Topalov "The Aquarium Master" Win Bilbao Master 2008

Veselin Topalov (photo right) emerged as the winner of the Final Chess Master, Bilbao 2008 after he beat Vassily Ivancuk in the final round last night. Other results doesn't effect Topalov position at all because he has already leading the tournament with one point clear from the second place - Levon Aronian.

Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian collected the same points ( 13 points ) but Magnus has a better tie break so Aronian have to be satisfied with the 3rd placing. 4th and 5th place go to Ivanchuk and Radjabov respectively and the most shocking results for this tournament is the top seed and World Champion - Vishy Anand who end in last place. Anybody remember when is the last time Anand got last place from any tournament ? I can recall any...

For the champion - Veselin Topalov, i think this is the 2nd time he won a tournament held in an "Aquarium" or glass cube. The glass cube is a new concept in chess tournaments and i think only 3 tournaments so far has being in it and Topalov has won 2 of them ! Only inM-Tel Master 2008 he ended in the second place - behind Ivanchuk. He won the first one “Chess Champion League” in November 2007 and The Bilbao Master 2008.

Veselin Topalov (2777) – Vasilly Ivanchuk (2781) [D47]

Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (Round 10), 13.09.2008

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 Bd6 10.0–0 0–0 11.Qc2 h6 12.e4 e5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.h3 a6 16.Be3 c5 17.Bxc5 Re8 18.Rad1 Qc7 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Bxb2 21.d6 Qc6 22.f3 Rec8 23.Bh7+ Kh8 24.Be4 Qxc5+ 25.Qxc5 Rxc5 26.Bxb7 Rd8 27.Rfe1 Be5?! Black should probably exchange white active rook's with 27...Re5 28.Rxe5 Bxe5 And white advantage and pressure will not be so great as the real game. 29.d7 a5 30.Bc6 b4 31.Rd5 Bc7 32.axb4 axb4 33.Kf1 Kg8 34.Rd4 Ba5 35.Re4 g6 36.Ke2 b3 37.Re8+ 28.d7 Now black's rook on c5 has the burden to guard his bishop on e5 28...a5 29.f4 Bc7 30.Bd5 Kh7 30...f6 31.g4! and black has been tied up 31...Kh7 (31...b4 32.axb4 axb4 33.Re8+ Kh7 34.Bg8+ Kg6 35.h4) 32.Re7 Bb6 (32...Bxf4 33.Be4+ f5 34.Bxf5+) 33.Kf1 31.Bxf7 Rf5 32.Ba2 Rxf4 33.Bb1+ Kg8 34.Bg6 Bb6+ 35.Kh1 Bc5 36.Rc1 36.Rd3 guarding the a3 pawn and maintain the pressure is stronger. 36...Rf6 (36...b4 37.Rd5 Bb6 38.Re8+) 37.Re8+ Rf8 38.g4 a4 39.Re5 Bb6 40.Rxb5 Rf6 41.Be4 Kf7 42.Kg2 Ke7 43.Bf5 g6 44.Re5+ Kf7 45.Be4 ; 36.Rd5 Bxa3 36...Bf8 36...Bxa3?? would lost after 37.Rc8 Rff8 38.Rxd8 Rxd8 39.Re8+ 37.Red1 The slow but surely 37.g3 is probably not in Topalov mind 37...Rd4 38.Bf5 Kf7 39.Be6+ Kg6 37...Bxa3?? The decisive blunder that decide the outcome of the game ! My Friend Fritz said that Ivanchuk still have the chance for a draw after 37...Rc4 38.Rb1 Rc6 39.Be8 b4 40.axb4 axb4 38.Rc8 Rff8 39.Be8 Be7 40.Re1 Bg5 40...Bh4 is still the same after 41.g3 Bg5 42.h4 Bf6 43.Re6 41.g3 a4 42.h4 Bf6 43.Re6 1–0

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