Leko 1 – 0 J. Polgar
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0–0–0 Bb4 9.f3 Ne7 10.Nde2 b5 [10…d5 11.a3 (11.Bg5 dxe4 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.fxe4 Nc6=) 11…Ba5 12.Bg5 dxe4 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Qh6=] 11.g4 h6 [11…0–0 12.g5 Ne8 13.h4 Ba5+=] 12.Rg1 Ng6 [12…d5 13.e5 Nd7 14.f4 Ba5=+] 13.a3 Be7 14.f4 b4 15.axb4 Bxb4 16.Qd4 Qa5 17.Kb1 Rb8? [17…d6 18.g5 hxg5 19.Rxg5 e5 20.Qc4 Kf8=] 18.g5 [18.e5±] 18…Nh5? [18…Ba3 19.b3 hxg5 20.Rxg5 Qc7=] 19.gxh6 Rxh6 20.Rg5 [20.f5! Ngf4 21.Rxg7+-] 20…Qc7 21.Nb5 Rxb5 22.Rxb5 axb5 23.Qxb4 Nhxf4 24.Nc3+- Rxh2 25.Bg1 1–0
On move 12, Judit made the first of many inaccuracies. A better option would have been 12…d5. Her biggest error was on move 18…Nh5? 18…Ba3 would have lead into an interesting game. This was certainly not a well played game by either side. However, Leko made fewer inaccuracies and that is why he collected the full point. I am not sure why my sister resigned on move 25. I agree that her final position was very bad but it was far from resignable. I would have certainly played on.
Kasimdzhanov 1 – 0 Anand
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 0–0 16.Be2 Qe7 17.0–0 Rad8 18.Bh5 Kh8 19.Re1 d5 20.a4 Nc4 21.Nxc4 dxc4 22.Qg4 Qb4 23.Qxe6 Rd2 24.Rad1 Nd4 25.Qe4 Nf5 26.Be5 Rxf2 27.Bf3 Rd2 28.Bxg7+ Kxg7 29.Qe5+ Rf6 30.a5?! [30.Rxd2 Qxd2 31.Bxb7 Qf4 (31…Qxc2?? 32.Be4+-) 32.c3±] 30…Nh4?? [30…b5 31.axb6 Qxb6+ 32.Kh1=] 31.Qc7+ Rf7 32.Qe5+ Rf6 33.Bh5! Ng6 34.Bxg6 Rxd1 35.Rxd1 Kxg6 36.Qe4+ [36.Qe8+!+-] 36…Kg7 37.Rd7+ Kg8 [37…Rf7 38.Qe5+ Kg8 39.Rd8++-] 38.Qh7+ 1–0
This was not a good game for Anand. I think he underestimated Kasim. The final blow was 30…Nh4?? Perhaps he was trying to blitz Kasim who had very little time left at that point. Anand now trails Topalov by a full point. This is a great come back by Kasim after a horrible game against Judit yesterday. A well deserved win for the reigning FIDE World Champion.
Topalov 1 – 0 Adams
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0–0 Be7 7.Re1 Ne4 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Be4 10.Bf1 d6 11.h4 Nd7=+ 12.d5 0–0 13.a4 h6 14.Bh3 exd5 15.cxd5 Bf6 16.Ra3 b5? [16…Ne5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5=+] 17.axb5 Nb6 18.c4 Bxf3 19.Rxf3 Nxc4 20.Qa4 Ne5 21.Ra3 Re8 22.h5 Re7 23.Bf4 Rb8 24.Bf5 Qe8 25.Bc2 [25.Rb1+=] 25…Qd7 [25…Rxb5 26.Qe4 g6 27.Bxe5 Rb4=] 26.Qe4 Ng6 27.Qd3 c4 28.Qxc4 Nxf4 29.Qxf4 Re5 30.Qf3± Qh3 31.Rxa7 Rxh5 32.e3 Qh2+ [32…g6 33.Be4 Qh2+ 34.Kf1+-] 33.Kf1 Qh3+ 34.Ke2 Re5 35.Rc7 Rc8?? [35…Qh5 36.Qxh5 Rxh5 37.Be4 Re5 38.Kd3+-] 36.Bf5! Rxf5 37.Rxc8+ Kh7 38.Rh1 1–0
Again, what else can we say about Topalov? He is on a hot streak and he wins with just about any position. He now has the sole lead with 3.5/4. He was so close to a 4/4 start. The key question is can he continue to sustain this level of play? If he can, he will be unstoppable. I am not sure what was the purpose of Adams’ move 16…b5? That simply allowed Topalov to open up the position. The final blow in an already bad position was 35…Rc8?? It does not look like Adams is in good form at all. There are still 10 games left to play. He still has a chance to turn things around for a respectable finish.
Morozevich 0 – 1 Svidler
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Bg7 4.e4 0–0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3 a6 7.Nge2 c6 8.Qd2 b5 9.h4 h5 10.Bh6 e5 11.0–0–0 Nbd7 12.Kb1 Qe7 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Nc1 Bb7 15.Nb3 Rac8 16.a3 Qd8 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.g4 bxc4 19.Bxc4 Nb6 20.Qg5 Qc7 21.Be2 c5 22.Na5 Rb8 23.gxh5 Nxh5 24.Nxb7 f6 25.Nxc5 Qxc5 26.Qg1 Qc6 27.Rc1 Qb7 28.Rh2 Kh7 29.Bf1 Nf4 30.Rhc2 Ne6 31.Nd5? [31.Qg4 Nd4 32.Rg2 Qf7 33.Bxa6+-] 31…Nxd5 32.exd5 Qxd5 33.Bc4 Qd7?! [33…Qd6+=] 34.Bxe6? [34.Qg4! f5 35.Bxe6 Qxe6 36.Qg5±] 34…Qxe6 35.Qa7+ Kh6 36.Rc7 Rh8 37.Qe3+ Kh5 38.R1c6 Qf5+ 39.Ka1 Rbc8 40.Rxc8 Rxc8 41.Rxa6 Rd8 42.Qe2 Qf4 43.Ra7 Kh6 44.Rc7 Rd2 45.Qe1? [45.Qe4+=] 45…Rd3 46.Ka2 Qxf3 47.Qc1+ Kh5 48.a4? [48.Rh7+ Kg4 49.Qc4+ Rd4 50.Qe6+ Qf5 51.Qc6] 48…Qd5+ 49.Rc4?? [49.Qc4 Qxc4+ 50.Rxc4] 49…e4 50.b3 Rd2+ 51.Ka3 Qd6+ 52.Rc5+ f5 53.Qg1 Kxh4 54.a5 Rc2 55.b4 Qd3+ 0–1
Morozevich is not playing well at all. He actually lost a pawn up endgame. There were plenty of minor errors but the a few such as 45. Qe1?, 48. a4?, 49. Rc4?? really stood out. Svidler has been playing very steadily and he is now in clear second. This sets up a very interesting match up in round 5 when he will have white against Topalov.
The fighting spirit has been very high so far. Unfortunately, the level of play is not up to the World Championship level. There have been plenty of errors by a number of players. This will all come down to tough battle of nerves among the participants.
Standings after round 4
1. 3.5 GM Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria 2788)
2. 3.0 GM Peter Svidler (Russia 2738)
3. 2.5 GM Viswanathan Anand (India 2788)
4. 2.0 GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan 2670)
5-6. 1.5 GM Peter Leko (Hungary 2763)
5-6. 1.5 GM Judit Polgar (Hungary 2735)
7-8. 1.0 GM Michael Adams (England 2719)
7-8. 1.0 GM Alexander Morozevich (Russia 2707)
Tomorrow (Sunday) will be a needed day-off for the players. Round 5 will resume on Monday.
Couldnt believe my eyes. Anand losing to Kasim. If he continues this way, he will soon fall into, as one of the twin girls says in a basketball movie “Once a number 2, Always a number 2” category. Wake up Vishy!
Susan, Do you still play chess with your sisters Sofia and Judit. How do you feel playing against them. Am just asking this out of curiosity.
Also, Are you playing in this year’s Womens World Chess Championship.
That was indeed a terrible game by Vishay. he cannot afford this especially since Topalov is playing the chess og his life!
I do get the feeling that Judit’s weak (or limited) opening repertoire leaves her chanceless at such a strong tournament.
And why did she resign so early? I guess Leko would have won anyway, but who knows?
Interesting next round: Can Svidler stop Topalov, and what will Anand and Leko do?
16 games so far, only 6 draws. 2 rounds in a row without a draw, almost unbelievable.
Best regards from Germany,
Chris
This is still early stages. GM Yaseer on PlayChess had predicted that Svidler will win this tournament! Would be interesting to see his progress over the coming rounds.
Hello Blogger, been looking for the latest info on acne and found Round 4 Summary – Back to back day of decisive fighting chess. Though not exactly what I was searching for, it did get my attention. Interesting post, thanks for a great read.