Topalov chose a solid variation but then went for a slightly risky experiment. Kramnik managed to find the weak spot in Black's whole concept and obtained a very pleasant position. After Topalov's blunder on the 24th move the game was practically over re-establising the equality in the match.
1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.Nf3
d5
4.g3
Bb4+
Being ahead on the score table for the first time from the beginning of the match, Topalov refrains from capturing on c4 already. Instead, he adopts a hybrid between the Bogo-Indian and the Catalan, supposed to offer Black a solid position. Maybe not the best psychological approach...
5.Bd2
Be7
6.Bg2
0-0
7.0-0
c6
8.Bf4
Nbd7
9.Qc2
a5
[The main variation is supposed to be 9...b6
10.Rd1
Ba6
11.b3
. By refraining from such a course of events, Topalov might have taken into account the fact that Kramnik likes to transpose to this position from the main variation of the Queen's Indian. The move played in the game refrains from weakening the c6-square yet, but does not really contribute to the development in any way.]
10.Rd1
Nh5
11.Bc1
b5
[Each of these last moves is typical for this variation, but only if taken seperately. Removing the knight from the centre and advancing the queen side pawns at the same time certainly looks risky. When preparing for the game, Topalov might have overlooked White's logical reaction. It should be said that 11...Nhf6
12.Nbd2
b5!?
does not offer Black an easy game in view of 13.c5
Qe8
14.e4+/=
Marin-Pogorelov, Barcelona 1994, an old game I like to speak about.]
12.cxd5!?N
[White's standard reaction to ...b5 is 12.c5
. However, in this concrete position Black could take advantage of the insertion of ...Nh5 by playing 12...f5
as in the only game where this risky plan was seen so far, Rahman-Ghaem, Doha 2003. Optically, White enjoys a more flexible structure but it is not too clear how and where will he be able to open the position.]
12...cxd5
13.e4!
The only logical continuation after the exchange on d5. Otherwise, Black would have a very comfortable position, because of the relative passivity of his Catalan bishop, severly restricted by the black chain of pawns.
13...dxe4
14.Qxe4+/=
Once the position has been opened, Black's delay in development starts making itself felt. Apart from having provoked considerable loss of time, the advance of the queen side pawns has left Black with several weaknesses.
14...Rb8
[The only way to justify the move ...a5 would be the slightly more active development of the rook to a6, but after 14...Ra6
15.Qe2
the queen would target the h5-knight and the b5-pawn at the same time.]
15.Qe2
Nhf6
Black's main trump consists of the control of the d5-square, which makes this willing knight retreat perfectly understandable.
16.Bf4
Rb6
17.Ne5
Nd5
Black would need just one tempo to consolidate with ...N7f6 in order to get a perfectly viable position.
18.Bxd5!
A brave decision. It frequently happens in the Catalan that White has to give up the pride of his position in order to maintain the initiative.
18...exd5
19.Nc3
Nf6
20.Nxb5
Ba6
21.a4
White has not only won a pawn, but also completed his development in the meanwhile. It is likely that Black will manage to re-establish the material equality by means of an exchange on b5 in the near future, but this would make the weakness of the white king side less relevant, leaving White with the more pleasant play in an almost symmetrical Position.
21...Ne4
22.Rdc1
Qe8
23.Rc7
Bd8
24.Ra7
f6?
[A terrible move. It is understandable that Topalov was not too enthusiastic about the position arising after 24...Bxb5
25.axb5
Qxb5
26.Qxb5
Rxb5
27.Ra2+/=
when White would retain a small but stable plus, but his move loses outright.]
25.Nd7!
[Even if Topalov had missed this move, it is not very clear what he had in mind against 25.Qg4!?
which also looks very promissing for White.]
25...Rf7
26.Nxb6
Rxa7
27.Nxd5
White has won a second pawn and threatens to consolidate by retreating the d5-knight to c3 and eventually close the long diagonal with d5 if Black tries to start an attack with ...Bb7. From this point of view, Topalov's nect moves are easy to understand, but in fact they just shorten his suffering.
27...Rd7
28.Ndc3
Rxd4
29.Re1
[There seem to be nothing wrong with 29.f3
, when Black simply loses the knight because after 29...Nd6
30.Qxe8+
Nxe8
the b5-knight would be not pinned anymore, which enables 31.Nxd4+-
. However, it is easy to understand Kramnik for avoiding such a "weakening" move as f3 after having lost two games in a row. Just remember the consequences of this same move in the seventh game...]
29...f5
More or less forced, but now the a2-g8 diagonal becomes very weak.
30.Qc2
Simple chess. White is a pawn up, has the better piece coordination and the safer king's position. With other words, "+-" already.
30...Rb4
31.Nd5
Rxb5
Topalov carries out his "trademark" exchange sacrifice, which brought him so many successs over the past years. However, it can hardly change the course of this specific game.
32.axb5
Qxb5
33.Nc7
Qc4
34.Qd1
There was nothing wrong with exchanging queens at once, of course. By playing such an unexpected move (to a certain extent similar to the earlier Qc2) , Kramnik might have intended to get some sort of psychologic initiative for the remaining two games of the match.
34...Bxc7
35.Qd7
h6
36.Qxc7
Qb4
37.Qb8+
Qxb8
38.Bxb8
The rest is easy.
38...Nd2
39.Ra1
g5
40.f4
Nb3
41.Ra3
Bc4
42.Bc7
g4
43.Bxa5
1-0