Anand,V - Khalifman,A [C89]
FIDE World Championship (5), 09.12.2000
Analysis by IM P.Konguvel, Chennai
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3
8...d5 The vicious Marshall Gambit that offers very good initiative
to black for a pawn. Anand has written a monograph on this system and normally
does not avoid the gambit with 8.a4 or 8.h3 as was seen in Grischuk - Tkachiev
played alongside. 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.Re1 Bd6
13.d3 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Re4 Qf5 16.Nd2 Qg6 17.Re1 f5 18.a4 Rb8 19.axb5
axb5
20.Ne4!? Anand first employed this against M.Adams earlier this
year at Dortmund, improving over one of their previous 'Marshall' encounters,
which saw 20.Nf3. [20.Nf3 f4 21.Ne5 Bxe5 22.Rxe5 fxg3 23.fxg3 Bg4 24.Qe1
Bh3 25.Be3 Rf1+ 26.Qxf1 Bxf1 27.Rxf1 Rf8 28.Rxf8+ 1/2 Anand,V - Adams,M
/ Dos Hermanes / 1999] 20...fxe4 21.dxe4 Bg4 22.Qd4 As Anand pointed
out in the analysis of his game against Adams, the open a-file and the
threat of Ra6 prevents black from the logical Rbe8 & Kh8, when the
white Q will be forced to d2 after exd5 c6-c5. 22...Bf3 23.exd5 c5 24.Qh4
Rbe8
25.Bd2 Anand is the first to deviate. [Against Adams, he played
25.Be3 and the English GM didn't find the best response and soon landed
into a lost position 25...Qf5?! (The right way was pointed out by
Anand in his analysis 25...Re5! 26.Qh3 c4 27.Ba2 Ra8!÷) 26.Rac1!
Be4 27.Bd1 Bxd5 28.Bc2 Qf3?? (28...Be4 29.Bxe4 Rxe4 30.Qg5 Qe6 31.Qh5!±
Anand) 29.Qxh7+ Kf7 30.Qf5++- Anand,V-Adams,M/Dortmund 2000]
With the text move [25.Bd2], Anand keeps the option of easing up the tension
with exchanges. But things didn't turn out well. 25...Be4! Simple
& best [25...Qd3?! leaves Bd6 undefended & loses one control of
e8 square which white can exploit after 26.Be3 Re5 27.Qh3; and if 25...Qf5
26.Rxe8 Rxe8 27.Bd1 white can reduce black's pressure & try to maintain
an extra pawn.] 26.Re2 Qf5
27.Bf4 [27.Rae1 c4 (27...Qf3 28.Rxe4 Qxf2+ 29.Kh1 Qf3+=) 28.Bd1
(28.Rxe4? Qxf2+ 29.Kh1 Qf3+ 30.Kg1 Bc5+) 28...Bxd5 (28...Bc5
29.Bf4) 29.Qd4 Rd8 Black retains the initiative] 27...c4?!
[27...Bxf4 would have been the real test for white 28.Qxf4 (28.gxf4
will not hold out with the light squared Bishops on the board) 28...Qh5
29.Qd2 (or 29.Rxe4 Rxf4 30.Rxf4 Qe2) 29...Qf3 30.Rxe4 Qxe4
black seems to be clearly better] 28.Rxe4 Rxe4 [28...Qxe4? 29.Bxd6
Qxh4 30.gxh4 Rf6 31.Bc7] 29.Bc2 Bxf4 [29...Rxf4? 30.Bxf5 Rxh4 31.Be6+]
30.Bxe4 Qxe4 31.gxf4
Both cannot try for a win objectively, as their kings are equally exposed.
1/2-1/2.
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