In our third preview game of the 2013 World Chess Championship Match between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen, we are going to examine a stunning defeat of Anand at the hands of the cunning Russian chess player, Alexander Morozevich. In my humble opinion, this game clearly illustrates what is perhaps the best strategy for Magnus Carlsen in his upcoming match with Anand. Put simply, Magnus Carlsen needs to control his nerves and play dynamic attacking chess as much as possible. Below, Alexander Morozevich shows us how this is done:
Move 24: How did Morozevich(white) destroy Anand’s king safety?
[Event “It ‘Kremlin Stars'”]
[Site “Moscow (Russia)”]
[Date “1995”]
[Round “2”]
[White “Morozevich, Alexander (RUS)”]
[Black “Anand, Viswanathan (IND)”]
[Result “1-0”]
[Eco “C33”]
[Annotator “Chris Torres”]
1.e4 e5
2.f4 exf4
3.Bc4 Nf6 ( 3…Qh4+ 4.Kf1 d6 5.Nf3 Qh5 6.d4
g5 7.h4 Bg4 8.Nc3 Nc6 {Is how a more aggressive player might handle the black pieces.}
)
4.Nc3 c6 {This move takes a lot of the key squares away from white’s developed pieces and prepares a pawn thrust to “d5.”}
5.Bb3 d5
6.exd5 cxd5
7.d4 Bb4 {
At this point, objectively, black looks a little better. Both sides have one
center pawn and two developed pieces. Black does have an extra pawn and is
ready to castle. However, things can change very quickly in the King’s Gambit.}
8.Nf3 O-O
9.O-O Bxc3 {
A smart maneuver for Anand. His bishop was pinning white’s knight to just “air”
while exchanging creates a pawn weakness which can easily be attacked.}
10.bxc3 Qc7 {
Anand is still a little better than Morozevich. Both sides have two pieces
developed and a pawn in the center. Black momentarily has an extra pawn.}
11.Qe1 {I believe this is game represents the first time this idea has been tried.}
( 11.Qd3 b6 12.Ne5 Ba6 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 Nd5 16.Ne5
Nc6 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.Bxf4 Rac8 19.Qa3 Rfe8 20.Qf3 Nb4 21.Qxc6
Rxc6 22.Rae1 Rxe1 23.Rxe1 f6 24.Re8+ Kf7 25.Ra8 a5 26.Ra7+ Kg6
27.Rc7 Rxc2 28.Rxc2 Nxc2 29.Bc7 b5 30.d5 Kf7 {…0-1, Eberth Zoltan (HUN) 2198 – Vujosevic Vladimir (MNE) 2430 , Gyor 1997 It (open) “Nyar”}
) Nc6
12.Qh4 {Morozevich just wants to get Anand’s king. But isn’t that the real objective in chess?}
( 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Bxf4 Qc6 14.Bxe5 Ne4 15.Rf4 Be6 16.c4 dxc4 17.Qxe4
Qxe4 18.Rxe4 cxb3 19.axb3 Bf5 20.Re2 Rfe8 21.Rf2 Bg6 22.c4 a6
23.Bc7 Re3 24.d5 Rae8 25.Raf1 f6 26.Rf3 Kf7 27.Bb6 Rxf3 28.Rxf3
Ke7 29.Kf2 Kd7 30.Rg3 Rg8 31.Ke3 Re8+ {…1-0, Charbonneau Pascal (CAN) 2490 – Roussel-Roozmon Thomas (CAN) 2425 , Montreal 8/??/2004 It (cat.12)}
) Ne7
13.Bxf4 {Morozevich takes “f4” but will give Anand “c3.” Now who do you think is better? I would rather play with the white pieces.}
Qxc3
14.Bd2 {!?} {
Is this move brilliant or a mistake? Morozevich could have also played the more
natural looking “Bg5” or the “Qe1” retreat. However, Morozevich is not in the
mood to retreat and has a reputation for playing slightly outlandish moves.}
Qc7 {Anand retreats his queen to the most useful square he can find.}
15.Ne5 {Morozevich’s knight wastes no time finding its outpost.}
Nf5
16.Qf4 {The best choice for Morozevich but now his knight is pinned to an unattractive exchange of the queens.}
Be6 {Anand places his bishop on a bad square in order to unify his rooks.}
17.Bb4 {Forcing the rook from “f8” becomes important much later in the game.}
Rfc8
18.g4 {!} {It is now or never for Morozevich.}
Nd6
19.Rae1
{Morozevich has, more or less, all his pieces involved in the attack.}
Nfe4
20.c4 {!} {This move will eliminate the outpost for the black knight on “e4” as well as create more action for Morozevich’s light bishop.}
dxc4
21.Bc2 Nf6
22.g5 {!} {
When all your pieces are involved in the attack, sometimes it is up to the
pawns to create the final weaknesses in your enemy’s camp.}
Nh5{?} {Morozevich again proves that the best way to deal with Anand is to attack.
Viswanathan Anand should have played something like this:}
( 22…Nd5 23.Bxh7+ Kxh7 24.Qh4+ Kg8 25.Bxd6 Qxd6 26.g6 fxg6
27.Nxg6 Bf5 28.Qh8+ Kf7 29.Rxf5+ Nf6 30.Qh5 Qxd4+ )
23.Qf3 {!}
{Severe punishment is in store for Anand’s crime.}
g6
24.Nxg6{!} hxg6
25.Bxg6 {!} fxg6
26.Rxe6 Qf7
27.Qd5 {!} Nf5
28.Rxf5{!} {There is no defense for Anand now and he appropriately resigns.} 1-0
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