ODT150707

=**Topalov profits from Carlsen error**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 3.

17 teams from ten schools played for the eleventh annual Otago Primary and Intermediate Interschool Teams' Championship at Dunedin North Intermediate School last month. Defending champions Balmacewen A once again finished first in the Intermediate section on 26½/28 ahead of Tahuna Normal A second on 19 and Cromwell College A third on 18 points. The Primary section saw a tense battle between defending champions George St Normal A and former champions Maori Hill. Maori Hill emerged the victors on 32½/40, half a point ahead of George St A in second with St Joseph's Cathedral School third on 19 points. Meanwhile Magnus Carlsen's run of bad form in his own country continued in the Norway Supertournament in Stavanger last month. In the first round, the world champion lost on time in a winning position against Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria. He was caught out by the absence of extra time added after the 60th move and was contemplating his 61st move when his time ran out. Carlsen didn't regain his composure and finished in the bottom half of the ten player event. Topalov rode his good fortune all the way to first place on 6½/9 ahead of Viswanathan Anand (India) and Hikaru Nakamura (USA) second equal on 6 points. Today's game is from the sixth round at Stavanger, and features ex-world champion Anand with the white pieces executing a blistering attack against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France. media type="custom" key="27687189" **1.e4 c5** **2.Nf3 d6** **3.d4 cxd4** **4.Nxd4 Nf6** **5.Nc3 a6** **6.h3** The Adams Attack against the Sicilian Najdorf. White intends to aggressively throw his kingside pawns forward. **6... e6** **7.g4!? h6** **8.Bg2 Nc6** **9.Be3 Be7** **10.f4!?** Moving the queen to allow queenside castling 10.Qe2 would cost a tempo to recapture after the desirable exchange 10... Nxd4. So White presses on with his pawns, intending to castle kingside where only the bishop remains to protect his king. **10... Nd7** **11.O-O Nxd4** **12.Qxd4 O-O** **13.Qd2 Rb8** **14.Ne2 b5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**15.Rad1 Qc7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16.f5 Nf6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17.Ng3 Bb7** The players have been following Navara -Grischuk, Tromso 2014, which here continued 17... Re8 and White managed a similar sacrifice to the current game. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**18.Kh1 Rbd8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19.Bxh6!** Having gathered all his forces and safeguarded his king, White unleashes the attack. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19... gxh6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20.Qxh6 d5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21.g5!!** This second piece sacrifice deserves two exclamations, as here White still had an escape into a perpetual check after 21.Qg5+ Kh8 22.Qh6+ since 22...Nh7? 23.Nh5 Rg8 24.fxe6 leads to a winning attack. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21... Qxg3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22.Rd3! Nh5** There is no defence: 22... Qe5 24.gxf6 Bxf6 25.Rf4 with a killer check on the g-file or 22... Nxe4 23.f6! Bxf6 (23... Qxg5 24.Qxg5+ Nxg5 25.fxe7 forks the rooks) 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Rxg3 etc. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23.g6!** The only winning move. 23.Qxh5? Qe5 and the queen defends the kingside from g7 as 24.f6?? Bd6 wins for Black, while 23.Rxg3? Nxg3+ leads to a draw. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23... fxg6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**24.fxg6 Rxf1+** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25.Bxf1 Nf6** The knight is forced back to defend the mate at h7, leaving the queen to be taken. There are no more tricks. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**26.Rxg3 dxe4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**27.Be2 e3+** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28.Kg1 Bc5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29.Kf1 Resigns**

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**1-0**


 * Solution:** 1.Nf5+! Kf6 (1... Kg8/f8 2.Qh8#; 1... gxf5 2.Qh6+ Kg8 3.Qh8#) 2.g5+! Ke6 (2... Kxg5 3.Qh4#) 3.Rxd6#