Anand vs Topalov Game 2

[AdminX]

[Event "World Chess Championship"]
[Site "Sofia/Bulgaria"]
[Date "2010.04.25"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[Annotator "Robot 3"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2010.04.25"]
[EventType "match"]
[EventRounds "12"]
[EventCountry "BUL"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. Ne5 c5 7. Na3 cxd4 8.
Naxc4 Bc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nd3 Ba7 13. Ba5 Qe7 14. Qb3
Rb8 15. Qa3 Qxa3 16. bxa3 N7f6 17. Nce5 Re8 18. Rc2 b6 19. Bd2 Bb7 20. Rfc1
Rbd8 21. f4 Bb8 22. a4 a5 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 h5 25. R1c4 Ne3 26. Bxe3 dxe3
27. Bf3 g6 28. Rxb6 Ba7 29. Rb3 Rd4 30. Rc7 Bb8 31. Rc5 Bd6 32. Rxa5 Rc8 33.
Kg2 Rc2 34. a3 Ra2 35. Nb4 Bxb4 36. axb4 Nd5 37. b5 Raxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxa4 39.
Bxd5 exd5 40. b6 Ra8 41. b7 Rb8 42. Kf3 d4 43. Ke4 1-0

[metax]

[d]1r4k1/1P3p2/6p1/7p/3pKP2/1R2p1P1/4P2P/8 b - -

1-0. The position should be easily won for White. Engines show +7-8 or more after a few seconds of analysis.

[AdminX]

Chessvibes Video Report for game 1:
http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/wch-g ... more-24546

[gerold]

Chessvibes Video Report for game 1:
http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/wch-g ... more-24546

Thanks for the posts Ted.
Very good game.

Best,
Gerold.

[Hood]

Ne3 was unforced error by Topalov.

Good psychological decision by Anand to exchange the queens and test Topalovs patience in the =+ / = but the passive position. It is interesting if it is the Anands strategy for the match.

Catalan - Anand follows Kramniks way.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Ne3 was unforced error by Topalov.

Good psychological decision by Anand to exchange the queens and test Topalovs patience in the =+ / = but the passive position. It is interesting if it is the Anands strategy for the match.

Catalan - Anand follows Kramniks way.

I am definitely surprised that Topalov played Ne3....it destroyed his position....
Dr.D

[AdminX]

Game Analysis by GM Anish Giri

[Event "WCHM 2010 Sofia"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2010.04.25"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Anand, Vishwanathan "]
[Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E04"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2805"]
[Annotator "Giri,Anish"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2010.04.25"]
[SourceDate "2010.04.25"]

1. d4 {Anand decides to open the game with the d-pawn, as he did in his World
Championship match against Kramnik in Bonn 2008.} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 {No
Nimzo today. Against Kramnik Anand used Nimzo and it brought him a point and a
good position in game 2.} d5 {Topalov doesn't go for the safe Queen's Indian,
but rather for a sharp Ragozin or Vienna.} 4. g3 {No! Anand goes for a calm
Catalan, which was and still is a great weapon of another world champion -
Kramnik.} dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 $5 {Diagram # The idea of this line is to save the
pawn by any means.} 6. Ne5 (6. O-O {is another main line, which is a real pawn
sacrifice.}) 6... c5 7. Na3 (7. Be3 Nd5 8. dxc5 {Was played recently by other
Catalan players, Bacrot and Wang Yue.}) 7... cxd4 8. Naxc4 Bc5 {Diagram #} (
8... Ra7 {is another possibility, with the idea b6. I remember it from the
game Wang Yue-Van Wely from Corus 2009, where black equalised without problems.
But I guess Anand had an improvement there.}) 9. O-O O-O 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1
Nd7 12. Nd3 Ba7 {Diagram # So far both players played logical moves, but from
here White has a big and wide choice.} 13. Ba5 {A questionable decision.} (13.
Qb3 $5 {Made sense, since later on Black was threatening b6, attacking the
bishop on a5. But perhaps Anand has analyzed this position deeply and came to
conclusion that it is better to include Ba5 Qe7. If} Nc5 {then simple} 14. Nxc5
Bxc5 15. Ne5 {and White keeps up the pressure.} (15. Ba5 $5)) 13... Qe7 14. Qb3
Rb8 {Preparing b6. Now white had a big choice and I am afraid Anand chose not
the best move, though later it worked out well for him.} ({After} 14... b6 {
White has} 15. Bb4 Nc5 16. Qa3 Bb7 17. Bxd5 $1 Bxd5 18. Nxb6 $1 Bxb6 19. Bxc5
Bxc5 20. Rxc5 {With some pressure and edge.}) 15. Qa3 $6 {Diagram # As I said,
later it worked out well for Anand. At the time I doubted the objective
evaluation of the move, but after seeing the whole game I was wondering -
maybe it was pure genius, from a psychological point of view!?} (15. Rfd1 $1 {
Is the move I like most. Now Black doesn't have a very useful move, since} b6 {
falls into} (15... Nc5 16. Nxc5 Bxc5 17. Ne5 {should also be slightly better.})
(15... Re8 $5 {or}) (15... h6 {are maybe the best moves, but White can then
try Qa3 or improve slowly with let's say Rc2.}) 16. Bb4 $1 Nc5 17. Qa3 Bb7 (
17... Nxb4 18. Nxb4 Bb7 19. Bxb7 Qxb7 20. Rxd4) 18. Bxd5 $1 Bxd5 19. Nxb6 $1
Bxb6 20. Rxc5 $1 Bxc5 21. Bxc5 Qb7 22. Bxf8 Rxf8 23. Qb4 {With advantage for
White.}) 15... Qxa3 16. bxa3 {Diagram #} N7f6 $6 {logical,} ({but the more
logical} 16... Nc5 $1 {was the move. I think White would have to fight for the
draw, and I am curious what Anand wanted to play here and what Topalov was
afraid of.}) 17. Nce5 $1 {Now I liked the white position again, though I think
he has no objective advantage.} Re8 $1 {preparing b6 and Bd7} (17... b6 18. Bb4
$1) (17... Bd7 18. Nxd7 Nxd7 19. Bxd5 exd5 20. Rc7 $14) 18. Rc2 (18. g4 $5 {
looks interesting too.}) 18... b6 $6 {objectively must be okay, but I think if
there is no need to weaken the c6 square, then why to do it?!} ({I prefer}
18... Bd7 $1 {not weakening c6. Now the best white can do is} 19. Nxd7 Nxd7 20.
Rfc1 N7f6 21. Ne5 {which should be around equal. White has two bishops and
good pieces, while black has an extra pawn and a solid position with no
weaknesses.}) 19. Bd2 Bb7 20. Rfc1 {Stronger than the immedeate Nc6. In
general Anand plays very well from now on, without forcing things too much,
just improving the position, no caring that he is a pawn down.} Rbd8 21. f4 Bb8
22. a4 a5 23. Nc6 {Diagram # Now that White has made all the useful moves, it
is time for this exchange.} Bxc6 24. Rxc6 h5 $6 {A strange, impulsive and
weakening move, although again, objectively it is not a mistake.} (24... h6 {
would be played by a more patient defender.}) 25. R1c4 {Diagram #} (25. Bf3 $5
{Immediately pointing at the h5 pawn.}) 25... Ne3 $2 {Now the real mistake
comes. I think Topalov got tired of making moves without any idea. He wanted
to force things. However there was another way...} (25... Ng4 $1 {Fits
perfectly with h5. If Topalov could have played it, I would have to give h5 an
exclamation mark!} 26. Bf3 (26. Rxd4 Ba7 $1 {is the point. Now White would be
in trouble.}) 26... e5 $1 (26... Ba7 $5 {is not human, but not a bad move
either.}) 27. fxe5 Nxe5 28. Nxe5 Bxe5 29. Kf1 {should be aroung equal, with
Black having no problems after} (29. Bxh5 d3 $1 30. exd3 Ne7 $17) 29... h4 $1)
26. Bxe3 dxe3 27. Bf3 $5 {Diagram #} (27. Rxb6 {Was of course another option,
but Anand is trying to confuse Topalov, offering him a difficult choice
between giving up the h5 and b6 pawn. And he also perhaps didn't like} e5 $5)
27... g6 $2 (27... Nd7 {was I think better, but White had a pleasant advantage
there as well. Still it was way better than what Topalov go in the game.} 28.
Bxh5 e5 $1 {being the idea}) 28. Rxb6 {Now there is no e5, and the a5 pawn is
extremely weak.} Ba7 (28... Re7 {Trying to defend a5 with Bc7 was better.
Surprisingly White is unable to win the pawn by force, but obviously he still
has a big advantage.}) 29. Rb3 $1 {So that Topalov can forget about any Rxd3.}
Rd4 30. Rc7 Bb8 31. Rc5 $1 {Diagram # a4 is untouchable due to Bc6 and White
wins the a5 pawn.} Bd6 32. Rxa5 Rc8 {Black is getting active, but it won't
give him anything. White has a good protection of the key d3 and e2 squares
and the a-pawn (supported by a long-sighted bishop who keeps on looking at a8,
the promotion square) should decide the game in White's favour.} 33. Kg2 {I
love these moves. I can imagine how disgusted Topalov must be with his
position now.} Rc2 34. a3 {The mean World Champion, who already gave the pawn
once in the opening, doesn't want to give it now anymore. And he is right...
this will be the decisive pawn!} Ra2 $6 (34... Nd5 {It was necessary to still
try to complicate the matter a bit, but White is winning anyway.}) 35. Nb4 $1 {
Diagram # All suporters of Anand were now very relieved when they saw the
black king standing on g8, not g7...} Bxb4 (35... Rxa3 36. Rxa3 Bxb4 37. Ra8+
$1 {is what I meant with my previous comment.}) 36. axb4 Nd5 37. b5 $1 {The a4
pawn doesn't matter anymore, while it's colleague runs!} Raxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxa4
39. Bxd5 $1 {Killing the knight. The arising ending is the most winning rook
ending I ever saw in my life.} exd5 40. b6 Ra8 41. b7 {Diagram # At the end
the decisive factor is - the a-pawn! The little a-pawn that was standing on a2
at the beginning of the game.} Rb8 42. Kf3 d4 43. Ke4 {Diagram # A great
comeback by the World Champion, though I must add that it was obviously not
without help from Topalov.} 1-0

Source: http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6281

[rlsuth]

Who do you prefer here?
[d]3rr1k1/bb3ppp/pp2pn2/3nN3/3p4/P2N2P1/P1RBPPBP/2R3K1 w - - 0 21

Surely White has much the better of this position? Both rooks dominating the open file and blacks Bishops sidelined?

Not that I'm much of a chess player of course.

[AdminX]

Who do you prefer here?
[d]3rr1k1/bb3ppp/pp2pn2/3nN3/3p4/P2N2P1/P1RBPPBP/2R3K1 w - - 0 21

Surely White has much the better of this position? Both rooks dominating the open file and blacks Bishops sidelined?

Not that I'm much of a chess player of course.

I felt the position was equal, but I did like the black side better. The funny thing is, I thought Anand would over press the position and lose. However it seems that was a fate left for Topalov.

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

Who do you prefer here?
[d]3rr1k1/bb3ppp/pp2pn2/3nN3/3p4/P2N2P1/P1RBPPBP/2R3K1 w - - 0 21

Surely White has much the better of this position? Both rooks dominating the open file and blacks Bishops sidelined?

Not that I'm much of a chess player of course.

You're right and the Ne3 move destroyed the last chance for black to at least equalize the game....personaly I prefer white's position too....
Dr.D