Category Archives: Grand Prix – Zug 2013

Grand Prix – Zug 2013 last round

By | |
Leave a comment
Post Views: 1,926

Topalov - winner of the event
(Photo taken from the official site)

The only decisive game was the one of Topalov against Karjakin, which the leader of the tournament won. This victory allowed him to win the tournament with 8 points. Nakamura was 2nd with 6.5 points, Ponomariov & Caruana shared 3rd-4th with 6 points.

Results of the last round

GM Leko Peter 2744 ½ – ½ GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709
GM Kamsky Gata 2741 ½ – ½ GM Giri Anish 2727
GM Topalov Veselin 2771 1 – 0 GM Karjakin Sergey 2786
GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 ½ – ½ GM Caruana Fabiano 2772
GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 ½ – ½ GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766
GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 ½ – ½ GM Morozevich Alexander 2758

Final standings

1 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 BUL 8 43,00
2 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 USA 6½ 33,00
3 GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 UKR 6 33,50
4 GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 ITA 6 30,25
5 GM Kamsky Gata 2741 USA 5½ 29,50
6 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 RUS 5½ 27,25
7 GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 RUS 5 26,00
8 GM Giri Anish 2727 NED 5 27,75
9 GM Leko Peter 2744 HUN 5 26,50
10 GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 AZE 4½ 25,25
11 GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 UZB 4½ 24,50
12 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 AZE 4½ 25,00

The Topalov-Karjakin game started as the Catalan but quickly transposed into the Benoni :). White made a novelty on move 16 instead 16.Ra3 which was played only once. Black got a good position in the middlegame and could repeat the position which though was in favor of Topalov as it would have put him on the 1st place instantly. Instead of the dubious pawn sac – 25…f4, Black should have played 25…Bb5 to try to put the N on c4.

Congratulations to the winners!

Official Site.

Grand Prix – Zug 2013 10th round

By | |
Leave a comment
Post Views: 1,855

Caruana, Topalov
(Photo taken from the official site)

Topalov increased his position by beating Caruana, who was only half a point behind before the round. After 10 rounds Topalov has 7 points, Nakamura 6, Ponomariov & Caruana are on 5.5.

Results of the 10th round

Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 ½ – ½ GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733
GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 1 – 0 GM Radjabov Teimour 2793
GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 0 – 1 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767
GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 0 – 1 GM Topalov Veselin 2771
GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 0 – 1 GM Kamsky Gata 2741
GM Giri Anish 2727 ½ – ½ GM Leko Peter 2744

Standings after 10 rounds

1 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 BUL 7 34,50
2 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 USA 6 27,25
3 GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 UKR 5½ 28,00
4 GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 ITA 5½ 24,50
5 GM Kamsky Gata 2741 USA 5 24,75
6 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 RUS 5 22,00
7 GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 RUS 5 23,50
8 GM Giri Anish 2727 NED 4½ 22,75
9 GM Leko Peter 2744 HUN 4½ 22,25
10 GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 AZE 4 21,00
11 GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 UZB 4 20,00
12 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 AZE 4 20,50

Mamedyarov played a very rare system which he already used in a game against GM Brunello in Porto Carras, 2011. Black made a novelty on move 6 and got a very active position. Had white castled on move 16, his problems would have been less visible. Instead of 19.e4 which was a mistake, he should have just taken the pawn on b4, after which even if Black is a little better, white has a good play.

Today’s pairings (last round!)

Leko Peter 2744 – GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709
GM Kamsky Gata 2741 – GM Giri Anish 2727
GM Topalov Veselin 2771 – GM Karjakin Sergey 2786
GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 – GM Caruana Fabiano 2772
GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 – GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766
GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 – GM Morozevich Alexander 2758

Official Site.

Grand Prix – Zug 2013 9th round

By | |
Leave a comment
Post Views: 2,189

Mamedyarov, Topalov
(Photo taken from the official site)

Yesterday was a very good day for the fans of Topalov as he is leading the event with 6 points after drawing Mamedyarov. Caruana is 2nd with 5.5 points and 3 players are on 5 – Ponomariov, Nakamura and Karjakin.

Results of the 9th round

Giri Anish 2727 ½ – ½ GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709
GM Leko Peter 2744 ½ – ½ GM Karjakin Sergey 2786
GM Kamsky Gata 2741 0 – 1 GM Caruana Fabiano 2772
GM Topalov Veselin 2771 ½ – ½ GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766
GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 1 – 0 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758
GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 1 – 0 GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733

Standings after 9 rounds

1 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 BUL 6 25,25
2 GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 ITA 5½ 22,00
3 GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 UKR 5 23,50
4 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 USA 5 20,50
5 GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 RUS 5 21,50
6 GM Kamsky Gata 2741 USA 4 17,50
7 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 RUS 4 16,75
8 GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 AZE 4 18,75
9 GM Giri Anish 2727 NED 4 19,00
10 GM Leko Peter 2744 HUN 4 18,25
11 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 AZE 4 18,00
12 GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 UZB 3½ 15,50

Morozevich got a very good position with Black in the King’s Indian (which later transposed into the Benoni) against Nakamura and made a novelty on move 13. Then, due to White’s inaccuracies got a much better position and had he played 22…Qf6 or 22…Na3, exchanging some of White’s active pieces could have gotten a nearly decisive advantage.

Pairings of the penultimate round

Round 10 on 2013/04/29 at 14:00

GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 – GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733
GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 – GM Radjabov Teimour 2793
GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 – GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767
GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 – GM Topalov Veselin 2771
GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 – GM Kamsky Gata 2741
GM Giri Anish 2727 – GM Leko Peter 2744

Official Site.

Grand Prix – Zug 2013 8th round

By | |
Leave a comment
Post Views: 2,060

Morozevich-Topalov
(Photo taken from the official site)

Yesterday again brought all draws but one! Topalov is leading the event with 5.5 points, Ponomariov is on 5 and 3rd-4th is shared by Caruana & Karjakin.

Results of the 8th round

GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 ½ – ½ GM Radjabov Teimour 2793
GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 ½ – ½ GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767
GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 0 – 1 GM Topalov Veselin 2771
GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 ½ – ½ GM Kamsky Gata 2741
GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 ½ – ½ GM Leko Peter 2744
GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 ½ – ½ GM Giri Anish 2727

Morozevich-Topalov was a well known line of the English until 9.c5 which was a novelty and a pawn sacrifice. Black responded extremely well and got a very good play in the middlegame. Later on both sides missed good chances but looks like Black didn’t give White any counterplay.

Pairings of the 9th round

GM Giri Anish 2727 – GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709
GM Leko Peter 2744 – GM Karjakin Sergey 2786
GM Kamsky Gata 2741 – GM Caruana Fabiano 2772
GM Topalov Veselin 2771 – GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766
GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 – GM Morozevich Alexander 2758
GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 – GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733

Today is a rest day!

Official Site.

Grand Prix – Zug 2013 7th round

By | |
Leave a comment
Post Views: 2,073

Part of the playing hall, round 7
(photo taken from the official site)

Results of the 7th round

GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 ½ – ½ GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709
GM Giri Anish 2727 ½ – ½ GM Caruana Fabiano 2772
GM Leko Peter 2744 ½ – ½ GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766
GM Kamsky Gata 2741 1 – 0 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758
GM Topalov Veselin 2771 ½ – ½ GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733
GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 ½ – ½ GM Radjabov Teimour 2793

Standings after the 7th round

1 GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 UKR 4½ 16,25
2 GM Topalov Veselin 2771 BUL 4½ 14,50
3 GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 RUS 4 12,50
4 GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 ITA 4 12,00
5 GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 RUS 4 13,50
6 GM Kamsky Gata 2741 USA 3½ 12,00
7 GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767 USA 3½ 10,50
8 GM Giri Anish 2727 NED 3 11,00
9 GM Leko Peter 2744 HUN 3 10,50
10 GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 AZE 3 10,50
11 GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 UZB 2½ 9,25
12 GM Radjabov Teimour 2793 AZE 2½ 9,00

Only one game was decisive yesterday, although all games were full of complicated and interesting ideas.

Kamsky-Morozevich started as a Sicilian but quickly transposed into unusual openings :). Morozevich’s 8…b6 was an interesting novelty but looks like Black was soon out of plan while White gathered power on the kingside after an exchange on d4. In the end, white found lots of very nice tactical patterns like “deflection” and other similar ideas.

Pairings of the 8th round

GM Kasimdzhanov Rustam 2709 – GM Radjabov Teimour 2793
GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2733 – GM Nakamura Hikaru 2767
GM Morozevich Alexander 2758 – GM Topalov Veselin 2771
GM Mamedyarov Shakhriyar 2766 – GM Kamsky Gata 2741
GM Caruana Fabiano 2772 – GM Leko Peter 2744
GM Karjakin Sergey 2786 – GM Giri Anish 2727

Official Site.