FIDE Championship Round 4

Kramnik (2769) - Grischuk (2726)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Ra7 11.a3 Nbd7 12.Ba5 Qa8 13.Qxc7 Rc8 14.Qf4 Rc2 15.Nbd2 Rxb2 16.Rfc1 Nd5 17.Qe4 b4 18.Qd3 bxa3 19.Nc4 Bc6 20.Nxa3 Bb5 21.Nc4 Bb4 22.Qd1 Bxc4 23.Rxc4 Bxa5 24.Rxa5 Qb8 25.Nd2 N5b6 26.Rc1 g6 27.Ne4 Rb5 28.Ra2 a5 29.Nc5 Qd6 30.Nb7 Qb8 31.Qd3 Rh5 32.Nc5 Nd5 33.Qc4 N5b6 34.Qc3 Nd5 35.Qa1 Nxc5 36.Rxc5 Nb4 37.Raxa5 Nc2 38.Rxa7 Nxa1 39.Ra8 Qxa8 40.Bxa8 Rxc5 41.dxc5 Kf8 42.c6 Ke7 43.c7 Kd7 44.Bc6+ Kxc7 45.Ba4 Kb6 46.Kg2 Kc5 47.Kf3 Kb4 48.Be8 f6 49.Bf7 Nb3 50.e3 Nc5 51.h4 Kc3 52.Bg8 h6 53.Bf7 g5 54.Kg4 Ne4 55.hxg5 hxg5 56.Bxe6 Nxf2+ 57.Kf5 Kd3 58.Kxf6 Ne4+ 59.Kg6 Nxg3 60.Kxg5 Kxe3 1/2-1/2

Morozevich (2758) - Anand (2792)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 a6 10.e4 c5 11.d5 c4 12.Bc2 Qc7 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.Nd4 Nc5 15.Be3 e5 16.Nf5 g6 17.Nh6 Bg7 18.Qf3 Ne6 19.Qh3 Bc8 20.Qh4 Qe7 21.Rfe1 Nd5 22.Qxe7+ Nxe7 23.Nd5 Bb7 24.Ng4 Nd4 25.Bd1 Nxd5 26.exd5 0-0-0 27.Bg5 Rxd5 28.b3 c3 29.Ne3 Rc5 30.Rc1 Rc7 31.b4 Kb8 32.h3 h6 33.Bh4 Nf5 34.Nxf5 gxf5 35.Bc2 Rc4 36.Be7 e4 37.Bb3 Rd4 38.Bc5 Rd3 39.Be6 Bc8 40.Bb3 Re8 41.Bf7 Re5 42.Be3 Re7 43.Bg6 Be6 44.h4 Bxa2 45.Bxf5 Bd5 46.Bc5 Re8 47.f3 Kb7 48.fxe4 Bc6 49.Kf2 Rd2+ 50.Ke3 Be5 51.Kf3 Red8 52.Re3 Rg8 53.g4 Rh2 54.h5 Rd8 55.g5 Rxh5 56.Be7 Re8 57.Kg4 Rh2 58.Bf6 Rg2+ 59.Kh3 Rh2+ 60.Kg4 Rg2+ 61.Kh3 1/2-1/2

Aronian (2750) - Leko (2751)

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.a3 Be7 7.e4 0-0 8.Nf3 d6 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bf4 Ne5 12.Nd2 Ng6 13.Bg3 Rc8 14.Re1 a6 15.Rc1 Qc7 16.b4 Qb8 17.Bf1 Rfd8 18.Qe2 Nd7 19.Qe3 h6 20.Nf3 Ba8 21.Red1 Nde5 22.Nd2 Ng4 23.Qe2 N4e5 24.f4 Nd7 25.Nf3 Bf6 26.Qe3 Re8 27.Be1 Bd8 28.e5 dxe5 29.Rxd7 exf4 30.Qe2 e5 31.Ne4 Be7 32.c5 bxc5 33.bxc5 Bc6 34.Rdd1 Bb5 35.Qb2 Qa7 36.Bxb5 axb5 37.Bf2 Qa8 38.Nd6 e4 39.Nxe8 Rxe8 40.Nd4 Bf6 41.c6 e3 42.Be1 f3 43.gxf3 Nf4 44.Bg3 Ne6 45.Qb4 1-0

Kramnik and Anand remain in the lead

FIDE Championship Round 3

Morozevich (2758) - Svidler (2735) [C45]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4 0-0 8.0-0 Ne5 9.Bb3 d6 10.f3 Be6 11.Kh1 Bc4 12.Rf2 d5 13.Bc2 dxe4 14.Nd2 Bd3 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.fxe4 Qg6 17.Rf4 Nc4 18.Bg1 Qh6 19.Rf3 Qd2 20.Qb1 Bb6 21.Bb3 Bxd4 22.cxd4 Na5 23.Bc2 Rad8 24.Rc3 Nac6 25.d5 Nb4 26.Bb3 Na6 27.Be3 Qe2 28.Bc4 Qg4 29.h3 Qh4 30.Bxa6 bxa6 31.Rxc7 f5 32.Bc5 Rfe8 33.d6 Ng6 34.exf5 Nf4 35.Qc2 Re2 36.Qb3+ Kh8 37.Rg1 1-0

Anand (2792) - Kramnik (2769) [C42]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.Qa4 Bd7 17.Qc2 Qf5 18.Qxf5 Bxf5 19.Bb5 Bd7 20.d5 Ne5 21.Bxd7 Nxd7 22.Bxc7 Rxc7 23.d6 Rxc3 24.dxe7 f6 25.Rad1 Rc7 26.Nd4 Ne5 27.f4 Nc6 28.Nxc6 bxc6 29.Rd6 c5 30.Ree6 c4 31.Rc6 Rexe7 32.Rxc4 Rxc4 33.Rxe7 Ra4 34.Rb7 h6 35.f5 Rxa3 36.Kf2 h5 37.g3 a5 38.Ra7 a4 39.h4 Ra2+ 40.Kf3 a3 41.Ke3 Ra1 42.Kf2 Kf8 43.Kg2 a2 44.Kh2 Ke8 45.Kg2 Kd8 46.Kh2 Kc8 47.Kg2 Kb8 48.Ra3 Kb7 49.Ra4 Kb6 50.Ra8 Kc5 51.Ra7 Kd5 52.Ra4 Ke5 53.Ra5+ Ke4 54.Kh2 Kf3 55.Ra3+ Kf2 56.Ra4 Kf1 57.Kh1 Ke1 58.Kg2 Kd1 59.Ra7 Rc1 60.Rxa2 Rc2+ 61.Rxc2 Kxc2 62.Kf3 Kd3 63.g4 hxg4+ 64.Kxg4 Ke4 65.Kh5 Kxf5 1/2-1/2

Leko (2751) - Gelfand (2733) [C42]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Qd2 Ne5 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.h3 Nxf3 11.gxf3 Bf5 12.h4 Re8 13.h5 Bf6 14.Rg1 Qe7 15.Kb1 d5 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Rad8 18.Rg4 Kh8 19.a3 b6 20.Rdg1 h6 21.Qd2 Kh7 22.Bd4 Rg8 23.Re1 Qd6 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Qd3+ Kh8 26.Qa6 Rxg4 27.fxg4 Qc6 28.Re7 Qd6 29.Re3 Qc6 30.Qd3 Kg7 31.Re7 Kf8 32.Re1 Kg7 33.f4 Qd6 34.Qf3 c5 35.Qf2 d4 36.Rd1 Qe6 37.Re1 Qd5 38.Rd1 Qe6 39.Qg1 Qe4 40.g5 fxg5 41.fxg5 d3 42.cxd3 Rxd3 43.Rxd3 Qxd3+ 44.Ka1 Qf5 45.g6 fxg6 46.hxg6 h5 47.Qg3 Qf1+ 48.Ka2 Qc4+ 49.Ka1 Qf1+ 50.Ka2 Qc4+ 51.Ka1 Qg4 52.Qc7+ Kxg6 53.Qxa7 Qd1+ 54.Ka2 Qd5+ 55.Ka1 Qd1+ 56.Ka2 Qd6 57.Qa8 Qe6+ 58.Ka1 Qe1+ 59.Ka2 Qe6+ 60.Ka1 h4 61.Qg2+ Kh5 62.Qf3+ Kg5 63.Qg2+ Kh5 64.Qf3+ Kg5 65.Qg2+ Qg4 66.Qd2+ Kf5 67.Qd5+ Kf4 68.Qd6+ Kf3 69.Qf6+ Kg2 70.Qc6+ Qf3 71.Qg6+ Kf1 72.Qxb6 h3 73.Qd6 Qf2 74.Qd3+ Kg2 75.Qd5+ Kg1 76.Ka2 Qf4 77.Qxc5+ Kf1 78.Qb5+ Ke1 79.Qd5 h2 80.c4 Qh4 81.Qe5+ Kd1 82.Qd5+ Ke2 83.Qe5+ Kd1 84.Qd5+ Kc1 85.Qh1+ Kd2 86.Qd5+ Ke3 87.Qe5+ Kf3 88.Qf5+ Qf4 89.Qd3+ Kf2 90.Qd5 Kg1 91.Qg8+ Kf2 92.Qd5 Qf3 93.Qd2+ Kg1 94.Qg5+ Kf1 95.Qc1+ Kf2 96.Qd2+ Kg3 97.Qg5+ Kh3 98.Qh6+ Kg3 99.Qg5+ Qg4 100.Qd5 Qf3 1/2-1/2

Kramnik and Anand tied, 1/2 point lead over Leko, Gelfand, Grischuk and Morozevich.

FIDE Championship Round 2

Kramnik (2769) - Morozevich (2758) [E04]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nd5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 b5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.b3 c6 12.e4 f6 13.exd5 fxe5 14.bxc4 exd4 15.dxc6 Be6 16.cxb5 d3 17.c7 Qd4 18.Qa4 Nd7 19.Be3 Qd6 20.Bxa8 Rxa8 21.Bf4 Qf8 22.b6 Ne5 23.Bxe5 Qf3 24.Qd1 Qe4 25.b7 Rf8 26.c8Q Bd5 27.f3 1-0

Aronian (2750) - Anand (2792) [D43]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3b5 9.Ne5 h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg715.Rad1 0-0 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 c5 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.Kh1 a6 20.a4 Bc621.Nd5 exd5 22.exd5 Be5 23.f4 Bg7 24.dxc6 Nxc5 25.Rd5 Ne4 26.Be1Qe6 27.Rxh5 f5 28.Kh2 Rac8 29.Bb4 Rfe8 30.axb5 axb5 31.Re1 Qf732.Rg5 Nxg5 33.fxg5 Rxc6 34.Bf1 Rxe1 35.Bxe1 Re6 36.Bc3 Qc7+ 37.g3Re3 38.Qg2 Bxc3 39.bxc3 f4 40.Qa8+ Kg7 41.Qa6 fxg3+ 0-1

Svidler (2735) - Leko (2751) [C89]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Qe2 Bg4 16.Qf1 Qh5 17.Nd2 Rae8 18.Rxe8 Rxe8 19.f3 Bf5 20.Ne4 Bc7 21.Bd2 Qg6 22.Re1 Bxe4 23.Rxe4 Rxe4 24.Bc2 f5 25.fxe4 fxe4 26.Qg2 Nf6 27.Qh3 Ng4 28.Bb3+ Kf8 29.Bd1 e3 30.Bc1 h5 31.Bxg4 hxg4 32.Qf1+ Ke8 33.Bxe3 Kd7 34.Qe2 Qf5 35.b3 g6 36.Bf2 Bd6 37.c4 bxc4 38.bxc4 Bc7 39.d5 cxd5 40.cxd5 Bd6 41.a4 Qb1+ 42.Kg2 Qf5 43.Kg1 1/2-1/2

FIDE Championship Round 1

Four grandmaster draws; the longest game lasted 28 moves.

Swedish Film Director Ingmar Bergman Dies at 89

The Seventh Seal, released in 1957, riveted critics and audiences. An allegorical tale of the medieval Black Plague years, it contains one of cinema's most famous scenes - actor Max von Sydow as a knight, playing chess with the shrouded figure of Death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingmar_Bergman

July 2007 Rating List (updated)

Rnk	Name	Title	Country	Rating	Games	B-Year
1	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2792	4	1969
2	Topalov, Veselin	g	BUL	2769	10	1975
	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2769	1	1975
4	Ivanchuk, Vassily	g	UKR	2762	22	1969
5	Morozevich, Alexander	g	RUS	2758	18	1977
6	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar	g	AZE	2757	14	1985
7	Leko, Peter	g	HUN	2751	9	1979
8	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2750	15	1982
9	Radjabov, Teimour	g	AZE	2746	7	1987
10	Jakovenko, Dmitry	g	RUS	2735	29	1983
	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	2735	28	1972
	Svidler, Peter	g	RUS	2735	6	1976
13	Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2733	21	1968
14	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2726	18	1983
15	Adams, Michael	g	ENG	2724	18	1971
16	Kamsky, Gata	g	USA	2718	28	1974
17	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2710	19	1990
18	Akopian, Vladimir	g	ARM	2708	5	1971
19	Polgar, Judit	g	HUN	2707	10	1976
20	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2706	16	1983
21	Eljanov, Pavel	g	UKR	2701	24	1983

• Anand keeps the #1 slot, expanding his lead to 23 rating points
• Ivanchuk moves to #4, picking up 8 slots and 33 rating points (I've always liked Ivanchuk)
  
• Returning 2700 club member: Shirov at #10 (up 36 points)
  
• New 2700 club members: Carlsen (up 17 points) and Eljanov (up 15 points)
  
• Falling off the 2700 list: Bacrot (down 14 points) and Navara (down an incredible 64 points and 41 slots)
  

Dortmund Round 7

Vladimir Kramnik took first place at Dortmund for the eighth time, after all games in the final round were drawn. Alekseev, Leko and Anand shared 2nd-4th place, a point behind the winner.

Dortmund Round 6

Kramnik,V (2772) - Naiditsch,A (2654) [E04]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (6), 30.06.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Qa4 Nd7 7.Qxc4 Nb6 8.Qb5 a6 9.Qd3 e5 10.Nxe5 Nb4 11.Qd1 Qxd4 12.Qxd4 Nc2+ 13.Kd1 Nxd4 14.Be3 Nf5 15.Bxb6 cxb6 16.Nc3 Bc5 17.e3 0–0 18.Ke2 Re8 19.Nd3 Rb8 20.Rhc1 Be6 21.Bd5 Bd7 22.Ne4 Bf8 23.Rc7 Rbd8 24.Nc3 Nd4+ 25.Kd2 Be6 26.exd4 Bxd5 27.Nxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxb7 b5 29.a4 Rxd4 30.axb5 Red8 31.bxa6 Rxd3+ 32.Ke1 Re8+ (32...R3d4 33.a7 Rb4 - Fritz) 33.Kf1 Rdd8 34.a7 Ra8 35.b4 Re7 36.Rxe7 Bxe7 37.b5 Bc5 38.Rc1 Bd4 39.Rc4 Bxa7 40.Ra4 Rb8 41.Rxa7 Kf8 42.Ra5 Ke7 43.Ke2 Rb6 44.Kd3 Rd6+ 45.Kc4 Rd2 46.b6 Kd6 47.Rb5 Rc2+ 48.Kd4 1–0

Gelfand,B (2733) - Leko,P (2738) [D47]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (6), 30.06.2007
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Ne2 a6 11.e4 e5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 c5 14.d5 c4 15.Bc2 Nc5 16.Nd2 g5 17.Bg3 Nh5 18.b3 cxb3 19.Nxb3 Bg4 20.Qd2 Rc8 21.Nxc5 Rxc5 22.f3 Nxg3 23.Nxg3 Bd7 24.Nf5 Bxf5 25.exf5 Kg7 26.Be4 Qb6 27.Kh1 b4 28.Qd1 Rfc8 29.Qa4 Kf6 30.Rab1 Ra5 31.Qd7 Qc7 32.Qxc7 Rxc7 33.Rf2 Ra3 34.g4 Rcc3 35.Rfb2 a5 36.Rb3 a4 37.Rxc3 Rxc3 38.Kg2 Bc5 39.Kf1 b3 40.axb3 a3 41.Ra1 Rxb3 42.Ra2 Rc3 43.Ke2 Ke7 44.Kd1 Bd4 45.Kd2 f6 46.Bd3 Kd6 47.Be4 Kc5 48.h3 Kd6 49.Kd1 Bc5 50.Rc2 Rb3 51.Ra2 Bb4 52.Kc2 Re3 53.Kb1 Re1+ 54.Kc2 Re3 55.Kb1 Kc5 56.Rc2+ Bc3 57.Ka2 Kb4 58.Rc1 Re2+ 59.Bc2 Rd2 60.Rb1+ Kc4 61.Rc1 Kb4 62.Rb1+ Bb2 63.Be4 Ka4 64.Rd1 Rf2 65.Kb1 Kb3 0–1

Standings:
Kramnik - 4½
Alekseev, Anand, Leko - 3½
Mamedyarov - 3
Carlsen - 2½
Gelfand - 2
Naiditsch - 1½

Dortmund Round 5

All games drawn.

Standings:
Kramnik - 3½
Alekseev, Anand - 3
Mamedyarov, Leko - 2½
Gelfand, Carlsen - 2
Naiditsch - 1½

Dortmund Round 4

Standings:
Kramnik - 3
Alekseev, Anand - 2½
Mamedyarov, Leko - 2
Gelfand, Carlsen - 1½
Naiditsch - 1

Kramnik,V (2772) - Carlsen,M (2693) [E06]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (4), 27.06.2007
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.e3 Nb4 12.Bxb4 Bxb4 13.a3 Be7 14.Nbd2 Rc8 15.b4 a5 16.Ne5 Nd5 17.Nb3 axb4 18.Na5 Ba8 19.Nac6 Bxc6 20.Nxc6 Qd7 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.axb4 Rfe8 23.Ra5 Bf8 24.Ne5 Qe6 25.Rxb5 Rb8 26.Rxb8 Rxb8 27.Qxc7 Bd6 28.Qa5 Bxb4 29.Rb1 Qd6 30.Qa4 1–0

Anand,V (2786) - Naiditsch,A (2654) [C78]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (4), 27.06.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Bc5 6.c3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.d4 Bb6 9.a4 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.axb5 axb5 12.Rxa8 Qxa8 13.d5 Na5 14.Bc2 c6 15.dxc6 Qxc6 16.Re1 h6 17.Qe2 0–0 18.Na3 Nc4 19.Nxc4 bxc4 20.g4 Bg6 21.Nh4 d5 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.Be4 Qc5 24.Bxd5 Qxd5 25.Qxe5 Qxe5 26.Rxe5 Bd3 27.Nf5 Ra8 28.Kg2 Ra5 29.Re8+ Kh7 30.Nd6 f6 31.Be3 Ra6 32.Nb5 Bxe3 33.Rxe3 Rb6 34.Nd4 Rxb2 35.Re7 h5 36.Ne6 hxg4 37.Rxg7+ Kh6 38.hxg4 Re2 39.Re7 Be4+ 40.Kg3 Rc2 41.Nf8 Bd3 42.f4 Rc1 43.Rf7 Rg1+ 44.Kh3 Rh1+ 45.Kg2 Be4+ 46.Kf2 Rh3 47.Ne6 Rf3+ 48.Ke2 Kg6 49.Rg7+ Kh6 50.f5 Rxc3 51.Rg6+ Kh7 52.Rxf6 Bf3+ 53.Kf2 Bxg4 54.Ng5+ Kg8 55.Rg6+ Kf8 56.Nh7+ Kf7 57.Rxg4 1–0

Dortmund Round 3

All games drawn - what a boring tournament

Dortmund Round 2

Kramnik,V (2772) - Gelfand,B (2733) [D45]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (2), 24.06.2007
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.e4 Nxe4 8.Nxe4 dxe4 9.Qxe4 c5 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qa5+ 12.Ke2 Kxe7 13.g3 cxd4 14.Bg2 Nf6 15.Qxd4 Rd8 16.Qf4 Bd7 17.Ne5 Be8 18.Rhd1 Qb6 19.b3 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.Rxd8 Qxd8 22.Bxb7 Qa5 23.Qe3 Qxa2+ 24.Kf1 Qa5 25.Bf3 Qb6 26.c5 Bb5+ 27.Kg2 Qc7 28.c6 a6 29.Qc5+ Ke8 30.b4 Nd5 31.Bxd5 exd5 32.Qxd5 Kf8 33.f3 f6 34.Nd7+ Ke7 35.Qg8 Kd6 36.Nc5 Qe7 37.Qc8 Bxc6 38.Qxa6 Qe3 39.Qd3+ Qxd3 40.Nxd3 Be8 41.Kf2 Kd5 42.Nf4+ Kc4 43.Ne6 Kxb4 44.Nxg7 Bf7 45.Nf5 Kc5 46.Nh6 Bb3 47.Ng4 f5 48.Nf6 h6 49.Ke3 Kd6 50.Kf4 Ke6 51.Ng8 Bc2 52.Nxh6 Kf6 53.g4 fxg4 54.fxg4 Kg6 55.Nf5 Bd3 56.h4 Be2 57.h5+ Kh7 58.Kg5 Bd3 59.Kh4 Kg8 60.Nd6 Kg7 61.g5 Bc2 62.Nc4 1-0

Alekseev,Evgeny (2679) - Mamedyarov,S (2757) [B85]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (2), 24.06.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 d6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Bd7 9.a4 Be7 10.f4 0-0 11.Nb3 Rc8 12.a5 Nb4 13.Bf3 e5 14.Rf2 Qc7 15.Rd2 Be6 16.Bb6 Qb8 17.f5 Bxb3 18.cxb3 Nd7 19.Be3 b5 20.axb6 Nxb6 21.Kh1 Rc6 22.Be2 Qb7 23.Bf1 Rfc8 24.Qg4 Nd7 25.Bc4 Nf6 26.Qf3 h6 27.Bf2 Rxc4 28.bxc4 Rxc4 29.Bh4 Rd4 30.Rad1 Nc6 31.Bxf6 Bxf6 32.Nd5 Bg5 33.Rxd4 Nxd4 34.Qa3 Qc6 35.Qc3 Qb5 36.b4 Qe2 37.Qd3 Qa2 38.Rf1 h5 39.g3 f6 40.Kg1 h4 41.Rf2 Qa1+ 42.Kg2 Kh7 43.gxh4 Bf4 44.Kh3 Kh8 45.Ne7 1-0

Standings:
Kramnik, Alekseev - 1½
Mamedyarov, Anand, Carlsen, Leko - 1
Gelfand, Naiditsch - ½

Dortmund Round 1

Mamedyarov (2757) - Naiditsch (2654) [C58]
Sparkassen GM Dortmund GER (1), 23.06.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Be2 Nxd5 8.d4 Be7 9.Nf3 exd4 10.Qxd4 Nf6 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Qc4 0-0 13.Rd1 Qe8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.Qf4 Rc8 16.a3 a6 17.h3 Bd6 18.Qh4 Ne7 19.Bd3 Bf5 20.Bg5 Bxd3 21.Rxd3 Ng6 22.Qd4 Nd7 23.Re1 Nde5 24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Qd5 Qc6 26.Qxc6 bxc6 27.Na4 f6 28.Be3 Rfd8 29.Red1 Rd6 30.b3 Rcd8 31.Nc5 Rxd3 32.Nxd3 Bc3 33.Kf1 Kf8 34.Ke2 Ke8 35.Nc5 Rxd1 36.Kxd1 a5 37.Ne6 Ne7 38.Nxg7+ Kf7 39.Nh5 Nd5 40.Nf4 Bb2 41.Nxd5 cxd5 42.a4 c6 43.Ke2 Be5 44.Bb6 1-0

The other three games were drawn.

WCC Cycle Changed AGAIN!!!!!

Back in March, FIDE said the world championship cycle would not change until 2015 (yeah, right). Well, it barely lasted three months. TWO huge wrinkles are being introduced.

First...

According to the regulations if GM Kramnik wins the WCC tournament in Mexico City 2007, a match between GM Kramnik and GM Topalov, the current and the previous world champions, will take place in 2008. In that case, the winner of the Kramnik-Topalov match will play against the winner of the 2007 World Cup.

The best explanation of the situation is provided by Mig Greengard...

If Kramnik wins Mexico, Topalov gets a direct world championship rematch in 2008. The winner is world champion and plays the winner of the 2007 World Cup (WCh challenger) the 2009.

If Kramnik doesn't win Mexico, a new match is created from thin air, demoting the World Cup winner from WCh challenger to semifinalist. The semi-final matches would then be Topalov against the winner of the 2007 World Cup and Kramnik against the winner of Mexico. The winners of these two matches would then play for the world championship.

When [FIDE] couldn't come up with a way to put Topalov into the cycle, they put him on top of it giving him the exact same post-Mexico rights as Kramnik. If Kramnik wins Mexico, they are both finalists. If Kramnik doesn't win, they are both semifinalists.

Second... (and of more lasting importance)

The challenger each cycle will no longer be the winner of the World Cup; the challenger will be determined by a match between the winner of the World Cup and the winner of a set of Grand Prix tournaments. This picture from ChessBase attempts to explain it.

Candidates Final Matches Tiebreaks

Grischuk over Rublevsky in tiebreak, 2-0 with one draw

So Aronian (#5 - 2759), Leko (#8 - 2738), Gelfand (#11 - 2733) and Grischuk (#16 - 2717) will be joining Anand (#1 - 2786), Svidler (#9 - 2736) and Morozevich (#4 - 2762) as well as defending World Champion Kramnik (#2 - 2772) to play for the title in Mexico City in September 2007 in a double-round-robin tournament.

(From the top five, only Topalov will be missing due to losing the world championship match to Kramnik last year.)

Candidates Final Matches Round 6

Aronian in (3.5-2.5); Shirov out
Grischuk and Rublevsky in tiebreaks, 3-3

Shirov,A (2699) - Aronian,L (2759) [C88]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (6), 12.06.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.d3 d6 9.c3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.Nbd2 Nc6 12.Nf1 Re8 13.a3 h6 14.b4 Be6 15.Ng3 d5 16.exd5 Qxd5 17.Be3 Rac8 18.Nd2 Nb8 19.Nge4 Nbd7 20.Bb3 Qxd3 21.Bxe6 fxe6 22.Qf3 cxb4 23.axb4 Nxe4 24.Nxe4 Nf6 25.Nxf6+ Bxf6 26.Rxa6 Qxc3 27.Rb1 ½-½

Candidates Final Matches Round 5

Leko over the bar (3.5-1.5); Bareev out
Gelfand over the bar (3.5-1.5); Kamsky out
Aronian-Shirov, 3-2
Grischuk-Rublevsky, 2.5-2.5

Greengard points out something interesting that I had overlooked - Leko is the only one of the four candidates who played in San Luis 05 who will be playing in the 2007 world championship. Adams, Polgar and Kasimdzhanov were all eliminated in the first round of matches.

Kamsky,G (2705) - Gelfand,B (2733) [B52]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (5), 11.06.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.f3 Rc8 11.b3 d5! 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 e6 14.Bh6 exd5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.c5 [This had been played just once before. Most games go 16.Nb5 with equal play. - Marin] 16...Na6 17.Nc2 [This is a novelty maintaining equality. After 17.Qd2 Nxc5 Black was a pawn up in Kovalevskaya-Kosintseva, Krasnoturinsk 2005. - Marin] 17...Nxc5 18.Qd4+ f6 19.Ne3 Ne6 20.Qh4? [Kamsky will never get even a faint shadow of compensation for the pawn. 20.Qxd5 would have most probably led to a draw. - Marin] 20...Rc5 21.Rad1 d4 22.Ng4 Rf8 23.Rfe1 Rh5 24.Qg3 Rd5 25.Rd2 Qd6 26.Qh4 h5 27.Nf2 g5 28.Qe4 Re5 29.Qb1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Rd8 31.g3 Nc5 32.Qe2 a5 33.Qb5 b6 34.a3 Qe6 35.Rb2 d3 36.b4 axb4 37.axb4 Nb3 38.Qa4 Nd4 39.Kg2 Nc2 40.Rxc2 dxc2 41.Qxc2 g4 42.fxg4 hxg4 43.Kg1 Rd4 44.Qc7+ Kg6 45.Qc2+ f5 46.Qc3 Rc4 47.Qd2 Kh7 48.h3 gxh3 49.Nxh3 Qc6 50.Qe3 Rc1+ 51.Kf2 Qc2+ 52.Kf3 Rf1+ 53.Nf2 Rxf2+! [With mate on e4 to follow. - Marin] 0-1

Leko,P (2738) - Bareev,E (2643) [B19]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (5), 11.06.2007
1.e4 c6 [Quite a risky move. Not from purely chess point of view, of course, but from the perspective of the unfavourable score. It seems like if Bareev had not prepared any "emergency case" openings for this match. In a game where he desperately needs to win, he sticks to his ultra-solid repertoire. - Marin; Bareev dully plays his usual Caro-Kann't in a must-win situation with black. - Greengard] 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Ne4 Qb6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.g4 c5 16.Bc3 0-0-0 17.dxc5 Qxc5 18.Bd4 Qc6 19.Rhe1 Rhe8 [Having completed his development, Bareev offered to his opponent a draw - and the qualification for Mexico. - Marin; This draw looks straight out of a meaningless team competition, not an elimination game for the right to go to the world championship. Pathetic. Maybe a leopard can't change its spots, but what the hell? If it's all or nothing you spray-paint some stripes on your raggedy leopard ass and go out like a tiger.] 1/2-1/2

Candidates Final Matches Round 4

Leko-Bareev, 3-1
Aronian-Shirov, 2.5-1.5
Gelfand-Kamsky, 2.5-1.5
Grischuk-Rublevsky, 2-2

Rublevsky-Grischuk
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 bxc6 7. Qg3 h5 8. h4 Nh6 9. f3 d5 10. Nc3 Bb4 11. Bd2 dxe4 12. O-O-O e3 13. Bxe3 Bxc3 14. bxc3 O-O 15. Qg5 Nf5 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Bf4 Be6 18. Ba6 Nd6 19. Bxd6 cxd6 20. Rxd6 Rab8 21. Rxc6 Bxa2 22. Kd2 Rfd8+ 23. Bd3 Be6 24. Ra1 Rd7 25. Rc5 f5 26. Ke3 Re7 27. Kf4 Rb2 28. g3 Kg7 29. Kg5 Rd7 30. Ra3 Rb1 31. Rca5 Re1 32. Rxa7 Rd8 33. Ra1 Re5 34. R1a5 Re1 35. Bxf5 Bd5 36. Kf4 Rf1 37. Be4 Bxe4 38. Kxe4 Re1+ 39. Kf4 Rc8 40. Rg5+ Kf6 41. Ra6+ Ke7 42. Re5+ Rxe5 43. Kxe5 Rxc3 44. Ke4 Rxc2 45. Ra5 Rc4+ 46. Kd3 Rc1 47. Rxh5 Rg1 48. g4 Rh1 49. Re5+ Kf6 50. Rf5+ Kg7 51. h5 Re1 52. Rf4 Ra1 53. Ke3 Ra3+ 54. Kf2 Ra2+ 55. Kg3 Ra1 56. Rf5 Rh1 57. Kf4 Rh3 58. Kg5 Rh1 59. f4 Rh2 60. Rd5 Ra2 61. h6+ Kg8 62. Rd8+ Kh7 63. Rd7 Kg8 64. h7+ Kh8 65. Rxf7 Ra7 66. Rf8+ 1-0

Candidates Final Matches Round 3

Leko-Bareev, 2.5-0.5
Aronian-Shirov, 2-1
Grischuk-Rublevsky, 2-1
Gelfand-Kamsky, 2-1

Leko,P (2738) - Bareev,E (2643) [B17]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (3), 08.06.2007
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7 11.0-0 b6 12.Qg4 Kf8 13.Qh4 Bb7 14.Re1 Kg8 15.Qh3 Re8 16.c4 Nf6 17.Bd2 c5 18.d5 e5 19.Bc3 g6 20.Qh4 Kg7 21.Nd2 Qd8 22.Bc2 Bc8 23.Ba4 g5 24.Qg3 Nh5 25.Qf3 g4 26.Qd1 Re7 27.h3 Nf6 28.hxg4 Bxg4 29.f3 Bc8 30.Re3 Nh5 31.Qe1 f6 32.Qh4 Nf4 33.Ne4 Rf7 34.g3 Ng6 35.Qh5 Bb8 36.Bc2 f5 37.f4 Re8 38.Nf2 Rf6 39.Rae1 e4 40.Bxe4 fxe4 41.Nxe4 1-0

Kamsky,G (2705) - Gelfand,B (2733) [D02]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (3), 08.06.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.Bb5 cxd4 6.exd4 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.0-0 e6 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Rc8 11.Rfd1 Be7 12.Bf1 0-0 13.Ne2 b5 14.c3 b4 15.Qd3 Qb6 16.cxb4 Nxb4 17.Qb3 Ne4 18.a3 Nc6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.b4 g5 21.Be3 Nd6 22.Nc1 f5 23.Nb3 Nc4 24.b5 Nd8 25.a4 Nb7 26.Bc1 f4 27.Be2 Bb4 28.Ra2 Nbd6 29.Bd3 Ra8 30.Kf1 Nxb5 31.Rc2 Nbd6 32.Bd2 Rxa4 33.Bxb4 Rxb4 34.Nc1 Nf5 35.Bxf5 Rxf5 36.Nd3 Rb3 37.Ra2 Rf7 38.Ke2 Nd6 39.Rda1 Nb5 40.Kd2 Nxd4 41.Rc1 Rb5 42.Rc8+ Rf8 43.Rc7 Ra5 44.Rb2 Rf7 45.Rc8+ Kg7 46.Ne5 Rb7 47.h4 gxh4 48.Rb4 Ra2+ 49.Kd3 Nf5 50.Rxf4 Rba7 51.Rc3 R7a3 52.Rxa3 Rxa3+ 53.Ke2 b5 54.Rg4+ Kf6 55.Nd3 Ra8 56.Kd2 e5 57.Rb4 e4 58.Nc5 Rg8 0-1

Candidates Final Matches Round 2

Aronian-Shirov, 1.5-0.5
Leko-Bareev, 1.5-0.5
Grischuk-Rublevsky, 1.5-0.5
Kamsky-Gelfand, 1-1