So far, Anand has been successful in obtaining the type of positions which he is comfortable with in this match. What is even more important is he was able to obtain positions which are uncomfortable for his opponent.
Anand is a universal player. As we can clearly see in game 2, Anand was able to hang on to a small positional advantage and waited for his opponent to make inaccurate moves then capitalized on it. In game 3, Anand was very patient in getting his pieces, one at the time, into play to hold as Black (Bf5, g6, h7, g8, f7, e8, d7, etc.). In game 4, Anand demonstrated his ability to attack and calculate.
So what must Topalov do to come back in this match? There are still 8 games left but he must start to employ the right strategy. An all out risky assault may work in one or two games in the match but it will not work for the long haul. So if you are Topalov’s strategist, what would you advise him?
I will offer my opinion later on.
He must shave his beard 🙂
Sorry, I meant facial hair 🙂
He should focus on openings which Kramnik is not strong at.We know the current play is around the openings which Kramnik like. Also he should not allow catalan to develop on the board
With one point ahead, Anand won’t play aggressively. Topalov must has something new in his opening and he must be patient and won’t blunder.
Susan this guy in BIG trouble.
Here are five suggestions from me even though I am a die hard fan of Anand.
1. Focus on Chess and not off board activities. This applies to Topalov and his entire team. These cheap shots takes their mind away from chess and actually benefits Anand.
2. Opening lines and team preparation is great but Topalov needs to think like a top level GM ON THE BOARD.
In the last few games we have seen less than competent moves by him. He is not thinking about the beset move, his mind is wandering about what his team suggested or how come he did not prepare for this.
He himself said “My team does everything, I only make the moves” That needs to stop and he needs to think for himself.
3. Come up with novelties. Anand is a complete player. To find chinks in his armor is not easy though not impossible. He does make mistakes like in game one. To induce mistakes h needs to spring a surprise with a novelty or two. So far have seen nothing of that sort.
Even though Anand is superior he is the one to come up with novelties – Game 2: Qa3, bxa4. Gam 4: Na3, Ng4, Nxh6! et al. His moves are the talk of chess town. Topa needs to do some of that.
4. Do due diligence before every move. Topa plays rash chess sometimes. Game 2 : Nxe3. Game 4: h6. He needs to stop that.
Remember the guy in front sniffs weakness like a tiger sniffs blood and will go for the kill and it will be over within minutes. Game 4 was over in 23 moves pretty much. So bottom line – don’t rush.
5. Be a nice guy. People want to be see you as worthy enough to wear the mantle of Chess champion. Not enough if bulgaria alone thinks highly of you. Stop the drawma. Just extend your hand if the position is dead.
-Basky
Topalov’s problem is that he is limited as a chess player, compared to Anand.
The fact he has no patience in some kinds of positions is too serious a weakness for a world championship challenger.
Every world champion has to have the ability to be a patient defender in unpleasant positions.
Topalov should have drawn game 2 and certainly shouldn’t have lost game 4 in 23 moves (moves after 23 were unnecessary).
Objectively speaking, and not taking into account my intense personal dislike for Topalov and his team or my fond feelings and respect for Anand—Topalost is Toastalov.
My suggestion for Topalov is the
1 e4 e5 2 nf3 nf6 3 ne5 d6 4 nf7!
This is actually not half bad—maybe 1/5 bad—and holds some danger for black.
I think he should just play to his strengths! He’s not at his best in quiet positions or long positional grinds. I think 1d4 is a good choice with White, but maybe try 1e4 also! With Black, I’d suggest the Sicilian Najdorf or Sveshnikov against 1e4 and the Grunfeld against 1d4! All are sound and would give him the positions he’s best at! Topalov likes piece activity and chasing the initiative! Right now he’s trying to play solid chess, but he’s not getting solid results!
Don’t let Akobian see Topa wearing his glasses. There will be trouble!
Game 5. Play e4
Game 6. If Anand tries to get another Catalan, I think Topalov needs to play the benoni which he has been known to do in the past.
Topa should opt for e4 now and see what Anand has up his sleeve. If I were Anand, faced with e4, I’d dust off my old Karpov notes on the Caro-Kann or play the solid French.
Responding with the Sicilian would be playing into Topalov’s hands.
Benoni is a ridiculous idea for Topalov if he’s in a must win situation.
White can play Qd5 instead of c:d, hoover off the pieces and force an easy draw. I am pretty sure Anand used this method and drew in 15 moves once.
Topalov’s worst weakness seems to be a tendency to play impulsively and optimistically in critical positions where he is on the defensive. He must master this tendency and be as patient as Anand was in game 3 when required. Excessive risk taking will have limited success at the highest level.
In tournaments, Topalov is known to have a weak start, but he always manages to come from behind and win. He has a great fighting spirit.
I like Anand, and am enjoying his new strategy for this match. He obviously has found a weakness in Topalov’s repertoire.
Topalov team should analyze Anand’s lost games for the last 5 years and find common elements that caused these losses.
Then opening and middle part of the Topalov’s play should be aimed on creating as much as possible positions where Anand has a highest probability to make mistakes similar to the once he made in past.
GI
Joke: Kidnap Aruna and say that we will release her only if Anand exposes the king AND also tells the mate lines.
Susan – Please don’t publish that bad joke. Sorry.
Play for a full fight with sharp opening play which leads to hard calculation, and which requires great tactical ability.
I think, Topalov has to change his strategy: Change to 1.e4, with Black change to Benoni, so he can see if Anand is prepared here as well as in the Catalan.
Secondly he has to have patience, especially with black. Se3 in the second and h6 in the fourth game were played very fast, although he had much time for searching for the best move and not only a move that looks good for the first impulse.
But nevertheless he needs firstably one thing: fortune.
Joke: Danailov is an honest person.
Joke: Topalov is a courageous and noble man!
Joke: I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
Susan, why do you want him to come back. We are happy that Anand is winning!! !)
Topalov has to maintain his psychology aspects and go to the sharper positions.
Anand is playing like Kramnik Topalov shall play like Anand. 🙂
[Match Anand Kramnik]
Topalov shud do some yoga for mental fitness
evryday Anand spend time for mental fitness
Joke: Topalov should shake hands twice with Anand next time and tell him that he was joking regarding the sofia rules and ask him to stop humiliating him in his own country
All of us know that Topalov had a better score of 11-10 in classical games. I was under the impression that this guy has something special and an element of ingenuity.Now I am convinced that He is good at only isolated mad attacks that would upset a sober player like Anand in a tournament when you are caught unaware.In a match he is prepared for such somersaults and wont produce results.
Anand is no Fritz. Obviously, Topalov could prepare and get results. But he cannot match Anand in experience and ideas . You need to be a real genius to beat Anand on board and of course not off the board.
I would say prepare well for Anand and play resourcefully as if you would play with a chess software. You make a mistake only once in a game!!
I am an ardent Anand fan though, and wish him luck.
All of us know that Topalov had a better score of 11-10 in classical games. I was under the impression that this guy has something special and an element of ingenuity.Now I am convinced that He is good at sots.e isolated mad attack that would upset a sober player like Anand in a tournament when you are caught unaware.In a match he is prepared for such somersaults and wont produce results.
Anand is not Fritz. Obviously, Topalov could prepare and get results. But he cannot match Anand in experience and ideas . You need to be a real genius to beat Anand on board and of course not off the board.
I would say prepare well for Anand and play resourcefully as if you would play with a chess software. You make a mistake only once in a game!!
I am an ardent Anand fan though and wish him luck.
Prepare a scandal of some sort.
Topalov is overrated. Let’s just get that straight. He has been exposed and I’d be surprised if he wins anything here.
At this rate the WCC will be over in just a few games. I don’t think its going the full stretch. I can see the big fat lady doing the mic testing.
Someone suggested look at 5 years of Vishy’s losses. Great. In like next few hours? What were they doing all these months? Too late.
Anand is like Federer, doesn’t care about other tournaments like Fed who doesn’t care about masters tournaments. Chess world championship match play is like grandslams in tennis which is a whole different animal!
Joke: Topalov should get married to a beautiful wife like Aruna
With 8 games left I think Topalov and his team should stick with whatever plans and match stratey they had before the match with one exception: Avoid the Catalan. This choice is a bit puzzling looking at Topalovs stats in the Catalan opening. Yes, he is down one point but it is too early to go crazy and risk a definite loss in the match. With four games left and probably still being down in the match it is time to pull out those crazy openings/lines that are unusual and risky: English, Dutch etc. Unless he has a strong novelty against the Petroff, I don’t think he should play 1.e4 since Vishy is a master of the petroff from both sides. Looks tough unless Anand makes blunders like in game 1.
One of Topalov’s problems is he’s not able very well to adjust his strategy or style. This style which we could call push and play aggressively at all costs works well when you have a decided advantage over weaker opponents. With stronger opponents it doesn’t serve him as well. Anand has shown he is the deeper strategist. He is also not inferior to anyone in calculating variations. All this spells a defeat for Topalov.
My best advice for Topalov: Don’t consider any of the patzer’s logic.
Best regards
I predict Anand to win 7-4.
Anand won’t take unnecessary chances, but he is too smart to go into the Prevent D with a 1 point lead this early in the match. Topalov is sweating now. Look for Anand to keep up the pressure and exploit that, especially with white, to score the knockout blow.
“An all out risky assault may work in one or two games in the match but it will not work for the long haul.” I don’t agree. I believe if Topalov manages to get the type of wild position he likes, he can reverse the decision. He belongs to the Alekhine-Tal line, that’s what he should seek for: not clear positions. There are only 8 games left, Topalov can play very dynamic and hope to win. And I believe he will not change his way of thinking because he lost two games.
the problem with topalov are;
1 he is too predictable a player, attack only, very brillant in sharp games but not the best in solid postions, wants to play for wins allthe time(which isnt bad for the sport), but in doing this “force win thing” we sometimes loses -eg against kramnik. Anand having understood that has resolved to postional lines
2 topalov off board tactics has failed, he should stop being so restless and face the match seriously, work hard on and off the board, believe in himself more and no cramming of move 23.
3 topalov psychology isnt working. all the no draw off and other acts to keep anad off balance isnt working. so Mr Topalov play chess period.
I advise him to give it up at once. He’s no match to Anand. Simply.
First of all, if Anand plays 1.e4 there will be a Sicilian and then it’s perfectly ok for Veselin ! but against 1.d4 playing 1..Nf6 and 2..e6 seems to be exactly the same “mistake” he did against Gata by playing the Ruy Lopez. 0f course you can’t play Pirc Modern, Dutch or something offbeat but maybe the KID, even if it’s risky, it’s not as risky as the CATALAN against Anand.
BUt let’s not forget the two players play excellently and the positions are very complex, so an interesting play may prove wrong !
And with White, he should find something complicated against the Slav otherwise he is doomed
Topalov has to change his strategy for Black.
He should try Dutch for example,he must try to pull the game to the King Side.
He should not confine the game only to the Queen Side.
Like his last black games.
He should create some “fire on board” and stop playing those stuffed positions,where he’s been choked and smothered.
In the last game Topalov simply did not get out of the opening.
Go topa
Go topa you can do it
Go topa you can do it
I think Topalov should prepare for a match with that “world champion” from Nevada who wanted to play a high stakes match with Akobian.
I don’t see why people are so bent on criticising Topalov. He is just 1 point down. So was Anand after the first game, and we all liked the way he bounced back. I am sure Topalov is going to bounce back too: these are seasoned players you can’y keep ’em down for long, and that is what would make for an interesting match!
1. Being only one point behind is recoverable. Make sure that gap doesn’t increase. Play safe. Make draws if you don’t like the type of position you get into.
2. Play 1.e4 or 1.c4 with white and hope for Anand to get into a line in which you have prepared a novelty. If not, just play safe and be content with a draw.
3. You may get lucky and Anand could make mistakes. You have eight opportunities for such a thing to happen.
4. Instead of using Rybka to look for novelties, switch to Firebird and Stockfish. Use these softwares to verify all of your preparation with Rybka.
5. Try to find a novelty in the Catalan and use it if you get the chance.
Maybe he should just improvise on Aronian’s strategy against Anand
Latest News. The Topalov team did some brainstorming and came out with the following 15 rules and strategies.
1. Topalov can have two kings. This will decrease chances of losing by half.
2. Topalov can queen his pawn once it reaches rank 5.
3. Anand must play left handed. Topalov can use both hands (new Sofia rule)
4. Topalov can use unlimited phone a friend, but only to Nigel Short.
5. Topalov reserves the right to dial 911 when his pieces come under fire.
6. Topalov will choose a color and then switch sides half way through the game.
7. Topalov can hide under the table until the storm passes above.
8. Topalov can call Ban Ki Moon to initiate peace efforts and prevent King take over.
9. Topalov will invoke the Geneva convention. Once Anand takes a piece he must return it after brief detention.
10. Topalov will talk to Kamsky for a shoulder after a loss.
11. Topalov will be warned on 10 different occasions (at least) before a check mate.
12. Topalov will sit with the arbiter so he can offer the draw before he screws it up further.
13. Topalov will not be asked difficult questions by the press such as “Where did it go wrong?”
14. Topalov will go to Frankfurt and drive back for 40 hours and watch Lord of the rings.
15. Topalov will go to Iceland and get stuck and postpone the championship.
If you guys really like this (15 rules) let me know, I’d do a part II after tomorrows game.
You owe me five dollars pal!
Your 15 rules have blown your cover Anonymous!You are a true friend of Topa indeed.He couldn’t have found a better and surer rules to defeat Anand!!In fact this is the only way he can come up trumps against Vishy!
Strategic rules of the well known SWOT analysis:
1. Strength (Toplaov)
2. Weakness (Anand)
3. Opportunity
4. Threat
Hello Susan, I am very curisou to hear your opinion.
Tks for this GREAT blog!