Nanjing R5: Topalov beats Svidler, joins leaders

by ChessBase
12/15/2008 – The top seed Veselin Topalov beat Peter Svidler in an Exchange Grünfeld after a novelty on move 13. With that the Bulgarian GM joins Levon Aronian and Bu Xiangzhi in the lead at the Pearl Spring Chess Tournament in Nanjing, China. All three have 3.0/5 points. Vassily Ivanchuk vs Sergei Movsesian and Levon Aronian vs Bu Xiangzhi were both drawn. Full illustrated report.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

2008 Pearl Spring Chess Tournament, Nanjing, China

Round 5: Monday, 15 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
1-0
 Peter Svidler
Levon Aronian 
½-½
 Bu Xiangzhi
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
 Sergei Movsesian

Topalov,V (2791) - Svidler,P (2727) [D86]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (5), 15.12.2008
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0 10.0-0 Bd7 11.Rb1 Qc7 12.Bd3 Rfd8 13.h3. A new move by Topalov. Two years ago Berkes played 13.Qc1 and beat Sutovsky in 49 moves. 13...Be8 14.d5 Ne5 15.c4 e6 16.Nf4 Rab8 17.Be2 Rd6 18.Qc2 Ra6

19.Rb5! A fine exchange sacrifice advocated Rybka 3 in a couple of minutes. White wants the pawn on c5. 19...Bf8. Black does not dare to accept the offering. 20.a4. Topalov insists, and 20...Bxb5 Svidler acquiesces, unlike our chess engines, which want to leave the rook alone. 21.cxb5 Rd6 22.Qc3 Bg7 23.Qxc5 Rc8 24.Qxa7 b6 25.Qxc7 Rxc7. Now White has a bishop and two pawns for his rook. 26.Rd1

26...Bf6? Black was in considerable trouble, but this speeds his demise. 27.dxe6 Rxd1+ 28.Bxd1 fxe6 29.Bb3 and Black resigned, since there is no plausible way for him to defend his b6 and e6 pawns. 1-0.


Veselin Topalov on his way to a first win in Nanjing

Ivanchuk,V (2786) - Movsesian,S (2732) [B80]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (5), 15.12.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be3 Nc6 7.f4 a6 8.Qf3 Qa5 9.Bd3 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 e5 11.Be3 exf4 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.Qxf4 Be6 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.0-0-0 Be6 17.Rhe1 Be7 18.Bc3 0-0-0 19.Kb1 Kb8 20.g3 h5 21.Bxg7 Rhg8 22.Bf6 Rg4 23.Qf2 Bxf6 24.Qxf6 Rc8 25.Bf5 Ra4 26.a3 Ra5 27.Bxe6 Qxc2+ 28.Ka2 fxe6 29.Rc1 Qf5 30.Rxc8+ Kxc8 31.Rxe6 Qd5+ 32.Ka1 Qd1+ 33.Ka2 Qd5+ 34.Ka1 Qd1+ 35.Ka2 1/2-1/2.


Vassily Ivanchuk in his round five game in Nanjing

Aronian,L (2757) - Bu Xiangzhi (2714) [D17]
Pearl Spring Nanjing CHN (5), 15.12.2008
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 11.Bg2 g5 12.Bxe5 Nxe5 13.Qd4 f6 14.0-0-0 Rd8 15.Qe3 Be7 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.Rd1+ Kc8 18.Be4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 h5 20.Ne3 Kb8 21.Qf5 Rd8 22.f4 Rxd1+ 23.Kxd1 Qb6 24.Qe6 Qxe3 25.Qxe7 Qd4+ 26.Kc2 gxf4 27.Qxf6 f3 28.exf3 Qd3+ 29.Kb3 Nxf3 30.Ka2 a6 31.Qf8+ Ka7 32.Qc5+ Kb8 33.Qxh5 Qc4+ 34.Ka1 Qf1+ 35.Nb1 Qf2 36.Qf5 Ka7 37.Qf4 c5 38.h4 Qe2 39.Qf8 Qe3 40.h5 Ne1 41.Qf5 Qc1 42.h6 Nc2+ 43.Ka2 Nb4+ 44.Ka1 Nc2+ 45.Ka2 Nb4+ 46.Ka1 1/2-1/2.


Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi

Standings after five rounds


Schedule and results

First half

Round 1: Thursday, 11 December 2008
Levon Aronian 
½-½
 Veselin Topalov
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
 Peter Svidler
Sergei Movsesian 
0-1
 Bu Xiangzhi
Round 2: Friday, 12 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
½-½
 Bu Xiangzhi
Peter Svidler 
0-1
 Sergei Movsesian
Levon Aronian 
1-0
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Round 3: Saturday, 13 December 2008
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
 Veselin Topalov
Sergei Movsesian 
½-½
 Levon Aronian
Bu Xiangzhi 
½-½
 Peter Svidler
Round 4: Sunday, 14 December 2008
Sergei Movsesian 
½-½
 Veselin Topalov
Bu Xiangzhi 
½-½
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Peter Svidler 
½-½
 Levon Aronian
Round 5: Monday, 15 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
1-0
 Peter Svidler
Levon Aronian 
½-½
 Bu Xiangzhi
Vassily Ivanchuk 
½-½
 Sergei Movsesian

Second half

Round 6: Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
-
 Levon Aronian
Peter Svidler 
-
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Bu Xiangzhi 
-
 Sergei Movsesian
Games – Report
Round 7: Thursday, 18 December 2008
Bu Xiangzhi 
-
 Veselin Topalov
Sergei Movsesian 
-
 Peter Svidler
Vassily Ivanchuk 
-
 Levon Aronian
Games – Report
Round 8: Friday, 19 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
-
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Levon Aronian 
-
 Sergei Movsesian
Peter Svidler 
-
 Bu Xiangzhi
Games – Report
Round 9: Saturday, 20 December 2008
Peter Svidler 
-
 Veselin Topalov
Bu Xiangzhi 
-
 Levon Aronian
Sergei Movsesian 
-
 Vassily Ivanchuk
Games – Report
Round 10: Sunday, 21 December 2008
Veselin Topalov 
-
 Sergei Movsesian
Vassily Ivanchuk 
-
 Bu Xiangzhi
Levon Aronian 
-
 Peter Svidler
Games – Report

Links

The games will be being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register