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Shakhriyar Mamedaryov won the Beijing Grand Prix with 7 points from 11 games. It's been a good year for the Azeri GM who won the World Rapids and Geneva Rapids earlier. Alexander Grischuk finished second on 6.5. Veselin Topalov and Peter Leko shared third with 6 each.
It was a very bloody tournament with a large number of miniatures and short decisions. Both Mamedaryov and Grischuk lost in the penultimate round, which meant last-round tension. The winner suffered two losses. Leko was the only unbeaten player. Everybody scored at least one win.
The scoring pattern was tight. Fifth to eighth was shared by Anish Giri, Alexander Morozevich, Sergey Karjakin and Wang Yue who all hit 5.5. Ninth to eleventh went to Vassily Ivanchuk, Boris Gelfand and Wang Hao, who all scored 5 - that is, just under 50 per cent. Gata Kamsky (3.5) was the only player markedly out of form.
The GP format is such that 18 players are part of the cycle and each plays a maximum of four events. The top three results are summed with points awarded for each place (170 for clear first, 140 for second, etc.). The winner and second-placed qualify for the Candidates.
Overall, with five of the six GP tournaments concluded, Topalov leads with 410 GP points from his top three performances while Mamedaryov is second on 390. Both have finished playing their quota of four events. Topalov has definitely qualified for the Candidates since he's guaranteed first place. Grischuk (230 points from his best two results) could, in theory, overtake Mamedaryov if he wins the last GP outright.
The Diagram, BLACK TO PLAY, (Ivanchuk Vs Mamedaryov GP Beijing 2013) is a fine example of Mamedaryov's dynamism. He played 21.--- Bxe4! 22.fxe4 Ng4 23.Bxb6 Nxf2 24.Bxf2 Qa4. Highly unbalanced but probably equal. It looks good for white due to the bishops but the white king is very exposed.
Play continued 25.Nd4 Qxa2 26.Nc6 Rb7 27.e5 Rd7! 28.Bc5 Rxd1+ 29.Rxd1 Re8 30.Bxb4 Qxb2 31.Bd5 Re6!? Mutual time trouble and an extraordinary move. The normal 31.--Kh8 32. Bxf7 Rc8 33. Bg6 Qe2 is also insanely tactical.
Now play went 32.Bd6 a5 33.Rf1 Qd2 34.Bxe6 fxe6 35.Ne7+ Kh7 36.Rf3 a4 37.Ra3? Instead 37. h4 is equality. White holds a3 and reduces the effect of g5. Black should get at least a perpetual.
Black seized his chance with 37...Qe1+ 38.Kg2 Qe2+ 39.Kg1 g5! 40.Ra1?? The rook move is terrible. Best is 40.h4 gxh4 41.gxh4 Qg4+ 42.Kf2 Qxh4+ 43.Rg3 where white draws by controlling third rank. Mamedaryov finished with 40...Qe3+ 41.Kg2 Qe4+ 42.Kh3. The rook hangs 42. Kf2/ Kg1 Qd4+; 42. Kf1 Qh1+ 42...g4+ 43.Kh4 Qe3 The threat is Qg5# and 44. Kxg4 Qd4+ is forced. (0-1).
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player
