Veselin Topalov attacked and Gata Kamsky defended successfully as the first game of the world title final eliminator was drawn at Sofia. Kamsky will play white in game two of the best of eight contest that will determine the world champion Vishy Anand's next opponent.

Kamsky ventured the Gruenfeld Defence against the Queen's Pawn and play followed a game between the American and Topalov's trainer Ivan Cheparinov from last year. Topalov varied on move seventeen which sent Kamsky into a long think but he correctly grabbed a pawn and then returned it to defuse the threats to his king and at one point he appeared to have the better chances before forcing perpetual check.

Topalov,V (2796) - Kamsky,G (2725) [D87]

World Chess Challenge Sofia BUL (1), 17.02.2009
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4

The Exchange Gruenfeld which is Topalov's usual response although he crushed Cheparinov with 4.cxd5 and 5.Bd2 at MTel 2008White builds up a strong centre which will advance and crush Black on the kingside unless there is counterplay against d4, along the c file and the g7-a1 diagonal

5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3

[Black attacks the d4 square note that 9.d5 is a mistake that blocks the c4-g8 diagonal and enhances the Bg7]

9...0-0 10.0-0 Na5

[10...Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bd3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Be6 14.d5 Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 Is the old main line and Topalov is undoubtedly well prepared in the razor sharp lines; 10...Bd7 was met convincingly in Topalov-Svidler Pearl Spring Nanjing 2008; 10...Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 is not seen nowadays.]

11.Bd3 b6 12.Qd2 e5

The latest fashion and a speciality of Kamsky's trainer Emil Sutovsky [12...Bb7 13.Bh6 cxd4 14.cxd4 e6 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Rac1=+]

13.Bh6

[13.d5 f5 14.Bg5 Qe8 15.f3 c4 16.Bc2 f4 and Black won in Van Wely-Kamsky 2008]

13...cxd4 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.cxd4 exd4

White has sacrificed a pawn for attacking chances based on the weakened Black kingside and the poorly placed knight on a5

16.f4 f6

17.e5

[17.Rac1 Bg4 18.Ng3 Bd7 19.h4 Rc8 was OK for Black in Cheparinov-Kamsky 2008 although White later won after mutual errors]

17...Bd7!

Kamsky's iron nerves hold after being faced with the first novelty in the match. [17...f5 18.Qb2 Nc6 19.Bb5 Bb7 20.Bxc6 Bxc6 21.Nxd4+/-; 17...Bb7 offers less protection to the king 18.exf6+ Qxf6 19.f5 g5 20.Ng3 Kh8 21.Rae1 with a serious attack 21...Rae8 22.Re6!]

18.exf6+

[18.Nxd4 Nc6 19.Be4 Nxd4 20.Bxa8 Bb5!=]

18...Qxf6 19.Ng3 Kh8 20.f5 gxf5 21.Bxf5 Bxf5 22.Rxf5 Qd6 23.Raf1 Nc6

Bringing the knight back to defend and securing the d4 pawn and with it the a1-h8 diagonal. If that opened it might be fatal

24.Ne4 Qe7 25.Qh6 Rxf5 26.Rxf5 Ne5! 27.h3

[Now White must play accurately for example 27.Ng5 Ng4! 28.Qh5 Qe1+ 29.Rf1 Qe3+ 30.Kh1 Nf2+ 31.Rxf2 Qe1+ 32.Rf1 Qxf1#]

27...Ng6 28.Rh5

[28.Ng5 Rc8! 29.Nf7+ (29.Rf7 Rc1+ 30.Kh2 Qe5+ 31.g3 Qe2+) 29...Kg8 and White is lost]

28...Rg8 29.Nf6 Rg7 30.Nxh7

Forcing a draw

30...Rxh7 31.Qxg6 Qe3+ 32.Kf1 Qc1+ 33.Kf2 Qd2+ 34.Kg3 Qe3+ 35.Kh2 Qf4+ 36.Kg1 Qc1+

[36...Rxh5 37.Qxh5+ Kg7 38.Qe2 and with no pawn cover Black cannot do better than draw even though he has a strong passed pawn] ½-½

Play through the game.