Round 2 of the 2011 Tal Memorial demonstrated exactly why the majority of the world views chess as a dull game. Considering the number of stars in the event, I had hoped to see new ideas tested and inspiring play. Instead we are getting an Anand who wants to save his best ideas for a world championship match and a Kramnik whose chess could put an insomniac in a coma. Magnus Carlsen had the only victory of the day and he did not win so much as Gelfand lost. Had Gelfand played 26…Bxg3, all the games would have resulted in draws.
[Event “Tal Memorial”]
[Site “Moscow RUS”]
[Date “2011.11.17”]
[EventDate “2011.11.16”]
[Round “2”]
[Result “1-0”]
[White “M Carlsen”]
[Black “B Gelfand”]
[ECO “D12”]
[WhiteElo “2826”]
[BlackElo “2744”]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O Bd6 10. h3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nb6 12. Bb3 e5 13. Qc2 Qe7 14. Bd2 O-O-O 15. d5 e4 16. dxc6 Qe5 17. f4 exf3 18. Rxf3 Ng4 19. cxb7+ Kb8 20. hxg4 Rh1+ 21. Kf2 Rxa1 22. Ne2 Bc5 23. Bc3 Qe7 24. g5 Rdd1 25. Ng3 Bd6 26. Qe2 Rg1 27. Qd3 Bc7 28. Ne4 Raf1+ 29. Ke2 Rxf3 30. gxf3 f5 31. gxf6 gxf6 32. Bxf6 Qh7 33. Qb5 Rg2+ 34. Kd3 Qd7+ 35. Qxd7 Nxd7 36. Bd5 Be5 37. f4 Bc7 38. Bc6 1-0