Shakhriyar Mamedyarov vs Veselin Topalov (2006)

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Shakhriyar Mamedyarov vs Veselin Topalov
Essent Tournament (2006), Hoogeveen NED, rd 1, Oct-22
Semi-Slav Defense: Meran. Wade Variation Larsen Variation (D47) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 1 OF 2 · Later Kibitzing>
Oct-22-06		Karpova: Mamedyarov's second win against a 2700+ (after Ponomariov vs Mamedyarov, 2006) and a nice one, too! What is Don Danailov going to say now?

Oct-22-06		Domdaniel: The last time these two played, Topalov was on a winning streak - but he barely escaped with a draw after pressing too hard against an imaginative defence from Mamedyarov. Here the boot is on the other foot. Mamedyarov rejects a draw by repetition and goes on to win neatly despite Topalov's counterplay.

Oct-22-06		ahmadov: Great play by Mamedyarov! I believe that this will not the only win against Topa in this tournament.

Oct-22-06		shr0pshire: I imagine this was still prep that Topalov had from the world championship against Kramnik. Although it is a different line that was played in the Topalov-Kramnik games I wonder why Topalov went ahead and played the Semi-Slav. All the eyes of the chess world were scrutinizing his play, and since the whole match was basically one big semi-slav. Here the element of surprise (anything other than a semi-slav) may have had a better impact than a very well prepped semi-slav.

Oct-22-06		percyblakeney: 35. ... Nf4 was a mistake by Topalov, exchanging rooks followed by Nxe5 would have been better.

Oct-22-06		Lt. Col. Majid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VMR...

Oct-22-06		Karpova: <Majid> Mamedyarov left the board at least three times during that game. Danailov should investigate that! Mamedyarov seemed to be quite reserved. He doesn't like Topalov that much after the happenings at Elista - understandable, if true!

Oct-22-06		acirce: 35..Rxc8 36.Rxc8 Rxd6! 37.exd6 Qd2 forcing a perpetual was a fairly easy draw.

Oct-22-06		mack: <Lt. Col.> That was a thoroughly enjoyable video. More please, BBC!

Oct-22-06		Libar: acirce: 35..Rxc8 36.Rxc8 Rxd6! 37.exd6 Qd2 forcing a perpetual was a fairly easy draw. I agree. However, Topa wanted to win, like always he does. It was his mistake!

Oct-22-06		Ezzy: S Mamedyarov (2728) - V Topalov (2813) [D47] Essent Tournament Hoogeveen NED (1), 22.10.2006 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.e4 b4 10.Na4 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.0–0 h6 15.Nd2 0–0 16.Ne4 Bd4 17.Nd6 Bc6 18.Bh7+ Kxh7 19.Qxd4 f6 20.Bd2 Qd7N< 20...fxe5 has been played previously>. 21.Rac1 a5 22.Qd3+ f5?!< Not much chance of shifting the knight from the strong d6 square now.> 23.Rc5 <Now with future possibilities of trebling major pieces on the open 'c' file.> 23...Ne7 24.Rfc1 Ra7 25.Be3 Rfa8 <I was watching the game live, and it would of never entered my head to double rooks on the 'a' file. Whatever Topalov had planned down the 'a' file, it just didn't happen.> 26.Qe2 <Eyeing h5 which looks a tempting square.> 26...Ra6 27.h4 Qd8 <Topalov just doesn't seem to have a clear plan.> 28.Bg5 hxg5 29.Qh5+ Kg8 30.Qf7+ Kh7 31.Qh5+ Kg8 32.Qf7+ Kh7 33.hxg5 <White is actually threatening mate in 5 starting with 34 R5c3 bxc3 35 Rxc3 Bxg2 36 Kxg2 Ng8 37 Rh3+ Nh6 38 Rxh6 Mate.> 33...Ng6? <33..Be8 keeping the bishop seems better.> 34.Rxc6 Qxg5 35.Rc8 Nf4? <Extremely bad move from Topalov. I suppose it is the kind of move that a player who is suffering the disappointment of losing a world championship match just a week ago, would play. As acirce points out 35...Rxc8 36.Rxc8 Rxd6 37.exd6 Qd2 38.Qg8+ Kh6 Seems to to draw by perpetual> 36.g3 Rxc8 37.Rxc8 Qg4 38.Qg8+ Kg6 39.Qe8+ Kh7 40.Qh8+ <Now there is no perpetual>. 40...Kg6 41.Rc7 Qd1+ 42.Kh2 Qh5+ 43.Qxh5+ Nxh5 44.Re7 Rc6 45.Rxe6+ Kh7 46.Nf7 Rxe6 47.Ng5+ 1–0 It’s only one game, but It seems Topalov could do with a ‘time out’ after his disappointment of losing his world crown just one week ago. I admire Topalov for wanting to play chess, but this was a tired performance. After all the drama of last week, Topalov must be mentally shattered. It is hard to believe he could of recovered from that match in one week.

Oct-22-06		Baron Harkonnen: <Lt. Col. Majid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VMR...; Nice video..Fell sorry for Topa..He looks really tired..Poor man.

Oct-22-06		Hesam7: My engine (Fruit 2.1) does not like 28. Bg5 at all. Instead it recommends 28. Qh5 Be8 29. Qf3: click for larger view Now it recommends: 29... Nd5 30. g3 Rxd6 31. exd6 Qxd6 32. Bf4 Nxf4 33. Qxa8 Nd3 34. Rc8 Nxc1 35. Rxe8 Ne2 36. Kh2 Qb6 37. Rh8 Kg6 38. h5 Kg5 39. Qf3 Nd4 40. Qd1 (eval: +1.20 @ depth 16)

Oct-22-06		shr0pshire: <Hesam7> Just because your engine doesn't like the sacrifice doesn't mean that it isn't sound. If there is anyone with more knowledge than me please share, but it is my understanding that engines don't compute sacrifices when there isn't a clear solution. They do this because they are brute force, so they calculate out every variation. Personally, I think the sacrifice is sound, and works under the positional theme that white has at least a perpetual draw out of it if he can't think of anything better.

Oct-22-06		Hesam7: <shr0pshire> I never said it was unsound. The problem is that after the sac Black can equalize easily, so I was looking for alternatives.

Oct-22-06		Milo: Yeah, I appreciate the fact that Topalov (and Mamedyarov, of course) avoided the draw here. I guess I'm one of those people who likes to think that sponsors deserve the maximum number of moves for their money.

Oct-22-06		ahmadov: <Milo> <I guess I'm one of those people who likes to think that sponsors deserve the maximum number of moves for their money> ...and chess fans for their time.

Oct-23-06		Bufon: <acirce35..Rxc8 36.Rxc8 Rxd6! 37.exd6 Qd2 forcing a perpetual was a fairly easy draw> This is the kind of recomendations one would expect from a Kramnik fan, finding the draw lines, thanks to God, Topalov is no Drawmnik. He gave us a nice defeat by the hands of a young prodigy instead of a draw by repetition.

Oct-23-06		Hesam7: <Bufon: He gave us a nice defeat by the hands of a young prodigy instead of a draw by repetition.> LoL.

Oct-23-06		positionalbrilliancy: <He gave us a nice defeat by the hands of a young prodigy instead of a draw by repetition.>It's very hard to believe that anyone can say this and mean it.

Oct-23-06		ahmadov: <Bufon><He gave us a nice defeat by the hands of a young prodigy instead of a draw by repetition> ... Let nice victories be always for Mamedyarov :) (I deemed unethical to write "...and nice defeats for Topalov" despite the fact that I hated his behaviour in Elista)

Oct-23-06		whiskeyrebel: this is Buffoon's finest hour; arguably the most far-fetched rationalization of a loss in the history of this website. Congrats.

Oct-23-06		Bufon: My point is, he did avoid the drawing lines and he lose cause of that, but this is chess... the other guy played better I admire players who fight a game till the end, even with riks of losing, instead of finding a draw by repetition, like Drawmnik does. And as my friend <notyetam> pointed out, this guy is a very good player, and losing with black for Topalov, is not a bad thing.

Oct-23-06		FHBradley: Mamedyarov-Topalov 1-0, extremely doubtful. We're not claiming anything, of course, but we are currently analyzing the events to determine whether this calls for any further actions.

Oct-23-06		Sannder: Just a question: What if 35. Qxe6 after 36...Qxg5?

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