Game 11: Analysis by GM Vladimir Belov Slav Defense D12 Topalov Kramnik
To our regret we will not see what Kramnik prepared against 1.e4. On the other hand, we saw so many subtleties of the Slav! 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 (it took two days for Vladimir and his seconds to heal the wounds of the previous Black game) 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nh4 Bg6 7.Nxg6 hxg6. 8.Rb1. Topalov is true to his plan of surprising the opponent and forcing him to work at the board from the very first moves. One should note that White's strategic idea is similar to the previous game: he wants to gain space on the queenside. However, now Black has a chance to get some air by e5. The 9th game continued 8.a3 Nbd7 9.g3 Be7 10.f4, as you remember. 8...Nbd7 9.c5 a5 10.a3 e5 (some fresh air is necessary; after f2-f4 tentacles are about to clasp the neck) 11.b4 axb4 12.axb4 Qc7 13.f4. Veselin immediately clarifies the situation in the center. Weakness of e4 is an obvious drawback of this decision. 13...exf4 14.exf4 Be7. Apart from easily guessed Kramnik's move, one can examine other alternatives. 14...Ne4 is unsuccessful in view of 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.d5! cxd5 17.Qxd5, and White rules on the whole board. An attempt to secure the e4-square for Black's knights seems more plausible: 14...Nh5 15.Qf3 (during the game I preferred 15.Qg4, preventing f7-f5 at all costs, but it fails to tactics: 15...Be7! with idea Ng3!) 15...f5 (15...Be7 now is less effective, because after 16.g4 the h1-rook is protected, and Black's piece are doomed to passivity) 16.b5 Be7, and Black's position is trustworthy. 15.Be2. The astonishing is near. Veselin rejects a more active move Bd3 without obvious reasons. After the game the Bulgarian grandmaster timidly suggested that the d4 might turn weak: 15.Bd3 Nf8 16.Qf3 Ne6, but after 17.Ne2 White's position should be preferred. 15...Nf8 16.0-0 Ne6 17.g3. 17...Qd7! With this strong prophylactic move Kramnik solves his opening problems. Having defended against 18.b5, Vladimir already visualizes the knight on е4. 18.Qd3. As I said, Black has prepared to 18.b5? 18 Nxc5! 19.dxc5 Bxc5+ 20.Kg2 (20.Kh1 Qh3) 20...Qh3+ 21.Kf3 Qh5+ 22.Kg2 Qxh2+ 23.Kf3 Nh5 24.Qe1 Nxg3, and White's position collapses. Also 18.Bf3 does not prevent the knight's leap: 18 Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Bf6!? Simple capturing on d4 is possible: 21.d5 Bd4+ 22.Kh1 Ra2, and it is hard to understand what's going on. 18...Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Qxe4 Qxd4+ 21.Qxd4 Nxd4. A very appropriate moment to draw some opening conclusions. The middlegame stage passed without being noticed, which should not upset the Russian grandmaster. The position is approximately even notorious two-bishop advantage is compensated by strong knight on d4. However, Black must display some caution. 22.Bc4 0-0 23.Kg2. 23...Ra4?! An inaccuracy, probably caused by calculation error. I failed finding any advantage for White after simple 23...Rfd8 the resource Nc2 often proves helpful for Black. 24.Rd1! Rd8. It is logical to think that Vladimir planned 24...Bxc5 on the previous move, but 25.Be3 spoils Black's optimistic plans and led to material gains: 25...Ne6 26.Bb3! Rxb4 27.Bxc5 Nxc5 28.Bxf7+. 25.Be3 Bf6! Despite inaccurate 23rd move, Black's position has certain reserve of endurance. 25...Bxc5 is again weak because of 26.Bxf7+ Kxf7 27.bxc5 Rd7 28.Bxd4 Raxd4 29.Rxd4 Rxd4 30.Rxb7+ Kf6 31.Rc7, and White wins. 26.g4 Kf8! (one should not be afraid of ghosts) 27.Bf2 (27.g5 does not win a piece because of 27...Nf5) 27...Ne6 28.Rxd8+ Bxd8. One can admit that Black defended well, and White should say goodbye to his winning chances soon, for example, by taking on e6. 29.f5. Veselin got used to pushing forward. However, with this move he once again demonstrates lack of objectivity in evaluating positions. This move does not deserve criticism, but this is only a prelude to coming inaccuracies. 29...gxf5 30.gxf5 Nf4+ 31.Kf3. 31...Nh5! With this excellent maneuver Kramnik dispels doubts about his position. Much worse is 31...Nd5 32.Bxd5 cxd5 33.Bd4, and White's position is more comfortable. 32.Rb3 Bc7 (32...Nf6) 33.h4 Nf6 34.Bd3 Nd7. 35.Be4? It is not easy to spot what was underestimated be Veselin, but he turns a very safe game into a bad one in just two moves. 35...Ne5+ 36.Kg2 (better is 36.Ke3) 36...Ra2 37.Bb1 Rd2 38.Kf1 Ng4 39.Bg1 (he should have saved the bishop by 39.Be1) 39...Bh2! Having glanced at the position, one can't help asking how White managed to get into such a trouble. 40.Ke1 (40.Rd3 Rxd3 40...Rb2 41.Bxd3 Bxg1 42.Kxg1 Ke7 43.Be4) 40...Rd5?! Helps White to survive, while after 40...Rg2! Veselin faces much greater trouble: 41.Bd4 Be5 42.Be4 Ra2. Less convincing is 42...Rh2 43.Bg1 Rxh4 44.b5 etc. 41.Bf2!? Ke7 42.h5 Nxf2 43.Kxf2 Kf6 44.Kf3 Rd4 45.b5 (annihilating the queenside pawns; Black cannot squeeze much playing on the kingside alone) 45...Rc4 46.bxc6 bxc6 47.Rb6 Rxc5 48.Be4 Kg5 49.Rxc6 Ra5. Trading rooks leads to an elementary draw even if Black wins both pawns. 50.Rb6 (nothing is spoilt by 50.f6 gxf6 51.h6 Kxh6 52.Rxf6+ Kg7 53.Rf5, and it is difficult to suggest any winning plan for Black) 50...Ra3+ 51.Kg2 Bc7 52.Rb7 Rc3 53.Kf2 Kxh5 54.Bd5 f6 55.Ke2 Kg4 56.Be4. The result is obvious: every self-respecting category A player must hold this position even against Kramnik. 56...Kf4 57.Bd3 Rc5 58.Rb4+ Kg3 59.Rc4 Re5+ 60.Re4 Ra5 61.Re3+ Kg2 62.Be4+ Kh2 63.Rb3 Ra2+ 64.Kd3 Bf4 65.Kc4 Re2 66.Kd5. Game drawn. Game 11: Veselin TOPALOV: «I am like tabula rasa» Traditional meeting with the press started with more than a half-hour delay. The reason was more than serious Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov attended a doping control. Curiously, this topic was not discussed at the press conference at all everybody got tired of toilet stories. Many games of this match are played under the motto `Let the opponent offer a draw!' Why so? Nobody wants to yield? I didn't think in such terms today. The post-opening position was very close to equal, but Topalov had two bishops, which secured him slight advantage, so it was impolite for me to offer a draw. After White made a poor move 35.Be4, I could play for a win absolutely without risk, so then Veselin was not in a position to offer a draw. Still, the game was within limits of a draw all the time in my opinion. See there aren't many cases we can offer draws in this match; it is not about psychology, adrenaline, etc. Vladimir, your actions since the start of the `Bathroomgate' were highly appropriate and decent. However, before today's game we saw a controversial open letter written on your behalf. What was the reason for writing this letter? I see nothing wrong with it. I just wanted to remind everybody about my position: I do not recognize the result of the Game 5 as well as current score being 5.5-5.5. It was important to underscore this in anticipation of future legal actions. It is by no means a psychological attack on the opponent, and I did not intend to initiate a scandal of any kind. Vladimir, if you were not playing in this match, would you placed your bet on Kramnik or Topalov? (Smiling) Hmm One should not forget that I have White, although it is obvious that anything can happen in such games when everything is at the stake. Good nerves and luck are very important. The outcome is difficult to foresee. I have some related experience; I know what to do, but nobody can guarantee anything in such situation. What is your attitude to the fact that the fate of the title can be decided in rapid chess or even blitz? Well, it is not so bad, compared to a situation when the fate of the title is decided in a court! Veselin, are you disappointed by today's result? This was your last White The result is okay. Of course, I always want to win, but the result is appropriate. I did not have sufficient advantage to talk about winning seriously. Now you have to play your last game as Black There is a rest day, and I will be preparing for the Game 12. Right now I am happy to have passed the doping test easily! I'll start thinking about the final game tomorrow Veselin, how are you going to spend your last free day? We will think about the last game strategy. And I don't know, I think there is some football on TV (laughter in the audience)! By the way, I am planning to appeal: there is no NTV-Plus in my cottage. Maybe the organizers will install it I can't afford it (another burst of laughter) You are not going to the Khurul or an orthodox church? I received a couple of invitations, but I will likely decline them. I already visited the new Khurul when we arrived, and got a bit tired of walking You said you lack match experience. Kramnik's experience is abundant, and the finish of the match with Leko showed that Vladimir can gather his strength at the right moment. Did you feel his concentration in the last games of the match? That was the only match when he really was concentrated! In my opinion, each match flows differently, and each game must be considered separately. Let us see how the match ends. Experience is good, but memory collects not only positive, but also negative moments. Kramnik was subject to extreme stress at times. In this sense, I am like tabula rasa I have neither good nor bad memories. Proximity to success significantly complicated things for a player who was in the lead in Kasparov-Kramnik and Kramnik-Leko matches. Did you feel any pressure in the recent games? Such pressure is normal, and I don't see why it should influence my play negatively. After all, this is not my first tournament, and even not my first world championship, so I am not bothered by nervousness. Of course, many things depend on the result of the last game: it is money, and the unified title; maybe this is the main competition in my life, but it doesn't matter. I have to forget about everything, concentrate on the board and make the best moves! Nothing else Veselin, the match comes to an end. Did anything in Kramnik's play surprise you? Do you feel the 70-point rating difference? The only thing I feel is that all games I lost to Kramnik in Elista were lost because of one-move blunders. The first two games, then the Game 10 I stood objectively worse only in the Game 3; in all other games I owned the initiative and had better positions. There was nothing surprising for me in Kramnik's play, although I guess I also failed to surprise him. It is difficult to achieve we know each other for 17 years! If one forgets about blunders, did you show your best play in Elista? No it is pointless to talk about high-quality play if you blunder in one move or constantly overlook better continuations. I think if I were in my best form, the match would have ended by this point, judging by positions I had. I am happy with some of my games, but even happier to catch my tempo of playing and make important decisions quickly! Can I suppose that with such play you vote not only for Sofia rules, but also for FIDE time control? I am not very interested in this subject. It is up to sponsors to decide about the time control. I think if a rich sponsor demanded us playing 5-minute chess, everybody would be playing blitz. But I like FIDE control: you finish your games quickly and without interruptions. Game 11: Kramnik attacks? During the whole match the team Kramnik took moderate wait-and-see attitude. They avoided conflict as much as possible, and only reacted to attacks from the other side. However, as the match finish approached, the Russian initiated a counterattack. A few hours before the start of the Game 11, Carsten Hensel issued an open letter, clarifying Kramnik's position about FIDE decision regarding the Game 5. After the game Vladimir said that the goal of this letter was to confirm his position in anticipation of future legal actions, and ruled out a supposition that this was an attempt to exert psychological pressure on the opponent. However, it looked exactly so from the outside The Game 11 was expected as Topalov's last real attempt to win the match in the regulation time the Bulgarian has Black in the Game 12. However, the struggle did not follow his plan. Kramnik's reaction to today's innovation of the Bulgarian was as effective as Topalov's fruitful opening idea in the Game 9. Veselin had an advantage, but it was not exactly to his liking there was no direct attack, and he was not prepared to collect the crumbs of Vladimir's positional concessions. Having no clear target, he lost the sense of danger, although this time the consequences were not as catastrophic as at the start of the match. Kramnik did not find ways to win. The draw favors Kramnik? Considering match strategy yes, certainly. Vladimir has White on the last day with a whole day of preparation as well as positive experience of decisive battles remember Brissago? However, Topalov looked much more relaxed at the press conference, and signed so many posters as if he already won the match Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! 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