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| FIDE World Championship 2005, San Luis, Argentina. Malcolm Pein of the Daily Telegraph - another look at Round 9 Round 9 (October 8, 2005)
Svidler, Peter - Kasimdzhanov, Rustam 1/2 34 B90 Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Anand, Viswanathan - Topalov, Veselin 1/2 17 C65 Ruy Lopez Berlin
Morozevich, Alexander - Leko, Peter 1-0 54 B33 Sicilian Sveshnikov
Polgar, Judit - Adams, Michael 1/2 37 C89 Ruy Lopez Marshall
WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (ARG), 28 ix-16 x 2005 cat. XX (2739)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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1 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2788 ** 1. == 1. 1= 1. 1. 1. 7.5 3014
2 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2738 0. ** =. 1. 1. == == 1. 5.5 2808
3 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2788 == =. ** 0. =. 0. 1. 11 5.0 2781
4 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2707 0. 0. 1. ** =1 =1 =. =. 5.0 2780
5 Leko, Peter g HUN 2763 0= 0. =. =0 ** =. 1. 1. 4.0 2694
6 Kasimdzhanov, Rustam g UZB 2670 0. == 1. =0 =. ** =. 0. 3.5 2662
7 Adams, Michael g ENG 2719 0. == 0. =. 0. =. ** == 3.0 2615
8 Polgar, Judit g HUN 2735 0. 0. 00 =. 0. 1. == ** 2.5 2576
----------------------------------------------------------------------  Malcolm Pein revisits the short but key games between Anand and Topalov in round 9. Photo © http://www.wccsanluis.net Chess from Malcolm Pein Chess for Friday October 14th 2005 A rest day after round twelve gives us the opportunity to look at what may prove to have been the deciding moment of the 2005 Fide World Championship assuming that Veselin Topalov does not collapse completely in the final two rounds. In round nine Topalov faced Anand with the black pieces and Anand desperately needed to win. The players quickly reached a very sharp position but I suspect Topalov had analysed it in more detail. Anand sacrificed a piece but then decided to force a draw when he had a chance for glory by playing on. Acquiescing in a repetition of moves effectively handed the title to Topalov even with five games remaining. Please put all bold moves in bold and all comments and moves in brackets in light. V Anand - V Topalov FIDE W Ch San Luis (9) Ruy Lopez Berlin 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 ( Avoiding the Berlin Wall endgame after 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 which Topalov used to defeat Judit Polgar. 4.d3 ensures a more complex struggle ) 4...Bc5 5.c3 0-0 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 g5! Topalov  Anand Position after 7...g5 (See Diagram. Bold play, Topalov is unafraid of weakening his position to remove the annoying pin. Remarkably, as early as move seven this move is actually a novelty.) 8.Bg3 d6 9.Nbd2 a6 10.Bxc6 (10.Ba4 can be considered and then Bd7 or Nh5 ) 10...bxc6 11.0-0 Ba7 12.d4 (12.Nc4 Be6 (12...Nh5 13.Nfxe5 Nxg3 14.Nxc6 Qd7 15.Nxa7 Nxf1 16.Nxc8) 13.Ne3 Nh5 seems reasonable for Black but after 14.d4 Qe7 Vishy would have been able to look forward to a tense struggle rather than an early draw) 12...g4 13.Bh4 (13.Nh4 exd4 14.cxd4 Bxd4 15.Qc1 Nh5 16.Nc4 Qg5 is good for Black. Sacrificing a pawn rather than a piece allows the Ba7 to reach the kingside) 13...gxf3 14.Qxf3 Kg7 15.Qg3+ Kh7 16.Qf3 Kg7 17.Qg3+ draw Topalov  Anand Analysis diagram position after 16.Qd3 Let us consider the critical move which I think is 16.Qd3! with the idea of pawn f2-f4 opening the f file and winning the Nf6. See analysis diagram. After 16.Qd3 there are two possibilities a) 16...Rg8 is met by 17.f4 Rg4 18.fxe5 Rxh4 19.Rxf6 dxe5 20.Rxf7+ Kh8 21.Raf1 with a dangerous attack. If 17...Rg6 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Rf2! when 19...exd4 20.c4 Be6 21.Rxf6! Rxf6 22.e5+ Bf5 23.Ne4 would have been entertaining and quite good for White . 21.Raf1 is also possible. b) The counterattack 16...c5 looks insufficient after 17.f4 cxd4 18.c4! Bg4 19.Kh1! ( Not 19.fxe5 Be2! 20.Qxe2 d3+ or 20.Qh3 Qd7!; 20.Qa3!? )19...Qb8 20.Bxf6 Qxb2 21.Rac1! Rae8 22.Rc2 Qb6 23.f5 when the black bishop is stranded The conclusion is that Anand should have played on, variation a) above is dangerous but must have been worth trying. |
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 Kasparov Books |
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 Giant Chess Sets |
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 Chess Computers |
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 Chess Assistant |
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 Books 2000/1/2/3 |
