FIDE Candidates Tournament 2016 - Round 11 and 10

The 11th round of the FIDE World Candidates Tournament 2016 was held today at the DI Telegraph in Moscow, Russia.Anand and Caruana share the lead with 6,5/11 points each.

There has been another change on the top as Anand bounced back after yesterday's setback and defeated the long-time leader Sergey Karjakin. The game started with a quiet line in the Anti-Berlin Ruy Lopez. The pieces were going off until the players were left with two rooks each and opposite-coloured bishops. It appeared that black equalised the position, however white was holding the only open file with his rooks. Anand skillfully maneuvered and already before the time control assumed certain advantage. In the resulting ending black tried to set up a fortress, but white found a way to break through.

Peter Svidler once again used the Queen's Gambit Accepted, the defence he prepared particularly for this tournament. Levon Aronian responded aggressively, trying to use attacking patterns typical for the positions with isolated d-pawn. He did become more active but black was defending well to weather the storm. At one point before the time control white could have forced perpetual check, but considering the earlier game advantage and the current tournament standings, Aronian passed on this and continued to play. Suddenly, with a series of strong moves Svidler turned the tables and signed his first victory in the event.

Fabiano Caruana missed a good chance to move into the sole lead. In the sharp English opening Veselin Topalov, playing white, sacrificed exchange for a pawn and compensation. At some point in the middlegame the things went wrong for the Bulgarian and black seized the initiative. It looked like black will break through, but somehow Caruana became obsessed with winning the f2-pawn. The time trouble didn't help him either. Topalov found a brilliant idea to completely tie the opponent's pieces and after a long thought Caruana offered a draw.

Anish Giri and Hikaru Nakamura started the game with the Italian opening. White obtained slight advantage after the central structure has been shaped. A lot of maneuvering followed, but then after the time control white increased his plus. A rash knight-sacrifice allowed black to neutralise the pressure and few moves later the game was drawn.

Round 11 results:
Aronian - Svidler 0-1
Topalov - Caruana 1/2
Anand - Karjakin 1-0
Giri - Nakamura 1/2

After eleven rounds of play Anand and Caruana are joint leaders with 6,5 points each. Karjakin is clear third with 6 points. There follow Aronian, Giri and Svidler (5,5), Nakamura (4,5) and Topalov with 4 points.

Round 12 games are on schedule for 25th March at 15:00 Moscow time:
Svidler - Giri
Nakamura - Anand
Karjakin - Topalov
Caruana - Aronian

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Round 10

The 10th round of the FIDE World Candidates Tournament 2016 was held today at the DI Telegraph in Moscow, Russia.

Fabiano Caruana surged ahead after defeating the overnight co-leader Viswanathan Anand from the white side of the English opening. White's 12.Qc2 surprised the opponent and black spent some time to find the correct plan. Caruana was already out of preparation, but as he testified later, all his moves were natural and easy to find. A temporary bishop sacrifice allowed white to seize the initiative. Soon-after black made a mistake with the knight jump and white proceeded to convert the advantage into full point.

Sergey Karjakin and Anish Giri tested the very popular line in the Meran Slav defence. White didn't achieve much and the massive exchanges allowed black to push the liberating c6-c5. The game was drawn several moves later.

Peter Svidler and Hikaru Nakamura, as well as Levon Aronian and Veselin Topalov, also opened started with the English opening, following the same line up to move 9.

Svidler seized some space in the center, but black was on time to undermine it with c7-c6. White snatched a pawn as black was developing the counterplay. Instead of trying to hold onto the material, white allowed his opponent to force the perpetual check.

In his own game Aronian put some pressure on the opponent despite the many exchanges. The commentators have pointed that 28.Qf3 might have been better alternative. Topalov was up to task and masterfully neutralised white's advantage before the time control. The game proceeded until all the possibilities were exhausted and was finally drawn on move 58.

Round 10 results:
Svidler - Nakamura 1/2
Karjakin - Giri 1/2
Caruana - Anand 1-0
Aronian - Topalov 1/2

After ten rounds of play Karjakin and Caruana are joint leaders with 6 points each. Aronian and Anand share third place with 5,5 points.  There follow Giri (5), Svidler (4,5), Nakamura (4) and Topalov with 3,5 points.

Round 11 games are on schedule for 24th March at 15:00 Moscow time:
Aronian - Svidler
Topalov - Caruana
Anand - Karjakin
Giri - Nakamura