Tactics Training – Veselin Topalov

Veselin Topalov (1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster, a former #1 in the world rankings and a former World Champion. He is a very energetic player, always looking for interesting moves, complicated positions and fighting chances. He never gives up and plays for a win with both the white and the black pieces.

Topalov became the FIDE World Chess Champion by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 tournament in San Luis, Argentina. He lost his title a year later in a match against Vladimir Kramnik.

According to FIDE, which began ranking chess players in 1971, Topalov has been #1 for 27 months (in 2006/2007 and 2008/2010). Only Kasparov, Karpov, Fischer and Carlsen have reigned longer.

Topalov has won dozens of tournaments, including Linares 2005 (joint first with Kasparov), Wijk aan Zee 2006 (joint first with Anand) and Wijk aan Zee 2007 (joint first with Aronian and Radjabov), Linares 2010 and Norway Chess 2015.

Try this training book and play the same winning moves as Veselin Topalov. This book offers you one hundred training exercises, in positions where Topalov turned the game in his favour. The puzzles start at a moderate level and gradually get more difficult. Don't give up!