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Magnus Carlsen vs Veselin Topalov
20th Amber Tournament (Rapid) (2011) (rapid), Monaco MNC, rd 8, Mar-20
Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation (B23)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 34 times; par: 39 [what's this?]

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sac: 19.Rg5 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-20-11  carl giraffe: I love the Grand Prix in speed games. Especially where the white B is traded for the Nc6. Black's development is often tricky and white can get a fun, easy to play game.

Easier I imagine when you can crank out such a great tactical melee as Carlsen.

Mar-20-11  Eduardo Leon: Why didn't Topalov play 20...♕g4?
Mar-20-11  jhoro: I have the feeling Topalov hates facing Carlsen and just freaks. He made so many errors. These are just a few I can count

12...Rb8 lost tempo, 12...Bxd5 was better

15...Bf6 blocked the knight and was way too passive. 15...Bd4+ was better

23...Rxh6 made the rook useless. If he at least followed with 24...Qxd4

but at that point he would have been down a piece for couple of pawns with not much time on the clock

Mar-20-11  jhoro: <Eduardo Leon>, 20...Qg4 21.Qd2 keeps the d5 pawn and the knight gets very strong. The computer gives +4 for white vs less than +1 for 20...Qxd5. 20...Qxd5 was the best move for Topa
Mar-20-11  Eduardo Leon: <jhoro>, I missed that, after 20...♕g4 21.♕d2 ♘f5 22.♖f4, the black queen is trapped.
Mar-22-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: 29....Qh4 30. Qc3+ Rc5 31. Bxc5 dxc5. Now what? How can white both prevent mate and hold onto the ♘?
Mar-22-11  marcwordsmith: <al wazir> I don't think White has to play Qc3+ right away, since after Qh4, Black is not threatening anything in particular (at least not that I can see). How about 30. b4 instead for White, and now Qc3+ is a real big threat?
Mar-23-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: <marcwordsmith: How about 30. b4 instead for White, and now Qc3+ is a real big threat?>

Good point. Off the top of my head, 30...Qg5 31. Qc3+ Rc5 32. bxc5/Bxc5 dxc5, and white is at least an exchange up.

Mar-24-11  Shams: Carlsen is +6=5-0 over his last eleven games with Topalov. I wonder if Danailov even bothers with a pep talk anymore before Veselin takes on the Norwegian.
Mar-24-11  psmith: <al wazir>

In your line 29....Qh4 30. Qc3+ Rc5 31. Bxc5 dxc5 why not 32. Re6+ Kc7 33. Qxc5+ Kb8 (32...Kd8 33. Qc8#) 34. Nd7+ Ka8 35. Rxa6+ bxa6 36. Qc6+ Ka7 37. Qb6+ Ka8 38. Qxa6#

Entirely forced -- proud to say I did this without an engine.

Mar-25-11  marcwordsmith: <psmith> Nice! Wish I'd seen that!
Mar-28-11  notyetagm: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...
Mar-28-11  notyetagm: 17.Ra3! Carlsen turns the forgotten piece into a monster, going after the black queen.
Mar-28-11  notyetagm: Game Collection: DPR: DIAGONAL PAWN RELOADER
Sep-03-16  RKnight: <psmith> <al wazir> Note that Topalov is not forced to move his Q on move 29 because of the mate that would follow 30. Rxe4. However Carlsen still wins, e.g. 29... Kc7 30. h3 Qc6 31. Re7+ Kd1 32.Rd7+ Ke1 33. Qe3+ etc.

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