Hikaru Nakamura - Magnus Carlsen 0-1: Python Explodes after Eating Alligator at Zurich Chess 2014

MANIMAL MAGNUS: World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and US #1 Hikaru Nakamura before their blood-spilling, gut-wrenching showdown. Who could guess? The Norwegian would be outplayed, smothered and destroyed..., but live to have the last laugh! 

Photo: Maria Emelianova

Zurich Chess Challenge 2014: A National Geographic report dated 2006 states South Florida wildlife researchers found a dead python that had burst after eating a 6-foot-long American alligator. Saturday night no wildlife researchers were available at Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville Zurich, but the news report was essentially the same. 

US #1 Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura chewed the World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen move by move. Black was toast. 

26. ... Bxb2

Carlsen said he did not realise he was going down until Nakamura played 24.Qg4 (24. ...Nb6 25.Be2 Nd6 26. Rdh1) 26...Bxb2 (diagram above) was "completely desperate but I thought it was my only chance," Carlsen said in the post-game conference. "That's what it's about, keeping the game one move longer". 

The game proceeded. Ten moves later, Black is still worth a sumptuous dinner.

36. ... Qg6

Nakamura has obtained a big attack in this animal versus animal battle. "There must be so many ways to win," confessed Magnus Carlsen himself. 

But the American python had gobbled enough and couldn't digest it. He exploded with 37.d6?! when he could have jolly well tried 37.Qf1 b5 38.Rxh7!! going for the throat with mating combinations.

37. d6

“I played pretty badly. I sort of underestimated his attack. The whole setup is a little bit risky,” said the World Champion, but "It's a bit of a freak occurence that he doesn't win." Nakamura skipped the post-game press conference. Understandably so.

The full game

A nice analysis video by ChessNetwork

Daniel King shows the game Hikaru Nakamura vs Magnus Carlsen from Round 3

GM Hikaru Nakamura has since tweeted, so his fans needn't worry about his heartbreaking loss. He reported to office in Round 4

FIDE press officer Anastasiya Karlovich tweeted this photo

Magnus Carlsen's father and coach just learnt that the evaluation went from +7 to -3)). 

Livestream last two sections  including the post-game press conference with Magnus Carlsen

* For all reports on the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 at www.blackandwhiteindia.com

* World Chess Championship 2013 Game 9 Heartbreaking loss for Anand

* World Chess Championship 2013 Game 9 The Knight's Betrayal

* GM Ian Rogers, under the able direction of Macauley Peterson, presents 'Nakamura vs Carlsen - The Musical'

* Anand Gifts Carlsen a Checkmate in three: Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 Pairings Blitz
* Official website of the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014

-- Rajat Sinha

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Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 Pairings Blitz: Anand Gifts Magnus a Checkmate in Three!

Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 Pairings Blitz: The strongest chess tournament in history has two other attractions - First, the new World Chess Champion is playing his first chess tournament after picking up the world title. Second, he is meeting his 'victim' former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand for the first time after the November, 2013 debacle.

Magnus Carlsen on his way to crushing Viswanathan Anand in the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 pairings blitz Round 4 on Wednesday night.

A blitz chess tournament was played on Wednesday, January 29, to determine the colour distribution for the main Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 which includes five rounds of classical chess to be played from Thursday to Monday (30 January to 3 February), followed by a rapid tournament with reversed colors on the last day (4 February).

Everyone was focused on just one game really particularly after Magnus Carlsen 'lost' the first round blitz game to Fabiano Caruana! 

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen and his predecessor met in Round 4 and the Indian Grandmaster handed the Norwegian a cool checkmate in three that is bound to keep Carlsen fans exulting and Anand fans gnashing their teeth for a long time to come. 

Take a try at the chess position yourself: Carlsen-Anand 1-0. Anand has just played 20. ...Nc6. Anand resigned on Magnus Carlsen's next move which actually forces a checkmate in three!

What did Magnus Carlsen play and Anand resign?

(Expect the position to go down in chess puzzle books across the planet)

Here is also the livestream video of the game Carlsen - Anand from the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 pairings blitz. All games were commented by GM Yannick Pelletier and IM Werner Hug and broadcast live via the Internet. Don't miss their excellent commentary and chat.

Here are the pairings for the 'actual' Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 tournament with classical and rapid games:

PAIRINGS

Classical Games

Round 1 Magnus Carlsen - Boris Gelfand
Levon Aronian - Viswanathan Anand
Hikaru Nakamura - Fabiano Caruana

Round 2 
Boris Gelfand - Fabiano Caruana
Viswanathan Anand - Hikaru Nakamura
Magnus Carlsen - Levon Aronian

Round 3 
Levon Aronian - Boris Gelfand
Hikaru Nakamura - Magnus Carlsen
Fabiano Caruana - Viswanathan Anand

Round 4 Boris Gelfand - Viswanathan Anand
Magnus Carlsen - Fabiano Caruana
Levon Aronian - Hikaru Nakamura

Round 5 
Hikaru Nakamura - Boris Gelfand
Fabiano Caruana - Levon Aronian
Viswanathan Anand - Magnus Carlsen

Rapid Games

Round 1 
Boris Gelfand - Magnus Carlsen
Viswanathan Anand - Levon Aronian
Fabiano Caruana - Hikaru Nakamura

Round 2 
Fabiano Caruana - Boris Gelfand
Hikaru Nakamura - Viswanathan Anand
Levon Aronian - Magnus Carlsen

Round 3 
Boris Gelfand - Levon Aronian
Magnus Carlsen - Hikaru Nakamura
Viswanathan Anand - Fabiano Caruana

Round 4 
Viswanathan Anand - Boris Gelfand
Fabiano Caruana - Magnus Carlsen
Hikaru Nakamura - Levon Aronian

Round 5 
Boris Gelfand - Hikaru Nakamura
Levon Aronian - Fabiano Caruana
Magnus Carlsen - Viswanathan Anand 

Replay the full game Magnus Carlsen - Viswanathan Anand 1-0:

PGN: [Event "Zurich CC Blitz 2014"]
[Site "Zurich SUI"]
[Date "2014.01.29"]
[Round "4.2"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteTitle "GM"]
[BlackTitle "GM"]
[WhiteElo "2872"]
[BlackElo "2773"]
[ECO "A06"]
[Opening "Reti"]
[Variation "Nimzovich-Larsen attack"]
[WhiteFideId "1503014"]
[BlackFideId "5000017"]
[EventDate "2014.01.29"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 c5 3. e4 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Ncxe4 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 e5 11. f4 exf4 12. Qh5 Nd4 13. Rxf4 g6 14. Qe5 b6 15. Raf1 Bf5 16. g4 Be6 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Rxf8+ Bxf8 19. Nf6+ Kh8 20. c3 Nc6 21. Ne8+ 1-0

For complete tournament reports on the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014, continue to follow our main website www.blackandwhiteindia.com. You can also access the official website of the Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 here. -- Rajat Sinha

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Anand, Carlsen meet Again after World Chess Championship: Zurich Chess Challenge begins Jan 29

Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 — The strongest tournament in chess history to date begins Wednesday, January 29 at the Hotel Savoy. This is going to be the first chess tournament in the history of the game to claim a level of Category 23 with an amazing average rating of 2801!

Destiny is cruel and chess destiny can be crueler still: The newly-crowned World Chess Champion and his 'victim' Viswanathan Anand will meet again for the first time after the November 2013 World Chess Championship. This will be Magnus Carlsen's first tournament appearance after winning the world title. Anand has already played the London Chess Classic in December 2013 which Carlsen did not attend.

The chess greats - Anand and Carlsen - are to meet twice over the board in Zurich not counting the blitz event for deciding the pairings.

A blitz tournament will determine the color distribution on the first day (29 January). Five rounds of classical chess will then be played from Thursday to Monday (30 January to 3 February), followed by a rapid tournament with reversed colors on the last day (4 February). 

We expect a 'respectful' draw between Anand and Carlsen in the classical game without any fodder for the hungry fans or salivating journalists. But, if Anand were to win he would make a point: That he did have the requisite weapons ready in November 2013 itself, but "read Carlsen wrong" as he has commented before. If Carlsen were to win... it's going to be driving the nail back in with greater pain. Anand chess fans, keep fingers crossed. 

The other players are the Armenian Levon Aronian (2), the American Hikaru Nakamura (3), the US-Italian Fabiano Caruana (6), as well as the Israeli Boris Gelfand (8).

This brilliant event, which will take place in the extraordinary familial environment of the ballroom of the Hotel Savoy, has already caught the attention throughout the world and led to the registration of many journalists and top-players, including Peter Leko, Jan Timman and Gennadi Sosonko. 

Further, the Chinese women's world-champion Hou Yifan will attend this unique occasion and will be playing a simultaneous exhibition with clocks against 6 top Swiss juniors on 1 February at 1 p.m. at the Zurich 'Zunfthaus zur Saffran'.

The owner of IGC International Gemological Laboratories», Mr. Oleg Skvortsov, is the creator of this chess event. He not only loves chess, but also plays chess and supports chess events. Furthermore, Mr. Skvortsov knows many of the greatest chess players in the world personally and has played a lot of games with them.

A press release states, the Zurich Chess Club is very proud to be the organizer and host of this unique event and it would like to thank the main tournament sponsor and chess-enthusiast Oleg Skvortsov, whose generous contribution has allowed for this extraordinary event to take place! 

All games will be commented by GM Yannick Pelletier and IM Werner Hug and broadcast live via the Internet.

Admission to the classical and rapid games is free, no previous registration is required. Due to limited room capacity, the Opening Ceremony and the blitz tournament are for official guests only. 

Participants (Elo rating according to FRL of January 2014)

Magnus Carlsen (Norway, Elo 2872, Nr 1)
Levon Aronian (Armenia, Elo 2812, Nr 2)
Hikaru Nakamura (USA, Elo 2789, Nr 3)
Fabiano Caruana (Italy, Elo 2782, Nr 6)
Boris Gelfand (Israel, Elo 2777, Nr 8)
Vishwanathan Anand (India, Elo 2773, Nr 9)

Schedule

Daily from 30 January to 4 February 2014.
The rounds start at 15.00 local time (CET), except for the last round, which begins at 13.00 CET.
Spectators are welcome, entrance free.

Main sponsor

«IGC International Gemological Laboratories» is a Russian institute providing gemological services, such as diamond grading reports, enhanced diamonds identification, man-made/synthetic diamonds and imitation detection, as well as certification of diamonds, gemstones and jewelry in the Russian Federation. IGC is the Russian branch of «GCI» a group of gemological laboratories located worldwide.

Co-sponsors

Aspeco, SurJewel, Savoy Chess Corner, Zurich Chess Club (founded in 1809, the oldest chess club of the world)

Partners

Hotels Savoy Baur en Ville, Rössli and Seehof in Zurich

Organization
Zurich Chess Club 

-- Rajat Khanna

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Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 with Anand and Carlsen: After India, it's Battlefield Switzerland

The Zurich Chess Challenge 2014 will be the first encounter between India’s Viswanathan Anand and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen after their forthcoming world championship match in Chennai. 

From Wednesday, 29 January to Tuesday, 4 February 2014, they will compete in the 3rd Zurich Chess Challenge along with four other great chess stars Levon Aronian
(Arm), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Fabiano Caruana (It) and Boris Gelfand (Isr). With an average of 2794 Elo points (according to the September 13 rating list) this is going to be the strongest tournament in chess history. 

The main sponsor is Oleg Skvortsov of the International Gemological Laboratories, Moscow, with the Zurich Chess Club acting as organizer.

The first Zurich Chess Challenge in 2012 was a match between Kramnik and Aronian. The second event in 2013 was a double-round robin with Kramnik, Anand, Caruana and Gelfand. For the 2014 edition, a blitz tournament will determine the color distribution. A round-robin tournament of five rounds with a classical time control is then followed by a rapid tournament with colors reversed on the last day of play. A won game in the classical tournament counts 2 points, a draw 1 point. Wins in the rapid tournament count 1 point and draws half a point. All games will be commented by Yannick Pelletier and Werner Hug and broadcast live via Internet.

Participants
Magnus Carlsen (Norway, Elo 2862, Nr 1)
Levon Aronian (Armenia, Elo 2813, Nr 2)
Fabiano Caruana (Italy, Elo 2779, Nr 5)
Vishwanathan Anand (India, Elo 2775, Nr 7)
Hikaru Nakamura (USA, Elo 2772, Nr 9 )
Boris Gelfand (Israel, Elo 2764, Nr 11)

Schedule
Daily from 29 January to 4 February 2014.
Spectators are welcome, entrance free.

Main sponsor
IGC International Gemological Laboratories is a Russian institute providing gemological services, such as diamond grading reports, enhanced diamonds identification, man-made/synthetic diamonds and imitation detection as well as certification of diamonds, gemstones and jewelry in the Russian Federation. IGC is the Russian branch of GCI – a group of gemological laboratories located worldwide.

Co-sponsors
Savoy Chess Corner, Zurich Chess Club (founded in 1809, the oldest chess club of the world)

Viswanathan Anand has also signed up for the London Chess Classic in December, 2013. In case Carlsen also attends the event, then the duo would meet in London before Zurich Chess Challenge, 2014.

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