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Sergey Karjakin vs Viswanathan Anand
"A Corus Line" (game of the day Jan-12-2008)
Corus Group A (2006), Wijk aan Zee NED, rd 1, Jan-14
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation. English Attack (B90)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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sac: 24...Nc7 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 13 OF 16 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-29-12  Limpin Kt: <is this game is included in anand's my best games?> anybody?
Apr-29-12  gofer: A few candidates...

Nc4, d5, Rxa3, but to my mind Nc4 seems to draw the white queen away from her protection role on the a1-h8 diagonal. This might be enough for a win, but its a little trick to see the continuation without the bits on the board...

Now that I look at it OTB Ne8 seems in a very unnatural position and Ne5 is very nicely blockading Pe4, so perhaps we can play Nf6! But surely that's where the knight just came from!? That's pretty puzzling. The point of Nf6 is to get Be7 onto the a1-h8 diagonal AND get Rf8 to b8 or c8 where it can create mayhem depending on whether white has taken Pb3 or not.

~~~

Right idea, but nowhere near! Ne8 has been there since move 13! I didn't get anywhere near the continuation except that Nc4 Nxa3+ was in there somewhere...

Apr-29-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Aah space wow it was not easy wolf baying at the door and Vishy smells blood, bold as brass 24...nc7 short demolition there after no quarters given. A knight sac followed by a bishop where will it stop Vishy mint one decus in green pastures for Vishy expose in why it era in roaming free rook checking white carcus gutted for queenc7 and string up land in knightc4 deliver done break queenc3 should it to mate for Vishy eventual hawks SK scalped balls up lovely climber rookc8 by volition.
Apr-29-12  sfm: <voyager39: ... Even if we believe in the hypothetical scenario that it was home prep, I'd feel very blessed if my prep ran that deep.>

I recall a GM (can't remember who) writing somewhere, that he went through the game with Fisher, after losing to him.

At some point the GM suggests an alternative move, which Fischer instantly refutes. "I've already analyzed this earlier!" Fischer says.

The GM writes something like "I still find it incredible. I would never for a second have imagined that anyone could have analyzed this far."

- - -

Chess champions have to be champions in more than one way. Insane ability to study is one of them, and is it less impressive than their performance OTB?

Apr-29-12  whiteshark: Holy moly!
Apr-29-12  morfishine: Fantastic game. Felt at first that <24...Rxa3> was the way to go, then finally concluded it was a 'sucker's move' and White would hold the edge. What else? Felt Black's knight <e8> would go to <c7> eventually to pull the Queen off-guard, but the first move of the combination? I discarded <24...Nc7>.

I finally settled on <24...d5> which, for a knight, unleashes Black's DSB and the Knight <e8> - <d6>. Black's activity escalates quickly, but it appears White can hold after <25.Rxd5> instead of accepting the knight <25.Qxe5?>...oh well, another great game by Anand

Apr-29-12  Memethecat: <deepfluke: This is an impossible puzzle! Anyone who claims to solve it without knowing this game is a genius!> Genius isn't the word I'd use.
Apr-29-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: This brilliant win tied for #1 in Game Collection: 2006's Greatest Chess Games

Go Anand.

Apr-29-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: Another Vishy Anand special, and what a puzzle! Super insane I'd rate it, and I am tempted to say to anyone who solved it "You are Vishy Anand"

The plausible 24 ... Rxa3 didnt seem to lead anywhere but I wondered if there was something along the lines of 24 ... Nc4 25 Qxc4 d5 26 Qxb3 Bxa3 27 bxa3 Rxa3 winning back the piece. But it doesnt look winning for B and W has other moves that are probably better. I rejected Nc7 almost as soon as it appeared on my radar screen

I can only say I'm in awe of Vishy's play play, humbled in fact.

At least I got one thing right from looking at the position - Sicilian Najdorf, English attack

Apr-29-12  Clodhopper: I saw Nc7 right away. It took me a while to figure out that the N is en prise, though....
Apr-29-12  sevenseaman: <sfm> <Chess champions have to be champions in more than one way. <Insane ability to study> is one of them, and is it less impressive than their performance OTB?>

Nicely ironic <sfm>! <Insane ability to study> to untangle some of the <insanity>!

We are attempting solutions everyday, now we know its an ocean too deep to fathom.

Apr-29-12  Casseb: I saw a comment of Anand about this game one day, saying something like this: "I didn`t calculated all the lines after 24...Nc7, but all the other options I calculated, black was loosing".
Apr-29-12  JohnLattier: "What is wrong with 30.Qxf7+ Kg8 31.Bd4...
Any explanatory comments would be appreciated" ...Ra1+ BxR, Qa2++
Apr-29-12  goldenbear: Once again <chessgames> has outdone itself.
Apr-29-12  DarthStapler: Got it because I had seen it before
Apr-29-12  Patriot: I couldn't decide on anything. It was apparent that white had strong defenses after 24...Rxa3 25.bxa3 Qxa3. 26.Qb2 is bad because 26...Qxb2+ 27.Kxb2 Nc4+ winning a piece. A strong defense may be 26.Bf1 or maybe 26.Rd2.

24...Nc4 is another failed concept. 25.Qxc4 Rxa3 26.bxa3 Qxa3 27.Qc3 seems to hold.

I also looked at 24...Nf6 25.gxf6 Rc8 26.Qxc8+ Qxc8 27.fxe7 Rxa3 28.Rc1 which I think fails.

And I also looked at 24...Nc7 seeing that 25.Qxc7 Rc8 gets the other rook in the game but I thought white may have something else since he's not forced to capture on c7. Perhaps 25.Bf1 defends against 25...Nb5 but it allows 25...Qxe4+ 26.Bd3 for example.

Nothing was clear to me.

Apr-29-12  BOSTER: This is the pos. after 18...bxc2.


click for larger view

I guess, if you respect your pieces, you should not retreat with knight playing 19.Nxc2.

This knight had already spent 3 tempo to reach d4 square, where no any pawn can chase him. I'd prefer sacr. the pawn, but keep the knight on d4. So, 19.Qxc2 Bxa2+ 20.Kxa2 Bxg5 21.Bxg5 Qxg5 22.Bb5 Nc5 black is the pawn up, but white pieces are very active.

Apr-29-12  cyclon: Even if it goes into "trees", my line today is 24. -Nc7 25. Bb6 <( 25. Qxc7 Rc8 and if White doesn't want to play 26. Qxc8+ which is also in Blacks favor, it follows ; 26. Qxe7 Nc4 and 27. -Rxa3 is difficult to meet - if 27. Rxd6, then 27. -Rxa3. Then, if 25. Qxb3, comes 25. -Rb8 and if now 26. Bb6 then quite simply either -Qb7 or -Ra6 winning a piece with a bind - I'm not quite sure about 26. -d5 because of the reply 27. Qc3, maybe it's plausible maybe not. )> 25. -Rxa3 26. bxa3 Nb5 and N-O-W WHEREVER White moves his Queen, or captures 27. Qxb3 Black moves 27. -Nxa3+ and depending on Whites King-move he plays 28. -Rc8/+ /-Nac4/+ - to give an example; 27. Qa5 Nxa3+ 28. Ka1 <( 28. Kb2 Nac4+ wins Queen continuing the attack and the same does 28. Kc1 b2+ . On previously mentioned 27. Qxb3, Nxa3+ 28. Ka1/a2 Nac4+ 29. Kb1 Rb8 is horrendous for White, or 28. Kb2 Nac4+ and King must come to the c-file followed by 29. -Qc6. In my view after 27. -Nxa3+ Black has a decisive advantage, but must be played with care - there is no satisfactorily Queen-move for White in 27th.
Apr-29-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimfromprovidence: Adding to the beauty and complexity of this game is the position after 27 Bc5?! (first mentioned by <sheaf> in November, 2006).


click for larger view

This move sets up a nice trap as 27…dxc5 loses to 28 e5. Black can sidestep and win nicely with 27…Rxa3 instead.


click for larger view

This threatens 28...Ra1# so white has to play 28 bxa3. Black follows with 28…Rxc5.


click for larger view

White tries to hold on with 29 a4. but he can't stop black's plan of 29…Na3+ 30 Kb2 Rc2+!, as black sacrifices his knight.


click for larger view

After 31 Kxa3, black wins with 31...Qb8!, with the threat of 32…Ra2#. White must give up major material to stop it.


click for larger view

Apr-29-12  JG27Pyth: I never had a chance at this one but who cares... the real question is: -- could Gelfand solve it? And can Vishy <still> solve it? 2006 seems so long ago in this context.
Apr-29-12  BlackSheep: I've seen this game before it really is one of Vishys finest pieces of art .
Apr-29-12  ajax333221: I was reviewing one of my games, and found a crushing move I missed

What would you do here?


click for larger view

(blacks to play)

I went with the obvious move which gives around +2.5, but there is a mate in 7!

This is why we should always review our games :), you never know what crazy moves you missed

Apr-29-12  rookpawn81: I found nc7 but gave up after 26....Nc4, computer played 27. Bc5. White gives back material but ends up better.
Apr-29-12  BlackSheep: <ajax333221> Rg4 looks good to me I think .
Apr-29-12  WinKing: I can not put a solution on the table today as I knew that 24...Nc7 was played here. *No way* I would have come up with this move on my own if I hadn't seen the game before. This is one of Anand's most memorable wins ever IMO. I don't think white can take the knight(25.Qxc7) & survive. 25.Bf1 offers resistance according to some engines but black still looks good & has the initiative in those lines as well. Superb play by Anand in this game - kudos!
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