Candidates Tournament 2018 Archives - Chessentials https://chessentials.com/category/chess-events/candidates-tournament-2018/ Chess blog about chess tactics, chess games and chess books Tue, 29 Jan 2019 22:28:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://chessentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/cropped-vjeks2-2-1-32x32.png Candidates Tournament 2018 Archives - Chessentials https://chessentials.com/category/chess-events/candidates-tournament-2018/ 32 32 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Round 14 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-round-14/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-round-14/#respond Thu, 29 Mar 2018 16:49:53 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3188 In the end, there can be only one Aaaaaand, just like that the Candidates Tournament 2018 is over. 14 gruelling rounds have passed in a blink of an eye. The players have presented some marvellous,...

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]]> In the end, there can be only one

Aaaaaand, just like that the Candidates Tournament 2018 is over. 14 gruelling rounds have passed in a blink of an eye. The players have presented some marvellous, fighting chess, the games were fascinating and interesting, but unfortunately, in the end, there can be only one winner.

In the previous round report, we have speculated about the numerous possibilities and calculating who has the best tiebreaks. In the end, the reality was much simpler – the fabulous Fab ended a tournament in spectacular fashion – outplaying his opponent with the Black pieces, declining a draw offer at the moment when a draw would have been sufficient for the first place and winning the crucial game in the end.

Despite the serious setback in round 12, Caruana displayed strong nerves and ended the tournament on a high note. With the two wins in last two rounds, he got the first place quite deservingly; throughout the tournament, he did display the best chess overall.

Round report and game analysis follow.

Round 14

Aronian, Levon – So, Wesley

The game between players who probably couldn’t wait for the tournament to finish took an expected course. After only 17 moves, they decided to call it a day. So ended with ‘only’ minus one in the end, but Aronian’s 4.5/14 is definitely one of the worst results of his career.

If not THE worst.

Karjakin, Sergey – Ding, Liren

Apart from the afore-mentioned Aronian-So ‘non’ game, the remaining encounters were highly significant. Karjakin, playing the White pieces, gained optically slightly more pleasant position, but probably underestimated Ding’s counterplay on the kingside. After a crude blunder on move 27 (noticed by Caruana), he was lucky he was able to create a fortress. In the end, he managed to salvage a draw.

Kramnik, Vladimir – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar

Although Kramnik claimed after the game he felt responsibility heading into this game, he stuck to his style in this tournament and played another fighting game. In the Catalan with 7 Ne5, Mamedyarov played the rare and risky 7… Qd6 and Kramnik soon sacrificed a pawn. A tense and exciting battle ensued, during which Kramnik maintained the compensation for a pawn and kept posing Mamedyarov some problems. On move 30, Mamedyarov committed a serious mistake, but Kramnik didn’t exploit it and allowed Black to execute a very attractive combination leading to unbalanced, but equal endgame.

It is important to note that, Caruana, due to his own time trouble, wasn’t able to see what is happening and had to keep playing. Alas, in the end, a clearly drawn position was reached and Mamedyarov had to relinquish his hopes of challenging the World Champion. This game also finished while Caruana’s game was still at progress, so at this moment, Caruana knew he ‘only’ had to draw to win the tournament.

Grischuk, Alexander – Caruana, Fabiano

This game is probably the game of Caruana’s career so far. Let’s jump to the analysis straight away:

The aftermath

As in almost every Candidates Tournament, there were winners and there were losers. To conclude our coverage, we would like to take a moment and reflect on the performance of each and every participant.

The Winners

Fabiano Caruana

Considering everyone is interested in only the first place, the only objective winner is Fabiano Caruana. He displayed the best chess in the tournament, he didn’t crack under the tension and ended with an impressive +4 score (+5-1=8). He can definitely be happy with his performance and result and we can only look forward to his match against Magnus Carlsen in November.

In all probability, it will be much more fighting and entertaining than the last match against Karjakin. 

Sergey Karjakin

Due to the fact he hasn’t been in sparkling form recently, hardly anyone considered Karjakin as a serious contender this time. Moreover, in the first half of the tournament, he lost two games with the White pieces and it seemed history wouldn’t repeat itself.

However, Karjakin once again displayed tremendous character traits and kept on fighting. And once again he had a strong second half of the tournament – with the 5/7 score he kept himself in contention until the very last round. Alas, this time it was not meant to be, but he was once again very close. I think he can be satisfied with his performance. Moreover, he is still young enough not to give up on his dream of becoming the World Champion.

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Very recently, Mamedyarov has managed to raise the level of his play quite significantly. According to one interview, it had something to do with the fact he got married and stopped drinking (what do you know?).

In any case, he maintained his good form throughout the tournament. He did reach a couple of unpleasant endgames early in the tournament, but he was never in danger of losing. He was a contender until the very last round and displayed why many people considered him as one of the favourites.

For something more, it would appear he once again lacked a bit of solidity. In the crucial 12th round game against Ding, he overpressed and got punished for it. True, the same approach brought him a win in the next round against Grischuk, but in the end, it was not enough.

To be completely honest, I think he was unlucky in a sense that he played very good, but certain Fab played even better. But this was probably not the last Candidates tournament of his life.

Liren Ding

An unknown factor before the tournament proved his reputation of a ‘dark horse’. Ding displayed amazing stability and solidity and proved he is incredibly hard to beat when he is in form. He was kind of Giri of this tournament – he drew games with ease but failed to exploit a number of chances he had during the tournament.

He even retained some theoretical chances until the very end, but they were too slight. Still, definitely not a ‘bad’ performance, especially considering this was his first tournament of such a calibre.

The Inbetweeners

Vladimir Kramnik

It is very hard to assess Kramnik’s performance in this tournament. On one side, he played the most entertaining chess and gained a number of great wins. On the other hand, he lacked stability and safety; he played in a way one would expect from Mamedyarov or Aronian. In the end, his score also wasn’t quite brilliant (+3-4=9), but I think the score doesn’t reflect the course of the tournament quite truthfully. I think his play was kinda better than that (but I may be biased since I rooted for Kramnik from the start).

Because after his early lead, the game against the ultimate winner Caruana proved to be some sort of a turning point. Had he won that game (and he had definite chances) the whole tournament would have probably gone completely differently. After this loss, Kramnik suffered another one in the next one and entered a rollercoaster. Had he maintained his composure a bit, he would have probably utilized multiple chances he had later in the tournament.

One thing is certain, though.

For a Wild Card, he did indeed play very Wild.

Alexander Grischuk

To be completely honest, I wasn’t quite certain where to include Grischuk; I wouldn’t have probably made a mistake even if I put him among the losers. Still, considering he definitely isn’t the strongest player in the tournament and that he still has constant clock issues, his overall result is probably expected – not too terrible, not too brilliant.

On the other hand, his brilliant press conferences have won the hearts of chess fans all over the world… and probably also Anastasia Karlovich’s.. So from that standpoint, he might be the winner.

Slikovni rezultat za grischuk anastasia karlovich

The Losers

Wesley So

The most obvious category of them all. After his terrible start (2 losses in 2 rounds), Wesley’s tournament virtually ended. It seems like during the remaining 10 rounds, he decided to cut his losses and opted for safety first. In the end, he lost another game and managed to score a consolation goal against an even bigger loser – the pre-tournament and fan favourite Levon Aronian.

Levon Aronian

I think everything has been said about the performance of the Armenian superstar. 4.5/14, completely unrecognizable play, bad handling of tactical positions which are usually his forte. It seems that once again Aronian was let down by his nerves. The most disappointing fact for his fans – he doesn’t get any younger.

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]]> https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-round-14/feed/ 0 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Rounds 12 and 13 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-12-13/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-12-13/#respond Mon, 26 Mar 2018 20:00:09 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3178 Drama at its peak as Caruana loses and wins to take the lead Dramatic final round is not something new for the modern Candidates tournament. In 2013, Carlsen lost with White pieces to Svidler and...

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]]> Drama at its peak as Caruana loses and wins to take the lead

Dramatic final round is not something new for the modern Candidates tournament. In 2013, Carlsen lost with White pieces to Svidler and then won the first place only due to Kramnik’s loss to Ivanchuk. In 2016, Karjakin won against Caruana in the decisive game of the last round with the help of a rook sacrifice. This time, everything remains open, as after rounds 12 and 13, Caruana leads with half a point ahead of Karjakin and Mamedyarov.

In the last round, Karjakin is White against Ding Liren, while Caruana and Mamedyarov are Black against Grischuk and Kramnik, respectively. Multiple scenarios are possible:

  • If Caruana wins with Black against Grischuk he wins the tournament, no matter what Shak and Sergey do (this one is kinda obvious)
  • If all three players draw, Caruana wins (I guess this also isn’t quite surprising)
  • If Caruana and Mamedyarov draw and Karjakin wins, Karjakin is the tournament winner due to the better H2H score against Caruana
  • If Caruana draws and Karjakin and Mamedyarov win, Mamedyarov is the tournament winner due to the 3-way H2H score
  • If Caruana and Karjakin draw and Mamedyarov wins, Mamedyarov is once again the winner due to the better Sonnen-Berger score (more wins) than Karjakin

I can’t wait for the last round to start, but first, let us take a look at the games of the 12th and 13th round. Round report and game analysis follow.

Round 12

Grischuk, Alexander – Aronian, Levon

Grischuk tried very hard to breach Aronian’s Ruy Lopez in yet another Anti-Marshall game, but after one inaccuracy in the early stage, he never got the opportunity to claim some real advantage.

Kramnik, Vladimir – So, Wesley

Another fighting game by Kramnik and another encounter in which he came close to victory. In the ‘Botvinnik’s line of the Queen’s Gambit with g4, he sacrificed a piece on move 17 for two pawns. However, the compensation consisted of three passed pawns on the kingside, which, supported by the pieces, proved to be very dangerous. However, So defended stubbornly and at the critical moment, Kramnik allowed him to liquidate into an equal endgame. Big Vlad was surely not happy about yet another slip, but in the end, he had to satisfy himself with a draw.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Ding, Liren

In this game, Ding took the Tarrasch Defence Deferred baton from Kramnik. However, his handling of the position was just as masterful and he equalized with ease. Mamedyarov kept playing for the win and advances his g-pawn, but he might have overestimated his position. Ding started advancing his a and b pawn duo and in the end, took over quite easily and scored a great win.

Karjakin, Sergey – Caruana, Fabiano

The replay of the last round of the afore-mentioned 2016 Candidates tournament and once again a fantastic victory by Karjakin:

Round 13

So, Wesley – Karjakin, Sergey

So allowed the Nimzo – Indian and went for the Qc2 line. Karjakin surprised him with the rare 6 … Ne4!? and followed it up with the unorthodox Qf5. In the ensuing endgame, he had zero problems and a draw was quickly agreed.

Ding, Liren – Kramnik, Vladimir

Another exciting encounter and another missed opportunity for Kramnik. In reply to Ding’s English, he defended with the double fianchetto. After Ding advanced his d-pawn, some weird Hedgehog structure was reached. Ding kept advancing his pawns, but Kramnik did the same with his g and f pawn and gained the initiative. In the subsequent complications, he won two pieces for the rook and was definitely winning. Yet, once again, he failed to convert his advantage, and the end he allowed Ding to escape. Alas, due to the other results, this draw dashed Ding’s hopes of winning the tournament.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Grischuk, alexander

After his loss yesterday, Mamedyarov found himself in even worse position than Caruana. Moreover, after the opening, it seemed everything is over since very quickly an equal and symmetrical endgame was reached. However, in the manner of Carlsen, Mamedyarov continued creating some difficulties for his opponent. In the end, he was rewarded when Grischuk blundered in his customary time trouble, allowing a fantastic finish in which White’s light squared bishop on his own prevented two Black Queens from checking the White king.

Caruana, Fabiano – Aronian, Levon

After his loss in the previous round, Caruana found himself in unfavourable position, since his H2H score against Karjakin is not in his favour. Alas, he was kinda lucky because he immediately got to play out-of-form Aronian with the White pieces. Caruana repeated Grischuk’s opening from the previous round and Aronian was the first to deviate. In the complicated battle, Aronian’s bad form had its tell as he failed to find a tactical resource and lost inglumiously. With this fantastic win, Caruana once again took the lead and improved his chances.

Still, everything is possible in the last round.

Game analysis:

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]]> https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-12-13/feed/ 0 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Rounds 10 and 11 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-10-11/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-10-11/#respond Sat, 24 Mar 2018 11:50:38 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3165 Situation at the top unchanged, Karjakin approaches the leaders “Nothing new under the sun” would be the best description of the events that happened in rounds 10 and 11 of the Candidates Tournament 2018. Aronian’s...

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]]> Situation at the top unchanged, Karjakin approaches the leaders

“Nothing new under the sun” would be the best description of the events that happened in rounds 10 and 11 of the Candidates Tournament 2018. Aronian’s nightmare tournament continues with the two losses, plenty of exciting games that ended in draws (including an incredible miss by Mr. Ding in round 11)  the clash of the leaders in round 10 that had zero effect on the standings whatsoever and Sergey Karjakin once again having a strong 2nd half of the tournament.

Rounds 10 and 11 report follows.

ROUND 10

Ding, Liren – So, Wesley

For the first time in the tournament, we have seen the Queen’s Gambit Declined with 5 Bf4. So went for a sharp variation with the sacrifice of the c7 pawn. This was compensated with the white kin on f1 which blocked the rook on h1 from entering the game. So managed to mobilize his forces and to strike in the centre with the timely e5 advance. Ding opted for safety, decided to give up his h-pawn and very soon a draw was agreed.

Grischuk, Alexander – Karjakin, Sergey

Another Catalan in this tournament, another symmetrical position, another boring game.

Kramnik, Vladimir – Levon, Aronian

The battle between two pre-tournament favourites and the players at the bottom of the standings was arguably the most interesting game of the round. Kramnik opted for something ‘positional’ and played the four knights with Bc4. However, Aronian avoided the ‘drawish’ Be6 continuation and preferred to sharpen the struggle and to advance his queenside pawns instead.

Around move 25 chaos reigned on the board. The players were exchanging direct blows, but according to the engine, the game remained in the waters of dynamic equilibrium. Alas, on move 36, Aronian overlooked a mating threat and made a fatal blunder which allowed Kramnik to score a memorable win.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Caruana, Fabiano

Although the afore-mentioned Kramnik – Aronian encounter was arguably more entertaining, the game between Shakh and Caruana was definitely more significant from the competitive point of view. We have therefore chosen the clash of the leaders as the game of the round.

Game analysis:

ROUND 11

So, Wesley – Mamedydarov, Shakhriyar

Yet another Catalan in this tournament (is it a Candidates Tournament or a Catalan Tournament heh heh… heh…. heh?). Once again we saw a new line – Shark decided to expand on the queenside with 7… c6 and 8… b5. The game had the potential to become very interesting, but on move 13, So choose the timid Be3, which inevitably led to the familiar symmetrical pawn structure.

Exchanges followed, opposite coloured bishops remained, a draw was agreed.

Caruana, Fabiano – Kramnik, Vladimir

After being confronted with the deadly advance of the h-pawn in his previous Black game, Kramnik was the first to surprise Caruana this time by playing 3… c6 instead of 3… Nd5. Then, he sprung a further surprise in the gambit variation, instead of the topical Bb4+, he played the immediate c5. Caruana was unable to find the sneaky Ne2 after taking on c5 and had to admit the endgame is equal.

However, in contrast to their previous ‘equal endgame’ in round four, which led to fireworks and Kramnik’s defeat, this time the equality was maintained throughout the game and the draw was a fair result.

Aronian, Levon – Karjakin, Sergey

It seems like Aronian is simply waiting for the tournament to finish. He is definitely unable to play normal chess any more.

In the very same line of the Catalan featured in So-Mamedyarov game, he chose a different continuation and the game was much more imbalanced with the doubled e-pawns for White. Karjakin diffused White’s activity rather effectively and an equal middlegame position was reached. Aronian kept on playing and then suddenly blundered his a-pawn for no good reason, which gave Karjakin a decisive advantage. Once he grabbed it, he didn’t relinquish it for the rest of the game and in the end came home sailing with the full point, which makes him a real contender now, since he faces Caruana as White in the next round.

Ding, Liren – Grischuk, Alexander

In the previous Candidates Tournament, Anish Giri drew all 14 games, despite having a number of promising/won positions. So far, Ding Liren is very close to repeating that feat. Today he almost ruined the streak by winning in beautiful style against Grischuk. However, in his customary time trouble, Grischuk found some extraordinary defensive resources and managed to confuse his Chinese opponent.

Game analysis:

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]]> https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-10-11/feed/ 0 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Rounds 8 and 9 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-8-9/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-8-9/#respond Wed, 21 Mar 2018 18:29:06 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3157 Kramnik’s downfall I will admit, christening rounds 6 and 7 as Aronian’s downfall was slightly overstretched – after all, Levon never really got the tournament going in the first place. On the other hand, rounds...

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]]> Kramnik’s downfall

I will admit, christening rounds 6 and 7 as Aronian’s downfall was slightly overstretched – after all, Levon never really got the tournament going in the first place. On the other hand, rounds 8 and 9 were definitely the final nail in Kramnik’s coffin in this tournament, which is slowly becoming a nightmare. In contrast to Aronian, Kramnik did start the tournament strongly and was even leading after mere three rounds – thus it is much more appropriate to use the term ‘downfall’.

Rounds 8 and 9 report and game analysis follow.

Round 8

Ding, Liren – Aronian, Levon

In the previous Candidates tournament, Anish Giri scored 14 draws. It seems like Liren Ding is very close to doing the same. Moreover, similarly like Anish, in a number of games, he managed to gain some chances.

The game against the struggling Levon was a good example. After very nice tactical escapades, Ding reached a very promising endgame position where he was a pawn up (although a doubled one). However, just like Anish, in critical moments he lacked ‘that little something’, that ‘killer instinct’ and allowed Aronian to reach the safe heaven of a draw without much difficulty.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Karjakin, Sergey

The games between these two friends are somehow rarely entertaining and fighting. This one was no exception. The quiet Catalan quickly led to massive exchanged and a draw was agreed as early as move 31.

So, Wesley – Caruana, Fabiano

Just like Kramnik in round four, Wesley ventured to play Qe2 against Fabiano’s Petroff. Once again Fabiano had no problems whatsoever and once again he gained the initiative. Wesley’s knights seemed to be in serious trouble, but he found the accurate a4! move and followed it up with an exchange sacrifice. Black’s position looked threatening, but White managed to simplify the position just in time. The draw was a fair result!

Grischuk, Alexander – Kramnik, Vladimir

The only decisive game of the round that followed a similar pattern as earlier Kramnik’s games. In an objectively drawn position, he refused several direct continuations and continued playing. This risky strategy backfired, as he slowly created more and more problems for himself. In the end, he blundered in a difficult position and Grischuk gained an unexpected gift.

Game analysis:

Round 9

Aronian, Levon – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar

For the second time in the two rounds, Mamedyarov was forced to play an endgame, a stage of the game which, by his own admission, is not his forte. Aronian gained some practical chances, but then blundered his e-pawn inexplicably and had to reconcile himself with a draw.

So, Wesley -Grischuk, Alexander

Another non-game in the tournament. Berlin, Re1, symmetry, exchange – exchange – exchange, draw.

YAAAAAAAWN!

Karjakin, Sergey – Kramnik, Vladimir

For some reason, Karjakin with the White pieces has always been a difficult opponent for Kramnik. Considering the tournament situation and Kramnik’s emotional state, a decisive game could have been expected.

And indeed, in reply to Kramnik’s customary Semi-Tarrasch, Karjakin bravely pushed ‘Harry the h-pawn’ on move 8 and Kramnik responded with a nervous push of his own f-pawn. Very soon, he sacrificed a full rook and gained serious compensation. Karjakin, living up to his reputation, found some wonderful defensive moves (most notably a timely Be1) and in the end diffused Kramnik’s attack.

Caruana, Fabiano – Ding, Liren

Another ‘quiet’ Catalan very quickly led to an explosive continuation, after which Caruana obtained a very fabourable endgame. He meticulously accumulated small advantages, but when he was close to reaping the rewards of his instructive play, he couldn’t deliver the knock-out blow.

Nevertheless, we have decided to choose this game as the game of the round, as it was, according to our opinion, even more beautiful and much more instructive than the tactical Karjakin – Kramnik encounter.

And also, less likely to be analyzed over and over:

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]]> https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-8-9/feed/ 0 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Rounds 6 and 7 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-6-7/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-6-7/#respond Sun, 18 Mar 2018 21:54:06 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3151 Aronian’s downfall Although the Candidates tournament 2018 hasn’t started very well for Levon Aronian, after 5 rounds his fans still retained some hopes of him performing well. Alas, after the next two rounds, not even...

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]]> Aronian’s downfall

Although the Candidates tournament 2018 hasn’t started very well for Levon Aronian, after 5 rounds his fans still retained some hopes of him performing well. Alas, after the next two rounds, not even his staunch supporters believe in his chances of winning the tournament.

Caruana and Mamedyarov have, on the other hand, retained their composure and consistency and broken away from the rest of the participants. Caruana is currently leading with 5/7 and Mamedyarov is just half a point behind.

Round report and game analysis follow.

Round 6

Caruana, Fabiano – Grischuk,Alexander

For the second time in the tournament, Grischuk opened the game with a Benoni. In contrast to his game with Aronian in the previous round, this time it worked much more efficiently. He displayed some wonderful Benoni ideas (such as Bb5, b5, Rb4, Nh5). True, Caruana also played well and even gained some slight advantage. However, in the end, in a position where he was a pawn up, he opted for safety first and managed to

Ding, Liren – Karjakin, Sergey

The only non-game of the round. A 18-move draw. Not much to comment on here.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – Kramnik, Vladimir

For the second time in a row, Kramnik defended with the Semi-Tarrasch with Nxd5. Once again he reached slightly better endgame position and even refused the repetition in the process. Alas, just like many times before, in his ambition he overstepped the mark. Mamedyarov didn’t need to be asked twice

So,Wesley – Aronian, Levon

The first very good game in the tournament by Wesley So. Unfortunately for Armenian fans, it had to happen at Aronian’s expense. A brilliant preparation followed by better handling of a complicated middlegame position and a fine technique in the end.

Game analysis:

Round 7

Kramnik, Vladimir – Ding, Liren

After essaying 1 e4 in two of his previous White games, Kramnik switched to 1 c4 in this game. The players played some sort of Anti-King Indian with an early b3 by White. Ding played well, stroke the White center and won a queen for a knight and a rook in the process. Alas, one unfortunate, hasty exchange on d4 gave up Black’s whole advantage and after some adventures, the game ended in a draw.

Grischuk, Alexander – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar

The players managed to beat Ding’s and Karjakin’s record from the previous round. The game was drawn after only 16 moves.

Karjakin, Sergey – So, Wesley

After small ray of hope and his win in the previous round, in round 7 So continued his nightmare. In a slightly unpleasant, but objectively equal endgame, he committed a critical blunder (Ke8?) and then inexplicably decided to give up his knight on move 37. Three moves later, he was forced to throw in the towel.

Aronian, Levon – Caruana, Fabiano

Once again, Aronian failed to cope with his nerves. Already in the opening, he went for an objectively incorrect, but practically dangerous attack. Caruana defended very well, but gave Aronian a couple of chances to force the draw, which the latter couldn’t find (or refused to play). In the end, he overstepped the mark and was forced to resign.

Game analysis:

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]]> https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-6-7/feed/ 0 Candidates Tournament 2018 – Rounds 4 and 5 https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-4-and-5/ https://chessentials.com/candidates-tournament-2018-rounds-4-and-5/#respond Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:59:32 +0000 https://chessentials.com/?p=3118 ALEXANDER GRISCHUK – THE MAN OF THE HOUR Rounds 4 and 5 of the Candidates Tournament 2018 have just finished and they have left the spectators with mixed feelings. Whereas round 4 continued where round 3 has...

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]]> ALEXANDER GRISCHUK – THE MAN OF THE HOUR

Rounds 4 and 5 of the Candidates Tournament 2018 have just finished and they have left the spectators with mixed feelings. Whereas round 4 continued where round 3 has left us, round 5 was the cold shower. Considering that the aftertaste of the 5th round is still very much present, we have decided to proclaim Alexander Grischuk as the hero of these two rounds, as he played two extremely interesting and fighting games.

Report and game analysis follows.

Round 4

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar – So, Wesley

The only non-game of the round. Shakh once again went for the Qc2 Nimzo Indian and once again, just like in round two, failed to set his opponent some real problems. A draw was quickly agreed.

Kramnik, Vladimir – Caruana, Fabiano

After his brilliant performance in round three, Kramnik quickly became the tournament favourite number one. However, already after the game against Caruana, this status was shaken – such is the competition and cost of a lost game in the Candidates.

In the opening, Kramnik played Boris Spassky’s favourite Qe2 move against the Petroff. In the queenless middlegame, he played to riskily, and Caruana gained an appreciative advantage. Kramnik was forced to sacrifice a piece and a fascinating ending appeared in which he had four connected passed pawns on the queenside, but Caruana had his trumps on the kingside. In complications, Kramnik was the last to make a mistake.

Kramnik_lost
Kramnik immediately after the game. As Kasparov once said: “Chess is a mental torture”

Karjakin Sergey – Aronian, Levon

After his terrible defeat the day before, Aronian quickly bounced back by doing the same to Karjakin. Sergey simply mixed the lines of a sharp Vienna and was virtually lost after 16 moves.

Grischuk, Alexander – Ding, Liren

A mind-boggling encounter in which Grischuk went for his favourite Anti-Moscow Gambit. He repeated a knight sacrifice played by Topalov back in 2008 in his game against Kramnik at Corus Chess Tournament.

Analysis can describe better than words what an encounter that was.

Round 5

Ding, Liren – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar

Quiet Catalan, quickly resolving to a draw.

NEXT, PLEASE!

Caruana, Fabiano – Karjakin, Sergey

A different version of Catalan, draw all the same.

NEXT, PLEASE!

So, Wesley – Kramnik, Vladimir

Kramnik defended with his customary Nxd5 against the Queen’s gambit and So was unable to create anything tangible. In the end, Kramnik was even slightly pressing, but in the end, the game ended peacefully.

Aronian, Levon – Grischuk, Alexander

Alexander Grischuk was the hero of the round. With yet another unorthodox opening (Benoni) he created a fighting position. True, he was risking quite a lot and was most objectively losing, but what a game nevertheless, what richness in variations, what a beautiful queen sacrifice hidden in the forest of the variations.

Make sure you check the press conference after the game – Grischuk’s reactions are priceless:

Our analysis of the game:

 

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