Topalov: Kramnik

Tale partija me je pa res fascinirala. Kot da bi se v Topalova naselil Fischerjev duh!

[Event "Corus A"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "2008.01.22"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Kramnik, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D43"]
[WhiteElo "2780"]
[BlackElo "2799"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2008.01.12"]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Nxf7!
An important novelty which was found by Ivan Cheparinov 3 years ago and developed by him since. Topalov didn't have any imput. Topalov wasn't sure Kramnik was going to to play this line but his manager Silvio Danailov thought it a serious possibliity. Opportunities have arisen before to play this line but this was an important enough occasion to reveal the idea. [12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bd6 a6 14.a4 e5 15.d5 c5 16.b4 cxb4 17.Bxb4 a5 18.Bd6 b4 19.Nb5 Rc8 20.Bxc4 Rxc4 21.Rc1 Rxc1 22.Qxc1 Qb6 23.Nc7+ Kd8 24.Nb5 Ke8 25.Nc7+ 1/2-1/2 Izoria,Z (2646)-Erenburg,S (2582)/Khanty Mansyisk RUS 2005/The Week in Chess 578] 12...Kxf7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Ke7 15.Nd6 Qb6 16.Bg4! Black is a piece up but white has much more compensation than it appears at first sight. This pressurises e6. 16...Raf8 17.Qc2
17...Qxd4? This was by no means the strongest defence according to Topalov. However it is terribly difficult for Kramnik to find his way through the complications. Essentially this will return the piece. [17...Rhg8] 18.Qg6 Qxg4 19.Qxg7+ Kd8 20.Nxb7+ Kc8 21.a4! [21.Nd6+ Kc7 22.a4 b4 23.Rac1] 21...b4 22.Rac1 c3 23.bxc3 b3? Topalov thinks this isn't the best defensive idea either but black's position is terribly difficult. [23...Nxc3!?; 23...bxc3 24.Rb1 c2 25.Nd6+ Kd8 26.Rb7! wins.] 24.c4 Rfg8
25.Nd6+ Kc7 26.Qf7 Rf8
27.cxd5! Now the time has come to sacrifice my queen. I believe its winning - Topalov. It also cuts out certain counterplay that might be possible with b2. 27...Rxf7 28.Rxc6+ Kb8 29.Nxf7 Re8 30.Nd6 Rh8 31.Rc4 Qe2 32.dxe6 Nb6 33.Rb4 Ka8 34.e7? Doesn't necessarily spoil anything but this move annoyed Topalov a lot after the game which I guess he hoped to be as perfect as possible. [34.Rxb3 is just a lot better.] 34...Nd5 35.Rxb3 Nxe7 36.Rfb1 Nd5 37.h3 h5? [37...Nf4] 38.Nf7 Simply winning a pawn. 38...Rc8 39.e6 a6 40.Nxg5 h4 Trying to stop a4 by white with a slow easy crush. 41.Bd6 Rg8 42.R3b2! The most precise. 42...Qd3 43.e7 Nf6 44.Be5 Nd7 45.Ne6 There is no defence. 1-0