Position after 11.Bf4

Sokolov, Ivan – Topalov, Veselin
Essent chess tournament, Hoogeveen, 2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 d6 6.Bb5+ Nfd7 7.a4 Na6 8.0-0 Nc7 9.Re1 Nxb5 10.axb5 0-0 11.Bf4 Nb6 12.e5 Bf5 13.h3 h6 14.Qe2 g5 15.Bg3 Qd7 16.h4 f6 (GM Atalik: Typical move for this structure now Ivan has to be careful because the position may open up) 17.e6 Qd8 18.Nh2 Bg6 19.f4 Bh5 20.Qd3 gxf4 21.Bxf4 Qg6 22.Nf1 f5 23.Kh2 Qg4 24.Qg3 Qxg3+ 25.Nxg3 Be8 26.Nge2 Kh7 27.Bg3 Nc4 28.b3 Ne3 29.Rac1 Rg8 30.Nd1 Nxd5 31.c4 Nb4 32.Ne3 a6 33.bxa6 Rxa6 34.Nxf5 Bf6 35.Nf4 Ra2 36.Nd5 Nxd5 37.cxd5 Bh5 38.Rf1 Rd2 (Black is certainly better here. The question is can Sokolov hang on?) 39.Ne3 Bd4 40.Nc4? (Now 40…Rd3 and Topalov should win this game.) 40…Rd3 41.Bf4 Rxb3 42.Nd2 (This game is all but over. Sokolov seems to have a problem with the last few moves before time control in each game. 40.Nc4 sealed his fate in a difficult position.) 42…Rb2 43.Rb1 Bg6 (43…Be2 is probably more accurate but this should win as well.) 44.Rxb2 Bxb2 45.Rf3 Rf8 46.Nc4 Be4 (Once again, Topalov is on his way to another miraculous comebacks. However, it’s a little too late since this is only a 6 round event.) 47.Bxd6 Bxf3 0-1 Topalov will have White against Judit tomorrow.
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