Translated material
Advantage with a guarantee
Taking into account the gap to Anand, Vladimir Kramnik’s tournament logic required him to make up the gap, even playing black. Moreover, he is a convenient opponent: Morozevich, despite the unpredictability of chess moves, is always predictable in his uncompromisingness - he will go to fight. But when Alexander played the opening unconventionally and, in the position of the “Benoni structure,” played sharply on the king’s side, and it seemed that the game would go on according to the world champion’s scenario, he unexpectedly played “like Morozevich,” starting an extravagant maneuver with the rook. The punishment followed immediately: after the exchange of queens, it became clear that Kramnik’s strategy had failed and the position with numerous weaknesses could not be saved.
Boris Gelfand was also surprised. After two defeats by Alexander Grischuk, it seemed that the young Muscovite’s chances in the fight for the title were zero. And if we take into account the negative score of 1:3 in his previous fights with Gelfand, then there was reason for pessimism. However, Grischuk managed to refute the logic of statistics, and although Gelfand had real chances for a draw in the four-rook endgame, he failed to hold it. When, after exchanging a couple of rooks, it seemed that the main difficulties were already behind us, Boris's inexplicable mistake led to defeat. The game Leko - Svidler ended in a draw on the 28th move.
Against the backdrop of the disasters of his competitors, Anand did not try to refute the Marshall attack launched by Levon Aronian, which was fashionable at the tournament, and went ahead, signing peace already on the 20th move. Five rounds before the finish, his chances of winning increased sharply - in super tournaments with a strong line-up of participants, such an advantage is a good guarantee of this (for example, this was enough in Linares). The moment of truth may already be in the next 10th round. In a fundamental duel with the leader, if Kramnik wins, he can reduce the gap to half a point.
Position after nine rounds: Anand - 6 points, Gelfand - 5, Kramnik, Grischuk and Leko - 4.5 each, Morozevich and Aronian - 4 each, Svidler - 3.5.