11. ♕b3 ♕c7 12. ♗g2 ♗e7 13. cxd5 Such an early release of pressure in the center is normaly frowned upon.Future white players should probably start looking for an alternative plan around here. 13... exd5 14. O-O-O ♘b6! Excellent!Anticipating e4,which will be answered by the blockading of the isolated d-pawn on d5.
15. e4 ♘xe4 16. ♘xe4 dxe4 17. ♖he1 ♘d5 18. ♖xe4 O-O-O 19. ♕a4 ♔b8 20. ♗a5 ♘b6 21. ♕b3 ♗f6 22. ♔b1 ♖d5! 23. ♗b4 ♖hd8 24. ♗c5 ♖5d7
Topalov's plan has failed,his position is riddled with weaknesses with no activity to show. 25. ♗f1 ♗e7! Exchanging white's better bishop. 26. ♖de1 ♗xc5 27. dxc5 ♘d5 28. a3 ♘f4 29. ♔a2 White only has the e-file left. Eljanov now plans to place his knight on e5 to defuse this activity.
29... f6! 30. ♖e8 ♘g6 31. ♖1e6 ♘e5 32. ♗a6 ♔c8 33. ♗c4 ♖xe8 34. ♖xe8+ ♖d8 35. ♖e6 ♖d4 36. ♖e8+ ♖d8 37. ♖e6 ♔b8 38. ♕c3 a6 39. ♗e2 ♔a7 40. ♗c4 ♖d1 41. ♖e8 ♕d7 42. ♖g8 ♘d3 43. ♗xd3 ♖xd3 44. ♕c4 ♖xh3 45. ♖f8 ♖d3 46. ♖f7 ♕d4 47. ♕xd4 ♖xd4 48. f3 a5 49. ♖xg7 ♖f4 50. ♖f7 ♖xf3 51. a4 ♖f4 52. ♔a3 How should black win this endgame?
Think of Rubinstein's method.Black has weak pawns on f6 and b7.It will thus not be possible to defend them both with the rook as f7 is not reachable.Method:trade the f-pawn with white's g-pawn, then place the rook on b4 and g-pawn on g4.Here the rook will defend the weaknesses. The only problem would be the inactive king,which explains Eljanov's decision. 52... ♔b8 53. ♖f8+ ♔c7 54. ♖f7+
♔c8 55. b3 [55. ♖f8+ ♔d7 56. ♖f7+ ♔e6 57. ♖xb7 ♖xg4 winning. ] 55... ♖xg4 56. ♖xf6 ♖f4 57. ♖g6 g458. ♖g7 ♖b4! There it is! and the rest was easy. 59. ♔b2 ♔d8 60. ♔c3 ♔e8 61. ♖h7 ♔f8 62. ♔d2 ♖xb3 63. ♖h8+ ♔f7 64. ♖a8 ♔e6 65. ♖xa5 ♔d5 66. ♖a7 ♔xc5 67. a5 g3 68. ♔e2 ♔c4 69. a6 bxa6 70. ♖xa6 c5 71. ♖g6 ♔b4 72. ♖g4+ c4 73. ♔d1 ♖b1+ 74. ♔c2 ♖g1 [0-1]
African Chess Magazine 9