Annotated Games in PGN

Round 4

Judit Polgar leads the Essent tournament at Hoogeveen in Holland by a full point after more fearsome attacking play disposed of Ivan Sokolov in the fourth round. The strongest female player ever moved to 3.5/4 and saw her co-leader at start of play Shakriyaz Mamedyarov defeated by world number one Veselin Topalov who scored his first win.

Polgar won with black and her two remaining games are against Mamedyarov with white and Topalov with black. A pawn sacrifice opened up all kinds of possibilities and Sokolov soon regretted removing all the defenders from his kingside.

Topalov’s first win was in the Ruy Lopez from which he emerged with a handy edge that his opponent tried to neutralise with a pawn sacrifice. The resulting position looked unclear and probably close to equal but the black position gradually worsened before Topalov found a clever tactic to avoid perpetual check and force the win.

Scores: Polgar (Hungary) 3.5/4 Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 2.5; Topalov (Bulgaria) 1.5; Sokolov (Holland) 0.5;

V Topalov - S Mamedyarov
10th Essent Hoogeveen (4) Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.Qc2 g6 17.axb5 axb5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nb3 Reb8 20.c4 bxc4 21.Bxc4 Ba6 22.Nbd2 Nc5 23.Bxa6 Rxa6 24.Nc4 Nfd7 25.Rd1 Ne6 (25...Ra4!? 26.Be3 Rbb4 27.Nfd2 Nb3) 26.Be3 Raa8 27.Qd2 Rd8 28.Qc3 c5!? 29.Nfxe5 Bg7 30.f4 g5 31.g3 gxf4 32.gxf4 Nxe5 33.Nxe5 Bxe5 34.fxe5 Kh8 35.Bf2 Qe7 36.Qf3 Rg8+ (36...Qg5+ 37.Bg3 Rxd1+ 38.Rxd1 Rb8) 37.Kh1 Rg6 38.Rd5 Rag8 39.Rg1 Rxg1+ 40.Bxg1 Rg6 41.Kh2 Kg7 42.Be3 c4 43.Rd6 Qc7 44.h4 Qa5 45.Rd5 Qe1 46.Kh3 Kf8 (46...Kh8 47.Rb5 Rg8 48.Bg5!) 47.Rd7!! Rg3+ 48.Qxg3 Qh1+ 49.Kg4 Qxe4+ 50.Kh5 1-0

Mamedyarov

Topalov

Final position after 50.Kh5 Black resigned as the intended 50... Ng7+ loses to 51.Qxg7+! Kxg7 52.Bh6+ Kg8 53.Rd8 mate

I Sokolov - J Polgar

10th Essent Hoogeveen (4) Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Ba2 b6 11.0-0 Ba6 12.Re1 Nc6 (A typical position from the Nimzo Indian has arisen. White hopes to liberate his bishop pair by opening the b2-g7 diagonal and putting bishops on b1 and b2. Also White wants to play e3-e4 and advance in the centre) 13.Ng3 Rad8 (Black uses her control of the light squares and pressure on d4 to restrict White's play. She would like to exchange light squared bishops and she will attack the centre with e6-e5 and try to strangle the white bishops by playing c5-c4 and e5-e4. In some endgames her queenside pawn majority may advance) 14.Bb2 e5 15.Qc2 Rd7 16.Rad1 (16.dxe5 Nxe5 coming to d3) 16...Rfd8 17.h3 (17.Ne4 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Ne7 19.Qf3 c4 20.Bb1 Bb7 21.e4 Ng6 and White's bishops are under control) 17...c4 18.a4 Re8 19.Ba3 e4 20.Bb1 Rd5! (White is passive if 21.Qe2 h5) 21.Ne2 Rg5 22.Nf4 Bc8 23.Qe2 Qd7! (23...Na5) 24.Qxc4 Na5 25.Qb4 Nd5 (The pawn sacrifice has ensured the exchange of the only kingside defender) 26.Nxd5 Qxd5 27.h4 (27.Kh2 Bxh3 28.gxh3 Qf5 29.Re2 Rh5 mates) 27...Rg4 28.Qb5 Qd8! 29.g3 a6! 30.Qb4 Qxh4 31.Bxe4!! Rxg3+ 32.fxg3 Qxe4 (White is defenceless on the light squares) 33.Rd2 Qf3 34.Kh2 Qh5+ 35.Kg1 Qf3 36.Kh2 Bf5! 37.e4 Bxe4 38.Rxe4 Qxe4 39.d5 Nc4 0-1