Tata Challengers: Jobava Survives Against Timman, Saric in Sole Lead
After 11 rounds, Ivan Saric is the sole leader of the Tata Steel tournament's Challengers Group. On Friday the Croatian grandmaster won against Zhao Xue of China, while Baadur Jobava drew his game against Jan Timman, who had a winning ending but eventully failed to convert it.
While the players of the Masters Group were enjoying their fifth and last rest day, the Challengers produced another very interesting round in Wijk aan Zee today. The key game was Timman-Jobava, and some of the older local fans must have been reminded of the 70s, 80s and 90s when the now 62-year-old Dutch grandmaster belonged to the world's elite, and played so many wonderful tournaments. Against Jobava, Timman slowly built up an advantage, the way he likes it, and reached a winning endgame. However, whereas he had won several nice endings earlier in the tournament, this time he failed. Needless to say, the lines below can easily be found with an engine but at the board such an ending is just incredibly difficult, even for an endgame specialist!
Hours before this game ended, Ivan Saric had already beaten (in fact completely outplayed) Zhao Xue and so the Croatian GM is the new leader with two rounds to go.
The game between Troff and Duda was spectacular, but not without mistakes. But that's part of the game!
Tata Steel 2014 | Challengers | Round 11 Standings
| # | Name | Rtg | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pts | SB |
| 1 | Saric | 2637 |  |
½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 8.5/11 | |||
| 2 | Jobava | 2710 | ½ | |
½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8.0/11 | |||
| 3 | Timman | 2607 | ½ | ½ | |
½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7.5/11 | |||
| 4 | Muzychuk | 2566 | ½ | ½ | ½ | |
0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6.5/11 | |||
| 5 | Bok | 2560 | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 6.0/11 | 30.25 | ||
| 6 | Yu | 2677 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 6.0/11 | 28.00 | ||
| 7 | Reinderman | 2593 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.0/11 | 27.25 | ||
| 8 | Wojtaszek | 2711 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | |
½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.0/11 | 24.00 | ||
| 9 | Duda | 2553 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 5.5/11 | 28.00 | ||
| 10 | Brunello | 2602 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5.5/11 | 27.00 | ||
| 11 | Troff | 2457 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | |
½ | 1 | 4.0/11 | 20.00 | ||
| 12 | Zhao | 2567 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | |
½ | 1 | 4.0/11 | 16.25 | ||
| 13 | Van Delft | 2430 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | |
1 | 2.5/11 | |||
| 14 | Goudriaan | 2431 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | |
1.0/11 |
The Tata Steel tournament runs 11-26 January and is held in Wijk aan Zee, Amsterdam and Eindhoven. You can find the official website here and the live games here. The live streaming commentary can also be found here on Chess.com!
Peter Doggers joined a chess club a month before turning 15 and still plays for it. He used to be an active tournament player and holds two IM norms.
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