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4. Naiditsch - Anand, Round 10

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[center]Vishy Anand[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Ygrek (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ygrek) in Wikipedia
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Arkadij Naiditsch - Vishy Anand
GRENKE Chess Classic, Round 10
Baden-Baden, 17 February 2013

Spanish Sicilian Rat Game: Canal Opening/Roodzant Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bg7 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Nde2 Qe6

• For a survey of the Spanish Sicilian Rat Game, see Carlsen-Anand, IT, Bilbao, 2012.
• If [font color="red"]10...0-0 11.f3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11...a6 12.a4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...e6 13.Bg5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13...Qc7 14.Kh1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]14...Nd7 15.b3 Nc5 16.Rb1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16...Rac8 17.Bh4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17...Rfe8 18.h3 Qa5 19.Qc2 Bxc3 20.Qxc3 Qxc3 21.Nxc3 Nd4[/font] gies Black a better center (Greet-Edouard, Op 0910, Hastings, 2009).
• [font color="burgundy"]17...Na5 18.b4 Nxc4 19.bxc5 Ne3 20.Qd3 Nxf1 21.cxd6[/font] gives White a small advantage (Ponomariov-Sutovsky, Euro Ch Blitz Playoff, Ohrid, 2001).
• If [font color="darkred"]16...Rfe8[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17.Bh4 Nb4 18.Qd2 Ncd3 19.Na2 Nxa2 20.Qxd3[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Rublevsky-Leitão, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• [font color="magenta"]17.Qc2 Nb4 18.Qd2 Ncd3 19.Na2 Qb6 20.Be3[/font] gives White the tactical ability to gain the advantage in space (Meier-Suttor, World Youth BU18, Belfort, 2005).
• If [font color="darkred"]14...Qa5 15.Bh4 Rfd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]16.Rc1 Qh5 17.Bf2 Qa5 18.Bh4 Qh5 19.Bf2 Qa5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]20.Qb3 Nd7 21.Qc2 Nc5 22.Rb1 Nb4 23.Qd2 Nb3[/font] gives Black a slight advantage in space (Oral-Kasparov, IT, Prague, 2002).
• [font color="darkorange"]20.Bh4 Qh5[/font] draws by repetition (Rudolf-Maidl, IT, Paks, Hungary, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]16.Rb1 g5 17.Be1 Qc5 18.Rc1 h6 19.b3 Qb6[/font] is equal (Vescovi-Domínguez Pérez, Pan-American Ch, Buenos Aires, 2003).
• If [font color="darkred"]13...h6 14.Bh4 Rfd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]15.f4 Qc7 16.Kh1 Qa5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]17.b3 Rac8 18.Qe1 Re8 19.Rb1 Nd7 20.Qg3 Nd4[/font] is equal (Topalov-Van Wely, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2002).
• [font color="darkorange"]17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.f5 Be5 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.Rf3 g5[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]15.Rb1 Qc7 16.Kh1 Rd7 17.Rc1 Re8 18.Nd5[/font] is equal (Caruana-Anand, GS Maters Rd 3, São Paulo, 2012).
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Qd8[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Be3 Qa5 14.Kh1 Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.Rb1 Nde5 16.b3 Nxc4 17.bxc4 Bxc3 18.Bb6 Qe5[/font] is equal (Oral-Dworakowska, Op, Koszalin, Poland, 1999).
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Bd2 Rfc8 16.Rb1 Qd8 17.Bg5 Qf8 18.b3 Rab8[/font] is equal (Hartanbaatar-Sammalvuo, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• [font color="magenta"]13.Kh1 Nd7 14.Rb1 Qa5 15.Bd2 Qh5 16.b3[/font] is equal (Meier-Schütze, German Ch, Osterburg, 2006).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Rfc8 12.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Qd8 13.b3 a6 14.a4 Nd7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.Rb1 Nc5 16.Qd2 Rab8 17.Rfd1 Qf8 18.Nf4[/font] is equal (Ansdersson-Donner, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1973).
• [font color="darkorange"]15.Kh1 Rab8 16.Rb1 Qa5 17.Qd2 Nf6 18.Rfd1[/font] is equal (Ni Hua-Rodshtein, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2007).
• [font color="magenta"]12...Ne8 13.Qd2 Ne5 14.b3 Nc7 15.Rac1 Na6 16.Rfd1[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Vasiukov-Cardoso, IT, Manila, 1974).

11.Nd5


• [font color="red"]11.Qb3 0-0 12.Nf4 Qc8 13.Nfd5 e6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6[/font] is equal (Damljanovic-Stohl, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).

11...Qxe4!?


• Black sees that he can get two pawns for the exchange.
• A better try is [font color="red"]11...Rc8 12.f3 Qd7 13.Rb1 Qd8 14.Kh1 Qa5 15.a4[/font] is equal.


[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 11...Qe6e4:p[/center]

12.Nc7+!


• White goes for the exchange.

12...Kd7 13.Nxa8 Qxc4 14.Nc3


• If [font color="red"]14.Nb6+ axb6 15.Nc3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]15...b5 16.Be3 Ra8 17.Rc1 Ke8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]18.a3 b4 19.b3 Qh4 20.Nb5 Kd7 21.Bc5[/font] gives White a small advantage in space; Black's best solution is to exchange Queens (Rublevsky-Van Wely, Rpd IT, Frankfurt, 2000).
• [font color="magenta"]18.Bg5 Kf8 19.a3 b4 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Nd5[/font] is equal (Leitão-K. Georgiev, IT, Poikovsky, 2001).
• [font color="darkred"]15...Ra8 16.a4 Ne4 17.Nxe4 Qxe4 18.Qb3 f5 19.Bg5[/font] gives White a slim advantage; Black's Queen will be forced to vacate (Kasparov-The World, Cyberspace, 1999).

14...Rxa8 15.Bg5 (N)


• [font color="red"]15.Re1 Rc8 16.h3 h6 17.Be3 Ke8 18.Rc1[/font] gives White a small advantage: he has the exchange for two pawns while Black cannot maintain the Queen at c4. (Antonio-Rytshagov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).

15...e6 16.Re1


• White has a small advantage.

16...Nd5

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 16.Nf6d5[/center]

17.Nxd5


• If [font color="red"]17.Qf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]17...Rf8 18.Nxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 exd5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20.Bh4 Rc8 21.Re2 Be5 22.Rd1 f5 23.f3[/font] gives White a slight advantage with his Rooks attacking Black's weak passers in the d-file.
• [font color="burgundy"]20.Rad1 h6 21.Bf4 d4 22.h4 Rc8 23.Rd3[/font] leaves White standing slight better.
• If [font color="darkred"]17...Ne5 18.Rxe5 Bxe5 19.b3 Qd4 20.Rd1 Bxh2+ 21.Kh1[/font] continues to give White a small advantage.
• [font color="magenta"]19...Qxc3?! 20.Qxf7+! Kc6 21.Rc1 Qxc1+ 22.Bxc1 Rd8 23.Qxe6[/font] gives White a small material advantage and an active Queen.

17...Qxd5 18.Qxd5 exd5 19.Rad1 h6 20.Bc1

• [font color="red"]20.Bh4 g5 21.Bg3 d4 22.f4 Rf8 23.Rf1[/font] continues to give White a small advantage; Black cannot advance his passers.

20...d4 21.Rd3

• If [font color="red"]21.b3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]21...Nb4 22.Bb2 Rc8 23.Rd2 Nxa2 24.Bxd4 Bxd4 25.Rxd4[/font] continues to give White a small advantage.
• [font color="darkred"]21...a5 22.Rd3 b5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]23.Rf3 Ne5 24.Rh3 Rc8 25.Bb2 Nc6 26.Rc1[/font] gives White a slight advantage.
• [font color="magenta"]23.Kf1 a4 24.bxa4 Rxa4 25.a3 b4 26.axb4 Rxb4[/font] gives White a slight advantage.

21...Rc8

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 21...Ra8c8[/center]

22.Rb3

• If [font color="red"]22.Red1 Ne5 23.Ra3 Rc2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24.h3 a6 25.Rb3 Kc7 26.Bf4 b5 27.h4 Kb6[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]a) 24.Rxa7!?[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]24...Nd3! 25.Rxb7+ Kc6 26.Rxf7 Rxc1 27.Rxc1+ Nxc1 28.Kf1[/font] gives Black the advantage with his passed d-pawns.
• [font color="magenta"]24...Kc7?! 25.Ra3! Nc4 26.Rb3 Kc6 27.a3 b5 28.Rf3[/font] gives White the exchange for only a pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]b) 24.h4 a6 25.Rb3 Kc6 26.Bf4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]26...b5 27.Kf1 h5 28.Bxe5 Bxe5 29.Ke1 d3 30.Rbxd3[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]26...h5 27.Rc1 Rc5 28.Re1 b5 29.Bxe5 Bxe5 30.Kf1[/font] is equal.

22...b6 23.Kf1

• [font color="red"]23.h3 Rc7 24.Kf1 Ne5 25.Ra3 Nc4 26.Rg3[/font] continues to give White a small advantage.

23...Ne5 24.Ra3 a5 25.b4

• [font color="red"]25.f4!? Nc4! 26.Rd3 b5 27.Rf3 d5 28.b3 Nd6[/font] is equal.

25...Rc2 26.bxa5 bxa5 27.Rxa5!?

• White goes for a passed pawn, but it is one that has not yet moved. Meanwhile, Black's advanced passer at d4 has nothing opposing it.
• If [font color="red"]27.Rd1 Nc4 28.Rf3 f5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29.g4 Rxa2 30.gxf5 gxf5 31.Rxf5 Be5 32.Bxh6 a4[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]29.a3 Ke6 30.Rfd3 g5 31.Ke1 f4 32.Kf1 a4[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space; Black fight for the d2 square is critical.

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 27.Ra4a5:p[/center]

27...Nd3!

• White seizes the advantage and threatens 28...Nxc1.
• The next few moves are foced.

28.Ra7+ Kc6 29.Rxf7 Nxe1 30.Kxe1 Rxc1+ 31.Kd2 Rg1

• The text, aimed at dispersing White's kingside pawns, is strong than immediately putting the Rook behind White's passer.
• [font color="red"]31...Ra1 32.Rxg7 Rxa2+ 33.Kd3 g5 34.Rf7 Kc5[/font] gives Black an advanced passer, good for a small advantage.

32.Rxg7 Rxg2 33.Ke1?

• However it's sliced or diced, Black now loses pawns.
• If [font color="red"]33.Ke2 d3+ 34.Kxd3 Rxf2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]35.h4 Rf3+ 36.Kd2 Rh3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]37.Rxg6 Rxh4 38.a4 Kc5 39.a5 h5 40.a6 Ra4[/font] continues to give Black a small advantage with two passed pawns while White's a-pawn is deadwood.
• [font color="burgundy"]37.a4 Rxh4 38.a5 Rg4 39.a6 g5 40.Rh7 Ra4[/font] gives Black two passers againt White's one.
• If [font color="darkred"]35.Rxg6 Rxh2 36.a4 Kc5[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]37.Rg1 Ra2 38.Rc1+ Kd5 39.Rh1 Rxa4 40.Rh5+ Kc6[/font] gives Black only a small advantage as it comes down to a Rook vs. Rook and one pawn ending.
• [font color="magenta"]37.Rg8 Rh3+ 38.Ke2 h5 39.a5 Ra3 40.Rg5+ d5[/font] comes down to R vs. R+P.

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 33.Kd2e1[/center]

33...Rxh2!

• Black is a pawn to the good.

34.Rxg6

• If [font color="red"]34.a4 g5 35.Ke2 Rh1[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]36.Rh7 Kc5[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]37.Kd3 h5 38.a5 h4 39.a6 Rd1+ 40.Ke2 Ra1 41.a7 h3 42.Rxh3 Rxa7[/font] leaves Black with two extra passed pawns.
• If [font color="darkorange"]39.Rg7?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkorange"]39...Kb5 40.Ke2 h3 41.Rxg5+ Kc4 42.Rg8 h2.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]37.a5 Ra1 38.Rxh6 Rxa5 39.Rh1 Ra2+ 40.Kd3 Ra3+[/font] leaves Black with two extra pawns.
• [font color="darkred"]36.a5 Ra1 37.Kd3 Rxa5 38.Kxd4 h5[/font] gives Black two extra pawns.

34...Rh1+ 35.Kd2

• [font color="red"]35.Ke2[/font] loses to [font color="red"]35...h5 36.Rh6 h4 37.a3 h3 38.Rh4 Kc5.[/font]

35...h5 36.Rh6 h4 37.a4

• If [font color="red"]37.Rh5 h3 38.a3 h2[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]39.Rh6 Kc5 40.Rh8 Kb5 41.Rh5+ Kc4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]42.Rh4 Ra1 43.Rxh2 Ra2+[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]44.Ke1 Kc3 45.Rh6 Ra1+ 46.Ke2 d3+ 47.Kf3 d2[/font] White cannot stop the pawn from queening.
• If [font color="darkred"]44.Kc1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]44...Kc3 45.Kb1 Rb2+ 46.Ka1 d3 47.Rh7 Re2.[/font]
• If [font color="magenta"]44...Rxa3 45.Rh7 Ra1+[/font] then:
• If [font color="magenta"]46.Kd2[/font] then Black wins after [font color="magenta"]Ra2+ 47.Ke1 Kd3 48.f4 Ke3 49.Rh3+ Kxf4.[/font]/li]
• If [font color="darkorange"]46.Kb2[/font] then after [font color="darkorange"]46...Re1 47.Rf7 Re2+ 48.Kc1 Kc3[/font] the presence of the pawn at d6 prevents White from constructing a third-rank defense.
• If [font color="burgundy"]42.Rh3[/font] then White wins after [font color="burgundy"]Ra1 43.Rxh2 Ra2+ 44.Ke1 Kc3[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]39.a4 Kb6[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]40.Ke2[/font] then after [font color="darkred"]d3+ 41.Kd2 Ka6 42.Rh4 Ka5[/font] Black's threat to the a-pawn is decisive.
• If [font color="magenta"]40.Kd3[/font] loses immediately to [font color="magenta"]40...Rd1+ 41.Ke2 h1Q.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Vishy Anand[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Arkadij Naiditsch[/center][center]Position after 37.a2a4[/center]

37...h3 38.a5 h2 39.a6 Kc7 40.Rh7+

• If [font color="red"]40.Rh8[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]40...Kb6 41.Rh6 Kxa6 42.Rxd6+ Kb5 43.Rxd4.[/font]/li]

40...Kb8 41.Ke2 d3+ 42.Kd2 Ka8 43.Rh5

• [font color="red"]43.Kxd3[/font] loses immediately to [font color="red"]43...Rd1+ 44.Ke4 h1Q+.[/font]

43...Ka7 44.Rh6 d5 45.Rh8 Kxa6 46.Rh6+ Kb5 47.Rh8 Kc4 48.Rc8+ Kd4 49.Rh8 Ke4 0-1

• Herr Naiditsch resigns.