 Nyora kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Muna 1998, Gelfand akahwina Rubinstein Chirangaridzo, akarasikirwa neCap dAgde knockout mutambo wekupedzisira kurwisa Karpov mushure mekupererwa nenguva mumutambo wekusarudza tiebreak blitz achiri nechinzvimbo chekukunda, akahwina 1999 edition yeSigeman Co yakaitirwa muMalmö uye Rubinstein Chirangaridzo muna 2000. Muna 2001, Gelfand akagovana nzvimbo yekutanga muchikamu chinokurumidza cheMelody Amber makwikwi kutora nzvimbo yekutanga gore rinotevera uye akauya wechitatu muAstana. Gore rakatevera, akagovana chekutanga paNAO Masters muCannes, akahwina Cap dAgde KO uye akatora chikamu mu Russia vs World mutambo wekukurumidza, achiwana 610 yechikwata chenyika chakakunda. Akatamba muDortmund, yaive Mukwikwidzi weMutambo weClassical World Chess Championship 2004, asi vakangokwanisa kupedza vari pachinzvimbo chechitatu muboka rokutanga, saka havana kufambira mberi kusvika kumatanho ekurova. 