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Veselin Topalov vs Francisco Vallejo-Pons
Linares (2006)  ·  Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit (D43)  ·  0-1
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Given 10 times; par: 73 [what's this?]

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sac: 34...Qxe1+ PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 23 OF 23 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-28-06  Jim Bartle: Just saw this game for first time. Don't know when I've seen a game with the opposing kings so close with queens still on.

White king mated on f7...Exciting game it appears, though; sorry I missed it.

Feb-28-06  Jim Bartle: Reading the comments about Topalov not resigning, check out Kamsky at Linares 91, where he played on and on in several lost positions, and it seemed to exhaust him in the last third of the tournament (where he finished last).

Also, at the same tournament, Ljubojevic made Kamsky prove he could win with queen vs. rook (no pawns) and went on for something like 20 moves.

Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  azaris: <Jim Bartle> I doubt that Danailov beats Topalov senseless if he resigns early.
Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  square dance: isnt QvsR a very difficult ending, or am i mistaken?
Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: <square dance> I would say so. I am not 100% sure I could win it. It should make sense playing it out on all levels, even against GM's if they are low on time.
Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  sisyphus: <square dance: isnt Q vs R a very difficult ending, or am i mistaken?>

Funny, I was looking at http://chess.about.com this morning, and it describes Q vs. R as one of the "elementary endgames".

Earlier I was studying it in Averbakh's <Chess Endings: Essential Knowledge>, which was written for intermediate players. The winning method isn't obvious, but it isn't especially tricky, either.

Sure, it can take 30 moves, but only 20 to force the K and R apart, and to win the R with a fork. The rest is just a K+Q mate.

I always figured it was something every expert should know -- and something I'll need to master if I want to get there.

Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: Concerning the endgame of "K+Q vs. K+R" ... you should really visit my endgame school. (http://www.angelfire.com/games4/lif...)

If you scroll down the page, you will discover that I have written a whole series of articles about this ending, there is even a basic position that is named after me, and this has been documented in many different chess magazines.

The ending is NOT as simple as many make it out to be, I have watched several masters blow this ending. And, of course, there is the TRUE account of how the curent U.S. Champion could NOT win this position against a computer ... even though he had forty moves for 2.5 hours to play the position.

Feb-28-06  Jim Bartle: That's right, AJ, you just reminded me. Who was the GM that couldn't mate the computer with queen vs. rook?
Feb-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: <Jim Bartle>
Walter S. Browne ... and the computer was "Belle." (This was all covered in an issue of "Chess Life," many years ago. I don't recall the exact year, but I do remember that it had a picture of Browne standing next to a roulette wheel on the cover. I think that issue covered the comp article and also Browne's win of the National Open ... that used to be held in Las Vegas every year.)

All this is covered in many of the articles and links on my endgame page ... you should really check them out.

Feb-28-06  Jim Bartle: Hey, if you're trying to win this ending, it can't be any fun seeing the computer hum along contentedly instead of looking at an opponent sweating bullets!

I think Browne is known for fidgeting. He must have been a sight trying to mate the computer.

Mar-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  chessmoron: Shame on you, Topalov, losing to Vallejo-Pons
Mar-10-06  Jim Bartle: That loss must seem half a world away now...
Mar-11-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Whitehat1963: The achievement of the tournament.
Mar-11-06  capablancakarpov: <chessmoron> Yes, what a shame.... the fourth world chess champion that has lost against Vallejo ( Kramnik,Ponomariov,Khasimdzhanov and Topalov) plus others like Leko or Svidler...
Mar-12-06  jojotamsteIIiot: in move 38, wont topalov win?
Mar-12-06  jojotamsteIIiot: never mind
Mar-18-06  Veselin Anderson: Very good game by Paco!!
Sep-10-06  Alex S.: <EricSchiller: Playing to checkmate is an insult to the opponent, but it is best to play on, without taking a huge amount of time on each move, until the position is clearly lost even to a 1200 player.>

Actually, I disagree to a small extent, although I'm certainly no GM and I've never played a tournament. After much going through the games on the database, checkmate is so satisfying to any student, more than a resign, that I think if I were to ever sit down in a tournament, before we began, I'd explain to my opponent this stance on checkmates prior to sitting down.

Of course, this stance only holds true in middlegames and tactical mates whilst most of the pieces are still on the board, which fits with Mr. Schiller's stance. If I'm King + pawns VS. King, Queen and Rooks, I'd resign.

Nov-19-06  syracrophy: <<chessmoron: Shame on you, Topalov, losing to Vallejo-Pons>>

Yeah! I agree!

And if someone finds a way to avoid the mate with 57...Qe8#, please call me to 1-800-TOPALOV-IS-LOST

Feb-15-07  Brown: Topalov is the new Marshall
Nov-24-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: Position after 24 ... c2-c3:


click for larger view

Black's advanced pawns on both wings seem to control the whole board. A guy at my chess club calls an advance of the Black pawns like this "The March Of The Penguins".

I really like how Vallejo Pons has activated his king's rook (the one on c6!) with the maneuver 13 ... Rh8-h6, 21 ... Rh6xc6.

Nov-24-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  notyetagm: Game Collection: Grooming passed pawns for promotion

Topalov vs Vallejo-Pons, 2006

Position after 30 ... Bf8-a3:


click for larger view

Black (Vallejo Pons) here gives you a textbook example of how to support a passed pawn with your pieces.

Jan-15-09  WhiteRook48: none of Topalov's brilliancy is shown in this game.
Feb-14-11  Penguincw: Is it me or is the tournament called the < Linares 2006 2006> ?
Jun-09-12  Ranjan: Topalov could play one more move 57. Qb5! is that magical move!
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