2020 FIDE Steinitz Memorial

[Chris Rice]

After the first six rounds on Day 1 Carlsen and Kosteniuk lead their respective sections:

1 Carlsen, Magnus 4
2= Bu, Dubov, Mamedyarov 3½
5= Xiong, Svidler 3
7= Korobov, Le, Quang Liem, Grischuk 2½
10 Anton Guijarro 2

1 Kosteniuk 5½
2 Tan, Zhongyi 4
3= Lei, Tingjie, Lagno, Sebag, Stefanova 3½
7 Abdumalik, Zhansaya 2½
8= Paehtz, Elisabeth, Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat 2
10 Cori T., 0

Day 1 report by ChessBase

Carlsen called the opening in Round 1 in a tweet and Svidler took up the challenge...

Carlsen, Magnus - Svidler, Peter, FIDE Online Steinitz Memorial 2020 round 01

½ - ½

1. c3 e5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. h4 O-O 5. e3 c6 6. g4 d5 7. g5 Ne8 8. a3 Be7 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. d4 exd4 11. exd4 Nc6 12. Bg2 Nc7 13. Nge2 Bf5 14. Ng3 Be6 15. O-O Qd7 16. Bf4 Rad8 17. Re1 Rfe8 18. Qd3 Bd6 19. Nh5 Bg4 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 21. Bxd6 Qxd6 22. Qg3 Qxg3 23. Nxg3 Nxd4 24. Nxd5 Nxd5 25. Bxd5 Kf8 26. Bxb7 Rb8 27. Be4 Rxb2 28. Rc1 Rb3 29. Rc4 Nf3+ 30. Bxf3 Bxf3 31. Nf5 Ke8 32. Rc7 Bd5 33. Nxg7+ Kd8 34. Rc5 Bb7 35. Ra5 Rh3 36. Kf1 Rxh4 37. Rxa7 Kc7 38. Ra5 h6 39. gxh6 Rxh6 40. Rf5 Ba6+ 41. Ke1 Rh3 42. Rxf7+ Kb6 43. f3 Rh1+ 44. Kf2 Ra1 45. Rf6+ Ka5 46. Ne6 Rxa3 47. Nd4 Bc4 48. Kg3 Kb4 49. Kf4 Kc3 50. Ke4 Ra8 51. Nc6 Be2 52. f4 Ra4+ 53. Ke5 Bf3 54. f5 Ra6 55. Nd4 Rxf6 56. Nb5+ Kd2 57. Kxf6 Bg4 58. Ke5 Bxf5

[Paul Cooksey]

Context for Carlsen-Svidler: Previous Game

[Kevin Thurlow]

That Carlsen game looked almost logical at times, which is slightly worrying.

I may be being incredibly stupid, but 49.Nc2+ looks like a move.

[Paul Cooksey]

if you'd also got 37...Bf3 0-1 without reading the chessbase article we'd have been really impressed!

[Kevin Thurlow]

I still haven't read the Chessbase article - maybe tomorrow...

[Mick Norris]

TWIC report with results

Magnus Carlsen won the Open event by a full two points from Daniil Dubov who had a bad final day but did at least hold on to second place in the final round. Although Carlsen wasn't at his very best it was good enough to win comfortably in the end. Favourite Kateryna Lagno won the women's event after an Armageddon blitz tie-break against Lei Tingjie. The next event is on Tuesday with the Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge: May 19 - June 3.

Grischuk also played in the Chessbrah May Invitational which was won by Firouzja