Qatar Masters: Anish heading for a 'Caruana'?

by Akshat Chandra
12/2/2014 – YAAW – Yet Another Anish Win, in round six. But this time he had to work hard for it and do a 'Carlsen', which we define as using relentless pressure to win a drawn position. In round seven, starting at 3:00 p.m. local time today, Anish Giri faces Vladimir Kramnik, with the black pieces. Don't miss it! But while you are waiting you can enjoy a lot of chess in our round six report.
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The Qatar Masters Open 2014 is being held from November 25 to December 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Doha, Qatar. There are 92 grandmasters participating, or 60% of the 154 total players. 56 GMs are over rated 2600, and an incredible 14 over 2700. Let those numbers sink in for a moment! This tournament truly is a convention of brilliant chess minds.

Anish Giri leads Qatar Masters with 6.0/6

Report from Doha by Akshat Chandra

Another day, another round, and another win for the top seed GM Anish Giri, who has elevated his score to a phenomenal 6.0/6! Today he took down Swedish GM Nils Grandelius, who was having a breakout tournament as well. It was a long, thoughtful game, and things were very even for a while before Giri eventually ground out a win in an endgame. Grandelius defended extremely well and tenaciously, before eventually cracking under the relentless pressure. It’s always instructive to see how strong GM’s overcome equally strong players in a seemingly balanced position.

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Giri was on 5.0/5, having a wonderful tournament. He was demolishing his opponents in miniature games that lasted less than 20 moves. But today Grandelius made him work hard for the point, and after 60 moves the games is quite equal. 60...Rb5?! 60...Ra8 was a simple way to maintain equality. 61.a6 Nb4? 61...Ra5 is impossible due to the knight fork. 62.Nc6++- 61...Kf6 was relatively the best. 62.a7 Ra5 63.Nc6 Ra6 64.Rb2 Nc7 65.Rb7 Rxc6 66.Rxc7 Ra6= and Black will be able to hold a draw here. 62.a7 Ra5 63.Rb2 The knight cannot move because of the fork on c6. By simple means White has won a piece. Kf6 64.Ng4+ Kf5 65.Ne3+ Kf6 66.Rxb4 Rxa7 Giri now finishes off this game in Super grandmaster style! 67.Rb5 Ra4 68.Kg3 Ra6 69.Ng4+ Kg6 70.Nf2 Rd6 71.Kg4 71.Rxg5+! 71...Rd2 72.Rxg5+ Kh6 73.Rh5+ Kg6 74.Rh2 It seems as if it is impossible to stop Mr. Anish Giri in Qatar! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Giri,A2776Grandelius,N25731–02014A05Qatar Masters Open6.1

Swedish GM Nils Grandelius during the daunting task of playing a Super-GM on a roll

Speaking about "on the roll", here's another Super-GM about whom that may be said

The second seed and former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik continued his comeback with a swift 25-move win over his compatriot Sanan Sjugirov. The game started out as a quiet Reti, before suddenly escalating into a complex and exciting struggle. Black had to play accurately, and for a time Sjugirov was managing to do just that. But as usually happens, when under continuous pressure, one makes a blunder, and this game was no exception. Sjugirov tried his luck with a dubious piece sacrifice, but Kramnik accurately refuted it, and won the game shortly after.

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Kramnik was on a high after three wins in the three previous rounds. Today he played the young Russian Sanan Sjugirov. In 2010, Sanan had beaten Magnus (2826) in Khanty Mansiysk Olympiad 2010. So he could not be taken lightly. 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c6 4.d3 Bg4 5.0-0 When I had just started playing chess, my coach advised me to play these exact five moves from the white side, just so that I wouldn't lose the game quickly. Kramnik plays this setup just so that he can play an original game without too much opening theory. Nbd7 6.Qe1 Kramnik has good experience with this line, as he played it with the white pieces against Vitiugov in the Alekhine Memorial in 2013 and against Levon Aronian with the black pieces in 2010. e5 7.e4 of course the threat is now exd5 followed by taking on e5. Bd6 7...dxe4 is the main line in this position. 8.dxe4 Bd6 9.Nbd2 0-0 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.a4 Re8 12...b5 13.axb5 cxb5 14.Ne3 13.Nh4 Nc5 14.Nf5 Ne6 15.Be3 when White had a very harmonius development and went on to win. 1-0 (50) Kramnik,V (2801)-Vitiugov,N (2712) Paris/St Petersburg 2013 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nh4 Kramnik is in an agressive and unconventional mood – as he usually is when not facing a 2750+ opponent! He starts an attack without developing his queenside minor pieces. 0-0 10.g4 Bg6 11.g5 11.Nf5 is not at all good because of Bxf5 12.exf5 12.gxf5 Re8 when Black has a very solid and nice position. 12...h6 preventing g5 for the time being. 13.Qd1 Re8 14.Re1 14.h4? Nh7 14...Qb6 Once again a very harmonius position for Black. 11...Nh5 12.exd5 Kramnik indulges himself by winning the crucial d5 pawn, burning all bridges in the process. He has pushed his kingside pawns in such a fashion that weaknesses abound in the white position. I feel that Black should have enough compensation for the missing pawn. cxd5 13.Nxg6 hxg6 14.Bxd5 Nf4! Sjugirov starts of well. He attacks the d5 bishop and also the g5-pawn forcing White to take the knight on f4. 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.h4 These kingside pawns might look weak, but one important fact to understand here is that Black would like to break this structure with f6 at some point. With the bishop so strongly placed on d5, however, it is simply impossible. Qc8! Openly eyeing the c2 pawn and in a stealthy way also the g4 square! 17.Qe4! Kramnik is a class act. You can bank on him finding the most challenging and ambitious moves in the position. That's the reason why he played in such daredevil fashion in the opening. 17.Nc3 Ne5 18.Qe4 Qg4+ 19.Qg2 Qxh4 gives Black a lot of counterplay. 17...Qxc2 Sjugirov goes for the most critical continuation, asking White what exactly is he trying to do. 17...Re8 18.Bxb7!? 18.Qxg6 Ne5 19.Qe4 Ng6!? 20.Qxg6 Qg4+ 21.Kh1 Qh3+= 18...Qxc2 18...Rxe4 19.Bxc8± 19.Qc6 Qxc6 19...Qxb2 20.Bxa8 Qxa1 21.Qxd6+- 20.Bxc6± 18.Nc3 This is the most logical way to develop. The knight comes into the center. 18.Na3 might have been interesting. Bxa3 18...Qxb2 19.Nc4+- 19.bxa3 Rad8 19...Rae8 20.Bxf7+ Kxf7 21.Qd5+± Ke7 22.Rac1 Qa4 23.Rc4 Qa6 24.Rb1+- with a fierce attack. 20.Qxf4 Nc5 and in spite of being a pawn down, it is clear that Black is not much worse because the white position has so many weaknesses. 18.Qxg6 Bc5 18...Qxb2 19.Qxd6 Qxa1 20.Qxd7+- 19.Qh5 threatening g6. Qxd3 20.g6 Qg3+! 21.Kh1 Qh3+ would be a nice way to end the game. 18...Qxb2 19.Qxg6 Bc5 19...Qxc3 20.Qxd6 Ne5 20...Rad8 It is extremely difficult to assess positions like these. But say after 21.Rac1 Qe5 22.Qxe5 Nxe5 23.Bxb7 Rxd3= /+=. The number of pawns on the board are equal and Black should be able to hold this one. 21.Rac1 Qd4!? 22.Rc4! 22.Bxf7+ Rxf7 23.Qxd4 Nf3+-+ 22...Qb2 22...Nxc4 23.Bxf7++- 23.Re4 23.Rxf4 Rad8-+ 23...Nf3+ 24.Kg2 Nxh4+ 25.Kh3 Nf3 26.g6 Ng5+ 27.Kh4 Nxe4 28.dxe4 The king on h4 looks quite safe, and in this position White stands better. A completely non-forcing and long variation to show you how tricky and complicated the position is. 20.Ne4 Qe5 Now after Bb3 White has a lot of threats in the position, but the question is instead of Qe5 what should have Black played? His position looks already quite perilious. 20...Qd4 21.Bb3 Qxd3 22.Nf6++- 20...Rad8 21.Rab1 Qd4 22.Bb3 Be7 20...Ne5 21.Nf6+ Kh8 22.Qh7# 20...Rae8 21.Rae1+- 21.Bb3! The white rook is coming to e1 now. What should Black do? Bxf2+ 21...f3 22.Rae1! Qf4 23.Qh5+- With the threat of g6. 21...Be7 22.Rae1 Seems safer but you can clearly see who holds the initiative. 22.Nxf2! accurately calculated. 22.Kxf2 was a possibility. Qb2+ 23.Kg1 Qxb3 24.Qxg7+ Kxg7 25.axb3 f6 26.Rxf4 fxg5 27.Rg4 It will be touch and go question whether White can win this or not. 22...f3 23.Ne4 stopping the check on g3. Qd4+ Playing for the last trick. But the way Kramnik has been conducting this entire game, it is hard to imagine that he will stumble now. 23...Qb2 24.Rxf3! 24.Nf6+ Nxf6 25.gxf6 Qd4+ 26.Kh2 Qxh4+ 27.Kg1 Qd4+= would have been a nice draw for Black. 24...Qxb3 24...Qxa1+ 25.Rf1 Qd4+ 26.Rf2+- The threat of Nf6 is a killer and Black can do nothing about it. 25.Qxg7+ Kxg7 26.axb3 This endgame is pretty bad, but maybe it was Black's last chance to continue the game. 24.Kh1! 24.Kh2? Qb2+ 25.Nf2 25.Rf2 Qxa1∞ 25...Qxb3 26.Qxg7+ Kxg7 27.axb3 Nc5 Black is ok. 24...Qb2 25.Nf6+! The final check well calculated by Kramnik. After 25.Nf6+ Nxf6 26.gxf6 the queen not only threatens a mate on g7 but also controls the mating square g2. 1–0
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Kramnik,V2760Sjugirov,S26731–02014A05Qatar Masters Open6.2

A fantastic game by Kramnik. One cannot really pinpoint where Sjugirov (above before the start of the game) went wrong. Maybe the entire idea with 7...Bd6 is dangerous for Black and he should stick to the simple 7...dxe4. But in order to refute Black's play you need a player like Kramnik who feels the position like a human and calculates like a machine!

Will he manage to do a Caruana*? Anish before the start of a game with black

* caruana
Syllabification: ca·ru·a·na, Noun
The act of preposterously winning the first seven games in a very strong chess tournament. Origin: from the Italian, coined after GM Fabiano Caruana's feat of scoring seven straight wins in the first seven rounds of the strongest tournament of all times.
Usage: to do a caruana, pull off a caruana, narrowly miss a caruana

These unequivocal results today, set up a showdown between Giri and Kramnik, who will meet in what will be a closely watched and exciting clash between two of the world greats. What more could we have asked for? This matchup is reminiscent of the Anand-Carlsen World Championship match, which featured two world class players separated by a generation. Kramnik will have the white pieces, which gives him a slight edge. But Giri has been invincible so far. It’s a good example of when an immovable object, Kramnik, meets an unstoppable force, Giri. Feel free to leave your thoughts about this pivotal matchup, which starts at three p.m. Doha time, in the comment section below!

Other highlights from rounds six, annotated by IM Sagar Shah

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Black has a fine bishop endgame. Equal pawns with a good structure. It is true that he is not better, but he is nowhere close to losing. It's interesting to see how Mamedyarov, who is such a strong player, lost this endgame. 33.Kh4 Bb1 34.a3 Kc6? Where exactly is the king going? Mamedyarov loses his objectivity and plays for a win in a drawn position. 34...Ke6 35.Kg5 Kf7= was of course an easy draw. 35.Kg5 Kb6 36.Kxg6 Ka5 37.g3! Preparing Bh3 to attack the pawn on f5. Ka4 38.Bh3 Bd3? This loses trivially. 38...a5 39.Bxf5 Bxf5+ 40.Kxf5 Kxa3 41.Kg6 a4 42.f5 Kb3 43.f6 a3 44.f7 a2 45.f8Q a1Q 46.Qxc5 Qxc3 47.g4 This endgame is unpleasant for Black, but there are definitely a lot of drawing chances. Qd3+ 47...Qxc4? 48.Qxc4+ Kxc4 49.g5 b5 50.Kf5 b4 51.g6 b3 52.g7 b2 53.g8Q++- 48.Kh6 Qh3+ 49.Qh5± 39.Bxf5 Bxc4 40.Bd7+! Kxa3 41.f5 b5 41...a5 42.Be6! Bd3 43.Kg5 a4 44.f6 Kb2 45.f7+- 42.f6 b4 43.cxb4 Kxb4 44.g4 Mamedyarov realized that he had blown the endgame and resigned. 44.g4 a5 45.g5 a4 46.Bxa4 Kxa4 47.Kg7 47.f7? Bxf7+ 48.Kxf7 c4= 47...Be6 48.g6 c4 49.f7 Bxf7 50.gxf7 c3 51.f8Q c2 52.Qf4+! Kb3 53.Qc1+- In chess it doesn't matter who you are. If you lose your sense of objectivity, you are bound to be punished. 1–0
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Ivanisevic,I2643Mamedyarov,S27571–02014A85Qatar Masters Open6.6
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Black has the tiniest bit of advantage thanks to his outside passer. But this particular position should be an easy draw for White. How did a 2600+ player manage to lose it? Let's have a look. 32.Ra6 Keeping the rook behind the passed pawn= good idea! g5 33.h3 f5 34.Kh2 Ra3 35.h4?! There was no need to go for these complications. 35.Kg1= was safe 35.g4= was also pretty good. 35...gxh4 36.Kh3 36.g3 was an easy way to draw. Rxe3 36...hxg3+ 37.Kxg3 Rxe3+ 38.Kf4= 37.gxh4 a3 38.Kg2= should also not be much for Black. 36...f4 37.Kxh4 fxe3 38.Kg3? This is now the critical error. Being the 38th move it is quite possible that Swiercz was in grave time trouble. 38.Re6 Kf7 39.Re4 Kf6 40.Kg4 Rc3 41.Kf3 a3 42.Ra4= and with precise play, White has things under control. 38...e2+ 39.Kf2 Re3! 40.Ke1 a3 Now it is completely losing, as White is in zugzwang. He cannot move the g-pawn as we shall see, or his king, and if he moves the rook it helps the black king to enter the game. 41.Rd6 41.g4 Rh3! 42.Kxe2 a2! 43.Kd2 Rh1!-+ a very typical endgame trap! 41.g3 Kf7 once again putting White in a zugzwang. 41...Kf7 42.Rd5 42.Ra6 Ke7 43.Rb6 Kd7 slowly the black king makes his way to the queenside and then up the board. The sad part, as we have seen previously, is that White cannot even push his g-pawn, as it loses tactically. 44.Ra6 Kc7 45.Rf6 Kb7 46.Rf5 Kb6-+ 42...Ke6 43.Rd4 Ke5 44.Rd8 Ke4 45.Rd7 Rb3 46.Re7+ 46.Kxe2 Rb2+ 47.Ke1 a2-+ 46...Kd3 47.Rd7+ Kc3 48.Ra7 Kb2 49.Kxe2 a2 Time trouble is a big monster in chess. It makes great players like Swiercz commit unthinkable mistakes! 0–1
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Swiercz,D2616Mamedov,R26520–12014D11Qatar Masters Open6.16
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Jobava is a magician on the chessboard. If you have missed it, do check his fifth round win in which he jogs his black king down to f2 to checkmate the opponent. Today's game is no less pretty. 21.b5! Bc5 the human move. 21...cxb5 was relatively better. 22.Nd5 Qe6! it is not so easy to place your queen under a discovered attack. 22...Qd8 23.Nc7± 23.Nc7 23.Rab1 Qh3+! 24.Kg1 Bg4 23...Qxb3 24.Rcb1 Qc3 25.Rc1= with an equal game. 22.a6! bxa6? 22...Ra7 maintaining the position was better. 23.axb7 Rxb7 24.bxc6 Rxb3 25.cxd7 Nxd7 23.bxc6! deflecting the bishop from the key diagonal. Bxc6 23...Be6 was the lesser evil, but would have given White a good position anyway after 24.Bxe6 Nxe6 24...fxe6 25.Rxc5 dxc5 26.Nc4± 25.Nd5± 24.Ng4! Qe7 25.Rxc5! A powerful exchange sacrifice. To tell you the truth Jobava has played sacrifices which have been a hundred times crazier. This one must have been quite easy for him. dxc5 26.Ngxe5 This is no good way to defend f7. Kh7 27.Nxf7 g6 28.Qe3 Attacking the h6-pawn. g5 29.h4! opening up the h-file. Qf6 30.hxg5 Rooks are not important in chess! Pawns are the ones who deliver checkmate! Qxa1 31.g6+! Kg8 31...Nxg6 32.Qxh6+ Kg8 33.N7g5+ c4 34.Bxc4+ Bd5 35.Bxd5+ Re6 36.Bxe6# 31...Kxg6 32.Qxh6# 32.Nxh6+ Kh8 32...Kg7 33.Nf5+ Kh8 34.Qh6+ Nh7 35.Qxh7# 33.Nf5 Ra7 34.Bf7 34.Qh6+ Nh7 35.d4!? cxd4 36.g7+ was also a nice mate. 34...Nh7 34...Rxf7 35.gxf7+- would have only delayed the inevitable. 35.g7+ A nice little sequence of 14 power-packed moves by Jobava! He is coming back to the top boards and is a real threat in this tournament for any opponent! 1–0
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Jobava,B2722Hovhannisyan,R25911–02014C54Qatar Masters Open6.18

Artur Jussupow is a true legend of the game. Apart from being a very strong player, he is also an excellent coach and is the author of some superb chess books. But even on the best of days he would not have expected himself to win this rook ending in which he is a pawn down.

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27.Rb7 c4 This move is fine. Neelotpal wants to distract the rook from the second rank so that he can control it. At the same time he eyes the pawn on g5. 27...Rc8 28.Rd2 c4 29.g6 fxg6 30.Rdd7 Kh7! 31.Rxg7+ Kh6 32.f4 Rh8= 33.Rgc7 33.Rxa7 Rxa7 34.Rxa7 Rc8 33...Ra4 34.Kf2 a5 35.e5 c3 36.Kf3 36.Rxc3 Rxf4+ 36...Ra3= Defending this position should not be such a difficult task for Black. 28.g6! Creating practical chances, as now it is difficult to defend the g7 pawn. fxg6 29.Rxc4 Rd1+?! 29...Rd2 was the easiest way to make a draw. 30.Rcc7 30.Rc8+ Kh7 31.Rbb8 g5 30...Rg5! 30...Raa2? 31.Rxg7+ Kh8 32.Rxg6+- 31.Rxg7+ Kh8 32.Kh1 Rgxg2= A very funny position with both the rooks on the seventh rank. But there is nothing more than a draw for either side. 30.Kh2 Rd2? 30...Kh7 was the best defence, but White could still try 31.Rcc7 Kh6 32.Rxg7 Kg5 33.Rxa7 Rxa7 34.Rxa7 Black should be able to hold this one, but it will be a tough road ahead. 31.f4! Closing the mating net. Now the threat is to double the rooks on the eighth rank. Black can do nothing about it. g5 31...Raa2 32.Rc8+ Kh7 33.Rbb8 is similar to the game. 32.f5 Raa2 33.Rc8+ Kh7 34.Rbb8! Accurately calculated. The checks will run out and there will be no defence against the mate. Rxg2+ 35.Kh1 Rh2+ 36.Kg1 Rhg2+ 37.Kf1 Rgf2+ 38.Ke1 Rae2+ 39.Kd1 Rd2+ 40.Kc1 The checks have run out. g6 41.Rc7+ A very interesting battle of four rooks on the board. Both sides had active rooks, but what made the difference were the White pawns who weaved a nice mating net around the black king. 1–0
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Jussupow,A2581Neelotpal,D24241–02014E59Qatar Masters Open6.44
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18...Ng4 The knight comes to g4 in order to sacrifice itself on f2. 19.h3 Salem doesn't believe in the sacrifice. Ngxf2 Kryvoruchko had said "a", he has to say "b" now. 20.Rxf2 Nxf2 21.Kxf2 Qxe3+ 22.Kf1 Qe7 23.Bc1 c5 24.bxc6 Bxc6 25.Qb1 h6 26.Kg1 b5 27.Rf1 b4 28.Nf4 Rab8 29.Rf2 b3 After a few quite moves, the action once again begins! 30.Ba3‼ Deflecting the d6 bishop just to get the knight on e5! Bxa3 31.Ne5?! 31.Bh7+ Kh8 31...Kf8? 32.Ng6+ fxg6 33.Ne5++- 32.Ne5 Qf6 33.Nfg6+ fxg6 34.Rxf6 gxf6 35.Nxg6+ Kxh7 36.Nf8+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kxf8 38.Qxf6+ Kg8 39.Qg6+= was a pretty way to end the game in a draw. 31...g6 32.Nfxg6 fxg6?! 32...Qb4! was the key move that would have given Black a winning position. d4 is hanging now, and at the same time you threaten to take the knight on e5 with the rook. 33.Nf4 Rxe5 34.dxe5 b2-+ 33.Bxg6 Rf8 34.Bf7+! Rxf7 35.Rxf7 Qxf7 36.Nxf7 b2 36...Kxf7 was also fine. 37.Qf5+ Kg8 38.Qg6+ Kf8 39.Qf6+ Kg8 40.Qe6+ Kh7 40...Kh8? 41.Qe5+ 41.Qf5+ Kg8 42.Qg6+= 37.Nxh6+ Kh8 38.Nf7+ Kg7 39.Ng5 Be8 39...Rh8 40.Ne6+± 40.Qh7+ Kf6 41.Qh8+ Kxg5 42.Qe5+ The rook is lost but it will not be possible to win. Kh6 43.Qxb8 Bg6 44.Qh8+ Bh7 45.Qf6+ Bg6 46.Qh8+ Bh7 A wild and fighting battle by two young players! ½–½
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Salem,A2586Kryvoruchko,Y2706½–½2014E21Qatar Masters Open6.4

All photos by Maria Emelianova and Dmitry Rukhletskiy from the official website photo gallery

Top standings after six rounds

Rk. Sd. Ti. Name FED Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3 
1 1 GM Giri Anish NED 2776 6.0 3422 20.0 22.0
2 2 GM Kramnik Vladimir RUS 2760 5.0 2843 17.5 19.5
3 69 GM Grandelius Nils SWE 2573 4.5 2835 23.0 24.5
4 62 GM Salem A.R. Saleh UAE 2586 4.5 2815 20.0 21.5
5 44 GM Oleksienko Mikhailo UKR 2620 4.5 2802 20.5 22.0
6 12 GM Kryvoruchko Yuriy UKR 2706 4.5 2795 20.0 23.0
7 10 GM Tomashevsky Evgeny RUS 2714 4.5 2794 22.0 24.0
8 30 GM Ivanisevic Ivan SRB 2643 4.5 2786 20.0 22.5
9 13 GM Yu Yangyi CHN 2705 4.5 2785 20.5 23.5
10 45 GM Perunovic Milos SRB 2619 4.5 2764 18.5 20.5
11 31 GM Shankland Samuel L USA 2642 4.5 2741 18.5 21.0
12 28 GM Efimenko Zahar UKR 2644 4.5 2720 17.0 19.0
13 59 GM Lenderman Aleksandr USA 2598 4.5 2720 16.5 19.0
14 27 GM Mamedov Rauf AZE 2652 4.5 2715 15.0 17.0
15 4 GM Vachier-Lagrave Maxime FRA 2751 4.0 2732 19.0 21.5
16 60 GM Guseinov Gadir AZE 2592 4.0 2729 19.5 19.5
17 39 GM Volokitin Andrei UKR 2627 4.0 2727 18.0 19.0
18 6 GM Harikrishna P. IND 2725 4.0 2726 18.0 20.5
19 19 GM Sjugirov Sanan RUS 2673 4.0 2723 20.5 23.5
20 11 GM Bu Xiangzhi CHN 2707 4.0 2717 17.0 19.0
21 8 GM Eljanov Pavel UKR 2719 4.0 2712 18.0 20.5
22 14 GM Moiseenko Alexander UKR 2701 4.0 2708 19.5 22.0
23 70 GM Cornette Matthieu FRA 2566 4.0 2707 20.5 21.5
24 35 GM Gupta Abhijeet IND 2632 4.0 2707 18.0 19.0
25 37 GM Dubov Daniil RUS 2629 4.0 2700 17.0 19.5
26 5 GM Ding Liren CHN 2730 4.0 2700 16.0 18.5
27 16 GM Cheparinov Ivan BUL 2684 4.0 2695 18.0 20.5
28 25 GM Movsesian Sergei ARM 2659 4.0 2675 18.0 21.0
29 43 GM Naroditsky Daniel USA 2620 4.0 2663 17.0 19.5
30 23 GM Kuzubov Yuriy UKR 2661 4.0 2655 17.0 19.5
31 46 GM L'ami Erwin NED 2618 4.0 2648 17.5 20.0
32 42 GM Durarbayli Vasif AZE 2621 4.0 2640 18.0 20.0
33 26 GM Akopian Vladimir ARM 2657 4.0 2636 17.0 20.0
34 38 GM Safarli Eltaj AZE 2628 4.0 2629 17.0 18.5
35 7 GM Jobava Baadur GEO 2722 4.0 2624 15.0 16.5
36 32 GM Vovk Andrey UKR 2640 4.0 2618 17.5 19.0
37 34 GM Romanov Evgeny RUS 2636 4.0 2617 15.5 17.0
38 47 GM Hamdouchi Hicham FRA 2616 4.0 2546 14.5 16.5
39 36 GM Adhiban B. IND 2630 4.0 2507 12.0 12.0

Standings and results of all 150 players here

Links

The top games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.
Born in 1999 Akshat is currently on a quest for the GM title. He started playing chess at the comparatively late age of nine, but made rapid progress and at the age of 15, has an IM title, a GM norm, and a 2490 FIDE rating. He is also a budding author who has attended the online advanced writing program of John Hopkins University. More about him on his blog QuestToGM..

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