2007 Corus Round 2

V. Topalov – L. van Wely (Bulgarian pride vs. Dutch pride)

1.e4!! (Finally! Topalov is playing 1.e4 again. 1.d4 has not worked too well for him lately) c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O b5 10.f3 Be6 (11.g4 is the most popular move now. As in the Sicilian, the basic idea is simple. White attacks the Kingside ASAP and Black counter-attack on the Queenside ASAP.) 11.Nd5 (This has also been played but a less popular than 11.g4) 11…Bxd5 (11…Nxd5 is also fine) 12.exd5 Qc7 13.g4 Rc8 14.Kb1 b4 15.g5 Nfd7 16.h4 a5 17.Bh3 (17…a4 is must because Black must attack as fast as possible. This game really fits their styles) 17…a4 18.Nc1 Na6 19.h5 (Both sides have dangerous attacks and every single tempo counts. I very much prefer White here.) 19…Rcb8 (I expect 20.g6 here.) 20.g6 (This is a very dangerous position for Black. Black is in a big dilemma. Should he try to hold off the attack on the Kingside with something like 20…Nf8 or go for it with something like 20…a3?) 20…Bf6 21.gxf7 Kxf7 22.Be6+ Kf8 (In this position, 23.Qd3 would be a knockout blow. It does look like a dangerous move for White but it does work better.) 23.b3 (This move is less accurate and gives Black chances) 23…Ndc5 (This is one of those Sicilian moments where 1 move can make win or lose the game. Both players know this and that is why they are taking so much time to calculate everything out.) 24.24. Rhg1 Qe7 25. Bf5 Kg8 26. Bxc5 Nxc5 27. Qh6 Kf8 (White is completely winning here.) 28.Qxh7 Qf7 29.Nd3 (Black is in serious trouble. The counter attack is going nowhere and the Kingside is busted.) 29…axb3 30.cxb3 Nxd3 31.Rxd3 (31.Bxd3 would be a fine re-capture as well.) 31…e4 32.Bd6 (The best continuation!) 32…exd3 33.Bxf7 (Black is completely lost!) 33…Rxa2 (Setting up a final desperate trap that just about anyone can see.) 34.Qg8+ Ke7 35.Kxa2 (I expect resignation.) 1-0

A. Motylev – V. Anand (The quest to become #1)

GM Motylev (2647) – GM Anand (2779) [B97]
Corus Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, 14.01.2007

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 h6 11.Bh4 dxe5 12.fxe5 Nfd7 13.Ne4 Qxa2 14.Rd1 Qd5 15.Qe3 Qxe5 16.Be2 Bc5 17.Bg3 Bxd4 18.Rxd4 Qa5+ 19.Rd2 0-0 20.Bd6 (White has enough compensation for the 3 pawns due to Black’s undeveloped pieces) 20…Rd8 21.Qg3 (Anand took a while to come up with this move while Motylev played this correct move relatively quickly. That usually means that the player is caught in one those home prepared opening lines.) 21…Qf5 (This move seemed to take Motylev out of home preparation. He then spent a lot of time before making his next move.) 22.Be5 Qg6 23.Qh4 Nc6 (I would play 24.O-O here. Neither Knight can move because of pins.) 24.O-O f5 25.Bh5 Qh7 (White is doing fine but is very low on time.) 26.Bb2 (White is already down 3 pawns. Now he is sacrificing a Knight.) 26…fxe4 27.Rf7 (This is a very interesting position. White has a lot of play. The key question though is will he find the right continuation in severe time pressure?) 27…Rf8 28.Qf2 (White is going for it. I don’t see a win but OTB, anything can happen as nerves become a factor. Don’t expect Anand to falter though. I prefer 28.Rxg7+) 28…Rxf7 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.Rf2 e5 31.Qd5 Nf6 0-1

V. Kramnik – A. Shirov (Fire vs. Ice)
L. Aronian – R. Ponomariov (Young guns)
M. Carlsen – D. Navara (Battle of 2 young stars 2)
P. Svidler – S. Tiviakov (Homefield advantage)
T. Radjabov – S. Karjakin (Battle of 2 young stars 1)