Vassily Ivanchuk Wins Tal Memorial

Submitted by SonofPearl on Wed, 08/27/2008 at 11:13am.

Vassily Ivanchuk (pictured) won the Mikhail Tal Memorial in Moscow by a clear point from the rest of the field. Going into the last round it had been an exciting tournament full of great fighting chess...but the players evidently felt that had provided enough entertainment already and early draws were much in evidence.

It's an unfortunate way to end a great tournament, but if the rules allow early draws and the players are willing to offer or accept them, then surely it's the rules that are most at fault not the players?

An honourable exception to the last round malaise was the game between Gata Kamsky and Ruslan Ponomariov. Whilst the other games were over before the ink was dry on the scoresheets, Gata and Ruslan battled it out for 74 moves down to bare kings. Nuff respect!

On a related note, FIDE has announced that for the forthcoming Dresden Olympiad (12-25 November), draw offers will not be allowed until at least 30 moves have been played. Of course, if players want to draw with each other then they could try to engineer a repetition of moves but this new stipulation for the Olympiad can only help to ensure all games are genuine efforts.

The results of the last round of the Tal Memorial:

Ivanchuk, Vassily	- Shirov, Alexei	½-½	12	D27	QGA
Gelfand, Boris	- Morozevich, Alexander	½-½	13	A04	Dutch System
Kamsky, Gata	- Ponomariov, Ruslan	½-½	74	C65	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Alekseev, Evgeny	- Leko, Peter	½-½	25	C53	Giuoco Piano
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	- Kramnik, Vladimir	½-½	22	E15	Queens Indian

The final standings of the 2008 Tal Memorial:

1	Ivanchuk, Vassily	UKR	2781	*	1	½	½	½	1	1	½	½	½	6
2	Morozevich, Alexander	RUS	2788	0	*	½	1	1	½	0	1	½	½	5
3	Gelfand, Boris	ISR	2720	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	½	5
4	Ponomariov, Ruslan	UKR	2718	½	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	½	1	5
5	Kramnik, Vladimir	RUS	2788	½	0	½	½	*	½	½	1	½	1	5
6	Leko, Peter	HUN	2741	0	½	½	0	½	*	1	½	½	1	4½
7	Kamsky, Gata	USA	2723	0	1	½	½	½	0	*	½	0	1	4
8	Alekseev, Evgeny	RUS	2708	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	*	1	½	4
9	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	AZE	2742	½	½	0	½	½	½	1	0	*	0	3½
10	Shirov, Alexei	ESP	2741	½	½	½	0	0	0	0	½	1	*	3

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| 1649 reads | 13 comments |

4 votes:

Comments:

by general_tactics - 2 months ago
davao city and makati Philippines

Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 7

yes ivanchuk is also my favorite player.his unpredictable.ivanchuk is genius player

full of ideas in chess speaclly in endgame midlle game and opening.u cannot beat ivanchuk in a tactical way,bcoz i vanchuk is warehouse of ideas.ivanchuk will play in dresden germany olympian.

by keithjoshua777 - 2 months ago
Gen. Trias, Cavite Philippines

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 28

The unpredictable chess genius is coming back: A bound check(Ivanchuk)!

by FM thinkdifferent - 2 months ago
Rimini,Italy Italy

Member Since: Jul 2007
Member Points: 59

Great Chucky!

Ivanchuk has always been my favourite player

by SonofPearl - 2 months ago
Wales

Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 3793

Tom543 - The first prize was $30,000. Nice work if you can get it.

by Tom543 - 2 months ago
Texas United States

Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 79

So how much $ did Chucky bring home?

by general_tactics - 2 months ago
davao city and makati Philippines

Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 7

ivanchuk strike again.i like his last game agains ponomariov very nice endgame black to play and draw and to be champion in that tournament.ivanchuk will play in dresden germany for olympian go go chucky im ur fans. next olympian here in the philippines 2011 at the tagaytay confirm by pichay.so to all chess player the next olympian held at the philippines so visit here in the philippiens so many talented blits player.so many sanbagger here in the philippiens. if u want to know me here is my yahoo messenger general_tactics

by MsCloyescapade - 2 months ago
California United States

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 343

71...g1=B+

thats class.

by uhavebeenserved - 2 months ago
las vegas United States

Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 30

Kamsky is a fighter , no doubting that, just hope his opening prep gives him a chance against the monster Topalov. His stare could beat me. btw Ivanchuk has always been very tqlented but his nerves cost him many chances for a world title, ex against Pono who he was much stronger at the time (pseudo championship to be sure but thats what it was called then)

by BoyBawang - 2 months ago
Dumaguete City Philippines

Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 53

I like chuky's style these days. He always look for the unexpected and the most difficult lines. I think he is just as brave as Topalov and Kasparov

by Grand_Chill - 2 months ago
Galtego Bay Jamaica

Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 214

I knew he'd win it. He's been performing well these past few months and played some great games. That along with his experience has worked well.

by smj63 - 2 months ago
minnesota United States

Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 108

martinwalker; your way looks good to me ? ... and the game was great fun to watch

by martinwalker - 2 months ago
Wembley England

Member Since: Aug 2008
Member Points: 6

Couldn't black have won with 38.....a1=Q? Then if 39. Rxg+ Rxg7 40. Rxg7+ Kh8 and black's queen will cost white his bishop? Or if 39. Bxg Rxg7. Or 39. Bxa1 Rbxa1. Maybe time trouble accounted for this - in any case, full marks to both of them for fighting so hard in the last round.

All in all, well done Chucky!

by BirdBrain - 2 months ago
KY United States

Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 814

I really liked the fight, even taking the last pawns - really good game from these two, strong fighting spirit.

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