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