Tal Memorial R5: Five more draws

Like in the previous round, all games in the 5th round of the Tal Memorial in Moscow ended in draws. Levon Aronian, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin continue to share the lead, with 3/5. On Monday the tournament will have its first and only rest day.

Anand and Kramnik split the point in round 5 | All photos © RCF

In case you missed it, at the Tal Memorial draw offers before move 40 are not allowed (the same rule that will be applied in every ECU event from next year). Although move repetitions have ended games earlier here and there, it still means that by now the players must be longing for that rest day of tomorrow. Magnus Carlsen, who drew against Vassily Ivanchuk today after 6.5 hours of play, tweeted:

Another draw today, this time I'm quite relieved that the position was still a draw after I blundered. Much needed rest day tomorrow

This must have been about Black's 61st move where Carlsen was suddenly forced to give an exchange, after having had the advantage for most of the game.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D82"]
[WhiteElo "2775"]
[BlackElo "2826"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "147"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. e3 c5 6. dxc5 Qa5 7. Qb3 ({More popular are} 7. Rc1 {and}) (7. Qa4+) 7... Na6 $5 {This
response has almost never been played before.} (7... Nc6) (7... dxc4) (7... Ne4
) 8. cxd5 Nxc5 9. Qb5+ Qxb5 10. Bxb5+ (10. Nxb5 Nxd5 $1 11. Rd1 Be6 12. Rxd5
Bxd5 13. Nc7+ Kf8 $1 14. Nxa8 Bxb2 15. Nc7 Bxa2 16. Bh6+ Bg7 17. Bxg7+ Kxg7 {
is good for Black (Shipov).}) 10... Bd7 11. Rd1 Nh5 12. Bxd7+ Kxd7 13. Bg3 $146
(13. Nge2 Nxf4 14. exf4 b5 15. b4 Nb7 $2 (15... Na4 $1) 16. Nxb5 a5 17. Rc1
Rhc8 18. Rxc8 Kxc8 19. bxa5 Rxa5 20. Nbc3 Nd6 {Vallin,G (2419)-Taddei,B (2340)/
France 2004 and now} 21. Kd2 $16 {and White is clearly better according to
Shipov.}) 13... b5 $1 14. d6 e6 15. Nf3 b4 16. Nb5 Nxg3 17. hxg3 Rab8 (17...
Bxb2 18. Rh4 $1 a5 19. Ng5 Raf8 20. Rc4 {Shipov}) 18. Nbd4 h5 19. Rh4 f5 20.
Ne2 e5 (20... Ne4 21. Nd2 {Shipov}) 21. Rc4 Rhc8 22. Kf1 Ne4 23. Rc7+ Rxc7 24.
dxc7+ Kxc7 25. Nd2 (25. Nh4 Rb6 {Shipov}) 25... Nxd2+ 26. Rxd2 a5 27. b3 a4 28.
bxa4 Ra8 29. Nc1 e4 30. Ne2 Rxa4 31. Nf4 Bc3 32. Rc2 Kd6 $1 33. Ke2 (33. Nxg6
$2 b3 $1 34. axb3 Ra1+ 35. Ke2 Re1#) 33... g5 34. Nxh5 Kd5 35. f3 g4 36. Nf4+
Kc4 37. Ne6 Ra6 38. Nf4 Rh6 (38... gxf3+ 39. gxf3 Rh6 40. fxe4 Rh2+ 41. Kd1
Rh1+ 42. Ke2 fxe4 43. g4 b3 44. axb3+ Kxb3 45. Rxc3+ Kxc3 46. g5 Rh2+ 47. Ke1
Kc4 48. g6 Rh4 49. g7 Rg4 50. Nh5 Kd3 51. Kf2 Kd2 52. Nf6 Rxg7 53. Nxe4+ {
Shipov}) 39. fxg4 fxg4 40. Rc1 Ra6 41. Rc2 Rh6 (41... b3 42. axb3+ Kxb3 43. Rc1
Ra2+ 44. Kf1 Bd2 45. Rc5 Bxe3 46. Re5 $6 (46. Rc6 $1 $11) 46... Kc3 47. Rxe4 $2
Kd2 48. Rxe3 Kxe3 49. Nd5+ Kd2 50. Nf6 Ra4 51. Kf2 Rd4 52. Kf1 Ke3 $19 {Shipov}
) 42. Rc1 Rd6 43. Rc2 Ra6 44. Kf2 Rh6 45. Ke2 Rh1 46. Ng6 (46. Kf2 b3 47. axb3+
Kxb3 48. Re2 $11 {Shipov}) 46... Re1+ (46... b3 47. Ne5+ (47. axb3+ Kxb3) 47...
Kd5 48. Rxc3 bxa2 49. Ra3 a1=Q 50. Rxa1 Rxa1 51. Nxg4 Ra2+ 52. Kf1 $11 {Shipov}
) 47. Kf2 Ra1 48. Nf4 Rb1 49. Ne6 Rd1 (49... Kd3 50. Re2 {Shipov}) 50. Nf4 Rd6
51. Ke2 Rc6 52. Rc1 Kb5 53. Nd5 Rc5 54. Nf4 (54. Nxc3+ $2 bxc3 55. Kd1 Kc4 56.
Kc2 Rf5 $19 {Shipov}) 54... Rc6 55. Nd5 Rc5 56. Nf4 Ka4 57. Ne6 Rd5 58. Rc2 Ka3
59. Nd4 Rc5 60. Nb3 Rd5 61. Nd4 Bxd4 $2 62. Rd2 $1 Bc3 (62... Rd8 $2 63. exd4
$18) 63. Rxd5 Kxa2 64. Kd1 b3 65. Rb5 Kb2 66. Rb8 Bf6 67. Kd2 Bc3+ 68. Kd1 Bf6
69. Rf8 Bc3 70. Re8 Ka2 71. Ra8+ (71. Rxe4 b2) 71... Kb1 72. Ra4 b2 73. Ra6 Ba5
$1 74. Rxa5 1/2-1/2

After trying for long to win a slightly better ending, Carlsen blundered but eventually drew by stalemate

Vishy Anand drew his fifth game, against Vladimir Kramnik. The two came to the same result the last eight times they met at the chess board, in 2010 and 2011 (not taking into account the team match with Humpy Koneru and Tatiana Kosintseva during the Botvinnik Memorial in September).

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Kramnik, Vladimir"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2811"]
[BlackElo "2800"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. Rc1 c5 7. dxc5 Qa5 $146 (
7... Bxc5 8. e3 Nc6 9. a3 a6 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Be2 d4 12. Na4 Ba7 13. exd4 Nxd4
14. Nxd4 Qxd4 15. Qxd4 Bxd4 16. O-O Bd7 17. b3 Bb5 {Navara,D (2722)-Grischuk,A
(2746)/Khanty Mansiysk 2011}) 8. e3 Rd8 9. Bd6 $5 {"The point is that I'm
willing to give up my pair of bishops, but I'm much better developed." (Anand)}
dxc4 10. Bxc4 Ne4 11. O-O Nxd6 (11... Nxc5 12. Bxe7 (12. b4 Qxb4 13. Nd5 exd5
14. Bxe7 Nc6 15. Bxd5 (15. Bxd8 dxc4 16. Be7 Bf5 {and Black should have good
compensation (Anand)}) 15... Nxe7 16. Bxf7+ Kxf7 17. Qxd8 {"looks good for
White and Vlady usually doesn't go for these kind of positions." (Anand)})
12... Rxd1 13. Rfxd1 Nc6 14. Bd6) 12. cxd6 Bxd6 ({After the game Kramnik
thought that Black could equalize rather comfortably with} 12... Rxd6 {as
"Black's pieces develop much more smoothly than in the game" (Anand).}) 13. Qb3
Nc6 14. Rfd1 Be7 15. Be2 (15. Bb5 Bd7) 15... h6 {Played after a long think.} (
15... Bd7 16. Qxb7 Rab8 17. Rxd7 Rxb7 18. Rxb7 {is unpleasant for Black,
"although the computer might find a way to equalize" (Anand).}) 16. Nd2 (16. h3
) 16... Qb4 17. Qc2 Bd7 18. Nc4 (18. a3 Qd6) 18... Bf8 $1 {"Quite clever."
(Anand)} 19. a3 Qe7 20. Nd6 ({Anand didn't see anything after} 20. b4 a6 ({or}
20... Be8 21. b5 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 Nd8 {Kramnik})) 20... Be8 21. Nxe8 Rxd1+ 22.
Rxd1 Rxe8 {"Here I have a theoretical advantage as my bishop is slightly
better than his. The draw is a logical result." (Anand)} 23. Qb3 Rd8 24. Rxd8
Nxd8 25. Bf3 g6 26. Qa4 a6 27. g3 Bg7 28. Qc4 Qd7 29. Kg2 Be5 30. b4 Qc7 31.
Qxc7 Bxc7 32. b5 axb5 33. Nxb5 Bb6 34. Nd6 Bc5 35. Nxb7 Nxb7 36. Bxb7 Bxa3
1/2-1/2

Anand and Kramnik with, between them, host GM Maxim Dlugy, who lives in Moscow and has his own investment management business

Nakamura is not unsatisfied about his play so far. After today's game against Aronian he tweeted:

Not playing too badly, just a couple of costly mistakes against Svidler and Nepo. Nevertheless, 4 more chances to get on the scoreboard!

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteElo "2758"]
[BlackElo "2802"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "105"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. g4 Be6 8. h4
Nd7 9. Bg3 $5 (9. h5 Nh6 (9... Qb6 10. Rb1 Ngf6 11. f3 h6 12. Bd3 Qa5 13. Nge2
b5 {Botvinnik,M-Spassky,B/Leiden 1970 (25)}) 10. Be2 Nb6 11. Nh3 g5 12. hxg6
hxg6 13. Bg3 Qd7 14. Nf4 O-O-O 15. Nxe6 Qxe6 16. Rg1 Bd6 {Nakamura,H (2753)
-Aronian,L (2807)/Sao Paulo/Bilbao BRA/ESP 2011}) 9... Nb6 10. f3 Bd6 11. Bxd6
(11. Bf2 {"felt too exotic" (Nakamura).} Ne7 12. Nge2 h5) 11... Qxd6 12. Qc2
Ne7 13. Bd3 ({Aronian was taking} 13. Qh2 {into account and after} Qxh2 14.
Rxh2 {he was thinking about} f5 15. g5 f4) 13... h5 14. g5 O-O-O (14... g6 15.
Qh2 {plays into White's hands.}) 15. Nge2 Kb8 16. Kf2 {"I had some crazy
notions of push the pawns on the queenside and mate." (Nakamura)} ({Even} 16.
b4 {was interesting but probably too much.}) 16... g6 17. a4 a5 18. Ng3 {"I
was not sure this was the right move." (Aronian)} (18. Nf4 {is less ambitious,
though} Bf5 $11 {Aronian}) 18... Rdf8 19. Qd2 f6 20. gxf6 Rxf6 ({Aronian was
thinking about} 20... Nf5 {but didn't like} 21. Bxf5 Nc4 22. Qd3 gxf5 23. Nce2
$5 Nxb2 24. Qa3 Qxa3 25. Rxa3 Rxf6 26. Nf4 Bf7 {and Black has a bad bishop.
And an extra pawn, Nakamura added, and Aronian agreed. :-)}) 21. Nce4 dxe4 22.
Nxe4 Rxf3+ 23. Kxf3 Qd5 24. Qh2+ ({The players looked at} 24. Ke2 Nf5 (24...
Bf5 25. Qc2 {followed by bringing a rook to f4}) (24... Bg4+ 25. Ke1 Nf5 26.
Rc1) 25. Rac1 (25. Qc2 Nc4 ({or} 25... Bf7)) (25. Rag1 Nc4 26. Bxc4 Qxc4+ 27.
Qd3 {and now} Re8 $1 {is strong.}) 25... Nd6 26. Rc5 $2 Nxe4 $1 27. Rxd5 Bg4+)
24... Ka7 25. Qe5 Rf8+ 26. Ke2 Qxe5 27. dxe5 Nd7 28. Nd2 Nxe5 29. Be4 Bg4+ 30.
Ke1 Nd5 31. Ra3 Rd8 32. Rh2 Nb4 33. Kf1 Bd1 (33... Be6 $5) (33... c5 $5) 34.
Rg2 Bg4 35. Rh2 Bf5 $6 {There should be something better for Black here but
Aronian couldn't find anything during the game.} (35... g5 36. hxg5 Rg8 37. g6
Nxg6 38. Nc4) (35... Rg8 $5) 36. Bxf5 gxf5 37. Rg2 Ng4 38. Nc4 {Now it's equal.
} Re8 39. Re2 Nd5 40. Ke1 Re6 41. Rd3 f4 42. e4 Nde3 43. Nxe3 Nxe3 44. Rd7 Rxe4
45. Kf2 Rb4 46. Rh7 Rb3 47. Rxh5 Ng4+ 48. Kf1 f3 49. Rd2 Rb4 50. Rxa5+ Kb6 51.
Rg5 Rxa4 52. Rxg4 Rxg4 53. Rh2 1/2-1/2

In his game against Boris Gelfand, Ian Nepomniachtchi showed how hard he has worked on his Grünfeld. He responded well against White's 4.Bg5 line and got a small advantage. With a positional exchange sacrifice the Israeli avoided bigger trouble.

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Black "Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D80"]
[WhiteElo "2744"]
[BlackElo "2730"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "124"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bh4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 dxc4 7. e3 Be6 8.
Nf3 Bg7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O c5 11. Rb1 b6 12. Ng5 $146 (12. Qc2 Nc6 13. Rfd1
cxd4 14. cxd4 Bf5 15. e4 Bg4 16. d5 Na5 17. d6 Bf6 18. Bxf6 exf6 19. Nd4 Bd7
20. Nb5 Rc8 {Nisipeanu,L (2641)-Kasimdzhanov,R (2669)/Khanty Mansiysk 2011})
12... Bd5 13. e4 Bb7 14. d5 h6 15. Nf3 g5 16. Bg3 f5 17. exf5 Qxd5 18. Qa4 Qxf5
19. Bxc4+ Kh8 20. Rbe1 Nc6 21. Re3 Rad8 22. h4 e5 23. hxg5 (23. Bb3) 23... e4
24. Nh4 Qxg5 25. Bb5 (25. Rxe4 Bxc3) 25... Na5 26. Rfe1 (26. Rxe4 a6 27. Be2
Bxe4 28. Qxe4 Rfe8 {is good for Black.}) 26... c4 (26... a6 27. Bf1 Rd2) 27.
Bxc4 Bc6 28. Qb4 Nxc4 29. Qxc4 Bd5 30. Qa4 Rf7 31. Rxe4 {This exchance
sacrifice frees White's pieces and Black's weakened king's position provides
compensation.} Bxe4 32. Rxe4 Qd5 33. Kh2 b5 (33... Qh5 34. Re8+ Rxe8 (34... Rf8
) 35. Qxe8+ Bf8 36. Kg1 Kg8 37. Nf3) 34. Qc2 Qh5 35. c4 bxc4 (35... Rc8 36. c5)
36. Rxc4 Rfd7 37. Rc5 Rd5 38. Rxd5 Rxd5 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. Qc2+ Kg8 41. Qc8+ Bf8
42. Kh3 Qf7 43. Qa6 Rd4 44. Kh2 Rb4 45. a4 Re4 46. a5 Re6 47. Qc8 a6 48. Nf3
Qh5+ 49. Kg1 Qe8 50. Qc4 Qc6 51. Qb3 Bg7 52. Bf4 Kh7 53. Be3 Qe4 54. Bd4 Re7
55. Bxg7 Rxg7 56. Qc3 Qb1+ 57. Kh2 Qf5 58. Kg1 Rd7 59. Qe1 Rb7 60. Kh2 Rg7 61.
Nh4 Qc2 62. Qe6 Qc7+ 1/2-1/2

Contrary to normal practice, we've saved the quickest draw for last:

[Event "6th Tal Memorial"]
[Site "Moscow RUS"]
[Date "2011.11.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Svidler, Peter"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B42"]
[WhiteElo "2763"]
[BlackElo "2755"]
[Annotator "ChessVibes"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[EventDate "2011.11.16"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O e5 7. Bg5 h6 (7...
exd4 8. e5 h6 9. exf6 {loses immediately.}) 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Nf5 g6 $146 (9...
d5 10. Nc3 d4 11. Nd5 Qd8 12. Ng3 g6 13. f4 exf4 14. Nxf4 Nc6 15. Bc4 Ne5 16.
Bb3 Bg7 17. Nge2 Bg4 18. h3 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 O-O 20. Rad1 Kh7 21. Nd3 {1/2-1/2
(21) Vallejo Pons,F (2707)-Kunte,A (2526)/Pattaya 2011}) 10. Ne3 Bc5 11. Nc3 d6
12. Ncd5 Qd8 13. c3 (13. Kh1 Nc6 (13... Be6 14. f4 exf4 15. Nxf4 Nc6 16. Nxe6
fxe6 17. Qg4) 14. f4 exf4 15. Rxf4 Ne5 16. Nf6+ Kf8 17. Ned5 Be6 {Svidler})
13... Be6 14. Bc2 (14. b4 Ba7 15. Be2 Nc6 16. Nc4 Rc8 {Svidler} (16... O-O 17.
Nxd6)) 14... O-O 15. Ng4 (15. Bb3 Nd7 16. Qe2 Kg7 17. Rad1 Rc8 {Svidler}) 15...
Nd7 $5 {A pawn sacrifice that suddenly brings life into the game.} ({Everyone
expected} 15... Kg7 {and now e.g.} 16. Ngf6 Nd7 17. Nxd7 Qxd7 {Svidler}) 16.
Nxh6+ Kg7 17. Nf5+ $5 {A nice counter which unfortunately will lead to a quick
draw.} (17. Ng4 Rh8 18. h3 Rh4 {was the idea - Black indeed has nice
compensation here.}) 17... gxf5 18. exf5 Bxd5 {Also accepting the fact that
the game will be drawn.} (18... Qh4 $6 19. fxe6 fxe6 20. Nc7 (20. Ne3 Rxf2 21.
Rxf2 Bxe3 22. Qf3 Bxf2+ 23. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 24. Kxf2) 20... Bxf2+ 21. Rxf2 Qxf2+ 22.
Kh1 {looks better for White (Svidler).}) 19. Qg4+ Kh6 20. Qh3+ Kg5 21. Qg3+ Kh5
(21... Kh6 22. Qh3+ Kg7 23. Qg3+ Kf6 24. Qh4+ $11) 22. Qg7 {This looks killing,
but...} Bf3 $1 {...saves the day.} 23. Qh7+ Kg5 24. Qg7+ Kh5 25. Qh7+ Kg5 26.
Qg7+ Kh5 1/2-1/2

Svidler and Karjakin enjoying the post-mortem of their spectacular draw

Tal Memorial 2011 | Round 5 Standings

Schedule and pairings