Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
Round 6: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 |
||
Veselin Topalov |
0-1 |
Peter Svidler |
Gata Kamsky |
1-0 |
Ruslan Ponomariov |
Vishy Anand |
½-½ |
Etienne Bacrot |
Standings
Round 6 wrap-up: American chess fans may be excused if they are starting to have flashbacks to Lake Placid, 1980 and the "Miracle on Ice." There aren't any Soviets in Sofia, or anywhere for that matter, but Gata Kamsky's run for the gold has all the elements of a schmaltzy American TV movie of the week. The retirement, the comeback, the lowest rated player in the field. It's like "Rocky" without biceps.
Today's supporting role was played by Ruslan Ponomariov. Kamsky outplayed the Ukrainian former FIDE champion in excellent style after following nearly twenty moves of Morozevich-Grischuk from the Russian team championship event that finished just a few weeks ago. When Ponomariov tried to give up a pawn for counterplay, Kamsky didn't miss the chance to break through with crushing effect with 36.e6! and it was soon over. Kamsky now has wins over everyone in the field except for Topalov and leads the tournament with an impressive +3, 4.5/6 score.
As always seems to happen, the Grunfeld has again risen like a phoenix from the ashes. Its leading acolyte, Peter Svidler, was thoroughly bashed in his favorite defense in Linares a few months ago. Today he used it to beat Veselin Topalov in a fine game. White's new idea in an old line, 16.c4, didn't pan out too well. Svidler kept the sacrificed c-pawn and in the end it was this passed foot soldier who dealt the killing blow. Svidler is now back to a +1 score while Topalov drops back to -1.
The draw of the day was an exciting Marshall Gambit game between Bacrot and Anand. It was quite typical of the breed. Bacrot had strong piece pressure with his rooks with black while Anand was betting on the long-term danger presented by his extra pair of passed pawns. Matter and anti-matter canceled out after harrowing complications and the game was drawn. Lots of theory on the boards today.
A good way of getting to Sofia is by using Bulgaria Air. Regular planes,
nice afternoon flight, two and a quarter hours flight from Berlin Tegel, €177
for the return trip. What more do you want?
Driving into the Bulgarian capital, which has a beautiful mountain backdrop
Sofia is the capital of the Republic of Bulgaria and has a population of about 1.4 million. The mountains visible from anywhere in the city are part of the Vitosha massif. The first settlement here was in the 7th century BC by the Thracians, and remnants of their housings can still be seen today.
Everywhere you have parks and open-air cafés
The most convenient way to move around the city is on the improbably long
tramcars
Impressions of the city
Going to dinner with a bunch of more-or-less identifiable chess players
The playing hall getting a cleaning and make-over the evening before
The Grand Hotel Sofia where the players stay and the event is staged
The M-tel chess tournament reception desk, with Ivan Cheparinov
neglecting his duties as Veselin topalov's second
The trio of arbiters: Boris Postovsky (USA), Joaquin Espejo
(Chief Arbiter, Spain), Panaqiotis Nikolopoulos (Greece)
Comeback star Gata Kamsky waiting backstage for the round to start
The media preparing to do battle for the best shots and TV footage
Round six starts with Bulgarian star Veselin Topalov on the front board
His opponent Peter Svidler, a picture of determination
Ruslan Ponomariov giving his opponent the stare
The start of a tense game in which both sides seemed to have winning chances
Anand working hard against Etienne Bacrot
Veselin Topalov feeling the heat in his game against Peter Svidler
By move 25 things are already looking quite bleak for the FIDE world champion
In the hotel lobby GMs Mihail Golubev and Topalov second
Baadur Jobava follow the games and enjoy a cup of coffee
Always the bright spot in the press center: Marina Makarycheva,
preparing her daily report for Russian television
Yuriy Vasiliev filing his report for "Sport-Express Daily"
Photos by Frederic Friedel
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
