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Veselin Topalov vs Peter Svidler
Pearl Spring Tournament (2008), Nanjing CHN, rd 5, Dec-15
Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange. Classical Variation (D86)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 26 times; par: 30 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35434 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-15-08  ALwoodpusher: It's amazing how fast black's position falls apart after 19.Rb5!; was 18...Ra6 a mistake? Both black rooks are misplaced after the quality sack and b6 will fall, therefore black resigns.
Dec-15-08  Eyal: Nice to see another Topalov trademark exchange sacrifice.

Some improvements that were suggested for Black after 19.Rb5, by commentators on chessdom and chessvibes: instead of 20...Bxb5, Rc8 (it wasn't really necessary to rush with taking the exchange, since the rook wouldn't have escaped - a4 hanging otherwise); instead of 23...Rc8, either 23...Qxc5 24.Bxc5 Rd7 25.dxe6 fxe6 26. Nxe6 b6 and Rc8, or 23...Qd8 24.Qxa7 b6; and instead of 26...Bf6, g5 (though Black is probably lost by this stage anyway).

Dec-15-08  Eyal: Topalov's score against the Grunfeld in 2007-8: 4.5/5

Topalov vs Shirov, 2007
Topalov vs Mamedyarov, 2007
Topalov vs Shirov, 2008
Topalov vs I Cheparinov, 2008
And this game.

Maybe not the best opening choice against him?

Dec-15-08  MrSpock: 23. .... Qxc5
24. Bxc5 Rd7
25. dxe6 fxe6
26. Nxe6 b6
looks not bad for Black.
Dec-18-08  arnaud1959: When I see this game it seems so easy to win against Grunfeld because of the central pawn majority but unfortunately my name is not Topalov
Dec-18-08  OneArmedScissor: Topalov is on fire. Beware Kamsky.
Dec-19-08  WaxTadpole: Is is my imagination or does Svidler's Grunfeld seem to lose regularly against strong competition?
Dec-20-08  Nostrils: 20 ... Bxb5 is just bad. White is applying pressure to e6. The white pawn on c4 is closing the diagonal to e6 and the black king. Not only does 20 ... Bxb5 open the diagonal it also swaps off blacks light squared bishop. The rook should not be taken.
Feb-05-09  notyetagm: Tremendous win by Topalov.
Feb-06-09  notyetagm: This excellent win by Topalov over leading Grunfeld specialist Svidler is annotated by Topalov himself in the latest issue of New In Chess Magazine, 2009/1.

http://www.newinchess.com/Magazine/...

Feb-06-09  notyetagm: 19 ?


click for larger view

19 ♖b1-b5!


click for larger view

<ALwoodpusher: It's amazing how fast black's position falls apart after 19.Rb5!; was 18...Ra6 a mistake? Both black rooks are misplaced <<<after the quality sack>>> and b6 will fall, therefore black resigns.>

19 ♖b1-b5! is yet another incredible <EXCHANGE (QUALITY) SACRIFICE> by Topalov, who by now must rank with Petrosian as the greatest exponent of <EXCHANGE SACRIFICES> in the history of chess.

Feb-06-09  notyetagm: If you are a paying <<<ICC>>> member then you can watch GM Larry Christiansen's analysis of this game here: https://webcast.chessclub.com/icc/i....
Feb-06-09  yalie: clearly shows that Topalov and his team have been studying Sutovsky's games.
Feb-06-09  notyetagm: <yalie: clearly shows that Topalov and his team have been studying Sutovsky's games.>

Oh, Sutovsky plays the Classical 7 ♗f1-c4 against the Grunfeld?

Feb-06-09  notyetagm: http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/fil...

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