1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 The Queen's Indian Defence 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 One of the most solid ways to play. Black intends to play ...d5 and if White captures he will recapture with the c6 pawn blocking the White's Bg2 and using his Ba6 on the opened diagonal. 8.Bc3 d5 9.Ne5 Nfd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7 11.Nd2 White tries to maintain his pawn on c4 11...0-0 12.0-0 Nf6 13.e4 b5 14.exd5 exd5 [If 14...cxd5 15.c5! b4 16.Bxb4 Bxf1 17.Bxf1 and the White b and c pawns advanced in Anand-Adams Wijk aan Zee 2005 won by Anand.] 15.Re1 Rb8 16.c5 Bc8 17.Nf3 Ne4 18.Rxe4!!
The Topalov-Cheparinov laboratory strikes again. Significantly this improves over two games between Kramnik and Leko from Dortmund 2004. 18...dxe4 19.Ne5 Qd5 20.Qe1 Bf5 21.g4 Bg6 22.f3! Black cannot afford to take so White captures on e4 winning a pawn and takes the center. The Bg6 also become a spectator 22...b4 [22...exf3 23.Bxf3 Qe6 24.Nxc6] 23.fxe4 Qe6 24.Bb2 Bf6 25.Nxc6! Qxc6 26.e5 Qa6 27.exf6 Rfe8 28.Qf1! Having created two connected passed pawns Topalov wants to get to an endgame. 28...Qe2 29.Qf2 Qxg4 30.h3 Qg5 31.Bc1 Qh5 [31...Qxf6 was the best chance 32.Qxf6 gxf6 33.d5 Looks natural but Black holds after 33...Re1+ 34.Kf2 Rbe8 35.Bf3 Be4!; 31...Qxf6 32.Qxf6 gxf6 33.Bf4 Rbc8 34.a3! activating the rook is good for White after (34.Kf2 Also looks good) 34...bxa3 35.Rxa3 Be4 36.b4 Bxg2 37.Kxg2 Re4 38.Bh6] 32.Bf4 Rbd8 33.c6 Be4 34.c7 Rc8 35.Re1 Qg6 36.Rxe4!! The second sacrifice on this square, in this form Topalov is a worthy successor to Kasparov 36...Rxe4 37.d5 Rce8 [37...Qxf6 38.Bxe4] 38.d6 heading for touchdown 38...Re1+ 39.Kh2 Qf5 40.Qg3 g6 41.Qg5 Qxg5 42.Bxg5 Rd1 43.Bc6 Re2+ 44.Kg3

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