Endgame

Every game is important an the games between leaders have double interest. I am really fond of Topalovs game so far. I played against him back in 1995 and it seems that he did not lose any energy but even strengthened his fighting spirit. It also seems that he really works on his chess. He is nearly the only player who has something new in his openings. There are two ways one is just copy modern theory and other is to find your own road to perfection. Anand, Leko and many others just follow the mainstream. Adams keeps it quiet following the old quite lines. Moro is in his own. Polgar is a good student but she opened again the sharp line in this tournament with 7.g2-g4 and beat Kasim. This is why today Svidler instead of 6.f2-f3 played 6.Be3 but Topalov was ready for this and went to his own line followed by novelty.
Svidler,P (2738) - Topalov,V (2788)
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (5), 03.10.2005


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.Ne3 Qa5+ Novelty-at least it did not appear in recent games. 15.c3 Nf3+! The point. 16.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 17.Kd1 Qa4+ [ Not 17...Bxb2? 18.fxe6 fxe6 19.Qh5+ Ke7 because of 20.Bxd6+ Diagram



] 18.Nc2 Bxb2 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qb3 Forced. 20...Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 My first impression was that White is better, but the position is still very sharp and Black has some trumps as well-the white pieces lack coordination. Now briefly checking the lines with my friend FRITZ I must say Black has good game. If this was Topalovs home preparation-good for him and congratulations. 22...Ke7 23.Bd3 [ 23.f3 Rac8 24.Nc2 Na5 25.b4] 23...Rac8 24.Re1 Nd4 25.f3 Rc3 26.Kd2 Rhc8 27.Rb1?! After [ 27.Bc4! R3xc4 28.bxc4 Rxc4 29.Bf2 the position is aproximately equal, it is difficult foresee how White can lose this position. Probably Svidler overestimated his position.] 27...R3c5 28.b4 Rd5 29.Bf2 Kd7 30.Be3 If [ 30.Nb3 then 30...Nc6; 30.Bxd4 Rxd4 31.Nc2 Rd5 32.Ne3 Rd4 33.Nc2 Rf4 Black is better.] 30...Nf5 31.Bf2 Nh4 32.Bxh4 gxh4 33.Nc2 h5 34.Re1 Rg8 35.Kc3 a5! Diagram



Very unpleasent move in time trouble. Black rooks are very active in open lines.36.Bc4? [ 36.bxa5! Rxg2 37.Nd4 Rc5+ 38.Kb4 and White should hold the position.] 36...Rc8 37.Ne3 Rb5! The point, white is lost now. 38.Kd3 Rxb4 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Nc2+ Kd5 41.Nxb4+ axb4 42.Re7 b5 43.Rh7 Rc3+ 44.Kd2 Rc4 Yes, Topalov has won nearly all of his games, but this is his best game so far. People were upset when Kasparov left chess, but there's no reason for distress when we have such excellent style from a new champion
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(20) Anand,V (2788) - Leko,P (2763) [B33]
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (5), 03.10.2005


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 The anti positional opening Pelican, Sveshnikov or whatever the name. I hate it and I can not play it myself-how you can make positional mistake so early in the game?. You also need to memorize all the lines-no good for lazy people. Once Van Wely told me that to make it ready for tournament he studied it with his second for two weeks. Really and what is the reward. Maybe a draw with strong player like Anand? 5...e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.Ra2 g6 The game Anand-Kasparov went 16...Kh8 17. Nce3 g6 18.O-O and so on. 17.0-0 Kh8 18.b4 White strikes first-Black did not play f7-f5 yet. 18...axb4 19.cxb4 Be6 20.b5 Bxd5 Diagram



21.exd5!? [ 21.Qxd5 with easy game-small and pleasent plus.] 21...Na5 22.Be2 Ra8 23.Nb4 Nb7 24.Ra6?! [ 24.Rxa8 Qxa8 25.Nc6] 24...Nc5 25.Rc6 Ra4 [ 25...e4 26.Na6 Nxa6 27.bxa6 Bf6 28.Qc2 Re8 29.Rb1 White is also better. ] 26.Qb1 Qa5 27.Na6 Ne4 28.b6 Qxd5 [ 28...Nd2 29.Qb5 Qxb5 30.Bxb5 Ra5 31.Be2 Nxf1 32.Bxf1 and White wins] 29.Qb5 Qd4 [ 29...Qxb5 30.Bxb5 Ra5 31.Bd3+/-] 30.Rc4 Anand took a relativaly long time to think but he missed. [ 30.b7! Nxf2 31.Qb6! Diagram


31...Nh3+ 32.Kh1 Qxb6 33.Rxb6 Nf4 34.Rc6 Nxe2 35.Rc8 and White wins.] 30...Rxc4 31.Qxc4 Nc3! Time trouble. [ 31...Qxc4? 32.Bxc4 Nd2 33.Bd5 Nxf1 34.Kxf1 and the b-pawn decides.] 32.Bd3 Qxc4 33.Bxc4 d5 34.Bxd5 Nxd5 35.b7 e4 36.b8Q Rxb8 37.Nxb8 e3 38.fxe3 Bxe3+ It is a draw, still Anand makes some effort to win. 39.Kh1 Kg7 40.Nc6 h5 41.Rd1 Nf6 42.Rb1 Ng4 43.g3 Bg5 44.Kg2 Bf6 45.Re1 Nh6 46.Kf3 Nf5 47.Rd1 Nh6 48.h3 Nf5 49.Rd7 Kf8 50.Na5 Nd4+ 51.Kg2 Nf5 52.Nc4 Kg7 53.g4 hxg4 54.hxg4 Ne7 55.Nd6 Be5 56.Ne4 Ng8 57.g5 Kf8 58.Rb7 f6 59.Nc5 Ke8 60.Nd3 Bd6 1/2-1/2
Adams got pressure on the d5 square but after the excellent Nf6-h5-g7-e6 and f7-f5 Kasim got enough counterplay. Adams took the opportunity to repeat the position. Another draw between Polgar and Moro was too complex for quick comment. I also have some good news. I go to Reykjavik on Wednesday and probably will meet Bobby and my friend Shabalov is back from England where he won the Isle of Man tournament. He is going to comment on some rounds as well-probably better comments and at least better English.Good luck everybody and see you tomorrow.