[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C88"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8.
a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Nbd2 Qd7 11. c3 Rfe8 12. Nf1 h6 13. Ng3 Na5 14. Bc2 c5
15. d4 Bf8 16. d5 c4 17. Be3 Qc7 18. Nd2 Bc8 19. h3 Bd7 20. Qf3 Be7 21. Ra2
Reb8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Rea1 Qd8 24. Nf5 Bxf5 25. exf5 Nb7 26. Ba7 Rc8 27.
Ne4 Nxe4 28. Bxe4 Nc5 29. Bxc5 Rxa2 30. Rxa2 Rxc5 31. Qd1 Rc8 32. Qa1 h5
33. Bf3 h4 34. Ra7 Rc7 35. Bh5 Rxa7 36. Qxa7 Qe8 37. Qc7 Bf8 38. Kf1 Qe7
39. Qxe7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B48"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6
8. O-O-O Bb4 9. f3 Na5 10. Nb3 d5 11. Kb1 Bxc3 12. bxc3 h6 13. Bf4 e5 14.
Bxe5 Qxe5 15. Nxa5 Be6 16. Qd4 Qc7 17. e5 Nd7 18. Nb3 Qxe5 19. c4 Qxd4 20.
Nxd4 Nb6 21. Nxe6 fxe6 22. cxd5 Nxd5 23. Rd2 Rc8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 
{Akopian explained that the last time he played a main line Najdorf was against Nigel Short at the Lucerne FIDE World Championship 1997. Normally he would play something like a Moscow Variation with Bb5+ or even a Kopec System with 3 c3 followed by Bd3. However, he suspected that this is perhaps what Kramnik thought he would play, so instead opted for the main line Najdorf - coincidentally the first time Kramnik has played this as Black.} 
6 Be3 Ng4 
({The Kasparov System; pioneered by the man himself to avoid all the complications of the double-edged Perenyi System with} 6... e6 7 g4 e5 8 Nf5 $5 g6 9 g5) 
7 Bg5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 Bg7 10 h3 Ne5 11 f3 Nbc6 12 Bf2 Be6 13 Qd2 Nxd4 14 Bxd4 Qa5 15 a3 O-O 16 h4 Ng6 17 hxg5 hxg5 18 b4 Qc7 
19 Ne2 $5 $146 
({Now after some 40 minutes thought, Kramnik opts to prevent the exchange of bishops as this would leave his king in a vulnerable position. 
Up to now the stem game we have been following is Anand-Ponomariov from their Mainz match last year. However Akopian comes up an interesting novelty, aimed at re-routing the knight to d4 from where it can exploit f5.} 19 Bxg7 Kxg7 20 O-O-O Rh8 21 Rxh8 Rxh8 22 Kb2 f6 23 g3 Ne5 24 f4 gxf4 25 gxf4 Nc4+ 26 Bxc4 Qxc4 27 e5 dxe5 28 fxe5 f5 29 Qg2+ Kf7 30 Rd3 Qf4 31 Qxb7 Rh2 32 Qf3 Qxe5 33 Re3 Qd4 34 Re2 Rh8 35 Re4 Qf6 36 Re3 Qd4 37 Qe2 Qc4 38 Qg2 Qd4 39 Qe2 Qc4 40 Qg2 Qd4 {1/2-1/2 Anand,V-Ponomariov,R/Mainz GER 2002/The Week in Chess 406 (40)})
19 ..f6 20 Bb2 $1 Bf7 21 Nd4 d5 22 exd5 Qe5+ 
({Kramnik by now didn't feel very comfortable with his position - and obviously felt his king was more at risk with the alternatives:} 22 ..Qg3+ 23 Kd1 $1 {followed by a Nf5 is good for white.})
( 22 ..Bxd5 23 Bd3 Nf4 24 Bh7+ Kf7 25 g3 Ne6 26 O-O-O $1 Nxd4 27 Qxd4 Rfd8 ( 27 ..Bxf3 $2 28 Qd3 $1) 28 Qg4 $1) 
23 Be2 Qxd5 
({Exchanging queens wasn't any better for Kramnik, as the ending also favoured white:} 23 ..Bxd5 24 O-O-O $1 Qf4 25 Bd3 Qxd2+ 26 Kxd2 $1 Ne5 ( 26 ..Nf4 27 c4 Nxd3 28 Kxd3 Bf7 29 c5 $1) 27 Nf5 Nxd3 28 Kxd3 e6 29 Ne7+ Kf7 30 Nxd5 exd5) 
24 O-O-O Rfc8 $6 
{Akopian felt that this is where Kramnik really lost the thread of the game - much better, he thought, was the natural 24 ..Rfd8 } 
25 Bd3 Ne5 26 Be4 Qa2 27 Nf5 
({The safe option. However, on reflection, Akopian discovered after the game that he could have just taken on b7 having missed a finesse in a tricky position:} 27 Bxb7 Nc4 28 Qc3 Nb6 29 Nc6 ( 29 Bxc8 Na4 $1) 29 ..Rxc6 30 Bxc6 Rc8 31 Qd4 $1)
27 ..Nc4 28 Qc3 Rc7 $4 
({A big blunder from the World Champion. Kramnik told Akopian after the game that he didn't fancy the endgame after the exchange of queens. Akopian believed the ending wasn't all that decisive for white:} 28 ..Qxb2+ 29 Qxb2 Nxb2 30 Kxb2 Rc7 {Instead, Kramnik fails to spot the stunning riposte coming up.} )
29 Rh7 $1 Qxb2+ 
({Take my word for it: there's a forced mate if you take the rook} 29 ..Kxh7 30 Nxe7+ Kh6 31 Rh1+ Bh5 32 g4 Qxb2+ 33 Qxb2 Nxb2 34 Rxh5# )
({ Also no better is} 29 ..Nxb2 30 Rxg7+ Kf8 31 Qxb2 Qxb2+ 32 Kxb2 e6 33 Rxf7+ Kxf7 34 Bxb7 {with an easily won ending.})
30 Qxb2 Nxb2 31 Rxg7+ Kf8 32 Rh1 $1 
{Much stronger than "simply" going material ahead after Kxb2} 
1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7 6. Nc3 c5 7. e4 cxd4 8.
Nxd4 Bc5 9. Nb3 Nc6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 Nd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. Bd3 Qb8 14.
Bg3 Be5 15. O-O-O O-O 16. Kb1 Rc8 17. Qe2 a6 18. Rhe1 b5 19. cxb5 axb5 20.
Nxb5 Bxg3 21. hxg3 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Bxe4+ 23. Qxe4 Qxb5 24. Qd3 Qb7 25. Qxd7
Qxg2 26. Qd4 Rcb8 27. Qe3 Rb5 28. Re2 Qb7 29. Ka2 Rb8 30. Qc3 Rc8 31. Qe3
Rb8 32. Qc3 Rc8 33. Qe3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C88"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8.
h3 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. a3 Nb8 11. Nbd2 Nbd7 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng3 c6 14. Ng5 d5
15. d4 h6 16. dxe5 hxg5 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. Ba2 Be5 19. exd5 Bxg3 20. Rxe8+
Qxe8 21. fxg3 cxd5 22. Kh2 Qe5 23. Qg4 Nf6 24. Qxg5 Re8 25. Qxe5 Rxe5 26.
Bf4 Re2 27. Rd1 Rxc2 28. Rd2 Rxd2 29. Bxd2 d4 30. Ba5 Be4 31. g4 Nd5 32.
Bxd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D36"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 c6
8. Qc2 Nh5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. O-O-O g6 11. h3 Nb6 12. Bd3 Be6 13. Kb1 Ng7 14.
Rhe1 O-O-O 15. Na4 Bf5 16. Ka1 Nxa4 17. Qxa4 Kb8 18. Bf1 Ne8 19. Rc1 Nd6
20. Qb4 Nc8 21. Rc5 Nb6 22. Qb3 Rc8 23. Rec1 f6 24. a4 Qd6 25. R5c3 Rc7 26.
Ne1 Nd7 27. a5 Rhc8 28. g4 Be6 29. Nd3 Ka8 30. Qa4 Bf7 31. Nc5 Nxc5 32.
dxc5 Qe5 33. a6 bxa6 34. Bxa6 Rd8 35. Rd1 g5 36. Rd4 Qh2 37. Ka2 Bg6 38.
Qa5 Rb8 39. Rb3 Rxb3 40. Kxb3 Qe5 41. Ka2 Bf7 42. Qa4 Qe7 43. Qc2 Be6 44.
Ka1 Bc8 45. Bd3 Rb7 46. Ra4 h6 47. e4 Be6 48. Qc3 Bf7 49. Rb4 Rxb4 50. Qxb4
Qc7 51. Qd4 Qf4 52. Bb1 Qe5 53. Qa4 Kb7 54. Qb4+ Ka8 55. Qa4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D19"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8.
O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 10. Bd3 Bxc3 11. bxc3 Nxc3 12. Qc2 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Nd5 14.
Rb1 b6 15. Ba3 Re8 16. Rfc1 Ne7 17. Ne5 Nd7 18. Nc4 c5 19. Nd6 Rf8 20. dxc5
Nxc5 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Rxc5 Nf5 23. Rd1 Qe7 24. Rcc1 Nxd6 25. Qxd6 Qf6 26.
Qc7 h6 27. h3 g5 28. a5 Rfb8 29. Qc6 a6 30. Rd7 Kg7 31. Rcd1 Rc8 32. Rc7
Rd8 33. Rf1 Qe5 34. Qb7 Rf8 35. Rxf7+ Rxf7 36. Qxa8 Qxa5 37. Qc6 Qa2 38. f4
gxf4 39. exf4 Qd5 40. Qxa6 Qd4+ 41. Kh1 Rxf4 42. Rxf4 Qxf4 43. Qxe6 h5
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B30"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Bc4 Be7 5. d3 Nf6 6. Nd2 d6 7. Nf1 O-O 8.
Ne3 Ne8 9. Ncd5 Bg5 10. O-O Nc7 11. Nxc7 Qxc7 12. c3 Be6 13. Bxe6 fxe6 14.
Qg4 Qe7 15. Nd5 exd5 16. Bxg5 Qf7 17. f4 dxe4 18. dxe4 exf4 19. Bxf4 Qe7
20. Bg5 Qe5 21. Rf5 h5 22. Rxe5 hxg4 23. Rd5 Rae8 24. Re1 Re6 25. Bh4 Rfe8
26. Bg3 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 Rxe4 28. Kf2 Kf7 29. Rxd6 Ke7 30. Rd2 Ke6 31. Bc7 Ne7
32. Bd6 b6 33. Bb8 Nd5 34. Re2 Rxe2+ 35. Kxe2 a6 36. c4 Nb4 37. Ba7 Nxa2
38. Bxb6 Kd6 39. Ke3 Nc1 40. Ba5 Ke6 41. Ke4 Nb3 42. Be1 g5 43. Bf2 Na5 44.
Kd3 Nb7 45. Bg3 Nd8 46. Bf2 Nb7 47. Be3 Kf5 48. g3 Kf6 49. Ke4 Ke6 50. Bxg5
Nd6+ 51. Kd3 Nf7 52. Bf4 Ne5+ 53. Bxe5 Kxe5 54. b3 a5 55. Ke3 Kf5 56. Kd3
Ke5 57. Ke3 Kf5 58. Kd3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 e5 7. O-O Ne7 8.
a3 a5 9. Be3 b6 10. Qd2 O-O 11. Nc3 a4 12. Nh2 Be6 13. Bh6 c4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7
15. f4 exf4 16. Qxf4 cxd3 17. Rad1 Qd4+ 18. Kh1 f5 19. Rxd3 Qc5 20. Re1 Ra7
21. exf5 Bxf5 22. Rf3 Ng8 23. Nxa4 Qxc2 24. Nxb6 Qxb2 25. Nc4 Qf6 26. Ng4
Bxg4 27. Qxg4 Qd8 28. Rxf8 Kxf8 29. Rd1 Qf6 30. Nd6 Ne7 31. Qb4 Ra8 32. Qb7
Rd8 33. Qb1 Kg7 34. Ne4 Rxd1+ 35. Qxd1 Qe5 36. Qd3 Nd5 37. Kg1 h5 38. h4
Nf4 39. Qd7+ Kh6 40. Qxc6 Nd5 41. Qc2 Qd4+ 42. Kh2 Ne3 43. Qc3 Nf1+ 44. Kh1
Ng3+ 45. Qxg3 Qxe4 46. Kh2 Kh7 47. Qf2 Qe5+ 48. Qg3 Qe4 49. Qc7+ Kh6 50.
Qc1+ Kh7 51. g3 Qe2+ 52. Kg1 Qf3 53. Qc7+ Kg8 54. Qd6 Kh7 55. Qc7+ Kg8 56.
Qd8+ Kh7 57. Qd6 Kg7 58. Qd4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E32"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7
8. f3 h6 9. Bh4 d5 10. e3 Nbd7 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd8 Nxc3 13. Bh4 Nd5 14.
Bf2 c5 15. e4 Nf4 16. Rd1 cxd4 17. Bxd4 e5 18. Bc3 Rfd8 19. Ne2 Ng6 20. Nc1
Nc5 21. b3 Rac8 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Bc4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B77"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O
8. Bb3 d6 9. f3 Bd7 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12. a4 a6 13. O-O Bc6 14. axb5
axb5 15. Na2 Bb7 16. Nb4 Nd7 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. Rae1 Qb6+ 19. Kh1 Nf6 20.
Bd5 Rac8 21. Re3 Rc5 22. Ra3 Rd8 23. Rfa1 Rd7 24. Bxb7 Qxb7 25. c3 Rc4 26.
Qe3 Qc8 27. Ra5 Rb7 28. Ra8 Qd7 29. Qd3 Qc7 30. g3 h5 31. Kg2 Qc5 32. Qd2
h4 33. g4 Nxe4 34. fxe4 Rxe4 35. Nd5 Rxg4+ 36. Kh3 Re4 37. Rh8 f6 38. Rxh4
Rxh4+ 39. Kxh4 e6 40. Nb4 Rb8 41. Kg3 d5 42. Kg2 Rh8 43. Nd3 Qb6 44. Nf4 g5
45. Qd4 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B80"]
[Annotator "Henderson - Anand"]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 
{I also checked his Caro-Kann and French Defence, he's only played this twice before.} 
3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 Nc6 
{This is a smart move order: 6 ..e6 gives me the extra option of 7 g4} 
7 f3 e6 8 g4 Be7 9 Qd2 O-O 10 O-O-O Nxd4 11 Bxd4 b5 12 g5 Nd7 13 h4 Qc7 
({This came as a surprise - but it does have a good pedigree e.g. Adams-Kramnik, Leko-Kasparov. I was more expecting} 13 ..b4 {with a brilliant win by black in Ponomariov-Akopian} 14 Ne2 a5 15 Ng3 Ne5 16 Qf2 Qc7 17 f4 Ng4 18 Qf3 e5 19 Nf5 exd4 20 Qxg4 b3 21 axb3 a4 22 Bd3 d5 23 g6 Bxf5 24 exf5 axb3 25 f6 hxg6 26 fxe7 Qxe7 27 Qh3 Qb4 28 Kb1 Qa5 29 cxb3 Rfc8 30 Qxc8+ Rxc8 31 h5 Ra8 32 Kc2 Rc8+ 33 Kb1 Ra8 34 Kc2 gxh5 35 Rxh5 g6 36 Rhh1 Qc7+ 37 Kb1 Qxf4 38 Rh3 Re8 39 b4 Re3 40 Rhh1 Qf3 41 Rhf1 Qh3 42 Rh1 Qg2 43 Rhg1 Qh2 44 Rh1 Qg3 45 Rhg1 Qd6 46 b5 Qb4 47 Rg4 Re1 48 Rxe1 Qxe1+ 49 Kc2 Qb4 50 Rg3 Qa4+ 51 Kc1 Qb3 52 Rf3 f5 53 Be2 Qb4 54 Kc2 Kg7 55 Rb3 Qc5+ 56 Kd2 Qb6 57 Ra3 Kh6 58 Ra6 Qc5 59 Bd3 Kg5 60 Ra1 Kf4 61 Rg1 Qb4+ 62 Kc2 Qa4+ 63 Kd2 Qb3 64 Rxg6 Qxb2+ 65 Kd1 Ke3 66 Rg3+ Kf2 67 Rh3 Qb3+ 68 Kd2 Qc3+ 69 Kd1 Qa1+ 70 Kd2 Qe1+ 71 Kc2 Kg2 {0-1 Ponomariov,R-Akopian,V/Bled 2002/EXT 2003} )
14 Kb1 b4 15 Na4 Bb7 16 Qxb4 
{Quite risky, but worth a try to surprise him because he doesn't play these positions too often. }
16 ..Bc6 17 Nc3 Rfb8 (17 ..Ne5 $6 18 Qb6 $1) 18 Qc4 Ne5 19 Qe2 Qa5 
{I was surprised he played this as it's a bit slow; I expected Bb5.} 
20 f4 
{I have to check whether this is the best move in the position; however it looked right.}
20 ..Ng6 
({It came as a shock to me that this was possible - it just doesn't look as if it should work, but it does. I was concentrating on something like:} 20 ..Bb5 21 Qe1 $1 ( 21 Nxb5 axb5 22 fxe5 dxe5 23 Bxe5 Qxa2+ 24 Kc1 Qa1+ 25 Kd2 Rd8+ 26 Ke1 Bb4+ 27 c3 Rxd1+ 28 Qxd1 Qxb2) 21 ..Nf3 ( 21 ..Bxf1 22 fxe5 -- 23 Nd5) 22 Qf2 Nxd4 23 Qxd4 {and with Rh3 coming black has no attack at all} )
21 Qf3 
({The alternative just seems to lead to a forced draw:} 21 f5 e5 22 fxg6 exd4 23 Nd5 Bxd5 24 exd5 Rxb2+ 25 Kxb2 Rb8+ 26 Kc1 Qa3 $10) 
21 ..e5 
{I was beginning to realise that I had missed something.} 
22 Bf2 
({Forced, because now there is no Qa3:} 22 fxe5 dxe5 23 Bf2 Rxb2+ 24 Kxb2 Qa3+ 25 Ka1 Bxe4 $1 26 Qh3 Bxh1 $19) 
22 ..Qb4 23 b3 Nxf4 
{Here he offered me a draw. OK, I declined it because black had about 25 minutes left and I felt I should try and press at least a bit more. The other thing was that with his draw offer I could now safely predict black's response to Be1 (Qc5 with idea of repetition after Bf2 Qb4). }
24 Be1 Qc5 
(24 ..a5 $6 25 Nd5 Qb7 26 Bc4 {followed by Rh2 and white is very safe.} )
25 Bg3 a5 26 Bxf4 exf4 27 Nd5 
({The alternative was:} 27 Rh3 a4 28 Qxf4 {and now maybe 28 ..g6} )
27 ..Bd8 
{Strange, but I totally missed that the bishop could go in the other direction!}
28 Qxf4 a4 29 Rh2 Bxd5 30 exd5 
({Not a positional concession (closing c4-f7 for the bishop) because the white bishop has at d3 also a good square:} 30 Rxd5 $2 Qc3 $1 31 Rd3 {And it's something of an optical illusion: this rook doesn't protect b3} 31 ..axb3 32 cxb3 ( 32 Rxc3 bxa2+ 33 Ka1 Rb1#) 32 ..Rxb3+ 33 axb3 Ra1#) 
30 ..Ba5 
{with the idea Bc3} 
31 Qd4 Qa3 $6 
{Better is 31 ..Qc7 32 Rh3 and black should be able to defend} 
32 h5 $1 
{Now white has time for this.} 
32 ..Bb6 33 Qc3 
(33 Qb2 Qxb2+ 34 Kxb2 Be3 $10 {with idea Bishop to e5 and black is solid.} )
33 ..Ba5 34 Qd4 
(34 Qb2 $2 Qxb2+ 35 Kxb2 a3+ 36 Kb1 Re8 $10)
34 ..Bb6 35 Qd3 Re8 36 g6 fxg6 37 hxg6 h6 $2 
({Yes, now black is lost:} 37 ..Bd8 $1 {and white has to look for a draw!} 38 Rf2 Bf6 39 Rxf6 axb3 $1 40 Qxb3 Reb8 41 Bb5 $44)
38 Bh3 Bd8 39 Be6+ Rxe6 40 dxe6 Bf6 41 c3 axb3 42 Qc4 $1 
42 ..Qa5 
({The most unpleasant move for white, he can still easily lose! Among other things, black has a nasty check on f5} 42 ..bxa2+ 43 Rxa2 Qxa2+ 44 Qxa2 Rxa2 45 Kxa2 Kf8 46 Rxd6 Ke7 47 Rc6 h5 48 c4 h4 49 Rc5 $1 Kxe6 50 Rh5 {and the win is simple with Kb3-a4-b5 etc.}) 
(42 ..Rb8 43 e7+ Kh8 44 Rb2 bxa2+ 45 Qxa2 {and everything is covered.}) 
43 e7+ (43 Qxb3 $2 Qf5+ 44 -- Qxg6)
43 ..Kh8 44 Re1 Be5 
({The alternatives fair no better - but perhaps more entertaining for the gallery:} 44 ..Qf5+ 45 Qe4 bxa2+ 46 Rxa2 $18 )
(44 ..Bxe7 45 Rxe7 Qf5+ 46 Qe4 bxa2+ (46 ..Qf1+ 47 Kb2 Rxa2+ 48 Kxb3 {with no checks left to somehow salvage a draw.}) 47 Ka1 Qf1+ 48 Qe1 $18)
( 44 ..Re8 45 axb3 {threatening Ra2} (45 Qc6 $2 Qf5+) 45 ..Bxc3 46 Qf7 Qa1+ 47 Kc2 Qb2+ 48 Kd3 $18) 
45 Qc6 
({Another win but less elegant is:} 45 Qxb3 $18) 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D15"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. c5 Bg4 6. Ne5 Bh5 7. Qb3 Ra7 8.
e4 e6 9. exd5 exd5 10. Bd3 Nbd7 11. Bf4 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Be7 13. O-O O-O 14.
Rfe1 Bg6 15. Bxg6 hxg6 16. Re2 Ng4 17. Qb6 Qa8 18. Bc7 Bf6 19. Bd6 Rd8 20.
Na4 Nh6 21. Qa5 Qc8 22. h3 Qf5 23. Rae1 Qd3 24. Re8+ Rxe8 25. Rxe8+ Kh7 26.
Be5 Bxe5 27. dxe5 Qb1+ 28. Kh2 Qe4 29. g3 Qc2 30. Kg2 Nf5 31. Qd8 Ne3+ 32.
Kg1 Qd1+ 33. Kh2 Nf1+ 34. Kg2 Ne3+ 35. fxe3 Qe2+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A30"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. c4 Be7 7. O-O d6 8.
Nc3 O-O 9. e3 Nbd7 10. Qe2 a6 11. Rfd1 Qc7 12. Rac1 Ne4 13. Nxe4 Bxe4 14.
d3 Bc6 15. d4 Be4 16. Ne1 Bxg2 17. Nxg2 Rad8 18. d5 e5 19. e4 Rde8 20. Rf1
Qd8 21. Rce1 Bf6 22. Ne3 g6 23. Qc2 h5 24. Kh1 Qe7 25. Bc3 Bg7 26. Ng2 b5
27. f4 exf4 28. gxf4 bxc4 29. Bxg7 Kxg7 30. bxc4 Nf6 31. e5 Ng4 32. e6 Nh6
33. Rg1 Qf6 34. Qe4 Kh7 35. Ne3 fxe6 36. dxe6 Qxe6 37. Qb7+ Rf7 38. Qg2 Qe4
39. Nd5 Qxg2+ 40. Kxg2 Rb8 41. Re2 Nf5 42. Kh3 Nd4 43. Reg2 Nf3 44. Rf1 g5
45. Rgf2 g4+ 46. Kg3 Re8 47. h3 h4+ 48. Kg2 Ne1+ 49. Kg1 g3 50. Rd2 Rf5 51.
Nc7 Re3 52. Rxd6 Nf3+ 53. Kh1 Nd4 54. Rd7+ Kg6 55. Nd5 Re2 56. Kg1 Rh2 57.
Nc3 Rc2 58. Nd5 Rh2 59. Nc3 Rf7 60. f5+ Rxf5 0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E34"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Qf5 7. Qxf5
exf5 8. a3 Be7 9. Bf4 c6 10. e3 Nbd7 11. Bc4 Nb6 12. Ba2 Be6 13. Bxe6 fxe6
14. Rc1 Nfd5 15. O-O Nxf4 16. exf4 Bf6 17. Rfe1 Kf7 18. Ne2 Rhd8 19. Rc3
Nd5 20. Rb3 Rd7 21. g3 a5 22. Nc3 Ra7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E34"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Qf5 7. Qxf5
exf5 8. a3 Bd6 9. g3 Be6 10. Bg2 c6 11. Bf4 Bxf4 12. gxf4 Nbd7 13. O-O Ke7
14. e3 a5 15. Rfd1 a4 16. Ne1 Bb3 17. Rd2 Rhe8 18. Nd3 Kf8 19. Ne5 Red8 20.
Ne2 Ne4 21. Bxe4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Nf3 Ngf6 6 Bd3 c5 7 O-O Nxe4 8 Bxe4 Nf6 9 Bg5 cxd4 10 Nxd4 h6 $2 
({A finger slip from Bareev. Either Be7 or Bc5 followed by h6 is the way to play this line. Sadly, the rest is hopeless for black - and is also well-known} 
10 ..Bc5 $1 11 c3 h6 12 Bxf6 Qxf6 13 Qa4+ Bd7 14 Qc4 Bxd4 15 cxd4 Rc8 16 Qb4 Bc6 17 Bxc6+ bxc6 18 Qb7 O-O 19 Qxa7 Rfd8 20 Rfd1 c5 21 dxc5 Qxb2 22 h3 {1/2-1/2 Svidler,P-Izoria,Z/Bled 2002/EXT 2003.}) 
11 Bxf6 Qxf6 12 Qd3 a6 13 Rad1 Be7 
(13 ..Bc5 14 Nb3 Ba7 15 Na5 $1) 
14 Nc6 $1 
{Splat!} 
14 ..e5 
(14 ..O-O 15 Nxe7+ Qxe7 16 Qd6 Qxd6 17 Rxd6 Re8 18 f4 Kf8 19 Rfd1 Ke7 20 Bxb7 Rb8 21 Bc6 Rf8 22 b3 Rb6 23 c4 Kf6 24 R1d4 Ke7 25 c5 Rb8 26 b4 g5 27 fxg5 hxg5 28 Bd7 a5 29 b5 Rd8 30 Bc6 Rxd6 31 Rxd6 e5 32 b6 Be6 33 Bd5 Bxd5 34 Rxd5 Ke6 35 Rd6+ Ke7 36 Rc6 Rb7 37 Kf2 f5 38 Rg6 Rb8 39 Rxg5 Ke6 40 Rg7 Kd5 41 Rc7 e4 42 b7 {1-0 Ciganikova,A-Rakay,K/Slovakia 1999/EXT 2000 (42)}) 
15 Nxe7 
(15 Qc3 O-O 16 Nxe5 Bd6 17 f4)
 15 ..Qxe7 16 f4 exf4 $4 
({This does have the benefit of losing quickly as opposed to struggling on defending a worse position into an ending!} 16 ..O-O {the only move to survive, if you can call it that at this level.}
 17 Qe3 $1 Bg4 
(17 ..exf4 $4 18 Bh7+ $1) 
18 Rd2 Rad8 19 Rxd8 Rxd8 20 fxe5 $18
{and white will win the ensuing ending} )
17 Bxb7 $1 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B92"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8.
Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qd2 Nbd7 11. a4 Rc8 12. a5 Nc5 13. Nxc5 dxc5 14.
Qxd8 Rfxd8 15. f3 c4 16. Kf2 Kf8 17. Na4 Nd7 18. Rfd1 Rc6 19. Nc3 Nf6 20.
Rxd8+ Bxd8 21. Ra4 Ne8 22. Nd5 Nd6 23. Bd2 Ke8 24. Bb4 Nb5 25. Bd2 Nd6 26.
Bc3 f6 27. Bb4 Nb5 28. Bd2 Nd6 29. Bb4 Nb5 30. Bd2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 b6 7. Nc3 e5 8.
O-O Ne7 9. a4 a5 10. Nd2 Be6 11. Ne2 O-O 12. f4 f5 13. fxe5 fxe4 14. Nxe4
Bxe5 15. Bg5 Qc7 16. Qd2 Nf5 17. Rae1 Bd5 18. Bf4 Nd4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B08"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Be2 O-O 6 O-O Bg4 7 Ng5 Bxe2 8 Qxe2 Nc6 9 Rd1 e5 
{Risky, but didn't see anything better - but obviously I could not calculate everything at this point. }
10 dxe5 Nxe5 11 f4 Ned7 
(11 ..Nc6 $6 12 e5 Nd7 13 e6 Nd4 14 exf7+ Kh8 15 Qf2 $16) 
12 e5 dxe5 13 fxe5 Re8 14 Bf4 $5 
(14 Nxf7 {This is the normal move, but the game continuation is much more interesting to try for the win} 14 ..Qe7 15 Nh6+ (15 exf6 Qxe2 16 Nxe2 Nxf6 17 Nh6+ Bxh6 18 Bxh6 Rxe2) 15 ..Bxh6 16 Bxh6 Nxe5 $10) 
14 ..Nh5 15 Qg4 
(15 Nxf7 Nxf4 $1 (15 ..Kxf7 $2 16 Qc4+ Re6 17 Rf1 Qe8 18 Ne4 Kg8 19 Ng5 Nf8 20 Be3 {with a big threat looming of Rxf8} )( 15 ..Qe7 16 Nh6+ Kh8 17 Bg5) 16 Qc4 Qe7 $10)
15 ..f5 $1 
({Much better than the alternative} 15 ..Nxf4 $5 16 Qxf4 ( 16 Rxd7 h5) 16 ..Qe7 17 Nd5 Qc5+ 18 Kh1 Nxe5 19 Ne4 Qxc2 20 Nef6+ Bxf6 21 Nxf6+ Kg7 22 Nxe8+ Rxe8 { Although I have compensation here with the extra pawns and the well-placed Ne5, I still think white has good winning chances} )
16 Qf3 
(16 Qe2 Nxf4 17 Qc4+ Ne6 18 Nxe6 Nxe5 19 Qxc7 $10 ( 19 Qb3 $6 Qe7 20 Nxc7+ Kh8 21 Nxe8 Ng4 $1 {and suddenly white is on the back-foot defending the smothered-mate threat of Qe3+, Nf2+, Nh3+ and Qg1+ ! Akopian had first hoped he could opt for 16 exf6, but in the end careful play gives black the draw:})) (16 exf6 $5 Ndxf6 17 Qf3 ( 17 Qe6+ Rxe6 18 Rxd8+ Re8 $1 19 Rxa8 Rxa8 20 Bxc7 Ne8 21 Ba5 b6 22 Bb4 Bd4+ 23 Kf1 a5 24 Be7 Bxc3 25 bxc3 Rc8 $10)
 17 ..Qc8 ( 17 ..Qe7 $5 18 Nd5 Qc5+ 19 Be3 Qc6 $10) 18 Nd5 (18 Nb5 $5) 18 ..h6 19 Qb3 Nxd5 20 Rxd5 Kh8 21 Nf7+ Kh7 22 Rxh5 gxh5 23 Qd3+ Kg8 24 Qg6 Qe6 $1 $10)
16 ..Nxe5 17 Qxb7 Qe7 18 Nd5 Qf8 
(18 ..Qc5+ $2 19 Be3 Qxc2 20 Rac1)
19 Bxe5 Bxe5 $1 
(19 ..Qc5+ $2 20 Kh1 Bxe5 21 Qb3 $1 {and suddenly black is in deep trouble:} 21 ..Kg7 (21 ..Kh8 22 Nf7+ Kg7 23 Nxe5 Rxe5 24 c4 $1 {with the idea of Qc3 followed by b4}) 22 Nb6 $1 axb6 23 Rd7+ $18)
20 Qc6 Qd6 21 Qxd6 
(21 Qc4 Kg7 22 Nxc7 Bxh2+ 23 Kh1 Qxc7 24 Qxc7+ Bxc7 25 Rd7+ Kg8 26 Rxc7 Rac8 $10)
21 ..Bxd6 22 Re1 c6 23 Nc3 Be5 24 Rad1 Nf6 25 Na4 Bd4+ 26 Kf1 
26 ..Be3 
({Perhaps here was the last chance with } 26 ..Rxe1+ $5 27 Kxe1 (27 Rxe1 Ng4 $1) 27 ..Be3 28 Nf3 Ng4 29 h3 Bf2+ 30 Ke2 Re8+ 31 Kd3 {I have something - but not enough, I feel} )
27 Nf3 Nd5 28 c4 
(28 Rd3 Bf4 {with the idea Ne3} )
28 ..Nb6 29 Nxb6 axb6 30 a3 b5 
({I was more worried of:} 30 ..Ra4 {as it gave some practical problems for me in the time trouble:} 31 Rd3 f4 32 Nd2 $1 $10 (32 Rc3 Re4 33 b4 c5) 32 ..Kf7 { Yes, better - but white should hold on.} )
1/2-1/2  
 
[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.13"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C92"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Ng5 Rf8 12. Nf3 Re8 13. a4 h6 14. Nbd2 Bf8
15. Bc2 Qd7 16. b3 g6 17. d5 Ne7 18. c4 c6 19. Bb2 Bg7 20. axb5 axb5 21.
Rxa8 Rxa8 22. c5 Nh5 23. dxc6 Bxc6 24. b4 dxc5 25. bxc5 f6 26. Qb1 Nf4 27.
Nb3 Qc8 28. Bc1 g5 29. Bxf4 gxf4 30. Nh4 Be8 31. Rd1 Bf8 32. Rd3 Ng6 33.
Nf5 Bxc5 34. Nxh6+ Kh7 35. Nf5 Ne7 36. Nxc5 Qxc5 37. Qd1 Nxf5 38. exf5 Rc8
39. Rd2 Rc7 40. Kh2 Qe7 41. Bb3 Rd7 42. Bd5 Qg7 43. Qb3 Qg5 44. Rc2 Re7 45.
Qb4 Rg7 46. Qf8 Bd7 47. Rc7 f3 48. g4 Qf4+ 49. Kh1 Qd2 50. Bxf3 Qe1+ 51.
Kh2 Qxf2+ 52. Bg2 Qf4+ 53. Kh1 e4 54. Rc2 Qe5 55. Ra2 Bc6 56. Rc2 Qa1+ 57.
Kh2 Qe5+ 58. Kh1 Qa1+ 59. Kh2 Qe5+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C42"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7
8. Re1 Bg4 9. c3 f5 10. Qb3 O-O 11. Nbd2 Na5 12. Qc2 c5 13. Ne5 Bh5 14. f3
cxd4 15. fxe4 fxe4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Bxe4 h6 18. Bd2 
({We were all assembled in the press room at Wijk following the games, and in particular Anand-Bologan, when suddenly our resident expert Herr Fritzy had what can only be described as the silicon equivalent of a multiple orgasm. It reaches the following position and, within a nanosecond of Bologan playing 17 ..h6, it immediately spots 18 b4 winning! Both players are oblivious to this, and after 18 Bd2 there's a forced exchange of pieces and the game soon ends in a tame draw. 
Both players had seen the option of 18 b4, and both players had also missed the key winning move in the variation!}
18 b4 $1 dxc3 (18 ..Rc8 19 bxa5 Rxc3 20 Qb1 Bh4 21 g3) 19 bxa5 Qd4+ 20 Kh1 Qxe5 {and due to the mate on f1, both Anand and Bologan had assumed that the discovered attack on the queen after Bh7+ therefore didn't work. However...} 21 Ba3 $3 ( 21 Bh7+ $4 Kh8 22 Rxe5 Rf1#) 21 ..Kh8 22 Bxb7 Qd4 23 Bxe7 Rf2 24 Qxf2 Qxf2 25 Bxa8 $18 
{It's bad enough both players not spotting the winning move as they had overlooked the key move of Ba3. However, the situation isn't helped by the fact that after the game Bologan admitted to me that it was more embarrassing for him - in his preparation for the game, he actually had 17 ..h6 on his computer and for some reason 18 b4 didn't show up!} )
18.. Bh4 19. Rf1 Bf6 20.
Rae1 Bxe5 21. Bh7+ Kh8 22. Rxf8+ Qxf8 23. Rxe5 Nc4 24. Rxh5 Nxd2 25. Qxd2
dxc3 26. Qxc3 
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B90"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8.
f3 Be7 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O-O Qc7 11. g4 Rc8 12. g5 Nh5 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5
Nd7 15. Bh3 g6 16. Kb1 Bf8 17. Qc1 Nf4 18. Bxf4 exf4 19. Nd2 Bg7 20. Ne4
Be5 21. Rd2 Qd8 22. Bxd7 Qxd7 23. h4 Rc7 24. h5 Rac8 25. Rh4 Qf5 26. Rdh2
Re7 27. a3 b5 28. Qd2 Rc4 29. Qa5 Qc8 30. Nf6+ Bxf6 31. gxf6 Rec7 32. hxg6
fxg6 33. Qe1 Qf8 34. Qe6+ Kh8 35. Rh6 b4 36. axb4 Rxb4 37. Rxg6 Rb8 38. f7
Rxf7 39. Qxd6 Re7 40. Rf6 Re1+ 41. Ka2 Qe8 42. Rxf4 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A34"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. Nf3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nc7 7. d3 e5 8.
Nd2 Bd7 9. Nc4 b5 10. Ne3 Rb8 11. O-O Bd6 12. a4 a6 13. axb5 axb5 14. f4
exf4 15. gxf4 O-O 16. Ne4 Be7 17. f5 f6 18. Bd2 Nd4 19. Rc1 Na6 20. Rf2 Re8
21. Bc3 Bf8 22. Nd5 Kh8 23. e3 b4 24. Bxd4 cxd4 25. exd4 Rb5 26. Ne3 Qb6
27. Rc4 Nb8 28. Qc1 Ra5 29. Nc5 Qa7 30. Nb3 Ra2 31. Rf1 Bd6 32. Be4 Na6 33.
Nc5 Bb5 34. Ne6 Bxc4 35. Nxc4 Bb8 36. Kh1 Nc7 37 Nxg7 $4  
(37 Nd6 $1 Nxe6 38 Nxe8 Nf8 39 Qc5 Qxc5 40 dxc5 Rxb2 41 c6 Rxh2+ 42 Kg1 Rc2 43 Rb1 $18)
37 ..Rg8 38 Ne6 Nxe6 39 fxe6 Qxd4 40 Qh6 
{and our man Jan sat back with a smile on his face admiring his handy work, thinking that Van Wely can't stop him winning as 40 ..Rg7 is met by 41 Bxh7! However... }
40 ..Ra7 
{not only stopping the threats to h7, but also lining up the possibility of Rag7 mating on g1! With the only way to prevent this is the exchange of queens with Qe3, so white is well and truly busted...and gutted by Jan's reaction at the end! }
0-1 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E05"]

1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8.
Qxc4 b5 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. Bf4 Nc6 11. Rd1 Nb4 12. Qc1 Nbd5 13. Nbd2 Nxf4 14.
gxf4 c5 15. dxc5 Qc7 16. c6 Qxc6 17. Qxc6 Bxc6 18. Ne5 Bd5 19. a4 Rac8 20.
axb5 axb5 21. Rdc1 h6 22. Ndf3 Bd6 23. Nd4 b4 24. Nd3 Bc4 25. Ne5 Bd5 26.
Nb5 Bxe5 27. fxe5 Ng4 28. e4 Rxc1+ 29. Rxc1 Ba2 30. f4 f6 31. Bf3 Ne3 32.
Kf2 Nc4 33. Be2 Nd2 34. Ke3 Nb3 35. Rc7 fxe5 36. fxe5 Na1 37. Nd4 Ra8 38.
Bg4 Ra6 39. Be2 Ra5 40. Bc4 Bxc4 41. Rxc4 b3 42. Rc8+ Kf7 43. Rc7+ Kg6 44.
Kf4 Ra6 45. Re7 Kh5 46. Nxe6 g5+ 47. Kf5 Nc2 48. Ng7+ Kh4 49. e6 Ne3+ 50.
Kg6 Kh3 51. Kxh6 g4 52. Kg5 Kxh2 53. Nf5 Nc4 54. Re8 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B97"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8.
Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O Qxd4 10. Qxd4 Nxd4 11. Rxd4 Be7 12. Na4 Bd7 13. Nb6 Rd8
14. Nxd7 Rxd7 15. Be2 h6 16. Bh4 Nh5 17. Bxh5 Bxh4 18. Rhd1 Bf2 19. R4d3
Ke7 20. Kb1 Rc8 21. Bg4 Rc4 22. Bf3 g6 23. b3 Rcc7 24. Be2 Rd8 25. g4 Bc5
26. Rh3 Rh8 27. Kb2 Rcc8 28. a3 Rcd8 29. b4 Bf2 30. a4 d5 31. Rf3 Bb6 32.
exd5 Rxd5 33. Rxd5 exd5 34. Rd3 Bc7 35. Bf3 Bxf4 36. h3 b6 37. Kb3 Kf6 38.
Bxd5 Re8 39. c3 a5 40. bxa5 bxa5 41. Rf3 g5 42. Kc4 Re3 43. Rxe3 Bxe3 44.
Kb5 Ke5 45. Bxf7 Kd6 46. c4 Bf2 47. Be8 Ke7 48. Bc6 Kd6 49. Bb7
{
For much of the middlegame Kramnik had nurtured - as only big Vlady can - a miniscule edge, converting it into a opposite coloured bishop ending where he had an extra pawn. I don't know about you, but I was always brought up to believe that such endings should be played out as invariably they are all drawn. 
The result of 1-0 went up, and both players hastily left the playing hall. No one really thought much of this and just accepted it at face value from two of the strongest Russian GMs in the world that it was indeed just a win. After all, Herr Fritzy believed it was a win, so why shouldn't it be? The alarm bells only started ringing in the press room with the arrival of Vishy Anand. He took one look at the monitor with the final position and the result, and immediately declared that the result must be wrong as it was an "easily" drawn position. Easy for him, but for us poor hacks and Herr Fritzy, it was certainly far from clear. 
But Anand was adamant that the result must be wrong. We immediately asked Tournament Director Jeroen van den Berg if he could check the result with the arbiter at the hotel. Sure enough, the arbiter confirmed that the scoresheet had been singed by both players as "1-0". Perplexed by it all, I decided to make my way back to the hotel. On arrival, I spotted big Vlady heading out the door for his habitual evening walk and asked him what had happened. "Well, of course it was all very embarrassing," said Vlady, "poor Peter had simply resigned in a drawn position!" 
Vlady then explained that Svidler had made all the only moves up to the final position that would have secured a draw, and then simply resigned. 
"Of course, it gives me no joy winning in such a manner," he added. "I was totally confused when he held his hand out. For a very brief moment I thought he was agreeing to a draw - then suddenly I realised I hadn't offered him one and he was actually resigning! There was nothing I could do under such circumstances." 
Back at the hotel, it was suddenly sinking in on poor Peter what he had done. The next day at breakfast, he was still shaking his head in disbelief and also remembering how he had done something similar playing Vishy Anand at the Dos Hermanas tournament of 1999, when he agreed a draw in a totally won ending! "Why me?," mumbled Peter. "Once, perhaps. But twice?" 
There seems to be many top players following this saga on the ICC, such as Alexander Grischuk (who should really have been invited to this tournament) and Jon Speelman who have claimed to have found a win for white in the final position. However, according to Messers Kramnik, Anand and Svidler, it is actually a draw. }
(49. Bb7 Kc7 50 Bd5 (50 Ba6 Kd6 51 Kxa5 Be3 52 Bb5 Bf2 53 Ka6 (53 Kb4 Be3 54 Kc3 Bb6 55 Kd3 Ke5 $1) 53 ..Kc7) 50 ..Kd6 51 Kxa5 Kc5 52 Ka6 Kb4 53 a5 Bc5 54 Bf7 Bf2 55 Be6 Bc5 56 Bg8 Be3 {all should draw.
The simplest explanation how to draw came from Anand: "Basically, all black has to do is to keep the bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal. And, whenever the white king attempts to cross [for example via Ka6 to b7], the black king goes to c7 to prevent this. And, if white goes with his king to d3, black [while still keeping the bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal] immediately answers with Ke5, again preventing the king crossing." So there you have it! }
1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B19"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8.
h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Ngf6 12. O-O-O Be7 13. Kb1 O-O 14.
Ne4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Nf6 16. Qe2 Qd5 17. Ne5 Qe4 18. Qxe4 Nxe4 19. Rhe1 Nf6
20. g4 Rfd8 21. f3 Rac8 22. c3 c5 23. dxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. c4 Kf8
26. Kc2 Ke8 27. Nd3 Bd4 28. b3 Rc8 29. a4 a6 30. a5 Nd7 31. Re4 Ba1 32. Bd6
Nf6 33. Re1 Bd4 34. Bb4 Nd5 35. Bd2 Nf6 36. Bc3 Bxc3 37. Kxc3 Ke7 38. b4
Nd7 39. Re2 Rf8 40. b5 g5 41. Rb2 Kd6 42. bxa6 bxa6 43. Rb7 Ra8 44. Nb4 f5
45. gxf5 exf5 46. Kd4 g4 47. fxg4 fxg4 48. c5+ Ke6 49. c6 Nf6 50. c7 Rc8
51. Nxa6 g3 52. Rb3 Nxh5 53. Kc5 g2 54. Rb1 Nf4 55. Kc6 h5 56. Kb7 Rg8 57.
Nc5+ Kd5 58. Nd7 Ke6 59. c8=Q 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.14"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qc2 Nxc3
8. bxc3 Be7 9. e4 O-O 10. Bd3 c5 11. O-O Qc7 12. Qe2 Nd7 13. Bb2 c4 14. Bc2
b5 15. Rfb1 a5 16. Bc1 Ba6 17. e5 Rfb8 18. Ng5 Nf8 19. Qh5 Bxg5 20. Bxg5
Bb7 21. h4 Qc6 22. f3 Qe8 23. Qg4 Bd5 24. Bf6 Ng6 25. h5 gxf6 26. exf6 b4
27. axb4 axb4 28. Rxa8 Rxa8 29. Rxb4 e5 30. hxg6 hxg6 31. Rb1 exd4 32. Qxd4
Qe6 33. Qf4 Re8 34. Rd1 Bb7 35. Kh2 Qe5 36. Qxe5 Rxe5 37. Rd8+ Kh7 38. Rd7
Bd5 39. Re7 Be6 40. Be4 Kh6 41. Kg3 Rg5+ 42. Kf2 Rb5 43. f4 Rb3 44. g4 Rxc3
45. Re8 Kh7 46. f5 gxf5 47. gxf5 Bxf5 48. Bxf5+ Kh6 49. Rg8 Rb3 50. Be6 Rb6
51. Bxc4 Rxf6+ 52. Ke3 Rg6 53. Rf8 Rf6 54. Rxf7 Rxf7 55. Bxf7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C00"]

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. Nf3 e5 5. c3 Nf6 6. Qc2 a5 7. Be2 h6 8. O-O
Bd6 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Rd1 Re8 11. Nf1 Be6 12. Ng3 Qc8 13. h3 a4 14. Be3 Ne7
15. Re1 c5 16. exd5 Nfxd5 17. Ne4 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Bb8 19. c4 Ra6 20. Bf1 f5
21. Nc3 Bd7 22. Nb5 Rg6 23. Rad1 Bc6 24. e4 fxe4 25. dxe4 Qxh3 26. Rd3 Rf8
27. Qf2 b6 28. Nc3 Qg4 29. Red1 Bc7 30. Qe3 Rf4 31. Re1 Kh8 32. Qe2 Kh7 33.
Nd2 Qh4 34. Rd1 Rgg4 35. Nf3 Qf6 36. Nh2 Rg6 37. g3 Qf7 38. Bg2 Rff6 39.
Ng4 Rxg4 40. Qxg4 Qxc4 41. b3 axb3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C00"]
[Annotator "Henderson - Timman"]

1 e4 
{I expected this move, although Bologan played in the first round against Zhong something else, 1.e4 is his normal move.}
1 ..e6 
{I had noticed that Bologan does not score as well against the French as against other replies to 1.e4. }
2 d3 
{A surprise, there are many ways for black to play against this system, I choose a classical setup. }
2 ..d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 Ngf3 b6 5 c3 Be7 6 Be2 Bb7 7 Qa4+ 
{An interesting move; white wants to develop his queen to c2, but first tries to displace one of black's pieces (Bc6 or Qd7) }
7 ..Nfd7 8 O-O O-O 9 Re1 c5 10 Nf1 c4 
{A bit too optimistic. A normal move like Nc6 was better; however I underestimated white's strong response. }
11 Be3 $1 
({Ready to give up his bishop to get his attack going} 11 d4 $2 dxe4 12 N3d2 e5 {and black is better}) 
11 ..cxd3 12 Bxd3 Qc7 13 e5 
({Bologan had an interesting alternative here:} 13 Rad1 Nc5 14 Bxc5 bxc5 15 exd5 Bxd5 16 Be4 Bxe4 17 Qxe4 {with a slight plus for white} )
13 ..Nc5 
({I dismissed} 13 ..Nxe5 14 Nxe5 Qxe5 15 Bf4 {as I did not see any good squares for my queen.} )
14 Bxc5 bxc5 15 Qg4 Nd7 16 Ng3 d4 
{This was the critical position }
17 Ng5 $2 
({White has two alternatives instead of the mistake Ng5:} 17 cxd4 cxd4 (17 ..Bxf3 18 gxf3 {with a healthy extra pawn for white}) 18 Rac1 Qa5 19 Ng5 Bxg5 (19 ..Qd2 20 Nxe6) 20 Qxg5 f5 21 Nh5 Rf7 {with a small advantage for white })
(17 Be4 {and white has a very small edge - though nothing much for me to worry about.} )
17 ..Bxg5 18 Qxg5 h6 $1 
{Now black has solved all his opening problems }
19 Qh5 $2 
({Bologan said after the game that he had missed the whole c4 idea. Instead:} 19 Qf4 c4 $2 {doesn't work because of} (19 ..f6 20 cxd4 cxd4 21 Rac1) 20 Be4 Bxe4 21 Rxe4 {and the pawn on c4 hangs} 
)
19 ..c4 20 Bf1 d3 21 Rad1 Rad8 22 Re3 Bd5 
{Black has to be careful, white would still like to get Nh5 in. Bd5 protects e6 and makes f7-f6 possible. }
23 b3 cxb3 24 axb3 Bxb3 25 Rdxd3 Bc2 26 Rd4 Bg6 27 Qh4 $6 
{A bit dubious to say the least. I was more expecting: 27 Qd1= }
27 ..Nb6 28 c4 a5 
{There should be something better for black than a5 (which is just equal), but I could not find it during the game. }
29 Ra3 a4 30 c5 $2 
({A mistake in severe time trouble for Bologan. After the game, he agreed it would have been much better to exchange first:} 30 Rxd8 Rxd8 31 c5 Nd7 32 Rxa4 {and I have a small advantage.} )
30 ..Qxc5 
{After either 31 Rxd8 or 31 Qxd8 31...Qxa3 with a very strong a-pawn is winning for me.}
31 Raxa4 Rxd4 32 Rxd4 Qxe5 
{Now black is a healthy pawn up, but because they are all on one side it should still be a draw. Of course, I have practical chances because Bologan was down to 48 seconds here. }
33 Rd8 Qc7 34 Rxf8+ Kxf8 35 Qb4+ Kg8 36 h4 
{Despite his time trouble, Bologan plays this phase of the game very accurately. }
36 ..Nd5 37 Qa3 Qe5 38 Be2 Nc3 
{An alternative for black is: 38 ..Nf4 but then 39 Qe3 equalizes}
39 Qa8+ $1 
{This check and bringing over the queen to f3 is a strong manouvre }
39 ..Kh7 40 Qf3 f5 
{I was not happy with this f5 move, but I did not find any other ways to make progress. }
41 Bc4 $1 
{Now exchanging to a drawish bishop ending is inevitable. }
41 ..f4 42 Ne2 Nxe2+ 43 Qxe2 Qxe2 44 Bxe2 Be4 45 g3 $2 
(45 Bh5 {Blocking the king is the easiest way to a draw:} 45 ..Kg8 46 g3 e5 47 gxf4 exf4 48 Kh2 Kf8 49 Kh3 {and black is not in time to save the f-pawn} )
45 ..Kg6 46 Bg4 e5 47 gxf4 $2 
{47 Kf1 There is no need to exchange on f4; moving the king to the centre so that black does not have the chance to enter via d2 is another way to draw}
47 ..exf4 48 Kh2 Kf6 49 Bc8 Ke5 50 Bg4 Kd4 51 Bc8 
({There was a last chance for white here, but this might already be winning for black} 51 Kg1 Kd3 52 Kf1 Kd2 {with the idea of Bd3} )
51 ..Bf3 {Now it is game over }
52 Bd7 Kd3 53 Bb5+ Kd2 54 Kg1 Ke1 55 Be8 g5 56 hxg5 hxg5 57 Bf7 Be4 58 Be6 f3 59 Bd7 Bg6 
{Now he is in zugzwang - the idea is to play Bh5 and g4-g3. }
0-1 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C95"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 c5 13. b3 cxd4 14. cxd4
exd4 15. Nxd4 Re8 16. a4 bxa4 17. bxa4 Rc8 18. Nf5 Qc7 19. Bb3 Bf8 20. Bb2
d5 21. Rc1 Qf4 22. Rxc8 Bxc8 23. g3 Qg5 24. h4 Qg6 25. h5 Nxh5 26. Nh4 Qg5
27. Ndf3 Qe7 28. exd5 Qd8 29. Rxe8 Qxe8 30. Ng5 Nxg3 31. d6 Qe2 32. Bxf7+
Kh8 33. Qb1 Ne4 34. Qxe4 Qd1+ 35. Kh2 Bxd6+ 36. f4 Qd2+ 37. Kg3 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 b6 7. O-O Nf6 8.
Nc3 O-O 9. Bf4 Ne8 10. Qd2 f6 11. e5 fxe5 12. Bxe5 Bxh3 13. Bxg7 Nxg7 14.
Rfe1 Be6 15. Ng5 Bd5 16. Nxd5 cxd5 17. Ne6 Nxe6 18. Rxe6 Rf6 19. Qe2 Kf8
20. Re1 Rxe6 21. Qxe6 Qd6 22. Qh3 Kg8 23. Re6 Qf4 24. Rxe7 Qc1+ 25. Kh2
Qf4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C83"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8.
dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Be7 10. c3 Qd7 11. Re1 Nc5 12. Bc2 Bf5 13. Bxf5 Qxf5 14.
Nb3 Rd8 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. Be3 Be7 17. Nd4 Nxd4 18. cxd4 c5 19. dxc5 d4 20.
Bxd4 O-O 21. c6 Rd5 22. Rc1 Rc8 23. g3 Qe6 24. Qd3 Rxc6 25. Rxc6 Qxc6 26.
Qe4 g6 27. Bc3 Qe6 28. Kg2 h5 29. h3 Rd8 30. a3 Rc8 31. Re3 Rc4 32. Qa8+
Rc8 33. Qb7 Rd8 34. Ba5 Re8 35. Rd3 Kf8 36. Rd7 Qxe5 37. Rxe7 Rxe7 38. Bb4
Qe6 39. Bxe7+ Qxe7 40. Qxa6 Qe4+ 41. Kh2 Qd4 42. Qc8+ Ke7 43. Qb7+ Ke6 44.
Qc6+ Ke7 45. Qc2 h4 46. g4 Qe5+ 47. Kg2 Qd5+ 48. Kg1 Qe5 49. Qd2 Kf8 50.
Qc3 Qg5 51. Qe3 Qd5 52. Kf1 Qd1+ 53. Kg2 Qd5+ 54. Qf3 Qa2 55. Qb7 Qc4 56.
Qa8+ Kg7 57. Qf3 Qa2 58. Qc3+ Kg8 59. Kf3 Qd5+ 60. Ke2 Qe4+ 61. Kd2 Qd5+
62. Kc2 Qg2 63. Qe3 Qc6+ 64. Kd2 Qd5+ 65. Kc2 Qc6+ 66. Kb1 Qd5 67. f4 Qg2
68. Ka2 Qg3 69. Qb3 Kf8 70. f5 gxf5 71. gxf5 Qe5 72. f6 Kg8 73. Qf3 Kh7 74.
Qg4 Qd5+ 75. Kb1 Qh1+ 76. Kc2 Qc6+ 77. Kd2 Qxf6 78. Qh5+ Kg7 79. Qxb5 Qf4+
80. Kc3 Qc1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E35"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 c5 7. a3 Bxc3+
8. Qxc3 cxd4 9. Qxd4 Nc6 10. Qf4 d4 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Nf3 Qa5+ 13. Qd2
Qxd2+ 14. Kxd2 Bf5 15. b4 O-O-O 16. Rc1 Kb8 17. g3 a5 18. Bg2 Be4 19. Nh4
Bxg2 20. Nxg2 axb4 21. axb4 Nxb4 22. Rc4 Nc6 23. Rb1 Ne5 24. Rcb4 Rd7 25.
Nf4 Rc8 26. Ra4 Nc4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.15"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C67"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5
Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Ke8 10. h3 Be7 11. Bf4 Be6 12. g4 Nh4 13. Nxh4
Bxh4 14. Kg2 Be7 15. Rfd1 Rd8 16. f3 h5 17. Ne2 c5 18. Ng3 hxg4 19. hxg4
Rxd1 20. Rxd1 c6 21. Nh5 Rh7 22. Be3 b6 23. b3 c4 24. Nf4 cxb3 25. axb3 c5
26. Nxe6 fxe6 27. b4 cxb4 28. Ra1 a5 29. Bxb6 Bg5 30. Rxa5 Bf4 31. Bg1 Kf7
32. Rb5 Rh8 33. Rxb4 Bxe5 34. f4 Rb8 35. Ra4 Bd6 36. Ra7+ Ke8 37. Rxg7 Rb2
38. Rg8+ Kd7 39. Kf3 Rxc2 40. Be3 Rc3 41. Rg5 Ra3 42. Rh5 Kc6 43. Rh8 Kd7
44. Rh7+ Kc6 45. Rh2 Bc5 46. Re2 Kd7 47. Kf2 Be7 48. Rc2 Bd6 49. Rc4 Rb3
50. Kf3 Ke7 51. Rc6 Bb8 52. Rc2 Kf7 53. Rd2 Rb7 54. Rd3 Kg6 55. Rd8 Ba7 56.
Rd6 Kf7 57. Bxa7 Rxa7 58. g5 Ra3+ 59. Kg4 Ra1 60. Rd7+ Kg6 61. Re7 Rg1+ 62.
Kf3 Re1 63. Kf2 Re4 64. Kg3 Kf5 65. Rf7+ Kg6 66. Rf6+ Kg7 67. Kf3 Re1 68.
Rh6 Kf7 69. Kf2 Re4 70. Kg3 Re1 71. Rf6+ Kg7 72. Kf3 Kg8 73. Kg4 Kg7 74.
Kf3 Kg8 75. Rh6 Kg7 76. Rh2 Kg6 77. Rc2 Rf1+ 78. Ke3 Re1+ 79. Kf2 Re4 80.
Kf3 Re1 81. Rc5 Rf1+ 82. Ke3 Re1+ 83. Kf2 Re4 84. Kf3 Re1 85. Rc3 Kf5 86.
Rc5+ Kg6 87. Rc7 Rf1+ 88. Ke3 Re1+ 89. Kf2 Re4 90. Kf3 Re1 91. Rc8 Kf7 92.
Rc4 Rf1+ 93. Ke2 Ra1 94. Rc7+ Kf8 95. Kf3 Rg1 96. Ke4 Re1+ 97. Kd4 Kg8 98.
Rb7 Kf8 99. g6 Rg1 100. Rf7+ Ke8 101. Rg7 Kf8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C88"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8.
a4 Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. Bd2 Nd7 11. Nc3 Nd4 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Ne2 Bf6 14. Ng3
g6 15. Bh6 Re8 16. f4 Nc5 17. Qf3 Nxb3 18. cxb3 Qd7 19. Rf1 c5 20. Rf2 Bh8
21. f5 d5 22. Qg4 Bc6 23. Raf1 dxe4 24. Nxe4 c4 25. Nc5 Qc8 26. fxg6 hxg6
27. Qg3 Bd5 28. b4 Qc6 29. Bg5 cxd3 30. Bf6 d2 31. Bxh8 Kxh8 32. Rxd2 Bc4
33. Rc1 Qf6 34. Qf2 Qxf2+ 35. Kxf2 Re3 36. a5 Rae8 37. Rcd1 Re2+ 38. Kg1
Bd5 39. Nxa6 Bxg2 40. Nc7 R8e5 41. Rxe2 Rxe2 42. Nxb5 Rxb2 43. Rxd4 Kg7 44.
a6 Bf3 45. Nc3 Rg2+ 46. Kf1 Rxh2 47. b5 Rb2 48. a7 Bb7 49. Rd7 Ba8 50. Rd8
Bb7 51. Rb8 Bf3 52. b6 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C07"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 cxd4 5 exd5 Qxd5 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 O-O Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 11 Bb3 Qc7 12 Qf3 
({A wise choice. The big theory line of} 12 Re1 Bd6 13 Nf5 Bxh2+ 14 Kh1 O-O 15 Nxg7 Rd8 16 Qf3 Kxg7 17 Bh6+ Kg6 {still holds up well for black in praxis.})
12 ..Bd6 13 Kh1 Bd7 
({Another option here is:} 13 ..O-O 14 Bg5 Nd7 15 c3 Ne5 16 Qh5 Ng6 17 Bc2 h6 $1 $10 {Ivanchuk-Anand, Reggio Emilia 1991}) 
14 Bg5 Be5 15 Rad1 $146 
(15 c3 h6 16 Be3 O-O 17 Rfe1 Rad8 18 Rad1 Bc8 19 Bc2 b5 20 Qh3 b4 21 Nf3 Rxd1 22 Rxd1 bxc3 23 Nxe5 cxb2 24 Bb1 Qxe5 25 Qf3 Qb8 26 Qe2 Bb7 27 Bd4 Qf4 28 f3 Rc8 29 Bxb2 Qa4 30 Qd2 Nd5 31 Qd3 f5 32 Rf1 Qb4 33 Qe2 Qd6 34 Be5 Qc6 35 Bb2 Kh7 36 Qe5 Rc7 37 h4 Qd7 38 Re1 Rc6 39 a3 Nf6 40 Qg3 Qf7 41 Qh3 Nh5 42 Rxe6 Rxe6 43 Bxf5+ Rg6 44 Bxg6+ Qxg6 45 Qd7 Bc6 46 Qd4 Ng3+ 47 Kh2 Nf5 48 Qc3 
{0-1 Blehm,P-Kasimdzhanov,R/Zagan 1997/CBM 59 ext})
15 ..h6 16 Bh4 O-O 17 Rfe1 Rfd8 18 c3 Rac8 
{Ultimately the losing move. In the aforementioned Blehm-Kasimdzhanov game, black opted for Rad8 thus avoiding any potential combination on e6.} 
19 h3 Bxd4 20 Rxd4 Bc6 21 Qe3 Rxd4 22 Qxd4 Qd8 $2 
({Black should be able to hold on after:} 22 ..Nd5 $1 23 Bg3 Qb6 24 Rd1 Qxd4 25 Rxd4 b5 26 Be5 a5  {While white is better, it is going to be very difficult to win this.} )
23 Bxf6 Qxf6 
({A sure sign that Bareev didn't see what was coming up. If he had, he would even at this late stage have opted to have kept the queens on:} 23 ..gxf6 24 Qe3 Kh7 {Black has the worse position due to the fractured pawn structure on the kingside, however it will be difficult for Admas to make realistic winning chances from here.} )
24 Qxf6 gxf6 25 Rxe6 $1 
({And for Bareev's second successive French: Splat! It may look as if he has resigned too readily, but realistically trying to salvage anything from this is just going to be torture: } 25 Rxe6 Kg7 26 Re7 Rf8 27 Rc7 $18)
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A57"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. Nf3 b4 5. a3 g6 6. axb4 cxb4 7. e4 Nxe4 8.
Qd4 Nf6 9. Rxa7 Rxa7 10. Qxa7 Na6 11. Be3 d6 12. Be2 Bg7 13. Nbd2 Qd7 14.
Qb6 Qb7 15. Qa5 Nd7 16. Nd4 Ndc5 17. O-O O-O 18. Ra1 Bd7 19. N2b3 Ra8 20.
Nxc5 dxc5 21. Nb3 Bxb2 22. Nxc5 Qc8 23. Rb1 Nxc5 24. Qxc5 Bc3 25. Qxe7 Bf5
26. Rc1 b3 27. Rxc3 b2 28. Rb3 Ra1+ 29. Bf1 Bd3 30. h3 Rxf1+ 31. Kh2 b1=Q
32. Rxb1 Bxb1 33. d6 Qf8 34. Qf6 Rd1 35. c5 Bf5 36. Bf4 Qg7 37. Qd8+ Qf8
38. Qf6 h5 39. Be5 Kh7 40. c6 Rd5 41. f3 Be6 42. Qe7 Qh6 43. Qf6 Qf8 44.
Qe7 Qh6 45. Qf6 Qf8 46. Qe7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C42"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O
8. Re1 Bf5 9. c4 c6 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Nd7
14. Qf5 Nb6 15. Ng5 g6 16. Qh3 h5 17. g4 Qd7 18. gxh5 Qxh3 19. Nxh3 Rfe8
20. Bf4 Bxf4 21. Nxf4 g5 22. Nh3 Na4 23. Rac1 Rxe1+ 24. Rxe1 Nxc3 25. Re7
Kg7 26. Rc7 Ne2+ 27. Kf1 Nxd4 28. Nxg5 Kh6 29. Nxf7+ Kxh5 30. Rxb7 Nf3 31.
Rb5 Kg6 32. Rxd5 Nxh2+ 33. Kg2 Kxf7 34. Kxh2 Ke6 35. Ra5 Kd6 36. f4 Rg8 37.
f5 Ke7 38. Rxa7+ Kf6 39. Ra5 Rg4 40. a4 Rb4 41. Kg3 Rc4 42. Kf3 Rh4 43. Ke3
Rg4 44. Kd3 Rf4 45. Ra8 Kg7 46. Ra7+ Kf6 47. Ra5 Rh4 48. Kc3 Rf4 49. Kd3
Rh4 50. Ra8 Kxf5 51. a5 Kg6 52. a6 Kg7 53. Ra7+ Kf6 54. Kc3 Re4 55. Rh7 Ra4
56. a7 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A34"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. d4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6 7. e3 Bg7
8. Bb5+ Nd7 9. O-O O-O 10. a4 Qc7 11. e4 Nf6 12. Re1 Rd8 13. Ba3 b6 14. Qb3
e6 15. a5 Bb7 16. e5 Nd5 17. a6 Bc6 18. c4 Ne7 19. dxc5 bxc5 20. Bxc5 Nf5
21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Qb5 Qc7 23. g4 Rdb8 24. Qa5 Qc6 25. Ra3 Rc8 26. gxf5 Qxc5
27. Qxc5 Rxc5 28. f6 Bf8 29. Ra4 Rb8 30. Rd1 Rc7 31. Kg2 h6 32. Rd3 g5 33.
Kg3 Bc5 34. h4 gxh4+ 35. Nxh4 Kh7 36. f4 Rg8+ 37. Kh3 Bf2 38. Ng2 Rgc8 39.
Rf3 Bb6 40. Rg3 Kh8 41. Nh4 Bf2 42. Rg7 Bc5 43. Rg3 Bf2 44. Rg7 Bc5 45. Rg3
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A17"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 O-O 5 a3 Bxc3 6 Qxc3 b6 7 e3 Bb7 8 Be2 d6 9 O-O Nbd7 10 b4 c5 11 Bb2 Re8 12 d4 Ne4 13 Qb3 Rb8 14 Rad1 Qc7 15 Nd2 Nef6 16 Rc1 a5 17 Rfd1 e5 18 Bf1 axb4 19 axb4 h6 20 Ba1 
({Kramnik had great difficulty in finding a good move here and thought for a long time. He would like to get a setup with Nb1-Nc3 and eventually Nd5 after f2-f3, d4xe5 and e3-e4. The problem is that all preparatory moves for this plan fail for some reason:} 20 f3 exd4 21 exd4 cxb4 22 Qxb4 d5 23 cxd5 Qf4)(20 h3 Ba8 21 Nb1 Ne4 22 f3 Ng3)( 20 Nb1 exd4 21 exd4 cxb4 22 Qxb4 Ne4) 
20 ..Rec8 
{A very good waiting move, using the fact that after Ba1 the rook at c1 is unprotected.} 
21 Bb2 
(21 Nb1 exd4 22 exd4 cxb4 23 Qxb4 d5 {and because the rook at c1 is pinned black is able to free his position.} )
21 ..Re8 22 dxc5 
({An alternative is: } 22 b5 exd4 23 exd4 d5 24 dxc5 Nxc5 25 Qg3 {and white is slightly better because of the weak b6 pawn.} )
22 ..dxc5 23 Nb1 cxb4 24 Qxb4 Nc5 25 Nc3 Rbd8 26 Rb1 Bc6 27 Ba1 Rxd1 28 Rxd1 Rd8 $2 
({Much better was:} 28 ..Ra8 $14 {and although white has a slight plus, Kramnik was the first to admit afterwards that Anand would make this position easily a draw.} )
29 Nb5 Bxb5 30 Bxe5 $1 Qxe5 31 Rxd8+ Be8 32 Qxb6 $16
32 ..Qe7 33 Rc8 Nfd7 34 Qc7 Kf8 35 g3 Ne6 36 Qc6 g6 37 Bh3 f5 38 Bg2 Kg7 39 Bd5 Nec5 40 Qa8 $2 
({In time trouble, Kramnik missed black's 42nd move.} 40 Rc7 $1 Bf7 41 Qxc5 Qxc5 42 Rxd7 $18 {and although it might take another 25 moves, white is winning.} )
40 ..Bf7 41 Qa1+ Qf6 42 Qa7 Qa6 $1 
{Kramnik had not realized that this was possible.} 
43 Qxa6 Nxa6 44 f3 
({Afterwards, Kramnik said that it would have been much harder for black to defend with bishop and knight than with two knights as in the game:} 44 Bc6 Nac5 45 Bxd7 Nxd7 46 Rc7 Be6 $18 )
44 ..Nac5 45 Kf2 Kf6 46 Rc6+ Be6 47 Ke2 Ke5 48 f4+ Kf6 49 Kd2 Ke7 50 Bf3 Nb3+ 51 Kc3 Na5 52 Ra6 Nxc4 53 Rxe6+ Kxe6 54 Kxc4 g5 55 Bd5+ Kf6 56 Bc6 Nf8 57 Kd5 Ng6 58 Kd6 Ne7 59 Bb7 Ng6 60 Bf3 Nf8 61 Bd5 Ng6 62 Bc6 Nf8 63 Bd7 Ng6 64 h3 h5 65 fxg5+ Kxg5 66 h4+ Kg4 67 e4 $1 Kxg3 68 exf5 Nh8 
({There's no way to salvage the game:} 68 ..Nf8 69 f6 Kxh4 70 f7 Kg5 71 Ke7 Ng6+ 72 Ke8 h4 73 Bh3 $1 Kf6 74 Bf1 Kg7 75 Bd3 Nf8 76 Bf5 $23)
69 Ke7 Kxh4 70 Kf6 Kg4 71 Kg7 Kg5 72 f6 h4 73 Bc8 Kh5 74 Bf5 Kg5 75 Be6 Ng6 76 f7 Nf4 77 Bc8 Nh5+ 78 Kh7 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.17"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B90"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8.
f3 Nbd7 9. g4 Nb6 10. g5 Nh5 11. Qd2 Be7 12. O-O-O Rc8 13. Kb1 O-O 14. Rg1
g6 15. Qf2 Nc4 16. Bxc4 Bxc4 17. Na4 Be6 18. Nb6 Rc7 19. h4 Qe8 20. Nd5
Bxd5 21. Rxd5 f6 22. Nd2 fxg5 23. hxg5 Nf4 24. Bxf4 Rxf4 25. Rd3 Bf8 26.
Qb6 Rcf7 27. Qb3 Kg7 28. a3 b5 29. c4 Rb7 30. cxb5 Rxb5 31. Qc2 Rc5 32. Rc3
Rxc3 33. Qxc3 Be7 34. Qd3 Qb5 35. Qxb5 axb5 36. Kc2 Bd8 37. Kd3 Kf7 38. Rh1
Kg7 39. Rg1 Kf7 40. Rh1 Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C11"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 gxf6 7. Nf3 b6
8. Bc4 Bb7 9. Qe2 c6 10. O-O Nd7 11. Ba6 Bxa6 12. Qxa6 Qc7 13. c4 O-O 14.
Qa4 Rfd8 15. Rad1 Nf8 16. Qb3 Rd7 17. d5 cxd5 18. cxd5 Qb7 19. Nc3 Rad8 20.
Rfe1 exd5 21. Ne2 d4 22. Rxd4 Bc5 23. Rxd7 Rxd7 24. Nf4 Qc6 25. Qc3 Rd6 26.
Nh5 Ng6 27. h3 a5 28. a3 a4 29. Nh2 Bd4 30. Qd2 f5 31. Nf3 Bh8 32. Qb4 Rd8
33. Ng3 f4 34. Nf5 Qc5 35. Qxc5 bxc5 36. Re4 Bxb2 37. Rxa4 Ne5 38. Nxe5
Bxe5 39. Kf1 Kf8 40. Ke2 Bc7 41. Ra7 Rd5 42. Nh6 Rd7 43. Ra6 Rd5 44. Rf6
Rd7 45. Rc6 Ba5 46. Nf5 Rd5 47. Nd6 Rd2+ 48. Kf3 Rd3+ 49. Ke4 Rxa3 50. Nf5
Bd8 51. Kxf4 Ra2 52. Kf3 Ra3+ 53. Ke4 Ra2 54. Kf3 Ra3+ 55. Kg4 Ra2 56. Kg3
Rc2 57. Rh6 Kg8 58. Rc6 Kf8 59. f4 h5 60. Rh6 h4+ 61. Kf3 Ke8 62. Rh7 Be7
63. Nxe7 Kxe7 64. Rxh4 c4 65. Rh5 c3 66. Rc5 Kd6 67. Rc8 Kd5 68. h4 Kd4 69.
h5 Rc1 70. Kg4 Rh1 71. Rc7 f5+ 72. Kg5 Rg1 73. h6 Rxg2+ 74. Kxf5 Rh2 75.
Kg6 c2 76. f5 Rg2+ 77. Kf7 Rh2 78. f6 Kd3 79. Kg6 Rg2+ 80. Kf5 Rf2+ 81. Kg6
Rg2+ 82. Kf7 Rg1 83. h7 Rh1 84. Kg6 Rg1+ 85. Kf5 Rh1 86. Rxc2 Kxc2 87. f7
Rf1+ 88. Ke6 Re1+ 89. Kd6 Rd1+ 90. Kc7 Rf1 91. h8=Q Rxf7+ 92. Kd6 Rf2 93.
Kd5 Rg2 94. Qh3 Rg7 95. Kd4 Kb2 96. Qh2+ Kb3 97. Qb8+ Kc2 98. Qc8+ Kb2 99.
Kc4 Rh7 100. Qd8 Rh2 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A05"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d3 
({A possible option indicated by Anand is:} 3 Nc3 a6 4 d3 b5 {As it is, Anand hopes save a tempi by playing the same system though without a6.} )
3 ..b5 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 d6 
{Anand was looking for an unbalanced position because Zhong has the reputation of being a very tenacious player. }
6 O-O Nf6 7 Ng5 
{Morozevich has a patent on this move; the idea is to make the f2-f4 advance possible.} 
7 ..h6 8 Nh3 Nc6 9 f4 Be7 10 Be3 $6 
(10 Nd2 h5 11 Nf3 {followed by Nf2 and white has a small edge.} )
10 ..h5 11 Nf2 d5 12 e5 Nd7 $2 
({After the game, Anand thought he should have continued with: } 12 ..d4 13 exf6 ( 13 Bd2 Nd5 $10) 13 ..dxe3 14 fxe7 exf2+ 15 Rxf2 Qd7 ( 15 ..Qxe7 $6 16 f5 $1) ) 
13 c4 bxc4 14 dxc4 Nb6 15 Na3 Rb8 $2 
(15 ..Nb4 {and black is fine}) 
16 Nd3 d4 $2 
{Now black is strategically in a very difficult position because he is without any counterplay. }
17 Bd2 g6 18 b3 Kf8 $1 
(18 ..O-O $2 {This would be very bad, because the black king will be exposed after g4 and f5, while now with the black rook at h8, it is not advisable to open the kingside.} )
19 Nc2 Nd7 20 Qe2 
({Another idea for white is to keep his light squared bishop.} 20 Nce1 Na5 21 Nf3)
20 ..Qc7 21 h3 Nd8 22 Nce1 $6 
({The real turning point in the game, according to Anand. Instead, white could have kept control of the position after} 22 Rab1 $1 {and black has no counterplay in this position, as he cannot open any files. That means that for white, the ideal plan is to first close the queenside, then put his king there (e.g. b2) and then he can open the kingside with g4 and f5. An illustrative variation from Anand, was:} 22 ..Bxg2 23 Qxg2 Nc6 24 a3 a5 25 a4 {followed by Na3-Nb5, king to b2 and only then action on the kingside.} )
22 ..Bxg2 23 Nxg2 Ke8 
{Black wants to move his king to the queenside.} 
24 g4 $2 
{Not a very good idea to open these files (which black could not open himself!) with the king still on g1. In fact in this position the white king is worst placed than black's because of the distance to the safe queenside!} 
24 ..hxg4 25 hxg4 Qc6 26 Rf3 Qa6 $1 
{Anand was very pleased with this move because now he can win some tempi while reorganizing his pieces and his king. }
27 Qd1 
({The point of Anand's little queen shuffle to a6: white has to waste time and move his queen away from the kingside to protect a2, as} 27 Be1 $2 Rxb3 $1)(27 Nc1 Nc6 {and again the king runs to c7 while white has the rook and knight tied up defending the queenside.} )
27 ..Nc6 28 Qc2 Kd8 29 Re1 Kc7 
{Now black is totally fine, he has finally counterplay along the h-file. }
30 f5 $2 
{By this stage in the press room we were wondering when Zhong would eventually crack - it's here $1 Running out of constructive ideas and also time on his clock, this is more or less a major blunder. Now white's king can never escape from the g-file because of Rh1+. In this game white ruined a beautiful position by opening files that black could never have opened. }
30 ..gxf5 31 gxf5 Rbg8 32 fxe6 fxe6 33 Rf7 Kc8 $1 
{With the subtle threat of Rh5 and ganging up on the e-pawn. Zhong decides to go out with a flurry by sacrificing the exchange. }
34 Bf4 Bf8 35 Qf2 Nd8 36 Rxd7 Kxd7 37 b4 Ke8 $1 38 bxc5 Rh3 39 Qc2 Qc6 40 Re2 
(40 Re2 Qf3 41 Rd2 Nc6 {and white's position is basically hanging together by a thread - the position is hopeless.})
0-1 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B90"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8.
Be3 Nbd7 9. g4 Nb6 10. g5 Nh5 11. Qd2 Be7 12. O-O-O O-O 13. Rg1 Rc8 14. Qf2
Rxc3 15. Bxb6 Bxg5+ 16. Kb1 Bh4 17. Rg3 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Rc7 19. Nc5 Qe7 20.
Nxe6 fxe6 21. Bxc7 Qxc7 22. Bh3 Re8 23. Rd3 Nf6 24. Qa7 Kf7 25. Rc3 Qd7 26.
Qb6 Re7 27. Rd3 d5 28. exd5 Nxd5 29. Qc5 Qb5 30. Qd6 Nb4 31. Rd2 Qc4 32. b3
Qc3 33. f4 Qxg3 34. Qxb4 Qxh3 35. fxe5 Qe3 36. Qd6 h5 37. Rd1 Qf2 38. Qd3
Qg2 39. Rf1+ Kg8 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Rf8 Qg1+ 42. Kb2 Qg5 43. Qd3+ g6 44. Qd6
Kg7 45. Qb8 Qh6 46. Qd8 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E32"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7
8. f3 h6 9. Bh4 d5 10. e3 Nbd7 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd8 Nxc3 13. Bh4 Nd5 14.
Bf2 c5 15. e4 Nf4 16. Be3 Ng6 17. Ne2 f5 18. exf5 exf5 19. O-O-O Rae8 20.
Bf2 Ba6 21. Nc3 Bxf1 22. Rhxf1 Nf4 23. dxc5 Nxc5 24. Bxc5 bxc5 25. g3
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A13"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ c6 6. Qxc4 b5 7. Qb3 Bb7
8. a4 a6 9. Nc3 b4 10. d3 c5 11. Bg5 Be7 12. O-O Nbd7 13. Nb1 h6 14. Bxf6
Bxf6 15. Nbd2 Bd5 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. dxc4 Qc7 18. Rad1 Rd8 19. Qc2 O-O 20. b3
Ne5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4 Bb7 6. Bg2 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8.
O-O Be7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Bf4 Na6 11. Rfd1 Nc5 12. Qc2 Qc8 13. Rd4 d5 14. cxd5
Nxd5 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. Rad1 Ne4 17. Qd3 Qb7 18. Nd2 Nf6 19. e4 Bc6 20. Bd6
Bxd6 21. Rxd6 Rac8 22. e5 Bxg2 23. exf6 Bd5 24. Qd4 gxf6 25. Qxf6 Qc7 26.
Qg5+ Kh8 27. Qf6+ Kg8 28. Rxd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D17"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6
8. Ne5 a5 9. g3 e6 10. Bg2 Bb4 11. O-O O-O 12. e3 h6 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1
Nbd5 15. Na2 Be7 16. e4 Nb4 17. Nc3 Qb6 18. Bf4 Rac8 19. Rac1 Rfd8 20. Be3
Qc7 21. Nc4 Re8 22. f3 b6 23. d5 exd5 24. Nxb6 Rcd8 25. Ncxd5 Nfxd5 26.
Nxd5 Nxd5 27. exd5 Bf6 28. Qf2 Qe5 29. Bf4 Qxb2 30. Qxb2 Bxb2 31. Rxc6 Bf5
32. Bc7 Rc8 33. d6 Bd7 34. f4 Ba3 35. Rc4 Re6 36. Bb7 Rce8 37. Bc6 Bxc6 38.
Rxc6 Re1+ 39. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 40. Kf2 Rd1 41. Bxa5 Bxd6 42. Ke2 Rd5 43. Bd2 Bc5
44. a5 Bg1 45. a6 Rh5 46. h4 Rb5 47. Rc1 Bd4 48. Rc4 Bc5 49. Kd3 Kh7 50.
Bc3 Kg6 51. Ra4 Rb1 52. h5+ Kh7 53. a7 Bxa7 54. Rxa7 Kg8 55. Ke4 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D82"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bf4 Bg7 5. Rc1 Nh5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 c5 8.
e3 cxd4 9. Nxd5 Nc6 10. exd4 Bxd4 11. Qd2 g5 12. Be2 Nf6 13. Nf3 Bb6 14.
Nxf6+ exf6 15. Qxd8+ Bxd8 16. Bg3 Ba5+ 17. Kf1 f5 18. Bd6 Be6 19. Ne5 O-O-O
20. Nxc6 bxc6 21. Bc5 f4 22. Bxa7 Rhe8 23. Bc5 Rd2 24. b4 Bc7 25. g4 f5 26.
h3 h5 27. gxf5 Bxf5 28. Bxh5 Rh8 29. Bf3 Rxh3 30. Bxc6 Rxa2 31. Rxh3 Bxh3+
32. Kg1 Bd7 33. Bd5 g4 34. b5 f3 35. Bd4 Bf4 36. Rd1 Re2 37. b6 Be6 38. Bc6
Bxc4 39. Bc5 Rb2 40. Bd7+ Kb7 41. Bf5 Kc6 42. Bd4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C42"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O
8. c4 c6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bg4 12. Rb1 Nd7 13. h3 Bh5 14.
Rb5 Nb6 15. c4 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 dxc4 17. Bc2 Qd7 18. a4 g6 19. Be3 Rac8 20.
Rfb1 c3 21. a5 Nc4 22. Rxb7 Qe6 23. Ra1 Rc7 24. a6 Nxe3 25. fxe3 Kg7 26. e4
f6 27. Qxc3 Rff7 28. Qb3 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B17"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 c6 
{Creating a storm of his own making was Viorel Bologan, who only one move out of his opening preparation (!) gets washed overboard as Peter Leko moves into third place. 
The Caro Kann used to be a very solid opening choice, but lately this has given a number of very spectacular games }
2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Ng5 
({In Dortmund last year against Bologan, Leko played 5 Bc4 and got a big advantage, but in the end he lost the game:} 5 Bc4 Ngf6 6 Ng5 e6 7 Qe2 Nb6 8 Bd3 h6 9 N5f3 c5 10 Be3 Qc7 11 Ne5 a6 12 Ngf3 cxd4 13 Bxd4 Nbd5 14 O-O Bc5 15 Bb5+ Kf8 16 Bxc5+ Qxc5 17 Bc4 Ke7 18 Bxd5 Nxd5 19 c4 Nf6 20 Rfd1 Bd7 21 b4 Qc7 22 Nd4 Rhd8 23 Rd3 Kf8 24 Rad1 Be8 25 h3 Nd7 26 Ng4 Qxc4 27 Qd2 Rac8 28 Nb3 Qc7 29 Rc1 Qb8 30 Rxc8 Qxc8 31 b5 Qc4 32 bxa6 bxa6 33 Rd6 Qb5 34 Nd4 Qb1+ 35 Kh2 Rc8 36 Nb3 Nc5 37 Nxc5 Rxc5 38 Rxa6 Qb8+ 39 Kg1 Rb5 40 Ne3 Rb1+ 41 Nd1 Qe5 42 Ra3 Qg5 43 Re3 Ba4 44 Kh2 Qf4+ 45 g3 Rxd1 46 Qd8+ Rxd8 
{0-1 Leko,P-Bologan,V/It, Dortmund GER 2003.} )
5 ..Ngf6 6 Bd3 e6 7 N1f3 Bd6 8 Qe2 h6 9 Ne4 Nxe4 10 Qxe4 Qc7 
{Peter Leko: "This way of playing was very popular due to the efforts of Karpov when he was still participating in the super-GM tournements. Karpov is no longer playing these tournements and this line is not played a lot anymore, but with the line itself there is not much wrong." }
11 O-O 
({Some years ago it was normal to play: } 11 Qg4 Kf8 12 O-O {but now black can play immediately} 12 ..c5 {without playing b6, so that is why white players now delay Qg4 one move} )
11 ..b6 12 Qg4 Kf8 
({Bologan deviates from an earlier game with the same line:} 12 ..g5 13 Qh3 Rg8 14 Re1 {was the novelty of the year in Anand-Bologan, Dortmund 2003} 14 ..Bf8 15 Qf5 Bg7 16 h4 Kf8 17 Qh3 Rh8 18 hxg5 hxg5 19 Qg4 c5 20 Bxg5 cxd4 21 Rad1 Bb7 22 Rxe6 fxe6 23 Be7+ Kxe7 24 Qxg7+ Kd6 25 Nxd4 Qc5 26 Bf5 Qe5 27 Nf3+ Qd5 28 Qg3+ Ke7 29 Rxd5 Bxd5 30 Qg5+ Kd6 31 Qf4+ Ke7 32 Be4 Rh5 33 Nh4 Rg8 34 Ng6+ Kd8 35 Qf7 Re8 36 Bd3 {1-0, Anand-Bologan, Dortmund 2003} )
13 b3 
{This is supposed to be the most critical line }
13 ..Bb7 14 Bb2 Nf6 15 Qh4 
({Normally white would be much better because of black's king position, but here white's queen is also misplaced (imagine it would be on e2!) and black is ready to free himself with c5. And if} 15 Qh3 Nd5 $1)
15 ..c5 16 dxc5 Qxc5 
{This is the sort of move black can only play after serious analysis, but Bologan was still in his preparation here. }
17 Bxf6 
(17 Bd4 {white can play this intermediate move, but black has several interesting options:} 17 ..Qa5 ( 17 ..Qc6 18 Bxf6 ({A very messy line that Leko calculated during the game is:} 18 Rfe1 g5 19 Qh3 g4 20 Qh4) 18 ..gxf6 19 Qxf6 Rg8) ) 
17 ..gxf6 
({First Leko thought that black could play} 17 ..Bxf3 18 Bd4 Qh5 19 Qxh5 Bxh5 20 a4 {but then saw that this endgame clearly favours white} )
18 Qxf6 
({Leko felt a bit uncomfortable here because he had already an hour on the clock, while Bologan was still playing very fast. Less good was:} 18 Be4 Bxe4 19 Qxe4 f5 {and black is slightly better} )
18 ..Qh5 
(18 ..Rg8 19 Rfe1 Bxh2+ (19 ..Qh5 20 Be4 {as in the game would be very good for white}) 20 Kf1 $1 {and white is better}(20 Kxh2 $2 Qh5+ 21 Qh4 Rxg2+ 22 Kxg2 Qxh4 $19) )
19 Rfe1 
({This was Leko's emergency button, trying to steer things into a quiet, drawish endgame!} 19 Qxh8+ Ke7 20 Qg7 Bxf3 21 h3 Be5 22 Bg6 {at first Leko thought this was winning for white but then saw that after} 22 ..Bxg7 23 Bxh5 Bxh5 {he is technically lost} )
19 ..Rg8 $4 
({The first move Bologan makes on his own (so far he had used only 7 minutes) and immediately the losing move. He had seen the drawish endgame, but thought that with the game continuation could push for a win.} 
19 ..Bxf3 20 Qxf3 
(20 g3 Rg8 21 Rxe6 Bc5 {with the idea Rxg3 and black wins}) 
(20 Qxh8+ Ke7 21 Rxe6+ Kxe6 (21 ..fxe6 22 Qg7+ Kd8 23 Qf6+ {and the bishop on f3 goes}) 22 Re1+ Be5 $19)
20 ..Bxh2+ 21 Kf1 Qxf3 22 gxf3 Bd6 23 Re4 {and although it seems black is somewhat better, it will probably be a quick draw})
20 Be4 Rxg2+ 
(20 ..Qg4 {Bologan thought that Be4 would fail to this move when he decided not to play Bxf3 but Rg8, but after 21 Ne5 and that he discovered too late, so he went for the rook sacrifice, although he knew it was bad.})( 20 ..Be7 21 Qe5 {is also very good for white} )
21 Kxg2 Qg4+ 22 Kh1 
(22 Kf1 $2 Qh3+ 23 Ke2 Bxe4 {and black has compensation})
22 ..Bxe4 23 Rxe4 
(23 Re3 $2 Be5 $1 {and black keeps a draw} 24 Qxe5 Bxf3+ 25 Rxf3 Qxf3 {+=}) 
23 ..Qxe4 24 Re1 Qh7 
(24 ..Qd5 25 c4 Qc6 26 Rxe6 $1)(24 ..Qg4 25 Rg1 Qe4 26 Rg7 $1)(24 ..Qg6 25 Qxg6 fxg6 26 Rxe6 Bc5 27 Ne5 (27 Rxg6 $2 Re8 28 Rxh6 Re2 {gives black excellent drawing chances.}) 27 ..Rd8 28 Nd3 $18) 
25 Nd4 Ke8 26 Nxe6 Kd7 27 Qf3 Rb8 28 Nd4 Rc8 29 Qh3+ f5 30 Nxf5 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B85"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be3 e6 
{For Adams this came as a bit of a surprise} 
7 Be2 Be7 8 a4 Nc6 9 O-O O-O 10 f4 Qc7 11 Kh1 Re8 12 Bf3 Rb8 13 Qe1 
(13 g4 {This is certainly the most critical move, but Adams could not remember all the important lines and decided to deviate.} )
13 ..e5 
{This is the normal response to Qe1 }
14 Nde2 
(14 Nb3) 
14 ..exf4 
(14 ..Be6 15 f5 Bc4 16 b3 Bxe2 17 Bxe2 Nd4 {and black is probably fine.} )
15 Nxf4 Be6 16 Bh5 
{Quite an unusual move. More normal is 16 Be2, but the idea is to take on e6 and win an exchange and that trading the bad bishop (especially if white plays Nd5, Nxd5 exd5 some day) is not such a bad idea.}
16 ..Nxh5 
(16 ..Rf8 17 Be2 {is also a normal continuation.} )
17 Nxh5 Qa5 18 Nf4 Bc4 19 Nd3 
({Adams thought this was forced as the rook has no good squares:} 19 Rf3 Ne5)(19 Rf2 Bh4)(19 Nfd5 {This move was missed by Adams, but it is not better than the game continuation} 19 ..Bxd5 $10 (19 ..Qd8 20 Rf5) ) 
19 ..Qd8 
{with the annoying idea of Bh4 after e.g. 20.Qf2} 
20 b3 Bxd3 21 cxd3 Bf6 22 Rc1 $1 
({White has to play accurately to keep the position balanced} 
22 Rd1 $6 Bxc3 23 Qxc3 d5 
{and black is better} )
22 ..Nb4 
(22 ..Bxc3 $2 {Now this is not so good:} 23 Rxc3 d5 24 Qg3 d4 (24 ..Re6 $2 25 exd5 Qxd5 26 Rxc6) 25 Bh6) 
23 Qd2 d5 24 Bc5 
{The only move for white, and now the critical position of the game has arisen }
24 ..Bg5 $2 
({Here Kramnik chooses a very complicated line in which he missed an important finesse. Adams saw two lines that he thought were ok for black:} 24 ..Bxc3 25 Rxc3 Nc6 26 Qf4 Qd7 ({This is the other line that Adams saw:} 26 ..f6 27 Bd6 d4 {and black is ok, so this is what Kramnik should have played}) 27 Bd6 Rbd8 28 exd5 Qxd6 29 Qxf7+ Kh8 30 dxc6 Rf8 {and Adams thought black is ok, but in the analysis room he discovered that 31 c7 wins for white!}) 
25 Qf2 Nxd3 
(25 ..Bxc1 26 Bxb4 Bg5 27 Qxf7+ Kh8 28 Nxd5 {and white has excellent winning chances} )
26 Qxf7+ Kh8 27 Bd4 Bh6 
(27 ..Rg8 28 Rcd1 dxe4 29 Nxe4 $18 )
28 Rcd1 dxe4 29 Ba7 $1 
{Adams explained that this is what Kramnik had missed when he entered these complications. Any other move by white would give black the advantage. }
29 ..Re7 
({Maybe it was better for black to go for the endgame, although after} 29 ..Rf8 30 Qxf8+ Qxf8 31 Rxf8+ Rxf8 32 Nxe4 Ne5 33 g3 g6 34 Nd6 {his troubles are not over; Also not good for black is:})( 29 ..Ra8 30 Nxe4 Rxe4 31 Rxd3 {and black's back rank problems will be decisive} )
30 Qf5 Ra8 
(30 ..g6 31 Qh3) 
31 Nxe4 Rd7 32 Bb6 Qe8 
(32 ..Qe7 33 Nc5 Rd6 34 Nxd3 Rxb6 35 Rde1 {with the follow-up of Ne5 winning.} )
33 a5 $1 
({Less clear is:} 33 Rf3 g6 (33 ..Ne5 34 Rxd7 Nxd7 35 Nd6) 34 Qh3 Ne5 35 Rxd7 Nxd7 {and maybe black can hang on} )
33 ..Kg8 34 Qg4 Kh8 35 Rf8+ Qxf8 36 Qxd7 Ne5 37 Qxb7 g6 38 h3 Bg7 39 Nd6 h5 40 b4 Qg8 41 Bc5 Qb8 $2 
({This loses directly - however by now Kramnik is in dire straights. His only option of delaying the inevitable was} 41 ..Kh7 {and black can struggle on for a few more moves} )
42 Qe4 Kh7 43 Rd5 
{and if the knight moves, Rxh5+ is decisive. }
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Nd7
8. Be3 e5 9. Qd2 h6 10. O-O Qe7 11. Nh2 Nf8 12. f4 exf4 13. Rxf4 Ne6 14.
Rf2 Nd4 15. Raf1 Be6 16. b3 O-O-O 17. Ne2 b6 18. Nf4 Rd7 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20.
Nf3 Nb5 21. Qe1 Re7 22. a4 Nd6 23. Bf4 f5 24. Re2 fxe4 25. Bxd6 Qxd6 26.
Rxe4 Rhe8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C11"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 e6 
{After his previous shocking results with the French, Bareev sat with his head in his hands before replying, contemplating his options. The omens didn't look good for the Russian, however. After about a minute he picked up the e-pawn and before it got to e6 it had slipped out of his hand and noisily rolled across the board! }
2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 dxe4 5 Nxe4 Be7 6 Bxf6 Bxf6 7 Nf3 O-O 8 Qd2 Nd7 9 O-O-O Be7 10 Bd3 b6 11 h4 Bb7 12 Neg5 Nf6 13 c3 Bxf3 14 gxf3 c5 15 dxc5 Qc7 16 Kb1 bxc5 17 Rdg1 Rfd8 18 Qc2 h6 19 Bh7+ Kf8 20 Nxf7 
{Now the fireworks begin! }
20 ..Kxf7 21 Qg6+ Kf8 22 Qxg7+ Ke8 23 Re1 
(23 Bc2 $1 {offered better prospects according to Anand.} )
23 ..Rd6 24 Qh8+ Bf8 25 Bg6+ Ke7 26 Rhg1 Rb6 27 Bf5 Kf7 $2 
({After the game, Anand explained that this was the critical moment. There was a rather "messy" line for black with: }
27 ..Qf4 $1 28 Rg7+ Kd6 29 Rxe6+ Kd5 30 Rd7+ ({ or even} 30 c4+ ) 30 ..Nxd7 31 c4+ Qxc4 (31 ..Kxc4 $2 32 Re4+ Qxe4+ 33 fxe4) 32 Qg8 Rxb2+ 33 Kxb2 Bg7+ (33 ..Rb8+ $2 34 Rb6+ $1) (33 ..Qb4+ 34 Kc2 Qc4+ 35 Kd1 Qd4+ 36 Ke2 {and the king escapes to safety on the kingside.}) 34 Re5+ Kxe5 35 Qxc4 Kxf5+ {and after the storm has settled, black has a small material advantage, but it will be a draw due to the king never being able to find shelter from the many queen checks. However, Anand felt sure that Bareev [which he confirmed after the game] was expecting a repetition here with Bg6+ and Bf5, so balked at the idea of playing the messy line in preference for an easy life. He was in for a shock...} )
28 Bg6+ Ke7 29 Bc2 $1 Kf7 
(29 ..Qf4 30 Rg7+ $1 Bxg7 31 Qxg7+ Kd6 32 Qf7 $1 Re8 33 Rd1+ Kc6 34 Be4+ Kb5 35 c4+ Ka6 (35 ..Kxc4 36 Bd3+ Kd5 (36 ..Kb4 37 Qxa7 $1 {soon mates.}) 37 Bb5+) 36 Rd3 $1 $18)
30 Rg6 Qf4 31 Reg1 e5 32 Rg7+ Ke6 33 R1g6 Rab8 34 Qg8+ Kd6 35 Rxf6+ Qxf6 36 Rg6 Kc7 37 Rxf6 Rxf6 38 Qh7+ Kb6 39 Be4 Rd6 40 h5 a6 41 Qf7 Rd2 42 a3 Rd1+ 43 Kc2 Rd6 44 b4 cxb4 45 axb4 Rdd8 46 Qe6+ Rd6 47 Qc4 Rf6 48 Qd5 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Nbd2 Bb4 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bg2 Be4 8.
Qb3 Bxd2+ 9. Bxd2 O-O 10. O-O d6 11. Rfd1 Nbd7 12. Rac1 a5 13. Qe3 Re8 14.
Bc3 Qe7 15. Bh3 Bb7 16. Nh4 Qf8 17. f3 c5 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. Qd2 d5 20. Bxa5
d4 21. b4 h6 22. a3 g5 23. Ng2 Qg7 24. Ne1 g4 25. Bg2 e5 26. fxg4 Bxg2 27.
Nxg2 Nxg4 28. Rf1 e4 29. Qf4 e3 30. Qf5 Ndf6 31. Nf4 Re5 32. Qc2 Ne4 33.
Bc7 Ree8 34. Nd5 Ngf2 35. b5 h5 36. a4 h4 37. Kg2 Re6 38. Rg1 d3 39. exd3
h3+ 40. Kf1 Nd2+ 0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 e5 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. d3 Qe7
8. Nbd2 Nf6 9. Nc4 Nd7 10. a3 b6 11. Bd2 Ba6 12. Bc3 Bxc4 13. dxc4 O-O 14.
Qe2 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B51"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bf1 Bg4 8.
d3 e6 9. Nbd2 Nd7 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. d4 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be7 14. d5
Nce5 15. Nxe5 dxe5 16. Nf3 Rc8 17. b3 exd5 18. Qxd5 f6 19. Nh4 Nc5 20.
Qxd8+ Rxd8 21. Nf5 Bxf5 22. exf5 Nd3 23. Bxd3 Rxd3 24. Be3 Ba3 25. Rad1
Rxd1 26. Rxd1 Ke7 27. f4 exf4 28. Bxf4 Rc8 29. Rd2 Rc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C72"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 d6 5 O-O Bg4 6 h3 h5 7 Bxc6+ bxc6 8 d4 Qf6 
({This is an old line that has been played a couple of times in the last few years. The modern line is:} 8 ..Bxf3 9 Qxf3 exd4) 
9 Nbd2 Be6 
{quite a surprise for Shirov, he expected either g7-g5 or Ne7} 
10 Nb3 
({Preventing any ideas g7-g5.} 10 c3 g5 11 Qa4 Ne7 12 dxe5 dxe5 13 Nc4 Bxc4 14 Qxc4 Bh6 {and with g5-g4 coming, black is probably more than ok here} )
10 ..Qg6 11 Ng5 
({Threatens to exchange on e6 which would give white a clear edge} 11 Qd3 f6 {and black is fine} (11 ..Bxh3 12 Nh4 $1) )
11 ..Bd7 
(11 ..Bc4 12 Re1 Be7 13 Na5 $1 ( 13 Nf3 f6 {and black is ok}) 13 ..Bxg5 14 Nxc4 Bxc1 15 Rxc1 f6 {and white is better due to the development and state of black's queenside pawns.} )
12 dxe5 $1 
{Being better developed, white rightly seeks to open as many lines as possible. }
12 ..dxe5 13 f4 exf4 14 Bxf4 Be7 $2 
({The decisive mistake. Black's only option was:} 14 ..f6 15 Nf3 Bxh3 16 Nh4 Qg4 17 Qxg4 Bxg4 18 Ng6 Rh7 19 Bxc7 {with white having a small advantage.} )
15 Qd2 
{Now white has a big advantage} 
15 ..Rd8 
(15 ..f6 {is one move too late - and with the extra tempo compared to the previous note. White now wins by:} 16 Rad1 Rd8 17 Bxc7 Qxg5 18 Qd3 $1 Bxh3 19 Qxh3 $18 )
16 Nxf7 $1 
{As Shirov put it: "No need to calculate everything, with two pawns and a rook for the two light pieces white is, materially speaking, fine and still far ahead in development." }
16 ..Qxf7 17 Bxc7 Qe6 ( 17 ..Nf6 18 Bxd8 Bxd8 19 e5 $18 )
18 Bxd8 
({an interesting alternative calculated by Shirov was:} 18 Nd4 Qc4 19 b3 Qc5 20 Bxd8 (20 e5 Rc8 21 Bd6 Bxd6 22 exd6 Nf6 {and black is ok}) 20 ..Bxd8 21 e5 Bb6 22 c3 Ne7 {and white is much better but it is less clear than in the game} )
18 ..Bxd8 19 Kh1 $1 
({Less clear is:} 19 Nc5 Bb6 20 Qb4 Ba7 (20 ..Bxc5+ 21 Qxc5) 21 Kh1 Qd6 22 Nxa6 Qxb4 23 Nxb4 Nf6 24 e5 (24 Rae1 h4 { with Nh5 coming and a very unclear position}) 24 ..Ne4 {and suddenly black has some serious threats} )
19 ..Nf6 $6 
({Granted a difficult position for Sokolov, however he could have put up greater resistance with:} 19 ..Be7 20 Rad1 Nf6 21 e5 Ne4 22 Qe3 Qg6 {this may be much better than in the game, however white still holds an obvious advantage. })
20 Nc5 Qe7 21 Rad1 Bc8 
({the alternatives fair no better:} 21 ..Qxc5 22 Rxf6 $1 Bxf6 23 Qxd7+ Kf8 24 Qc8+ $18)(21 ..Bb6 22 e5 Nd5 23 Nxd7 Qxd7 24 c4 $18)
22 e5 Nd5 23 Ne4 Qxe5 
(23 ..Bc7 24 Nd6+ $1 Bxd6 25 exd6 Qxd6 26 c4 $18 )
24 Rde1 Be7 25 c4 Bb4 26 Nc3 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B92"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

{The highlight of the day was the crunch encounter between top-seeds Vladimir Kramnik and Vishy Anand - which despite the result was anything but a dull draw! The notes to this game are taken from their highly-animated post mortem after the game and Kramnik's rather enlightening comments in the press room afterwards. }
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be2 e5 7 Nb3 Be7 8 Bg5 
{A new, old idea that Kramnik has studied of late and feels is worth investigating further. }
8 ..Be6 
(8 ..Nbd7 {blocks the c8-bishop and is less precise} 9 a4 b6 10 Bc4 Bb7 11 Qe2 O-O 12 O-O Qc7 13 Rfd1 h6 14 Bxf6 Nxf6 15 Nd5 Nxd5 16 Bxd5 Bxd5 17 Rxd5 b5 18 c3 Qc4 19 Qc2 Rfb8 20 Nd2 Qc6 21 a5 Rc8 22 Qd3 Rab8 23 g3 Qb7 24 Nf1 Rc4 25 b3 Rc6 26 Ne3 g6 27 h4 h5 28 Qd2 Bf8 29 Nc2 Rc5 30 Nb4 Rbc8 31 Rd3 Kh7 32 Nd5 Bh6 33 Qd1 Rf8 34 Nf6+ Kg7 35 Qf3 b4 36 cxb4 Qxb4 37 Nd7 f5 38 Nxf8 Kxf8 39 Rxd6 
{1-0, Kramnik-Gelfand, Cap Dagde 2003} )
9 Bxf6 
{This was the last chance to take on f6; otherwise after ...Nbd7 black takes back on f6 with the knight and keeps control over d5. }
9 ..Bxf6 
{Now black gets quite a good Svesnikov structure, so white has to play with a concrete plan, which is to put pressure on pawn d6. }
10 Qd3 Nc6 11 O-O-O Be7 
({The obvious 11 ..Nd4 has a major drawback:} 11 ..Nd4 12 Nxd4 exd4 13 Nd5 Bxd5 14 exd5 O-O 15 Qf3 Re8 16 Bd3 {and white has the advantage because of the better bishop.} )
12 Kb1 O-O 13 Nd5 
{White threatens to take on e7 and win pawn d6. }
13 ..Bg5 14 h4 $1 
({An interesting pawn sacrifice. The slow alternative is:} 14 g3 a5 $1 15 a4 Nb4 16 Nxb4 axb4 {and black gets counterplay})
14 ..Bxh4 
({Before Anand played 13...,Bg5, he had already decided he was taking pawn despite the risks involved in opening up an attack on his king. Therefore, there was no time for retreat:} 14 ..Bh6 15 g4 {and white gets a dangerous attack} )
15 g3 Bf6 
({An alternative is:} 15 ..Be7 {but this does not prevent white's f4} 16 f4 h6 {and white's attack is rolling.} )
16 Qf3 Bg5 $1 
({A timely resource that takes advantage of the fact that white cannot play f4. Without this, Kramnik demonstrated, black seriously risked being mated:} 16 ..Rc8 $2 17 Rxh7 $1 Kxh7 18 Qh5+ Kg8 19 Rh1 Bh4 20 Rxh4 f5 21 Qh7+ Kf7 22 Bh5#)
({Not good is:} 16 ..Bxd5 $2 17 exd5 Nd4 18 Nxd4 exd4 19 Rxh7 Kxh7 20 Qh5+ Kg8 21 Rh1 Bh4 22 Rxh4 f5 23 Qh7+ Kf7 24 Bh5+ Kf6 25 Qg6+ Ke5 26 Qe6#) 
({The only other hope was to head for the bad ending with:} 16 ..h6 17 Nxf6+ Qxf6 18 Qxf6 gxf6 19 Rxd6) 
17 Qh5 h6 18 f4 Bf6 19 Nd2 
({After the post mortem with Anand, Kramnik felt that after 19.Nd2 it is already a forced draw! The alternatives bare him out as the black position more than holds its own: }
19 c3 b5 (19 ..Bxd5 $6 20 exd5 Ne7 21 Nd2 exf4 22 gxf4 Ng6 23 Rdg1 Qe7 $1 24 Bd3 Qe3 25 Bxg6 Qxd2 26 Bc2 $1 {with a follow-up of Qf5, winning.}) 20 Nxf6+ Qxf6 21 Rxd6 Bg4 $1 22 Rxf6 Bxh5 23 Rxc6 Bxe2 {with the likely result being a draw.}) 
(19 Nxf6+ Qxf6 20 f5 Bxb3 21 axb3 Rfd8 {and black brings his king to safety on e7} )
19 ..Nd4 20 Bc4 
({with the idea to provoke b7-b5, so that the black queen cannot start a dangerous attack from square b6. Anand had underestimated the power of this move. The alternative, according to Kramnik, didn't offer much hope for him of winning:} 20 Bd3 Bxd5 21 exd5 Re8 22 Ne4 exf4 23 gxf4 Rxe4 $1 24 Bxe4 Qb6 25 c3 Nb5 {and black has a very dangerous attack brewing.} )
20 ..Rc8 
(20 ..b5 21 Bd3 {threatens to kick the knight with c2-c3.} 21 ..b4 22 f5 Bxd5 23 exd5 {and black is lost because he has no counterplay at the queenside, because the pawn at b4 blocks his attack} )
21 c3 Nb5 
{Now black has idea like exf4 and a sacrifice on c3, so white has to play: }
22 f5 Bxd5 
(22 ..Bd7 {would be suicide} )
23 Bxd5 
{If white now could consolidate, he would win; but he misses by one tempo! }
23 ..Rxc3 $3 
{An incredible do-or-die resource from Anand. Kramnik had expected it, but he also thought that a4 would win for him.}
24 Qg6 
({With the not-too-subtle idea of Rxh6 and mate on the next move. However, far from being flashy, it is the only move!}  24 bxc3 Nxc3+ 25 Kc2 Nxd5 26 exd5 Qb6 27 Nb3 Rc8+ 28 Kb1 Rc3 29 Qe2 e4 {and black might even win despite being a rook down!})
(24 a4 Na3+ 25 Ka2 Rd3 26 bxa3 {White has to stop the knight re-entering the game with lethal effect on b4, e3 or d4 after Nc2.} 26 ..Qc7 27 Nb1 Qc2+ 28 Ka1 Rxg3 29 Rc1 Qxa4 {with a very unclear and messy position arising.} )
24 ..Qb6 $1 
(24 ..Bg5 $2 {safe but bad} 25 f6 Qxf6 26 Qxf6 Bxf6 27 bxc3 Nxc3+ 28 Kc2 Nxd1 29 Rxd1 {and although the material balance is not so bad for black, white will surely win because of the powerful bishop at d5 and the fact that black does not have connected passed pawns.}) 
(24 ..Qc7 $2 25 Rxh6 Rc8 26 Bxf7+ Kf8 27 Rh8+ Ke7 28 Rxc8 Qxc8 29 Be6 Qe8 30 Qxe8+ Kxe8 31 bxc3 Nxc3+ 32 Kc2 Nxd1 33 Kxd1 $18 )
25 Rxh6 
(25 Bb3 $4 Rxb3)
(25 Nb3 Qf2 26 Rd2 Qf3 {with a threatened Nc7 looming.})
({According to Kramnik, the most critical move is:} 25 a4 Na3+ 26 Ka2 Rc2 $1 27 Nb3 Qf2 $1 (27 ..Nc4 $2 28 Rxh6 $1 Rxb2+ 29 Ka1 {and black soon gets mated.}) 28 Rxh6 Rxb2+ 29 Kxa3 Ra2+ 30 Kb4 {usually it is not a good sign if your king has to cross the whole board:} 30 ..Qb6+ 31 Kc4 (31 Kc3 Qe3+ {and the rook at h6 is lost}) 31 ..Qc7+ (31 ..Rc8+ $2 32 Kd3) 32 Kb4 a5+ 33 Kb5 Qd7+ 34 Kb6 Bd8+ 35 Ka7 b5+ 36 Ka6 Qc8+ 37 Bb7 (37 Kxb5 Qb8+ 38 Kc4 Qc7+ 39 Kb5 Qb6+ 40 Kc4 Qa6+ 41 Kc3 Qc8+ 42 Bc4 Rc2+ 43 Kxc2 Qxc4+ 44 Kb2 fxg6) 37 ..fxg6 38 Bxc8 gxh6 $19 
1/2-1/2 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E33"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bd2 O-O 7. a3 Bxc3 8.
Bxc3 Re8 9. Rd1 Qe7 10. b4 e5 11. d5 Nb8 12. e4 Bg4 13. Be2 Nbd7 14. Nh4
Bxe2 15. Nf5 Qf8 16. Kxe2 Nh5 17. Bd2 Nf4+ 18. Kf1 g6 19. Ne3 c5 20. g3 Nh5
21. Kg2 Qe7 22. Rb1 Rf8 23. f3 Kh8 24. Qd3 Ng7 25. Nd1 f5 26. Nf2 Rf7 27.
exf5 gxf5 28. Rhe1 Rg8 29. f4 Nh5 30. Qf3 Qh4 31. fxe5 Rfg7 32. Rb3 Nxe5
33. Rxe5 dxe5 34. Qxf5 Qxc4 35. Rf3 Qxd5 36. Ne4 Rg4 37. Qxh5 Rxe4 38. Bh6
Re2+ 39. Kh3 Qe6+ 40. Rf5 Rf2 0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D48"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8.
Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O a6 10. e4 c5 11. d5 Qc7 12. dxe6 fxe6 13. Bc2 Bd6 14. Ng5
Nf8 15. f4 h6 16. e5 O-O-O 17. exd6 Rxd6 18. Qe2 hxg5 19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. Bxe4
c4 21. Bc2 g4 22. Be3 Rd5 23. g3 Rdh5 24. Rf2 N8d7 25. a4 Qc6 26. axb5 axb5
27. b3 c3 28. Bd4 Rh3 29. Qd3 Nd5 30. Bxg7 Nc5 31. Qd4 R8h5 32. f5 Nb4 33.
Be5 Qd5 34. Ra8+ Qxa8 35. Qxc5+ Nc6 36. Be4 Qa1+ 37. Rf1 Qa7 38. Qxa7 Nxa7
39. Bxc3 exf5 40. Bxf5+ Kb7 41. Bxg4 Rxh2 42. Rf7+ Kb8 43. Bxh5 Rxh5 44.
Kg2 Nc6 45. g4 Rd5 46. Bf6 Kc8 47. Kg3 Rd7 48. Rf8+ Kc7 49. g5 Rd1 50. Kf2
Rd2+ 51. Kf3 Rd3+ 52. Kf4 Rd1 53. g6 Nd4 54. Rf7+ Kd6 55. Bxd4 Rxd4+ 56.
Kf5 Rd5+ 57. Kg4 Ke6 58. Rf3 Rd1 59. g7 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.20"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E34"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Qf5 7. Qxf5
exf5 8. a3 Be7 9. e3 Nbd7 10. Bd3 Nb6 11. Bd2 a5 12. Ke2 O-O 13. Rhc1 c6
14. b3 Re8 15. Ne5 Be6 16. Na4 Nxa4 17. bxa4 Nd5 18. Rcb1 Ra7 19. g3 c5 20.
Bb5 Rc8 21. Rc1 cxd4 22. Rxc8+ Bxc8 23. exd4 Be6 24. Kd3 Kf8 25. Nd7+ Kg8
26. Rc1 Ra8 27. Nc5 Kf8 28. Re1 Nc7 29. Nxb7 Nxb5 30. axb5 Rb8 31. Nxa5
Rxb5 32. a4 Rb2 33. Nc6 Bd6 34. a5 Bd5 35. Rc1 Rb3+ 36. Kc2 Ba3 37. Ra1
Rb2+ 38. Kc3 Rb3+ 39. Kc2 Rb2+ 40. Kd1 Bd6 41. Ne5 Bxe5 42. dxe5 Ra2 43.
Rb1 Ke7 44. Rb6 Bf3+ 45. Kc1 Kd7 46. Rd6+ Kc8 47. Kb1 Ra4 48. Bc3 Rc4 49.
Kb2 g6 50. Kb3 Rc6 51. Kb4 Kc7 52. Rd2 f4 53. gxf4 Bg4 54. Bd4 Kb7 55. Bc5
Ka6 56. Rd8 Be6 57. Rb8 h5 58. h4 Bd5 59. Ra8+ Kb7 60. Rd8 Be6 61. Kb5 Bh3
62. Rd1 Bg4 63. Rd2 Bh3 64. f3 Bf1+ 65. Kb4 Bh3 66. Rd1 Rc7 67. Kb5 Bd7+
68. Rxd7 Rxd7 69. a6+ Ka8 70. Bd6 Ka7 71. Kc6 Rd8 72. Kc7 Rb8 73. Bc5+ Ka8
74. Kd7 Rb3 75. Be7 Rxf3 76. Bg5 Rc3 77. Ke8 Rc7 78. Be7 Ka7 79. Kxf7 Kxa6
80. e6 Kb7 81. Kf6 Rc6 82. Bf8 Kc7 83. Kf7 Rc4 84. Bh6 Re4 85. Bg5 Kd6 86.
e7 Kd7 87. Kxg6 Ke8 88. Kxh5 Kf7 89. Kg4 Ra4 90. h5 Ra8 91. h6 Kg6 92. f5+
Kf7 93. Kh5 Rh8 94. Be3 Rb8 95. Bd4 Rb1 96. e8=Q+ 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B85"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. Be2 Be7 8.
a4 Nc6 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 Qc7 11. Kh1 Re8 12. Bf3 Bf8 13. Nde2 b6 14. Qe1
Bb7 15. Qf2 Nd7 16. Rad1 Rab8 17. Ng3 g6 18. Bg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4 Bb7 6. Bg2 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8.
O-O O-O 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Bf4 a6 11. Rfd1 d6 12. Rac1 Nh5 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Qc2
Nf6 15. Bf4 Rd8 16. Qd2 Ne4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18. Bg5 Nc6 19. Bxe7 Nxe7 20. Qf4
Bxf3 21. Qxf3 Rac8 22. Qb7 a5 23. e3 Qxb7 24. Bxb7 Rc7 25. Bf3 Kf8 26. Rc3
Nc8 27. Be2 Ke7 28. Kf1 Na7 29. Rb3 Rb8 30. Rbd3 Rd8 31. Rb3 Rb8 32. Rbd3
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C42"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O
8. c4 c6 9. Qc2 Na6 10. a3 f5 11. Nc3 Nc7 12. b4 Nxc3 13. Qxc3 dxc4 14. Bg5
Qd7 15. Bxc4+ Nd5 16. Qb3 h6 17. Bxd5+ cxd5 18. Bd2 Qf7 19. b5 Re8 20. Bb4
Bc7 21. Rac1 Be6 22. a4 Rac8 23. Qa3 Qd7 24. Rfe1 Bf7 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E12"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb7 5 Bg5 Bb4 6 Qb3 c5 7 a3 Bxc3+ 8 Qxc3 h6 9 Bh4 g5 10 Bg3 Ne4 11 Qd3 Nxg3 12 hxg3 Qf6 13 dxc5 
(13 Rd1 g4 ( 13 ..Bxf3 14 gxf3 Qxd4 15 Qxd4 cxd4 16 Rxd4) 14 Nh2 h5) 
13 ..bxc5 14 O-O-O g4 15 Nh2 h5 16 Qd6 $2 
({This was not specific preparation for Van Wely in this game as Bologan usually plays the Queens Gambit. However, Van Wely did look at this variation a number of weeks ago, but alas today he couldn't remember the exact lines and here he goes wildly astray. } 16 f4 {This was what Van Wely had looked at weeks ago at home. Still, it is probably not [and certainly doesn't look] as good as he thought back then.} 16 ..Rg8 17 e3 ( 17 e4 Qg6 {and white has terrible weak squares.}) 17 ..a5 ( 17 ..Bc8 {Black would really like to put a knight on a5 and his rook on b8. This is an interesting way to defend d7.} 18 Qd2 Nc6 19 Bd3 Rb8 20 Rhe1 Qd8 21 Nf1 Na5 $41 $19) 18 Qc2 Nc6 19 Bd3 {which is certainly much better than the game.} )
16 ..Qg5+ 17 Rd2 Rg8 $1 
{With this, black avoids any tricks along the h-file involving Nxg4 }
18 f4 Qe7 19 Qe5 
({Any endgames with the exchange of queens are very favourable for black because white's knight is offside and the pawn on g2 is very weak.} 19 Qxe7+ Kxe7 20 e3 d6 21 Bd3 Nd7 {and black is clearly much better.} )
19 ..f5 20 Rd6 $4 
({A horrible blunder. Nobody in the press center had even the slightest idea what Van Wely was thinking here - and probably neither did he!} 20 e3 Nc6 21 Qc3 Qg7 22 Qxg7 Rxg7 23 Bd3 Ne7 24 Re1 Kf7 25 Nf1 {and white must fight for equality. Black has a superior bishop hitting g2 and if white plays e3-e4 he has to be careful because a black knight on f5 would be terrible.} )
20 ..Nc6 21 Qxc5 Na5 22 Qb4 Nxc4 23 Qxb7 Qxd6 24 Qxa8+ Ke7 25 Qb7 Rb8 
0-1 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C88"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8.
a4 b4 9. d3 d6 10. a5 Be6 11. Nbd2 Qc8 12. Bc4 h6 13. h3 Re8 14. b3 Bf8 15.
Bb2 Qd7 16. Qe2 Bxc4 17. Nxc4 g6 18. Nh2 Bg7 19. Ng4 Nh7 20. Nge3 f5 21.
Nd5 f4 22. d4 Ng5 23. Qg4 Qf7 24. dxe5 dxe5 25. Rad1 Ne6 26. Rd3 Rab8 27.
Qd1 Red8 28. f3 Qf8 29. Kh1 Kh7 30. Rd2 Qc5 $2 
({The decisive blunder, according to Svidler. Both players were basically making passing moves and Svidler didn't realise that Akopian had 31 Qa1 available. Instead, something like: } 30 ..Ncd4 31 Qa1 Rb5 {would have kept the balance.} )
31 Qa1 $1 Ncd4 32 Bxd4 exd4 
(32 ..Nxd4 {may have been better.} )
33 Qd1 Rf8 34 Qe2 Rbe8 35 Qf1 Rf7 36 Ra1 
{With future ideas like Ra4 ganging up on the b-pawn.} 
36 ..d3 $6 
(36 ..c6 37 Ndb6 {with the idea of Nb2 (attacking a6)-d3 and suddenly black has pawn weaknesses to defend against.} )
37 Rxd3 c6 38 Nd6 $1 cxd5 
({Very strong - the knight infiltration decides the game.} 38 ..Bxa1 39 Qxa1 cxd5 40 Rxd5 Qxc2 41 Nxe8 {and the Nf6+ will prove decisive.} )
39 Rxd5 Qc3 40 Rad1 Ree7 41 Nxf7 Rxf7 42 Qxa6 Nd4 43 Qd3 Nxc2 44 Rc1 Rc7 45 Qxc3 Rxc3 46 a6 Ne3 47 Rxc3 bxc3 48 Rc5 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C19"]
[Annotator "Henderson"]

1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Ne7 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 c5 7 a4 
{A system pioneered in the early 1940s by Vassily Smyslov.}
7 ..Qc7 8 Nf3 h6 9 Bd3 b6 10 a5 
({Typically, Topalov aims to steer the game into wilder grounds with this adventurous pawn sacrifice. The alternative allows black to safely exchange his worst piece, the white-squared bishop with} 10 O-O Ba6 11 Bxa6 Nxa6 12 Qd3 Nb8) 
10 ..bxa5 11 O-O c4 $146 
({On the face of it, this novelty of keeping the white-squared bishop on the board now seems justified as from d7 it supports e6 and keeps the extra pawn, which soon becomes problematic for Topalov.} 11 ..Ba6 12 Ba3 Bxd3 13 cxd3 Nd7 14 dxc5 Nxc5 15 c4 dxc4 16 Rc1 Nb7 17 Rxc4 Qd7 18 Qc2
{1-0 McDonald,N-Shaked,T/London 1997/French Nc3 (47)} )
12 Be2 O-O 13 Re1 Nbc6 14 Bf1 f6 15 Ba3 fxe5 16 Bxe7 Qxe7 17 Nxe5 Nxe5 18 Rxe5 Qc7 19 g3 Bd7 20 Bh3 Rf6 21 Qc1 a4 $1 
{Basically the white attack has to crash through - if not, the pawn is a winner. }
22 Qa3 Rb8 23 f4 Rb6 24 Kf2 Qb8 $1 25 Rae1 Qf8 $1 
{A sure sign that white's game plan has gone wrong - the exchange of queens gives black a big advantage.} 
26 Qxf8+ 
({There's no alternative other than the exchange of queens:} 26 Qc1 g5 $1) 
26 ..Kxf8 
{The rest of the game is just a matter of technique.} 
27 Ke3 g5 28 Bg4 gxf4+ 29 gxf4 Rb2 30 f5 exf5 31 Bf3 Rxc2 32 Kf4 Rxc3 33 Bh5 Rh3 34 Rxd5 Rh4+ 35 Kg3 Rxh5 36 Rxd7 f4+ 37 Kg4 Rg5+ 38 Kf3 Rf7 39 Rd8+ Kg7 40 Rc8 Rb5 41 Rxc4 Rb3+ 42 Kf2 a3 43 Ra4 f3 44 Ra1 Rb2+ 45 Kg1 Rg2+ 46 Kh1 a2 47 Rg1 Kf8 48 Rxg2 f2 49 Rg1 f1Q 
0-1 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.22"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E21"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qb3 c5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 Bb7
8. dxc5 bxc5 9. Bg5 a5 10. e3 d6 11. Nd2 Nbd7 12. f3 O-O 13. Bd3 Qb6 14.
O-O Rab8 15. Kh1 Ba6 16. Rab1 d5 17. Qc2 h6 18. Bh4 Rfc8 19. Bg3 Ra8 20.
Rfe1 Bb7 21. cxd5 exd5 22. Bf5 Re8 23. Rbd1 Nf8 24. e4 g6 25. Bh3 Nh5 26.
Bf2 Nf4 27. Bxc5 Qc7 28. exd5 Nxh3 29. Ne4 Nd7 30. gxh3 Rxe4 31. Rxe4 Qxc5
32. Qxc5 Nxc5 33. Re7 Rb8 34. Rc7 Na6 35. Rc3 Rd8 36. d6 Nc5 37. Kg2 Ne6
38. Kg3 Kg7 39. b4 axb4 40. axb4 Kf6 41. b5 Rb8 42. h4 h5 43. Rd2 Bc8 44.
Rc7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D17"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Nb6
8. Ne5 a5 9. g3 e6 10. Bg2 Bb4 11. O-O O-O 12. e3 h6 13. Qe2 Bh7 14. Rd1
Nfd7 15. Nxd7 Nxd7 16. e4 Qe7 17. Be3 Rfd8 18. d5 exd5 19. exd5 Rac8 20.
Rac1 Ne5 21. h3 Re8 22. Ne4 cxd5 23. Rxc8 Rxc8 24. Rxd5 Rd8 25. Bc5 Qc7 26.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 27. Bxb4 axb4 28. Nc5 Qd4 29. Nb3 Qd6 30. Bxb7 Bd3 31. Qe3 Bc4
32. Nd4 Qc7 33. Bg2 Ba6 34. Nc6 Nxc6 35. Qe8+ Kh7 36. Qxc6 Qa5 37. Qd5 Qxd5
38. Bxd5 Kg6 39. a5 f5 40. Bg2 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B23"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Bc4 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Nxd4 cxd4 7. Qf3 Nh6
8. Ne2 O-O 9. c3 dxc3 10. bxc3 d6 11. d4 Ng4 12. O-O Qc7 13. Bb3 Nf6 14.
Qd3 b6 15. f4 a5 16. Re1 a4 17. Bd1 Ba6 18. Qe3 Rfc8 19. Bd2 d5 20. Ng3
dxe4 21. Nxe4 Nd5 22. Qf2 Bd3 23. Ng5 h6 24. Nf3 Nxc3 25. Ne5 Nxd1 26.
Raxd1 Bc2 27. Rc1 Qd6 28. Qe3 Bf5 29. a3 Qd5 30. Bb4 Bf6 31. h3 h5 32. Kh2
Rxc1 33. Rxc1 Rc8 34. Rxc8+ Bxc8 35. Nf3 Qd7 36. Ne5 Qd5 37. Nf3 Be6 38.
Ne5 Qa2 39. Qd2 Qxd2 40. Bxd2 h4 41. Bb4 Kg7 42. Kg1 Bd5 43. Kf2 g5 44.
fxg5 Bxg5 45. Nd7 b5 46. Nb6 Bb7 47. Nd7 Bc6 48. Nb8 Bd5 49. Na6 e6 50. g3
hxg3+ 51. Kxg3 Be3 52. Bc5 Kg6 53. Nc7 Bc6 54. h4 Kh5 55. Na6 f5 56. Kh3 f4
0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B92"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Kh1 Nc6 10. f4 b5 11. Bf3 Na5 12. Nxa5 Qxa5 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14.
exd5 exf4 15. Bxf4 Bf5 16. Bg4 Bxg4 17. Qxg4 Qd8 18. c3 Bf6 19. a4 Qc7 20.
Bg3 Be5 21. Bxe5 dxe5 22. Qe2 Rab8 23. axb5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B67"]
[Annotator "Henderson - Anand"]

1 e4 c5 
{I prepared for Timman's other openings like the French. I figured that if he would play the Sicilian he would go for the Taimanov and I play that myself with black, so that would be ok to have on the board as well.} 
2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6 
{This is a surprise, he plays the Rauzer.} 
6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 8 O-O-O Bd7 
(8 ..Be7 {was something Timman played some years ago.} )
9 f3 
{I tried to remember the f4 lines, but in the end decided to go for an English Attack setup. }
9 ..Be7 10 Be3 
{Improvising at the board, I figured I lose a tempo here, but black has lost one by putting his bishop on d7, which really belongs on b7 or c6, but is now standing in the way of his knight on f6.} 10 ..Rc8 
({Probably it was best for black to transpose to a well-known variation in the English Attack with:} 10 ..Nxd4 11 Qxd4 e5 12 Qd2 Be6 {but Timman is not used to these kind of positions, so he decided to go for another plan.})(10 ..h5 {this is a normal move if white has played h4 already, but now it looks weird, any other move other than h4 should give white some advantage, e.g. Kb1} )
11 g4 Na5 12 Kb1 b5 13 Bd3 Nc4 14 Bxc4 Rxc4 15 Nce2 
{With the idea to open the h-file with Ng3 if black wants to move his knight to h5 after white's g5.} 15 ..O-O 16 g5 Ne8 
(16 ..Nh5 17 Ng3 Nxg3 18 hxg3 {and black will die on the h-file.} )
17 h4 Qc8 18 b3 Rc7 19 Nf4 
({Normally white would go Ng3 and win in the attack, but I wasn't sure about:} 19 Ng3 f6 20 f4 d5 {and although this is very nice for white, I felt I could already get more.} )
19 ..Rc3 20 Rdg1 b4 21 h5 
(21 Nde2 Rxe3 22 Qxe3 Nc7 {and although white is probably winning, black does have some compensation.}) 
21 ..Nc7 22 g6 $1 
{White is completely winning here with a very serious attack while the question has to be asked: where exactly is black's counterplay? } 
22 ..Bf6 
({Other moves also lose for black:} 22 ..fxg6 23 Nxg6 $1 {and the attack crashes through.}( {also very good is:} 23 hxg6 h6 24 Nh5) ) 
23 h6 fxg6 24 hxg7 
(24 Qh2 Kf7 $1 25 hxg7 Rg8 {and black is still alive} )
24 ..Rf7 
{I believe just about every move wins here. I figured winning a queen would be alright.} 
25 Rxh7 $1 
({A nice move, although other moves would also have won:} 25 Nxg6 Bxg7 ( 25 ..Rxg7 26 Nf4 Ne8 27 Nh5) 26 Qh2 $18)(25 Rxg6) 
25 ..Kxh7 
(25 ..Bxg7 26 Qh2 Rxe3 27 Nxg6) 
26 Qh2+ Kxg7 27 Nxg6 
(27 Rxg6+ Kf8 28 Rxf6 Rxf6 29 Qh8+ Ke7 30 Qg7+ Ke8 31 Qxf6) 
27 ..Rxe3 28 Ne7+ Kf8 29 Nxc8 
({Both captures from black lose material, so Jan resigned:} 29 Nxc8 Bxd4 ( 29 ..Bxc8 30 Qh6+ Bg7 31 Qxe3) 30 Qxd6+)
1-0  

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qb3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Na5 7. Qc3 c5 8.
dxc5 bxc5 9. e4 Bb7 10. e5 Ne4 11. Nxe4 Bxe4 12. Bg2 Be7 13. O-O Nc6 14.
Re1 Bg6 15. Bf4 O-O 16. Rad1 Rb8 17. Rd2 Qc7 18. Bg5 Bxg5 19. Nxg5 Rfd8 20.
Rd6 Nd4 21. Nf3 Nf5 22. Ra6 Qb7 23. Qa5 Qxb2 24. Qxc5 Bh5 25. Qa3 Qc2 26.
Rxa7 Qxc4 27. Ra4 Qc2 28. g4 Rb2 29. Rf1 Bxg4 30. Rxg4 Rxa2 31. Qb4 g6 32.
Nd4 Qd3 33. Nxf5 Qxf5 34. Re4 Rc8 35. Re3 Rc1 36. Qh4 Raa1 37. Qf6 Qb1 38.
Qd8+ Kg7 39. Qf6+ Kg8 40. Qd8+ Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C99"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. Nb3
a5 15. Be3 a4 16. Nbd2 Bd7 17. Rc1 Qb7 18. Qe2 Rfe8 19. Bd3 Rab8 20. dxe5
Nxe5 21. Nxe5 dxe5 22. Nf3 Bb4 23. Bd2 Bd6 24. b4 axb3 25. axb3 h6 26. Nh4
Be6 27. b4 Red8 28. Bc3 Qe7 29. Qb2 Nh5 30. Nf5 Bxf5 31. exf5 Nf4 32. Bf1
Nd5 33. Bxe5 Bxe5 34. Rxe5 Qxb4 35. Qxb4 Nxb4 36. Rxb5 Nd5 37. Rbc5 Ne7 38.
g4 Rbc8 39. Bg2 Kf8 40. Kh2 Rxc5 41. Rxc5 Rd6 42. Rb5 g6 43. fxg6 fxg6 44.
h4 Rd4 45. Kg3 h5 46. f3 hxg4 47. fxg4 Kf7 48. Bf3 Kf6 49. Rb6+ Kf7 50. Ra6
Ng8 51. Be2 Nf6 52. Rc6 Kg7 53. Rc7+ Kf8 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.23"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B33"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6
8. Na3 b5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 f5 11. Bd3 Be6 12. c3 Bg7 13. Qh5 O-O 14.
O-O f4 15. Rad1 Kh8 16. g3 Rg8 17. Kh1 Bf8 18. Be2 Rg5 19. Qf3 f5 20. exf5
Bxf5 21. Nxf4 exf4 22. Qxc6 Rc8 23. Qf3 fxg3 24. fxg3 d5 25. Qg2 Bxa3 26.
bxa3 Qe7 27. Bf3 Be4 28. Qd2 Qg7 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. Qe3 Re5 31. Kg1 Rf8 32.
Rxf8+ Qxf8 33. Qd4 Qe7 34. Kf2 Qf6+ 35. Ke2 Qf3+ 36. Kd2 e3+ 37. Kc1 Qf6
38. Qd8+ Qxd8 39. Rxd8+ Kg7 40. Kd1 Rf5 41. Ra8 Rf2 42. h4 Rd2+ 43. Ke1
Rxa2 44. Rxa6 Rc2 45. Rc6 h5 46. Rc5 Kg6 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Bologan,V"]
[Black "Svidler,P"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2679"]
[BlackElo "2747"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D76"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. Nc3 Nc6
8. e3 O-O 9. O-O Re8 10. d5 Na5 11. Nd4 Bd7 12. e4 c5 13. Nf3 Nbc4 14. Qc2
b5 15. b3 b4 16. bxc4 Bxc3 17. Bd2 Bg7 18. Rac1 Qb6 19. Rfe1 Rad8 20. h3 e6
21. g4 exd5 22. cxd5 c4 23. Be3 Qc7 24. e5 Bxe5 25. Nxe5 Qxe5 26. Bc5 Qxe1+
27. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 28. Kh2 Rde8 29. Bxb4 R1e2 30. Qc3 Rxf2 31. Kg3 Rxa2 32. Qf6
Nb7 33. Bf3 Rc2 34. Qa6 Nd8 35. Qxa7 Bb5 36. Qd4 f5 37. gxf5 Nf7 38. fxg6
hxg6 39. Qb6 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Topalov,V"]
[Black "Anand,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2735"]
[BlackElo "2766"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B80"]
[Annotator "Henderson - Topalov"]

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 f3 e6 7 Be3 b5 8 g4 Nfd7 9 Qd2 Nb6 10 a4 bxa4 11 Nxa4 Nxa4 12 Rxa4 Be7 13 g5 $164 
({Topalov improves on an Anand game with Kasparov!} 13 Be2 O-O 14 O-O Bb7 15 Rfa1 Nd7 16 Nb3 Rb8 17 Ba7 Rc8 18 Na5 Ba8 19 Bxa6 Ne5 20 Be2 f5 21 gxf5 exf5 22 Nc4 Qe8 23 Nxe5 dxe5 24 Bd3 fxe4 25 fxe4 Qh5 26 Be3 Rc6 27 Qe2 Rg6+ 28 Kh1 Qxe2 29 Bxe2 Bc6 30 Rc4 Bb5 31 Ra5 Bxc4 32 Bxc4+ Kh8 33 Rxe5 Ra8 34 Rf5 Rg4 35 Rf1 Rb8 36 Bd3 Rxb2 37 e5 Rb8 38 Ba7 Rf8 39 Rxf8+ Bxf8 40 Bf2 Rg5 41 Bd4 
{1/2-1/2 Anand,V-Kasparov,G/Kopavogur 2000/EXT 2001} )
13 ..O-O 14 h4 Bd7 $6 
({Topalov felt that Anand should have continued in the same vein as the Kasparov game with} 14 ..Bb7 ) 
15 Ra1 Nc6 16 Rxa6 Qc7 
({According to Topalov, already Anand has gone astray and instead thought the best plan to be:} 16 ..Rxa6 17 Bxa6 Qa8 18 Nxc6 Bxc6 19 Be2 d5 20 exd5 ( 20 e5 Qa1+ 21 Qc1 Ra8 22 Kf2 Qa5) 20 ..Bxd5 21 Kf2 Rd8 22 Qc1 Qb7 {with compensation - however Anand wasn't so sure.}) 
17 Kf2 $1 
{Topalov want's to get his king out of the centre, and obviously castling is out of the question as it can be hit in the future with ideas such as d5 opening up the b8-h2 diagonal.} 
17 ..Nxd4 18 Bxd4 e5 19 Be3 Rxa6 20 Bxa6 f5 
{This is the only compensation Anand has - opening up all the lines to the kingside. Anything else and the white queenside pawns quickly win the day.} 
21 gxf6 Bxf6 22 Qd5+ 
{As Topalov explains, "Ultimately Anand would like to play ideas such as Be6, Qc6 and eventually a break-out with d5. This stops those ideas in their tracks."} 
22 ..Kh8 23 Bc4 
{Wrong, according to Topalov. Instead he should have a tempi with the immediate Be2.} 
23 ..Be8 24 Be2 Bf7 25 Qd2 Bh5 
({Staking all on "something" happening on the kingside. Instead,} 25 ..Ra8 26 c4 Ra2 27 Qb4 {and white will untangle to make use of the extra queenside pawn.} )
26 b3 Qe7 27 Kg2 $1 
{Topalov explained that the beauty behind this move is that, not only does it get the king off the potentially dangerous f-file, but it also prevents any ideas of Bxh4 for black as after Rxh4 Qxh4, Bg5! traps the queen! }
27 ..Qf7 28 Rh3 $1 
{It's now becoming clear that Anand is unable to generate any compensation for his pawn - and this maneuver from Topalov further protects f3 and looks towards action down the g-file. }
28 ..Be7 29 b4 
{The pawn now runs to good effect.} 
29 ..h6 30 b5 Qg6+ 31 Kh2 Qe6 32 Qd3 Be8 33 Qb3 Qc8 
({Anand is in dire straits as Topalov has a nice trick if the queens are exchanged:} 33 ..Qxb3 34 cxb3 Bd7 35 b6 $1 Rb8 ( 35 ..Bxh3 36 Kxh3 Rb8 37 Ba6 Bd8 38 b7 Bc7 39 Kg4) 36 Ba6 Bc6 37 b4 $18)
34 b6 Bf7 35 Qb1 
(35 Qb2 Be6 {with good counterplay} )
35 ..Qc3 $2 
(
{Ultimately the critical moment of the game and yet it was glossed over by Topalov, who still probably thought he was easily winning. Obviously the specter of the b-pawn looms large, but it looks as if Anand missed his shot here (a fact that was confirmed the next day to me by Topalov manager, IM Silvio Danilov): }
35...Be6 $3 {with serious counterplay } 36.Rg3 Bxh4 
(36...Bxh4 37.Rg6 $2 Qe8 38.Rxe6 Qxe6 39.b7 Rb8 40.Ba7 Qg6 $1 41.Bxb8 Bg3+ 42.Kg2 (42.Kh3 Bf2 $1 {quickly mates}) 42...Bf4+ 43.Kf1 Be3 {Oops, white has fallen into a mating net!}) 
(36...Bxh4 37.Rg2 37...Qb7 
(37...Qb7 38.Qc1 Kh7 39.Qa3 Qc6 40.Qa6 (40.Bd1) 40...Rf7
(40...Bg5 41.Bxg5 hxg5 42.b7 Qc7 43.Bb5 (43.Rxg5 Bf7 (43...g6)) ) 41.b7 Qc7) 
(37...Qb7 38.Qb5 38...Qf7 {and now it becomes difficult for white to win - the black queen is heading over to Qh5.} 39.Qc6 Rd8 40.b7 Rb8 41.Ba6 Qh5 42.Kg1 Qxf3) )
)(
35...Be6 36.b7 {White has to be careful not to move the b-pawn too soon as it could be difficult to protect with white having to unravel some of his pieces:} 36...Qc3 $1 
(36...Qc3 37.b8Q Qxe3 $1 38.Bf1 (38.Q8b6 Qxe2+ $19) 38...Qf2+ 39.Bg2 Rxb8 40.Qxb8+ Kh7 $19) 
(36...Qc3 37.Ba7 Qd2 $1) 
(36...Qc3 37.Bf2 Rb8 38.Qb6 Bxh3 39.Kxh3 Qxc2 40.Qa7 Qc7 41.Ba6 d5 42.exd5 (42.Bb6 Qd7+ 43.Kg3 Bd6 {consolidates everything.}) 42...Bd6 {again consolidating the material advantage.}) 
(36...Qc3 37.Bd3 Rb8 38.Rg3 (38.Ba7 Qd2+ $1)(38.Qb6 Bxh3 39.Kxh3 Qe1 $1 {and white's king is in a precarious state}) 38...Qc6 39.Qg1 Bf8 $1 {and black is more than surviving!}) 
)
(35...Be6 36.Qb2 {trying to stop the awkward Qc3} 36...Bxh3 37.b7 Qc6 $1 (37...Qb8 $2 38.Kxh3 {and eventually the b-pawn will win the day.}) 38.b8Q Rxb8 39.Qxb8+ Bc8 {and black holds an advantage in the ending as he'll be a pawn up.} 
)
36 Bd3 Rb8 37 Qg1 $1 
{Just when you think you have contained the queenside, Topalov wrong-foots Anand by switching his attentions to the kingside. It just shows how the elite-GM mind works - just about everyone would have still have been trying to crash through on the queenside. As it is, Topalov uses that as his decoy for what's about to come. }
37 ..Bc4 38 Qg6 Bxd3 39 Rg3 $1 Bf6 40 cxd3 Rxb6 
({There's no time to take on d3:} 40 ..Qxd3 41 Bxh6 $1 Rb7 42 Bg5 Qe2+ 43 Kh3 Bxg5 ( 43 ..Qf1+ 44 Kg4) 44 Qe8+ Kh7 45 hxg5 {with the idea of g6+ and Qh8 mate!} 45 ..g6 46 Qf8 Rxb6 47 Kg4 $1 {soon decides the game.} )
41 Bxb6 Qb2+ 42 Rg2 Qxb6 43 Rc2 Bd8 44 h5 
1-0 

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Leko,P"]
[Black "Bareev,E"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2722"]
[BlackElo "2714"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C10"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+
Nxf6 8. Be3 Nd5 9. Qd2 Bd6 10. O-O-O Bd7 11. Ne5 Qe7 12. Bc4 Bxe5 13. dxe5
Bc6 14. Qd4 Nxe3 15. Qxe3 Qg5 16. f4 Qxg2 17. Rhg1 Qe4 18. Qxe4 Bxe4 19.
Rxg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Sokolov,I"]
[Black "Kramnik,V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2777"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E12"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qc2 Nxc3
8. bxc3 c5 9. e4 Nc6 10. Be3 Be7 11. d5 exd5 12. Rd1 d4 13. cxd4 O-O 14. d5
Nd4 15. Qb2 Re8 16. Bxd4 cxd4 17. Bb5 Bxa3 18. Qxd4 Bc5 19. Qd3 Bb4+ 20.
Kf1 Rf8 21. Nd4 Qc8 22. h4 Bc5 23. h5 Qg4 24. Nf3 Rad8 25. Rh4 Qc8 26. Bc4
b5 27. Bxb5 Bb6 28. h6 g6 29. Qb3 Qc5 30. Qb2 f6 31. Rf4 Bc7 32. Rc1 Qb6
33. Rxc7 Qxc7 34. Rxf6 Rxf6 35. Qxf6 Rf8 36. Qb2 Rc8 37. d6 Qc1+ 38. Qxc1
Rxc1+ 39. Ke2 Rc8 40. Ng5 a6 41. Ba4 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Van Wely,L"]
[Black "Shirov,A"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2617"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "D19"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8.
O-O Nbd7 9. Qe2 Bg6 10. e4 O-O 11. Bd3 h6 12. Rd1 Qe7 13. h3 e5 14. dxe5
Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. f4 Qa5 17. f5 Bh7 18. Bf4 Rfe8 19. Qf3 Bxc3 20. bxc3
Qxc3 21. Rac1 Qd4+ 22. Kh2 Qxa4 23. e5 Nd5 24. Rc4 Qb3 25. Rb1 Qa3 26. Rxb7
Nxf4 27. Rxf4 Rxe5 28. Qg3 Qd6 29. Bc4 Rxf5 30. Rxf5 Qxg3+ 31. Kxg3 Bxf5
32. Rxf7 Bd3 33. Rxa7+ Bxc4 34. Rxa8+ Kf7 35. Kf4 Kf6 36. Re8 Bd5 37. g3
g5+ 38. Ke3 Bg2 39. h4 Bd5 40. Ra8 Kf5 41. Ra4 Kg6 42. Kf2 Kh5 43. Kg1 Kg6
44. Kh2 Kf5 45. g4+ Ke5 46. hxg5 hxg5 47. Kg3 c5 48. Kf2 Bb3 49. Ra3 Bd1
50. Ke1 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Adams,Mi"]
[Black "Timman,J"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2720"]
[BlackElo "2578"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B69"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7
8. O-O-O a6 9. f4 Bd7 10. Nf3 b5 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Kb1 Qb6 13. Ne2 O-O-O
14. f5 Kb8 15. Nf4 Bc8 16. Qe1 Rhe8 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. g3 Bf8 19. Bh3 Bg7
20. Rf1 Bh8 21. c3 Re7 22. Rf2 Na5 23. Nd4 Rde8 24. Bg4 Nc4 25. Bh5 Rg8 26.
Be2 Ne5 27. Bf1 Rge8 28. Rfd2 Bb7 29. a3 Qc7 30. Ka1 Bg7 31. Be2 Nc4 32.
Bxc4 Qxc4 33. Nc2 Qxe4 34. Re2 Qc4 35. Rxd6 e5 36. Nh5 Qc7 37. Red2 f5 38.
Nxg7 Rxg7 39. Nb4 a5 40. Rc6 Qf7 41. Na6+ Bxa6 42. Rxa6 Qb7 43. Rxa5 Qb6
44. b4 Qc6 45. Kb2 Rc7 46. Rc2 e4 47. Qf1 Re5 48. a4 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.24"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Akopian,Vl"]
[Black "Zhang Zhong"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2639"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C92"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5 Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. N3h2
Nc5 15. Bc2 c6 16. b4 Ncd7 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bg5 h6 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. Ng4
Nxg4 21. Qxg4 Bd7 22. Qf3 Rc8 23. Bb3 Be6 24. Rec1 Be7 25. Rc2 a5 26. Qd3
axb4 27. cxb4 Rxc2 28. Qxc2 Qb6 29. Ne3 Qd4 30. Rd1 Qxb4 31. Qc6 Rf8 32.
Nd5 Bxd5 33. Bxd5 Qc5 34. Rc1 Qxc6 35. Rxc6 Rb8 36. Rc7 Kf8 37. h4 g6 38.
g3 b4 39. Kg2 Rb5 40. Rc8+ Kg7 41. Rc7 Kf8 42. Bb3 h5 43. Ra7 Rb6 44. Kf1
Rb8 45. Ke2 f5 46. Kd3 Rc8 47. exf5 gxf5 48. Rb7 Rc3+ 49. Kd2 e4 50. Rxb4
Rf3 51. Ke1 Bf6 52. Kf1 Kg7 53. Bd1 Ra3 54. Bb3 Be5 55. Ra4 Rxa4 56. Bxa4
d5 57. Bd7 Kg6 58. Be8+ Kh6 59. Bd7 Kg6 60. Be8+ Kh6 61. a4 Bc7 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Shirov,A"]
[Black "Bologan,V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2736"]
[BlackElo "2679"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C42"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Be7
8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2 O-O 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. a3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Nc6 13. Re1 Re8 14.
cxd5 Qxd5 15. Bf4 Rac8 16. h3 Bf6 17. Nh2 Qa5 18. Bd2 Ne7 19. Bf3 Rcd8 20.
Ng4 Bxg4 21. hxg4 h6 22. Rb1 b6 23. a4 c6 24. Qc2 Qa6 25. Re4 Qc8 26. Rbe1
Qd7 27. Qd3 Nd5 28. Rxe8+ Rxe8 29. Rxe8+ Qxe8 30. c4 Nc7 31. a5 bxa5 32.
Bxa5 Ne6 33. d5 cxd5 34. Qxd5 Bd4 35. Be4 Qa4 36. Kh2 Bxf2 37. Bc3 Qa3 38.
Qd2 Bd4 39. Bb4 Qa1 40. Bd5 Bg1+ 0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Zhang Zhong"]
[Black "Van Wely,L"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2639"]
[BlackElo "2617"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "B31"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. d4 cxd4 8.
cxd4 O-O 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 d6 11. Re1 a6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. exd6 exd6 14.
Bg5 Qc7 15. Re7 Qa5 16. Re3 Bg4 17. Be7 Rfe8 18. Bxd6 Rxe3 19. fxe3 Qxc3
20. Qc1 Qd3 21. Ne5 Bxe5 22. Bxe5 Be6 23. Qe1 f6 24. Bxf6 Rb8 25. Be5 Rb2
26. Qh4 Rb1+ 27. Rxb1 Qxb1+ 28. Kf2 Qf5+ 29. Kg3 g5 30. Qh5 Bf7 31. Qe2 Qe4
32. h3 Bd5 33. Bd6 h6 34. Kh2 Kh7 35. a3 Kg6 36. Qf2 Qf5 37. Qg3 Qe4 38.
Bf8 h5 39. Bd6 h4 40. Qf2 Qf5 41. Qe2 Qe4 42. Bc7 Kh6 43. Bd8 Qg6 44. Bc7
Qe4 45. Qf2 Kg6 46. Bd6 Qf5 47. Qxf5+ Kxf5 48. Kg1 Kg6 49. Kf2 a5 1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Anand,V"]
[Black "Sokolov,I"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2766"]
[BlackElo "2706"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C96"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bb7 13. Nbd2 Nc6 14. d5
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Svidler,P"]
[Black "Adams,Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2747"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "C96"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.
c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nd7 12. dxc5 dxc5 13. Nbd2 Bb7 14. Qe2
Re8 15. Rd1 Qc7 16. b3 Nc6 17. Nf1 b4 18. cxb4 Nxb4 19. Ne3 Nf6 20. Bb2 Bf8
21. Ng4 Nxg4 22. hxg4 a5 23. Bd3 Nxd3 24. Qxd3 a4 25. g5 Bc6 26. Qc4
1/2-1/2

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2578"]
[BlackElo "2735"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "A40"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. e4 Bg7 4. d4 d6 5. d5 e6 6. Nc3 exd5 7. exd5 Bg4 8.
Be2 Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qb3 b6 11. Ng5 Bxe2 12. Nxe2 Nd7 13. Qh3 Nf6 14. Bd2
h6 15. Nf3 g5 16. Ne1 Ne4 17. Bc1 f5 18. Qd3 Qd7 19. Rb1 Rae8 20. b3 Ng6
21. Bb2 Bxb2 22. Rxb2 Qg7 23. Rc2 f4 24. Nc3 Nxc3 25. Qxc3 Qxc3 26. Rxc3
Re2 27. a3 Rfe8 28. Nd3 Rd2 29. Re1 Rxe1+ 30. Nxe1 Ne5 31. h3 Kg7 32. Kf1
Kf6 33. g4 fxg3 34. Rxg3 Kf5 35. Re3 h5 36. a4 Rb2 37. Ng2 h4 38. Rc3 Ke4
39. Re3+ Kf5 40. Rc3 Rb1+ 41. Ke2 Rh1 42. Re3 a5 43. Rc3 Ng6 44. Rf3+ Nf4+
45. Nxf4 gxf4 46. Rc3 Ke4 47. Kd2 Rb1 48. f3+ Kf5 49. Rc1 Rxb3 50. Re1 Rxf3
51. Re6 Rxh3 52. Rxd6 Re3 53. Rxb6 Re4 54. Kc3 f3 55. Rb8 h3 56. Rf8+ Kg4
57. Kd3 Re1 0-1

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Bareev,E"]
[Black "Akopian,Vl"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2714"]
[BlackElo "2693"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E38"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Qc7 6. Nf3 Bxc5 7. g3 Qb6
8. e3 Be7 9. g4 d6 10. Rg1 Nc6 11. a3 Nd7 12. b4 Nde5 13. Nd2 Bh4 14. Qe4
Qd8 15. Bb2 O-O 16. g5 Bxg5 17. Qg2 Bh6 18. O-O-O d5 19. f4 Ng6 20. cxd5
exd5 21. Nxd5 Nce7 22. Nc4 Nxd5 23. Rxd5 Qe8 24. f5 Bxf5 25. Rxf5 b5 26.
Kb1 bxc4 27. Bxc4 Rc8 28. Qg4 Qxe3 29. Rgf1 Rc7 30. h4 Re7 31. h5 Nh8 32.
Bc1 Qe4+ 33. Qxe4 Rxe4 34. Bd5 Rg4 35. Bxh6 gxh6 36. Kb2 Kg7 37. Kb3 Rg5
38. Ka4 Rd8 39. Bc4 Rd4 40. Bb3 Rh4 41. Ra5 Rxa5+ 42. Kxa5 Rxh5+ 43. Ka6
Rh3 44. Rb1 Ng6 45. Kxa7 Ne5 46. b5 Rd3 47. b6 Nc6+ 48. Ka6 h5 49. b7 h4
50. Kb6 Nb8 51. a4 Rd4 52. Kc5 Rg4 53. Bc4 Nd7+ 54. Kd6 Nb8 55. Bb5 1-0

[Event "GMA"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2004.01.25"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Kramnik,V"]
[Black "Leko,P"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2777"]
[BlackElo "2722"]
[EventDate "2004.01.10"]
[ECO "E15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 c6 8.
Ne5 d5 9. Bc3 O-O 10. Nd2 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. O-O Bb7 13. e3 Be7 14. Rc1
Nbd7 15. Nxd7 Qxd7 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. cxd5 exd5 18. Ne4 Be5 19. Qd3 Rad8 20.
Ng5 g6 21. Nf3 Bf6 22. Rfd1 Rc8 23. Nd4 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Rc8 25. Rd1 Qc7 26.
Ne2 Qc2 27. Nf4 Qxa2 28. Nxd5 Bxd5 29. Bxd5 Rc7 30. Bc4 Qa3 31. e4 b5 32.
Bxb5 Rc3 33. Qd7 Qxb3 34. e5 Be7 35. Be2 Qe6 36. Qxe6 fxe6 37. Rd7 Kf8 38.
Rxa7 Rc2 39. Kf1 Rc1+ 40. Kg2 Rc2 41. Kf3 g5 42. Ra8+ Kg7 43. Bd3 Rc5 44.
Ke4 Rc6 45. f4 gxf4 46. gxf4 Kf7 47. Ra4 Bd8 48. Bc4 Ke7 49. Kd3 Bc7 50.
Ra8 Bd8 51. Ra7+ Bc7 52. Bb5 Rc5 53. Kd4 Rd5+ 54. Kc4 Kd8 55. f5 Rd4+ 56.
Kc5 Rd5+ 57. Kc4 Rd4+ 58. Kxd4 Bb6+ 59. Kd3 Bxa7 60. f6 Bg1 61. h3 Bc5 62.
Ke4 Ba3 63. h4 Bb2 64. Kf4 h6 65. Bc4 1/2-1/2

