Kramnik – Topalov, World Championship 2006 (1)

A tragedy for Topalov, blundering right before the second time-control in a stubbornly contested game.

Out of a Bogo-Catalan, Topalov plays solidly and equalises. His 21… g5!? was inspired, tieing down the White pieces. After sacrificing a pawn, Topalov gets at least a draw by repetition, but he presses hard for a win in a risk-free type position. But he slowly loses his way, and Kramnik fights his way back into the game. Just when a draw is inevitable, Topalov blunders horribly with 57… f5??, and ever efficient Kramnik cleans up to win the first game.

We saw the strengths of both players in this fascinating encounter. Topalov was awesome in fighting for the initiative – with some inspired ideas. Kramnik, the technical perfectionist demonstrated his ability to neutralise his opponents fearsome queenside threats, and unravels his position. The dominating factor was Topalov’s will to win, which proved his undoing. Blundering horribly in a game he had secured at least a draw.

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White:
Vladimir Kramnik (2743)
Black:
Veselin Topalov (2813)
Opening
Queen’s Gambit: Catalan
Tournament
World Championship 2006, Elista, Game 1
Date
23/09/2006
ECO Code
E04
Result
1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 Bb4+

A solid continuation – almost Bogo-Indian like.

6. Bd2

6. Nbd2 b5 7. O-O a5 8. a4 c6 9. Ne5 Nd5 10. e4 Ne7 11. d5? (11. Qg4 =) 11… O-O 12. Nxc6 Nbxc6 13. dxc6 c3! 14. bxc3? (Shredder 7: 14. Nf3 is slightly better, but Black is definitely in the driving seat. 14… Qxd1 15. Rxd1 c2 16. Rf1 bxa4 17. Be3 Ba6 18. Rfc1 Rac8 19. Rxc2 Bd3 20. Rcc1 Nxc6 21. e5 Be4 22. Bf4 Rfd8 23. Rxa4 Rd3 [-0.58/14]) 14… Bxc3 -+ 15. Ra2 b4 16. Nb1 Ba6 17. Nxc3 Bxf1 18. Qxf1 bxc3 19. Ba3 Nxc6 20. Bxf8 Qxf8 21. Rc2 Qc5 22. e5 Rc8 23. Bxc6 Qxc6 24. Qb5 Qe4 25. Qd7 Rb8 26. Rc1 h6 27. Qc7 Rb3 28. h4 Qd3 29. Qd6 Qxd6 30. exd6 Kf8 31. Kf1 Ke8 32. Ke2 Kd7 33. Kd3 Kxd6 34. Kc4 Rb4+ 35. Kxc3 Rxa4 36. Rd1+ Ke7 37. Rb1 Ra2 38. Rb7+ Kf6 Miroshnichenko – Korneev, WCC, Khanty Mansyisk RUS (1.4) 2005, 0-1 (38)

6… a5

Black will find it difficult to develop his queenside quickly, but White has a sacrificed pawn to recover which might give Black time to unravel.

7. Qc2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2

8. Nbxd2 is the other alternative b5 9. a4 c6 10. b3 cxb3 11. Nxb3 O-O 12. O-O Ba6 13. Nc5 = Nbd7 14. Rfd1 Qe7 15. Nb3 Qb4 16. Nc5 Nxc5 17. dxc5 Rad8 18. Rdb1 Qe4 19. Qb2 Rd5 20. e3 Rxc5 21. Nd4 Qe5 22. axb5 Bxb5 23. Rxa5 Nd5 Avrukh – Eljanov, 36th Olympiad Spain 2004, 1/2 (23)

8… c6

8… Bd7 9. Ne5 Bc6 10. Nxc6 Nxc6 11. Na3 O-O 12. e3 Nb4?! 13. Nxc4 c5 14. a3 Nbd5 15. O-O (Shredder 7: 15. dxc5 Qe7 16. Qd4 Nd7 17. e4 Nxc5 18. exd5 exd5+ 19. Ne3 Nb3 20. Qd3 Nxa1 21. O-O a4 22. Rxa1 Qxa3 23. bxa3 [1.25/14]) 15… b5 16. Ne5 cxd4 17. Qxd4 Rc8 18. Rfc1 a4 19. Bf1 Qa5 20. e4 Ne7 21. Nd7 Nxd7 22. Qxd7 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Ng6 24. Qxb5 Qd2 25. Rc4 f5 26. exf5 Rxf5 27. Rc8+ Nf8 28. Qxf5 Delchev – Giorgadze, Spanish Team Ch 2006, 1-0 (28)

9. a4 b5 10. axb5 cxb5 11. Qg5

recouping his pawn and shattering the Black queenside pawn-structure.

11… O-O 12. Qxb5 Ba6

A new move.

12… Na6 13. Qxc4 Nb4 14. Qb3 e5? Grischuk – Moiseenko, 13th Russian Team Championship 2006, 1-0 (102)

13. Qa4

Shredder 7: 13. Qxa5 Qxa5+ 14. Rxa5 Nc6 15. Ra3 Nd5 16. e3 Rfb8 17. Nc3 Rxb2 18. Nxd5 exd5 19. Nd2 c3 20. Rxc3 [0.96/14]

13… Qb6 14. O-O Qxb2 15. Nbd2 Bb5 16. Nxc4

an interesting tactical sequence that forces the queens from the board, leaving a technical position.

16… Bxa4 17. Nxb2 Bb5 18. Ne5 Ra7

Shredder 7: 18… Nd5 19. Rfc1 Bxe2 20. Rc2 Bh5 21. Rc5 Rd8 22. f4 f6 23. Nec4 Ra7 24. Bxd5 exd5 25. Nxa5 Kf8 [0.37/15]

19. Bf3

An improvement over the passive looking 19. Rfe1. At least now the White rook can take up a more active position on the queenside immediately rather than having to keep the e-pawn under guard.

Shredder 7: 19. Nbc4 Nbd7 20. Nxa5 Nxe5 [0.80/14]

19… Nbd7 20. Nec4

After a long think. White has a number of options at this point. Shredder 7:

  • 20. Nxd7 Bxd7 21. Nc4 a4 22. Rfb1 Rc8 23. Nd6 Rd8 24. e3 g5 25. Rb7 Ra6 26. Nc4 g4 27. Bg2 [0.14/16]
  • 20. Nbc4 Nxe5 21. Nxe5 Nd5 22. Rfc1 Rb8 23. e4 Nb4 24. d5 Ra6 25. d6 f6 26. d7 Raa8 27. Nc4 Kf7 28. Nxa5 [0.11/16]
  • 20. Nbd3 Nxe5 21. Nxe5 Nd5 22. Rfc1 Rb8 23. e4 Nb4 24. d5 Ra6 25. d6 f6 26. d7 Raa8 27. Nc4 Kf7 28. Nxa5 [0.11/16]
20… Rb8

Shredder 7: 20… g5 21. Nxa5 g4 22. Bg2 Bxe2 23. Rfe1 Bb5 24. Nbc4 Rb8 25. Nd6 Ra6 26. Nab7 Be2 27. Rac1 [0.36/15]

21. Rfb1

Shredder 7: 21. Nxa5 Bxe2 22. Bxe2 Rxb2 23. Nc6 Rxa1 24. Rxa1 g5 25. Kf1 g4 26. Ne5 Nxe5 27. Ra8+ Kg7 [0.23/15]

21… g5!?

Position after 21...g5!? The White bishop on f3 is slightly overworked, covering both the e2-pawn and the long diagonal. This move puts the question to the White light-squared bishop of whether to stay on the long a8-h1 diagonal, or keep a wary eye on the a4-square with Bd1

22. e3

Kramnik decides its more important for the bishop to make its presence felt on the queenside, so opens up the path for it.

22… g4 23. Bd1

Shredder 7: 23. Bg2 Bxc4 24. Nxc4 Rxb1+ 25. Rxb1 a4 26. Ra1 Nd5 27. Kf1 Kg7 28. Ke2 Rc7 29. Kd3 Nb4+ 30. Kc3 Nd5+ 31. Kd3 Nb4+ 32. Kc3 Nd5+ 33. Kd3 Nb4+ [-0.08/14]

23… Bc6 24. Rc1

The start of an ardous regrouping in an effort to free up the White pieces.

24. Nxa5? Be4! -/+

24… Be4

Shredder 7: 24… Bd5 25. Nd3 Bxc4 26. Rxc4 h5 27. f3 gxf3 28. Bxf3 Rb3 29. Nc1 Rb5 30. h3 Kg7 31. Kf1 Nd5 32. Ke2 [-0.02/14]

25. Na4

Threatening Nc3.

25… Rb4

25… Bd5 =

26. Nd6!

26. Nc5 is interesting

26… Bf3! 27. Bxf3 gxf3

The Black pawn on f3 chokes the White kingside. Although it is difficult to defend this pawn, its just as difficult for White to attack it.

28. Nc8

Shredder 7: 28. Nc5 a4 Black probably can’t afford to give White the advantage of a passed c-pawn. 29. Nd3 Rb3 30. Ne1 And the weakness of Black’s ambitious … g5!? is exposed. The pawn falls, and the only compensation Black has is the passed a-pawn. 30… Kg7 31. Nxf3 Ra6 32. Nc4 Ne4 33. Rc2 Kf6 34. h3 [0.39/15]

28… Ra8 29. Ne7+ Kg7 30. Nc6 = Rb3 31. Nc5 Rb5 32. h3 Nxc5

Heading for a certain draw by repetition – Black exchanges off the protector of the e4-square.

33. Rxc5 Rb2 34. Rg5+ Kh6 35. Rgxa5 Rxa5 36. Nxa5 Ne4 37. Rf1 Nd2 38. Rc1 Ne4 39. Rf1 f6

Position after 39...f6. Although the position is equal, its Black who holds the initiative. White is in a semi-zugzwang, and must be careful about running out of moves. Black can take a draw any time he choses.

40. Nc6 Nd2 41. Rd1 Ne4 42. Rf1 Kg6

If Black can get his king into the White position – to the h3-square for example, then he has the Nxg3 sacrifice opening up the seventh rank, with the followup of …Rg2+ followed by …f2! threatening …Rh1 mate.

43. Nd8

After long thought.

43… Rb6!?

Now the White knight is locked out of play.

43… Kf5 44. g4+ Kg5 45. Nxe6+ Kh4 46. Nf4 this knight saves White’s position.

44. Rc1

A visual move, but White can’t strengthen his position.

44… h5!? 45. Ra1

A sign that White has no prospects of improving his position.

45… h4 46. gxh4 Kh5 47. Ra2

A more active protection of the f2-pawn.

47… Kxh4 48. Kh2 Kh5 49. Rc2 Kh6 50. Ra2 Kg6 51. Rc2 Kf5 52. Ra2 Rb5

Trying to get to the g-file.

53. Nc6 Rb7 54. Ra5+

Shredder 7: 54. d5 e5 55. h4 Nc3 56. Rc2 Nxd5 57. Rc4 Ne7 58. Nxe7+ Rxe7 59. Kg3 e4 60. Rc5+ Ke6 61. Kf4 Kd6 62. Rc4 [0.79/17]

54… Kg6 55. Ra2 Kh5 56. d5

Position after 56. d5. White has managed to extricate himself

56… e5

Only move, otherwise the White knight gets the strong d4-square as an outpost.

56… Rg7 37. dxe6! Rg2+ 58. Kh1 Nxf2 (58… Ng3+ 59. fxg3 Rxa2 60. e7 Ra8 61. Nd8 +-) 59. Rxf2 Rxf2 60. e7 +-

57. Ra4 f5??

57… Nxf2 58. Kg3 e4 59. Kxf2 Rb2+ 60. Kf1 Rb1+ =

58. Nxe5 Rb2 59. Nd3 Rb7

59… Rd2 60. Rd4

60. Rd4 Rb6 61. d6

Giving up the pawn to get his king into play and removing the constricting f3-pawn.

61… Nxd6 62. Kg3 Ne4+ 63. Kxf3 Kg5 64. h4+

Ditching another pawn to simplify the position into a winning rook and pawns ending.

64… Kf6

64… Kxh4 65. Nc5 +-

65. Rd5 Nc3 66. Rd8 Rb1 67. Rf8+ Ke6 68. Nf4+ Ke5 69. Re8+ Kf6 70. Nh5+ Kg6 71. Ng3 Rb2 72. h5+ Kf7 73. Re5 Nd1 74. Ne2 Kf6 75. Rd5

Position after 75. Rd5. Topalov resigns. 75… Rxe2 76. Rd6+! Ke5 77. Kxe2 Nc3+ 78. Kf1! and Black cannot take the
rook because the h-pawn queens.

1-0

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