News of the day: Topalov remembers how to win. Svidler falters. Leko continues to lead.
Topalov defeated Ivanchuk with the Black pieces. The game started out very quietly with symmetrical pawn structure. But as you know, nothing is ever quiet with Topalov. Fireworks were traded and Topalov came out on top.
Radjabov and Vallejo had a wild and exciting game. It ended up in a draw on move 51 when each side only had a King left.
Bacrot and Leko had a peaceful 28 move get together and decided to call it a day.
Aronian proved that he is as strong as his rating by beating Svidler in a slightly better Bishop and Knight endgame. The key to the endgame was the location of Svidler’s pawns, on the same color as Aronian’s Bishop. This was a good endgame lesson for all players.
After 5 rounds, the standings are:
1. 4.0 GM Peter Leko (Hungary 2740)
2. 3.5 GM Peter Svidler (Russia 2765)
3. 3.0 GM Levon Aronian (Armenia 2752)
4-7. 2.0 GM Etienne Bacrot (France 2717), GM Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine 2729), GM Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan 2700), GM Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria 2801)
8. 1.5 GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain 2650) 
Interesting comment about Aronian-Svidler. As an A player I was curious why this might demonstrate 2700+ strength. 24a3 is a move I might not have played, but it makes sense in the pawn play development, so I assume a master would play this. Svidler’s move 30…f5 seemed possibly funky, but he was in trouble. I think I would win as white from this position. Svidler’s Q-side pawns are dead, and his pieces have no future. He can’t really set up a block on the Q-side because the W K is there.
So Aronian’s 19g5 is a key move that set up the favorable endgame. I assume he foresaw that the rooks would come off, but I wonder whether Svidler might have done better keeping one on?
Going further back, Svidler’s 11 …Be7 seems to have led to the favorable endgame. Would 17 …f5 have helped?
So this seems to be a case of home preparation, which included a study of the characteristics of endgames that would arise after 9Qxd4. This ability to discover an opening path that Svidler would follow into destruction must be where the 2700+ rating was justified.
Bravo to Arnonian! We can imagine what he’s thinking now. “If I beat Leko today, I’ll be tied for first, and the rest will be easy.”
Anonymous Frank
Chesbase had an interesting analysis. Svidler’s errors made this look easier than it should have been.
Their alternatives to 30…f5? might be a little better than what I was looking at – but I still think I could win this vs. an opponent rated no more than 300 points above me.
They didn’t seem to think 11…Be7 was too bad, and it’s been played before. I’m not so sure. This game seems to be a pretty good plan.
Another factor. Did Aronian use his home prep of this endgame to game Svidler on the clock, the way he did Topalov? Wouldn’t be surprised.
Anonymous Frank