London Rapid

The exciting American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura compensated for his somewhat lacklustre performance in the London Classic section, held at Olympia just before Christmas, with an overwhelming victory in the Rapidplay arena. The top final scores were Nakamura 9½ and Giri 8½, while those on 8 included Kramnik, Caruana, Anand and Short. By its very nature, Rapidplay chess tends to be exhilarating rather than accurate and favours those who have a buccaneering spirit and a talent for opportunism.
 
Nakamura-Anand: London Classic Rapidplay 2014 (see diagram 1)
 
First off we see Nakamura outmanoeuvring former world champion Viswanathan Anand. It is axiomatic that a bishop in the endgame, unless heavily restricted by its own pawns, will tend to outgun a knight. Nakamura gives an excellent example. 22 Bb7 Rb8 23 Bc6 Rd6 24 b4 Rbd8 25 Rc2 Ng8 This regrouping of the knight is unsuccessful as it leaves White with an entry point on c7 for the rooks. 26 Rac1 Ne7 27 Bb5 Rd5 28 a4 Rh5 29 Rc7 Rxh2 30 Rxa7 Nd5 31 a5 Now the white a-pawn will inevitably cost Black a piece. 31 … bxa5 32 bxa5 Rh5 33 Rb7 Nb4 34 a6 Nxa6 35 Bxa6 Rf5 36 Bd3 Rf6 37 Rh1 h6 38 f4 Ra8 39 Bb1 Rc8 40 Rh5 Ra8 41 Kf1 Rc8 42 Ke2 Rd8 43 Rhb5 Ra8 44 Rb8+ Rxb8 45 Rxb8+ Ke7 46 Rg8 g6 47 Rh8 h5 48 Ra8 Black resigns
 
Jones-Caruana; London Classic Rapidplay 2014 (see diagram 2)
 
As noted last week, Fabiano Caruana, a rising star of the first magnitude, failed to make any kind of impact in the London Classic, but he did make up for this with a share of third prize in the Rapidplay and the following brisk demolition of the kingside defences of the former British champion Gawain Jones. 19 … Bxh3 Sharply spotted by Caruana. Now 20 gxh3 loses to 20 … Qg6+ 21 Kh1 Rxf3! 22 Bxf3 Qd6 and mates. 20 Nc5 Nxc5 21 dxc5 Bxg2 Caruana continues to rip open White’s kingside. 22 Kxg2 Qg6+ 23 Ng5 Unhappily forced as 23 Kh3 Qf5+ 24 Kg2 Qg4+ 25 Kh1 Rxf3 leads to mate. 23 … Nf5 24 Rh1 Re7 25 Bh5 Nxe3+ 26 Qxe3 Qf6 27 Nh7 Kxh7 28 Qd3+ g6 29 Rc2 Qg5+ 30 Kf1 Re3 31 Bxg6+ Kg7 32 Rh5 Rxd3 33 Rxg5 Rd1+ White resigns
 
Unless Anand, against all odds, experiences a third coming, the future of the world title probably belongs in the hands of Carlsen, Nakamura and Caruana. Last week I lamented the fact that Caruana seems to have exhausted his creative reserves by competing too much in recent months. However, in the Wijk aan Zee elite event, which I attended this week, he has leapt into an early lead. I hope this form continues. In lifetime scores, by the way, Carlsen heads Caruana by five wins to four, but Carlsen dominates Nakamura by 11 wins to none!