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Veselin Topalov vs Peter Leko
Dortmund Candidates (2002), Dortmund GER, rd 2, Jul-19
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan. Sveshnikov Variation (B33)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Given 2 times; par: 63 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-14-05  Whitehat1963: Where did Topalov lose this one?
Jul-14-05  aw1988: How about 40. Rd1?
Jul-15-05  Whitehat1963: Why not 40. Bd1 instead?
Jul-15-05  hintza: 40.Bd1 (or Rd1) Nxd1 41.Rxd1 Rc1 looks horrendous for White.
Jul-15-05  aw1988: Oh, there is no perpetual here. Hmm.
Dec-21-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  waddayaplay: There is a perpetual at move 56.
Nov-08-08  michael.krink: 36 -d1Q looks god.
Nov-01-13  isemeria: Black to move 26...?


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26...Bxa3!

"...the knight was ready to enter the play after Nc4, and Leko rightly estimated that in the forthcoming struggle the black knight would be stronger than his bishop." (M. Notkin in Leko's One Hundred Wins by Sergei Soloviov (2003))

In the diagram position I would probably not even consider ...Bxa3. It seems wrong to exchange a mobile bishop to a knight which doesn't seem to take part in the action for the moment. There are reasons why these guys are rated 1000 points higher than me.

Mar-13-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Game 2 of their 4 game finals match in the Candidates Tournament; Leko won the first two games and held on to win the match 2.5-1.5. Leko repeated his innovation 18..Rb8 that he had introduced successfully a few days earlier in game 1 of his semi final match with Shirov. Shirov had played the relatively quiet 19 f3; Topalov tried the sharper 19 g4 which Leko certainly was fully prepared for. 20..Bxb2 21 gxf..Bxa3? would have been refuted by 22 Rg1+..Ng6 23 Bxe4. Leko felt that Topalov, in his preparation, had under estimated 21..Kh8!. 26 Rf1?! is an odd looking move; Leko suggested 26 Qb3. 33 Rd1? was the beginning of the end for White; 33 Qd2 would have been better. In time trouble Leko played 36..Qxf6? missing 36..Ne4 37 Qxd4..Rxd4 38 Kg2..Nc3 39 Bd1..Rxb4 winning a piece or the equally strong 36..Rxb4. 40 Rh1 was a typical decision by Topalov giving up material for counterplay; 40 Qh5 would have held onto material but may not have improved his chances of saving the game. Apparently under the illusion that he was winning topalov played 56 Qf5? spurning the perpetual check with 56 Qh8+. Perhaps Topalov thought that 57 Re6 would have been winning but then realizing that 57..Rh7+ would have forced the exchange of rooks in fact winning for Black.

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