(1) Anand,Viwanathan (2788) - Ivanchuk,Vassily (2739) [C16]
World Blitz Championship Moscow (2), 16.11.2009
[John Moldovan & Deep Rybka 3]

C16 French Defense Winawer Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.a3 [In round 7 against Ivanchuk, Peter Leko varied with 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.Bd2 Qd7 8.Bd3 but after (Rybka recommends 8.Bb5 c6 9.Be2 Ba6 10.0-0+/= ) 8...Ba6 9.Bxa6N Nxa6 10.Ne2 c5 the position was level. (10...Qb5 is even better) ]

5...Bxc3+ [A return to f8 is also quite playable. For example : 5...Bf8 6.Nf3 Ne7 7.h4 h6 8.h5 a5 9.Bb5+ c6 10.Ba4 Nd7 11.Ne2 b5 12.Bb3 c5 13.c3 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Re1 c4 16.Bc2 Nb6 17.Bf4 Be7 18.Bg3 Rb8 19.Nh2 Qd8 20.Ng4 b4 21.axb4 axb4 22.cxb4 Nxb4 23.Bb1 Bd7= 24.b3? Ra8=/+ 25.Rxa8 Qxa8 26.bxc4 Nxc4 27.Nc1? Ba4-+ 28.Qe2 Qa7 29.Ne3 Qxd4 30.Nxc4 dxc4 31.Qf1? 0-0 0-1 Kasparov - Ivanchuk : Horgen 1995/CBM 050]

6.bxc3 Qd7 7.Qg4 f5 8.Qg3 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Ne2 Kf7 Diagram



11.h4 [For 11.0-0 see Mann - Moldovan : KST 2009]

11...Qa4N [>=11...Ne7 development over blockade 12.Bg5 preventing ...Qa4 (‹12.h5 h6 (12...Rhc8? Verkasalo - Linqvist : Ylivieska 2008 13.h6 g6 14.Nf4 gives White a nice plus.) 13.a4 (or 13.Nf4 Qa4= ) 13...c5= ; & 12.a4 c5 13.h5 h6= ) 12...c5 13.h5+/= ]

12.Qd3 Protecting c2 allows Black to equalize. [>=12.h5! /\Qxc2 13.h6 g6 14.Bg5+/= ]

12...c5 13.Rb1 Ne7 14.h5 Rhc8 [14...h6 was a good alternative. In general, I prefer to stop h5-h6, cover g5 & live with the weakness at g6; rather than allow the advance & be forced to weaken f6. ...h7-h6 was an option at turns 15 & 17, as well.]

15.Rb2 White could've played h5-h6 here or on his next 3 moves but he's looking for a more opportune moment.

15...Kg8 16.Nf4 Rc6 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Qg3 Now the pin against g7 will let Anand get in his desired h5-h6 + Nh5 or allow him to exploit a belated ...h7-h6 attempt.

18...Rf8! [18...h6? 19.Ng6 Nxg6 20.Qxg6 cxd4 (20...Kh8? 21.Bxh6! gxh6 22.Qxh6++/- ) 21.Bxh6! R8c7[] 22.Bg5+/= ]

19.h6 g6 20.Nh5 cxd4 21.Qh4 Rf7 [21...Rc7 22.Nf6+ Kh8= /\ ...Ng8 also looks okay.]

22.Nf6+ Diagram



22...Kh8? [22...Kf8 covering e8 & preventing the enemy equine from reaching d6 23.cxd4 Rc4 would've maintained the balance.]

23.Ne8 Ng8?? [23...g5! 24.Qxg5 Ng6+/= was a much better try.]

24.Nd6?!+- [>=24.Qd8 ]

24...Rf8? [Giving up an Exchange with 24...Rcc7 25.Nxf7+ Rxf7 was best.]

25.Qd8! Rc8 26.Qxc8! & Black resigned because 26...Rxc8 27.Nf7 delivers smothered mate. 1-0