[Event "Norway Chess 2nd"] [Site "Stavanger"] [Date "2014.06.08"] [Round "5"] [White "Giri, Anish"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B67"] [WhiteElo "2752"] [BlackElo "2772"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "2014.06.03"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "21"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2014.07.16"] {Anish Giri is one of the best ever players from the fine tradition of Dutch Chess. Max Euwe and Jan Timman are other notable players but Anish is up with the best. Veselin Topalov has challenged for the World Championship and has been a top player for many years. Here in a Norwegian Tournament held in 2014 Giri does not do particularly well but in this game he manages to play great, showing how White should handle the Sicilian Defence. The finish is particularly nice.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7 9. f4 b5 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Kb1 b4 12. Nce2 Qb6 13. Qe1 {this is a rare move in a quite common position the three more usual moves are given below.} (13. f5) (13. Nxc6) (13. g3) 13... Rc8 14. h4 Na5 15. Nc1 Nc4 16. Rh3 a5 17. Bxc4 Rxc4 18. Rhd3 h5 19. g3 Be7 20. Qe2 Bc8 21. R3d2 { pre-empting Blacks next move which would otherwise cause a nasty pin on the Rook along the a6 to f1 diagonal because the Queen is on that diagonal. Luckily for Anish he has plenty of time to excergate the situation.} Ba6 22. Qf3 a4 23. Nce2 Bb7 24. Qd3 Rc5 25. c4 Kf8 26. b3 Rg8 27. bxa4 Qa6 28. Nb5 Kg7 29. Ned4 Qxa4 {the d6 pawn is a weakness which causes the reply e5 to f5 to be no good, the attack on d6 is a common ploy by White in the siciliaan as is the f5 push, although the computer thinks the position is even here I think Anish is on the verge of being positionally won because the Knights in such a closed situation (ie lots of pawns in the centre) are far superior to Veselins rather pedestrian Bishops.} 30. f5 $2 {The e5 push doesnt work but the d5 push certainly does in this particular situation.} Re5 31. Re1 Kh8 $4 (31... d5 $3 32. fxe6 dxc4 33. Qxc4 Rc8 34. Qb3 Qxb3+ 35. axb3 fxe6 $19) 32. Nf3 $16 exf5 $4 $18 33. Nxe5 fxe5 34. Nxd6 b3 $6 (34... Bxe4 $18 35. Nxe4 fxe4 36. Rxe4 $18 { with small drawing chances.}) 35. Nxb7 $2 (35. axb3 {avoids complications with 35...bxa2+.} Qa6 36. exf5 $18) 35... bxa2+ $1 36. Ka1 $3 (36. Rxa2 $4 {This is a bad mistake.} Qb4+ 37. Rb2 Qxe1+ 38. Kc2 Rxg3 39. Qd2 Qxe4+ 40. Kc1 Rg1+ 41. Qd1 Qxc4+ 42. Rc2 Ba3+ 43. Kd2 Qd4+ 44. Ke2 Qxd1+ $19) 36... Qb4 37. Qe3 f4 38. gxf4 Bxh4 39. Rh1 Qxb7 40. fxe5 Rg4 $2 {missing Whites strong attack.} (40... Kh7) 41. Qh6+ $3 Kg8 42. Qxh5 (42. Rd8+ Bxd8 43. Qxh5 Rh4 $3 44. Rxh4 $2 Qb1#) 42... Qxe4 43. Rd8+ $3 {A wonderfull finish, if 43...Bxd8 44.Qh8# of course while a king hunt ends in mate after 43...kg7 44.Qh8+ Kg6 45.Rd6+ Kf5 46.Rf6+ (if reply 46...Bxf6 then 47.Qxf6# is final word) 46...Kxe5 47.Rxf7+ Ke6 48. Qe8+ Kd6 49.Rd7+ Kc5 50.Qc8+Kb4 51.Qb8+ Kc3 52.Qb2+ Kxc4 53.Rc1+ Qc2 (desperation) 54.Rxc2#. Although Veselin would'nt have seen the mate in 11 moves, very probably, he did feel it was likely enough to call it a day.} 1-0