Radja lost again at Amber

Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik drew their blindfold game when the board was still filled with pieces. Actually, the number of pieces that were still in play was an important reason for Kramnik to offer a draw. After the game he confessed that at that point he was starting to 'lose pieces' in his memory and not knowing exactly where your pieces are is not a good thing in blindfold chess. The opening, a Ruy Lopez, had gone fine for Kramnik, but after he had exchanged rooks with 24…Rxa1 White got a slight edge. However, Kramnik felt there was nothing wrong with him offering a draw as he had more time left on the clock.

The rapid game was a painful affair for the young Norwegian. In a Botvinnik Slav Kramnik introduced a strong novelty, 14.axb5, after which the black position is hard to play. Kramnik wasn't too happy to introduce such an important theoretical improvement in a rapid game, but there was a good excuse, 'I'm fighting for first place. I don't think I would have played it if I were on 50 per cent.' Carlsen failed to find a remedy against Kramnik's new plan and after 20…Qb7 21.Qh5 he was totally lost.

Peter Svidler once again played 1.d4 in his blindfold game against Loek van Wely. Anticipating this choice Van Wely avoided the Slav , but immediately regretted his cleverness when he realized that he might end up in a Grunfeld with colours reversed, which wouldn't be a pleasure against a Grunfeld specialist like Svidler. Things got even worse when White started targeting the black b5 point. Which he could have done successfully with 13.Qd3 which would have won a pawn. Or with 14.Nxc6 Nxc6 15.Qxb5 Qd7, although here Black would already have reasonable compensation. When he went 14.Qd3 he was surprised by 14…Bb7! and Black had no problems at all. In fact Van Wely might have gotten some chances had he played 18…Ng4 or 21…Qxc4 22.Nd6 Qxe2 23.Nxc8 Qxf2+ 24.Kh1 Bc8. As it went the players shared the point after a few more moves.

Van Wely decided the mini-match in his favour in the rapid encounter. The Dutchman was better all through the game, although there was one moment where Svidler could have punished an inaccuracy. Instead of 14…Qe7, 14…exd4 would have won a pawn when White would have faced a tougher task than in the game. As it went White's win was never in any danger and after 63 moves the point was his. As his wife arrived in Monaco last night and this was his first mini-match win Van Wely didn't forget to remark, 'Of course I was in a lose-lose situation today. I'm sure that some people will credit someone else with this win.'

Paco Vallejo drew his blindfold game against Alexander Morozevich, who so far has failed to impress in his specialty. In fact the Russian should even be happy with the draw, because he was suffering for a long time. As Vallejo put it, 'I was better all through the game and I must have been winning at various points. Even in the final position I could have played on. Probably it’s a draw but he should play very precise.' To which he added with some relief, 'But at least I didn't blunder any pieces.'

The rapid game went less well for the Spaniard. In a Meran Defence Black soon got under pressure and with surprising ease Morozevich ripped apart Vallejo's defences. To his mind Vallejo played 'strangely,' but which moves had given him this idea he couldn’t say, 'I'm too tired to give any comments.'

In the fight for the top places Levon Aronian won an important game against Vishy Anand. As is often the case in the Armenian’s games, it looked as if he won effortlessly, which as we all know is rarely the case in chess. And certainly not against Anand. Aronian explained that Black's 19…Rdf8 should have been replaced by 19…Rad8. And he condemned the black knight's tour to b4. Instead he felt that Anand should have exchanged the knight against its white counterpart on f3. Now Aronian developed a strong attack and the united force of the white queen and rook were too much for Black's defences.

However, Anand hit back in the rapid game, where he first won the opening battle and then a highly promising endgame. In a Marshall Gambit of the Ruy Lopez, Aronian believed that he was fine after 21…Nd5, at least that was what his second in Linares, Vladimir Potkin had told him. Anand begged to differ. He had studied the line as well and had stopped after 25.Bxg5 with the conclusion that White was much better. Perhaps Aronian could have defended better in the opposite-coloured bishops endgame, but as it Anand coolly hauled in the point after 57 moves.

Peter Leko faced an unappealing task in his blindfold game against Vasily Ivanchuk. The Hungarian has not been well for the past days and it was obvious to anyone that he appeared at the table in poor physical condition. Of course, Leko didn't use these circumstances as an excuse for his defeat, but there was good reason to believe that his collapse in the middlegame wouldn't have happened to the real Leko. After the opening White had a dream position and he could have decided the issue with 25.Ne5 (instead of 25.c5) with the idea to follow up with Ng6. But it was not to be and with 29.g4 Leko seriously compromised his position. Soon the black pieces invaded his ranks looking for the vulnerable white king.

The rapid game was a prolonged Exchange Variation. From time to time Ivanchuk and Leko exchanged some pieces and after 30 moves the players called it a day.

Boris Gelfand scored a brilliant win in his blindfold game against Teimour Radjabov. Perhaps it's superfluous advice, but keep in mind that he was playing without sight of the board when you take a look at the game. According to Gelfand his opponent played too provocatively in the opening. On his thirteenth move he'd done better to play 13…Nc6 and two moves later 15…g4 was called for. After 15…Qe7 Black was in deep trouble. Gelfand continued in great style and with 22.Rxh6 (most probably your engine will not find this one, but after a couple of moves it will recognize the strength of the sacrifice) he started a virtuoso attack that clinched the game after 26 moves.

Playing the black pieces in the rapid game, Gelfand again got a better game, but things were complicated and he didn't find a way to create a decisive advantage. They ended up in a rook endgame that was drawn after 46 moves.

Results round 9:

Blindfold: Carlsen-Kramnik 1/2-1/2, Svidler-Van Wely 1/2-1/2, Vallejo-Morozevich 1/2-1/2, Aronian-Anand 1-0, Leko-Ivanchuk 0-1, Gelfand-Radjabov 1-0.

Rapid: Kramnik-Carlsen 1-0, Van Wely-Svidler 1-0, Morozevich-Vallejo 1-0, Anand-Aronian 1-0, Ivanchuk-Leko 1/2-1/2, Radjabov-Gelfand 1/2-1/2.

Standings after the ninth round: 1. Kramnik 13.5; 2-3. Anand, Ivanchuk 11.5 each; 4. Aronian 10.5; 5. Svidler 10.0; 6-7. Gelfand, Morozevich 9.5 each; 8-9. Leko, Carlsen 8.0 each; 10. Radjabov 6.5; 11. Van Wely 3.5; 12.  Vallejo 4.5.

/www.amberchess.com/