1.d4
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.Nf3
d5
Topalov was largely responsible for rehabilitating the Modern Benoni with 3...c5 However both he and Gashimov suffered quite a bit in this line at the recent Linares tournament
4.g3
The Catalan, is this quiet approach a result of yesterday's disaster, or the plan all along? We will only know later on in the match. As the Catalan is a Gruenfeld Defence in reverse with an extra move he has effectively played two Gruenfeld setups in two games.
4...dxc4
In general Black has two ways to play against the Catalan. He can reinforce the centre with c6, or, as he does here, take on c4 and aim to equalise in the centre with a later c5.
5.Bg2
a6
6.Ne5
c5
7.Na3
cxd4
8.Naxc4
Bc5
8...Ra7 is also played.
9.0-0
0-0
10.Bd2
Nd5
11.Rc1
Nd7
[11...b6
1-0 Gustafsson,J (2614)-Berkes,F (2619)/ Gothenburg SWE 2005/The Week in Chess 561 (31); 11...Qf6
12.Nd3
Be7
13.e4!!
1-0 Gelfand ,B (2703)-Aronian,L (2649)/Bastia FRA 2003/The Week in Chess 469 (30)]
12.Nd3
Ba7
[12...Be7
13.Nf4!+/=
]
13.Ba5
[13.Na5
N7f6
14.Qb3
Rb8
15.Rc2
Bd7
16.Rfc1
Bb5
17.a4
Bxd3
18.exd3
Re8
19.Nc4
Qe7
1/2-1/2 Vidit,S (2356) -Venkatesh,M (2462)/Nagpur IND 2008/The Week in Chess]
13...Qe7
14.Qb3
[14.Bxd5
exd5
15.Bb4
Qf6
16.Bxf8
dxc4-/+
]
14...Rb8
Worryingly for Anand supporters, he fell into deep thought here. In spite of being still in theory. [14...Rb8
15.Nce5
Nxe5
16.Nxe5
Qf6
17.Nd3
b6
18.Bb4
Rd8
Black is fine already 19.Bxd5
Rxd5
20.Rc7
Bb7
21.Be7
Qf5
22.Qc2
e5
23.Rc1
h6
24.Nb4
d3
25.exd3
Rd7
26.Rxb7
Rbxb7
27.Qc8+
Kh7
28.Nxa6
Qxd3
29.Nb4
Qd2
30.Bf8
Rb8
0-1 Gulko,B (2559)-Shulman,Y (2606)/ Tulsa USA 2008/ The Week in Chess]
15.Qa3?!
A novelty and objectively a bad one but I think Vishy's idea here was just to take Topalov out of his preparation even at the cost of fighting for an objective advantage [15.Rfd1
was sensible while; 15.Rfe1!?
preparing Bxd5 so that e2 is protected - Nigel Short and; 15.Rc2!?
with the same idea were interesting ideas]
15...Qxa3
16.bxa3
This is risky as it weakens the c3 square which Black's extra pawn controls. It seems to me that Black is comfortably equal here indeed White has to think how he recoups this pawn
16...N7f6
Not best, Black should not fear Bxd5 [16...Nc5
Removing White's wonderful blockading knight was much better when Black is doing rather well 17.Nd6
b6
]
17.Nce5=
Re8
18.Rc2
b6
19.Bd2
Bb7
20.Rfc1
20...Rbd8
[Vishy's position has improved, he has decent compensation here with control of the c file and Nc6 coming 20...Rec8
21.Rxc8+
Rxc8
22.Rxc8+
Bxc8
23.Nc6
wins!]
21.f4
Keeping some control over the e5 square after a Nc6 Bxc6 sequence. Anand does not want to allow e6-e5.
21...Bb8
22.a4
a5?!
Forgive me reader but my computer likes this and so did Topalov but I am suspicious of it. I guess Topalov did not like the idea a4-a5 b6-b5 Nc6 when the fixed a6 pawn is vulnerable but it's b6 which looks weaker to me. Longer term I see the Bb7 being exchanged and the dark bishop staying on the board so pawns on black squares could be uncomfortable against 2 knights [22...Bd6!?
; 22...Rc8
23.Rxc8
Rxc8
24.Rxc8+
Bxc8
25.Nc6
Bd6
26.Nxd4=
]
23.Nc6
Bxc6
[23...Rc8
24.Nxd4
Rxc2
25.Rxc2
and the b5 square comes in handy.]
24.Rxc6
h5
Prophylaxis against the plan of Bg2-f3 and g4-g5 but also a sure sign Black lacks an active plan. Your engine might say level but it's perhaps a little uncomfortable to play [24...e5
25.fxe5
Bxe5
26.R1c4
Nc3!?
]
25.R1c4!
Ne3?!
26.Bxe3
dxe3
27.Bf3!
Calmly played and ruling out Rxd3 which might have happened after: [27.Rxb6
Rxd3
28.exd3
e2
29.Rb1
Ba7+
30.d4
with complications although White is better here also 30...e5
31.fxe5
Rxe5
32.Re1
]
27...g6
[27...Ba7
28.Kg2
; Topalov gives up the wrong pawn as when b6 goes a5 becomes weak so 27...Nd7
28.Bxh5
e5
was best]
28.Rxb6
Ba7
Played after a long think. Black is clearly in some trouble. Top GMs hate these kinds of positions with fixed weaknesses. The Catalan bishop is getting better and better and a5 is very weak.
29.Rb3
Rd4?
[29...Nd5
30.Rb5
; 29...Re7
]
30.Rc7
Obvious and strong, a5 falls
30...Bb8
31.Rc5
Bd6
32.Rxa5
Rc8
33.Kg2
This looks technically winning Topalov has been utterly outplayed from a position where if anything he was more comfortable
33...Rc2
34.a3
Ra2
[34...Kg7
35.Ra7
Ra2
36.Rbb7
Rxd3
37.Rxf7+
Kh6
38.Ra8
g5
39.Rxf6+
Kg7
40.fxg5
]
35.Nb4
Again simple and strong
35...Bxb4
[35...Ra1
36.Nc2
; 35...Rxa3
36.Rxa3
Bxb4
37.Ra8+
]
36.axb4
With two connected pawns and a huge Catalan bishop the game is completely won. I couldn't pinpoint one serious error, Topalov has just played a series of innacurate moves and failed to find a plan.
36...Nd5
37.b5
Offering one pawn to reach a completely technically won game
37...Raxa4
38.Rxa4
Rxa4
39.Bxd5
exd5
40.b6
Ra8
41.b7
Rb8
42.Kf3
d4
43.Ke4
[43.Ke4
Kf8
44.Kxd4
Ke7
45.Kc5
Kd7
46.Kb6
] 1-0