The Week in Chess

Anish Giri and Viswanathan Anand both drew in Round 4 of the 80th Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee.

Giri said after the game he predicted Carlsen's choice of the Winawer French but not the right variation. He was pleased to recall as much of the theory as he did but the game stayed more or less dynamically equal throughout. Adhiban drew with white against an under the weather Viswanathan Anand. Adhiban was better for a while but after 21...Qc8 which he missed he was the one seeking a draw. Gawain Jones lost a sharp King's Indian to Wei Yi. Jones missed the power of the resource 26.Rg5 and his position collapsed.

Vladimir Kramnik continued a fine run of wins against Peter Svidler with white in Wijk aan Zee. Svidler was about equal out of the opening but still was the one under pressure. 18...Rc7?! (Bxe5 is better) was the result of a miscalulation in a long line and after having to settle for 19.Rxa7 Rb8 black didn't last long.

Wesley So was in a real mess with black against Fabiano Caruana after the poor 21...Nfg8 (Rfd8) but continue to resist. Caruana missed many chances in a winning position (34.Qh8 or 37.Rd6 for instance) but after 37.Bg5 So was out of the woods. So's 40...d2 presented Caruana with a final chance but after 41.Rf1?! (41.Rd1!) the game finiahed in a draw.

Karjakin vs Mamedyarov was a fairly dull Petroff. Hou Yifan drifted into trouble against Maxim Matlakov (27.Nf1 was dynamic equality) and after giving up the exchange was much worse. Hou Yifan did fight well but 46.Ke5? was the decisive error (46.Kd3 and the game goes on) after which Matlakov converted.

Vidit and Korobov lead the B-Group on 3.5/4.

Round 4 Standings: 1st= Anand, Giri 3pts 3rd= Carlsen, Kramnik, Mamedyarov 2.5pts 6th= Karjakin, So, Wei Yi, Matlakov, Jones 2pts 11th= Caruana, Svidler 1.5pts 13th Adhiban 1pt 14th Hou Yifan 0.5pts

Round 5 Wed 17th Jan 2018 1pm GMT in Hilversum: Svidler-Hou Yifan, Carlsen-Kramnik, Jones-Giri, Anand-Wei Yi, Wesley So-Adhiban, Mamedyarov-Caruana, Matlakov-Karjakin.