Schacksnack

Anand,Viswanathan (2792) – Carlsen,Magnus (2863) [E16]
World Championship, Sochi (5), 14.11.2014

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 One of the most solid openings with the purpose of targeting the central square e4 to limit the effects of White’s setup. 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Nc3 Bb7 7.Bg2 c6 Black voluntarily loses control of the e4-square. 8.e4 d5 This is the idea. 9.exd5 Of course if 9.e5 then 9…Ne4 with good counterplay. Also 9.Qe2!? dxc4 10.0-0 (10.Qxc4 Ba6 and White loses the right to castle) 10…0-0 is probably far too risky and more in Black’s interest. Understandably Anand tries  to play for an advantage with simpler means. It’s not the right moment in the match to play such a risky variation even if this mode of play probably suits Anand’s style more than Carlsen’s style. 9…cxd5 10.Ne5 0-0 11.0-0 Nc6 12.cxd5 Nxe5 13.d6! 13.dxe5 Nxd5 and Black is fine. 13…Nc6! 13…Bxg2 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.dxe5 Bxf1 16.exf6 Qxf6 17.Qxf1 and White can be happy with the outcome. 14.dxe7 Qxe7 15.Bg5 h6 15…Rad8 would be answered by 16.d5 anyway 16.d5 Na5 or 16…Rad8 17.Qa4 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.dxe6 Qxe6 19.Re1 Qf6

What is White's best continuation to keep his slight advantage alive?

20.Nd5! White’s only realistic chance to play for an advantage is positions where the advantage of bishop versus knight is clearly visible. This advantage can be with rook/rooks or without rooks. This kind of an advantage was a favourite strategy of the legendary Robert James Bobby Fischer (1943-2008) when he was around in the sixties and the seventees. 20…Bxd5! At the press conference Anand mentioned the following variation: 20…Qxb2 21.Re2 Qa3 22.Re3 Qb2 23.Rb1 Qxa2 24.Ra1 Qb2 25.Rxa5 bxa5 26.Rb3 Qa2 27.Rxb7 which is in White’s favour. 21.Bxd5 Rad8 22.Qf3 The normal continuation to remove the pin is to strive for an exchange of queens. 22…Qxb2 23.Rad1 Qf6 Black must stop White from playing his rook to e7. Anand showed that 23…Rd6? 24.Bxf7+ Rxf7 25.Re8+ Kh7 26.Qxf7 Rxd1+ 27.Kg2 Rd6 28.Qf5+ Rg6 29.Re6 is winning for White. 24.Qxf6 gxf6 25.Re7 The threat is 26.Bxf7+ 25…Kg7 25…Nc6 26.Rc7 Ne5 27.Rxa7 Rd6 28.Bb3 Rxd1+ 29.Bxd1 Rd8 30.Bh5 (also 30.Bb3 Rd2 31.Rb7 Nd7 looks like torture for Black. Understandably Carlsen to avoided this.) 30…Ng6 followed by …f5 wasn’t Carlsen’s cup of tea. 26.Rxa7 if 26.Kg2 f5 (26…Nc6 27.Rc7 Ne5) 27.Bxf7?? Black is winning after (27.Rxa7 should be played.) 27…Rxd1 28.Bb3+ Kf6 29.Re6+ Kf7 30.Rd6+ Nxb3 Anand said that 26.Rc7 would have been a good try. He gave the following variation: 26…a6 27.Rd3 Rd6? (Carlsen said he would have played 27…Rc8 28.Rdc3 Rcd8 and Black has no serious problems.) 28.Bxf7 Rxd3 29.Bc4+ with good winning chances. 26…Nc6 27.Rb7 Anand also considered 27.Ra4 Rd6 28.Bb3 Rxd1+ 29.Bxd1 Rd8 and it’s very hard to do something with the knight on d4 coming soon. 27…Nb4 28.Bb3 Rxd1+ 29.Bxd1 Nxa2 30.Rxb6 Nc3 31.Bf3 f5 The game is clearly an easy draw. 32.Kg2 Rd8 33.Rc6 Ne4 34.Bxe4 fxe4 35.Rc4 f5 36.g4 Rd2 37.gxf5 e3 38.Re4 Rxf2+ 39.Kg3 Rxf5 1/2-1/2

Standings: Carlsen-Anand 2,5-2,5

The exciting match continues tomorrow Saturday with a rest day on Sunday.

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