Chess (#1095)

The premier of the Gashimov Memorial saw joint leaders Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana (both on 5.5) meeting in the tenth and last round. The Italian-American had won the first game in the double-rounder and Caruana also had a stable performance with three wins and one loss.

Carlsen had a much more volatile tournament, with four wins, two losses (the second against Teimour Radjabov after Carlsen made an unsound sacrifice) and just three draws. Just behind the duo, Hikaru Nakamura, Sergey Karjakin and Radjabov were all on 4.5, which meant they all had realistic chances of sharing second if they won.
 
Carlsen won the decider, gaining the upper hand in a complex struggle that was really difficult to understand, even with computer aid. The other two games were drawn. "Fab", as Caruana is inevitably known, has now made a habit of beating Carlsen at classical controls at least once every year since 2011. In contrast, the flamboyant Nakamura, who claims he's the only man who can "stop Sauron", has a minus 10 record (10 losses, no wins) against Carlsen. In the B section, Pavel Eljanov won with a score of 6.5 from nine games. Alexander Motylev was clear second with 5.5. Wang Hao and Étienne Bacrot shared third with 5 each.

Meanwhile the Asia Continental Championships also concluded in Sharjah. This was an unequivocal triumph for the Chinese. Yu Yangyi, the 19-year-old world junior champion, won with a score of 7 from 9. He was followed by a band of Baskaran Adhiban, Ni Hua, Rustam Kasimdzhanov and Wen Yang, who all scored 6.5. These five qualify for the 2015 World Cup in Baku. Wen managed a crucial last round win against Krishnan Sasikiran who is rated 100 points higher. Since Yu is already qualified by dint of the World Junior, local boy Saleh Salem (who had the best tiebreak among the players on 6) makes it as well.

The diagram, (Carlsen Vs Caruana, Vugar Gashimov Memorial 2014) shows black on the verge of launching a big pawn storm. White responded with a sharp defence.

22.Qb1 f4 23.Bd2 e3 24.Be1! Bf5 25.Qc1 h5?! There are no obvious chances with 25...exf2+ 26.Bxf2 fxg3 27.Bxg3 when White seems to be in control. But now black is committed to more material sacrifices.

Play continued 26.fxe3 fxg3 27.Bxg3 Qg5 28.e4! Qxg3 29.Rd3! An excellent defence more or less forcing 29...Qh4 30.exf5 gxf5 31.e4 fxe4 32.Bxe4+ Kh8 33.Qe3 Rf4 34.Bg2 Qe7 35.Qe2 Qh4 36.b4!

White is clearly winning - materially ahead and with better piece coordination. Black tried 36...e4 37.Nxe4 Ne5 38.Rd5 Kg8 39.b5 Rf5 40.c6 bxc6 41.bxc6 Qe7 42.Nd6 Rg5 43.Nb5 Qe6 44.Rd8+ Kh7 45.Qe4+ Rg6 46.c7 Qa6 47.c8Q Qa1+ 48.Kf2 Qb2+ 49.Ke1 (1-0). The checks run out.

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Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player