This was a well-fought game, and mostly even. Final position, after 55...Ra1:

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Your welcome Mariano. GM Larsen was one of my favorite all-time players for sure!

<That puzzle you posted with the two> <bishops... that's a good example of> <why some people refer to bishops as> <knives!>

Yes, it I had the same problem. I guess I need to be studying more of Tal's games!

Thanks, I am trying to convince myself I could see the winning continuation with my clock ticking :)

<Did you notice what White's defense> < is if Black plays the prosaic> < 1...Bh8 threatening 2...Qxa2+ > <3.Qxa2 c2+ etc.? (Obviously 2.Nxh5 > <doesn't stop this.)>

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It is White's move. Can you find the winning continuation? This position is from the game:

Mariano, I would think that Topalov is about ready to win a tournament how long has it been for him? I was surprised that he began his game against Gashimov by playing 1.d4. I guess he was hoping Gashimov was going to play the Modern Benoni Defense which Topalov has used alot also in his career. As you know Top GM's have doubts about whether the Modern Benoni is sound or not. Well Gashimov pulled a fast one and played the Slav defense instead. Now Topalov is already behind Carlsen by half a point and Topalov has black against Bacrot in round 2 while Carlsen has Black against Anand.I bet Topalov goes all out in this next round to try and win don't you?

According to Chessbase Megadatabase 2010 Topalov has 5 wins in 10 games against Bacrot in their chess careers, the other games have been draws. Bacrot has played the Queen's Gambit against Topalov 5 times with white and the English Opening once and has 3 draws and 3 losses against Topalov with white!!! Wow, Bacrot must really feel Topalov has his number when Bacrot plays white!!

In regards to the Anand-Carlsen game
these two have played 36 games against each other in their chess careers (this includes blitz and active chess games). When Anand has played white he has a record of 1 win 4 draws and no losses in games at regular time control. It will be interesting to see what defense Carlsen will play if Anand begins the game by playing 1.e4. Will Carlsen risk the sicilian defense or will he play 1..e5 and head into a Ruy Lopez?

<Hey Wayne, my guess is that it is> <Topalov's turn. I vote for Topalov> <winning the tournament.>

Interesting Mariano, I voted for Topalov as well! I feel like you do,he is overdue to win a tournament and after how Carlsen has been performing I don't like Carlsen's chances. Gashimov hasn't played with the "big boys" that much, so I don't like his chances. In regards to Anand, well you can never count him out from winning any tournament, however he has to play two blacks in a row in the first half of the tournament,which can't help his chances.

<Don't you miss the old times when GM> <round-robin tournaments typically> <had 12 or 14 players?>

I sure do Mariano, those were the good days of chess.It was so much more exciting,and there were more open games played then, than there is now.

<I guess the elite GMs are more> <expensive now (appearance fees)>, <which means organizers can invite> fewer of them...>

Interesting you chose to use the word "elite". I think chess has really become elitist recently. You rarely see anyone but the top players making these appearance fees and having the chance to win big prizes. This all began when the Berlin wall fell down and all of the GM's from the east came west. It maed it difficult for the GM's in the West to make a living from chess because they were lower-rated than these Eastern players got more of the invitations into top tournaments. I have had some GM's beg me to take lessons with them at Playchess.com and The Free Internet Chess Server. On the latter one GM was begging me telling me he needed to feed his family,which was really heart-wrenching to have to listen to.

Your take on the elite GM fees is quite interesting... and the critical look at the two big Ks. In the past people said that Fischer had raised the pay for all GMs... before him, being mostly a Soviet affair, elite chess was grossly underpaid. But one wonders about the magnitude of the trickle down effect... does extra money for a world championship match mean extra money for all GMs down the line? I doubt it. It seems to me that the money paid to some elite GMs is paid on account of their fame, not on account of the high quality of their game. Even today, among regular well-informed people, nobody knows who Kramnik or Anand are, but most people know who Kasparov and Karpov are. If Karpov and Kasparov had had the effect of rising chess' international profile, people would have noticed when Kasparov lost the title, and would know who Anand is.

Yes it was, I guess that is why these players are GM's. it is amazing what they can see (and what I can't see that fast! <:().

<But one wonders about the magnitude> <of the trickle down effect.. does> <extra money for a world championship> <match mean extra money for all GMs> <down the line? I doubt it.>

I agree that is what is wrong with professional chess,it is so elitist that only the top players can make a living at it. <:(

<It seems to me that the money paid to> <some elite GMs is paid on account of> <their fame, not on account of the <high quality of their game.>

Good point,Mariano and Kasparov is still making money from chess with these books he is writing of late.Yet if you talk to most GM's they say they hardly make any money at all from writing a book.

<Even today, among regular well> -informed people, nobody knows who> <Kramnik or Anand are, but most > <people know who Kasparov and Karpov> <are. If Karpov and Kasparov had had> <the effect of rising chess'> <international profile, people would> <have noticed when Kasparov lost the> <title, and would know who Anand is.>

Yes,chess definitely has an identity crisis and it seems no one knows how to increase public awareness of chess or they don't want to, for some reason. What you have said reminds me what is happening in Canada right now, a new TV show is coming on-air here in which the central character is a chess player. I left a message on the Candian Chess Federation website that because I have training and education in public relations and advertising/marketing management, I thought this new tv show would be a great chance for the CFC to get some publicity for itself by posting an ad during the show or even asking to put the name and webpage address of the CFC in the credits at the end of the show. All I got as responses was ignorance,ridicule and a total lack of willingness on the part of CFC members to help raise the awareness of chess and the CFC in Canada using this show! These people are ignorant about how using your opportunities when you get them is crucial for the survival of an organization such as the CFC!

<I have a student in one of my> < classes whose last name is Anand.> <The first day of class I told her> <"Did you know you have the same last> <name as the chess world champion?"> < She didn't know. That says a lot,> doesn't it?>

Wow Mariano it sure does! Amazing!

<Not even people with his same last> <name heard of him! (Let me clarify > <she is American, not Indian; among> <Indians, Anand is fairly famous.)>

Even so at her level of education and intelligence you think she would have been exposed once at least to a newspaper article or news broadcast in which she heard his name and heard about his accomplishments! This experience of yours says alot about the media in the United States and the culture too! The same holds true for Canada and alot of countries regarding chess. This may be starting to change with the introduction of chess into the school curriculum I hope!

This doesn't mean that things cannot change or get reversed in the future, but for now it looks like you reached a dead end.