World Cup R6.1: Both games drawn, Ukraine to move

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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Round six game one

On move three ex-World Chess Champion Ruslan Ponomariov (above) offered to play the Berlin Defence, which secured him a victory in the quarterfinal match against Gashimov.

Russian Champion Peter Svidler evaded the queen exchange, but Ponomariov was well prepared. After two symmetrical centre pushes (14…d5 15.d4) the position simplified. Afterwards Ponomariov said: "After Svidler exchanged on f4 on move 20, he did not even have the bishop pair advantage, and the position was almost symmetrical and absolutely equal. There was no point in playing any further; which is why White offered a draw."

The game Alexander Grischuk (Russia) vs Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine, above) lasted a bit longer. Here White also played 1.e4 and Black chose the French Defense. Alexander Grischuk: "The position of our game today reminded me my game against Morozevich, which we played in one of the Russian Team Championships in Dagomys. Here, too, I had an advantage during that game, but again missed the best continution and offered a draw."

Grischuk likened the situation in the now almost empty playing hall with two flies in a gym. One says: "It's cold in here!" The other replies: "Don't worry, we will warm up the place with our breath."

The number of spectators at the World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk is not gigantic – in fact it is close to the number the Arabs introduced into our mathematical system in the ninth century. BUT: as the tournament organisers say, "chess lovers prefer to watch the chess battles via Internet." Their excellent HD video broadcast in Russian and English of the semi-final games were watched by around 56,000 online spectators. The number of visitors and online spectators during the whole Cup is almost a million unique visitors from 183 countries.

Results of round six

• Source: official results page

Remaining schedule of the World Chess Cup 2011

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The 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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