Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 9 by Malcolm Pein

The impressive winner Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © http://www.europe-echecs.com

The Tal Memorial Tournament takes place in Moscow 9th-19th November 2007.

Official site: http://www.russiachess.org/

All the games were drawn in the ninth round of the Tal Memorial leaving Vladimir Kramnik with an impressive margin of victory of 1.5 points. Kramnik’s final opponent Vasily Ivanchuk was in no mood for a quick draw but he never had even the remotest chance of winning as Kramnik’s Petroff Defence was solid once more.

Alexey Shirov was the only other player to make a positive score which he thoroughly deserved as he played attacking and uncompromising chess throughout. His victory over Magnus Carlsen was very much in the style of Tal, his fellow Latvian and former mentor.

Shirov,A (2739) - Carlsen,M (2714) [C80]
Tal Mem Moscow RUS (6), 16.11.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 The Open Ruy Lopez. Black takes a pawn but has no intention of hanging onto it 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 [7...exd4 8.Re1 d5 9.Nc3! dxc3 10.Bxd5 is good for White] 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.c3 0-0 11.Re1 Nc5 12.Nd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 Nd3 [13...Nxb3 14.Nxb3 a5 15.Qc2 Qd7 16.Bd2 Bf5 17.Nc5 Bxc2 18.Nxd7 Rfd8 19.Rac1 Bf5 20.Nc5 Ra7 21.Bf4 b4 22.e6 fxe6 23.Nxe6 Bxe6 24.Rxe6 Bf6 25.Be5 Bxe5 26.Rxe5 Rd6 27.Re7 Kf8 28.Rexc7 Rxc7 29.Rxc7 Re6 30.Kf1 Re4 31.b3 Rxd4 32.Ra7 Rd2 33.Rxa5 d4 34.Ke1 Rb2 35.Rf5+ Kg8 36.Rd5 Rb1+ 37.Ke2 Rb2+ 38.Kf1 Rb1+ 39.Ke2 Rb2+ 40.Kf3 Rd2 41.h4 Kf7 42.Rd7+ Kf6 43.g3 h5 44.Rd5 g6 45.Ke4 Rxf2 46.Kxd4 Rf3 47.Rg5 Rc3 48.Kd5 Kf7 49.Kd4 Kf6 50.a4 Rxb3 51.Kc4 Rb1 52.a5 b3 53.Kc3 Kf7 54.Rb5 Rg1 55.a6 Ra1 56.Rb6 g5 57.hxg5 Rg1 58.a7 Ra1 59.Rb7+ Kg6 60.Kb2 Ra6 61.Rb6+ Rxb6 62.a8Q 1-0 Svidler,P (2732)-Sutovsky,E (2655)/Crete GRE 2007/The Week in Chess 678] 14.Re3 Nxc1 [14...Nf4 15.Bc2 c5 16.Re1 c4 was fine for black when Alekhine played it in and also when Suetin played it fifty years later] 15.Rxc1 c5 16.dxc5 Rc8 A logical attempt to open the position for the two bishops 17.Rec3 [17.Rd3 Rxc5 18.Rxc5 Bxc5 19.Ne4 Ba7 20.Bxd5 Qh4 21.g3 Qh3 22.Bxe6 Qxe6 23.Rd5 f6 24.Rd7 Bb8 25.Nc5 Qc4 26.Nxa6 Bxe5 27.b3 Qe4 28.Nc5 Qc6 29.b4 f5 30.Qb3+ Kh8 31.Qe6 Qxe6 32.Nxe6 Rb8 33.Rd8+ Rxd8 34.Nxd8 Bc3 35.Nc6 Kg8 36.Na7 Bxb4 37.Nxb5 Kf7 38.Kf1 g5 39.Ke2 Bc5 40.a4 Bb6 41.Nd6+ Ke6 42.Nc4 Bc5 43.a5 g4 44.a6 Kd5 45.Ne3+ Ke4 46.Nc2 Kd5 47.Ne3+ Ke4 48.Ng2 Bb6 49.Nf4 Kd4 50.Ne6+ Kd5 51.Ng5 h5 52.h3 Ke5 53.h4 f4 54.gxf4+ Kxf4 55.Nf7 g3 56.fxg3+ Kxg3 57.Ne5 Kxh4 58.Kf3 Kg5 59.Nc6 Kf5 60.a7 Bxa7 61.Nxa7 Ke5 1/2-1/2 Luther,T (2580)-De Vreugt,D (2451)/Santo Domingo DOM 2003/The Week in Chess 473] 17...b4

18.R3c2!! A far-sighted decision. Black's two rooks will not prosper in a position with no open files and Shirov is able to gradually move his pieces towards the black king 18...Bf5 19.c6 Bxc2 20.Rxc2 Qa5 21.Nf3 Rfd8 22.Nd4 g6 23.e6 Bf6 [23...f5 24.c7 Rxc7 25.Nc6] 24.exf7+ Kxf7 25.h4 [Shirov considers his position so dominant he decides to try and provoke further weaknesses but the straightforward 25.Qf3 was possibly better] 25...Qb6 26.Rd2 Rd6 [The computer demonstrates a remarkable defence with 26...Bxd4 27.Rxd4 Rxc6 28.Rxd5 Ke7! However to human eyes it looks implausible particularly with Alexei Shirov sitting opposite] 27.Nf5! Rdxc6 [27...gxf5 28.Rxd5 Rxd5 29.Qxd5+ Kg7 30.Qf7+ Kh6 31.Qxf6+ Kh5 32.Bd1# mate] 28.Bxd5+ Kf8 29.Bxc6 Rxc6 30.Ne3 Bxh4 31.Qf3+ Rf6 32.Qa8+ Kg7 33.Qe4 With twin threats of Nd5 and Qxh4 33...b3 34.axb3 1-0