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Home » Chess News » Events » World Chess Championship 2010. Anand vs Topalov » Anand - Topalov World Championship Game 7

Anand,Viswanathan (2787) - Topalov,Veselin (2805)
WCh Sofia BUL (7), 03.05.2010

IM Malcolm Pein

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

Topalov had to do something different, he has been getting such bad positions and been consistently out-prepared with black but now he shows he has something up his sleeve

5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Bf4 dxc4 9.Ne5 b5 10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.Bxc6 Bd7

New but I doubt if it has escaped Anand's notice entirely, it's a perfectly sensible alternative to

11...Ba6 12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.Qc2 Qc6 14.Bg5 Bb7 15.f3 e5 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.d5 Bxd5 18.Nc3 Bc6 19.Rad1 Qe6 20.e4 f5 21.exf5 Rxf5 22.Ne4 Rf8 23.Qe2 a5 24.Qe3 Rc8 25.Rfe1 h6 26.Nf2 Qf5 27.Ne4 b4 28.Kg2 Rf8 29.Rf1 Kh8 30.Rc1 Bd5 31.Rcd1 Bc6 32.Rc1 Bd5 33.Rcd1 1/2-1/2 Gelfand,B (2750) -Ivanchuk,V (2748)/Nice FRA 2010/The Week in Chess

12.Bxa8 Qxa8 13.f3 Nd5 14.Bd2 e5 15.e4

15.dxe5 Bh3 16.Rf2 Bc5

15...Bh3

OK, I take that back. Anand has used about 40 minutes, Topalov only a couple. Anand has been well and truly caught in the opening. The only question is whether Topalov is playing for a win or an easy draw. White doesn't look worse here

16.exd5

16.Rf2 Nc7 17.dxe5 Bc5 18.Qe2 Rd8

16...Bxf1 17.Qxf1 exd4 18.a4

Looks best, the Nb1 has to emerge somehow

18...Qxd5

Topalov still playing almost instantly

18...Qxd5 19.axb5 Qxb5

(19...Bc5 20.Kg2)

20.Na3

(20.Qc1 Rb8

20.Rxa7 Re8)

20...Bxa3 21.Rxa3 Qxb2 22.Qc1 it's all very messy. Anand will have to navigate this and I doubt there is a path to anything tangible for White

19.axb5 Qxb5 20.Rxa7 Re8 21.Kh1

21.Kh1 Qxb2 22.Qe1 Kf8 23.Rxe7 Rxe7 24.Bb4

21.Kh1 Qxb2= 22.Qe1! Forces an elegant draw. 22...h6 23.Rxe7 Rxe7 24.Qxe7 Qxb1+ 25.Kg2 Qb2 26.Qe8+ Kh7 27.Qe4+ g6 28.Qe8 Kg7 29.Qe5+ Kh7 30.Qe8

21...Bf8

Played after 15 minutes thought, Topalov's first major think of the game. Bf8 explicitly rejects the forced draw which would have almost certainly have occurred after Qxb2.

21...Bf8

A) 22.Rc7!? d3 23.Bc3

(23.Nc3 Qxb2 24.Qf2 Bb4 25.Rxc4 Bxc3 26.Rxc3 h6 27.Kg1 Re2)

23...Re2 24.Nd2 Qh5 25.h4 Qg6 26.Qh3 Qb6 27.Rc8 Re1+ 28.Nf1 Qf2 29.Rxf8+ Kxf8 30.Bb4+ Ke8 31.Qc8#

B) 22.Na3?! Bxa3 23.bxa3 d3

22.Rc7

22.Rc7 Bc5? 23.b4! Bxb4 24.Qxc4

22...d3

Suddenly I am quite suspicious of Black's play. He had an easy draw earlier but now White has a blockade and some stability. Credit to Vishy, he could have thought and thought but he has kept the moves coming

23.Bc3

Played quite quickly.

23...Bd6 24.Ra7

This looks some typical Topalov poker play but against Anand ? bold indeed but maybe not so bad the plan of Re2 and Qh5 should maintain some serious pressure. In the absence of a breakthrough Nb1-d2-e4 needs to be dealt with

24.Ra7 Re2 25.Nd2 Qh5 26.Ra8+

(26.h4 Qd5 27.Rd7!)

26...Bf8 27.h4

(27.Qg1 Rxd2 28.Bxd2 Qxf3+ 29.Qg2 Qd1+ 30.Qg1 Qxd2 31.Rxf8+ Kxf8 32.Qc5+ Ke8 33.Qe5+ Kd7 34.Qd5+=)

27...Qd5 28.Ra4 h6 29.Ne4

(29.Nxc4 Qb5)

29...f5! 30.Nd2 f4

24...h6 25.Nd2

25.Ra5 Qb7 26.Nd2 Bb4 27.Ra4 Bxc3 28.bxc3 Qb2 29.Nxc4 Qxc3 30.Ra3 Qxc4 31.Qxd3=

25...Bb4!

A great move which starts to break the blockade on d2 and makes Re2 much much stronger

25...Bb4 26.Ra1 looks forced according to the computers 26...Bxc3 27.bxc3 Re2 28.Rd1

(28.Ne4 Qh5 29.h4 f5 30.Nd6 f4 just breaks through)

28...Qb2

(28...Qh5 29.Qg1 f5 30.h4 f4 31.Qd4 Rxd2 32.Rxd2 Qxf3+= 33.Kg1 Qxg3+ 34.Kf1 Qf3+ 35.Qf2 Qh1+ 36.Qg1 Qf3+=)

29.Nxc4 Qxc3 30.Nd6

26.Ra1

26.Ra1 Now it's Vishy who has to play to hold and if that's so Topalov can again decide whether to take a draw or play for a win 26...Bxc3 27.bxc3 Re2 28.Rd1 Qb2

(28...f5 29.Rb1 Qc6 30.Qh3 Qe6 31.Nxc4 Re1+ 32.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 33.Kg2 Qxc3 34.Qh4=)

29.Qh3 Rxd2 30.Qc8+ Kh7 31.Qf5+

26...Bxc3 27.bxc3 Re2 28.Rd1

28...Qa4

28...Qa4 29.Ra1 Qc6 30.Rd1 Black can play on as how can White improve ? maybe Qh3 at some point

28...g5 avoiding perpetuals was proposed by some engines but I can't see how to continue after 29.Ne4 Qb2

(29...Qf5 30.Re1 Rxe1 31.Qxe1 Qxf3+ 32.Kg1)

30.Rb1 Rxh2+ 31.Kg1

29.Ne4

29.Ne4 f5 30.Rd2

(30.Qh3)

30...fxe4 31.Rxe2 dxe2 32.Qxe2 Qa1+ 33.Kg2 Qxc3 34.Qxe4=

29.Ne4 Qc2 may be the way to continue 30.Ra1

(30.Kg1 Rxh2 31.Nf2 Rxf2!)

30...Rxh2+ 31.Kg1 Re2?

(31...f5 32.Nf2 Rxf2 33.Qxf2 d2 34.Qe2 Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qxa1 36.Qe6+=)

32.Qh3!+-

29...Qc2 30.Rc1

This seems to survive

30...Rxh2+ 31.Kg1 Rg2+ 32.Qxg2

32.Kh1=

32...Qxc1+ 33.Qf1 Qe3+ 34.Qf2 Qc1+ 35.Qf1

35.Qf1 d2 36.Nxd2 Qxd2 37.Qxc4=

35...Qe3+ 36.Kg2

That's a surprise we were all planning on going home but Anand says: You are not the only one to refuse draws!

36...f5 37.Nf2

37.Nf2 Qe2 38.Qb1

37.Nf2 Qd2 38.Qa1 Qc2 39.Qa5 d2 40.Qd5+ Kh8 game continues !

37...Kh7 38.Qb1

Idea Qb5 and preventing d3-d2 but Black should still be fine even though he may on the back foot psychologically, suddenly its Anand playing on and that can be hard to adjust to - you have to forget about all the draws you turned down

38...Qe6 39.Qb5

Maybe heading for d4

39...g5

perhaps g4 now

40.g4

A fascinating position, what a game this has been. Anand has emerged with chances to win, now 40...f4? 41.Ne4 wins but takes and Kg6 leaves Black vulnerable, he has to hope there is no way for White to progress

40...fxg4

40...fxg4 41.fxg4 d2! may be the way to bale out 42.Qb7+ Kg6 43.Qf3 Qe1

41.fxg4 Kg6 42.Qb7

After the game the engines found the most amazing and totally inhuman idea that seems to win 42.Qa4!! d2 43.Qc2+ is the first point

42.Qa4 Qd5+ 43.Kf1 Qe6 44.Qa2 Threat Nxd3 44...Qd5 45.Qa6+ Kg7 46.Qa7+ Kg6 47.Qe3

Another key point # White threatens a queen exchange and the knight goes back to d2. He gets stability and having forced the queen back can advance his king 47...Qb5 48.Kg2 Qb3

(48...Qb2 49.Qe4+ Kg7 50.Qxc4 d2 51.Qd4+)

49.Ne4 Qc2+ 50.Kg3+- and you can see the scenario, a check, takes on c4 and d3-d2 met by checks and takes on d2

42.Qa4 Qc8 43.Qd1 Qe6 44.Kf1!

idea Qe1. The threat of a queen exchange is often the way to progress when you have an extra piece and this position, even though some of its depths can only be fathomed by computers, is no different

(44.Qf3 d2=)

44...Qf6 45.Qe1 More unravelling and we will get the knight do d1 and e3 the optimal square or put the queen on e3, make the king safer and start to force back the black queen 45...Kf7 46.Kg2 Kg7

(46...Qf4 47.Qe4+-)

47.Nd1 Qc6+ 48.Kg1 Qb6+

(48...Qc5+ 49.Qf2 Qd6 50.Qd4+ Qxd4+ 51.cxd4 Kg6 52.Kf2 h5 53.gxh5+ Kxh5 54.Nb2+-)

49.Nf2 Qd6 50.Qe4! Now the king can go anywhere, even e3 hence 50...d2 51.Nd1 Qg3+ 52.Kf1

and you can see Qd4+ is a threat. Engines can demonstrate this is winning here is a sample: 52...Kf8 53.Qf5+ Kg7 54.Qd7+ Kf8 55.Qd8+

(55.Qxd2+/- Carbon but 55...Qxg4)

55...Kf7 56.Qd5+ Ke8 57.Qc6+ Kd8 58.Qe4 # Silicon Zugzwang a pawn goes with check or the queens come off 58...Kd7 59.Qd4+ Ke7 60.Qe3+

42...d2 43.Qb1+ Kg7 44.Kf1 Qe7

That's it, if Qd1 Qe3 and it's not clear how White can progress

45.Kg2 Qe6 46.Qd1 Qe3 47.Qf3 Qe6 48.Qb7+ Kg6 49.Qb1+ Kg7 50.Qd1

50.Kf1 Qe7 Here there is no Qe1 or Nd1 so no progress

50...Qe3 51.Qc2 Qe2 52.Qa4 Kg8 53.Qd7 Kf8 54.Qd5 Kg7 55.Kg3 Qe3+ 56.Qf3 Qe5+ 57.Kg2 Qe6 58.Nd1 1/2-1/2

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