The story behind the game
Topalov’s knight check on f3 invites the white queen to capture. The bishop then enters c3 with check, exposing White’s king and changing the material balance. After the queens leave the board, Black still needs active rooks and a central knight. Follow both the forcing combination and the quieter work that follows.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Inspect checking sacrifices before routine development.
- A diagonal can open when a knight disappears.
- An extra exchange still needs active pieces.
- Coordinate both rooks before entering a pawn ending.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Nf3+ offers the knight to change White’s king position. If the queen takes the knight, Black has a bishop check from c3. The knight move must be judged through that continuation. Count the bishop’s captures and the white king’s forced replies before treating the queen capture as a simple win of material.
Bxc3+ checks after the knight has vacated e5. White’s king goes to d1 in the recorded line, allowing the queen check from a4. Black’s bishop later captures on b2 and a1. Follow the open diagonal and checking tempi together; the combination depends on the move order.
Nd4 centralizes the knight while Black’s rooks enter the c-file. The knight controls important squares around the white king. Black’s rook then reaches c3 and the second rook joins on c8. Compare those coordinated threats with White’s attempts to exchange or displace the knight.
Rb5 avoids the knight’s attack and pressures b4. Black’s other rook supports play on the c-file. The recorded continuation wins the pawn on b4, but White then has checking captures. Calculate those checks before concluding that the rook move simply wins material without further work.
Result: 0-1. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 15: Check before saving the knight
Which knight check reaches f3? In the game: Nf3+. Nf3+ offers the knight to change White’s king position. If the queen takes the knight, Black has a bishop check from c3. The knight move must be judged through that continuation. Count the bishop’s captures and the white king’s forced replies before treating the queen capture as a simple win of material.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nf3+ gxf3 Bxc3+ bxc3 Qxc3+ Qd2 Qxa1+ Qd1 Qc3+ Qd2 Qa1+ · +0.00 · depth 19
O-O fxe6 fxe6 Be2 d5 O-O Rad8 Qb3 d4 Ng4 d3 Bd1 · +0.74 · depth 19
d5 · +0.80 · depth 19
Move 16: Use the diagonal opened by the knight
Which bishop capture checks the king on e1? In the game: Bxc3+. Bxc3+ checks after the knight has vacated e5. White’s king goes to d1 in the recorded line, allowing the queen check from a4. Black’s bishop later captures on b2 and a1. Follow the open diagonal and checking tempi together; the combination depends on the move order.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bxc3+ Kd1 Bxb2 fxe6 Qa4+ Nc2 fxe6 Qb3 Qxb3 axb3 Bxa1 Nxa1 · +0.24 · depth 21
Nd4 Qxb7 O-O fxe6 Nf5 exf7+ Kh8 Qb4 Qxb4 cxb4 Nxg3 fxg3 · +4.30 · depth 20
g4 Nxg4 exf5 Bc4 d5 Qxd5 Qxd5 Bxd5 fxg4 hxg4 O-O O-O-O · +4.37 · depth 20
Move 24: Centralize before doubling rooks
Which knight move controls both c2 and f3? In the game: Nd4. Nd4 centralizes the knight while Black’s rooks enter the c-file. The knight controls important squares around the white king. Black’s rook then reaches c3 and the second rook joins on c8. Compare those coordinated threats with White’s attempts to exchange or displace the knight.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nd4 f3 Rc5 Re4 Ra5 Bxd6+ Kxd6 Rxd4+ Rd5 Nc2 a5 Kd2 · +0.02 · depth 17
Nb4 Bf5 Kf6 Bxe6 Rc5 Re3 Nd5 Bxd5 Rxd5+ Kc1 a5 f3 · +0.22 · depth 17
Kf6 Nc2 · +0.27 · depth 17
Move 37: Move the rook out of the knight’s attack
Which rook move from d5 shifts toward the b-pawn? In the game: Rb5. Rb5 avoids the knight’s attack and pressures b4. Black’s other rook supports play on the c-file. The recorded continuation wins the pawn on b4, but White then has checking captures. Calculate those checks before concluding that the rook move simply wins material without further work.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rb5 Kd2 Rxb4 Bd3 a4 Nc2 Rb2 Ra1 b5 Kd1 Rc3 Kd2 · -3.49 · depth 21
b5 Nxd5 exd5 bxa5 dxc4 a6 Kc6 Kb4 d5 f4 d4 Re5 · -1.36 · depth 21
axb4+ Kxb4 · -1.21 · depth 21
Every piece has a part to play.
Topalov’s knight check on f3 invites the white queen to capture. The bishop then enters c3 with check, exposing White’s king and changing the material balance. After the queens leave the board, Black still needs active rooks and a central knight. Follow both the forcing combination and the quieter work that follows.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–21. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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