Both camps threw enormous efforts into preparation for the Sofia match. Team Topalov is said to have invested over 110,000 euros in a customised 112-cluster computer plus exclusive rights to use Rybka4. The commercial release of Rybka4 was held back and Topalov also hired Jiri Deufek, who has written the opening book for Rybka.
Anand didn’t access the same level of heavy-duty silicon. But he managed extended practice sessions with Magnus Carlsen and a couple of key conversations with Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, which he found “incredibly helpful”.
Rybka4 commercially launches on May 28 and there are plenty of pre-order. Programmer Vasik Rajlich would obviously have preferred “her” (Rybka = little female fish) to have been part of the winning squad. But “she’s” been at the top of the silicon heap since 2006, which is several lifecycles.
There’s lots hanging on the new release. The past six months have seen controversy and excitement. A group of Russian programmers who call themselves the “Decembrists” have released several strong, free engines (Ivanhoe, Firebird). Rajlich accuses them of plagiarising his code.
At the same time, a trio of Swedish programmers have released a very strong program, the Stockfish along with the source code. Firebird and Stockfish are close to Rybka3 in strength so Rybka4 must re-establish a discernible performance gap to remain value-for-money.
Meanwhile Anatoly Karpov has thrown his hat in the ring for the Fide Presidency. He’s backed by the Russian Chess Federation. Karpov has access to funding as a successful natural gas investor (or, it is rumoured, a front for a cartel of investors) and of course, serious credibility. Kirsan could be in for a fight.
The Grand Prix at Astrakhan will decide one last qualifier for the next candidates cycle as the points from the GP cycle are totted up after that. The favourite would be Vugar Gashimov. After round 8, (it's a 14-player Round-Robin), Jakovenko, Gashimov, Eljanov and Leko share the lead with 4.5. Ivanchuk and Svidler (!) share 12-13 with 3.5 — that shows how close it’s been with few short draws and only 17 decisions in 56 games.
The Diagram, WHITE TO PLAY, Gashimov Vs Ivanchuk, Astrakhan Grand Prix 2010 leads to an abrupt and surreal conclusion. White has an attack brewing and he can build further pressure with stuff like 34. Nf4 or 34. g3 Qd8 35. h4 etc. Instead 34. Rf6!! Re7? 35. R6f4 Nxf4 36. Rxf4 (1-0). The queen is trapped after 36. Qh5 37. Ng3 Qg5 38. h4. At first glance 34. — Bxf6 35. 35. Rxf6 is not an obvious win but the black queen is in fact, trapped. Some variation on g3, Ng1-f3, etc., will eventually force a win.
Devangshu Datta is an internationally rated chess and correspondence chess player
