Tata R10: Aronian wins again, Ivanchuk now sole second

Levon Aronian maintained his full point lead at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands. On a "Black Wednesday" for the A group, the Armenian grandmaster won an excellent game with Black against Anish Giri. Vassily Ivanchuk, who beat David Navara, is now in sole second place, a point behind Aronian.

In 2007 he won shared with Teimour Radjabov, and in 2008 together with Magnus Carlsen. Levon Aronian has excellent chances to finish first in Wijk aan Zee for the third time after winning his black game against Anish Giri on Wednesday. With the form he's in, the Armenian grandmaster might as well try to clinch his first sole victory in the Dutch coastal town.

The game he played in the 10th round was one by a great champion, one that Tigran Petrosian would have been proud of. We mention the 9th World Champion, also from Armenia, because of the positional exchange sacrifice in the game, which was analyzed by Aronian's second Arman Pashikian during the Tal Memorial in Moscow last year. According to Aronian, whose explanation of the game can be found here, computers don't understand that Black is at least equal in the resulting middlegame. A few inaccuracies by Giri quickly led to a hopeless position for White.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Giri, A."]
[Black "Aronian, L."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[Annotator ",PD"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pppbb1pp/1n2p3/4B1p1/2pP4/2N1PB2/PPQ2PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 13"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

13... Rxf3 $1 {Pashikian} 14. gxf3 Bd6 15. Qe4 Bc6 16. Qg4 Qe7 17. Bxd6 cxd6
18. Ne4 $6 ({Even though the black rook will go to f4, Aronian preferred} 18.
e4) 18... h6 19. Qg3 $6 {
Strange, according to Aronian, because of Black's next move.} d5 $1 20. Nc3 (
20. Nd2 $2 {is bad because of} Qb4 {and}) (20. Qd6 $2 Qxd6 21. Nxd6 Rd8 {
drops the knight.}) ({According to Aronian, after} 20. Nc5 {
the knight will be trapped but it's not easy to see how exactly and after
the game Giri felt that he should have played this.}) 20... Rf8
21. Ne2 Rf5 22. Kg2 Nd7 23. Rh1 $6 {
Now the black knight will reach h4 and black is more or less winning.} Nf8 $1
24. h4 Ng6 25. f4 Nxh4+ 26. Kf1 Qb4 27. Rb1 Be8 28. Nc3 Qe7 29. b4 Rf8 30. Rb2
Bg6 31. Ke1 Bd3 32. fxg5 Nf3+ 33. Kd1 hxg5 34. Qh3 Qf6 35. Kc1 Bg6 36. a4 Rd8
37. Ne2 e5 38. Qg4 exd4 39. exd4 Re8 40. Qd7 c3 41. Ra2 Ne1 42. Rxe1 Qf4+ 43.
Kd1 Qe4 0-1

The other big favorite for tournament victory, Magnus Carlsen, is now 1.5 points behind after a quick draw with Hikaru Nakamura. Vassily Ivanchuk is in sole second place thanks to a win against David Navara, which earned the Ukrainian the 500-euro Piet Zwart Prize.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Navara, D."]
[Black "Ivanchuk, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A70"]
[WhiteElo "2712"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/7p/pr1p2p1/2pPrn2/8/3B1qPP/RPQ2P2/R5K1 w - - 0 30"]
[PlyCount "24"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

30. Bxf5 $2 (30. Rxa6 Rxa6 31. Bxa6 Nd4 32. Qc3 {is about equal.}) 30... Re2
31. Be6+ Kf8 32. Qxe2 Qxe2 33. b4 Qe4 34. Rxa6 Rxa6 35. Rxa6 c4 36. Rc6 c3 37.
Rc8+ Kg7 38. Rc7+ Kf6 39. Kh2 Qd4 40. f4 g5 41. fxg5+ Ke5 0-1

Teimour Radjabov shares third place with Carlsen after splitting the point with Loek van Wely. The Dutchman accepted a draw offer in a winning position!

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Radjabov, T."]
[Black "Van Wely, L."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A80"]
[WhiteElo "2773"]
[BlackElo "2692"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5nk1/6p1/2Q5/2P1qp2/r2r4/1R1B4/7P/6RK w - - 0 40"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

40. Qf3 $2 (40. Qf3 Ra2 41. Rg2 (41. Qg3 Qd5+) (41. Rg3 Rf4) 41... Rxg2 42.
Qxg2 (42. Kxg2 Ng6 $1) 42... Rxd3 $1 43. Rxd3 Qe1+ 44. Qg1 Qe4+ {wins for Black.}) 1/2-1/2

It's important to realize that it's really not easy to see that Black is winning in the final position, because Houdini's evaluation of -5.80 is based on a number of different tactics. Besides, Van Wely didn't have much time on the clock:

He offered me a draw. I had like 50 seconds left for my last move. I was a bit suspicious when he offered me a draw; I had to make a decision. His offered seemed very reasonable to me.

"KingLoek" drew all of his games so far. However, a few years ago he actually drew 11 games in Wijk aan Zee, so he said:

I still have some work to do to break my record!

But this was not all; the A group's 10th round actually saw two more decisive games and here too the point went to Black. Fabiano Caruana is playing a fine tournament and on Wednesday he beat Veselin Topalov.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Caruana, F."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B42"]
[WhiteElo "2770"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4rr2/1p3pk1/p2p2p1/2bNn1qp/4PR2/2P5/PPB3PP/3R1Q1K w - - 0 23"]
[PlyCount "34"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

23. Bb3 $2 {A big mistake.} (23. g3 Ng4 24. Re1) 23... Ng4 $1 {
Because of the fork on f2 White cannot save his e4 pawn.} 24. g3 Rxe4 $1 25.
Rxe4 Nf2+ 26. Qxf2 ({Objectively speaking} 26. Kg2 Nxe4 {
was better but it's not much fun either.}) 26... Bxf2 27. Kg2 Bc5 28. h4 Qf5
29. Re2 Qg4 30. Rde1 (30. Re7 g5 31. Rf1 gxh4 32. Rfxf7+ Rxf7 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7
34. Ne3+ Qe6 35. Bxe6+ Kxe6 36. Nc2 Ke5 {is also lost.}) 30... g5 31. Re4 Qf5
32. R1e2 gxh4 33. Nf4 Qg5 34. Kh1 d5 35. Bxd5 hxg3 36. c4 Qh4+ 37. Kg2 Qh2+ 38.
Kf3 Qh1+ 39. Kxg3 h4+ 0-1

Gata Kamsky managed to beat Sergey Karjakin with Black. According to the American grandmaster, Karjakin's win over Carlsen in the previous round played a role.

I think it contributed to why he tried to win so hard. Sometimes it backfires so I was lucky I guess.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Kamsky, G."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C84"]
[WhiteElo "2769"]
[BlackElo "2732"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r3r1k1/2qbbpp1/p2p1nNp/n1p1p3/P2PP3/2P2Q2/B2N1PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 19"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

19. Qg3 $6 Bd8 $1 {Kamsky: "I the opening I think I messed up because he had
the advantage. But when I played Qc7 I think he forgot that I have this Bd8
retreat."} 20. dxe5 dxe5 21. Nh4 c4 22. Nf5 $6 {
Kamaky didn't like this, because of his 23rd move.} Bxf5 23. exf5 Qc6 {
"His whole idea was to get two bishops and then of course White has some
advantage. When he went for this position with Nf5, Bf5 ef5 he wanted to get
his knight on e4 and have the two bishops but after Qc6 it turns out Black is
just better because there are no tactics and Black just pushes the pawn and
position the rooks." (Kamsky)} 24. Ba3 Bc7 25. Qe3 Rad8 26. Ne4 Bb6 27. Nxf6+
Qxf6 28. Qe4 Rd2 29. Rf1 Red8 30. Kh1 Nb3 31. Bxb3 cxb3 32. f4 Qh4 33. Rab1
R8d3 34. Bc1 Rd1 35. Ba3 Rxb1 36. Rxb1 Re3 37. g3 Qh5 38. Qg2 exf4 39. gxf4 Re2
40. Qg3 Qxf5 0-1

In Grandmaster Group B, Alexander Motylev won the daily prize of 250 euros for his

brilliant technical victory with white

(Ivan Sokolov) against Sipke Ernst.

Ernst was gradually pushed off the board.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMB"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Motylev, A."]
[Black "Ernst, S."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "2677"]
[BlackElo "2606"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. Be3 Be7 10. c3 O-O 11. Nbd2 Qd7 12. Re1 Rad8 13. Bc2 f5 14. exf6 Nxf6
15. a4 Ng4 16. axb5 axb5 17. Bd3 Nce5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Qh5+ Kg8
21. Qxe5 Rf5 22. Qg3 Bd6 23. f4 d4 24. cxd4 Rdf8 25. Nf3 Bxf4 26. Bxf4 Rxf4 27.
Ra8 Rxa8 28. Qxf4 Bd5 29. Ng5 Rf8 30. Qe5 Qc6 31. h3 Qc4 32. Kh2 c6 33. Re3 Qf1
34. Qg3 Qb1 35. Re7 Qg6 36. Ne6 Qxg3+ 37. Kxg3 Rf1 38. Rxg7+ Kh8 39. Re7 Rb1
40. Nf4 Bb3 41. h4 Rxb2 42. h5 Kg8 43. h6 Bc2 44. Nh5 Rb1 45. Rg7+ Kf8 46. h7
Bxh7 47. Rxh7 Rh1 48. Kg4 1-0

Pentala Harikrishna is playing very strongly this year in Wijk aan Zee. In the 10th round he got some help from his opponent to win his sixth game:

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMB"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Harikrishna, P."]
[Black "Vocaturo, D."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E06"]
[WhiteElo "2665"]
[BlackElo "2545"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4r1k1/p2q1ppp/2r2b2/1Q1B4/8/B5P1/P4P1P/1R4K1 w - - 0 25"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

25... Rec8 $4 (25... Rc7 26. Qxd7 Rxd7 27. Bc6 Red8 28. Bxd7 Rxd7 {
should end in a draw.}) 26. Bxc6 Rxc6 27. Qxc6 1-0

Pentala Harikrishna is in top form this year

The C group saw a big surprise as Dutch tailender Pieter Hopman beat co-leader Hans Tikkanen in a fine game that earned him the 100-euro day prize.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMC"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Hopman, P."]
[Black "Tikkanen, H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "2342"]
[BlackElo "2549"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bg4 5. Qb3 Qb6 6. Nc3 e6 7. Nh4 Bh5 8. h3 g5
9. Nf3 h6 10. g4 Bg6 11. h4 Rg8 12. hxg5 hxg5 13. c5 Qc7 14. Ne5 Bh7 15. Bd2
Nbd7 16. Be2 Rg7 17. Nxd7 Nxd7 18. Qa4 e5 19. b4 f6 20. O-O-O b6 21. Kb2 bxc5
22. bxc5 a5 23. Ka1 Rb8 24. Qa3 Bc2 25. Rc1 Rh7 26. Rhf1 Bg6 27. Na4 Rh4 28.
Bd3 Bxd3 29. Qxd3 e4 30. Qe2 Bg7 31. Rb1 Kf7 32. Rxb8 Qxb8 33. Rb1 Qc7 34. Qa6
Kg6 35. Bxa5 Qh2 36. Qxc6 Nf8 37. Qxd5 Rxg4 38. c6 Rg1 39. Nc3 Rxb1+ 40. Nxb1
Qxf2 41. c7 1-0

Maxim Turov drew his game and is sole leader again. In the game between Tania Sachdev and Lisa Schut, Black blundered in a textbook endgame.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMC"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.25"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Sachdev, T."]
[Black "Schut, L."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D85"]
[WhiteElo "2411"]
[BlackElo "2290"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/5k2/1R6/5K2/2b5/8/8/8 w - - 0 49"]
[PlyCount "20"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

49... Kg7 50. Rb7+ Kh8 51. Kg6 Bd3+ 52. Kh6 Bc4 53. Rh7+ Kg8 54. Rg7+ Kh8 55.
Rh7+ Kg8 56. Rc7 Be6 $4 {It's important to put the bishop on a square from
where it can check the white king on g6.} 57. Kg6 {
Because white can maintain her king on this square, she is suddenly winning.}
Kh8 58. Rh7+ Kg8 59. Re7 1-0

Lisa Schut (l.) already secured a WGM norm, but lost a drawn endgame against Tania Sachdev

Thursday is a rest day for Grandmaster Groups A, B and C as well as for all amateurs.

Games group A, round 10

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Round 10 standings

Games group B, round 10

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Round 10 standings

Games group C, round 10

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Round 10 standings