Good news from Wijk aan Zee
: Created:30 Jan 2011 , byOn a day which began disappointingly with Andy Murray's third attempt at a major tennis final being turned back by an admittedly magnificent Novak Djokovic (no criticism of Andy please because he has single-handedly made British tennis respectable for the last five years) it was encouraging to witness on Susan Polgar's site, Luke McShane's gritty defence against co-leader David Navara in the last round of the B section.
McShane's reward was a draw and a share of first prize.
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Hikaru Nakamura achieved the best result of his career with outright victory in the A section at Wijk aan Zee ahead of Anand, Kramnik and Carlsen. His games were a pleasure to play through with lots of fighting spirit although if asked for my favourite games from the tournament, I'd name an early win by Anand that featured an amazing positional piece sacrifice against the Nimzo Indian Defence and a technical victory by Nepomniachtchi with the Sicilian Defence against Carlsen. Both games will appear on our games page with ridiculous personal notes by me.
Nigel Short was five from five in Gibraltar going into today's sixth round but bullying the Kosintseva sisters, Nadezhada (joint leader after round four) and Tatiana, counted for very little when he faced the redoubtable Vasily Ivanchuk with Black. Short is a Spartan warrior these days, victorious or being carried home on his shield and 8..g5 was evidence of aggressive intent but Ivanchuk demonstrating to the full the attacking opportunities offered by bishops of opposite colours when rooks are on the board, checkmated on move 63.