2014 Sinquefield Cup - Day 1

While there was only one decisive game in the first round of the 2014 Sinquefield Cup, it certainly looks like the spectators got their monies worth. The Aronian - Nakamura game was the first to finish, when the players felt that repeating the position around move 40 was the best plan. The Vachier-Lagrave - Carlsen game was probably the most interesting, with Carlsen showing of a bit of opening prep with a novelty in the Scotch Game. The idea involved a temporary piece sacrifice, but clearly it was all 'computer checked' at home, as Carlsen won back the piece and even held a slight edge. Vachier-Legrave kept his head and the game ended in a draw after Vachier-Lagrave sacrificed a rook for a perpetual.
In the only decisive game, Caruana beat Topalov after Topalov tried a speculative attack and then fell apart when it did not succeed. After move 23 Caruana had an advantage and it seemed to grow with every move, until finally Topalov realised his position was totally lost.


Topalov,Veselin (2772) - Caruana,Fabiano (2801) [A35]
2nd Sinquefield Cup 2014 Saint Louis USA (1.3), 27.08.2014

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nc7 7. O-O e5 8. a3 Rb8 9. d3 Be7 10. Be3 O-O 11. Rc1 Bd7 12. Nd2 Nd4 13. Nc4 f6 14. f4 exf4 15. Bxf4 Nde6 16. Bd2 b6 17. g4 Be8 18. Be1 b5 19. Ne3 Bd6 20. Ncd5 Nxd5 21. Bxd5 Bf7 22. Nf5 Be5 23. Qd2 Nd4 24. Bxf7+ Rxf7 25. Rd1 Nxf5 26. gxf5 Qd4+ 27. Bf2 Qg4+ 28. Kh1 c4 29. Qc2 Re8 30. dxc4 Qh5 31. h4 Qg4 32. Qd3 bxc4 33. Qe3 Rfe7 34. b3 Bb2 0-1