1. e4 e5 Again, Topalov doesn't play his usual Najdorf. Apparently he considers the surprise effect and sidestepping the opponent's preparation to be more important factors than sticking to his repertoire.
2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 And here the Bulgarian deviates from game 1 in which he went for the Berlin Defence.
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 
16. Be3 Qc8 17. Rc1 Nc5 18. Bc2 c6 19. b4 Ncd7 20. Bb3 Romanishin-Beliavsky, Minsk 1979
16... h6 Topalov decides he's had enough of that bold knight, but weakens his kingside a bit more.
17. Nf3 Nb6 18. h4 Trying to profit from Black's 16th move.
18... Qd7 19. Nh2 Bg7 20. h5 Perhaps Black should have prevented this by playing ....h5 himself. It weakens the g5 square, but perhaps it was the lesser evil.
20... Rf8 Black anticipates hxg6, fxg6 but White will be able to wait with this exchange for a long time.
21. Nhf1 c6 22. dxc6 Qxc6 23. Ne3 Kh7 It's that little pawn on h5 that makes it less attractive for Black to go for the typical ...d5 break: 23... d5?! 24. hxg6 fxg6 25. exd5 Nbxd5 26. Nxd5 Nxd5 27. Be4
with an enduring positional plus for White.
24. Qf3 Bc8 25. Rd1 Be6 26. b3!? A surprising and very creative pawn sacrifice.
Very logical would have been 26. Bb3
26... Qxc3 27. Bd2 Qc7 28. Ba5 Qb8 29. Rd2 That was the idea. Black's extra pawn is the backward little guy on d6 while White has created himself a way to develop his queenside.
29... Nc8 30. Rad1 b4?! This only helps White. Kamsky: "Probably a mistake."
30... Rd7
31. Qe2 Kh8?! 31... Rd7
32. Bd3 Simple play - Black has to lose a pawn on the queenside now.
32... Na7 33. Rc1 Nb5 34. Bxb5 axb5 35. Bxb4 Rd7 36. Rc6 Rfd8 37. Qd1 Kamsky in his element!
37... Bf8 38. Qc2 Kh7 39. Ba5 Re8 40. hxg6+ fxg6 41. Bc7 Qb7 42. Bxd6 With a series of powerful moves, Kamsky has won a pawn and in fact he keeps on playing strongly, converting it to a win.
42... Bf7 43. Bb4 After the game Kamsky gave the line 43. Bxf8! Rxd2 44. Qc1 Rxf8 45. Rxf6 Qd7 46. Ngf1 Rd6 which has the nice pointe 47. Nf5!
43... Bxb4 44. Rxd7 Qxd7 44... Nxd7 45. Rc7 Qa6 46. Rxd7 Re7 47. Rxe7 Bxe7 48. Qc7 Qd6 49. Qb7
45. Rxf6 Re6 45... Be6 46. Nd5 Rc8 47. Qd3 Bf8 48. Nf1
46. Nd5 Bf8 47. Rf3 47. Rxe6 Qxe6 48. a4 also looks strong.
47... Kg7 48. Rc3 Ra6 49. Rc7 Qd6 50. Qe2 Kg8 51. Qxb5 Rxa2 52. Qb7 Ra1+ 53. Kh2 Bxd5 54. exd5 Qf6 55. Qc8 Qh4+ 56. Qh3 Qxh3+ 57. Kxh3 This ending should be winning, but of course Topalov lets his opponent prove it.
57... Rd1 58. Ne4 Ba3 59. Ra7 Bb4 60. Rb7 Ba3 61. f3 Kf8 62. Rb5 h5 63. Kg3 Rc1 64. Rb8+ Kf7 65. Rb7+ Kf8 66. Kf2 Rc2+ 67. Kf1 Rc1+ 68. Ke2 Rc2+ 69. Kd3 Rxg2 70. Ra7 Be7 71. d6 Bd8 72. Nc5 Even stronger was 72. Ra8 Ke8 73. Kc4 and Black can resign.
72... Ke8? 72... Bf6 was more resilient.
73. Rh7 A great game by Kamsky, who managed to get the type of position he likes and then proved he can beat Topalov (which was the first time ever). At half-time, the Bulgarian can't be satisfied: in his White games he didn't get an advantage out of the opening and with Black he came under pressure twice. Some tense and exciting games are ahead of us!
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