Khalifman scores easy win;
Ivanchuk suffers setback
Defending FIDE World Chess Champion Alexander Khalifman of Russia continued his quest to retain the title, scoring an easy victory over German Christopher Lutz, to move into the third round, even as day saw the biggest upset of the championship in ninth seeded Vassily Ivanchuk of
Ukraine.
Khalifman made a clean sweep with white pieces in the
first game of his tie-break game against Lutz and drew the
second with black comfortably in the 25-minute time control
rapid games.
In the first game, Khalifman employed the English opening
and played a pawn sacrifice variation. Having obtained an edge
in the middle game, the Russian converted the position in rook
and knight ending where he became two pawns up.
In the second game, Khalifman surprised Lutz by playing
the sharp Sicilian-Pelikan variation. Khalifman had a double
bishop advantage in the middle game but could not break
through the position and agreed to draw after the perpetual
moves as he needed just half a point to move ahead.
Ivanchuk suffered a setback at the hands of GM Jaan
Ehlvest of Estonia.
Ehlvest drew the first tie-break game without much
difficulty and then caught Ivanchuk unawares in the second.
The Ukrainian mishandled the position from the
opening of the Panov Botvinnik attack.
The Estonian got the initiative after a lacklustre play
by Ivanchuk and thereon, without losing the control of the
game pocketed the full point and won the match with a 1.5-0.5
margin.
Upsets were the order of the day as GM Zoltan Almasi of Hungary was ousted by GM Evgeny Vladimirov in the tie-breaker.
There were only three games in the women's section for a tie-break. Two produced decisive results and one entered further 15-minute rapid games.
World champion Xie Jun of China showed her class in her
victory over Svetlana Mateeva of Russia to enter the third
round.
Playing the Kings Indian defence in the first game of the
tie-breaker, Jun got the upperhand when Svetlana went for
unwarranted complications.
In the middle game, the position was of a sharp nature but a
precise handling helped Xie Jun in winning the game in 42
moves in a minor piece ending.
In the second game Xie drew it comfortably with white
pieces and pocketed the game and the match.
Alisa Galliamova of Russia overcame Natasa Bojkovic of
Yugoslavia with a margin of 1.5-0.5 and made it to the third
round.
Cuba's Maritza Arribas and Julia Demina of Russia were
engaged in a tight tussle as the two won a game each to take
the fight into the next set of tie-break games.