Gelfand is playing right about at his strength ... firmly in the bottom half. Oh I forget ... he must be saving all his prep for the next candidate cycle !

Why are you lonely Columbo?

85 % including a win over then leading Karjakin looks convincing. Now please just make my day even brighter by telling us how lucky Magnus was to get away with this lead :-))

Carlsen: 10.5/ 15

Where are you Colombo?

it's true, he is lucky to be a genius

I am sure that Anand has good reasons for not playing, but he is the World Champion and possibly the greatest rapid player of all time (though he MAY be second to Magnus currently). He is equally good in Blitz having come second to Ivanchuk in the only time he participated in the World Blitz championship. This was in the last five years and he blundered a winning position in the final game against Chucky and missed the chance of being the World Blitz champion. So, FIDE would have welcomed him if he wanted to play. But why am I explaining such obvious things?!

A) to whom are you talking? I guess to me, since you seem to cry out for me on a regular basis, but if not, ignore B.

B) No one disputes that Carlsen is leading with 1,5 and noone has made up excuses for anything. I am not blind but you see things that do not exist.

Yes, you're missing these facts:

Anand hasn't won a single blitz championship since 2000. He lost 2-0 to Magnus in 2009 (Magnus won the championship).

Same thing with Nakamura: He participated in the 2010 championship but only got 5th place.

Anand was crushed by Magnus in the Amber Chess 2011 Rapid tournament last year, which Magnus won 9.5/11.

Ponomariov? When did he make a claim for being one of the best blitz or rapid players in the world? Being a WC in classical chess isn't necessarily the same thing as being WC in rapid or blitz.

I'm not saying that none of these players woudn't belong in this year's championships: It would be nice to see Anand, Nakamura and Aronian there. Particularly Aronian, because he and Magnus have dominated these blitz/rapid events in recent years. But I don't think Anand would win any of these tournaments as long as Magnus is participating.

Nakamura would probably do well in the blitz tournament, but I think he'd be less successful in the rapids. As long as he's one of Magnus's clients, he will always have problems winning a tournament when Magnus is there.

Agreed, the value of this tournament is somewhat questionable with the defending champion and so many others of the world's strongest missing. FIDE even rejected qualified players like Ponomariov and others. I just can't consider this event a world championship. Just another rapid and blitz event with a fancy name. Anyways, Carlsen is obviously the huge favourite in any event he enters.

Oh dear. Now you think of your selve as several persons?

You're right, Yasif.
Only 5 players could finish above Gelfand.

I agree Columbo. He just can't stop playing his silly games.

Of course he has good competition here; 2 Rounds ago MC wasn't even first. It's not as one sided as the numbers suggest.
Although it's telling that Carlsen hasn't blundered and has not lost a position in 10 games. (or maybe 9?)

Sorry, King Tal. No one was good enough for 12.5/15.
And, Carlsen??
He even failed to finish at the first place with a lowly 10.5 points you predicted for Topailov.

I couldn't agree more. You put that wonderfully!