Kramnik still leading

After the fourth round of the Melody Amber Tournament Vladimir Kramnik is still leading. By beating one of the likely candidates for the tournament victory, Vishy Anand, with 1,5-0,5, the Russian could keep his half point difference with Aronian. Svidler now changed place with Anand in the classification; at the bottom the situation didn’t change much.

Anand completely missed his hold during the blindfold game. He had just lost a pawn and then he dropped a piece and another rook, that last move probably by a slip of the mouse (the players play their blindfold games in front of a computer screen). In the rapid game, Kramnik didn’t listen to my advice of yesterday and he dully played the Closed Spanish. And of course, Anand got a strong attack - he even sacrificed (no blunder this time) a full rook. With moves like 29…Rxe4! Kramnik defended as accurately as a strong computer engine (with this I do NOT want to suggest anything) when White had nothing better than to go into a drawn ending.

Well… and then… it was nice to see an old line of the Pirc again played by two top players (Radjabov-Ivanchuk blindfold) and Van Wely grabbed another point in his favorite line, against Moro. A lot more happened today, but from here I’ll let the games speak for themselves.

Blindfold games round 4:

Rapid games round 4:

Results 4th round:

Blind:

Radjabov     - Ivanchuk       ½-½
Kramnik      - Anand          1-0
Van Wely     - Morozevich     1-0
Vallejo Pons - Svidler        0-1
Aronian      - Carlsen        1-0
Leko         - Gelfand        ½-½

Rapid:

Ivanchuk     - Radjabov       1-0
Anand        - Kramnik        ½-½
Morozevich   - Van Wely       1-0
Svidler      - Vallejo Pons   1-0
Carlsen      - Aronian        ½-½
Gelfand      - Leko           ½-½

Standings blind:

   1. Kramnik                   4
 2-3. Ivanchuk, Svidler         3
 4-5. Gelfand, Aronian         2½
   6. Leko                      2
 7-8. Morozevich, Radjabov     1½
9-12. Carlsen, Van Wely,
      Anand, Vallejo Pons       1

Standings rapid:

    1. Aronian                 3½
    2. Anand                    3
  3-5. Kramnik, Ivanchuk,
       Morozevich              2½
  6-8. Carlsen, Leko, Svidler   2
    9. Gelfand                 1½
10-11. Van Wely, Vallejo Pons   1
   12. Radjabov                 ½

Combined standings:

    1. Kramnik                 6½
    2. Aronian                  6
    3. Ivanchuk                5½
    4. Svidler                  5
  5-8. Morozevich, Gelfand,
       Anand, Leko              4
    9. Carlsen                  3
10-12. Radjabov, Vallejo Pons,
       Van Wely                 2

Tomorrow is a restday. Thursday is round 5:

Blind:

Gelfand      - Vallejo Pons
Carlsen      - Leko
Svidler      - Aronian
Morozevich   - Radjabov
Anand        - Van Wely
Ivanchuk     - Kramnik

Rapid:

Vallejo Pons - Gelfand
Leko         - Carlsen
Aronian      - Svidler
Radjabov     - Morozevich
Van Wely     - Anand
Kramnik      - Ivanchuk