World Candidates 2013-13: Tied again!

Main Venue… Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Photo by Ray Morris-Hill.

Preview: The 2013 World Candidates tournament is entering its last two rounds and the result is still in doubt. While two players have a reasonable chance of winning the top four are mathematically eligible to win. Two points separate the top four positions with Vladimir Kramnik atop the chart with an undefeated 8/12. What is remarkable about Kramnik’s rise is that the second half of the tournament, he has run roughshod over the field with 4.5/5 including a pivotal victory over fellow contender Levon Aronian.

The tournament has had a number of exciting moments aided by the fighting spirit of the players. Carlsen has received most of the attention and many predicted him to win the tournament with an undefeated score. His shocking loss at the hands of a beleaguered Vassily Ivanchuk put his world title hopes in jeopardy. He will have to press in his final two games against Teimour Radjabov and Peter Svidler. Frontrunner Vladimir Kramnik will play Boris Gelfand and Vassily Ivanchuk, both tough outs.

(Note: ChessBase has been publishing a series of articles calculating the odds of the winner. Very biased towards Carlsen, but very intriguing! https://www.chessbase.com/Home/TabId/211/PostId/4009336/candidates–tiebreaks-chances-of-winning-310313.aspx)

2013 World Championship Candidates March 15th-April 4th, 2013 (London, England)
Round #13
#	Name	Flag	Rating	Result	Name	Flag	Rating
13.1	Radjabov		2793	0-1	Carlsen		2872
13.2	Grischuk		2764	½-½	Aronian		2809
13.3	Kramnik		2810	½-½	Gelfand		2740
13.4	Svidler		2747	1-0	Ivanchuk		2757

Overview: In a tournament full of twists and turns, Carlsen pulled out a victory in a completely equal position to reclaim the lead in the Candidates tournament. Kramnik failed to capitalize on his initiative and was held to a draw. It this point, both Carlsen and Kramnik are tied, but Carlsen owns the tiebreak lead on the virtue of having more wins.

Teimour Radjabov was unable to hold Magnus Carlsen.
Photo by Ray Morris-Hill.

In Radjabov-Carlsen, The Azeri had a slight advantage throughout the middlegame with a rook planted deep in black’s camp, but the game was equal in the ending. After jockeying for position, Radjabov perhaps started to tire and made a crucial mistake with 64.a4? and moves later that pawn was lost. The game was still a draw according to the chess engines, but Radjabov was low on time. Finally Radjabov played 83.Nxa5?? simply losing a piece to 83…Bxf1. This is the second time Carlsen was the beneficiary of Radjabov’s generosity.

Vladimir Kramnik was on the brink with two rooks on the seventh against Boris Gelfand but the Israeli also got two rooks on the seventh and forced a draw. Photo by Ray Morris-Hill.

Kramnik-Gelfand looked like another win from another Catalan-type game. A Neo-Grunfeld, white got strong pressure on the queenside and got a dominating position. Kramnik eschewed a draw by repetition with two rooks on the seventh, but there was nothing more. Actually black got two rooks on the seventh as well and there were nothing more than a draw.

Peter Svidler won his game against Vassily Ivanchuk where black lost… on time. Surprise. Ivanchuk has lost five games on time forfeit, one of the worse case of time abuse in recent history. To his “credit” Ivanchuk was completely losing. Grischuk-Aronian was drawn officially eliminating the Armenian from contention and actually allowing Svidler to replace him in fourth place. Horrible second half for Aronian (2/6).

2013 World Championship Candidates March 15th-April 4th, 2013 (London, England)
Standings after Round #13
#	Name	Flag	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Pts.
1	Carlsen, M		2872		½½	1*	½½	11	1½	½0	½1	8.5
2	Kramnik, V		2810	½½		½1	½1	½½	½1	½*	½1	8.5
3	Svidler, P		2747	0*	0½		½1	½½	½½	½1	1½	7.0
4	Aronian, L		2809	½½	½0	½0		10	½½	11	1*	7.0
5	Gelfand, B		2740	00	½½	½½	01		½*	½½	½1	6.0
6	Grischuk, A		2764	0½	½0	½½	½½	½*		½1	½½	6.0
7	Ivanchuk, V		2757	½1	½*	½0	00	½½	½0		01	5.0
8	Radjabov, T		2793	½0	½0	0½	0*	½½	½0	10		4.0