Kasparov, Garry – Topalov, Veselin

CHESSBASE http://chessbase.com/Products/Magazine/cbm69/cbm69.htm KASPAROV CHESS http://www.kasparovchess.com/serve/templates/folders/show. asp?p_docID=15812&p_docLang=EN (“Games with Notes!”) 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.) GM Igor Stohl:

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Date: January 20, 1999
Location: Wijk aan Zee
Tournament: ?
Round:
Opening: B07 Pirc Defence
Submitted by: Stohl
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "?"] [Site "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "1999.01.20"] [Round "?"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [Annotator "Stohl"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "1999.01.20"] [Source "TaL's Chess"] [SourceDate "1999.01.20"] {CHESSBASE http://chessbase.com/Products/Magazine/cbm69/cbm69.htm KASPAROV CHESS http://www.kasparovchess.com/serve/templates/folders/show. asp?p_docID=15812&p_docLang=EN ("Games with Notes!") 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.) GM Igor Stohl: } 1. e4 {Ftacnik } 1... 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 ( {Pirc is a somewhat rare opening in Gary's practice and he often used to react with} 3. f3 {e.g.} 3... e5 4. d5 c6 5. c4 Qb6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Nge2 O-O 8. Ng3 cxd5 9. Na4 9... Qc7 10. cxd5 Bd7 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Nc3 Na6 13. Be2 Bd8 14. O-O Qa5 15. Kh1 Nc5 16. Bd2 Ne8 17. f4 exf4 18. Bxf4 Bf6 19. Bg4 Qd8 20. Bxd7 Qxd7 21. Qf3 Rc7 22. Nf5 Bxc3 23. bxc3 Na4 24. Qg3 Nxc3 25. Rae1 f6 26. Bxd6 Nxd6 27. Nxd6 {Kasparov,G-Wahls,M/GER-Kasparov/1992/ }) 3... g6 4. Be3 4... Bg7 {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. } (4... Ng4 5. Bg5 { is also not ideal, as it rather loses than gains time. }) (4... c6 { has the best reputation.} 5. h3 {This useful and flexible move keeps open both possibilities of development for White, depending on Black's reaction-f4, or Nf3. Black's most reasonable alternative is} ( {Less dangerous is} 5. Qd2 5... Nbd7 6. Bd3 b5 7. Nf3 7... e5 { }) 5... Nbd7 (5... b5 6. e5 6... dxe5 { } (6... Nfd7 7. exd6 exd6 8. d5 b4 9. dxc6 bxc3 10. cxd7+ Nxd7 11. b3 Be7 12. Bh6 Bb7 13. Nf3 Qa5 14. Be2 g5 15. Bg7 Rg8 16. Bd4 h5 17. Qd3 g4 18. hxg4 hxg4 19. Bxc3 Qd5 20. Qxd5 Bxd5 21. Nd4 Rc8 22. Bb4 Bxg2 23. Rg1 Ba8 24. Rxg4 Rh8 25. O-O-O {Sokolov,A-Zakharevich,I/Elista/1995/}) 7. dxe5 Qxd1+ 8. Rxd1 Nfd7 9. f4 Bg7 10. Nf3 f6 11. e6 Nf8 12. Nxb5 Nxe6 13. Nxa7 Bb7 14. Bc4 Nc7 15. Kf2 Nd5 16. Nxc6 Bxc6 17. Bxd5 Bxd5 18. Rxd5 Rxa2 19. Rb5 O-O 20. Rd1 Nc6 21. Nd4 Nxd4 22. Bxd4 Rc8 23. Rd2 {Jansa,V-Schlosser,M/Muenster/1992/ }) (5... Bg7 6. f4 { } 6... O-O 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. e5 Nh5 9. Ne2 Bh8 10. g4 Ng7 11. Bg2 dxe5 12. fxe5 Nb6 13. Bh6 Be6 14. O-O Qd7 15. Nf4 Bd5 16. Nxd5 Nxd5 17. Qe2 Rad8 18. Rae1 Nc7 19. c3 Nce6 20. Nd2 Qc7 21. Ne4 a5 22. Rf2 b5 23. Ref1 Qb6 24. Kh1 {Jansa,V-Hoi,C/Gausdal/1991/ }) 6. f4 e5 7. Qf3 { This position is still quite rare in practice. Black's main problem is to break up effectively the strong pawn cahin e4,f5, so deserving attentionis} { Black's main problem is to break up effectively the strong pawn cahin e4, f5, so deserving attentionis} 7... b5 (7... Qa5 8. Bd3 Bg7 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. f5 10... b5 { } (10... gxf5 11. Qxf5 11... b5 12. Nge2 b4 13. Nb1 Nb6 14. Qf2 Na4 15. O-O Be6 16. b3 Nb2 17. Ng3 Nxd3 18. cxd3 Qb5 19. Nd2 Rd8 20. Bg5 {Movsesian,S-Ftacnik,L/Hamburg op/1997/}) 11. Nge2 { } (11. g4 11... b4 12. Nd1 12... gxf5 13. gxf5 b3+ 14. Nc3 bxc2 15. Nge2 Rb8 16. Bc1 Rg8 17. Bxc2 Bf8 18. b3 Ba6 19. Bd2 Bb4 20. a3 Nh5 21. Qxh5 Bxe2 22. Nxe2 22... Bxd2+ {Kharlov,A-Labok,V/Podolsk/1992/})) 8. O-O-O (8. Bd3 8... Bb7 ) 8... b4 9. Nce2 Qe7 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. f5 gxf5 12. Qxf5 { } (12. exf5 12... Bb7 13. g4 Nd5 14. Bf2 e4 15. Qg3 e3 16. Be1 Bg7 17. g5 Be5 18. Qg4 h5 19. Qg2 O-O-O 20. Nf3 Nf4 21. Nxf4 Bxf4 22. Be2 c5 23. h4 Ne5 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Kb1 25... Nxf3 {0-1,Wagener,C-Andersen,J/Szeged/1994/}) 12... Qe6 { }) 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 ( {More consistent and preferred by Jansa is } 6. Bh6 { as White can sometimes effectively play f4 later on.} 6... Bxh6 7. Qxh6 7... Qa5 { } (7... b5 8. e5 8... b4 9. exf6 bxc3 10. bxc3 exf6 11. Bd3 Qe7+ 12. Ne2 Qf8 13. Qd2 Qe7 14. O-O O-O 15. Rfe1 f5 16. c4 Nd7 17. Rab1 Nb6 18. Qa5 Be6 19. Nf4 Qf6 20. c5 dxc5 21. Nxe6 fxe6 22. Qxc5 { Jansa,V-Gazik,I/CSR-chT/1992/ }) 8. Bd3 8... c5 { } (8... b5 9. Nf3 b4 10. Ne2 Ba6 11. O-O Nbd7 12. Ng3 Bxd3 13. cxd3 Rg8 14. Qd2 Rb8 15. a3 Qb5 16. axb4 Qxb4 17. Qxb4 Rxb4 18. Rfc1 Nb8 19. Rxa7 Rxb2 20. e5 { Ke8,Van der Wiel,J-Azmaiparashvili,Z/Wijk aan Zee/1993/ }) ( {Rather passive is } 8... Nbd7 9. Nf3 e5 10. O-O exd4 11. Nxd4 Qh5 12. Qd2 O-O 13. Be2 Qe5 14. f4 Qe7 15. Bf3 Nb6 16. Rae1 Rd8 17. b3 c5 18. Nde2 Bd7 19. Ng3 Bc6 20. a4 { , Adams,M-Nogueiras,J/Buenos Aires/1991/ }) 9. Nge2 (9. Nf3 9... Bg4 ) 9... cxd4 10. Nxd4 10... Nc6 { } ( {Unplayable is} 10... Qb6 11. O-O-O Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. e5 13... dxe5 14. Ne4 Be6 15. Qg7 O-O-O 16. Nxf6 exf6 17. Qxf6 Rhe8 18. Rhe1 Bg4 19. f3 e4 20. Rxe4 Rxe4 21. Ba6+ Qxa6 22. Rxd8+ Kb7 23. Qxf7+ Kb6 24. fxe4 {1-0,Jansa,V-Hoffmann,H/BL2-O 9697/1997/ }) 11. Nb3 Qb6 12. Nd5 { } (12. O-O-O Be6 13. f3 O-O-O 14. Rhe1 Kb8 15. Bf1 Rc8 16. Qe3 Qxe3+ 17. Rxe3 g5 18. g3 h5 19. f4 h4 20. Bb5 Ng4 21. Re2 hxg3 22. hxg3 22... Rh3 {Kroeze,F-Beim,V/Leeuwarden/1994/ }) 12... Nxd5 13. exd5 13... Nb4 { } (13... Ne5 14. O-O Bd7 15. Be2 O-O-O 16. a4 Kb8 17. a5 Qc7 18. c4 Bg4 19. Bxg4 Nxg4 20. Qf4 Ne5 21. Ra4 g5 22. Qd4 h5 23. Rc1 h4 24. Qe3 h3 25. g3 e6 26. Nd4 Qc5 27. Rc3 Ng4 28. Qd2 e5 29. Nb3 Qc8 30. c5 { Hamdouchi,H-Chabanon,J/FRA-chT/1998/ })) 6... b5 7. Nge2 { White has various possibilities here. } ( {Not too promising is the old line} 7. O-O-O 7... Qa5 8. Kb1 Nbd7 9. Bh6 Bxh6 10. Qxh6 Nb6 11. Nh3 11... Bxh3 12. Qxh3 12... Na4 { }) ( {Ultra-sharp is} 7. g4 7... h5 (7... Nbd7) 8. g5 Nfd7 9. f4 9... Nb6 ) 7... Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 9... Bb7 { Black should strive for immediate counterplay. } (9... e5 10. a3 { and forcing a central exchange costs Black precious time, e.g.} ( {Too soft is} 10. dxe5 10... dxe5 11. Nc1 Bb7 12. Nd3 Qe7 13. g3 O-O-O 14. b4 a5 15. a3 Kc7 16. Be2 axb4 17. axb4 17... Ra8 {Kristensen,B-Hansen,C/Vejle/1994/}) 10... Qa5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nc1 Bb7 13. b4 13... Qb6 14. Nb3 { }) (9... Qa5 10. Nc1 b4 (10... Qb6 11. Nb3 a5 12. a4 b4 13. Nd1 Ba6 14. Ne3 Bxf1 15. Rxf1 Qa6 (15... c5 16. Nc4 Qa6 17. Nbxa5 cxd4 18. Qd2 ) 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 {Rantanen,Y-Jamieson,R/Haifa olm/1976/ }) 10. a3 { The right moment for prophylaxis. } (10. O-O-O 10... Qa5 { }) ( { Gary tries to achieve a better version of} 10. Nc1 10... e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Nb3 a6 13. O-O-O 13... Qc7 14. Qg7 Rf8 (14... Rg8 15. Rxd7 ) 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 23... f5 {Moroz,A-Yurasov,A/Simferopol/1991/}) 10... e5 (10... a5 11. Nd1 b4 12. Ng3 {As Black's King will have to castle , he doesn't want to weaken his position here any further. }) 11. O-O-O 11... Qe7 { Black wants to get his King to safety as soon as possible. } ( { But interesting was} 11... a6 12. Kb1 (12. f4 Ng4 13. Qg7 13... Qf6 { "nikam nevedie a po"[Slovak]}) 12... Qc7 { (Covers a5.)} 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Qg7 14... Ke7 { }) 12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 13... O-O-O 14. Nb3 14... exd4 {Topalov realizes the danger, connected with Na5 followed by a timely d5 and decides to open up the position and fight. } (14... c5 15. d5 ) 15. Rxd4 (15. Nxd4 c5 16. Nb3 {-15.Rd4 }) 15... c5 16. Rd1 16... Nb6 { d5} ( 16... Ne5 17. Be2 17... d5 18. f4 { e5 }) 17. g3 {'!' Ftacnik. } 17... Kb8 (17... d5 18. Bh3+ (18. Qf4 d4 19. Bh3+ 19... Nfd7 ) 18... Kb8 19. exd5 (19. Qf4+ 19... Ka7 { } 20. Nxc5 20... Nh5 21. Qe3 21... d4 ) 19... Nbxd5 20. Nxd5 Nxd5 (20... Rxd5 21. Qf4+ 21... Qe5 22. Qxe5+ Rxe5 23. Rd6 ) 21. Na5 { }) 18. Na5 {Kasparov already envisages the rich combinational possibilities, but this very natural move is probably objectively not the best. } (18. Bh3 { Rhe1} 18... d5 19. exd5 {-17...d5!? }) ( {Deserving attention is also} 18. Qf4 18... Ka7 { } (18... Ka8 19. Na5 ) 19. g4 { Bb5 and Black can't play} (19. Bxb5 Nh5 20. Qh4 20... Qxh4 21. gxh4 axb5 22. Nxb5+ Kb8 23. Nxd6 f5 24. Nxc5 24... Bd5 ) 19... d5 20. Nxc5 { }) 18... Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 21... 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} 22... Nxe4 ( 22... Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Nxe4 24. Rd7+ ) 23. Nxe4 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Bxe4 25. Re1 Re8 26. Rxe4 26... Qxe4 27. Qc7+ Ka8 28. Nc6 { }) 22. Nd5 { '!' Ftacnik. } 22... Nbxd5 (22... Nfxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Qxf7+ ) 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 {'!!' Ftacnik. } (24. Qxd6 24... Rxd6 25. b4 cxb4 26. axb4 26... Nxd5 ) (24. Nc6+ Bxc6 25. dxc6 Qxf4 26. Re7+ (26. gxf4 26... Nd5 ) 26... Kb6 27. gxf4 Nd5 28. Rxf7 28... Rdf8 { }) 24... cxd4 { 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 { }) (24... Bxd5 25. Rxd5 25... Nxd5 (25... Qxf4 26. Rxd8 Qh6 (26... Qc7 27. Rxh8 Qxa5 28. Re7+ ) 27. Re7+ Kb6 28. b4 { }) 26. Qxf7+ Nc7 27. Re6 Rd7 (27... Qd1+ 28. Ka2 Rd7 29. Re7 ) 28. Rxd6 Rxf7 29. Nc6+ Ka8 30. f4 { }) 25. Re7+ { '!' Ftacnik. The real point of the combination. } (25. Qxd4+ 25... Qb6 26. Re7+ Nd7 27. Rxd7+ (27. Qc3 Qg1+) 27... Rxd7 28. Qxh8 28... Rxd5 ) 25... Kb6 (25... Qxe7 26. Qxd4+ ) (25... Kb8 26. Qxd4 Nd7 27. Bxd7 Bxd5 28. c4 ) 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 (26... Qc5 27. Qxf6+ Qd6 28. Be6 28... Bxd5 29. b4 ) 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 {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 { } 28... Bb7 (28... Nxd5 {Ftacnik} 29. Rxa6+ 29... Qxa6 30. Qb2 Nc3+ 31. Qxc3 Bd5 32. Kb2 Qe6 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Qb3+ 34... Bxb3 35. cxb3#) 29. Rxb7 { } 29... Qxd5 (29... Nxd5 30. Bd7 30... Ra8 (30... Rxd7 31. Qb2 Nc3+ 32. Qxc3 Qd1+ 33. Kb2 Rd3 34. Ra7 ) 31. Bxb5+ axb5 32. Ra7+ Qa6 33. Qxd5 Qxa7 34. Qb3#) 30. Rb6 (30. Rb6 Ra8 (30... a5 31. Ra6 Ra8 32. Qe3 32... Rxa6 (32... Rhe8 33. Rxa8 Rxa8 34. Kb2 ) 33. Kb2 axb4 34. axb4 Kxb4 35. Qc3+ Ka4 36. Qa3#) 31. Qxf6 a5 32. Bf1 )) 28... Qxd5 (28... Bxd5 29. Kb2) 29. Ra7 (29. Kb2 29... Qd4) 29... Bb7 30. Rxb7 (30. Qc7 30... Qd1+ ) 30... Qc4 {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 31. Rb6 (31. Ra7 31... Rd6 32. Kb2 32... Qe5 ) 31... Ra8 32. Bf1 { Rd6} (32. Be6 32... Rxe6 33. Rxe6 33... Qc4 34. Qxc4 bxc4 35. Rxf6 Kxa3 36. Rxf7 36... Re8 { })) 31. Qxf6 31... Kxa3 { Now White wins by force. } (31... Rd1+ 32. Kb2 Ra8 (32... Qd4+ 33. Qxd4 Rxd4 34. Rxf7 Rd6 35. Re7 { Be6}) 33. Qb6 Qd4+ (33... a5 34. Bd7 34... Rd5 35. Qe3 axb4 36. Ra7+ ) 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 { R }) ( 31... Ra8 32. Qb6 a5 33. Ra7 ) 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ 33... Kxc3 ( 33... Kb3 34. Qa2+ Kxc3 35. Qb2+ Kd3 36. Re7 ) 34. Qa1+ 34... Kd2 ( 34... Kb4 35. Qb2+ Ka5 (35... Qb3 36. Rxb5+) 36. Qa3+ Qa4 37. Ra7+ ) 35. Qb2+ 35... Kd1 { Ftacnik: 'You are not dreaming, black King went all the way from e8 to d1!' } (35... Ke3 36. Re7+) (35... Ke1 36. Re7+ Kd1 37. Bf1 { is the same as in the game. }) 36. Bf1 36... Rd2 37. Rd7 {Ftacnik: 'T he final trick, but white is completely right, the game is finally over.' } 37... Rxd7 38. Bxc4 38... bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 (39... Rb7+ 40. Ka2 Kc2 41. Qd4 ) 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 (41... Kd2 42. Qc2+) 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0