Democratic Underground - Grischuk - Topalov, Round 9

Alexander Grischuk
Photo: ChessBase.com

Alexander Grischuk - Veselin Topalov
27th Torneo de la Ciudad de Linares, Round 9
Linares, 23 February 2010

East India Game: Queen's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6

Main LineIf 4...Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 then:

If 6...Ne4 7.Bd2 Bf6 then:

If 8.Qc2 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 d6 10.d5 0-0 11.0-0 then:

If 11...e5 then:

If 12.Ne1 then:

12...Nd7 13.Nc2 a5 14.f4 exf4 15.gxf4 Ba6 16.b3 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 f5 18.Nd4 Qf6 19.e3 Rae8 gives White the advantage in space (Shulman-Sadvakasov, Foxwoods Op, Mashantucket, 2008).
If 12...Bg5 13.e3 Nd7 14.Nd3 then:

14...f5 15.f4 Bf6 16.fxe5 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxe5 is equal.
14...Re8 15.f4 exf4 16.exf4 Bf6 17.Rae1 Nc5 18.Nf2 gives White a small advantage in space.

12.e4 Nd7 13.b4 g6 14.Bh3 Qe7 15.a3 Rfb8 16.Qc2 h5 17.Rfd1 a5 18.Nd2 Bg5 19.Nb3 axb4 20.axb4 Nf6 21.Bf1 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Salov, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1988).

11...Bxc3 12.Qxc3 exd5 13.Nh4 d4 14.Qxd4 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Nc6 16.Qc3 a5 17.Nf4 Re8 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.Rad1 Re5 20.Rd5 draw (Jussupow-Makarichev, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1980).

8.0-0 0-0 9.Rc1 c5 10.d5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nxd2 12.Nxd2 d6 13.Nde4 Be5 14.Qd2 Ba6 15.Rfe1 g6 16.f4 Bd4+ 17.e3 Bg7 18.Bf1 Re8 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 20.Qd3 Nc7 21.Nd2 Qd7 22.Nf3 b5 23.b3 f5 24.e4 b4 25.Nd1 fxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxe4 27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qd3 Qf5 29.Qxf5 gxf5 gives Black the pawn at d5 (Nauman-Oral, Czech ChU20, Prague, 1997).

If 6...d5 7.0-0 0-0 then:

8.cxd5 exd5 9.Re1 c5 10.Bf4 then:

10...Na6 11.Rc1 then:

11...Ne4 12.a3 Bf6 13.Be5 Re8 14.e3 cxd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.exd4 Rac8 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Rxc8 Rxc8 19.Ne5 Qf5 gives Black the advantage in space (Speelman-D. King, Simpson's Divan, London, 2003).
11...Re8 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Ne5 Qxb3 15.axb3 Nb4 16.Na4 a5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Rxc5 g5 19.Bxg5 Ne4 20.Nd7 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba6 22.Nxa6 Rxa6 23.Bf3 Rc6 gives Black the advantage in space(Kunte-Negi, IT, New Dehli, 2006).

10...Nbd7 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Rc1 Nfe4 13.Nb5 Bf6 14.b4 Ne6 15.Be3 a5 16.a3 axb4 17.axb4 Ra2 18.Nfd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Rb2 20.b5 Qd7 gives Black the advantage in space (Stefanova-Werle, Corus B, Wijk aan Zee, 2002).

If 8.Ne5 c6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bf4 then:

10...a6 11.Rc1 b5 12.Qb3 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.h3 Qd7 15.Kh2 Nh5 16.Bd2 is equal (Sämisch-Nimzovich, IT, Copenhagen, 1923).
If 10...Nbd7 11.Qa4 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 a6 13.Rfc1 Rc8 then:

14.Qb3 Nd7 15.Bf4 b5 16.e4 dxe4 17.a4 Nf6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nxb5 Bd5 20.Rxc8 Qxc8 21.Qc3 Qb7 22.Ra7 Qxb5 23.Rxe7 e3 24.f3 Ba8 (White has the advantage in space, but the powerful threat of 25...Nd5 gives Black a strong initiative) 25.Ra7 Nd5! 26.Qa5 Qxa5 27.Rxa5 Nxf4 28.gxf4 g6 White still has more space, but Black can easily bring his Rook into play and threaten White's back rank (Gdanski-Riazantsev,. Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.e3 Rc6 16.Bf1 b5 17.Qb3 Qa5 18.a3 Rfc8 19.Na2 Be7 20.Qd1 g6 21.Rxc6 Rxc6 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Rxc6 Qxc6 24.Qd2 e5 25.Nb4 Bxb4 26.Qxb4 e4 27.Bh3 Bc8 28.Bxc8 Qc1+ 29.Kg2 Qxc8 30.Qd6 Qg4 31.Qxa6 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Qd1+ draws by perpetual check (Nikolic-Mecking, Sãn Paulo, 1991).

5.b3

If 5.Nbd2 then:

If 5...c5 then:

If 6.e4 d6 7.Bg2 then:

If 7...Nbd7 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bb7 10.Re1 a6 then:

11.a4 Rb8 12.a5 Be7 13.axb6 Qxb6 14.N2b3 0-0 15.Na5 Ba8 16.b4 Rfc8 17.Be3 Qd8 18.b5 Ne5 19.Ndc6 Nxc6 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.bxc6 Rb4 22.Qe2 e5 23.Rxa6 draw (Sakaev-Anastasian, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
If 11.e5 Bxg2 12.exf6 then:

12...Bb7 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.Ne4 0-0 15.Nxd6 Ne5 16.Nxb7 Qxd4 17.Qxd4 Nf3+ 18.Kf1 Nxd4 19.Rd1 Rab8 20.Nd6 Rfd8 21.Ne4 f5 22.Nc3 Rdc8 is equal (Tregubov-Grooten, Op, Amsterdam, 2001).
12...Qxf6 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Kxg2 Nc5 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Rxe4 Be7 17.Rf4 Qe5 18.Be3 Rf8 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Rxf8+ Bxf8 21.Qg4 (Browne-Burger, Op, Philadelphia, 1990).

If 7...Bb7 then:

If 8.0-0 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Qd7 10.a4 then:

10...Be7 11.a5 bxa5 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nb3 Rb8 15.Nxa5 Ba8 16.b3 0-0 17.Ba3 e5 18.Qd3 Qe6 19.Red1 Rfd8 gives White more space and fewer pawn weaknesses (Browne-Henley, Blitz Match, Parsippany, 1999).
10...Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.a5 Rb8 13.axb6 axb6 14.Re1 b5 15.cxb5 Bxb5 16.Nb1 Be7 17.Nc3 Bc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qxd7+ Bxd7 20.Rxe5 0-0 21.Rea5 Bb4 draw (H. Olafsson-Naiditsch, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).

8.Qe2 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.b3 Be7 12.Bb2 Qd7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfe1 Rac8 15.Rad1 Qc7 16.Nb1 a6 17.Nc3 Qb7 18.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space (Karavade-Mohotam Asian ChW, Subic Bay, 2009).

If 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.e4 cxd4 8.e5 then:

If 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nxd2 10.Bxd2 then:

10...Qc7 11.Nxd4 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Qxc4 13.Rc1 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Kxf3 Na6 16.Nb5 Be7 17.Rfe1 f6 18.Bc3 fxe5 19.Bxe5 0-0+ 20.Ke2 d5 21.Rc6 Bf6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 gives Black excellent prospects (Van Gisbergen-van der Wiel, Op, Neremburg, 1994).
10...Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.Qxc6 dxc6 13.Bxc6+ Qd7 14.Bxd7+ Kxd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.Kf1 f5 is equal (Salov-Karpov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).

8...Ng4 9.0-0 Qc7 10.Re1 h5 11.h3 Nh6 12.Nxd4 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nc6 14.Nb5 Qb7 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.Qf3 a6 17.Nbd6+ Bxd6 18.Nxd6+ Nxd6 19.exd6 Na5 20.b3 Qxf3+ 21.Kxf3 Rc8 22.Be3 Rc6 is equal (M. Petursson-Ornstein, Corres, 1984).

If 5...Bb4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bg2 Be4 8.Qd1 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2 10.Qxd2 then:

If 10...a5 11.b3 d6 12.Bb2 Nbd7 13.Qc3 a4 then:

14.Bh3 c5 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 cxb4 17.Qxb4 Bxf3 18.exf3 b5 19.d5 e5 20.cxb5 Nb6 21.Qc3 Nfxd5 22.Qc6 Rac8 23.Bxc8 Rxc8 24.Qxc8+ Nxc8 25.Rxd5 gives White two Rooks for the Queen (Eljanov-Izoria, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Bh3 b5 16.Nd2 axb3 17.axb3 bxc4 18.bxc4 Ra2 draw (Grachev-Bartel, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

10...d6 11.b3 Nbd7 12.Bb2 Qe7 13.Rac1 Rfe8 14.Bh3 Bb7 15.Rfe1 h6 16.Rcd1 a5 17.Qc2 Rad8 18.e4 e5 19.Bg2 gives White a small advantage in space (Mamedyarov-Adams, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).

If 8.Qb3 Bxd2+ 9.Bxd2 0-0 10.0-0 d6 11.Rfd1 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Qe7 13.Qa3 a5 14.Bh3 Rfe8 15.Be3 then:

15...h6 16.Nd2 Bb7 17.c5 dxc5 18.dxc5 Bd5 19.cxb6 Qxa3 20.bxa3 cxb6 gives Black better pawn structure and he threatens to win a pawn (Timman-Salov, World Cup, Rotterdam, 1989).
15...Bb7 16.Nh4 h6 17.f3 c5 is equal (Evdokimov-Eljanov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).

If 5...d5 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 then:

If 8.Ne5 Bb7 9.Qc2 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 then:

11.Nb3 a5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Rad1 Re8 15.Nd2 Bf8 16.e4 g5 17.exd5 gxf4 18.Ndc4 Qa6 19.gxf4 Nbd7 20.Rd3 Bg7 21.Rg3 Nf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg4 Qf6 gives Black the material advantage and the more active game (Timman-Ivanchuk, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
10...Bxc5 11.cxd5 Bxd5 12.e4 Bb7 13.Nb3 Nbd7 14.Nxd7 Nxd7 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.Rd1 Qe7 17.b4 Na6 18.a3 Rac8 19.Qe2 Rfd8 20.Bb2 gives White the advantage in space (Nemet-Kunte, Op, Biel, 2001).

If 8.b3 then:

If 8...c5 9.Bb2 Nc6 10.Rc1 Rc8 then:

If 11.dxc5 bxc5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Re1 Re8 14.e4 Nb4 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6 fxe6 17.Rxe6 Nf8 18.Bh3 Rc6 19.Nd4 Rb6 20.Rxb6 Qxb6 21.Nf5 Bf6 22.Qh5 g6 gives Black the advantage in space (Korobov-Iordachescu, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
11.cxd5 exd5 12.Bh3 Rc7 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Re1 d4 15.Ba3 Nd5 16.Ne4 Ncb4 17.Qd2 d3 18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Bf1 dxe2 20.Bxe2 Rd7 21.Qe3 Nd5 22.Qd2 Nb4 23.Qe3 Nd5 24.Qd2 draw (Lajthajm-Azorov, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).

8...Bb7 9.Ne5 c5 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Rc1 Rc8 14.cxd5 Bxd5 15.e4 Bb7 16.Qe2 Nd7 17.e5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Be7 19.Nc4 b5 20.Nd6 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Nxe5 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qxb5 Bxb2 24.Rd1 Ba3 25.b4 Qb8 draw (Leitão-Jakovenko, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

5...Bb4+

If 5...Bb7 6.Bg2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2 then:

If 9...h6 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 d5 14.Bf1 then:

14...Bxf3 15.exf3 Nbd7 16.Bd3 a4 17.Rad1 axb3 18.axb3 Ra7 19.f4 Qa8 is equal (Polugaevsky-Anand, Roquebrune, 1992).
14...c6 15.Nd2 Bg6 16.a3 Nbd7 17.Rac1 Rb8 18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Qe7 is equal (Alterman-Korchnoi, Beer Shiva, 1992).

If 9...d6 10.Nc3 Nbd7 then:

If 11.Rfd1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 c6 14.Bf1 b5 15.Nh4 d5 16.f3 Bg6 then:

17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.cxb5 cxb5 19.e3 Qb6 20.Be1 Rfe8 21.Bf2 b4 22.Rac1 White is maneuvering to restrain Black's Knights and has the better game (Kempinski-Safarli, Euro Ch, Kusadasi, 2006).
17.Be1 Qb6 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Rac1 Rfc8 20.e3 Ne8 21.g4 is equal (Karpov-Istratescu, Rpd Match, Bucharest, 2005).

If 11.Rfe1 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Be4 13.Qb2 then:

13...a4 14.Bf1 Bb7 15.Nd2 c5 16.b4 a3 17.Qb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 e5 is equal (Topalov-Adams, IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
If 13...Qb8 14.b4 Bxf3 15.exf3 d5 16.Rac1 c6 17.c5 Re8 is equal (Krunoslav-Polugaevsky, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).

If 5...d5 6.Bg2 then:

If 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nc3 Bb7 then:

If 11.Rc1 Na6 then:

If 12.Ne5 then:

If 12...Re8 13.Bf4 h6 then:

14.Qd3 c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 19.Be5 Ne4 20.h4 Qe7 21.Nc3 Rd2 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 is unclear: Black has an extra pawn and White has more space (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
14.h4 c5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Be3 Bd6 17.Bxc5 bxc5 18.Nc4 Bc7 is equal (Radjabov-Gelfand, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2007).

If 12...c5 13.Be3 Re8 then:

14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Bxc5 bxc5 16.Nd3 Qe7 17.Na4 Rac8 18.Qd2 Qxe2 19.Qxe2 Rxe2 20.Naxc5 Nxc5 21.Nxc5 Ba8 22.a4 a5 23.Ne4 Rcc2 24.Bf3 Black resigns (Korchnoi-Diker, Beer Shiva, 1984).
14.Nd3 Qd7 15.Na4 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Ne4 17.Nf4 Bf8 18.Nc3 Rad8 19.e3 Nb4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).

12.Bf4 h6 13.Qd3 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.e4 d4 16.Na4 Bxe4 17.Qxa6 draw (Gelfand-Alexander Grischuk, Candidates' Match, Elista, 2007).

If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:

If 12.Rfd1 Qc8 then:

If 13.Bg5 Rd8 14.Rac1 Qe6 15.Qb2 c5 16.e3 h6 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qd2 Rac8 19.dxc5 bxc5 gives Black the advantage in space (K. Georgiev-Grooten, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).
If 13.Bf4 Rd8 then:

14.Ng5 Qd7 15.Be5 g6 16.Bh3 Qe8 17.Qc1 c5 18.a4 Nh5 19.Ne6 Bc8 20.Nxd8 Bxh3 21.Nb7 Qc6 22.e4 dxe4 23.d5 Qxb7 24.d6 Bf8 25.Nd5 Be6 is equal (Kramnik-Ivanchuk, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
14.a3 c5 15.Rac1 h6 16.Qb1 Qe6 17.Nb5 g5 is equal (Khmelniker-Ionov, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).

12.Bf4 Re8 13.Rfd1 c6 14.Ne5 h6 15.a3 Nc7 16.e4 Ne6 17.Be3 Bf8 18.b4 Rc8 is equal (Grischuk-Gelfand, World Cup, Khanty Mansiysk, 2005).

If 6...dxc4 7.Ne5 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 Bd6 9.Nxc4 Nd5 10.e4 Ne7 11.Bb2 Nbc6 12.Nbd2 then:

If 12...e5 13.d5 Nd4 14.Nf3 c5 15.Kg1 Bxc4 16.bxc4 0-0 then:

If 17.h4 Nc8 18.Bh3 Re8 19.Kg2 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 Rb8 is equal (Huzman-Kasparov, SX, Tel Aviv, 1998).
17.Bh3 Re8 18.Kg2 Nc8 19.a4 Bf8 20.Rc1 Nd6 21.Re1 g6 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Devereaux-Jonsson, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).

12...0-0 13.Kg1 b5 14.Nxd6 cxd6 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.d5 Ne5 18.Nf1 b4 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.Ne3 Rac8 21.Rh4 Rc7 22.Qd2 Rc3 23.Bxc3 bxc3 24.Qd4 leaves White an exchange to the good (Kasparov-Gelfand, IT, Novgorod, 1997).

6.Bd2 Be7

If 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 c6 8.Bg2 d5 9.0-0 0-0 then:

If 10.Ne5 Nfd7 11.Nxd7 Nxd7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.Rac1 Qd6 15.Rc2 Rac8 16.Rfc1 Rc7 then:

17.Nb1 Rfc8 18.Rxc7 Rxc7 19.Rxc7 Qxc7 draw (Tal-Ivkov, Sarajevo, 1966).
17.Bf1 Qe7 18.e3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Qd7 20.a4 Rfc8 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Ne4 23.Qc1 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 g6 25.Ke2 Nd6 26.Nxd6 Qxd6 27.f4 draw (Bagirov-Razuvaev, Soviet Ch cycyle, Fruze, 1979).

10.Rc1 Nbd7 11.Qb2 c5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Rd1 Bb7 15.e3 Qe7 16.Rac1 Nf8 17.Nh4 is equal (Chernin-Razuvaev, Rapid, Tilburg, 1994).

7.Nc3

If 7.Bg2 c6 then:

If 8.Bc3 d5 then:

If 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 0-0 12.0-0 then:

If 12...f5 13.Rc1 then:

If 13...Nf6 14.Bb2 then:

14...Bd6 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Nd3 Rfd8 is equal (Kramnik-Anand, Amber Rapid, Nice, 2008).
14...Rc8 15.Rc2 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.cxd5 Rfd8 19.Nc4 Bb7 20.Rd2 Bb4 21.Rd3 b5 22.Ne3 gives White an extra pawn, but Black has more than enough of a space advantage to compensate for it.(Polaczek-Veenstra, cyberspace, 1999).

13...Rc8 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 Nf6 17.Qc1 Kh8 18.e3 Ne4 19.Rd1 Bb7 20.b4 Bb8 21.Bf1 Qe8 22.a4 a6 gives Black a small edge in space (Karpov-Z. Almasi, IT, Biel, 1996).

If 12...Rc8 13.e4 then:

If 13...b5 14.Re1 dxe4 then:

15.Nxe4 bxc4 16.Qe2 Rb8 17.Bf1 Qc8 18.bxc4 Nb6 19.Nd2 Na4 20.Ba5 c5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Adams-Mamedyarov, IT, Sofia, 2007).
15.Bxe4 bxc4 16.bxc4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Bf6 19.Rc1 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Nf6 21.Bf3 Rc7 22.Nb3 Qxd1 23.Rxd1 Bc8 24.Kg2 h6 25.Rd6 Be6 26.Na5 Rb8 27.Rb3 draw (Timoshenko-V. Gurevich, Op. Mainz, 1995).

13...c5 14.exd5 exd5 15.dxc5 dxc4 16.c6 cxb3 17.Re1 b2 18.Bxb2 Nc5 19.Nc4 Bxc4 20.Qg4 Bg5 21.Qxc4 Nd3 22.Be5 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Bf6 24.Bxf6 Qxf6 25.c7 Qd6 gives Black the exchange, but White space advantage compensates for it.(Sasikiran-Shirov, IT, Foros, 2007).

If 12...Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.Re1 dxe4 15.Qc2 Rb8 16.Rad1 Qc8 17.Bf1 bxc4 18.bxc4 c5 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Nxf6+ Bxf6 21.Bxd4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Qc5 is equal (Kallai-Adams, French ChT, Montpellier, 2001).

If 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1 c5 12.e4 then:

If 12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 then:

13...Bb7 14.Nfg5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Qc7 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Ne4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Rad8 20.Rad1 Qa8 21.Qc3 Nb8 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Qxf6 Rxd1 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Qf6+ draw (Schandorff-B. Socko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
13...Nxe4 14.Rxe4 Bb7 15.Re3 Bf6 16.dxc5 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxc5 18.b4 Qf6 19.Qd4 Ne4 20.Qxf6 gxf6 21.Rd3 Rfc8 22.Nd2 f5 23.Re1 Rab8 24.Nxe4 draw (Cu. Hansen-Timman, IT, Malmö, 2001).

12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bb7 14.e5 Nd5 15.Bb2 b5 16.Ne3 N7b6 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Qe2 b4 20.Rac1 Qe7 21.Rc2 Rfc8 22.Rec1 Qf8 23.Qb5 is equal (Boychev-Cordoba, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).

If 8.0-0 d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.Bf4 Rc8 12.Nc3 then:

If12...Nh5 then:

13.Bc1 f5 14.e3 Qe8 15.Bb2 g5 16.Ne2 Ng7 17.Ne5 h5 18.h3 Nf6 19.Nc1 Ne4 20.Ncd3 Bb7 is equal (Sakaev-Grigoriants, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2006).
If 12...h6 13.e4 dxc4 14.Nd2 b5 15.bxc4 bxc4 16.Na4 c5 17.d5 exd5 18.exd5 Nh5 19.Be3 Bf6 20.Rab1 Bd4 21.Ne4 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe7 23.Nac3 Nhf6 24.Kh1 Nxe4 25.Nxe4 Nb6 26.a4 Rfd8 is equal (Yevseev-Lugovoi, Muni Ch, St. Petersburg, 2004).
13.h3 Nh5 14.Bc1 f5 15.a4 Bd6 16.a5 bxa5 17.Ba3 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 dxc4 19.Rda1 c5 20.Rxa5 cxd4 21.Nxd4 cxb3 22.Qxb3 Bc4 23.Qd1 gives White a modest advantage in space (Grischuk-Tomashevsky, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).

7...0-0

If 7...d5 8.cxd5 then:

If 8...Nxd5 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Nd7 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Rc1 Re8 13.Re1 then:

13...c5 14.Be3 Bb7 15.Bh3 cxd4 16.Bxd4 Nf6 17.Rc2 Bb4 18.Rf1 Ba6 19.Bb2 Bf8 20.Nd4 Ne4 21.Qc1 Bc5 is equal (Karpov-A. Sokolov, IT, Linares, 1987).
13...Bb7 14.b4 c6 15.a4 c5 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.dxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Karpov-Timman, IT, Brussels, 1987).

If 8...exd5 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Bb7 then:

If 11.Rc1 Nbd7 12.Bf4 c6 transposes into Epishin-Aseevin the notes to Black's eighth move.
If 11...Na6 then:

12.Ne5 Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.h4 c5 15.dxc5 transposes into (Radjabov-Gelfand in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.
12.Bf4 Re8 transposes to Hebden-Langeweg in the blue notes to Black's fifth move

If 11.Qc2 Na6 then:

12.Rfd1 Qc8 13.Bf4 Rd8 14.a3 c5 transposes into (Khmelniker-Ionov in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.
12.Bf4 Re8 transposes into Grischuk-Gelfand in the blue notes to Black's fifth move.

8.Rc1

If 8.e4 then:

If 8...d5 9.cxd5 Bxf1 10.Kxf1 exd5 11.e5 Ne4 then:

If 12.Qe2 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Qd7 14.Kg2 then:

14...Nc6 15.Rhe1 Nd8 16.Ng1 Ne6 17.f4 g6 18.Nf3 Rae8 19.Rad1 f5 is equal (Spraggett-Browne, Op, New York, 1987).
14...c5 15.e6 Qxe6 16.Qxe6 fxe6 17.Rhe1 Bf6 18.Rxe6 Na6 19.Re3 Rfd8 20.Rd1 Rac8 is equal (Epishin-Stefansson, IT, Malmø, 2002).

If 12.Kg2 Qd7 then:

If 13.Re1 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Nc6 15.Qd3 Nd8 16.b4 Ne6 then:

17.Rad1 Qa4 18.Qd2 Rfd8 19.Re2 c5 20.bxc5 bxc5 21.Qc2 Qa6 22.dxc5 Bxc5 23.Bd4 Rac8 24.Qd3 Qa4 draw (Naumkin-Psakhis, Op, Ostend, 1992).

17.b5 a6 18.a4 Ra7 19.bxa6 Rfa8 20.Qb5 Qd8 is equal (D. Gurevich-Fedorowicz, US Ch, Estes Park, 1987).

13.Rc1 Nc6 14.Qe2 Nxd2 15.Qxd2 Nd8 16.Ne2 Ne6 is equal (Piket-Gelfand, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).

8...Bb7 9.Bd3 d5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.e5 Ne4 12.0-0 c5 13.Rc1 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Ba3 15.Rc2 Na6 16.Ncb5 Bc5 17.Qg4 gives White the advantage in space (Pinter-Adorjan, IT, Szirak, 1985).

8...Ba3

If 8...d5 9.cxd5 then:

9...Nxd5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.Qc2 Nf6 12.0-0 c5 13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.e4 Nbd7 15.Bf4 h6 16.e5 Nd5 is equal (Gelfand-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
If 9...exd5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.0-0 then:

If 11...Nbd7 12.Bf4 c6 13.Ne5 Re8 14.e4 then:

14...Nf8 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Bh3 Ba3 17.Rc2 a6 18.Na4 Ne6 19.Bc1 Bd6 draw (Epishin-Aseev, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1991).
14...dxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd5 17.Qh5 c5 18.Rcd1 is equal (Epishin-Dzagnidze, Op, Gibraltar, 2007).

If 11...Na6 12.Ne5 Re8 13.Bf4 h6 14.Qd3 then:

14...c5 15.Qf5 cxd4 16.Nb5 Bc5 17.Nf3 Rxe2 18.Nfxd4 Rxa2 gives Black two extra pawns (Hebden-Langeweg, Op, Benidorm, 1992).
14...Ba3 15.Rcd1 Qc8 16.h3 Bf8 17.g4 c5 is equal (Kulikov-Lugovoi, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2000).

9.Rc2 Nc6 10.Bg5

10.Bc1 Bb4 11.Bg2 Bxc3+ 12.Rxc3 Nb4 13.Ba3 c5 14.Ne5 draw (Ibragimov-A. Ivanov, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).

10...h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Bg2 d5 13.0-0!?

13.cxd5 Nb4 14.Rd2 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.0-0 Rfe8 gives Black the advantage in space (Huzman-Azarov, Euro Club Cup, Saint Vincent, 2005).

13...dxc4
BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 13...dc4:p

The game is equal.

14.bxc4 Rad8 15.Rd2

15.Ne4!? Qe7 16.Qa1 Na5 17.Ne5 Qb4 gives Black the advantage in space.

15...Bb4 16.Qb3 Bxc3

16...Be7 17.Ne4 Qg6 18.Qa4 Bb7 19.Nc3 remains equal.

17.Qxc3 Na5 18.c5 Nc4 19.Rc2 bxc5 20.Qb3

Both players clearly see that the position after White's 23rd move is equal.
20.dxc5 Qxc3 21.Rxc3 e5 22.e4 f5 23.exf5 Rxf5 remains equal.

20...cxd4

20...e5 21.Rxc4 Bxc4 22.Qxc4 e4 23.Ne5 Rxd4 24.Qxc5 gives White a small advantage in space.

21.Rxc4

White has a piece for two pawns.

21...Rb8 22.Qc2 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 e5!?

It would have been better to protect the pawn with a Rook.
23...Rfd8 24.Qxc7 Rbc8 25.Qa5 d3 26.exd3 Rxd3 remains equal.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 23...e6e5

24.Qxc7!

White simultaneously attacks two inadequately protected pawns.

24...Rfe8 25.Qxa7

White is theoretically a pawn to the good.

25...Rb2 26.Re1 g6?!

Failing to find a more active continuation, Black plays a waiting move, as if he's waiting for the executioner.
Better is 26...Rd8 27.Qa5 e4 28.Nh4 e3 29.fxe3 dxe3 30.Nf5 when White still has a material advantage, but Black has more counterplay at his disposal.

27.a4 Rd8 28.Qa5 e4 29.Nd2 e3 30.fxe3 d3?

It would be clearly better to take on e3 when the Black pawn would be at least a minor annoyance for a while.
White would probably still win after 30...dxe3 31.Nf3 Rdd2 32.Qa8+ Kg7 33.Bf1 but Black could at least put up a better fight.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 30...d4d3

31.Ne4!

White have several continuations that win.
31.Be4! Qg5 32.Qxg5 hxg5 33.Nc4 d2 34.Rd1 wins the d-pawn.
If 31.exd3! Rxd3 then after 32.Ne4 Qe7 33.Qa8+ Kg7 34.Qc6 Black's best shot is to try to whip up counterplay with 34...f5.

31...Qe7 32.exd3

Also good is 32.Bf3 d2 33.Rd1 f5 34.Nf2 Rc2 35.e4 when Black has little better but to exchange Queens and work to stop White's a-pawn.

32...Rxd3 33.Qa8+ Kg7 34.Qc6 f5 35.Nf2

35.Nc5 Rdd2 36.Bf1 Rdc2 37.Qd7 Qxd7 38.Nxd7 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to a pawn.

35...Rdd2 36.Qc3+ Kh7 37.Rf1 Rbc2

37...Re2 38.a5 Rbc2 39.Qd4 Ra2 40.Qd5 Red2 41.Qa8 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

38.Qb3

Grischuk, as is his habit, was short of time and so repeats moves in order to make the time check.

38...Rb2 39.Qc3 Rbc2 40.Qb3 Rb2 41.Qc4 h5

If 41...Rb4 42.Qc3 Rbb2 43.Bd5 Rbc2 44.Qb3 then:

If 44...Rb2 45.Qc4 Rbc2 46.Qb5 then:

46...Rc5 47.Qb7 Qxb7 48.Bxb7 Rb2 49.Nd3 wins the exchange.
46...Rb2 47.Qc6 Rbc2 48.Qa8 Qg7 49.e4 fxe4 50.Ng4 gives White the active game and the advantage of two minor pieces over a Rook.

44...Ra2 45.Qxa2 Rxa2 46.Bxa2 Qa3 47.Be6 Qxa4 48.e4 leaves White with a material advage close to a piece.

42.Qf4 Re2 43.Bf3 Rec2

If 43...Rb4 44.e4 Rc2 45.Qe3 then:

If 45...Ra2 46.Qd3 f4 47.gxf4 then:

47...Rbxa4 48.f5 Qf6 49.Qd7+ Kh6 then:

50.fxg6 Qxg6+ 51.Kh1 Rxf2 52.Rxf2 Ra1+ 53.Bd1 leaves White a piece to the good.
50.Kh1 Ra5 51.Bd1 Ra7 52.Qc8 Re7 53.Qc4 leaves White with a material advantage equivalent to two pawns.

47...Raxa4 48.Nh3 Rd4 49.Qe3 Kh8 50.Ng5 Qf6 51.Bg2 leaves Black with no mobility.

45...Rxa4 46.Qb3 Rac4 47.exf5 gxf5 48.Bxh5 gives White a theoretical two pawn advantage.

44.Nd3 Ra2

If 44...Rb6 45.a5 Rd6 46.Ne5 Re6 47.a6 then:

If 47... Rxa6 48.Bxh5 gxh5 49.Qxf5+ wins a Rook.
If 47...Rxe5 then 48.a7!! Ra2 49.a8Q wins.

BLACK: Veselin Topalov
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WHITE: Alexander Grischuk
Position after 44...Rb2a2

45.Nb4!!

White sacrifices his passed pawn and his Queen and actually augments his material advantage.

45...Rxa4 46.Nxc2 Rxf4 47.gxf4

White has a Rook and two minor pieces for a Queen.
If 47.exf4 Qc5+ 48.Rf2 h4 49.gxh4 then:

If 49...Qc4 50.h5 Qxf4 51.hxg6+ Kg7 52.h4 then:

52...Qg3+ 53.Bg2 Kxg6 54.h5+ Kxh5 55.Rxf5+ is a tricky win for White, but it works.
52...Qxh4 53.Rg2 Qf4 54.Ne1 Qe3+ 55.Kf1 Qf4 56.Rg1 leaves White with an extra piece.

49...Qc7 50.h5 Qxf4 51.hxg6+ Kg7 52.Ne1 White's material advantage is completely safe.

47...Kh6 48.Rb1 Qe6 49.Re1 Qa2 50.Nd4 h4

50...Qd2 51.Re2 Qd1+ 52.Kf2 h4 53.Kg2 Qd3 54.Kh3 White wins.

51.Be2 g5 52.fxg5+ Kxg5 53.Rf1 Kg6

If 53...Qa5 54.Rxf5+ Qxf5 55.Nxf5 Kxf5 56.Bd3+ then:

56...Kg5 57.e4 Kf4 58.Kg2 Kg4 59.e5 the pawn is off and running.
56...Ke5 57.Kg2 Kf6 58.e4 Ke6 59.Kh3 wins for White.

54.Rxf5 Qb1+ 55.Rf1 Qe4 56.Kf2 1-0

If 56...Kh6 57.Rg1 Qe5 58.Bd3 tightens the noose around the Black King.
Topalov resigns.

Reply #4: Grischuk - Topalov, Round 9 [View All]