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Game 1

Kramnik,Vladimir (2743) - Topalov,Veselin (2813) [E04]
WCC Match 2006 0:13.57–0:11.08 (1), 23.09.2006

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.Qc2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 c6 9.a4 b5 10.axb5 cxb5 11.Qg5 0–0 12.Qxb5 Ba6+=

13.Qa4

13.Qxa5 Bb7 14.Qxd8 Rxa1 15.Qxf8+ Kxf8 16.0–0 Ra2 17.Ne5 Ba6 18.Nc3 Rxb2+=

13...Qb6 14.0–0 Qxb2

14...Nc6 15.Nc3 Qxb2 16.Rfc1 Qb6 17.e3+=

15.Nbd2

15...Bb5

15...Qb4 16.Ne5 Nd5 17.Qxa5 Qxa5 18.Rxa5 c3 19.Nb3±

16.Nxc4 Bxa4 17.Nxb2 Bb5 18.Ne5 Ra7?!

18...Nd5 19.Rfe1 a4 20.Ra3 Rd8+=

19.Bf3

19.Nbc4 I prefer this continuation better. 19...a4 20.Rfb1 Bxc4 21.Nxc4+=

19...Nbd7 20.Nec4 Rb8 21.Rfb1 g5!?

So typical of Topalov.  This is the kind of move that someone like Tal, Shirov or Judit would make.

22.e3= g4 23.Bd1 Bc6

23...a4  This is equally OK.  24.Rc1 Kg7=

24.Rc1 Be4 25.Na4 Rb4 26.Nd6 Bf3 27.Bxf3 gxf3

This pawn can be a curse or blessing for Black.

28.Nc8 Ra8 29.Ne7+= Kg7 30.Nc6 Rb3 31.Nc5 Rb5 32.h3 Nxc5 33.Rxc5

33...Rb2

33...Rxc5 34.dxc5 a4 35.Nd4 a3 36.c6 Nd5=

34.Rg5+

34.Rcxa5 Rxa5 35.Nxa5 Ne4 36.Rf1 Nd2=

34...Kh6 35.Rgxa5 Rxa5 36.Nxa5 Ne4 37.Rf1 Nd2= 38.Rc1 Ne4 39.Rf1 f6 40.Nc6= Nd2 41.Rd1 Ne4 42.Rf1 Kg6

43.Nd8

43.d5 e5=+

43...Rb6 44.Rc1 h5 45.Ra1 h4 46.gxh4

46.g4=

46...Kh5 47.Ra2 Kxh4 48.Kh2

48...Kh5

48...Ng5 49.Ra4 Rb2 50.d5+ Kh5 51.Nxe6 Rxf2+ 52.Kh1 Rf1+ 53.Kh2 Rf2+=

49.Rc2 Kh6 50.Ra2 Kg6 51.Rc2 Kf5 52.Ra2= Rb5 53.Nc6 Rb7 54.Ra5+ Kg6 55.Ra2 Kh5 56.d5 e5 57.Ra4

57...f5??

57...Nxf2 58.Kg3 e4 59.Kxf2 Rb2+ 60.Kf1 (60.Kg3 Rg2+ 61.Kf4 f2 62.Ra1 Rg1–+) 60...Rb1+ 61.Kf2 Rb2+  This would be the way to draw the game;

57...Nd2 58.Kg3 (58.d6 Nf1+ 59.Kg1 Nd2 60.Kh2 Rb1 61.Kg3 Rg1+ 62.Kh2 Rd1=; 58.Rg4 Rb1 59.Rg1 Rb2 60.Rg8 Ne4 61.Rh8+ Kg6 62.Rg8+ Kf7 63.Rg3 Rxf2+ 64.Kg1 Rd2 65.Rxf3 Rxd5=+) 58...Rg7+ 59.Rg4 Nf1+ 60.Kxf3 Nh2+ 61.Ke4 Nxg4 62.hxg4+ Kxg4 63.d6+-

58.Nxe5 Rb2 59.Nd3 Rb7 60.Rd4 Rb6 61.d6 Nxd6 62.Kg3 Ne4+ 63.Kxf3 Kg5 64.h4+ Kf6 65.Rd5 Nc3 66.Rd8 Rb1 67.Rf8+ Ke6 68.Nf4+ Ke5 69.Re8+ Kf6 70.Nh5+ Kg6 71.Ng3 Rb2 72.h5+ Kf7 73.Re5 Nd1 74.Ne2 Kf6 75.Rd5 1–0

This is a very painful loss for Topalov.  He took almost nothing and made it very exciting.  I give him a lot of credit for this.  If he can keep this up for the next 11 games, Kramnik would have a very difficult task ahead of him.

Topalov will have White tomorrow.  I hope he will bounce back immediately.  Kramnik is one of the most difficult opponents to beat.  Another blunder like today may seal his fate in this match.

On the other hand, if Topalov can bounce back and have a convincing win tomorrow, the tremendous pressure will be back on Kramnik.
 

Game 2

Kramnik,Vladimir (2743) - Topalov,Veselin (2813) [E04]
WCC Match 2006, 24.09.2006

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bg6 10.e4 0-0 11.Bd3 Bh5 12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.Qe3 Bg6 15.Ng5

Instead 15.Bxg6 fxg6 16.Ng5 Re8 17.Qh3 Nf8 18.Qb3 and a draw was agreed in Petrosian-Smyslov, 1980.

15...Re8 16.f4 Bxd3

Possibly a new move.  In a couple of other games, Black tried 16...Rc8 or 16...Nf8.

17.Qxd3 f5

Black had to stop the f4-f5 advance. After 17...Nf8 18.f5 White's attack is very strong.

18.Be3 Nf8 19.Kh1 Rc8 20.g4 Qd7 21.Rg1 Be7 22.Nf3 Rc4 23.Rg2 fxg4 24.Rxg4 Rxa4 25.Rag1 g6

26.h4?!

26.Ng5! may be a better choice as White maintains a dangerous attack!

26...Rb4

Topalov is pushing as White, as expected.  He created a dangerous attack on the Kingside.  However, it seems that he made an inaccuracy on move 26 by playing h4 instead of Ng5.  Now, it looks like Kramnik is holding an edge.

27.h5 Qb5

Now Black holds an edge as Kramnik is trying to trade Queens.

28.Qc2 Rxb2?

...Rb3 is needed to attack the Bishop and slow down White's rampage on the Kingside.

29.hxg6!

Topalov is still attacking, offering to sacrifice his Queen!  Now White once again has a dangerous attack - and advantage.  He may really pull it off in game two!

29...h5

After 29...Rxc2 30.gxh7+ Kh8 31.Rg8+ Kxh7 32.R1g7+ Kh6 33.f5+ Bg5 34.R1xg5 wins.

30.g7!

Now it comes down to who can calculate better.  If Topalov can win this game, it may be the game of the year!  Wow!  This is truly an incredibly exciting game!

30...hxg4

After 30...Rxc2 31.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 32.Rg8+ Kf7 33.R1g7 checkmate!

31.gxf8(Q) Bxf8??

This is a losing move.  32.Rxg4 and Black can resign as there is no defense against a decisive advantage.

32.Qg6+???

This move just threw away the win!  What a shocking back-to-back blunder by both players!!