From then on, Topalov kept an ever-increasing advantage.

There are 3 reasons not to:
1) He plays this variation himself, so he could show a possible defense against his own lines. 2) He has a huge amount of knowledge for the black pieces in the dxc4 slav defense. 3) This defense can go anywhere, losing or winning, totally not his style.

May be he wanted to win with black for a change and thought this variation played by Topalov would be a nice possibility, since he knows all the ins and outs.

According to Topalov at the press conference, that's the line he didn't like so much when he rejected 27.h3 (he mentions Bg3 being temporarily out of the game here). Regarding alternatives to 29...Re8? he mentions the pretty line 29...Rc8(?) 30.dxe6! Rxc6 31.exd7 Qxd7 32.e6+, and only briefly the option of 29...Qe2 (with the threat of Qxf1+ followed by b2) 30.Rc3. He seems pretty certain that White is winning without too much trouble here as well, but is White's advantage really so clear after 30...b2 31.Rb3+ Kc7?

Whatever the controversy’s, all you can do is admire this chess masterpiece from Veseiln Topalov. A novelty knight sacrifice, a queen sacrifice, this game had it all. Many people have said it, but we probably all ready have the game of the year. Topalov’s been on the losing side of a few, so I suppose he deserves to claim a brilliancy for himself.

I suppose the only way Kramnik can think about it is by telling himself ‘it’s just one of those things that will happen.’ He got hit by a special move and wasn’t prepared with any analysis to navigate himself through the massive complications.

I can’t believe it. Just when the tournament is reaching its peak of excitement, I have to go away next weekend and I will miss the last 3 rounds. I am not a happy bunny. I wont even have computer access to join in the banter with you guys. Well whatever, at least I witnessed one of the most amazing chess games that have ever been played at the highest level. Truly sensational!!

Blimey, chess is cruel. It’s as though Kramnik was a sitting duck ready in waiting to be thrown into a trap where he can’t easily escape.

A classic if there ever was one!!!!

Well he never foresaw the sacrifice. No one knew about it except Topalov.

The Anti-Moscow variation had been under pressure lately from the Kramnik and Radjabov victories. For Kramnik to venture into it, he must have had his own defence to known lines lost by black recently.

Ironically, he wanted to use this occassion to showcase that defence lol.

All the top GMs have nasty novelties up their sleeves. As a GM, just pray u don't run into one like this or the "child abuse" that Kramnik unleashed on Carlsen in Amber last year.

I guess we're missing something - but I totally agree. 'Ugly' is one thing, 'anti-positional' another. I think we just have to wait until the Slav madness passes - hopefully soon but not likely. Kramnik is the leading exponent of the style-of-the-day, Safety-First. It's the Topalovs who are keeping classical chess alive for us.

And there's also P H Nielsen vs Kiril Georgiev, 2000.>

Kramnik himself played one of those Nxf7 sacrifices, although unfortunately he lost from a promising position: