Round 1:
Svidler – Topalov 1-0
Bacrot – Ivanchuk 1/2
Aronian – Radjabov 1-0
Vallejo Pons – Leko 0-1
We have shocking results in the first round. Svidler soundly defeated Topalov in round 1. Topalov almost had no chance in this game. It seems that Svidler is in very good form. Bacrot had to work very hard to hold Ivanchuk to a draw. Aronian won a very creative game against Radjabov. At one point, Aronian was two pawns down with compensation. Vallejo chose an very strange line against Leko and lost a very sharp game.
These are the matchups for round 2:
Peter Leko (1) – Teimour Radjabov (0)
Vassily Ivanchuk (1/2) – Levon Aronian (1)
Veselin Topalov (0) – Etienne Bacrot (1/2)
Francisco Vallejo (0) – Peter Svidler (1) 
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
that knight was hanging forever in Leko versus Pons. Only good players and lousy players can play those cool-looking moves “you threaten my knight with a pawn and I don’t give a ****.” The rest of us just react. You attack I move. We get prodded around like cattle.
I cannot remember any world class game (or amateur for that matter) where a knight was left hanging that long? Must have been interesting for the spectators who were analyzing.
I loved the Svidler Topalov game. Topalov went for the draw in the opening. what else can we call going into the Berlin Defense in the Ruy Lopez. and Svidler sac a pawn to maintain pressure and make the game exciting.
the ending was super. Svidler slowly increased his advantage but Topalov put up all kinds of creative defensive moves. with only one move to keep the win. and consistently Svidler found that move. but when everyone thought Topalov must resign, he came up with several more great defensive moves going for the stalemate.
I felt that Topalov showed why he is world champ right now and svidler showed he is much better than he has been getting credit for.
In lifetime games between these two they are tied up at 6 6 with 10 draws. 6 wins for each side.
tommy
The record for number of moves a piece remained en prise is 27, set by Miles-Ljubojevic, Tilburg 1986.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/records/records.htm, click on “Longest en prise”
[Thanks to Tim Krabbé]
Just for comparison, Vallejo finally captured Leko’s knight on e4 on the 11th possible move.
But it doesn’t take a grandmaster to see that taking the knight was more trouble than it was worth. For example, after 15. fxe4 fxe4 White doesn’t have anything better than to give the piece back with 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Qxe4, and he’s worse off than before.