GM Anand (2799) – GM Topalov (2780) [B92]
07.03.2008 / Linares – Round 14
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qd3 Nc6 11.0–0–0 Qb6 12.Qxd6 Be7 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.Qxd5 0–0 15.Qd2 Qxf2 16.Bc4 Qh4 17.Qe2 = Rac8 18.a3 Bf6 19.Kb1 Nd4 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.g3 Qg5 22.Rhf1 Qe3 23.Rf3 ½–½
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The event came to the last and decisive round. Two of the tournament protagonists – Topalov with 9 decided games and Anand, leading the field on +3 with 1 loss only – meet to determine the name of the final winner. It could be either of them or the rising star Magnus Carlsen. Having in mind the importance of such game, a fight till the last pawn is to be expected. That is always welcomed by the audience as spectacular games happen. Soon starts the show and we’ll follow live the battle for the title of this highly respected super GM event.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 ( A bit of surprise. 6.Be3 is Anand’s preferred choice. Having in mind that a draw is sufficient for him to share first as worst scenario, he is obviously going for a safer approach.)
6… e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Bg5 Following yesterday’s game Radjabov-Shirov.
8… Be6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qd3 Nc6 11.O-O-O Qb6 ( Deviates from 11… Nd4 which proves unsuccessful.)
12.Qxd6 Be7 13.Nd5 A new move played relatively fast by Anand.
13… Bxd5 14.Qxd5 O-O 15.Qd2 ( Black is well developed and has sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn. The problem is that Topalov needs a win to catch up the leaders but 15.Qd2 Rfd8 16.Qe3 Qxe3+ 17.fxe3 leaves very little hope for such outcome.) (15.Qd2 Qxf2 16.Bc4 Qb6 is riskier but leaves more chances.)
15… Qxf2 16.Bc4 Qh4 ( True to his fighting spirit Veselin looks for complications. The White position is very solid though: 16… Qh4 17.Qe2 b5 18.Bd5 Rac8 19.a3)
17.Qe2 Bishops of opposite colors raise the value of initiative. The one who first finds a way to manifest activity will benefit from the fact so we are to witness a fierce fight.
17… Rac8 Topalov has to keep an eye on Vishy’s most dangerous piece – his Bishop. Anyway it’s much easier to play such position as White.
18.a3 (18.Kb1 b5 19.Bd5 Nb4 20.c3 Nxd5 21.Rxd5 may seem favorable for the Indian, but Black has his chances too, so Bc4 must stay alive. )
18… Bf6 ( The Nf6 might use the ‘e7’ square now, as ‘d4’ in some lines. The drawback is that 18… Bf6 allows 19.Rd7)
19.Kb1 Anand is persistent with his strategy to play safe moves.
19… Nd4 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.g3 Now Vishy may enjoy long-lasting small plus thanks to his better Bishop which will be mounted on ‘d5’.
21… Qg5
Anand doesn’t have what it takes to beat Topalov at such an event. He will play for a draw….how he is so used to.
Anand won the tournament. Great champion!! For anaon at 10:54, he should go and see Corus 2008 game between Anand and Toplov, which was convincingly won by Anand. Also since 2005 Anand has won 23 times, lost 13 times and 43 games draw between Anand and Topa. results are obvious!
And… draw. Not sure why Topalov agreed to this. Why not play it out and go for the win and hope that Anand will blunder.
Because Topa knows Anand never blunders and he does it so often!!
Another draw for Anand (sarcasm on) WHAT A SURPRISE!!! (sarcasm off).
Another tournament win for Anand!! ( Reality! Hard to digest!!) What a surprise!! ( Sarcasm on!)
His results are great, but Anand, even if he beats Kramnik in October (which can’t be better than an even chance, since Kramnik is a better match player), will always be in Kasparov’s shadow. There are only ten or so great players left in chess, and everyone else is mediocre or bad. Sad to see.
A 23 move draw for a world champion is absurd!
David
The issue is not who is living under whose shadow. When kaspa played everyone else lived under his shadow. But among the current crop of platers Anand is the best,
having a convincing plus score on everyone else.
Pyada said:
“Also since 2005 Anand has won 23 times, lost 13 times and 43 games draw between Anand and Topa.”
Well since 2005 you claim that Anand and Topalov have played against each other 79 games?? In 3 years??
If you meant “till 2005”, this is also hardly relevant, since Anand was better player earlier.
Having said all this, I do believe that Anad is better player, but only marginally.