[Event "GMA, Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Polgar,Ju"]
[Black "Topalov,V"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway"]
[BlackElo "2740"]
[ECO "B33"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[WhiteElo "2700"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 { This is rapidly becoming the most commonly played move amongst the top GMs. } 3. d4 { This is the more-or-less Classical approach: move a couple of pawns, develop rapidly and look for ways to utilize those pieces. } ( 3. Nc3 { is another recent innovation which is based on the idea that it's still unclear where Bf1 should be developed and it's not yet certain that White should play d2-d4. Another similar idea is to meet 2...d6 with 3. Bc4, not committing to a severe weakening of the a1-h8 diagonal. } ) 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 ( 4... g6 { The Accelerated Dragon is interesting, but can be met by c2-c4 (Maroczy Bind) . } ) 5. Nc3 e5 { Sveshnikov - The idea is to control the center with his extra pawn (Pd7 & Pe7 vs. White's Pe4) and to do so in a way that lets him activate his two bishops more fully than in a Scheveningen; it's somewhat like a Boleslavsky set-up. But, White's pieces aren't placed the same as in a Boleslavsky; instead White goes directly for the weak spots and induces as much weakness in Black's position as possible (capitalizing if possible) . } ( 5... d6 ) ( 5... e6 ) 6. Ndb5 { aiming to invade at d6 to gain a bishop for the knight. It forces Black to play ...d7-d6 which blocks-in Bf8. Black will have at least one bad bishop and a weak d5 square. } 6... d6 7. Bg5 { Removing Nf6 will ensure White control of d5 for some time and perhaps force a weakened king-side pawn structure which might be exploited later. } 7... a6 8. Na3 ( 8. Bxf6 gxf6 9. Na3 ) 8... b5 { When this opening was originally played it was thought ...Bc8-e6 was best, but ...b5 (the Chelyabinsk Variation) has become most common. There's the immediate threat of ...b4 and it offers ...Bc8-b7 as an option. It also prevents Bf1-c4. } 9. Nd5 ( 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 ) 9... Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 { preparing several things at once: Bf1-e2 while avoiding ...Nd4 and clearing for Na3-c2. After all that it holds square b4, so that a2-a4 threatens massive destruction of Black's queen-side. } 11... Bg5 { Black has the two bishops, but no immediate way to use them, so he develops normally and hangs on for dear life. } 12. Nc2 O-O 13. a4 bxa4 14. Rxa4 a5 15. Bc4 { The plan with Bf1-c4 is one Kasparov has played and it tries to keep control of the position to allow a longer build-up before White tries to win. } ( 15. h4 { doesn't necessarily gain more than it gives up. White's king-side isn't as safe as before. Instead, it's probably better to focus on the queen-side with moves like Bf1-b5, O-O and so-on. } 15... Bh6 ) 15... Rb8 { prevents Bc4-b5, threatens Pb2 and avoids problems stemming from the pin on Pa5 } 16. b3 Kh8 { At last, Black can preparing some offense with ...f7-f5, though it's hard to see how he can achieve much when Rb8 & Nc6 are tied to the defense. On the other hand, Nc2 isn't particularly active at the moment, so White hasn't many defensive pieces on the king-side. } 17. O-O f5 18. exf5 Bxf5 { This seems to me to be a key moment for White: it's from here she has to decide on a middle-game plan which will range across the entire board. Black isn't making any specific threats just yet, but the two bishops (Bf5, Bg5) and Rf8 look ominous. I'd suggest not letting Bg5 move to clear for ...Qd8-g5 or ...Qd8-h4, but there is also ...Qd8-e8-g6, so White has to act fast before a calamity happens. } 19. Qe2 ( 19. Nce3 { Fritz7 } ) ( 19. b4 $5 axb4 20. Ncxb4 ( 20. cxb4 Bxc2 21. Qxc2 Nd4 ) 20... Nxb4 ( 20... Ne7 $4 21. Nxe7 Qxe7 22. Nc6 ) 21. cxb4 Rb7 ) 19... Bg6 20. Bd3 ( 20. Nce3 { Fritz7 } ) 20... Be8 ( 20... Bxd3 { Tactically Black might be satisfied with the following, but giving up the light-square bishop is unappealing when there is so little else he has to fight with on light squares. Fritz7 likes it. } 21. Qxd3 Rxb3 22. Qc4 Rb2 23. Qxc6 Rxc2 ) 21. Ra3 Ne7 { If he's going to fight on light squares then it certainly makes sense to consider ...Ne7, but it weakens Pa5. A key question still remains and that's how Black might try to use Bg5 and how White can reposition Nc2. It might become obvious that Nc2-e3 is necessary, even if it allows Black to trade-off Bg5. } 22. Be4 ( 22. Nce3 { Fritz7 } ) 22... Nxd5 ( 22... Bb5 $2 23. Qh5 { and suddenly everything is complicated! } ) 23. Bxd5 Qb6 { "hitting" e3 to make Nc2-e3 less appealing to White. It also stays in touch with Pa5 and Pb3 and cooperates with Bg5 at a distance. This isn't a plan to win the game, just to maintain cohesion of his position and to keep a little pressure on White. Now is the time for White to return to the main idea of removing Pa5 to make Pb3 a passer. } ( 23... Qc7 { Fritz7 } ) 24. b4 ( 24. Rfa1 { Mark and Fritz7 agree! } ) 24... axb4 25. Nxb4 { Though cxb4 would make a passer it also allows ...Bb5 and leaves Nc2 awkwardly placed. Nb4 can be useful and there is still some hope of playing simultaneously against Pd6 and Ph7. } 25... Qc5 { threatening ...Rxb4 and ...Qxd5 or ...Bb5 } 26. Qa2 Bb5 27. c4 { White courageously gambits a pawn to keep Rf1 securely defending Pf2 and to keep solid light-square control (so, after all this Black does get to trade a bishop for the knight, just not Bg5!) . } ( 27. Re1 Be3 28. Bf3 { Fritz7 } ) 27... Bxc4 ( 27... Qxb4 28. cxb5 ) 28. Bxc4 Rxb4 29. Ra8 { Forcing rook and queen trades will lead to a drawn bishop of opposite color ending. Bc4 is safe for the moment as White threatens Rxf8#. } 29... Rbb8 30. Rxb8 Rxb8 31. Bd5 g6 32. g3 Kg7 33. Kg2 Qd4 34. Bc6 Qc5 35. Bf3 Re8 36. Rb1 e4 { At the end Polgar could force an entry to Black's king with 37. Ra7+ Kh6 38. Bxe4 Rxe4 39. Qf7. Curiously, Polgar also drew a pawn-down ending against Kramnik (in this event) , beginning with this same opening. One has to wonder what brought the position to this; where White was doing well, but then has to give a pawn and hope to draw. Isn't this a mysterious kind of thing? I suppose White was not fully developed and active (Nc2) and holding back to avoid trades gave Black compensation for the other weaknesses in Black's position. In the end it was those same weaknesses which gave White compensation for the lost pawn. It's back to the drawing board to find a better plan for White. } 1/2