Carlsen Grinds Down Anand In Leiden, Leads Tata Steel Chess
Magnus Carlsen managed to beat Vishy Anand deep down in a knight endgame to grab the sole lead at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament with three rounds to go. A spectacular 10th round, held in a church in Leiden, saw four more decisive games.
It was the second Tata Steel Chess on tour day, and this time the location was the St. Peter's Church in central Leiden, the Netherlands. With a university since 1575 that counts Albert Einstein among its former lecturers, Leiden is also the birthplace of Rembrandt.
The players were definitely inspired and created a wonderful round that enthralled both the local fans and those of the world champion. First we saw a "triple-double Dutch," with wins for both Anish Giri and Jorden van Foreest for the third time in one round, and at the end of the day Carlsen managed to beat Anand in a knight endgame that many feel Anand wouldn't have lost to any other opponent. The Norwegian player showed some of the magic that he used to display much more often.
But first Van Foreest—the author can't deny a tiny bit of Dutch pride here. As the lowest seed of the tournament, the 19-year-old won his third game of the tournament, and together with two draws that means he's winning Elo. More important, his victim on Wednesday was one of the tournament leaders.
Ian Nepomniachtchi played his usual Najdorf, but against 6.h3 he oddly played a certain line with a tempo down. His opponent castled queenside, developed normally and then sacrificed to get a strong attack. With a series of beautiful tactical punches, Van Foreest eventually won a queen for rook and bishop, and although it wasn't easy, he managed to convert that endgame.
"I don't think it was a good game by any means, but I am very happy to have won. I think he just had an off-day," said Van Foreest.
Van Foreest was interviewed after the game. | Video: Tata Steel Chess.
It wasn't easy to pick the game of the day this time, because Richard Rapport played a small masterpiece as well in this round, against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. The first three quarters of the game wasn't too special, but the tactic found by Rapport at the end was truly stunning.
As one grandmaster in Gibraltar suggested to this author, the tactic could be included in Puzzle Rush, but then perhaps as one above 40!
Because Nepomniachtchi lost, Carlsen could have become the sole leader if he beat Anand. He was slightly better in an endgame with a rook and a knight for both, but Anand managed to limit the damage.
When all pawns on the kingside were traded and three vs two on the queenside were all that were left, the five-time world champion seemed very close to holding the draw. However, after 6.5 hours of play Anand collapsed, miscalculated and lost. Nonetheless, credit goes to Carlsen for time and again putting his opponents under constant pressure until they crack.
"Obviously it was a huge win today," said Carlsen. "I never thought at any moment it was very likely."
Carlsen was interviewed after the game. | Video: Tata Steel Chess.
Carlsen and Anand chatting before the game. | Photo: Alina l'Ami/Tata Steel Chess.
Anish Giri is now the only player trailing Carlsen by half a point (they play each other in the final round!) after another good win for the Dutchman against Vladimir Fedoseev, who played the Closed Sicilian. Top grandmasters don't often play that anymore these days, and Giri basically showed why, playing an excellent game.
"It's great to be be on tour; we're getting closer and closer to my home!" said Giri about playing in Leiden, which is not too far away from The Hague indeed. "Maybe one day I'll play in my small apartment!"
He added: "I am happy to see that there are chess fans in Holland; it seems that chess is doing well here and I am hoping it will only continue. I am also very happy that today Jorden is winning his game as well."
Giri was interviewed after the game. | Video: Tata Steel Chess.
Ding-Mamedyarov and Shankland-Radjabov were both drawn, but there was even another decisive game. The whole chess world is suffering along with Vladimir Kramnik by now, as what's happening to him is not worthy of the great champion he is.
In Leiden, Kramnik was the first to lose in fact against Vidit Gujrathi, who got a dream position from a Saemisch Nimzo-Indian followed by a free attack on the kingside in what was his first game ever against this opponent.
Press chief Tom Bottama started his interview with "Vladimir, the tournament is not going very well at all!" to which Kramnik duly replied: "Yes, I noticed also!"
The Russian explained: "Today I got to play a sharp line and I totally confused all my analysis. I got lost just after the opening, just messed up everything."
Kramnik was interviewed after the game. | Video: Tata Steel Chess.
Vidit was interviewed after the game. | Video: Tata Steel Chess.
Tata Steel Chess Masters | Standings
| # | Fed | Name | Rating | SB | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Score | TPR |
| 1 | Carlsen | 2835 | 32.75 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 7.0 / 10 | 2892 | |||||
| 2 | Giri | 2783 | 28.5 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6.5 / 10 | 2854 | |||||
| 3 | Nepomniachtchi | 2763 | 30 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 6.0 / 10 | 2829 | |||||
| 4 | Ding Liren | 2813 | 28.75 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 6.0 / 10 | 2821 | |||||
| 5 | Anand | 2773 | 26 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.0 / 10 | 2824 | |||||
| 6 | Radjabov | 2757 | 23 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5.0 / 10 | 2741 | |||||
| 7 | Vidit | 2695 | 23 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.0 / 10 | 2753 | |||||
| 8 | Fedoseev | 2724 | 23.75 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 4.5 / 10 | 2710 | |||||
| 9 | Shankland | 2725 | 22 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 4.5 / 10 | 2714 | |||||
| 10 | Rapport | 2731 | 20.75 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 4.5 / 10 | 2733 | |||||
| 11 | Duda | 2738 | 19.25 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4.5 / 10 | 2702 | |||||
| 12 | Van Foreest | 2612 | 20.75 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.0 / 10 | 2689 | |||||
| 13 | Mamedyarov | 2817 | 19.75 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4.0 / 10 | 2698 | |||||
| 14 | Kramnik | 2777 | 13.25 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 2.5 / 10 | 2578 |
Pairings for round 11 (Friday): Radjabov-Carlsen, Giri-Shankland, Nepomniachtchi-Fedoseev, Kramnik-Van Foreest, Mamedyarov-Vidit, Rapport-Ding Liren, Anand-Duda.
In Wijk aan Zee there was a bit of drama as well, as Maksim Chigaev survived a completely lost position vs Praggnanandhaa and even won, to defend his lead in the masters group. The Russian GM found a very nasty trick that shouldn't have won, but the 13-year-old was so shocked that he soon blundered.
Parham Maghsoodloo successfully tried the old, sharp line with Nc3 and g4 against Evgeny Bareev. The last time we saw it in a big game was when Kasparov played it against Navara in St. Louis last year (and dramatically lost from a winning position).
The game was extremely theoretical and rather spectacular:
Tata Steel Chess Challengers | Standings
| # | Fed | Name | Rating | TPR | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Score | SB |
| 1 | Chigaev | 2604 | 2763 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 / 10 | 32.25 | |||||
| 2 | Kovalev | 2687 | 2730 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 7.0 / 10 | 34.5 | |||||
| 3 | Esipenko | 2584 | 2729 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 7.0 / 10 | 34.25 | |||||
| 4 | Gledura | 2615 | 2650 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 6.0 / 10 | 25.75 | |||||
| 5 | Maghsoodloo | 2679 | 2633 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.0 / 10 | 23.25 | |||||
| 6 | L'Ami | 2643 | 2618 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5.5 / 10 | 26 | |||||
| 7 | Korobov | 2699 | 2618 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5.5 / 10 | 24.75 | |||||
| 8 | Bareev | 2650 | 2558 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4.5 / 10 | 21.75 | |||||
| 9 | Van Foreest | 2502 | 2542 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 4.5 / 10 | 19.75 | |||||
| 10 | Keymer | 2500 | 2524 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4.5 / 10 | 16.75 | |||||
| 11 | Praggnanandhaa | 2539 | 2527 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 4.0 / 10 | 18.25 | |||||
| 12 | Paehtz | 2477 | 2417 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 3.0 / 10 | 13 | |||||
| 13 | Kuipers | 2470 | 2391 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 2.5 / 10 | 12.5 | |||||
| 14 | Saduakassova | 2472 | 2413 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 2.5 / 10 | 12.25 |
Pairings for round 11 (Friday): Chigaev-Korobov, Van Foreest-Praggnanandhaa, Gledura-Esipenko, Saduakassova-Kuipers, Bareev-Paehtz, Kovalev-Maghsoodloo, L'Ami-Keymer.
Replay the live broadcast of the 10th round.
The official video broadcast is "proudly powered" by Chess.com, which you can watch on both tatasteelchess.com and Chess.com/TV. All rounds start at 1:30 p.m. local time (7:30 a.m. New York, 4:30 Pacific) in Wijk aan Zee, except for the following two rounds:
- On January 23 (Leiden) the rounds starts half an hour later, at 2 p.m. local time.
- The final round, on Sunday January 27, starts 1.5 hours earlier, at noon local time.
Commentary will be provided by IMs Anna Rudolf and Lawrence Trent during the first week, and GM Robert Hess and IM Sopiko Guramishvili during the second week.
Previous reports:
- Nepomniachtchi Joins Carlsen, Anand To Lead Tata Steel Chess
- Anand, Carlsen Lead Tata Steel Chess After Great Wins
- Anand Joins Leaders On Tata Steel Chess's Ladies Day
- Carlsen, Giri Join Leaders At Tata Steel Chess
- Ding Liren Catches Nepomniachtchi As Tata Steel Chess Visits Alkmaar
- Tata Steel Chess R4: Carlsen Beats Giri's Drawing Streak
- Tata Steel Chess R3: Nepomniachtchi Wins Again, Grabs Lead
- Dutch Comeback: Giri, Van Foreest Win In Tata Steel Chess Round 2
- Anand, Nepomniachtchi Start With Wins At Tata Steel Chess Tournament
- Carlsen, Mamedyarov, Ding Top Seeds At 81st Tata Steel Chess Tournament
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. Peter has a Master of Arts degree in Dutch Language & Literature. He briefly worked at New in Chess, then as a Dutch teacher and then in a project for improving safety and security in Amsterdam schools. Between 2007 and 2013 Peter was running ChessVibes, a major source for chess news and videos acquired by Chess.com in October 2013. As our Director News & Events, Peter writes many of our news reports. In the summer of 2022, The Guardian’s Leonard Barden described him as “widely regarded as the world’s best chess journalist.”
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