World Cup R3: So strikes again – beats Kamsky with black

by ChessBase
11/28/2009 – Wesley So turned 16 just seven weeks ago. He is a grandmaster and a apparently a Super-GM killer. In round two in Khanty-Mansiysk he knocked out Vassily Ivancuk; and in the first game of round three he outplayed Gata Kamsky with the black pieces. Gelfand beat Polgar and Navara beat Karjakin. Full report with pictures, commentary and an interview with Wesley So.

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The FIDE World Chess Cup is taking place in Khanty-Mansiysk from November 20th to December 15th 2009. It is a seven-round knockout event with six rounds of matches comprising two games per round, with the winners progressing to the next round. The final seventh round consists of four games. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an addition of 30 seconds per move from move one. Games start at 15:00h local time, which is GMT +5 hours = 11:00 a.m. European time = 5 a.m. New York. The World Chess Cup is an integral part of the World Championship Cycle 2009-2011.

Round three day one


'Tis bitter cold / And I am sick at heart – players arrive at the venue (above Grischuk, Kamsky)


As the late and great David Bronstein used to tell everyone: you have to keep your brain warm!


Georgian GM Baadur Jobava taking Bronstein's advice to heart


Judit Polgar arrives, accompanied by her husband Gustav Fonts


Inside the hall the games are played in two rows of tables

Bacrot,E (2700) - Wang Yue (2734) [C42]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (3.1), 27.11.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Nc3 Bf5 9.Re1 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 0-0 12.Rb1 Na5 13.h4 Re8 14.Bf4 c6 15.h5 h6 16.Re2 Bf6 17.Be5 Bg5 18.Nh2 Qd7 19.f4 Bh4 20.Nf3 Bd8 21.Rbe1 Nc4 22.f5 Nb2 23.Qe3 Qxf5 24.g4 Qd7 25.Qf4 Nc4 26.Bxg7 Rxe2 27.Rxe2 Kxg7 28.g5

White should lose this game – after 28...Nd6 Black is a piece up with no serious threats against his king. 28...hxg5? Throws away the win. 29.Nxg5. Now the threat 30.h6+ followed by 31.Rg2 is serious. 29...Bc7 30.Ne6+ fxe6 31.Qg5+ and the king cannot hide and Black, who is two pieces up, cannot win. 31...Kh7 32.Qg6+ Kh8 33.Rg2 Bf4 34.Qf6+ Kh7 ½-½.


Lucky escape for Etienne Bacrot

Sakaev,K (2626) - Vitiugov,N (2694) [D16]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (3.1), 27.11.2009
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.Bg5 0-0 11.Re1 Bd7 12.Qd2 Nb4 13.Ne5 Bc6

14.Nxf7. Konstantin Sakaev tries a line that Gabriel Sargissian had used successfully a year earlier. 14...Rxf7 15.Bxe6 Qf8. Sargissian,G (2642)-Najer,E (2682)/Kallithea 2008 continued 15...Nbd5 16.Re5 Nc7 17.Bxf7+ Kxf7 18.d5 Ncxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Rd1 Nf6 21.Qc2 Qg8 22.b4 h6 23.b5 hxg5 24.bxc6 bxc6 25.Rde1 Re8 26.Qxc6 Kf8 27.Qb7 Qf7 28.Qxa7 g4 29.a5 Ng8 30.a6 Qb3 31.Qc7 Qb8 32.Qxb8 Rxb8 33.a7 Ra8 34.Ra5 Bd8 35.Rb1 Bc7 36.Rb7 1-0 CBM 127. 16.Re5 Kh8 17.d5 Nfxd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.Bxf7 Bxg5 20.Qxg5 Qxf7. Black has two minor pieces for a rook and pawn and a clear advantage. 21.f3 h6 22.Qg4 Rd8 23.Rd1 Rd6 24.Rf5 Qe7 25.Qd4 Re6 26.h3 Ne3 27.Qd8+ Kh7 0-1.


GM Konstantin Sakaev

Navara,D (2707) - Karjakin,Sergey (2723) [C88]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (3.1), 27.11.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a3 Kh8 9.h3 d6 10.c3 Be6 11.d4 Bxb3 12.Qxb3 Nd7 13.Qc2 Nb6 14.b3 Qd7 15.Be3 exd4 16.cxd4 d5 17.Nbd2 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Nd5 19.Rac1 Nd8 20.Ne5 Qf5 21.Nc3 Qxc2 22.Rxc2 Nxc3 23.Rxc3 Bd6 24.Bd2 Ne6 25.Nc6 Nf4 26.Rf3 Nd5 27.Rf5 Nf6 28.Bg5 Rae8 29.Ne5 Kg8 30.Bxf6 gxf6 31.Rxf6 Kg7 32.Rf4 f5 33.Re3 c5 34.Rg3+ Kh8 35.Re3 Kg7 36.Rh4

In this fairly balanced postion Karjakin blunders 36...f4? 37.Rg4+ Kf6 38.Rxf4+ Kg5 39.Rg4+. White missed 39.Nf7+ which would have won him the game on the spot. Now he still has some work to do in an endgame two pawns up. 39...Kf5 40.Nd7 Rxe3 41.fxe3 Rc8 42.dxc5 Bxc5 43.Rf4+ Ke6 44.Nxc5+ Rxc5 45.Rh4 h5 46.Kf2 Kd7 47.a4 a5 48.axb5 Rxb5 49.Kf3 Ke6 50.Re4+ Kf6 51.Rc4 Ke6 52.Rc6+ Kd7 53.Rh6 Kc7 54.h4 Rf5+ 55.Ke4 Rb5 56.Kf4 Rxb3 57.Rxh5 a4 58.e4 Kb6 59.Rd5 Rb1 60.g4 a3 61.Rd2 Kc5 62.h5 Rb2 63.Rd8 a2 64.Ra8 Kd4 65.h6 Rf2+ 66.Kg5 Kxe4 67.h7 Rh2 68.Kg6 Kf4 69.Ra4+ Kg3 70.g5 1-0.


Czech GM David Navara with his trainer GM Vlastimil Jansa

Vachier Lagrave,M (2718) - Yu Yangyi (2527) [B33]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (3.1), 27.11.2009
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4 b4 12.Nc2 0-0 13.Be2 a5 14.0-0 Bg5 15.Qd3 Ne7 16.Nde3 Bxe3 17.Nxe3 Nc6 18.Rfd1 Nd4 19.Nc2 Nxc2 20.Qxc2 Qc7 21.Rd3 Be6 22.b3 Ra6 23.Qd2 Rc6 24.Rd1 Rd8 25.h3 f6 26.Bg4 Bf7 27.h4 Kf8 28.Bf5 Kg8 29.h5 h6 30.Qe2 Qe7 31.Rg3 Kf8 32.Rdd3 Rc7 33.Kh2 Ra7 34.Qg4 Bg8 35.Qd1 Rc7 36.Rg4 Be6 37.Bxe6 Qxe6 38.Rd5 Ra7 39.Rg3 Rdd7 40.Qd2 Kf7 41.Kg1 Ke8 42.Rgd3 Ke7 43.Qe3 Ra6 44.Qg3 Kf8 45.Rb5 Ra8 46.Qg6 Kg8 47.Rdd5 Rda7 48.Rb6 Rd8

The French GM has comphensively outplayed his Chinese opponent, and is able to finish him off with a nice little combination: 49.Rxa5! Qe7 [49...Rxa5 50.Rb7 threatens mate on g7] 50.Rxa7 Qxa7 51.Rxb4 and with two pawns in the basket White has no more difficulties getting the full point. 51...Kh8 52.a4 Qd4 53.Rb7 Rg8 54.g3 Qd2 55.Kg2 Qc3 56.Qf7 Qd3 57.Qg6 Qc3 58.Rb5 Qd2 59.a5 Qa2 60.Qg4 Qc2 61.a6 1-0.


The sensation of the day: Wesley So, who defeated Gata Kamsky with black

Kamsky,G (2695) - So,W (2640) [C11]
World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk RUS (3.1), 27.11.2009
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Qb6 8.a3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.c3 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 b6 14.Be2 Ba6 15.Bd1 Qb5 16.b4 Rc8 17.Nb2 Qc6 18.Rc1 0-0. The predecessor game went 18...f6 19.exf6 Nxf6 20.Bf3 0-0 21.c4 Qd7 22.a4 Bxc4 23.Nxc4 Qxa4 24.0-0 Qxb4 25.Be2 dxc4 26.Bxc4 Kh8 27.Qd3 Qc5+ 28.Kh1 b5 0-1 Gueroff,E-Jackelen,T (2325)/Germany 1988/GER-chT2. We are told that Kamsky offered a draw in this position, but So played on. Good nerves this kid has. 19.a4 Bc4 20.Bg4 Bb3 21.0-0 Bxa4

The first key moment: Kamsky somewhat surprisingly does not take on a4: 22.f5 [22.Nxa4 Qxa4 23.Ra1 and 24.Rxa7 was the obvious alternative] 22...Bb5 23.Rfe1 Rfe8 24.Re3 f6 25.fxe6 Nxe5 26.Bf5 g6 27.Bh3 Qd6 28.Rd1 Rcd8 29.Rd2 Qe7 30.Rf2 Nc6 31.Qd2

31...d4! 32.Re4 dxc3 33.Qxc3 Rf8 34.g4 Rd6 35.Bg2 Ne5 36.g5 Rxe6 37.gxf6 Rfxf6. Now young Wesley is two pawns up and rides in the full point without too much difficulty. 38.Rxf6 Qxf6 39.Re3 Bc6 40.Nd1 Qg5 41.Rg3 Qf4 42.Nf2 Bxg2 43.Kxg2 Nc4 44.Qd3 Ne3+ 45.Kg1 Nf5 46.Qd5 Qc1+ 47.Nd1 Kf7 48.Rc3 Qg5+ 49.Kf2 Qf4+ 50.Kg2 Qg4+ 51.Kf2 Qe2+ 52.Kg1 Qe1+ 53.Kg2 Kg7 0-1.


Interview with Wesley So

Honestly I was lucky when playing against Ivanchuk. I admire this chess player and I know that he plays much far better than me. In first game he was in time trouble and maybe that is why I was lucky. The second game was a draw, but Vassily had a real chance to win at some point during the game.

He mentioned in his interview that you were also playing not that well…

I agree. But today I played very well against Gata Kamsky. I was preparing to the game. I caught him at the opening and he spent a lot of time. I just hope that tomorrow I will be also lucky. I realize that you should do your best in the classical games of each round. If you win one game, you are almost there. I spend a lot of time for preparations to every single opponent. I train chess for 5-6 hours per day, looking at the previous games of my opponents. I understand that they are people who can also make mistakes. Generally speaking, I am okay if the classical games were drawn. To my mind I play tie breaks better than classical games. But my opponents did not give me any chance to come to the tie breaks.

Tell us about yourself? Your achievement in chess?

I am 16 and the greatest achievement for me so far is the second place in a tournament with average rating about 2700. At the moment my rating is 2640. I dream that sooner or later I will come to the magical point 2700. I don't know how much time I will need for that.

Are you planning to participate in the World Junior Chess Championship?

It could be stupid of me to think that due to my performance here I became a big shot. In fact to win the World Junior U-20 Championship is my nearest aim in chess. It will be a tough competition. Some of the potential participants of the Championship are here: Negi Parimarjan, Hou Yifan, Sanan Syugirov. I am trying to follow their games here, their openings most of all.

How can you define your chess style?

So far I play aggressively. I would like to play a solid game with a solid opening. This is what I want. I think my style is close to Vishy Anand. Of course we have different level.

Do you have a personal coach?

Unfortunately I don't. But I think that the moment is coming: I will need it soon. I would train chess with Sanan Syugirov with pleasure for instance. He is my age. The only problem he does not speak English. Anyway I feel like having an assistant now. Another problem is that chess in not that well-known in the Philippines. We don't get any financial support from the Government. They don't give money for tournaments, coaches – nothing. Our National Federation pays our tickets. That's it. You realize at one moment that to reach some professional level you need private sponsors. I would be happy with some 20-30 thousand US dollars a year.

This is your first visit to Russia . Aren't you afraid of cold weather?

Siberia is very beautiful place with good people! Yes, it is cold here. But we come from the Philippines; we like to visit countries where it is colder than in our country. Of course truly speaking minus 30 is too much. I like Siberia, but I prefer to stay in my room when it is so cold.

Interview by FIDE, photos by Galina Popova courtesy of FIDE


Results of round three

 Players G1 G2  Tot
 Gelfand, Boris (ISR)
1
 
1.0
 Polgar, Judit (HUN)
0
 
0
       
 Li, Chao b (CHN)
½
 
0.5
 Gashimov, Vugar (AZE)
½
 
0.5
       
 Svidler, Peter (RUS)
½
 
0.5
 Naiditsch, Arkadij (GER)
½
 
0.5
       
 Bologan, Viktor (MDA)
½
 
0.5
 Laznicka, Viktor (CZE)
½
 
0.5
       
 Sakaev, Konstantin (RUS)
0
 
0.0
 Vitiugov, Nikita (RUS)
1
 
1
       
 Kamsky, Gata (USA)
0
 
0.0
 So, Wesley (PHI)
1
 
1
       
 Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR)
1
 
1.0
 Motylev, Alexander (RUS)
0
 
0
       
 Jobava, Baadur (GEO)
½
 
0.5
 Grischuk, Alexander (RUS)
½
 
0.5
 
 Players G1 G2  Tot
 Jakovenko, Dmitry (RUS)
1
 
1.0
 Areshchenko, Alex. (UKR)
0
 
0
       
 Bacrot, Etienne (FRA)
½
 
0.5
 Wang, Yue (CHN)
½
 
0.5
       
 Eljanov, Pavel (UKR)
½
 
0.5
 Malakhov, Vladimir (RUS)
½
 
0.5
       
 Navara, David (CZE)
1
 
1.0
 Karjakin, Sergey (UKR)
0
 
0
       
 Mamedyarov, Shak. (AZE)
1
 
1.0
 Wang, Hao (CHN)
0
 
0
       
 Tomashevsky, Evgeny (RUS)
½
 
0.5
 Shirov, Alexei (ESP)
½
 
0.5
       
 Caruana, Fabiano (ITA)
½
 
0.5
 Alekseev, Evgeny (RUS)
½
 
0.5
       
 Vachier-Lagrave, Max. (FRA)
1
 
1.0
 Yu, Yangyi (CHN)
0
 
0

Schedule of the World Cup 2009

Friday 20 November Opening Ceremony
Saturday 21 November Round 1- Game 1
Sunday 22 November Round 1 - Game 2
Monday 23 November Tiebreaks
Tuesday 24 November Round 2 - Game 1
Wednesday 25 November Round 2 - Game 2
Thursday 26 November Tiebreaks
Friday 27 November Round 3 - Game 1
Saturday 28 November Round 3 - Game 2
Sunday 29 November Tiebreaks
Monday 30 November Round 4 - Game 1
Tuesday 01 December Round 4 - Game 2
Wednesday 02 December Tiebreaks
 
Thursday 03 December Round 5 - Game 1
Friday 04 December Round 5 - Game 2
Saturday 05 December Tiebreaks
Sunday 06 December Round 6 - Game 1
Monday 07 December Round 6 - Game 2
Tuesday 08 December Tiebreaks
Wednesday 09 December Free Day
Thursday 10 December Round 7 - Game 1
Friday 11 December Round 7 - Game 2
Saturday 12 December Round 7 - Game 3
Sunday 13 December Round 7 - Game 4
Monday 14 December Tiebreaks / Closing
Tuesday 15 December Departures

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