[Event “Sofia Match”]
[Date “2009.02.24”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Kamsky”]
[Black “Topalov”]
[ECO “B12”]
[White Elo “2725”]
[Black Elo “2797”]
1. e4 c6 Once again, Topalov chose NOT to play the Sicilian as 3 of Gata’s seconds are Sicilian experts. This is a wise move.
2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ne7 8. Nd2 Nbc6 9. N2f3 Bg4 10. O-O Bxf3 11. Nxf3 g6
Please feel free to continue adding the moves and analysis. I will complete the analysis as soon as I have a chance.
12. c4 Bg7 13. cxd5 Nxd5 14. Bc5 Bf8 15. Qc1 Rc8 16. Bxf8 Nd4 17. Qd1 Nxe2+ 18. Qxe2 Kxf8 19. Rac1 Kg7 20. h4 Qb6 21. g3 h6 22. a3 Rc5 23. Rc2 Rhc8 24. Rfc1 a5 25. Qd2 Rxc2 26. Rxc2 Rc5 27. Qc1 Rxc2 28. Qxc2 Ne7 29. Qc3 Nc6 30. b3 Qd8 31. a4 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Qe2 33. Qe3 Qd1 34. Nd2 Nb4 35. Nc4 Nc2 36. Qd2 Qb1 37. Qf4 Ne1+ 38. Kh2 Qxb3 39. Qf6+ Kg8 40. Qd8+ Kh7 41. Qf6 Kg8 42. Qd8+ Kh7 43. Qf6 Kg8 1/2-1/2
Click here to replay the game.
I predict a draw!
22. a3-Rc5 looks equal. And Kamsky had the advantage! Does anyone have the times?
23. Rc2…
Times: 0:38 – 1.24
tick tock gata kamsky… tick tock!
Whenever Fritz 11’s best 3 moves all show 0.00, for several moves, it usually ends up in a draw, unless of course somebody makes a big blunder.
That is the situation now, at move 22 (by both sides) and after move 23 by White.
on to move 28.. looks very drawish indeed. almost nothing left to play at really…
kamsky has not much time. he will blunder.
36..Qb1 by Topalov looks suspicious
Suspicious queen move
O.K. after 41.Qf6 by Kamsky we have a long thibk by Topalov. Obviously he is deciding taking a draw with taking the knight and perpetual by Kamsky or settling for an endgame with 41…Qf3.
But at a first glance the best black can hope for is trying to trade the white a-pawn against his two a and b pawns, because his knight and king are far off the action.
So, IMO it’s a draw now…
I think all that Topalov has to do in this match is show up, push a few pieces and wait for Kamsky to self destruct. He should save all of his novelties for Anand if he ever gets a match – because in this economy it will be hard to get sponsors.
Kamsky’s problem has been the clock which in turn has induced blunders. Topalov is in an enviable position where he is just sitting back and waiting to pounce on his opponent’s mistakes under time pressure.
As Black, Kamsky should probably fight e4 with c5. I feel he can handle complications just as well as Topalov and should meet him in his own Sicilian backyard.
Kamsky wasn’t in time trouble when he made that Nb4 move in game 5. If Topalov wins the match, I would tend to credit good opening preparation by Topalov and Gata’s inconsistent performance in ‘quiet’ positions as main factors in the win.
2 games left forKamsky to get 1 win to draw the match,i dont think he can do it.
Is Topalov that much better that Kamsky or is Kamsky losing the match to Topalov through nerves,the clock or not so good opening preparation.
2 games left for Kamsky to get 1 win to draw the match, I think he can do it.
‘Is Topalov that much better that Kamsky or is Kamsky losing the match to Topalov through nerves,the clock or not so good opening preparation.’
It’s because Topa has more nutritional breakfasts, while US Kamsky drinks too much Coke.
Topalov is simply a world-champion level GM, right?
More than 15 ELO points before the current WC.