Carlsen bests Naiditsch after Armageddon final

The Grenke Chess Classic Tournament, which was contested in Baden-Baden, Germany, turned out to be an exciting final as world champion Magnus Carlsen and Germany’s Arkadij Naiditsch battled to an Armageddon game to decide the winner of the tournament. In an Armageddon game, the times of both players are drastically reduced and speed, combined with accuracy, is among the determining factors which are necessary for victory.

With the tournament ending in a tie between Carlsen and Naiditsch, a blitz match was required to determine a sole winner. Things started off well for Carlsen as he won game one.

But Naiditsch struck back winning game two, and therefore forcing another tiebreak. The next two blitz games were drawn.

20131215chessAn Armageddon game became necessary to decide once and for all who would be declared winner of the tournament. Carlsen triumphed and added another trophy to his wide collection. At the time of writing, the blitz had not as yet been posted for public consumption.

Chess games
The following games were played at the 2015 Grenke Chess Classic Tournament, Baden-Baden, Germany, from February 2-9

White Michael Adams
Black Viswanathan Anand

Publicizing a message, perhaps? Jack Samuel (in photo), is the boy who fiercely honoured the ‘honesty is the best policy’ principle in the recent Indian National Schools Chess Championships which were conducted in the U-5 , U-7 , U-9 , U-11 , U-13 , U-15 and U-17 age categories. Six hundred and twenty-seven chess players participated in the Championships in Goa. Playing the black pieces in the U-5 category, Samuel pointed out to his opponent as he resigned the game, that it was not ‘checkmate ‘ as he anticipated. White can capture with his rook thereby ending Black’s ambitious excursion into enemy territory. Samuel eventually lost the game and placed third at the U-5 level. Perhaps Samuel deserved a ‘fairness’ prize.
Publicizing a message, perhaps? Jack Samuel (in photo), is the boy who fiercely honoured the ‘honesty is the best policy’ principle in the recent Indian National Schools Chess Championships which were conducted in the U-5 , U-7 , U-9 , U-11 , U-13 , U-15 and U-17 age categories. Six hundred and twenty-seven chess players participated in the Championships in Goa. Playing the black pieces in the U-5 category, Samuel pointed out to his opponent as he resigned the game, that it was not ‘checkmate ‘ as he anticipated. White can capture with his rook thereby ending Black’s ambitious excursion into enemy territory. Samuel eventually lost the game and placed third at the U-5 level. Perhaps Samuel deserved a ‘fairness’ prize.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bf4 Bd6 11. Bg5 Nbd7 12. Nc3 h6 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. a5 Qe7 15. Nh4 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Rfd8 17. e4 Bb4 18. e5 Nd5 19. Nf5 Qd7 20. Ne3 Bxc3 21. bxc3 Qb5 22. Qxb5 axb5 23. Rfc1 c5 24. Nxd5 Rxd5 25. Rcb1 cxd4 26. cxd4 Rc8 27. Rb4 Rc4 28. Rab1 Rcxd4 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Rxb5 Rd7 31. Kf3 g5 32. h4 Kg7 33. h5 f6 34. exf6+ Kxf6 35. g4 Ke7 36. Ke4 Kf6 37. Rb3 Ke7 38. f3 Kf6 39. Rb6 Ke7 40. Rb5 Kf6 41. Rb3 Ke7 42. Rd3 Rc7 43. Kd4 Kf6 44. Rb3 Rf7 45. Rb5 Rc7
46. Rb4 Ke7 47. Rc4 Rd7+ 48. Kc5 Rd6 49. Rb4 Rc6+ 50. Kb5 Rd6 51. Rb3 Kf6 52. Kc5 Rc6+ 53. Kd4 Rd6+ 54. Ke4 Rd7 55. Rb6 Rd5 56. Rxb7 Rxa5 57. Rh7 Ra4+ 58. Ke3 Ra3+ 59. Kf2 Ra2+ 60. Kg3 Ra3 61. Rxh6+ Kf7 62. Rh7+ Kf6 63. Rd7 Ra2 64. Rd3 Rb2 65. Re3 Rb4 66. Re2 Ra4 67. Kf2 Ra3 68. Rd2 Ra4 69. Ke3 Ra3+ 70. Ke4 Ra4+ 71. Rd4 Ra1 72. Ke3 Ra3+ 73. Rd3 Ra4 74. Rb3 Ra1 75. Rb7 Ra3+ 76. Kf2 Ra2+ 77. Kg3 Ra3 78. Rb8 Kf7 79. Rb1 Kf6 80. Re1 Ra4 81. Kf2 Ra2+ 82. Kg3 Ra4 83. Rh1 Ra7 84. Kf2 Ke5 85. h6 Ra2+ 86. Kg3 Ra8 87. h7 Rh8 88. Rh6 Kd6 89. Kf2 1-0.

White to play and win!  In the diagrammed position, at first glance, it seems that White has been checkmated. But look again, White can capture with his rook destroying Black’s curious adventure. On first board in the U-5 category at the Indian National Schools Championships last month, the diagrammed position appeared. A chess reporter on spot tells the story. White said: ‘Oh, I lost. It’s checkmate.’ Jack Samuel, playing Black, replied: ‘No, no, it’s not mate, you can take with your rook. And White won the game!
White to play and win! In the diagrammed position, at first glance, it seems that White has been checkmated. But look again, White can capture with his rook destroying Black’s curious adventure. On first board in the U-5 category at the Indian National Schools Championships last month, the diagrammed position appeared. A chess reporter on spot tells the story. White said: ‘Oh, I lost. It’s checkmate.’ Jack Samuel, playing Black, replied: ‘No, no, it’s not mate, you can take with your rook. And White won the game!

White Fabiano Caruana
Black Magnus Carlsen

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 h6 10. Rd1+ Ke8 11. Nc3 Ne7 12. Bf4 Ng6 13. Bh2 Bb4 14. Ne2 Be7 15. Nfd4 Nf8 16. g4 h5 17. Nf5 Ne6 18. Kg2 b6 19. f3 c5 20. Bg3 Bg5 21. h4 hxg4 22. hxg5 gxf3+ 23. Kxf3 Nxg5+ 24. Kf4 Nh3+ 25. Ke4 Ng5+ 26. Kf4 Nh3+ 1/2-1/2.

White Magnus Carlsen
Black Etienne Bacrot

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.e3 d6 6.Bc4 Nbd7 7.O-O Qe8 8.a4 e5 9.a5 e4 10.Ne1 h6 11.Bh4 c6 12.Bb3 Nh5 13.f3 exf3 14.Qxf3 Ndf6 15.Nd3 Bg4 16.Qf2 Be6 17.Bxe6 Qxe6 18.Qf3 g5 19.Bf2 g4 20.Qe2 Rae8 21.a6 b6 22.Rae1 Nd5 23.e4 f5 24.Qd1 fxe4 25.Rxe4 Qf5 26.Qxg4 Qxg4 27.Rxg4 Re2 28.Rd1 Nhf6 29.Rg3 Nh5 30.Rf3 Rxf3 31.gxf3 Ne3 32.Bxe3 Rxe3 33.Nc4 Rxf3 34.Nb4 b5 35.Na5 c5 36.Nbc6 Rf7 37.Nb7 Nf4 38.dxc5 dxc5 39.Nxa7 Bd4+ 40.Kh1 Nh3 41.Kg2 Nf4+ 42.Kg3 Ne2+ 43.Kg4 Rf4+ 44.Kh3 Rf3+ 45.Kg4 Rf4+ 46.Kh3 Rf3+ 1/2-1/2. 20150215Chess3