Super Svidler At The Super-Final
It's been a while since Peter Svidler (pictured) had a strong showing in a major event and his world ranking fell from 11th to 17th on the latest official FIDE rating list.
So it was about time that everyone's favourite cricket-loving Grandmaster showed that he's still got what it takes.
Happily, Svidler has done just that, by powering into the lead in the Russian Championship 'Super-Final' in Moscow, winning his first three games and drawing his fourth to lead by half a point on 3.5/4. Particularly impressive was his second round win against defending champion Alexander Morozevich (see game below).
The standings after 4 rounds:
| 1 | Svidler, Peter | 2727 | * | ½ | . | . | . | 1 | 1 | . | . | . | . | 1 | 3½ |
| 2 | Lastin, Alexander | 2651 | ½ | * | . | . | . | . | . | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | 3 |
| 3 | Jakovenko, Dmitry | 2737 | . | . | * | . | 1 | . | . | ½ | . | ½ | . | ½ | 2½ |
| 4 | Vitiugov, Nikita | 2638 | . | . | . | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | . | . | . | 1 | 2½ |
| 5 | Alekseev, Evgeny | 2715 | . | . | 0 | ½ | * | . | . | 1 | . | ½ | . | . | 2 |
| 6 | Morozevich, Alexander | 2787 | 0 | . | . | ½ | . | * | . | ½ | 1 | . | . | . | 2 |
| 7 | Riazantsev, Alexander | 2656 | 0 | . | . | ½ | . | . | * | . | ½ | . | 1 | . | 2 |
| 8 | Timofeev, Artyom | 2670 | . | . | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | . | * | . | . | . | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Sakaev, Konstantin | 2640 | . | ½ | . | . | . | 0 | ½ | . | * | . | ½ | . | 1½ |
| 10 | Tomashevsky, Evgeny | 2646 | . | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | . | . | . | * | ½ | . | 1½ |
| 11 | Maslak, Konstantin | 2544 | . | 0 | . | . | . | . | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | * | . | 1 |
| 12 | Inarkiev, Ernesto | 2669 | 0 | . | ½ | 0 | . | . | . | 0 | . | . | . | * | ½ |
