GM Sergey Ionov annotates the games of the 10th round: Good evening, dear chess lovers. The most interest in the present round evoke the leaders duel: Kasparov - Leko The position after 12th White move met already in the game between the same partners (Kasparov - Leko, Moscow 2002). Leko used a novelty 12. ...Qf6 (earlier was 12. ...Bе6 13.Bе6 fe6 14.Qh5and White owned the initiative in that meeting). Leko don't hurry with determination of the position of his King and first try to prevent the withdrawal of the White King on the queenside followed by the storm on the kingside. Kasparov failed to derive benefit from the opening. With the correct maneuvers Leko repelled the active attempts from White's side. Shirov didn't begin to "frighten" Topalov with Marshall counter-attack and chose the Chigorin classical variation in Ruy Lopez. Topalov on 12th move preferred to close the center 12.d5 instead of more common 12.Nbd2 cd4 13.cd4 Nс6 which met repeatedly in Shirov's practice. On 16th move White used a logical novelty strengthening the center. The fight took a protracted character which is tipical for a classical Ruy Lopez. The opponent sides proceed a regrouping of forces. In White's plan is included advancement g4 followed by further concentration of his pieces on the kingside Ng3,Kh2,Rg1 and further possible lunge Nf5. Black should prevent this bringing the forces for King's defense. First of all he need to find a worthy application for c8-Night which now is entangled underfoot his own army. Topalov decided to provide f4 in order to get a pressure on d6-pawn after ef4, Bf4. At that Black knights can't occupy e5-square. Moving the pawn till h5 Topalov trys to creat a new target for attack in the opponent's camp - the g6-pawn, which could be attacked by the light colored bishop after e4-e5 or Knight's transfer on e6 (after e4xf5) and Black will be quite narrowly in his own camp. Shirov opened b-file and acting along it with the rook trys to divert the opponent from the concentration of forces on the kingside. It's true that on the occasion White can convert this in his favour having much more freedom of maneuvers and then invade by himself in the Black's camp along the same file. Topalov managed to break-trough on the kingside 38.e5 and the estimation of the position after 40 moves is beyond any doubts - White should win. Shirov didn't stand the "Spanish torture". An excellent Topalov's acivment. Kramnik against Radjabov chose less pretentious 3.Bс4. Black in accordance with his active style launched a flank action 10...Nh5 instead of more fundamental 10. ...Bе6 followed by Rе8 and a preparation of the advancement in the center d5. As we could expect Radjabov's flank demarche didn't lead to a specifical success. Black spent three moves in order to tranfer the Knight from f6 on g6 which hardly could be add as an achivment. During this time White prepared the advancement in the center d4 and captured the initiative. It's true that in Black's position there are no weaknesses and all the fight is yet to come. The position has transferred. In spite of simplifications White keeps playing initiative. He has a superiority in the center, the f5-knight threateningly hung over the position of the castle and Black forces are disconnected (Ra7). The nearest future will show does White manage to strengthen the pressure or Black solid the position by the rook's transfer from a7 to e8. Kramnik managed to creat an object of attack - retarded c7-pawn. But meanwhile from the board disappeared the last light pieces and Black rooks act not bad: one along the opened a-file, another along semi-open e-file. White needs to exchange the Queens in order to get the freedom of actions for his King. Kramnik suggested a draw as he didn't see how to strengthen the position and didn't meet with denial.