Jonathan Speelman
Sunday November 18, 2007
The Observer
The "Chess Champions League - Playing for a Better World" tournament took place in Vitoria Gasteiz in Spain from November 1st to 15th.
This six player double rounder was originally conceived as consisting solely of ex-world champions plus Judit Polgar. Unfortunately, however, on the very eve of the tournament, Alexander Khalifman had to go into hospital (I still don't have many more details) and was replaced by Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu. Nevertheless, since Nisipeanu is currently rated above Khalifman this didn't affect the strength of a very powerful event which contained (in current rating order) Veselin Topalov, Polgar herself, Ruslan Ponomariov, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, Anatoly Karpov and Nisipeanu.
They were "Playing for a Better World" by raising funds to send equipment to a Hospital in Mbuji-Mayi, one of the poorest regions in the Congo and a number of charity side events took place alongside. The Moscow Orchestra played at the opening and appeared several times during the tournament. There were auctions of fashion items from Madrid and items from Spanish sportsmen including Rafael Nadal. While the chess players themselves helped with Topalov donating his World Junior Championship gold medal from Puerto Rico 1989.When battle got underway on Friday November 2nd, Nisipeanu was still on his way and his first round game with Kasimdzhanov was postponed until the second rest day on November 8th. The tournament table therefore remained incomplete for a week but it was clear from early on that Ponomariov, Polgar and Topalov were close to the top, Nisipeanu in the middle and the other two in bad shape.
With three rounds to go, Ponomariov led by a full point but Topalov then began a charge defeating first Nisipeanu (below) and then Ponomariov himself to lead by half a point before the final round.
Topalov still had to negotiate Black against Polgar, against whom he'd blundered catastrophically in their first game as White. He did so with style, winning a good game. Meanwhile Ponomariov lost to Kasimdzhanov to leave Topalov well clear on 7/10 ahead of Ponomariov 5.5, Nisipeanu and Polgar 5; Kasimdzhanov 4.5 and Karpov 3.
This tough game fluctuated constantly before Topalov finally emerged victorious.
Veselin Topalov v Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
Vitoria Gasteiz 2007 (round 8)
Queen's Gambit Accepted
1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 e4 This is one of the most critical lines with oodles of theory.
3...e5 4 Nf3 exd4 5 Bxc4 Nc6 6 0-0 Be6 7 Bb5 7 Bxe6 fxe6 8 Qb3 has also been played many times.
7...Bc5 8 b4 Bb6 9 a4 a6 10 Bxc6+ bxc6 11 Bb2 Nf6 12 a5 Ba7 13 Nbd2 Both 13 Bxd4 and Nxd4 had been played previously with immediate melees which are supposed to be reasonable for Black. Instead this new move maintains the tension. Topalov agrees to remain a pawn down for the moment but has much the better pawn structure.
13...0-0 14 Qc2 Ng4?! Presumably played with the intention of answering 15 h3 with Ne3. However then 16 fxe3 dxe3 17 Nb3 e2+ 18 Rf2 looks rather better for White and Nisipeanu thought better of it. 15 h3 does weaken g3 but the loss of tempo is surely more important.
15 h3 Nf6 16 Ne5 Bd7 17 Rfe1 Not 17 Nxc6? d3! 18 Qc3 Bxc6 19 Qxc6 Bd4 when Black has jumped out.
17...Qe7 18 Ndf3 c5 19 bxc5 Qxc5 20 Qd2 Qe7 21 Ba3 c5 22 Qxd4! Regaining the pawn. 22...cxd4 23 Bxe7 now drops the exchange but as played Black is quite active after the bishop goes to b5.
22...Bb5 23 Qc3 Rfd8 24 Bb2
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Black to play)
Veselin Topalov (White)
24...Nh5?! It was very hard to judge in the heat of battle but 24...c4 was better since if 25 Ng4 Rd3 26 Nxf6+ gxf6! (26...Qxf6?! 27 Qxd3) 27 Qc1 c3! 28 Bxc3 Qd6! (not 28...Rc8? 29 Bxf6) there are threats not only along the c file but also against the White king - ...Rxf3 followed by ...Qg3+.
25 Nc4 Rab8 26 Ne3! Seizing the initiative. Nisipeanu decided he wanted a pawn for his pains.
26...Qxe4 27 Ng4 Qg6 Black's defence is very difficult here and within a few moves, Topalov was all over him.
28 Nh4 Qd3 29 Qe5 Qd5 30 Nh6+ Kh8 31 Qe7 Bc4 32 Rad1 A sensible practical decision. With so many loose pieces the queen is rampant though in fact after 32 N4f5! Qd7 33 Bxg7+ Nxg7 34 Qf6 Rg8 35 Rad1 White should win quickly.
32...Qxd1 33 Rxd1 Rxd1+ 34 Kh2 Ra8 35 N4f5 35 Nxf7+ Bxf7 36 Qxf7 Bb8+ 37 g3 Bxg3+ 38 fxg3 Rd2+ 39 Ng2 Rxb2 40 Qxh5 ought to be winning.
35...f6 36 f4 Missing a clear win with 36 Ng3! Nxg3 37 fxg3! (threatening 38 B or indeed Qxf6) 37...Rf1 38 Qe4
36...Bd5 37 Nf7+ And here 37 37 Qe2! Rb1 38 Qxh5 Rxb2 39 Nf7+ was clean.
37...Bxf7 38 Qxf7 c4 39 Qxh5 Bg1+ 40 Kg3 Rd3+ Reaching the time control in a real mess. It's more than possible that Topalov wasn't certain how many moves had been played after such excitement but in any case his 41st move was a mistake.
41 Kg4? It should go to h4 when ...Bf2+ is met by g3.
41...Rf8 42 Ne7 Natural but apparently 42 Kh4 was still correct, answering 42...c3 with 43 Qe2! Rd5 44 Ba3
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Black to play)
Veselin Topalov (White)
42...Bf2? The final mistake, After 42...f5+! 43 Nxf5 c3 it would remain hugely unclear. One crucial line is 44 Qg5 Bd4 45 Nxd4 cxb2 46 Qe7 h5+! 47 Kxh5 Rb8 48 Nf5 Rg3!! 49 Nxg3 b1=Q with chaos though White's king looks safer than Black's.
43 Ng6+ Kg8 44 Ne7+ Kh8 45 Ng6+ Kg8 46 Nxf8 Rg3+47 Kf5 g6+ 48 Nxg6 hxg6+ 49 Qxg6+ Rxg6 50 Kxg6 Be1 51 Bxf6 Now after 51...c3 52 f5 c2 (or 52...Bd2 53 Be7) 53 Bg5 wins so Nisipeanu surrendered.
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