World Chess Championship 2013, round 5: Carlsen wins in a tense positional battle when Anand blunders!
Nov 15, 2013 · 2 minute read · 0 CommentschessWorld Chess ChampionshipMagnus CarlsenViswanathan AnandSemi-Slav
In my continuing coverage of the World Chess Championship between Anand and Carlsen, today I cover round five, a subtle positional battle in which Carlsen won in the ending. This was the first win by either player in the match!
Game and notes below:
Summary
Carlsen as White gave up on Nf3 and played c4 instead, a very smart choice, as it prevents Black from immediately playing d5. Anand used the Triangle System to try to transpose to a Semi-Slav, an opening that he has shown fantastic preparation for as Black in the past, including a recent brilliancy.
Carlsen sidestepped the Semi-Slav by playing the Marshall Gambit, but cleverly without the gambit, choosing a quiet line instead. After a Queen trade, Carlsen maintained some pressure, and eventually Anand pressed hard for counterplay in an ending in which he stood slightly worse the whole time. Unfortunately, at the critical moment, he mysteriously blundered just as he could have bailed out with a draw, lost the wrong Pawns, and allowed White to simplify into an easy win.
I found this game quite interesting because of the themes of bad Bishops, weak Pawns, and weak squares. Precise calculation is necessary to hold off or create invasions for either side.
The state of the match
Although Anand showed creativity in his attempt at Queen side counterplay, and in theory he could have held the draw, Carlsen clearly had the more comfortable and safe advantage for much of the game. Finally winning a game is a huge deal, of course. And Anand cannot be happy that he suddenly cracked during the game and lost. But it was not a one-sided game all the way through: it was only at the final moment when Anand made the losing move.
The game
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Event: FWCM 2013
Site: Chennai Round: 5 Date: 2013.11.15 White: Carlsen, Magnus Black: Anand, Viswanathan Result: 1-0 Side to move: white Last move: 1. variations: Next move: 1. c4 variations: |
1. c4 I kind of expected this from Carlsen. He prevents an immediate d5 by Anand. 1... e6 Finally, Anand deviates from g6 openings as Black. 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c6 The Triangle System, a move order that could reach the Meran Semi-Slav. 4. e4 The Marshall Gambit, very unusual coming from Carlsen. 4... de4 5. Ne4 Bb4 6. Nc3 Carlsen characteristically chooses a solid continuation rather than the gambit. [6. Bd2 The actual Marshall Gambit, for which Anand was surely prepared for. 6... Qd4 7. Bb4 Qe4] 6... c5 7. a3 Ba5 8. Nf3 Nf6 9. Be3 Overprotecting the d4 Pawn to free up the Queen. 9... Nc6 Continuing pressure against White's d4 Pawn, preventing Qc2 or Bd3. [9... O-O 10. Qc2] [9... Ne4 Attempts at simplification always need to be examined. 10. Qc2 Nc3 11. bc3 cd4 12. Bd4 An interesting position that looks even to me: White has a lead in development and center control, and Black's King side is naked, but White has those double isolated c Pawns.] 10. Qd3 Interesting, preventing Ne4, and protecting the Knight on c3 with the Queen to avoid doubled Pawns in case of a trade. [10. Be2 Normal development was possible. It looks to lead to an even game. 10... Ne4 11. Rc1 Nc3 12. bc3 cd4 13. Nd4 Nd4 14. Qd4 Qd4 15. Bd4 O-O] 10... cd4 11. Nd4 Ng4 Hmm, moving the same piece twice in the opening at the expense of development is always risky. Obviously, White must be "punished" by having the Bishop on e3 removed, but there was I think a less risky way to do that. [11... Ne5 Active Knight play in the center while driving away White's Queen looks most natural, and also avoids a possible isolated c Pawn. 12. Qd2 (12. Qc2? Nfg4 Black is clearly better.) 12... Ne4 13. Qc2 Nc3 14. b4 Bc7 15. Qc3 Ng4 An interesting position with chances for both sides, as White will have compensation for losing the Bishop pair.] 12. O-O-O Trying to develop very quickly. 12... Ne3 13. fe3 OK, Black has the Bishop pair and has given White an isolated e Pawn, but is behind in development and has to worry about the half-open d and f files. 13... Bc7? This move makes little sense to me. Black is behind in development and must catch up and free his light Bishop as quickly as possible. [13... O-O How about a natural move like castling? 14. Nc6 bc6 15. Qd8 Bd8 Similar to the game continuation, but with Black's King not covering d6 and d7 squares.] 14. Nc6 A choice that could be expected of Carlsen. By removing the Queens, Carlsen maintains long-term positional pressure. I am reminded of Kramnik games in which White pressed against Black's isolated c6 Pawn. 14... bc6 15. Qd8 Bd8 16. Be2 Planning Bf3 attacking Black's unprotected c6 Pawn. 16... Ke7? Trying to keep control over d6 and d7, but too slow and passive. [16... O-O 17. Bf3 Bb7] [16... Bb6 Black really needed to cover the c5 square. 17. Rd3 Ba6 Developing with tempo against the c4 Pawn. 18. b3 Ke7 Black looks fine now, having played actively to finish development and neutralize White's d file plans. 19. Rhd1 Rad8 20. Bf3 Rd3 21. Rd3 Bc5 After all the simplification, Black has sufficient play against White's own weak Pawns. 22. Kb2 Rd8] 17. Bf3 Bd7 18. Ne4 Aiming at Black's weak c5 square. White has a solid squeeze now. 18... Bb6 With a tactical idea to prevent White from Nc5. 19. c5 Threatening to lock up Black's bad light Bishop for a long time. 19... f5 Lashing out to prevent being squeezed. [19... Bc7 Obviously, if this position were any good, Black would not have played Bb6 in the first place.] 20. cb6 fe4 21. b7 A nice touch to keep Black's c6 Pawn isolated. 21... Rab8 22. Be4 Rb7 White clearly has a more pleasant position. Black has a bad Bishop and a weak isolated c Pawn ( and on a light square attacked by White's Bishop ) . White has control over the half-open d and f files. In a position like this, Black must get active counterplay quickly or else start getting overwhelmed with threats. 23. Rhf1 With ideas of doubling Rooks on the f file and going for the f7 square and Black's King side in general. Right now, Black's King Rook is tied down by defense of the h7 Pawn. 23... Rb5 Trying to make the Rook active. [23... e5 Activating the light Bishop and taking control of d4 and f4 may look loosening because the e5 Pawn is undefended, but what can White really do? Once Black plays Be6 to cover the light squares, it looks like White has little.] 24. Rf4? g5 The drawback of this attempt at counterplay, if it fails, is that it potentially weakens the entire King side, from f6 to the h7 Pawn. [24... e5 Attacking the Rook with tempo looks fine.] 25. Rf3 h5?! Now the King side is truly weakened. 26. Rdf1 Be8 Protecting f7. Note how passive the Bishop is here compared to where it could have gone ( e6 ) if e5 had been played earlier. 27. Bc2 Preparing for an eventual e4 to grab some center control. 27... Rc5 An attempt to actually attack White with Bg6. 28. Rf6 Stopping Bg6. 28... h4 29. e4 An important move, seizing some more space in the center and preparing to start maneuvering the King and other Rook into action. 29... a5 30. Kd2 Rb5 Trying to keep White tied up to the defense of the b Pawn. 31. b3!? Playing for the win. Moves like this critically change the nature of a position and have to be thought out carefully, because now Black has a potential target on b3. If Black can successfully attack b3, White might have to retreat to defend. 31... Bh5 [31... g4 This is the computer move looking to swing the Rook over to g5 to enable Bg6 and pushing of the g Pawn to g3. What did Carlsen plan to do after this?] 32. Kc3 The King is an active piece. 32... Rc5 33. Kb2 Rd8?! Abandoning the King side looks horribly risky and makes no sense unless one is sure that there will be enough play to compensate for the potential destruction of the King side. But it looks like Anand is playing for a win. [33... g4 Again, the active computer move seems to solve Black's problems.] 34. R1f2 Rd4 35. Rh6 Here we go with the King side invasion. 35... Bd1 Anand is going all out hoping counterplay against White's Queen side will be enough. 36. Bb1 Rb5 37. Kc3 c5 38. Rb2 e5 Black has finally managed to prepare a4. 39. Rg6 a4?! Sacrificing the g Pawn and leaving the h Pawn undefended is risky. [39... g4 Computer says Black is OK. 40. Rh6 a4 Black looks great. The thing is that although Black will lose his h Pawn, the g Pawn is protected, and meanwhile, Black is breaking through on the Queen side.] 40. Rg5 [40. ba4 Computer move.] 40... Rb3 Black has achieved the objective of winning White's b3 Pawn. Next up is White's dark-squared a3 Pawn. 41. Rb3 Bb3 42. Re5 Kd6 43. Rh5 Black has lost a Pawn and will lose another. The only hope is to get to White's a3 Pawn. 43... Rd1 44. e5 Kd5 45. Bh7 [45. Bg6 Similar. 45... Ra1 Draw. Neither side can make progress after Black wins the a3 Pawn. 46. Bf7 Kc6] 45... Rc1?? A horrible blunder, a terrible shame. [45... Ra1 46. Bg8 Compared to the game continuation, this does not win. 46... Kc6 47. Bb3 Ra3 48. Rh4 Rb3 49. Kc2 Rb4] 46. Kb2 Rg1 The g Pawn doesn't matter. The a Pawn mattered. 47. Bg8 Kc6 48. Rh6 Kd7 49. Bb3 ab3 50. Kb3 Rg2 51. Rh4 Ke6 52. a4 Game over. White has passed a and h Pawns, far apart so that Black's King cannot cover both of them as they attempt to Queen. 52... Ke5 53. a5 Kd6 54. Rh7 Kd5 55. a6 c4 56. Kc3 Ra2 57. a7 Kc5 58. h4 White will simply march the h Pawn to h7 eventually and Queen either the a Pawn or the h Pawn.