Carlsen back on top of the world
Norwegian world contender Magnus Carlsen is again the world’s highest-rated player for 42 months running, when the FIDE July world chess ranking is released this weekend.
Carlsen, 21, gained two points following his impressive triumph in the just-concluded seventh Tal Memorial, with his rating rising to an all-time high of 2837.
Young Magnus, whose hobby is collecting first prizes in the strongest available super GM tournaments, has won 11 tournaments with a performance rating of 2800!!, since 2009. Carlsen topped Nanjing (China) and London. In 2010, he won Wijk aan Zee, Bazna (Romania), Nanjing and London. In 2011, Bazna, Biel, Grand Slam Final and Tal Memorial, and again this year, the seventh Tal Memorial.
The rest of the top 10 will undergo some minor changes, with world champion Vishy Anand dropping to fifth spot after losing nine points.
*** This game is a model of Kramnik’s preparedness in openings. His pre-game preparation outshines his opponent’s, and he demonstrates his improvement before Grischuk has the chance to reveal his own.
Faced later with a dangerous counterplay, he radically clears the situation to win in elegant fashion. 2012 Tal Memorial W) V. Kramnik g 2801 (RUS) B) A. Grischuk g 2761 (RUS) King’s Indian Defense 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 0-0 6. Be2 e5 7. 0-0 Nc6
The Classical Variation of the KID, a very old one with very new points, is long considered as slightly better for White owing to the thematic attack it obtains on the Q-side. But analysis vary and so do opinions. The line has been analyzed over and over, but with no generally accepted verdict. 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4!? ... The Bayonet attack, almost an automatic pawn advance, seems necessary to seek immediate counterplay on the Queenside. The alternatives 9. Ne1 and 9. Nd2 have been tried before, but are now considered too slow. 9... Nh5 10. g3 f5 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Bf3 ... Nothing new has come up so far, at least not new to Grischuk who often plays the King’s Indian and knows a great deal about it. 12... c6 13. Bg2!? ... Here’s Kramnik’s improvement, a new way of handling the line. Kramnik avoids 13. Ba3, which he played last year against Giri. That game went 13...cxd5 14. exd5 e4 15. Be2 Ne8 16. Rc1 h6 17. Ne6 Bxe6 18. dxe6 Nc7 19. b5!? Be5 20. Qb3 Kg7 21. Rfd1 Nxe6 22. c5 and White obtains the initiative for the pawn. 13... h6 14. Ne6 Bxe6 15. dxe6 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 fxe4 17. b5! ... Intending Ba3, and seeking to create more weaknesses on Black’s center pawns. 17... Rf6 After 17...d5 18. cxd5 cxd5 19. Qb3 Qb6 20. Ba3 Rae8 21. Rad1 Kh7 22. Bxe7 Rxe7 23. Rxd5 Qxe6 24. Bxe4, White has complete control of the important light squares. 18. Bxe4 Rxe6 19. Qa4 d5 20. Rd1 Kh7 21. cxd5 cxd5 22. Qb3 ... Now Black’s headache with his advanced center pawns begins to appear. 22... Rb6?! Not appropriate here but even after the standard 22... Qd7, White retains the advantage with 23. Ba3 d4 24. Rac1, etc. 23. a4 ... Not 23. Bxd5?! Rd6! and Black equalizes. 23... a6 24. Ba3 axb5 25. Bxe7 Qxe7 26. Rxd5 b4 27. a5! ... White’s pieces dominate the board, while Black’s are reduced to waiting. His far superior development is decisive. 27... Qf7 28. h4 ... Threatening 29. h5. 28... h5?
In a hopeless position, Black crumbles. Actually, he has nothing better. For instance 28...Kh8 29. Rd8ch wins the Queen. Or 28...Kg8 29. h5 gxh5 30. Rd1 and the threat of 31. Rd8ch will be hard to meet. 29. Qd1! 1:0 Black is helpless against the threats of axb6, Rd7 and Qxh5ch. Solution to last week’s puzzle: (White to play and win. White=Ke1, Re2, Nd6; Black=Kf8, Bh3, Nd7) 1. Re8ch Kg7 2. Re3 Bg4 Or 2...Bg2 3. Rg3ch wins. 3. Rg3 Nf6 If 3...Ne5 4. Nc4 Nxc4 5. Rxg4ch followed by 6. Rxc4.
4. Ne4 Nxe4 5. Rxg4ch K-any 6. Rxe4 and wins.