Corus Wijk aan Zee, 14-29 Jan 2006
Last Edited:
Friday September 1, 2006 2:25 PM
Round 2: Briton Defeats World Champion!
Round 2 (2006.01.15)
Adams, Michael - Topalov, Veselin 1-0 42 B85 Sicilian
Bacrot, Etienne - Tiviakov, Sergei 1-0 41 B37 Sicilian
Anand, Viswanathan - Aronian, Levon 1/2 66 C88 Ruy Lopez
Van Wely, Loek - Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar 1/2 49 E91 Kings Indian Classical
Kamsky, Gata - Gelfand, Boris 1-0 41 D17 Slav defence
Leko, Peter - Kariakin, Sergey 1/2 29 B90 Sicilian Najdorf
Sokolov, Ivan - Ivanchuk, Vassily 0-1 73 E12 Queen's indian
Wijk aan Zee (NED), I 2006 cat. XIX (2716)
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Positions after Round 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
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1 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2729 * . . . . . . . . 1 . . . 1 2.0
2 Adams, Michael g ENG 2707 . * . . . 1 . . . . = . . . 1.5 2928
3 Bacrot, Etienne g FRA 2717 . . * . = . . . . . 1 . . . 1.5 2882
4 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2792 . . . * . . . . . = . . 1 . 1.5 2899
5 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2709 . . = . * . = . . . . . . . 1.0 2682
6 Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2801 . 0 . . . * . 1 . . . . . . 1.0 2696
7 Van Wely, Loek g NED 2647 . . . . = . * . . . . . . = 1.0 2699
8 Kamsky, Gata g USA 2686 . . . . . 0 . * . . . 1 . . 1.0 2762
9 Leko, Peter g HUN 2740 . . . . . . . . * . . = = . 1.0 2691
10 Aronian, Levon g ARM 2752 0 . . = . . . . . * . . . . 0.5 2567
11 Tiviakov, Sergei g NED 2669 . = 0 . . . . . . . * . . . 0.5 2519
12 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2723 . . . . . . . 0 = . . * . . 0.5 2520
13 Kariakin, Sergey g UKR 2660 . . . 0 . . . . = . . . * . 0.5 2573
14 Sokolov, Ivan g NED 2689 0 . . . . . = . . . . . . * 0.5 2495
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Steve Giddins reports direct from Wijk aan Zee
 Down
the years, it is not often that an Englishman has beaten a reigning world
champion. I can think of Blackburne, Penrose, Miles, Short and Adams,
which I think is the lot (any offers, readers? - ed). Today, Mickey
Adams repeated the feat and became the first player to beat Topalov since
the latter won the FIDE world title at San Luís a few months ago.
The game is analysed in detail below, but suffice it to say that there
was no element of luck about it, with the Bulgarian's Scheveningen Sicilian
being put to the sword in emphatic fashion, after a couple of serious
middlegame errors. As the sole Englishman in the press room here, it certainly
is nice to have something to cheer about, and makes up for the ignominy
of having two Dutchmen in the final of the world darts championship!
In the day's other games, Kamsky-Gelfand saw the "old main line
Slav", which was extensively tested in the Euwe-Alekhine world championship
matches of the 1930s. Kamsky's somewhat unusual 11 Qc1 was met by the
equally unusual reply 11...g6, the only previous example of which I can
find was a game Schekachev - Shirov, French League 2004. Kamsky's 14 a5
looks more purposeful than Schekachev's 14 Rd1, and after Black exchanged
pawns on a6, he was soon in trouble and surrendered the exchange for what
surely must have been inadequate compensation. However, Kamsky failed
to achieve anything better than a Q v R+N ending, with all pawns on one
side. Black may have had drawing chances had he played 31...h5, but in
desperate time-trouble, he allowed White to make progress on the K-side,
and then blundered outright on move 38.
Leko-Kariakin showed that the youngster had learned something from his
hammering at the hands of Anand yesterday, as today he played the Black
side of the same Najdorf variation as he had played as White against Vishy!
Leko's novelty 21 dxe6, sacrificing queen for rook and minor piece, did
not seem terribly impressive and he was soon using large amounts of time
on the clock before agreeing a draw on move 29. After the game, Leko seemed
rather annoyed at failing to achieve any significant advantage, but his
various attempts to improve did not lead to anything and it looks as though
Black has no real problems after the queen sacrifice.
Van Wely-Mamedyarov fought out an interesting King's Indian sideline,
where Black's early b5 pawn sacrifice led to a Benko-style position. Black
always seemed comfortable, and after regaining his pawn, even had slightly
the better chances in the rook ending, although a draw always looked like
being the result.
Bacrot-Tiviakov saw the 5-time French champion secure an edge against
the latter's favourite Maroczy Bind Sicilian. Tiviakov has great experience
in such positions, but here he tired of his passive position a little
too soon and broke out with f7-f5 prematurely. The additional weaknesses
thus created made his task increasingly difficult, and Bacrot handled
the position very nicely, netting the exchange and then wrapping things
up with the neat move 35 Rd5!
Vishy Anand will be disappointed with his day's work. He outplayed Aronian
in a slow Lopez position, and even won a pawn, but was unable to convert
the ending. Sergey Shipov, commentating live on the Russian Chesspro site,
suggested that White should perhaps not have been in such a hurry to take
the pawn, but should have preferred 35 Re1. Anand's choice allowed Black
to activate his pieces after 35...e4, and Aronian thereafter secured enough
play to hold the half point.
The longest game of the day was Sokolov-Ivanchuk, where some original
opening play by the latter secured the advantage of the bishop pair, whilst
the Black king's position in the centre was no significant handicap. However,
as both players ran very short of time, Sokolov looked to have turned
the tables with the tactical trick 21 Nxf6. He should have been able to
draw but, after (presumably) missing the subtle manoeuvre Bc3-g7, he was
forced to shed a pawn to extract his errant steed, and was thereafter
ground down.
Adams - Topalov [B85]
Corus Wijk aan Zee A Group round 2
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Be2 e6 7 0-0 Be7
8 a4 Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 f4 Qc7 11 Kh1 Re8 12 Bf3 Bf8 13 Qd2
The first deviation from the game between the same two players at the
recent FIDE world championship event in San Luís. Then, Adams preferred
13 Nb3, but despite giving Topalov a few problems, he could only draw.
13 ..Na5!?
13 ..e5 has been played against Adams by Vishy Anand..
14 b3 Rb8 15 Rad1 Nc6?!
Adams considered 15 ..b6!? to be a more logical follow-up to Black's
previous move, intending to put the bishop on b7. White does not seem
to have anything special after 16 e5 dxe5 17 fxe5 Nd7.
16 Bf2
The bishop is on its way to h4 in many variations, eg. 16 ..Bd7 17 Bh4
Be7 18 Nde2 Nxe4 19 Nxe4 Bxh4 20 Qxd6±. Another line is 16...Nxd4
17 Bxd4 e5, but here too, White is significantly better after 18 Ba7!
Ra8 19 Bf2 exf4 20 Bd4! Be6 21 Qxf4.
16... Nd7 17 Bg3 Nxd4 18 Qxd4 b5 19 axb5
This is necessary, because after 19 e5 dxe5 20 fxe5 bxa4, Black has the
annoying resource Rb4 in many variations.
19 ..axb5 20 b4
Again, 20 e5 does not lead to anything after 20...b4! 21 Ne4 d5 22 Nd6
Bxd6 23 exd6 Qxc2.
20...g6?
A critical moment. Adams felt that Black should accept that he is slightly
worse here and play 20 ..Qc4 21 Qxc4 bxc4 22 b5 Bb7, with a small advantage
to White. The text weakens the K-side and rather asks for trouble.
21 e5 d5?
And this is effectively the decisive mistake. Topalov's post-game suggestion
was 21..Rb6!?, although White's position still looks promising after Adams'
suggestion of something like 22 exd6 Qb8 23 f5 gxf5 24 Qh4.
22 f5! gxf5
From now until the end of the game, Black only ever has a choice of evils.
22...Nb6 23 fxg6 hxg6 24 Nxb5 Qc4 25 Qf2 Qxb5 (or 25...Rb7 26 Nd6 Bxd6
27 exd6 e5 28 d7 +-) 26 Be2 Qd7 27 Bb5 Qe7 28 Bh4+- is one line demonstrated
by Adams after the game, as also is 22...Qc4 23 fxe6 fxe6 24 Nxd5! Qxd4
25 Rxd4 exd5 26 Bxd5+ Kh8 27 e6+-.
23 Nxd5! Qc4
24 Qd2
This is a key moment. Predictably enough, the computer programs are all
hot for taking the material back by 24 Qxc4 bxc4 25 Nf6+ Nxf6 26 exf6+,
when White does indeed appear to be winning. However, there is nothing
wrong with Adams' choice, which continues the attack. Yet another possibility,
pointed out by Adams himself, is 24 Qe3, with the point that the game
defence 24...h6 now loses immediately to 25 Nf6+.
24 ..h6
24 ..Bb7 25 Ne3+- wins a piece, whilst 24...exd5 25 Qg5+ Kh8 26 Bxd5
Qg4 27 Qxg4 fxg4 28 Bxf7+- is also decisive.
25 h3!
Another move which evades the computer's attention, and a very classy
choice it is too. White realises that Black has no useful moves, so he
simply removes the possibility of the black queen coming to g4, whilst
also making luft for his king. 25 Nf6+ Nxf6 26 exf6 e5 is less clear.
25 ..exd5 26 Bxd5 Qxb4 27 c3 Qc5
27 ..Qe7 28 Rxf5 Nb6 29 Bxf7+ Qxf7 30 Rxf7 Kxf7 31 e6+ Bxe6 32 Bxb8 Rxb8
33 Qf4+ is also hopeless.
28 Rxf5 Re6 29 Rxf7 Nb6
29 ..Kxf7 30 Qf4+ wins
30 Rdf1 Nxd5
30 ..Bg7 31 Qf4 Nxd5 32 Qg4 is the main point. After the text, White
exchanges to a winning ending.
31 Rxf8+ Qxf8 32 Rxf8+ Kxf8 33 Qxd5 Ke8 34 Bh4 Bd7 35 Bf6 b4
This makes things even easier, but the position was long gone.
36 Qe4 Bc8 37 cxb4 Rb7 38 Qg6+ Kd7 39 Qxh6 Kc7 40 Qf4 Kb8 41 h4 Rc7
42 h5 1-0
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