Norway Chess witnessed another amazing day. Round five saw three decisive games. Magnus Carlsen finally won his first game against Alexander Grischuk. However, it was the former world champion who stole the show as his win lifted him to the remarkable 4.5/5 and clear first place.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 13)
[Event "Norway Chess"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.06.21"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Hammer, Jon Ludvig"]
[Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2677"]
[BlackElo "2798"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:15:27"]
[BlackClock "0:09:05"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 {The last time Topalov played
like that was back in 2008.} 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 (7. Be2 Nbd7 8. g3 Bd6 9. O-O
O-O 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Qc2 dxc4 12. Bxc4 c5 $11 {Aronian,L (2757)-Topalov,V
(2791) Nanjing 2008}) 7... hxg6 8. Bd2 Nbd7 9. Qc2 {Diagram [#]} ({Another
possibility is} 9. Qb3 Rb8 10. g3 Be7 11. Bg2 Nb6 12. cxd5 exd5 13. O-O Nc4 {
with complex game, Inarkiev,E (2664)-Artemiev,V (2671) Sochi 2015}) 9... a6 {
Both sides are making useful moves not willing to commit themselves in the
center. Black does not want to trade on c4 for the time being and White does
not want to touch his light-squared bishop yet.} 10. O-O-O Be7 11. Kb1 Qc7 12.
h3 Rd8 $146 {[%csl Rc4,Yf1] Diagram [#] The last useful move appears to be a
novelty.} ({Black finally blinked in the only predecessor} 12... dxc4 13. Bxc4
b5 14. Be2 c5 15. Bf3 Rc8 16. d5 exd5 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 {with some
pressure for White in Ehlvest,J (2594)-Lauk,U (2394) Puhajarve 2011}) 13. c5 {
Hammer closes the center. In comparison to Ehlvest-Lauk from above, the line} (
13. Bd3 dxc4 14. Bxc4 c5 {is great for Black.}) 13... e5 {Black carrries out
the standard central strike. But perhaps another way to attack the white pawn
chain was preferrable} (13... b6 $5 {[%cal Yb6c5] Diagram [#] for instance} 14.
cxb6 Qxb6 15. Bd3 (15. Na4 Qb7 16. Rc1 Rc8) 15... Rb8 16. Na4 Qb7 17. Rc1 c5 $1
{with good play for Black.}) 14. f4 $1 {Hammer reacts energetically in the
center.} exd4 {Looking back at what had happened with his position, Topalov
came to the conclusion that this move was the reason for his trouble later. He
thought he should have closed the center instead with} (14... e4 {but after}
15. Be2 Nf8 16. g4 {White definitely has the better chances.}) 15. exd4 Nh5 16.
Ne2 Nhf6 17. Nc3 Nh5 18. Ne2 Nhf6 19. Ng3 $1 {[%cal Gf4f5] Diagram [#] The
Norwegian GM corectly avoids the repetition.} Ng8 {Black wants to pus his pawn
to f5 and return with the knight to e4, but this plan is energetically
prevented.} ({Topalov did not like his position after the typical} 19... Nf8
20. Bd3 Ne6 21. Ne2 {"White has a lot of space and can easily advance his
kingside pawns." (Topalov)}) ({But} 19... b6 {was to be preffered again} 20.
cxb6 (20. Bxa6 $2 bxc5) 20... Qxb6 21. Bd3 O-O 22. f5 Bd6 {with playble
position.}) 20. Bd3 f5 21. Nxf5 $1 {[%csl Ye8,Gf4,Gg2,Gh3][%cal Rd3g6,Rg6e8,
Re1e8,Gg2g4,Gh3h4] Diagram [#] The black king is still in the middle and
Hammer is trying to get to it. However, the preliminary} (21. Rhe1 $1 {would
have been even better since in the line} Ngf6 22. Nxf5 $1 ({Not} 22. Re6 Nf8 {
and Black is in time.}) 22... gxf5 23. Bxf5 {Black's defense is more complex.})
21... gxf5 22. Bxf5 Ndf6 {Somehow surprisingly, the knight on g8 stays well
for the dense.} (22... Ngf6 23. Bg6+ Kf8 24. Rhe1 {transposes to the line
above.}) 23. Bg6+ Kf8 24. g4 {Diagram [#] For the knight White has two pawns,
plenty of open files and a lot of space. But the good thing about the extra
material is that you can always give some part of it back.} Ne4 $1 25. g5 Rh4 {
Tempting but misses an incredible resource.} ({Correct was another move,
suggested by Topalov} 25... Re8 $1 $11 {with the idea Be7-d8.}) ({Also good is
} 25... Qd7 26. h4 Qg4 {(Topalov)}) 26. Bc1 {Hammer missed the fantastic
resource} (26. Be1 $3 Rxf4 27. h4 {[%csl Rf8][%cal Ge1d2,Rf1f8] Diagram [#]
with the paradoxal idea to return with the bishop on d2. Then White wil occupy
the "f" open file with his rooks and everything will become clear.}) 26... Qd7
{Now Black is fine.} 27. Qg2 b6 ({Also good for Black was} 27... Rb8 28. f5 b6
29. cxb6 Rxb6 30. Ka1 {(Topalov)}) 28. cxb6 Bd6 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. d5 {Diagram
[#]} ({Moving the pawns a bit further made more sense} 30. f5 Ne7 31. g6 {with
aproximate equality.}) 30... Ne7 31. dxc6 Qxc6 32. Rhe1 Qxb6 33. Qxe4 Bc5 34.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 {Diagram [#] The only one who can be better now is Black, but since
the few pawns left of the board the objective evaluation is a draw.} 35. Qc4
Qd4 36. Qxa6 g6 {Black could have also taken the pawn back at once} (36... Rxh3
{but he has to watch out for the tricks} 37. Qa8+ Kf7 38. g6+ Kf6 $1 (38...
Kxg6 $2 39. Qg2+ {wins the rook}) ({While} 38... Nxg6 $2 {is mate} 39. Qe8+ Kf6
40. Qe6#)) (36... Qd7 $11) 37. Re5 Qd6 38. Qa8+ Kg7 39. Qf3 Bd4 40. Re2 Qd7 41.
Qd3 Nc6 $6 {The last move before the time control is inaccuracy.} ({Safer is}
41... Nf5 $11) 42. Rh2 {White could have improved the position of his rook
instead with} (42. Rc2 $1 {when the lesser evil for Black would be to lose
time with} Ne7 {Topalov also revealed how tricky the position is} (42... Rxh3
$2 {loses to} 43. Qb5 Ne5 44. Qxd7+ Nxd7 45. Rc7) ({And} 42... Nb4 43. Rc7 $1 {
[%csl Yb4,Yd4] Diagram [#]} Qxc7 44. Qxd4+ Kf7 45. Qxb4 Rxh3 $16 {might be a
draw, but might not be one...})) 42... Nb4 43. Qc4 ({Black does not risk
anything after} 43. Qe4 Qf5 44. Qxf5 gxf5) 43... Rxh3 44. Rd2 Qf5+ 45. Ka1 Bc5
{[%csl Gb4,Gc5,Gf5,Gh3] Diagram [#] Now Topalov activates his remaining troops
and presses as much as he can.} 46. a3 Nd3 47. Rd1 {With idea to put the
bishop on c3 (Topalov)} Nxc1 48. Rxc1 Bf8 49. Qd4+ Kg8 50. Rc7 Qe6 51. Qc4 $1 {
Hammer defends flawlessly. The only thing he needs is to trade the last black
pawn for all his remaining pawns.} Qxc4 52. Rxc4 Kf7 53. a4 Rb3 54. a5 Rb5 ({
At first Black wanted to trade the rooks} 54... Rb4 55. Rxb4 Bxb4 {but
realized that he is hardly playing for a win after} 56. a6 Bc5 57. Ka2 Ke6 58.
Kb3 {and the only one to take care is Black. For instance} Kf5 $2 {loses the
game} (58... Kd5 $11) 59. Kc4 $1 {Diagram [#]} Be3 60. Kd5 Kxf4 61. b4 Kxg5 62.
b5 Kf4 63. Kc6 g5 64. b6 Bxb6 65. Kxb6 g4 66. a7 g3 67. a8=Q) 55. Ra4 Bg7 56.
Ra2 (56. Kb1 Rxb2+ 57. Kc1 Rb8 58. a6 Bf8 59. Kc2 $11) 56... Bd4 57. Ra4 Bxb2+
58. Ka2 Bc1 59. a6 Rb2+ 60. Ka1 Rb8 61. Rc4 Be3 {Diagram [#]} ({Hammer thought
that} 61... Ba3 {is more dangerous for him, but here too, White should hold
after} 62. Rc7+ Be7 63. a7 Ra8 64. Kb2 {as Black cannot untie his pieces
whithout the trade of his last pawn-} Ke6 65. Kb3 Bd6 66. Rg7 Kf5 67. Rf7+ Kg4
68. f5 $1 Kxg5 69. fxg6 $11) 62. Rc7+ Kg8 63. Rc6 Bd4+ 64. Ka2 Kf7 65. Rd6 Bc3
66. Rc6 Bh8 67. Ka3 Bd4 68. Ka4 Rf8 ({Topalov got excited by the line} 68...
Rb6 69. a7 Rb1 $1 {[%csl Ra4,Ra7][%cal Gb1a1,Ra1a8] Diagram [#] but then
spotted} 70. Rd6 $1 Bxa7 71. f5 $1 gxf5 72. Rf6+ $11) 69. Kb5 Kg7 70. Rc7+ Rf7
71. Rxf7+ Kxf7 {Now it is a draw but...} 72. Kc4 Ba7 73. Kd5 Ke7 (73... Bb8 74.
Kc6 $11) 74. Kc6 $4 {Diagram [#] Topalov described this as "fingerfehler"
speculating that his opponent belived he played 73...Ba7-b8 instead. Then this
move indeed is best. Instead of the unfortunate move in the game Black is
easily sharing the point with either} (74. f5 gxf5 75. Ke5 $11) ({Or even} 74.
Ke5 Bb8+ 75. Kd5 $11) 74... Ke6 0-1
Report.
[Event "Norway Chess"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.06.21"]
[Round "5.4"]
[White "Hammer, Jon Ludvig"]
[Black "Topalov, Veselin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2677"]
[BlackElo "2798"]
[Annotator "Bojkov, Dejan"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[EventDate "2015.??.??"]
[WhiteClock "0:15:27"]
[BlackClock "0:09:05"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 {The last time Topalov played
like that was back in 2008.} 6. Nh4 Bg6 7. Nxg6 (7. Be2 Nbd7 8. g3 Bd6 9. O-O
O-O 10. Nxg6 hxg6 11. Qc2 dxc4 12. Bxc4 c5 $11 {Aronian,L (2757)-Topalov,V
(2791) Nanjing 2008}) 7... hxg6 8. Bd2 Nbd7 9. Qc2 {Diagram [#]} ({Another
possibility is} 9. Qb3 Rb8 10. g3 Be7 11. Bg2 Nb6 12. cxd5 exd5 13. O-O Nc4 {
with complex game, Inarkiev,E (2664)-Artemiev,V (2671) Sochi 2015}) 9... a6 {
Both sides are making useful moves not willing to commit themselves in the
center. Black does not want to trade on c4 for the time being and White does
not want to touch his light-squared bishop yet.} 10. O-O-O Be7 11. Kb1 Qc7 12.
h3 Rd8 $146 {[%csl Rc4,Yf1] Diagram [#] The last useful move appears to be a
novelty.} ({Black finally blinked in the only predecessor} 12... dxc4 13. Bxc4
b5 14. Be2 c5 15. Bf3 Rc8 16. d5 exd5 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 {with some
pressure for White in Ehlvest,J (2594)-Lauk,U (2394) Puhajarve 2011}) 13. c5 {
Hammer closes the center. In comparison to Ehlvest-Lauk from above, the line} (
13. Bd3 dxc4 14. Bxc4 c5 {is great for Black.}) 13... e5 {Black carrries out
the standard central strike. But perhaps another way to attack the white pawn
chain was preferrable} (13... b6 $5 {[%cal Yb6c5] Diagram [#] for instance} 14.
cxb6 Qxb6 15. Bd3 (15. Na4 Qb7 16. Rc1 Rc8) 15... Rb8 16. Na4 Qb7 17. Rc1 c5 $1
{with good play for Black.}) 14. f4 $1 {Hammer reacts energetically in the
center.} exd4 {Looking back at what had happened with his position, Topalov
came to the conclusion that this move was the reason for his trouble later. He
thought he should have closed the center instead with} (14... e4 {but after}
15. Be2 Nf8 16. g4 {White definitely has the better chances.}) 15. exd4 Nh5 16.
Ne2 Nhf6 17. Nc3 Nh5 18. Ne2 Nhf6 19. Ng3 $1 {[%cal Gf4f5] Diagram [#] The
Norwegian GM corectly avoids the repetition.} Ng8 {Black wants to pus his pawn
to f5 and return with the knight to e4, but this plan is energetically
prevented.} ({Topalov did not like his position after the typical} 19... Nf8
20. Bd3 Ne6 21. Ne2 {"White has a lot of space and can easily advance his
kingside pawns." (Topalov)}) ({But} 19... b6 {was to be preffered again} 20.
cxb6 (20. Bxa6 $2 bxc5) 20... Qxb6 21. Bd3 O-O 22. f5 Bd6 {with playble
position.}) 20. Bd3 f5 21. Nxf5 $1 {[%csl Ye8,Gf4,Gg2,Gh3][%cal Rd3g6,Rg6e8,
Re1e8,Gg2g4,Gh3h4] Diagram [#] The black king is still in the middle and
Hammer is trying to get to it. However, the preliminary} (21. Rhe1 $1 {would
have been even better since in the line} Ngf6 22. Nxf5 $1 ({Not} 22. Re6 Nf8 {
and Black is in time.}) 22... gxf5 23. Bxf5 {Black's defense is more complex.})
21... gxf5 22. Bxf5 Ndf6 {Somehow surprisingly, the knight on g8 stays well
for the dense.} (22... Ngf6 23. Bg6+ Kf8 24. Rhe1 {transposes to the line
above.}) 23. Bg6+ Kf8 24. g4 {Diagram [#] For the knight White has two pawns,
plenty of open files and a lot of space. But the good thing about the extra
material is that you can always give some part of it back.} Ne4 $1 25. g5 Rh4 {
Tempting but misses an incredible resource.} ({Correct was another move,
suggested by Topalov} 25... Re8 $1 $11 {with the idea Be7-d8.}) ({Also good is
} 25... Qd7 26. h4 Qg4 {(Topalov)}) 26. Bc1 {Hammer missed the fantastic
resource} (26. Be1 $3 Rxf4 27. h4 {[%csl Rf8][%cal Ge1d2,Rf1f8] Diagram [#]
with the paradoxal idea to return with the bishop on d2. Then White wil occupy
the "f" open file with his rooks and everything will become clear.}) 26... Qd7
{Now Black is fine.} 27. Qg2 b6 ({Also good for Black was} 27... Rb8 28. f5 b6
29. cxb6 Rxb6 30. Ka1 {(Topalov)}) 28. cxb6 Bd6 29. Bxe4 dxe4 30. d5 {Diagram
[#]} ({Moving the pawns a bit further made more sense} 30. f5 Ne7 31. g6 {with
aproximate equality.}) 30... Ne7 31. dxc6 Qxc6 32. Rhe1 Qxb6 33. Qxe4 Bc5 34.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 {Diagram [#] The only one who can be better now is Black, but since
the few pawns left of the board the objective evaluation is a draw.} 35. Qc4
Qd4 36. Qxa6 g6 {Black could have also taken the pawn back at once} (36... Rxh3
{but he has to watch out for the tricks} 37. Qa8+ Kf7 38. g6+ Kf6 $1 (38...
Kxg6 $2 39. Qg2+ {wins the rook}) ({While} 38... Nxg6 $2 {is mate} 39. Qe8+ Kf6
40. Qe6#)) (36... Qd7 $11) 37. Re5 Qd6 38. Qa8+ Kg7 39. Qf3 Bd4 40. Re2 Qd7 41.
Qd3 Nc6 $6 {The last move before the time control is inaccuracy.} ({Safer is}
41... Nf5 $11) 42. Rh2 {White could have improved the position of his rook
instead with} (42. Rc2 $1 {when the lesser evil for Black would be to lose
time with} Ne7 {Topalov also revealed how tricky the position is} (42... Rxh3
$2 {loses to} 43. Qb5 Ne5 44. Qxd7+ Nxd7 45. Rc7) ({And} 42... Nb4 43. Rc7 $1 {
[%csl Yb4,Yd4] Diagram [#]} Qxc7 44. Qxd4+ Kf7 45. Qxb4 Rxh3 $16 {might be a
draw, but might not be one...})) 42... Nb4 43. Qc4 ({Black does not risk
anything after} 43. Qe4 Qf5 44. Qxf5 gxf5) 43... Rxh3 44. Rd2 Qf5+ 45. Ka1 Bc5
{[%csl Gb4,Gc5,Gf5,Gh3] Diagram [#] Now Topalov activates his remaining troops
and presses as much as he can.} 46. a3 Nd3 47. Rd1 {With idea to put the
bishop on c3 (Topalov)} Nxc1 48. Rxc1 Bf8 49. Qd4+ Kg8 50. Rc7 Qe6 51. Qc4 $1 {
Hammer defends flawlessly. The only thing he needs is to trade the last black
pawn for all his remaining pawns.} Qxc4 52. Rxc4 Kf7 53. a4 Rb3 54. a5 Rb5 ({
At first Black wanted to trade the rooks} 54... Rb4 55. Rxb4 Bxb4 {but
realized that he is hardly playing for a win after} 56. a6 Bc5 57. Ka2 Ke6 58.
Kb3 {and the only one to take care is Black. For instance} Kf5 $2 {loses the
game} (58... Kd5 $11) 59. Kc4 $1 {Diagram [#]} Be3 60. Kd5 Kxf4 61. b4 Kxg5 62.
b5 Kf4 63. Kc6 g5 64. b6 Bxb6 65. Kxb6 g4 66. a7 g3 67. a8=Q) 55. Ra4 Bg7 56.
Ra2 (56. Kb1 Rxb2+ 57. Kc1 Rb8 58. a6 Bf8 59. Kc2 $11) 56... Bd4 57. Ra4 Bxb2+
58. Ka2 Bc1 59. a6 Rb2+ 60. Ka1 Rb8 61. Rc4 Be3 {Diagram [#]} ({Hammer thought
that} 61... Ba3 {is more dangerous for him, but here too, White should hold
after} 62. Rc7+ Be7 63. a7 Ra8 64. Kb2 {as Black cannot untie his pieces
whithout the trade of his last pawn-} Ke6 65. Kb3 Bd6 66. Rg7 Kf5 67. Rf7+ Kg4
68. f5 $1 Kxg5 69. fxg6 $11) 62. Rc7+ Kg8 63. Rc6 Bd4+ 64. Ka2 Kf7 65. Rd6 Bc3
66. Rc6 Bh8 67. Ka3 Bd4 68. Ka4 Rf8 ({Topalov got excited by the line} 68...
Rb6 69. a7 Rb1 $1 {[%csl Ra4,Ra7][%cal Gb1a1,Ra1a8] Diagram [#] but then
spotted} 70. Rd6 $1 Bxa7 71. f5 $1 gxf5 72. Rf6+ $11) 69. Kb5 Kg7 70. Rc7+ Rf7
71. Rxf7+ Kxf7 {Now it is a draw but...} 72. Kc4 Ba7 73. Kd5 Ke7 (73... Bb8 74.
Kc6 $11) 74. Kc6 $4 {Diagram [#] Topalov described this as "fingerfehler"
speculating that his opponent belived he played 73...Ba7-b8 instead. Then this
move indeed is best. Instead of the unfortunate move in the game Black is
easily sharing the point with either} (74. f5 gxf5 75. Ke5 $11) ({Or even} 74.
Ke5 Bb8+ 75. Kd5 $11) 74... Ke6 0-1
Report.
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