Carlsen and Kamsky

As for me, these two guys are the biggest winners in Khanty-Mansiysk. At least until we get the final match for the 1st place done. They both have qualified for the World Championship Candidates.

Magnus Carlsen had a great year and this tournament is like a cherry on top of the cake. So far he eliminated Zurab Azmaiparashvili (2658), Farrukh Ammonatov (2572) and Ivan Cheparinov (2618), then lost to tough Russian Evgeny Bareev (2675), then again beat Joel Lautier (2679) and Vladimir Malakhov (2670). Currently he is fighting Gata Kamsky in a match for 9th place.

Gata Kamsky made his return to the game after being absent for 8 years to complete his medicine studies. At the first, he mostly played at the Mashall Chess Club and then started to participate in the tournaments. The start was shaky but his form has stabilized over time. In Argentina he qualified for the World Chess Cup to prove he's coming back to the top shape. Members of the WCN internet chess club had the exclusive pleasure to play him in the Master Challenges. Next tourney for Gata will be "Corus" in January.



Magnus Carlsen (2570) - Gata Kamsky (2690)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Bd3 b5 7. O-O Bb7 8. Qe2 Ne7 9. Re1 Nbc6 10. Nxc6 Nxc6 11. Nd5 exd5 12. exd5+ Ne7 13. c4 b4 14. Bg5 f6 15. Qh5+ g6 16. Qf3 fxg5 17. Qf6 O-O-O 18. Qxh8 Qd6 19. Be4 Kb8 20. Rac1 Qf4 21. g3 Qf7 22. Qd4 d6 23. Qb6 Rd7 24. Qxb4 Nf5 25. Bxf5 gxf5 26. Re6 f4 27. Rce1 Rd8 28. Qb6 Rc8 29. b4 fxg3 30. hxg3 h5 31. b5 Qc7 32. Qxc7+ Kxc7 33. a4 axb5 34. axb5 Kb6 35. Re8 Bg7 36. R8e6 Rd8 37. c5+ Kxc5 38. Re7 Bd4 39. Rxb7 Rf8 40. Rc7+ Kxd5 41. Rd1 Rb8 42. Rg7 g4 43. Rg5+ Kc4 44. Rxh5 Bc5 45. Rg5 Rxb5 46. Rxg4+ Kc3 47. Kg2 Ba3 48. Rgd4 1-0

Gata Kamsky (2690) - Magnus Carlsen (2570)
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Bg5 12. Nc2 Ne7 13. Ncb4 O-O 14. a4 bxa4 15. Qxa4 a5 16. Bb5 Nxd5 17. Nxd5 Be6 18. Bc6 Rb8 19. Ra2 Qc8 20. O-O Bd8 21. b4 Kh8 22. Rd2 Qa6 23. b5 Qa7 24. Qa3 Bxd5 25. Qxd6 Be7 26. Qxd5 Rfd8 27. Qa2 Rxd2 28. Qxd2 a4 29. Qa2 a3 30. Qxf7 Rf8 31. b6 1-0