Draw in the first game
Thursday, 19 May 2011
In the first final game of the Candidates Matches for FIDE World Championship Alexander Grischuk, who was playing white, and Boris Gelfand drew after 46 moves and four and a half hours.
Grischuk had been selling white pieces with Kramnik for nothing, and this time he introduced a completely different story. He chose a very dynamic opening which gave him strong initiative in the long term. According to him, from very beginning he had had equal chances between the win and the draw.
After many exchanges, starting with move 15, the grandmasters entered in two rooks, white bishop and five pawns ending. It was nothing concrete, but black was in a very dangerous position. Gelfand succeeded to change also one rook, and he breathed a bit easier. However, all his problems had not been solved yet. Majority of two pawns against one on queen’ side was much more in favour of the white, than three blacks to two whites on the king’ side. Especially because of the white’s structure. Pawns on f2 and h2 were very good in holding three black from f to g line.
Grischuk had got a clear plan and started to move his pawns. But as usual, he was in a big “zeitnot”, having less than four minutes for 12 moves.
Gelfand had 22 minutes on the clock, though it was much more difficult for him to plan how to find the best defend. Rybka Aquarium, one of the strongest computer programs, calculated Grischuk’s position with + 1,01, that meant “good chance for the win”.
Both players played absolutely best moves, and the situation on the board changed: the battle moved to the king’s side. Once again, the black king was very far from the events.
It was almost mission impossible, when Gelfand found the way to rescue his life.
Tomorrow on 20 May, 2011 the finalists of the Candidates Matches-2011 will play their second game with opposite colours. The game is scheduled to start at 03.00 p.m. local time.
Did Grischuk miss a win?
This format of short matches + tie breakers has eliminated Aronian, Kramnik, and Kamsky.
If this match too ends in all draws, and Grischuk wins in the tie breaker, he will reach the World Championship without having won a single game on regulation time.