The Week in Chess

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was the only winner in the fifth round of the Superbet Classic in Bucharest. He joined Wesley So and Alexander Grischuk in the lead on 3/5 after winning the final game to finish, the remaining games were drawn. There is a rest day on Thursday and the sixth round takes place on Friday.

Mamedyarov played quite an interesting idea as black against the Reti system played by Constantin Lupulescu and after the novelty 8.Na4 which wasn't all that testing he was at least equal. The middle game at least was pretty non-standard and white wasn't in any terrible trouble but perhaps was the one on the back foot as Mamedyarov encouraged a few weakening pawn moves. Then suddenly it all collapsed for Lupulescu 33.Bf1?! (33.Rg1=) 33...e5!? 34.fxe5? (34.Nh4 or Rb2 had to be tried) and suddenly his kingside disintegrated and he had to resign.

Wesley So didn't think much of the Vienna variation he played as black, at least as a winning try, Bogdan-Daniel Deac gave up a pawn for more than enough compensation and after he got it back the position was very drawish. Radjabov and Grischuk discussed a very theoretical Bf4 Queen's Gambit, by the time of 20.f5, the first new move, a draw was all but certain. Fabiano Caruana looked to have got at least a little something after 19.Rf1 but Giri's accurate play soon equalised. Levon Aronian against MVL followed the game Adams-Salem in a Symmetrical English until 16...Qg4. Some intricate play followed and after 36.Rb6 a draw seemed all but assured.

Round 5 Standings: 1st So 3pts, 2nd Grischuk 3pts, 3rd Mamedyarov 3pts, 4th Deac 2.5pts, 5th Caruana 2.5pts, 6th Radjabov 2.5pts, 7th Aronian 2.5pts, 8th Lupulescu 2pts, 9th Giri 2pts, 10th MVL 2pts.

Rest Day Thursday 10th June

Round 6 Friday 11th June 1pm BST: So-Giri, MVL-Caruana, Mamedyarov-Aronian, Grischuk-Lupulescu, Deac-Radjabov.