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R4: Judit, Loek, and Vlad win
15 January 2008 14:13 PM | Last modified: 0:24
In the fourth round we see the two leaders Carlsen and Aronian facing each other, and Anand playing 1.d4. Surprising, until you realize whom he’s playing. Two videos added
Because, as we’ve just learnt in the press room, Anand often tries 1.d4 when he’s in trouble or when he plays Mickey. It’s a bit too early to state the former, but the latter is definitely true today. And indeed, if we list all Anand-Adams games from the datbase, we see 1.d4 nine times. Apparently it has something to do with Adams’ Queen’s Indian.
Update 15:29h
The first result in group A is there: a draw in Radjabov-Mamedyarov. In a Grünfeld, Black sac’ed a pawn for good compensation and the resulting ending was dead even soon.
Gelfand and Polgar played about which we’re not sure where to put it under, Catalan or English? More interesting is the position itself, and the question whether Black will be able to keep the pawn on d3. Kramnik has got another one of those queenless middlegames in which he can try and squeeze endlessly and he’s pretty good at that.
Ivanchuk, just like Bareev in May in Elista, is trying it with the Caro-Kann against Leko. The line (4… Nd7 5. Ng5 Ngf6 6. Bd3 e6 7. N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9. Ne4 Nxe4 10. Qxe4 Qc7 11. O-O b6 12. Qg4 Kf8) is very topical at the moment (Wojtaszek held Anand to a draw in this year’s Bundesliga) and the novelty is 17.dxc5, compared to Kotronias-Wojtaszek, Rilton Cup ‘07-’08! Carlsen avoided Aronian’s Marshall and so not much has happened there yet while Van Wely-Topalov is simply original: a Benoni with Ng8-e7 - this will be an exciting game.
In the B group Cheparinov is doing a Kasparov imitation against Nepomniachtchi: sacrificing three (!) pawns from preparation, and hunting for the king. It’s probably over already. Braun will be the lead for at least one more round since he crushed Van der Werf in a mere 22 moves.
Update 16:50h
Mamedyarov about his quick draw, but also about why he resigned against Carlsen in round 1:
Update 19:37h
Judit Polgar has won her first game, with Black against Boris Gelfand. It appeared to be a very smooth victory but in reality it was quite unclear and in timetrouble White made a big mistake with 31.Bf3. More about this later, since we just filmed Judit’s press conference. Leko regretted his 32.Rf5 - he wanted to finish the game in style but he had missed 34.Be3 Be4!. As it went, Black could miracoulusly keep everything together. Carlsen allowed an exchange sac that looked promising for Black but Aronian’s 33…Rf5 was probably inaccurate and after that it was a draw. Adams was better for a long time against a thus far truly disappointing world champion, but it wasn’t enough to win. At this moment Kramnik is trying to win a drawn ending that he’s said to have won before in Wijk aan Zee, and Loek is again very close to winning. Topalov is fighting for his life and despite the extra exchange it’s not easy at all.
In B Cheparinov’s win was indeed as brutal as we predicted and Spoelman played quite well today but still, he will lose anyway, unfortunately. In C both Ruijgrok and Van der Werf could already resign while it was still theory - a piece of dubious preparation that’s punished severely at this level.
Update 0:10h
At the end both Van Wey and Kramnik did succeed in winning their endings. Especially Loek received a warm applause by the audience in the playing hall, since he also had better positions in the two previous rounds, but couldn’t win these. Besides, his opponent was no-one else than Topalov. Here’s Loek’s reaction right after the game:
And indeed, Kramnik did it again, getting something out of nothing, squeezing water out of stone, or however you want to call it, but how this man keeps on linquidating to endings with a slight plus and turns it into a win against players such as Eljanov, this is really amazing.
And so Carlsen and Aronian are leading throughout the first rest day tomorrow, with 3 out of 4, the same number of points Bacrot, Smeets and Harikrishna have collected in B. In C only IM Braun has won all his games; top seed Caruana follows on half a point.
| Grandmastergroup A L. van Wely - V. Topalov 1-0 B. Gelfand - J. Polgar 0-1 P. Leko - V. Ivanchuk ½-½ M. Carlsen - L. Aronian ½-½ V. Anand - M. Adams ½-½ V. Kramnik - P. Eljanov 1-0 T. Radjabov - S. Mamedyarov ½-½ |
Grandmastergroup B N. Short - H. Koneru ½-½ G. Sargissian - E. L’Ami ½-½ Cheparinov - Nepomniachtchi 1-0 M. Krasenkow - J. Smeets ½-½ E. Bacrot - S. Movsesian ½-½ P. Harikrishna - W. Spoelman 1-0 Y. Hou - D. Stellwagen ½-½ |
Grandmastergroup C I. Krush - E. Grivas 0-1 F. Caruana - D. Reinderman ½-½ P. Carlsson - D. Ruijgrok 1-0 A. Braun - M. van der Werf 1-0 J. van der Wiel - Z. Peng ½-½ S. Li - P. Negi 0-1 A. Ushenina - F. Nijboer 0-1 |
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External links (do check Macauley’s videos!):
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Come On Carlsen!!! You wee LEGEND!!!
well round 4 would be the appropriate title for the post
lol
Looking at Topalov and Cheparinov, one has to start thinking a white jacket with a pink tie is the top of fashion at the moment in Bulgaria…
Or that Cheparinov is fond of Topalov’s fashion style ?
Any comments from Carlsen/Aronian about 35. Qg3 Qe2 36. Qc7 1/2-1/2 ?
I guess the only explanations is that Carlsen got too focused on counter-attack (check line 7+8) and missed to see it. What do you think?
Judith!!! Very nice win again Gelfand, he could hardly breath.
And:
…couldn’t have Hou won that game? I’m bad at endgames, but I have the feeling she played it wrong somewhere, because it “looked” good for her.
Seems impossible that Carlsen misses a perpetual.
Maybe he thougt other moves didn’t win either
Kramnik-Eljanov 1-0. Pure magic. 16 d5!!!, what a move.
Also a great endgame by Loek. Topalov loses again hehe.
Topalov has -2. Now it’s time for another toiletgate.
I already know what will be the story now: There are evil forces in Wijk aan Zee, which are against him and they come out from the toilet to help everybody against him. :))
I’m happy that van Wely teached him a lesson.
Kramnik played extremely well here, Polgar too. I feel sorry for Leko. He didn’t find the winning move now. Perhaps next time?
Kramnik wil be happy to ask Van Wely as his second again in his match against Topalov after seeing this game I think…
It is really amazing how Kramnik squeezed everything from nothing as well as Topalov fought to the last soldier… Even if it isn’t a real life, please god, let us to live a bit there…
Looking at the tournament, I’ve got a strange idea: why the there is no “doubles” in chess? Van Wely is always getting winning positions, but he often has no idea how to win them. In doubles it may be better to let Wely start the game, but after while to let Kramnik show how to win
Vosuram, post of the day!
Van Wely interview added!
Peter: Thanks for the great interview in English with GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov [ the future World Champion
]
Loek, zeer cool dat je de Topa hebt genokt!
(Peter, is schrijven in het Nederlands nog toegestaan:))
Surely Kramnik is one of the greatest of all times. I am not saying this because of just only win over Eljanov but this is my general idea. When I am seeing Kramnik exceeds 50th move that means the opponent is under a big trouble
Kramnik knows how to win and knows when to win and knows playing in patient and knows increasing pressure move by move! There are currently no other player who can play such long games to convert draw in little steps to win!
The other thing is the wearings of some players
For example take Ivanchuk and Leko it seems they are wearing same things in all tournaments. Is this because of they don’t have time or they don’t have money to buy new ones 
Or is it because some luck they think having when wearing those? 
Hayri I agree, but I am not so sure that these games were (theoretical) draws in the firts place! It is very difficult to indicate for example, where Eljanov went wrong. Fritz continues showing ‘+=’ but still Kramnik is showing steady progress…a miracle.
After 35. Rxa6 I think Carlsen would have been winning. Not sure why he played 35.Qg3