18 November 2013

Anand -- Carlsen 2013, Game 7

Prophylactic Play

World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand was hoping to put some pressure on Magnus Carlsen today, but never had more than a slight advantage. As in games 4 and 6 of the match, Carlsen adopted the Berlin Defense to the Spanish. Anand chose a line of the Exchange variation that he has played several times earlier this year, and that Carlsen has also played as White in recent events. The game was in wholly new territory by move 8, but Carlsen was able to anticipate White's plans and prevent them.

Magnus Carlsen is playing as we should expect of a World Champion. His errors are few and minor. If there is nothing in the position, he does not force matters. He wins by making his opponent play as long as there is an imbalance. Now that he has a comfortable lead in the match, he prevents his opponent from creating complications.

Anand,Viswanathan (2775) -- Carlsen,Magnus (2870) [C65]
FWCM 2013 Chennai (7), 18.11.2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3

4.0–0 see game 4.

4...Bc5 5.Bxc6

5.c3 see game 6.

5...dxc6

White to move

6.Nbd2

Anand and Carlsen have both played this position. Anand has played it four times prior in 2013. Carlsen had three games in 2012 on the White side.

6.h3 was played by Fabiano Caruana against Anand in the Tal Memorial Blitz earlier this year.
6.Be3 was played by Emil Sutovsky against Carlsen in 2007.
6.0–0 had been played by Anand against Arkadij Naiditsch in 2009.
6.Nxe5?? is a typical beginner's error 6...Qd4 7.Be3 Qxe5 8.d4 Bb4+ 9.c3 Qxe4 10.cxb4 Black has fewer weaknesses, active piece play, and the initiative.

6...Bg4

ChessBase Online contains seven games with this move. In a blitz game, Carlsen's classmate beat Anand from the Black side earlier this year after 6...O-O.

Reference Game:

6...0–0 7.0–0 Nd7 8.Nc4 Re8 9.a4 Bf8 10.Kh1 f6 11.b3 Nc5 12.Ng1 Ne6 13.Ne2 b6 14.f4 exf4 15.Nxf4 Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Be6 17.Qf3 Bxc4 18.bxc4 Bd6 19.Qg3 Bxf4 20.Rxf4 Qd6 21.Qf3 Re5 22.h3 Rae8 23.Rf5 Rxf5 24.Qxf5 Qe5 25.Qf1 a5 26.Rb1 c5 27.Qf2 Rd8 28.g3 Rd6 29.Kg2 Qc3 30.Qe2 Re6 31.Qd1 f5 32.exf5 Re3 33.f6 h5 34.f7+ Kf8 35.Kh1 Qe5 36.Qf1 Qxg3 37.Qf5 Qxh3+ 38.Qxh3 Rxh3+ 39.Kg2 Re3 40.Kf2 Re5 41.c3 Kxf7 42.d4 Rf5+ 43.Ke3 g5 0–1 Anand,V (2783) -- Hammer,J (2608) Stavanger 2013

7.h3 Bh5

White won a long game last year after 7...Bxf3.

Reference Game:

7...Bxf3 8.Qxf3 Nd7 9.Qg3 Qf6 10.Nc4 0–0 11.0–0 Rfe8 12.a4 Nf8 13.Bg5 Qe6 14.Bd2 Ng6 15.b4 Bf8 16.Qg4 b6 17.g3 f6 18.Bc3 Bd6 19.Ne3 Kh8 20.Kg2 a6 21.Qf3 Ne7 22.h4 b5 23.Rfb1 Qd7 24.h5 h6 25.Qg4 Qxg4 26.Nxg4 Nc8 27.Bd2 Nb6 28.a5 Nd7 29.c4 c5 30.cxb5 axb5 31.bxc5 Nxc5 32.Rxb5 Nxd3 33.Ra4 Ra6 34.Rc4 c5 35.Ne3 Rea8 36.Rc3 Nb4 37.Nc4 Be7 38.Rb3 Nc6 39.Rb6 Nb4 40.Kf3 R6a7 41.Be3 Kg8 42.Rb2 Rc7 43.Kg4 Kf7 44.Rb1 Nc6 45.R1b5 Nd4 46.Rb1 Nc6 47.R6b5 Nd4 48.Rb7 Rxb7 49.Rxb7 Ke6 50.Bd2 Ra6 51.Bc3 Bf8 52.f4 exf4 53.gxf4 f5+ 54.exf5+ Kd5 55.Ne5 Ne2 56.Be1 Bd6 57.Rxg7 Nxf4 58.Nf7 Nd3 59.Nxd6 Nxe1 60.Ne8 Rxa5 61.Rd7+ Kc6 62.Rd6+ Kb5 63.f6 Ra7 64.Re6 Nd3 65.f7 Ra4+ 66.Kg3 1–0 Adams,M (2733) -- Fressinet,L (2696) Germany 2012

8.Nf1

A new position has been reached.

Black to move

8...Nd7

Carlsen plays a nice prophylactic move stepping out of a pin before Anand has a chance to play it. This move also permits f7-f6 should White play Bg5 at some point in the future. It also takes the first step toward overprotecting the bishop on c5.

9.Ng3 Bxf3

9...Bg6 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bd2 offers White a slight edge.

10.Qxf3 g6

Carlsen prevents Nf5.

11.Be3 Qe7 12.0–0–0 0–0–0 13.Ne2

Black to move

Looking at this position, the queen's lack of mobility seems discomfiting. On the other hand, the knight was doing nothing on g3 except blocking its own g-pawn, which might like to advance.

13...Rhe8 14.Kb1 b6

White to move

15.h4

15.Qg3 does not seem to lead anywhere because the f2-f4 advance facilitates Black activity on the e-file. 15...Kb7 16.f4 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 exf4 18.Qxf4 f5 19.Ng3=

15...Kb7 16.h5 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 Nc5 18.hxg6 hxg6

White to move

19.g3 a5 20.Rh7 Rh8 21.Rdh1 Rxh7 22.Rxh7 Qf6 23.f4 Rh8 24.Rxh8 Qxh8 25.fxe5 Qxe5

White to move

There are some tactical possibilities in this position, but most club players should have little difficulty sorting them out. For a World Championship game, there is nothing happening here. After a few transparent threats are made, the players will repeat the position.

Commentators looked a some lines where queens and a pair of pawns could be exchanged. Then the two kings race towards the center, and the knights cannot find any vulnerable targets.

26.Qf3 f5 27.exf5 gxf5 28.c3 Ne6 29.Kc2 Ng5 30.Qf2 Ne6 31.Qf3 Ng5 32.Qf2 Ne6 ½–½

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