Amber Rapid & Blindfold: Day 5
The old Topalov is back! By this I don't mean the 2004-2006 edition that won almost everything in sight, but the Topalov of the previous decade: a strong, aggressive player with a habit of losing brilliant games.* Today's rapid loss to Kramnik (these bosom buddies drew the blindfold game) doesn't go into the immortal game category, but it was a spectacular display of power chess by the newest member of the ex-world champion club.
Morozevich's win over Anand in the blindfold game was almost as spectacular, and possibly a better game overall, a real demolition job from the White side of a Meran Semi-Slav. Unfortunately for him, Anand extracted his revenge in the rapid game. Anand was starting to outplay his opponent, but when Moro dropped a pawn and then blundered a piece on successive moves, it was effectively over.
In the battle between two of the three co-leaders entering the round (Topalov was the third), Ivanchuk got nothing against Aronian's Marshall Gambit in the blindfold game, and then Aronian won the rapid game in an unusual Queen's Gambit.
In kiddom, Carlsen kept a half point lead over Karjakin, as both won their matches 1.5-.5; Carlsen over Gelfand and Karjakin over van Wely. Finally, the sixth match saw Leko defeat Mamedyarov 1.5-.5, putting him in a giant tie for second place in the overall standings.
Leading Blindfold Standings after Round 5:
1. Carlsen 3.5
2-5. Ivanchuk, Kramnik, Morozevich, Topalov 3
Leading Rapid Standings after Round 5:
1. Aronian 4
2. Anand 3.5
3. Leko 3
Leading Overall Standings:
1. Aronian 6.5
2-7. Kramnik, Topalov, Anand, Ivanchuk, Leko, Carlsen 5.5
All the games can be replayed on the tournament site, while Kramnik's and Morozevich's wins can be viewed here, with my comments.
* There's a long list of games to choose from, but have a look at his losses to Karpov and especially Bareev in Linares 1994, the ...Bh3!! game against Shirov from Linares 1998, to Ivanchuk in Linares 1999, his blindfold loss to Kramnik from the 2003 Amber tournament, and above all the famous game with Kasparov in Wijk aan Zee 1999.
Morozevich's win over Anand in the blindfold game was almost as spectacular, and possibly a better game overall, a real demolition job from the White side of a Meran Semi-Slav. Unfortunately for him, Anand extracted his revenge in the rapid game. Anand was starting to outplay his opponent, but when Moro dropped a pawn and then blundered a piece on successive moves, it was effectively over.
In the battle between two of the three co-leaders entering the round (Topalov was the third), Ivanchuk got nothing against Aronian's Marshall Gambit in the blindfold game, and then Aronian won the rapid game in an unusual Queen's Gambit.
In kiddom, Carlsen kept a half point lead over Karjakin, as both won their matches 1.5-.5; Carlsen over Gelfand and Karjakin over van Wely. Finally, the sixth match saw Leko defeat Mamedyarov 1.5-.5, putting him in a giant tie for second place in the overall standings.
Leading Blindfold Standings after Round 5:
1. Carlsen 3.5
2-5. Ivanchuk, Kramnik, Morozevich, Topalov 3
Leading Rapid Standings after Round 5:
1. Aronian 4
2. Anand 3.5
3. Leko 3
Leading Overall Standings:
1. Aronian 6.5
2-7. Kramnik, Topalov, Anand, Ivanchuk, Leko, Carlsen 5.5
All the games can be replayed on the tournament site, while Kramnik's and Morozevich's wins can be viewed here, with my comments.
* There's a long list of games to choose from, but have a look at his losses to Karpov and especially Bareev in Linares 1994, the ...Bh3!! game against Shirov from Linares 1998, to Ivanchuk in Linares 1999, his blindfold loss to Kramnik from the 2003 Amber tournament, and above all the famous game with Kasparov in Wijk aan Zee 1999.
Posted by Dennis Monokroussos on
Thursday March 20, 2008 at 6:29pm
I'm not even kidding. ;)