WORLD CHESS CANDIDATES 2018 BERLIN – ROUND 4

I know that my previous reports may have sounded somewhat harsh toward FIDE and their organization level and official website that can’t provide games. The one feature of their website that was working well was the embedded YouTube window where we could follow the superb commentary by Judit Polgar. This was the same great commentary that was broadcast to the players during round one.  I use the past tense because for some reason FIDE chose to “fix” the only part of their website that wasn’t broken. The commentary window is now smaller than a postage stamp and cannot be maximized.

An interesting point has been raised by GM Jan Timman. How many points will a player need to be able to win the Candidates? Tal holds the record with 20/28 (16 wins, 8 draws, 4 losses). That would equate to 10/14 in Berlin. The past three Candidates tournaments have finished with the winner scoring 8.5/14.

Mamedyarov vs So was the first game of the day to finish. It was a Classical Nimzo-Indian where White developed a couple of threats that went nowhere. The game was drawn by threefold repetition in 31 moves.

Next was Karjakin vs Aronian out of a Ragozin Defence in the Queens Gambit Declined. After 21. … Qf6! White was already in trouble. From then on the Armenian GM tightened the screws to take home the full point and bounce back from his loss against Kramnik in round 3.

Then was the Semi-Slav between Grischuk and Ding. The game was a massively unbalanced position that seemed to favour Ding. Then Grischuk seized the advantage, but couldn’t find the key continuation. In the end the game was drawn.

The final game was the one that was billed as an epic clash between two of the main favourites. However, when I saw a Petroff on the board between Kramnik and Caruana  my heart sank. Kramnik’s lacklustre play prompted a tweet from Nigel Short: “Having played yesterday’s brilliancy like Adolf Anderssen on steroids, Kramnik today has chosen to wear his cardigan, smoke his pipe and put his feet up, with a newspaper, in front of the fire.” Indeed, Caruana was able to get the initiative and start pressing an advantage. This snapped Kramnik out of his slumber and he pulled matters back under control, even with some winning chances,  at the cost of vast amounts of time on his clock. By move 58 Kramnik was left with only 3 minutes against Caruana’s half hour. That was why he failed to see the weakness on a1 and dropped the absolute clanger of 59.Rd1 that just simply lost immediately.

Here are the games from round 4:

Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2809) - So,Wesley (2799)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (4), 14.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5 8.dxc5 E37: Nimzo-Indian: Classical: 4...d5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 Ne4 

8...Nc6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Nf3 Qf6 11.e3 Bg4 12.Be2 0–0 13.0–0 Rfe8 14.Bd2 d4 15.Rad1 Nxd2 

XABCDEFGHY
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16.Rxd2N [16.Qxd2 ] 

16...dxe3 17.Rd6 Re6 18.fxe3 Rxd6 19.cxd6 Bxf3 20.Bxf3 Qxd6 21.Qb3 Qe7 22.Bd5 Nd8 23.Rc1 Qd7 24.Qc4 Ne6 

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25.Bxe6 fxe6 26.Qd4 Qxd4 27.exd4= Rf8 28.Rc7 Rf7 29.Rc8+ Rf8 30.Rc7 Rf7 31.Rc8+ Rf8= ½–½

Karjakin,Sergey (2763) - Aronian,Levon (2794)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (4), 14.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+ Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.h4 Qb4 D39: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence with 5 Bg5 dxc4 

14.Rb1 [14.Rh3 a6 15.Be2 Ne5 16.Rb1 Qd6 17.Rc3 0–0 18.h5 Rd8 19.Qb3 Bd7 20.Rd1 Qf8 21.Rc7 1/2–1/2 (41) Giri,A (2769)-Harikrishna,P (2758) Shenzhen 2017] 

14...Qd6 15.Rh3 a6 The position is equal. 

16.Be2 

XABCDEFGHY
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16...Nc5N [16...Ne5 17.h5 b5 18.Rc3 Bd7 19.Nb3 Qxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Ke7 21.f4 Nc4 22.Nc5 Bc6 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.a4 Rhc8 25.Rd4 1/2–1/2 (25) Lalith,B (2502)-Bindrich,F (2522) Chotowa 2010] 

17.Rc3 Nxe4 18.Rd3 0–0 Threatens to win with ...Qh2. 

19.Qc1 Qe5 [19...Qh2µ 20.Rh3 Qd6] 

20.Bf3³ Black should prevent Qh6. 

20...f5 21.Qh6 [21.Qe3=] 

21...Qf6!µ 22.Qxf6 Nxf6‚ White is in trouble. 

23.Bxb7 Bxb7 24.Rxb7 Rac8 25.Rg3+ Kh8 26.Rgb3 Ne4! Hoping for ...Nd2+. 

27.Rb2 [27.Re3 keeps fighting.] 

27...Rfd8–+ 28.Nb3 Rd1+ 29.Ke2 Nc3+ 30.Ke3 Kg7 

XABCDEFGHY
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Strongly threatening ...Re1+. 

31.g3 Kf6 32.Ra7 [¹32.Kf3] 

32...Rc6 33.Kf3 Nb5! 34.Ra8 e5 [34...Rg1!–+ and Black stays clearly on top. 35.Re2 e5] 

35.Kg2µ e4 36.a4 [36.Re2µ] 

36...Na3 37.Rd2 Rxd2 38.Nxd2–+ 

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Endgame KRN-KRN 

38...e3! 39.Nf3? [39.fxe3 was the only chance. 39...Rc2 40.Rxa6+ Kg7 41.Kf3 (41.Rd6? Nc4–+) 41...Rxd2 42.Rc6] 

39...Rc2 40.Rxa6+ Kg7 41.Nd4 Rxf2+ 42.Kg1 Nc2 43.Nxc2 Rxc2 KR-KR 

44.Kf1 Rf2+! 45.Ke1 Rg2 46.Rb6 Rxg3 47.Rb4 

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47...Rg2! 48.Rf4 Kg6 49.Rf3 Rg4 50.Rxe3 Rxa4 51.Kf2? [51.Rg3+ Rg4 52.Rh3] 

51...Rxh4 52.Re8 Rg4 53.Kf3 Kg7 54.Re5 Kf6 

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[¹54...Rg5 55.Rc5 h5] 

55.Re8? [55.Rc5] 

55...h5 56.Rh8 Kg6 57.Kf2 [¹57.Rd8] 

57...Rg5 58.Kf3? [58.Rg8+–+ Kh6 59.Ra8] 

58...Kg7 Black mates. 

59.Ra8 h4 60.Kf2 h3 61.Ra3 

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61...Rh5! 62.Kg1 Kg6 63.Kh2 f4 64.Ra7 f3 65.Ra1 f2 66.Rf1 Rf5 67.Kxh3 Kg5 68.Kg3 Rf4  0–1

Grischuk,Alexander (2767) - Ding,Liren (2769)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (4), 14.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 D43: Semi-Slav: 5 Bg5 h6 

11...Bg7 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4! White wants to play Nd6+. 

14...Qb6 15.Nd6+ Ke7! 

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16.a4N [16.Bg4 h5 17.Bxh5 Raf8 18.Qg4 Bh6 1/2–1/2 (36) Shirov,A (2740)-Karjakin,S (2732) Foros 2008] 

16...Raf8 17.Bf3 a6 18.Bxd5! cxd5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Kh1! Bc6 21.f4 

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21...gxf4? [21...h5= and Black has nothing to worry.] 

22.Rxf4? [22.Bh4++- Bf6 23.Qg4] 

22...Rxf4³ 23.Bxf4 Kd8 [23...Rf8!³ 24.h3 Bxe5 25.Bxe5 Nxe5 26.dxe5 Qe3] 

24.Qg4 Rf8 25.Bd2 Kc7 

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26.h3 [Much worse is 26.Qxg7 Qxd4 27.Bc3 Qd3–+; White should play 26.Ne8+!= Rxe8 27.Ba5 Qxa5 28.Rxa5] 

26...b4! 27.Qxg7 Qxd4 28.Bxb4 Qxb2 29.Ba5+ Kb8 30.Rg1! c3! [Don't blunder 30...Qxe5? 31.Rb1+ Ka7 32.Qxe5+-] 

31.Qe7 c2 32.Bd2 Qxe5 

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And now ...Qf6 would win. 

33.Bxh6 Rg8 ...d4 is the strong threat. 

34.Nf7 Qc3 [Black should try 34...Qf6³ 35.Qb4+ Kc7 36.Qa5+ Kb8 37.Qb4+ Kc8] 

35.Qd6+ Kb7 36.Qxe6 d4 37.Nd6+ The position is equal. 

37...Kb6 Strongly threatening ...Rg6! 

38.Ne4 Nc5 39.Qxg8 Nxe4 40.Kh2 d3 41.Be3+ Kb5 42.Qb8+ Kc4 43.Qc7! Qf6 

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Hoping for ...Qd6+. 

44.Rf1! Qd6+ 45.Qxd6 Nxd6= Endgame KRB-KBN 

46.Rf6 Kd5 Threatens to win with ...Nc4. 

47.Rxd6+! Kxd6 48.Kg3 Kd5 49.Kf2 Kc4 aiming for ...Kc3. 

50.Bd2! Kb3 White must now prevent ...Kb2. 51.Ke3 Bxg2  ½–½

Kramnik,Vladimir (2800) - Caruana,Fabiano (2784)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (4), 14.03.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qe2 Qe7 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Qxe2+ 8.Bxe2 Nc6  C42: Petroff Defence: 3 Nxe5 and unusual White 3rd moves 

9.Be3 Be7 10.0–0–0 0–0 The position is equal. 

11.Rhe1 

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[11.Rhg1 a6 12.g4 Re8 13.h4 Be6 14.Ng5 Bd7 15.Kb1 Ne5 16.h5 1/2–1/2 (31) Artemiev,V (2697)-Khalifman,A (2614) Moscow 2018] 

11...Bf6N [11...Bd7 12.Nd4 Bf6 13.f4 Rfe8 14.Bf3 a6 15.Bf2 g6 16.g4 1/2–1/2 (35) Lehtinen,P (2180)-Halme,O (2316) ICCF email 2005] 

12.Nd2 Re8 13.Bf3 Ne5 14.Bf4 Kf8 15.Bd5 c6 16.Bb3 Bf5 17.h3 g5 18.Bh2 Kg7 19.c4 g4ƒ Black has some pressure. 

20.Ne4 Bxe4! 21.Rxe4 Bg5+ 22.Kb1 gxh3 23.c5 [23.gxh3³ f5 24.Ree1] 

23...f5!–+ [23...hxg2 24.cxd6 Nf3 25.Rg4=] 

24.Rb4 hxg2 25.Rxb7+ Kh8! 26.cxd6 Nf3 27.Ba4 Nxh2 28.Bxc6 Rad8 aiming for ...Rxd6! 

29.d7 Re2 30.Bxg2 Rxf2 31.Bc6 Ng4? [31...Nf1–+ 32.a3 a6] 

32.Rxa7? [32.c4!³] 

32...Ne3 33.Rg1 h6 [33...Rxc2–+ has better winning chances. 34.Ba4 Rf2] 

34.Rc7µ 

XABCDEFGHY
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34...Kg7 [Not 34...Nxc2? 35.Rxg5! Nb4 36.Rg1+-; 34...Kh7!³ 35.Rc8 Bf6] 

35.a4= Kf7 [Of course not 35...Nxc2?! 36.Rc8±] 

36.Bb5 Ke7 [36...Rd2=] 

37.a5!² 

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Hoping for a6. White has compensation. 

37...Rf4! 38.c3 Kd6 [38...Nd5= 39.Rc5 Kd6] 

39.Rb7 [39.Rc6++- Ke7 40.a6 Rxd7 41.Rc8] 

39...Rg4 40.Re1 f4 41.a6! h5? [41...f3± was worth a try. 42.a7 f2 43.Rxe3 Rg1+ 44.Kc2 Bxe3] 

42.a7+- Ra8 43.b4 [¹43.c4] 

43...h4 

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44.c4 [¹44.d8R+! Bxd8 (44...Rxd8 45.Rb8) 45.Rd7+ Ke5 46.Bc6 Rxa7 47.Rxa7] 

44...h3± And now ...h2 would win. 

45.c5+ Ke5 46.Rb8 [46.Bc6!² h2 47.d8R Bxd8 48.Rd7 Rxa7 49.Rxa7] 

46...Rxa7= ...Bf6 is the strong threat. 

47.Rg8 Bf6 48.d8Q Bxd8 49.Rxg4 Bf6 50.Rg6 Rb7 51.Be2 Rxb4+ 52.Ka2 Strongly threatening c6. 

52...Nc2 

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[52...Ke6= keeps the balance. 53.Rb1 Ra4+ 54.Kb3 Ra8] 

53.Rc1!± Nd4 54.Bd3 [Better is 54.Bg4± Black must now prevent Re1+. 54...Ra4+ 55.Kb2] 

54...Ra4+ 55.Kb1 Threatens to win with Re1+. 

55...Nb3 56.Re1+ Kd5 57.Kc2 Nd4+ 58.Kb1 [White should play 58.Kc1!= Be5 59.Rh6] 

58...Nf3!³ 

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[But not 58...Ra1+?! 59.Kxa1 Nc2+ 60.Kb1±] 

59.Rd1? [59.Rxf6µ Nxe1 60.Bf1] 

59...Ra1+–+ Black is clearly winning. 

60.Kc2 Rxd1 61.Ba6 Rd2+ 62.Kc1 Bb2+ 63.Kb1 Kxc5 64.Bb7 Ne5 65.Rf6 f3 66.Rf5 f2  0–1