Karjakin – Topalov, Corus 2006

White:
Sergey Karjakin (2660)
Black:
Veselin Topalov (2801)
Opening
Sicilian: Sveshnikov
Tournament
Corus 2006, Wijk aan Zee, Round 9
Date
24/01/2006
ECO Code
B33
Result
0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Bg5 12. Nc2 O-O 13. a4 bxa4 14. Rxa4
14. Ncb4 was successful in Anand – van Wely in the same round.
14… a5 15. Bc4 Rb8 16. Ra2 Kh8 17. Nce3 Bxe3
Topalov’s improvement. Black has tried out a number of choices at this point:

  • 17… g6
    • 18. O-O f5 19. Qa4 Bd7 20. Bb5 Rxb5 21. Qxb5 Nb4 22. Qxa5 Nxa2 23. Qxa2 fxe4 24. b4 Be6 25. c4 Qc8 26. Qb3 Kg7 27. Rb1 Rf7 28. Rd1 h5 29. Qc2 Qa8 30. h3 Bh4 31. Rf1 Qf8 32. b5 Bc8 33. Nc3 Bb7 34. Ned5 Qc8 35. Qe2 Bxd5 36. Nxd5 Qc5 37. b6 Qd4 38. Qc2 Kh7 39. Kh2 Rxf2 40. Rxf2 Bxf2 41. Qc1 e3 42. b7 Qa7 43. Qb1 e2 44. Ne7 Bg3+ Anand – Kasparov, Linares 2005, 1/2 (44)
    • 18. h4 Bxh4 19. g3 Bf6 (19… Bg5 20. b3 (20. f4 exf4 21. gxf4 Bh4+ 22. Kf1 f5 23. b4 fxe4 24. Rah2 g5 25. b5 Ne5 26. Qd4 Rb7 27. Rxh4 gxh4 28. Ke2 Re8 29. fxe5 Rxe5 30. Nf4 Qg5 31. Qxd6 Bg4+ 32. Ke1 Qxf4 33. Qd8+ Kg7 34. Qg8+ Kh6 35. Rxh4+ Kramnik – van Wely, Amber Rapid 2005, 1-0 (35)) 20… Bxe3 21. Nxe3 f5 22. Rd2 f4 23. gxf4 exf4 24. Rxd6 Qc7 Amonatov – van Wely, Aeroflot Open, 1/2 (24)) 20. b3 Bg7 21. f4 exf4 22. gxf4 Re8 23. Qf3 Kg8 24. Rah2 h5 25. Rxh5 gxh5 26. Qxh5 Re6 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. Rg1 Rg6 29. Rxg6 fxg6 30. f5 Qg5 31. Nf4 Ne7 32. Nxg6+ Ke8 33. Nd5 Qg1+ 34. Kd2 Qg5+ 35. Ke1 Bf6 36. Ngxe7 Bxe7 37. Qh8+ Kd7 38. f6 Qg3+ 39. Ke2 Qg2+ 40. Ke3 Qg3+ 41. Ke2 Qg4+ 42. Kf2 Bd8 43. Bf1 Kc6 44. Qxd8 Qh4+ 45. Kg1 Qg3+ Ponomariov – Kramnik, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2005, 1/2 (45)
  • 17… Be6 18. Qa4 Qc8 19. O-O g6 20. b3 f5 Almasi – Radjabov, 15th ETC, Gothenburg 2005, 1/2 (20)
  • 17… Ne7 18. O-O Nxd5 19. Nxd5 f5 Kosteniuk – Dvoirys, 58th ch-RUS Semi-Final 2005, 1/2 (19)
18. Nxe3 += Ne7 19. b3 f5 20. exf5 Nxf5 21. Nd5
The knight likes it on d5
21… Bb7 22. O-O Rc8 23. Qd3
White is slowly remobilising his pieces to play against the weak d6-pawn, as well as give himself options on the kingside.
23… Nh4 24. Rd1 h6 25. Qg3! +/- Nf5 26. Qg4 Rc5! 27. Rad2
27. b4 axb4 28. cxb4 Rc8 29. Ra7 +=
27… Bc8 28. Qe4 Bb7 29. h3
Preparing to open th b1-h7 diagonal by a timely g2-g4.
29… Nh4 30. Bd3?
Certainly an aggressive plan – attacking the slightly isolated Black king, but Topalov has more than sufficient resources to counter it. A plan more into the demands of the position is to expand on the queenside with his stronger pawns.Shredder 7: 30. Ra2 Bc6 31. Qg4 Rf5 32. Ne3 Nf3+ 33. Kh1 Rf4 34. Qg6 Rf6 35. Qc2 Qa8 [eval 0.49/13]
30… Rf5 = 31. Bb1
Making his mind up to sacrifice a pawn for the sake of the attack.
31… Rxc3 32. Qg4?
Both Topalov’s rooks are attacked – on the surface White’s position looks promising, but Topalov has everything under control.
32… h5! 33. Qe2 Qg5!
The c3-rook is safe because the attacking knight on d5 is pinned to the mating square g2.
34. f4
A logical reply
34… Rxf4
Position after 34...Rxf4! Both Black rooks are still en prise!
35. Kh1?
Now comes a typical Topalov flurry of attacks: 35. Qb5 is better 35… Rf8 36. Qxb7 -+
35… Nxg2 36. Qxg2
36. Nxc3 doesn’t change anything anymore Qh4 37. Kh2 Ne3 -+
36… Rg3 37. Nxf4 Bxg2+
37… Rxg2?! 38. Nxg2 Qg3 39. Kg1 -+
38. Nxg2 Rxh3+ 39. Kg1 Rg3
39… Rxb3?! is much weaker 40. Rxd6 Rb8 41. Be4 -/+
40. Rf2 Kg8
The king can protect himself from White’s mate threats.
41. Rxd6 h4 42. Rc6 Qg4
Still covering the white rooks entry to the back rank – this time the c8-square, but also setting up his own finish.
43. Bf5 Rxg2+!
a brilliant end
44. Rxg2 Qxf5 45. Rcg6 Qf7 46. R6g4 Qf6 47. Kh2 Kf7 48. Kh3
48. b4 a4 49. b5 -+
48… e4 49. Rg5
49. Rxh4 is one last hope g5 50. Rhg4 -+
49… e3 50. Kxh4
50. Rxa5 does not win a prize 50… Qf3+ 51. Kh2 e2 52. Ra7+ Kf8 -+
50… g6
50… g6 51. Kg4 Qf1 -+
0-1
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