Straw Dogs

Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov – Levon Grigori Aronian
3rd Sinquefield Cup; Saint Louis, September 1, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Declined D39

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Qd5 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd2 b5 11. Qc2 a6 12. e4 Qd7 13. g3 Bb7 14. Bg2 Ne7 15. 0-0 0-0 16. Rfd1 Rad8 17. a4 c5 18. axb5 axb5 19. Nf3 Qc7 20. Rab1 f5 21. exf5 Nxf5 22. Rxb5 Bxf3. “I thought I should exchange all the pieces and make a draw so my parents can go to sleep!”, then Levon Grigori said. 23. Bxf3 cxd4

24. Qc1. Since White has achieved nothing but a vague compensation for the Pawn, Topalov has to be content to hold the draw: after the text move Aronian can force it immediately. 24. ... dxc3 25. Rxf5 Rxd1+ 26. Bxd1 exf5 27. Qg5+ Kh8 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Qg5+ Kh8 30. Qf6+ Kg8 31. Qg5+ ½ : ½. Thus Levon Grigori Aronian is the 2015 Sinquifield Cup Champion!

Veselin Aleksandrov Topalov (R.) vs. Levon Grigori Aronian (L.)
Photo: chess24.com (@chess24com)

Jonathan D. Tisdall (@GMjtis)