| Aug-22-08 | | actinia: 15. b4? is a very weakening move. after 15. Rae1 white keeps all options in the center and kingside, while black has little prospect on the queenside |
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Aug-22-08
 | | Marmot PFL: Not to worry, Topalov probably won't even play Sicilian. |
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| Aug-22-08 | | Xeroxx: yeah, topalov... |
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Aug-22-08
 | | Jimfromprovidence: 28 Bf3 looks like it accomplishes the dual task of protecting against a cheap back-rank mate and exchanging the white-squared bishops.
click for larger viewNow, assuming 28...Nf6 29 g3, this should be enough to hold off black. 
click for larger view |
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| Aug-22-08 | | euripides: <Jim> Yes, that looks like an improvement. <28.Bf3> Bc5 is tempting e.g. 29.Qe2 Bd3 or 29.Qc1 Bxf3 30.gxf3 Qf2 but 29.Qd2 seems to work e.g. 29....Bd3 30.Rxd7 Bxb5 31.Rb7. Kamsky was very short of time after thinking a long time in a theoretical position on 15.b4. The b4 plan can be very effective in some Sicilan positions, freezing b5 as a target. 21.Bg7 is pretty and Mamedyarov reacts with the exchange sacrifice. 27.Qe3 threatens nasty things on the 7th rank but with 27...Qh4 the initiative swings Black's way and may have caught Kamsky off balance. Anyway, a terrific performance by Shakh and another good advert for the Scheveningen. |
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Aug-22-08
| | Jimfromprovidence: <Euripides> Thanks for your input. White really needed to get at that great pawn-supported bishop on e4, and when he finally did on move 38, the match was over. FWIW, I think he could have played Bf3 on move 31 as well, but maybe not without having to give up a pawn in the process. |
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| Aug-22-08 | | messachess: Great win by Mamedyarov--started with 27...Qh4 (probably missed by Kamsky) and took off from there. Mamedyarov's pieces worked; Kamsky's didn't. At 40...Qe2, white will lose the f pawn in 2 moves with the forced trade of Q's one move later. It's over. |
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| Aug-22-08 | | Bobsterman3000: Kamsky never played f5. I thought that f5 was the whole point of this variation in the sicilian for white, trying to pry open some files toward the black king... |
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| Aug-23-08 | | euripides: <Bob> I think 'He never played f5' has already been commandeered for Anatoly's tombstone: Karpov vs Kasparov, 1985
Actually often with Qe1 the idea is Qh4 and Rh3. f5 can support this plan. |
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| Aug-23-08 | | Bobsterman3000: <euripides> LOL thanks... |
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| Aug-25-08 | | arsen387: wow, great build-up of the attack in the final part of the game. |
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Aug-25-08
 | | ahmadov: This is what means having well-placed bishops... |
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sac: 21...Bxc2