Veselin Topalov vs Levon Aronian (2008)

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Veselin Topalov vs Levon Aronian
Pearl Spring Tournament (2008), Nanjing CHN, rd 6, Dec-17
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (D47) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 4 times; par: 100 [what's this?]

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Dec-17-08		AliMatok: 22. ...Bd5???

Dec-17-08		I Like Fish: second... (:((

Dec-17-08		moodini: Considering that a move that blunders a piece is normally annotated with a ?? it seems a little harsh to award a ??? to a move that allows black to play on for another 49 moves!!!!!!!!!!!! Or did I just miss out on the internet punctuation trend??????????????

Dec-17-08		shintaro go: If Topalov keeps playing like this, Kamsky doesn't stand a chance.

Dec-17-08		AliMatok: That's Forced

Dec-18-08		luzhin: Aronian's 22...Bd5 does not blunder a piece: it offers the Bishop in exchange for White's Knight on e2. Note also Aronian's swindle at the time control: if 40.Re8 Nh4 41.Rxb8 Nxf3+ 42.Kf1 Nh2+ 43.Ke1 Nf3+ is a draw by perpetual.

Dec-18-08		moodini: I do not think that anybody said it blundered a piece. I just thought that a triple question mark was a bit much. I dislike the overuse of ! and ? at the best of times but in chess the meanings are fairly well defined.

Dec-18-08		BETASIGMA: i wonder why not 40. Re8?

Dec-19-08		Sularus: <BETASIGMA> if 40. Re8 then... 40. ... Nh4 41. RxR NxP+ and black has perpetual, eg 42. Kf1 Nh2+ If the bishop moves to protect the pawn after 40. ... Nh4, then the other black rook enters white's back rank. 40. Re4 prevents 40. ... Nh4

Dec-19-08		BETASIGMA: thanks sularus for enlightening by instinct.Purely I can't rely on it now,really need a careful analysis.cheers.

Dec-20-08		notyetagm: 39 ? click for larger view (VAR) 39 ♖e1x♘e3! click for larger view Check out this excellent winning line found by <RYBKA 3 AQUARIUM> (http://www.chessok.com/broadcast/?k... ): <<<<(39. Rxe3 ! 39... Rxb5 40. Re8 Rbd5 41. Re7 g5 42. Rxf7+ Kg6 43. Rg7+ Kf5 44. Rxh7 Kg6 45. a4 R2d4 46. Kf2 Rd1 47. Rg7+ Kf6 48. Rf7+ Kg6 49. Kg3 <Rybka Aquarium (0:06.37)+4.70\|d20>)>>>> (VAR) 49 ♔f2-g3 4.70 (Rybka Aquarium) click for larger view The constant threat of the <DISCOVERED CHECK> d7-d8=♕+, <CHECKING> from the White a7-rook, allowed White to repeatedly put his other rook <EN PRISE> on apparently unsafe squares on the kingside: 42 ♖e7xf7+!, 43 ♖f7-g7+!, 47 ♖h7-g7+!, and 48 ♖g7-f7+!. (VAR) 42 ♖e7xf7+! <decoy into discovered check> click for larger view (VAR) 43 ♖f7-g7+! <decoy into discovered check> click for larger view This combination is a great example of the tactical point that <A LINE PIECE CONTROLS ALL OF THE SQUARES ON ITS LINE>, because the 7th-rank line of the White a7-rook is actually opened because the masking piece (White d7-pawn) can move off of this line with a <GAIN OF TIME> (d7-d8=♕).

Dec-20-08		Mateo: 22...Bd5?! is not a blunder but a misdjugement. The central passed pawn which will cross the 6th rank quickly will be much stronger than Black's queen side majority.

Dec-20-08		Eyal: Topalov almost threw away the win with 43.Re2? which loses his d-pawn (44.Bxd7 Rxe2), but later Aronian reciprocated with his own blunder, 52...Re5? and after the rook exchange Black has to give up the knight for the a-pawn. Instead, 52...Re7 seems to be holding.

Dec-20-08		notyetagm: <Eyal: Topalov almost threw away the win with 43.Re2? which loses his d-pawn (44.Bxd7 Rxe2), but later Aronian reciprocated with his own blunder, 52...Re5? and after the rook exchange Black has to give up the knight for the a-pawn. Instead, 52...Re7 seems to be holding.> Rybka 3 Aquarium agrees with you, annotating Topalov's 43rd move as 43 ♖e4-e2?! but then giving Aronian's 52nd move the dreaded 52 ... ♖e1-e5??. Instead 43 ♖e4-e7!! was winning for Topalov while Aronian may have held the draw after 52 ... ♖e1-e7!? (52... Re7 !? 53. Bf1 Ne6 54. Rd5 Nc7 55. Rd1 Re6 56. Bc4 Rc6 57. Kb3 Ke7 58. Re1+ Kf6 Rybka Aquarium (0:00.09)+0.61\|d14). http://www.chessok.com/broadcast/?k... If you have not checked out the above resource, the Chess OK Rybka Aquarium relay, make sure that you do. It is awesome! One of my favorite online chess resources.

Dec-23-08		eisenherz: <shintaro go: If Topalov keeps playing like this, Kamsky doesn't stand a chance.> Let me please correct you: If Topalov continue to play like this "Anand" doesn't stand a chance.

Dec-23-08		shintaro go: <eisenherz> Although it is public opinion that Topalov will face Anand for the championship, Topa will still have to face Kamsky and beat him in February before we can start to talk about anything else.

Dec-28-08		whiteshark: <Mateo: 22...Bd5?! is not a blunder but a misdjugement. The central passed pawn which will cross the 6th rank quickly will be much stronger than Black's queen side majority.> Well spotted! Black took a high risk. <22...Rac8 23.Rac1 Rc4 24.Qb6 Rc6 25.Qf2 Rc5> looks like a much safer continuation. click for larger view

Feb-06-09		notyetagm: 52 ... ? click for larger view 52 ... ♖e1-e5?? (Rybka 3) click for larger view Aronian's 52 ... ♖e1-e5?? rook trade leaves lost minor piece ending. Game Collection: The Fine Art Of Trading Pieces

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

Aug-09-10		notyetagm: Game Collection: Hanging material suspends normal piece safety Topalov vs Aronian, 2008 43 ... Rb7xd7! puts d7-rook en prise since White e2-rook hangs For another example of this tactic see also the tactical sequence 36 ... ♖g8x♗g2! 37 ♖c6x♗e6+ in <Burmakin vs Collins Arctic Chess Challenge 2010>.

Sep-05-11		qqdos: The opening of this game, in reverse, is a Colle System (D05) which allows White an extra tempo (in the Colle)!

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