World Cup Baku 10 September to 4 October 2015

[LawrenceCooper]

After their marathon 88 move game yesterday Karjakin & Mamedyarov have taken a breather with a 14 move draw.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is Giri's extra pawn enough to win? They are at move 23...Rc8. Giri is White.

[Matthew Turner]

I think Giri's extra pawn will be enough. I get the feeling that we might see a decisive result in the Svidler - Wei encounter. It could go either way, but I get the impression that it is a bit easier to play for Black

[Roger de Coverly]

Is Giri's extra pawn enough to win? They are at move 23...Rc8. Giri is White.

That idea of sacrificing one of the queen side pawns in exchange for pressure on the a and c files is quite well known, having been played back in 1983 in the Kasparov - Korchnoi match in London. Like the Marshall, the extra pawn doesn't seem enough in itself.

[LawrenceCooper]

Svidler game also drawn. Naka looks to be drawing at best whilst Giri is a pawn up but I suspect that MVL has much better drawing chances now than he did earlier.

[JustinHorton]

And Nakamura is out.

[LawrenceCooper]

In case anyone needed a reason not to wish Eljanov well in the rest of the tournament:

http://chess-news.ru/en/node/20105

"It was first time they checked me throughout the tournament, - the GM says. - Maybe it is trendy to rebel against such method, but it doesn't bother me at all. Ms. Sandu was unhappy when her games were broadcasted with delays, but I don't really understand why. I am, on the contrary, supporting all methods for identifying cheaters. They are seriously taking care of it at this competition."

He was very outspoken in favour of the witch-hunt that took place at the time but it appears that even several months after she's not to be left alone to get on with her life.

[Matt Mackenzie]

A few comments have been made on various websites expressing suspicion at how well Eljanov is doing......

[LawrenceCooper]

A few comments have been made on various websites expressing suspicion at how well Eljanov is doing......

Oh the irony.....

[Matt Mackenzie]

Well, yes. See how he likes it

[NickFaulks]

Well, yes. See how he likes it

I think that he will like it. The nagging suspicion may upset his opponent, it's worked before.

[LawrenceCooper]

In case anyone needed a reason not to wish Eljanov well in the rest of the tournament:

http://chess-news.ru/en/node/20105

"It was first time they checked me throughout the tournament, - the GM says. - Maybe it is trendy to rebel against such method, but it doesn't bother me at all. Ms. Sandu was unhappy when her games were broadcasted with delays, but I don't really understand why. I am, on the contrary, supporting all methods for identifying cheaters. They are seriously taking care of it at this competition."

He was very outspoken in favour of the witch-hunt that took place at the time but it appears that even several months after she's not to be left alone to get on with her life.

Needless to say his fellow GMs have spoken in support of him saying the comments were a bit of fun and not in any way a continuation of the unpleasant remarks he made at the time. Not surprisingly she doesn't share the view. Meanwhile we still wait to hear what the FIDE commissions made of her case.

[Mick Norris]

Tiebreaks today in just over an hour

Rest day tomorrow

Semi-finals, with a place in the Candidates at stake, are still only over 2 classical games (only the final has 4 classical games)

Giri v Svidler/Wei Yi
Eljanov v Mamedyarov/Karjakin

[JustinHorton]

Cunning to play the Grunfeld against Svidler.

[LawrenceCooper]

Two draws to start the day, Svidler had some chances but nothing clear cut.