FIDE GRAND PRIX – PALMA DE MALLORCA 2017 - ROUND 6

All nine games in round 5 were draws – a sort of truce before the rest day. Aronian leads with 3.5 points. However, the chase pack of 6 players is only half a point back. A win with white against Svidler on table 1 will make life a lot more comfortable going into the final 3 rounds.

The challenge with these small field swiss events is that by the end of round 6 or maybe 7 all the players at the top of the leader board have already played each other. This leaves everyone with must win games in the closing rounds against relatively weaker opponents.

The pairings for round 6 are as follows, with tournament points in brackets:

Levon Aronian (3.5) vs Peter Svidler (3)

Pentala Harikrishna (3) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (3)

Hikaru Nakamura (3) vs Ding Liren (3)

Anish Giri (2.5) vs Dmitri Jakovenko (3)

Evgeny Tomashevsky (2.5) vs Teimour Radjabov (2.5)

Alexander Riazantsev (2.5) vs Richard Rapport (2.5)

Li Chao (2) vs Pavel Elanjanov (2)

Jon Ludvig Hammer (1.5) vs Francisco Vallejo Pons (2)

Boris Gelfand (1.5) vs Emesto Inarkiev (2)

Hikaru Nakamura (3) vs Ding Liren (3) DRAW

A 21 move draw out of a Catalan and the first game of the day to finish.

Nakamura,Hikaru (2780) - Ding,Liren (2774)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2 Nbd7 7.0–0 Be7 8.a4 0–0 9.a5 E01: Catalan: Early deviations 

9...Nd5 10.Bd2 b5 11.axb6! Qxb6 12.Na4 Qd8N [12...Qb5 13.Qb1 Bb7 14.Rc1 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 0–1 Bareev,E (2667)-Potkin,V (2606) Rijeka 2010] 

13.Qc2 Ba6 14.Rfd1 Bb5 15.e4 Nb4 16.Bxb4! Bxb4 17.d5 [White should play 17.Bf1 ] 

17...cxd5 18.Nd4 Bxa4 19.Rxa4 Bc5 20.exd5 Bxd4 21.Rxd4= ½–½

Levon Aronian (3.5) vs Peter Svidler (3) DRAW

Svidler’s King’s Indian presented no real threat to Aronian’s preparation and the game was drawn in 24 moves.

Aronian,Levon (2801) - Svidler,Peter (2763)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 c5 4.d5 Bg7 5.e4 d6 6.Nc3 e6 E80: Kings Indian (Sämisch-Angriff) 

7.Nge2 exd5 8.cxd5 a6 9.a4 Nbd7 10.Ng3 Nh5 11.Nxh5 gxh5 12.Bd3N [12.Be2 Bd4 13.Bf4 Rg8 14.g3 Ne5 15.Qd2 Bh3 16.Bxe5 dxe5 ½–½ Vitiugov,N (2721)-Grischuk,A (2752) Novosibirsk 2016] 

12...0–0 13.0–0 f5 14.exf5 Ne5 15.Bc2 Bxf5 16.Bxf5 Rxf5 17.Ne4 c4 18.Qc2 Qb6+ 19.Kh1 Rff8 20.Ng5 Nd3= 21.Ne6 Rae8 22.Nxg7 Nf2+ 23.Kg1 Nd3+ 24.Kh1 Nf2+ ½–½

Jon Ludvig Hammer (1.5) vs Francisco Vallejo Pons (2) DRAW

Hammer accepted the Spanish GM’s Queens Gambit till the truce was called at move 21.

Hammer,Jon Ludvig (2629) - Vallejo Pons,Francisco (2705)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 Nc6 8.0–0 Qf6 9.e5 D20: Queen's Gambit Accepted: 3 e3 and 3 e4 

9...Qg6 10.Nb3 Bh3  The position is equal. 

11.Nh4 Qg5 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Qe4N [14.Qh3 Qh6 15.Nc5 Nd8 ½–½ Shapiro,V (2331)-Povarenkov,S (2219) ICCF email 2008] 

14...0–0–0 15.Nf3 Qf5 16.Rfe1 Nh6 17.Nfxd4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxe4 19.Rxe4 Rhe8 20.Rc1 Rd5 21.Kf1 Nf5 ½–½

Anish Giri (2.5) vs Dmitri Jakovenko (3)  DRAW

Another Berlin Wall in the Ruy Lopez. This time Mr 50% offered the draw on move 36.

Giri,Anish (2762) - Jakovenko,Dmitry (2721)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nbd2 C65: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence (3...Nf6), unusual lines and 4 0–0 Bc5 

6...0–0 7.Qe2 Re8 8.Nc4 Nd7 9.Rg1N [9.Bd2 b5 10.Ne3 a5 11.a4 Bb6 12.0–0 Nf8 13.Qe1 b4 0–1 Dominguez Perez,L (2739)-Karjakin,S (2773) Saint Louis 2017] 

9...Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 Qf6 12.h4 c5 13.0–0–0 b5 14.Ne3 Nb6 15.Qa5 a6 16.Kb1 Be6 17.h5 h6 18.b3 Qf4 19.Rh1 Qf6 20.Rd2 Bd7 21.c4 Qd6 22.Nh4 Qc6 23.Rc1 Be6 24.f3 Nd7 25.Nd5 Rac8 26.g4 Qb7 27.Nf5 Bxf5 28.gxf5 c6 29.Ne3 Nf6 30.Rh2 Qd7 31.Rd1 Kh7 32.Qe1 Qd4 33.Nc2 Qd6 [Better is 33...Qd8!³ ] 

34.Ne3 Qd4 35.Nc2 Qd6= 36.Ne3³ ½–½

Alexander Riazantsev (2.5) vs Richard Rapport (2.5) BLACK WINS

Everything was equal out of a Classical Stonewall Dutch until white played 35. Nc5? Rapport jumped on the opportunity with Ng5! and forced white’s resignation just 2 moves later.

Riazantsev,Alexander (2651) - Rapport,Richard (2692)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 d5 6.0–0 Ne4 A92: Classical Dutch: Classical Stonewall (with ...Be7): Early deviations 

7.Nc3 c6 8.Nd2 [8.Ne5 Nd7 9.Nxd7 Bxd7 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Bf4 0–0 12.e3 b5 13.c5 a5 14.f3 exf3 15.Bxf3 ½–½ Ipatov,A (2625)-Rapport,R (2649) Germany 2015] 

8...Nd6N [ 8...Nxd2 9.Bxd2 dxc4 10.Be3 0–0 11.Qc2 Nd7 12.Rfd1 Nb6 13.Bc1 Nd5 14.e4 1–0  Feige,M-Rehm,U Gruenheide 1996] 

9.b3 Nd7 10.a4 h5 11.b4 [11.h4!²] 

11...h4 12.b5 hxg3 13.hxg3 Nf6 14.Qb3 Bd7 15.a5 a6 16.bxc6 bxc6 17.Ba3 Rb8 18.Qc2 Nfe4 19.Ncxe4 fxe4 20.Rfb1 Rxb1+ 21.Qxb1 e3 22.Qg6+ Nf7 23.Bxe7 Qxe7 24.fxe3 0–0 25.Qd3 Qg5! 26.e4 dxc4 27.Nxc4 c5 28.Qe3 Qxe3+ 29.Nxe3 cxd4 30.Nc2 e5 31.e3 Rc8 32.Nb4 dxe3 33.Bf1 Rb8 34.Nxa6 Rb2! 35.Nc5? [35.Bc4= Bc6 36.Re1] 

35...Ng5! 36.Bg2 Bh3! 37.Bxh3 Nf3+ 0–1

Boris Gelfand (1.5) vs Emesto Inarkiev (2) BLACK WINS

Gelfands woes for this tournament continue and parallel what has been a dismal year for the Israeli Grandmaster.

Gelfand,Boris (2719) - Inarkiev,Ernesto (2683)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 d6 7.d3 Re8 A29: English Opening: Four Knights Variation with 4 g3 

8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.cxd5 Ne7 10.a3 [10.d4 e4 11.Ng5 h6 12.Nxe4 Nxd5 13.a3 Ba5 14.Nd2 Nf6 15.Nc4 ½–½ Gelfand,B (2737)-Wojtaszek,R (2737) Heraklio 2017] 

10...Ba5 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nd2 c6 13.dxc6 Nxc6 14.Bb2 a6N [14...Bg4 15.Rc1 ½–½ Primakov,V (2397)-Girard,E (2404) ICCF email 2012] 

15.Rc1 Be6 16.e3 Qd7 17.Nc4 Ba7 18.a4 Nxb4 19.Ba3 a5! 20.Nxa5 Na2! 21.Rc4 [21.Rc2³ Qxa4 22.Rxa2 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bxa2 24.Nxb7] 

21...Bxe3 [Much weaker is 21...Bxc4?! 22.Nxc4 Bc5 23.Bxc5=; Black should try 21...e4µ 22.Qb1 Bb8 23.Qxa2 Rxa5] 

22.Nxb7 [White should play 22.Bxb7= Bd4 23.Bc6] 

22...Bxc4 23.dxc4 23...Bd4! 24.Nxd6 Nc3 25.Qh5 [25.Qc2µ] 

25...Rxa4 26.Nxe8 Rxa3 27.Nxg7 Kxg7 28.Qg5+ Kf8 29.Qh6+ Ke7 30.Qxh7 Qg4 31.Qh6 Ra2 32.Qc6 Qf5 33.c5 Kf8 34.Kh1 Kg7 35.f4 [¹35.g4 Qf4 36.Qf3 Qxf3 37.Bxf3] 

35...e4 36.g4 Qxg4 37.Bxe4 Ne2 0–1

Pentala Harikrishna (3) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (3) DRAW

The draw that ensures that Aronian goes into round 7 still with the sole lead.

Harikrishna,Pentala (2738) - Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime (2796)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g3 Qb6 7.Nf3 A33: Symmetrical English: 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nc3 Nc6 7...Bb4 8.Bg2 0–0N [8...Qa6 9.Qb3 d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.0–0 0–0 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Qxe2 ½–½ Hracek,Z (2635)-Bologan,V (2672) Tromsoe 2013] 

9.0–0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Qc5 11.Qa4 Re8 12.Nd4 Ne5 13.Qb5 d6 14.Qxc5 dxc5 15.Nb5! Rd8 16.Na3 a6 17.Bf4 Ned7 18.Rfd1 Re8 19.Rab1 e5 20.Be3 e4 21.h3 h6 22.Nc2 b6 23.a4 [White should play 23.Bf4± ] 

23...Ne5! 24.Na3 Be6 25.Rxb6 Bxc4 26.Rb2 Nd5 27.Bf4 Nxc3 28.Rdd2 Nxe2+ 29.Kh2 Nxf4 30.gxf4 Nd3 31.Nxc4 Nxb2 32.Rxb2 Rab8 33.Rc2 Rb4 34.a5 Ra4 35.Bf1 Re6 36.Rd2 Ra1 [36...Rf6=] 

37.f5 Re8 38.Be2 g6 39.fxg6 fxg6 40.Kg2 Kg7 41.Rd7+ Kf6 42.Ra7 Ra2 43.Rxa6+ Re6= 44.Rxe6+= ½–½

Li Chao (2) vs Pavel Elanjanov (2) DRAW

Elanjanov’s Slav defence held up to the Chinese onslaught.

Li,Chao b (2741) - Eljanov,Pavel (2707)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.c5 Bf5 6.Qb3 Ra7 D15: Slav Defence: 4 Nc3 a6 and gambit lines after 4 Nc3 dxc4 

7.Bf4 [7.Nh4 Bg6 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.Nxg6 hxg6 10.e4 dxe4 11.g3 e6 12.Bg2 Be7 13.0–0 Nd5 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Nxe4 ½–½ Grischuk,A (2785)-Malakhov,V (2691) Antalya 2017] 

7...Nbd7 8.h3 e6 9.e3 Be7 10.Be2 0–0 11.0–0 Ne4 12.Nxe4 Bxe4 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 14...a5N 15.a4 Re8 16.Rfc1 Bf6 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qc3 e5 19.Bf1 h5 20.b4 axb4 21.Qxb4 Rea8 22.Ra3 h4 23.Rca1 g5 24.a5 Kg7 25.Qb2 Re8 26.Rb3 Re7 27.Be2 Bf5 28.dxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxe5+ Rxe5 30.Kf1 Kf8 31.Ke1 Ke7 32.Kd2 Kd8 33.f3 Kc7 34.Rb4 f6 35.Bd3 Bd7 36.a6 Re8 37.Rxb7+ Rxb7 38.axb7 Kxb7 39.Ba6+ Kc7 40.Bd3 Kb7= ½–½

Evgeny Tomashevsky (2.5) vs Teimour Radjabov (2.5)  WHITE WINS

Tomashevsky was steadily squeezing more and more out of Radjabov’s Pirc till eventually black blundered with 57. … b6? and the game was over just one move later.

Tomashevsky,Evgeny (2702) - Radjabov,Teimour (2741)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (6), 22.11.2017

1.d4 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0–0 6.0–0 c6 7.a4 Nbd7 8.a5 Qc7 9.Be3 e5 B08: Pirc Defence: Classical System [9...Rb8 10.d5 Nc5 11.Nd2 b6 12.axb6 axb6 13.Bf3 Bb7 14.Re1 Nfd7 15.Bg5 Rfe8 16.Ra3 h6 17.Be3 Ra8 18.Rxa8 Rxa8 0–1 Yilmaz,M (2531)-Kokarev,D (2635) Moscow 2013] 

10.h3 exd4 11.Bxd4 Re8 White has an edge. 

12.Bc4 Nf8 13.Re1 Be6 14.Bf1N [14.e5 Bxc4 15.exf6 Bh8 16.b3 Rxe1+ 17.Qxe1 0–1 Yepez Gutierrez,J (2187)-Martins Mesquita,U (2458) CADAP email 2004] 

14...N8d7 15.Ng5 a6 16.Qd2 c5 17.Be3 Ne5 18.Bf4 Rad8 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Na4 Nf7 21.Rad1 Nh5 22.Be3 Nf6 23.Bf4 Qc6 24.Nc3 Kh8 25.b3 h6 [25...Nh5=] 

26.Bd3 g5 27.Bh2 Nd7 28.Ne2 Nfe5 29.f4 gxf4 30.Nxf4 Bf6 [30...c4±] 

31.Kh1 Kh7 32.Rf1 Bg5 33.Qe2 [¹33.Be2] 

33...Nf6 34.Nh5 Rf8 35.Bxe5 dxe5 36.Nxf6+ Bxf6 37.Bc4  Strongly threatening Rxd8. 

37...Qe8 38.Qg4 Rxd1 39.Rxd1 Rg8 40.Qxe6 Qxe6 41.Bxe6± Endgame KRB-KRB 

41...Rd8 42.Bd5 Kg7 43.g3 Rd7 44.h4 Bd8 45.Ra1 Kf6 46.Kg2 Kg6 47.Kf3 Rg7 48.c3 h5 49.Ra2 Kf6 50.Kg2 Kg6 51.Kf2 Kf6 52.Kf3 Kg6 53.b4 cxb4 54.cxb4 Kh6 55.Rc2 Be7 56.Rb2 Bd8 57.Rb3 b6? [57...Rc7± 58.Ke3 Kh7] 

58.b5  1–0

FIDE GRAND PRIX – PALMA DE MALLORCA 2017 - ROUND 4

After the first three rounds of play we have five players tied on 2/3 with a further 9 players just a half a point behind.

The pairings for round 4 are as follows, with tournament points in brackets:

Levon Aronian (2) vs Anish Giri (2)

Peter Svidler (2) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2)

Hikaru Nakamura (1.5) vs Teimour Radjabov (2)

Emesto Inarkiev (1.5) vs Ding Liren (1.5)

Pentala Harikrishna (1.5) vs Francisco Vallejo Pons (1.5)

Pavel Elanjanov (1.5) vs Dmitri Jakovenko (1.5)

Alexander Riazantsev (1.5) vs Evgeny Tomashevsky (1.5)

Richard Rapport (1) vs Jon Ludvig Hammer (1)

Li Chao (1) vs Boris Gelfand (0.5)

Peter Svidler (2) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2) DRAW

The first game of the day to finish. A symmetrical English that went nowhere – other than following an ICCF email game from 2004.

Svidler,Peter (2763) - Vachier Lagrave,Maxime (2796)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bf4 d5 7.e3 A33: Symmetrical English: 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nc3 Nc6 

7...Bb4 8.Be2 8...Bd7 [8...0–0 9.0–0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Re8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 g5 13.Bg3 Ne4 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.cxd5 cxd5 0–1 (41) Bu,X (2710)-Svidler,P (2751) Tbilisi 2017] 

9.0–0 dxc4 10.Bxc4 10...Nxd4N 11.Qxd4 Bc6 12.Qe5 0–0 13.Rfd1 Qb6 14.Bh6 Qa5 15.Qg3 Nh5 16.Qg4 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qxc3 18.Qxh5 gxh6 ½–½ [Turati,P (2414)-Da Costa,L (2382) ICCF email 2004 ½–½]

Levon Aronian (2) vs Anish Giri (2) WHITE WINS

Another English opening. Aronian’s win takes him clear at the top of the leader board, pending the outcome of the Radjabov game.

Aronian,Levon (2801) - Giri,Anish (2762)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.d3 A16: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...d5 [5.e4² Nxc3 6.bxc3 (6.dxc3 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Bg7² (7...Nd7 8.Bf4 c6 9.Kc2 Nc5 10.Nd2 Bg7 11.Be3 Na4 12.Bc4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Nd7 14.a4 0–0 15.h4 h5 16.a5 Ne5 17.f3 ½–½ (48) So,W (2812)-Mamedyarov,S (2800) Paris 2017) ) 6...Bg7 7.Ba3 0–0 8.d4 b6 9.Bc4 Nc6 10.0–0 Na5 11.Bd3 c5 12.dxc5 Qc7 13.Qe2 bxc5 14.Qe3 Bg4 15.Rfc1 Rfd8 16.Bf1 Rab8 17.Qxc5 1–0 (57) Aronian,L (2792)-Giri,A (2782) Leuven 2016] 

5...Bg7 6.Bd2 0–0 7.g3 c5 8.h4N [8.Bg2 Nc6 9.0–0 e6 10.Qc1 b6 11.Bh6 Bb7 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.Rd1 Rc8 14.e3 Qf6 15.Ne4 Qe7 16.b3 Rfd8 17.Qb2+ e5 18.a3 Ba6 19.Rac1 f5 20.Nc3 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 ½–½ (43) Bischoff,K (2504)-Li,C (2711) Germany 2014] 

8...Nc6 9.h5 Nxc3 10.bxc3 c4! 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.Qa4! Na5 [12...cxd3= remains equal. 13.Qh4 (13.exd3 Qd5²) 13...f6] 

13.d4 b6 14.Bg2 Bb7 15.Qc2 Qd5 16.Nh4 Qd7 17.e4 e5 18.d5 Bc8 19.f4 Qe7 20.f5 g5 21.Qd1 gxh4 22.Rxh4 Rd8 23.Qh5 [23.Qg4+-] 

23...Kf8 24.Rg4? [24.Qg4!+- and the rest is easy.] 

24...Bf6? [24...Qd6±] 

25.Bh6+! Ke8+- 26.Rg8+ Kd7 27.d6+- 1–0

Li Chao (1) vs Boris Gelfand (0.5) DRAW

Gelfand’s Semi Slav creates a few moments for Li, but the Chinese player coped well and channelled the game into calmer waters.

Li,Chao b (2741) - Gelfand,Boris (2719)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 [6.Bxf6!? Qxf6 7.e3²] 6...dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 Nbd7 D43: Semi-Slav: 5 Bg5 h6 12.Nxd7 [12.0–0 Rg8 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Be5 Qe7 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.d5 Qxh4 17.dxe6 fxe6 18.Nxb5 cxb5 19.Bxc4 bxc4 20.Qxc4 0–1 (30) Vocaturo,D (2607)-Ding,L (2772) Antalya 2017] 

12...Qxd7 13.Be5 13...Bg7 14.Bxg4 0–0–0N [14...h5 15.Bf3 Rg8 16.Qe2 Ng4 17.Bxg7 Rxg7 18.e5 c5 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.Ne4 0–0–0 21.dxc5 Nxe5 22.Nd6+ Rxd6 23.Qxe5 Qxg2 24.cxd6 Qxh1+ 25.Ke2 Qg2 26.Rg1 1–0 (26) Miedema,D (2394)-Timmermans,I (2218) Amsterdam 2013] 

15.Bh3 Ne8 16.Bxg7 Nxg7 17.Ne2 [White should play 17.Qf3= ] 

17...f5 [17...c5!? 18.d5 Qe7³] 

18.b3 fxe4 19.bxc4 Nf5 20.0–0 Nxd4 21.Nxd4 Qxd4 22.Bxe6+ Kb8 23.Qxd4 Rxd4= 24.Rad1 ½–½

Richard Rapport (1) vs Jon Ludvig Hammer (1) WHITE WINS

Rapport’s Queens Gambit preparation already had Hammer in a 15 minute deep think on move 8. Then after 21. Rg1+ it was all downhill for the Norwegian player.

Rapport,Richard (2692) - Hammer,Jon Ludvig (2629)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 c6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Nf3 h6 9.Bf4 Nh5 D36: Queens Gambit 

10.0–0–0N [10.Be5 Nxe5 11.dxe5 g6 12.Bd3 0–0 13.0–0 Ng7 14.h3 Nf5 15.Rad1 Qb6 16.Ne2 Bc5 17.Kh1 Re8 18.Ned4 Ng7 19.a3 a5 20.Ne2 Be7 1–0 (42) Ehlvest,J (2583)-Sveshnikov,V (2407) Riga 2011] 

10...Nxf4 11.exf4 g5 [11...a5=] 

12.Bd3 gxf4 13.Rhe1 Kf8 14.Bf5 Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Qxc3 Nb6 17.g4 [17.Bc2²] 

17...Bxf5 [17...fxg3!=  18.Qc5+ Kg8 19.Bxc8 Rxc8] 

18.Qc5+ Kg7 19.gxf5 Qf6 [Better is 19...Nc4!= ] 

20.Re7 Rhe8 21.Rg1+! Kh7  22.Rge1! [Much weaker is 22.Rxb7?! Nc4=] 

22...Rxe7 23.Qxe7 Qxf5?  [23...Qxe7± 24.Rxe7 Kg8] 

24.Nh4! Qd7 25.Qf6 Rg8 26.Re7 Qg4+- 27.Nf5 Qg1+ 28.Kc2 Qxf2+ 29.Kb3 1–0

Emesto Inarkiev (1.5) vs Ding Liren (1.5) BLACK WINS

The Chinese GM converted an Anti-Marshall Closed Ruy Lopez into the full point for black with the superb 20. … Nxe4!!

Inarkiev,Ernesto (2683) - Ding,Liren (2774)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

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.d4 d6 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Nxe5 C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall Systems 

11...dxe5 12.Qf3 [12.Qe2 a5 13.Bg5 Bc5 14.Nd2 h6 15.Bh4 Qe7 16.h3 Rd8 17.Nf3 Bb7 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 1–0 (52) Navara,D (2726)-Grandelius,N (2653) Germany 2017] 

12...Bc5 13.h3 Bb7 14.Nd2 Kh8 15.Qg3N [15.g4 Ne8 16.Nc4 Nd6 17.Nxd6 Qxd6 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 ½–½ (59) Klein,F (2323)-Van Meegen,R (2241) Maastricht 2017] 

15...Qe7 16.Qh4 g5 17.Qxg5 Rg8 18.Qf5 18...Rg7! 19.Nf3? [19.Nf1µ] 

19...Rag8 20.Bg5 20...Nxe4!! 21.h4 [¹21.Rxe4 Rxg5 22.Nxg5 Rxg5 23.Rxe5 Qxe5 24.Qxe5+ Rxe5 25.Kf1] 

21...Nxg5 22.hxg5 Rxg5 23.Nxg5 Rxg5 24.Qh3 Qf6 25.Re3 Rxg2+ 26.Qxg2 Bxg2 27.Kxg2 Bxe3 28.fxe3 c5 29.Bc4 Qg6+ 30.Kf3 Qf5+ 31.Kg3 Qe4 32.b3 Qxe3+ 33.Kg2 Qd2+ 34.Kh1 f5 35.Rg1 Qh6+ 36.Kg2 Kg7 37.Rd1 Qg5+ 38.Kf2 Qf4+ 39.Ke2 Qh2+ 40.Ke3 f4+ 41.Ke4 Qxc2+ 42.Rd3 Kf6 43.Bxa6 Qg2+ 44.Rf3 Ke6 [44. ...Kd4] 0–1

Pentala Harikrishna (1.5) vs Francisco Vallejo Pons (1.5) WHITE WINS

Nice work by the Indian GM building steady pressure out of an English Opening.

Harikrishna,Pentala (2738) - Vallejo Pons,Francisco (2705)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Na6 [3...Bc5 4.b4 Bf8 5.Bb2 c6 6.Ne3 Bxb4 7.Bxe5 Nf6 8.g3 0–0 9.Bg2 Re8 10.Nf3 d6 11.Bb2 Nbd7 12.0–0 Ne5 1–0 (34) Aronian,L (2793) -Anand,V (2786) Leuven 2017] 

4.Nxb4 Nxb4 5.a3 Nc6 6.b4 A21: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 

6...d5 7.e3N [7.b5 Na5 8.cxd5 Qxd5 9.Rb1 Qa2 10.Rb4 Be6 11.d3 1/2–1/2 (64) Monte,E (1713)-Paiva,L (1753) Fortaleza 2012] 

7...Nf6 8.Bb2 White is slightly better. 

8...d4 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3! 11.gxf3 [11.Qxf3 is interesting. 11...0–0 12.Be2 Re8 13.0–0 Qe7 14.Bd1] 

11...0–0 12.Qc2 a5 [12...Qd6=] 

13.b5ƒ White fights for an advantage. 

13...Ne7 14.f4 dxe3 15.0–0–0 e2 16.Bxe2 exf4 17.h4 Kh8 [Black should try 17...c6 ] 

18.h5± White has strong compensation. 

18...h6 19.Rdg1! Qd6? [19...Rg8±] 

20.c5? [20.Rxg7!! Intending Rh7+ and mate. 20...Kxg7 21.Rg1+ Kh8 22.c5] 

20...Qd5+- 21.Rh4 And now Rxg7! would win. 

21...Rfe8? [21...Rg8±] 

22.Rxf4 White is clearly winning. 

22...Neg8 23.Bf3 Qe6 24.Qc3 Rad8 25.Rfg4! Qf5 Strongly threatening ...Rd3. [25...Nxg4 26.Qxg7#] 

26.Rxg7 Re1+ 27.Rxe1 Kxg7 28.Bxb7 Kf8 29.f3 Nxh5 30.Qe5 Qd7 31.Bc3 Ngf6 32.Bc6 Qe6 33.Qxe6 1–0

Hikaru Nakamura (1.5) vs Teimour Radjabov (2) WHITE WINS

Naka’s win against Radjabov’s Sicilian has helped propel Aronian into the sole lead of the tournament. But with 5 rounds still to go, a lot can still happen.

Nakamura,Hikaru (2780) - Radjabov,Teimour (2741)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0–0 Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ng6 B30: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5, lines without ...g6 

7.Be3 Be7 8.Be2 0–0 9.Nc3 [9.c4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 b6 11.Re1 Bb7 12.Nc3 Bc6 13.Bf1 Bc5 14.Qd2 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 ½–½ (32) Nepomniachtchi,I (2733)-Lenic,L (2650) Heraklio 2017] 

9...Qc7 10.f4 Nxd4N [10...a6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.e5 d6 13.exd6 Bxd6 14.Qd2 Rd8 15.Bd3 Rb8 16.b3 Qa5 17.Ne4 Qxd2 18.Bxd2 Bc7 19.Be3 ½–½ (19) Kulish,I (2280)-Shumiakina,T (2407) Moscow 1999] 

11.Qxd4 b6 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Rad1 Bc6 14.a3 Bf6 15.g3 Rac8 16.e5 Be7 17.h4 Rfd8 18.h5 Nf8 19.Ba6 Rb8 20.Qd6 Bxd6 21.exd6 Qc8 22.Bxc8 Rbxc8 23.a4 h6 24.Ra1 Ba8 25.a5 Rc6 26.Rfd1 b5 [26...bxa5= 27.Rxa5 (27.Bxa7 Ra6³) 27...a6] 

27.a6 [Of course not 27.Bxa7?! b4=] 

27...b4 28.Nb5! Rxc2 29.Rd2! Rdc8 30.Nc7! [But not 30.Nxa7?! Rc1+ 31.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 32.Kf2 Nh7=] 

30...Rxd2 31.Bxd2 Bc6 32.Be3 Nh7 33.Bxa7 Nf6 34.Bc5 Ne4 [34...Nxh5 was called for. 35.Kh2 (35.Bxb4 Nxg3 36.a7 Ne2+ 37.Kf2 Nxf4²) 35...Nf6 36.Bxb4 Nd5] 

35.Bxb4 Nxg3 36.a7 Ne2+ 37.Kh2 Nxf4 38.Ra6 Be4 39.Rb6 Nxh5 [¹39...Kh7 40.Bd2 Ne2] 

40.Rb8 Rf8 41.Bd2 Nf6 42.b4+- 1–0

Alexander Riazantsev (1.5) vs Evgeny Tomashevsky (1.5) DRAW

This uninspiring draw out of a Nimzo Indian came after the two players put in a combined thinking time of 45 minutes over their respective seventeenth moves. At least there were more interesting boards to follow during this slumber fest.

Riazantsev,Alexander (2651) - Tomashevsky,Evgeny (2702)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0–0 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5 7.Nf3 dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 9.Bg5 E36: Nimzoindisch (4.Dc2) [9.h4 Bb7 10.Bg5 Qd5 11.Rc1 Nbd7 12.Qxd5 Bxd5 13.Ne5 c5 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.f3 Rab8 0–1 (36) Kasparov,G (2812)-Aronian,L (2799) Saint Louis 2017] 

9...Ba6 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.Qc2 c5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Rd1 Rc8 14.Qd2N [14.dxc5 Qe7 15.e3 Bxf1 16.Kxf1 Qb7 1–0 (27) Landgren,A (2240)-Thorn,E (2324) Uppsala 2016] 

14...Qe7 15.h4 Nd7 16.Rh3 Kh8 17.Qh6 Rg8 18.h5 ½–½

Pavel Elanjanov (1.5) vs Dmitri Jakovenko (1.5) BLACK WINS

The last game of the day to finish, by a long way. Six and a half hours after the players blitzed through a Symmetrical English, Jakovenko reached a won rook and pawn endgame. However the Russian GM was desperately short of time and needed to hold his nerve to take the full point.

Eljanov,Pavel (2707) - Jakovenko,Dmitry (2721)

FIDE Grand Prix Palma 2017 Palma de Mallorca (4), 19.11.2017

1.c4 c5 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6 6.a3 e6 A37: Symmetrical English vs ...g6: 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 Nf3 

7.b4 [7.Rb1 Nge7 8.b4 0–0 9.0–0 b6 10.Bb2 cxb4 11.axb4 Nxb4 12.Nd4 Rb8 13.Ndb5 Nec6 14.Ba3 a6 15.Bxb4 Nxb4 16.Rxb4 axb5 17.Nxb5 1–0 (61) Kovalenko,I (2680)-Svidler,P (2751) Tallinn 2016] 

7...Nge7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Bb2 cxb4 10.axb4 Nxb4 11.Qb3 Nec6N [11...Nbc6 12.Nb5 d5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Qb2+ f6 1–0 (32) Schmittdiel,E (2470)-Khurtsilava,I (2245) Baunatal 1998] 

12.Nb5 Bxb2 13.Qxb2 a6 14.Nbd4 Rb8 15.Nxc6 Nxc6 16.Rfb1 b5 17.cxb5 Rxb5 18.Qc3 Qb6 19.Rxb5 axb5 20.Qf6 Bd7 21.Qf4 d5 22.h4 Qb8 23.Qh6 f6 24.Qe3 Ne5 [24...b4µ 25.Bh3 Qd6] 

25.Nxe5 Qxe5 26.Qxe5 fxe5 27.Ra7 Rd8 28.e3 Be8 29.Bh3 Rd6 30.Rb7 Ra6 31.d4 exd4 32.exd4 h5 33.Bf1 [33.f3= keeps the balance.] 

33...Ra1 34.Kg2 Rd1 35.Bxb5 Bf7 36.f4 Rxd4 37.Kf2 Rb4 38.Bc6 Rc4 39.Bb5 Rc3 40.Ra7 Kf8 41.Rb7 Ra3 42.Bc6 Ra6 43.Bb5 Ra8 44.Bc6 Rc8 45.Rb6 Ke7 46.Ke3 [¹46.Rb7+ Kf6 47.Rb6] 

46...Be8 47.Bxe8 Rxe8 48.Kf3 Rc8 49.Rb3 Kf6 50.Rd3 Rc5 51.g4 hxg4+ 52.Kxg4 Rc8 [52...Rc4–+ 53.Ra3 Re4] 

53.Rh3 Rh8 54.Rd3 Rd8 55.Kf3 Kf5 56.Ra3 Rc8 57.Re3 Rh8 58.Re5+ Kf6 59.Kg4 d4 60.Re2 d3 61.Rd2 Rd8 62.Kf3 Kf5 63.Ke3 Rd6 64.Kf3 Rd7 65.Ke3 Rd8 66.Kf3 Rh8 67.Rh2 d2! 68.Ke2? [68.Rxd2 Rxh4 69.Rd8 Rxf4+ 70.Ke3 Re4+ 71.Kf3] 

68...Rd8? [68...Ra8 69.Rh1 Rd8] 

69.Kd1 Kxf4 70.h5 gxh5 71.Rxh5 e5 72.Rh4+ Kf3 73.Rh3+ Kg4 74.Re3 Kf4 75.Re2 e4 76.Rf2+ Kg3 77.Re2 Kf3 78.Rh2 e3 79.Rh3+ Kf2 0–1

Chess World Cup 2017 Final Tie Breaks - Tblisi

After the four classical games of the 2017 world cup final ended in draws, the match moved into tie breaks. This brought additional pressure on Aronian. The Chinese player is higher rated in blitz, they are about equal in 10 minute rapid, while Aronian is slightly stronger at the 25 minute time control. So for Aronian it was a case of the sooner he wrapped up the match, the better his chances would be.

In the end Aronian won both 25 minute games to become the first player in history to twice win the 128 player knock out world cup.

My final comment on the 2017 world cup relates to the prize fund allocation by FIDE: The prize money in each round of the world cup has been well documented. What is less well documented is how much of the prize money the players will actually receive. Sure, every country in the world has a tax policy on the amount of tax that is deducted from the winnings of all foreign professional sports people. That is a given, across all professional sports events across the planet.

There is, however, one factor about chess that makes it completely different from every other professional sport in the way that professionals get paid. That is the FIDE “levy” or “administration fee”.  I have yet to find any other professional sport where the international federation charges a 20% levy that is to be deducted from the prize cheque of every prize winner at every major international chess event. This holds true, even for the events that are organized by FIDE and where FIDE puts up and pays the prize money.

So, in the case of Aronian’s 120.000 euro first prize from FIDE, 24.000 euros was deducted by FIDE. So, in effect Aronian will receive 96.000 euros less whatever tax Georgia will levy on 120.000 euros.

This has become especially critical for those players eliminated from the first round of the tournament. Their budget for the tournament was built around the guaranteed 6.000 euros of prize money for those eliminated in round 1. However, FIDE took a 1.200 euro levy from each of those players and after the tax on 6.000 euros has been paid the foreign players will likely be left with less than 4.000. That would need to cover flights, visas, hotel, taxis and meals for the player, their assistant, and any other support staff.

My conclusion here is that there is something out of alignment when close to 64 of the chess professionals who competed in the FIDE World Cup 2017 will be hard pressed to cover their out of pocket expenses to be able to compete in an event that has put FIDE in the media spotlight for many diverse reasons. While at the same time FIDE as the organizer will bank more than double the first place prize cheque in levy deductions from all the players in the tournament.

Aronian,Levon (2802) - Ding,Liren (2771)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.5), 27.09.2017

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qb3 Nd7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Qf4 10.Bd3 e5 D43: Semi-Slav: 5 Bg5 h6 

11.0–0 [11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.0–0 Be7 14.Rfe1 0–0 15.Ng3 Qc7 16.Bf5 Bf6 17.Rad1 Bxf5 18.Nxf5 0–1 (47) Belov,V (2614)-Anand,V (2803) Berlin 2015] 

11...Be7 12.Rae1 Ng3 is the strong threat. 

12...exd4! The position is equal. 

13.Bb1 0–0 14.Ng3

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14...Bd8N [14...Nc5 15.Qa3 Qc7 16.Nxd4 Rd8 17.Ndf5 Bxf5 18.Nxf5 1/2–1/2 (29) Ivanisevic,I (2588)-Schenk,A (2495) Gonfreville 2006] 

15.Qd3 g6! 16.h4 Nf6 17.h5 White has compensation. 

17...g5 18.Ne5ƒ White is more active. 

18...Ba5 [18...Kh8²] 

19.Ng6 Qd2 aiming for ...Qxd3. 

20.Ne7+! Kg7 Hoping for ...Qxd3. 

21.Qb3 Qf4 [21...d3±] 

22.Rd1? [22.Ngf5+!+- Kh8 23.Rd1] 

22...Bb6 [22...c5²] 

23.Ngf5+ Bxf5 24.Nxf5+ Kh8

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25.g3! Qg4 26.Nxh6 Qxh5? 

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[26...Qe6 27.Rfe1 Ne4] 
27.Kg2!+- White is clearly winning. 
27...d3 [¹27...Qxh6 28.Rh1 Qxh1+ 29.Rxh1+ Kg7] 
28.Qc3 Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg6 30.Rh1 Precision: White = 70%, Black = 28%. 1–0

Ding,Liren (2771) - Aronian,Levon (2802)

FIDE World Cup 2017 Tbilisi (7.6), 27.09.2017

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4) [6.Bg5 0–0 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qb3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Bd3 c6 12.Bxf5 Qxf5 13.Qb3 Qc8 14.0–0 Nd7 15.Rfe1 1/2–1/2 (60) Nakamura,H (2785)-Aronian,L (2793) Stavanger 2017] 

6...c6 7.e3 Bf5 8.Be2 White has an edge. 

8...0–0 9.0–0

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9...Be7N [9...Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Nh4 Be6 12.Nf3 Bf5 13.Nh4 Be6 14.Nf3 Bf5 15.Nh4 1/2–1/2 (15) Erdos,V (2585)-Parligras,M (2599) Novi Sad 2016] 

10.Nh4 Bg6 11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.Qb3 Qb6 13.Qc2 a5 14.g4 Nbd7 15.g5 Ne8 16.e4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Qd8 18.h4 Nb6 19.Be5 Nd5 20.Bg4 Kh8 [20...Nd6=] 

21.Rae1± Nef6 [¹21...Bb4] 

22.gxf6 gxf6

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23.Bh2 [23.Qd2± White threatens Qh6+ and mate. 23...Kh7 24.Bg3] 

23...f5² 24.Bxf5 gxf5 25.Qd1 Rg8+ [25...fxe4 26.Qh5+ Kg7 27.Kh1+-] 

26.Kh1 [26.Ng3= Rg4 27.Kh1 Rxh4 28.Nxf5] 

26...Rg4µ 27.Ng3 Rxh4

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...Bd6 is the strong threat. 
28.Nxf5 Rh7 Strongly threatening ...Bd6. 
29.Nxe7 

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Threatens to win with Qf3. 
29...Nxe7 [Black should play 29...Qd6!µ 30.f4 (30.Re5? Qh6–+) 30...Nxe7] 
30.Re5³ 

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30...Nf5!‚ ( -> ...Qh4). White needs to defend precisely. 
31.Rfe1? [Avoid the trap 31.Rxf5? Qh4–+; 31.Qg4³ Qh4 32.Qxh4 Nxh4 33.Re3] 
31...Qh4–+ Black is clearly winning. 
32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rg1+ Kf6 Precision: White = 40%, Black = 64%. 0-1