Topalov versus Gelfand

Final round Linares 2010
Petroff C42

unusual 9...Re8 and novelty 10.h4




leading to






after




He is a magician.
Frighteningly good.
He may go off the rails from time to time,
but when he stays on, it is a marvel to behold.

75 vs 31 mins.

Those two Rooks on the kingside, and the way he builds up the attack/defence,
pure wizardry. Black magic? I can't say. But it is execeptional.No doubt about it.



leading to:




Anybody who can make a Petroff interesting is special in my book.

66 mins vs 18 mins
14 moves to play



after




I wasn't too happy with 26.c4 moving away from the kingside push.
Still, it is likely that this game will have to be decided by a blunder or lack thereof.
63 vs 14 minutes.

Why make it easy when you can make it difficult.

Topalov again throws away a win.
This time on move 32.Rxf6, when 32. Rd1 looks extremely promising.

Who cares?
We're having fun.

As the time control bell tolls for Black, Topalov strews the paths with red herrings.
Gelfand doesn't trip over any of them and gets safely to move 41.




after




Don't think White can make the extra pawn count.
Not the way they have locked horns on the queenside.

Grischuk drew as Black.
If what I read is correct: that a tie is decided by the number of black draws, then Topalov must win this game.

I'm out of here.