This article is a summary for the full article on Bilbao Chess Masters Final 2011 please visit the article. It includes all the interactive board and analysis of many more games.
Francisco Vallejo had a very tough start at the 2011 Bilbao Chess Masters Final, winning 1, drawing 1, and losing 3 games to finish the first half of the tournament in dead last. Vallejo received great moral support on returning to his native Spain, starting with a draw against Aronian in round 6 and a very nice win with the white pieces in round 7 against a determined Ivanchuk. Vallejo played an interesting line against Ivanchuk’s Grunfeld Defense, playing very aggressively in the opening to place immediate pressure against black’s center and king. Vallejo was able to build this pressure and emerge in a R+P endgame with an extra outside past pawn. I think Ivanchuk could have defended better by placing a quick blockade on the pawn with 35. …c5 and 36. …Ra6 – however the Ukrainian was in extreme time pressure with about 30 seconds left at this point and you can’t blame him for not finding the most precise defense in this position. Ivanchuk went on to draw Anand in round 8 after an interesting N+P endgame, maintaining his lead.
This article is a summary for the full article on Bilbao Chess Masters Final 2011 please visit the article. It includes all the interactive board and analysis of many more games.
Follow William for fresh daily updates: Follow @OnlineChessLessWilliam Stewart is a National Master. He specializes in Online Chess Coaching and maintains a daily updated Chess Blog
Great game by him.