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Learning Chess (#17), by A.J. Goldsby I
Friday; June 08th, 2007: My apologies to everyone, this lesson is very late.
Since doing the last lesson, my wife has been gravely ill ... in and out of the hospital. (Read the full story.) However, she is home from the hospital now, and doing much better ... and I have been working furiously for weeks, trying to get caught up on all of my work.
Set this position up on your chess board, and try to study it for at least 10-15 minutes.
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2Rn2k1/r4p1p/1b4p1/1r2p1Q1/p2nP1PP/2pN1P2/qPPB4/2K2B1R w
Black appears to have an overwhelming amount of forces around the first player's King. The catch is ... it is not his turn to move in this position. (Beware! This is not as easy as you might first think. I altered it many times, and the analysis of this position was meticulously checked and rechecked with the computer. The solution will be given at the end of the lesson.) Hint: The final solution runs more than five moves.
I decided - for this month's lesson - to annotate the first game from the Kramnik - Topalov match, as this was the current item of interest in the specified time frame for this lesson. (November, 2006.) This event produced some extremely hard-fought and exciting chess. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by accusations of cheating, the "toilet war," and many other incidents as well.
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GM Veselin Topalov (pictured, above left) - Born in (Mar. 15th) 1975, Topalov is a player that, despite his youthful appearance, has long been one of the world's leading GM's. (We have 'met' this player before, he was profiled {in some detail} in the lesson for May, 2006.) Topalov won the FIDE World Championship Tournament in the Fall of 2005. He is currently rated 2772, and is easily in the world's "Top Ten" Grand-Masters. (His rating of 2772 ... according to the April, 2007 FIDE rating list ... made him the #2 player in the world.)
A few career highlights are:
At the Euwe Memorial (VSB) Tournament, (Amsterdam, 1996); Topalov (21) tied for first in this ultra-powerful (Cat. 18) tournament. Not only this, he also defeated Kasparov in their individual encounter, and had the best tiebreaks as well.
At San Luis, 2005; Topalov scored 6.5 out of seven in the first half of the tournament - which is perhaps one of the most astounding results in WCS chess of the last 50 years. (In the end, Topalov won the tournament - undefeated - to convincingly take the title of FIDE World Champion.)
In 2006, Topalov tied for first with Anand at Wijk-aan-Zee, and came "back from the dead" to take first place at the M-Tel Masters tournament. (He also came back from a position in the cellar to almost win Linares, 2006 ... but in the end, Topalov had to be satisfied with second place.)
In 2007, when the M-Tel tournament first began ... Topalov was actually in last place. However, when the dust had finally settled ... Topalov was all alone, in clear first! (Topalov has to be one of the greatest "come-from-behind" players of all time ... he seems to actually enjoy the role of the underdog.)
Some observations about Topalov as a chess player:
He plays many different openings. He opens with 1.e4, (his favorite); but he also opens with 1.Nf3, 1.c4, and 1.d4 as well.
He is one of the world's leading theoretician on the Ruy Lopez. Of course, as an 1.e4 player, Topalov sees a fair amount of Sicilians as well.
As Black against the KP, he plays the Sicilian - his favorite branch of this opening is the Najdorf.
As Black against 1.d4, he plays an assortment of Benoni's and Queen's Gambits. (declined)
-----> One bio,
his Corus bio.
His FIDE card,
his games on
the popular CG server.
(His
Wikipedia entry, his "Chess Metrics" page.)
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GM Vladimir Kramnik (pictured, above right) - Born in 1975, Kramnik has long been one of the World's top players. (According to the FIDE list for April, 2007 ... Kramnik - rated at 2772 - is the world's #3 player, just behind Anand and Topalov.) He has won at least ten international tournaments ... and is the current World Champion. (He is also one of the toughest match players of all time ... he has yet to lose to a human player.)
A few career highlights are:
When Kramnik was approximately sixteen years old, he was tapped on the shoulder and asked to compete in the FIDE Olympiads. He scored very well, helped to propel the Russian team to victory ... and a star was born.
In 1995, at the age of 19 or 20, he won the blindfold part of the "Amber" tournament, a good indicator of how much talent that he had and perhaps a foretelling of what lay ahead.
In 2000, Kramnik fulfilled Garry's prophecy by being the man who defeated the great Kasparov in a 16-game match for the World Championship of chess.
in 2004, Kramnik won the very strong "Linares" tournament. He was "only" plus two ... and undefeated, however, this was good enough to win the event by half a point ... ahead of none other than Garry Kasparov.
In 2006, he defeated Topalov in his WCS match, thus unifying a title that had been in disarray since 1993.
After nearly three months of reading, {both in books and on the Internet}; and studying Kramnik's games ... ... ... I have NO solid idea what his favorite effort would be! However, I know what my favorite 'partie' would be, and this is definitely it.
Some observations about Kramnik as a chess player:
He plays just about every opening under the sun, although lately he prefers the English or 1.d4. (Which will usually end up as a Queen's Gambit Declined ... more often than not.) (Click here to see a detailed openings report on Kramnik as White, you may have to scroll back a bit to find the part I am referring to.)
As Black, Kramnik defends against 1.d4 with the Semi-Slav or the Nimzo-Indian.
Against the ever dangerous KP, Kramnik has (mostly) used the Sicilian, (one example); although he favors 1...e5; lately - - and especially when playing one of the world's top GrandMasters.
-----> One bio,
his Corus bio,
a nice bio
... that you can save
to your hard-drive.
His FIDE card,
his games on
the popular CG server.
(His
Wikipedia entry, his "Chess Metrics" page.)
Replay this game here, see an explanation of the symbols that I use, {when annotating a chess game}; here.
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The first game of the World Championship Match ... Topalov comes out swinging.
This was also one of those contests where the pundits and kibitzers ...
who observed this whole struggle on-line ...
were not even close to being correct about what was really occurring during the actual game.
1.d4
Nf6; 2.c4 e6; 3.Nf3 d5; 4.g3,
White plays the Catalan ... (as compared to say a 'normal' Queen's Gambit).
[For more on this opening, see MCO-14, beginning on page # 509.]
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rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/2PP4/5NP1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKB1R b
As a Class "C" player, I thought that this was a near-worthless way to begin a chess game. But about 15-20 some odd years ago, I was actually present at a game in a tournament, and I watched GM Lev Alburt use this system to take apart a really strong player in less than forty moves. Ever since that experience, I have wanted to perhaps play this opening myself one day. [One example.]
4...dxc4;
Topalov goes for the (possible) win of the Pawn. This might be the most challenging move, but Black
got little out of the opening.
[ Black could also try the following continuation:
4...Bb4+; 5.Bd2 Be7; 6.Bg2 0-0; 7.0-0 c6; 8.Bf4 Nbd7; 9.Qc2 a5!?;
This is OK, but 9...b6; (the move given by the Fritz "Power-Book"); or the
simple 9...dxc4; might have been a little better.10.Rd1, "+/=" and although White has a small (but solid) edge, Black
certainly has a playable position.GM Vladimir Kramnik (2743) - GM Veselin Topalov (2813);
World Champ. Match (Game #10) / Elista, Kalmykia; (RUS) / 2006.
{White won a nice game ...
but Topalov literally blundered on his twenty-fourth move.} ]
5.Bg2 Bb4+!?; 6.Bd2
a5; 7.Qc2 Bxd2+; 8.Qxd2!?,
A really weird move, and one that may have caught Black off guard.
[ A book line is: 8.Nbxd2 b5; 9.a4 c6; 10.0-0, "+/=" when White has good play.
Aleksandr Veingold (2464) - Jesus Baron_Rodriguez (2415);
The Ardid Memorial Open / Zaragoza, ESP; (R#07) / 2004. (47)
{White won this battle in forty-seven total moves.} ]
8...c6; 9.a4 b5; 10.axb5
cxb5; 11.Qg5,
The point of White's play, Kramnik ... thanks to the Q-fork which hits Pawns on g7 and also b5 ... will regain the button that White had sacked out of the opening.
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rnbqk2r/5ppp/4pn2/pp4Q1/2pP4/5NP1/1P2PPBP/RN2K2R b
This is a good place to stop and try to assess the opening.
(I am not really sure who is better in this crazy position.)
11...0-0;
12.Qxb5 Ba6; 13.Qa4 Qb6; 14.0-0 Qxb2; 15.Nbd2
Bb5;
This hits White's Queen, playing the BQ to the b4-square was also an interesting idea.
16.Nxc4
Bxa4; 17.Nxb2 Bb5; 18.Ne5 Ra7;
The opening is definitely over, even the Queens have been exchanged off.
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1n3rk1/r4ppp/4pn2/pb2N3/3P4/6P1/1N2PPBP/R4RK1 w
The box likes White here, however, any pure K+P endgame favors Black.
(Because of the distant, outside passed Queen's Rook-Pawn.)
19.Bf3
Nbd7; 20.Nec4 Rb8; 21.Rfb1
g5!;
An aggressive stab with the Pawns, and perhaps the only way for Black to generate some play on the King-side.
22.e3!?
g4; 23.Bd1 Bc6; 24.Rc1 Be4; 25.Na4
Rb4; 26.Nd6 Bf3!?;
A radical decision, the pawn on f3, is doubled and virtually a loner, {I.e., a possible
target}; but it also causes problems for Kramnik ... for many moves to come.
27.Bxf3 gxf3; 28.Nc8 Ra8;
29.Ne7+ Kg7; 30.Nc6 Rb3; 31.Nc5 Rb5; 32.h3
Nxc5; 33.Rxc5,
White could have captured on c5 with a Pawn ... but chooses the Rook (instead).
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r7/5pkp/2N1pn2/prR5/3P4/4PpPP/5P2/R5K1 b
Now it appears that Black will lose a Pawn. Is this correct?
(How would you proceed from this position, if you were playing this game ... instead of Topalov?)
33...Rb2!;
34.Rg5+ Kh6; 35.Rgxa5 Rxa5; 36.Nxa5 Ne4;
Now - in this position - Topalov has good play for his Pawn.
Black can force a draw ... by playing his Knight back and forth, from e4 to d2, and then back to e4. However, Topalov decides to go for more.
37.Rf1
Nd2; 38.Rc1 Ne4; 39.Rf1 f6!?;
Rather than make a draw by a {forced} repetition of moves, Topalov continues to play.
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8/7p/4pp1k/N7/3Pn3/4PpPP/1r3P2/5RK1 w
From a purely theoretical viewpoint, this was an OK decision. Yet from a practical stance, this may have been a risky procedure. (In reality, how likely was it that Kramnik would lose such a simplified position?)
40.Nc6
Nd2; 41.Rd1 Ne4; 42.Rf1 Kg6; 43.Nd8! Rb6;
44.Rc1 h5!?; (Maybe - '!')
Topalov decides to use his KRP as a battering ram - to try and bust White up on the King-side.
(Bent Larsen practically patented this idea back in the 1960's.)
45.Ra1
h4; 46.gxh4 Kh5; 47.Ra2 Kxh4; 48.Kh2 Kh5;
Black could play 48...Ng4; which appears to threaten White's RP, however, this play is ably met by the reply of 49.Ra4!
49.Rc2
Kh6; 50.Ra2 Kg6; 51.Rc2 Kf5!?; 52.Ra2 Rb5;
53.Nc6 Rb7; 54.Ra5+,
This drives back the BK, White could have also played 54.d5.
54...Kg6; 55.Ra2 Kh5?!;
Black continues to play for some (imaginary?) pressure, rather than to allow his opponent to make a
draw. [Probably 55...Kh6 was best.]
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8/1r6/2N1pp2/7k/3Pn3/4Pp1P/R4P1K/8 w
To me, this was an overly risky concept, White can now generate a game plan that yields White some real winning chances.
56.d5! e5;
57.Ra4,
White attacks the Black Knight, the basic hope is that his opponent will passively retreat, and allow Kg3. (Which would finally win the button on f3 and give White the much better game.)
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8/1r6/2N2p2/3Pp2k/R3n3/4Pp1P/5P1K/8 b
Its time for one last look at this tense and convoluted struggle.
57...f5?; (Maybe - '??')
I have no idea what really happened here, Topalov loses a Pawn for no reason. (Even the move
57...Nd2; might have been good enough for Black to hold the draw.)
[ Black makes an easy draw with the following continuation:
>/= 57...Nxf2!; 58.Kg3 e4!; 59.Kxf2 Rb2+; 60.Kf1 Rb1+; 61.Kf2 Rb2+; "="
and White will not be able to escape the perpetual check. (If Kramnik's King
tries to hide ... say on g3 ... Topalov plays ...f3-f2; and the Pawn will promote.) ]
The rest does not really require any comment, Kramnik displays his normal amount of technique, which is more than adequate
for
the task at hand.
58.Nxe5 Rb2; 59.Nd3 Rb7; 60.Rd4
Rb6; 61.d6 Nxd6; 62.Kg3 Ne4+; 63.Kxf3
Kg5;
64.h4+ Kf6; 65.Rd5 Nc3; 66.Rd8
Rb1; 67.Rf8+ Ke6; 68.Nf4+ Ke5; 69.Re8+
Kf6;
70.Nh5+ Kg6; 71.Ng3 Rb2; 72.h5+
Kf7; 73.Re5 Nd1; 74.Ne2 Kf6; 75.Rd5, "+/-"
Black Resigns.
A solid win by Kramnik, but the simple truth is that GM V. Topalov gave this game away.
For another perspective on this game, click here to read the ChessBase report and game commentary on this first round clash. (There are many nice photo's as well.) And if you follow the links, there is also a replay page, and you can download their annotations {in the PGN format} as well.
Download all the games of this match ... in the popular ChessBase format, (file is also zipped).
Download all of the games of this match ... in the common PGN format, (this file is also zipped).
I have analyzed both of the first two games, (of this match); spending many hours on each one of these battles - obviously, not all of my analysis is given here. (Originally, I had thought that I might analyze both of the first two games of this match in some detail, and then post all of my work here. However, this turned out to be a really grand project, and one that I have not yet found the time to complete.)
This match was tough from beginning to end, Topalov could have easily began this match 2-0 ... or at the very least, he should have had 1.5 out of a possible two points.
Instead, he wound up being down 0-2, this is a tremendous handicap to try and overcome in such a short match. (Maybe I am being old-fashioned here, but I definitely prefer the 24 game format, to these extremely short W.C.S. matches that we have in effect today.)
I encourage all {serious} students to attempt to study these games in detail. (Every time I look at them, I discover something new.) In the hopes that I might inspire you to take a closer look at the games, I leave you with the position below, which is from the second game of the match. (Topalov had an amazing attack, and at one point, missed a clear win ... and eventually lost an incredibly long and tough endgame.)
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Topalov - Kramnik, W.C.
Match, 2006. (Game # 2)
4rnk1/pp2b2p/4p1p1/1q1pP2P/3P1PR1/4BN2/1rQ5/6RK
- White
(This is the position after Black's move, 28...Rxb2.)
What now occurs is one of the most incredible series of moves ... ever played at the World Championship level. 29.hxg6!!, h5!; 30.g7!!, hxg4! (To really properly explain all of these moves would require many pages of analysis!)
[Replay game number two here, some - unfortunately, rather light - analysis of this game, here.]
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1.Rxd8+!,
Obviously ... this is the only first move that works for White. (If White plays the Queen capture first,
Black simply takes and hides the King on g7, and White will quickly run out of checks.)
1...Kg7!;
The best defense.
[ After the seemingly obvious capture on d8 (with the Black Bishop),
the second player is rapidly mated.
To wit: 1...Bxd8; 2.Qxd8+ Kg7; 3.Bh6+! Kxh6; 4.Qf8#. ]
2.Qh6+
Kf6; 3.g5+ Ke6; ('!')
Once more, this is the best defense for Black.
[ Even worse is: 3...Ke7?!; 4.Qf8+ Ke6; 5.Qd6#. ]
4.Bh3+
f5[]; {"Box."}
Once more, this is the only (good) move for Black.
[ Of course not: 4...Ke7?; 5.Qf8#. ]
5.gxf6+
Nf5!;
Once more, the best defense ...
if the Black King takes the WP on f6, then Bg5+ leads to a quick finish.
6.Bxf5+!
gxf5; 7.f7+ Kxf7; 8.Qf8+ Kg6;
It no longer matters where the leader of the dark forces chooses to place its leader ...
if (instead) 8...Ke6; then 9.P/e4xP/f5#.
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3R1Q2/r6p/1b4k1/1r2pp2/p3P2P/2pN1P2/qPPB4/2K4R (White to move.)
The second player has done well to survive this long ... is the slippery Black Monarch going to escape the attack?
9.h5#.
(Nope.)
To me, a mate with a Pawn is always a pleasing finish ... and this is the result,
(the mate with the Pawn that occurs in the final position);
that I set out to
accomplish in the first place. (It was not as easy as you
might think, I tried literally dozens and dozens of permutations, before finally
arriving at the position for this month's problem.)
This concludes my lesson for November, 2006.
I hope you have enjoyed this month's lesson. Please contact me if you have any questions. Also, be sure to contact the webmaster here, and let him know what you think of this lesson. Thank you for your time and attention ... and I will see you next month!
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2006 & 2007. All rights reserved.
