Kramnik wins Tal Memorial Classical Chess

Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik emerged sole winner at the Tal Memorial Classical Chess Festival which ended its first event here.

Though all the games of the last round ended in draws, Kramnik finished on +4 and with this win he is likely to gain enough Elo points to stake claim to be world's top ranked player, dethroning current world no. 1 Viswanathan Anand when the new ELO List is released by FIDE in January next year.

Meanwhile, 64 players were fighting for six places in the World Blitz Championship which will be held from November 21 to 22. All the participants of the tournament together with Anand, Karpov, last year's champion Grischuk and runners up Svidler received personal invitations to play in the championship.

Four rounds were played yesterday in the qualification tournament which is an 11 double round. Final Standings:

Classical Event

1. Kramnik 6.5; 2. Shirov 5.0; 3-6. Gelfand, Carlsen, Jakovenko and Leko 4.5; 7-9. Ivanchuk, Kamsky and Mamedyarov 4.0; 10. Alekseev 3.5

Standings of World Blitz qualification round:

1. Kasimdzhanov 7.0; 2-3. Ponomariov and Rublevsky 6.5; 4-7. Bareev, Bacrot, Adams and Tkachiev 6.0; 8-11. Savchenko, Lahno, Movsesian and Fressinet 5.5; 12-16. Gritsak, Volkov, Dreev, Vallejo and Georgiev 5.0; 17-26. Nepomniachtchi, Nisipeanu, Amonatov, Moiseenko, Zvjaginsev, Deviatkin,Van Wely, Pelletier, Smirin and Krasenkow 4.5

Vladimir Kramnik wins the Tal Memorial with a round to spare

Former world champion wrapped up this event in impressive style, beating Shakhriyar Mamedyrov in the penultimate round and taking a 1.5 point lead over his closest opponent. Kramnik has not lost a game and won four of his five white games. His rating performance so far: 2920. In second place is Alexei Shirov with three wins and two losses. Games, results and videos.

The second Mikhail Tal Memorial Tournament is being held in Moscow from November 9 to 23, 2007 at the historic Moscow Central Chess Club, with ten players in the main event (average Elo 2740, Category 20). Play starts each day at 15.00h Moscow time (13.00 European time). Games are being broadcast live on Playchess.com.

Round eight summary

Round 8: Sunday, November 14th, 2007
Vladimir Kramnik	1-0	Shak. Mamedyarov
Alexei Shirov	½-½	Boris Gelfand
Peter Leko	½-½	Magnus Carlsen
Gata Kamsky	½-½	Vassily Ivanchuk
Evgeny Alekseev	½-½	Dmitry Jakovenko

Vladimir Kramnik wrapped up the Tal Memorial with a round to spare, scoring his fourth win in five white games (no wins or losses with black): Against Mamedyarov's unconventional opening and obviously aggressive intentions the former world champion kept his cool, sacrificed a pawn and reached a slightly better ending. He then began to harass his opponent's exposed king, giving the Azerbaijani GM opportunities to go astray. Which he promptly did, throwing the game away in just three moves.

Vladimir Kramnik vs Shakhriyar Mamedyrov [Photo Europe Echecs]

Kramnik,V (2785) - Mamedyarov,S (2752) [A40]
Tal Mem Moscow RUS (8), 18.11.2007
1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 e5 5.Nge2 exd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.Be3 Nge7 8.h4 f5 9.h5 fxe4 10.hxg6 hxg6 11.Rxh8+ Bxh8 12.Nxe4 d5 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Bd4 Bg4 15.Qxg4 Bxd4 16.cxd5 Bxb2 17.Rd1 cxd5 18.Bb5+ Kf8 19.Qe6 Kg7 20.Bc6 Nxc6 21.Qxc6 d4 22.Kf1 Rb8 23.Ng5 Qd6 24.Qc4 Qd7 25.Kg1 c6 26.Ne6+ Kf6 27.Nc5 Qe7 28.Rb1 Rb6 29.Nd3 Qe4 30.Re1 Qd5 31.Qa4 Bc3 32.Qxa7 Bxe1 33.Qxb6 Bc3 34.a4 Qe4 35.Qd8+ Kf7 36.Qc7+ Kf6 37.Qd6+ Qe6 38.Qf8+ Qf7 39.Qh8+

39...Ke7? 40.a5 Qa2 41.Qg7+ Kd8?? 42.Ne5 1-0.

Tal Memorial Moscow

Kramnik wins again, this time against Evgeny Alekseev. Photo © http://www.europe-echecs.com

The Tal Memorial Tournament takes place in Moscow 9th-19th November 2007.

Official site: http://www.russiachess.org/

Games in PGN

Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 5 by Malcolm Pein
Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 4 by Malcolm Pein
Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 3 by Malcolm Pein
Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 2 by Malcolm Pein
Tal Memorial 2007. Moscow - Round 1 by Malcolm Pein

Tal Mem Moscow RUS (RUS), 10-19 xi 2007 cat. XX (2741)
Round 7 (November 17, 2007)
Carlsen, Magnus	- Gelfand, Boris	½-½	37	A20	English Opening
Jakovenko, Dmitry	- Kramnik, Vladimir	½-½	30	C42	Petroff's Defence
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	- Kamsky, Gata	0-1	41	D15	Slav Defence
Ivanchuk, Vassily	- Lékó, Peter	½-½	21	E15	Queens Indian
Alekseev, Evgeny	- Shirov, Alexei	0-1	47	D78	Gruenfeld 3.g3

Tal Mem Moscow RUS (RUS), 10-19 xi 2007 cat. XX (2741)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2785	*	1	½	½	.	½	1	½	.	1	5	2884
2.	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	2739	0	*	1	.	½	.	0	1	½	1	4	2796
3.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2714	½	0	*	1	½	½	.	.	½	½	3½	2746
4.	Jakovenko, Dmitry	g	RUS	2710	½	.	0	*	½	½	½	1	½	.	3½	2749
5.	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	g	AZE	2752	.	½	½	½	*	½	½	0	1	.	3½	2736
6.	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2736	½	.	½	½	½	*	.	½	½	½	3½	2739
7.	Lékó, Peter	g	HUN	2755	0	1	.	½	½	.	*	½	½	½	3½	2743
8.	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	2714	½	0	.	0	1	½	½	*	.	½	3	2691
9.	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2787	.	½	½	½	0	½	½	.	*	½	3	2681
10.	Alekseev, Evgeny	g	RUS	2716	0	0	½	.	.	½	½	½	½	*	2½	2645

This event will be followed by the FIDE approved World Blitz Championship which will be a double round robin November 21st-22nd 2007. This will apparently have a big qualification event followed by the final. At the last minute it seems Peter Svidler and the defending champion Alexander Grischuk have been included. Although how attractive this event will be to those serious about winning the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk (Arrival supposed to be on the 22nd, Opening Ceremony 23rd and Round 1 24th November) is anyone's guess. [Details on the World Chess Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk]

Tal memorial Chess Round 3

In round 3 four out of five games gave full reults. Top seeds like Kramnik and Ivanchuk continue their form by winning over Leko and Mamedyarov respectively. Teenager and upcoming talent Magnus Carlsen tasted his first win.
Shirov won the close battle against Kamsky and Gelfand dra his game with Alekseev.


Kamsky, Gata vs. Shirov, Alexei



1. d4 d5 2. Bg5 h6 3. Bh4 c5 4. dxc5 g5 5. Bg3 Bg7 6. c3 Na6 7. Qa4+ Bd7 8. Qa3
Qc8 9. c6 Bxc6 10. Nd2 e5 11. e4 Ne7 12. Ngf3 f6 13. exd5 Bxd5 14. Bb5+ Kf7 15.
c4 Bc6 16. O-O Rd8 17. Rad1 Qd7 18. h4 g4 19. Nh2 Qd4 20. Rfe1 h5 21. Nhf1 Qc5
22. Qa4 Bxb5 23. cxb5 Qb4 24. Qc2 Qxb5 25. Nc4 Qc6 26. Qb3 Kf8 27. Na5 Qc7 28.
Qb5 Qc5 29. Qb3 0-1



Alekseev, Evgeny vs. Gelfand, Boris



1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qc2 dxc4 8. e3
b5 9. a4 Bb7 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Nxb5 Bb4+ 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Be2 Nd7 14. O-O e5 15.
Qa4 Qe7 16. Qb5 exd4 17. Nxd4 Nb6 18. Bf3 Bxf3 19. Nxf3 Qc5 20. Ra6 Rfb8 21.
Nd4 Qxb5 22. Ncxb5 Rb7 23. g3 Nd7 24. Rc1 1/2-1/2


Jakovenko, Dmitry vs. Carlsen, Magnus



1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8.
cxd5 Nxd5 9. Qb3 Qa5 10. Bd2 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. O-O Bxc3 13. bxc3 Ba6 14.
Rfd1 Qc5 15. e4 Bc4 16. Qa4 Nb6 17. Qb4 Qh5 18. Bf4 c5 19. Qb2 Rad8 20. Re1 Rd7
21. h3 h6 22. a4 Ba6 23. Qa2 Rfd8 24. a5 Nc4 25. Bf1 e5 26. g4 Qg6 27. Bxc4
exf4 28. Bd5 f3 29. c4 h5 30. Kh2 Qf6 31. Rg1 hxg4 32. Rab1 Bxc4 33. Qxc4 Qf4+
34. Rg3 Rxd5 35. Qxd5 Rxd5 36. exd5 c4 37. Rd1 c3 38. d6 c2 39. Rd3 Qc4 40. Re3
Qc6 41. Rd3 Qc5 0-1

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar vs. Ivanchuk,


1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 Nd7 8. Bd3
dxc4 9. Bxc4 g6 10. O-O Bg7 11. Qc2 O-O 12. Bb3 Qe7 13. Ne4 e5 14. Nc3 a5 15.
a3 Kh7 16. Rfe1 b6 17. Rad1 Bb7 18. d5 Rac8 19. d6 Qe8 20. h4 f5 21. e4 f4 22.
Na4 Bf6 23. g3 Bd8 24. Kg2 Rf6 25. g4 Ba6 26. g5 Rf8 27. gxh6 Kxh6 28. Rg1 c5
29. Bd5 b5 30. Nc3 b4 31. Ne2 Nb6 32. Kh2 Rh8 33. Bf7 Qxf7 34. Nxe5 Qe8 35.
Nxg6 Nd7 36. Nexf4 Ne5 37. d7 Nxd7 38. e5 Qxe5 39. Nxe5 1-0



Kramnik, Vladimir vs. Leko, Peter


1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. Qxc4
b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Ra7 11. Rc1 Be4 12. Qb3 Nc6 13. e3 Qa8 14. Qd1 b4 15. Qf1
Bd5 16. Be1 Rc8 17. Nbd2 Na5 18. Ne5 c5 19. dxc5 Bxc5 20. Nd3 Bf8 21. Bxd5 Nxd5
22. e4 Nb6 23. Rxc8 Qxc8 24. Nf3 Qb7 25. Nxb4 Qxe4 26. Qd3 Qxd3 27. Nxd3 Nac4
28. b3 Nd6 29. Rc1 Nd5 30. Rc6 Nf5 31. Ba5 Ra8 32. Nfe5 Nfe7 33. Rd6 Nf6 34. b4
Ned5 35. Rc6 Be7 36. a4 g6 37. Nc4 Kf8 38. Nc5 Bxc5 39. bxc5 Ke8 40. f3 Ng8 41.
Nb6 Nge7 42. Rd6 Rb8 43. Nxd5 Nxd5 44. Rxa6 Rc8 45. Bb6 Nb4 46. Ra7 Nc6 47. Rb7
Ra8 48. Rc7 Nd4 49. a5 Nxf3+ 50. Kf2 Nxh2 51. c6 Ng4+ 52. Kf3 Nf6 53. Rb7 Nd5
54. Ke4 Nb4 55. c7 Rc8 56. Kd4 Kd7 57. Kc5 Nc6 58. a6 h5 59. a7 f5 60. a8=Q
Rxa8 61. c8=Q+ Kxc8 62. Kxc6 1-0


Round 3 results

1	Kamsky	0-1	Shirov
2	Kramnik	1-0	Leko
3	Alekseev	=	Gelfand
4	Jakovenko	0-1	Carlsen
5	Mamedyarov	1-0	Ivanchuk

Standings after Round 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Total

1	Leko, Peter	2755		=	0							1	1,5
2	Kamsky, Gata	2714	=								=	0	1
3	Kramnik, Vladimir	2785	1							=	=		2
4	Alekseev, Evgeny	2716							=	=	=		1,5
5	Jakovenko, Dmitry	2710						=	=	0			1
6	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	2752					=	1				=	2
7	Ivanchuk, Vassily	2787				=	=	0					1
8	Carlsen, Magnus	2714			=	=	1						2
9	Gelfand, Boris	2736		=	=	=							1,5
10	Shirov, Alexei	2739	0	1				=					1,5

Round 4 Pairings

1	Shirov		Ivanchuk
2	Carlsen		Mamedyarov
3	Gelfand		Jakovenko
4	Leko		Alekseev
5	Kamsky		Kramnik

Tal Memorial Moscow - Round 1

The Tal Memorial Tournament takes place in Moscow 9th-19th November 2007.

Official site: http://www.russiachess.org/

All the games are went to draw except Leko and Shirov game.

Leko,P vs. Shirov,A

Lékó, Peter	- Shirov, Alexei	1-0
Alekseev, Evgeny	- Ivanchuk, Vassily	½-½
Jakovenko, Dmitry	- Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	½-½
Kamsky, Gata	- Gelfand, Boris	½-½
Kramnik, Vladimir	- Carlsen, Magnus	½-½