Topalov, Veselin , (2783) - Shirov, Alexei , (2715) [D89]
Corus - Wijk aan Zee NED, 04.01.2007
[ Chess-Theory]

X0 Gruenfeld Defense: (D89) - Exchange, Classical - Spassky variation, main line: 13.Bd3

1.d4 X1 Nf6 X2 2.c4 X3 g6 X4 3.Nc3 X5 d5 X6 4.cxd5 X7 Nxd5 X8 5.e4 X9 Nxc3 X10 6.bxc3 X11 Bg7 X12 7.Bc4 X13 c5 X14 8.Ne2 X15 Nc6 X16 9.Be3 X17 0-0 X18 10.0-0 X19 Bg4 X20 11.f3 X21 Na5 X22 12.Bd3 X23 cxd4 X24 13.cxd4 X25 Be6 X26

This beginning caracterizes the Spassky variation, main line, with Bd3, many often played since 1944.

14.d5 X27

A radical way for eliminating the dangerous Bishop g7.

[ Is also many often played: 14.Rc1 X28 like in the brief draw: 14...Bxa2 X29 15.Qa4 X30 Be6 X31 16.d5 X32 Bd7 X33 17.Qb4 X34 b6 X35 18.Ba6 X36 Spassky Boris, V - Shamkovich, Leonid 1/2-1/2 (D89), Sochi, 1967]

14...Bxa1 X37 15.Qxa1 X38 f6 X39 16.Qd4 X40

A secondary line. many other moves have been tested. Principally:

[ 1) 16.Rb1 X41 . For example: 16...Bf7 X42 17.Bh6 X43 Re8 X44 18.Bb5 X45 Qb6+ X46 19.Nd4 X47 Red8 X48 20.Be3 X49 Qd6 X50 21.Bd2 X51 b6 X52 22.Ba6 X53 unclear Polgar, Zsuzsa (2400), Du Chattel, Philippe, 1-0 (D89), Utrecht op., 1986 ;
2) 16.Qb1 X54 . An old, well-forgetten move (Krasenkow in ChessBase DVD). This retort is played occasionally since 1964, with possibly the continuation: 16...Bf7 X55 17.Nd4! X56 (Krasenkow) 17...Rc8 X57 18.Qb4 X58 b6 X59 19.Bh6 X60 Rc5 X61 20.Nb5 X62 e6! X63 (Krasenkow) 21.Bxf8 X64 Kxf8 X65 22.Nxa7= X66 Berkesz, Ferenc (2614) - Flumbort, Andros (2493), 1/2-1/2, (D89), HUN-ch 54th, Budapest, 2004;
3) 16.Bh6 X67 is in fact the most usual answer and typically a thematic move of the position.. A famous example is given by the historical game: 16...Qb6+ X68 17.Kh1 X69 Rfd8 X70 18.Rb1 X71 Qc5 X72 19.Bd2 X73 b6 X74 20.Bb4 X75 Qc7 X76 21.Rc1 X77 Qb7 X78 22.Qb1 X79 +/= Bronstein, David I - Boleslavsky, Isaak, 1-0, (D89), Candidate playoff 1pl, 1950.]

16...Bf7 X80

[ Or: 16...Bd7 X81 17.Bh6 X82 Re8 X83 18.e5 X84 Qb6 X85 19.Qxb6 X86 axb6 X87 20.e6 X88 Ba4= X89 Wallart, Adrier - Jactel, Nikolas, 0-1 (D89), Bethune op., 2006]

17.Bh6 X90 Re8 X91 18.Bb5 X92 e5! X93

The only choice.

19.Qf2 X94

[ Rarely played is 19.Qd3 X95 with for example the suite: 19...Re7 X96 20.f4 X97 a6 X98 21.Ba4 X99 b5 X100 22.Bc2 X101 -/+ Wicht, Juergen (2005) - Schmidt, Bernhard (2285), 0-1, (D89), Porz op 29th, 1993]

19...Re7 X102 20.f4 X103

[ Possible is: 20.Ng3 X104 Qb6 X105 21.Qxb6 X106 axb6 X107 22.f4 X108 Be8 X109 23.Be2 X110 Bd7 X111 Zude, Erik - Novotry, Mich, 0-1, (D89), Pardubice op., 2005]

20...exf4 X112 21.Qxf4 X113 Qb6+ X114 22.Kh1 X115 Bxd5! X116

[ Is obviously impossible: 22...Qxb5?? X117 23.Qxf6 X118 and Black is mate in 6!]

23.exd5 X119 Qxb5 X120 24.Qxf6 X121 Qe8 X122 25.Qd4 X123 Rd8N X124

A novelty, not very spectacular indeed, but logical; Shirov chooses to make pressure, without delay, on the weak isolated d5-pawn... Effectively, in the spirit of the Gruenfeld, all the strong center of White pawns have been destroyed and the only survivor of the sinking is rather fragile.

[ Is known: 25...Rc8!? X125 With the idea: ...Rc4 26.Ng3 X126 Rf7 X127 27.Rxf7 X128 Qxf7 X129 28.h3 X130 Rc4 X131 29.Qe5= X132 Del Rio Angeli - Konguvel, Ponnu, 1/2-1/2, (D89), Badalona op. 32, 2006]

26.h3 X133 Rf7 X134 27.Rxf7 X135 Qxf7 X136 unclear

With the quality moreover, Black seems to have the advantage. Nevertheless White minor pieces are dangerous and well-positioned.

28.Qc3 X137 b6 X138 29.Ng3! X139

With the idea: Ne4-Nf6+; and in the same time White controls the f1-square.

29...Nb7 X140 30.Ne4 X141 Qe7 X142

The only move in view to maintain the equality.

31.Nf6+! X143

The only possibility!

31...Kf7 X144 32.Nxh7 X145 Kg8 X146

Again the Black King is completely constrained!

33.Nf6+ X147

Insidiously, thanks to tactical and positional minor features, Topalov is clearly taking the advantage.

33...Kf7 X148 34.Ng4! X149 +/-

Stronger than 34.Bg5; the coordination between White chessmen is magnificent.

34...Kg8 X150 35.Qd2 X151

Threatening: 36.Bg5; moreover, the White Queen controls the crucial e1-square and protects the d5-pawn.

35...Re8 X152 36.Qf4 X153 Qd6 X154 37.Qf2! X155 +/-

Now Nf6+ is a fatal threat!

37...Qc5 X156 38.Qg3?! X157

[ Curiously, Topalov doesn' t find the strongest continuation: 38.Qf1! X158 Qe7 X159 39.Nf6+ X160 Kf7 X161 40.Nxe8+ X162 Kxe8 X163 41.Qf4 X164 Qe1+ X165 42.Kh2 X166 Qe7 X167 43.Qb8+ X168 Kf7 X169 44.Bf4 X170 +-]

38...Qd4? X171

Clearly, a mistake!

[ 38...Qe7! X172 39.Qf3= X173 ]

39.Kh2! X174

The right answer.

39...Nd8?! X175 40.Qd6 X176 Ne6 X177 41.Be3

Without remission!

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