1.d4 Hi! Dear spectators, I am Vlad Tkachev. I begin commentary on the games of round 2. All players are at their boards, except Alexander Grischuk, who is being late.

1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 c5 A very rarely played and interesting line. It is somewhat strange that it is not played more often.

7.dxc5 d4 8.Qg3 0–0

9.Bh6 Here we are. And Fischer says that theory had killed chess. Meanwhile this position has occurred for the first time.

9...Ne8 10.e3 Nc6 11.0–0–0 Qc7 12.Qxc7 Nxc7 13.Bf4 e5 14.Bg3 dxe3 15.fxe3 a5 16.Ne2 Ne6 17. Rd5 or nothing! I can willingly admit that I do not understand the opening too well and that Black is in fad all right. Still, agree with me: it is the eleventh more that is so wonderful. No, no, and once again no.

17.Rd5 f6 18.Nc3 a4 19.Ne4 Ne7 Surely, our computer friends assess the Black position as normal. Meanwhile, he faces a rather ungrateful defense.

20.Rd1 Nc6 21.Rd5 Ne7 22.Rd1 Nc6

23.Rd5 I am not sure that the outcome of this game, just as the outcome of the Svidler - Shirov game, were strictly predetermined. The first, but may be not the last time I will note that the Tal Memorial still dictates the different rules for the participants to follow.

Drawn.

 
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Nb3 a5 15.Be3 a4 16.Nbd2 Bd7

17.Rc1 Rac8 18.Nf1 Qb8 19.Ng3 Rfe8 20.Bb1

I would like to avoid my favourite phrase ‘Business as usual’. Meanwhile the game proceeds along the well-trodden path. For the time being, White has already demonstrated his intentions, so it is up to block which course the game will take. In principle, one of the few dynamic ideas in this positions Bd8 with the idea Bb6 or Ba5.

20...Na5 21.Rxc8 Bxc8 22.Bd3 Here, once in a blue moon we see the Spanish torture - not for White, but for Black. It seems to me that Alexei has selected an unfortunate opening this time.

22...Be6 23.Bd2 One way or another, judging from the strategic pattern adopted. Black is in for a long defense.

23...Bd8 24.Qe2 Bc4 25.Rc1 exd4 26.Bxa5 Bxa5 27.Bxc4 bxc4 28.Qxc4 Qxb2 29.Rc2 Qb1+ 30.Rc1 Qb2 31.Rc2 Qb1+ 32.Rc1

Drawn.

 
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.cxd5 exd5 7.e3 c5 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Qc2 c4 10.Bf5 0–0 11.0–0 Re8 12.Nd2 g6

13.Bxd7 Nxd7 14.f3 Nb6 15.Bf4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qa4 17.Qc1

The game develops rather strangely. Nothing new, from all appearance, has White offer in this variation forsaken by both God and theory. Well, the more interesting it will be to see what will happen.

17...Bf5 18.Re1 Qc6 19.Nf1 Bd3 20.Ng3 Re6 21.Nh1

Looks nice, but that is all... I still prefer Black's position, although in a game between friends I would place a bet on a draw.

21...f6 Friends are friends, but let us remain objective: Black stands better.

22.h4 Rae8 23.Nf2 Qa4 24.Rd1 Kg7 25.Qb2 R8e7 26.Nxd3 cxd3 27.Rxd3

27…Nc4 28.Qf2 Rb6 29.Qg3 Rb2 Well, everything develops logically enough - Black has a clear advantage. I am betting on the obvious favourite of the tournament. Hooray!!!

30.e4 Considering the time spend on the clock of the opponents, White is very far from having it in "complete order". The nearest moves are to determine whether the private Ryan will be alle to escape this time.

30...dxe4 31.fxe4 Rxe4 32.Rf1.

White concentrates all his forces on the K-side. Here everything depends on how the matters will go – in the event of the win, one can say that White has ingeniously diverted Black to the Q-side, while in the event of the loss, White has burned his boats behind him. Since it’s still humans who play, we will not digress for the computer evaluation – let’s wait and see how the things go.

32...Qd7 33.Rdf3 Ree2 34.R3f2 Qe7 35.Rxe2 Rxe2 36.a4 Ne3 37.Bxe3 Rxe3.
 

38.Rf3 Rxf3 39.Qxf3 Qe1+ 40.Kh2 Qxh4+ 41.Kg1 Qe1+ 42.Kh2 Qe7 43.c4 h5 44.c5 h4.

So now the game is in its easiest, according to Spassky, phase – check, check, check, and the pawn queens. Well, if you want to be serious, the game is more likely drawish.

45.Kh3 g5 46.Kg4 a5. Strictly speaking, I do not quite understand what’s going on – whether Black wants to lure White into a zugzwang position, or he does not quite understand how to win. I can readily admit though, that Levon sees more chances in this position than anyone of us.

47.Kh5 Qe8+ 48.Kg4 Qc8+ 49.Kh5 Qe8+ 50.Kg4 Qf7 51.Qf5 Qe7.

52.Qf3 Kh6.  The step-by-step movement of Black’s men will hardly result in a win. Meanwhile, the resulting endgame is very interesting – I can’t remember anything like that off the cuff. Well, the more unusual the position is, the better for Aronian.

53.Qd5 Qc7 54.Kf5 Kg7 55.Kg4 Qc8+ 56.Kf3 h3 57.gxh3 Qxh3+ 58.Kf2 Qh2+ 59.Kf1 Qf4+ 60.Kg2.

60...Qd2+ 61.Kg3 Qe3+ 62.Kg2 Qe2+ 63.Kg3 Qe7 64.Kg4.  A lot of water has flown in the Ganga river since my last comment – Black is still better, and I still dubious about his chances to win.

64...Qc7 65.Qe4 Kf8 66.Qf5 Qc6.

67.d5 Qxc5.  It seems we are approaching the expected finale. According to my observations, friends’ games usually end up in a bloodshedding slaughter, but it seems both the opponents are getting short of ketchup.

68.Qxf6+.

Drawn.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Nxe7  The forgotten line. Last time I saw it not even in the database, but in Zak's book "The ways of Perfecting". I think that despite it's lack of popularity, this line belongs to the category of critical in this opening.

10...Nxe7 11.Bd3 Nd7

12.c4 b4 13.Nc2 a5 14.Ne3 f6 15.Bh4 0–0 16.0–0 Nc5 17.f3 Be6 18.Re1 Qb8

19.Bf1 Kh8 20.Re2 Rc8 21.Rd2 Ra6 22.Rc1 Rac6 23.Bf2

There is something for the spectators to rejoice and the commentators to be sorry. As before, I believe that White's position is stably better.

23...Bf7 24.Nd5 I still think that Morozevich is one of the best psychologists of our time. The outward innocuousness of the chosen opening should not device you - White has a stable advantage, but more importantly, he has chosen the right pattern. My advice to bookmakers: do not accept bets on Black in the next 5 moves!!!!!

24...Nxd5  25.cxd5  R6c7

26. Rdc2 - perhaps, everything has been done exactly to this end!

26.Rdc2 Be8  27.b3 Bd7 28.g4 Kg8 29.Qe2 Nb7 What can one add? My evaluation has not changed in any of the games under consideration, so this commentator is escaping to the smoking room.

30.Rxc7  Rxc7  31.Rxc7 Qxc7 32.Qa6 Nc5 33.Qa8+ Kf7 34.h4

Black has erected something like a fortress, meanwhile the position still holds a lot of attacking possibilities. At the moment, the menu contains Qh8, h6, h5, etc. We are sure to see something very entertaining!

34...h6 35.Bc4 Be8 36.Be3 Ke7 37.g5 hxg5 38.hxg5 Kf7 39.Kg2 Ke7 40.Kg3 Kf7

My home is my fortress - the old, but very much alive principle. It looks like a draw is the most probable outcome.

41.Kg4 Ke7 42.Kh4  At first glance, it's a draw, but let us not forget that it is Morozevich who has the White pieces and, that being so, we can expect a lot of entertainment.

42...Kf7 43.Kg3 Ke7 44.Kg2 Kf7 45.Bd2 Qb6 46.Be3. The draw that Carlsen demanded has been fixed. An achievement for the Scandinavian wonder kid, but rather a disappointment for Morozevich. It is hard to get rid of the impression that in the course of the game White has let slip something much more promising. But still psychology affects everyone, even Morozevich - the statistics of their previous encounters is hardly satisfying for him.

Drawn.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 b5 8.Qd2 b4 9.Na4 Nbd7 10.Bc4 Ne5

11.Bb3 Rb8 12.0–0 Bd7 13.a3 a5 14.axb4 axb4  Undoubtedly, White is trying to punish Black for his extravagant play in the opening. It seems that both opponents have succeeded in analyzing the position that has arose after the initial moves. Meanwhile, I would still place my bet on White.

15.f4 Nc6 16.e5

16…dxe5 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.Bf4 Nc6 Well, it Alexander has analyzed the line up to this point, then it is hard to deny him his genius. It is hard to believe that Black's position is sound.

19.Bxb8 Qxb8 Tal spirit is present on the scene, but most likely we should expect 20. kh1. The skeptics would say that the epoch is different, but perhaps it is better to say that it is we who have changed.

20.Rad1 Thank God, the favourite move of Boris Spassky has been played. It is known of long: it is played at this level when it is the best and the only one!

20...Be7 21.Qf4 Is it true that material count nothing and Black's analysis goes so far? If so, this game is one of those that make one re-assess the existing values. The more interesting it will be to watch the game farther!

21...0–0 22.Qxb8 Rxb8 23.Nf3 Na5 24.Ne5 Bb5 25.Rfe1 h5 26.Nd3 Nxb3 27.cxb3 Nd5

Perhaps the most interesting situation in chess - the material balance is disturbed, each side having obvious advantages. But now I like Black's position much better than I did after the previous comment. I would assess it as equal or equal plus.

28.Ne5 g5 29.Nf3 According to Mednis's famous book - Black advanced his pawns on the side where he is stronger. One gets the impression that once again Black is going to demonstrate the prevalence of the spiritual over the material.

29...Nf4 30.Nd4 Bf6 31.Nxb5 Rxb5 32.Re4 Nd5 33.Rc1 Kg7 34.Rc2 Be7 35.Re1 h4 36.Rc6  Bf6 37.Re4 Be7 38.Re1 Nf4 39.Rc7 Bf6 40.g3 Nd5 41.Rc4 h3

A rare theme in a game between supergrandmasters: the completely misplaced knight on a4. Surely, somewhere after the opening White got a bad bargain. Now he is in for a long, stubborn defense in an inferior end game. We, however, can congratulate ourselves: we are to see action.

42.Kf2 Be7 43.Re5 Kf6 44.Ree4. The situation is such that regardless the chess rating or the IQ, White only has to wait the developments. If I were a gambler, I would bet on a draw.

44...Kg6 45.Red4 f5 46.Rc6 Kf7.

Methodologically, it would be very interesting to see how Grischuk is going to exploit his advantage. Here we have both the Botvinnik method, very similar to the Stanislavsky school, and the Shereshevsky principle ‘never hurry’, and the stamina, but above all – enthusiasm.

47.Ke2 Nf6 48.Rc7 Re5+ 49.Kf1 Nd5. And here Black’s super-idea became clear – Nf6-g4-h2 and queening the pawn. Hardly is this so easy in reality as I have written – well, the more interesting it will be to watch how the games continues. However, let’s try and find the great in the casual, for the game is played quite in the Kasparov style: an original opening, an exchange sacrifice, and fight, fight, fight!

50.Rc1 Ne3+ 51.Kg1 Ng4 52.Rd2 Re3 53.Kf1.

53...Rf3+ 54.Ke1 Re3+ 55.Kf1 Re5 56.Nb6 Rc5 57.Nc4 Kf6 58.Ra1 f4 59.gxf4 Rf5 60.Ke2 Rxf4.

The latest paper by Razuvaev in the Kommersant comes to one’s mind – with his wildly great talent and very deep analytical mastery, Grischuk is the hope and pain (!) of Russian chess. So far to watch how he is handling the resulting endgame is a real pleasure: everything is going smoothly.

61.Kd3 Bc5 62.Re2 Rf3+ 63.Ke4 Rf4+ 64.Kd3 Rf3+ 65.Ke4 Rf4+.

Drawn.