One of the heroes of the day, more precisely heroine was Susan Polgar, has defeated Boris Gelfand in English variant, probably not corectly. Boris has confused in position and overelooked black's counterplay.Anand has prepared unexpected move for Adams-1.d4!?, but got nothing, moreover he was under pressure without a pawn in opposite collored bishops. Draw.In game Carlsen vs Aronian, Magnus has choosen Anti-Marshal line Aronian has sacrificed exchange, got strong conterplay. The game finished draw result. Ivanchuck also has prepeared for Leko unexpected Caro-Cann oppening. 42 moves game had completed with repetition and draw. The compatriot's game from Azerbaijan had finished very fast with a peacefull agreement.Kramnik has got some advantage in such ending (R+N+3p vs R+N+2p) against Eljanov, and very perfectly realized it!.The most interesting game was Van Wely vs Topalov. In Benoni line Dutch GM has outplayed Bulgarian, but with some difficalties. 1-0

video analysis

Polgar video analise (part1)

Polgar video analise (part2)

Mamedyarov interview

Live games

 

The round 9 start in 10:00 local time

Postny has lost his game against Khenkin, Smirn drew against Rodshtein. They have devided 1-2 places. 3rd place took Michael Roiz, The only player which went through the tournament without loosing!

Live games

Final standings

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	Place
1	Roiz,Michael	ISR	2659	x	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	5½	3
2	Moiseenko,Aleksander	UKR	2643	½	x	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	4	7-8
3	Avrukh,Boris	ISR	2628	½	1	x	0	1	0	½	½	½	1	4	7-8
4	Postny,Evgeny	ISR	2627	½	½	1	x	1	0	1	1	0	1	6	1-2
5	Macieja,Bartolmiej	POL	2617	½	½	0	0	x	0	½	½	0	1	3	9
6	Smirin,Ilia	ISR	2616	½	½	1	1	1	x	½	0	½	1	6	1-2
7	Rodshtein,Maxim	ISR	2614	½	½	½	0	½	½	x	½	½	1	4½	5-6
8	Gyimesi,Zoltan	HUN	2605	½	½	½	0	½	1	½	x	½	½	4½	5-6
9	Khenkin,Igor	GER	2602	½	0	½	1	1	½	½	½	x	½	5	4
10	Kogan,Arthur	ISR	2591	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	½	½	x	2	10

 

Day of peace! 7 games has been finished with draws. The most interesting was the game Radjabov vs Van Wely. Van Wely played like Anand through the Slav defence. Radjabov used a move, which was played in game Kramnik vs Anand in Mexico 2007 WCH- 13.Bh5. The Van Wely's openning preparation was more deeper. First 21 moves he played in blitz style in 19 minutes! He had advantage but choose not the best way to realize it and went down to a draw.

Anand has choosen not enough fighting line against Eljanov. The result only a draw.

Polgar pressed Topalov in Najdorf's variant, but opposite collored bishops decided the game result, draw.

Adams vs Carlsen played interesting Ruy-Lopez variant, but only draw.

In games Aronian vs Leko, Ivanchuk vs Gelfand all players were played too accurate and short! Draws.

The result group B,C

Group B			Group C
White	Black	Result	White	Black	Result
Y. Houtd	N. Short	1-0	A. Ushenina	I. Krush	½-½
D. Stellwagentd	P. Harikrishna	½-½	F. Nijboer	S. Li	1-0
W. Spoelman	E. Bacrot	0-1	P. Negi	J. van der Wiel	1-0
S. Movsesian	M. Krasenkow	1-0	Z.Peng	A. Braun	0-1
E. L’Ami	H. Koneru	1-0	M.Van der Werf	P.Carlsson	½-½
J. Smeets	I. Cheparinov	0-1	D.Ruijgrok	F.Caruana	0-1
I. Nepomniachtchi	G. Sargissian	1-0	D. Reinderman	E. Grivas	½-½

Live games

 

Results Round 2 Group B,C

J. Smeets

Group B			Group C
White	Black	Result	White	Black	Result
N. Short	E. L’Ami	1-0	I.Krush	D.Reinderman	1-0
H. Koneru	I. Nepomniachtchi	½-½	E.Grivas	D.Rujgrok	1-0
G. Sargissian	½-½	F.Caruana	M.van der Werf	1-0
I. Cheparinov	S. Movsesian	½-½	P.Carlsson	Z.Peng	½-½
M.Krasenkow	W. Spoelman	½-½	A. Braun	P. Negi	1-0
E. Bacrot	D. Stellwagentd	½-½	J. van der Wiel	F. Nijboer	1-0
P. Harikrishna	Y. Houtd	1-0	S. Li	A. Ushenina	1-0

 

E,Postny takes solo lead! In game against Gyimesi he sacrificed exchange for a pawn and get strong pawn center. He won after long game. The agreement draw followed in game Moiseenko vs Smirin after 23 moves in about equal position. The prize "boring game" got the game Avrukh vs Roiz in 12 moves draw.One of the sharpest game today was Rodshtein vs Kogan. Max took full point.

Tournament's standing

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	Place
1	Roiz,Michael	ISR	2659	x		½	½	½	½	½	½	½	1	4½	4-3
2	Moiseenko,Aleksander	UKR	2643		x	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	0	3½	8
3	Avrukh,Boris	ISR	2628	½	1	x	0	1	0	½		½	1	4½	4-3
4	Postny,Evgeny	ISR	2627	½	½	1	x	1	0	1	1		1	6	1
5	Macieja,Bartolmiej	POL	2617	½	½	0	0	x	0	½	½	0		2	9-10
6	Smirin,Ilia	ISR	2616	½	½	1	1	1	x		0	½	1	5½	2
7	Rodshtein,Maxim	ISR	2614	½	½	½	0	½		x	½	½	1	4	5-7
8	Gyimesi,Zoltan	HUN	2605	½	½		0	½	1	½	x	½	½	4	5-7
9	Khenkin,Igor	GER	2602	½	0	½		1	½	½	½	x	½	4	5-7
10	Kogan,Arthur	ISR	2591	0	1	0	0		0	0	½	½	x	2	9-10

Live games

 

More videos from Wijk aan Zee 2008 after round 2

Interview Peter Leko	Interview Aronian after round 1	Video anlysis Aronian vs Gelfand(part 2)	Kramnik Interview
Video analysis Aronian vs Gelfand (part 1)	Video analysis Carlson vs Mamedyarov (part 1)	Video analysis Carlson vs Mamedyarov (part 2)	Video analysis Carlson vs Mamedyarov (part 3)

 

6 games match man vs Mashine. New-York 2003

What do you think about Mashines?! Looks what Kasparov thinks

video

 

Levon Aronian scored his second win, beating Boris Gelfand in a modern Slav - his first ever victory against Boris! Levon’s home preparation. 17-year-old Magnus Carlsenfollowed Aronian’s footsteps with a second victory.

The Norwegian Wonderboy had a pleasant endgame advantage out of the opening and gradually improved the activity of his pieces (compare the positions after 19...Bxc3, 31.Rdd6 and finally 48.Kc6 The screws on Pavel Eljanov were slowly tightened and when Magnus collected pawns on move 51 and 52, the battle was over.

Teimour Radjabov keep former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik ‘in check’ with the black pieces. Vladimir thought he got out of the opening with a pleasant advantage, but couldn’t find a convincing continuation. After 25...Nd5 he realized Teimour had dealt with most issues and although he lost a pawn later on, had no difficulty achieving a draw.The game between Veselin Topalov and Vassily ended draw.At around the same time Viswanathan Anand and Shakhryar Mamedyarov had fought their way to a tie, too. Vishy had a better position all along, but with accurate defence Shaq kept his own. In the final position the advance of white’s passed pawns has been stopped short and they will soon be captured.

Van Wely came very close to his first win, but an inaccuracy allowed Polgar, to tie the game

The longest game of the day ended as it begun, with a slight edge for White, but not enough to win. Peter Leko tried hard to win a queen endgame with an extra pawn against Michael Adams. The Englishman didn’t blink for 98 moves, when all efforts came to an end.

Crosstable:

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Score
1	V. Kramnik	RUS	2799	x	½												½	1
2	T. Radjabov	AZE	2735	½	x											1		1½
3	S. Mamedyarov	AZE	2760			x									0	½		½
4	P. Eljanov	UKR	2692				x							½	0			½
5	M. Adams	ENG	2726					x					½	½				1
6	L. Aronian	ARM	2739						x			1	1					2
7	V. Ivanchuk	UKR	2751							x	½	½						1
8	J. Polgar	HUN	2707							½	x						½	1
9	V. Topalov	BUL	2780						0	½		x						½
10	B. Gelfand	ISR	2737					½	0				x					½
11	P. Leko	HUN	2753				½	½						x				1
12	M. Carlsen	NOR	2733			1	1								x			2
13	V. Anand	IND	2799		0	½										x		½
14	L. van Wely	NED	2681	½							½						x	1

Live games

chess vibes  interview with Radjabov

 

In round 7 we saw very fight games. Two leaders dispute was decided in Smirin's favour, after he have get clear advantage in the opening. Postny is keeping eye on the Smirin also win his game against Macieja in very interesting line of Caro-Cann. Moiseenkolost his game to outsider of this Tournament Kogan, A, which collectid his first win!

Live games

 

Wijk aan Zee 2008 started. The Armageddon has occured at the first day!

Anand,V lost to Radjabov,T with black pieces, Aronjan,L defeated Topalov,V. The young prodigy Magnus Carlsen took the full point from Shakhriar Mamedjarov. The games Adams-Gelfand, Ivanchuk-Polgar, Kramnik-van Wely and Eljanov-Leko all were drawn without great incident.

Live games

 

Today games are start in 19:00 local time.

Tornament is inflaming. tournament position is changing. Smirin got stuck on Gyimesi in exchange variant "Old Indian Defence". He went through the bad ending to him and lost. Postny vs Roiz hard fite which ended with peace. Avrukh suarely break Kogan in Queen's gambit. Rodshtein vs Macieja. Accurate play from both sides and draw agreement. Moiseenko, after is geting advantage in oppening +1 pawn  got a full point from Khenkin.

Tournament position after round 6:

1-3 Smirin, Postny, Avrukh, (4 points)

4-5 Roiz, Gyimesi (3.5 points)

6    Moiseenko (3points)

7-8 Rodshtein, Khenkin (2.5 points)

9    Macieja (2 points)

10  Kogan (1 point)

      

Live games

 

Games start in 10:00 local time.

Khenkin vs Avrukh 13 moves draw. Arthur Kogan was close to win, but Gyimesi Zoltan find a way out of 1/2. Mecieja,B could couple times to get huge advantage, but missed his chances. The only hero of the day was Evgeny Postny. He outplayed with black's pieces Max Rodshtein in interesting line of Slav-defence. Smirin vs Roiz short draw. Postny and Smirin leading with 3.5 out of 5 points.

Tournament table after round 5

No	Name	Country	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Points	Place
1	Roiz,Michael	ISR	2659	x				½	½	½		½	1	3
2	Moiseenko,Aleksander	UKR	2643		x	0	½	½		½	½			2
3	Avrukh,Boris	ISR	2628		1	x	0	1		½		½		3
4	Postny,Evgeny	ISR	2627		½	1	x		0	1			1	3½
5	Macieja,Bartolmiej	POL	2617	½	½	0		x			½			1½
6	Smirin,Ilia	ISR	2616	½			1	1	x			½	1	4
7	Rodshtein,Maxim	ISR	2614	½	½	½	0			x	½			2
8	Gyimesi,Zoltan	HUN	2605		½			½		½	x	½	½	2½
9	Khenkin,Igor	GER	2602	½		½			½		½	x	½	2½
10	Kogan,Arthur	ISR	2591	0			0		0		½	½	x	1

 

live games

 

Gyimesi,Zoltan-Khenkin,Igor short 19 move draw. Avrukh,Boris outplayed Macieja,Bartlomeij 1-0. Michael Roiz showed his knowledge ending bishop against knightwith Queens in open position and won his game Roiz, Michael-Kogan, Arthur 1-0.
and the most interesting game was dispute of two leaders Postny,Evgeny vs Smirin Ilia in Old indian defence with one of the popular lines 9.b4 for white. Smirin get off the opening slightly better and take up to win. Postny, Evgeny-Smirin,Ilia 0-1

live games

 

Smirin catch up Postny. Today he has choosen a rare for nowdays sharp line of Polugaevsky in Najdorf variant of Sicilian.
Kogan, Arthur-Smirin, Ilia 0-1. Postny tried to outplay Moiseenko, Aleksandr in Slav defence with one pawn more, but white's conterplay was too strong and game finished by repetition of moves and draw. Other games were drawn.

Live games

 

Evgeny, Postny take a solo lead in tournament with second win over Kogan, Arthur in very sharp line of "accepted Queen's Gambit". Avrukh, Boris comes back after defeating over Moiseenko, Aleksander. other three games drawn.

live games

 

The Corus chess tournament 2008 will be held from 11-27 january 2008 in Wijk aan Zee. It has three mane tournaments: (A, B, C). They are played according to the "round robin" system. All three GM groups have 14 players. Group A is strongest, category 20 and 2742! average rating. This year tournament including almost all strongest GM's.

preview Wijk aan Zee 2008(video)