Chess Piece
By Bobby Ang
Anand novelties
This is a continuation from last Friday’s column. Here are Anand’s other five novelties which won the Chess Informant best theoretical innovation award.
When Vishy Anand won the 2007 Mexico World championship his main rival Vladimir Kramnik made a comment to the effect that Anand was only tournament champion, and that the real title should be won in a head-to-head clash. Well, the following year Anand did exactly that, defeating Kramnik 6.5-4.5 in Bonn.
Anand, Viswanathan (2783) — Kramnik, Vladimir (2772) [E34]
World Championship (6), 2008
Inf 104/146
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qb3 Nc6 8.Bd2 0 — 0 9.h3!N
Funny why nobody ever thought of this before. White’s planned g2 — g4 is very annoying for Black’s queen.
9…b6
After long thought Kramnik finds the best chance.
10.g4 Qa5 11.Rc1 Bb7
[11…Ba6? 12.a3 Be7 13.Qa2! followed by b2 — b4]
12.a3 Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Qd5 14.Qxd5 Nxd5 15.Bd2! Nf6 16.Rg1 Rac8 17.Bg2 Ne7 18.Bb4 c5?!
Kramnik tries to activate his pieces by giving up this pawn, but he does not have enough meat behind it.
19.dxc5 Rfd8 20.Ne5 Bxg2 21.Rxg2 bxc5 22.Rxc5 Ne4 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Nd3 Nd5 25.Bd2 Rc2 26.Bc1 f5 27.Kd1 Rc8 28.f3 Nd6 29.Ke1 a5 30.e3
Next is Rg2 — e2 and then e3 — e4.
30…e5 31.gxf5 e4 32.fxe4 Nxe4 33.Bd2 a4 34.Nf2 Nd6 35.Rg4 Nc4 36.e4!
This had to be calculated several moves ahead. Anand had to see that his central pawns are more dangerous than Black’s queenside activity.
36…Nf6 37.Rg3 Nxb2 38.e5 Nd5 39.f6 Kf7 40.Ne4! Nc4
[40…Ke6 41.fxg7 Ne7 42.Ng5+ Kd5 43.Nxh7 finishes off Black]
41.fxg7 Kg8 42.Rd3 Ndb6 43.Bh6 Nxe5 44.Nf6+ Kf7 45.Rc3! Rxc3 46.g8Q+ Kxf6 47.Bg7+ 1 — 0
Full article here.
Anand won’t stand a chance against Nakamura in a match. It won’t even be close.
That is a gross underestimate. Not just Nakamura, Carlsen also may not stand a chance against Anand (cann’t say against Ivanchuk as he is unpredictable) on one to one match of 12-16 games. In a long match exceeding 16 games his age and physical fitness may fail him.
Another six months. Naka’s chess welfare stamps doled out by Gary would be exhausted and he would be started of ideas..The Giris and carlsens would be challenging vishy.. Ofcourse naka would walk with a swagger after winning a bullet chess game with the guy in the next block..