ODT120710

=**Carlsen wins Tal Memorial**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

The seventh annual Tal Memorial tournament in Moscow last month delivered great value to chess fans. The elite ten-player round-robin was packed with exciting games and fluctuating fortunes. Early movers Alexander Morozevich and Vladimir Kramnik (both Russian) established a strong lead midway through the event only to both suffer serial defeats to rejoin the field. Going in to the final round, seven players were in with a chance of first place, headed by young Italian number one Fabiano Caruana on 5 points followed by world number one Magnus Carlsen (Norway) and the top Azerbaijani player, Teimour Radjabov on 4½ ahead of a group on 4.

In the final round fortune turned out to favour Carlsen. He had struggled in the early rounds but managed to avoid defeat and stay within range. Caruana was beaten by an out-of-form Levon Aronian, who otherwise had a terrible event by his standards. Carlsen took his chance to beat young English GM Luke McShane with the black pieces in today's game to win the tournament outright on 5½/9, as all the other final round games were drawn. The result extended Carlsen's lead over Aronian in the July world rankings. media type="custom" key="25332186" The Deferred Exchange Ruy Lopez is relatively safe for both sides. Although White loses a tempo over the immediate 4 Bxc6 exchange, Black's subsequent moves are less than ideal for the resulting pawn structure as the e5 pawn lacks its natural defender. Slow maneouvring is typical of the opening, with each side trying to establish outposts – White on the kingside and Black in the centre and queenside. Carlsen pointed out that an attempt at faster play by White here 14 f4 Nxf4 15 Nxf4 exf4 16 Rxf4 Bd6 (16...g5? 17 Nf5 gxf4?? Qg4+ mating) 17 Rf2 Be5 18 Bxe5 Rxe5 is more or less equal. The alternative plan 17 f5 Bf7 18 g4 results in a reverse King's Indian type of pawn attack, where White's pieces are slightly out of position. Ejecting the knight as the immediate 19 Nf3 Bh6! is slightly awkward to defend. The players considerd Black to be doing fine after 20 Nc4 Bg4 21 Bxd4 cxd4 22 h3 Bxf3 23 Qxf3 b5 24 Qf7+ Kh8 25 Na5 Rf8 26 Qe6 Qd6 when the knight is out of play and Black controls the dark squares. Ignoring the 'Greek gift' of 21...Qxd3 22 Rd1 Qb5 (22...Qxe4?? loses the queen to 23 Ng5) when White's attack will get underway with 23 Ng5 and Black's queen will be missed from the defence. The move played is a thematic adavance to weaken White's pawn chain. Having established a clear superiority on the queenside, Black is alert to the fact that White will go after him on the kingside and the rook may be needed in defence. Burning his bridges for a hopeful attack. After 27 Rd2 Bh6 28 Qe1 Be6 Black is only slightly better. Preventing 31 Ng5 is key to the defence due to 31... Bxg5 and the mate threat on f1 stops any recaptures. The pin along the f-file was stopping White's attack, but having defended f1 on his previous move, this was the chance for 34 Ng5! Re8 35 Rxf4 exf4 36 Qxf4 Qxc3 37 Rf1 Qe5 38 Nxe6+ Qxe6 39 Ng4 and White's initiative persists despite his pawn minus. Now his position is broken and the knight on h6 stranded, but he blitzes on in the time scramble to move 40.
 * 1.e4 e5**
 * 2.Nf3 Nc6**
 * 3.Bb5 a6**
 * 4.Ba4 Nf6**
 * 5.O-O Be7**
 * 6.Bxc6 ---**
 * 6.--- dxc6**
 * 7.d3 Nd7**
 * 8.b3 O-O**
 * 9.Bb2 f6**
 * 10.Nc3 Re8**
 * 11.Kh1 Nf8**
 * 12.Ne2 c5**
 * 13.Nh4 Ne6**
 * 14.Nf5 ---**
 * 14.--- Bf8**
 * 15.Ne3 Nd4**
 * 16.f4 Be6**
 * 17.fxe5 ---**
 * 17.--- fxe5**
 * 18.Ng1 g6**
 * 19.c3 ---**
 * 19.--- Nc6**
 * 20.Nf3 Bg7**
 * 21.Qe1 a5!**
 * 22.Rd1 a4**
 * 23.bxa4 Rxa4**
 * 24.a3 Rf8**
 * 25.Bc1 Ra8**
 * 26.Qg3 Bb3**
 * 27.Rde1? ---**
 * 27.--- Qxd3**
 * 28.Ng4 Be6**
 * 29.Nh6+ Kh8**
 * 30.Qh4 Bf6!**
 * 31.Bg5 Bxg5**
 * 32.Qxg5 Kg7**
 * 33.Qc1 Rf4**
 * 34.Rd1?! ---**
 * 34.--- Qc4**
 * 35.Rfe1 Raf8**
 * 36.Ng5 Bc8**
 * 37.g3 Rf2**
 * 38.Nf5+ gxf5**
 * 39.Nh3 Re2**
 * 40.Qg5+ Kh8**
 * White resigns**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1 Re5+! Qxe5 (1... fxe5 2 Qe7#, 1... Kd8 2 Qc7#) 2 Bxc6+ Kd7 3 Qd7#.