Moscow: the early rounds

In the early rounds of the 5th Tal memorial from Moscow, Russia, it is Levon Aronian who has taken the lead.
Five other players have plus one and are only half-a-point behind.

Three key players are missing this year, all of whom have been busy of late: Ivanchuk, Carlsen and Anand but the players who are present are almost as strong!

World No.3 Aronian plays his first tournament as a 2800-player and seems to be confirming his new status with two white wins.

Alexei Shirov and Pavel Eljanov had dreadful starts, losing their first three games, and are at the other end of the table.

The results of the first four rounds were as follows:

Round 1 (5th of November):

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	AZE	2763	0.5-0.5	Hikaru Nakamura	USA	2741	43	Queen's Gambit Declined Lasker
Sergey Karjakin	RUS	2760	1-0	Boris Gelfand	ISR	2741	57	Petroff Defence
Alexei Shirov	ESP	2735	0-1	Wang Hao	CHI	2727	51	French Defence
Levon Aronian	ARM	2801	1-0	Vladimir Kramnik	RUS	2791	41	Queen's Gambit Ragozin
Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2771	1-0	Pavel Eljanov	UKR	2742	58	Catalan/Bogoljubov

Round 2 (6th of November):

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	AZE	2763	0.5-0.5	Sergey Karjakin	RUS	2760	39	Nimzoindian Defence 4.g3
Boris Gelfand	ISR	2741	1-0	Alexei Shirov	ESP	2735	61	Slav Defence
Wang Hao	CHI	2727	0.5-0.5	Levon Aronian	ARM	2801	39	Catalan Opening
Vladimir Kramnik	RUS	2791	0.5-0.5	Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2771	39	Queen's Gambit Declined
Hikaru Nakamura	USA	2741	1-0	Pavel Eljanov	UKR	2742	40	Catalan/Bogoljubov

Round 3 (7th of November):

Alexei Shirov	ESP	2735	0-1	Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	AZE	2763	71	Spanish Breyer
Sergey Karjakin	RUS	2760	0.5-0.5	Hikaru Nakamura	USA	2741	70	Spanish Berlin
Levon Aronian	ARM	2801	1-0	Boris Gelfand	ISR	2741	43	Catalan Opening
Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2771	0.5-0.5	Hao Wang	CHI	2727	22	Slav Defence
Pavel Eljanov	UKR	2742	0-1	Vladimir Kramnik	RUS	2791	51	Nimzoindian Defence 4.Qc2

Round 4 (8th of November):

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	AZE	2763	0.5-0.5	Levon Aronian	ARM	2801	35	Slav Defence
Sergey Karjakin	RUS	2760	0.5-0.5	Alexei Shirov	ESP	2735	63	Spanish Neo-Archangel
Boris Gelfand	ISR	2741	0.5-0.5	Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2771	43	Catalan/Bogljubov
Hao Wang	CHI	2727	0.5-0.5	Pavel Eljanov	UKR	2742	79	English Opening
Hikaru Nakamura	USA	2741	0.5-0.5	Vladimir Kramnik	RUS	2791	33	Petroff Defence

The table after four rounds is as follows with six of the ten players on plus scores.

Standing	Name	Country	Rating	+	=	-	Points
1	Levon Aronian	ARM	2801	2	2	0	3
2=	Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2771	1	3	0	2.5
2=	Shakhriyar Mamedyarov	AZE	2763	1	3	0	2.5
2=	Sergey Karjakin	RUS	2760	1	3	0	2.5
2=	Hikaru Nakamura	USA	2741	1	3	0	2.5
2=	Wang Hao	CHI	2727	1	3	0	2.5
7	Vladimir Kramnik	RUS	2791	1	2	1	2
8	Boris Gelfand	ISR	2741	1	1	2	1.5
9=	Pavel Eljanov	UKR	2742	0	1	3	0.5
9=	Alexei Shirov	ESP	2735	0	1	3	0.5

This nine round Swiss has a classical rate of play but with somewhat more time than usual (120 mins for 40 moves followed by 60 minutes for 20 moves and then 15 minutes plus 30 seconds per move from the 61st).

For more information go to the Official site

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