Topalov to challenge Anand for the chess crown

Bulgarian grandmaster Vesselin Topalov won the right to challenge world champion Viswanathan Anand after winning the chess crown pretenders match against American Gata Kamsky on February 26 2009.

Playing with the white pieces, Topalov won the seventh game in his eight-of-best match against Kamsky in Sofia to take the overall score to 4.5-2.5 points. Topalov's superb performance forced Kamsky to concede on the 45th move, which meant that there was no need for the two to meet for an eight time.

If the final score was 4-4, a tie-break of up to seven fast chess games had to be played on February 28 2009.

"It was a game of blink, to see who will make the first mistake," Topalov was quoted by Bulgarian news agency Focus after the game."

At one point, I felt in control of the game but then I made a mistake. Kamsky played very fast and he himself made a fatal mistake. He could have played better. After my loss [in game four] we with the team felt very bad because we could not get our game where we wanted.

"Kamsky always outsmarted us. He is a very tough player. I have never won in such a long match and it was a big experience for me," Topalov said."

It was a very complicated game," Focus quoted Kamsky as saying. "I made some serious mistakes while Vesselin played very smart and made fewer mistakes. At the end, I was the one who lost," he said.

Topalov, the 2005 world champion, will have a chance thus to reclaim the crown when he meets reigning champion Viswanathan Anand later this year. - The Sofia Echo

Kamsky Wins Game 4, Evens Match Against Topalov

By Dylan Loeb McClain

Gata Kamsky of the United States beat Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria Saturday in Game 4 of their world chess championship challengers match. The best-of-eight match, which is being played in Sofia, Bulgaria, is now even with one win a piece and two draws. The winner is supposed to play a title match against Viswanathan Anand of India. More information about the match and the players is on the official Web site.

In Game 4, Kamsky had White and was able to steer the game into the kind of closed position in which he excels. Actually, Topalov almost seemed to acquiesce to taking the game down a quiet path. It was a curious decision as he is much better in open positions where his tactical prowess is superior to Kamsky’s, as he showed in Game 2. In that game, he surprised Kamsky with an unusual variation of the Berlin Defense and Kamsky took a lot of time on his clock to navigate the variations. Eventually, he ran low of time, erred and lost.

Game 4 began as Game 2 had, but Topalov did not employ the Berlin Defense. Perhaps he figured that the shock value he got from the opening in Game 2 would no longer work as Kamsky would now be well-prepared. Whatever Topalov was thinking, he followed the well-known paths of the Ruy Lopez, an opening that suits Kamsky’s style.

Topalov actually got a reasonable, albeit somewhat passive game. Then Kamsky sacrificed a pawn to restrict Black’s pieces and Topalov clearly got frustrated. He pushed his b pawn too far, allowing White’s pieces inroads into Black’s position. Kamsky recovered his pawn and had an ideal position where Black had multiple weaknesses.

Kamsky soon won a pawn and simplified to a position where his pieces were better placed than Topalov’s and he had a dangerous passed d pawn. From there, Kamsky used excellent technique to convert his advantage into a victory.

It was Kamsky’s first win against Topalov.

Source: Gambit Blog

[Event "Sofia match"]
[Date "2009.02.20"]
[Round "3"]
[White "GM Topalov"]
[Black "GM Kamsky"]
[White Elo "2796"]
[Black Elo "2725"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3 Topalov is mixing things up immediately. In game 1, Topalov played 4.cxd5 and the game continued with Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-O...

dxc4 5. Qxc4 Bg7 6. e4 O-O 7. Be2 a6 8. Bf4 b5 9. Qxc7 This could be an interesting line 9... Qxd4 10. Rd1 Qb4 11. Rd2 Nbd7 12. Be3 Rb8 +=

9. Qxc7 10. Bxc7 b4 This is another option 10... Bb7 11. f3 Rc8 12. Bf4 Nc6 13. e5 Nd7 14. Rd1 =

11. Na4 Nc6 12. d5 Nd4 Gata is doing much better in time today. In fact, he is slightly ahead in time. This is a major improvement over the first two games.

13.Bd3 Bd7 The most logical continuation for White here would be 14.Nb6. However, Black has a possible dynamic response 14...Bb5 15. Be5 Bxd3 16. Bxd4 Rab8 17. e5 Rxb6 18. Rd1 Nd7 19. Bxb6 Bb5 20. Bd4 +=. The more natural 14...Ra7 15.Be5 is not as good for Black.

14.Nb6 Time for Black to calculate all the critical line. This is the key make or break moment of the game.

14...Bb5 Once again, Gata found the strongest and most aggressive line. The good thing is he is not afraid to get into a complicated position. He is comfortable with it. The not so good thing is this is the kind of brawl that Topalov likes.

15.Be5 Both 15...Bxd3 or 15...Rab8 are fine. I personally prefer Bxd3. Gata understand that the game is at a critical phase. This is why he is starting to take his time to calculate through so many complicated lines.

15...Nxe4 This is a possibility 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Bxe4 Rab8 18. O-O-O =

16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Bxe4 The best move. Now 17...Rab8 is the only move to maintain equality.

17...Rab8 Now 18.0-0-0 is the best move. With 18...Nf5, Gata can equalize.

18.0-0-0 Nf5 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20. d6 Rxb6 21. dxe7 Re8 22. Nf3 =

19.Bxf5 gxf5 Gata is playing this game well. He badly needs to hold and it seems that he is doing just that to regain the self confidence to get back into this match.

20.d6 Rxb6 21.dxe7 Re8 22.Nf3 Just as expected. White has a very very small edge but Black should have no problem drawing this game. 22...Rxe7 23.Nd4 is the logical continuation.

22...Rxe7 23.Nd4 Black can ignore the Knight and play 23...Kf6 or he can retreat with 23...Bd7. Probably the second choice is more preferable.

23...Bd7 24.Rhe1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 = Now a move like 25...Rh6 is important. Why? Basically it puts pressure for White to play h3. White wants to put his pawns on h4 and g3 dark squares. Then the Knight can park on f4 and White is in good shape. 25...Rh6 stops it.

25...Rh6 26.Rh7 Getting out of playing h3.

26...Rd6 27.Ne2 White is aiming to get his Knight to f4. The position is still equal. However, Topalov is making Kamsky earn it. I think it is more psychologically than the merit of the position.

27...Kf6 28.Re3 Another move to force Black to put his pawns on the light square. This is something to remember when playing endgame with a Bishop.

28...Ba4 29.b3 Bc6 = Still looks equal

30.Nf4 a5 31.g3 30...Be4 will take away the White's Rook mobility. In fact, it is a must move or else White will play Rd3 to exchange the Rooks. If the Rooks are gone, White will be better.

31...Be4 32.f3 Bc6 33.h4 Rd4 The position is still equal.

34.Kc3 White can try to give up the f3 pawn by playing Rd3. Once the Rooks are off the board, White can march his King to c4 then b5.

34...Bb5 Stopping Rd3. I expect draw shortly as neither side can really make progress.

35.Nh5+ Kg6 36.Nf4+ Kf6 37.Nh5+ 1/2 This is a good draw for Gata. He needs to have a relatively easy game to get back on track for game 4.

Source: Susan Polgar

Kamsky 0-1 Topalov game 2

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0–0 Bc5 This is a very surprising choice for Topalov. This line is generally considered risky for Black. However, I am sure that the Topalov team has something prepared. If the clock is correct, Kamsky is spending a lot of time on his 5th move. One thing you have to give Topalov a lot of credit for, he does take chances and go for the win with both Black and White pieces.

5.Nxe5 Nxe4 6.Qe2 Nxe5 Both 7.d4 or 7.Qxe4 are fine

7.d4 Qe7 Both 8.Qxe4 and 8dxc5 are playable. 8.dxc5 maybe a slightly better option. It seems the the Topalov team has out prepared the Kamsky team in the first two games. However, we have yet to see the fruitful result for Topalov. That's due to Kamsky's resourcefulness.

8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Nc3 Ng6 Topalov is moving with lightning speed. He is ahead by around 50 minutes on the clock. However, I do not see much for Black. White is still slightly better. He has excellent compensation for the pawn with far superior development. I like 10.Be3 here for White. White surely does not want to trade Queen with a pawn down.

10.Qh5 Kamsky now has approximately 42 minutes vs 118 minutes for Topalov. I do not think that this is not the strongest move for White. Black can simply 0-0 and then try to convert the pawn up endgame. White does have compensation for the pawn. However, being low on time, Kamsky does not have an easy task. But never count him out though. He is a fighter.

10...c6 I think 11.Bg5 is the only move to maintain compensation for the pawn. It gains a tempo for the Rooks to be connected.

11.Bg5 Excellent find by Gata. Black must defend with 11...f6.

11...f6 If 12.Rae1 then 12...Ne6 =12.

Rae1 Ne6 This position is quite complicated and dangerous for White. One false move and he will be looking at an inferior endgame. The best move for White here is 13.

Bd3.13.Bd3 Once again, Gata found the best move under pressure.

13...0-0 Yesterday, Topalov sacrificed early for an attacking initiative. He failed to make serious progress and the game ended in a draw. Today, it is Kamsky's turn.

14.Bd2 Gata continues to make good moves. If 14...Qf7 then 15.f4. If 14...d5 then 15.Bg6 hxg6 16.Qxg6.

14...d5 Topalov decided to give back the pawn to trade down pieces. White can either take the Knight of g6 or play 15.f4.

15.f4 Gata decides not to trade pieces. He wants to keep the pressure on. The threat is obviously f5. Black has 15...Qd6 If 16.f5 then Nef4 =+. 15...Qc5 is also fine for Black.

15...Qc5+ This is an interesting continuation: 16. Be3 Qb4 17. a3 Qxb2 18. Nd1 Qxa3 =16.

Kh1 Time pressure is starting to get to Gata. This is not the most accurate move. 16.Be3 would have been a better move.

16...d4! 17.Bf5? Now 17...Nexf4 and Black stands better.

17...Rf7? I have no comprehension of this move. This allows Gata back in the game.

18.Ne4 Qd5 19.Bxg6 = The ONLY move for Black here is 19...hxg6. Everything else wins for White.

19...hxg6 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.Nd6 At first glance, White seems to be better because of the threat of Nxc8 then Rxe6. However, Black has 21...Rc7 22.Nxc8 Raxc8 23.Rxe6 Rxc2 24.Re2 Rxb2 =+

21...Rc7 22.c4?! Now Black has 22...dxc3 23. Bxc3 d4 24. Nxc8 Raxc8 25. Rxe6 dxc3 26. bxc3 Rxc3 -/+ Gata is also in severe time trouble. He has around 5 minutes or less to make move 40!

22...dxc3 23.Bxc3 d4 24.Bb4 Now White is in serious trouble.

24... Bd7 25. Rf2 a5! An excellent move to expand his advantage.

26. Ba3 b5 27. b3 -+ b4 28.Bb2 Ra6 29.Ne4 Rac6 -+ Both players played very fast in the past few moves.

30.Kg1 Rc2 31.g3 Unless Topalov blunders here, Black will score a full point in this game.

31...d3 32.Rd1 Now 32...f5 and game over. If White moves the Knight, Black will take the Rook on f2, followed by Rc2+ winning the Bishop on b2. 0-1

Source: Susan Polgar Blog