Israeli Grandmaster Boris Gelfand beat Russian Grandmaster Alexander Grischuk to emerge the lone winner in a day of draws in the first game of the quarter-finals in the World Chess Cup in Khanty Mansyisk, Russia.
Playing with black in Queen's Indian opening, Grischuk gave an early check to the white king, which Gelfand averted with ease.
Thereafter the game tilted towards the white and in the end Grischuk could not face the barrage of white attacks and surrendered on the 37th move.
After Round Four tie-breaks, five players -- Aronian, Bacrot, Bareev, Gelfand and Gurevich -- joined Grischuk, Ponomariov and Rublevsky to compete for 1-8 places, which also automatically ensured participation in the Candidates matches.
Ten players will fight it out for the Candidates' matches. With eight already qualified, the Round Four losers will fight for two remaining places.
Results: Quarter-finals, Game One:
Bareev, Evgeny (RUS) drew with Ponomariov, Ruslan (UKR) Rublevsky, Sergei (RUS) drew with Bacrot, Etienne (FRA) Aronian, Levon (ARM) drew with Gurevich, Mikhail (BEL) Gelfand, Boris (ISR) beat Grischuk, Alexander (RUS).
