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Michael Adams - Vishwanathan Anand 6.3
This position says it all about this pivotal game - Black has been driven firmly to the wall, and Adams seemed on the way to a convincing reply to his defeat in the previous round. But he could not find a way through and finally decided to try 52.Qb7 but after long and careful defence Anand held the draw.
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Alexei Shirov - Alexander Grischuk 6.3
Now Shirov started the excitement with a move that proved that it takes more than blundering a rook in a short match to shake his confidence:
24.Bxc5!! dxc5 25.Nxe5 Na4 26.Nxa4 Rxa4 27.Nc6 Qc7 28.e5 Ra6 29.Qf3
See next diagram.
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White has no immediate threats but black is rather paralyzed and his position is very difficult to play.
29...f4 30.Re1 Bf5 31.Rb5 Bc2 32.Rb2 Bg6 33.Rd2 Be8 34.Nxe7+ Qxe7 35.d6 Qe6 36.Qb7!
See next diagram.
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A nasty surprise - the threats of Qxa6 and d7 win material. Grischuk responds with an amazing resource.
36...Bc6!! 37.Qxa6 Bxg2! 38.f3 38.Kxg2 f3+ 39.Kh2 Qh6! threatens the rook on d2 as well as repetition of position with ...Qf4+-f5 etc. 38...Bxf3 39.Kh2 Bg4!! Another brilliant discovery which breathes new life into the counterattack. 40.Qb7 Qh6 41.Qd5+ Rf7! 42.Kg1 Qxh3 43.Qg2 Qh4 44.Rf2
See next diagram.
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44...f3? 44...Bh3! appears to offer equal chances. 45.e6! Finally Shirov lands a tactical blow. 45...Rf8 45...fxg2 46.exf7+ Kf8 47.Re8 mate. 46.e7 Re8 47.d7! Bxd7 48.Qxf3 Qg5+ 49.Kf1
See next diagram.
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If 49...h6 50.Qd5+ wins. The end of a classic, monumental battle. There can be little doubt that Grischuk is about to become a household name. 1-0 |
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