Nanjing R4: All games drawn, pictures from the opening

2008 Pearl Spring Chess Tournament, Nanjing, China

Slovak GM Movsesian never got into trouble against Topalov's Sicilian, to which he replied with the Moscow Variation and held the draw (by repetition in 28 moves) quite easily – an accomplishment when you are playing Veselin Topalov.

Movsesian,S (2732) - Topalov,V (2791) [B52]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (4), 14.12.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 g6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nf6 9.h3 0-0 10.0-0 a6 11.a4 e6 12.Be3 Rc8 13.b3 Qd8 14.Nde2 Nc6 15.Qd2 Bf8 16.Rfd1 Nd7 17.Rab1 Qa5 18.Bh6 Be7 19.Qb2 Qh5 20.Bf4 Qc5 21.Qd2 Qb4 22.Qb2 Rd8 23.Bd2 Qc5 24.Be3 Qa5 25.Bd2 Qc5 26.Be3 Qa5 27.Bd2 Qc5 28.Be3 draw.

Chinese GM Bu faced a Fianchetto Grünfeld by world number three Ivanchuk. After 30 moves of maneuvering a symmetrical rook and three pawns ending was reached and a draw agreed.

Bu Xiangzhi (2714) - Ivanchuk,V (2786) [D73]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (4), 14.12.2008
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.d4 c6 6.b3 dxc4 7.bxc4 c5 8.0-0 Nc6 9.d5 Nd7 10.dxc6 bxc6 11.Nc3 Bxc3 12.Rb1 0-0 13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qa4 Qc7 16.Nd2 Nb6 17.Qa5 Rd8 18.Nb3 Be6 19.Qxc5 Bxc4 20.Rfc1 Bd5 21.Nd4 Rac8 22.Nb5 Qd7 23.Nxa7 Qxa7 24.Rxb6 Qxa2 25.Qxe7 Re8 26.Bxd5 Qxd5 27.Qc5 Qxc5 28.Rxc5 Rxe2 29.Rbxc6 Rxc6 30.Rxc6 h5 draw.

Peter Svidler used the Worrall Attack (6.Qe2 instead of 6.Re1) against Levon Aronian of Armenia. The game was a real battle but ended after 48 moves in what we would consider a just draw.

Svidler,P (2727) - Aronian,L (2757) [C86]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (4), 14.12.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Qe2 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 Re8 9.d4 Bf8 10.d5 Na5 11.Bc2 c6 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 cxd5 14.exd5 g5 15.Bg3 d6 16.Nbd2 Bg4 17.h3 Bh5 18.Ne4 Rc8 19.a4 Nxe4 20.Qxe4 Bg6 21.Qe2 Bxc2 22.Qxc2 b4 23.Nd2 bxc3 24.bxc3 Nc4 25.Rfb1 Qc7 26.Ne4 Bg7 27.Bh2 Qa5 28.Rd1 Rb8 29.Qe2 Qc7 30.g4 Rb2 31.Qd3 Reb8 32.Bg3 R2b6 33.Qf3 Na5 34.h4 Nb3 35.hxg5 Nxa1 36.gxh6 Bxh6 37.Rxa1 Rb1+ 38.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 39.Kg2 Bg7 40.Bh4 Re1 41.Qf5 Rxe4 42.Qxe4 Qxc3 43.Be7 Bf8 44.Bg5 Qb3 45.Bf6 Bg7 46.Be7 Bf8 47.Bf6 Bg7 48.Be7 draw.

Pictures by ChessNews Blog

Picture gallery

In our round one report we brought you pictures from the opening ceremony of the Pearl Spring Chess Tournament in Nanjing. According to visitors and journalists it was the most beautiful spectacle they had ever seen at a chess event. In the meantime we have received more pictures and share them without further commentary – truthfully: word fail us – with you.

Pictures kindly supplied by the tournament organisers

Schedule and results

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games will be being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.