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Hoogeveen 07-09: Gupta wins as India sweep the podium

by Priyadarshan Banjan - 23/10/2016

Abhijeet Gupta won the 2016 Hoogeveen Open after scoring a comfortable 7.5/9. Lalith Babu, who had been leading with Gupta after seven rounds meanwhile suffered an unfortunate accident. Six Indians managed to finish in top-ten, including 15-year-old Rakesh Kumar Jena who is featured on our cover picture today. We have pictures, tactics, stories and more...

Hoogeveen 07-09: Gupta wins as India sweep the podium

Photos by Lennart Ootes

 

At the end of six rounds, GM Abhijeet Gupta and GM Lalith Babu were perched comfortably at the top with 5.5/6. Both of them had dominated the field throughout. In their mutual encounter, they had settled for a quick draw. The trend continued in the seventh round as well.

IM S. Nitin was playing Gupta in the seventh round with the white pieces. He played a daring exchange sacrifice after which both the players had to play very accurately to maintain the balance.

Gupta managed to do just that, but Nitin went wrong.
[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.20"]
[Round "7.1"]
[White "Nitin, S."]
[Black "Gupta, Abhijeet"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2410"]
[BlackElo "2626"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:03:41"]
[BlackClock "0:26:47"]
1. e4 {4} e6 {0} 2. d4 {7} d5 {0} 3. Nc3 {5} Nf6 {0} 4. Bg5 {5} dxe4 {0} 5.
Nxe4 {4} Be7 {5} 6. Bxf6 {6} gxf6 {3} 7. Nf3 {6} f5 {16} 8. Nc3 {5} a6 {9} 9.
Qe2 {5} Qd6 {167} 10. O-O-O {101} Nd7 {18} 11. g3 {922} b5 {156} 12. d5 {158}
Bb7 {205} 13. Nd4 {182} O-O-O {541} 14. dxe6 $1 {313} Bxh1 {359} 15. exd7+ {126
} Rxd7 {27} 16. Nxf5 {219} Bg5+ {103} (16... Qe6 17. Qxe6 fxe6 18. Nxe7+ Rxe7
19. Bxb5 axb5 20. Rxh1 c6 $11) (16... Qc5 17. Bh3 $1 Rxd1+ 18. Qxd1 Bg5+ 19. f4
Bxf4+ 20. gxf4 Bb7 21. Nd6+ Kb8 22. Nxb7 Kxb7 $18) 17. f4 {99} Bxf4+ {898} 18.
Kb1 $1 {706} (18. gxf4 Qxf4+ 19. Ne3 (19. Kb1 Qxf5 $19) 19... Rxd1+ 20. Ncxd1
$11) 18... Qe6 {474} 19. Rxd7 {31} (19. Nd4 $1 Qxe2 20. Bxe2 Rxd4 21. Rxd4 Be5
22. Rd1 Bb7 $11) 19... Qxd7 {20} 20. Bh3 {56} Kb8 {35} 21. gxf4 {736} Re8 {48}
22. Qd1 {495} Qxd1+ {111} 23. Nxd1 {4} Re2 {6} 24. Nfe3 {782} Rxh2 $15 {175}
25. Bf1 {15} Bf3 {46} 26. a4 {201} bxa4 {149} 27. Bxa6 {90} h5 $19 {24} 28. Bc4
{104} f6 {240} 29. Bd5 {155} Bxd1 {258} 30. Nxd1 {5} Rd2 {4} 31. Bf3 {73} h4 {4
} 32. Kc1 {226} Rd4 {8} 33. f5 {32} Rf4 {213} 34. Bc6 {16} Rxf5 {90} 35. Ne3 {
18} Rg5 {179} 36. Bd7 {163} h3 {193} 37. Bxa4 {214} Kb7 {119} 0-1

 

 

Meanwhile, Lalith also put it across Sipke Ernst with accurate calculations.
[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.20"]
[Round "7.2"]
[White "Lalith Babu M R"]
[Black "Ernst, Sipke"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E91"]
[WhiteElo "2586"]
[BlackElo "2540"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r4rk1/3b2bp/1R1p4/p1pP1p1q/2P1p3/2N4P/P2Q1PP1/1R2N1K1 b - - 0 24"]
[PlyCount "22"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:05:53"]
[BlackClock "0:01:25"]
24... f4 $1 {722 Black is opening up lines to attack by investing two pawns.}
25. Nxe4 {211} Rae8 $2 {207 A bit too optimitic.} (25... Bf5 $1 {is a
must-play move.} 26. f3 Bd4+ 27. Kh2 (27. Kf1 $4 Bxe4 28. fxe4 f3 29. Nxf3
Rxf3+ 30. gxf3 Qxf3+ 31. Ke1 Bc3 $19) 27... Rae8 28. Nc2 Bxe4 29. fxe4 Be5 30.
Kh1 f3 31. Qf2 $15) 26. Nxd6 {171} Re2 {102 threatening ...Bd4. This was
Black's plan.} 27. Qd3 {6} Bd4 {73} 28. Qf3 $1 {56 But it turns out White is
just in time to liquitate into a won endgame.} Bxf2+ {376} 29. Kf1 {10} Qxf3 {
110} 30. Nxf3 {4} Rxa2 {4} 31. Rb7 {112} Ba4 {23} 32. R7b2 {69} Rxb2 {4} 33.
Rxb2 {3} Be3 {125} 34. Ra2 {10} Bb3 {263} 35. Rxa5 $16 {5 A pawn ahead, with
space and d5 passer. White won easily.} 1-0

 

Round 08: Lucas Van Foreest (2350) vs. Lalith Babu (2585)

With victories in the seventh round, Lalith and Gupta reached 6.5/7. They had already played each other in the fifth round. Both the players would have been secretly hoping to see each other lose. The one who would last longer would win the tournament.

 

Lalith was facing the talented 15-year-old Lucas Van Foreest, rated more than 200 points below him. Would Lalith manage to win easily again?

[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.21"]
[Round "8.2"]
[White "Van Foreest, Lucas"]
[Black "Lalith Babu M R"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C78"]
[WhiteElo "2350"]
[BlackElo "2586"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:29:27"]
[BlackClock "0:11:47"]
1. e4 {0} e5 {0} 2. Nf3 {0} Nc6 {0} 3. Bb5 {3} a6 {0} 4. Ba4 {3} Nf6 {0} 5. O-O
{6} b5 {409} 6. Bb3 {7} Bb7 {27} 7. d3 {141} Be7 {180} 8. Re1 {80} O-O {55} 9.
h3 {146} d5 {237} 10. exd5 {11} Nxd5 {3} 11. a4 {102} Nd4 {437} 12. Nxd4 {43}
exd4 {6} 13. axb5 {88} axb5 {129} 14. Rxa8 {56} Bxa8 {4} 15. Na3 {117} Bb4 {132
} 16. Bd2 {254} Bxd2 {86} 17. Qxd2 {10} Qf6 $5 {831} (17... Qd7 18. Qg5 h6 (
18... b4 19. Nc4 Qd8 20. Qg4 c5) 19. Qe5 $16 c5 20. Nxb5 $16) (17... b4 18. Nc4
c5 $11) 18. Nxb5 {1191} Nf4 {53} 19. f3 {17} Qh4 {940} (19... Qh6 $1 {or} 20.
Kh2 (20. Qf2 $2 Qg5 {Double attack.} (20... Qg6 21. Kh2) 21. h4 Qxb5 22. Qxd4
Nd5 23. Re5 c6) ({White has to take a draw with} 20. Kf1 Bxf3 21. gxf3 Qxh3+
22. Kg1 Qg3+ 23. Kh1 Qh3+ 24. Kg1 $11) 20... Bxf3 21. gxf3 Qxh3+ 22. Kg1 Qg3+
23. Kh1 $11) (19... Qg5 $2 20. Kf1 Nxh3 21. Qxg5 Nxg5 22. Nxc7 $18) 20. Nxd4 {
773} Qg3 $2 {1093} (20... Nxh3+ 21. gxh3 Qxd4+ 22. Kg2 Qf6 $1 $11 (22... Qxb2
$2 23. Qf4 {and now a blunder like} c5 $4 24. Qxf7+ $1 Rxf7 25. Re8#)) 21. Kf1
$18 {596 Basic prophylaxis. Black is busted now.} (21. Kh1 $2 Nxg2 $1 $19 (
21... Nxh3 22. Re2 Nf4 23. Nf5 Qg5 24. Re5 $16)) 21... c5 {155} (21... Qh2 22.
Qf2 $18) 22. Nf5 {168} Qh2 {32} 23. Qf2 {38} Nh5 {112} 24. Qxc5 {329} Bxf3 {466
} 25. gxf3 {232} Qxh3+ {35} 26. Kg1 {8} g6 {51} 27. Bxf7+ $1 {24} 1-0

While Lalith lost, Gupta settled for a draw with GM Sandipan Chanda.

 

In the final round, Chanda handed Lalith his second straight loss!
[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.22"]
[Round "9.2"]
[White "Sandipan, Chanda"]
[Black "Lalith Babu M R"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A46"]
[WhiteElo "2593"]
[BlackElo "2586"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:06:56"]
[BlackClock "0:08:12"]

1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {
[%emt 0:00:00]} 3. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:05] Sandipan has been playing the London
system quite regularly recently.} c5 {[%emt 0:00:54]} 4. e3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} d5
{[%emt 0:00:10]} 5. c3 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 6. Nbd2 {[%emt 0:
00:09]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00:07] This is the recommended way for Black to play.
Simple and sound development. However, it seems as if White is coming out on
top in many of the games. Let's see how Chanda plays here.} 7. Bg3 {[%emt 0:00:
09]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:09]} 8. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} b6 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 9. Qe2 {
[%emt 0:00:34]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:01:12]} 10. O-O {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rc8 {[%emt 0:09:
50]} 11. a3 {[%emt 0:01:52]} Ne7 {[%emt 0:11:42]} 12. Bxd6 {[%emt 0:00:20]}
Qxd6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 13. Ne5 {[%emt 0:00:08] The position is round about
equal. The bishop on d3 seems better than the bishop on b7, but, soon we will
soon see something quite paradoxical.} Ne4 {[%emt 0:16:33]} 14. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:
15:55]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 15. Ba6 {[%emt 0:00:08] With the bishop exchange
White hopes to exploit Black's queenside weaknesses.} Bxa6 {[%emt 0:04:32]} 16.
Qxa6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:11:53]} 17. f3 {[%emt 0:06:11]} f6 {[%emt 0:
03:59]} 18. Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} h5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:31]} 19. Nf2 {[%emt 0:00:07]
} exf3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 20. gxf3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:54] With
powerful moves Black has taken over the initiative.} (20... c4 $5 {was also
pretty strong.}) 21. Qe2 {[%emt 0:07:44]} e5 $6 {[%emt 0:02:03]} (21... cxd4 $1
22. exd4 (22. cxd4 Qc2 $17) 22... Nf4 $15) 22. c4 $1 {[%emt 0:02:30]} Ne7 {
[%emt 0:01:14]} 23. d5 {[%emt 0:00:32] White is now better because of the
passer.} Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 24. Ne4 {[%emt 0:02:12]} Nd6 {[%emt 0:01:49]} 25.
Kh1 {[%emt 0:04:41]} Nxe4 {[%emt 0:13:42]} 26. fxe4 {[%emt 0:01:53] Suddenly
the move h5 which was excellent when it was played, turns into a weakness.} g6
{[%emt 0:02:03]} 27. Rf3 {[%emt 0:10:12]} Qh7 28. Raf1 Kg7 {[%emt 0:01:50]} 29.
h4 {[%emt 0:13:26]} Rc7 {[%emt 0:00:37]} 30. Qf2 {[%emt 0:01:31]} Rcf7 {
[%emt 0:00:53]} 31. Qg3 Kh8 {[%emt 0:02:01]} 32. Kh2 {[%emt 0:04:35]} Qh6 {
[%emt 0:00:21]} 33. Qh3 {[%emt 0:03:18]} Qg7 {[%emt 0:02:12]} 34. Qe6 {[%emt 0:
00:49]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 35. d6 {[%emt 0:01:09]} a5 {[%emt 0:02:15]} 36.
R1f2 {[%emt 0:07:23]} Kh6 {[%emt 0:01:20]} 37. Kg1 {[%emt 0:03:31]} g5 $2 {
[%emt 0:01:43] completely impatient. Black was worse but this just hastens the
end.} 38. hxg5+ {[%emt 0:06:14]} Qxg5+ {[%emt 0:00:10]} 39. Rg2 {[%emt 0:00:25]
} Qh4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 40. d7 {[%emt 0:01:43]} Qxe4 {[%emt 0:03:04]} 41. Qxf7 {
[%emt 0:02:28] The London system didn't give White any advantage. In fact
Lalith showed the best way for Black to play against it, but in the middlegame
he went wrong and Chanda was pretty much ruthless.} 1-0

Chanda thus leapfrogged Lalith and took the second spot with 7.0/9. Lalith had to remain happy with the third place for his 6.5/9.

But the battle for the top position was not over yet!

Lucas Van Foreest faced Gupta on the top board. The tiebreak rule meant that the result of the mutual game would decide the winner. If Lucas managed to beat Gupta, he would become the champion, and also earn a GM norm. Now, that would have been something.

But Gupta did not suffer any accidents and took a draw against Lucas. Thus, he was the Hoogeveen Champion for 2016 with 7.5/9.

GM Shyam Sundar M. scored 6.5/9 and was fourth on the tiebreak. 

64-year-old GM Oleg Romanishin had a slow start to the tournament but finished sixth with 6.5/9. He showed his skills to the youngsters, never mind his age.

Take, for example, his game against GM Jan Werle (2555) in the final round:

White to play

White is weaker than a broken heart on the a8-h1 diagonal. So you must be careful. There is only one continuation that wins.

[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.22"]
[Round "9.3"]
[White "Romanishin, Oleg M"]
[Black "Werle, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A46"]
[WhiteElo "2456"]
[BlackElo "2555"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "7k/R5bp/2Q3p1/8/5r2/8/Pq5P/6BK w - - 0 36"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:03:04"]
[BlackClock "0:03:34"]
{You must play...} 36. Qd6 $3 {156 Deadly move. You attack the rook, and also
control d4 from where you can skewer black using the white bishop.} Qb5 {
544 Black sets a small trap.} (36... Rf8 37. Rxg7 {is the whole point.}) 37.
Ra8+ {34} (37. Qxf4 $4 {Oh, no!} Qd5+ 38. Qf3 Qxf3#) 37... Bf8 {5} 38. Rxf8+ {
45} Kg7 {2} 39. Qxf4 {30} 1-0

 

IM Eesha Karavade (2421) fell behind in the final lap and could only score 5.5/9. But she did play an interesting game against Romanishin.

Romanishin excitedly plonked his bishop on d5 assuming that he will now win the piece. Luckily, Eesha has one move that saves the game for her!

Romanishin could have sacrificed his queen, but instead chose 23.Bd5. Now, Black can save the position with...

[Event "Hoogeveen Open 2016"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.10.20"]
[Round "7.4"]
[White "Romanishin, Oleg M"]
[Black "Karavade, Eesha"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A05"]
[WhiteElo "2456"]
[BlackElo "2421"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r7/ppb1k2p/3rbpp1/8/Pq3P2/6P1/1P2QBBP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 23"]
[PlyCount "6"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:51"]
[BlackClock "0:38:18"]
23. Bd5 {115} ({The correct way to win the game is} 23. a5 $1 Bxa5 24. Bd5 Bb6
25. Qxe6+ $3 Rxe6 26. Rxe6+ Kd7 27. Rxb6 axb6 28. Rxa8 Qxb2 29. Ra7) 23... Bb6
$1 {5 Only move} 24. Bxe6 {433} Bxf2+ {21} 25. Qxf2 {20} (25. Kxf2 Qb6+ 26. Kf3
Rxe6 $11) 25... Rxe6 $11 {17} 1/2-1/2

 

15-year-old Rakesh Kumar Jena (2247) scored his third IM norm and finished eighth with 6.0/9. ChessBase India congratulates him on this feat.

 

Final Standings:

Rank Name Score Fed. M/F Rating TPR W-We Mutual BH-HiLo SB 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 GM Gupta, Abhijeet 7.5 IND M 2626 2697 +0.81 0.0 40.0 41.5 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½
2 GM Sandipan, Chanda 7.0 IND M 2593 2600 +0.31 . 38.0 37.75 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1
3 GM Lalith Babu M R 6.5 IND M 2586 2609 +0.47 . 43.0 38.75 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 0 0
4 GM Shyam, Sundar M. 6.5 IND M 2552 2540 +0.10 . 40.0 35.75 1 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 1
5 Van Foreest, Lucas 6.5 NED M 2350 2534 +2.23 . 37.0 34.0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½
6 GM Romanishin, Oleg M 6.5 UKR M 2456 2449 +0.13 . 35.0 33.0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1
7 Schoppen, Casper 6.5 NED M 2304 2461 +1.97 . 35.0 32.5 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1
8 FM Rakesh Kumar Jena 6.0 IND M 2247 2531 +3.31 . 37.0 29.25 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½
9 GM Ernst, Sipke 6.0 NED M 2540 2467 -0.56 . 37.0 28.25 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 = 0 1 ½
10 IM Nitin, S. 6.0 IND M 2410 2445 +0.53 . 35.0 26.25 1 ½ 1 1 0 1 0 ½ 1

Full standings here.


 

 Team India relaxes before their games.

There was a chess art exhibition at the tournament by the artist Yvon Drummen, who also produced the prizes for the winners.

 

Short holds his prize — a sculpture that signifies that chess can get under your skin. Short beat Hou Yifan in their match.

Nigel managed to win 3.5-2.5 after losing the final round. But he did not lose any rating for his loss — according to the FIDE regulations, any games in a match played after a player has already won/taken an unsurmountable lead will not be rated.

To which Short replied...

 And thus he rests his case.

Ivan Sokolov beat Jorden Van Foreest 3.5-2.5 as well.

This funny exchange took place between Tournament Director Loek Van Wely and Sokolov at the prize-distribution:

 

‘For our PR it would have been better if Jorden had won,’ Van Wely joked. ‘But alas, my old comrade in battle beat him. Ivan, I’m still glad that you have kept the youth under your thumb for a little longer.’

 

‘I did my best to lose, especially with Black,’ Sokolov apologized. ‘But my opponent didn’t cooperate.’

Jena collecting his final norm certificate. 

By the way, did you know that Loek Van Wely is famous for his car accidents? He has owned a BMW 5 Series, a Jaguar X-type and a Volkswagen Passat, all of which he ended up crashing

The open winners with their prizes. 

Related:

  1. Hoogeveen Round 01-06 Report
  2. Chess Art Exhibit by Artist Yvon Drummen

Games in PGN


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