IMJohnCox wrote on 10/07/06 at 20:25:48:


I have no objection to commentary that takes into account the history of the match and the resulting psychological factors.  I'm talking about "Oh horrors, now we'll have a cheater for a World Champion," and far worse remarks that many of these people put up here.  There is another thread for that, or so I thought.

But fine, if unabashed hatred is to be not only tolerated but even expected here, so long and thanks for all the puerile shirt-rending.

Markovich wrote on 10/07/06 at 19:21:32:

Speaking of wearisome posts, have you read any of your own lately?

We all seem to find it wearisome to read posts which merely express an unsupportable, or already expressed 1000 times, opinion —  well, at least when the opinion expressed runs counter to our own.  Funny how we don't mind the equally repetitious, insipid posts that agree with our opinion though...

I happen to find the chirpy, disingenuous sentiment "Topalov bounced back, so can't Kramnik" rather irritating but I somehow lack the arrogance to demand that these posts be made to another thread.  I also find the use of the moniker Drawnik idiotic beyond words (but somehow I'm not bothered by, for example, Topaloo  ).

When I stop reading posts in this thread that I find wearisome, I will be less inclined to post that unfair, toxic, anti-Topalov commentary that seems to bother you so much.  I cannot, of course, speak for anyone else though.

Tell you what, Markovich, you start your own thread for the next game exclusively to talk about where two 2750 players went wrong and what motivated their moves. 

There is no story to this match other than what's happened, and there's no making predictions without referring to it.

Kevin; the machines have White about +2 from the point where he stabilises after Bxf4. Things have obviously gone bad for Black once he has to play ...exf4, and even ...e5 is a worring sign. Things seldom go well for Black in this structure unless he can play .....c5. As a rule of thumb ....e5 is only a good idea if it can be combined with some short-term happenings down the d-file and on the black squares. Obviously Kramnik knows this; I suppose he must have miscalculated something somewhere round moves 15-18, but I've no idea what.

I'd love to see Kramnik strike back tomorrow and take the lead again, of course, but I don't think there's any chance of it. I can't imagine he'll go e4, so I suppose we'll see another Slav/Semi-Slav. We don't have any idea what he'll have prepared in particular openings, but in general terms I think he needs a quiet game. As Rowson would say, he needs to be rather than to do. Players like Topalov do sometimes chafe and self-destruct in that type of position. A draw tomorrow for Kramnik would not be a bad result at all.

IMJohnCox wrote on 10/07/06 at 16:56:50:


Well, maybe he does have it. 

Quote:


John, 

at what point was Kramnik lost? The Nh4 idea picking up the bishop pair looked pretty normal, i.e I bet most people would play that way even if they didn't know any theory. Was that enough to give Topalov a big plus? It seems that at some point, Kramnik wandered into a passive position without squares for his knights. I was particularly impressed with the g3-f4-e4 pawn moves by Topalov (which is to say that I wouldn't have thought of gaining space like that in that position). When that started happening, was when I had a distinct feeling that Kramnik was in a lot of trouble.

By looking a the openings so far, i think it (match) might end up going down in history as the 1st match never to have a single K-pawn opening ever being played and 1st match where every game was some form of Slav.

Could most likely be due to Toppa wanting to avoid the Petroff & Berlin, while Kramnik wants to avoid the Najdorf. But quite interesting none wants to venture an Indian so far.

Quote:

In this game 8.Bd3 was played, but after 8...Nbd7 9.a3 we have the same position (as 8.a3 Nbd7 9.Bd3) so I see your point.  I looked specifically for 8.a3 but didn't consider transpositions amounting to the same thing.

Thanks for the info.

Yep, several times. Known continuations are 9.h3, Be2 and Bd3. Thus g3 followed by Bc4-f3 introduced 
a new plan. I wonder if black can afford to play Qc7 followed by 0-0-0 denying the white king a
safe place on it's Kingside.......
One example:
9.Bd3,Bd6 10.h3, 0-0 11.0-0, Qe7 12.Re1,dxc4 13 Bc4,e5 was
Vyzmanavin-Kramnik, Paris,1994