Today, I. Sokolov has White against Judit while Topalov has White against Mamedyarov. Can Sokolov and Topalov bounce back? Can Judit and Mamedyarov continue their winning ways?

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Topalov, Veselin – Mamedyarov, Shakhryar
Essent chess tournament, Hoogeveen, 2006

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.Qc2 g6 17.axb5 axb5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nb3 Reb8 20.c4 bxc4 21.Bxc4 Ba6 22.Nbd2 Nc5 23.Bxa6 Rxa6 24.Nc4 Nfd7 25.Rd1 Ne6 26.Be3 Raa8 27.Qd2 Rd8 28.Qc3 c5 29.Nfxe5 Bg7 30.f4 g5 31.g3 gxf4 32.gxf4 Nxe5 33.Nxe5 Bxe5 34.fxe5 Kh8 35.Bf2 Qe7 36.Qf3 Rg8+ 37.Kh1 Rg6 38.Rd5 (I think both sides have chances. Black is down a pawn but his King is safer.) 38…Rag8 39.Rg1 Rxg1+ 40.Bxg1 Rg6 41.Kh2 Kg7 42.Be3 (This is a toss up position but this is Topalov’s strength. Mamedyarov has to be very careful.) 42…c4 43.Rd6 Qc7 44.h4 Qa5 45.Rd5 Qe1 46.Kh3 Kf8?? (Now 47.Rd7 and Topalov should notch his first victory in this tournament.) 47.Rd7 Rg3+ (There is nothing here. This game is about to be over.) 48.Qxg3 Qh1+ (I am filming this morning for National Geographic. This will be a big chess movie with lots of special effects and modern technology. That is why no live blogging analysis.) 49.Kg4 Qxe4+ 50.Kh5 (Black will run out of checks and the game will soon end.) Black resigns. This is how Topalov should play all the time. This was how he won San Luis. It is one thing to play for the win. It is another thing to take unnecessary chances.

Sokolov, Ivan – Polgar, Judit
Essent chess tournament, Hoogeveen, 2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Ba2 b6 11.0-0 Ba6 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Ng3 Rad8 14.Bb2 e5 15.Qc2 Rd7 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.h3 c4 18.a4 Re8 19.Ba3 e4 20.Bb1 Rd5 21.Ne2 Rg5 22.Nf4 Bc8 23.Qe2 Qd7 24.Qxc4 Na5 25.Qb4 Nd5 26.Nxd5 Qxd5 27.h4 Rg4 (I think White is slightly better but Black has compensation. This is the kind of position where Judit excels in and Sokolov has problems with. It will be interesting to see if he can defend a position like this.)
28.Qb5 Qd8 29.g3 a6 30.Qb4 (I think 30.Qf1 is a lot safer.) Qxh4 31.Bxe4 Rxg3+ 32.fxg3 Qxe4 33.Rd2 Qf3 34.Kh2 Qh5+ 35.Kg1 Qf3 36.Kh2 Bf5 37.e4 Bxe4 38.Rxe4 Qxe4 39.d5 Nc4 0-1 A brilliant game by Judit!
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