World Chess Championships 2010 (3)
Solid play in game three holds the draw for Anand
IM Malcolm Pein - Thursday 29th April 2010
Viswanathan Anand played solidly in neutralising Veselin Topalov's opening advantage in Game 3.
Topalov - Anand Game 3. Photo © Europe-Echecs | http://www.europe-echecs.com
The World Chess Championship match at Sofia remains tied after Vishy Anand opted for solidity and held the draw with black against Veselin Topalov in the third game to make the score 1.5-1.5 with nine to play. The match is the best of twelve games with Anand playing white in game four.
Following his debacle in the first game, Anand switched from the combative Gruenfeld Defence to the Slav and copied an idea of Vladimir Kramnik's that Kramnik employed against Topalov in 2006 during the infamous Toiletgate match. The queens came off the board and Anand emerged somewhat behind in development but his position had no weaknesses and Topalov had no way to open lines. Although Topalov was slightly better Anand gradually brought his pieces into play and calmly dealt with attempts to create complications.
After thirty nine moves the game was hopelessly drawn but because Topalov will not make draw offers or accept them the players had to organise a repetition of moves else they would have been playing all night.
V Topalov - V Anand
WCh Sofia (3)
Slav Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 e6 7.f3 c5
(7...Bb4 8.e4 Bxe4 9.fxe4 Nxe4 10.Bd2 Qxd4 is a wild line and Topalov may have analysed this in detail on the computer so Vishy decides to avoid anything sharp and follows Kramnik's plan)
8.e4 Bg6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Bxd4 Nfd7 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc4 a6 14.Rc1
(14.Ke2 Rg8 15.Rhd1 Rc8 16.b3 Bc5 17.a5 Ke7 18.Na4 Bb4 19.Nb6 Nxb6 20.Bxb6 f6 = Topalov- Kramnik Elista 2006)
14...Rg8!
(Preparing to move the Bf8. Black intends Bc5 or d6, Ke7 and f7-f6)
Viswanathan Anand
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Veselin Topalov
Position after 14...Rg8
15.h4 h6 16.Ke2
Viswanathan Anand
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Veselin Topalov
Position after 16.Ke2
16...Bd6 17.h5 Bh7 18.a5 Ke7 19.Na4 f6 20.b4!
(White has gained some space but if the rooks come off the game is dead. If 20.Nb6 Nxb6 21.Bxb6 Rgc8 22.Rhd1 Rc6 23.b3 Rac8 24.Rd3 Bb4 25.Rcd1 Rd6=)
20...Rgc8!
(Avoiding 20...Bxb4 21.Rb1 Bxa5 22.Nc5 b5 23.Bxe6)
21.Bc5
(21.Nc5 Rc7 22.Nxe6 Rxc4! or 21.Nc5 Rc7 22.Bxe6 Nxc5 23.bxc5 Bf4)
21...Bxc5 22.bxc5 Rc7 23.Nb6 Rd8 24.Nxd7
(24.Bd5!? was possible but Black does not have to take and can play 24...Ne5 25.f4 Nc6=)
24...Rdxd7 25.Bd3 Bg8
(25...Rd4 26.c6 Ra4 27.Rb1 Ra2+ 28.Ke3 bxc6 29.Ra1 Rxg2 30.Bxa6 and Topalov has a strong passed a5 pawn
25...f5 Kasparov - looks equal 26.c6 Rxc6 27.Rxc6 bxc6 28.Rb1 fxe4 29.fxe4 Rd4)
26.c6 Rd6!
(A great move played very quickly in return by Anand. Black keeps an eye on a6 26...bxc6 27.Rc5 and a6 may fall later)
27.cxb7 Rxb7 28.Rc3 Bf7 29.Ke3 Be8 30.g4
(30.Rhc1 Bd7!)
30...e5 31.Rhc1 Bd7
(31...Bb5 32.Rb1)
32.Rc5 Bb5!
(This equalises, a6 is no longer weak)
33.Bxb5 axb5 34.Rb1 b4 35.Rb3 Ra6 36.Kd3 Rba7 37.Rxb4 Rxa5 38.Rxa5 Rxa5 39.Rb7+ Kf8 40.Ke2 Ra2+ 41.Ke3 Ra3+ 42.Kf2 Ra2+ 43.Ke3 Ra3+ 44.Kf2 Ra2+ 45.Ke3 Ra3+ 46.Kf2 draw
Viswanathan Anand
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Veselin Topalov
Final Position after 46.Kf2
