Once again Magnus Carlsen joined Levon Aronian in the lead at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee, The Netherlands. In the 7th round, Carlsen beat Boris Gelfand with the white pieces while Aronian drew his game with Black against Vassily Ivanchuk. Still without playing a single draw, Sergey Karjakin defeated Veselin Topalov and likewise Gata Kamsky bounced back from a loss against David Navara.

On the second Saturday, the word ramptoerisme ('disaster tourism') was buzzing through the playing hall of the Tata Steel chess tournament. Many amateurs and spectators were having trouble reaching the venue in time, because of traffic jams on the highway to Beverwijk/Wijk aan Zee. The reason was a cargo ship that had run aground, in fact already on Friday morning, about two hundred meters offshore, nearby the Wijk aan Zee beach. On Saturday the ship was released - an operation that was watched by hundreds if not thousands of 'disaster tourists' from the rainy and windy beach.

Tournament leader Levon Aronian drew his game in the 7th round, but this could hardly be called a disaster, with Black against Vassily Ivanchuk. Aronian said about the game:

Vassily has a very good feel for these positions and although it's considered to be a draw, I think he had this cunning plan to play this in order to get me to lose my concentration and to beat me like that. But I think I stayed calm, and I was analyzing during his time, so I avoided the trouble.

Aronian's girlfriend Arianne Caoili is again playing in the 9-round amateur event

And so for the second time, Magnus Carlsen had a chance to rejoin Aronian in the lead. The Norwegian did so, won the daily prize (for his “fine display of his skill of exploiting microscopic advantages" - Ivan Sokolov) and explained afterwards:

It was just that (...) he exchanged queens one move too late. If he had simply played 30…Qc2 instead of 30…Nd7, there would have been no question of me having an advantage. When he came up with the exchange one move later, I won a pawn, and it became very difficult for him to fight his way back into the game.

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Magnus Carlsen defeated Boris Gelfand and caught Levon Aronian again

Gata Kamsky beat David Navara from the white side of a Berlin Endgame. The American said that at first Black was fine, out of the opening.

In the opening it was very slightly better for White, very close to equality. The way he played he had no counterplay at all.

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In one of the 'en passant' videos, Kamsky complimented the two opponents who had beaten him so far: Aronian and Giri.

Overall I was OK with my game except for the games I lost. The game that I lost to Levon, it was a fantastic game, because the only chance I could see for myself was at one point, Nb3 on the 40th or 50th move. You know, obviously when your only move is on the 50th move, the opponent is doing something really right! Yesterday, against Giri, I blundered in one move and then he just run me down like a professional!

Gata Kamsky

Sergey Karjakin hasn't drawn a single game yet. On Saturday the Moscovite won against Veselin Topalov, using the Grand Prix Attack. Topalov came up with an exchange sacrifice that was as typical for this variation as it was for the Bulgarian. As he won two more pawns on the queenside, Black seemed to be doing fine but eventually, when the ending was reached, White was "just" an exchange up.

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In the B group, Harikrishna maintained his one-point lead over Alexander Motylev as both players drew their games with Black. Ilya Nyzhnyk crushed Daniele Vocaturo in a Benoni and was awarded the daily prize. Sipke Ernst won another excellent game, with Black against Sergei Tiviakov, while Jan Timman blundered terribly.

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In the C group Hans Tikkanen is now just half a point behind Maxim Turov. The tournament leader was very realistic about his good start:

It's a result of the pairings. I didn't meet my main opponents yet.

I expect a very difficult game.

The strongest groups in the 9-round amateur event which started on Friday. The two winners will qualify for 'C' in 2013

Daily video by the organizers

Games group A, round 7

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group A | Round 7 standings

Games group B, round 7

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group B | Round 7 standings

Games group C, round 7

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Pairings

Tata Steel 2012 | Grandmaster Group C | Round 7 standings