Topalov to Face Anand

Game seven

Topalov,V (2796) - Kamsky,G (2725) [C07]World Chess Challenge Sofia BUL (7), 26.02.2009

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5
Topalov goes for the main line after avoiding it with 4.Ngf3 in game 5.
4...Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Re1 Be7 9.Nb3
Gelfand shows an interesting Q-sac in the following game 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Rxe4 Nc6 11.Nxd4 0-0 12.Bf4 Qc5 13.Nxc6 Qxc6 14.Bd3 b5 15.a4 a6 16.Re3 Bb7 17.Be4 Qxe4 18.Rxe4 Bxe4 19.Qe2 Bd5 20.h4 Rac8 21.axb5 axb5 22.Bg5 Bd6 23.Ra6 Bb8 24.Be7 Rfe8 25.Bd6 Red8 26.Bxb8 Rxb8 27.Ra3 Rb7 28.Rg3 f6 29.Rg4 Rc8 30.Rd4 Rbc7 31.Qxb5 Rxc2 32.b4 h6 33.Rg4 f5 34.Rg6 Kh7 35.h5 R2c7 36.Qd3 Rb7 37.Qg3 Rc1+ 38.Kh2 Rc4 39.b5 Rb4 40.Rxe6 Bxe6 41.Qg6 Drawn Kasparov,G-Gelfand,B/Astana 2001
9...Nc6 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 0-0 12.c3 Bd7 13.Qf3 Qb6 14.Bb3 a5 15.Be3 Bc5 16.Rad1
A normal developing move that leads to wild complications.
16...a4 17.Bc2 Qxb2
Kamsky stubbornly grabs a pawn.
18.Bg5



Topalov is willing and definately prepared to create complications even if it risks losing. Kamsky on the other hand needs a win and decides he must not shy away from complications even if he is black and it generally doens't suit his known style.
18...Nd5
18...Bxd4 Trying to win the bishop on c2 will cost black too much. 19.Rxd4 Qxc2 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Rg4+ Kh8 22.Qxf6#
19.c4 Bxd4 20.Qd3
The mate threat must be dealt with.
20...f5 21.Qxd4 Qxc2 22.cxd5 Qxa2 23.Qb6
Right now black is two pawns up but Kamsky must give something back.
23.dxe6?! Bxe6 24.Rd2 Qc4 -+
23...a3
Interesting is 23...Rae8! 24.d6 (24.Qxb7 Rf7 25.dxe6 Rxe6 Black is doing well) 24...Qc4 25.Be7 (25.Qxb7 Bc6) 25...Qc6 26.Qb4 (26.Qxc6 Bxc6 27.Bxf8 Kxf8 Black is better) 26...Qb5 White has a annoying wedge on d6 and e7 but black can give up the exchange being two pawns ahead and most likely have a better game.
24.Be7
24.dxe6 Bxe6 25.Qxe6+ Interesting is the piece sac. (25.Rxe6 Ra6!) 25...Qxe6 26.Rxe6 b5 27.Ra1 b4 28.Re3 h6 29.Be7 Rfb8 30.Rb3 Kf7 31.Bc5 Rb5 32.Be3= But still quite a risky line just for a draw.
24...Rfe8
Kamsky is running short of time once again.
25.Qd6



25...Ba4
The natural Ba4 gives white the advantage. Not only on position but now Kamsky is running to low on time. Topalov is a fantastic practical player but sometimes his moves can be refuted, of course not easily hence why Kamsky needs time to refute them and choosing when to sink into deep thought to do this is important and Kamsky was unable to solve this problem. Now the game is lost along with the match.
25...Kf7 Kamsky admitted he lost confidence and just couldnt make this move which leads to an edge for black. At the chessfm blog he was quoted as saying " I play like a 2200 player in time pressure."
26.Qxe6+ Kh8 27.Ra1 Qc4
Topalov has 30 plus minutes while Kamsky has dived to under 10
28.Rec1!?
GM Marin from chessbase describes this move best. "Objectively speaking, it may be said that it leads White on the verge of defeat, but from psychologycal point of view it defines an approach that eventually won the game for White."
The safe option is 28.Rxa3
28...Bc2 29.Qd7 a2 30.d6 b5 31.Qb7 Reb8?!
31...b4 This is winning. 32.d7 Reb8 33.d8Q+ Rxd8 34.Bxd8 Rxd8 35.Qe7 Rc8 36.Rxa2 Qxa2 37.Qxb4
32.Qc7

32... Rc8?!
32...Bd3! would avoid defeat.
33.Qxc4 Rxc4 34.d7 Bb1 35.Rd1 Kg8 36.d8Q+ Rxd8 37.Bxd8 Bc2 38.Rdc1 b4 39.Rxa2 b3 40.Ra8 Kf7 41.Rb8 Ke6 42.Re1+ Kd5 43.Be7 Ra4 44.Bf8 Ra7 45.h4
1-0

Topalov wins the match and is now scheduled to play Anand.

All in all an interesting and tense match. Kamsky had excellent chances but at critical points was bested by Topalov's great practical play and not his opening innovation's like was to be assumed.

One interesting point coming from Kamsky's interview on chessfm was during the match Kamsky's team would study everyday with water running music blearing and closed doors in case of their Hotel room being bugged!