Vladimir Kramnik — Veselin Topalov
In one of the most psychologically charged performances in championship history, Kramnik returns to the board under enormous pressure and plays the match of his life. Despite the emotional turmoil of the Toiletgate scandal, he channels his energy into pure chess — finding a deep novelty in the Catalan and outplaying Topalov in brilliant fashion. He wins in just 37 moves to level the match at 3–3, a result that stuns the chess world.
Kramnik channels his anger into precision — there are no emotional decisions, no desperate attacks, just pure, accurate chess at its highest level.
His novel idea in the Catalan creates long-term structural pressure that Topalov, still visibly unsettled by the controversy, cannot find a way to shake.
The win in 37 moves — featuring an exchange sacrifice that creates an unstoppable passed pawn on move 22 — is widely considered one of the finest competitive performances of Kramnik's career.