It's been a roller coaster ride in Biel so far. Initially the higher rateds had all the fun, then the underdogs entered the party and finally the better players started to win games. The leaders switched places (maybe not for the last time) today, and among other decisive games the tailenders made up lost ground to make it an exciting event. Vidit Gujarathi has turned on the afterburners after a bad start in the rapids, and today he didn't give any significant chances to Peter Leko to win a crucial game and take sole lead. Nodirbek Abdusattorov finally settled his nerves and outplayed Sam Shankland from a 4.d3 Anti Berlin to hand the American a painful loss. Jorge Cori found respite after an average start, beating the off-colour Maghsoodloo in a wonderful counterattacking game in the French Advance as Black. The all Swiss Duel between Georgiadis and Bogner ended in a tame draw. Time to go to the deep end:
Vidit 1-0 Leko
If Vidit goes on to win the tournament, he will definitely point this game out as the turning point. Yesterday he escaped by the narrowest of margins against Sam, and today he converted after an arduous struggle against the dogged Peter Leko. Having faced all the strongest players first and scored 7.0/9, Vidit is in pole position with four rounds of Classical chess to go. Here are the critical moments of the encounter:
The two most solid players produced one of the most exciting games in the tournament so far! | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Vidit-Leko
Vidit goes for the English with Marin's move order - 1.c4 followed by 2.g3
Leko goes for a relatively rare plan involving an early queenside expansion, starting with 6...Rb8.
Vidit played Rb1 here, which looks natural and is a perfectly good decision. However, some calculation would have led him to greener pastures. Can you find an interesting alternative for White here?
White is slightly better despite the structure being nearly symmetrical, because he is just two moves from completing development, while Black's pieces are a little loose. Here Leko played the natural Nf6 and was soon in trouble. Can you find a better move? Black to play.
Again, your job is to play better than the India No.3. White to play and get a huge advantage. Remember the golden rule in chess - there are no rules!
Despite Vidit's inaccuracy, he soon found himself in this formidable position. The key thing to note is the difference between the knight on c5 and f6. That is the key nuance that guarantees White a large positional advantage.
After a few more moves we reach this position where surprisingly Black is in a mild middlegame zugzwang! His pieces can't get to better squares, and the weakness of the b5 and d5 pawns is significant. It would not be wrong to say that White is close to winning.
Vidit played g4! here, opening the position to target the Black king. Though the idea is very strong, it is yet again not the best way to finish the game. Can you find the finishing maneuver?
While Vidit's Qb3?! doesn't throw the win away, it makes it harder. Find the decisive series of moves that forces Black to resign sooner than later!
While the previous inaccuracy didn't throw away a winning advantage, Be2?! here definitely does! Vidit had to improve his last piece while creating threats to the Black king. With that in mind, find the only way for White to retain a winning advantage.
With White's advantage contained to manageable levels, it was time to sit tight and ask him to win the game. Leko tried the same with Kg7?!, and it was justified after f4?!. Can you find why the game move doesn't work, and find the improvement?
Find the best move to bring Black to his knees. Remember, sometimes initiative overpowers material gains!
Vidit is now two pawns up. The rest is about mopping up correctly.
Time to finish well! White to play and win.
The look of a man in command of things! | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
It went downhill for Leko after a few inaccurate opening moves. | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Abdusattorov 1-0 Shankland
While technically not an earth shattering result, it is definitely surprising, considering how well Sam has been playing since crossing 2700. Due credit must be given to the young phenom, who played a nearly faultless game to get the better of the top seed. Here are a few highlights:
Is this an announcement to the world by the Uzbek prodigy? | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Abdusattorov-Shankland
White has a small advantage due to his better development, but nothing that can't be neutralised. Here Sam had to go for Be6! completing his development. Instead, b5? was perhaps a loss of objectivity. After axb5 cxb5 Na5! White had a serious advantage.
White is better due to the following factors - the d5 pawn is passed, protected and prevented Black from occupying d6, the Knight on a5 is an ideal blockader of the queenside pawn roller and Black's queenside pieces are still on their initial squares without much scope.
Black grabbed a pawn, but that is his only achievement in the game so far. White's pieces are super active, and it was time to open the queenside with b3! creating decisive threats. Ra3!? played in the game is weaker, but has its logic too - Nodirbek wanted to advance his center.
Black's best chance was Rxc7! bxc7 Rxc7. Though White remains better, Black has fighting chances due to his queenside majority. Instead, fxe5?! was simply bad, allowing White to finish the game off ruthlessly.
What shall I do? | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Is the future converging with the present? | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Maghsoodloo 0-1 Cori
Parham Maghsoodloo is suddenly struggling for form. After playing a good rapid, he has suddenly lost two classical games in a row. It was a respite for his opponent Jorge Cori, who was fighting well but not getting a breakthrough. Well, it came in this game, which was full of interesting moments:
The World Junior Champion couldn't bring out his best today. | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
It was time to take the draw after Qf3 Nh4 Qg4 Nf5. Instead, Bxf5? was too optimistic, and allowed Black to take over the game.
While Parham's initial idea of the queen sacrifice was an innacuracy, the move Nxg4? was a mistake, as it allowed Black to win the b2 pawn by force. Instead, Bxg4 retains a complex position with fighting chances for White.
One can understand from the diagram that Black is completely winning, as the queenside pawns fall off and the d-pawn is too strong.
The final position shows how ruinous White's position actually is. A wonderful counter-punching effort by Jorge Cori!
Georgiadis 0.5-0.5 Bogner
The relative no show of the round. With White Nico didn't get much out of a Catalan, and Bogner simplified into a drawn bishop ending. There was an intriguing moment where White could have complicated play:
The All Swiss duel was as friendly as it sounds. | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Georgiadis-Bogner
White's best chance to fight for an advantage was with f4!? trying to expand on the kingside and not volunteering to an exchange of rooks. Instead, after Qc5!? the game ended peacefully soon enough.
Overall ranking
| Rank | Name | Games | Classic | Rapid | Blitz | Total |
|---|
| 1 | GM Santosh Vidit | 10 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | GM Peter Leko | 10 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 14 |
| 3 | GM Sam Shankland | 10 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 13 |
| 4 | GM Jorge Cori | 10 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 11 |
| GM Parham Maghsoodloo | 10 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 6 | GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 10 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| 7 | GM Nico Georgiadis | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 8 | GM Sebastian Bogner | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
Vidit takes over the lead with 4 rounds of classical chess and the blitz section still to come. Can he maintain his momentum?
About the Author
Tanmay Srinath is an 18-year-old chess player from Bangalore, Karnataka, currently pursuing both chess and engineering at BMSCE Bangalore. Tanmay is also a Taekwondo Black Belt, who has represented the country in an International Tournament in Thailand. He is a big fan of Mikhail Tal and Vishy Anand, and sincerely believes in doing his bit to Power Chess in India!
