
From Thursday July 21 to Sunday July 31, 2010 the 39th edition annual Sparkassen
Chess-Meeting is taking place in Dortmund, Germany. It is a six-player round
robin, in which each player has to play two games against each of the others,
one with as White and one as Black. Draw offers are not allowed – a game
can only be declared a draw, by the arbiter, if there is no possible win for
one side, or if a position is repeated three times. The winner of the tournament
will be determined after ten rounds.
Games start at 15:00h = 3 p.m. local time (CEST, = 17:00 Moscow, 14:00 p.m.
London, 9:00 a.m. New York). All games will be broadcast by the official web
site's "Live
Games" page and on the Playchess.com
server. As in the previous year the moves of the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting
will be transmitted on the Internet with a delay of 15 minutes – which
means that the moves stay in the playing hall for that period, before they are
broadcast to the rest of the world. This is an important anti-cheating measure
that has been proposed to FIDE since October 2005 and has the support of most
of the top players. We commend the Dortmund organisers for taking the initiative.
Participants
Player |
Title |
Nat. |
Born |
Rating |
Kramnik, Vladimir |
GM |
RUS |
1975 |
2781 |
Nakamura, Hikaru |
GM |
USA |
1987 |
2770 |
Ponomariov, Ruslan |
GM |
UKR |
1983 |
2764 |
Le, Quang Liem |
GM |
VIE |
1991 |
2715 |
Giri, Anish |
GM |
NED |
1994 |
2715 |
Meier, Georg |
GM |
GER |
1987 |
2656 |
Round three
Round 3: Saturday, July 23, 15:00h |
Vladimir Kramnik |
½-½ |
Le Quang Liem |
Anish Giri |
1-0 |
Georg Meier |
Hikaru Nakamura |
0-1 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |

An avid audience packs the auditorium
Young Anish Giri finally posted his first win in Dortmund, and while wone would love to cheer and yell, the truth is it was a the result of a last-minute blunder from his opponent. After 70 moves of trying to make something from nothing, and having no luck, Giri was no doubt getting ready to accept the inevitable when on move 70 Meier suddenly blundered away a piece and the game. It might not be the ideal way to notch a win, but persistence does have its rewards.

Giri's strategy was remniscent of siege tactics of ancient times: if you cannot beat
them by brute force, wait them out until they just collapse.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Bf4 Bb7 11.Ne5 Nh5 12.Bd2 Nhf6 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Nc6 Bxc6 15.Qxc6 a6 16.e3 b5 17.Qc2 Qc8 18.Qd3 Qc4 19.Bf1 Ne4 20.Be1 Rfc8 21.b3 Qxd3 22.Bxd3 e5 23.a4 exd4 24.exd4 b4 25.a5 Ng5 26.Be2 Rc2 27.Kf1 Rb2 28.Rd2 Rxd2 29.Nxd2 g6 30.h4 Ne6 31.Nf3 Kf8 32.Rc1 Ke8 33.Bd2 Bd8 34.Ra1 Be7 35.Ra4 Nb8 36.Bxb4 Bxb4 37.Rxb4 Nc6 38.Ra4 Ke7 39.Ke1 f6 40.Kd2 Nc7 41.Ne1 Nb5 42.Nc2 Kd6 43.Kd3 Re8 44.Bf3 Rc8 45.Kd2 f5 46.h5 Rc7 47.Be2 Ra7 48.h6 Ra8 49.Bd3 Ra7 50.Bf1 Ra8 51.Be2 Ra7 52.Bd3 Ra8 53.f3 Ra7 54.Bf1 Ra8 55.Be2 Ra7 56.Bd3 Ra8 57.Ke3 Re8+ 58.Kd2 Ra8 59.Ke3 Re8+ 60.Kf2 Ra8 61.Kg2 Ke6 62.f4 Kd6 63.g4 fxg4 64.Kg3 Nc3 65.Ra1 Ne4+ 66.Bxe4 dxe4 67.Kxg4 Rb8 68.Rb1 Nxa5 69.Ra1 Nc6 70.Rxa6 Rxb3?? 70...Kd5 71.d5! Kxd5 72.Rxc6 Kxc6 73.Nd4+ Kd5 74.Nxb3 e3 75.Nc1 1–0
- Start an analysis engine:
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Giri,A | 2701 | Meier,G | 2656 | 1–0 | 2011 | E00 | 39th GM | 3 |
Please, wait...
Kramnik finally conceded his first half-point when he drew Le Quang Liem.

Unable to crack the Vietnamese prodigy, Kramnik drew against Le Quang Liem

Le Quang Liem is undefeated so far, and in his second Dortmund through extraordinary
circumstances: winning the Aeroflot Open twice in a row.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Nh4 Bg6 10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.h3 Qa5 12.Na2 Bd6 13.b4 Qg5 14.f4 Qh4 15.Qf3 g5 16.fxg5 Qxg5 17.b5 0-0 18.Nc3 Qh4 19.Bd3 Rac8 20.Bd2 c5 21.Ne4 Be7 22.Nxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rac1 b6 24.a5 Rcd8 25.Be1 Qh6 26.Bf2 Nd5 27.axb6 axb6 28.Be4 cxd4 29.exd4 Bh4 30.Rc6 Nf6 31.Bd3 Bxf2+ 32.Qxf2 Rb8 33.Qg3 Rfd8 34.Kh1 Nd5 35.Be4 Nf6 36.Bb1 Nd5 37.Be4 Nf6 38.Bb1 Nd5 39.Ba2 Qe3 40.Qh4 Nf6 41.Bxe6 fxe6 42.Rxf6 Rxd4 43.Qh5 gxf6 44.Qg6+ Kf8 45.Qxf6+ Kg8 46.Qg6+ Kf8 47.Qf6+ Kg8 48.Qg6+ Kf8 ½–½
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Kramnik,V | 2781 | Le Quang Liem | 2715 | ½–½ | 2011 | D19 | 39th GM | 3 |
Please, wait...
Despite having the worst kind of start, Ponomariov's composure has brought him back right on the heels of Kramnik. The 2010 winner might have been disappointed to lose against a player he knew felt completely at home in Dortmund, but he was nowhere near ready to stop believing this year's tournament was still his to win. His victory over Nakamura was as clean as could be as he built up his position inch by inch via precise play and minute mistakes by the American.

One cannot argue his combativity, as Ponomariov is second
and nary a
draw in sight.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
Please, wait...
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qc7 10.Bb2 Re8 11.h3 Na5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Rc1 b5 15.dxc5 Nc4 16.Rb1 Qxc5 17.Nb3 Qc7 18.Bc1 a6 19.Nd4 Bd7 20.Bc2 Rac8 21.Ne2 Qe5 22.Ng3 Qxc3 23.Rb3 Qe5 24.Bb1 a5 25.Rd3 Qe7 26.Re1 b4 27.axb4 Qxb4 28.Bd2 Nxd2 29.Qxd2 g6 30.Ba2 Bb5 31.Rb1 Qxd2 32.Rxd2 Rc5 33.Rb3 a4 34.Ra3 Ra8 35.f3 Rc1+ 36.Kf2 Rac8 37.e4 R8c2 38.Rxc2 Rxc2+ 39.Ke3 Rxg2 40.Kf4 Kg7 41.h4 h6 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Nakamura,H | 2770 | Ponomariov,R | 2764 | 0–1 | 2011 | E58 | 39th GM | 3 |
Please, wait...
Pictures by Georgios Souleidis
Standings after three rounds

Schedule and results
Round 1: Thursday, July 21, 15:00h |
Georg Meier |
½-½ |
Le Quang Liem |
Vladimir Kramnik |
1-0 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Anish Giri |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Round 2: Friday, July 22, 15:00h |
Le Quang Liem |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
1-0 |
Anish Giri |
Georg Meier |
0-1 |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Round 3: Saturday, July 23, 15:00h |
Vladimir Kramnik |
½-½ |
Le Quang Liem |
Anish Giri |
1-0 |
Georg Meier |
Hikaru Nakamura |
0-1 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Round 4: Sunday, July 24, 15:00h |
Anish Giri |
|
Le Quang Liem |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Georg Meier |
|
Round 5: Monday, July 25, 15:00h |
Le Quang Liem |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Georg Meier |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Anish Giri |
|
Round 6: Wednesday, July 27, 15:00h |
Le Quang Liem |
|
Georg Meier |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Anish Giri |
|
Round 7: Thursday, July 28, 15:00h |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Le Quang Liem |
Anish Giri |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Georg Meier |
|
Round 8: Friday, July 29, 15:00h |
Le Quang Liem |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
Georg Meier |
|
Anish Giri |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Round 9: Saturday, July 30, 15:00h |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
Le Quang Liem |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Georg Meier |
Anish Giri |
|
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Round 10: Sunday, July 31, 15:00h |
Le Quang Liem |
|
Anish Giri |
Vladimir Kramnik |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Georg Meier |
|
Ruslan Ponomariov |
|
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