Playing are world champ Vishy Anand, ex-FIDE champ Veselin Topalov, whiz kid Magnus Carlsen, veteran Vassily Ivanchuk rising stars Levon Aronian and Teimur Radjabov.
The Elo average of this elite event is 2775.6, making it a category 22 tournament, one of the strongest in the history of chess.
As I write this, Toppy and young Magnus were clinging to a half-a-point lead with three more rounds to go. The two, ChessBase reports, suffered shock losses on Tuesday. Carlsen dropped a very sharp game against Ivanchuk while Aronian recovered from his two losses with a convincing victory against Topalov.
World champ Anand is sharing last place with Radjabov after losing to Toppy in the fourth round and drawing the rest of his games. The Indian super GM is preparing for his world title match against Kramnik next month.
Game of the week. Here is the game between two of world’s top players as annotated by IM Jack Peters.
White: GM Veselin Topalov (2777)
Black: GM Viswanathan Anand (2798)
Queen’s Indian Defense
Bilbao 2008
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 Nimzovich’s idea in the Queen’s Indian Defense. 5 Qc2 Bb7 6 Bg2 c5 7 d5!? This pawn sacrifice is White’s best bet, as 7 0-0 cxd4 and 7 dxc5 Bxc5 do not worry Black. exd5 8 cxd5 Nxd5 9 0-0 Be7 10 Rd1 To meet 10…0-0?! with 11 Qe4. Qc8 Customary, although Black has also tried 10…Nf6, 10…Nc7 and even 10…Nc6. 11 a3 In July, Carlsen tried the direct 11 e4 against Anand, but Black equalized with 11…Nc7 12 Nc3 0-0 13 e5 Ne6 14 Nd5 Bxd5 15 Rxd5 Nc6. Also 11…Nb4 12 Qc3 0-0 seems fine for Black. Nf6 12 Bg5!? New. Several games have tested 12 Nc3 d5 13 Bg5 d4 14 Bxf6, when 14…Bxf6?! 15 Nb5 Qd7 16 Nfxd4! Bxg2 17 Nf5 favors White but 14…gxf6 should hold. d5 Most challenging. However, the cautious 12…0-0 13 Nc3 Re8 makes sense too. 13 Bxf6 Bxf6 Now 13…gxf6?! 14 e3 Na6 15 Nc3 Nc7 16 Nh4 gives White an ideal outpost at f5. 14 Nc3 Bxc3 Almost forced, as 14…d4?! 15 Nb5 and 14…0-0 15 Nxd5 are uncomfortable, while 14…Qe6? 15 Nxd5! Bxd5 16 Ng5 drops material. 15 bxc3 Na6 Neither 15…0-0 16 Ng5 nor 15…Nd7 16 Nh4 seems attractive. 16 Nh4 g6 Tempting is 16…Qe6?! 17 Nf5 0-0-0. The problem for Black, though, is 17 Qa4+! Ke7 18 c4 Nc7 19 cxd5 Nxd5 20 Rd3! Rhd8 21 Rad1, when White’s threats grow. 17 Bxd5 Bxd5 Not 17…0-0?? because 18 Nxg6! hxg6 19 Qxg6+ Kh8 20 Qf6+ Kg8 21 Bxb7 Qxb7 22 Rd6! attacks. 18 Rxd5 0-0 Inserting 18…Nc7 allows 19 Qe4+. 19 Rad1 Nc7 20 Rd7 Ne6 Black has the sounder pawn structure, but he cannot easily halt White’s initiative. 21 Qe4 Qe8?! Obviously 21…Rd8? 22 Rxd8+ Nxd8 23 Qe8+ Kg7 24 Rd7 leaves Black hopelessly tied up. But 21…Qa6! seems satisfactory after 22 Nf3 Rae8 and 22 Rxf7!? Rxf7! 23 Qxa8+ Nf8 24 Rd3 Qxa3 25 Qd5 Qa4. 22 Nf3 c4?! Expecting counterplay from 23 Qxc4 Nc5 24 R7d2 Rc8, but Topalov declines the offer. Although 22…Rd8 23 Qb7 and 22…Nd4!? 23 Ne5! Nc6! 24 f4! Nxe5 25 fxe5 leave White in command, Black may not be lost. 23 Qh4! Nc5 Or 23…Rd8 24 Ne5, and Black can hardly move. 24 Re7 Rd8 A last trap. If 24…a4 25 Rd6 Rae8, White breaks through with 26 Ng5 h5 27 Nxf7! Rxe7 28 Qxe7 Rxf7 29 Rxg6+. 25 Rf1!, Black Resigns. Queen moves permit 26 Ng5 h5 27 Nxf7! Rxf7 28 Rxf7 Kxf7 29 Qxd8.
Puzzler.
White — pawns on b3, b4, h2; Qa8, Ke1, Be4, Ne7
Black — pawns on a5, b5, e5, g5; Na7, Bb6, Ke3
White to play and mate in three moves.
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