Again three winners in London; McShane back in the lead

Luke McShane is still doing very well in London. The English grandmaster, who has a regular job when he doesn't play tournaments, is leading the Chess Classic with two rounds to go. He beat Nigel Short on Saturday, who tried his luck in a King's Gambit. Vladimir Kramnik and Magnus Carlsen, who beat David Howell and Mickey Adams respectively, are equal with McShane on points, but placed 2nd and 3rd on tiebreak.

McShane is sharing first with Kramnik and Carlsen | All photos © Ray Morris-Hill for the official website

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Hikaru Nakamura enjoyed his free round on Saturday and so chances were high that the tournament would have a different leader after round 7. For this to happen, either Luke McShane, Magnus Carlsen or Vladimir Kramnik had to win, and in fact all did.

Especially Kramnik's game and subsequent analysis session was impressive. Earlier in the tournament the Russian had lamented about his age and his calculation abilities, but the lines he showed were just amazing. See for yourself:

[Event "3rd London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2011.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Kramnik, V."]
[Black "Howell, D."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "2800"]
[BlackElo "2633"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. a3
b5 9. Ba2 Bb7 10. Qe2 Qc7 11. Rd1 (11. h3 Be7 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. b4 Bd6 14. Bb2
Rc8 15. Rac1 Qb8 16. Bb1 Ne7 {Piket,J (2605)-Kortschnoj,V (2625)/Tilburg 1998})
11... Rd8 12. d5 exd5 13. Nxd5 ({After} 13. Bxd5 b4 14. axb4 cxb4 15. Rxa6 (15.
Ng5 {Kramnik "couldn't make it work" after} Rd7 (15... bxc3 16. Bxf7+ Ke7 17.
bxc3 Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Qd7 19. Qb3 $1 $18 {Kramnik}) 16. Rxa6 bxc3 17. Bxc6 Bxc6
18. Rxd7 Qxd7) 15... bxc3 16. Bxc6+ Bxc6 17. Rxd8+ Kxd8 18. Qd3+ Kc8 19. Nd4
Bb7 20. Ra4 Kb8) (13. e4 dxe4 14. Bg5 Be7) 13... Nxd5 14. Bxd5 Be7 ({"After}
14... Bd6 15. e4 O-O 16. Bg5 {can be a bit annoying." (Kramnik)}) 15. e4 O-O
16. g3 $1 $146 (16. Bd2 Bf6 17. Be3 c4 18. Rac1 Na5 19. Bxb7 Nxb7 20. b4 Rxd1+
21. Rxd1 Rd8 {Schoene,R (2200)-Balicki,C (2295)/Rostock 1987}) 16... Na5 17.
Bf4 Qc8 (17... Qb6 18. Ne5 (18. Bd2 Bxd5 19. exd5 Bd6 (19... Bf6) 20. Ng5)
18... Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Qe6 20. Rad1) 18. a4 ({"I didn't believe} 18. Bd2 Nc4 19.
Bxc4 bxc4 20. Qxc4 (20. Bc3 Qg4) 20... Qg4 21. Ne5 Qxe4 22. Qxe4 Bxe4 23. Ba5
Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 {can be anything special." (Kramnik)}) 18... b4 (18... Nc4 19.
Bxc4 bxc4 20. Qxc4) 19. Rac1 (19. Ne5 Bxd5 ({Kramnik even calculated} 19... Bf6
20. Ng4 Bd4 21. Rxd4 cxd4 22. Rc1 Qa8 23. Nh6+ gxh6 24. Be5 {and Black has no
defence!}) 20. Rxd5 Nb3 21. Rad1 Nd4 22. Qc4 Qe6 23. Kg2) 19... Bc6 20. Bg5
Bxg5 (20... Qb7 21. Rxc5 $1 Bxc5 22. Bxd8 Rxd8 23. Bxf7+ {Kramnik}) (20... Bxd5
21. Bxe7 Bc4 22. Rxd8 Qxd8 $1 {Kramnik} 23. Qxc4 $1 {Houdini} Qxe7 24. Qxc5
Qxc5 25. Rxc5 {with a technically winning ending.}) 21. Rxc5 Bf6 (21... Bb5 22.
axb5 Qxc5 23. Nxg5 Qe7 24. Qh5 h6 25. Nxf7 Rxd5 26. Nxh6+ gxh6 27. Qxd5+ Qf7
28. bxa6 {Kramnik}) 22. Rxa5 Bxd5 23. Raxd5 Rxd5 24. Rxd5 (24. exd5 Re8 25. Qd3
Bxb2 26. d6 Qd7 27. Qxa6 {Kramnik}) 24... Qc1+ 25. Kg2 Bxb2 26. Qxa6 Qc2 27.
Rd2 Qb3 (27... b3 28. Qe2 Rc8 29. Ne1 {Kramnik}) 28. a5 Bc3 29. Rd5 Qc2 30. Qb7
b3 (30... Qxe4 31. a6 f5 (31... h6 32. Rd8 $1) 32. a7 Qe8 33. Ra5 Qa8 34. Rb5
Qe8 35. Qb8 {Kramnik}) 31. a6 b2 32. Rb5 Qa4 33. a7 h6 34. e5 Kh7 35. Rb3 Qa2
36. h4 Kg8 37. h5 Qa5 38. Qb8 Qa2 39. Rxc3 b1=Q 40. Rc8 (40. Rc8 Qe4 41. Rxf8+
Kh7 42. Rh8#) (40. Rc8 Qb4 41. a8=Q $1 $18 {Kramnik}) 1-0

Nigel Short, always good for some entertainment on and off the board, played the King's Gambit against Luke McShane. After the game he explained:

I did beat Garry Kasparov a few weeks ago with the King's Gambit so I thought it was worth a try. It is a lousy opening and you should be in the mood for it. I slept very well last night so I felt refreshed, and ready for some action.

[Event "3rd London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2011.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Short, N."]
[Black "McShane, L."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C34"]
[WhiteElo "2698"]
[BlackElo "2671"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 {"I don't think I ever faced the King's Gambit." (McShane)
"You have! I found exactly one game." (Short)} 3. Nf3 h6 {The Becker Variation.
"Not Boris." (Short)} 4. d4 g5 5. Nc3 d6 6. g3 fxg3 7. hxg3 (7. h4 g4 8. Ng1 {
was suggested by tournament director IM Malcolm Pein.} Be7 9. Bg2) 7... Bg7 8.
Be3 Nf6 9. Qd3 Ng4 10. O-O-O c6 11. Re1 ({At first Short looked at} 11. e5 dxe5
12. Bxg5 hxg5 13. Rxh8+ Bxh8 14. Qh7 {and thought it to be very strong
(although Houdini comes up with the amazing} Ke7 15. dxe5 Qe8 {) but he
refrained from it because of}) (11. e5 Bf5) 11... Nd7 {"The only reason the
King's Gambit is playable is because Black has about ten good lines, but he
can play only one at a time." (Short)} 12. e5 $2 {Premature.} ({After the game
Short preferred} 12. Bh3 Nb6 13. Bg1) 12... dxe5 13. Bh3 (13. Bxg5 {clearly
doesn't work here:} hxg5 14. Rxh8+ Bxh8 15. Qh7 Qf6 16. Qg8+ Nf8) 13... Nxe3
14. Rxe3 O-O 15. Ne4 Nf6 (15... Nc5 16. Nxc5 g4 17. Bxg4 Bxg4 18. Nxe5) ({The
commentators pointed out that} 15... exd4 $1 {was just winning:} 16. Nfxg5 {
The players thought this was very strong for White but...} dxe3 $1 17. Bxd7 {
and now the crucial} f5 $1 18. Qb3+ Kh8 19. Qe6 Qxd7 20. Qg6 Bxb2+ 21. Kb1 Qg7
{"If he played this I would accuse him of visiting the bathroom too much!"
(Short)} 22. Rxh6+ Kg8 23. Qh5 fxe4 {"That's really disgusting; there's no
justice in the world!" (Short)}) 16. Bxc8 (16. Nexg5 hxg5 17. Bxc8 Rxc8 18.
Rxe5 Re8 19. Rxg5 Ne4 20. Rgh5 Nxg3 21. Rh8+ $1 Bxh8 22. Qh7+ Kf8 23. Qxh8+ Ke7
24. Qe5+ Kd7 25. Qxg3 $11) 16... exd4 {"Basically I couldn't get anything to
work." (Short)} 17. Bxb7 dxe3 18. Bxa8 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Qb6 20. Ne5 ({I thought
you had a better chance in} 20. b3 Rxa8 (20... Qa5 $1 {Houdini}) 21. Re1 Qc5
22. Rxe3 Qa3+ 23. Kd2 Qxa2 24. Qxc6 {"and now you're sort of only a pawn down.
" (McShane)}) 20... Rxa8 21. Qxc6 Qxc6 22. Nxc6 Re8 23. c3 Re6 24. Nxa7 $2 (24.
Nd4 Bxd4 25. cxd4 {was White's last, slim chance for a draw.}) 24... Be5 $1 {
Missed by Short. Black is winning.} 25. Nb5 e2 26. Kd2 Bxg3 27. Re1 Bxe1+ 28.
Kxe1 h5 29. Nd4 Ra6 30. a3 h4 31. Kxe2 g4 32. c4 h3 33. Kf2 h2 34. Kg2 Rh6 35.
Kh1 g3 36. Nf5 g2+ 0-1

Magnus Carlsen is still in the running for winning yet another top event, after what was a strange game against Mickey Adams. Just look at all these queen moves by White! Carlsen said about them:

I thought all of these queen moves were just as ugly to me as they were to all of those who were watching this but I didn't see anything else.

[Event "3rd London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2011.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Adams, Mi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E21"]
[WhiteElo "2826"]
[BlackElo "2734"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 d5 {
"Very unusual in this position." (Carlsen)} 8. cxd5 $146 (8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Nbd7
10. e3 O-O 11. cxd5 Bxd5 12. Rd1 Qc8 {Shishkin,V (2510)-Rudnicki,M (2188)/
Koszalin 2008}) 8... Qxd5 9. e3 Nbd7 {"I didn't like my position at all."
(Carlsen)} 10. b4 O-O 11. Bb2 a5 12. Bd3 ({After} 12. Be2 axb4 13. axb4 Rxa1+
14. Bxa1 Qa2 {Be2 is hanging;}) (12. Bc4 Qf5 (12... Qh5 13. Be2) 13. Be2 axb4
14. axb4 Rxa1+ 15. Bxa1 Qb1+ {Carlsen}) 12... axb4 (12... Qd6 $5 {Carlsen}) 13.
axb4 Rxa1+ 14. Bxa1 Qa2 15. O-O Nd5 16. Qe1 {"Now I was fairly happy; I might
be slightly better."} c5 (16... Ra8 17. b5) 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. b5 Ra8 19. Qc1 h6
20. h3 {"Stupid but I couldn't see anything else." (Carlsen)} Qa3 21. Qd2 Qb4
22. Qc2 Qa4 23. Qb2 f6 24. Rc1 Nb4 25. Be2 Bxf3 {"I actually underestimated
this." (Carlsen)} 26. gxf3 Nd5 27. f4 N7b6 28. Bg4 Kf7 29. Qb1 Qa3 ({"I didn't
understand why he didn't just go} 29... g6 {here." (Carlsen)} 30. h4 h5 31. Be2
Qa2 $11) 30. Rd1 f5 ({"I even looked at} 30... Nxe3 {but} 31. Bb2 $1 Qb3 32.
fxe3 Qxe3+ 33. Kh1 {can't work for Black." (Carlsen)}) 31. Bf3 Ra4 32. Be5 Qb4
(32... Rb4 33. Qc2 Rxb5 34. Ra1) 33. Qd3 Ra3 (33... Qc4 34. Qxc4 Rxc4 35. Bd6
Rb4 36. Bxc5 Rxb5 37. Bd4 {and "objectively it's obviously a draw but I can
play" (Carlsen).}) 34. Qf1 g6 35. h4 {"Now it's quite unpleasant for Black."
(Carlsen)} Nc4 $2 {A blunder.} (35... h5 36. Qg2) 36. Rxd5 $1 Nxe5 (36... Nxe3 37. Rd7+ Ke8
38. fxe3 Kxd7 39. Qd1+ Kc8 40. Bb7+ $1 Kxb7 41. Qd7+ Kb6 42. Qc6+ Ka7 (42...
Ka5 43. Qa6#) 43. Qc7+ Ka8 44. Qb8# {Carlsen}) 37. Rxe5 Qc3 38. Kg2 1-0

Levon Aronian and Vishy Anand got the highly topical 5.Bf4 QGD on the board, which seems to be the opening against 1.d4 what the Petroff is against 1.e4 - verrrrrry drawish.

[Event "3rd London Chess Classic"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "2011.12.10"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Aronian, L."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2802"]
[BlackElo "2811"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "2011.12.03"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 dxc4 8.
O-O c5 (8... Nd5 9. Bxc4 Nxf4 10. exf4 c5 11. dxc5 Qc7 12. g3 Qxc5 13. Qe2 Nb6
14. Bd3 Qh5 {Aronian,L (2802)-Anand,V (2811)/Moscow 2011}) 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10.
Bxc4 a6 ({Yesterday Anand had this on the board with reversed colours:} 10...
Qxd1 11. Rfxd1 b6 12. Nd4 Bb7 13. f3 Rfc8 14. Rac1 a6 15. a3 Nh5 16. Be5 Nf6
17. Bg3 Kf8 {Anand,V (2811)-Kramnik,V (2800)/London ENG (06) 2011}) 11. Nd4
$146 (11. Ne5 Ncd7 12. Be2 Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Qa5 14. Bg3 b5 15. Bf3 Ra7 16. Ne2 Bb7
17. Bxb7 Rxb7 18. Nd4 Rd7 {Aronian,L (2802)-Gelfand,B (2744)/Moscow 2011})
11... Bd7 12. a3 Rc8 13. Rc1 Nce4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Bd3 Rxc1 16. Qxc1 Nf6 17.
Rd1 Qb6 18. Bc2 Rc8 19. Qb1 h6 20. Nf3 Be8 21. Be5 Bc6 22. Bd4 Qc7 23. Be5 Qb6
24. Bd4 Qc7 25. Be5 1/2-1/2

Round 7 standings

Round 7 standings (classical)

London Chess Classic 2011 | Schedule & results