CM
07
Rd2
TieBreak
Gm1

Rublevsky -
Grischuk

First of all, I am glad to say that my favorites for the Candidates Matches have come through this elimination round. Aronian, Gelfand, Leko, and Grischuk are going to Mexico in September for the World Championships. My predictions for that event will come later but I do favor Kramnik and Aronian to be the top finishers. Anyway, let's take a look at the first game of the tiebreak between Grischuk and Rublevsky. As you already know, Grischuk won with black twice and drawing with white ( second game ) to win the tiebreak match. Here we are at move 29...Nh4 where Rublevsky responded with 30. Rb2, capturing black's rook [ diagram 1 ]. Why not capture the a3 pawn? This pawn later became the bane of Rublevsky's existence. Let's take a look: 30. Ba3 Rb1+ 31. Rb1 Rb1+ 32. Kb1 Ng2 33. Be7 ( to stop the advance of the h pawn? ) Kf7 34. Bg5 h4 ( advances anyway! ) 35. Bh4 Nh4 36. a4 Ke7 37. Kc2 Kd7 38. a5 Ng6 and black is clearly winning. Okay, let's go back to the game: 30... ab2+ 31. Kb1 Ng2 32. f5 Nf4 33. fe Nd3 34. Ba3 Ne5 35. Kc2 Nc4 36. Bc5... [ diagram 2 ]

Here, Grischuk played the very lovely 36... Nd2. This move cut the legs off Rublevky's game because 37. Kd2 b1(Q) 38. Rb1 Rb1 39. Be7 ( 39. Bf2 Rb2+ ) Rb2+ and black is winning. Rublevsky played 37. a4 b1(Q)+ 38. Rb1 Nb1 39. a5 Rb5 and black resigned. If 40. Be7, then 40... Ra5 41. Kb1 Ra6 and game over. If 40. Bf2, then 40...Na3+ 41. Kc3 Ra5 and game over. Congratulations to GM Grischuk.