Radjabov, T – Topalov, V [E08]
Corus 2007, 28.01.2007
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.Bf4 Nbd7 9.Qc2 a5 10.Rd1 (We are still in theories so far. Black now has 3 main choices: 10…Nh5, 10…a4 or 10…Ne4. I personally prefer 10.Nh5.) 10…Nh5 11.Bc1 (11…Nhf6 is the move here. The players can actually chose to repeat moves with 12.Bf4 Nh5 13.Bc1 Nhf6 but I doubt that it is Topalov’s style to do so.) 11…b5 (As I predicted, Topalov will not play for draw to share first place. He will try to win with either color. This is his strength as well as weakness. But this is also why the fans love to watch his games. He will play chess.) 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e4 dxe4 (I think the position is about even. 14.Qxe4 Rb8 =) 14.Qxe4 (The only move as expected.) 14…Rb8 (It will take imagination to come up with a sound plan. This is a perfect position for you to play out against your computer or against a friend. Play it out with both sides. This will help you improve by knowing how to play various positions.) 15.Qe2 =/+= Nhf6 16.Bf4 Rb6 17.Ne5 Nd5 (This is still exactly the same position as the Kramnik vs. Topalov game 10 in Elista.) 18.Bxd5 exd5 (This is again a pawn sacrifice by Topalov just as in Elista. However, Topalov lost that game so I hope that he found an improvement since.) 19.Nc3 Nxe5 (Here is the first deviation from game 10 of the Kramnik vs. Topalov match in Elista. Topalov previously played 19…Nf6) 20.dxe5 d4 (I am sure Topalov had prepared an improvement since his disastrous game 10 in Elista. He is basically willing to give up a pawn for the Bishop pair and White’s weakness in the light diagonal. Win, lose or draw, he is gutsy for playing like this in the final round where everything is on the line. This is also why he has a big fan base for his style in spite of the actions by his manager. The idea of this move is to open up the light square diagonal. White’s best option here would probably be 21.Be3) 21.Be3 (So Radjabov found a Fritz suggested move. Does it mean he is cheating too? I think so much of the cheating allegation at this level is totally nonsense. Most of these players grew up in the computer / Fritz age and it is obvious that computer technology played a big role in their chess development. It is not good for the game when people just throw out baseless accusations for the sake of doing it. The safest continuation would be 21…Bc5.) 21…dxe3!? (Topalov is giving up his Queen for a Rook and Bishop. 22. Rxd8 exf2+23. Qxf2 Bxd8 +/-) 22.Qxe3 (Radjabov did not want to have any of that so he played a safer move.) 22…Bg5 23.Qc5 (Now we may see a repetition with 23…Be7 24.Qe3 Bg5. Everything else would give White a big edge. I hope Topalov does not go crazy here instead of repeating moves.) 23…Be7 24.Qe3 (Topalov has to repeat moves here. Nothing else gives him any compensation.) 24…Bg5 25.Qc5 Be7 26.Qe3 1/2 A very exciting draw!
MENU OF THE DAY
2 CATALANS
2 SLAV
2 SPANISH
1 NAJDORF (NOT ANY SICILIAN)
I WOULD LOVE RADJABOV TO WIN… A NEW SUPERSTAR WITHOUT ANY OF THE BACK SCENE UGLINESS… GO TIMI..
veselintopalov.net
No rematch Kramnik Topalov!
Keep up the good work Susan. Your commentary is more up to date than the Chessbase broadcast.
Topalov is the best… he plays to win every single game, and is a great ambassador for chess…
As opposed to lazy Kramnik that never takes chances and plays 17 move draws.
Viva Topa… the true champion.
Gooo Topi!!!!
Mexico without you will be soooooo boring
Topi is a genius. Shame on ZDZ, shame on KGB.
This is like game 10 from the Elista match
Isn’t this still theory? (my book says it is and actually many games have been played from this position) So why are they so slow?
Nepomniachtchi wins group C with stunning 11/13!
Can anybody tell me what Tiviakov is doing?
Gooo Topi!!!!
Mexico without you will also be soooooo invalid as a real World Championship.
I think Radja has a big advantage here.
Is aronian winning or is his king too exposed?
Suzan, do you have a clue of last Topalov move?
Tks for all Corus LIVE Blogging!
Couldn’t have asked for a more exciting last round really. Tiviakov sacs a rook and Topalov had to one-up him by sacrificing a queen…
21. Be3 dxe3
The sac was declined by Radjabov, now he’s a toast. NOBODY want to play Topalov a bishop down.
Wow! Radja just declined a Queen sacrifice from Topalov!!! Is he frightened? All my engines (rybka, crafty, toga, fruit etc…) gave +1.20 for 22. Rxd8 and now 22. Qxe3 is just +0.18 for white…
you could tell from the play that Radjabov is scared of Topalov and just wishes this were over and they agreed to a draw…
draw!
Draw agreed.
Disappointing Topa going for a short draw 🙁
Wish Radjabov hadn’t chickened out of taking the queen 🙁
Short said that this game was very probably pre-aranged. They needed 2h to play out the opening and madaa quich draw some moves later … looks a it fishy!
R.G.
Susan, if Topalov repeats moves then according to you “Topalov has to repeat moves” and it is not he who is going for draw and if someone else does this then it is short draw and bad chess. So much for favorism.
What an idiotic comment. Topalov had no choice. Otherwise he would lose. He was the one who gave up his Queen but Radjabov declined. Moron!
Sigh. I’m tired of accusations.
@anomym 9:15:00 AM
Have you even looked at the position?
Can somebody tell me what the problem for 22..Qf7 was? Crafty says 23. Nd5 Bc5 and exchange of queens, white gets the bishop back and the endgame looks open to me (but I know very little about endgames, so if that endgame is obviously lost I would appreciate a sentence or two on why).
Thanks!
Anon, Topalov did the best he could. He was willing to made a big sacrifice for an inferior position with counter play. Radjabov made the decision to decline the sacrifice. It would be crazy and totally irresponsible if Topalov would have declined the repetition in the final position and play on to lose. He has zero chance to win if he did not repeat moves. He would be playing the position with a pawn down for no compensation. You are more than welcome to play out that position with the Black pieces in your next game.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
” Anonymous said…
Susan, if Topalov repeats moves then according to you “Topalov has to repeat moves” and it is not he who is going for draw and if someone else does this then it is short draw and bad chess. So much for favorism. “
Even if Susan likes Topalov’s style of play, what then? Everyone’s free to have his favorites,and everyone HAS favorites. believing otherwise is like believing in Santa 😉
Aronian won his game !
viva Topalov 😉 and good first supertournament for Navara
Sorry Susan about my comments related to your favorism toward Topalov, I used to be a big fan of Topalov but after Elista probably off board behavior of Topalov preventing me to appreciate his good play. Hopefully he fires his manager soon so that people like me can appreciate his good work on board without feeling shame about his behavior off board.
Keep up the good work please.
Is Carlsen going to get his first Win in this tournament or can Shirov hold?
there are different types of champions!!!
Hey too bad Radjabov chicken out -dont blame him, well i do jeje to some extention.
Topalov really deserves a big applause here, (hands clapping´)
if him, rad, and ARo tied up in points, how will they get a winner?
if anyone can explain, itg will be appreciated, ta!.
Susan,
If you are referring to the article by Suddeutsche Zeitung by the following comment :
“So Radjabov found a Fritz suggested move. Does it mean he is cheating too? I think so much of the cheating allegation at this level is totally nonsense. Most of these players grew up in the computer / Fritz age and it is obvious that computer technology played a big role in their chess development. It is not good for the game when people just throw out baseless accusations for the sake of doing it.”
then I don’t buy it. We all know that top GM moves correlate very well with top computer programs. And this is not something specific to players who grew up with computer play. According to a scientific study Capablanca plays like Hiarcs more then the rest of the world champions. What is reported by Suddeutsche Zeitung is completely different, and we all know that you are smart enough to understand that.
Great tournament by Radjabov! Thank you for bringing back the exciting King’s Indian Defence! Bronstein, Fischer and Kasparov must be happy.
This game could have been exciting yes but….
All that was only an analysis given in a german chess magasine after the game Kramnik-Topalov in Elista playing the same opening…
A rest day for the last game it seems…
Good preparation for both players but they hided all that losing time on the clock conciously.
It’s all said in one question by a journalist after their game.