Cobertura Anand X Topalov pelo título mundial - Sofia 2010 - Parte 3

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Sofia: Game three drawn
27.04.2010 – Chess fans were waiting to see what Anand would play after the disaster in game one. Would he repeat the Gruenfeld with some devastating novelty, or would he switch gears? The answer was a rock solid Slav, leaving it up to Topalov to show what he had in store against it. The Bulgarian was unable to crack it, and Anand’s setup was never in any real danger. Express commentary by GM Anish Giri.

World Chess Championship – Game three

The following commentary by GM Anish Giri was quite remarkably sent to us just minutes after the end of the game. There is a replay link at the end of the game. It takes you to a JavaScript board, where you can click on the notation to follow the analysis on the graphic chessboard.

Topalov,Veselin (2805) - Anand,Vishvanathan (2787) [D17]
WCHM 2010 Sofia (3), 27.04.2010 [Giri,Anish]

In this game Anand choose a totally different approach – solid, solid and once again solid. Topalov had some ideas in the line that he had already played against Kramnik, but Anand calmly followed his plan and didn't give Topalov any chances. Even though Topalov had slight advantage throughout the whole game, he never had any real opportunities to try for a win, since Anand played very precisely.

1.d4. Topalov, very expectedly, decided to hit on the same spot again. 1...d5 And this time Anands opts for a solid Slav, rather than a crazy Grunfeld. 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4. Not the Moscow Line, which is a trademark of Anand. 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6

Anand chooses the solid variation that Kramnik played against Topalov in their match in Elista. It is actually funny that Anand seem to follow what Kramnik played back then in 2006 – yesterday Catalan, today this rock solid but passive Slav. 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7! 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc4 a6. 13...Rc8 is another line, avoiding the 14.Rc1 idea, deserves attention. 14.Ba2 (14.Bb5!?) 14...a6. 14.Rc1

14...Rg8!N A very logical move, which turned out to be a novelty. Now Black plans Bd6, Ke7, f6, Rgc8, Bg8, etc. White actually has to hurry up and do something against it, which is not easy, since his knight on c3 is misplaced. Earlier people played 14...Rc8?! but then White gets a big advantage with 15.Ne2! Rg8 16.h4 h6 17.Kf2 the point being that 17...Be7? is losing to (17...Rc6 18.b4!) 18.h5 Bh7 19.Bxe6! Rxc1 20.Bxd7+! 15.h4 h6 16.Ke2. 16.Kf2 Makes sense having the e2 square for the knight. But Topalov had another knight route in mind. 16...Bd6 17.h5 Bh7. Here I was actually wondering if Topalov had prepared anything at all. White seems to be unable to stop the black development... But the next move of Topalov proved that I was wrong! 18.a5!

This move seemed a little bit strange to me at first sight, since I couldn't figure out the white plan after Bb4, as well as the simple Ke7 and so on. However Topalov had an answer to both. 18...Ke7. Safe and solid, Anand just concentrates on his plan. 18...Bb4 is challenging but dangerous. White has three interesting possibilities: 19.Nb5!? is the most spectacular, and in all the following complications Black is in danger, though maybe he holds with precise play. There are a lot of possible lines, but I just give main: (19.Na4! Bxa5 20.Nc5 is the simplest. The black king is stuck in the centre, but Black is still solid and he has an extra pawn.; 19.Rhd1!? Bxa5 20.Nb5! axb5 21.Bxb5 here black seems OK after 21...Ke7 22.Bc3! Nb8! 23.Ra1! Bxc3 24.Rxa8 Bxb2 25.Ra7 Kf6 26.Rxb7 g5 27.hxg6 Bxg6 28.Ke3 e5 with a dead knight, but counterplay) 19...axb5 20.Bxb5 Rxa5 21.Bxd7+ Kxd7 22.Rhd1 Rb5 23.Be5+ (23.Bb6+!? Ke7 24.Rc7+ Kf6 25.Rxb7 Bc5 26.Bd8+ Rxd8 27.Rxb5 Bd4 28.b4 g6! with an unclear position.) 23...Ke7 24.Rc7+ Ke8 25.Rc8+ Ke7 26.Rc7+=. 19.Na4 f6. Just following the plan. 19...Rac8 was clever, trying to avoid b4, but after let's say 20.Bd3! White keeps up the pressure, for example 20...f6 21.Bb1 Rgd8 22.Nb6!

20.b4! White does something active quickly, before Black manages to get all his pieces into play (Rgc8, Bg8-f7). [20.Nb6 Doesn't give White anything, as long as Black is a very little bit careful. 20...Nxb6 21.Bxb6 Rgc8 22.Rhd1 Rc6 (22...Bg8 23.b3 Bf7? 24.Rd3! Bxh5 25.Rcd1 Rc6 26.Rxd6! Rxd6 27.Bc5 Rad8 28.Ke3) 23.b3 Rac8 24.Rd3 Bb4! 25.Rcd1 Rd6 equalizing. 20...Rgc8. Again, Anand doesn't get distracted by anything, he simply makes his moves. 20...Bxb4 objectively, was also too risky 21.Rb1 Bxa5 22.Rxb7 (22.Nc5!? b5 23.Bxe6 Nxc5 24.Bxg8 Bxg8 25.Bxc5+ Kd7 and Black has compensation, but White has the exchange.) 22...Rgb8 23.Bc5+ (23.Rhb1 Rxb7 24.Rxb7 Kd6!) 23...Ke8 24.Rxb8+ Rxb8 25.Bd6 with an unclear position, but White should be better.

21.Bc5. Actually I was expecting a different piece to be sent to this square. 21.Nc5!? is interesting, but probably Black holds here as well. 21...Bxc5 looks dangerous, but in fact it may be good (21...Nxc5 Is most logical, but white keeps winning chances after 22.bxc5 Bxc5 23.Bxe6! Kxe6 24.Bxc5; 21...Rc7!?) 22.bxc5 Nxc5 Now I didn't find a way for White to achieve anything, for instance (22...Rc7+/=) 23.Ba2 Nd7 24.Bb2 Bg8 25.Ba3+ Ke8 26.Rhd1 b5! 27.axb6 Nxb6 28.Bb3 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Rc8 30.Rxc8+ Nxc8 31.Bc4. 21...Bxc5 22.bxc5 Rc7. 22...Rc6 made sense, trying to win a tempo, which will be usedul in case White plays Nb6, but here White goes 23.Rhd1! with the idea 23...Rac8 24.Rxd7+! Kxd7 25.Nb6+ Rxb6 26.cxb6 Bg8 27.e5! with an edge. 23.Nb6 Rd8 24.Nxd7. Simple and safe, but from Topalov I expected a move like Bd5! – 24.Bd5!? is beautiful and tricky. Black shouldn't take anything now, not d5, not c5 and not b6, but play 24...Ne5!? (24...Nxc5 25.Bxb7!; 24...Nxb6 25.axb6 Rcd7 26.Bc4!; 24...Nb8!?) 25.f4 Nd3! 26.Kxd3 exd5 27.f5! dxe4+ 28.Kxe4 Ke8! with equality. 24...Rdxd7 25.Bd3

Here I actually realized what Topalov was planning. He wants to play c6, change the pawn to a b-pawn, and try to attack the remaining weak a6 pawn. The position is quite unpleasant for Black. 25...Bg8. Anand should have perhaps been more activebut perhaps he saw his was safer. 25...f5!? This was advocated by Garry Kasparov, who was watching the game from a hotel room in Oslo.; 25...Rd4!? seemed to force a draw, but White has a resource 26.c6! Ra4 27.Rb1! Ra2+ 28.Ke3 bxc6 29.Ra1 Rxg2 30.Bxa6 Still keeping some chances. 26.c6 Rd6 27.cxb7 Rxb7 28.Rc3 Bf7

29.Ke3. 29.Rhc1! immediately also made sense and was probably a better try, since it is risky to take the pawn. 29...Bxh5 (29...Be8! 30.Rc7+ Rd7 is holding 31.Rxd7+ Bxd7 32.Bxa6 Ra7) 30.Rc7+ Rxc7 31.Rxc7+ Rd7 32.Rc8. 29...Be8 30.g4. 30.Rhc1!? wouldn't change much after 30...Bd7! 30...e5 31.Rhc1 Bd7 32.Rc5 Bb5!

The final touch. Now Black's last problem, the pawn on a6, is gone, and it is time to agree to a draw. It is funny that Anand equalized today without any of his pieces being on the opponent's half of the board. 33.Bxb5 axb5 34.Rb1 b4 35.Rb3 Ra6 36.Kd3 Rba7 37.Rxb4 Rxa5 38.Rxa5 Rxa5 39.Rb7+ Kf8 40.Ke2 Ra2+ 41.Ke3 Ra3+ 42.Kf2 Ra2+ 43.Ke3 Ra3+ 44.Kf2 Ra2+ 45.Ke3 Ra3+ 46.Kf2

And draw by repetition. Topalov has announced he will not offer or accept draws, so this is the only way to avoid playing on for hours. [Click to replay]

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Cobertura Anand X Topalov pelo título mundial - Sofia 2010 - Parte 2

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Mundial de Sofía R2: Anand devuelve el golpe
En la primera partida, disputada ayer, Anand perdió con piezas negras tras un error en una posición muy táctica en la Gruenfeld India. Hoy logró devolver el golpe, jugando con piezas blancas, con lo que iguala el marcador. La partida, con la Apertura Catalana, resultó ser muy estratégica. Anand sacrificó un peón para poder presionar continuamente. Topalov no logró liberar su posición. Finalemente, Anand no solo logró recuperar el peón sacrificado, sino que amplió la cosecha de piezas y ganó el final. En el movimiento 43 Topalov se rindió, con lo que se llega al primer día de descanso con igualdad en el marcador, tras dos partidas decididas: 1:1.

Domingo, 25 de abril de 2010

Segunda partida

(2) Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805) [E04]
World Chess Championship Sofia/Bulgaria (2), 25.04.2010
1.d4 Cf6 2.c4 e6 3.Cf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Ag2 a6 6.Ce5 c5 7.Ca3 cxd4 8.Caxc4 Ac5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Ad2 Cd5 11.Tc1 Cd7 12.Cd3 Aa7 13.Aa5 De7 14.Db3 Tb8 15.Da3 Dxa3 16.bxa3 C7f6 17.Cce5 Te8 18.Tc2 b6 19.Ad2 Ab7 20.Tfc1 Tbd8 21.f4 Ab8 22.a4 a5 23.Cc6 Axc6 24.Txc6 h5 25.T1c4 Ce3 26.Axe3 dxe3 27.Af3 g6 28.Txb6 Aa7 29.Tb3 Td4 30.Tc7 Ab8 31.Tc5 Ad6 32.Txa5 Tc8 33.Rg2 Tc2 34.a3 Ta2 35.Cb4 Axb4 36.axb4 Cd5 37.b5 Taxa4 38.Txa4 Txa4 39.Axd5 exd5 40.b6 Ta8 41.b7 Tb8 42.Rf3 d4 43.Re4 1–0
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Cobertura Anand X Topalov pelo título mundial - Sofia 2010 - Parte 1

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World Championship Sofia: Topalov draws first blood
24.04.2010 – It was one of the shortest, most decisive opening games in World Championship history. Veselin Topalov rattled off his moves quickly and comfortably, with Anand following suit, until he apparently ran into his challenger's home preparation (or muddled up his own). On move 23 he blundered in a very dangerous position, and Topalov drove his advantage forcefully home. Express report.

Express summary of game one

No matter who you were rooting for, or expecting to win, no one could have foreseen the blitzkrieg that took place in the first game. Topalov had white, and the first major question was what the Anand team would have prepared as Black. The answer was a Grünfeld that many GMs, prior to the match, had thought was unlikely, owing to the risk of being run over if things go sour. The ill-fated choice led to one of the quickest and most decisive opening games in World Championship history, with Topalov rattling off his moves very quickly and comfortably.

The game followed playable moves in computer books until move eleven, where ...cxd4 was preferred. Also 12...Bb7 would have been the first choice. 14.Bxg7 was seen in Topalov-Kamsky World Chess Challenge 2009. At move 16, Topalov deviated from the main lines with 16.Rc1, a move that had only been played once before, and most probably was overlooked by Anand’s team. As far as we can see 16...Qd6!? is a new move.

Topalov,V (2805) - Anand,V (2787) [D86]
WCh Sofia BUL (1), 24.04.2010
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Na5 11.Bd3 b6 12.Qd2 e5 13.Bh6 cxd4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.cxd4 exd4 16.Rac1 Qd6 17.f4 f6 18.f5 Qe5 19.Nf4 g5 20.Nh5+ Kg8 21.h4 h6 22.hxg5 hxg5 23.Rf3. Everything was looking dangerous, but basically okay for Black. The only defence looked like 23...Bd7 followed by Rg3 and then maybe Kf7. However Anand blunders with 23...Kf7??

This loses immediately to 24.Nxf6! Now the game ends very quickly: 24...Kxf6 25.Rh3 Rg8 26.Rh6+ Kf7 27.Rh7+ Ke8 28.Rcc7 Kd8 29.Bb5 Qxe4 30.Rxc8+ 1-0. [Click to replay]

Topalov played his moves very quickly, and with great precision. It is not unlikely that the entire game was the product of home preparation. In any case it was a beautiful demonstration of the Bulgarian’s superb preparation, and an immediate crisis for Anand.

Full analysis and commentary to follow...

Your judgement, please - Pt. 69

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Cara a cara en la columna e
Así se habían situado las negras con 22...Tfe8, para limitar las posibilidades de su oponente en el flanco del rey, debido a la debilidad en la retaguardia. ¿Cuál es su veredicto sobre la posición en este momento, cuando les toca jugar a las blancas?
A) A pesar de la aparente ventaja de las blancas, la posición está equilibrada.
B) Hay una combinación, pero las negras pueden saltar a un final con peón de menos.
C) Ganan las blancas.
Puede ver la solución aquí, pero antes de mirarla le sugerimos que reflexione sobre el problema

¿Cuál es su veredicto sobre la posición en este momento? (Mueven las blancas)

A) A pesar de la aparente ventaja de las blancas, la posición está equilibrada.
B) Hay una combinación, pero las negras pueden saltar a y un final con peón de menos.
C) Ganan las blancas.

Solución...

Your judgement, please - Pt. 68

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Su valoración, por favor
En esta partida, las blancas han conseguido un fuerte juego por las casillas negras gracias a un sacrificio de calidad. La compensación es evidente, pero en la posición del diagrama hay que encontrar la mejor continuación. Para convertir la ventaja en decisiva, ¿qué pieza hay que mover?
A) un peón;
B) el alfil;
C) la dama.
Por supuesto, lo interesante no es solo conocer al protagonista, sino averiguar por donde van los tiros. Tiene la solución aquí, pero antes de mirarla le sugerimos que reflexione sobre el problema

Para convertir la ventaja en decisiva, ¿qué pieza hay que mover?
A) un peón;
B) el alfil;
C) la dama

Solución

Your judgement, please - Pt. 67

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Domination
14.04.2010 – We have recently seen how hard it can be to hold the draw against a rook in a simplified position when you have only a bishop - there were the examples of McShane-Danin ("The fortress breaker") and Dragun-Leniart ("Zugzwang"). This position too is certainly not an easy one to evaluate. What do think is true here?
A) White can only hold the draw with 73.Ke3.
B) White can only hold the draw with 73.Kg3.
C) No matter where the king goes, Black can never ever win.
Larger diagram and analysis by Karsten Müller inChessBase Magazine Online.

What do think is true here?

A) White can only hold the draw with 73.Ke3.
B) White can only hold the draw with 73.Kg3.
C) No matter where the king goes, Black can never ever win.

Analysis Maslak-Nechepurenko by GM Karsten Müller.