1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bxc5 Nc6 10. Nge2 b6 11. Ba3 Bb7 12. Rd1 a5 13. Nc1 Nb4 14. Bd3 Bh6 15. Nd5 Nfxd5 16. cxd5 e6 17. Bxb4 axb4 18. dxe6 Bxc1 19. e7 Rdc8 19... Rxd3! 20. Rxd3 Bg5 21. h4! Bxe7 22. Rd7 Bc5 23. Rxb7 Rxa2 24. Rd7 Rxb2 25. Rd2 Rb1+ 26. Rd1 Rb2= 20. e8=Q+ Rxe8 21. Rxc1 f5 22. Rc7 Bd5 23. O-O fxe4 24. fxe4 Bxa2 24... Bxe4 25. Bc4+ Kh8 26. Re1 Bf5 27. Rxe8+ Rxe8 28. Kf2 Bb1! 25. Ra1 Bd5 26. Rxa8 Bxa8 27. Bb5 Re5 28. Bc4+ Kf8 29. Rc8+ Re8 30. Rxe8+ Kxe8 31. e5 Ke7 31... Kd7! 32. Kf2 Kc6 33. Bg8 h6 34. Bf7 Kc5 35. Kg3 Be4 36. Kf4 Bb1= 32. Kf2 Bc6 33. g3 g5 34. Ke3 h6 35. Kd4 Bd7 36. Bd5 Bb5 37. Bf3 Be8 38. Bg2 Ba4 39. Bd5 Bb5 40. Bg8 Kf8 41. Bc4 Ba4 42. Bd5 Bb5 43. Bf3 Ke7 44. Bg4 Bf1 45. Kd5 Bb5 46. Bf5 Be8 47. Kc4 b3 48. Kxb3 Bb5 49. Kc3 Be2 50. Kd4 Bb5 51. Kd5 Ba4 52. b4 Bb5 53. Bg4 Ba4 54. Bc8 Kd8 55. Ba6 Kd7 56. e6+ Ke7 57. Bc8 Bb5 58. Bd7 Be2 59. Kc6 b5 60. Kb6 Bc4 61. Bxb5 Bxe6 62. Kc7 Our surprised and respectful attitude to the Chinese grandmaster slowly turns to sincere admiration. He demonstrates not only typically Chinese composure, tenacity and good calculation skill, but also shows good chess education. His endgame technique is very high. Today Wang Yue won another complex bishop ending, against Radjabov, after going through the storm of complications and obtaining a slight advantage against a dangerous opponent. Radjabov sacrificed a pawn in the Saemisch King's Indian, played a new move 12...a5 (12...Nd7, 12...e6 and 12...Rxd1+ were played before) and developed a serious initiative. Frankly speaking, White's idea 14.Bd3 looked dubious, but my analysis showed only several ways to equalize for Black. For example, 15...Bxc1 16.Bxb4 axb4 17. Rxc1 Rxa2 18.Nxe7+ Kg7 19.Nd5 Rxb2 20.0-0 b5!. However, Teimour showed his ambition by not looking for equal positions. He was determined to play for a win, and missed the moment when he had to secure the equality. His last chance was 19...Rxd3! (instead of 19...Rdc8) 20.Rxd3 Bg5 21.h4! (21.Rd7? Bc6 22.Rc7 Be8) 21...Bxe7 (21...Bf6 22.Rd7 Bc6? 23.Rd6!) 22.Rd7 Bc5 23.Rxb7 Rxa2 24.Rd7 Rxb2 25.Rd2 Rb1+ 26.Rd1 Rb2 with a move repetition. After that Black desperately fought for a draw, but Wang Yue's technique was superior to Radjabov's. The Chinese player calculated a bit deeper and maneuvered a bit finer. I (Shipov) think, Teimour could and should have taken White's dangerous central pawn. He played 24...Bxa2, but I failed to fins any danger after 24...Bxe4. For example, 25.Bc4+ Kh8 26.Re1 (26.Rff7 g5!) 26...Bf5 27. Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Kf2 Bb1!, and Black will not lose in this sharp ending. However, this was not the critical moment of the game! In my opinion, the game was decided in the bishop ending. Radjabov's passive strategy proved wrong. He could transfer the king to c5 by 31...Kd7! (instead of 31...Ke7) 32.Kf2 Kc6! 33.Bg8 h6 34.Bf7 (34.Ke3 Kc5!) 34...Kc5! 35.Kg3 (35.Bxg6 Kd5; 35.Ke3 g5) 35... Be4 36.Kf4 Bb1, creating an unbreakable fortress. After the move in the game, the Chinese grandmaster prepared a zugzwang position (46.Bf5!) and took the b4-pawn. Then the b6-pawn fell as well. I was impressed by 55.Ba6! (intending 55...Ke7 56.b5!). Compared to that, 58.Bd7! looks really simple. White created an adjacent passed pawn, and secured a win. Wang Yue is now one of the leaders! 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Qc2 a6 12. Be2 b5 13. b4 Ncd7 14. Ne4 Be7 15. Nxf6+ Nxf6 16. a4 bxa4 17. Rxa4 Bb7 18. Rfa1 Ne4 19. Bxa6 Rxa6 20. Rxa6 Nxd2 21. Qxd2 Qxd2 22. Nxd2 Bxa6 23. Rxa6 Bxb4 Ducking the most challenging theoretical lines often results in dull and boring draws. Ivanchuk selected the rare move 7.Bd2 in the Slav Defense, and Cheparinov responded with an interesting novelty 9...c5 (although the idea behind this move is very standard). Central simplifications became inevitable. The only question was whether White would be able to hamper Black's development. Ivanchuk's plays and the express analysis gave a negative answer. Black easily solved all the problems, having more than one way to the equality. The attack on the queenside started with 16.a4 led to a deadly drawn position. Cheparinov: "It was a stupid game. We just exchanged everything and then it was a draw. I didn't prepare this line this morning, but I knew that this 9.Bd2 is not dangerous." 1/2-1/2

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 a6 5. c5 g6 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. e3 Nh5 8. Bg5 Bg4 8... h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Nd2 gxh4 11. Qxh5 e5 12. dxe5 Qg5 13. Qd1 Qxe5 1/2, Werle-Levitt, London/Crowthorne 2006 9. Be2 Nd7 10. Qb3 Rb8 11. e4 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 h6 13. Bh4 Bf6 11... dxe4 12. Nxe4 O-O 13. O-O Ndf6 14. Nxf6+ 14. Nc3 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Qxd4 14... Bxf6 15. Be3 Qc7 16. h3 Be6 17. Qb6! Qxb6 18. cxb6 Bg7 18... Ng7 19. g4 19. a4 Nf6 19... a5 20. Bd2 Ra8 21. Rfc1 Nf6 22. b4 20. a5 Nd5 21. Bd2 Rfd8 22. Rfc1?! 22. Rac1 22... h6 23. Bc4 Rbc8 24. b4 g5 25. Re1 Bf6 25... Nf4 26. Bxf4 Bxc4 27. Bc7 Rd7 28. Ne5 Bxe5 29. dxe5= 26. Rac1 Kg7 27. Ne5 Rd6 28. Kh2 Rcd8 29. g3 Bxe5 30. Rxe5 30. dxe5 R6d7 30... Nf6 31. Bxe6 Rxe6 32. Rxe6 fxe6 33. Rc4 33. b5 cxb5 (33... axb5? 34. Rxc6 bxc6 35. a6) 34. Rc7 Rd7 35. Bc3 Kf7 36. d5 e5! 37. Bxe5 Ke8 33... Kg6 34. Kg2 Rd5 35. g4 h5 36. Kf3 hxg4+ 37. hxg4 Nd7 38. Bc3 Nf6 39. Bb2 Rb5 40. Bc1 Rd5 41. Be3 Rb5 42. Bd2 Rd5 43. Bc1 Rd8 44. Bd2 e5 45. dxe5 Nxg4 46. Rxg4 46. Bc3 Kf5 47. b5 cxb5 48. Rc7 Nxe5+ 49. Bxe5 Kxe5 50. Rxb7 b4 51. Rxe7+ Kd4 46... Rxd2 47. Ke3 Kf5 48. Rxg5+ Kxg5 49. Kxd2 Kf5 50. Kd3 Kxe5 51. Ke3 Kd5 52. Kd3 Ke5 53. Ke3 Kd5 54. Kd3 Ke5 In Grischuk-Kamsky, the American decided not to tempt fate by playing the Gruenfeld once again against such a well-prepared and dangerous opponent. The American returned to the Chebanenko Slav, and played another super-solid game. For more than half of the game Grischuk attacked the opponent's walls, and for the rest of the game he... had to fight hard for a draw. Grischuk praised his opponent's move 8.. .Bg4 - a strong novelty. "I wasn't happy about my 9.Be2 and 10.Bb3 because the planned 11.h3 fails to 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 h6! 13.Bh4 Bf6!." Black could have replied to White's active 11.e4 with a counter-break - 13...b6!. However, Kamsky was true to his style, as he just kept cementing his defense. 17. Qb6 was a strong move that profited from the temporary clumsiness on Black's kingside. "19...a5 is not a problem because of 20.Bd2 Ra8 21.Rfc1 Nf6 22.b4," Grischuk said, "but my 22.Rfc1 was silly as it loses a few temi compared to 22. Rac1." And only when the opponent pushed a bit too hard, Gata delivered his blow - 29...Bxe5! 30.Rxe5 Nf6!, obtaining a certain advantage. Why this advantage did not turn into anything real? Because Grischuk defended skillfully and accurately. The complications that were started by 44...e5, forced a drawn pawn ending. After the game, Kamsky told his opponent there was the interesting option of 46. Bc3 Kf5 47. b5 cxb5 48. Rc7 but Black probably can draw by 48...Nxe5+ 49. Bxe5 Kxe5 50. Rxb7 b4 51. Rxe7+ Kd4. 1/2-1/2 [Grischuk]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 exd5 6. cxd5 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. e4 O-O 9. Bd3 a6 10. a4 Re8 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Re1 Nh5 13. Bg5 Bf6 14. Be3 Ne5 15. Be2 Nxf3+ 16. Bxf3 Ng7 17. Qd2 b6 17... Rb8 18. Rab1 Qc7 19. g4 Bd7 20. Bg2 b5 21. axb5 axb5 22. g5 Bd8 1/2, Epishin-Chekhov, Warsaw 1990 18. Rab1 Be5 19. Bg5 19. Bf4 Ra7 20. b4 Rae7 21. bxc5 bxc5 22. Bxe5 Rxe5 23. Be2 g5 (23... Qa5 24. f4 R5e7) 19... f6 20. Bf4 Ra7 21. b4 Rf7 22. Bd1 Qc7 23. bxc5 bxc5 24. Bxe5 fxe5 25. Qg5 Ref8 26. Rb2 Rf4 27. Bg4 Qa5 27... Bxg4 28. hxg4 Qa5 (28... h6? 29. Qxh6 Rxg4 30. Re3) 28. Re3 Qc7 29. Re1 Qa5 30. Rc1 Bxg4 30... c4 31. Bxc8 Rxc8 32. Qe7 31. hxg4 c4 32. Qh6 Qc5 33. Nd1 Qd4 34. Rb7 R4f7 35. Rcb1 Rxb7 35... Ne8 36. Rxb7 Qxd1+ 37. Kh2 Rf7 38. Rb8+ Rf8 39. Rb7 Rf7 40. Rb8+ Rf8 41. Rb7 Once again Gashimov survived a difficult position - this time against Karjakin. In the Modern Benoni he played the new move 17... b6, and executed its idea by 20...Ra7!, which allowed the queen's rook to transfer to the kingside at once. And yet, Black did not equalize in the opening. The 21.b4! break gave White excellent attacking prospects. However, in the subsequent game he did not play in the best way. First of all, I (Shipov) didn't understand why Sergey rejected the invasion 22.bxc5 bxc5 23. Rb8!, and then, for example, 23...Qc7 24.Reb1 f5 25.Bxe5 Rxe5 26.Be2! Ne8 (26.. .Rf8 27.f4 Ree8 28.e5!) 27.R8b6! - one rook goes to c6, the other one is heading for b8. Black must consider f2-f4 at all times. The second issue is even more obvious. The White's queen after 25.Qg5 looked like a paratrooper in the enemy camp, but it was quite useless there. The situation called for 25. Be2 Ref8 26.Rf1 with the idea to transfer the knight via d1 and e3 to c4. True, executing this plan is not so easy, as Black can respond by 26...Ne8 27.Nd1 Nf6!. However, in the actual game Black immediately encircled the invader by 26...Rf4!, and then added his own queen to the attack by 31...c4!. Luckily for Karjakin, he found the saving counterattack 34.Rb7!. White sacrificed a piece and forced the move repetition. After the game the players showed some lines in the press room; e.g. 27...Bxg4 28.hxg4 h6? Which gives White extra chances because of 29.Qxh6 Rxg4 30.Re3. The immediate 30...c4 is worse because of 31.Bxc8 Rxc8 and then 32.Qe7 is annoying. And finally, 35...Ne8 36. Rxf7 Rxf7 37.Ne3 is also a draw because of 37...Qxe4 38.Rb8 Rf8 39.Rb7 Rf7 40. Rb8. 1/2-1/2

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Nd4 5. Bg2 Nxf3+ 6. Bxf3 Bb4 7. Qb3 Bc5 8. d3 c6 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg2 h6 11. Bd2 Re8 12. Rac1 Bf8 13. h3 13. Qa4 a6 14. Qb3 d6 15. Be3 Qe7 16. Na4 Bg4 17. Rfe1 Rad8 18. h3 Be6 19. Kh2 b5 20. Nb6 1/2, Izoria-Pert, Hoogeveen 2003 13... d6 14. Kh2 14. e4 a6 15. f4 (15. a4) 15... b5 16. f5 14... a6 15. Be3 Qe7 16. Rcd1 Rb8 17. Ba7 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Qxb8 Qd7 (18... Bxh3 19. Qb6 Bxf1 20. Rxf1) 19. g4 Nxg4+ 20. hxg4 Qxg4 21. Rh1 (21. Ne4 Qh3+ 22. Kg1 f5 23. Ng3 f4) 21... Qh5+ 22. Kg2 Qg4+ 23. Kf1 Qh3+!!= 17... Ra8 18. Bb6 Nd7 18... Be6 19. d4 exd4 A afr of 18... a5 19. Be3 f5 20. c5+ 20. Bc1 Qf7 21. f4 Nf6 22. e4 20... Kh8 20... d5 21. Bxd5+ cxd5 22. Nxd5 21. cxd6 Qf6 22. d4 e4 23. f3 exf3 24. Rxf3 Bxd6 25. Bf4 Bxf4 26. Rxf4 Re3 27. d5 27. Rdf1 Qg6 (27... Qg5 28. R4f3 (28. R1f3 Rxf3 29. Bxf3 (29. Rxf3 Nf6) 29... Nf6) ) 28. R1f3 Rxf3 29. Rxf3 Nf6 30. e4 27... c5 27... Rxg3 28. dxc6 Rxg2+ 29. Kxg2 Qg5+ 30. Kh1 Qxf4 31. cxb7 Bxb7+ 32. Qxb7 Re8 28. d6 Rxg3 29. Kxg3 29. Qd5 Qg5 (29... Ne5 30. Ne4 Rxg2+ 31. Kxg2) (29... Qg6) 30. Rxf5 Rxg2+ 31. Kh1 Qg6 32. Rdf1 29... Qg5+ 30. Kh2 Qxf4+ 31. Kh1 c4 32. Qb4 a5 33. Qb5? 33. Qa4 Ra6 (33... Nf6 34. Nd5 Nxd5 35. Qe8+ Kh7 36. Bxd5) (33... Kh7 Grischuk 34. e3 Qxe3 35. Nd5 Qc5) 34. e3 33... Nf6 34. Qb6 34. d7 Bxd7 35. Rxd7 Nxd7 36. Qxd7 Qc1+ 37. Nd1 (37. Kh2 Qxb2) 37... Qg5 38. Qxb7 Rd8 34. a4 34... Bd7 35. e3? Qg3 36. Qxb7 Re8 37. Qf3 Qxf3 38. Bxf3 Rxe3 39. Kg2 g5 39... Rd3 40. Nd5 Nxd5 41. Rxd5 g4? 41... Rd3 42. Rxa5 Rd2+ 43. Kg1 Rxd6 44. Rd5 Rxd5 45. Bxd5 Bb5 46. Kf2 Kg7 47. Ke3 Kf6 48. Kd4 g4 42. hxg4 fxg4 43. Bxg4 Bxg4 44. d7 Bxd7 45. Rxd7 Re2+ 46. Kf3 Rxb2 47. Rc7 Rc2 48. a4 c3 49. Ke4 Rc1 50. Rc5 c2 51. Kd3 Ra1 52. Kxc2 Rxa4 53. Kb3 Rb4+ 54. Kc3 Ra4 55. Kb3 Ra1 56. Kb2 Re1 57. Rxa5 Kg7 58. Kc2 Kg6 59. Kd2 Re8 60. Ra3 Kg5 61. Re3 Rf8 62. Ke2 Kg4 63. Re7 h5 64. Rg7+ Aronian and Svidler turned a quiet line of the English Opening into a bloody battlefield. At an early stage, Svidler was surprised to see the move 14.Kh2. "I was more afraid of 14.e4 a6 15.f4 b5 16.f5." The players analysed their game using the laptop of yours truly (PD) , and rapidly entering the moves, Svidler suddenly found the following line which you just have to see for yourself: 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Qxb8 Qd7 19.g4 Nxg4+ 20.Qxg4 21.Rh1! (at first this seemed to refute Black's idea, but...) 21... Qh5+ 22.Kg2 Qg4+ 23.Kf1 Qh3+!! and Black draws. How beautiful chess can be! In the game, it was Aronian who grabbed the initiative - 20.c5+!, 22.d4, 23. f3!, but then he pushed a little too hard. After the game he thought he might have preferred 27.Rdf1 (instead of the macho 27.d5) 27...Qg6 28.R1f3 Rxf3 29. Rxf3 Nf6 30.e4. And then 28.d6 (stronger was the preliminary 28.Qc2!) allowed Black's counter-blow 28...Rxg3! which had the effect that a disappointed Aronian started to make more mistakes: 33.Qb5? and 35.e3? which put him on the verge of defeat. However, then the Armenian grandmaster pleased his supporters by hanging on. After the time control, Svidler refraine from the natural move 41...Rd3 ("if I hadn't had so much time I would certainly have played it!") which might have won after 42.Rxa5 Rd2+ 43.Kg1 Rxd6 44.Rd5 Rxd5 45.Bxd5 Bb5. Another option there was 41...Kg7 42.Rxa5 Kf6. There is no guarantee he would win the resulting position, but there was a chance, while after the move in the game the players went to a rook ending, which, despite two extra pawns for Black, was drawn. 1/2-1/2

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. Re1 a6 6. Bf1 d5 7. exd5 Qxd5 8. Na3 Qd8 9. Nc4 Nf5 10. a4 Bd6 11. Nxd6+ 11. d3 Bc7 12. g3 O-O 13. Bg2 Rb8 14. Ng5 Na5 Hulak-Sax, Osijek 1978 11... Qxd6 12. d3 O-O 13. a5 Qc7 14. Qd2 e5 15. Qc3 Nfd4 16. Qxc5 Nxf3+ 17. gxf3 Be6 18. f4 Qd7 19. c3 Rae8 20. Bg2 Qxd3 21. Qe3 Qb5 22. Qb6 Qc4 23. Qxb7 Bd5 24. Bxd5 Qxd5 25. f5 Qc4 26. Qb6 Qg4+ 27. Kh1 Qf3+ 28. Kg1 Ra8 29. Ra4 Rfb8 30. Qe3 Qxf5 31. Qg3 Qf6 32. Rg4 Kh8 33. b4 Re8 34. h4 h6 35. Kh2 Rg8 36. Rg1 Rae8 37. Bg5 Qe6 38. Be3 Qf6 39. Bg5 Qe6 40. Be3 Qf6 Even the greatest of skeptics cannot accuse this draw of being dull. I can imagine his passionate speech: "What's so special about the unusual course of the game? It does not mean that players were creative! A blot in a copybook also can look unusual. There is nothing special about White creating serious problems for Black in the Rossolimo Sicilian by the non-trivial maneuver 14.Qd2! and 15.Qc3. Sometimes such things happen purely by a chance. Nobody was surprised by Black's forced pawn sacrifice. What else he could do? Then White started to defend against the enemy attack as good as he can. Boooring. All in all, Black failed to equalize, but then White began to err. Instead of 24.Bxd5, he should have transposed to an endgame with opposite-colored bishops. Two extra pawns would be a nice benefit in this case: 24.Bf1! Nd4 (24...Qc5 25.Qxa6! Re6 26.f5) 25.cxd4 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Bxb7 27.fxe5, etc. How can a grandmaster miss such a simple line? Black got a real advantage, but then White managed to coordinate his pieces by 29.Ra4!. However, there is nothing unique about this maneuver; great chess players of the past used it on several occasions. Plagiarism! In the end Al-Modiahki fired from a pop-gun by 37.Bg5!. Did he think that in chess, like in checkers, all the captures are forced? Makes no sense at all. Of course, Black didn't take the bishop, and then both sides started to repeat the moves in an unclear position. Shame, shame on them!" 1/2-1/2

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bb3 d5 6. exd5 cxd5 7. Nf3 Bd6 8. d4 Nc6 9. O-O Be6 10. Ng5 O-O 10... h6 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Bxf4 Bxf4 13. Rxf4 O-O 14. Qd3 Qd6 15. Raf1 Nh7 16. Ne2 Na5!? Short-Nikolic, Wijk aan Zee 1997 11. Bxf4 h6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Ne2 13. Qd3 13... Na5 14. c3 Nxb3 15. Qxb3 b6 16. Rf3 Nh5 17. Raf1 Nxf4 18. Nxf4 Rxf4 19. Rxf4 Bxf4 20. Rxf4 Qg5 21. g3 Rf8 22. Rxf8+ Kxf8 23. Qc2 Qf5 24. Qe2 Ke7 25. Kg2 g5 26. g4 Qf4 27. h3 Qc1 28. a4 The game Navara-Gelfand itself doesn't really need analysis, but the opening choice of the Czech grandmaster was something special of course. "I couldn't find anything special against the Petroff Defence and so I decided to play something else." For Gelfand it was actually the very first time he met the King's Gambit with Black. "I only started to play 1...e5 about five years ago; before I only played Sicilians." We often miss daring and spectacular old school chess, but whom do we have to blame for rarely seeing such games? Nobody; just a high level of play and theoretical depth. Navara used the most romantic of opening - the King's Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4!). But... nothing much! The game was completely logical and uneventful, and ended in a draw. No tactical mess, no emotion... The players quickly made all the book moves and ended up in a well-studied structure. The novelty 11.Bxf4 will not alter the theoretical assessment of this position. Black's 13...Na5! Secured safety of his king. The only chance for White to fight for something more than a draw was missed on the 15th move. Of course, he should have played 15.axb3! with a small advantage on the queenside, while after the White's queen got stuck on b3, Black created an avalanche of exchanges (16...Nh5!, 21...Rf8) and killed the intrigue. Game drawn. 1/2-1/2