Is it too pessimistic to declare that the reunification match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik is already over? A friend of mine said to me that he considers it to be already decided, because two points behind is too much in such a short match. To this he added: "Topalov has?Ǭ†shown very weak play in game 3. With such opening play even Loek van Wely can beat him in a match!" Indeed, if Kramnik would have played 17.Ne4 it would probably have been a devastating 3-0 (and Kramnik would finally have been compared to Fischer...).This moment in the game has been underestimated by several commentators and me too.
Kramnik-Topalov
Wch match (03), 2006"The Russians already analysed 17.Ne4 to a win for White", my friend told me, and indeed IM Maxim Notkin considers it virtually winning in this morning's Chess Today:
17. Ne4!?Ǭ†
Nc4 (17... Bxg5?Ǭ†18. Nd6+ Ke7 19. Nxc8+ Qxc8 20. Nf3 Bf6 21. Qa3+;?Ǭ†during the
press conference Kramnik said about 17.Ne4 the following: "Yes, it was interesting! But how to proceed after 17?¢‚Ǩ¬¶N?ꬵ5? It looks like Black solves his problems." Notkin gives 17... Ne5 18. Qb1 Qc7 19. Bxe7 and now not 19...Qxe7??Ǭ†because of 20. Nf5! exf5 21. Nd6+, but?Ǭ†perhaps Kramnik isn't sure if he can profit from the obligatory 19...Kxe7...)?Ǭ†
18. Rac1a)?Ǭ†
18... Nde5??Ǭ†19. Qb1! Bxg5 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Rxd8+ Bxd8 22. b3! Na3 23. Qb2 Rxc1 24. Qxc1 Nb5 25. Qc8?Ǭ†+-
b)
18... Nce5 19. Qb3 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Bxg5 21. Nxe6! fxe6 (21... Bxc1 22. Nxd8 Kxd8 23. Qc3! Bh6 24. Nd6 +-) 22. Qxe6+ Kf8 23. Nxg5 h6 24. Ne4?Ǭ†+/-
c)?Ǭ†
18... Bxg5 19. Rxc4 Be7 20. Nf3!
d)?Ǭ†
18... Ndb6 19. Nxe6! fxe6 (19... Qxd3 20. Nxg7+ Kf8 21. Bxe7+ Kxe7 22. exd3 +-) 20. Qc3
e)
18...Nxb2?Ǭ†19. Qb3! (19. Qb1 was given by?Ǭ†Seirawan)?Ǭ†19...Nxd1 (19... Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Bxg5 21. Nxe6!)
20. Nxe6!! fxe6 (20... Rxc1 21. Nxd8 Bxg5 22. Nxf7 +-) 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Qxe6 Qd8 23. Nd6+ Kf8 24. Qf7 mate.Pretty convincing analysis by IM Maxim Notkin. So how about you guys? Do you think the match is virtually over??Ǭ†
Is it too pessimistic to declare that the reunification match between Veselin Topalov and Vladimir Kramnik is already over? A friend of mine said to me that he considers it to be already decided, because two points behind is too much in such a short match. To this he added: "Topalov has?Ǭ†shown very weak play in game 3. With such opening play even Loek van Wely can beat him in a match!" Indeed, if Kramnik would have played 17.Ne4 it would probably have been a devastating 3-0 (and Kramnik would finally have been compared to Fischer...).This moment in the game has been underestimated by several commentators and me too.Kramnik-Topalov
Wch match (03), 2006
"The Russians already analysed 17.Ne4 to a win for White", my friend told me, and indeed IM Maxim Notkin considers it virtually winning in this morning's Chess Today: 17. Ne4!?Ǭ†Nc4 (17... Bxg5?Ǭ†18. Nd6+ Ke7 19. Nxc8+ Qxc8 20. Nf3 Bf6 21. Qa3+;?Ǭ†during the press conference Kramnik said about 17.Ne4 the following: "Yes, it was interesting! But how to proceed after 17?¢‚Ǩ¬¶N?ꬵ5? It looks like Black solves his problems." Notkin gives 17... Ne5 18. Qb1 Qc7 19. Bxe7 and now not 19...Qxe7??Ǭ†because of 20. Nf5! exf5 21. Nd6+, but?Ǭ†perhaps Kramnik isn't sure if he can profit from the obligatory 19...Kxe7...)?Ǭ†18. Rac1
a)?Ǭ†18... Nde5??Ǭ†19. Qb1! Bxg5 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Rxd8+ Bxd8 22. b3! Na3 23. Qb2 Rxc1 24. Qxc1 Nb5 25. Qc8?Ǭ†+-
b) 18... Nce5 19. Qb3 Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Bxg5 21. Nxe6! fxe6 (21... Bxc1 22. Nxd8 Kxd8 23. Qc3! Bh6 24. Nd6 +-) 22. Qxe6+ Kf8 23. Nxg5 h6 24. Ne4?Ǭ†+/-
c)?Ǭ†18... Bxg5 19. Rxc4 Be7 20. Nf3!
d)?Ǭ†18... Ndb6 19. Nxe6! fxe6 (19... Qxd3 20. Nxg7+ Kf8 21. Bxe7+ Kxe7 22. exd3 +-) 20. Qc3
e) 18...Nxb2?Ǭ†19. Qb3! (19. Qb1 was given by?Ǭ†Seirawan)?Ǭ†19...Nxd1 (19... Rxc1 20. Rxc1 Bxg5 21. Nxe6!)
20. Nxe6!! fxe6 (20... Rxc1 21. Nxd8 Bxg5 22. Nxf7 +-) 21. Rxc8 Qxc8 22. Qxe6 Qd8 23. Nd6+ Kf8 24. Qf7 mate.Pretty convincing analysis by IM Maxim Notkin. So how about you guys? Do you think the match is virtually over??Ǭ†
