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Tata Steel R7: Carlsen joins Aronian in the lead once again

PeterDoggers
| 0 | Chess Event Coverage

Once again Magnus Carlsen joined Levon Aronian in the lead at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands. In the 7th round, Carlsen beat Boris Gelfand with the white pieces while Aronian drew his game with Black against Vassily Ivanchuk. Still without playing a single draw, Sergey Karjakin defeated Veselin Topalov and likewise Gata Kamsky bounced back from a loss against David Navara.

EventTata Steel Chess Tournament | PGN Group A, Group B, Group C via TWIC
DatesJanuary 13th-29th, 2012
LocationWijk aan Zee, The Netherlands
System3 GM groups with 14 players-player double round robin
Players
A group
Carlsen, Aronian, Radjabov, Topalov, Karjakin, Ivanchuk, Gashimov, Nakamura, Gelfand, Caruana, Kamsky, Giri, Navara, Van Wely
Players
B group
Bruzon, Potkin, Motylev, Tiviakov, Harikrishna, Ernst, L'Ami, Reinderman, Timman, Nyzhnik, Lahno, Vocaturo, Harika, Cmilyte
Players
C group
Sadler, Turov, Adhiban, Tikkanen, Grover, Brandenburg, Danielian, Paehtz, Sachdev, Hopman, Ootes, Haast, Schut, Goudriaan
Rate of play100 minutes for 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for 20 moves, then 15 minutes for the remaining moves with 30 seconds cumulative increment for each move starting from the first move.

On the second Saturday, the word ramptoerisme ('disaster tourism') was buzzing through the playing hall of the Tata Steel chess tournament. Many amateurs and spectators were having trouble reaching the venue in time, because of traffic jams on the highway to Beverwijk/Wijk aan Zee. The reason was a cargo ship that had run aground, in fact already on Friday morning, about two hundred meters offshore, nearby the Wijk aan Zee beach. On Saturday the ship was released - an operation that was watched by hundreds if not thousands of 'disaster tourists' from the rainy and windy beach.

Tournament leader Levon Aronian drew his game in the 7th round, but this could hardly be called a disaster, with Black against Vassily Ivanchuk. Aronian said about the game:

Vassily has a very good feel for these positions and although it's considered to be a draw, I think he had this cunning plan to play this in order to get me to lose my concentration and to beat me like that. But I think I stayed calm, and I was analyzing during his time, so I avoided the trouble.

Aronian's girlfriend Arianne Caoili is again playing in the 9-round amateur event

And so for the second time, Magnus Carlsen had a chance to rejoin Aronian in the lead. The Norwegian did so, won the daily prize (for his “fine display of his skill of exploiting microscopic advantages" - Ivan Sokolov) and explained afterwards:

It was just that (...) he exchanged queens one move too late. If he had simply played 30…Qc2 instead of 30…Nd7, there would have been no question of me having an advantage. When he came up with the exchange one move later, I won a pawn, and it became very difficult for him to fight his way back into the game.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.21"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Gelfand, B."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "2835"]
[BlackElo "2739"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/pp3pp1/2pb1n2/2q5/1n2P1pP/1P4P1/P2BNPB1/1Q4K1 w - - 0 30"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

30... Nd7 $2 (30... Qc2 31. Qxc2 Nxc2 $11) 31. Be3 $1 Qc2 32. Qxc2 Nxc2 33.
Bxa7 Ba3 34. Nc3 Bb2 35. Nd1 Bc1 36. Bf1 Nb4 37. a4 Nf6 38. e5 Nd7 39. Bd4 Nc2
40. Bc3 Nc5 41. Be2 Ne4 42. Bxg4 Nxc3 43. Nxc3 Bb2 44. e6 fxe6 45. Bxe6+ Kf8
46. Ne4 Nd4 47. Ng5 Ke7 48. Bg8 Kf8 49. Bc4 Ke7 50. Kg2 b5 51. Bg8 Kf8 52. a5
1-0

Magnus Carlsen defeated Boris Gelfand and caught Levon Aronian again

Gata Kamsky beat David Navara from the white side of a Berlin Endgame. The American said that at first Black was fine, out of the opening.

In the opening it was very slightly better for White, very close to equality. The way he played he had no counterplay at all.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.21"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Kamsky, G."]
[Black "Navara, D."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2732"]
[BlackElo "2712"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/ppp1bpp1/r7/2p1P2p/2Pn1B2/2N4P/PP3PP1/3R1K2 w - - 0 21"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

{The following plan just backfires.} 21... c6 22. Be3 b5 23. a3 b4 24. axb4
cxb4 25. Bxd4 bxc3 26. Bxc3 Ra4 27. Ke2 Rxc4 28. Ra1 Bc5 29. g3 Bb6 30. Kd3 Rc5
31. f4 Rb5 32. b4 g6 33. g4 hxg4 34. hxg4 Kd7 35. f5 gxf5 36. gxf5 c5 37. Kc4
Kc6 38. Rd1 Bc7 39. Rd5 a6 40. Rxc5+ Rxc5+ 41. bxc5 a5 42. f6 Kd7 43. Kd5 a4
44. c6+ Kd8 45. Bb4 Bb8 46. e6 Ke8 47. Bd6 1-0

In one of the 'en passant' videos, Kamsky complimented the two opponents who had beaten him so far: Aronian and Giri.

Overall I was OK with my game except for the games I lost. The game that I lost to Levon, it was a fantastic game, because the only chance I could see for myself was at one point, Nb3 on the 40th or 50th move. You know, obviously when your only move is on the 50th move, the opponent is doing something really right! Yesterday, against Giri, I blundered in one move and then he just run me down like a professional!

Gata Kamsky

Sergey Karjakin hasn't drawn a single game yet. On Saturday the Moscovite won against Veselin Topalov, using the Grand Prix Attack. Topalov came up with an exchange sacrifice that was as typical for this variation as it was for the Bulgarian. As he won two more pawns on the queenside, Black seemed to be doing fine but eventually, when the ending was reached, White was "just" an exchange up.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.21"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Karjakin, Sergey"]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "2769"]
[BlackElo "2770"]
[PlyCount "197"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. O-O Na5 8. Be2
Nf6 9. d3 O-O 10. Qe1 Nc6 11. Qh4 Nd4 12. Bd1 Rc8 13. Kh1 b5 14. Nxd4 cxd4 15.
Nb1 Rc5 16. Nd2 Qc7 17. Nb3 Rxc2 18. Bxc2 Qxc2 19. Qg3 Rc8 20. f5 Qe2 21. Bg5
Qxb2 22. Rab1 Qxa2 23. Nxd4 Qa4 24. Ne2 Rc2 25. Qf3 gxf5 26. Ng3 fxe4 27. Nxe4
Nxe4 28. dxe4 f6 29. Ra1 Ra2 30. Rac1 Rc2 31. Ra1 Qd4 32. Be3 Qe5 33. Bf4 Qe6
34. Qg3 Kf8 35. Rxa7 b4 36. Rb7 Re2 37. Qf3 Rc2 38. Rxb4 Qg4 39. Rb7 Qxf3 40.
gxf3 Be8 41. Rc1 Rxc1+ 42. Bxc1 Bg6 43. Bf4 Bf7 44. Kg2 Be6 45. Bd2 Ke8 46. Rb5
Kf7 47. f4 Bd7 48. Ra5 f5 49. exf5 Bf6 50. Kf3 h5 51. Ke4 Bc6+ 52. Kd3 Bg2 53.
Be3 Bf1+ 54. Kd2 Bg2 55. Bb6 Be4 56. Ke3 Bc2 57. Bd4 Bxd4+ 58. Kxd4 Kf6 59. Ra8
Bxf5 60. Rf8+ Ke6 61. Ke3 Bg6 62. Kf3 Bf7 63. f5+ Kf6 64. Kf4 Kg7 65. Rb8 Kf6
66. Rd8 e5+ 67. fxe6 Bxe6 68. Rxd6 h4 69. Rb6 h3 70. Rc6 Kf7 71. Ke5 Bg4 72.
Rc4 Bd7 73. Rc7 Ke8 74. Kd6 Bg4 75. Re7+ Kf8 76. Re4 Bc8 77. Kc7 Ba6 78. Re3
Kg7 79. Rxh3 Kg6 80. Kd6 Kg5 81. Ke5 Be2 82. Rg3+ Kh6 83. Kf5 Bd1 84. Rh3+ Kg7
85. Kg5 Be2 86. Re3 Bd1 87. Re7+ Kf8 88. Kf6 Kg8 89. Kg6 Bc2+ 90. Kh6 Kf8 91.
Rg7 Bd3 92. Rg5 Kf7 93. Rg3 Bc2 94. Rg7+ Kf8 95. Rg2 Be4 96. Rg4 Bc2 97. Rg5
Kf7 98. Kh5 Kf6 99. Kg4 1-0

In the B group, Harikrishna maintained his one-point lead over Alexander Motylev as both players drew their games with Black. Ilya Nyzhnyk crushed Daniele Vocaturo in a Benoni and was awarded the daily prize. Sipke Ernst won another excellent game, with Black against Sergei Tiviakov, while Jan Timman blundered terribly.

[Event "74th Tata Steel GMB"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2012.01.21"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Timman, J."]
[Black "Reinderman, D."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B33"]
[WhiteElo "2571"]
[BlackElo "2581"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5rk1/q3nppp/3p4/r2N1B2/p1P1PP1b/Pp1Q4/1P6/3R1R1K w - - 0 29"]
[PlyCount "12"]
[EventDate "2012.01.14"]

29. Bxh7+ $4 {Played after thinking for about ten minutes. Chess blindness...}
(29. Qh3) 29... Kxh7 30. Qh3 Rh8 $1 {Winning on the spot.} 31. Rd2 Kg8 32. Rh2
Rc5 33. Ne3 Rch5 34. Qf3 Qc5 0-1

In the C group Hans Tikkanen is now just half a point behind Maxim Turov. The tournament leader was very realistic about his good start:

It's a result of the pairings. I didn't meet my main opponents yet.
On Sunday he will meet Matthew Sadler with the black pieces.
I expect a very difficult game.

The strongest groups in the 9-round amateur event which started on Friday. The two winners will qualify for 'C' in 2013

Daily video by the organizers

Games group A, round 7

 
 

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Pairings

Round 114.01.1213.30 CET Round 215.01.1213.30 CET
Navara½-½Topalov Topalov½-½Van Wely
Gelfand0-1Giri Gashimov½-½Kamsky
Radjabov½-½Caruana Ivanchuk½-½Carlsen
Karjakin0-1Aronian Aronian1-0Nakamura
Nakamura½-½Ivanchuk Caruana1-0Karjakin
Carlsen1-0Gashimov Giri½-½Radjabov
Kamsky½-½Van Wely Navara½-½Gelfand
Round 316.01.1213.30 CET Round 417.01.1213.30 CET
Gelfand½-½Topalov Topalov½-½Gashimov
Radjabov1-0Navara Ivanchuk½-½Van Wely
Karjakin1-0Giri Aronian1-0Kamsky
Nakamura½-½Caruana Caruana½-½Carlsen
Carlsen1-0Aronian Giri½-½Nakamura
Kamsky½-½Ivanchuk Navara0-1Karjakin
Van Wely½-½Gashimov Gelfand½-½Radjabov
Round 519.01.1213.30 CET Round 620.01.1213.30 CET
Radjabov½-½Topalov Topalov½-½Ivanchuk
Karjakin0-1Gelfand Aronian1-0Gashimov
Nakamura1-0Navara Caruana½-½Van Wely
Carlsen½-½Giri Giri1-0Kamsky
Kamsky½-½Caruana Navara½-½Carlsen
Van Wely½-½Aronian Gelfand0-1Nakamura
Gashimov0-1Ivanchuk Radjabov1-0Karjakin
Round 721.01.1213.30 CET Round 822.01.1213.30 CET
Karjakin1-0Topalov Topalov-Aronian
Nakamura½-½Radjabov Caruana-Ivanchuk
Carlsen1-0Gelfand Giri-Gashimov
Kamsky1-0Navara Navara-Van Wely
Van Wely½-½Giri Gelfand-Kamsky
Gashimov½-½Caruana Radjabov-Carlsen
Ivanchuk½-½Aronian Karjakin-Nakamura
Round 924.01.1213.30 CET Round 1025.01.1213.30 CET
Nakamura-Topalov Topalov-Caruana
Carlsen-Karjakin Giri-Aronian
Kamsky-Radjabov Navara-Ivanchuk
Van Wely-Gelfand Gelfand-Gashimov
Gashimov-Navara Radjabov-Van Wely
Ivanchuk-Giri Karjakin-Kamsky
Aronian-Caruana Nakamura-Carlsen
Round 1127.01.1213.30 CET Round 1228.01.1213.30 CET
Carlsen-Topalov Topalov-Giri
Kamsky-Nakamura Navara-Caruana
Van Wely-Karjakin Gelfand-Aronian
Gashimov-Radjabov Radjabov-Ivanchuk
Ivanchuk-Gelfand Karjakin-Gashimov
Aronian-Navara Nakamura-Van Wely
Caruana-Giri Carlsen-Kamsky
Round 1329.01.1212.00 CET    
Kamsky-Topalov    
Van Wely-Carlsen    
Gashimov-Nakamura    
Ivanchuk-Karjakin    
Aronian-Radjabov    
Caruana-Gelfand    
Giri-Navara    

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Round 7 standings

 

Games group B, round 7

 
 

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Pairings

Round 114.01.1213.30 CET Round 215.01.1213.30 CET
Reinderman½-½Motylev Motylev½-½Potkin
Bruzon0-1Harikrishna Tiviakov1-0Timman
Lahno1-0Ernst Nyzhnyk½-½l'Ami
Harika½-½Vocaturo Vocaturo1-0Cmilyte
Cmilyte0-1Nyzhnyk Ernst½-½Harika
l'Ami1-0Tiviakov Harikrishna1-0Lahno
Timman½-½Potkin Reinderman½-½Bruzon
Round 316.01.1213.30 CET Round 417.01.1213.30 CET
Bruzon½-½Motylev Motylev1-0Tiviakov
Lahno½-½Reinderman Nyzhnyk½-½Potkin
Harika0-1Harikrishna Vocaturo½-½Timman
Cmilyte1-0Ernst Ernst1-0l'Ami
l'Ami1-0Vocaturo Harikrishna½-½Cmilyte
Timman1-0Nyzhnyk Reinderman½-½Harika
Potkin0-1Tiviakov Bruzon½-½Lahno
Round 519.01.1213.30 CET Round 620.01.1213.30 CET
Lahno0-1Motylev Motylev½-½Nyzhnyk
Harika0-1Bruzon Vocaturo½-½Tiviakov
Cmilyte½-½Reinderman Ernst1-0Potkin
l'Ami½-½Harikrishna Harikrishna1-0Timman
Timman1-0Ernst Reinderman½-½l'Ami
Potkin½-½Vocaturo Bruzon1-0Cmilyte
Tiviakov½-½Nyzhnyk Lahno½-½Harika
Round 721.01.1213.30 CET Round 822.01.1213.30 CET
Harika½-½Motylev Motylev-Vocaturo
Cmilyte½-½Lahno Ernst-Nyzhnyk
l'Ami½-½Bruzon Harikrishna-Tiviakov
Timman0-1Reinderman Reinderman-Potkin
Potkin½-½Harikrishna Bruzon-Timman
Tiviakov0-1Ernst Lahno-l'Ami
Nyzhnyk1-0Vocaturo Harika-Cmilyte
Round 924.01.1213.30 CET Round 1025.01.1213.30 CET
Cmilyte-Motylev Motylev-Ernst
l'Ami-Harika Harikrishna-Vocaturo
Timman-Lahno Reinderman-Nyzhnyk
Potkin-Bruzon Bruzon-Tiviakov
Tiviakov-Reinderman Lahno-Potkin
Nyzhnyk-Harikrishna Harika-Timman
Vocaturo-Ernst Cmilyte-l'Ami
Round 1127.01.1213.30 CET Round 1228.01.1213.30 CET
l'Ami-Motylev Motylev-Harikrishna
Timman-Cmilyte Reinderman-Ernst
Potkin-Harika Bruzon-Vocaturo
Tiviakov-Lahno Lahno-Nyzhnyk
Nyzhnyk-Bruzon Harika-Tiviakov
Vocaturo-Reinderman Cmilyte-Potkin
Ernst-Harikrishna l'Ami-Timman
Round 1329.01.1212.00 CET    
Timman-Motylev    
Potkin-l'Ami    
Tiviakov-Cmilyte    
Nyzhnyk-Harika    
Vocaturo-Lahno    
Ernst-Bruzon    
Harikrishna-Reinderman    

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Round 7 standings

 

Games group C, round 7

 
 

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Pairings

Round 114.01.1213.30 CET Round 215.01.1213.30 CET
Sadler1-0Hopman Hopman0-1Turov
Tania½-½Grover Schut½-½Danielian
Paehtz0-1Tikkanen Haast½-½Goudriaan
Brandenburg½-½Ootes Ootes½-½Adhiban
Adhiban1-0Haast Tikkanen½-½Brandenburg
Goudriaan1-0Schut Grover1-0Paehtz
Danielian0-1Turov Sadler½-½Tania
Round 316.01.1213.30 CET Round 417.01.1213.30 CET
Tania½-½Hopman Hopman0-1Schut
Paehtz½-½Sadler Haast0-1Turov
Brandenburg½-½Grover Ootes1-0Danielian
Adhiban½-½Tikkanen Tikkanen1-0Goudriaan
Goudriaan1-0Ootes Grover0-1Adhiban
Danielian½-½Haast Sadler½-½Brandenburg
Turov1-0Schut Tania0-1Paehtz
Round 519.01.1213.30 CET Round 620.01.1213.30 CET
Paehtz½-½Hopman Hopman1-0Haast
Brandenburg½-½Tania Ootes0-1Schut
Adhiban½-½Sadler Tikkanen½-½Turov
Goudriaan0-1Grover Grover½-½Danielian
Danielian0-1Tikkanen Sadler½-½Goudriaan
Turov1-0Ootes Tania½-½Adhiban
Schut1-0Haast Paehtz½-½Brandenburg
Round 721.01.1213.30 CET Round 822.01.1213.30 CET
Brandenburg1-0Hopman Hopman-Ootes
Adhiban1-0Paehtz Tikkanen-Haast
Goudriaan½-½Tania Grover-Schut
Danielian½-½Sadler Sadler-Turov
Turov½-½Grover Tania-Danielian
Schut0-1Tikkanen Paehtz-Goudriaan
Haast1-0Ootes Brandenburg-Adhiban
Round 924.01.1213.30 CET Round 1025.01.1213.30 CET
Adhiban-Hopman Hopman-Tikkanen
Goudriaan-Brandenburg Grover-Ootes
Danielian-Paehtz Sadler-Haast
Turov-Tania Tania-Schut
Schut-Sadler Paehtz-Turov
Haast-Grover Brandenburg-Danielian
Ootes-Tikkanen Adhiban-Goudriaan
Round 1127.01.1213.30 CET Round 1228.01.1213.30 CET
Goudriaan-Hopman Hopman-Grover
Danielian-Adhiban Sadler-Tikkanen
Turov-Brandenburg Tania-Ootes
Schut-Paehtz Paehtz-Haast
Haast-Tania Brandenburg-Schut
Ootes-Sadler Adhiban-Turov
Tikkanen-Grover Goudriaan-Danielian
Round 1329.01.1212.00 CET    
Danielian-Hopman    
Turov-Goudriaan    
Schut-Adhiban    
Haast-Brandenburg    
Ootes-Paehtz    
Tikkanen-Tania    
Grover-Sadler    

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Round 7 standings

 

 

PeterDoggers
Peter Doggers

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.”

In October, Peter's first book The Chess Revolution will be published!


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