Gata Kamsky levelled the score against Veselin Topalov with victory in the fourth game of their world title eliminator at Sofia. Kamsky held the draw with black fairly comfortably in game three, employing the Gruenfeld Defence for a second time and then won a long game playing white against the Ruy Lopez.

It was a very impressive performance from the American who exerted strong positional pressure throughout and after sacrificing a pawn won two back and took his time in the resulting endgame which must have been very unpleasant for his opponent.

Four games remain and then speed chess tie breaks if necessary to decide who will challenge Vishy Anand later this year.

Kamsky,G (2725) - Topalov,V (2796) [C92]

World Chess Challenge Sofia BUL (4), 21.02.2009
[Pein,Malcolm]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Bb7

The Zaitsev Variation which was popularised by Karpov. Black plays all the usual moves but omits h6 and this gives him time for more dynamic possibilities in some lines

10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Ng5!?

[12.a4 h6 Only now and because Na4 Bc2 has not been played yet White cannot play Nf1 and after 13.Bc2 exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 the sharp stuff begins. Kamsky of course avoids all that; 12.d5 Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7 14.Ng3]

12...Re7 13.d5 Nb8 14.Nf1 Nbd7 15.Ng3 g6

We have a main line position but with Ng5 and Re7 added which Kamsky possibly played to avoid any preparation

16.Bc2 h6 17.Nf3 Nb6 18.h4

A typical plan, h5 will give Black the annoying choice of allowing hxg6 or the horribly g5 when f5 is a gaping hole

18...Qd7!

taking some vacant squares [18...h5 19.Bg5 Bg7 is bad for Black as he cannot play c6 with conceding the d5 square permanently. White can play Ng3-f1-e3 or Nf3-d2-f1-e3 20.Nd2 c6 21.dxc6 Bxc6 22.Qf3 Re8 23.Bb3 d5 24.exd5 Nbxd5 25.Nde4+-]

19.Nh2 Bg7 20.h5 Rf8

Since the Re7 is somewhat misplaced I would have preferred Re8 and keep the queens rook for play elsewhere after the inevitable break c7-c6. Black never finds the time to reroute the Re7

21.Nhf1 c6 22.dxc6 Qxc6 23.Ne3

A later Ne3-d5 and an exchange on that square would make g6 vulnerable. The same weakness discourages d6-d5 for the moment but this wasn't so clear

23...Kh7

[23...d5 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.exd5 Nbxd5 26.Nxd5 Nxd5 27.Ne4 Nf4 28.Qg4]

24.Qf3!

24...Bc8

[24...d5 25.Nef5! gxf5 26.Nxf5 dxe4 27.Nxe7 and exf3 is illegal]

25.Rd1 Be6 26.b3!!

A great move which prepares a siege of d6 with Ba3 and Rd2 simultaneously the Nb6 and Be6 lose the c4 square and freeing exchange is prevented. Topalov has to accept the sacrifice or be worse here

26...Qxc3

[26...d5 27.Ba3]

27.Bd2 Qc7 28.Ba5 Qb8 29.Rd2

at the cost of a pawn Kamsky has freed his remaining pieces and exerts some pressure

29...Nc8

[29...Rd7 30.Rad1 Rc8 31.Bb1 and Bb4]

30.Rad1 b4

Weakening but Black lacks constructive moves. It was better to wait [30...Rd7 31.Nef5 gxf5 32.exf5 Bd5 33.Rxd5 +/- Nxd5? 34.f6+]

31.Qe2 Kh8 32.Bd3 Na7 33.Rc1 Nb5 34.Bxb5 axb5 35.Bxb4

White has all the advantages he sought and has won back the pawn. Kamsky has won the strategic battle

35...Rd7 36.Rc6 Rfd8 37.Qd1 Bf8 38.Qc2 Kh7 39.Ba5 Re8 40.hxg6+ fxg6 41.Bc7

Winning d6 and the game

41...Qb7 42.Bxd6 Bf7 43.Bb4 Bxb4 44.Rxd7 Qxd7 45.Rxf6 Re6 46.Nd5 Bf8 47.Rf3 Kg7 48.Rc3 Ra6 49.Rc7 Qd6 50.Qe2 Kg8

[50...b4 51.Qg4 Kg8 52.Nf5 Qe6 53.Nxb4 Bxb4 54.Nxh6+]

51.Qxb5 Rxa2 52.Qb7 Ra1+ 53.Kh2 Bxd5 54.exd5 Qf6 55.Qc8 Qh4+ 56.Qh3 Qxh3+ 57.Kxh3 Rd1 58.Ne4

58...Ba3 59.Ra7 Bb4 60.Rb7 Ba3 61.f3

Rubbing it in

61...Kf8 62.Rb5 h5 63.Kg3 Rc1 64.Rb8+ Kf7 65.Rb7+ Kf8 66.Kf2 Rc2+ 67.Kf1 Rc1+ 68.Ke2 Rc2+ 69.Kd3 Rxg2 70.Ra7 Be7

[70...Bb4 71.Kc4 Be1 72.d6]

71.d6 Bd8 72.Nc5 Ke8 73.Rh7

1-0

Play through the game.