CHESS PRACTICE

- VESELIN TOPALOV SPECIAL PAGE -
- Updated: October 2006 -



No1  :  TOPALOV Veselin    (BUL)

Born:   1975

Rating :   2813   (=)   (Oct. 2006, 0 game)

   «© Veselin Topalov - AlekhineMemorialOnline»


Temporarily Topalov is not any more world chess champion, after his defeat facing Kramnik, but he owns however the second stronger Rating of all times after Garry Kasparov!...
In April 2006, FIDE announced a reunification match between Vladimir Kramnik (2750) and Veselin Topalov (2813) — the FIDE World Chess Championship 2006. The match took place in Elista... The FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 was a chess match between Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik, and FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov. The match, which was won by Kramnik, determined, for the first time in 13 years, the undisputed World Chess Champion. The match was played between September 23 and October 13, 2006, in Elista, Kalmykia, Russia. (Source: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

   «Veselin Topalov grandmaster
©-Wikipedia: l'encyclopédie libre»
        Veselin Topalov grandmaster ©-Wikipedia: l'encyclopédie libre   


We choose, as an illustration of the Topalov's style, a game of the reunification match, where Veselin Topalov wins with Black, in a Semi-Slav Defense, Meran Variation, where he played an interesting theoretical novelty: 15...Qa5.

FIDE World Chess Championship 2006
Kramnik, Vladimir (2750) - Topalov, Veselin (2813)
- (D47) Semi-Slav Defense, Meran Variation, 0-1,
Game No8, Elista, Kalmikia (RUS), 2006 -


     1.d4    d5
     2.c4    c6
     3.Nf3    Nf6
     4.Nc3    e6
     5.e3    Nbd7
     6.Bd3    ...


The classical alternative is here: 6.Qc2; for example: 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 dxc4 8.Bxc4 b6 9.e4 e5 10.g5 Nh5 11.Be2! g6 12.Be3 0-0 13.0-0-0 and White has some good perspectives to attack on the Kingside (Milanovic, Danilo (2480) - Kalezic, Blazo (2448) 1-0 (D45) SCG-chT1 Vrnjacka Banja, 2005).

     6...    dxc4  Main line
     7.Bxc4    b5
     8.Be2 (8.Bd3)    Bb7
     9.0-0    b4      (a6)
     10.Na4 Only move   c5!?  (Be7)


At the usual 10...Be7, may effectively be substituted 10...c5!? which was introduced by Flohr in the game: Malich, Burkhard - Flohr, Salo ½-½ (D47) Chigorin mem, 1965. But the corresponding position usually leads either to draws or to White wins. This is why this Black move seems today rather forsaken.

DIAG 1 :


     11.dxc5    Nxc5  (Bxc5)
     12.Bb5+ Initiative   Ncd7  Only move
     13.Ne5!? Active    Qc7    (a6?)
     14.Qd4 Initiative   Rd8!
     15.Bd2    ...   


DIAG 2 :


     15...                         Qa5!N   Novelty  


An interesting novelty. Had been tested before: 15...a6 16.Rfc1 Qa5 17.Bc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Qxa4 19.Nxd8 Kxd8 20.a3= Cvetkovic, Srdjan - Bajirov, Vladimir ½-½ (D47) Vrnjacka Banka, 1974. We may also notice the short game: 13...a6? 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7 15.Nxd7 Qc7?? (Qxd7 +/-) 16.Nxf8 1-0, Alonso, Rene (2395) - Hilarius, Sander (1892) 1-0 (D47) Seville op 30th, 2005.

   «Veselin Topalov World Chess Champion 2005
Image Copyright ©- 2005 WCC Press»
Veselin Topalov World Chess Champion 2005    Image Copyright ©- 2005 WCC Press  


     16.Bc6 Only move   Be7!    Accurate


On one hand, is not clear: 16...Bxc6 17.Nxc6 Qxa4 18.Nxd8 Kxd8 19.a3 e5 20.Qc4 +/= and on the other one if 17.Bxb7?? then Nxe5! -+

     17.Rfc1?! (17.b3!?)   Bxc6   
     18.Nxc6    Qxa4    Only move
     19.Nxd8    Bxd8    Accurate
     20.Qxb4 (20.a3)   Qxb4   
     21.Bxb4    Nd5!    Active
     22.Bd6 Accurate   f5   


May be envisaged: 20.a3!? 0-0 21.axb4 Qb5 22.Qxa7 Ne4 23.Bc3 Bh4!? = not clear; anyway this endgame, with two black Knights against a Rook and a pawn for White, is not at all obvious and one wonders why Kramnik chose this way.

     23.Rc8    N5b6!   Accurate
     24.Rc6    Be7       Accurate
     25.Rd1 (25.Bxe7?)   Kf7!       Accurate
     26.Rc7 (25.Bxe7!?)   Ra8!?    (Rc8?!)


After: 26...Rc8?! 27.Rxc8 (27.Rxa7?? Bxd6) Nxc8 28.Bxe7 Kxe7 29.Rc1 Ncb6 30.Rc7 a5 31.b3 a4 32.bxa4 Nxa4= the game may be a draw.

DIAG 3 :


   «Veselin Topalov © 2005 ChessBase
Veselin Topalov new world champion
during his post game conference»
   Veselin Topalov new world champion during his post game conference


     27.Rb7    Ke8!?  (Bxd6)
     28.Bxe7    Kxe7  
     29.Rc1 (29.Kf1)   a5  
     30.Rc6    Nd5!    Active


It is particularly difficult to judge this position and grandmaster opinions are here frankly divergent.

DIAG 4 :


A good strategy for Black consists now to increase his territory; but, obviously such a plan is rather difficult to realise in the present context!... Anyway, the choice of appropriate pawn moves will be, for each camp, the key of success!

     31.h4    h6      Idea: ...g5
     32.a4?! Mistake   g5  
     33.hxg5    hxg5    
     34.Kf1    g4!
     35.Ke2 Centralis.   N5f6   Idea: Ne8-d6
     36.b3?! Weak   ...  


DIAG 5 :


First of all: 32.a4?! is a positional mistake (Judit Polgar); better is simply: 32.Kf1 g5 33.hxg5 hxg5 34.Ke2 (Judit Polgar). It is right that White has now a backward pawn. In the continuation of the erroneous Kramnik's discernment of this endgame 36.b3?! is a weak move, allowing Topalov to increase his initiative. It is preferable to play 36.Rcc7 g3 37.fxg3 Rg8 38.Rc5 Rxg3 39.Rxa5 Rxg2+ 40.Kf1 =/unclear.

     36...    Ne8    Idea: Nd6
     37.f3?! (37.Rc1!?)   g3!  
     38.Rc1    Nef6   Judicious   
     39.f4    Kd6!
     40.Kf3 Centralis.   Nd5    Initiative


   «Veselin Topalov ©- www.Boby-Fischer.net
Veselin Topalov playing chess»
Veselin Topalov playing chess ©- www.Boby-Fischer.net   


DIAG 6 :


It is not easy for Topalov to win this game, indeed. But, in this position, following features explain the significant Black advantage:
  • Black pieces are well coordinated and centralised.
  • Black Knights own a significant mobility.
  • The Black Rook disposes of the 8th rank and threatens to reach the h-file.
  • The White Rook b7 is unable to play; furthermore, both White Rooks are not coordinated.
  • g3-pawn is untouchable (indirect protection).
    •

         41.Kxg3? (41.Rb5)   Nc5    (-+)
         42.Rg7 Defensive   Rb8!    Attack


       «Veselin Topalov ©- The Hindu images
    Rapid Chess Championship,
    Cap d'Adge, France, 2003
    Photo: Arvind Aaron, 2003
    Credit: The HINDU»
    Veselin Topalov - Rapid Chess Champ., Cap d'Adge, France Photo: Arvind Aaron, 2003 Credit: The HINDU


    41.Kxg3? is a decisive mistake. The optimal line is here: 41.Rb5 (only choice!) N7f6 42.Rcc5 Nc7 43.Rxa5 Rb8 44.Rc3 Ne4 45.Rd3+ Nd5 46.Rb5 Rxb5 47.axb5 Kc5 -/+. This time Topalov owns a strong superiority: White is unable to protect himself simultaneously from an attack on files b and g.

         43.Ra7    Rg8+    Initiative
         44.Kf3 (44.Kh2)   Ne4!     Threat
         45.Ra6+    Ke7
         46.Rxa5    Rg3+
         47.Ke2 Forced    Rxe3+
         48.Kf1 Best choice    Rxb3
         49.Ra7+    Kf6
         50.Ra8 Idea: Rf8+    Nxf4    Decisive!   
         51.Ra1 Idea: a5    Rb2!    The stronger
         52.a5    Rf2+     0-1


    DIAG 7 :


    This time, White is mate in 4: 53.Kg1 (53.Ke1 Nd3+ 54.Kd1 Rd2#) Rxg2+ 54.Kf1 (54.Kh1 Nf2#) Rf2+ 55.Kg1 (55.Ke1 Nd3+ 56.Kd1 Rd2#) Nh3+ 56.Kh1 Ng3#

  • External link:

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