Carlsen - Anand

Carlsen plays classically against Anand’s Scheveningen Sicilian, following in the path of the famous Karpov-Kasparov game. Carlsen gets stuck into his kingside attack forcing an Anand retreat. Carlsen sacrifices two pawns to gain a tempo to swing his rook over to the kingside. Carlsen commits to the attack, sacrificing two pieces, but gets a little carried away with a forcing sequence and misses a better continuation. Anand’s king escapes from the kingside. Anand plays a nice blend of attack and defence, and Carlsen’s material disadvantage is terminal.

Aronian - van Wely

Van Wely sacrifices a pawn out of an …a7 Slav. He has compensation in pressure against White’s e3-pawn. Aronian is over-ambitious, but van Wely doesn’t react actively enough as Aronian builds up a pawn storm against the Black king. Aronian returns the pawn and centralises his pieces. He sacrifices an exchange gaining a tempo and an extra piece in the attack. A further piece sacrifice nets the Black queen and a raging attack against the Black king. Under serious pressure van Wely blunders and his position collapses as his king is stuck in a mating net.

Polgar - Eljanov

Polgar avoids a Ruy Lopez Berlin with a quieter opening that results in Steinitz-like Ruy Lopez. Eljanov gets a slight edge in the resulting middlegame, thanks to his co-ordination on the black squares. Eljanov builds up a threatening kingside attack, and Polgar blunders allowing Eljanov to open up the h-file against the White king. Eljanov’s major pieces strong-arm their way into the White position, leaving Polgar no option but to resign.

Gelfand - Radjabov

Radjabov regroups his pieces against Gelfand’s Gligoric King’s Indian Defence and gets his thematic …f5 break underway. Gelfand reacts on the queenside, but loses his defensive grip on the kingside allowing Radjabov to close in on the white king. Both sides blunder in time trouble before the first time control, but its Gelfand who makes the last mistake falling into a forced mate.

Topalov - Mamedyarov

Mamedyarov gets his kingside counterplay moving quickly out of a Petrosian King’s Indian. He has a slight initiative, and his dark-squared bishop is potently placed. Topalov stumbles, but Mamedyarov misses the strongest continuation, but still holds an edge thanks to his protected central passed pawn. Topalov effects a blockade and shores up his kingside. Mamedyarov cannot find a way to exploit his advantage, and after the first time control a draw is agreed.

Ivanchuk - Adams

Ivanchuk gets a Catalan like structure from an English opening. After a bit of shuffling Ivanchuk opens the a-file for his rook to enter the Black position. This forces Adams on the defensive. Ivanchuk doesn’t see anything better than repeating the position, taking the draw.

Leko - Kramnik

Leko’s 5. Nc3 against Kramnik’s Petroff gives him a solid position. Leko allows Kramnik’s little combination that demolishes the queenside pawn structure around the White king. Kramnik has to part with the exchange to circumvent Leko’s threats of smothered mate. Kramnik invests another piece to allow him a perpetual check.

Eljanov - Ivanchuk

Ivanchuk sacrifices a pawn on the Black side of a Catalan/Semi-Slav. With better open lines and development, Ivanchuk has compensation for the pawn. Ivanchuk recoups the pawn and has a much better pawn centre. His active pieces dominate the position, and gains a strong advantage. Ivanchuk converts his advantage to an outside passed pawn, and seals a victory combining its advance with threats against the White King.

van Wely - Carlsen

Carlsen unleashes the Benko Gambit against van Wely. Van Wely’s development cuts across Carlsen’s plan, but despite that, Carlsen finds decent squares for his pieces. Van Wely’s plays a risky queenside advance and gains a strong advantage, including a monster passed pawn on c6. Van Wely has a winning position winning both exchanges, but Carlsen fights back by activating his remaining pieces. Combined with his queen Carlsen creates threats in the centre of the board. Van Wely blunders his queen and resigns.

Anand - Leko

Anand bypasses Leko’s Marshall Gambit by a side-line of a Closed Ruy Lopez (6. d3). Leko equalises fairly quickly and gains a solid position. Draw agreed.

Radjabov - Topalov

Radjabov avoids Topalov’s Berlin by heading into a Scotch game, and emerges with an advantage thanks to Topalov’s shattered queenside pawn structure. Radjabov wins the exchange, but allows Topalov to activate his two bishops. Although Radjabov demolishes Topalov’s pawns structure, Topalov’s outside passed pawn offers compensation, and Radjabov is satisfied to split the points.

Kramnik - Gelfand

Kramnik selects an unusual queenside expansion in a Nimzowitsch Queen’s Indian Defence, which allows Gelfand equality in the centre. After kit-gloves type manoeuvring from both players Kramnik gets ambitious with his queenside pawns. The fight rages for control of the long light-squared diagonal a8-h1, with Gelfand using the central dark-squared, and the Kramnik’s knights opting for the central light-squares. Gelfand gets a knight strongly positioned on e4, and offers the exchange to open up the long diagonal and apply a bind to White’s position. Kramnik resists the temptation, Gelfand gets the bind, but his own light-squared bishop remains locked-in. Kramnik has the two bishops and uses the light squares to create threats that force a retreat from Black and the queens get exchanged. Neither side has the edge in the endgame and it winds its way to a draw.

Mamedyarov - Polgar

Mamedyarov fianchettos his light-squared bishop against Polgar’s surprising Rubinstein French. Mamedyarov prepares and executes a d5 pawn-break, and the position simplifies to a balanced endgame, and the players agree to a draw.

Adams - Aronian

Adams bypasses Aronian’s Marshall by opting for sacrificing his d-pawn for open lines and activity. Adams develops quickly and disrupts and weakens the black central pawn structure, gaining compensation for the pawn. Both players are happy to split the points.

Topalov - Kramnik

In a main line Anti-Moscow Gambit Semi-Slav played thousands of times Topalov uncorks a knight sacrifice, and follows it with a steady build-up of piece activity around the Black king. Topalov’s other knight wends its way to a strong outpost deep in the heart of Kramnik’s position. Kramnik gives back the extra material by centralising his queen and removing the d-pawn. Kramnik’s king makes its way to the queenside by it comes under fire from Topalov’s rooks supporting a queenside pawn storm. Kramnik makes a decisive error that sets up Topalov’s finish, which involves trading his queen for a rook and knight. Topalov dominates the centre, and both Kramnik’s king and queen are harassed by Topalov’s remaining pieces. With the Black king locked away in the corner, Topalov’s passed e-pawn seals the win.

Leko - Carlsen

Leko gets a slight advantage against Carlsen’s Breyer Ruy Lopez. Carlsen expands on the queenside, but his freeing move of …d5 gets him into difficulties. The mass of exchanges leaves Leko with a pair of connected passed pawns on the queenside. Carlsen’s two knights are unable to deal with the passed pawns. With White’s queen, rook and a-pawn on the seventh rank Carlsen is out of options, and resigns.

Adams - van Wely

Adams adopts a brutal Sozin Sicilian instead of his normal classical approach. With the exchange of dark-squared bishops Adams switches from direct kingside aggression to targeting Black’s weak d-pawn. Van Wely has sufficient resources to defend the pawn, but misses a chance to equalise with …d5, opting for playing on the dark-squares on the kingside. This lets Adams open the c-file with decisive. Van Wely finally manages to play …d5, but its too late. As the exchanges reduce the tension, White’s decisive advantage is enough for van Wely to throw in the towel.

Polgar - Radjabov

Radjabov plays the Schliemann Gambit against Polgar’s Ruy Lopez, an opening system rarely seen at Grandmaster level. Radjabov sacrifices a piece and gets compensation in a strong pair of bishops. Polgar returns the material and sacrifices a piece herself that forces a perpetual check.

Ivanchuk - Mamedyarov

Ivanchuk meets Mamedyarov’s Grunfeld with a Classical Exchange gaining a typical Grunfeld pawn centre. Mamedyarov reacts thematically by advancing his queenside pawn majority, but he struggles to develop his kingside. Mamedyarov manages to break up Ivanchuk’s centre, and safeguard his locked-in rook. Ivanchuk misses a strong continuations (29. Qh4!, 30. Nc7). Mamedyarov blockades the e6-square, holding back the potent white d-pawn and holds a small advantage. A rook sacrifice from Ivanchuk forces a breach through to Black’s king, and Mamedyarov is forced to return the gift sharing the points.

Aronian - Eljanov

Its a quiet position out of a Four Knights English Defence. Eljanov unfurls his game neatly, equalises rather easily. Aronian has no advantage so he’s consoles himself with a half-point.

Gelfand - Anand

Anand defends the Black side of an open Catalan. Anand manages to get his freeing move …c5 before Gelfand can fully extract his central pawn advantage. Anand takes over the initiative. He removes some of the tension from the position and gains a nice edge, but is happy to split the points.

Anand - Topalov

Anand gets another typically positional advantage out of a Najdorf Sicilian. Topalov gets into an awkward pin and weakens his kingside by exchanging off his dark-squared bishop. He artificially castles his king, extracting his badly positioned rook, but Anand’s better central development secures him an advantage, and breaks up any Black’s play down the c-file. Topalov stumbles in defending his king ceding the initiative and the advantage to Anand. Anand drives through to Topalov’s king forcing a resignation.

van Wely - Leko

Van Wely erects a big pawn centre in a Classical Nimzo-Indian, and Leko immediately takes steps to neutralise it. The liquidation also exchanges off the queens. Leko’s active knights quickly force van Wely to part with his bishop pair and that leaves a balanced endgame.

Kramnik - Polgar

A battle for the e4 and e5 squares breaks out in the Queen’s Indian Defence which allows Kramnik to snaffle an extra pawn. Polgar gets some compensation of tempo to activate her pieces. Polgar attacks the static White pawn centre allowing Kramnik a free hand down the c-file. Kramnik’s pawn centre disappears, but he manages to re-forge some of it by an exchange of queens. But Polgar holds the rook endgame.

Carlsen - Gelfand

The queens are exchanged in a Semi-Slav, and Carlsen gains the upper-hand thanks to an extra pawn and an uncontested open a-file. Gelfand grabs the initiative and opens operations on both sides of the board with his bishop against Carlsen’s knight. Carlsen activates his rook and the battle whittles down to the kingside and Gelfand successfully defends the endgame with his pawn minus.

Mamedyarov - Aronian

Aronian gets a solid position from a Meran Semi-Slav and equalises comfortably with a typical queenside pawn-storm. Neither side gets their initiative going and as the pieces come off the game dissolves into a draw.

Radjabov - Ivanchuk

In a Classical Caro-Kann, Ivanchuk’s offbeat plan leaves his king stuck in the centre unable deprived of castling. Radjabov’s knight is a little stuck but he manages to extract it before Ivanchuk can take advantage of it. Radjabov manages to co-ordinate his pieces, pushing Ivanchuk onto the defensive. Ivanchuk manages to exchange the queens, and Radjabov’s two knights force a repetition of position

Eljanov - Adams

Eljanov’s stormy Catalan demolishes Adams’ queenside, but its not sufficient for an advantage as Adams slowly improves his position to equalise and has no difficulties holding the position.

Polgar - Anand

Polgar gets a solid position out of a Sicilian Najdorf, much similar to Anand’s typical handling of the structure as White, with a knight installed on d5. Anand gets counterplay down the queenside and manages to keep the only bishop on the board. Polgar builds pressure on the exposed backward d-pawn, and forces Anand to part with his bishop, weakening the light squares around Anand’s central pawns. Polgar gets her knight to d6, backed by all her major pieces, and exchanging her queen for both Black rooks. Anand takes over the initiative and his advantage increases - his pieces coordinate together better than Polgar’s, and Anand engineers the win of an exchange to conclude the game.

Adams - Mamedyarov

Mamedyarov chooses a Steinitz Deferred against Adams’ traditional Ruy Lopez, and emerges with slightly awkward but playable position. Adams goes astray and throws away what was quickly becoming a strong position. Mamedyarov opens up on the kingside and uses the momentum to take over the centre; he takes over the initiative and Adams has to weather a strong attack against his king. Mamedyarov maintains the pressure after Adams temporary activity. But he miscues, and Adams takes the opportunity to relieve the pressure and hold the draw.

Eljanov - van Wely

Eljanov gets aggressive on the kingside of a Slav, but settles down to playing on the queenside. He emerges with a slight edge into an endgame. He grows that advantage to serious proportions. Van Wely sacrifices his d-pawn to unlock his light-squared bishop, and Eljanov returns the favour to keep the position in his favour, just not as close to winning as earlier. Van Wely holds the rook endgame.

Aronian - Radjabov

Radjabov heads into a Modern Benoni against Aronian’s kingside fianchetto. Aronian holds back the e-pawn. Radjabov sacrifices a pawn for counterplay, but its not enough compensation as Aronian bolts down the position and creates some counterplay against the Black king. Radjabov regains his sacrificed pawn but is on the receiving end of two passed pawns. Aronian has little trouble in extracting the full point.

Topalov - Carlsen

Topalov adopts a quiet Anti-Marshall line against Carlsen’s Ruy Lopez, and that gives Carlsen scope in the centre. The battle erupts around Carlsen’s advanced centre. The game resolves into a balanced endgame. Topalov holds a slight edge, but Carlsen fights stubbornly to reverse the situation. Topalov holds the draw.

Ivanchuk - Kramnik

Ivanchuk retains a small advantage from a Classical Petroff, but Kramnik equalises fairly easily. Ivanchuk breaks Kramnik’s blockade of the centre pawns, but Kramnik’s equalising pawn break removes the queens. The flurry of activity sees an exchange of pieces and the tension disappears into a balanced endgame. Ivanchuk accepts a draw.

Gelfand - Leko

Leko obtains an edge against Gelfand’s esoteric Catalan, but quickly re-establishes equality after Leko miscues his light-squared bishop. The battle takes place on the queenside for the c-file. The resulting ending leaves no side with the upper hand.

Leko - Topalov

Another duel in the positional variants of the Najdorf Sicilian, the position is balanced out of the opening, both sides manoeuvring finding better squares for their pieces. Topalov takes the initiative creating pawn wedges on the centre and kingside. Leko breaks out on the queenside, installing a strong knight deep into Black’s position. Leko gradually takes over the initiative but Topalov’s pressure pulls the game back into balance. As the position opens Topalov’s pieces find better squares, and Leko finds himself on the back foot fighting for his life the wrong side of a losing endgame. Topalov’s two central passed pawns are incredibly dangerous, and Topalov makes no mistake converting it into a win.

Kramnik - Aronian

Kramnik follows Aronian’s Anti-Moscow Semi-Slav game against Gustafsson from the World Cup last year, but improves with 15. Bg4 sacrificing another pawn to retain the initiative. Aronian gives up a knight for a third pawn, re-establishing material equality. Aronian has a massive pawn phalanx on the queenside, and they threaten to overrun White’s position. Kramnik’s minority attack on the queenside seems to spook Aronian who misses an immediate chance to cash in on his pawns. Kramnik sacrifices a knight to open lines for his major pieces. Kramnik’s pressure forces Aronian’s once-proud queenside pawns to crumble. Kramnik’s endgame is just winning, and Aronian battles another thirty moves before finally throwing in the towel.

Carlsen - Polgar

Polgar’s unusual queen manoeuvre in the Classical Nimzo-Indian sees her regain a pawn and exchange off the queens. After that its all one-way traffic as Carlsen builds up an advantage, converts that to a win of a pawn, and Polgar’s position is hopeless.

Mamedyarov - Eljanov

Mamedyarov plays an ancient variation of the Giuoco Piano and arrives at a solid equal position. Both sides manoeuvre around for a plan. Mamedyarov toils hard, inflicts weaknesses in Eljanov’s pawn structure, but Eljanov holds the position. Eljanov starts to get the upper hand. Neither side can make much progress, so they agree to a draw.

Radjabov - Adams

Radjabov and Adams follow an old line of the Exchange Ruy Lopez, Adams emerges with a slight advantage thanks to a misstep from Radjabov, but is satisfied to split the points with Radjabov.

Anand - Ivanchuk

Ivanchuk tries an unusual knight development in a Classical Caro-Kann. Anand’s reaction allows Ivanchuk to reposition his light-squared bishop on d5 which nullifies any White advantage. Ivanchuk is happy to settle for a draw.

van Wely - Gelfand

The position from a Queen’s Indian is solidly equal. Nothing exciting to play for, so the players agree to split the points.

Eljanov - Radjabov

Radjabov heads into a King’s Indian / Benoni set-up against Eljanov’s sideline. Eljanov has a slight advantage, but Radjabov whittles that away. Radjabov gets his queenside pawns moving and Eljanov counters with a centre break that backfires. Radjabov’s queenside pawns dislocate the White knight which supports White’s central advance, so its Radjabov who takes over the attack in the centre. He follows up with a pseudo-exchange sacrifice that brings his powerful dark-squared bishop into play. White’s centre collapses, and in the face of a lethal mating attack, Eljanov resigns.

Mamedyarov - van Wely

Mamedyarov fianchettos his dark-squared bishop early in a Sicilian Defence. Van Wely is on the offensive right from the start, but his lack of kingside development means his initiative is temporary. Mamedyarov gets going by sacrificing a pawn, and advancing his f-pawn to exploit the lack of coordination of the Black pieces. He penetrates the seventh rank and van Wely resigns in the face of ruinous material loss.

Adams - Kramnik

Its another outing for the Nc3 Petroff, and its a dead equal position. Nothing to play for - draw agreed.

Aronian - Anand

Both players follow known theory of the Moscow variation of the Semi-Slav. Its an equal position, so it’s a short draw.

Topalov - Gelfand

Gelfand gets a solid position out of a classical Petroff. Gelfand’s attempt to exchange the major pieces and rectify his damaged pawn structure gives Topalov a free hand on the kingside. Short of time, Gelfand blunders his queen, and throws in the towel.

Ivanchuk - Carlsen

Ivanchuk surprises Carlsen with an Exchange Ruy Lopez. Carlsen reacts solidly and the pieces start disappearing quickly leaving a barren rook ending.

Polgar - Leko

Polgar allows the Marshall Attack in the Ruy Lopez. Leko gets typical Marshall counterplay for the pawn. Polgar returns the pawn and exchanges remove Black’s initiative. Polgar grabs an extra pawn but Leko’s solidity is sufficient to convince Polgar to accept a draw.

van Wely - Topalov

Topalov’s 1… e6 leads the game into an offshoot of the Modern Benoni. Topalov develops his kingside knight to e7, where the point becomes clear a few moves later as the queenside knight finds a decent square on f6 for itself. Nevertheless, it’s van Wely who emerges from the opening with an advantage as his thematic e5-break is very much on the cards. Topalov cannot hold back the breakthrough, it costs him the exchange. Topalov tries to increase the pressure with tactical means. Both sides have attacking chances, but the long term advantage is with van Wely. As the game heads into an endgame van Wely’s grip on the game strengthens, and he finishes off with a nice attack on the king that eliminates any safe spots for Black’s minor pieces.

Gelfand - Polgar

Polgar opts for a violent approach against Gelfand’s Catalan, sacrificing a pawn and lodging another in the throat of Gelfand’s position. She plays an improvement over a Gurevich game in 2003 and has compensation for the pawn as Gelfand’s dark-squared bishop finds it difficult to find a secure spot. Gelfand tempts Black’s far-flung passed d-pawn forward to the second rank, and Polgar takes the risk, and Gelfand loses control of the situation and gets caught pawn grabbing. The tactical sequence sees Polgar’s pieces become highly active. Gelfand has to give up the exchange, but it’s not enough to stop Polgar’s initiative. Gelfand slips and falls into a mating net.

Kramnik - Eljanov

Kramnik exits from mainstream theory of the English opening, and he emerges with an advantage in development despite his queen’s wanderings. The queens are exchanged, and Eljanov goes astray, conferring an advantage to Kramnik. Kramnik spurns a chance for immediate material gain and continues to build pressure on Black’s position through a temporary pawn sacrifice. Eljanov’s pawn structure is shattered, and Kramnik advances inexorably to cashing in on these weaknesses, grinding away until Eljanov’s position collapses. Kramnik collects the full point.

Leko - Ivanchuk

Leko emerges from a Modern Caro-Kann with an advantage against Ivanchuk, and has a piece-play against the Black king. Ivanchuk slips-up and gives Leko time to route his dark-squared bishop actively on the kingside. Leko’s initiative looks dangerous, so Ivanchuk disposes of his queen for the White rooks and frees his own rooks. Still with a strong advantage, Leko opts to force a draw by perpetual check.

Carlsen - Aronian

Carlsen avoids Aronian’s Marshall and the game heads into a Steinitz-like Ruy Lopez with slow build up. Carlsen expends a great deal of time to exchange the light-squared bishops and a pair of knight, and that gives Aronian the initiative. Aronian sacrifices the exchange to break up the pawn structure around White’s king. Carlsen swaps off the strongly placed Black knight and breaks in the centre and mobilises his two rooks aiming at Black’s king, and sacrifices two pawn to activate his queen, and forces a draw by threatening a perpetual check.

Radjabov - Mamedyarov

Radjabov heads into the Russian variation against Mamedyarov’s Grunfeld reaching an equal position. Radjabov allows Mamedyarov control of the d-file in exchange for a pawn and removing the queens. By exchanging off his dark-squared bishops Mamedyarov initiates a series of exchanges that regains his pawn and results in a balanced rook endgame.

Anand - Adams

In a modern Queen’s Indian, Anand improves on Kasimdzhanov-Gelfand from their Candidates match last year, and the position is equal. Adams slowly improves his position and gains a definite advantage, even though Anand’s position is optically better. Adams surrenders his two bishops and the position is equal again. Anand sacrifices a pawn to open the key dark-squared diagonal, and the opposite coloured-bishops with queens endgame is typically energetic. Anand holds the position.

Aronian’s pawn sacrifice ties up Leko, but Leko manages to unravel his position. Mamedyarov’s aggression gives him the initiative against Kramnik, but its not enough for a decisive result. Anand draws quickly with Eljanov. Ivanchuk and Gelfand clash pawns in the opening, but a forced liquidation produces a clean draw. Carlsen has a brief initiative against Adams, but the queen exchange resolves the game into a draw.

Radjabov - van Wely

Van Wely is prepared to defend the Black pieces of the Anti-Moscow Gambit variation of the Semi Slav despite Radjabov’s mauling of Anand from Round 1. (Van Wely was Anand’s second in the Mexico World Championship tournament, and this variation was hotly contested and proved critical to Anand’s success in the tournament.) They follow Kramnik-Anand from Mexico until Radjabov uncorks a novelty with 16. d5 unleashing strong pressure against the stranded Black king. Radjabov gains a strong initiative and a pawn up. Van Wely reacts aggressively and the game is whittled into an endgame with van Wely having compensation for the pawn, thanks mainly to the restricted scope of White’s bishop and his far-flung passed pawn. Radjabov goes a little astray in the endgame losing his extra pawn, and van Wely is in the driving seat. Radjabov battles hard against van Wely’s strongly centralised army. Radjabov jettisons the exchange to relieve the pressure, and manages to create a solid defensible position with his bishop and pawn. Black’s sole a-pawn makes van Wely’s job of converting the position to the full point difficult - van Wely tries, but finds Radjabov alert, and the position is a book draw.

Aronian - Leko

Leko’s Queen’s Indian averts Aronian’s preferred Catalan. Aronian sacrifices a pawn for better development. Leko struggles to develop his queenside, and his centre squares are weakened. Aronian regains his pawn with his rook entering deep into Leko’s position. But Leko manages to unravel his position leaving an equal endgame.

Mamedyarov - Kramnik

Mamedyarov opts for a sideline in the Petroff. Kramnik emerges with an advantage against Mamedyarov’s insipid play. Mamedyarov’s aggression opens up the position and takes over the initiative. Mamedyarov opts to take the draw by chopping off all the rooks.

Eljanov - Anand

In a classical Nimzo Indian Anand neutralises Eljanov’s early advantage, and a quick draw ensues.

Ivanchuk - Gelfand

An English opening heads for new territory after move 5, with tangled up-pawns. Although Gelfand’s pawns threaten to engulf the centre, Ivanchuk initiates mass exchanges and emerges with a slight advantage, but Gelfand activates his pieces to retain the balance and a draw.

Polgar - Topalov

Judit introduces a novelty in a sideline Najdorf Sicilian and gains a strong advantage, but her over-aggression lets that advantage slip. Topalov fights back to enter a balanced endgame, and after the time control they agree a draw

Adams - Carlsen

Carlsen opts for the Open Ruy Lopez and Adams emerges from the opening with a small advantage. The opposite-coloured bishops offers both sides chances. Carlsen takes control of the only open file and creates some pressure against White’s king. Adams defuses the threats and is on the verge of taking over the initiative. Carlsen swaps off the queens and the resulting position warrants a draw.

Gelfand - Aronian

Aronian essays the 4…a6 Slav, locking up the queenside pawn structure. Play switches to the centre where Aronian breaks with a typical …e5 which frees his position, and eliminates White’s c5-pawn and seizes the initiative because of White’s weak e3-pawn. As the lines open, Gelfand fails to get his king into safety. Gelfand forces an exchange of queens, but Aronian’s activity forces the win of a piece, and Gelfand’s resignation.

Carlsen - Eljanov

Carlsen comes out of the Grunfeld opening with a slight edge, Eljanov temporarily sacrificing a pawn to free his position. But Eljanov recoups a poisoned pawn, and Carlsen gains a lead in development with his more active pieces. Eljanov miscues allowing Carlsen to get his rooks into Black’s position. Carlsen increases the pressure and Black’s kingside crumples. The triumphant march of Carlsen’s king is the final victory parade before Eljanov’s resignation as his queenside disappears.

Topalov - Ivanchuk

Ivanchuk surprises Topalov with a Modern Benoni, and Topalov opts for the positional Nimzovitsch plan of routing his kingside knight to c4. Topalov swaps off an active knight for Black’s potentially weak light-squared bishop. With a temporary pawn-sacrifice Topalov creates a passed d-pawn, but Ivanchuk is deft at blockading the pawn. Topalov forces a draw by repetition.

Leko - Adams

Adams opts for a Zaitsev Ruy Lopez instead of the Marshall Attack and emerges from the opening with the two bishops. Leko has some play on the light squares and down the semi-open d-file. Adams gives up the d-pawn to get his rook into the c-file which demolishes White’s queenside. Adams miscues allowing Leko to grab a pawn by a neat exchange manoeuvre. Leko tries to force his way to a win, but Adams holds the queen and pawns endgame. Leko accedes to a draw before the 100 move barrier.

Kramnik - Radjabov

Kramnik fearlessly enters the main line of the classical King’s Indian, and emerges with a slight advantage. But a central break followed by the exchange of queens allows Radjabov to activate his bishops and rooks. Kramnik loses his way a little, and his advantage is whittled away by Radjabov. Kramnik wins a pawn, but Radjabov has enough resources to hold the long endgame.

van Wely - Polgar

Van Wely gets an advantage in a rather messy Nimzo Indian, both players opting to castle queenside. As the game whittles toward an endgame van Wely grows his advantage close to winning. But Polgar battles back hard to force a draw by perpetual

Anand - Mamedyarov

Mamedyarov sidesteps Anand’s Lopez by adopting the ancient Steinitz Defence. Thanks to Anand’s quiet play, Mamedyarov equalises fairly comfortably. But in the middle game Anand gains a large advantage. Anand strays in the endgame sacrificing a pawn for very little gain. He sees his massive advantage disappear, and so agrees to a draw.