or maybe not, didn't really consider Nc6 here but it obviously looks good

Interesting tactical operation. Let's see how it works out.

On general grounds alone, 2 bishops are much stronger than 2 knights. This was proven back in the Levenfish-Bovtinnik match.

It is very tough for black to consolidate. QxQ RxQ f6 Ng6 Rf7 Rfc1 for instance or even better Nc6 with the check on e7.

Ok, Qe4 with the obvious idea of Bb7 (Bh3) to follow. This doesn't change much because of Qc6. So we will reach a queenless middlegame once again.

That rook on e8 has x-ray vision. Not sure if this went all so well for Anand after all.

f6
Nc6 Bb6 and I don't see it...for white.

I think black should have more than enough with the two bishops. But I also think Anand is the one with winning chances. He just seems to play so much better than Topalov in these sort of positions.

Yep, I think so too. Anand is stronger OTB and the position is still unclear.

With all those forks available one gets the impression that Anand is trying hard to impersonate the Blue Raja from Mystery Men - fork you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy9eXju34Bw

This game is another example for the B+R vs. N+R superiority. Anand has his hands full to hold on to this position. Of course the absence of outside pawns makes it very difficult if not impossible for Topalov. Should be a draw.

I don't see how this is accurate... Anand can't hold the Bpawn but he has no other trouble holding the position. If anything the N+R is stronger after the Bpawn falls, especially if Topolav extends his position while refusing to offer a draw.

Kinda boring. Move your pieces there move your pieces here repeat draw.

funny knight maneuvering........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armageddon_chess#Overview

These sort of games have happened often enough before, but I'm not sure which side is better to pick. I think black, but I'm not positive.

Imo it's not really a question of where theory is better established... it's just that 1.e4 has a greater tendency to lead to extremely open play where computer analysis can be used to reduce many positions to a forced result. In fact many 1.e4 lines were almost completely solved even before computer analysis, such as 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 or 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4, etc. It's hard to think of any similar examples arising in the 1.d4 openings.

Game 7 has started - Anand has a material lead (B for R), but Topolav has the more active position.

that's pretty wild. obviously at least topa is still in home prep

live link http://www.anand-topalov.com/en/live.html

gotta wonder what Anand is thinking in a spot like this - wondering if he's being bluffed or worked over - he definately wanted to stay out of Topalov's prep and I think he's won his two games by doing so, but this time he's in it knee deep high and rising

Indeed whiskeytown. Anand is pretty good at finding good squares for his pieces even in spots like this, so I wouldnt write him winning off at all yet. No idea what the comp evaluates here

a good comment by the GM's on chess.fm is that this is probably something Topalov's team came up with during the match, being the 3rd or 4th time (4th, I think) that they've played the Catalan and if it was preplanned and this strong, he'd have probably pulled it out sooner - that's an interesting observation

1:57 vs 1:06 - wow

This is super interesting from a psychological point of view.

From what I have learned about psychology in chess, in general it is not good to blitz out moves like that even if you are still at your home prep. Basically, if you spend a little more time, you will give your opponent a sense of security, you will trick him in believing that this is not home prep and you are on your own. If you do blitz the moves out, the opponent feels like an animal in the corner and that brings the best out of him, that is he will concentrate super hard in trying to find the best moves and save himself. Of course, this might work against weak opponents as they will likely be overwhelmed and will think "omg this is his preparation I must be lost!" but I doubt it can work that way against Anand. And I think Topalov knows that.

So basically I only see two scenarios:

1) Topalov prepared this super perfectly and it leads to a better/winning position for black where it doesn't matter how well Anand plays, he is just lost.

2) Topalov is bluffing using the classical "appear strong when you are weak and weak when you are strong" principle.

I think anand has done a great job getting out of trouble here. Nd2 then he can get his queen in the game and bust this one open.

dissagreed. After Ra7 either Bxg3 or maybe even Qh5 should give Black a very good play against the king.

yeah Bxg3 doesn't work because of back rank mate, but Qh5 seems quite strong to me.. followed by h6.

since he played h6 first, if qa5 then Ne4?

I would think Topa has to play something like Bxg3, I don't think he can allow Ne4, blocking the rooks entry to the second rank

I like Bb4 more, Bxg3 after Nd2 would be suicidal I think, white plays Ne4 followed by Qg1(2) and suddenly it is black who is getting mated.

Anand's time (20 min for 15 moves) is starting to make me a little nervous