FIDE World Chess Championship 2010

WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2010
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Players
World Champion Viswanathan Anand, India, 11 December 1969 (40 years old). Still one of the fastest chess players in the circuit. Known for his pragmatic but universal playing style. The strongest rapid chess player ever. Lost a PCA World Championship match against Garry Kasparov back in 1995. Held the FIDE World Chess Championship from 2000 to 2002. One of five players in history to break the 2800 mark on the FIDE rating list, and in April 2007 at the age of 37, he became the oldest person to become world number-one for the first time. He was at the top of the world rankings five out of six times, from April 2007 to July 2008, holding the number-one ranking for a total of 15 months. Awarded Indias second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008, as the first sportperson who got this award in Indian history.
Challenger Veselin Topalov, Bulgaria, 15 March 1975 (35 years old). Former FIDE world chess champion and former worlds number one. Known for his fighting spirit and aggressive playing style, with K FIDE-World
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trademark exchange sacrifices. Won the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 in San Luis, Argentina. Lost his title in the World Chess Championship 2006 match against Vladimir Kramnik, during which he accused his opponent of cheating. Was ranked #1 in the world from April 2006 to January 2007, and had the second highest Elo rating of all time (2813). He regained the world #1 ranking again in October 2008, and officially remained #1 until January 2010, when he fell to #2 behind Magnus Carlsen. Has been ranked number one a total of 27 months in his career, fourth all-time since the inception of the FIDE ranking lists in 1971 behind only Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Bobby Fischer. Before this match, Anand and Topalov met 87 times. Anand scored 55%: he won 23 times, drew 50 times and lost 14 times. However, this includes rapid, blitz and blindfold games. If we only look at the classical games, in a total of 44 games, Topalov won 11 games, Anand 10 and 23 games were drawn.
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History
The upcoming World Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Veselin Topalov will be the first match since Capablanca-Lasker (1921) in which no Soviet or Russian player is involved. It will be the third match that will yield an undisputed World Champion, after the chess world had to deal with a schism from 1993 till 2006. When Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik played their reunification match in 2006 in Elista, the line of FIDE champions and the line of match champions (Kasparov and Kramnik) came together again. A year later, in September 2007, the winner of the reunification match, Vladimir Kramnik, lost his title at the World Championship tournament in Mexico City. That tournament was won by Viswanathan Anand, who thus took over the world title. To some this title was still not undisputed: they argued that a Chess World Championship should be fought out in a match. The only top player who didnt play in Mexico City was Veselin Topalov. With FIDE he had arranged compensation for this: the privilege to play a match against the winner of the 2007 World Cup, to determine the challenger for the 2010 World Championship match. At first this arrangement was widely criticized, but when Topalov kept on leading the world rankings, less and less people were having problems with seeing the Bulgarian playing for the World Title again. Due to many problems involving venues and managers, this challengers match between Topalov and Gata Kamsky (who had won the 2007 World Cup) took place in February 2009, four months after the new World Championship match was played. In this match, played in Bonn, Germany in October 2008, Viswanathan Anand had retained his World Title against Vladimir Kramnik, who had inherited the right for a return match. The challengers math was won by Topalov, who thus qualified for the upcoming match for the highest title.
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The 2010 match

The 2010 World Championship match is the final event of the current World Championship cycle. The winner will be declared World Champion for the period 2010-2011. The match will take place April 24 May 13 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The match will consist of 12 games, and if necessary, a 4-game rapid tiebreak, if necessary 5 -game blitz matches and if necessary 1 sudden death game. The classical games will be played in pairs of 2, so there will be a rest day after every 2 games. No postponements are allowed. The draw for colors will be conducted during the opening ceremony. To prevent having the same player starting with the same color after a rest day all the time, the colors are reversed after 6 games. The time control for each game shall be: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting after move 61. The time control for the tiebreak is 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move (4 games) and if necessary 5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment after each move (2 blitz games). The sudden death game will have the player with the white pieces receiving 5 minutes, the player with the black pieces 4 minutes whereupon, after the 60th move, both players shall receive an increment of 3 seconds from move 61. In case of a draw the player with the black pieces is declared the winner.
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Game 1
Topalov,Veselin (2805) - Anand,Viswanathan (2787) [D87] WCh Sofia BUL (1), 24.04.2010
[Analysis by IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 f6 2.c4 g6 3.c3 d5 Anand has been playing the Gruenfeld a lot but nevertheless, even as a Gruenfeld aficionado. I have always thought it risky at WCC level. However in this concrete age of computer preparation the top players have everything worked out but not it would seem, memorized 4.cxd5 xd5 5.e4 xc3 6.bxc3 g7 7.c4
No surprise, this has been Topalov's choice before 7...c5 8.e2 c6 9.e3 00 10.00 a5 [10...g4 11.f3 a5 12.xf7+ xf7 13.fxg4 was the battleground in the 1987 WCC match at Seville with Karpov white and Kasparov black; 10...g4 11.f3 cxd4 12.cxd4 a5 13.d3 e6 14.d5 is an exchange sacrifice from the 1950s that Topalov has enjoyed success with; 10...c7 Smyslov Variation is the sharpest] 11.d3 b6 12.d2 [12.c1 is the K FIDE-World
other main line 12...e5 13.dxc5 e6 14.c4 bxc5 15.xc5 e8 As in the same game Topalov - Svidler Linares/Morelia 2006 but 15...Bh6! is better and Black seems to be OK; 12.dxc5?! bxc5 13.xc5 c7 14.d4 e5 15.e3 c4 with good compensation is a typical Gruenfeld theme] 12...e5 [The modern move which Peter Svidler explained to me on ChessFM he invented 12...e6 13.ac1 cxd4 14.cxd4 b7 15.h4 or 15.Bh6 is the older line which is rarely seen nowadays. The plan of h4-h6 and e4-e5 can be problematic for Black] 13.h6 [13.d5?! f5; 13.dxe5?! xe5] 13...cxd4 14.xg7 xg7 15.cxd4 exd4 16.ac1 [16.f4 f6 17.e5 Topalov - Kamsky WCC Candidates Final Sofia 2009 17...d7 18.exf6+ xf6 19.g3 h8 Black seemed OK so it's no surprise Topalov varies] 16...d6
[A novelty but both sides had obviously looked at in detail 16...b7 17.f4 c8 18.xc8 xc8 19.f5 c6 20.f3 e5 21.h3 h8 22.f6+ g8 23.h6 f8 24.xf8+ xf8 25.xd4 e8 26.b5+ d8 27.c3 a6 28.a4 b5 29.b3 e8 1/21/2 Karjakin,S (2732)-Carlsen,M (2765)/Foros UKR 2008/The Week in Chess 711] 17.f4 f6 18.f5 e5 It's vital to prevent e4-e5 in all circumstances. Black would like to play Na5-c6-e5 but it can't be organized [18...c6 19.b5 e5 20.xd4] 19.f4 [19.h1 d7 20.g1 ac8 21.f3 d6] 19...g5 20.h5+ All played in just a few minutes - who is going to blink first ? Putting the knight on h5 has to be justified by concrete computer analysis as it could be badly placed later 20...g8 21.h4 h6 22.hxg5 hxg5 23.f3
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Both sides had been playing very quickly to this point but now Anand thought for 10+ minutes 23...f7??
Losing on the spot. It looks like Anand forgot his preparation. [23...d7 looks best as Nxf6 does not appear to work. 24.g3 f7 may have been what was in his computer 25.xf6? (25.c4+ xc4 26.xc4 h8 27.xd4 xf5 28.d7+ xd7 29.xd7+ e7 30.d5+ e6 31.b7+ e7 32.d5+=) 25...xg3; 23...f7 Is the kind of defensive move Black wants to make but it allows 24.xf6+ xf6 25.e5 xe5 26.xg5+ g7 27.d8+ f8 28.d5++- ; 23...d7 24.xf6+ xf6 25.e5 xe5 26.xg5+ f7 27.g6+ e7 28.f6+ d8; K FIDE-World
23...d7 24.c4+ xc4 25.xc4 e8 26.xf6+ xf6 27.xg5+ g6!] 24.xf6!!
This ends the game. Topalov thought about this for just a few minutes, played it and walked off leaving Anand in no doubt that this was prepared analysis and that he was lost. The main tactical them is that Black cannot hold c7 and g5. Positional his Na5 and Ra8 are out of the game 24...xf6 [24...xf6 Makes no difference 25.h3 h8 26.xh8 xh8 27.c7+ f6 28.e5+; 24...xf6 25.h3 g8 26.e5 xe5 27.xg5+; 24...xf6 25.h3 d7 26.h7+ e8 27.e5 xe5 28.e1] 25.h3! The best move to win. 25...g8 [25...f4 26.e5+! xe5 27.h6+; 25...d7 26.h6+ f7 27.h7+ f6 28.xd7 ad8 29.h7 h8 30.cc7 xh7 31.xh7 f4 32.xf4 gxf4 33.f2 c8 34.f3 c3 35.xf4 xd3 36.e5 Was found by Peter Svidler just for fun. ] 26.h6+ f7 27.h7+ e8 [27...g7 28.xg7+ xg7 (28...xg7 29.c7+) 29.xg5+] 28.cc7 Black cannot make a constructive move 28...d8 29.b5! xe4 [29...xb5 30.xd4+ e8 31.f6; 29...xc7 30.xd4+ d7 31.xd7+ both mating] 30.xc8+ Choosing a prosaic win [30.xc8+ xc8 31.c1+ c6 32.xc6 e3+ 33.xe3 dxe3 34.xa8; 30.ce7 xe7 31.xd4+ d7 32.xe7 was more Topalov but what a start for the challenger. At least Anand may be able to say he had a playable position but that depends on the assessment of 23...Bd7, if that does not hold up he really has to fall back on plan B and will be struggling even more. Anand has white on Sunday] 10
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Game 2
Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805) [E04] WCh Sofia BUL (2), 25.04.2010
[Analysis by IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.f3 d5 Topalov was largely responsible for rehabilitating the Modern Benoni with c5 here. However both he and Gashimov suffered quite a bit in this line at the recent Linares tournament 4.g3 The Catalan, is this quiet approach a result of yesterday's disaster, or the plan all along? We will only know later on in the match. As the Catalan is a Gruenfeld Defence in reverse with an extra move he has effectively played two Gruenfeld setups in two games. 4...dxc4 In general Black has two ways to play against the Catalan. He can re enforce the centre with c6, or, as he does here, take on c4 and aim to equalize in the centre with a later c5. 5.g2 a6 6.e5 c5 7.a3 cxd4 8.axc4 c5
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Perhaps this move came as a small surprise to Anand. 8...Ra7 is seen more often 9.00 00 10.d2 d5 11.c1 d7 [11...b6 10 Gustafsson,J (2614)-Berkes,F (2619)/ Gothenburg SWE 2005/The Week in Chess 561 (31); 11...f6 10 Gelfand,B (2703)-Aronian,L (2649)/Bastia FRA 2003/The Week in Chess 469 (30)] 12.d3 a7 [12...b6; 12...e7] 13.a5 [13.a5 7f6 14.b3 b8 15.c2 d7 16.fc1 b5 17.a4 xd3 18.exd3 e8 19.c4 e7 1/21/2 Vidit,S (2356) -Venkatesh,M (2462)/Nagpur IND 2008/The Week in Chess] 13...e7 14.b3 b8 Worryingly for Anand supporters, he fell into deep thought here. In spite of being still in theory. [14...b8 15.ce5 xe5 16.xe5 f6 17.d3 b6 18.b4 d8 Black is fine already 19.xd5 xd5 20.c7 b7 21.e7 f5 22.c2 e5 23.c1 h6 24.b4 d3 25.exd3 d7 26.xb7 bxb7 27.c8+ h7 28.xa6 xd3 29.b4 d2 30.f8 b8 01 Gulko,B (2559)-Shulman,Y (2606)/ Tulsa USA 2008] 15.a3
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The first new move and an interesting idea as it may be that Vishy's idea here was just to take Topalov out of book even at the cost of fighting for an objective advantage 15...xa3 16.bxa3 This is a risky course of action from Anand because it weakens the c3 square which black's extra pawn gives him control of. It seems to me that black is comfortably equaled here indeed white has to think how he recoup this pawn 16...7f6 Maybe not the best here. [16...c5 Removing White's wonderful blockading knight was probably better] 17.ce5 e8 18.c2 b6 19.d2 b7 20.fc1 bd8 [Vishy's position has improved, he has decent compensation here with control of the c file and Nc6 coming 20...ec8 21.xc8+ xc8 22.xc8+ xc8 23.c6 wins!] 21.f4 Keeping some control over the e5 square after a Nc6 Bxc6 sequence. Anand does not want to allow e6-e5. 21...b8 22.a4 a5!? Forgive me dear reader but my computer likes this and so did Topalov, but I am suspicious of it. I guess Topalov did not like the idea a4-a5 b6-b5 Nc6 when the fixed a6 pawn is vulnerable but is b6 which looks weaker to me. Longer term I see the Bb7 being exchanged and the dark bishop staying on the board so pawns on black squares could be uncomfortable against 2 knights 23.c6 xc6 [23...c8 24.xd4 xc2 25.xc2 and the b5 square comes in handy.] 24.xc6 h5 Prophylaxis against the plan of Bg2-f3 and g4-g5 but also a sure sign Black lacks an active plan. Your engine might say level but it's perhaps a little uncomfortable to play [24...e5 25.fxe5 xe5 26.1c4] 25.1c4 e3 26.xe3 dxe3 27.f3 Calmly played and ruling out Rxd3 which might have happened after: [27.xb6 xd3 28.exd3 e2 29.b1 a7+ 30.d4 with complications.] 27...g6 [27...a7 28.g2] 28.xb6 a7
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Played after a long think. Black is clearly in some trouble. Top GMs hate these kinds of positions with fixed weaknesses. The Catalan bishop is getting better and better and a5 is very weak. 29.b3 d4 [29...d5 30.b5] 30.c7 Obvious and strong, a5 falls 30...b8 31.c5 d6 32.xa5 c8 33.g2 This looks technically winning Topalov has been utterly outplayed from a position where if anything he was more comfortable 33...c2 34.a3 a2 35.b4 Again simple and strong 35...xb4 [35...a1 36.c2] 36.axb4 Two connected pawns and a huge Catalan bishop the game is completely won. I couldn't pinpoint one serious error, Topalov has just played a series of inaccurate moves and failed to find a plan. 36...d5 37.b5 Offering one pawn to reach a completely technically won game 37...axa4 38.xa4 xa4 39.xd5 exd5 40.b6 a8 41.b7 b8 42.f3 d4 43.e4 White picks up both pawns or heads for b6 with his king[43.e4 f8 44.xd4 e7 45.c5 d7 46.b6] 10
I would like to share another point of view about this second game. This time GM Susan Polgar **
[Analysis by GM Susan Polgar]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 We have a Catalan. Interesting choice of opening. 6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3 cxd4 8.Naxc4 Bc5 9.0 0 The position is even and we are still in book. 0-0 is normal here for Black. 9...0-0 10.Bd2 Nd5 We are still in book. White is down a pawn but he has plenty of compensation. Black's Queenside is still not developed yet. The idea of Nd5 is to limit the strength and mobility of White's Bishop on g2. 11.Rc1 Nd7 When your position is cramped, exchange pieces to free up space. 12.Nd3
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Anand obviously did not want to help Topalov open up his position. That is why he avoided exchanging pieces. 12...Ba7 13.Ba5 This is a clever move. Black cannot play 13...b6 because it would close the g1-a7 diagonal and make the h1-a8 diagonal more vulnerable for himself. 13...Qe7 Now is the interesting moment for Anand. His pieces are fully developed. He has excellent space advantage. But now what? What is his plan to capitalize on it? 14. Qb3 Black has a few decent options here. 14...Rb8 or 14...b6. He has to find a way to develop his Bishop to b7. 14...Rb8 I do not have my database in front of me but this resemble a game between Gulko and Shulman around 2 years ago. Anand needs to be careful here. Just as I mentioned yesterday in game 1, when you sacrifice a pawn, you better maintain the initiative for compensation. If not, you will end up defending a worse endgame with a pawn down which is not a pleasant situation. Knowing this, Anand is taking a lot of time here. The unusual thing is I would have expected this to still be a part of Anand's home preparation. I hope he did not forget the analysis. 15.Qa3 I do not understand Anand here. Is this home preparation? Why would he trade Queen and free up space for Black when he is a pawn down? Yes, Anand still has some compensation for the pawn. But this surely cannot be what Anand was hoping for with his first White of the match. 15...Qxa3 Of course Topalov would exchange Queens to open up his position. 16.bxa3 The idea of this move is to keep his Knight on c4 active while opening up the b file. However, I think Black is perfectly fine here. 16...Nc5 K FIDE-World
is possible here. 16...N7f6
A fine move although I prefer Nc5 a little more. 17.Nce5 This is the type position which Kramnik, Karpov, or Petrosian would be comfortable with as Black. Topalov is not. He likes open positions where he can be very creative. I believe that this is the strategy for Anand and his team, to put Topalov in an uncomfortable position while hoping that he would be impatient and do something risky. 17...Re8 18.Rc2 The idea is to double up the Rooks. 18...b6 Topalov had to do this to free up the b7 square for his Bishop. White now has only one logical move 19.Bd2. 19.Bd2 Now Black can get his Bishop to b7. Of course next for White has to be to double up his Rooks. 19...Bb7 20.Rfc1 Now Black to love to trade Rooks. However, it does not work right now because once the Rooks are gone, White can play Nc6 trapping the a7 Bishop. Therefore, b5 must be played before Topalov can put his Rook to c8. 20...Rbd8 The idea of this move is to allow his a7 Bishop to go back to b8. 21.f4 Another unexpected move from Anand. This is to cement his Knight on e5 but it also creates potential weak holes for himself. Just like in Poker where the little video cameras can show the hands of the players, I wish there is a camera which can show what goes on in Anand's mind right now. Did he forget his home prep? Was he surprised by Topalov's choice of opening? Is he playing for the win or just hanging on not to lose this one? K FIDE-World
21...Bb8 22.a4 a5 Black could have also played 22...Bd6. 23.Nc6 Bxc6 24.Rxc6 h5 24...g6 or 24...Rd6 are both playable. The position is still even here. Anand is still down a pawn but he has enough compensation with space advantage and better coordinated pieces as well as a Bishop pair. Anand can probably play R1c4 to try to win back the d4 pawn. However, Black can indirectly defend that pawn with Ba7. 25.R1c4 Ne3?
I do not like this move. It seems that Topalov lost his patience. Now White can gain an edge with 26.Bxe3 dxe3 then 27.Rxb6. Anand would get his pawn back with much more active pieces. If 27. Rxb6 Ba7 28. Rb1. This stops 28...Rxd6 29.exd3 e2+ no longer works as the Rook will defend the back rank. 26.Bxe3 dxe3 27.Bf3
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Anand is afraid of the complication. He chose a safer continuation. 27...g6 Once again, Topalov is provoking Anand to take the pawn on b6. I think Anand is a little gun shy because of what happened yesterday. 28.Rxb6 Anand is now ready to call Topalov's bluff. He wants Topalov to show what he has in his sleeves. Objectively speaking, White is better here. This is a crucial game for both players. If Topalov wins, the match is just about over psychologically for Anand. But if Anand can win this game, the edge shifts back to Anand as he knows he can win with this type of position and Topalov's risky style does not work in closed position. 28...Ba7 Tough choice for Anand here. 29.Rb7, 29.Rb3, 29.Rb1 are all playable. White has an edge but Topalov finally has opened up the position. 29.Rb3 It clearly seems that Anand is being very cautious. He wants to play for 2 results and not taking any unnecessary risk. 29...Rd4 Topalov played this nearly immediately. This is a part of Topalov I am not comfortable with. He did the same against Kramnik. He played too fast on some moves and it was costly. I prefer 29...Re7 first to defend the 7th ranked. 30.Rc7 Bb8 31.Rc5 White has a solid advantage here. But Anand is in a mild time pressure. He has about 16-17 minutes for 12 moves. 31...Bd6 32.Rxa5 Now Topalov sacrificed a pawn for counter play. Anand did not hesitate to take this time. Topalov's Rook can get to c8 now for some play. 32...Rc8 For the first time in the match, Anand has chances to win. Topalov has to work very hard to hold this. 33.Kg2 It is only logical that Topalov would play Rc2 here. He has to try or K FIDE-World
else he will lose because of the deadly a pawns. 33...Rc2 34.a3 It is difficult for Topalov to hold. The a pawns are too strong. The only thing that comes in my mind now is 34...Nd5. Here is a possible continuation 34...Nd5 35.Bxd5 Rxe2+ 36.Kf3 Rxh2 37.Kxe3 Rxd5 38.Rxd5 exd5 39.a5 Ra2 40.a6 Bxa3 41.Rb7 Bf8 += 34...Ra2? After 35.Nb4 White is close to winning. 35.Nb4 +- Bxb4 36.axb4 Now White has a pair of connected passed pawns and a winning position. 36...Nd5 37.b5 Now it would take a miracle for Black to hold this. He is down in material and on time. 37... Raxa4 38.Rxa4 Rxa4 39.Bxd5 exd5 40.b6 Ra8 41.b7 Rb8 42.Kf3 d4 All these moves were cranked out immediately as they were all nearly forced. This is a totally lost endgame for Black. 1-0
Game 3
Topalov,Veselin (2805) - Anand,Vishvanathan (2787) [D17] WCHM 2010 Sofia (3), 27.04.2010
[Analysis by GM Anish Giri]

In this game Anand choose a totally different approach - solid, solid and once again solid. Topalov had some ideas in the line that he had already played against Kramnik, but Anand calmly followed his plan and didn't give Topalov any chances. Even though Topalov had slight advantage throughout the whole game, he never had any real opportunities to try for a win, since Anand played very precisely. 1.d4 Topalov, very expectedly, decided to hit on the same spot again. 1...d5 And this time Anand opts for a solid Slav, rather than a crazy Grunfeld. 2.c4 c6 3.f3 f6 4.c3 dxc4 Not the Moscow Line, which is a trademark of Anand. 5.a4 f5 6.e5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 g6 Anand chooses the solid variation that Kramnik played against Topalov in their match in Elista. It is actually funny that Anand seem to follow what Kramnik played back then in 2006 - yesterday Catalan, today this rock solid but passive Slav. 9.e3 cxd4 10.xd4 xd4 11.xd4 fd7! 12.xd7 xd7 13.xc4 a6 [13...c8 is another line, avoiding the 14.Rc1 idea, deserves attention. 14.a2 (14.b5!?) 14...a6] 14.c1 g8!N
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A very logical move, which turned out to be a novelty. Now Black plans Bd6, Ke7, f6, Rgc8, Bg8, etc. White actually has to hurry up and do something against it, which is not easy, since his knight on c3 is misplaced. [Earlier people played 14...c8?! but then White gets a big advantage with 15.e2! g8 16.h4 h6 17.f2 the point being that 17...e7? is losing to (17...c6 18.b4!) 18.h5 h7 19.xe6! xc1 20.xd7+!] 15.h4 h6 16.e2 [16.f2 Makes sense having the e2 square for the knight. But Topalov had another knight route in mind.] 16...d6 17.h5 h7 Here I was actually wondering if Topalov had prepared anything at all. White seems to be unable to stop the black development... But the next move of Topalov proved that I was wrong! 18.a5! This move seemed a little bit strange to me at first sight, since I couldn't figure out the white plan after Bb4, as well as the simple Ke7 and so on. However Topalov had an answer to both. 18...e7 Safe and solid, Anand just concentrates on his plan. [18...b4 is challenging but dangerous. White has three interesting possibilities: 19.b5!? is the most spectacular, and in all the following complications Black is in danger, though maybe he holds with precise play. There are a lot of possible lines, but I just give main: (19.a4! xa5 20.c5 is the simplest. The black king is stuck in the centre, but Black is still solid and he has an extra pawn.; 19.hd1!? xa5 20.b5! axb5 21.xb5 here black seems OK after 21...e7 22.c3! b8! 23.a1! xc3 24.xa8 xb2 25.a7 f6 26.xb7 g5 27.hxg6 xg6 28.e3 e5 with a dead knight, but counter play) 19...axb5 20.xb5 xa5 21.xd7+ xd7 22.hd1 b5 23.e5+ (23.b6+!? e7 24.c7+ f6 25.xb7 c5 26.d8+ xd8 27.xb5 d4 28.b4 g6! with an unclear position.) 23...e7 24.c7+ e8 25.c8+ e7 26.c7+=] 19.a4 f6 just following the plan. [19...ac8 was clever, trying to
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avoid b4, but after let's say 20.d3! White keeps up the pressure, for example 20...f6 21.b1 gd8 22.b6!] 20.b4!
White does something active quickly, before Black manages to get all his pieces into play (Rgc8, Bg8-f7) [20.b6 Doesn't give White anything, as long as Black is a very little bit careful. 20...xb6 21.xb6 gc8 22.hd1 c6
(22...g8 23.b3 f7? 24.d3! xh5 25.cd1 c6 26.xd6! xd6 27.c5 ad8 28.e3) 23.b3 ac8 24.d3 b4! 25.cd1 d6 equalizing] 20...gc8 Again,
Anand doesn't get distracted by anything, he simply makes his moves. [20...xb4 objectively, was also too risky 21.b1 xa5 22.xb7 (22.c5!? b5 23.xe6 xc5 24.xg8 xg8 25.xc5+ d7 and Black has compensation, but White has the exchange.) 22...gb8 23.c5+ (23.hb1 xb7 24.xb7 d6!) 23...e8 24.xb8+ xb8 25.d6 with an unclear position, but White should be better.] 21.c5 Actually I was expecting a different piece to be sent to this square. [21.c5!? is interesting, but probably Black holds here as well. 21...xc5 looks dangerous, but in fact it may be good (21...xc5 Is most logical, but white keeps winning chances after 22.bxc5 xc5 23.xe6! xe6 24.xc5; 21...c7!?) 22.bxc5 xc5 Now I didn't find a way for White to achieve anything, for instance (22...c7) 23.a2 d7 24.b2 g8 25.a3+ e8 26.hd1 b5! 27.axb6 xb6 28.b3 xc1 29.xc1 c8 30.xc8+ xc8 31.c4] 21...xc5 22.bxc5 c7 [22...c6 made sense, trying to win a tempo, which will be useful in case White plays Nb6, but here White goes 23.hd1! with the idea 23...ac8 24.xd7+! xd7 25.b6+ xb6 26.cxb6 g8 27.e5! with an edge.] 23.b6 d8 24.xd7 Simple and safe, but from Topalov I expected a move like Bd5! [24.d5!? is beautiful and tricky. Black shouldn't take anything now, not d5, not c5 and not b6, but play 24...e5!?
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(24...xc5 25.xb7!; 24...xb6 25.axb6 cd7 26.c4!; 24...b8!?) 25.f4 d3!

26.xd3 exd5 27.f5! dxe4+ 28.xe4 e8! with equality] 24...dxd7 25.d3
Here I actually realized what Topalov was planning. He wants to play c6, change the pawn to a b-pawn, and try to attack the remaining weak a6 pawn. The position is quite unpleasant for Black. 25...g8 [Anand should have perhaps been more active but perhaps he saw his was safer. 25...f5!? This was advocated by Garry Kasparov, who was watching the game from a hotel room in Oslo.; 25...d4!? seemed to force a draw, but White has a resource 26.c6! a4 27.b1! a2+ 28.e3 bxc6 29.a1 xg2 30.xa6 Still keeping some chances.] 26.c6 d6 27.cxb7 xb7 28.c3 f7 29.e3 [29.hc1! immediately also made sense and was probably a better try, since it is risky to take the pawn. 29...xh5 (29...e8! 30.c7+ d7 is holding 31.xd7+ xd7 32.xa6 a7) 30.c7+ xc7 31.xc7+ d7 32.c8] 29...e8 30.g4 [30.hc1!? wouldn't change much after 30...d7!] 30...e5 31.hc1 d7 32.c5 b5! The final touch. Now Black's last problem, the pawn on a6, is gone, and it is time to agree to a draw. It is funny that Anand equalized today without any of his pieces being on the opponent's half of the board. 33.xb5 axb5 34.b1 b4 35.b3 a6 36.d3 ba7 37.xb4 xa5 38.xa5 xa5 39.b7+ f8 40.e2 a2+ 41.e3 a3+ 42.f2 a2+ 43.e3 a3+ 44.f2 a2+ 45.e3 a3+ 46.f2
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More from Game 3 Viswanathan Anand chose a solid line of the Slav against Veselin Topalov in Round 3. There were a lot of ways that Anand could have got into trouble but he seemed to avoid them all and by move 26 didn't seem in much trouble. There was a small pantomime at the end as Topalov tried to find a way to agree the draw without speaking to his opponent. After the first rest day game three got under way with a flurry of moves. Anand did not repeat the Gruenfeld from game one, instead he played a Slav Defense (Wiesbaden variation). The resulting position would not to everyone's taste, Anand was cramped but solid. The position was actually pretty interesting in that it required accuracy from both players. After 32 moves Topalov allowed a liquidation to a sterile rook and pawn ending. Having played two different defenses in the first two games it does raise the possibility that Anand won't be repeating any of his black defensive lines in the match. Before the match Silvio Danailov stated that although Anand disagreed with using the Sofia rules Topalov would play by them anyhow. This means no speaking to your opponent and no draw offers. Whilst the idea of playing to the last possibilities of the position are exhausted is good for chess. It would have been better to nod and sign the score sheets or something a few moves before the end. As it was, the players had mentally agreed a draw. Topalov called the arbiter to watch the players blitz out the final moves until a draw by three fold repetition was engineered, Topalov claimed this from the arbiter and the players signed the score sheets. Topalov was no doubt making a point about K FIDE-World
being serious about observing the Sofia rules, but I didn't think it was necessary. They didn't shake hands at the end but both said they forgot. Watching the webcam live I think this is the right explanation, they were busy signing score sheets and then left the stage. Relations on the stage look fine at the moment so not too much should be made of it. By Mark Crowther
Game 4
Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805) [E04] WCHM 2010 Sofia (4), 28.04.2010

In the fourth game Anand had white, and we were all curious whether Topalov would again try to fight against resist the World Champion's Catalan. This time Topalov went for another line, but after a strong novelty by Anand, the challenger found himself under pressure and was unable to find a way to develop comfortably. Anand played perfectly and after several less-thanK FIDE-World
obvious inaccuracies by Topalov, the champion quickly found the winning blow - 23.Nxh6! A quick and deserved win by Anand. Today he was superior in both preparation and play. 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.f3 d5 4.g3 Again a Catalan, let's see what Topalov prepared for this game. 4...dxc4 5.g2 b4+ 6.d2 a5
Kramnik's favorite line. As he himself said, he scores equally well with both sides in this position. As yesterday, the players follow a game from the Elista match. 7.c2 Trying to recover the pawn as quickly as possible, but I can tell you right out, in this game Anand was unable to win the pawn back. That said, I don't think he really regrets it. [7.00 is another main-move. White wants to develop first and try to recapture the pawn later. I myself scored a nice victory here with white, but perhaps I should switch to 7.Qc2 after seeing this game.] 7...xd2+ [7...c6 is the old approach. Black's idea is 8.xc4 d5! but apparently Topalov wasn't satisfied with another endgame.] 8.xd2!? At first sight it seems more logical to take the bishop with the knight, developing another piece, but White wants to apply pressure on the future b5 pawn, which can be done from a3, where the knight is headed. [8.bxd2 b5 9.a4 c6 10.00 00 And now White is unable to attack b5, though he keeps some compensation after let's say 11.b3!?] 8...c6 Preparing b5. Black has to stick to his pawn, to justify his play. It is also logical, since he is undeveloped and the good bishop is exchanged. This position has nothing in its favor other than the extra pawn. 9.a4 Attacking the b5 pawn which is not there yet. [9.e5 is too naive. 9...b5! 10.xc6 c7! And White is unable to benefit from some kind of X-ray.(10...b6?? 11.e7! b7 12.c8! is a beautiful trap, but for this to work both players would need to cooperate.) ] 9...b5 As I said, Black already has to stick to his pawn. 10.a3!N K FIDE-World
A strong novelty. Anand just wants to develop without winning back the pawn. Now, in order to protect the pawn, Black is forced to place his pieces in awkward positions. I think Topalov was out of book at this point, whereas Anand's preparation had probably just started! [Before, everyone, as if collectively hypnotized, tried 10.axb5 cxb5 11.g5 winning back the pawn, but Black achieves equality after 11...00 12.xb5 a6 This position was reached in the Elista match. Kramnik (White) won, but it had nothing to do with the opening.] 10...d7 Looks extremely ugly to me, but what else is there? As mentioned more than once, Black is forced to stick to his pawn. [10...a6 fails to 11.e5 d5 12.xc6! xc6 13.axb5 and White wins the pawn back with a large edge.] 11.e5 d5 12.e4! It is a little more precise than 00, since after [12.00 00 13.e4 Black also has the option of 13...b6!? 14.axb5 cxb5 15.d5 e8] 12...b4 13.00 00 14.fd1 [14.d5!? was also possible, but had no independent value. White would have to play Rfd1 anyway.] 14...e8 A questionable moment, but I think other options were no good as it were. [For example 14...e7 planning to avoid the immediate d5, but here 15.xd7! xd7 16.d5! d8 17.g5! and Black is still undeveloped and already under heavy pressure. 17...h6 18.h5 d3 19.b3; 14...c7 is the same. 15.xd7!] 15.d5! Now that everything is ready, the expected breakthrough is executed. 15...d6 16.g4 Now the threat is e5, and Black is still undeveloped. [16.dxc6 is nothing, since Black will return the piece. 16...xe5 17.axb5 c3! 18.bxc3 4xc6 19.bxc6 xc6 with equality.] 16...c5 At first I liked this move very much, since I couldn't find a way for White to proceed. But Vishy found a strong and simple reply. [16...exd5 17.exd5 f5! was another option that is in fact safer (though one that you could only find with the help of a powerful engine next to you...). Still, White keeps some advantage in the endgame after 18.dxc6 (18.e3!? in fact leads to a forced K FIDE-World
draw, but only if you have analyzed it deeply- 18...f4! 19.gxf4 xf4 20.dxc6 8xc6 21.axb5 d8 22.d5 xd5! 23.xd5+ xd5 24.xd5+ h8 25.xc4! (25.bxc6 xf2+ 26.h1 f6!+) 25...b4 26.d4 g5+ 27.h1 xb5 28.e5 c6 29.c5 f4! 30.d3 f3+ 31.g1 g4+ 32.h1 f3+=) 18...xd2 19.xd2 xc6 20.e5 xg2 21.xg2 e8 22.f4 bxa4 23.axc4 8c6 But to be honest I guess that Black should hold this, even if it is not the most pleasant ending.] 17.e3 8a6?!
It is very hard to call this logical move a mistake, but I simply must find fault with at least one move by Topalov! By the way, he played it almost instantly! [17...d3! was very risky, but in order to get some counterchanges Black should have gone for this. Black's idea would be to transfer the knight to e5. 18.b3 (After the simple 18.dxc6 xc6 19.axb5 ce5 20.exc4 xc4 21.xd3 xa3 22.xa3 xb5 Black equalizes.; 18.c2!? e5!) 18...xf2! The whole idea, and even though I really didn't believe in it, I couldn't find a refutation. 19.xf2 (19.xf2 also makes sense) 19...cxb3 White has a big choice, but either way, Black's pawn mass on the queenside and bishop on g2 seem very poor. Even though Black is undeveloped, White can hardly take advantage of this temporary state of affairs. 20.d3 bxa4 21.b2] 18.dxc6 bxa4 To be honest here I was actually quite disappointed with White's position, since it seems as if Black has developed and solved his problems. The truth, however, is that all his pieces are awkwardly placed, and even though Black is developed, his position lacks harmony. [18...xc6 19.axb5 xb5 20.axc4! xc4 21.ac1 is also much better for White. Black has stupid knights and a weak pawn on a5.] 19.axc4 xc6 20.ac1 h6?! The position is already very unpleasant for Black. It is true he doesn't have any useful moves at his disposal, however the move Topalov played is also weakening (though it isn't K FIDE-World
obvious yet) . With precise play I guess that Black could still hold the position together. [Perhaps 20...e7! would be the right move for Black. Now he wants to develop his rooks into play, not minding that White finally recaptures the pawn. 21.xa5 (21.d6!? a7! with idea Nc5. The only difference with the game is that there is no weak pawn on h6. Black holds, though White is better of course.) 21...b5 22.ac4 fd8 23.d6 ab8 and white is obviously better, but maybe not so much.] 21.d6 a7? The decisive mistake. Now the queen is saved, but the king is not. [21...g5! was already the only way to stay in the game. However white already has a big advantage.] 22.g4!
Played quickly by Anand. Now he threatens Nxh6 and if Black tries to prevent it, White would simply prepare the decisive sacrifice with Rc4! 22...ad8 Loses immediately, but it seems that it is already lost. If you are a fan of beautiful variations and mates then I advise you to check the alternatives! [Safer seemed 22...f6 avoiding the immediate Nxh6, but here White still wins with 23.c4! preparing e5. For example 23...ad8 24.e5 xg2
(24...d5 25.xd5 xd5 26.xh6+! gxh6 27.xh6 h7 28.g4+ h8 29.d2! a7 30.h3!! the most beautiful and strongest way. Now White threatens Rh4+ Kg8 Qh6 Qg7 Rg4! which can't be avoided.) 25.exf6 h5! 26.fxg7 xg7
27.xg2 d5 28.h6+ h7 29.hf5 xf5 30.xf5 exf5 31.xa5 b7 32.h3! with a big advantage for White. Black has a weak king and no way to consolidate.; 22...c5 Didn't help either: 23.c4! for example 23...b3 24.xh6+! h7 25.f4 gxh6 26.e5! xg2 27.f5!! exf5 28.xf5+ h8 29.f6+ h7 30.h4 with mate!; 22...h7 also looks safe, but here 23.xc6! xc6 24.e5 e7 25.e4+! g6 26.h4! c5 27.b1 b3 (27...h5 28.g5!) 28.e2 h5
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29.h2 d4 30.xh5+ g8 31.g4 ad8 (31...ab8 32.f6+!) 32.xd4!! xd4 33.e4! mating!] 23.xh6+!!
Simple, yet beautiful! Vishy played it very quickly. For a player of his caliber, it's a piece of cake to find such a move! (Green with envy) 23...gxh6 24.xh6 f6 [24...e7 doesn't help either 25.e5 xg2 26.d4 is mate in 11.] 25.e5! The strongest and most elegant! 25...xg2 26.exf6 There is no way for Black to defend. 26...xd6 27.xd6 e4 28.xe6 d3 29.c2! It is also pretty important to not blunder into a mate yourself 29...h7 30.f7+! xf7 31.xe4 f5 32.e7 And since Black can't avoid being mated, Topalov congratulated Anand on his win! A great game by Anand, who now leads in the match! 10
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GAME 5
Topalov,Veselin (2805) - Anand,Viswanathan (2787) [D17] WCh Sofia BUL (5), 30.04.2010
[Analysis by Mikhail Golubev (www.chesstoday.net)]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.f3 f6 4.c3 dxc4 5.a4 f5 6.e5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 g6 9.e3 cxd4 10.xd4 xd4 11.xd4 fd7 12.xd7 xd7 13.xc4 a6
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[Personally I have bad memories about this position. In 2007, as well as GM Kruppa, I was Ruslan Ponomariov's assistant at his candidates match vs Sergei Rublevsky. In the 1st game Rublevsky played 13...c8 14.a2 a5 - when Rusla n decided to repeat the line in his last "White" game (score was 1 for him) then Rublevsky opted for 13...a6 (following Topalov-Kramnik, Elista m6 2006) and despite Ruslan's serious efforts also that game was eventually drawn.] 14.c1 [Topalov against Kramnik and later Ponomariov against Rublevsky tried 14.e2 - indeed there were more games with this move] 14...g8 15.h4 h5!?N
[In the 3rd game of the match Anand played 15...h6 ] 16.e2 d6 17.e3 e5 18.f4 c8 19.b3 xc1+ 20.xc1 e7 21.e2 c8 22.d2 [Instead of the correct 22.d1! after which 22...f6? fails to 23.xe6 f7 24.xg7 xb3 25.f5+ (Black does not have a good square to retreat with a king) 25...f8 26.h6+! g8 27.xd6+- White spoils most of his advantage] 22...f6! The most liberating move desired by Black is now possible. 23.xg6+ [Black is doing well after 23.xe6 f7 24.d4 xb3 25.xb3 c2!; While 23.xe6 is double edged 23...c2] 23...xg6 24.g3 e5 25.f4 c6 26.c3 b4 27.xb4+ xb4 28.d1 c6 29.d2 g5!? 30.f2 g4 A non-obvious, committal strategic move to say the least. Starting from now Black will have a potential problem with the unsafe h5 pawn, but Anand managed to avoid troubles. So maybe he was right because White also should be careful and prevent Black's counter play against the g3 pawn. [An alternative was 30...a5!? ] 31.c2 d8 32.e3 d6 33.c5 b4 34.c7+ d8 35.c3 e7 36.e5 d7! 37.exf6+ xf6 38.e2 c6 It is almost K FIDE-World
entirely equal now. 39.e1 d4 40.d1 a5 41.c5 f5 42.c3 d4 43.c5 f5 44.c3
Game 6
Anand,V (2787) - Topalov,V (2805) [E04]
Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 game 6 Sofia BUL (6), 01.05.2010 Analysis by GM Dejan Bojkov from his blog:
http://www.dejanbojkov.blogspot.com/
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3 cxd4 8.Naxc4 Bc5 9.00 00 10.Bg5 Again Anand is the first one to deviate. 10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6N
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According to Megabase this logical move is a novelty. The only predeceasing game saw: [11...gxf6 12.Nd3 Be7 13.Qd2 Kh7 14.Rac1 Ra7 15.Qf4 Nc6 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.Qe4+ Kg7 18.Qg4+ Kh7 19.Qe4+ f5 20.Qxc6 and the game was eventually drawn 1/2 Raetsky,A (2399)-Panchanathan,M (2441)/Biel 2004/EXT 2005 (52)] 12.Nd3 Ba7 13.Qa4 Nc6 14.Rac1 e5! Topalov finds a clever way to bring his pieces in the game. He gives back his extra pawn, and is ready to sacrifice another one in order to get rid of the Catalan bishop (remember the troubles he had in the second game because of that piece?) and to occupy the long diagonal with his light-squared bishop. [14...b5 15.Qa3 bxc4 16.Rxc4 Rb8 17.Rxc6 is good for White]15.Bxc6
15...b5! The point. Weaker is: [15...bxc6 16.Ncxe5 c5 17.Nd7 or even better: K FIDE-World
(17.Rc2 Bh3 18.Nd7 Bxd7 19.Qxd7 with better prospects for White) 17...Bxd7 18.Qxd7 gives White comfortable edge as he had blocked the isolated pawn pair.] 16.Qc2! Anand rejects the sacrifice, and tries to keep the position blocked. After: [16.Bxb5 axb5 17.Qxb5 e4 Black gets huge compensation for the pawn, and firm control over the initiative. Possible line is: 18.Nf4 d3! 19.exd3 exd3 20.Nxd3 Bh3 and White must sacrifice the exchange in order to avoid mate.]16...Qxc6 17.Ncxe5 Qe4 Topalov solved the opening problems, and Anand has nothing but to exchange the queens and play roughly equal game. 18.Qc6 Bb7 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Rc2 Rfe8 21.Rfc1 Both sides have their assets: White-the better pawn structure, and control over the open file, Black-a pair of strong bishops, and more space. If White manages to exchange one of the black bishops (especially the lightsquared one) he will have big advantage in most cases, and if Black manages to push away the knights from their blockading positions he will be much better. 21...f6
22.Nd7 With this move Anand started a knight maneuver that was widely described as the new Guinness Record of the tireless knight.22...Bf5 23.N7c5 Bb6 [23...Bxc5 24.Rxc5 Bxd3 25.exd3 Re2 26.R5c2 Rae8 27.Kf1 is better for White as he holds the more important open file. The difference between the c and e files was greatly explained by M. Botwinnik in his game against A. Alekhine.]24.Nb7 Bd7 25.Nf4 Rab8 26.Nd6 Re5 27.Nc8 Ba5 28.Nd3 Re8 29.Na7 Bb6 30.Nc6 The knight keeps on offering itself for a bishop, this time at the price of a pawn. 30...Rb7 Typical Topalov who keeps on fighting. The pawn gain leads almost by force to a draw: [30...Bxc6 K FIDE-World
31.Rxc6 Rxe2 32.Kf1 Rd2 (32...Re7 33.Nb4 a5 34.Nd5 Reb7 35.Rxb6 Rxb6 36.Nxb6 Rxb6 37.Ke2=) 33.Rc8+ Rxc8 34.Rxc8+ Kh7 35.Rc6
(35.Ke1 with the idea to trap the rook 35...Rxd3? does not work due to the simple: (35...Ba5) 36.Ke2+-) 35...Ba5 (35...Bd8 36.Rxa6 Rxd3? 37.Ke2+-) 36.Rxa6 Rd1+ 37.Kg2 Bc3!? 38.bxc3 Rxd3 39.cxd4 Rxd4= with full equality] 31.Ncb4 a5 32.Nd5 a4 33.Nxb6 Phew. So much work to exchange one of the bishops! And the weaker one! The game continues to be roughly equal, but Black has to be careful now.33...Rxb6 34.Nc5 Bf5 35.Rd2 Rc6 36.b4 Of course not: [36.Rxd4? Rec8 37.Rd5 Be6+] 36...axb3 37.axb3 b4! Temporarily sacrificing the pawn in order to get absolute control over the second rank, but this is not enough for a win, since there is not much material left on the board. 38.Rxd4 Rxe2 39.Rxb4 Bh3 40.Rbc4 Rd6 41.Re4 Rb2 42.Ree1 Rdd2 43.Ne4 Rd4 44.Nc5 Rdd2 45.Ne4
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45...Rd3 46.Rb1 Not: [46.Nc5?? Rf3+] 46...Rdxb3 47.Nd2 The last subtlety. Topalov gets nothing from his pressure than the better half of the point- 47...Rb4 48.f3 g5 49.Rxb2 Rxb2 50.Rd1 Kf7 51.Kf2 h5 52.Ke3 Rc2 53.Ra1 Kg6 54.Ra6 Bf5 55.Rd6 Rc3+ 56.Kf2 Rc2 57.Ke3 Rc3+ 58.Kf2 Rc2 This was Veselin's first draw in the match as black. He managed comfortably to equalize in the opening, and even tried to play for a win. It looks like that he is back in his usual strength, and the second part of the match is quite promising for the chess lovers.
Game 7

The seventh game of the world championship match was a great battle. Topalov prepared a novelty in a fresh line of the Catalan, recently introduced by Ivanchuk. Black's piece sacrifice led to a complex situation with a difference that Topalov was prepared to play the position and Anand apparently wasn't. But the world champion showed chess of a high level and even played for a win without any risk in the end. The opponents made a number of complex decisions: there is virtually unlimited space for analysis and finding improvements for both sides. 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.f3 d5 4.g3 b4+ [In three of his previous "Black" games Topalov played 4...dxc4 ; the text as never played against Anand at all (though a transposition to other systems is possible when Black loses a tempo for Bf8-b4-e7 and White loses a tempo for Bc1d2-f4).] 5.d2 e7 6.g2 00 7.00 c6 8.f4 dxc4!?
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[In 2005 Topalov unsuccessfully introduced 8...b6 9.c3 a6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.c1 c6!? losing two games in the line 12.xd5 xd5 13.e5 xd4 14.xd5 xe2+ 15.xe2 xe2 16.xa8 xa8 17.fe1 b5 18.c2 d5 19.ec1 (Ponomariov-Topalov, Sofia 2005; Kramnik-Topalov, Dormund 2005); Later Veselin opted for another popular move, 8...bd7 in his games against Radjabov and Kozul] 9.e5 b5! An idea, re cently introduced by Ivanchuk in a blindfold game against Gelfand in Nice. [Previously, 9...d5 10.xc4 xf4 11.gxf4 was tested, without much success for Black. Thus, in Tkachiev - Van der Wiel, m-2 1999 White won nicely after 11...d7 12.c3 b6 13.e5 f6 14.f3 e8 15.e3 h5 16.e4 f5 17.h1 d7 (17...xe4? 18.h4) 18.c5 g5? 19.h4!! gxh4 20.e4+- and Black lost his queen, as 20...h3 would have been answered by 21.xh7+! xh7 22.h5+ g7 23.g1+] 10.xc6 xc6 11.xc6 d7N [Instead of 11...a6 as Ivanchuk played.] 12.xa8 xa8 Black does not have even a pawn for the exchange but his forces are very active. 13.f3 Covering a need light squares in the White's camp. But Black obtains new options on the dark squares. 13...d5!? 14.d2 e5 15.e4 [15.dxe5 opens too many lines for the black pieces.] 15...h3 16.exd5 xf1 17.xf1 [This is a natural capture. But also possible was 17.xf1 exd4 18.f4 xd5 19.c3 - a good question then is whether Black can go for 19...h5 20.xd4 c5 21.d5 h3+ 22.e1] 17...exd4! [Not 17...xd5?! 18.e2! (or 18.c3 xd4+ 19.f2; but not 18.dxe5?! d4+ 19.h1 xb2 20.c3 c2) ] 18.a4 xd5 19.axb5 xb5 Diagram # Topalov was still in his preparation, and spent only about three minutes up to this point. 20.xa7!? Anand captures a pawn, but his active a7 rook may come under attack in the further lines. Certainly, there were alternatives for White at this point. 20...e8! [Does not make sense for Black 20...c5 because of 21.a5] 21.h1!? An interesting move which put Topalov "out of book" finally. [One of many other lines is 21.c7 d3 (avoiding K FIDE-World
21...c5 22.b4!) 22.f2 xb2 23.c3 g5 24.xg5 xc3 25.e3 e1+

26.xe1 xe1+ 27.f2 e2+ 28.f1 h6 29.f4 g5 30.d6 xh2 31.e1 with a very likely draw] 21...f8!? [Slightly better for White is 21...xb2 22.e1! (22.xc4 xb1+ 23.g2= is enough for a draw) 22...h6 (22...f8? 23.xe7 xe7 24.b4+-) 23.a3 c3 24.c1!? though after 24...b3!? not dangerous for Black is 25.xe7 xe7 26.xe7 d1+ 27.g2 xc1 28.e8+ h7 29.e4+; After 21...c5 Topalov might have disliked 22.c7!? with the idea of b4!; One more option was 21...d6 ] 22.c7!? An attractive move. 22...d3!
23.c3 A drawback of this move is that it weakens e2. [But Black is doing well after 23.a3 xa3 24.bxa3 h6; or 23.c3 xb2 24.f2 b4 25.xc4 xc3 26.xc3 h6 and if 27.g1 (27.xd3? b1+) 27...e2 28.c5 , then 28...a1+! 29.c1 f6! is very strong] 23...d6 [23...c5 is strongly answered by 24.d2! with the idea of (24.h3 xb2!! 25.xb2 e1+ 26.f1! xf1+ 27.g2 xb1 with the approximate equality after 28.c8+ f8 29.a3 h5 30.xf8+ h7 31.d8) 24...b6 25.e5! xe5 26.c8+ f8 27.xc4 e6 28.xf8+ xf8 29.xe5 xe5 30.xd3 xb2? 31.d8; Hardly sufficient is also 23...e2 24.d2 (or maybe 24.c8!? f5 25.d2) 24...h5 25.h4 g6 26.h3 b6 27.c8 e3 (27...h5!? can be better) 28.b4 e1+ 29.f1 xf3+ 30.g2! xf1+ 31.h2] 24.a7 [Black is doing well after 24.a3?! d5 25.d7 c6 and White cannot go for 26.a7? e3 27.g2 e2+ 28.h1 xg3 29.hxg3 h6++] 24...h6 [Not 24...h5?! 25.d2! with the idea of 25...xg3 26.g1! e5 27.a5!+-; As the kingside attack fails, what remains for Black is to exchange the c3 bishop, and the immediate 24...b4!? also deserved attention. 25.d2 (25.xb4!? xb4 26.f2 e1+ 27.g2 h5 28.c3 c1! chessok.com - and if 29.a2 d6!) 25...xc3 26.bxc3 h6 and 27.a1 transposes to the game] 25.d2 Natural, but maybe not the best. [25.h3 K FIDE-World
(chessok.com) was more critical: if 25...g5 (25...b4!? 26.d7 xd7 27.xd7 e2 28.xb4 xb2 29.d2! xb4 30.d4! a4! 31.xc4 h7! and White cannot get more than a rooks ending with 3 pawns versus 2 on the kingside: 32.e4 f5! 33.f4 a2! and so on) 26.d2 (not particularly clear is 26.d2 c5!?) 26...e1+ 27.f1! d2 28.a8+ f8 (28...h7? 29.xd2!) 29.xf8+ xf8 30.c8+ e7 31.b4+ f6 32.c6+ e6 33.d7 f5 34.d4+! g6 35.xd2 e1+ 36.g2 e2+ 37.g1 is better for White] 25...b4!
Amazingly, Black has enough for a piece: his d3 pawn is dangerous, and the position of the white king is unsafe. 26.a1! [Wisely avoiding 26.e4 xc3 27.bxc3 f5! where 28.d6 b6 29.xg7+ xg7 30.xe8+ f7 with the idea of 31.e1 e6! favours Black] 26...xc3 27.bxc3 e2 28.d1! Again Anand shows his feeling of danger. [After 28.e4?! h5 29.h3 e5 threatening with ...f5 White has problems] 28...a4 [Topalov is intending to use the second rank. After the immediate 28...b2 possible was 29.xc4 (or 29.h3 xd2 30.c8+ h7 31.f5+ with a draw) ; After 28...h5 29.g1 it is hard to make a progress for either side; Maybe Black could have tried to play for a win by 28...g5!? (suggested at chessok.com)] 29.e4 [Simpler is 29.a1! with the idea of 29...c2?! (29...b5= repeats the position after Black's 27th) 30.h3! and the knight cannot be taken: 30...xd2? 31.a8+ h7 32.f5+ g6 33.xf7#] 29...c2 [Objectively, a bit stronger was 29...f5 30.d2 (30.d6 c2 31.xc4 f2 32.g1 e2 with the idea of 33.d2? xh2+ 34.xh2 xd1++) 30...fxe4 31.xe2 dxe2 32.xe2 a1+ 33.g2 xc3 34.xe4 with a slightly better for Black but probably drawish endgame] 30.c1 xh2+ 31.g1 g2+ [After 31...b2 White hardly has nothing significantly stronger than 32.b1 c2 33.c1=] 32.xg2 xc1+ 33.f1 [Not 33.h2? f5! and K FIDE-World
34.d2 loses to 34...c2!] 33...e3+?! [Simpler was 33...d2! 34.xd2 (34.f2? xc3 is bad for White) 34...xd2 35.xc4 and it is just a draw] 34.f2 c1+ 35.f1 e3+ [Again possible was 35...d2!= ] 36.g2! After repeating the position once, Anand begins to play for a win. 36...f5 37.f2
White firmly stopped Black's d-pawn, and his king is safe. Still, White does not seem to have enough constructive ideas to win the ending. 37...h7 38.b1 e6 39.b5 [39.a2!? could have prevented 39...g5? for the time being, as White has 40.xd3 - but is it not necessary to prevent the ...g5 advance; maybe it would have been better for Black to do without this somewhat weakening move.] 39...g5!? [Another possible direction was 39...d2 40.f4] 40.g4 fxg4 41.fxg4 g6 [Black could have tried 41...d2!? and, if White allows ... Qe1, I did not see a clear winning plan for White during the game. (Maybe, to put the queen on d1, the knight on e3, and to go with a king from f3 to e4 then, preparing Qf3?). Anyway, 42.f5+ xf5 43.gxf5 g4! is not dangerous for Black at all and leads to a draw: 44.g3 h5 45.f4 g7 46.d1 f6 47.e3= and neither side will make a progress.] 42.b7 [42.a4! (chessok.com), which prevents ...d2 (Qc2+) and at the same time keeps White's queen active would put Black under certain pressure. Maybe he even should go for 42...h5!? 43.gxh5+ xh5] 42...d2! Afterwards Anand did not find winning chances, and hardly there were any. 43.b1+ g7 44.f1 e7 [Also possible was 44...e3 , being not afraid of 45.b7+ g6 46.c6+ g7 47.xc4 e1+ 48.g2 d1 49.xd1 xd1 50.d4+ xd4 51.cxd4 g6! 52.f3 h5 53.gxh5+ xh5=] 45.g2 [Or 45.d1 e3 46.e2 xc3 47.e7+ g6 48.d6+ g7 49.e2 c2 50.d7+ g6=] 45...e6 46.d1 e3 47.f3 e6 Here it is not necessary at all for Black to put the queen on e1. 48.b7+ g6 49.b1+ g7 Repeating the position after Black 43rd and K FIDE-World
45th, but the draw was not agreed. A true Sofia spirit? 50.d1 e3 51.c2 e2 52.a4 g8 53.d7 f8 54.d5 g7 55.g3 e3+ 56.f3 e5+ 57.g2 e6 58.d1 The same position was after White's 46th and 50th.
Game 8
After surviving playing black twice in a row Veselin Topalov gets the opportunity to go on the offensive in game 8. Topalov and Anand yet again play the Slav Variation. Anand used successfully in games 3 and 5. Anand was the first to deviate with 13...Rc8. Topalov was the first in with a novelty, 18.a5. Anand didn't seem to play the best and got a miserable looking position, almost lost if not losing. However Topalov played oddly and allowed Anand into a bishops of opposite color endgame. Anand got a completely drawn position and then played 54...Bc6??? which lost almost instantly and he resigned a couple of moves later. In contrast to game 7 both players played poorly. Anand's opening was bad, Topalov didn't press very well and certainly didn't cause Anand's shocking blunder at the end. All very odd.
Topalov,V (2805) - Anand,V (2787) [D17]
Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_8 Sofia BUL (8), 04.05.2010 Analysis by GM Dejan Bojkov from his blog:
http://www.dejanbojkov.blogspot.com/
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5 8.e4 Bg6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc4 Rc8 Anand changed his defensive set-up, but Topalov seemed prepared for that. 14.Bb5 a6 15.Bxd7+ Kxd7 16.Ke2 f6 17.Rhd1 Ke8
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There are only two games in Megabase featuring the position, and both were defended by F. Amonatov: 18.a5N [18.Rac1 was the more recent try, when Black could not hold after: 18...Rc6 19.Na2 Rxc1 20.Nxc1 Be7 21.Bb6 e5 22.Nd3 Bf7 23.Rc1 Bd8 24.a5 Ke7 25.Rc8 Re8 26.Rb8 and later 10 Maletin,P (2545)-Amonatov,F (2650)/Novokuznetsk 2008/CBM 126 (49); The other try was: 18.Bb6 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Rxc5 20.Rd6 Ke7 21.Rad1 Be8 22.R6d3 a5 23.Ke3 Bc6 with balanced position in Bocharov,D (2614)-Amonatov,F (2574)/Voronezh 2007/CBM 118 ext (60)] 18...Be7 [18...Bb4!? might be an improvement for Black, with the idea: 19.Ra4 Be7 20.Bb6 Kf8!? followed by Bg6-e8-c6.] 19.Bb6 Rf8 With the idea Rf8-f7, followed by Be7-f8 and finally Rf7-d7. If Black manages to exchange this rook he will not have any problems. 20.Rac1 f5?! I believe this is the first inaccuracy by Black. He had to proceed with his plan: [20...Rf7!? 21.Na4 Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Bd6 23.Nc5 (23.Be3 Rd7) 23...f5 with good chances for equality.] 21.e5 Bg5 22.Be3 f4?! The world champion missed an important detail. However, the move: [22...Bxe3 which he mentioned at the press-conference does not really look perfectly safe: 23.Kxe3 f4+ 24.Kf2 (24.Kd4 is harmless for Black- 24...Ke7 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.Kxe4 g5=) 24...Rf5 25.Re1! Here the idea from the game: (25.Ne4 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Rxe5 27.Rc5 Rd5 28.Rxd5 exd5 29.Nd6+ Ke7 30.Nxb7 Bd3 is not dangerous at all for Black, as the white king cannot reach d4 square easily-the pawns on g2 and f3 are targets.) 25...Rc5 (25...Kf8!? followed by Bg6-e8-c6 might be Black's best) 26.b4 Rcxe5 27.Ne4 looks awkward for Black; while 22...Be7 23.Na4 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 followed by Nb6 and Rc8 (c7) cannot be recommended for the second player.] 23.Ne4! K FIDE-World
23...Rxc1 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Bxc1 The mighty knight on d6 and the more active pieces give White comfortable advantage. 25...Kc6 26.Bd2 Logical and good move. Another reasonable option is: [26.Rd4 Kc5 (26...b5 27.axb6 Kxb6 28.g3 Kc6 (28...fxg3 29.Bxg5 gxh2 30.Rh4+-) 29.h4 Bd8 30.Bxf4) 27.Rc4+ Kd5 28.Bd2 Kxe5 29.Nxb7 Be7 30.Rc7 Re8 31.b4 as the king on e5 is vulnerable, White preserves his large advantage.] 26...Be7 27.Rc1+ Kd7 28.Bc3?! [28.Bb4! was much better and natural. White will need this bishop later on b4 and eventually on d6 in some lines. Now: 28...Bxd6 29.Rd1 Rc8 30.Rxd6+ nets a healthy pawn on e6.] 28...Bxd6 29.Rd1! Topalov will have to find only moves in order not to let the advantage slip away: 29...Bf5 [29...Rd8!? trying to exchange the rooks is a good alternative. At first I though that White should be winning after: 30.Rxd6+ Ke7 31.Rb6 (31.Rxd8 Kxd8 32.Bd2 is a draw, as only one extra pawn is not enough to create enough passers. If White wants to go for an opposite-colored bishops endgame he needs to snatch at least two pawns) 31...Rd7 32.Bb4+ Kf7 33.Bd6 Bf5 34.Kd2 as I saw the plan king going to a7, and then even to c8 if needed. But closer looks shows that Black has good counter play- 34...g5 35.Kc3 h6 36.Kd4 Kg6 37.Rb3 (37.Kc5 Bd3 and Black threatens Bd3-f1xg2) 37...g4 38.Kc5 Kg5 39.Kb6 h5 and Black has strong counter-chances; 29...Rc8 30.Rxd6+ Ke7 31.Rb6 Rc7 32.Rb4; 29...Kc8 30.Rxd6 Bf5 31.h4 might lead to the game continuation] 30.h4! Otherwise Black will connect his pawns with g7-g5 and will be out of danger. 30...g6 This is not bad, but Anand could have defended even better: [30...Kc7! 31.exd6+ (31.Rxd6 Rd8 32.Rb6 Rd5 followed by Rd5-b5 should be K FIDE-World
a draw) 31...Kd7 uses the fact that the g file is open, and if: 32.Bxg7 (32.Be5 keeps practical winning chances for White, as well as good drawish chances for Black after: 32...Rc8) 32...Rg8 33.Be5 Rxg2+ Black takes back the pawn with comfort.] 31.Rxd6+ Kc8 32.Bd2! Why? Why did Topalov need to exchange the rooks when he could have continued the game without the resources that the opposite-colored bishop endgames always have. I thought that it was much better: [32.Rd4 And now: Passive defense does not save: 32...Rd8 a) However: 32...h6!! With the idea g6-g5 seems to lead to a forced draw thanks to an important tactical detail: 33.Bb4 (33.Rxf4 Bd3+! 34.Ke3 Rxf4 35.Kxf4 Bf1 36.g4 Kd7 37.Bd2 Ke7 38.Kg3 h5=) 33...Rf7 34.Rxf4 Bd3+! Black will win an important tempo to harass the white pawns from behind. As the pawn on h6 stops the maneuver Kf4-g5-h6 Black is just in time to build a fortress: 35.Ke3 Rxf4 36.Kxf4 Kd7 37.Bf8 h5 38.Kg5 Ke8 39.Bc5 Kf7 40.Bd4 Bf1 41.g4 Be2=; b) 32...Bb1 33.Bd2 (33.Bb4 Rf5 (33...Rf7 34.Bd6 Ba2 35.Rd1 Bd5 36.Rc1+ Bc6 37.Kd3) ) 33...Rf7 34.Bxf4 Rc7 gives White an extra pawn, but with rooks still on the board, and excellent winning chances.; 33.Rxf4 Kc7 34.g4 Bc2 35.Rf6 (35.Rf7+ Rd7 36.Rf6) 35...Bb3 36.Ke3 followed by Ke3-f4-g5-h6 and Rf6-f7 (or Rf6-f8-h8 if the opponent's rook is on the seventh rank).] 32...Rd8 33.Bxf4 The only move to play for a win. If White does not have a passed pawn, he has nothing to fight for: [33.Rxd8+? Kxd8 34.Bxf4 Bc2 and the bishop is transferred to attack the white pawns 35.Ke3 Ba4 36.Kd4 Bb5 37.Kc5 Bf1 38.g3 Kd7 39.Bg5 Bg2 and the pawns are blocked] 33...Rxd6 34.exd6 Kd7 The arising endgame is far from trivial, and it is a great pleasure to analyze it. 35.Ke3 Bc2 36.Kd4
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36...Ke8!! Fantastic move. The idea of exchanging the functions of the defensive pieces is surely not new, but is quite impressive nevertheless. If Black allows the opponent's king to penetrate via f6, White will create a second passer that is more than enough distant from its colleague on d6: [36...Bb3 37.Ke5 Bc4 38.Kf6 Bf1 39.g4 Be2 (39...Bd3 40.Kg7 h5 41.gxh5 gxh5 42.Kh6 Be2 43.Kxh5 Bxf3+ 44.Kh6+- and White wins as there are three lines between the passed pawns) 40.g5 This is what I was thinking should be the right plan during the game but White can win prosaically after: (40.Kg7 Bxf3 41.Kxh7 g5 42.hxg5 e5 43.Bxe5 Bxg4 44.g6 Bf5 45.Kg7+-) 40...Bxf3 I just cannot stand showing you one beautiful line that I discovered: 41.Kg7 Be2 42.Kxh7 Bh5 43.Be5 Kc6 44.Kg7 Kd7 45.Kf7 Zugzwang, black loses the pawn, but this is still not enough- 45...Kd8 46.Kxe6 Bg4+ 47.Kd5 In order to reach progress White must also use the queen's side pawns: 47...Ke8 48.Kc5 Kd7 49.Kb6 Bf3 50.b4 Bc6 (50...Kc8 51.Bf4 Kd7 might actually save Black; 50...Bd5 51.h5 gxh5 52.g6 h4 53.g7 h3 54.Bf4 and the win is similar like in the main line) 51.h5! gxh5 52.g6 h4 53.g7 Bd5 54.Bf4 h3 55.Bh2 Kd8
This endgame without the a, b and black's h pawn is a theoretical draw. However here White wins after: 56.b5!! axb5 57.a6! bxa6 58.Kc5! and there is no defense against the idea Kc5-c6, d6-d7, Kc6-d6 and mate with the bishop on one of the diagonals: 58...Bb3 59.Kc6 b4 60.d7 Ba4+ 61.Kd6 Bb3 62.Bf4 a5 63.Bg5#] 37.Ke5 Kf7 38.Be3 Ba4 39.Kf4 Bb5 [39...Kf6 is a resource offered by Peter Doggers, but it is not sufficient, as after: 40.Bd4+ e5+ 41.Bxe5+ Ke6 42.Bc3 Kxd6 43.Kg5 Ke6 44.Kh6 Kf7 45.Kxh7 Bc6 46.Kh6 K FIDE-World
Bd5 White is technically winning: 47.h5 gxh5 48.Kxh5+- then he simply advances the pawns on the king's flank, wins the bishop, and thanks to the fact that there are still b pawns on the board (no fortress with a wrong-color bishop idea) wins.] 40.Bc5 Kf6 41.Bd4+ Kf7 Here I left the hall, sure that the game should be a draw. I saw only one plan for White- to exchange his h for the g pawn of the opponent, and then to create a second passer on the f line. But then, the distance between the passers is only one line, and this should be a draw. However, Topalov kept on playing and finally, the world champion erred: 42.Kg5 Bc6 43.Kh6 Kg8 44.h5 Be8 45.Kg5 Kf7 46.Kh6 Kg8 47.Bc5 gxh5 48.Kg5 Kg7 49.Bd4+ Kf7 50.Be5 h4 51.Kxh4 Kg6 52.Kg4 Bb5 53.Kf4 Kf7 54.Kg5 Bc6?? The decisive mistake. Black had to switch the functions of the defenders one more time: [54...Ke8 55.g4 Be2 56.f4 Bd3 57.f5 exf5 58.gxf5 and now the simplest is: 58...h6+ Although the position that arises after: (58...Kf7 59.f6 Bb5 should also be a draw, for example: 60.Kf4 (60.Kh6 Kg8) 60...h6 61.Ke3 Ke6 62.Kd4 h5 63.Kc5 h4 64.Kb6 h3 65.Kc7 Kxe5 66.f7 h2 67.f8Q h1Q=) 59.Kf6 Kd7 hitting the pawn on f5 with a draw.] 55.Kh6 Kg8 56.g4And Anand resigned due to: [56.g4 Bd7 57.g5 Be8 (57...Bc6 changes nothing as White has many reserved moves 58.Bg7 Be8 59.f4+-) 58.Bg7
58...Bc6 59.g6 hxg6 60.Kxg6 Be8+ 61.Kf6 Bb5 62.Bh6 followed by Ke7 and material gains. A painful defeat for the world champion. Topalov finally managed to materialize his playing advantage from the last games. The score is leveled, and as the match is approaching its final phase the most important question is if the players will continue to risk and search for a win in the K FIDE-World
regular part of the match, or will settle for solid play. I hope that it will be the first option.] 10
Game 9
Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805) [E54] World Chess Championship Sofia / Bulgaria, 06.05.2010
The 9th game was one of the tensest of the championship so far, where we could see that both players get very tired and nervous. Anand decided to stop the Catalan debate and used his other weapon - the Nimzo with 4.e3. The champion was also better prepared and quickly got some edge in a complicated position with two rooks for queen. Later Topalov had some ways to equalize, but the position was too complicated. Anand also did not play perfectly. Nevertheless after the second time control he got winning position (for the second time in the game), but he erred on move 53 and the game was drawn. Another disappointment for the World Champion. 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 Anand refuses the Catalan, which brought him two wins, and opts for another complicated opening - the Nimzo. 3...b4 4.e3 00 5.d3 c5 6.f3 d5 7.00 A very famous position, which was played in other World Championships as well. Here some very big theory starts, with thousands of K FIDE-World
games played. 7...cxd4 One of the main moves. [7...c6 8.a3 xc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.xc4 c7 and; 7...dxc4 8.xc4 bd7 are other big main lines.] 8.exd4 dxc4 9.xc4 b6 Developing the bishop first, which is much more flexible in this case. 10.g5 b7 11.e1 bd7 12.c1 c8
So far everything was simple, both players were developing, but now Anand has a choice - which he already made at home. 13.d3 Not forcing anything yet. [13.b3 is what Kramnik managed to beat Kasparov with, in London back then in 2000. However, later Black found a way to deal with it. 13...e7 (13...xc3! is safer) 14.xf6 xf6 (14...xf6!?) 15.xe6! Is how KramnikKasparov from the other World Championship Match went.] 13...e8 14.e2 xc3 Black has already made all useful moves, so now it is time for this exchange. White get's the bishop pair, but Black is solid and has an easy development. 15.bxc3 c7 16.h4 Trying to attack the queen that has just appeared on c7. [16.c4 is too early- 16...h6! and if 17.h4 then 17...h5!] 16...h5! Typical way to meet all Bh4's. 17.g5 [17.xh7+ doesn't work: 17...xh7 18.g5+ g6! 19.g4! f4! 20.gxh5+ h6 and Black will take over.] 17...g6 18.h3!?N A new move. It seems a little bit ugly, but White protects the f4 square, which is more important. [Another possible and more logical way of solving the problem is 18.d2 but then Black is still able to go to f4, though this time with his queen. 18...f4!?; 18.xh7?? f4!] 18...e5 This breakthrough seems very good, but in fact now this pawn is kind of pinned and the pin is actually pretty annoying for Black. [18...d6!? first, made sense, avoiding f3. 19.f3? xc3!] 19.f3! protecting e4 and bringing the bishop to f2. 19...d6 [19...exd4 20.xe8+ xe8 21.xe8+ g7 22.f2!; 19...d5!? 20.d2 (20.g4 hf6 21.g3 h5 22.f2) 20...c4 21.b1 d6] 20.f2 20...exd4?! K FIDE-World
Topalov just ignores the pin and sacrifices his rooks for White's queen. I think it was not needed. [20...hf6! Seems much safer and better to me. Now exd4 and also e4 are threats. I think Black more or less equalizes: 21.b2 exd4!? seems fine for Black. White knight looks odd on h3, and in case of cxd4 the black knight will enjoy the d5 square.(21...e4!?) ] 21.xe8+ xe8 22.xe8+ f8 23.cxd4 White also had an option of taking with bishop, which was strong, but Anand decides to go for a safe option. [23.xd4! Black may try to transfer one of two knights to e6, but in both cases White will meet it with Re3 and the bishop will be free to go to e5. 23...g7 (23...c6 24.e3 e6 25.e5 And white is better.) 24.e3 ge6 25.e5 c5 26.ce1 d7 27.g3 f6 28.c4! And all the threats are neutralized and white's advantage is big and clear.] 23...f6 24.ee1 e6 25.c4!
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Very clever. White wants to play Bg3 without giving up the d4 pawn. 25...d5 26.g3 b4! Topalov rightly decides to enter some complications [26...d7 was bad due to 27.e5!] 27.e5! d7! The point of Qb4. Now the position gets complicated, and it seems that objectively Black is holding, though I may be wrong. 28.a3?! Those moves are always nice to make- it seems not to change the position much, but it offers the opponent a choice and confuses him a bit. [28.xd5! however, was objectively stronger. 28...xe5 29.xe6 d3! 30.c8+ g7 31.d1 fxe6 Now White has a choice: to grab the pawn, or not to and have a better piece cooperation. White has winning chances in both cases, but I would prefer to take the pawn. 32.c7+ (32.c2!? f6! protecting g5. Now White has nothing better than exchanging the knights 33.f2 xf2 34.xf2 And White has winning chances, but because Black will have a passed pawn on the queenside I think he should draw this.) 32...f6 33.xa7 b2! Protecting f2 and keeping and eye on a2. (33...xd4+?! 34.h1 b2? 35.d7!) 34.f1! xd4+ 35.f2 h5 36.a3! xf2 37.xf2 h4 And here White will slowly unpin and then be having very fine winning chances.] 28...a4 [28...b2! Was equalizing easier, for example29.xd5 (29.b1 c3! 30.xd5 xe5 31.xe6 xd4+ 32.f2 d3 33.f1 xf2 34.xf7+ xf7 35.xf2 h5! 36.c1 a5 37.g3 h4 with equality.) 29...xe5 30.xe6 d3 31.c8+ g7 32.d1 fxe6 33.c7+ f6 34.xa7 xd4+ 35.h1 h5 And the difference between the knights is the reason why Black holds this position easily.] 29.xd5 xe5 30.xe6 xd4+?
Topalov probably couldn't calculate all the complications of Nd3! till the end and opted for the "safe" option. In fact now Black's position becomes critical - he is maybe already lost. [However the complications after 30...d3! are in his favor. Black seems to be equal in all lines. For example 31.c4!? K FIDE-World
(31.xf7+ xf7 32.g5+? g7 33.c7+ h6! and it is not the black king but White who will be in trouble.) 31...xa3 32.xf7+ xf7 33.g5+ f6
34.e4+ e7 35.f1 f4 36.c7+ d8 37.xh7 b2 38.f2 e2+ 39.h1 a5 with counter play that is enough for equality.] 31.h1 fxe6 32.g5! Finally the knight is back! 32...d6 33.e4?
Anand decides again not to calculate everything but to play simple positional chess. [33.c8+! was winning immediately! 33...g7 34.ec1 h6 (34...d2 35.8c7+ g8 36.e4 and White wins) 35.h4 d4 (35...h5 36.h8 h6 37.e1+-) 36.g3! d7 37.g2! and it is clear that Black is lost.] 33...xa3 34.c3 b2 Probably not the best square, but without a computer it is hard to see which square is best and why. 35.h4 [The immediate 35.c8+! was also possible 35...g7 36.c7+ and Black is losing a pawn - h7 or a7... or both..] 35...b5? I am curious, why Topalov touched this pawn on not apawn, which fits much more with queen b2. [35...a5!? Was more logical than pushing the b-pawn, but perhaps it is not quick enough.. 36.c8+ g7 37.c7+ g8 38.d1 d3! 39.d7 c5 40.a7 d3 41.h2 e2 42.d2 e3 43.f6+ f8 44.xh7+ e8 45.f6+ d8 46.e4 and Black's position seems horrible - but may in fact be hold able..; The clever 35...b4!? is interesting too; 35...f7 is safe, but I think Black shouldn't be passive, and his chance is in pushing the pawn - the a-pawn, not the b one...] 36.c8+ g7 37.c7+ f8 38.g5 e8 39.xh7 A safe move. [39.xe6! was winning, for example 39...xf3!? 40.d1! d2 41.xa7! e5 42.xh7!! xe6 43.a1! c6 44.a8+! and after playing five moves in a row with an exclamation mark White wins!] 39...c3 40.h8+?
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Anand lets the black king escape, on the famous 40th move. Probably Anand thought that Black has to repeat the moves, missing 41...Nd3! after 41.Rd1. [40.e2 was winning for White. Black has no perpetual whatsoever, and White will eventually get to Black's king. For example 40...b4 41.xe6 b3 42.h2! a5 43.c7 a1 44.b7 c3 45.b5 c4 46.b8+! e7 47.xb3! xb3 48.d4+ e3 49.xe3+ xe3 50.c6+ winning. That was of course just one of the possible lines.; 40.e4 would win as well] 40...d7 41.h7+ [41.d1+ d3! could be what Anand missed] 41...c6 42.e4 Even though the black king is out of the dangerous zone, his position is still tricky and difficult to play. 42...b4?! [The immediate 42...b6! is much stronger, e6 is untouchable due to Nxf3! while Kb6 is neccesary in any case. 43.e7 c6 44.7xe6 b4 45.f7 a5! and it will eventually finish in a draw.] 43.xe6 b6 44.f4 a1+ [44...c1+! was drawing in a study like way: 45.h2 c6 46.h6 b3 47.xg6 d2!! (47...b2? 48.d3 b1 49.xc1 xc1 50.ee6+-) 48.c4 b2 49.gxc6+ b7 50.c7+ b8 51.c8+ b7 52.4c7+ a6! with a draw. Strangely enough White can't get anything more.] 45.h2 a5 46.h5 46...gxh5 Now it's over for Black again. [46...g5!? was perhaps stronger, but it is not clear if it was enough to save the game. However, over the board it is not clear if it is better than gxh5, so we should forgive Topalov.] 47.xh5 c6 48.d5+ b7 49.h7+ a6 50.e6 b5 51.h5 d4 52.b6+! Nice check, forcing the black king to stay inside the mate zone. Now White is totally winning, for about the third time in this game... 52...a6 53.d6 b7 54.c4?! Making things a bit more complicated, though White is still winning. [54.d5! centralizing the knight was much simpler, and black can resign.] 54...xf3+ 55.gxf3 a2+ 56.d2 c7 57.hd5?! Again an inaccuracy: [57.hh6! was stronger. White will play Kg3 and Ne4 and mate Black.] 57...b3 58.d7+ c8 59.d8+ c7 60.8d7+ c8 61.g7! Here K FIDE-World
all Anand's fan were relieved again - he seemed to have found a win. But... 61...a4 62.c5+?! Okay, just repeating the moves, nothing wrong yet... [62.dd7 a3 63.g3 a1 64.c7+ b8 65.b7+ c8 66.xb3 g1+ 67.f4 h2+ 68.e3 e5+ 69.f2 h2+ 70.f1 h3+ 71.e2 h2+ 72.d3] 62...b8 63.d5 c8 64.g3?
This and the quick next move give away the win for the last time in this game. But to be honest, it wasn't so easy anymore, especially for someone who played for some five to six hours already. And, well, White had easier wins earlier in this game... [64.dd7 was an easy move, but the win wasn't easy to calculate: 64...a3 65.g3 a1 66.a7 g1+ (66...e5+ 67.f4 e1+ 68.f3 h1+ 69.f2 h2+ 70.e3+-) 67.h3 h1+ 68.g4 g1+ 69.f5 c5+ 70.e4 b4+ 71.d3 d6+ 72.c3 e5+ 73.xb3 b2+ 74.c4 c2+ 75.b5 b2+ 76.c5 e5+ 77.b4 d6+ 78.c3 e5+ 79.c2 c5+ 80.d1 And the king managed to hide. Black had other possibilities of checks, but white always manages to hide somewhere.] 64...a1 65.g4? [65.dd7 was probably still winning, but Anand played Rg4 almost instantly. 65...e1+ 66.g4! and I will just trust my Fritz, who says that White is winning...] 65...b2 Now it is already over, Black will draw easily. 66.c4+ b7 67.f2 b1 68.xb1 xb1 69.dd4 Black doesn't need his pawn to make a draw. 69...a2+ 70.g3 a3 71.c3 a1 72.b4+ a6 73.a4+ b5 74.cxa3 g1+ With rooks on a3 and a4, it is obvious that there is a perpetual check. 75.f4 c1+ 76.f5 c5+ 77.e4 c2+ 78.e3 c1+ 79.f2 d2+ 80.g3 e1+ 81.f4 c1+ 82.g3 g1+ 83.f4 A very complicated game, full of fight, but also mistakes.
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Game 10
Topalov misses good chances in the endgame
Topalov,V (2805) - Anand,V (2787) [D87]
Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 Game_10 Sofia BUL (10), 07.05.2010 Analysis by GM Dejan Bojkov
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 00 10.00 b6 11.Qd2 Bb7 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Rfd1 cxd4 14.cxd4 Qd6
15.d5N [15.e5 was seen before.] 15...Na5 16.Bb5 Rxc1 17.Rxc1 Rc8 18.h3 Rxc1+ 19.Qxc1 e6! Black is freeing his positions after the pawn exchanges in the center and levels the game. 20.Nf4 exd5 21.Nxd5 f5 [21...Qe5!? intending to exchange the queens with Qe5-a1 was a good way to prove equality.] 22.f3 fxe4 23.fxe4 Qe5 24.Bd3 Nc6 This move shows that Anand is still suffering after the last games. Black could have won a pawn, but White would have rich compensation for it, and the second player needs to be careful as his king is in danger, and Na5 out of play; it is only Black who risks after: [24...Bxd5 25.exd5 Qxd5 26.Qc8+ Bf8 27.Be2 h5 although objectively the position is balanced - a) 27...Qe5? shows the risks that Black might face- 28.Bc4+ Nxc4 29.Qxc4+ Kg7 30.Bd4 Bc5 31.Qxc5!+-; b) 27...Qd6 28.Bf3 Qe5= 29.Bf2 since (29.Bh6 is countered by- 29...Qc5+ although even the endgame with a pawn down should not be a problem for K FIDE-World
White, too powerful his bishops are.) 29...Kg7 30.Qd7+ Kh6; 28.Bf3 Qe5 29.Kf2 Qb2+ 30.Kg3 Qe5+=; However: 24...Qa1!? Though was a safe option.] 25.Ba6!
Excellent practical chance. Although the position remains equal Anand will have to solve difficult problems. 25...Nd4?! [25...Bxa6 was a better option, and should lead to a draw by force: 26.Qxc6 Qa1+ 27.Kh2 (27.Bc1 Probably this was a line that bothered the world champion: 27...Qd4+= But not: (27...Bb2? 28.Qa8+ Kg7 29.Qxa7+ Kg8 30.Qb8+ Kg7 31.Qc7+ Kg8 32.Qd8+ Kg7 33.Qe7+ Kg8 34.Kh2 Qxc1 35.e5 Bxe5+ 36.Qxe5 with large plus for White thanks to the favorable Q+N pair.; 27...Bh6?? is even worse 28.Qe6+ Kg7 29.Qe7+ Kh8 30.Kh2! Qxc1 31.Qf6+ Kg8 32.Ne7#) ) 27...Be5+ 28.Bf4 Bxf4+ 29.Nxf4 Qe5 30.Qa8+ Kg7 31.Qxa7+ Kg8 32.g3 (32.Qxa6 Qxf4+ 33.Kg1 Qe3+ 34.Kf1 Qf4+ 35.Kg1 Qe3+=) 32...Qb2+ 33.Ng2 Bf1 34.Qb8+ Kg7 35.Qc7+ Kg8 (35...Kh6? 36.Qf4+) 36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qe7+=; 25...Ba8?! Brings Black only trouble 26.Bb5 Ne7 (26...Qe6? 27.Bxc6 Bxc6 28.Qxc6 Qxc6 29.Ne7+) 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.Qc8+ Qf8 29.Qc7 and Black will lose both his pawns on the queen's flank.; 25...Qb8? loses a whole piece 26.Bxb7 Qxb7 27.Qxc6 Qxc6 28.Ne7++-] 26.Qc4 Bxd5 27.Qxd5+ Qxd5 28.exd5
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The arising endgame is not only unpleasant for Black, it is very difficult. White owes the bishop pair, more space, and has a strong passed pawn. He also can make progress on both flanks. Black should look for fortresses or ways to exchange the pawns on the queen's flank. In any case his defense is an ungrateful task. The fact that the game was seemingly effortlessly drawn by Anand is misleading, he was in great danger, and probably even losing at some stages:28...Be5 29.Kf2 Topalov improves his position by bringing the king in the center, and gaining space on the king's flank. 29...Kf7 30.Bg5 Nf5 31.g4 Nd6 32.Kf3 Ne8 33.Bc1 Nc7 34.Bd3 Bd6 35.Ke4 So far the Bulgarian GM made all strong and logical moves. However now he could advance the kingside pawns: [35.h4!? The idea is to create a second weakness in the opponent's camp either on g6, or even better on h7, then to force an opponent's piece to protect it, and finally to penetrate with his king: 35...b5 36.h5 a6 (36...gxh5 will live the h7 pawn vulnerable, and will "stretch" Black's defense thus making it more difficult (if possible at all) 37.gxh5 Nxd5 38.Bxb5 Nf6 39.Bc4+ Ke7 40.h6) 37.hxg6+ hxg6 38.Ke4 Ne8 39.g5 Bc5 40.Ke5 Nd6 41.Bd2 Ke7 (41...Nc4+ 42.Bxc4 bxc4 43.d6+-) 42.Bc3 followed by Ke5-f4 and Bc3-f6 and further improvement of the position. Black's defense is getting harder and harder with each move, and I am not sure that he can survive that.] 35...b5 Anand gains space on the queen's flank and eventually likes to exchange the pawns there. [35...Ke7 36.Bg5+ Kf7 37.Kd4 and White can proceed with the above-mentioned plan- h3-h4-h5, etc.] 36.Kd4 a6 37.Be2 Ke7 38.Bg5+ Kd7 39.Bd2 Bg3 40.g5 Bf2+ 41.Ke5 Bg3+ 42.Ke4 Breaking in does not prove sufficient. [42.Kf6 Nxd5+ 43.Kg7 Bf4 44.Bg4+ Kd6 45.Bxf4+ Nxf4 46.Kxh7 a5 47.h4 a4=] 42...Ne8 43.Bg4+ Ke7 44.Be6 Topalov goes for a wrong plan. He had play for a zugzwang: [44.Kf3! I borrowed this line from Sergey Shipov: 44...Bd6 45.Bc8 engaging the opponent's knight with the defense of the pawns. 45...Nc7 46.Ke4 Kd8 47.Bb7 Ke7 48.Bc3 Ba3 49.Be5 this is Shipov's line, though: (49.Bf6+!? Kf7 K FIDE-World
(49...Kd7 50.Bc6+ Kc8 51.Be5+- and d5-d6) 50.Be5 Ne8 51.Bxa6 is even stronger.) 49...Bd6 50.Bc6
Black is in zugzwang, and when the pawns start to move new weaknesses will be created and that will be the end- 50...a5 51.Kd4 b4 52.Bf6+ Kf7 53.Bd8 Kg7 54.Kc4 Kf7 55.Kb3 Kf8 56.Ka4+- This is how close to a defeat the Indian was.] 44...Nd6+ 45.Kf3 [45.Kd4 Bf2+]45...Nc4 46.Bc1 Bd6 47.Ke4 a5 48.Bg4 White cannot go for the h7 pawn. [48.Bg8 Kf8 49.Bxh7? Kg7] 48...Ba3
After this exchange draw is inevitable. 49.Bxa3+ Probably more practical is to sign the peace treaty after: [49.Bf4 Bd6 50.Bc1=]49...Nxa3 50.Ke5 Another possible draw continuation is: [50.Be6 b4 51.Bg8 Nb5 (51...Kf8 52.Bxh7 Kg7 53.d6 Nc4 54.d7 Nd6+ 55.Kd5 Nf7 56.Bxg6 Kxg6 57.Kc5 Kxg5 58.Kb5 Kf6 59.Kxa5 Ke7 60.Kxb4 Kxd7= Black's king will stop the a passer, and the knight can deal with the h one.) 52.Kd3 a4 53.h4 K FIDE-World
(53.Kc4?? b3 54.axb3 a3+) 53...Kf8 54.Be6= since none of the sides can make progress.] 50...Nc4+ 51.Kd4 Kd6 52.Be2 Na3 53.h4 Nc2+ 54.Kc3 Nb4 55.Bxb5 Nxa2+ 56.Kb3 Nb4 57.Be2 Nxd5 58.h5 Nf4 59.hxg6 hxg6 60.Bc4 1/2-1/2 Anand survived his extra black color and the chances before the decisive two games seem equal. Topalov's better physical form can be a factor at the end, but more important are the psychological aspects. Both players have their deserved rest today getting ready for their final efforts.
Game 11
Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805) [A29] WCh Sofia BUL (11), 09.05.2010

There was a tense nervous fight in the penultimate game, with many small inaccuracies and slightly superficial decisions by both players, but without serious mistakes from either side. 1.c4!? A surprise for everyone. Vishy virtually never opened serious games with this move. (In a must-win 24th game of the Kasparov-Karpov Sevillie 1987 match Kasparov played the English Opening and eventually won. Karpov there responded with 1...e6). 1...e5 2.c3 f6 3.f3 c6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 xd5 6.g2 b6 7.00 e7 8.a3 00 9.b4 e6 Lately,. this system has often been seen at the highest level 10.d3 [Another direction - 10.b1 f6 11.d3 (as, for example, in Carlsen-Kramnik, London 2009) which occurred several times in Topalov's practice.] 10...f6 [A major alternative for Black is 10...a5 11.b5 d4] 11.e4!? A rare, even if thematic continuation, leads to a position which was never seen before in games of both opponents. 11...e8!? Topalov, being not ready to play this line found a sensible and at the same time almost unknown move. 12.c5N
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Possibly, this is a bit premature. [Previously occurred 12.b2 a6 13.c1 f7 14.c5 xc5 15.xc5 a4? 16.xa4 b3 17.xe5! xe5 18.xb3! xb3 19.d5+ xd5 20.xd5 (0,50,5, 40) Figueiras-Neves, Corr. 19911994; and 12.c2!? (Hiarcs 11.1 4CPU - Toga II 1.2.1a, CCRL 2007); Personally, I could have examined the line 12.e3 d5 13.c5 f5 first of all] 12...xc5 13.bxc5 d5 The position is approximately equal in my view. 14.b2 [Not 14.b1? c3; But 14.c2!? , preparing Rb1 was of interest.] 14...d8!
Preventing the immediate 15.e4, 16.d4 as now it would lead White to a loss of a pawn. 15.c2 de7!? 16.ab1 a2 17.bc1 f7 18.c3 d7 Opponents had many alternatives at this stage. I am not quite sure whether ... K FIDE-World
Rd7 is a particularly good move. 19.b2 b8 20.fd1 [Quite bizarre is 20.xe5 xe5! (20...fxe5 21.h3!) 21.xe5 fxe5 22.c6 dd8 23.cxb7 c6 24.f4 e4! 25.xe4 d7] 20...e6 21.d2! h6?! A waiting move, which is hard to understand. Later a weakening of the Black kingside may tell in some lines. 22.b1 d5 23.b2! Topalov's plan was unconvincing and White developed certain initiative. 23...b6 [After 23...xc3 24.xc3 , 24...d4 leads to a clear White's advantage after 25.c6! dd8 26.cxb7 xb7 27.xd4! (not 27.xb7? xe2+) 27...xb2 28.xb2 exd4 29.c5] 24.cxb6!? White ensures that his c1 rook will have a work. 24...cxb6 25.d2 [Simpler than 25.e1!? ] 25...d6!? [Hardly a good idea was 25...ce7 because after 26.bc2! White is already threatening with 27.e4!.] 26.bc2 d7 27.h4!? [27.b5 was possible where curios but somewhat dubious is 27...a6 28.xa6 e4 with the idea of 29.dxe4 c7 30.a4 b5] 27...d8 28.b5 de7 [An interesting idea for Black was 28...a6!? and if 29.xa6 b8!! 30.a8 (30.c4 e3!) 30...b5! where White should play 31.e4 with a crazy position which I won't analyze now.] 29.b2
Anand's play with his major pieces in the middle game resembles a but Karpov-Yussupov game in the Open Ruy Lopez, won by Karpov. But a strategic picture was very different there. Here, I cannot exclude that the retreat of the queen spoils White's slight advantage. 29...d5 30.b4 xb4 31.axb4! c6! Black exchanges his passive rook. 32.b5 [Maybe White could have tried 32.xc6 with the idea of 32...xc6 33.b5] 32...xc2 33.xc2 e6!= 34.d4!? Otherwise Black has a pleasant game. 34...e4 [After 34...exd4?! 35.d2 f5 White has 36.e4!] 35.d2 xd4! [Stronger than 35...f5 36.e3 (planning Bf1), and 36...g5 37.hxg5 hxg5 38.g4 seems to be better for White.] 36.xe4 Here I started to suspect that Black can be even a bit better, K FIDE-World
because it is easier for him to activate his king; the b5 pawn can be more vulnerable than the a7 pawn in fact; and (most crucially) the white knight does not have prospects on e4. But indeed one can speak only about a very small advantage. 36...xb2 37.xb2 f7 38.e3 g5 [Black could have tried to play for attack by 38...d1+ 39.h2 g6 but it was hardly a road to success] 39.hxg5 hxg5 40.f4 This move will help White to activate his king. 40...gxf4 41.exf4!
[Avoiding 41.gxf4 f5 42.f2 d3 43.e2 where White's pieces are very passive.] 41...d4 42.f2 [Also possible was 42.c2 and if 42...f5 43.e2] 42...f5 43.f3 [As it seems, 43.g4! would have led to a clear equality after 43...h4 44.e3 a4 45.f5 xg2+ 46.xg2 d5 47.c3!= where 47...xg2 (if 47...a3 48.c2) 48.xa4 e7 is answered by 49.f4 d6 50.g5 fxg5+ 51.xg5] 43...d5!? 44.d2 xf3 45.xf3 a4 46.g4?! [Not 46.c2?! d6; The safest possibly was 46.d2! e7 47.g2 (rather than 47.e2+ d6 48.g4 e7 49.g3 d5 50.f5) ] 46...d6?! [Missing a good chance: 46...e7! where White hardly should go for 47.g3 d5 48.f5 e3 49.h2 where he is too passive, so White should better think how to give away a pawn in the relatively best edition.] 47.g3 e4+ 48.h4 d6 49.d2 !?/?! [Instead of repeating the position by 49.g3= Anand plays for a win!] 49...xb5! [Stronger than 49...xf4 50.g3] 50.f5 e4 [Critical was 50...f4! and, for example, after 51.d7+ (51.g3!? b4!) 51...e8 52.d3 a5 53.h5 (or 53.b3 b4 54.e3+ f7 55.h5 a4 56.g5 b3!) 53...a4 it is not clear whether White will survive. In other words, Anand would have had some problems.] 51.h5 e3 52.h4 c3 53.d7+ e7 54.d3 e4 55.g6 c5 [Only Black is in danger after 55...c7 : 56.h6 e8 57.e3 c4 58.g5 and 58...f7 is probably forced] 56.a3!? [After 56.xe7 xd3 K FIDE-World
57.c8 and if 57...b5 58.d6+ Black cannot win, but Anand preserves the tension.] 56...d7 57.e3 g7 58.g5 b5! 59.f4 b4 [If 59...fxg5 60.xg5 White plays without any risk, his strong f-pawn is supported by all his forces.] 60.g6!
An important move, after which the game was drawn logically and almost by force. 60...b3 61.c3 [Also possible was 61.e8 and if 61...b2 62.b8] 61...d4! [Not 61...c7 62.xb3 xb3 63.e6+ g8 64.xc7 followed by Ne8; And not 61...b2?? 62.xc5 b1 63.e6+ g8 64.c8+ and Black will be mated on the next move.] 62.xc5 [62.e6+ xe6 63.c7+ is a bizarre way to a draw.] 62...xf4 63.c7+ g8 64.b7 ["Everything" draws here. For example, 64.g7+ xg7 stalemate.; It did not make much sense to try 64.g7 because of 64...h7 and 65.g8+ xg8 66.g6 g4+ 67.xf6 cannot be called a play for a win for White.] 64...f3 [Not 64...xf5+?? 65.h6+-] 65.b8+ g7
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Game 12
Viswanathan Anand successfully defended his World title by defeating Veselin Toplalov in the last 12th Game of the World Chess Championship which concluded at Sofia, Bulgaria late Tuesday night. Anand had won the title in 2000 in the knock-out format, in 2007 in tournament format, then in 2008 in match format against Vladimir Kramnik and now has defended his title. NIIT MindChampion Anand weaved a "Black Magic net in the final game, a fitting reply to Topalovs remark yesterday that he had an advantage in the 12th game as he was playing White. Interestingly through, out this twelve-game match, Black was more or less always struggling for survival, and no victories had been scored with the black pieces by either player. It was a superb victory by 40-year-old Anand, albeit helped by inaccuracies on Topalovs part. Topalov opened with the queen pawn for the sixth time in this event and it was Anand who surprised him by opting for the Queens Gambit Declined, Lasker Variation, and soon had a solid set-up. This was an indication that the Indian wanted to play solid chess...
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THE WINNER Topalov,Veselin (2805) - Anand,Viswanathan (2787) [D56] WCh Sofia BUL (12), 11.05.2010

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6! Instead of 2...c6 as Anand played three times in Sofia 2010. 3.f3 f6 4.c3 e7 5.g5 h6 6.h4 00 7.e3 e4 8.xe7 xe7 9.c1 c6 10.e2 xc3 11.xc3 dxc4 12.xc4 d7 13.00
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This position has a long history: it occurred in a couple of games in the 1920s1930s. 13...b6 [The alternative is 13...e5 (as in Grischuk-Anand, Moscow Wch blitz 2009)] 14.d3 c5 15.e4 b8 16.c2 16...f6!
This move was never tried at the elite level. Many other moves were used instead: [16...b7 Kramnik-Karpov, Amber blindfold 2000; 16...b5 GelfandKramnik, Amber rapid 2001; 16...a6 Grischuk-Jakovenko, Russian ChT 2009; 16...a5 Karpov-Jussupow, Baden-Baden 1995] 17.dxc5 xe4 18.xe4 bxc5 19.c2 [Kulaots-Grabarczyk, Borup Open 2008 continued 19.b3 b7 20.f4 xf3 21.xf3 fd8 22.fc1 d2 23.1c2 bd8 24.g3 xc2 25.xc2 d5= and soon the game ended in a draw] 19...b7 20.d2 fd8 21.f3 [After 21.b3 Black has 21...c4! with the idea of 22.xc4 a6 23.c7 bc8! 24.xe7 xc2=] 21...a6N [21...d6 occurred in H.Bellmann-G. Schulze, Corr. 1998] 22.f2!?
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A somewhat risky approach. 22...d7 23.g3 [After 23.xc5?! there is 23...xb2] 23...bd8 24.g2 d3 [Not 24...b7? 25.b3 and Black loses his c-pawn; But 24...e5!? looks alright, with good chances for Black.; Or 24...h5!? ] 25.c1 a6 26.a3 Topalov avoids the offered repetition of moves. 26...b7!? [Anand could have offered the repetition again by 26...d3!= and White hardly has a better move than 27.c3] 27.b3?! [A stronger move was 27.e4! where 27...f5 28.xa7 fxe4 29.xe4 xe4 30.xd7 xf3+ 31.xf3 xd7 is a bit better for White.; But not 27.xa7? xf3+] 27...c7! 28.a5 a8 29.c4 e5!? [There were alternatives such as 29...g5 with some attacking chances] 30.e4 Now Black should prevent Ne3. Therefore... 30...f5! 31.exf5 [White probably would still have been OK more or less after 31.d2!? returning the knight to the square where it was placed several moves ago.] 31...e4 32.fxe4? A fatal oversight. [After 32.e3 exf3+ 33.g1 Black is better but White is in the game.] 32...xe4+ 33.h3 d4! Threatening with ...Rxc4 and also with a mate from g4, so White's answer is forced. 34.e3 e8!! Essentially, the winning move, which forces White to weaken his position. 35.g4 h5!+ It is now obvious that Black has a decisive attack. 36.h4!? [If 36.g5 e4! wins] 36...g5+!? Simplest. 37.fxg6 xg6 38.f1! xg4+ 39.h3 e7! [After 39...f7 40.xf7 g2+ White must play 41.xg2 (41.xg2? h4+!) 41...xg2 but this is not an immediate win for Black.] 40.f8+ g7 [A forced win was 40...h7! 41.h8+ xh8 42.f8+ g8 43.xe7 c8 (or 43...g2+ 44.xg2 c8! 45.f4 g6+ 46.e6 xe6) ] 41.f5+! [After 41.xa8? Black executes his main idea, 41...xe3+ 42.xe3 h4+ 43.xh4 g4#] 41...h7! [Not 41...xf8?? 42.xe7+ f7 because of 43.g6+! xg6 44.xf7+ xf7 45.xa7+] 42.g3 xg3+ 43.hxg3 g4+ 44.h2 e2+ 45.g1 g2+ 46.xg2 xg2 47.xg2 [In the variation 47.f7+ g6! 48.g7+ xf5 49.xg4 hxg4! 50.xg2 e4 K FIDE-World
51.f2 d3+ White loses. The text leads to a technical position, easily winning for Black.] 47...e2+ 48.h3 c4!? [Preventing the activation of the white forces: 48...xb2 49.h4] 49.a4 a5 50.f6 g8! 51.h6+ g7 52.b6 e4 53.h2 Almost anything wins for Black at this point. 53...h7 Avoiding any lines with Nf5 check. 54.d6 e5 55.f7 xb2+ 56.h3 g7!
And White resigned.[After 56...g7 further resistance makes no sense: 57.d8 (57.d7 g4+) 57...c3 and so on] 01
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FIDE World Chess Championship 2010

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WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

The 2010 match

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by IM Malcolm Pein]

Chess Championship 2010 K

23...d7 24.c4+ xc4 25.xc4 e8 26.xf6+ xf6 27.xg5+ g6!] 24.xf6!!

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by IM Malcolm Pein]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by GM Susan Polgar]

Chess Championship 2010 K

is possible here. 16...N7f6

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by GM Anish Giri]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

(24...xc5 25.xb7!; 24...xb6 25.axb6 cd7 26.c4!; 24...b8!?) 25.f4 d3!

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by GM Anish Giri]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by Mikhail Golubev (www.chesstoday.net)]

Chess Championship 2010 K

entirely equal now. 39.e1 d4 40.d1 a5 41.c5 f5 42.c3 d4 43.c5 f5 44.c3

Anand,V (2787) - Topalov,V (2805) [E04]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by Mikhail Golubev (www.chesstoday.net)]

Chess Championship 2010 K

21...c5 22.b4!) 22.f2 xb2 23.c3 g5 24.xg5 xc3 25.e3 e1+

Topalov,V (2805) - Anand,V (2787) [D17]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by GM Anish Giri]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Topalov,V (2805) - Anand,V (2787) [D87]

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by Mikhail Golubev (www.chesstoday.net)]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

[Analysis by Mikhail Golubev (www.chesstoday.net)]

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

Chess Championship 2010 K

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