Killegar Chess presents: Veselin Topalov Vs. Vassily Ivanchuk, 1999

[Toxie207]

2:47 - you're right it's a powerful check on d1! It'll be mate if the queen moves and allows this!!

[Ronbo710]

GMIvanchuk is my favorite player. He may never be World Champion but he makes the game FUN to watch. His nerves are so intense it is like he IS the King on the board ... scary :).

[comet2029]

Ivanchuck mankinds best hope against rybkka

[chiruzbg]

2:46 where you say "black will have a powerful check" , wouldn`t that be mate ?!

[bobdog9]

Great find to see this, I've been checking Ivanchuk out in blitz videos and he seems to float in his own world.

[stockshunter]

Cheers Sean, again good analysis.

[Sozialneutralist]

I don't believe that in 1:16 Kxc3 would have been better because than black has d5-d4 where white would have to play b2-b4 to stop the knight being taken but than black can capture with Kxb4 and gains a great position, or am I wrong?

[SeanGGodley]

Hiya yes I see what you're saying alright, but in fact that exact continuation had been played out 13 years earlier in Lerner-Khuzman, Kuibyshev. After Nxb4 axb4 Qxa1 Nb5 Nf6 it is in fact a fairly unclear position! This is according to GM analysis - of course, black is ahead in material, but ojectively speaking it's still about equal. Hope this helps!

Sean

[Sozialneutralist]

Understood, thanks!

[BoudieBatsnikov]

Love your chess video`s. Though it is hard to learn from these because im far from good enough to see all the 6 moves ahead!

[SeanGGodley]

Glad you're enjoying them, thanks! Yes I'm the same, it's amazing to see how far ahead these guys can think! We can but watch in awe...

[ImposingSumo]

Hi Sean, thanks for that. I've been looking into some of Chucky's games, and it is remarkable that when he is on top of his game, he can make the best players in the world look much weaker than they are.

[SeanGGodley]

No worries at all! Yes, it's incredible how he can crush top level players like he did in this game. It's also remarkable how at this level one wrong move in the opening can result in disaster! All the best,

Sean

[Vonzi0000]

nice your videos are really good!

[SeanGGodley]

Cheers buddy! Lots more coming too! =0)

[LeitrimLady]

Your presentations are really interesting. My understanding of chess is improving with each new game you post. Thank you.

[buffguy86]

ive never really been impressed with topalov, i hope he at least makes the match against anand interesting

[hadtohappen]

Why wouldn't Nd6+ be better than Bg2? I am thinking that even a pawn down, two bishops vs. two knights has good drawing changes. And Nd6+ just gets there sooner, and there is some awkwardness to work with having black's King losing castling rights.

[SeanGGodley]

Interesting idea - I just ran it thru Fritz, who gives at least one pawn advantage to black after the continuation 10. Nd6+ Ke7 11. Nxc8+ Raxc8 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Bd2 ... White is still completely undeveloped, only the bishop is off the first rank, and the c pawn is isolated. Whereas black, despite having knights against bishops, has strong initiative and can go on the immediate attack. His King would not be in significant danger on e7. So all in all, it's still much better for black.

[waparker4]

A very entertaining game. I am enjoying the well-prepared quality of your presentations-- it balances nicely with some of the more improvised videos here (which are also enjoyable). One suggestion- for example around the 5:17 mark when you say "g4, which is better than for example Qc5", it might be worth taking a few seconds to point out why Qc5 would even be a tactical idea in that position. It is obvious, but in a video at your pace it would make the viewing process that much more fluid.

[SeanGGodley]

Thanks very much for the positive feedback. Yes, I agree with you totally, I just watched the video again and I should have pointed out the pin that Qc5 creates. A few people have asked me to go a bit slower, so I'll try to do that in the future! Thanks again.