Grischuk takes sole lead in Baku

Grischuk takes sole lead in Baku as Carlsen bags first win.

Alexander Grischuk (pictured), the Russian GM who has dabbled with playing in poker events, has taken the sole lead on 2.5/3 in the first Grand Prix tournament in Baku after beating David Navara with the Black pieces.  On a thrilling third day, no fewer than 5 of the 7 games played were decisive; perhaps the anti-draw offer rules (see section 4.4 of the rules, here) at the tournament are helping create fighting chess?

The young Norwegian prodigy, and ratings favourite, Magnus Carlsen produced his first win of the event against the Kalmykian GM, Inarkiev.  In the other games, Svidler unwisely grabbed a pawn and got crushed by the lowest rated of the three Azerbaijanis in Baku, Vugar Gashimov.  Bacrot bounced back from his loss to Radjabov in the previous round to beat the hapless Cheparinov who has now lost his first three games and probably wishes he was somewhere else.  Like Carlsen, Sergei Karjakin notched his first win by beating Mickey Adams.

The full results in round 3 were:

The standings after round 3: