[Event "Match"]
[Site "Bucharest ROM"]
[Date "2006.04.08"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Nisipeanu, LD."]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2693"]
[BlackElo "2801"]
[Annotator "Mihail Marin"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2006.04.06"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 {In spite of the fact that
the Berlin wall resisted pretty well in the first game, the FIDE World
Champion decides to switch to his favourite weapon, the Sicilian Najdorf. In
doing so, he might have intended to develop his psychological initiative as a
consequence of his win from the previous day, although we cannot exclude the
possibility that it all made part of the general match strategy.} 6. Be3 e5 ({
Over the past few years, Topalov made important contributions to thedevelopment
of theory in the systems based on} 6... e6) 7. Nde2 $5 {When playing this rare
move, Nisipeanu aimed to annihilate his opponent's opening preparation and
give the game an independent course from the very beginning. Judging from the
time Topalov took for the next few moves, we can suppose that he never
examined this move seriously, indeed.} Nbd7 ({During his press conference held
right after the game, Nisipeanu confessed that he expected} 7... Be7 {
based on the fact that it was once played by Fischer, who is one of Topalov's
idols.}) 8. Ng3 ({For White it is generally not easy to justify the placement
of the knight on e2, where it will face similar problems as in the Sämisch
King's Indian. For instance, if} 8. h3 {(planning g4 and Ng3), then} h5 $5 9.
f4 b5 {and the question what to do with the knight remains open.}) 8... g6 $1 (
{It is better to restrict this knight at once. In case of a neutral move like} 
8... Qc7 {White could regroup in optimal way with} 9. Nf5 h5 ({By taking the
h6-square under control, Black prepares to drive the intruder away. In case of
the immediate} 9... g6 {White would answer} 10. Nh6 {
when castling on either side would become a problem for Black.}) 10. Bg5 $1 {
(Not only putting under pressure one of the key defenders of the d5-square,
but also clearing the e3-square for the own knight)} g6 11. Ne3 {with a big
itional advantage for White, who has a perfect control of the d5-square.}) 9.
a4 ({In case of the immediate} 9. Bc4 {it would have been not easy for White
to maintain the firm control of the d5-square after, for instance,} b5 10. Bb3
Bb7 11. a4 b4 12. Nd5 h5 13. Bg5 h4 14. Nf1 h3 15. g3 Be7 {when, among others,
the white king feels more insecure than his black colleague.}) 9... Qc7 10. Qd3
$5 ({Not a typical way of development in the Sicilian. Nisipeanu rejected} 10.
a5 {(with the intention of sustaining the development of the bishop to c4 with
Ra4) because of} h5) ({He also mentioned that he saw in a flash such a drawing
variation, without ever considering it seriously:} 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 f5 12.
Nxf5 gxf5 13. Qh5+ Kd8 14. Bg5+ Be7 15. Bxe7+ Kxe7 16. Qg5+ {with perpetual.})
({The most exotic of Nisipeanu's ideas during the game is} 10. Qb1 {planning Qa
2 followed by Bc4. If White would reach that regrouping, his advantage would
be out of any question, but the temporary passive queen's position allows
Black to carry out the thematic break in the centre} d5 {
with good counterplay for instance} 11. Nxd5 (11. exd5 {
leaves the knight exposed after} Bb4) 11... Nxd5 12. exd5 f5 $5 ({
The immediate recuperation of the pawn with} 12... Qa5+ 13. c3 Qxd5 {
allows White bring his queen back into play with} 14. Qe4 {
, maintaining a slight lead in development.}) {
andn now, the line suggested by IM Doru Ionescu} 13. a5 f4 14. Bb6 Nxb6 15.
axb6 {, aiming to install the knight on e4, fails tactically to the
intermediate check} Bb4+ $1 {for instance} 16. Kd1 (16. c3 {
does not solve the problem because of} Bxc3+) 16... Qxb6 17. Ne4 Bf5 18. Bd3
Bxe4 19. Bxe4 Qd4+ {with a huge attack for Black.}) 10... Nc5 11. Qc4 ({
In the press centre, we could not guess any of White's moves in this phase of
the game. For instance, we expectedhere} 11. Qd2 {aiming to prove that the
knight is not too well placed on c5, being unstable and failing to support his
f6-colleague in case of an eventual Bg5. In this line, the g3-knight would be
useful by over-defending the e4-pawn, which would give coherence to White's
previous play.}) 11... Be6 12. Nd5 {As a platonic consolation, we could
unanimously predict this and the following move.} Bxd5 13. exd5 Rc8 14. b4 ({
Played after a long thinking, this move might be not the best. White's main
plan consists of the massive advance of the queen side pawns, indeed, but he
should never forget about lack's possibility of undermining the c5-square by
means of a well timed a5. In the press centre, weexpected} 14. a5 {
which would radically solve this problem. Nisipeanu rejected it because of} h5
({we thought that Black should use the given tempo to avoid the exchange of
queens with} 14... Qd8 {in order to maintain chances for a king side attack.})
15. b4 ({Maybe} 15. Be2 {deserves attention, taking the g4-square under
observation and clearing the f1-square for the knight, in view of its further
activation via d2-b3.}) 15... Ncd7 16. Qxc7 Rxc7 {
when White cannot connect his hanging pawns with} 17. c4 {because of} h4 {
when the knight has no favourable squares for retreat.}) ({
Another interesting possibility would have been} 14. Ra3 {, preventing 14...
Qd8 in view of 15.Rc3, as suggested by IM Nemeth. In this case, the critical
continuation would be} Ncd7 15. Qxc7 Rxc7 16. c4 a5 {After having blocked the
queen side, Black intends to consolidate with ...Nc5. In order to maintain
chances of successful opening of the play on this part of the board, White
should hurry to occupy the b5-square with his rook with} 17. Rb3 {Now, if he
ll manage to regroup with Bd3-c2, Ke2, Rb1 (eventually f3 and Bf2 as an answer
to ...h5 and ...Bh6) his position would be entirely viable, but Black seems to
have a safe way to prevent it with} h5 18. f3 Bh6 19. Bf2 Nxd5 $1 20. cxd5 Rc1+
{with perpetual.}) 14... Ncd7 15. Qxc7 Rxc7 16. c4 {This is the position White
had been aiming for. He only needs one tempo to consolidate his queen side
with a5 in order to consolidate his advantage of space. However, with the
successive advance of his lateral pawns, Topalov will manage to cast some
doubt about his opponent's previous play.} h5 {As in a previous note, the
concrete threats of ...h4 and ...Ng4 have only a secondary character. The main
strategic purpose of the advance of the h-pawn is to enable ...Bh6, offering
the exchange of the dark-squared bishops, which, after the new planned
structural modifications (see the next move) would generally favour Black. It
should be mentioned that Topalov played this whole phase of the game very
quickly, giving the impression that he used the big amounts of time spent by
his opponent on each move in very efficient way.} 17. f3 {
Preventing the knight jump to g4 and enabling Ne4 if necessary.} a5 $1 ({
Also played almost instantaneously. Advancing the h-pawn even further with} 
17... h4 {would only give White the necessary time to consolidate his position,
for instance} 18. Ne4 Nxe4 19. fxe4 f5 ({In fact, even here} 19... a5 {
might be better, although after} 20. Rb1 {Black has bigger problems to achieve
a favourable queen side configuration than in the game, because of the
pressure against the b7-pawn.}) 20. Bd3 ({Giving up the tension with} 20. exf5
{would unnecessarily open the g-file for the black rooks, for instance} gxf5
21. Bd3 f4 22. Bf2 Nf6 23. O-O Rg7 {with strong king side pressure.}) 20...
fxe4 (20... Nf6 {leads to similar consequences after} 21. a5) 21. Be2 $5 Nf6
22. a5 {
and White's queen side majority can cause Black problems in the long run.}) ({
The immediate exchange of the bishops with} 17... Bh6 $6 18. Bxh6 $1 Rxh6 {
would be a mistake because after} 19. a5 $1 {Black would have not sufficient
dark squares at his disposal for his knights. After Topalov's strong move, the
centre of the fight will gravitate around the c5-square, implying many hidden
nuances as we shall see.}) 18. bxa5 Bh6 19. Bb6 ({
Under the new circumstances, the exchange of the bishops with} 19. Bxh6 Rxh6 {
would offer White little hope for an advantage, in spite of the fact that the
h6-rook will need a lot of time to be re-activated. Forinstance} 20. Bd3 Nc5
21. Ke2 Rh8 22. Rhb1 Ke7 23. Rb5 Ra8 24. Ne4 Nfd7 25. Rab1 Ra7 {and in spite
of the fact that his pressure against the b7-pawn seems to allow White to hope
for maintaining the equality, it would be only Black who could think about
playing for a win, because of his mobile king side majority.}) 19... Nxb6 ({
Considering the fact that Topalov is one of the biggest specialists of
exchange sacrifices, I did not discard the possibilityof} 19... Rc5 $5 {
If White rejects the sacrifice, then his further choice would be morerestricted
than in the game after 20...Nxb6, while after} 20. Bxc5 Nxc5 {he does not seem
to risk too much, because of his almost absolute stability on dark squares,
for instance} 21. Rb1 Kd7 22. Rb5 Kc7 23. Be2 Ra8 24. Kf2 h4) 20. axb6 Rc5 $6 (
{Black's desire to accelerate the activation of his rooks with ...Ke7 and ...
Ra8 is quite understandable. However, his last move has the significant
drawback that it deprives his own pieces of the important c5-square. As first
highlighted by Nimzowitsch, one should use his minor pieces for the purpose of
blocking the enemy pawns, since the major pieces tend to be unstable if
submitted to the attack of the enemy forces. From this point of view, the more
modest} 20... Rc8 {might have been better, for instance} 21. Kf2 ({
The immediate} 21. a5 {
would allow the transfer of the enemy bishop to the best diagonal with} Be3 {
followed by ...Bc5}) 21... Ke7 22. a5 Ra8 23. Bd3 Nd7 24. Rhb1 Nc5 25. Bc2 Ra6
{and White's extra-pawn compensates for Black's positional advantage but not
more.}) 21. Bd3 ({The only way to question the correctness of Black's previous
move consisted of the daring advance of the a-pawn with} 21. a5 $5 Ke7 22. a6 {
We can suppose that both players underestimated this possibility because of
the fact that White is underdeveloped yet. However, many of Black's already
developed pieces do not take active part to the fighting operations yet, in
first line the c5-rook. For instance, after 22...bxa6 23.Rxa6 Ke7 24.Bd3
(threatening Ke2 and Rb1, when White would safely defend the extra-pawn) 24...
Nd7 25.Ne4! White retains his material advantage. Nisipeanu confessed that he
feared thatafter} Ra8 23. a7 Be3 {he would lose both his far advanced pawns,
giving the following illustrative line:} 24. Bd3 ({In fact,} 24. Ra3 $1 {
seems to highlight the main drawback of the presence of the rook on c5. The
bishop would not have sufficient squares available along the g1-a7 diagonal,
for instance} Bd4 25. Ne2 Rxc4 26. Nxd4 Rxd4 {and now the spectacular blow} 27.
Ba6 $1 {gives White decisive material advantage.}) 24... Rcc8 25. Rb1 Nd7 26.
Ke2 ({Even here, White can maintain approximate equality with the spectacular} 
26. Bf5 $1 {, taking advantage of the geometrical placement of the black king
and bishop and achieving the important aim of exchanging the enemy knight, for
instance} Bxb6 27. Bxd7 Ba5+ 28. Ke2 Kxd7 29. Rxb7+ Rc7 30. Rxc7+ Kxc7 31. Ra1
{followed by Ne4.}) 26... Bxb6 {with advantage for Black.}) 21... Be3 22. a5 {
The advance of this pawn comes one tempo too late.} Bd4 $1 23. Ra3 ({In the pre
ss conference there were some intense discussions about the tempting exchange
sacrifice} 23. Kd2 Bxa1 24. Rxa1 {suggested by IM Sergiu Grünberg. This
possibility did not escape Nisipeanu's attention either, but he rejected it
because of the following long line:} Ke7 25. a6 ({
Since the defence of the a5-pawn with} 25. Kc3 $2 {
followed by Kb4 is not possible because of} Nxd5+ $1 {
the advance of the a-pawn is forced.}) 25... bxa6 26. Rxa6 Rb8 ({
The only way to question the viability of White's sacrifice. After} 26... Nd7
27. Ne4 Rb8 28. Ra7 Rxb6 29. Nxc5 dxc5 {White has no reasons for worry,}) ({
while} 26... Rcc8 $6 {is even risky in view of} 27. Ra7+ Nd7 28. Ne4 Ra8 29. c5
$3 Rxa7 30. cxd6+ {when the king has to retreat to the back rank, obstructing
the own remaining rook and allowing White consolidate his queen side
domination with bxa7 and Bb5-c6.}) 27. Ne4 Nxe4+ 28. fxe4 Kd8 $1 ({
The king must rush to attack the enemy pawn.} 28... Rb7 29. Kc3 Rc8 30. Kb4 {
is certainly not worse for White.}) 29. Kc3 Kc8 30. Bc2 Kb7 31. Ra7+ Kxb6 32.
Rxf7 Ra5 {True, when he reached this point during the press conference he
could not remember what he had planned after} 33. Rd7 {but it must have been}
Ra3+ 34. Kb4 {(Otherwise ...Kc5 with a decisive attack on dark squares)} Ra7 {
with a decisive advantage since} 35. Rxd6+ {loses immediately to} Kc7+ 36. Kc5
Ra5#) 23... Rxa5 24. Rxa5 Bc3+ 25. Ke2 Bxa5 {Black has managed to win the pawn
back and threatens to eliminate the b6-pawn as well. In order to avoid a worse
ending, White has to find a way of converting his minimal advance in
development into something more concrete.} 26. Rb1 $1 ({In case of} 26. Ra1
Bxb6 27. Rb1 ({or, similarly,} 27. Ra8+ Bd8 28. Rb8 b6 29. Ne4 Nxe4 30. fxe4
Kd7) 27... Bc5 28. Rxb7 O-O {White would have little reasons for joy. Black's
better pawn structure and the more active bishop would offer him good winning
chances, although the process would most likely take several dozens of moves.
At top level, an almost identical situation (without knights) has been seen in
the game Polgar-Kramnik, where White eventually managed to survive after 97
moves.}) 26... Nd7 ({This was the first moment when Topalov spent a lot of
time on making a decision between the game move and} 26... Ke7 {. While the
World Champion was thinking, Nisipeanu managed to work out the following
variation:} 27. Rb5 Ra8 28. Ne4 Nxe4 (28... Nd7 {also leads to a draw after}
29. c5 Nxc5 30. Nxc5 dxc5 31. Rxc5 Bxb6 32. Rb5 Ra2+ 33. Kd1 {
. White has no reasons to be worse.}) 29. fxe4 Bc3 30. c5 $1 {
(Otherwise, ...Bd4-c5)} dxc5 31. Rxc5 Ra2+ 32. Kf1 Rf2+ $5 {Black's last hope.}
33. Kxf2 Bd4+ 34. Kf3 Bxc5 {and now the tricky} 35. d6+ $1 {clears the
e for the bishop and enables the capture of the b7-pawn, with an obvious draw.}
) 27. Ne4 $6 ({This move allows Black maintain some winning chances. White
should have developed his initiative with} 27. Rb5 Bxb6 28. c5 $1 {depriving Bl
ack from the perfect blocking c5-square once and forever, for instance} dxc5 ({
In case of} 28... Bxc5 29. Rxb7 Ke7 30. Bb5 Rd8 31. Ne4 {Black could not free
himself in any way and it would be only White who could hope for a win by
means of activating his king.}) 29. Ne4 {with strong compensation for the
missing pawns in view of his active pieces, the strong d-pawn and the stable
control on dark squares..}) 27... Ke7 28. c5 $1 {Better later than never!
White creates himself a passed pawn and prevents the occupation of the
c5-square by an enemy minor piece.} Nxc5 29. Nxc5 dxc5 30. Ra1 ({Only not} 30.
Rb5 $4 Bb4 {trapping the rook.}) 30... Bxb6 31. Rb1 Bc7 32. Rxb7 Kd6 {
Black has manged to consolidate somehow, but the passive position of his
bishop makes further progress quite difficult.} 33. Ra7 $1 {
White cannot afford to allow the occupation of the a-file by the enemy rook.}
Rb8 34. Bc4 f5 ({Black would not get anything with} 34... Rb2+ 35. Kd3 Rxg2 {
because after} 36. Ra6+ Ke7 37. Ra7 Kd7 38. Bb5+ Kd6 39. Ra6+ {
the only way to avoid perpetual check would be the suicidal} Kxd5 $4 {
allowing mate in one with} 40. Bc4#) 35. Kd3 Rb4 36. Ra6+ Bb6 ({Aiming to restr
ict the enemy rook, but placing the bishop on a unattractive square. True,
after} 36... Kd7 37. Kc3 e4 38. fxe4 fxe4 39. Re6 {
White would have little to worry about.}) 37. Kc3 e4 38. fxe4 fxe4 39. Ra8 Kd7
{Black's last chance consists of the transfer of the bishop to the long dark
diagonal, but the exposed position of his king and the active white rook will
prevent this plan.} 40. Rg8 Ba5 ({Setting up some unpleasant tactical threats
based on discovered check. In case of} 40... Bc7 {
White can keep things under control with} 41. Rg7+ Kd6 42. Rxg6+ Ke5 43. d6 $1
({Only not} 43. Re6+ $2 {because of} Kf5 44. d6 $2 Rxc4+ $1 45. Kxc4 Kxe6 46.
dxc7 Kd7 {as given by IM Nemeth}) 43... Ba5 44. Re6+ Kf5 45. Rh6 {
and Black has no useful discovered check.}) 41. Rg7+ Kc8 ({The black king
cannot easily find an escape. A better practical chance would have possibly
been} 41... Ke8 42. Rg8+ Ke7 43. d6+ Kxd6 44. Rxg6+ Ke5 (44... Kc7 {
leads nowhere because of} 45. Re6) 45. Rg5+ Kf4 46. Rxc5 Rb5+ 47. Kd4 Bc3+ 48.
Kd5 Rb2 {although after} 49. Ke6 {(attacking the h-pawn) the reduced material
remained on board would entitle White hope for a draw. The worse he could get
would be a R versus R + B ending, which would have probably prolonged the game
for the required 50 moves.}) 42. Rg8+ Kc7 43. Ra8 $1 ({A well timed switch of
plans. Now that the a5-d8 diagonal has been temporarily blocked by the king,
White attacks the bishop without fearing its transfer to the deadly a1-h8
diagonal. If he had continued checking, the king would have hidden to a7 with} 
43. Rg7+ Kb8 44. Rg8+ Ka7 {when the white rook would have had no way of hiding
from the double attack, while defending it with} 45. d6 {
would have cost White the important d-pawn after} Rb6+) 43... Ra4+ 44. Kb3 Rb4+
({If} 44... Ra1 {then} 45. Ra6 {defending the rook in order to threaten the
perpetual pursue Kb2-b3, which would have been impossible to start immediately
because of ...Bc3!+.}) 45. Kc3 Ra4+ 46. Kb3 1/2-1/2

