Zurich: two draws in round one

In one of the strongest tournaments of the year the World Champion Viswanathan Anand (India) is facing the former title-holder Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), last year’s World Championship challenger Boris Gelfand (Israel) and the rising star Fabiano Caruana (Italy). At the Savoy Hotel, Paradeplatz, Zurich, the four masters are playing a double round-robin tournament from 23 February to 1 March 2013.

The elegant Savoy Baur en Ville hotel in Zurich, Switzerland

Round one report

Vishwanathan Anand vs Fabiano Caruana saw a somewhat unusual variation of the Sicilian Najdorf where White plays 6.Be3 – as Caruana had done against Anand just ten days ago in Baden Baden, and against Naiditsch two weeks ago in the same event (the game against Anand was drawn, Caruana beat Naiditsch in this line). Caruana got a slight advantage and was clearly playing for a win. In spite of time trouble he spurned a repetition and then dropped a pawn. On move 41 he then overlooked a way to regain it with a clear draw, and had to suffer Anand's attempts to take the full point himself. The World Champion played on until move 65 but was unable to break down his young opponent's defence.

Vladimir Kramnik vs Boris Gelfand (above in the postmortem) started 1.Nf3 c5 2.b3, something Kramnik had used successfully against Gawain Jones at the London Chess Classic last December. Against Gelfand he gained a slight advantage, but was unable to make headway against last year's World Championship challenger. The game ended with repetition on move 59 in a clearly drawn position.

Live streams of the game

In the following videos commentators GM Yannick Pelletier and IM Werner Hug (rhymes with 'book') comment on the games as they progress, and also interview the players after they are over.

Impressions on round one by Vijay Kumar

Replay the games of the round on our JavaScript player

 

Schedule and results

1st round: 23 February 2013 at 15:00
Fabiano Caruana	2757	½-½	Viswanathan Anand	2780
Vladimir Kramnik	2810	½-½	Boris Gelfand	2740
2nd round: 24 February 2013 at 15:00
Vladimir Kramnik	2810		Viswanathan Anand	2780
Boris Gelfand	2740		Fabiano Caruana	2757
3rd round: 25 February 2013 at 15:00
Viswanathan Anand	2780		Boris Gelfand	2740
Fabiano Caruana	2757		Vladimir Kramnik	2810
4th round: 27 February 2013 at 15:00
Viswanathan Anand	2780		Fabiano Caruana	2757
Boris Gelfand	2740		Vladimir Kramnik	2810
5th round: 28 February 2013 at 15:00
Boris Gelfand	2740		Viswanathan Anand	2780
Vladimir Kramnik	2810		Fabiano Caruana	2757
6th round: 1 March 2013 at 13:00
Viswanathan Anand	2780		Vladimir Kramnik	2810
Fabiano Caruana	2757		Boris Gelfand	2740

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