Round 7 at Mtel Masters
Ivanchuk - Topalov ends in a draw
Vassily Ivanchuk (pictured, with fans) survived severe time trouble for a second time to hold Veselin Topalov to a deserved draw in Round 7 in Sofia. Ivanchuk is a notorious time trouble addict and found himself hanging by a thread yet again, with only 15 seconds on the clock for his last 3 moves. The draw makes Ivanchuk the firm favourite to win the tournament.
Teimour Radjabov notched up his first win of the tournament, beating Bu Xiangzhi with a nice combination on another desperately disappointing day for the Chinese player.
Ivan Cheparinov played the Anti-Marshall against Lev Aronian with 8.a4, but despite being a pawn up the game ended in a draw.
The results in round 7:
| Ivanchuk, Vassily | - Topalov, Veselin | ½-½ | 49 | D43 | Anti-Meran Gambit |
| Radjabov, Teimour | - Bu Xiangzhi | 1-0 | 41 | D15 | Slav Defence |
| Cheparinov, Ivan | - Aronian, Levon | ½-½ | 45 | C88 | Ruy Lopez Closed |
The standings after round 7:
| Rank | Name | IRtg | FED | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Pts |
| 1 | Ivanchuk Vassily | 2740 | UKR | * * | 1 ½ | 1 | 1 ½ | 1 | 1 | 6,0 |
| 2 | Topalov Veselin | 2767 | BUL | 0 ½ | * * | 1 | ½ | 1 1 | 1 | 5,0 |
| 3 | Cheparinov Ivan | 2695 | BUL | 0 | 0 | * * | ½ | ½ ½ | 1 1 | 3,5 |
| 4 | Radjabov Teimour | 2751 | AZE | 0 ½ | ½ | ½ | * * | ½ | ½ 1 | 3,5 |
| 5 | Aronian Levon | 2763 | ARM | 0 | 0 0 | ½ ½ | ½ | * * | ½ | 2,0 |
| 6 | Bu Xiangzhi | 2708 | CHN | 0 | 0 | 0 0 | ½ 0 | ½ | * * | 1,0 |
