Reply #11: Topalov - Ponomariov, International Tournament, Sofia, 2005 [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

Veselin Topalov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Veselin Topalov vs. Ruslan Ponomariov
International Tournament, Round 5
Sofia, May 2005

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 0-0 8. Rc1 c6 9. e4 d5 10. e5 Ne4 11. Bd3 Nxc3

• The position is typically level for this stage of the game.
• Just as good and perhaps more interesting is 11. -- Ba3 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Bxe4 Bxc1 14. Bxc1.

12. Rxc3!?

• The position is still equal, but Topalov (White) throws Ponomariov on his own resources by rejected the more natual 12. Bxc6.
• 12. Bxc3 dxc4 13. bxc4 b5 14. Qc2 h6 15. c5 =+

12. -- c5 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. h4

• The position remains even. White has more space in the center and more piece mobility; Black is taking space on the queenside and has a safer King.
• 14. Qb1 h6 15. 0-0 Bb7 16. Rcc1 then:
• 16. -- Nd7 17. cxd5 Nxe5 18. Nxe5 Qxd5 with equality.
• 16. -- Qc7 17. cxd5 exd5 18. Rfd1 Nc6 with equality.

14. -- h6?

• A hundred years ago, Dr. Tarrasch admonished all chess player that when one has castled and his opponent has not, one should be wary of advancing the King's Rook's pawn, lest it become a target. It's not quite as bads here as in Tarrasch's example, but it's not too good here, either.
• If 14. -- d4 15. Rc1 Bb7 16. Qe2 Qb6 then:
• A 17. Bg5 f6 18. exf6 Bxf6
• 19. Bxf6 Nd7 20. Ng5 Nxf6 and Black has a slight edge in space.
• 19. Be4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Nd7 with equality.
• 17. Be4 17. -- Bxe4 18. Qxe4 Qc6 and Black has a spatial plus.

15. Bb1 f5

• 15. -- Nd7 16. Qc2 f5 17. exf6 Nxf6 18. Bxh6 gives White an advatage in piece activity; note that 18. -- gxh6? would be a mistake because of 19. Qg6+ Kh8 20. Qxh6+ Kg8 21. Qg6+ Kg8 22. Ng5. This is the kind of attack which Dr. Tarrasch demonstrated was possible in the circumstances described in the note to Black's 14th move.

16. exf6 Bxf6 17. Qc2 d4

Black: Ruslan Ponomariov
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White: Veselin Topalov
Position after 17. -- d5d4


18. Ng5!!

• White sacrifices a Rook and a Knight to get a won position.
• The text is better than 18. Qh7+ Kf7 19. Rc1 Bb7 20. Bg6+ Ke7 21. Be4 and Black succeeds at bouncing Black's King around, but has only a slight advantage in the end.

18. -- hxg5 19. hxg5 dxc3 20. Bf4

• Even better is 20. Rh8+! Kf7 21. Qg6+ Ke7 22. gxf6+ Kd7 23. Qd3+ Kc7 24. Qxd8+ Rxd8 25. Bf4+ and White either wins the Rook promotes the pawn now at f6.

20. -- Kf7 21. Qg6+ Ke7 22. gxf6+ Rxf6 23. Qxg7+ Rf7 24. Bg5+

• Also good is 24. Qg5+ Kd7 25. Qxd8+ Kxd8 26. Rh8+.

24. -- Kd6 25. Qxf7 Qxg5 26. Rh7 Qe5+

• If 26. -- Qd8 27. Qf4+ Kc6 28. Be4+ then the King must give way, netting White the exchange.

27. Kf1 Kc6 28. Qe8+ Kb6

• 28. -- Nd7 29. Qxd7+ Kb6 30. Re7 Ka5 31. Rxe6 +-

29. Qd8+ Kc6 30. Be4+ 1-0

30. -- Qxe4 31. Qc7#. Ponomariov resigns.