GM Topalov (2796) – GM Kamsky (2725) [C07]
Sofia Match (5), 23.02.2009
1.e4 This is the first time Topalov is employing 1.e4 in the match. The previous two White games were both 1.d4
1…e6 We have the French defense today.
2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 This is the second most popular move after 3.Nf6.
4.Ngf3 cxd4 Other choices such as 4…Nc6, 4…a6 or 4…Nf6 are all playable.
5.Nxd4 Another very popular option is 5.exd5.
5…Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.c4 This is very strange. I was under the impression that Kamsky has White again in this game. So do many other observers. But according to the official site, Topalov has White.
9…Bd6 This is not a novelty. It is just not a very popular line but it has been played before. I just saw this notice below about ChessBase on the official site. I am not sure what this is about. For such an important match, I would have expected the organizer to have it viewed by as many people as possible. Over 26,000 bloggers followed my LIVE commentary in game 4. I wonder if I am violating the official rules too?
10. cxd5 cxd5 11. exd5 exd5 12. O-O Ne7 13. Nf3 O-O 14. Qd3 White will obviously make a play for Black’s isolated d pawn.
14…Qd7 15.Rd1 Rfd8 This is the kind of position I expect Kamsky to play with White. It is unusual to see Topalov on the White side. White has a small advantage and will try to grind this out a la Kamsky style. 16.Be3 is expected. However, I would be shocked if Kamsky could lose such as endgame.
16.Be3 a5
Here is a screen shot of the actual LIVE broadcast from the official website.
17.g3 The French defense was one of the first openings I learned when I started out in chess. I am quite familiar with it. In fact, I just came out with a 3-volume DVD about the French recently. I also taught a number of my students this opening as well.
17…h6 18.Bb6 Black can move his d Rook to either c8 or e8. Both are fine.
18…Rdc8 I expect 19.Bd4. However, it is difficult to find a convincing plan for White to even have a chance to score a full point. Black should have no problem holding this position, especially someone who is very strong in endgame like Kamsky.
19.Bd4 Bc5 Update: I just saw the following note from Macauley:
“Susan,
The organizers decided they wanted sites to ask permission to retransmit the live moves.
I just talked to Ventzislav Inkiov, from the Executive Committee, and he said Chessbase never asked permission. Hence the notice you cited.
The legal justification for such a position is highly dubious. (There’s a long discussion on this topic on ChessVibes Game 2 comments), but regardless, I’m told by Inkiov that the Bulgarian Chess Federation had a lawyer in Berlin send a cease & desist to Chessbase.
I asked, what about other sites, and he said other sites have permission (including Polgar). ICC has been relaying both Kamsky-Topalov and Linares, in concert with its LIVE audio coverage www.Chess.FM.”
Thanks Macauley as usual! For those of you who do not know who Macauley is, he does a fantastic job providing chess enthusiasts many wonderful chess videos and interviews from important events around the world for Chess.FM. He is one of the best in the business.
20.Bc3 Bb4 Gata wants to trade the Bishops. Obviously Gata would be fine with they repeat moves with Bd4 Bc5. I doubt that Topalov will give away a White game drawing in this fashion.
21.Be5 Bd6 White cannot stop Black from trying to trade Bishops. He can, however, decides where to trade them. I expect White to continue to pile up his pieces on the d file to go after the d pawn.
22.Rd2 Bxe5 I am not sure if I would want to trade the Bishop here. A different try could be 22…Bb4 to chase the Rook then back to Bd6. Black is in no rush to trade immediately.
23. Nxe5 Qd6 23…Qe6 is fine as well.
24. Re1 Rc7 25. Qf3 Rf8 26. Kg2 += Obviously White is playing to win although it is far far far from easy. However, it is not pleasant for Black either. Black has to be very patient and that fits Kamsky well.
26…Rb7 Black seems to be content with his piece set up and no major improvement is needed.
27.h4 Qb4 White has many playable options such as 28.Rde2, 28.Red1 or Ree2.
28.Ree2 White will continue to try to improve his position.
28…Qa5 The question is does White want to have a a2-b3 pawn structure of a3-b2 pawn structure. Both are OK but I prefer the first one slightly better.
29.b3 Qb4 Now the next thing Kamsky wants to do is a4 to peel one pawn off. Now we can expect Topalov to shift his Knight to d3 then eventually f4.
30.Nd3 Qd6 Just got an email from Macauley:
“Scenes from the start of play, including Kamsky pausing before 1…e6, are on the Chess.FM blog: http://Chess.FM/blog“.
I also asked Macauley to find out why Topalov has White today, when was this decision made, and how come not so many people were aware of it.
I just got this back from Macauley:
Surprises at the start of Round 5, as most of the chess world was expecting Kamsky to have white as per the match regulations:
3.4.1 The draw for colors will be conducted during the opening ceremony. The colors shall be reversed after game 4. (The player getting the white color in game 1 shall play game 5 with the black color).
According to Emil Sutovsky, Kamsky’s manager, an amendment to the rules was signed by both players prior to the start of the match, and in fact the decision to simply alternate colors was made during the match negotiations in Dresden, last November.
As for why there was no public announcement, I don’t have the answer yet.
31.h5 Rc7 32.Nf4 White continues to try to put more pressure on the isolated pawn.
32…d4 33.Re4 Nc6 34.Nd3 Rd8 35.Rc2 Nb4?? This is a bad blunder and the d4 pawn will be gone. White can play 36.Nxb4 axb4 37.Rxd4 Qxd4 38.Rxc7 +/-
36.Nxb4 I am shocked at this blunder by Gata. Perhaps he was so sure that it would be a draw that he became careless. It would be absolutely devastating if Gata throws away this game.
36…axb4 37.Rxd4 I had no doubt that Topalov would find this quite quickly. It’s really basic tactic. The problem is 37…Rxc2 does NOT work as 38.Rxd6 Rxd6 39.Qa8+ Kh7 40.Qe4+ wins the Rook.
37…Qf8? 38.Rxd8 Qxd8 Gata is facing the same problem as the line above. 39. Rxc7 Qxc7
40.Qa8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ Kg8 42.Qxb4 and White is in good shape.
39. Rxc7 Qxc7 40.Qa8+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ Kg8 42.Qxb4 Qc6+ 43.Kg1 Qc1+ 44.Kh2 Qc2 (Diagram below)
45.Qe1 Kf8 46.a3 Topalov found a way to temporarily save both a and b pawn. If 46…Qxb3 47.Qb4+ and game over. White will win this endgame easily. Resignation may come soon. I have to tell you that I am absolutely stunned with 35.Nb4?? followed by 37…Qf8? This is devastating for Gata psychologically after an impressive win in game 4.
46…Qb2 This makes no difference. White can simply play 47.Qb4+ followed by Kg2 then march the passed pawns.
47.Qb4+ Kg8 +- 48.Kg2 Qe5 49.Qg4 Qb2 50.Qc8+ Kh7 51.Qc4 Qxa3 52.Qxf7 This is basically not very difficult endgame technique to earn the full point.
52…Qb4 53.Qc4 Qb7+ White can simply play 54.f3 with the threat of Qe4+ to trade Queens.
54.Kg1 This is fine as well. Virtually anything wins.
54…Qf3 55.g4 +- Gata resigned. Game over. What a tragedy! The bad news is he is trailing by one with only 3 games to play. The good news is he has 2 White in the final 3 games.
Click here to replay the game.
Who’s White? wccc-site shows Topalov?!
Topalov is playing White.
Topalov is playing white in game 5, not Kamsky
I hardly think White can win this game with such a set-up.
You can see Topalov playing white in the video of the live broadcast on the official site
http://www.wccc2009.com/en/live.html
According to my database Kamsky has never played the French Defense before. Topalov decides to play the Tarrasch variation. The two players are still playing known opening theory after 9.c4 with the move 9…Bc5 the most often played continuation for Black.
Certainly according to the rules of the match (http://www.wccc2009.com/en/regulations.html) Topalov should be black:
3.4.1 The draw for colors will be conducted during the opening ceremony. The colors shall be reversed after game 4. (The player getting the white color in game 1 shall play game 5 with the black color).
Would make more sense for the opening as well, though I suppose Topalov could have switched to 1.e4, however it would make more sense that Topalov went from e5 to e6 especially given the variation chosen by white.
Confusing indeed, and Chessdom doesn’t help:
The frontpage states
“Kamsky has had significant improvement through the match and is going to attempt to surprise Topalov with black.”
One mouseclick away:
“Kamsky has had significant improvement through the match and is going to attempt to take the lead with white. The Bulgarian GM, on the other hand, will surely look for a surprising win with black.” AND
“colors after game 4 are not reversed and Kamsky will play white”
Another mouseclick away is the live game with Topalov having white. At least this is confirmed by the live video on the official site … .
Heil Susan!
Why is Kamsky thinking so long over his 9th move? His options here are really four moves:9…Bc5,9…Nf6,9….dxe4 and 9…Qa5.
It seems Playchess.com is no longer transmitting the moves live.I guess they must have been threatened with legal action if they continued to show the moves live <:(
Anonymous said…
” GM Kamsky (2796) – GM Topalov (2725) [C07]
Sofia Match (5), 23.02.2009
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5
Two details have stuck me .
1- Kamsky’s rating higher than Topalov
2- The French Defence in place the predicted Sicilian”
Anonymous, apparently Kamsky wanted to surprise Topalov with his choice of defense, in much the same way that Topalov surprised Kamsky by playing the Berlin Defense against Kamsky’s Ruy Lopez in game 2.
Resembles me of Fischer-Petrosian, some year, some place… candidates match I think – although it was Sicilian.
“I hardly think White can win this game with such a set-up.”
Except that Gata’s getting way behind on the clock. Again.
@Anonymous 7:31AM (just after my previous post): Where did you find this? And it is at least a bit odd to change rules during the match and not widely disseminating such changes (Susan Polgar isn’t the only one who got confused)
Good thing for the live video camera showing Topalov is white and Kamsky is black otherwise it would be confusing.
I hope Gata can win today and every day.
Kamsky has played the move 9…Bd6 after a very long think. The only game I have in my database with this move is this one:
[Event “IRI-ch”]
[Site “Iran”]
[Date “2000.??.??”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Mahjoob, Morteza”]
[Black “Ghane Gardeh, Shojaat”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “C07”]
[WhiteElo “2335”]
[BlackElo “2315”]
[PlyCount “66”]
[EventDate “2000.??.??”]
[EventType “swiss”]
[EventRounds “11”]
[EventCountry “IRI”]
[Source “ChessBase”]
[SourceDate “2002.11.25”]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5
4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6
6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Nxc6 Bxc6
8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9. c4 Bd6 10. Qa4 Qd7 11. exd5 cxd5 12. Qxd7+ Kxd7
13. cxd5 exd5 14.O-O Ne7
15. Nf3 Rab8 16. b3 a5 17. Bd2 Bb4 18. Bf4 Rb7 19. Ne5+ Ke6
20. Nd3 Rc8 21. Rac1 Bc3 22. Be5 d4 23. Bxg7 f6 24. Bh6 a4 25. b4 a3 26. Rb1 Kd5 27. Rb3 Kc4
28. Rd1 Ra8 29. Bf4 Nd5
30. Bd6 Rd7 31. Bc5 Nc7
32. Kf1 Nb5 33. Rdb1 Rdd8
1/2-1/2
No need to post what in “your” database Wayne, because we all have the same database 🙂
I prefer Black because he has the free pawn. Wondering what Topalov is playing here.
Hey Susan, GM Topalov’s ELO is 2725 only? and GM Kamsky 2796?
Susan, the Chessbase message has been on the official site since the first game. I suspect that you are not supposed to be broadcasting the moves, but then again, there are plenty of others out there who are…
Funny how Chessbase (playchess.com) is showing Kamsky mating Topa in two moves (1.f4 e5 2.Qh4#) after Bulgarian chess federation posted a comment on the wccc2009.com website that chessbase is violating the broadcast rights.
please leave a diagramme picture for those without the official game
Susan is not broadcasting the moves. that would be one move at a time. She is commenting on groups of moves and ideas.
Susan,
I wonder if I am violating the official rules too?
I seriously doubt that you do (or even that Chessbase does). Once a “news” is publicly broadcasted, it becomes public information. While there is a fine line, as in a news article can’t be rebroadcasted word by word, UNLESS the source is named. Thus either you (or Playchess) has to do, is to simply mention at the beginning of your text that “this information is from wccc2009.com”, or from wherever you’re obtaining the information from, and I think it becomes legal (otherwise how would all news sources would be obtaining the same news from? I am pretty sure that for example Matt Drudge doesn’t have a contract with all news agencies)
But I am not a lawyer.
Deep Rybka 3 provided me with this possible continuation which some of you might be interested in:
Analysis by Rybka 3
17…Rab8 18.Bd4 f6 19.Bc3 Bb4 20.Bxb4 Rxb4 21.Rd2 Nc6 22.Rc1 Ne5 23.Nxe5 fxe5 24.Qa6 e4
= (0.08)
I wonder if I am violating the official rules too?
I don’t see why. The chess moves themselves are not copyrightable, so it’s not illegal to publish them here.
Susan,
Move 17…..h6 (not h3)
And you should be violating some existing law. Arbitary rules count for nothing.
But maybe Danailov should be hanged from his b****, yes
What a opening surprise from Kamsky! Playing black when everyone thougt he was going to be white!
Also 18…Rb8 is a possibility… In which case the only move for white is retreat the bishop to d4, according to Rybka. An implicit draw offer?
I don’t think it is illegal for Susan to publish the moves on her blog (unless their is some legal law that says she can’t). I looked in the FIDE handbook and the only regulation governing what Susan is worried about is this one:
“3. Playing Conditions and Other Requirements
3.1
As a minimum, the following playing conditions shall be adhered to.
3.1.1
The games shall be open to spectators.”
Surely we can interprete that we are spectators of the game on this blog cant’ we?
Susan,
The organizers decided they wanted sites to ask permission to retransmit the live moves.
I just talked to Ventzislav Inkiov, from the Executive Committee, and he said Chessbase never asked permission. Hence the notice you cited.
The legal justification for such a position is highly dubious. (There’s a long discussion on this topic on ChessVibes Game 2 comments), but regardless, I’m told by Inkiov that the Bulgarian Chess Federaion had a lawyer in Berlin send a cease & desist to Chessbase.
I asked, what about other sites, and he said other sites have permission (including Polgar). ICC has been relaying both Kamsky-Topalov and Linares, in concert with its LIVE audio coverage http://www.Chess.FM.
I don’t understand the discussion here. Publishing the moves is not a broadcast. No problem with this.
I expected Ne5 from Mr. Topalov…Kamsky’s black bishop now is a bishop chaser …
The organizers decided they wanted sites to ask permission to retransmit the live moves
They can decide all they want, but they don’t have a legal basis to enforce this with anybody that didn’t sign a contract with them.
Now we only need Macauley to explain why Topalov is white today and not black, LOL.
Anonymous said…
“The organizers decided they wanted sites to ask permission to retransmit the live moves
They can decide all they want, but they don’t have a legal basis to enforce this with anybody that didn’t sign a contract with them.”
I fully agree. Has thought the same.
In my country TV stations buy the rights to many live sporting events and thus nobody else has the right to show them. Why should chess be any different? Is a football game in the public domain just like a game of chess is?
Does anybody else find Topalovs and Kamskys press conferences intimidating? I mean. I found press conferences of Anand-Kramnik games always informative and interesting. Of Topalov and Kamsky press conferences I can hardly make out what the players are saying and I feel this is just how Topalov and Kamsky want it to be. Not best advocates for the sport in my humble opinion.
Kamsky maybe in trouble now.
Kamsky is violating legal rights of all the frenchmen by playing the french defence.
He should at least pay one cent per every french citizen passport holder.
sturspre
Go Topa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lauri,
Yes. Topalov-Kamsky are not particularly forthcoming about anything and are indeed poor ambassadors for the sport. Top GMs being moody or controversial is not something new (Karpov-Kasparov?)but the level of paranoia you see these days is simply ludicrous.
Anand is a class act and not many can be like him.
It is clear to all but none. d5 pawn will succumb, follow will a5 pawn. White with two pawns extra, will promote two more queens or black will need to sacrifice not by own will both of his rooks for the passed pawns, leaving white s +10 in the final countdown.
@Mathew: See also the discussion on Chessvibes. For football games everyone can freely report the score and probably also some other details such as yellow and red cards or substitutions [I am referring to European football or soccer], but you have to pay for images (live or post-game, entire game or excerpts).
With respect to chess, the majority view (though not the universal consensus) on Chessvibes is that moves are free, only live video images on the official webpage cannot be copied elsewhere without permission.
Why isn’t anybody writing about toilet issues? Where are their toilets? How many people are watching the toilets, when a player enters them? How many chess boards and tv sets do they have in their rest rooms? Are the people replacing toilet paper and cleaning wc thouroughly searched before entering?
“the level of paranoia you see these days is simply ludicrous.
“
Not like the good old days of Bobby Fischer.
🙂
Kamsy is 22 minutes behind o0n the clock, that could prove significant as move 40 aproaches
“… the level of paranoia you see these days is simply ludicrous.”
Ludicrous, yes. But quite understandable, given the ease with which cheating can be done these days, and the ability of current chess engines to provide accurate evaluation.
Is a football game in the public domain just like a game of chess is?
Copyright covers the creative or artistic expression of an idea. Operating a camera, or live commentary qualifies as such an artistic expression. A live camera feed from the actual playing venue would also be copyrightable. The list of chess moves, however, are just facts, and are as such not copyrightable. Similarly, calling up a friend during a football game to tell him the score is also not a legal offense.
‘Similarly, calling up a friend during a football game to tell him the score is also not a legal offense.’
Is it legal to breathe air???????
Anyway, what’s legal in Bulgaria, may not be in US??????? And vice-version.
Thomas- Chess moves are like images of other sports, of course results are free to publish. My point is why should live chess games be different to any other live sporting events. Not that I think other sporst have it right but atleast they are making plenty of money in the process.
‘However, I would be shocked if Kamsky could lose such as endgame.’
I agree. Having said that, all chess books insinuating that not even one, but two isolated pawns (!!) are weaker than two connected pawns will now have to be rewritten.
@Anonymous 8:55AM: Actually I already suggested (at Mig Greengard’s site) that Macauley should ask that question at the press conference: “Why did they change colors again?” After all, this differs from the pre-match rules – agreed upon during the Dresden Olympiad and still posted at the official website.
Maybe Macauley is still tuned in, but actually I think he doesn’t even need such hints by me or anyone else … . In any case, we will probably have to wait until the press conference.
Rybka gives about +0.45 here. Lots of options for both players, so giving lines doesn’t really work. Position is very hard to improve for white. I think it will be a draw anyway.
“chess moves are just facts”
!???? Are you serious. Almost every game I play has a creative and artistic element. Chess is art!
d5 pawn isn’t isolated. Its a passed pawn that can become queen. White is a long way from having the same advantageous pawn.
‘Chess is art!’
Hear hear. The copyright lawmakers and judges don’t play chess. They adapt rules from other weaker sports to ours divine one.
Susan,
9….Qb4 (not b5) according to wccc2009.com
Susan,
I meant…
29….Qb4 (not b5) according to wccc2009.com
“I am not sure if trading bishops on e5 was a very good idea at that moment… If kamsky had played 22…Rc6 for example, white can’t do very much. If Topalov trades on d6, then black gets an improved version of what was played now. But at least it is getting interesting! :)”
Interesting…anyone see a counterargument to the argument here that Gata should have played 22…Rc6?
The d pawn is isolated but not in the common way where White would have a pawn on c2 or e2. The pawn is in so far much stronger.
D5-D4. Here comes Delroy!
The isolated/passed pawn is a criminal that needs to be put in chains, otherwise….
Sorry- what’s Delroy?
‘The isolated/passed pawn is a criminal that needs to be put in chains, otherwise….’
As per Sigmund Froyd’s works, writing in this manner hints on hidden criminal tendencies. Better take a check with a local psycho.
Neither h5 or Nf4 were the best moves i think. Now it’s more equal than it was earlier…
Anand on copyright issues:
“Clearly copyright violations helped chess develop in new areas, new countries.”
Just posted on Gata-Topa copyright violating chessbase.cop site.
Hahhahahahahahahahaha.
That was really funny!
Go Anand!!
‘Otherwise, I could copyright a novelty, and sue everybody else who tried to play that.’
You can’t sue someone for plyaing your novelty, as novelty it is no more. It’s another move now.
Kamsky may just have thrown the game away.
I think it´s the first time in the match that Kamsky is ahead on the clock.
I knew it!! I knew it!! The pawn is dead! Long live Topa!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh dear – looks like Gata is going to be struggling from here, having just gifted Topa a pawn. Time for a couple of hours of back-to-the-wall defending…
hahaha Kamsky shook his head long before Topalov played Nxb4 axb4 Rxd4!
Everybody who ever played chess knows how it feels after such a blunder – but the strong player pulls himself together and puts up resistance!
Go Gata! DEFENSE!
the pawn is dead due to a wrong move, too bad…now it is hard to fight for a draw…
I dont believe kamsky can save this.
Hello Susan!
You seem to clearly support Kamsky over Topalov, and there’s of course no problem with that! I just wondered why it is so
Thanks for the comments!
no option of playing two rooks against queen, the one on c2 goes after Qa8 Qe4. If kamsky saves this the psychological advantage can swing his way, and i think if he indeed saves this it will be very hard ford topalov in next three games.
@ Got
maybe she likes his haircut better…
but maybe, only maybe it is because she lives in the US and Gata does too, but who knows?!
I think it is not possible to see rooks vs queen…after Qa8 folowed by Qe4 the rook on c2 falls…
looks over now
Pfff…. Qf8 drops another pawn… Trading one pair of rooks was forced 🙁
i feel sorry for gata, two bad moves in 3 moves.
Dear Susan,
Can you put diagrams of the games like 10 or 15 moves after, please? So we can see the game more clearly.
Many thanks for your wounderful annotations.
Nothing can resist against Topalov now. Nothing.
Topa is a well know player who always wins when having two extra pawns.
2 connected passed pawns – I can’t see Gata saving this. As others have pointed out Qf8 was not the option to go for – swapping the rooks off, and holding the b pawn at least made Topa work for the win, but it should not take long now….
Yeah, the game was fixed. Probably gamble sites gave good odds.
Gata will hold this. The white king is not safe checks and the a2/f2/h5 pawns are weak.
A perpetual will end this game IMO.
Looks like Chessbase may have ceased and dissisted – the warning message on the live site directed to them has gone…
Poor Rybka gives +2.84 for Topa. Doesn’t understand it’s +100.84. Darn machines.
Not THAT easy yet for Topalov (even if it is probably winning in the end). He has to give up either a2 (only one passer left) or f2 (at least lots of checks ahead for the black queen).
Qe1 was bad?
‘According to my database Kamsky has never played the French Defense before.’
You use twic?
a king move?? what on earth for??
Not sure about a3, and for that matter allowing one of the pawns to drop, but I still think Topa should convert this without too much trouble…
If Qs are exchanged on b4, is it terribly bad for black?
44.Qd4 seemed easier indeed. But not the tempting 44.Qa7+ Kh8 Qa7 Qf4!?
this is completely over, cant take the pawn, Qe1 was a really good move, defending all the pawns.I think there is resignation coming.
Anon @ 11:52:00 – After exchanging queens on b4, my engine is quite happy until it gets to around 16 ply, and then whites eval goes through the roof. For the king to cover the advancing b pawn, it has to abandon the f,g and h pawns, and once white’s king gets there, its all over. What a shame – I thought the game looked relatively innocuous for both sides.
Topalov had been sitting on his chair, apparently waiting for Kamsky’s resignation – then he left for a while … .
And yes, Qe1 and a3 were good moves – which I had actually missed.
No resignation (yet) from Kamsky, but also not much hope left – though the game may well last another 20 moves or so … .
Anonymous said…
‘According to my database Kamsky has never played the French Defense before.’
You use twic?
Monday, February 23, 2009 10:49:00 AM CST
Duh, he is talking about his database he bought, not twic.Twic comes out weekly.
Kamsky loses straight after he won leaving him with just 3 games left needing 2/3.
Very hard for him but not over until the last game.
Ashame he threw away his hold on the match straight away.
Very nice game by Topalov. It looks like Kamsky is unable to keep up with Topalov even in the type of game which supposedly favors Kamsky’s style.
And Gata has bowed to the inevitable and resigned. Advantage Topalov
Kamsky resigned after g4 – poor Gata
Why is in chess 1 point for win? Why not 2 points for win and 1 ponit for losing? Then everybody happy.
very nice job again doing live commentary,
thank you Susan!
@Anon 11:09: I think this is too harsh on Kamsky. It is now 1-1 in the two games (#4+5) which rather suited Kamsky’s style, and 1-1 in the two Grunfelds which should rather suit Topalov’s style.
Game #2 was just crazy, though there may be one predecessor – Kramnik-Leko when white played a ‘garbage can novelty’ in the Ruy Lopez Marshall.
Still no 4.5-0.5 wipeout for Kamsky as some people predicted before the match …
It will be 5-2
“permission to retransmit the live moves”
can report the moves of a football games – even if you haven’t the rights to show it…
can report the moves of a chess games – as has happened in all other chess matches…seeing the moves (albeit delayed) on TWIC, this blog, etc
Perhaps the host nation has a problem with chessbase – after Elista?
But it says something about the mentality/cultural nuances as one moves away from the West…
5-2 in 8 games? Wow…
This was a brilliant win for the great Topalov. Kamsky was left helpless between two advancing pawn storms. The choice of opening by Topalov was brilliant too, and will be etched in the memory of all chess players for centuries to come. This was one of Topalov’s best games – a true brilliancy prize !
Well, I think we can all agree that this was a draw until move 35… Nb4. Move 37… Qf8 is also bad. I don’t think I will call this brilliant from Topalov. Rather 2 blunders from Kamsky.
Gegga
“This was a brilliant win for the great Topalov. Kamsky was left helpless between two advancing pawn storms. The choice of opening by Topalov was brilliant too, and will be etched in the memory of all chess players for centuries to come. This was one of Topalov’s best games – a true brilliancy prize !”
You may be a die-hard Topalov fan (maybe because he’s gay…) but you don’t know anything about chess.
I would give Anonymous 11:52AM the benefit of doubt, calling his comment comedy, irony or even sarcasm.
But if he or she is serious about “one of Topalov’s best games”, Anonymous 11:59AM (the second one) is clearly right … .
Click here
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To all of you who have problems with Topalov and Bulgaria,
You people are so frustrated. I couldn’t believe it. 🙂
So much frustration leads to a mental disorder. If not too late, please get some rest – go outside, have a beer or two, enjoy the company of nice people, etc. 🙂
Chess promotes imagination and creativity. Chess requires high intelligence. After all, chess is where brain challenge comes in.
Do you copy? Chess is not for you! Leave it to the normal people who can enjoy the game. 🙂
This is from Wiki:
“Kamsky was born in Novokuznetsk in Russia, in a Tatar family”.
And again from Wiki:
“In Europe, Tatars were assimilated by the local populations or their name spread to the conquered peoples: Kipchaks, Volga Bulgars, Alans, Kimaks and others.”
So, Topalov or Kamsky – who cares, the ultimate winners are the Bulgarian genes :))))))
So, Topalov or Kamsky – who cares, the ultimate winners are the Bulgarian genes :))))))
So chess isn’t about knowledge or study, it’s about having the right genes?
Gentlemen, I’ve just hit on the ultimate, all-purpose excuse for any future defeat I ever suffer.
Perhaps the host nation has a problem with chessbase – after Elista?
They have a problem with the whole world after Elista. Nobody took their side. Karpov and Korchnoi even agreed with each other for possibly the first time in their lives, in denouncing Team Topalov, which is as bad as it gets.
Emile, why do you have have to feed the trolls? Leave them aside, people who understand and like the game appreciate Topalov’s contribution into it. End of story.
As for the cheating allegations from all sides, players on this levels can’t afford to maintain their level simply by ‘cheating’.
“Gentlemen, I’ve just hit on the ultimate, all-purpose excuse for any future defeat I ever suffer”
Mate, the normal ppl have something called “sense of humor”. But you… let me guess… ultimate idiot or a sad american?
…ultimate idiot or a sad american?…
LOL, yeah. Or both? :)))
Pretty amazing how bold people are with their comments in anonymity of the internet. Why do you constantly mock, slander and offend others? Grow up, folks.
My guess:
A] Kamsky is cheating with some kind of wireless device, this explains Topalov’s loss in the last game.
B] Instead of searching for the source of the transmission, Daialov found a way to either tamper with the computer program Kamsky was using or intercept and change the move signaled to Kamsky.
Conclusion: Kamsky made the N-B4 move thinking it was a Rybka move when it really was Danialov move. After making the move Kamsky, who has some chess skill of his own, realized he had been tricked !
This is Danialov’s victory as much as Topalov’s.
Look at the live ELO rating:
01 Topalov 2805,2
02 Anand 2793,3
I like statistics, it’s something that beets empty words and blind favorites…
I really would like to see those two battle!!!
If Danailov would be Kamskys Manager he would now file a protest because originally Kamsky should have had white today. As white won today, Kamsky must therefore get the point.
The match has to be continued with Kamsky leading 3-2.
If Topalov doesn’t like that and doesnt’t show up for the 6th game then Kamsky will sit at the board for one hour and then smilingly bet a forfeit win.
If Topalov then still manages to win in the tie-break, well then Kamsky must at least get a Title match against the winner of Anand-Topalov to compensate…
Well, that’s how it would be if Danailov would be Kamskys manager….
Kamsky must now demand to play in a ping-pong room.
Hey! It worked for Bobby Fischer!
Well, truth is… Topa is a much better player than Gata.
Even Americans need to accept this…