Chennai 03: How bad was it?

[Event "FWCM 2013"] [Site "Chennai"] [Date "2013.11.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A07"] [WhiteElo "2870"] [BlackElo "2775"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "IND"] [TimeControl "40/7200:20/3600:900+30"] 1. Nf3 {Despite Magnus' less than stellar opening from the first game, he decides to give 1. Nf3 another go.} d5 2. g3 g6 {Anand also sticks to his guns. } 3. c4 {Here Carlsen deviates, going for a much rarer move than the more standard 3. Bg2 he played in the first game.} dxc4 (3... c6 {is perfectly acceptable here of course, but Anand had another setup in mind.}) 4. Qa4+ (4. Na3 Bg7 5. Nxc4 {looks a bit more testing than the text, though in all likelyhood Black won't have huge problems here either.}) 4... Nc6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Nc3 (6. O-O e5 {would likely transpose, but White has the option of} 7. Nxe5 $5 Bxe5 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. Qxc6+ Bd7 10. Qe4 f6 11. f4 Bf5 {and while this looks fun, it is probably a good thing for the fans that this didn't happen, as it is quite likely the game would conclude here with} 12. Qc6+ Bd7 13. Qe4 Bf5 { etc.}) 6... e5 7. Qxc4 Nge7 8. O-O O-O {Both sides have nearly finished their development, and quite honestly I'm not very impressed with White's opening. The structure is a reverse sicilian which often results from the English, but here Black has absolutely no issues coordinating his pieces and having the dark-squared bishop already fiancettoed is a huge plus.} 9. d3 h6 10. Bd2 Nd4 { This is the first novelty in my database, though the idea is completely standard.} (10... Be6 11. Qa4 Nd4 {is a more common move order, and in fact I think throwing in Be6 before Nd4 looks more logical.} 12. Rfc1 f5 13. Ne1 c5 14. Bxb7 Rb8 15. Bg2 Rxb2 16. Be3 Nxe2+ 17. Nxe2 Rxe2 18. Bxc5 e4 19. d4 f4 20. Rc2 Rxc2 21. Qxc2 e3 22. fxe3 fxe3 23. Qe4 Qd7 24. Nf3 Re8 25. Qxe3 Nf5 26. Qf2 Bd5 27. Re1 Rxe1+ 28. Qxe1 Bxf3 29. Bxf3 Nxd4 30. Bg2 a6 31. Kh1 Qf5 32. Bb6 Kh7 33. a4 a5 34. Qd1 Qe5 35. Qf1 h5 36. Bd8 Qe8 37. Bxa5 Qxa4 38. Bc3 Nf5 39. Bxg7 Kxg7 40. Qc1 {1/2-1/2 (40) Kuzubov,Y (2624)-Negi,P (2607) New Delhi 2011}) 11. Nxd4 exd4 {This trade is generally favorable for Black, as it cements a space advantage in the center and fixes a potential weakness on e2. In order to counter this, White needs to find activity for his pieces.} 12. Ne4 c6 13. Bb4 {It is understandable that White wants to find some activity, but I think this move is slightly imprecise.} (13. Qc1 {forces Black to spend a move defending h6 with} Kh7 {, and now} 14. Bb4 {and White has saved a bit of time compared to the game. Now if Black tries} Be6 {White has} 15. Nc5 {and the bishop has to go back.}) 13... Be6 14. Qc1 Bd5 {With the bishop securing everything on d5, Black is ready to push White back with b6-c5. Already I slightly prefer Anand's position.} 15. a4 b6 16. Bxe7 {This trade is practically forced, as otherwise c5 will be too incovenient for White. Note how if the bishop retreats to d2, f5 traps the e4 knight!} Qxe7 17. a5 Rab8 18. Re1 Rfc8 19. axb6 axb6 20. Qf4 Rd8 21. h4 Kh7 22. Nd2 {The bishop trade would greatly ease the pressure on White's position, but the World Champion has other plans.} Be5 23. Qg4 h5 ({I bet a lot of online fans were groaning here, anticipating the continuation} 23... Be6 24. Qf3 Bd5 $6 {but here White would play} 25. e4 $1 {with excellent chances now that his weakness is eliminated.}) 24. Qh3 Be6 25. Qh1 {It isn't often you see a queen like this, but in reality it isn't so bad since it still influences the center.} c5 26. Ne4 Kg7 27. Ng5 b5 {This move really surprised me when I was watching, but in fact it shows that Anand really knew what was going on here. It might also be because it was around 6 am and I was barely conscious.} (27... Bf5 {taking the time to avoid Nxe6 gives White time to untangle a little.} 28. Be4 Bc8 29. Rec1 {and it is hard to see how Black will actually make progress here.}) 28. e3 {Magnus decides to sacrifice a pawn for activity, an understandable decision but it is hard to say if it was objectively best.} (28. Nxe6+ {looks obvious, but after} Qxe6 {I can see what Magnus didn't like. C4 is going to be quite strong, and his bishop is actually not great on g2 (in such positions, it would almost always rather be on the a2-g8 diagonal, which is impossible here).}) (28. f4 { is hard to play for us non-silicon beings, but perhaps it is the best way to fight.} Bf6 29. Nxe6+ Qxe6 30. Be4 {and at least White might find some counterplay with Qf3-f5 in conjunction with Ra7. That being said, with Black's queenside rolling down the board he still has to be favored.}) 28... dxe3 29. Rxe3 Bd4 (29... Bxb2 {is a cold move, but all of White's attempts at counterplay fail here.} 30. Rae1 Rb6 31. Bd5 Bd4 {and White is in trouble, since after} 32. Rxe6 fxe6 33. Rxe6 {Black has} Qf8 $1 {and the f2 weakness is really felt here.}) 30. Re2 c4 31. Nxe6+ fxe6 32. Be4 {With the strong bishop on e4 and Black's own weaknesses, Carlsen has some hope again.} cxd3 33. Rd2 Qb4 34. Rad1 Bxb2 (34... Rf8 {I prefer going after f2 here, not to mention keeping White's queen out of the game. Now if} 35. Bxd3 Qd6 $1 36. Qg2 Rxf2 37. Rxf2 Rf8 38. Rdd2 Rxf2 39. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 40. Qxf2 Qxd3 {and Black is up a clear pawn with excellent winning chances.}) 35. Qf3 (35. Rxd3 Rxd3 36. Bxd3 {looks safer, but I think Magnus was in some time pressure here, and from a human perspective you don't want to risk losing a chess game with your queen stuck on h1.}) 35... Bf6 36. Rxd3 Rxd3 37. Rxd3 Rd8 {This move completely throws away even the impression of an advantage.} (37... Bd4 {was clearly the best try, and the only explanation is that Anand miscalculated something here.} 38. Qe2 (38. Bxg6 $2 Qe1+ 39. Kg2 Rf8 {and it is over.}) 38... Rf8 39. Rf3 Rxf3 40. Bxf3 Qd6 41. Kg2 b4 {and while White would almost certainly hold due to opposite colored bishops and Black's openish king, Vishy could at least toy with Magnus a bit.}) 38. Rxd8 Bxd8 39. Bd3 {Black can't even hold onto his extra pawn now. After this you can even say White is better due to his structure, but in reality there is no way to take advantage of this with so few pieces left.} Qd4 40. Bxb5 Qf6 41. Qb7+ Be7 42. Kg2 g5 {Vishy liquidates the kingside to ensure the draw.} 43. hxg5 Qxg5 44. Bc4 h4 45. Qc7 hxg3 46. Qxg3 e5 47. Kf3 Qxg3+ 48. fxg3 Bc5 49. Ke4 Bd4 50. Kf5 Bf2 51. Kxe5 Bxg3+ { Finally the fans were treated to a serious battle, and the World Champion showed why we call him that by pushing around the world #1 with the Black pieces. Carlsen managed to escape as he often does, but he will definitely have to rethink his approach with the white pieces.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "FWCM 2013"]
[Site "Chennai"]
[Date "2013.11.12"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A07"]
[WhiteElo "2870"]
[BlackElo "2775"]
[Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez, Alejandro"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1r1r4/4qpk1/4b1p1/1pp1b1Np/7P/3PR1P1/1P3PB1/R5KQ b - - 0 29"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[EventDate "2013.??.??"]
[EventCountry "IND"]
[TimeControl "40/7200:20/3600:900+30"]

29... Bd4 (29... Bxb2 {This is the move that everyone claims Anand 'missed'
like taking a free pawn was something that the World Champion didn't quite
consider. Anand is a famous player for his calculating skills, let us see what
he could possibly have seen:} 30. Rae1 Rb6 31. Bd5 {So far this is pretty
basic. White is piling pressure on the e6 bishop that is pinned and the next
few moves by Black are forced.} Bd4 $1 {The only way to fight for an advantage.
} 32. Rxe6 $1 {Also forced.} fxe6 33. Rxe6 $1 {Black has} Qf8 $1 {So suddenly
Black is up an exchange, but he has some tactical problems he must solve. For
starters pretty much all his pieces are hanging to a fork on e6. So lets say
White simply defends on f2:} 34. Qg2 {Now the task: find Black's next move.}
Rdd6 $1 {The computer move that keeps the advantage. We can follow the
computer line. Not an easy move to find though.} (34... Rdb8 35. Rxb6 Rxb6 36.
Ne6+ Rxe6 37. Bxe6 {is obviously going to end in a draw eventually.}) (34...
Rbb8 35. Rxg6+ $1 $11 (35. Re2 $11)) 35. Kh2 $1 {An obvious move when you
realize White needs his queen to do something meaningful in this game. The
threat is f4} (35. Re2 b4 36. Ne6+ Rxe6 37. Rxe6 Rxe6 38. Bxe6 Qe8 39. Bc4 Qe1+
40. Kh2 Bxf2 41. Qb7+ Kh6 42. Qf3 Qg1+ 43. Kh3 Qf1+ 44. Qg2 Qxg2+ 45. Kxg2 Be1
46. Ba2 Kg7 47. Kf3 Kf6 48. Kf4) 35... Rxe6 (35... b4 36. f4 $1 {And with Qe4
coming it seems that there is too much counterplay for black to hold on to his
material.}) 36. Nxe6+ Rxe6 37. Bxe6 Bxf2 38. Qb7+ Kh6 39. Qf7 Qxf7 40. Bxf7 {
and I think this is actually winning for Black.} Be1 41. Kg2 Kg7 42. Bd5 Kf6
43. Kf3 Ke5 44. Bf7) 30. Re2 {and eventually the game was drawn.} 1/2-1/2