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ROMGAZ and the Chess Club Society "Elisabeta Polihroniade”
of Bucharest are staging a double round robin tournament with six top GMs:
the world's second highest ranked player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway; Ukrainian
GM Vassily Ivanchuk, currently the world's number five; Sergey Karjakin,
former child prodigy and youngest GM of all time; top US grandmaster Hikaru
Nakamura, clear winner of this year's Wijk aan Zee tournament; Teimour Radjabov,
one of Azerbaijan's top GMs, and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, the best Romanian
player. The competition is taking place from June 11th to 22nd 2011 in Medias,
Romania. |
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Round six results
Round 6: Friday, June 17, 15:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Hikaru Nakamura |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0 |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
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With Carlsen making moves to run away with the tournament, one question was
whether anyone would (or could) challenge him for it. Round six helped settle
that question, with fellow boy wonder, Sergey Karjakin, outlasting Romanian
Nisipeanu in an epic endgame battle. With his victory, and draws by the others,
he moved up to shared first with Magnus, and both enjoying 2850+ performances.
Once again, Liviu played his pet Schliemann, and Sergey came well-prepared
for the opening battle. After 32 moves, the position had simplified into a double-rook
endgame in which the ex-Ukrainian had an extra pawn, but the two rooks and vulnerable
king meant conversion would be very difficult. Karjakin’s technique proved
sufficient, and after 66 moves, Nisipeanu finally surrendered.
Carlsen chose to play the Ruy Lopez Breyer against Nakamura as Black, and in
reply, the American opted for a very rare 11.c4, which rarely sees the light
of day in top GM play, though some of the illustrious players to have essayed
it include Fischer in his 1992 match against Spassky. After probing and minor
maneuvering, Carlsen emerged with a slight space advantage, including a swap
of his bad bishop, but neither player could see a way out of the locked position,
and shook hands.
Radjabov and Ivanchuk played the Tarrasch variation of the QGD, and though both
were clearly in the mood for a good fight, neither was able to achieve anything
worthwhile and they drew after 45 moves.
Standings after six rounds

Free day football in Medias
The teams: locals in red, visitors in blue (click to enlarge)

Magnus Carlsen leads the attack, Dorian Rogozenco (right) races to the defence

Magnus and Motylev (Alexander, second of Karjakin) in blue, Dorian in red

Our own Pascal Simon, ChessBase media expert, in action

The home team on the attack – recognize who is keeping the goal?

Right, it is Vassily Ivanchuk, the world's number five player (in chess,
of course)

The man in blue, in full action, is Faik
Gasanov (actually Hasanov), chief arbiter of
the Medias Kings' Tournament. Faik, we ask you to note, turned 70 in April.

Vasl Ivanchuk in action

... preparing to fend off an attack

... and poster boy relaxed in the goal

Magnus Carlsen, the best 2800+ soccer player we know

Make that the best soccer player rated above 2700

Okay, final estimation: best soccer player rated above 2558
All photos by Ionut
Anisca
Schedule and results
Round 1: Saturday, June 11, 15:30h |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
1-0 |
Teimour Radjabov |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
½-½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
|
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Round 2: Sunday, June 12, 15:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Hikaru Nakamura |
1-0 |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
|
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Round 3: Monday, June 13, 15:30h |
Magnus Carlsen |
½-½ |
Teimour Radjabov |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
1-0 |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Sergey Karjakin |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
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Round 4: Tuesday, June 14, 15:30h |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
½-½ |
Teimour Radjabov |
Sergey Karjakin |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Hikaru Nakamura |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
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Round 5: Wednesday, June 15, 15:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½ |
Hikaru Nakamura |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
0-1 |
Sergey Karjakin |
Magnus Carlsen |
1-0 |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
|
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Round 6: Friday, June 17, 15:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
½-½ |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Hikaru Nakamura |
½-½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
Sergey Karjakin |
1-0 |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
|
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Round 7: Saturday, June 18, 15:30h |
Sergey Karjakin |
|
Teimour Radjabov |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Magnus Carlsen |
|
Vassily Ivanchuk |
Games –
Report |
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Round 8: Sunday, June 19, 15:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
|
Magnus Carlsen |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
Hikaru Nakamura |
|
Sergey Karjakin |
Games –
Report |
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Round 9: Monday, June 20, 15:30h |
Hikaru Nakamura |
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Teimour Radjabov |
Sergey Karjakin |
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Vassily Ivanchuk |
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
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Magnus Carlsen |
Games –
Report |
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Round 10: Tuesday, June 21, 13:30h |
Teimour Radjabov |
|
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu |
Magnus Carlsen |
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Sergey Karjakin |
Vassily Ivanchuk |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
Games –
Report |
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