Gibraltar Rd2: Topalov Stopped

[Event "Gibraltar Masters 2015"] [Site "Caleta ENG"] [Date "2015.01.28"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Debashis, Das"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E59"] [WhiteElo "2503"] [BlackElo "2800"] [PlyCount "91"] [EventDate "2015.01.27"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nc6 9. a3 Bxc3 10. bxc3 Qc7 11. h3 e5 12. a4 Bf5 {This tabiya of the Rubinstein Variation in the Nimzo-Indian always promises interesting games.} 13. Ba3 b6 14. Bb5 e4 15. Nd2 Na5 16. Qe2 Rfd8 17. Rfc1 Be6 18. Rab1 Rd5 $5 { Topalov is always looking for aggressive chances. Here he is planning to swing his rook over to the kingside, with some serious threats.} 19. Qf1 Rg5 20. Kh1 Rd8 21. Be2 {White's kingside is holding, but he doesn't seem to be making any progress of his own.} Rg6 22. f4 {Even though it is hard to come up with an alternative, this seems to weaken White's position too much.} exf3 23. Bxf3 Qd7 (23... Rh6 $5 {Was stronger to play first. The idea is actually quick simple; rip the game apart with g5-g4.} 24. Qf2 g5 25. e4 g4 26. Be2 gxh3 27. g3 Nc4 $3 $17 {sctacular, but not the only move} 28. Bxc4 Bxc4 {and the piece is taboo because of} 29. Nxc4 Nxe4 30. Qe3 Nxg3+ 31. Kg1 h2+ 32. Kg2 Rg6 $19) 24. Ra1 Nd5 25. Qf2 Bxh3 $1 26. c4 (26. gxh3 Qxh3+ 27. Qh2 Qe6 $19 {leaves White's king too vulnerable to the attacks on the h and g files.}) 26... Nf6 27. gxh3 cxd4 (27... Qxh3+ 28. Qh2 Qe6 {was still very strong.}) 28. e4 Nb3 $1 {A nice distraction tactic.} 29. Bg2 (29. Nxb3 Qxh3+ 30. Qh2 Qxf3+ {and mate}) 29... Nxa1 30. Rxa1 Re8 $6 {From here on Topalov seems to lose the thread of the game a little.} (30... Qc7 {was stronger, with the idea of relocating the f6 knight to a more powerful square, either e5, c5 or h5.}) 31. Bb2 Nh5 32. Ra3 d3 $2 (32... Rf6 $15) 33. e5 {Now White is fully back in the game. Black is not coordinated enough to push his d-pawn.} Rg3 34. Kh2 Qc7 35. Ne4 {Suddenly that rook on g3 is in serious problems.} d2 36. Rxg3 d1=Q 37. Nf6+ Kh8 38. Nxe8 {A crazy position! Black has two queens and a knight against a queen, a rook, and three pieces. Black must exchange queens or he will get mated very soon.} Qc5 39. Qxc5 bxc5 40. e6 fxe6 (40... f6 $1) 41. Bxg7+ (41. Rg4 $1 {and then taking on g7 with the knight instead, kept some winning chances.}) 41... Nxg7 42. Nxg7 Qxa4 43. Nxe6 Qxc4 44. Ng5 a5 45. Ne4 a4 46. Rc3 {Oddly enough the game fizzled into a draw. In this position some computers might claim that this is better for Black, but that is clearly not the case. As soon as White takes the pawn on c5 and sacrifices something for the a-pawn the position cannot be won, even if White sacrifices the rook!} 1/2-1/2