“This inexorable consistency in the realization of his strategic conceptions is, in my view, the main trait of Boris Gelfand the chess player.”
- Vladimir Kramnik
From experience we know that chess is quite a complex game where we do not comprehend leave alone control things on the board. As an observer, I have always been fascinated by a player having an integral vision of what is going to happen in the longer run and is steering his army in the short run, always keeping the bigger picture in mind. This is clearly illustrated in classical games where one player is clearly stronger than the other and hence is able to carry his plan forward in totality, giving quite an instructive view to the aspiring student.
Smyslov cultivated a clear positional style and even in sharp tactical positions often relied more on his intuition than on concrete calculation of variations. Let our authors introduce you into the world of Vasily Smyslov.
As many Gurus rightly feel, this has become increasingly rare in modern chess because the contemporary master never willingly submits to the opponent’s will and instead throws the kitchen sink at him, and even if he were to perish, he prefers to alter the course of the game.
Nevertheless there are definitely few occasions in which a player dictates the course of the game as per his vision, and the rarity of such a scenario makes it even more special. Today that Boris Gelfand is playing the European Championship in Serbia seems like a good time to discuss this aspect. I quote Kramnik from the preface to Boris Gelfand’s book My Most Memorable Games (2004)
What impresses me most is his ability to create games, where all the moves, from the first to the last, are as though links in a single logical chain. This inexorable consistency in the realization of his strategic conceptions is, in my view, the main trait of Boris Gelfand the chess player.
As always, World Champion Vladimir Kramnik is clear and to the point! I am sure that Boris would agree with him regarding what he considers as his forte. Games at the very top where miniscule errors are exploited and a grand strategy comes to fruition always enthral me. Boris Gelfand describes this trait of his playing style as one which he imbibed from his childhood hero Akiba Rubinstein, who had shown a consistent flair for this aspect in numerous games throughout his career.

Statue of Akiba Rubinstein in Polanica Zdrój, Poland | Photo: Jaroslav Trnka
Let us get started with the chess.
Gelfand vs. Anand - Game #7
This is the position after White’s 7th move in the 7th game of the World Championship match between Gelfand and Anand. White’s idea is not to worry about maintaining the pawn chain intact on the queenside with an eventual b4, but to be flexible enough to agree to a transformation of pawn structure with cxb6 and play for simple development. The game continued
7...b6 8. cxb6 Nxb6 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1!?
Developing all the queenside pieces features from time to time in Queen Pawn Openings. Here it makes a unique impression. White again gives Black a choice to transform the pawn structure either with c4 or, as happened in the game, with
10...cxd4 11.exd4 Bd6 12.Bg5 0-0 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7 15.0-0
Quite a few changes have happened since the last diagram. Importantly, the pawn structure has changed. The given pawn structure is optically favourable to Black as he has two pawn islands to White’s three, and also the pawn on d4 is isolated and can become a potential weakness. One is reminded of Capablanca’s famous victory as Black over Lasker in their World Championship match in 1921 (game number 10).
However, things are not this simple. A given pawn structure can become a weakness or not based on the pieces that are present on the board. So here we see a significant difference between Capa’s game, where there were only rook, queen and knight on the board. And, more importantly, the problem child in the Queen’s Gambit (i.e. the light-squared bishop) was no longer there!
Coming back to the present game, Black’s problem piece is the light-squared bishop, which is imprisoned by its own pawns. White’s strategy will be to play against that piece and utilize the queenside majority and the strong squares for his knight that are inherent in this specific pawn structure — namely the e5 and c5 squares. At this moment, Black continued with...
15...Qb8?!
...and as Boris points out in notes to the game, Black could have got his fair share of chances in the game with 15...Bf4!. The problem with this move is that it allows White to trade the dark-squared bishops and thereby increase his influence on the dark square complex for the reminder of the game. The game went
16.Bg3!? Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 18.hxg3
It is clear that White’s chances on the dark squares are significantly improved. Black’s light-squared bishop will struggle to get out as there is never going to be an e6-e5 break in the future too. As Tarrasch observed, the knight on b6 is also a problem piece in many a situation!
White can use the e5 or c5 squares as strong points for his knights and get a back-up support with f4 or b4. As it happens, c5 and play on the queenside is more natural. Added to this, White is going to fight for the control of the c-file.
18...Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 20.Rfc1 Rab8 21.Na4
White starts to get rolling with his plan of playing for the c5 square and the c-file. Here Anand decides to change the character of the game with...
21...Ne4?!
...and even though this has been labelled as an inaccuracy in hindsight, it seems to me that the text move is a very natural bid for counterplay. Even at the cost of a pawn, Black would like to get some breathing space for his bishop on b7.
22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23. Qc2!
White will not waver even a bit from his plan of playing for the control of the c-file. In the live commentary to the game, World Champion Karpov showed another idea to take control of the dark squares: 23.Qe1!?, which was also very strong!
Here Black lashed out with...
23...g5?!
...which was unfairly criticized in my opinion. As the World Champion pointed out in his comments at the press conference after the game, “In a bad position all moves are bad”, or some words to convey that meaning. Legends, with their intricate feel for the game, understand (even if computers don’t) about the liveliness of a given position. And even if the move turns out to be bad, I am in complete agreement with the spirit behind World Champion Vishy Anand’s move.
24.Qc7!
As Nimzowitsch has taught us a long time ago, the idea of controlling an open file comes to fruition when the seventh or eighth ranks can be infiltrated!
24...Qxc7 25.Rxc7 f6? 26.Bxe4! dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5
The game has moved forward like a mathematical problem, where one simplifies the equation and arrives out step by step at the solution. In chess terms, the exchanges have magnified White’s advantage. He is in complete possession of the weakened dark squares of the opponent, and the perennial problem with the light-squared bishop remains for Black.
29...Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4 31.Ne5?! Nc2! 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+? 34. Kh2 e3
35.Rxc8+ +-
...and White was able to capture Black’s problem at the very square where it was born!
35...Kh7 36. Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 e2 38.Nxe6!
With mate to follow, Black resigned.
I have attached Boris Gelfand’s detailed notes to this game as he has annotated for the ChessBase Magazine 149, for readers who want to delve deeper into the truth and the myriad ways to vary. The problem with the dark squares and the development of the light-squared bishop is an age-old problem in such structures, and not even World Champions are immune to this hard defence sometimes. Kasimdhzanov vs Kramnik from the Tromso Olympiad 2014 comes to mind when Kramnik too had to bite the dust in a slightly different pawn structure for White, although Black’s suffering was sort of similar.
References
Check out the aforementioned games in the replayer below:
1.e4 | 1,185,008 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 959,510 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 286,503 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 184,834 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,892 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,600 | 54% | 2428 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,954 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,911 | 50% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,791 | 48% | 2379 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,250 | 54% | 2406 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,081 | 49% | 2409 | --- |
1.d3 | 969 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 670 | 46% | 2361 | --- |
1.h4 | 466 | 54% | 2382 | --- |
1.c3 | 439 | 51% | 2425 | --- |
1.h3 | 289 | 56% | 2420 | --- |
1.a4 | 118 | 60% | 2461 | --- |
1.f3 | 100 | 47% | 2427 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 93 | 66% | 2506 | --- |
1.Na3 | 47 | 62% | 2476 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5 Nbd7 7.Qc2!? b6 7...e5 8.dxe5 Ng4 9.e6 fxe6 10.Bd3 Ngf6 10...Nde5!? 11.Ng5 Nxc5 12.Bxh7 Nxh7 13.Qg6+ Kd7 14.Nf7 8.cxb6 Nxb6 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Rc1 Be7= 10...cxd4 10...c4 11.b3 cxb3 12.axb3 Bb7 13.Bd3 Bd6 14.0-0 0-0 15.Ne5 Rc8 15...Qb8 16.Na4 16.Qb2 11.exd4 Bd6 12.Bg5 12.Na4!? Nxa4 12...Bd7 13.Nc5 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 dxc4 14.Ne5 13.Qc6+ Bd7 14.Qxd6 Ne4 14...Nxb2 15.Qa3 Nc4 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.Ba5 15.Qa3 Nxd2 16.Kxd2!? 16.Nxd2 Qe7 17.Qxe7+ Kxe7= 16...Qe7 17.Qxe7+ Kxe7 18.b3 Nb6 19.Rc5 f6 12...0-0 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7 15.0-0 Qb8?! 15...Bf4 16.Rcd1 16.Rb1 Nbd7 17.b4 17.Qe2 a5 17...Rc8 18.Qb3 Nb6 16...Nbd7 17.Na4 a5 18.Nc5 Qb6= 16.Bg3!? 16.Bxf6!? gxf6 17.Ne2! 17.Qe2 Rc8 17...Rc8 17...Kg7 18.Ng3 Bxg3 19.fxg3 Rc8 20.Qd2 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Qd6 22.Qf4 Qxf4 23.gxf4 17...f5 18.Ng3 Qd8 19.Nh5 Nd7 20.g4! ∆fxg4 21.Qd2+- 18.Qd2 Bf8 19.Rxc8 Nxc8 19...Qxc8 20.Nf4 20.Ng3 Nd6 21.Nh5 Bg7 22.Qf4 Ne4 23.Qg4 Ng5 24.Nxg5 fxg5 25.Nxg7 Kxg7 26.f4 16...Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 18.hxg3 18.fxg3 18...Qd6 18...Rc7 19.Rc2 Qa7 20.Rfc1 20.Qe5 Bc6 20...Rc6 21.Qf4 Nbd7 22.b4 21.Qf4 Rac8 22.Rfc1 20...Rac8 21.b3 Nbd7 22.Na4 Rxc2 23.Rxc2 a5 23...Rxc2 24.Qxc2 Qb8 25.Nc5 24.Bb5 Qb8 25.Bxd7 Rxc2 25...Nxd7 26.Nc5 Nxc5 27.Rxc5 Rxc5 28.dxc5 Bc8 29.Qe3 19.Rc2 19.Ne5 Rc7 20.Rc2 Nfd7 21.Rfc1 Nxe5 22.dxe5 Qd8 19...Nbd7 19...Nfd7 20.Rfc1 Rc6 19...a5 20.Rfc1 Qe7 21.a3 ∆Nc4 22.Na4! 19...Nc4 20.Na4 Nd7 21.Rfc1 20.Rfc1 Rab8?! 20...Re8 21.Na4 21.Ne5!? Qb4 22.Qe3 Nxe5 23.dxe5 Nd7 24.Ne2 21...e5 22.dxe5 22.Nc5 Nxc5 23.dxe5 23.dxc5 Qc7 23...Nxd3 24.Qxd3 Rxe5 25.Nxe5 Qxe5 26.Qb3 Rb8 27.Rc7 Re8! 28.Rxb7 Qe1+ 29.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 30.Kh2 Ng4+ 31.Kh3 Nxf2+ 32.Kh4 Rh1# 22...Nxe5 23.Nc5 20...Rc7! 21.Qe1!? 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Nxd6 Rxc1+ 23.Ne1 Rb8 21.a3 Rac8 22.b4 a5! 23.bxa5 Qxa3 24.a6 Rxc3 24...Bxa6 25.Bxa6 Rxc3 26.Bxc8 Qxc1+ 27.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 28.Ne1 Rxc8= 25.Rxc3 Rxc3 26.Rxc3 Qxc3 27.axb7 Nb8 28.Qe5 Nfd7 29.Qe2 Nf6= 21.Na4 Rxc2 22.Rxc2 Bc6! 23.Nc5 Bb5 24.a3 24.Bxb5 axb5 25.a3 b4 26.a4 b3! 24...Bxd3 25.Qxd3 a5 26.Qb3 Qb8 27.Qxb8+ Rxb8 21...Rac8 22.Na4 Rxc2 23.Bxc2 Bc6 24.Nc5 Qb8 25.b4 21.Na4 21.Qe3!? Nb6 22.b3 21...Ne4?! 21...Rxc2 22.Rxc2 22.Qxc2 Rc8 23.Nc5 23.Qxc8+ Bxc8 24.Rxc8+ Nf8 25.Nc5 Qb6 25...N6d7!? 26.Nxa6 Nb6 27.Rc2 Nc4= 23...a5 23...e5!? 24.Bf5!? 24.Nxe5? Nxc5 24.dxe5 Qb6! 25.exf6 Rxc5 26.Qd2 Rxc1+ 27.Qxc1 Nxf6= 24...exd4 25.b4 d3 26.Qb2 Rc7 27.Bxd3 24.a3 24.Qb3 Ba6! 25.Ne1! ∆25.Bxa6 Qxa6 26.Nxa6? Rxc1+ 27.Kh2 Ng4+ 28.Kh3 Nxf2+ 29.Kh4 Rh1+ 30.Nh2 Rxh2# 25...Nxc5 26.Rxc5 Ne4 27.Rxc8+ Bxc8 28.Qb5 Qc7! 29.Qe8+ Kh7 30.Nf3 Qc1+ 31.Kh2 Qd1!= 32.Ne5 32.Bxe4+ dxe4 33.Nh4 Qxd4 34.Qxf7 Qf6 35.Qxf6 gxf6= 32...Qh5+ 33.Kg1 Qd1+= 24...e5 25.Qb1! 25.dxe5 Qb6 26.exf6 Rxc5 25...Nxc5 26.dxe5 Qe7 27.exf6 Qxf6 28.Bh7+ Kf8 28...Kh8 29.b4 axb4 30.axb4 Nd7 31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Bf5 Nb6 33.Bxc8 Nxc8 34.b5 29.b4 axb4 30.axb4 30.Qxb4 Qe7 31.Bf5 Rc7 32.Qf4 30...Na4 31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Qa2 Nb6 33.Bd3 22...Bc6 22...Rc8 23.Rxc8+ Bxc8 24.Qc2 Bb7 25.a3 25.Nc5!? 23.Nc5 Bb5 24.Bxb5 axb5 24...Rxb5 25.a4 Rb4 25...Rb6 26.Ne5 26.Ne5 Rxd4 26...Nxc5 27.Rxc5 Rb8 28.Qc2 27.Ncxd7 Nxd7 28.Rc8+ Nf8 29.Qh5 Qe7 30.Nc6 Qc5 31.Rc7 Ng6 32.Ne7+ Qxe7 33.Rxe7 Nxe7 34.Qe5!? 34.b3 34...Rxa4 35.Qb8+ Kh7 36.Qe8± 25.Ne5 Nxc5 26.dxc5 Qa6 27.b4 Qa4 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 22...Rxc8 23.Rxc8+ Bxc8 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Qxe4± 23.Qc2! 23.Qe1! Bb7 24.Qa5± 23.Qe3 Bb7 24.Qf4 23...g5? 23...Bb7 24.Nc5 Rc8 25.b4± 23...Ndf6 24.Nc5 24.a3 Bd7 25.Nc5 a5 26.Ne5 Be8 27.Bxe4 dxe4 28.Rd1 Qd5 29.b3 Bb5 30.a4 Bc6 31.Nxe6 Qxe6 32.Nxc6 Qxb3 33.Qxb3 Rxb3 34.Ra1 Rd3 35.Nxa5 Rxd4 36.Nb3 Rd3 37.Rb1 24.Ne5 Bd7 25.Nc5 Be8!? 25...Nxc5 26.Qxc5 Qxc5 27.dxc5 Bb5 27...Rxb2 28.Nxd7 Nxd7 29.c6+- 28.Bxb5 axb5 26.Nxa6 26.Qe2 Rb4 26...Ra8 27.Nc7 Rc8! 24...Nxc5 25.dxc5! 25.Qxc5 Qxc5 26.Rxc5 Bd7 27.b3 Bb5 28.Bc2 28.Ne5 25...Qc7 26.Qc3 Ng4! 27.Re1 a5 28.c6!? 28.Nd4!? Bd7 28...e5 29.Nb5 Qd8 30.f3 Ba6 30...d4 31.Nxd4 exd4 32.Qxa5+- 31.fxg4 Bxb5 32.Bxb5 Rxb5 33.Rxe5± 29.c6 Be8 30.Qc5 h5! 31.b3! 31.Rc1!? h4 32.Be2 Nxf2 33.Kxf2 Qxg3+ 34.Kf1 h3 35.gxh3 Qxh3+ 36.Ke1 Qg3+ 37.Kd1 31...h4 32.gxh4 Qh2+ 33.Kf1 Qh1+ 33...Qxh4 34.Nf3 Qh1+ 35.Ke2 Qxg2 36.Rg1± 34.Ke2 Qxg2 35.Nf3 d4 36.Rf1± 24.Qc7 24.Nc5 f5 25.b4± 24...Qxc7?! 24...Bb7 25.Bxe4 Qxc7 26.Bh7+! Kxh7 27.Rxc7 Kg7 28.Rxd7 Bc6 29.Rxf7+! Kxf7 30.Ne5+ Ke8 31.Nxc6 Rc8 32.Ne5 Rc1+ 33.Kh2 Rd1 34.Nc5 Rxd4 35.Ned3± 25.Rxc7 f6? 25...Nef6 26.Nc5 Ra8 27.b4 25...g4 26.Ne5 Nxe5 27.dxe5± 25...Nd6 26.Nc5 Nf6 27.b3 26.Bxe4! dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 28...Kf8 29.Nc5 Nxc5 30.dxc5 e5 31.c6 Be6 32.Rb7 Rc8 33.Nxe5+- 29.Nc5 Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4 30...Nf6 31.b3+- 31.Ne5?! 31.Nd6 Nd5 31...Nxa2 32.Rc7+- 32.b3+- 31...Nc2! 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+? 33...e3 34.fxe3 Nxe3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 Rxg2+ 38.Kh1 Rf2 39.Ncd3+- 39.Nf7+ Kg7 40.Nxg5+ Kg6 41.Nh3 Rf1+ 42.Ng1 f4 43.gxf4 Rxf4 44.Rg7+ Kf6 45.Rg3 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 37.Nd7 Kg7 38.Nce5 Nxd4 39.Nf6+! 39.fxe3+- 39...Kxf6 40.f4 Nf3+ 41.gxf3 Rb2+ 42.Kh3 g4+ 43.fxg4 fxg4+ 44.Kxg4 h5+ 45.Kf3 Rf2+ 46.Ke4 37...e2 37...exf2 38.Nxe6 Rh1+ 38...f1N+ 39.Kh3 g4+ 40.Kh4+- 39.Kxh1 f1Q+ 40.Kh2+- 38.Nxe6! 38.Nxe6 e1Q 38...Rh1+ 39.Kxh1 e1Q+ 40.Kh2+- 39.Ng6+ Kg8 40.Rg7# 1–0
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Gelfand,B | 2727 | Anand,V | 2791 | 1–0 | 2012 | | World-ch Anand-Gelfand +1-1=10 | 7 |
Lasker,E | - | Capablanca,J | - | 0–1 | 1921 | | Wch-12 | 10 |
Kasimdzhanov,R | 2700 | Kramnik,V | 2760 | 1–0 | 2014 | | Tromsoe ol (Men) 41st | 6.1 |
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This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) how to successfully organise your games strategically, consequently how to keep y
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