All draws in a quiet day’s play

Vallejo – Radjabov

Vallejo pulls out an obscure variation of a Sicilian. Radjabov replies by adopting a Botvinnik-type system, and gradually the game starts to resemble an Anti-Marshall Ruy Lopez. This simplifies into a balances knight and pawns endgame, and predictably into a draw.

Leko – Bacrot

Leko emerges from a Petroff with a strong edge, but he steers toward rapid simplification into an equal endgame.

Topalov – Ivanchuk

Topalov’s Anti-Marshall in the Ruy Lopez gives him a slight advantage, which he nurtures into a win of a pawn. But a draw declared a few moves later in a rook and opposite bishops endgame.

Svidler – Aronian

A short draw concluded in the very early middlegame of an Anti-Marshall Ruy Lopez.