20.Qxb2 1/2–1/2 (105) Berkes,F (2649)-Salem,A (2594) Baku 2014] 
18...axb3 19.Ng5 [19.a4!? Rb8 20.Ng5±] 
19...b2 20.Rab1 

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20...Nxf2! 21.Qxf2 Bxb1 22.Rxb1 e5 And now ...exd4 would win. 
23.Nh3 [23.Bf1= Rb8 24.h4] 
23...exd4³ 24.exd4 Qc7 25.Qd2 Rfb8 Strongly threatening ...Qc4. [25...Qc4!?] 
26.Nf4 [Don't go for 26.Bxb2? Qc4–+] 
26...Qc4 27.Bxd5! Rxd5 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Rxb2 Rc8 30.Rb3 [30.Qd3!= keeps the balance.] 
30...h5µ ...Rxc3! is the strong threat. Black has strong compensation. 
31.Bb2 Kh7 32.h3 Qe4ƒ Black has strong initiative. 
33.Qd3? [33.Re3µ Qb1+ 34.Re1 Qxa2 35.Qf2] 
33...Qe1+–+ 34.Qf1 Qd2 ( -> ...Rc2) 
35.Qf2? [35.Qd3 Bxd4+ 36.Qxd4 Rc1+ 37.Bxc1 Qxd4+ 38.Kg2 Qe4+ 39.Rf3 Qc2+ 40.Rf2 Qxc1 41.Rxf7+ Kh6 42.Rf2] 
35...Qd1+ 36.Qf1 Bxd4+ 37.Bxd4 Qxd4+ Endgame KQR-KQR 
38.Kh1 Qd5+ 39.Rf3 Rc3! 40.Kg2 Qc6 [¹40...Ra3 41.h4 f5] 
41.h4 Kg8 42.a4 f6 43.a5 Kg7 44.a6 Rc2+ 45.Kg1 Rc1 46.Rxf6 Rxf1+ 47.Rxf1 Qxa6 KQ-KR 
48.Kg2 Qe2+ 49.Rf2 Qe4+ 50.Kh2 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
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3+-+-+-zP-#
2-+-+-tR-mK"
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50...g5! 51.hxg5 h4 52.Rf4 Qe2+ 53.Kh3 hxg3 54.Kxg3 Black mates. 
54...Kg6 55.Rf2 Qe3+ 56.Kg2 Kxg5 57.Rf3 Qe2+ 58.Kg3 Qe1+ 59.Kg2 Kg4 60.Rf2 Qe4+ 61.Kh2 Kh4 62.Ra2 Qe5+ 63.Kg1 Qd4+ 64.Kh2 Qd6+ 65.Kg1 Qc5+ 66.Kh2 Qc7+ 67.Kg1 Qb6+ 68.Kg2 Qb7+ 69.Kh2 Qb8+ Precision: White = 24%, Black = 78%. 0–1

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2804)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.9), 21.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.Nb5 Na6 6.e3 D00: 1 d4 d5: Unusual lines 

6...0–0 [6...c6 7.Nc3 Nb8 8.h3 0–0 9.Be2 Bf5 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Qc1 Re8 12.Bh2 Ne4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Ng5 Bf5 15.g4 e5 16.Nxf7 Kxf7 17.gxf5 exd4 1–0 (45) Aronian,L (2793)-Giri,A (2771) Stavanger 2017] 

7.h3 c6 8.Nc3 Nc7 9.Be2 b6

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[9...c5!?] 
10.0–0N [10.Ne5 Bb7 11.Ng4 Ne6 12.Bh6 Re8 13.Qd2 1–0 (25) Kovacs,M (2141)-Geher,K (1529) Budapest 2015] 
10...Bb7 11.Bh2 c5 12.a4 a5 13.Ne5 Nd7 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Bg4 e6 16.Qd2 Bc6 17.b3 Rfc8 18.Ne2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 b5 20.axb5 Nxb5 21.c3 Nxd4 [21...Bb7 is interesting. 22.Rfc1 Nd6 23.Qb2 h5 24.Be2 e5] 
22.exd4 a4 Threatens to win with ...Bb5. 
23.b4 Bb5 24.Rfc1 a3 [24...h5!? 25.Be2 Bxe2 26.Qxe2 a3³] 
25.Be2 [25.Bf4=] 
25...Qc6 [25...Bxe2µ 26.Qxe2 Bh6] 
26.Bxb5= Qxb5 27.Bd6 Rc6 [27...Rd8!? 28.Bc5 Ra4³] 
28.Bc5 Rca6 29.Ra2 Qc4 30.Qe2 Qxe2 31.Rxe2 a2 32.Ra1 Ra3 [32...Bf8=] 
33.Rc2 [33.b5² R3a5 34.Rb2] 
33...Bf8 34.Kf1 e5 35.Bxf8 Kxf8 36.dxe5 Endgame KRR-KRR 
36...Ke7 37.Ke2 Ke6 38.f4 

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38...d4! 39.cxd4 Kd5 [39...Kf5!= remains equal.] 
40.Rd2 [40.b5!±] 
40...Kc4? [40...Ke4= and Black has nothing to worry.] 
41.d5+- Kxb4 42.d6 Kb3 43.Kf3 Kc3 44.Rf2 h5? [44...Kb4+ 45.Kg4 Kb3] 
45.Kg3! Kd4+ 

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46.Kh4! Kd5 47.Kg5? [47.d7+- Ke6 [#] 48.Rfxa2! Rxa2 49.Rxa2] 
47...Ke6± 48.g4 [48.Re2±] 
48...hxg4= 49.hxg4 And now Re2 would win. 
49...R3a5! 50.Re2 Hoping for f5+. 
50...f6+! 51.Kxg6 Rg8+! 52.Kh6 Rxg4 aiming for ... Ra8. 
53.f5+ [Much less strong is 53.Raxa2?! Rxa2 54.Rxa2 fxe5±] 
53...Kxf5 ...Ra8 is the strong threat. 
54.e6 Ra8? [54...Raa4= 55.Kh7 Rh4+ 56.Kg7 Rag4+ 57.Kf8 Rh8+ 58.Kf7 Rh7+ 59.Kf8 Rh8+ 60.Kf7 Rh7+ 61.Kf8 Rh8+] 
55.Rf1++- Rf4 56.Rxf4+ Kxf4 

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57.Rxa2! Rxa2 KR-KPP 
58.e7 Rd2 59.e8Q Rxd6 KQ-KR 
60.Qe7 Rd4 61.Qxf6+ Ke3 62.Kg5 Rd5+ 63.Kg4 Rd4+ 64.Kg3 Rd3 65.Qe5+ White mates. 
65...Kd2+ 66.Kf2 Kc2 67.Qc5+ Rc3 68.Qf5+ Kb2 69.Ke2 Rc2+ 70.Kd3 Rc3+ 71.Kd2 Rb3 72.Qe5+ Kb1 73.Qd4 Rh3 74.Qb6+ Ka1 75.Qf6+ Ka2 76.Qe6+ Rb3 77.Kc2 Ka1 78.Qa6+ Precision: White = 47%, Black = 40%. 1–0

Chess World Cup 2017 Semi Final Game 2 - Tblisi

What phenomenally contrasting matches these two semi finals are turning out to be. Once again I missed the entire Aronian – MVL game. These two have used just on an hour for both classical games combined. They seem to be fast tracking themselves toward the lottery of the Armageddon game.

In contrast the Ding – So match is being fought down to the last ounce of energy. This time around it was Ding that missed 37. Rh8, and a chance to cast a mating net that is very difficult to escape. Then again, it is easier to see these moves with an engine helping you, rather than over the board with the clock ticking.

Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2804) - Aronian,Levon (2802)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.2), 20.09.2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 0–0 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Be3 Nd4 C84: Closed Ruy Lopez: Unusual White 6th moves

11.Bxd4 exd4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 [12...Nd7 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 a5 15.c3 dxc3 16.bxc3 c6 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.d4 1–0 (59) Naiditsch,A (2712)-Ponomariov, R (2699) Danzhou 2017] 

13.Bxd5 Rc8 14.h3 Bd7 The position is equal.

15.Nxd4 

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15...c6N [15...Bf6 16.c3 Bxd4 17.cxd4 Qf6 18.Qc2 1–0 (60) Garcia Pantoja,R (2402)-Olivares Canelles,F (2296) Havana 2010]

16.Bb3 Bf6! 17.c3 Bxd4! 18.cxd4 Qf6 19.Qd2 ½–½

Ding,Liren (2771) - So,Wesley (2792)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.2), 20.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0–0 6.b3 b6 7.0–0 Bb7 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 

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10.Ne1N E17: Queen's Indian: 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Be7 [10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Bxd5 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Rc1 Bf6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qd4 Qe7 16.Qe3 Qb7 17.Rfd1 Rac8 18.Ne1 1/2–1/2 (18) Hernandez Guerrero,G (2506)-Gonzalez Zamora,J (2502) Mexico City 2016] 
10...cxd4 11.Qxd4 Bc5 12.Qf4 White is slightly better. 
12...Bb4 13.Nd3 Bxc3! 14.Bxc3 Qc8 15.Rfc1 dxc4 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Rxc4 Qb8! 18.Qxb8 Rfxb8 19.Ne5 [19.Rac1!? Bxg2 20.Kxg2²] 
19...Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Ne8 21.Nc6 Rb7 22.Rd1 Kf8 23.e4 Nf6 24.f4 b5 25.Rcd4 g6 26.Ne5 h6 [Better is 26...Rc7= ] 
27.Rc1² Ke8 28.Kf3 Nd7 29.Nd3 a5 30.Rc6 [30.f5!?] 
30...Ke7 31.a3 [31.f5!?] 
31...Raa7 32.Ke3 Nb8 33.Rc8 Nd7 34.Rc6 Nb8 35.Rc8 Black must now prevent Ne5. 
35...Nd7 36.Nc5 Nb6 

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[Black should play 36...Rc7² 37.Rxd7+ Rxd7] 
37.Rc6 [But not 37.Nxb7?! Nxc8 38.Nc5 Rc7=; 37.Rh8!± Rc7 38.Rdd8 Rxc5 39.e5] 
37...Rc7„ Black puts up resistance 
38.Rxb6 Rxc5 Endgame KRR-KRR 
39.e5 The position is equal. 
39...g5 40.Rd3 gxf4+ 41.gxf4 Rc2 42.h3 Ra2 43.b4 axb4 44.axb4 Rh2 45.Ke4 Rc7 46.Rxb5 Rc4+ 47.Rd4 Rc7 48.Rc5 [48.h4!?] 
48...Rxc5 49.bxc5 KR-KR 
49...Rc2 50.f5 exf5+ 51.Kxf5 Rxc5 52.Rd6 Rc1 53.Rxh6 Rf1+ 54.Ke4 f6 55.exf6+ Rxf6 56.Rxf6 Kxf6 57.h4 Kg6 58.h5+ Kxh5 Precision: White = 57%, Black = 64%. ½–½

Chess World Cup 2017 Semi Final Game 1 - Tblisi

At this level mistakes by your opponent come few and far between. So when an opportunity presents itself, it is absolutely vital that you grab the chance to throttle every last ounce of momentum out of that slim chance that crosses your path. If not, you might not get another bite at that particular apple.

The stakes in this round are high. The players not only are shooting for a place in the final, but also a guaranteed place in the next candidates tournament.

There is very little that I can say about the Aronian – MVL game beyond that was a Grunfeld that showed nothing spectacular and was very quick draw. I was working till just over half an hour after the scheduled start of play. However, by the time I was logged into the tournament website the game was already over.

That left the So vs Ding game. I wonder whether next week will bring Wesley any sleepless nights over 41. Kc3? That may be the one move that will be seen as the moment that put Ding into the candidates. Wesley is clearly the stronger classical player. However, Ding is superior at blitz. So, if the Chinese GM can get the match into tie breaks the pendulum will swing ever more in his favour.

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2804)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.1), 19.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0–0 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0–0 Bg4 13.Be3 Nc6 14.d5 Na5 

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 D85: Exchange Grünfeld: Unusual White 7th moves and lines with 7 Nf3 
15.Bg5 b6 16.Bxe7 Rfe8 17.d6 Nc6 18.Bb5 Nxe7 19.h3 Bxf3 20.Qxf3 Qe6 21.Bxe8 Rxe8 22.dxe7 Qxe7 

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23.Rfd1N Bf8 24.Rbc1 Qxe4 25.Qc3 Qb4 26.Qa1 Bc5 27.Qxa7 Qb2 28.Kh1 Bxf2 29.Qb7 Qe2 The position is equal. 
30.Rf1 Rf8 31.Qc6 Bc5 32.Rce1 Precision: White = 55%, Black = 53%. ½–½

So,Wesley (2792) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (6.1), 19.09.2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.0–0 0–0 7.Re1 a5 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3 [7...a6 8.Bb3 Re8 9.h3 h6 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Nf1 Bxb3 12.Qxb3 d5 13.Be3 Bf8 14.Rad1 Na5 15.Qc2 0–1 (43) So,W (2812)-Carlsen,M (2832) Paris 2017]
8.Nbd2 Be6 9.Bb5

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9...Qb8N [9...Na7 10.Ba4 b5 11.d4 Bb6 12.Bc2 c6 13.a4 Qc7 14.Nf1 h6 15.Bd3 1/2–1/2 (58) Mayer,J (2057)-Pripoae,N (2343) ICCF email 2003]

10.Nf1 Qa7 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Nxe3 Ne7 13.a4 Ng6 14.Bc4 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 Qa6 16.g3 Rfe8 17.Qb3 Nf8 18.Qb5 Qxb5 19.axb5 b6 20.Ra3 Ne6 21.Ne3 Nc5 22.c4 a4 23.Rea1 Nb3 24.Rd1 Rec8 25.Nd2 Nxd2 26.Rxd2 Nd7 27.Rd1 Nc5 28.Nd5 Kf8 29.f4 Ra5 30.Nb4 Raa8 31.Kf2 Ke8 32.Ke3 f6 33.f5 Kd7 34.g4 Rh8 35.h4 h6 36.Nd5 Ra5 37.Rg1 Kc8 38.g5 hxg5 39.hxg5 Rh3+ 40.Kd2 Nb3+ 

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41.Kc3 [41.Rxb3!± axb3 42.gxf6 gxf6 43.Kc3] 
41...Nd4 42.gxf6 Rh2 ( -> ...Rc2+) [But not 42...Ne2+? 43.Kd2+-] 
43.Nxb6+ [43.Ne3!? gxf6 44.Rg2²] 
43...cxb6 The position is equal. 
44.fxg7 Rc2+ 45.Kb4 Rxb2+ 46.Kc3 Rc2+ 47.Kb4 Rb2+ Precision: White = 59%, Black = 68%. ½–½