Zug GP R08: Topalov wins, leads alone

[Event "Zug"] [Site "Zug"] [Date "2013.04.26"] [Round "?"] [White "Karjakin, Sergey"] [Black "Giri, Anish"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Margvelashvili, Giorgi"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "SUI"] 1. d4 {Usually short draws between two grandmasters are pretty uneventful. This game was definitely an exception.} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 {Giri chooses the King's Indian defense, very aggressive but risky choice of opening against Karjakin.} 4. e4 d6 5. f3 {Strengthening the center and e4 pawn. This is called the Saemisch system.} (5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 {is the classical line and has been played thousands of times.}) 5... O-O 6. Be3 c5 {Lately the most popular choice against 5.f3.} 7. d5 (7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bxc5 Nc6 {is another main line, but due to good development and active pieces black seem to have enough compensation for the sacrificed pawn.}) (7. Nge2 {is also possible.}) 7... e6 8. Qd2 exd5 9. cxd5 Nbd7 {Now the game has transferred to the Benoni type of positions that arise after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3.d5 e6. In these type of positions, black's main idea is to push b5 and develop an initiative on the queensside, where they have a pawn majority. White tries to attack in the center and the kingside.} 10. Nh3 a6 11. a4 {preventing b5.} Ne5 12. Nf2 Bd7 13. h3 {Karjakin threatens f4 that would trap e5 knight.} b5 $1 {The only move, otherwise Giri's position would be just bad.} 14. f4 (14. axb5 $6 {accepting pawn sacrifice is not good for Karjakin, since after} axb5 15. Rxa8 Qxa8 16. Bxb5 $2 Bxb5 17. Nxb5 Qa6 18. Na3 Rb8 {White would fall behind in development too much, giving black an almost winning position.}) 14... Nc4 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. O-O Nh5 {Giri's idea is to play f5 and stop Karjakin's advance on the kingsside.} 17. g4 Qh4 $1 {sacrificing a piece.} (17... Ng3 $6 18. Rfe1 h5 19. f5 {and Giri's knight on g3 is in danger.}) 18. gxh5 Qg3+ 19. Kh1 Bxh3 20. Rg1 Qh4 21. Rg2 (21. Rge1 {is another move recommended by engines.} Rab8 22. Kh2 Bg4+ 23. Kg2 Bxh5 {leads to very unbalanced position. This line needs further deep analysis.}) (21. Nxh3 $4 {on the other hand, would be just bad} Qxh3+ 22. Qh2 Qxe3) 21... Bg4+ $1 {transferring the bishop to the dominant f3 square.} 22. Kg1 Bf3 23. f5 {The most natural move, but it only leads to a draw.} (23. e5 $5 {is the only way to fight for an advantage.} dxe5 24. h6 $1 Bxh6 25. fxe5 Bxe3 26. Qxe3 Bxg2 27. Kxg2 {with unclear play, but here I would prefer white's position.}) 23... Be5 24. Bg5 Bh2+ $1 {maybe Karjakin missed this resource.} 25. Kf1 (25. Rxh2 $2 Qg3+ 26. Kf1 Qxh2 {leads white to disaster.}) 25... Bxg2+ 26. Kxg2 Qg3+ 27. Kh1 f6 28. Bh6 Qh4 $1 29. Kg2 Qg3+ 30. Kh1 Qh4 31. Kg2 {Karjakin has no choice but to repeat the position.} (31. Nh3 Be5 32. Qg2 Rfb8 {is too dangerous for white.}) 31... Qg3+ 32. Kh1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Renova Group Grand Prix 2013"] [Site "Zug"] [Date "2013.04.26"] [Round "?"] [White "Morozevich, Alexander"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A33"] [Annotator "Margvelashvili, Giorgi"] [PlyCount "110"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "SUI"] 1. Nf3 {The match-up between Morozevich and Topalov was very highly anticipated, since their aggressive styles always promise an exciting game.} c5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 e6 6. g3 {This line is in fashion right now, top players playing it for both sides.} Qb6 {the main line.} (6... Bc5 7. Nb3 Be7 {was played in round six of this tournament in the Morozevich-Leko game. Morozevich was not able to get any advantage from the opening in that game, but I am sure he prepared some improvement for this game. }) 7. Nb3 Ne5 8. e4 Bb4 9. c5 $6 {A novelty on move nine in a position that has been played numerous times previously! However, knowing Morozevich's creativity, this is something that one naturally expects from him.} (9. Qe2 { is the most common move.}) 9... Qc6 $1 {An instant reply by Topalov, showing his opponent that he is well prepared against 9.c5. The opening preparation by both opponents is very impressive!} (9... Bxc5 10. Nxc5 Qxc5 11. Be2 O-O 12. Bf4 {White dominates on the dark squares and has more than enough compensation for the sacrificed pawn.}) 10. f3 $1 (10. Bg2 Qb5 $1 11. Bf1 Qc6 12. Bg2 Qb5 { forces White to repeat the position and settle for a draw. This is definitely not something that Morozevich wanted when playing the novelty on move nine.}) 10... b6 $1 11. Bf4 $5 {Morozevich sacrifices the c-pawn.} Ng6 12. Bd6 bxc5 ( 12... Nxe4 $2 {is tempting but bad} 13. fxe4 Qxe4+ 14. Kf2 Qxh1 15. Bg2 $1 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 {and black rook on a8 is trapped.}) 13. a3 Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 a5 $1 { Preparing a4 or Ba6 at some point. Here both Morozevich and Topalov were still playing very quickly, suggesting that it is still their opening preparation.} 15. e5 Nd5 16. Bd3 f6 $1 {Necessary move. Morozevich's bishop on d6 is too strong, so Topalov tries to get rid of it by exchanging the e5 pawn.} 17. Bxg6+ hxg6 18. Qd3 Kf7 {The opening part of the game is over. We can conclude that Topalov was better prepared than Morozevich, since his position is slightly preferable. This calls into question whole 9.c5 idea.} 19. Nd2 { Good move.} (19. Nxc5 fxe5 20. Ne4 Ba6 {with strong initiative for Black.}) 19... c4 $1 {Topalov does not let Morozevich play c4, which would defend the a6-f1 diagonal and get rid of the knight from d5.} 20. Qd4 (20. Qxc4 Qxc4 21. Nxc4 Ba6 22. Nxa5 Rac8 {gives Black a big advantage in the endgame.}) 20... Qb6 $1 {Topalov transfers the game into an endgame that is very unpleasant for White.} 21. Qxb6 Nxb6 22. Rb1 Nd5 23. Ne4 g5 $1 {now Morozevich can never play h4 or f4.} 24. Kd2 Rh3 $1 25. Nf2 Rh5 26. Rb5 a4 {Topalov has a healthy extra pawn, but now he has to develop his passive bishop on c8. The following moves serve this idea.} 27. h3 Ba6 28. Rc5 Bb7 $1 29. Rb1 Bc6 30. Rxc4 $1 {Another strong move by Topalov. As we see, he sacrificed back the c4 pawn, but has developed his bishop to the ideal c6 square, from where the bishop defends the a4 pawn and as well exerts pressure on the long diagonal.} Ne7 $1 {Another strong move by Topalov.} 31. g4 Rhh8 32. Ke3 Ra5 $1 {forcing Morozevich to exchange the e5 pawn, which gives Topalov total domination in the center.} 33. exf6 Nd5+ 34. Kd2 gxf6 35. f4 gxf4 36. Bxf4 Rb5 $1 37. Rxb5 Bxb5 38. Rd4 Bc6 39. Bg3 e5 40. Rc4 Rb8 {Morozevich's pawn structure is very weakened, his bishop on g3 is very passive, and all the pieces are very uncoordinated. This translates into a strategically winning position for Topalov.} 41. Nd3 Rb3 42. g5 $2 {The final mistake by Morozevich.} (42. Bxe5 Rxa3 (42... fxe5 $1 43. Nxe5+ Ke6 44. Nxc6 dxc6 45. Rxc6+ Ke5 46. Rc5 Kd6 47. Ra5 Rxa3 48. g5 {gives White good drawing chances.}) 43. Bd4 Ra2+ 44. Kc1 Bb5 45. Rc5 Bxd3 46. Rxd5 Ke6 47. Ra5 a3 {White's position is bad, but still defendable.}) 42... e4 $1 43. Nf4 (43. Rxe4 Nxc3 44. Re3 Ne4+ 45. Kc1 Nxg5 {is hopeless for White.}) 43... Nxf4 44. Bxf4 Rxa3 45. Rc5 fxg5 46. Bxg5 Ra2+ 47. Ke3 a3 {Morozevich has no defense against Ra1 with the following a2.} 48. Bf4 Ra1 49. Rf5+ Ke6 50. Re5+ Kf6 51. Ra5 d5 52. Kd4 a2 53. Bd2 Bb5 54. Kxd5 Rd1 55. Kxe4 a1=Q {An excellent game by Topalov, showing amazing opening preparation and then perfect execution. After this win, Topalov is the sole leader in the tournament.} 0-1