The World Chess Championship 2006: Kramnik v Topalov

[Donna Ferentes]

(eta: "official" website board is still at the starting position )

Mine isn't. Try clicking on some things.

 

[Loki]

Mine isn't. Try clicking on some things.

Ah yes, you have to click on the second bit of text on the white box for it to do something, not exactly obvious. The PlayChess version is better though. You can watch the GMs commentating...

 

[Donna Ferentes]

What are they saying? (I don't want to download a bunch of software if I can avoid it...)

 

[Loki]

Arturchix (Observers): I think the
position is draw but in current
position I'd better believe that
Topalov can win, not Kramnik.
Black has a passed a pawn after
all.
Robo-Tal (Observers): Bf3 played
Phantasy (Observers): hm, was
steckt hinter Lf3?
Arturchix (Observers): Plan to
play Rfc1
Super_GM (Observers): Rd8 Rfc1 a4
e3 a3Nbc4
Super_GM (Observers): why did
topolav go into a queenless
middle game??
Mieza (Observers): changing
knights is a posibility too
Rhilll (Observers): +0,2
Super_GM (Observers): Rfc1 Be5 de Nd7 Bc6
Bc6 Rc6 Ne5 Rc5 Rb8 Re5 Rb2 Rea5 Ra5 Ra5
h6 e3 =
Super_GM (Observers): Rfc1 Ne5*

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Are they actually GMs or just using GM names?

 

[Loki]

Hmm none of the commentators in that excerpt are "officially" GM according to PlayChess, but Super_GM for example is rated 2600+ on PlayChess

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Conceivably that means they have a strong computer. I'll be sceptical, particularly as the real GMs are probably all on ICC.

 

[Loki]

Well a "real" GM has joined in now, but he's just trying to get people to make him a coffee

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Have they favoured you with their name?

 

[Loki]

Dongiovanni, dunno if that's just his username. Some other ones EduardNemeth and Holger_Lieske, who has just hinted in a humourous manner that this looks like a draw

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Ho ho ho

Don Giovanni? He can go to hell.

 

[lighterthief]

Yasser Seirawan is providing an audio broadcast. You do get big names on playchess Donna - Nigel Short is a regular blitz player - but probably not as many as ICC.

 

[Loki]

Yasser Seirawan is providing an audio broadcast.

How do I get that?

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Seirawan's good, although I shall be slagging him off in a chess magazine shortly...

 

[muser]

After 19 moves, Nc4 seems the best, with a possible b: Nxe6, w: Nxe6 b:a4. That pawn is kramnik main concern. Topolov is pinning kramnik's bishop Re1 would free up that situation but at the expense of a better move. All the early pressure is topolov's.

 

[lighterthief]

How do I get that?

Go back to the games tab - where you originally clicked on the game to open it - and you will find it there, probably with a little Window Media icon beside it.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

What's hard about positions such as the current one is that they're not about sheer calculation: they're about making decisions between various options - do I give up my bishop for knight, do I push the a-pawn another square - which all seem roughly similar (and, what's worse, all slightly inferior) but may in the long term be very different, one option leading to a declining position and the other holding a draw. It's often in these situations rather than wild tactical positions that it takes the most time to come to a decision.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

After 19 moves, Nc4 seems the best, with a possible b: Nxe6, w: Nxe6 b:a4.

Eh?

 

[Donna Ferentes]

After 21.Rfb1 you can see what I mean about Black's bishop being awkward. It's short of good squares if White goes Nd6.

 

[Loki]

aha! Cheers LT.

 

[muser]

What's hard about positions such as the current one is that they're not about sheer calculation: they're about making decisions between various options - do I give up my bishop for knight, do I push the a-pawn another square - which all seem roughly similar (and, what's worse, all slightly inferior) but may in the long term be very different, one option leading to a declining position and the other holding a draw. It's often in these situations rather than wild tactical positions that it takes the most time to come to a decision.

The real question to be asked is what would you do in this situation. With my substandard knowledge of the game I would go for Nc4. It adds protection for the knight on the e file and threatens 'that' pawn.

 

[lighterthief]

That white bishop is really annoying for black.

 

[Loki]

Yeah white's bish is still the more dynamic. Yasser recommends ... Bc6 (if ... g4 Bd1 was played)

 

[Loki]

23 ...Bc6 it was. Both Deep Fritz 8 and DJ10 recommended ... a4

eta: Ah, "KingOfJungle" is yasser

 

[Donna Ferentes]

That's very likely because they're programmed to want to push passed pawns.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Now, can white play 24.Nd3, aiming at e5, without risking anything? I'm not sure he can (e.g. 24...Rb1 25.Rb1 Be4).

 

[Donna Ferentes]

So he's played 24.Rc1 instead.

Note that while White's bishop now looks a bit diminished on d1, it's playing an important role in restraining that a-pawn.

 

[lighterthief]

Am I right in thinking they both have to make 40 moves within the first two hours?

 

[Loki]

KingOfJungle: now dj thinks Bd5 25Nd3

(That's Yasser talking I believe)

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I can't help feeling (which is obviously a very long way from knowing, it's just chessplayer's instinct) that Topalov's not got it right over the past few moves. If white does get the knight to d3 I think the a-pawn's in trouble and although I said earlier that the resulting ending would be hard to win, it might be rather easier now that Black's pawn structure's been weakened by the g-pawn's advance.