After not losing a single time in 7 games in the final (4 classical and 3 rapid), Gelfand only needed a draw with the White pieced in the rapid playoff to win the 2009 World Cup. But it was not meant to be. Ponomariov scored a clutch victory to send the match to the blitz playoff phase.

[Event “World Cup 2009”]
[Date “2009.12.14”]
[Round “78”]
[White “Gelfand, Boris”]
[Black “Ponomariov, Ruslan”]

[Result “0-1”]
[WhiteElo “2758”]
[WhiteCountry “ISR”]
[BlackElo “2739”]
[BlackCountry “UKR”]

1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. c4 c5 5. d5 e6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O exd5 9. exd5 h6 10. h3 g5 11. Re1 Nd7 12. Ne4 Nf6 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Bd3 Kg7 15. Qc2 b5 16. cxb5 Nxd5 17. Bd2 Rb8 18. Rad1 a6 19. a4 axb5 20. axb5 Be6 21. Bc4 Re8 22. Bxg5 hxg5 23. Bxd5 Rxb5 24. b3 Bxd5 25. Rxe8 Bxb3 26. Qe4 d5 27. Qe2 Qd7 28. Re1 Bc4 29. Qe3 d4 30. Qc1 Bd3 31. Qa3 Bh7 32. Ra8 d3 33. Qc1 Qd5 34. Rae8 c4 35. Qa3 d2 36. Rd1 c3 37. Qf8+ Kg6 38. Rc8 Qb3 39. Rc6 Qxd1+ 40. Kh2 Qxf3 41. gxf3 d1Q 0-1

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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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