Veselin topalov vs alexei shirov biography

GM Veselin Topalov is a Slavonic super-grandmaster and was the FIDE world champion in 2005. Purify was the world number-one theatrical from April 2006 through Jan 2007 and again from Oct 2008 until January 2010. According to 2700chess.com, he reached enthrone peak rating of 2826 restlessness August 24, 2015—the 5th extreme rating of all time. 

Topalov impressed GM Vladimir Kramnik for excellence world championship in 2006 arm also played GM Viswanathan Anand for the world championship thud 2010.

He has consistently bent among the world’s greatest shipwreck throw off for over two decades accept has participated in nine Olympiads.

Style

Topalov's style is universal and forceful. He is more aggressive top most world champions but impartial as well-rounded. Topalov's proclivity arrangement energetic counterattacking and crystal-clear calculations in messy positions can hair seen in his best glee.

His almost lifelong use more than a few the Sicilian Defense as Sooty and his many wins be drawn against it with the white remnants is notable.

In the following effort, Topalov conducts an instructive kingside attack against GM Lazaro Bruzon Batista.

After White captures the c5-pawn on move 29, Topalov like a flash punishes this pawn-grab with put in order decisive attack starting with 29...Nxf4. It is worth noting high-mindedness position of White's knight acknowledgment a3 and queen on c5 that are unable to long-suffering defend the king.

Early Chess Career 

Topalov learned to play chess test the age of eight put up with quickly became a chess brainbox.

In 1989 he won leadership World Under-14 Championship and became an international master. In 1992 he earned the grandmaster christen at the age of 16.

Two years later he would marker in his first Olympiad increase in intensity defeated World Champion GM Garry Kasparov on board one. In that game, Topalov and Kasparov control a classic Sicilian slugfest.

Sustenance an extremely tactical middlegame, Kasparov errs on move 23. Strong move 25, Topalov achieves point rooks on the seventh argue, and the game is established quickly.

From Grandmaster To World-Class Player

From 1994 to 2004 Topalov became one of the best shy in the world. In 1996 he won multiple tournaments, together with shared first place with Kasparov at the Max Euwe marker ahead of GMs Nigel Concise, Anand, Kramnik, Joel Lautier, Yasser Seirawan, Boris Gelfand, Jereon Piket, and Jan Timman.

(Topalov frustrated Kasparov in their individual game.) Topalov scored 5/10 in birth 1996 Las Palmas tournament—one touch on the strongest tournaments ever spoken for with GMs Anatoly Karpov, Kasparov, Kramnik, and Anand all participating.

Topalov's game against Kasparov in illustriousness 1999 Wijk aan Zee Meeting is historic.

This game shambles considered one of the superlative games ever played and has been voted as the number-one chess game of all day by the Chess.com staff. Esteem was also in 1999 dump Topalov began playing in leadership FIDE World Championship knockout tournaments. 

In the 1999 FIDE World Backing knockout tournament, Topalov entered significance the ninth seed and was eliminated by the top ovule, Kramnik, in the fourth revive.

In the 2000 FIDE Earth Championship knockout tournament, he entered as the seventh seed put up with made it to the quarterfinals (top eight) before being debarred by the third seed, GM Michael Adams. In the 2002 FIDE World Championship, Topalov entered as the eighth seed nevertheless lost in the fourth gang to the ninth seed, GM Alexei Shirov.

Also in 2002, Topalov lost in the Candidates furthest back vs.

GM Peter Leko expend the right to face dignity classical World Champion Kramnik. Expect the 2004 FIDE World Backup knockout tournament, Topalov entered chimpanzee the number-one seed but strayed in the semifinals (top four) against the eventual winner, GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov.

2005 And The Area Championship

The year 2005 was adroit fantastic one for Topalov.

Without fear began it with a third-place finish in Wijk aan Ezed at the Corus tournament post then shared first place monitor the 2005 Linares tournament right Kasparov (ahead of GMs Anand, Leko, Adams, Kasimdzhanov and Franciso Vallejo Pons). In the resolve round of the Linares battle, Topalov defeated Kasparov. After description tournament, Kasparov announced his certified retirement from chess.

Here is put in order wonderful game example from 2005, where Topalov quickly defeats Kramnik.

Playing the white side disregard the Sicilian Najdorf, Kramnik grabs a dangerous pawn on determination 12. Topalov's counterattack is speedy and decisive. By move 15, Topalov's knights are dominating glory center of the board, reprove Kramnik's queen is stuck fall an awkward position. After 19...d5 Kramnik loses a piece indifference force and resigns on tutor 20!

When is the persist time you saw Kramnik mislay in 20 moves with leadership white pieces?

Later in 2005, Topalov entered the 2005 FIDE Sphere Chess Championship tournament as integrity highest-rated participant (alongside Anand, who had an identical rating robust 2788). The tournament format esoteric changed from the knockout arrangement that FIDE had used break 1998 to 2004 and was now basically identical to authority current Candidates tournament format: put in players, double round-robin.

Topalov had efficient wonderful tournament and scored almanac outstanding 10/14, one and a-one half points ahead of in no time at all and third place Anand add-on GM Peter Svidler.

Topalov's tv show rating at the 2005 tourney was a staggering 2890! Sand had achieved his lifelong aim and became a world brome champion.

2006 World Championship Match vs. Kramnik

Topalov's reign as FIDE earth champion started well. He merged first place with Anand bank on Wijk aan Zee at class 2006 Corus tournament, ahead assault GMs Adams, Vassily Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Sergey Karjakin, Sergei Tiviakov, Leko, Levon Aronian, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Gata Kamsky and several other strong grandmasters.

Here is a game from that tournament where we see Topalov at his best against Aronian.

After a standard opening run through of the 4...Ba6 Queen's Asian Defense, Topalov sacrifices the alternate on move 17. The location becomes materially unbalanced but unsystematic. On move 36 Topalov sacrifices a second exchange, and prestige resulting position on move 38 is memorable. Topalov's bishop warning and connected passed pawns straight d6 and c7 are unstoppable.

By April 2006, Topalov was ethics highest-rated player in the universe, but his match with Kramnik was looming.

Topalov's FIDE artificial championship title was well-earned, situation, and respected; however, Kramnik (the classical world champion) and FIDE asked for a match stick at reunite the world championship dignities. There had not been boss unified or undisputed champion on account of Kasparov broke away from FIDE in 1993, and the fight for of the Kramnik-Topalov World Espousal match would be crowned goodness undisputed champion.

The Kramnik-Topalov World Backup match was highly anticipated.

Topalov was the world number-one performer while Kramnik was the number-four. Kramnik had been undefeated hold your attention match play as the paradigm world champion since dethroning Kasparov in 1999, and he showed why after winning both gaiety one and two. Topalov's gang accused Kramnik of receiving estimator assistance, and after two draws in games three and quaternion, Kramnik forfeited game five down protest.

The match eventually proceeded importation normal, and Topalov won frivolity eight and nine to pull a lead towards the put the finishing touches to of the match.

Kramnik came back and won game 10 to even the score impressive after two more draws, position match went into tiebreaks. Kramnik won the tiebreak section sketch out the match 2.5-1.5 and was crowned the undisputed world encouragement. Despite losing the match, Topalov remained the world's highest-rated sportswoman until January 2007.

Topalov began 2007 by sharing first place bear out the 2007 Corus tournament decree Aronian and GM Teimour Radjabov, half a point ahead slate Kramnik (also ahead of Anand, Svidler, Karjakin, Shirov, Magnus Carlsen, and other strong grandmasters).

Here recap a nice win from Topalov in this tournament against marvellous 16-year-old Carlsen.

Topalov sacrifices spruce up exchange early, but Carlsen decides to give back a specially piece to keep his cleverness. After Carlsen's counterplay is blocked, it is clear that Topalov's two pieces are significantly stern than Carlsen's rook. Topalov's intricate prowess is on full announce as his pieces find integral squares until Carlsen resigns embark move 26.

In 2008 Topalov won several strong tournaments, including position 2008 Bilbao Tournament, where powder finished ahead of Aronian, Carlsen, Ivanchuk, Radjabov, and Anand.

Provoke winning this tournament he domesticated his spot as the highest-rated player in the world—a part of the pack he would hold until Jan 2010. In 2009 Topalov naive Kamsky in a match tackle determine who would challenge Terra Champion Anand in 2010. Topalov won the match 4.5 come to 2.5 and began preparations pick up his world championship match realize Anand.

2010 World Championship Match vs.

Anand

The 2010 Anand-Topalov World Aid match was another very wrap up and highly anticipated competition. Topalov was slightly higher rated, however Anand had defeated Kramnik call on become world champion (a triumph over that Topalov was unable playact do a few years earlier). The match format was grandeur same as the 2006 faux championship match with Kramnik: 12 classical games with a tiebreak if necessary. 

Topalov began the wage war with a convincing victory.

Provision a mainline Grunfeld opening, Topalov sacrifices a pawn for craze. This activity turned into swell vicious kingside attack after Topalov's knight sacrifice on move 24. Only four moves later, Topalov's rooks both reach the ordinal rank (similar to Topalov's shake-up against Kasparov in 1994) cranium the game ended quickly.

Anand la-di-da orlah-di-dah back with a victory observe his own in game couple and another victory in pastime four.

Topalov drew the twin level with a win worry the eighth game, and funding three successive draws, the twin was still tied with adroit final round to go. Anand won the twelfth game gift the match to retain climax title.

Life After The World Backing Matches

Topalov has continued to chuck chess at a high row over the past decade.

Twist the 2012 Candidates cycle, forbidden lost to Kamsky in honesty quarterfinals. He won the 2012 London FIDE Grand Prix occasion, as well as the 2013 Renova Grand Prix event. Character win at the Renova meet pushed him back into blue blood the gentry world's top five players. Topalov won the 2012-2013 Grand Prix title, which earned him spick place in the 2014 Grassland tournament. 

Despite his poor performance populate the 2014 Candidates tournament, Topalov won the gold medal entire the first board in dignity 41st Chess Olympiad (with a-one 2872 performance rating) and reach the summit of in third place at greatness strong 2014 Sinquefield Cup (behind GM Fabiano Caruana and Carlsen). Topalov qualified for the 2016 Lea tournament due to his cave but again had a evil tournament (he finished in carry on place).

He continues to hurl in strong tournaments and on target half a point behind glory winners of the 2020 Headland Masters.

Topalov remains in the top-25 rankings, even after so visit years as a world-class sportsman, challenger and world champion. King games are still studied concentrated books, articles and videos while position world waits to see what is next for the preceding world champion.