Vladimir Kramnik vs Veselin Topalov - Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match 2006.09.23

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Vladimir Kramnik vs Veselin Topalov
Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match Elista RUS round 1 2006.09.23
Catalan Opening: Open Defense 1-0

[Event "Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match"]
[Site "Elista RUS"]
[Date "2006.09.23"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Vladimir Kramnik"]
[Black "Veselin Topalov"]
[ECO "E04"]
[WhiteElo "2743"]
[BlackElo "2813"]
[PlyCount "149"]

1.d4 {Notes by various authors, as indicated.} Nf6 2.c4 e6
3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 {Something of a
sideline which has been played by Grischuk and Efimenko. --
Malcolm Pein} 7.Qc2 {The calmest move which ensures the regain
of the c4 pawn. Of the other moves; 7.O-O is sound; 7.a3
wastes time; 7.Bxb4 doesn't seem right but has been played,
7.Nc3 gambits a pawn for decent compensation and is not how
Kramnik wants to play against Topalov in game one. 7.Qc1 was
played by Jan Gustafsson against Efimenko and there is also
7.Na3!? when 7...Bxa3 8.bxa3 is also reasonable
compensation. -- Malcom Pein} Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 c6 9.a4 b5 10.axb5
cxb5 11.Qg5 O-O 12.Qxb5 Ba6 13.Qa4 {If instead 13 Qxa5 Black
replies 13 ... Bb7 14 Qxd8 Rxa1 and now a safe move is 15
Qxf8+. However it is tempting to try 15 Qb6 Rxb1+ 16 Kd2 which
looks good for White. For the refutation see the (Times)
puzzle. -- Keene} Qb6 14.O-O Qxb2 15.Nbd2 Bb5 16.Nxc4 Bxa4
17.Nxb2 Bb5 18.Ne5 Ra7 19.Bf3 Nbd7 20.Nec4 Rb8 21.Rfb1 g5 {A
great move from Topalov, typically aggressive. Kramnik needs
to play e2-e3 and Topalov has worked out he can exploit the f3
square. -- Malcom Pein} 22.e3 g4 23.Bd1 Bc6 24.Rc1 Be4 25.Na4
Rb4 26.Nd6 Bf3 27.Bxf3 gxf3 28.Nc8 Ra8 29.Ne7+ Kg7 30.Nc6 Rb3
31.Nc5 Rb5 32.h3 Nxc5 33.Rxc5 Rb2 34.Rg5+ Kh6 35.Rgxa5 Rxa5
36.Nxa5 Ne4 37.Rf1 Nd2 38.Rc1 Ne4 39.Rf1 {Having sacrificed a
pawn, Topalov could have forced a draw here by repeating the
position. Instead, he boldly sought to extract the win but
went a step too far. -- Keene} f6 40.Nc6 Nd2 41.Rd1 Ne4 42.Rf1
Kg6 43.Nd8 {! Played after a long thought. It is essential to
tie one black piece down otherwise he will have a completely
free hand. -- Malcolm Pein} Rb6 44.Rc1 h5 45.Ra1 h4 46.gxh4
Kh5 47.Ra2 Kxh4 48.Kh2 Kh5 49.Rc2 Kh6 50.Ra2 Kg6 51.Rc2 Kf5
{Now white is given an opportunity to change the course of the
fight - 52.Nc6 Rb7 53.d5 e5 54.h4 Kg4 55.Rc4 Kf5 56.Rc2 and
black can choose between the repetition after 56...Kg4 and
double-edged 56...Nd6, rekindling the fire on the board:
56...Nd6 57.Kh3 Ke4 Probably it's safer not to make extra
movements and choose calm 52.Ra2. -- Sakaev} 52.Ra2 Rb5 53.Nc6
Rb7 54.Ra5+ Kg6 55.Ra2 Kh5 56.d5 e5 {If instead 56 ... Rg7
then White replies 57 dxe6 Rg2+ 58 Kh1 Nxf2+ (58 ... Kg6 59
Nd8 keeps the black king out and wins) 59 Rxf2 Rxf2 60 e7 Rf1+
61 Kh2 Rf2+ 62 Kg3 Rg2+ 63 Kxf3 Rg8 64 Ke4 with a winning
position. -- Keene} 57.Ra4 f5 { "The losing blunder. Black
must play 57 Nxf2 58 Kg3 e4 59 Kxf2 Rb2+ with a draw by
perpetual. If White attempts to evade this the black f-pawn
will promote." -- Keene; "A big mistake. Black could be fixed
at draw, for example by 57.Nf2 58.Kg3 e4 59.Kf2 Rb2 with
perpetual check, cause f pawn will promote otherwise." --
Inarkiev} 58.Nxe5 Rb2 59.Nd3 Rb7 60.Rd4 Rb6 61.d6 Nxd6 62.Kg3
Ne4+ 63.Kxf3 Kg5 64.h4+ Kf6 65.Rd5 Nc3 66.Rd8 Rb1 67.Rf8+ Ke6
68.Nf4+ Ke5 69.Re8+ Kf6 70.Nh5+ Kg6 71.Ng3 Rb2 72.h5+ Kf7
73.Re5 Nd1 74.Ne2 Kf6 75.Rd5 1-0

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Updated: 2 February, 2022
Created: 2 February, 2022