Three amazing draws in Linares

Topalov and Grischuk are still ahead as three really complicated games all led to draws. Veselin Topalov came up with some fireworks to save a dubious-looking position and Vallejo Pons lost his queen but kept fighting and saved the game!

Of the three games a gritty Poisoned Pawn between Gashimov and Grischuk was the most predictable. White sacrificed the b-pawn and obtained a useful initiative.

The position opened up and Gashimov won back the material, but Grischuk managed to exchange off the attacking pieces and held the endgame.

In a Modern Benoni Topalov first sacrificed a pawn but this didn't look quite sufficient and Aronian seemed to have a grip on events. However the Bulgarian found some amazing moves that even involved giving a piece for a dangerous passed pawn. In practise this proved to be enough, (just!) for Topalov to save a half-point.

Gelfand trapped Vallejo Pons's queen, but instead of resigning the Spaniard obtained a rook and two pawns and the complications continued. Evidently a computer would like White but at-the-board Gelfand became sufficiently disorientated to let slip half the spoils.

Vugar Gashimov	AZE	2759	0.5-0.5	Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2736	Sicilian Najdorf	B97
Boris Gelfand	ISR	2761	0.5-0.5	Francisco Vallejo Pons	ESP	2705	Slav Defence	D10
Lev Aronian	ARM	2781	0.5-0.5	Veselin Topalov	BUL	2805	Modern Benoni	A64

With all the games being drawn the rankings haven't changed since yesterday with Topalov and Grischuk sharing the lead.

So after three rounds:

World Ranking	Name	Country	Rating	Previous participations	Points
2	Veselin Topalov	BUL	2805	9	2
15	Alexander Grischuk	RUS	2736	2	2
5	Levon Aronian	ARM	2781	4	1.5
31	Francisco Vallejo Pons	ESP	2705	5	1.5
6	Boris Gelfand	ISR	2761	6	1
7	Vugar Gashimov	AZE	2759	0	1

The official site will give additional information:

Linares official site