Round-5 of the Tal Memorial 2016, was played on Saturday 1st October. It saw only one decisive game, at the expense of poor Boris Gelfand, who dropped his fourth point in as many games. His beneficiary in this round was Viswanathan Anand, who was lagging behind a point and a half off the lead and so needed the point. With Anand playing White, the game was a Sicilian and followed a line that Gelfand had debated twice (also as Black) against Ernesto Inarkiev during their exhibition match in July of this year. With one win and a draw from these games, Boris would not have been feeling too nervous, surely. And this was exactly what he needed after a few bad games in this tournament.
It seemed that Anand was more than ready, however, his 15.Ne4 varied from Gelfand’s known territory. From here, nice sensible development gave the Indian a good stance, and this was aided by Gelfand somewhat. His 25…Bxh4 was perhaps a little too complicit with White’s wishes (the courageous 25…Rxd5 seems to have been more challenging) and Anand was able to obtain a very secure position. Then, Gelfand allowed the capture of his c-pawn in return for placing his rook along the d-file, but this seems to have been misguided and gave Anand a big edge and very simple way forward. A nice sacrifice of bishop for two pawns left Anand with 3 passers on the Queenside, and no counterplay for his opponent. Gelfand tried to fight, but in truth, he just did not have the resources and could only hope for a mistake. It did not arrive, Anand was impeccable and secured the point very nicely.
The other games were drawn, but goodness lordy did Levon Aronian and Vladimir Kramnik have a good go at each other. Their English Opening lasted 83 moves — is it me or does this tournament appear to be the event of the eighty-plussers? The game was mainly a tetchy maneuvering affair, with the players jostling for position, but it spiced up when Black was saddled with an isolated pawn which ultimately could not be held on to. White found himself a pawn up, with an edge and relatively safe. Unfortunately for Aronian, Kramnik defended extremely accurately and he just could not make progress. Even when Black gave his rook in order to get rid of White’s advanced passed pawn, there was nothing possible and the position was a technical draw.
Another lengthy game, was leader Anish Giri against Ian Nepomniachtchi, which lasted 67 moves before the players divided the spoils. It was a Grunfeld Defence, which went quite away in before it left known territory. Giri, playing White in a Grunfeld, was able to secure himself an extra pawn, but unfortunately it was on the wing. Black was able to bust open the Kingside and White just was not able to leave it in order to push his passer on the Queenside. Nepomniatchi had more than enough up his sleeve in order to create problems and this saved him.
Peter Svidler adopted the King’s Indian against Shakhryar Mamedyarov and did quite well out of it. White took up a bind on the Kingside, but Black was able to generate nice play on the Queenside and obtain the bishop pair. Though White seemed to have his pieces on good squares, he didn’t seem to have a very active plan and this allowed Black to make some exchanges and alleviate the Azerbaijani’s grip on the position. Black will no doubt have been the happier of the two. The position became a little fixed to where neither player could do anything, but Black used his activity along the a-file in order to make some exchanges and generate some play in the position. After these exchanges, Svidler was left with a rather nice passed pawn, but unfortunately for him Mamedyarov had this taken care of and there was nothing left in the position. Li Chao and Evgeny Tomashevsky got in to a rather dull Nimzo-Indian, in which neither player looked like getting up to anything and this was drawn in 41.
The only player to improve his position, then, was Viswanathan Anand, while Boris Gelfand was left in the doldrums. For him, the tournament was now becoming about respectability and stopping his losing streak. Anish Giri remains in the lead by a half point.
Standings after 5 Rounds:
- Giri — 4
- Nepomniachtchi — 3½
- Anand, Li — 3
- Kramnik, Aronian, Mamedyarov — 2½
- Svidler — 2
- Tomashevsky — 1½
- Gelfand — ½
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.10.01”]
[Round “5.1”]
[White “Anand, Viswanathan”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1-0”]
[BlackElo “2743”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “B31”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Nimzovich-Rossolimo attack (with …g6, without …d6)”]
[WhiteElo “2776”]
[WhiteFideId “5000017”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. } 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.O-O Bg7 6.Re1 Nh6 7.c3 O-O 8.h3 d5 9.d3 c4 10.dxc4 dxe4 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.Rxe4 e5 { Following a line that Gelfand had played twice, also with Black, against Ernesto Inarkiev, in their exhibition match, July 2016, with one win and one draw. Unfortunately that record would suffer in this game. } 13.Re1 f6 14.Nbd2 Nf7 15.Ne4 { A new try. Inarkiev had opted for Nb3 here. Anand’s move is much more centralised and active. } 15…f5 { This would not have been a great surprise, Ne4 practically begged for this move. } 16.Neg5 { Nc5 was also viable, but I suppose it made little sense having rejected 15.Nb3. } 16…e4 17.Nxf7 Kxf7 18.Bg5 { Nice, quick, logical development from the former World Champion. } 18…Rd3 19.Nd4 Ba6 ( 19…Bxd4 { seems to have little point to it if Black wants a point, which he badly needs. } 20.cxd4 Be6 ( 20…Rxd4 21.f3 Rxc4 22.b3 Rd4 23.fxe4 Rxe4 24.Rxe4 fxe4 { is round-about equal and probably heading to a draw even with the opposite coloured bishops. } ) 21.b3 { = } ) 20.b3 c5 { …Rxc3 Nxc6 is nicely active for White. } 21.Ne2 h6 22.Be3 Rc8 23.h4 Bf6 24.Nf4 Rdd8 { Again, …Rxc3 would result in nice activity for White after Rad1. } ( 24…Rxc3 25.Rad1 ) 25.Nd5 Bxh4 { This is probably a bit to complicit. Black could have grasped the bull by the horns, here, with …Rxd5. } ( 25…Rxd5 26.cxd5 Bxc3 27.Bxh6 Rd8 28.Bg5 Rd7 { …Rxd5 would be mistaken and allow Rad1, when White preserves his rook advantage. } 29.d6 Bxe1 30.Rxe1 Rxd6 { is about equal. } ) 26.Bxh6 { with the slightest of edges, but an edge none the less. } 26…Bb7 27.g3 Bf6 28.Nxf6 Kxf6 29.Be3 { The plan for White is simple from here — Kf1 and Ke2, which should achieve him the d-file due to the c5-pawn, which is a bit of a liability due to the lack of defenders. } 29…Rd3 30.Kf1 g5 31.Ke2 Rxc3 { Black may as well do this now, due to the vulnerability of his c-pawn. } 32.Rac1 Rxc1 33.Rxc1 Rd8 { Misguided. Black was probably thinking that the commitment of leaving his rook on the c-file in order to preserve his pawn was not a nice prospect, so lets it go in return for placing his rook along the open d-file. However, this allows White a clear majority on the Queenside. } 34.Bxc5 f4 { ? This is a bad mistake, allowing White to pick up a pawn for nothing. I can only put this down to a loss of concentration. } 35.gxf4 gxf4 36.Bxa7 e3 37.Bxe3 fxe3 38.Kxe3 { This is a very powerful stance for Anand. Sadly, Gelfand has once again handed his opponent a potentially winning position, through either a lapse in concentration or total miscalculation. } 38…Bc8 39.Rc2 { Preparing Rd2, when his King will be able to transfer to the Queenside in order to help his pawns. } 39…Bf5 40.Rd2 Ra8 { Taking was of course suicide. } 41.Kd4 Ke6 42.Kc3 Ke5 43.a4 { The push begins. Black is completely powerless against this, all roads lead to Rome now for White. } 43…Be4 44.Kb4 Rb8+ 45.Ka3 Rf8 46.a5 Rf3 47.Kb4 Bb7 48.Rd8 Rxf2 49.Kc5 { Dominating the board. Anand’s position is crushing, here — Gelfand fights, but it is futile. The conversion is very instructive. } 49…Rf6 50.Re8+ Kf4 { Taking the opportunity to nudge the Black King further away from the action. } 51.b4 Rc6+ 52.Kd4 Rd6+ 53.Kc5 Rc6+ 54.Kb5 Rf6 55.Re7 Ba6+ 56.Kc5 Rf5+ 57.Kd4 Kf3 58.b5 { And here, Boris Gelfand resigned his fourth game in a row. Very nicely played by Viswanathan Anand. } 1-0[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.10.01”]
[Round “5.2”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “A30”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, hedgehog system”]
[WhiteElo “2795”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.d4 cxd4 10.Qa4+ Qd7 11.Qxd7+ Nxd7 12.Nxd4 N7f6 13.Ncb5 O-O 14.e4 Nb4 15.a3 Nd3 16.Rd1 Nc5 17.f3 Rfc8 18.Be3 a6 19.Nc3 g6 20.Bh3 Rc7 21.Rab1 b5 22.Bf4 Rcc8 23.Kf1 Bf8 24.Rbc1 Rd8 25.Nce2 Ne8 26.Bg5 Rd7 27.Rd2 h6 28.Be3 Rdd8 29.Rcd1 e5 30.Nc2 Rxd2 31.Rxd2 Nf6 32.Nc1 g5 33.Bxc5 Bxc5 34.Nb3 Bf8 35.Na5 Bc8 36.Bxc8 Rxc8 37.g4 h5 38.h3 hxg4 39.hxg4 Bc5 40.Nb7 Bb6 41.Ke2 Ne8 42.Nb4 Bd4 43.Na5 Ng7 44.Nbc6 Kf8 45.Nxd4 exd4 46.Nb3 Ne6 47.Nxd4 Nxd4+ 48.Rxd4 Ke7 49.Kd2 Ke6 50.a4 bxa4 51.Rxa4 Rc6 52.b3 f6 53.Ra5 Rb6 54.Kc3 Rc6+ 55.Kb4 Rb6+ 56.Kc4 Rc6+ 57.Rc5 Rd6 58.Ra5 Rc6+ 59.Kb4 Rd6 60.Rd5 Rb6+ 61.Kc3 Rc6+ 62.Kb2 Rc8 63.Ra5 Rc6 64.b4 Rd6 65.Kc3 Rc6+ 66.Kb3 Rd6 67.Kc4 Rc6+ 68.Rc5 Rd6 69.Kc3 Rb6 70.Kb3 Rd6 71.Ka4 Rd3 72.Rc6+ Ke5 73.Rxa6 Rxf3 74.b5 Rf1 75.Rc6 Kxe4 76.b6 f5 77.Rc3 Ra1+ 78.Kb4 Ra6 79.Kb5 Rxb6+ 80.Kxb6 fxg4 81.Kc5 Kf4 82.Rc4+ Kf3 83.Rc3+ Kf4 1/2-1/2[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.10.01”]
[Round “5.3”]
[White “Giri, Anish”]
[Black “Nepomniachtchi, Ian”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2740”]
[BlackFideId “4168119”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “D97”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “Gruenfeld”]
[Variation “Russian, Alekhine (Hungarian) variation”]
[WhiteElo “2755”]
[WhiteFideId “24116068”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 O-O 7.e4 a6 8.Be2 b5 9.Qb3 c5 10.dxc5 Be6 11.Qc2 Nbd7 12.Be3 Rc8 13.Rd1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Nxc5 16.O-O Nce4 17.Qd3 Qd6 18.Qxa6 Rc2 19.Bd4 Nc5 20.Qxd6 exd6 21.Bb5 Nfe4 22.Rc1 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Ra8 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Ra1 Na4 26.Bc6 Ra7 27.Bxa4 Rxa4 28.Nd4 Nf6 29.Kf1 Nxd5 30.g3 Nb6 31.Nc2 Ra5 32.Nxb4 Nc4 33.Rd1 Ra4 34.b3 Rxb4 35.bxc4 Rxc4 36.Rxd6 Rc2 37.Ra6 g5 38.g4 f6 39.Ra3 h5 40.h3 Rc4 41.gxh5 Kh6 42.Rf3 Kxh5 43.a3 Kg6 44.Ke2 Rd4 45.Rd3 Re4+ 46.Kd1 Rf4 47.Ke2 Re4+ 48.Kd1 Rf4 49.Ke1 Re4+ 50.Re3 Rd4 51.Rf3 Kf7 52.Rb3 Kg6 53.Kf1 Ra4 54.Rf3 Re4 55.Re3 Ra4 56.Ke2 Rd4 57.Rf3 Kf7 58.Rd3 Re4+ 59.Kd1 Rf4 60.Rd2 Ra4 61.Ra2 Ke6 62.Kc2 Kd6 63.Kb3 Rh4 64.a4 Rxh3+ 65.Kc4 Kc6 66.a5 Kb7 67.a6+ 1/2-1/2
[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.10.01”]
[Round “5.4”]
[White “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Black “Svidler, Peter”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2745”]
[BlackFideId “4102142”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “E60”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “King’s Indian defence”]
[WhiteElo “2761”]
[WhiteFideId “13401319”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Bg5 Ne4 4.Bf4 c5 5.Qc2 Qa5+ 6.Nd2 f5 7.f3 Nf6 8.d5 d6 9.e3 Bg7 10.Ne2 b5 11.Bg5 Nbd7 12.Nf4 Nb6 13.Kf2 O-O 14.h4 bxc4 15.Nxc4 Qa4 16.b3 Qe8 17.Rd1 Qf7 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.a4 Bd7 20.Bc4 Rfb8 21.Qe2 Ra5 22.Rb1 h6 23.Bxf6 Qxf6 24.h5 g5 25.Ne6 b5 26.axb5 Bxb5 27.f4 gxf4 28.exf4 Rba8 29.Rbc1 Ra2 30.Rc2 Rxc2 31.Qxc2 Bd7 32.Qe2 Bxe6 33.Qxe6+ Qxe6 34.dxe6 Ra2+ 35.Kf3 Rd2 36.Rc1 Bb2 37.Re1 d5 38.Re2 Rxe2 39.Bxe2 Kg7 40.Bb5 Kf6 41.Bd7 Bc1 42.g4 Bd2 43.Bc8 c4 44.bxc4 dxc4 45.Ba6 c3 46.Bd3 fxg4+ 47.Kxg4 Kxe6 48.f5+ Ke5 49.Kf3 Kd4 50.Bc2 1/2-1/2
[Event “10th Tal Mem 2016”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2016.10.01”]
[Round “5.5”]
[White “Li, Chao b”]
[Black “Tomashevsky, Evgeny”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2731”]
[BlackFideId “4147235”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “E21”]
[EventDate “2016.09.26”]
[Opening “Nimzo-Indian”]
[Variation “three knights variation”]
[WhiteElo “2746”]
[WhiteFideId “8604436”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.Bd2 Bb7 6.e3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Rc1 d6 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.O-O Nxc3 11.Rxc3 O-O 12.e4 Qe7 13.Bc2 c5 14.d5 e5 15.a3 Nf6 16.Nd2 Bc8 17.b4 Bd7 18.Ba4 Rfc8 19.Bxd7 Nxd7 20.b5 a6 21.Qc2 Ra7 22.Rb1 Rca8 23.Rbb3 g6 24.g3 Kg7 25.Kg2 Qd8 26.h4 Qe7 27.Rf3 Nf6 28.Qd3 Qd7 29.Nb1 axb5 30.Rxb5 Qg4 31.Re3 Ra6 32.f3 Qd7 33.Qc2 Qd8 34.Qb2 Nd7 35.Nd2 Kg8 36.Rbb3 Ra4 37.Qc2 R8a7 38.Rec3 Qa8 39.Qc1 R7a5 40.h5 Qd8 41.Nf1 Ra8 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]
