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 Nb8 <Mamedyarov plays the Breyer variation for the very first time! He usually plays Chigorin's 9...Na5.> 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 <Earlier in his career, Topalov played 14 d5 >13...Bf8 14.Bd3 c6 15.Rb1< This seems to be a new move. One would think that 15 Rb1 was to prepare 16 b4 - but alas no, the b pawn never moves during the whole game. 15 Rb1 allow axb5 and then attack the b5 pawn with c4.> 15...Qc7 16.Qc2 g6 17.axb5 axb5 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Nb3 Reb8 20.c4 bxc4 21.Bxc4< With the strong threat of 22 Ng5> 21...Ba6 22.Nbd2 Nc5 23.Bxa6 Rxa6 24.Nc4 Nfd7 25.Rd1 Ne6 26.Be3 Raa8 27.Qd2 Rd8 28.Qc3 c5< Mamedyarov prefers to play acively at the cost of a pawn which will be 'doubled.'28...f6 seems too passive for Mamedyarov's taste.> 29.Nfxe5 Bg7 30.f4 g5 31.g3 gxf4 32.gxf4 Nxe5 33.Nxe5 Bxe5 34.fxe5 <Topalov bases his game strategy on controlling the 'd' file and the all important d5 square.> 34...Kh8 35.Bf2 <With idea's of 36 Bh4 - Bf6> 35...Qe7 36.Qf3 Rg8+ 37.Kh1 Rg6 38.Rd5 Rag8 39.Rg1 Rxg1+ 40.Bxg1 Rg6 41.Kh2 Kg7 42.Be3 c4 43.Rd6 Qc7 44.h4 <Threatening the obvious 45 h5 winning the rook.> 44...Qa5?! <This counterattacking Queen excursion from a5 to e1 doesn't seem to have enough time, unless black plays accurately in a complex position - which he doesn't.> 45.Rd5 Qe1 46.Kh3 Kf8?? <The wrong square. Black had to save a tempo and keep away from whites Rd7 mate in 1 threat. [46...Kh8 47.Rd7 c3 48.bxc3 Qxc3 49.Rxf7 Qxe5 and black has lots of fight left.]> 47.Rd7 Rg3+ 48.Qxg3 Qh1+ 49.Kg4 Qxe4+ 50.Kh5 1-0

Another game for the archives, showing how controlling a central open file can give you a big advantage (Botvinnik would be proud). Topalov’s Rook on the ‘d’ file was always active and delivered the final mating threat which won the game.

Because black had to take an excursion around the wings with his queen 44…Qa5 - …45Qe1 to enter whites position, White always had an important initiative and tempi to win the game.

Shame about the 46…Kf8?? As a more interesting game would obviously ensue after 46…Kh8

Great game with inventive play from both players.

When he is not facing a 1 e4 drawmaster like Kramnik.