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Game in the days of technology

Chess Checks
Last Updated 02 July 2016, 18:41 IST

In these days of technology, chess games with the advent of computers and internet are shown live, especially the Masters games and the ones featuring World Champions. How much have chess players benefitted with technology and how much of technique is actually used during the games is debated often and also many wonder how potent were their games before winning the title.

The game which follows has been played between two former World Champions. It is interesting to go through the game as this has been played when neither had won the world title. Both players play true to their style, Anand relishing an advantage and Topalov trying to be aggressive.

White: Anand Viswanathan (2735) – Black: Veselin Topalov (2750) 5]
Dortmund , 1996

Sicilian defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 a6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be2 d6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Be3 Be7 9.f4 0–0 10.a4 Qc7 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Na5

Straight out of the book! The players have been following a game played between Anand and Kasparov where the latter played 12...Bd7 13.Nb3 Na5 14.Nxa5 Qxa5
13.g4

Aggressive intention! If 13.Qe1 Nc4 14.Bc1 e5 15.Nde2 Qc5 16.
13...Nd7

Black can play 13. ..h6  If 13...Nc4 14.Bc1 e5 15.Nf5 exf4 16.g5
14.Bg2 Bf8
If 14...b6  15.Qe1 Bb7 16.Rd1
15.Qe1
If 15.g5 b6  
15...b6 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.Qh4 Nc6 18.Nde2
If 18.Rf3 18...Nxd4 19.Bxd4 e5 20.Rh3 h6
18...Nb4 19.Rd2 Qd8
If 19...d5 20.e5 f6 21.exf6 Nxf6 22.Bd4
20.g5 f6
If 20...g6  21.Rf3 Rc8 22.Rh3 h5 23.Ng3 And if 20...h6  21.Nd4 (21.Qf2 hxg5 22.fxg5 Ne5) 21...hxg5 22.fxg5 Ne5 23.Rdf2
21.Nd4 fxg5
If 21...Nc6 22.gxf6 Qxf6 (22...Nxf6  23.e5 (23.Nxc6 Bxc6 24.e5 Bxg2+ 25.Rxg2 Nd7) 23...Nd5 24.Qxd8 Nxd8) 23.Qxf6 Nxf6 24.e5
22.fxg5 Nc6 23.Rdf2 Rc8; If 23...Nxd4 24.Bxd4 Ne5 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.Rf7
24.Nce2 Nc5
If 24...Nde5 25.Nxe6 Rxe6 26.Rxf8+ Qxf8 27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 28.Nf4 Ree8 29.Nd5
25.Nxc6 Bxc6 26.Nd4 Bd7
If 26...Bxa4 27.Rf3 e5 (27...Rc7 28.b4 Nd7 29.Bh3 Ne5 30.g6 Nxg6 31.Qxd8 Rxd8 32.Bxe6+ and white is winning) 28.Rh3 h6 29.Nf5. And if  27.b4  Nd7 28.Bh3
27.e5 dxe5 28.Nf3 Bc6
Not the right move! Black can think of  28...Bd6 29.Rd2 Qc7 30.Rfd1
29.Nxe5 Bxg2+ 30.Rxg2 Rc7
If 30...Be7 31.Ng4 Qd5

Diagram 1

31.Ng4
According to Anand this is the decisive maneuver, the knight is leaving the e5 square in order to gain  control over the f6 and h6 . It is difficult for Black to defend this position
31...Kh8
If 31...e5 32.Nf6+ gxf6 33.gxf6+ Kh8 34.Qg3 Bd6 35.Bh6 And if 31...Qd5  32.Nf6+ (32.Nh6+  32...gxh6 33.gxh6+) 32...gxf6 33.gxf6+ Bg7 34.Bh6
32.Qh3 Qd5
Another mistake! If 32...g6  33.Bf4 ( 34.Rgf2 Ree7 35.Nxh7! Qd5+ 36.Kg1) 33...Bd6 34.Qc3+ Rg7 35.Rd1 Ne4 36.Qc6
33.g6 h6 34.Bxh6! Sacrificing the bishop to open up the gates towards the King. If 34.Nxh6 gxh6 35.Bxh6
34...gxh6 35.g7+
If 35.Rxf8+ Rxf8 36.g7+ Kxg7 37.Qxh6+ Kf7
35...Bxg7
If 35...Rxg7 36.Qxh6+ Kg8 (36...Rh7 37.Rxf8+) 37.Nf6+  And if 37.Nf6+  37...Kf7 38.Nxd5; 36.Nxh6 Qxg2+ 37.Qxg2 Bxh6
If 37...Kh7 38.Qh3 Bxh6 39.Rf6
38.Qg6  and Black resigned for if 38.Qg6 Rg8 39.Qxh6+ Rh7 40.Qf6+ Rhg7 41.Qh4+ Rh7 42.Qd4+ Rhg7 43.Rf7
1–0

Diagram 2

White to play and win
1.Bh6 gxh6
If 1...Rxe7 2.Bxg7 checkmate
2.Qxf6 checkmate.


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(Published 02 July 2016, 16:21 IST)

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