Ah, and I also don’t agree it’s merely a question of passed pawns and pushing them all in a kind of serial moves. I find it incredible not thinking of “two results only”, unless we have to count on an ugly UGLY blunder. (That’s why time and fairly good chess can matter)
If they weren’t going to promote and win the game (which they are ), those passed pawns ensure at least enough threats to nulify black’s a and b pawns, after which it would ALSO take to loose all white pawns for it to be “just” a draw.
Look: Can’t we say (after that 31…. Nb7) that the position would be “almost” (not quite here, but almost) a draw, even without white’s g and h pawns? Maybe with a better king it would be.
Other thing: Is not noticeable that black cannot go for no kind of equal piece trade? (N or B against B, or RxR). If I’m right, it’s serious realy, because (lovely!) Even up a piece, Black cannot exchange pieces!
At first glance the move is 32.Kf2 (it looks like every other white piece is good where they are, now).
If you have the time and pacience, please help my (wrong?) “intuition” again!

Thanks for your enlightment of the Rf1 question.
For some reason you’re a master and I’m not!
Still, I’d put some (maybe not all) of my money on that! I’ll receive proposals (Even from Pono or Aronian themselves )
Something is clear: Time presure must be (and must have been) taken in carefull consideration, and not going for it can be understandable (but Pono must be more ambitious, then)
Now, I realy didn’t consult an engine (some lazziness from me but also because the best I have now is Fritz…4!!). Maybe if I did, and got those 0.49 or 0.35 I wouldn’t be so asertive! But is precisely from the human point of view that I find that win “easy”. Of course never easy in the sense of no work or no extreme concentration required! Nerves and good technic are most required!
These endings are question of human intuition given by experience. Engines don’t understand them so well. But then, there are also IMs and GMs contradicting me, so I humbly change my “It’s won” to “I’m completely sure I’d win it against whoever” (How is that for humble? Looks more like silly and presumptuous optimist I can be, right? hehehe).

@Guillaume: >> Anand.. why not try to sweat over it little bit more and get an advantage?

you mean like he did in round 3!? where a seemingly innocuous position suddenly sprang up to life. I guess time/place/position/opponent etc plays a role in when it is possible and when it is not!

1. Could you say when players are out the theory and really have to think.
2. “White is slighty better” , could that sort of statements be explained why white is slightly better (for instance: better pawn structure, active pieces)

Or is it just a feeling GM’s have for positions that is hard to epxlain?

Concerning Pono’s game: As far as I remember, he thought for about 20 minutes before giving perpetual check. I guess he evaluated the ending, and let’s not forget that he is higher-rated than most kibitzers (except Rybka). At the very least, it refutes suggestions made in live commentary elsewhere that he merely forced a draw by sacking his knight. It will be interesting to know Pono’s own opinion: maybe there is or will be something at chesspro.ru, anyone able to read Russian is very welcome to translate and quote!

General points:
- If I have one suggestion for improvement: Maybe the round reports (after the games) suffer a tiny little bit from the focus on live coverage? For example Svidler-Ivanchuk yesterday: GM Sipke Ernst seemed to prefer black after moves 14 and 16, and after move 20 states that white is “surprisingly OK”. Great to keep the flow of live comments – I guess many kibitzers as well as players have such impressions (”He [or I] had an advantage and suddenly it’s gone”). But was there ever a black advantage, and why did it then slip away within three moves? Or was it just an (optical) illusion?
- And a dream: It would be great if players with recent supertournament experience could contribute. If anyone (Smeets, Stellwagen, van Wely, … , “non-Dutchies”) reads this, PLEASE join the chat if you can and want to! You will have Dimitri Reinderman later on (who played Corus A some years ago), curious if he will add a special flavor to his comments.

Finally, let me join the crowd in complimenting you for the live coverage – even if I wouldn’t call you “clear #1″ simply because there is also lots of good stuff elsewhere. Similarly, I wouldn’t call one player much better than the rest (ever since Kasparov retired) or one opening much better than the rest.
For once, I regret having to play chess myself this afternoon. Maybe I will make a quick draw – oh no wait, it’s a team competition … .