1.e4
c5
Indeed! Anand showed his eagerness to catch 'Nak' in the previous round. It is no big surprise that he tries to complicate things against an opponent who fancies it!
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.Be3
An English Attack?
6...e5
7.Nf3
No, Actually Nepomniatchi was not really expected to play it. Instead he chooses the line in which he suffered a lot in his two games against Karjakin.
7...Be7
8.Bc4
0-0
9.0-0
Qc7
Anand does not deviate from his game against Ivanchuk. [9...Nc6
10.Re1
b5
(10...Be6
11.Nd5
b5
12.Bb3
Bxd5
13.Bxd5
Qc7
14.c3
Nxd5
15.Qxd5
Bf6
16.Red1
Rfd8
17.a4
Ne7
18.Qd3
Qc6
19.axb5
axb5
20.Rxa8
Rxa8
21.h4
h6
22.Bg5
hxg5
23.hxg5
Rd8
24.gxf6
gxf6
25.Nh2
1-0 Karjakin,S (2760)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2720)/Moscow 2010/CB00_2011 (49)) 11.Bb3
Na5
12.Bg5
Nxb3
13.axb3
Bb7
14.Bxf6
Bxf6
15.Nd5
Rc8
16.c3
g6
17.Qd3
Bg7
18.b4
f5
19.Nd2
Bh6
20.Rad1
Rf7
21.f3
Kg7
22.Nf1
fxe4
23.Rxe4
Bc6
24.Ree1
Qd7
25.Ng3
Qa7+
26.Kh1
Kh8
27.Ne4
1/2-1/2 Karjakin,S (2760)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2720)/Moscow 2010/CB00_2011 (52)]
10.Nd5
But 'Nepom' does! The deviation is not a big burden for the World Champion, on the other hand, it decreases the chance of an exciting battle and turns the table in favor of... Nakamura! [10.Bb3
Be6
11.Qd2
Rc8
12.Ng5
Bc4
13.f4
Nbd7
14.fxe5
dxe5
15.Rf5
Bb4
16.Rd1
Rd8
17.Qe1
h6
18.Nf3
Be6
19.Qg3
Bxf5
20.exf5
Bc5
21.Bxc5
Nxc5
22.Re1
Nxb3
23.axb3
b5
24.h3
Rac8
25.Nxe5
Re8
26.b4
Qd6
0-1 Ivanchuk,V (2740)-Anand,V (2803)/Leon 2008/CBM 124 Extra]
10...Nxd5
11.Bxd5
Nd7
12.c4
Nf6
13.Qb3
A novelty. Just that!
13...Nxd5
14.cxd5
b5!
One should not just consider the static outcome of this move. c6 is 'weakened' and that is true, however, the piece which has to be placed there, the knight on f3, is too far from that dream!
15.Rfc1
Qb8
16.Qc3
f5
17.Qc7
Rf7
18.Nd2
Qxc7
19.Rxc7
Bd8
20.Rc6
This move is not a miscalculation but a misjudgement! The exchange sacrifice is in Black's favor.
20...Bd7
21.Rxd6
Forced since the retreat would lose the bishop. [21.Rc2?
f4
]
21...Bc7
22.Rxd7
Rxd7
23.f3
f4!
24.Bc5
24...Bd6?!
Anand could "annoy" Nepomniachtchi more by keeping the bishops on the board longer. [24...Rc8!
25.Nb3
Bb8
26.Rd1
(26.Kf1
Rdc7
27.Bd6
Rc2
28.Bxb8
Rxb8
29.Na5
Rxb2
30.Nc6
Re8
31.a4
And in spite of technical problems, Black is a 'healthy' exchange up.) 26...Kf7
27.Kf1
a5
28.Bf2
Ba7
29.Nxa5
Bxf2
30.Kxf2
Rc2+
31.Ke1
Rxg2
32.Nc6
Kf6
33.Rd2
Rxd2
34.Kxd2
g5
35.h3
Here Black has the very remarkable maneuver 35...Rg7!
It might seem as if the idea is h5-g4 supported by the rook, but it is not. 36.b3
36...Rg6!!
This is the fantastic point! The actual threat is Rh6 and taking on h3 and even taking on f3 if allowed. 37.a4
(The tactical trap 37.d6?
fails to 37...Kg7!
(37...Ke6?
38.d7
Kxd7
39.Nxe5+
) 38.d7
Rd6+
39.Ke2
Rxd7
40.Nxe5
Ra7
) 37...bxa4
38.bxa4
Rh6
39.Nb8
with the idea Nd7+ and Nxe5. (39.a5
Rxh3
40.a6
Rh2+
) 39...Ke7
40.Nc6+
Kd6
and White is lost.]
25.Bxd6
Rxd6
26.Nb3
Rc8
27.Rf1
Kf7
28.Na5
Rc2
29.Rf2
Rc1+
30.Rf1
Rxf1+
31.Kxf1
g5
32.Nc6
It is all over now. Black's rook cannot invade White's territory anymore.
32...Kf6
33.b4
Rd7
34.h3
h5
35.Kf2
Rg7
36.Kf1
g4
37.hxg4
hxg4
38.Kf2
g3+
Why draw when the engines say Black has a big edge? Hold on guys. It is a fortress and our engines cannot understand it yet! One of the few moments in which the human is still superior to computers! 1/2-1/2