Magnus Carlsen vs Veselin Topalov, 18th Amber Blindfold 2009

English Opening (A33) · 1-0 (Magnus Carlsen won) · 69 moves · Round 8 · 22 March 2009

♔
White
Magnus Carlsen
1 – 0
Black
Veselin Topalov
♚
Analyse This Game Practice
Moves
0 / 137

About This Game

Game summary

  • WhiteMagnus Carlsen
  • BlackVeselin Topalov
  • Result1-0 · Magnus Carlsen won
  • Event18th Amber Blindfold 2009
  • Round8
  • Date22 March 2009
  • OpeningEnglish Opening (A33)
  • Length69 moves
  • Type of eventOther events

This is game 13 of 58 between Magnus Carlsen and Veselin Topalov in the Rama Chess database (2007–2022). In all their games Carlsen leads 29–6 with 23 draws.

Previous game: Topalov vs Carlsen, 1-0 (Grand Slam Final, 2008).

Next game: Topalov vs Carlsen, ½-½ (18th Amber Rapid, 2009).

Carlsen vs Topalov: all 58 gamesCarlsen in the English OpeningCarlsen games of 2009Veselin Topalov profile

The moves of Magnus Carlsen vs Veselin Topalov, 18th Amber Blindfold 2009

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.a3 Be7 7.e4 O-O 8.Nc2 b6 9.f4 Bb7 10.Bd3 Rc8 11.Qe2 d6 12.O-O Na5 13.Be3 a6 14.Nd4 Qc7 15.Rac1 Qb8 16.b4 Nc6 17.f5 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Ba8 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.e5 dxe5 21.Bxe5 Qb7 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Qxe6+ Kh8 24.Be4 Qc7 25.Nd5 Bd4+ 26.Kh1 Rxf1+ 27.Rxf1 Qxc4 28.Re1 Rf8 29.Nf4 b5 30.h3 Bf2 31.Qe7 Qc8 32.Ne6 Rg8 33.Ng5 Rf8 34.Ne6 Rg8 35.Ng5 Rf8 36.Rd1 Re8 37.Nf7+ Kg8 38.Nh6+ Kh8 39.Nf7+ Kg8 40.Nd6 Rxe7 41.Nxc8 Re8 42.Bxa8 Rxc8 43.Bd5+ Kh8 44.Bb7 Rb8 45.Bxa6 g6 46.Rd6 Bg3 47.Rd3 Be5 48.g4 Rb6 49.Bc8 Kg7 50.Kg2 Kf6 51.Kf3 Rb8 52.Bd7 Bb2 53.Ke4 Rd8 54.Rf3+ Ke7 55.Bxb5 Rd4+ 56.Ke3 Rd6 57.Ke2 Rf6 58.Rb3 Bd4 59.Kd3 Rf3+ 60.Kc4 Rxb3 61.Kxb3 Kd6 62.a4 Bf2 63.Kc4 g5 64.Be8 h6 65.Kb5 Be1 66.Kb6 Bxb4 67.a5 Bc5+ 68.Kb7 Ke7 69.Bh5 1-0

In this encounter Magnus Carlsen had the white pieces against Veselin Topalov at 18th Amber Blindfold in 2009. It was played in round 8. The game dates from the modern computer-influenced era.

The game opened with English Opening (A33), a flexible, manoeuvring struggle. Openings in this group reward patient build-up and a feel for pawn structure.

At 69 moves this was a long, demanding struggle that rewarded stamina and precise endgame technique.

Magnus Carlsen is one of the grandmasters featured in the RamaChess archive, where you can browse their complete game collection, favourite openings and notable wins.

Games like this are useful at every level: opening principles for beginners, middlegame plans for club players, fine technique for experts.

In the end, Magnus Carlsen won with the white pieces. Use the board above to replay every move, switch to the analyser for engine evaluation, or open Practice mode to test your own ideas.

Frequently asked questions

What is the head-to-head record of Magnus Carlsen and Veselin Topalov?

In the 58 games between them in our database (2007 to 2022) Carlsen leads 29–6 with 23 draws. This game is number 13 of 58.

Where and when was Magnus Carlsen vs Veselin Topalov played?

At the 18th Amber Blindfold, round 8, on 22 March 2009.

Who played this game?

This game was played between Magnus Carlsen (White) and Veselin Topalov (Black), at 18th Amber Blindfold in 2009.

What opening was played?

The game used English Opening (ECO code A33). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle.

What was the result?

Magnus Carlsen won with the white pieces.

How long was the game?

The game lasted 69 moves (137 plies).

Can I replay this game move by move?

Yes. Use the interactive board on this page to step through every move, or open the analyser and Practice mode.

Where can I find more games like this?

Browse the full English Opening collection, Magnus Carlsen's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.

More chess on YouTube: Stockfish100 Best Chess Channel