CHESS #575

Do the Corus results indicate a generational shift? Group A was won by a 19 year old; the Group B winner is 16, and the Group C winner, 15. That does suggest a pattern though A and B were heart-stoppingly close finishes.

In Group A, six out of the field of 14 were tied for the lead with +2 when the last round started! Sergei Karjakin pulled away beating Lenier Dominguez/ The Cuban GM, who was sharing the lead, went for broke and the Ukrainian fearlessly counter-attacked.

Carlsen also went for broke and lost after a terrible endgame blunder in a drawn position against Wang Yue. Aronyan, Radjabov and Movsesian shared second with draws of varying intensity. Ivanchuk, Adams and Morzevich all ended on -2.

The traffic jam and the fact that everybody suffered at least one defeat underlines the balance of power at the top. The low winning score of +3 also indicates that sans Anand, Kramnik and Topalov, nobody is capable of real dominance against the top echelons. That may change once Carlsen, Karjakin and co., attain their full strength.

In Group B, Nigel Short led on +4. He met Fabiano Caruana, who was a half-point behind. Rustam Kasimdzhanov, also half a point behind Short, played Alexander Motylev. Kasim lost and so did Short, in a humdinger. The English GM first missed wins and then, perpetual check. The 16-year-old Italian-American will play Group A in 2010. Sasikiran had the worst performance of his life, coming last with -5.

In Group C, Wesley So showed his talent, winning comfortably with +6. Tigar Hilarp and Anish Giri shared second. Giri completed GM title requirements. The 14-year-old Russian citizen has a Nepalese father and a Russian Mother and he lives in Holland. Abhijeet Gupta was fourth and Harika landed in the middle with -1.

There were a plethora of insanely high-tension games in the last round. Dominguez-Karjakin was the most important but Short-Caruano and Wang- Carlsen were also red-hot tactical slugfests.

The diagram, WHITE TO PLAY (Dominguez-Karjakin, Corus 2009) is critical. White could set up Ra1-h1 with 27. Kd2 when 27.- Bxe5 28. Rh1+ Kg7 29. Bxg6 Bxc3+ 30. Kxc3 fxg6 31. Qe5+ Rf6 32 Qxe7+ is a perpetual though there are alternative lines.

White played 27.0-0-0 Qxb4. 28.Rh1+ Kg8 29.Bxg7. (If 29.Bxg6 fxg6 30.Qxg6 Rf6 31.Bxf6? Qf4+! wins for Black.) 29...Kxg7 30.Qh6+ Kf6 31.Ne4+ Ke6.

Hair-raising but black’s king escapes. Play continued 32.Rd1 Qb2+ 33.Kd2 Kd7 34.Qf4 Rfd8 35.Ke2 Ke8 36.Rh1 Ra5 37.Qc7 Rad5 38.Ke3 Kf8 39.c3 Rxd3+ 40.Kf4 f6 41.Rh8+ Kf7 (0-1). White resigns since black can checkmate after either 42. Rxd8 Qh2+ 43.Kg4 Bf5+ 44.Kxf5 Qh3+ 45.Kf4 Qxf3# or 42.Qxd8 Qc1+ 43.Nd2 e5+ 44.Kg3 Qg1+ 45.Kh3 Bf5+ 46.Kh4 Qh2#.