[Event "Hoogovens"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "4"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [WhiteElo "2812"] [BlackElo "2700"] [Annotator "Stohl,I"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "1999.01.16"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "NED"] [EventCategory "17"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.04.01"] {My comments to this fantastic game will be limited to some moments of interest, which I haven't seen highlighted before in the earlier published sources (Internet, various magazines etc.)} 1. e4 {Ftacnik} d6 {Topalov is a Sicilian player, but against Kasparov he prefers to spring a slight surprise on his well prepared opponent as soon as possible.} 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 $6 {A major exponent of the 4.Be3 line GM Vlastimil Jansa would be dissatisfied with this move, as later Black will have to lose a tempo capturing on h6.} 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 {More consistent and preferred by Jansa is} b5 7. Nge2 {White has various possibilities here.} Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 {Black should strive for immediate counterplay.} (9... e5 $142 $5 10. a3 {and forcing a central exchange costs Black precious time, e.g.} ({Too soft is} 10. dxe5 $143 $6 dxe5 11. Nc1 Bb7 12. Nd3 Qe7 13. g3 O-O-O 14. b4 a5 15. a3 Kc7 16. Be2 axb4 17. axb4 Ra8 $11 {Kristensen,B-Hansen,C/Vejle/1994/}) 10... Qa5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nc1 Bb7 13. b4 $1 Qb6 14. Nb3 $14) (9... Qa5 10. Nc1 b4 (10... Qb6 11. Nb3 a5 12. a4 b4 13. Nd1 Ba6 14. Ne3 Bxf1 15. Rxf1 Qa6 (15... c5 $5 16. Nc4 Qa6 17. Nbxa5 cxd4 18. Qd2 $14) 16. Kf2 Rc8 17. Kg1 c5 18. dxc5 Nxc5 19. Nd4 Qb6 20. Nc4 Qa6 21. b3 Ncd7 22. Nb5 Ne5 23. Ne3 Qb6 24. Kh1 Rc5 25. Rad1 Rg8 26. Rd2 g5 27. Nxd6+ Qxd6 28. Rxd6 Rg6 29. Rxf6 {1-0,Moroz-Janda/Decin/ 1998/}) 11. Nb3 Qh5 12. Qxh5 Nxh5 13. Nd1 a5 14. a3 Bb7 15. axb4 axb4 16. Rxa8+ Bxa8 17. Nf2 O-O 18. Nd3 c5 19. dxc5 dxc5 20. Nbxc5 Nxc5 21. Nxc5 Rc8 22. Nd3 Rxc2 23. Kd1 b3 24. Be2 Bb7 25. Re1 f5 26. exf5 gxf5 27. Nb4 $1 $14 {Rantanen, Y-Jamieson,R/Haifa olm/1976/}) 10. a3 $1 {The right moment for prophylaxis} ( 10. O-O-O $143 $6 Qa5 $36) ({Gary tries to achieve a better version of} 10. Nc1 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nb3 a6 13. O-O-O Qc7 $5 14. Qg7 Rf8 (14... Rg8 $2 15. Rxd7 $18) 15. g3 O-O-O 16. Bh3 Kb8 17. Bxd7 Nxd7 18. Qxh7 a5 19. Kb1 a4 20. Nc1 a3 21. b3 b4 22. N3e2 c5 23. Qh6 f5 $5 $44 {Moroz,A-Yurasov,A/Simferopol/1991/}) 10... e5 (10... a5 11. Nd1 b4 12. Ng3 $5 $14 {As Black's K will have to castle < and decides to open up the position and fight.} ( 14... c5 $6 15. d5 $16) 15. Rxd4 (15. Nxd4 c5 16. Nb3 {-15.Rd4}) 15... c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 {/\d5} (16... Ne5 17. Be2 d5 $2 18. f4 {/\e5+/-}) 17. g3 {'!' Ftacnik.} Kb8 (17... d5 $5 18. Bh3+ (18. Qf4 d4 19. Bh3+ Nfd7 $13) 18... Kb8 19. exd5 ( 19. Qf4+ Ka7 $1 {/\} 20. Nxc5 $2 Nh5 21. Qe3 d4 $1 $17) 19... Nbxd5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 (20... Rxd5 21. Qf4+ $5 Qe5 22. Qxe5+ Rxe5 23. Rd6 $36) 21. Na5 $14) 18. Na5 $6 {Kasparov already envisages the rich combinational possibilities, but this very natural move is probably objectively not the best.} (18. Bh3 $142 $5 {/\Rhe1} d5 19. exd5 {-17...d5!?}) ({Deserving attention is also} 18. Qf4 Ka7 ( 18... Ka8 19. Na5 $36) 19. g4 $5 {/\Bb5 and Black can't play} (19. Bxb5 Nh5 20. Qh4 $5 Qxh4 21. gxh4 axb5 22. Nxb5+ Kb8 23. Nxd6 f5 24. Nxc5 Bd5 $5 $13) 19... d5 $2 20. Nxc5 $1 $16) (18. g4 Nfd7 19. Be2) 18... Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4 {Ftacnik: 'Black has achieved impressive success, but his position is a bit dangerous. Kasparov unleashes phantastic combination.'} ({Opening the position is suicide, after} 21... dxe4 22. fxe4 {/\Nd5} Nxe4 (22... Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Nxe4 24. Rd7+ $1 $18) 23. Nxe4 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Bxe4 25. Re1 Re8 26. Rxe4 $1 Qxe4 27. Qc7+ Ka8 28. Nc6 $18) 22. Nd5 {'!' Ftacnik.} (22. Na2) 22... Nbxd5 ( 22... Nfxd5 $2 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Qxf7+ $18) 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 $1 {'!!' Ftacnik.} (24. Qxd6 $2 Rxd6 25. b4 cxb4 26. axb4 Nxd5 $17) (24. Nc6+ Bxc6 25. dxc6 Qxf4 26. Re7+ (26. gxf4 Nd5 $5 $15) 26... Kb6 27. gxf4 Nd5 28. Rxf7 Rdf8 $15) 24... cxd4 $2 {Ftacnik: 'It should be noted, that 24...Kb6! would most certainly save the game for black, but we would be robbed of some fascinating lines. '} (24... Kb6 $142 $1 $11 25. b4 Qxf4 26. Rxf4 Nxd5 27. Rxf7 cxb4 28. axb4 Nxb4 29. Nb3 $15) (24... Bxd5 $5 25. Rxd5 $1 Nxd5 (25... Qxf4 26. Rxd8 Qh6 (26... Qc7 27. Rxh8 Qxa5 28. Re7+ $18) 27. Re7+ Kb6 28. b4 $1 $18) 26. Qxf7+ Nc7 27. Re6 Rd7 (27... Qd1+ 28. Ka2 Rd7 29. Re7 $16) 28. Rxd6 Rxf7 29. Nc6+ Ka8 30. f4 $44) 25. Re7+ $3 {'!' Ftacnik. The real point of the combination.} (25. Qxd4+ $2 Qb6 $1 26. Re7+ Nd7 27. Rxd7+ (27. Qc3 Qg1+) 27... Rxd7 28. Qxh8 Rxd5 $19) 25... Kb6 (25... Qxe7 $2 26. Qxd4+ $18) (25... Kb8 26. Qxd4 Nd7 27. Bxd7 Bxd5 28. c4 $1 $18) 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 (26... Qc5 27. Qxf6+ Qd6 28. Be6 $3 Bxd5 29. b4 $18) 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 $5 {This shows Kasparov's combination was more intuitive, than arithmetically exact. Ftacnik: 'It seems, that white could have won more easily with the help of a fine move 28.Ra7!!'} ({A simpler and even more beautiful win was found by (I think) Kavalek:} 28. Ra7 $1 {/\} Bb7 ( 28... Nxd5 {Ftacnik} 29. Rxa6+ $3 Qxa6 30. Qb2 Nc3+ 31. Qxc3 Bd5 32. Kb2 Qe6 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Qb3+ $1 Bxb3 35. cxb3#) 29. Rxb7 Qxd5 (29... Nxd5 30. Bd7 $3 Ra8 (30... Rxd7 31. Qb2 Nc3+ (31... Nxb4 32. Rxd7) 32. Qxc3 Qd1+ 33. Kb2 Rd3 34. Ra7 $1 $18) 31. Bxb5+ axb5 32. Ra7+ Qa6 33. Qxd5 Qxa7 34. Qb3#) 30. Rb6 Ra8 (30... a5 31. Ra6 Ra8 32. Qe3 $3 Rxa6 (32... Rhe8 33. Rxa8 Rxa8 34. Kb2 $18) 33. Kb2 axb4 34. axb4 Kxb4 35. Qc3+ Ka4 36. Qa3#) 31. Qxf6 a5 32. Bf1 $18) 28... Qxd5 (28... Bxd5 $2 29. Kb2) 29. Ra7 (29. Kb2 $2 Qd4) 29... Bb7 $8 30. Rxb7 (30. Qc7 $2 Qd1+ $11) 30... Qc4 $6 {Ftacnik: 'Black is spoiling the defensive effort, it was much tougher to win the game after the best 30... Rhe8!'} ({A better chance was} 30... Rhe8 $1 31. Rb6 (31. Ra7 $2 Rd6 32. Kb2 Qe5 $19) 31... Ra8 32. Bf1 $3 $18 {/\Rd6} (32. Be6 $143 Rxe6 33. Rxe6 Qc4 $1 34. Qxc4 bxc4 35. Rxf6 Kxa3 36. Rxf7 Re8 $11) 32... Rec8 33. Qxc8 Qd1+ 34. Ka2 Qd5+ 35. Bc4 Qxc4+ 36. Qxc4 bxc4 37. Rxf6) 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 {Now White wins by force.} (31... Rd1+ $142 32. Kb2 Ra8 (32... Qd4+ 33. Qxd4 Rxd4 34. Rxf7 Rd6 35. Re7 {/\Be6}) 33. Qb6 Qd4+ (33... a5 34. Bd7 $1 Rd5 35. Qe3 axb4 36. Ra7+ $18) 34. Qxd4 Rxd4 35. Rxf7 a5 36. Be6 axb4 37. Bb3+ Ka5 38. axb4+ Rxb4 (38... Kb6 39. Rxh7 {and with 3 pawns for the exchange White gradually wins.}) 39. c3 $16 {_|_R}) (31... Ra8 $2 32. Qb6 a5 33. Ra7 $18) 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ $1 Kxc3 ( 33... Kb3 34. Qa2+ Kxc3 35. Qb2+ Kd3 36. Re7 $1 $18) 34. Qa1+ Kd2 $8 (34... Kb4 35. Qb2+ Ka5 (35... Qb3 36. Rxb5+) 36. Qa3+ Qa4 37. Ra7+ $18) 35. Qb2+ Kd1 { Ftacnik: 'You are not dreaming, black king went all the way from e8 to d1!'} ( 35... Ke3 $2 36. Re7+) (35... Ke1 36. Re7+ Kd1 37. Bf1 $1 $18 {is the same as in the game.}) 36. Bf1 $1 Rd2 $8 37. Rd7 $1 {Ftacnik: 'The final trick, but white is completely right, the game is finally over.'} Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 $8 39. Qxh8 Rd3 (39... Rb7+ 40. Ka2 Kc2 41. Qd4 $18) 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 ( 41... Kd2 42. Qc2+) 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0

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