chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Corus Group B Tournament

Fabiano Caruana8.5/13(+6 -2 =5)[games]
Nigel Short8/13(+5 -2 =6)[games]
Alexander Motylev8/13(+4 -1 =8)[games]
Rustam Kasimdzhanov8/13(+5 -2 =6)[games]
Andrei Volokitin7.5/13(+3 -1 =9)[games]
Francisco Vallejo Pons7.5/13(+6 -4 =3)[games]
Zahar Efimenko7/13(+4 -3 =6)[games]
David Navara6.5/13(+4 -4 =5)[games]
Dimitri Reinderman6/13(+2 -3 =8)[games]
Yifan Hou6/13(+3 -4 =6)[games]
Erwin L'Ami5.5/13(+3 -5 =5)[games]
Henrique Mecking4.5/13(+1 -5 =7)[games]
Jan Werle4/13(+0 -5 =8)[games]
Krishnan Sasikiran4/13(+2 -7 =4)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Corus Group B (2009)

Played in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands 17 January - 1 February 2009.

Age Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 1 Caruana 16 2646 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 8½ 2 Short 43 2663 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 8 3 Motylev 29 2676 ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 8 4 Kasimdzhanov 29 2687 ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 8 5 Volokitin 22 2671 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 7½ 6 Vallejo 26 2702 1 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 7½ 7 Efimenko 23 2688 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 7 8 Navara 23 2638 0 0 1 ½ 0 1 1 * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 6½ 9 Reinderman 36 2549 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 10 Yifan Hou 14 2571 ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 6 11 L'Ami 23 2603 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 5½ 12 Mecking 57 2567 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 4½ 13 Werle 25 2607 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 4 14 Sasikiran 28 2711 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * 4

Category: XVI (2641). Fabiano Caruana qualified for Corus Group A (2010).

Previous: Corus Group B (2008). Next: Corus Group B (2010). See also Corus Group A (2009) and Corus Group C (2009)

 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 91  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
26. Caruana vs Navara 1-0442009Corus Group BC92 Ruy Lopez, Closed
27. Kasimdzhanov vs Efimenko  ½-½272009Corus Group BE32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
28. F Vallejo Pons vs Mecking 1-0562009Corus Group BC91 Ruy Lopez, Closed
29. D Reinderman vs Kasimdzhanov ½-½142009Corus Group BC42 Petrov Defense
30. Short vs Sasikiran 0-1352009Corus Group BB54 Sicilian
31. A Volokitin vs Y Hou 1-0492009Corus Group BC18 French, Winawer
32. Mecking vs L'Ami  ½-½202009Corus Group BD45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
33. Motylev vs F Vallejo Pons  ½-½462009Corus Group BB90 Sicilian, Najdorf
34. Navara vs J Werle  ½-½392009Corus Group BC89 Ruy Lopez, Marshall
35. Efimenko vs Caruana 1-0412009Corus Group BB80 Sicilian, Scheveningen
36. Kasimdzhanov vs Caruana ½-½462009Corus Group BD17 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
37. Y Hou vs Mecking 1-0832009Corus Group BC86 Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack
38. D Reinderman vs Short 0-1372009Corus Group BC69 Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation
39. Sasikiran vs A Volokitin  ½-½652009Corus Group BD20 Queen's Gambit Accepted
40. L'Ami vs Motylev 0-1372009Corus Group BD44 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
41. F Vallejo Pons vs Navara 0-1452009Corus Group BD70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense
42. J Werle vs Efimenko  ½-½782009Corus Group BD37 Queen's Gambit Declined
43. Efimenko vs F Vallejo Pons  ½-½432009Corus Group BB66 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6
44. Short vs Kasimdzhanov 1-0502009Corus Group BC50 Giuoco Piano
45. Caruana vs J Werle 1-0402009Corus Group BC84 Ruy Lopez, Closed
46. Navara vs L'Ami 0-1422009Corus Group BE34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa Variation
47. Mecking vs Sasikiran 1-0382009Corus Group BD45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
48. A Volokitin vs D Reinderman 1-0462009Corus Group BA81 Dutch
49. Motylev vs Y Hou 1-0442009Corus Group BB20 Sicilian
50. F Vallejo Pons vs Caruana 1-0302009Corus Group BB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
 page 2 of 4; games 26-50 of 91  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 13 OF 14 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  sisyphus: Caruana has two minutes for the last five moves before the second time control.
Feb-01-09  radu stancu: Short missed a perpetual at move 57 (Qd3+ instead of Qb5+) and now Caruana should win.
Feb-01-09  Willem Wallekers: I think Short missed 47 ... cxd2 48. Rxc6 cxe1<N>+.
Feb-01-09  sheaf: caruana should win this..
Feb-01-09  laserlight: I think that Short should never have allowed Caruana's king to get to e4. It looked like perpetual check was possible by shuffling the queen between d3 and e2, and only moving to b5 if the king goes to g5.
Feb-01-09  KingG: What a disaster for Short.
Feb-01-09  parmetd: yea this is sad... A was looking exciting next year with Short now it looks boring with everyone getting free points off Caruana
Feb-01-09  unsound: Yes, like they all got free points off Smeets this year.
Feb-01-09  kevinatcausa: And like Short got free points off Caruana in group B this year...
Feb-01-09  gmgomes: Short has just resigned. So Caruana will face the elite next year. Congratulations Caruana!
Feb-01-09  unsound: Nevertheless, it was an unfortunate loss for Short--it would be harsh to say he didn't deserve to win the tournament.
Feb-01-09  shintaro go: I didn't think Fabiano would win this B group but I'm glad to be corrected. What a heart this kid has. And he will rightfully join the A group next year. What a performance.
Feb-01-09  dumbgai: What a finish. Both co-leaders lost, as did one of their nearest pursuers - but the other one wins and leaps over them both for clear first place!
Feb-01-09  percyblakeney: Rating favourite Sasikiran went -5 and performed below 2500...
Feb-01-09  Eyal: So we wouldn't get to see if Short was serious about what he said concerning participation in the A-Group after all... as was pointed out, he had a draw by perpetual check as late as move 57 (Qd3+, denying the e4 square from the white king, rather than Qb5+??)
Feb-01-09  shintaro go: The important thing is that Fabiano didn't lose too many games. We all know he can win games like crazy, but he can lose quite a bit too. This time around, he played solid chess and got a <tough> victory and marches on to the "A" group. Not even Carlsen won Corus B on the first try.
Feb-01-09  shintaro go: Undefeated Volokitin loses in the final round!
Feb-01-09  shintaro go: Hou Yifan still a negative score for the second year.
Feb-01-09  Lupara: Wow, according to some of the kibitzers here it sounds as though Caruana will just be a fish in Corus A 2010 and that he is not deserving.

According to his FIDE profile, since January 2007 to the present (may not include Corus 2009) Caruana has won 59% of 142 games with white and 50% of 128 games with black. That is simply astounding when compared to most other players at his level. Surely, Caruana's statistics and his play bear out that his climb to this level has been steady and well earned.

Kudos to Caruana for his win in Corus B. I think he should be able to hold his own next year in Corus A.

Feb-01-09  dumbgai: I don't think Caruana will simply get kicked around. His rating was 2646 coming into here, and obviously he's gaining quite a few more points here. If he keeps improving he could be close to 2700 by the time next year's tournament rolls around. I think he'll do better than Van Wely and Smeets/Stellwagen (if they're invited again).
Feb-01-09  Eyal: Maybe the rest day Caruana took yesterday with his 11 move draw against Reinderman helped him today (though he actually had a losing position at a certain stage in today's game, and benefited form several blunders by Short - first to equalize and then to win). At any rate, winning two years in a row first the C group and then the B group is an impressive achievement. And I also wouldn't knock down in advance his chances for at least a respectable performance in the A group next year. He's improving very rapidly and by then he'll probably be considerably better than he is right now.

Feb-01-09  shintaro go: I wonder what kind of preparation Sasikiran made for this Corus to lose seven (7!) games. Forgettable tournament for him.
Feb-01-09  percyblakeney: If Caruana can finish ahead of seven players rated 2663-2711 this year, he will surely be even better next year as fast as he is improving. This was the strongest Corus B ever with lots of very experienced participants. Kasimdzhanov finished even with Leko and Wang Yue in Elista, and was still just ranked fourth here.
Feb-01-09  Karpova: <percyblakeney: This was the strongest Corus B ever with lots of very experienced participants.>

Last year it was not bad either: Corus (Group B) (2008) With Movsesian, Bacrot, Short, Harikrishna, Cheparinov, etc.

Feb-01-09  acirce: Yes, I'm not sure why Caruana is supposed to do so much worse in the A-group next year than Short would have.

Maybe people need to be reminded that he is 20 months younger than Carlsen and steadily on the rise, while Short has seen his best days.

Last time Short played in the A-group he finished 12th. I think Caruana will do better than that, even if Anand & c:o returns next year.

Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 14)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 13 OF 14 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC