Reply #3: Anand - Topalov, Round 6

[Jack Rabbit]

World Champion Vishy Anand, Chief Arbiter Panaqiotis Nikolopoulos and Challenger Veselin Topalov at the start of Round 6
Let the game begin, come out fighting and may the best man Win
Photo: ChessBase.com


Vishy Anand - Veselin Topalov
Match for the World Title, Round 6
Sofia, 1 May 2010

Open Queen's Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2

• For a thorough look at this opening, please see Anand-Topalov, World Ch Match Rd 4, Sofia, 2010.

5...a6 6.Ne5 c5 7.Na3 cxd4 8.Naxc4 Bc5 9.0-0 0-0

• Up to here, the players have followed the second game of the present match.

10.Bg5!?

• White introduces a novelty. The second game continued 10.Bd2 Nd5 11.Rc1 Nd7 12.Nd3 Ba7 13.Ba5 Qe7 14.Qb3 Rb8 15.Qa3 Qxa3 16.bxa3 N7f6 17.Nde5! when Black has an extra pawn but White has some compensation in better minor pieces and stronger pawns.

10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd3

• 12.Rc1 Qe7 13.Qd3 Nd7 14.Rc2 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bb6Black continues to enjoy an extra pawn.

12...Ba7 13.Qa4

• 13.Na5 Qe7 14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Bxb7 Bxb7 16.Qxb7 is equal.

13...Nc6 14.Rac1!?

• If 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Qxc6 Rb8 16.Nd6 then:
• If 16...Rb6 17.Qc7 Qd8 18.Qxd8 Rxd8 then:
• 19.Nc4 Rb8 20.Rfc1 Bd7 21.Nce5 is equal.
• 19.Nxc8 Rxc8 20.Rfc1 Rcc6 21.a4 a5 is equal.
• If 16...e5 17.Nxc8 Rfxc8 18.Qe4 Qe6 then:
• 19.b3 Rc3 20.Rfc1 Rbc8 21.Rxc3 dxc3 22.Rc1 is equal.
• 19.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 20.Rxc1 f5 21.Qxe5 Qxe5 22.Nxe5 is equal.

14...e5

• Black advances in the center. He has a pawn to give.

15.Bxc6

• White is looking to score with a tactical shot.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 15.Bg2c6:N

15...b5!

• Black replies with a tactical shot of his own.
• 15...bxc6? 16.Ncxe5 c5 17.Qc6 Be6 18.Qxa6 is equal.

16.Qc2 Qxc6 17.Ncxe5

• White has his pawn back, but Black should be able to do more with his Bishops in an open center than White can do with his Knights. That being said, White's Knights are centralized, so he has a head start.

17...Qe4 18.Qc6 Bb7 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Rc2

• 20.Nc6 Rfe8 21.Nxa7 Rxa7 22.Rfe1 Rae7 23.Kf1 Bf5 gives Black a more active game.

20...Rfe8 21.Rfc1 f6 22.Nd7

• 22.Nc6 Bxc6 23.Rxc6 Rxe2 24.Kf1 Rae8 25.Rxa6 is equal.

22...Bf5 23.N7c5 Bb6!?

• 23...Bxc5 24.Rxc5 Bxd3 25.exd3 Re2 26.R5c2 is equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 23...Ba7b6

24.Nb7

• The game is equal.

24...Bd7 25.Nf4 Rab8 26.Nd6 Re5 27.Nc8

• 27.b4 a5 28.a3 Ra8 29.Kf1 g5 30.Nd3 remains equal.

27...Ba5

• If 27...Rxc8!? 28.Rxc8+ Bxc8 29.Rxc8+ then:
• If 29...Kf7 30.Rb8 Ba5 31.b4 then:
• 31...g5 32.Nd3 Rxe2 33.bxa5 Rxa2 34.Rd8 Rxa5 35.Rxd4 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• 31...Bxb4 32.Nd3 Rxe2 33.Nxb4 Rb2 34.a3 a5 35.Nd3 gives White a piece for two pawns.
• 29...Kh7?! 30.Rc6 Ba5 31.Kf1 Bd2 32.Ne6 a5 33.Nxd4 White still has an extra pawn.

28.Nd3 Re8 29.Na7 Bb6 30.Nc6 Rb7 31.Ncb4 a5 32.Nd5 a4

• Black permits White to swap a Knight for a Bishop.
• 32...Ba7 33.Rc7 Reb8 34.b4 axb4 35.N3xb4 remains equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 32...a5a4

33.Nxb6 Rxb6 34.Nc5 Bf5

• 34...Bg4 35.f3 Bf5 36.Rd2 Rc6 37.b4 axb3 38.Nxb3 remains equal.

35.Rd2 Rc6 36.b4 axb3 37.axb3

• 37.Nxb3 d3 38.Rxc6 dxe2 39.Rc1 e1Q+ 40.Rxe1 Rxe1+ remains equal.

37...b4!?

• Black drops a pawn.
• 37...Re4 38.Kf1 b4 39.Nd3 Rc3 40.Rcd1 Bh3+ 41.Ke1 gives Black more freedom.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 37...b4b4

38.Rxd4!

• White takes the pawn.

38...Rxe2

• If 38...Rec8 39.Rdc4 Bg6 40.Nd3 Rxc4 then:
• 41.bxc4 b3 42.c5 Be4 43.f3 Bc6 44.e4 White still has an extra pawn, but it does not appear hopeful that either side will push over a passed pawn.
• If 41.Rxc4?? then 41...Rxc4 42.bxc4 Bxd3 43.exd3 b3! wins for Black.

39.Rxb4 Bh3 40.Rbc4 Rd6 41.Re4?!

• The text is slightly inaccurate. Black should attack a loose piece that won't just find a more useful square.
• 41.Rh4! Rc2 42.Ra1 Rxc5 43.Rxh3 Rcd5 44.Rh4 leaves White with a passed pawn and an active Rook.

41...Rb2 42.Ree1!?

• White fails to accommodate his passed pawn's lust to expand.
• White remains slightly better after 42.b4 Rdd2 43.Rh4 Bf5 44.Na4 Ra2 45.Nc3 Rab2.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Vishy Anand
Position after 42.Re4e1

42...Rdd2!

• The game is equal.

43.Ne4 Rd4 44.Nc5 Rdd2 45.Ne4 Rd3

• Black declines a draw by repetition.

46.Rb1 Rdxb3 47.Nd2

• If 47.Rxb2 Rxb2 48.f4 then:
• 48...Kf7 49.Nf2 Bc8 50.Rc1 Be6 51.Rc5 f5 52.Nd3 remains equal.
• 48...Rg2+ 49.Kh1 Rc2 50.Kg1 invites a draw by repetition.

47...Rb4 48.f3 g5 49.Rxb2 Rxb2 50.Rd1

• The game remains equal.
• 50.Re8+ Kf7 51.Rd8 Ke7 52.Rd4 also reamins equal.

50...Kf7 51.Kf2 h5 52.Ke3 Rc2 53.Ra1 Kg6

• 53...Bf5 54.Ra7+ Kg6 55.h4 Rc3+ 56.Ke2 Rc6 57.Ra4 g4 58.Nc4 remains equal.

54.Ra6 Bf5 55.Rd6 Rc3+

• Before the match, Topalov said he would neither offer draw nor accept an offer of a draw from Anand. Fortunately, he said nothing about repeating moves or we might have been here for a long time.

56.Kf2 Rc2 57.Ke3 Rc3+ 58.Kf2 Rc2 ½-½

• 59. Ke3 repeats the position a third time with Black to move.