Veselin Topalov vs Stefan Simeonov (1989)

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Veselin Topalov vs Stefan Simeonov
Bulgarian Championship (1989), Sofia BUL, rd 6, Jun-??
Benoni Defense: Knight's Tour Variation (A61) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Jun-15-23		Brenin: Another fairly easy POTD: 39 Rxg6 Kxg6 40 g4 regains the R, and after 40 ... Rb5 41 gxf5+ Rxf5 42 Bxb4 White has a great position, with the e-pawn ready to march forward.

Jun-15-23		King.Arthur.Brazil: The proposed line is: 39. Rxg6 Kxg6 40. g4 (now, b3? and similars, 41. Qxf5#, or 40... h5 41. Qxf5+ Kh6 42. Qxh5#). Let's consider a) 40... Bf6 41. Qxf5+ Kg7 42. g5 hxg5 43. fxg5 b3 44. gxf6+ Qxf6 45. Qxf6+ Kxf6 46. Re1 b2... it doesn't seem good for White. However, I saw an incredible way: 44. Bb4 Rxb4 45. Rc7 Qxc7 46. gxf6+ Kg8 47. Qg6+ Kh8 48. Qh6+ Qh7 49. Qf8+ Qg8 50. e7 Rb8 51. Qxg8+ Rxg8 52. f7 b2 53. fxg8=Q+ Kxg8 54. e8=Q+ Kg7 55. Qb5... I guess <Brenin> must find something wrong in such long road. Of course, if 47... Kf8 48. e7+ Qxe7 49. fxe7+ Kxe7 50. Qc6, when White will capture the ♖ next.(For example: 50... Kf7 51. Qd7+ Kg8 52. Qe8+ Kg7 53. Qe7+). In the case of 44. Bb4 Qxb4 45. gxf6+ (Kf8 46. Rc8# or Kh8 46. Rc8+ Qf8 47. Rxf8#) Kg8 46. Rc8+ Qf8 47. Qg6+ Kh8 48. Rxf8#. b) 40... Bf8 41. gxf5+ (Now, 41... Kh7? 42. f6+ wins the enemy's ♕, I love it guys!) or 41... Kh5? 42. Qf3+ Kh4 43. Be1#. Then, 41... Kg7 (is forced) . 42. Qg2+ Kh7 43. Qg6+ Kh8 44. Rc8 and I believe that Black is in zugswang. (44... Qxe6 or Qh7 46. Rxf8+ and mate next) 44... Qd6 46. Qxh6+ Rh7 47. Rxf8+ Qxf8 48. Qxf8#. Even, in the last sequence, 46... Kg8 47. e7 Rxe7 48. f7+ (Rxf7 49. Qxd6) Kxf7 49. Qxd6 Re1+ 50. Kxe1 Bxd6 51. Bc1 c) The possibiity of 41. gxf5+ in line a) doesn't work well (although Kh5 42. Qf3+ Kh4 43. Be1# or Kg7? 42. Qg2+ (Kh7 43. Qg6+ Kh8 44. Rc8+... or Kh8 43. Rc8+... ) since 41... Kh7 42. Qg2 is defended with 42... Qg7 and White has not the opportunities shown before. For example: 43. Bxb4 Rxb4 44. Rc7 Qxc7 45. Qg6+ Kh8 46. Qxf6+ Qg7 47. Qd8+ Kh7 48. e7 Rb1+ 49. Ke2 Qg2+ 50. Kd3 Rd1+ 51. Kc4 Qc6+ 52. Kb4 Rb1+ 53. Ka3 Qa6+ Black wins. Maybe, the White had found other resources better than mine.

Jun-15-23		raymondhow: After the first three moves, I went for 42.Rc7 which appears more devastating than the game line.

Jun-15-23		Brenin: Black has the retreat 40 ... Kh7, but after 41 Qxf5+ Kg8 (or Kh8) 42 Rc8+ Bf8 43 Be1 and 44 Bh4 his position is hopeless.

Jun-15-23		An Englishman: Good Evening: Looks like Topalov was about 14 years old at the time. Yikes.

Jun-15-23		takebackok: Missed both 42 Bxb4 and the great finish threat of R-f8+! if 46...Kf7

Jun-15-23		King.Arthur.Brazil: If Black does not to capture: 39. Rxg6 Rbb5 40. Bxb4 (40... Rxb4 41. Qxf5 threat 42. Rf6+ and 43. Rf7 or Rc8+ next, which it is deadly). 40... Qxb4 41. e7 Rbe5 42. e8=Q Rxe4 43. Qxe4 Kxg6 44. g4 winning. <Raymondhow> I agree with you. After the obvious 42. Rc7 Qxc7 43. e7 Qc4+ 44. Ke1 and Black has no way to stop 45. e8=Q. Also 42... Qf8 43. e7 Qe8 44. Rc5 and Black cannot defend the multiple attacks. While for 42... Qe8 43. Rxg7+ Kxg7 44. Qxf5 White will have an extra ♗.

Jun-15-23		mel gibson: I saw that straight away but I couldn't see how it would lead to an easy win. Stockfish 15 says: 39. Rxg6 (39. Rxg6 (Rg3xg6 Kh7xg6 g2-g4 Kg6-h7 Qe4xf5+ Kh7-g8 Rc1-c8+ Bg7-f8 Bd2-e1 Rb7-a7 Qf5-g6+ Qe7-g7 Qg6xg7+ Kg8xg7 Be1-f2 Ra7-a1+ Kf1-e2 Ra1-a2+ Ke2-f3 Ra2-d2 Rc8-d8 Bf8-c5 Rd8-d5 Bc5-e7 Bf2xd4+ Kg7-g8 Rd5-d7 Be7-h4 Kf3-e4 b4-b3 Rd7-b7 Kg8-f8 Bd4-c5+ Kf8-e8 Rb7xb3 Rd2-d8 Rb3-b7 Rd8-c8 Bc5-d6 Rc8-d8 Ke4-e5 Bh4-e1 Rb7-e7+ Ke8-f8 Re7-d7+ Kf8-e8 Rd7xd8+ Ke8xd8 Ke5-e4) +11.74/38 407) score for White +11.74 depth 38.

Jun-15-23		nalinw: <King.Arthur.Brazil> and <Raymondhow> - the engine gives 42. Rc7 +11 compared to +7 for 42. Bxb4 - but likes 42. Rc6 even better - +67! The follow up from move 42 make it a Thursday puzzle ....

Jun-15-23		King.Arthur.Brazil: Black could try 30...Bf8 when 31. Kf1 Rc5 32. Qxb4 Rxc1+ 33. Bxc1 Qxb4 and win. Other way: 30...Bf8 31. Kh1 Rc5 32. Qf1 Rxc1 33. Qxc1 Rc7 34. Qb1 Rc4... Maybe, Black could keep his position and reach a tied game, even with weak advanced ♙ (they are blocked). <nalinw> You see how hard is to play against computer. I understand that in such case, Black will have a zugzwang. For example: 42. Rc6 Bf8 43. Bxb4 Qe8 (Qxb4 44. e7+ Kg7 45. e8=Q) 44. e7+ Kg7 45. Qxf5 Bxe7 46. Re6... For the answer 42. Rc6 Bf6, although now e7 is not a discovered check anymore, while 43. Bxb4 Qxb4 44. e7 Qxe7... but, computers attack slowly, so the answer is 43. Rb6 with both threats: 44. Bxb4 and 44. Rb7, which are decisive.

Jun-15-23		jrredfield: 39 Rxg6 was pretty obvious, but 39 ... Kxg6 is not necessarily Black's best response. With White threatening Qxf5, I see 39 ... Rbb5 as maybe a necessary defensive move. Either way, Black is done in short order. 39 Rxg6 Rbb5 40 g4 Rbe5 41 Qd3 Kxg6 42 Kg1 Kf6 43 fxe5+ Rxe5 44 Rf1+ Kxe6 45 Qc4+ Kd7 46 Rf7 Bf8 47 Bxb4 Qxf7 48 Qxf7+ or if Black's 39th text move is followed: 39 Rxg6 Kxg6 40 g4 Kh7 41 Qxf5+ Kg8 42 Rc8+ Bf8 43 Qg6+ Qg7 44 e7 Rxe7 45 Qxg7+ Rxg7 46 Bxb4 Kf7 47 Rxf8+.

Jun-15-23		Cecco: I can't claim to have solved this puzzle because I didn't even looked at the case where the black king doesn't take the rook, which seems more complicated than accepting the sacrifice. <jrredfield> shows how white wins, while what <King.Arthur.Brazil> proposed after 39. ... Rbb5 (40. Bxb4 Qxb4 41. e7) doesn't seem to work because of 41. ... Qd2 42. Rgc6 Re5 43. e8=Q Qxf4+ and black wins.

Jun-15-23		agb2002: The queen x-rays the black king. This suggests 39.Rxg6: A) 39... Kxg6 40.g4 A.1) 40... Kh7 41.Qxf5+ Kg8 42.Rc8+ Bf8 43.Be1 (43.Bxb4 Qxb4 44.Qg6+ Rg7 and Black seems to hold) looks very good for White. For example, 43... b3 44.Bh4 b2 45.Bxe7 b1=Q+ 46.Qxb1 Rxb1+ 47.Kf2 and White wins the bishop. A.2) 40... Rbb5 41.gxf5+ Rxf5 (41... Kf6 42.Qxd4+ Kxf5 43.Qd3+ wins the rook; 41... Kh7 42.f6+ wins the queen; 41... Kh5 42.Qf3+ Kh4 43.Be1# wins the king) 42.Rc6 (threatens 43.Bxb4 Qxb4 44.e7+) A.2.a) 42... Bf6 43.Bxb4 Qe8 (43... Qxb4 44.e7 and promotion follows) 44.Rc5 wins decisive material. A.2.b) 42... b3 43.Bb4 Qe8 44.e7+ Bf6 45.Rc5 as above. B) 39... Rf8 40.Rf6+ Kg8 41.Rxf8+ Bxf8 (41... Kxf8 42.Rc8+ wins; 41... Qxf8 42.Qxb7 wins) 42.f5 must be winning. C) 39... Rbb5 40.g4 looks similar to A.2.

Jun-15-23		TheaN: Sometimes less is more, White gains a pawn, initiative and time control after <39.Rxg6 Kxg6 40.g4 +->: the rook will eventually be recaptured and whilst the line is completely winning, spotting this start is frankly enough.

Jun-15-23		Mayankk: 39 Rxg6 Kxg6 40 g4 was the first thing I considered as well. After that I thought the game may continue as 40 ... Kh7 41 gxf5 Kg8 (to safeguard against discovered checks) 42 Rc8+ Bf8 43 Qxd4 etc. White is already ahead by two pawns and has strong connected pawns on e and f files. Difficult to see how Black can survive this. Other possible line I considered was 40 ... Qf6 after which 41 Rc5 seems the best response. For some reason I didn't analyse 40 ... Rb5.

Jun-15-23		Refused: 39.Rxg6 Kxg6 40.g4 has to +-. It's hard to see how black wants to hold back the e-pawn in the long run. Topalov probably calculated and worked out all the lines before playing it. I would simply play it with the reasoning above.

Jun-15-23		chrisowen: Knight jar cuff its v a pod its wobble q its hem its suy its Rxg6 abrush its latch its ghoul its a cog mug bud x off Rxg6 eel?

Jun-15-23		King.Arthur.Brazil: <Cecco> The answer for 41... Qd2 must be 42. Re1 One possibility could be: 42... Qxf4+ 43. Qxf4 Rxf4+ 44. Kg1 Rb8 45. Rd6 or 42... Rbe5 43. e8=Q Qxf4+ 44. Qxf4 Rxf4+ 45. Kg1 Rxe8 46. Rxg7+ Kxg7 47. Rxe8... Nevertheless, I was too optimistic, overestimating the move e7, which means isn't necessary to sacrifice the ♗ in b4. Maybe, would be preferable to remain with the basic plan: 40. g4 when Rbe5 41. Qxf5 Rxf5 42. gxf5... with 2♖+1♙ by ♕. For 42... Qf8, 43. Rc7 is enough; while 42... Qd6 43. Rd1. Diagram: click for larger view Other wise, 40... Rf8 or Rfd5 41. Rg5+ and Rxc5 next, get an extra ♖.

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