MVL lets-off Pragg @ São Paulo
The clash of Grand Chess Tour titans Caruana, Aronian, Pragg & MVL took off evenly in the opener at the World Trade Center São Paulo, Brazil. The $ 350,000 stakes in the GCT finals saw all the four Grandmasters fighting it out from the very beginning. The Pragg vs MVL game went down to bare kings with the Frenchman missing his chances while Fabi vs Levon witnessed a quiet French draw.
The Queen’s Gambit Declined game went for a marathon 74 moves when only the kings were left. Surviving the middle-game pressure Pragg made it to the first time control with just one second remaining. Faced with a pawn down rook ending the Indian Grandmaster who currently leads the FIDE Circuit Candidates race, held on when MVL missed his chance failing to capitalise on Pragg’s 55. Ra5?. It might as well turn out to be costly in the final standings.
The game between Fabi and Levon maintained equality right through the 37 mover. Neither player was willing to risk, as the stakes were huge. The periodical exchanges in the French middle game left the players with bishops of opposite color with no practical winning chances. The sober start on the first day will surely pep up more fights in the ensuing rounds.
Time control:
Classical: 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes for the remainder + 30 sec increment from move No.1
Rapid: 25 minutes + 10 seconds increment
Blitz: 5 minutes + 2 seconds increment
Points Scoring:
(a) Classical Games: 6 points for a win, 3 points for a draw and 0 points for a loss
(b) Rapid Games: 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw and 0 points for a loss
(c) Blitz Games: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss
Caruana Fabiano (2789) – Aronian Levon (2744) 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. a3 cxd4 8. Nb5 Bc5 9. h4 h5 10. Rh3 g6 11. Nbxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Be7 13. g3 Nc5 14. c3 Bd7 15. Bd3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 Qb6 17. Rh2 a5 18. a4 Qa6 19. Qxa6 Rxa6 20. b3 Bc5 21. Be3 Be7 22. Bc1 Bc5 23. Ba3 Bxd4 24. cxd4 Rc6 25. Kd2 f5 26. Rc1 Rxc1 27. Kxc1 Bc6 28. Rc2 Kd7 29. Kb2 b6 30. Bd6 Rc8 31. Rc3 Bb7 32. Rc2 Rxc2+ 33. Kxc2 Bc8 34. Bf8 Bb7 35. Bd6 Bc8 36. Bf8 Bb7
37. Bd6 1/2-1/2
Picture Courtesy: Grand Chess Tour
Official Site
