Reply #9: Mamedyarov - Topalov, Round 3, Sofia [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Photo: ChessBase.de (Germany)

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov vs. Veselin Topalov
MTel Masters' Tournment, Round 3
Sofia, May 2007

Semi-Slav Queen's Bambit: Hastings Opening (Moscow Defense) (Anti-Meran Gambit)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6

• 5. -- dxc4 is the Botvinnik Defense.

6. Bxf6

• 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 h5 12. 0-0 Nbd7 13. Qc2 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Bg7 15. Rad1 0-0 16. Bg3 Nh7 17. e5 f5 18. exf6 Qxf6 is unclear (Kramnik-Akopian, Sparkassen, Dortmund 2000).

6. -- Qxf6 7. Qb3

• 7. e3 Nd7 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 g6 10. 0-0 Bg7 11. b4 0-0 12. a4 Qe7 13. Qb3 Rd8 14. a5 Nf6 15. e4 Rb8 16. b5 Bd7 17. Rfe1 cxb5 18. Bxb5 Rbc8 White has the lead in space and Black in piece activity (Campos-M. Gurevich, Rapid B, Cap d'Agde 2000).

7. -- Nd7 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nxe4 Qf4 10. Bd3 e5?!

• The lines off this move are not promising for Black.
• 10. -- Be7 11. 0-0 0-0 12. Rfe1 Rd8 13. Rad1 Qc7 14. Bb1 Nf8 15. c5 b5 16. Ng3 Bd7 is equal (Smyslov-Petrosian, Moscow 1971).
• 10. -- Nf6 11. Nxf6+ gxf6 12. 0-0 Rg8 13. Be2 b6 14. Rfe1 Bb7 15. c5 Qc7 16. Bc4 Be7 is equal (Euwe-Bisguier, IT, New York 1948).
• The adventurous may want to try the untested plan of pressuring the center from the queenside: 10. -- b6 11. Bc2 Bb7 12. 0-0 0-0-0 13. Rad1 Be7 with equality.

11. 0-0

• 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. 0-0 Be7 14. Rae1 0-0 15. Re3 Qa5 16. Bb1 Rd8 17. a3 Rb8 18. Qc2 Bf5 is unclear: Black has more space, but White has more tactical opportunities (Keres-Mikenas, Soviet Ch, Tallinn 1965)

]11. -- exd4

• Better is 11. -- Be7 12. Rfe1 exd4 13. Ng3 Nc5 14. Qa3 Qd6 15. Bf5 Ne6 16. Qxd6 Bxd6 17. Nxd4 Bxg3 18. hxg3 Ke7 with equality (Timman-Gelfand, Hoogovens Tnmt, Wijk aan Zee 1996).

12. Nxd4 Nc5?!

• Black departs from the book since it does not have a happy ending.
• If 12. -- Ne5 13. Bc2 then:
• 13. -- Be7 14. g3 Qg4 15. f4 Ng6 16. f5 Bc5 17. Qe3 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 Black resigns (Tartakover-Cunillera, Barcelona 1934).
• 13. -- Ng4 14. Rad1 Be7 15. Ne2 Qc7 16. c5 gives White a spatial edge, but Black's game is playable.

13. Nxc5

• As far as achieving an advantage in space is concerned, White has better ways; on the other hand, this move will lead to the loss of the castling privilege for Black.
• 13. Qc2 Nxd3 14. Qxd3 Bg4 15. f3 Bd7 16. Ne2 Qe5 17. f4 Qa5 is equal.

13. -- Bxc5

• Black chooses wisely, but already White has an advantage in space.
• If 13. -- Qxd4? 14. Rfe1+ Be7 15. Rxe7+ Kxe7 16. Re1+ then:
• 16. -- Kd6 17. Nxb7+ Bxb7 18. c5+ Qxc5 19. Qxf7 leads to exchanges on e8 that leave White a pawn up.
• 16. -- Be6 17. Qxb7+ Kf6 18. Qxc6 sends Black to an early shower.

14. Rae1+ Kf8

• When in doubt, the King should head for shelter, as he does here.
• After 14. Kd8 15. Ne2 Qg5 16. Ng3 Bd4 17. Re4 Qf6 18. Nh5 Qd6 19. Rfe1 c5 White has better mobility and the initiative.

15. Re4 Qf6 16. Qc3?!

The Knight needed refortified, but this move has the added benfit of keeping the Queen in contact with the center.
• 16. Rfe1 g5 17. Qc3 Kg7 18. b4 Bxd4 19. Qxd4 Rd8 equalizes.

16. -- a5!?

• Black makes a bid for space on the queenside.
• 16. -- Bxd4 17. Qxd4 Qxd4 18. Rxd4 Be6 19. Re1 c5 20. Rde4 is equal.

17. Rfe1 Bd7 18. R1e3?!

• White's life would be easier if he keeps the Bishop out of b4. Fortunately, White still has better mobility.
• Correct is 18. a3 a4 19. Bc2 Kg8 20. R1e2 g6 21. R2e3 Kh7 22. Rf3 Qg7 with equality.

18. -- Bb4!

• Please refer to the previous note.

19. Qc2 Qd6

• Black is looking for a way to keep White's Rooks from pentrating his position.
• After19. -- Bc5 White continues to build pressure in the center with 20. Rf3 Qg5 21. Nb3 Be7 22. Rfe3 a4 23. Nd4.

20. Rf3 h5

• White has reassumed command of the game after his small inaccuracy on move 18.
• No better is 20. -- b6 21. a3 Bc5 22. Nb3 Rd8 23. Bf1 f5 24. Nxc5 Qxc5 25. Qd2 000

Black:
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White:
Position after 20. -- h6h5

21. c5!!

• White sacrifices a pawn to clear c4 for the Bishop, allowing him to commence fire on the Black King.
• White also wins with21. Ref4 Kg8 22. c5 Bxc5 23. Rxf7 Bxd4 24. Rxd7 Qxd7 25. Bc4+ wins the Black Queen.

21. -- Bxc5 22. Bc4 f6 23. Ne6+ Bxe6 24. Rxe6 Qd7 25. Qf5

• After 25. Rd3 Bd4 26. Rd2 c5 27. Qg6 Rc8 28. Rde2 Rh6 29. Rd6 Rxg6 30. Rxd7 White will soon have two hogs running on the seventh with an easy game.

25. -- Qd4

• The text is strong than 25. -- Qd1+ 26. Bf1 Be7 27. Rb3 Rb8 28. Rxc6 which still doesn't leave too much doubt about the outcome.

26. Re4 Qd1+ 27. Bf1 Bd6 28. Rd3! Bxh2+ 29. Kxh2 Qxf1 30. Rd7

• Black can oly give away material to forstall mate.
• Topalov resigns.