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Ruslan Ponomariov vs Veselin Topalov
MTel Masters (2006), Sofia BUL, rd 3, May-13
Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Meran Variation (D45)  ·  1/2-1/2

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1/2-1/2

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 5 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>
May-13-06  Atking: 43.c6! Nxc6 44.Bb5 Rxa7 (44. ..Nxa7 45.BxRa4 Rxba4 46.Ra8) 45.BxNc6 What else ?
May-13-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Mateo: 41. Rb7! sound. Now after 41... Kf6 42. a7 Rda4 43. c6! Nc6 (43... Ra7? 44. c7!) 44. Bb5 Ra2 45. Kg1 Ra7 46. Bc6 h5, Ponomariov gets a Bishop for 3 pawns. This should be a draw, isn't it?
May-13-06  percyblakeney: Should be a draw, if Pono doesn't try Kh3...
May-13-06  madlydeeply: Kh3 is a madlydeeply-class move! I'm always playing moves like that!
May-13-06  madlydeeply: looks like the king could embarrass pono's pieces in that tight corner...if Topalov pulls a win he's a witch.
May-13-06  madlydeeply: looks like topalov is shifting his pawn chain to dark squares..but those pawns are running the bishop out of squares too
May-13-06  Marmot PFL: Black should draw, if he keeps rooks on there is little chance of zugzwang. If would be different if white could force rooks off.
May-13-06  refutor: current position

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2006.05.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ponomariov"]
[Black "Topalov"]
[Result "*"]
[ICCResult "Game in progress"]
[Opening "QGD semi-Slav: accelerated Meran (Alekhine variation)"] [ECO "D45"]
[NIC "SL.08"]
[Time "07:24:04"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 a6 6. c5 b6 7. cxb6 Nbd7 8. Na4 Nxb6 9. Bd2 Nxa4 10. Qxa4 Bd7 11. Ne5 Ne4 12. Ba5 c5 13. Nxd7 Qxd7 14. Qxd7+ Kxd7 15. f3 Nf6 16. Rc1 c4 17. b3 Rb8 18. bxc4 Bb4+ 19. Bxb4 Rxb4 20. c5 Rb2 21. a4 Ra8 22. Be2 Kc7 23. Rf1 Rab8 24. Rf2 R8b3 25. Bxa6 Rxe3+ 26. Kf1 Rb4 27. Ra2 Reb3 28. Rd1 Ng8 29. a5 Ne7 30. Be2 Nc6 31. a6 Kb8 32. Rad2 Ra3 33. Kf2 g5 34. h4 gxh4 35. Rh1 Rxd4 36. Rb2+ Kc7 37. Rhb1 Ne5 38. Rb8 Kc6 39. Rc8+ Kd7 40. Rg8 Ke7 41. Rb7+ Kf6 42. a7 Rda4 43. c6 Nxc6 44. Bb5 Ra2+ 45. Kg1 Rxa7 46. Bxc6 Rxb7 47. Bxb7 h5 48. Kh2 Ra1 49. Bc6 Rc1 50. Bb5 Rb1 51. Be2 Re1 52. Ba6 Ra1 53. Bd3 Rd1 54. Bh7 d4 55. Rb8 Kg7 56. Rb1 Rd2 57. Be4 f5 58. Bb7


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May-13-06  boz: Black's pawns are beginning to swarm. This could be tight.
May-13-06  CapablancaFan: Topa's trump card are those dangerous looking pawns. If Pono makes even 1 blunder?....
May-13-06  madlydeeply: topa is playing like I do when I decide...to hell with it, lets see what happens...only I generally lose. Now his king is bared and vulnerable to checks. but somehow Pono blocked his rook with his bishop. If Topa pulls a win, well...the chess world is becoming a very fun place with Topa, Anand and Kamsky now kicking serious "A"
May-13-06  Caloy: <madlydeeply: Kh3 is a madlydeeply-class move! I'm always playing moves like that!> LOL :)
May-13-06  hitman84: gaak its heading towards a draw
May-13-06  VishyFan: ohhhhh! for the sake of chess, i hope they won't repeat moves....., but i think it's forced now.......
May-13-06  s4life: looks like draw by repetition...
May-13-06  borisbadenoff: it's draw
May-13-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: 67.Re5 Re2 68.Ba6 Re3 69.Rxh5 d2 70.Rd5... I must be missing something.
May-13-06  borisbadenoff: you missed 67. ..Rc2
May-13-06  Dionyseus: <Gypsy> after Rd5 black simply plays Rd3! 71.Bxd3 d1q draw
May-13-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: Thank you gentlemen.
May-13-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: 67.Re5 Re2 68.Ba6 Re3 69.Rxh5 d2 70.Rd5... Maybe 70...Rd3 71.Bxd3 d1Q 72.Bxe4 Qa4 73.Re5... (72...Qf1 73.Rg5+...) could be realistically played on. It would be interesting to see.
May-13-06  borisbadenoff: Interesting would have been 20. ♔d2 instead if 20. ♙c5 I think it's there that Ponomariov starts loosing his little advantage
May-13-06  borisbadenoff: By the way the same position up to move 10. ♕xa4 occured in Euwe vs Alekhine, 1935 and up to move 9. ♗d2 in G Wood vs Najdorf, 1946. Both Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav (D45) games
May-13-06  Confuse: one thing thas always been bugging me, why dont they have the ratings listed? its generally always ? vs ? rating. interesting draw... : p
May-15-06  Zebra: I'm not familiar with this variation with ...a6 and c5. Does it have a name?
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