Veselin Topalov
Notable Games

Veselin Topalov

15 celebrated games · 914 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 914 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1994.12.06 Topalov, Veselin vsKasparov, Garry 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Delayed Keres Attack 29 moves Olympiad-31 Moscow Olympiad 1994: nineteen-year-old Topalov's breakout scalp of reigning World Champion Kasparov, a Sicilian Keres Attack that erupts with 18.e5 and hunts the king down to 29.Nc6+.
  • 1996.03.22 Topalov, Veselin vsKasparov, Garry 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Lipnitsky Attack 66 moves Amsterdam Euwe Memorial Amsterdam Euwe Memorial 1996: a razor-sharp Najdorf in which Topalov's piece sacrifice (17.Nd8!) breaks through against Kasparov — long listed among his finest games.
  • 2004.06.29 Kharlov, Andrei vsTopalov, Veselin 0-1 Bishop's Opening: Paulsen Defense 53 moves FIDE-Wch k.o. FIDE World Championship knockout, Tripoli 2004: a model Topalov exchange sacrifice with Black — 29...Rxe4 returns the material for a rolling e-d-c pawn phalanx and a mating attack.
  • 2005.01.19 Kramnik, Vladimir vsTopalov, Veselin 0-1 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, English Attack, with f3 20 moves Corus Corus (Wijk aan Zee) 2005: a twenty-move demolition of Kramnik with Black in a sharp Sicilian English Attack, striking with 14...Nxf3 and 15...Nxe4.
  • 2005.05.18 Topalov, Veselin vsAnand, Viswanathan 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line 52 moves Sofia MTel Masters 1st The opening round of the inaugural M-Tel Masters, Sofia 2005: Topalov sacrifices a knight with 14.Nxf7! against Anand's Queen's Indian and drives the king into a decisive attack.
  • 2005.05.21 Topalov, Veselin vsPonomariov, Ruslan 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line 30 moves Sofia MTel Masters 1st Topalov's celebrated M-Tel Masters brilliancy over former FIDE champion Ponomariov: the knight sacrifice 18.Ng5 and a follow-up rook offer tear open the king and force mate in 30.
  • 2005.10.04 Polgar, Judit vsTopalov, Veselin 0-1 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation, Berlin Wall Defense 64 moves FIDE-Wch San Luis World Championship 2005: a patient Berlin-endgame win with Black over Judit Polgár, part of Topalov's record 6½/7 start on the way to the FIDE world title.
  • 2006.01.25 Topalov, Veselin vsAronian, Levon 1-0 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line 44 moves Corus Corus 2006, often called Topalov's masterpiece: he offers two exchanges (18.Rxe4, 36.Rxe4) and his bishop pair and passed pawns overpower Aronian's two rooks.
  • 2006.01.17 Van Wely, Loek vsTopalov, Veselin 0-1 Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation 43 moves Corus Corus 2006: trademark Topalov — a whole exchange down after Van Wely's 11.Nxb5/12.Rxa8, Black's pieces take over the board and mate with 43...Qf1#.
  • 2006.05.15 Topalov, Veselin vsKamsky, Gata 1-0 Slav Defense: Chebanenko Variation, Advance System 42 moves Sofia MTel Masters 2nd M-Tel Masters 2006: an exchange sacrifice against Kamsky — 26.e6 and 27.Rxe6! shatter the defences and force resignation at 42.Rxe7+.
  • 2007.01.24 Topalov, Veselin vsCarlsen, Magnus 1-0 Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense 26 moves Corus Corus 2007: Topalov gives up the exchange early against sixteen-year-old Magnus Carlsen, then his two minor pieces outgun the rook with flawless technique; the future World Champion resigns on move 26.
  • 2008.01.22 Topalov, Veselin vsKramnik, Vladimir 1-0 Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit 45 moves Corus Corus 2008, their first classical game after the 2006 title match: the wild Anti-Moscow Gambit, Topalov crashing through with 12.Nxf7! and 18.Qg6! amid enormous complications.
  • 2008.12.15 Topalov, Veselin vsSvidler, Peter 1-0 Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation 29 moves Nanjing Pearl Spring 1st Nanjing 2008: a textbook Topalov exchange sacrifice against Svidler in the Grünfeld — 19.Rb5 trades the exchange for a passed pawn and a target on c5, converted in 29 moves.
  • 2010.04.24 Topalov, Veselin vsAnand, Viswanathan 1-0 Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation 30 moves World-ch Anand-Topalov +3-2=7 Game 1 of the 2010 World Championship match: Topalov shreds Anand's Grünfeld with a direct kingside assault (24.Nxf6!, 26.Rh6+), a thirty-move win over the reigning champion.
  • 2005.03.10 Topalov, Veselin vsKasparov, Garry 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 30 moves Linares 22nd Linares 2005 — a 30-move win with White against Garry Kasparov. Selected in Garry Kasparov on Garry Kasparov, Part III, game 100 (PDF page 456).
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