 "Chess (#1170)")
When organisers do not coordinate with each other, there is often a situation when two big tournaments clash. The second edition of the Millionaire Chess was on in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort. This had five sections (with rating restrictions in four and an open section) and big prizes in each. The top four players in each section qualify for a KO match. Wesley So won the inaugural edition in 2014 and the $100,000 he received influenced his decision to drop out of college and go pro. Hikaru Nakamura won the second edition.
Unfortunately, the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin clashed. That was a monster. Magnus Carlsen was the man to watch since he was the defending champion in both categories. He retained the rapid title with a score of 11.5/15. Teimour Radjabov (second on tiebreak), Ian Nepomniachtchi (third), and Perez Lenier Dominguez shared 2-4 with 10.5 each.
For a while, the Norwegian looked all set to retain the blitz title. After 10 rounds, Carlsen shared the lead with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (both 9/10). Carlsen had beaten Vachier-Lagrave and then, he lost to Sergei Karjakin. After that, he lost to Radjabov and Alexander Grischuk. Vachier-Lagrave was also off the boil though he ruined his chances by five successive draws rather than losses. By Rd 19, Vladimir Kramnik, Grischuk and Vachier-Lagrave shared the lead (13.5 each) and Carlsen’s chances were finally crushed when he lost again to Vassily Ivanchuk.
Finally Grischuk edged the field with 15.5/ 21. This is Grischuk's third world blitz title — no surprises for those who follow his insane time scrambles in classical. Vachier-Lagrave and Kramnik shared second (15 each). Sadly for his fans, Viswanathan Anand did not place in either event. At 45-plus, his form in this sort of gruelling event is always hit-and-miss. He obviously doesn’t calculate with the same speed as in his youth. None of the other Indians made it to the prize list either.
DIAGRAM, BLACK TO PLAY, (White: Carlsen Vs Black: Karjakin, World Blitz-ch 2015). Karjakin takes a grip with 22.— g5! 23.Rh1 gxh4 24.Kg1 h3 25.Nxa6 Ra7! 26.Nc5 Rxa1 27.Qxa1 Bg4 28.Kh2 Qf6 29.Qb2 Qf3 30.Rg1 Ra8 31.c4 Kg7? [Instead 31...Ra1!! is lovely and wins instantly 32.Rxa1 Qg2# or 32. Qxa1 Qxf2+ 33. Kh1 Bf3+] This will come up again and again.
Play went 32.cxd5 cxd5 33.b4 Rb8 [Again 33...Ra1!] 34.Na6 Rb6 35.Nc7 Rxb4! 36.Qa2 Ra4 [Now 36...Rb1!] 37.Qb2 Ra5 38.Ne8+ Kg6 39.Nc7 h5 40.Qc2 Kh7 41.Qb2 Qf6 42.Rc1 Qf3 43.Rg1 Qf5 [Again — Ra1!] 44.Rc1 Ra7 45.Ne8 Qf3 46.Rg1 Ra6 47.Qc2 Re6 [Now 48. Nc7 Rc6.]
(0–1). Unusual for a sacrificial theme to become so permanent. Carlsen never really recovered from here.
Unfortunately, the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Berlin clashed. That was a monster. Magnus Carlsen was the man to watch since he was the defending champion in both categories. He retained the rapid title with a score of 11.5/15. Teimour Radjabov (second on tiebreak), Ian Nepomniachtchi (third), and Perez Lenier Dominguez shared 2-4 with 10.5 each.
For a while, the Norwegian looked all set to retain the blitz title. After 10 rounds, Carlsen shared the lead with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (both 9/10). Carlsen had beaten Vachier-Lagrave and then, he lost to Sergei Karjakin. After that, he lost to Radjabov and Alexander Grischuk. Vachier-Lagrave was also off the boil though he ruined his chances by five successive draws rather than losses. By Rd 19, Vladimir Kramnik, Grischuk and Vachier-Lagrave shared the lead (13.5 each) and Carlsen’s chances were finally crushed when he lost again to Vassily Ivanchuk.
Finally Grischuk edged the field with 15.5/ 21. This is Grischuk's third world blitz title — no surprises for those who follow his insane time scrambles in classical. Vachier-Lagrave and Kramnik shared second (15 each). Sadly for his fans, Viswanathan Anand did not place in either event. At 45-plus, his form in this sort of gruelling event is always hit-and-miss. He obviously doesn’t calculate with the same speed as in his youth. None of the other Indians made it to the prize list either.
DIAGRAM, BLACK TO PLAY, (White: Carlsen Vs Black: Karjakin, World Blitz-ch 2015). Karjakin takes a grip with 22.— g5! 23.Rh1 gxh4 24.Kg1 h3 25.Nxa6 Ra7! 26.Nc5 Rxa1 27.Qxa1 Bg4 28.Kh2 Qf6 29.Qb2 Qf3 30.Rg1 Ra8 31.c4 Kg7? [Instead 31...Ra1!! is lovely and wins instantly 32.Rxa1 Qg2# or 32. Qxa1 Qxf2+ 33. Kh1 Bf3+] This will come up again and again.
Play went 32.cxd5 cxd5 33.b4 Rb8 [Again 33...Ra1!] 34.Na6 Rb6 35.Nc7 Rxb4! 36.Qa2 Ra4 [Now 36...Rb1!] 37.Qb2 Ra5 38.Ne8+ Kg6 39.Nc7 h5 40.Qc2 Kh7 41.Qb2 Qf6 42.Rc1 Qf3 43.Rg1 Qf5 [Again — Ra1!] 44.Rc1 Ra7 45.Ne8 Qf3 46.Rg1 Ra6 47.Qc2 Re6 [Now 48. Nc7 Rc6.]
(0–1). Unusual for a sacrificial theme to become so permanent. Carlsen never really recovered from here.
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player