Round 2 Game 3 Pairings (June, 8 2007)

I just wanted to say I hope you are all enjoying the games and also the contents of this blog. Please feel free to contact me or make a post to anything you see, your comments are most welcome.

1. Aronian Levon (ARMENIA) - Shirov Alexei (SPAIN)
2. Leko Peter (HUNGARY) - Bareev Evgeny (RUSSIA)
3. Grischuk Alexander (RUSSIA) - Rublevsky Sergei (RUSSIA)
4. Kamsky Gata (USA) - Gelfand Boris (ISRAEL)

Watch the GAMES LIVE

Yesterday Shirov played Aronian, opening with the Queen's Indian: Nimzovich variation, (exaggerated fianchetto).

It was again a brilliant attempt by Shirov to dominate the opening right from the start.
The game then turned into a fist fight with blows from each Shirov and Aronian. Left, right and center. 25.a4 might have been a mistake, it was a unanimous decision if Bf4 might not have been a better move.
All in all it was a spakler of a game, Shirov never disapoints me when I see him play, his stlye of play is nothing more than unique.


Gelfand verses Kamsky was the Queens Gambit Declined, Slav Defence, white had control for most of the game it was a wonderful game to watch with so much skill by both players. It was not until the end game that Kamsky seemed to be winning, even though the game ended in a draw! And rightly so they both played very well indeed.

Rublevsky verses Grischuck played The Scotch Game, White had more control of the board and I was dissapointed that it ended in a draw so soon. I do hope the day will come when a draw can only be announced after move forty! Both Rublevsky and Grischuck played the Scotch well but as I said white was dominating!

Bareev and Leko also played the Queens Gambit Declined, with 4.e3 again I was dissapointed in short game play, only 15 moves and it was a draw!

Aronian, Grischuk and Leko are the leaders so far with 1.5 but it is early days yet with many games to go.

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