Topalov vs Anand Game 12

[AdminX]

[d]r1b2rk1/pp1nqpp1/2p1p2p/8/2BP4/2R1PN2/PP3PPP/3QK2R w K - 0 13

[AdminX]

[d]1rb2rk1/p2nqpp1/1p2p2p/2p5/3PB3/2R1PN2/PPQ2PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 16

[AdminX]

[d]1rb2rk1/p3qpp1/1p2p2p/2P5/4Q3/2R1PN2/PP3PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 18

[govert]

[d]1rb2rk1/p3qpp1/1p2p2p/2P5/4Q3/2R1PN2/PP3PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 18

Stockfish 1.7.1
23 plies /+0.36 18.... bxc5 19.b3 Bb7 20.Qf4 Rbd8 21.Rfc1 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Rd5 23.h3 f5 24.g3 Qd6 25.Qf4 Qb6 26.Kg2 Rfd8 27.e4 fxe4 28.Rc4 Rd2 29.Rxc5 Rxa2 30.Rc7 Kh8 (99.44)

(slight advantage white)

[AdminX]

[d]1r3rk1/pb2qpp1/4p2p/2p5/8/2R1PN2/PPQ2PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 20

So far Following:

[Event "GER-ch M1662 corr"]
[Site "Germany"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bellmann, Herbert"]
[Black "Schulze, Guenter"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D56"]
[WhiteElo "2158"]
[BlackElo "2012"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn (corr)"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2002.05.23"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nc3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O b6 14. Bd3 c5
15. Be4 Rb8 16. Qc2 Nf6 17. dxc5 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 bxc5 19. Qc2 Bb7 20. Nd2 Rfd8
21. f3 Qd6 22. Nb3 Ba6 23. Rd1 Qxd1+ 0-1

[Sven]

So far Following:

[Event "GER-ch M1662 corr"]
[Site "Germany"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bellmann, Herbert"]
[Black "Schulze, Guenter"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D56"]
[WhiteElo "2158"]
[BlackElo "2012"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]
[EventType "tourn (corr)"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "GER"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2002.05.23"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nc3 h6 7. Bh4 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nd7 13. O-O b6 14. Bd3 c5
15. Be4 Rb8 16. Qc2 Nf6 17. dxc5 Nxe4 18. Qxe4 bxc5 19. Qc2 Bb7 20. Nd2 Rfd8
21. f3 Qd6 22. Nb3 Ba6 23. Rd1 Qxd1+ 0-1

where 23.Rd1 is ?? and after normal moves like 23.Rc1 c4 24.Nd4 the position is about = or =/+.

It seems both Topalov and Anand know this game, even though the original players were substiantally weaker.

Sven

[govert]

Evaluation after 21..Qd6 (If Anand were to make this move...)
Stockfish 1.7 29 plies:

+0.20 22.Nc4 Qc7 23.b3 Rd7 24.Rd1 Rbd8 25.Rxd7 Rxd7 26.Rd3 Rxd3 27.Qxd3 Ba6 28.g3 Kf8 29.Kf2 Ke7 30.Qe4 Bxc4 31.Qxc4 Qe5 32.Qc2 g5 33.Ke2 f5 34.Qd2 Qd6 35.Qxd6+ Kxd6 36.Kd3 Kd5 37.e4+ fxe4+ 38.fxe4+ Kd6 39.Ke3 Ke5 40.h3 Kd6 41.Kd3 Ke5 (611.47)

[govert]

Evaluation after 21..Qd6 (If Anand were to make this move...)
Stockfish 1.7 29 plies:

+0.20 22.Nc4 Qc7 23.b3 Rd7 24.Rd1 Rbd8 25.Rxd7 Rxd7 26.Rd3 Rxd3 27.Qxd3 Ba6 28.g3 Kf8 29.Kf2 Ke7 30.Qe4 Bxc4 31.Qxc4 Qe5 32.Qc2 g5 33.Ke2 f5 34.Qd2 Qd6 35.Qxd6+ Kxd6 36.Kd3 Kd5 37.e4+ fxe4+ 38.fxe4+ Kd6 39.Ke3 Ke5 40.h3 Kd6 41.Kd3 Ke5 (611.47)

He didn't.

21... Ba6

[AdminX]

Appears to be the novelty this 21. ... Ba6 by Anand. A move that Stockfish also preferred.

[d]1r1r2k1/p3qpp1/b3p2p/2p5/8/2R1PP2/PPQN2PP/5RK1 w - - 0 22

[AdminX]

[d]1r4k1/p2rqpp1/b3p2p/2p5/8/2R1PP2/PPQN1RPP/6K1 w - - 0 23