Asked in a recent interview about his match preparations, Anand said: “In this match, we hit the ground running. I am sure [Kramnik’s] preparations were excellent but we managed to show what we had. It’s just an ambush. But the thing is to get what you want to do correctly. Before the match, I thought it was a nice excuse to play open with the queen pawn [with white pieces]. It has been on my ‘To Do’ list for a while. So, I thought the match was a good excuse to start. That paid off as well.”
He has kind words, too, for his opponent. “I was impressed. He was quite warm [on the final day of the match]. It was tough for him and I empathize with him, and feel how it would feel in his situation.”
Game of the week. Anand already had a commanding 3.5-1.5 lead when he and Kramnik sat down to play the partie that dashed the Russian’s hopes of reclaiming the world title.
White: GM Viswanathan Anand (2783)
Black: GM Vladimir Kramnik (2772)
Nimzo-Indian Defense
World Championship
Game No. 6, Bonn 2008
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 Capablanca’s system against the Nimzo-Indian Defense. In the second game of the match, Anand experimented with 4 f3. d5 5 cxd5 Qxd5 The alternative 5…exd5 6 Bg5 h6 7 Bh4 c5 becomes very complicated. 6 Nf3 Qf5 Introduced by Romanishin in 1993. 7 Qb3 As Black, Kramnik drew Kasparov in 1999 after 7 Qxf5 exf5 8 a3 Be7 9 Bg5 Be6. Nc6 Murkier than 7…c5 8 a3 Bxc3+ 9 Qxc3 Nbd7, with a negligible advantage to White. 8 Bd2 0-0 9 h3 New. b6 10 g4 Qa5 11 Rc1 Bb7 12 a3 Bxc3 13 Bxc3 Qd5 14 Qxd5 Nxd5 Not attractive is 14…exd5 15 Bd2, as White plans Bd2-f4 and b2-b4-b5 to pick off the backward c-pawn. 15 Bd2 Nf6 Preventing 16 Bg2? because of 16…Nxd4, but probably inferior to 15…f5!? 16 Bg2 Rae8, which lets Black fight back with…e6-e5. 16 Rg1 Rac8 17 Bg2 Ne7 Black cannot stand 17…Rfd8? 18 Ne5 or 17…Nb8?! 18 b4 Nbd7 19 g5 Ne4?! 20 Bf4 Nd6 21 Ne5. 18 Bb4 c5!? A reasonable pawn sacrifice for activity. Instead, 18…Rfe8 19 Ne5 Bxg2 20 Rxg2 Nfd5 21 Bd2 leaves Black suffering. 19 dxc5 Rfd8 20 Ne5 Bxg2 21 Rxg2 bxc5 If 21…a5?! 22 Bd2 Rd5 23 Nd3 bxc5, White keeps strong pressure with 24 Rc4. 22 Rxc5 Ne4 23 Rxc8 Rxc8 Black threatens mate, and White’s Rook is out of action at g2. But a series of precise moves by Anand casts doubt on the soundness of Black’s sacrifice. 24 Nd3 Nd5 25 Bd2 Rc2 26 Bc1 Black cannot maintain his Rook at c2. f5 27 Kd1 Rc8 28 f3 Nd6 29 Ke1! To meet 29…Nc4 smoothly by 30 e4 fxe4 31 fxe4 Nf6 32 Re2. a5 Harmless. However, 29…Rc2 30 Rg1 Nc4 seems no better, as White untangles with 31 gxf5 exf5 32 Kf2 Kf7 33 Rd1, threatening 34 Ne1. 30 e3 Intending 31 Re2 and 32 e4. Black’s compensation has vanished. e5 31 gxf5 e4 32 fxe4 Nxe4 Black tries to reestablish a bind, but his two-pawn deficit is too much. 33 Bd2 a4 If 33…Rc2, White avoids 34 Kd1?? Nxe3+ and makes progress by 34 Re2 a4 35 Bc3! Rxe2+ 36 Kxe2 Ndxc3+ 37 bxc3 Nxc3+ 38 Kf3. 34 Nf2! Breaking the bind. White welcomes 3…Ndf6 35 Nxe4 Nxe4 36 Rg4 Re8 37 Ke2 or 34…Nxd2 35 Kxd2 Rc2+ 36 Kxc2 Nxe3+ 37 Kc3 Nxg2 38 Kb4. Nd6 35 Rg4! Easier than 35 e4 Re8. Nc4 36 e4 Nf6 37 Rg3 Nxb2 Or 37…Nxe4 38 Nxe4 Re8 39 Bc3 Rxe4+ 40 Kf2, and every White piece works. 38 e5 Nd5 White refutes 38…Re8 39 Bc3 Nc4 40 e6 Nd6 by 41 Ng4! Nxg4 42 hxg4. 39 f6! Kf7 After 39…g6 40 Ne4, Black cannot blockade the pawns by 40…Nc7 41 Rc3 or 40…Re8 41 Rf3! Rf8 42 e6. 40 Ne4 Nc4 41 fxg7 Kg8 Or 41…Rg8 42 Nd6+! Nxd6 43 exd6 Ke6 44 Bh6 Kxd6 45 Rf3 Ne7 46 Rf8. Black is so tied up that White’s King will inflict the decisive blow. 42 Rd3 Ndb6 43 Bh6 Nxe5 44 Nf6+ Kf7 45 Rc3 Rxc3 As 45…Rb8 loses routinely to 46 g8Q+ Rxg8 47 Nxg8 Kxg8 48 Rg7. 46 g8Q+ Kxf6 47 Bg7+, Black Resigns. Black must lose more material by 47…Ke7 48 Qf8+! Kd7 49 Qf5+.
Puzzler.
White — pawns on a2, c3, f3; Ba6, Ra7, Ne4, Kg3
Black — pawn on c6, Ke3
White to play and mate in four moves.
Send your answers to “64” c/o Marianas Variety, P.O. Box 500231, Saipan MP 96950. Our fax no. is 670-234-9271. You can also e-mail idlasts @lycos.com or [email protected].
