Time to do or die. All Kramnik needs to do is score 1 point in the final 2 rapid playoff games. Time is running out for Topalov.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Be2 (He delays taking on g6 as in previous games.)
7…Nbd7 8.O-O Bd6 9.g3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nb6 11.Be2 (The position is roughly equal in this position. I do not understand the SAME opening choice from Topalov over and over again. He SHOULD try something different, anything different. He has no more time left.)
11…O-O 12.Nxg6 hxg6 (13.e4 is now possible.)
13.e4 e5 14.f4 exd4 15.Qxd4 Qe7 (This is the best response. White has nothing. 16.Be3 is needed here. 16.Kh1 is playable as well.)
16.Kg2 (A move no one expects.)
16…Bc5 17.Qd3 (White has nothing. The position is equal in my opinion.)
17…Rad8 18.Qc2 (GM Rowson says: “I hope I am wrong, but I think White is better here. After Qc2 Black needs more than a move- he needs a concept to deal with e5 and Ne4.”)
18…Bd4 (Mr. Ali Nihat Yazici says from Elista: “Kramnik was smiling very relaxed and Veselin was looking a little bit under stress.”)
19.e5 Nfd5 (GM Rowson offers his guess: “Not sure. Gut instinct at this stage: Topalov wins this one, last one a draw. Kramnik wins first blitz game, loses second, and then…you’ll need to ask the man with the lunch.)
20.Rf3 (Not sure if I am so happy with this move. This is typical of Topalov. He often makes move that few can understand.)
20…Nxc3 (I would not have traded here.)
21.bxc3 Bc5 22.Bd2 (The idea is to get the Queenside Rook to the Kingside)
22…Rd7 (With the idea of doubling up the Rooks on the d file.)
23.Re1 Rfd8 (GM Tyomkin offers his strong voice as usual: “22.Bd2 looks as ugly as Rf3, when my students place pieces like that, I’m getting angry. White should play 24.Bd3 with the idea of e6. For the first time in a long time, Topalov is down on time by about 5 minutes.)
24.Bd3 Qe6 25.Bc1 f5 26.Qe2 Kf8 27.Rd1 Qe7 (Very interesting position. White may be a tiny advantage. Unfortunately, Topalov often failed to convert his advantages in this match.)
28.h4 Rd5 29.Qc2 (White is trying. The idea is h5 sometimes in the future.)
29…Nc4 30.Rh1 (A sensible move to mount a Kingside attack. Topalov has a chance if he does not blow it as he has done many times in this match. It is amazing that he kept on obtaining good position. But now is the time to convert if he wants to stay in this match.)
30…Na3 31.Qe2 Qd7 32.Rd1 b5 (Kramnik is at his best playing in this kind of positions. The best shot for White here is 33.g4 and open things up.)
33.g4 (Topalov found it! His attack continues.)
33…fxg4 34.Rg3 Ke7 35.f5 gxf5 36.Bg5+ Ke8 (What an exciting game! e6 then Rxg4 is the best continuation and NOT take the Rook.)
37.e6 (The best continuation! Topalov has a chance now if he does not mess it up.)
37…Qd6 38.Bxf5 Rxd1 39.Bg6+ Kf8 40.e7+ Qxe7 41.Bxe7 Bxe7 42.Bd3 Ra1 43.Qb2 Rd1 44.Qe2 Ra1 45.Qxg4 Rxa2+ 46.Kh3 Bf6 (White is completely winning now. Amazing!)
47.Qe6 (Qb4 was much better.)
47…Rd2 48.Bg6 R2d7 49.Rf3 (This is over. Black has no chance. We are going to the last rapid game. Can these 2 guys make it any more exciting than this?)
49…b4 50.h5 (Mating attack is coming.) Black resigns. We have game 4!
If Kramnik wins this one, will they play the last game just for the audience?
Go, Vlad the Impaler! Crush the Bulgarian Vulgarian! Refute the Toilet Variation!!
topalov wins both games now and thats the end of the story 🙂
By the way, aren’t you all slightly bored with their opening repertoire? It almost seems as if they had an informal agreement of sorts to play almost only the slav….
Topa will come in this game with an obscure novelty to mess with Kramniks mind, he has to!
Marcin, I believe that once a winning margin is achieved the match is over, and they will not play on. I don’t think either player would be able to give much in a “dead” game, so it would not be much of a spectacle. And I agreed with Susan, that it is very odd to see the same variation of the Slav at this stage, with Topa in his last game as White. Surely he had a few other options prepared?
Why should he try another opening? He got strong positions with it and is probably well prepared. This is not time to make tests!
I suppose, but I can’t help feeling that Vlad has seen it all now, and he will feel comfortable with this. Having said that, it is probably better to be where you best prep is when you have to play a quick game like this…
As for the openings – when one compares the current match to the Kasparov – Karpov WC matches – they were so much more interesting (especially the 1985 one). And somehow they didn’t stick to just one opening, unless my memory fails me now.
16. … Rad8 looked nice …
D.K.
17. … Rad8 stil looks nice 😀
D.K.
Rfe8 and continue pressing onwards :D, looks like Kramnik achieved a comfortable game …
D.K.
this is looking equal for black ..
Where are the threats from white ?
if there r no threats then topa should be atleast getting basic principles of chess clear about mobility of pieces ..
Marcin, I am not sure about the openings, but they did replay some of them quite a bit. It is interesting to see a sort of “debate” about an opening, where the players show the depth of their understanding and preparation, but a little more variation would be nice! And Rad8 or Rae8 does look useful…
I think I like Black here. Any Rd8 move looks attractive.
Is anyone Fritzing this? I would think in a Blitz game, where tactics would play a bigger role, a AnnoFritz would be a more reliable estimation. Would someone please post the Fritz evaluation? (or other engine)
-Kent
If I was as good as Vlad (or Topa), then I would be happy as black here 😉
Hiarcs gives -0.05 at the moment.
White is still better. Kramnik has to fight for the draw. My 2 cents.
20 rf3 was just to stop Ne3+ (family fork). Not very deep stuff in these games
According to Rybka, it’s totally equal after the 22. Bd2.
Playchess server down
Thanks PWJW and Marcin!!!
Keep it coming!
Kent
Both the chessbase server and the http://www.worldchess2006.com/ site are down is anywhoe else having the same problems?
D.K.
Has anyone got any moves since Red8 – I have lost the link to the official site…
Are there any sites wherer I can watch the match?
D.K.
yes, chessbase.com and http://www.worldchess2006.com are very slow / not responding right now. I guess they simply can’t handle the traffic right now.
Marcin
yes.
other ideas where i can watch it?
I cannot reconnect to Playchess, either. At least glad to know I am not the only one. Does anyone know where else I might view the match without a membership?
Looks like we all have the same problem, including Susan. And no problem anonymous, whoever you might be!
A setup alternative to the one of GM Tyomkin could have been Bg2,Rf1,c4 and white could push the kside pawn supported by the control of the b1-h7 diagonal.
A bulgarian site is broadcasting also : http://chessfish.com/live/ – and it is stable so far
The Bulgarian site has the following moves up to now:
24.Bd3 Qe6 25.Bc1 f5 26.Qe2 Kf8 27.Rd1 Qe7 28.h4 Nd5 29.Bc2
see
http://chessfish.com/live/
http://www.chesspro.ru/match/
the best live
Playchess is back up
” Anonymous said…
I can’t believe this! The playchess server is down for maintenance…right in the middle of an important event. Way to go Chess Base! “
I think they just haven’t got enough brandwidth…
D.K.
http://www.worldchess2006.com/main.asp?id=1137
is online again
Aha, moves – thanks Susan! Hiarcs is thinking things are slightly in Topas favour now – 0.35
Thanks for the alternative sites, sirkova and anon – I’ll check them out.
And Tomkick!
Topalov is obviously the better player it will be unfair to lose.
http://www.worldchess2006.com/main.asp?id=1137
down again?
The only move Hiarcs likes here is 30…Na3(eval. 0.19) – anything else it +1.4 for Topa. Sorry if I am behind – no luck with any site at the moment!
After 34.Rg3 white is sligthly worse according to Rybka (-0.15) and slightly better according to Fritz9 (+0.18).
OK, got some more moves again – Vlad looks like he found the only path through the complications, and Hiarcs has settled back down to equality after 34. Rg3
i think topalov is overambitious.
WTF? 1-0
How is the time?
I was wondering that about the eval – dead 0 at the moment, but only after Qc7 – Oh no sorry, eval just changed dramatically when depth of 11 reached – now +0.88 for Topa after Qd6! Looks like he might be on to something here…
Can Kramnik draw this?
D.K.
Common! Draw or comeback from Kramnik… Common! Don’t want tied match…. No more of this, please, no more!
Woah, after another dozen moves Vlad is history – eval. +4.58 after 49. Rf3 – Pressure is back on Vlad now for the final rapid game.
Too amazing players!
Everytime I feel Kramnik should be champion, Topalov amazes me.
I think both players have my respect.
1-0.
Momentum with Topalov I would say in the last game. All pressure back now on Kramnik.
Still this is a joke of a method to decide the world championships I would say.
Justice has been reestablished Topalov has to win for the shake of chess.
I am definitely disappointed by this outcome. I was hoping Topalov would be history by now.
I think Topalov now will win the last game. If not then in blitz. I’m 98.71% sure.
Whatever one may think about Topalov, his is an incredible fighter!
“In any case both players agreed to the ground rules.”
I’m don’t deny that. Rapids is exciting to watch. But it’s not REAL chess. We already have champions for rapids and blitz and other formats.
This is to determine the Champion of CLASSICAL chess.
“If they can’t prove an advantage in normal chess, the test should be in another form of chess. fine with me.”
I agree. It is nice to have a worldchampion within classic timelevels, but rapid makes it all the more attractive for outsiders. Now I realise, this is the future of chess.
Btw: wat a lovely sadistic end of this game… This must hurt to Kramnik.
Thanks a bunch, Sussee!! Great explanations following each move. Feel much better to be here rather than on watching all the junk chats on ICC. Thanks again!!!
Now we have a unified World Champion in chess. It was for the better.
Thank You Susan, your blog was (is)fantastic, informative, educational. I wish you good luck to (further) spread the popularity of chess.
Gabor