Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2007 Round 12.

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Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2007

Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2007. Round 12 27th January 2007.

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Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (NED), 13-28 i 2007                cat. XIX (2718)
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                                     1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 
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 1. Topalov, Veselin     g BUL 2783  * . = = 0 1 = 1 = = 1 = 1 1  8.0  2836 
 2. Radjabov, Teimour    g AZE 2729  . * 0 = = = 1 = = 1 1 1 = 1  8.0  2836 
 3. Aronian, Levon       g ARM 2744  = 1 * = = = = 1 1 . = = = =  7.5  2815 
 4. Kramnik, Vladimir    g RUS 2766  = = = * = 1 = = = = . = = 1  7.0  2773 
 5. Svidler, Peter       g RUS 2728  1 = = = * 0 = = . 1 0 1 1 =  7.0  2777 
 6. Anand, Viswanathan   g IND 2779  0 = = 0 1 * . = 1 = 1 1 = =  7.0  2769 
 7. Navara, David        g CZE 2719  = 0 = = = . * 1 0 = 1 = 1 0  6.0  2712 
 8. Ponomariov, Ruslan   g UKR 2723  0 = 0 = = = 0 * 1 = = . 1 =  5.5  2694 
 9. Karjakin, Sergey     g UKR 2678  = = 0 = . 0 1 0 * = = = = 1  5.5  2691 
10. Tiviakov, Sergei     g NED 2667  = 0 . = 0 = = = = * = = = =  5.0  2663 
11. Van Wely, Loek       g NED 2683  0 0 = . 1 0 0 = = = * = = 1  5.0  2659 
12. Motylev, Alexander   g RUS 2647  = 0 = = 0 0 = . = = = * = =  4.5  2636 
13. Carlsen, Magnus      g NOR 2690  0 = = = 0 = 0 0 = = = = * .  4.0  2595 
14. Shirov, Alexei       g ESP 2715  0 0 = 0 = = 1 = 0 = 0 = . *  4.0  2595 
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Round 12 (January 27, 2007)

Topalov, Veselin    -  Kramnik, Vladimir   1/2   49  D37  QGD 5.Bf4
Navara, David       -  Ponomariov, Ruslan  1-0   43  C07  French Tarrasch
Karjakin, Sergey    -  Carlsen, Magnus     1/2   35  C83  Ruy Lopez Open
Tiviakov, Sergei    -  Anand, Viswanathan  1/2   27  B17  Caro Kann
Van Wely, Loek      -  Svidler, Peter      1-0   22  D87  Gruenfeld Botvinnik
Motylev, Alexander  -  Radjabov, Teimour   0-1   40  E92  King's Indian Classical
Shirov, Alexei      -  Aronian, Levon      1/2   57  C88  Ruy Lopez Closed

Mark Crowther comments: With just one round to go Veselin Topalov has been joined by Teimour Radjabov on 8/12 half a point clear of Levon Aronian. Radjabov has white against Topalov in the final round whilst Aronian has white against Tiviakov. Kramnik, Svidler and Anand are a further half point behind but because of the meeting of the leaders in the final round its impossible to catch them.

Motylev was defeated by Radjabov in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Radjabov made it 3.5/4 with the Kings Indian with black (and a further win with the Benoni come Benko) which has been the secret of his challenge in Wijk aan Zee. He gradually took over the initiative and his opponent Alexander Motylev's position fell apart going up to the first time control. Some thoughts on the KID and tomorrow's game against Topalov by Martin Bennedikhttp://www.bennedik.de/2007/01/king-indian-is-back.html

Motylev,A (2647) - Radjabov,T (2729) [E92]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 27.01.2007

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.0-0-0 Qe7 14.Qa5 [14.h4 g4 15.Ne1 Nc6 16.Nc2 f5 17.exf5 Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Rxd4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4+ Kg8 21.c5 Rxf5 22.Bc4+ Nf7 23.Nd5 Qd8 24.Re1 c6 25.Ne7+ 1-0 Sundararajan,K (2476)-Shetty,R (2369)/Visakhapatnam IND 2004/The Week in Chess 528] 14...c6 15.Nd2 b6 16.Qa4 Bd7 17.f3 c5 18.Qa3 Nc6 19.Nd5 Qf7 20.Bd3 Be6 21.h3 f5 22.Nb1 Nd4 23.Nbc3 Rfd8 24.Be1 f4 25.Kb1 Ng8 26.Ne2 Ne7 27.Nxd4 exd4 28.h4 g4 29.Nc7 Rac8 30.Nxe6 Qxe6 31.Bd2 gxf3 32.gxf3 Nc6 33.Bxf4?! Black is already doing fine but this seems to start white's collapse. [33.Rdg1] 33...Rf8 34.Bc1 Rxf3 35.Rhg1 [35.Rhf1 Rcf8 36.Rxf3 Rxf3 37.Rf1 Rxf1 38.Bxf1 Qxe4+] 35...Nb4 36.Qxa7?! Rg8!

wins out of hand. 37.Qa3 b5 38.e5 Rxd3 39.Rxd3 Qf5 40.Rg5 0-1

Veselin Topalov couldn't break through as white against Vladimir Kramnik in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

With all the controversy surrounding them there was a bit of a scrum around the game Veselin Topalov against Vladimir Kramnik (http://www.chessvibes.com/?p=526&lp_lang_view=en has a film of the start of the game). There was no handshake either at the beginning or end of the game which was a QGD 5.Bf4 variation which saw Kramnik defend a cramped but solid position very accurately down to a sterile ending. In the run up to Wijk aan Zee Topalov had accused Kramnik of cheating by receiving advice in Elista during there world title match. An article by Martin Breutigam of Süddeutsche Zeitung - (English Translation) accused Topalov's manager of passing messages to Topalov during a couple of early rounds of Wijk aan Zee this year. The article, to put it politely, is a little light on concrete evidence. The atmosphere of distrust was palpable at Wijk this year, I can't say I watched Danailov closely but I did see him take a phone call outside the playing hall and come back in but he didn't make any attempt to get within sight of Topalov when he came back, he also was in the press room quite a lot (as he was last year), none of which is evidence of much of anything either but I didn't see anything suspicous. Maybe there is evidence around, but I remain very much to be convinced that he's cheating, as does Loek van Wely one of his opponents mentioned in the article, when asked about it in his press conference (below).

Loek van Wely was the benificiary of a serious blunder by Svidler in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Loek van Wely was the first to finish after Peter Svidler thought he could equalise straight out of the opening in a Gruenfeld but missed a couple of points and had to resign in just 22 moves.

Here are some notes based on what Van Wely had to say in his press conference.

Van Wely,L (2683) - Svidler,P (2728) [D87]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 27.01.2007
[Crowther,Mark]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bd7 Svidler's favourite. 11.Rb1 Qc7 12.Bf4 Qc8 13.Rc1 a6 Black's only active plan. [13...Rd8 14.d5 Ne5 15.Bxe5 Bxe5 16.f4 Bg7 17.Qb3 Rb8 18.a4 b6 19.e5 Be8 20.Ng3 a6 21.Rcd1 b5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Be2 Qb7 24.Bf3 Qb6 25.Kh1 f6 26.Rfe1 fxe5 27.fxe5 Kh8 28.Ne4 Bxe5 1/2-1/2 Rodshtein,M (2377)-Huzman,A (2581)/Ashdod ISR 2004/The Week in Chess 531] 14.Qd2 Playing for a small advantage. 14...b5 15.Bd3 Qb7 16.Bh6 Bxh6?! Attempting to equalise straight away. But he missed some details. Svidler knew it was risky but thought he had calculated correctly. He probably missed either 19.Rc5! or 20.Nf4. 17.Qxh6 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qb6 19.Rc5!

[19.Qe3 e5] 19...Bg4? According to his plan but this loses. [19...Nxd4 20.Rh5; 19...Rac8] 20.Nf4 Already Svidler is lost. He spent a long time here but couldn't find a way out. 20...Nxd4 21.Rg5 Bf3 Playing for tricks. [21...Bd7 22.Rh5; 21...Be6 22.Nh5] 22.Rg3 One of the many accurate moves that force resignation. 1-0

Loek van Wely Press Conference at: http://www.chessvibes.com/?p=527&lp_lang_view=en

Sergey Tiviakov gave Viswanathan Anand no chance to complicate in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Sergey Tiviakov has been rock solid with white in this event and he gave no chance for Anand to complicate for the win he really needed. The game was drawn in 27 moves.

Sergey Karjakin drew against Magnus Carlsen in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

In the battle between the youngest two top 100 players Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen disputed an open Ruy Lopez where Carlsen seemed to equalise comfortably and the game ended in a repetition.

David Navara defeated Ruslan Ponomariov in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

David Navara won a pawn early in the middle game against Ruslan Ponomariov and converted it quite comfortably.

Alexei Shirov against Levon Aronian in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

With a win in round 12 Levon Aronian could have joined the leaders on 8 going into the final round. For some time it seems he might do this but after an abysmal start in the first six rounds Shirov seemed back to something like his normal form and he found a way to equalise and save the game.

Shirov,A (2715) - Aronian,L (2744) [C88]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 27.01.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Na5 11.Ba2 c5 12.Nc3 Nc6 13.Nd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Qc7 15.c3 Nb8 16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Nh2 Nd7 18.Ng4 Nf6 19.Ne3 g6 20.b3 Rab8 21.Bb2 Rfd8 22.Qf3 d5 23.exd5 Nxd5 24.d4 Nf4 25.Qg3 Nd3 26.Ng4 e4 27.d5 Qxd5 28.c4 Qe6 29.Be5 Bd6 30.Bxd6 Qxd6 31.Nh6+ Kf8 32.Rxe4 Qxg3 33.fxg3 bxc4 34.bxc4 Rd4 35.Rxd4 cxd4 36.Ng4 h5 37.Nf2 Ne5 38.c5 Rb3 39.g4 Ke7 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.Ne4 Re3 42.Nd6 Ke6 43.Ne8 a5 44.Nc7+ Kf5 45.Nb5 Ke4 46.Rd1 Nc6 47.Kf2 a4 48.Nd6+ Kd5

Shirov gets the chance to play a nice simplification to a draw.