[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2018.03.31"]
[Round "1.5"]
[White "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Germany"]
[BlackTeam "Russia"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "GER"]
[BlackTeamCountry "RUS"]
[WhiteClock "0:21:23"]
[BlackClock "0:13:01"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Bd2 (7. Nxg6
hxg6 8. h3 Nbd7 9. Bd3 Bd6 10. O-O Qe7 11. e4 dxe4 12. Bxe4 O-O {Kramnik,V 
(2808)-Giri,A (2771) Leuven 2017}) 7... Nbd7 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. c5 e5 10. b4 Be7
11. b5 O-O $146 (11... exd4 12. exd4 Nf8 13. bxc6 bxc6 14. Qa4 Qd7 15. Ba6 Ne6
16. Rb1 O-O {Baumgartner,U (2381)-Mauro,L (2325) corr. 2016}) 12. Qa4 $2 (12.
bxc6 bxc6 13. Be2) 12... Re8 ({Also promising was the immediate} 12... exd4 13.
exd4 Bxc5 $1 14. dxc5 Nxc5 15. Qd4 Re8+ 16. Be2 Ne6 17. Qa4 d4) 13. bxc6 bxc6
14. Be2 (14. Qxc6 $2 Rc8 15. Qa4 exd4 {would be too much.}) 14... exd4 15. exd4
Nxc5 $1 {It also works here.} 16. dxc5 d4 17. O-O dxc3 18. Bxc3 Bxc5 19. Bf3
Rc8 {Black has more or less equalized.} 20. Bxc6 $6 {A second sign of Bluebaum
lacking some sense of danger.} Re2 21. Bf3 $6 ({The ugly} 21. Be1 {might have
been better.}) 21... Rxf2 $1 22. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 23. Kxf2 Rxc3 24. Qxa7 $6 {For the
third time, grabbing a pawn is bad but here Bluebaum can hardly be blamed.
Otherwise he would be technically lost anyway, and the refutation is
impossible to see.} Ne4+ $3 {Played after almost 22 minutes. A brilliant
combination.} 25. Kg1 ({The main point was} 25. Bxe4 Rc7 $3 26. Qa8 Rc8 27. Qa6
Qd4+ 28. Kg3 Rc3+ 29. Bf3 g5 ({also good is} 29... Rc4) 30. h3 Qe5+ 31. Kf2
Rc2+ {and the rook on a1 hangs.}) 25... Ra3 $1 {A pretty final move.} (25...
Ra3 26. Qxa3 Qd4+) 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2018.03.31"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Board "1"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[WhiteCountry "USA"]
[WhiteFideId "2020009"]
[WhiteEloChange "1"]
[BlackElo "2843"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[BlackCountry "NOR"]
[BlackFideId "1503014"]
[BlackEloChange "-1"]

1. d4 {[%clk 1:40:59]} Nf6 {[%clk 1:40:33]} 2. c4 {[%clk 1:41:23]} g6 {[%clk
1:40:57]} 3. Nf3 {[%clk 1:41:48]} Bg7 {[%clk 1:41:18]} 4. e3 {[%clk 1:42:10]} O-O
{[%clk 1:41:23]} 5. Be2 {[%clk 1:42:35]} d6 {[%clk 1:33:31]} 6. Nc3 {[%clk
1:42:57]} Nc6 {[%clk 1:29:59]} 7. d5 {[%clk 1:41:47]} Nb4 {[%clk 1:29:58]} 8. a3
{[%clk 1:36:14]} Na6 {[%clk 1:30:21]} 9. Nd4 {[%clk 1:36:33]} e5 {[%clk 1:22:49]}
10. dxe6 {[%clk 1:24:00]} fxe6 {[%clk 1:23:16]} 11. O-O {[%clk 1:24:20]} e5
{[%clk 1:20:38]} 12. Nb3 {[%clk 1:17:59]} c6 {[%clk 1:16:59]} 13. e4 {[%clk
0:49:06]} Nc7 {[%clk 1:17:14]} 14. f4 {[%clk 0:48:55]} Ne6 {[%clk 1:10:34]} 15.
f5 {[%clk 0:46:55]} Nd4 {[%clk 1:10:24]} 16. Be3 {[%clk 0:37:33]} Nxe2+ {[%clk
0:59:59]} 17. Qxe2 {[%clk 0:37:56]} gxf5 {[%clk 1:00:19]} 18. exf5 {[%clk
0:38:21]} d5 {[%clk 0:59:28]} 19. cxd5 {[%clk 0:28:32]} cxd5 {[%clk 0:59:50]} 20.
Rad1 {[%clk 0:22:32]} d4 {[%clk 0:56:04]} 21. Bg5 {[%clk 0:22:49]} Qb6 {[%clk
0:50:34]} 22. Qc4+ {[%clk 0:23:10]} Rf7 {[%clk 0:49:37]} 23. Na4 {[%clk 0:21:06]}
Qc7 {[%clk 0:44:25]} 24. Qxc7 {[%clk 0:16:14]} Rxc7 {[%clk 0:44:26]} 25. Nac5
{[%clk 0:16:39]} b6 {[%clk 0:40:16]} 26. Bxf6 {[%clk 0:17:03]} bxc5 {[%clk
0:30:26]} 27. Bxg7 {[%clk 0:16:33]} Kxg7 {[%clk 0:30:52]} 28. Nd2 {[%clk
0:15:19]} Bb7 {[%clk 0:28:56]} 29. f6+ {[%clk 0:10:32]} Kf8 {[%clk 0:27:31]} 30.
Rde1 {[%clk 0:05:20]} Re8 {[%clk 0:27:33]} 31. Ne4 {[%clk 0:05:42]} Bxe4 {[%clk
0:27:16]} 32. Rxe4 {[%clk 0:06:09]} c4 {[%clk 0:27:24]} 33. g4 {[%clk 0:05:17]}
Rb8 {[%clk 0:23:12]} 34. Rxe5 {[%clk 0:03:28]} Rxb2 {[%clk 0:23:26]} 35. Rd5
{[%clk 0:03:46]} c3 {[%clk 0:23:16]} 36. Rd8+ {[%clk 0:03:28]} Kf7 {[%clk
0:23:44]} 37. Rh8 {[%clk 0:03:54]} Rbb7 {[%clk 0:22:06]} 38. Rxh7+ {[%clk
0:04:13]} Kg6 {[%clk 0:22:12]} 39. Rxc7 {[%clk 0:01:11]} Rxc7 {[%clk 0:22:40]}
40. Kf2 {[%clk 0:51:15]} c2 {[%clk 0:55:10]} 41. Rc1 {[%clk 0:51:16]} d3 {[%clk
0:45:33]} 42. Ke3 {[%clk 0:51:29]} Rd7 {[%clk 0:46:00]} 43. Kd2 {[%clk 0:51:33]}
Kxf6 {[%clk 0:46:27]} 44. h4 {[%clk 0:35:19]} Ke5 {[%clk 0:40:09]} 45. Rf1 {[%clk
0:33:57]} Kd4 {[%clk 0:25:41]} 46. h5 {[%clk 0:31:31]} Re7 {[%clk 0:19:15]} 47.
Rf4+ {[%clk 0:31:39]} Kd5 {[%clk 0:19:24]} 48. Rf1 {[%clk 0:29:56]} Kc4 {[%clk
0:18:40]} 49. Rf4+ {[%clk 0:30:06]} Kd5 {[%clk 0:18:25]} 50. Rf1 {[%clk 0:30:17]}
Kc4 {[%clk 0:18:34]} 51. Rf4+ {[%clk 0:30:44]} Kb3 {[%clk 0:18:21]} 52. Rb4+
{[%clk 0:26:08]} Kxa3 {[%clk 0:18:44]} 53. Rc4 {[%clk 0:26:34]} Kb3 {[%clk
0:18:57]} 54. Rc8 {[%clk 0:26:54]} a5 {[%clk 0:13:31]} 55. h6 {[%clk 0:22:57]}
Re2+ {[%clk 0:12:05]} 56. Kxd3 {[%clk 0:23:19]} Rh2 {[%clk 0:12:31]} 57. g5
{[%clk 0:20:31]} Rh3+ {[%clk 0:12:49]} 58. Kd2 {[%clk 0:20:38]} Rh2+ {[%clk
0:13:13]} 59. Kd3 {[%clk 0:21:07]} 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2018.03.31"]
[Round "1.2"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Hou, Yifan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[PlyCount "95"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "India"]
[BlackTeam "China"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "IND"]
[BlackTeamCountry "CHN"]
[WhiteClock "0:54:37"]
[BlackClock "0:48:44"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bd6 (4... Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 dxc4 7. bxc4
c5 8. Rg1 Nc6 9. g4 a6 10. g5 Ne8 11. h4 Nd6 {Grischuk,A (2767)-Kramnik,V 
(2800) Moscow 2018}) 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 c5 7. g4 d4 8. exd4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 e5 10.
Nf5 Bxf5 11. gxf5 Nc6 $146 (11... e4 12. d4 Nc6 13. d5 Ne5 14. Be2 Re8 15. Qd2
Nf3+ 16. Bxf3 exf3+ 17. Kd1 b5 {Loxine,J (2409)-Santos Ruiz,M (2508) Germany
2017}) 12. Bg2 Nb4 13. Qe2 Nc2+ 14. Kd1 Nxa1 15. Bxa1 Qd7 16. Ne4 Qxf5 17.
Nxf6+ Qxf6 18. Bxb7 Rad8 19. Kc2 Rfe8 20. Bc3 Bc5 21. f3 Bd4 22. Re1 g6 23. Qe4
Kg7 24. Bd5 Qb6 25. b4 f5 26. Qd3 Bxc3 27. dxc3 Qd6 28. a4 a5 29. Kb3 Rb8 30.
b5 Qc5 31. h4 Rbd8 32. h5 Kf6 33. hxg6 hxg6 34. Qe3 Qxe3 35. Rxe3 Rd6 36. Re1
Rc8 37. Rh1 Kg7 38. Kc2 g5 39. Rd1 Kf6 40. Kd3 Rb6 41. Rh1 Kg7 42. Rg1 Kf6 43.
Ke3 Rd6 44. Rb1 Rb6 45. Ke2 Kg6 46. Kf2 Kf6 47. Rh1 Kg7 48. Re1 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2018.03.31"]
[Round "1.3"]
[White "Meier, Georg"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Germany"]
[BlackTeam "Armenia"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "GER"]
[BlackTeamCountry "ARM"]
[WhiteClock "0:45:37"]
[BlackClock "1:05:45"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5
8. Rxe5 O-O 9. Nc3 (9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Re8 11. Bf4 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. c3 d5
14. Bd3 g6 {So,W (2799)-Grischuk,A (2767) Berlin 2018}) 9... Ne8 10. Nd5 Bd6
11. Re2 c6 12. Ne3 Be7 13. Nf5 Bf6 14. Qe1 d5 15. Ne7+ Kh8 16. Nxc8 Rxc8 17. d3
$146 (17. g3 Qd7 18. d3 Nc7 19. Qa5 Rfe8 20. Qe1 Rxe2 21. Qxe2 b5 {Nakamura,H 
(2787)-Aronian,L (2805) Saint Louis 2014}) 17... Nd6 18. Qb4 a5 19. Qg4 b5 20.
c3 d4 21. cxd4 b4 22. d5 cxd5 23. Bf4 g6 24. Be5 Bxe5 25. Rxe5 Qf6 26. Qd4 Rc2
27. Rb1 Rfc8 28. Rxd5 Qxd4 29. Rxd4 Nf5 30. Rc4 R8xc4 31. dxc4 Nd4 32. Rd1 Ne6
33. Rd5 a4 34. Ra5 Rxb2 35. Rxa4 Kg7 36. Ra5 Kf6 37. h4 Nd4 38. c5 Rc2 39. Ra6+
Ke5 40. Rb6 Rxa2 41. Rxb4 Ra1 42. g3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic"]
[Site "Karlsruhe"]
[Date "2018.03.31"]
[Round "1.4"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteTeam "Azerbaijan"]
[BlackTeam "France"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "AZE"]
[BlackTeamCountry "FRA"]
[WhiteClock "0:45:46"]
[BlackClock "1:23:59"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. c3 h6 5. Bh4 d6 6. Nbd2 g5 7. Bg3 Nh5 8. e4
e6 9. Nc4 (9. Bd3 Qe7 10. Nc4 Nd7 11. Qe2 b6 12. Nfd2 Nxg3 13. hxg3 Bb7 {
Berkes,F (2653)-Kozul,Z (2604) Hungary 2018}) 9... f5 10. Nfd2 Nxg3 11. hxg3
O-O 12. Ne3 $146 (12. exf5 exf5 13. Bd3 Nc6 14. Qc2 Be6 15. Ne3 Ne7 16. f4 Nd5
17. Nxd5 Bxd5 18. O-O-O Bxg2 19. Rhg1 Bd5 20. Bxf5 Qf6 21. Be4 Bf7 22. Rdf1 {
½-½ Kodinets,K (2405)-Vaulin,A (2535) Moscow 1998}) 12... d5 13. exf5 exf5
14. Nxd5 Re8+ 15. Ne3 f4 16. Bc4+ Be6 17. Bxe6+ Rxe6 18. Qb3 Qe8 19. Ne4 Nd7
20. gxf4 gxf4 21. Ng4 Kh8 22. f3 Rxe4+ 23. fxe4 Qxe4+ 24. Kf2 f3 25. gxf3 Rf8
26. Nh2 Qh4+ 27. Kg2 Qg5+ 28. Kf1 Qh5 29. Qc2 c5 30. Qg2 (30. Kg2 $1 Qg5+ 31.
Ng4 $1 {was good for White.}) 30... cxd4 31. Ng4 Qb5+ 32. Kg1 dxc3 33. bxc3
Qc5+ 34. Qf2 Qxc3 35. Kg2 Ne5 36. Nxe5 Bxe5 37. Rxh6+ Kg7 38. Rhh1 Rf6 39. Rag1
Bd4 40. Kf1+ Kf7 41. Rh7+ Kf8 42. Rh8+ Kf7 43. Rh7+ Kf8 44. Rh8+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe GER"]
[Date "2018.04.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Hou, Yifan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C24"]
[WhiteElo "2843"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[PlyCount "121"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Qe2 Be7 5. Nf3 (5. f4 d5 6. Bb3 dxe4 7. dxe4
exf4 8. Bxf4 O-O 9. Nf3 Na6 10. Nbd2 Nc5 {Amin,B (2663)-Xu,X (2503) Dubai 2017}
) 5... d6 6. c3 Nbd7 7. Bb3 O-O 8. O-O a5 9. d4 $146 (9. a4 b5 10. Bc2 Ba6 11.
axb5 cxb5 12. Nbd2 Qc7 13. d4 a4 14. Bd3 Rfb8 {Polgar,J (2680)-Gelfand,B (2758)
Khanty-Mansiysk 2009}) 9... a4 10. Bc2 Re8 11. Re1 Bf8 12. Qd1 b5 13. Nbd2 Qc7
14. Nf1 g6 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bd2 Bg7 17. Ng3 Nb6 {"A nice move." (Carlsen)} 18. b3
axb3 19. axb3 Rxa1 20. Qxa1 Bg4 21. Qc1 ({Carlsen considered} 21. Nh4 {for a
moment.}) 21... Bxf3 22. gxf3 h5 (22... Kh7 23. f4 b4 (23... c5)) 23. Bh6 {
"Here at least I had something to aim for. I saw this endgame and thought it
was pretty nice." (Carlsen)} Qe7 (23... Nh7 $5 24. Kh1 h4 25. Nf5 Bf6 26. Rg1
Kh8 {Carlsen}) 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. Qg5 Kh7 26. f4 {"Now I think I'm a little bit
better." (Carlsen)} Nfd7 (26... Kg7) (26... Kh8) (26... exf4 27. Qxf4 Nbd5 28.
Qf3 h4 29. Nf1 Kg8 ({not} 29... Nh5 {(Carlsen)} 30. Qxh5+ $1 {(Hou Yifan)}))
27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. fxe5 dxe5 29. Rd1 $1 {Aimed against counterplay with ...exd4
and ...c5. Peter Leko was a big fan of this move.} Re8 30. dxe5 Nxe5 31. f4 Ng4
32. Rd6 Re6 ({Missing} 32... Ra8 $1 {(Leko)} 33. Rxc6 Ra2 34. Bd3 h4 35. Rxb6 {
Carlsen had seen this and thought "this is probably not a perpetual" but it is:
} hxg3 36. hxg3 Nh2 37. e5 Nf3+ 38. Kf1 Nh2+) 33. Rd8 Kg7 34. Nf1 (34. Ne2 $5)
34... Rf6 35. h3 Nh6 36. f5 gxf5 37. Ng3 Rg6 38. Kf2 fxe4 $2 {With little time
on the clock, Hou Yifan makes the decisive mistake.} ({Carlsen had seen} 38...
Rg5 $1 39. exf5 (39. Bd1 fxe4 40. Nxh5+ Kh7 41. Nf6+ Kg7 42. Nxe4 Rd5 {is also
OK for Black}) 39... h4 40. f6+ Kxf6 {and thought} 41. Ne4+ {was winning here
but later he noticed} Ke7 {"and there is nothing."}) 39. Nxh5+ Kh7 40. Bxe4 f5
41. Bg2 Nf7 42. Rf8 Ne5 43. Nf4 Rd6 44. Rxf5 Nbd7 45. Ke2 Kg7 46. h4 Nf7 47.
Be4 Nde5 48. Nh5+ Kh6 49. Ng3 Re6 50. Ke3 Kg7 51. Rf1 Kf8 52. Nf5 Ng4+ 53. Kf4
Nf6 54. Bf3 Nd5+ 55. Bxd5 cxd5 56. Ra1 Kg8 57. Ra8+ Kh7 58. Ra7 Rf6 59. h5 Kg8
60. Rd7 b4 61. cxb4 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe GER"]
[Date "2018.04.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B48"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qf3 ({
In Wijk aan Zee, the world champion chose instead:} 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. f4 Bb4 9. Bd3
Na5 10. a3 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Qxc3+ 12. bxc3 d5 13. exd5 exd5 14. Nb3 {Carlsen,M 
(2834) -Matlakov,M (2718) Wijk aan Zee 2018}) 7... Nf6 8. O-O-O Ne5 9. Qg3 b5
10. a3 Bb7 {Anand managed to surprise his opponent. But it turned out that he
walked into home-preparation anyway!} 11. Bxb5 $1 {Played confidently and
quickly. The sacrifices on b5 in the Sicilian are as common as those on the d5
square.} Rc8 $146 {The former world champion replied with a novelty.} ({
A predecessor saw:} 11... Bxa3 12. Bf4 ({Vachier-Lagrave planned instead} 12.
Nde2 {and then Be3-f4.}) 12... Bd6 13. Nxe6 $1 fxe6 14. Rxd6 $1 Qxd6 15. Bxe5 {
with a large advantage for White, Frolyanov,D (2534)-Khanin,S (2434) Kazan 2017
}) ({Apparently, the bishop has reasons to be bold-} 11... axb5 12. Ndxb5 Qb8
13. Bb6 Nc4 14. Bc7 $1 {this is even better than} (14. Nc7+ {which also looks
great for White after} Ke7 15. Bc5+ Kd8 16. Bxf8 Rxf8 17. Nxa8 Qxg3 18. hxg3
Bxa8 19. f3) 14... Qc8 15. Rd4 {with complete domination of the white pieces.})
12. Ba4 Nxe4 13. Nxe4 Bxe4 14. Bf4 Qc4 15. Bxe5 Qxa4 16. Rd2 f6 17. Bd6 {
Up to here the Frenchman was in his prep. On the surface it seems as Black
should be doing fine with his strong center and active queenside pieces. A
closer look reveals the fact that he will need some time to get his kingside
troops into the game, and that the center will hardly ever move. Or as
Vachier-Lagrave summarized Black's situation- "unplesant."} Kf7 18. Re1 Bg6 19.
Bxf8 Rhxf8 20. Qd6 {There should be always a piece on this square to block the
pawns.} Kg8 21. f4 Rfe8 22. Re3 Qc4 ({The French GM remembered that Black's
idea was not to allow the white pawn on g4.Therefore he sugested} 22... h5 {
as possible improvement for Black.}) 23. b3 Qc7 (23... Qc5 $5 {might have been
a better try for Anand again.} 24. Qxc5 ({As} 24. Qxd7 $6 Rcd8 25. Qc6 Qxa3+ {
is comfortable for Black.}) 24... Rxc5 {with chances to start the black pawns.}
) 24. Qxc7 Rxc7 25. Kb2 Rb8 26. g4 $1 {Not only blocking, but very often
attacking the black pawn mass. Anand has the ungrateful destiny of watching
his opponent improve his position for free.} Bf7 27. a4 Rc5 $6 {A blunder
according to the players.} ({He should have chosen the passive defense instead
with} 27... Kf8 28. Ka3 {when White will keep on improving with c2-c4, etc.
but Black's position "might be holdable" (MVL)}) 28. Ne2 $1 {Missed by Anand.}
({Black was hoping for} 28. Nf3 Rc4 {which is indeed OK for him after} 29. Rxd7
Rxf4 30. h3 e5 {followed by h7-h5 with counter-play.} (30... Rxa4 31. Nd4 {
leaves White the advantage.})) 28... Rc7 {A sad necessity.} ({Since} 28... d5
$2 29. Nd4 $1 {leads to collapse of Black's position. For example} Rb6 30. Rde2
Rc4 31. a5 $1) 29. Rd6 {This outpost again.} Ra7 30. Red3 Be8 {Desperation.} ({
The alternative} 30... Rbb7 31. Ng3 Kf8 32. f5 {looks also very depressing
though. Next the white knight will come on e4 and the queenside pawns will
start moving forward.}) 31. f5 exf5 ({Or} 31... Kf7 32. Nf4 e5 33. Nd5 {
followed by a4-a6, Nd5-b6 and b- and c- pawns push.}) 32. gxf5 Rc8 33. Nc3 Rc5
34. R3d5 Rc6 35. Ne4 Kf7 36. Rd3 Rac7 37. c4 g6 {The last blunder which ends
Black's suffering.} ({Anand wanted to avoid the appearence of a knight on d6-} 
37... Ke7 38. R6d4 {followed by Ne4-d6 which is basically over.}) 38. fxg6+ {
Black decided to put an end of his suffering.} hxg6 39. Nxf6 Ke7 {White has
multiple winning choices:} 40. Re3+ (40. Ne4) (40. Kc3 Rxd6 41. Rxd6 Kxd6 42.
Nxe8+) 40... Kxd6 41. Nxe8+ 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe GER"]
[Date "2018.04.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2631"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Be7 (6... Nc6 7. Be3
cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O-O a6 11. Qf2 Qe7 12. Bd3 f6 {Anand,V (2782)
-Bacrot,E (2725) Riadh 2017}) 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 a6 9. Bd3 b5 10. Qf2 $146 (10.
O-O Nc6 11. Be2 Bb7 12. a3 Qb6 13. Rad1 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Bc5 {Quattrocchi,
G-Rebaudo,N corr. 1997}) 10... Nc6 11. dxc5 Qa5 12. O-O b4 13. Ne2 Nxc5 14.
Nfd4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Qc7 16. Nb3 Nxb3 17. axb3 a5 18. Bb6 Qc6 19. Bd4 Bd8 20. g4
Ba6 21. f5 Bxd3 22. cxd3 f6 23. Rac1 Qd7 24. fxe6 Qxe6 25. Qf5 Qxf5 26. Rxf5
fxe5 27. Rxf8+ Kxf8 28. Bxe5 Kf7 29. Kf2 Ra6 30. Kf3 Bf6 31. Rc7+ Kg6 32. d4
Re6 33. Kf4 Bg5+ 34. Kf3 Bf6 35. Kf4 Bg5+ 36. Kf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe GER"]
[Date "2018.04.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Aronian, Levon"]
[Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E70"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2701"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Nge2 O-O 6. Ng3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Be2
Na6 9. h4 h5 (9... c6 10. h5 cxd5 11. cxd5 Nc5 12. Be3 Qb6 13. b3 Bd7 14. O-O
Qb4 15. Qd2 Rfc8 16. a3 Qb6 17. Rab1 Qd8 {Kortschnoj,V (2585)-Nunn,J (2615)
Wijk aan Zee 1992}) 10. Bg5 Qe8 11. Qd2 Kh7 12. f3 Ng8 13. Nb5 $146 (13. O-O-O
a4 14. Rdg1 f6 15. Be3 f5 16. exf5 gxf5 17. Nxh5 Qxh5 {Kantor,G (2506)-Nitin,S
(2415) Budapest 2017}) 13... b6 14. a3 Bd7 15. b4 f6 16. Be3 f5 17. exf5 gxf5
18. Bg5 e4 (18... Nf6 $5) 19. Rb1 exf3 20. gxf3 axb4 21. axb4 Bxb5 22. cxb5 Nb8
23. O-O Nd7 24. Rbc1 Ra7 25. Bd3 Qe5 (25... Qg6 26. Qc2 Nh6 27. Ne2) 26. Nxh5
Qxd5 27. Nf4 Qb3 28. Bc4 Qb2 29. Rc2 Qd4+ 30. Qxd4 Bxd4+ 31. Kg2 Be5 32. Ne6
Rc8 33. Nd8 d5 34. Nc6 Ra3 35. Bxd5 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe GER"]
[Date "2018.04.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Meier, Georg"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C02"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Nh6 7. b4 cxd4 8. b5 (8.
cxd4 Nf5 9. Be3 Bd7 10. Bd3 Rc8 11. O-O Nxe3 12. fxe3 Be7 13. Qe1 f6 {McShane,
L (2644)-Howell,D (2702) Llandudno 2017}) (8. Bxh6 gxh6 9. b5 Ne7 {Vitiugov})
8... Na5 (8... Ne7 9. cxd4 {Vitiugov}) 9. Bxh6 $146 (9. Nxd4 Bc5 10. Be3 Nf5
11. Nxf5 exf5 12. Bd4 f4 13. Be2 Bf5 14. O-O O-O {Gregory,S (2173)-Buckley,S 
(2237) Torquay 2002}) 9... gxh6 10. cxd4 Bd7 11. Nbd2 Rc8 12. a4 Qc7 (12... Bb4
13. Bd3 Bc3 14. Rc1) 13. Bd3 Qc3 14. Ke2 Be7 15. Rc1 $6 (15. Ra2 $5 {Vitiugov})
(15. Qb1 Bg5 16. Ra2 Bxd2 17. Rc2 Qb4 {Vitiugov} 18. Rxc8+ $1 Bxc8 19. Qc2 Bc3
20. Rb1 Qa3 21. Qc1 $1 Qa2+ 22. Kf1 {is good for White.}) 15... Qxc1 16. Qxc1
Rxc1 17. Rxc1 {Vitiugov said he overestimated this endgame.} Bd8 18. Nf1 Bb6 {
"Here I realized I had nothing." (Vitiugov)} 19. Rc3 Ke7 20. Ng3 (20. Ne3 h5
21. g3 a6) 20... a6 21. Ke3 axb5 22. axb5 Nc4+ $2 {"A miscalculation." (Meier)
"I had missed this but it appeared as a good blunder." (Vitiugov)} ({Black is
OK after both} 22... Ra8 {and}) (22... Rg8) 23. Bxc4 Rc8 24. Nd2 Ba5 25. Rc2
dxc4 26. Nge4 c3 27. Nb1 {Meier had forgotten that when the knight comes to d6,
it wins a tempo because b7 will be hanging.} Rg8 $6 (27... Rc7 {Vitiugov} 28.
Nbxc3 Bxb5 29. d5) (27... Rc4 $1 {Leko} 28. Nd6 Rb4 29. Nxc3 Rb3 30. Kd3 h5)
28. Nbxc3 Rxg2 29. Nd6 Rxh2 30. Nxb7 Bb6 31. Nc5 h5 32. Nxd7 Kxd7 33. Ne4 h4
34. Rc6 Bd8 35. Nc5+ Ke8 36. b6 Rh1 37. b7 h3 38. b8=Q h2 39. Rc8 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic-> 2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.04.02"]
[Round "3.1"]
[White "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E92"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2843"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:29:28"]
[BlackClock "1:23:11"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 exd4 8. Nxd4
Re8 9. f3 c6 10. Bf2 (10. Qd2 d5 11. exd5 cxd5 12. O-O Nc6 (12... dxc4 13. Rad1
a6 14. Bxc4 b5 15. Bb3 Bb7 16. Qf2 Nbd7 {Gligoric,S-Fischer,R Stockholm 1962})
13. c5 Rxe3 $5 14. Qxe3 Qf8 15. Nxc6 (15. Ncb5 Qxc5 16. Rac1 Qb6 17. Qf2 Bd7
18. Rfd1 Re8 19. Bf1 Bh6 {Gelfand,B (2665)-Kasparov,G (2780) Linares 1992})
15... bxc6 16. Kh1 Rb8 17. Na4 Rb4 18. b3 Be6 19. Nb2 Nh5 20. Nd3 Rh4 21. Qf2
Qe7 22. g4 Bd4 23. Qxd4 Rxh2+ 24. Kxh2 Qh4+ {½-½ Karpov,A (2730)-Kasparov,G 
(2800) Lyon/New York 1990}) 10... d5 11. exd5 cxd5 12. O-O Nc6 13. c5 a6 (13...
Bf8 14. Kh1 Bd7 15. Qd2 Rc8 16. Nb3 d4 17. Nxd4 Bxc5 18. Nxc6 Rxc6 19. Bxc5
Rxc5 {Inarkiev,E (2732)-Radjabov,T (2722) Monzon 2016}) (13... Re5 14. a3 Qf8
15. b4 Bd7 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Bd4 Re6 18. Bd3 Nh5 {Carlsen,M (2835)-Grischuk,A 
(2761) Moscow RUS 2012}) 14. Qd2 Qa5 15. Rfe1 $146 (15. Nb3 Qb4 16. Rfd1 Bf5
17. Bf1 Rac8 18. Rac1 Be6 19. Qc2 Bh6 {Taras,I (2239)-Lloveras Rebell,J (2200)
corr. 2006}) 15... Qxc5 16. Ne6 Qa5 17. Nxg7 Kxg7 18. a3 d4 19. Bxd4 Nxd4 20.
Qxd4 Rd8 21. Qe3 Bd7 22. Rad1 Be6 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Rd1 Rxd1+ 25. Bxd1 Qd8 26.
Be2 Qd6 27. f4 Bd7 28. Bf3 Bc6 29. Bxc6 Ng4 30. Qg3 Qc5+ 31. Kf1 Ne3+ 32. Ke2
Nf5 33. Qf2 Qxc6 34. g4 Qc4+ 35. Kd2 Nd4 36. Qe3 Nc6 37. Ne2 h5 38. h3 hxg4 39.
hxg4 g5 40. fxg5 Qxg4 41. Qc3+ Kg8 42. Qf6 Qg2 43. Ke3 Qh3+ 44. Kd2 Qd7+ 45.
Kc2 Ne7 46. Nc3 Ng6 47. b4 Nf8 48. Qe5 Qe6 49. Qxe6 Nxe6 50. Ne4 Kg7 51. a4 b6
52. Kc3 Kg6 53. Kc4 Nxg5 54. Nd6 f5 55. Nxf5 Kxf5 56. Kd5 Nf3 57. Kc6 b5 58.
axb5 Nd4+ 59. Kc5 Nxb5 60. Kb6 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic-> 2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.04.02"]
[Round "3.2"]
[White "Hou, Yifan"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A04"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:51:24"]
[BlackClock "1:34:09"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. b3 Bg7 5. Bb2 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7 7. O-O O-O 8. d4
cxd4 9. Qxd4 Nc6 10. Qc3 Qc7 $146 (10... Rc8 11. Rd1 Qc7 12. Qe1 $1 {was more
pleasant for White in Aronian,L (2780)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2783) Leuven 2017})
11. Rd1 Rad8 12. Na3 a6 13. Rac1 Rfe8 14. Qe1 Qb8 (14... e5 $5 15. Nb5 (15. e4
Qb8 (15... Nd4 16. Nxd4 exd4 17. f3)) 15... axb5 16. cxb5 e4 17. Ne5 Rxe5 18.
Bxe5 Qxe5 19. bxc6 {MVL} Bc8 $5) 15. Nc2 b5 16. c5 d5 17. cxd6 Rxd6 18. Rxd6
Qxd6 19. Nfd4 ({After} 19. Ne5 Nd5 20. Nxf7 Kxf7 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 22. Rd1 {
Black has to play} Ne5 23. e4 Rc8 {and it's equal.}) 19... Nd5 20. Ba3 Qd7 21.
Nxc6 Bxc6 22. e4 ({MVL expected} 22. Ne3 e6 {and thought it was equal but he,
with commentators Jan Gustafsson and Peter Leko, were surprised that the
computer likes White after} 23. Qa5) 22... Nc7 23. Nb4 Bb7 24. Rd1 Qc8 25. Qe3
a5 26. Nd3 (26. Nd5 {MVL}) 26... b4 27. Bb2 Bxb2 28. Nxb2 Nb5 29. Nc4 Nc3 30.
Rd2 Rd8 31. Nxa5 Rxd2 32. Qxd2 Ba6 33. Bf1 $2 {"Loses on the spot." (MVL)} ({
White has to play} 33. Bf3 $1 Nxa2 34. Kg2 $1 {to hold.}) 33... Bxf1 34. Kxf1
Qa8 $1 {A winning double attack.} 35. Nc4 Qxe4 36. Kg1 (36. Qd8+ Kg7 37. Kg1
Ne2+ 38. Kf1 Nd4 39. Kg1 Nf3+ 40. Kf1 Nxh2+ 41. Kg1 Nf3+ 42. Kf1 Nd4 43. Kg1 e5
{is also completely over.}) 36... Ne2+ 37. Kf1 Nd4 38. f3 Qxf3+ 39. Qf2 Qh1+
40. Qg1 Qe4 41. Qf2 f6 42. Ne3 Kf7 43. h4 Qh1+ 44. Qg1 Qxg1+ 45. Kxg1 Ne2+ 46.
Kf2 Nc3 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic-> 2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.04.02"]
[Round "3.3"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C65"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:56:53"]
[BlackClock "0:36:13"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O Re8 (6... d5 7. Nbd2
dxe4 8. dxe4 Qe7 9. Qc2 Nb8 10. b4 Bd6 11. a3 Bg4 {Anand,V (2776)-Harikrishna,
P (2731) chess.com INT 2018}) 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Re1 $146 (8. Nbd2 h6 9. Bh4 d6 10.
a4 a6 11. Bc4 Be6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. b4 Qd7 {Ter Sahakyan,S (2581)-Petrosyan,M 
(2546) Skopje 2017}) 8... d6 9. d4 Bd7 10. d5 Nb8 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. a4 Be7 13.
Na3 Rf8 14. Bxd7 Nxd7 15. Nc4 Kh8 16. b4 g6 17. a5 a6 18. Ncd2 f5 19. h3 Bg5
20. c4 Bh6 21. Nb1 fxe4 22. Rxe4 Nf6 23. Re1 Qd7 24. Nc3 Rf7 25. Ne4 Nxe4 26.
Rxe4 Raf8 27. Ra3 Rf4 28. Rae3 R4f6 29. Rc3 Rf4 30. Rce3 R4f6 31. Rc3 Rf4
1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic-> 2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.04.02"]
[Round "3.4"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[PlyCount "86"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:57:29"]
[BlackClock "0:40:48"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. c3 d6 (6... b5 7. Bb3 d6
8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Nf1 d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Ng3 f6 {Caruana,F (2799)-So,W (2788)
London 2017}) 7. Bg5 Ba7 8. Nbd2 h6 $146 (8... O-O 9. O-O Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11.
Re1 Qe7 12. Nf1 Nd8 13. Ne3 Bxe3 14. fxe3 h6 {Brcar,A (1940)-Tomazini,Z (2170)
Slovenia 2010}) 9. Bh4 Bd7 10. Nf1 g5 11. Bg3 Ne7 12. Ne3 Ng6 13. Nf5 Ne7 14.
Ne3 Ng6 15. Bb3 Qe7 16. Qc2 O-O-O 17. O-O-O Nf4 18. Rhe1 N4h5 19. Nd2 Nxg3 20.
hxg3 Ng4 21. Ndf1 Nxe3 22. Nxe3 Bxe3+ 23. Rxe3 h5 24. d4 h4 25. Ba4 Bxa4 26.
Qxa4 hxg3 27. Rxg3 Rh4 28. Re3 Rdh8 29. dxe5 Qxe5 30. Qd4 Qxd4 31. cxd4 Rf4 32.
Rd2 Rh1+ 33. Kc2 Rf1 34. Ree2 Kd7 35. Kd3 c6 36. Ke3 d5 37. exd5 cxd5 38. f3
Rf6 39. Kd3 Re6 40. Rc2 Rd1+ 41. Red2 Ree1 42. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 43. Rd2 Re1 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic-> 2018"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.04.02"]
[Round "3.5"]
[White "Meier, Georg"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C68"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2784"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:01:28"]
[BlackClock "0:02:19"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 {Meier understands and plays endgames
well. For this reason the Exchange Ruy Lopez has always been part of his
repertoire.} dxc6 5. O-O Qf6 {A very fighting move.} 6. d4 exd4 7. Bg5 Qd6 8.
Nxd4 Be7 9. Be3 ({Black did not expect any real problems after:} 9. Bxe7 Nxe7
10. Nc3 Bd7 11. Nb3 O-O-O 12. Qf3 Ng6 13. Qe3 Kb8 14. Nc5 Bc8 15. Rad1 Qf4 16.
Qxf4 Nxf4 17. f3 b6 {Solak,D (2626)-Eljanov,P (2720) Heraklio 2017}) 9... Nh6
10. Qd2 g5 $146 {"I prepared this idea four years ago for Arkadij [Naiditsch].
" (Caruana)} ({Apparently, Caruana has built his preparation on account of the
following game:} 10... Qg6 11. f3 Bd7 12. Nc3 O-O-O 13. Qf2 f6 14. Nce2 {
Naiditsch,A (2724)-Maiorov,N (2548) Bastia 2013}) 11. Nf3 ({According to
Caruana critical are the moves:} 11. h3) ({Or} 11. f3 f5 {"with a mess" 
(Caruana)}) 11... Rg8 12. h4 {Meier tries to make use of the shaky knight on
h6. But now his king gets opened and Caruana became "very ambitious."} ({
"Logical is"} 12. Qxd6 cxd6 13. Nc3 {"with equality" (Caruana)}) 12... Qg6 ({
Objectively better was perhaps:} 12... f6 {to which Meier intended} 13. e5 fxe5
14. Bxg5 {when} Bg4 $1 {is an important resource for Black, with unclear game
after} 15. Nxe5 Bxg5 16. hxg5 O-O-O) 13. hxg5 Ng4 14. Nc3 $5 {Wastes a move.} (
{Black expected the immediate} 14. Bf4 h6 15. Bxc7 hxg5 ({Instead} 15... Be6 {
was planned (Caruana), which might transpose into the game.}) 16. Nd4 Rh8 $6 ({
Or} 16... Qh7 17. f3 Nf6 18. Nc3 {which also looks good for White.}) 17. f3 {
and Black did not like that his knight has to step on h2 now. If} Nf6 18. Nc3 {
looks good for White.}) 14... h6 15. Bf4 ({"I spent a lot of time on"} 15. Rad1
{"before realizing that"} Be6 $1 {"is very strong" (Meier)} ({He was hoping
for:} 15... hxg5 16. Bc5 $1)) 15... Be6 {Caruana liked the idea to exclude the
white bishop from the game.} ({He did not like the straightforward attack} 
15... hxg5 16. Bxc7 Rh8 17. Ne2 Qh6 18. Ng3 Nh2 19. Rfd1 Nxf3+ 20. gxf3 {
as he could not find anything decisive. Still, Black's position is quite
decent after} Be6 21. b3 (21. Qc3) 21... Bc5 $1) 16. Bxc7 Rc8 ({Worse is} 16...
hxg5 17. Nd4 $1) 17. Bb6 ({Good for Black is} 17. Bd6 Rd8 18. e5 hxg5 {
(Caruana)}) ({While} 17. Bg3 {takes away the important square from the white
knight-} hxg5 18. Ne2 Rh8 $1) 17... hxg5 18. Ne2 c5 ({"I was dreaming for"} 
18... Qxe4 19. Rfe1 {(Meier), when it is clear which king is weaker.}) 19. Ng3
(19. Ba5 $5 {to escape from the danger zone was interesting as well.}) 19...
Rh8 20. Rfd1 ({Better was to centralize both the rooks with} 20. Rfe1 f6 21.
Rad1 Kf7 {and now for instance} 22. Qa5 $1 ({Rather than} 22. Qc3 Rc6 {
(Caruana)})) 20... Qh6 ({On} 20... f6 {"White suddenly get counter-play with"}
21. b4 $1 cxb4 (21... Qh6 $1) ({Or} 21... Qh7 $1 {are better with some
advantage for Black.}) 22. Nd4 Bc4 23. Ndf5 {(Caruana). Indeed, it is White
who is attacking now.}) 21. b4 {In the coming time-trouble Meier sacrificed
the pawn in order to free his bishop. This was not needed though.} ({Instead} 
21. b3 Bf6 ({Or} 21... f6 22. Ba5 Kf7 23. Bc3 {would lead to approximately
levelled situation.})) 21... cxb4 22. Bd4 f6 23. c3 bxc3 {In order to play it
safe in time-trouble, Caruana loses control.} ({Caruana spotted too late the
winning line} 23... Nh2 24. Nxg5 Nf1 $3 25. Kxf1 Bc4+ 26. Ke1 Qh1+ 27. Nxh1
Rxh1#) ({Also good for him was another line that he was checking during the
game:} 23... Bd6 24. e5 Bxe5 25. Bxe5 Nxe5 26. Nxe5 Qh2+ 27. Kf1 fxe5 28. Qxg5
Bc4+ 29. Ke1 Qg1+ 30. Kd2 Qxf2+ 31. Kc1 {Now} Be6 ({However, the simple} 31...
Qf4+ 32. Qxf4 exf4 33. Ne4 Ke7 {leaves Blak excellent winning chances.}) 32.
Ne4 {"is messing things up" (Caruana)}) 24. Bxc3 Kf7 25. Rac1 Rc4 ({Here} 25...
Nh2 {is not that clear after} 26. Nxg5+ $1 fxg5 27. Bxh8 Rxh8 28. Rc7 Ng4 29.
Qd6 Qf6 {(Caruana)}) 26. Bd4 ({Missing} 26. Bb2 $1 b5 27. Rxc4 {when} Bxc4 {
is met with} ({Caruana planned the sad} 27... bxc4 {instead, but then the
bishop is deprived of the c4 square and cannot bother the enemy king any more.}
) 28. Qd7 Nh2 ({Or} 28... Be6 29. Qc7 $1) 29. Qxe7+ $1 {(Caruana)}) 26... b5
27. Qa5 {"A losing move." (Caruana)} ({Instead} 27. Rxc4 {was correct and after
} Bxc4 {White does not need to go for} 28. e5 ({But might choose instead} 28.
Qc3) ({Or} 28. Rc1) 28... Nh2 29. Nxg5+ fxg5 30. e6+ Kg8 31. Bxh8 Ng4 {
(Caruana) when Black seems on top again.}) 27... Nh2 28. Qxa6 {This is the
really losing move.} (28. Ne1 $1 {was White's last hope.}) 28... Nxf3+ (28...
g4 $1 {(Caruana) would had also won. Say} 29. Ng5+ (29. Ne1 Rxc1 30. Rxc1)
29... fxg5 30. Bxh8 Nf3+ 31. gxf3 gxf3 {with mate after Qh6-h3-g2.}) 29. gxf3
g4 {Caruana was not very happy with the finish of the game and felt that there
was something better.} ({There is indeed:} 29... Qh2+ 30. Kf1 Rhc8 $1 {leads
to mate after} 31. Rb1 Rxd4 32. Rxd4 Rc2) 30. f4 $1 Qxf4 31. Rxc4 bxc4 ({Since
} 31... Bxc4 32. Be3 Qf3 33. Rd7 Be6 34. Rxe7+ $1 {leads only to a draw after}
Kxe7 35. Qb7+ Kf8 36. Bc5+ Kg8 37. Qe7 Qd1+ 38. Kg2 Qf3+) 32. Be3 ({In
time-trouble White missed the strong} 32. Qa5 {although it is questionable if
he survives after} Qf3 33. Rd2 Kg6) 32... Qf3 33. Rd6 Rh3 $1 {Calculating
everything till the end. The attack is unstoppable-} 34. Rxe6 Rxg3+ 35. fxg3
Qxe3+ 36. Kh2 (36. Kf1 Qf3+ 37. Kg1 (37. Ke1 Bb4#) 37... Bc5+ 38. Kh2 Qf2+ 39.
Kh1 Qg1#) 36... Qf2+ 37. Kh1 Qf1+ 38. Kh2 Qh3+ 39. Kg1 Bc5# 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.04"]
[Round "4.1"]
[White "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[ECO "C02"]
[Opening "French"]
[Variation "advance, Steinitz variation"]
[WhiteFideId "4152956"]
[BlackFideId "5000017"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 e6 5. Nf3 Bxc5 6. Bd3 Ne7 7. O-O Ng6 8. a3
O-O 9. Nbd2 Nc6 10. b4 Bb6 11. Bb2 Nf4 12. Nb3 a5 13. Qd2 Nxd3 14. cxd3 d4 15.
bxa5 Bxa5 16. Nxa5 Rxa5 17. Nxd4 Nxe5 18. Rfe1 Rd5 19. Rxe5 Rxe5 20. Nc6 bxc6
21. Bxe5 f6 22. Bc3 c5 23. d4 cxd4 24. Qxd4 Qxd4 25. Bxd4 Rd8 26. Bb6 Rd6 27.
Bc5 Rd5 28. Be3 Bd7 29. h3 Ba4 30. Rc1 Rd1+ 31. Rxd1 Bxd1 32. f3 e5 33. h4 h5
34. Kf2 Kf7 35. Ke1 Ba4 36. Kf2 Bd1 37. Ke1 Ba4 38. Kf2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.04"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Black "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2701"]
[ECO "C65"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez"]
[Variation "Berlin defence"]
[WhiteFideId "2020009"]
[BlackFideId "4650891"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. Re1 Be7 7. c3 O-O 8. h3
Re8 9. a4 Bf8 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Bg3 Ne7 13. Bxd7 Qxd7 14. Nbd2 Ng6 15.
Nc4 Rad8 16. Ne3 d5 17. exd5 Bg7 18. d4 exd4 19. cxd4 Nxd5 20. Nxd5 Rxe1+ 21.
Qxe1 Qxd5 22. Bxc7 Rc8 23. Rc1 Bxd4 24. Qd2 Qd7 25. Nxd4 Rxc7 26. Rxc7 Qxc7 27.
Nf5 Kh7 28. g3 Ne5 29. Qe3 Nc4 30. Qc3 Qe5 31. Qd3 Nxb2 32. Qc2 Qe1+ 33. Kg2 Qd1
34. Qe4 Qxa4 35. Qxb7 Qa2 36. Ne3 Kg7 37. Qb4 Qb1 38. g4 Kg8 39. Nf5 Qc2 40.
Qb8+ Kh7 41. Qb7 Kh8 42. Qe7 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.04"]
[Round "4.3"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2843"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[ECO "A04"]
[Opening "Reti opening"]
[WhiteFideId "1503014"]
[BlackFideId "623539"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. d4 e4 6. d5 exf3 7. dxc6 fxg2 8.
cxd7+ Bxd7 9. Bxg2 g6 10. b3 Bg7 11. Qd6 Qb6 12. Qxb6 axb6 13. Bb2 Bc6 14. O-O
Ke7 15. Nd5+ Bxd5 16. cxd5 Rhg8 17. d6+ Kxd6 18. Rad1+ Ke7 19. Be5 Rgd8 20. Bxb7
Rxd1 21. Rxd1 Rd8 22. Rxd8 Kxd8 23. Kf1 Ne8 24. Bg3 Kd7 25. a4 f5 26. f3 Ke6 27.
Bc8+ Kd5 28. Bb7+ Ke6 29. Bc6 Nd6 30. Bf2 Be5 31. h4 f4 32. exf4 Bxf4 33. a5
bxa5 34. Bxc5 Nf5 35. Bb6 Bd2 36. Bd8 Nd4 37. Ba4 Kd6 38. Kg2 Ne6 39. Bb6 Nc5
40. Bxc5+ Kxc5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.04"]
[Round "4.4"]
[White "Aronian, Levon"]
[Black "Hou, Yifan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[ECO "A14"]
[Opening "English"]
[Variation "Neo-Catalan declined"]
[WhiteFideId "13300474"]
[BlackFideId "8602980"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 e6 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 d5 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 c5
9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Qxc4 b6 11. Ne5 Ra7 12. Nd3 Be7 13. Bf4 Bb7 14. Bxb7 Rxb7 15.
Rc1 Nd5 16. Bxb8 b5 17. axb5 axb5 18. Qb3 Qxb8 19. Nd2 Rc8 20. Nf3 g6 21. Nd4
Rxc1+ 22. Rxc1 Bf6 23. Nc6 Qa8 24. Ncb4 Nxb4 25. Qxb4 Kg7 26. Qe4 Qa7 27. Qc6
Rb6 28. Qc5 Be7 29. Qe3 Qb7 30. Ne5 Ra6 31. h3 Bf6 32. Kh2 h5 33. Nd3 Ra8 34.
Qc5 Ra4 35. b3 Ra2 36. Rc2 Ra1 37. Rc1 Ra2 38. Rc2 Ra1 39. Rc1 Ra2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.04"]
[Round "4.5"]
[White "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Black "Meier, Georg"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[ECO "E00"]
[Opening "Catalan opening"]
[WhiteFideId "24651516"]
[BlackFideId "4675789"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Bxd2+ 5. Qxd2 d5 6. Bg2 c6 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8.
O-O b6 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. Rac1 Qe7 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. b3 Ba6 14. cxd5
cxd5 15. Qb2 Qe7 16. Rc2 Rac8 17. Rfc1 h6 18. Nb1 Rfd8 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Rxc8+
Bxc8 21. Bf1 Ba6 22. e3 Bxf1 23. Kxf1 Ne4 24. Nd2 Nd6 25. Qc2 Qd7 26. a4 f6 27.
Nf3 Kf7 28. Kg2 Qc8 29. Qxc8 Nxc8 30. Nd2 Ne7 31. Kf3 Nc6 32. Ke2 e5 33. dxe5
fxe5 34. e4 Ke6 35. Kd3 g5 36. exd5+ Kxd5 37. Nc4 h5 38. Ne3+ Ke6 39. Ke4 Nd4
40. b4 g4 41. Nd5 Nf3 42. Nc7+ Kd7 43. Nd5 Ke6 44. Nc7+ Kd7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.05"]
[Round "5.1"]
[White "Hou, Yifan"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[ECO "C92"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez"]
[Variation "closed, 9.h3"]
[WhiteFideId "8602980"]
[BlackFideId "4152956"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Re8 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5 Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. N3h2 c6 15.
dxc6 Bxc6 16. Bg5 Qc7 17. Ng3 a5 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Ng4 Nxg4 20. hxg4 a4 21. Bd5
Bxd5 22. Qxd5 a3 23. bxa3 Rxa3 24. Rab1 Qc4 25. Qxb5 Qxb5 26. Rxb5 Rxa2 27. Nf5
Rc2 28. Ne3 Rxc3 29. Ra1 Rcc8 30. Rb7 Rb8 31. Raa7 Rxb7 32. Rxb7 h6 33. Nd5 Ra8
34. Kh2 g6 35. f3 Kg7 36. Nc7 Rc8 37. Nd5 Ra8 38. Nc7 Rc8 39. Nd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.05"]
[Round "5.2"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Aronian, Levon"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[ECO "C88"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez"]
[Variation "closed, anti-Marshall 8.a4"]
[WhiteFideId "623539"]
[BlackFideId "13300474"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4
b4 9. a5 d6 10. d3 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 12. h3 Qb8 13. c3 Qb5 14. c4 Qb7 15. Nbd2
Nd7 16. Nb3 Nd8 17. d4 exd4 18. Nbxd4 c5 19. Nxe6 Nxe6 20. Qd5 Qxd5 21. exd5
Rxf3 22. gxf3 Ne5 23. Rxe5 dxe5 24. dxe6 Rd8 25. Be3 g5 26. Kf1 Kg7 27. Ke2 Kf6
28. Rd1 Rxd1 29. Kxd1 Kxe6 30. Kc2 Kf5 31. Kd3 Bd6 32. b3 Be7 33. Bc1 Bd6 34.
Be3 Be7 35. Bc1 Bd6 36. Be3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.05"]
[Round "5.3"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2784"]
[ECO "B12"]
[Opening "Caro-Kann"]
[Variation "advance variation"]
[WhiteFideId "5000017"]
[BlackFideId "2020009"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nd2 e6 5. Nb3 Nd7 6. Nf3 c5 7. dxc5 a6 8. Be3 Ne7
9. Be2 Be4 10. Ng5 Nxe5 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. c3 Nf5 13. Bd4 Nc6 14. O-O Be7 15. Bc4
O-O 16. Re1 b5 17. cxb6 Ncxd4 18. b7 Rb8 19. cxd4 a5 20. d5 e5 21. d6 Nxd6 22.
Bd5 Nxb7 23. Rxe4 Bf6 24. Rc1 Qd7 25. Bc6 Qxd1+ 26. Rxd1 Rfc8 27. Bxb7 Rxb7 28.
Ra4 h6 29. Rxa5 Rc2 30. Rb1 e4 31. Ra4 Re7 32. Re1 Rxb2 33. Kf1 Rc7 34. Raxe4
Rxa2 35. R4e2 Rxe2 36. Rxe2 Re7 37. Rxe7 Bxe7 38. Nc1 h5 39. h3 g6 40. g4 hxg4
41. hxg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.05"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Meier, Georg"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2843"]
[ECO "E10"]
[Opening "Queen's pawn game"]
[WhiteFideId "4675789"]
[BlackFideId "1503014"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qc2
c6 9. Bf4 Ne4 10. h4 Ndf6 11. Nbd2 Nxd2 12. Nxd2 Nh5 13. Be3 f5 14. Bf3 Qe8 15.
Bg5 Nf6 16. e3 b6 17. Rac1 Ba6 18. a3 Ne4 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Be2 Bb7 21. b4 Rac8
22. c5 e5 23. dxe5 Qxe5 24. Nxe4 fxe4 25. Qc3 Qf5 26. a4 g5 27. hxg5 Qxg5 28.
Kg2 Rc7 29. Rh1 Rg7 30. Rcg1 Qf5 31. Rf1 Ba6 32. b5 cxb5 33. Rh5 Qf7 34. Qe5 Bb7
35. cxb6 bxa4 36. bxa7 Ba8 37. Rg5 Qxa7 38. Bg4 Kh8 39. Ra1 Qe7 40. Qxg7+ Qxg7
41. Rxg7 Kxg7 42. Rxa4 Bc6 43. Rb4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.05"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2631"]
[ECO "A13"]
[Opening "English opening"]
[Variation "Agincourt variation"]
[WhiteFideId "4650891"]
[BlackFideId "24651516"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 O-O 6. Nc3 dxc4 7. bxc4 c5 8. Rg1
Nc6 9. g4 e5 10. g5 Ne8 11. Qb1 f5 12. gxf6 Nxf6 13. Be2 Kh8 14. Ng5 h6 15. Nf3
Ne8 16. Nd5 Bf5 17. d3 Bd6 18. Bc3 Rb8 19. Qb2 Bxd3 20. Bxd3 Rxf3 21. Qe2 Rf8
22. Qh5 Ne7 23. Rxg7 Kxg7 24. O-O-O Rf7 25. Rg1+ Kf8 26. Qxh6+ Rg7 27. Rxg7 Nxg7
28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Bxe5 Nef5 30. Bxf5 Qxf6 31. Nxf6+ Kf7 32. Bxd6 Rd8 33. Bc7 Rh8
34. Be4 Kxf6 35. Bxb7 Nf5 36. Bf4 Rg8 37. a4 Rg1+ 38. Kd2 Rb1 39. Bc6 Rb2+ 40.
Ke1 Rb4 41. a5 Rxc4 42. a6 Rb4 43. Bb7 Ke6 44. Bc8+ Kf6 45. Kd2 Rb2+ 46. Kd3
Rxf2 47. Ke4 Ra2 48. Be5+ Kg5 49. Bb8 Ra4+ 50. Ke5 c4 51. Bxf5 Ra5+ 52. Kd4 Kxf5
53. Bxa7 Rxa6 54. Bc5 Ra4 55. e4+ Ke6 56. Kc3 Ke5 57. Bb4 Ra2 58. Kxc4 Rxh2 59.
Kd3 Rh3+ 60. Ke2 Kxe4 61. Kf2 Rb3 62. Bd6 Rb2+ 63. Kg3 Rc2 64. Bb8 Rc3+ 65. Kg2
Rb3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Meier, Geo"]
[Black "Naiditsch, A."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E10"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2701"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2
b6 9. Rd1 Bb7 10. b3 Nbd7 11. Nc3 Rc8 12. Bf4 c5 13. Nb5 (13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. Ne5
Qe8 15. cxd5 exd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 Bf6 {Oliva Castaneda,K (2497)-Salgado
Lopez,I (2627) Linares 2017}) 13... cxd4 14. Nd6 Bxd6 15. Bxd6 Re8 16. Nxd4 Nc5
17. Bxc5 Rxc5 18. Qb2 $146 (18. Qd2 Qa8 19. cxd5 Bxd5 20. f3 Bb7 21. b4 Rcc8 {
Krishna,C (2326)-Barua,D (2429) Kolkata 2012}) 18... e5 19. Nb5 Qb8 20. e3 h5
21. Qe2 a6 22. Na3 d4 23. Nc2 Bxg2 24. Kxg2 Ne4 25. Qf1 h4 26. f3 Nc3 27. Rd2
hxg3 28. hxg3 Re6 29. Qf2 Rf6 30. exd4 Ne4 31. Qe3 Nxd2 32. dxc5 Nxf3 33. cxb6
$4 ({It was just a matter of closing the h1-a8 diagonal with e.g.} 33. Rd1 Qb7
34. Rd5 {and it's about equal.}) ({Another interesting try is} 33. Nb4 Nd4 34.
Nd5 Re6 35. cxb6 Nc2 36. Qe4 Nxa1 37. c5 {with wild complications.}) 33... Qb7
0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Caruana, F."]
[Black "Hou Yifan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C42"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[PlyCount "196"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 O-O
8. Qd2 (8. Bd3 Nd7 9. Qe2 Nc5 10. Bc4 d5 11. Bd3 Nxd3+ 12. Qxd3 c5 13. h4 h6
14. O-O-O Be6 15. Rdg1 Qa5 {Ponomariov,R (2694)-Ni,H (2671) Riadh 2017}) 8...
Nd7 9. O-O-O Nf6 10. h3 c5 11. Bf4 $146 (11. Bd3 Re8 12. g4 Be6 13. c4 b5 14.
g5 bxc4 15. gxf6 Bxf6 16. Bf1 c3 17. bxc3 Qa5 18. Qd3 Bxc3 {0-1 Sadler,K (1810)
-Hofer,R (2375) corr. 2016}) 11... Be6 12. a3 d5 13. Ng5 Bd7 14. g4 Bc6 15. Bg2
Re8 16. Qd3 Bd6 17. Qg3 Bxf4+ 18. Qxf4 h6 19. Nf3 Qb8 20. Qxb8 Raxb8 21. Nd2
Re2 22. Rhf1 b6 23. Rde1 Rbe8 24. Rxe2 Rxe2 25. Kd1 Re6 26. f4 Kf8 27. Re1 Ke7
28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Ke2 g5 30. fxg5 hxg5 31. Nf3 Ne4 32. Ke3 f6 33. Bf1 Nd6 34.
Nd2 f5 35. gxf5+ Nxf5+ 36. Kf2 Ke5 37. Nf3+ Kf4 38. Ne1 c4 39. Ng2+ Ke5 40. Be2
Ba4 41. Bd1 Be8 42. Bg4 Bg6 43. Be2 Nd6 44. Ne3 Ne4+ 45. Kf3 Nf6 46. Kf2 Bf7
47. Ng2 Be6 48. h4 Ne4+ 49. Kf3 Bh3 50. hxg5 Nxg5+ 51. Kg3 Bxg2 52. Kxg2 Ne6
53. Kf2 Nc5 54. Bh5 Na4 55. Be8 Nxb2 56. Ke2 a6 57. Kd2 b5 58. Bh5 Na4 59. Bf7
Nc5 60. Kc1 Ne6 61. Kb2 Nf4 62. Be8 Ke4 63. Bc6 Ke3 64. Bb7 a5 ({It was very
difficult to see everything, but at the same time the lines are beautiful
after the winning idea} 64... Kd2 $1 65. Bxa6 Nd3+ $3 66. Kb1 (66. cxd3 d4 $1
67. cxd4 c3+ {is a classic breakthrough}) 66... Ne1 $1 67. Bxb5 Nxc2 68. a4 d4
$1 {and wins.}) 65. Kc1 Ne2+ 66. Kb2 Kd2 67. Bxd5 Nxc3 68. Bc6 Nd1+ 69. Kb1 Ne3
70. Be4 c3 71. Bh7 Nc4 72. Ka2 Ne5 73. Be4 Ke3 74. Bh7 Nc6 75. Bg6 Kd2 76. Be4
Nd4 77. Kb1 Kd1 78. Bd5 Nf5 79. Be4 Ne3 80. Bg6 Kd2 81. Bd3 Nc4 82. Ka2 Nb6 83.
Kb1 Nc4 84. Ka2 a4 85. Bg6 Kc1 86. Bd3 Nd6 87. Ka1 Nb7 88. Ka2 Nc5 89. Bf5 Na6
90. Bg6 Kd2 91. Bh7 Nb8 92. Bd3 Nc6 93. Bxb5 Nd4 94. Bxa4 Nxc2 95. Kb3 Nd4+ 96.
Kc4 Nc2 97. Kb3 Ne3 98. Kb4 c2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Aronian, L."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A18"]
[WhiteElo "2843"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e5 Ne4 6. Nf3 Bf5 7. d3 Nxc3 8.
bxc3 c5 9. d4 c4 $146 (9... Nc6 10. Bd3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Be7 12. dxc5 Bxc5 13. O-O
Qd7 14. Re1 Be7 15. Be3 O-O 16. Rad1 Rad8 {Grischuk,A (2767)-Nakamura,H (2787)
Moscow 2018}) 10. g3 Be7 11. Bg2 Bd3 12. Ng1 Qa5 13. Bd2 Nc6 14. Ne2 Ba3 15.
O-O O-O 16. Re1 Rad8 {"A critical moment." (Carlsen)} 17. Bg5 (17. Nf4 Bb2 18.
e6 Bxa1 19. Qxa1 Ne7 20. exf7+ Rxf7 21. Ne6 Re8 {Carlsen}) 17... Bb2 18. Bxd8
Rxd8 {"I remembered that I analyzed this position but I didn't remember what
was my intention." (Aronian)} 19. Rc1 Bxe2 (19... Bxc1 20. Qxc1 Qxa2 21. Nf4
Qa5 22. e6 {Aronian}) 20. Qxe2 ({It took a while for the players to notice
that after} 20. Rxe2 Bxc3 21. e6 Bxd4 (21... fxe6 22. Rxe6 Bb2 (22... Nxd4 23.
Re7 Qa3 24. Re3) {White has} 23. Qe2 $1) 22. exf7+ Kxf7 23. Rb1 $1 b6 24. a4 $1
a6 25. Qc2) 20... Bxc1 ({Leko showed the line} 20... Bxc3 21. e6 Bxe1 22. exf7+
Kxf7 23. Rxe1 g6 24. Qe6+ Kg7 25. Rb1 Qc7 26. Bxd5 {and the players thought
that his} Qd7 $1 {was very nice here. Black probably holds.}) 21. Rxc1 Qa3 22.
Qe3 b5 23. e6 f6 24. h4 Ne7 25. Rb1 a6 26. Qd2 Qd6 {Aronian didn't like this
move but it's hard to think of a plan and avoid White's a2-a4.} (26... Nc6 {
is "asking too much of the position." (Carlsen)}) 27. a4 bxa4 28. Qa2 a3 29.
Rb4 h5 30. Qxa3 Nc6 ({Earlier Aronian had planned} 30... a5 {but here he
noticed that it fails to} 31. Qxa5 $1 Nc6 32. Qxd5 (32. Qc5 Qxc5 33. dxc5 Nxb4
34. cxb4 Kf8 35. c6 c3) 32... Qxd5 ({the big trick was} 32... Nxb4 33. Qxc4 $1)
33. Bxd5 Rxd5 34. Rb6 Rd6 (34... Ne7 35. Rb8+ Kh7 36. Rb7 Ng6 37. e7 Nxe7 38.
Rxe7 {is a winning rook ending}) 35. d5 Rxd5 36. Rxc6 Rd1+ 37. Kg2 Re1 38. Kf3
{with good winning chances.}) 31. Ra4 Qxa3 32. Rxa3 a5 33. e7 Nxe7 34. Rxa5 Rb8
35. Bxd5+ Nxd5 36. Rxd5 Rb3 37. Rxh5 Rxc3 38. Rc5 Rc1+ 39. Kg2 c3 40. Kf3 c2
41. Kf4 Rd1 42. Rxc2 Rxd4+ 43. Kf5 Kh7 44. f4 Ra4 45. Rc5 Kh6 46. Rd5 Ra6 47.
g4 g6+ 48. Ke4 Ra4+ 49. Rd4 Ra5 50. Rd5 Ra4+ 51. Ke3 Ra3+ 52. Rd3 Ra6 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Vitiugov, N."]
[Black "Vachier Lagrave, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E60"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[PlyCount "136"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Qa4 (5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Qb3 O-O 7. O-O Qb6
8. Nc3 Rd8 9. h3 Bf5 {Li,C (2732)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2789) Riadh 2017}) 5...
Bg7 6. cxd5 O-O $146 (6... Nxd5 7. Nf3 Nb6 8. Qc2 Bg4 9. e3 O-O 10. Nbd2 Na6 {
Bruzon Batista,L (2673)-Zherebukh,Y (2633) Saint Louis 2018}) 7. dxc6 Nxc6 8.
Nf3 Nd5 9. e3 Nb6 10. Qd1 e5 11. O-O Bg4 12. dxe5 Qxd1 13. Rxd1 Nxe5 14. Nbd2
Rfd8 15. Rf1 Nd3 16. Nb3 Nxc1 17. Raxc1 Bxb2 18. Rc2 Bf6 19. Nfd4 Rac8 20. Rfc1
Rxc2 21. Rxc2 Nd5 22. Rc5 Nb4 23. Bxb7 Nxa2 24. Ra5 Nc3 25. Rxa7 Ne2+ 26. Nxe2
Bxe2 27. Kg2 Bc4 28. Na5 Be6 29. Bf3 Rd2 30. Nc6 Ra2 31. Rc7 Bg5 32. Nb4 Rd2
33. Rc3 Bf6 34. Rc2 Rxc2 35. Nxc2 Kf8 36. Nb4 Bc3 37. Nc6 h6 38. Nd4 Ke7 39.
Bb7 Kf6 40. f4 g5 41. Kf3 gxf4 42. gxf4 Bb2 43. Ne2 Ke7 44. Ng3 f5 45. Ne2 Kf6
46. Nd4 Bc4 47. Bc8 Bd3 48. Kf2 Bc3 49. Bb7 Bb2 50. Bg2 Ba6 51. Bf1 Bc8 52. Bh3
Bc3 53. Nb5 Bd2 54. Nd4 Bc3 55. Ne2 Bd2 56. Ng3 Bc1 57. Ne4+ fxe4 58. Bxc8 h5
59. h4 Ba3 60. Bd7 Be7 61. Be8 Kf5 62. Kg3 Bc5 63. Kf2 Be7 64. Bxh5 Bxh4+ 65.
Ke2 Bg3 66. Bf3 Bxf4 67. Bxe4+ Kxe4 68. exf4 Kxf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.06"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Bluebaum, M."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 dxc4 4. e3 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Bxc4 Nf6 7. a5 (7. O-O Be7
8. Qe2 O-O 9. b3 Bb7 10. Bb2 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 c5 {Bu,X (2730)-Inarkiev,E (2689)
Riadh 2017}) 7... a6 8. Nbd2 Bb7 9. O-O c5 10. Nb3 Nbd7 11. dxc5 $146 (11. Qe2
Bd6 12. Rd1 Qc7 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 {Alfaro,W (2181)-Quesada Perez,Y 
(2541) Managua 2017}) 11... Nxc5 12. Nxc5 Bxc5 13. Qa4+ Qd7 14. Qxd7+ Nxd7 15.
Bd2 Ke7 16. Rac1 Rhc8 17. Nd4 Ne5 18. Be2 Bd6 19. Rfd1 Bd5 $2 {In a position
that Bluebaum expected to be drawn soon, Anand goes for a direct but risky
approach. he must have missed something in his calculations.} 20. Rxc8 Rxc8 21.
Bxa6 Ra8 22. Bf1 Rxa5 23. Nb5 $1 {Strong.} Bc5 24. Rc1 Ra2 (24... Nd7 25. Rxc5
Nxc5 26. Bxb4 Ra1 27. Bxc5+ Kd7 28. Nd6 {Bluebaum}) 25. Rxc5 Rxb2 26. e4 $1 (
26. Bc1 Rb1 {Bluebaum}) 26... Rxd2 27. exd5 exd5 28. Rc1 b3 29. Rb1 b2 (29...
Nc4 $5 30. Nc3 Na5) 30. Nc3 Nc4 31. Nxd5+ Rxd5 32. Bxc4 Rc5 33. Re1+ Kf6 (33...
Kd6 34. Ba2 $1 Rc1 35. Kf1 Kc5 36. Ke2 Kd4 37. Kd2 {Bluebaum}) 34. Bd3 Rd5 35.
Bb1 h5 36. g3 g5 37. Kg2 g4 38. Re2 Rb5 39. Re8 Rd5 40. Re2 Rb5 41. h4 Kg7 42.
Re7 Rd5 43. Rb7 Rd2 44. Ba2 Kh6 45. Bxf7 1-0

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.07"]
[Round "7.1"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Meier, Georg"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C10"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. g3 Be7 6. Nf3 Ngf6 7. Qe2 (7.
Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O e5 10. Be3 c6 {Short,N (2510)-Seirawan,Y (2510)
Thessaloniki 1988}) 7... Nxe4 8. Qxe4 Rb8 $146 (8... Nf6 9. Qe2 b6 10. Bg2 Bb7
11. c3 O-O 12. O-O Qc8 13. Re1 c5 14. Be3 c4 15. Ng5 {½-½ Rigo,J (2340)
-Somlai,L (2360) Hungary 1994}) 9. Bg2 b5 10. O-O O-O 11. Rd1 Bb7 12. Qe2 Nf6
13. c3 a6 14. a4 Bd5 15. Ne5 Bxg2 16. Kxg2 Qd5+ 17. Qf3 Qxf3+ 18. Kxf3 Bd6 19.
axb5 axb5 20. Bg5 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Nd5 22. Ra6 (22. Be3 $5 Ra8 23. Bc5 {Anand})
22... c5 23. Be3 Rfc8 24. Rda1 h5 25. Ra7 c4 26. Rd7 b4 27. Bd4 bxc3 28. bxc3
Rb3 29. Rxd5 $5 exd5 30. Kf4 {"I thought this was a very serious winning
chance." (Anand)} Rbb8 31. Kg5 Ra8 32. Re1 (32. Rh1 $5 g6 {Anand}) 32... Rc6
33. f4 $2 ({Anand pointed out} 33. h3 Rg6+ 34. Kxh5 Kh7 35. Kh4 Rh8 36. g4 Kg8+
37. Kg3 Rgh6 38. Rh1 g5 39. Be3 Rg6 40. Rd1 {and White is still better.}) 33...
Ra2 34. h3 Rd2 ({After} 34... Rg2 35. Re3 Rg6+ 36. Kh4 {Meier couldn't find
the right way to play for mate, but it's there with} f6 $1 {which threatens 37.
..Rg4+. It looks like Black is winning here:} 37. exf6 (37. Rf3 Rg4+ 38. Kxh5
R4xg3) 37... gxf6 38. Re8+ Kf7 39. Ra8 Ke6) 35. f5 Rd3 36. Kf4 h4 37. e6 Kf8
38. gxh4 fxe6 39. Ra1 exf5 40. Kxf5 Rxh3 41. Ra8+ Ke7 42. Ra7+ Ke8 43. Ke5 Rxh4
44. Kxd5 Rg6 45. Bxg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.07"]
[Round "7.2"]
[White "Aronian, Levon"]
[Black "Vitiugov, Nikita"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A11"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 c6 2. g3 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. O-O Nbd7 6. Na3 Nb6 7. Qc2 g6 (7...
Be6 8. Ng5 Bg4 9. Nxc4 Bxe2 10. Ne5 Bh5 11. b4 e6 12. b5 Bd6 {Nepomniachtchi,I
(2751)-Karjakin,S (2763) Moscow 2018}) 8. Nxc4 Nxc4 9. Qxc4 Bg7 10. d3 O-O 11.
Bd2 Nd5 12. Qc1 a5 $146 (12... Qb6 13. Rb1 Rd8 14. b4 Qa6 15. Qc2 Qa3 {Mondry,
M (2229)-Tripp,G (1999) corr. 2016}) 13. Bh6 Bg4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. Ne5 Be6 16.
d4 Nf6 17. Rd1 Qb6 18. e4 Rfd8 19. Qc3 Kg8 20. Rd3 Rd6 21. Rad1 Rad8 22. b3 Qb4
23. Qa1 a4 24. h3 axb3 25. axb3 Nd7 26. Nxd7 R6xd7 27. d5 cxd5 28. exd5 Bf5 29.
Re3 Be6 30. Rde1 Bxd5 31. Bxd5 Rxd5 32. Rxe7 Qxe7 33. Rxe7 Rd1+ 34. Qxd1 Rxd1+
35. Kg2 b6 36. Kf3 Rd3+ 37. Re3 Rd2 38. Re4 Rd3+ 39. Re3 Rd2 40. Re4 Rd3+
1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.07"]
[Round "7.3"]
[White "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2784"]
[ECO "A29"]
[Opening "English"]
[Variation "four knights, kingside fianchetto"]
[WhiteFideId "623539"]
[BlackFideId "2020009"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8.
bxc3 Re8 9. Qc2 d5 10. cxd5 Qxd5 11. d3 Bf5 12. Bf4 h6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qb2 b6
15. Rfd1 Qc5 16. dxe4 Bxe4 17. Bf1 Re7 18. a4 Rae8 19. Rac1 g5 20. Bd2 Qf5 21.
f3 Qc5+ 22. Kh1 Bd5 23. Be1 Bc4 24. e4 Bxf1 25. Bf2 Qc4 26. Rxf1 Qxa4 27. c4 Ne5
28. Bd4 g4 29. fxg4 Qd7 30. Qc3 c5 31. Bxe5 Rxe5 32. Qf3 Rxe4 33. Rcd1 Qe6 34.
g5 hxg5 35. Rd5 g4 36. Qc3 Re5 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.07"]
[Round "7.4"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B91"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2843"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Bg2
O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Re1 (10. a4 Nbd7 11. Re1 Rc8 12. Nd2 Bg4 13. Bf3 Bxf3 14.
Nxf3 Re8 15. Be3 Nb6 16. Rb1 Nc4 17. Qd3 d5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Qxd5 Qxd5 20.
exd5 e4 21. Nd2 Nxd2 {½-½ Karjakin,S (2785)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2767) Wijk aan
Zee 2017}) 10... Nbd7 11. Nd2 b5 12. Nf1 Bg4 $146 (12... Nb6 13. Ne3 b4 14.
Ncd5 Nfxd5 15. exd5 Bd7 16. Bd2 a5 17. a3 bxa3 18. Rxa3 a4 {Balogh,C (2648)
-Wojtaszek,R (2715) Budapest 2014}) 13. f3 $6 Be6 {"I am not a Najdorf
aficionado but it seems to me that Black is already a bit better." (Carlsen)}
14. Ne3 Rc8 15. a3 Nb6 16. f4 Re8 17. Kh1 Bf8 $6 ({Black is better after} 17...
exf4 18. gxf4 Bf8 {Carlsen}) 18. f5 Bd7 19. Qd3 (19. Ng4 $5 {Carlsen}) 19... h6
20. b3 Bc6 21. Bd2 Qc7 22. Rac1 Qb7 (22... d5) 23. Ned5 Bxd5 24. exd5 Nbd7 25.
Nd1 (25. Ne4 Be7) 25... e4 26. Qd4 Ne5 27. Nf2 (27. Nc3 $1 Nf3 28. Bxf3 exf3
29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. Rf1 a5 {"didn't look convincing" to Carlsen.}) 27... Nf3 28.
Bxf3 exf3 29. c4 bxc4 30. bxc4 Re5 31. Re3 Rxe3 32. Qxe3 Qb2 33. Nd3 Qxa3 34.
Qxf3 Qa2 35. Bc3 Rxc4 36. Ra1 Qb3 37. Bxf6 gxf6 38. Kg2 $2 (38. Qd1 {followed
by 39.Nf4 was harder to crack for Black.}) 38... Rc3 39. Rd1 h5 40. Kh3 Bh6 41.
Re1 Rxd3 42. Qxh5 Re3 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.07"]
[Round "7.5"]
[White "Hou, Yifan"]
[Black "Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A13"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2631"]
[PlyCount "92"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 O-O 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. Qc2
Nb4 (8... b6 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. d4 Nc6 11. Be2 Be6 12. O-O Rc8 13. dxc5 bxc5 14.
Rac1 Qb6 {Karjakin,S (2763)-Kramnik,V (2800) Moscow 2018}) 9. Qb1 b6 10. a3 Nd5
11. Nxd5 exd5 12. d4 Nc6 13. Bb5 $146 (13. Bd3 h6 14. O-O Bg4 {½-½ Tazelaar,
H (2373)-Krimbacher,W (2333) corr. 2017}) 13... Bd7 14. O-O Nxd4 15. Nxd4 cxd4
16. Bxd7 Qxd7 17. Bxd4 Rfc8 18. Rd1 Rc6 19. Qb2 Qf5 20. Qe2 Rc2 21. Qf3 Qxf3
22. gxf3 Bh4 23. e4 dxe4 24. fxe4 Bg5 25. a4 Bd2 26. Rab1 Rac8 27. Rb2 Rxb2 28.
Bxb2 Rc2 29. Bd4 f6 30. Kg2 Kf7 31. Kf3 Ke6 32. h3 h5 33. Ke2 Bf4+ 34. Kf3 Bd2
35. Ke2 Bf4+ 36. Kf3 g5 37. Rd3 Bd2 38. Ke2 Bf4+ 39. Kf3 Be5 40. Be3 Rb2 41. a5
bxa5 42. Bxa7 f5 43. exf5+ Kxf5 44. Kg2 g4 45. hxg4+ hxg4 46. Rd5 Rxb3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.08"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Naiditsch, A."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C53"]
[WhiteElo "2701"]
[BlackElo "2776"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 d5 7. Bb5 Ne4 8. cxd4
Bb6 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Be3 Bg4 (10... Ne7 11. O-O c6 12. Bd3 f5 13. exf6 Nxf6 14.
Qc2 Bc7 15. Ne5 Ng4 {Amonatov,F (2636)-Svidler,P (2765) Riadh 2017}) 11. h3 Bh5
12. Qc2 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Ng5 14. O-O-O Nxf3 $146 (14... Ne6 15. Ne2 Ne7 16. Kb1 f5
17. exf6 Rxf6 {Kravtsiv,M (2621)-Bruzon Batista,L (2659) Berlin 2015}) 15. Bxc6
bxc6 16. Qf5 Nh4 17. Qg4 Ng6 18. f4 Qh4 (18... Qc8 {seems to prevent} 19. f5 {
but not so:} Nxe5 20. Qg3 Nc4 21. Bh6 g6 22. Rhf1 $5 {and White has some play.}
) 19. Rd3 {Protecting Be3 so that White threatens f4-f5 again.} Qxg4 20. hxg4
f5 21. g5 Kf7 $5 {Giving back the pawn.} 22. Rxh7 ({Maybe White shouldn't even
take.} 22. Ne2 $5) 22... Rh8 23. Rxh8 Rxh8 24. a3 Nf8 25. Ne2 Ke7 26. Rc3 Kd7
27. Kd2 Ne6 28. Rc1 g6 29. b4 a5 30. Kd3 axb4 31. axb4 Ba7 32. Ra1 Bb6 33. Ra6
Rb8 34. Ra2 Rh8 35. Ra1 Ke7 36. Ra2 Kd7 37. Ra1 Ke7 38. Ra2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.08"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Bluebaum,M"]
[Black "Vachier Lagrave,M"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2631"]
[BlackElo "2789"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]
[ECO "A34"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Qc7 7. e4 Nc6
8. Qd2 e6 9. Qg5 f6 10. Qh5+ Qf7 11. Qxf7+ Kxf7 12. Be3 e5 13. Bc4+ Be6 14.
Bxe6+ Kxe6 15. O-O-O Be7 16. Rd5 Rhd8 17. Rhd1 b6 18. g4 Na5 19. b3 Rxd5
20. exd5+ Kf7 21. c4 Nb7 22. Nd2 Rh8 23. Rg1 Nd6 24. Kc2 Re8 25. Kd3 h5 26.
g5 f5 27. f4 e4+ 28. Ke2 g6 29. Rc1 Rc8 30. a4 Nb7 31. Nf1 Bf8 32. Bd2 Bg7
33. Ne3 a6 34. Bc3 Bd4 35. Kd2 Re8 36. Rc2 Nd6 37. Ra2 Nb7 38. Rc2 Ke7 39.
Ra2 Na5 40. Bxa5 bxa5 41. Rc2 Rb8 42. Rc3 h4 43. h3 Kd6 44. Kc2 Bxe3 45.
Rxe3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.08"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Carlsen, M."]
[Black "Vitiugov, N."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "2843"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[PlyCount "129"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 O-O (7... d6
8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Ba7 11. Nbd2 Na5 12. Bc2 Nh5 13. a4 b4 {Anand,V 
(2767)-Matlakov,M (2718) Wijk aan Zee 2018}) 8. O-O Re8 9. Re1 h6 10. Nbd2 Bb6
11. Nf1 d6 12. Ng3 Be6 13. h3 Bxb3 14. axb3 d5 $146 (14... a5 15. Nh2 Qd7 16.
Ng4 Nxg4 17. hxg4 f6 18. Nf5 Ne7 {Dominguez Perez,L (2719)-Karjakin,S (2723)
Moscow 2009}) 15. Qe2 Bc5 16. b4 Bf8 17. Nd2 a5 18. bxa5 Rxa5 19. Rxa5 Nxa5 20.
exd5 Qxd5 21. Nde4 Nxe4 22. dxe4 Qc4 23. Qf3 Qe6 24. Nf5 Nc4 25. h4 Kh7 26. h5
g6 27. Ne3 Nxe3 28. hxg6+ fxg6 29. Bxe3 Bd6 30. Qe2 Qc4 31. Qxc4 bxc4 32. Ra1
Rb8 33. Bc1 Rb6 34. Ra4 Rc6 35. Be3 h5 36. Kf1 Kg7 37. Ke2 Kf6 38. Kd1 Ke6 39.
Kc2 Be7 40. f3 Bh4 41. Ra5 Bg3 42. Bc5 g5 43. Bb4 g4 44. fxg4 hxg4 45. Ra8 Kf7
46. Rc8 Bf4 47. Kd1 Kg7 48. Ke2 Kf7 49. Rf8+ Kg7 50. Rd8 Kf7 51. Kf2 Kg7 52.
Rd7+ Kf6 53. g3 Bc1 54. Rd1 Bg5 55. Ke2 Ke6 56. Rh1 Ra6 57. Ba3 Rb6 58. Rh7 Rb7
59. Kd1 Rb8 60. Kc2 Rd8 61. Rg7 Rd2+ 62. Kc1 Bf6 63. Kxd2 Bxg7 64. Bc5 Kd7 65.
Be3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.08"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Caruana, F."]
[Black "Aronian, L."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C67"]
[WhiteElo "2784"]
[BlackElo "2794"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5
8. Rxe5 O-O 9. d4 Bf6 10. Re1 Nf5 (10... Re8 11. Bf4 Rxe1 12. Qxe1 Ne8 13. c3
d5 14. Bd3 g6 15. Qe2 c6 16. Nd2 Ng7 17. Re1 Bf5 18. Bxf5 Nxf5 19. Nf3 Ng7 20.
Be5 Ne6 {So,W (2799)-Grischuk,A (2767) Berlin 2018}) 11. d5 Re8 12. Bd3 Rxe1+
13. Qxe1 Qe7 14. Qxe7 Nxe7 15. d6 $146 (15. c4 d6 16. Nc3 Bxc3 17. bxc3 Bf5 18.
Be2 Ng6 19. g4 Bd7 {Teufel,J (2215)-Berezovsky,I (2375) Wuerttemberg 1999})
15... cxd6 16. Na3 d5 17. Nb5 d6 18. Nxd6 Nc6 19. Bf4 Be6 20. Nxb7 Nb4 21. Nc5
Bxb2 22. Rb1 Nxd3 23. cxd3 Bd4 24. Be3 Bxc5 25. Bxc5 d4 26. Bxa7 Bxa2 27. Rb8+
Rxb8 28. Bxb8 Bb1 29. Ba7 Ba2 30. Bb8 Bb1 31. Ba7 Ba2 32. Bb8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.08"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Meier,Geo"]
[Black "Hou Yifan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2648"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]
[ECO "E06"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8.
a4 Bd7 9. Qxc4 Bc6 10. Bg5 Bd5 11. Qc2 Be4 12. Qd1 c5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14.
Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Nbd2 Bc6 16. Rfc1 Bb4 17. Rc4 Be7 18. Ne5 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Nbd7
20. Nd3 Rac8 21. Rac1 Nb6 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rxc8+ Nxc8 24. e4 Nd7 25. Be3
Nd6 26. f4 f5 27. Kf3 Kf7 28. g4 g6 29. h3 Ke8 30. Bd4 Kd8 31. Bc3 Ke8 32.
Bd4 Kd8 33. Bc3 Ke8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Hou Yifan"]
[Black "Naiditsch, A."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C53"]
[WhiteElo "2654"]
[BlackElo "2701"]
[PlyCount "127"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O h6 7. Re1 a5 8. Nbd2
O-O 9. Nf1 Be6 10. Bxe6 fxe6 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Nxe3 d5 13. h3 a4 14. Qe2 a3 15.
b4 d4 16. cxd4 exd4 17. Nc2 Nh5 18. b5 Nf4 19. Qd1 Ne5 20. Nxe5 Qg5 21. Ng4 h5
22. Nxd4 hxg4 23. Qxg4 Qxg4 24. hxg4 Rad8 25. Nb3 Nxd3 26. Re2 b6 27. f3 Rd7
28. Rc2 Rfd8 29. Kf1 g5 30. Ke2 Rh7 31. Rd2 Nf4+ 32. Kf2 Rxd2+ 33. Nxd2 Rh2 34.
Rg1 Nh3+ 35. Kg3 Nxg1 36. Kxh2 Ne2 37. Nc4 Nc3 38. Nxa3 Nxa2 39. g3 Nb4 40. Kg2
c6 41. f4 cxb5 42. Nxb5 e5 43. Kf3 Nd3 44. Ke3 Nc5 45. f5 Kf7 46. Nc7 Nb7 47.
Ne6 Kf6 48. Nf8 Ke7 49. Nh7 b5 50. Nxg5 b4 51. Nf3 b3 52. Nd2 Nc5 53. g5 b2 54.
Nb1 Kf7 55. g6+ Kg7 56. g4 Kf6 57. Kf3 Kg7 58. g5 Nd3 59. Ke2 Nc5 60. Ke3 Na4
61. Ke2 Nc5 62. Kf3 Nd3 63. Kg4 Nf4 64. Kf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Aronian, L."]
[Black "Bluebaum, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D39"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2631"]
[PlyCount "82[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Aronian, L."]
[Black "Bluebaum, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D39"]
[WhiteElo "2794"]
[BlackElo "2631"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Bb5+ Bd7 (10... Nbd7 11. Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12. Kf1 gxf6 13.
h4 Qb4 14. Rb1 Qd6 {Karjakin,S (2763)-Aronian,L (2794) Berlin 2018}) 11. Bxf6
gxf6 12. Bxd7+ Nxd7 13. O-O Qxc3 14. Rc1 Qa5 15. Rb1 $146 (15. Qb3 Rd8 16. Nxe6
fxe6 17. Qxe6+ Kf8 18. Qd6+ Ke8 {Jobava,B (2687)-Wojtaszek,R (2745) Linares
2017}) 15... Rd8 16. Rxb7 Ne5 17. f4 Nc6 18. Nxc6 Qc5+ 19. Kh1 Qxc6 20. Qb3
Qxe4 21. f5 O-O 22. fxe6 fxe6 23. Rxa7 Rf7 24. Rxf7 Kxf7 25. Qc3 Qd4 26. Qf3
Rd5 27. h3 h5 28. a4 h4 29. Qf4 Qxf4 30. Rxf4 Rd1+ 31. Kh2 e5 32. Rxh4 f5 33.
Rb4 Ra1 34. h4 Kg6 35. g4 fxg4 36. Rxg4+ Kf5 37. Rb4 e4 38. Kg2 Kf4 39. h5 Ra2+
40. Kh3 Ra3+ 41. Kg2 Ra2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vitiugov, N."]
[Black "Caruana, F."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C43"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2784"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. dxe5 d5 5. Nbd2 Qd7 $146 {Right after the
end of the Candidates', Caruana (contrary to what most would think) decided to
check the opening in his last game. He was then intrigued by this computer
suggestion. At first sight the move looks silly.} ({That final game saw:} 5...
Nxd2 {(generally undesirable move as it develops the white pieces)} 6. Bxd2 Be7
7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 {Grischuk,A (2767)-Caruana,F (2784) Berlin 2018}
) ({One understands Black's reluctance to alow the trade on e4 after a game
like this:} 5... Be7 6. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Qxd8+ Bxd8 8. Nd4 O-O 9. Bf4 Re8 10. Bc4
a6 11. O-O-O c5 $2 12. e6 $1 {and White was already winning in Guseinov,G 
(2661)-Savic,M (2525) Budva 2009}) 6. Bd3 {Other moves to be investigated by
White are:} (6. Be2) (6. Nb3) 6... Nc5 7. Be2 g6 {Black remembered that he
needs to fianchettoe the bishop.} ({The immediate} 7... Ne6 {is also possible.}
) 8. Nb3 ({Black expected something like:} 8. O-O Bg7 9. Re1 O-O 10. Bf1 Rd8)
8... Ne6 9. Be3 c5 10. Ng5 ({On} 10. Qd2 {Caruana planned} h6 (10... d4 11. Bh6
) 11. c3 b6 12. O-O-O Bb7 {and although Black lacks development, it is
difficult to see how will White profit from this fact.}) 10... b6 ({There is
no need to allow squares for the white knight with:} 10... d4 11. Ne4 Be7 12.
Bh6 Nc6 13. O-O Nxe5 (13... b6 14. Nf6+ Bxf6 15. exf6 Bb7 16. Re1 O-O-O 17. Bg4
{"and I felt it is easier for White to play" (Caruana)}) 14. f4 Nc6 15. f5 gxf5
16. Rxf5 {and White's initiative is dangerous, (Caruana)}) 11. Nxe6 ({Nothing
yeilds:} 11. Bf3 Bb7 12. c4 d4) 11... fxe6 {"Positionally well orientated. My
structure is more secure." (Caruana)} ({The American player believed that} 
11... Qxe6 {is also playable, with the idea:} 12. Bf3 Bb7 13. c4 Bg7 14. cxd5
Qxe5 {But this might not be the case after:} 15. d6 $1) 12. a4 (12. c3 $5 {
was more natural as suggested by Carlsen.}) 12... Bb7 13. O-O (13. c3 {again
is possible.}) 13... Nc6 14. f4 {Black can be happy with the opening outcome.
In the arising French pawn structure the second player managed to get the
better part of the center and to open the f-file for his pieces.} Bh6 15. a5 ({
On} 15. Qe1 Ne7 {was planned.} ({Naturally not:} 15... Nxe5 16. Bb5 Nc6 17.
Bxc5 $1 bxc5 18. Nxc5 Qe7 19. Nxb7)) 15... Ne7 {Caruana did not like the
alternatives that much:} (15... Rd8 16. axb6 axb6 17. Qe1 O-O ({Or} 17... Ne7
18. Ra7) {allows} 18. Qh4) ({Black also felt} 15... O-O 16. a6 Bc8 {is
unnecessary concession. Eventhough the bishop will be relocated later.}) 16.
Bg4 {A surprise for the second player.} (16. c3 Nf5 17. Bd2 {"looks pretty sad
(for White)" (Caruana)}) ({On} 16. Bf3 O-O 17. g3 {Caruana planned} g5 $5 18.
fxg5 Bg7) 16... d4 {Opens a bunch of useful light squares for the black pieces.
} (16... O-O 17. Bxc5 bxc5 18. Nxc5 Qc6 19. Nxe6 {"looked too messy even to
consider" (Caruana)}) 17. Bc1 O-O 18. Qd3 Bd5 $1 ({Not allowing the trades
after} 18... Nf5 19. Bf3) 19. Qh3 (19. Nd2 $6 Rxf4) ({On} 19. axb6 {Black was
planning:} c4 20. Qh3 ({But he apparently missed the strong reply} 20. Qxd4 $1
cxb3 21. c4 Bc6 22. Qxd7 Bxd7 23. Rxa7 {and White is cleary better.}) 20...
cxb3 21. Qxh6 bxc2 {"and I think I would win this" (Caruana)}) 19... Bg7 20.
Nd2 Nf5 {The difference in the status of the pieces is big. Further-on Black
can easily bring his pawn majority into motion.} 21. c4 ({If} 21. Nf3 Qe7 ({
Not allowing any piece swap again} 21... h6 22. Nh4) 22. Bd2 h6 23. Be1 (23. c3
d3) 23... Ne3 {(Caruana)}) 21... dxc3 ({Black rejected:} 21... Bc6 22. Nf3 Qe7
(22... h5 23. Bxf5 exf5) 23. Bd2 h6 24. Be1 {as in comparison to the
abve-mentioned line his pawn is hanging after} Ne3 25. Bxe6+) 22. bxc3 Rad8 23.
axb6 axb6 24. Re1 (24. Nf3 Qe7) ({Maybe White needed to relocate his bishop
with} 24. Be2 b5 25. Nf3 b4 26. cxb4 cxb4) (24. Bf3 {is anti-positional but
again it made sense to get rid of this moster on d5.}) 24... b5 25. Ne4 Qe7 ({
Or the computer suggestion-} 25... Bxe4 26. Rxe4 h5 27. Be2 Ra8 28. Rb1 c4 29.
Qf3 Qd5 {with Black domination.}) 26. Ng5 ({Caruana believed that White's best
defense was to provoke:} 26. Ba3 b4 27. cxb4 cxb4 28. Bb2 {and because of the
threat of a check on f6 to practically force the trade of the light-squared
bishop} Bxe4 29. Rxe4 {He then calculated:} Qc5+ 30. Kh1 Qc2 31. Rxb4 Rd3 32.
Bf3 Rfd8 ({Here the most convincing win is:} 32... Qd2 33. Rb7 Re3 $1 34. Rg1
Re1) 33. Rg1 Bf8 (33... Qd2 34. Rb7 Qxf4) 34. Rb7 h5 {(Caruana)}) 26... h6 27.
Nf3 Bc6 28. Bxf5 gxf5 {Black's advantage grew further. Thank to the bishop
pair he is able to play for a win in both middle and endgame.} 29. Be3 Rd3 30.
Rac1 Ra8 31. Qh4 Qxh4 32. Nxh4 c4 ({Rejecting} 32... Ra4 33. Bxc5 Rxf4 {
because of the tactics} 34. Ng6 Rc4 35. Ne7+ Kf7 36. Nxc6 Rxc5 {(Caruana)}) 33.
Kf2 Bf8 ({Black was also sure that he is winning after} 33... Ra3 34. Nf3 Bxf3
35. Kxf3 Raxc3 36. Rxc3 Rxc3 37. Rb1 Rb3 38. Rxb3 cxb3 39. Bd4 {but not on
100%.}) 34. Nf3 Bd5 ({Same thing as in the comment from above.} 34... Bxf3 35.
Kxf3 Ra3 36. Rb1 Rb3 37. Rxb3 cxb3 38. Ke2 Rxc3 39. Rb1) 35. Nd4 Bc5 ({Again,
no clear-cut win after} 35... b4 36. cxb4 Bxb4 37. Re2 {(Caruana)}) 36. Nxf5 {
Makse things easier for the second player.} ({Caruana still needed to prove
the win after} 36. Nc2 Be7 37. Nd4 ({Or} 37. Nb4 Bxb4 38. cxb4 Ra4)) 36... Ba3
37. Nxh6+ Kg7 38. f5 Bxc1 $1 ({Easier than} 38... Rxe3 39. Kxe3 Bxc1+ 40. Rxc1
Kxh6 41. Kd4 {which should also be a win, although not as smooth.}) 39. Bxc1
Rxc3 40. f6+ Kg6 0-1

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Anand, V."]
[Black "Carlsen, M."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B67"]
[WhiteElo "2776"]
[BlackElo "2843"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 {Anand didn't take this
into account at all, and expected the Najdorf. "I was surprised when his hand
went to the knight."} 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f3 ({Anand suggested
that} 9. f4 {is more critical but, unprepared, it's not easy to play it.}) 9...
Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Be7 11. Kb1 (11. h4 Qc7 12. Kb1 b5 13. Qd2 b4 14. Ne2 a5 15. g4
h5 16. gxh5 Nxh5 17. Nd4 Rb8 {Areshchenko,A (2652)-Demchenko,A (2645) Tbilisi
2017}) 11... b5 {Anand thought this was slightly inaccurate because of his
reply.} 12. Bxf6 $1 $146 (12. g4 O-O 13. Be3 Bc6 14. h4 Nd7 15. h5 h6 16. Qd2
Rc8 {Gleichmann,M (2550)-Laghetti,G (2457) corr. 2015}) 12... gxf6 (12... Bxf6
13. Qxd6 {and Black's bishop is not going to d7 which normally gives full
compensation. (Anand)}) 13. Ne2 Rc8 14. Qd2 Qb6 15. Nf4 h5 16. g3 Rc7 17. Bd3
Kd8 18. c3 Kc8 19. Bc2 ({Carlsen thought White should go for the other plan
with} 19. h4 {and later g3-g4.}) 19... Kb8 20. a3 a5 {"At this point it felt
pretty OK for me actually." (Carlsen)} 21. Bb3 Rb7 22. Nd3 Bc6 23. Rhe1 Rd8 24.
f4 $6 {"A bit careless" said Anand, who mostly regretted not having the
f4-square for his knight or queen in the game.} d5 25. exd5 exd5 $5 {I was
briefly optimistic but then I realized there is very little I can do." 
(Carlsen)} 26. Ka1 Bf8 27. Rc1 Ka7 28. Ba2 Rc7 29. Red1 Bb7 30. Ne1 d4 (30...
b4 31. cxb4 Rxc1+ 32. Qxc1 axb4 33. axb4 Bxb4 34. Nd3) 31. Nc2 d3 (31... Bc5
32. b4 {Anand}) (31... Bf3 {doesn't work because of} 32. Nxd4 $1 Bxd1 33. Nxb5+
Qxb5 34. Qxd8 Rb7 35. b4 axb4 36. cxb4 Bxb4 37. Qd4+) 32. Nd4 Bc5 33. Qxd3 Bxd4
34. cxd4 Rxd4 35. Qe2 Rxc1+ 36. Rxc1 b4 37. Bxf7 h4 38. Qe3 Rd7 39. Qxb6+ Kxb6
40. Be6 Rd2 41. gxh4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GRENKE Chess Classic 2018"]
[Site "Karlsruhe/Baden Baden GER"]
[Date "2018.04.09"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Vachier Lagrave, M."]
[Black "Meier, G."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A07"]
[WhiteElo "2789"]
[BlackElo "2648"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "2018.03.31"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d4 b5 {This surprised MVL.} 6. Qd3
$5 {"Probably a bit dubious but it gives interesting play as well." (MVL)} (6.
Nbd2 Bb7 7. Ne5 Nbd7 8. c4 bxc4 9. Ndxc4 c5 10. Bf4 O-O {Radjabov,T (2738)
-Aronian,L (2784) Berlin 2015}) 6... O-O (6... Nbd7 7. Nbd2 $5 {MVL}) 7. Bg5
$146 (7. Qxb5 Ba6 8. Qa5 Bxe2 9. Re1 Nc6 10. Qa4 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Qd7 {Landa,K 
(2617)-Barbot,P (2453) Escaldes 2017}) 7... c6 8. Nbd2 a5 9. e4 Ba6 10. Rfe1 h6
11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. c3 b4 13. c4 (13. Qc2 c5) 13... dxc4 14. Nxc4 Ra7 (14... Bxd4
15. Nxd4 c5 (15... e5 $5) 16. Rad1 cxd4 17. e5 Ra7 18. Qxd4 Qxd4 19. Rxd4 {
should be a draw (MVL).}) 15. Qc2 Bxc4 (15... Bxd4 $5 16. Nxd4 Qxd4 17. Nxa5
Qb6 {is also equal but Meier was more ambitious.}) 16. Qxc4 Rd7 17. Rad1 Qb6
18. Bf1 Rfd8 19. e5 Be7 20. Rc1 Qa7 {"Suddenly I didn't like my position that
much anymore." (MVL)} 21. Rc2 c5 22. Rec1 cxd4 23. Qd3 a4 24. b3 axb3 25. axb3
Qa5 26. Rc8 {"I was already bailing out." (MVL)} g6 27. h4 Kg7 28. h5 gxh5 29.
Be2 {The idea is Be2-d1-c2. "I got excited again." (MVL)} Rxc8 30. Rxc8 Rd8 31.
Rxd8 Bxd8 32. Qe4 Nd7 33. Bd3 Nf8 {"It didn't really work. I definitely played
too fast." (MVL)} 34. Nxd4 Qc5 35. Nf3 Bb6 36. Qe2 {"My position is just
holding by a thread." (MVL)} Nd7 (36... Ng6) 37. Kg2 Qd5 38. Bc4 Qc5 39. Bb5
Nf8 40. Bd3 Nd7 41. Bb5 Nf8 42. Bd3 Ng6 43. Qc2 Qc3 44. Be4 Bc7 45. Bxg6 fxg6
46. Qe4 Qc5 47. Qh4 Bxe5 (47... g5 48. Nxg5 hxg5 49. Qxg5+ Kf7 50. Qf6+ Ke8 51.
Qxe6+ Kd8 52. f4 {MVL}) 48. Nxe5 Qxe5 49. Qe7+ Kg8 50. Qe8+ Kg7 51. Qe7+ Kg8
52. Qe8+ 1/2-1/2

