Candidates Semifinals G4: Blood, sweat and real tears this time

From 3 to 27 May 2011 the FIDE Candidates matches are being held in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, with eight strong GMs competing to qualify as Challenger for the 2012 World Champion match. Time controls in the four regular games are 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game, plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move 61. In case of a tie there will be four rapid chess games, and if the tie is still not broken then up to five two-game blitz matches 5'+3". Finally there may be a sudden-death final decider. The prize fund of the candidates is 500,000 Euros.
 

Semifinals – Game four

Once again emotions were high, and once again the audience was left wanting. Kamsky came well-prepared and repeated the opening from game two that had nearly cost him a full point. After blitzing out his opening moves and his preparation, there was little fight left in the position, and they players soon shook hands.

Gelfand,Boris (2733) - Kamsky,Gata (2732) [D80]
WCh Candidates Kazan RUS (2.4), 15.05.2011
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 10.0-0 0-0 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. [Click to replay]

In the very last regular game Kramnik and Grischuk deviated from their Valium chess, and it was a rocky ride for both. Emerging from a Symmetrical English, Grischuk seemed to have the better chances until a couple of opportunites to capitalize on them passed under his radar and the tide began to shift. In typical fashion, Grischuk got into bad time trouble with under three minutes for the last ten moves, and his exposed king gave Kramnik his chance to decide the game in his favor.

If Kramnik had played 31.Nf4! instead of 31.Rd8, things might have gone differently

Grischuk looked puzzled. Had he seen the move Vladimir missed?

Nervously glancing at the clock as his time dips under two minutes

The increment has saved him more than once from losing on time, but not necessarily
from botching a beautiful position.

Kramnik trying to find something in his favor but the c-pawn ensured the draw...

... as a dejected Vladimir, close to tears, realizes when he has to repeat the position

With the commentators still analysing furiously in Fritz the two agree to a draw

For Grischuk fans here a portrait which you can click to enlarge to desktop size

Round one commentary by GM Fabiano Caruana

Click for full-page replay or download PGN – you can also replay the game in this window.
Note that in the replay window below you can click on the notation to follow the game.

About the author Fabiano Luigi Caruana (born July 30, 1992) is a grandmaster and chess prodigy with dual citizenship of Italy and the United States. On 15 July 2007 he made his final GM norm and, at the age of 14 years, 11 months, 20 days, the youngest grandmaster in the history of both Italy and the United States. In the January 2011 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2721, making him 25th in the world. His current rating is 2714, at rank 28. Over the years we have had a lot of fun with Fab Fab (Fabulous Fabiano). Take a look at this page, and after that at this page. We however add a word of caution: the second report contains images that some readers may find unbearably cute.

Tomorrow the tiebreaks will take place. Four rapid games, and in the event of a tie, they proceed to two-game mini-matches of blitz, for as many as five such mini-matches.

Remaining schedule

All games start at 15:00h local time – 13:00h Berlin/Paris, 07:00 New York (check your local time here)

Live broadcast

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