Anand - Topalov level with two to play

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World Chess Championship 2010 (10)

Anand - Topalov level with two to play

IM Malcolm Pein - Monday 10th May 2010

Viswanathan Anand managed to hold the draw with black against Veselin Topalov in game 10 of the World Chess Championship in Sofia. Malcolm Pein examines the game.

Topalov was white against Anand in Game 10. Photo ©

Topalov was white against Anand in Game 10. Photo © | http://www.chessdom.com

The world chess championship is level at 5-5 with two to play as defending champion Vishy Anand held the draw with black against Veselin Topalov in the tenth game at Sofia. Anand returned to the counter attacking Gruenfeld Defence that led to disaster in game one but on the tenth move uncorked an idea of the late English GM Tony Miles from 1979. I recommended it in my book in 1981 but it has rarely been played. Anand secured easy equality but, fearing some complications, he opted for a difficult ending where Topalov possessed the bishop pair but held it comfortably. The draw was agreed on the 60th move after roughly five and a half hours play.

If the match is drawn 6-6 the title will be decided in a speed chess tie breaker. Sunday's eleventh game will appear tomorrow. Game twelve is tomorrow afternoon.

V Topalov - V Anand

WCh Sofia (10)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 b6

(Miles' move)

11.Qd2

(11.Rc1 Bb7 12.d5 Ne5 13.Bb3 c4 14.Bc2 e6 15.dxe6 Nd3! = Polugaevsky-Miles 1979)

11...Bb7 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Rfd1 cxd4

14.cxd4 Qd6

(Planning Qb4 or Na5 and Qa3)

15.d5 Na5 16.Bb5 Rxc1 17.Rxc1 Rc8 18.h3

(Black is comfortable now,

18.Rxc8+ Bxc8 19.Bd4!?)

18...Rxc1+ 19.Qxc1 e6 20.Nf4 exd5 21.Nxd5 f5!

(Undermining the knight. Around here Black could have played for Qe5-a1 and been level. Not 21...Bxd5 22.exd5 Qxd5 23.Qc8+ Bf8 24.Bh6 or 21...Nc6 22.Bxc6 Bxc6 23.Qxc6 Qxc6 24.Ne7+)

Viswanathan Anand

Veselin Topalov

Position after 21...f5!

22.f3 fxe4 23.fxe4 Qe5 24.Bd3 Nc6 25.Ba6! Nd4

(25...Bxa6 26.Qxc6 Qa1+ should lead to a draw. 27.Kh2 Be5+ 28.Nf4 Qc3 29.Qe8+ Kg7 30.Qe7+ Kg8=)

26.Qc4! Bxd5 27.Qxd5+ Qxd5 28.exd5 Be5 29.Kf2 Kf7 30.Bg5 Nf5 31.g4 Nd6 32.Kf3 Ne8 33.Bc1 Nc7 34.Bd3 Bd6 35.Ke4 b5 36.Kd4 a6 37.Be2 Ke7 38.Bg5+ Kd7 39.Bd2 Bg3 40.g5 Bf2+

(Time control. The two bishops and d5 pawn are strong. Black can only wait. White should have tried t h4-h5 as his light squared bishop could pressure h7)

41.Ke5 Bg3+ 42.Ke4 Ne8 43.Bg4+ Ke7 44.Be6

(No threat as Be6-g8 Kf8 Bxh7 Kg7 traps the bishop)

44...Nd6+ 45.Kf3 Nc4 46.Bc1 Bd6 47.Ke4 a5

(Counterplay)

48.Bg4 Ba3

(The game is level now, the king can approach d5)

49.Bxa3+

(49.Bf4 Bd6)

49...Nxa3 50.Ke5 Nc4+ 51.Kd4 Kd6 52.Be2 Na3 53.h4 Nc2+ 54.Kc3 Nb4 55.Bxb5 Nxa2+ 56.Kb3 Nb4 57.Be2 Nxd5 58.h5 Nf4 59.hxg6 hxg6 60.Bc4 draw

Viswanathan Anand