1.e4 d5
2.exd5 Qxd5
2...Nf6 may
be a sounder alternative. In the game continuation Black falls
behind in development, especially dangerous against an attacking
player like Anand.
3.Nc3 Qa5
4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6
A standard
move offering an escape route to the Queen if she is menaced by
N-e5-c4 or Bd2 with a discovered attack. It also restrains the
White pawn advance d4-d5.
6.Bc4 Bf5
Preparing...e6, Nbd7...B-b4 and ...0-0-0. Thereafter the white
Knight on c3 and pawns on d4 and c2 will be under pressure.
7.Ne5 e6
8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 Nbd7 10.Nxd7 Nxd7
10...Kxd7!?
deserved attention as White has no breakthrough with d4- d5 at the
moment according to Neil McDonald.
11.h5 Be4
12.Rh3!
After 12.f3
Bd5 White has nothing.
12...Bg2?!
The
annotations to this game in the book pass this move without any
comment. But in his commentary to the same game in ChessBase's
MegaDataBase 2003, Anand states: "A nice finesse - if White plays Rg3, then Black will
gain a tempo with a later Bd6. Still, if the game continuation is
correct, then Black will have to stick to 12...Bd5."
For once,
Anand’s comment that the move is a nice finesse is misleading.
It is a serious loss of tempo as it only helps the White rook
to occupy the central file. Black should have played 12…Bd5.
After 13.Bd3 0-0-0 (13…c5 14.dxc6 Bc6 has also been played, but it
appears too risky.) Black has a tenable game.
13.Re3
After 13.Rg3
Bd5 Black also threatens ...Bd6.
13...Nb6
14.Bd3!
With the
threat of Bd2 and Nd5. Now 14.Bb3 is met by 14…c5! Neil
McDonald suggests another possibility with 13…Qa6 threatening 14
...Qf1+.
14...Nd5
15.f3! Bb4?
After
15...Nxe3 16.Bxe3 White threatens Kf2 and traps the Bishop with Qh1
if it retreats to h3.
15...Nxc3
16.bxc3 Qxc3+ 17.Bd2 Qxd4 18.Kf2 Bxf3 19.Kxf3 Bc5 20.Kg2 is the best
fighting chance, although White's superior development and extra
piece should prevail in the end.
16.Kf2!
Bxc3
If 16...Nxc3
17.bxc3 Bxc3 18.Rb1 Bxd4 19.Kxg2 Bxe3 20.Bxe3±.
Or 16...Bh3? 17.Nxd5
Qxd5 18.Kg3 wins the piece.
17.bxc3
Qxc3 18.Rb1 Qxd4
18...Bxf3
19.Qxf3 Qxd4 20.Rxb7±
19.Rxb7
Black’s position is full of perils as shown by the following
variations:
I 19...0-0?? 20.Bxh7+ Kxh7 21.Qxd4+-
II 19...Nf4 20.Kg3 Qd6 21.Ba3! Nxh5+ 22.Kxg2 Qg3+ 23.Kf1+-
III 19...Bh3 20.Rxf7! c5 Black
simply protects his queen and threatens Kxf7. 21.Rf5!! (Lautier)
Nxe3 22.Bxe3 Qb2 23.Rxc5 0-0 24.Kg3! +-
19...Rd8
The only
move. Anand states that here he saw the possibility of B-g6.
But he had to ensure the participation of the other Bishop in the
attack. Then he saw the continuation with h6. Now all that remained
was to check the details...
20.h6!!
gxh6??
20…Kf8 21.Bg6! Qxd1 23.
Rxf7+ Kg8 24. Rg7+ Kf8 25.Bh3+ wins on the spot.
20...Nxe3 offered
stronger resistance. 21.Bxe3 Qe5 22.hxg7 Rg8 23.Qc1!
protecting the Bishop and threatening his counterpart on g2.
After 23…Bxf3 (23…Qxh2 24.Bf4 Qh3 25.Bg3 White is ready to
launch a mating attack with Qh3 or Qg5.) 24.Qa3 Qh2+ 25.Kxf3
Qh3+ 26.Ke2 Qxg4+ 27.Kd2 Qh4 28.Qc3 c5 29.Rxa7±. White can
play for a win.
21.Bg6!!
21...Ne7
21...Qxd1??
22.Rxe6+ Ne7 (22...Kf8 23.Bxh6+ Kg8 24.Bxf7# comes to the
same thing.) 23.Rexe7+ Kf8 24.Bxh6+ Kg8 25.Bxf7#;
21...Qf6?
22.Bxf7+ Qxf7 23.Rxf7 Nxe3 24.Qxd8+! (24.Qe2? Nd1+ 25.Kxg2 Kxf7
lets Black off the hook.)
24...Kxd8 25.Bxe3 Bh3 26.Rxa7+-
22.Qxd4
Rxd4 23.Rd3!
This
no-nonsense move, however, is reminiscent of Capablanca.
Not 23.Bb2? Rd2+ or
23.Rxe6? Rd7 (Anand).
23...Rd8
After
23...Rxd3? 24.Bxd3 White threatens both Kxg2 and also Rb8+.
24.Rxd8+
Not 24.Ba3?
Nxg6 25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Rb8+ Kd7
24...Kxd8
25.Bd3 1-0
After
25...Bh1 26.Be2 followed by 27.Kg1 White wins the hapless Bishop.
