Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2008. Round 12 26th January 2008. Comments by Mark Crowther with additional material by Malcolm Pein.

Somewhere Vladimir Kramnik went very wrong against Magnus Carlsen. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Just when it looked like Magnus Carlsen had blown his chance to win the Wijk aan Zee A-Group he went and beat Vladimir Kramnik with black in round 12. Kramnik lost the initiative when Carlsen bravely pushed the pawns in front of his king, perhaps he underestimated this, and after that he had a very difficult task to save the game and in this he failed. Kramnik hasn't played at his best in this event but he will have been upset to lose this. After the game Carlsen commented that it seemed to him that Kramnik had a cold and wasn't well which might explain his errors.

Kramnik,V (2799) - Carlsen,M (2733) [A30]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008
[IM Malcolm Pein with Additional comments from Magnus Carlsen's Press Conference]

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0-0 Be7 7.d4 [7.Re1 is the most normal.] 7...cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 a6 Black's Hedgehog formation is complete 10.Ng5 "If I remember correctly, isn't considered especially dangerous" - Carlsen. 10...Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Nc6 Na5-b7 may be a plan in the future. 12.Qf4 White's plan is to pressure d6 and prevent Black from breaking out with d6-d5 or b6-b5 12...0-0 13.Nce4 Ne8 14.b3 Ra7 15.Bb2 "At each move I have to calculate e5" according to Carlsen. But here it doesn't work. 15...Rd7 [15...e5 16.Qf3 f5 (16...h6 Short. 17.Nd2 Articifical but good!) 17.Qh5] 16.Rac1 Nc7!N An excellent plan the knight is ideally placed to support d6-d5 or b6-b5

( 16... Qa8 17. Nf3 Qb7 18. Kg1 h6 19. Rd2 (19. Qd2 d5 20. cxd5 Rxd5 21. Qc3 Nb4 22. Rxd5 Qxd5 23. Qd4 Nxa2 24. Rc8 f6 25. Ned2 Qb5 26. Nc4 Bc5 27. Qd1 a5 28. Nh4 Nd6 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8 30. Ng6+ Kf7 31. Qxd6 Kxg6 32. Qxe6 Kh7 33. Nd2 a4 34. Bxf6 gxf6 35. bxa4 Qb2 36. Ne4 Kg7 37. Qd7+ Kf8 38. Qd8+ Kf7 { 1/2-1/2 Ornstein,A (2450)-Ftacnik,L (2560)/Trnava 1983}) 19... f5 20. Nc3 e5 21. Qe3 e4 22. Nxe4 fxe4 23. Qxe4 Nd8 24. Qg6 Bf6 25. Nd4 Kh8 26. Rcd1 Rdf7 27. f3 Qd7 28. Ba3 b5 29. cxb5 axb5 30. Kg2 Qb7 31. Nc2 Be5 32. Rd5 Nc6 33. Qd3 Nc7 34. Rxe5 Nxe5 35. Qxd6 Nxf3 { 0-1 Tukmakov,V (2555)-Ribli,Z (2580)/Las Palmas 1982})

17.Nf3 f5! Quite unexpected and possibly underestimated by Kramnik. Carlsen expands on the kingside and weakens his position considerably but forces his opponent back 18.Nc3 g5 The logical follow up to the previous move - Carlsen. 19.Qd2 g4 20.Ne1 The best square. [20.Nd4 Bg5 21.e3 Ne5 22.Na4 Qa8+ 23.Kg1 Qb7 Carlsen.] 20...Bg5 21.e3 Rff7 Reasonable prophylactic move. Prepares Ne8-f6 a very logical regrouping. 22.Kg1 Ne8 23.Ne2 Kramnik decides to attack the weakened e6 pawn and line up his queen on the long diagonal but Carlsen deals with this. Perhaps 23.f4 taking the e5 square was best and if 23...gxf3 24.Nxf3 Bf6 25.Ne2 When Black is considerably less active than in the game 23...Nf6 24.Nf4 Qe8 [24...Ne4 25.Nxe6 is quite strong 25...Qe8 26.Nxg5 (26.Qd5 Nb4) 26...Nxd2 27.Nxf7 This should be good for white because I have so many weaknesses - Carlsen.] 25.Qc3 "I thought Kramnik was slightly better here but I wasn't sure." Carlsen. 25...Rg7! Carlsen's rook moves are very original. This is played to prevent Qh8. Ne4 cannot be prevented now 26.b4 Ne4 27.Qb3 Rge7

28.Qa4? Quite bad. Carlsen said it was clear Kramnik was suffering quite a bit from a cold. Which explains why he played quite so below his normal level. [28.f3!?; 28.h4!? Short. 28...Bf6 29.Bxf6 Nxf6 and its not clear how white breaks through.] 28...Ne5! 29.Qxa6?? Almost the decisive mistake. [29.c5 Nc4 should be good for black - Carlsen.] 29...Ra7

30.Qb5 Kramnik offered a draw here and Carlsen briefly considered taking it before "coming to his senses". [Kramnik probably missed that after 30.Qxb6 Reb7 31.Qd4 Bf6 wins because 32....Nf3 follows and the queen has nowhere to hide.] 30...Qxb5 31.cxb5 Rxa2 32.Rc8+ [32.Bxe5 dxe5 33.Nfd3 Bf6 With Ng5-h6 to follow.] 32...Kf7 33.Nfd3 Bf6 34.Nxe5+ [34.Bxe5 Ivan Sokolov's suggestion.] 34...dxe5 35.Rc2 [Kramnik is forced into passivity, if 35.Nd3 Nxf2! (35...Ng5 Carlsen.) 36.Kxf2 e4 winning back bishop or knight with a big advantage] 35...Rea7 36.Kg2 [36.Kf1; 36.f3 Short. 36...Ng5 37.fxg4 fxg4 Probably better than the game.] 36...Ng5 37.Rd6? Quite pointless but its hard to find a good move. 37...e4! 38.Bxf6 Kxf6 39.Kf1 [39.Rxb6 Ra1 40.Kf1 Nf3 41.Re2 Rb1 and Ra7-a1 mates] 39...Ra1 40.Ke2 Rb1 41.Rd1 Is just resignation. [41.Rxb6 Raa1 wins so Kramnik has to retreat and pawns fall 42.Ng2 Nf3 mates.] 41...Rxb4 42.Ng2 Rxb5 43.Nf4 Rc5 No reason to rush anything - Carlsen. 44.Rb2 b5 45.Kf1 Rac7 46.Rbb1 [46.Kg2 Rc1 47.Rxc1 Rxc1 48.Rxb5 Nf3 49.Ne2 Re1 50.Rb2 h5 mating.] 46...Rb7 White can resign but Carlsen doesn't blame Kramnik for playing on. 47.Rb4 Rc4 48.Rb2 b4 49.Rdb1 Nf3 50.Kg2 Rd7 51.h3 [51.Rxb4 Rxb4 52.Rxb4 Rd1 wins for black.] 51...e5 52.Ne2 Rd2 Once a pair of rooks comes off the b-pawn becomes unstoppable. - Carlsen. 53.hxg4 fxg4 54.Rxd2 Nxd2 55.Rb2 Nf3 Basically white is in zugzwang here. 56.Kf1 [56.Ng1 Ne1+ and Nd6 to follow.] 56...b3 57.Kg2 Rc2 0-1

Magnus Carlsen Press Conference recorded by ChessVibes

Levon Aronian couldn't break down Vassily Ivanchuk who played the Queen's Gambit Accepted against him in Round 12. The position simplified to a Rook and Pawn ending where Ivanchuk and his technique easily held the draw. Aronian and Carlsen thus share the lead going into the final round.

Aronian,L - Ivanchuk,V [D27]
Corus Wijk aan Zee (12), 26.01.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.0-0 a6 7.Bb3 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Re1 Nc6 11.Bg5 b5 12.h4 [12.Qd3 Bb7 13.Rad1 Nb4 14.Qe2 Nbd5 15.Ne5 Nxc3 16.bxc3 Nd5 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.Rc1 Rfd8 20.Nd3 Nf6 21.Qb2 Qd6 22.Nc5 Bd5 23.a4 Bxb3 24.Qxb3 Qd5 1/2-1/2 Illescas Cordoba,M (2635)-Anand,V (2765)/Leon ESP 1997] 12...h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.d5 Bxc3 15.bxc3 exd5 16.Bxd5 Bb7 17.a4 Qd7 18.axb5 axb5 19.Rb1 Ra5 20.Rb2 b4 21.Be4 Rd8 22.Qb1 Rb5 23.cxb4 Nd4 24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.Bxb7 Rxb7 26.g3 Rb5 27.Rbe2 g6 28.Re4 Qf6

This heavy piece ending ought to be drawn, especially when defended by a quality player like Ivanchuk. Aronian presses but never comes close to winning. 29.Qc1 h5 30.Qh6 Qc6 31.Qe3 Rbd5 32.Kh2 Rd1 33.Qf4 Rxe1 34.Rxe1 Rd5 35.Rc1 Qb6 36.Rc8+ Kg7 37.Rc5 Rd1 38.Qf3 Rb1 39.Rc6 Qd4 40.Rc7 Qf6 41.Qxf6+ Kxf6 42.Rb7 Ke6 43.b5 Rb2 44.Kg2 Rb3 45.Kf1 Rb2 46.Ke1 f6 47.Kf1 Kf5 48.b6 Ke6 49.f3 Rb1+ 50.Kf2 Rb3 51.Ke2 g5 52.hxg5 fxg5 53.Rb8 Kf7 54.b7 Kg7 55.f4 h4 56.f5 h3 57.f6+ Kf7 58.Rh8 h2! 59.Rxh2 Kxf6 60.Rh7 Kf5 61.Kd2 Kg4 62.Rd7 Kh3 1/2-1/2

Pavel Eljanov beat Veselin Topalov's Benoni in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

If Vladimir Kramnik hasn't been at his best, Veselin Topalov has had a shocker. He has been a long way short of his best and his aggressive attitude at the board means that he is in danger of losing all the time. Here he lost to Pavel Eljanov who has finally found his feet in the event. Topalov played the Modern Benoni which requires black to work hard to keep in the game. Here Topalov's piece sacrifice was speculative at best and Eljanov neutralised his opponents chances and then was a piece up for three useless pawns in the final position.

Eljanov,P (2692) - Topalov,V (2780) [A62]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.d5 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nf3 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Bf4 White has taken a solid advantage against Topalov's Benoni. 10...Bg4N [10...Ne4 11.Nxe4 Rxe4 12.Nd2 Rb4 13.a3 Rxf4 14.gxf4 Bxb2 15.Ra2 Bg7 16.Qb3 Na6 17.Nc4 Rb8 18.a4 Nb4 19.Rd2 b6 20.Rb1 a6 21.Qa3 f5 22.Rxb4 cxb4 23.Qxb4 b5 24.Na5 Qf6 25.Nc6 Rb7 26.a5 Rc7 27.Rd1 Bb7 28.Qa3 Bc8 29.Bf3 Rb7 30.Rb1 Bd7 31.Kg2 Bf8 32.Qe3 Qh4 33.Qd4 Bg7 34.Qb4 Qf6 35.Qa3 Bf8 36.Nb4 Qd8 37.Rc1 Bh6 38.e3 Bg7 39.Nxa6 Ra7 40.Qxd6 Bf8 41.Qb8 Qxb8 42.Nxb8 Be8 43.Rc8 Kf7 44.Nc6 Bxc6 45.dxc6 Bd6 46.Bd5+ Kf6 47.a6 b4 48.Re8 Bc5 49.Kf3 h6 50.h4 1-0 Flear,G (2445)-Collas,D (2355)/Clermont-Ferrand FRA 1998; 10...a6 11.a4 Qc7 12.Qd2 Nbd7 13.Rfc1 c4 14.Bh6 Bh8 15.Qf4 Rb8 16.h3 b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Nd4 Nh5 19.Qh4 b4 20.Nd1 Ne5 21.Nc6 Nxc6 22.Rxc4 Bf6 23.Rxc6 Qxc6 24.dxc6 Bxh4 25.c7 Rb6 26.gxh4 Ra6 27.Rxa6 Bxa6 28.Ne3 Nf6 29.Bg5 Kg7 30.Bxf6+ Kxf6 31.Nd5+ Ke6 32.Nxb4 Bb5 33.Bb7 Bd7 34.Nd5 Bc8 35.Bc6 Rg8 36.b4 g5 37.h5 g4 38.h4 Ba6 39.b5 Bc8 40.b6 g3 1-0 Smyslov,V-Tolush,A/Leningrad 1951] 11.Nd2 Nh5 12.Be3 Nd7 13.h3 Bxh3 [13...Nxg3 14.hxg4 Nxf1 15.Kxf1] 14.Bxh3 Nxg3 15.fxg3 Rxe3 16.Rf3 Bd4 17.Rxe3 Bxe3+ 18.Kh1 Ne5 19.Nf1 Bh6 20.e4 a6 21.a4 Qb6 22.Qe2 c4 23.Nh2 Bg7 24.Rf1 Rf8 25.Ng4 Nxg4 26.Bxg4 Qc5 27.Kg2 Re8 28.Qf2 Qc7 29.Be2 Re7 30.Rc1 h5 31.Rc2 Re5 32.Bf3 Qe7 33.a5 White is a piece up for two pawns, black's temporary initiative is over and his compensation simply is not enough. 33...Bf6 34.Kf1 Kg7 35.Ne2 Rg5 36.Rxc4 Bxb2 37.Nd4 Ba1 38.Ra4 Bc3 39.Qe3 Bb2 40.Rb4 Ba1 41.Rb1 Bxd4 42.Qxd4+ Re5 43.Kg2 h4 44.Rh1 hxg3 45.Qd2 g5 46.Qc3

Topalov has had enough. 1-0

Michael Adams lost to Judit Polgar in round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Michael Adams will be mortified with his loss against Judit Polgar in Round 12. Adams made no progress against Polgar's Petroff Defence which can happen to anyone, but he then played a number of second best ideas to go on to lose the game. Polgar hardly had to do anything special to collect the point.

Adams,Mi (2726) - Polgar,Ju (2707) [C42]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Bf5 9.Re1 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 0-0 12.Rb1 [12.Bf4 Bd6 13.Ng5 g6 14.Qh3 h5 15.Qg3 Qf6 16.Bxd6 cxd6 17.Nh3 Rae8 18.Qf4 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 Kg7 20.Qg3 Qf5 21.Nf4 b5 22.h4 Rd8 23.Qg5 Qxg5 24.hxg5 b4 25.cxb4 Nxb4 26.c3 Nxa2 27.Nxd5 Rb8 28.Re2 Nc1 29.Re7 a5 30.Ra7 Rc8 31.Rxa5 Ne2+ 32.Kh2 Nxc3 33.Nf6 Rb8 34.d5 Nb5 35.Ra4 Nc7 36.Ra7 Ne8 37.Ne4 Rd8 38.f3 Kf8 39.g4 hxg4 40.fxg4 Rb8 41.Kg3 Rb3+ 42.Kf4 Rb4 43.Ke3 Rb3+ 44.Kd4 Rb4+ 45.Kd3 Rb3+ 46.Kc4 Rf3 47.Rd7 Rf4 48.Kd3 f6 49.Nxf6 Nxf6 50.gxf6 Rxg4 51.Rxd6 Kf7 52.Re6 Ra4 53.Re4 Rxe4 54.Kxe4 1/2-1/2 Topalov,V (2801)-Bacrot,E (2717)/Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP 2006/The Week in Chess 590] 12...Na5 13.Qf5 Re8 [13...g6 14.Qh3 Re8 15.Bg5 Bxg5 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 17.Nxg5 h5 18.Qf3 c6 19.Qf6 b6 20.f4 Rc8 21.f5 Rc7 22.fxg6 fxg6 23.Nf3 Re7 24.Ne5 Re6 25.Qf1 b5 26.Qf4 Nc4 27.Re1 a5 28.Re2 Kg7 29.h3 c5 30.g4 hxg4 31.hxg4 b4 32.Rh2 Nxe5 33.Qh6+ Kf7 34.Qh7+ Kf6 35.Qh4+ g5 36.dxe5+ Kxe5 37.Qxg5+ Kd6 38.Rh6 Rxh6 39.Qxh6+ Qe6 40.Qxe6+ Kxe6 41.cxb4 axb4 42.Kg2 c4 43.Kf1 d4 44.Ke2 Kf6 0-1 Comet-Fritz/Jakarta INA 1996] 14.Bf4 g6 15.Qh3 Nc4 16.Ne5 Bd6 17.Nxc4 Bxf4 18.Rxe8+ Qxe8 19.Qf3 dxc4 20.Qxf4 Qe2 21.h3 b6 22.Qf3?! Smashing his pawn structure. Adams looks like he had switched off throughout the game. 22...Qxf3 23.gxf3 a5 24.Re1 Kf8 25.Re4 Re8 26.Kf1 f5

27.Rxe8+? Adams presumably thought he could hold this ending but with his ropey pawn structure its hardly clear. He should have kept rooks on. [27.Rh4 h5 28.d5 b5 29.a4; 27.Re3] 27...Kxe8 28.f4 Kd7 29.Ke2 Kd6 30.Kd2 Kc6 31.f3 Kd6 32.Ke3 Kd5 33.Ke2 Kd6 34.Kd2 Ke7 35.Ke3 Ke6 36.Ke2 g5 37.Ke3 Kf6 38.d5 h5 39.a3 g4 40.fxg4 fxg4 41.hxg4 hxg4 42.Ke4 b5 43.Kd4 [43.f5 g3 44.Kf3 Kxf5 45.Kxg3 Ke5] 43...Kf5 44.Ke3 a4 0-1

Continuing the theme of underwhelming performances Anand's position half a point off the lead is certainly a bit better than perhaps his play has deserved. Here he had to hold on against Loek van Wely but the final blocked position didn't offer any winning chances for white.

Van Wely,L (2681) - Anand,V (2799) [E19]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Qc2 Nxc3 9.Qxc3 c5 10.Rd1 d6 11.b3 Bf6 12.Bb2 Nc6 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.e4 [14.d5 exd5 15.cxd5 Bxb2 16.Qxb2 Ne7 17.e4 Ng6 18.Nd2 Bc8 19.f4 Re8 20.Re1 f6 21.a4 Rb7 22.a5 Rbe7 23.axb6 axb6 24.Ra8 Qc7 25.Rea1 Bb7 26.R8a7 b5 27.Qc3 Rb8 28.Bh3 Kf8 29.Be6 Qd8 30.h4 Rc7 31.Kf2 Ne7 32.Qa5 Nc8 33.Bxc8 Rcxc8 34.Qxb5 Bxd5 35.Qd7 Qxd7 36.Rxd7 Be6 37.Rxd6 Ke7 38.Rd3 Rc7 39.Ke3 Rbc8 40.Rc3 Kf8 41.Ra6 Ke7 42.f5 Bf7 43.Rb6 g6 44.g4 Rc6 45.Rb5 gxf5 46.exf5 Kf8 47.Ne4 Kg7 48.Rb7 h6 49.Rd7 Kg8 50.Nd6 R6c7 51.Rxf7 Rxf7 52.Nxc8 1-0 Ragozin,V-Kotov,A/Moscow 1940] 14...e5 15.d5 Nd4 16.Bxd4 exd4 17.Bh3 g6 18.Re1 Re8 19.Rab1 Ba6 20.a4 Rb7 21.Re2 Rbe7 22.Qc2 h5 23.Ne1 Bg7 24.Ng2 g5 25.Bf5 Bc8 26.Rbe1 Bxf5 27.exf5 Rxe2 28.Rxe2 Rxe2 29.Qxe2 Qf6 30.Qe8+ Bf8 31.Qe4 Qe5 32.Qd3 Bh6 33.f3 h4 34.Qe4 hxg3 35.Qxe5 dxe5 36.hxg3 g4 37.fxg4 Kf8 38.Kf2 Ke7 39.Kf3 Bg5 40.Ne1 a5 41.Nd3 f6 42.Nf2 Ke8 43.Ne4 Ke7

White has a fantastic knight against a bad bishop but apparently there is no way to break into Anand's position. 44.Nxg5 fxg5 45.Ke4 Ke8 1/2-1/2

Teimour Radjabov against Peter Leko Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Peter Leko's Queen's Indian is one of the most solide weapons in chess and Teimour Radjabov allowed a perpetual after the position simplified to equal.

Radjabov,T (2735) - Leko,P (2753) [E15]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.Bc3 d5 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 Rc8 13.e4 c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 Bb5 18.axb3 a5 [18...Bxc6] 19.Nc4 [19.Rc1] 19...Bxc6 20.Bxc6 Rxc6 21.Qf3 Bf6 22.Qxc6 Bxc3 23.Red1 Bxa1 24.Rxd7 Qe8 25.Qd5 b5 26.Qxb5

Heading for the draw. 26...Qe1+ 27.Kg2 Qe4+ 28.Kg1 Qe1+ 29.Kg2 Qe4+ 30.Kg1 Qe1+ 31.Kg2 Perpetual. 1/2-1/2

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov against Boris Gelfand. Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Boris Gelfand played the Sicilian rather than his new friend the Petroff Defence against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Interesting play followed but by move 26 a draw was a reasonable result.

Mamedyarov,S (2760) - Gelfand,B (2737) [B50]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (12), 26.01.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 g6 6.0-0 Bg7 7.d3 0-0 8.Ne1 e5 9.f4 [9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Nd5 Bg7 12.c3 Be6 13.Qd2 h5 14.Nc2 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.c4 h4 17.Rab1 a5 18.b3 f5 19.a3 f4 20.Qe2 Qd7 21.g4 h3 22.Bf3 b6 23.Kh1 g5 24.Rg1 Ng6 25.Qe4 Nh4 26.a4 Rae8 27.Ne1 Rf6 28.Rd1 Rh6 29.Rb1 Qf7 30.Rd1 Ng6 31.Nc2 Nf8 32.Rde1 Nd7 33.Na3 Nf6 34.Qe2 e4 35.dxe4 Nd7 36.Nb5 Ne5 37.Qd1 Re7 38.Na3 Qg6 39.Nb1 Nd7 40.Qc2 Bd4 41.Qe2 Ne5 42.Rgf1 Kg7 43.Rg1 Rh8 44.Qd1 Bxf2 45.Qe2 Bd4 46.Rgf1 Rhe8 47.Nd2 Bc3 48.Rd1 Bxd2 49.Rxd2 Qh7 50.Rdd1 Nxf3 51.Rxf3 Rxe4 52.Qf1 Re3 53.Rxe3 Rxe3 0-1 Wiese,H (2165)-Cicak,S (2480)/Reykjavik ISL 1998] 9...exf4 10.Bxf4 Ng4 11.Qd2 Be6 12.Nf3 Nd4 13.Kh1 Qd7 14.Ng5 h6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Bh3 h5 17.Bg2 Rf7 18.h3 Ne5 19.Ne2 Raf8 20.c3 Nxe2 21.Qxe2 h4 22.Bxe5 Bxe5 23.gxh4 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 25.Qxf1 Qe7 26.Qf2 Bf6

With both kings safe and bishops of opposite colour and queens on there really is not prospect of anything other than a draw. 1/2-1/2

Sergei Movsesian's win against Erwin L'Ami in Round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Sergei Movsesian's win against Erwin L'Ami leaves him a point clear with a round to go. He plays Humpy Koneru in the final round and only needs a draw to take the event alone.

Nigel Short and Michael Adams have a chat before the start of round 12. Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Fabio Caruana leads the C-Group by a point but if second placed Parimarjan Negi beats him with black he will be caught as first and second meet in the final round. Ljubomir Ljubojevic's win against Lajos Portisch combined with Jan Timman's win against Victor Korchnoi left him the winner of the Honorary group by a point.