Game 6 is Underway (Updated at 12:25 ET - Draw Agreed)
Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 9:39AM Yet another Catalan! Topalov returned to the variation he used in game 2, and - as I had expected for game 4 - Anand varied first. Here are the moves:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3 cxd4 8.Naxc4 Bc5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 (This move is exceedingly rare - there's only one game with it in the database. In game 2, Anand played the more standard 10.Bd2, and after 10...Nd5 11.Rc1 Nd7 12.Nd3 Ba7 13.Ba5 Qe7 14.Qb3 Rd8 played the controversial 15.Qa3.) 10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6N (In the one earlier, IM-level game, Black played 11...gxf6 and drew a longish game but without any real trouble.) 12.Nd3 Ba7 13.Qa4 Nc6 14.Rac1 e5 15.Bxc6 b5 16.Qc2 Qxc6 17.Ncxe5 Qe4 18.Qc6 Bb7 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Rc2 Rfe8 21.Rfc1 f6 22.Nd7 Bf5 23.N7c5 Bb6 24.Nb7.
Topalov's last move was a little questionable, I think, as the big swap 23...Bxc5 24.Rxc5 Bxd3 25.exd3 Re2 26.R5c2 Rae8 27.Kf2 Rxe2 28.Rxe2 Kf7 probably held without too much trouble, while now he's stuck with the dud dark-squared bishop. But maybe I'm wrong, and should remember Dorfman's rule (the worst bishop is better than the best knight). We'll see!
10:30 Update
We've had only three half-moves since the initial post, but I'll elaborate a bit on the position. We've seen 24...Bd7 25.Nf4 Rab8, and the last move in particular might be questioned. Why not 25...Rac8 instead, trying to vaporize all the rooks? In that case, Black seems to hold pretty easily, e.g. 26.b4 Rxc2 27.Rxc2 Rc8 28.Rxc8+ Bxc8 29.Nd6 Bg4 30.Kf1 Bc7 31.Nb7 Kf7 32.a3 Bc8 33.Nc5 g5 34.Nd5 Bd8 with a draw. White's knights look fantastic, but they can go no further and have no targets, but they do at least neutralize Black's bishops. The pawn on d4 isn't in any trouble (e.g. 35.Ke1 [aiming to continue Kd2-d3xd4] 35...f5 36.f3 [36.Kd2?? Be6-+] 36...Be6 37.e4 dxe3 38.Nxe3 Bb2 39.Kd2 Bc8=), and there's nothing else to do.
So why does Topalov reject this, when White's minor pieces are more active than Black's and White controls the c-file? Call it a study in calculated risk. First, the c-file may be open, but to what end? As long as the meaningful penetration points for the rooks are covered, it may look nice but doesn't amount to anything serious. Second, he believes in the bishops. With only bishops vs. knights, in a pawn structure like this, there isn't very much to hope for, but with the addition of rooks there are many more tactical possiblities. Third, the half-open e-file may end up as much an asset for him as the c-file is for Anand, if not more. And fourth, even if he loses a pawn somewhere - if it opens the board for the bishops it could very well be worth it. Finally, again, even if he loses a pawn, holding the ending with two bishops vs. two knights may not be the end of the world - think of all the Marshall Gambit endings Black holds with the bishops against a bishop and knight.
Topalov's decision is a little risky then, but there are enough avenues of possible compensation that it's worth trying.
N.B. While typing this, three more half-moves have appeared 26.Nd6 Re5 27.Nc8. My guess is that Black will not allow the exchange on b6, and this too merits a brief discussion. The point, made implicitly two paragraphs ago, is that the Bb6 may not be active now, but could be active later, and has the more immediate value of controlling c5 and c7 against a rook invasion.
11:10 Update:
Topalov is resolute! Anand continues to give him seemingly favorable opportunities to exchange pieces, but Topalov prefers to be slightly worse with dynamic chances to having a dead equality. After 27.Nc8, the game has continued 27...Ba5 (as predicted) 28.Nd3 Re8 29.Na7 Bb6 30.Nc6 Rb7 31.Ncb4 a5 32.Nd5. It seems that Anand's 29th move was inaccurate, and that 29.Nd6 Re6 30.Nf5 maintained a little pressure.
After 29.Na7 Bb6 30.Nc6, Topalov could have taken the pawn: 30...Bxc6 31.Rxc6 Re2. White would have full compensation after something like 32.Rc8+ Rxc8 33.Rxc8+ Kf7 34.Ra8 a5 35.Rb8 Re6 36.Rb7+ Kf8 37.Kg2, but nothing more. Instead, 30...Rb7 keeps things a bit more interesting, though Anand is not in any danger here.
11:45 Update
The position is heading for a draw pretty rapidly. We've had the following moves since our last update:
32...a4 33.Nxb6 Rxb6 34.Nc5 Bf5 35.Rd2 Rc6 36.b4 axb3 37.axb3 b4! 38.Rxd4 Rxe2 39.Rxb4 Bh3 40.Rbc4 Rd6.
White is up a pawn, but the weakness of his back rank makes the draw a piece of cake. The key move, of course, was 37...b4. On other moves, White plays b4, keeping his pawn on a dark square and Black's b-pawn on a light square. Then the pressure will continue indefinitely. After 37...b4, there is no danger and no White pressure. From here, there's little White can do. If, for instance, he plays 41.Rh4, then 41...Rc2 42.Ra1 (42.Rxc2?? Rd1#) 42...Rxc5 43.Rxh3 Rd4 followed by ...Rb4 will regain the pawn with a trivial draw.
White has just played 41.Re4, and after 41...Rb2 continued 42.Ree1. This ultra-safe approach should guarantee an easy draw after something like 42...Rdd2 43.Ne4 Rd3 44.Rc3 Rxc3 45.Nxc3 Rxb3 46.Nd5 and Nf4, taking care of the back rank worries.
12:10 Update
A few moves ago, Topalov turned down the chance to draw by repetition, and now we may be in for an exercise in futility. Here are the latest moves:
42...Rdd2 43.Ne4 Rd4 44.Nc5 Rd2 45.Ne4 (Repetition?) 45...Rd3 (No thanks.) 46.Rb1 Rdxb3 47.Nd2 Rb4 48.f3 g5
At this point it's pretty ridiculous for Topalov to drag it out, as White will just trade rooks, protect the knight, play Kf2-e2/e3 and then activate his rook. There's just nothing here.
12:25 Update - Game Drawn
Here are the final moves: 49.Rxb2 Rxb2 50.Rd1 Kf7 51.Kf2 h5 52.Ke3 Rc2 53.Ra1 Kg6 54.Ra6 Bf5 55.Rd6 Rc3+ 56.Kf2 Rc2 57.Ke3 Rc3+ 58.Kf2 Rc2 1/2-1/2
Overall, it was a very good game, but the position from the opening was too static for either player to create anything real. The burden of proof is now on Anand to find something for the next game, on Monday, when he'll again have White.
I'll have the fully annotated version up later today - stay tuned for that, as well as the final results from the President's Cup in Baku.
Reader Comments (5)
Comps after Nd5 evaluate as equal, but the more I look at it, the less I like Anand's chances. PRobably not enough for a Topalov win, but seems like Topa is getting more space and activity and the pressure on e2 is mounting. I fear a small inaccuracy may lead to bit problems for Anand. Having said that, Anand has proven again and again that his understanding of positions goes beyond our (mine) little minds. Go Anand.
But isn't Topalov on a mission to advocate for Sofia rules? I mean, in the press conference after his last lost, he said (roughly) "that happens when you play Sofia rules." On a more practical level, he knows it might bug Anand to have to dither around like this?
rdavis, I didn't hear about that. Are you sure he said it after game 4, when he was massacred in the middlegame and lost in just 32 moves? It's hard to see what the Sofia rules could have to do with that game.
Yes, he says it on the chessvibes video around 4:59.
Of course, I think I was posting my previous post right as they were going into that repetition!
Actually, Topalov's strategy sort of paid off today. Anand had to actually work to save the draw, by the end, although it only required a few accurate moves (Topalov's g7-g5 was a bit silly!). The Nc5-e4-d2 plan worked like a charm to bring Anand the half point.
I was disappointed in Anand's preparation. Bc1-g5 was the real "novelty", since it's only been played a few times before and represents a very minor sideline. I'm surprised Anand went for it, though, because it's such an awful strategic conception. The threat of Bh3/Bh3+ keeps the king from defending the e2 pawn, which means White's army is tied down to defending that weakness. A knight adventure or two isn't going to win you a game, I don't think.
Still, in the position the two bishops weren't strong because they couldn't work together, so there was little risk.