Round 5 results:
Svidler 0-1 Topalov
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.Ne3 Qa5+ 15.c3 Nf3+ 16.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 17.Kd1 Qa4+ 18.Nc2 Bxb2 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Qb3 Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 Ke7 23.Bd3 Rac8 24.Re1 Nd4 25.f3 [25.Kd2=] 25…Rc3 26.Kd2 Rhc8 27.Rb1 R3c5 28.b4 Rd5 29.Bf2 Kd7 30.Be3 Nf5 31.Bf2 Nh4 32.Bxh4 gxh4 33.Nc2 h5 34.Re1 Rg8 35.Kc3? [35.Re2 Rdg5 36.Ne1=] 35…a5 36.Bc4?? [36.bxa5 Rc8+ 37.Kd2 Rxa5=] 36…Rc8 37.Ne3 Rb5 38.Kd3 Rxb4 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Nc2+ Kd5 41.Nxb4+ axb4 42.Re7 b5 43.Rh7 Rc3+ 44.Kd2 Rc4 0–1
Another remarkable win by Topalov. Svidler basically was able to hang on against Topalov’s incredible sacrificing (did you expect anything else?) attack. He was fine until 36. Bc4?? Another minor inaccuracy by Svidler came one move before that with 35. Kc3. When you are playing someone like Topalov, you’re not likely to survive with too many mistakes and Svidler did not. After 5 rounds, Topalov has a performance rating of over 3120!! It would have been even further out of this world if he had beaten Anand in a winning position. I have not witnessed anything like this in my life. Wonder what he is eating?
J. Polgar ½-½ Morozevich
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.Qe2 exd4 8.Nxd4 Nb6 9.Bb3 Nfd7 10.Be3 Nc5 11.Rad1 Bf6 12.f4 Qe7 13.Qf3 Bd7 14.Rfe1 Rae8 15.Bf2 g6 16.Qg3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Bg7 18.Nf3 f6 19.Ra1± Nc8 20.Nd5 Qd8 21.c4 c6 22.Nc3 c5 23.Nd5 Ne7 24.b4 Nxd5 25.cxd5 cxb4 26.Rxa7 Qc7 27.Raa1 f5 28.e5 Qc4 [28…dxe5 29.Nxe5 (29.fxe5 f4+=) 29…Qd6 30.Rad1±] 29.Rad1 Ba4 30.Rd2+- Bc2 31.h4 Be4 32.Rd4?! [32.h5 gxh5 33.Bd4+=] 32…Qb3? [32…Qb5 33.h5 gxh5 34.Rc1=] 33.Ng5 [33.Nd2 Qa2 34.Nxe4 fxe4 35.Rdxe4 dxe5 36.fxe5 Qxd5 37.h5+=] 33…Qxb2 34.Nxe4 fxe4 35.Rdxe4 dxe5 36.Qd3 Qc3? [36…Rc8 37.R4e2 Qa3=] 37.Qb5 b3? 38.R4e3? [38.Bc5±] 38…Qc2 39.Rxb3 Rd8 40.Bb6 Qd2 41.Rbb1 Rxd5 ½–½
Morozevich decided to employ the seldom played Philidor defense, an opening which is hardly ever played among top level. But this is what Morozevich is famous for. He likes unusual and off beat openings. Judit had an advantage during the entire game but failed to capitalize on her advantage and had to settle for a draw. What a pity!
Anand ½-½ Leko
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0–0 12.Nc2 Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5 15.Bc4 Rb8 16.Ra2 g6 17.0–0 Kh8 18.b4 axb4 19.cxb4 Be6 20.b5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Na5 22.Be2 Ra8 23.Nb4 Nb7 24.Ra6 Nc5 25.Rc6 Ra4 26.Qb1 Qa5 27.Na6 Ne4 28.b6 Qxd5 [28…Nd2 29.b7 Nxb1 30.Rc8 Nc3 31.Rxf8+ Kg7 32.Bd1=+ (32.b8Q Nxe2+ 33.Kh1 Ra1–+) ] 29.Qb5 [29.b7 Qxc6 30.b8Q Rxb8 31.Qxb8+ Kg7=] 29…Qd4 30.Rc4 [30.b7 Kg7 31.b8Q (Rc2! would have been better) Rxb8 32.Nxb8 Nxf2 33.Qb6 Be3 34.Qxd4 exd4=] 30…Rxc4 31.Qxc4 Nc3 32.Bd3 Qxc4 33.Bxc4 d5 34.Bxd5 Nxd5 35.b7 e4 36.b8Q Rxb8 37.Nxb8 e3 38.fxe3 Bxe3+ 39.Kh1 Kg7 40.Nc6 h5 41.Rd1 Nf6 42.Rb1 Ng4 43.g3 Bg5 44.Kg2 Bf6 45.Re1 Nh6 46.Kf3 Nf5 47.Rd1 Nh6 48.h3 Nf5 49.Rd7 Kf8 50.Na5 Nd4+ 51.Kg2 Nf5 52.Nc4 Kg7 53.g4 hxg4 54.hxg4 Ne7 55.Nd6 Be5 56.Ne4 Ng8 57.g5 Kf8 58.Rb7 f6 59.Nc5 Ke8 60.Nd3 Bd6 ½–½
Anand managed to get an excellent position against Leko’s Sicilian Sveshnikov. For a while, I thought Anand was going to win. Even with a number of inaccuracies, Anand got into a very favorable endgame which was not easy for Leko to hold on for a draw. A combination of Anand’ lackluster play and Leko good endgame technique resulted in an unusual draw at the end.
Adams ½-½ Kasimdzhanov
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Kh1 Bd7 10.Bg5 Bc6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Bc4 Be7 13.Qe2 Nd7 14.Rfd1 Kh8 15.Nd2 Nf6 16.a4 g6 17.Bb3 Qc7 18.a5 Rad8 19.Nf1 Nh5 20.Ne3 Bg5 21.Ned5 Qb8 22.Rd3 Ng7 23.Qg4 Ne6 24.Nb6 [24.Rf3 Rde8+=; 24.Rad1 f5 25.exf5 gxf5+=] 24…f5 25.exf5 gxf5 26.Qg3 Bf4 27.Qh4 Bg5 28.Qg3 Bf4 29.Qh4 Bg5 ½–½
This game was somewhat dull. Both players were just maneuvering their pieces without any serious confrontation until 24…f5. I fail to understand the idea behind 24. Nb6. What was he trying to attack on the Queenside? The battle was on the Kingside. After a few more moves, both sides decided to have an early dinner by repeating moves. Comparing to games by Topalov, everything else looks boring.
I don’t study the Najdorf, but it looks like Topolov is not developing his pieces, keeping his King in the center (two things we tell young players not to do), and winning with Black in these Najdorfs. Is that how you have to play the Najdorf these days?
Is Topalov ‘catchable’ ? He seems too far ahead in such a strong competition. Amazingly few short draws in these first few rounds!
I look forward to your comments on round 5, particularly to those on your sister’s game. I was baffled by her 40. B-b6. I have looked at it again and again and still can’t figure it out.
Hello Susan…Do you think Anand blundered in the game against Leko from an advantageous position
Thanks for the reviews… Its the expectations and Topo making Anands inaccuracies look too bad. He did fought well to press for victory…and remember he is playing the pre tournament favourite Leko, who is just coming into form.
I expect a great fight from Anand and Leko to catch up with Topo