IMJohnCox wrote on 10/11/06 at 13:13:47:

I think you mean 44.Bf5 with Bc8 to follow.

Watching the game (without engine running  ) I thought 40...Rg2 looked like the only try but, obviously, I didn't think through all relevant specific lines.  The b7-pawn is the Achilles heal in Black's position and Pein's suggested pawn sac to get the bishop on c8 makes sense.

Ah I forgot there was a rest day today  Ah well, will just have to wait until tomorrow.

Actually I think it makes sense, as due to the do or die importance of the last 2 games it makes sense to have a rest day in between. I cant remember but was there a rest day in the K-K match where Karpov won the penultimate game and Kasparov came back and won the final game - I seem to remember Kasparov having to play the very next day after losing but I could be wrong.

@John Cox - Sundarajan is his name. He is a 2500+ IM now. with 2 GM norms I guess. He used to be Sasikiran's preparation partner. He's also from Madras

Oh it's not formally Sofia rules, by the way. Just Topalov said that in a press conference (part of his usual look-at-me I'm-such-a-fighter posturing. God, he's a thingy. But I digress).

Since everyone knows what opening Kramnik's going to play, in a way Topalov has the psychological initiative on Thursday. I'm sure he needs to go active and keep the chance of winning in one go. Another semi-Slav is my prediction. And this time let's hope Kramnik either has some decent preparation (which I guess he obviously doesn't or we'd have seen it by now) or else plays sensibly and keeps the draw in hand.

I was talking to a GM last night who made an interesting point: Vallejo and Onischuk are weaker than Motylev and Rublevsky, but perhaps they are more useful as openings helpers. They have wider repertoires and are perhaps more creative players. You'd think Motylev was brought in for the Petroff and Rublevsky for the QGA, but we've not seen the QGA hardly at all.

Kramnik used to be very good at rapid. I wonder if he still is. Topalov's never made very good scores at it, but then was he trying? They do say rapid is where general understanding and intuition come into it, and there Kramnik definitely has the edge. On the other hand if he does get caught in some prep in his Black game it could more easily be fatal in a rapid game.

On the whole I think Kramnik should fancy rapids more. Of course nerves and energy come into it too: it's one thing who woud be favourite over 100 games. But I think it's clear Kramnik absolutely must try and keep the draw in hand if he can, and it would be nice if just for once it was him who caught Topalov in the opening. Did he have any single new idea prepared for this match?? Of course Topalov had the advantage of him there in that Kramnik will still be suffering the effects of that ridiculous e4 phase. He won't have had half so many ideas stored up.

from http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/2006/10/kramniktopalov_g11.htm Quote:

What happens if the last game is a draw, given that Kramnik disputes Game 5?  Do you think they'll go to tie-breaks, or will Kramnik demand that game 5 is replayed?

Remember the last game of Kramnik-Leko ?