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 the development of theory in the systems based on 6...e6
]
7.Nde2!?
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.
7...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 8...h5!?
9.f4
b5
and the question what to do with the knight remains open.]
8...g6!
[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!
(Not only putting under pressure one of the key defenders of the d5-square, but also clearing the e3-square for the own knight) 10...g6
11.Ne3
with a big positional 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, 9...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!?
[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 10...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 Qa2 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 10...d5
with good counterplay for instance 11.Nxd5
(11.exd5
leaves the knight exposed after 11...Bb4
) 11...Nxd5
12.exd5
f5!?
(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 15...Bb4+!
for instance 16.Kd1
(16.c3
does not solve the problem because of 16...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 expected here 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.
12...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, we expected 14.a5
which would radically solve this problem. Nisipeanu rejected it because of 14...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 17...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 14...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 will 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 17...h5
18.f3
Bh6
19.Bf2
Nxd5!
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.
16...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.
17...a5!
[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 20...gxf5
21.Bd3
f4
22.Bf2
Nf6
23.0-0
Rg7
with strong king side pressure.) 20...fxe4
(20...Nf6
leads to similar consequences after 21.a5
) 21.Be2!?
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?!
18.Bxh6!
Rxh6
would be a mistake because after 19.a5!
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. For instance 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 possibility of 19...Rc5!?
If White rejects the sacrifice, then his further choice would be more restricted 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?!
[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 21...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!?
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 that after 22...Ra8
23.a7
Be3
he would lose both his far advanced pawns, giving the following illustrative line: 24.Bd3
(In fact, 24.Ra3!
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 24...Bd4
25.Ne2
Rxc4
26.Nxd4
Rxd4
and now the spectacular blow 27.Ba6!
gives White decisive material advantage.) 24...Rcc8
25.Rb1
Nd7
26.Ke2
(Even here, White can maintain approximate equality with the spectacular 26.Bf5!
, taking advantage of the geometrical placement of the black king and bishop and achieving the important aim of exchanging the enemy knight, for instance 26...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.
22...Bd4!
23.Ra3
[In the press 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: 24...Ke7
25.a6
(Since the defence of the a5-pawn with 25.Kc3?
followed by Kb4 is not possible because of 25...Nxd5+!
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?!
is even risky in view of 27.Ra7+
Nd7
28.Ne4
Ra8
29.c5!!
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!
(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 33...Ra3+
34.Kb4
(Otherwise ...Kc5 with a decisive attack on dark squares) 34...Ra7
with a decisive advantage since 35.Rxd6+
loses immediately to 35...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!
[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
0-0
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!
(Otherwise, ...Bd4-c5) 30...dxc5
31.Rxc5
Ra2+
32.Kf1
Rf2+!?
Black's last hope. 33.Kxf2
Bd4+
34.Kf3
Bxc5
and now the tricky 35.d6+!
clears the d5-square for the bishop and enables the capture of the b7-pawn, with an obvious draw.]
27.Ne4?!
[This move allows Black maintain some winning chances. White should have developed his initiative with 27.Rb5
Bxb6
28.c5!
depriving Black from the perfect blocking c5-square once and forever, for instance 28...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!
Better later than never! White creates himself a passed pawn and prevents the occupation of the c5-square by an enemy minor piece.
28...Nxc5
29.Nxc5
dxc5
30.Ra1
[Only not 30.Rb5??
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!
White cannot afford to allow the occupation of the a-file by the enemy rook.
33...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 39...Kxd5??
allowing mate in one with 40.Bc4#
]
35.Kd3
Rb4
36.Ra6+
Bb6
[Aiming to restrict 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!
(Only not 43.Re6+?
because of 43...Kf5
44.d6?
Rxc4+!
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!
[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 45...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