Pairings for Round 2 at the Essent Super Tournament:
Round 2, Monday October 23, 14.00 hours (8 AM NY Time)
Sokolov, Ivan – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
Polgar, Judit – Topalov, Veselin
Judit will play 1.e4. Topalov has not played against 1.e4 for a while now. What will he play against Judit? 
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
I really don’t know anything certain about Topalov’s repertoire against 1. e4, but a quick scan of his games gives the impression he prefers the Najdorf.
What’s Judit’s preferred response to that?
I can’t tell you that before the game. Topalov does not need my help. But it will NOT be a dull game 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
Ah! According to Chessgames.com. the vast majority of his games against 1. e4 are Sicilians, mostly Najdorfs.
It’s easy to predict the winner of Polgar – Topalov: the fans of course!
Greetings from Bulgaria,
I am with Judit on this one.
Go, Judit, go.
Kreskin says another Perenyi attack with 7…h6.
Probably best to stay away from your sister’s punch and play a Spanish (the Berlin in San Luis was a brillliant choice)…but both players would probably enjoy a full point.
Bill Brock, Chicago
Good Luck Judit,
last night I had a dream where white destroyed black in a Pelikan Sicilian with 11.Bxb5 – I couldn’t see the players, but hope it was an omen for a thrilling victory for your sister.
Will you be providing a live commentary Susan?
Many thanks
Susan wrote:
“I can’t tell you that before the game. Topalov does not need my help. But it will NOT be a dull game :)”
Aha! So it will be English Attack then. 🙂
Imo, the opening will be :
e4 c5 Cf3 d6 d4 cxd4 Cxd4 Cf6 Cc3 a6 Fg5 e6 etc …
😉
gogo Judith
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
A little bit of playing around on Chessgames’ Repertoire Explorer gives the first few moves as:
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 (Qxd4 is also possible — Judit played that line against Veselin at Dos Hermanas, 1996 and lost).
4. … Nf6
5. Nc3 a6 (Neither side would be afraid to dispute the Najdorf)
6. f4 Nbd7
7. Be2 (Topalov lost when Leko played this line against him at Belgrade, 1996. In that game, Topalov replied 7. … g6)
7. … e5
8. fxe5
Sicilian Najdorf – awesome. Thanks Judit & Veselin!
So far they are following
Tolnai – van Wely 1992 Waidhofen
Anyone know where live commentary is available? This would be great!
Thanks.
“Anyone know where live commentary is available? This would be great!”
I don’t know where there’s GM commentary, but the amateurs at chessgames usually have good comments.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=54405
Am I getting a gigantic lag agin or is Judit thnking about h3 for a long time now? (I know she is probably comming up with a plan to attack but h3 looks inevitable so why not just play it?)
*f3 looks posible too but as na Najdorf player myself I wuldn’t mind it – looks good for black. (I think that the position in this particular line is more then ok for black, then again I play at a much lower level and it has been said about the Najdorf that inaccuracies are not tolerated …)
D.K.
Ah it was just my internet connection … f4 now (or so I think just go for it and let Topy bluder :D)
D.K.
This is how Juditshuld win (if Topalov plays hmm helpfuly?! – but it is a very very very nice variation and black doesn’t have to blunder in a big way or anything …)
11…Nfd7 12.Nf5 exf5 13.exf5 Be7 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.f4 gxf4 16.Bxf4 f6 17.Rd4 Nc5 18.Nc3 h5 19.Nd5 Qd8 20.Re1 hxg4 21.hxg4 Rg8 22.Rc4 Bd7 23.Rxc5 dxc5 24.Bxe5 fxe5 25.Qxe5 Bc6 26.Nxe7 Bxg2 27.Qe6 Rg7 28.Ng6+ Re7 29.Nxe7 Bd5 30.Nxd5+ Kf8 31.Nf6 Kg7 32.Nh5+ Kh7 33.Qf7+ Kh8 34.Qg7# 1-0
A nite sack a rook exchange sacrifice and mate!
D.K.
Judit went the positional way … quite logical when you cosider your opponent and his (bad?) results against positional player(s?) … anyway I think that the Najdorf and peraps specialy the Keres attack is too sharp for big positional ideas (sooner or later you have to go for tactics or you are a goner…).
Interestingly my chess engine (using crafty now because I am on linux) (Ubuntu Dapper Drake t be precise) is saying that Judit is better but in my opinion the +/- evaluation is exagerated perhaps white has something but I don’t see any direct way to obtain concreta advantage…
Anyhow … GO JUDIT!!!
D.K.
LOL, it seems to me that some people here think Topalov learned chess yesterday and this will be an easy win for white. Well, I beg to disagree.
I don’t think it will be an “easy” win for GM Polgar. Yet, at the least, she will not lose. A draw is possible. However…expect a typicle “Topalov Blunder.”
When it occurs, she will crush him.
Topalov is having a bad streak. I’m not sure its so much blunders as it is thinking he is the highest rated and can do as he likes on the board regardless of his opponent ¿contempt?. Maybe he’s learning some respect now 😉
Judit missed a win with 20.Nf5, but it was tough to see.
Can she still draw ?
How does Nf5 win after exf5?
WOW She did it!
“Kreskin says another Perenyi attack with 7…h6.”
Bubble-gum cigar, please!
Bill Brock
Chicago