WORLD CHESS CANDIDATES 2018 BERLIN – ROUND 11

You may recall from my blog post a couple of days ago I wrote about the non-existent pay per view portal on the official FIDE tournament website. That all changed during round 10. The change was made just in time for the tense final week of the FIDE Candidates 2018. Now when you log into the official website you see the message: “Watch Official Video, Commentary, and players’ interviews and increase players’ prize fund.” The cost is $20 for a “day pass”.

Before I continue, note that players get 10% of pay per view money and FIDE gets 90%. Or, to put it more precisely, when you pay $20 FIDE takes $18 and gives the players 25c each.

You may ask what you get for your $20, though I’m sure you’ve figured out the answer already. After paying $20 you are then routed to the viewing page with all the live video feeds and Judit Polgar’s superb commentary. That’s the theory… In reality you get a “Code 404 This page could not be found”.

So vs Mamedyarov was the first to finish. It was a Queens Gambit Declined and finished in a 41 move draw. This opening the possibility for Caruana to extend his lead if he can get past Kramnik.

The second game of the day was a Semi-Slav between Caruana and Kramnik. A draw agreed right on the time control was enough for Caruana to maintain his half point lead going into the third to last round.

Then was Aronian vs Karjakin, an English. This is certainly turning into a nightmare tournament for Levon. Yesterday mared by Kramnik, and today by Karjakin. It also takes Karjakin to just one point behind Caruana. What’s more, round 12 has Karjakin vs Caruana.

The final game was a Queens Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch between Ding and Grischuk. At one stage Ding had created serious winning chances against the time crunched Grischuk. Just the sort of advantage that would allow Ding to grind out his eleventh consecutive draw.

Here are the games from round 11:

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

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (11), 23.03.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 c6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Nc3 D30: Queen's Gambit Declined: Systems without Nc3 [10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 c5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Rac1 Qb6 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Nb3 Be4 16.Qc3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 Rac8 18.Nh4 Bg6 ½–½ (27) Vitiugov,N (2722)-Riazantsev,A (2650) St Petersburg 2017] 

10...Nbd7 11.Rd1 Qb6 12.Ne5 Rfd8 

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13.Be3N And now Nxc6! would win. Strongly threatening Nxc6! Threatens to win with Nxc6! Hoping for Nxc6! Black must now prevent Nxc6! aiming for Nxc6! [13.Nxd7 Rxd7 14.a4 a5 15.e4 b4 16.Ne2 c5 17.d5 exd5 0–1 (45) Bazeev,G (2285)-Koryakin,E (2369) Peterhof 2009] 

13...Nd5! 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.Qd3 b4 17.Rxc8 Bxc8 18.Qc2ƒ 

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Hoping for Nc6. Threatens to win with Nc6. White has good play. Strongly threatening Nc6. And now Nc6 would win. Nc6 is the strong threat. 

18...Nxe5 19.dxe5 d4 20.Bxd4 Rxd4 21.Qxc8+ 

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21...Rd8 [21...Bf8!= looks sharper. is interesting. feels hotter. seems wilder. with more complications. 22.Rc1 (22.Rb1 Rd2) 22...Rd8 23.Qc4 (23.Qc2 Qd4 24.Bf3 Qxe5 25.b3 a5) 23...g6 (23...Rd2 24.Bf1 g6) 24.Bf1 (24.Bf3 Rd2 (24...Bh6) ) 24...Rd5] 

22.Rxd8+² Qxd8 23.Qxd8+ Bxd8² Endgame KB-KB 

24.b3 Bc7 25.f4 Bb6+ 26.Kf1 Be3 27.h4 h5 28.Bh3 Kf8 29.Kg2 Ke7 30.Kf3 Bd2 31.e3 Be1 32.f5 exf5 The position is equal. 

33.Bxf5 g6 34.Bd3 Bc3 35.Kf4 Be1 36.Bc4 Bf2 37.Bd5 Be1 38.g4 

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38...hxg4 The position is equal. 

39.Kxg4 Bc3 40.Kf4 Be1 41.Kg4  ½–½

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

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (11), 23.03.2018

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 c5 [5...Bb4+ 6.Nc3 c5 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nf6 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Be2 0–0 11.0–0 h6 12.Bf4 b6 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Nh7 15.Bf3 Rb8 16.Qa4 ½–½ (58) Xu,X (2545)-Korobov,A (2664) Moscow 2018] 

6.Nxc5 

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D31: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Slav without ...Nf6 (+ Marshall Gambit and Noteboom) and Exchange Variation lines without ...Nf6 

6...Nc6N [6...Bxc5 7.dxc5 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 Nf6 9.Be2 Bd7 10.b4 0–0 11.Be3 Rd8 12.Ke1 e5 13.Rd1 1–0 (35) Hutt,A (2122)-Moas,H Villa Carlos Paz 2003] 

7.Nf3 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 White has an edge. White is slightly better. 

8...Qxd4 9.Nxd4 aiming for Nd3. Black must now prevent Nd3. 

9...Bxc5 10.Nb5 

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Threatens to win with Nc7+. And now Nc7+ would win. 

10...Ke7 11.Bd2 [11.Nc7!? Rb8 12.Bf4=] 

11...Bd7 The position is equal. 

12.b4 Bxb5 13.cxb5 Bd6 14.g3 Rc8 15.Bg2 b6 16.Ke2 Nh6 The position is equal. 

17.Rac1 Nf5 18.Bc3 f6 19.f4 h5 20.Bc6 Rcd8 21.a4 h4 22.Kf3 hxg3 23.hxg3 Rxh1 24.Rxh1 Bb8 

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...Rd3+ is the strong threat. Hoping for ...Rd3+. 

25.Be4 Kf7 26.Rc1 Ne7 27.Be1 f5 28.Bb1 Rd4 29.Bc3 Rc4 30.Ba2 Rc8 31.Bb2 Rd8 

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Hoping for ...Rd3+. Hoping for ...Rd3+. Strongly threatening ...Rd3+. 

32.Bc4 [32.Re1 keeps more tension. 32...Rd3+ 33.Ke2 Rxg3 34.Bxe6+ Kf8 35.Rh1] 

32...Rc8 33.Bb3 Rxc1 34.Bxc1= Endgame KBB-KBN 

34...Bd6 35.Bd2 Nd5 36.Bxd5 exd5 37.Bc3 Be7 38.a5 Bf6 39.Bxf6 Kxf6 40.Ke3  ½–½

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

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (11), 23.03.2018

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qxc4 b5 A13: English Opening: 1...e6 

7.Qb3 Bb7 8.0–0 Be7 9.d4 0–0 10.Rd1 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7! 

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13.Bf4N [13.Nc3 Qc7 14.Bf4 Rfd8 15.Qc2 Qb6 16.Ne4 1–0 (35) Sargissian,G (2679)-Houska,J (2372) Douglas 2015] 

13...Qc7 14.Nd2 Rfd8 15.Rac1 a6 [But not Much worse is 15...Nxe5 16.Qxb5! cxb5 17.Rxc7²] 

16.Qe3 c5 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 c4 19.h4 h6 20.Rd4 Nf8 21.b3 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Rd8 23.Nd6 Bxd6 24.exd6 f6! 

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next ...e5 is good for Black. Black has counterplay Black wants to play ...e5. Black puts up resistance 

25.Be3 e5 26.Qb2 Qc6 27.bxc4 bxc4 28.Qb4 Rc8 29.f3 h5 30.Kf2 Kf7 31.Rd1 Nd7 32.Qb1 g6 33.g4 Rh8 

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And now ...hxg4 would win. 

34.g5 f5 35.Qc2 Rc8 36.Qc3 Ke6 37.Kg2 Qa4 38.Qd2 Qb5 White should prevent ...c3. Threatening ...c3. 

39.a4! Qc6 40.Qc2 Rb8 41.Bd2! Rb3 42.Bc3 [42.a5!= remains equal.] 

42...Qxa4µ 43.Ra1 Qc6 44.Ra5 

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44...Rb5 [Black should try 44...e4µ 45.Qc1 (45.Qd2 Qxd6 46.fxe4 Qc6 47.Qd5+ Qxd5 48.exd5+ Kd6 49.Rxa6+ Kxd5) 45...Kxd6 46.Qd1+ Kc7] 

45.Qa4 [45.Ra4³; ¹45.Ra3] 

45...Nb6 

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46.Qa1 [46.d7µ was worth a try. 46...Kxd7 47.Qd1+ Qd5 48.Qa1 Rxa5 49.Bxa5] 

46...Rxa5–+ [Stronger than Worse is Not 46...Qxd6 47.Rxa6 Qc5 48.Be1² (48.Ba5=) ] 

47.Qxa5 Qb5 [And not Weaker is Worse is 47...Qxd6 48.Qxa6 e4 (48...Nd5 49.Qxc4=) 49.Ba5=; 47...Nd5–+ and Black stays clearly on top. 48.Qd8 Qd7 49.Qg8+ Kxd6 50.Qb8+ Qc7 51.Qf8+ Qe7 52.Qb8+ Kc5] 

48.d7µ Kxd7 White must now prevent ...Nd5. 

49.Qa3 Nd5 Hoping for ...Qb3. White must now prevent ...Qb3. 

50.Bxe5 Qc6 Threatens to win with ...c3. 

51.Qf8 Qe6 52.Qb8 

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52...c3! Strongly threatening ...c2. aiming for ...c2. Hoping for ...c2. 

53.Qb7+ Ke8 54.Qb8+ Kf7 ...c2 is the strong threat. Threatens to win with ...c2. 

55.Qb7+? 

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[55.Kf1µ was the only defense.; 55.Qa7+!³ Ne7 56.Bxc3 Qxe2+ 57.Qf2 Qxf2+ 58.Kxf2] 

55...Ne7!–+ 56.Bxc3? [56.Bf6 is a better defense. is a better chance. 56...Qxe2+ 57.Kg1 (57.Kh1) ] 

56...Qxe2+ 57.Kh3 

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 57...Qb5! 58.Qc7 Qc6 59.Qe5 Qxf3+ 60.Kh2 Qf2+ 61.Kh1 Qxh4+ 62.Kg1 Qxg5+ 63.Kh2 

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If only White now had time for Qg7+.... and the idea Qg7+ leaves White hopeful. 

63...Qh4+ 64.Kg1 Qe4 65.Qg7+ Ke6 66.Bf6 Nd5 67.Bb2 f4 Hoping for ...f3. 

68.Kh2 Kf5 Black mates. 

69.Qf8+ Kg5 70.Qd8+ Kg4 71.Qc8+ Kh4 72.Bg7 Qe2+ 73.Kh1 Qf3+ 74.Kh2 

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74...Qg3+ [¹74...Qf2+ 75.Kh1 Kg3 76.Qc3+ Nxc3 77.Bxc3 Qh2#]  0–1

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

World Chess Candidates 2018 Berlin (11), 23.03.2018

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.e3 e6 5.d4 d5 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 a6 8.0–0 b5 9.Ba2 Bb7 10.Qe2 Qc7 D40: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch with 5 e3 

11.Bd2 Be7N [11...Rd8 12.Rfc1 cxd4 13.exd4 Be7 14.d5 exd5 15.Bg5 0–0 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Nxd5 Qd6 18.Re1 ½–½ (37) Nepomniachtchi,I (2751)-Gelfand,B (2695) Moscow 2018] 

12.Rac1 c4 13.e4 Rd8 14.Be3 Ng4 15.e5 Na5 [15...0–0= remains equal.] 

16.Bf4 Qb6 17.Rcd1 h5 18.h3 Nh6 19.Bb1 Nb3 20.Be3 Qc7 21.Rfe1 Kf8 

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22.d5 [22.Bc2!±] 

22...exd5 23.e6 [23.Bc2±] 

23...fxe6 24.Ng5 Qd7 

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[Better is 24...Qc6² ] 

25.Bg6! [Not 25.Qxh5 Bxg5 26.Bxg5 Nf7³] 

25...Bf6 [25...Rc8 was necessary.] 

26.Bb6 [Less strong is 26.Qxh5 Bxg5 27.Qxg5 (27.Bxg5 Nf7²) 27...Nf7²] 

26...Rc8? [26...Bxg5 27.Bxd8 Bxd8] 

27.Nxe6+ Kg8 28.Nxd5 Bxd5 

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29.Nf4 [¹29.Nd8! Rxd8 30.Bxd8] 

29...Nc1 30.Qxh5 Nd3? [30...Nf7 might work better. 31.Qxd5 Qxd5 32.Nxd5 Nd3 33.Bxd3 cxd3 34.Nxf6+ gxf6] 

31.Nxd5 Nf7 32.Qe2 Nfe5 33.Be4 [Much less strong is 33.Bxd3?! cxd3 34.Nxf6+ gxf6+-] 

33...Rh4 

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34.f4! Rxf4 35.Nxf4 [And not 35.Bxd3 cxd3 36.Nxf6+ Rxf6³] 

35...Nxf4 36.Bh7+! [Not 36.Rxd7 Nxe2+ 37.Rxe2 Nxd7=] 

36...Kh8 37.Qe4 [Not 37.Qxe5 Qxd1 38.Qe3 Qh5=] 

37...Qc6 38.Bd4? [White should try 38.Qxf4+- Kxh7 39.Bd4] 

38...Nxh3+? [38...Ned3= 39.Be3 Nxe1 40.Bxf4 Nd3 41.Qxc6 Rxc6 42.Bxd3 cxd3] 

39.Kh2 [Don't play 39.gxh3?! Nf3+ 40.Kh1 Qxe4±] 

39...Ng5 40.Qxc6 Rxc6 41.Bc2 [Don't play 41.Bxe5?! Kxh7 42.Rd5 Ne6±; Stronger than 41.Rxe5 Bxe5+ 42.Bxe5 Kxh7³] 

41...Ngf7 42.Bxe5 Nxe5 43.Rd5 Re6 44.Kh3 Kg8 45.b3 Kf7 

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46.bxc4 [White should try 46.Re4!± ] 

46...Nxc4 47.Rd7+ Be7 48.Rxe6 Kxe6 49.Ra7 Nxa3 50.Rxa6+ Kd5 51.Bh7 Nc4 52.Kg4 Bf6 53.Ra7 Kd4 54.Bg8 Nd6 55.Kf3 Kc5 56.Ra8 b4 57.Ke2 Bc3 58.Kd3 Kb6 59.Ke3 Kc6 60.Kf4 Nb7 61.Kf5 Nc5 62.g4 Kb5 63.g5 b3 64.Kg6 Kb4 65.Bd5 Bd4 66.Kh7 Kc3 67.g6 b2 68.Ba2 Kc2 69.Rb8 Ne4 70.Rb4 Nc3 71.Be6! Kc1 72.Bf5! Be5 73.Rb7 b1Q 74.Bxb1 [74.Rxb1+? is the wrong capture. 74...Nxb1 75.Kh8 Nc3–+] 

74...Nxb1 75.Rxg7 Nc3 76.Re7 [Don't do 76.Rf7 Kc2+-] 

76...Bd4 77.Rd7 Be5 

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78.Kh6! Kc2 [Black should play 78...Bf6 79.Rd6 (79.Kh5 Ne4+-) 79...Be5] 

79.Kg5! Kb3 80.Kf5 Bh8 81.Rb7+ Kc2 82.Rh7 [Much less strong is 82.g7 Bxg7 83.Rxg7 Na2²] 

82...Bd4 83.Ke6 Kb3 [83...Ne2!=] 

84.Rd7 Bh8 85.Rd8 Bg7 86.Kf7 Be5 87.Re8 [Don't take 87.g7?! Bxg7 88.Kxg7 Ne4²] 

87...Bd4 88.Rb8+ Kc2 [88...Kc4!=] 

89.Rb7 Be5 90.Rb6 [Resist 90.g7?! Bxg7 91.Kxg7 Kd3²; 90.Ke6± Bd4 91.Rd7 (91.g7 Bxg7 92.Rxg7 Nb5²) ] 

90...Bd4± [90...Ne4!²] 91.Rf6? [91.Rd6+- Bh8 92.Rd8 (92.g7 Bxg7 93.Kxg7 Ne4²) ] 

91...Bxf6 92.Kxf6 Nd5+! 93.Kf7 Ne3 94.Kf6 Nd5+ 95.Kf7 Ne3 96.g7 Nf5! ½–½