Before…

I'll try to foretell quite shortly what will happen tonight.

Quite surprisingly I was right in some cases. OK, it's a good sign to conyinue playing this Cassandra role. 2-nd round preview is going to appear tomorrow in the morning. I named 2 openings and 3 results correctly, and in some games even managed to foresee how it happened.

It's very tempting to continue prophet practice. It's too late so I'm not going to explain my point of view seriously - just a look at the chances.

Yes, it was just a solid draw (one would probably say boring). I'm not that critical. Vassily played some original move order in the opening ( 8.Nxd4 is rare; almost everybody took back with the pawn. However, Vishy managed to hold a draw easily.

Ivanchuk - Kasparov - both were very solid in the starting round. I think they'll be even more solid tomorrow. After opening theory check in (…not so easy) some Queen's Gambit Declined there will be another DRAW(?)

Kasparov-Svidler - Peter faces a real problem right from the beginning. What would he play to avoid some Hoogovens-like opening massaker? However, I foresee that Kasparov's computers are not set up perfectly yet so Peter will be somehow lucky to escape in some sharp Gruenfeld - DRAW(?)

Another draw.

Svidler - Kramnik - these two grandmasters used to give a try to Sveshnikov Sicilian. As Vladimir's preparation always seemed to be just a bit better, the normal result would be a DRAW(?)

Kramnik-Topalov - during the last years poor Veselin is desperately looking for some suitable opening to face Vladimir with Black. I don't think he'll succeed this time. I foresee some cold-blooded punishment in King's Indian - 1 : 0(?)

Shame on me! That's by far the only result I couldn't foretell. Topalov played some new fashion line and Kramnik found positional refutation in a very natural way. Resulting ending is awkward for Black despite his extra pawn. I can't prove it right now but I just feel that at some moment Vladimir missed good winning chances.Draw.

Topalov - Adams - it seems to be another Closed Ruy Lopez with strong peaceful trends also. I don't think Veselin will be pushing too hard as he had rather bad results playing Michael recently. My opinion - DRAW(?)

Adams-Leko - I think that Mickey will outplay his young opponent in some offbeat Caro-Kann - 1 : 0(?)

For Mickey Andalucian sun was shining brighter than for anyone else. Yes, there was Caro-Kann, well, I admit, quite a fashionable line. Move order chosen by Mickey may be quite poisonous but we'll better see next time. Leko collapsed immediately with 16…exf5? - just a suicide. White knights decided the game with ease after such an "invitation". Well done by Mickey anyway.

Anand - Leko - Young Peter had probably rather bad drawing of lots. I don't believe his Caro-Kann will survive another treatment. Vishy will break through somehow - 1 : 0(?)