Shamkir: All games are drawn, Anand misses a big opportunity

by Antonio Pereira

31/03/2019 – The 2018 edition of the Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir started with all the draws of the first round, much like last year, when the first decisive match had arrived in the fourth round. This does not mean that there was no fighting in the Azeri city, Teimour Radjabov putting pressure on Magnus Carlsen and Vishy Anand putting David Navara on the line during their meeting. | Photo: Official site

Half a point for everyone

The tournament in memory of Vugar Gashimov has reached its sixth edition. For the fourth time, world champion Magnus Carlsen is leading an increasingly solid formation. The first version had reached category XXII, with an average of 2780 notes, although it only includes six players. This year, the single round ten-player tournament averages just two points (2778) and includes six top-10 players.

Results of round 1

The first match to finish was Alexander Grischuk against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The defense of Berlin with 5♖e1 The players followed the theory until the movement 19. The fight continued despite the complete absence of imbalances until the movement 37, when the long-awaited peace treaty was signed in an almost perfectly symmetrical position.

Grischuk will be well rested in the second round | Photo: Official site

In-depth preparation was also observed in the match between Sergey Karjakin and the white plays against Ding Liren. Karjakin followed the line that Jorden van Foreest had used against Ding at this year's Tata Steel Masters. The Chinese star had defeated his Dutch colleague after Van Foreest overestimated the strength of his position. Karjakin, meanwhile, accepted Ding's implicit draw offer:

White chased the black queen with 21♗h6 and his rival responded with 21 …♛f6. When Karjakin brought his bishop back to f4, Ding Liren decided 22 …♛g7 was his best option, and Sergey continued 23♗h6. The draw was signed after the players reached the same position three times.

This game has never really taken off | Photo: Official site

Fighting draws

With the previously mentioned games clearly on the way to finish peacefully, all eyes were on Magnus Carlsen's match against Teimour Radjabov. Magnus won all three editions in Shamkir, losing only twice in 28 games. By the way, the last player to beat him was Radjabov, who beat the current world champion with the black coins of the fifth round of the 2014 edition. This time, Teimour had the coins white.

After the opening, an Italian, Black, was found with a small disadvantage because of his double pawns on the b-file.

Teimour chose 21♗XB6, slightly destroying the structure of Black's pawn, although he abandons the bishop couple in the meantime.

It was also White who was the best coordinated and Radjabov began looking for ways to do more business, even offering a free pawn on d3. Carlsen, nevertheless, defended with precision and simplified at the end of even game when the opportunity arose. The draw was signed after 41 moves.

The well-known game room | Photo: Official site

The player who most deplored his inaugural draw must be Vishy Anand. In a sharp Sicilian, his opponent David Navara made two dubious decisions and found himself in a lower position. The first regrettable decision made by Anand came in movement 32:

The computer shows the 33 in cold blood.♖h2 is the best option for Whites, avoiding any future skewer in the forefront while keeping all the badets in position. Instead, Vishy went for 33♖a4, allowing David to exchange a few laps after 33 …♜b1 + 34.♘xB1 (strength) ♛XA4. Black's position became easier to defend with fewer pawns on the board, but Anand was clearly in the lead.

After this sequence, the pressure of time began to play a key role, as Navara only had a few minutes on the clock – the Shamkir tournament only expects an increment from shot 61. Vishy used its time advantage wisely and has resumed the advantage. Navara barely reached the control of time, but her position seemed hopeless. Until …

Anand gaffed with 41♕e7?although he had 60 minutes added to his clock on the last shot. The Indian has missed that 41 …♜d1 + is an immediate draw! If White captures with 42.♘xd1, Black can give perpetual control to the queen of a1 and d4. Certainly a hard pill to swallow for Vishy.

An exciting game to follow … for all | Photo: Official site

The last match to finish was Anish Giri against Veselin Topalov. The whites were pressing throughout the match, but the former world champion showed that he still had what it took to defend himself against an elite player looking the smallest hole to drill. The game lasted 50 moves.

Giri is the fourth highest ranked player in the world right now | Photo: Official site

Round 2 pairings

All the games

Connections