GM Mark Taimanov annotates the games of the 2nd round: E.Bareev - V.Bologan 1/2 V.Topalov - I.Sokolov 1/2 V.Kramnik - L.van Wely 1-0 V.Anand - V.Akopian 1-0 M.Adams - A.Shirov 1/2 Z.Zhong - P.Svidler 1/2 J.Timman - P.Leko 0-1 Hello dear chess lovers! Hope you was not disappointed by slightly sluggish 1st day of the tournament since it was too many draws but true it happened a sensation. The favorite #1 Vladimir Kramnik was defeated and this determined a intrigue of the start. Today it should get a development. Which pairs could provoke curiosity? According to combination of the names and creative opposition it must be first of all the duel between a classic Adams and romantic Shirov. Promise to be excited also a meeting impenetrable Anand with the 1st leader of the tournament Akopian. And certainly it is very interesting which tactic will keep the angry Kramnik. But there is no doubts in case of such 'starry' composition any duels could become the central ones. The beginning of the 2nd round showed that nothing remain from the yesterday's peaceful mood. In 4 out of 7 games there was played the sharp Sicilian defence. The most impetuously the circumstances developed in the game Anand - Akopian. Probably inspired with the yesterday's victory the Armenian GM aspired to strengthen the success and strived in a hand-to-hand fight. In a sharp and fashionable now variation where the partners castle in different sides and create their strategical plans on flanking attacks Akopian for the sake of opening the files for his heavy artillery didn't stop even before pawn's sacrifice. His threatening pieces aimed on the cover of the opponent's King and the initiative on the queenside could become dangerous. But one should not forget about the skill of his opponent in defence. All the most optimistic expectations of pithy fight lovers in this game were realized. It was a really great battle. A long time it seemd that the Akopian's offencive will become a shattering one, there more that 'on the way' he has got back even the sacrificed pawn. But not in vein Anand is considered as a masterly defender. Skilfully covering the main approaches to his own King he using a respite moved to a counter-offensive. The tension reached the top point when the logic of events development disturbed Akopian. Instead of a natural maneuver 24.Ne6 he overestimated the position and recklessly played 24...a5 and since this moment his things inexorably became worse. He failed to create a decisive threats and was not able to cover his own kingside. The final was pitiless. Geting under direct blows Akopian has suffered a cruel defeat. More calm developed the circumstances in the game Kramnik - van Wely. Partners played one of the branch of the Dragon variation, where White has a slight advantage in space and accordingly more freedom in maneuvers. But Black has rather firm position and has not any problem with mobilization of his forces. To 23 move Kramnik obtained a slight strategical advantage at the cost of invasion on a-file. In a strategic maneuver fight where White had a slight initiative seemed nothing foreboded stormy events. Kramnik pressed, van Wely defended but obviously such course of the battle didn't like the Dutchman GM and he decided that "better to die upright than to live on knees". Suddenly sacrificing the Knight van Wely rushed in a desperate counter-attack. We should give Kramnik his due. In a critical moment he has found 2 excellent moves: 35.Nd5, and then 37.Rh8 and nipped in the bud all dangers. A fast-ripening attack was repelled but the piece remained. A beautiful tactical blaw Qd4 become the final one. One more Sicilian happened in the game Adams - Shirov. Here it was tied an excited theoretical dispute in one of the fashionable variation where in spirit of Sveshnikov system Black 'gives away' to his partner a strategical d5-point but blocks the center and prepare the pawn's diversion on the kingside. In such key proceeded also this game. Adams took under fire d5-point with whole 4 his fighting units and although almost all of them were changed during the confrontation the 'whitesquares' initiative was kept by Adams. The tactical blows (15.Nd5 and 21...h5) slightly cooled the fight but the game passed to the endgame where in spite of the better pawn's structure Black could be vulnerable by g4-paw. Shirov keep the sufficient resources for defence. And one should underline that these resources Shirov has used very inventively although it seemed that after the trade d6-pawn on e4 one the worse for Black is behind but with witty Bishop's maneuvers 21.Bc7, 22.Bd6 and 23.Bd8 followed by Rooks exchange Adams managed to cause new pawn's weaknesses in Shirov's camp. Here became apparent a wonderful tenacity of GM from Riga. His as if clumsy Knight showed miracles of activity being in time to cover 4 pawn's 'islands'. And even the loss of one of the pawn didn't break his resistance. The pawn's endgame turned out to be drawn. Bravo, Alexei! Quite originally turned out the fight in one more 'sicilian' game Zhong - Svidler. The variation with a lunge of the Bishop on b5 following by an exchange on c6 White usually interpret in a 'block' style and not so straightforwardly (for example by way of 4.0-0-0 Bg7 5.Re1 Nf6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.e5). Zhong gave a full freedom to his partner in the center and varied with his plans. Frightening with a pawn's diversion on the queenside (8.a3) he quickly re-formed on an activization of his forces on the opposite flank of the fight (12.Nh2, 13.Bh6, 15.f4). It seems to me that Svidler replied rather too optimistically (13...c4) on this rather inoffensive idea since the consequence of the opening of the game for Black hardly was expedient. In any case after 20th move Svidler has got some cares. One should give Svidler his due. In a difficult position he found out the defensive resources with a wonderful inventiveness. On a superficial analysis it's difficult to note where Zhong has lost his advantage but the fact that he has had it more than very likely. The final was quite refined: 43.Qc3! Nf1+ 44.Kh1 Ng3+! with a transfer to a drawn Queen's endgame. A well-known variation of Nimzo defence which is quite popular last years skillfully but without any special prides played Bareev with Bologan. An earlier trade of the Queens even with presence of notorious 2 Bishops essentially emasculated the strategical potential of White. It is difficult to suppose that further events will be excited. Long time calm developed the events in the duel Topalov - Sokolov. A fashionable variation in Slav defence (4...a6) true in a slightly unusual interpretation by Sokolov with a clumsy black Rook on a7 didn't promise however serious trouble for Black after opening the center and some exchanges. But probably 16...Ng4 was too optimistic move. With an elegant lunge 17.Qb6 followed by 18.Bc7 Topalov faced his opponent not simple problem. What could be happened even in GM's games? After 20th move seemed that it's not far away from the final but a careless Topalov's maneuver 21.Qa5 allowed Sokolov to spread one's wings. In any case after his Queen placed on a8 only in 3 moves he wonferfully transferred directly in the opponent's camp on d3-square. Suddenly White King turned out to be in a zone of reach and with exact maneuvers literally one move before mate Sokolov managed to save. A sluggish maneuver play turned out to be in the game Timman - Leko. 12 first moves partners acted on their own territory entering no in a confrontation. In the next 10 moves also was not any special events. In accordance with Queen Indian defence were exchanged a couple of light pieces and closed the center. Certainly White had some advantage in space but how serious it is a question. Nevertheless the supposition that the sharp feelings this game will not bring was wrong. After a long and careful regrouping and concentration of the forces on the kingside Timman has launched a great opening of the game. His central pawn managed to reach e6-square but maybe the Dutch GM has overestimated the significance of this break. Furthermore one gave an impression that Leko guilefully has drawn the fire on himself. In any case the game was yet to come but with 35.Ne3 Timman probably has blundered a pawn. Leko led the technical part of the game blamelessly and the episode on 47th move where he played effectively 47...h4+ carry out a clear problem character since in case of 48.Kxg4 could follow a very beautiful mate final and even in 3 lines: 1) 49.Kxf3 Rg3X 2) 49.Kh5 Re5+!! 50.fxe5 Rg5X and 3) 49. Kf5 Nd4+ 50.Kf6 Re6X Timman didn't like to lost so beautifully and in a hopeless position modestly resign in few moves.