Young Caruana on a roll
In Baden Baden (Germany), the 25-year-old American world challenger, Fabiano Caruana, ran away with the top prize at the 2018 Grenke Chess Classic (Cat. 20).
Young Fabiano scored four wins and five draws without loss in the 10-super GM field that had two world champions and a woman world champion.
Winning Grenke was another feather in Caruana’s cap. Last month, he won the Candidates Tournament in Berlin, and earned the right to challenge world champion Carlsen in a world title match late this year.
He also gained 13 ratings points and at 2817, only 21 points behind the world No. 1 Carlsen (2838) in the live chess ratings.
Caruana has an aggressive approach to the game, with sparkling originality. He strives to win games (regardless of color) with tireless energy.
Biting the dust in second was Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, a full point behind at 5.5. Tied for third-fifth at 5.0 each were Aronian (Armenia), Vacheir-Lagrave (France) and Vitiugov (Russia).
* * * Many games have been lost (as early chess writers wrote), when the Knights wandered away from their best defensive posts (c3 c6, f3 and f6), as in the following encounter.
White menaces the King, but he is really after the Knight. Grenke Classic 2018 W) F. Caruana (USA) B) A. Naiditsch (AZE)
Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
This is the popular Berlin Defense, solid and reliable, but has an undeserved reputation of being drawish. 4. d3 ...
In CaruanaAronian, Rd. 8 2018 Candidates, play continued 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Bbe7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 0-0 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Nf5 11. d5 Re8 12. Bd3 Rxe1ch 13. Qxe1 Qe7 with probably even chances. 4 .... d6
An old move favored by Austrian-American Wilhelm Steinitz, the undisputed first world champion, who advocated the idea in 1889. More usual nowadays is 4... Bc5, which Kramnik employed against Aronian in the recent Candidates Tournament. That game went 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. 0-0 Qe7 7. h3 Rg8!? 8. Kh1 Nh5 9. c3 g5 10. Nxe5 g4! and Black wrests the initiative (0-1=27). 5. O-O Bd7 6. Re1 Be7 7. c3 O-O 8. h3 Re8 9. a4 Bf8 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 g5
Seems risky as it weakens Black’s King side pawn structure. Safer is 11...a6 and after 12. Bc4 Be7, Black has a solid game, according to the computer. 12. Bg3 Ne7 13. Bxd7 Qxd7 14. Nbd2 Ng6 15. Nc4 Rad8 15...c6 is a fair alternative. 16. Ne3 d5 17. exd5 Bg7 18. d4 exd4 19. cxd4 Nxd5 20. Nxd5 Rxe1ch 21. Qxe1 Qxd5 22. Bxc7 Rc8 23. Rc1 Bxd4 24. Qd2 Qd7 25. Nxd4 Rxc7 26. Rxc7 Qxc7 27. Nf5 Kh7
Here White has a slight positional edge, but nothing is conclusive. 28. g3 Ne5 29. Qe3 Nc4?!
Black starts his ineffective maneuvering. Correct is 29...f6 30. Nd4 Qd7 31. Qe4ch Kh8, with chances to hold, according to the engine. 30. Qc3! ... Now the first real threat of the game arises. 30 .... Qe5 31. Qd3! ... Threatening to win with 32. Ne3ch. 31 .... Nxb2 32. Qc2 ... The threat is 33. Nd4ch, followed by 34. Qxb2. 32... Qe1ch 33. Kg2 Qd1
In order to meet 34. Qxb2 with 34... Qd5ch, regaining the piece. 34. Qe4 Qxa4?
The decisive error. 34...Qd7 is the only move to stay longer, though Black is in a semi zugzswang situation. 35. Qxb7 Qa2 36. Ne3! ...
A little zigzagging by this Knight brings a pretty finish. 36 .... Kg7 37. Qb4 Qb1 38. g4 ...
Intensifying the pressure on Black’s pieces which are now pinned. 38 .... Kg8 39. Nf5 Qc2 40. Qb8ch Kh7 41. Qb7 Kh8 42. Qe7 1-0
The threat of 43. Qf6 or 43. Qf8ch will be difficult to meet. For example 42...Qc6ch 43. Kg3 Qg6 44. Qe5ch Kh7 45. Qxb2.
* * * Solution to last week’s puzzle: Black to move and win. White=Kh3, Qe8, Ph5 Black=Kh7, Rb4, Rg5, Pf5, Pg7, Ph6 1... Rbg4 2. Qf7 ... If 2. Kh2 Rh4 mate. 2 .... Rxh5ch! 3. Qxh5 g6! And Black wins. * * *