Tuesday, September 10, 2013 Issue 2

NAKAMURA PERFECT AFTER 2 ROUNDS BY BRIAN JERAULD

Through the first two rounds of the from the board to let Kamsky think first shocking Aronian’s 1.d4 with a inaugural Sinquefield Cup, the about the already dangerous posi- Dutch defense that had spent nearly American No. 1 has already gotten tion. But it was Nakamura who a decade on the Norwegian’s shelf, fat from both number-twos in the would give the game its first thought, and then finding early equalization quartet, first gobbling up a blunder dropping nearly 30 minutes from his by move 11...Ng5. by World No. 2 , and clock after Kamsky’s novelty re- “I thought Aronian’s game against INSIDE THIS ISSUE: then chewing through U.S. No. 2 sponse of 12...Ne7. the Dutch hadn’t been particularly on Tuesday to remain Early signs of trouble turned into impressive,” Carlsen said. “I thought perfect through the tournament. the real deal by 20.Qxf6, leaving ‘Why not give it a try?’ especially as I Nakamura-Kamsky 2/4 Nakamura’s two points hold him in Kamsky with a permanently weak was in a very good mood after my clear first after World No. 1 Magnus king, a disharmonious army and a win yesterday. I got an excellent (GM Ben Finegold) Carlsen equalized early and convinc- mounting white attack on the door- position, nothing to complain about ingly in his 36th classical game step. The silver lining to his dreadful there.” Aronian-Carlsen 3 against Aronian – but could not find position, however, was Nakamura’s Indeed, after an ugly looking 13.f4 (GM Ian Rogers) a way to topple the Armenian king. clock, which was 30 minutes lighter was needed to chase the black queen, The draw gave Aronian his first half than Kamsky’s by the 22nd move. Aronian shifted fully into defensive Schedule of Events 4 point of the tournament and pulled Nakamura obtained the first mate- mode after 15...c5 locked Carlsen’s Carlsen into second with 1½/2. rial advantage with 24.Bxh7, though knight onto a brutal d4 outpost. Kamsky still seeks his first tally. it seemed to stifle his railroad mo- Picking his poison, Aronian pushed Crosstable 4 It would seem the United States’ mentum. At the cost of several tempi 20.a4 to stop the b5 break, though it top two players would have more of to pull his bishop back to safety, exposed weak squares on the white a history with each other, especially Kamsky found counterplay and queenside. Smelling blood in the considering the world travelers have eventually equalized with 28...Qd6. water, Carlsen was quick to redeploy traded the title of U.S. Champion for But 32...Kb7 was a question mark his queen, stringing Qd8-Qa5-Qb4 ROUND 2 RESULTS: the past five years, but much of for Kamsky, and Nakamura – a blitz and pushing his position to near full- Nakamura’s uprising came during world champion – was up to the task point advantage – seemingly with  GM 1 Kamsky’s eight-year hiatus from the of keeping this new advantage. material on the way.  GM Gata Kamsky 0 game. The two had met just eight 35.Qc5 brought the white queen But Carlsen could not find a way  times before the Sinquefield Cup, thrashing into the black camp, easily to break the back of Aronian, who  GM Levon Aronian ½ with six draws and a victory each. cracking open the position despite weathered the storm and slowly  GM ½ Despite his usual selections of 1.d4 the threatening clock. The game was traded down black’s attack into a or 1.Nf3 against Kamsky, Nakamura all-but over by . fizzle. Despite spending most of the opened with 1.e4 for the second day “Probably around move 28-29, I game without initiative, Aronian had in a row, to which Kamsky – on the was much more concerned about the all major pieces traded off the board ROUND 3 PAIRINGS: attack after Monday’s loss to Carlsen time pressure mainly because there by 37.Kxe1 and needed no use of the  GM Gata Kamsky – answered with the Kan Sicilian. were many moves to consider, plans 40-move time bonus. Carlsen accept- Though both players would be nearly to consider for both sides; you can’t ed his handshake before the  GM Levon Aronian playing on the increment by the just make moves instantly,” Naka- 41st move.  40th move time control, the game mura said. “When you’re playing at “I was a bit too indecisive,” Carl-  GM Magnus Carlsen sped off at a furious pace for the first this level, any mistake is one too sen said. “There were a lot of attrac-  GM Hikaru Nakamura dozen moves, with early action. many. It’s quite nerve-racking, but I tive options, and I didn’t choose the Nakamura’s 9.Re1 looked innocu- feel like I defended it quite well.” right one. For instance, I could have ous, but his intentions became clear Looking ahead to Tuesday’s sacrificed my rook for a bishop at when Kamsky chased the white matchup after Aronian’s devastating some point and gotten a fat pawn CURRENT STANDINGS: knight on c3, ushering 11.Nd5 – a blunder-loss on Monday, Carlsen and some very active pieces. But I square that black attacked twice, but proclaimed that he would “try to didn’t see anything really clear in 1 GM Hikaru Nakamura 2 with dangerous consequences upon kick him while he’s down.” But that line, so I decided to postpone 2 GM Magnus Carlsen 1½ capture. A surprisingly safe square! nobody expected Carlsen to wear the critical moment a bit - and then it 3 GM Levon Aronian ½ And still on his fast opening attack, steel-toed boots. all just fizzled out. It was disappoint- Nakamura dropped 12.Qh5 with The World’s best stomped all over ing, but (Aronian) deserves credit for 4 GM Gata Kamsky 0 authority, immediately getting up the opening of the world’s next-best, defending such a grim position. Page 2 Sinquefield Cup

NAKAMURA MOVES TO 2-0 AFTER VICTORY OVER KAMSKY A NALYSIS BY GM BEN FINEGOLD  Nakamura,Hikaru (2772) XIIIIIIIIY Rf5?! 22.Qh8+ Ke7 23.Qxh7 Also playable is the com−  Kamsky,Gata (2741) 9rwq-+k+ntr0 But then he realized black is puteresque 29.Rcd1 exf4 9+-+p+pzpp0 just better after 21...Qe5! 30.Qf2! fxg3 31.hxg3 Rd5 (At 1.e4 21...Qd8 22.Qf3 Rc5 23.Qe3?! first Hikaru thought 31...Qh6 Hikaru once again plays 1.e4 as 9p+lvlp+-+0 23.Bxc6 Rxc6 24.Re4 with the 32.Qxc5 Qxh5 but then realized he did yesterday against Levon. 9+-+N+-+Q0 idea of 25.Rg4 was the best 33.Rxd7+!! Kxd7 34.Re7+ Kd8 1...c5 9Pzp-+P+-+0 way to play. 35.Qd6+ Kc8 36.Qc7#) 32.Bf3= Gata must have been in a 9+-+L+-+-0 23...Qe7 29...exf4 30.Qxf4 Be4 31.Qf2 fighting mood today after losing 9-zPP+-zPPzP0 Hikaru does not agree with the The endgame should be a draw in round 1. Gata also often 9tR-vL-tR-mK-0 computer suggestion of after 31.Qxd6+, but Hikaru plays 1...e5, with the Ruy Lopez 23...Re5 24.Qd4 Rxe4 25.Rxe4 thought he was a bit worse in mind. xiiiiiiiiy Bxe4 26.Qxe4 Houdini thinks it there, and that 31.Qf2 had to be 12...Ne7 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 is equal, and Hikaru thinks played, despite his shortness of A new move, likely prepared by Gata likes the Kan variation. white is doing great. time. Gata before the game, but this, 5.Nc3 24.Bxh7 f5 25.Bg6+ Kd8 31...Rc3 32.Be2 Kb7? and moves played previously all White can also play 5.Bd3. This 26.Rac1 Hikaru was more worried about seem to be bad for black. Per− makes it more difficult for black Hikaru said 26.Rac1 was based (and correctly so!) 32...Bb7 haps black needs to improve to play b5, since then after a on a miscalculation... and thinks 33.Qf4 Qxf4 34.Rxf4 Be4 and it earlier (personally, I am suspi− later a4 by white, black does not black is fine now. He thinks he should be a draw; 32...Qh6 was cious of the whole 9...Qb8 line). have the tempo attacking the should have tried 26.Rad1 Be4 one of the Houdini suggestions Nc3 (since there is no knight on 13.Nxe7 Bxe7 14.b3 a5?! 27.Qd4 Kc7 Houdini says that impressed Hikaru. It's still This is quite slow. Black should c3!). Another added benefit of 27...Kc7 is bad, and black is equal, but with the clock ticking, likely castle and pray! Now 5.Bd3 is that white may decide fine after 27...e5 28.Rxe4 fxe4 anything could happen; white is just clearly better. to play c4 later and get a bind. 29.Bxe4. 32...Rg8 is also possible, but 15.Bb2 Bf6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.e5 5...b5 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.0-0 Nc6 26...Kc7 27.Bh5 again white is equal if he plays Hikaru has played excellently so 8.Nxc6 Bxc6 9.Re1 Hikaru was planning on playing 33.Bd3. far, and has a clear advantage. XIIIIIIIIY 27.c4 bxc3 28.Rxc3 Rxc3 33.Rcd1! Qe6? 17...Rg8 18.g3 Rg5 19.Qh6! 29.Qxc3 Qg5 30.Bf7 Qg4 And 33...Qc7 34.Bd3² 9r+-wqkvlntr0 Much stronger than 19.Qxh7 he thought black was doing 34.Bc4! d5 9+-+p+pzpp0 Rxe5 and black's king is likely really well here, so he aban− safe at e7. XIIIIIIIIY 9p+l+p+-+0 doned this line (the reason he 9+p+-+-+-0 19...Rxe5 20.Qxf6 Rh5 9r+-+-+-+0 played 26.Rac1) but Houdini 9+k+-+-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY thinks the game is equal after 9+-sNL+-+-0 9rwq-+k+-+0 31.Rc1 Kb7 32.Qd3. 9-+-+q+-+0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9+-+p+p+p0 27...e5?! 9zp-+p+p+-0 9tR-vLQtR-mK-0 9-+l+pwQ-+0 Hikaru (and Ian Rogers and me) 9PzpL+l+-+0 were shocked by this move. xiiiiiiiiy 9zp-+-+-+r0 9+Ptr-+-zP-0 9Pzp-+-+-+0 28.f4 9-+P+-wQ-zP0 9...Qb8!? In time trouble, Hikaru was Black normally plays 9...Bc5 9+-+R+RmK-0 9+P+L+-zP-0 afraid to play the crazy lines instead. The only top ten player 9-+P+-zP-zP0 after 28.c3 f4 29.gxf4. xiiiiiiiiy to previously play 9...Qb8 was... 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 35.Qc5!! Hikaru! XIIIIIIIIY Hikaru plays amazingly well

10.a4 xiiiiiiiiy 9r+-+-+-+0 with less than 2 minutes Gashimov tried 10.Qe2 against 21.Be4 9+-mkpwq-+-0 (sometimes less than 1) on his A tough decision that GM Ian Hikaru in 2012. That game was clock. Rogers and I did not like during 9-+l+-+-+0 quickly drawn. 10.a4 is more 35...Rd8? the game. Houdini thinks many 9zp-tr-zpp+L0 testing. Gata did not play the last few moves maintain a clear ad− 9Pzp-+-zP-+0 10...b4 11.Nd5 moves well. Black should have vantage, and this is fine. Hikaru, Now we see one of the main 9+P+-wQ-zP-0 been fine, and too many errors since move 15 had been taking points of 9.Re1! It's too danger− 9-+P+-+-zP0 occurred and now Hikaru is a lot of time on his moves, and ous to take the knight, so white 9+-tR-tR-mK-0 simply winning. Best was Gata, despite having a worse does not need to retreat. xiiiiiiiiy 35...Qc6 36.Qxd5! (Hikaru position, was playing quite 11...Bd6 12.Qh5 28...Qd6! planned 36.Rxd5 but black quickly. Both 21.h4 and Instantly played by Gata, and equalizes with 36...Rxc2!) 21.Rad1 were good alterna− best, but overlooked by Hikaru! 36...Rxc2 37.Rf2±; 35...dxc4? tives. Hikaru said he thought so Now the game is dynamically 36.Rd6!+- long on 21.Be4 because he was equal. 36.Qxa5! Rxc2? looking at the variation 21.Be2 29.Rf1 (continued on back page...) Issue 2 Page 3

C ARLSEN PRESSES BUT ARONIAN HOLDS A NALYSIS BY GM IAN ROGERS  Aronian,Levon (2813) XIIIIIIIIY Now the position is starting to 29.Bf2 Rxd3! (29...R3e7 30.Bh4  Carlsen,Magnus (2862) 9r+lwq-trk+0 get seriously depressing for is nothing.) 30.Rxd3 Nxc4 but 9zppzp-+-vlp0 White who has no active plan could not bring himself to take 1.d4 f5 while Black can play ...Bd7, any risks. A big shock from a player who 9-+nzp-+p+0 ...a6, ...Rab8 and aim for ...b5. 29.Bf2 Ree8 30.Ra1 has not used the Dutch Defense 9+-+-+p+-0 16.Bd3 Bd7 17.Bg1 Rae8 Aronian was pleased with this for a decade but Carlsen ex− 9-+PzPn+-+0 The first of many mysterious move, attempting to lure the plained that "Lev's games 9+-sN-+N+P0 rook moves, when using the Black knight back to b3. against the Dutch have not 9PzP-+LzPPvL0 king's rook on the e file and the 30...Bd4 been so convincing." 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 queen's rook on the b file would XIIIIIIIIY be natural. 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 xiiiiiiiiy 9-tr-+r+k+0 5.Bf4 18.Qd2 a6 19.Rad1 Rb8 9+p+l+-+p0 An unusual system, though 11...Ng5! 12.Nxg5 19...b5 now fails because the Had Aronian realized the ap− Carlsen might have had some White queen is protected after 9p+-zp-+p+0 proaching problems he might advance notice since Aronian's 20.cxb5 axb5 21.Bxd4 Qxd4 9sn-zpP+p+-0 have opted for the radical pawn second Hrant Melkumyan used 22.Bxb5. 9P+Pvl-zP-+0 sacrifice 12.c5!? Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 it to good effect earlier this year. 20.a4 Nxd4 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Bd5+ 9+-sNL+-+P0 5...d6 6.e3 Nc6 A choice of evils, but allowing Kh8 16.Re1 when White has 9-zP-+-vLP+0 A sensible but unusual plan, Black a free hand with ...b5 is plenty of play for the pawn be− 9tR-+-+R+K0 with the tactical point that 7.d5 probably the greater one. cause 16...f4 fails to 17.Re4! is well met by 7...e5! xiiiiiiiiy 12...Qxg5 13.f4!? XIIIIIIIIY 31.Kg1! Be3?! 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 Ne4 9.h3 This looks horrible, but on 9-tr-+-trk+0 The exchange of dark−squared Played reluctantly, since allow− 13.Nb5 Aronian feared 13...f4!? 9+p+l+-vlp0 bishops on e3 leads to nothing ing Black to achieve ...e5 gives 14.Kh1 Rf7 when White cannot but Carlsen's legendary will to a favorable London System for 9p+-zp-wqp+0 maintain his center and his win seemed to be missing at Black, but [9.Nxe4 fxe4 10.Nd2 9+-zpP+p+-0 bishop on h2 remains crippled. this point of the game, despite offers less than nothing be− 9P+Psn-zP-+0 Aronian's time trouble, with only cause of 10...Nxd4! 13...Qf6 14.d5 Nd4 15.Kh1 9+-sNL+-+P0 a few minutes left to reach the 9...e5 10.Bh2 exd4 XIIIIIIIIY 9-zP-wQ-+P+0 move 40 time control. There An elegant method of resolving 9r+l+-trk+0 9+-+R+RvLK0 was no harm in bringing the the tension in Black's favor. 9zppzp-+-vlp0 Black king to f7 and beginning Usually Black plays to keep the xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-zp-wqp+0 the grinding process. White bishop locked on h2 with 20...Qd8! 21.Rb1 Qa5 9+-+P+p+-0 Immediately targeting the weak a plan such as 10...Nxc3 32.Bxe3 Rxe3 33.Rad1 Rbe8 9-+Psn-zP-+0 squares created by 20.a4. 11.bxc3 Qe7 but here Aronian 34.Kf2 Now the rooks come off the will be able to break out with 9+-sN-+-+P0 22.Qd1 Qb4 23.Bf2 Rbe8 This rook? Really? board and the draw is safe for 12.c5! 9PzP-+L+PvL0 24.Be1 Qb3 25.Qxb3 Nxb3 White. "I really should have 11.exd4 9tR-+Q+R+K0 26.Bc2 made more of my nice position,"

xiiiiiiiiy admitted Carlsen. 15...c5! XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+rtrk+0 34...Nb3 35.Rfe1 Rxe1 9+p+l+-vlp0 36.Rxe1 Rxe1 37.Kxe1 Nd4 38.Kd2 Kf7 39.Be2 Kf6 40.Bd1 9p+-zp-+p+0 a5 ½-½ 9+-zpP+p+-0 9P+P+-zP-+0 9+nsN-+-+P0 9-zPL+-+P+0 9+R+-vLR+K0 xiiiiiiiiy 26...Na5! A risky looking square but the c4 pawn is hard to defend be− cause 27.b3 loses to 27...Rxe1! 27.Bd3 Re3 28.Rd1 Rb8 "OK, this rook move was non− sense," admitted Carlsen, who was sorely tempted by 28...Rfe8 GM Levon Aronian holds on against GM Magnus Carlsen SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

• Round 1: Monday, September 9, 1:00 pm • Round 2: Tuesday, September 10, 1:00 pm • Round 3: Wednesday, September 11, 1:00 pm • Round 4: Friday, September 13, 1:00 pm • Round 5: Saturday, September 14, 1:00 pm • Round 6: Sunday, September 15, 11:00 am • Playoffs (if necessary): Sunday, September 15, 6:00 pm • Closing ceremony: Sunday, September 15, 7:00 pm Club & Scholastic Center of Saint Louis 4657 Maryland Avenue Saint Louis, Missouri 63108 NAKAMURA-KAMSKY CONTINUED Phone: (314) 361-2437 Fax: (314) 361-5465 36...Qb6+ 37.Qxb6+ Kxb6 38.Bd3 And white has excellent winning www.SaintLouisChessClub.org chances, but this is much better than what black got in the game. 37.Rf2! Rxf2 38.Qxd8 Rg2+ 39.Kf1 Rb2 40.Bxd5+ Bxd5 41.Qxd5+ Qxd5 42.Rxd5 1-0 www.USChessChamps.com Hikaru played amazingly well in time trouble. Now that both sides have time, and with time for sober reflec− tion, Gata realizes the ending is hopeless and resigns. A great game, and a great start for Hikaru, who leads with 2-0.

GM Hikaru Nakamura off to a perfect start

C ROSSTABLE AFTER ROUND TWO

1. 2. 3. 4. Pts SB K GW DE

1. GM Hikaru Nakamura USA 2772 1 1 2 0.50 0 2 0

2. GM Magnus Carlsen NOR 2862 ½ 1 1½ 0.25 0 1 0

3. GM Levon Aronian ARM 2813 0 ½ ½ 0.75 ½ 0 0

4. GM Gata Kamsky USA 2741 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0

Tie breaks: SB, Sonneborn-Berger; K, Koya; GW, Games won; DE, Direct Encounter