Bilbao R5: three draws, Topalov keeps lead

After all the excitement of yesterday, the players took a semi rest day and all drew relatively quickly in the fifth round of the Bilbao Grand Slam.

With two rest days, you'd normally do a 4-3-3 schedule, but the organizers decided on 5-3-2, so only after today there will be a rest day. The players really seem to need it, as a few of them today mentioned they are tired. And on a Saturday night, I didn't hear a journalist complain either. ;-)

The first game that ended was also the most interesting, but this was mainly the result of another blind spot in Anand's calculation: he totally missed 20...Be3 which cost him an exchange, but luckily for the Indian not the game.

The new world's number two had a narrow escape against the nuevo numero uno


This time it was Carlsen using an opening Radjabov recently revived


There's not much to say about Ivanchuk-Topalov, and those are actually the words of the Bulgarian who played Black today. In this well-known Nimzo ending White is always slightly better and usually only draws, just like today. Some interesting remarks by the players can be found under the moves of the games.

Vassily Ivanchuk, not satisfied about his first half - "I need to do better"


Veselin Topalov, still the leader after five rounds


Radjabov tried the Scotch again, and after Aronian's 4...Bc5 another "well-known ending" was reached. White looked a tiny bit better but after the d6 pawn was protected adequately and the d5 square well covered, there was nothing left for White to play for.

The only player on fifty percent after the first half: Levon Aronian


Like Anand, four draws and a loss for Radjabov


Results Round 5 Ivanchuk - Topalov 1 - 1 Anand - Carlsen 1 - 1 Radjabov - Aronian 1 - 1

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After three draws it's no surprise that, like yesterday, there isn't a difference between the "football" and the "classical" system:

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Tomorrow is a rest day. Pairings Round 6, Monday: Ivanchuk - Anand Topalov - Radjabov Carlsen - Aronian







Links:

• Official website
• Photos by John Henderson (ICC)
• Games in PGN