The tournament is taking place in the Ugorian Chess Academy in the very heart of Khanty-Mansiysk, which has hosted three previous World Cups: 2005, 2007, and 2009. The 128 participants hail from 46 different countries, and are playing for a total prize fund of US $1.6 million. In addition the first three finisher get tickets to the Candidates tournament in the next World Championship cycle.
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The battle between Russian GMs Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk turned out not to be very long. Grischuk, playing Black and trailing, strove for a full-blooded fight, responding to 1.e4 with a sharp Najdorf Sicilian. However, the system is sharp only if White also strives for a fight. In view of the match situation Svidler opted for a quiet game.
The start of game two between Peter Svidler and Alexander Grischuk
The two played fourteen moves of theory, then two more moves and agreed
to a draw
"Most of my white games are drawn," said Peter Svidler in the press conference after the game. "I decided not to deviate from this recipe for success, since it was working very well. But seriously, it was not exactly what I wanted when I played 6.a4. Soon we got a whittled down position."
Sacha Grischuk: "Today Peter proved once again that he is a man of his word. Like Alexander Kerzhakov who used to say 'I kicked, I kick and I will keep kicking!', Peter is saying: 'With White I drew, I draw and I will draw!' I prepared ten main lines on the sixth move, and 6.a4 is among the most solid – and most boring ones."
Problem is the two are great friends and have worked together
The match for the third place and for the last ticket to the World Championship cycle between two Ukrainian grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk and Ruslan Ponomariov was more eventful. Ponomariov with white did not handle the Vienne Variation well enough, and after the opening had a hopeless position. Very soon queens disappeared from the board, and Black’s advantage became more obvious in the endgame. White had to speed up in order to develop the kingside while Black gained the initiative all over the board: he pushed his pawns on the queenside and penetrated into the opponent’s camp with the rook. White defended very persistently: having sacrificed a pawn, he activated all his pieces, after which the fight flashed up anew. However, in terrible time trouble, Ponomariov blundered on move 37, after which White’s position became hopeless.
What is he up to? Ruslan Ponomariov in game two with the white pieces...
... against Vassily Ivanchuk, who got a clear advantage in the opening
Pondering whether to play 22.h3 – which he did in the end
Realizing that there is trouble abrewing
Press conference with translator Kema Goryaeva and the game two winner...
Vassily Ivanchuk, who is now in the lead for place three
Kema taking notes in order to provide exact translations
Ivanchuk now with good chances for a ticket to the Candidates
| Name | G1 |
G2 |
R1 |
R2 |
r3 |
r4 |
B1 |
B2 |
SD |
Tot |
| Grischuk, Alexander (RUS) | 0 |
½ |
0.5 |
|||||||
| Svidler, Peter (RUS) | 1 |
½ |
1.5 |
|||||||
| Ivanchuk, Vassily (UKR) | ½ |
1 |
1.5 |
|||||||
| Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR) | ½ |
0 |
0.5 |
|||||||
| Date | Day | Time | Rounds | Players |
| 18.09.2011 | Sunday | 15:00 | Round 7, game 3 | |
| 19.09.2011 | Monday | 15:00 | Round 7, game 4 | |
| 20.09.2011 | Tuesday | 11:00 | Tiebreaks, Closing | |
| 21.09.2011 | Wednesday | Departure |
LinksThe games are being 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 there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |
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