World Championship G7 – Gelfand draws first blood and leads

by ChessBase
5/20/2012 – It's the decisive result for which everyone has been clamoring, but it wasn't the big win Anand's fans were hoping for. As noted by Kasparov, the buzzword so far has been "safety", and here it was taken too far, as the passive play by the world champion allowed Gelfand to penetrate with decisive effect for the match's first win. Extensive analysis by GM Gilberto Milos and IM Malcolm Pein.

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The World Chess Championship 2012 is being staged in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, between the current World Champion Viswanathan Anand of India and the winner of the Candidates tournament Boris Gelfand of Israel. The match is over twelve games and lasts from May 11 to 30. The prize fund is US $2.55 million, the winner getting $1.53 million (60%), the loser $1.02 million (40%).

Round seven – Gelfand draws first blood

Viswanathan Anand crashed to defeat against Boris Gelfand of Israel in the seventh game of the ongoing World Chess Championship in Moscow. The reigning World Champion was strangely error prone in the last stages of the game, just when it appeared that it was heading for a draw.

Anand has steadfastly stuck to the Slav defence in all the four black games he has played so far. From a theoretical view point it was another interesting duel in the Slav, and so far Anand had demonstrated that with the black pieces he had established a pretty comfortably zone. Interestingly it was Anand who tried to keep the position alive with some not so routine moves, initially, while Gelfand appeared more than content to keep his position solid and steer towards a draw.

A tactical mistake by Anand on the 25th move put Gelfand firmly in the saddle. He forced the exchange of queens and very soon had his rook firmly entrenched on the seventh rank. Anand’s bishop was hopelessly tied down and though he desperately tried for some counter play by sacrificing his bishop, Gelfand now smelling victory, kept up the attack with his rook and two knights threatening check-mate. Anand resigned on the 38th move in a hopeless position. It was after 19 years that 43-year-old Gelfand scored a victory over 42-year-old Anand in classical chess.

After seven games Gelfand now leads the twelve game match series with a score of 4:3. The player reaching 6.5 points will be crowned Champion. In the next five games Anand will wield Whites in three games, starting with the eighth game tomorrow evening. Anand now needs a victory to bounce back into the match.

Game seven with analysis by GM Gilberto Milos


Start of game seven: the videographers in the background are GM Robert Fontaine
from Europe Echecs and Vijay Kumar from India's Doordarshan TV program

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Gelfand repeats white in game seven since this is the start of the second half of the match and they invert colours. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5 Gelfand tries a different idea than Qc2 which led to nothing in game six. Nbd7 7.Qc2 b6 Another idea for Black is to play for ...e5 which could be achieved after ...Qe7 and g6. 8.cxb6 Nxb6 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1 cxd4 This releases the central pressure and opens the white bishop on d2. Alternatives were; 10...c4 11.b3 10...Nfd7 11.exd4 Bd6 12.Bg5 Black's pawn structure is better but the bishop on c8 is worse than White's bishop and this makes Gelfand's play easier. If the challenger had played 12.Bd3 then Black might reply with h6!? and White would not be able to activate his bishop on d2 so soon. 12...0-0 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7 If Black plays the idea .. .a5-Ba6, to exchange his bad bishop, then the b5 square would be weakened. 15.0-0 White's plan is Qe2-Ne5-f4. Qb8 controlling e5 and intending ...Rc8 and Nh5 or Nfd7. If White plays Bxf6 he will lose control of the black squares and there is no clear way to attack the king. 16.Bg3 after this White plays to control the black squares e5 and c5 and against the bad bishop on b7. Rc8 17.Qe2 Bxg3 17...Nh5 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.Ne5 Nf6 is also possible with a small edge for White. 19...Nf4? 20.Qf3 Nxd3 21.Qxf7++- 18.hxg3 Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 19...Rc7 20.Rfc1 Rac8 21.Bxa6 with a clear pawn up. 20.Rfc1 Rab8 20...Rc7 was possible and natural. White could play: 21.a3 to continue with b4. but not 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Nxd6 Rxc1+ 23.Ne1 23.Kh2 Ng4+ 24.Kh3 Ndf6 23...Rb8 and Black is better. 21.Na4 Rac8 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Rxc7 Qxc7 24.Qc2 Qxc2 25.Bxc2 a5! is equal. 25...Kf8? 26.b4 21.Na4 21.a3 was a good alternative. 21...Ne4 better was 21...Rxc2 22.Rxc2 22.Qxc2 Rc8 23.Qxc8+ Bxc8 24.Rxc8+ Nf8 is good for Black. 22...Bc6 22...Ne4 23.Nc5 Bb5 24.Bxb5 axb5 22.Rxc8+! forcing the bishop to c8 and controlling the c file. Bxc8 23.Qc2 Another possibility worth considering was 23.Bxe4 but after dxe4 24.Qxe4 Bb7 25.Qe3 25.Qf4?! just leads to equality after Qxf4 26.gxf4 Bxf3 27.gxf3 Rb4 The same goes for 25.Qe2 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Qxd4 and White has nothing. 25...Bc6! The key equalizer. 25...Bxf3 on the other hand would be a mistake. 26.gxf3 Rb4 27.Rc8+ Kh7 28.Rc4! white is a clear pawn up. No, the rook is not exactly hanging. Rxc4 29.Qd3+ wins it right back. 23.Qe1 would be interesting with the idea Bb7 24.Qa5 23...g5? The decisive mistake. The natural 23...Bb7 would be answered by 24.Nc5 with a small but clear advantage for White. Rc8 25.b4 23...Ndf6 was the best defense. White could play Nc5 or Ne5 retaining the advantage, but not 24.Qc7 Bd7! and black is doing fine. 24.Qc7 Now Boris controls the entire board and we can clearly see the problems the bad bishop is causing. Qxc7 25.Rxc7 f6 26.Bxe4 Not wasting his chance, Gelfand plays all the correct moves until the end. dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5 Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4 31.Ne5 Nc2 '?!' 32.Nc6 '+-' Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+ 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Rc7+ Kh8 37.Ne5 37.Nd7 would be mate in 17 moves according to the computer. 37...e2 38.Nxe6 and the world champion resigned. Tha last trick was 38.Ng6+ Kg8 39.Nxe6? Rh1+ 40.Kxh1 e1Q+ 41.Kh2 Qxe6 and ... Black wins! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gelfand,B2727Anand,V27911–02012D45World Chess Championship Match7

GM Gilberto Milos is a veteran grandmaster who has been six-times Brazilian champion, and is one of only three Brazilian players to break into the world's Top 100. He has represented Brazil no fewer than nine times in the Olympiads, and in 2000, took third in the Chess World Cup, behind Anand and Bareev.

Gilberto delivers his analyses of the World Championship in Moscow minutes after the games have ended, something we greatly appreciate.

 

Game seven analysis by Malcolm Pein

IM Malcolm Pein comments on the games on TWIC and live during each game via Twitter #telegraphchess.

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6 6.c5 I was more or less expecting this at some point as it's often the critical test of a6. There is a hole on b6 and Black's natural freeing attempt e5 cannot be played in one move. Of course b7-b6 is a natural response Nbd7 7.Qc2 7.b4 Qc7 7.b4 g6 Seems to me to be the critical lines, perhaps a battleground in game nine. 7...b6 Effectively a novelty! why? it's so natural 8.cxb6 8.b4 a5 9.b5 Bb7= 8...Nxb6 For the database junkies, this is the actual novelty 8...c5 9.Na4 cxd4 10.exd4 Nxb6 11.Nc5 Nbd7 12.b4 +/= 9.Bd2 c5 10.Rc1 cxd4 10...c4 is met by 11.e4 But comparing it with similar positions in the Tarrasch Defence it doesn't look like much 11.exd4 Bd6 12.Bg5 0-0 13.Bd3 h6 14.Bh4 Bb7 15.0-0 Qb8 16.Bg3 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qd2? Bf4 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Ne2 Rc8 18.Qd2 was worth consideration but Gelfand wants to play positionally and avoid tactical complications. He just asks Anand what he is going to do with his bad bishop now that his good bishop is being exchanged 16...Rc8 17.Qe2 17.Ne5 Intends f4 and was sharper but Boris wants to prevent Ne4. Very cautious, I was disappointed at the time but this approach is more than vindicated 17...Bxg3 18.hxg3 18.fxg3 Was possible looking for an attack but Boris is consistent. He has decided his chances are on the queenside and he consistently plays against the bad bishop Qa7 Is a possible reply and a little awkward 18...Qd6 19.Rc2 Nbd7 Covering e5 and allowing the queen to defend a6 20.Rfc1 Rab8 Directed against the plan of Na4. Interestingly afterwards Vishy expressed dissatisfaction with this move Karpov preferred 20...Rc7 and analysed it concretely with Leko 21.Na4 21.Nb5 Rxc2 22.Nxd6 Rxc1+ 23.Kh2 Ng4+ 24.Kh3 Ndf6 Black is fine in these complications 25.Ne1 Bc6 26.f3 Rd8 27.Nxf7 Kxf7 28.fxg4 Bb5 29.Bxb5 axb5 30.g5 hxg5 31.g4 Rh8+ 32.Kg3 21...Rac8 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Rxc7 Qxc7 24.Qc2 Qxc2 25.Bxc2 Idea b4 a5 26.Nd2 Bc6 27.Nc5 Nxc5 28.dxc5 Nd7 29.Nb3 Ba4 is better for Black hence concretely Rc7 may be better. 20...a5!? 21.Nb5 Qb6 21.Na4 21.a3 21...Ne4?! A natural response but now White certainly a bit better. Suspect this is the cause of later problems 21...Rxc2 22.Rxc2 22.Qxc2 Rc8 23.Nc5 e5!? 22.Qxc2 Rc8 23.Qxc8+ Bxc8 24.Rxc8+ Nf8 25.Nc5 Qb6 26.Ne5 Qxb2 27.Ncd7 N6xd7 28.Nxd7 g6 Computer - is pleasant for Black or to quote his eloquent silicon eminence: 22...Bc6 23.Nc5 Bb5= Exchanging this bishop is a key objective for Black 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Qc2 Played quickly. Interesting comments from Leko: "When a player is comfortable with black he is less likely to risk with white. Maybe this game is a turning point in that regard." 23.Qe1! Karpov - Leko raved about this move, reveals Karpov's wonderful insight, ' Black square strategy' b4 and Nc5 coming Bb7 24.Qa5 with b4 coming when White must be comfortably better 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Bb7 25.Qf4 25.Qe3 Bc6 26.b3 Bxa4 27.bxa4 Qb4= 25...Qxf4 26.gxf4 Bxf3 27.gxf3 Rb4 23...g5 Looks almost desperate. 'In a bad position usually all moves are bad' - Anand 23...Bb7 24.Nc5! Leko thought Vishy missed this 24.Qc7 Rc8 24...Rc8 24...Ndxc5 25.dxc5 Qc7 26.c6 25.b4! 24.Qc7 24.Nc5 Also good but keep it simple against Vishy is often the right plan 24...Qxc7 25.Rxc7 f6 26.Bxe4! After 10 minutes thought just to be sure. At this point, a strong player can tell the game is won. Nf3-d2-c4-d6 is a terrible threat. The bishop on c8 is hopeless, a6 and e6 are weak and Black can hardly play a constructive move dxe4 27.Nd2 f5 28.Nc4 Nf6 29.Nc5 Vishy 10 minutes left Nd5 30.Ra7 Nb4 BG 00.13 VA 00.06 Vishy knows the game is over so he tries to create some diversionary tactics and because he is a genius he actually manages it 31.Ne5 Nc2 32.Nc6 Rxb2 33.Rc7 Rb1+ 33...e3 34.Rxc8+ Kg7 35.Rc7+ Kh8 36.fxe3 Nxe3 37.Ne5 Rxg2+ 38.Kh1 Rxa2 39.Ng6+ Kg8 40.Nxe6 Ra1+ 41.Kh2 Ra2+ 42.Kg1 No perp 34.Kh2 e3 35.Rxc8+ Vishy is desperately trying to arrange Nc2-e3 to g4 and back rank mate but the Nc6 comes to e5 and defends Kh7 36.Rc7+ Leko quoted Botvinnik. 'Better to be a piece up than to force mate'. Point is you can't mess up with an extra piece whereas if you miss the mate... This is worth pointing out to the masses who only follow the engine numbers. However the lines are not to hard to calculate so Boris decides to force matters Kh8 37.Ne5 37.Nd7 exf2 38.Nf6 f1N+ 39.Kh3!+- 39.Kg1 Nfe3+ 40.Kf2 Ng4+!= 37...e2 38.Nxe6 'I started to drift a little bit in the opening and the rest revolved around my bishop on c8' - Anand It's mate on c8 or huge material loss after 38.Nxe6 Rh1+ 39.Kxh1 e1Q+ 40.Kh2 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gelfand,B2739Anand,V27991–02012D45WCh 20127

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Pictures by Alexey Yushenkov


Game seven commentary by Daniel King

Game seven commentary by Andrew Martin

The English chess trainer has a dedicated following of chess enthusiasts who simply like his style. "Andrew Martin's analysis fits me best," writes Karl-Heinz Isleif from Tokyo, Japan. "He makes sense, and no one is easier to understand and to follow. But what made you say he's from London, when he sounds like the guys down in Melbourne?" – Sorry, Karl-Heinz, Andrew was born in West Ham, London, and is pure Brit. He is a professional chess teacher and head trainer of the English youth team. He trains eight schools: Yateley Manor, Aldro, Millfield, Sunningdale, Waverley School, St Michael’s Sandhurst, Wellington College, Salesian College.

For a full bio and a list of the training DVDs he has produced for ChessBase visit this page in our online shop.


Video stream of the round (from the official World Championship site)

Once again the Russian organisers are providing unprecedented coverage,
with a HD video stream of the action and commentary by visiting grandmasters.

Scoreboard

 Players
Rtng
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Tot.
Perf.
+/–
 Vishy Anand
2791
½
½
½
½
½
½
0
         
3.0
2678
–11
 Boris Gelfand  
2727
½
½
½
½
½
½
1
         
4.0
2840
+11

Remaining schedule

Days of play, with live commentators on Playchess.com. Note that the games start at 15:00h local time = 13:00 CEST, 07 a.m. New York or here in your location.

Mon May 21 Game 8 Oliver Reeh
Tues May 22 Rest day  
Wed May 23 Game 9 Daniel King
Thur May 24 Game 10 Yannick Pelletier
Fri May 25 Rest day  
Sat May 26 Game 11 Daniel King
 
Sun May 27 Rest day  
Mon May 28 Game 12 Sam Collins
Tues May 29 Rest day  
Wed May 30 Tiebreaks  
Thurs May 31 Closing  

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