Round 4 16th September 2007 by IM Malcolm Pein

Anand will be disappointed not to win in Round 4. Photo © Gerard Demuydt http://www.europe-echecs.com who have videos, photos and analysis each day.

Round 4 (September 16, 2007)

Kramnik, Vladimir      -  Grischuk, Alexander    1/2   60  E06  Catalan
Morozevich, Alexander  -  Anand, Viswanathan     1/2   61  D47  Queens Gambit Meran
Aronian, Levon         -  Leko, Peter            1-0   45  A33  English Symmetrical
Svidler, Peter         -  Gelfand, Boris         1/2   24  C42  Petroff's Defence

WCh Mexico City MEX (MEX), 13-29 ix 2007               cat. XXI (2752)
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                                     1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8 
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1 Anand, Viswanathan     g IND 2792 ** =. .. =. =. 1. .. ..  2.5  2847
2 Kramnik, Vladimir      g RUS 2769 =. ** =. .. 1. .. =. ..  2.5  2847
3 Grischuk, Alexander    g RUS 2726 .. =. ** =. .. =. .. =.  2.0  2750
4 Gelfand, Boris         g ISR 2733 =. .. =. ** .. .. =. =.  2.0  2751
5 Morozevich, Alexander  g RUS 2758 =. 0. .. .. ** =. 1. ..  2.0  2761
6 Aronian, Levon         g ARM 2750 0. .. =. .. =. ** .. 1.  2.0  2756
7 Svidler, Peter         g RUS 2735 .. =. .. =. 0. .. ** =.  1.5  2665
8 Leko, Peter            g HUN 2751 .. .. =. =. .. 0. =. **  1.5  2649
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Malcolm Pein Notes Rounds 4-10 in PGN

Two more escapes from seemingly hopeless situations ensured that the Fide World Championship tournament remains very closely contested as the players enjoyed the first rest day at Mexico City. The favourites Vladimir Kramnik and Vishy Anand may have cause to rue their missed opportunities to establish a full point lead over the field.

Kramnik was visibly annoyed with himself after his compatriot Alexander Grischuk engineered a miraculous escape from a grisly position after being nearly ninety minutes behind on the clock at one stage. Grischuk’s prowess at Blitz Chess served him well as managed to exchange into an endgame less a pawn that he saved by a tempo.

Kramnik’s favourite Catalan Opening served him well again and he secured a big advantage. The world champion said afterwards he was sure he missed several clear wins just before the time control when he had over 30 minutes on the clock to Grischuk’s two or three minutes.

Anand outplayed Alexander Morozevich after the latter produced a good new move in the opening. Anand won a pawn but Morozevich kept creating complications and the battle between these two tactical wizards went in favour of the Russian who escaped with half a point.

Levon Aronian got back to 50% at the expense of Peter Leko who made a slip in the Hedgehog that was alertly exploited. As Aronian admitted afterwards he had no advantage from the opening but was just trying to create a little pressure. Vigilance is required in cramped Hedgehog positions as Black often has no active plan. On move 27 Leko left a piece undefended and allowed a strong pawn break. His reaction was to sacrifice a piece unsoundly and this was easily dealt with.

Round four Morozevich draw Anand, Slav Meran, 61; Kramnik draw Grischuk, Catalan, 60; Svidler draw Gelfand, Petroff Defence, 24; Aronian 1-0 Leko, English Opening, 45;

Scores 1-2 Anand & Kramnik 2.5/4; 3-6 Aronian, Morozevich, Gelfand & Grischuk 2; 7-8 Svidler, Leko 1.5;

Aronian,L (2750) - Leko,P (2751) [A33]
WCh Mexico City MEX (4), 16.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.a3 Jon Speelman was one of the early proponents of this quiet move which prevents Bb4 and prepares e4 gaining space 6...Be7 [6...d5 7.cxd5 exd5 is not to everyone's taste] 7.e4 0-0 8.Nf3 d6 9.Be2 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Bf4 Taking aim at one of the two weak spots in Black's Hedgehog structure on d6 11...Ne5 12.Nd2 Ng6 13.Bg3 Rc8 [13...d5 14.cxd5 exd5 15.e5] 14.Re1 a6 15.Rc1 Qc7 16.b4 Qb8 17.Bf1 Rfd8 18.Qe2 Nd7 19.Qe3 h6 20.Nf3 Ba8 Black is boxed in but his position is very solid. 21.Red1 Nde5 22.Nd2 Ng4 23.Qe2 N4e5 24.f4 Nd7 25.Nf3 Bf6 26.Qe3 Re8 27.Be1

White tries to do nothing but do it very well. 27...Bd8? Leaving the Nd7 undefended [27...Be7 After the game Leko claimed Be7 and Nf6 was better for Black. I doubt it but it was certainly satisfactory 28.Bg3 (28.e5 Red8=) 28...Nf6 29.h3] 28.e5! dxe5? Black is in a bad way but this makes things a lot easier for white. [28...Bc7 29.Ne4 Bxe4 30.Qxe4 is highly unpleasant for black but at least white has some work to do. ; 28...Be7 29.Ne4 Bxe4 30.Qxe4 is good for White but this piece sacrifice is unsound 30...Red8] 29.Rxd7 exf4 30.Qe2 e5 31.Ne4 Be7 [31...f5 32.Nd6 Bc6 33.Rxd8 Rcxd8 34.Nxe8 Rxe8 35.c5 b5 36.Bc3] 32.c5 bxc5 33.bxc5 Bc6 34.Rdd1 Bb5 35.Qb2 Qa7 36.Bxb5 axb5 37.Bf2 Qa8 38.Nd6 e4 Desperate but if [38...Bxd6 39.cxd6 Rxc1 40.Rxc1 e4 41.Nd4 e3 42.Be1] 39.Nxe8 Rxe8 40.Nd4 Bf6 41.c6 e3 42.Be1 f3 43.gxf3 Nf4 44.Bg3 Ne6 45.Qb4

1-0

Vigilance is required in cramped Hedgehog positions as Black often has no active plan. Kramnik’s favourite Catalan Opening served him well again and he secured a big advantage. The world champion said afterwards he was sure he missed several clear wins just before the time control when he had over 30 minutes on the clock to Grischuk’s two or three minutes.

Svidler,P (2735) - Gelfand,B (2733) [C42]
WCh Mexico City MEX (4), 16.09.2007
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Bf4 Instead of Be3 and preventing Nd7-e5 so the knight goes the other way 7...0-0 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Nc5 10.Be3 Re8 11.Bc4 Be6 12.Bxe6 Nxe6 13.h4 Qd7 14.Qd5 [14.Qd3 Qa4 15.Ng5 Nf8 16.Qd5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 Qe4 18.c4 Qxd5 19.cxd5+/= Nd7 20.Rd3 f6 21.Rc3 Rac8 22.Rh4 Re7 23.Rhc4 Nb6 24.Bxb6 axb6 25.gxf6 gxf6 26.a4 Kf8 27.Kd2 Rg7 28.g3 Ke8 29.Rf3 Rg6 30.Rh4 h6 31.Re4+ Kd7 32.Re6 Rf8 33.c4 h5 34.Rf5 Rg4 35.b3 h4 36.gxh4 Rxh4 37.Rfxf6 Rxf6 38.Rxf6 Ke7 39.Re6+ Kf7 40.Re3 Rh1 41.Rf3+ Ke7 42.Ke3 Re1+ 43.Kf4 Kf6 44.Rh3 Re2 45.Rh7 Rxf2+ 46.Ke3 Rb2 47.Rxc7 Rxb3+ 48.Kd4 Rb4 49.Rd7 Rxa4 50.Rxd6+ Ke7 51.Rxb6 Ra7 52.c5 Kd8 53.Ke5 Kc7 54.Rh6 Ra5 55.Rh7+ Kb8 56.Rh8+ Ka7 57.d6 Rxc5+ 58.Ke6 Rc6 59.Ke7 1-0 Svidler,P (2765)-Bacrot,E (2717)/Morelia/Linares 2006/CBM 112] 14...Qc6 15.Qf5 Nf8 [15...Qa4 16.Ng5+/=] 16.h5N [16.Nd4 Qc4 17.Kb1 Bf6 18.Qf3 Nd7 19.g4 Bxd4 20.Rxd4 Qc6 21.Qxc6 bxc6 22.g5 c5 23.Rf4 Re5 24.Kc1 Nb6 25.Re1 Rae8 26.Kd1 R8e6 27.Bd2 f6 28.Rg1 Kf7 29.h5 c4 30.g6+ hxg6 31.hxg6+ Kg8 32.Be3 Nd5 33.Rh4 Nxe3+ 34.fxe3 Re4 35.Rgh1 Rxh4 36.Rxh4 d5 37.Rd4 c6 38.Ke2 f5 39.b3 Rxg6 40.bxc4 dxc4 41.Rxc4 Re6 42.Kf3 Kf7 43.Ra4 Re7 44.Rc4 Rc7 45.e4 fxe4+ 46.Kxe4 Kf6 47.Rc5 1/2-1/2 Naiditsch,A (2657)-Bacrot,E (2717)/Montpellier FRA 2006/The Week in Chess 596] 16...Qd7

17.Qd5 [17.Qd3 was suggested afterwards by Svidler just to keep the queens on.] 17...Qe6 18.c4 Qxd5 19.cxd5 White pawn on d5 gives him a small space advantage but Black has no weaknesses and should equalise 19...Nd7 20.Nd4 [20.h6 g6] 20...Nf6 21.Nf5 [21.Nb5 Bd8 22.Bxa7 (22.Nxa7 Rxe3 23.fxe3 Rxa7) 22...b6 is best left to the computers] 21...Bf8 22.Bd4 [22.c4 Ng4=] 22...Nxd5 23.Bxg7 Ne7 24.Nxe7+ Rxe7 Svidler's second Motlylev arrives in the next couple of days, maybe he has something against the Petroff. Gelfand has enjoyed a very comfortable time with black. It will be interesting to see if he can win a game or two with white and mix this event up a but more. 1/2-1/2