Bilbao Grand Slam Chess Final Masters 2008: Topalov beats Carlsen

Topalov has always a keen eyes on his opponents mistakes

Former world title challenger Vaselin Topalov defeated Magnus Carlsen with the black pieces of the Queens Gambit Declined (Tartakower) to take the lead after 3 rounds of the Grand Slam final chess masters in Bilbao Spain. Carlsen opt to sacrifice a pawn on the 15th moves 15b4!? ("a very interesting move"-Topalov) to maintain the initiatives but commit a questionable decision on his 21st move 21.Nd2? and loose a pawn in the process. Carlsen himself claimed it as a a blunder that caused him of the match and on the 39th moves, Carlsen sacrifices another pawn to free up his king but it doesn't help to improve his game at all. Other games ended in draws. You can watch the LIVE games and broadcast HERE.

Round 3 results:

Aronian, Levon - Anand, Viswanathan ½-½
Carlsen, Magnus - Topalov, Veselin 0-1
Radjabov, Teimour - Ivanchuk, Vassily ½-½

Standings after 3 rounds:

1. Topalov, Veselin g BUL 2777 5

2. Carlsen, Magnus g NOR 2775 4

3. Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2744 3
4. Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2781 3
5. Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2798 3

6. Aronian, Levon g ARM 2737 2





GM Radjabov (2744) - GM Ivanchuk (2781) [D20]
Bilbao Grand Slam, 04.09.2008

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.Nf3 exd4 5.Bxc4 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 Nc6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.e5 Nd5 9.a3 Be7 10.Qb3 Na5 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Nxd4 Nb6 13.Nxc6 Nxa4 14.Nxd8 Bxd8 15.f4 Nb6 16.Ba2 Be6 17.Ne4 Bxa2 18.Rxa2 f5 19.Nc5 Rb8 20.b4 c6 21.g4 Nd5 22.Ne6 Rg8 23.Rg2 Bb6+ 24.Kh1 Ne7 25.Bb2 g6 26.h3 h6 27.Re1 Nd5 28.gxf5 Kf7 29.Nd4 Bxd4 30.Bxd4 gxf5 31.e6+ Ke7 32.Bc5+ Kf6 33.Bd4+ Ke7 34.Bc5+ Kf6 35.Bd4+ Game drawn ½–½

Click here to replay the game.


GM Aronian (2737) - GM Anand (2798) [D16]
04.09.2008 / Bilbao Grand Slam

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 e6 6.e3 c5 7.Bxc4 Nc6 8.0–0 cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.Be3 0–0 11.Ne5 Nd5 12.Nxd5 exd5 13.Bd3 g6 14.a5 Bf6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qc1 Bd7 17.Qc3 Qb8 18.g3 Be7 19.Bf4 Bb4 20.Bxb8 Bxc3 21.Bxa7 Bxb2 22.Bc5 Bxa1 23.Rxa1 Rfb8 24.h4 Bf5 25.Bxf5 gxf5 26.a6 h5 27.a7 Rb7 28.Kg2 Kg7 29.Kf3 f6 30.Ra6 Rc7 31.Kf4 Kg6 32.f3 Rcc8 33.g4 fxg4 34.fxg4 hxg4 35.Kxg4 Rh8 36.Rxc6 Rae8 37.Bd6 Re4+ 38.Bf4 Rxd4 39.Ra6 Ra8 40.h5+ Kh7 41.Kf5 Rb4 42.Bb8 Rbxb8 Game drawn ½–½

Click here to replay the game.


Links:

- Photo courtesy of Susan Polgar's blog
- Tournament official website
- Live broadcast