V. Topalov v. L. Aronian – Candidates Tournament 2016 Round 3

[Event "Candidates 2016"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2016.03.13"]  [Round "3"]  [White "Topalov, Veselin"]  [Black "Aronian, Levon"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "A10"]  [WhiteElo "2780"]  [BlackElo "2786"]  [Annotator "Sagar Shah"]  [PlyCount "100"]   1. c4 {Topalov plays his first white today and opens with the c-pawn.} Nf6 { Aronian played this quite instantly, so the English Opening wasn't really a surprise for him.} 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 O-O 6. Nd5 e4 7. Nh4 { This is quite a common position and usually Black replies Re8. But Aronian went for a relatively unknown move which has not been played by any top player. } d6 $5 {This move has been played by Aronian's country-mate Minasian, and it is quite possible that Levon picked it up from him.} 8. Nxb4 (8. Nxf6+ Qxf6 9. Bxe4 Re8 $1 10. Bg2 Bg4 $1 {Just have a look at the black pieces. This is a completely winning position for Black.} 11. f3 Be6 $19) 8... Nxb4 9. a3 Nc6 10. d3 d5 $1 {A very concrete way to approach the position.} 11. O-O (11. cxd5 Qxd5 $1 12. dxe4 Qxd1+ 13. Kxd1 Rd8+ 14. Kc2 Nd4+ $36) 11... exd3 12. Qxd3 $6 (12. exd3 $11 {would have given White an entirely viable position, but without any advantage. This was not to Topalov's liking.}) (12. cxd5 {is also fine but does not give an advantage.} dxe2 13. Qxe2 Nxd5 $11) 12... Ne5 13. Qd4 (13. Qc2 Nxc4 14. e4 {is a possible way to play. The queen is of course better placed on c2 than on d4.}) 13... Nxc4 14. e4 Be6 15. b3 Na5 16. Qa4 Nc6 (16... c6 17. Bd2 b6 18. Bxa5 bxa5 19. Qxc6 (19. exd5 cxd5 $17) 19... dxe4 20. Bxe4 Rc8 21. Qa4 Qb6 $17 {is some sort of a computer line showing that even c6 was not so bad.}) (16... c5 {is possible and Topalov as intending to meet it with} 17. b4 cxb4 18. axb4 Nc4 $15 {Black seems to be slightly better.}) 17. Rd1 $2 { [#] This was a big blunder by Veselin, after which he is effectively two pawns down.} (17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Bb2 $44) 17... Nxe4 $1 18. Bb2 (18. Bxe4 Qf6 $1 $17 { This move, which attacks the a1 rook, was missed by Topalov.}) 18... Qe7 $17 { Black is two pawns up and with some care he should win the game with ease. Aronian didn't realise his advantage in the best possible manner but it was good enough.} 19. b4 a6 20. Qc2 f6 21. Rac1 Rad8 22. Bf1 Rd7 23. f3 Nd6 24. Re1 (24. Bd3 g5 25. Ng2 Nc4 26. Bxc4 dxc4 27. Rxd7 Qxd7 28. Rd1 Qe7 29. f4 { was a line suggested by Aronian in the press conference as better than what Topalov played in the game. But here the computer comes up with an anti-intuitive move that gives Black a strong advantage.} gxf4 $5 {Usually humans would never make such a move because the knight on g2 was passive and on f4 it would sit very nicely. But the engine sees that the knight on f4 cannot do much due to the bishop on f7 and Black has a huge advantage.} 30. Nxf4 Bf7 $19) 24... Qf7 25. Bd3 g5 26. Ng2 Nc4 27. f4 Nxb2 28. Qxb2 Bh3 29. a4 h6 30. b5 axb5 31. axb5 Ne7 32. Qf2 Nf5 33. Qf3 Kg7 34. Kh1 Re7 35. Rxe7 Qxe7 36. Qh5 (36. Qxd5 {is possible, but after} Rd8 37. Qe4 Qxe4 38. Bxe4 Nd6 39. Rxc7+ Rd7 40. Rxd7+ Bxd7 41. Bd5 Bxb5 $17 {Black should have excellent winning chances.}) 36... Bxg2+ 37. Kxg2 Ne3+ 38. Kg1 f5 39. Qe2 Rf6 40. Qb2 gxf4 41. gxf4 Kh7 42. Kh1 Qg7 43. Qe2 d4 44. Qf3 c6 45. bxc6 bxc6 46. h3 Rg6 47. Rb1 Rg3 48. Qh5 Qd7 49. Kh2 Rg2+ 50. Kh1 Qd5 {One can say that this was a pretty one sided affair and Topalov didn't really have a chance in the game after he was two pawns down.} 0-1

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