V. Topalov – L. van Wely (Bulgarian pride vs. Dutch pride)
1.e4!! (Finally! Topalov is playing 1.e4 again. 1.d4 has not worked too well for him lately) c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O b5 10.f3 Be6 (11.g4 is the most popular move now. As in the Sicilian, the basic idea is simple. White attacks the Kingside ASAP and Black counter-attack on the Queenside ASAP.) 11.Nd5 (This has also been played but a less popular than 11.g4) 11…Bxd5 (11…Nxd5 is also fine) 12.exd5 Qc7 13.g4 Rc8 14.Kb1 b4 15.g5 Nfd7 16.h4 a5 17.Bh3 (17…a4 is must because Black must attack as fast as possible. This game really fits their styles) 17…a4 18.Nc1 Na6 19.h5 (Both sides have dangerous attacks and every single tempo counts. I very much prefer White here.) 19…Rcb8 (I expect 20.g6 here.) 20.g6 (This is a very dangerous position for Black. Black is in a big dilemma. Should he try to hold off the attack on the Kingside with something like 20…Nf8 or go for it with something like 20…a3?) 20…Bf6 21.gxf7 Kxf7 22.Be6+ Kf8 (In this position, 23.Qd3 would be a knockout blow. It does look like a dangerous move for White but it does work better.) 23.b3 (This move is less accurate and gives Black chances) 23…Ndc5 (This is one of those Sicilian moments where 1 move can make win or lose the game. Both players know this and that is why they are taking so much time to calculate everything out.) 24.24. Rhg1 Qe7 25. Bf5 Kg8 26. Bxc5 Nxc5 27. Qh6 Kf8 (White is completely winning here.) 28.Qxh7 Qf7 29.Nd3 (Black is in serious trouble. The counter attack is going nowhere and the Kingside is busted.) 29…axb3 30.cxb3 Nxd3 31.Rxd3 (31.Bxd3 would be a fine re-capture as well.) 31…e4 32.Bd6 (The best continuation!) 32…exd3 33.Bxf7 (Black is completely lost!) 33…Rxa2 (Setting up a final desperate trap that just about anyone can see.) 34.Qg8+ Ke7 35.Kxa2 (I expect resignation.) 1-0
A. Motylev – V. Anand (The quest to become #1)
GM Motylev (2647) – GM Anand (2779) [B97]
Corus Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, 14.01.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nfd7 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 (White has enough compensation for the 3 pawns due to Black’s undeveloped pieces) 20…Rd8 21.Qg3 (Anand took a while to come up with this move while Motylev played this correct move relatively quickly. That usually means that the player is caught in one those home prepared opening lines.) 21…Qf5 (This move seemed to take Motylev out of home preparation. He then spent a lot of time before making his next move.) 22.Be5 Qg6 23.Qh4 Nc6 (I would play 24.O-O here. Neither Knight can move because of pins.) 24.O-O f5 25.Bh5 Qh7 (White is doing fine but is very low on time.) 26.Bb2 (White is already down 3 pawns. Now he is sacrificing a Knight.) 26…fxe4 27.Rf7 (This is a very interesting position. White has a lot of play. The key question though is will he find the right continuation in severe time pressure?) 27…Rf8 28.Qf2 (White is going for it. I don’t see a win but OTB, anything can happen as nerves become a factor. Don’t expect Anand to falter though. I prefer 28.Rxg7+) 28…Rxf7 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Rf2 e5 31.Qd5 Nf6 0-1
V. Kramnik – A. Shirov (Fire vs. Ice)
L. Aronian – R. Ponomariov (Young guns)
M. Carlsen – D. Navara (Battle of 2 young stars 2)
P. Svidler – S. Tiviakov (Homefield advantage)
T. Radjabov – S. Karjakin (Battle of 2 young stars 1)
Anand is up 3 pawns against Motylev!
Yes, white has positional advantage for the 3 pawns. Black is behind in development. I, however, think that Motylev has overestimated his position. Would be interesting to follow this game.
Anand lost the Sicilian poisoned pawn version against Radjadov last year in the rapid game. I am sure he has some fresh analysis on this one.
why shirov thinking for so long
You guys should let the ICC & PlayChess observers know about the blog so more can discusss lines 🙂
can someone tell me where i can gat live broadcasting please???
http://www.coruschess.com/livegames.php
Very nice of you to follow and commenting the tournamement here Susan
Thx
Shirov has only 45 minutes left to reach move 40 and they are only on move 10! Does seem to be an excessive amount of time to take in the opening.
I think Anand is really feeling the heat!
i have tried going to http://www.coruschess.com/livegames.php
, then it takes me to java, which i have downloaded and i still cant find the games,, can someone please help me out??!?
Try this:
http://www.coruschess.com/openlive.php
With the time left on Motylev’s clock I don’t thin this is home prepared as suggested by Susan.
Carlsen goes for the exchange sac! He has 2 passed center pawns for the exchange. This should be interesting.
Don’t know if Carlsen can hold on to those pawns…
Susan why don’t you comment the Kramnik-Shirov game?
Historically it is very interesting, and the (relative) time pressure of Shirov may make Kramnink go for the win.
For someone who did home-cooking Motylev sure is taking his time.
Motylev seems to be outcooking himself.
Some variants for the Carlsen game: 24…Bxe5 25.Nd4 Bxd4 26.cxd4 Rae8 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.dxc5; 24…Rae8 25.Qxc5 Bxe5 26.d7
Yes.. Topalov missed the killer move Qd3!!
Now it looks like his king is in trouble instead 🙁
Radjabov has got a very good position.
livve game viewer seems to be stuck; any alternative viewing possibilies?
seems like transmission has stopped for me. I have refreshed a few times and the clocks on Anand’s game are still showing 49:104
Shirov is down to a move a minute and there is no fire on the board, just ice…
That’s Shirovs problem: he cannot move, its too frosty.
Karjakin is losing!
magnus missed 32.c6 !!
I love the fact that some people are criticizing Kramnik’s game. I am finding it fascinating.
Motylev can win the Q. Nice games today!
Pono has finally developed his white square bishop! (Which is more than Anand can say)
Motylev has 1 minute for 11 moves…!
Hou missed a win against Krasenkow and now has a hard defence ahead in endgame.
Anand seems to be winning now. Variants are:
28…Nf6 29.Rxf8+ (29.Bxf6 Rxf7 30.Bxf7+ Kxf7 -+) 29…Kxf8 30.Bxf6 Qf5 -+
The first results: van Wely resigns, Carlsen perpet.
Did Shirov really play 34. … Rb7 ?!?
yes he did, but with only 2 minutes on the clock and with Kramnik’s king so centralised, I do not see how he could have escaped anyway.
Carlsen game still going
Aronian seems to be winning now
What a fantsatic set of games. A real treat.
Yep, Aronian won.
4 results so far: 3 wins for white and one for black.
Navara will win. What about the other games ?
Svidler has a good position, Karjakin can maybe create a fortress (to be honest I don’t know) and Hou Yifan is going to lose another pawn.
Navara: 44…g3 -+ e.g. 45. Qh8+ Kg6 46.Qg8+ Kh6 47.Qh8+ Rh7
Whats wrong with Carlsen..? He’s losing won games too often! and its been a problem for him at least the last year. He’ll never reach the top if this continues!
Turn it this way: Carlsen got a won position without great effort. Soon he will win those games and sweep them off the board.
Carlsen had an absolutely crushing simple win with 32 c6 and he missed it. He played 32 a5 and had a hard time and lost.
Carlsen simply prepares to become world champion. For that he must be able to get mated in one. He still didn’t achieve that but he is on his way.
Carlsen is the symbol of what’s wrong with chess today. All opening theory and no real calibre.
btw:
The fortress of Karjakin in his game against Radjabov is identical to Flohr-Lilienthal, candidates 1950. Did anybody notice that, yet ?