Gelfand thwarts Anand with a high-risk response

Gelfand thwarts Anand with a high-risk response
MOSCOW, May 15, 2012
Ian Rogers

Source: http://www.thehindu.com

The third game of the World Chess Championship in Moscow ended in a draw after a dramatic battle which ended only after 37 moves and four hours play.

Anand, playing with the first move, tried to take Gelfand by surprise with a rare third move designed to neutralise Gelfand’s favourite Grunfeld Defence.

By move 12 it seemed that Anand would be launching a serious attack, as he sought to open up a file near Gelfand’s king.

Superbly prepared

However, Gelfand had come superbly prepared and averaged just 35 seconds for each of his first 15 moves.

The Israeli challenger chose a reply which was reputed to lead to trouble for Black, and Anand began burning up time trying to work out why Gelfand was playing such a supposedly dubious line so quickly and confidently.

Finally, Anand decided to hide his king in the corner, away from Gelfand’s attack, but the Israeli responded with his new idea — a pawn sacrifice to blow open a new diagonal towards Anand’s king.

Despite falling well behind on the clock, Anand stayed calm, avoided many snares and liquidated to an endgame where his extra pawn counterbalanced Gelfand’s continuing initiative.

“It is very complicated,” said Anand. “Black is trying to find compensation for his sacrificed pawn and White is trying to hold onto this pawn.”

On the 24th move Gelfand missed a clear method of balancing the game, and the Indian world champion gradually took control.

“I would have played the idea had I seen it,” admitted Gelfand.

“I was trying to take the pawn and equalise but I underestimated a few of his moves.”

The main danger for Anand in attempting to shepherd his extra pawn to victory was that he had only 10 minutes left for the final 10 moves of the time control.

On the 34th move disaster struck. Anand spent three minutes on his move but just as his hand left the piece he noticed a far more effective idea which would have won the game.

“I was just too late to see the [follow-up] 35.Rc4, which is winning,” said a clearly frustrated Anand.

He then rattled off a seven-move variation, leading to a position where he gained a new queen.

A relieved Gelfand took full advantage of his chance and invaded with his rooks, ending all danger.

Before playing his 38th move, Anand shrugged his shoulders and offered a draw, immediately accepted by Gelfand.

The draw leaves the score at 1.5-1.5 and is a significant psychological blow for the world champion, who threw everything into the game but was unable to apply the finishing touches and take the lead in the 12-game contest.

Nonetheless, a key member of the Anand camp remained upbeat saying: “Perhaps, it was a clearly winning position but the match is (now well and truly) on!”

Gelfand remained relaxed as usual, saying: “In principle, as many people know by now, I just play game by game.”

The fourth game will be played on Tuesday starting at 16.30 Indian time.

Ian Rogers is an Australian Grandmaster.