[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.10"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Black "Kamsky, G."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D10"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]
[BlackElo "2705"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. f3 Be6 6. Nge2 dxc4 7. Nf4 Qc8 8. e4
g6 (8... b5 $5) 9. g4 $5 {White is not messing about. He plans to storm the
kingside where Black's king seems to be headed} Bg7 10. h4 h6 $1 11. b3 {
Making the pawn sacrifice permanent but by opening the a file White hopes to
rule out a run for the queenside by the Blackking} cxb3 12. axb3 Nbd7 $2 ({
If this is the best Black has its time to get a new opening.} 12... Bd7 $5 13.
Bc4 (13. e5 Nd5 14. Ncxd5 cxd5 15. Nxd5 e6 16. Nf6+ Bxf6 17. exf6 Qc3+ {
is good for Black}) 13... b5 14. Bd3 Nxg4 15. fxg4 Bxd4 {was possible}) 13.
Nxe6 fxe6 14. e5 Qc7 {#} ({A completely unsound idea but in practical terms
possibly correct. Black gets two pawns, a check and the chance to run his king
to the queenside. Also White now has to defend a little. If} 14... Nd5 15. Nxd5
exd5 16. Bd3 Nf8 17. f4 {
gives White huge compensation with h4-h5 and f4-f5 coming}) 15. exf6 Qg3+ 16.
Ke2 Nxf6 17. Qd3 O-O-O 18. Rxa7 Kb8 19. Ra4 Rhf8 20. Rh3 Qc7 21. Be3 ({
The crude} 21. Qxg6 Rg8 22. Ne4 e5 23. Nxf6 Bxf6 24. Qxh6 exd4 {
also looks very good for White}) 21... e5 22. Qc4 {Playing for tricks} Nd5 (
22... b5 23. Nxb5 cxb5 24. Ra8+ Kb7 25. Ra7+ {wins the queen}) 23. Nxd5 Rxd5
24. Qd3 exd4 25. Bd2 Rf6 26. Kd1 Re6 {
Black still has a few practical chances, his king is slightly safer} 27. f4 Qb6
28. Bg2 Rc5 29. Rc4 Rb5 30. f5 gxf5 31. gxf5 Rd6 32. Kc2 Qa7 33. Kb2 Re5 $1 {
Setting a trap} 34. Ra4 Qb6 35. Bf4 $2 Re2+ $1 36. Kb1 (36. Qxe2 d3+ {
wins the queen}) 36... Rxg2 37. Rg3 Rxg3 38. Qxg3 {as Black ran out of time
After 38.Qxg3 c5 Black is losing the exchange but things are not totally clear
however 39.Kc1 Bf8 40.Qg8 Qd8 41.Qf7 should be very good for White.} 1-0

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.11"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Adams, Mi"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E15"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]
[BlackElo "2734"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "98"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 c6 8. Bc3
d5 9. Ne5 Nfd7 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. Nd2 O-O 12. O-O Rc8 13. Re1 ({Preparing} 13.
e4 {to control\the centre and increase the range of the Bg2}) 13... c5 14. cxd5
exd5 15. e3 (15. a3 Nf6 16. b4 cxd4 17. Bxd4 Qd7 18. Qb3 Bb5 19. Qb2 Ba4 20.
Rac1 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Rc8 22. Rxc8+ Qxc8 23. Nf1 Bd7 24. Ne3 Be6 25. Be5 h6 26. f4
a5 27. Bf3 axb4 28. axb4 Qf8 29. Kg2 Qd8 30. Qd4 Bf8 31. f5 Bc8 32. Nxd5 Nxd5
33. Bxd5 Qe7 34. e4 Bb7 35. f6 gxf6 36. Bxf6 Qc7 37. Bxb7 Qxb7 38. b5 Qc7 39.
e5 Qc2+ 40. Kh3 Kh7 41. Qd7 Qb3 42. Qf5+ Kg8 43. Qc8 Qb4 44. Qg4+ Kh7 45. Qf5+
{1-0 Dautov,R (2625)-Shneider,A (2540)/Lubniewice POL 1998}) 15... Nf6 16. Qb1
Qd7 17. Qb2 cxd4 18. Bxd4 Bd3 $1 {
Taking control of e4 and preparing to move the bishop to the kingside} 19. Rac1
h5 {A typical idea. If Black can exchange the bishop on g2 and get this pawn
to h3 he will have strong pressure on white king} 20. Nf3 Be4 21. Ne5 Qe6 22.
f3 Bf5 23. b4 {Aiming to establish a knight on c6 attacking a7 and e7} Rfe8 24.
b5 Rxc1 25. Rxc1 Bc5 26. Qc3 Bh3 27. Re1 (27. Bh1 h4 28. g4 Bd6 $1 29. Nc6 Nxg4
$1 30. fxg4 Qxg4+ 31. Kf2 Bxh2 {is good for Black}) 27... h4 28. Nc6 {#} Nd7 $1
({A well calculated sequence of tactics by Adams now follows. This defends the
bishop on c5 and allows the black queen to cross to the kingside. However it
also looks suicidal as it leaves g7 en prise. The sacrifice} 28... Bxg2 29.
Kxg2 Ne4 30. fxe4 Qxe4+ 31. Kg1 hxg3 32. hxg3 Qf3 33. Qd2 Qxg3+ 34. Kf1 {
falls short}) 29. Bxg7 (29. Nxa7 Bxg2 30. Kxg2 Ra8 31. Nc6 Rxa2+ 32. Kg1 Qh3 {
wins}) 29... hxg3 30. hxg3 Qg6 31. Bxh3 Qxg3+ 32. Bg2 Qxg7 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34.
Kf2 f5 {Threatening f5-f4} 35. f4 Nf6 36. Bf3 Ne4+ 37. Ke2 (37. Bxe4 Rxe4 38.
Kf3 Kf6 39. Re2 Ra4 {and Black is more active}) 37... Nc3+ 38. Kd3 Nxb5 39. Ne5
{Topalov has calculated that his rook, knight and bishop can create strong
threats so he is happy to sacrifice apawn} Kf6 (39... Nc7 40. Rg1+ Kf6 41. Rg6+
Ke7 42. Rg7+ Kf6 $4 43. Rf7+ {
mate is an extreme example but with better play Black would lose the f5 pawn})
40. a4 Nc7 41. Rh1 Rxe5 $1 {This solves all Black's problems. He gets two
pawns for the exchange and well placed pieces} 42. fxe5+ Kxe5 43. Rh7 Ne6 44.
Rxa7 b5 45. Ra8 bxa4 46. Rxa4 f4 {All the pawns come off, the draw is clear}
47. exf4+ Nxf4+ 48. Rxf4 Kxf4 49. Bxd5 Ke5 1/2-1/2

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.12"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D43"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]
[BlackElo "2772"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. Qb3 Nd7 8. e4
dxe4 9. Nxe4 Qf4 10. Bd3 e5 $5 ({Risky, but} 10... Be7 {
which is more solid and the usual move is not Topalov/^s style}) 11. O-O exd4
12. Nxd4 (12. Rae1 Be7 13. Bb1 O-O 14. Ng3 Nc5 15. Qa3 Qc7 16. Nxd4 Rd8 17.
Ndf5 Bxf5 18. Nxf5 Bf8 19. Qh3 Re8 20. Nxh6+ gxh6 21. Qf5 Bg7 22. g3 Rad8 23.
Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Rd1 Rd8 25. Rxd8+ Qxd8 26. Kg2 a6 27. Be4 Qc7 28. f4 Qd8 29. Kh3
Qc7 {1/2-1/2 Ivanisevic,I (2588)-Schenk,A (2495)/Gonfreville FRA 2006/The Week
in Chess 596}) 12... Nc5 13. Nxc5 Bxc5 14. Rae1+ Kf8 15. Re4 Qf6 16. Qc3 $1 {
#    Stopping any unravelling with g7-g6 due to Ne6+} a5 $2 ({
But this is too much.} 16... Bxd4 17. Rxd4 c5 18. Rd5 Qxc3 19. bxc3 g6 20. Rxc5
{wins a pawn but Black can fight for a draw}) 17. Rfe1 Bd7 18. R1e3 $1 Bb4 19.
Qc2 Qd6 20. Rf3 h5 $2 21. c5 $1 {Exposing f7, the game is already won} Bxc5 22.
Bc4 f6 23. Ne6+ Bxe6 24. Rxe6 Qd7 25. Qf5 {Black has no hope without his rooks}
Qd4 26. Re4 Qd1+ 27. Bf1 Bd6 28. Rd3 Bxh2+ 29. Kxh2 Qxf1 30. Rd7 1-0

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.13"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Sasikiran, K."]
[Black "Topalov, V."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E92"]
[WhiteElo "2690"]
[BlackElo "2772"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e5 7. Be3 Ng4 8. Bg5
f6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh6 11. d5 Nd7 12. h3 ({
White usually plays 12.Nd2 to anticipate Black's plan of pawn f6-f5. then} 12.
Nd2 f5 13. exf5 Nf6 14. Nde4 {
when White tries to play pawn c4-c5 and Black seeks play on the kingside)})
12... f5 13. exf5 Nc5 14. Nd2 (14. Qd2 Nxf5 15. Nxg5 Bh6 16. h4 Nxg3 17. fxg3
a5 18. g4 Qe7 19. O-O-O Bd7 20. Rhf1 Rxf1 21. Rxf1 Rf8 22. Rxf8+ Qxf8 23. Qe3
Qe7 24. Bf3 Be8 25. Nce4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bg6 27. Bxg6 hxg6 28. Kc2 Bxg5 29. hxg5
b6 30. Kd3 Kg7 31. Ke4 Qf8 32. Qf3 Qd8 33. Qe3 {1/2-1/2 Akesson,R (2437)-Nataf,
I (2535)/Stockholm SWE 2002/The Week in Chess 374}) 14... Bxf5 15. O-O e4 $1 {
Before f2-f3 and Ne4 after which the bishop on g7 would be locked in} 16. Nb3
b6 $1 {My computer tells me this is a novelty, my brain tells me it is a
screamingly obvious move. Black would love a capture on c5 when he gets
control of d4 and the b file} 17. Nd4 Qf6 18. Nc6 (18. Nxf5 Nxf5 19. Bh2 Nd4)
18... a5 19. f4 Bd7 $1 20. Nb5 Bxc6 21. dxc6 Qxb2 22. Rb1 Qxa2 23. Nxc7 Nf5 {
#    Black's knights and bishops are already rampant, the rook on a8 can go
back in thebox} 24. Bf2 e3 25. Be1 Nd4 26. Nxa8 (26. Bf3 e2) 26... Nxe2+ 27.
Kh2 Nxf4 28. Rxf4 (28. Rg1 Be5 29. Bg3 e2 30. Qc1 Ne4 {splat}) 28... gxf4 29.
Rxb6 f3 30. Qd5+ Ne6 $1 {
Not necessary but the strongest move, diverting the queen} 31. Qxe6+ Kh8 32.
Qg4 Be5+ 33. Kh1 f2 0-1

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.14"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Adams, Mi"]
[Black "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B46"]
[WhiteElo "2734"]
[BlackElo "2757"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8.
O-O Nf6 9. Re1 Be7 10. e5 Nd7 11. Qg4 g6 12. b3 c5 13. Bh6 (13. Na4 c4 14. Bf1
Bb7 15. Bd2 Bc6 16. Nb2 Qb8 17. Qg3 O-O 18. Rab1 cxb3 19. axb3 Nc5 20. f3 {
1/2-1/2 Adams,M (2719)-Svidler,P (2738)/Dortmund 2005/CBM 108}) 13... Bb7 14.
Na4 Qc7 15. Qf4 Bf8 16. Bxf8 Rxf8 17. c4 f6 18. cxd5 fxe5 19. Qe3 exd5 20. Rac1
e4 21. f3 Qf4 22. Qxf4 Rxf4 23. fxe4 dxe4 24. Nxc5 Nxc5 25. Rxc5 Kf8 26. Bc4
Re8 27. Rf1 Rxf1+ 28. Kxf1 Re7 29. Ke2 Rd7 30. Ke3 Ke7 31. h4 Kd6 32. b4 Ke7
33. g4 Kd8 34. Be2 h6 35. a3 Rd6 36. g5 hxg5 37. hxg5 Rd7 38. Ra5 Rd6 39. Re5
Kc7 40. Rc5+ Kb8 41. Re5 {#} Rc6 $6 ({Better} 41... Kc7) 42. Kd4 $2 ({After} 
42. Kxe4 $1 {Adams would be on the way to victory as after} Rc3+ 43. Kd4 Rxa3
44. Bd3 {White wins the g-pawn and the game for example:} Ra1 45. Bxg6 Rg1 46.
Bd3) 42... Rd6+ 43. Kc3 Rc6+ 44. Bc4 Rc7 45. a4 Ka7 46. a5 Kb8 47. Kd4 $6 {
Adams must be cursing his luck, this completely natural move which one would
make without thinking is wrong while the mysterious 47.Kb3 seems to be the
winning move. It appears White needs to avoid checks, cover the bishop and
then slowly improve the rook while staying within range of Black's passedpawn}
(47. Kb3 $1 Rg7 (47... Rh7 48. Re6 Rh3+ 49. Kc2 Rh2+ 50. Kc3 Rh3+ 51. Kd4 e3
52. Rxg6 Rh4+ 53. Kc3 Re4 54. Be2 {wins}) 48. Re6 Ka7 49. Rf6 $1 Re7 {
There is litt le choice as Rf7 will exchange rooks into a trivially won bishop
and pawn endgame where all three black pawnsareweak} 50. Rxg6 e3 51. Be2 Rd7
52. Kc3 Rd2 53. Bc4 {and Black/^s pawn is covered while White/^s advances} Rg2
54. Rg7 e2 55. Kd2 Kb8 56. Rxb7+) 47... Rd7+ 48. Ke3 Ka7 49. Re6 Rc7 50. Kd4
Rd7+ 51. Ke3 (51. Kc3 $1) 51... Rc7 52. Kd4 Rd7+ 53. Ke5 $2 (53. Kc3 $1) 53...
e3 $1 {An amazing swindle, now its Mickey who has to bale out} 54. Kf6 ({If} 
54. Rxg6 Rd5+ $1 {draws} 55. Bxd5 e2 56. Bxb7 Kxb7 57. Kd6 e1=Q 58. Rg7+ Kc8
59. Rg8+ {with perpetual check}) 54... Rc7 $1 {Possibly missed by Adams} 55.
Bxa6 ({Now if} 55. Be2 Rc6 $1 56. Rxc6 Bxc6 57. Kxg6 Bb5 {
and White has to force a draw with} 58. Bf3 e2 59. Bxe2 Bxe2 60. Kf6 Kb7 61.
Ke5 Kc6 62. Kd4 Kb5 63. Kc3) 55... Bxa6 56. Rxe3 Rc6+ 57. Re6 Rxe6+ 58. Kxe6
Bb5 59. Kf6 Bd3 60. b5 {Black cannot attack White's pawns and cover g6 at the
same time so the game is drawn} Bxb5 61. Kxg6 Bd3+ 62. Kf6 Ka6 63. g6 Bxg6 64.
Kxg6 Kxa5 {draw} 1/2-1/2

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.16"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Kamsky, G."]
[Black "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B08"]
[WhiteElo "2705"]
[BlackElo "2757"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 {
Mamedyarov is virtually the only Super GM to use the Pirc with any regularity}
4. Nf3 Bg7 5. h3 O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. Qd2 {This setup with or without the move h3
- designed to prevent Bg4 - is known as the '150 Attack' 150 refers to the ECF
grade 150 which approximates to a strong club player. In the early days with
this system, White's natural plan of Bh6, e4-e5 and a kingside attack chalked
up so many highly rated victims that it became almost a reflex response to the
Pirc for players seeking to defeat a stronger opponent} b5 {
Preventing Bc4 and intending b5-b4 winning the e4 pawn} 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O Qc7
10. Ne2 c5 (10... e5 {
1-0 Khalifman,A (2674)-Narciso Dublan,M (2517)/Moscow 2004/EXT 2005 (97)} 11.
dxe5 {1-0 Adams,M (2732)-Bosboom Lanchava,T (2389)/London/Crowthorne ENG 2006/
The Week in Chess 615 (34)}) 11. c3 (11. Bxb5 Nxe4) 11... e5 12. Ng3 c4 13. Bc2
{The position resembles a Closed Ruy Lopez and in keeping with that Black
should have considered Rb8 or a6 here to preserve his queenside} Re8 $6 14. a4
$1 {Forcing a weakness} bxa4 15. Bxa4 {#} exd4 $6 ({
One liberty too many, giving up the centre but even after} 15... Bb7 {
White is better;} 16. d5 Rec8 17. Qe2 {
Intending Nd2 and the c4 pawn is very weak}) 16. Nxd4 a6 (16... Nxe4 17. Nxe4
Rxe4 18. Nb5 $1 Qd8 19. Qd5) 17. Bh6 $1 Bh8 ({Not} 17... Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Rxe4 19.
Bxg7 Kxg7 20. Bc6 {and after} Rxd4 21. Qxd4+ {is check}) 18. Ndf5 $1 Re6 19.
Rfd1 Nc5 ({Giving up a pawn to complicate. The alternative was grovelling with
} 19... Ne8 20. Nd4 Re7 21. Bg5 f6) 20. Nxd6 Bb7 21. Nxb7 Qxb7 22. f3 Nd3 (
22... Rb6 23. e5 Rxb2 24. Qd4 Nxa4 25. exf6 Nc5 26. Qd8+ Rxd8 27. Rxd8# {mate})
23. b3 $1 Bg7 24. Bxg7 Kxg7 25. bxc4 Nb2 26. Rdb1 Qa7+ 27. Kh1 Nxc4 28. Qg5 $1
Rc8 29. Nf5+ Kh8 30. Nd4 Rb6 31. Rxb6 Qxb6 32. Bb3 Rc5 33. Qh6 Kg8 34. Re1 {
Preparing e4-e5-e6. Black was already in time trouble and soon succumbs} Rh5 (
34... a5 $1 {Computer was a better chance and if} 35. Bxc4 Rxc4 36. e5 Nh5 37.
Nf5 Qe6 38. Rd1 Rc8 39. Nd6 Ng3+ 40. Kh2 Nf5) 35. Qf4 Rc5 36. e5 Nh5 37. Qh4
Nxe5 38. f4 $1 Rxc3 (38... Nd7 39. Re8+ Kg7 40. Re7 {is immediately decisive})
39. fxe5 Rxb3 40. e6 $1 fxe6 41. Nxb3 Qxb3 42. Qd8+ Kg7 43. Qe7+ Kh6 44. Qf8+
1-0

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.17"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Black "Sasikiran, K."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A20"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]
[BlackElo "2690"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. c4 e5 2. g3 d6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. d3 f5 6. e4 {
The solid Botvinnik System} Nf6 7. Nge2 a5 8. exf5 (8. a3 {
0-1 Laco,G (2215)-Srebrnic,M/Nova Gorica 1999/CBM 068 ext (60)}) 8... gxf5 9.
d4 O-O 10. Bg5 Qe8 (10... c6) 11. O-O h6 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. c5 $1 {
Trying to open the queenside} Nc6 14. Nb5 Qe7 15. Nec3 Qg7 16. cxd6 cxd6 17. d5
Nd4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Nb5 f4 $1 20. Nxd6 Bg4 21. Qd3 Be7 22. Nb5 f3 23. Bh1 Bc5
24. d6 Kh8 25. Rad1 (25. Rae1 Rf7 26. Nc7 Rd8 27. Ne6 {was good here}) 25...
Rad8 26. a3 Bb6 27. Rfe1 Bf5 28. Qd2 Qf6 29. Re7 Bd7 30. Rde1 (30. Qd3 Bf5 31.
Qxf3 d3 32. Rxb7 Bc5 {Still looks very messy despite White's three extra pawns}
) 30... Qg5 31. Qd3 Qf5 32. Qd2 Qg5 33. Qc2 Qf5 34. Qxf5 Rxf5 35. Nc7 d3 $1 36.
Rd1 Rc5 $1 37. Bxf3 Rc2 38. Rf1 (38. Nd5 Bxf2+ 39. Kh1 Bc6 40. Rxd3 Rxd6 {
with some winning chances for White}) 38... Bh3 39. Ne6 (39. Bg2 Bxf2+ $1 40.
Rxf2 Rc1+ 41. Rf1 d2 {wins}) 39... Bxf2+ $1 40. Kh1 (40. Rxf2 Rc1+ 41. Rf1
Rxf1# {mate}) 40... Bxf1 {#} 41. d7 $4 ({The game would have been drawn after} 
41. Nxd8 Rc1 42. Nf7+ Kg8 43. Nxh6+ Kh8 44. Nf7+ {
because if Black runs away with} Kg7 {he is mated after} 45. Ne5+ Kh6 (45...
Kf6 46. Nd7+ Kg5 47. h4+ Kh6 48. Be4 Bh3+ 49. Kh2) 46. h4 $1 d2 47. Ng4+ Kg6
48. Be4+ Kh5 49. Nf6+ Kh6 50. Rh7# {mate}) 41... Rg8 {Resigns In view of} (
41... Rg8 42. d8=Q Rxd8 43. Nxd8 Bh3 {
and White cannot play h4 which traps the black king and frees his own.}) 0-1

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.18"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Mamedyarov, S."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B46"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]
[BlackElo "2757"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "128"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8.
O-O Nf6 9. Re1 Be7 10. Qf3 O-O 11. Bg5 d4 {
Black takes the centre before White plays e4-e5} 12. Na4 e5 13. b3 Nd7 (13...
Be6 {0-1 Kudinov,I (2255)-Taimanov,M (2425)/Stockholm SWE 1997 (94)}) 14. Bxe7
Qxe7 15. c3 c5 16. Rac1 Qd6 17. Qg3 Bb7 18. Rc2 Rac8 19. Rec1 Qh6 20. Nb2 f5 $5
21. exf5 e4 22. Bc4+ Kh8 23. cxd4 cxd4 24. Bf1 Qxc1 25. Rxc1 Rxc1 26. Qf4 Rc5
27. g4 (27. Qd6 Rcxf5 (27... Rd5 $1 28. Qe7 Rdxf5 29. Nd1 {is unclear} ({not} 
29. Qxd7 Rxf2 30. Bc4 d3 31. Qxb7 Rf1# {mate})) 28. Qxd4 Rxf2 29. Qxf2 Rxf2 30.
Kxf2 {is better for White and similar to Adams-Mamedyarov we saw last week.})
27... Ne5 28. Nc4 (28. Bg2 e3 29. Bxb7 e2 30. Qd2 Rc2 $1) 28... Nf3+ 29. Kg2
Nh4+ 30. Kh3 Nxf5 31. b4 $3 {DIAGRAM} ({
A brilliant intermezzo accepting the sacrifice immediately loses:} 31. gxf5
Rcxf5 32. Qc7 Bc8 33. Kg3 Rg5+ 34. Kh4 Rg4+ 35. Kh5 g6+ 36. Kh6 Rh4+ 37. Kg5
Rh5# {#    mate.}) 31... Rc6 (31... Rd5 32. Bg2 $1) 32. gxf5 Rxf5 33. Qb8+ (33.
Qxf5 Bc8 34. Qxc8+ Rxc8 35. Nd6 Rc2 36. Nxe4 Rxa2 37. Kg3 a5 38. bxa5 Rxa5 {
will draw}) 33... Bc8 34. Kg2 $1 Rf8 {Threat Bh3+} 35. Qe5 Rg6+ 36. Kh1 e3 $1
37. Qe7 (37. f3 Bb7 38. Bg2 {unclear}) 37... Rgf6 38. Ne5 $1 exf2 $1 (38...
Rxf2 $2 39. Bc4 Bh3 40. Ng6+ $1 hxg6 41. Qh4# {mate}) 39. h4 {
Making space for the king} Be6 40. Kh2 Bxa2 {Material is roughly equal and
with White's king exposed Black has some counterchances. If White can make a
passed b pawn he might win} 41. Nd7 R6f7 42. Qc5 (42. Qxf8+ Rxf8 43. Nxf8 Bb1
44. Ne6 d3 45. Kg2 d2 46. Be2 Bc2 47. Kxf2 d1=Q 48. Bxd1 Bxd1 {draws}) 42...
Re8 43. Qxd4 Rd8 44. Qb2 Rfxd7 45. Qxa2 Rd4 46. Kg3 Rxb4 47. Qxf2 a5 48. h5 h6
49. Qf7 a4 {Black already envisages the finish} 50. Bc4 a3 51. Qe7 Rdb8 52. Qd6
a2 53. Bxa2 R4b6 54. Qd3 Rb2 55. Bc4 R2b4 56. Qd6 R4b6 57. Qd5 Rb4 58. Bd3 Rb3
59. Kf4 (59. Qe4 Rxd3+ 60. Qxd3 Rf8) 59... Rxd3 $1 60. Qxd3 Rf8+ 61. Ke5 Rf6 {
#    Black has a fortress.} 62. Qd8+ Kh7 63. Qxf6 gxf6+ 64. Kxf6 Kh8 1/2-1/2

[Event "MTel"]
[Site "Sofia BUL"]
[Date "2007.05.20"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Topalov, V."]
[Black "Sasikiran, K."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E43"]
[WhiteElo "2772"]
[BlackElo "2690"]
[Annotator "IM Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "117"]
[EventDate "2007.05.10"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O d5 8. a3
Bd6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. b4 Nbd7 11. b5 $1 {Qb3 is played more often. Tigran
Petrosian and Viktor Korchnoi both showed that in this type of position if
White can play b4-b5, a3-a4 and Ba3 to exchange dark squared bishops then
Black/^s position becomes very passive. If dark bishops come off White may
also be able to pressure c7} (11. Bb2 {
1-0 Ivanchuk,V (2714)-Piket,J (2619)/Monte Carlo MNC 1999 (60)}) 11... Ne4 12.
Bb2 Re8 {Black must try and be active in the centre and on the kingside} 13. a4
Re6 14. Ne2 $1 a5 $6 (14... Rh6 $5 {Threat Bxh2+ and Qh4}) 15. Ba3 Rc8 16. Bxd6
cxd6 (16... Rxd6 17. Rc1 Rh6 {
would at least give White something to worry about for example the lax} 18. Nf4
{would be met by} g5 19. Ne2 g4 20. Nd2 Qh4) 17. Rc1 Ndf6 18. h3 Re7 19. Qb3 h6
20. Rxc8 Qxc8 21. Rc1 Rc7 22. Rxc7 Qxc7 23. Qc2 {
White is more than happy to play an endgame where Black has weak pawns} Qe7 24.
Qc1 $1 g6 25. Nh2 Kg7 26. h4 Ne8 27. f3 N4f6 28. Nf1 {In this phase of the
game White attacks the kingside as he is effectively a piece up, the Bb7 is
out of play} h5 29. Nf4 Nd7 30. Qe1 $1 Nf8 31. Qg3 Kh6 32. Nxh5 $1 {#    A grea
t practical shot as the time control approaches but there is an element of
bluff} gxh5 (32... Kxh5 33. Qf4 $1 g5 34. Ng3+ Kh6 35. Nf5+ Kh5 36. g4+ Kg6 37.
Nxe7+ {wins}) 33. Qg8 f5 (33... Ng6 34. Bxg6 fxg6 35. Qh8+ Qh7 36. Qxe8 {wins})
34. Ng3 Ng7 35. Bxf5 Ng6 36. Bxg6 Kxg6 37. Nxh5 $1 Qxe3+ 38. Kh2 Qe7 $2 ({
Black cracks, after} 38... Qxd4 39. Kg3 Kh6 $1 {he survives}) 39. Nf4+ Kf6 (
39... Kf5 40. Qh7+ Kxf4 41. Qh6+ Kf5 42. g4# {mate is the brilliant point}) 40.
g4 {Now there is no stopping the kingside pawn avalanche} Qf7 41. Qd8+ Qe7 42.
Qg8 Qf7 43. Qd8+ Qe7 44. Qxe7+ Kxe7 45. Kg3 Ne6 46. Nxe6 Kxe6 47. f4 Bc8 48.
f5+ Kf7 49. h5 Bd7 50. h6 Kg8 51. Kf4 Be8 52. Kg5 Kf7 53. h7 Kg7 54. h8=Q+ Kxh8
55. Kf6 Bxb5 56. Ke7 Bd3 57. f6 Bg6 58. f7 Bxf7 59. Kxf7 1-0

