Duda wins Superbet Rapid, Magnus back in business
Duda is looking to win in Warsaw for a 2nd year in a row | photo: Lennart Ootes, Grand Chess Tour
Jan-Krzysztof Duda has won the rapid section of the Superbet Rapid and Blitz after defeating Maxime Vachier-Lagrave on Day 3 to finish on an unbeaten +4. Levon Aronian is the only other unbeaten player, just one point back, but Magnus Carlsen, in 5th place, has finally awoken. He defeated Bogdan-Daniel Deac and Kirill Shevchenko to move into contention with 18 rounds of blitz to go.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda won the 2022 Superbet Rapid & Blitz, but he finished the rapid section in 3rd place, behind Richard Rapport and an inspired Vishy Anand, who started with six wins in seven games. This time, however, Duda has won the rapid.
Replay all the Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland games with computer analysis
It was a lively final, not least because Magnus Carlsen finally got his mojo back and won a game. He explained how:
I was actually playing some blitz online yesterday and I just wanted to win a few chess games, and then after I won those, I was thinking, ah, I can actually still play chess, I’m fine, so I was more motivated for today!
Magnus also got some help, since in the first game of the day his opponent Bogdan-Daniel Deac turned out to be well-prepared for a pawn sacrifice in the French, but then suddenly froze on move 13.
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It is the moment of truth, since trying to hold onto the extra d-pawn ends badly, but Deac had a number of good options, including the one he played, 13.Ne4. The problem was that he spent half his time, over 10 minutes, on the move.
Magnus finally picked up his first win | photo: Lennart Ootes, Grand Chess Tour
Magnus described what followed as “the Bogdan time-trouble show”, as he exploited a series of inaccuracies by his Romanian opponent to grind out a win.
It was a similar story against the next player representing Romania, Kirill Shevchenko. Magnus came up with an original twist in the Max Lange Attack.
Then, despite again being a pawn down with the black pieces, he went on to grind out a win, this time with the help of the bishop pair.
The most entertaining game by far, however, was the one that got away against Richard Rapport.
Magnus explained:
Up to a certain point I think I did everything pretty well, but then I missed one key idea, and after that it was just a mess. I was probably lost, and then probably winning, and then probably lost. I don’t know!
The move that rocked Magnus was 27…Qh7!, blocking all checks and making f4 a big threat, to leave the d3-rook pinned to the white king.
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Magnus hadn’t seen it coming.
Oftentimes when you make a mistake like this you notice it immediately. I didn’t notice it until he put his queen on h7, and that was a cold shower. I realised that I had no semblance of an advantage anymore. And also the position is much easier to play for Black.
The game did swing back and forth until finally Richard gave up a rook to force a draw by perpetual check.
Magnus summed up his hopes going into the blitz:
It depends on Duda. He’s really strong, so if he has a great event then I don’t have a chance, probably, but if he doesn’t, then anyone can win. I’m happy that I’ve at least given myself a chance.
Duda had a smooth day as he drew against Kirill Shevchenko and Levon Aronian and in between beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. That was with the help of some preparation he’d done in January 2022 but had been unable to recall when he’d had a chance to play it recently against Anish Giri in Bucharest.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is well-placed to challenge in the blitz | photo: Lennart Ootes, Grand Chess Tour
Duda explained “it’s a draw”, but it wasn’t went Maxime lost his way and suffered a heavy defeat. Duda was having a near perfect event.
It was made better because his co-leader at the start of the day, Wesley So, had earlier lost to Maxime. Wesley spent over seven minutes on move 11 before with 11…Nd7 he transposed to the game Karpov 1-0 Panno from 1980. The players followed that game for the next six moves.
Here Panno’s 17…Bg6 is still given as the best option by computers, while Wesley spent another seven minutes, this time on 17…a5!? Soon things got very sharp.
It turns out 26…Bxg5! might have held, but after 26…Rxg5+ 27.Nxg5 Bxg5 28.Qxf7+ Maxime went on to win easily.
Friendship ends when the clock starts | photo: Lennart Ootes, Grand Chess Tour
Levon Aronian beat Radek Wojtaszek to end the day just one point behind Duda, while Anish Giri also beat Wojtaszek to score his first win. It was a memorable finish, with 36.Bb2? (36.Bg3!) at first glance a very clever move.
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The bishop on b2 stops a rook check on a1 or c1 and also stops the rooks coordinating to give a check on f2. You can’t take the bishop, or 37.Re8+ will be checkmate.
Alas for Wojtaszek, after the only move 36…Bxc5! Giri was not just ok but winning. 37.Re8+ could be met by 37…Bf8 and now the tables are turned. The bishop on b2 is attacked, but it can’t move without allowing checkmate, so Radek resigned.
Anish Giri, like Magnus, picked up his first win on Day 3 of the event | photo: Lennart Ootes, Grand Chess Tour
Going into the blitz it’s almost anybody’s tournament to win, though Jan-Krzysztof Duda may not give up the lead without a fight. He commented:
I’m very happy, first that the rapid stage is over, because I’m always more keen on playing blitz, and secondly, I think I played quite good chess.
See also:
See also
Wesley So misses chance to take sole lead in Warsaw
Carlsen defeated after playing Polish Opening in Poland
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