Carlsen defeats Sokolov to lead Tata Steel alone after 6 rounds

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75th Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2013 (6)

Carlsen defeats Sokolov to lead Tata Steel alone after 6 rounds

Mark Crowther - Friday 18th January 2013

Carlsen wasn't happy with his play but he beat Ivan Sokolov anyway. Photo ©

Carlsen wasn't happy with his play but he beat Ivan Sokolov anyway. Photo © | http://www.tatasteelchess.com

Magnus Carlsen defeated Ivan Sokolov to take the sole lead with 4.5/6 Carlsen was downbeat after the game, Sokolov got a level opening but was steadily outplayed as his time became shorter. Carlsen was poised for a nice win but somewhat ruined the effect by playing a weak move (46.Nd5?) that could have allowed Sokolov significant counterplay (46...Qd4) instead after 46.Bd8? Carlsen finished quickly. "Nice to get the win but otherwise not too great a game." - Carlsen. Levon Aronian defeated Peter Leko in a long endgame. Leko was short of time but seemed close to a draw but probably took the wrong route in transposing into an opposite bishops ending that is close to lost. Aronian thought that Leko would have equalised more easily if he hadn't given up a pawn. "The position is very close to a draw but in a practical game when time is a factor it can be very difficult task." - Aronian. Pentala Harikrishna admitted that his opponent Viswanathan Anand got a good position from the opening after he played rather passively. This is the first classical game between the two players and it turned out to be very scrappy, Anand said he was indecisive at various stages and Harikrishna just dropped a pawn after 29.Nd4 but still had more than enough after 30.Nf3 to hold the draw. Fabiano Caruana looked a bit deflated after his draw with Sergey Karjakin. After some wonderful results recently he hasn't played well so far in Wijk aan Zee and is on -1. Today he was just worse until Karjakin allowed him to play a pretty drawing combination. In the remaining games Van Wely defeated Wang Hao (see notes below), Hou Yifan won a fluctuating struggle with Anish Giri and Erwin L'Ami held Hikaru Nakamura. Leaders: Carlsen 4.5/6 Anand, Karjakin 4 Haririshna, Aronian and Nakamura 3.5. Round 7: Sat 19th Jan: Anand-van Wely, Sokolov-Harikrishna, Leko-Carlsen, Karjakin-Aronian, Hou Yifan-Caruana, L'Ami-Giri, Wang Hao-Nakamura.

Carlsen 1-0 Sokolov

Carlsen,Magnus - Sokolov,Ivan [C78]
75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee NED (6.5), 18.01.2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Bc5 8.a4 0-0 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 d6 11.c3 Qe7

[11...g5]

12.Na3

[12.Kh1 ]

12...Na5

[12...Bxa3 13.Rxa3 b4 14.Ra1 bxc3 15.bxc3 Na5 16.Ba2 Bc8 17.Qd2 Be6 18.c4 Nc6 19.Ne1 g5 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Qxg5+ Kh8 22.f4 Nh7 23.Qh6 exf4 24.Qxf4 Qg5 25.Qf2 0-1 Sardy,P (2313)-Vajda,A (2438)/Eger 2004/EXT 2008]

13.Bc2 b4 14.Nb1 g5 15.Bg3 Nh5 16.Nbd2 Ba7 17.Re1

Black's position is more or less satisfactory but he spent a lot of time getting here.

17...bxc3 18.bxc3 Nxg3 19.hxg3 Qf6 20.Qe2 Rfb8 21.Rab1 Bc8 22.Nf1 Rxb1 23.Rxb1 Rb8 24.Rxb8 Bxb8

Ivan Sokolov

Magnus Carlsen

Position after 24...Bxb8

Carlsen pointed out after the game that exchanging both sets of rooks was a mistake by Sokolov.

25.Ne3 Ba7 26.d4 g4 27.Nd5 Qd8 28.Nh4 c6 29.Ne3 h5 30.Nhf5 Qf6 31.Qd3

"He allowed me to get more or less everything I wanted." - Carlsen. Black's position is now terribly difficult.

31...Bb6 32.Bb1 Kf8 33.Ba2 Bc7 34.Qb1 Ke8 35.Qb4 d5?!

A further weakening of the position.

[35...Kf8; 35...Bd7]

36.Bb1 exd4 37.cxd4 dxe4 38.Bxe4 Be6 39.Qc5 Kd7

Ivan Sokolov

Magnus Carlsen

Position after 39...Kd7

40.d5 cxd5 41.Nxd5 Bxd5 42.Qxd5+

Now black can sit down and try and find a defence but his position is miserable, especially bad is the knight on a5.

42...Kc8 43.Ne3 Qa1+ 44.Kh2 Qxa4 45.Qa8+ Kd7

Ivan Sokolov

Magnus Carlsen

Position after 45...Kd7

46.Nd5?

Careless, Carlsen was playing like there wasn't anything left to do but in fact this allows black back into the game.

[46.Bf5+ Ke7 47.Qa7!]]

46...Bd8?

Loses very quickly but Sokolov must have been pretty dispirited by now.

[46...Qd4 or ; 46...Qc6 both would have continued the struggle with white being better but quite a long way from a win.]

47.Bf5+ Ke8 48.Qc8 1-0

Van Wely 1-0 Wang Hao

Loek van Wely crushed Wang Hao on the white side of a King's Indian. Something went a bit wrong for black and Wang decided to sacrifice a pawn on the Queenside but this didn't work and Van Wely ended up with a huge position which he converted rather easily. Van Wely demonstrated the game.

Van Wely,Loek - Wang,Hao [E62]
75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee NED (6.2), 18.01.2013

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 c6 7.Nc3 Bf5 8.Ne1 Qc8

[8...d5 Van Wely wasn't sure about this.]

9.e4 Bh3 10.Nd3 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 e5 12.d5

"Now I think I'm about to get a favourable King's Indian position." - Van Wely.

12...b5

"Maybe a bit optimistic." - Van Wely.

[12...Na6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bd2 cxd5 15.cxd5 Qc4 16.Qf3 Nb4 17.Nxb4 Qxb4 18.Rfb1 Nd7 1/2-1/2 Bromberger,S (2491)-Vogt,L (2473)/Eppingen GER 2007/The Week in Chess 683]

13.cxb5 cxd5 14.exd5

Things have already gone a bit wrong for black in the opening and so Wang Hao decides to sacrifice a pawn. Van Wely wasn't worried. "I was happy to take the pawn and mate was not so close." - Van Wely.

14...Qc4

Wang Hao

Loek van Wely

Position after 14...Qc4

[14...a6 was perhaps Wang Hao's original idea.]

15.Re1!

[15.Bg5 Ne4]]

15...h6 16.a4!

[16.a3 a6]

16...Nbd7

[16...a6 17.bxa6 Nxa6 18.a5]

17.a5

White has a big advantage.

17...e4 18.Nf4

Wang Hao

Loek van Wely

Position after 18.Nf4

18...g5?

[18...Nc5 19.Be3 Nfd7 20.Bxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxe4 Nxe4 22.Ra4 Qxb5 23.Rexe4]

19.Ra4 Qc8 20.Nfe2 Nc5 21.Rc4 Qd7 22.Nd4 Rae8 23.h3 Nd3 24.Re2 Ne5 25.Rb4 Nd3 26.Rc4 Ne5 27.Ra4 Nf3 28.Nc6

Wang Hao

Loek van Wely

Position after 28.Nc6

It's clearly all gone horribly wrong for black. He's not that much better on the Kingside and his queenside is non-existant.

28...Qf5 29.b6

Very straightforward.

29...axb6 30.axb6 Ne5 31.b7 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Nd3 33.Rc2 Qxd1+

[33...Qf5 34.b8Q Rxb8 (34...Qxh3 35.Qxe8 Rxe8 (35...Ng4 36.Qxe4 Qh2+ 37.Kf1 Nge5) 36.Qf1) 35.Ne7+ is a point. Black has to take queens off after which he has no counterplay.]

34.Nxd1 Nxd5 35.Ne3 Nb6 36.Ra5 Ne1 37.Re2 Nd3 38.Bd2 Ne5 39.Nxe5 Rxe5 40.Nf5 Rb8 41.Nxg7 1-0

Anish Giri 0-1 Hou Yifan

Hou Yifan wasn't happy with her play in defeating Anish Giri. She got a rather large advantage in the early middlegame but couldn't convert. Giri sacrificed an exchange to get into what was a difficult if not drawn ending but in the end he was defeated. Giri looked very annoyed with himself at the end and tried to demonstrate some easy draw. Hou will be relieved to get her first win and recover somewhat from her very bad round 5 loss.

Hikaru Nakamura vs Erwin L'Ami

Erwin L'Ami held Hikaru Nakamura to a draw in a Caro-Kann Advanced Variation sideline. Play was complex but L'Ami played well and maybe could have played on at the end but decided to halt his losing run. He also remembered he turned down a draw offer from Nakamura in the A-Group 2 years ago and lost quickly. The position was only slightly better for him anyway.

75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2013																cat. XX (2732)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2861	*	½	.	1	½	.	.	1	.	½	.	.	.	1	4½	2925
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2772	½	*	.	½	1	½	.	.	.	1	.	½	.	.	4	2896
3.	Karjakin, Sergey	g	RUS	2780	.	.	*	.	.	½	.	.	1	½	½	½	1	.	4	2833
4.	Harikrishna, Pentala	g	IND	2698	0	½	.	*	½	.	.	1	.	½	.	1	.	.	3½	2826
5.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2802	½	0	.	½	*	.	1	½	.	.	.	.	.	1	3½	2791
6.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2769	.	½	½	.	.	*	½	.	.	.	½	.	1	½	3½	2753
7.	Leko, Peter	g	HUN	2735	.	.	.	.	0	½	*	.	½	1	½	½	.	.	3	2741
8.	Van Wely, Loek	g	NED	2679	0	.	.	0	½	.	.	*	1	.	1	.	½	.	3	2723
9.	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2752	.	.	0	.	.	.	½	0	*	.	1	.	1	½	3	2681
10.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	ITA	2781	½	0	½	½	.	.	0	.	.	*	.	.	.	1	2½	2694
11.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2627	.	.	½	.	.	½	½	0	0	.	*	.	½	.	2	2594
12.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2720	.	½	½	0	.	.	½	.	.	.	.	*	0	½	2	2583
13.	Hou, Yifan	g	CHN	2603	.	.	0	.	.	0	.	½	0	.	½	1	*	.	2	2596
14.	Sokolov, Ivan	g	NED	2663	0	.	.	.	0	½	.	.	½	0	.	½	.	*	1½	2587

Round 6 (January 18, 2013)
Carlsen, Magnus	- Sokolov, Ivan	1-0	48	C78	Ruy Lopez Moeller Defence
Harikrishna, Pentala	- Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	41	A07	Barcza System
Aronian, Levon	- Leko, Peter	1-0	59	E15	Queens Indian
Nakamura, Hikaru	- L'Ami, Erwin	½-½	41	B12	Caro Kann Advanced
Van Wely, Loek	- Wang, Hao	1-0	41	E62	King's Indian 6...Nc6
Caruana, Fabiano	- Karjakin, Sergey	½-½	38	C67	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Giri, Anish	- Hou, Yifan	0-1	85	B70	Sicilian Dragon

75th Tata Steel GpB Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2013																cat. XV (2620)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Rapport, Richard	g	HUN	2621	*	.	.	1	1	.	.	½	.	1	½	.	.	1	5	2905
2.	Naiditsch, Arkadij	g	GER	2708	.	*	½	½	0	.	1	1	1	.	.	.	.	.	4	2751
3.	Dubov, Daniil	g	RUS	2600	.	½	*	.	.	1	½	.	½	.	.	½	1	.	4	2736
4.	Movsesian, Sergei	g	ARM	2688	0	½	.	*	.	½	.	.	.	1	.	.	1	1	4	2751
5.	Tiviakov, Sergei	g	NED	2655	0	1	.	.	*	½	.	.	.	0	.	1	1	.	3½	2688
6.	Timman, Jan H	g	NED	2566	.	.	0	½	½	*	.	½	1	.	.	.	.	1	3½	2681
7.	Grandelius, Nils	g	SWE	2572	.	0	½	.	.	.	*	½	0	.	1	1	.	.	3	2620
8.	Turov, Maxim	g	RUS	2630	½	0	.	.	.	½	½	*	.	.	.	½	½	.	2½	2555
9.	Smeets, Jan	g	NED	2615	.	0	½	.	.	0	1	.	*	.	½	½	.	.	2½	2545
10.	Edouard, Romain	g	FRA	2686	0	.	.	0	1	.	.	.	.	*	1	.	½	0	2½	2563
11.	Van Kampen, Robin	g	NED	2581	½	.	.	.	.	.	0	.	½	0	*	½	.	1	2½	2549
12.	Ipatov, Alexander	g	TUR	2587	.	.	½	.	0	.	0	½	½	.	½	*	.	.	2	2483
13.	Nikolic, Predrag	g	BIH	2619	.	.	0	0	0	.	.	½	.	½	.	.	*	1	2	2510
14.	Ernst, Sipke	g	NED	2556	0	.	.	0	.	0	.	.	.	1	0	.	0	*	1	2353

Round 6 (January 18, 2013)
Rapport, Richard	- Turov, Maxim	½-½	53	E21	Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
Naiditsch, Arkadij	- Grandelius, Nils	1-0	25	B91	Sicilian Najdorf with 6.g3
Timman, Jan H	- Smeets, Jan	1-0	55	A07	Barcza System
Edouard, Romain	- Tiviakov, Sergei	1-0	57	C10	French Rubinstein
Van Kampen, Robin	- Ipatov, Alexander	½-½	71	C43	Petroff's Defence
Nikolic, Predrag	- Dubov, Daniil	0-1	57	D12	Slav Defence
Ernst, Sipke	- Movsesian, Sergei	0-1	36	E20	Nimzo Indian

75th Tata Steel GpC Wijk aan Zee (NED), 12-27 i 2013																cat. X (2476)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Brunello, Sabino	g	ITA	2572	*	½	1	.	.	1	½	.	.	.	.	.	1	1	5	2747
2.	Peralta, Fernando	g	ARG	2617	½	*	.	½	.	.	1	.	1	.	.	.	1	1	5	2726
3.	Klein, David	m	NED	2445	0	.	*	1	1	.	.	.	0	.	.	1	.	1	4	2587
4.	Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag	g	BRA	2543	.	½	0	*	.	½	.	1	.	1	½	.	.	.	3½	2552
5.	Gretarsson, Hjorvar Steinn	m	ISL	2516	.	.	0	.	*	½	.	1	.	½	1	½	.	.	3½	2525
6.	Kovchan, Alexander	g	UKR	2579	0	.	.	½	½	*	½	.	1	.	.	.	.	1	3½	2529
7.	Swinkels, Robin	g	NED	2508	½	0	.	.	.	½	*	.	½	.	.	.	1	1	3½	2534
8.	Burg, Twan	m	NED	2492	.	.	.	0	0	.	.	*	.	½	1	1	½	.	3	2458
9.	Bitensky, Igor	m	ISR	2400	.	0	1	.	.	0	½	.	*	½	½	.	.	.	2½	2441
10.	Admiraal, Miguoel	f	NED	2321	.	.	.	0	½	.	.	½	½	*	.	½	.	½	2½	2392
11.	Romanishin, Oleg M	g	UKR	2521	.	.	.	½	0	.	.	0	½	.	*	1	½	.	2½	2410
12.	Van Der Werf, Mark	m	NED	2450	.	.	0	.	½	.	.	0	.	½	0	*	½	.	1½	2256
13.	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	wg	RUS	2402	0	0	.	.	.	.	0	½	.	.	½	½	*	.	1½	2333
14.	Schut, Lisa	wm	NED	2295	0	0	0	.	.	0	0	.	.	½	.	.	.	*	½	2106

Round 6 (January 18, 2013)
Brunello, Sabino	- Schut, Lisa	1-0	37	D96	Gruenfeld Russian
Peralta, Fernando	- Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag	½-½	36	D85	Gruenfeld Defence
Klein, David	- Van Der Werf, Mark	1-0	26	C47	Four Knights
Kovchan, Alexander	- Gretarsson, Hjorvar Steinn	½-½	90	B92	Sicilian Najdorf with 6.Be2
Swinkels, Robin	- Bitensky, Igor	½-½	42	E86	King's Indian Saemisch
Admiraal, Miguoel	- Burg, Twan	½-½	51	D12	Slav Defence
Goryachkina, Aleksandra	- Romanishin, Oleg M	½-½	26	E00	Catalan