Rensch-Akobian live

Danny Rensch is playing against GM Varuzhan Akobian (2613 fide) in round 2 of the Metropolitan International. Danny lost to the same opponent with white in round 2 of his previous tournament, the National Open. He did some preparation this morning, despite waking up with a terrible stomach ache [probably from the bad food he ate in the hotel restaurant last night], and switched up his opening line from that game. Here is the current position (I'll be updating as the game goes):

Danny is not looking too bad (physically). Before the game I was worried that he wouldn't be able to hold himself together at the board, he was really feeling very sick, and couldn't even make it down to the round quite on time. But he's a fighter and he seems to have focused in and forgotten all about being sick, as he plays.

There is no TV coverage for round 2. There will be tonight for round 3, starting at 7:30, I hope!

UPDATE: Danny has lost the game, but somehow I missed him. Now I'll search for him!

A number of other early results coming in:

A quick win for Adams on 1. Van Wely still has a tense game with IM Raja Panjwani of Canada.

A couple quick draws; UTD teammates Kiewra and Bercys, Khachiyan and Duckworth, Banawa v. Amanov.

Elliott Liu has less than a minute, so he is living off the 30 second increment in a tense middle game with IM Matikozian.

Kayden Troff is holding up with black against IM Mackenzie Molner; in fact my first calculation says that he is better, but I did not calculate very long; in fact going over the position in my mind, I realize he has one less pawn than Molner! So if he is winning a pawn as I calculated, that would only make the game equal.

Next update: time scrambles and tense games all around. A reallllly loud guy walks through the hallway on his cell phone. The doors are kept open for air, and there has been a constant stream of people who don't know what a chess tournament is. I heard discussions between the arbiter and the hotel staff, it seemed some of the players were complaining, and the hotel was offering to provide ear plugs 

I had missed an important move for Mackenzie, and now that he played it, I think Kayden is in trouble. But Kayden looks unconcerned, so maybe I'm missing a strong move for him too!

Elliott has lost his game with Matikozyan, I think. Making multiple moves with 5-10 seconds on his clock, it looks like he blundered a pawn. He looked despondent, and I don't think he can cope with the advancing black e-pawn under time pressure. Too bad, as I bet he had a good position a few moves ago, but as I watched he played a few moves that did not look right to me.