All draws today. Anand and Ivanchuk put in a proper days work while the rest of the players take a day off.
Anand – Ivanchuk
Anand plays a quiet 10. h3 against Ivanchuk’s Sicilian Najdorf leading to equality. Ivanchuk gets a slight advantage thanks to his e-pawn backed by a rook, and he builds that into a sizeable advantage. Ivanchuk rejects an opportunity to win a pawn, which allows Anand to consolidate his position and neutralise Ivanchuk’s advantage
Aronian – Topalov
Topalov quickly takes advantage of Aronian’s reticence in the centre to grab an advantage. After some tactical trickery both sides agree a draw.
Carlsen – Leko
Leko’s Semi-Slav follows Carlsen’s game against Topalov from the previous round, and Leko deviates with 10… Qe7, and both sides seem content to play out a draw by repetition right out of the opening.
Morozevich – Svidler
Both players call it evens still inside an English Four Knights opening.