ODT140527

=**World Champion too good in Shamkir**=




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

The Vugar Gashimov Memorial tournament was held in Shamkir, Azerbaijan last month. The event was held to commemorate the premature death of one that country and the world's leading players, who died of a brain tumour aged 27 earlier this year. World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway was the out and out favourite in the A group. Despite the elite field of six grandmasters, there was a gap of almost 100 rating points down to second seed and world number four, Fabiano Caruana of Italy. Carlsen's results completely dominated the event. Starting with two wins, there was speculation he would cross the 2900 rating barrier by the end. However, he ended the first half with two losses and there was talk of collapse. Carlsen then rallied in the second half, starting with two more wins to retake the lead. Todays' game is the critical last round return game between the co-leaders. Carlsen, playing White, avenged his loss to Caruana in the first half of the tournament to take first place on 6½/10, a point clear of Caruana in second place. Third equal were Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan), Sergey Karjakin (Russia) and Hikaru Nakamura (USA) on 5, followed by Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) on 3 points. media type="custom" key="26007968" **1.d4 Nf6** **2.Nf3 g6** **3.g3 Bg7** **4.Bg2 c5** **5.c3 d5** **6.dxc5 O-O** **7.O-O a5** **8.Be3!? Nc6!?** White's opening is an anti-Gruenfeld system that avoids heavily studied paths. The pawn on c3 means means White threatens to keep the c5 pawn, as support by b2-b4 is available. Black decides to abandon the pawn and focus on play in the centre on the kingside, though 8... Na6 9. Na3 Ng4 should have lead to the eventual recapture of c5. **9.Na3 a4** **10.Qc1 e5** Gaining ground in the centre, but also allowing the white knight into d6. **11.Rd1 Qe7** **12.Nb5 Be6** **13.Ng5 Bg4** **14.Nd6 h6** While 14... Bxe2 would regain the pawn, Black's central pawns would come under intense pressure after 15. Re1. **15.Nf3 Kh7** **16.h3** Carlsen criticised this move in favour of the immediate 16. b4. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16... Be6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17.b4 axb3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**18.axb3 Rxa1** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19.Qxa1 Ne4!** A resource that would have been impossible without 16... Be6 defending d5. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20.Nd2** The attractive looking 20. c4?! is met by 20... d4! 21. Nxe4 dxe3 22. fxe3 f5 23. Nd6 e4 24. Nd4 Bg8 and White's knights are no help in defending his kingside weaknesses. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20... f5?** A mistake. 20... Nxd6 21. cxd6 Qxd6 22. Nc4 Qe7 23. Bxd5 Bxh3 retains the balance. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21.N2xe4 dxe4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22.Qb1 f4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23.Bd2 e3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**24.Be1 Bf5** Black's impressive pawn mass in fact poses no threat: 24... exf2+ 25. Bxf2 fxg3 26. Bxg3 Qg5 27. Kh2 Qe3 28. Qd3 Qxc5 29. b4 Qb6 30. Be4 and it is White who goes on the attack. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25.Qc1 h5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**26.fxe3! fxg3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**27.Bxg3 Qg5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28.e4!** By returning a pawn, White exchanges Black's more dangerous bishop, retains his knight outpost, gets rid of his useless e-pawns and exposes the black king. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28... Qxg3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29.Rd3 Qh4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**30.exf5 gxf5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**31.e4 fxe4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**32.Bxe4+ Kh8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**33.Qe3 Rf4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**34.Bg2 Qe7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**35.Qe2 Qh4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36.b4 e4!?** The only chance to generate counterthreats, else White's queenside pawns win easily. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**37.Nxe4 Ne5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**38.Rd5 Kg8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**39.b5 Rf5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**40.c6 bxc6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**41.bxc6 Qe7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**42.Nd6 Rg5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**43.Nb5 Qe6!?** Hopeless is 43... Nxc6 44. Qxe7 Rxg2+ 45. Kxg2 Nxe7 46. Rxh5 etc. Instead Black prepares a final devious trap. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**44.Rd8+ Kh7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**45.Qe4+ Rg6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**46.c7 Qa6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**47.c8=Q Qa1+** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**48.Kf2!** Avoiding 48. Kh2?? reaching the position in today's diagram, when Black mates by 48... Nf3+! <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**48... Qb2+** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**49.Ke1 Resigns**

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**1-0**


 * Solution:** 1... Nf3+! 2. Qxf3 (2. Bxf3 Qg1#) 2... Be5+ 3. Qg3 (3. Qf4 Bxf4#) 3... Bxg3#.