In the key match for the title, Ian Nepomniachtchi sacrificed the exchange for an attack. The pre-round leader, Levon Aronian, was able to exchange queens, but with one pawn plus a good bishop pair in an open position the young Russian had enough compensation. Nepomniachtchi pressed, and won a second pawn, but by this time Black's rooks were well able to meet any threats. Aronian ultimately gave back the exchange for a dead drawn rook endgame.
The winner of Sergey Karjakin and Vassily Ivanchuk had a chance to join the lead, so both players played aggressively. Ivanchuk grabbed his opponent's b-pawn, whereupon Karjakin engineered tactical chances against Black's weakened kingside. Once the queens came off, Black's extra pawn gave him a pull, but his pawns were split and Karjakin was able to blockade.
Viswanathan Anand was able to draw with Black against Boris Gelfand, making it nine out of nine! He had the slightly inferior pawn structure, but was sufficiently active to obtain full equality.
In the all-Russian battle, Vladimir Kramnik played an ambitious combination where he gave up two pieces for a rook, the idea being to leave his opponent discoordinated. Nevertheless, Svidler found the time to snatch the a-pawn and gradually organize his forces. Later the passed a-pawn proved to be a decisive advantage.
Magnus Carlsen undertook to snatch the American's e-pawn, at the risk of exposing his king. However there was no real attack and Hikaru Nakamura found himself obliged to exchange queens. He sought solace in an opposite-bishop endgame a pawn down, but had to give a second pawn to release his king. This proved to be too much, and Carlsen was able to win.
Here is a summary of the final round games:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening descri ption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 0.5-0.5 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 29 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 0-1 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 58 | Queen's Indian Defence 4...Ba6 |
Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 0.5-0.5 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 85 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 1-0 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 44 | English Opening |
Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 0.5-0.5 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 42 | Sicilian Kan |
The final table:
Rank | Name | Country | Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Points | Expected score | Elo +/- |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-2 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5½ | 4.9 | +6 |
1-2 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5½ | 5.2 | +3 |
3-5 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5 | 4.3 | +7 |
3-5 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5 | 3.9 | +11 |
3-5 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 | 4.5 | +5 |
6-7 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4½ | 4.9 | -4 |
6-7 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | 4½ | 4.2 | +3 |
8-9 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 3½ | 4.9 | -14 |
8-9 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 3½ | 4.0 | -5 |
10 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 3 | 4.2 | -12 |
At the top, Carlsen's small rating gain is significant, as he is (provisionally) at a higher rating than ever before.
Aronian's six point gain, allied with Anand's four point loss, should see the Armenian overtake the Indian and thus become World number 2.
However, these observations may only be of temporary value, as they could well change in the London Classic which takes place next month.
An excellent coming of age result for Ian Nepomniachtchi who, despite being the lowest ranked, didn't lose a game.
Lower down, after a poor start to the event, Boris Gelfand finally escaped from last place due to Hikaru Nakamura losing two of his last three games.
The biggest loser in the Elo points stakes however was Vladimir Kramnik who shed 14 points and so loses his 2800 status.
Details of the earlier games:
The first round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 0.5-0.5 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 34 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 0.5-0.5 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 42 | Nimzoindian 4.Qc2 |
Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 1-0 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 61 | Grünfeld 4.e3 |
Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 0-1 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 53 | English Symmetrical |
Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 0.5-0.5 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 57 | Queen's Indian 4.g3 Ba6 |
The second round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 1-0 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 38 | Slav Defence 4.e3 |
Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 0.5-0.5 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 43 | Sicilian Najdorf 6.Be2 |
Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 0.5-0.5 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 23 | Caro-Kann Advance |
Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 0.5-0.5 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 76 | Sicilian Sveshnikov |
Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 0.5-0.5 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 49 | Queen's Gambit Tarrasch |
The third round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 0-1 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 59 | Open Catalan |
Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 0-1 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 48 | Grünfeld Exchange 7.Bc4 |
Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 0.5-0.5 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 27 | Grünfeld (Russian Variation) |
Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 0-1 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 57 | Spanish Berlin |
Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 0.5-0.5 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 41 | English (Botvinnik) |
The fourth round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 0.5-0.5 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 67 | Nimzoindian 4.Qc2 |
Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 0.5-0.5 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 40 | Reti Opening |
Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 0.5-0.5 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 85 | Sicilian Dragon |
Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 0.5-0.5 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 60 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 0.5-0.5 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 57 | Chebanenko Slav |
The fifth round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 0.5-0.5 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 26 | Sicilian Kan |
Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 0.5-0.5 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 62 | Grünfeld Defence 4.Bg5 |
Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 0.5-0.5 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 53 | Queen's Gambit Declined 3...Be7 |
Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 0.5-0.5 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 36 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 0.5-0.5 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 76 | Grünfeld 4.Bf4 |
The sixth round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 0.5-0.5 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 53 | Grünfeld Defence (Exchange 7 .Bc4) |
Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 0.5-0.5 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 40 | Nimzoindian Defence (4.Qc2) |
Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 0.5-0.5 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 40 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 0.5-0.5 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 42 | English (Anti-Grünfeld, Qb3) |
Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 0.5-0.5 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 36 | Queen's Gambit Declined (Lasker) |
The seventh round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 0.5-0.5 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 29 | Grünfeld Defence (Exchange 7 .Be3) |
Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 0.5-0.5 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 58 | English Opening |
Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 0.5-0.5 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 38 | Spanish with d3 |
Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 0.5-0.5 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 48 | Queen's Gambit Declined 5.Bf4 |
Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 0-1 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 40 | Grünfeld Defence 4.Bf4 |
The eighth round:
White | Country | Rating | Result | Black | Country | Rating | Moves | Opening descri ption |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Viswanathan Anand | IND | 2811 | 0.5-0.5 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2758 | 33 | King's Indian Defence (Sämisch) |
Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 2826 | 0.5-0.5 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | RUS | 2730 | 40 | Sicilian (Moscow) |
Levon Aronian | ARM | 2802 | 1-0 | Peter Svidler | RUS | 2755 | 54 | Grünfeld Defence 4.Bf4 |
Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 2800 | 0.5-0.5 | Sergey Karjakin | RUS | 2763 | 44 | Catalan Opening |
Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 2775 | 0.5-0.5 | Boris Gelfand | ISR | 2744 | 41 | Semi-Slav 6.Qc2 |
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