Corus 2008 live commentary with GM Dimitrov
Corus LIVE commentary now!
Adams – Carlsen / Polgar – Topalov / Smeets – Cheparinov
Corus 2008 commented games
Round 1: Mamedyarov Carlsen / Aronian – Topalov / Spoelman – Cheparinov / Peng – Caruana
Round 2: Topalov – Ivanchuk / Kramnik – Radjabov / Cheparinov – Movsesian
Corus 2008 pgn, photos, and more
General Corus 2008 page/ TWIC pgn / Chessvibes video / Corus photos / TotoScacco
Corus special offer
Impove your chess skills with the CCA coaches! 16 IM/GM classes for 50 eur signup and info
PGN Polgar Topalov
Copy the text below in your pgn reader
{In this tournament Veselin’s start was once again a bit of a disappointment, but he is a great fighter and is to be expected to achieve a comeback. His games against Polgar tend to be very complicated so we may hope to witness another spectacular encounter among them.}
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.a4
{Topalov chose his pet Najdorf Variation in Sicilian Defense. In such lines Polgar usually goes for queen-side castling but this time decides to play in a more solid manner instead.}
8…h6 9.a5 Be6 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Bg4
{After the official theory this position favors White, but no doubt, Veselin has other opinion.}
12.Ra4 Bxf3
{Polgar has to decide: 13.Qxf3 Qxc2 14.Rc4 gives strong compensation for the pawn, but is risky, while 13.gxf3 compromises the pawn structure.}
13.Qxf3 Nd7
{Ignoring the poisoned pawn.}
14.Bd3 g6 15.Qg3
{Now after 15…Nc5 16.Bxc5 Qxc5 17.O-O Black has difficulties – 17…Bg7? 18.Bxg6, while 15…Bg7 16.O-O O-O gives White attacking possibilities.}
15…Nc5 16.Bxc5 dxc5 17.f4
{Aimed against the plan Bd6 and O-O-O.}
17…exf4
(17…O-O-O){ deserved attention as well.}
18.Qxf4
(18.Re4 Kd7 19.Rxf4 Re8)
18…Qxf4 19.Rxf4 Bd6 20.Re4+ Kf8 21.O-O Kg7 22.Rfe1 Rhd8
{The position is completely equal.}
23.Bc4 Rd7 24.Bb3 Kf8 25.Ba4 {25.Rh4 was preferable.}
25…Re7 26.Rxe7 Bxe7 27.Re3 c4 28.Rc3 Rc8 29.b3 Rc5 30.Rxc4 Rxa5 31.Rc8+ Kg7 32.Rc7 {Furthermore simplifying the position. Topalov achieved some activity at the cost of reduction of material.} 32…Bd6 33.Rxb7 Rxd5 34.b4 h5 35.Bb3 Rf5 36.g3 Be5 37.Kg2 Bd4 38.Rd7 Rf2+ 39.Kg1 Bb6 40.Rb7 Rf6+ 41.Kg2 Bd4 42.Rd7 Bc3
{This ending is dead draw but true to his fighting spirit Veselin is looking for a way to create problems for his opponent.} 43.b5 axb5 44.Rd3 b4 45.Rf3 Rxf3
