The Week in Chess

Hikaru Nakamura leads the FIDE Grand Prix after grinding out a win in 97 moves against Boris Gelfand. Meanwhile leader Maxime Vachier-Lagrave lost a rather depressing game in the Gruenfeld against Dmitry Jakovenko. He played an inferior line having missed the line in his preparation and was struggling. Baadur Jobava moved into joint second with a sacrificial win against Sergey Karjakin.

Jakovenko beat leader Vachier-Lagrave in a topical line of the Gruenfeld. Vachier-Lagrave repeated a line of the Gruenfeld Jakovenko was pleased to see as black could only hope for a draw but Vachier-Lagrave thought it a line he might remember but he didn't and soon got into trouble and eventually lost. "If you don't remember the line it's a tough day." - Vachier-Lagrave.

Hikaru Nakamura assumed the lead after griding out a win against Boris Gelfand. Gelfand equalised in a Moscow Variation of the Sicilian but never quite killed the game and his resistance weakened in the run up to move 40. Nakamura wasn't sure the knight ending was winning for him (Gelfand thought it was) and so ground away and after 88 moves of tiresome defence Gelfand blundered and the game was over.

The game of the day almost didn't happen as Sergey Karjakin arrived at the board with only 30 seconds to spare after losing track of time. He played a sideline of the Caro-Kann and Jobava, initially surprised find a concrete way of getting counter-play. Jobava was allowed to sacrifice a piece to open up white's king for what he thought was at least a draw. Karjakin fell into deep thought a few moves later, considered the two best moves, couldn't make them work and after half an hour played a third inferior move and although play remained difficult he lost in only a few more moves.

Rustam Kasimdzhanov played a sideline of the Gruenfeld after being surprised by Giri's choice of the opening. Giri got some advantage but in the bid to win probably got himself in a small amount of trouble but Kasimdzhanov couldn't find a way through. "Black got a really sad endgame but as usual I didn't show enough technique." Kasimdzhanov.

Fabiano Caruana and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov played a topical line of the Slav Defence that Mamedyarov knew better. He equalised, maybe could have pushed for more but seemed more than happy with the draw. "If I play on I could easily get worse." Caruana.

Teimour Radjabov and Dmitry Andreikin followed an Anand game in the Berlin Defence from the Candidats for 22 moves after which white didn't have enough resources left to set any real problems and the game was drawn.

Round 5 Standings: 1 Nakamura 3.5pts 2-4 Andreikin, Jobava, Vachier-Lagrave 3pts 5-9 Radjabov, Karjakin, Jakovenko, Giri, Mamedyarov 2.5pts 10 Caruana 2pts 11-12 Kasimdzhanov, Gelfand 1.5pts

Round 6 Pairings: Gelfand-Vachier-Lagrave, Jobava-Jakovenko, Andreikin-Karjakin, Giri-Radjabov, Mamedyarov-Kasimdzhanov, Nakamura-Caruana