Gelfand Leads Mamedyarov in Kazan - Chess.com

Gelfand Leads Mamedyarov in Kazan - Chess.com

Gelfand Leads Mamedyarov in Kazan

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Submitted by SonofPearl on Chess.com

The third day of the Candidates matches in Kazan produced plenty of exciting chess, and one truly amazing game between Mamedyarov and Gelfand.

Gelfand forsook the Petroff for the Najdorf again and Mamedyarov went for the jugular on the kingside immediately. Gelfand responded in textbook fashion with a well-timed d5 break and all hell broke loose!

After Gelfand sacrificed the exchange on c3 he kept picking off weak pawns and then sacrificed a further knight, eventually leaving an extraordinary material imbalance of 6 pawns for a rook!

Gelfand's bishop pair ensured that Mamedyarov had no attack left, and his mighty passed pawns raced down the board to score a fantastic and remarkable victory.

Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar vs. Gelfand, Boris

Candidates Matches | Kazan | Round 1.3| 7 May 2011 | 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5 8. O-O Be7 9. Qf3 Qc7 10. Qg3 O-O 11. Bh6 Ne8 12. Rad1 Bd7 13. f4 Nc6 14. f5 Nxd4 15. Rxd4 Kh8 16. Be3 Nf6 17. Qh3 d5 18. e5 Qxe5 19. Rh4 Rfc8 20. Kh1 Rxc3 21. bxc3 Qxc3 22. Rd4 a5 23. Rd3 Qc6 24. c3 a4 25. Bc2 e5 26. Bg5 b4 27. Qh4 bxc3 28. Rh3 Kg8 29. Re1 e4 30. g4 Kf8 31. Be3 Qc4 32. g5 Bxf5 33. gxf6 Bxf6 34. Qh5 Bg6 35. Qg4 Qxa2 36. Bb1 Qc4 37. Qg2 a3 38. Ba2 Qc6 39. Rg3 Rb8

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Topalov also chose the Najdorf again against Kamsky and was the first to deviate with 6...e5. Kamsky seemed to be trying to keep the position under control, but Topalov seized the initiative and it was Kamsky who had to hold on for a draw. Can Topalov equalise with white tomorrow, or will the American gain revenge for his previous match loss to the Bulgarian?

Kamsky, Gata vs. Topalov, Veselin

Candidates Matches | Kazan | Round 1.3| 7 May 2011 | 1/2-1/2

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bg5 Be6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nd5 Nd7 11. Bc4 Rc8 12. b3 Qa5+ 13. Qd2 Qxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Bg5 15. Kd1 h5 16. Re1 h4 17. h3 Nf6 18. Nxf6+ gxf6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Nf3 Rg8 21. c4 f5 22. exf5 exf5 23. Ke2 Be7 24. Kf1 Kf7 25. Rad1 Rc5 26. b4 Rxc4 27. Rxe5 dxe5 28. Nxe5+ Ke6 29. Nxc4 Bxb4 30. Rb1 a5 31. Rd1 Rc8 32. Rd4 Bc3 33. Rxh4 Bf6 34. Rf4 Bg5 35. Rd4 Bf6 36. Rf4 Bg5 37. Rd4 Bf6

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Aronian once again took the game to Grischuk in a complicated Grunfeld, but the Russian held on despite coming under considerable pressure. Grischuk will now enjoy the advantage of the white pieces in the final game, although white has yet to win a game so far in the event! Could Aronian, the favourite for the event, be in trouble?

Aronian, Levon vs. Grischuk, Alexander

Candidates Matches | Kazan | Round 1.3| 7 May 2011 | 1/2-1/2

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 8. Be2 b5 9. Qb3 c5 10. dxc5 Be6 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Rd1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nxc5 16. O-O a5 17. Bc4 Qd6 18. Bd4 Ncd7 19. Qe2 Ng4 20. Rfe1 Rfe8 21. Ba6 Ra8 22. Bb5 Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Ngf6 24. h3 Rab8 25. Ba4 Red8 26. Qxe7 Nb6 27. Bd1 Rbc8 28. Qa7 Ra8 29. Qb7 Rdc8 30. Qe7 Qxe7 31. Rxe7 Nfxd5 32. Rb7 Rc7 33. Rxc7 Nxc7 34. Bb3 a4 35. Bc2 Ncd5 36. Be4 Ra5 37. Ne5 Rc5 38. Bxd5 Rxd5 39. Rxb4 Rxe5 40. Rxb6 Re1+ 41. Kh2 Re2 42. Kg3 a3 43. bxa3 Rxa2 44. Rb3 Kg7 45. f4 h5 46. h4 f6 47. Kf3 g5 48. hxg5 fxg5 49. g3 Kf6 50. Ke4 gxf4 51. Kxf4 Ra1 52. Ke4 Ke6 53. Re3 Ra2 54. Kd4+ Kd6 55. Kc4 Rh2 56. Kb5 Kc7 57. Re7+ Kb8 58. Rh7 Rg2 59. Kb6 Rb2+

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Kramnik entrusted his safety to Emanuel Lasker again, and Radjabov utterly failed to make any headway for the second time. Will we see a King's Indian tomorrow, or is Radjabov aiming to take his chances in rapid tie-breaks?

Radjabov, Teimour vs. Kramnik, Vladimir

Candidates Matches | Kazan | Round 1.3| 7 May 2011 | 1/2-1/2

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. Qc2 b6 14. Bd3 Nf6 15. Rxc6 Nd5 16. Qb3 Nb4 17. Rc1 Nxd3+ 18. Qxd3 Bb7 19. O-O Bxf3 20. gxf3 Qg5+ 21. Kh1 Qd5 22. Qe4 Qxa2 23. Rg1 Rfc8 24. Qb7 Rf8 25. Rc7 Qxb2 26. Rxf7 Rxf7 27. Qxa8+ Kh7 28. Qe8 Rc7 29. Qxe6 Qxf2 30. Qe4+ Kg8 31. Qe8+ Kh7 32. Qe4+ Kg8 33. Qe8+

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The fourth and final games of the opening matches are tomorrow at 15:00 local time (11:00 UTC, 07:00 Eastern in the US). If any of the matches are still all-square then tie-breaks take place on Monday.

Live coverage and more is available at the official website, and live video of the playing hall is available here.

Chess.com/TV will be covering the 4th game of the 1st round on Sunday, May 8th, starting at 5:30 AM Pacific/8:30 AM Eastern time. It will most likely be the first broadcast of several as the tournament goes on. The first broadcast, which is open to Platinum/Diamond members, will be hosted by GM Melik Khachiyan and Jason "The Poet" Stonekin