Morelia-Linares 2008 Round 2

(38) Anand,V (2799) - Aronian,L (2739) [C89]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.Re1 Bd6 13.g3 Re8 14.d4 Rxe1+ 15.Qxe1 Ra7 16.Be3 Re7 17.Nd2 Qe8 18.Nf1 [18.Bxd5 cxd5 19.Qe2 (19.Qd1) ] 18...h5 19.a4 Be6 20.Bd1 h4 21.axb5 axb5 22.Bf3 Bh3 Diagram

23.Bxd5

[23.gxh4!? Re6 24.h5! Bf4 (24...Nxe3 25.Nxe3 Bf4 26.d5! cxd5 27.Bxd5 Rd6 28.Ra8 Rd8 29.Bc6 Qe7 30.Rxd8+ Qxd8 31.Nf1+/-) 25.Bxd5 cxd5 26.Qd2 Bxe3 27.Nxe3 f5 28.Qe2! f4 29.Qf3 fxe3 30.Qxh3 exf2+ 31.Kxf2 Re2+ 32.Kg1 Rxb2 33.Qf3 Qe6 34.h6! Qxh6 35.Qxd5+ Kh7 36.Qf5+ Qg6+ 37.Qxg6+ Kxg6=]

23...cxd5 24.Qd1 f5 25.Bg5 Re4 26.Bxh4 Qg6 27.Bd8 f4 28.Qd3 Qh5 Diagram

29.Nd2?

[29.Bb6 Re2 30.Ra8+ (30.gxf4 Bxf4 31.Ra8+ Kf7 32.Ra7+ Kg8 33.Ra8+ Kf7=)
30...Kf7 31.Ra7+ Kf8 32.Ra8+ Kf7 (32...Ke7? 33.Rh8!!+-) 33.Ra7+=;
29.f3 Bxf1 30.Qxf1 fxg3 31.h4 Re6 32.Bg5 Qg6 33.Qd1 Qe8 34.f4 Re3 35.f5 Qe4=;
29.b4 Re6 30.gxf4 Bxf4 31.Ng3 Qg4 32.f3 Re3 33.fxg4 Rxd3 34.Nf5 Rd2 35.Ne7+ Kh7=]

29...Re2!-+ Diagram

30.Nf3?!

[30.Bb6 Rxd2! 31.Ra8+ Bf8 32.Rxf8+ Kxf8 33.Qxd2 Qg6 34.Qe1 Qg4-+;
30.Qf3 Bg4! 31.Qd3 Qh3-+;
30.Rd1 Bf5! 31.Qf3 Bg4 32.Qg2 f3! 33.Qh1 Qf5-+ 34.-- /\Qc2]

30...Re3 31.fxe3 Qxf3 32.Qc2 fxg3 33.hxg3 Qxg3+ 34.Kh1 Bf5 0-1

Morelia-Linares 2008 Round 1

(33) GM Shirov,Alexei(ESP) (2755) - GM Anand,Viswanathan(IND) (2799) [B96]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Nbd7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.Rhe1 Qb6 12.Nb3 Rc8 Diagram

13.Qh3N

[13.Kb1 b4 14.Ne2 Be7 15.Ng3 h6 16.Bh4 a5 17.Nh5 Nxh5 18.Bxe7 Kxe7 19.Qxh5 a4 20.Nd2 Qc5 21.e5 Bd5 22.Ne4 Bxe4 23.exd6+ Qxd6 24.Bxe4 Qc7 25.f5 Nf6 26.Qh4 Rhd8 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.fxe6 Qd6 29.Bd3 fxe6 30.a3 Qd4 31.Qxd4 Rxd4 32.Bf5 bxa3 33.Rxe6+ Kf7 34.bxa3 g6 35.Bh3 Nd5 36.Kb2 Nf4 37.Kc3 Rd1 38.Re4 g5 39.Bg4 Rh1 40.g3 Nd5+ 41.Kc4 Nf6 42.Be6+ Ke7 43.Re2 Rb1 44.Kc5 Nd7+ 45.Bxd7+ Kxd7 46.Rd2+ Kc7 47.Rd6 Ra1 48.Rxh6 Rxa3 49.Rh7+ Kb8 50.Kb4 Ra1 51.Rh5 a3 52.Rxg5 a2 53.Kb3 Rc1 54.Rb5+ Kc7 55.Kxa2 Rxc2+ 56.Rb2 Rc1 57.Rd2 1-0 Rodin,M (2400)-Rashkovsky,N (2505)/Moscow 1996/EXT 1998]

13...Rxc3!? [13...b4] 14.bxc3 Qc7 15.Kb1 Be7 16.e5 [16.f5 e5 17.Qg3 Nb6!=/+] 16...dxe5 Diagram

17.f5 [17.fxe5! Nd5 18.Bxe7 Nxc3+ 19.Ka1 Nxd1 (19...Kxe7 20.Qh4+! Ke8 21.Rd2 Bd5 22.Qb4+/=) 20.Bb4 Nc3 21.Bd6+/=] 17...Nd5 18.Bxe7?! [18.Bd2=] 18...Kxe7 19.fxe6 fxe6 [19...Nxc3+] 20.Qg3 g6 21.Rd2 Rc8 Diagram

22.Qg5+?! [22.Qh4+! N7f6 23.Rf2=] 22...Ke8 23.Qg4 Nxc3+ 24.Ka1 Bd5 25.Re3 Nf6 26.Qh4 Qe7 Diagram

[26...Qg7!] 27.Bf1? [27.Qg3] 27...Bxb3! 28.cxb3 Nce4 29.Rb2 Rc1+ 30.Rb1 Qc5 0-1

(32) GM Topalov,Veselin(BUL) (2780) - GM Aronian,Levon(ARM) (2739) [E20]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ne4 7.Qd3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Nc5 9.Qf3 d6 10.Bg2 e5 Diagram

11.Qe3N

[11.Nb3 Nba6 12.Ba3 Qc7 13.Rd1 Be6 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 15.Nxc5 dxc5 16.0-0 Rb8 17.Qh5 0-0 18.Bd5 Rfe8 19.Bxe6 Rxe6 20.Rd5 Re7 21.Rfd1 Rbe8 22.Qg5 b6 23.Rd6 e4 24.R1d5 e3 25.f3 h6 26.Qg4 Qc8 27.Qxc8 Rxc8 28.g4 f6 29.Kg2 Rce8 30.h4 Kf7 31.h5 Rb8 32.Rd7 b5 33.Rxe7+ Kxe7 34.Rxc5 bxc4 35.f4 Rb2 36.Kf3 Rxa2 37.Rc7+ Kf8 38.Kxe3 a5 39.Rxc4 a4 40.Rc8+ Ke7 41.Rc7+ Kf8 42.Ra7 a3 43.c4 Ra1 44.Ke4 Kg8 45.Ra8+ Kh7 46.Kd5 a2 47.Kc5 Rf1 48.Rxa2 Rxf4 49.Kd5 f5 50.c5 fxg4 51.c6 g3 52.e4 Rf2 53.Ra3 Rd2+ 54.Ke6 g2 55.Rg3 Rc2 56.Kd7 Rd2+ 57.Ke7 Rc2 58.e5 Rxc6 59.Rxg2 Ra6 60.e6 Ra5 61.Kd6 Ra6+ 62.Kd7 Ra7+ 63.Ke8 Ra5 64.e7 Rxh5 65.Kd7 Re5 66.e8Q Rxe8 67.Kxe8 1-0 Aronian,L (2756)-Nielsen,P (2646)/Turin 2006/CBM 113;

11.Nf5 Qf6 12.Ne3 Qxf3 13.Bxf3 Be6 14.Ba3 Nba6 15.0-0-0 Ke7 16.Bg2 Rad8 17.f4 f6 18.Rhf1 b6 19.g4 Nc7 20.h4 g6 21.Kc2 Rhf8 22.Bc6 f5 23.fxe5 dxe5 24.Rxd8 Kxd8 25.gxf5 gxf5 26.Bxc5 bxc5 27.Be4 Ne8 28.Bxf5 Nd6 29.Bxe6 Rf2 30.Rxf2 1-0 Kramnik,V (2766)-Anand,V (2779)/Monte Carlo MNC 2007/The Week in Chess 646]

11...0-0 12.Nb3 Diagram

12...Qc7?! [12...Nba6! 13.Nxc5 (13.Ba3; 13.0-0) ] 13.Nxc5 dxc5 14.0-0 Nd7 15.f4!? Diagram

15...exf4?! [15...Re8 16.Bd5 (16.f5 e4!) 16...Nf6 17.f5 Bd7 18.Rb1 Bc6! 19.Qxc5 Rac8=] 16.Rxf4 a5?! [16...Qa5 17.Rg4+/=; 16...Nf6 17.Ba3+/=] 17.Qe7 Qe5 18.Qxe5 Nxe5 19.Be3+/- Diagram

19...Nd7?! [19...Be6 20.Bxc5 Rfd8 21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Ba6 Rb2+/=] 20.Re4 [20.Rd1 Re8 21.Re4 Kf8 22.Rd5+/-] 20...Ra6 [20...Nf6 21.Re7 Be6+/-] 21.Rb1 [21.Rd1] 21...Rg6 22.Re7 b6 23.Bf4 h5 24.Be4 Re6 25.Rxe6 fxe6 26.Bd6 Rf6 27.Rd1 Kf7 28.Bf4 Kg8 29.Bc7 Rf7?! [29...g6+/-] 30.Bg6+- a4 31.Bxh5 Nf6 [31...Rf8] 32.Bxf7+ Kxf7 33.Bxb6 Ba6 34.Bxc5 e5 35.a3 Bxc4 White wins 1-0 1-0

Kramnik - Deep Fritz Game 1

Today Kramnik played his first game with white in his 6 game match with Deep Fritz. On move 14 Kramnik could have played an interesting queen sacrifice but clearly preferred a calm positional game. The endgame was not played perfectly by Fritz but Kramnik also did not show his usual best. He seems to have missed a win as the following analysis will show.


(24) GM Kramnik,Vladimir [MAN] (2750) - COMP Deep Fritz 10 [MACHINE] [E03]
RAG World Chess Challenge Bonn GER (1), 25.11.2006

Analysis Rybka 2.2

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qd3 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nf3 0-0 10.0-0 Qe7 11.Nc3 b6 12.Ne4!? Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Nf6 -0.12/17 14.Qh4 Diagram



[14.Qxa8 Bb7 15.Qxf8+ Kxf8 16.a3 Ne4 (16...a5 17.b4 axb4 18.axb4 Bxb4 19.Ra7 Nd5 20.Ne5 Bd6 21.Bb2+/= ; 16...e5 17.b4 Bd4 18.Ra2 Ne4 19.Rc2 Nd6 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.Bxb7 Qxb7 22.Rd1 Qd5 23.Rd3+/= ) 17.Nd2= ]

14...Bb7 15.Bg5 Rfd8 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 18.Rfd1 Kf8 19.Ne1 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 f5 21.Rxd8+ Rxd8 22.Nd3 Bd4 23.Rc1 e5 24.Rc2 Rd5?! [24...a5 ]

25.Nb4 Rb5 26.Nxa6 Rxb2 27.Rxb2 Bxb2 28.Nb4 Kg7 it seems white has a winning endgame

29.Nd5 Bd4 30.a4?! Diagram



Rybka does not like this plan and wants to bring its King to the Q-side [30.e3 Bc5 31.Kf3 b5 (31...f6 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 Kf7 34.Kc3 Ke6 35.Kc4+- ) 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 Kg6 34.Kc3 Bd6 35.Kb3 Kg5 36.Nc3 b4 37.Nb5 Bf8 38.h3 h5 39.Nd4 Bd6 40.Kc4 Bf8 41.Nc2+- ]

30...Bc5 31.h3 Diagram



[31.f4!? e4! (31...exf4 32.gxf4 f6 33.e3 Kf7 34.Kf3 Ke6 35.Nc7+ Kd7 36.Nb5 Kc6 37.Ke2 Kd5 38.Kd3 Kc6 39.h3 Kb7 40.Nd4 Ka6 41.Kc4 Ka5 42.Nb3+ Kxa4 43.Nxc5+ bxc5 44.Kxc5+- ) 32.Kf1 f6 33.Ke1 Kf7 34.Kd2 Ke6 35.Nc7+ Kd7 36.Nb5 Kc6 37.Kc3 Bg1 38.Nd4+ Bxd4+ 39.Kxd4 Kd6 40.h3 h5= ]

31...f6 32.f3 Kg6 33.e4 h5!= 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 fxe4 36.fxe4 Kg5 37.Kf3 Kg6 38.Ke2 Kg5 39.Kd3!? last attempt for a win

39...Bg1 [39...Kxg4 40.Nxf6+ Kf3 41.Kc4 Be7 42.Nd7 Kxe4 43.Nxb6 Bd8 44.a5 Kf5= ]

40.Kc4 Bf2 41.Kb5 Kxg4 42.Nxf6+ Kf3 43.Kc6 Bh4 44.Nd7 Kxe4 45.Kxb6 Bf2+ 46.Kc6 Be1 47.Nxe5 1/2-1/2

Tal Memorial: Shirov - Aronian

In the 4th round of the Tal Memorial Aronian may have played the game of the year. In what seemed like a drawn endgame he uncorcked the brilliant Ke8!! which puts white in zugzwang and wins. Shirov failed to equalize in an earlier phase, playing 31.Qb1?! instead of 31.Be5!. Wonderfull chess!!

(15) Shirov,Alexei - Aronian,Levon [C89]
Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (4), 10.11.2006

C89: Closed Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack

Analysis by Rybka 2.1.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Re4 g5 16.Qf1 Qh5 17.Nd2 Bf5 18.f3 Nf6 19.a4 [Theory is 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.a4 Qg6 ]

19...Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Qg6 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Bxg5 Qg6 23.Qc1 Bd3 Diagram



24.axb5

[Slightly better is 24.Bf4 Rfe8 25.Be5 Bc4 26.Bc2 Bd3 27.Bxd3 Qxd3 28.Qf4 Qg6 29.g4= ]

24...axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Kf2 [26.Bf4 ]

26...Bc4 27.Bxc4 [27.Bc2 Bd3 28.Bd1 ]

27...bxc4 28.g4 Re8 29.Bf4 Qd3 30.Kg3 Qe2 Diagram



31.Qb1?!

[31.Be5! f6 32.Bxf6 Re3 33.Qh1 Qxb2 34.Bg5! Re6
(34...Rd3 35.Qe1 Qb8+ 36.Bf4 Qf8 37.Qe6+ Qf7+/- )
35.Qc1 Qxc1 36.Bxc1 Re2 37.Ba3 Rc2 38.Bb4= ]

31...Qe1+ 32.Qxe1 Rxe1 33.Bd6 Rg1+ 34.Kf2 Rb1 35.Ba3 Kg7 36.Kg3 Kg6 37.h3 h5 38.Kh4 Rg1 39.Bc5 Rg2 40.Ba3 f6 41.gxh5+ Kf5 42.f4 Diagram



42...Rg8?!

[Directly winning was 42...Rf2! 43.h6 Kg6 44.Kg3 Re2 45.h7 Re8-+ 46.Bd6
(46.Kg4 f5+ 47.Kh4 Rh8 )
46...Kf5 47.h4 Rh8 ]

43.Bd6 Ke6 Diagram



44.h6? With hindsight the decisive mistake, although it is very hard to see

[44.Ba3 seems to be holding eg 44...Rg2 45.h6 Kf7 46.Kh5 Rf2 47.h7 Kg7 48.Kg4 Kxh7 49.Kf5 Kg7 50.Ke6 Rxf4 51.Kd6 Rf2 52.Kxc6 Rg2
(52...f5 53.d5 Kf7 54.d6+- ; 52...Rd2 53.d5 Kf7 54.Bc5+-
53.d5 Kf7 54.Bc5 Rg8 and white must have at a draw at least]

44...Kxd6!! Assuming Aronian had already seen the winning continuation, this move is the start of a brilliant idea

45.Kh5 f5 46.h7 Rh8 47.Kg6 Ke7 48.Kg7 Diagram



48...Ke8!! 49.Kg6 [49.Kxh8? Kf8-+ and white is in zugzwang]

49...Kf8 Black simply waits until white is in zugzwang

50.h4 Ke7 51.Kg7 Ke8 52.Kg6 Kf8 53.h5 Ke7 54.Kg7 Ke8 55.Kg6 Kf8 56.h6 Diagram



56...Ke8 [56...Ke7 was also winning]

57.Kf6 Rxh7 58.Kg6 Rf7 and white resigned. After

59.h7 Rf8 60.Kg7 Rh8!! 61.Kg6 Kf8 it is over 0-1

Tal Memorial: Aronian - Morozevich

The Tal memorial is on its way with a tantilizing playing field. One of the most exciting games in the first round was Aronian, who once referred to himself as a cheap tactician, against Morozevich.

(14) Aronian,L (2741) - Morozevich,A (2747) [D27]
Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (1), 06.11.2006

Analysis with Rybka 2.1o 32-bit

D27: Queen's Gambit Accepted

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 a6 5.a4 Nf6 6.Bxc4 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Qe2 Be7 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.dxc5 0-0 11.b3 e5 12.h3 e4 13.Nd4 Ne5 14.b4 b6 15.Nd2 bxc5 16.bxc5 Bxc5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 Ng6 19.Nf1 Qc5 Diagram



Start of an original manouvre in the spirit of Tal. After 16... Ne5 the position is equal

20.Rc3 Qg5 21.Ng3 h5 22.Kh1?! Diagram



[22.Qc2 Bxh3 23.gxh3 h4 24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Rc5+/- With the idea 26.Ne6 after 25...Ne5 or Nd5]

22...Nh4?! [22...h4 23.Nf1 Bd7= ]

23.Qc2 Nxg2 24.Kxg2 Better would have been

[24.Nxe4 Nxe4 25.Qxe4 Bxh3 Diagram



(25...Nh4? 26.Bxf7++- ) 26.Bd3! g6 27.Rg1+/= ]

24...h4 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Rc5 Bxh3+ 27.Kxh3 Qg4+ 28.Kg2 Diagram



28...hxg3?

[Black can hold with 28...Rfc8! 29.Rc7+ Kg6 30.Rc1 Rxc7 31.Qxc7 hxg3 32.Qxg3+/= ]

29.f3!+- exf3+ 30.Nxf3 Kg8 31.Qa2+ Diagram



[31.Rd4! Would have been faster 31...Qe6 32.Ng5 and the threat of Qc4+ and the open h-file can not be defended eg 32...Qe7 (32...Qe8 33.Qc4+ Rf7 34.Rc7+- ) 33.Rc7 Qxc7 34.Qxc7+- ]

31...Kh8 32.Rc4 Qf5 33.Rf4 Qh7 34.Rh4 Nh5 35.Rd5 Rf5 36.e4 Nf4+ 37.Kxg3 Rh5 38.Rxf4 Rh3+ 39.Kg4 Re8 40.Rdf5 Rg8 41.Qxg8+ Qxg8 42.Rf8 1-0

Cap D'Agde: Radjabov - Karjakin

The final in Cap D'Agde had an exciting finish when 16 year old Karjakin faced 19 year old Radjabov in two rapid games. The first game ended in a draw when Karjakin was unable to break through Radjabov's Sveshnikov. In the second game Radjabov treated Karjakin to a poisoned pawn Najdorf. I was following the game on Playchess and at first thought that Radjabov had been lucky as the engines indicated that black was better. Closer analysis revealed however that black was fighting for a draw at best.

(13) Radjabov,T (2729) - Karjakin,Sergey (2672) [B97]
KO Cap d'Agde FRA (3.2), 02.11.2006

Analysis with Rybka 2.1o 32-bit

B97: Sicilian Najdorf: Poisoned Pawn

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4 h6 13.Bh4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qb2 15.Qe3 Bc5 16.Be2 Nc6 17.c3 Qa3 18.0-0 0-0 19.Nf6+ Diagram



19...Nxf6-+ 20.Bxf6! [20.exf6 Nxd4 21.Rxd4 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 g6 23.Qe3 Kh7-+ is better for black]

20...Nxd4 21.Rxd4 Bxd4 as we will see later this will at best lead to a draw. However black can not afford to play for a win with eg

[21...Bd7?! Diagram



22.Rff4!! Rfc8 23.Rg4 g5 24.Rxg5+ hxg5 25.Qxg5+ Kf8 26.Qg7+ Ke8 27.Qg8+ Bf8 Diagram



28.Bh5!+- ]

22.Qxd4 Diagram



22...gxf6?? the critical mistake

[black has to be satisfied with a draw eg 22...Re8 23.Qg4 (23.Rf3 gxf6 24.Rg3+ Kh7 25.exf6 Qc1+ 26.Bf1 Kh8= ) 23...Qf8 24.Bd3 Bd7 25.Rf3= ;

or 22...Kh7 23.Bd3+ g6 24.h4 b6! (24...h5 25.g4 hxg4 26.Qxg4+- ) 25.Qxb6 Bd7 26.h5 Rac8 27.Qa7 Qc5+ 28.Qxc5 Rxc5 29.Be7 Rxc3 30.Bxf8 Rxd3 31.Rxf7+ Kg8 32.hxg6 Be8 33.Rf6 Bxg6 34.Rxg6+ Kxf8= ]

23.exf6+/- Qa5 24.h4 Diagram



24...Kh7?

[24...e5? looses to 25.Qe3! Rd8 26.Qh6x +-

but more tenacious was 24...Rd8! 25.Qg4+ Kf8 26.Qg7+ Ke8 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Rd1+ Kc6 29.Rxd8+/- ]

25.Bd3+ Qf5?

[although the position is lost better was 25...Kh8 26.Qe4 Qf5+/- 27.Qb4 Rg8 28.Bxf5 exf5+- ]

26.Re1 [26.Rf3! ]

26...Rg8 27.Kh2 [27.Qd6! ]

27...a5 [27...Kg6!? 28.Re3! e5 29.Bxf5+ Bxf5 30.Rxe5 Rad8 31.h5+ Kh7+- ]

28.g4 Qxd3 [28...Qg6 29.Re5! ]

29.Qxd3+ Kh8 30.Re5 Rxg4 31.Rh5 Rg6 32.Qd8+ Kh7 33.Qe7 1-0

Essent: Mamedyarov - Topalov

Today the first round in the Crown Group of the 2006 Essent was played. Key game was the first performance of Topalov after he lost his world title to Kramnik two weeks ago.

Mamedyarov played an excellent game, keeping Topalov under pressure troughout the game. Especially after the less accurate 22... f5?! Topalov had to defend with precision. Mamedyarov seemed to squeeze out a win until he played 28 Bg5?!. It looked spectacular but the key variations all led to a draw. Instead 28.Qh5! would have held the initiative.

However, Topalov cracked under the pressure after having found most of the forcing drawing line. Move 35... Nf4? was a clear blunder and Mamedyarov finished the game with computer like precision.

Judit Polgar returned from maternity leave and beat Sokolov in a long manouvering game. Actually Sokalov lost after producing two weaker moves and a blunder in an equal position (42... Ng7?! instead of Rd8!=, 43... Qe7?! instead of Qc7!= and 45... h5?).

(10) Mamedyarov - Topalov [D47]
Essent Chess Tournament Hoogeveen (1), 22.10.2006

Analysis with Rybka 2.1o 32-bit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.0-0 h6 15.Nd2 0-0 [15...Nc3!? Diagram



is still theory but Rybka strongly prefers it 16.Qc2 (16.bxc3 Qxd3 17.cxb4 Bd4! 18.Rb1 Bxe5= ) 16...Qd5 Topalov would like this position for black 17.Nf3 Rd8 18.Ne1 Bd4 19.Be3 (19.Bd2 is in the books 19...Nb5 20.Bxb4 Bxe5 ) 19...Bxe5 20.Rc1= ]

16.Ne4 Bd4 17.Nd6 Bc6 18.Bh7+ Kxh7 19.Qxd4 f6 20.Bd2 Qd7 this is the novelty according to my book, normal is [20...fxe5 ]

21.Rac1 a5 22.Qd3+ [Rybka prefers: 22.Rfe1 Ne7 23.Qd3+ Kg8 24.Bf4 fxe5 25.Bxe5 Nf5 26.Red1 Nxd6 27.Qg3 Bd5 28.Bxd6 Rfc8 29.Bc7 Ra6 30.h4 Rc6 31.Rxc6 Qxc6 32.Be5+/= ]
Diagram



22...f5?! Not liked by Rybka, f5 is the destination for the black knight in some variations (eg Ne7 - f5) [22...Kg8+/= ]

23.Rc5! Ne7 [23...Bb7 24.Rfc1 Ba6 25.Qd4 Be2 26.h3+/= ]

24.Rfc1+/- Ra7 25.Be3 Rfa8 [25...Rc7 26.Qc4 Ra8 (26...Rb8 27.Rxa5 Nd5 28.Rc5 Nxe3 29.fxe3 Rb6 30.Qd4+/- ) 27.h4+/- ]

26.Qe2 [26.h4 a4 27.Qc4 b3 (27...Ra5 28.Rxc6 Nxc6 29.Qxc6 Qxc6 30.Rxc6 a3 31.b3 Rxe5+/- ) 28.a3 Bd5 29.Qb4 Nc6 30.Qf4 Ra5 31.R5c3 Rg8 32.Qg3 ]

26...Ra6 [26...Bd5 27.R5c2 Ra6 28.Rc7 Qd8 29.Qb5 (29.Qh5 Rc6 30.R1xc6 Bxc6 31.Bb6 Rc8 32.Rxe7 Qxe7 33.Nxc8 Qb7 34.Bxa5 Qxc8 35.Bxb4 Qb7 36.a3 Bxg2 37.Qe2 g5= ) ; 26...a4 27.R5c4 (27.Qh5 Ra6 ) 27...Bd5 28.Bxa7 Bxc4 29.Rxc4 Qxa7 30.Rxb4 Rb8 31.Rxb8 Qxb8 32.h3+/= ]

27.h4! Qd8 [27...a4 28.Qc4 Rb6 29.h5 Raa6 30.Bd2 Nd5 31.g4!? Ba8 32.gxf5 (32.Kh2 Rxd6 33.exd6 Rxd6 34.g5 hxg5 35.Bxg5 Bb7 ) 32...exf5 33.Rc8 Rc6 34.Qd3 Rxd6 (34...Rxc8 35.Rxc8 Rxd6 36.Rxa8 Rb6 ) 35.exd6 Rxd6 36.Rd8!! Qxd8 37.Qxf5+ Kh8 (37...Kg8 38.Rc8 Nf6 39.Rxd8+ Rxd8 40.Qa5 Rxd2 41.Qxa8+ Kf7?! 42.Qa7+ Rd7 43.Qxa4 ) 38.Rc8 Nf6 39.Rxd8+ Rxd8 40.Qa5 Rxd2 41.Qxa8+ Kh7 42.Qxa4 Rxb2 43.Qa5 ]

28.Bg5?! Diagram



[28.Qh5! Holds the initiative 28...Be8 29.Qf3 Nd5 30.g3 Rxd6 31.exd6 Qxd6 ]

28...hxg5 29.Qh5+ Kg8 30.Qf7+ Kh7= 31.Qh5+= Kg8 32.Qf7+ Kh7 33.hxg5 Ng6?! white has nothing after eg [33...Be8! 34.Qxe6 Qd7= 35.Qc4 Rxd6 36.exd6 Qxd6 37.Re1= ]

34.Rxc6 Qxg5 35.Rc8 Diagram



35...Nf4? a blunder after having been pressured since 22... f5?! [35...Rxc8 36.Rxc8= Nxe5 37.Qxe6 Qg6 38.Qg8+ Kh6 39.Qh8+ Kg5 40.f4+ Kxf4 41.Qh2+ Qg3 42.Qxg3+ Kxg3 43.Nxf5+= ; 35...Rxd6 also leads to a draw 36.exd6 Rxc8 37.Rxc8 Qd2 ]

36.g3 Rxc8 [36...Ne2+? 37.Kg2 Nxc1 38.Qg8+ Kg6 39.Qxe6+ Kh5 (39...Kh7 40.Rc4+- ) 40.Rc4+- ]

37.Rxc8 Qg4 38.Qg8+ Kg6 39.Qe8+ Kh7 40.Qh8+ Kg6 41.Rc7 Qd1+ [41...Ne2+ 42.Kg2 Nf4+ 43.Kh2 Qh5+ is same as main line]

42.Kh2 Qh5+ 43.Qxh5+ Nxh5 44.Re7+- Rc6 45.Rxe6+ Kh7 46.Nf7 Rxe6 47.Ng5+
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