World Cup R1.3: Eljanov, Motylev & Malakhov eliminated

Vladimir Malakhov, the big surprise of the previous World Cup, was eliminated in the round 1 tie-break on Tuesday by Ruben Felgaer of Argentina. Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov lost to countryman Yaroslav Zerebukh and Alexander Motylev of Russia is also out; he lost to Ukrainian Yuri Drozdovskij in the only match that finished with an Armageddon game.

General info

The 2011 FIDE World Cup is a 128-player knock-out taking place August 27-September 20 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Siberia. The tournament delivers three participants for the next Candidates tournament/matches, as part of the new World Championship cycle. Except for the final, all rounds have 2-game matches at the FIDE time control: 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes to finish the game, with a 30-second increment from the first move. In case of a 1-1 tie, on the third day of the round there's a tie-break with rapid games and if necessary blitz games and an Armageddon. More info here.

Tie-breaks round 1

Tuesday was the first tie-break day in Khanty-Mansiysk and so we'll start this report by mentioning the regulations. A tie-break consists of 2 games (25 minutes + 10 seconds increment). In case of a 2-2 score, 2 more games will be played at 10 minutes + 10 seconds increment and then, if needed, 2 games of 5 minutes + 3 increment. If necessary, the tie-break will end with an Armageddon game with White getting 5 minutes and Black 4 and 3 seconds increment starting from move 61. In this game, a draw means the player behind the black pieces goes through. In their first rapid game, French GM Etienne Bacrot crushed the young American grandmaster Ray Robson in a Grünfeld. However, then Robson levelled the score, and it was nice to see he used the King's Gambit to do so! Then, Robson blundered heavily in a rook ending. Bacrot-Robson Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 Black lost after 87...h2?? 88. Rg6+ Kh3 89. Kf2 h1N+ 90. Kf3 Kh2 91. Rg7 1-0. Instead, 87... Kg2! 88. Rg6+ Kf1 is a textbook draw, pointed out by Robson after the game. This time another King's Gambit didn't do the trick for him, and so the young American is out.

Etienne Bacrot reaches round 2, but Ray Robson can leave Siberia with his head up high

Vallejo of Spain first defeated Jorge Cori with Black in a Benoni, using some flashy tactics. Then then used 1.c4 to play as solid as possible, and successfully achieved the desired draw. Vladimir Malakhov, who did so well in the previous World Cup, was eliminated by Ruben Felgaer of Argentina. Despite the fact that it only lasted two rapid games, this was one of the most dramatic mini-matches on Tuesday. In the first game, Felgaer blew a completely winning (namely: forced mate in nine!) ending, falling for a stalemate trick. Felgaer-Malakhov Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 115. Nc6?! The natural 115. Kb6 is actually mate in nine, e.g. 115...Rb8+ 116. Rb7. 115... Rh5+ 116. Kb6 Rb5+ 117. Kc7 Rd5 118. Rh7?? 118. Re7 Rd7+ 119. Kb6 was still winning, like 118. Nb4 or 118. Nb8. 118... Rd7+! 119. Kxd7 draw. Then, Malakhov dropped a full queen in the next game. Malakhov-Felgaer Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 White is in trouble, but 25. Qc2?? e3+ finished things rather quickly.

Vladimir Malakhov: no nerves of steel this time

Emil Sutovsky of Israel first drew a Grünfeld ending against Evgeny Vorobiov of Russia, and then started his white game aggressively. He sacrificed a pawn on the queenside, where the black king was situated, and this strategy paid off in the end. Gata Kamsky couldn't beat Diego Rafael di Berardino of Brazil with White in a Scheveningen. However, with Black the American grandmaster outplayed his opponent in his favourite Schlechter/Grünfeld hybrid. Russian GMs Alexei Bezgodov and Nikita Vitiugov drew their two rapid games, but then the higher rated of the two won both blitz games. In one of the big upsets of the third day, Ukrainian Pavel Eljanov was knocked out by his compatriot Yaroslav Zherebukh. Instead of winning on the spot, Eljanov blundered and lost the first game. Zherebukh-Eljanov Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 Instead of forcing resignation with 28... Qxb4! (29. Rxc1 Qf4+), Black got himself mated after 28... Rxd1?? 29. Qh8+ Nf8 30. Qxf8+ Kd7 31. Qd6+ Kc8 32. Qc6+ Kd8 33. Ba5+ Ke7 34. Qd6+ 1-0 In the next game Eljanov failed to win a knight ending with an extra pawn, and so he can pack his bags.

The young GM Yaroslav Zherebukh knocks out his higher rated compatriot Pavel Eljanov

The many fans of Alexander Morozevich can be relieved, as the Russian GM, who did so well in his recent tournaments, reached the second round. He beat Stelios Halkias from Greece in both rapid games, rather convincingly.

Alexander Morozevich eliminates Stelios Halkias

Yuri Drozdovskij of Ukraine and Alexander Motylev of Russia drew their two rapid games, and then the rating favourite won the first blitz game with Black. Motylev must know about the famous M.Gurevich-Short game, but still went for the Exchange Variation against Drozdovskij's French. And like in 1990 at the Manila Interzonal, the strategy backfired and Black won. The two even quicker blitz games then ended in draws, which meant that an Armageddon game had to decide matters. Motylev drew Black, only needed a draw and even got a winning endgame, but then succumbed under the pressure and lost anyway.

Alexander Motylev (l.) is out, Yuri Drozdovskij goes through

Vladimir Potkin of Russia and Yuri Shulman of the USA started with two draws in the rapids, and one drawn blitz game. In the second, Potkin was slightly better the whole game and eventually won an instructive rook ending.

Potkin-Shulman - the Russian (r.) goes through

Peter Heine Nielsen got into the World Cup thanks to a wild card, after just missing out at the European Championship in Aix-les-Bains. After four draws, the Danish grandmaster profited from a huge blunder by Evgeny Postny of Israel in the first blitz game. Postny-Nielsen Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 42.h5?? Qxc2 Oops. In the next game, Postny one more time missed a clear win and lost again. Nielsen-Postny Khanty-Maksiysk, 2011 Here 23... Qe5 picks up material. Instead, Black went 23... Qg6 and eventually lost.

Peter Heine Nielsen reaches round 2

Ni Hua of China and Ildar Khairullin of Russia drew both their rapid games. The Chinese GM then outplayed his opponent with Black to score the first win, and held a slightly worse ending to a draw with White. In the mini-match between Asian top talents Wesley So and Ding Liren, it was the more experienced Philippine player who won the first, and drew the second rapid game. In yet another mini-match between Russians, Igor Lysyj defeated Mikhail Kobalia twice in the rapids. In another mini-match two Cubans met: Lazaro Bruzon Batista eliminated his compatriot Yuniesky Quesada Perez. After three draws, Bruzon won the second blitz game with Black. French GM Sebastien Feller reached the second round. In his first rapid game against Moldav GM Viorel Iordachescu he held a worse rook ending to a draw, and then quickly reached a huge advantage in his white game. For Markus Ragger of Austria the first rapid game must have been quite disappointing. He had Evgeny Alekseev on the ropes, with rook and bishop vs. rook and knight and an extra pawn, but the strong Russian held it by the skin of his teeth. In the next game it was Alekseev to reach rook and bishop vs. rook and knight, but with three (!) extra pawns his task was easier.

Games round 1.3 (tie-break)

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