Schacksnack

Carlsen,Magnus (2863) – Anand,Viswanathan (2792) [C67]
World Championship, Sochi (7), 17.11.2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 Carlsen and Anand go for the topic line nowadays, the Berlin Wall. Ever since Kramnik had this defence as the key defence to beat Kasparov in the World Championship 2000 this opening has been on every serious player’s agenda. However, we are not going to delve into any details on this opening. I would rather suggest you get the book by John Cox who did some really good work with this complicated, and far from drawish variation. 9.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 h5 11.Bf4 Be7 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Ng5 Rh6 14.g3 Bxg5 15.Bxg5 Rg6 16.h4 The game Grischuk-Anand, Monte Carlo 2011 continued. 16.Bf4 Nh4 17.Kh1 Nf3 18.Kg2 Nh4+ 19.Kh1 Nf3 20.Kg2 and the players agreed to a draw. 16…f6 17.exf6 gxf6 18.Bf4 Nxh4 19.f3 Rd8 20.Kf2 Rxd1 21.Nxd1 Nf5 22.Rh1 Bxa2 23.Rxh5 Be6 24.g4 Nd6 25.Rh7 Nf7 26.Ne3 Kd8 27.Nf5 c5 28.Ng3 Ne5 29.Rh8+! Carlsen didn’t want to play the immediate exchange on e5 because of the following variation: 29.Bxe5 fxe5 30.Rh5 Ba2 31.Rxe5 Rb6! It’s well known that a bishop normally is stronger than a knight when there are passed pawns on both sides of the board. 29…Rg8 30.Bxe5 fxe5 31.Rh5 In this position Black’s rook is more passive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31…Bxg4! A very brave and cool decision by Anand. He didn’t like 31…Rf8 32.Ke3 Bd5 33.Ne4 Bxe4 34.Kxe4 Rf4+ 35.Ke3 Rb4 36.Rxe5 Rxb2 37.Rxc5 because his pawns seem to be slower. 32.fxg4 Rxg4 33.Rxe5 b6 Carlsen confessed during the press conference that he had overestimated his winning chances. As a matter of  fact, White only seems to have a slight advantage in this highly unusual ending. 34.Ne4 Rh4 35.Ke2 Rh6 36.b3 Kd7 37.Kd2 Kc6 38.Nc3 a6 39.Re4 Rh2+ 40.Kc1 Rh1+ 41.Kb2 Rh6 42.Nd1 Rg6 43.Ne3 Rh6 44.Re7 Rh2 45.Re6+ Kb7 46.Kc3 Rh4 47.Kb2 Rh2 48.Nd5 Rd2 49.Nf6 Rf2 50.Kc3 Rf4 51.Ne4 Rh4 52.Nf2 Rh2 53.Rf6 Rh7 54.Nd3 Rh3 55.Kd2 Rh2+ 56.Rf2 Rh4 57.c4 Carlsen couldn’t see how to make any progress without this move blockading the Black doubled pawns. 57…Rh3 58.Kc2 Rh7 59.Nb2 Rh5 60.Re2 Rg5 61.Nd1 b5 62.Nc3 c6 63.Ne4 Rh5 64.Nf6

Where should Black move his rook?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

64…Rg5! Anand makes a good decision in a tough ending. He was very happy when he saw this strong defensive move which is a preludium of a specific set-up. Compare with the following variation which contains a deadly pitfall: 64…Rf5 65.Re7+ Kb6 66.Nd7+ and now the natural 66…Ka5? loses to 67.Ne5 Rf2+ 68.Kd1. However after 66…Kc7! followed by 67…Kd6 it’s not clear whether White can win. 65.Re7+ Kb6 66.Nd7+ Ka5 67.Re4 A good prophylactic idea to prevent Black’s king from entering the strong b4-square. 67…Rg2+ 68.Kc1 Rg1+ 69.Kd2 Rg2+ 70.Ke1

Black has two variations to force the draw. Can you see one of them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

70…bxc4! The simplest, but the variation 70…Rg1+ 71.Kf2 Rb1 72.Nxc5 Kb4 73.Nxa6+ Kxb3 74.c5 Ra1 75.Nb8 Rc1 76.Re5 b4 77.Nxc6 Ka4 also leads to a draw. 71.Rxc4 Rg3 72.Nxc5 Kb5 73.Rc2 a5 or 73…Kb4 with an easy draw. Anand’s move is cooler showing  he’s not in any hurry to secure the draw. 74.Kf2 Rh3 75.Rc1 Kb4 76.Ke2 Rc3! The simplest way to reach the draw. 77.Nd3+ Kxb3 78.Ra1 Kc4 79.Nf2 Kb5 80.Rb1+ Kc4 81.Ne4 Ra3 82.Nd2+ Kd5 83.Rh1 a4 84.Rh5+ Kd4 85.Rh4+ Kc5 86.Kd1 Kb5 87.Kc2 Rg3 88.Ne4 Rg2+ 89.Kd3 a3 90.Nc3+ Kb6 91.Ra4 a2 92.Nxa2 Rg3+ 93.Kc2 Rg2+ 94.Kb3 Rg3+ 95.Nc3 Rh3 96.Rb4+ Kc7 97.Rg4 Rh7 98.Kc4 Rf7 99.Rg5 Kb6 100.Na4+ Kc7 101.Kc5 Kd7 102.Kb6 Rf1 103.Nc5+ Ke7 104.Kxc6 A well-known theoretical draw has arisen. It’s not difficult to hold the draw if Black thinks about keeping the distance with his rook from White’s king and knight and at the same time try to sidestep White’s obvious plan of driving the Black king to the last rank. 104…Rd1 105.Rg6 Kf7 106.Rh6 Rg1 107.Kd5 Rg5+ 108.Kd4 Rg6 109.Rh1 Rg2 110.Ne4 Ra2 111.Rf1+ Ke7 112.Nc3 Rh2 113.Nd5+ Kd6 114.Rf6+ Kd7 115.Nf4 Rh1 116.Rg6 Rd1+ 117.Nd3 Ke7 118.Ra6 Kd7 119.Ke4 Ke7 120.Rc6 Kd7 121.Rc1 Rxc1 122.Nxc1 1/2-1/2 A good game from around move 29-76 showing great defensive skill from the challenger who had to withstand a lot of pressure.

Standings: Carlsen-Anand 4-3

Game number eight will be played tomorrow, Tuesday.

More information at www.Sochi2014.fide.com