7th Tal Chess Memorial: Magnus Carlsen Comments, Tweet and Last-Round Game Against McShane

The one and only Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen, right after winning the 7th Mikhail Tal Chess Memorial, in Moscow, on Sunday had these comments to make:

"I think it has been a very interesting tournament. There have been twists and turns that noone could foresee. As for myself, I thing I played, well I stared slowly. My first three games were not impressive to say the least.
I think after that my play was good. I mean, the game with Grischuk, although I didn't win, it was an energizer to play such an interesting game. I thought after that I was in the driving seat in most of my games.
Obviously if it turns out that Aronian wins [looks to one of the screens], which in fact he did, I'm actually the winner of the tournament. That is nice but, I mean, like last year there were a lot of fortunate circumstances for me in the last round to be able to win it but that's the way it goes sometimes. Today I had to win myself and I did. That's all I can do."

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Magnus Carlsen Wins 7th Mikhail Tal Chess Memorial 2012

It seems chess goddess Caissa is particularly kind to world chess #1 Norway's Magnus Carlsen as not only did the talented genius pull off a crucial last-round victory, but the overnight leader Italy's Fabiano Caruana lost as well giving Magnus Carlsen the 7th Mikhail Tal Memorial Chess Tournament title late in Moscow on Monday. A fantastic victory for the Mozart of Chess - in all probability the would-be world chess champion one day - Magnus Carlsen!

7th Mikhail Tal Chess Memorial 2012 winners
(from left) Teimour Radjabov, third;
Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, second.

Fabiano Caruana got taken in by Levon Aronian's home prep. Carlsen left nothing to chance by convincingly beating Luke McShane for a clear first. Teimour Radjabov drew against Hikaru Nakamura and had to settle for third behind Fabiano Caruana on tiebreak. Caruana actually needed only a draw to manage shared first at least.

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Tal Chess Memorial Round 8: Fabiano Caruana Takes Lead

Italy's Fabiano Caruana shot into the lead with a nice win over Russia's Vladimir Kramnik in the eight round at the Tal Chess Memorial on Sunday. Kramnik not only lost a pawn, but in self-destruct mode, committed an endgame blunder as well. What has been amazing at the tournament is that leader from the beginning, Alexander Morozevich has suddenly lost three games in a row. Vladimir Kramnik, who joined Morozevich in the lead, has lost two games in a row.

This is how they cheer chess players in Moscow...

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Kazan Chess Round 7: Armenia's Elina Danielian Holds on to Lead

Armenia's Elina Danielian has got a strong hold over the Kazan Women's Chess Grand Prix by the end of Round 7. Danielian drew with former women's world chess champion to maintain her lead. Her depth of understanding an endgame defence in a complicated situation against a former world chess champion was evident. 

Viktorija Cmilyte

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Tal Chess Memorial Round 7: Both Overnight Leaders Morozevich, Kramnik Lose

The seventh round at the 7th Tal Memorial saw two upsets - both the joint overnight leaders losing their games! Not only did Alexander Morozevich lost his second game in a row to last seed Evgeny Tomashevsky, but joint leader and former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik lost to Luke McShane as well. This allowed five players now in joint lead.

The pawns must be fed on tea or coffee regularly

So, that's the strategy...

Must be careful about strategy stealers

For Heaven's Sake Don't Move the Queen

Results:

1. Radjabov - Caruana draw

2. Aronian - Grischuk draw

3. Nakamura - Carlsen draw

4. Tomashevsky - Morozevich 1-0

5. McShane - Kramnik 1-0

Standings:1-5. Morozevich, Carlsen, Radjabov, Kramnik, Caruana - 4

6. Nakamura - 3.5

7-9. Grischuk, Aronian, McShane - 3

10. Tomashevsky - 2,5

The Tal Chess Memorial is being held at the Pashkov House in Moscow with 10 of the world's top players from June 8-18. You can watch the games live at the official website from India time 7.30 pm. Rest days were June 11 and 15. The time control is 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, and 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move one. Draw offers are not allowed until after the first time control. The prize fund is 100,000 euros.  (Photos by Eteri Kublashvili official website of the Russian Chess Federation.)

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Kazan Chess Round 6: Armenia's Elina Danielian Maintains Sole Lead With Win Over Nadezhda Kosintseva

Armenia's Elina Danielian is on a roll at the Women's Chess Grand Prix Series 2011-2012 in Kazan. Scoring back to back victories, she maintains her sole lead after six rounds. Anna Muzychuk, who had caught up with Danielian in joint lead, could only score a draw in the sixth round against a very determined former women's world chess champion Alexandra Kosteniuk. The tense game could only end in a draw.

 

Tatiana Kosintseva - Elina Danielian 0-1 

Antoaneta Stefanova-Hou Yifan 0-1

Meanwhile, Katerina Lahno playing with Black tried her best to gain advantage of Alisa Galliamova's badly placed Knight and scored the win with the latter coming under time pressure. Tatiana Kosintseva scored the first win for herself by beating Betul Yildiz. Yildiz's only win in the tournament has actually come against top seed women's world chess champion Hou Yifan. The Turkish player underestimated Black’s Queenside attack.

In the other games, women's world chess champion China's Hou Yifan obtained a better middlegame position against former women's world chess champion Bulgaria's Antoaneta Stefanova. Yifan then went on to implement a decisive attack and win. Another tense game, Koneru-Cmilte, finished in a draw.

After six rounds of play, Elina Danielian leads with 4.5 points. Katerina Lahno and Anna Muzychuk share the second place with half a point behind. Hampy Koneru and Viktorija Cmilyte are sharing 4th – 5th places with 3.5 points, followed by Nadezhda Kosintseva and Hou Yifan who are placed 6-7 with 3 points each. Alexandra Kosteniuk, Tatiana Kosintseva and Antoaneta Stefanova are at 8 – 10 spots with 2.5 points. Alisa Galliamova is currently eleventh with 2 points, followed by Betul Yildiz with 1 point. 

You can watch the Kazan chess games live at the official website from India time 4.30 pm. (Photos by Rashit Shiriyazdanov and Anastasiya Karlovich/Kazan Women's Chess Grand Prix official website.)

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