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Home » Chess News » Events » 73rd Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2011 » Aronian, Anand, Kramnik and Nakamura share lead on 6/9

Levon Aronian won a complex struggle against Alexei Shirov. Aronian himself was unhappy with his play, he believed he had a big advantage out of the opening but his 17.Bg3 completely spoiled his mood. He described this as a Patzer move and said that he continued playing badly after that. Nevertheless he did continue playing for a win even when the position looked dangerous for him. Shirov missed several concrete chances and eventually lost.

Aronian,Levon - Shirov,Alexei [D52]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.Rc1 h6 10.Bh4 c5 11.Bc4

[11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 b6 13.e4 N5f6 14.Bd3 Bb7 15.d5 c4 16.dxe6 cxd3 17.exd7+ Nxd7 18.Qxd3 g5 19.Bg3 Nc5 20.Qd6 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V-Ivanchuk,V/Novgorod (Russia) 1995]

11...cxd4N

[11...N7b6 1/2-1/2 Solak,D (2582)-Blagojevic,D (2549)/Herceg Novi SCG 2005/The Week in Chess 550 (81)]

12.Qxd4 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 0-0 14.0-0 N5b6

At first this move didn't seem very good but appearances can be deceptive. Shirov was on his own resources and already used up a lot of time.

15.Bb3 Re8 16.Rfd1 Qh5 17.Bg3?!

This isn't the best. Levon Aronian himself described it in interview afterwards as a "Patzer Move".

[17.e4]

17...e5 18.Qb4 e4 19.Ne1 a5 20.Qd4 Nc5 21.Rb1 Nxb3 22.Qxb6 Nc5 23.c4 Be6 24.Rd5 Bxd5 25.Qxc5 Red8 26.cxd5 Qxd5 27.Qc2

[27.Qxd5 Rxd5 28.Rxb7 Rd2]

27...b5 28.Qb2 b4 29.Be5 Qd2 30.Qa1 Qe2 31.Bd4 Rab8 32.h3 f6 33.Rb2 Qb5 34.Qb1 Qd5 35.Qd1 Rbc8 36.Rd2 Qe6 37.Kh2 Rd7 38.g3 Rdc7

Shirov had almost no time here.

39.Bb2 Qxa2! 40.Be5

[40.Bxf6 Qf7 is level.]

40...Qxd2?!

[40...Rc1!! 41.Qxc1 Rxc1 42.Rxa2 fxe5 43.Rxa5 Rxe1 44.Rxe5 b3 45.Rb5 and the game would finish in a draw.]

41.Qxd2 fxe5 42.Qd5+!?

Playing for a win but white has to be pretty accurate as black is not without threats himself.

[42.Qa2+ Kh8 43.Qxa5 b3 44.Qb4 Rc1 45.Ng2 R1c2 46.Qxb3 Rxf2]

42...Rf7 43.Kg2 Rcf8 44.h4 Kh8 45.Qxe4 Rxf2+

[45...b3 46.Nd3 b2 47.Nxe5 Rxf2+ 48.Kh3 Rb8 49.Ng6+ Kg8 50.Ne7+ Kh8 51.Ng6+ is probably the draw that Shirov should have seen.]

46.Kh3 b3 47.Nd3 b2 48.Qb7 R8f7

Losing.

[48...a4!! 49.Nxb2 (49.Nxf2 Rxf2 50.g4 a3 51.g5 hxg5 52.hxg5 g6 53.Qb5 Kh7 54.Kg3 Rf7 55.Qb8 Rf5 56.Qb7+ Kg8 57.Qb3+ Kg7 58.Kg4 Rf1 59.Qb7+ Kg8) 49...a3 50.Nd3 a2 51.Qa6 Rd2 52.Nb4 h5 53.Nxa2 Rff2 54.Qa8+ Kh7 55.g4 hxg4+ 56.Kxg4 Rxa2 would be a draw.]

49.Qb5 a4 50.Nxb2 a3 51.Nd3 Rf1 52.Qa4 Rh1+ 53.Kg4 1-0

Vladimir Kramnik played a highly unusual game for him against Erwin L'Ami. He chose an odd setup for white from the English where he just pushed the h-pawn for chances down the h-file. This at least threw both players on their own resources and eventually he broke through to win the game.

Kramnik,Vladimir - L'Ami,Erwin [A15]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.d3 Nxc3

[5...Bg7]

6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Qc2

[7.Bd2]

7...0-0 8.g3 c5 9.Bg2

[9.Bd2 Nc6 10.Rb1 b6 11.Bg2 Bd7 12.Qc1 Rc8 13.Bh6 e5 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Qb2 f6 17.0-0 Qd7 18.c4 Bh3 19.Ne4 h5 20.Nc3 h4 21.Nd5 Rh8 22.e3 Bxg2 23.Kxg2 Rh5 24.Kf3 hxg3 25.hxg3 e4+ 26.Ke2 exd3+ 27.Kd1 Ne5 28.Qc3 Qg4+ 0-1 Haude,R (2051)-Peschlow,P (2285)/Germany 2009/EXT 2010]

9...Nc6 10.h4 Nb4 11.Qd2 Nd5 12.Bb2 Qa5 13.h5 Nb6 14.hxg6 hxg6 15.a4 Bd7 16.Kf1 Nxa4 17.Qg5

17...Qb6

[17...Qb5 18.Qh4 f6 19.Qh7+ Kf7 20.Nh4 Qxb2 21.Bd5+ e6 22.Qxg6+ Ke7 23.Qxg7+ Kd6 24.Rxa4 exd5; 17...Rfe8]

18.Qh4 Rfe8?

Now things are easy.

[18...f6]

19.Bc1

[19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Bc1]

19...e5 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Bh6 Bxh6 22.Qxh6+ Ke7 23.Nxe5 1-0

Hikaru Nakamura played down a line in the Nimzo-India against Viswanthan Anand previously played in the games Bacrot-Topalov and Wang Yue-Adams. He varied with 13.h4 which had been seen before but he took about 30 minutes over it so the work seemed to be done over the board. Anand seemed to have the better of it but it probably have taken a lot of risk for him to actually win the game. As it was Nakamura's dynamic defence was just good enough and the game traded into a drawn ending.

Nakamura,Hikaru - Anand,Viswanathan [E21]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 g5 7.Bg3 Ne4 8.Qc2 Bb7 9.e3 d6 10.Bd3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 f5 12.d5 Na6 13.h4

Here Nakamura thought for a long time before trying this idea.

[13.Nd4 Nac5 14.0-0 Qe7 15.f3 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Nc5 17.Qc2 0-0 18.dxe6 Qh7 19.e4 f4 20.Bf2 Rae8 21.a4 g4 22.fxg4 Bxe4 23.Qd2 Qg6 24.h3 h5 25.Bh4 Nxe6 26.Nxe6 Qxe6 27.Rxf4 Rxf4 28.Qxf4 hxg4 29.Re1 Qg6 30.hxg4 Bc6 31.Rxe8+ Bxe8 32.Bd8 Qb1+ 33.Qf1 Qxf1+ 34.Kxf1 Bxa4 35.Bxc7 Bb3 36.Bxd6 Bxc4+ 1/2-1/2 Bacrot,E (2716)-Topalov,V (2803)/Nanjing CHN 2010/The Week in Chess 833; 13.Bxe4 fxe4 14.Qxe4 Qf6 15.0-0 0-0-0 16.Qxe6+ Qxe6 17.dxe6 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nc5 19.h4 Nxe6 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.Kg2 Rhf8 22.Rad1 Rf5 23.Rd5 Rdf8 24.Rxf5 Rxf5 25.Rh1 Kd7 26.Rh7+ Ke8 27.f4 gxf4 28.exf4 Rc5 29.Kf3 Nf8 30.Rg7 Ne6 31.Rh7 Nf8 32.Rg7 Ne6 33.Rh7 1/2-1/2 Wang Yue (2689)-Adams,M (2729)/Baku AZE 2008/The Week in Chess 704]

13...Qf6 14.Bxe4 fxe4 15.Qxe4 Qxc3+

[15...0-0-0 16.Qxe6+ Qxe6 17.dxe6 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Nc5 19.e7 Rde8 20.0-0-0 Kd7 21.hxg5 hxg5 22.Rxh8 Rxh8 23.Rd5 Ne6 24.c5 bxc5 25.c4 Kxe7 26.Rd3 Nd8 27.Ra3 Nc6 28.f4 g4 29.Ra6 Kd7 30.Kd2 Rb8 31.e4 Rb2+ 32.Ke3 Rc2 33.e5 Rc3+ 34.Kd2 Rc2+ 35.Kxc2 Nb4+ 36.Kd2 Nxa6 37.f5 dxe5 38.Bxe5 Nb4 39.Ke3 Nxa2 40.Kf4 Nb4 41.Kxg4 Nd3 42.Bc3 Nxf2+ 43.Kf3 Nd3 44.Kg4 Ke7 45.Kf3 1/2-1/2 Kincs,I (2259)-Kilgus,G (2365)/Zalakaros HUN 2010/The Week in Chess 813]

16.Ke2 Nc5 17.Qg6+ Ke7 18.Rac1 Qf6 19.Qxf6+ Kxf6 20.Rhd1 exd5 21.cxd5 Ba6+ 22.Ke1

Black is surely better here but finding a way to exploit it is harder to find.

22...Rae8

[22...Nd3+ 23.Rxd3 Bxd3 24.Rxc7 With the counter-play that Nakamura was looking for.]

23.Rc3 Re4 24.Rd4 Rhe8 25.Ra3 Bc8 26.hxg5+ hxg5 27.Rxa7 R8e7 28.Kf1 Bg4 29.Nd2 Rxd4 30.exd4 Nd3 31.f3 Bf5 32.a3 Nf4

Liquidating to a draw.

33.Bxf4 gxf4 34.Ne4+ Bxe4 35.fxe4 Rxe4 36.Rxc7 Rxd4 37.Rc6 Ke5 38.Rxb6 Rd1+ 39.Ke2 Ra1 40.Rb3 Kxd5 41.g3 Ke5 1/2-1/2

Ruslan Ponomariov missed something crucial just out of the opening and ended up a piece down against Wang Hao. He played on again a lot longer than one might expect but eventually resigned on move 40.

Wang Hao - Ponomariov,Ruslan [B19]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Qe2 c5 14.Rhe1 0-0 15.Nf5 cxd4 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.Nxd4 Rfc8

[17...Rac8 18.Kb1 Nb6 19.Qf3 Rfd8 20.c3 Nfd5 21.Bc1 Qf6 22.g4 Qxf3 23.Nxf3 Na4 24.Rd4 b5 25.Bf4 Nxf4 26.Rxf4 Nc5 27.Rd4 Rxd4 28.Nxd4 Nd3 29.Re2 a6 30.Kc2 Nf4 31.Re4 Nd5 32.f3 Kf8 33.Ne2 Ke7 34.a4 Kd6 35.axb5 axb5 36.Nf4 Rc4 37.Nxd5 Rxe4 38.fxe4 exd5 39.Kd3 Ke5 40.exd5 Kxd5 41.b3 g5 42.hxg6 fxg6 43.Ke3 Ke5 44.c4 bxc4 45.bxc4 h5 46.gxh5 1/2-1/2 Smirnov,P (2592)-Motylev,A (2674)/Novokuznetsk RUS 2008/The Week in Chess 722]

18.g4 Nd5 19.Kb1 N7b6 20.f4 Qc5 21.c3 Nc4 22.Bc1 b5?

Allowing a fairly obvious tactic. Either he overlooked this altogether or he thought he had a counter that turned out not to work. Either way he becomes a clear piece down fast.

23.Nxe6 Na3+ 24.Ka1 Nb4 25.bxa3

[25.Nd4]

25...Qxc3+ 26.Bb2 Nc2+ 27.Kb1 Nxa3+ 28.Bxa3 Qxa3 29.Nd4 Rc4 30.g5 Qc5 31.Qe5 hxg5 32.fxg5 Rd8 33.g6 Qxe5 34.Rxe5 Rc7 35.Rde1 Kf8 36.Rxb5 a6 37.Rbe5 Rb7+ 38.Ka1 Rb6 39.Rf5 Rd7 40.Ne6+

Finally black resigns.

1-0

Magnus Carlsen played his Berlin Defence again, this time against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. There was a tricky struggle where it seemed both players were trying to win as the evaluation was on a knife edge. Only after first time control did they choose to repeat the position and draw.

Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime - Carlsen,Magnus [C67]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.h3 b6 11.Bf4 Kc8 12.Rad1 h6 13.Bh2 a5

[13...Ne7 14.Rfe1 c5 15.e6 fxe6 16.Ne5 Be8 17.Nd3 Nc6 18.Rxe6 Kb7 19.Ree1 Nd4 20.Rc1 Rd8 21.Ne5 Bd6 22.Ne2 Nc6 23.Nxc6 Bxc6 24.Nf4 Rhe8 25.h4 Be5 26.Ne6 Bxh2+ 27.Kxh2 Rd6 28.Nf4 Rf8 29.Nh3 Rd4 30.Re7 Rxh4 31.Rxg7 Rxf2 32.Re1 Rxc2 33.Ree7 b5 34.Rxc7+ Kb6 35.Rcf7 c4 36.Rg6 c3 37.b3 Rh5 38.Rf4 0-1 Svetushkin,D (2560)-Kryvoruchko,Y (2609)/Paleochora GRE 2010/The Week in Chess 821]

14.g4

A commital way of playing this position but white doesn't want to allow black to activate his bishops.

14...Ne7 15.Nd4 h5 16.e6!

A fascinating pawn sacrifice.

16...fxe6 17.Rfe1 hxg4 18.hxg4 Rh6 19.g5 Rh5 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.Rxe6 Rxg5+ 22.Kf1 Rf5 23.a4 Rb8

Presumably partially with the idea that on a check on e8 and capture of the rook the c-pawn will still be protected.

24.Rd3 Rf7 25.Kg2 b5 26.axb5 cxb5 27.Ra6 b4 28.Nd5 Nxd5 29.Rxd5 b3!? 30.c3 Ba3 31.Re6 Re7

Carlsen was now in time pressure with a around a couple of minutes to get to move 40.

32.Rxe7 Bxe7 33.Rxa5 Kd7 34.Be5 Bd6 35.Bd4 Bf4 36.Kf3 Bc1 37.c4 g5 38.Ke4 Rf8 39.Rd5+ Kc6 40.Rc5+ Kd7 41.Rd5+ Kc6 42.Rc5+ Kd7

With time control made the players settle for a draw.

1/2-1/2

Jan Smeets finally got some relief when he beat Ian Nepomniachtchi in a game where the Russian Champion made some quite odd decisions. Smeets was again in time trouble and after the game he acknowledge that his time handling was a real problem for him and he was at a loss for an explanation. Particularly as he has been wasting time in positions that were not even that critical. It seems this is a problem that he can't fix during this tournament but it sounds like something he knows should address afterwards.

Nepomniachtchi,Ian - Smeets,Jan [D46]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Bxc4 a6 10.Rd1 b5 11.e4

A new move and an aggressive one.

[11.Bf1 c5 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Ng5 Bb7 14.Nce4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Rc8 16.Nxc5 Rxc5 17.Qe2 Qc7 18.Bd2 Ne5 19.Bb4 Rc2 20.Qh5 Rxb2 21.Rac1 Rc2 22.Bd6 Nf3+ 23.gxf3 Rxc1 24.Bxc7 Rxd1 25.f4 Rc1 26.Be5 f6 27.Bb2 Rb1 28.Ba3 b4 29.Bxb4 Rxb4 30.Bd3 f5 31.Qe2 Rb6 32.h3 Rc8 33.Bc4 h6 34.Kh2 Kh7 35.Kg3 Rf8 36.f3 Rd8 37.Bb3 Bd5 38.Bxd5 Rxd5 39.Qc2 Rdb5 40.Kh4 Rb2 41.Qc7 R6b5 42.a4 R5b3 43.Qe5 Rb6 44.a5 R6b5 45.Qxe6 Rxa5 46.e4 fxe4 47.Qxe4+ Kh8 48.Qe8+ Kh7 49.Qe4+ 1/2-1/2 Arlandi,E (2445)-Luther,T (2495)/Turin ITA 1996]

11...bxc4 12.e5 Qc7 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Bg5 a5 15.Bxf6 Nxf6 16.Na4 Ba6 17.Nc5 Rfb8 18.Rac1 h6 19.a3 Nd7 20.Ne4 Qd5 21.Nc3

White's position has gone backwards over the last few moves and black is now better.

21...Qf5 22.Qe2 Qf4 23.Rc2 Rd8 24.Rcd2 Rab8 25.g3 Qc7 26.Qe3 Bb7 27.Ne5 Nxe5 28.Qxe5 Qxe5 29.dxe5 Rxd2 30.Rxd2 c5 31.f4 g5 32.Kf2 gxf4 33.gxf4 Bc6 34.Ke3 Kf8 35.Rd6 Be8 36.Rd2 Bc6 37.h4 Ke7 38.Rd6 Bh1

39.Na4?!

[39.Ra6 Rxb2 40.Rxa5 Rb3 41.Kd2 Kd7 42.Rxc5 Rxa3 43.Rxc4 should be the kind of draw Nepomniachtchi was looking for.]

39...Rb3+ 40.Kd2 Rf3 41.Nxc5 Rxf4 42.Ra6 Rxh4 43.Rxa5

The h-pawn in combination with a great bishop should be winning for black.

43...h5 44.Ke3 Rh2 45.Ra7+ Kf8 46.Rc7 Rxb2 47.Nd7+ Kg7 48.Rxc4 Rb3+ 49.Kf2 Rxa3 50.Rh4 Bc6 51.Nf6 Rf3+ 52.Ke2 Rf5 53.Nxh5+ Kg6 54.Ng3 Rxe5+ 55.Kf2

The ending is now easy.

55...Ra5 56.Rg4+ Kf6 57.Rg8 Ra2+ 58.Ke3 Ke5 59.Rc8 Ra3+ 60.Kf2 Bd5 61.Nf1 Ra2+ 62.Ke3 f5 63.Nd2 f4+ 64.Ke2 Kd4 65.Rf8 e5 66.Ke1 e4 0-1

Anish Giri departed from a previous Alexander Grischuk game and a very complex game resulted. They eventually traded to a drawn ending.

Grischuk,Alexander - Giri,Anish [E60]
73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 25.01.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Nc6 4.d5 Ne5 5.e4 d6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.f4 Ned7 8.Nh3 0-0 9.Be2 Nc5 10.Nf2 e6

Giri's improvement over a previous Grischuk game.

[10...Re8 11.0-0 e5 12.dxe6 Bxe6 13.Qc2 Bd7 14.Bf3 Bc6 15.Bd2 a5 16.Rfe1 Nfd7 17.Rad1 Qe7 18.b3 Qf8 19.Nb5 Bxb5 20.cxb5 Qe7 21.Be3 Rac8 22.a3 Ne6 23.b4 axb4 24.axb4 Nb6 25.Qb3 Ra8 26.g3 Qf6 27.Rd3 Qb2 28.Qxb2 Bxb2 29.f5 gxf5 30.Bxb6 fxe4 31.Nxe4 cxb6 32.Nxd6 Red8 33.Red1 Ra3 34.Rxa3 Bxa3 35.Nf5 Rxd1+ 36.Bxd1 Bxb4 37.Kg2 Bc5 38.Bb3 Nd4 39.Nxd4 Bxd4 40.Bd5 Kg7 41.Bxb7 1/2-1/2 Grischuk,A (2771)-Kurnosov,I (2676)/Moscow RUS 2010/The Week in Chess 841]

11.0-0 exd5 12.cxd5 c6 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Bf3 Qe7 15.Be3 d5 16.e5 Nfd7 17.b4 Ne6 18.b5 Nb6 19.f5

The game becomes very complicated.

19...gxf5 20.Bxb6 axb6 21.bxc6 Bxe5 22.Nxd5 Qh4 23.g3 Qg5 24.Bg2 Ba6 25.Re1 Bd4 26.Rc1 Bb5 27.c7 Rxa2 28.c8Q Bxf2+ 29.Kh1 Rxc8 30.Rxc8+ Kg7 31.Rxe6 fxe6 32.Nf4 Kh6 33.Qb1 Ra5 34.Nxe6 Qf6 35.Qc1+ f4 36.Rc3 Be3

[36...Qxe6 37.Qxf4+ Kg6 38.Be4+ Kg7 39.Rc7+ Bd7 40.Rxd7+ Qxd7 41.Qxf2 is good for black but what human would play it?]

37.Qe1 Bf2

[37...Qxe6 38.gxf4 Bd7]

38.Qc1 Be3

[38...Qxe6 39.Qxf4+ Kg6 40.Be4+ Kg7 41.Rc7+ Bd7 is a similar line.]

39.Qe1 Qxe6 40.gxf4 Qf6 41.Qxe3 Ra1+ 42.Rc1 Bd7 43.h3 Rxc1+ 44.Qxc1 Qd4 45.Qc7 Bf5 46.Qe7 Qxf4 47.Qf6+ Kh5 48.Qxb6

A draw is a fair result.

1/2-1/2

73rd Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XX (2740)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Aronian, Levon	g	ARM	2805	*	½	½	½	½	½	.	1	.	½	.	.	1	1	6	2884
2.	Anand, Viswanathan	g	IND	2810	½	*	½	½	½	.	.	.	1	1	½	1	½	.	6	2868
3.	Kramnik, Vladimir	g	RUS	2784	½	½	*	.	.	.	1	½	½	½	1	.	½	1	6	2861
4.	Nakamura, Hikaru	g	USA	2751	½	½	.	*	0	.	½	.	½	.	1	1	1	1	6	2863
5.	Carlsen, Magnus	g	NOR	2814	½	½	.	1	*	½	0	.	½	.	1	1	.	½	5½	2804
6.	Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	g	FRA	2715	½	.	.	.	½	*	½	.	½	½	½	1	½	1	5½	2809
7.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2686	.	.	0	½	1	½	*	0	.	1	½	½	½	.	4½	2732
8.	Nepomniachtchi, Ian	g	RUS	2733	0	.	½	.	.	.	1	*	½	1	½	0	½	½	4½	2726
9.	Ponomariov, Ruslan	g	UKR	2744	.	0	½	½	½	½	.	½	*	0	½	1	.	.	4	2693
10.	Wang, Hao	g	CHN	2731	½	0	½	.	.	½	0	0	1	*	.	.	1	½	4	2709
11.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2628	.	½	0	0	0	½	½	½	½	.	*	½	.	.	3	2619
12.	Smeets, Jan	g	NED	2662	.	0	.	0	0	0	½	1	0	.	½	*	.	1	3	2608
13.	Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2773	0	½	½	0	.	½	½	½	.	0	.	.	*	0	2½	2582
14.	Shirov, Alexei	g	ESP	2722	0	.	0	0	½	0	.	½	.	½	.	0	1	*	2½	2586

Round 9 (January 25, 2011)
Aronian, Levon	- Shirov, Alexei	1-0	53	D52	Queens Gambit Cambridge Springs
Kramnik, Vladimir	- L'Ami, Erwin	1-0	23	A15	English counter King's Fianchetto
Nakamura, Hikaru	- Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	41	E21	Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime	- Carlsen, Magnus	½-½	42	C67	Ruy Lopez Berlin
Nepomniachtchi, Ian	- Smeets, Jan	0-1	66	D45	Anti-Meran Variations
Wang, Hao	- Ponomariov, Ruslan	1-0	40	B19	Caro Kann
Grischuk, Alexander	- Giri, Anish	½-½	48	E60	King's Indian without Nc3

The B-Group was thrown wide open again after Wesley So's winning streak came to an end with a loss to Li Chao. This leaves Gabriel Sargissian, Luke McShane and Wesley So tied on 6/9 and with over half the field being within a point of the lead.

73rd Tata Steel GMB Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XVII (2659)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Sargissian, Gabriel	g	ARM	2667	*	½	½	½	.	½	1	½	.	.	1	.	1	½	6	2773
2.	McShane, Luke J	g	ENG	2664	½	*	.	1	.	1	1	.	0	½	½	½	.	1	6	2772
3.	So, Wesley	g	PHI	2673	½	.	*	.	½	0	.	1	½	1	.	½	1	1	6	2785
4.	Tkachiev, Vladislav	g	FRA	2636	½	0	.	*	1	.	½	.	½	½	½	1	1	.	5½	2747
5.	Efimenko, Zahar	g	UKR	2701	.	.	½	0	*	½	.	1	.	½	½	1	½	1	5½	2724
6.	Li, Chao b	g	CHN	2649	½	0	1	.	½	*	0	.	1	.	½	1	½	.	5	2707
7.	Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	g	POL	2726	0	0	.	½	.	1	*	0	1	1	1	.	.	½	5	2690
8.	Navara, David	g	CZE	2708	½	.	0	.	0	.	1	*	½	½	.	½	1	1	5	2707
9.	Le, Quang Liem	g	VIE	2664	.	1	½	½	.	0	0	½	*	1	1	.	.	0	4½	2654
10.	Fressinet, Laurent	g	FRA	2707	.	½	0	½	½	.	0	½	0	*	½	.	1	.	3½	2587
11.	Nijboer, Friso	g	NED	2584	0	½	.	½	½	½	0	.	0	½	*	½	.	.	3	2548
12.	Hammer, Jon Ludvig	g	NOR	2647	.	½	½	0	0	0	.	½	.	.	½	*	0	1	3	2520
13.	Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	g	IND	2651	0	.	0	0	½	½	.	0	.	0	.	1	*	1	3	2534
14.	Spoelman, Wouter	g	NED	2547	½	0	0	.	0	.	½	0	1	.	.	0	0	*	2	2457

Round 9 (January 25, 2011)
Sargissian, Gabriel	- Wojtaszek, Radoslaw	1-0	50	E10	Blumenfeld Counter Gambit
So, Wesley	- Li, Chao b	0-1	34	D72	Gruenfeld 3.g3
Efimenko, Zahar	- Nijboer, Friso	½-½	53	B06	Modern Defence
Navara, David	- Spoelman, Wouter	1-0	38	D45	Anti-Meran Variations
Le, Quang Liem	- Fressinet, Laurent	1-0	42	A33	English Symmetrical
Hammer, Jon Ludvig	- McShane, Luke J	½-½	73	E62	King's Indian 6...Nc6
Ganguly, Surya Shekhar	- Tkachiev, Vladislav	0-1	64	C70	Ruy Lopez

Daniele Vocaturo won yet again to lead on 7.5/9 a point and a half clear of the field.

73rd Tata Steel GMC Wijk aan Zee (NED), 14-30 i 2011																cat. XI (2507)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Vocaturo, Daniele	g	ITA	2570	*	.	.	1	.	1	½	0	.	1	1	1	1	1	7½	2752
2.	Lahno, Kateryna	g	UKR	2518	.	*	½	.	½	½	1	1	½	0	1	.	1	.	6	2624
3.	Nyzhnyk, Illya	g	UKR	2530	.	½	*	1	0	½	.	1	.	½	1	.	1	½	6	2632
4.	Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	g	KAZ	2637	0	.	0	*	.	1	0	1	.	1	.	1	½	1	5½	2561
5.	Ivanisevic, Ivan	g	SRB	2630	.	½	1	.	*	.	1	0	½	½	½	½	½	.	5	2513
6.	Bluvshtein, Mark	g	CAN	2590	0	½	½	0	.	*	0	1	1	.	.	1	.	1	5	2545
7.	Bok, Benjamin	m	NED	2453	½	0	.	1	0	1	*	.	1	½	½	.	.	0	4½	2533
8.	Tania, Sachdev	m	IND	2391	1	0	0	0	1	0	.	*	1	.	.	½	.	1	4½	2543
9.	Swiercz, Dariusz	g	POL	2540	.	½	.	.	½	0	0	0	*	0	1	.	1	1	4	2443
10.	Van Der Werf, Mark	m	NED	2439	0	1	½	0	½	.	½	.	1	*	0	0	.	.	3½	2448
11.	Siebrecht, Sebastian	g	GER	2439	0	0	0	.	½	.	½	.	0	1	*	1	½	.	3½	2431
12.	Van Kampen, Robin	m	NED	2443	0	.	.	0	½	0	.	½	.	1	0	*	½	1	3½	2433
13.	Pruijssers, Roeland	m	NED	2484	0	0	0	½	½	.	.	.	0	.	½	½	*	½	2½	2361
14.	De Jong, Jan-Willem	m	NED	2437	0	.	½	0	.	0	1	0	0	.	.	0	½	*	2	2295

Round 9 (January 25, 2011)
Vocaturo, Daniele	- Siebrecht, Sebastian	1-0	37	B43	Sicilian Paulsen
Nyzhnyk, Illya	- Lahno, Kateryna	½-½	45	E60	King's Indian without Nc3
Kazhgaleyev, Murtas	- Van Der Werf, Mark	1-0	33	E10	Blumenfeld Counter Gambit
Bluvshtein, Mark	- Tania, Sachdev	1-0	29	C00	French Defence
Swiercz, Dariusz	- Bok, Benjamin	0-1	46	D80	Gruenfeld 4.Bg5
Van Kampen, Robin	- Ivanisevic, Ivan	½-½	71	C88	Ruy Lopez Closed
De Jong, Jan-Willem	- Pruijssers, Roeland	½-½	44	C41	Philidor's Defence

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