Anand crushes Aronian
Chess world number two stunned by Indian grandmaster
4:38PM GMT 16 Jan 2013
Comment
Vishy Anand set the Tata Steel Tournament alight in the fourth round with a brilliancy that will be long remembered. The world champion sacrificed a rook and demolished world number two Levon Aronian in just 23 moves. The original concept was computer analysis, but Anand finished with aplomb.
World number one Magnus Carlsen described the game as: “mind-blowing and really something special”. Anand joined Carlsen and Sergei Karjakin in the lead on 3/4. Following a rest day, Anand plays white against Carlsen.
Opening notes: 11...a6 12.b4 a5 13.Rb1 axb4 14.axb4 Qe7 15.e4 e5 Kasparov - Kramnik, Blitz, 1998. 12.b4 c5!! 13.bxc5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxc5! Topalov - Kasimdzhanov, London GP, 2012, was fine for Black.
Position after 16...Nde5!!
L. Aronian - V. Anand
Tata Steel Tournament
Slav Meran
Tata Steel Tournament
Slav Meran
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.a3 Rc8 12.Ng5 c5! 13.Nxh7 Ng4!! 14.f4 (14.Nxf8 Bxh2+ 15.Kh1 Qh4 wins or 14.h3 Bh2+ 15.Kh1 Qh4 16.f3 Bd6! 17.Kg1 Qg3 18.hxg4 c4! is good for Black) 14...cxd4 15.exd4 Bc5!! 16.Be2 (After 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Qe2 I am just worse. The bishop on b7 is such a monster - Aronian. 17...Nxd3 18.Qxg4 Qd4+ 19.Kh1 Kxh7) 16...Nde5!! (see board above) 17.Bxg4 Bxd4+ 18.Kh1 Nxg4 19.Nxf8 f5!!
Position after 19...f5!!
20.Ng6 (Not to save the knight, but to stop Qh4. If 20.Nxe6 Qh4 21.h3 Qxh3#) 20...Qf6 21.h3 Qxg6 22.Qe2 Qh5 23.Qd3
Position after 23.Qd3
How did Anand force victory?
How did Anand force victory?
Answer:
23...Be3! 0–1
23...Be3! 0–1
