Five draws but many missed opportunities in 4th round Tal Memorial

On Saturday all games in the 4th round of the Tal Memorial in Moscow ended in draws. However, on many boards the result could have been different.

Levon Aronian, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin are still sharing the lead, with 2.5/4. The tournament, a 10-player round robin, will last five more rounds.

Levon Aronian and Vishy Anand watch the game Nepomniachtchi-Nakamura | All photos © RCF

Despite the peaceful results, round 4 was another very interesting one as again all five chess boards in the Pashkov House had turned into fierce battlefields. Saturday was also a day of missed opportunities.

Even Svidler-Gelfand, which was the most 'quiet' game of the round, had some hidden tactical motifs that could have given Gelfand some winning chances.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A13"]
[WhiteElo "2755"]
[BlackElo "2744"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. g3 dxc4 4. Qa4+ c6 5. Qxc4 b5 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bg2 Nd7 8. a4
a6 9. O-O Ngf6 10. Nc3 Be7 $146 (10... Qb6 11. d3 Be7 12. Be3 c5 13. Qb3 b4 14.
Nb1 Bd5 15. Qc2 Qb7 16. Nbd2 Ng4 17. Nc4 Nxe3 18. Nxe3 Bc6 19. Nc4 {Ghaem
Maghami,E (2603)-Jessel,S (2285)/Lausanne 2005}) 11. d4 O-O 12. Rd1 c5 13. axb5
axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15. Nxb5 Be4 16. Qd2 cxd4 17. Nbxd4 (17. Qxd4 Bc5 18. Qd2
Ne5) 17... Rb8 18. Nh4 (18. Nc2 Nc5 (18... Qa4 19. Nfe1)) 18... Bc5 19. Qe1 h6
20. Bxe4 Nxe4 21. Be3 (21. f3 e5 22. e3 Ng5) 21... Ndf6 ({At the press
conference the players looked at} 21... Rxb2 22. Rb1 Ra2 {and now} 23. f3 {but
this fails to} Qa3 $1 {(also threatening 24...e5)} 24. Qc1 Qa7 25. fxe4 Bxd4
26. Bxd4 Qxd4+ 27. e3 Qxe4 {and Black has a winning position.}) 22. Nc2 Rxb2
23. Bxc5 Rxc2 24. Bd4 Qa6 25. Kf1 Nd5 ({Again Gelfand misses a chance:} 25...
e5 $1 26. Bxe5 Ng4 27. Nf3 Ngxf2 {and it's not easy to defend, e.g.} 28. Rc1 ({
better is} 28. Ra1 {but Black keeps excellent chances with} Qe6 $1) 28... Nd3
$1 29. exd3 Qxd3+ 30. Kg1 Re2 $1 $19) 26. f3 Nd6 27. Rc1 Qc4 28. Rxc2 Qxc2 29.
Ng2 Nc4 30. Qa1 Nd2+ 31. Kf2 Nb3 32. Qb2 Nxd4 33. Qxd4 Qc3 34. Qxc3 Nxc3 35.
Nf4 Kf8 36. Nd3 Ke7 37. e4 Kd6 38. Ke3 e5 39. Kd2 Nb5 40. Ke3 Nc7 1/2-1/2

Svidler was under pressure but Gelfand let it slip away to a draw

The players during the post-mortem slash press conference

Aronian got a clear endgame advantage against Anand, but the World Champion held it together with some very precise moves.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Aronian, Levon"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2802"]
[BlackElo "2811"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

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 Nd5 $146 (8... Nb6 9. Ne5 Bd6 10. Nxc4 Bxf4 11. exf4 Nxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd6 13.
g3 b6 14. d5 Bb7 15. dxe6 Qc6 16. exf7+ Kh8 17. Bd5 Nxd5 18. Nxd5 Qxd5 19. Qxd5
Bxd5 {0-1 Fernandez,G-Hicdoenmez,H/LSS email 2007}) 9. Bxc4 Nxf4 10. exf4 c5
11. dxc5 Qc7 12. g3 Qxc5 13. Qe2 Nb6 14. Bd3 Qh5 15. Qe3 Bf6 16. Ng5 Bxc3 17.
bxc3 h6 18. Be2 Qg6 19. Nf3 Qf6 ({Earlier Anand had missed that} 19... Bd7 {is
met by} 20. Ne5 Qf6 21. Bf3 {but Aronian didn't like} Bb5 22. Rfb1 Ba6 {so
perhaps it was possible after all.}) 20. Ne5 Bd7 21. c4 Qe7 22. Qe4 Bc6 ({"I
thought I can play} 22... Be8 {but you don't make such moves with a lot of
pleasure." (Anand)}) 23. Nxc6 bxc6 24. Qxc6 Rac8 25. Qe4 Rc7 26. Rfd1 Rfc8 27.
Rd4 g6 28. Rad1 Qf6 29. Qc2 Rc5 30. Qb3 Qe7 31. Bf1 R5c7 32. Qb5 Rc5 33. Qb4
R5c7 {"I saw nothing better than go for this bad ending." (Anand)} 34. Qxe7
Rxe7 35. Rd8+ Rxd8 36. Rxd8+ Kg7 37. c5 Nd5 38. Bc4 Nf6 39. Rc8 Rd7 40. Bb5
Rd1+ {"Very exact" and "the reason I drew'. (Anand)} 41. Kg2 Ra1 42. a4 a6 $1 {
The point.} 43. Bc6 Rc1 44. Ra8 Rxc5 45. Rxa6 Rc2 46. a5 Ng4 47. Be8 Kf8 48.
Ra8 Rxf2+ 49. Kg1 Ra2 50. Bb5+ Kg7 51. a6 Nxh2 52. Rc8 Nf3+ 53. Kf1 Nd4 54. Bc4
Ra3 55. Rc7 Nf5 56. Bxe6 Rxa6 57. Bxf7 Kf6 58. Bc4 Ne3+ 59. Kf2 Nxc4 60. Rxc4
1/2-1/2

After Anand gave a brief summary of what happened, Aronian gave an explanation in Russian

Kramnik more or less outplayed Ivanchuk with the white pieces. His position was overwhelming, but nowhere clearly winning.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D15"]
[WhiteElo "2800"]
[BlackElo "2775"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "113"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 b5 6. b3 Bg4 7. Qc2 e6 8. Ne5 Bf5
9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Nxd3 dxc4 $146 (10... Nbd7 11. cxb5 cxb5 12. a4 b4 13. Ne2 Rc8
14. Qb2 a5 15. Bd2 Bd6 {Turov,M (2562)-Jegorovas,A (2262)/playchess.com INT
2007}) 11. bxc4 bxc4 12. Ne5 Nbd7 13. O-O Nxe5 14. dxe5 Nd5 15. Rd1 Qa5 16. Ne4
c3 17. Rb1 Rd8 18. Rd4 Qc7 19. Qa4 a5 20. g3 Bb4 21. Nd6+ Kf8 22. e4 Nb6 23.
Qc2 Nd7 24. Nc4 h6 25. a3 Bc5 26. Rd3 Kg8 27. Qxc3 Kh7 28. Bf4 Rb8 29. Rbd1
Rhd8 30. Qd2 Nb6 31. Rxd8 (31. Qxa5 Rxd3 32. Rxd3 Qe7 33. Nd6 Nd7 34. Qc7 {
looks quite promising but the computer comes with the incredible defence} Bb6
35. Qxc6 g5 36. Nc4 Qc5 37. Qxc5 Nxc5 38. Rd6 Bd8 39. Be3 Nxe4 {which looks
forced. White is still a pawn up, but not clearly winning.}) 31... Nxc4 32. Qd7
({The last winning chance was perhaps} 32. Rd7 $5 Nxd2 33. Rxc7 Nxe4 34. Rdd7
Bxf2+ 35. Kg2 Bb6 36. Rb7) 32... Qxd8 33. Qxd8 Rxd8 34. Rxd8 Bxa3 35. Rd4 Nb6
36. Be3 (36. Kf1) (36. Rd2) 36... c5 37. Rd1 Nc4 38. Bxc5 (38. Ra1 Bb4 39. Bf4
g5 40. Bc1) 38... Bxc5 39. Rc1 Bxf2+ 40. Kxf2 Nxe5 41. Ke2 Kg6 42. Rc5 Kf6 43.
Rxa5 g5 44. h3 h5 45. Rc5 Ng6 46. Kf3 Ne5+ 47. Ke3 Ng6 48. Ra5 h4 49. Kf2 hxg3+
50. Kxg3 Ne5 51. Rb5 Nd3 52. Rb8 Kg7 53. Kg4 Nf2+ 54. Kxg5 Nxh3+ 55. Kg4 Nf2+
56. Kf4 Nd3+ 57. Ke3 1/2-1/2

Ivanchuk vs Kramnik: different ways of concentrating

The same scenario was seen in the game between the 'kings of 1990'. Later Carlsen would tweet:

Could not make anything of a huge advantage today. Karjakin defended really well after I spoiled my position right before move 40.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E12"]
[WhiteElo "2826"]
[BlackElo "2763"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "134"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 O-O 8.
Bg5 d6 9. Nd2 Nbd7 10. f3 Rc8 11. e4 h6 12. Bh4 c5 13. Bd3 cxd4 (13... d5 14.
exd5 exd5 15. O-O dxc4 16. Bxc4 cxd4 17. Qxd4 Nc5 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Qxf6 gxf6 {
Carlsen,M (2823)-Anand,V (2817)/Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2011}) 14. Qxd4 Nc5 15. Be2 e5
16. Qf2 Ne6 17. O-O g5 18. Bg3 Nd4 19. Rfd1 Nh5 20. Bd3 Nf4 $146 (20... Bc6 21.
a4 Qd7 22. Ra3 Bxa4 23. Rda1 b5 24. b3 Bxb3 25. Rxa7 Rc7 26. Rxc7 Qxc7 27. Nxb3
Nxb3 28. Ra7 Qb8 29. cxb5 Rc8 {Lahlum,H (2303)-Koskela,T (2461)/ICCF email 2009
}) 21. Qf1 Qf6 22. Bf2 Nde6 23. Bc2 Qg6 24. g3 Nh5 25. Qe2 g4 26. fxg4 Nf6 27.
h3 Ng5 28. Kh2 {A key position.} d5 $6 ({After the game Karjakin showed the
line} 28... Nfxe4 29. Be3 Nxd2 30. Rxd2 Nf3+ 31. Qxf3 Bxf3 32. Bxg6 fxg6 33.
Bxh6 {which is good for White of course}) ({but in fact after} 28... Nfxe4 29.
Be3 {Black has} Nxg3 $1 30. Bxg6 Nxe2 31. Bf5 Rc7 32. h4 Ne6 33. Bxh6 Rd8 {
which looks quite playable.}) 29. Be3 d4 30. Bxg5 hxg5 31. Rf1 Kg7 32. Rf5 Rh8
33. Kg2 Nd7 34. Nf3 f6 35. h4 Qh6 36. Rf1 Rh7 37. b4 ({Carlsen has built up a
very promising position and here it was probably time to harvest:} 37. hxg5
Qh3+ 38. Kf2 {e.g.} Qxg4 39. gxf6+ Kh8 40. Ke1 {and White should be winning.})
37... Kh8 38. Rh1 gxh4 39. Rxh4 Qe3 40. Qxe3 dxe3 41. Bd3 Ba6 42. Rxh7+ Kxh7
43. g5 Bxc4 44. Bxc4 Rxc4 45. gxf6 e2 46. Kf2 Rxe4 47. f7 Kg7 48. Ke1 Kf8 49.
Ng5 Rg4 50. Nh7+ Ke7 51. Rg5 Rxg5 52. Nxg5 a5 53. b5 Kf6 54. Ne4+ Kxf7 55. Kxe2
Ke6 56. g4 Kd5 57. Kd3 Nf8 58. g5 Ne6 59. Ke3 Kc4 60. g6 a4 61. Nd2+ Kd5 62.
Nb1 Nd4 63. Kd3 Ke6 64. Nc3 Kf6 65. Ke4 Nc2 66. Nb1 Nd4 67. Nc3 Nc2 1/2-1/2

Against Karjakin, Carlsen missed a good chance to become the sole leader

The one who was winning most clearly was Nakamura. His opponent Nepomniachtchi treated the American's Dragon (!) too modestly, and was already worse with White around move 12. When his opponent missed the decisive blow on move 38, the Russian GM showed that he knows something about rook endings - he escaped in a similar way as Botvinnik did against Fischer at the Varna Olympiad in 1962 (see below), as was mentioned by Emil Sutovsky in the live commentary.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.19"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Black "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B70"]
[WhiteElo "2730"]
[BlackElo "2758"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "170"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 {The Dragon is something
Nakamura hasn't played much yet: according to the database 6 times in 2007 and
once in 2009.} 6. Be2 {Perhaps taken by surprise, Nepomniachtchi doesn't go
for the sharpest lines.} Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 Nc6 9. Nb3 Be6 10. Bf1 a5 11.
Nd2 $146 {This looks a bit articifial.} (11. a4 d5 12. Nc5 dxe4 13. Nxe6 fxe6
14. Bc4 Qb6 15. Bxe6+ Kh8 16. Bb3 Ng4 17. Be3 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Qc5
20. Qd5 {Khusnutdinov,R (2524)-Zvjaginsev,V (2664)/St Petersburg 2010}) 11...
a4 12. Ndb1 $6 {And this can't be good.} ({White should have played} 12. a3 {
although Black is more than fine after} d5) 12... Ra5 ({Nakamura did see} 12...
a3 $1 13. Nxa3 (13. bxa3 d5) 13... Rxa3 14. bxa3 Ng4 15. Bd2 Bd4 16. Re2 {but
completely forgot about} Bc4) 13. Na3 d5 {Even here White has to fight for
equality.} 14. exd5 Nxd5 15. Ncb5 (15. Ne4 {was perhaps better.}) 15... Qc8 16.
c3 Rd8 17. Qe2 (17. Qf3 Nc7 18. Bf4 Nxb5 19. Bxb5) 17... Nc7 18. Rd1 (18. Be3
Nxb5 19. Nxb5 Ne5 {with the idea} 20. Bb6 Bc4 {Nepomniachtchi}) 18... Nxb5 19.
Nxb5 Ne5 20. Na3 (20. Rxd8+ Qxd8 21. Bf4 $2 Bc4 22. Qd1 Qxd1 23. Rxd1 Bxf1 24.
Rd8+ Bf8 25. Bh6 Nd7 {Nepomniachtchi}) 20... Rad5 21. Rxd5 Rxd5 22. Be3 Ng4 23.
h3 (23. Bf4 Qc5) 23... Nxe3 24. Qxe3 Qc6 {The players agreed that this
position is very unpleasant for White. "I think you played correctlty,
bringing the knight to d3." (Nakamura)} 25. Nc2 Qc7 26. a3 Be5 27. Nb4 Rd8 28.
Nd3 Bd6 29. Re1 Bf5 30. g3 Bxd3 (30... e5 $6 31. g4 $1 {Nepomniachtchi}) 31.
Bxd3 Bc5 32. Qf3 Rd6 33. Re4 (33. Re2 Rf6 34. Qg2 Qd6 {Nepomniachtchi}) 33...
Rb6 34. Bc4 e6 35. Re2 Bxa3 36. Bxe6 Bxb2 37. Bxf7+ ({In the post-mortem the
players didn't look at} 37. Ba2 $5 {but it might have been worth trying.})
37... Qxf7 38. Qd3 Re6 $2 (38... Qc7 $1 {was just possible:} 39. Re8+ Kf7 40.
Rh8 Kg7 41. Rd8 (41. Qd4+ Rf6 42. Rd8 Qxc3) 41... Qxc3 42. Rd7+ Kh6 43. Qe4 {
and now} Qc1+ $1 44. Kh2 Bf6 $1 $19) 39. Qd8+ {Now Black has to start all over.
} Kg7 40. Qd4+ Kg8 41. Qd8+ Qf8 42. Qd5 Qd6 43. Qxd6 (43. Qxe6+ Qxe6 44. Rxe6
Kf8 {is also tough for White, e.g.} 45. Re4 b5 46. c4 b4 47. c5 a3) 43... Rxd6
44. Rxb2 a3 45. Ra2 Ra6 46. Kf1 Kf7 47. Ke2 Ke6 48. Kd3 Kd5 49. f4 (49. c4+ Kc5
50. Kc3 Rf6) 49... h5 50. g4 h4 $1 {The best way to try and keep some winning
chances.} 51. c4+ $1 {More or less the only move.} Kc5 52. Kc3 Re6 53. Rf2 Re3+
54. Kc2 {This position could serve well in a training session.} Kxc4 ({A
serious alternative is} 54... Kb4 {and perhaps even}) (54... Kc6 $5 {(Houdini)
to put the king on f8.}) 55. f5 g5 56. f6 Re8 (56... Rb3 57. Kc1 (57. Rf4+ gxf4
58. f7 Rc3+ 59. Kd2 Rd3+) (57. Rf1 Rb2+ 58. Kc1) 57... a2 58. Rxa2 Rf3 {
Nepomniachtchi & Nakamura}) 57. f7 Rf8 58. Kb1 (58. Rf5 b5 59. Kb1 b4 60. Ka2 {
is a dead draw as pointed out by Nepomniachtchi.}) 58... Kd5 59. Rf5+ Ke6 60.
Rxg5 Rxf7 61. Rh5 b5 62. Rxb5 Rf3 63. Rb6+ $1 {The most precise.} ({After} 63.
Rh5 Rxh3 {it's not clear whether White can get the same set-up.}) 63... Ke5 64.
Rb5+ Ke6 65. Rb6+ Kd5 66. g5 Rxh3 67. Rb4 Ke5 68. g6 Kf6 69. Rg4 Kg7 70. Ka2
Kh8 71. Rf4 Kg7 72. Rg4 Rh1 73. Rb4 h3 74. Rb3 Kxg6 75. Rg3+ (75. Rxa3 $11)
75... Kf5 76. Rc3 Ke5 77. Rxa3 Rh2+ 78. Ka1 Kf4 79. Rb3 Rh1+ 80. Ka2 Rh2+ 81.
Ka1 Rh1+ 82. Ka2 Kg4 83. Rb4+ Kg3 84. Rb3+ Kg4 85. Rb4+ Kg3 1/2-1/2

Ian Nepomniachtchi escaped with a draw against...

...Nakamura, who hasn't been very lucky so far

[Event "Varna ol (Men) fin-A"]
[Site "Varna"]
[Date "1962"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Botvinnik, Mikhail"]
[Black "Fischer, Robert James"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D98"]
[Annotator "ChessBase"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/p5R1/1p4p1/4k3/7P/5K2/5P2/r7 w - - 0 51"]
[PlyCount "34"]
[EventDate "1962.09.16"]
[EventType "team"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "1999.07.01"]
[WhiteTeam "Soviet Union"]
[BlackTeam "US of America"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "URS"]
[BlackTeamCountry "USA"]

51... b5 $2 (51... Kd5 52. Rxg6 b5 53. Ke2 Kc4 54. h5 b4 55. Rg4+ Kb5 (55...
Kc3 56. Rh4 {/\ h5-h6-h7-h8Q}) 56. Kd3 $10 {Botvinnik,M}) (51... Kd4 $1 52.
Rxg6 b5 53. h5 b4 54. Kg2 (54. h6 $1 b3 (54... Rh1 55. Kg2 $1 Rh5 56. Ra6 b3
57. Rxa7 Rxh6 58. Rb7 Kc4 59. Kf3 $10) 55. Rg4+ (55. h7 Rh1 56. Rg7 a5 $19)
55... Kc5 $1 (55... Kc3 $2 56. Rh4 b2 57. h7 b1=Q 58. h8=Q+) (55... Kd3 $2 56.
Rb4 Kc2 57. Rc4+ $10) 56. Rg5+ Kc6 $1 (56... Kb4 57. Rg7 $1 b2 (57... a5 $2 58.
Kg2 $1 $18) 58. h7 Rh1 $1 59. Rxa7 Kb3 60. Rb7+ Kc2 61. Rc7+ Kd2 62. Rb7 $10)
57. Rg6+ Kb7 $1 58. Rg7+ (58. Rg4 a5 $19) 58... Ka6 $1 59. Rg6+ (59. Kg2 b2 60.
h7 b1=Q 61. h8=Q Qe4+ $19) 59... Ka5 60. Rg5+ (60. Rg7 $2 b2 61. Rxa7+ Kb6 $19)
60... Ka4 $1 61. Rg4+ (61. Rg7 a5 62. Rb7 Rh1) (61. Rh5 b2 62. h7 b1=Q 63. h8=Q
Qd3+ 64. Kf4 Re1 $1 65. Re5 Qd4+ 66. Kf5 Qxf2+ 67. Ke6 Qb6+ $19) 61... Ka3 62.
Rh4 b2 63. h7 b1=Q 64. h8=Q Qb3+ $1 65. Ke2 (65. Kf4 Qf7+) (65. Kg2 Qd5+ 66. f3
Qd2+) 65... Qd1+ 66. Ke3 Rb1 $3 67. Qf8+ (67. Qc3+ $2 Rb3) (67. Rh3 Ka2 $1 68.
Qg8+ Qb3+ $19) 67... Ka2 $40) 54... b3 55. h6 b2 56. h7 Rh1 $1 57. Kxh1 b1=Q+
58. Kh2 Qb8+ 59. Kg1 Qh8 (59... Qe5 $1 60. Rg8 (60. Kf1 Qh2 61. Rg7 a5 62. Ra7
Kd3 $1) 60... Qe1+ 61. Kh2 Qxf2+ 62. Kh3 Qf3+ $1 $19) 60. Rg4+ Kc3 61. Rh4 a5
62. Kg2 Kb3 63. Rh3+ Kc2 64. Rh4 a4 65. Rxa4 Qg7+ $1 (65... Qxh7 66. Rg4 $10 {
/\ Rg3(-e3)}) 66. Kf1 Qxh7 67. Ra2+ (67. Ra3 Qh1+ 68. Ke2 Qd1+ 69. Ke3 Qc1+ $19
) (67. Rg4 Qh1+ 68. Rg1 (68. Ke2 Qd1+ $19) 68... Qh3+ 69. Rg2 (69. Ke1 Qf3 $19)
69... Kd2 70. Kg1 Ke1 71. Rg3 Qf1+ $19) 67... Kb3 68. Ra5 $13) 52. h5 $1 $10 (
52. Rxg6 Kd4 $19) 52... Ra3+ 53. Kg2 gxh5 54. Rg5+ Kd6 55. Rxb5 h4 56. f4 Kc6
57. Rb8 $1 h3+ 58. Kh2 a5 59. f5 Kc7 60. Rb5 Kd6 61. f6 Ke6 62. Rb6+ Kf7 63.
Ra6 Kg6 64. Rc6 a4 65. Ra6 Kf7 66. Rc6 Rd3 67. Ra6 a3 68. Kg1 1/2-1/2

An example of the pretty interior in the Pashkov House: Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky (1725–1796), one of the foremost Russian generals of the 18th century | Photo © Macauley Peterson

Tal Memorial 2011 | Round 4 Standings

Schedule and pairings