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Zoltan Almasi vs Viswanathan Anand
Groningen Candidates (1997), Groningen NED, rd 4, Dec-17
Sicilian Defense: Kan. Modern Variation (B42)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)13...b6 was played in V Rajlich vs I Farago, 2001 (0-1)better is 18.Bg5 f6 19.Be3 Rac8 20.b4 Bc6 21.c5 f5 22.Bc4 Kh8 = +0.42 (23 ply)= -0.28 (26 ply)better is 22...Bc6 23.a3 Re8 24.Rf1 Qe7 25.Rb1 h6 26.Rbe1 g5 27.Rc1 = -0.29 (21 ply)= +0.29 (25 ply)better is 23...Bc6 24.c5 Bf8 25.Bc4 Qd7 26.Qd3 Rac8 27.Rf1 Kh8 = 0.00 (26 ply)better is 24.c5 Bxa2 25.Bg5 Bb3 26.Bxd8 Qxd8 27.Re1 Qxa5 28.Qb2 ⩲ +0.71 (23 ply)= 0.00 (26 ply)better is 26...Bd7 27.Qe1 Ba4 28.Rcb2 Bc6 29.Kg1 Ba3 30.Rb3 Qe7 = -0.05 (24 ply) ⩲ +0.57 (24 ply) after 27.f4 Bd7 28.Rcb2 Bc6 29.f5 f6 30.fxg6 hxg6 31.Qg4 Kg7 29.Rb5 g5 30.h4 f6 31.Qe2 b6 32.e5 Qxe5 33.Qxe5 fxe5 ⩲ +0.87 (24 ply) 29...Bd6 30.Bd2 Be5 31.c5 Rc8 32.Rb6 Qe7 33.Qf1 Qh4 = 0.00 (25 ply)better is 30.Rb5 Qa3 31.Bxb8 Rxb8 32.e5 b6 33.Qg3 Qa7 34.h4 Qe7 ⩲ +1.13 (26 ply)= +0.45 (21 ply)better is 35.Rb5 Qxb5 36.cxb5 Bxa2 37.Bc2 Rd8 38.Kh2 Be6 39.Qh4 ⩲ +0.82 (26 ply)= +0.21 (26 ply) 36.Be4 Rc8 37.Rxa5 Bxc4 38.Bb7 Rc7 39.Ba6 Bxa6 40.Rxa6 ⩲ +1.07 (26 ply)= +0.08 (26 ply)better is 37.Rb5 Be7 38.Be4 Bxc4 39.Bxa8 Bxa2 40.Bd5 Bxd5 41.Rxd5 = +0.39 (27 ply)better is 37...a4 38.Be4 Qg5 39.Rb1 Ra5 40.Qf6 Qxf6 41.exf6 h5 = -0.27 (28 ply)better is 38.Qf6 Bb4 39.Qxd8+ Rxd8 40.g4 Rc8 41.Kg2 Kg7 42.Ra7 Rc5 = +0.39 (27 ply)= -0.27 (29 ply) after 38...a4 39.Qf6 Qf8 40.Be4 Bxc4 41.Rd7 Qe8 42.Bd5 Bxd5 39.Rfb2 Rxb7 40.Rxb7 a4 41.Qc6 Qa5 42.Qc7 Qe1+ 43.Kh2 = 0.00 (34 ply) ⩱ -0.80 (28 ply) 42...Rb8 43.Qc6 Bf8 44.Qe4 Qd7 45.Qf4 Rc8 46.Qf6 Re8 ⩱ -0.88 (25 ply) 43.Rb1 Qf8 44.Rb5 Qh6 45.Ra8 Qc1+ 46.Kh2 Bf8 47.Rba5 Qb2 = 0.00 (34 ply) 43...Qe7 44.Qf3 Rf8 45.Qe4 Qc7 46.Ra4 Rb8 47.Qf4 Re8 ⩱ -0.96 (24 ply)better is 44.Rb1 Rxb1+ 45.Bxb1 Kg7 46.Qc6 Qe7 47.Bd3 Bb4 48.Qb6 = 0.00 (35 ply)better is 44...Rc8 45.Ra1 Qe7 46.Qf4 Qc7 47.R5xa3 Bxa3 48.Rxa3 ⩱ -0.62 (27 ply) 45.Rb1 Rc8 46.Rbb5 Bd7 47.Qb7 Kg7 48.Rxc5 Rxc5 49.Rxc5 = 0.00 (31 ply) ∓ -1.87 (27 ply) 46.Ra4 Qxe5 47.Ra5 Qd6 48.Qf6 Qc7 49.Ra6 Qc8 50.Ra5 Ra8 ∓ -1.62 (28 ply) 46...Rxb5 47.cxb5 Qxe5 48.Qe2 Qxe2 49.Bxe2 a2 50.Rc1 d3 -+ -4.44 (34 ply) 47.Ra5 Kg7 48.Qc6 Rc8 49.Qf3 Kg8 50.Qf4 Qxf4 51.Rxf4 Kg7 ⩱ -1.41 (25 ply)-+ -2.61 (31 ply) 48.Rxb8+ Qxb8 49.Qg5 Bb4 50.Rf2 Qa8 51.Qb5 Bd6 52.Qb6 ∓ -2.28 (30 ply)better is 48...Rxb5 49.cxb5 a2 50.Qf2 Bb6 51.Qe1 Ba5 52.Qe2 Qc3 -+ -5.03 (27 ply) 49.Qf3 Rb8 50.Rxb8+ Qxb8 51.Ra2 Qb3 52.Qe2 Bd6 53.Kg1 ∓ -2.17 (24 ply)better is 49...Bd7 50.Re1 Bxb5 51.cxb5 Ba7 52.g3 Qd6 53.Re2 Rc3 -+ -3.93 (23 ply) ∓ -2.20 (25 ply) after 50.Rbb1 Rb8 51.Rxb8 Qxb8 52.Kg1 Bd6 53.Kh1 Qb6 54.h4 Qb8 51.Rb3 Qc7 52.Rf1 Ra8 53.Rbb1 Qc5 54.Rb5 Qc6 55.Qe2 Bd6 ∓ -2.10 (21 ply)0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
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Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-26-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Game 1 of their fourth round match in the World Championship tournament. Anand won game 2 to clinch the match. He then went on to defeat Shirov, Gelfand and Adams before losing to Karpov in the finals. 12..Nd7 was new; 12..b6 had been played previously. Almasi does not criticize 15 Nxe5 but after 15..dxe Anand had control of d4 and had eliminated his weak d pawn. White, on the other hand, did obtain a queenside majority. If 19 Bb1..Rd7 20 Bxd4..Rad8 and black wins. Almasi offerred a draw after 20 Bd2. 22..a5?! sacrificed a pawn to break up the queenside pawns but did not work out well. Anand sacrificed an exchange with 29 Qxa5!? counting on dark square counterplay. Almasi chose to accept rather than playing for an attack with 30 Be5..Qd8. Almasi missed a win with 33 a5..Bd6 34 e5..bxa 35 exd!..Rxb1+ 36 Kh2..a4 37 c5..a3 38 c6..a2
39 Rxa2..Bxa2 40 Bf5! and white wins. 35 a5? gave up a pawn to activate his rooks but the passed pawn ended up being decisive for black.
Jul-28-13  technical draw: Interesting 15th move by Anand, 15..dxe5. I probably would capture with knight or bishop to avoid doubled pawns.
Feb-15-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  LittleKibitzer: <Opening Tips>

Unlike the Hedgehog structure, black develops the queen's knight to Nc6. And this allows black to later play Nfd7. This is an essential part of reinforcing e5. The knights work together, and the convenient development of the bishop, 9 Bg7, also helps reinforce e5 and d4.

<Strategic question>

Do the plans used in this setup work effectively by ensuring black has central space, control of the a1-h8 diagonal, and activity as compensation for any weaknesses?

Notice that e5 does even become a liability with 28 f4.

Is it okay that black doubled the pawns with 15...dxe5 because, one way or another, a pawn ends up on e5 and fulfills black's desires vis-à-vis d4 as well?

<One last question>

How reliable or flexible is this combination of opening moves in the Sicilian Kan? Does it give enough compensation compared to Hedgehog lines?

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