It is 0/2 for Veselin Topalov who had the bad luck to start the Essent tournament with two blacks against fearsome attacking players. The Bulgarian is playing his first tournament since losing to Vladimir Kramnik in a title contest dogged by controversy after his camp accused Kramnik of cheating. The accusations went down so badly with chess fans there were fears that the former Fide champion would be booed.

After losing badly to Shakriyaz Mamedyarov in round one Topalov had to defend his favourite Sicilian Najdorf against Judit Polgar who predictably chose a Hungarian speciality known as the Perenyi Attack named after the late IM Bela Perenyi. The plan involved an early kingside attack which Topalov swiftly halted at the cost of weakening his position somewhat. The position required great care but Topalov played aggressively and after one lucky escape his good fortune ran out and his king was run out of town. Former World Junior Champion Shakriyaz Mamedyarov joined Polgar on 2/2 after outplaying Ivan Sokolov in wild tactical complications. Scores: Polgar (Hungary) & Mamedyarov 2/2; Topalov (Bulgaria) & Sokolov (Holland) 0

Round 2 Games in PGN including the game below annotated

Polgar,Judit (2710) - Topalov,Veselin (2813) [B81]
Hoogeveen (2), 23.10.2006
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 h6 [7...e5 Forces White to give up a piece or two after 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bxd4 exd4 14.Rxd4 Bg7 15.Rg1 Kf8 16.Qe3 Qe7 17.Qd2 h6 18.gxf6 Nxf6 19.Rd8+ Ne8 20.Bb5 axb5 21.Re1 b4 22.Nb5 Bxb2+ 23.Kxb2 Qf6+ 24.Qd4 Kg7 25.Rexe8 Rxe8 26.Rxe8 Qxd4+ 27.Nxd4 Kf6 28.f4 b6 29.Rd8 Bb7 30.Rxa8 Bxa8 31.Kb3 Bd5+ 32.Kxb4 Bxa2 33.Kb5 Bb1 34.c3 Ke7 35.Kxb6 Kd6 36.c4 Bd3 37.c5+ Kd5 38.Nc6 Ke4 39.Ne7 Bc2 40.c6 Ba4 41.c7 Bd7 42.Kc5 1-0 Polgar,J (2735)-Kasimdzhanov,R (2670)/San Luis ARG 2005/The Week in Chess 569] 8.Bg2 [8.f4 e5 9.Nf5 h5 was played with success by Kasparov and Topalov. ] 8...g5 A controversial move but positionally very well motivated. A Black knight on e5 can hold the kingside so Black prepares to strongpoint that square at the cost of weakening his position. 9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Ne5 11.h3 Nfd7 Black is not worried about his lack of development, he claims qualitative over quantitative. 12.f4 gxf4 13.Bxf4 b5 14.Rhf1N [14.Nf3 Qc7 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Rd4 Bb7 17.Rhd1 Be7 18.Kb1 Rc8 19.Qf2 Qc5 20.Bf1 Rh7 21.Be3 Qc6 22.a3 Qc7 23.Bf4 Qc5 24.Be3 Qc7 25.Qg3 Nc6 26.R4d2 b4 27.axb4 Nxb4 28.Bf4 Qa5 29.Bxd6 Rxc3 30.Bxb4 Rxg3 31.Bxa5 Bxe4 32.Bc7 Rb3 33.Bd6 Rb6 34.Bxe7 Kxe7 35.Rd7+ Kf6 36.R7d6 Rxd6 37.Rxd6 h5 38.gxh5 a5 39.Rd4 Bf3 40.Ra4 Rxh5 41.Kc1 Rc5 42.c3 Re5 43.Kd2 Bh5 44.Bd3 Ke7 45.b4 axb4 46.cxb4 f5 47.Ra5 Kd6 48.Ra6+ Kc7 49.Ra7+ Kb6 50.Rg7 Rd5 51.Rg5 Be8 52.Kc3 Re5 53.Kd2 Bb5 54.Rg3 Bxd3 55.Rxd3 Re4 56.Re3 1/2-1/2 Labunskiy,D (2340)-Anikaev,Y (2445)/Vladivostok 1990] 14...Bb7 White is five points ahead in development but I doubted if she was better here during the game. 15.Qf2 Rc8 16.Nce2 [16.Kb1 Rxc3 17.bxc3 Be7] 16...Bg7 This was typically ambitious [16...Be7 17.Ng3 Bg5 18.Ndf5!?; 16...h5 17.gxh5 Be7 18.h6 Bg5 19.Kb1 Bxh6 20.Bxh6 Rxh6 were both playable.] 17.Ng3 Rh7 Rather constipated, White must be better now. 18.Nh5 [18.Ndf5!? exf5 19.Nxf5 Bf8 20.Rxd6] 18...Bh8 19.Kb1

19... Nc5? Breaking the strongpoint. This should have led to disaster. After [19...Qb6; 19...Qc7 Black's rook on h7 is poor but the rest of his position is fine.] 20.Bg3 [20.Nf5! this move has been beckoning ever since Bg7 weakened d6 so I am sure Judit considered it, I cannot tell you why she rejected it 20...exf5 21.Bxe5 Bxe5 22.Qxf5 Rh8 23.Qxf7#] 20...Nxe4 21.Bxe4 Bxe4 22.Bh4 Qc7 23.Bf6! This undermines the dark squares around the black king which is now in permanent danger. 23...Bg6 24.Bxh8 Rxh8 25.Nf6+ Kd8 26.h4 Qc5 27.h5 Bh7 28.Qh4 Bxc2+ [28...Kc7 29.Nxh7 Rxh7 30.Rxf7+ Rxf7 31.Nxe6+] 29.Nxc2 Qxc2+ 30.Ka1 Threat Nd5+. 30...Rc4 [30...Rc6 31.Nd5+ Kd7 32.Nb4] 31.Ne4+ Kc7 32.Nxd6 Rf4 33.Qe7+ Kb6 34.Qb7+ Ka5 35.Qa7 b4 [35...Rxf1 36.Nb7+ Kb4 37.Rxf1 Qc4 38.Rf4 Qxf4 39.Qc5+ Ka4 40.b3#] 36.Rfe1 Nf3 37.Rc1 Nxe1 38.Rxc2 Nxc2+ 39.Kb1 Nd4 40.Nb7+ Kb5 41.Qc5+ Ka4 42.Qa5 mate. 1-0