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 Levon Aronian, 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 Gata Kamsky 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 Hikaru Nakamura 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 Magnus Carlsen 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 time control. 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.