[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.03.08"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2757"]
[ECO "E06"]
[WhiteElo "2717"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 { This is a flexible move which might still be followed by c2-c4, but could also lead to a Torre System (Bc1-g5) or London System (Bc1-f4) or Colle depending upon Black's response. } 2... e6 { Is there much purpose to such a move or is he simply giving Ivanchuk something to think about, considering alternatives he might not have thought about during his pre-game preparations. Sometimes giving a person alternatives lets them go astray of their own accord. } ( 2... Nf6 { is most common } ) 3. g3 { Since Pd5 will oppose White's Bf1 White will probably try c2-c4, but Black could still support Pd5 with ...c7-c6 (and Anand has played the Semi-Slav Defense) . } ( 3. e3 f5 ) ( 3. Bf4 Bd6 ) 3... Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. c4 { This can be effective to fight Pd5 because Black would be risking a lot to just play ...c7-c6 and hold on. Usually Black captures Pc4 and fights to activate his pieces with the belief White isn't so likely to play or be able to utilize e2-e4 because Bg2 would be blocked. } 5... O-O { After this Black is conceivably threatening to take Pc4 and hold onto it. } 6. Qc2 ( 6. b3 ) 6... c5 { This is an attempt to show White hasn't put enough pressure on the center or developed quickly enough to avoid simplification. I wouldn't say this is a sharp attempt by Black to play for a win, though it is conceivable one would still win with the Black pieces. Pd5 is weaker than before, so cxd5 might loosen up Black's position a bit. } 7. dxc5 ( 7. cxd5 ) 7... Qa5+ 8. Nc3 { blocking the check and blocking the c-file, so that after ...Qa5xc5 the threat to Pc4 can be met by cxd5 } 8... dxc4 { This makes it a little more contentious. Black can easily capture Pc5. Can White get to Pc4? } 9. O-O Nc6 10. Bg5 Qxc5 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Ne4 Qe7 13. Rfd1 ( { It's not so easy for White to recover the material after } 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Qxc4 Qxb2 15. Rab1 Qf6 16. Rfd1 Rd8 17. Nd2 { headed for c5 or d6 to pressure Pb7 } 17... Rd4 18. Qc5 ) 13... b5 14. a4 Ba6 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 ( 15... gxf6 16. Ng5 fxg5 17. Bxc6 ) 16. Rd6 Rac8 { Black is steadfastly holding onto the pawn. White doesn't want to capture axb5 because he likes the alignment of Rd6 with Ba6; though opening the a-file at some point might be useful. } 17. Nd2 { uncovering an attack on Nc6 from Bg2 } ( 17. Ng5 Qxg5 18. Rxc6 Rxc6 19. Bxc6 Qc5 20. axb5 Bxb5 21. Bxb5 Qxb5 22. Rxa7 ) ( 17. h4 { Threatening Nf3-g5 might be useful. } ) 17... Nd4 18. Qd1 Rcd8 { Ba6 is stuck, so he prepares to meet Rxa6 with ...Nd4-b3 to win Nd2. It's getting very complicated. } 19. Ne4 { This threatens Qxd4, so Black's queen has to continue defending Nd4. } 19... Qe5 20. f4 { Now the queen has no choice, but to sacrifice for Rd6. } ( 20. Rxa6 $2 Nf3+ 21. Bxf3 Rxd1+ 22. Rxd1 b4 { and Pb2 is weak and Qe5 is very strong } ) ( 20. Qxd4 $4 Qxd4 21. Rxd4 Rxd4 $17 ) 20... Qxd6 21. Nxd6 Rxd6 22. e3 Nf5 23. Qe1 { The mix of pieces is unusual and that complicates the task of both players. I wonder who offered the draw. I also find it interesting that Ivanchuk didn't make any headway against Ponomariov's Queen's Gambit Accepted or against Anand with the Catalan, where the basic idea of Black threatening to take and hold onto Pc4 is primary and for Black to play strongly with his pieces while Bg2 is (at least temporarily) blocked by Nf3 seems to give Black easy equality. } 1/2-1/2