Topalov – Aronian, Corus 2006

Posted on February 12, 2006 by Isofarro
White:
Veselin Topalov (2801)
Black:
Levon Aronian (2752)
Opening
Queen’s Indian
Tournament
Corus 2006, Wijk aan Zee, Round 10
Date
25/01/2006
ECO Code
E15
Result
1-0
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 c6 8. Bc3 d5 9. Ne5 Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. Nd2 O-O 12. O-O Nf6 13. e4
Aggressive expansion in the centre.
13… b5 14. exd5 exd5 15. Re1 Rb8 16. c5 Bc8
16… b4 !?
17. Nf3 Ne4 18. Rxe4!
Position after 18.Rxe4!A typical Topalov exchange sacrifice. Topalov prepared this novelty for San Luis, but it never got used.18. Ne5 Nxc3 19. Qd3 Qc7 20. Qxc3 Re8 21. a4 b4 22. Qf3 Bf8 23. Re3 f6 24. Nd3 Rxe3 25. fxe3 a5 26. e4 Be6 27. Qf4 Qd8 28. e5 Rb7 29. exf6 Qxf6 30. Qxf6 Kramnik – Leko, Dortmund 2004, 1/2 (30)
18… dxe4 19. Ne5 Qd5 20. Qe1 Bf5
20… f5 21. f3
21. g4 Bg6 22. f3
The e-pawn has to fall. Exchanging it off at this point gifts White the c6-h1 diagonal, with terrible pressure on the c6-pawn. Eventually White’s pressure on the centre will prove decisive.
22… b4 23. fxe4
Instead of 23. Nxg6 hxg6 24. fxe4 Qd7 -/+
23… Qe6 24. Bb2
Not 24. Bxb4 Bf6 -/+
24… Bf6 25. Nxc6!?
A flashy continuation. 25.d5 was equally strong. The strong factor in White’s move choice is the threats caused by the advance of the White pawn centre.
25… Qxc6 26. e5
White gets more space
26… Qa6 27. exf6 Rfe8 28. Qf1 Qe2 29. Qf2!
Stronger than exchanging queens on e2 immediately, since if the exchange happens, the White king gets to f2 preventing an intrusion of the black rook on e2.
29… Qxg4 30. h3 Qg5 31. Bc1 Qh5 32. Bf4
White’s queen and two bishops thoroughly dominate the position. The pawns will soon advance.
32… Rbd8 33. c6 Be4 34. c7 Rc8 35. Re1 Qg6?
Better is 35… Bf5 36. fxg7 Kxg7 +-
36. Rxe4
A second exchange sacrifice! In the battle of two bishops against two rooks, Topalov’s bishops prove superior.
36… Rxe4 37. d5 Rce8
37… Ree8 38. d6 Rxc7 39. dxc7 Qxf6 +-
38. d6 Re1+ 39. Kh2 Qf5 40. Qg3 g6 41. Qg5 Qxg5 42. Bxg5 Rd1 43. Bc6 Re2+
43… Rc8 is still a small chance 44. Bf4 h5 +-
44. Kg3
44. Kg3 Rd3+ 45. Kf4 Rd4+ 46. Kf3 Re8 47. Bxe8 h6 48. c8=Q hxg5 49. Qd8 g4+ 50. Ke3 Rd3+ 51. Kxd3 Kh7 52. Bxf7 Kh6 53. h4 Kh7 54. Qg8+ Kh6 55. Qxg6#
1-0
This entry was posted in Analysis, Aronian, Chess, Corus, Queen's Indian, Topalov. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to Topalov – Aronian, Corus 2006

  1. chessfan says:
    April 8, 2007 at 12:33 am

    This is Topalov’s famous double exchange sacrifice. Both occured on e4. Topalov winds up with two bishops and a strong connected pair of passed pawns v two helpless rooks.
    This is the game at chessgames.com:
    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1387655&kpage=16

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