Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Anand is World Chess Champion 2010!

Anand defeats Topalov, retains the crown
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Viswanathan Anand defeated Veselin Topalov 6,5:5,5 in their WCC 2010 match in Sofia and retained the crown of FIDE World Chess Champion. After a close battle with equal score one round before the end, Anand won the last game with black to claim the title.
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Congratulations to Anand, Aruna and Vishy's team - Nielsen, Kasimdzhanov, and Ganguly!

Monday, May 3, 2010

WCh G6: another Catalan, another draw

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The sixth game of the World Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov ended in a draw today. For the third time a Catalan came on the board, and after an interesting fight between Anand’s knight pair and Topalov’s bishop pair a drawish ending was played out till move 58 where a move repetition again brought a silent end to the game..
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The match will take place April 21 – May 12 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Venue is the Central Military Club in Sofia, Bulgaria. The match will consist of 12 games, and if necessary, a 4-game rapid tiebreak, if necessary 5 2-game blitz matches and if necessary 1 sudden death game.
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The classical games will be played in pairs of 2, so there will be a rest day after every 2 games. No postponements are allowed. Topalov has White in games 1,3,5,8, 10 and 12.The time control for each game is 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting after move 61.
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The Chief Arbiter is Panaqiotis Nikolopoulos (Greece). The Deputy Chief Arbiter is Werner Stubenvoll (Austria). The total prize fund is 3 million Euros: 2 million for the players, 400,000 for FIDE taxes and 600,000 for organizational costs. The winner will receive 1,2 million Euros while the loser receives 800.000 Euros.
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Anand-Topalov, Game 6
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1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5
Despite scoring 0 out of 2 so far, Topalov sees no reason to change his Black repertoire.
4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6
Topalov returns to the move he tried in the second game. 5... Bb4+ 6. Bd2 a5 7. Qc2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 c6 9. a4 b5 10. Na3 Bd7 11. Ne5 Nd5 12. e4 Nb4 13. O-O O-O 14. Rfd1 Be8 15. d5 was game 4.
6. Ne5 c5 7. Na3
Again Anand goes for the line where White sacrifices a pawn.
7... cxd4 8. Naxc4 Bc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5!?
Like in the previous game, Anand doesn't allow Topalov to show his prepared improvement. Preparation wise, the Indian has the 'initiative' in the match. 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Ba5 Qe7 14. Qb3 Rb8 was game 2, where Anand came up with the much debated 15. Qa3!?
10... h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6
In fact only this is the first new move. In the only previous game where 10.Bg5 was tried, Black went 11... gxf6 12. Nd3 Be7 13. Qd2 Kh7 14. Rac1 Ra7 15. Qf4 Nc6 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Qe4+ f5 18. Qxc6 Rc7 19. Qa4 Bb7 20. Na5 Ba8 21. Rxc7 Qxc7 22. Rc1 Qd6 23. Nc6 and White was better in Raetsky-Panchanathan, Biel 2004
12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Qa4!?
Still played rather quickly (after 4 minutes). Anand keeps on putting psychological pressure on his opponent, who was most probably out of book already.
13... Nc6!?
Topalov is ready to give back the pawn when it allows him to gain the bishop pair and finish development. 13... b5? 14. Qc2 bxc4 15. Qxc4 just loses an exchange for not enough compensation.
14. Rac1!?
Anand refrains from 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Qxc6 Rb8 which wins the pawn back, but is surely fine for Black.
14... e5
14... b5 15. Qa3! bxc4 16. Rxc4! is good for White.
15. Bxc6
Now that ...b5 became a real threat, it's time to go for this.
15... b5!
15... bxc6?! 16. Ncxe5 and the Black c-pawn is very weak.
16. Qc2
16. Bxb5?! axb5 17. Qxb5 e4 is clearly not to be recommended.
16... Qxc6 17. Ncxe5 Qe4 18. Qc6 Bb7 19. Qxe4 Bxe4
The ending is roughly equal, but highly interesting, as we're about to see a fight between bishops and knights. The knight on d3 is well placed and strong, and the knight on e5 can jump to lots of squares. Let's see what happens.
20. Rc2
White doesn't need to worry about ...f6 and . ..Bxd3. OK, it isolates the white pawn, but it's hard to attack and what's left is another white knight that will be stronger than the bishop on a7. 20. Nd7 Rfe8 21. Rc7 Bf5 22. Rfc1 Rxe2 23. Rxa7 Rxa7 24. Rc8+ Kh7 25. Nf8+ is a drawing line given by Shipov.
20... Rfe8
20... Rac8 21. Rfc1 Bf5? 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rxc8+ Bxc8 24. Nc6! as given by Shipov, nicely illustrates the power of the knights.
21. Rfc1 f6 22. Nd7
Time left: 1:12 Anand, 1:13 Topalov. 22. Ng4? h5 and the knight has no squares. Also interesting was 22. Nc6 Bb6 23. a4!? with the idea 23... bxa4 24. Rc4
22... Bf5 23. N7c5 Bb6
Let's toss in a quote from GM Sergey Shipov: "They say, the worst elephant [Russian for bishop - CV] is better than the best horse. And if anyone does not know the differences between an elephant and a horse - let him go down to the zoo ... In general, I have created a hundred proverbs on the subject, but the essence is the same."
24. Nb7!? Bd7 25. Nf4
The immediate 25. Nd6 Re6 26. Nc8 was possible too, and not easy for Black either.
25... Rab8 26. Nd6 Re5 27. Nc8!?
This knight is really going for an Academy Award in this game.
27... Ba5 28. Nd3
Time left: 0:40 Topalov, 0:35 Anand.
28... Re8 29. Na7
29. Nd6!? Re6 30. Nf5 Bb6 31. Kf1
29... Bb6
29... Ra8 seems to be leading to a draw almost by force: 30. Nc6 Bxc6 (30... Bb6 31. Nf4 Bf5 32. Rd2 += ) 31. Rxc6 Rxe2 32. Kf1! Rd2 (32... Ree8?! 33. Rd6 Red8 34. Rcc6 += ) 33. R1c2! Rxd3 34. Ke2 Rd2+ 35. Rxd2 Re8+! 36. Kd3 Bxd2 37. Kxd2 a5 and Black will hold the rook ending because 38. Rc5 can be answered by 38... Re5
30. Nc6 Rb7
30... Bxc6 31. Rxc6 Rxe2
31. Ncb4 a5 32. Nd5
Time left: Anand 0:27, Topalov 0:28.
32... a4 33. Nxb6
From the e5 square this knight has followed the route e5-d7-c5-b7-d6-c8-a7-c6-b4-d5-b6 and now it gets exchanged. That's ten lost tempi! ;-)
33... Rxb6 34. Nc5
White has made a move with a knight thirteen moves in a row - this could be a record for a World Championship game.
34... Bf5 35. Rd2 Rc6 36. b4 axb3 37. axb3 b4
This pawn sacrific e is almost forced; otherwise White will protect the knight with b3-b4 with a slight advantage.
38. Rxd4 Rxe2 39. Rxb4 Bh3
Black has nice compensation but not more than that. (But he does threaten Rxc5 here.)
40. Rbc4 Rd6 41. Re4
41. b4!? Rdd2 42. Rf4 Rc2 43. Ra1 Ra2 44. Rc1 Rac2 =
41... Rb2 42. Ree1 Rdd2 43. Ne4 Rd4 44. Nc5 Rdd2 45. Ne4 Rd3 46. Rb1
Whit has to give back the pawn. 46. Nc5? Rf3 suddenly wins on the spot for Black.
46... Rdxb3 47. Nd2 Rb4 48. f3
Around this move the clock turned seven and so the game lasted longer than four hours, which we hadn't seen yet so far in this match.
48... g5
Is it really 'better for the spectators' that play continues in this position? Especially when the sun is shining brightly outside, we're not so sure...
49. Rxb2
Not 49. g4?! Kg7! and Black will continue with ...f5 at some point. (49... Bxg4?! doesn't work: 50. fxg4 Rxg4+ 51. Kf1 Rxd2 52. Re7 = )
49... Rxb2 50. Rd1 Kf7 51. Kf2 h5 52. Ke3 Rc2 53. Ra1 Kg6 54. Ra6 Bf5 55. Rd6 Rc3+ 56. Kf2 Rc2 57. Ke3 Rc3+ 58. Kf2 Rc2
And again a repetition ended this game and the point was split. We still don't see the point here and we promise we won't accuse Topalov of being inconsistent when next time he DOES offer Anand a draw. .. 1/2-1/2

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Punch and counter-punch

by Quah Seng Sun

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The ongoing world chess championship has its exciting moments.


IT HAS been a week since the start of the world chess championship match between defending champion Viswanathan Anand and his challenger, Veselin Topalov. After all the drama of Anand’s overland journey from Frankfurt to Sofia, the match was put off for a day and it kicked off last Saturday instead of Friday.

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I was a little miffed to learn that the Bulgarian Chess Federation and the match organisers had refused to meet Anand halfway. A lot of reasons were given but I think they were only trying to make it difficult for the world champion. Initially, Anand had requested for a three-day postponement but a one-day postponement would have been reasonable enough.

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In the end, it was left to the World Chess Federation (Fide) to find an amicable solution and they decided that the first game would start on Saturday. However, it doesn’t seem to be the end of the story because the latest word from Sofia is that Silvio Danailov, who is Topalov’s manager, is contemplating suing Fide for the late start.

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Of course, he is well within his rights to seek legal redress but I think it also paints him in a bad light. After all, it was no fault of anybody that the volcano in Iceland erupted and caused air traffic chaos in Europe.

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Everybody knows that this is a very high-stake match in Bulgaria. All the more reason that if Danailov really wants Topalov to win the world championship title, let him win it fair and square from Anand over the board.

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By the way, I’m writing this story during the first lull in the match. As I write this on Monday, only the first two games have been completed. And I’m already having withdrawal symptoms!

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Unfortunately, the match rules stipulate that there should be a rest day after every two games. As the schedule would have it, Monday was a rest day. The players are resting or preparing themselves for more battles ahead, but we chess followers can only wait impatiently for the next day to come.

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The only consolation is that the two games have been very exciting and decisive. At the opening ceremony three days earlier, Topalov drew the white envelope, meaning that he would play the first game of this match with the white pieces. That was the first stir of excitement. With the white pieces, we can expect the Bulgarian grandmaster to kick off the match in his aggressive style.

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True enough, Topalov was first off the block. He came out fighting and slugging. Remarkably, Anand tried to match him blow for blow. When I was following this game live through the Internet, my first thought was whether both players were playing blitz chess or world championship chess.

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For this particular match, they had agreed on a time control of 40 moves in two hours, followed by 20 moves in one hour, and then a final 15 minutes for a play-to-death session. There’s lots of time to think and yet, Topalov and Anand sailed through their first 18 moves in barely 10 minutes.

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It was only on the 19th move that Topalov paused long enough to think. Here was where the real battle began. Unfortunately, the game ended early, after another 11 moves. Anand made an uncharacteristic blunder in the game. He made his position more difficult for himself by walking into a piece sacrifice. This is the game:

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Veselin Topalov – Viswanathan Anand, Game 1

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. Bd3 b6 12. Qd2 e5 13. Bh6 cxd4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. cxd4 exd4 16. Rac1 Qd6 17. f4 f6 18. f5 Qe5 19. Nf4 g5 20. Nh5+ Kg8 21. h4 h6 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Rf3 Kf7? (Black needs to tread carefully in this position. His knight and one of the rooks are terribly out of play on the queenside and his king is rather exposed. On the other hand, White has good chances on the kingside and there’s always a danger of him infiltrating through the c-file. Black’s 23rd move is a blunder and allows a decisive stroke from White. The best resistance may be 23…Bd7.) 24. Nxf6 (After this sac, which White played almost immediately, Black’s position is untenable.) 24….Kxf6 25. Rh3 Rg8 26. Rh6+ Kf7 27. Rh7+ Ke8 28. Rcc7 Kd8 29. Bb5 Qxe4 30. Rxc8+ 1-0

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People like me watching from afar were shell-shocked. Why was it so easy for Topalov to dismantle Anand’s game? Has Topalov’s preparation been so superior that Anand had no answer? Or, was the Indian grandmaster still suffering from his overland drive?

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It was also almost impossible to gauge Anand’s frame of mind after this loss. Would he brush it aside as an aberration? Certainly, it came as a shock to his system and to his world-wide fan base. Most people would be demoralised to have lost in only 30 moves. However, Anand is made of sterner stuff and he came back with a firm resolve on the next day. In the second game, he gave Topalov no opportunity at all for open tactical play and scored a fine win to level the match at 1-all. Here it is:

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Viswanathan Anand – Veselin Topalov, Game 2

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. Ne5 c5 7. Na3 cxd4 8. Naxc4 Bc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Ba5 Qe7 14. Qb3 Rb8 15. Qa3 Qxa3 16. bxa3 (Shades of Bobby Fischer. Inspirational. I still remember one of Fischer’s games with Spassky in 1972 when he willingly saddled himself with a doubled pawn on the h-file. Likewise in this game, Anand accepted the doubled pawns on the a-file. However, in return, he keeps up the pressure on the queenside.) 16….N7f6 17. Nce5 Re8 18. Rc2 b6 19. Bd2 Bb7 20. Rfc1 Rbd8 21. f4 Bb8 22. a4 a5 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 h5 25. R1c4 Ne3? (This move is considered a mistake. Black showed impatience with the position.) 26. Bxe3 dxe3 27. Bf3 g6 28. Rxb6 Ba7 29. Rb3 Rd4 30. Rc7 Bb8 31. Rc5 Bd6 32. Rxa5 Rc8 33. Kg2 Rc2 34. a3 (At this stage, Black is probably already lost. This unassuming pawn will ultimately decide the game.) 34….Ra2 35. Nb4 Bxb4 36. axb4 Nd5 37. b5 Raxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxa4 39. Bxd5 exd5 40. b6 Ra8 41. b7 (I hope you remember that this was the pawn that was originally on the a2 square) 41….Rb8 42. Kf3 d4 43. Ke4 1-0