Friday, February 20, 2009

Topalov-Kamsky Game 3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qb3 dxc4 5.Qxc4 Bg7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 [One of the points behind this move order is to avoid the possible structural damage after 7.Nf3 Nfd7 8.Be3 Nb6 9.Qb3 Bg4 10.Rd1 Nc6 11.d5 Ne5 - Marin] a6 8.Bf4 b5!? 9.Qxc7 Qxc7 10.Bxc7 b4 11.Na4 Nc6 12.d5 Nd4 13.Bd3 Bd7 14.Nb6 Bb5! 15.Be5 [15.Bxb5 axb5 16.Nxa8 is too risky because of 16...Nc2+ 17.Kd1 Nxa1 18.Nb6 Nxe4 - Marin] Nxe4 [15...Bxd3 would have offered him chances to fight for the initiative, for instance 16.Bxd4 Rab8 17.e5 Rxb6 18.Bxb6 Nxd5 19.Bd4 Rc816.Bxg7 Kxg7 - Marin] 17.Bxe4 Rab8 18.0-0-0 Nf5 19.Bxf5 gxf5 20.d6 Rxb6 21.dxe7 Re8 [It is difficult to say whether the intermediate 21...Rc8+ would have been better. - Marin] 22.Nf3 Rxe7 23.Nd4 Bd7 24.Rhe1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Rh6! [25...Rd6 26.Rd1] 26.Re7 [26.h3 f4] Rd6! 27.Ne2 Kf6 28.Re3 Ba4 29.b3 Bc6 30.Nf4 a5 31.g3 Be4 32.f3 Bc6 33.h4 Rd4 34.Kc2 Bb5 35.Nh5+ Kg6 36.Nf4+ Kf6 37.Nh5+ Draw

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