Boris Gelfand, the oldest player left in the field, just defeated Sergey Karjakin, the youngest player remaining, with the Black pieces in game 1 of the World Cup semifinal.
[Event “World Cup 2009”]
[Date “2009.12.06”]
[Round “61”]
[White “Karjakin, Sergey”]
[Black “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteElo “2723”]
[WhiteCountry “UKR”]
[BlackElo “2758”]
[BlackCountry “ISR”]
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Bb3 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. h3 a5 9. a4 Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Re1 Ra6 12. Qh5 Nb4 13. Na3 Rg6 14. Bf4 b6 15. Qf3 Be6 16. Bxe6 fxe6 17. Qe4 Bd6 18. Bxd6 cxd6 19. Qxd4 Qg5 20. g3 Qf5 21. g4 h5 22. Re4 d5 23. Kh2 Qf3 24. Ree1 hxg4 25. Qe3 gxh3 26. Qxf3 Rxf3 27. Rg1 Rxf2+ 28. Kxh3 Rxg1 29. Rxg1 Nxc2 30. Nb5 Rf3+ 31. Kg4 Rxd3 32. Nd6 Ne3+ 33. Kf4 Nc4 0-1
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In the other semifinal match, Malakhov drew Ponomariov with the Black pieces in game 1. The advantage is now his side as he will have White next game.
[Event “World Cup 2009”]
[Date “2009.12.06”]
[Round “61”]
[White “Ponomariov, Ruslan”]
[Black “Malakhov, Vladimir”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[WhiteElo “2739”]
[WhiteCountry “UKR”]
[BlackElo “2706”]
[BlackCountry “RUS”]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. c5 Nbd7 6. Bf4 Nh5 7. Bd2 Nhf6 8. Bf4 Nh5 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bd2 Nhf6 11. Qc2 Qc7 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4 Nf6 15. Qc2 Be6 16. Ne5 Nd7 17. Bf4 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Qa5+ 19. Qc3 Qxc3+ 20. bxc3 Bf5 21. O-O-O O-O-O 22. Be2 f6 23. Bg3 e5 24. Rhe1 Be7 25. Kb2 Rd7 26. dxe5 Bxc5 27. exf6 gxf6 28. Bh5 Rxd1 29. Rxd1 Rd8 30. Bf4 Rxd1 31. Bxd1 Bf8 32. g4 Be6 33. h4 b5 34. h5 Kd7 35. Be3 c5 36. Bf3 Kc7 37. Bf4+ Kb6 38. Be3 Kc7 39. Bf4+ Kb6 40. Be3 1/2-1/2
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It’s the thing he’s wearing. It intimidates his opponent.
Heading for a Gelfand-Malakhov final?
I still stick on to my prediction during PreQuarters that it will be Gelfand Vs Ponomariov finals.
Would also like to add that Ponomariov will win the cup
I gotta admire a man that is willing to wear a rabbit on his head.
Pono will win!