MVL stops the Magnus juggernaut
Just when it seemed like Magnus is unstoppable and MVL has an outside chance, Maxime made the most out of his opportunity and defeated Carlsen in the Rapid Playoff to advance to the finals. In the final rapid tie-break game, MVL had a decisive advantage, but he missed it and managed to make a draw which was sufficient enough for him to book a berth at the finals against Ding Liren. Levon Aronian's woes continued as he lost both rapid games and then he drew a blitz game, only to lose the next two. He redeemed himself by beating Ding in the last blitz match. The Finals Classical game 1 will take place on 6th and game 2 on 7th December. The Rapid and Blitz part of the Finals will take place on 8th December. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour
It's MVL vs Ding at GCT London Finals
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Ding Liren will meet in the finals after defeating Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian respectively. While Ding was dominant in his match, Vachier-Lagrave had to go all the way to tiebreaks to secure his spot. Ding and Vachier-Lagrave will be competing for the $150000 first place prize and the title of Grand Chess Tour Champion, while Carlsen and Aronian will battle it out for the third place qualifying spot to the 2020 GCT in addition to a $60000 prize. Tomorrow the players will take a break from the action to partake in the corporate day, where they will be paired with entrepreneurs in friendly games to raise money for the UK charity Chess in Schools and Communities. Action will resume on December 6.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen
The first two rapid games witnessed tepid draws.
The first Blitz game witnessed the same line as the second Classical and first Rapid game. However this time, MVL opted for 11.Qe2 instead of 11.b3 which he played on the previous two occasions.
MVL - Carlsen, Blitz game 1
Of course white should not take the rook at e4. Instead play 22.Qg5 or Qh6, but MVL took the rook and Svidler wondered if that was the right decision. Turns out it wasn't. After a few moves, the position liquidated into another opposite color bishop endgame and a draw was agreed.
The second blitz game evoked the first decisive result of the Carlsen-MVL encounter as Magnus unlike himself misplayed a seemingly equal rook ending.
Carlsen - MVL, Blitz game 2
Can you find the correct continuation for white here?
But Carlsen being Carlsen, he immediately made a comeback and beat MVL to equalize the scores.
Carlsen - MVL, Blitz game 3
MVL missed a good tactic which could have equalized things and played 19.Na4 instead. It all went downhill from there and MVL ended up arriving at a losing rook and minor piece endgame.
The final blitz game was an uneventful draw
The first tie-break rapid game was absolutely a roller coaster ride where the evaluation kept changing, Carlsen had a big advantage which he could not maintain. In the end it was Maxime who gained the advantage in the knight ending and converted it into a full point.
Vachier-Lagrave just needed a draw in the second tie-break game to avoid Armageddon and advance to the finals. MVL missed a win and the game eventually ended up in a draw which allowed MVL to advance to the finals.
MVL - Carlsen, Tie-break Rapid game 2
Ding Liren vs Levon Aronian
After losing both Rapid games, Aronian drew the first Blitz game and then lost the next two. He won the final Blitz game, however that was not enough to advance to the finals. It is Ding Liren who will face Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Peter Svidler said, "Spare a thought for Levon Aronian who lost horribly today and gets to play against Magnus Carlsen as a consolation".
Source: Press Release
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Links
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Ding Liren wins Grand Chess Tour 2019
@ 09/12/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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GCT Finals: Advantage Ding, Carlsen's streak is still alive
@ 08/12/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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GCT Finals: MVL escapes with a draw, Carlsen wins
@ 07/12/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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Will MVL have the final laugh?
@ 04/12/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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MVL tackles Carlsen's experiment
@ 03/12/2019 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |