Linares 2010 (10)
Topalov - Gelfand the decisive game in Linares
IM Malcolm Pein - Monday 1st March 2010
Today we will look at the rook and pawn endgame that decided the Linares tournament as Veselin Topalov defeated Boris Gelfand who failed to find the right defence when the draw was within his grasp.
Today we will look at the rook and pawn endgame that decided the Linares tournament as Veselin Topalov defeated Boris Gelfand who failed to find the right defence when the draw was within his grasp. Despite the limited material remaining the position was quite difficult although my feeling is that Gelfand did not choose the natural continuation. Doubtless the clock and the prize money at stake affected the decision making process.
Topalov's extra c pawn is quite useful as it prevents Gelfand's rook from attacking the front c pawn from the rear.
V Topalov - B Gelfand
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3 Be7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nd7 9.0-0-0 Re8 10.h4 c6 11.h5 h6 12.Kb1 Nf6 13.Bd3 Bf8 14.Rdg1 Ng4 15.Bf4 Qf6
(15...Qa5 and Be6 was better)
16.Nh2 Nxh2 17.Rxh2 Bf5 18.Bxf5 Qxf5 19.g4 Qe4 20.g5 hxg5 21.Bxg5 Qe2 22.Qxe2 Rxe2 23.Be3 Rxe3 24.fxe3 Re8 25.Rh3 Re6 26.c4 Be7 27.Rf3 Re5 28.Rgf1 Rxh5 29.Rxf7 Re5 30.R7f3 Bf6 31.c3 Re4 32.Rxf6
(32.Rd1 Ke6 32.Kc2 was certainly possible)
32...gxf6 33.Rxf6 Rxe3 34.Rxd6 Kf7 35.Kc2 Re2+ 36.Kb3 Ke7 37.Rd4 c5 38.Rd3 b6 39.Ka3 Rc2 40.Rd5 a5 41.Rd3 Rh2 42.b3 Rc2
Boris Gelfand
 | | | | | | | |
| | | |  | | | |
|  | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| |  | | | | | |
 | | |  | | | | |
| |  | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Veselin Topalov
Position after 42...Rc2
43.Ka4 Rxa2+ 44.Kb5 Rb2 45.Kxb6 a4 46.Kxc5 Rxb3 47.Kc6 a3 48.c5 Ke8?
(This makes it much harder 48...a2! 49.Rd7+ Ke6 50.Ra7 Rb2 51.Kc7 Kd5 52.c6 Kc4 53.Ra3 Kb5 and either Kb7 or Kd7 is met by a check and the white king must go back to c7 blocking the pawn and White cannot progress for example 48...a2 49.Rd7+ Ke6 50.Ra7 Rb2 51.Kc7 (51.c4 Ke5 52.Kc7 Kd4=) 51...Kd5 52.c6 Kc5 53.Ra5+ Kc4 54.Kc8 Kxc3 55.c7 Rc2 and Black sacrifices his rook for the c pawn and draws with his king and pawn)
49.Rh3 a2?
(Now Black is lost 49...Ke7! 50.Kc7 a2 51.Rh7+ Ke6 52.Rh6+ Ke7 (52...Kd5 also draws) 53.Ra6 Rxc3 darws)
50.Rh8+ Ke7 51.Ra8 Rb2 52.Kc7 Rc2 53.c6 Rb2
(53...Rxc3 54.Rxa2 is always a win, White's king reaches c8)
54.c4 Rc2 55.Ra6 Rb2 56.c5 Ke6 57.Ra5!
(57.Kc8 Kd5 58.c7 Kxc5 draws)
57...Rc2
(57...Ke5 58.Kd7 Rd2+ 59.Kc8)
58.Kb7 Rb2+ 59.Kc8 Ke7 60.c7 Ke8
Boris Gelfand
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Veselin Topalov
Position after 60...Ke8
61.Rxa2! Rxa2 62.Kb7 1-0
62.Kb7 Rb2+ 63.Kc6 and the c pawn promotes.
