No Logo Norway Chess 2014 Round 2: Caruana Leads with Perfect Score

Hello chess friends, chess fireworks have begun in Norway with three decisive games in Round 2 at the exciting No Logo Norway Chess currently on in Stavanger. Fabiano Caruana leads with a perfect score after Round 2. Aronian has 1.5. Carlsen, Kramnik, Giri, Agdestein, Grischuk are all at 1 point. Svidler, Karjakin and Topalov have 0.5.

The top game of the day ended in draw: Kramnik vs Carlsen. Photo: Official Website

Vladimir Kramnik-Magnus Carlsen put up a chess display, but the perfect play was to lead only to a logical draw. Anish Giri could not spot a win and had to settle for a draw with veteran Simen Agdestein who is the talk of the tournament being both Carlsen's former chess teacher and having made a huge comeback to international chess in the recent past. Agdestein is one of those few double-talents who has also represented Norway internationally in football.

Fabiano Caruana might have actually been surprised when he beat Peter Svidler's Sicilian. The game was a sharp one and both players went for well-known lines that were obvious home prep for at least move 11. However, Svidler picked up a pawn and then got into a complicated position where his 'computer' memory failed him and he was forced to give up his Queen for a Bishop and a Rook. It was downhill after that despite his valiant effort. 

World No. 2 Levon Aronian who has already declared that he would be rooting for Simen Agdestein after the latter's draw with him in the first round, went all guns blazing against the Russian Sergey Karjakin. Aronian had a clever strategy, all the will and no loosening of the leash as in the previous round. Aronian was patient, held on to his slight opening advantage, maneuvered his Knight to go into a Rook endgame that could have still secured a draw for the defending champion. However, Karjakin erred and Aronian took a full point on a won endgame for White. 

The one other game, Veselin Topalov – Alexander Grischuk had the Russian on edge as he had lost the first round to Caruana in time trouble. In Round 2, it was Topalov's blunder in time trouble that gave Grischuk the full point. 

You can find a great detailed report on Round 2 at the official website where the daily chess action is live every day.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal chess blog
at www.chessqueen.com
Don't miss Chess Queen™
YouTube Channel