WORLD CHESS CANDIDATES 2018 BERLIN – ROUND 6

During the press conference following his game, Caruana was asked a leading question by a “journalist” likely planted by FIDE hoping to get a sound bite that can be used to show how great the venue and organization is. 

Q: “Does this playing venue remind you of the Colosseum?” 

Caruana: “It’s an unusual venue, but I don’t think they had bananas and dates in the Colosseum.” By comparative implication, the shape of the venue, combined with bananas and dates for snacks may more closely resemble a certain exhibit in a zoo…

An interesting side note about the tournament prize fund. FIDE states that over and above the minimum fund, a 10% share of pay per view revenue will be added to the prize money. So, in theory, FIDE keeps 90% of pay per view earnings. But this is all just theory because FIDE can’t even get the free parts of their website to work properly. There is no pay per view component to the website even created. As a result, FIDE will pay the players a promised 10% share of zero.

Heading into the second rest day, Caruana and Mamedyarov share the lead with 4/6 (+2). But, as Nigel Short says, rest days are wasted on elite chess players. They come back afterwards completely exhausted.

Ding vs Karjakin was the first to finish. It was a Fianchetto Grünfeld. This was the sixth successive draw by Ding. This prompted GM Nigel Short to tweet: “Anish Ding continues on his merry way.”

The second game of the day was the Kings Indian between Caruana and Grischuk. For a fair part of the middle game it looked as if Caruana would beat Grischuk. However the Russian GM’s defense held even in his customary time pressure.

Then was So vs Aronian, a Closed Ruy Lopez. As Susan Polgar stated in her commentary, Aronian allowed So to steer the position into patterns familiar to the American GM and ones where Aronian has a poor track record.

The final game was anything but dull. It was attracting so much attention that Aronian’s resignation almost went unnoticed. It was the Exchange Variation of the Queens Gambit Declined between Mamedyarov and Kramnik. Kramnik seemed determined to go all out against Mamedyarov and sweep one of the tournament favourites aside. All Kramnik did by forcing what wasn’t there was put himself completely out of position. Mamedyarov needed no second invitation.

Here are the games from round 6:

Ding,Liren (2769) - Karjakin,Sergey (2763)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (6), 16.03.2018

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.c4 dxc4 6.0–0 0–0 7.Na3 c5 8.dxc5 c3 D77: Fianchetto Grünfeld: 6 0–0: Replies other than 6...c6 

9.Nb5 Na6 10.Nxc3 Nxc5  White has an edge. 

11.Nd4N [11.Be3 Nfe4 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Bd4 Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nd6 16.Rac1 1–0 (55) Kramnik,V (2787)-Wei,Y (2743) Wijk aan Zee 2018] 

11...Qb6 The position is equal. 

12.Be3 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+l+-trk+(
7zpp+-zppvlp'
6-wq-+-snp+&
5+-sn-+-+-%
4-+-sN-+-+$
3+-sN-vL-zP-#
2PzP-+PzPLzP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

And now Nb3 would win. 

12...Qxb2 13.Ncb5 Ne6 The position is equal. 

14.Rb1 Qxa2 15.Ra1 Qb2 White must now prevent ...Nxd4. ...Nxd4 is the strong threat. 

16.Rb1 Qa2 17.Ra1 Qb2 aiming for ...Nxd4. White must now prevent ...Nxd4. 

18.Rb1 ½–½

Caruana,Fabiano (2784) - Grischuk,Alexander (2767)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (6), 16.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.e3 0–0 5.Be2 c5 E60: King's Indian: Unusual lines and Fianchetto Variation without Nc3 

6.d5 e6 7.Nc3 exd5 [7...b6 8.0–0 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.Nd2 Ba6 11.Re1 d6 12.e4 Qc8 13.a4 1–0 (38) Nakamura,H (2787)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2751) Moscow 2018] 

8.cxd5 d6 9.Nd2 Na6 10.0–0 Nc7 11.e4 Re8 12.a4 Rb8 

XABCDEFGHY
8-trlwqr+k+(
7zppsn-+pvlp'
6-+-zp-snp+&
5+-zpP+-+-%
4P+-+P+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2-zP-sNLzPPzP"
1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

13.f3N a6 14.a5 Bd7 15.Nc4 Bb5 16.Bg5 Bxc4 17.Bxc4 b5 18.axb6 Rxb6 19.Na4 Rb4 20.b3 Qc8 21.Bf4 Qd7 22.Ra2 Nh5 23.Be3 Rbb8 24.Qd2 Nb5 25.g4 Nf6 26.Nb2 

XABCDEFGHY
8-tr-+r+k+(
7+-+q+pvlp'
6p+-zp-snp+&
5+nzpP+-+-%
4-+L+P+P+$
3+P+-vLP+-#
2RsN-wQ-+-zP"
1+-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

26...Qc8 [26...h5!? 27.g5 (27.Rxa6? hxg4 28.e5 Rxe5–+) 27...Nh7²] 

27.Bf4 Nd7 28.Bxb5 axb5 29.Bxd6 Rb6 30.Bg3 c4 31.bxc4 bxc4 32.Qe2 Rb4! 33.Bd6 Rb6! 34.Bg3 [34.Bf4!² c3 35.Nd3] 

34...Rb4 35.Bd6 Rb6 36.Bg3= ½–½

So,Wesley (2799) - Aronian,Levon (2794)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (6), 16.03.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.a4 b4 9.a5 d6 10.d3 Be6 11.Bxe6 C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall Systems 

11...fxe6 12.Nbd2 Rb8 13.Nb3 Qc8 

XABCDEFGHY
8-trq+-trk+(
7+-zp-vl-zpp'
6p+nzppsn-+&
5zP-+-zp-+-%
4-zp-+P+-+$
3+N+P+N+-#
2-zPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQtR-mK-!
xabcdefghy

14.h3N [14.Qe2 Nd8 15.d4 exd4 16.Nbxd4 c5 17.Nb3 e5 18.Nbd2 Ne6 19.Nc4 Nd4 20.Nxd4 cxd4 ½–½ (43) Caruana,F (2807)-Carlsen,M (2822) Saint Louis 2017] 

14...Nd8 15.Be3 c5 16.Nbd2 Nc6 17.c3 Rb5 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 Nxa5 20.dxc5 dxc5 21.Ra2 Qb7 22.b3 Kh8 23.Qc2 Nd7 24.Rea1 Bd8 25.Nc4 Nxc4 26.Qxc4 Bf6 27.Rd1 Qc6 28.Rad2 Nb6 29.Qc2 Qc7 30.e5 Be7 31.Nd4 Rc8 32.Nxe6 Qxe5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+-+-mk(
7+-+-vl-zpp'
6psn-+N+-+&
5+rzp-wq-+-%
4-zp-+-+-+$
3+P+-vL-+P#
2-+QtR-zPP+"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

33.Nf4 [33.Rd6!±] 

33...Rf8 [33...Kg8!=] 

34.Re2 Qc3? [34...Bf6± was necessary.] 

35.Qb1 [¹35.Qa2] 

35...Qf6 36.Bc1 c4? [36...Qf7±] 

37.bxc4 Nxc4 38.Re6 Qg5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-tr-mk(
7+-+-vl-zpp'
6p+-+R+-+&
5+r+-+-wq-%
4-zpn+-sN-+$
3+-+-+-+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1+QvLR+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

[Don't play 38...Qh4 39.Qe4+-] 

39.Ng6+! Qxg6 40.Rxg6 hxg6 41.Qe4 Bf6 42.Qxc4 b3 43.Ba3 Rfb8 44.Rb1 b2 45.h4 Ra5 46.Qd3 Rd8 47.Qb3? Rc8! 48.Qb7 Rd8 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-tr-+-mk(
7+Q+-+-zp-'
6p+-+-vlp+&
5tr-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-zP$
3vL-+-+-+-#
2-zp-+-zPP+"
1+R+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

49.Qb3 [Don't do 49.Bxb2 Rb5+-; 49.Qf3+-] 

49...Rc8 50.Qb4 Rb5 51.Qg4 Rc3 52.Bxb2 Rxb2 53.Rxb2 Rc1+ 54.Kh2 Bxb2 55.Qxg6 Ra1 56.g4 a5 57.Qh5+ Kg8 58.Qb5 Ba3 59.Qe5 Rd1 60.Qe6+ Kh7 61.Qe4+ Kh8 62.Qa8+ Kh7 63.Qxa5 Bd6+ 64.Kg2 Rd4 65.Qf5+ Kh8 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-mk(
7+-+-+-zp-'
6-+-vl-+-+&
5+-+-+Q+-%
4-+-tr-+PzP$
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-zPK+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

66.Qh5+? [66.g5 Rf4 67.Qd7 Bb4 68.Qe8+ Bf8 69.Qe5 Rxh4 70.Qf5 g6 71.Qxf8+ Kh7 72.Qf7+ Kh8 73.Qf6+ Kg8 74.Qxg6+ Kf8 75.Qf5+ Kg7 76.g6] 

66...Kg8 67.g5 Kf8 68.Qg6 Be7 69.Qf5+ Ke8 70.Kh3 Rd6 71.Qh7 Kf7 72.f4 Rd4 73.Qf5+ Ke8 74.Qe5 Rb4 75.Kg4 Kf8 76.Qf5+ Ke8+- 77.Qe6 Rd4 78.Qe5 1–0

Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2809) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2800)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (6), 16.03.2018

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Rb1 Be7 D35: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation 

8.Bb5+ [8.Nf3 0–0 9.Bc4 Nc6 10.0–0 b6 11.d5 Na5 12.Bd3 c4 13.Bc2 exd5 14.exd5 Bg4 15.Re1 ½–½ (23) Svidler,P (2765)-Wang,H (2709) Riadh 2017] 

8...Bd7 9.Bd3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nc6 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wqk+-tr(
7zpp+lvlpzpp'
6-+n+p+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-zPP+-+$
3+-+L+-+-#
2P+-+-zPPzP"
1+RvLQmK-sNR!
xabcdefghy

11.Be2N [11.Nf3 Nb4 12.0–0 Bc6 13.Bc4 b5 14.Ne5 bxc4 15.Rxb4 Bxe4 ½–½ (31) Naroditsky,D (2626)-Shimanov,A (2646) Saint Louis 2017] 

11...Rc8 12.Nf3 Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Bb4 14.Rb2 Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 16.Kxd2 Na5 17.Rbb1 Ke7 18.Rhc1 f6 19.h4 Rhd8 20.Bd3 a6 21.Ke3 b5 22.g4 Be8 23.Ng1 Nc6 24.Ne2 Rd6 25.Rd1 Rcd8 26.Bc2 Na5 27.Bd3 Nc6 28.Bc2 h5 29.g5 fxg5 30.e5 R6d7 31.hxg5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-trl+-+(
7+-+rmk-zp-'
6p+n+p+-+&
5+p+-zP-zPp%
4-+-zP-+-+$
3+-+-mK-+-#
2P+L+NzP-+"
1+R+R+-+-!
xabcdefghy

31...h4 [31...Rc7= keeps the balance.] 

32.g6 [32.Rbc1±] 

32...Na5 33.Rbc1 Rc7 34.Bd3 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-trl+-+(
7+-tr-mk-zp-'
6p+-+p+P+&
5snp+-zP-+-%
4-+-zP-+-zp$
3+-+LmK-+-#
2P+-+NzP-+"
1+-tRR+-+-!
xabcdefghy

34...Rdc8? [34...Rxc1= and Black has nothing to worry. 35.Rxc1 Bd7] 

35.Rxc7+ Rxc7 36.Rh1 Nc4+ 37.Kf4 Nb2 38.Be4 b4 39.Rxh4 Nd1 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+l+-+(
7+-tr-mk-zp-'
6p+-+p+P+&
5+-+-zP-+-%
4-zp-zPLmK-tR$
3+-+-+-+-#
2P+-+NzP-+"
1+-+n+-+-!
xabcdefghy

40.f3 [¹40.Rh7] 

40...Nc3 41.Nxc3 bxc3 42.Rh2 Rc8 43.Ke3 Bb5 44.f4 Bc4 45.Rh7 Rg8 46.a3 a5 47.Bc2 Kd7 48.d5 Bxd5 49.Kd4 Ba2 50.Kxc3 Kc6 51.Rh2 Kc5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+r+(
7+-+-+-zp-'
6-+-+p+P+&
5zp-mk-zP-+-%
4-+-+-zP-+$
3zP-mK-+-+-#
2l+L+-+-tR"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

[¹51...Rc8 52.Kd4 Rd8+ 53.Ke3 Kc5] 

52.Rd2! Rh8 53.Rd7 Rh3+ 54.Kb2 Bd5 55.Rxg7 Kd4 56.Rh7 Rg3 57.Rh5 Rg2 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-+-'
6-+-+p+P+&
5zp-+lzP-+R%
4-+-mk-zP-+$
3zP-+-+-+-#
2-mKL+-+r+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

58.Rg5! Rf2 59.g7 Be4 60.g8Q Rxc2+ 61.Kb3 Rc3+ 62.Ka4 Rc5 63.Rg2 [Not 63.Qd8+? Kc4–+] 

63...Bf3+- 64.Qd8++- 1–0