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Morelia/Linares Round 12: Carlsen moves back to within half a point of Anand after Topalov blunder

by Mark Crowther with additional notes by IM Malcolm Pein. Photos and videos by Peter Doggers of ChessVibes.

Magnus Carlsen against Veselin Topalov in round 12. Photo © ChessVibes.

Showing his flexibility in opening choices Magnus Carlsen played the English Four Knights against Veselin Topalov in the 12th round. However he quickly found himself at a disadvantage and forced to play aggressively to keep on the board after he lost a pawn. First of all he lost a pawn and then he sacrificed another two but this gave him at least perpetual check. Then Topalov blundered into a mate rather than accepting a perpetual check. This places Carlsen only half a point back from Viswanathan Anand who can't have been very happy with the way things went as a draw would have almost certainly guaranteed him first place, at least shared.

Carlsen,M (2733) - Topalov,V (2780) [A28]
XXV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (12), 04.03.2008
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Carlsen plays a Sicilian Pelikan but with an extra move which is not a serious try for advantage if Black responds sensibly 6...Nb6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a4 a3 would be a Sicilian Najdorf with a move in hand 9...Be6 [9...a5 10.Nb5] 10.Be3 [10.a5 Nd7 11.a6!? (11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bf6 14.Qb4 b6 15.Be3 Be7 16.Qb5 a6 17.Qc6 Ne5 18.Qa4 b5 19.Qc2 Nc4 20.Bf4 f5 21.Rfd1 Qc8 22.b3 Nd6 23.e5 Ne4 24.Nxe4 fxe4 25.Be3 c6 26.f3 Qc7 27.Qc3 exf3 28.Bxf3 Rac8 29.Bb6 Qb8 30.b4 Bd8 31.Bc5 Rf4 32.Rd6 Bf7 33.Qd2 Rc4 34.Re1 Be7 35.Rxc6 Bxc5+ 36.Rxc5 R4xc5 37.bxc5 Rxc5 38.e6 Be8 39.e7 Rc8 40.Bd5+ Kh8 41.Qf2 Bg6 42.Rf1 h6 43.Qf8+ Kh7 44.Bg8+ Kh8 45.Be6+ 1-0 Topel,Z (2085)-Vasilieva,M (2124)/Chisinau MDA 2005/The Week in Chess 555) ] 10...Nd7 11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 c6 14.a5!? Nc5 15.Qe5 Nb3 16.Ra4 Bd6 17.Qh5 g6 18.Qh6 Be5! [Black cannot take the loose pawn yet 18...Nxa5 19.Rd1 Qc7 20.Rxd6 Qxd6 21.Rxa5] 19.Bg5 Qc7 20.Be3 White has misplayed the position so he moves to plan B and plays for an attack on the blackking 20...Nxa5 21.f4 Bg7 22.Qh4 Bb3 23.Rd4!? A creative solution MC 23...Rad8 [23...Bxd4 24.Bxd4 and white has good compensation for the exchange.] 24.e5 Rxd4 25.Bxd4 c5 [25...Nc4 26.f5! Bxe5 27.Bxc4 Bxc4 28.Bxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxc4 wins a piece; 25...Nc4 26.f5 Nxe5 27.f6 is annoying; Perhaps 25...Bc4!? ] 26.Be3 f6! 27.Nb5 Qd8 28.f5! Played after a long think. [White decides to go all in because 28.Bxc5 fxe5 attacking the queen is better for Black] 28...fxe5 29.Bg5 Qb6 30.f6 c4+ 31.Kh1 Qxb5 32.fxg7 Rxf1+ 33.Bxf1= Kxg7 [Black removes the pawn as 33...Qd7 34.Bh6 Nc6 35.Bxc4+ Bxc4 36.Qxc4+ Qf7 37.Qc1 is not totally clear although Black should be fine once he gets his knight to e6 via d8] 34.Bd8!

34...Nc6?? [34...Qd5 35.Bxa5 Qxa5 36.Qe7+ Kh6 37.Qh4+ Kg7 38.Qe7+ draw would have been the logical conclusion] 35.Qf6+ Kg8 [35...Kh6 36.Qf8+ Kh5 37.Be2# mate] 36.Qe6+ Kf8 37.Bg5 [37.Bg5 Kg7 38.Qf6+ Kg8 39.Bh6 and mates] 1-0

Viswanathan Anand against Peter Leko in round 12 Photo © ChessVibes.

Viswanathan Anand played the Anti-Marshall against Peter Leko's Ruy Lopez in round 12 and although he got some pressure, and a pawn, Leko's technique was easily good enough to hold the position.

Anand,V (2799) - Leko,P (2753) [C88]
XXV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (12), 04.03.2008
[Mark Crowther]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 Re8 10.Nc3 h6 11.a3 Bc5 12.Nd5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.c3 Bc5 15.Nxf6+ [15.Ne3 d5 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Qf3 Bxe3 18.Bxe3 Qd6 19.Rad1 Rab8 20.d4 e4 21.Qg3 1/2-1/2 Leko,P (2763)-Adams,M (2719)/Dortmund GER 2005/The Week in Chess 557] 15...Qxf6 16.Be3 d6 17.Bxc5 dxc5 18.Re3 Re7 19.Qh5 Qg5 20.Qxg5 [20.Qe2 Rd8 21.Rg3 Qf4 22.Rg4 Qf6 23.Qe3 Qd6 24.Rf1 Kh7 25.f4 Qxd3 26.Qxc5 Qd6 27.Qxd6 cxd6 28.fxe5 dxe5 29.Bxf7 g5 30.Rf2 Rd3 31.Kh2 Re3 32.Bb3 Kg7 33.Bc2 Rf7 34.Rd2 Re1 35.Rg3 Bc8 36.Bb3 Rff1 37.Rgd3 h5 38.Rd8 Rh1+ 39.Kg3 h4+ 40.Kf3 Rhf1+ 41.Rf2 g4+ 42.hxg4 Bxg4+ 43.Kxg4 Rxf2 44.Kxh4 Rxg2 45.Rg8+ Kf6 46.Rxg2 Rxe4+ 47.Kg3 a5 48.Rf2+ Ke7 49.Kf3 Rh4 50.Re2 Kd6 51.Rd2+ Kc6 52.Bd5+ Kb6 53.Re2 b4 54.axb4 axb4 55.Re4 1-0 Alavkin,A (2466)-Zamruk,A (2389)/Togliatty RUS 2001/The Week in Chess 354] 20...hxg5 21.c4 c6 22.Rg3 Rd8 23.Rc1 b4 24.axb4 cxb4 25.c5 a5 26.Ra1 Ba6 27.Rxa5 Bxd3 28.Rxg5 Kh7!

Black still has to be a bit careful here. [28...Bxe4 29.Rg4 Bd5 30.Rxb4; 28...Rd4 29.Ra8+ Kh7 30.Re8] 29.Rg4 Be2 30.Rg3 Rd2 31.Ba4 Rc7 32.Rb3 Rd1+ 33.Kh2 Rd4 34.Re3 Rd2 35.b3 Ra2 36.Ra8 Bb5 37.Rb8 Black has taken things to equality. 1/2-1/2

Alexei Shirov against Levon Aronian in round 12. Photo © ChessVibes.

Alexei Shirov faced the Ruy Lopez Marshall Gambit against Levon Aronian in round 12 and he used the same quiet line he used against Peter Leko in round 10. They went straight into an endgame where although white is a pawn up the winning chances did look fairly limited for him. However he took the position a long way towards a win. He promoted a pawn to an extra knight to produce a highly unusual ending but he probably erred in allowing Aronian to take one of his pawns after which a draw always seemed more likely. A very interesting ending.

Shirov,A (2755) - Aronian,L (2739) [C89]
XXV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (12), 04.03.2008
[Mark Crowther]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d3 Bd6 13.Re1 Bf5 14.Qf3 Qh4 15.g3 Qh3 16.Bxd5 cxd5 17.Qxd5 Rad8 18.Qg2 Qxg2+ 19.Kxg2 Bxd3 20.Be3 Rfe8 21.Nd2 b4 22.Bb6 Rxe1 23.Rxe1 Rb8 24.Ba5 bxc3 25.Bxc3 f6 26.Ne4 Bf8 27.f3 Rc8N Aronian's improvement over Shirov's games against Leko. [27...Bc4 28.b3 Bb5 29.Ba5 Rc8 30.Nc3 Bc6 31.Rd1 Kf7 32.Ne2 h5 33.Rc1 Bd7 34.Rxc8 Bxc8 35.Bc3 Bd6 36.Kf2 g5 37.Ke3 h4 38.gxh4 Bxh2 1/2-1/2 Shirov,A (2755)-Leko,P (2753)/Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP 2008/The Week in Chess 695] 28.Rd1 Bc4 29.a3 Bb5 30.g4 Bc6 31.Rd3 Re8 32.Rd4 Rb8 33.h4 Be7 34.h5 Rd8 35.Rc4 Bb5 The two bishops ought to in large measure compensate for the pawn but there is nothing wrong with testing Aronian's technique, especially by a player as strong in the endgame as Shirov. 36.Rc7 Rd7 37.Rxd7 Bxd7 38.h6 gxh6 39.Bxf6 Bf8 40.Bd4 Kf7 41.Kf2 Be7 42.Ke3 Bg5+ 43.f4 Bd8 44.Nd6+ Ke6 45.Nb7 Be7 46.f5+ Kf7 47.Kf4 Bg5+ 48.Ke5 Ba4 49.Nd6+ Ke7 50.Ne4 Bd1 51.Bc5+ Kf7 52.b4 Bc1 53.Nd6+ Kg7 54.f6+ Kg6 55.f7 Bb2+ 56.Ke6 Bxg4+ 57.Ke7 Bf6+ 58.Ke8 Bf3

59.f8N+ White needs to be careful. If he gets a queen its mate in one! 59...Kh5 60.Kf7 Bb2 61.Nxh7?! White has got done really well but he probably should try and hold on to the a-pawn which should at least make like more difficult for black. [61.a4 Bd5+ 62.Ne6] 61...Bxa3 62.Nf6+ Kh4 63.Ke6 h5 64.Ke5 Be2 65.Nde4 Bc1 66.Nd5 Kg4 67.Ne3+ Kf3 68.Ng5+ Kg3 69.Ke4 Bb5 70.Bd6+ Kf2 71.Nh3+ Ke2 72.Nf4+ Kd2 73.Nxh5? Allows immediate equalisation. [73.Ned5] 73...Bd3+ 74.Kd5 Kc3 75.Nd1+ Kb3 76.Nf6 Bd2 77.Ne4 1/2-1/2

Vassily Ivancuk against Teimour Radjabov in round 12. Photo © ChessVibes.

Vassily Ivanchuk faced Teimour Radjabov's Sicilian Pelican Chelyabinsk Variation in round 12. The resultant position was very complicated, after a flurry of moves Ivanchuk sank into a long think and eventually found a way of getting a small advantage that was never enough to win.

Ivanchuk,V (2751) - Radjabov,T (2735) [B45]
XXV SuperGM Morelia/Linares MEX/ESP (12), 04.03.2008
[Mark Crowther]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bf4 e5 8.Bg5 a6 9.Na3 b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Nd5 Bg7 12.c3 f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Nc2 Be6 15.g3 0-0 16.Bg2 f5 17.0-0 a5 18.Re1 Rc8 19.Nce3 [19.Na3 Na7 20.Qd2 e4 21.Rad1 Be5 22.Nc2 Kh8 23.Qh6 Qe8 24.Nce3 Nc6 25.a3 Qg6 26.Qh4 Qf7 27.Rd2 Rb8 28.Red1 Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Ne7 30.R5d2 Rg8 31.Kh1 Rg6 32.f4 exf3 33.Bxf3 Qg7 34.Qh5 Rf8 35.Bg2 Bxg3 36.Qf3 Qh6 37.Bf1 Rfg8 38.Bd3 Bf4 39.Nxf5 Nxf5 40.Bxf5 Bxd2 41.Bxg6 Qxg6 42.Qd5 Be3 0-1 Ivanchuk,V (2717)-Leko,P (2745)/Monaco MNC 2001/The Week in Chess 332] 19...Kh8 20.Qh5 b4 21.Rad1 bxc3 22.bxc3 Ne7 23.c4 Nxd5 24.Bxd5 Qf6 25.Re2 f4 26.Be4 Qh6 27.Qxh6 Bxh6 28.Rxd6 fxe3 29.Rxe6 exf2+ 30.Kf1 Rxc4 These last few moves were played quickly and it was only now that Ivanchuk thought for a long time. He probably thought he was better (although this isn't clear) he certainly had some nice ideas. But now he has to be careful. 31.Rc6!

Certainly worth the wait. This is absolutely the best in this position. [31.Rxf2 Rxe4 32.Rxh6 Rxf2+ 33.Kxf2 Ra4 34.Re6 is probably going to be a draw too but Ivanchuk's idea is much better.] 31...Rxc6 32.Bxc6 Bg7 33.Be4 Rf6 34.Rb2 Bf8 35.Rb5 a4 36.Rxe5 a3 37.Bf5 Rh6 38.h4 Bd6 39.Re8+ Kg7 40.Kxf2 Rf6 41.g4 h5 42.Kf3 hxg4+ 43.Kxg4 Rf8 44.Re6 Rf6 45.Re3 Bb4 46.h5 Rd6 47.Be6 White is actually back to being better in this position but really with this kind of material left no realistic winning chances. 47...Kf6 48.Bb3 Rd4+ 49.Kf3 Bd2 50.Re6+ Kg5 51.Re5+ Kh6 52.Ke2 Bg5 53.Ra5 Kxh5 54.Rxa3 Kg4 55.Be6+ Kf4 56.Bh3 Ke5 57.Ra5+ Rd5 58.Rxd5+ Accepting a draw is inevitable. 1/2-1/2

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