ODT090310

=**Topalov gains another world title shot**=




 * Problem:** Black to play and mate in 3.

Bulgaria's Veselin Topalov made the most of his home advantage to defeat Gata Kamsky of the USA in the recent Candidates match in Sofia. As the winner by 4½ to 2½ in the best-of-eight match, Topalov earns the right to challenge world champion Vishwanathan Anand for his title later in the year.

Currently the highest ranked player in the world, Topalov was the FIDE title-holder until he lost his crown in the reunification match with Vladimir Kramnik in 2006. A consequence of that match was that he lost his right to participate in the next qualifying cycle that lead to Anand's successful challenge of Kramnik last year. But the mercurial president of FIDE, Kirsan Illyumzhinov, subsequently altered the rules to require Kamsky to play Topalov to determine the next challenger. Kamsky can feel somewhat aggrieved - as the winner of last year's World Cup (in which Topalov did not compete) he was supposed to have already qualified as the next challenger.

Today's game is the second game of the match, in which Topalov plays a risky opening as Black and brings off a win to take the lead. The notes are based on those of IM Malcolm Pein. media type="custom" key="26447026" The line starting with 4 ... Nxe4 was revived by Kramnik for his successful World Championship challenge of Kasparov and is designed to reduce the danger to Black. Topalov's choice gives White far more scope, but Kamsky avoids the sharpest response (5 c3) in an attempt to skirt his opponent's preparation. Black's last move showed confidence his position's defensive potential with the king and queen exposed on the e-file. White tries to take advantage. 10 Be3 Ne6 11 Nd5 Qd8 12 f4 was another possibilty. Regaining the pawn with 15 Bxg6 hxg6 16 Qxg6 leads to a level position, but in trying for more White overlooks Black's defensive resources. Threatening to win the queen (18 Bxe6+). A brilliant idea though even stronger is the complex forcing sequence 17 ... Nexf4! 18 Rxf4 dxc3 19 Bxc3 Bxf5 20 Rxf5 Qc4 and Black is just a pawn up. Hardly better is 20 Qxg6 Nf8 21 Qg3 Qxa2 but the doubled pawns are not as weak as they look. Accepting the piece with 22 Nxc8 Raxc8 23 Rxe6 Rxc2 24 Bb4 Rxb2 25 a3 looks grim as Black has sufficient compensation but White is not necessarily losing. Instead the text leaves Black with an extra passed d-pawn and a clear advantage. Winning a piece since if the knight moves then 33 ... Rxf2 34 Kxf2 35 Rc2+ forks the bishop.
 * 1. e4 e5**
 * 2. Nf3 Nc6**
 * 3. Bb5 Nf6**
 * 4. O-O Bc5!?**
 * 5. Nxe5 Nxe4**
 * 6. Qe2 Nxe5**
 * 7. d4 Qe7**
 * 8. dxc5 Nxc5**
 * 9. Nc3 Ng6**
 * 10. Qh5!? ---**
 * 10. --- c6**
 * 11. Bg5 f6**
 * 12. Rae1 Ne6**
 * 13. Bd3 O-O**
 * 14. Bd2 d5**
 * 15. f4?! ---**
 * 15. --- Qc5+**
 * 16. Kh1 d4**
 * 17. Bf5!? ---**
 * 17. --- Rf7!**
 * 18. Ne4 Qd5**
 * 19. Bxg6 hxg6**
 * 20. Qxd5 ---**
 * 20. --- cxd5**
 * 21. Nd6 Rc7**
 * 22. c4? ---**
 * 22. --- dxc3**
 * 23. Bxc3 d4**
 * 24. Bb4 Bd7**
 * 25. Rf2 a5**
 * 26. Ba3 b5**
 * 27. b3 b4**
 * 28. Bb2 Ra6**
 * 29. Ne4 Rac6**
 * 30. Kg1 Rc2**
 * 31. g3 d3**
 * 32. Rd1 f5!**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1 ... Rd2+! 2 Nxd2 Nd4+ 3 Ke1 Nc2#.