Chessable Houska's Caro

75th Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2013 (9)

Carlsen eyes records as he leads Tata Steel with 7/9

Hou Yifan was beaten by Magnus Carlsen. Photo ©

Hou Yifan was beaten by Magnus Carlsen. Photo © | http://www.tatasteelchess.com

Magnus Carlsen defeated Hou Yifan in an interesting positional game. Carlsen admitted that his targets were both World Champion and 2900 by the end of the year. He didn't know about Kasparov's record of 10/13 at Wijk aan Zee in 1999 but he now thinks this score is "attainable". Full quotes transcribed below. He demonstrated his game afterwards and although he was disaatisfied with one or two of his moves in the game and showed that Hou could have resisted much more strongly near the end this was a dominant performance both on the board and the clock that wore down Hou. See the video and a transcribed version below. Viswanathan Anand surprised Peter Leko as black with his choice of variation of the Sicilian but this was only sufficient for a draw and this lost ground to Carlsen. Levon Aronian pressed hard at the end with black against Erwin L'Ami but the position was fairly simplified position and the Dutchman chose a resolute defence and held. Fabiano Caruana "wasn't sure whether I was better or worse for the whole game" in his complicated and interesting struggle against Wang Hao. Loek van Wely won a tense game against Ivan Sokolov in a Rubinstein Nimzo-Indian. The game was really complicated and but van Wely really took over after move 30 (van Wely speculated that Sokolov was trying to make a trick work that he had in fact spotted) and had won by move 38. He now has a second "Dutch" battle in a row against Anish Giri in Round 10. Pentrala Harikrishna played an interesting novelty in the Berlin Defence against Sergey Karjakin and obtained a draw. Hikaru Nakamra was again on the back foot this time against Anish Giri. This was a terribly complicated Sicilian sideline where Giri took the initiative with a fine sacrifice of pawns on his Queenside for attacking prospects. In the end Giri's attacking ideas only led to a repetition at move 40. Giri finally seems to be playing himself into form after a lacklustre tournament as this was much more like it from him. Leading Round 9 Standings: Carlsen 7pts, Anand 6pts Aronian, Nakamura 5.5pts, Harikrishna, Karjakin 5pts etc Round 10 Wed 23rd Jan 2013 12:30 GMT van Wely-Giri, Caruana-Nakamura, Aronian-Wang Hao, Carlsen-L'Ami, Harikrishna-Hou Yifan, Anand-Karjakin, Sokolov-Leko.

Magnus Carlsen talks about his win against Hou Yifan

After his demonstration Carlsen was briefly interviewed.

Q: How do you feel about your tournament so far?

Carlsen: "I'm very happy with the score."

Q: How about the quality of play?

Carlsen: "I mean it's OK, nothing more but definitely nothing less."

Q: We don't have to ask if you're going for tournament victory. Do you think about Kasparov's 10 out of 13 from 1999? Would that be a goal for you to equal?

Carlsen: "What did he do, 10 of 13?" Q: 10 of 13 yeah. Carlsen: "That's an attainable goal I think, so..."

Q: How about a year from now? If you would have to choose between 2900 or World Champion which would you go for?"

Carlsen: "Both."

Hou,Yifan - Carlsen,Magnus [C44]
75th Tata Steel GpA Wijk aan Zee NED (9.4), 22.01.2013
[Crowther,Mark]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3

"It was a surprise someone would actually play the Ponziani against me." - Carlsen who used it as a surprise weapon against Harikrishna in round 4. Carlsen said that maybe she was thinking of the russian chess saying about trying not to play against your own openings and hoped that this might make him uncomfortable.

3...Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Nd5 6.Bc4 Nb6 7.Bb3 d5 8.cxd4

[8.exd6 Bxd6 "And it's probably going to be more or less equal." - Carlsen.]

8...Bg4 9.Be3 f6

Seems to be new and is very much to the point.

Magnus Carlsen

r__qkb_r
ppp___pp
_nn__p__
___pP___
___P__b_
_B__BN__
PP___PPP
RN_QK__R

Hou Yifan

Position after 9...f6

[9...Bb4+ 1/2-1/2 Filipovic,M (2121)-Sekulic,D (2316)/Budva MNE 2009/The Week in Chess 749 (68)]

10.0-0 Qd7 11.h3 Bh5 12.e6

"What she did looks very tempting but it's probably not very good." - Carlsen.

12...Qd6

Magnus Carlsen

r___kb_r
ppp___pp
_nnqPp__
___p___b
___P____
_B__BN_P
PP___PP_
RN_Q_RK_

Hou Yifan

Position after 12...Qd6

"Now she will gain some time before I get to take the pawn but basically my position is quite solid so there isn't all that much she can do."- Carlsen.

[12...Qxe6 13.Ng5 is the tactical point behind white's last. 13...Bxd1 (13...fxg5 14.Qxh5+ g6 15.Qxg5 Be7 "Seem playable but just a little bit too dull." - Carlsen.; 13...Qxe3 "But it's probably not very good." - Carlsen. 14.Qxh5+ g6 15.fxe3 gxh5 16.Ne6) 14.Nxe6 Bxb3 15.Nxc7+ Kf7 16.Nxa8 "Then white is coming out on top." - Carlsen.]

13.Nc3 0-0-0 14.a4

"14. a4 forces a5 and she can get the pieces to some nice squares but really I'm more or less defending everything and it's important I have the b4 square as once my bishop gets there my queenside will really be cemented." - Carlsen.

14...a5 15.Nb5 Qxe6 16.Bf4 Rd7 17.Re1 Qf7 18.Rc1

[18.Bc2 g5 19.Bh2 Bg6]

18...Bb4 19.Re3

Magnus Carlsen

__k____r
_ppr_qpp
_nn__p__
pN_p___b
Pb_P_B__
_B__RN_P
_P___PP_
__RQ__K_

Hou Yifan

Position after 19.Re3

19...g5!?

"Is natural just to get something going on the kingside." - Carlsen.

[19...Nc4 20.Bxc4 dxc4 was also possible and Carlsen wondered in hindsight if this might be a better continuation. Although there aren't any backrank tricks because the bishop hasn't yet been pushed back to h2 "but at least I haven't weakened my position." - Carlsen.]

20.Bh2 Nc4

"Here I don't know whether 20....Nc4 is such a good plan. Maybe I should do something like: "

[20...Re8 and although she does have some compensation I think it's a pretty good extra pawn." - Carlsen.]

21.Bxc4

[21.Bxc4 dxc4 22.g4 Bg6]

21...dxc4 22.Qc2

"Now I realised what I'd done wrong because I suddenly realised she would have 25.Be5 and I couldn't think what else to do here. She's regaining the pawn and there is still some kind of pressure." - Carlsen.

22...Bxf3

[22...Rhd8 23.Qxc4 Qxc4 24.Rxc4 Bf7 25.Rc2 Bd5 26.Ne1 "I have no problems obviously." - Carlsen who pulled a face suggesting he was hardly impressed with his position either. 26...b6 27.Nd3 Bf8 "It just didn't seem convincing to me." - Carlsen.]

23.Rxf3 Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Rxd4 25.Be5

Magnus Carlsen

__k____r
_pp__q_p
_____p__
p___B_p_
Pbpr____
_____R_P
_PQ__PP_
__R___K_

Hou Yifan

Position after 25.Be5

Carlsen was worried he was in danger of losing the "whole of his advantage."

25...Rd2

[25...Rd3 It was only later that Carlsen realised this might be an alternative here. 26.Rxf6 (26.Rxd3 cxd3 27.Qxc7+ Qxc7 28.Rxc7+ "Isn't dangerous." - Carlsen.) 26...Qd5]

26.Qf5+ Qd7 27.Qxf6

[27.Qxd7+ Rxd7 28.Bxf6 Rf8 29.Kf1 c3 30.bxc3 Be7 31.Bd4 Rxf3 32.gxf3 is a technical ending that might be savable.]

27...Re8

Magnus Carlsen

__k_r___
_ppq___p
_____Q__
p___B_p_
Pbp_____
_____R_P
_P_r_PP_
__R___K_

Hou Yifan

Position after 27...Re8

28.Bg3

Carlsen was happy to see the bishop go here.

[28.Bc3 was more of a worry to Carlsen. 28...Rd1+ 29.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 30.Kh2 Qd6+ and black is better but white keeps some drawing chances.; 28.Qxg5? Rd1+ 29.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 30.Kh2 Rxe5 31.Qxe5 Bd6 32.Rf8+ Kd7 33.Rf7+ Kd8 (33...Kc6 34.Rf6 and white wins!) 34.Rf8+ Bxf8 is an important variation in keeping control of the position,.]

28...Rd4

Carlsen has a really comfortable position which he was playing quickly and getting a huge advantage on the clock. In practical chess white is in huge trouble. Carlsen liked the fact he was controling some key central squares.

29.Rf1

[29.Qxg5 Bd2; 29.b3 h5! is the winning idea for black with the idea of h4. (29...c3 30.Rfxc3 Bxc3 31.Rxc3 c6 is pretty good compensation for white for the exchange. "although black is still better."; 29...Rd1+ 30.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 31.Kh2 c3 32.Rxc3 Bxc3 33.Qxc3 also still compensation for white.) ]

29...g4

"I was trying to play it simple. She still has drawing chances here because my pawns are a little weak and I would like to have a couple more moves like b6 and Kb7 or something like that to consolidate." - Carlsen.

30.hxg4 Rxg4 31.Rf4

was a problem for Carlsen who couldn't see a way to keep his pawn.

31...h5!

Magnus Carlsen

__k_r___
_ppq____
_____Q__
p______p
Pbp__Rr_
______B_
_P___PP_
_____RK_

Hou Yifan

Position after 31...h5

Played after some thought by Carlsen. The opening of the h-file proves advantageous soon.

32.Rxg4 hxg4 33.Rc1 c3

Carlsen gives back the pawn. "I don't have to but I like this idea anyway." Hou Yifan was down to about 2 minutes plus 30 seconds a move until first time control.

[33...b6 34.Rxc4 Bc5 35.Qh4 Kb7 36.Qxg4 Re1+ 37.Kh2 Qh7+ 38.Bh4 Kb8 39.Rxc5 with perhaps more mess than he wants.]

34.bxc3 Bc5 35.Qg5

[35.Qf4 "I think she should definitely have gone 35.Qf4 here." - Carlsen. 35...Bd6 exchanging the bishops is still good for black but "still I think it's a better chance." - Carlsen. 36.Qc4 Bxg3 37.fxg3 although when Carlsen got here he thought black should be winning and indeed it looks terrible for white.]

35...b6 36.c4 Re4

[36...Kb7 Tucking the king onto a better square was certainly possible and maybe best but Carlsen poses more problems as Hou Yifan's clock goes below 2 minutes (+ 30 seconds per move.)]

37.Qg6 Re2 38.Kf1?

Magnus Carlsen

__k_____
__pq____
_p____Q_
p_b_____
P_P___p_
______B_
____rPP_
__R__K__

Hou Yifan

Position after 38.Kf1

38...Qd2!

This leads to a decisive simplification into a won ending.

[38...Ra2 39.Re1 Kb7 was what the computer wanted as the queenside will fall, but it is fixed and falling sometime anyway. Carlsen doesn't want to give Hou any activity.]

39.Qxg4+

[39.Qg8+ Kb7 40.Qd5+ Qxd5 41.cxd5 Re4 42.Ra1 might be a little bit better than the game.]

39...Kb8 40.Qxe2

[40.Qg8+ Ka7 41.Qf7 Rxf2+ (41...Re7 42.Qf4 Be3!!) 42.Bxf2 Qxc1+ isn't very effective. 43.Be1]

40...Qxc1+ 41.Qe1 Qxc4+ 42.Qe2 Qxa4 43.Be5

Magnus Carlsen

_k______
__p_____
_p______
p_b_B___
q_______
________
____QPP_
_____K__

Hou Yifan

Position after 43.Be5

43...Bd4!?

This seems to be over-egging the pudding. "Then I tried to simplify a bit, but perhaps I just made it more difficult because I think I lost some of my advantage. But fortunately I never really let it go and somehow I managed to win in the end." - Carlsen. It is hard to forsee either a defence nor counterplay after

[43...Qc6 although Carlsen says that exchanging bishops was the right idea "it wasn't as easy to win as I thought."]

44.Bxd4

[44.f4 Qa1+ 45.Qe1 Bxe5 46.fxe5 Qxe1+ 47.Kxe1 Kc8 is trivial.]

44...Qxd4 45.g4 Qd5

Carlsen hasn't lost his winning advantage but he has to be a good deal more precise than he wanted to be after this simplification.

[45...a4 46.g5 a3 47.g6 and it's not so easy for black to queen his pawn. 47...Qd5 48.Qe8+ Kb7 49.g7 a2 50.Qa4 and Carlsen wasn't so sure although he does have options to exchange the two passed pawns or play b5.]

46.Qe8+

[46.Kg1 a4 47.f4 and black is always one step ahead according to Carlsen.]

46...Kb7 47.Qa4

Magnus Carlsen

________
_kp_____
_p______
p__q____
Q_____P_
________
_____P__
_____K__

Hou Yifan

Position after 47.Qa4

Carlsen hadn't seen this idea.

47...b5?

"Was just a blunder, I hadn't seen she could go Qe1 at all." - Carlsen.

[47...Qc6 was very possible as taking queens off loses for white.]

48.Qxa5 Qd1+ 49.Qe1 Qxg4 50.Qe5 Qc4+

Magnus Carlsen

________
_kp_____
________
_p__Q___
__q_____
________
_____P__
_____K__

Hou Yifan

Position after 50.Qc4+

51.Kg2?

Now Carlsen doesn't see "many drawing chances for white".

[51.Ke1 Was Carlsen's suggestion here. "I believe I'm winning.... [but it will take some work] but this was definitely the better try" - Carlsen. 51...Qd3 "Ah but now she's still running [the f-pawn] There are more drawing chances than I thought." - Carlsen.]

51...Qc6+ 52.Kf1 b4 53.f4 b3 54.f5 Ka6!

Magnus Carlsen

________
__p_____
k_q_____
____QP__
________
_p______
________
_____K__

Hou Yifan

Position after 54...Ka6

The very best. Black can't avoid precise calculation in this position and Carlsen gets it right.

[54...Qc1+ 55.Kg2 Qc2+ 56.Kg3 c6 57.Qe7+ Ka6 58.Qa3+]

55.Qa1+

[55.f6 b2 56.Qxb2 Qh1+ 57.Ke2 Qg2+ 58.Kd3 Qxb2 is a very important point of this move.]

55...Kb6 56.Qh8 Qc1+ 57.Kg2 Qc2+ 58.Kh1 b2 59.Qb8+

Magnus Carlsen

_Q______
__p_____
_k______
_____P__
________
________
_pq_____
_______K

Hou Yifan

Position after 59.Qb8+

Checks will follow but not perpetual check.

59...Ka5 60.Qa7+ Kb4 61.Qb7+ Ka3 62.Qf3+ Qb3 63.Qa8+ Qa4 64.Qf3+ Ka2 65.Qd5+ Ka1 66.Qe5 c5

Magnus Carlsen

________
________
________
__p_QP__
q_______
________
_p______
k______K

Hou Yifan

Position after 66...c5!

The c-pawn will help shield the black king and finally queen the pawn.

[66...c5 67.f6 Qd4 is the immediate point.]

0-1

Official video of Round 9

Tables

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 ½ . 1 1 ½ ½ 1 . . . 1 1 7 2943
2. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2772 ½ * 1 ½ ½ . ½ 1 1 . ½ . ½ . 6 2870
3. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2802 ½ 0 * . ½ ½ 1 . ½ . . ½ 1 1 2793
4. Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2769 . ½ . * . ½ ½ . ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 2783
5. Harikrishna, Pentala g IND 2698 0 ½ ½ . * ½ ½ ½ 1 . 1 . ½ . 5 2797
6. Karjakin, Sergey g RUS 2780 0 . ½ ½ ½ * . ½ . 1 ½ ½ . 1 5 2777
7. Leko, Peter g HUN 2735 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ . * 1 . ½ ½ ½ . . 2753
8. Caruana, Fabiano g ITA 2781 ½ 0 . . ½ ½ 0 * . ½ . 1 1 ½ 2721
9. Van Wely, Loek g NED 2679 0 0 ½ ½ 0 . . . * 1 . 1 1 ½ 2727
10. Wang, Hao g CHN 2752 . . . 0 . 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 4 2663
11. Giri, Anish g NED 2720 . ½ . ½ 0 ½ ½ . . ½ * ½ ½ 0 2631
12. L'Ami, Erwin g NED 2627 . . ½ ½ . ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ * . ½ 3 2610
13. Sokolov, Ivan g NED 2663 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ . . 0 0 ½ ½ . * . 2593
14. Hou, Yifan g CHN 2603 0 . 0 0 . 0 . ½ ½ 0 1 ½ . * 2586
Round 9 (January 22, 2013)
Nakamura, Hikaru - Giri, Anish ½-½ 42 B40 Sicilian Classical
Karjakin, Sergey - Harikrishna, Pentala ½-½ 40 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin
Leko, Peter - Anand, Viswanathan ½-½ 25 B90 Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Wang, Hao - Caruana, Fabiano ½-½ 57 D11 Slav Defence
L'Ami, Erwin - Aronian, Levon ½-½ 66 A35 English Symmetrical
Sokolov, Ivan - Van Wely, Loek 0-1 39 E46 Nimzo Indian Rubinstein
Hou, Yifan - Carlsen, Magnus 0-1 66 C44 Scotch Gambit
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. Movsesian, Sergei g ARM 2688 * ½ 0 . . ½ ½ 1 1 1 . . 1 1 2790
2. Naiditsch, Arkadij g GER 2708 ½ * . 1 ½ 1 0 . 1 0 1 1 . . 6 2735
3. Rapport, Richard g HUN 2621 1 . * 0 ½ . 1 1 ½ ½ ½ . . 1 6 2745
4. Smeets, Jan g NED 2615 . 0 1 * ½ 0 . 1 . ½ 1 ½ 1 . 2695
5. Dubov, Daniil g RUS 2600 . ½ ½ ½ * 1 . 0 . . ½ ½ 1 1 2694
6. Timman, Jan H g NED 2566 ½ 0 . 1 0 * ½ . ½ . 1 1 . 1 2703
7. Tiviakov, Sergei g NED 2655 ½ 1 0 . . ½ * 0 . 1 . 1 1 0 5 2666
8. Edouard, Romain g FRA 2686 0 . 0 0 1 . 1 * ½ 1 . . ½ 0 4 2575
9. Turov, Maxim g RUS 2630 0 0 ½ . . ½ . ½ * . ½ ½ ½ 1 4 2579
10. Van Kampen, Robin g NED 2581 0 1 ½ ½ . . 0 0 . * 0 ½ . 1 2552
11. Grandelius, Nils g SWE 2572 . 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 . . ½ 1 * 1 0 . 2534
12. Ipatov, Alexander g TUR 2587 . 0 . ½ ½ 0 0 . ½ ½ 0 * 1 . 3 2491
13. Nikolic, Predrag g BIH 2619 0 . . 0 0 . 0 ½ ½ . 1 0 * 1 3 2496
14. Ernst, Sipke g NED 2556 0 . 0 . 0 0 1 1 0 0 . . 0 * 2 2407
Round 9 (January 22, 2013)
Naiditsch, Arkadij - Timman, Jan H 1-0 40 C77 Ruy Lopez Anderssen
Smeets, Jan - Edouard, Romain 1-0 35 C07 French Tarrasch
Dubov, Daniil - Ernst, Sipke 1-0 50 E33 Nimzo Indian 4.Qc2
Tiviakov, Sergei - Van Kampen, Robin 1-0 36 B18 Caro Kann
Turov, Maxim - Movsesian, Sergei 0-1 46 D15 Slav Defence
Grandelius, Nils - Rapport, Richard ½-½ 70 C18 French Winawer
Ipatov, Alexander - Nikolic, Predrag 1-0 42 E21 Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
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 ½ 1 1 1 . ½ 1 . . 1 . 1 2751
2. Peralta, Fernando g ARG 2617 ½ * 1 . ½ . ½ 1 1 . . 1 ½ 1 7 2684
3. Swinkels, Robin g NED 2508 ½ 0 * . ½ ½ . ½ ½ . . 1 1 1 2566
4. Klein, David m NED 2445 0 . . * 1 . ½ 0 1 1 0 . 1 1 2536
5. Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag g BRA 2543 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 . . ½ 1 . . 1 5 2526
6. Kovchan, Alexander g UKR 2579 0 . ½ . ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ . . ½ 1 5 2520
7. Burg, Twan m NED 2492 . ½ . ½ 0 ½ * . 0 1 ½ ½ 1 . 2488
8. Bitensky, Igor m ISR 2400 ½ 0 ½ 1 . 0 . * . ½ ½ 1 . 0 4 2430
9. Gretarsson, Hjorvar Steinn m ISL 2516 0 0 ½ 0 . ½ 1 . * 1 ½ . ½ . 4 2457
10. Romanishin, Oleg M g UKR 2521 . . . 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 1 . 4 2417
11. Admiraal, Miguoel f NED 2321 . . . 1 0 . ½ ½ ½ 0 * 0 ½ ½ 2371
12. Goryachkina, Aleksandra wg RUS 2402 0 0 0 . . . ½ 0 . ½ 1 * ½ ½ 3 2339
13. Van Der Werf, Mark m NED 2450 . ½ 0 0 . ½ 0 . ½ 0 ½ ½ * . 2323
14. Schut, Lisa wm NED 2295 0 0 0 0 0 0 . 1 . . ½ ½ . * 2 2267
Round 9 (January 22, 2013)
Mekhitarian, Krikor Sevag - Schut, Lisa 1-0 28 B90 Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Burg, Twan - Peralta, Fernando ½-½ 86 B09 Pirc Defence
Bitensky, Igor - Goryachkina, Aleksandra 1-0 34 B23 Sicilian Closed
Gretarsson, Hjorvar Steinn - Brunello, Sabino 0-1 43 D17 Slav Defence
Romanishin, Oleg M - Kovchan, Alexander ½-½ 21 A15 English counter King's Fianchetto
Admiraal, Miguoel - Klein, David 1-0 40 E06 Catalan
Van Der Werf, Mark - Swinkels, Robin 0-1 77 D10 Slav Defence

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