Candidates Matches 3rd - 27th May 2011

[Ben Purton]

Surely hes playing his situation. he is one of the best blitz players in the world, if he can draw out he will. I blame his opponents for being naive enough to fancy their chances in the blitz more than the slower stuff.

Ben

[LozCooper]

One is (quite literally) infinitely better than zero

I don't know whether to condemn Grischuk, or sneakily admire him for exposing the (not that hard to discern, tbh) limitations of the format that has been used

I don't blame him for maximising his chances. Realistically, it's the best chance he'll get to win or challenge for the world title so good luck to him. He's not normally known for quick draws and in most tournaments he plays his games out, often with very little time on the clock. If it means that the format won't be used again then he has done us all a favour.

[Paul McKeown]

Garbagola. Disappointing.

[Mick Norris]

Game 5 under way and they have played 8 moves in less than 5 minutes

http://kazan2011.fide.com/live-games.html

http://video.russiachess.org/view/328

http://www.chessintranslation.com/live-game/

[Mick Norris]

We will see - Gelfand appeared to have gone to sleep for a minute with his head in his hands on the table

Another QGD, with Grischuk back to playing Bf4, but this time trying c5 and following with Be2 which Shipov says is a novelty

[Phil Neatherway]

I wonder why he preferred Be2 to Bd3. Surely he will move the B to d3 soon anyway.

[IM Jack Rudd]

I wonder why he preferred Be2 to Bd3. Surely he will move the B to d3 soon anyway.

Why? There's nothing the bishop particularly wants to do on d3, and the ...e5 break black is looking for is surely stronger if ...e4 is a threat as a result.

[Phil Neatherway]

Re1 would help to restrain e5 but the Be2 blocks the file.

[IM Jack Rudd]

Re1 would help to restrain e5 but the Be2 blocks the file.

You may be right; I'd be unsurprised to see that bishop move again soon, but I'd expect it to be to f1.

[AustinElliott]

Shipov suggests Grischuk's play is based on "luring" Black into playing e5, and then perhaps e4, at a time when this allows opening of the position in the centre w advantage to White - especially via a sacrifice on e4, e.g. (after e5--e4) Ne4: de: Bc4 & Re4: w 2 pawns and the initiative for a piece.

Shipov suggests this all looks prepared by Grischuk so far, hence partly why Gelfand declined to play 12..e5 and opted for ...Rf7 (which blocks any checks on the c4-g8 diagonal if the centre is opened) and also allows a possible future ...Nf8 to defend e6. Shipov says 12...e5 13. Rfe1 Kh8! would have been critical, but with the implication that this would likely have been analysed to death by Grischuk's crew. So in Shipov's view 12..Rf7 13 Rae1 are likely the first "non pre-game analysis" moves.

Gelfand now the one to have a long think: he is down below 50 min on the clock

[Mick Norris]

Gelfand has played Nf8 - he has 47 mins for 27 moves, Grischuk has 83 mins

[Simon Ansell]

Gelfand seems to have given up on the ...e5 plan but if Black can't get this in it seems to me White is just better. Some plan involving Bd3, h4-h5 and a kingside attack looks quite attractive, I don't see where Black's counterplay is coming from.

[Mick Norris]

Shipov agrees that White is better and Grischuk has played Bd3

[Phil Neatherway]

I knew he would!

[AustinElliott]

And 13... Nf8

So it looks like Gelfand is settling for solid "massed strong point" defence after rejecting the break with ..e5.

Apart from sacrifices on e4, Shipov also highlighted the idea of White N sacrifices on d5 (after 13 ...e5 14 de: fe: with 15. Nd5: cd: 16. Qd5: - which perhaps might be one reason the White KB went to e2 rather than d3, if that's not too far-fetched.

Wonder if the B will go to d3 now to allow White to double Rs on the K-file?

Gelfand doesn't seem to have many avenues of counterplay in this position. Shipov says ...a5 was possible in some earlier lines, (e.g. if the f-Rook had gone to e1 rather than the a-Rook)... but a5 looks out now as White could reply b5-b6 squeezing Black even further.

Update: yes - White plays Bd3