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Magnus Carlsen vs Veselin Topalov
Amber Tournament (Blindfold) (2009) (blindfold), Nice FRA, rd 8, Mar-22
English Opening: Symmetrical. Anti-Benoni Variation Spielmann Defense (A33)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)better is 10...d5 11.cxd5 exd5 12.e5 Ne4 13.O-O Nc5 14.Nxd5 Nxd3 = -0.39 (21 ply) 11.O-O Na5 12.e5 Ne8 13.Qe2 Nb3 14.Rb1 Nc5 15.Rd1 Nxd3 = +0.12 (20 ply) 11...d5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.e5 Nd7 14.O-O Nc5 15.Rd1 Nxd3 ⩱ -0.68 (21 ply)= +0.24 (22 ply)better is 12...Nd7 13.Be3 Bf6 14.Nb5 Nc5 15.Rad1 e5 16.Nb4 exf4 = -0.10 (22 ply) ⩲ +0.57 (19 ply) 15...Nxc4 16.Nb1 b5 17.b3 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Nxe4 19.a4 Bf6 = -0.26 (23 ply)better is 16.g4 Nd7 17.b4 Nc6 18.Nf3 Bf6 19.h4 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 a5 ⩲ +1.33 (20 ply) ⩲ +0.63 (22 ply) 18...e5 19.Bxb6 Bxe4 20.Bxe4 Qxb6+ 21.Kh1 Qd4 22.Nd5 ⩲ +0.65 (24 ply) ⩲ +1.44 (22 ply)better is 21...Bd6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Qxe6+ Kh8 24.Kh1 Be5 25.Nd5 Rg8 ⩲ +1.15 (21 ply) ± +1.86 (20 ply) after 22.c5 Rce8 23.Ne4 bxc5 24.Nd6 Bxd6 25.Bxd6 cxb4 26.Bxa6 23...Qf7 24.Qxb6 Kh8 25.Kh1 Rcd8 26.Qe3 Qh5 27.Nd5 Bxd5 ⩲ +1.31 (21 ply) 24.Nd5 Rce8 25.Qh3 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 g5 27.Qg4 Bb2 28.Rb1 Qg7 ± +2.15 (23 ply) ⩲ +0.70 (24 ply) after 24...Qb8 25.Bxa8 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 Bxc3 27.Be4 Bb2 28.Rb1 25.Bxa8 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 Bxc3 27.Be4 Bb2 28.Rcd1 g6 29.a4 Qe5 ⩲ +0.80 (26 ply)= 0.00 (29 ply) 29...Qc8 30.Qxc8 Rxc8 31.Bxa8 Rxa8 32.g3 g5 33.Nd5 b5 = 0.00 (29 ply) 30.Qxc4 bxc4 31.Ne6 Rb8 32.Bxa8 Bc3 33.Re3 Bd2 34.Re2 ± +2.47 (29 ply) ∓ -1.97 (31 ply) 31.Qxc4 bxc4 32.Re2 Bxe4 33.Rxf2 Kg8 34.Kg1 c3 35.Ne2 ∓ -1.57 (30 ply) 31...Rg8 32.Bxa8 Bxe1 33.Qxe1 Rxa8 34.Qg3 Rc8 35.Kh2 Qc3 -+ -3.40 (27 ply)= +0.08 (28 ply) 40.Nh6+ Kh8 41.Qf7 Rxe4 42.Qxf2 Re8 43.Nf7+ Kg8 44.Ng5 = +0.08 (31 ply) ∓ -2.43 (28 ply) 41...Rxe4 42.Rd8+ Kf7 43.Nd6+ Ke6 44.Nxe4 Bxe4 45.Kh2 -+ -2.70 (30 ply) ⩲ +0.69 (29 ply)better is 53...Ra8 54.Rb3 Bc1 55.Bxb5 Rxa3 56.Bc4 Rxb3 57.Bxb3 Ke7 = +0.48 (29 ply) ⩲ +1.18 (28 ply)better is 54...Kg5 55.Bxb5 Rd4+ 56.Ke3 Rd5 57.Bf1 Rd7 58.a4 Rd4 ⩲ +1.12 (32 ply) ± +1.70 (26 ply) 62...g5 63.a5 h6 64.Bd3 Bf2 65.Kc4 Be1 66.Kb5 Kc7 67.Bf5 ± +1.88 (42 ply)better is 63.Bd3 Be1 64.a5 Kd5 65.Ka4 Bg3 66.b5 Kc5 67.Be4 Kd6 +- +4.71 (36 ply)+- +2.73 (49 ply) after 63...Be1 64.Be8 Ke7 65.Bc6 Kd6 66.Kb5 Bd2 67.Be8 Kc7 69...Bg1 70.a6 Kd7 71.a7 Bxa7 72.Kxa7 Kc7 73.Bg6 Kc6 +- +132.65 (50 ply)1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35435 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-22-09  Garech: Great game, Carlsen is on a winning streak! I have just run the game thru Fritz and Topalov missed two good chances: 31. ... Rg8 and 41. ... Rxe4 both result in an advantage of +1.00, despite white's knight later forking the king and rook in the latter. Still, it's blindfold, things are bound to be missed. Keep it up Magnus; the Wonderboy is alive and well!
Mar-22-09  arnaud1959: I think Topalov was really "blind" in this game.
Mar-22-09  ex0duz: @Garech: <41. Rxe4, 42. Rd8+ Kf7, 43.Nd6+ Ke7 44.Nxe4 Kxd8 45.Bxe4> and black has 2 bishops + 4 pawn vs rook + 4 pawn endgame? That is the +1.00 line you're talking about right? Seems like Topalov really did miss his chances.. especially since he's the master of sac'ing his rook/s for bishop, and in this case he would of had two bishops!

Congrats to Magnus though, he played beautifully. Even looking at the board, this game is hard enough for me to understand, and half the moves i wouldn't of even considered playing, especially with the various back rank Queen+Knight+Rook+Bishop threats :(

Mar-22-09  parisattack: If you are good at blindfold it probably doesn't hurt your game. If you are bad at it (Topalov) it almost certainly is detrimental.

I played four blindfold games once. Won two, lost won, lost track of the fourth. For my efforts I got the worst headache I've ever had in my life.

Mar-23-09  itsankush: <ex0duz> I really dont understand your line. When already 44...Kxd8, how come white hs a rook for blacks bishop pair? also how is 45Bxe4 possible?
Mar-23-09  itsankush: <ex0duz> The correct line is <41. Rxe4, 42. Rd8+ Kf7, 43.Nd6+ Ke6 44.Nxe4 Bxe4
Mar-23-09  ex0duz: @<itsankush> Oops. Yeah, it should be 44.Nxe4 Bxe4 as you said. I added an extra move 44. Kxd8 that i was subconsciously thinking about from another line, but i saw that that would lose(draw) to 45. Nxf2 and i forgot to take it out :p
Mar-23-09  shahjinan: It is fun to see HOW EMOTIONALLY Carlsen and Topalov talked after their blindfold game with full of inaccuracies. Check out the video at www.amberchess2009.com

I couldn't resist myself to make this emotional photo album between their conversation...check it out..and let me know your thoughts:)

http://picasaweb.google.com/shahjin...

Mar-23-09  percyblakeney: <check it out..and let me know your thoughts:)>

I think Carlsen and Topalov will pass this game by when they write their memoirs :-)

Mar-23-09  hardliner: <I couldn't resist myself to make this emotional photo album between their conversation...check it out..and let me know your thoughts:)>

great work <shahjinan> But, do you know what they said?

Topo: Magnus, did you see that Amber girl. She used to be a girl, but now she's a beatiful woman.

Magnus: Ye, Topo she's fantastic, and my age, too. I'm really looking forward to the banquet. Think I need to send Henrik home and stay another day.

Topo: Ye, and I can still imagine her blindfold........

Magnus: You should get yourself a paperbag, and breath deep into it

Mar-23-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: Topa: You were playing for a cheapo!

Magnus: Me? A cheapo. That's your territory. You and Cheap-arinov!

Topa: That's it. I'm filing a complaint!

Mar-24-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: Why not 30...Rxf4 ? Looks drawish after either 31. Bxa8 Rf1+ or 31. Qe8+ Qg8.
Mar-25-09  tonsillolith: Sometimes it's fun to put stuff in perspective...
This game that Carlsen played blindfolded and at relatively fast time controls is far better than any game I will ever play in my entire life.
Mar-25-09  Ulhumbrus: 6 a3 loses a tempo for development and this suggests 6...d5.
Apr-03-09  Archswindler: <Ulhumbrus: 6 a3 loses a tempo for development and this suggests 6...d5.>

I'm not sure about 6...d5, as it leaves black with an isolated pawn after 7. cxd5 exd5 or 7...Nxd5 8. Nxc6 bxc6. Black has no need to weaken his pawn structure in this way, so surely it's better to just get on with development and castling.

Oct-27-09  Garech: <shahjinan: It is fun to see HOW EMOTIONALLY Carlsen and Topalov talked after their blindfold game with full of inaccuracies. Check out the video at www.amberchess2009.com

I couldn't resist myself to make this emotional photo album between their conversation...check it out..and let me know your thoughts:)>

Hilarious photos man! Thanks for doing this. Unfortunately I couldn't get find the video though. Is it still there?

http://picasaweb.google.com/shahjin...

Feb-20-10  aazqua: Incredible that Topa managed to lose this endgame although it's far more incredible that they can play this sort of game blindfold.

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