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Home » Chess News » Events » FIDE Candidates 2011 » Gelfand makes no progress against Grischuk's English in Game 4

The fourth draw at the standard time control of the match between Boris Gelfand and Alexander Grischuk was a short draw in 18 moves albeit one that took quite a long time to play. There have just been two decisive games at standard time control in the whole of the Candidates so far.

There have been grumblings from chess followers at being short changed. I don't quite feel this way. The players aren't performing seals, they are just trying to get the best results for themselves. The short matches make caution more likely. The really high standards of computer chess preparation which in my view have jumped again in the last 12 months will change the game and I don't think that the implications of that have quite made it through to the players just yet. Chess has shown great resiliance in adapting and moving forward, I don't see that now is any different. From the days of Capablanca we have had periodic predictions of "Remistod im schach" (Draw death in Chess) but there are always new ways to fight. Perhaps white should start by thinking he probably won't get any advantage from the opening.

Gelfand

Today I repeated the same opening that there was in the second game of our match but now I played more safe and subtle line d3 instead of a3 and b4 which led to material imbalance.

It was a very tricky position with a lot of subtleties and both of us used a lot of time in the opening but then black managed to neutralise white's pressure and in the final position it is difficult to find any line or any idea where are any side can have any reason to play for a win.

The position is so drawn. I offered a draw.

Grischuk

He played a very tricky and poisonous move order there were a lot of subtleties and nuances in the position and I think I solved them quite reasonably and in the end when we are going to exchange all four bishops the position is just completely equal so we agreed a draw.

Gelfand,Boris (2733) - Grischuk,Alexander (2747) [A37]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (3.4), 23.05.2011

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d3

[6.0-0 0-1 Aronian,L (2808)-Grischuk,A (2747)/Kazan RUS 2011 (47); 6.a3 White Time: 0h:14min Black Time: 0min:32s 1/2-1/2 Gelfand,B (2733)-Grischuk,A (2747)/Kazan RUS 2011 (58)]

6...Nge7 7.a3 d6 8.Nd2

[8.Rb1 a5 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bd2 Be6 11.0-0 Qd7 12.Na4 Ra6 13.Qb3 0-0 14.Nb6 Qc7 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.cxd5 a4 17.Qc4 Bf7 18.e4 Qe7 19.Qc2 Na7 20.h4 Be8 21.Bh3 Bd7 22.Bxd7 Qxd7 23.Kg2 h5 24.Rbd1 Kh7 25.Be3 Nb5 26.Rh1 Rc8 27.Rc1 Raa8 28.Qe2 Bh6 1/2-1/2 Zysk,R (2468) -Khenkin,I (2620)/Bad Wiessee GER 2006/The Week in Chess 627]

8...0-0 9.Rb1 h6 10.0-0 a5

Black waits for kingside castling before playing a5.

11.Nd5 Be6 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Ne4 Kh8 14.Nc3 Qd7 15.Bd2 Rab8 16.Qc1

Played after some thought.

16...h5

Does black have aggressive intentions himself?

17.Bh6 Bh3 18.Re1

White has nothing and so offers a draw. Black has at least equalised but is behind on the clock. With all four bishops about to disappear from the board neither player saw a reason to continue. White Time: 0h:37min Black Time: 0h:23min

1/2-1/2

World Chess Championship Final Kazan
Grischuk, Alexander	-	Gelfand, Boris	½-½	49	D37	QGD 5.Bf4
Gelfand, Boris	-	Grischuk, Alexander	½-½	58	A37	English Symmetrical
Grischuk, Alexander	-	Gelfand, Boris	½-½	14	D37	QGD 5.Bf4
Gelfand, Boris	-	Grischuk, Alexander	½-½	18	A37	English Symmetrical

World Chess Championship Final Kazan (RUS), 19-26 May 2011
Name	Ti	NAT	Rtng	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total	Perf
Grischuk, Alexander	g	RUS	2747	½	½	½	½	.	.	2	2733
Gelfand, Boris	g	ISR	2733	½	½	½	½	.	.	2	2747

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