Nanjing: Carlsen, Topalov, Jakovenko win

by ChessBase
10/6/2009 – Both had dodgy positions out of the opening, both showed great fighting spirit and worked their way back into the game, ultimately to take the full point. Veselin Topalov beat Peter Leko with the black pieces, and Magnus Carlsen won his fifth game in this event, against Wang Yue. Jakovenko beat Radjabov in 72 moves. Round eight report with commentary by IM Oliver Reeh.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

Second Nanjing Pearl Spring Chess Tournament

This event, organized by the Municipal People’s Government of Nanjing, is taking place from 27th September to 9th October 2009 in Nanjing, China. Time controls are 90 minutes for 40 moves and 60 minutes for the rest of the game, with no increment. The tournament is a six-player double round robin and has a total prize fund of 250,000 Euros, with the winner taking 80,000 Euros.

Round eight

Round 8: Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
Peter Leko 
0-1
 Veselin Topalov
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Wang Yue
Dmitry Jakovenko 
1-0
 Teimour Radjabov

Carlsen,M (2772) - Wang Yue (2736) [D17]
2nd Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (8), 06.10.2009 [IM Oliver Reeh]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 g5. This results in a sharp line in the Slav, with opposite side castling – a bit of a surprise from the otherwise so solid Chinese player Wang. 12.Ne3 gxf4 13.Nxf5

13...0-0-0 14.Qc2 Ng6 [RR 14...Ng4 15.a5 fxg3 16.hxg3 a6 17.Ra4 Ndf6 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 h5 20.Kf1 Kb8 21.Kg2 Be7 22.Nxe7 Qxe7 23.Bf3 Ne5 24.Bxh5 Qe6 25.Qc3 f6 26.Rah4 Qf5 27.Bf3 Rxh4 28.Rxh4 Qb1 29.Rh1 Kasparov,G (2851)-Morozevich,A (2748)/Wijk aan Zee 2000/CBM 075/1-0 (45)] 15.0-0 Kb8 [RR 15...h5 16.Rfd1 Kb8 17.Nb5 Qb6 18.Nbd4 a5 19.Qb3 Qxb3 20.Nxb3 Bb4 21.Nfd4 Nde5 22.Nc2 Bd6 23.Nxa5 Bc7 24.Nb3 fxg3 25.hxg3 h4 26.a5 hxg3 27.fxg3 Ng4 28.a6 Bb6+ 29.Kf1 Nh2+ 30.Ke1 Bromberger,S (2464)-Rudolph,J (2305)/Austria 2005/EXT 2005/1-0 (46)] 16.Rfc1 a5 17.b4 axb4. 17...Bxb4 18.Nd5 would be helpful for the white game on the queenside. 18.Nb5 Qe5 19.Nbd4 Bc5 20.Nb3

20...h5!? Apparently a novelty – Carlsen started on a long think. We know war 20...fxg3 21.hxg3 h5 22.Rab1 Ba7 23.e3 h4 24.Nbd4 Bxd4 25.Nxd4 c5 26.Rxb4 cxb4 27.Nc6+ Ka8 28.Nxe5 Ndxe5 29.a5 h3 30.a6 hxg2 31.axb7+ Ka7 32.Qc5+ 1-0 Nguyen,N (2551)-Predojevic,B (2641)/Moscow 2008/CBM 123.


The boss is watching: As so often Magnus famous second appears in the Playchess broadcast

21.Rab1. Not 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Qxc5? Rd1+ and Black wins material. 21...Ba7. This bishop exerts strong pressure on the a7-f2 diagonal. 22.Bxc6 fxg3 23.hxg3

23...Rc8. Here Black misses a chance: 23...Ne7! would have put him in front. 24.Nbd4 (24.Nxe7 Qxg3+ (thanks, bishop on a7!) 25.Bg2 (25.Kh1 Qh3+ 26.Kg1 Rhg8+) 25...Qxf2+ 26.Kh2 Qh4+ 27.Bh3 Qxe7-+) 24...Bxd4 25.Rxb4 Nxc6 26.Qxc6 and now the point: 26...Bb6! (26...Nb6? 27.Nxd4+-) and Black keeps an extra piece, although after 27.Qd6+ (27.Rxb6 Nxb6 28.Qxb6 Qxf5) 27...Qxd6 28.Nxd6 or 27.Qf3 White can fish around in murky waters.

24.Qd3! Now everything is once again fine for White – even the time on the clocks is balanced. 24...bxc6 25.Qxd7 Rc7. The attempt 25...Rhd8 26.Qxf7 Rf8 27.Qxg6 Rxf5 fails to the riposte 28.Nd4! Bxd4 29.Rxb4+ Ka8 30.Rxd4! 26.Qd3 h4 27.Nbd4 hxg3 28.Rxb4+ Ka8 29.Nxg3 Rd8 30.e3 Nh4 31.Kf1

Qa5? [31...Qd5!] 32.Rcb1? Both players were not in bad time trouble. Here many spectators wanted to see the dramatic shot 32.Rxc6!! , partially without knowing exactly why. Here's why: 32...Rxd4 (32...Rxc6 33.Nxc6 Rxd3 34.Nxa5 also produced two extra white pawns; 32...Bxd4 33.Ra6+) 33.Rxd4 (33.Rxc7? works after 33...Rxd3 34.Rc8+ Bb8 35.Rbxb8+ Ka7 36.Ra8+ but Black simply plays 33....Rxb4.) 33...Rxc6 34.Rxh4+- and White has two extra pawns.

32...Nf3 33.Nb3 Qd5 34.Qxd5 cxd5 35.Rd1 Rc2 36.Rf4 Ne5 37.Nd4 Rc4 38.Nde2 Rxf4 39.Nxf4 d4 40.Nge2 Nc6

The time control has been met, and Black should be able to hold the endgame. 41.e4 Rb8 42.Nd5 Rb2 43.Nef4 Kb7 44.Nd3 Rb3 45.Ke2 Ra3 46.f4 Rxa4 47.Rb1+ Kc8 48.Rc1 Kb7 49.e5 Ra3 50.Rh1 Ra5 51.Nf6 Bb8. Plans to get all the white pawns with a sacrifice on e5. 52.Rb1+ Kc8 53.Rc1 Kb7 54.Ne4 Ra3 55.Rh1

55...Bxe5 56.fxe5 Nxe5 57.Nd6+ Ka6. Only move! 57...Kc6 58.Nxe5+ Kxd6 (58...Kd5 59.Nexf7) 59.Nc4+; 57...Kb8 58.Rh8+ Kc7 59.Nb5+. 58.Nb4+. 58.Nxe5 Re3+=. 58...Kb6 59.Rc1 Re3+? After 59...Ra5 the game should end in a draw. 60.Kd1

60...Rb3. Now Black goes down to the perfect coordination of the white pieces. 60...Ka5 61.Nd5 (threatens mate on a1) 61...Re1+ 62.Kxe1 Nd3+ 63.Kd2 Nxc1 64.Kxc1 wins for White, but only with tablebases (Malcolm Pein). 61.Nd5+ Ka7. Otherwise after 62.Ra1+ mate will follow! 62.Ra1+ Kb8 63.Kc2. The black rook has not got a single square on the b-file! 63...Rh3

64.Rb1+ Ka7 65.Rb7+ Ka6 66.Rb6+ Ka5. 66...Ka7 67.Nc8+ Ka8 68.Nc7#] 67.Rb5+ Ka4 [67...Ka6 68.Nc7+ Ka7 69.Nc8#. 68.Nb6+ Ka3 69.Rxe5. A fantastic fighting game! 1-0. [Click to replay]

Commentary by IM Oliver Reeh, ChessBase


Leko,P (2762) - Topalov,V (2813) [D72]
2nd Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (8), 06.10.2009
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Ne2 c5 8.d5 e6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nbc3 Na6 11.Nf4 e5 12.Nd3 c4 13.Ne1 Bd7 14.Qe2 Nc5 15.Be3 Rc8 16.Nf3 Qe8 17.Nd2 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Nxc4 Nxc4 20.Qxc4 Ne4 21.Qb4 Nxc3 22.bxc3 f4 23.Bc5 f3 24.Bxf8 Bxf8 25.Qxb7 fxg2 26.Kxg2 Qf7 27.Rab1 e4 28.f4 Rxc3 29.Rb3 Rd3 30.f5 Rd2+ 31.Rf2 Rxf2+ 32.Kxf2 Qxf5+ 33.Ke1 Bc5 34.Qb8+ Kf7 35.Qf4 Qxf4 36.gxf4 Ke7 37.Rg3 Kd6 38.Rg7 h5 39.Rg5 e3 40.Ke2 Bb5+ 0-1.

Jakovenko,D (2742) - Radjabov,T (2757) [B78]
2nd Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (8), 06.10.2009
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.h4 e6 14.a3 a5 15.h5 Qe7 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.g4 b4 18.axb4 axb4 19.Na2 Ra8 20.g5 Nh5 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Rxd6 Ba4 24.Bc4 Rfc8 25.b3 Bb5 26.Bxb5 Rxa2 27.Rh2 Rc5 28.Kb1 Ra5 29.Bc4 Rxg5 30.Rb6 Nf4 31.Rxb4 Rg3 32.Rf2 Rh5 33.Rb7 Kf6 34.Kb2 g5 35.b4 Rh8 36.b5 Ke5 37.b6 Kd4 38.Rc7 Rb8 39.b7 Rxb7+ 40.Rxb7 Kxc4 41.Rxf7 Kd4 42.Ra7 Ke3 43.Rf1 Ng6 44.e5 Kf4 45.Ra4+ Kf5 46.c4 Nxe5 47.c5 Rh3 48.Rd4 Kf6 49.Rc1 Rh7 50.Rc3 Rc7 51.Kb3 Nc6 52.Rd6 Ke7 53.Re3 Nd8 54.Kb4 Rc8 55.Ra6 Nc6+ 56.Kb5 Nd4+ 57.Kc4 Nc6 58.Rb6 Kf6 59.Rc3 Ke5 60.Kb5 Nd4+ 61.Ka6 Kf4 62.Kb7 Rf8 63.c6 e5 64.c7 Nxf3 65.c8Q Rxc8 66.Rxc8 g4 67.Rf8+ Kg3 68.Re6 Kg2 69.Rg8 Kh3 70.Kb6 Nd2 71.Rh6+ Kg3 72.Kc5 1-0.

Current standings

With this win and his "plus five" score in the event so far Magnus Carlsen has performed at a 3019 Elo level, and has gained 24.5 real-time rating points. His live rating is 2796, fifteen points behind the leader Veselin Topalov (2811) and eight points ahead of World Champion Vishy Anand.

Note that Wednesday October 7th is a free day

Schedule and results

Round 1: Monday, September 28, 2009
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Peter Leko
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Dmitriy Jakovenko
Wang Yue 
½-½
 Teimour Radjabov
Round 2: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Veselin Topalov
Peter Leko 
½-½
 Teimour Radjabov
Dmitry Jakovenko 
½-½
 Wang Yue
Round 3: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wang Yue 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Dmitry Jakovenko
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Peter Leko
Round 4: Thursday, October 1st, 2009
Wang Yue 
½-½
 Peter Leko
Dmitry Jakovenko 
0-1
 Magnus Carlsen
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Veselin Topalov
Round 5: Friday, October 2nd, 2009
Peter Leko 
½-½
 Dmitry Jakovenko
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Teimour Radjabov
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Wang Yue
Round 6: Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Peter Leko 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Dmitry Jakovenko 
0-1
 Veselin Topalov
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Wang Yue
Round 7: Monday, October 5th, 2009
Teimour Radjabov 
½-½
 Peter Leko
Wang Yue 
½-½
 Dmitry Jakovenko
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Magnus Carlsen
Round 8: Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
Peter Leko 
0-1
 Veselin Topalov
Magnus Carlsen 
1-0
 Wang Yue
Dmitry Jakovenko 
1-0
 Teimour Radjabov
Round 9: Thursday, October 8th, 2009
Dmitry Jakovenko 
-
 Peter Leko
Teimour Radjabov 
-
 Magnus Carlsen
Wang Yue 
-
 Veselin Topalov
Games – Report
Round 10: Friday, October 9th, 2009
Peter Leko 
-
 Wang Yue
Veselin Topalov 
-
 Teimour Radjabov
Magnus Carlsen 
-
Dmitry Jakovenko 
Games – Report

Links

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register