Kovalyov Eliminated

GM Anton Kovalyov drew his second match game against Fabiano Caruana, losing the match 0.5 - 1.5. 

After losing the first game with Black, Kovalyov had to win to extend the match against the #3 seed. The game started as a symmetrical English, but transposed into a kind of Taimanov Sicilian in which Caruana played a very sharp 8...d5 (see photo). While the game remained unbalanced for a long time, including an exchange sac by Anton to get the Bishop pair, Caruana was never in serious trouble and eventually traded down to an opposite coloured Bishop ending.

Kovalyov, seeded 94 out of 128, upset the #35 seed, former FIDE World Champion Gustam Kasimdzhanov in round 1 (4.5 - 3.5). In round 2 he eliminated former Argentine team mate Sandro Mareco (#99) 1.5 - 0.5..

Also eliminated today: Grischuk, Ivanchuk, Leko and Granda Zuniga.

Round 3 play-offs continue Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6am EST, with seven rapid (and blitz) matches, highlighted by top seeds in the following matches:

#1 Topalov vs Lu Shanglei
#2 Nakamura vs Nepomniachtchi
#5 So vs Le Quang Liem
#6 Kramnik vs Andreikin

Games can be followed live with highdef video and GM commentary from the event website:

http://www.bakuworldcup2015.com/content/5

2015 World Cup

128 players compete in two game knock-out matches -- followed (if necessary) by a day of rapid tiebreaks -- with the two finalists qualifying for the Candidates tournament, the winner of which plays Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship.

Time Control: 40/90 + G/30 + 30s from move 1. Tiebreak TC gets shorter with each inconclusive pair of games: starting with G/25 + 10s, then 10 + 10, 5 + 3, finally and ending with a single armageddon game where White has five minutes to four but must win.