Kramnik – Topalov [E02]
WCC Match 2006 (Game 3)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bd7 7.Qxc4 Na5 8.Qd3 c5 9.0-0 Bc6 10.Nc3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Bc5 12.Rd1 Bxg2 13.Qb5+ Nd7 14.Kxg2 a6 15.Qd3 Rc8 [15…Be7 16.Bf4 Rc8 17.Nf3 Nc4 18.Na4 b5 19.b3 Ncb6 20.Nxb6 Nxb6 21.Qxd8+ Bxd8 22.e4 f6 23.Rd6 Ke7 24.Nd4 e5 25.Nf5+ Kf7 26.Be3 g6 27.Nh6+ Kg7 28.Rad1 Rb8 29.Rd7+ Nxd7 30.Rxd7+ Kf8 31.Nf7 Rg8 32.Nd6 g5 33.Rf7# 1-0 Tkachiev-Solozhenkin, France 2000]
16.Bg5 Be7 17.Bxe7 [17.Nf3 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 Ne5 19.Qe3 Qc7 20.Rac1 Nac4 21.Qf4 f6; 17.Ne4 Nc4! a) 17…Ne5? 18.Bxe7 Nxd3 (18…Qxe7 19.Nf5 exf5 20.Nd6+ Kf8 21.Nxc8 Nxd3 22.Nxe7) 19.Bxd8; b) 17…Bxg5 18.Nd6+ Kf8 19.Nxc8 Qxc8 20.Qa3+ Qc5 21.Qxc5+ Nxc5 22.b4; 18.Bxe7 (18.Rac1 Nxb2 19.Nf5 Nxd3 20.Ned6+ Bxd6 21.Nxd6+ Kf8 22.Rxc8 Qxc8 23.Nxc8 N3c5) 18…Qxe7 19.Nf3 (19.Rac1 Nde5 20.Qb3 0-0) 19…f5 20.Nd6+ Nxd6 21.Qxd6 Qxd6 22.Rxd6 Ke7 23.Rad1 Rhd8 24.Ng5 Nf8]
17…Qxe7 18.Rac1 Nc4 [18…0-0 19.Nf5 (19.Nxe6 Ne5 20.Qd5 Qxe6 21.Qxa5) 19…exf5 20.Qxd7 Qe6]
19.Na4 [19.Ne4 Nde5 20.Qb3 0-0 21.Nf3 (21.f4 Ng4) 21…Na5; 19.Nf5? exf5 20.Nd5 Qe4+ 21.f3 Qxd3 22.exd3 Ncb6; 19.b3? Nb2 20.Nd5 Rxc1]
19…b5 [19…Nde5 20.Qe4 0-0 21.b3 f5 22.Qh4 Qe8 23.Nf3; 19…0-0? 20.Rxc4 Ne5 21.Rxc8 Nxd3 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 23.Rxd3]
20.b3 0-0 21.bxc4 bxa4 22.Nc6 Rxc6 23.Qxd7 Qc5 24.Rc3 g6 25.Rb1 h5 [25…Rd6 26.Qxa4 Rd2 27.Rc2; 25…a3 26.Rd1 (26.Rbb3 Rd6 27.Qe7 Qc6+ 28.f3 Rd2) 26…Rfc8 27.Rf3 R6c7]
26.Rb7 [26.h4 a3 (26…Rd6 27.Qxa4 Rd2 28.Rc2) ; 26.a3 h4]
26…e5 [26…Rd6 27.Qxa4 Rd2 28.Re3 (28.Rc2? Rxc2 29.Qxc2 Qc6+) 28…h4 29.gxh4 Qd4]
27.e4 Rf6 28.Rc2 Qa3 [28…h4 29.Qd5 Qa3]
29.Qd1 Rd6 [29…Rc8 30.c5 Rxc5 31.Qd8+ Kg7 32.Rb8 Qf3+ 33.Kg1; 29…h4 30.c5; 29…Qc5]
30.Rd2 Rfd8 [30…Rc6 31.Rd8 Rxc4 32.Qd5]
31.Rd5 [31.Rb8 Rxd2 (31…Rxb8 32.Rxd6 Qxa2 33.Qd5) 32.Rxd8+ Rxd8 33.Qxd8+ Kg7]
31…Rxd5 32.cxd5 [32.exd5 Qxa2 (32…e4 33.Qe2) 33.Qf3 Rf8 34.Qd3 a3 35.c5 Qa1 36.Rb1 Qd4 37.Qxd4 exd4 38.Ra1]
32…Qxa2 33.Qf3 Rf8 34.Qd3 [34.d6 Qc4]
34…a3 [34…Ra8 35.d6; 34…f5? 35.Qxa6]
35.Rb3 [35.Qxa6 Qc2; 35.d6 Rd8 36.Rb3 a5 37.Rxa3 Qe6 38.Rxa5 Rxd6 39.Qb5 Kg7 (39…f6? 40.Qb8+ Kg7 41.Ra8+-) ]
35…f5 36.Qxa6 [36.Rb6 fxe4 37.Qe3 Qxd5 38.Rxg6+ Kf7 39.Rxa6 Ra8; 36.d6 Qxf2+! 37.Kxf2 fxe4+ 38.Ke3 exd3; 36.Rxa3 fxe4]
36…Qxb3 37.Qxg6+ Kh8 38.Qh6+ Kg8 1/2-1/2
Ah! Finally I get through! Susan, I think your blog is being overwhelmed with traffic. 🙂
Anyway, I think this was the best realistic result for Topalov against the super-solid Kramnik after his poor start: a draw stanches the bleeding and gives him time to regroup. Let’s face it, he had Kramnik in the palm of his hand in game two; Kramnik only won because of the “Bulgarian Chainsaw’s” (love that description) blunders. If he plays his usual style while keeping his nerve, I think he can take game four.
Thanks a lot for your comments at chessbase this afternoon, Susan!
What a pity Kramnik didn’t play 17. Ne4; It seems to me, he was out for a draw from the start and so, consciously or not, discarded lines that might have led to a win. Although he has played very well, this is a bit worrying, because this seems to reveal a certain inflexibility of mind which might cost him dearly later on.
I don’t bet on a win for Topalov in the next game; I think a couple more draws wil be more likely. But this match is far from over yet!
Hi, is there a way to copy/paste your anotated third game into Fritz? (can I find your anotation in PGN somewhere?)
Thank you.
D.K.
I think that the main reason Kramnik played so “safely” near the end of the game (expecially cxd5 instead of exd5) was his extreme time trouble for the last 8 or so moves. I wouldn’t have wanted to enter similar complications near the time control with so little time left either….
Krammnik hardly lost any games against Kasparov and more recently P.Leko. News flash: for Topolov to Win this match in public opinion he will basically have to win three games while Krammnik wins none. Does anybody including Susan believe that will happen if they keep playing Catalan and Slav? This queen’s pawn stuff is Krammnik’s bread and butter for his entire career. But if Topolov wins two and the match ends in a tie, they get sudden death when anything is possible. This is more realistic and exciting for us fans. But Vladimir will not want that. Hey Mr. Topolov: Maybe if you like to sac and attack try opening some games with 1. e4 ! sooner rather than later in the match before it is too late. Why not attack that Sicilian?! Or at least find out what opening Krammnik has prepared. Berlin Wall? Petroff? Now with the 2 point lead and near flawless technique, the percentages are in favor of KRAMMNIK becoming our undisputed champion.