Wijk aan Zee, Round six. Again one leader

And another repeat of what has gone before? As the Russian-Indian duet sharing the lead both drew, the Norwegian dragon proudly leads the Wijk caravan alone.

Not a tough day for Sergey, who equalised easily enough in the Berlin, but as for getting anything more...

Events in the game between the two compatriots developed as if in slow motion. White's unhurried manoeuvres along the third rank were clearly aimed at provoking his great opponent into some unjustified activity. Anand certainly controlled more space, but White's coiled spring position was very solid. In his day, such positions were handled masterfully by one of the guests at Wijk, Ulf Andersson. Times and players change, however, and nowadays to win such endings as White, one needs to be Carlsen (or Kramnik, Aronian, etc. - you can chooose your own answer). One move 31, there was a brief sharpening of affairs, as a result of which White was left with two pieces for a rook, but the world champion had a slight initiative:

Harakrishna - Anand

The white pawn has just advanced to d4, and if the knight retreats, White is a fraction better perhaps,(although even that is not guaranteed). Anand found a more radical path: 31…f4 32.g4 Bxb1 33.Rxb1 Ne4 34.gxh5 – seven moves later, peace was agreed.

Whilst his rivals were fighting their way to half a point, the great Magnus secured his "rightful" point in his customary style: :

Carlsen - Sokolov

After White's 22nd move

As always, his opponent could be satisfied with the results of the opening and White has no real advantage. But does Carlsen need one? Play starts here, and it is very interesting to follow how the computer assessment changes after each move (Computerkibitz: Houdini 2.0c x64Depth: 20 with 103.598 kN in 50s; http://tatasteel2013.live.whychess.com/). In microscopic steps, but with a constant metronomic rhythm, the positions gradually turns in White's favour.: after 22 moves, it reads -0,06, and by move 40 shows +1,14. And this happens, if not every day, then without any sharp gaps, in a regular cycle.

Ivan, as though hypnotised, brought his king into the centre of the board and the game ended in just a handful of moves: 41…Bxd5 42.Qxd5+ Kc8 43.Ne3 Qa1+ 44.Kh2 Qxa4 45.Qa8+ Kd7 46.Nd5 Bd8 47.Bf5+ Ke8 48.Qc8 – there is no satisfactory defence against 49.Bd7 and 50.Nf6+. Black resigned (1:0)

The battle between the eastern and European schools was full of content:

van Wely - Wang Hao

After Black's 14th move

The outlines of the future battle have just been established. Which will be more important: the weakness of the light squares or the chance to create a powerful passed pawn? In the rest of the game, both players show great tactical resourcefulness and courage. . 15.Re1 h6 16.a4 Nbd7 17.a5 e4 18.Nf4 g5 19.Ra4 Qc8 20.Nfe2 Nc5

Emotions run high. The blakc knights will penetrate to the key squares aroudn the white king, but White manages to set hispawns in motion. 21.Rc4 Qd7 22.Nd4 Rae8 23.h3 Nd3 24.Re2 Ne5 25.Rb4 Nd3 26.Rc4 Ne5 27.Ra4 Its eems the Chinese Wang does not object to a repetition. With his last move, the Dutch Van categorically rejects the peace initiative, put out by the Easterner.

And it is the younger player who cracks first! 27...Nf3 – surprisingly, Houdini regards this tempting move as the decisive mistake. 28.Nc6! You have your knight, I have mine... 28...Qf5 29.b6 axb6 30.axb6 Ne5 31.b7 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Nd3 33.Rc2 - now the exchange eliminates Black's threats once and for all

33...Qxd1+ 34.Nxd1 Nxd5 35.Ne3 Nb6 36.Ra5 Ne1 37.Re2 Nd3 Wang hao wriggles as best he can, but Loek's iron hand refutes everything. 38.Bd2 Ne5 39.Nxe5 Rxe5 40.Nf5 Rb8 41.Nxg7 Black resigns (1:0). An excellent game! Today, as generally in this event, the Dutchman has looked very solid and strong, more so than the younger players (Carlsen excepted).

The game Aronian-Leko was of a different type. If one speaks of Magnus, and compares him with some sort of ruthless technical machine, then with Levon, is more of a magician/illusionist. He plays against the man sitting opposite - "What have I got in my right hand? Yoy can't guess? Never mind, try again. In my left? Strange, again you can't guess..." In addition, he allows Chance to play a role. But it is anotehr question, that very few are able to exploit it.

Aronian - Leko

It is impossible to believe that White can make something of this. The great Cuban would have regarded playing on here as a personal affront and a sign of a lack of decent upbringing. But what a shame we have no way of knowing whetehr Capablanca would have saved this, if he had been forced to face several hours of being posed question after question, with Capa-like ease, with no adjournments and no breaks. It is hard to say...

Here Peter missed the draw, according to Houdini, but that is to take nothing away from the Armenian, who has created so many problems. Who could have held this? There followed 53...Bc2 maybe not yet losing, but the first step in the wrong direction . 54.Kxa6 Bxa4 55.b5 Bc2 56.Bd4 Bd3? – But here Houdini give sthe drawing line ... Kc8 57.b6 Kb8 58.b7 Bd3+ 59.Kb6 Be4 60.Bxf6 Bxb7 61.Bxg5 Kc8 62.h4 Be4 63.f6 Bg6 64.Kc6 Bf7 65.Kd6 Kd8 66.Ke5

position from analysis

But Peter's sufferings soon ended: 57.Bxf6 Kc8 58.Bxg5 Bxf5 59.Ka7 he resigned (1:0).

Now Levon is hard on the heels of Anand and Karjakin, What next?

I wonder if Hou Yifan knows that there was such a lover of the Bg7 as EduProbably not, maybe Genna Sosonko could tell her... Either way, various lines of the Dragon and King's Indian appear regularly in the Chinese girl's games.

Giri - Hou Yifan

After White's 21st move

Hou energetically clears the path of the a-pawn: 21...a4 22.Nd4 Rxb3 23.Nxb3 Nc4 24.Nc5 dxc5 25.Ra1 Qe5 26.Bf4 Qxc3

The pawn is ready, with the help of its colleagues (especially the Bg7!) to advance to the golden square. White has to take desperate measures, but it does not change the assessment. 27.Qe2 Na5 28.Rac1 Qb4 29.Bd2 Qb6 30.Bc3 Nb3 – It is all over (-1,45: Computerkibitz: Houdini 2.0c x64Depth: 20 with 103.598 kN in 50s; http://tatasteel2013.live.whychess.com/), but Hou went wrong and almost threw away the win. The realisation of the extra exchange took some time, and the game was the longest of the tournament. But as a result, Hou moves out of last place.

Anna Ushenina will not find the match easy...

In the B Group, Robert rapport did not manage to storm Maxim Turov's fortress

Nikolic - Dubov. Daniel Dubov won his second game in a row. Tomorrow is Dubov-Rapport!