exd5!

19.05.2010
– It's been a bit of a roller coaster, but after nine rounds and a fighting black piece victory over Teimour Radjabov, Ukrainian GM Pavel Eljanov is back in the sole lead at the FIDE Grand Prix. Four GMs – Jakovenko, Mamedyarov, Gashimov and Leko – follow half a point behind, notably with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who had a bad start, amongst them. Friday is a free day. Round nine report.

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ChessBase Magazine Extra 135

biggest tournament:
European Women Championship (1. Cramling): 863 games

Amber tournaments in Nizza (1. Ivanchuk and
Carlsen)
Championships of: Bulgaria, Danmark,
Germany, Vietnam, and more
more games of players rated over 2700: French leagueCBM Extra
with videos in chess media format:

Leonid Kritz shows a classical gamee
Lasker-Capablanca
Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos:
Spassky-Tal, Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in 2000
More information...

The Sixth Grand Prix is taking place from May 10th to 25th in the new State
Drama Theatre of the city of Astrakhan. The stakes are extremely high, not only
due to high prestige of winning the event, but also because one can win here
a ticket to the candidates matches.

Round nine – May 17, 2010

Wang Yue	½-½	Svidler Peter
Alekseev Evgeny	½-½	Gashimov Vugar
Inarkiev Ernesto	0-1	Mamedyarov Shakhriyar
Ponomariov Ruslan	½-½	Akopian Vladimir
Radjabov Teimour	0-1	Eljanov Pavel
Leko Peter	½-½	Gelfand Boris
Ivanchuk Vassily	½-½	Jakovenko Dmitry

Teimour Radjabov - Pavel Eljanov: 0:1
Pavel Eljanov continues to impress all chess enthusiasts with his amazing fighting
spirit. Today he had black against Teimour Radjabov and won in style, returning
on top of the table for the third time during this tournament.

GM Pavel Iljanov, back in the sole lead after beating Radjabov with black

It seems that Eljanov’s choice of the Ragozin Variation came as an unpleasant
surprise for Radjabov. Teimour was spending a lot of time considering his moves,
but his position kept changing for the worse. Black transposed to a complicated
endgame and seized the initiative. Eljanov kept increasing the pressure, and
Radjabov defended without his usual persistence. Soon after the control he placed
a pawn on g3, where it was doomed. Eljanov won the pawn and flawlessly converted
his advantage. On the 56th move White resigned.

Teimour Radjabov, certainly not happy with his minus one (4.0/9) score

Ernesto Inarkiev - Shakhryiar Mamedyarov: 0:1

Ernesto Inarkiev lost his third game in a row, this time to Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.
The Russian played rather passively against the Sicilian Defense, and his opponent
created a powerful group of pawns in the center, which eventually cost White
a piece. Mamedyarov converted his advantage almost effortlessly and won the
game on the 46th move.

Vassily Ivanchuk - Dmitry Jakovenko: ½-½

The quickest game of the round was played between Vassily Ivanchuk and Dmitry
Jakovenko. The Ukrainian surprised the observers by playing the English Opening,
however, the Russian remained unperturbed. Black traded a couple of minor pieces
and created a solid defensive setup of a Hedgehog type. Breaking this fortress
was very difficult, and the players agreed to a draw on the 27th move due to
a threefold repetition.

Peter Leko - Boris Gelfand: ½-½

Peter Leko made another attempt to break Boris Gelfand’s Petroff. The
Hungarian troubled the enemy king by advancing his pawn to h6. Black seized
the initiative in the center. The trumps of both sides were equally strong,
and the game ended in a threefold repetition on the 26th move.

Wang Yue - Peter Svidler: ½-½

Wang Yue was unable to pose problems for Peter Svidler. In the King’s
Indian Defense the Russian successfully relived the tension in the center, and
his pieces became quite active. White spent some time cementing his position
in the center, but in the meantime Black traded all the minor pieces, and the
resulting ending was completely drawn. A draw was agreed on the 26th move.

Peter Svidler, Wang Yue in the press conference after the game

Evgeny Alekseev - Vugar Gashimov: ½-½

Vugar Gashimov, one of the top GMs in Azerbaijan

Evgeny Alekseev played a rather toothless variation of the Sicilian against
Vugar Gashimov, and got nothing out of the opening. He even had to play accurately
in order to make a draw, and achieved the desired result on the 37th move.

Ruslan Ponomariov - Vladimir Akopian: ½-½

Ruslan Ponomariov, former FIDE World Champion from Ukraine

The longest game was played between Ruslan Ponomariov and Vladimir Akopian.
Akopian did not manage to solve his opening problems, and Ponomariov created
strong pressure at the opponent’s position. Prior to the first control
Akopian carried out an exchange combination, however, despite very limited material,
Ponomariov developed a dangerous attack. Akopian had to show a lot of determination
and creativity in order to survive, and was rewarded by a draw on the 96th move.

Vladimir Akopian (or Hakobyan), grandmaster from Armenia

Information, images and games by courtesy of FIDE

Standings after nine rounds

Statistics Of the 63 games played so far: 70% (44 games) have ended in draws White won eight games = 13% Black has won eleven = 17%. It is remarkable that there have been more black than white wins in this tournament

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

Chessbase.com

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19.05.2010
– On Thursday May 20th GM Daniel King will teach us a little about
tactics and strategy, with hot tips on how to improve your play. His lecture
starts at 8:00 p.m. server time CEST (= 2 p.m. NY, 10 p.m. Moscow). Most of
you will know Daniel as the author of the famous "power play
series" as well as commentator of high class tournaments. Entry fee: 50
Ducats, Premium users free!

Advertisement

ChessBase Magazine Extra 135

biggest tournament:
European Women Championship (1. Cramling): 863 games

Amber tournaments in Nizza (1. Ivanchuk and
Carlsen)
Championships of: Bulgaria, Danmark,
Germany, Vietnam, and more
more games of players rated over 2700: French leagueCBM Extra
with videos in chess media format:

Leonid Kritz shows a classical gamee
Lasker-Capablanca
Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos:
Spassky-Tal, Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in 2000
More information...

Chessbase.com

Read Full Post »

18.05.2010
– Exciting games and close competition in Saint Louis: after two rounds there were two players in the lead, after three four players, and after four rounds seven players. Favourites Nakamura, Kamsky and Onischuk are at the top. The only female participant, IM Irina Krush, played 12 hours and 206 chess moves in the last two rounds. Round four report with a

giant pictorial by Betsy Dynako.

Advertisement

ChessBase Magazine Extra 135

biggest tournament:
European Women Championship (1. Cramling): 863 games

Amber tournaments in Nizza (1. Ivanchuk and
Carlsen)
Championships of: Bulgaria, Danmark,
Germany, Vietnam, and more
more games of players rated over 2700: French leagueCBM Extra
with videos in chess media format:

Leonid Kritz shows a classical gamee
Lasker-Capablanca
Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos:
Spassky-Tal, Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in 2000
More information...

The 2010 US Chess Championship is taking place from May 13 (round one at 2:00
p.m. local time) to May 25 (possible tie breakers) at the Chess Club & Scholastic
Center of Saint Louis, which is hosting the event for the second year in a row.
The prize fund has risen to $170,000 – more than a 25 percent increase
from last year. The winner will take home $35,000.

First round

The first round of the 2010 U.S. Chess Championship produced an uncharacteristically
high number of decisive games, with eight out of twelve yielding a winner. Normally
at top levels of chess a draw rate of more than 50 percent would not be unusual.
IM Irina Krush of New York City, the only woman in the field, got off to a fast
start by beating GM Gregory Kaidanov. “My thinking process was not so
smooth,” Krush said. “There were definitely a lot of lines I was
scared of. Somehow, I kept control, even though I was doubting myself. I was
concerned about my position.” She finished off her opponent by sacrificing
a rook for a knight to force checkmate.

The other big upset came on board six as Melikset Khachiyan edged Aleksandr
Lenderman in a close rook-and-pawn endgame. Defending champion Hikaru Nakamura
survived a tactical melee against Alexander Stripunsky and used a nifty queen
sacrifice to finish off his opponent. The youngest player in the event, 15-year-old
GM Ray Robson, narrowly missed drawing former champion Gata Kamsky. Third-seeded
Alexander Onischuk played the longest game of the day at more than five hours,
beating Joel Benjamin in 64 moves. Full
report here...

Craig Caesar makes the ceremonial first move on board one between Alex Stripunksy

and Hikaru Nakamura. The latter won in 45 moves.

Round one under way in the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

The experienced GM Kaidanov lost to the only female player in 41 moves

The two at the opening ceremony before the hostilities began

Ben Finegold drew Varuzhan Akobian in round one

Hikaru Nakamura won his first round game with a queen sac

Alexander Onischuk, with Nakamura and Kamsky one of three favourites in
the championship

Christiansen won this round one game in 38 moves

GM Jan Ehlvest kibitzes as Kraai draws Shabalov in 30 moves

GM Robert Hess beat fellow youngster IM Sam Shankland in 30 moves

Hess analyses with Jennifer Shahade and GM Maurice Ashley, while Shankland
looks on

A fisheye view of round one of the 2010 US Championship

Second round

Both Hikaru Nakamura and Gata Kamsky, the first and second seeds of the tournament,
won again in round two to push their totals to 2-0. The other encounters were
also well-fought – for the second day in a row, more than half of the
games produced a winner.

Top seed Hikaru Nakamura won this round two game in 41 moves

This time seven of the 12 games ended decisively. Alex Yermolinsky got his
first point of the event by defeating rising star Ray Robson, who has started
0-2. The round also featured a pair of throwback openings, as two Benonis and
two King’s Indian Defenses delighted any chess fans that relish hypermodern
opening systems and the 1990s. Kamsky’s victory was on the black side
of a King’s Indian, and Larry Christiansen also used the opening to hold
Alexander Onischuk to a draw.

Larry Christiansen used the King's Indian to hold Alexander Onischuk to
a draw

The Benoni did not fare as well. While Joel Benjamin drew Gregory Kaidanov
as Black, Varuzhan Akobian as White swiftly checkmated Jesse Kraai.

Jesse Kraai getting swiftly checkmated by Varuzhan Akobian in round two

Onischuk, Christiansen and Akobian, all with 1.5/2, were also joined by Jaan
Ehlvest and IM Irina Krush, who drew to equal the score. Two other players have
one win and one draw. Shabalov defeated Ben Finegold and GM Sergey Kudrin won
against GM Vinay Bhat. In other action, youngsters IM Sam Shankland and GM Aleksandr
Lenderman battled down to king versus king before agreeing to peace, while Alex
Stripunsky dispatched Dmitry Gurevich.

Greg Kaidanov and Joel Benjamin after their round two game (which was drawn)

GM strength: Irina Krush drew Jan Ehlvest with the black pieces in 30 moves

Full
report here...

Third round

Gata Kamsky and Hikaru Nakamura have met over the board three times, and all
three games failed to produce a winner. Onischuk, playing Black and beginning
the round one half point behind the leaders, caught up with an incredibly deep
idea that led to victory over Sergey Kudrin. Irina Krush let a winning position
slip away against Varuzhan Akobian and lost the six-hour 113-move marathon.

The youngest participant: GM Ray Robson (here in round two)

Fifteen-year-old Ray Robson dispatched Dmitry Gurevich in the shortest game
of the day, only 24 moves:

Gurevich,D (2488) - Robson,R (2569) [A13]
ch-USA Saint Louis USA (3), 16.05.2010
1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0-0 d4 7.e3 Bd6 8.exd4
cxd4 9.Bb2 e5 10.b4 Nxb4 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Qa4+ Nc6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Re1 0-0 15.Rxe5
Rb8 16.Qc2 Ng4 17.Re1 Qf6 18.d3 c5 19.Re4 Bf5 20.Nd2 Nxf2 21.Rf1 Nxe4 22.Nxe4
Qe5 23.Rf4 Bh3 24.Rh4 f5 0-1.

The other youngster, Robert Hess, is now 2-1 after a wild win over Melikset
Khachiyan. Alexander Onischuk proved he is a top contender with a brilliant
win over Sergey Kudrin in round three. After this round there are four players
in the lead: Nakamura, Onischuk, Kamsky and Akobian – all have 2.5/3 points.
Full
report here...

Fourth round

With the top four players battling to draws on the top two boards, a trio of
other players used the fourth round of the 2010 U.S Championship to draw even.
On board one, Hikaru Nakamura and Alex Onischuk had the quickest game of the
day. There were a few brief fireworks out of the opening – Nakamura’s
Vienna was a bit of a shocker, and he curiously inverted his king and queen
in the first ten moves – but then Onischuk continued his usual solid ways
to earn the half point as Black. He has now extended his record U.S. Championship
unbeaten streak to 45 games. His only loss was in the 2004/5 event, and Onischuk
came in to the tournament with the third highest lifetime win percentage ever,
behind Bobby Fischer and Reuben Fine.

Unbeaten in 45 games: GM Alexander Onischuk

On board two, Varuzhan Akobian played a solid opening but soon found himself
under duress from Gata Kamsky’s extra space and eventual passed d-pawn.

Watching the game, GM Jesse Kraai thought Kamsky would squeeze out the point.
“Kamsky does this kind of garbage all the time,” Kraai joked. “You
think he’s worse, then he gets you.” But Akobian’s defense
held up and the two agreed to terms after 53 moves.

Joined the leaders with 3.0/4: GM Varuzhan Akobian

On boards 3-5, players playing Black went 3-0. Joining the leaders on three
points out of four was GM Yury Shulman, who snatched a loose pawn from GM Robert
Hess and lived to tell the tale. “I didn’t think it would be so
easy for Black to keep the pawn, but it turns out I don’t have anything,”
a despondent Hess said at the post-game press conference. “A pawn is a
pawn,” Shulman said. Hess did not offer any improvements and seemed dissatisfied
with his game.

“A pawn is a pawn” – fifth seed Yury Shulman

GM Alex Stripunsky also won as Black. Just after making the time control, GM
Jaan Ehlvest went in for a crowd-pleasing rook sacrifice. The audience at the
chess club initially thought it was forced checkmate, but Stripunsky jettisoned
a bishop and a rook to give his king space and rebuff the attack.

IM Irina Krush missed a win for the second game in a row. Coming off a disappointing
113-move loss in round three, she entered a rook-and-bishop versus rook endgame
against GM Ray Robson. She missed the zwischenzug 66…Ra7 67. Ke1 Rf7,
winning immediately.

Ben Finegold checking out the Robson-Krush game

She has now played 12 hours and 206 chess moves in the last two rounds. After
the game Krush reminisced about her missed chances and how a few different moves
could have allowed her to win all four games. “I still love chess,”
she said without any hint of insincerity.

Report by FM Mike Klein, photos by Betsy
Dynako

Standings after four rounds

#	Player	Pts	Rtg	Perf.
1	GM Nakamura, Hikaru	3.0	2733	2833
2	GM Kamsky, Gata	3.0	2702	2803
3	GM Onischuk, Alexander	3.0	2699	2805
4	GM Shulman, Yuri	3.0	2613	2737
5	GM Akobian, Varuzhan	3.0	2599	2740
6	GM Christiansen, Larry	3.0	2578	2784
7	GM Stripunsky, Alexander	3.0	2570	2760
8	GM Yermolinsky, Alex	2.5	2528	2677
9	GM Kraai, Jesse	2.5	2492	2669
10	GM Ehlvest, Jaan	2.0	2591	2533
11	GM Hess, Robert L	2.0	2590	2598
12	IM Krush, Irina	2.0	2455	2584
13	IM Lenderman, Alex	1.5	2598	2441
14	GM Shabalov, Alexander	1.5	2585	2469
15	GM Kaidanov, Gregory	1.5	2577	2438
16	GM Kudrin, Sergey	1.5	2571	2470
17	GM Robson, Ray	1.5	2569	2456
18	GM Benjamin, Joel	1.5	2565	2482
19	GM Finegold, Benjamin	1.5	2539	2503
20	GM Khachiyan, Melikset	1.5	2539	2530
21	IM Altounian, Levon	1.5	2454	2488
22	GM Bhat, Vinay S	1.0	2547	2340
23	IM Shankland, Samuel	1.0	2507	2367
24	GM Gurevich, Dmitry	0.5	2488	2234

Video reports

Previous reports

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and with the kind cooperation of the organisers on Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

Read Full Post »

18.05.2010
– Karpov, Kasparov and Carlsen – two former and one very likely future world champion – took part in a launch party and fundraiser in the spectacular Trump SoHo Hotel in New York. It is for Karpov's bid to become President of FIDE. There were chess games as well as entertainment and champagne, which introduced a slight complication in the festivities. Pictures and video.

Advertisement

ChessBase Magazine Extra 135

biggest tournament:
European Women Championship (1. Cramling): 863 games

Amber tournaments in Nizza (1. Ivanchuk and
Carlsen)
Championships of: Bulgaria, Danmark,
Germany, Vietnam, and more
more games of players rated over 2700: French leagueCBM Extra
with videos in chess media format:

Leonid Kritz shows a classical gamee
Lasker-Capablanca
Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos:
Spassky-Tal, Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in 2000
More information...

Karpov at the Campaign party at the Trump SoHo Hotel in New York

The three champs: 12th World Champion Anatoly Karpov; 13th World Champion

Garry Kasparov; possible future world champion Magnus Carlsen

There was a funny moment at the end, when they brought out the champagne for
final toast. None for Magnus, not old enough to drink in US! The 19-year-old
gamely joined in the toast with an invisible glass. On the left is Richard A.
Conn Jr., candidate for Deputy President on Karpov's ticket. Carlsen also got
a laugh when he said: "I think there are more visitors in this room than
at the FIDE Grand Prix in Astrakhan..." [Pause] "At any of the rounds..."
[Pause] "Actually in all rounds put together."

Pega Systems CEO Alan Trefler (left), co-sponsored the event, secured won
one of the
auction spots to play in consultation with Kasparov against Carlsen and Boaz
Weinstein

This was Carlsen's first visit to New York and he made it a memorable night
for many who were eager to meet the hottest star in chess. Guests and delegates
came from Europe, California, Iowa, Jamaica, and just about everywhere in between.

Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen play two blitz games simultaneously against
winners of an auction to raise funds for Anatoly Karpov's campaign for FIDE
president. Carlsen's opponent on the right is IM Dean Ippolito. The commentator
is GM Maurice Ashley, who flew in from the US
Championship in Saint Louis with Advisory Board member Rex Sinquefield,
just for the night. Ashley is famous for his tremendously entertaining style
as master of ceremonies.

One of the opponents of Kasparov was Shahar Tzafrir, a chess fan who had flown
in from London. He wrote: "What a feeling it was to sit in front of Kasparov
with a board between us! I gave him a good fight too. Karpov was commenting
on the live game to the audience and several times he said I found 'only moves'.
And Magnus gave the game a few glances and made some comments as well. God –
I played the previous world-champion (the greatest ever), had the world-champion
before him comment, and had the next world champion comment too. It doesn't
get any better for a non-rated patzer like me! The result was obvious, but Kasparov
had to take me all the way to the endgame. I sacked an exchange and closed down
the position to different colour bishops. Kasparov was a great gentlemen before
and after the game. I read previously that it's hard playing him. Overall one
of the best nights of my life, nothing short of it."

• Full
  report on the Karpov
  Campaign site

Chessbase.com

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17.05.2010
– In round four Ernesto Inarkiev beat the great Vassily Ivanchuk with the black pieces, then in round six beat the equally formidable Boris Gelfand, also with black. Now the Russian GM is in pole position, with 4.0/6 points and a sterling 2856 performance. Half a point behind him there are four players, with many top seeds in the bottom half of the table. Round six report.

Advertisement

ChessBase Magazine Extra 135

biggest tournament:
European Women Championship (1. Cramling): 863 games

Amber tournaments in Nizza (1. Ivanchuk and
Carlsen)
Championships of: Bulgaria, Danmark,
Germany, Vietnam, and more
more games of players rated over 2700: French leagueCBM Extra
with videos in chess media format:

Leonid Kritz shows a classical gamee
Lasker-Capablanca
Valeri Lilov has recorded two videos:
Spassky-Tal, Tallinn 1973, and Kramnik-Deep Junior played in 2000
More information...

The Sixth Grand Prix is taking place from May 10th to 25th in the new State
Drama Theatre of the city of Astrakhan. The stakes are extremely high, not only
due to high prestige of winning the event, but also because one can win here
a ticket to the candidates matches.

Round four – May 13, 2010

Jakovenko, Dmitry	½½	Alekseev, Evgeny
Leko, Peter	½½	Ponomariov, Ruslan
Eljanov, Pavel	½½	Gashimov, Vugar
Gelfand, Boris	½½	Wang Yue
Svidler, Peter	½½	Radjabov, Teimour
Ivanchuk, Vassily	0-1	Inarkiev, Ernesto
Akopian, Vladimir	½½	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar

Russian GM Ernesto Inarkiev won a nice game with black against Vassily Ivanchuk,
when the Ukrainian lost the thread in a position where a few accurate moves
would have brought him victory. All other games of round four were drawn. With
his win Inarkiev joined the leading group of six players with 2.5 points in
the first four games. Full
report here...

Ernesto Inarkiev and Vassily Ivanchuk discuss their game in the press conference

Round five – May 14, 2010

Inarkiev, Ernesto	½½	Jakovenko, Dmitry
Gashimov, Vugar	½½	Akopian, Vladimir
Alekseev, Evgeny	½½	Gelfand, Boris
Radjabov, Teimour	½½	Leko, Peter
Wang Yue	0-1	Eljanov, Pavel
Ponomariov, Ruslan	0-1	Ivanchuk, Vassily
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	½½	Svidler, Peter

Pavel Eljanov took the lead after defeating Wang Yue with the black pieces
in the round five. Eljanov was forced to defend a difficult position for the
most part of the game, but the Ukrainian GM managed to complicate the position
with an exchange sacrifice, and Wang Yue got nervous. First he missed the winning
continuation, and then, after the time control, blundered a rook instead of
transposing to a better ending.

Pavel Eljanov before the start of his game against Chinese GM Wang Yue

Another Ukrainian, Vassily Ivanchuk, defeated his compatriot Ruslan Ponomariov

It was Ivanchuk's first win in Astrakhan. Ponomariov, who had white, got a
slight advantage after of the opening, but made an unsuccessful pawn sacrifice
on the 22nd move and gave away the initiative. White’s problems got worse
after he missed Black’s strong bishop maneuver. After the first control
Black already had a winning position.

Apart from these two black wins all other games in the round ended in draws.
Full
report here...

Round six – May 15, 2010

Jakovenko, Dmitry	1-0	Ponomariov, Ruslan
Eljanov, Pavel	0-1	Alekseev, Evgeny
Gelfand, Boris	0-1	Inarkiev, Ernesto
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	½½	Gashimov, Vugar
Svidler, Peter	½½	Leko, Peter
Ivanchuk, Vassily	½½	Radjabov, Teimour
Akopian, Vladimir	0-1	Wang Yue

After a rest day the players were apparently fully invigorated and produced
four decisive games – and three in which Black took the point.

Pavel Eljanov lost to Evgeny Alekseev, who was well prepared in a trendy line
of the Queen's Indian and soon had a large advantage on the clock. His advantage
continued to grow and although Eljanov fought valiantly for quite some time
Alekseev played well to clinch the win.

GM Boris Gelfand of Israel has already qualified for next year’s Candidates
after his World Cup win, but he still wishes to add a GP trophy to his cabinet
back home. Breathing down the leader’s neck, he had white against another
player on +1, GM Inarkiev from Russia and Elista. Boris elected to play his
favourite line against the Meran, and the two GMs trotted out 19 moves of theory.
It appears that Black equalized shortly after and then the game trend started
to swing in his favour. White gave up two pieces for the rook and Inarkiev milked
this advantage to clinch the full point and become the leader of the tournament!

Two Berlin experts clashed today, but not in a Spanish Opening! GM Jakovenko
(above right) was White against former FIDE World Champion and wild card for
this tournament, GM Ruslan Ponomariov. In a Grunfeld Indian Jakovenko built
up an advantage and Ponomariov, in a difficult position, eventually blundered
on move 21. He put up a lot of resistance after this, and this is an important
lesson for all of us since one should never give up when there may still be
some small chances of survival. Nevertheless, Jakovenko’s technique was
flawless and he gave black no real chance to save the game.

A match between two solid and technical players, Vladimir Akopian and Wang
Yue, was a main line Petroff, where both players have considerable experience.
Only a win today could put Wang Yue back with realistic chances of qualifying
for the coveted Candidates place. He pressed for a long time and eventually
was rewarded with a position having an outside passed pawn. Additionally, White
had a somewhat bad bishop also to resolve. Vladimir put up strong resistance
but the Chinese player’s persistence won through and he obtained the full
point.

Full
report here...

Information, images and games by courtesy of FIDE

Standings after six rounds

Statistics Of the 42 games played so far: 71% (30 games) have ended in draws White won five games = 12% Black has won seven = 17%.

Leading with 4.0/6 and a 2856 performance: Ernesto Inarkiev

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009!

Chessbase.com

Read Full Post »