[Event "Mtel Masters"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2006.05.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Anand, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2804"]
[BlackElo "2803"]
[Annotator "Mihail Marin"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2006.05.11"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 Re8 10. c3 h6 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a3 d6 13. Ba2 Nb8 14. b4 c5 15. Nb3
Nc6 16. Rb1 Bc8 17. Be3 Be6 18. Qc2 Rc8 19. Qb2 {#White has placed some of his
pieces on rather unnatural squares, while Black has regrouped in a harmonious
way.} c4 20. dxc4 Bxc4 21. Nbd2 Bxa2 22. Qxa2 d5 {
This thematical central break ensures Black at least equal play.} 23. Rbd1 d4
24. cxd4 exd4 25. Nb3 $6 ({
Still fighting for an advantage, something not surprising in Topalov's games.} 
25. Nxd4 {would have been safer.}) 25... Nxe4 26. Bxd4 Nxd4 27. Rxd4 {#} Ng5 $3
{A fantastic move, overlooked by Topalov. All of a sudden, White is in trouble.
} 28. Ne5 ({Accepting the "sacrifice" with} 28. Rxd8 {
would have led to equally unpleasant consequences after} Nxf3+ 29. gxf3 Rxe1+ {
(This intermediate move is possible only because the back rank is defended by
the bishop.)} 30. Kg2 Rxd8 {
with a small material advantage and the safer king's position for Black.})
28... Nxh3+ $1 29. gxh3 Qg5+ 30. Kh2 ({In case of} 30. Rg4 {
Black had an "echo-line" at his disposal:} Rxe5 $1 31. Rxg5 Rxe1+ {
followed by 32...hxg5.}) 30... Qf5 $1 ({Avoiding unnecesary complications after
} 30... Rxe5 31. f4 $5) 31. Rde4 Rxe5 32. Rxe5 Bd6 33. Nc5 Bxe5+ 34. Kg2 Rc6
35. Qb3 Rg6+ 36. Kf1 Bg3 {Just like in Morelia 2006 and Sofia 2005, Topalov
seems to have problems of warming up. From this point of view, the World
Championship from San Luis 2005 is an obvious exception: from the first 7
rounds, he only "lost" half a point!} 0-1

[Event "Mtel Masters"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2006.05.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Svidler, P."]
[Black "Ponomariov, R."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2743"]
[BlackElo "2738"]
[Annotator "Mihail Marin"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "2006.05.11"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3
Nbd7 9. g4 Be7 10. Qd2 O-O 11. g5 Nh5 12. O-O-O b5 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 {#} f5
$5 {I do not know whether this is just a coincidence or Ponomariov intended to
face his opponent with a delicate psychological problem, but I cannot help
remembering the game Leko-Svidler from Linares 2006, where Black solved the
opening problems with the new move 19...f5 in what was considered a dangerous
position. Here, the move is not new, however.} 15. gxf6 Bxf6 16. Na5 Nf4 ({
This natural move, placing the knight on an excellent outpost, restricts the
activity of the white light-squared bishop. In case of theimmediate} 16... Qc7
17. Nc6 Nb8 {White can indirectlymaintain the stability of hisknight with} 18.
Bh3 $1 {as in an older game Byrne-Popovych, New York 1972. If} Nxc6 $2 19. dxc6
Qxc6 {White wins an exchange with} 20. Be6+ Kh8 21. Bd5) 17. Nc6 {This square
is even more attractive than f4, but the only question that remains open is
whether White will manage to ensure stability to his knight here.} Qc7 18. c4
$5 ({This logical move, activating the light-squared bishop, is a novelty.
About two weeks earlier,} 18. Kb1 {had been played, when after} Nb6 19. Bxf4
exf4 20. c3 Rae8 21. Rg1 Re3 {
Black had sufficient counterplay in Bologan-Efimenko, Sochi 2006.}) 18... Nb8
19. Qa5 Rc8 20. Kb1 bxc4 21. Qxc7 Rxc7 22. Bxc4 Kf8 23. Na5 Nd7 24. Rc1 Bg5 25.
h4 Bh6 26. Bb3 Rac8 27. Rc6 Ne2 28. Bxh6 gxh6 29. Bc4 Nd4 {#Apparently, Black
has managed to take over the control of the c6-square, but tactics help White
maintain his advantage on this side of the board.} 30. Bxa6 $1 Nxc6 31. dxc6
Rxc6 32. Nxc6 Rxc6 33. Bb5 Rc7 34. Rc1 Nc5 35. Bc4 {
Black can do very little to prevent the connected passed pawns from advancing.}
e4 36. b4 Rb7 37. a3 exf3 38. Rf1 Na4 39. Rxf3+ Kg7 40. Bb3 Nb6 41. Kb2 Re7 42.
a4 Re4 43. Ka3 1-0

[Event "Mtel Masters"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2006.05.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Kamsky, G."]
[Black "Bacrot, E."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C88"]
[WhiteElo "2671"]
[BlackElo "2708"]
[Annotator "Mihail Marin"]
[PlyCount "205"]
[EventDate "2006.05.11"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. h3
Bb7 9. d3 d6 10. a3 {#One of the numerous forms of the Anti-Marshall
variations. By advancing several of his pawns with just one step in a moment
when the whole queen side is undeveloped, White intends to maintain the
maximum of flexibility regarding the choice of the main plan.} Na5 11. Ba2 c5 {
A natural reaction in the spirit of the Chigorin variation. Black wins space
in the centre at the cost of the relative weakness of the d5-square.} 12. Nc3 {
Immediately taking under observation the newly created weakness. Had White
hurried with the development of the knight to d2, he would have needed two
additional tempi (Nf1-e3) to approach the critical d5-square.} Nc6 {The presenc
e of the enemy knight on c3 makes the d4-square available for Black, at least
on short term.#} 13. Rb1 $5 {This is a new move, preparing the advance of the
b-pawn in order to put Black under some pressure on the wing where he is
supposed to be more active. This method of play (involving a3, Rb1 and Bd2)
has been repeatedly employed by the former World Champion Boris Spassky in a
completely different opening: the Closed Sicilian. Curiously, in the other
game of the second round where the Anti-Marshall was played, White also played
b4, although in a different form. Previously to our main game, several other
moves have been tried. I shall review them briefly.} (13. Nd5 {enables taking
the d4-square under control with c3, but has the slight drawback of defining
the intentions of the knight too soon.}) (13. Bg5 {prepares the elimination of
the main defender of the critical square, the same as}) (13. Nh2 {
in view of a further Ng4.}) (13. Ne2 {with the intention of transferring the
knight to g3 means abandoning the initial idea behind 12.Nc3. Besides, if
White intends to transfer the knight to the king side it is better to do it by
means of Nd2-f1, retaining the possibility of choosing between Ng3 and Ne3.})
13... Rc8 14. Bd2 Nd4 {With his last two moves Black anticipates White's plan
by putting the c2-pawn under indirect pressure.} 15. b4 {#} Nxf3+ $6 {
But this willing exchange of the central knight is an obvious concession.
Black should have developed the queen, for instance to c7 in order to increase
the pressure along the c-file.} 16. Qxf3 c4 $6 {The logical consequence of the
previous move, but, in fact, a... further concession.} 17. dxc4 bxc4 18. Qe2
Qc7 19. Bg5 {Now, besides the d5-square, Black has worries about his c-pawn.}
Ne8 $5 ({Black obviously disliked such a course of events:} 19... Rfe8 20. Bxf6
Bxf6 21. Rbd1 Bg5 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. Rxd5 {
when putting the c3-pawn on a safe square with} c3 {would leave the white
bishop unchallenged along the a2-g8 diagonal, while otherwise White would
simply play c3 himself maintaining the control of the position. At the cost of
losing the weak pawn immediately, Black gets rid of his passive bishop and
hopes to get counterplay along the c-file.}) 20. Bxe7 Qxe7 21. Bxc4 Nf6 22.
Rbd1 a5 {Eliminating another weakness: the a6-pawn.} 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. Bxd5 axb4
25. axb4 Bxd5 26. Rxd5 Qc7 {#The activity of the black pieces along the c-file
makes the conversion of the material advantage still problematic, in spite of
the mass exchanges.} 27. Rc1 Qc3 28. b5 Rfd8 29. Qd1 h6 30. Kh2 $1 ({A nice pro
phylactical move, in the style of Kasparov. White would not make significant
progress by the imediate capture of the d6-pawn with} 30. Rxd6 Rxd6 31. Qxd6 {
because of} Qb2 {, winning the b5-pawn.}) 30... Rc5 ({
But now, in case of a neutral move such as} 30... g6 {White already could play}
31. Rxd6 Rxd6 32. Qxd6 {when} Qb2 {can be strongly met by} 33. Qd7 {, leaving B
lack with problems stabilising the position. However, Bacrot's move is also
not without drawbacks: after the exchange of one pair of rooks, the
significance of the passed b-pawn increases considerably.}) 31. Rxc5 Qxc5 32.
Qe2 Rc8 33. c4 Qd4 34. Rc2 {#White has managed to consolidate, but he needs to
find a favourable way to exchange the c4-pawn for the d6-pawn in order to make
further progress.} g6 35. f3 Kg7 36. Rd2 Qxc4 37. Qxc4 Rxc4 38. Rxd6 Rb4 39. b6
h5 40. h4 {#Such rook endings are hard to analyse and even harder to play over
the board. In order to describe the situation, one cannot use such evaluations
as "=" or "+-". The system suggested by Bronstein (for instance: White has 40%
chances to win) applies better.} f5 $2 ({However, if my analysis below is
correct, we can safely consider this move the decissive mistake. Bacrot's
desire to obtain some counterplay in the centre is entirely understandable,
but allowing the enemy pawn to advance to the seventh rank is hardly a wise
idea. Black should have adopted a waiting strategy with, say,} 40... Kf8 {
followed by ...Rb2, in order to cross White's plan of transferring the king to
the other wing.}) 41. Rd7+ $1 Kf6 42. b7 fxe4 43. fxe4 g5 {#Obviously the only
chance for survival. Black tries to get rid of one more weakness before
activating his king.} 44. g3 $2 ({A very "cooperative" answer. By allowing the
king side to be blocked, White leaves his king in a very passive situation.
True,} 44. Kh3 {does not seem to suffice for an advantage after} gxh4 45. Kxh4
Rxe4+ 46. Kxh5 Rb4 47. g4 Ke6 $1 ({It is best to question the stability of the
white rook along the seventh rank at once. In case of the careless} 47... e4 $2
{White gets winning chances with} 48. g5+ Ke6 49. Rc7 Kd6 50. Rf7 {
when 50...Ke6 can be answered with 51.g6 already, while} e3 {loses to} 51. Rf3)
48. Rc7 Kd6 49. Rf7 Ke6 50. Rh7 {and now that the rook has no access to the
first rank, the advance of the e-pawn with} e4 {ensures a draw.}) ({However, Ka
msky missed the possibility of changing the course of the game to his favour
with} 44. Rd6+ $1 {. Play becomes very interesting now.} Kg7 ({
The only good square for the king.} 44... Ke7 $2 {loses immediately to} 45. Rh6
gxh4 46. Rh8 $1) (44... Kf7 {is not much better because of} 45. Rh6 Kg7 46.
Rxh5 gxh4 47. Rxe5 Rxb7 48. Kh3 {
, leaving White with two sound extra-pawns. In case of} Rb2 {
the simplest answer is} 49. Kxh4 $1 {since} Rxg2 {
leads to a winning pawn ending after} 50. Rg5+ $1) {For a long time I have
oriented my analytical efforts in the following direction:} 45. hxg5 $6 Rxb7
46. Re6 Rb3 $3 ({This move, suggested by Levente Vajda, prevents the
activation of the white king at the cost of a second pawn. Passive defence
with} 46... Rb5 $2 {would lead Black to defeat after} 47. Kh3 Kf7 48. Rf6+ Kg7
49. Rf5 Kg6 50. Kh4 Ra5 51. g4 $1 hxg4 52. Kxg4 Rb5 53. Rf6+ Kg7 54. Kf5 {
when Black is too passive to put up any resistence.}) 47. g3 Re3 $1 {Forcing th
e enemy rook tocapture on e5 and allow the activation of the black king.} 48.
Rxe5 Kg6 49. Kh3 ({With the deadly threat of Kh4 followed by Re6. I could not
find a way to strengthen White's position after} 49. Kg2 Ra3 50. Kf2 Rb3) 49...
Re1 $1 50. g4 {Apparently, White has managed to get rid of his weakness and
can count on converting his material advantage.} Rg1 $1 {However, this simple
move (once again suggested by Vajda) leads to an easy draw after} 51. Re6+ $5 (
{The last chance.} 51. gxh5+ Kxh5 {followed by ...Rxg5is just too simple.})
51... Kxg5 52. Re5+ Kf4 53. Rxh5 {and now the simplest way to a draw is} Rg3+
$1 {followed by 54...Rxg4,but not 53...Rxg4?? 54.Rf5, winning the rook.}) ({
Quite dissapointing, is it not? However, after} 44. Rd6+ Kg7 {
White can do better with} 45. Re6 $1 Rxb7 46. Rxe5 gxh4 47. Rxh5 {. The endings
with the e- and g-pawns are generally winning if White's pieces are placed
favourably, but recquire a lot of technical effort in any case. Here, Black
can complicate matters a bit by the radical activation of his forces with} Kg6
48. Rxh4 Kg5 49. Kh3 Rb3+ 50. g3 Rb2 $1 ({
Cutting the retreat of the white king.} 50... Re3 51. Kg2 {
should not be a problem for White.}) 51. Rg4+ $1 (51. Rf4 $2 Re2 $1 {leads to a
curious position of mutual zugzwang. If he is to move, White cannot win!#} {
For instance, if he tries to lose a tempo with} 52. Rg4+ Kh5 53. Rh4+ {
Black has the accurate} Kg6 $1 {maintaining White in zugzwang.}) 51... Kh5 (
51... Kf6 52. Rf4+ Ke5 53. Kg4 {is just hopeless.}) 52. Rf4 Re2 ({
Relatively best. If} 52... Kg5 {then} 53. Rf5+ Kg6 54. Kg4 {
with a harmonious position for White.}) 53. g4+ $1 Kg5 54. Rf5+ Kh6 $5 {
(Playing for zugzwang again.)} 55. e5 Re3+ 56. Kg2 $1 ({Only not} 56. Kh4 $2 {
when} Kg6 {leads to another mutual zugzwang, quite similar to the previous.#})
56... Kg6 57. Kf2 Ra3 58. Rf3 {and White starts making progress. I do not know
whether Nalimov databases have been built for R + 2Ps vs. R and in any case do
not have them! Besides, I find myself somewhere in the middle of the nature,
together with my team mates, preparing for the Olympiad, which makes the task
of finding "digital help" on this matter quite impossible. However, I hope
that the "analogical" analysis presented above is accurate enough. Simplifying
a bit the matters, I would say that 44.Rd6+ would have won, although Black's
position seems easier to play from practical point of view. After Kamsky's
move, the position is dead drawn, but easier to play for White!! In any case,
the winner is always right...}) 44... Rb2+ 45. Kg1 gxh4 46. gxh4 Ke6 47. Rh7
Kd6 48. Rxh5 ({White has to abandon his b-pawn. In case of} 48. Kf1 Kc5 $1 {
Black's conterplay is sufficient for an immediate draw, for instance:} 49. Rxh5
Rxb7 50. Rxe5+ Kd4) 48... Rxb7 49. Kg2 Rb4 50. Kf3 Rb1 51. Rg5 Ke6 52. h5 Rf1+
53. Ke2 Rf4 54. Ke3 Rh4 55. Rf5 Rh3+ 56. Kf2 Rh4 57. Kf3 Rh3+ 58. Kg4 Re3 59.
h6 Rxe4+ 60. Kg5 Re1 61. Rf6+ {#} Kd5 $6 ({Black creates himself unnecessary
problems. By keeping the king on a defensive position with} 61... Ke7 $1 {
he would have obtained an easy draw, because the h-pawn is not dangerous.}) 62.
h7 Rg1+ 63. Kh6 Ke4 64. Rf8 $1 ({Winning an important tempo over} 64. h8=Q Rh1+
) 64... Rh1+ 65. Kg6 Rxh7 66. Kxh7 {
White has won the enemy rook, but the e-pawn is not easy to stop.} Kd3 67. Rd8+
Ke3 68. Kg6 e4 69. Kf5 Kf3 70. Rh8 e3 71. Rh3+ Kf2 72. Kf4 e2 73. Rh2+ Kf1 74.
Kf3 {#} e1=N+ {Obviously forced. Black has to promote the pawn with check in
order to avoid getting mated. The ending with R vs. N is considered by theory
to be easily drawn, but I know from my own experience that things are not that
rosy in practice. After a while of moving around with the pieces, the
defending side risks losing the automatisms and starting to fear ghosts. The
further course of the game seems to sustain my point of view.} 75. Kg3 Nd3 76.
Rd2 Ne1 77. Rf2+ Kg1 78. Rf8 Ng2 79. Kf3 {#} Kf1 $2 ({
Only five moves have passed and Black already commits a decisive error.} 79...
Nh4+ $1 $11 {would have maintained things under control.}) 80. Kg3+ $2 {
Kindly returning the favour.} Kg1 81. Kf3 Kf1 $2 82. Rf7 $1 ({
Finally hitting on the right track.} 82. Rf6 {
would have been just as good, too.}) 82... Ne1+ (82... Nh4+ {
loses the knight to the discovered check} 83. Kg3+) 83. Ke3+ Kg1 84. Ke2 Ng2
85. Rh7 {Black is in zugzwang now.} Nf4+ 86. Kf3 {Finally, the knight has been
isolated from the own king, which is the start of a tragic end.} Nd3 87. Rh4
Ne5+ {#} 88. Ke2 $2 ({Humanly speaking, it is hard to believe that this move
is letting the win slip away, but this is what the computer thinks. Apparently,
} 88. Ke3 $1 {is the correct move, for instance} Kg2 89. Re4 Nd7 90. Kf4 Kf2
91. Rc4 Nb6 92. Rd4 {(safely trapping the knight.)} Ke2 93. Ke4 {and Black has
to retreat with the king, allowing Kd3 followed by the capture of the knight.})
88... Kg2 89. Re4 {#} Nf7 $2 ({Apparently, Black could have saved the day with
} 89... Nd7 $11 {, although it is not easy to believe that, either.}) 90. Re7
Nd6 91. Rg7+ Kh3 92. Kf3 {Now, the black king is in danger, too.} Kh4 93. Kf4
Kh5 94. Re7 ({Here,} 94. Rc7 $1 {would have made the win shorter, for instance}
Ne8 95. Re7 {#} Nd6 ({or} 95... Nf6 96. Kf5 Ng8 97. Rh7+ Nh6+ 98. Kf6 {
and Black loses the knight because of zugzwang.}) 96. Re5+ Kh4 97. Re6 {
(Threatening mate in one and attacking the knight at the same time.)} Nf7 98.
Rf6 {and Black cannot move the knight because of mate.}) 94... Nc4 95. Re6 Nd2
96. Rc6 Nb3 97. Ke3 {
#It's all over now. The knight has been trapped and will perish without glory.}
Kg4 98. Rc4+ Kg3 99. Rc3 Na5 100. Ke4+ Kf2 101. Kd5 Nb7 102. Rb3 Nd8 103. Rb8
1-0

