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FIDE Rating List for October 2008

There were huge changes in the order of the players at the top of the list which was not
a big surprise because of the closeness in ratings. Veselin Topalov moved from 5th to
1st and World Champion Viswanathan Anand made the reverse journey. Alexander
Morozevich held on to 2nd place, Vassily Ivanchuk and Magnus Carlsen are at 3rd and
4th, Vladimir Kramnik drops to 6th. These top 6 clearly stand out from the rest and the
recent drops of Anand and Kramnik probably reflect the nature of the build up to their
world title match, they needed some practice but couldn't play their best opening ideas,
rather than any objective fall in strength.

October 2008 FIDE Rating List. Top 100

Rank Ju08

Name

NAT YroB ja08

ap08 ju08 Oc08

Gms

Topalov, Veselin

g BUL

1975

2780 2767 2777 2791 10

Morozevich,
Alexander

g RUS

1977

2765 2774 2788 2787 9

Ivanchuk, Vassily

g UKR 1969

2751 2740 2781 2786 50

Carlsen, Magnus

g NOR 1990

2733 2765 2775 2786 31

Anand, Viswanathan

g IND

1969

2799 2803 2798 2783 10

Kramnik, Vladimir

g RUS

1975

2799 2788 2788 2772 16

Aronian, Levon

g ARM

1982

2739 2763 2737 2757 23

Radjabov, Teimour

g AZE

1987

2735 2751 2744 2751 23

Leko, Peter

g HUN 1979

2753 2741 2741 2747 16

Jakovenko, Dmitry

g RUS

1983

2720 2711 2709 2737 39

Wang, Yue

g CHN 1987

2698 2689 2704 2736 23

Adams, Michael

g ENG

1971

2726 2729 2735 2734 16

Movsesian, Sergei

g SVK

1978

2677 2695 2723 2732 12

Mamedyarov,
Shakhriyar

g AZE

1985

2760 2752 2742 2731 16

Karjakin, Sergey

g UKR 1990

2732 2732 2727 2730 24

Kamsky, Gata

g USA

1974

2726 2726 2723 2729 22

Svidler, Peter

g RUS

1976

2763 2746 2738 2727 24

Shirov, Alexei

g ESP

1972

2755 2740 2741 2726 34

Eljanov, Pavel

g UKR 1983

2692 2687 2716 2720 26

Gelfand, Boris

g ISR

1968

2737 2723 2720 2719 27

Dominguez Perez,
Leinier

g CUB

1983

2691 2695 2708 2719 15

Ponomariov, Ruslan

g UKR 1983

2719 2719 2718 2719 14

Grischuk, Alexander

g RUS

1983

2711 2716 2728 2719 13

Vachier-Lagrave,
Maxime

g FRA

1990

2637 2632 2681 2716 30

Alekseev, Evgeny

g RUS

1985

2711 2711 2708 2715 30

Bu, Xiangzhi

g CHN 1985

2691 2708 2710 2714 9

Polgar, Judit

g HUN 1976

2707 2709 2711 2711 0

Ni, Hua

g CHN 1983

2680 2703 2705 2710 5

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Bacrot, Etienne

g FRA

1983

2700 2705 2691 2705 23

Nakamura, Hikaru

g USA

1987

2670 2686 2697 2704 6

Gashimov, Vugar

g AZE

1986

2665 2679 2717 2703 27

Rublevsky, Sergei

g RUS

1974

2695 2695 2699 2702 14

Cheparinov, Ivan

g BUL

1986

2713 2695 2687 2696 28

Wang, Hao

g CHN 1989

2665 2684 2691 2696 9

Sasikiran, Krishnan

g IND

1981

2677 2679 2684 2694 9

Tiviakov, Sergei

g NED

1973

2649 2634 2645 2686 56

Nisipeanu, Liviu-
Dieter

g ROU 1976

2684 2684 2692 2684 19

Najer, Evgeniy

g RUS

1977

2634 2627 2670 2682 20

Bologan, Viktor

g MDA

1971

2663 2665 2686 2682 9

Milov, Vadim

g SUI

1972

2690 2690 2705 2681 9

Efimenko, Zahar

g UKR 1985

2638 2660 2670 2680 10

Akopian, Vladimir

g ARM

1971

2700 2673 2673 2679 5

Moiseenko, Alexander

g UKR 1980

2643 2650 2632 2678 40

Naiditsch, Arkadij

g GER

1985

2638 2623 2665 2678 17

Roiz, Michael

g ISR

1983

2659 2659 2680 2677 32

Fressinet, Laurent

g FRA

1981

2656 2656 2673 2676 12

Malakhov, Vladimir

g RUS

1980

2689 2689 2689 2675 21

Postny, Evgeny

g ISR

1981

2627 2649 2661 2674 40

Motylev, Alexander

g RUS

1979

2644 2666 2674 2672 11

Kasimdzhanov,
Rustam

g UZB

1979

2681 2681 2679 2672 5

Timofeev, Artyom

g RUS

1985

2664 2664 2650 2670 20

Dreev, Alexey

g RUS

1969

2633 2657 2657 2670 5

Inarkiev, Ernesto

g RUS

1985

2681 2684 2675 2669 22

Nikolic, Predrag

g BIH

1960

2665 2674 2669 2669 0

Vallejo Pons,
Francisco

g ESP

1982

2675 2684 2650 2664 22

Jobava, Baadur

g GEO

1983

2643 2658 2665 2664 12

Areshchenko,
Alexander

g UKR 1986

2645 2650 2664 2664 0

Tkachiev, Vladislav

g FRA

1973

2657 2657 2664 2664 0

Almasi, Zoltan

g HUN 1976

2667 2674 2668 2663 5

Nielsen, Peter Heine

g DEN

1973

2626 2629 2652 2662 10

Volokitin, Andrei

g UKR 1986

2674 2684 2672 2659 29

Harikrishna, P.

g IND

1986

2664 2679 2668 2659 12

Ivanisevic, Ivan

g SRB

1977

2649 2649 2664 2658 42

Avrukh, Boris

g ISR

1978

2628 2632 2656 2657 16

Riazantsev, Alexander

g RUS

1985

2628 2638 2617 2656 32

Grachev, Boris

g RUS

1986

2601 2610 2640 2653 22

Lastin, Alexander

g RUS

1976

2604 2622 2639 2651 20

Sutovsky, Emil

g ISR

1977

2642 2630 2654 2651 19

Karpov, Anatoly

g RUS

1951

2655 2655 2651 2651 0

Guseinov, Gadir

g AZE

1986

2617 2625 2643 2650 20

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Sokolov, Ivan

g NED

1968

2686 2690 2658 2650 11

Smirin, Ilia

g ISR

1968

2616 2630 2637 2649 27

Zhang, Zhong

g SIN

1978

2617 2613 2632 2649 20

Savchenko, Boris

g RUS

1986

2589 2569 2578 2648 43

Khenkin, Igor

g GER

1968

2602 2609 2655 2647 20

Bareev, Evgeny

g RUS

1966

2677 2677 2655 2647 15

Tregubov, Pavel V.

g RUS

1971

2636 2629 2658 2646 12

Zvjaginsev, Vadim

g RUS

1976

2677 2674 2663 2646 11

Tomashevsky, Evgeny

g RUS

1987

2646 2658 2646 2646 0

Berkes, Ferenc

g HUN 1985

2618 2618 2645 2645 27

Georgiev, Kiril

g BUL

1965

2662 2665 2671 2645 23

Onischuk, Alexander

g USA

1975

2664 2664 2670 2644 30

Sadvakasov, Darmen

g KAZ

1979

2619 2629 2632 2643 16

Sargissian, Gabriel

g ARM

1983

2676 2643 2660 2642 12

Short, Nigel D

g ENG

1965

2645 2660 2655 2642 11

Sakaev, Konstantin

g RUS

1974

2646 2649 2634 2640 11

Caruana, Fabiano

g ITA

1992

2598 2620 2630 2640 10

Kazhgaleyev, Murtas

g KAZ

1973

2594 2617 2641 2640 9

Vitiugov, Nikita

g RUS

1987

2609 2617 2616 2638 21

Graf, Alexander

g GER

1962

2586 2611 2621 2636 32

Zhang, Pengxiang

g CHN 1980

2640 2640 2643 2636 4

103

Vescovi, Giovanni

g BRA

1978

2617 2617 2631 2635 9

Amonatov, Farrukh

g TJK

1978

2649 ????

2650 2634 29

102

Gurevich, Mikhail

g TUR

1959

2607 2611 2631 2634 19

Nyback, Tomi

g FIN

1985

2579 2587 2639 2634 18

Gustafsson, Jan

g GER

1979

2607 2603 2620 2634 12

Seirawan, Yasser

g USA

1960

2628 2630 2634 2634 0

Malakhatko, Vadim

g BEL

1977

2600 2621 2612 2633 69

Navara, David

g CZE

1985

2680 2672 2646 2633 22

100

Istratescu, Andrei

g ROU 1975

2617 2628 2636 2633 9

SPICE Cup

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There was a four way tie in the cup. Pentala Harikrishna took first on tie-break.

The SPICE Cup took place September 19th-28th 2008 at the Texas Tech Student Un-
ion Building. There was a four way tie in the cup. Pentala Harikrishna took first on tie-
break. Eugene Perelshteyn was the defending champion.

SPICE Cup Lubbock (USA), 19-28 ix 2008

cat. XV (2605)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

1. Harikrishna, P

g IND 2668 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 5½ 2678

2. Akobian,

Varuzhan g

USA 2610 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 5½

2684

3. Onischuk, Alexander g USA 2670 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 5½ 2678

4. Kritz,

Leonid

GER 2610 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 5½

2684

5. Becerra Rivero, Julio g USA 2598 ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 5 2649

6. Mikhalevski,

Victor g

ISR 2592 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 1 ½ 4½

2606

7. Perelshteyn, Eugene g USA 2555 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 4 2568

8. Miton,

Kamil

POL 2580 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 0 3½

2528

9. Kaidanov, Gregory S g USA 2605 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 * 1 3½ 2525

10. Stefansson, Hannes g ISL 2566 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 * 2½ 2443

5th China vs Russia Chess Match

The 5th China vs Russia Chess Match took place 18th-27th September 2008, in
Ningpo, China. 18th-23rd September standard (90+30), 24th-26th September rapid
(25+10), 27th September blitz (3+2), no official site.

Standard timerate: China 26 Russia 24. (China Men 14.5 - Russia Men 10.5 - China
Women 11.5 Russia Women 13.5)

Rapids. Russia Men won 13-7 (match points - 28-22). The Women tied 10-10 tie in
match points and 25-25 - on individual results. No games available.

In the blitz-match proved stronger than Chinese men (14-6) and Russian girls (11-9).

Overall Russia won the match but I'm not completely sure on the scoring system they
used for the rapids but the Chinese victory in the standard time rate games in the men's
event will no doubt be regarded as the most important for them.

http://www.chesszone.org

5th China vs Russia Chess Match Ningpo

(CHN), 18-23 ix 2008

Final Round 5 Standings of the standard time rate

games:

Chinese Men

1 Wang Hao

g CHN 2691 3.5 2844

2 Wang Yue

g CHN 2704 3.0 2767

3 Li Chao2

g CHN 2590 3.0 2767

4 Ni Hua

g CHN 2705 2.5 2700

5 Bu Xiangzhi

g CHN 2710 2.5 2707

14.5

Chinese Women

1 Shen Yang

wg CHN 2445 4.0 2706

2 Xu Yuhua

g CHN 2483 2.5 2466

3 Ruan Lufei

wg CHN 2499 2.0 2394

4 Zhao Xue

m CHN 2522 2.0 2394

5 Huang Qian

wg CHN 2430 1.0 2226

11.5

Chinese Total

26.0

1 Tomashevsky, Evgeny

g RUS 2646 2.5 2680

2 Alekseev, Evgeny

g RUS 2708 2.5 2680

3 Svidler, Peter

g RUS 2738 2.0 2608

4 Jakovenko, Dmitry

g RUS 2709 2.0 2608

5 Inarkiev, Ernesto

g RUS 2675 1.5 2531

10.5

Russian Women

1 Kosintseva, Nadezhda

m RUS 2460 3.0 2547

2 Pogonina, Natalija

wg RUS 2469 3.0 2547

3 Korbut, Ekaterina

m RUS 2459 3.0 2547

4 Kovalevskaya, Ekaterina m RUS 2435 2.5 2475

5 Kosintseva, Tatiana

m RUS 2511 2.0 2403

13.5

Russian Total

24.0

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The Chess Grand Slam Final took place in Bilbao 1st-13th September 2008. There
were 6 players. The first qualifiers were the winners of Corus 2008, Morelia - Linares
2008, and Mtel Masters 2008 - GM Levon Aronian, GM Viswanathan Anand, and GM
Vassily Ivanchuk. Then the 2nd place players also qualified GM Magnus Carlsen and
GM Veselin Topalov and finally the best all-round player left Teimour Radjabov. Three
points for a win and one for a draw rules are in effect.

Grand Slam Final Bilbao. Final Round 10 saw Veselin Topalov confirmed clear first
place when he beat Vassily Ivanchuk in the final round. Topalov won the most games
and lost the least, for a dominant performance. Carlsen and Aronian tied for second
place after Aronian blew a great position and lost against Radjabov. Carlsen took sec-
ond by virtue of beating Aronian twice in the competetion (better head to head). This win
for Radjabov also had the effect of relegating world champion Viswanathan Anand to
dead last.

Time control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves and another 60 minutes to finish the
game.

Players were not allowed to agree draw without arbiter's permission. In case both play-
ers request it to him, the arbiter will make his decision after consulting with a technical
assistant.

Both the official and a normal table are given below. The used the unusual scoring sys-
tem of three points for a win and one for a draw. Rightly or wrongly I'm going to stick
with 1, ½ and 0 in the actual results part of the table. Carlsen took second from Aronian
due to head to head results.

Grand Slam Final Bilbao (ESP), 2-13 ix 2008

cat. XXI (2769)

1 2 3 4 5 6

1. Topalov, Veselin

g BUL 2777 * * 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 17 2877

2. Carlsen, Magnus

g NOR 2775 0 0 * * 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 13 2767

3. Aronian, Levon

g ARM 2737 ½ 1 0 0 * * 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 13 2775

4. Ivanchuk, Vassily

g UKR 2781 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ * * ½ 1 ½ ½ 12 2766

5. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 * * ½ ½ 10 2737

6. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2798 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * * 8 2690

Grand Slam Final Bilbao (ESP), 2-13 ix 2008

cat. XXI (2769)

1 2 3 4 5 6

1. Topalov, Veselin

g BUL 2777 * * ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 6½ 2877

2. Aronian, Levon

g ARM 2737 ½ 1 * * 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 5 2775

3. Ivanchuk, Vassily

g UKR 2781 ½ 0 0 ½ * * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 5 2766

4. Carlsen, Magnus

g NOR 2775 0 0 1 1 ½ 0 * * 1 ½ ½ ½ 5 2767

5. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ * * ½ ½ 4½ 2737

6. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2798 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * * 4 2690

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Montreal Tournament

The Tournoi international de Montreal took place 24th August - 2nd September 2008.
The main sponsor was the EMPRESA Group. Yuri Shulman took clear first place with
6,5/9.

9th TIM Montreal (CAN), 24 viii-2 ix 2008

cat. XIII (2556)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

1. Shulman, Yuri

g USA 2623 * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 6½ 2714

2. Nakamura, Hikaru

g USA 2697 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 5½ 2619

3. Akobian, Varuzhan

g USA 2610 ½ 0 * 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 5½ 2629

4. Bluvshtein, Mark

g CAN 2548 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 5½ 2636

5. Nataf, Igor-Alexandre

g FRA 2534 0 ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 4½ 2557

6. Maze, Sebastien

g FRA 2553 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 4½ 2555

7. Zugic, Igor

m CAN 2457 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 3½ 2486

8. Charbonneau, Pascal

g CAN 2499 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 * 0 1 3½ 2481

9. Kovalyov, Anton

m ARG 2548 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 3½ 2476

10. Roussel-Roozmon, Thomas m CAN 2486 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 2½ 2397

Sources:
1)

http://www.e3e5.com

2) The Week In Chess

http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/twic.html

3) ChessPro.ru

http://www.chesspro.ru

4) CrestBook.com

http://www.crestbook.com

5) Chessbase.com

http://www.chessbase.com

http://www.chesszone.org

Games

(01) Topalov,Veselin (2777) -
Ivanchuk,Vassily (2781) [D47]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (10),
13.09.2008

[Aveskulov, Valery]

The game was played in the last round of
Grand Slam Final in Bilbao; the winner would
take not only first place in the tournament but
and the first rank in the world rating-list ac-
cording to 01.10.2008. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5
8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8r+-wqkvl-tr(

7zpl+n+pzpp'

6-+p+psn-+&

5+p+-+-+-%

4-+-zP-+-+$

3zP-sNLzPN+-#

2-zP-+-zPPzP"

1tR-vLQmK-+R!

xabcdefghy

The popular move in this time 9...Bd6 [9...b4
10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 bxa3 12.0–0 Bd6 13.b3
Nf6 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Bf3 White is slightly bet-
ter, Topalov-Kramnik, world championship
match, Elista, 2006 and Aronian-Grischuk,
Sochi,2008] 10.0–0 0–0 11.Qc2 [Another op-
portunities: 11.Bd2 Qe7 12.Ng5 h6 13.Nge4
Nxe4 14.Nxe4 c5 15.Nxd6 Qxd6= Gelfand-
Shirov, Dortmund, 2002; and 11.h3 e5
12.Qc2 Re8 13.Bd2 Qe7 14.Ng5 h6 15.Nge4
Bc7 16.Rfe1 Bb6= Topalov-Aronian, Sofia,
2008] 11...h6 [Effect win was gain in the fol-
lowing game: 11...a6 12.b4 a5 13.Rb1 axb4
14.axb4 Qe7 15.e4 e5 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5
Bxe5 18.Ne2 Qe6 19.f4 Ra2 20.Qd1 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-+-trk+(

7+l+-+pzpp'

6-+p+qsn-+&

5+p+-vl-+-%

4-zP-+PzP-+$

3+-+L+-+-#

2r+-+N+PzP"

1+RvLQ+RmK-!

xabcdefghy

20...Ba1! home preparation from Anand's
laboratory 21.e5 c5! 22.exf6 Bd4+ 23.Rf2

(23.Kh1 Qh3–+)

23...Bxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Qd5–+

Gelfand-Anand, Nice, rapid, 2008] 12.e4  A
novelty  12...e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5
15.h3  Preparing Be3 15...a6  Black prepares
c6-c5 16.Be3 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8r+-wq-trk+(

7+l+-+pzp-'

6p+p+-sn-zp&

5+p+-vl-+-%

4-+-+P+-+$

3zP-sNLvL-+P#

2-zPQ+-zPP+"

1tR-+-+RmK-!

xabcdefghy

White prevents this pushing and wants to put
own bishop on c5 16...c5?! [and Black doesn't
pay attention to this. An interesting idea, but
better was 16...Re8!? 17.f4

(

worse is

17.Rad1

Qe7 18.Ne2 c5! 19.Bxc5 Qc7 20 f3

Black

wanted to take on e4

20...Rac8 21.Rc1 Qb8

(with idea Nd7) and Black is ok

)

17...Bxc3

18.bxc3 Nxe4!? 19.Bxe4 f5 20.Rad1 Qe7
White is just slightly better and here no mate-
rial disbalance is] 17.Bxc5 Re8 18.Rad1 Qc7
19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Bxb2 21.d6 Qc6 22.f3
Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

8r+-+r+k+(

7+l+-+pzp-'

6p+qzP-+-zp&

5+pvL-+-+-%

4-+-+-+-+$

3zP-+L+P+P#

2-vlQ+-+P+"

1+-+R+RmK-!

xabcdefghy

As a result of almost forcing moves, White got
a dangerous passed pawn and from now all
efforts of both sides are concentrated around
its blocking/unblocking 22...Rec8 [After
22...Rad8 White can play 23.Rf2!

(

with idea

Be4 that can't be played right now because of
unprotected position of queen:

23.Be4 Rxe4!

24 xe4 Bxa3 25.Rf5 Qxe4 26.Qxe4 Bxe4

and

Black is ok

)

23...Re5 24.Bh7+ Kh8 25.Bb4

with advantage of White; its pawn is very dan-
gerous] 23.Bh7+! A strong check. The point is
that the best position for Black's king is on g8
[Immediate 23.Be4 doesn't get an advantage
so far as after 23...Qxc5+ 24.Qxc5 Rxc5
25.Bxb7 Rd8 26.Rfe1 Black can take on a3
that it can't do when king is on h8: 26...Bxa3
27.d7 Kf8=] 23...Kh8  [23...Kf8 24.Bb4! Qxc2
25.Bxc2 Rxc2 26.d7+ Kg8 27.d8Q+ Rxd8
28.Rxd8+ Kh7 29.Rd7±] 24.Be4 Qxc5+
25.Qxc5 Rxc5 26.Bxb7 Rd8 27.Rfe1 White has
a solid advantage in this endgame because of
strength  of  d6-pawn.  It's  hard  to  organise
stopping it [Topalov could win a pawn right
away but he decided to stake on d6-pawm:
27.Bxa6 Bxa3 28.d7 Kg8 29.Rfe1 Kf8
30.Re3± with following Rb3 and Bb5]
27...Be5  [27...Bxa3?? 28.d7+- and Re8;
27...Re5 doesn't help 28.Rxe5 Bxe5 29.d7 a5
30.Rd5 Bf6 31.Bc8 b4 32.Rxa5 bxa3
33.Rxa3+- endgame is hopeless for Black:
White's king is moving to c7; rook - to e8 and
a pawn becomes a queen] 28.d7 a5 29.f4 Bc7
[The only move. 29...Bf6? is bad because of
30.Re8+ Kh7 31.Be4+ g6 32.Rd6+-] 30.Bd5!
Kh7  [Of course, Black can't take on d7:
30...Rxd7?? 31.Re8+ Kh7 32.Be4+ f5
33.Rxd7 fxe4 34.Rxe4+-] 31.Bxf7 Rf5 32.Ba2
Rxf4  After this change of pawns bishop of
White got a wonderful opportunity... 33.Bb1+
Kg8 34.Bg6 It is 34...Bb6+ 35.Kh1 Bc5 Dia-
gram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-tr-+k+(

7+-+P+-zp-'

6-+-+-+Lzp&

5zppvl-+-+-%

4-+-+-tr-+$

3zP-+-+-+P#

2-+-+-+P+"

1+-+RtR-+K!

xabcdefghy

36.Rc1?? [Topalov losses almost the whole
advantage in the moment when his position
became practically winning: 36.Re8+ Rf8
37.Rd3! protecting an a3-pawn 37...a4
(37...b4?? 38.Rd5! pushing a bishop away
from defencing of f8-square 38...Bb6

(38...Ba7 39.Rxf8+ Kxf8 40.Re5!

with check-

mate

)

39.axb4 axb4 40.Rf5+-) 38.Re5 Ba7

39.Rf3! Bd4 40.Rxf8+ Rxf8 41.Re6! protecting
b6 and f6 squares 41...Bc3 42.Bd3 Ba5
43.Bxb5 Rd8 44.Re8+ Kf7 45.Bxa4+- with fol-
lowing maneouver of White's king to the
queen-side] 36...Bf8 Now White is just slightly
better 37.Red1 Bxa3?? [Being under time
pressure, Ivanchuk overlooks a trap. If he saw
it, he would definitely play 37...Rc4! and posi-
tion is not too far from equality] 38.Rc8+- Rff8
[38...Be7 39.Re1 Bg5 40.g3! Black's bishop
doesn't have enough space at the h4-d8 di-
agonal 40...Rff8 41.Be8+- with following h4
and Re6 as it happened in the game] 39.Be8
Be7 40.Re1 Bishop has 4 squares at the h4-
d8 diagonal but White is able to attack every
of them 40...Bg5 41.g3 a4 42.h4 Bf6 43.Re6
Black resign. Rf6 is inevitable 1–0

(02) Timofeev,Artyom (2650) -
Inarkiev,Ernesto (2675) [C92]

61st ch-RUS HL Novokuznetsk RUS (8),
11.09.2008

[Aveskulov, Valery]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0
Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.h3 d6 9.c3 Dia-
gram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

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1tRNvLQtR-mK-!

xabcdefghy

9...Re8 In the decisive game of the last round
of the "Moscow-open 2008" Inarkiev chose
Chigorin's variation. After 117 moves Ti-
mofeev practically extorted from his opponent
not only the win in the game but and the first
prize of the tournament. 10.d4 Bb7 11.Nbd2
Bf8 12.a4 Another popular moves are: 12.d5
and 12.a3 12...h6 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4
15.Bb1 c5 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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7+l+n+pzp-'

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5+pzpP+-+-%

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3tR-+-+N+P#

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xabcdefghy

17...c4 [Alternative is 17...f5 18.Nh2 Nf6

(

also

possible

18...c4 19.Rf3 Ne5 20.Rxf5 Nbd3

21.Bxd3 Nxd3 22.Re3 Bc8 23.Rh5 Re5

24 Rxe5 dxe5

with compensation, Kotronias-

Kasimdzhanov, Olympiad, 2006

)

19.Rf3 Re5

(19...fxe4 20.Nxe4 Nbxd5 21.Ng4 Kh8

22.Bd2

with compensation for a pawn, Kar-

jakin-Bacrot, Wijk aan Zee, 2006

)

20.Rxf5

Rxf5 21.exf5 Bxd5 22.Ng4 and just here the-
ory starts!] 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Nf5
Ne5 21.Rg3 g6 22.Nf3 Ned3 23.Be3 Qd8 Dia-
gram

(

)

( .

XABCDEFGHY

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7+l+-+p+-'

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1+L+QtR-mK-!

xabcdefghy

24.Nxh6+ [24.Bxh6 Qf6 25.N3h4!? interesting
idea of Kotronias 25...Bxd5

(

after

25...Nxe1

White can unexpectedly reply

26.Bd2 Nbd3

27 Qh5

with very complicated position that

requires detailed analyse

)

26.Qh5 Re6

27.Bd2!? Bg7?

27...Qh8!?

with complicated

position

)

28.Bc3! Re5?

(28...gxh5 29.Bxf6

Rxf6 30.Rxg7+ Kh8 31.Bxd3 Nxd3 32.Re3±

29.Bxe5+- Kotronias-Berend, ETCC, 2007]
24...Bxh6 25.Bxh6 Qf6 [White has a danger-
ous compensation for an exchange after
25...Nxe1?! 26.Nxe1 Qf6 27.Bd2 Na2
28.Bxa2 Rxa2 29.Bc3±] 26.Re2  [Just this
move is a novelty. Timofeev decided to save
black-squared bishops. Main line was
26.Bxd3 Nxd3 27.Re2] 26...Nxb2  [Probably,
better was 26...Ra1!?, paralysing White
pieces]  27.Qf1  [White has nothing after
27.Qd4 Qxd4 28.Nxd4 Ra1! 29.Rxb2 Rxe4
30.Nxb5

30 Rxb4? Rxd4 31 Kh2 Rd1

and

bishop can't leave first rank because of
checkmate on h1

)

30...Re1+ 31.Kh2 Raxb1

32.Rxb1 Rxb1] 27...N2d3 28.Kh2 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8r+-+r+k+(

7+l+-+p+-'

6-+-zp-wqpvL&

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xabcdefghy

White sacrificed a pawn and continues to play
like nothing happened. But it's too slow to be
true 28...Ra1?! [Better was 28...Qh8!? push-
ing bishop away 29.Bd2 Qa1 with idea c4-c3]

http://www.chesszone.org

29.Be3 Ne5? [Black has defenced against of
one threat but has missed another strong
idea. 29...Ra4 looks stronger 30.Bd4 Qf4
31.Kg1 Bc8 with complicated position]
30.Nd4 Pawn b5 is hanging 30...c3 31.Bg5
[31.Nb3!? Ra3 32.Bg5 Qh8 33.Nd4 and now
Black can't play like it did in the game:
33...Ng4+? because of misplaced rook
34.Rxg4 Qxd4 35.e5 Qc5 36.Qc1! c2
37.Bf6+- with following Qh6] 31...Ng4+
32.Rxg4 Qe5+ [32...Qxd4? 33.e5 Qc5 34.Be3
Qxd5

34...c2?

is loosing because of

35.Bxc5

cxb1Q 36.Qxb1 Rxb1 37.exd6 +-)

35.Rxb4

with advantage of White: it has an extra-piece
and Black can just offer a protacted persis-
tance] 33.Kg1 Qxd4 34.e5 Qc5 [Unclear posi-
tion could happen after 34...c2! 35.Rxc2™
Qxe5™ 36.Rc1 Rc8 37.Re1 Qc3] 35.exd6
Diagram

(

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-+r+k+(

7+l+-+p+-'

6-+-zP-+p+&

5+pwqP+-vL-%

4-sn-+-+R+$

3+-zp-+-+P#

2-+-+RzPP+"

1trL+-+QmK-!

xabcdefghy

[Alternative was 35.Be3 Qxd5 36.Rxb4 Rc8
37.exd6 c2 38.Rxc2 Rxc2 39.Rxb5 Qc6 and
Rybka says that position is equal, but it's difi-
cult to understand this for an human]
35...Rea8?? [Perhaps, Inarkiev was under
strong time pressure and that's why he could-
n't find saving idea: 35...Rxe2 36.d7 Qxd5
37.d8Q+ Qxd8 38.Bxd8 c2!

38...Rb2?

39.Kh2 Rbxb1 40.Qxb5 Nc6 41.Qd5+-)

39.Rxb4 Rd2!! the point of combination. It's
really hard to find such resourse during the
game 40.Bxc2 Rxf1+ 41.Kxf1 Rxc2=] 36.d7+-
Now position is winning 36...c2 37.Re8+ Kg7
38.Rxa8 Rxa8 [38...Rxb1?? 39.Bf6++-]
39.Bxc2 Nxc2 40.d8Q Rxd8 41.Bxd8 f5
[41...Qxd5 42.Qc1+-] 42.Rg3 Qxd5 43.Qd3
Nd4 44.Bb6 Ne6 45.Qc3+ Of course, White
doesn't want to change queens; its king is
more safe than Black's one 45...Kf7 46.Qh8
Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-+-+-wQ(

7+l+-+k+-'

6-vL-+n+p+&

5+p+q+p+-%

4-+-+-+-+$

3+-+-+-tRP#

2-+-+-zPP+"

1+-+-+-mK-!

xabcdefghy

46...g5 47.Ba5 Ke7 48.Kh2 Timofeev, first of
all, wants to secure own king from any danger
48...Qe4 49.f3 Qd5 50.h4 gxh4 51.Qxh4+ Kd7
52.Qf6 Rest is just affair of technique. Attack
with opposite-squared bishops is always
more dangerous 52...Kc6 53.Bc3 f4 54.Rh3
There is no possible checks for king of White
anymore 54...Kc5 55.Rh6 Bc8 56.Qh8 Qc6
57.Bd2 b4 58.Qb2 Qb7 59.Rh5+ Kc4 60.Qc2+
Kd4 61.Be1 checkmate is inevitable. Black
resign. One serious mistake of Black prede-
terminated outcome of the game. 1–0

(03) Aronian,Levon (2737) -
Topalov,Veselin (2777) [E36]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (7), 09.09.2008

[Aveskulov, Valery]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3
Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 0–0 [Another possible varia-
tions are 6...Ne4 7.Qc2 c5 8.dxc5 Nc6 9.Nf3
0–0 10.e3 Qf6 Bareev-Ivanchuk, 2006; and
6...c5 7.dxc5 d4 8.Qg3 Nc6 Carlsen-
Naiditsch, World Cup, 2007] 7.Nf3 dxc4
8.Qxc4 b6 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8rsnlwq-trk+(

7zp-zp-+pzpp'

6-zp-+psn-+&

5+-+-+-+-%

4-+QzP-+-+$

3zP-+-+N+-#

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1tR-vL-mKL+R!

xabcdefghy

It is not very popular variation 9.g3 [More of-
ten White plays 9.Bg5, for example, 9...Ba6

http://www.chesszone.org

10.Qc2 c5

(

alternative is

10...Nbd7)

11.dxc5

bxc5 12.Rd1 Qa5+ 13.Bd2 Qb6 14.Bc3 Nbd7
with equal position, Karpov-Topalov, Spain,
2007]  9...Ba6 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.Bg2 c5 12.b4
Rc8  [After the game Aronian said that
12...Qc8 was better] 13.Qa4 If queen were on
c8-square,  this  move  would  be  useless
13...Bb7 14.dxc5 [Of course, 14.Qxa7? is not
good: 14...Bd5 15.Qa4 cxd4 16.0–0 e5 and
Black is better] 14...bxc5 15.0–0 [15.Qxa7?
Bd5 16.Qa4 Ra8 17.Qb5 Qe7 with following
Rfb8; Black has very dangerous initiative]
15...a6 16.Rd1 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+rwq-trk+(

7+l+n+pzpp'

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5+-zp-+-+-%

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3zP-+-+NzP-#

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1tR-vLR+-mK-!

xabcdefghy

16...Nd5?! [Better was 16...Nb6! 17.Rxd8

(17 Qb3 Bd5 18.Qd3 Nc4=

17...Nxa4

18.Rxf8+ Kxf8 19.bxc5 Rxc5 20.Be3 Rc8=]
17.Bg5 Qe8 18.Bd2 N5b6?! [One more mis-
take. Perhaps, Topalov missed next idea of
White. Otherwise, he would play 18...Qe7
19.Rac1 with minimum advantage of White]
19.Qc2! Diagram

)

(

;

XABCDEFGHY

8-+r+qtrk+(

7+l+n+pzpp'

6psn-+p+-+&

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4-zP-+-+-+$

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xabcdefghy

19...Nf6?! [The point of Aronian's idea is in the
following variation: 19...cxb4 20.Qb1! with
double threat - Ng5 and capture on b4. But in
any way Black had to take on b4: 20...f5
21.Bxb4 Rf6 and White is just slightly better.

There is no material disbalance and all of
Black's pieces are arranged on good posi-
tions] 20.bxc5 Be4 21.Qb3 Na4 22.Bb4 [Much
stronger was 22.Qe3! and Black can't take on
c5: 22...Nxc5 23.Bb4 Ng4 24.Qd4 e5
25.Nxe5 Qxe5 26.Bxc5 Rxc5 27.Bxe4±]
22...a5 23.Bxa5 Nxc5 24.Qb2 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+r+qtrk+(

7+-+-+pzpp'

6-+-+psn-+&

5vL-sn-+-+-%

4-+-+l+-+$

3zP-+-+NzP-#

2-wQ-+PzPLzP"

1tR-+R+-mK-!

xabcdefghy

From now Black should play absolutely hope-
less (I mean at the top-players' level) position
without a pawn 24...Na4 25.Qd4 Queen is
controling the whole board from the center
25...Qb5 26.Bb4 Rfe8 27.Qe5 Qb7 [Unfortu-
nately, Black can't capture on e2 27...Qxe2?
28.Nd4 Qg4

(28...Qc4 29.Bxe4 Nxe4 30.Qxe4

e5 31.Rac1 Qxc1 32.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 33 Kg2 Rc4

34.Qd5 Rxd4 35.Qc6+-)

29.f3+-] 28.Rac1 h6

29.h3 Bd5 30.Qa1 Aronian is preparing a
change of all the rooks 30...Ne4 31.Rxc8 Rxc8
32.Rc1 Rxc1+ 33.Qxc1 Qa7 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-+-+k+(

7wq-+-+pzp-'

6-+-+p+-zp&

5+-+l+-+-%

4nvL-+n+-+$

3zP-+-+NzPP#

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xabcdefghy

34.Qc8+! Provoking useful for White tactics
34...Kh7 35.e3 Nxg3 36.Nd4! Ne4 [36...Bxg2
37.Kxg2 Nf5

37...Nh5? 38.Nc6 Qb6 39.Ne7

Nf6 40.Qc2+ g6 41.Qxa4± 37...Ne4 38.Nc6

Qb6 39.Ne7+-)

38.Nxf5 Nb6 39.Qc2 exf5

40.Qxf5+±] 37.Qc2 f5 Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-+-+-+(

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6-+-+p+-zp&

5+-+l+p+-%

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xabcdefghy

[37...Qa8? 38.f3+-] 38.Nxe6! The point of the
check on 34-th move 38...Bxe6 39.Bxe4 Qf7
40.Bg2 Now White just should organise the
pushing of "a" pawn 40...Nb6 41.Qc5 Nd5
42.Qf8 Qh5 43.Qd6 Bf7 44.Qe5 Nf6 45.f3 Re-
stricting a queen of Black 45...Qg6 46.a4 Run,
Forest, run! 46...f4 47.exf4 Qb1+ 48.Qe1 Qa2
49.a5 The rest is affair of technique 49...Bg6
50.Bf1 Nd5 51.Bd2 Qa4 52.a6 Nxf4 53.Bxf4
Qxf4 54.a7 Qa4 55.Qf2 Qa1 56.Kh2 Qa4
57.Bc4 Qa5 58.Qa2 Black resign. 1–0

(04) Carlsen,Magnus (2775) -
Ivanchuk,Vassily (2781) [D37]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (7), 09.09.2008

[Aveskulov, Valery]

A score between opponents before this game
was of 4 wins to 0 in favour of Carlsen! That's
why Ivanchuk's victory in this game has very
big importance for future battles. 1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0–0 6.e3 c5
7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.0–0–0
Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8r+l+-trk+(

7zpp+-+pzpp'

6-+n+psn-+&

5wq-vlp+-+-%

4-+P+-vL-+$

3zP-sN-zPN+-#

2-zPQ+-zPPzP"

1+-mKR+L+R!

xabcdefghy

[One of the main lines. Another popular varia-
tions are: 10.Nd2; 10.Rd1; and even 10.Ra2
with idea b2-b4] 10...Be7 11.h4 [White also

can push forward another pawn: 11.g4 dxc4
12.Bxc4 e5 13.g5 exf4 14.gxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5
Ne7 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Rhg1+ Kh8 this is just
initial position of the line. As I know, Black is
OK; sometime White plays 11.Kb1] 11...Rd8
[Black can protect a b5-square right now:
11...a6 12.Ng5 Rd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.e4 Nxe4
15.Ngxe4 dxe4 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxe4 g6=
Gelfand-Karpov, Wijk aan Zee, 1998] 12.Nd2
[12.g4 Bd7 13.Kb1 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Rac8 15.g5
Nh5 16.Bd6 g6 17.Be2 Bxd6 18.Rxd6 Ne7
19.Qb3= Kasparov-Ehlvest, Nizhniy Nov-
gorod, 1995] 12...a6 [Ivanchuk declined
variation with forcing endgame where White
gets some advantage: 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4
Rxd1+ 14.Qxd1 Qd8 15.Qxd8+ Nxd8 16.Be2
Bd7 17.e4 Topalov-Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee,
1997] 13.Be2?! Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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xabcdefghy

[A not very good novelty. Before White played
13.g4 dxc4?!

(13...Nxg4 ?)

14.Nxc4 Rxd1+

15.Qxd1 Qd8 16.Qxd8+ Bxd8 17.Bg2 e5

(17...Nxg4? 18.Rd1

with following Rd8 and

Nb6

)

18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Nxg4 20.Bg3±

Nielsen-Glud, ch-DEN, 2008] 13...b5! As
Carlsen said after the game, he underesti-
mated a strength of this move 14.cxd5 [Black
has very strong initiative after a capturing on
b5: 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Nb3

(

nothing changes

after

15.Bxb5 Bd7)

15...Qb6 16.Bxb5 Bd7]

14...exd5 15.g4?! [Magnus begins attack at
the king-side but Black's one is much faster.
Better was to concentrate on the defence of
own king: 15.Kb1 Be6 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.Rc1]
15...Be6 16.Nb3?! [This move just helps
Black. Much better was immediate 16.g5!?
Ne4 17.Ndxe4 dxe4 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Rd1
Rc8 Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

8-+r+-+k+(

7+-+-vlpzpp'

6p+n+l+-+&

5wqp+-+-zP-%

4-+-+pvL-zP$

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xabcdefghy

20.Kd2! unexpected going away. King is go-
ing to more safe part of a board. Black has
just a little advantage] 16...Qb6 17.g5 Ne4
18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Rxd8+ [19.Kb1? Rdc8!]
19...Nxd8 20.Kb1 Rc8 21.Qd1 Nc6 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+r+-+k+(

7+-+-vlpzpp'

6pwqn+l+-+&

5+p+-+-zP-%

4-+-+pvL-zP$

3zPN+-zP-+-#

2-zP-+LzP-+"

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xabcdefghy

Black is ready to start attack and it's really
very hard for White to do something against of
this 22.h5 a5 23.g6 a4 24.Nd2 [Alternative
was 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.exd4

(

25.Qxd4 Qc6

26 gxh7+ Kxh7 27.Qd2 Rd8 28.Qc2 Qd5–+)

25...Bb3 26.gxh7+ Kxh7 27.Qd2 Bf6 with big
advantage of Black] 24...b4 25.gxf7+ Bxf7
Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-+r+-+k+(

7+-+-vllzpp'

6-wqn+-+-+&

5+-+-+-+P%

4pzp-+pvL-+$

3zP-+-zP-+-#

2-zP-sNLzP-+"

1+K+Q+-+R!

xabcdefghy

White's attack had finished before it was
started 26.Nc4 [After 26.Qxa4 bxa3 27.Nc4
Qb7 28.Nxa3 Bxa3 29.Qxa3 Nb4 we see a po-
sition from the game just with another order of
moves] 26...Qb7 27.Qxa4 bxa3 28.Nxa3 Bxa3
Ivanchuk chose the shortest way to a goal
29.Qxa3 Nb4 with idea Ba2 and Nc2 30.b3
only defence 30...Nd3 31.Bxd3 exd3 32.Rc1
d2 White resign. A wonderful victory for Ivan-
chuk! 0–1

(05) Carlsen,Magnus (2775) -
Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [B78]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (4), 05.09.2008

[Aveskulov, Valery]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3
g6  Dragon's varitation again is going to be
popular thanks to efforts of Radjabov
and...Carlsen  6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0–0 8.Qd2 Nc6
9.Bc4 Bd7 10.0–0–0 Rb8 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-tr-wq-trk+(

7zpp+lzppvlp'

6-+nzp-snp+&

5+-+-+-+-%

4-+LsNP+-+$

3+-sN-vLP+-#

2PzPPwQ-+PzP"

1+-mKR+-+R!

xabcdefghy

[Just a month ago Radjabov won an excellent
game against of Karjakin in Bilbao: 10...Rc8
11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 a6!? 13.h4 h5 14.g4 hxg4
15.h5 Nxh5 16.Rdg1 Qa5 17.Bh6 Bf6! 18.fxg4
Bxg4 19.Bxf8 Kxf8 20.Qe3 Rxc3! 21.Qxc3
Qxc3 22.bxc3 e6 with compensation. But in
this game he decided to play another unusual
variation because Carlsen used to play this
line himself.] 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Kb1 [The most
popular move is 12.Bh6, for example,
12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 e5!? 14.Nde2 b5 15.h4

(

Black has good compensation after

15.Rxd6

b4 16 Nd5 Nxb3+ 17.axb3 Nxd5 18.Rxd5

Qc7)

15...b4 16.Nd5 Nxb3+ 17.axb3 Nxd5

18.Rxd5 Rb6 with unclear position, Zam-
brana-Zhao Zong, 2008; Young Indian talent
played 12.g4 : 12...b5 13.Bh6 e5?

(

better was

13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6 b4 15.Nd5 e6

and Black is

)

14.Nf5! gxf5 15.gxf5 Nxb3+ 16.axb3 Ne8

http://www.chesszone.org

17.Bxg7 Nxg7 18.Qxd6± Negi-Corrales, team
championship of Spain, 2008] 12...b5 13.h4
[13.Bh6 came up in the game Berg-
Evdokimov, 2007: 13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6 e5
15.Nde2 Nxb3 16.cxb3 b4 and Black has no
troubles] 13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 15.Ka1 Dia-
gram

XABCDEFGHY

8-tr-wq-trk+(

7zp-+lzppvlp'

6-+-zp-snp+&

5+-+-+-+-%

4-+psNP+-zP$

3+-sN-vLP+-#

2PzPPwQ-+P+"

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xabcdefghy

Black has opened a line "b" but king of White
is out of dangerous at the a1–square. 15...h5
[Black prevented a change of black-squared
bishops in the following game: 15...Re8 16.g4
Qa5 17.h5 Rb6 18.Nde2 Ra6 19.h6 Bh8 20.g5
Nh5=, Stellwagen-Reinderman, ch-NED,
2008] 16.Rb1 Qa5 [A novelty. Radjabov does-
n't want to waste time for a saving of g7-
bishop and begins attack at the queen-side
immediately. 16...Re8 17.Bh6 Bh8 18.g4
hxg4 19.h5 with typical dragon's attack at the
king of Black, Efimenko-Charbonneau, Mont-
real, 2005] 17.Bh6 White changes the main
defender of Black's king before attack starts
17...Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Rb6 19.g4?! [Better was
19.Qg5= admitting that White doesn't pretend
for an advantage anymore] 19...hxg4 20.Qe3
[Initially Carlsen's idea was to play 20.h5 but it
doesn't work because of standard 20...g5!,
for example, 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.Qxg5+ Kh7
23.exf5 Rg8 and Black is better] 20...Rfb8
21.h5 g5 [21...Nxh5 also gives an advantage:
22.fxg4 Bxg4 23.Rh4 Bd7] 22.fxg4 Nxg4
23.Qd2 f6 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

8-tr-+-+k+(

7zp-+lzp-+-'

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4-+psNP+n+$

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1mKR+-+-+R!

xabcdefghy

Black is better: its king is safe; pieces are on
the excellent positions; it has an extra-pawn.
From now the main task is to prevent a coun-
terplay of White. But it's not so easy 24.Nf3
White is preparing e4-e5 24...Ra6?! [Azerbai-
jani grandmaster underestimated a counter-
play of White. Otherwise he would play
24...Qc5! with idea to change queens 25.Nd5
c3! distraction 26.Nxc3

(26.Qxc3 Qxc3

27.Nxc3 Ne3

with big advantage)

26...Qe3

and Black has a clear advantage without any
risk to lose] 25.Rhg1 [25.e5! was deserving
attention: 25...Bc6

(

not good

25...Nxe5

be-

cause of

26.Nxg5)

26.exf6! Bxf3

(

after

26...exf6 27.Qxd6 Re8 28.Rbe1!

White is al-

most winning

)

27.Rhf1 Nxf6 28.Rxf3 Ne4

29.Qe3 Nxc3 30.Qe6+ Kh8 31.Qh6+=]
25...Rb4 with idea Qa2! 26.a3 Be6? [A key
moment of the game. After 26...Ra4! (it was
initial desire of Radjabov during the game)
27.Nxa4 Qxd2 28.Nxd2 Rxa4 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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xabcdefghy

Black is better, because of White's weak-
nesses (e4 and h5) and excellent places for
Black's pieces (e6 for a bishop and e5 for a
knight)] 27.e5! White is capturing an initiative.
From now Black should defence very carefully
27...dxe5?! [27...Qxa3+? 28.bxa3 Rxa3+

http://www.chesszone.org

29.Na2 c3 30.Qxg5+! fxg5 31.Rxb4+-;
27...Nxe5?! 28.Nxg5! with strong attack;
27...Kh8!? taking away a king from line "g"]
28.Nxg5! Bf5! [Hopelessly was 28...fxg5
29.Qxg5+ Kf8 30.h6+-; 28...Ra4? 29.Qc1!+-]
29.Nge4 Kh7 [Probably more safe was
29...Kf7 30.Rg3! defencing 3-rd rank(badly is
30.h6? Bxe4 31.Rxg4

(31.Nxe4 Qxa3+

32.bxa3 Rxa3#)

31...Ra4! with threat of Ra3.

Black is winning)] 30.Qe2 [Perhaps better was
immediate 30.Rg3!?] 30...Nh6 [30...Ne3
31.Rg3!

(31 Qxe3? Qxa3+ 32.bxa3 Rxa3+

33.Na2 Rxb1+ 34 Kxb1 Rxe3=)

31...Bxe4

32.Qxe3 Bxc2 33.Rbg1 Qxa3+ 34.bxa3 Rxa3+
35.Na2 Rxe3 36.Nxb4 Rxg3 37.Rxg3 White is
winning; Possible was 30...Rab6!? 31.Qf3
Be6 32.Qd1! with idea Qd8

(32.Rxg4??

Rxb2!–+)

32...Rb8 33.Rxg4 Rxb2 34.Rg7+

Kxg7 35.Rxb2 Qxa3+ 36.Ra2 Qb4 with good
practical chances to make a draw] 31.Rg3
Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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xabcdefghy

31...Be6?? [Only move was 31...Rb8! with
good position: 32.Qg2 Kh8 33.Qd2 Nf7
34.Qe3 Qb6=] 32.Rg6? [Carlsen misses first
chance to win a game 32.Qg2! Nf5 33.Rg7+!!
an unobvious move 33...Nxg7 34.Qg6+ Kh8
35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Rg1 Kf7 37.Rxg7+ Ke8
38.Nxf6++-] 32...Nf5?? [Radjabov could offer
more resistance: 32...Bf5! 33.Qg2 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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5wq-+-zpl+P%

4-trp+N+-+$

3zP-sN-+-+-#

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1mKR+-+-+-!

xabcdefghy

33...Bxe4! 34.Qxe4 Qxa3+!! one more unob-
vious tactics 35.bxa3 Rxa3+ 36.Na2 Rxa2+!
the point of combination 37.Kxa2 Ra4+
38.Kb2 c3+ 39.Kxc3 Rxe4 40.Rb7 Ng8 but
White is still winning even after such feat]
33.Qg4!+- with irresistable threats: Ng5 and
Rh6 33...Nh4 34.Ng5+! fxg5 35.Qxg5 Nxg6
36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Rg1 Checkmate is inevita-
ble. Black resign. Very interesting game: Rad-
jabov had used a good novelty, won a pawn,
but then underestimated a counterplay of
White and Carlsen made use of opponent's
mistakes. 1–0

(06) Topalov,Veselin (2777) -
Anand,Viswanathan (2798) [E15]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (4), 05.09.2008

[Polivanov, Anatoly]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.Qc2
Nearly any another way of pawn's c4 defence
was more popular before. But times are very,
and now exactly 5.Qc2 is in most demand.
5...Bb7 [After 5...c5 6.d5

(6.Bg2)

6...exd5

7.cxd5 Bb7 8.Bg2 all would be as in a
game

(8 e4 Qe7)]

6.Bg2 c5 7.d5 Variant 5.Qc2

is based on this pawn's sacrifice. 7...exd5
8.cxd5 Nxd5 [To beat by bishop is much
worse: 8...Bxd5 9.Nc3 Bc6 10.e4 d6 11.Bf4 -
now White are castling in a long side, and will
threaten e4-e5 with all consequences.] 9.0–0
Be7 10.Rd1 [Direct 10.Qe4 parried by
10...Bc6! 11.Ne5 Nf6 12.Nxc6 Nxc6] 10...Qc8
[Anand protects a bishop b7: 10...0–0?
11.Qe4±; possibly, after this game a chess
elite will come back to 10...Nc6 11.Qf5

(11.a3!?)

11...Nf6 12.e4 g6 13.Qf4 0–0]

11.a3!? Rather poisonous move. White pre-
serve itself against attacks Nb4, and at the
same time give black a right to speak out.
11...Nf6 Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

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7zpl+pvlpzpp'

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4-+-+-+-+$

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xabcdefghy

[11...0–0 12.Qe4 Nc3 13.Qxe7 Nxd1
14.Qd6±] 12.Bg5!N Here an opening bomb
from Topalov! [A Bulgarian essentially
strengthens White's game in comparison with
first source: 12.Nc3 d5

(12...0–0 13.e4±)

13.Bg5 d4

13...Nbd7 14.Bh3)

14.Bxf6 gxf6

(14...Bxf6 15.Nb5±)

15.Ne4 0–0ч, Rodshtein-

Pashikian, Erevan 2006.] 12...d5  [12...0–0
13.Nc3 Nc6 14.e4©] 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 [13...gxf6
14.Nd4!±  -  as  line  "c"  is  open,  this  move  is
possible.] 14.Nc3 Bxc3 [Another doesn't fit. In
case of 14...Qe6 Black are waited by arising
blow 15.Nxd5! Bxd5 16.Ng5 Bb3 17.Nxe6
Bxc2 18.Rd2±] 15.bxc3 Na6 Diagram

(

XABCDEFGHY

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xabcdefghy

Anand at height for a while.[15...0–0 16.Ng5
g6 17.Bxd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5±; 15...Qc7 16.Ng5
h6

(16...Qe5 17 4 Qe3+ 18.Kh1±)

17.Bxd5!

Bxd5 18.Rxd5 hxg5 19.Qe4+ Kf8 20.Rad1
Nc6 21.Rd7 Qc8 22.Qd5+-] 16.Nh4! Cer-
tainly, a game is moving yet according to
home analysis, that's why Topalov easily
made a correct choice between 16.Ng5 and
16.Nh4. [16.Ng5?! h6 17.Nh3 Nc7] 16...g6
[16...0–0 17.Nf5 Qe6 18.c4!±] 17.Bxd5 Bxd5
[It is necessary to be exchanged before to
make castling: 17...0–0? 18.Nxg6 hxg6
19.Qxg6+ Kh8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qg5+ Kh7

22.Bxb7 Qxb7 23.Rd6 f6 24.Qf5+ Kg8
25.Rd7+-] 18.Rxd5 0–0 19.Rad1 Perhaps, it is
possible to ascertain that White have a con-
siderable edge after an opening: possession
of a line "c" plus the weak black king. 19...Nc7
Anand improves a position of a knight with a
tempo. 20.Rd7 Ne6 21.Qe4 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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)

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21...Qe8? Until now Anand operated impec-
cably. But it's difficult to balance on the tense
rope all the time. [21...Qa6!? 22.Rxf7! Rxf7™
23.Qxa8+ Nf8 24.Rd3 Qxa3 25.Qd5± - Black
will not seize a queen in defence; 21...Nd4!
was the best decision from a current situation:
22.Qe7 Nc6 23.Nf5! (a beautiful game goes!)

(23.Qf6 Nd4 24.Re7 Qc6 )

23...Nxe7

(23...gxf5 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.R1d5+-)

24.Nxe7+ Kg7 25.Nxc8 Rfxc8 - of course,
Black are standing worse, but there are good
chances for a draw.] 22.Nf3 c4? [A nervous
continuation. Still it was necessary to return to
a trick with 22...Nd4, though it does not give
former effect any more: 23.Ne5

(23 Qxe8

Nxf3+ 24.Kg2 Nh4+ 25.gxh4 Rfxe8²

23...Nc6! 24.f4 Nxe5 25.fxe5±] 23.Qh4! [To-
palov does not waste own time on trifles, and
goes to the king. 23.Qxc4?! Nc5 24.R7d6
Rc8] 23...Nc5 [Here an indicative variant of
how white pieces will finish with the opponent:
23...Rc8 24.Ne5 h5 25.R1d6 Rc7

(25...Rc5

26.Qf6+-)

26.Qf6 Rxd7 27.Nxd7 Qd8

28.Qe5+-] 24.Re7 Rd8 Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

8-+-trqtrk+(

7zp-+-tRp+p'

6-zp-+-+p+&

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xabcdefghy

Vishy puts the last trap.[24...Qa4 25.Rd6 Qc2
26.Ng5 h5 27.Rf6+-] 25.Rf1! It is remarkably
played - to such degree remarkably that An-
and has surrendered at once! And not at all
prematurely. Impressive miniature - even hard
to remember, when Anand was lost so
quickly. By chance, not in 1995, to Kasparov,
in the Evans' gambit?[25.Rf1 Qc6 26.Ng5 h5
27.Nxf7 Rd5

(27...Rxf7 28.Rxf7 Kxf7

29.Qxd8+-)

28.Qf4 g5 29.Qf3+-; and here ob-

vious move 25.Rd4?! actually appears a false
trail: 25...Rxd4!

(25...Qc6 26.Rxf7+-)

26.cxd4

Qd8 27.dxc5 c3 28.Nd4 bxc5 29.Ne6! c2
30.Nxd8 c1Q+ 31.Kg2 Rxd8 32.Rxa7+-] 1–0

(07) Carlsen,Magnus (2775) -
Topalov,Veselin (2777) [D58]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (3), 04.09.2008

[Polivanov, Anatoly]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6
6.Bh4 [As an alternative - 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.e3 0–
0 8.Qb3

(

or even

8.Qd2

with queen's side

castling

)

8...c6] 6...0–0 7.e3 b6 8.Bd3 [Fre-

quently, White change pawns before bishop's
development: 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7
10.Nxd5 exd5 - but now this system has left
on backyards.] 8...Bb7  [8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Bb7
10.0–0 Ne4!?] 9.0–0 Nbd7 10.Bg3 [Carlsen
shows that he is ready to struggle, instead of
simplifications after 10.Qe2 c5 11.Rfd1 Ne4
12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.cxd5 exd5] 10...c5 11.cxd5
Nxd5  [After 11...exd5 White fully can follow
the plan of Pillsbury: 12.Ne5 and f2-f4]
12.Nxd5 Bxd5 [12...exd5 13.Ne5 c4 looks
quite attractive. The plans of sides were de-
termined - White will develop initiative on a
king flank, and Black - on a queen one.
14.Bc2 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 f6 16.Bf4 f5 17.Be5 b5
18.f4, Bologan-Short, Sarajevo 2004.] 13.e4
Bb7 14.Rc1 a6 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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3+-+L+N

)

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xabcdefghy

A notable moment. Such feeling, that Topalov
did this move taking into account Carlsen's
feature.[The enough simple methods of
equalization are developed in a theory:
14...cxd4 15.Bc7 Qe8 16.Nxd4 Bc5!, and a
queen goes out to e7.] 15.b4?!N Calculation
of the Bulgarian justifies - Carlsen climbs
straight ahead. Obviously, Topalov made the
conclusions out of defeats to Norwegian, and
has not bad studied him. [Actually, the move
14... a6 has the minuses, one of which -
weakness of point b6. This circumstance
could be used so: 15.Qe2 cxd4 16.Bc7 Qe8
17.Nxd4 Bc5 18.Nb3, Ftacnik-Ali, Dubai ol
(men) 1986; and it was possible to go on the
way of original thinker Oleg Romanishin:
15.Bb1 Nf6 16.Qe2 Rc8 17.Rcd1 c4 18.d5!
exd5 19.e5 Nh5 20.Nd4 Nxg3 21.hxg3©,
Romanishin-Georgiev K., Leningrad 1987 -
actually, White have one piece more in at-
tack.] 15...cxb4 16.Bc7 Qe8 17.Qe2 b5
18.Ba5 It turns out somehow strange - sacri-
ficed a pawn, and then at once go to win it
back. [But blitzkrieg is really poorly: 18.d5
exd5

(18...Bc5 19.d6 e5 20.Nh4!

19.exd5

Bd8!

(19...Bxd5 20.R e1 B 6 21.Qd2 Be6

22.Qxb4©)

20.Qd2 Bxc7 21.Rxc7 Bxd5µ; It is

possible to recommend 18.Qe3!?, then in
suitable conditions all the same to put d4-d5.]
18...Rc8 19.Qb2?! Diagram

http://www.chesszone.org

XABCDEFGHY

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[19.Rb1 was more correct, and after the re-
fined manoeuvre 19...Nb8!

(19...e5!?)

20.Bxb4 Bxb4 21.Rxb4 Nc6 22.Rbb1 Qd7
23.a4! there is a next key position:

(23 Qe3

Rfd8µ)

23...bxa4! a) 23...b4!? 24.Bxa6 Bxa6

25.Qxa6 Nxd4 26.Rxb4 Nxf3+ 27.gxf3 Qd2
28.Rc4 Rb8 - Black will play with a draw in a
pocket

28...Qg5+ 29 Kh1 Qf4= ;

b) 23...Nxd4

24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.axb5 axb5 26.Rxb5= - here
a dead calm; 24.Rxb7

(24 Rfd1!?)

24...Qxb7

25.Bxa6 Qb4 26.Bxc8 Rxc8 - the passed
pawn "a" can bring some anxieties for White,
but its exchange to the pawn "d" is the most
credible.]  19...Nf6 20.Rxc8 Qxc8 21.Nd2?
[Carlsen did not see the remark of Topalov,
otherwise he would choose 21.Re1³ - Bulgar-
ian, probably, would operate by analogy.]
21...Qc3! 22.Qxc3 bxc3 23.Bxc3 Rc8 24.Ba5
[24.Bb2 Bb4] 24...Bd8!  Very beautifully and
unexpectedly.  25.Bxd8  [25.Bb4 Bb6–+]
25...Rxd8 It is found out that one of the central
pawns should be "sacrificed". 26.Rd1 Rxd4
27.Nb3 Rd8–+ At such level similar positions
should be won by "hands". 28.f3 Kf8 Accord-
ing to the classics, king goes to a center.
29.Kf2 [29.Nc5 gave nothing: 29...Bc8 30.a4
Nd7]  29...Nd7 30.Be2 Ke7 31.Na5 Ba8
32.Rc1 Kd6 [Topalov does not wish to sup-
pose the slightest chance, though 32...Nb6
33.Nc6+ was harmless: 33...Bxc6 34.Rxc6
Rd6] 33.Ke3 Nb6 34.f4 Rc8 Now the line "c" is
won.  35.Rxc8 Nxc8 36.Kd4 Ne7 37.Bf3 Kc7
[Interestingly - before 40th move Topalov did
not begin to make the important decision on
transition into bishop endgame. And as
though he rights: 37...Nc6+ 38.Nxc6 Bxc6
39.g3 f6 40.e5+ fxe5+ 41.fxe5+ Kc7 42.Bg4
Bd5 43.a3 a5 44.Bd1

(44.Kc5 b4 –+)

44...b4

45.axb4 axb4 46.Ba4 Kb6 47.Be8 Ka5 48.Bd7
b3 49.Kc3 - far enough from a win.] 38.Nb3
[38.Kc5 Ng6 39.g3 e5–+ - bishop f3 is getting

blunted, it's quite badly.] 38...Kb6 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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3+N+-+L+-#

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xabcdefghy

(

)

39.Ke5 Magnus dares at last chance - to
make the way through king pawns. But it ap-
pears, and here Topalov holds all under the
control. [39.Bh5 g6 40.Be2 Nc6+ 41.Kc3

(41.Ke3 Nb4)

41...a5–+] 39...Ng6+ 40.Kd6

Nxf4 41.Nc5 [41.Ke7 f5! 42.exf5 Bxf3 43.f6
Bd5 44.fxg7 e5–+] 41...b4 42.h4 [42.g3 Nh3]
42...a5 43.g3 Nh3 44.Nd7+ Ka7! [Such feel-
ing, that even in the case 44...Kb5 45.Be2+
Ka4 46.Nb6+ Ka3 47.Nxa8 Kxa2 Black will
win, but only kamikaze, or a computer either
will go on such.] 45.Kc5 f5 [Also was worthy
45...Nf2 46.Kb5 Bxe4 47.Bh5 f5 48.Kxa5
Nh1–+, but here all ways are leading to Bil-
bao.] 46.Kb5 [46.exf5 Bxf3 47.fxe6 Nf2
48.Kb5

(48 e7 Bh5–+)

48...Kb7! 49.Kxa5

Kc7] 46...fxe4 47.Bh5 e3 48.Kxa5 g6! All is
simple - Black are winning a piece. 49.Bg4 h5
50.Be2 Ng1 There is no sense in further
commenting. 51.Bf1 e2 52.Bxe2 Nxe2 53.Nf8
Be4 54.Nxe6 Nxg3 55.Nf4 Kb7 56.Kxb4 Kc6
The scenario of this game has reminded a re-
cent meeting Topalov-Carlsen. There White
had lost a pawn d4 too the, and then Black
have confidently won endgame. But that was
in Morelia - and here, in Bilbao, contenders
have changed over. 0–1

(08) Vaganian,Rafael A (2594) -
Werle,Jan (2591) [E05]

InventiChess GM Antwerp BEL (7),
29.08.2008

[Polivanov, Anatoly]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg2 0–0
6.0–0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Bg5?! Vaganian de-
cides to check up knowledges of young
grandmaster Werle, so he chooses the rarest
continuation with that goal. [More habitual

http://www.chesszone.org

here 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6; or 8.Qxc4 b5
9.Qc2 Bb7] 8...b5 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Ng5 All the
idea 8.Bg5 consists in this jump. White are
changing two pawns for an exchange.
10...Bxg5 11.Bxa8 Qxd4 12.Bg2 Qb6 [This
variation was perfectly familiar to Vaganian -
after all, he played it by Black: 12...Nd7
13.Nc3 f5 14.b3 cxb3 15.axb3 Qc5,
Kortchnoi-Vaganian, Montpellier 1985 - an
Armenian grandmaster has won gradually.]
13.Nc3 Diagram

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13...Nc6!N Werle demonstrates, why he de-
parted a queen from d4. [Earlier met 13...f5
14.b3 cxb3 15.axb3 c5 16.e3, Tietjen-
Lorentzen, corr 2004.] 14.Rfd1 [It is not good
to defend a square d4: 14.e3 Nb4µ] 14...Nd4
15.Qb1? It's hard to explain such passivity.
[15.Qe4 was much better - 15...c5 16.e3 f5
17.Qb1 Rd8!©

(17...Nc6?? 18.Rd6+-)]

15...f5 Key move of all Black's strategy. Werle
takes away the square e4, and at the same
time keeps aggression possibility f5-f4.
16.Kh1? Similar indecision behind a board
usually leads to defeat. [Do you want it, or
not, it was necessary to dismiss a knight:
16.e3 Nc6 17.Ne2 Nb4 18.Nf4] 16...Bb7 Now
White are losing the first (and the only one)
defender of the king. 17.f4 Bxg2+ 18.Kxg2 Bf6
19.Re1 b5-b4 threatened, therefore White
free a square d1. 19...b4 20.Nd1 Qc6+ 21.Kf2
[21.e4 Rd8!

(21...c3 22.bxc3 bxc3 23.Qd3)]

21...e5! Shaky shelter of the king goes to
pieces. 22.Qc1 exf4 23.Qxf4 g5! Here Werle a
bit aesthetes already. [Easily results to the
purpose "working-peasant" 23...Nc2!?
24.Rc1 g5!–+

24...Nxe1 25.Qxc4+ ]

24.Qd2

f4 25.g4 Diagram

(

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[25.gxf4 Be5 26.e3 Bxf4!–+] 25...Ne6?  [I will
dare to assert that after 25...Nc2 Vaganian
would recognise the defeat: 26.Qxc2 Bd4+
27.e3 fxe3+–+ - it is strange that Werle has
passed by this simple tactics.] 26.Kg1 Bd4+
27.Nf2  [27.e3 fxe3 28.Nxe3 Nf4–+] 27...Qc5
[Again some unconcern. If to press a knight
f2, the game will end immediately: 27...Be3
28.Qxb4 f3–+] 28.Rf1 Be3 [28...f3 29.e4 -
that's why an intermediate move 27... Be3
was so important.] 29.Qd7  A queen breaks
through in a hostile camp, and it always can
bring an additional intrigue. 29...Nd4 30.Kh1
Qe5  [A circumstance that the contender still
resists, should affect game of Werle. Possibly,
he needs to "link teeth" and to put queens for
an exchange rigidly: 30...Qd6!? 31.Qxd6 cxd6
32.Nd1 Bd2 - it did not influence on the esti-
mation of position (it is still won for Black).
Moreover, it's easier to miss something with a
queens!]  31.Rad1 c3 Another Black's trump
goes to motion. 32.bxc3 bxc3 33.Kg2 Dia-
gram

XABCDEFGHY

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33...c5 [It's hard to understand: 33...f3+!
34.exf3 Nxf3 35.Qd5+ Qxd5 36.Rxd5 Nh4+
37.Kg1 c2–+] 34.Rb1 The rook goes to the
seventh line - and already the black king will

http://www.chesszone.org

appear under fire. 34...Rf7 [Again and again
Werle misses the forced win: ¹34...f3+
35.Kh3 fxe2 36.Nd3 exf1Q+ 37.Rxf1 Qe6–+]
35.Qc8+ Kg7?? [The hardest error (maybe, a
time trouble?). It was necessary to repeat a
position: 35...Rf8, and then to return to
abovemention variations.] 36.Rb8 Now abso-
lutely unclear, who will have the upper hand.
36...Qd5+ 37.Kh3 Ne6 Diagram

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5+-zpq+-zp-%

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1+-+-+R+-!

xabcdefghy

38.Nd1! An excellent move! As soon as a
chance was given, Vaganian is caught for him
a dead grip. [38.Qh8+ Kh6 39.Qxc3 f3!
40.Qxe3 fxe2–+] 38...Bd4 39.Nxc3! A quite
unpleasant tactics under time control.
39...Bxc3 40.Qh8+ Kh6 41.Qxc3 Now it's pos-
sible to sum up. It's a miracle, that White did
not lose until now! But position of Black so
strong, that even after this scattering of errors
they have a normal position. 41...Nd4 42.Re8
Kg7 43.Qd3 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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6p+-+-+-+&

5+-zpq+-zp-%

4-+-sn-zpP+$

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1+-+-+R+-!

xabcdefghy

43...h5?  [Too impulsively. Correctly there
would be 43...c4 44.Qe4 Qxe4 45.Rxe4 Nc2!
46.Rc1 Ne3, and the most prudent for White -
to return an exchange, and to pass to equal
endgame.]  44.Qe4 hxg4+ 45.Kxg4 Qd7+
46.Kxg5  White king endures so much in this

game, that a walk to g5 is pure nonsense.
46...Rf5+ 47.Kh4 Kf7 48.Rg1? [48.Rh8! could
bring a victory: 48...Qe7+

(48...Kg7 49.Rg1+

Kxh8 50.Qa8++-)

49.Qxe7+ Kxe7 50.Rh5+-]

48...Qd6 49.Re7+ H'm! [Whether ending of a
game was entered wrong (probably, the white
at first went 49.Kh3), whether I do not know,
what to think...] 49...Kf6 [49...Qxe7+ an-
nounces a check - that is why the king is nec-
essary on h3.] 50.Rg6+ Kxg6 51.Qg2+ This
game is excellent illustration of the known
theses: "The most difficult is to win the won
position" and "Never give up!". 1–0

(09) Timman,Jan H (2562) -
Vaganian,Rafael A (2594) [C02]

InventiChess GM Antwerp BEL (4),
26.08.2008

[Polivanov, Anatoly]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6
6.Be2 Nh6 [Generally speaking, this move is
considered less exact, than preliminary
6...cxd4 7.cxd4, and only now 7...Nh6 - in this
case taking on h6 is impossible.] 7.Bxh6 gxh6
[As practice has shown, capture 7...Qxb2? is
badly. A game can proceed so: 8.Be3 Qxa1

(8 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxa1)

9.Qc2 cxd4 10.Nxd4

Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Ba3 12.Bb5+ Kf8 13.0–0 Qb2
14.Bc5+!+-]  8.Qd2 Bg7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Na3
cxd4  [Here now Vaganian decides to change
"c"-pawns anyway. And it's correct: 10...f6?!
11.exf6 Rxf6 12.dxc5 Qxc5 13.b4ƒ] 11.cxd4
f6 12.exf6 Rxf6 13.Nc2 a5 Diagram

...

XABCDEFGHY

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xabcdefghy

14.a3!N A remarkable novelty! The most valu-
able in it - this is not simply new continuation,
it is new, conceptual idea - struggle for the
point e5. Hardly Timman has prepared this
move at home - more likely, this move has
been prompted to him by the richest experi-

http://www.chesszone.org

ence. 14...a4 [14...Bd7 15.b4] 15.Rad1! [Im-
mediate fight for the square e5 is prema-
turely: 15.Nb4?! Nxb4

(15...Rxf3? 16.Nxc6

Rb3 17.Ne5 Rxb2 18.Qf4 ‚)

16.axb4 Rxf3!

17.Bxf3 Qxd4 18.Qxd4 Bxd4³ - White will fight
for a draw here.] 15...Bd7 16.Nb4 Rf5
[16...Nxb4 17.axb4 Bb5 18.Bxb5 Qxb5
19.Ne5±] 17.Nxc6 bxc6 18.Ne5 [For some
reason Timman decides to head for ex-
changes while he could go 18.Bd3!? with
benefit: 18...Rxf3 (18...Rf7 19.Qe3 Qxb2?
20.Rb1 Rxf3

(20...Qxa3 21.Bxh7+

21.Rxb2

Rxe3 22.fxe3+-) 19.gxf3 Rf8 (19...Qxd4
20.Bxh7+ Kh8

(20...Kxh7 21.Qc2++-)

21.Qxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Kxh7 23.Rc1+-)
20.Bb1 - White have a very promising posi-
tion.] 18...Bxe5 19.dxe5 Diagram

)

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xabcdefghy

19...Raf8? [And here it is already wrong. Va-
ganian decides to go contrary to the require-
ments of position, and this, as a rule, leads to
sad consequences. 19...Rxe5 20.Kh1 (White
should not take a great interest too) (20.Qxh6
Rxe2 21.Qg5+ Kh8

(21...Kf8 22.Rd3!‚)

22.Qf6+ Kg8 23.Qg5+=) 20...Rg5 21.f4
Rg7³] 20.Bd3 Rxe5 [Now it is quite heavily - it
was necessary to protect a pawn with the aid
of 20...Rg5] 21.Qxh6 Rf7 22.Qh4! Excellent,
geometrical move. Now it turns out, that Black
are nearly in zugzwang. 22...Qb8 [22...Kh8
23.Bxh7+-] 23.Kh1! [23.f4 Qb6+ 24.Kh1 Re3]
23...Qf8 24.f4+- Ref5 [They have to pay off
quality, it will be worse otherwise: 24...Re3
25.f5 Re5 26.fxe6 Rxe6 27.Bxh7++-] 25.Bxf5
Rxf5 26.Rf3+- Total, Timman got winning po-
sition. Here is only one difficulty - position has
the closed character. [There was an interest-
ing possibility to prevent c6-c5: 26.Rd3 h6

(26...c5 27.Rg3+ Kh8 28.Rg5+-

27.b4! - but

Timman's choice also not bad.] 26...c5
27.Rh3?! [As rooks love open space, it was

needed to try to open a line, and at the same
time to exchange rooks - this is a right plan:
27.Re1 d4 28.Re5 h6™ 29.Rxf5 exf5
30.Qe1+-]  27...h6 28.Qg3+ Kh8 29.Rh4 Be8!
Vaganian is not losing one's temper and
translates a bishop to f7, from where it will
cement position. 30.Re1 Qf6 31.Rg4 Bf7
32.h3?  [It seems that Timman has become
nervous, and has made an "idle" move, while
it was better to change queens, and then to
conduct the king in the centre: 32.Qh4! Qxh4
33.Rxh4]  32...d4  [Vaganyan does right - he
doesn't distract to the pawn b2, and tries to
use the trump - a passer "d". It was risky to
tear away queen from defence - here exem-
plary variant: 32...Qxb2 33.Re5 c4 34.Kh2! c3
35.Rxf5 exf5 36.Rg7 c2 37.Rxf7 c1Q 38.Rf8+
Kh7 39.Qg8#] 33.Qf3? After this error the in-
trigue twists on the new. 33...h5! 34.Rg5 Rxf4
35.Qa8+ Kh7 36.Rxc5 d3 Diagram

XABCDEFGHY

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1+-+-tR-+K!

xabcdefghy

[36...Rf1+ 37.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 38.Kh2 Qf4+ 39.g3
Qe3„

(39...Qf2+ 40.Qg2)]

37.Rg1! At last

Timman finds an excellent reply - he passes
the move's turn ti Vaganian as though, and
now he indeed risks to make a mistake.
37...Bg6? And Vaganyan wrongs! [It was nec-
essary to keep at combining the pawn d2 with
threats to the point of g2, Black got excellent
countergame: 37...d2 38.Qa5 Qd4 39.Rd1
Rf2] 38.Rc7+ Kh6 [Back the way is not pre-
sent: 38...Bf7 39.Rd7 Qf5

(39...Rd4 40.Qa7+-

)

40.Qd8+-] 39.Rc8 Bh7 40.Rh8 e5? And

since the Black are opening a sixth line for
enemy pieces - there will be not any rescue.
[It was possible to try to stir up water by
40...Rf1!? 41.Qg8 Rxg1+ 42.Kxg1 Qd4+
43.Kh1 Qe4 44.Qf8+ Kg6 45.Qf2 h4 46.Rf8
Kg5! - the king walks under bullets, but a
mate it is not visible yet.] 41.Qg8! From this
moment, Timman plays impeccably. At first,

http://www.chesszone.org

he forges black pieces by defence of bishop
h7. 41...Qf5? A last error. [41...Qg7 42.Qb8

(42.Qxg7+? Kxg7 43.Re8 Rd4–+)

42...Qg5

43.Rc1 Rf6!] 42.Rc1 Rf1+ 43.Rxf1 Qxf1+
44.Kh2 Qf5 [The endgame is hopeless cause
king is too close: 44...Qf4+ 45.Qg3 Qxg3+
46.Kxg3 Kg7 47.Re8 Kf6 48.Kf3+-] 45.Qg3 e4
[45...Qf4 46.Qxf4+ exf4 47.Ra8! d2 48.Rd8+-
] 46.h4! Timman transfers turn of a move, and
it's found out that there is nothing to answer
for Black. [46.Qd6+ Kg7 47.Rd8 Bg6]
46...Qg4 [46...d2 47.Rd8+-] 47.Qf2 Qe6
48.Qf4+ Kg7 49.Ra8 Qf5 [49...Qe7 50.Rc8!+-]
50.Ra7+ Kf6 51.Qd6+ Qe6 52.Qf8+ Ke5
53.Ra5+ The glorified veterans gave to us an
irreproachable, but a very interesting
game.[53.Ra5+ Kd4 54.Qc5#] 1–0

(10) Wang Yue (2704) -
Agdestein,Simen (2583) [A85]

3rd NH Amsterdam NED (2), 21.08.2008

[Polivanov, Anatoly]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 Botvinnik
was like to apply this unusual hybrid of Dutch
and Nimzowitsch defence. 5.Qb3 Qe7 6.Bd2
Bxc3N [One of Botvinnik's long-term oppo-
nent - I mean Keres - developed so: 6...b6
7.e3 Bb7 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 Bxc3 10.Bxc3
Ne4, Laurine-Keres, Estonia 1937; as we see,
Black are necessary to change on c3 how-
ever. So it is better to do it at once, as well as
Agdestein acted.] 7.Bxc3 d6 8.g3 Nbd7 [Why
not to develop a bishop like Keres did: 8...b6
9.Bg2 Bb7 ? It appears, at the disposal of
White there was a very strong blow, using
weakness of a square e6: 10.d5! exd5

(10...e5 11 Ng5±)

11.Nd4 dxc4

11...0–0

12.cxd5±)

12.Qa4+! c6 13.Nxf5± - what con-

clusion does follow from it? Probably, it is not
necessary to get a move on with d7-d6 - it's
better to pass b6/Bb7 at once.] 9.Bg2 Ne4 [If
not to hurry with this move, the bishop can slip
away: 9...0–0 10.0–0 Ne4 11.Be1!?] 10.0–0
Nxc3 11.Qxc3 0–0 12.Rfe1 The Chinese
chooses the correct plan, connected with e2-
e4. [A similar idea with c4-c5 would not be
crowned success: 12.Rac1 Nf6 13.c5 Bd7
14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Qc7?! Nd5 - White have
achieved nothing.] 12...e5 [12...Nf6 did not
prevent e2-e4: 13.Nd2; there was one possi-
bility to depreciate e2-e4: 12...f4!? 13.e4 g5,
but 14.e5! g4 15.Nd2± - Black are very unde-
veloped here.] 13.e4 f4 Diagram

(

)

(

)

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xabcdefghy

[That is correct, it is impossible to open an
"e"-line here: 13...fxe4 14.Rxe4

(14 Nd2!?

14...Nf6 15.Re2 exd4 16.Nxd4 Qf7 17.Rae1±]
14.c5! Timely blasting of the centre - differ-
ently Agdestein would play c7-c5 himself.
14...dxc5 [14...exd4 looks not bad: 15.cxd6
cxd6! - just like this, to provide for a knight an
outpost on e5 -

15...dxc3 16 dxe7 Re8

17.bxc3 fxg3 18.hxg3 Rxe7 19.Rad1±;

15...Qxd6 16.Qc4+ Kh8 17.e5!±

16.Nxd4

Ne5 - bishop g2 sets against the pawn e4,
Black are having a good position here.]
15.dxc5! [Usually in such cases it should beat
the pawn "e", but this position is an exception:
15.dxe5?! Nb6 16.Nh4

(16.gxf4 Rxf4 17 Qe3

g5!?)

16...g6! (White will not open a bishop by

Nh4-f5) 17.Rac1 c4 - pawn c4 is easy defen-
sible, there are no problems for Black.]
15...Nxc5 [It was impossible to leave a "с"-line
closed: 15...Rf6 16.gxf4 Rxf4

(16...exf4

17 e5)

17.c6 bxc6 18.Qxc6 Nb6 19.Qc3!±; an

endgame after 15...Qxc5 16.Qxc5 Nxc5
17.Nxe5² is more pleasant for White by
sight.] 16.Rac1 The pawn of e5 will not go
away, therefore Wang Yue develops a rook.
16...b6 [Agdestein could to entrench oneself
by 16...Ne6 17.Qxe5 c6, but it is unclear, how
further to develop.] 17.b4 Na6 18.Nxe5 c5?!
Morally, this is the first serious inaccuracy in a
game. [It was necessary to change the pawns
and to develop a bishop: 18...Nxb4 19.Qxc7
Qxc7 20.Rxc7 Be6

(20...Nxa2? 21.Bf1!+-)

21.a3 Na6 22.Re7 Nc5 - as a result, a Black's
quite strong position. Certainly, a rook on the
seventh line it is unpleasant, but Black should
exchange it shortly.] 19.b5 Nc7 [19...Nb4
20.Qb2!±] 20.a4 Be6 Here Wang Yue was
making an uneasy choice of the future for a
knight e5 - to jump on a tempting square c6,
or to leave it in the own camp. These possibili-
ties are approximately equivalent. 21.Nd3

http://www.chesszone.org

[The main plus of a 21.Nc6 - it taking off a
square d8 thanks to what White will take off a
file "d" - 21...Qf7

(21...Qg5 22.Qd2! a6?

23.Qd6+-)

22.Red1 with a notable edge for

Wang Yue.] 21...fxg3 [21...f3 looks at oneself
temptingly, but probably, this pawn will simply
get lost - 22.Bf1 Rad8 23.Ne5] 22.hxg3 Dia-
gram

XABCDEFGHY

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22...Rad8? Agdestein gets off from a right
way. [It was not a good idea to withdraw a
rook from a8 - quite the contrary, he should
use it: 22...a6! 23.a5!

23.bxa6 Rxa6³

- here

Black are simply better

)

23...axb5

(23...Nxb5

24.Qe5! bxa5 25.Nxc5 R e8 26.Qxe6+ Qxe6

27.Nxe6 Rxe6 28.e5 Rd8 29.Ra1±)

24.axb6

Na6 25.e5

(25.Nxc5? Rac8–+)

25...Rad8ч -

position is sharp, and can make off which-
ever, because the pawns "b" and "c" can
come to a motion.] 23.Ne5 Qf6 Not to come a
rook back?! 24.f4 [24.Nd3? Rd4 25.Ra1
Bc4µ] 24...Rd4 25.Ra1 There is no any coun-
terplay for a Black, their pieces are located
very unsuccessfully, while the White can vary
plans of preparation a4-a5 and pawn rolling
on a king flank. [25.Qa1 Bb3!] 25...a6? In al-
ready heavy position, Agdestein commits a
decisive error. [25...Rc4 26.Qf3 Rc2
27.Rad1±] 26.Nc6 Rxe4 [Any other deviation
did not change a position's eval: 26...Rd7
27.Qxf6

(27 e5? Qh6 28.bxa6 Bd5!„)

27...gxf6 28.bxa6 Nxa6 29.Rab1 Rb7 30.e5+-
; 26...Rc4 27.Qxf6 gxf6 28.bxa6 Nxa6
29.Bf1+-] 27.Qxf6 Rxe1+ 28.Rxe1 Rxf6 Dia-
gram

(

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xabcdefghy

29.a5!+- Thematic break - like as well as it is
not so difficult. 29...Nxb5 30.axb6 Nd6
31.Rxe6! Well, a small tactic in the end.
31...Rxe6 32.Bd5 Kf7 33.Nd8+ Ke7 34.Nxe6
c4 35.Bxc4 Wang Yue has almost faultlessly
played this game, has waited errors of the
contender, and then masterful used them. All
is naturally![35.Bxc4 Nxc4 36.b7+-] 1–0

Document Outline