GM Topalov (2777) – GM Carlsen (2775) [B78]
10.09.2008, Bilbao Grand Slam Final
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Qd2 0–0 9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 a6 13.h4 h5 14.g4 hxg4 15.h5 Nxh5 16.Rdg1 Rc5 17.Bh6 Kh7 = / += I am surprised to see how often Magnus employs the Dragon. Usually at the top level, players try to diversify their repertoire to create the surprise element. It seems that Magnus is quite confident with his pet opening and he proves it with his results.
18.Bxg7 Kxg7 White’s best continuation here is 19.f4 Nc4 20. Bxc4 Rxc4 21. f5 += This is the best way to maintain pressure on the Kingside
19.f4 Nc4 20.Bxc5 Rxc5 21.f5 e5 White has 3 main choices: 21.fxe6, Nb3, or Nde2. All of them are OK but I prefer fxe6 a little more since I like the Knight remaining on d4
22.Nde2 Rh8 += 23.b3 Another good alternative is fxg6
23…Rc6 24.Rxg5 Nf6 25.R4g1
25…Rxh1 26.Rxh1 Ng4 27.Ng3 This is a very dangerous position for Magnus. White has a strong attack while Black has little counter play. I am having a hard time finding something effective for Magnus in this position.
27…Kg8 28.Nd5 Black is in serious trouble. It is fighting for survival now.
28…Rc5 29.Ne3 The only chance for Black is 29…Nxe3. Everything else loses immediately. Even with Nxe3, White still has an overwhelming advantage.
29…Nxe3 30.Qxe3 Qf6 31.Qh6 This is not the most accurate continuation. 31.Rh6 or 31.Kb2 are both stronger options.
31…Qg7 32.Qg5 f6 33.Qd2 Rc6 I think 34.Qa5 and it’s basically over. Black will have a hard time defending the attack.
34.Kb2? This basically almost let Magnus off the hook. It is obviously not a drawn or even position yet but Magnus is in a much better shape than the other option with White playing 34.Qa5!
34…gxf5 35.Qa5 Better late than never but it would have been so much stronger one move earlier.
35…Qe7 I do not like this move as much as 36…b6. The problem with Qe7 is it takes the Queen away from the g file and now allow White to play exf5 and maintain the pressure on the Kingside with the dangerous g and h files wide open.
36.Qd5+ I also do not like this move as much as 36.exf5 and prevent the Be6 defense. Now 36…Be6 which is the only move 37.Nxf5 still gives White an advantage but not as much as the other option.
36…Be6 37.Qd1 +/- 37. Qd1 Qg7 38. exf5 Bf7 39. Ne4 Kf8 40. Nxd6 Ke7 41. Nxb7?
White wins immediately with 41.Nxf7 Qxf7 42.Rh8!
41…Qg8 42. Qd2 Rb6 43. Rd1 Qc8 44. Nd6? More accurate would be 44.Nd8 or Nc5
44…Qd7 45. Nxf7 Qxd2 46. Rxd2 Kxf7 47. c4 Ke7 48.Kc3 White still has an excellent shot of scoring the full point here but Topalov has his work cut out for him. I am not sure if this is correct or not but it seems that Magnus resigned. Black is far worse in this endgame but I do not think it is resignable yet.
Thanks Susan for your live comments. And it’s also great that it’s not Spanish 😉
Susan, could you use chesstheatre to show finished games, this program has great features.
thanks.
The time control and scoring method (and firey styles) has provided some awesome games like used to exist all the time before the computer era. I hope this format becomes popular.
Again no real counterplay of Carlsen, it’s becoming a bad habbit.
We hardly left the opening phase!! Surely this setup of black isn’t about equal from the start.
It aint over before the fat lady sings..
You seem very sure Magnus is off the hook: chess.fm is not so sure.
Magnus secret weapon: 2 orange juice bottles!
In the mean time IvanChuk-Radjabov game is on move 18th and each have 13 minutes
left. Someone has got to remind them that the time control is 90/40.
Did Ivanchuk lose on time? It’s move 38 and his clock expired
Susan, excellent site, also the live commentary. However, one common mistake as so prevailent for commentators: according to your annotations Black has not made a dubious (? or ??) move, white one and still white is better. This clearly does not make sense. Other than that, wonderful site. Thanks.
Carlsen never makes mistakes. If he loses he’s got stomach problems or is tired, if he wins he’s god. When he wins liveratings are watched eagerly, when he lose everybody forgets about the site. 🙂
Topo should have played 47 Rd7+ keeps hist rook on the 7th and black king on the back rank
Topa won nonetheless. Quite surprising (and also somewhat relieving), though, to see how many inaccuracies are also being committed on such a high level.
On the other game Ivanchuk won the blitz game against Radjabov, he (both) played about 15+ moves with about 20 seconds left on the clock. I guess there is a reason why he is the world blitz champion :-)).
Anon @ comment # 13, I kinda know what you mean about the Carlsen Worship. I think he’s an incredible player and will be a serious contender for the world championship down the road, but I think he needs a few more years of seasoning. Then again, what do I know? *shrug*