Reggio Emilia starts…Caruana fumbles.
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
Why the change in format? Probably now that Italy has a superstar (Caruana) the organizers want to optimize his chances to win a big tournament on home turf…in anycase, the youngster fumbled a winning position in today’s first round against the Russian Morozevich. Probably the fast time control (100 minutes followed by 50 minutes to mate ; with 30 spm) can partly explain Caruana’s loss
You have to admire Caruana’s faith in himself: instead of playing more safely, he wants to put Black away by tactical means. Here he fumbles, however, and his position collapses in one move!
Good enough is 47.Qd3 Rxc4 (there is nothing better) 48. d7!! and Black is in zugzwang. If 48…Kh8 then simply 49.Qf3. But this is not the only way to bag the point: 47.Qe2 is also possible, with the same idea. If Black then tries to wiggle out with 47…Nxd6 then the pretty 48.Rxg7-ch! followed by Qxe5 is decisive.
INSTEAD, Caruana played the horrible 47.Nc7?? overlooking that after 47…Bxc4! 48.Qxc4 Nxd6! wins the house!
A lucky escape by the Russian and an unfortunate way for the local hero to start the tournament.
There are a number of interesting tournaments starting this week. San Sebastian gets underway tomorrow. And the 54th edition of the Reggio Emilia tradition got underway today. This tournament has now become a 6-player double round event.
Why the change in format? Probably now that Italy has a superstar (Caruana) the organizers want to optimize his chances to win a big tournament on home turf…in anycase, the youngster fumbled a winning position in today’s first round against the Russian Morozevich. Probably the fast time control (100 minutes followed by 50 minutes to mate ; with 30 spm) can partly explain Caruana’s loss
POSITION AFTER 43 MOVES
Morozevich
Caruana
While it has been an interesting opening and middlegame, Morozevich slowly got outplayed and pushed back. In the position above he is simply a pawn down for nothing. Caruana started to push his pawn forward, and indeed Black’s position got even worse!
44.d6! Qd8 45.Nd5!? (apparently 45.Re7 is even stronger) 45…Bb5!? (this looks like the only hope, but it is insufficient to save the game against correct play) 46.Rxf7 Nxe4 (there is nothing better)
You have to admire Caruana’s faith in himself: instead of playing more safely, he wants to put Black away by tactical means. Here he fumbles, however, and his position collapses in one move!
Good enough is 47.Qd3 Rxc4 (there is nothing better) 48. d7!! and Black is in zugzwang. If 48…Kh8 then simply 49.Qf3. But this is not the only way to bag the point: 47.Qe2 is also possible, with the same idea. If Black then tries to wiggle out with 47…Nxd6 then the pretty 48.Rxg7-ch! followed by Qxe5 is decisive.
INSTEAD, Caruana played the horrible 47.Nc7?? overlooking that after 47…Bxc4! 48.Qxc4 Nxd6! wins the house!
A lucky escape by the Russian and an unfortunate way for the local hero to start the tournament.