Tata round 9

Nakamura and Anand draw in a mixed Queens Indian - Nimzo

KRAMNIK JOINS THE TOP TWO.

It looked like Anand had winning chances, but then it petered out into a draw.
Play-through game with a few of my thoughts as they went along.

Tata Round 8

Finally a proper game in the A group.

CARLSEN BEATS NAKAMURA in a fascinating Najdorf.








How satisfying.
By the end of the day, Nakamura and Anand will still be in the lead on 5.5, and the other top contenders now share on 5 points.

Thank you Magnus, you have restored my faith in top chess.

Tata 2011 round 3

Nakamura versus Shirov

Ruy Archangel C78

First 30 moves with my thoughts as it happened,
to play through on live board.

Tata Round 2

Anand versus Kramnik


OK, so it was another short draw,
but it was a bon-bon of a game.
Kramnik set Anand a puzzle at various stages of these 23 moves.
Anand worked them out and managed to hang in there.





Sorry:
The Reykjavik bit in the live page is a mistake.
I am too tired to go back and take it out.

So for Reykjavik read Wijk aan Zee

Not so different, linguistically, actually:

Wijk and vik both been place as it happens.

In case you want to pronounce it anywhere understandably:

[Vake arn Say] would do it.

Tata game 1

Carlsen versus Aronian


Spineless draw or unavoidable rep draw after less than optimum moves from both sides by move 20??


After move 13....Nb4

After 18.h4



And then Aronian moves his d-pawn one square too many.

18.....d5? when 18...d6 might have been wiser.


CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER:

After 18...d5 19.Qf4 dxc4, Carlsen forgot to move his Queen to =h6= first and played
19...bxc4?

Let's hope I see it wrong.

Ahhhh
Carlsen is let off.
Aronian misses the good continuation and puts his a-Rook on the wrong square.
20...Rad8 would not have been so brill for White.
Come to think of it, playing 20...Kh8 before playing 20...Rab8 would have led to a nice little earner for Black.

20.bxc4 Kh8
21.Rh3 Rab8
22.Re3 RxR
23.fxR Qa5
24.Qd4 Qa2+
25.Kc1 Re8

Not too shabby for Black, what?

I'm sticking with it: bxc4 was impetuous and non-rewarding.

Again, I hope I'm totally wrong.
And let's face it: Carlsen has his share of good fortune.

Ahhhhhhh they draw ......


This does not make me at all happy.
Bring on the LONDON CLASSIC effect of fewer points for draws.