Wijk aan Zee 2008

Wijk R01: Anand and Topalov lose, Carlsen wins
12.01.2008 – An explosive start to the 2008 edition of Wijk aan Zee: Teimour Radjabov defeated World Champion Vishy Anand, Levon Aronian took the full point from Veselin Topalov. And youngster Magnus Carlsen started off with a black-piece victory over Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. In the C-Group the drawing ratio was zero percent. Express report with games and pictures.

Wijk aan Zee 2008 starts on Saturday
12.01.2008 – The annual Wijk aan Zee tournament takes place from January 12th to 27th 2008. This year it is a category 20 event with an average rating of 2742, with Anand, Kramnik and Topalov participating. There are two more groups of strong grandmasters. A special treat awaits you: Playchess kicks off with live commentary by former FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov. Full information.

Wijk R02: Carlsen and Aronian score again
13.01.2008 – After two rounds, it is Aronian and Carlsen who share the lead on 2/2. Aronian showed some deep opening preparation with against Gelfand and won this black game in fine style. Carlsen took much longer to beat Eljanov, grinding down his opponent with relentless determination and technique. Anand drew a promising position against Mamedyarov. Express report.

Wijk R01: Did Mamedyarov resign prematurely?
13.01.2008 – Grandmaster Mihail Marin, who is annotating the most important games from Wijk aan Zee 2008, thinks so – and that Anand overlooked a repetition. Marin will be providing simple and instructive notes for chess enthusiasts. We will publish his express commentary on the day after each round, while the next ChessBase Magazine will carry comprehensive analysis. Enjoy and learn.

Oh the intensity... Wijk round two analysis
14.01.2008 – The second round was characterized by intense fight on practically all boards. True, we saw only two decisive games (compared with three in the inaugural day), but the move average increased dramatically. Gelfand-Aronian featured a complex strategic fight in which Gelfand blundered in a difficult position. Carlsen played a great technical game against Eljanov. Commentary by GM Mihail Marin.

Wijk R04: Judit, Kramnik win, Topalov loses to van Wely
15.01.2008 – When is the last time you saw Veselin Topalov languishing at the bottom of a table with minus two? A second loss, to Dutch local Loek van Wely, in round four of the Wijk aan Zee Super-GM left the former FIDE world champion at the bottom of the table. Judit Polgar scored a victory over luckless Boris Gelfand. After a draw against each other Carlsen and Aronian remain in the lead. Express report.

Wijk R03: A highly intstructive endgame struggle
15.01.2008 – All games of round three drawn – but one was a tense 85-move battle from which there is a lot to learn. Watching the tournament on Playchess.com Russian politician Garry Kasparov tried to explain its complexities – without the use of the computer. Our commentator Mihail Marin did have tablebases and attempts to do just that, in an endgame training session you cannot afford to miss.

Wijk R03: All games drawn, excitement in the lower groups
15.01.2008 – After the furious start today the A-Group took a break, with draws in 17 moves (Eljanov-Anand), 22 (Ivanchuk-Gelfand), 23 (Mamedyarov-Kramnik) and 27 (Aronian-Leko). Other games lasted 38, 45 and 85 moves. We will focus our attention on that last in tomorrow's analysis. Today we concentrate on the B and C Groups. In one there is a 13-year-old GM killer on the loose.

Wijk R04: A spectacular round, with three decisive games
16.01.2008 – And with several hard-fought draws. Judit Polgar beat Boris Gelfand with the black pieces, using a far advanced d-pawn combined with a kingside attack; Topalov's opening experiment with black against Van Wely ended in a total fiasco and, although he put up tough resistance until the 81st move; Kramnik's win over Eljanov was a characteristic squeeze. GM Mihail Marin comments.

Wijk R05: Topalov draws first blood, Radjabov joins leaders
17.01.2008 – The predicted comeback has been initiated: Veselin Topalov put Boris Gelfand under pressure until the latter broke on move 26. Shak Mamedyarov defeated Loek van Wely to level at 50%, while Teimour Radjabov beat Pavel Eljanov to join the leaders. Bacrot leads Group B, IM Arik Braun Group C. Tomorrow there will be live commentary by Yasser Seirawan. Express report.

Wijk R06: Topalov, Kramnik, Carlsen win
18.01.2008 – Magnus Ψen Carlsen was not even two when Bobby Fischer played his second match against Spassky. Today the 17-year-old Norwegian is dominating the Super-GM in Wijk aan Zee, where a victory over Judit Polgar kept him on top of the table. Alone, since Aronian lost to Kramnik, who advanced to second. Veselin Topalov continues his comeback with a victory over Peter Leko. Express report.

Marin on round five: After the rest day draws and blunders
18.01.2008 – The free day seems to have had a relaxing effect over most of the players. Three draws were agreed in 25 moves or less, while in the decisive games unexpected mistakes could be seen. Especially poignant: Boris Gelfand, 2nd/3rd in the World Championship in Mexico, blundered his queen in one. And that a round after he missed a great chance against Judit Polgar. Mihail Marin comments.

Wijk R07: Aronian, Anand win, Carlsen leads
19.01.2008 – Levon Aronian bounced back from yesterday's loss to score a fine victory over Teimour Radjabov. World Champion Vishy Anand defeated Judit Polgar from a position he had had against her in the same place ten years earlier. Movsesian and Bacrot lead Group B,. In Group C GM Efstratios Grivas brought down the leader Arik Braun and sent us his annotations of the game.

Another endgame lesson from the masters
19.01.2008 – Despite three short draws, round six in Wijk aan Zee was very interesting, with many spectacular moments. The longest battle (110 moves!) was Kramnik-Aronian. It offered us an interesting theoretical duel, culminating with a spectacular innovation by Kramnik, a complex (but rather short) middlegame phase and another "tablebases" drawn ending. Explanations by Mihail Marin.

Mihail Marin on Wijk round seven
20.01.2008 – "A very interesting round," writes our GM commentator, "with only two decisive games, but a surprisngly high average of moves per game." Judit Polgar obtained a stable advantage out of the opening, but lost control of the position and lost. Aronian beat Radjabov with accurate play and a small material advantage. In a joyless position, Radjabov blundered. Annotated games.

Wijk aan Zee round eight annotated
21.01.2008 – Sunday saw only three real fights and just one decisive game. Topalov employed a strategically ambitious, but rather time consuming plan against Anand, who reacted with great precision and Black soon found himself under pressure on both wings. Polgar sacrificed a pawn against Kramnik in order to annihilate White's pressure and get some initiative in exchange. GM Mihail Marin comments.

Wijk R08: Anand beats Topalov, Carlsen leads
21.01.2008 – Amid the turbulences around the Short-Cheparinov game the Wijk aan Zee tournament saw Vishy Anand score a key victory against Veselin Topalov. Magnus Carlsen leads alone in Group A. In Group B Sergei Movsesian is also alone in pole position, as is the amazing Fabiano Caruana in Group C. Express report with results, tables and games.

Wijk R08: Cheparinov forfeits on handshake, appeals
21.01.2008 – In the B Group Nigel Short offered his opponent Ivan Cheparinov the traditional handshake, which was twice refused. Short protested, the arbiters defaulted Cheparinov, whose manager Silvio Danailov lodged a protest. The Appeals Committee decided the game should be replayed after an apology. But Tuesday's game Topalov-Kramnik may exacerbate the situation. Documents and video.

Short-Cheparinov handshake game ends 1-0
22.01.2008 – After his opponent had refused to shake hands at the start of their round eight game Nigel Short was awarded the full point by the arbiter. The Appeals Committee decided to give Ivan Cheparinov a chance to repair the damage with an apology, and the game was rescheduled for the free day. Would Nigel accept? In the end he did and proved that 'there is a God, and he is not Bulgarian!'

Wijk R10: Magnus Carlsen wins, takes sole lead
23.01.2008 – Yesterday the Norwegian was very unlucky to blunder one move before the time control. Today he was in dire time pressure again, and forced to blitz it out against Dutch GM Loek van Wely. But this time Magnus turned a completely lost position into a win, and with it regained the sole lead in this tournament. Ivanchuk beat Eljanov with black. Express report.

Wijk round nine: the tournament spectacular
23.01.2008 – Topalov vs Kramnik in round nine was pure spectacle, with a stunning novelty which had been kept a secret for three years, complicated middlegame fight and mutual missed opportunities. And with a kibitzing Garry Kasparov offering special insights. Adams gradually squeezed van Wely in a static position, managed to win a pawn with a simple trick and then the game. Mihail Marin comments.

Wijk R09: Topalov beats Kramnik, Carlsen blunders
23.01.2008 – The grudge game started without a handshake – or even eye contact. On move twelve Veselin Topalov uncorked a novelty his second Ivan Cheparinov had found three years earlier. With Garry Kasparov watching on Playchess.com his opponent Vladimir Kramnik was unable to resist the pressure and lost. Tournament leader Magnus Carlsen also suffered his first defeat. Express report.

Wijk round ten: So many wins, so little time...
24.01.2008 – What a way to lose. Loek van Wely got his young opponent Magnus Carlsen into trouble soon after the opening. But then the Dutch grandmaster became confused when he was faced, at each each step, with the uncomfortable task of choosing between several clear wins! He let his advantage slip away completely and then blundered, allowing Carlsen to start a decisive attack. Analysis and video.

Wijk R11: Anand beats Magnus Carlsen, Aronian leads
25.01.2008 – It was like the irresistible force meeting the immovable object: young Magnus Carlsenthrew everything into a kingside attack that looked quite overwhelming; while Vishy Anand defended calmly and took the full point. In the B Group Nigel Short has advanced to second place, in the C Group Fabiano Caruana is a full point ahead. Nine black wins today, just two for White. Express report.

Wijk R12: Carlsen beats Kramnik with black, Eljanov beats Topalov
26.01.2008 – We need to say that again: Magnus Carlsen, 17 years young, beat former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik with the black pieces. Veselin Topalov came a cropper against Pavel Eljanov in a Modern Benoni. Michael Adams was outplayed by Judit Polgar, who had the black side of a Petroff. Movsesian and Caruana lead groups B and C by a full point. Express report.

Marin on Wijk round eleven: the most spectacular so far
26.01.2008 – This round brought us sharp attacks, unexpected blunders and four decisive games – the record for this year's Wijk aan Zee. The hero of the day was Magnus Carlsen, who built up a super-sharp attack against Anand's Scheveningen Sicilian, but missed a good chance and then a sure draw, succumbing to the World Champion's superb defence. GM commentary and videos.

Wijk R13: Aronian, Carlsen win Wijk aan Zee 2008
27.01.2008 – Both the leading players, Levon Aronian and Magnus Carlsen, drew their games and are joint winners of the tournament, half a point ahead of the field. Behind them Anand in third and Radjabov in fourth. In the B Group it was Movsesian ahead of Short and Bacrot, and in the C Group young Fabiano Caruna two full points ahead of everyone else. Express report.

Wijk round twelve: an enormously complex ending
27.01.2008 – Normally chess commentary tells us which were the key moments in a game, which the mistakes and why one player won or was able to hold a draw. But when you are dealing with a great player like Judit Polgar and a full blooded chess trainer like GM Mihail Marin it can easily be turned into a chess lesson. Here is one installment you cannot afford to miss. Take notes while you read.

Wijk final round: an exciting farewell
28.01.2008 – The players chose a nice way to say farewell to the spectators: almost all the games were hard fought, two of them were decided. The two leaders drew their games after prolonged and balanced fights. Anand obtained a promising attack against Kramnik's Petroff but failed to take advantage of the favourable situation and had to content himself with a draw in 61 moves. GM Mihail Marin annotates.

Players and personalities – photo report by Fred Lucas
29.01.2008 – "My relation with chess is simple," he says. "I'm a photographer who is very fond of the game, loves the atmosphere at tournaments – and I love to make pictures, especially with available light." As the official photographer once again in Wijk aan Zee Fred Lucas has documented the tournament with his extraordinary work. We bring you a selection in this amazing pictorial.

People and personalities – photo report from Wijk (part one)
05.02.2008 – Inspired by the recent pictorial by Fred Lucas on our news pages we went through our own modest photographic spoils from the Wijk aan Zee 2008 tournament. We spent three days in the Dutch sea-side town, equipped with a less ambitious (and much lighter) camera, and met many old friends there. Here then is part one of our pictorial retrospect of Wijk.