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Dortmund 2009: the category 20 line-up
13.05.2009 – The Sparkassen Chess-Meeting is the most important traditional chess tournament
in Germany. It is also a favourite of former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik,
33, who has won it a record eight times. This year the average
rating is 2744 (and the average age 25.7 years), and Kramnik has the likes of Magnus
Carlsen and Peter Leko snapping at his heels. Make a note: July 2–12 2009. |
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Dortmund 01: Carlsen beats Jakovenko
02.07.2009 – The Sparkassen Chess-Meeting, the most important traditional chess tournament in Germany, started with a fine victory by top seed Magnus Carlsen. The 18-year-old Norwegian GM out-maneuvered his opponent, Russia's top GM Dmitry Jakovenko, in a knight vs bishop ending and took the full point after 49 moves. The other games were drawn.
Report with commentary. |
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Dortmund 03: All games drawn in sweltering heat
04.07.2009 – The city of Dortmund has been struck by a heatwave. Problem is you do not have much air-conditioning – in Germany you need it for just a couple of weeks per year. All of the players in the Sparkassen GM tournament seemed fazed by the temperature and all three games ended in more or less rapid draws. Meanwhile Sofi Leko, wife of Peter, discussed literature with a German professor. Pictorial report. |
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Dortmund 02: Jakovenko defeats Naiditsch
04.07.2009 – In the July 2009 FIDE ratings he is listed as the highest ranked GM in Russia. On the second day in Dortmund Dimitri Jakovenko defeated Germany's Arkadij Naiditsch in a nice endgame effort. The game was a Sicilian Najdorf and lasted 62 moves. Vladimir Kramnik drew Etienne Bacrot in 30 moves, Peter Leko held Magnus Carlsen in 25. The Norwegian leads. Round two report. |
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Dortmund 04: Kramnik wins with black, leads with Carlsen
05.07.2009 – After a desperately uneventful round three the players suddenly all galvanised into fighting mode and delivered a supremely exciting round four. Vladimir Kramnik won his game with the black pieces against Arkadij Naiditsch, while Magnus Carlsen came very close to a black victory against Etienne Bacrot. Carlsen and Kramnik now lead with 2.5/4 points. Big pictorial review. |
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Dortmund 5: Carlsen, Leko win, Carlsen leads
06.07.2009 – The first half of the Sparkassen Super-GM ended with Peter Leko demolishing Etienne Bacrot after the French GM blundered on move 36. Magnus Carlsen kept the pressure up against Arkadij Naiditsch's Berlin Defence, until the German player committed an innocuous looking error and crumbled. Carlsen is once again in the sold lead with a 2885 performance. Full illustrated report. |
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Dortmund – a walking tour
07.07.2009 – Tuesday – after five rounds, and having completed the first half of the double round robin Sparkassen tournament, the players have earned a rest day. For your roving correspondents the concept is unknown – we use the pause to take a look around the German industrial city of Dortmund. Join Michael von Keitz on a sightseeing tour through Dortmund. |
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Dortmund 6: All games drawn, Carlsen leads
08.07.2009 – Top French GM Etienne Bacrot and top German GM Arkadij Naiditsch drew a Queen's Indian in 24 moves. Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and his 2004 Challenger Peter Leko played a Nimzo Indian which ended in a 25-move draw. Top ranked Russian GM Dmitiy Jakovenko and world number three Magnus Carlsen drew a Sicilian Sveshnikov by repetition on move 45. Express report. |
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Dortmund 8: Kramnik beats Carlsen, leads
10.07.2009 – And suddenly things have changed... After two relatively uneventful rounds Vladimir Kramnik was able to go into the lead at the Sparkassen tournament in Dortmund, after the leader since round one Magnus Carlsen blundered in a probably drawn position. Dmitry Jakovenko was able to defeat Etienne Bacrot in an 81-move marathon. Round eight report with pictorial impressions. |
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Dortmund 7: All games drawn, Carlsen leads
10.07.2009 – Two games – Magnus Carlsen vs Peter Leko and Etienne Bacrot vs Vladimir Kramnik – ended in relatively uneventful draws. The third encounter, between Arkadij Naiditsch and Dmitry Jakavenko, developed into a drama in which the German GM let an advantage slip away, then got an unexpected gift from Jakavenko, but failed to capitalise on it.
Round seven report. |
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Dortmund 10: Kramnik wins Dortmund for the ninth time
12.07.2009 – This is definitely his tournament: Vladimir Kramnik won it eight times previously, and after an inauspicious start the former World Champion mopped up in the second half to finish a full point ahead of his nearest rivals. They were Peter Leko, Magnus Carlsen and Dmitry Jakovenko, all at 5.5/10 points. Kramnik's performance: 2848. Final report with statistics. |
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Dortmund 9: All games drawn, final result still open
12.07.2009 – Vladimir Kramnik played a fine black game against his compatriot Dmitry Jakovenko, and was a hair's breadth away from winning the game and the event. But he untypically missed the chance and with the other two games drawn there are four contenders for first place (Kramnik is half a point up on the other three). Note: the game on Sunday start at 13:00h CEST! Round nine report. |
