Vladimir Kramnik has just performed at a 2800+ pace at the Turin Olympiad. It seems that he has recovered from his illness.
Topalov won or finished near the top in every tournament he entered since the World Championship San Luis, Argentina. He has also widen the rating gap between him and Anand.
This makes a very interesting matchup in their up coming battle. Who will win? Kramnik and his rock solid style or Topalov and his incredible attacking style?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Kramnik’s olympiad performance included several games where the opponent blundered right out of the opening. I don’t know if you can count on Topalov doing that.
Psychological and intangible factors often decide long matches. In the 2000 Kasparov match, Kramnik played perfect chess, and waited for Kasparov to blunder.
In the 2004 match, it was Kramnik who blundered, but then Leko inexplicably decided to sit on a 1-point lead, agreeing to early draws in games where he had a better position, and should have fought on.
At 12 games, Topalov-Kramnik will be the shortest WCC match ever (not counting the FIDE knockouts). If a player gets an early lead, there will be an enormous temptation to play conservative chess, and force the opponent to take chances.
Well said Marc!
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Topalov’s MTel performance included white against Bacrot and black against Kamsky where they just didn’t play the opening correcty.
Kramnik went undefeated at the Olympiad. Kamsky, who came in 2nd at M-Tel, 1/2 points behind Topalov, was mediocre at the Olympiad.
I think Kramnik is going to win. Kramnik is just too good. Kramnik was put ahead of Svidler, an MTel participant, on the Russian chess team.
Kramnik was put ahead because he’s a primadonna. He wouldn’t play otherwise. And he chose which game to play based on his color preference. Leko pulled the same crap choosing to play a lot more games with white.
At the Olympiad, Kramnik played 9 games.
Kramnik had white against:
Naidistch, Aronian, Alexandrov, Bacrot, Bruzon
Kramnik had black against:
Bu, Sokolov, Ivanchuk, Kamsky
It does look like Kramnik had white pieces against stronger competition: Aronian and Bacrot are in the top 10 and are better than Kamsky and Ivanchuk. The rest of the players I’ve never heard of: they are probably patzers (the Olympiad is such a big event that weaker players that nobody’s ever heard of get to play – there were a lot of players that Kamsky played that I never heard of either). So although Kramnik played some patzers, he did play Kamsky, Ivanchuk, Bacrot, and Aronian.
Kramnik was playing board 1. top board. everyone he played was the best the country could put there.
Bu had a great performance. he is from china.
When I first heard about the match I thought topalov would blow kramnik away. but now that kramnik has played a few games I feel we have every right to see a good match.
I want both players to be in top form. to play well. to give the world great games. and then
May the best man win.
I will be happy with a good match and exciting games. I am willing to accept either as the winner of the match fair and square as being the champion.
Stealing a page from Fischer’s book vs. Spassky, look for Kramnik now to spring a very, very thorough, new opening reperatoire on Topalav, to have studied EVERY game that Topalov has ever played, to know EVERY single tendancy that Topalov has EVER exhibited, and…most importantly, to know what will “shake his confidence” and plunge him into unfamiliar territory.
And…that’s just for starters…
Once again, proving that these one-on-one contests sometimes test who is better prepared, and who is able to out-psyche instead of outplay their opponent.
I think this match will be very interesting. Right now in my opinion this match is too close to call.
TFK
Susan I just had to comment on your nice blue ensemble! Ive seen this apparel once before on you, and I must say not only are you the Queen of Chess but also on this day, The Queen of the Beach as well ; )
TFK
regardless of who wins, I think (with a sigh of relief) we can all say that the winner is truly the one and only world chess champion.
I am most excited about that.
I think topalov has the edge in individual games, kramnik has the edge in match experience and his ability to plan a superior match strategy.
It will come down to who wants it more.
Kramnik is a sphinx – and to be honest – i can not believe in “an attacking Topalov” – attacking defense systems home analyzed up to move 30 or so …
T vs. K
1.d4 d5
2.c4 c6
K vs. T
1.e4 e5
2.nf3 nc6
T vs. K
1.e4 e5
2.nf3 nf6!
K vs. T
1.d4 nf6
2.c4 d5
my predictions…
(by the way, the german no.1 GM Arkadij Naiditsch, ELO 2664, winner of Dortmund last year – is not a Patzer and may hit this “anonym” blogger herein ass over head – if he only could meet him! on board – of course …)
not to say “arse over head” … hehe (i could not resist …:-(( )
sincerly Vohaul
Vohaul Germany was horrible in Olympiad. We can only take so much German pride arggh!!!
TFK
With regard to Topalov widening the rating point gap with Anand, I think the credit (?) should go to Anand with his Olympic-sized (pun intended) disaster at Torino!