Chess Training

Huh? Topalov as White again? As is clearly stated in the match rules, the colors reverse after game 6 to allow both players the same number of games (potentially) as White after a rest day. Topalov, having White in each even-numbered game during the first half of the match (Games 1-6), now reverts to having White in each odd-numbered game during the second have of the match (Games 7-12). This results in the oddity, due to the forfeit of Kramnik as White in Game 5, of Topalov having the White pieces 3 consecutive games in a row: G4, G6, G7. Needless to say it is critical for Kramnik to hold this game, effectively neutralizing the advantage of Topalov with the White pieces. G7: Topalov,V (2813) - Kramnik,V (2743) [D27] WCh Elista RUS (7), 04.10.2006 [Malcolm Pein] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 dxc4 6.Bxc4 c5 7.0-0 a6 8.Bb3 cxd4 9.exd4 Nc6 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Re1 0-0 Diagram 12.a4 Unusual Mor...

G6: Topalov,V (2813) - Kramnik,V (2743) [D17] WCh Elista RUS (6), 02.10.2006 [Malcolm Pein] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 A tacit admission that he did not have an opening advantage in game 2 although he did have a winning position 6...e6 7.f3 The sharpest line just trying to push Black off the board. Kramnik had a lot of success with this as white earlier in his career. 7...c5 Avoiding the argument! this is a sideline. The main line is [ 7...Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 10.Bd2 Qxd4 11.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 12.Qe2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 Qd5+ 14.Kc2 Na6 which is terribly dangerous for White but not necessarily bad for him and ideal for Topalov's needs in this match.] 8.e4 White hopes he will shut this bishop out of the game and gain the advantage. Getting it back with f7-f5 weakens Black's structure but at the cost of a couple of tempi he can play f7-f6 and Bg6-f7 if there is time later...

And All Hell Broke Loose To keep it brief, I dutifully refer you to the Chessbase Summary Article. I see no point here in rehashing everything that has been said, and has been said better than I could put it. Having said that, it is my opinion that: 1) Danailov should be disciplined/investigated by FIDE Ethics Committee 2) Game 5 should be played and the forfeit reversed 3) Kramnik, regardless of the result of the match, should proceed legally against FIDE My personal opinion is that Topalov has his hand in this somewhat, Danailov being his manager. I'm not so sure that Topalov was aware beforehand the extent to which Danailov was going to go regarding personal attacks against Kramnik, and for that I believe he is sincerely sorry for. However, Topalov's decision to keep the forfeit point seems strange to me. Keeping the point and winning the match by +1 or tiebreaks will forever leave a mark on his championship status. Keeping the point and winning the match by +2 seems highly...

G4: Topalov,V (2813) - Kramnik,V (2743) [D47] WCh Elista RUS (4), 27.09.2006 [IM Malcolm Pein] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 At some point there was going to have to be an examination of some sharp lines. Lets see what Topalov has cooked up. 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 There are many alternatives here including 9.e4 9.a3 b4 10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 bxa3 12.0-0 Bd6 13.b3 Nf6 Diagram 14.Nd2N A remarkable novelty. At first sight Bxh2+ is possible [ 14.Bd3 c5 15.dxc5 Bxc5 16.Bb5+ Ke7 17.Bxa3 Bxa3 18.Qxd8+ Rhxd8 19.Rxa3 a6 20.Bc4 Rd6 21.Rfa1 Rb6 22.Nd4 Ne8 23.f3 Nd6 24.Bd3 e5 25.Nf5+ Nxf5 26.Bxf5 Rd8 27.Rc1 g6 28.Bb1 Rd2 29.Ra2 Rxa2 30.Bxa2 Bd5 31.Kf2 Be6 32.Rc7+ Kd6 33.Ra7 Bd5 34.Bb1 Kc5 35.Be4 Bxe4 36.fxe4 Rxb3 37.Rxf7 Kb4 38.Ra7 a5 39.Ke2 Rb2+ 0-1 Pogorelov,R (2395)-Vera,R (2510)/Andorra la Vella 2006; 14.Nd2 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxe4 18.f3! Qg6 19.Bxa3 would be ...

G3: Kramnik,V (2743) - Topalov,V (2813) [E02] WCh Elista RUS (3), 26.09.2006 [IM Malcolm Pein and James Coleman] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 Nf6 Topalov should not be too down-hearted he has after all had two great positions in the match so far. However conventional match strategy dictates that Kramnik should try and kick his man while he is down. 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 [ 5...Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.Qc2 Game 1] 6.Qa4 Kramnik undoubtedly wants to avoid messy lines where Black keeps the c4 pawn and so Nc6-a5 has to be considered a potential threat. This rules it out. 6...Bd7 7.Qxc4 Na5 8.Qd3 [ 8.Qc2 is not so good 8...Rc8 intending ...c5 and the Q is not well placed on c2.] 8...c5 9.0-0 Bc6 10.Nc3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Following Tkachiev-Solozhenkin France 2000, note that there was a Tkachiev game in the theory of the first game 11...Bc5 [ 11...Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qd7 13.Rd1 Bc5 14.Bg5+/= the Na5 is poor and White is better ...

G2: Topalov,V (2813) - Kramnik,V (2743) [D19] WCh Elista RUS (2), 24.09.2006 [IM Malcolm Pein] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 [ 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 was formerly ventured by Kramnik with White but Black's resources are thought to be more than adequate] 6...e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bg6 10.e4 0-0 [ 10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nxe4 12.Ba3 Forces Black to castle queenside into the teeth of an attack] 11.Bd3 Bh5 12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 Bg6 15.Ng5 Re8 16.f4 Diagram 16...Bxd3 TN [ 16...Rc8 17.g4! f6 18.Bxg6 ( 18.f5!?) 18...hxg6 19.Nf3+/= Pelletier-Deviatkin Moscow 2003 TWIC 433; 16...Nf8 17.g4] 17.Qxd3 f5 trying to close the kingside 18.Be3 [ 18.g4!? h6! 19.Nxe6 Rxe6 20.gxf5 Re7-/+] 18...Nf8 Kramnik sets up a solid defence, the plans are clear, White goes for g2-g4 and a kingside attack Black seeks chances on the c file and if possible a queen exchange 19.Kh1 Rc...

G1: Kramnik,V (2743) - Topalov,V (2813) [E04] WCh Elista RUS (1), 23.09.2006 [IM Malcolm Pein] (Thanks to Mark Crowther, The Week In Chess , and Malcolm Pein for commentary and analysis) 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 [ 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Bf4 b6 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Rc1 Nc6 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Ne5 Nxd4 14.Bxd5 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 Bxe2 16.Bxa8 Rxa8 And Kramnik ground out a technical win against Topalov at Dortmund 2005, the last time they played ( 16...Bxf1 17.Rc7!) ] 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 Something of a sideline which has been played by Grischuk and Efimenko. 7.Qc2 The calmest move which ensures the regain of the c4 pawn. Of the other moves; 7.0-0 is sound; 7.a3 wastes time; 7.Bxb4 doesn't seem right but has been played, 7.Nc3 gambits a pawn for decent compensation and is not how Kramnik wants to play against Topalov in game one. 7.Qc1 was played by Jan Gustafsson against Efimenko and there is also 7.Na3!? when 7...Bxa3 8.bxa3 is also reasonable compensation....