 "Chess (#1037)")
The Candidates is just short of the halfway stage. Carlsen and Aronian, have opened up distance between them and the rest with three wins and three draws each to score 4.5 points from six rounds. Carlsen has beaten Gelfand, Grischuk and Svidler while Aronian has beaten Ivanchuk, Gelfand and Radjabov.
Nobody else has a plus score. One of these two will therefore be the challenger. Kramnik is 3 with six draws. Svidler is also on 50 per cent with a win and a loss. Radjabov, Grischuk, Gelfand, and Ivanchuk have minus scores.
Aronian has played more attractive and creative chess on the surface. But he has also skated closer to the edge. Carlsen has been his usual efficient self, taking every chance offered without any serious errors. As usual, the world no:1 has avoided committal opening lines.
Just two of the six rounds have not featured any decisive games. There have been no short draws. Round eight will see the second Carlsen-Aronian clash and that could be the key to first place. The coverage has been terrific with high-quality broadcasts and commentary.
The adoption of the tennis concept of the players explaining thought processes post-game, has been a big success. When this was introduced several years ago, most players didn't see the point. But it adds a lot of value for for the audience when a players explains why he made committal decisions.
The diagram BLACK TO PLAY (Svidler Vs Carlsen Candidates 2013) is a good illustration of Carlsen's method. Black has an edge with pressure on d3 and the open b-file. The exchange sacrifice of 23.--Rxb1 24. Raxb1 Bxd3 25. Qa2! Rxa5 26. Qd2 is tempting. Black has ample material, space and the bishop pair but white may fight on.
Instead Carlsen found 23.-- e4! 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Bxd4 exd3 26.Bxd3 Bxd3 27.Rxd3 c5 28.Be5 Rxd3 29.Bxb8 c4. Black has what Karpov used to call "a 50-50 position" meaning 50 per cent chance of winning, 50 per cent chances of a draw and no losing chances.
Play continued 30.Be5 Bc5 31.Rb1 Qd5 32.Rb8+ Kh7 and now 33. Re8 protecting Be5 is the only move that keeps white alive against threats like Rd1, Rd2, Bxf2 etc.. The apparently deadly 33. Re8 Rd2? is met by 34. Qg4! and white wins.
Instead 33.Qh5? Qe4! Black stops the mating idea 34. Rh8+ Kxh8 35. Qxh6+ Qh7! He avoids simplifying by 33.--Bxf2+34. Kxf2 Rd2+ 35. Ke1 Rd1+ 36. Qxd1 Qxe5 37. Qe2 Qxb8 38. Qxc4. Now if 34. Bd4 Qe1+ 35. Kh2 Bd6+ or 34. Re8 Bxf2+ And black just takes the bishop in the game after 34.Rb2 Rd5 35.Re2 Qb1+ 36.Kh2 f6 (0-1). Cool, efficient and tactically on top of everything.
Nobody else has a plus score. One of these two will therefore be the challenger. Kramnik is 3 with six draws. Svidler is also on 50 per cent with a win and a loss. Radjabov, Grischuk, Gelfand, and Ivanchuk have minus scores.
Aronian has played more attractive and creative chess on the surface. But he has also skated closer to the edge. Carlsen has been his usual efficient self, taking every chance offered without any serious errors. As usual, the world no:1 has avoided committal opening lines.
Just two of the six rounds have not featured any decisive games. There have been no short draws. Round eight will see the second Carlsen-Aronian clash and that could be the key to first place. The coverage has been terrific with high-quality broadcasts and commentary.
The adoption of the tennis concept of the players explaining thought processes post-game, has been a big success. When this was introduced several years ago, most players didn't see the point. But it adds a lot of value for for the audience when a players explains why he made committal decisions.
The diagram BLACK TO PLAY (Svidler Vs Carlsen Candidates 2013) is a good illustration of Carlsen's method. Black has an edge with pressure on d3 and the open b-file. The exchange sacrifice of 23.--Rxb1 24. Raxb1 Bxd3 25. Qa2! Rxa5 26. Qd2 is tempting. Black has ample material, space and the bishop pair but white may fight on.
Instead Carlsen found 23.-- e4! 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Bxd4 exd3 26.Bxd3 Bxd3 27.Rxd3 c5 28.Be5 Rxd3 29.Bxb8 c4. Black has what Karpov used to call "a 50-50 position" meaning 50 per cent chance of winning, 50 per cent chances of a draw and no losing chances.
Play continued 30.Be5 Bc5 31.Rb1 Qd5 32.Rb8+ Kh7 and now 33. Re8 protecting Be5 is the only move that keeps white alive against threats like Rd1, Rd2, Bxf2 etc.. The apparently deadly 33. Re8 Rd2? is met by 34. Qg4! and white wins.
Instead 33.Qh5? Qe4! Black stops the mating idea 34. Rh8+ Kxh8 35. Qxh6+ Qh7! He avoids simplifying by 33.--Bxf2+34. Kxf2 Rd2+ 35. Ke1 Rd1+ 36. Qxd1 Qxe5 37. Qe2 Qxb8 38. Qxc4. Now if 34. Bd4 Qe1+ 35. Kh2 Bd6+ or 34. Re8 Bxf2+ And black just takes the bishop in the game after 34.Rb2 Rd5 35.Re2 Qb1+ 36.Kh2 f6 (0-1). Cool, efficient and tactically on top of everything.
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player