Tashkent FIDE GP 2012

Leko scored 5.5/11 for a solid result.

'... the Italian(Caruana-right) was never close to a win against Peter Leko(l).

Photo Chessvibes Tashkent 2012 GP

 

Rank		Name	Rtg	FED	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pts
1	GM	Karjakin Sergey	2775	RUS	1	*	½	½	0	½	1	½	½	½	1	½	6½
2	GM	Wang Hao	2737	CHN	½	½	*	1	1	0	½	½	½	½	½	1	6½
3	GM	Morozevich Alexander	2748	RUS	*	0	½	1	½	½	0	½	1	½	1	1	6½
4	GM	Caruana Fabiano	2786	ITA	0	½	0	*	½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	6
5	GM	Mamedyarov Shakhriyar	2764	AZE	½	1	0	½	*	½	½	1	½	½	½	½	6
6	GM	Kasimdzhanov Rustam	2696	UZB	½	½	1	½	½	*	½	½	½	½	½	½	6
7	GM	Ponomariov Ruslan	2741	UKR	1	0	½	½	½	½	*	0	½	½	1	½	5½
8	GM	Svidler Peter	2747	RUS	½	½	½	½	0	½	1	*	½	½	½	½	5½
9	GM	Leko Peter	2732	HUN	0	½	½	½	½	½	½	½	*	½	½	1	5½
10	GM	Gelfand Boris	2751	ISR	½	½	½	0	½	½	½	½	½	*	½	0	4½
11	GM	Dominguez Perez Leinier	2726	CUB	0	0	½	0	½	½	0	½	½	½	*	1	4
12	GM	Kamsky Gata	2762	USA	0	½	0	0	½	½	½	½	0	1	0	*	3½

Here is Leko's only win.

Kamsky,G (2762) - Leko,P (2732)
Nimzo-Indian 8...Nbd7 9.Bd2[E55]
FIDE GP Tashkent Tashkent UZB (8.4), 30.11.2012
White played the harmless 9.Bd2 and got nothing in the opening.

Position 1
Now later, black has just recaptured with 22...Nxd5 and an endgame has begun. How do you assess the position?
-Dead even. The IQP is not a factor due the white's active pieces
-Slightly better for black due to the IQP
-Unclear, it's too soon to tell as the Nc6 gives white a chance to make murky play.

22...Nxd5

Position 2
26.a3 has just been played. The RRB-RRN ending looks complex but really it is not. Black has the better structure and more  useful minor piece. How should black proceed?
-26..Rxa6
-Build slowly with ...f6/..e5
-Play the little hidden tactical blow
-Somthing else

Black to Play

26.a3