Malcolm Pein on…Radjabov’s Great Success

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Today’s Daily Telegraph chess column sees Malcolm Pein rounding up his coverage of the Airthings Masters, with news of Teimour Radjabov’s great success.

Malcolm Pein on…Radjabov’s Great Success

Teimour Radjabov won the first Major of the Champions Chess Tour as he defeated Levon Aronian in the final of the Airthings Masters on Chess24.com. Having won the first leg, Radjabov scored a win in game two of the second leg and closed out the match with another draw.

Radjabov won $60,000 (£44,000) and secured a place in September’s tour final. The 33-year-old Azeri GM was mostly in control, except for game one of the second leg, when both players missed wins.

L. Aronian – T. Radjabov

Giuoco Piano 15+10

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0–0 6.0–0 d6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 a5 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nbd2 Ba7 12.Nf1 Be6 13.Bb5 Bd7 14.Ne3 Ne7 15.a4 c6 16.Bc4 Ng6 17.Qc2!? Nf4 18.Rad1 Qe7 19.d4 exd4 20.Bxf4 gxf4

Radjabov's Great Success

21.e5!? dxe3? (The engine finds 21…d3!! 22.Qxd3 fxe3 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Qxh6+ Nh7 25.Bd3 exf2+ 26.Kf1 fxe1Q+ 27.Rxe1 f5 28.exf6 Qf7 and wins as there is no f4 pawn)

22.Qg6+ Kh8 23.Qxh6+ Nh7 (23…Kg8 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.exf6 exf2+ 26.Kf1 fxe1Q+ 27.Rxe1 Qf8 28.Bd3 and mates)

24.Bd3 exf2+ 25.Kf1 fxe1Q+ 26.Rxe1 Bf5 27.Bxf5 f6 28.exf6 Qf7

29.Re6? (29.Rd1! wins after 29…Rg8 30.Rxd6 with Ne5 or Rd7 to follow. Also after 29.Rxe8+ Rxe8 30.b3!! preventing Qc4+ wins after 30…Kg8 31.Ng5 Nxg5 32.Qxg5+ Kf8 (32…Kh8 is today’s puzzle) 33.Bg6 followed by Qh6+ wins or 30…Rg8 31.h4!!, h4-h5 and Bg6)

29…Rxe6 30.Ng5 Rxf6! 31.Nxf7+ Rxf7 32.Bxh7 Rxh7 33.Qf6+ (Aronian scrambled a draw) 33…Kg8 34.Qg6+ Rg7 35.Qe6+ Rf7 36.Qg6+ Kf8 37.Qxd6+ Kg7 38.Qe5+ Kg6 39.Qe6+ Kg7 40.Qe5+ Kg6 41.Qe6+ Kg7 42.Qe5+ draw

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White to play and win

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33.Bg6 Qd7 34.f7

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