[Event "GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Timman,J"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Hathaway"]
[BlackElo "2740"]
[ECO "B53"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[WhiteElo "2590"]

1. e4 { Topalov is one of the strongest natural tacticians in the world, so it's interesting that Timman would choose to play 1. e4. It usually leads to more open games where tactics are essential for success. } 1... c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 { So, here is Timman's first idea: to not play d2-d4, keeping the position closed. However, Bb5 (Rossolimo) might not be the best way to achieve the goal; 3. Nc3 is to be considered. } 3... d6 { Perhaps Timman noticed that Topalov has been playing this particular move recently and thought he might exploit it in some way. I prefer 3...Qc7 to defend Nc6 with a piece, rather than allowing it to be pinned. } 4. d4 { The threat of d4-d5 is obvious and Black isn't about to let White keep the central pawn duo. } 4... cxd4 5. Qxd4 { Chekhover Variation - White might yet aim for c2-c4 to bind square d5 while Qd4 prevents ...g7-g6 and ...Bf8-g7 to play on dark squares. Of course, there are some who might play this variation with Nb1-c3 and aim for typical tactical themes like aligning Rd1 with Qd8 to apply pressure on the d-file. } 5... Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 { Black allows c2-c4, but he's got the two bishops and Ke8 is still relatively safe. } 7. Nc3 { After giving up a bishop for knight it seems he would want to use c2-c4 to add extra force on the light square d5. I guess he decided that with Bc6 he shouldn't O-O, so he's going to want Pc2 when he has played O-O-O. } 7... Nf6 8. Bg5 { This prevents Black's ideal development: ...g7-g6 and ...Bf8-g7. } 8... e6 9. O-O-O { After this White will be able to force doubled pawns on Black at f6 (unless Black foolishly plays ...e6-e5) , but the cost is further simplification. } 9... Be7 10. Rhe1 O-O 11. Kb1 h6 12. Bh4 { So, if White can't force a weakness on Black then it appears Black has equalized. That isn't entirely true yet. Black has to show a way to activate his other pieces without White's already-developed forces having a major impact. } ( 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qxd6 Bxc3 14. Qxd8 Rfxd8 15. Rxd8+ ( 15. bxc3 $2 Rxd1+ 16. Rxd1 Bxe4 $17 ) 15... Rxd8 16. bxc3 { when Black's B v. N and control of the d-file and White's crippled queen-side pawns make the game about equal } ) 12... Qa5 13. Qd2 { preparing Nf3-d4 with the threat of Nc3-d5 to force a trade of that knight for Be7 to weaken Pd6 & Nf6 } 13... Qh5 { This is a surprising move (though Fritz7 likes it) because Black rarely finds the king-side to be a safe place for the queen in a Sicilian Defense. This particular position isn't like most others. With Nf3 and Bh4 in front of the pawns there's much less chance for White to threaten to entrap Qh5. } ( 13... b6 { defends Qa5, which would seem to prevent Nc3-d5, and gives Bc6 room to retreat along the good diagonal to b7; but Fritz7 found a tactic to disprove that } 14. Nd5 exd5 15. Qxa5 bxa5 16. exd5 $14 { Fritz7 } ) 14. h3 { Not only does White threaten g2-g4, but g4-g5 would open the g-file for great benefit. } ( 14. Bg3 e5 { a typical move to protect the central pawns, but in this position it self-traps Qh5 on the king-side; I'm not certain this is a serious problem } ( 14... Rfd8 { might be a sufficient defense which avoids problems with Qh5 } ) ) 14... g5 15. Bg3 ( { There is apparently no time for } 15. g4 Qg6 16. Bg3 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 $17 ) 15... e5 { Timman couldn't have been too dissatisfied with this situation. Black has weakened d5 and his king's position and has self-trapped Qh5. But, the next question is how to exploit those factors; and that one is hard to answer. } 16. Qd3 { With this move he doesn't give away his offensive plan. He is still thinking prophylaxis and prevents ...b7-b5 and over-protects Pe4, a la Nimzovitch. More direct might have been Nf3-h2, f2-f3, Nh2-g4 or Bg3-f2-e3 (intending g2-g4 and later h3-h4 to pry open the dark-squares near Kg8) . Fritz7 likes Nd5 and Qd3 a little better than Nh2. } 16... Rad8 { Fritz7 preferred ...Rf8-d8, but I suspect Topalov was anticipating a need for Rf8 to support the advance of Pf7. Perhaps Topalov's idea was a bit over-optimistic. } 17. Nd2 { He's certainly being cautious, but his position could be turned to offensive purposes as Nd2-f1-e3-f5 isn't at all prevented. There are numerous maneuvers and plans which could produce good results. } 17... d5 { Apparently White didn't have this thematic move prevented as well as he'd thought. Black blows up the position and makes all White's caution irrelevant; of course, the cost of this is that White's pieces can come to life in the open position too, meanwhile Qh5 isn't really in play. Why was it possible for all those White positional advantages to simply evaporate(?) ; Piece Activity(!) . After Nf3-d2 Black's piece activity in the center turned out to be a little better (or at least no worse) than White's. } 18. Bxe5 ( 18. exd5 $2 Nxd5 19. Nxd5 Rxd5 20. Qf1 Rfd8 { and Black's position looks pretty spectacular, compared to just a few moves before } ) 18... dxe4 19. Qe3 Nd5 20. Nxd5 Rxd5 21. Bd4 ( 21. g4 Qg6 22. Bd4 Bb4 23. c3 $16 { Fritz7; as Pe4 appears to be hanging by a thread, though c2-c3 to open the g6-b1 diagonal looks a little risky } ) 21... f5 { And just like that Black is overwhelming White's pieces with an avalanche of pawns and it doesn't hurt Black that he has the two bishops. It's an amazing turn of events. } 22. f3 Rfd8 23. c3 Rxd4 { Topalov doesn't shy from the exchange sacrifice as long as his pawns grow into monsters! } ( 23... f4 24. Qxe4 Rxd4 25. Qe6+ $8 ( 25. Qxe7 $4 Rxd2 26. Rxd2 Rxd2 $19 ) 25... Kh8 26. cxd4 ) 24. cxd4 f4 25. Qb3+ $14 { according to Fritz7 } 25... Bd5 26. Qc2 e3 $15 { Pe3 is huge and only the c-file is open to White's queen and rooks, though there won't be any entry squares at c7 or c8. Black is in charge. } 27. Ne4 Qf7 { threat: ...Bxa2+ } 28. Nc3 Be6 29. d5 $11 { Fritz7; giving Rd1 more room to breathe and forcing Black's Be6 to another square. If Pd5 could move one square further up the board there would be a chance for the White rooks to move onto the d-file, but it's very iffy because Pe3 always threatens to advance. White's job is to cut off the other Black pieces from supporting Pe3. Fritz7 apparently would've chosen a different approach, based on leaving Pd4, Qc2-a4, Re1-e2-c2 and then who knows what. } 29... Bf5 30. Ne4 Rxd5 $11 { Fritz7; White tried the only thing possible and he's lost a pawn. It looks bad for White. } 31. Rxd5 Qxd5 32. Rd1 Qe6 33. Ka1 { Fritz7 thinks Black's advantage is growing slightly, though it still gives only =+ } 33... h5 34. a3 Kf7 35. Qa4 { White's best chance now might be to catch Black's king in a perpetual check. Black has to advance his plan with some caution. } 35... Bxe4 36. fxe4 { This is unavoidable and it makes Pf4 more mobile; the Black pawns look unstoppable. } 36... Bf6 { Black will happily trade Pa7 for Pe4. } 37. Qc2 Qc6 { White doesn't want a queen trade when his last hope is a perpetual check. In this particular instance White wouldn't even get to play Rd1-d5 since a Pc6 would control that square and Pe3 could advance to promote. } ( 37... Qe5 { creates the threat of ...Qxb2# and that would restrain at least one of White's pieces. } ) 38. Kb1 ( 38. Qd3 ) 38... g4 ( 38... Qxc2+ $2 { isn't as appealing when it brings White's king toward the Black pawns and gives up control of d5 } 39. Kxc2 Ke6 40. Rd5 ) 39. hxg4 hxg4 40. Qd3 Qe6 { It might have been a move to complete the time control, but he's defended Pg4 and keeps Kf7 safe. Getting directly behind Pe3 might have been a factor in this choice. He could've also been thinking about ...Qe6-e5 to threaten ...Qxb2#. A better move is hard to find. } 41. g3 $1 $16 { Fritz7; Has White suddenly found a way to break open the position? Has Black done something wrong to allow this? I'm not certain. } 41... f3 ( 41... Qe5 $2 42. Qd7+ ) 42. Qxe3 Be5 43. Qg5 $1 { At this point passive defense would be the wrong choice. The more the position opens around Kf7 the more White should look for offense, even if it only leads to a perpetual check. } 43... Bxg3 44. Qh5+ $11 { The checks stop Black's offense. } ( 44. Rd8 Qxe4+ 45. Ka2 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 44... Kg7 45. Qg5+ Kf7 46. Qh5+ Kg7 47. Ka1 { Why? Does he believe there's a checkmate? If not then this is just stupid. } 47... f2 48. Qg5+ Kf7 49. Qh5+ Kg7 50. Rh1 $4 Be5 $11 { according to Fritz7; This should put an end to any checkmate threats as the bishop will guard g7 and h8. There is also some possibility of a ...Bxb2+ when Black could force a queen trade with a cross-check and then the Black pawns would march to promotion. } ( 50... Qxe4 $11 { Fritz7 } ) 51. Qh7+ Kf8 52. Qxb7 { At 12 ply this is the only move Fritz7 "thinks" isn't -+. } 52... g3 53. Rc1 ( 53. Rd1 { Again, this is the only move Fritz7 "think" isn't -+. } ) 53... Qc4 $19 { a nice touch to block out the White rook; Rxc4 is met by ...f2-f1=Q+ and ...Qxc4 } 54. Qa8+ Ke7 55. Qxa7+ Bc7 { That's two awful needless losses by Timman I've documented. I wonder how he felt about his performance? } ( 55... Ke6 56. Qb6+ Kf7 57. Qb7+ Kg6 58. Qb6+ Bf6 { is massively better for Black says Fritz7 } ) 0-1