Chessable Houska's Caro

World Chess Championship Candidates 2011 (QF Playoffs)

Kramnik and Grischuk advance to the Candidates Semi-Finals after playoffs

Alexander Grischuk.

Alexander Grischuk. | http://video.russiachess.org/

The playoffs for the World Chess Championship Candidates took place on Monday. Alexander Grischuk eliminated the favourite Levon Aronian by winning the final rapid game. Vladimir Kramnik only advanced after four blitz games against Teimour Radjabov, he earlier had to win the second blitz game and did so after a break when the chess clock failed.

Kramnik-Radjabov

Kramnik-Radjabov. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

Vladimir Kramnik only advanced against Teimour Radjabov after four fairly traumatic blitz games. They had earler drawn four standard and four rapid games, Radjabov had prepared a much more solid repertoire of Queen's Gambits for this match for which he earned praise from his opponent.

Radjabov switched to 1.e4 for the first blitz game and a closely contested Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence suddenly turned in his favour and he finished things nicely. The blitz games were played in pairs and so Kramnik had to win the second game.

Vladimir Kramnik

Vladimir Kramnik. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

Kramnik played an English Opening which tried to keep some tension on the board but Radjabov managed to trade pieces at regualar intervals to achieve a double rook and opposite colour bishop ending. Radjabov had to give up a pawn but traded to a position of equality.

Then on move 60, with all the banging of the clocks, the clock reset itself. These things are not unknown, it may not even have been the clock, in the past Dave Clayton who covers the 4NCL has speculated that power surges from the board have been responsible. As outlined below by Alex McFarlane the clock itself was a replacement. Also there turned out to be no provision for this in the rules.

Broken Clock

Broken Clock. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

Teimour Radjabov

________
__R_____
_p_r_kp_
p_b____p
P___BP_P
______PK
________
________

Vladimir Kramnik

Position after 60...Kf6 where the game halted

61. Bc2 Rd4 62. Bb3 Be7 63. Bc4 Rd6 64. Kg2 Rd2+ 65. Kf3 Rd6 66. Ke4 Rd8 67. Bd5 Rd6 68. Rb7 Rd8 69. Rxb6+ Rd6 70. Rb5 Bd8 71. Rb7 Be7 72. Ra7 Rb6 73. Rxa5 Rb4+ 74. Kf3 Rd4 75. Ra6+ Kg7 76. Be4 Rd6 77. Rxd6 Bxd6 78. a5 Bc5 79. a6 Kf6 80. Ke2 1-0

Teimour Radjabov

Teimour Radjabov. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

The logic of the blitz game (a contest of intuition and cool nerves) was broken by the incident. There was a long break to allow the players to calm down (the arbiters could not make this situation right whatever they did), probably Kramnik is right in some way that it should have favoured Radjabov but I can't help feeling that Kramnik was becoming somewhat frustrated at the position he had, and wouldn't have won it. Radjabov having time to think about how close he was to winning the match turned out not to help him. But it is pretty useless to speculate in this way. As it was, 10 moves after the resumption, Radjabov went astray and he lost fairly easily.

In the following game (the first of the second set of two blitz games) Radjabov turned down a draw (he should have taken it probably, but as he said later, it is pointless to analyse these things afterwards) and then lost. The final game Kramnik saw himself to victory after not too many dramas, to perpetual check.

Initially the game was given as a win for Kramnik, later the offical results was changed to a draw. The handshake offered by Radjabov at the end was really neither a draw offer nor resignation of the game, but a resignation of the match. I don't think he gave the results of the game a thought, so in reality the final designation as a win or a draw doesn't really describe what happened, probably as the game was about to finish in perpetual the draw is the correct result to put to the game.

The match was extremely tough. I’ve got no energy left at all, so it’s a good thing there are two rest days. It was a completely even match overall. In the end, of course, it was just luck that decided things. I ended up luckier. The match was completely even, but someone had to win and someone had to lose, and it turned out I won. We both fought very hard, the struggle was fierce, and again, I repeat, I was simply luckier. Of course I’m happy, but on the other hand I understand that to be in Teimour’s position and lose such a match is extremely unpleasant. But that’s life. What can you do about it? I want to congratulate him on his good play, and good preparation. That was one of the toughest matches of my life so far. I can see Teimour’s made really serious progress, that his preparation was excellent, and he’s improved. He’s perhaps one of the very toughest opponents here. I understand and sympathise, because it was almost there, he was on the verge of winning, but what can you do, that’s sport.

Kramnik in the post match press conference

See Chess in Translation for a full account

Radjabov took his defeat like a man and refused to blame the clock failure and talked a lot about the match.

Alex McFarlane Comments on the day

A quick meeting before play and it was agreed that the penalty for starting an opponent's clock before replacing a displaced piece would be one minute. A third offence would result in the loss of the game. The rules already stated that a third incorrect claim of a draw would result in a loss also. The Rules also stated that the arbiters should record the moves and this was to be available to the players to enable draw claims.

I was allocated the Aronian-Grischuk game with Franca Dapiran doing Kramnik-Radjabov and Chief Arbiter Ignatius Leong ‘floating’. As things transpired, I got the easy option.

Before the start of play a technician came up to us to inform us that the Kramnik-Radjabov clock was not showing up with the electronic display. This often happens when the batteries are weak but not so weak as to give a warning sign. The clock was replaced.

The Rapidplay session duly commenced at 3pm local time. After some discussion it was agreed that we would give 15 minutes between games but would not wait to start both simultaneously as that could cause a large delay and there was anyway the prospect of a very long day - 4 Rapidplay, 10 Blitz and an Armageddon. My first game lasted longer than the other so my second started 10 minutes after the K-R one. However, they finished games 2, 3 and 4 whilst I was still on game three.

It was decided to start my game 4 at the same time as the Blitz game of the other competitors.

As I am watching this game I hear a bleep from the other clock as you do when it is being reset. I looked round to see both players indicating the clock which was showing 00 and the other two arbiters moving swiftly towards the incident. (Whilst we were close to the ‘action’ we were a bit further back than normally would be the case when recording to allow more access for the film crews.)

It was immediately decided that the game should continue with a replacement clock set at the times which could be found either from the footage taken or from the display of the games. Obviously, there was some disturbance though not excessive under the circumstances. It was certainly enough for me to consider halting my game, but not enough for me actually to do so. There was a bit of a dispute with one player saying the game should be annulled and the other wanting to play on. A slight delay followed whilst the Rules were consulted to confirm that they did not cover the situation.

That is the caption underneath a picture on the Chessbase Website. Eventually, everything was sorted and the games continued using a third clock. I am not sure, but I believe part of the delay in restarting was to allow the players to compose themselves.

As my match finished first I then had to escort one of the players to the press interview and then for a doping test. I returned from that in time to watch the last blitz game and then repeat the doping performance with one of those players.

All in all a very busy day. One which I enjoyed but one that I hope will not be repeated. I hate to think what the situation would have been like if we had had three matches going to tiebreak.

Alex McFarlane found the Grave of Rashid Nezhmetdinov. on his rest day. Photo © Alex McFarlane.

Alexander Grischuk

Alexander Grischuk. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

The favourite Levon Aronian was eliminated by Alexander Grischuk. There was never very much between the two players. Aronian was probably not 100% fit as he could be seen coughing right through the match, his play seemed to lack a certain something, but was probably only very slightly down in quality from his best.

Grischuk thoroughly outplayed Aronian in the first rapid game which was an English where eventually Grischuk reduced Aronian to thorough passivity and then moved slowly in for the kill.

Levon Aronian

Levon Aronian. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

Aronian struck back straight away in game two of the rapid playing a really risky variation of the queen's gambit as black where he smashed open his own kingside to get the two bishops and a chance to attack on the queenside. He got a big time advantage on the clock and also a nice position and he converted the ending.

Aronian got an advantage in game three and with 23.f4 this could have become serious, his 23.Rb2 also led to a favourable position as played but he missed the rather difficult 31. Qc3!! Nxd6 32. c6! and eventually lost his d-pawn and had to then defend to hold the game.

The final game saw Aronian miss opportunities to equalise before he had to give up his queen for rook and minor piece which was both objectively and even more practically lost and Grischuk converted to go through.

Even in this truncated form, the return of the Candidates Match has shown us some of the things we are missing. In the past even qualifying was worthy of a mention in a players' biography. The players clearly still take their participation more seriously than for any other event. It almost always turns out to be a stimulous for improvement and work for the younger players, Mamedyarov said that he spent 6 months preparing and had got invaluable experience. Mamedyarov's comments were mentioned in this article in Sport Express of 10th May

Disappointed Topalov

Disappointed but realistic Topalov. Photo © Russian Chess Federation

This article also has the very classy Topalov quote about his final game against Kamsky ""If you do not win such positions, it makes no sense to fight for the world championship.".

It seems to me that it is a bit pathetic with all this effort from the players not to have at least 6 games in the quarter and semi-finals. I understand the need for rapid and blitz playoffs but still find them unsatisfying. Two 6 game matches with an 8 game final later in the year, if it could be financed would be a sensible compromise. In the past the desperate search for sponsors match to match makes three separate events very difficult to justify, but this format is all too rushed.

Grischuk raised an interesting point that it was possibly a mistake to allow the Kramnik-Radjabov match to go to blitz whilst they were on rapid because blitz is noisy and frenetic and it was distracting for them. I understand why it was done that way but I think all-in-all they should start play for each game at the same time.

World Chess Championship Quarter Finals 2011 Kazan RUS Thu 5th May 2011 - Mon 9th May 2011
Name FEDRtg1234RapidBlitzS/DPts
Levon Aronian ARM2808½ ½ ½ ½
Alexander Grischuk RUS2747½ ½ ½ ½
Name FEDRtg1234RapidBlitzS/DPts
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov AZE2772½ ½ 0 ½
Boris Gelfand ISR2733½ ½ 1 ½
Name FEDRtg1234RapidBlitzS/DPts
Teimour Radjabov AZE2744½ ½ ½ ½ 2
Vladimir Kramnik RUS2785½ ½ ½ ½ 2
Name FEDRtg1234RapidBlitzS/DPts
Gata Kamsky USA2732½ 1 ½ ½
Veselin Topalov BUL2775½ 0 ½ ½

Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) - Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [D55]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.5), 09.05.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Rc1 0-0 8.e3 c6 9.Bd3 Nd7 10.0-0 dxc4 11.Bxc4 e5 12.d5 Nb6 13.b3 Bf5 14.dxc6 bxc6 15.e4 Bg4 16.Be2 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Be7 18.Qc2 Bb4 19.Bg4 Ba3 20.Rcd1 Qe7 21.Nb1 Bc5 22.Nd2 Bb4 23.Nf3 Qf6 24.Rd3 Rfd8 25.Rfd1 Rxd3 26.Qxd3 g6 27.h4 h5 28.Bh3 Re8 29.g3 Qe7 30.Kg2 Qc5 31.Ng5 Kg7 32.Qe2 Qe7 33.Qc2 Qc7 34.Qc1 Be7 35.a4 Rd8 36.Rxd8 Bxd8 37.Nf3 f6 38.g4 hxg4 39.Bxg4 Nd7 40.h5 Nf8 41.Qc4 gxh5 42.Bxh5 Qd7 43.Kg3 Bb6 44.Nh4 Kh8 45.Qf7 Qxf7 46.Bxf7 Kg7 47.Bc4 Bc5 48.f3 Ng6 49.Nf5+ Kf8 50.Kg4 Ne7 51.Ng3 Kg7 52.Be6 Bb4 53.Nh5+ Kg6 54.f4 exf4 55.Nxf4+ Kg7 56.Bc4 Bd6 57.Ne6+ Kg6 58.a5 Bb4 59.a6 Bd6 60.Nd4 Be5 61.Nf3 Bd6 62.Be6 Kh6 63.Bd7 Kg7 64.Nd4 Be5 65.Ne6+ Kh6 66.Nd8 Bc7 67.Ne6 Bd6 68.Nd4 Be5 69.Nf3 Bd6 70.Nd2 Kg7 71.Nc4 Bc5 72.Kf4 Bb4 73.Ke3 Bc5+ 74.Kd3 Ng6 75.Bxc6 Ne5+ 76.Nxe5 fxe5 77.Kc4 1/2-1/2

Aronian,Levon (2808) - Grischuk,Alexander (2747) [A37]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.5), 09.05.2011

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.0-0 Nge7 7.Ne1 d6 8.Nc2 Be6 9.Ne3 0-0 10.d3 Qd7 11.Ned5 Bh3 12.Rb1 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Rac8 14.e4 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Ne7 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Be3 f5 18.f3 f4 19.Bg1 h5 20.Nd5 Rf7 21.g4 hxg4 22.fxg4 Rcf8 23.Qf3 Bf6 24.Bf2 Rh7 25.Nxf6+ Rxf6 26.Rh1 g5 27.h3 b6 28.Rh2 Nd8 29.b3 Ne6 30.Kf1 b5 31.Kg2 a5 32.Rhh1 Rf8 33.Rhc1 Rb8 34.Rh1 b4 35.Rh2 a4 36.Kh1 Ra8 37.Bg1 axb3 38.Rxb3 Ra4 39.Rbb2 Ra3 40.Rbg2 Qa4 41.h4 Rc3 42.Qf1 Qa3 43.hxg5 Rc1 44.Qf2 Rxh2+ 45.Kxh2 Nxg5 46.Kh1 Qxd3 47.Qh4 Qh3+ 0-1

Radjabov,Teimour (2744) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) [D37]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.6), 09.05.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 Nh5 8.Bd3 Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.g3 Ba6 14.Bxa6 Rxa6 15.Qe2 Rfa8 16.Rab1 axb4 17.axb4 Bf6 18.Rfc1 Ra3 19.Qe1 bxc5 20.bxc5 Qa5 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 Bg5 23.Rc2 Bd8 24.Kg2 h6 25.h4 Qa6 26.Qd1 Ra1 27.Rcb2 Rxb1 28.Qxb1 Qc4 29.Ne2 Be7 30.Kf1 Bf8 31.Rb4 Ra1 32.Qxa1 Qxb4 33.Qa6 Qb1+ 34.Kg2 Qe4+ 35.Kf1 Qh1+ 36.Ng1 Qe4 37.Ne2 Qh1+ 38.Ng1 Qe4 39.Ne2 1/2-1/2

Grischuk,Alexander (2747) - Aronian,Levon (2808) [D31]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.6), 09.05.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.Qc2 Nf6 7.e3 Nh5 8.Be5 Nd7 9.Be2 Nxe5 10.dxe5 g6 11.Bxh5 gxh5 12.0-0-0 f6 13.Nf3 fxe5 14.Nxe5 0-0 15.f4 Bd6 16.Nf3 Bf5 17.Qd2 Qf6 18.e4 dxe4 19.Qxd6 exf3 20.Qxf6 Rxf6 21.gxf3 Bg6 22.Ne2 Re8 23.Rd2 Re3 24.Rf1 Bd3 25.Rf2 Kf7 26.b3 h4 27.Kb2 Bxe2 28.Rdxe2 Rxe2+ 29.Rxe2 Rxf4 30.Rf2 Rd4 31.Kc3 Rd1 32.f4 Kf6 33.Rg2 h5 34.a4 Rf1 35.Rg5 Rf3+ 36.Kc2 Rxf4 37.Rxh5 Rf2+ 38.Kc3 Rxh2 39.Rh7 Kg6 40.Rxb7 h3 41.Rb8 Rf2 42.Rh8 h2 43.Kd3 Kg5 44.Ke3 Rb2 45.Kf3 Rxb3+ 46.Kg2 Rb2+ 47.Kh1 Kf5 48.Rc8 Rc2 49.Ra8 Ke4 50.Rxa7 Ra2 51.a5 Kd4 52.a6 Kc5 53.Ra8 Kc4 54.Ra7 c5 55.Ra8 Kb5 56.Rb8+ Kc6 57.Rc8+ Kb6 58.Rb8+ Kc7 59.Rb7+ Kc6 60.Ra7 c4 61.Ra8 Kc7 62.a7 c3 63.Re8 Rxa7 64.Kxh2 Kb6 65.Kg3 Kc5 66.Kf2 Kc4 67.Ke2 Kb3 68.Rc8 Kb2 69.Rb8+ Kc1 70.Kd3 c2 71.Rh8 Ra3+ 72.Kc4 Kb1 0-1

Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) - Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [D31]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.7), 09.05.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.Rc1 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.g3 Nxc3 10.Rxc3 c6 11.Bg2 Nd7 12.0-0 dxc4 13.Rxc4 e5 14.Rc3 exd4 15.Nxd4 Nb6 16.Qc2 Rd8 17.e3 Be6 18.a3 Bd5 19.b4 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 Nd5 21.Rc5 a6 22.Rc1 g6 23.Nf3 Re8 24.Rc4 Rad8 25.Rd4 Nc7 1/2-1/2

Radjabov,Teimour (2744) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) [D37]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.8), 09.05.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 Nh5 8.Bd3 Nxf4 9.exf4 b6 10.b4 a5 11.a3 c6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.g3 Ba6 14.Kg2 Bf6 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Qc2 Rfa8 17.Rab1 axb4 18.axb4 Ra3 19.Rb3 Rxb3 20.Qxb3 Qb7 21.Rb1 h6 22.h4 h5 23.Ne5 1/2-1/2

Aronian,Levon (2808) - Grischuk,Alexander (2747) [A04]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.7), 09.05.2011

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.e3 Nf6 5.a3 Be7 6.d4 exd4 7.exd4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Nc2 d6 10.Be2 Be6 11.Ne3 Rc8 12.0-0 a6 13.b3 Na5 14.a4 Qb6 15.Rb1 Nc6 16.Re1 Rfd8 17.Bf3 Ne5 18.Bd5 Bf8 19.Bb2 Re8 20.Ba1 Rb8 21.Ne4 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Qd8 23.Rb2 Bxd5 24.Qxd5 b5 25.Rbe2 bxc4 26.bxc4 Ng6 27.g3 Ne7 28.Qd3 Qd7 29.Nxd6 Red8 30.c5 Nc8 31.Be5 Nxd6 32.cxd6 Qxa4 33.Bf4 h6 34.h4 Qb5 35.Qd1 Rb7 36.Rc2 Rbd7 37.Rc7 Bxd6 38.Rxd7 Qxd7 39.Qxd6 Qxd6 40.Bxd6 Rxd6 41.Re8+ Kh7 42.Re7 Kg6 43.Ra7 h5 44.Kg2 Kf6 45.f3 Rd2+ 46.Kh3 Ra2 47.g4 hxg4+ 48.Kxg4 g6 49.f4 Ra5 50.Ra8 Ke6 51.Ra7 Kf6 52.Ra8 Ra1 53.Ra7 a5 54.Ra6+ Kg7 55.h5 f5+ 56.Kh4 Rh1+ 57.Kg3 Rg1+ 58.Kh2 Rg4 59.hxg6 Rxf4 60.Rxa5 Kxg6 61.Kg2 Kf7 1/2-1/2

Grischuk,Alexander (2747) - Aronian,Levon (2808) [D37]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.8), 09.05.2011

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.c5 c6 8.h3 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Rxa6 12.0-0 Qa8 13.Rb1 axb4 14.axb4 Qb7 15.Qc2 Rfa8 16.Ne1 Bd8 17.Nd3 Ra3 18.b5 bxc5 19.dxc5 Be7 20.Rfc1 g5 21.Bg3 R8a5 22.Qd1 Bf8 23.bxc6 Qxc6 24.Nb4 Qxc5 25.Ncxd5 Nxd5 26.Rxc5 Rxc5 27.Nxd5 Rxd5 28.Qc2 Rc5 29.Qb2 Rd3 30.Ra1 Bg7 31.Ra8+ Nf8 32.Qb8 Rcd5 33.Qe8 h6 34.Kh2 Rd2 35.Qe7 Rd7 36.Qe8 Kh7 37.Qb8 Rb2 38.Qc8 Kg6 39.Qc1 Rdb7 40.Rd8 Nh7 41.Qd1 R2b3 42.Qc2+ f5 43.Qc6 Nf8 44.Bd6 R3b6 45.Qe8+ Rf7 46.Bxf8 Be5+ 47.g3 f4 48.Rd7 fxg3+ 49.Kg2 1-0

Radjabov,Teimour (2744) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) [C65]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.9), 09.05.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Ba4 Ba7 9.h3 Ne7 10.Re1 Ng6 11.Nf1 c6 12.Ng3 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bb3 Re8 15.Bg5 f6 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.fxe3 Be6 18.Qd2 Qc7 19.Rad1 Rad8 20.Qf2 Qf7 21.Rf1 Qf8 22.Nd2 Kh8 23.Nde4 Nge7 24.Qe2 Bg8 25.Rf2 f5 26.Rdf1 f4 27.exf4 Nxf4 28.Qg4 Bxb3 29.axb3 Neg6 30.d4 Qg8 31.Rf3 Ne6 32.Nf5 exd4 33.Qg3 Rf8 34.Ned6 dxc3 35.bxc3 Rd7 36.h4 Rf6 37.h5 Ne7 38.Nh6 gxh6 39.Qe5 Nd5 40.Rxf6 Nxf6 41.Qxf6+ Rg7 42.Nf5 Qf8 43.Nxg7 Qc5+ 44.Kh1 Nxg7 45.Qf8+ 1-0

Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) - Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [A13]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.10), 09.05.2011

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.b3 Nf6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.e3 c5 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.d4 Qd8 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Bxb7 Rb8 15.Bg2 cxd4 16.exd4 Nd7 17.d5 exd5 18.Qxd5 Bf6 19.Rad1 Bxb2 20.Qxd7 a5 21.Rfe1 Qxd7 22.Rxd7 Ba3 23.Bd5 Bc5 24.Re4 Rfd8 25.Bxf7+ Kf8 26.Be6 Rxd7 27.Bxd7 Rd8 28.Bb5 Rd2 29.Rf4+ Ke7 30.a4 Rd4 31.Rf3 Rd6 32.Rf4 Rf6 33.Re4+ Re6 34.Rg4 g6 35.Kg2 h5 36.Rc4 Kf6 37.Rf4+ Kg7 38.Rc4 Kf6 39.h4 Re5 40.Rc3 Rd5 41.Rc2 Re5 42.Rd2 Kg7 43.Bc4 Kf6 44.Rd8 Kg7 45.Bd3 Re6 46.Bc4 Rd6 47.Rg8+ Kh7 48.Re8 Rd2 49.Be2 Kg7 50.Re6 Rb2 51.f4 Rxb3 52.Bb5 Re3 53.Rc6 Kh7 54.Rc7+ Re7 55.Rc8 Kg7 56.Bd3 Rd7 57.Be4 Rd2+ 58.Kh3 Rd7 59.Rc6 Rd6 60.Rc7+ Kf6 61.Bc2 Rd4 62.Bb3 Be7 63.Bc4 Rd6 64.Kg2 Rd2+ 65.Kf3 Rd6 66.Ke4 Rd8 67.Bd5 Rd6 68.Rb7 Rd8 69.Rxb6+ Rd6 70.Rb5 Bd8 71.Rb7 Be7 72.Ra7 Rb6 73.Rxa5 Rb4+ 74.Kf3 Rd4 75.Ra6+ Kg7 76.Be4 Rd6 77.Rxd6 Bxd6 78.a5 Bc5 79.a6 Kf6 80.Ke2 1-0

Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) - Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [E94]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.11), 09.05.2011

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 Nc6 10.Be3 Nh5 11.Qd2 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Nf4 13.Be3 Nxe2+ 14.Nxe2 f5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.Ng3 Qf7 17.Rac1 Bd7 18.b3 a5 19.a4 Be5 20.Bf4 Bg7 21.Kh1 b6 22.Be3 Re6 23.Ne2 Ree8 24.Nc3 Bc6 25.exf5 Qxf5 26.Bd4 Bxd4 27.Qxd4 Re5 28.Nd5 Bxd5 29.cxd5 Qf7 30.Qc4 Re7 31.h3 Rae8 32.Rc2 h5 33.Kh2 Kh7 34.Rfc1 Rd7 35.f4 Rde7 36.Qd4 Kg8 37.Qf2 Rf8 38.Rc4 Qg7 39.Re1 Rfe8 40.Rxe7 Rxe7 41.Qg3 Qf6 42.h4 Kg7 43.Qg5 Kf7 44.Rc2 Qf5 45.Rc3 Qf6 46.Qxf6+ Kxf6 47.Kg3 Kf5 48.Kf3 Re4 49.Rc4 Re7 50.g3 Kf6 51.Re4 Rf7 52.Re6+ Kf5 53.Re8 Kf6 54.Ke4 Kg7 55.Re6 Kh7 56.Kf3 Kg7 57.g4 hxg4+ 58.Kxg4 Kh7 59.h5 gxh5+ 60.Kg5 Kg8 61.f5 Rh7 62.f6 h4 63.Kg6 1-0

Radjabov,Teimour (2744) - Kramnik,Vladimir (2785) [C65]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (1.12), 09.05.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.Nbd2 Bb6 8.Ba4 Ne7 9.Bc2 c6 10.h3 Ng6 11.d4 Re8 12.Re1 h6 13.Nf1 d5 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.dxe5 Rxe5 16.Bf4 Re8 17.e5 Nh7 18.Qd3 Nf8 19.Rad1 Qh4 20.Bg3 Qg5 21.Kh2 Qg6 22.Qd2 Bf5 23.Bxf5 Qxf5 24.Ne3 Bxe3 25.Rxe3 Rad8 26.Qd4 b6 27.Rf3 Qe6 28.Rfd3 Rd7 29.f4 Qf5 30.Qa4 Rc8 31.c4 Ne6 32.b4 Rcd8 33.Qxc6 Nxf4 34.Rd4 Ne2 35.Rxd5 Rxd5 36.cxd5 Nxg3 37.Kxg3 Rc8 38.Qb5 Qxe5+ 39.Kf2 Rc2+ 40.Kg1 Qe3+ 41.Kh2 Qe5+ 42.Kh1 Qd6 43.Qe8+ Qf8 44.Qe4 Rc7 45.d6 Rd7 46.Qc6 Qe8 47.b5 g6 48.a4 Qe6 49.Qc8+ Kg7 50.Qc3+ Qf6 51.Qc6 Qe6 52.Kg1 h5 53.Qc3+ Qf6 54.Qc6 Qe6 55.Qc3+ Qf6 56.Qg3 h4 57.Qa3 Qe5 58.Qb4 g5 59.Qg4 Qe3+ 60.Kh1 Rxd6 61.Rxd6 Qe1+ 62.Kh2 Qe5+ 63.g3 Qxd6 64.Qxg5+ Kf8 65.Qxh4 Qd2+ 1/2-1/2

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