Magnus rules!

Kramnik-Carlsen did not disappoint. Great game, and the analysis afterwards with the two players was excellent as well.

Real fighting games so far ... the games are averaging 65 moves each!

Kramnik-Carlsen 's post-analysis was brilliant - and entertaining. One for the books.

Exactly, so far the best tournament of the year.

Anand is pathetic. He can't even beat Aronian who is completely out of form.

I happen to think Anand is playing well. Being a little ahead or a little behind and still managing to draw is reasonable. He doesn't like to take risks but his play is inventive.

I am starting to wonder what is going on with Nakamura, however. Seems to me that his opponent today played with a little more Pizzazz than he did.

By the way, does anyone know where I may find a copy of:

"My 61 Memorable Games"

I just read an article by famed chess historian Edward Winter and it sounds as if it was Bobby Fischer's last book. It could turn out to be priceless.

I've already visited a couple of bookstores but no one seems to know how I can order it. Any information about it would be helpful.

Anand true to his colors managed to draw a game which he was leading mid way.

well, anand as force is finished,
i think he may play bit better if he is not world champion, he is just too scared of loosing while the hole world makes fun of him. he still can play at the highest level like kramnik is playing but he has to fight first...

"So far the visitors are getting their money's worth at Olympia. In 12 games, 781 moves have been made"
It indicates that the event is hard-fought, but is more (moves) really more? Is a longer movie, or a longer book worth more money? In round 1, I wonder how many spectators took their money's worth staying till the end of Jones-Adams ... .

The high move average is also due to two factors:
- just three games were decided before the time control. Such games might be the most attractive ones, and spectators probably wouldn't complain if there had been more such games.
- two or three games had many 'redundant' moves towards the end. Nakamura could have resigned about 20 moves earlier against Kramnik, and accepted a draw 20 moves earlier against Jones. Anand-McShane may be a borderline case: for the last roughly 20 moves, Anand "only" had to demonstrate that he can hold a theoretically drawn rook ending (going wrong once but McShane couldn''t benefit).

what would happen if after h5 kramnik answer by Rc1 ... ???

Then just Rxb2 Rc8 Rxe2 Rxf8+ Bxf8 with an equal position

I must confess I don't get all the subtleties of the variation 24 Ba3. Really no way to win that final position? I could imagine something like using the extra pawn as a decoy to get your king to g5.
And what about 29 Ra7 directly instead of f4? Even more complicated.
Before anyone buries me with engine variations: I'm just amazed how easily these guys, without engines, evaluate such an endgame.