The Chess Mind

Peter Leko came into the final round of Dortmund with a half-point lead, and that's how he left it, drawing Arkadij Naiditsch on the white side of a Marshall Gambit. Two players could have caught him with a win, but two of them, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Jan Gustafsson, drew quickly against each other to tie for second. They were joined by two others, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Vassily Ivanchuk, who defeated Loek van Wely and Vladimir Kramnik, respectively. Van Wely-Mamedyarov was complex, a race of passed pawns and attacks on opposite sides, and was objectively equal until just before the end. The tournament has been a disaster for the Dutchman, however, and his run of poor form continued. Ivanchuk-Kramnik revisited the Petroff line from round 3's Naiditsch-Kramnik game, and once again Kramnik lost. This time it wasn't due to the opening, however. Ivanchuk had a very slight edge, but Kramnik kept everything under control until after the time control, when an inaccuracy and then a blunder did him in.

The final standings are amusing, and it's a shame that Naiditsch didn't somehow beat Leko - then there would have been a six way tie for first! Here are the Garrison Keillor-approved standings:

1. Leko 4.5 (of 7)
2-5. Ivanchuk, Nepomniachtchi, Mamedyarov, Gustafsson 4
6. Naiditsch 3.5
7. Kramnik 3
8. van Wely 1 (and a dismal 2388 TPR)

The last round games (with my comments) are here.