[BrianWall-ChessList] Topalov - Grischuk Linares 2010 Round 5

Fri Feb 19 10:07:17 MST 2010

http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6140

Chessbase report on this round -
analysis by Anish Giri

Current standings after this game

Topalov                     - 3.5/5
Aronian, Gashimov, Grischuk - 2.5/5
Gelfand, Vallejo Pons       -   2/5

5 more rounds to go

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I was watching this game live so I have a few questions.

[Event "ICC 120 30 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.02.18"]
[Round "-"]
[White "*GM_Topalov"]
[Black "*GM_Grischuk"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[Opening "Sicilian: Najdorf, Adams attack"]
[ECO "B90"]
[NIC "SI.14"]
[Time "15:51:47"]
[TimeControl "7200+30"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6

Back to move 6

8. h3

Bobby Fischer has 3 games with this in
My 60 Memorable Games. I've played it.

8 ... Nc6 9. g4 Qb6

played 5 times before, twice by Grischuk

10. Nde2  TN Topalov

Theoretical Novelty by #2 rated Chessplayer

Topalov took 6 minutes on it -
I doubt this is prep

10 Nb3 was played all 5 times before but
Nd4-e2-g3-f5 is a common idea with  h3-g4.
I played this way against Paul Nikitovich 35 years ago.
We almost had 4 Queens on the board after  g4-g5:f6:g7
and ... b5-b4:c3:b2

10 ... e6 11. Bg2 Be7 12. b3

Topalov took 6 minutes on this too.
12 Be3!  Q:b2?  13 a3!  N:g4  14 hg  Bf6  15 e5  B:e5
16 0-0!!  B:c3!  17 Q:d6!!  wins easily hunting both King and Queen,
Alexander's position is a big mess. 16 0-0!!   d5  loses to
17  Qd3, Qd2  or Ra2 here
There are other lines but basically 12  Be3!  Q:b2?
traps the Queen  after  13 a3! threatening 14 Ra2
12 Be3  Q-somewhere else  would be a normal Sicilian.

Russian/Massachusetts GM Alexander Ivanov plays a lot of these
double fianchetto positions for White against the Sicilian.

12 ... h6

I call these positions the Rock,
Black sets up an artificial strong point on e5 for his Knight.
Gothenberg, Sweden Variation etc., etc.

13. Qd2 g5 14. Ba3!

Someone finally decided to punish that backward pawn on d6

14 ...  Ne5 15. O-O-O!  Qxf2!  16. Bxd6!  Bxd6!  17. Qxd6!  Nfd7! 18. Nd4! Qf6!

Topalov has an extra 69 rating points, an extra half hour on the clock
and a slight edge. Veselin makes a practical decision to avoid all
slightly favorable endings and keep Queens on.

18 ... Q:g2??  19 N:e6!!
is a smackdown

19. Qa3!?  Qe7! 20. Qb2!

The fianchettoed Queen looks creative

20 ... O-O!

Topalov -  72 minutes
Grischuk - 27 minutes

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3334

Grischuk 2006 World Blitz Champion

21. Nf5!?

Topalov only took 3 minutes on this bold sac,
opening up squares for his c3-Knight and g2-Bishop.
Rybka calls it the 24th best move with some but not
quite enough compensation. The world held its breath
waiting to see how the 2006 World Blitz Champion
would defend against the daring Bulgarian/Spanish
World #2 rated player.

21 ...  exf5!  22. Nd5!  Qc5!  23. exf5!  a5

Activating the QR.
Grischuk was moving quickly now.
There are other ideas -
23 ... f6 or ... Re8  support the Rock on e5
23 ... Qf2 stirs up trouble
23 ... Kh7  supports the h6-pawn

24. h4!

Topalov considered how to most upset Grischuk for 10 minutes.
Despite the missing piece the board position is about equal.
The tension is very high. There are different approaches
Grishchuk can take here -
24 ...  f6  bolstering  or
24 ...  N:g4  15  hg  Nde5  improving the Knights  or
24 ... Ra6  Calvary to the rescue  or
24 ... a4  counterattack.

Alexander took one minute for his reply.

24 ...  gxh4 25. Rxh4

Topalov took 8 minutes here.
25 Kb1!!  is slightly more flexible.
25 Kb1  Qf2 looks disturbing but
can be met by  26 Be4 or  26  Qc1  Ra6  27 Rd2
25 Kb1 is roughly equal -
25 Kb1  a4  26 R:h4  Ra6  27 f6!  R:f6  28 N:f6+  N:f6  29 R:h6
is about even but rather impossible to assess in time trouble

25 ... Ra6!

Grischuk -  19 minutes
Topalov  -  45 minutes

26. Kb1?

Best one move ago but now not so good.

7 minutes spent.

The right move is completely counter-intuitive
26 Rh3!!  then 26 ... Qf2 is met by  27 Ne7+  Kg7  28 Bh1
and other moves can be met by  27 g5!  or Rc3!  or Kb1!
It's a big, complicated mess and for a while Grischuk in time
pressure does better than Topalov who started the whole thing.

26 ... Qf2!!

7 minutes spent leaving 12 minutes to reach move 40.
The main reason for 26 Rh3!! is so that  ... Qf2
does not attack both Rook and Bishop.

27. Ne7+!  Kg7?

Humans hate pins.
27 ... Kh8??  walks into a Queen-Rook crossfire  after 28 Rdh1!!.
It turns out  27 ... Kh7!!  pins the h6-pawn to the King
but frees the e5-knight which can now take on g4 or d7,
depending on circumstances. This was Grischuk's biggest
winning chance all game. He took 5 minutes on his choice,
leaving 7 minutes left. Topalov had an extra half hour.
All the 1400s with engines turned on collectively groaned.

28. Rh2!

Guarding both attacked pieces.

28 ...  f6?

4 minutes spent, leaving 3 left. Very exciting.
The game is turning in favor of the 2800 player.
The right moves look wrong -
28 ... Rd6!!  29  R:d6  Qg1+  regains the Rook
28 ... Re8!  encourages  29 N:c8  R:c8  but then
30 R:d7??  Qg1+!!  31  Qc1  Q:h2  wins

Alexander's move unguards h6 so the computer driven
crowd was screaming for the logical  29 Qc1!!
If GM Grischuk uses the Rook to guard h6 then who guards c8?
29 Qc1  Rh8  30 N:c8!
If Grissy guards h6 with his Knight then who guards d7?
29 Qc1  Nf7 30 N:c8!  R:c8?  31 R:d7
If  Alexander pushes his h-pawn then
29 Qc1  h5  30 Rdh1!!  connects all the dots
or 30 g5!!!  disconnects all the dots
If Grischuk  counterattacks
29 Qc1  N:g4  30 N:c8  threatens
31 R:d7+  or B:b7
29 Qc1  N:g4  30 N:c8  Nc5  31 Rf1 or Rd2
is about the best Grischuk can get but this favors Topalov.

29. g5!?  fxg5!  30. Nxc8!  Raf6!

This wild game has swung back Grischuk's way
who only has 2 minutes to make 10 moves

31. Ne7 R8f7!

Second best -
31 ... Qg3!! 32 Rdh1  Ng4!!
wins material safely -
another good winning chance for Grischuk.

32. Nd5!

Topalov still has half an hour left

32 ... Nf3

Grischuk keeps some advantage with  32 ... Ng4!!,
still preying on that awkward h2-Rook and g2-Bishop.
In time pressure against a dangerous 2800 Alexander
goes for trades.

33. Bxf3!  Qxh2!  34. Nxf6

34 Qe5!  is a micro-improvement -
it's about equal either way

34 ... Nxf6!  35. a4!  Qf4 36. Bd5!

GMs Atalik and Yermolinsky were in the ICC audience.
One of them preferred this to  36 Bh5

36 ...  Rd7! 37. Re1!  Qxf5!

37 ... g4!  or  .. h5!  are also good for equality.
Grischuk somehow never manages to roll his Kingside passers.
37 ... R:d5??  38 Re7+!!  mates

38. Bc4

38 Be6  fork  Qf2  counterattack  39 Qe5  defending everything  Re7  pin
is equal.

38 ... Qf2

Despite being down to his last minute, Grischuk's pawns are
easier to push so if anyone has the micro-edge, he does.
38 ... Qc5, ... Qf4  or ... Qg4  would leave Topalov struggling
to draw after the time control.

39. Qe5!!

Centralizing equalizer

39 ... Qd4!!

Centralizing equalizer

40. Qf5!!

Deal with  Bd3

40 ...  Qg4

Pushing the passed pawn is another way -
40 ... Qc3  41 Rf1  g4!
and Bd3 can be met by R:d3
40 ... Qf4 is also OK.

We thought it would be drawn now since both players get another
hour to reach move 60. Grischuk infuriated the audience by getting
in time pressure again and refusing to push his passed pawns.

I said at the time -
White pushes his pawns and makes them passed,
Black pushes his pawns and exposes his King, unfair.
That's about what happened.

41. Qxa5!

Even material, minor miracle after all that.

41 ... Rd1+!  42. Rxd1!  Qxd1+!  43. Kb2!  Qd6

43 ... Qd4+!  and ... Qd7 are also OK
but Topalov has an extra 40 minutes.
Grischuk already used half of his
extra hour given to him at move 40

44. Qa7!

targetting the b7-pawn

44 ... Qe5+!  45. Ka2 Qe4

45 ... Qc7!   46  a5  Ne4!  is equal

46. Bd3!  Qc6!  47. a5!  Nd5!

The delicate scales are tipping in Topalov's favor.
Grischuk has to deal with a6:b7-b8(Q)

48. Qd4+!

Complementation -
Queen on dark squares,
Bishop on light squares

48 ...  Nf6!  49. Qe5!

Squeezing the position and the clock.
The audience was writhing.

Grischuk -  8 minutes to move 60
Topalov  - 53 minutes

49 ...  Kf8 50. c4?

50 Kb2!!  was a more patient way to
free the Bishop by guarding the c-pawn

50 ...  g4!

50 ... Kf7!! is also still good enough to draw

51. Bf5!  Kf7!  52. Qb8

The GMs and computer owners explained how 52 B:g4  drew.
Topalov keeps squeezing like a demonic 2800.
The audience was practically begging Grischuk to
draw with 52 ... h5!!, it was bad enough enough he
threw away so many wins. Here's a very cool draw -
52 Qb8  h5!!  53 Bc8!!  h4  54 B:b7  Qc5!!
and it turns out to be hard to simultaneously
guard the a5-pawn while blocking a Kingside touchdown.
55 a6  Qa5+  is a perpetual.
If 55 Qa8 or Qd8  h3  Grischuk will probably get his own Queen.
Sadly he had no time to verify any of this and awkwardly went
into defensive mode. 52 Qb8  h5!!  53 Bc8!!  h4  54 Q:b7+!!  Q:b7
55 B:b7  h3  56 Bc8!!  would refute this defense anyway.

A long ago I formed an endgame theory that you can't do two things at once,
many times you just have to go with your strengths, form a coordinated,
cohesive fighting unit and hope for the best. This position is a good
example of that theory.

52 ... Ne8 53. Qf4!!

Since Grishchuk is feebly defending his b7-pawn,
Topalov switches gears and eats a kingside pawn.

53 ... Qc5 54. Bxg4+

Grischuk is down to 3 minutes, Topalov has 37 minutes plus
an extra pawn. We all watched helplessly as Grischuk twisted
in the wind.

54 ... Nf6 55. Qf5!!

Guarding a5

55 ...  Qd4!  56. Bf3!

Alexander's h-pawn isn't going anywhere,
meanwhile, Topalov can slowly advance
his whole Queenside armada.

56 ...  Qf2+ 57. Ka3!  Kg7! 58. Ka4 b6! 59. axb6!!

All the patzer kibitzers without computers tried to hang their Queen with
59 a6?  Qa2+  60 Kb5?  Qa5+  61 Kc6  Q:f5

59 ...  Qxb6!  60. c5!  Qa7+!

Grischuk gets another 15 minutes but it's too late.

61. Kb5!  Qb8+!  62. Kc4!  Qg8+ 63. Kc3!  Qe8!  64. b4!  Qe1+ 65. Kc4 Qf1+!
66. Kb3!  Qb5!  67. Bd1 Qc6 68. Bc2!  Kf7!  69. Bd3!

With 8 minutes left, his third time pressure,
Grischuk finally admits he can't stop those pawns.
b5-b6 is coming soon enough.

After saccing/blundering so much material,
Topalov ends up nursing an extra pawn to victory.

{White wins} 1-0
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[Event "ICC 120 30 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.02.18"]
[Round "-"]
[White "*GM_Topalov"]
[Black "*GM_Grischuk"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2805"]
[BlackElo "2736"]
[Opening "Sicilian: Najdorf, Adams attack"]
[ECO "B90"]
[NIC "SI.14"]
[Time "15:51:47"]
[TimeControl "7200+30"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6 8.
h3 Nc6 9. g4 Qb6 10. Nde2 e6 11. Bg2 Be7 12. b3 h6 13. Qd2 g5 14. Ba3 Ne5
15. O-O-O Qxf2 16. Bxd6 Bxd6 17. Qxd6 Nfd7 18. Nd4 Qf6 19. Qa3 Qe7 20. Qb2
O-O 21. Nf5 exf5 22. Nd5 Qc5 23. exf5 a5 24. h4 gxh4 25. Rxh4 Ra6 26. Kb1
Qf2 27. Ne7+ Kg7 28. Rh2 f6 29. g5 fxg5 30. Nxc8 Raf6 31. Ne7 R8f7 32. Nd5
Nf3 33. Bxf3 Qxh2 34. Nxf6 Nxf6 35. a4 Qf4 36. Bd5 Rd7 37. Re1 Qxf5 38. Bc4
Qf2 39. Qe5 Qd4 40. Qf5 Qg4 41. Qxa5 Rd1+ 42. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 43. Kb2 Qd6 44. Qa7
Qe5+ 45. Ka2 Qe4 46. Bd3 Qc6 47. a5 Nd5 48. Qd4+ Nf6 49. Qe5 Kf8 50. c4 g4
51. Bf5 Kf7 52. Qb8 Ne8 53. Qf4 Qc5 54. Bxg4+ Nf6 55. Qf5 Qd4 56. Bf3 Qf2+
57. Ka3 Kg7 58. Ka4 b6 59. axb6 Qxb6 60. c5 Qa7+ 61. Kb5 Qb8+ 62. Kc4 Qg8+
63. Kc3 Qe8 64. b4 Qe1+ 65. Kc4 Qf1+ 66. Kb3 Qb5 67. Bd1 Qc6 68. Bc2 Kf7 69.
Bd3 {White wins} 1-0
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[Event "World Blitz Campionship 2009"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "8.6"]
[White "Naiditsch, Arkadij"]
[Black "Grischuk, Alexander"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Joe Eversole Variation of the English Opening"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bc1 Nf6 8. h3
Nc6 9. g4 Qb6 10. Nb3 e6 11. Bg2 Be7 12. Be3 Qc7 13. g5 Nd7 14. f4 b5 15. Qd2
Bb7 16. O-O-O Nb6 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. h4 b4 19. Ne2 a5 20. Nbd4 a4 21. Kb1 Qc5
22. h5 Nxd4 23. Nxd4 a3 24. b3 Rc8 25. Rh3 O-O 26. g6 Bf6 27. gxf7+ Kxf7 28.
Rd3 Rfd8 29. e5 Bxg2 30. exf6 Be4 31. Re3 d5 32. fxg7 Rd7 33. Rg1 Kg8 34. Nxe6
Qxc2+ 35. Qxc2 Rxc2 36. Ka1 Re7 37. Nd4 Rd2 38. Nf5 Re6 39. Rxe4 dxe4 40. Rc1
Rc6 41. Ne7+ Kxg7 42. Nxc6 e3 43. Nxb4 e2 44. Kb1 Rb2+ 45. Ka1 Rd2 46. Kb1 Rb2+
47. Ka1 Rd2 1/2-1/2

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[Event "World Blitz Campionship 2009"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "26.10"]
[White "Dominguez Perez, Leinier"]
[Black "Grischuk, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Joe Eversole Variation of the English Opening"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 Nc6 7. g4 Qb6 8. Nb3
e6 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Qe2 b5 11. f4 Bb7 12. Bg2 Be7 13. O-O-O Nd7 14. Qf2 Na5 15.
Nxa5 Qxa5 16. Kb1 Rc8 17. Bd4 O-O 18. e5 Bxg2 19. Qxg2 dxe5 20. fxe5 Nc5 21.
Ne4 Nxe4 22. Qxe4 Qc7 23. Rh2 Rfd8 24. Rhd2 Bg5 25. Be3 Rxd2 26. Rxd2 h6 27. b3
a5 28. Bxg5 hxg5 29. Qe3 a4 30. Qxg5 axb3 31. axb3 Qa5 32. Qe3 Ra8 33. Qd4 Qa2+
34. Kc1 Rc8 35. Qb2 Qa8 36. Qd4 Qh1+ 37. Kb2 Qxh3 38. Rf2 Qg3 39. Qd2 Qxe5+ 40.
c3 b4 41. Rf3 Ra8 42. Re3 0-1

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