(1) Radjabov,T (2735) - Anand,V (2799) [D43]
Corus A Wijk aan Zee NED (1), 12.01.2008
[Mihail Marin]
1.d4
d5
2.c4
c6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.Nf3
e6
5.Bg5
h6
6.Bh4
dxc4
7.e4
g5
8.Bg3
b5
9.Be2
Bb7
10.0-0
Nbd7
11.Ne5
Bg7
12.Nxd7
Nxd7
13.Bd6
a6
14.Re1!?
This modestly looking developing move is a novelty. White usually advances one of his a-, d-, or e-pawns here.
14...Bf8
15.Bg3
Bg7
16.Bd6
Bf8
17.Bxf8
Rxf8
18.b3
b4
19.Na4
c3
20.a3
Now that he has made significant progress on the scale of development (he only needs to connect rooks, while Black has lost the right to castle and faces problems of coordination), White finally starts advancing all the aforementioned pawns.
20...a5
21.d5
Qe7
22.d6
Qf6
23.e5
White has achieved huge advance of space with shocking ease. The e5-pawn is taboo, because the knight has to guard the c5-square while the queen cannot expose herself to discovered attacks such as Ba6. Here we can see that Re1 is not as inocent as it might have looked a couple of moves ago. We can state that the novelty has been quite successful.
23...Qf4
24.Bd3
bxa3
25.Qe2
Qd2
26.Rxa3
Qxe2
27.Rxe2
g4
Anand designes a plan to eliminate the e5-pawn, but this will increae the chaos reigning in his camp.
28.Nxc3
Rg8
29.Ne4
Kd8
30.Nd2
c5
31.Bb5
Bd5
32.Nc4
Rg5
33.Rea2
Nxe5
Black has achieved his partial aim, but White launches a very powerful attack in mutual time trouble.
34.Nb6
Rb8
35.Rxa5
Be4
36.Ra7
f6
37.R2a6
[Black's rather shaky defence relies mainly on the strong centralized knight. Therefore, White should try to exchange it. This would have been a good moment to try accomplishing that with 37.Nd7
, because after 37...Rxb5
38.Nxf6
the threat Ra8!+ followed by mate wins the bishop back, after having spoiled Black's structure.]
37...Rg8
38.Rc7
[Here, he could have prepared Nd7 with 38.Ba4
]
38...Rf8
39.Rxc5
Rf7
40.d7
Nxd7
41.Nxd7
Rxd7
42.Bxd7
Kxd7
43.Rc3
Compared with the position he had, White has achieved relatively little. Black's better structure offer him chances to resist for a long time. However, Radjabov dealt with the technical part quite well.
43...f5
44.Ra7+
Kd6
45.Rh7
Bd5
46.Rxh6
Bxb3
47.h3
gxh3
48.Rhxh3
Now, Black's structural advantage has vanished, but the reduced number of pawns and the bishop's stability in the centre still offers him some hope.
48...Bd5
49.Rc2
Ke5
50.f3
Kf6
51.Kf2
Rb4
52.Re2
Kg6
53.Kg3
Ra4
54.Rh4
Ra7
55.Rb2
Kf6
56.Rhb4
Ke5
57.Re2+
Kf6
58.Rd2
Ke5
59.Re2+
Kf6
60.Kf4
Ra3
61.Rd2
Ra5
62.Re2
Ra3
63.Kg3
63...Ra8?
If I am not mistaken Anand could have claimed a draw by repetition by playing 63.Ra7! The same position occurs after 57...Kf6 and 59...Kf6
64.Rc2
Ke5
65.Rh4
Rg8+
66.Kh2
Ra8
67.Re2+
Kf6
68.f4
Ke7
69.Rh7+
Kd6
70.Kg3
Rg8+
71.Kh3
Rg4
72.g3
Rg8
73.Rd2
Rc8
74.Kh4
Rc3
75.Rg7
Ra3
76.Rc2
Bc6
77.Rc1
Rb3
78.Rg1
Bd5
79.Kg5
Kc5
80.Kf6
Kd4
81.Re1
Rb6
82.Rd7
Rc6
83.Ke7
Ra6
84.Rd6
Ra7+
85.Kf6
White will soon sacrifice the exchange on e6, with a won rook ending. 1-0