The Pastry Queen

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin (@SergeyKaryakin)

One And Only

Tata Steel Chess ‏(@tatasteelchess)

In Search of the Missing

The Norwegian has brought designer clothes and interactive apps to chess and in six months time he puts his reputation as the world’s best player on the line Wednesday marks the start of a six-month countdown to the World Chess Championship in New York, where Russia’s Sergey Karjakin will try to snatch the title from the champion, Magnus Carlsen from Norway, who has been hogging (sorry, holding) it since 2013. Still, how exciting is it really? You never see defeated chess players dropping to their knees and rending their garments. Chess isn’t like football – not least because it doesn’t have anything like the level of money, glitz or fanbase. [Read more].

• Erica Buist, Magnus Carlsen: the cool grandmaster who cries when he loses to himself, The Guardian, May 11, 2016

Magnus Carlsen takes on Russia’s Sergey Karjakin in six months. Photo: Daniel Sannum Lauten/AFP/Getty Images.

Dark Horse

• Победа “темной лошадки” Сергея Карякина на шахматном турнире претендентов (The “dark horse” Sergey Karjakin’s victory in the Candidates Chess Tournament), TASS, March 29, 2016

Russian Grandmaster Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin scored a sensational victory in the Candidates Tournament. In the decisive game, he defeated American Fabiano Caruana and in November he’ll challenge Norwegian Magnus Carlsen for the World Chess Champion title. Karjakin was not among the favourites to win the Candidates Tournament, if not else for the fact that he was ranked penultimate among eight candidates. [Read more].

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Нью-Йорк, Нью-Йорк (New York, New York)

Russian (Ukrainian-born) superstar Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin shines in the limelight after graduating as the Elect who will challenge Magnus Carlsen in the World Chess Championship match next November at New York City, United States. Photo: Worldchess.com.

• Карякин поедет отбирать корону у Карлсена (Karjakin’s to contend for Carlsen’s crown), Chess-News.ru, March 28, 2016

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin radiantly smiling
Photo: Chess-News.ru

Blacklisting

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin (@Sergey Karyakin)

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 5 (Blitz 5+3); Baku, October 5, 2015
Spanish C89

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d3 Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 Re8 15. Rxe8+ Qxe8 16. Nd2 Qe1+ 17. Nf1 Bg6 18. Bc2?? An awful... novelty!

18. ... b4? Svidler misses his (first) chance: after 18. ... Nxc3! 19. bxc3 Qxc3 Black must win. 19. c4 b3 20. Bd1 Nb4 21. Bd2 Qe5 22. Bc3 Qc5 23. Bxb4 Qxb4 24. Bxb3 Qb6 25. Re1 Bc5 26. Ba4 Rd8 27. Rd1 Qxb2 28. Bxc6 Bh5? Too many mistakes by Svidler! After 28. ... Rxd3 29. Rxd3 Bxd3 30. Bd5 Bg6 31. a4 Qc2 the game seems to be roughly balanced. 29. Rb1? Karjakin also makes mistakes. After 29. g4! Black is in trouble, e.g. 29. ... Bxg4 30. Qxg4 Qxf2+ 31. Kh1 Rxd3 32. Rb1 g6 33. Qg2 with a huge advantage. 29. ... Qxb1. 29. ... Bxf3 30. Rxb2 Bxc6 makes it even easier for Black. 30. Qxh5 Bxf2+ 31. Kxf2 Qb6+ 32. Ne3 Qxc6 33. Nd5 Qd6 34. g3 h6 35. Qe2 Rb8 36. Kg2 Kh8 37. h4 Qa3 38. Kh3 Qc1 39. Nf4 Qb2 40. Qe7 Qb7 41. Qe5 Qd7+ 42. Kh2 Kg8??? An atrocious blunder! Svidler moves his own King in Karjakin’s time trouble, completely forgetting that his Rook is en prise. 43. Qxb8+ 1 : 0.

Svidler overwhelmed with desperation
Photo: ChessVibes (@ChessVibes)

Ian Aleksandrovitch Nepomniachtchi (@lachesisq)

The Longest Yard

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2 (25+10); Baku, October 5, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 b5 9. e5. The classical approach. In the first classical game Svidler had preferred 9. exd5. 9. ... Nd7 10. Nf1 b4 11. h4 a5 12. N1h2 Re8 13. h5 h6 14. Ng4 Bf8 15. Bf4 a4 16. a3 bxa3 17. bxa3 Rb8 18. Ne3 Bb7 19. c4 dxc4 20. Nxc4 Nb6 21. Nxb6 Qxb6 22. Qxa4. White has won a Pawn, but it’s not easy to convert it into a win. 22. ... Ra8 23. Qc2 Ra6 24. Reb1 Qa7 25. Be3 Ba8 26. Qc3 Rd8 27. Nd2 Nd4 28. Bxd4 cxd4 29. Qc2 Bxg2 30. Kxg2 Rxa3 31. Rxa3 Qxa3 32. Ne4 Qa6 33. Rb3. “No more extra Pawn, but I’m really liking Peter’s position now. I have faith in more tie-breaks!”, Grandmaster David Smerdon said. 33. ... Qa5 34. f4 Ra8 35. Qb1. Grandmaster Evgeny Miroshnichenko on Svidler’s position: “It’s an ideal position to play if a draw is fine...”. 35. ... Qd5 36. Rb5 Qc6 37. Kf3 Ra3? Karjakin should have held on with 37. ... Qc7 38. Rb7 Qc8. 38. Rb8 Ra8 39. Qb7! Qxb7 40. Rxb7 Ra3

41. Rb8! Come on, Peter Veniaminovich! You can win! 41. ... Rxd3+ 42. Kf2. The threat is Ne4-c5-d7. 42. ... g6 43. Nc5. Nevertheless, 43. Nf6+ Kg7 44. hxg6 h5 (44. ... fxg6 loses to 45. Rb7+) 45. f5! is also probably winning. 43. ... Rd2+ 44. Ke1 Rb2 45. Rxb2 Bxc5 46. hxg6 fxg6 47. Ke2. “If this is not winning you can’t win a game of chess!”, Miroshnichenko said. 47. ... d3+ 48. Kxd3 h5 49. Kc4 Be3 50. Rb3 Bf2 51. Rf3 Bg1 52. Kb5 Kf7 53. Kc6 Ke7 54. Rb3 Bh2 55. Rb7+ Kf8 56. Kd6 Bxg3 57. Kxe6 Bxf4 58. Rf7+ 1 : 0.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Gifted

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: chess24.com (@chess24com)

“To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep... No more, and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to: ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life, For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despis’d love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th’unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action”. “Hamlet”, Act III, Scene I

Cupio dissolvi

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 3; Baku, October 3, 2015
Sicilian Defence B53

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4. The so-called Chekhover Variation – a sound choice. 4. ... a6 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qe3 Nf6 7. h3 g6 8. Nc3 Bg7 9. Be2 Nd7 10. Rb1 Nde5 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Rd1 Nxf3+ 13. Bxf3 f5!? Another continuation is 13. ... Bd7 14. Be2 f5 15. f3 f4 16. Qf2 Be5 17. Nd5 Rb8 18. Nb6 Be6 19. b3 Qe8 20. Bb2 Rd8 21. c5 Qf7 22. cxd6 Bxd6 23. Bc4 Bxc4 24. Nxc4 Bb8 25. Kh2 g5 26. Qc5 Qg6 27. Na5 ½ : ½ Vydeslaver – Duda, 14th Najdorf Memorial, Warsaw 2014. 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Be4 Qd7 16. Nd5 Qe6 17. Bxf5 Qxf5 18. Bd2 Rae8 19. Bc3 e6 20. Nb6 d5 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. Qc5 Rf6 23. b4 Ne5. Karjakin feels that he must undertake something. 24. cxd5 Nd3 25. Qe3

25. ... Nxf2? Karjakin is desperately playing to win! The right way (for surviving), however, was 25. ... Qxf2+ 26. Qxf2 Nxf2 27. Re1 Nd3 28. Re3 Nf4 with roughly equal chances. 26. Rf1! Qe4 27. Rbe1. Apparently 27. Rfe1 was still stronger. 27. ... exd5. As bad as any other move. 28. Rxf2? Svidler’s first blackout! Here 28. Qc3 leads to an easy win for White. 28. ... Qh4 29. Qd2?? Catastrophe for Svidler! 29. Qxe8 was compulsory, since after 29. ... Qxf2+ 30. Kh2 Qxb6 Black’s extra Pawn is not significant at all. 29. ... Rxf2 30. Qc3+ d4. A trivial move which appears to have been overlooked by Peter Veniaminovich! 30. ... 0 : 1. It looks like a badly prearranged game – would say Bobby Fischer :(.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Crash Crush

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
6th Chess World Cup; match game 2; Baku, October 2, 2015
Spanish C95

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. a4 Bf8 14. Bd3 c6 15. Qc2. The most straightforward. After 15. b3 Qc7 16. Qc2 Rac8 17. Bb2 Nh5 18. Bf1 Nf4 19. b4 Nb6 20. axb5 cxb5 Black is already slightly better, Karjakin – Carlsen, World Blitz Championship, Moscow 2010. 15. ... Rc8 16. axb5 axb5. Not 16. ... cxb5?! 17. d5! and White stands better. 17. b4 c5!? This looks like an improvement on 17. ... Qc7 18. Bb2 Ra8 19. Rad1 Nb6 20. c4! bxc4 21. Nxc4 Nxc4 22. Bxc4 h6 23. dxe5 dxe5 24. Bc3 Ba6 25. Bb3! when White has the upper hand, Karjakin – Carlsen, 1st Norway Chess, Sandnes 2013. 18. bxc5 exd4 19. c6 dxc3 20. cxb7 cxd2 21. Qxd2 Rb8 22. Bxb5 Qb6 23. Rb1 Qxb7 24. Bd3

25. ... Qa8 25. Rxb8 Rxb8 26. Bb2 Qa2 27. Re2 h6 28. Qc1 Qb3 29. Bc4 Qb7 30. Qd1 Re8 31. Bxf6 Nxf6 32. e5 dxe5 33. Nxe5 Re7 34. Qd4 Nd7! Peter Veniaminovich has little time on the clock, but plenty of ingenious resources to counter Karjakin’s plans. 35. Nxf7 Rxf7 36. Rb2 Qc6 37. Rb5?? White still has enough time, but no more inspiration. The text is a colossal mistake which blunders the piece and the game. “When you try to be clever in the opponent’s time trouble, don’t forget that the opponent can be better then you anyway!“, then Karjakin bitterly said. After 37. Qd5 Qxd5 38. Bxd5 the most likely result is a draw, as afterwards argued by Svidler. 37. ... Kh8! Sic et simpliciter. Black’s Rook is taboo as 38. Bxf7 Qxb5 leaves White down a piece for a Pawn. 38. Rd5? From worst to worst! But Black’s game was lost in any case. 38. ... Nb6 0 : 1. “I defended fairly well & probably deserved to draw it but I definitely didn’t deserve to win it!”, Svidler finally said.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Ursus arctos

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, October 1, 2015
King’s Indian Attack A08

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 Be7 5. d3 0-0 6. Nbd2 c5 7. e4 Nc6 8. Re1 b5 9. exd5. The alternative was 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 b4 (10. ... Bb7 11. h4 Qc7 12. Bf4 Rfc8 13. Ne3 Qd8 14. Ng4 Bf8 15. c4 Ne7 16. b3 Bc6 17. h5 h6 18. Ne3 Nb6 19. Qe2 bxc4 20. dxc4 dxc4 21. bxc4 Na4 22. Qc2 Rab8 23. Reb1 Qa5 24. Rb3 Nb6 25. Qe2 Nd7 26. Rab1 Qc7 27. g4 Be4 28. Rxb8 Rxb8 29. Rxb8 Qxb8 30. Nf1 Bc6 ½ : ½ Karjakin – Domínguez Pérez, FIDE Grand Prix, Khanty-Mansiysk 2015) 11. h4 a5 12. Bf4 a4 13. a3 bxa3 14. bxa3 Ba6 15. Ne3 Rb8 16. c4 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Nb6 18. Nd6 Nd5 19. Qxa4 Rb6 20. Rac1 Nxf4 21. Qxf4 Nxe5 22. Nxe5 Bxd6 23. Qe3 Rb3 24. a4 Qc7 25. Nc4 Be7 26. Ne5 Bd6 27. Nc4 Be7 28. Ne5 ½ : ½ Svidler – Karjakin, Russian Team Championship, Loo 2014. 9. ... Nxd5. Another modus vivendi is 9. ... exd5, e.g. 10. a4 (10. d4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. Nb3 Bb6 14. a4 bxa4 15. Rxa4 Re8 16. Bg5 Rxe1+ 17. Qxe1 h6 18. Be3 Bg6 19. c3 Bc2 20. Ra3 Rb8 21. Nfd4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Rxb2 24. Kh2 Be4 25. Rxa7 Bxg2 26. Kxg2 Ne4 27. Qa1 Rb8 28. Qa5 Qxa5 29. Rxa5 Rc8 30. Rxd5 Nxc3 31. Bxc3 Rxc3 ½ : ½ Topalov – Caruana, 2nd Norway Blitz, Flor & Fjære 2014) 10. ... Rb8 11. axb5 Rxb5 12. b3 Be6 13. Bb2 Qd7 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Ng4 16. Bc3 Bf6 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. Ra6 Rc8 19. Qa1 Rc7 20. Nf3 Rb6 21. Ra5 Rb5 22. Ra4 h6 23. Ne5 Qe7 24. h3 Rb6 25. Kh2 Bc8 26. Ng4 Nxg4+ 27. Rxg4 Qf6 28. Rf4 Qxa1 29. Rxa1 Rd6 30. Ra5 a6 31. Rfa4 Kf8 32. h4 Ke7 33. Kg1 g5 34. Kf1 Bd7 35. Ra1 gxh4 36. gxh4 Bc8 37. Re1+ Kf6 38. Re8 Be6 39. Ke1 c4 40. bxc4 ½ : ½ Movsesian – Sergey Karjakin, FIDE World Team Chess Championship, Antalya 2013. 10. Ne4. For 10. a4 b4 11. Nb3 Bb7 12. Nfd2 Rc8 13. Qg4 Nd4 see C. D’Amore – P. H. Nielsen, 15th European Chess Team Championship, Gothenburg 2005. 10. ... Bb7 11. c3 a6 12. a4 b4 13. Bg5 f6. In order to control the critical g5 square, but at the cost of a serious weakening of the Kingside. 14. Bd2 e5 15. Rc1 Rf7? Svidler said afterwards that Black should not have played such a convoluted move. It’s hard to disagree.

16. d4! A very timely break-up of the centre, after which Black’s position quickly disintegrates. 16. ... bxc3. Objectively speaking, the opening of the b-file only helps White’s cause. 17. bxc3 cxd4 18. cxd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 exd4 20. Qb3. Black is in serious trouble. 20. ... Qd7 21. Rec1! Evidently after 21. Nc5?? Bxc5 22. Bxd5?? Bxd5! 23. Qxb8+ Rf8 White wins the Exchange but loses on the spot! 21. ... Qe6? A bad mistake, of course, in an already very compromised position: Her Majesty self-pins herself! 23. Nc5. Black is busted. 23. ... Bxc5 24. Rxc5 Rd8 25. Ba5 Rd6 26. Qc4! Nc3. Black could well resign here. 27. Rxb7 Qe1+ 28. Bf1 Ne2+ 29. Qxe2 1 : 0.

Peter Veniaminovich Svidler vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Фейр-плей (Fair Play)

Pavel Eljanov (@Eljanov)

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin (@SergeyKaryakin)

Подбрасывание монеты (Coin flipping)

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Pavel Eljanov
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 4 (Blitz 10+10); Baku, September 29, 2015
Queen’s Pawn Game A40

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 f5. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler on Eljanov needing to win with Black: “I think mostly in the opening he should forget about the opening” :)”. 7. g3 Nf6 8. Bg2 Qa5 9. Qb3 Nbd7 10. Nd2 Nb6 11. 0-0 Bd7 12. Re1 Qa4 13. Bf1 Ne4 14. e3 0-0-0 15. Bd3 Nxd2 16. Bxd2 e5 17. f4 e4 18. Be2 h6 19. Kf2 g5 20. h4 Rdg8 21. Rh1 gxf4 22. exf4 Rg7. As a result of a very poor opening strategy by Karjakin Black has got a splendid position. 23. h5 Rhg8 24. Rhg1 Qa6 25. a4 Be8 26. Be1 Nd7 27. Ke3 Nf6 28. Rh1 Qa5 29. Bf2 b6 30. Rh3 Kd8 31. Be1 Ke7 32. Bf2 Kf8 33. Be1 Re7 34. Rh1 Rgg7 35. Ra3 Kg8 36. Bf2 Kh8 37. Be1 Rg8 38. Bf2 Reg7 39. Rh3 Qa6 40. Qd1? An amazingly bad move for White to make in his very inconvenient position, losing two Pawns. It is hard, however, to suggest any good move; maybe 40. Be1, although after 40. ... Ng4+ 41. Kd2 Re7 Black stands much better. 40. ... Ng4+ 41. Bxg4 fxg4 42. Rh1 Qxc4 43. Qe2 Qxd5 44. Rd1 Qe6 45. c4 Rd7 46. Rd5 Bf7 47. Be1 Qe8 48. Rf5 Kh7 49. Bc3 Be6 50. Rf6 Rf7 51. Rg6. In desperation, White sacrifices a third Pawn! 51. ... Rxg6 52. hxg6+ Kxg6 53. Ra1 h5 54. Rd1 Rd7 55. Qh2. White offers a fourth Pawn! 55. ... Qd8 56. Ba1 d5. Why not 56. ... Bxc4? 57. cxd5 Rxd5 58. Qb2 Rd3+ 59. Ke2 Qd4 60. Qxd4 cxd4 61. Rxd3 Bc4 62. Bxd4 exd3+ 63. Ke3. Karjakin managed to slip out into an ending with Bishops of opposite colours – even if two Pawns down. Both objectively and psychologically, it will turn out to be his saving clause!

63. ... Kf5 64. Bc3 a5 65. Be1 Ke6 66. Bc3 Kf5 67. Be1 Kf6 68. Bd2 Kg6 69. Bc3 Kf5. Here the drama of Eljanov: he fell into a threefold repetition that Karjakin claimed immediately! ½ : ½.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. Pavel Eljanov
chess24.com (@chess24com)

Lars Bo Hansen (@GMLars)

Jonathan David Tisdall (@GMjtis)

Upside Down

Pavel Eljanov – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 3 (Blitz 10+10); Baku, September 29, 2015
Réti Opening A05

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. 0-0 e5 5. e4 Be7 6. Nc3 d6 7. d3 0-0 8. a4 Nb4 9. h3. Departing from the first tie-break game when he played 9. Nd2. 9. ... Re8 10. Re1 Bd7 11. Nd2 Bc6 12. Nc4 Bf8 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Na5 Bd7 16. Nb5 Qd8 17. Nc4 Be6 18. c3 Nc6 19. Ne3 a6 20. Na3 Rb8 21. Nd5 Ne7 22. Nc4 b5 23. axb5 axb5 24. Nce3 Nxd5 25. Nxd5 g6 26. Ra7 Bxd5 27. exd5 Qb6 28. Qa1 c4 29. dxc4 bxc4 30. Re2 Rb7 31. Ra6 Qb3 32. g4. Peter Veniaminovich Svidler calls it “very, very brave”. 32. ... Rb6 33. Ra5 Rb7 34. Be4 Qb6 35. Ra6 Qd8 36. Qa4 Qb8 37. Kg2 Rd8 38. Qxc4 Rxb2 39. Rxb2 Qxb2 40. Ra7 Qb6 41. Rc7 Bg7

42. h4? Eljanov gets the wrong idea. He could have consolidated his manifest advantage by 42. Qc6. 42. ... Bf6! It’s cool to be clever! 43. h5?? And now Eljanov blunders away the game. There was still time for 43. Qc6. 43. ... Bh4! “Poor Elanjov just went red – he missed 43. ... Bh4!”, Grandmaster Daniel W. Gormally said. Game over. 44. Kh3 Qxf2 45. Qd3 gxh5 46. gxh5 Bg5 47. Qg3 Qf1+ 48. Qg2 Qf4 49. Qg4 Qe3+ 50. Kg2 Rb8 51. Rc8+ Rxc8 52. Qxc8+ Kg7 53. Qc4 Qd2+ 54. Kh3 Qd1 55. Qd3 Qxh5+ 56. Kg2 Qg4+ 57. Kh1 Bh4 58. Bf5 Qg5 59. Qf3 Be1 60. Bc2 Bd2 61. c4 Qh4+ 62. Kg2 Qxc4 63. Qf5 Qxd5+ 64. Be4 Qe6 65. Qh7+ Kf8 0 : 1.

Pavel Eljanov vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: chess24.com (@chess24com)

Sum of squares

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin – Pavel Eljanov
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 2; Baku, September 29, 2015
English Opening A11

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4 3. Bg2 c6 4. c4 e6 5. cxd5 Bxf3 6. Bxf3 cxd5 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. d4 Nf6 9. Nc3 Be7 10. e3 0-0 11. Bd2 Rc8 12. Rc1 Nd7 13. Ne2. For 13. Qe2 a6 14. Bg2 Nb6 15. Rfd1 Qd7 16. Be1 Na7 17. b3 Nb5 see Efimenko – Solak, International Chess Festival, Baku 2013. 13. ... Nb6 14. Nf4 Nc4 15. Bc3 Bb4 16. b3 Nb6. Not 16. ... Bxc3? on account of 17. bxc4 Bb4 18. cxd5 exd5 19. Qb3 and Black loses material. 17. Bb2 Qe7 18. Nd3 Ba3 19. Bxa3 Qxa3 20. Nc5 Rc7 21. Nxb7 Rxb7 22. Rxc6 Qxa2 23. Qd3 Nd7 24. Rb1 a5 25. Bd1 Nf6 26. Bc2 g6 27. f3 Qa3 28. Qc3 Qb4 29. Qxb4 axb4 30. Ra1 h5 31. h4 Re8 32. Kf2 Ree7 33. Ke2 Rec7 34. Rxc7 Rxc7 35. Kd2 Rb7 36. Ra8+ Kg7 37. Bd3 Nd7. Eljanov is struggling to defend a most instructive endgame Rook and Knight vs. Rook and Bishop, “with possibly a nightmare structure f5, g6, h5 vs. f4, g3, h4 on K-side”, says International Master Malcom Pein. Karjakin afterwards suggested a possible improvement with 37. ... Ng8, eventually followed by ... Ng8-e7-c6. 38. e4 dxe4 39. Bxe4 Rb6 40. Ra4 e5 41. Ke3 Kf6 42. dxe5+ Kxe5 43. Ra5+ Kd6 44. Kd4 Rb8

45. Bd5! f6 46. Ra6+ Ke7 47. f4 Nb6 48. Ra7+ Kd6 49. Bf7 Rc8 50. Ra6 Kc6 51. Bxg6 Kb7 52. Ra5 Rc3 53. Be4+ Kb8 54. Rb5 Ka7 55. Rxh5 1 : 0.

Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin vs. Pavel Eljanov
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

Blitzkrieg

Pavel Eljanov – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; tie-break game 1; Baku, September 29, 2015
Réti Opening A05

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. 0-0 e5 5. e4 Be7 6. Nc3 d6 7. d3 0-0 8. a4 Nb4 9. Nd2 h6 10. Nc4 Bg4 11. Qd2 Bd7 12. Nd1 Re8 13. Nde3 Bf8 14. c3 Nc6 15. f4 exf4 16. gxf4 Be6 17. Qf2 Bxc4 18. Nxc4 d5 19. exd5 Nxd5 20. Bd2 Nf6 21. Qf3 Na5 22. Ne5 Qb6 23. Rab1 Rad8 24. Kh1 Qb3 25. Be1! Eljanov offers a Pawn sacrifice for mounting a sudden Kingside attack. 25. ... Qxa4. It seems unwise to accept the gift. 26. Bh4! Rd6. Also after 26. ... Be7 27. Ra1 Qb5 28. Qg3 White’s attack appears to be overwhelming. 27. Ra1 Qb5 28. c4! Qa6

29. d4! A very pretty pointe. 29. ... Rxd4. Naturally, after 29. ... cxd4 White wins trivially with 30. b4. 30. Qc3! The Black Knight is doomed anyway. 30. ... Ne4. Black cannot save the Knight: if 31. ... b6 there follows 32. Bxf6 gxf6 33. Qg3+ Bg7 (on 33. ... Kh7 34. Rg1 forces mate) 34. Rg1! fxe5 35. Bd5 and mate in a few moves. 31. Qxa5 Qxa5 32. Rxa5 Nd2 33. Rd1 Bd6 34. Bf2 Bxe5 35. fxe5 Nxc4 36. Bxd4 Nxa5 37. Bc3 Nc4 38. e6 Rxe6 39. Rd8+ Kh7 40. Bd5! 1 : 0.

Pavel Eljanov vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
Photo: Eteri Kublashvili

The Last Tycoon

Pavel Eljanov – Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin
6th Chess World Cup; match game 1; Baku, September 27, 2015
Queen’s Indian Defence E15

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 c6 8. Bc3 d5 9. Ne5 Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. Nd2 0-0 12. 0-0 Rc8 13. Re1 c5 14. cxd5 exd5 15. Rc1 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Nc5 17. Bb2 d4? This is a surprising slip by Karjakin. 18. Nf3! d3!? Mater artium necessitas. 19. exd3 Nxd3 20. Rxc8 Qxc8 21. Rxe7. “I have fond memories of 13. Re1, beat GM Sax for my 1st GM norm with it in 1989. Eljanov on course to win with it too”, Grandmaster Lars Bo Hansen tweeted. 21. ... Nxb2

22. Qd7? Pavel is possibly relying too much on his virtuoso technique. After 22. Qd2! Nd3 23. h4! White’s position looks already imposing. 22. ... Qc1+! Of course Karjakin seizes his best practical chance! 23. Re1 Qc8 24. Qxc8. Again 24. Qd2 Nd3 25. Re7 is still comparatively best, giving White the somewhat better position. 24. ... Rxc8 25. Bh3 Rd8 26. Ne5 g6 27. Bf1 Bxf1 28. Kxf1 a5 29. Re3 f6 30. Ng4 Kf7 31. Rc3 h5 32. Ne3 Nd3. The Knight finally comes back into play. 33. Rc7+ Ke6 34. Rb7 Nc1 35. Rxb6+. Pavel has finally won a Pawn, though whether it is enough to win is not clear. 35. ... Kf7 36. Rb7+ Ke6 37. Rb6+ Kf7 38. a4 Rd3 39. b4 axb4 40. Rxb4 Ra3 41. Nc4 Ra1 42. Kg2 Nd3 43. Rb7+ Ke6 44. Rb6+ Ke7 45. a5 Ra4 46. Rc6 Ne1+ 47. Kf1 Nf3. The game is most likely a draw. 48. Rc7+ Ke6 49. Ke2!? Pavel does not surrender to the inevitable and makes one last-ditch attempt to win. 49. ... Nxh2 50. Kd3. “Eljanov’s outside passed Pawn doesn’t look to be going anywhere fast”, says the editor-in-chief of chess24.com. 50. ... Nf3 51. Rc6+ Kf5 52. Kc3 g5! 53. Rc5+. If, instead, 53. Kb3 then 53. ... Rxa5 54. Nxa5 Nd4+ 55. Kc3 Nxc6 56. Nxc6 h4 57. Nd4+ Kg4 58. gxh4 gxh4 59. Kd2 h3 60. Ne2 h2 61. Ng3 Kf3 62. Nh1 Kg2 63. Ke1 Kxh1 64. Kf1 f5 65. f4 stalemate – a pretty variation! 53. ... Ke6 54. Kb3 Ra1 55. Kb2 Ra4 56. Kb3 Ra1 57. Kb2 Ra4 58. Nb6! Rb4+! 59. Ka3 Rb1 60. Ka2 Rb4 61. Rc6+ Kf5! 62. a6 Ne5 63. Rxf6+ Kxf6 64. Nd5+. After 64. a7 Rxb6 65. a8=Q White promotes his Pawn to a Queen, but it’s not enough because Black is able to build up an unassailable fortress. 64. ... Ke6 65. Nxb4 Nd7 66. Nd3 Kd6 67. a7 Nb6 68. Kb3 Kc7 69. Kc3 Kb7 70. Kd4 Kxa7 71. Ke4 Nc4 72. Ne5 Nb2 73. Nf7 h4. Black’s defensive task is now very easy: sacrifice his Knight for the last enemy Pawn! 74. Nxg5 hxg3 75. fxg3 Kb7 76. g4 Kc8 77. Kf5 Nd1! ½ : ½.

Pavel Eljanov (R.) vs. Sergey Alexandrovich Karjakin (L.)
Photo Eteri Kublashvili