Sofia R6

Shirov,A (2745) - Ivanchuk,V (2746) [C80]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.Re1 Nc5 11.c3 d4 12.Bc2 0-0 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Nf3 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Rfd8 17.Nd4 Bd5 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.Bg5 Rd7 20.Ne7+ Bxe7 21.Bxe7 Rxe7 22.Rxd5 Ne6 23.g3 g6 24.f4 c5 25.Kf2 Kg7 26.Rad1 c4 27.Ke3 f6 28.Rd7 Kf7 29.Be4 Rae8 30.Rxe7+ Rxe7 31.exf6 Kxf6 32.Rd6 Kg7 33.f5 gxf5 34.Bxf5 Nf8+ 35.Kd2 Re5 36.g4 a5 37.Ra6 a4 38.Rb6 Ng6 39.Kc3 Ne7 40.Rb7 Kf6 41.Bxh7 Kg5 42.h3 Kf4 43.Rd7 Re2 44.a3 Nc6 45.Rf7+ Kg3 46.g5 Re3+ 47.Kd2 Rb3 48.g6 Rxb2+ 49.Kc1 1-0

Standings:
Shirov at +2
Topalov and Carlsen at +1
Wang and Dominguez even at 3/6
Ivanchuk at -4

US Championship R9 (Final)

Nakamura wins!

IM Robert Hess (6) ½-½ GM Varuzhan Akobian (5½)
GM Hikaru Nakamura (6) 1-0 GM Joshua Friedel (5)
GM Alexander Onischuk (5½) 1-0 IM Ray Robson (4½)
GM Jaan Ehlvest (4) ½-½ GM Gata Kamsky (5½)
GM Yury Shulman (4½) ½-½ GM Gregory Kaidanov (4)
IM Enrico Sevillano (4) 0-1 GM Larry Christiansen (4)
GM Joel Benjamin (4) ½-½ GM Alexander Shabalov (4)
GM Ildar Ibragimov (4) 1-0 IM Michael Brooks (4)
IM Samuel Shankland (3) 0-1 GM Boris Gulko (3½)
GM Julio Becerra (3½) ½-½ GM Melikset Khachiyan (2½)
Tyler Hughes (3) 1-0 FM Doug Eckert (2)
IM Irina Krush (3) ½-½ Charles Lawton (½)

The decisive game in round 9:
Nakamura-Friedel
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. O-O Rb8 11. h3 c5 12. b3 Rb4 13. Re1 Bb7 14. Ba3 Rf4 15.g3 Rd4 16. Nf3 Rxd3 17. cxd3 Qxd3 18. Nxe5 Qf5 19. g4 Qf4 20. d4 Rd8 21. Qe2Rxd4 22. Bc1 1-0

Final results:
1st - GM Hikaru Nakamura - 7
2nd/3rd - GM Alexander Onischuk and IM Robert Hess - 6½
4th/5th - GM Varuzhan Akobian and GM Gata Kamsky - 6

Sofia R5

Ivanchuk,V (2746) - Topalov,V (2812) [B99]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 10.Bd3 h6 11.Qh3 Nc5 12.Rhe1 Rg8 13.Bh4 g5 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxg5 hxg5 16.Bg3 Ncd7 17.Nxe6 Qb6 18.Bc4 g4 19.Qh6 fxe6 20.Bh4 Bf8 21.Qd2 Qc6 22.Bd3 b5 23.Ne4 Nd5 24.Rf1 Bb7 25.Rxf8+ Nxf8 26.Qh6 Rg6 27.Nf6+ Rxf6 28.Bxf6 Nxf6 29.Bg6+ Nxg6 30.Qxg6+ Ke7 31.Qg7+ Ke8 32.Qxf6 Rc8 33.c3 b4 34.Qg6+ Ke7 35.Qg7+ Ke8 36.Rf1 Qc5= 37.Qxb7? Qe3+ 38.Kc2 Qe2+ 39.Kb3 Qc4+ 40.Kc2 b3+ 41.Kd2 Rd8+ 42.Ke1 Rd1+ 43.Kxd1 Qxf1+ 44.Kd2 Qf4+ 45.Kd1 bxa2 46.Qc8+ Kf7 47.Qd7+ Kf6 48.Qd8+ Kf5 49.Qf8+ Ke4 50.Qa8+ Kd3 51.Qxa6+ Qc4 52.Qa7 g3 53.h3 Qb3+ 54.Ke1 Kc2 0-1

Standings (at the halfway point):
Topalov, Carlsen, Shirov at +1
Wang, Dominguez even
Ivanchuk at -3

US Championship R8

GM Gata Kamsky (5) ½-½ GM Alexander Onischuk (5)
IM Robert Hess (5) 1-0 GM Yury Shulman (4½)
IM Michael Brooks (4) 0-1 GM Hikaru Nakamura (5)
GM Varuzhan Akobian (4½) 1-0 GM Joel Benjamin (4)
GM Joshua Friedel (4) 1-0 GM Jaan Ehlvest (4)
IM Ray Robson (3½) 1-0 IM Enrico Sevillano (4)
GM Gregory Kaidanov (3½) ½-½ GM Ildar Ibragimov (3½)
GM Larry Christiansen (3) 1-0 Tyler Hughes (3)
GM Boris Gulko (3) ½-½ GM Julio Becerra (3)
GM Alexander Shabalov (3) 1-0 IM Irina Krush (3)
GM Melikset Khachiyan (2½) 0-1 FM Doug Eckert (1)
Charles Lawton (0) ½-½ IM Samuel Shankland (2½)

Sofia R4

Topalov,V (2812) - Wang Yue (2738) [D17]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 9.f3 Nfd7 10.e4 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Qxd1+ 12.Kxd1 Be6 13.Kc2 f6 14.Rb1 Nd7 15.b4 Nxe5 16.bxa5 Bc8 17.a6 bxa6 18.a5 Nd7 19.Na4 e5 20.Bc4 Bc5 21.Rd1 Bd4 22.Ba3 c5 23.Rb3 h5 24.Rdb1 Ke7 25.Bd5 Ra7 26.Rb6 Rc7 27.Re6+ Kd8 28.Nb6 Nxb6 29.axb6 Rb7 30.Rd6+ Ke7 31.Rc6 Rd7 32.Re6+ Kf7 33.b7 1-0

Standings:
Carlsen, Shirov at +1
Topalov, Wang, Dominguez even at 2/4
Ivanchuk at -2

Sofia R3 - all games drawn

Sofia R2

Ivanchuk,V (2746) - Wang Yue (2738) [C42]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.0-0-0 Qd7 10.Kb1 a6 11.Be2 Bf6 12.Ng5 Bxg5 13.Bxg5 f6 14.Be3 0-0-0 15.Rhe1 Rhe8 16.b3 Bg4 17.f3 Bf5 18.Bf1 Bg6 19.Kb2 Re5 20.Bf2 Qf5 21.Bg3 Rxe1 22.Bxe1 Qg5 23.Qxg5 fxg5 24.c4 Ne7 25.Bd2 h6 26.Bc3 Nf5 27.Re1 Re8 28.Rxe8+ Bxe8 29.Bd3 g6 30.Kc1 Nh4 31.Bf1 Kd7 32.Kd2 Ke6 33.Ke3 Nf5+ 34.Kf2 Kf7 35.Bd3 Ne7 36.g4 Nc6 37.Be4 Nd8 38.Bd5+ Ke7 39.Bg7 h5 40.Bd4 Bc6 41.Be3 Kf6 42.Kg3 Ne6 43.a4 Ke5 44.Bxg5 Bxd5 45.f4+ Ke4 46.cxd5 Nxg5 47.fxg5 h4+ 48.Kxh4 Kf3 49.b4 b5 50.a5 Kg2 51.h3 Kh2 0-1

Standings:
Carlsen, Shirov, Wang at +1

US Championship Round 7

GM Yury Shulman (4½) 0-1 GM Alexander Onischuk (4)
GM Hikaru Nakamura (4) 1-0 GM Varuzhan Akobian (4½)
GM Joel Benjamin (4) 0-1 GM Gata Kamsky (4)
GM Joshua Friedel (4) 0-1 IM Robert Hess (4)
IM Enrico Sevillano (3) 1-0 GM Gregory Kaidanov (3½)
IM Ray Robson (3½) 0-1 IM Michael Brooks (3)
GM Jaan Ehlvest (3) 1-0 IM Irina Krush (3)
GM Ildar Ibragimov (2½) 1-0 GM Melikset Khachiyan (2½)
GM Boris Gulko (2½) ½-½ GM Alexander Shabalov (2½)
IM Samuel Shankland (2½) 0-1 Tyler Hughes (2)
FM Doug Eckert (1) 0-1 GM Larry Christiansen (2)
GM Julio Becerra (2) 1-0 Charles Lawton (0)

Tomorrow is a rest day.

US Championship Round 6

GM Varuzhan Akobian (4) ½-½ GM Yury Shulman (4)
GM Gata Kamsky (3½) ½-½ IM Robert Hess (3½)
GM Alexander Onischuk (3½) ½-½ GM Hikaru Nakamura (3½)
IM Michael Brooks (3) 0-1 GM Joshua Friedel (3)
GM Melikset Khachiyan (2½) 0-1 GM Joel Benjamin (3)
GM Gregory Kaidanov (2½) 1-0 IM Samuel Shankland (2½)
IM Enrico Sevillano (2½) ½-½ GM Jaan Ehlvest (2½)
GM Larry Christiansen (2) 0-1 IM Ray Robson (2½)
IM Irina Krush (2) 1-0 GM Julio Becerra (2)
Tyler Hughes (2) 0-1 GM Ildar Ibragimov (1½)
GM Alexander Shabalov (1½) 1-0 FM Doug Eckert (1)
Charles Lawton (0) 0-1 GM Boris Gulko (1½)

Sofia R1

Ivanchuk,V (2746) - Shirov,A (2745) [B52]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.f3 0-0 10.Be3 Nc6 11.0-0 Rac8 12.b3 e6 13.Rc1 Rfd8 14.Qd2 d5 15.exd5 exd5 16.c5 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Ne4 18.Qe3 Nxc5 19.Rcd1 Bxd4 20.Rxd4 Qc6 21.Ne2 Ne6 22.Rd2 d4 23.Nxd4 Qb6 24.Rfd1 Rd5 0-1

Carlsen,M (2770) - Topalov,V (2812) [D43]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 Nd7 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 g6 10.0-0 Bg7 11.e4 0-0 12.e5 Qe7 13.Qe2 b5 14.Bd3 Bb7 15.Be4 Rfd8 16.Rac1 Rab8 17.Rfd1 a6 18.h4 Ba8 19.Rc2 Rdc8 20.Rdc1 Qf8 21.a4 c5 22.axb5 cxd4 23.Nxd4 Bxe4 24.Nxe4 Rxc2 25.Rxc2 axb5 26.Nc6 Rb6 27.f4 Qa8 28.Ne7+ Kh7 29.h5 Ra6 30.hxg6+ fxg6 31.Rc7 Ra1+ 32.Kf2 Qd8 33.Qd3 Qxe7 34.Rxd7 Qh4+ 35.Kf3 Qh5+ 36.Kg3 1-0

US Championship Round 5

GM Hikaru Nakamura (3) ½-½ GM Gata Kamsky (3)
GM Joshua Friedel (3) 0-1 GM Yury Shulman (3)
GM Jaan Ehlvest (2½) 0-1 GM Varuzhan Akobian (3)
IM Samuel Shankland (2½) 0-1 GM Alexander Onischuk (2½)
IM Robert Hess (2½) 1-0 GM Melikset Khachiyan (2½)
GM Julio Becerra (2) 0-1 IM Michael Brooks (2)
IM Ray Robson (2) ½-½ GM Gregory Kaidanov (2)
GM Joel Benjamin (2) 1-0 Tyler Hughes (2)
IM Irina Krush (1½) ½-½ GM Larry Christiansen (1½)
GM Alexander Shabalov (1½) 0-1 IM Enrico Sevillano (1½)
GM Ildar Ibragimov (1) ½-½ GM Boris Gulko (1)
FM Doug Eckert (0) 1-0 Charles Lawton (0)

FIDE Chaos Continues!

FIDE announces that the negotiations with Universal Event Promotion (UEP), the original bidder for organising the final stages of the World Championship cycle 2009-2011 (Candidates Tournament and Final Match), did not reach a final agreement. FIDE is already in contact with other organisers and sponsors interested in holding these events.

US Championship Round 4

Click here to Download pgn for all games from round 4

All games available for replay within the Monroi viewer on the Live Coverage page

GM Gata Kamsky (2½) ½-½ GM Joshua Friedel (2½)
GM Yury Shulman (2½) ½-½ GM Hikaru Nakamura (2½)
GM Alexander Onischuk (2) ½-½ IM Robert Hess (2)
GM Varuzhan Akobian (2) 1-0 GM Julio Becerra (2)
GM Gregory Kaidanov (1½) ½-½ GM Jaan Ehlvest (2)
IM Michael Brooks (1½) ½-½ GM Joel Benjamin (1½)
GM Melikset Khachiyan (1½) 1-0 IM Irina Krush (1½)
IM Enrico Sevillano (1½) 0-1 IM Samuel Shankland (1½)
GM Larry Christiansen (1) ½-½ GM Alexander Shabalov (1)
IM Ray Robson (1) 1-0 GM Ildar Ibragimov (1)
Tyler Hughes (1) 1-0 Charles Lawton (0)
GM Boris Gulko (0) 1-0 FM Doug Eckert (0)

US Championship Round 3

GM Yury Shulman (2) ½-½ GM Gata Kamsky (2)
GM Hikaru Nakamura (1½) 1-0 IM Robert Hess (2)
GM Alexander Onischuk (1½) ½-½ GM Jaan Ehlvest (1½)
GM Joel Benjamin (1½) 0-1 GM Joshua Friedel (1½)
GM Julio Becerra (1) 1-0 Tyler Hughes (1)
GM Varuzhan Akobian (1) 1-0 IM Ray Robson (1)
IM Samuel Shankland (1) ½-½ GM Melikset Khachiyan (1)
IM Michael Brooks (1) ½-½ IM Enrico Sevillano (1)
GM Ildar Ibragimov (½) ½-½ GM Larry Christiansen (½)
IM Irina Krush (½) 1-0 GM Boris Gulko (0)
Charles Lawton (0) 0-1 GM Alexander Shabalov (0)

(Update) Anna Zatonskih was ill and GM Kaidanov, who could have taken a win by default, graciously agreed to postpone the game until the rest day. However, Zatonskih's illness will not allow her to return, so Kaidanov will get the forfeit win after all. FM Doug Eckert will replace Zatonskih starting with round 4.

US Championship Round 2

Board	White	Rating	Result	Black	Rating
1.	GM Gata Kamsky (1)	2798	1-0	GM Varuzhan Akobian (1)	2664
2.	GM Jaan Ehlvest (1)	2649	½-½	GM Hikaru Nakamura (1)	2757
3.	GM Melikset Khachiyan (1)	2632	0-1	GM Yury Shulman (1)	2697
4.	IM Robert Hess (1)	2545	1-0	GM Julio Becerra (1)	2672
5.	Tyler Hughes (1)	2293	0-1	GM Alexander Onischuk (½)	2736
6.	GM Joshua Friedel (½)	2568	1-0	GM Gregory Kaidanov (½)	2662
7.	GM Joel Benjamin (½)	2650	1-0	IM Irina Krush (½)	2496
8.	GM Larry Christiansen (0)	2681	½-½	IM Samuel Shankland (½)	2464
9.	IM Ray Robson (0)	2542	1-0	GM Boris Gulko (0)	2631
10.	IM Anna Zatonskih (0)	2503	½-½	GM Ildar Ibragimov (0)	2628
11.	GM Alexander Shabalov (0)	2620	0-1	IM Michael Brooks (0)	2419
12.	IM Enrico Sevillano (0)	2549	1-0	Charles Lawton (0)	2350

Photos

US Championship Round 1

GM Yury Shulman 1-0 IM Enrico Sevillano
GM Ildar Ibragimov 0-1 GM Gata Kamsky
GM Hikaru Nakamura 1-0 GM Alexander Shabalov
GM Joshua Friedel ½-½ GM Alexander Onischuk
IM Robert Hess 1-0 GM Larry Christiansen
GM Julio Becerra 1-0 IM Ray Robson
IM Anna Zatonskih 0-1 GM Varuzhan Akobian
GM Gregory Kaidanov ½-½ IM Irina Krush
IM Samuel Shankland ½-½ GM Joel Benjamin
GM Jaan Ehlvest 1-0 IM Michael Brooks
Charles Lawton 0-1 GM Melikset Khachiyan
GM Boris Gulko 0-1 Tyler Hughes

Round 1 Photos
Round 1 Video Wrapup

2008 Chess Oscar goes to....

Anand!

Grand Prix Nalchik R13 (Final)

Aronian,L (2754) - Leko,P (2751) [E55]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.0-0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7 9.Qe2 b6 10.Rd1 cxd4 11.exd4 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Bb7 13.Bb3 Qc7 14.c4 Rfe8 15.Bb2 Qf4 16.Qe3 Qf5 17.Ne1 b5 18.c5 Nd5 19.Qg3 Nf4 20.Rd2 Nf6 21.f3 N6h5 22.Qf2 Bd5 23.Bc2 Qg5 24.Kh1 Bc4 25.g3 Ng6 26.Ng2 Bd5 27.Ne3 Nf6 28.h4 Qh5 29.Nxd5 Nxd5 30.Re1 Red8 31.Rde2 Rab8 32.Bc1 h6 33.Kg2 Nc3 34.Re5 Nxe5 35.Rxe5 f5 36.Bb3 Nd5 37.Rxe6 Kh8 38.Qe1 Nf6 39.Qe5 Re8 40.c6 Rbc8 41.Qxb5 Qg6 42.h5 Qxh5 43.Bf4 a6 44.Qxa6 Nh7 45.c7 Ng5 46.Rxe8+ Qxe8 47.d5 Ra8 48.Qc4 Kh7 49.d6 Qe1 50.Qf1 Qe8 51.Qd3 Qd7 52.Qc4 Qe8 53.Bxg5 hxg5 54.Qg8+ 1-0

Bacrot,E (2728) - Alekseev,Evgeny (2716) [C43]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.dxe5 d5 5.Nbd2 Nxd2 6.Qxd2 c5 7.c4 Be6 8.Ng5 Nc6 9.Nxe6 fxe6 10.cxd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5 exd5 12.Bb5 Kf7 13.f4 Nd4 14.Ba4 b5 15.Bd1 c4 16.Be3 Bc5 17.Bxd4 Bxd4 18.Bf3 Rad8 19.Rd1 Bxb2 20.Bxd5+ Ke7 21.Ke2 Rc8 22.Be4 c3 23.Bc2 Rc4 24.f5 Rb8 25.Rd5 a5 26.Rhd1 Rb7 27.Rd8 Ba3 28.Rh8 Rc5 29.f6+ Ke6 30.Re8+ Kf7 31.Rdd8 Rc4 32.Rh8 Rh4 33.fxg7 Kxg7 34.Rdg8+ Kh6 35.Rg6+ Kh5 36.Rg3 Kh6 37.Rg6+ Kh5 38.Rg3 Kh6 39.Rxc3 Bb4 40.Rc6+ Kg7 41.Rcc8 a4 42.Rcg8+ Kh6 43.Rg6+ Kh5 44.Rg3 Kh6 45.Rg6+ Kh5 46.Bf5 Rc4 47.Rg3 Kh6 48.Rg6+ Kh5 49.Rgg8 Rcc7 50.Bg6+ Kh6 51.Be4 Rb6 52.g4 Bc3 53.g5+ Kh5 54.g6 Bxe5 55.Rxh7+ Rxh7 56.gxh7 Rh6 57.Kf3 b4 58.Kg2 Kh4 59.Bf3 Bc3 60.Rg4+ Kh5 61.Kh3 Rxh7 62.Rh4+ Kg6 63.Be4+ 1-0

Gelfand,B (2733) - Karjakin,Sergey (2721) [D15]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 b5 6.c5 Nbd7 7.a3 a5 8.Qc2 Qc7 9.e4 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qe5 Qxe5+ 13.Nxe5 Bb7 14.a4 b4 15.Bf4 Nd7 16.Nc4 Ba6 17.Nb6 Ra7 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.Nc4 Ra7 20.0-0-0 e6 21.Be5 Nf6 22.Bb8 Rb7 23.Bg3 Ra7 24.Bb8 Rb7 25.Be5 Ra7 26.f4 Nd5 27.Rhe1 f6 28.Bd6 Kd7 29.g3 Bxd6 30.Nxd6 b3 31.Re2 Rb8 32.Rde1 Rb4 33.Rxe6 Rxa4 34.Kb1 Ra8 35.Ne8 Rxd4 36.Rd6+ Kc8 37.Rxc6+ Kb7 38.Rce6 Rd3 39.c6+ Ka7 40.c7 a4 41.Rc1 a3 42.bxa3 Nc3+ 43.Rxc3 Rxc3 44.Kb2 Rxe8 45.Kxc3 1-0

Eljanov,P (2693) - Akopian,Vl (2696) [D12]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.g3 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.b3 Qe7 12.Bf3 Rfe8 13.Bg2 a6 14.a3 Rad8 15.Qc2 Bb8 16.Bd2 Ba7 17.c5 e5 18.b4 e4 19.a4 Nf8 20.b5 Ne6 21.Qd1 Ng5 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.h4 Ngh7 24.Bh3 g5 25.h5 g4 26.Bxg4 Nxg4 27.Qxg4 Ng5 28.Kg2 Nf3 29.Ra2 Rf8 30.Qf5 g6 31.Qg4 Kg7 32.Ne2 Rh8 33.Nf4 Bb8 34.Ba5 Bxf4 35.Bxd8 Qxd8 36.Qxf4 Rxh5 37.g4 Rh2+ 38.Qxh2 Nxh2 39.Kxh2 Qh4+ 40.Kg2 Qxg4+ 41.Kh2 f5 42.Rg1 Qh5+ 43.Kg2 g5 44.Rb2 f4 45.exf4 gxf4 46.Rb8 Kf7 47.Rb3 f3+ 48.Kf1 Qh6 49.Re3 Qh8 0-1

Final standings:
Aronian wins by a full point at +4 (8.5/13)
Leko and Akopian tied for second at +2 (7.5/13)
Grischuk and Bacrot tied for fourth at +1 (7/13)

Grand Prix Nalchik R12

Grischuk,A (2748) - Bacrot,E (2728) [A63]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.h3 a6 11.a4 Rb8 12.Bf4 Ne8 13.Rc1 b6 14.e4 Ne5 15.Re1 Bd7 16.Bf1 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 b5 18.axb5 axb5 19.b4 g5 20.Bd2 c4 21.Qd1 f5 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Be3 h6 24.Bd4 Bxd4 25.Qxd4 Qf6 26.Qxf6 Nxf6 27.Ra1 Nd7 28.g4 Bd3 29.Re6 Ne5 30.Bg2 Nf3+ 31.Bxf3 Rxf3 32.Re3 Rxe3 33.fxe3 Re8 34.Kf2 Rf8+ 35.Kg3 Re8 36.Kf3 Rf8+ 37.Kg2 Re8 38.Kf2 Rf8+ 39.Kg2 Re8 40.Kf3 Rf8+ 41.Kg3 Re8 42.Re1 Ra8 43.e4 Ra3 44.Nxb5 Rb3 45.Kf2 Rxb4 46.Nxd6 c3 47.Ke3 c2 48.Kxd3 Rb1 49.Kxc2 Rxe1 50.Kd3 h5 51.Kd4 Kf8 52.Nf5 Rh1 53.e5 Rxh3 54.e6 hxg4 55.d6 Rh1 56.d7 Rd1+ 1-0

Karjakin,Sergey (2721) - Svidler,P (2726) [C92]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Re8 10.d4 Bb7 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3 h6 13.Bc2 Nb8 14.a4 Nbd7 15.Bd3 c6 16.b3 g6 17.Ba3 Qc7 18.Qc2 Rad8 19.Rad1 Bg7 20.axb5 axb5 21.dxe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Rxe5 23.c4 bxc4 24.Nxc4 Ree8 25.Bb4 Qb8 26.Ba5 Rd7 27.Bc3 Rde7 28.Qb2 Re6 29.Ne3 d5 30.exd5 cxd5 31.b4 Qd6 32.Bf1 Nh5 33.Bxg7 Nxg7 34.b5 h5 35.Nc4 Qc7 36.Rxe6 Nxe6 37.b6 Qc5 38.Ne5 d4 39.Qb5 Rc8 40.Qd7 Qxe5 41.Qxb7 Rb8 42.Qa7 Qd6 43.Rb1 Rd8 44.b7 Qb8 45.Ra1 Qc7 46.Bc4 Qxc4 47.b8Q Rxb8 48.Qxb8+ Kh7 49.Ra7 Ng7 50.Qc7 Qxc7 51.Rxc7 Kg8 52.Rc8+ 1-0

Leko,P (2751) - Kasimdzhanov,R (2695) [C42]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bg4 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qxd6 14.Re3 Rae8 15.Rae1 Rxe3 16.Rxe3 g6 17.h4 Nb8 18.h5 Nd7 19.g4 Nf6 20.h6 Kh8 21.Re5 c6 22.c4 Ng8 23.Qe3 dxc4 24.Bxc4 g5 25.Rxg5 Nxh6 26.Qe4 f6 27.Rh5 f5 28.gxf5 Nxf5 29.Be6 Qxd4 30.Rxh7+ 1-0

Standings:
Leko, Aronian at +3
Grischuk, Alekseev, Akopian at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R11

Gelfand,B (2733) - Mamedyarov,S (2725) [E10]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Bf4 Nbd7 9.Nc3 Nh5 10.Bc1 Nhf6 11.Bf4 Nh5 12.Bc1 Nhf6 13.b3 b6 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Bb2 b5 16.cxd5 cxd5 17.a3 Nb6 18.Nf3 Rc8 19.Ne5 Bd6 20.Nd3 Qd7 21.Qd2 Bb7 22.Rfc1 a6 23.Na2 Qe7 24.Qa5 Bc7 25.Nc5 Nbd7 26.Qd2 Nxc5 27.dxc5 Bb8 28.Bxf6 Qxf6 29.b4 Bc6 30.Nc3 Rfd8 31.e3 Be5 32.Rab1 Bxc3 33.Rxc3 d4 34.exd4 Bxg2 35.Kxg2 Rxd4 36.Rd3 Rcd8 37.Rxd4 Qxd4 38.Qxd4 Rxd4 39.Rc1 Kf8 40.Kf3 Ke7 41.Ke3 Rd8 42.a4 bxa4 43.Ra1 e5 44.Rxa4 Rd4 45.f4 f6 46.Rxa6 Rxb4 47.Ra7+ Ke6 48.fxe5 Rb3+ 49.Ke4 f5+ 50.Kd4 Rb4+ 51.Kc3 Rb5 52.Kc4 Rb2 53.c6 Kxe5 54.Rxg7 Rxh2 55.c7 Rc2+ 56.Kb3 1-0

Bacrot,E (2728) - Karjakin,Sergey (2721) [B90]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Nf6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.e5 dxe5 14.Bxe5 0-0 15.h4 g4 16.g3 Bf5 17.Bg2 Qd7 18.0-0 Rfd8 19.Rfe1 e6 20.Na4 Qb7 21.c4 Nd7 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Rad1 Rab8 24.Qe3 Qc7 25.b3 a5 26.Nc5 Nxc5 27.Qxc5 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Rd8 29.Rxd8 Qxd8 30.Bxc6 Qd2 31.Qe5+ Kg8 32.c5 Qxa2 33.Bg2 Qb1+ 34.Kh2 Qxb3 35.c6 a4 36.Qc5 a3 37.c7 e5 38.Bd5 1-0

Ivanchuk,V (2746) - Grischuk,A (2748) [E97]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.c5 Nf4 11.Bxf4 exf4 12.Rc1 h6 13.Nd4 a6 14.h3 Kh8 15.Qd2 Ng8 16.Rfd1 h5 17.Qxf4 Bh6 18.Qg3 h4 19.Qd3 Bxc1 20.Rxc1 Qg5 21.Re1 Bd7 22.c6 bxc6 23.dxc6 Be6 24.Bg4 Bxg4 25.hxg4 Ne7 26.Qd1 Rab8 27.a3 Kg7 28.Re3 Qf6 29.Nf3 Nxc6 30.Nd5 Qe6 31.Nxc7 Qxg4 32.Qxd6 Rbd8 33.Qxc6 Rd1+ 34.Ne1 h3 35.Qc3+ f6 36.Rxh3 Rc8 37.e5 1-0

Standings:
Aronian at +3
Leko at +2
Alekseev, Bacrot, Akopian at +1

Message from Jennifer Shahade

I'm excited about this year's fantasy chess competition where YOU decide who will get more points in match-ups such as Shulman-Onischuk and Krush-Zatonskih. (You are predicting whether Zatonskih or Krush will get more points in the entire event, not what will happen if they are paired together.)

Here is a link to play: http://uschess.org/fc_2009/
Here are the rules and prizes: http://uschess.org/content/view/9328/525

This event will be hosted on www.uschess.org, so to play, you need to register on the site or login (to register as a member, you need your pin number,which you can find on the back of any personal Chess Life label). You must be an active USCF member to win the prizes which include a Monroi Personal Chess Manager, a signed chess board by all the participants and a copy of Kasparov vs Karpov signed by Kasparov to a "Good Guesser."

I'll be commenting live on the Championship daily along with GM Emil Sutovsky. If you're not in Saint Louis, follow the twitter feed and live streaming on the Internet Chess Club and www.uschesschamps.com. On www.uschess.org, read about club founder Rex Sinquefield and during the event, watch CLO for video wrap-ups, blogs and of course, fantasy updates by Arun Sharma.

Good luck in fantasy chess and no matter how your team does, be sure to get the most out of what should be two very exciting weeks for chess fans.

US Championship Coming Up

I will be following this year's tournament more closely than I have past tournaments. It will take place in St Louis May 8-17. The 24 contenders will compete for a $135,400 guaranteed prize pool.

The players and the reason for their inclusion are listed below:
Varuzhan Akobiana, Rating
Julio Becerra, Rating
Joel Benjamin, Rating
Michael Brooks, Wildcard
Larry Christiansen, Rating
Jaan Ehlvest, Rating
Josh Friedel, Wildcard
Boris Gulko, Rating
Robert Hess, Wildcard
Tyler Hughes, Qualified - 2008 U.S. Junior Closed Champion
Ildar Ibragimov, Rating
Gregory Kaidanov, Rating
Gata Kamsky, Rating
Melik Khachiyan, Rating
Irina Krush, Female Rating
Charles Lawton, Wildcard
Hikaru Nakamura, Rating
Alexander Onischuk, Rating
Ray Robson, Wildcard
Enrico Sevillano, Qualified - 2008 U.S. Open Champion
Alexander Shabalov, Wildcard
Sam Shankland, State Champion of Champions
Yury Shulman, Qualified - defending U.S. Champion
Anna Zatonskih, Female rating

This year's organizers are doing a great job press-wise. There's a very carefully crafted media kit available on their website.

Grand Prix Nalchik R10 - Five Wins

Aronian,L (2754) - Eljanov,P (2693) [D37]
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.d4 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bf4 Bb4 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Qb3 c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxc5 11.Qb4 Ne4 12.Nd4 b6 13.f3 a5 14.Qxc5 Nexc5 15.Nf5 Ne6 16.Bg3 g6 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.e3 Rd8 19.Rb1 Ba6 20.Kf2 f5 21.Nb5 Rdc8 22.Be2 Bxb5 23.Rxb5 Rxc3 24.Rxd5 Nf6 25.Rd2 Nc5 26.Rb1 Nfe4+ 27.fxe4 Nxe4+ 28.Ke1 Nxd2 29.Kxd2 Rxa3 30.Bh4+ Kf7 31.Bc4+ Kg7 32.Rxb6 Ra4 33.Bf6+ Kh6 34.Rc6 Ra7 35.h4 Kh5 36.Ke1 Rb7 37.Kf2 Rab4 38.Bg5 Rb2+ 39.Be2+ Rxe2+ 40.Kxe2 Kg4 41.Kf2 Rb2+ 42.Kg1 Kg3 43.Bf4+ Kxh4 44.Rc7 h5 45.Rc4 Rb4 46.Rd4 g5 47.Bd6+ Rxd4 48.exd4 Kg4 49.d5 f4 50.Bxf4 1-0

Grischuk,A (2748) - Alekseev,Evgeny (2716) [E58]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qc7 10.h3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 b6 12.Bd3 Rd8 13.Bb2 Ne7 14.Re1 Ng6 15.e4 Bb7 16.Nd2 Rd7 17.Bf1 Rad8 18.Qe2 Qc6 19.Qc4 Qc7 20.Qe2 Qc6 21.Qc4 Qc7 22.Rac1 h5 23.Qe2 h4 24.e5 Nd5 25.Qg4 Nde7 26.Bd3 Nf5 27.Bxf5 exf5 28.Qxf5 Qc6 29.Ne4 Qe6 30.Qg5 Qe7 31.Qg4 Qe6 32.Qg5 Qe7 33.Qe3 Qe6 34.Nd6 Ba8 35.Qg5 Ne7 36.Qxh4 Nf5 37.Nxf5 Qxf5 38.e6 Qg6 39.exf7+ Rxf7 40.Qg4 Qxg4 41.hxg4 Rc8 42.dxc5 Rxc5 43.c4 Kh7 44.f3 Rfc7 45.Re5 Bb7 46.Rxc5 Rxc5 47.Rd1 Bc8 48.Rd8 Rxc4 49.Re8 Rc7 50.Be5 Rc1+ 51.Kh2 Re1 52.Re7 1-0

Akopian,Vl (2696) - Bacrot,E (2728) [B35]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 Qa5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bb3 d6 10.h3 Bd7 11.Re1 Rfc8 12.Qd2 Ne5 13.Bh6 Nc4 14.Bxc4 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Rxc4 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.Rad1 a5 18.e5 dxe5 19.Rxe5 a4 20.Nd2 Rd4 21.Qe3 Qd6 22.Ne2 Rd5 23.Rxd5 Qxd5 24.Nc3 Qe6 25.Qxe6 Bxe6 26.a3 Nd5 27.Nde4 Nb6 28.Nc5 Bf5 29.Rd4 Rc8 30.N5xa4 Nxa4 31.Rxa4 Bxc2 32.Rb4 Rc7 33.Kf1 Bd3+ 34.Ke1 e5 35.h4 Kg7 36.g3 h6 37.Rb6 g5 38.hxg5 hxg5 39.f3 Rd7 40.a4 Rc7 41.g4 Rd7 42.a5 Bc2 43.Kf2 f5 44.gxf5 Bxf5 45.Kg3 g4 46.fxg4 Rd3+ 47.Kh4 Rd4 48.Rxb7+ Kf6 49.Rb4 Be6 50.Ne4+ Ke7 51.Rxd4 exd4 52.g5 Bd5 53.Nd2 Kd6 54.g6 Kc5 55.g7 d3 56.Kg3 Kb5 57.b4 1-0

Mamedyarov,S (2725) - Svidler,P (2726) [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 h6 8.h3 a6 9.c5 Bc7 10.Bd2 b5 11.cxb6 Nxb6 12.Bd3 Bd6 13.e4 Be7 14.0-0-0 Bb7 15.Kb1 Rc8 16.Rhg1 c5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.g5 dxe4 19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qd5 22.Qe2 hxg5 23.Nxg5 Rh4 24.Bc3 Qc4 25.Qf3 Rf4 26.Qb7 Bxf2 27.Rgf1 Nd5 28.Be5 Rf5 29.Rc1 Qd3+ 30.Ka1 Rd8 31.Qc6+ Ke7 32.Rxf2 Rxg5 33.Qb7+ Rd7 34.Rxf7+ Kxf7 35.Qxd7+ Kg8 36.Bxg7 1-0

Leko,P (2751) - Gelfand,B (2733) [C42]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nxd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Nxd5 cxb5 16.Qb3 0-0 17.Be3 Bc5 18.Rad1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qa5 20.Qc2 Rfe8 21.f4 b4 22.f5 Nf8 23.Red3 Nd7 24.Qc7 Qc5+ 25.Kf1 Qb5 26.Qg3 Ne5 27.f6 g6 28.Qg5 Kh8 29.Qh6 Rg8 30.Nc7 Qc4 31.b3 Qg4 32.Rd4 Qf5+ 33.Rf4 Ng4 34.Qg7+ Rxg7 35.fxg7+ Kxg7 36.Rxf5 gxf5 37.Nxa8 Ne3+ 38.Ke2 Nxd1 39.Kxd1 Kf6 40.Kd2 Ke5 41.Nc7 f4 42.Kd3 a6 43.Na8 1-0

Standings:
Aronian at +3
Leko at +2
Grischuk, Alekseev, Akopian at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R9

Grischuk,A (2748) - Kamsky,G (2720) [C95]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.a4 c5 16.d5 c4 17.Bg5 h6 18.Be3 Nc5 19.Qd2 h5 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.Bd1 Rb8 22.Qe3 Kh7 23.Nf1 Qc7 24.Ng5+ Kg8 25.Be2 Bc8 26.Ra2 Qb6 27.Nf3 Kh7 28.Ng5+ Kg8 29.axb5 axb5 30.Nd2 Bh6 31.Qg3 Nh7 32.Ndf3 Qf6 33.h4 Nf8 34.Ra7 Bd7 35.Rea1 Qd6 36.R7a6 Qe7 37.Ra7 Qd6 38.R7a6 Qe7 39.Nh2 Bc8 40.Ra7 Rb7 41.Ra8 Nd7 42.Nf1 Nb6 43.R8a5 Bd7 44.Ne3 Qf6 45.Ra7 Reb8 46.R1a6 Be8 47.Rxb7 Rxb7 48.Bxh5 gxh5 49.Nf5 Bg7 50.d6 Nd7 51.Qf3 Bf8 52.Qxh5 Qg6 53.Qg4 f6 54.Ne7+ Bxe7 55.dxe7 Rb6 56.Rxb6 Nxb6 57.Qe6+ Kg7 58.Nf3 Na4 59.h5 Qxh5 60.g4 Qh3 61.Nxe5 Nxb2 62.Qc8 Qh8 63.Nd7 Nd3 64.Nf8 Qh4 65.Qxe8 Qxf2+ 66.Kh1 Qh4+ 67.Kg2 Qxg4+ 68.Kh2 Ne5 69.Kh1 Nf3 70.Ne6+ Qxe6 71.Qf8+ Kh7 72.Kg2 Nh4+ 73.Kf2 Ng6 74.e8Q Nxf8 75.Qxf8 b4 76.Qxc5 b3 77.Qc7+ Kg6 78.Qg3+ Kh5 79.Kf3 Qd7 80.Qg8 Qd3+ 81.Kf4 Qd2+ 82.Kf3 Qxc3+ 83.Kf4 Qc1+ 84.Kf3 Qf1+ 85.Ke3 Kh4 86.Kd4 Qd3+ 87.Kc5 Qxe4 88.Qh8+ Kg5 89.Qg7+ Qg6 90.Qb7 Qd3 0-1

Bacrot,E (2728) - Mamedyarov,S (2725) [B46]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Re1 Be7 10.e5 Nd7 11.Qg4 g6 12.Na4 c5 13.c4 Qa5 14.Qd1 dxc4 15.Be4 Rb8 16.Bh6 Rb4 17.Nc3 Rxb2 18.Qc1 Rb8 19.Bc6 Bb7 20.Ba4 Kd8 21.Rd1 Bd5 22.Qc2 Rb4 23.Bd2 Ba8 24.Be1 Rxa4 25.Nxa4 Qb5 26.Rab1 Qc6 27.f3 Ke8 28.Rxd7 Kxd7 29.Qd1+ Kc8 30.Nb6+ Kb7 31.Nd5+ 1-0

Alekseev,Evgeny (2716) - Karjakin,Sergey (2721) [B90]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e6 7.g4 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Nde2 Bb4 10.Bg2 0-0 11.0-0 Nxc3 12.Nxc3 Nc6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Na4 e5 15.c3 Be7 16.Nb6 Rb8 17.Nxc8 Rbxc8 18.Be3 Kf8 19.Rfd1 Rd6 20.Kf1 Na5 21.Rxd6 Bxd6 22.Rd1 Ke7 23.b3 Nc6 24.Be4 b5 25.b4 Nd8 26.Rc1 Ne6 27.Ke2 Rb8 28.Ra1 Nf4+ 29.Kd2 Nxh3 30.Rh1 Nf4 31.Rxh7 Kf6 32.Kc2 Bc7 33.Ba7 Rd8 34.Rh1 a5 35.Rb1 axb4 36.Rxb4 Kg5 37.f3 g6 38.Rxb5 f5 39.gxf5 gxf5 40.Bb7 Ng2 41.Bf2 Bd6 42.a4 Kf4 43.a5 e4 44.fxe4 fxe4 45.Bb6 Rg8 46.a6 e3 47.Kd3 1-0

Standings:
Alekseev, Aronian at +2
Leko, Svidler, Bacrot at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R8

Kasimdzhanov,R (2695) - Gelfand,B (2733) [D43]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.Nxc6 Qb6 11.d5 Bb7 12.a4 a6 13.Be2 Bg7 14.dxe6 Bxc6 15.exd7+ Nxd7 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8+ Bxa8 18.0-0 Ne5 19.Nd5 Qc5 20.Kh1 0-0 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 f5 23.b4 Qd6 24.Bf3 fxe4 25.Bxe4 Rd8 26.Rf2 c3 27.Rf3 Bxd5 28.Rd3 Nxd3 0-1

Kamsky,G (2720) - Eljanov,P (2693) [C91]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bg4 10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.h3 Bc8 13.dxc6 Qc7 14.Nbd2 Qxc6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Ng3 Re8 17.a4 Bb7 18.Qe2 Bf8 19.Bg5 Nd7 20.b3 Ncb6 21.a5 Nc8 22.c4 bxc4 23.Rec1 Na7 24.Be3 Qc8 25.bxc4 Nc5 26.Rcb1 Qc7 27.Nf5 Nc6 28.Qd2 Rad8 29.Qc3 Ba8 30.Rb6 Rb8 31.Bxc5 dxc5 32.Ba4 Rxb6 33.axb6 Qxb6 34.Nxe5 Nd4 35.Nxd4 Rxe5 36.Nf5 Rxe4 37.Bc2 Re8 38.Qg3 g6 39.Ne3 Bd6 40.Qh4 Be5 41.Rb1 Qd6 42.Ba4 Rb8 43.Rd1 Bd4 44.Qg4 h5 45.Qg5 Qe6 46.Nd5 Bxd5 47.cxd5 Qe2 48.d6 Qxf2+ 49.Kh1 Qa2 50.d7 Qxa4 51.d8Q+ Rxd8 52.Qxd8+ Kg7 53.Rb1 Qa2 54.Qb6 a5 55.Qb3 Qxb3 56.Rxb3 c4 57.Ra3 c3 58.Ra4 c2 59.Rc4 a4 60.Rxc2 a3 61.Ra2 Bb2 62.Kg1 h4 63.Kf2 Kf6 64.Kf3 Kf5 65.Ke3 Ke5 66.Kf3 f5 67.Ke3 g5 0-1

Standings:
Aronian at +2
Alekseev, Karjakin, Grischuk, Leko, Svidler at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R7

Karjakin-Kamsky
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd4 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Qd3 d4 13.Ng3 Bd7 14.Be2 O-O-O 15.O-O Qb6 16.Ne4 Nd5 17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.Nxf7 Rdf8 19.Nd6 Nce7 20.Bf3 Bc6 21.a4 Nb4 22.a5 Qc5 23.Qh7 d3+ 24.Kh1 d2 25.Bxd2 cxd2 26.Qxe7 Rxf4 27.Rab1 Rgf8 28.c4 a6 29.h3 Ka8 30.Qg7 Qe3 31.Kh2 d1Q 32.Rbxd1 1-0

Gelfand-Eljanov
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.O-O Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Bd6 10.Nc3 Be5 11.Ba3 Qa5 12.Bb2 O-O 13.Bg2 Rac8 14.Rc1 Qa6 15.a4 Rfe8 16.Ba3 Bxc3 17.dxc3 Na5 18.Re1 c4 19.bxc4 Nxc4 20.Ra1 Qe6 21.Bc1 b6 22.Qd4 Na5 23.Qd3 Ne4 24.Bb2 Nc4 25.Bc1 Ne5 26.Qa6 h5 27.Be3 h4 28.g4 Rxc3 29.Bd4 Rc4 30.Bxe5 Qxe5 31.Qxa7 Nxf2 32.Kxf2 Qg3+ 33.Kf1 Rf4+ 34.Bf3 Qxh3+ 35.Kg1 Qg3+ 36.Kh1 Rxf3 0-1

Standings:
Aronian at +2
Karjakin, Alekseev, Leko, Grischuk, Svidler at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R6

Mamedyarov,S (2725) - Grischuk,A (2748) [D10]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Qc2 e6 6.Nf3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Be2 Nc6 9.Ne5 Qc7 10.Nxc6 Qxc6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.dxc5 Qxc5 13.Bd2 0-0 14.Rac1 d4 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Qe5 17.Qxe5 Bxe5 18.b3 dxe3 19.Bxe3 Be6 20.Bf3 Rab8 21.Ba7 Ra8 22.Bc5 Rfb8 23.g3 a5 24.Rfe1 Bc7 25.Be3 Bd6 26.Red1 Be5 27.Rc5 f6 28.Rb5 a4 29.Bxb7 axb3 30.axb3 Ra3 31.b4 Ra4 32.Bc5 Kf7 33.h4 Ra2 34.Rb6 Rb2 35.Re1 Ba2 36.f4 Bc3 37.Re7+ Kg6 38.Be4+ 1-0

Eljanov,P (2693) - Svidler,P (2726) [D91]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Bf4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.e3 0-0 9.cxd5 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qxd5 11.Be2 Nc6 12.0-0 Bf5 13.Qa4 Rac8 14.Rac1 Qa5 15.Qxa5 Nxa5 16.Nd2 Nc6 17.g4 Be6 18.a3 Rfd8 19.Bf3 Bd5 20.Bxd5 Rxd5 21.Ne4 Bxd4 22.Rcd1 Rcd8 23.exd4 Rxd4 24.Rxd4 Rxd4 25.f3 f5 26.gxf5 gxf5 27.Be3 Rd3 28.Bh6 fxe4 29.fxe4 Rd8 30.Rf5 Nd4 31.Rg5+ Kf7 32.Rg7+ Kf6 33.Kf2 Nc6 34.h4 Rd2+ 35.Kg3 Rd3+ 36.Kg2 Rxa3 37.Rxh7 Kg6 38.Rh8 Ra4 39.Bf4 Rxe4 40.Kf3 Rc4 41.h5+ Kg7 42.Ra8 a5 43.Bd2 a4 44.Ke2 b5 45.Ra6 Nd4+ 46.Kd1 Rc5 47.h6+ Kh7 48.Ra7 Nf5 49.Ra6 Rd5 50.Kc1 Rd6 51.Ra7 Rd3 52.Rb7 a3 53.Ra7 Rb3 54.Ra6 Nd4 55.Ra7 Nc6 56.Ra8 b4 57.Ra6 Rh3 58.Rxc6 Rh1+ 59.Kc2 a2 60.Ra6 a1Q 61.Rxa1 Rxa1 62.Bxb4 Ra7 63.Bd2 Ra3 64.Kd1 Rh3 65.Ke2 Kg6 66.Bc1 Kf5 67.Kf2 e5 68.Be3 Kg4 69.Ke2 Rh2+ 70.Kd3 Kf3 71.Bg5 Rh1 72.Kc4 e4 73.Kd4 Rg1 0-1

Aronian,L (2754) - Ivanchuk,V (2746) [A31]
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bg5 Qc7 7.e3 b6 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.Be2 Be7 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Nd5 exd5 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.cxd5 Bxb2 16.Rc2 Be5 17.dxc6 dxc6 18.Bxa6 Rd8 19.Qf3 c5 20.Bb5+ Kf8 21.g3 g6 22.Rd1 Kg7 23.Rcd2 Rxd2 24.Rxd2 Rd8 25.Rxd8 Qxd8 26.Kg2 h5 27.Qe4 Bc3 28.Qb7 Bf6 29.Bc4 Qe7 30.Qd5 h4 31.e4 hxg3 32.hxg3 Bd4 33.f4 f6 34.Kf3 Kh6 35.Qg8 g5 36.e5 fxe5 37.Bd3 e4+ 38.Bxe4 Qg7 39.Qe6+ Qf6 40.Qd7 1-0

Akopian,Vl (2696) - Karjakin,Sergey (2721) [B90]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Nf6 11.Qf3 Qb6 12.0-0-0 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Qxc6 14.Be2 Nd7 15.Nd5 Ne5 16.Qa3 b5 17.h4 Be6 18.hxg5 Rc8 19.Rd2 hxg5 20.Rxh8+ Bxh8 21.Qe3 Nc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.c3 f6 24.Qa7 Bd7 25.f3 Bg7 26.Nb6 Rd8 27.Qxa6 Be6 28.Qa7 Kf7 29.Nd5 Bxd5 30.exd5 Qa8 31.Qc7 Rc8 32.Qd7 Rh8 33.Qe6+ Kf8 34.a3 Rh1+ 35.Rd1 Rxd1+ 36.Kxd1 Qa4+ 37.Kd2 Qb3 38.Kc1 Qb6 39.Be1 Qg1 40.g4 Qf1 41.Qe4 Ke8 42.Kd2 Kd8 43.Qe2 Qh1 44.Kc2 f5 45.gxf5 Qh3 46.Qxc4 Qxf3 47.Qd3 Qg2+ 48.Kb3 g4 49.a4 Be5 50.a5 Qg1 51.Qb5 Qxe1 52.a6 Qa1 53.Qb8+ Kd7 54.Qb5+ Kd8 55.Qb6+ Kc8 56.Qc6+ Kd8 57.Qa8+ Kd7 58.Qc6+ Kd8 59.Qa8+ Kd7 60.Qb7+ Kd8 61.Qb8+ Kd7 62.a7 Qd1+ 63.Kb4 Bxc3+ 64.Kxc3 Qc1+ 65.Kb3 Qd1+ 66.Kb4 Qe1+ 67.Kb5 Qf1+ 68.Kb6 Qg1+ 69.Ka6 Qa1+ 70.Kb7 Qc1 71.a8N 1-0

Standings:
Aronian at +2
Leko, Grischuk, Alekseev, Svidler at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R5

Ivanchuk-Kasimdzhanov
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 Bf5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.a3 Na5 9.Qa2 0-0 10.Nf3 c5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Be5 Be6 13.Bd4 Bxd4 14.Nxd4 Nc6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Be2 Qe7 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Rac1 Kh8 19.Rfd1 Nd7 20.Rd2 Nde5 21.Qb3 Qf7 22.Bf1 d4 23.Na2 [23.exd4 Nxd4 24.Qd1 Ndf3+! 25.gxf3 Nxf3+ 26.Kh1 Qf4] Ng4 24.Rdc2 dxe3 25.fxe3 Na5 0-1 [26.Qd3 Rxc2 27.Qxc2 Qxf1+ 28.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Nxe3+]

Akopian-Kamsk
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Nb3 Nc6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Be7 11.b3 0-0 12.Bb2 Qf4 13.Qe2 Rd8 14.Rad1 Bd7 15.Bd3 Bc5 16.Nf3 Bc6 17.Ne5 Be4 18.Rde1 Bf5 19.g3 Bxd3 20.Nxd3 Qf5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.c4 Ne8 23.Rd1 Qc6 24.Rd3 Rxd3 25.Qxd3 f6 26.Rd1 Rc8 27.Qd7 Qxd7 28.Rxd7 Rc7 29.Rd8 Kf7 30.Ba3 e5 31.g4 g6 32.Kg2 h5 33.h3 a6 34.Bb4 b5 35.cxb5 axb5 36.Rb8 Rc2 37.Rb7+ Kg8 38.Rb8 Kf7 39.Rb7+ Kg8 40.gxh5 gxh5 41.a4 bxa4 42.bxa4 Ra2 43.a5 Ra4 44.Kf3 f5 45.Ke2 Nf6 46.Kd1 Nd5 47.Bd2 Ra2 48.Rb5 Nf4 49.Rxe5 Ra1+ 50.Kc2 Ra2+ 51.Kc3 Nxh3 52.Rxf5 Nxf2 53.Bc1 Re2 54.Rxh5 Kf7 55.Kb3 Nd3 56.Ba3 Ne5 57.Rh7+ Ke6 58.Re7+ Kd5 59.a6 Rg2 60.Ka4 Nc4 61.a7 Rg8 62.Rb7? [62.Rc7! Nxa3 63.Kxa3 Kd6 64.Rg7] Ra8 63.Rb5+ Kc6 64.Bc5 Kc7 65.Rb4 Rg8 66.Rxc4 Kb7 67.Ka5 Rc8 68.Rb4+ Ka8 69.Rb5 Re8 70.Bd4 Rc8 71.Rd5 Kb7 72.Bb6 Rg8 73.Kb5 Re8 74.a8Q+ Kxa8 75.Kc6? [75.Rd7 or 75.Bc5 was required; the position is now a draw.] Re6+ 76.Kc7 Re7+ 77.Kd6 Rh7 78.Kc6 Rh6+ 79.Kc7 Rh7+ 80.Kc8 Rh8+? [80...Rh5! is the move to draw; now White can win.] 81.Bd8 Rh7 82.Ra5+ Ra7 83.Rb5 Rb7 84.Rh5 Rf7 85.Ra5+ Ra7 86.Rb5 Rb7 87.Re5 Rh7 88.Re1 Rb7 89.Ra1+ Ra7 90.Rb1 Rb7 91.Re1 Rh7 92.Re2 Rb7 93.Be7? Rb8+? [93...Rxe7!= ] 94.Kc7 Rb7+ 95.Kc6 Ra7 96.Bd8 Rh7 97.Bc7 Rh6+ 98.Bd6 1-0

Standings
Grischuk at +2
Karjakin, Leko, Aronian, Alekseev at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R4

Kamsky,G (2720) - Svidler,P (2726) [C91]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Bg4 10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 Qc8 12.h3 Bd7 13.Nbd2 c6 14.dxc6 Qxc6 15.Nf1 Nc4 16.Ng3 Rfe8 17.a4 h6 18.b3 Na5 19.Bd2 Qc7 20.axb5 axb5 21.Nh4 Nc6 22.Nhf5 Rxa1 23.Qxa1 Bf8 24.Bd3 Nd8 25.c4 Ne6 26.cxb5 Nc5 27.Bc4 Bxf5 28.Nxf5 Ncxe4 29.Bb4 Qb6 30.Ne3 d5 31.Ba5 Qc5 32.b4 Qa7 33.b6 Qb7 34.Bb5 Re6 35.Rc1 Rxb6 36.Bxb6 Qxb6 37.Qa5 Qb8 38.Bd3 Qxb4 [38...Nxf2 39.Kxf2 e4 40.Qc7 Qxb4 41.Rb1] 39.Qxb4 Bxb4 40.Rc8+ Bf8 41.Nxd5 Nxd5 42.Bxe4 Ne7 43.Rc5 f6 44.Bc2 g6 45.Kf1 h5 46.Rc7 f5 47.Ke2 Kf7 48.Rb7 Bh6 49.Bb3+ Kf8 50.Kd3 h4 51.f3 Bf4 52.Kc4 e4 53.fxe4 fxe4 54.Kc3 Be5+ 55.Kd2 Bf4+ 56.Ke2 Nf5 57.Bd5 Ng3+ 58.Kd1 g5 59.Rb6 Ke7 60.Rb4 e3 61.Bf3 Kd6 62.Rb5 Ke6 63.Ra5 Kf6 64.Bg4 Ne4 65.Ke2 Nd6 [65...Nf2] 66.Kd3 Ke7 67.Kd4 Kf6 68.Kd5 Ke7 69.Ra7+ Kf6 70.Ra6 Ke7 71.Ra7+ Kf6 72.Bh5 Be5 73.Ra6 Kf5 74.Bg4+ 1-0

Standings:
Grischuk at +2
Karjakin, Kamsky, Leko, Aronian, Alekseev at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R3

Karjakin,Sergey - Aronian,Levon

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 b4 9.d4 d6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 12.Nbd2 Bd6 13.a5 h6 14.Bc4 Kf8 15.b3 Ke7 16.Bd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Na7 18.Nxe5 Kf8 19.Ndc4 Bxe5 20.Rxe5 Nc6 21.Bg5 hxg5 22.dxc6 f6 23.Rc5 Be6 24.Nb6 Rab8 25.Nd7+ Bxd7 26.cxd7 Rxd7 27.Rc6 Rb5 28.Rxa6 Rd2 29.Ra8+ Kf7 30.g4 Rc5 31.a6 Rcxc2 32.Rc8 c6 33.a7 Rxf2 34.Rh8 1-0

Alekseev,Evgeny - Eljanov,Pavel

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 Bb4 6.Qb3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 c4 10.Nd2 0-0 11.e3 h6 12.Bh4 Qe8 13.f3 b5 14.Kf2 a5 15.g4 Qe7 16.Bg3 b4 17.Qc2 b3 18.Qc3 Nb6 19.Re1 Na4 20.Qc1 Re8 21.h3 c3 22.bxc3 b2 23.Qc2 Bd7 24.Nb1 Bc6 25.Bd3 Qb7 26.h4 Bb5 27.Qb3 Bc6 28.Qxb7 Bxb7 29.Bb5 Nb6 30.g5 hxg5 31.hxg5 Nh7 32.Re2 Re6 33.Rxb2 Nxg5 34.Bf4 Nh7 35.Nd2 Ba6 36.Rc1 Nf6 37.Bxa6 Rxa6 38.Rb5 Rc6 39.e4 Ra8 40.c4 Nxc4 41.Nxc4 dxc4 42.d5 Rcc8 43.Ke3 Nd7 44.Kd4 f6 45.Rxc4 Rxc4+ 46.Kxc4 Rc8+ 47.Kd4 g5 48.Bd6 Kf7 49.Rxa5 Rc1 50.Ra7 Ke8 51.a4 Rf1 52.a5 Rxf3 53.Ra8+ Kf7 54.a6 Rf1 55.Rd8 Rd1+ 56.Kc3 Nb6 57.Rb8 1-0

Grischuk,Alexander - Kasimdzhanov,Rustam

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bxc4 Nb6 6.Bb3 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Ne2 e6 9.Nbc3 Qd7 10.a3 0-0-0 11.0-0 h5 12.Rc1 Kb8 13.Na4 Be7 14.Nxb6 axb6 15.Ba4 h4 16.f3 f6 17.Bb5 Qc8 18.Qb3 Na7 19.Bc4 fxe5 20.dxe5 Bc5 21.Bxc5 bxc5 22.Qe3 b6 23.b4 b5 24.Ba2 c4 25.Nd4 Qb7 26.a4 h3 27.axb5 hxg2 28.Rfd1 Nxb5 29.Nxf5 exf5 30.Bxc4 f4 31.Qxf4 Rdf8 32.Bf7 Qb6+ 33.Rc5 Nc3 34.Rd2 Na4 35.e6 Nxc5 36.bxc5 Qxc5+ 37.Kxg2 Kc8 38.Qg4 Qe7 39.Ra2 1-0

Akopian,Vladimir - Leko,Peter

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qc2 Qe7 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nge4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4 c5 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Bxb5 cxd4 17.Rd1 Qd5 18.Bf1 Rac8 19.Qe2 Nc5 20.Rxd4 Qf5 21.Rf4 Qe5 22.Bd2 Qxb2 23.Rd1 Ba6 24.Qe1 Bxf1 25.Qxf1 Rfd8 26.Rb4 Qc2 27.Rc4 Qa2 28.Rdc1 Rxd2 29.Rxc5 Rxc5 30.Rxc5 Qxa3 31.Rc8+ Kh7 32.Qb1+ f5 33.g3 Rb2 34.Qd1 Qb4 35.h4 a5 36.Qf3 a4 37.Kg2 a3 38.Qa8 Qe4+ 39.Qxe4 fxe4 40.Ra8 a2 41.h5 g5 42.hxg6+ Kxg6 43.g4 e5 44.Kg3 Re2 45.Ra5 Kf6 46.Ra6+ Kf7 47.Ra5 Ke6 48.Kh4 Rxf2 49.Kh5 Rg2 50.Kxh6 Rxg4 51.Rxa2 Rg3 52.Kh5 Kf5 53.Kh4 Rxe3 54.Ra8 Rf3 55.Rf8+ Ke6 56.Re8+ Kd5 57.Rd8+ Kc4 58.Kg4 Rf1 59.Rc8+ Kd3 60.Rd8+ Ke2 61.Ra8 Rg1+ 0-1

Standings:

Grischuk at +2
Aronian, Svidler, Leko, Alekseev, Karjakin at +1

Grand Prix Nalchik R2

Svidler,Peter - Ivanchuk,Vassily [C78]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Be7 8.a4 0-0 9.Re1 d6 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.Nf1 h6 12.Ne3 Bf8 13.g4 Nd4 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.Nf5 d5 16.axb5 dxe4 17.dxe4 axb5 18.Rxa8 Qxa8 19.e5 Ne4 20.e6 fxe6 21.Nxd4 Rd8 22.Bxe6+ Kh8 23.g5 Rxd4 24.Qxd4 Bc5 25.Qe5 Bxf2+ 26.Kf1 Qf8 27.gxh6 Bxe1+ 28.Bf4 Nd2+ 29.Ke2 1-0

Aronian,Levon - Akopian,Vladimir [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5 Nbd7 7.b4 b6 8.Bb2 a5 9.a3 Be7 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Qc7 12.Qe2 axb4 13.axb4 Bb7 14.h3 bxc5 15.bxc5 Rxa1 16.Rxa1 Ra8 17.Qd1 Rxa1 18.Qxa1 h6 19.Qa4 Bd8 20.Na2 Qa5 21.Qxa5 Bxa5 22.Bc3 Bc7 23.Nd2 Kf8 24.Nb3 Ke7 25.Ba5 Kd8 26.Nb4 Nb8 27.Kf1 Bxa5 28.Nxa5 Kc7 29.Ke2 Bc8 30.Nb3 Ng8 31.f3 Ne7 32.e4 dxe4 33.fxe4 Nd7 34.Ke3 Bb7 35.Bc4 Nf6 36.Nd2 Nd7 37.Ba2 Kd8 38.Nc4 Nc8 39.Bb3 Kc7 40.e5 f6 41.Nd3 Ba6 42.Nf4 Nf8 43.Nd6 Kd7 44.Nh5 fxe5 45.dxe5 Ne7 46.g3 g5 47.Nf6+ Kc7 48.Nf7 Bf1 49.Nxh6 Bxh3 50.Ne4 g4 51.Kd4 Bg2 52.Nf6 Bd5 53.Bd1 Bf3 54.Bc2 Kd8 55.Ne4 Nd5 56.Nf2 Ne7 57.Bd3 Kc7 58.Be4 Bxe4 59.Kxe4 Nd7 60.Nd3 Nd5 61.Nxg4 Kd8 62.Nh2 Nc3+ 63.Ke3 Nd5+ 64.Kd4 Ne7 65.Ke4 Ng6 66.Nf3 Ke7 67.Nd4 Nb8 68.Kf3 Kf7 69.Kg4 Ne7 70.Kh5 Nf5 71.Ne2 Ne3 72.g4 Nd5 73.g5 Nd7 74.g6+ Kg7 75.Kg5 Kg8 76.Nef4 Nxf4 77.Kxf4 Kf8 78.Kg4 Kg8 79.Kh5 Kh8 80.Kh6 Kg8 81.Kg5 Kg7 82.Nf4 Nxe5 83.Nxe6+ Kg8 84.Kf6 Nd7+ 85.Kf5 Kh8 86.Kg5 Kg8 87.Kh6 Ne5 88.Nd4 Ng4+ 89.Kg5 Ne5 90.Nf5 Kh8 91.Kf6 Ng4+ 92.Ke6 Kg8 93.Ne7+ Kg7 94.Nxc6 1-0

Standings:
Aronian - 2
Grischuk, Svidler - 1.5

Grand Prix Nalchik R1

Grischuk Alexander - Gelfand Boris
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 c5 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.Rb1 Bc6 14.0-0 Nd7 15.Bb5 Qc7 16.Qd3 Rfc8 17.Rfd1 Rab8 18.a4 cxd4 19.exd4 Ba8 20.Qf5 Qxc3 21.Qxd7 Qc7 22.Qf5 Rb6 23.Ne5 g6 24.Qf4 Bg5 25.Qg4 a6 26.h4 Bf6 27.Bd3 Rxb1 28.Rxb1 h5 29.Qf4 Bxe5 30.dxe5 Re8 31.Rc1 Qd7 32.Bxa6 d4 33.Bc4 Qf5 34.Qxf5 gxf5 35.Rd1 Rxe5 36.Rxd4 Bc6 37.Bb3 Re1+ 38.Kh2 Rb1 39.Bd5 Bxd5 40.Rxd5 Rb4 41.g3 f4 42.a5 fxg3+ 43.fxg3 Ra4 44.Rxh5 Kg7 45.Rf5 Kg6 46.g4 f6 47.h5+ Kg7 48.g5 fxg5 49.Rxg5+ Kf6 50.Rb5 1-0

Mamedyarov Shakhriyar - Aronian Levon
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Na5 5.Nge2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.a4 Nxc4 8.dxc4 d6 9.b3 Be6 10.a5 c6 11.a6 b6 12.Ba3 Qc7 13.f4 Rad8 14.Kh1 Bc8 15.Bb2 Ng4 16.Qd3 exf4 17.Nxf4 Bh4 18.Qe2 Rfe8 19.h3 Ne5 20.Nd1 Bg5 21.Nh5 Qe7 22.Ne3 g6 23.Nf4 Nd7 24.Nh5 Qxe4 25.Qf2 f5 26.Ng4 gxh5 27.Nh6+ Bxh6 28.Qg3+ Kf7 29.Rae1 Rg8 30.Qf2 Qxg2+ 31.Qxg2 Rxg2 32.Kxg2 0-1

April 1 Rating List

1 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2812 17 1975
2 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2783 14 1969
3 Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2770 27 1990
4 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2759 0 1975
5 Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2756 27 1987
6 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2754 37 1982
7 Jakovenko, Dmitry g RUS 2753 5 1983
8 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2751 13 1977
9 Leko, Peter g HUN 2751 0 1979
10 Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2748 14 1983
11 Movsesian, Sergei g SVK 2747 23 1978
12 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2746 37 1969
13 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2745 0 1972
14 Wang, Yue g CHN 2738 38 1987

World Championship News

A FIDE Presidential Board meeting in Istanbul decided to postpone the World Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov until 2010 and opened the bidding process. Originally the match was scheduled for September this year. Translation: No bids were received

The Board also accepted the bid by UEP to stage the world chess championship cycle 2010-2011. In 2010, there will be a Candidate Matches/Tournament [so which is it?] consisting of Kamsky, the loser of the Anand-Topalov match, two players from the Grand Prix series, one player from the World Cup, the two highest rated players not already qualified and a player nominated by the organizer [I hate this idea, which has become so prevalent in recent years]. The winner will play the World Champion in 2011.

Linares Round 14 (Final) - All games drawn

Grischuk and Ivanchuk 1st-2nd at +2; Grischuk on tiebreak (most wins)
Carlsen 3rd at +1
Anand 4th with an even score

Linares Round 13

Ivanchuk,V (2779) - Aronian,L (2750) [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.b3 0-0 8.Be2 b6 9.0-0 Bb7 10.Bb2 Rc8 11.Rac1 c5 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Rfd1 Qe7 14.g3 Rfd8 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Nh4 Bb8 17.Bf1 Ne5 18.Bh3 Rc7 19.Bg2 d4 20.Nf5 Qe8 21.exd4 cxd4 22.Nxd4 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 g6 24.Ne4 Qe7 25.Nxf6+ Qxf6 26.Qe2 Rxc1 27.Rxc1 Qd6 28.Qe4 Qb4 29.Rc2 f5 30.Qe2 Qb7+ 31.Nc6 Re8 32.Kg1 Nf3+ 33.Qxf3 Re1+ 34.Kg2 Qb5 35.Rc4 1-0

Standings:
Ivanchuk, Grischuk at +2
Carlsen at +1

Linares Round 12

Carlsen,M (2776) - Grischuk,A (2733) [B84]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a4 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.f4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Bf8 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Qf2 e5 15.fxe5 dxe5 16.Nb3 Nb4 17.Ba7 Ra8 18.Bb6 Qe7 19.Rad1 Be6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 e4 22.d6 Qe6 23.Nc5 Qf5 24.Be2 Qxf2 25.Rxf2 Nbd5 26.a5 Nxb6 27.axb6 Rab8 28.Rxf6 gxf6 29.Nd7 f5 30.c4 a5 31.c5 Bg7 32.Nxb8 Rxb8 33.Ba6 Bf6 34.Bxb7 Rxb7 35.c6 Rxb6 36.Rc1 Bxb2 37.d7 1-0

Standings:
Grischuk at +2
Ivanchuk, Carlsen at +1

Linares Round 11

All games drawn

Linares Round 10

Carlsen,M (2776) - Wang Yue (2739) [D10]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.Bd2 Nbd7 (7...e6 8.h3 Bh5 9.g4 Bg6 10.Ne5) 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 b4 10.Na4 e5! 11.Rc1 Bd6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Qd1 0-0 15.Be2 a5 16.Rc2 Qe7 17.Bc1 Rad8 18.Bb2 Ng6 19.0-0 Ne4 20.Bd4 Nh4! 21.Bd3 (21.Bb6 Qg5 22.Bg4 h5! 23.Bxd8 Rxd8 24.f4 Qe7 25.Bxh5 Ng3 26.Re1 Nxh5 27.Qxh5 Bxf4 28.Qe2 Bg5) Nf5 22.Bb6 Rb8 23.Bxe4 (23.Qe2!? Qe5 24.g3 Rfc8 25.Rxc8+ Rxc8 26.Rd1 g6 27.Qf3 h5) Qxe4 24.Rd2 (24.Qe2 Nh4 25.f3 Qg6 26.Rd2 Rfe8) Rxb6! 25.Nxb6 Qe5 (25...Nxe3!? 26.fxe3 Qxe3+ 27.Rdf2 Qxb6 28.Kh1 Qe3 29.Qf3 Qe5 30.g3) 26.Re1? (26.g3! Nxg3 27.Re1 Ne4 28.f4 Qe6 29.Rg2 Bc5 30.Na4 Ba7 31.Qg4 g6 32.Qxe6 fxe6=) Qh2+ 27.Kf1 Qh1+ 28.Ke2 Qxg2 29.Rxd5 Ng3+ 30.Kd3 Bc7! 31.fxg3 Bxb6 32.Kc4 Rb8! 33.Kb5 Bd4+?! (33...Bd8+!) 34.Ka6 Bc7 35.Qd4 Qxh3 34.Kc4 Bf6 35.Qd3 Qxg3 36.Rd1 Qc7+ 37.Rc5 Qb7 38.Qd6? (38.Qd7! Qe4+ 39.Rd4 Qc2+ 40.Kd5 Qg2+ 41.e4 g6 42.Rc8+ Rxc8 43.Qxc8+ Kg7 44.Rd3) Qe4+ 39.Rd4 Qc2+ 40.Kd5 Qg2+ 41.e4 Rd8 42.Qxd8+ Bxd8 43.Rc8 g6 44.Rxd8+ Kg7 45.Rd3 Qc2 46.Kd4 a4 47.bxa4 Qxa2 48.Kc5 b3 49.Rb8 b2 50.Rdb3 Qxa4 51.Rxb2 Qxe4 52.R8b3 Kh6 53.Rc3 f5 54.Rbb3 Qe5+ 55.Kc4 Kh5 56.Kd3 Kh4 57.Kd2 f4 58.Rf3 g5 59.Rfd3 Qc5 60.Rbc3 Qf2+ 61.Kd1 Qf1+ 62.Kd2 Qg2+ 63.Kd1 Qe4 64.Kd2 h5 0-1

Radjabov,T (2761) - Aronian,L (2750) [A07]
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Bg4 3.Bg2 e6 4.0-0 Nd7 5.d4 c6 6.Nbd2 Ngf6 7.Re1 Be7 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 0-0 10.c3 Re8 11.Nxf6+ Bxf6?! 12.h3 Bh5 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Nd2! e5 15.d5 Qc7 16.d6 Qb8 17.Ne4 Bd8 18.Be3 Bb6 19.h4 h6 20.Bh3 Qd8 21.Bxh6! Nc5!? (21...gxh6 22.Bxd7 Qxd7? 23.Nf6+) 22.Nxc5 Qxd6 23.Nd7 Qxh6 24.Nxb6 axb6 25.Qxb6 Bf3 26.Qe3 Qh5 27.Bg2 Bxg2 28.Kxg2 Ra4 29.Qg5 Qxg5 30.hxg5 Kh7 (30...Rg4 31.f4!) 31.a3 Kg6 32.Rad1 Re6 33.Rd7 b5 34.Red1 Rc4 35.Rc7 e4 36.Rdd7 e3 37.fxe3 Rxe3 38.Rxf7 Rg4 39.Rxg7+ Kh5 40.Rh7+ Kg6 41.Rcg7+ Kf5 42.Rf7+ Kg6 43.Rhg7+ Kh5 44.Rf3 Re2+ 45.Kh3 Rxg5 46.g4+ Kh6 47.Rxg5 Kxg5 48.b3 Kg6 49.Kg3 Ra2 50.Kf4 Rxa3 51.b4 Kf7 (51...Ra1 52.Rd3) 52.Ke5+ Ke7 53.Rh3 Kd7 54.g5 Ra1 55.Rh7+ Ke8 56.Rc7 1-0

Standings:
Grischuk at +3
Ivanchuk at +1

Linares Round 9

Dominguez Perez,L (2717) - Carlsen,M (2776) [B78]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0-0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rb8 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 b5 14.g4 Nxb3+ 15.Nxb3 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Rb6 18.Rhe1 e5 19.dxe6 fxe6 20.Re3 Rf7 21.Nd2 d5 22.Nb3 Qc7 23.Kb1 Rb8 24.Rde1 Rc8 25.R1e2 Qb6 26.h4 d4 27.Re5 d3 28.cxd3 Rxf3 29.d4 Bb5 30.R2e3 Bd3+ 31.Ka1 Qxd4 32.Rxe6 Rf1+ 33.Re1 Qxg4 34.Rxf1 Qxe6 35.Nc5 Qe2 36.Rc1 Bf5 37.Qf4 a5 38.h5 Qe7 39.Qc4+ Be6 40.Qc2 Qg5 41.hxg6 hxg6 42.a3 bxa3 43.Qc3 axb2+ 44.Kxb2 Qd5 45.Rc2 a4 46.Ka1 a3 47.Qe3 Bf7 48.Qc3 g5 49.Qe3 Re8 50.Qc3 Re2 51.Nb3 Rxc2 52.Qxc2 Qe5+ 53.Kb1 Kg7 54.Qd2 Bxb3 0-1

Standings:
Grischuk at +3
Ivanchuk, Carlsen, Aronian at +1

Linares Round 8

Carlsen,M (2776) - Aronian,L (2750) [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 h6 8.Bd2 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.e4 Be7 12.g5 hxg5 13.Nxg5 b4 14.Na4 c5 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 Rc8 17.Qa4+ Bc6 18.Bb5 Bxb5 19.Qxb5+ Qd7 20.Qxd7+ Nxd7 21.Ke2 Rh4 22.Rac1 Rxc5 23.Rxc5 Bxc5 24.f4 e5 25.h3 exf4 26.Nf3 Rh6 27.Bxf4 Re6 28.Nd2 Bd4 29.Rb1 Ra6 30.a3 bxa3 31.bxa3 Rxa3 32.Nc4 Ra2+ 33.Kd3 Bf2 34.Bd6 Nb6 35.Bb4 Nxc4 36.Kxc4 Bb6 37.Kd5 Rg2 38.Rb3 Rg5+ 39.e5 Bc7 40.Bd6 Bxd6 41.Kxd6 Rg6+ 42.Kd5 Rb6 43.Rc3 Kd7 44.Rf3 Ke7 45.Rc3 Rb7 46.Rc6 g6 47.Ra6 Kf8 48.Ke4 Kg7 49.Kf4 Re7 50.Ra5 Kh6 51.Kg4 a6 52.Rxa6 Rxe5 53.Rb6 Re3 54.Ra6 f5+ 55.Kh4 Re4+ 56.Kg3 Kg5 57.Ra3 Re2 58.Kf3 Rh2 59.Kg3 Rb2 60.Ra8 Rb3+ 61.Kg2 Kf4 62.Ra4+ Ke3 63.h4 Rb6 64.Kg3 Rd6 65.Rf4 Rd1 66.Rf3+ Ke4 67.Rf4+ Ke5 68.Ra4 f4+ 69.Kg2 Rd2+ 70.Kf3 Rd3+ 71.Kg2 Rg3+ 72.Kh2 Kf5 73.Ra6 Re3 74.Ra5+ Re5 75.Ra2 Kg4 76.Rg2+ Kh5 77.Kh3 Ra5 78.Rg1 Ra3+ 79.Kh2 Ra6 80.Kh3 Ra5 81.Rg2 Rc5 82.Rg1 f3 83.Kg3 Rf5 84.Rf1 f2 85.Kh3 Rf3+ 86.Kg2 Kg4 87.h5 Rg3+ 88.Kh2 Kf3 89.Ra1 Rg2+ 90.Kh1 Rg5 91.Ra3+ Kf4 92.Ra4+ Kg3 93.Ra3+ Kh4 0-1

Standings:
Grischuk at +3
Aronian, Ivanchuk at +1

Topalov Wins Match 4.5-2.5

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nb3 Nc6 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 0-0 12.c3 Bd7 13.Qf3 Qb6N (13...Qc7) 14.Bb3 a5 15.Be3 Bc5 16.Rad1 a4 17.Bc2 Qxb2 18.Bg5 Nd5 19.c4 Bxd4 20.Qd3 f5 21.Qxd4 Qxc2 22.cxd5 Qxa2 23.Qb6 a3 24.Be7 (24.dxe6 Bc6) Rfe8 25.Qd6 Ba4 (25...Kf7!? 26.Rxe6) 26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Ra1 Qc4 28.Rec1!? (28.Rxa3 Bb3 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Qxf5 Qxd5=) Bc2! 29.Qd7 a2 30.d6 b5 31.Qb7 Reb8? (31...b4! 32.d7 Reb8! 33.d8Q+ Rxd8 34.Bxd8 Rxd8) 32.Qc7! Rc8?! (32...Bd3!! 33.Rxc4 bxc4 34.Qxb8+ Rxb8 35.h4 Rb1+ 36.Kh2 Rxa1 37.d7 Rh1+ 38.Kg3! h5 39.d8Q+ Kh7 40.Bf6! gxf6 41.Qe7+=) 33.Qxc4 Rxc4 34.d7 Bb1 (34...b4 35.Rxa2!) 35.Rd1 Kg8 36.d8Q+ Rxd8 37.Bxd8 Bc2 38.Rdc1 b4 39.Rxa2 b3 40.Ra8 Kf7 41.Rb8 Ke6 42.Re1+ Kd5 43.Be7 Ra4 44.Bf8 Ra7 45.h4 1-0

So we've had Kramnik-Topalov and Anand-Kramnik matches. A match between Anand and Topalov will round things out. And if Anand wins, perhaps we can get away from all the silly special privileges that FIDE has vested upon Topalov since 2006.

Linares Round 7

Aronian,L (2750) - Ivanchuk,V (2779) [E92]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 c6 8.d5 Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 c5 11.0-0 h5 12.Ne1 Nh6 13.f3 Nf7 14.Rb1 Bh6 15.Bf2 Na6 16.a3 b6 17.b4 f5 18.exf5 gxf5 19.f4 Bxf4 20.Bxh5 Bd7 21.Rb3 Qg5 22.b5 Nc7 23.Bxf7+ Rxf7 24.Ne2 Rg7 25.Nxf4 Qxf4 26.Bxc5 Qh6 27.Be3 f4 28.Bc1 Bg4 29.Qd2 Rf8 30.Nd3 Ne8 31.Nxf4 Rxf4 32.Rxf4 Qxf4 33.Qxf4 exf4 34.Bxf4 Rf7 35.g3 Re7 36.h3 Bxh3 37.Kf2 Nf6 38.g4 Bxg4 39.Re3 Ne4+ 40.Ke1 Kf7 41.a4 Nc5 42.Kd2 Rxe3 43.Kxe3 Ke7 44.Kd4 0-1
Standings:
Grischuk at +3
Ivanchuk, Carlsen at +1

Linares Round 6

Carlsen,M (2776) - Anand,V (2791) [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 Nxg4 8.Rg1 Qf6 9.Rxg4 Qxf3 10.Rxg7 Nf6 11.h3 Qf5 12.Qxf5 exf5 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Nb5 Bb4+ 15.Bd2 Bxd2+ 16.Kxd2 Ke7 17.Bd3 Be6 18.Nc7 Rag8 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 20.Rxg8 Nxg8 21.Ke2 Ne7 22.Kf3 Rc8 23.a4 Rc7 24.a5 h6 25.h4 Kf6 26.h5 Nc8 27.Kf4 Nd6 28.Rg1 Rc8 29.f3 Ke6 30.Rg7 Rh8 31.Bc2 Rc8 32.Bb3 Rh8 33.Rg1 Rc8 34.Rg7 Rh8 35.Rg2 Rc8 36.Rg1 Ne8 37.e4 fxe4 38.fxe4 Nf6 39.e5 Ne4 40.Ke3 b6 41.axb6 axb6 42.Kd3 Nf2+ 43.Ke2 Ne4 44.Ke3 f6 45.Rg6 Rc1 46.Rxh6 Rh1 47.Bc2 Rh3+ 48.Kf4 Rh4+ 49.Kf3 Nd2+ 50.Ke2 Rh2+ 51.Kd1 Nc4 52.Rxf6+ Ke7 53.Bg6 Rd2+ 54.Kc1 Rxd4 55.b3 Nxe5 56.Rxb6 Rh4 57.Bf5 Nf3 58.h6 Nd4 59.h7 Nxf5 60.Rb8 Nd4 61.Kb2 Kd6 62.h8Q Rxh8 63.Rxh8 Kc5 64.Rh5 Nc6 65.Rh4 Nb4 66.Ka3 d4 67.Rh5+ Nd5 68.Kb2 Kc6 69.Ka3 Kc5 70.Rh4 Nb4 71.Rh8 Nc6 72.Rh5+ Kd6 73.b4 d3 74.Rh3 Ne5 75.Kb3 d2 76.Kc2 Nc6 77.Rh4 Kd5 1-0

Grischuk,A (2733) - Aronian,L (2750) [D43]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Ne5 h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 15.b3 0-0 16.bxc4 Nh7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rad1 Qxh4 19.cxb5 cxb5 20.Nxb5 Rac8 21.Qd3 Rfd8 22.d5 exd5 23.Qd4+ Kg8 24.Qxa7 Qe7 25.e5 Qxe5 26.Qxb7 Rb8 27.Qc7 Qxe2 28.Nd4 Qc4 29.Qe5 Re8 30.Qxh5 Rb6 31.Nf5 Rbe6 32.Ne3 Qxa2 33.Nxg4 Qe2 34.Qh4 Qc4 35.f4 Rg6 36.Rf3 Qc5+ 37.Kh1 Qe7 38.Qh3 Qd6 39.f5 Rg5 40.Nh6+ Kf8 41.Nxf7 Qf6 42.Nxg5 Nxg5 43.Qh4 Re7 44.Rh3 Qxf5 45.Qh8+ Kf7 46.Rh5 Re8 47.Qh6 Rg8 48.Qd6 Rg6 49.Qxd5+ Qxd5 50.Rxd5 Ne4 51.Rhf5+ Kg7 52.Rd7+ Kh6 53.Rf4 Ng3+ 54.Kh2 Nh5 55.Ra4 Nf6 56.Rdd4 Rg5 57.Rf4 Rg6 58.Rf3 Nh7 59.Rh3+ 1-0

Standings:
Grischuk at +3
Carlsen, Aronian at +1

Topalov-Kamsky Game 6

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.Nd2 Nbc6 9.N2f3 Bg4 10.0-0 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 g6!? 12.c4?! (12.Qd2 Bg7 13.Bf4 0-0 14.Rfe1 Qc7 15.Bd3 Rac8 16.h4) Bg7 13.cxd5 Nxd5 14.Bc5 Bf8 15.Qc1 Rc8! 16.Bxf8 Nd4 17.Qd1 Nxe2+ 18.Qxe2 Kxf8 19.Rac1 Kg7 20.h4 Qb6 21.g3 h6 22.a3 Rc5 23.Rc2 Rhc8 24.Rfc1 a5 25.Qd2 Rxc2 26.Rxc2 Rc5 27.Qc1 Rxc2 28.Qxc2 Ne7 29.Qc3 Nc6 30.b3 Qd8 31.a4 Qd1+ 32.Kg2 Qe2 33.Qe3 Qd1 (33...Qxe3 34.fxe3) 34.Nd2 Nb4 35.Nc4 Nc2 36.Qd2 Qb1 37.Qf4 Ne1+ 38.Kh2 Qxb3 39.Qf6+ Kg8 40.Qd8+ Kh7 41.Qf6 Kg8 (41...Qf3 42.Qxf3 Nxf3+ 43.Kh3 Nd4 44.Nxa5 b5=) 42.Qd8+ Kh7 43.Qf6 Kg8 draw

Linares Round 5

All games drawn

Topalov-Kamsky Game 5

Topalov leads 3-2

1.e4 e6 [Kamsky had never played the French opening in a recorded game. - Marin] 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.c4 Bd6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.exd5 exd5 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nf3 0-0 14.Qd3 Qd7 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Be3 [16.Nd4 Be5; 16.Bg5 f6 17.Be3 Be5] a5 [16...Nf5 17.Bg5! f6? 18.Qxd5+ Kh8 19.Bf4] 17.g3 h6 18.Bb6 Rdc8 19.Bd4 Bc5 20.Bc3 Bb4 21.Be5 Bd6 22.Rd2 Bxe5 23.Nxe5 Qd6 [23...Qb7 24.Qf3 Rf8 25.Re1 Ra6] 24.Re1 Rc7 25.Qf3 Rf8 26.Kg2 [26.h4!?] Rb7?! [26...g6!? 27.h4 h5] 27.h4! Qb4 28.Ree2 Qa4 29.b3 Qb4 30.Nd3 Qd6 31.h5 Rc7 32.Nf4 d4? [32...Rd8] 33.Re4 Nc6 34.Nd3 Rd8 35.Rc2 Nb4? [A terrible blunder. - Marin] 36.Nxb4 axb4 37.Rxd4! Qf8? [37...Rxc2? 38.Rxd6 Rxd6 39.Qa8+ Kh7 40.Qe4+; 37...Qxd4 38.Rxc7 Qd5] 38.Rxd8 Qxd8 39.Rxc7 Qxc7 40.Qa8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ Kg8 42.Qxb4 Qc6+ 43.Kg1 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Qc2 45.Qe1 Kf8 46.a3 Qb2 47.Qb4+ Kg8 48.Kg2 Qe5 49.Qg4 Qb2 50.Qc8+ Kh7 51.Qc4 Qxa3 52.Qxf7 Qb4 53.Qc4 Qb7+ 54.Kg1 Qf3 55.g4 1-0

Linares Round 4

Anand,V (2791) - Wang Yue (2739) [D15]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.a4 e6 6.g3 dxc4 7.Bg2 c5 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 Bxc5 10.Ne5 Nd5 11.Ne3 Nxe3 12.Bxe3 Bxe3 13.fxe3 c3 14.b4 Nd7 15.Nd3 Rb8 16.0-0 b5 17.axb5 Rxb5 18.Rfc1 Ne5 19.Nxe5 Rxe5 20.Rxc3 0-0 21.Bc6 Rd8 22.e4 Kf8 23.Kf2 Ke7 24.b5 axb5 25.Ra7+ Kf6 26.Rf3+ Kg6 27.Rfxf7 Rg8 28.Rfc7 Rh5 29.h4 Kf6 30.Ra8 Rc5 31.Rcxc8 Rxc8 32.Rxc8 b4 33.Bd7 1-0

Radjabov,T (2761) - Grischuk,A (2733) [E17]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.d5 exd5 7.Nh4 c6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nf5 0-0 10.e4 Nc7 11.Bf4 d5 12.Qg4 Ne6 13.Nc3 Kh8 14.Be5 Bf6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.0-0-0 Nd7 17.f4 Ndc5 18.e5 Qg6 19.Qh3 f6 20.Nh4 Qh6 21.Nf3 Qxh3 22.Bxh3 Nc7 23.b4 N5a6 24.b5 cxb5 25.Rhe1 b4 26.Ne2 Bc8 27.Bg2 Bf5 28.Nfd4 fxe5 29.fxe5 Be4 30.Bxe4 dxe4 31.Nf4 Nc5 32.h4 Rae8 33.e6 a5 34.Kb1 N7xe6 35.Ndxe6 Nxe6 36.Nd5 Nc5 37.Nxb6 h6 38.Nc4 Rf2 39.Rd5 Na4 40.Rxa5 Nc3+ 41.Ka1 0-1

Aronian,L (2750) - Dominguez Perez,L (2717) [D27]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 a6 6.0-0 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nbd2 Ke7 10.b3 Nbd7 11.Be2 b6 12.Ne1 a5 13.Bb2 Rd8 14.a4 Ba6 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Nd3 Ne5 17.Nxc5 bxc5 18.Bc3 Rd3 19.Rac1 Ned7 20.e4 c4 21.b4 axb4 22.Bxb4+ Kd8 23.a5 Ne5 24.Nxc4 Nc6 25.Bc3 Nxe4 26.Bxg7 Ke7 27.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 f6 29.Bh6 e5 30.Kf1 Nd4 31.Rb1 Rc6 32.Rb4 Nf5 33.Nb6 Nc5 34.Bd2 Na6 35.Rb3 Ke6 36.g4 Nd4 37.Rh3 Rc2 38.Be3 Ra2 39.Rh6 Nc5 40.Nc4 Ra4 41.Nd2 Rxa5 42.Rxh7 Ra4 43.h4 Nd3 44.Rh6 Ra1+ 45.Kg2 Ne1+ 46.Kh3 Ke7 47.Ne4 Nef3 48.Ng3 Ne6 49.Rh7+ Kf8 50.Rh6 Ke7 51.Nf5+ Kf7 52.Rh7+ Kf8 53.Rb7 Ra3 54.Rb6 Kf7 55.Nh6+ Ke7 56.Rb7+ Kd8 57.Nf7+ Ke8 58.Nd6+ Kf8 59.Rf7+ Kg8 60.Rxf6 Nf4+ 61.Kg3 Nd2 62.g5 Nf1+ 63.Kg4 Nxe3+ 64.fxe3 Rxe3 65.Nf7 Re1 66.Nxe5 Nd5 67.Rg6+ Kh7 68.Rh6+ Kg7 69.Nf3 Re4+ 70.Kg3 Ne3 71.Rf6 Rg4+ 72.Kh3 Re4 73.Rc6 Nf5 74.h5 Rf4 75.Kg2 Rg4+ 76.Kf2 Kg8 77.Rc8+ Kg7 78.Rc6 Kg8 79.Rb6 Kh7 80.Ra6 Kg8 81.h6 Re4 82.Rf6 Ne3 83.Kg3 Nd5 84.Rf5 Ne7 85.Re5 Rxe5 86.Nxe5 Kh7 87.Kg4 Nd5 88.Nd3 Ne7 89.Nf4 Ng8 90.Kh5 Kh8 91.Nd5 Kh7 92.Nf6+ 1-0

Standings:
Aronian and Grischuk at +2
Anand at +1

Topalov-Kamsky Game 4

Kamsky strikes back; match tied 2-2

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Ng5 Re7 13.d5 Nb8 14.Nf1 Nbd7 15.Ng3 g6 16.Bc2 h6 17.Nf3 Nb6 18.h4 Qd7 19.Nh2 Bg7 20.h5 Rf8 21.Nhf1 c6 22.dxc6 Qxc6 23.Ne3 Kh7 24.Qf3 Bc8 25.Rd1 Be6 26.b3 Qxc3 27.Bd2 Qc7 28.Ba5 Qb8 29.Rd2 Nc8 30.Rad1 b4 31.Qe2 Kh8 32.Bd3 Na7 33.Rc1 Nb5 34.Bxb5 axb5 35.Bxb4 Rd7 36.Rc6 Rfd8 37.Qd1 Bf8 38.Qc2 Kh7 39.Ba5 Re8 40.hxg6+ fxg6 41.Bc7 Qb7 42.Bxd6 Bf7 43.Bb4 Bxb4 44.Rxd7 Qxd7 45.Rxf6 Re6 46.Nd5 Bf8 47.Rf3 Kg7 48.Rc3 Ra6 49.Rc7 Qd6 50.Qe2 Kg8 51.Qxb5 Rxa2 52.Qb7 Ra1+ 53.Kh2 Bxd5 54.exd5 Qf6 55.Qc8 Qh4+ 56.Qh3 Qxh3+ 57.Kxh3 Rd1 58.Ne4 Ba3 59.Ra7 Bb4 60.Rb7 Ba3 61.f3 Kf8 62.Rb5 h5 63.Kg3 Rc1 64.Rb8+ Kf7 65.Rb7+ Kf8 66.Kf2 Rc2+ 67.Kf1 Rc1+ 68.Ke2 Rc2+ 69.Kd3 Rxg2 70.Ra7 Be7 71.d6 Bd8 72.Nc5 Ke8 73.Rh7 1-0

Linares Round 3

All games drawn; Aronian and Grischuk in lead at +1

Linares Round 2

Anand,V (2791) - Aronian,L (2750) [D47]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.a3 a6 12.Ng5 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1 Qxg5 15.f3 Ngf6 16.e4 Qh4 17.Be3 e5 18.Ne2 Nh5 19.Qd2 h6 20.Rfd1 Rae8 21.Bc2 Re6 22.Bf2 Qe7 23.g4 Rg6 24.Kf1 Nhf6 25.Ng3 Nxg4 26.fxg4 Qh4 27.Nf5 Qxg4 28.Qc3 Re8 29.Qg3 Qh5 30.Qh4 Qf3 31.Rd3 Qg2+ 32.Ke2 exd4 33.Rg3 Rxg3 34.Qxg3 Rxe4+ 35.Kd2 Rg4 36.Qxg2 Rxg2 37.Ke2 c5 38.Rg1 Ne5 39.Rxg2 Bxg2 40.Kd2 h5 41.b4 Nc4+ 42.Kc1 Nxa3 43.Bd1 cxb4 44.Bxh5 g6 45.Ne7+ Kf8 46.Nxg6+ fxg6 47.Bxg6 Ke7 48.Bxd4 Kd6 49.Bd3 Nc4 50.Bg7 a5 51.Be2 Be4 52.Bf6 a4 53.Bg7 Kd5 0-1

Grischuk,A (2733) - Wang Yue (2739) [D17]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Nb6 8.Ne5 a5 9.e3 g6 10.Bd3 Be6 11.0-0 Bg7 12.f4 Nfd7 13.Nf3 c5 14.Ng5 cxd4 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Ne4 0-0 17.Qg4 Rf5 18.Qh3 Nc5 19.Nxc5 Rxc5 20.Qxe6+ Kh8 21.e4 Rac8 22.e5 R8c6 23.Qf7 Nd5 24.Bd2 Qf8 25.Qxf8+ Bxf8 26.Rac1 e6 27.Kf2 b6 28.Kf3 Kg7 29.g3 Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Rxc1 31.Bxc1 Kf7 32.Bc4 Ne3 33.b3 Bc5 34.Ke2 h5 35.Bb2 g5 36.fxg5 Ng4 37.Bd3 Nxe5 38.Be4 Ng4 39.h3 Ne3 40.Bc1 e5 41.Bxe3 dxe3 42.h4 Kg7 43.Kf3 Kf7 44.Bd3 Bd4 45.Be2 Kg7 46.Ke4 Kg6 47.Bd1 Bc3 48.Kxe3 Kf5 49.Bxh5 Be1 50.Kf3 e4+ 51.Kg2 Bc3 52.Be2 Be1 53.Kh3 Bf2 54.Bb5 Be1 55.Bd7+ Ke5 56.Kg4 e3 57.Bb5 Kd5 1-0

Topalov-Kamsky Game 3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 [One of the points behind this move order is to avoid the possible structural damage after 7.Nf3 Nfd7 8.Be3 Nb6 9.Qb3 Bg4 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.d5 Ne5 - Marin] a6 8.Bf4 b5!? 9.Qxc7 Qxc7 10.Bxc7 b4 11.Na4 Nc6 12.d5 Nd4 13.Bd3 Bd7 14.Nb6 Bb5! 15.Be5 [15.Bxb5 axb5 16.Nxa8 is too risky because of 16...Nc2+ 17.Kd1 Nxa1 18.Nb6 Nxe4 - Marin] Nxe4 [15...Bxd3 would have offered him chances to fight for the initiative, for instance 16.Bxd4 Rab8 17.e5 Rxb6 18.Bxb6 Nxd5 19.Bd4 Rc816.Bxg7 Kxg7 - Marin] 17.Bxe4 Rab8 18.0-0-0 Nf5 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.d6 Rxb6 21.dxe7 Re8 [It is difficult to say whether the intermediate 21...Rc8+ would have been better. - Marin] 22.Nf3 Rxe7 23.Nd4 Bd7 24.Rhe1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rh6! [25...Rd6 26.Rd1] 26.Re7 [26.h3 f4] Rd6! 27.Ne2 Kf6 28.Re3 Ba4 29.b3 Bc6 30.Nf4 a5 31.g3 Be4 32.f3 Bc6 33.h4 Rd4 34.Kc2 Bb5 35.Nh5+ Kg6 36.Nf4+ Kf6 37.Nh5+ Draw

Linares Round 1

Anand,V (2791) - Radjabov,T (2761) [B33]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.0-0 0-0 14.c4 f5 15.Qf3 d5 16.cxd5 fxe4 17.Bxe4 Rb8 18.Rfd1 f5 19.d6 Qf6 20.Bc6 Be6 21.Bd5 Rbd8 22.Qb3 Bf7 23.Nc2 Rxd6 24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Rxd6 Qxd6 26.Ne3 f4 27.Rd1 Qg6 28.Nd5 Bf8 29.f3 Kh8 30.Nc3 Rg7 31.Rd2 Bc5+ 32.Kf1 Bd4 33.Ne4 Rc7 34.Rc2 Rc6 35.Qd3 Kg7 36.b3 h6 37.g4 fxg3 38.hxg3 Qe6 39.Kg2 Qc8 40.Rxc6 Qxc6 41.Qd2 Qe6 42.g4 Qc6 43.Ng3 Kh7 44.Nf5 Bb6 45.Qd3 Kh8 46.Qe2 Bc7 47.Qd2 Kh7 48.Ne7 Qc5 49.Qd3+ Kh8 50.Qd7 e4 51.Qe8+ Kg7 52.Nf5+ Kf6 53.Qxe4 Bb6 54.Kh3 h5 55.g5+ Kxg5 56.Ne7 Kf6 57.Nd5+ Kg7 58.Qe5+ Kh6 59.Qf6+ Kh7 60.Qf7+ Kh6 61.Ne7 1-0

Topalov-Kamsky Game 2

Topalov draws first blood with Black

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Nxe5 Nxe4 6.Qe2 Nxe5 7.d4 Qe7 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Nc3 Ng6 10.Qh5 c6 11.Bg5 f6 12.Rae1 Ne6 13.Bd3 0-0 14.Bd2 d5 15.f4 Qc5+ 16.Kh1 d4 17.Bf5 Rf7 18.Ne4 Qd5 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.Nd6 Rc7 22.c4 dxc3 23.Bxc3 d4 24.Bb4 Bd7 25.Rf2 a5 26.Ba3 b5 27.b3 b4 28.Bb2 Ra6 29.Ne4 Rac6 30.Kg1 Rc2 31.g3 d3 32.Rd1 f5 0-1

Topalov-Kamsky Game 1

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Qd2 e5 13.Bh6 cxd4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.cxd4 exd4 16.f4 f6 17.e5 N [17.Rac1 ... Cheparinov-Kamsky] Bd7 18.exf6+ Qxf6 19.Ng3 Kh8 20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.Rxf5 Qd6 23.Raf1 Nc6 24.Ne4 Qe7 25.Qh6 Rxf5 26.Rxf5 Ne5 27.h3 Ng6 28.Rh5 Rg8 29.Nf6 Rg7 30.Nxh7 Rxh7 31.Qxg6 Qe3+ 32.Kf1 Qc1+ 33.Kf2 Qd2+ 34.Kg3 Qe3+ 35.Kh2 Qf4+ 36.Kg1 Qc1+ Draw

Wijk aan Zee Round 13 (Final)

Karjakin beats Dominguez, wins tournament!

Wang Yue (2739) - Carlsen,M (2776) [D45]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.Rd1 Qc8 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.Rxd5 Be7 15.e4 0-0 16.Bg5 Re8 17.Rad1 Nf8 18.Qc4 Qe6 19.b3 h6 20.Bf4 Ng6 21.Bg3 Bf8 22.Nd2 Ne7 23.Rd3 Nc6 24.Qxe6 Rxe6 25.a4 a6 26.f3 b5 27.Bf2 Rc8 28.axb5 axb5 29.Nf1 Nb4 30.Rc3 Ra6 31.Ne3 Ra3 32.Be1 Nc6 33.Rb1 Rca8 34.Kf1 Nd4 35.Rd3 Ra2 36.b4 R8a3 37.Rbd1 Ne6 38.bxc5 Bxc5 39.Rxa3 Rxa3 40.Nd5 Rb3 41.h4 b4 42.f4 Rb2 43.f5 Nd4 44.Bxb4 Bxb4 45.Rxd4 Rb1+ 46.Ke2 Rb2+ 47.Kf3 Be1 48.h5 Rf2+ 49.Ke3 Rxg2 50.Ra4 Bh4 51.Ra8+ Kh7 52.Rf8 Bg5+ 53.Kf3 Rh2 54.Rxf7 Kg8 55.Ra7 Rxh5 56.e5 Rh3+ 57.Ke4 Rh1 58.e6 Re1+ 59.Kd4 h5 60.Kc5 Re5 61.f6 Bxf6 62.Kd6 Rf5 63.Nxf6+ Rxf6 64.Kd7 h4 65.e7 Rf7 66.Kd8 Kh7 67.Ra6 1-0

Dominguez Perez,L (2717) - Karjakin,Sergey (2706) [B90]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bc1 Nf6 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 g5 11.Bg3 Bg7 12.h3 Nf6 13.Qe2 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxe5 0-0 17.g4 a5 18.h4 Bxg4 19.f3 Bf5 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.Qe3 a4 22.Qxg5 Bg6 23.Bd3 a3 24.b4 Qb6 25.Rh4 Nh7 26.Rxh7 Kxh7 27.0-0-0 Qxb4 28.Rh1+ Kg8 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.Qh6+ Kf6 31.Ne4+ Ke6 32.Rd1 Qb2+ 33.Kd2 Kd7 34.Qf4 Rfd8 35.Ke2 Ke8 36.Rh1 Ra5 37.Qc7 Rad5 38.Ke3 Kf8 39.c3 Rxd3+ 40.Kf4 f6 41.Rh8+ Kf7 0-1

Morozevich,A (2771) - Ivanchuk,V (2779) [D10]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.Bd2 e6 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Ba3 10.Bd3 0-0 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Rc8 13.Qe2 Re8 14.c5 Bb4 15.a3 Bxc3 16.Bxc3 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Bf5 Ra8 19.Bd4 Qe7 20.Bb1 a5 21.Qb2 a4 22.f4 Ned7 23.b4 Qf8 24.g4 Ne4 25.g5 f5 26.gxf6 Ndxf6 27.Kh2 g6 28.Rg1 Kf7 29.Qg2 Qh6 30.Rdf1 Qh5 31.Qb2 Ra7 32.Rg5 Qh4 33.Qg2 Rae7 34.Bc2 Kf8 35.Re5 Rf7 36.Rxe8+ Kxe8 37.f5 g5 38.Bxe4 Nxe4 39.f6 h5 40.Rf4 gxf4 41.Qg8+ Rf8 42.Qe6+ Kd8 43.Qe7+ Kc8 44.Qxf8+ Kd7 45.Qe7+ 1-0

Final Standings:
1st - Karjakin at +3 with 8/13
2nd (tie) - Aronian, Radjabov, Movsesian at +2 with 7.5/13
5th (tie) - Carlsen, Dominguez at +1 with 7/13