Schacksnack

Anand,Viswanathan (2792) – Carlsen,Magnus (2863) [D37]
World Championship, Sochi (3), 11.11.2014

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 A logical continuation is 6…c5  7.c5 This space winning attempt, also seen in the game Steinitz-Napier, New York 1987, prevents Black from liberating his position with c7-c5 once and for all. 7…c6 The safest measure. After Forintos´s suggestion 7…b6 the continuation 8.c6! Nb8 9.Qa4 looks strong. 8.Bd3 b6 8…Nh5 as in the game Steinitz-Chigorin, Nürnberg 1896 is another interesting continuation maybe to be followed by a Stonewall formation. 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Ba6 Black wants to get rid of his bad bishop. 11.Bxa6 Rxa6 12.b5 cxb5 13.c6 Qc8 14.c7! 14.Nxb5 Qxc6 15.Nc7 Ra7 16.Rc1 Qb7 is only good for Black. 14…b4 15.Nb5 a4! It’s important to put pressure on the knight on b5 with …Ra6-a5 in this topic line. 15…Ne4 16.0-0 bxa3 17.Qa4 was the continuation in the second rapid game Karpov-Georgiev, Dubai 2002 – (84/341) 16.Rc1 Preparing the winning move 17.Bd6. 16…Ne4

Suggest a continuation for White!

17.Ng5 More active than 17.Nd2 17…Ndf6 17…Bxg5 18.Bxg5 is less attractive. White threats both f2-f3 and Bg5-e7 and 18…Nxg5 loses to 19.Nd6 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 18…dxe4 with the idea 19.Nd6 Bxd6 20.Bxd6 b3 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 with a strong knight on d5 and a strong passed on pawn on b3 looks very interesting. 19.f3 Ra5 20.fxe4N In the game Aronian-Adams, Bilbao 2013 20.Qe2 was played. 20…Rxb5 21.Qxa4 Ra5 22.Qc6 bxa3 23.exd5 Regarding the passed pawns on both sides Anand said: ”We got to this position and the point is it’s important to take here and the difference in pawns is what I’m playing for. The pawn c7 restricts black much more than the pawn on a3. Although it’s only one move away from doing that.” 23…Rxd5 24.Qxb6 Anand had prepared everything until this move. Strong preparation! This is Anand’s strength that he’s very strong in sharp theoretical variations. 24…Qd7 25.0-0 Rc8 26.Rc6! g5 27.Bg3 Bb4 28.Ra1! Ba5 29.Qa6 Bxc7 Anand mentioned after the game that 29…Bb4 30.Rb6 Ra5 31.Qxc8+ Qxc8 32.Rxb4 also won. 30.Qc4 e5 31.Bxe5 Rxe5 32.dxe5 Qe7 33.e6! Anand didn’t want to allow 33.Rc1 a2 34.Qxa2 Qxe5 33…Kf8 34.Rc1 1-0 The score is now 1,5-1,5 with nine games to go.

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