Aronian (2739) - Topalov (2780) [A29]

Morelia/Linares (8) 2008


1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Bg2 Nb6 7. O-O Be7 8. a3 O-O 9. b4 Be6 10. Rb1 f6 11. d3 Nd4 12. Nd2 c6 13. Nde4 Nd5 14. e3 14. Bb2 Bf7 15. Nxd5 Bxd5 16. Bxd4 exd4 17. Qc2 Re8 18. Nd2 Bf8 19. Rfe1 Kh8 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 21. Qc4 Tomashevsky-Khismatullin, Tomsk 2006 14... Nxc3 15. Nxc3 Nf5 16. Qc2 Rc8 17. Rd1 Qd7 18. d4!? A slightly surprising choice, allowing the d-pawn to be isolated, where 18. Ne4 b6 19. Bb2 was also possible. 18... exd4 19. exd4 Bd6 20. Ne4 Rcd8 21. Bb2 21. Nxd6 Nxd6 (21... Qxd6!?) 22. d5 cxd5 23. Bxd5 Bxd5 24. Rxd5 Qe6 25. Rd1 Rfe8 26. Bf4= 21... Qf7 22. Rd2 Bd5 23. Re1 Bb8 24. Rde2 b6 25. Nd2 Bxg2 26. Kxg2 Qd5+ 27. Kg1 b5 28. Nb3 Bd6 29. Na5 Rc8 30. Rc1 Rc7 31. Qd3 Rfc8 32. Rec2 g6 This position could function as a nice strategical puzzle: how does White continue? 33. Qf1 Kf7 34. Qg2 Right, a queen's fianchetto! Of course it's logical to exchange one of Black's best pieces, which is protecting c6 from a great square. 34... Ne7 35. Re1 h5 36. h4 f5 37. Bc1 f4 Aronian called this "a bad move or maybe even a blunder". He meant apositional error of course, because Topalov might have underestimated White's pawns on the queenside in what follows. However, the real mistake might have been might a bit later. 38. Rxe7+!? Bxe7 39. Bxf4 Qxg2+? It seems that Black is holding on after 39... Bd6 40. Bxd6 Qxd6 41. Qf3+ Qf6 40. Kxg2 Now c6 will fall and White is better in the ending. 40... Rd7 41. Nxc6 Kg7 42. d5! a6 42... Rxd5? 43. Nxe7 43. Kf3 Bf6 44. Ke4 Re7+ 45. Kd3 This ending is very difficult to defend for Black. Maybe it's already lost. 45... Rd7 46. d6 Re8 47. Nd4 Kf7 48. Nf3 a5 49. Rc5 axb4 50. axb4 Rb7 51. Nd2 Ra8 52. Ne4 Bd8 53. Rd5 Ra3+ 54. Kd4 Rb3 55. Kc5 Ke6 56. Rd2 Rb1 57. Re2 Kd7 58. Kd5 Rd1+ 59. Rd2 Rxd2+ 60. Bxd2 Ke8 61. Ke6 Rb6 62. Bg5 Rc6 63. Bxd8 Kxd8 64. Ng5 Ke8 65. Nf7 White will simply pick up the g6 pawn with the knight, and Black can't do anything. 1-0