SIMPSON'S IN-THE•STRAND 73 );.:0)0 0 CHESS
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SIMPSON'S
IN-THE-STRAND
Top form
Raymond Keene
THE YOUNG Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov is rapidly making a name for himself in international competitions. His latest exploit has been to share first prize in the Max Euwe Memorial in Amsterdam. His co-winner was none other than Garry Kasparov, the world champion, yet Topalov might indeed have considered himself the moral victor, since he defeated Kasparov in their individual game.
Topalov's play is characterised by energy, dynamism and forthright attacks, especially with the white pieces. He is particularly well prepared in the modern sharp lines of the Sicilian Defence that are so popular in elite grandmaster circles. Nevertheless, as this week's attractive game shows, Topalov is equally well versed in breaking down the solid barrier erected by the Caro-Kann.
Topalov—Timman: Amsterdam, Apri11996. 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 The Advance Variation against the Caro-Kann was popularised briefly by Nimzowitsch in the 1920s and by Mikhail Tal in his 1961 world championship match against Botvinnik. Neither practitioner had much luck with this variation, and it was not until Nigel Short found new ways for White to handle the position that 3 e5 was finally honed into a dan- gerous weapon. 3 ... Bf5 Black takes the oppor- tunity granted by White's third move to develop his bishop onto a seemingly favourable diagonal. 4 Nf3 It was Nigel Short's insight that the devel- opment of Black's queen's bishop did not have to be immediately challenged by means of Bd3. Nimzowitsch tried this against Capablanca at New York in 1927, but it turned out that the exchange of bishops did more to drain the white position of its potential than to impede Black's prospects. Tal, on the other hand, went berserk with moves such as h4 and c4, prematurely com- mitting White to a strategy of out-and-out aggression. In this game Topalov profits from the Nigel Short approach, both avoiding exchanges and premature aggression and build- ing up for a later onslaught when White's forces
are more efficiently mobilised. 4 ...e6 5 Be2 Nd7 6 0-0 h6 Black wants to develop his king's knight to e7 without allowing White to play Nh4 and trade off the black queen's bishop. 6 ... h6 grants Black a haven on h7 for that piece. 7 b3 At first sight White has the modest plan in view of devel- oping his own queen's bishop in fianchetto, or flank mobilisation, on b2. As we shall soon see, however, the point behind this wing pawn move is considerably more profound and is, in fact, aimed at future domination of the centre. 7 ...Ne7 8 c4 Ng6 The fact that White has pre- pared c4 by means of b3 means that Black can hardly exchange in the centre. At any stage dxc4 met by bxc4 would cede White a power- ful central majority of pawns. 9 Na3 Nf4 A sur- prising move but one based on the tactical obser- vation that White's knight on a3 is prone to attack. 10 Bxf4 Bxa3 With the threat of ...Bb2 winning material. 11 Bd3 Bg4 This cedes White a dangerous attacking diagonal for his bishop. Black would have been better advised to play 11 Bxd3 12 Qxd3 Be7, to avoid having his bishop on a3 cut off. Black's position would remain pas- sive but solid. The game now enters a phase of more rapid warfare. 12 Rbl Be7 13 h3 Bh5 14
Position after 16 . . . cxd5 Qe2 0-0 15 Qe3 a5 Black remains naively oblivi- ous to White's coming sacrificial intentions. True 15 ... 13xf3 16 Qxf3 (not 16 gxf3 Bg5! blocking White's attack) leaves White with all the play but the pre-emptive 15 ...Bg6 16 Bxg6 fxg6, although it weakens Black's pawn struc- ture, would take much of the immediate steam out of White's attack. 16 cxd5 cxd5 (Diagram) Now Topalov is quick to strike. 17 Bxh6 Bxf3 Timman had clearly been relying on this move, but it turns out to be inadequate. If instead 17 gxh6 18 Qxh6 Bg6 19 Bxg6 fxg6 20 Qxg6+ Kh8 21 Qh6+ Kg8 22 Qxe6+ followed by Qxd5 with five piwns and an attack for the piece. 18 gxf3 Bh4 19 Khl Preparing to mass more reserves on the 'g' file. 19 ...f5 20 Rgl Rf7 (Diagram) 21 Bxg7 Without this further sacrifice Position after 20 . . . Rf7
Black might still survive since White's extra pawn is doubled and isolated and Black was threatening to drive White back by means of ... KV. 21 ... Rxg7 22 Qh6 Bg5 23 Qxe6+ Kh8 24 QxfS Qe7 25 Qg4 NxeS Hoping to confuse matters before White carries out his threat of Qh5+ followed by doubling rooks on the 'g' file. 26 dxe5 Qxe5 27 Rbel Qf4 28 Qh5+ Kg8 29 Rxg5 This final sacrifice batters Black into sub- mission. If now 29 ... Qxg5 30 Re8+ Rxe8 31 Qxe8 mate. 29 ... Rxg5 30 Qh7+ Kf8 31 Qh6+ Kf7 31 ...Kg8 32 Bh7+ would transpose to the game for Black at best. 32 Bg6+ Black resigns 32 ...Kf6 33 Bh5+ Kf5 34 Qe6 mate or 32 ...Kg8 33 Qh7+ Kf8 34 Qh8 mate.
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