Category Archives: Queens Gambit

Kramnik – Topalov, World Championship 2006 (12)

Topalov adopts Kramnik’s preferred Slav Defence for the last game of the match, but converts it into a Stonewall formation with 13… f5?!. Kramnik goes for a minority attack on the queenside (16. b4 and 19. b5) and infiltrates the … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (11)

Topalov’s last game with the White pieces sees him out of a Slav with very little. He refrains from his novelty from game 8 and instead plays a more solid 8. Rb1. Kramnik’s solid play gives him a tiny edge … Continue reading

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Kramnik – Topalov, World Championship 2006 (10)

Kramnik bounces back with a solid win after Topalov stumbles in a difficult position. Topalov’s queenside expansion (11… b5?!) is ambitious, and Kramnik seizes the initiative by opening the centre (13. e4), forcing Topalov to play some awkward moves to … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (9)

Topalov’s opening novelty subdues Kramnik, and he finishes Kramnik off in typical Topalov fashion. Another variation of the Slav Defence sees Topalov taking an unusual sideline – a virtually unplayed 8. a3. He follows this up with a bold and … Continue reading

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Kramnik – Topalov, World Championship 2006 (8)

Topalov outfoxes Kramnik to score his first over-the-board win. In another Semi-Slav Meran, Kramnik unleashes a complicated struggle with 12. Bb5+, but Topalov threads his way to equality with an unexpected 15… Qa5! creating a multitude of threats. Kramnik is … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (7)

A draw with Kramnik having the upperhand through most of the game. Kramnik’s third Black in a row. Topalov’s move-order sleight (5. Bd3) spins a Semi Slav into a classical Queen’s Gambit Accepted. Using a rare side-line (12. a4) Topalov … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (6)

Personal note: I publicly acknowledge and commend Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik’s sporting and professional attitude, and strength of character, in playing game 6. I am impressed he stayed in Elista to play this game when many other Grandmasters in his position … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (4)

Another hard-fought draw. Kramnik ventured a Semi-Slav, and met with a Topalov home-crafted novelty based on a game Kramnik played against Ivanchuk in the 1994 Intel Rapidplay. Topalov gained time out of the opening, gaining compensation by sacrificing a pawn. … Continue reading

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Kramnik – Topalov, World Championship 2006 (3)

A gem of a game, and the draw a fair result. We saw Kramnik on fire, and Topalov fighting hard not to get burnt to a crisp. Topalov fought back exceptionally well – taking the upper hand in the major … Continue reading

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Topalov – Kramnik, World Championship 2006 (2)

A stormy ferocious struggle where Topalov demonstrates his talent for conjuring up an attack from almost nothing. The game is peppered with queen sacrifices as well as rook and knight sacrifices. Somehow Kramnik defends just enough to delay Topalov’s coup … Continue reading

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