(2327) Topalov,Veselin (2777) - Radjabov,Teimour (2744) [E74]
Grand Slam Final Bilbao ESP (6), 08.09.2008



1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bg5 0-0 6.Be2 c5 7.d5 a6 8.a4 h6 9.Be3 e6 10.Nf3 exd5 11.cxd5 Bg4N
A new move here, but the position with Black's pawn still on h7 has occurred quite a few times.

12.Nd2 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 Re8 14.0-0 Nbd7 15.h3 Nh5N
The joy of transpositions allow us to have a second novelty in this game. Anyway, from this point White is engaged in two typical elements of anti-Benoni play. The first is to slowly restrain Black's play and all the tricks characteristic of that opening. The second is to prepare the thematic breakthrough with e5. And he succeeds!

16.a5 Rb8 17.Ra4 Ne5 18.Kh2 Qe7 19.g3 Nd7 20.Kg2 Kh7 21.Qd1 Kg8 22.Qc2 Rbc8 23.Re1 Kh7 24.f4 Qd8 25.Nf3 Rb8 26.g4 Nhf6 27.Bf2 Ng8 28.g5 b5
Black has to do something, and this standard idea gets the Rb8 and the Bg7 active while giving his pieces more usable space on the queenside.

29.axb6 Rxb6 30.Re2 h5 31.e5!
The break occurs.

31...Ne7!
[31...dxe5 32.f5!+/- ]

32.Rae4
[32.e6 fxe6 33.dxe6 Nf8 34.Nh4 Kg8 is unclear. (But not 34...d5? 35.Bxc5 Rxe6 36.Rxe6 Nxe6 37.Bxe7+- (Svidler)) ]

32...dxe5
[32...Nf5 33.e6 Nf8 (33...fxe6 34.Rxe6 Rxe6 35.dxe6 (35.Rxe6 Nf8 36.Rxg6? Nxg6 37.Qxf5 Qf8-+ ) 35...Nf8 36.Nh4+/- ) 34.exf7 Rxe4 35.Qxe4 Qd7 36.Qe8 Rb7 37.Ne4 Qxf7 38.Qxf7 Rxf7 39.Nfd2+/- followed by Nc4]

33.fxe5 Nf5 34.Na4
[34.-- Nxe5 35.Nxe5 Qxg5+ ; 34.Qd2 covers g5 and prepares 34...-- 35.e6 ; 34.e6 fxe6 35.Na4 Rb4 36.dxe6 Nf8 37.Rxb4 cxb4 38.Qc4+/= ]

34...Rb4
[Trying to make the counterattack work at all costs with 34...Nxe5? fails: 35.Nxb6 Nxf3 36.Rxe8 Qxg5+ 37.Kxf3 (Svidler)]

35.e6 fxe6 36.dxe6 Nf8
[36...Ne5 37.Rxe5! Bxe5 38.Rxe5+- ; 36...Rxe4 37.Rxe4+/= (37.Qxe4 Ne5! 38.Nxe5 Rxe6= (38...Qxg5+? 39.Kh2 Rxe6 40.Nf3!+- ) ) ]

37.Nxc5
[37.Rxb4 cxb4 38.Qc6 Qd3!= (38...Ne7 39.Qxa6 Nd5 40.Bg3+/= ) ]

37...Rxb2 38.Qc4 Rxe2
[38...Nd6 39.Qd5 Nxe4 40.Qxd8 Rxd8 41.e7 (41.Rxe4 Re8 42.e7+/= a5 43.h4! (43.exf8Q? Bxf8! 44.Rxe8 Bxc5-/+ ) ) 41...Rxe2 42.exd8Q Nxc5 (42...Rxf2+? 43.Kg1 Rxf3 44.Nxe4+/- ; 42...Nxf2 43.Kf1 Rc2 44.Qd6+/= ) 43.Kf1 Nce6 with a fairly easy draw (Svidler).]

39.Rxe2 a5 40.Qb5 Qc8 41.Qxa5
By now White's advantage was gone, but this makes it "official". White has no (realistic) winning chances after the mass exchanges; indeed, it's Black who enjoys the nominal edge.

41...Nxe6 42.Nxe6 Rxe6 43.Rxe6 Qxe6
The players could agree to a draw here, but he preferred to enjoy the position for a while after suffering the previous two hours. It's surprising but apparent psychological fact that the way we feel an event often depends on how we feel about the end of that event. So although the first 40 moves were enjoyable for Topalov, now it's Radjabov who gets to end on a strong note. (Or so it would seem.)

44.Qc7 Ne7 45.Qb6 Qf5 46.Bg3 Qe4 47.Qa7 Qc2+ 48.Qf2 Qc6 49.Qe2 Nf5 50.Bf2 Qd5 51.Qd2 Qb7 52.Qd3 Be5 53.Qd2 Bd6 54.Qc1 Be7 55.Qd2 Qc6 56.Qf4 Qd5 57.Qc7 Qe4 58.Qd7 Nd6 59.Qa7 Nf5 60.Qd7 Qe2
Black is trying hard to avoid the draw, but giving up the long diagonal is a little dangerous.

61.Qa7 Kg7?!
[61...Qe4 ]

62.Qa1+ Kg8 63.Qa8+ Kf7?!
[63...Kg7 ]

64.Qd5+! Kg7 65.Kg1!
Hey, what's this? Suddenly White's position looks good. His queen is majestically placed on d5, radiating power all over the board, and if the knight can join her in the center with Ne5, Black can even be in trouble. Fortunately for Radjabov, who did not move immediately here, there are several adequate defenses.

65...Bd6!
[65...Qb2 66.Ne5? (66.h4 maintains equality and renews the threat of Ne5. Black's best is to prevent this by repeating moves. 66...Qc1+ 67.Kg2 Qc2 (Threatening 68...Ne3+, so there's no chance for Ne5.) 68.Kg1= ) 66...Qc1+ 67.Kh2 Qxg5 68.Qf7+ Kh6-/+ ]

66.Bd4+ Nxd4
[66...Kf8 looks a little scary, but it's fine too. 67.Bc5 Bxc5+ 68.Qxc5+= ]

67.Qxd4+ Kh7 68.Qxd6 Qxf3 69.Qe7+ Kg8 70.Qe8+ Kg7 71.Qe7+ Kg8 72.Qe8+ Kg7 73.Qe7+ 1/2-1/2