Round 11 matchups:
GM Wang Hao 2736 – GM Fressinet Laurent 2708
GM Bacrot Etienne 2723 – GM Grischuk Alexander 2785
GM Dominguez Perez Leinier 2757 – GM Caruana Fabiano 2779
GM Tomashevsky Evgeny 2703 – GM Ivanchuk Vassily 2731
GM Giri Anish 2737 – GM Nakamura Hikaru 2772
GM Gelfand Boris 2764 – GM Ponomariov Ruslan 2756
Win clear first and Caruana will qualify for the Candidates tournament next year. However, it will be a monumental task. Caruana has to beat super solid Dominguez with black, while hoping that Gelfand that does not beat Ponomariov with white.
Even if Caruana draws and Gelfand loses, Nakamura and Bacrot can catch him with a win as they are only 1/2 point behind. This will no doubt be an exciting final day.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Nakamura is better. Why can’t people understand this?
Naka is FASTER. Caruana has the edge when it comes to what they call “understands chess.” These two attributes seem to even-out and result in ELO equality. (At least for now.)
Gelfand deserves to win this tournament .
And this is why people do not care about chess. “MUST WIN” for Caruana to get into the Candidates, etc and he takes a 19 move draw. What a joke Caruana is as a competitor. Compare his lack of fighting spirit to Carlsen who refused a draw offer in ST Louis that would have given him $70,000. Caruana is a JOKE now in my mind and I will root against him in every game from now on