Skype coaching session, 12 October 2014. 

The following game was examined, the game 41 moves) is given with annotations and then again without annotations. 

Paul Benson. 

* * * 

Annotated game. 

White: Topalov, 2785. 
Black: Kramnik, 2787. 
Event: FIDE Candidates Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 
Result: 1-0 in 41 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined, Harrwitz Attack, D37. 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nf3 d5 
4. Nc3 Be7 
5. Bf4 

| Some prefer this choice instead of, 5. Bg5, where after further development on both sides, black can try a material-reducing, Ne4, usually resulting in 2 pairs of minor pieces being removed before the middlegame gets going. In this, 5. Bf4, variation black can only remove 1 pair of minor pieces, usually initiated with, Nh5, a little later on. || 

5. ... O-O 
6. e3 Nbd7 
7. c5 

| Taking some queenside space, preventing black from making a central break with, pawn c5, and also avoiding a tempo loss. If white wants the f1 bishop on the b1-h7 diagonal, then an immediate, 7. Bd3 dxc4 8 Bxc4, followed by a subsequent, Bd3, means white has taken 3 moves to have the bishop on the d3 square. By pushing the c-pawn on, now a pawn trade on the c4 square is eliminated. || 

7. ... Nh5 

| The knight manoeuvres to eliminate the f4 bishop to relieve the pressure on the dark square h2-b8 diagonal. || 

8. Be5 

| Very unusual but not totally unknown. Most common here is, 8. Bd3, allowing the trade to occur on the f4 square. || 

8. ... c6 

| Instead, 8. ... Nxe5 9. Nxe5, exposing an attack to the black h5 knight, and after, 9. ... Nf6, black is rather passive. || 

9. Bd3 

| This position is known as far back as 1896 when Steinitz - Chigorin continued, 9. ... f6 10. Bg3 f5 11. Ng5 Ndf6 12. Be5 g6 13. h3 b6 14. g4 Ng7 15. Na4 Ne4 16. Nxe4 fxe4 17. Be2 Ne8 18. Qb3, 1-0 in 33 moves. A slightly more recent game, Topalov - Campora 2000 continued, 9. ... f5 10. b4 a6 11. h3 Nxe5 12. dxe5 f4 13. e4 a5 14. a3 g6 15. O-O b6 16. Na4 axb4 17. axb4 bxc5 18. Nxc5 Rxa1 19. Qxa1 Qb6 20. Qd4, 1-0 in 40 moves. || 

9. ... g6 

| This slightly weakens the dark squares around the black king, but on the positive side, it guards the h5 knight, offers a retreat square of g7, and rules out any tactics against the h7 pawn. || 

10. h4 

| A theoretical novelty, black has just been Fritzed. White now has the considerable advantage of knowing the dangers in the position for both sides, black must work out the correct way to handle the position at the board with the clock ticking. The psychological advantage is firmly with white. || 

10. ... f5 

| Perhaps not the best. This does has the merit of stopping any intended kingside assaults beginning with, pawn g4, but misses the opportunity of ridding himself of a potential dark square annoyance. Instead, 10. ... Nxe5 11. Nxe5 f6, gives black a good game. || 

11. Bh2 

| From this prepared retreat location this bishop will have considerable dark square control. Not a decisive advantage but more of a nagging nuisance which will not go away. || 

11. ... b6 

| Black must start challenging the white pawn chain, and the sooner the better. || 

12. b4 f4 

| Designed to block out the white h2 bishop. This works for a while, but from now on black has to calculate if white can attempt a snatch of this pawn. Instead, 12. ... a5, continuing with challenging the constricting white pawns should be given serious consideration. || 

13. O-O 

| This leaves the h4 pawn under-protected. Wether black can capture this will have been worked out by Fritz in advance, black must calculate in real time, not easy at all. || 

13. ... a5 

| This gives white an opportunity to produce an idea which puts black under pressure. The queenside is about to open up favourably for white and if black does not find the correct plan, then white will have a strong grip on the position. || 

14. b5 

| All the interesting ideas are with white now, black has many ways to go wrong, it is easy to find poor moves in a difficult position. Time will be consumed to sift through all the ideas, and there is no guarantee that equality is there to be found. || 

14. ... bxc5 

| If, 14. cxb5 15. c6 Nb8 17. Bxb5 Ba6 18. a4, and white has a strong grip on the light squares. || 

15. bxc6 

| This advanced pawn will disrupt whatever harmony existed in the black queenside. White needs to be certain the c6 pawn can not be surrounded and captured without compensation being gained elsewhere. If so, then black is now struggling. || 

15. ... Nb8 

| Black is now 2 development tempi down on the queenside, not a good sign. || 

16. Bb5 Ba6 

| Perhaps, 16. ... Na6 17. dxc5 fxe3 18. fxe3 Bxc5, would have given black something to play against. || 

17. a4 Qc8 

| Black places a double attack on the advanced c6 pawn, but in turn an defence has been lost elsewhere. Instead, 17. ... c4, trying to surround the white c6 pawn later might have been worth trying. White might respond with, 18. e4, placing pressure on the centre and restraining the black queen's attempt of activity. || 

18. dxc5 Nxc6 

| Instead, 18. ... Bxc5. postponing the capture on c6 for a move and threatening to win a pawn on the e3 square was also worth a try. Now white produces a surprise. || 

19. Nxd5 

| A neat tactic which places black in difficulties for the rest of the game. || 

19. ... exd5 

| Instead, 19. ... Rd8, pinning the knight does not help black as, 20. Nxe7+ Nxe7, is forced after which, 21. Qc2, and white is a good pawn up. || 

20. Qxd5+ Kh8 
21. Qxc6 

| White finds a means to trade down and still keep an extra pawn. Instead, 21. Bxc6 Bxf1 22. Bxa8 Qxa8 23. Qxa8 Rxa8 24. Kxf1 fxe3 25. fxe3 Bxc5, also leaves white a pawn up but in less favourable circumstances. || 

21. ... Qxc6 
22. Bxc6 Rac8 

| Black needs all rooks on the board for maximum activity. While the position is now lost, it will not win itself. The more material on the board the more difficulties black can set for white to overcome. || 

23. Bb5 Bxb5 

| Instead, 23. ... Bb7, white must lose a pawn and might try, 24. c6 Bxc6 25. Bxc6 Rxc6 26. exf4 Nxf4 27. Rfe1. The head to head pawns on the a-file are favourable to white, it is black who has a pawn on a dark square to be constantly defended once the white bishop becomes active. The bishop trade on the b5 square now exposes the black a5 pawn to attack. Black is going to be a pawn down in all variations, it is a question of sifting through them to find the one which sets the most problems to solve. || 

24. axb5 Bxc5 
25. Rxa5 fxe3 
26. fxe3 Bxe3+ 

| So white has a passed b-pawn. It is going to be difficult to blockade this pawn in the long run, so black must play actively in order to pounce on any mistakes by white. At this level of chess this is very unlikely, but at club level chess technique is not always demonstrated. || 

27. Kh1 Rc2 

| This rook will be difficult to dislodge from the 7th rank, but such a piece can not restrict the advance of the white b-pawn without assistance. || 

28. Rb1 

| Wether it is a friendly rook supporting or an opposing rook restraining a passed pawn, a rook works best by being behind that pawn. || 

28. ... Rfc8 

| If black can achieve a doubling of rooks on the white 2nd rank there will be counterplay. White must be aware of ideas of black giving up a piece to stop the passed b-pawn combined with elimination of all the white kingside pawns. Such a plan is difficult to force on white without compliance, but it is the only hope for black. || 

29. Raa1 

| Calmy defending. It is important to recognise when to press an attack and when it is advisable to take time to strengthen the defence before it is strictly necessary. The passed b-pawn can advance later once the defence is coordinating. || 

29. ... Bb6 

| A temporary blockade of the b-pawn. Even if black seriously attempted to construct a blockade of the b6 square it could not be permanent. || 

30. Be5+ 

| The piece which black has been trying to closedown has finally emerged. The black king will now feel some discomfort and the interesting duel of bishop against knight has been established. The white e5 bishop guards all the potential landing squares of the black h5 knight, and and the reverse applies to those squares available to the knight. However, the bishop is perfectly happy where it is, while the knight really needs to get across to the queenside, meaning if white desires to prevent that manoeuvre then the option to eliminate the knight is available. || 

30. ... Kg8 
31. Ra6 Be3 
32. b6 

| Threatening to march unchallenged to the b8 square. || 

32. ... Rc1+ 

| With the white bishop controlling the b8 square black has only one option, to trade rooks and place the remaining rook behind the passed b-pawn. This rook trade reduces the opportunities for any black kingside counterplay. || 

33. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 
34. Kh2 Rb1 

| It is tempting to assume all the white activity will be focused on promoting the passed b-pawn. However, remaining alert to possibilities across the entire board must be kept in mind at all times, irrespective of where a large advantage has been already achieved. || 

35. g4 

| Now that black has only one rook to attack with the white king can survive this sort of exposure. This surprise advance resolves the kingside and leaves white with a very strong position. Instead the holding, 35. Bc7, does not give anything away but now 2 white pieces are tied down to defending the temporarily immobile b-pawn. || 

35. ... Bf4+ 

| Almost forced. If, 35. ... Ng7 36. Ra8+ Kf7 37. Ra7+, white wins the black knight. Instead, 35. ... Nf4, allows white to win a further pawn with, 36. Ng5, threatening, Ra8+ mate, so the black king must move, 36. ... Kf8, after which, 37. Nxh7+ Ke7 38. Bxf4 Bxf4+ 39. Kg2, when white still has a few technical problems to solve, but an eventual knight and 2 pawns against bishop and 1 pawn on the kingside seems very favourable. || 

36. Kg2 

| White needs to consider where his king and knight will be after potential piece exchanges on the f4 square. If, 36. Bxf4 Nxf4 37. Ne5 Nd5, the white king is on h2. The game continuation gains 2 tempi for the white king, if they are there for the taking then take them. || 

36. ... Bxe5 
37. Nxe5 Nf4+ 

| Only 30 moves of sitting on the h5 square, the knight at last joins in the fun. || 

38. Kf3 Ne6 

| Trotting to the centre with, 38. ... Nd5 allows, 39. Ra8+ Kg7 40. Ra7+ Kf8 41. Nd7+ ke7 42. b7, the white knight supports the b-pawn promotion, but if, 42. Kxd7 43. b8=Q+, the discovered check is horrendous. Instead, 38. ... Nd5 39. Ra8+ Kg7 40. Ra7+ Kh6, is rather unfortunate as, 41. g5+ Kh5, black seems to be creating problems, but, 42. Rxh7+ mate is a problem solved. || 

39. b7 

| White has twin threats of, 40. Rxe6, and, 40. Ra8+ Kg7 41. b8=Q, both winning. || 

39. ... Rb3+ 

| All black has now are some spite checks, there is no possibility of a perpetual check or 3-fold repetition. || 

40. Kf2 Rb2+ 
41. Ke3 
Black resigns, 1-0 

| Black does not bother to try, 41. ... Rb3+ 42. Kd2 Rb2+ 43. Kc3, when the passive, 43. ... Rb1 44. Ra8+, promotes the b-pawn and costs black a rook. Instead after white, 43. Kc3, black could try, 43. ... Rb3+ 44. Kxb3, seems in the right spirit, 44. ... Nc5+ 45. Kc4 Nxa6 46. Kb5 Nb8, the black knight is trapped, 47. Kb6 Kf8 48. Ka7, white wins. || 

* * * 

## Unannotated game. 

White: Topalov, 2785. 
Black: Kramnik, 2787. 
Event: FIDE Candidates Khanty-Mansiysk 2014. 
Result: 1-0 in 41 moves. 
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined, Harrwitz Attack, D37. 

1. d4 Nf6 
2. c4 e6 
3. Nf3 d5 
4. Nc3 Be7 
5. Bf4 O-O 
6. e3 Nbd7 
7. c5 Nh5 
8. Be5 c6 
9. Bd3 g6 
10. h4 f5 
11. Bh2 b6 
12. b4 f4 
13. O-O a5 
14. b5 bxc5 
15. bxc6 Nb8 
16. Bb5 Ba6 
17. a4 Qc8 
18. dxc5 Nxc6 
19. Nxd5 exd5 
20. Qxd5+ Kh8 
21. Qxc6 Qxc6 
22. Bxc6 Rac8 
23. Bb5 Bxb5 
24. axb5 Bxc5 
25. Rxa5 fxe3 
26. fxe3 Bxe3+ 
27. Kh1 Rc2 
28. Rb1 Rfc8 
29. Raa1 Bb6 
30. Be5+ Kg8 
31. Ra6 Be3 
32. b6 Rc1+ 
33. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 
34. Kh2 Rb1 
35. g4 Bf4+ 
36. Kg2 Bxe5 
37. Nxe5 Nf4+ 
38. Kf3 Ne6 
39. b7 Rb3+ 
40. Kf2 Rb2+ 
41. Ke3 
Black resigns, 1-0 

* * * 
 __,_._,___