16.01.2006
Wijk aan Zee round 3: Ivanchuk-Anand
Ivanchuk (2729) - Anand (2792)
Wijk aan Zee Netherlands (3), 16.01.2006
Annotated by Konstantin Sakaev
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.e3 e5 5.Be2
5.d4 cxd4 6.exd4 e4 leads to a more complicated game.
5...d5 6.d4 exd4 7.exd4
A well known Sicilian position arose via move transposition. So far the players' moves suggest massive exchanges and a quick draw. It seems like Ivanchuk is in peaceful mood today.
This position already occurred in Ivanchuk-Anand, Manila 1992 (directly from the Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Be2 d5 6.exd5 exd5 7.d4). It continued 7...Be7 8.Be3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 dxc4 11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 12.Bxc4. Ivanchuk did not manage to utilize a small advantage in this endgame. Possibly it is more precise for Black to react by 7...Be6.
7...Be6 8.Be3 dxc4
Now White must maintain the tension by 9.0-0, then the game may continue 9...cxd4 10.Nd4 Nxd4 11.Bxe4 Qd7 (11...Be7 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Bxd7 14.Bxc4 0-0 with a small advantage to White), and Black equalizes.
9.Qa4 Looks not bad either. At least, this is more interesting that 9.0-0 and may lead to a more exciting game. 9...Qa5 - striving for simplification looks natural for Black - 10.Qxa5 Nxa5 11.Rd1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bb4 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.Bf3. White has sufficient compensation for a pawn, but not more. Thus 10.dxc5 also worth considering.
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9...cxd4 Extremely passive. 10.Nxd4 Bd7 11.Qxc4
Now Black can only hope for a draw, and, moreover, his position is rather unpleasant. Here is a curious variation illustrating Black's difficulties: 11...Rc8 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 (12...Rxc6 13.Qb3) 13.Rd1 Bd6 14.Bf4 Bd7 15.Qxc8!! Qxc8 16.Bxd6. Black cannot castle, thus he has big problems.
11...Rc8 12.0-0
An innacuracy, as it may be seen from the aforementioned variations. Now Black has a simple way to equality: 12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bc5 14.Qf4 0-0. White's advantage is of symbolic nature... However, after some consideration a queen sacrifice analogous to one in the previous line comes to one's mind: 14.Qxc5 Rxc5 15.Bxc5. Black lost the right to castle and is under direct attack.
12...Bd6?! Anand's refusal of forced simplifications is hard to explain. Now 13.Ndb5 is unpleasant for Black; in many lines White obtain threatening two-bishop advantage. Dangerous is 12...Na5 13.Qd3 Nc4 14.Bf3. Maybe he should have played 12...Be7.
13.Nxc6 Played after a half-hour thought. 13...Rxc6 14.Qh4 White retains an advantage.
14...0-0
Let us take a brief look at other games. Karjakin has a minimal advantage against Kamsky - a typical Hedgehog; there is everything to play for. Leko is OK against Aronian. Topalov slightly adds pressure against Bacrot. Gelfand is better, his advantage is rather significant. The Dutch derby yielded in approximately even position, or maybe Tiviakov is marginally better. It seems a move repetition in Mamedyarov-Tiviakov can't be avoided - the draw is near.
15.Bxa7 15.Bf3 looked more natural and strong. Now Black is OK - he will likely continue by 15...b6 16.Rfd1 Be5, and on 17.Bb5 there is 17...Qc7! - 18.Rxd7 Nxd7 19.Bxc6 Qxc6. The а7-bishop is still alive, but locked hopelessly.
15...b6 16.Rad1 Bc5 Another possibility is 16...Be5, as in the previous note. Now 17.Bf3 looks logical: 17...Rc7 (interesting but very risky-looking alternative is 17...Re6!?) 18.b4 Rxa7 19.bxc5 bxc5 20.Rfe1. White still has some pressure, but Black must be able to hold.
17.b4 An insertion of 17.Bf3 looked more appealing. Now it seems White loses his advantage, and the game becomes equal.
17...Be7 18.Qd4 Rd6 19.Qc4 It looks like the game ends in a draw after 19...Be6 20.Qa6 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Qc8 22.Qxc8 Rxc8 23.Nb5 Bxb4 24.Bxb6 Bxa2.
19...Be6 20.Qa6 Nd5 Leads to a richer position. Now White will possibly sacrifice an exchange, obtaining two connected passed pawns on the Q-side for it.
21.Nxd5 Bxd5 In my opinion, it is better to give away an exchange immediately: 22.Rxd5 Rxd5 23.Bxb6 Qd7 24.a3. The strongest, as it restricts a dark-squared bishop on e7.
22.Rfe1? An overlook!
22...Rg6 23.g3 Bxb4 24.Bc4 24...Bxe1 25.Bxd5 Bxf2+ 26.Kxf2 Rd6, and White loses one of his bishops. His position is very bad and probably hopeless.
24...Bxe1 25.Bxd5 Qe7 A good move!
26.a4 It is difficult to comment on time pressure moves in a hopeless hopeless position.
26...Rf6 27.f4 Qe3+ 28.Kh1 Bxg3 A coup de grace.
White resigned. 0-1
Topalov has a winning pawn ending. Gelfand wins against Adams. Are games have already finished. Tomorrow I will comment the game Bacrot-Gelfand. See you!
