Linares 2010 (8)
Topalov leads with two rounds to go
IM Malcolm Pein - Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Veselin Topalov retains the lead with just two rounds of the Linares tournament to go.
Veselin Topalov still leads by a point with two to play at Linares. The leader benefitted from a horrendous blunder from Francisco Vallejo in the sixth round. The game was unclear when the Spaniard put a rook en prise. Alexander Grischuk came back into contention with a fine win over Vugar Gashimov but Topalov should be further ahead, see if you can spot what he missed in round eight below.
Scores: 1 Topalov 5.5/8; 2 Grischuk 4.5; 3 Aronian 4; 4-5 Gashimov, Gelfand 3.5; 6 Vallejo, 3.
The Modern Benoni gives Black active play on both wings but the d6 pawn can be vulnerable, Grischuk attacks it expertly.
A Grischuk - V Gashimov
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.g3
(The most solid move against the Modern Benoni. White develops quietly before considering the natural plan of e2-e4 aiming for e4-e5)
7...Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.Bf4 Na6 11.Re1 Bg4
(11...Ne4 12.Nxe4 Rxe4 13.Nd2 Rxf4 14.gxf4 Bxb2 is a sharp alternative)
12.Qb3
(A new move, 12.h3 or 12.Nd2)
12...Nh5 13.Bg5
(13.Qxb7 Nxf4 14.gxf4 Nb4 and the queen will not escape)
13...Qd7 14.Nd2 h6 15.Be3 Bf5
(15...Nc7 16.a4 b6 17.Nc4 but White has the edge)
16.Nc4 Nb4 17.Rac1 Rab8
(Black already has problems with the d6 pawn, if 17...b5 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Nxd6 Qd7 20.Nxe8 Rxe8 21.Rxc5)
18.a4 b6
(18...a6 19.a5)
19.Nb5! Bf8
(19...Bh3!?)
20.Bd2 a6 21.Nbxd6!
Vugar Gashimov
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Alexander Grischuk
Position after 21.Nbxd6!
21...b5
(21...Bxd6 22.e4 Bg4 23.h3 and the queen cannot defend both bishops)
22.Nxe8 bxc4 23.Qxc4 Rxe8 24.Bxb4 cxb4 25.e4 Bg4 26.e5
(White has a huge advantage as Black's bishop and knight have no good squares and the threat is e5-e6 winning the bishop on g4. In mutual time pressure Grischuk makes no mistake)
26...Qf5 27.e6 fxe6 28.dxe6 Be7 29.f3! Bh3 30.g4 Qg5 31.Bxh3 Nf4 32.Bf1 Rf8 33.Qc7 h5 34.Qe5 Qh4 35.Re4 Nh3+ 36.Bxh3 Qxh3 37.Qg3 hxg4 38.Qxh3 gxh3 39.Kf2 Rd8 40.Ke2 1-0
Levon Aronian
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Veselin Topalov
Position after 33...Nb6
34.Qxa7 is pretty good but 34.Bb3? e3! gave Black some play and he managed to hold. What did Topalov miss ?
Answer to puzzle: 34.Rxe4!! Qxe4 35.Qc3+ Kg8 (35...Kxg6 36.Bc2 wins the queen) 37.Qc7 attacks the rook and f7 and wins after 37...Qxg6 38.Qxd8+ and d5-d6.
The 4NCL took place at the weekend a full report later in the week.
Telegraph columns are online again, see www.telegraph.co.uk/chess
