Vishy Anand and Terry Chapman win Pro-biz cup
One day before the main tournament began, the organizers of the London Chess Classic hosted the Pro-biz cup. Successful businessmen and entrepreneurs bid for their favourite world class player and team up with him to play a tandem match against another team. Vishy Anand and Terry Chapman were just too strong for the other participants. They won all their games and took home the fourth pro-biz cup trophy! We have some beautiful pictures and information to warm you up before the big event.
Pictures by Lennart Ootes
One of the most exciting events at the London Chess Classic is the Pro-biz cup. It brings the best business minds and the world’s leading grandmasters together in a fun knockout tournament to raise money for the UK charity, Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC). The businessmen bid for their favourite players and one who bids the highest gets the chance to team up with the grandmaster of his choice.
In 2015 the pro-biz cup took place at the end of the London Chess Classic. This year it took place before the tournament began on 8th of December 2016. The fourth edition took place at the Royal Automobile Club which has a long standing association with chess. The Chess Circle formed in 1911 has welcomed many of the world's strongest chess players to the Club - Capablanca, Reti and many others have played exhibition matches there. The Club continues to host the world's longest running chess tournament - the annual Varsity Chess Match between Oxford and Cambridge.
The setting in the hall was beautiful
The participants of the 8th London Chess Classic stand in front of the famous chess mural at the Royal Automobile Club
What a picture by Lennart Ootes! Two former World Champions Vishy Anand and Vladimir Kramnik play a friendly game as others look on.
Anish Giri formulates strategy with his partner Rafic Daud
And then tests him in a pawn endgame!
Full of energy and life - Levon Aronian
What a joy for Justin Bapt to discuss chess with Vladimir Kramnik
Vishy Anand had an easier task as his opponent Terry Chapman is an FM with a current FIDE rating of 2233
Anish and Rafic were very close to getting a solid advantage against Vishy and Terry. In the end Black blundered and Vishy and Terry advanced to the next round
[Event "Pro-Biz Cup 2016"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Vishy Anand & Terry Chapman"]
[Black "Anish Giri & Rafic Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A05"]
[Annotator "Sagar Shah"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:02:11"]
[BlackClock "0:08:58"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Nc3 Nc6 8.
O-O Rb8 9. Bf4 Ra8 10. Nc2 d6 11. Qd2 Bd7 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Rac1 Qa5 14. Bh6
Rfd8 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. b3 Rc7 17. Ne3 Rcc8 18. h3 h6 19. Qb2 Qe5 20. Ned5 Nxd5
21. Rxd5 Qf6 22. Qd2 Nb8 23. Ne4 Qe6 24. Rd3 Bc6 25. Nc5 Qf5 26. Nxb7 $2 (26.
b4 $11) 26... Bxg2 27. g4 $1 (27. Nxd8 Qxh3 $17) 27... Qd7 $2 (27... Qxd3 $3 {
A move missed by team Anish and Rafic} 28. Qxd3 Bxb7 $17) 28. Nxd8 Ba8 29. Nxf7
$1 Kxf7 30. Qxh6 $18 Rg8 31. c5 Qe6 32. cxd6 Qxe2 33. Re3 Rc8 34. Qh7+ 1-0
[Site "London"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Vishy Anand & Terry Chapman"]
[Black "Anish Giri & Rafic Daud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A05"]
[Annotator "Sagar Shah"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:02:11"]
[BlackClock "0:08:58"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. g3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Nc3 Nc6 8.
O-O Rb8 9. Bf4 Ra8 10. Nc2 d6 11. Qd2 Bd7 12. Rfd1 Rc8 13. Rac1 Qa5 14. Bh6
Rfd8 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. b3 Rc7 17. Ne3 Rcc8 18. h3 h6 19. Qb2 Qe5 20. Ned5 Nxd5
21. Rxd5 Qf6 22. Qd2 Nb8 23. Ne4 Qe6 24. Rd3 Bc6 25. Nc5 Qf5 26. Nxb7 $2 (26.
b4 $11) 26... Bxg2 27. g4 $1 (27. Nxd8 Qxh3 $17) 27... Qd7 $2 (27... Qxd3 $3 {
A move missed by team Anish and Rafic} 28. Qxd3 Bxb7 $17) 28. Nxd8 Ba8 29. Nxf7
$1 Kxf7 30. Qxh6 $18 Rg8 31. c5 Qe6 32. cxd6 Qxe2 33. Re3 Rc8 34. Qh7+ 1-0
Rajko Vujato and Hikaru Nakamura scored two wins out of three losing only to...
...Vladimir Kramnik and Justin Bapt
Wesley So and Gary O Grady scored 1.0/3. Here's their game against Anand and Chapman:
[Event "ProBiz semi-final"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anand/Chapman"]
[Black "So/ O'Grady"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A04"]
[Annotator "Louis,St"]
[PlyCount "49"]
{Anand and So playing the odd numbered moves} 1. Nf3 f5 2. d3 Nf6 3. e4 fxe4 4.
dxe4 Nxe4 5. Bd3 Nc5 $6 (5... Nf6 6. Ng5 g6 7. h4 {Looks very dangerous}) 6.
Ng5 $6 (6. Ne5 Nxd3+ 7. cxd3 g6 $2 {produces the position below. How would you
continue?} (7... d6 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Nxg6)) 6... Nxd3+ 7. Qxd3 e6 (7... g6 8. Qf3)
8. Nxh7 Qe7 $14 9. Nc3 Nc6 10. Nb5 d6 11. Qg6+ Kd7 $1 (11... Qf7 12. Nxc7+) 12.
Bg5 Ne5 $1 {Black survives} 13. Qe4 Qf7 14. O-O-O Qf5 15. Qxf5 exf5 16. Nxf8+
Rxf8 17. Rhe1 {White has an enormous lead in development} Nc6 18. Nd4 Nxd4 $2 (
18... Rf7 19. Ne6 b6 20. Nf4 Bb7 21. Ng6) 19. Re7+ Kc6 20. Rxd4 b5 21. Rd3 b4
22. Rd4 Ba6 23. Rxg7 Rae8 24. Bd2 $1 Re4 25. Rxb4 1-0
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anand/Chapman"]
[Black "So/ O'Grady"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A04"]
[Annotator "Louis,St"]
[PlyCount "49"]
{Anand and So playing the odd numbered moves} 1. Nf3 f5 2. d3 Nf6 3. e4 fxe4 4.
dxe4 Nxe4 5. Bd3 Nc5 $6 (5... Nf6 6. Ng5 g6 7. h4 {Looks very dangerous}) 6.
Ng5 $6 (6. Ne5 Nxd3+ 7. cxd3 g6 $2 {produces the position below. How would you
continue?} (7... d6 8. Qh5+ g6 9. Nxg6)) 6... Nxd3+ 7. Qxd3 e6 (7... g6 8. Qf3)
8. Nxh7 Qe7 $14 9. Nc3 Nc6 10. Nb5 d6 11. Qg6+ Kd7 $1 (11... Qf7 12. Nxc7+) 12.
Bg5 Ne5 $1 {Black survives} 13. Qe4 Qf7 14. O-O-O Qf5 15. Qxf5 exf5 16. Nxf8+
Rxf8 17. Rhe1 {White has an enormous lead in development} Nc6 18. Nd4 Nxd4 $2 (
18... Rf7 19. Ne6 b6 20. Nf4 Bb7 21. Ng6) 19. Re7+ Kc6 20. Rxd4 b5 21. Rd3 b4
22. Rd4 Ba6 23. Rxg7 Rae8 24. Bd2 $1 Re4 25. Rxb4 1-0
MVL and his partner Jerem also scored 1.0/3
The finals was the encounter between Vladimir Kramnik and Vishy Anand
A huge crowd gathered to watch the finals!
[Event "ProBiz Final Round"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Kramnik/Baptie"]
[Black "Anand/Chapman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B13"]
[Annotator "Louis,St"]
[PlyCount "88"]
{Anand and Kramnik playing the odd numbered moves} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Qc7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. h3 g6 8. O-O Bf5 9. Re1 Bxd3 10. Qxd3
Bg7 11. Ne5 O-O 12. Nd2 e6 13. Ng4 Nxg4 14. hxg4 e5 15. Qg3 Rac8 16. dxe5 Nxe5
17. Nb3 Nc4 18. Bf4 Qb6 19. Re2 Rfe8 20. Rae1 Re6 21. Be3 Nxe3 22. Rxe3 Rxe3
23. Qxe3 Qa6 24. Qe7 Bf6 25. Qd7 Qc6 26. Qxc6 Rxc6 27. Rd1 Ra6 28. Rxd5 Rxa2
29. Rd2 a5 30. Nc5 Bg5 $5 31. Rd5 Bc1 32. Nxb7 $6 (32. b3) 32... a4 $17 33. Ra5
Bxb2 34. c4 a3 35. c5 Bd4 36. Kh2 Be5+ 37. Kh3 Rb2 38. Nd6 a2 39. Ra8+ Kg7 40.
g5 h6 $1 {Second best move, black three mins on clock, white one. I got lucky,
the obvious wins don't.} (40... Rb3+ 41. Kg4 a1=Q 42. Rxa1 {as next variation})
(40... a1=Q 41. Rxa1 Rb3+ 42. Kg4 Bxa1 43. c6 Bd4 (43... Rc3 44. c7 Rxc7 45.
Ne8+) 44. c7 Rc3 45. f3 Rc1 46. c8=Q Rxc8 47. Nxc8 Bc5 {Pointed out by Kramnik
afterwards traps the knight} 48. Kf4 f6 (48... Kf8 49. Ke5 Ke8 50. Kf6 (50.
Nd6+ $11) 50... Bd4#) 49. Ke4 $11) (40... f5 $1 $19 {Pein} 41. gxf6+ Kxf6 42.
f3 (42. f4 Bxf4 43. g3 Be5 44. Ra6 Bxd6 45. cxd6 Ke6 46. Kg4 h6) 42... Rc2) 41.
Ne8+ (41. f4 $3 $15 Bxf4 42. gxh6+ Kxh6 43. g3 Rb3 (43... Be5 44. Nxf7+) 44.
Kg4 Bxd6 45. cxd6 Rd3 46. Rxa2) 41... Kh7 42. Nf6+ Bxf6 43. gxf6 Rxf2 44. Ra6
$6 g5 {and black won easily} 0-1
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.12.08"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Kramnik/Baptie"]
[Black "Anand/Chapman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B13"]
[Annotator "Louis,St"]
[PlyCount "88"]
{Anand and Kramnik playing the odd numbered moves} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Qc7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. h3 g6 8. O-O Bf5 9. Re1 Bxd3 10. Qxd3
Bg7 11. Ne5 O-O 12. Nd2 e6 13. Ng4 Nxg4 14. hxg4 e5 15. Qg3 Rac8 16. dxe5 Nxe5
17. Nb3 Nc4 18. Bf4 Qb6 19. Re2 Rfe8 20. Rae1 Re6 21. Be3 Nxe3 22. Rxe3 Rxe3
23. Qxe3 Qa6 24. Qe7 Bf6 25. Qd7 Qc6 26. Qxc6 Rxc6 27. Rd1 Ra6 28. Rxd5 Rxa2
29. Rd2 a5 30. Nc5 Bg5 $5 31. Rd5 Bc1 32. Nxb7 $6 (32. b3) 32... a4 $17 33. Ra5
Bxb2 34. c4 a3 35. c5 Bd4 36. Kh2 Be5+ 37. Kh3 Rb2 38. Nd6 a2 39. Ra8+ Kg7 40.
g5 h6 $1 {Second best move, black three mins on clock, white one. I got lucky,
the obvious wins don't.} (40... Rb3+ 41. Kg4 a1=Q 42. Rxa1 {as next variation})
(40... a1=Q 41. Rxa1 Rb3+ 42. Kg4 Bxa1 43. c6 Bd4 (43... Rc3 44. c7 Rxc7 45.
Ne8+) 44. c7 Rc3 45. f3 Rc1 46. c8=Q Rxc8 47. Nxc8 Bc5 {Pointed out by Kramnik
afterwards traps the knight} 48. Kf4 f6 (48... Kf8 49. Ke5 Ke8 50. Kf6 (50.
Nd6+ $11) 50... Bd4#) 49. Ke4 $11) (40... f5 $1 $19 {Pein} 41. gxf6+ Kxf6 42.
f3 (42. f4 Bxf4 43. g3 Be5 44. Ra6 Bxd6 45. cxd6 Ke6 46. Kg4 h6) 42... Rc2) 41.
Ne8+ (41. f4 $3 $15 Bxf4 42. gxh6+ Kxh6 43. g3 Rb3 (43... Be5 44. Nxf7+) 44.
Kg4 Bxd6 45. cxd6 Rd3 46. Rxa2) 41... Kh7 42. Nf6+ Bxf6 43. gxf6 Rxf2 44. Ra6
$6 g5 {and black won easily} 0-1
The duo of Vishy Anand and Terry Chapman kept their cool and...
...emerged as the fourth Pro-biz champions!
Why is Vishy holding the book Chess For Life by Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan? Well, the book contains an interview of Terry Chapman!
The final standings
(Note it was not a round-robin, but this table gives you an idea about the results)
(Note it was not a round-robin, but this table gives you an idea about the results)
Vishy seems to be in good spirits ahead of the first round on 9th of December at 21.30 hours IST. You can catch all the action live over here.
Fabiano Caruana shows one of his games to the spectators. From the board position we have found out that this was the game between Caruana and Candela Pereza, 2006 when Fabiano was rated 2474!
[Event "Patrimonio op 1st"]
[Site "Alcala de Henares"]
[Date "2006.10.12"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Candela Perez, Jose"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B84"]
[WhiteElo "2474"]
[BlackElo "2406"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "2006.10.07"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 114 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.11.03"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. Be2 Nbd7 8.
O-O Nc5 9. f3 b6 10. Qe1 Bb7 11. Qg3 Qc7 12. Rfd1 g6 13. a4 Bg7 14. a5 bxa5 15.
Ndb5 axb5 16. Nxb5 Qc6 17. Nxd6+ Kf8 18. Bb5 Qc7 19. Nxb7 Qxb7 20. Qd6+ Kg8 21.
Bc6 1-0
[Site "Alcala de Henares"]
[Date "2006.10.12"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Candela Perez, Jose"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B84"]
[WhiteElo "2474"]
[BlackElo "2406"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "2006.10.07"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 114 Extra"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2006.11.03"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. Be2 Nbd7 8.
O-O Nc5 9. f3 b6 10. Qe1 Bb7 11. Qg3 Qc7 12. Rfd1 g6 13. a4 Bg7 14. a5 bxa5 15.
Ndb5 axb5 16. Nxb5 Qc6 17. Nxd6+ Kf8 18. Bb5 Qc7 19. Nxb7 Qxb7 20. Qd6+ Kg8 21.
Bc6 1-0
Well don't be surprised by the fact that the black king is on c8. Michael Adams entertained the crowd with his win over Alan Merry from Poker Stars Isle of Man 2015.
[Event "Douglas PokerStars op"]
[Site "Douglas"]
[Date "2015.10.07"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Adams, Michael"]
[Black "Merry, Alan B"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "2742"]
[BlackElo "2335"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "2015.10.03"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
[SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 03"]
[Source "Chessbase"]
[SourceDate "2015.11.05"]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 c6 5. Bc4 Bf5 6. Bd2 Nd7 7. Qe2 Ngf6 8.
Nb5 Qb6 9. Nd6+ Kd8 10. Nxf5 Qxb2 11. Qd1 e6 12. Rb1 Qa3 13. Ng3 Nb6 14. Bd3
Qxa2 15. Nf3 Qd5 16. O-O Kc8 17. Ne5 Qxd4 18. Nxf7 Rg8 19. Ng5 e5 20. Bf5+ Nfd7
21. Be6 Rh8 22. Nf5 1-0
[Site "Douglas"]
[Date "2015.10.07"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Adams, Michael"]
[Black "Merry, Alan B"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "2742"]
[BlackElo "2335"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "2015.10.03"]
[EventType "swiss"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "ENG"]
[SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 03"]
[Source "Chessbase"]
[SourceDate "2015.11.05"]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 c6 5. Bc4 Bf5 6. Bd2 Nd7 7. Qe2 Ngf6 8.
Nb5 Qb6 9. Nd6+ Kd8 10. Nxf5 Qxb2 11. Qd1 e6 12. Rb1 Qa3 13. Ng3 Nb6 14. Bd3
Qxa2 15. Nf3 Qd5 16. O-O Kc8 17. Ne5 Qxd4 18. Nxf7 Rg8 19. Ng5 e5 20. Bf5+ Nfd7
21. Be6 Rh8 22. Nf5 1-0
Levon also showed one of his classics!
With three great players showing their games, this was such a wonderful learning experience for the kids