TWIC is 30. First issue 17th September 1994.
World Chess Championship 2010 (9)
Anand - Topalov World Championship Game 9
Mark Crowther - Thursday 6th May 2010
Anand in play against Topalov in Game 9. Photo © | www.chessdom.com
Game 9 was a traumatic error strewn game in which Anand missed a number of winning chances and Topalov having got right back into the game, played rapidly to find himself lost again before nervousness and time pressure caused Anand to throw the win away for a final time.
The game opened Topalov defending a Nimzo-Indian instead of a Catalan and he soon found himself on the back foot after yet another novelty from Anand. Topalov took a very commital decision to sacrifice two rooks for a queen which seemed to be a bad one.
Then on move 40 with only a few minutes left Anand decided to take a check to make time control but this allowed Topalov to escape with his king to the queenside and support his passed pawns. This position was hard to assess. Topalov then played the commital 42...b4 in only 5 minutes (55 minutes left), his 44...Qa1+ was definitely wrong (the queen is more active on c1) and the losing 46...gxh5. Anand played slowly and found a way to win Topalov's knight but again he was under time-pressure coming up to the second time control and only when he just made it could he settle down to find the win.
Anand got 15 minutes + 30 seconds a move but soon used much of this up. He then chose completely the wrong plan and this allowed Topalov to Queen one of his pawns and eventually give perpetual check.
It is always dangerous to examine these games with the merciless chess analytical engines running and the position again proved difficult for both players to find the best moves but the feeling remains that there were far too many errors from both players in this game. Goodness knows what the mental state of the players, especially Anand, is after this marathon.
Notes by IM Malcolm Pein. Commentary Mark Crowther.
Game 9 start. Photo © http://www.chessdom.com who are on the spot with commentary, photos and reports.
Anand,Viswanathan - Topalov,Veselin E53
WCh Sofia BUL (9), 06.05.2010
IM Malcolm Pein
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 d5 7.0-0 cxd4 8.exd4 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b6 10.Bg5 Bb7 11.Re1 Nbd7 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.Bd3
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 13.Bd3
Topalov starts to think. He has a number of choices and is probably working through what he would like to play today. This is a classical chess position with white having an Isolated Queen Pawn, a space advantage and easier piece play. There are still plenty (of somewhat old) games starting from this position
13...Re8 14.Qe2 Bxc3
14...Be7 15.Ba6 Bxa6 16.Qxa6 is a little passive for black.
15.bxc3
Giving white hanging pawns, another classical pawn structure with well known themes
15...Qc7 16.Bh4 Nh5 17.Ng5
17.Qe3 Ndf6 18.Bg3
(18.Ne5 Nd5
0-1 Gligoric,S (2560)-Browne,W (2540)/Novi Sad 1979/EXT 1999 (72)
)
18...Nxg3 1/2-1/2 Portisch,L (2630)-Andersson,U (2585)/Buenos Aires 1978/ EXT
17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Ng5+ Kg6 19.g4 Qf4 20.gxh5+ Kh6 21.Qe3 Qg4+ 22.Qg3 Kxh5 Eventually lost for white in Knaak,R (2535)-Sturua,Z (2410), Trnava 1980.
17...g6 18.Nh3N
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 18.Nh3
Finally a new move. Topalov has been using up a lot of time. Anand not so much.
18.Qd2 Bd5 19.f3 Bc4 20.Bb1 Qf4 21.Qf2 f5 22.Nh3 Qd6 23.Bg5 b5 24.Qh4 e5 25.Rcd1 exd4 26.Rxd4 Rxe1+ 27.Qxe1 Qe6 28.Qd2 Re8 29.Bh4 Nb6 30.Rd8 Nd5 31.Rxe8+ 1/2-1/2 Psakhis,L (2611)-Hillarp Persson,T (2549)/Torshavn 2000/CBM 078 ext/Psakhis
18...e5 19.f3 Qd6
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 19.Qd6
Maybe a surprise for Anand who has been playing quite quickly so far, perhaps the end of his preparation?
20.Bf2
Looks like the best, Anand played this after around 15 minutes thought, white has some nasty ideas in this position. Anand has 1:15 minutes left, Topalov 59 minutes
20...exd4 21.Qxe8+ Rxe8 22.Rxe8+ Nf8 23.cxd4 Nf6 24.Ree1 Ne6 25.Bc4 Bd5 26.Bg3
26.Bh4 Kg7 27.Nf2
(27.Ng5 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Nxd4)
27...Nh5 28.Ne4 Qb4 29.a3 Qb2 30.Bxd5 Qxd4+ 31.Bf2 Qxd5 32.Red1 Qb3
26...Qb4
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 26.Qb4
26...Qb4 Typical plan in the Nimzo-Indian. Exchanging light bishops and blockading d5 thus inhibiting White's remaining bishop. Now I think Vishy should stir it up to try and secure the advantage as Q N + N v R R N + B looks solid for Black 27.Be5 Nd7 28.Bxd5 Nxe5 29.Bxe6 Qxd4+ 30.Kh1 fxe6 31.Ng5 Qd2 32.h4!
26...Qb4 Typical plan in the Nimzo-Indian. Exchanging light bishops and blockading d5 thus inhibiting White's remaining bishop. Now I think Vishy should stir it up to try and secure the advantage as Q N + N v R R N + B looks solid for Black 27.Be5 Nd7 28.Bxd5 Nxe5 29.Bxe6 Qxd4+ 30.Kh1 fxe6 31.Ng5 Qd2 32.h4!
(32.Nxe6 Nd3)
32...Nd3? 33.Rc8+ Kg7 34.Rxe6+-
27.Be5 Nd7 28.a3
28.a3
28...Qd2 29.Bxd5 Nxe5 30.Bxe6 Qxd4+ 31.Kh1 fxe6 32.Ng5 Qd6
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 32...Qd6
33.Ne4
33.Nxe6 Qxa3
(33...Qxe6 34.f4)
33...Qxa3 34.Rc3 Qb2 35.h4 b5 36.Rc8+ Kg7 37.Rc7+ Kf8 38.Ng5 Ke8
38...Ke8 39.Rxh7 Qc3 40.Re4 b4 41.Rxa7 b3 42.Rb7 Qc1+ 43.Kh2 b2 44.Ra4 Nd7 45.Rab4 Qe1 46.Rxb2 Qxh4+ 47.Nh3
39.Rxh7 Qc3 40.Rh8+
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 40.Rh8+
Re4 see above
40...Kd7!
40...Ke7 41.Rh7+ Ke8 42.Re4
41.Rh7+
There is an amazing line that seems to lead to a draw 41.Rd1+ Nd3 42.Ra8
(42.Ne4 Qxh8)
42...Kc7 43.Ne4 Qa3 44.Rg8 a5 45.Rg7+ Kc6 46.Rd7 Kxd7 47.Rxd3+ Qxd3 48.Nc5+ Kc6 49.Nxd3 b4 50.g4 b3 51.h5 gxh5 52.gxh5 a4 53.h6 a3 54.h7 b2 55.Nxb2 axb2 56.h8Q b1Q+
41...Kc6 42.Re4
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 42.Re4
42...b4
42...Kb6 computers
43.Nxe6 Kb6 44.Nf4
44.Nf4 Qa1+ 45.Kh2 a5
A) 46.Re7 Nc6 47.R7e6 Kb5
47...b3 48.Rc4 b2 49.Rcxc6+ Kb5 50.Rb6+ Kc4 51.Rec6+ Kd4 52.Ne6+ Kd3 53.Rb3+ Ke2 54.Rcb6+-)
48.Rxg6 b3 49.Nd3 b2
B) 46.h5 g5 47.Rh6+ Kb5 48.Ne6 Ka4
(48...b3? 49.Nd4++-)
49.Nxg5 Nd3 50.Ne6 Kb3
44...Qa1+ 45.Kh2 a5 46.h5 gxh5 47.Rxh5 Nc6
A crazy position. Winning queen and knight for two rooks is not always an option for Anand as the black pawns are further advanced and supported by the king but this position must be better for White
47...Nc6 48.Re6 Qg7
A) 49.Nd5+ Kb7 50.Rhh6
(50.Reh6!+-)
50...b3 51.Rxc6 Qe5+ 52.f4 Qxd5
B) 49.Rhh6 Qc7 50.Rxc6+ Qxc6 51.Rxc6+ Kxc6 52.g4 b3 53.Nd3 a4 54.g5 a3 55.g6 b2 56.Nxb2 axb2 57.g7 b1Q 58.g8Q
44...Qa1+ 45.Kh2 a5 46.h5 gxh5 47.Rxh5 Nc6
A crazy position. Winning queen and knight for two rooks is not always an option for Anand as the black pawns are further advanced and supported by the king but this position must be better for White
47...Nc6 48.Re6 Qg7
A) 49.Nd5+ Kb7 50.Rhh6
(50.Reh6!+-)
50...b3 51.Rxc6 Qe5+ 52.f4 Qxd5
B) 49.Rhh6 Qc7 50.Rxc6+ Qxc6 51.Rxc6+ Kxc6 52.g4 b3 53.Nd3 a4 54.g5 a3 55.g6 b2 56.Nxb2 axb2 57.g7 b1Q 58.g8Q
48.Nd5+ Kb7
48...Kb7 49.Rh7+ Ka6 50.Re6 Kb5 51.Rh5
A) 51...Nd4 52.Nb6+ Ka6 53.Rd6 Kb7
(53...Nb5 54.Rg6 Qb1 55.Rhh6 b3 56.Na4+ Ka7 57.Rh7+ Kb8 58.Rg8#)
54.Nd5 Nc6 55.Rh7+
B) 51...b3 52.Nc3+ Kb6 53.Rb5+ Kc7 54.Rc5
C) 51...Nd8 52.Nb6+
(52.Rb6+ Kc4 53.Rd6 Nb7 54.Nb6+ Kc3 55.Rd7 b3 56.Rxb7 b2 57.Rb5 b1Q 58.Rxb1 Qxb1 59.Nd5+ Kd4 60.Rxb1)
52...Ka6 53.Rg6
49.Rh7+! Ka6 50.Re6 Kb5 51.Rh5!
That clinches it Black loses his knight 7 minutes left for Anand who used some tme over Rh7+. 4m 36seconds left. Topalov played very fast after the control but slowed down after 49.Rh7+ but it was too late
51...Nd4 52.Nb6+ Ka6 53.Rd6
A mating net emerges and there is no way out other thank giving the knight and trying to head for a4 to resist longer
53...Kb7 54.Nc4??
54.Nd5+- Nxf3+ 55.gxf3 Qb2+ 56.Kg3 Qb1 57.Rhh6 Qe1+ 58.Kg4 Qg1+ 59.Kf5 Qb1+ 60.Ke6 Qe1+ 61.Kd7 wins but you can see why with a ticking clock it was rejected - well sort of
54...Nxf3+ 55.gxf3 Qa2+ 56.Nd2 Kc7 57.Rhd5
for Anand and it looks far from clear how does he organise the mate with this pieces in a line and king devoid of cover. It ought to be possible since Black is three moves from promoting. The time control can't come quick enough
57.Rhd5 b3 58.Rd7+ Kc8
(58...Kc6 59.Kg3 b2 60.R5d6+ Kc5 61.Ne4+ Kc4 62.Rc7+ Kb4 63.Rb6++-)
59.Ra7 a4 60.Kg3 b2 61.Rh5 Qg8+ 62.Kh2 b1Q 63.Nxb1 Qa2+ 64.Kg3 Qg8+ 65.Kf4 Qc4+ 66.Ke3 Qb3+ 67.Ke2 Qc4+
57...b3 58.Rd7+ Kc8 59.Rd8+
59.Rd8+ Kc7 60.Ra8 a4 61.Rd4 a3 62.Kg3 Qa1 63.Nxb3 Qg1+ 64.Kf4 Qh2+ 65.Ke3 Qg1+ 66.Kd3 Qf1+ 67.Kc2 Qf2+ 68.Rd2 Qxf3 69.Rxa3
59...Kc7 60.R8d7+ Kc8
Now Rg7 intending Rdd7 ought to do it
60...Kc8 61.Rg7 Qb2 62.Rdd7
61.Rg7 a4 62.Rc5+
62.Rdd7 wins 62...a3 63.Kg3 Qa1 64.Rc7+ Kb8 65.Rb7+ Ka8 66.Nxb3
62...Kb8 63.Rd5?
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 63.Rd5
Missing a straightforward win.
63.Rd7
63...Kc8 64.Kg3
This is the one that finally throws it away although Anand has clearly been casting around for the right idea for some time now.
64.Rdd7
64...Qa1 65.Rg4 b2 66.Rc4+ Kb7 67.Kf2 b1Q 68.Nxb1 Qxb1 69.Rdd4 Qa2+ 70.Kg3 a3 71.Rc3 Qa1 72.Rb4+ Ka6 73.Ra4+ Kb5
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 73.Kb5
74.Rcxa3
74.Raxa3 seems a better capture.
74...Qg1+ 75.Kf4 Qc1+ 76.Kf5 Qc5+ 77.Ke4 Qc2+ 78.Ke3 Qc1+ 79.Kf2 Qd2+ 80.Kg3 Qe1+ 81.Kf4 Qc1+ 82.Kg3 Qg1+ 83.Kf4 1/2-1/2
Veselin Topalov
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Viswanathan Anand
Final Position after 83.Kf4
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