Match Topalov-Kamsky começa com 1 empate

Qual como já tinha sido anunciado AQUI, começou hoje o Match Final dos Candidatos ! E começou com um empate !

Veselin Topalov (2796) - Gata Kamsky (2725) [D88]

Challenger's Match/Sofia (1) 2009

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 Although Kamsky also uses Slav systems with a fianchettoed king's bishop, his main defence against 1.d4 has been the Gruenfeld, ever since his best days in the early nineties. On the other hand it's also an opening against which Topalov has a very good score. 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 c5 8. Ne2 Topalov sees no reason to deviate from his own, succesful games. 8... Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Kamsky spent a few minutes thinking here. 10... Na5 11. Bd3 b6 12. Qd2 e5 A position Kamsky has a lot of experience with. 13. Bh6 13. dxe5 Be6 14. Rad1 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Bxc4 16. f4 Qe7 17. Qc2 Rad8 Navara-Kamsky, Sochi GP 2008 13. d5 f5 14. Bg5 Qe8 15. f3 c4 16. Bc2 f4 17. Kh1 h6 18. Bh4 g5 19. Be1 Bd7 Van Wely-Kamsky, Russian Team Ch (Dagomys) 2008 13... cxd4 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. cxd4 exd4 16. f416. Rac1 Bb7 17. f4 Rc8 18. Rxc8 Qxc8 19. f5 Nc6 20. Rf3 Ne5 21. Rh3 Rh8 22. f6+ Kg8 23. Qh6 Qf8 24. Qxf8+ Kxf8 25. Nxd4 Ke8 26. Bb5+ Kd8 27. Rc3 a6 28. Ba4 b5 29. Bb3 Re8 1/2-1/2 Karjakin-Carlsen, Foros 2008 16... f6 17. e5 Topalov deviates from a game by one of his seconds and Kamsky thought for more than half an hour here. Indeed, White didn't get much out of the opening after 17. Rac1 Bg4 18. Ng3 Bd7 19. h4 Rc8 20. Rxc8 Bxc8 21. h5 Qe7 22. Qe2 Bd7 23. Rc1 Rc8 Cheparinov-Kamsky, Sochi GP 2008 17... Bd7 17... fxe5!? 18. fxe5 Bg4 19. Rxf8 Qxf8 20. Nf4 Qe7 21. e6! and White's compensation is obvious. 17... Qd5!? was another option. 18. exf6+ 18. Nxd4 Nc6! 19. Nf3 Bg4! forces White to take on f6 at some point. 18... Qxf6 19. Ng3 19. f5 gxf5 (19... Qe5!?) 20. Ng3 Kh8 transposes to the game. 19... Kh8 20. f5 Of course White has to go for attacking chances on the kingside. 20... gxf5 20... Bxf5 21. Nxf5 gxf5 22. Rxf5 Qd6 23. Rh5 Rf7 24. Rf1 looks very good for White. 21. Bxf5 Bxf5 22. Rxf5 Qd6 23. Raf1 Nc6 24. Ne4 Qe7 25. Qh6Rxf5 26. Rxf5 Ne5 27. h3?! 27. Qd2 d3 (27... Rd8 28. Ng5!) 28. Nf2 with the double threat of 29.Qb2 and 29.Nxd3 looks very drawish. 27... Ng6 28. Rh5 Rg8 Black goes for the most natural move, but he could have tried the surprising move 28... Kg8! 29. Nf6+ (29. Ng5? Rc8!) 29... Qxf6 30. Qxh7+ Kf8 31. Rh6 Re8! 32. Rxg6 Re1+ 33. Kh2 Qe5+ 34. Rg3 Re3 and Black can safely play for a win. Topalov now forces the draw. 29. Nf6 Rg7 30. Nxh7! Rxh7 31. Qxg6 Qe3+ 32. Kf1 Qc1+Kf2 33. Ke2 d3+ looks scary but White can just take: 34. Qxd3! Rxh5 35. Qd8+ Kg7 36. Qe7+ Kg6 37. Qe6+ with perpetual check. 33... Qd2+ 34. Kg3 Qe3+ 35. Kh2 Qf4+ A last try was 35... Rxh5 36. Qxh5+ Kg7 but with so many checks, starting with 37. Qg4+ White would easily hold it.Kg1 Qc1+ Not a bad game to start a match, and a small psychological victory for Kamsky, who survived the first of four Black games and the theoretical battle.
1/2-1/2

Name	Nat.	Rtg	G01 17/2	G02 18/2	G03 20/2	G04 21/2	G05 23/2	G06 24/2	G07 26/2	G08 27/2	Score
Kamsky	USA	2725	½								½
Topalov	BUL	2796	½								½

.