Elista F3: Leko and Gelfand win, Junior beats Fritz

The Finals of the Candidates Matches for the 2007 World Chess Championship Tournament are being held in Elista, Russia, from June 6th to June 14, 2007. Eight candidates advanced from the first stage and are now playing six-game matches to fill four places in the 2007 World Championship in Mexico City. The prize fund is US $40,000 per match, most of the money ($320,000) coming from a personal fund of FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE ($160,000) and the general sponsor, Rosenergomash.

Finals: Round three report

Finals Round 3 results: Friday, June 8th 2007
Levon Aronian	½-½	Alexei Shirov
Peter Leko	1-0	Evgeny Bareev
Alexander Grischuk	½-½	Sergei Rublevsky
Gata Kamsky	0-1	Boris Gelfand

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Finals Round three

An exciting day, with hard fought games and... facing the author of the short comments with a difficult task. (In fact, today I took my family to a one-week vacation at high altitude and was naive enough to hope for an "easy" round after few hours of driving).

Players in full swing during round three in Elista

The fight in Aronian-Shirov took "concrete" forms from an early stage. Black's piece activity seemed to compensate for his worse structure. By giving up a pawn, Aronian managed to stabilize the position and went on increasing his advantage gradually. After the first control, Black's situation deteriorated rapidly, but White seems to have gone wrong immediately after the second control, allowing the simplification to a drawn rook ending. Overall, a very tense game, where the final result remained hard to predict for most of the time.

Aronian,L (2759) - Shirov,A (2699) [D20]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (3), 08.06.2007
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Be6 7.Bb5 Bc5 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.a5 Ba7 12.Bb2 Nf6 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Bxd4 Nxe4 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Be5 Bh3 17.Bg3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 Qxd1 19.Rxd1 Be6 20.Nc3 Rg4 21.Rab1 Rb8 22.f4 Bf5 23.Rb2 Rxg3 24.Na4 Kf8 25.Nc5 Ra8 26.Kf2 Rc3 27.Rbd2 Rc4 28.Rd4 Rxd4 29.Rxd4 Ke7 30.Rd1 Be6 31.Re1 Kf6 32.Re5 h6 33.g3 Bc4 34.Nd7+ Kg7 35.Re7 Rd8 36.Ke3 h5 37.f5 Rg8 38.Re4 Bb5 39.Rh4 Rd8 40.Nc5 Kh6 41.Kf4 Be2 42.Rh2 Bb5 43.Ke5 Kg5 44.Ne4+ Kg4 45.Kf6 Kf3 46.Rh4 Bd3 47.Nc5 Kxg3 48.Rxh5 Bc4 49.Rh1 Rb8 50.Rd1 Rxb4 51.Rd4 Kf3 52.Nxa6 c5 53.Nxc5 Ke3 54.Rh4 Kd2 55.Na6 Ra4 56.Nxc7 Kd3 57.a6 Ra5 58.Rf4 Kc3 59.Ke7 Rc5 60.Kd6 Ra5 61.f6 Bxa6 62.Nxa6 Rxa6+ 63.Ke7 Ra7+ 64.Kf8 Kd3 65.Rh4 Ke3 66.Rh7 Kf4 67.Rxf7 Ra6 68.Kg7 1/2-1/2.

Alexei Shirov, who narrowly missed going two down against Aronian

How could I have missed the win? Armenian Super-GM Levon Aronian

Bareev repeated the variation that led him to defeat in the first game, but offered rather feeble resistance against a well-determined Leko. It took a long time and effort before Black could castle artificially and connect rooks, but, ironically, it was just then that Black's king's problems started. White carried out the attack in elegant way.

Peter Leko in the press conference after game three

Evgeny Bareev in a somber mood after his second loss to Leko

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.

After the first round defeat, Rublevsky abandoned his pet variation in the Sicilian and chose a well-approved line. However, he soon found himself under very strong attack. The position looked more or less winning for White, but the wide choice of tempting continuations seems to have confused Grischuk, who allowed his opponent a miraculous escape.

Grischuk,A (2717) - Rublevsky,S (2680) [B85]
WCh Candidates Finals Elista RUS (3), 08.06.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 Qc7 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 d6 10.a4 0-0 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Bd7 13.Nb3 b6 14.g4 Bc8 15.g5 Nd7 16.Bg2 Bb7 17.Rf3 Nb4 18.Rh3 g6 19.Qd2 Bf8 20.Qf2 Bg7 21.Rf1 Re7 22.Bd4 e5 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.Be3 Rd8 25.a5 bxa5 26.Nc5 Nf8 27.Nxb7 Qxb7 28.Bb6 Rb8 29.Bxa5 Nc6 30.b4 Ne6 31.Qh4 Nxa5 32.bxa5 Nf4 33.Qxh7+ Kf8 34.Nd5 Re6 35.Rhf3 Rd8 36.Rxf4 exf4 37.Nxf4 Qc6 38.e5 Qc4 39.Qh3 Kg8 40.Nxe6 fxe6 41.Qb3 Qxb3 42.cxb3 Bxe5 43.Bb7 Rd2 44.Bxa6 Rxh2+ 45.Kg1 Rh5 46.b4 Rxg5+ 47.Kh1 Rg4 48.b5 Ra4 49.Bc8 1/2-1/2.

Still in the lead in his match against Rublevsky: Sasha Grischuk

Three games left to catch Grischuk: Sergei Rublevsky

Kamsky stuck to his policy of playing solid, unpretentious, schemes with White, with the obvious aim to outplay his opponent in the middlegame. However, his fifth move looked dubious already, allowing Gelfand to carry out the minority's attack in very effective way, something he failed to do one day earlier. By the first time control, White's entire queenside structure had vanished from board, leaving Black with three (!) extra pawns. Curiously, Kamsky decided to test Gelfand's technique for 18 more moves before resigning.

Boris Gelfand in good spirits after taking the lead in his match against Kamsky

Down but not out: Gata Kamsky in the press conference after round three

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.

Tenth world champion Boris Spassky commenting for the public

Busy journalists in the press center

Current standings

Fritz vs Junior – Game three

Junior - Fritz [B97]
President Cup Elista (3), 08.06.2007

Game 3 of the Computer Challenge match Deep Junior vs. Deep Fritz was a very complex struggle following a deeply prepared opening line in the famous poisoned pawn variation leadin into an endgame that was highly unbalanced. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5. This line was revived recently. 10...h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nfd7 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 Re8. After this move Junior was out of book [20...Rd8 Motylev,A - Anand,A, Wijk aan Zee (2) 2007; 20...Nc6 Anand,V - Van Wely,L, Wijk aan Zee (9) 2007] 21.0-0 f5 22.Qg3 Nc6 23.Qg6 Qd8 24.Bc4 Kh8 25.Ng5 Qxg5 26.Qxe8+ Kh7

27.Bf4. A new move. 27.Qxe6 Nf6 was Shirov,A - Ftacnik,L Bundesliga Baden Baden Germany 2007 which ended in a draw after 59 moves. 27...Qg6 28.Qxg6+ Kxg6 29.Bxe6 Nf6. The last book move from the Fritz openings book. The resulting position is highly unbalanced: White is up an exchange and Black has two pawns as compensation. Still Black has problems because he is not fully developed yet. 30.Bc4 Kh7 31.Bc7 a5?! 31...b5 maybe this was better trying to get out the rook with Ra7. 32.Ra1 a4 33.Bb5 Ne4 34.Rd3 Nb4 35.Rd8 a3 36.Bd7 Nxc2.

37.Rf1! Avoiding simplification after 37.Rxc8 Rxc8 38.Bxc8 Nxa1 39.Bxf5+ g6 40.Bxe4 a2; or 37.Bxc8 Rxc8 38.Rxc8 Nxa1 39.Be5 Nb3 40.Rc7 Kg6 41.Rxb7 Ned2 and maybe Black can still fight for the draw 42.Bc3 a2 43.Rxg7+ Kh5 44.Ra7 a1Q+ 45.Bxa1 Nxa1 46.Rxa1 Ne4. 37...Bxd7 Fritz is forced to sacrifice the second exchange and though putting up a tenacious resistance could not save the game. 38.Rxa8 Be6 39.Be5 Ng5 40.Rf2 Bb3 41.Rxf5 Kg6 42.Rf1 a2 43.Ra7 Ne3 44.Rxb7 Bd5 45.Rxg7+ Kh5 46.Rc1 Nxg2 47.Kf2 Nh3+ 48.Ke2 Nh4 49.Ba1 Be4 50.Rc4 Bb1 51.Rg3 Ng5 52.Rb3 Nf5 53.Kd1 Ne4 54.Kc1 Kg5 55.Rf3 Kg4 56.Ra3 Kf4 57.Rc8 Nf2 58.Rcc3 Ne4 59.Rf3+ Kg4 60.h3+ Kg5 61.Ra5 Ned6 62.Ra4 Ne4 63.Rb4 Nfd6 64.Kb2 Nf5 65.Rb5 Ned6 66.Rc5 Nb7 67.Rc4 Nbd6 68.Rg4+ Kh5 69.Rgf4 Kg6 70.Kc1 Kg5 71.Rg4+ Kh5 72.Ra4 Kg6 73.Rff4 Nc8 74.Ra5 Ncd6 75.h4 Kf7 76.Re5 Kg6 77.Kb2 Kf6 78.Kb3 Kf7 79.Ra4 Kg6 80.Ra6 Kf7 81.h5 Kf6 82.Kb4 Kf7 83.Ra7+ Kf6 84.Rd7 Kg5 85.Rxd6 1-0.

Deep Fritz is running on an eight-core machine and searching 13-14 million nodes per second, reaching a search depth of 20-21 ply. Deep Junior is employing the latest Intel Server technology with 16 cores. The program is running at 24 million nodes per second and consistantly reaching search depths of 24 ply. More on the technology and the match tomorrow, a rest day for the humans but a full round for the computers.

Deep Junior opened e4 with the white pieces. Alex Kure the openings expert of Deep Fritz guided it to choose a much-discussed Sicilian variation which has recently been in the repertoire of Anand and Shirov. Following well known lines, Deep Fritz captured three white pawns for the price of its piece development.

The game followed a recent game between Shirov and Ftachnik played in the German Bundesliga – it was Deep Junior that departed first out of book when it castled on the 20th move. Deep Fritz continued out of its database for seven more moves. The line forced a very unbalanced endgame which Fritz initially considered to be playable but Deep Junior proved this wrong. White holds two rooks and the bishop pair against an undeveloped rook, bishop and a knight pair and two extra pawns. Differences in opinion between both programs grew as Fritz pushed its extra a pawn while Deep Junior used its better activated pieces to mount attacks on the pawns and the enemy king. Deep Fritz was forced to concede another exchange and then defeat.

Some grandmasters remarked that the game was important for theory.

Deep Fritz is playing on an eight core machine out of Hamburg Germany. Deep Junior plays on a new Intel 16 core machine out of London England.

Standings

Links

• Official Candidates Matches web site
• Fritz vs Junior

Live coverage by Yasser Seirawan on Playchess

Playchess commentator GM Yasser Seirawan

The games of the Candidates Matches, which start at 15:00h local time (13:00h CEST), will be broadcast live on the official site and on Playchess.com server. On the latter there will be daily live audio commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan, with a minimum of three one hour lectures per round, beginning approximately thirty minutes after play has started. For a charge of ten Ducats (about one Euro) a visitor gets a twelve hour pass to listen to the live lectures. Furthermore, GM Seirawan will be awarding daily prizes of Gambit books to the person or persons who have been of the greatest assistance. "We are interested in verbal commentary about a given position (not computer generated analysis), as well as witty insights," he says. "Each and every one is welcome to join in the fun!”

Note that you can also purchase Ducats directly from Fritz or the Playchess client using the menu "Edit – Payments – Fill up account". This takes you to a special purchase page with your account name automatically passed on, to simplify the process.