Anand vs Topalov

Anand…my favourite – image: Official site

 

Schedule

See the image/link to the Official site on my blog’s sidebar [top right]. The link will open in a new window.

Round 1: Topalov vs Anand –  move 19 [click on images for a larger view]

Round 1 move 23

Move 25

Round 1 move 29 – big trouble – Anand has resigned this game

Topalov – 1 Anand – 0

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC2010”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.04.24”]
[Round “1.22”]
[White “Topalov, V.”]
[Black “Anand, V.”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “D87”]
[WhiteElo “2805”]
[PlyCount “59”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BUL”]

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 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. Bd3 b6 12. Qd2 e5 13. Bh6 cxd4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. cxd4 exd4 16. Rac1 Qd6 17. f4 f6 18. f5 Qe5 19. Nf4 g5 20. Nh5+ Kg8 21. h4 h6 22. hxg5 hxg5 23. Rf3 Kf7 24. Nxf6 Kxf6 25. Rh3 Rg8 26. Rh6+ Kf7 27. Rh7+Ke8 28. Rcc7 Kd8 29. Bb5 Qxe4 30. Rxc8+ 1-0

Game 2 Image: Chessdom
ROUND 2 – Sunday 25th April: Anand 1-Topalov 0

Anand vs Topalov Round 2 move 14

Round 2 move 16

Round 2 move 19

Round 2 move 28

Round 2 move 32

Round 2 move 37

Round 2: End position

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC2010 game_2”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.04.??”]
[Round “2”]
[White “Anand, V.”]
[Black “Topalov, V.”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “E04”]
[WhiteElo “2787”]
[BlackElo “2805”]
[PlyCount “85”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BUL”]

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. O-O O-O 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Ba5 Qe7 14. Qb3 Rb8 15. Qa3 Qxa3 16. bxa3 N7f6 17. Nce5 Re8 18. Rc2 b6 19. Bd2 Bb7 20. Rfc1 Rbd8 21. f4 Bb8 22. a4 a5 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 h5 25. R1c4 Ne3 26. Bxe3 dxe3 27. Bf3 g6 28. Rxb6 Ba7 29. Rb3 Rd4 30. Rc7 Bb8 31. Rc5 Bd6 32. Rxa5 Rc8 33.Kg2 Rc2 34. a3 Ra2 35. Nb4 Bxb4 36. axb4 Nd5 37. b5 Raxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxa4 39. Bxd5 exd5 40. b6 Ra8 41. b7 Rb8 42. Kf3 d4 43. Ke4 1-0

 Anand 1-Topalov 0

Anand Image: Chessdom

Image: Chessdom

Game 3 Topalov vs Anand – Move 26

Game 3 Final Position

Game 3: Topalov 1/2 – Anand 1/2

Results after round 3: Anand 1 1/2   –   Topalov  1 1/2

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 game_3”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.04.27”]
[Round “3”]
[White “Topalov, V.”]
[Black “Anand, V.”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “D17”]
[WhiteElo “2805”]
[BlackElo “2787”]
[PlyCount “91”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BTN”]

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 a6 14. Rc1 Rg8 15. h4 h6 16. Ke2 Bd6 17. h5 Bh7 18. a5 Ke7 19. Na4 f6 20. b4 Rgc8 21. Bc5 Bxc5 22. bxc5 Rc7 23. Nb6 Rd8 24. Nxd7 Rdxd7 25. Bd3 Bg8 26. c6 Rd6 27. cxb7 Rxb7 28. Rc3 Bf7 29. Ke3 Be8 30. g4 e5 31. Rhc1 Bd7 32. Rc5 Bb5 33. Bxb5 axb5 34. Rb1 b4 35. Rb3 Ra6 36. Kd3 Rba7 37. Rxb4 Rxa5 38. Rxa5 Rxa5 39. Rb7+ Kf8 40. Ke2 Ra2+ 41. Ke3 Ra3+ 42. Kf2 Ra2+ 43. Ke3 Ra3+ 44. Kf2 Ra2+ 45. Ke3 Ra3+ 46. Kf2 1/2-1/2

Image: Chessdom

Game 4

Game 4 move 25

Anand 1 – Topalov 0

Game 4: Final Position – Anand 1 – Topalov 0

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 game_4”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.04.28”]
[Round “4”]
[White “Anand, V.”]
[Black “Topalov, V.”]
[Result “1-0”]
[ECO “E04”]
[WhiteElo “2787”]
[BlackElo “2805”]
[PlyCount “63”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BUL”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 a5 7. Qc2 Bxd2+ 8.
Qxd2 c6 9. a4 b5 10. Na3 Bd7 11. Ne5 Nd5 12. e4 Nb4 13. O-O O-O 14. Rfd1 Be8 15. d5 Qd6 16. Ng4 Qc5 17. Ne3 N8a6 18. dxc6 bxa4 19. Naxc4 Bxc6 20. Rac1 h6 21. Nd6 Qa7 22. Ng4 Rad8 23. Nxh6+ gxh6 24. Qxh6 f6 25. e5 Bxg2 26. exf6 Rxd6 27. Rxd6 Be4 28. Rxe6 Nd3 29. Rc2 Qh7 30. f7+ Qxf7 31. Rxe4 Qf5 32. Re7 1-0

Game 4 – Anand vs Topalov

Anand – Game 4 -28th April
Game 4: Anand leads by one point after the second Catalan opening in the match.

The fourth game of the FIDE World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand of India and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria saw another Catalan opening on the board. This is the first opening that was played twice in the match, the players are obviously willing to have a theoretical discussion. Topalov was the one to deviate from the second game, as early as on move 5, when he played the sharper Bb4+ instead of a6.

Similar to the earlier Catalan game, Black clutched onto the extra pawn while White tried to take advantage of his faster pieces’ development. Anand aggressively advanced in the center to break opponent’s pawn formation and open up the files and diagonals. At the same time, Topalov was carefully clearing the queenside in order to reduce the positional pressure.

The game appeared to be taking a normal course but then Anand’s sudden Knight movement (e3-g4) caught Topalov without guard and on the wrong foot. Not hesitating much, Anand knocked a piece sacrifice on h6 and picked a strong attack against the Black King. Still precision was needed in carrying out the assault, but Anand never blinked and found the crushing 25. e5!

Topalov continued for a few moves more, but resigned at the imminent danger of a mate. Anand takes the lead in the match 2,5-1,5, tomorrow is a rest day and the games continue on Friday at 15:00 Source: Official Site

Anand crushes Topalov in fourth game

The fourth game of the World chess championship match in Sofia saw Viswanathan Anand’s best performance to date with a slashing attack against challenger Veselin Topalov.

“Anand really played brilliantly today,” said commentator Zurab Azmaiparashvili, having watched the World champion sacrifice a pawn, then a knight and then a bishop to create a winning assault against

Topalov’s exposed king.

Anand was pleased with his performance. “It was a very complex position with a lot of tension on the queenside,” said Anand. “I thought (my 23rd move) was clinching it but you can’t be 100 per cent sure.”

Anand explained that in a key variation he was prepared to give away both his rooks as well to ensure a checkmate: “Once I saw that I knew I was winning.”

Poor start
After a poor start, Anand, 40, has taken the lead for the first time in the €2 million match and the Bulgarian challenger is looking shaky. “I though I had a decent position,” said Topalov, “but if I was able to answer so simply what went wrong then the result might have been different.

“Certainly my (20th move) was especially bad.”

Playing with white pieces, Anand used the Catalan Opening which had brought him success in game two but Topalov, 35, defended differently this time. Soon Anand sacrificed a pawn and Topalov needed no invitation to grab the material and attempt to hang on to it.

Anand’s unorthodox 10th move, moving a knight to the edge of the board, appeared to be new. However, a member of Team Anand, computer expert Eric van Reem, explained that Anand was following an earlier game, a precedent apparently unknown to Topalov who began thinking hard for the first time in the game.

Excellent compensation
Soon it became clear that Anand had excellent compensation for his pawn when the apparently offside knight moved to the centre, stymieing Topalov’s freedom of movement. Although the position was highly unbalanced — the type of game at which Topalov usually excels — Anand’s speed of play indicated that he had checked the ideas at home with his team and had everything under control.

Anand was coy when asked if the sacrifices were prepared with his team. “I won’t be able to tell you that until the match is over,” said Anand, who has managed to keep the identity of some of his helpers secret as well.

On the 23rd move, after cogitating for only five minutes, Anand sacrificed a knight and Topalov immediately found his king under massive fire. Another sacrifice followed and Topalov was soon defenceless. The challenger resigned after 32 moves and three-and-a-half hours’ play.

Anand leads Topalov 2.5-1.5 with eight games remaining after Wednesday’s encounter. The fifth game, with Topalov holding the first move, will be played on Friday starting at 5.30 p.m. IST. Source:
http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/article414219.ece
GAME 5 – 30th April -Topalov vs Anand 1/2

Bulgaria Chess Master Topalov Hopes to Crush Anand’s Defense

Click on the image for a clear view -the article continues here:

“We hope to have finally figured out the secret of Anand’s defense. We have five people on our team working with top notch computers on this task, and we hope to see results today,” Danailov explained.

The first move of the fifth game of the Sofia World Chess Title Match was made Friday by Nobel Prize winning professor of economics Robert Mundell, known as “the father of the euro”.

Danailov said Topalov’s team met Professor Mundell during a tournament in China which was won by the Bulgarian chess master.

“I wanted to invite Professor Mundell as a guest during the last M-Tel Masters tournament but he was busy then. This time, however, he managed to find time to be our guest,” Danailov explained.

“It is a pleasure for me to be here. I have come as an economist and a fan of chess,” said the Nobel Prize laureate expressing his happiness to be present at the event.

Source: novinite.com

Game 5 move 17

Game 5 move 32

Game 5 move 39

Game 5 move 42 – Topalov vs Anand 1/2

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 game_5”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.04.30”]
[Round “5”]
[White “Topalov, V.”]
[Black “Anand, V.”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “D17”]
[WhiteElo “2805”]
[BlackElo “2787”]
[PlyCount “87”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BUL”]

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 a6 14. Rc1 Rg8 15. h4 h5 16. Ne2 Bd6 17. Be3 Ne5 18. Nf4 Rc8 19. Bb3 Rxc1+ 20. Bxc1 Ke7 21. Ke2 Rc8 22. Bd2 f6 23. Nxg6+ Nxg6 24. g3 Ne5 25. f4 Nc6 26. Bc3 Bb4 27. Bxb4+ Nxb4 28. Rd1 Nc6 29. Rd2 g5 30. Kf2 g4 31. Rc2 Rd8 32. Ke3 Rd6 33. Rc5 Nb4 34. Rc7+ Kd8 35. Rc3 Ke7 36. e5 Rd7 37. exf6+ Kxf6 38. Ke2 Nc6 39. Ke1 Nd4 40. Bd1 a5 41. Rc5 Nf5 42. Rc3 Nd4 43. Rc5 Nf5 44. Rc3 1/2-1/2

News/comments from the Official site:

After the second rest day, the FIDE World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand of India and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria continued today with game five in which Topalov played with White pieces.

The first symbolic move were made by the “father of the euro” professor Robert Mundell. The President of Bulgaria Mr. Georgi Parvanov visited the match.

The opening was replay of game three in which Anand used the Slav defence and comfortably held a draw. The expectation were that Topalov will find an improvement in the variation and fight for opening advantage.

But it was Anand who first diverted from the earlier game by moving 15…h5 instead of 15…h6. Topalov continued with the logical 16. Ne2 having in mind Nf4, to exploit the newly created situation with Black pawn on h5. Anand established strong Knight outpost on e5 and traded off a pair of Rooks to reduce White’s chances of gaining initiative.

After further exchange of minor pieces, an endgame with Rook and Bishop versus Rook and Knight has arisen. Anand’s 29…g5 initiated changes in the pawn structure, which allowed him to solve one issue and concentrate on pieces’ play.

Black Knight gradually suppressed White Bishop, which eventually landed on the backward d1-square. Right after the time-control, Topalov offered moves repetition before the situation goes out of the hand. Or perhaps it was a psychological move, attempting to test Anand’s resolve to play for a win, in case of which White would also have chances for full point.

But Anand needed no risk and accepted the threefold repetition. Draw signed on move 44. The current score is 3-2 in favour of Anand who tomorrow plays with White pieces. Live coverage on the official website starting at 14:45 local time.

Anand blacks out Topalov’s ambitions

Viswanathan Anand has retained his narrow lead over Veselin Topalov with a solid draw in the fifth game of the Indian’s world title defence in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Anand, playing black for the third time in the match, repeated the Slav opening which had neutralised Topalov’s ambitions in game three, and also came armed with a new 15th move.

Soon afterwards, as Anand was considering his 17th move, the playing hall — and indeed the entire Military Club — was plunged into darkness by a power blackout. The game timers were stopped by the arbiter but both players remained firmly in their seats, analysing in the dark.

Ten minutes later, emergency power provided some flickering light on the stage and five minutes later the light was good enough for the game to resume.

“I don’t know what would have happened if the lights had not gone on for an hour or more,” admitted Anand. “I don’t know what the rules are for such a situation.”

However, while play continued, the video screen above the players, relaying the game to the audience in the Military Club and to hundreds of thousands of viewers on the internet, remained inoperable. Audible protests from some of the frustrated spectators in the theatre were quickly muted by security guards and five minutes later normal broadcasting of the moves resumed.

Both players reacted calmly to the unexpected interruption, although Anand spent some time re-orientating himself with the position before he made his next move.

“It is very easy to make a mistake after a break in concentration like this,” said Anand, “so I decided to invest an extra ten minutes just to be sure.”

Once again Anand’s opening preparation proved superior to that of his Bulgarian challenger. “I missed Anand’s [22nd move],” confessed Topalov. “It was very strong. I will need to be more precise in future games.”

With other strong pawn moves Anand soon solved all his problems. “I managed to stabilise the position,” explained Anand, “after which I have nothing to complain about.”

Before long Topalov found himself staring at an equal endgame which offered no chances for a win to either player. After four hours play, both players could find nothing better than to repeat moves and a draw was agreed after 44 moves.

The draw was a perfectly satisfactory result for Anand as he retains a 3-2 lead in the best-of-12 contest and will hold the advantage of the first move, equivalent to the serve in tennis, in the next two games.

Anand refused, however, to express any comment on the state of the match so far, saying “I’m just taking it game by game.”

The sixth game will be played on May 1 starting at 17.30 IST. Source:
http://beta.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/article418770.ece
 

Anand vs Topalov…game 6

ANAND vs TOPALOV Game 6

Anand vs Topalov game 6 move 7 – click on images for a larger view

Game 6 move 27

Game 6 move 35

Game 6 move 48

Game 6 End position – Anand 1/2 Topalov 1/2

Game 6

[Event “Sofia BUL, WCC 2010 game_6”]
[Site “Sofia BUL”]
[Date “2010.05.01”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Anand, V.”]
[Black “Topalov, V.”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[ECO “E04”]
[WhiteElo “2787”]
[BlackElo “2805”]
[PlyCount “116”]
[EventDate “2010.04.24”]
[EventType “match”]
[EventRounds “12”]
[EventCountry “BUL”]

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. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Qa4 Nc6 14. Rac1 e5 15. Bxc6 b5 16. Qc2 Qxc6 17. Ncxe5 Qe4 18. Qc6 Bb7 19. Qxe4 Bxe4 20. Rc2 Rfe8 21. Rfc1 f6 22. Nd7 Bf5 23. N7c5 Bb6 24. Nb7 Bd7 25. Nf4 Rab8 26. Nd6 Re5 27. Nc8 Ba5 28. Nd3 Re8 29. Na7 Bb6 30. Nc6 Rb7 31. Ncb4 a5 32. Nd5 a4 33. Nxb6 Rxb6 34. Nc5 Bf5 35. Rd2 Rc6 36. b4 axb3 37. axb3 b4 38. Rxd4 Rxe2 39. Rxb4 Bh3 40. Rbc4 Rd6 41. Re4 Rb2 42. Ree1 Rdd2 43. Ne4 Rd4 44. Nc5 Rdd2 45. Ne4 Rd3 46. Rb1 Rdxb3 47. Nd2 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 1/2-1/2

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Chess Grand Slam Bilbao

 

Please click HERE to play through the games of round 9. The games will open in a new separate window as all other links in this post too.

All images and info: from the Official site where you can also follow the games live!
On this link you can follow the the results of all the rounds.
On THIS LINK you can play through the games of round 1 and on THIS LINK you can play through the games of round 2…and click here for round 3 all rounds’ games on chess.com’s site.

Topalov…winner of the Final Chess Masters

Final score…Click on the image for a larger view…source: Chessbase

Round 10…the final round

Pairings and results round 10 Saturday 13th September 2008–the final!

TOPALOV Veselin vs IVANCHUK Vassily–1-0  
CARLSEN Magnus vs ANAND Viswanathan–1/2 
ARONIAN Levon vs RADJABOV Teimour–0-1

Carlsen vs Anand round 10 move 11

Carlsen vs Anand round 10 move 22

Carlsen vs Anand round 10 final position

Topalov vs Ivanchuk round 10 move 11

Topalov vs Ivanchuk round 10 move 21

Topalov vs Ivanchuk round 10 move 32

Topalov vs Ivanchuk round 10 move 42..move 43: Re6 end position

Aronian vs Radjabov round 10 move 11

Aronian vs Radjabov round 10 move 22

Aronian vs Radjabov round 10 move 33

Aronian vs Radjabov round 10 move 42

Aronian vs Radjabov round 10 final position

Standings after round 9

round 9

Pairings and results: round 9 Friday 12th September 2008

IVANCHUK Vassily vs ARONIAN Levon–1/2
RADJABOV Teimour vs CARLSEN Magnus –1/2
ANAND Viswanathan vs TOPALOV Veselin–1/2

Bilbao round 9 Anand vs Topalov move 10

Anand vs Topalov round 9 move 24

Anand vs Topalov round 9 move 34

Anand vs Topalov round 9 final position

Bilbao round 9 Radjabov vs Carlsen move 7

Radjabov vs Carlsen round 9 move 17

Radjabov vs Carlsen round 9 move 36

Radjabov vs Carlsen round 9 move 49

Radjabov vs Carlsen round 9 final position

Bilbao round 9 Ivanchuk vs Aronian move 11

Ivanchuk vs Aronian round 9 move 24

Ivanchuk vs Aronian round 9 move 42

Ivanchuk vs Aronian round 9 move 51, please ignore the 1/2

Ivanchuk vs Aronian round 9 final position

 

Standings after round 8 click on image for a larger view

Pairings and results: round 8 Wednesday 10th September 2008

IVANCHUK Vassily vs RADJABOV Teimour–1-0  
ANAND Viswanathan vs ARONIAN Levon –1-0
TOPALOV Veselin vs CARLSEN Magnus–1-0

Round 8..Carlsen left…Topalov

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 11

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 16

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 21

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 26

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 34

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 move 42

Topalov vs Carlsen round 8 end position

Round 8..Radjabov …Ivanchuk

Ivanchuk vs Radjabov round 8 move 6

Ivanchuk vs Radjabov round 8 move 13

Ivanchuk vs Radjabov round 8 move 20

Ivanchuk vs Radjabov round 8 move 44

Ivanchuk vs Radjabov round 8 end position

Round 8..Anand left…Aronian

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 13

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 20

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 27

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 39

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 49

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 58

Anand vs Aronian round 8 move 66

Anand vs Aronian round 8 end position

Standings as 9 Sept – from the Official site…click on image for a larger view

Pairings and results: round 7 Tuesday 9th September 2008

CARLSEN Magnus vs IVANCHUK Vassily –0-1
ARONIAN Levon vs TOPALOV Veselin–1-0  
RADJABOV Teimour vs ANAND Viswanathan–1/2

Please click HERE to play through the games of round 7 and on THIS LINK you can play through the games of round 6.

Standings…after 6 games…from the Official site..click for larger view

Pairings and results: round 6 Monday 8th September

IVANCHUK Vassily vs ANAND Viswanathan –1/2
TOPALOV Veselin vs RADJABOV Teimour –1/2
CARLSEN Magnus vs ARONIAN Levon–1-0

Round 6

Pairings and results: round 5: 6th Sept 2008

IVANCHUK Vassily vs TOPALOV Veselin –1/2
ANAND Viswanathan vs CARLSEN Magnus –1/2
RADJABOV Teimour vs ARONIAN Levon–1/2

Standings after round 4
Please click HERE to play through the games of round 4.

Results: round 4 – 5th Sept 2008

ARONIAN Levon IVANCHUK Vassily –1-0
CARLSEN Magnus RADJABOV Teimour–1-0
TOPALOV Veselin ANAND Viswanathan–1-0

Image: chess.com
The organisers are certainly making original efforts to make chess more accessible to spectators by placing the players in an “Aquarium” i.e. a giant, soundproofed glass box. This innovation was first seen earlier this year at the M-Tel Tournament, but in Bilbao the “Aquarium” will be situated outside in The Plaza Nueva in Bilbao.

Round 1

Round 3…Carlsen vs Topalov..image:chess.com

Round 5 …6th Sept

Bilbao will receive from September 2 to September 13, the strongest tournament of the History of the Chess. A tournament of the category XXII with Elo’s average of the participants of 2775,63. Further more, for the first time ever an event of such characteristics will take place in the street, in the Plaza Nueva, right in the centre of Bilbao’s Old Town.
The six players participating are currently among the world’s top ten chess players headed by world’s champion and number one Viswanathan Anand. Along with him, Magnus Carlsen (number two), Vasili Ivanchuk (number three), Véselin Topálov (number six), Teimur Radyábov (number seven) and Levon Aronián (world’s number ten currently) will compete in Bilbao. No tournament had managed so far to gather such a high Elo’s average level (scoring system to order players’ ranking).

For the first time in a world’s elite tournament and surrounded by a strong international controversy, the Final Masters is going to apply the football scoring system, earning three points per game won and one point per draw, though players will not be allowed to agree a draw being the competition’s referee who will determine it.

The Final Masters has the official recognition of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and it will be played in a double round league during ten days (plus a two-day break). The total prize money amounts to €400,000, sum only exceeded by World Chess Championships: €150,000 for the first classified, €70,000 for the second one, €60,000 for the third one, €50,000 for the fourth one, €40,000 for the fifth one and €30,000 for the sixth one.

Another great novelty in this tournament will be the playing place: the street, allowing a lot of people to follow the games live and directly. A huge soundproofed and air-conditioned glazed case is under construction to this purpose and it will be placed in the Plaza Nueva in Bilbao under a marquee which will also accommodate The Agora for analysis and comments, a space located by the glass case where the audience will also be able to enjoy comments from Chess Grandmasters among whom we can name Boris Spassky and Susan Polgar.

Pleae click HERE for the Official site.

Standings after round 3..click on the image for a larger view

Pairings and results: round 3 — 4th Sept 2008
RADJABOV Teimour vs IVANCHUK Vassily–1/2
ARONIAN Levon vs ANAND Viswanathan –1/2
CARLSEN Magnus vs TOPALOV Veselin–0-1

Rounds 3-10…Pairings…source:chessbase

Anand
I couldn’t care less about my mental power or whatever it is said about me in the chess encyclopaedias in a hundred years time”. Viswanathan Anand is no doubt one of the greatest genius in chess history in the last fifteen centuries. But his easy-going character makes him the complete opposite of Fischer, Kárpov and Kaspárov. World champion and number one at the age of 38, he lives in Collado Mediano (Madrid), the rapid of Madras wants to polish even more his record in Bilbao at a month from the struggle for the crown with Russian Vladímir Krámnik.

“Although it is my second world title, this one is more valuable because in 2000 chess was suffering from a schism and there were two champions. Now I am the only one. The dream has come true” he explained in Mexico City on 1st October 2007, before calling his parents who live in Chennai (former Madras) and his “Spanish father”, Mauricio Perea.

Carlsen

The ‘Mozart of Chess’

His second places at the Wijk aan Zee Corus (Holland) 2008 and at the Ciudad de Linares 2008, where he repeated his 2007 achievement, are a sign that this 17 years old Norwegian is already mature for even greater achievements. Magnus Carlsen recommends parents of child prodigies: “to give them support but without putting pressure on them. My father taught me to play chess when I was 5, but I wasn’t interested at the time and he left me alone”. At the age of 2 he already solved difficult jigsaws; at 5 he remembered the capitals, flags, areas and inhabitants of every country.

At 8, Magnus felt jealous one of his sisters played chess and that is where a career only comparable in precociousness with the ones of the sacred manes began. At 13 Carlsen became the youngest chess grandmaster in the world; and today, at the age of 17, he is among the world’s top five players in the rankings. He sleeps up to eleven hours, is a passionate fan of the Real Madrid and Spain is the country he knows best. When he is not travelling he attends a special school for sports talents. He has his particular opinion about money: “I don’t really know what to do with it”. I spend much less than I earn”.

Ivanchuk
An adorable absent-minded wise man

His sensational victory in the Mtel Masters, Sofia 2008 gave him the right to be in the Bilbao Final Masters. But even without this feat, Vassili Ivanchuk deserves a place among the top-class chess players: at almost 40, he is the oldest luminary though he is nevertheless at the peak of his career. Chess lover to the core, tireless worker of encyclopaedic knowledge he is a genius absent-minded wise man of whom everybody – even his most bitter rivals- speaks very fondly.

“My secret is I don’t know how I managed to win those five first games one after the other. I certainly did have a little bit of what it is called the luck of the champions. But the key is I wasn’t aware of what I was achieving; otherwise I would have never managed to do it. I believe I am at the best of my career. I don’t feel a bit old to stay in the elite; particularly if I compare myself to Víktor Korchnói, who is at his 77 years old still in the front line!”. So modestly explained Ivanchuk his win in Sofia –undefeated, with eight of ten possible points-, one of the best results in chess history.

Topalov
An exemplary fighter on his way up

He defeated Kasparov in what was to be his last game (Linares 2005) and he is a clear symbol of the differences between the current chess elite and the times of the Ogre of Baku.Natural, modest and very friendly, a fighter and well disciplined about his everyday training, and tries to keep a good image. That’s Veselin Topalov, the 33 year-old Bulgarian from Salamanca world chess champion in 2005 and currently number four in the chess rankings, with the clear aim to take up again the crown in 2009.

“I will never forget what happened to me when I was 8 years old in Ruse, my native city. After defeating me, one of the best players of the area gave me a row, he pulled my ears and almost hit me because I had played too fast, without thinking. A year later I played with him again in the same tournament, and I won, he remembers about his childhood in Bulgaria.

Topalov admits that it is impossible to be among the world’s top ten chess players without innate talents: “If we put it into round numbers, 60% of my success is due to the effort and 40% to the talent”.

Radjabov
The kid that knocked out Kasparov

Even though chess is along with music and mathematics the activity that more child prodigies produces, very few have impressed so much as Teimur Radyabov. At 12, when he became European Champion U-18, he already showed a strategic depth and good manners not expected from someone of his age. At 14 he became grandmaster. At 15 he defeated Kasparov with the black pieces in Linares. Today he is 21 and has settled among the elite, though everything shows that he’s still got a long way to go, as he will most probably demonstrate in Bilbao.

One has to go back as far as the legendary Bobby Fischer in the 60’s to find feats as resounding as when Radyabov defeated Kasparov in 2003. Also born in Baku, he had never lost with white pieces to a human rival in the classical game since May 1996. Bearing in mind that both of them were born in Baku and were Guéidar Alíyev’s protégées (President of the Azerbaijan KGB when Kasparov was young and of the Azerbaijani Government when Radyábov was a child) one can better understand Kaspárov’s angry outburst that night: he did not shake hands with the winner and had a very late dinner, thumping his fist on the table while having chicken.

Aronian

An easy-going winner

He could be the boy from the shop around the corner, jet he is a great chess luminary: he is only 25 years old but has already won the World Cup and the Linares and Wijk aan Zee (twice) tournaments. That naturalness, his universal style and belonging to a country where chess is the national passion, as well as a balanced nervous system configure the 25 year-old Armenian Levon Aronian as a very solid value.

“I’m not prepared to compete with the big ones. The only advantage I have over those beasts is my total ignorance and fresh thinking”, Aronian said at Christmas 2005, a few days after having won the World Cup in Siberia and some days just before his debut in the Wijk aan Zee Corus Tournament (Holland), where he shared the 7th place of 14 participantespants. Just a month later he triumphed in Linares, the chess Wimbledon, so surprisingly as convincingly.

Images from different rounds from the Official site.

About.com…classic chess…64 great chess games ever played…follow this link

http://chess.about.com/library/pal4/zbstches/blzbstix.htm

LIVE ratings!

http://chess.liverating.org/

Round 6

Image: zeenews.com
Fifth draw for Anand in Chess Grand Slam
Bilbao, Sept 09: India’s Viswanathan Anand continued to search for his first win of the Chess Grand Slam Final being staged here, as he played yet another draw in the sixth round.

The world champion, who is back by Tech giant NIIT, Monday drew with Vassily Ivanchuk in 32 moves and took his total to 2.5 points on the traditional points system.

But here in Bilbao with draws fetching one point and wins three, Anand has five, while the leader is young Magnus Carlsen with 11 points from three wins and two draws and one loss.

The Ivanchuk-Anand game was a staid draw coming out from a Slav Defence, with Ivanchuk making a token effort to gain advantage and Anand thwarting this effectively for a 32-move draw.

Anand’s game has been somewhat subdued leading to the feeling that the world champion is not revealing any of his major preparations that he may have made for the world title match against Vladimir Kramnik next month.

Veselin Topalov, who beat Anand in the fifth round, and has 10 points with two wins and four draws, follows Carlsen. Lev Aronian, the only player with two losses, is third with six points, and Anand, Teimour Radjabov and Ivanchuk have five points each.

The tournament is a six-player double round robin event, one of the strongest in the history of the game.

The scoring system in this tournament is different and experimental. Players get three points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for losing a game. For rating purposes the traditional 1-½-0 system will be used.

The prize fund for the event is 400,000 Euros, with the winner receiving 150,000 Euros, the second place 70,000 Euros, and so on, with the sixth player getting 30,000 Euros. The sums are unprecedented for an event like this. Only world championships have exceeded the amount.

The Topalov-Radjabov clash was more volatile, with the Bulgarian GM looking set to chalk up another victory in Bilbao. But after massive trade-offs after the time control Black had solved all his problems and in fact undertook some tentative attempts to play for a win. The draw came with a repetition at move 73.

Carlsen continued his great run with a solid win over Aronian. He sacrificed a pawn, which was part of theory, but then young Carlsen played a novelty which involves a second sacrifice on move 15. It loosely resembled the Gelfand-Kramnik game in Mexico City 2007, but that ended in a draw.

The novelty led to Carlsen forcing Aronian’s king to be stuck in the middle. Carlsen got one pawn back and then launched a blistering attack. He wrapped up the game in 32 moves.

In the seventh round, Anand will have black pieces against Radjabov, while Carlsen clashes with Ivanchuk and Aronian meets Topalov.

Scores after six rounds: Carlsen (11 points); 2. Topalov (10 points); Aronian (6 points); Anand, Radjabov and Ivanchuk (5 points each).

IANS
Source: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=467774&sid=SPO&ssid=93

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Mtel Chess Rounds 7, 8, 9 and round 10

 

Ivanchuk…the winner!

Ivanchuk’s last game…played in round 10…against Cheparinov…as by Kingscrusher of Chess World.

Image:chessdom

Image: discover-bulgaria.com…the building where the tournament is being held.

Ivanchuk the winner of Mtel…Final results…

Ivanchuk…image:chessdom

Ivanchuk Vassily 2740 UKR 8
Topalov Veselin 2767 BUL 6,5
Radjabov Teimour 2751 AZE 5,5
Cheparinov Ivan 2695 BUL 4
Bu Xiangzhi 2708 CHN 3
Aronian Levon 2763 ARM 3 

Please click HERE to play through the games of round 10 — the final round.

Results  round 10…the final round…
Topalov, V vs Radjabov, T….1/2
Cheparinov, I vs Ivanchuk, V….0-1
Aronian, L vs Xiangzhi, Bu….1/2

Please click this link: to access the MTel 2008 games on site of Chessgames.

Round 10 (final)…Aronian vs Xiangzhi…end position

Round 10 — Cheparinov vs Ivanchuk…end position… 0-1

Round 10 — Topalov vs Radjabov…end position…1/2

Cheparinov…image:Chessdom

Aronian and Xiangzhi

 

Topalov

Standings after round 9:

Ivanchuk Vassily 2740 UKR 7
Topalov Veselin 2767 BUL 6
Radjabov Teimour 2751 AZE 5
Cheparinov Ivan 2695 BUL 4
Bu Xiangzhi 2708 CHN 2,5
Aronian Levon 2763 ARM 2,5
Please click HERE to play through the games of round 9.
Round 9: Results… in blue…with the images… Xiangzhi beats Topalov!!

Round 9 Radjabov vs Cheparinov…after move 11

Round 9: End position – Radjabov vs Cheparinov… 1/2

Round 9: Xiangzhi vs Topalov…after move…13

Round 9: Xiangzhi vs Topalov…move 33

Round 9: End position….Xiangzhi vs Topalov….1-0!

Round 9: Ivanchuk vs Aronian ….. move…11

Round 9: Ivanchuk vs Aronian …end position….1/2
Results round 8

Topalov, V vs Cheparinov, I = 1-0
Aronian, L vs Radjabov, T = 0-1
Xiangzhi, Bu vs Ivanchuk, V = 1/2

Images:Europe-echecs

The amazing Veselin Topalov (artist’s impression pictured!) convincingly won his 8th round game against his countryman and friend, Ivan Cheparinov to close the gap to former runaway leader Vassily Ivanchuk to just half a point. 

Ivanchuk was definitely second best in his game but hung on to draw against Bu Xiangzhi.  Since his 5/5 start, Ivanchuk has now drawn his last three games.

Please click HERE to play through the games played in round 8.

Pairings round 9:

Xiangzhi, Bu vs Topalov, V
Ivanchuk, V vs Aronian, L
Radjabov, T vs Cheparinov, I

Round 7: Xiangzhi vs Radjabov…end position


Round 7: Topalov vs Ivanchuck…end position

Round 7: Aronian vs Cheparinov … end position

***This post will be updated as the tournament goes… so everyday’s results – till round 10 – will be added in this post. Click on images for a larger view.
Please click on THIS LINK to see the results of rounds 1-5…also, to read about Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria where this Master’s tournament is taking place!
On this link HERE you can play through games played in earlier rounds and see the results of round 6 and see two video annotations about Ivanchuk’s games in rounds 4 and 5.
On THIS LINK you can follow the video reports after each round….and HERE you will find the games from all the rounds being played. On my blog’s side bar  you will find a LIVE “MTel”- link to the current games of the day they’re busy playing.

Results round 7:

Ivanchuk vs Topalov 1/2
Radjabov vs Xiangzhi 1-0
Cheparinov vs Aronian 1/2

Standings after round 7:

1. Ivanchuk Vassily 2740 UKR 6
2. Topalov Veselin 2767 BUL 5
3. Cheparinov Ivan 2695 BUL 3,5
3. Radjabov Teimour 2751 AZE 3,5
4. Aronian Levon 2763 ARM 2
5. Bu Xiangzhi 2708 CHN 1

Schedule ….for the rest of the tournament…

Round 8: May 16, 15.00 EEST (12.00 UTC)
Round 9: May 17, 15.00 EEST (12.00 UTC)
Round 10: May 18, 14.00 EEST (11.00 UTC)

Tie breaks: 19.00 EEST (16.00 UTC)
Closing ceremony: 20.00 EEST (17.00 UTC)
Cocktail party: 21.00 EEST (18.00 UTC)

 

Images:MTelmasters.com… the official site

 

 Sofia, 15 May 2008- Author’s copy of the ancient Bulgarian icon “St. Trinity” will be the special prize of the winner in the super chess tournament M-Tel Masters 2008. The author of the icon is the famous Bulgarian painter Katya Bajlekova the size if the icon is 62 x 46 cm and the image is aged by a special technology.

The special prize will be handed to the winner in M-Tel Masters 2008 at the official closing ceremony of the tournament on May 18.

Traditionally, for a fourth year in a row the winner of the Sofia super chess tournament receives as a special prize a copy of an ancient Bulgarian icon. As a three-time winner of M-Tel Masters Veselin Topalov already has in his collection a copy of the icons “Entering Jerusalem”, “St. George the Winner” and “Four Saints – Warriors” by the same painter.
Source: Mtelmasters.com
This video is about the final round…round 10

This video is about round 6….Ivanchuck against Radjabov

This next video is about Topalov playing round 8 against Cheparinov by Chess World.

 
MTel-video about round 8

MTel-video round 9!

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