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Kamsky falls to Khalifman

Paul Eriksen in Las Vegas

The youngest, Ruslan Ponomariov, and the oldest, Viktor Korchnoi, went through a long-winding route in their effort to get to the round of 32 in the FIDE World Chess Championships at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

Old man Korchnoi was successful, but not Ponomoriov, who fell after the second set of tie-breakers.

There were some upsets alright, but the big names did come through by and large.

Gata Kamsky, who looked so good in the first classical game, lost the second one, which was tough to deciper and understand. But then he looked to have lost concentration after his protest letter was thrown out. In the tie-breaker, Alexander Khalifman, who must be some kind of veteran in this nature of the game, came through, winning the first and drawing the second.

Khalifman possibly has an easier round three, where he meets Asrian.

Kramnik looked good, disposing off the normally stubborn Tiviakov in two straight games of the classical, while Joel Lautier came through after a tie-breaker against Sakaev.

Not so fortunate was Tony Miles, who lost the tie-breakers to Krasenkow.

Shirov made a welcome comeback to form, beating Bosnian Sokolov comfortably in the tie-breaker. Shirov lost the first game, rebounded well in the second, and looked his old self in the tie-breaker.

The easiest winners of the round were Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine, Sergey Movsesian of Czech Republic, Kiril Georgiev of Bulgaria, Michael Adams of England and Gilberto Milos of Brazil, all of whom won both their classical games and progressed.

The Asian challenge was snuffed out as both Rogelio Antonio of the Philippines and Xiaomin Peng of China went out in the round.

Antonio went down to Vladimir Akopian in both classical games, and Peng lost to Zoltan Almasi of Hungary in the tie-breaker, Peng won the first classical game, but lost the second and then lost the tie-breaker.

Results of the second round:
Tiviakov NLD 0.5-0.5 0-1 Kramnik RUS
Winner: Kramnik

Korchnoi SUI 1-0 0-1 Dolmatov RUS 1-0 / 0-1/ 1-0 / 1-0
Winner: Korchnoi, in tie-breaker

Ponomariov RUS 1-0 0-1 Topalov BUL 0.5-0.5 / 0.5-0.5 / 0-1/ 0-1
Winner: Toplaov in tie-breaker

Smirin ISR 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Psakhis ISR 0.5-0.5 / 0-1
Winner: Psakhis, in tie-breaker

Kobalija RUS 0-1 0-1 Adams ENG
Winner: Adams

Almasi HUN 0-1 1-0 Peng CHN 1-0 / 1-0
Winner: Almasi, in tie-breaker

Yermolinsky USA 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Rublevsky RUS 0-1 / 0-1
Winner: Rublevesky, in tie-breaker

Dreev RUS 1-0 0.5-0.5 Kotronias GRE
Winner: Dreev

Gulko USA 0.5-0.5 0-1 Fedorov BLR
Winner: Federov

Timman NLD 1-0 0.5-0.5 Aronian ARM
Wunner: Timman

Bauer FRA 0.5-0.5 0-1 Leko HUN
Winner: Leko

Movsesian CZE 1-0 1-0 Dizdar CRO
Winner: Aleksandrov

Aleksandrov BLR 0.5-0.5 0-1 Svidler RUS
Winner: Svidler

Georgiev BUL 1-0 1-0 Shaked USA
Winner: Georgiev

Ehlvest EST 0.5-0.5 0-1 Bareev RUS
Winner: Bareev

Akopian ARM 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Antonio PHI 0.5-0.5 / 1-0
Winner: Akopian, in tie-breaker

Tkachiev FRA 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Magem ESP 0-1 / 0-1
Winner: Magem, in tie-breaker

Polgar HUN 1-0 0.5-0.5 Nielsen DEN
Winner: Polgar

Andersson SWE 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Zvjaginsev RUS 0.5-0.5 / 0-1
Winner: Zvijaginsev, in tie-breaker

Krasenkov POL 0-1 1-0 Miles ENG 1-0 / 0.5-0.5
Winner: Krasenkow, in tie-breaker

Lautier FRA 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Sakaev RUS 0.5-0.5 / 1-0
Winner: Lautier, in tie-breaker

Gelfand ISR 1-0 0.5-0.5 Speelman ENG
Winner: Gelfand

Asrian ARM 1-0 0.5-0.5 Sadler ENG
Winner: Asrian

Kamsky USA 1-0 0-1 Khalifman RUS 0-1 / 0.5-0.5
Winner: Khalifman, in tie-breaker

Leitao BRA 1-0 0.5-0.5 Macieja POL
Winner: Lietao

Azmaiparashvili GEO 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Nisipeanu ROM 0.5-0.5 / 01
Winner: Nisipeanu, in tie-breaker

Stefansson ISL 0.5-0.5 0.5-0.5 Shipov RUS 0.5-0.5 / 0-1
Winner: Shipov, in tie-breaker

Ivanchuk UKR 1-0 1-0 Wahls GER
Winner: IVanchuk

Hamdouchi MAR 0-1 0.5-0.5 Beliavsky SLO
Winner: Beliavsky

Short ENG 1-0 0.5-0.5 Fridman LAT
Winner: Short

Milos BRA 1-0 1-0 Salov RUS
Winner: Milos

Shirov ESP 0-1 1-0 Sokolov BIH 0.5-0.5 / 1-0
Winner: Shirov, in tie-breaker

Summary of the second round:
Number of winners within regulation games: 18 out of 32.
Number of winners after first set of tie-breaker: 12 out of 14.
Number of winners after second set of tie-breaker: 2.
Number of players left in the fray: 32.
Favourites knocked out: Former Candidate Valery Salov, who went out 0-2 to Milos. Joining him on the sidelines were some other well-known names like Aleksandrov, Ehlvest, Gulko, Tiviakov, Speelman, Sadler and Shaked.
Big names still around: Kramnik, Adams, Georgiev, Ivanchuk, Milos, Movsesian, Asrian, Beliavsky, Dreev, Gelfand, Leitao, Short, Timman, Judit Polgar, Bareev, Fedorov, Kramnik, Peters Leko and Svidler.
Sideshow of the round: Kamsky's letter of protest after losing the second game of the round.
The comeback man: Alexander Khalifman, who for the second successive time came back from the brink and earned his passage into the subsequent round. First against Barua of India, and now against Kamsky of US.
Rip Van Winkle awakens: Viktor Korchnoi, after a second game loss to Sergei Dolmatov. Korchnoi, the oldest in the tournament, played superbly in the tie-breaker to win. He had to go through a second set after tying the first set of tie-breakers 1-1.
Looking good: Vladimir Kramnik, who beat Sergei Tiviakov - the former Bulgarian now lives in The Netherlands, comfortably.
Forget me not: Alexei Shirov, who cameback from a first game loss to Ivan Sokolov. He won the second and then the tie-breaker.

Third round pairings: Kramnik RUS Korchnoi SUI
Topalov BUL Psakhis ISR
Adams ENG Almasi HUN
Rublevsky RUS Dreev RUS
Fedorov BLR Timman NLD
Leko HUN Movsesian CZE
Svidler RUS Georgiev BUL
Bareev RUS Akopian ARM
Magem ESP Polgar HUN
Zvjaginsev RUS Krasenkov POL
Lautier FRA Gelfand ISR
Asrian ARM Khalifman RUS
Leitao BRA Nisipeanu ROM
Shipov RUS Ivanchuk UKR
Beliavsky SLO Short ENG
Milos BRA Shirov ESP