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Find the right combination! ChessBase 15 program + new Mega Database 2020 with 8 million games and more than 80,000 master analyses. Plus ChessBase Magazine (DVD + magazine) and CB Premium membership for 1 year!

10/23/2014 – Most of the games today in Tashkent were interesting brawls, with quite a few decisive results. Kasimdzhanov overestimated his chances against Jobava, who took a pawn, outcalculated the Uzbek player and won. Karjakin nurtured an extra pawn into a win against Jakovenko while Mamedyarov tricked Gelfand in an endgame. The rest of the games were very long fights.

The second stage of the 2014-2015 FIDE Grand Prix is taking place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The tournament will run from October 20th to November 3rd, 2014. Some of the strongest players in the world will compete in a Round Robin event. The winner and runner-up of the Grand Prix series will earn their spot at the 2016 Candidate's Tournament.

Round Three

Round 03 – October 23 2014, 15:00h Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 2764 1-0 Gelfand, Boris 2748 Nakamura, Hikaru 2764 ½-½ Giri, Anish 2768 Caruana, Fabiano 2844 ½-½ Andreikin, Dmitry 2722 Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 2706 0-1 Jobava, Baadur 2717 Radjabov, Teimour 2726 ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime 2757 Karjakin, Sergey 2767 1-0 Jakovenko, Dmitry 2747

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Daniel King also brings us the recap of Round Three:

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 1-0 Gelfand, Boris

Mamedyarov's idea in the Benoni will probably not be repeated very often. Gelfand's position was good and he had a few chances to equalize or create interesting and double-edged play. However he played unusually passive and it allowed the Azerbaijani to open the queenside favorably. Black's weak b-pawn became an issue. After an inexact move from Mamedyarov an unpleasant endgame for Gelfand was reached (Mamedyarov could have kept his extra pawn instead of going for this endgame). With precise play the position was a draw despite Mamedyarov's passed pawns, but a last minute blunder/miscalculation lost the game for Gelfand.

Nakamura, Hikaru ½-½ Giri, Anish

Nakamura's activity gave him the upper hand throughout the entire game, however it was never clear how to make any progress and breach Giri's defenses. The Dutch player was very patient and eventually Nakamura ran out of ideas. The resulting rook endgame was not an easy draw, but Giri comfortably held it.

Nakamura persisted and he persisted...

But Giri held on like a champ

Caruana, Fabiano ½-½ Andreikin, Dmitry

Andreikin's handling of the Berlin was very good. Caruana never had any chances to create play, and a draw was agreed in a double-rook endgame.

Caruana has yet to find the pace from his previous tournaments

Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 0-1 Jobava, Baadur

After another unusual opening Jobava had a very passive position. Kasimdzhanov tried to smash it with a pawn sacrifice, but the Georgian maneuvered his pieces in the back rank and set up solid defenses. Black little by little pushed White away and his extra pawn was starting to become significant when Kasimdzhanov decided to take it back by force. This was, however, based on a miscalculation and Jobava seized his chance. He emerged up the exchange and the game was over.

Two bad games in a row and Kasimdzhanov finds himself at the bottom of the table

Radjabov, Teimour ½-½ Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime

A battle of monster preparations. It is possible that Radjabov used a different engine to analyze than MVL. White obviously had an edge in the endgame, but the question is whether that edge can or cannot be used. As it transpired, it was MVL that had to correct assessment as Radjabov was unable to put Black in any sort of danger. By the way, the novelty of the game was on move 25... maybe this will be common in Radjabov's games?

Radjabov uncorking his deep preparation

but MVL was certainy unfazed

Karjakin, Sergey 1-0 Jakovenko, Dmitry

In an unusual opening Karjakin ended up playing the Black side of the Fianchetto Grunfeld... with White! His extra tempo allowed him an early breakthrough and a pleasant position. Jakovenko gave up a pawn to use his two bishops, but Karjakin consolidated slowly. It seemed as if White would have to force his way through in a rook and opposite colored bishop endgame, which would have been a long task, but Jakovenko made it easy on his opponent and the b-pawn promoted without issues.

Jakovenko couldn't defend an uncomfortable situation

Karjakin is now in the suitor pack with 2.0/3, half a point away from MVL

Photos by Anastasiya Karlovich from the official website

Standings

Round Three Games

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Schedule