WORLD CHESS CANDIDATES 2018 BERLIN – ROUND 10

How many of you can recall the 2016 Candidates Tournament? It was said at the time that Giri’s “perfect” 50% score of 14 draws could never be matched. Evidently Ding has taken that as a challenge. As a side note – can you imagine a match between Giri and Ding, played using the Karpov vs Kasparov rules from 1984? First player to 6 wins, draws do not count to the score. The 1985 match lasted 5 months where both players tried to win. How long would Giri vs Ding go on for?

With his victory, Kramnik took his mini match score against Aronian to 2-0. This attacking game was almost as much of a masterpiece as his round 3 win. Such a pity that neither of these games will have any influence on the outcome of the tournament with both players languishing in last place.

Ding vs So was the first to finish. It was a Queens Gambit Declined and finished in the predictable draw. Who would have guessed that?

The second game of the day was an anything but quiet Giuoco Pianissimo between Kramnik and Aronian. What is clear is that Kramnik arrived in Berlin as a wildcard entry and brought a bucket load of attacking ideas with him. Unfortunately his enterprising ideas backfired too many times, leaving him out of the running to face Carlsen.

Then was Grischuk vs Karjakin, a Bogo-Indian. Neither player seemed to have the will to win the game. Indeed it was all over before Grischuk could get anywhere near to his customary time trouble. There are precious few opportunities for Grischuk remaining to be able to catch the leaders.

The final game was an Open Catalan between Mamedyarov and Caruana. With so much on the line, both players were pushing to try and secure an advantage. In the end the position was played down to bare Kings and the mini match concludes at 1-1. This raises the possibility of the tournament going to tiebreaks.

Here are the games from round 10:

Ding,Liren (2769) - So,Wesley (2799)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (10), 22.03.2018

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bf4 0–0 6.e3 b6 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Nxd5 D37: Queen's Gambit Declined: 5 Bf4 

8...Qxd5 [8...exd5 9.Bd3 c5 10.0–0 c4 11.Bb1 Nc6 12.b3 Be6 13.bxc4 dxc4 14.Qa4 Qd7 15.Qb5 f5 16.Rc1 Qd5 17.a4 Na5 0–1 (38) Fedoseev,V (2724)-Friedel, J (2562) chess.com INT 2018] 

9.Be2 Bb7 10.Bxc7 

XABCDEFGHY
8rsn-+-trk+(
7zplvL-vlpzpp'
6-zp-+p+-+&
5+-+q+-+-%
4-+-zP-+-+$
3+-+-zPN+-#
2PzP-+LzPPzP"
1tR-+QmK-+R!
xabcdefghy

White has an edge. 

10...Qa5+N [10...Bb4+ 11.Kf1 Nc6 12.Qa4 Rfc8 13.Bg3 a6 14.h3 b5 15.Qd1 1–0 (28) Injac,T (2277)-Goczo,M (2176) Novi Sad 2017] 

11.Kf1! Nd7 12.h4 Rac8 13.Bf4 Rfd8 14.Kg1 The position is equal. 

14...Bxf3 15.Bxf3 e5 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 exd4! 18.Qxd4 Qxg5 19.Rh5 Qf6 20.Rd5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+rtr-+k+(
7zp-+n+pzpp'
6-zp-+-wq-+&
5+-+R+-+-%
4-+-wQ-+-+$
3+-+-zPL+-#
2PzP-+-zPP+"
1tR-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

Strongly threatening Rd1. 

20...Qxd4 21.Rxd4 Ne5 22.Bd5 Nc6 23.Rdd1 Hoping for Bxc6. 

23...Kf8 24.Bxc6 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+rtr-mk-+(
7zp-+-+pzpp'
6-zpL+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-zP-+-#
2PzP-+-zPP+"
1tR-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

aiming for Ba4. 

24...Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Ba4 is the strong threat. 

25...Rxc6= Endgame KR-KR 

26.Rd7 Rc2 27.Rxa7 Rxb2 28.a4 Ra2 29.Rb7 Ra1+ 30.Kh2 Rxa4 31.Rxb6  ½–½

Kramnik,Vladimir (2800) - Aronian,Levon (2794)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (10), 22.03.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.Nd5 Nxd5 [6...h6] 

7.Bxd5 d6N 8.Be3 [8.c3 0–0 9.b4 Ba7 10.0–0 h6 11.a4] 

8...Bxe3 9.fxe3 0–0 10.0–0 Nb8 11.b4?! Nd7 12.Qd2 c6 13.Bb3 a5 14.a3 Nf6 15.h3 h6 16.Rab1 b5 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+lwq-trk+(
7+-+-+pzp-'
6-+pzp-sn-zp&
5zpp+-zp-+-%
4-zP-+P+-+$
3zPL+PzPN+P#
2-+PwQ-+P+"
1+R+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

17.Qc3?! [17.a4 um selber Schwarzes a4 zu verhindern] 

17...Bd7³ 18.Rf2 Qb6 19.Re1 Rfe8 20.Nh4 was sonst 

20...c5 [20...a4 21.Ba2 Be6] 

21.Ref1 cxb4 22.Qe1™ [22.axb4? a4µ 23.Bd5 (23.Ba2 Qxe3µ) 23...Nxd5 24.exd5 a3µ (24...Re7) ] 

22...d5 [22...bxa3? 23.Rxf6 Be6 (23...gxf6 24.Rxf6+-) 24.Qg3+-; 22...a4 23.Rxf6 axb3™ 24.Qg3= (24.Rxf7? Qd8µ 25.Qg3 Qg5) ] 

23.axb4= dxe4 [23...axb4 24.Bxd5] 

24.bxa5 Rxa5 25.Ng6 komischer Zug 

25...Be6 26.Nxe5?! [26.Rxf6! gxf6 27.Qg3² Bxb3 28.Nxe5+ Kh8] 

26...exd3! [26...Bxb3?! 27.Rxf6 Qc7 (27...gxf6 28.Qg3+ Kh8 29.Nd7 Qa7 30.Nxf6±) 28.cxb3±] 

27.Rxf6™ gxf6 28.Rxf6 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+r+k+(
7+-+-+p+-'
6-wq-+ltR-zp&
5trp+-sN-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+L+pzP-+P#
2-+P+-+P+"
1+-+-wQ-mK-!
xabcdefghy

[28.Qg3+ Kf8™ 29.Ng6+ Kg8 30.Nf4+= Kh8 31.Nxe6 fxe6 (31...Rxe6 32.Bxe6 Qxe6 33.cxd3) 32.Rxf6] 

28...d2! 29.Qg3+ [29.Qxd2 Ra1+³] 

29...Kf8™ [29...Kh7 30.c4!!+-] 

30.Rf1 [30.Nd7+?! Ke7 31.Nxb6 Ra1+! (31...d1Q+?? 32.Rf1+-) 32.Kh2 Rh1+! 33.Kxh1 d1Q+ 34.Kh2 Kxf6³] 

30...Ra7 31.Ng6+™ Kg7 32.Nf4+™ Kh8! 33.Nh5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+r+-mk(
7tr-+-+p+-'
6-wq-+l+-zp&
5+p+-+-+N%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+L+-zP-wQP#
2-+Pzp-+P+"
1+-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

33...f6! [33...Bg4] 

34.Nxf6™‚ [34.Rxf6 d1Q+] 

34...Rf8 35.Qf4 Rh7™ 36.Qe5 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-tr-mk(
7+-+-+-+r'
6-wq-+lsN-zp&
5+p+-wQ-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+L+-zP-+P#
2-+Pzp-+P+"
1+-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

36...Qc7?? lässt sich Matt setzen [36...Rg7™ 37.Bxe6 Rg5= 38.Nh5+ Rxe5 39.Rxf8+ Kh7 40.Rf7+ Kh8= (40...Kg6?? 41.Rg7+ Kxh5 42.Bf7+ Qg6 (42...Kh4 43.Rg4#) 43.Bxg6+ Kg5 44.Bh7+ Kf6 45.Rd7+-) ] 

37.Ne8+ [37.Nh5+] 

37...Qxe5 38.Rxf8+ Bg8 39.Rxg8# 1–0

Grischuk,Alexander (2767) - Karjakin,Sergey (2763)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (10), 22.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rc1 E11: Bogo-Indian [9.Bf4 b6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Rc1 Bb7 12.Qb3 Rc8 13.Rxc8 Qxc8 14.Nc3 Nh5 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.Nxg5 Nhf6 17.e3 Qb8 18.Bf1 Rc8 1/2–1/2 (56) So,W (2788)-Karjakin,S (2760) London 2017] 

9...b6 10.a4 

XABCDEFGHY
8r+lwq-trk+(
7zp-+nvlpzpp'
6-zpp+psn-+&
5+-+p+-+-%
4P+PzP-+-+$
3+-+-+NzP-#
2-zPQvLPzPLzP"
1tRNtR-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

10...Ne4N [10...Ba6 11.b3 c5 12.a5 Bb7 13.a6 Bc6 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Nd7 16.f4 Rc8 0–1 (55) Pustovoitova,D (2382)-Gunina,V (2507) Moscow 2018] 

11.Be1 White has an edge. 

11...a5 The position is equal. 

12.Nbd2 Nxd2 13.Nxd2 Bf6 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.e4 Bxd4 16.Nb3 Bf6 17.exd5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Ra7 19.Bg2 h6 20.Bc3 Rc7 21.Bxf6 Rxc2 22.Bxd8 Rxc1+ 23.Rxc1 Rxd8 24.Rd1 Kf8 25.f4 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+ltr-mk-+(
7+-+n+pzp-'
6-zp-+-+-zp&
5zp-+-+-+-%
4P+-+-zP-+$
3+N+-+-zP-#
2-zP-+-+LzP"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy

25...Ke7 26.Re1+ Kf8 27.Rd1 Ke7 28.Re1+ Kf8  ½–½

Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2809) - Caruana,Fabiano (2784)

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (10), 22.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0–0 Rb8 7.e3 Be7 E04: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3 [7...b5 8.b3 cxb3 9.axb3 Be7 10.Qe2 0–0 11.Bd2 Bb7 12.Rc1 a6 13.Ne1 Nb4 14.Bxb7 Rxb7 15.Bxb4 Bxb4 16.Rxa6 1/2–1/2 (48) Radjabov,T (2722)-Cheparinov,I (2677) Monzon 2016] 

8.Nfd2 e5 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.dxe5 Ng4 11.Nxc4 Be6! 

XABCDEFGHY
8-tr-wqk+-tr(
7zp-zp-vlpzpp'
6-+p+l+-+&
5+-+-zP-+-%
4-+N+-+n+$
3+-+-zP-zP-#
2PzP-+-zP-zP"
1tRNvLQ+RmK-!
xabcdefghy

...Qxd1 is the strong threat. 

12.Nbd2N [12.Qxd8+ Rxd8 13.Nbd2 Bb4 14.e4 Bxd2 15.Nxd2 Nxe5 16.f4 Nd3 17.f5 Nxc1 18.Raxc1 Bxf5 19.exf5 Rxd2 20.Rxc6 Kd7 21.Rfc1 1/2–1/2 (21) Van der Stricht,G (2424)-Hausrath,D (2507) Belgium 2008] 

12...h5 13.f3 Qd3 [13...h4=] 

14.fxg4² Bxc4 15.Nxc4 Qxc4 16.gxh5 Qe6 17.Qf3 [17.Bd2 Rxb2 18.Bc3 Rb5 19.Qc2 0–0 20.Rf2] 

17...Rb5 18.Qf5 [18.Bd2 Rxe5 19.Bc3 Rxe3 20.Qf5 f6 21.h6] 

18...Rxe5 19.Qxe6 Rxe6 20.Rf5 Rd6 21.Kg2 Rd1 22.b3 g6 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+k+-tr(
7zp-zp-vlp+-'
6-+p+-+p+&
5+-+-+R+P%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+P+-zP-zP-#
2P+-+-+KzP"
1tR-vLr+-+-!
xabcdefghy

23.Re5 [23.Rf2!? Rxh5 24.Bb2²] 23...c5 The position is equal. 

24.hxg6 fxg6 25.e4 Rh7! 26.h4 Rf7 27.Kh3 Rff1 28.Bg5 Rxa1 29.Rxe7+= Endgame KRR-KRB 

29...Kf8! 30.Rxc7 Rxa2 31.Be7+ Kg8 32.Rc8+ Kg7 33.Bxc5 Re2 34.e5 Rd1 35.Re8 Rd5 36.Bd6 

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

36...Re3 aiming for ...Rdd3. 

37.Re7+ Kg8 38.Re8+ Kf7 39.Re7+ Kg8 40.b4 Rdd3 41.Kg4 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+k+(
7zp-+-tR-+-'
6-+-vL-+p+&
5+-+-zP-+-%
4-zP-+-+KzP$
3+-+rtr-zP-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

Black must now prevent Kg5. 

41...Rxg3+ 42.Kf4 Rgf3+ 43.Ke4 Rfe3+ 44.Kf4 Rf3+ 45.Kg5 Rf7 And now ...Rxe7 would win. 

46.e6 Rd5+ 

XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+k+(
7zp-+-tRr+-'
6-+-vLP+p+&
5+-+r+-mK-%
4-zP-+-+-zP$
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy

47.Kxg6 White wants to mate with Re8+. 

47...Rxd6 48.Rxf7 Rf6 would kill now. 

48...Rxe6+ KR-KR 

49.Rf6 Re4 50.b5 Rxh4 51.Ra6 Rh7 52.b6 [52.Rc6 Rg7+ 53.Kf6 Rb7 54.Rc8+ Kh7 55.Rc5] 

52...Rg7+ 53.Kh6 Rh7+ 54.Kg5 Rg7+ 55.Kf5 axb6 56.Rxb6 Rf7+ 57.Rf6 Rxf6+ 58.Kxf6  ½–½