World Chess Championship 2010 (8)
Topalov level after Anand blunders in Game 8
IM Malcolm Pein - Thursday 6th May 2010
Veselin Topalov won game 8 in a rather odd struggle against Viswanathan Anand. Topalov gained a great advantage but then seemed to gradually allow Anand to escape. Finally Anand cracked and a one move blunder proved fatal. Malcolm Pein looks at the game.
Topalov - Anand Game 8. Photo © | http://www.chessdom.com
Veselin Topalov leveled the score against defending champion Vishy Anand with victory in the eighth game of the World Chess Championship at Sofia. Topalov was on top throughout the game but had been thwarted by accurate defence from Anand before the Indian made a terrible blunder and had to resign. Four games remain and Anand must recover from the shock of blundering so badly and his poor play generally in the game. The champion has white in this afternoon's ninth game.
Topalov played white in game eight and the players returned to the scene of games three and five where Anand defended with a line developed by Vladimir Kramnik. Anand was the first to deviate but he was the first to sink into thought and after a blunder Topalov secured an advantage that convinced Anand to give up a pawn and seek refuge in the endgame with opposite coloured bishops. Such endings are often drawn and Anand appeared to have set up a blockade before he erred.
V Topalov - V Anand
WCh Sofia (8)
Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc4 Rc8
(13...a6 games 3 and 5)
14.Bb5 a6 15.Bxd7+ Kxd7 16.Ke2
16...f6 17.Rhd1 Ke8
(17...Kc7 18.Ba7 Ra8?? 19.Nb5+ axb5 20.Rac1+ Bc5 21.Rxc5#)
18.a5 Be7
(After 15 minutes thought)
19.Bb6
(Played immediately)
19...Rf8 20.Rac1 f5
(Trying to free rook and bishop)
21.e5 Bg5 22.Be3 f4?
(A terrible move that allows the knight into d6 22...Bxe3 23.Kxe3 f4+ 24.Kd4 Ke7 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.Kxe4 g5 was much better)
23.Ne4
Viswanathan Anand
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Veselin Topalov
Position after 23.Ne4 heading for d6
23...Rxc1 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Bxc1 Kc6 26.Bd2
(26.Rd4 was stronger)
26...Be7 27.Rc1+ Kd7 28.Bc3 Bxd6 29.Rd1 Bf5 30.h4 g6?
(Weakening and unnecessary as
30...Kc7 31.exd6+ Kd7 32.Bxg7? Rg8 holds)
31.Rxd6+ Kc8 32.Bd2 Rd8 33.Bxf4 Rxd6 34.exd6 Kd7 35.Ke3 Bc2 36.Kd4 Ke8 37.Ke5 Kf7 38.Be3 Ba4 39.Kf4 Bb5 40.Bc5 Kf6 41.Bd4+ Kf7
(41...e5+!? 42.Bxe5+ Ke6 may hold)
42.Kg5 Bc6 43.Kh6 Kg8 44.h5 Be8
(The white king has been kept out and so seeing no way through Topalov goes back. Anand is holding)
45.Kg5 Kf7 46.Kh6 Kg8 47.Bc5 gxh5 48.Kg5 Kg7 49.Bd4+ Kf7 50.Be5 h4! 51.Kxh4 Kg6
(Anand's best postion for some time)
52.Kg4 Bb5 53.Kf4 Kf7 54.Kg5 Bc6??
(Gruesome 54...Bd3 putting the bishop on the b1-h7 diagonal and Kf7-e8-d7 draws for example 55.f4 Ke8 56.g4 Kd7 57.f5 exf5 58.gxf5 h6+! 59.Kf6 Bc2 and waits on the diagonal. White cannot progress)
Kg8 56.g4 1-0
56.g4 Be8 57.g5 Bc6 58.f4 Bd7 59.Bd4 Be8 60.Bg7 zugzwang 60...Bc6 61.g6 hxg6 62.Kxg6 Be8+ 63.Kf6 Bc6 64.Bh6 wins as the king reaches e7
Viswanathan Anand
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Veselin Topalov
Position after 56.g4
Analysis of game 7 will be given tomorrow
