[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Mainz Rapid Championship: Anand, Aronian the finalists

[Email subscription to blog articles]

Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Mainz Rapid Championship: Anand, Aronian the finalists
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1187468132.shtml


   Nothing new here; it's a repeat of the Chess960 event, except this
   time it's Anand who won the preliminary section.
   Round 4 Results:
   Kasimdzhanov - Anand 1/2-1/2
   Bacrot - Aronian 0-1
   Anand had the upper hand and seemed headed for a win, but at some
   point lost the thread and was fortunate that Kasimdzhanov may have
   missed a forced win. Meanwhile, the battle for second appeared to be
   settled by a fairly comfortable Aronian win. Now the question turned
   to first place:
   Round 5 Results:
   Aronian - Anand 1/2-1/2
   Bacrot - Kasimdzhanov 0-1
   Aronian did the pressing, but although his pressure induced an
   exchange sacrifice, Anand had just enough compensation to hold the
   draw. Meanwhile, any hopes Bacrot might have harbored about making it
   back into second disappeared when he lost on the white side of the
   Anti-Moscow variation of the Semi-Slav.
   Round 6 Results:
   Anand - Bacrot 1/2-1/2
   Kasimdzhanov - Aronian 1/2-1/2
   Anand-Bacrot was a non-game. Neither player had anything riding on a
   win, so when Bacrot more or less equalized with the Philidor, the
   players agreed to a draw on move 17. Kasimdzhanov-Aronian was much
   more interesting, with good reason: a Kasimdzhanov win would let him
   catch Aronian in second. The game was sharp and the former FIDE champ
   had his chances, but Aronian just held on for a draw.
   Final Preliminary Results:
   1. Anand 4
   2. Aronian 3.5
   3. Kasimdzhanov 2.5
   4. Bacrot 2
   Tomorrow, then, Anand plays (and probably defeats) Aronian and
   Kasimdzhanov faces Bacrot.