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Rustam Kasimdzhanov vs Veselin Topalov
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2004) (rapid), Tripoli LIB, rd 6, Jul-05
Sicilian Defense: French Variation. Westerinen Attack (B40)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
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d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Given 17 times; par: 56 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-05-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  jaime gallegos: what a smart guy this Kasimdzhanov is ! first he use an uncommon opening (that he knows a lot obviously )to pressure Topalovand and win without move his a-rook !
Jul-05-04  maoam: I'm not sure where Topalov went wrong, but he's definitely lost after 20...f5. But even if, for example, 20...Qc6 then 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rxh7! and 22...Ne3+ loses to 23.Bxe3 Kxh7 24.Nd5 etc.
Aug-09-04  JohnBoy: maoam - when you say "etc.", this is not so clear to me. Black looks like he holds after 24...Qf2. I don't see a clear win for white, although I am certain that he is much better here. Can anyone see a forced sequence, with all of the threats of e6, B, R and Q sacs, through to a win?

I tried instead 20...Qc6 21 hg fg 22 Nd5 Qd5 and both the B sac on g6 and the R sac on h7 seem to fail to ...Qg2!

Aug-09-04  maoam: <JohnBoy>

<Black looks like he holds after 24...Qf2>

Could you explain which variation you are referring to? Because 24...Qf2 is not a legal move in the line I gave (20...Qc6 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Rxh7! Ne3+ 23.Bxe3 Kxh7 24.Nd5).

<I tried instead 20...Qc6 21 hg fg 22 Nd5 Qd5 and both the B sac on g6 and the R sac on h7 seem to fail to ...Qg2!>

Hence 22.Rxh7 first, then 24.Nd5.

Aug-09-04  Shah Mat: it seems that developing an unorthodox opening is a strong strategy to take into a match. It encourages creativity over the board and tests both players much more than playing the same old Ruy Lopez draw after draw after draw. What chess needs is more innovators who aren't afraid to check uncharted waters.
Aug-10-04  JohnBoy: Sorry, maoam - a touch of dyslexia! Let's try again. I like your try after 20...Qc6, i.e. 21.hg fg 22.Rh7 Ne3+ 23.Be3 Kh7 24.Nd5, but now 24...Qc2 keeps an eye on the g pawn. White's best is probably 25.Ne7, but this is not exactly a forced win, is it?
Aug-10-04  maoam: <JohnBoy>

<Sorry, maoam - a touch of dyslexia!>

That's ok, I thought you might of meant 24...♕c2 :)

<White's best is probably 25.Ne7, but this is not exactly a forced win, is it?>

I agree that 25.♘e7 is best. I didn't see a forced win at the time of my original post, but I feel that Black's exposed king is too much of a liability. I've gone over this line again with the help of Crafty.

After 25.♘e7 Black should play 25...♔g7 (♖xf2+ doesn't look good) and then White has 26.♗d4 with the threat of e6+. For example, if 26...♕e4 (again, ♖xf2+ isn't very promising) then 27.e6+ ♔h6 28.♕h3+ ♔g5 leaves Black in a critical position.

Feb-06-07  Tomlinsky: A fabulous game. A cracking continuation was pointed out to Rustam by an amatuer that would have wrapped the game up earlier.

Having played 21.Bxf5 fighting for the initiative, expecting the response 21...Rxf5 with a win by force, Topolov counterpunched with 21...Nf4. This was a rapid game and Rustam played the seemingly only move, 22.Rg3, as the black bishop is about to hit king and rook on g2.


click for larger view

22.hxg6! Bxg2+ wins immediately by now sacrificing the queen 23.Qxg2 Nxg2 24.Nd5! and now the black queen and bishop are hanging with Rxh7 crushing.

Mar-28-11  jullios paras: Very nice game!!

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