No it is not New Year's Eve yet and there is also nothing to celebrate (yet). But according to Alexei Shirov's motto, there was "fire on board". The teams are so close together that every victory since round 1 is hard earned, every point has to be fought for and no opponents can really be described as easy. As a local spectator, but certainly also as a fan of the countries and a friend on the laptop, I am quickly captivated by the many interesting tactical twists and surprises.