Si sono giocati a Kazan (Russia) dal 5 al 25 maggio 2011 i matches ad eliminazione diretta tra gli otto Candidati al Titolo Mondiale: Topalov, Kamsky, Gelfand, Mamedyarov, Kramnik, Radjabov, Aronian, Grischuk.

Il vincitore finale è l’israeliano Boris Gelfand, che incontrerà pertanto il Campione del Mondo in carica e n. 1 al mondo, l’ndiano Viswanathan Anand, nel 2012 in un match di 12 partite con il Titolo in palio.

Per tutti i dettagli dell’evento, oltre che il Sito Ufficiale, i riferimenti sono: The Week In Chess, celebre per la sua tempestività, completezza e precisione e per le partite in PGN, poi ChessBase con i suoi consueti articoli e commenti di alta qualità, ed Europe Echecs (in francese).

La Federazione Russa ha fornito inoltre le riprese video dal vivo in alta risoluzione, che rimangono disponibili per la visione.

Da non perdere inoltre i commenti per ChessBase del n. 1 italiano Fabiano Caruana:

Aronian-Grischuck (1.1)  –  Topalov-Kamsky (1.2) – Kramnik-Grischuk (2.4)

[pgn]

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.05”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Topalov, Veselin”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2775”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2900084”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 Nc6 7. a5 e6 8. Nxc6
bxc6 9. Bd3 Be7 10. O-O c5 11. Bf4 Qc7 12. Qe2 Bb7 13. e5 Qc6 14. f3 Nh5 15. Bd2
c4 16. Bxc4 dxe5 17. b3 Rd8 18. Rad1 Qc5+ 19. Kh1 Nf4 20. Na4 Nxe2 21. Nxc5 Bxc5
22. Bxe2 Ke7 23. b4 Rxd2 24. Rxd2 Bxb4 25. Rd3 Bd5 26. Rb1 Bxa5 27. Ra3 Bd2 28.
Rxa6 Rc8 29. Ra7+ Kf6 30. Bd3 Be3 31. Ra4 h5 32. Rab4 Rc3 33. h4 g6 34. Kh2 Kg7
35. Ra4 f5 36. Re1 Bc5 37. Re2 Kf6 38. Re1 Bf2 39. Re2 Bc5 40. Re1 Bf2 41. Re2
Bc5 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.05”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2772”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack”]
[WhiteFideId “13401319”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4
O-O 9. O-O Nc6 10. Re1 b5 11. Bb3 Rb8 12. Bg5 Be6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Nd5 Bg5 15.
Qd3 Bh6 16. Red1 Kh8 17. Nc3 Qb6 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Qxd6 Nd4 20. Qxb6 Nxf3+ 21.
gxf3 Rxb6 22. a4 Kg8 23. axb5 axb5 24. Ra5 b4 25. Rb5 Rfb8 26. Rxb6 Rxb6 27. Ne2
Rc6 28. c3 bxc3 29. Nxc3 Bg5 30. Kf1 Rb6 31. Rb1 Be7 32. Ke2 Rb8 33. Kd3 Bc5 34.
Na4 Bxf2 35. b4 Ra8 36. Nc5 Kf7 37. Kc4 Ke7 38. Rd1 Bd4 39. Nb3 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.05”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D56”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Lasker defence”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Be2 Nd7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 dxc4 13. Rxc4 e5 14. Qc2 exd4
15. Nxd4 Nb6 16. Rc5 Rd8 17. Bf3 Be6 18. Rc1 Bd5 19. a3 Nd7 20. Rc3 Nf6 21. Bxd5
Rxd5 22. Rc4 Re8 23. h3 Ne4 24. b4 a5 25. Rb1 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.05”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2808”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “D86”]
[Opening “Gruenfeld”]
[Variation “exchange, classical variation”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8.
Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O b6 11. dxc5 Qc7 12. Nd4 Ne5 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. Be2 bxc5
15. f4 Ng4 16. Bxc5 a6 17. Na3 Qc7 18. Bd4 e5 19. fxe5 Nxe5 20. Qc1 Bg4 21. Bxg4
Nxg4 22. Qf4 Qxf4 23. Rxf4 Ne5 24. Rb1 Rad8 25. Nc2 Nd3 26. Rff1 Rd7 27. Rfd1
Nf4 28. Kf2 Rc8 29. Ne3 h5 30. Rb6 Ne6 31. Bxg7 Rxd1 32. Nxd1 Kxg7 33. Ke3 Nc5
34. Rd6 a5 35. c4 a4 36. Kd4 Ne6+ 37. Kc3 Rb8 38. Rd5 Nf4 39. Rd2 Ne6 40. Rb2
Rd8 41. Nf2 a3 42. Rd2 Rb8 43. Nd3 Rb1 44. c5 Kf6 45. c6 Ke7 46. Nb4 Rc1+ 47.
Kb3 Nc5+ 48. Kxa3 Nxe4 49. Rd4 Nd6 50. Ka4 Ke6 51. Ka5 Rc5+ 52. Ka6 g5 53. a4
Ke5 54. Rd2 Rc4 55. Ka5 f5 56. Rc2 Kd4 57. Rd2+ Ke5 58. Nd3+ Kf6 59. Kb6 Nc8+
60. Kb7 Nd6+ 61. Kc7 Ne4 62. Ra2 Nc3 63. Rb2 Nxa4 64. Rb4 Rxb4 65. Nxb4 Nc5 66.
Kb6 Ne6 67. Nd3 h4 68. h3 Ke7 69. Nc5 Nxc5 70. Kxc5 Kd8 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.06”]
[Round “1.2”]
[White “Topalov, Veselin”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2775”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “A15”]
[Opening “English opening”]
[WhiteFideId “2900084”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qb3 Nb6 6. d4 Bg7 7. Bf4 Be6 8.
Qa3 Nc6 9. O-O-O Nd5 10. Bg3 Bh6+ 11. e3 a5 12. h4 Ncb4 13. h5 c6 14. hxg6 hxg6
15. Rd2 f6 16. Ne4 b6 17. Be2 Qc8 18. Rh4 Kf7 19. Rd1 g5 20. Rh2 g4 21. Nfd2 c5
22. dxc5 f5 23. Rxh6 Rxh6 24. Ng5+ Kf8 25. Nxe6+ Qxe6 26. Bc4 Rc8 27. Bf4 Rf6
28. e4 Rxc5 29. exd5 Qxd5 30. b3 Qd4 31. Be3 Qc3+ 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.06”]
[Round “1.2”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “E06”]
[Opening “Catalan”]
[Variation “closed, 5.Nf3”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Be7 4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qa4 a6 8. Qxc4
b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bd2 Be4 11. Qc1 Bb7 12. Qc2 Be4 13. Qc1 Bb7 14. Bf4 Nd5 15.
Rd1 Nxf4 16. Qxf4 Bd6 17. Qh4 Qxh4 18. Nxh4 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Nd7 20. Nc3 Rfd8 21.
Rac1 Be7 22. Nf3 c5 23. a4 bxa4 24. Nxa4 cxd4 25. Rxd4 Bf6 26. Rd6 Ne5 27. Rxd8+
Rxd8 28. Nxe5 Bxe5 29. f4 Bf6 30. Rc6 Rb8 31. Rxa6 g6 32. Nc5 Rxb2 33. Kf3 Bd4
34. Nd3 Rb8 35. Rd6 Bf6 36. g4 Rd8 37. Rc6 Be7 38. g5 h6 39. h4 hxg5 40. hxg5
Rd7 41. Ne5 Rb7 42. Rc8+ Kg7 43. Re8 Rc7 44. Ng4 Rb7 45. e3 Rc7 46. Ke4 Rd7 47.
Nh6 Bf8 48. Rc8 Rb7 49. Kf3 Ra7 50. e4 Ra3+ 51. Kg4 Ra7 52. Kh4 Bb4 53. Kg4 Bf8
54. Rb8 Rd7 55. Kf3 Ra7 56. e5 Ra3+ 57. Kg2 Ra2+ 58. Kg3 Ra3+ 59. Kg4 Ra7 60.
Rc8 Rb7 61. Ra8 Rc7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.06”]
[Round “1.2”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2772”]
[ECO “D45”]
[Opening “QGD semi-Slav”]
[Variation “Stoltz variation”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “13401319”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
dxc4 9. Bxc4 a6 10. Rd1 b5 11. Bd3 Qc7 12. Bd2 c5 13. Ne4 c4 14. Nxd6 Qxd6 15.
Be2 Bb7 16. b3 Rfc8 17. Qb2 Rab8 18. Rdc1 Ne4 19. Ba5 Bd5 20. Ne1 f5 21. f3 Nef6
22. Rab1 g5 23. Qd2 Kf7 24. Bb4 Qb6 25. Ba5 Qd6 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Rxb8 Qxb8 28.
Qb4 Qa8 29. Bxc4 Qc6 30. Nd3 Bxc4 31. Nb2 Qd5 32. Nxc4 Kg8 33. Rc3 f4 34. exf4
Qxd4+ 35. Ne3 Qxc3 36. Qxc3 Rxc3 37. Bxc3 gxf4 38. Nc4 Nd5 39. Bd4 Nb4 40. a3
Nc6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.06”]
[Round “1.2”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Aronian, Levon”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “4.Nf3”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “13300474”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Qc2 c5 7. Bg5 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 Nc6 9. Rd1 O-O 10. e3 Be6 11. Be2 Rc8 12. Nf5 h6 13. Bh4 Re8 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7
15. O-O g5 16. Bg3 Ne4 17. Qb1 Nxg3 18. hxg3 Red8 19. Nb5 d4 20. Nxd4 Nxd4 21.
exd4 Qf6 22. Bf3 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.07”]
[Round “1.3”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Topalov, Veselin”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2775”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2900084”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. a4 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bg5
Be6 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nd5 Nd7 11. Bc4 Rc8 12. b3 Qa5+ 13. Qd2 Qxd2+ 14. Nxd2 Bg5
15. Kd1 h5 16. Re1 h4 17. h3 Nf6 18. Nxf6+ gxf6 19. Bxe6 fxe6 20. Nf3 Rg8 21. c4
f5 22. exf5 exf5 23. Ke2 Be7 24. Kf1 Kf7 25. Rad1 Rc5 26. b4 Rxc4 27. Rxe5 dxe5
28. Nxe5+ Ke6 29. Nxc4 Bxb4 30. Rb1 a5 31. Rd1 Rc8 32. Rd4 Bc3 33. Rxh4 Bf6 34.
Rf4 Bg5 35. Rd4 Bf6 36. Rf4 Bg5 37. Rd4 Bf6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.07”]
[Round “1.3”]
[White “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2772”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B87”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Sozin with …a6 and …b5”]
[WhiteFideId “13401319”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5 8. O-O
Be7 9. Qf3 Qc7 10. Qg3 O-O 11. Bh6 Ne8 12. Rad1 Bd7 13. f4 Nc6 14. f5 Nxd4 15.
Rxd4 Kh8 16. Be3 Nf6 17. Qh3 d5 18. e5 Qxe5 19. Rh4 Rfc8 20. Kh1 Rxc3 21. bxc3
Qxc3 22. Rd4 a5 23. Rd3 Qc6 24. c3 a4 25. Bc2 e5 26. Bg5 b4 27. Qh4 bxc3 28. Rh3
Kg8 29. Re1 e4 30. g4 Kf8 31. Be3 Qc4 32. g5 Bxf5 33. gxf6 Bxf6 34. Qh5 Bg6 35.
Qg4 Qxa2 36. Bb1 Qc4 37. Qg2 a3 38. Ba2 Qc6 39. Rg3 Rb8 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.07”]
[Round “1.3”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D56”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Lasker defence”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. Qc2 b6 14. Bd3 Nf6
15. Rxc6 Nd5 16. Qb3 Nb4 17. Rc1 Nxd3+ 18. Qxd3 Bb7 19. O-O Bxf3 20. gxf3 Qg5+
21. Kh1 Qd5 22. Qe4 Qxa2 23. Rg1 Rfc8 24. Qb7 Rf8 25. Rc7 Qxb2 26. Rxf7 Rxf7 27.
Qxa8+ Kh7 28. Qe8 Rc7 29. Qxe6 Qxf2 30. Qe4+ Kg8 31. Qe8+ Kh7 32. Qe4+ Kg8 33.
Qe8+ 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.07”]
[Round “1.3”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2808”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “D97”]
[Opening “Gruenfeld”]
[Variation “Russian, Alekhine (Hungarian) variation”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 8. Be2
b5 9. Qb3 c5 10. dxc5 Be6 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Rd1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15.
exd5 Nxc5 16. O-O a5 17. Bc4 Qd6 18. Bd4 Ncd7 19. Qe2 Ng4 20. Rfe1 Rfe8 21. Ba6
Ra8 22. Bb5 Bxd4 23. Rxd4 Ngf6 24. h3 Rab8 25. Ba4 Red8 26. Qxe7 Nb6 27. Bd1
Rbc8 28. Qa7 Ra8 29. Qb7 Rdc8 30. Qe7 Qxe7 31. Rxe7 Nfxd5 32. Rb7 Rc7 33. Rxc7
Nxc7 34. Bb3 a4 35. Bc2 Ncd5 36. Be4 Ra5 37. Ne5 Rc5 38. Bxd5 Rxd5 39. Rxb4 Rxe5
40. Rxb6 Re1+ 41. Kh2 Re2 42. Kg3 a3 43. bxa3 Rxa2 44. Rb3 Kg7 45. f4 h5 46. h4
f6 47. Kf3 g5 48. hxg5 fxg5 49. g3 Kf6 50. Ke4 gxf4 51. Kxf4 Ra1 52. Ke4 Ke6 53.
Re3 Ra2 54. Kd4+ Kd6 55. Kc4 Rh2 56. Kb5 Kc7 57. Re7+ Kb8 58. Rh7 Rg2 59. Kb6
Rb2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.08”]
[Round “1.4”]
[White “Topalov, Veselin”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2775”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “A15”]
[Opening “English opening”]
[WhiteFideId “2900084”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qc2 Bg7 6. e4 Nb6 7. d4 O-O 8. Be3
Bg4 9. Ne5 Bxe5 10. dxe5 Nc6 11. h3 Be6 12. Rd1 Qc8 13. f4 Rd8 14. b3 Nb4 15.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 16. Qb1 f5 17. exf6 exf6 18. Be2 Qe7 19. O-O Bf7 20. Bf2 Rd8 21. Rd1
Rxd1+ 22. Qxd1 c5 23. Bf1 Nc6 24. g3 Kg7 25. Bg2 h5 26. Nb5 Nc8 27. Qd2 c4 28.
bxc4 Bxc4 29. Nd4 Qb4 30. Qc1 N8e7 31. a3 Qa4 32. Qb2 b6 33. Kh2 Kf7 34. Qc3 Ba2
35. f5 Qc4 36. Qb2 Ne5 37. Qd2 g5 38. Ne6 N7c6 39. Qd6 Ke8 40. Nc7+ Kf7 41. Nd5
Qe2 42. Qxf6+ Ke8 43. Qe6+ Kf8 44. Kg1 Qd1+ 45. Bf1 Bxd5 46. exd5 Nd4 47. Qf6+
Kg8 48. Qxg5+ Kf7 49. Qd8 Qc2 50. Bg2 Qc1+ 51. Kh2 Qc2 52. Bg1 Ndf3+ 53. Kh1 Ne1
54. Bf2 Qxf2 55. Qc7+ Kf6 56. Qd6+ Kf7 57. Qc7+ Kf6 58. Qd6+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.08”]
[Round “1.4”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. a3 c5 8. cxd5
Nxd5 9. Nxd5 exd5 10. dxc5 Nxc5 11. Be5 Bf6 12. Be2 Bxe5 13. Nxe5 Be6 14. Nf3
Qb6 15. Qd4 Rfc8 16. O-O Nb3 17. Qxb6 axb6 18. Rab1 Bf5 19. Rbd1 Rc2 20. Rxd5
Rxb2 21. Re1 Be6 22. Rb5 Rxa3 23. Rxb6 Raa2 24. Rxb7 g5 25. Bf1 h6 26. Nd4 Nxd4
27. Rxb2 Rxb2 28. exd4 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.08”]
[Round “1.4”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2772”]
[ECO “A43”]
[Opening “Old Benoni defence”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “13401319”]

1. d4 c5 2. d5 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. e4 d6 5. Bb5+ Nbd7 6. a4 Bg7 7. Nf3 a6 8. Bc4 h6
9. O-O g5 10. Be2 Qc7 11. a5 Nf8 12. Nd2 Ng6 13. Nc4 Bd7 14. Nb6 Rd8 15. Be3 e5
16. Nxd7 Qxd7 17. f3 Ke7 18. Na4 h5 19. Nb6 Qc7 20. Bxg5 Bh6 21. Bxf6+ Kxf6 22.
g3 Rdg8 23. Kh1 Ke7 24. Ra3 Rg7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.08”]
[Round “1.4”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Aronian, Levon”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[ECO “D31”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Charousek (Petrosian) variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “13300474”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 Bf5 7. Nge2 Nd7 8. Ng3
Bg6 9. Be2 Nb6 10. Rc1 Nf6 11. h4 h6 12. h5 Bh7 13. Bd3 Bxd3 14. Qxd3 O-O 15.
Nf5 Re8 16. f3 Bf8 17. Kf2 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.5”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “D55”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Petrosian variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Rc1 O-O 8. e3
c6 9. Bd3 Nd7 10. O-O dxc4 11. Bxc4 e5 12. d5 Nb6 13. b3 Bf5 14. dxc6 bxc6 15.
e4 Bg4 16. Be2 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Be7 18. Qc2 Bb4 19. Bg4 Ba3 20. Rcd1 Qe7 21. Nb1
Bc5 22. Nd2 Bb4 23. Nf3 Qf6 24. Rd3 Rfd8 25. Rfd1 Rxd3 26. Qxd3 g6 27. h4 h5 28.
Bh3 Re8 29. g3 Qe7 30. Kg2 Qc5 31. Ng5 Kg7 32. Qe2 Qe7 33. Qc2 Qc7 34. Qc1 Be7
35. a4 Rd8 36. Rxd8 Bxd8 37. Nf3 f6 38. g4 hxg4 39. Bxg4 Nd7 40. h5 Nf8 41. Qc4
gxh5 42. Bxh5 Qd7 43. Kg3 Bb6 44. Nh4 Kh8 45. Qf7 Qxf7 46. Bxf7 Kg7 47. Bc4 Bc5
48. f3 Ng6 49. Nf5+ Kf8 50. Kg4 Ne7 51. Ng3 Kg7 52. Be6 Bb4 53. Nh5+ Kg6 54. f4
exf4 55. Nxf4+ Kg7 56. Bc4 Bd6 57. Ne6+ Kg6 58. a5 Bb4 59. a6 Bd6 60. Nd4 Be5
61. Nf3 Bd6 62. Be6 Kh6 63. Bd7 Kg7 64. Nd4 Be5 65. Ne6+ Kh6 66. Nd8 Bc7 67. Ne6
Bd6 68. Nd4 Be5 69. Nf3 Bd6 70. Nd2 Kg7 71. Nc4 Bc5 72. Kf4 Bb4 73. Ke3 Bc5+ 74.
Kd3 Ng6 75. Bxc6 Ne5+ 76. Nxe5 fxe5 77. Kc4 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.5”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2808”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A37”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, Botvinnik system reversed”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. Ne1 d6 8. Nc2
Be6 9. Ne3 O-O 10. d3 Qd7 11. Ned5 Bh3 12. Rb1 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Rac8 14. e4 Nxd5
15. Nxd5 Ne7 16. Nc3 Nc6 17. Be3 f5 18. f3 f4 19. Bg1 h5 20. Nd5 Rf7 21. g4 hxg4
22. fxg4 Rcf8 23. Qf3 Bf6 24. Bf2 Rh7 25. Nxf6+ Rxf6 26. Rh1 g5 27. h3 b6 28.
Rh2 Nd8 29. b3 Ne6 30. Kf1 b5 31. Kg2 a5 32. Rhh1 Rf8 33. Rhc1 Rb8 34. Rh1 b4
35. Rh2 a4 36. Kh1 Ra8 37. Bg1 axb3 38. Rxb3 Ra4 39. Rbb2 Ra3 40. Rbg2 Qa4 41.
h4 Rc3 42. Qf1 Qa3 43. hxg5 Rc1 44. Qf2 Rxh2+ 45. Kxh2 Nxg5 46. Kh1 Qxd3 47. Qh4
Qh3+ 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.6”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Bd3
Nxf4 9. exf4 b6 10. b4 a5 11. a3 c6 12. O-O Qc7 13. g3 Ba6 14. Bxa6 Rxa6 15. Qe2
Rfa8 16. Rab1 axb4 17. axb4 Bf6 18. Rfc1 Ra3 19. Qe1 bxc5 20. bxc5 Qa5 21. Ne5
Nxe5 22. fxe5 Bg5 23. Rc2 Bd8 24. Kg2 h6 25. h4 Qa6 26. Qd1 Ra1 27. Rcb2 Rxb1
28. Qxb1 Qc4 29. Ne2 Be7 30. Kf1 Bf8 31. Rb4 Ra1 32. Qxa1 Qxb4 33. Qa6 Qb1+ 34.
Kg2 Qe4+ 35. Kf1 Qh1+ 36. Ng1 Qe4 37. Ne2 Qh1+ 38. Ng1 Qe4 39. Ne2 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.6”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Aronian, Levon”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[ECO “D31”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Charousek (Petrosian) variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “13300474”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bf4 c6 6. Qc2 Nf6 7. e3 Nh5 8. Be5
Nd7 9. Be2 Nxe5 10. dxe5 g6 11. Bxh5 gxh5 12. O-O-O f6 13. Nf3 fxe5 14. Nxe5 O-O
15. f4 Bd6 16. Nf3 Bf5 17. Qd2 Qf6 18. e4 dxe4 19. Qxd6 exf3 20. Qxf6 Rxf6 21.
gxf3 Bg6 22. Ne2 Re8 23. Rd2 Re3 24. Rf1 Bd3 25. Rf2 Kf7 26. b3 h4 27. Kb2 Bxe2
28. Rdxe2 Rxe2+ 29. Rxe2 Rxf4 30. Rf2 Rd4 31. Kc3 Rd1 32. f4 Kf6 33. Rg2 h5 34.
a4 Rf1 35. Rg5 Rf3+ 36. Kc2 Rxf4 37. Rxh5 Rf2+ 38. Kc3 Rxh2 39. Rh7 Kg6 40. Rxb7
h3 41. Rb8 Rf2 42. Rh8 h2 43. Kd3 Kg5 44. Ke3 Rb2 45. Kf3 Rxb3+ 46. Kg2 Rb2+ 47.
Kh1 Kf5 48. Rc8 Rc2 49. Ra8 Ke4 50. Rxa7 Ra2 51. a5 Kd4 52. a6 Kc5 53. Ra8 Kc4
54. Ra7 c5 55. Ra8 Kb5 56. Rb8+ Kc6 57. Rc8+ Kb6 58. Rb8+ Kc7 59. Rb7+ Kc6 60.
Ra7 c4 61. Ra8 Kc7 62. a7 c3 63. Re8 Rxa7 64. Kxh2 Kb6 65. Kg3 Kc5 66. Kf2 Kc4
67. Ke2 Kb3 68. Rc8 Kb2 69. Rb8+ Kc1 70. Kd3 c2 71. Rh8 Ra3+ 72. Kc4 Kb1 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.7”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “D31”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “Charousek (Petrosian) variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. Rc1 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. g3 Nxc3 10. Rxc3 c6 11. Bg2 Nd7 12. O-O dxc4 13. Rxc4 e5 14. Rc3 exd4
15. Nxd4 Nb6 16. Qc2 Rd8 17. e3 Be6 18. a3 Bd5 19. b4 Bxg2 20. Kxg2 Nd5 21. Rc5
a6 22. Rc1 g6 23. Nf3 Re8 24. Rc4 Rad8 25. Rd4 Nc7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.8”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Bd3
Nxf4 9. exf4 b6 10. b4 a5 11. a3 c6 12. O-O Qc7 13. g3 Ba6 14. Kg2 Bf6 15. Bxa6
Rxa6 16. Qc2 Rfa8 17. Rab1 axb4 18. axb4 Ra3 19. Rb3 Rxb3 20. Qxb3 Qb7 21. Rb1
h6 22. h4 h5 23. Ne5 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.7”]
[White “Aronian, Levon”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2808”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “13300474”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. a3 Be7 6. d4 exd4 7. exd4 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 O-O 9. Nc2 d6 10. Be2 Be6 11. Ne3 Rc8 12. O-O a6 13. b3 Na5 14. a4 Qb6 15.
Rb1 Nc6 16. Re1 Rfd8 17. Bf3 Ne5 18. Bd5 Bf8 19. Bb2 Re8 20. Ba1 Rb8 21. Ne4
Nxd5 22. Nxd5 Qd8 23. Rb2 Bxd5 24. Qxd5 b5 25. Rbe2 bxc4 26. bxc4 Ng6 27. g3 Ne7
28. Qd3 Qd7 29. Nxd6 Red8 30. c5 Nc8 31. Be5 Nxd6 32. cxd6 Qxa4 33. Bf4 h6 34.
h4 Qb5 35. Qd1 Rb7 36. Rc2 Rbd7 37. Rc7 Bxd6 38. Rxd7 Qxd7 39. Qxd6 Qxd6 40.
Bxd6 Rxd6 41. Re8+ Kh7 42. Re7 Kg6 43. Ra7 h5 44. Kg2 Kf6 45. f3 Rd2+ 46. Kh3
Ra2 47. g4 hxg4+ 48. Kxg4 g6 49. f4 Ra5 50. Ra8 Ke6 51. Ra7 Kf6 52. Ra8 Ra1 53.
Ra7 a5 54. Ra6+ Kg7 55. h5 f5+ 56. Kh4 Rh1+ 57. Kg3 Rg1+ 58. Kh2 Rg4 59. hxg6
Rxf4 60. Rxa5 Kxg6 61. Kg2 Kf7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.8”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Aronian, Levon”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2808”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “13300474”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]
[EventType “k.o.”]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 c6 8. h3 b6
9. b4 a5 10. a3 Ba6 11. Bxa6 Rxa6 12. O-O Qa8 13. Rb1 axb4 14. axb4 Qb7 15. Qc2
Rfa8 16. Ne1 Bd8 17. Nd3 Ra3 18. b5 bxc5 19. dxc5 Be7 20. Rfc1 g5 21. Bg3 R8a5
22. Qd1 Bf8 23. bxc6 Qxc6 24. Nb4 Qxc5 25. Ncxd5 Nxd5 26. Rxc5 Rxc5 27. Nxd5
Rxd5 28. Qc2 Rc5 29. Qb2 Rd3 30. Ra1 Bg7 31. Ra8+ Nf8 32. Qb8 Rcd5 33. Qe8 h6
34. Kh2 Rd2 35. Qe7 Rd7 36. Qe8 Kh7 37. Qb8 Rb2 38. Qc8 Kg6 39. Qc1 Rdb7 40. Rd8
Nh7 41. Qd1 R2b3 42. Qc2+ f5 43. Qc6 Nf8 44. Bd6 R3b6 45. Qe8+ Rf7 46. Bxf8 Be5+
47. g3 f4 48. Rd7 fxg3+ 49. Kg2 1-0

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.9”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “C65”]
[Opening “Ruy Lopez”]
[Variation “Berlin defence”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nbd2 a6 8. Ba4
Ba7 9. h3 Ne7 10. Re1 Ng6 11. Nf1 c6 12. Ng3 d5 13. exd5 Nxd5 14. Bb3 Re8 15.
Bg5 f6 16. Be3 Bxe3 17. fxe3 Be6 18. Qd2 Qc7 19. Rad1 Rad8 20. Qf2 Qf7 21. Rf1
Qf8 22. Nd2 Kh8 23. Nde4 Nge7 24. Qe2 Bg8 25. Rf2 f5 26. Rdf1 f4 27. exf4 Nxf4
28. Qg4 Bxb3 29. axb3 Neg6 30. d4 Qg8 31. Rf3 Ne6 32. Nf5 exd4 33. Qg3 Rf8 34.
Ned6 dxc3 35. bxc3 Rd7 36. h4 Rf6 37. h5 Ne7 38. Nh6 gxh6 39. Qe5 Nd5 40. Rxf6
Nxf6 41. Qxf6+ Rg7 42. Nf5 Qf8 43. Nxg7 Qc5+ 44. Kh1 Nxg7 45. Qf8+ 1-0

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.10”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “A13”]
[Opening “English opening”]
[Variation “Agincourt variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. b3 Nf6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. e3 c5
9. Nc3 Nc6 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. d4 Qd8 13. Ne5 Nxe5 14. Bxb7 Rb8 15.
Bg2 cxd4 16. exd4 Nd7 17. d5 exd5 18. Qxd5 Bf6 19. Rad1 Bxb2 20. Qxd7 a5 21.
Rfe1 Qxd7 22. Rxd7 Ba3 23. Bd5 Bc5 24. Re4 Rfd8 25. Bxf7+ Kf8 26. Be6 Rxd7 27.
Bxd7 Rd8 28. Bb5 Rd2 29. Rf4+ Ke7 30. a4 Rd4 31. Rf3 Rd6 32. Rf4 Rf6 33. Re4+
Re6 34. Rg4 g6 35. Kg2 h5 36. Rc4 Kf6 37. Rf4+ Kg7 38. Rc4 Kf6 39. h4 Re5 40.
Rc3 Rd5 41. Rc2 Re5 42. Rd2 Kg7 43. Bc4 Kf6 44. Rd8 Kg7 45. Bd3 Re6 46. Bc4 Rd6
47. Rg8+ Kh7 48. Re8 Rd2 49. Be2 Kg7 50. Re6 Rb2 51. f4 Rxb3 52. Bb5 Re3 53. Rc6
Kh7 54. Rc7+ Re7 55. Rc8 Kg7 56. Bd3 Rd7 57. Be4 Rd2+ 58. Kh3 Rd7 59. Rc6 Rd6
60. Rc7+ Kf6 61. Bc2 Rd4 62. Bb3 Be7 63. Bc4 Rd6 64. Kg2 Rd2+ 65. Kf3 Rd6 66.
Ke4 Rd8 67. Bd5 Rd6 68. Rb7 Rd8 69. Rxb6+ Rd6 70. Rb5 Bd8 71. Rb7 Be7 72. Ra7
Rb6 73. Rxa5 Rb4+ 74. Kf3 Rd4 75. Ra6+ Kg7 76. Be4 Rd6 77. Rxd6 Bxd6 78. a5 Bc5
79. a6 Kf6 80. Ke2 1-0

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.11”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
[ECO “E94”]
[Opening “King’s Indian”]
[Variation “orthodox variation”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “13400924”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O exd4 8. Nxd4
Re8 9. f3 Nc6 10. Be3 Nh5 11. Qd2 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 Nf4 13. Be3 Nxe2+ 14. Nxe2 f5
15. Bg5 Qd7 16. Ng3 Qf7 17. Rac1 Bd7 18. b3 a5 19. a4 Be5 20. Bf4 Bg7 21. Kh1 b6
22. Be3 Re6 23. Ne2 Ree8 24. Nc3 Bc6 25. exf5 Qxf5 26. Bd4 Bxd4 27. Qxd4 Re5 28.
Nd5 Bxd5 29. cxd5 Qf7 30. Qc4 Re7 31. h3 Rae8 32. Rc2 h5 33. Kh2 Kh7 34. Rfc1
Rd7 35. f4 Rde7 36. Qd4 Kg8 37. Qf2 Rf8 38. Rc4 Qg7 39. Re1 Rfe8 40. Rxe7 Rxe7
41. Qg3 Qf6 42. h4 Kg7 43. Qg5 Kf7 44. Rc2 Qf5 45. Rc3 Qf6 46. Qxf6+ Kxf6 47.
Kg3 Kf5 48. Kf3 Re4 49. Rc4 Re7 50. g3 Kf6 51. Re4 Rf7 52. Re6+ Kf5 53. Re8 Kf6
54. Ke4 Kg7 55. Re6 Kh7 56. Kf3 Kg7 57. g4 hxg4+ 58. Kxg4 Kh7 59. h5 gxh5+ 60.
Kg5 Kg8 61. f5 Rh7 62. f6 h4 63. Kg6 1-0

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.09”]
[Round “1.12”]
[White “Radjabov, Teimour”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2744”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “C65”]
[Opening “Ruy Lopez”]
[Variation “Berlin defence”]
[WhiteFideId “13400924”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Nbd2 Bb6 8. Ba4
Ne7 9. Bc2 c6 10. h3 Ng6 11. d4 Re8 12. Re1 h6 13. Nf1 d5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. dxe5
Rxe5 16. Bf4 Re8 17. e5 Nh7 18. Qd3 Nf8 19. Rad1 Qh4 20. Bg3 Qg5 21. Kh2 Qg6 22.
Qd2 Bf5 23. Bxf5 Qxf5 24. Ne3 Bxe3 25. Rxe3 Rad8 26. Qd4 b6 27. Rf3 Qe6 28. Rfd3
Rd7 29. f4 Qf5 30. Qa4 Rc8 31. c4 Ne6 32. b4 Rcd8 33. Qxc6 Nxf4 34. Rd4 Ne2 35.
Rxd5 Rxd5 36. cxd5 Nxg3 37. Kxg3 Rc8 38. Qb5 Qxe5+ 39. Kf2 Rc2+ 40. Kg1 Qe3+ 41.
Kh2 Qe5+ 42. Kh1 Qd6 43. Qe8+ Qf8 44. Qe4 Rc7 45. d6 Rd7 46. Qc6 Qe8 47. b5 g6
48. a4 Qe6 49. Qc8+ Kg7 50. Qc3+ Qf6 51. Qc6 Qe6 52. Kg1 h5 53. Qc3+ Qf6 54. Qc6
Qe6 55. Qc3+ Qf6 56. Qg3 h4 57. Qa3 Qe5 58. Qb4 g5 59. Qg4 Qe3+ 60. Kh1 Rxd6 61.
Rxd6 Qe1+ 62. Kh2 Qe5+ 63. g3 Qxd6 64. Qxg5+ Kf8 65. Qxh4 Qd2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.12”]
[Round “2.1”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Qc2 c5 8. Rd1
Qa5 9. Nd2 cxd4 10. exd4 dxc4 11. Nxc4 Qd8 12. Bd3 Nb6 13. O-O Bd7 14. Nxb6 Qxb6
15. d5 Kh8 16. dxe6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.12”]
[Round “2.1”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4
O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Bb3 Nc6 11. Qe2 Na5 12. Rfd1 Nxb3 13. axb3 Qc7 14. Bg5 Nh5
15. Nxe5 Bxg5 16. Qxh5 Bf6 17. Nf3 Bxc3 18. bxc3 Qxc3 19. Nd4 Rfe8 20. Qa5 Rac8
21. f3 Qxa5 22. Rxa5 Rc3 23. Kf2 Kf8 24. Rda1 Rec8 25. Ke1 Ke7 26. Kd2 R3c5 27.
R5a4 f5 28. Rb4 R8c7 29. exf5 Bxf5 30. Re1+ Kf7 31. Rb6 Rd5 32. c3 Bc8 33. b4
Re7 34. Ra1 Ke8 35. b5 Rc7 36. bxa6 bxa6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.13”]
[Round “2.2”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. d4 cxd4 6. exd4 e4 7. Ne5 Bd6 8. c5
Bb8 9. Nc4 d5 10. cxd6 O-O 11. Bf4 Na5 12. Ne3 Bxd6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. d5 Qe5 15.
Be2 Rd8 16. Qd2 Nc6 17. Rd1 Ne7 18. Qd4 Qxd4 19. Rxd4 Nf5 20. Nxf5 Bxf5 21. Kd2
Ne8 22. g4 Bg6 23. Rc1 Rac8 24. Nxe4 Rxc1 25. Kxc1 Bxe4 26. Rxe4 Kf8 27. Ra4 a6
28. Rb4 Nd6 29. Kd2 h6 30. Bd3 Ke7 31. Ke3 Kd7 32. f3 Re8+ 33. Be4 g6 34. Kd4
Rc8 35. h4 Rc1 36. Ke5 Ke7 37. g5 hxg5 38. hxg5 Rg1 39. Kf4 f6 40. Bxg6 Rxg5 41.
Be4 Rg2 42. a4 a5 43. Rb3 Kd8 44. Ke3 Rh2 45. Kf4 Rg2 46. Bb1 Rd2 47. Bd3 Rg2
48. Ke3 Rh2 49. Kd4 Rh4+ 50. Kc5 Kc7 51. Rb6 Rxa4 52. b3 Rb4 53. Rxb4 axb4 54.
Kxb4 b6 55. Kc3 Kd8 56. Kd4 Ke7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.13”]
[Round “2.2”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “D80”]
[Opening “Gruenfeld”]
[Variation “Stockholm variation”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bh4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 dxc4 7. e3 Be6 8.
Nf3 Bg7 9. Be2 c5 10. O-O O-O 11. Rb1 Bd5 12. Qc2 cxd4 13. cxd4 b6 14. Bxc4 Nc6
15. Rfc1 Bxc4 16. Qxc4 Na5 17. Qc7 f6 18. Qxd8 Rfxd8 19. Rc7 Kf7 20. Rbc1 Ke8
21. Bg3 Bh6 22. Kf1 Rd7 23. Rxd7 Kxd7 24. Rc7+ Ke8 25. Nd2 b5 26. Ne4 a6 27. Nc3
Bf8 28. Nd5 Rd8 29. e4 f5 30. f3 fxe4 31. fxe4 Rd7 32. Ke2 Bg7 33. Bf2 e6 34.
Rc8+ Kf7 35. Nb6 Rb7 36. d5 exd5 37. exd5 Be5 38. Ra8 Nc4 39. Rxa6 Nxb6 40. Bxb6
Bxh2 41. Kf3 Rd7 42. Ke4 Re7+ 43. Kd3 Rd7 44. Kd4 Bg1+ 45. Ke4 Re7+ 46. Kf4 Bxb6
47. Rxb6 Re2 48. g4 h5 49. Rb7+ Kf8 50. g5 h4 51. Rh7 b4 52. Rxh4 Ke7 53. Rh6
Rxa2 54. Rxg6 Rd2 55. Re6+ Kf7 56. Ke5 b3 57. Rf6+ Kg7 58. Rb6 b2 59. d6 Kg6 60.
Ke6 Re2+ 61. Kd5 Rd2+ 62. Kc6 Kxg5 63. d7 Rc2+ 64. Kd6 Rd2+ 65. Ke6 Re2+ 66. Kf7
Rf2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.14”]
[Round “2.3”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “C42”]
[Opening “Petrov”]
[Variation “classical attack”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3
Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bg4 10. Re1 O-O 11. Bf4 Bd6 12. Bxd6 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Qxd6 14. Re3
Rae8 15. Rae1 Re7 16. Rxe7 Nxe7 17. h4 Rd8 18. c4 b6 19. c3 h6 20. cxd5 Nxd5 21.
Bc4 c6 22. Re5 Nf6 23. Qf4 Qd7 24. g3 Kf8 25. Bb3 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.14”]
[Round “2.3”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. h3
Be6 9. Qf3 Nbd7 10. g4 h6 11. O-O-O Rc8 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5 Nb6 14. h4 Qc7 15.
c3 Nbxd5 16. Bd2 Nb6 17. g5 Nfd7 18. gxh6 gxh6 19. Kb1 Qc6 20. Qh3 d5 21. Be2
Nc4 22. Bc1 Nf6 23. Rhe1 Qe6 24. Qh2 Qf5+ 25. Ka1 Kf8 26. f3 Bd6 27. Qg1 Bb8 28.
Bd3 Qh5 29. Qh1 Ba7 30. Qh3 Re8 31. Bxc4 dxc4 32. Na5 e4 33. Nxc4 Qxf3 34. Qh2
Ng4 35. Qc7 Bf2 36. Rf1 e3 37. Bxe3 Nxe3 38. Ne5 Qf5 39. Qc5+ Kg7 40. Qxe3 Rxe5
41. Qxf2 Qxf2 42. Rxf2 Rhe8 43. Rg1+ Kf8 44. Kb1 Re2 45. Rf4 R8e4 46. Rgf1 Re1+
47. Kc2 R4e2+ 48. Kb3 Rxf1 49. Rxf1 Kg7 50. Rf4 Re6 51. a4 Kg6 52. Kc4 f5 53. a5
Kf6 54. Kd3 Re7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.15”]
[Round “2.4”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Be2 d5 6. d4 exd4 7. exd4 Be6 8. Be3
dxc4 9. O-O cxd4 10. Nxd4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qa5 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Re1 Rd8 14. Qc2
Be7 15. Qe4 Qc5 16. Qxb7 O-O 17. Ne4 Qb4 18. Qxa7 Rd7 19. Qe3 Qxb2 20. Rac1 Qd4
21. Qf3 Rc8 22. Ng3 Rdc7 23. Nh5 Kh8 24. Rcd1 Qb2 25. Qg3 Bf8 26. Bg4 c3 27.
Bxe6 fxe6 28. Nxf6 Bg7 29. Nh5 Qb7 30. Qh4 Rg8 31. Rd8 Rc8 32. Rxg8+ Rxg8 33.
Nxg7 Qxg7 34. Qe4 c2 35. Rc1 Rc8 36. Qxe6 Rd8 37. Qb3 Rd2 38. Qb8+ Qg8 39. Qb2+
Qg7 40. Qb8+ Qg8 41. Qe5+ Qg7 42. Qe8+ Qg8 43. Qe5+ Qg7 44. Qe8+ 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.15”]
[Round “2.4”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “D80”]
[Opening “Gruenfeld”]
[Variation “Stockholm variation”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. Bh4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 dxc4 7. e3 Be6 8.
Nf3 c5 9. Be2 Bg7 10. O-O O-O 11. Rb1 cxd4 12. Nxd4 Bd5 13. Qc2 Qd7 14. Rfd1
Bxd4 15. cxd4 Qe6 16. Bf3 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Nd7 18. Qe4 b6 19. Rdc1 Rac8 20. Rb4 c3
21. Rb3 Nf6 22. Qxe6 fxe6 23. Bxf6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.5”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. g3 e5 6. Nb5 Bb4+ 7. N1c3 d6 8.
Bg2 a6 9. Na3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 O-O 11. O-O h6 12. Nc2 Qc7 13. Ne3 Be6 14. Ba3 Rfd8
15. Bb4 Rac8 16. Rb1 e4 17. Qa4 a5 18. Ba3 Ne5 19. c5 dxc5 20. c4 Neg4 21. Nxg4
Bxg4 22. Qc2 Qd7 23. Bb2 Qd2 24. Qxd2 Rxd2 25. Bxf6 gxf6 26. Bxe4 Bxe2 27. Rfc1
Rcd8 28. Bxb7 Rxa2 29. Bd5 Rd7 30. Rb5 Rc7 31. Rcb1 a4 32. Ra5 Kg7 33. Kg2 Bd3
34. Rb8 f5 35. Rba8 Bc2 36. Kf3 Be4+ 37. Bxe4 fxe4+ 38. Ke3 Rc2 39. Rxa4 Re7 40.
Rd8 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.5”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “A10”]
[Opening “English opening”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. c4 g6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qa4+ Bd7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 a6 7. g3 b5 8. Qb3
c5 9. Bg2 c4 10. Qd1 Nc6 11. b3 cxb3 12. axb3 Bg7 13. d4 O-O 14. O-O Rc8 15. Bb2
Qb6 16. Ne5 Rfd8 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. e3 e6 19. Rc1 Rdc7 20. Ne4 Nxe4 21. Bxe4 a5
22. Qd2 a4 23. bxa4 bxa4 24. Ba3 Na5 25. Bc5 Qb5 26. Rb1 Nb3 27. Qa2 Bf8 28. Bc2
Rb8 29. Bxf8 Kxf8 30. Rb2 Rc3 31. Ra1 Qc4 32. Bd1 Rb4 33. Rab1 Kg7 34. Rc2 Qd3
35. Rxc3 Qxc3 36. Bc2 f6 37. h4 h6 38. Kh2 g5 39. Bxb3 Rxb3 40. Qxa4 Rxb1 41.
Qd7+ Kg6 42. g4 gxh4 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.6”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. b4
Nxf4 9. exf4 c6 10. Bd3 b6 11. O-O a5 12. a3 Qc7 13. g3 Ba6 14. Bxa6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.6”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B90”]
[Opening “Sicilian”]
[Variation “Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nf3 Be7 8. Bc4
O-O 9. O-O Be6 10. Bb3 Nc6 11. Qe2 Na5 12. Rfd1 Qc7 13. Bg5 Rac8 14. Bxf6 Bxf6
15. Rac1 Nxb3 16. axb3 Qc6 17. Nd5 Bd8 18. c4 f5 19. exf5 Bxf5 20. h3 Qe8 21.
Rc3 Qg6 22. Nh2 Bh4 23. Nf3 Bd8 24. Kh2 Kh8 25. b4 Be6 26. Re3 Qf7 27. b3 b5 28.
Kh1 Qb7 29. Re4 Bf5 30. Re3 Be6 31. Re4 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.7”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “A10”]
[Opening “English opening”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. c4 g6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. Qa4
Nb4 9. d3 Bd7 10. Qd1 Bc6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. Rc1 Rc8 13. Qb3 e6 14. Rfd1 a5 15. Bg5
Qe8 16. a3 c4 17. Qxc4 Bxf3 18. Bxf3 Rxc4 19. dxc4 Nc6 20. Nb5 Nc5 21. b4 axb4
22. axb4 Nxb4 23. Rb1 Nba6 24. Nd6 Qa4 25. Nxb7 Nxb7 26. Bxb7 Qxc4 27. Bf3 h6
28. Be3 Nb4 29. Rbc1 Nc2 30. Ba7 Qa4 31. Bb6 Nd4 32. Bxd4 Bxd4 33. Rd3 Bf6 34.
Rc7 Rd8 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.7”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e3 Nf6 5. d4 e4 6. Ne5 g6 7. Rb1 h5 8. Be2 Qe7
9. b3 cxd4 10. exd4 d6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bg5 Bf5 13. O-O Bh6 14. Bxh6 Rxh6 15.
Qc1 Rh8 16. Qf4 Kf8 17. b4 Kg7 18. Rb3 h4 19. h3 Rae8 20. b5 c5 21. Qe3 Rd8 22.
a4 d5 23. cxd5 Nxd5 24. Nxd5 Rxd5 25. dxc5 Qxc5 26. a5 Qxe3 27. fxe3 Rb8 28. Rc1
a6 29. Rcb1 Be6 30. Rb4 axb5 31. Rxb5 Rbxb5 32. Bxb5 Rd2 33. Ra1 Bd5 34. a6 Rb2
35. Bf1 Kf6 36. Ra5 Rd2 37. Rc5 Ke6 38. Ra5 Kd6 39. Bc4 Rd1+ 40. Kh2 Ba8 41.
Bxf7 Rd3 42. a7 Kc7 43. Rb5 Bb7 44. Ra5 Ba8 45. Re5 Kb6 46. Re7 g5 47. Bg6 Rxe3
48. Kg1 Ra3 49. Bxe4 Bxe4 50. Rxe4 Kxa7 51. Kf2 Kb6 52. Re5 g4 53. hxg4 Rg3 54.
Re4 Kc5 55. g5 Rxg5 56. Rxh4 Kd5 57. Rf4 Ke5 58. Rf8 Ke6 59. Rf3 Ke5 60. Rf7 Ke6
61. Rf8 Ke5 62. Kg1 Rf5 63. Rxf5+ Kxf5 64. Kf1 Kf4 65. Kf2 Kg4 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.8”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Bd3 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.8”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “B32”]
[Opening “Sicilian defence”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Qb6 5. Nb3 Nf6 6. Nc3 e6 7. Bd3 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. a4 d6 10. Be3 Qc7 11. f4 b6 12. Qf3 Bb7 13. Nb5 Qb8 14. c3 e5 15. f5
a6 16. Na3 d5 17. Nd2 Qd8 18. Bf2 d4 19. Qe2 Re8 20. Nb3 Nd7 21. Kh1 Bxa3 22.
Rxa3 Nc5 23. Bc4 Na5 24. Nxa5 bxa5 25. Qh5 Qc7 26. Bd5 Bxd5 27. exd5 Ne4 28. Bg1
Qc4 29. Raa1 Qxd5 30. Rad1 d3 31. Qf3 Rad8 32. Rfe1 Nf6 33. Qxd5 Rxd5 34. c4 Rd7
35. Bb6 e4 36. c5 Rc8 37. h3 h5 38. Kg1 h4 39. Bxa5 Rxc5 40. Bc3 Rc4 41. Bxf6
gxf6 42. b3 Rb4 43. Kf2 Rd5 44. Ke3 Rxf5 45. Rc1 Rg5 46. Rc4 Rxc4 47. bxc4 Rxg2
48. c5 Re2+ 49. Rxe2 dxe2 50. Kxe2 Kf8 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.9”]
[White “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2785”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti opening”]
[WhiteFideId “4101588”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. e4 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Be3
O-O 9. O-O Bd7 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Bd3 a5 13. Rfe1 a4 14. Nd5 Nd7 15.
Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Re3 e5 17. Rh3 h5 18. Ne3 Rh8 19. Rg3 Nc5 20. Rd1 h4 21. Rh3 Bxe4
22. Bf1 Bc6 23. Nd5 Bxd5 24. Qxd5 Ra6 25. Re3 Qf6 26. b4 axb3 27. axb3 Rb6 28.
h3 Rxb3 29. Rxb3 Nxb3 30. Qxd6 Qxd6 31. Rxd6 Rc8 32. Rd5 Kf6 33. Rd6+ Ke7 34.
Rb6 Nc5 35. g3 hxg3 36. fxg3 Rc6 37. Rb5 f5 38. Kf2 b6 39. Ke3 Rd6 40. h4 Kf6
41. Be2 g5 42. hxg5+ Kxg5 43. Kf3 Rh6 44. Rb1 Ne6 45. Kg2 Nd4 46. Bd1 Rc6 47.
Rb5 Nxb5 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.9”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2732”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “A45”]
[Opening “Queen’s pawn game”]
[WhiteFideId “2000024”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 c5 3. e3 e6 4. c3 b6 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. Nbd2 Be7 7. Bd3 cxd4 8. cxd4
Nc6 9. a3 Nh5 10. Bg3 O-O 11. Ne5 g6 12. Nxc6 dxc6 13. Be4 Qd7 14. Nc4 c5 15.
Ne5 Qc8 16. Bxb7 Qxb7 17. O-O Rfd8 18. Qf3 Qxf3 19. Nxf3 Nxg3 20. hxg3 Bf6 21.
dxc5 bxc5 22. Rab1 Rab8 23. Rfc1 Rxb2 24. Rxb2 Bxb2 25. Rxc5 Rd1+ 26. Kh2 Rd5
27. Rxd5 exd5 28. a4 Kf8 29. Ne1 Ke7 30. Nd3 Bc3 31. g4 Kd6 32. Kg3 Kc6 33. Kf3
Kb6 34. Nf4 Ka5 35. Nxd5 Bg7 36. Ne7 Kxa4 37. Nc6 a5 38. Ke4 Kb5 39. Nxa5 Kxa5
40. Kd5 g5 41. Kd6 Bc3 42. Ke7 f6 43. f4 Kb5 44. Kf7 Kc4 45. Kg7 Kd3 46. Kh6
gxf4 47. exf4 Ke4 48. g3 Kf3 49. g5 f5 50. Kxh7 Kxg3 0-1

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.10”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Kramnik, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2785”]
[ECO “B06”]
[Opening “Robatsch defence”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “4101588”]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 a6 4. Be3 b5 5. h4 h5 6. Nh3 Bb7 7. Ng5 d6 8. Bd3 Nd7
9. a4 c6 10. Ne2 e5 11. axb5 cxb5 12. c4 Ngf6 13. cxb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15.
dxe5 dxe5 16. O-O Bc6 17. Qb3 O-O 18. f3 Qb7 19. Rc1 Nb8 20. Nc3 Nh7 21. Bxb5
Nxg5 22. hxg5 Rd8 23. Bc4 Qc7 24. Nd5 Qd7 25. Rd1 Qe8 26. Nf6+ Bxf6 27. gxf6 Nd7
28. Rd6 Rc8 29. Qd3 Nf8 30. b3 Bd7 31. Bh6 Be6 32. Bxf8 Bxc4 33. bxc4 Qxf8 34.
c5 Kh7 35. c6 Qh6 36. Qd2 Qxd2 37. Rxd2 Rxc6 38. Rd7 Rxf6 39. Re7 Kh6 40. Rxe5
g5 41. Kh2 Kg6 42. Ra5 Rd6 43. Kg3 Rc6 44. Rb5 f6 45. Ra5 Rc1 46. Kh2 Re1 47.
Rb5 g4 48. Kg3 gxf3 49. gxf3 Re3 50. Rf5 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.16”]
[Round “2.10”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2732”]
[ECO “A04”]
[Opening “Reti v Dutch”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “2000024”]

1. Nf3 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. d4 O-O 6. b3 e6 7. Bb2 h6 8. c4 d6
9. Nbd2 g5 10. Qc2 Nc6 11. e4 g4 12. Nh4 f4 13. e5 f3 14. Bxf3 gxf3 15. exf6
Qxf6 16. Ndxf3 Bd7 17. Rae1 Be8 18. Re3 Bh5 19. Rfe1 Rae8 20. Bc3 Nd8 21. d5 e5
22. Rf1 Nf7 23. Nd2 Qd8 24. Ng6 Bxg6 25. Qxg6 Ng5 26. Ne4 Nf3+ 27. Kg2 Nd4 28.
Bd2 Kh8 29. Rd3 Nf5 30. Rf3 Qd7 31. Qh5 Kg8 32. Kh1 b5 33. g4 Nd4 34. Rxf8+ Rxf8
35. Bxh6 bxc4 36. bxc4 Nf3 37. Qg6 Nh4 38. Qxg7+ Qxg7 39. Bxg7 Kxg7 40. Ng5 Rb8
41. Ne6+ Kg6 42. Nxc7 Rc8 43. Nb5 Rxc4 44. Nxd6 Rc2 45. Nf5 Nf3 46. Kg2 e4 47.
Rd1 Ne5 48. d6 Nd7 49. Rd4 Rxa2 50. Rxe4 Rd2 51. h4 a5 52. Re6+ Nf6 53. g5 Kxf5
54. Rxf6+ Ke5 55. h5 a4 56. h6 1-0

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.19”]
[Round “3.1”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. Rc1 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. e3
Nc6 9. a3 d4 10. exd4 Nxd4 11. b4 Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Bd4 13. Nb5 e5 14. Bg5 Re8 15.
Bxf6 e4 16. Bxd8 exf3+ 17. Kd2 Rxd8 18. Nxd4 Rxd4+ 19. Kc3 fxg2 20. Bxg2 Rg4 21.
Rhd1 Be6 22. Bxb7 Rxc4+ 23. Kb2 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rd8 25. Kc3 Kf8 26. b5 Ke7 27. a4
Rd6 28. a5 Kd8 29. b6 Bc8 30. Bxc8 Kxc8 31. Kb4+ Kb8 32. bxa7+ Ka8 33. Rc8+ Kxa7
34. Rc7+ Ka6 35. Rxf7 Rg6 36. h3 Rg2 37. f4 Rg3 38. f5 h5 39. h4 Rg4+ 40. Kc5
Rxh4 41. Rxg7 Rf4 42. Rg6+ Kxa5 43. Rg5 h4 44. Rh5 h3 45. Kd6 h2 46. f6+ Kb6 47.
Ke6 Rf2 48. f7 Re2+ 49. Kf6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.20”]
[Round “3.2”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A37”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, Botvinnik system reversed”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. a3 Nge7 7. b4 d5 8. cxd5
Nxd5 9. Ng5 Nc7 10. d3 cxb4 11. axb4 e4 12. Ngxe4 f5 13. Bg5 Bxc3+ 14. Kf1 Qd4
15. Nxc3 Qxc3 16. Bf4 Nb5 17. Rc1 Qf6 18. Rc5 a6 19. Bxc6+ bxc6 20. Be5 Qf8 21.
Qc1 Bd7 22. Bxh8 Qxh8 23. Qe3+ Kf7 24. Re5 Qf8 25. h4 h5 26. Qf4 Qd6 27. Kg2 Kf6
28. Re4 Qxf4 29. Rxf4 Be6 30. Rc1 Ke7 31. f3 Kd6 32. Kf2 Rb8 33. e4 Nc7 34. g4
fxg4 35. Rf6 gxf3 36. Rxg6 Rxb4 37. Rh6 a5 38. Rxh5 a4 39. Rhc5 Bd7 40. Kxf3 Ne6
41. R5c4 c5 42. h5 Rb2 43. Rh1 Nd4+ 44. Ke3 Be6 45. e5+ Kxe5 46. Rxc5+ Bd5 47.
Rxd5+ Kxd5 48. h6 Re2+ 49. Kf4 Ne6+ 50. Kg3 Nf8 51. h7 Nxh7 52. Rxh7 a3 53. Kf3
Re1 54. Ra7 Ra1 55. Ke3 a2 56. Ra5+ Kc6 57. Kd4 Kb6 58. Ra8 Kb7 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.21”]
[Round “3.3”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “4.Nf3”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. Qb3 dxc4 8.
Qxc4 O-O 9. g3 b5 10. Qxb5 Nd7 11. Bg2 c5 12. O-O Rb8 13. Qa4 a5 14. dxc5 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.23”]
[Round “3.4”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “A37”]
[Opening “English”]
[Variation “symmetrical, Botvinnik system reversed”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. d3 Nge7 7. a3 d6 8. Nd2 O-O
9. Rb1 h6 10. O-O a5 11. Nd5 Be6 12. Nxe7+ Qxe7 13. Ne4 Kh8 14. Nc3 Qd7 15. Bd2
Rab8 16. Qc1 h5 17. Bh6 Bh3 18. Re1 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.24”]
[Round “3.5”]
[White “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2747”]
[BlackElo “2733”]
[ECO “D37”]
[Opening “QGD”]
[Variation “classical variation (5.Bf4)”]
[WhiteFideId “4126025”]
[BlackFideId “2805677”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. c5 Nh5 8. Be2
c6 9. O-O Nxf4 10. exf4 f6 11. b4 Qc7 12. Qd2 Rf7 13. Rae1 Nf8 14. Bd3 Bd7 15.
g3 Re8 16. Re3 Bd8 17. Rfe1 Qb8 18. Na4 Bc7 19. Nb2 Rfe7 20. Qc3 Rd8 21. Bf5 Rf7
22. Bg4 e5 23. Bxd7 exf4 24. Be8 fxe3 25. Qxe3 Ng6 26. Bxf7+ Kxf7 27. Qe6+ Kf8
28. Qh3 Qc8 29. Qxc8 Rxc8 30. Kf1 Re8 31. Rb1 Ke7 32. Nd3 a6 33. a4 Kd7 34. b5
axb5 35. axb5 cxb5 36. Rxb5 Rb8 37. Nb4 Ne7 38. Ne1 Nc6 39. Nxc6 1/2-1/2

[Event “WCh Candidates”]
[Site “Kazan RUS”]
[Date “2011.05.25”]
[Round “3.6”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Grischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “1-0”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[WhiteElo “2733”]
[BlackElo “2747”]
[ECO “E60”]
[Opening “King’s Indian, 3.Nf3”]
[WhiteFideId “2805677”]
[BlackFideId “4126025”]
[EventDate “2011.05.05”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. e3
O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. Re1 a5 11. Qe2 Bg4 12. h3 Be6 13. b3 a4 14. Rb1 axb3 15. axb3
Qc8 16. Kh2 Ra5 17. Rd1 Rh5 18. Nh4 Bf6 19. f4 Rd8 20. Qf2 Bxh4 21. gxh4 Nd5 22.
Nxd5 Rhxd5 23. Bb2 Rb5 24. Qe2 Rh5 25. e4 Bxb3 26. Rdc1 Na5 27. d5 b6 28. Be5 c5
29. dxc6 f6 30. Ba1 Rc5 31. Rxc5 bxc5 32. Qb5 Qc7 33. Rxb3 Nxc6 34. e5 Nd4 35.
Qc4+ 1-0

[/pgn]

I matches dei Candidati nei quarti di finale e nelle semifinali consistono in quattro partite a tempo lungo, che diventano sei partite nella finale. Tempo di riflessione: due ore per 40 mosse, poi un’ora per 20 mosse, poi 15 minuti per finire; dalla 61-esima in poi, aggiunta di 30 secondi a mossa. In caso di parità si giocano quattro partite 25’+10″, in caso di ulteriore parità fino a cinque mini-matches di due partite 5’+3″, se ancora sussiste la parità il match viene deciso da una partita “armageddon” (5 ‘ al Bianco e 4’ al Nero, ed il Bianco deve vincere).

I Candidati si sono qualificati in vario modo secondo il regolamento della FIDE, ma spicca l’assenza del n. 2 al mondo Magnus Carlsen (Norvegia, 2815), che pur essendosi qualificato ha rinunciato a partecipare. Secondo la lista dei Top Players di maggio, i giocatori tra i primi dieci al mondo non presenti tra i Candidati (ovviamente senza contare Anand) sono: Carlsen, Ivanchuk (Ukraina, 2776, n. 5), Karjakin (Russia, 2776, n. 6), Nakamura (USA, 2774, n. 8) e Gashimov (Azerbaijan, 2760, n. 10).  I primi quattro citati li vedremo giocare, insieme a Radjabov e Nisipeanu, nel King’s Tournament dal 11 al 22 giugno a Medias in Romania. Ivanchuk ancora prima, perché prenderà parte dal 10 al 22 maggio all’Avana al Memorial Capablanca, insieme a Navara, Domínguez, Le Quang Liem, Bruzón e Andreikin.

Le liste Elo di maggio 2011, commentate, le trovate anche su ChessVibes nell’articolo May ratings: few changes at the top. Come è noto le liste vengono aggiornate ufficialmente ogni due mesi, ma è possibile seguire le variazioni “live” dei Candidati (e di tutti i giocatori sopra i 2700)su Live Chess Rating- 2700chess.com (il migliore!).

Kazan è la capitale del Tatarstan e con più di un milione di abitanti una tra le maggiori città della Russia. È un importante centro commerciale, industriale e culturale, e rimane il più importante sito della cultura tatara. Si trova alla confluenza del Volga con il Kazanka, nella Russia europea centrale [dall’articolo su Kazan nella Wikipedia italiana]. L’ora locale di Kazan è due ore avanti rispetto all’ora italiana; i più curiosi possono dare una occhiata alla mappa della città.

“Sulla scacchiera le menzogne e l’ipocrisia non sopravvivono a lungo”  (Emanuel Lasker)