Topalov vs Kramnik: Game 3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 A modern variation against the Catalan 6.Qa4 The most promising continuation nowadays 6...Bd7 A modest line, not popular in grandmaster praxis. [6...Bb4+ Is the most fashionable line, leading to very sharp variations, for instance: 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Ndxb4 9.a3 b5 10.Qxb5 Nc2+; 6...Nd7 It´s another well known variation, see Kramnik-Naijdisch, Dortmund 2006] 7.Qxc4 Na5 8.Qd3 c5 9.0-0 Bc6 10.Nc3 cxd4 [10...Be7 Has also been played] 11.Nxd4 Topalov's opening choice is really surprising, because this quiet setup fits very well to Kramnik's positional style. Besides, 6 games were known in this position, and the score for Black was not good, 3 losses and 3 draws. 11...Bc5 An unusual order, instead of 11...Bxg2 directly. 12.Rd1 [12.Nxc6 Qxd3 13.exd3 Nxc6 offers next to nothing for White.] 12...Bxg2

Position after 12...Bxg2

13.Qb5+! An important intermediate move that helps White maintain the pressure on his opponent's position. 13...Nd7 14.Kxg2 a6 [14...0-0? 15.Nf3] 15.Qd3 Rc8 Topalov's novelty, that came after spending nearly one hour to get into this position, so one's get the feeling that his preparation for this game was not good at all. [15...0-0? 16.Nc2; The only game known had continued 15...Be7 16.Bf4 Rc8 17.Nf3 Nc4 18.Na4 b5 19.b3 Ncb6 20.Nxb6 Nxb6 21.Qxd8+ Bxd8 22.e4 f6 23.Rd6 Ke7 24.Nd4 e5 25.Nf5+ Kf7 26.Be3 with a winning advantage to White, Tkachiev-Solozhenkin, France 2000] 16.Bg5!? Be7 [16...Qxg5? 17.Nxe6! leads to a devastating attack]

Position after 16...Be7

17.Bxe7 A move that was long meditated by Kramnik. In the meantime, a long discussion was taking place on my ICC comments about [17.Ne4! when it's not clear how should Black play to solve his opening problems 17...Nc4 a) 17...Bxg5? 18.Nd6+ Kf8 19.Nxc8 Qxc8 20.Qa3++-; b) 17...Nf6 18.Qf3!+/- (also strong is 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 (19...Qxf6! 20.Nb3+-) 20.Qf3+/-) ; c) 17...Ne5 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nf5! Nxd3 20.Ned6+ Kf8 (20...Kd7 21.Nxe7 Rc2 22.Ndc8) 21.Nxe7 Rd8 22.Ndc8!+/-; 18.Rac1! Nxb2 19.Qb3! Nxd1 20.Nxe6! with a terrific attack] 17...Qxe7 18.Rac1 Now White is only hoping for a microscopic advantage 18...Nc4 19.Na4 b5 20.b3 0-0 [20...Nde5!? was a serious alternative to the game] 21.bxc4 bxa4 22.Nc6 Rxc6 23.Qxd7 From this point, it becomes clear that Black will have to defend an inferior position, but few people were guessing that soon things would get much worse for Black 23...Qc5 [23...Qxd7 24.Rxd7 Rfc8 25.Rb7! and even though the game objectively should end up in a draw, there is still a long suffering ahead for Black] 24.Rc3!? From here, in his next 7 moves, Kramnik played excellently, improving a lot his position. 24...g6 25.Rb1 h5 26.Rb7 e5 [26...h4? 27.Rf3] 27.e4 Rf6 28.Rc2 Qa3 29.Qd1 Rd6 30.Rd2 Rfd8 [30...Rc6? 31.Rd8!] 31.Rd5! Rxd5 The critical moment of the game

Position after 31...Rxd5

32.cxd5 To a general surprise [Most people following the game on ICC were expecting the more ambitious 32.exd5 and after 32...Qxa2 would follow (32...e4!? is playable, but it should not change the character of the game) 33.Qf3 Rf8 34.Qd3 with a big advantage to White] 32...Qxa2 33.Qf3 Rf8 The game gets complicated again, because the black a-pawn will soon march causing problems 34.Qd3 a3 At this point Kramnik had hardly a minute to decide between several alternatives like 35.Ra7, 35.d6, 35.Qxa6, etc but none of then was clearly outstanding. 35.Rb3?! This is the worse 35...f5! The game now equilizes. Without time, Kramnik decides correctly to secure the draw keeping his 2-0 lead in the match. 36.Qxa6 Qxb3 37.Qxg6+ Kh8 38.Qh6+ Kg8 1/2-1/2