GM Konstantin Aseev annotates the games of the 11th round: Leko - Ponomariov 1/2 Radjabov - Vallejo 1/2 Kramnik - Anand 1/2 Hello dear friends! I am very glad to greet everyone who is interesting in the events of Linares supertournament! The tournament came to the finish stage. Who will be luck? I hope we are expected by exciting struggle. Leko - Ponomariov 1/2 The first surprise. Ponomariov has chosen Paulsen variation, expecting the popular line with 0-0-0 for White. But Leko has prefered the line with g3, which leads to the long positional struggle. The course of the game is well-known. After transfering the Knight on b6 Black is trying to get the counter-play with f7-f5 (to avoid the pressure of White). Although each of the contenders spent an hour of time the game repeats the game Kholmov - Samarin, Briansk 1986, where veteran(whom R. Fischer estimated very well) could win. If to think about safety only then it was more preferable 23.Bf6 Rf6 24.c2-c4, without any risk. Although theposition in the game is equal in any case. After the trading of Bishops the game passed into the equal Rook ending and soon after that the game was drawn. Kramnik - Anand Kramnik continues to play e2-e4! Anand offered to play sharp Archangelsk variation. But Vladimir has chosen quiet 7.d3 leading to the manoeuvring positional struggle. The struggle was about d7-d5 which Black wanted to play in one move. The position up to 12th move met many times, let's see who is ready better for it. On the 13th move Kramnik left usual lines and has chosen 13.а2-а3. After 16th move the game is similar with the main lines of Ruy Lopez (but without h2-h3). The point of this game - can Black to move d6-d5 without any harm for him? If he cannot then he will be awaited by some troubles. The tense of the game is increasing more and more with every move and it's difficult yet to say surely who will get luck. Instead of 19...g6 it was more reliable 19...Ne5, with complicated play. But the reaction of White - 20.h2-h4 was rather unexpected. The complicated tactic struggle has begun and it's very difficult to say who is better, it looks like Black has good position. The position is very concrete but I think Black is more preferable. Especially taking into account the lack of time at Kramnik. Now the advantage of Black became clear. On the 29th move Black had the possibilty 29...Qg6, which could bring to White real problems. Although and in the game White had to defence in the conditions of luck of time. Seems Anand did not see the reply 31.Qd2! and after that he could not make any serious difficulties for White. Deserved attention 32...h3, but maybe it was even better to play so on the 30th move. The tense in the game decreased and as result White could make the draw. Radjabov - Vallejo Classical Meran was played, Black has to neutrilize the initiative of White... The game is still in the opening stage, white has fallen into thinking over the 17th move, it looks natural to play 17.Qg4. But the statistics promises here not bad counter-chances for to Black. Teimour is trying to improve the variation, using the new move 18.Qa4. I have such a feeling that it's an improvisation but not the home preparation. After the light-bishop trading White can to try to transfer the Queen on g3, but due to numerous tradings Black has no any serious problems. Up to 26th move Black has no problems and already White has to be accurate. Vallejo by trading of his Queen for the Rook, Knight and pawn has simplificated the position and fixed the draw. And so, today round was the such peaceful as yesterday one. Only Anand had chances for a win, but he could not mobilize himself in the critical moment and the positions of the participants in the table are the same. So, the most interetsing is in ahead. Stay and look after the games from Linares with us! Good luck!