Mamedyarov blunders!

Arkadij Naiditsch was the fortunate recipient after Mamedyarov made an unfortunate oversight just gifting the exchange!
The other games were drawn so Ponomariov still leads by half-a-point from Le Quang Liem.

In Round 6 there were two Catalans and in neither of them Black was really troubled. Ponomariov was able to generate enough counterplay against Leko, whereas Kramnik made a positional queen sacrifice to obtain a fortress.

The only decisive result occurred in surprising circumstances. Naiditsch's opening was a shade passive enabling Mamedyarov to create some pressure. The German had however solved most of his problems when on the 39th move Mamedyarov just seemed to lose the plot.

Presumably time trouble was to blame.

NameRatingCountryResultNameRatingCountryNo. of MovesOpening
Peter Leko2734HUN0.5-0.5Ruslan Ponomariov2734UKR41Catalan Opening
Le Quang Liem2681VIE0.5-0.5Vladimir Kramnik2790RUS39Catalan Opening
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov2761AZE0-1Arkadij Naiditsch2684GER36Queen's Gambit Accepted

Naiditsch's win takes him above Peter Leko, whereas Mamedyarov drops back to fifty percent.

Posn.Player's NameWld. RankingNationRatingPoints
1stRuslan Ponomariov14UKR27344
2ndLe Quang Liem55VIE26813.5
3rd-4thVladimir Kramnik4RUS27903
3rd-4thShakhriyar Mamedyarov6AZE27613
5thArkadij Naiditsch51GER26842.5
6thPeter Leko16HUN27342

No wins so far for Leko, but there are still four rounds remaining, so things can still change radically.

Peter Leko from Hungary © official site.

The photos used here are by Georgios Souleidis from the tournament site. For more information (and further photos!) see the Official site


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