Grand prix 2

Boris Gelfand, the challenger for this year’s World Championship in Moscow, continues, as I write, to lead the Agon/Fidé Grand Prix at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand. He is being pursued by a pack of great players which includes Shakhriyar Mamedyarov from Azerbaijan and Vesselin Topalov from Bulgaria. The surprise of the event has been the complete collapse of Hikaru Nakamura who, rated at 2783, was the highest ranked player and pre-tournament favourite to win.

Gelfand-Wang Hao: Fidé Grand Prix, London 2012

49 … f5+ Allowing the white king in is very risky. Black should simply pass with 49 … Ke8. 50 Ke5 Rxe3+ 51 Kf6 Now the constant mate threats make life very difficult for Black. 51 … Kg8 52 Rg7+ This is the wrong idea. 52 Rc8+ Kh7 53 Kf7 is winning for White as the threat of Rc1 – h1 will win the e-pawn when the passed d-pawn becomes unstoppable. 52 … Kf8 53 Rh7 Kg8 54 Rh1 Re4 55 Rd1 Kh7 A terrible blunder, losing at once. 55 … Re2 should be good enough to draw. 56 Kf7 Black resigns Black is getting mated on the h-file.

Mamedyarov-Nakamura: Fidé Grand Prix, London 2012 (see diagram 2)

White’s active pieces and powerful passed d-pawn prove too much. 36 Nf7 Rf8 37 Rxf4 Rxf7 37 … Nxf4 38 d8Q wins. 38 Rh4+ Kg8 39 Bd5 Nd8 40 Re1 A very strong move, preventing … Be5+ and preparing to invade along the e-file. 40 … Bf6 41 Re8+ Kg7 42 Rhh8 Be5+ 43 Rxe5 Black resigns After 43 … Kxh8 44 Re8+ Kg7 45 Bb2+ Kh6 46 Bxf7 wins.

Topalov-Dominguez Perez: Fidé Grand Prix, London 2012

White now finds a combination which takes him into an endgame where his mass of passed pawns prove to be worth more than Black’s bishop.