Corus, Wijk aan Zee 2008. Round 9 21st January 2008. Comments by Mark Crowther.

Levon Aronian is the joint leader of the A-Group after drawing Pavel Eljanov whilst Magnus Carlsen was being defeated by Peter Leko. The major game of the day was Topalov's victory over Vladimir Kramnik.

Veselin Topalov in play against Vladimir Kramnik in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Veselin Topalov gave the press conference of the day and he attributed his win against Vladimir Kramnik to a three year old novelty 12.Nxf7! which was found and been developed by Ivan Cheparinov. He said he didn't have any involvement in its creation. Topalov has been waiting for the right moment to unleash this novelty and today was it. Cheparinov was in the press conference later on and he said that some of the lines go to move 40. Topalov checked the lines in preparation for this game at the insistance of his manager Silvio Danailov, Topalov himself was not convinced this line would arise. Topalov criticised Qxd4 and other moves as not being the best defence and in spite of a small mis step about which he was pretty critical Topalov won handily.

Topalov,V (2780) - Kramnik,V (2799) [D43]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxf7!

An important novelty which was found by Ivan Cheparinov 3 years ago and developed by him since. Topalov didn't have any imput. Topalov wasn't sure Kramnik was going to to play this line but his manager Silvio Danailov thought it a serious possibliity. Opportunities have arisen before to play this line but this was an important enough occasion to reveal the idea. [12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 a6 14.a4 e5 15.d5 c5 16.b4 cxb4 17.Bxb4 a5 18.Bd6 b4 19.Nb5 Rc8 20.Bxc4 Rxc4 21.Rc1 Rxc1 22.Qxc1 Qb6 23.Nc7+ Kd8 24.Nb5 Ke8 25.Nc7+ 1/2-1/2 Izoria,Z (2646)-Erenburg,S (2582)/Khanty Mansyisk RUS 2005/The Week in Chess 578] 12...Kxf7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Ke7 15.Nd6 Qb6 16.Bg4! Black is a piece up but white has much more compensation than it appears at first sight. This pressurises e6. 16...Raf8 17.Qc2

17...Qxd4? This was by no means the strongest defence according to Topalov. However it is terribly difficult for Kramnik to find his way through the complications. Essentially this will return the piece. [17...Rhg8] 18.Qg6 Qxg4 19.Qxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxb7+ Kc8 21.a4! [21.Nd6+ Kc7 22.a4 b4 23.Rac1] 21...b4 22.Rac1 c3 23.bxc3 b3? Topalov thinks this isn't the best defensive idea either but black's position is terribly difficult. [23...Nxc3!?; 23...bxc3 24.Rb1 c2 25.Nd6+ Kd8 26.Rb7! wins.] 24.c4 Rfg8 25.Nd6+ Kc7 26.Qf7 Rf8 27.cxd5! Now the time has come to sacrifice my queen. I believe its winning - Topalov. It also cuts out certain counterplay that might be possible with b2. 27...Rxf7 28.Rxc6+ Kb8 29.Nxf7 Re8 30.Nd6 Rh8 31.Rc4 Qe2 32.dxe6 Nb6 33.Rb4 Ka8

34.e7? Doesn't necessarily spoil anything but this move annoyed Topalov a lot after the game which I guess he hoped to be as perfect as possible. [34.Rxb3 is just a lot better.] 34...Nd5 35.Rxb3 Nxe7 36.Rfb1 Nd5 37.h3 h5? [37...Nf4] 38.Nf7 Simply winning a pawn. 38...Rc8 39.e6 a6 40.Nxg5 h4 Trying to stop a4 by white with a slow easy crush. 41.Bd6 Rg8 42.R3b2! The most precise. 42...Qd3 43.e7 Nf6 44.Be5 Nd7 45.Ne6 There is no defence. 1-0

Peter Leko defeated Magnus Carlsen in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Peter Leko improved over a couple of Gata Kamsky games in the Ruy Lopez Breyer and scored an interesting win against the leader Magnus Carlsen. Its not clear Carlsen should really lose even in the end but the pressure told and he blundered a piece.

Leko,P (2753) - Carlsen,M (2733) [C95]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

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 d6 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.b3 a5 16.Bd2N [16.a4 b4 17.cxb4 axb4 18.Bb2 Bh6 19.dxe5 dxe5 20.Bd3 Nc5 (20...Bf4 21.Qc2 Ra5 22.Rad1 Rc5 23.Qe2 Qe7 24.Nf1 Nb6 25.g3 Bh6 26.Bc1 Bxc1 27.Rxc1 Rc3 28.N1d2 Rd8 29.Rxc3 bxc3 30.Nb1 Qd6 31.Bc2 Qc5 32.Qe3 Qxe3 33.Rxe3 Bxe4 34.Bxe4 Nxe4 35.Nxc3 Nxc3 36.Rxc3 Rd1+ 37.Kg2 Nd5 38.Rc4 f6 39.a5 Ra1 40.Ra4 Rxa4 41.bxa4 Nc3 42.Nd2 Nxa4 43.a6 Nb6 44.a7 Kf7 45.g4 Ke6 46.Ne4 h6 47.h4 Na8 48.f3 f5 49.Ng3 c5 50.gxf5+ gxf5 51.Kf2 c4 52.Ke2 Nc7 53.Kd2 Kf6 54.Kc2 Kg6 55.Kb2 f4 56.Ne4 Kh5 57.Kc3 Nb5+ 58.Kxc4 Nxa7 59.Kd5 Kxh4 60.Kxe5 Nc6+ 1/2-1/2 Svidler,P (2732)-Kamsky,G (2714)/Khanty-Mansiysk RUS 2007/The Week in Chess 682) 21.Bb5 Qxd1 22.Raxd1 c6 23.Bc4 Nfd7 24.Re2 Bf4 25.Rc2 Re7 26.Ne2 Bh6 27.Ng3 Bf4 28.Bc1 Ba6 29.Bxf4 exf4 30.Ne2 Bxc4 31.Rxc4 Nxb3 32.Rxb4 Nbc5 33.Nc3 Ree8 34.Rd6 Re6 35.Rbd4 Rxd6 36.Rxd6 Ra6 37.e5 Rb6 38.Rd1 Rb3 39.Ne2 Ra3 40.Ned4 Rxa4 41.Nxc6 Nf8 42.Ne7+ 1/2-1/2 Shirov,A (2739)-Kamsky,G (2714)/Khanty-Mansiysk RUS 2007/The Week in Chess 684] 16...Rb8 17.Bd3 b4 18.Qc2 d5 19.cxb4 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Bxb4 21.Bxb4 Bxe4 22.Bxa5 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 e4 24.Qc4 exf3 25.Bxc7 Qc8 26.Bxb8 Qxb8 27.Rxe8+ Qxe8 28.a4 fxg2 29.a5 Qe4 30.a6 Nb6 31.a7 Kg7 32.Qc7 Qxd4 33.Re1 Qb4 34.Re7 Qxb3 35.Kxg2 Qd5+ 36.Kg1 Qd1+ 37.Kg2 Qd5+ 38.Kg1 Qd1+ 39.Kh2

39...Qf3? [39...Qd4 40.Rxf7+ Kg8 41.Rg7+ Kh8] 40.Qxb6 Qf4+ 1-0

Levon Aronian drew Pavel Eljanov in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Levon Aronian made little headway against Pavel Eljanov and their game was quickly drawn. Carlsen's loss means that Aronian is now joint leader.

Aronian,L (2739) - Eljanov,P (2692) [A29]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Nd4 5.Bg2 Nxf3+ 6.Bxf3 Bb4 7.Qb3 Bc5 8.d3 0-0 9.0-0 h6 10.Na4 Be7 11.Be3 d6 [11...c6 12.c5 d5 13.cxd6 Bxd6 14.Rfc1 Qe7 15.Bc5 Rd8 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Nc5 Qe7 18.Rc2 Nd5 19.Qa4 b6 20.Ne4 Bb7 21.a3 c5 22.Rac1 a5 23.Nd2 Qe6 24.Qh4 Rab8 25.Nc4 Bc6 26.Qh5 Re8 27.Bg4 Qf6 28.Bf3 Rbd8 29.Qh3 Ba4 30.Rd2 Bb3 31.Qg2 Qe6 32.Bxd5 Rxd5 33.Rc3 a4 34.Ne3 Rd7 35.Nf1 Red8 36.f3 f5 37.e4 f4 38.Qf2 Rd4 39.gxf4 exf4 40.Qh4 Qe5 41.h3 R8d6 42.Nh2 h5 43.Nf1 Rg6+ 44.Kh2 Rdd6 45.Qf2 h4 46.d4 cxd4 47.Rcd3 Bc4 48.Rxd4 Rxd4 49.Rxd4 Bxf1 50.Rd8+ Kh7 51.Rd5 Qf6 52.Rh5+ Kg8 53.Rf5 Qxf5 54.exf5 Rg2+ 55.Qxg2 Bxg2 56.Kxg2 Kf7 57.Kf2 Kf6 58.Ke2 Kxf5 59.Kd3 Ke5 60.Kc4 b5+ 61.Kc3 Kd5 62.Kd3 Kc5 63.Kc3 b4+ 64.Kd3 g5 65.axb4+ Kxb4 66.Kc2 Kc4 67.Kd2 Kb3 68.Kc1 g4 69.fxg4 f3 70.Kd2 f2 0-1 Minasian,A (2580)-Nikolic,P (2645)/Erevan ARM 1996] 12.Nc3 c6 13.Rad1 Qc7 14.d4 Bh3 15.Rfe1 Kh8 16.c5 d5 17.dxe5 Nd7 18.Bg2 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Bxc5 20.Qc2 1/2-1/2

Michael Adams beat Loek van Wely in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Michael Adams got a solid opening advantage against Loek van Wely whose position gradually collapsed on the run up to first time control.

Adams,Mi (2726) - Van Wely,L (2681) [B87]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Qf3 Qc7 10.Qg3 0-0 11.Bh6 Ne8 12.Kh1 Kh8 [12...Bd7 13.f4 Nc6 14.Nf3 b4 15.Ne2 Na5 16.Ned4 Qb7 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Nxb3 19.cxb3 Bb5 20.Rfd1 Rd8 21.Bg5 Rd5 22.a4 bxa3 23.bxa3 Bxg5 24.Qxg5 Nc7 25.a4 Bd7 26.Rac1 a5 27.Rc4 Na6 28.Rdc1 Qb6 29.Ne2 f6 30.Qg3 f5 31.Nf4 Rc5 32.Nh5 Rf7 33.Rxc5 Nxc5 34.Qf2 Nxa4 35.Qc2 Qb4 36.bxa4 Qg4 37.Qc7 h6 38.Rc4 f4 39.Nxf4 Bb5 40.Qb8+ 1-0 Morozevich,A (2625)-Gelfand,B (2700)/Madrid ESP 1996] 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 Nf6 15.f3 Bd7 16.Rfd1 Nc6 17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.a3 Rab8 19.Rd4 Rfc8 20.Rad1 h6 21.Qd2 White has a nice positional advantage. 21...Ne8 22.Ne2 a5 23.c3 Nf6 24.Qe3 Rd8 25.Ng3 Rd7 26.h3 Qa7 27.Qe1 Rbd8 28.R4d2 Qc5 29.Ne2 Qe5 30.Rd4 g5 31.c4 bxc4 32.Bxc4 Nh5 33.Qc3 Bb7 34.Bb5 Rc8 35.Qxa5 White wins a pawn. 35...Rc2 36.R4d2 Rdc7 [36...Rxd2 37.Rxd2] 37.Qb4 Kg7 38.Qd4 Kf6 39.Kg1 d5 40.exd5 Bxd5 41.Qxe5+ Kxe5 42.Nc3 Rxd2 43.Rxd2 Nf4 44.g3 Nxh3+ [44...Ng6] 45.Kh2 g4 46.f4+

46...Kd6 Walking into a fork. [46...Kf5 47.Nxd5 exd5 48.Rxd5+; 46...Kf6 47.Rxd5 Rxc3 48.bxc3 exd5 49.Kg2 and the knight is trapped.] 47.Be2 1-0

Boris Gelfand chatting over his game with Viswanathan Anand in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Viswanathan Anand equalised quickly against Boris Gelfand and a draw was agreed.

Gelfand,B (2737) - Anand,V (2799) [E06]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Bd6 11.Re1 [11.Bg5 Nbd7 12.Nbd2 Rc8 13.Nb3 c5 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.Nxc5 Be4 16.Qc3 e5 17.e3 Bxc5 18.dxc5 Qd5 19.Rad1 Qa8 20.Nh4 Bxg2 21.Nxg2 Ne4 22.Qxe5 Rxc5 23.Qd4 Rc4 24.Qd3 Ng5 25.b3 Rc5 26.h4 Nf3+ 27.Kh1 Qc8 28.Nf4 Qg4 29.Qd7 Rf5 30.Rd5 Rxf4 31.exf4 f5 32.Qe6+ Kh8 33.Qxf5 Qxf5 34.Rxf5 Rxf5 35.Rd1 g5 36.hxg5 Nxg5 37.fxg5 Rxf2 38.a4 bxa4 39.bxa4 Ra2 40.Rd4 1/2-1/2 Kramnik,V (2785)-Carlsen,M (2714)/Moscow RUS 2007/The Week in Chess 679] 11...Be4 12.Qc1 Bb7 13.Bg5 Nbd7 14.e4 Be7 15.Nbd2 c5 16.e5 Nd5 17.Ne4 cxd4 18.Qd2 Bxg5 19.Nexg5 h6 20.Ne4 Ne3 21.fxe3 Bxe4 22.exd4 Bd5 23.Nh4 Nb6 24.Be4 Rc8 25.Ng2 Bxe4 Anand has equalised. 1/2-1/2

Vassily Ivanchuk drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Photo © Mark Crowther

Vassily Ivanchuk and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov drew an interesting Gruenfeld in 41 moves.

Ivanchuk,V (2751) - Mamedyarov,S (2760) [D86]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.d4 g6 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qd8 12.Be3 Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Qd8 14.Bc3 0-0 15.Qd2 Bd7 16.0-0 Rc8 17.Rfc1 [17.Rac1 a6 18.Bb3 e6 19.d5 exd5 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Bxd5 f6 22.Nf4 Qe7 23.h3 Rfd8 24.Qe3 Kh8 25.Qb6 Be8 26.Rb1 Rb8 27.Rfc1 Rd6 28.Qb2 Ne5 29.Rc3 Bc6 30.Bxc6 Nxc6 31.Nd5 Qxe4 32.Nxf6 Qe5 33.Ne4 Re6 34.Ng5 Re7 35.Nf3 Qf6 36.Rxc6 Qxb2 37.Rxb2 Rd8 38.Rcb6 1-0 Sakaev,K (2657)-McShane,L (2649)/Bremen GER 2003/The Week in Chess 476] 17...a6 18.a4 Na7 19.Bd3 b5 20.Ba5 Qe8 21.Rxc8 Nxc8 22.e5 bxa4 23.Nc3 Na7 24.Bb4 Nb5 25.Nd5 Nxd4 26.Bxe7 Nb3 27.Qf4 Kh8 28.Re1 Rg8 29.Bd6 Qe6 30.Ne7 Rf8 31.h3 Bb5 32.Be4 Bc4 33.Bc6 a3 34.Bxa3 Rd8 35.Bf3 Nd4 36.Bg4 f5 37.exf6 Qxe1+ 38.Kh2 Bf7 39.fxg7+ Kxg7 40.Bb2 Qxe7 41.Bxd4+ Rxd4 Its just equal. 1/2-1/2

Judit Polgar analysing with Teimour Radjabov after their draw in round 9. Photo © Mark Crowther

Judit Polgar played 4.Nc3 against Radjabov's Schliemann Defence to the Ruy Lopez but things blew out pretty fast.

Polgar,Ju (2707) - Radjabov,T (2735) [C63]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (9), 22.01.2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 6.Qe2 d5 7.Nxf6+ gxf6 8.d4 Bg7 9.dxe5 0-0 10.e6 Ne5 11.0-0 Bxe6 [11...c6 12.Bd3 Bxe6 13.Nd4 Bg4 14.f3 Nxd3 15.fxg4 Nxc1 16.Raxc1 Qb6 17.c3 Rae8 18.Qf2 Re4 19.h3 Bh6 20.Rce1 Rf4 21.Qe2 Re4 1/2-1/2 Pioch,T-Sobjerg,E/Copenhagen 1995] 12.Nd4 Bg4 13.f3 Bc8 14.f4 c6 15.fxe5 fxe5 16.Rxf8+ Qxf8 17.Bd3 e4 18.Bxe4 Bxd4+ 19.Be3 Bxe3+ 20.Qxe3 dxe4 21.Qg5+ Qg7 22.Qd8+ Qf8 23.Qg5+ Qg7 Draw by perpetual. 1/2-1/2

Former World Chess Champion Anatoly Karpov spent some time in the press room after attending the event as part of its 70th birthday. He was greeted by Nigel Short who was relieved to have a short draw accepted by Sergei Movsesian after the stresses of the last couple of days.