JOIN USWhen Anand broke Russian dominance
Robert James Fischer was the only player who to a certain extent could break the Russian domination and after him it has been Viswanathan Anand who made his presence felt.
It was in the nineties that Anand started winning big events, in an era where Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov virtually appeared invincible. On Anand’s 41st birthday on December 11 here is a game played in the Rapid version against Garry Kasparov. This game has been annotated by Anand himself.
White: Anand V (2690) – Black: Garry Kasparov (2790)
Paris Immopar Rapid , 1992
Sicilian Defence
1.e4 .c5
The Sicilian defence which is considered a sharp response to the King pawn opening
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f4
A sharp continuation
6. ..e6 7.Qf3
If 7.Bd3 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Nd5
7...Qb6
If 7...Nbd7 8.g4 h6 9.Be2 Qb6 10.Nb3 Qc7 11.Qg2 Rb8 12.Be3 b5 13.g5 hxg5 14.fxg5 Nh5 15.g6 Ne5 16.gxf7+ Qxf7 17.Rf1 Qg6 18.Qxg6+ Nxg6 was played in a game between Short and Kasparov
8.a3
If 8.Nb3 Qc7 9.g4
8...Nbd7
If 8...h5 9.Nb3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 Qc7
9.Nb3 Qc7 10.g4
Attacking chess, targeting the King side.
10. ..h6 11.h4 h5 12.g5 Ng4 13.Bd2 b5 14.Bh3
A new move! Previously played was 14.0–0–0 Bb7 15.Kb1 Rc8 16.Be2 g6 17.Rhe1 Bg7 18.Qg3 Nb6 19.Bxg4 hxg4 20.f5 Be5 21.Qxg4 Qe7 22.Na5 Ba8 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.Bf4 Rxc3 25.bxc3 Na4 26.Bxe5
14...Nb6 15.0–0–0
White castles on the long side and the King looks safe here with his pieces well placed for defence
14. ..Nc4 16.Bxg4 hxg4 17.Qxg4 Rb8
If 17...g6 18.h5 with advantage for white
18.g6 a5
The players are attacking on opposite flanks. Black King is still in the centre. If 18...f6 19.f5 a5 20.fxe6 b4
19.Nd4
A good move! If 19.gxf7+ Qxf7 (19...Kxf7 20.f5) 20.Qe2 is better for White
19...b4 20.Ncb5 Qc5 21.a4 e5
Diagram 1
22.Nf5 A strong move! The position is very open and lot of calculations need to be done by both players
22. ..f6
If 22...Rxb5 23.axb5 Na3 24.c3 (24.bxa3 b3) 24...Nxb5 with a mess. If 22...Na3 23.Nbxd6+ Kd7 24.c3
23.Qe2 Bxf5 24.exf5 Rxb5
Sacrificing the exchange
25.axb5 a4 26.Kb1 Qxb5 27.Qd3 b3 28.Ka1
If 28.Bc1 bxc2+ 29.Kxc2 (29.Qxc2 Na3+)
28...Be7 29.Bc1 Kd7 30.Rh2 Rc8
Black is desperately trying to build up an attack
31.h5 e4
If 31...Qa5 32.Qd5 Rc5 33.Qe6+ Kd8 34.Kb1
32.Qd5 Rc5 33.Qe6+ Kd8 34.c3 a3 35.bxa3
A good move!
35. ..Qa4 A mistake! Black had a better move in 35...Qa6 36.Kb1 Nxa3+ 37.Bxa3 Qxa3 38.Rb2! Rxc3 39.h6 and White is better as Black’s chances of attack fizzle out
36.Rd4
White can also play 36.h6 here
36. ..Qa6 37.Rxe4 Rc7 38.Qg8+ Kd7 39.Rhe2 and Black resigned for if 39.Rxe7+ Kxe7 40.Re2+ Ne5
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Qe6 Rff8
Black hardly has any choice
2.c8(Q) Rxc8 3.Qe7 Rf7 4.Qxf7 Rg8 5.Qxf6 and Black can no longer escape defeat.