[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.02.28"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Ivanchuk, Vassily"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2717"]
[ECO "B33"]
[WhiteElo "2757"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 { Sicilian Defense, Lasker-Pilnik or Sveshnikov Variation -- Black secures the dark squares and then begins to fight on the light squares. Whether he uses ...Bc8-e6 or ...a7-a6, ...b7-b5, ...Bc8-b7 depends in part on how White proceeds. Oh, and one musn't forget there is the Pelikan Gambit variation with ...d6-d5. } 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 ( 8. Bxf6 { has also been played extensively. The idea is that Black has to recapture with a pawn to avoid Nb5-c7+ and that the messed up pawns will cause him problems. } 8... gxf6 9. Na3 ) 8... b5 { This has become the most common move. Black takes away Na3-c4 or Bf1-c4 and threatens ...b5-b4. } ( 8... Be7 $2 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nc4 Be7 11. Nd5 ) 9. Bxf6 { This is a little unusual. Black isn't forced to recapture with a pawn, so there's no major cost. And, after Black recaptures at f6 there's still the threat of ...b5-b4, so Nc3-d5 seems quite likely. I wonder what he had in mind? } ( { Commonly played is } 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 ) 9... gxf6 { But, Ivanchuk isn't avoiding doubled pawns; he might, after the closed maneuvering game against Kasparov in the previous round, relish the exciting fight which can sometimes ensue when Black uses his pawns aggressively to bludgeon White in the center. He may also think this is an ideal sort of opening and variation to use against Anand; hoping he (Anand) will lose his balance in the highly tactical lines which can arise. There are also times when Black can use the open g-file for offense. } 10. Nd5 f5 11. c3 ( 11. Bd3 f4 ) ( 11. exf5 Bxf5 12. Qf3 Nd4 ) 11... Bg7 { Sometimes Bg7 is useful to enable ...Nc6-e7 to challenge the light squares. } ( { Morbidly humorous is } 11... Ne7 $4 12. Nf6# ) 12. Bd3 { Now that Black has blocked the g-file Anand doesn't fear ...f5-f4 (generally cramping White's king-side) . } 12... Be6 { perhaps dubious } ( 12... Ne7 13. Nxe7 Qxe7 14. Nc2 ( 14. Qh5 { can be met by the very unlikely } 14... d5 ) ) 13. Qh5 O-O ( 13... fxe4 $6 14. Bxe4 Rc8 { and White has terrific light-square activity and a safe king. He only needs to maneuver Na3 into play to have a clear overall advantage. } 15. Nc2 ) 14. exf5 { else Black can capture ...fxe4 and follow-up with ...f7-f5! } ( 14. Nc2 fxe4 15. Bxe4 f5 16. Nf6+ Rxf6 17. Bxc6 Ra7 ) 14... Bxd5 15. f6 h6 { Showing terrific confidence Ivanchuk doesn't try to block Bd3 just yet. He intends, I suppose, to use ...f7-f5 (a standard device in this opening) and leave Bd5 unblocked (by a Pe4) to attack Pa2 & Pg2. } ( { Though complicated the following seems pretty good for Black: } 15... e4 16. Qxd5 ( 16. fxg7 Re8 ( 16... exd3 $4 17. gxf8=Q+ ) 17. Be2 ( 17. Qxd5 exd3+ ) 17... Re5 ( { also good is } 17... Ne5 ) ) 16... exd3 17. O-O Ne5 18. fxg7 Re8 ) 16. fxg7 Kxg7 17. Nc2 Be6 18. Ne3 d5 { Now Black can consider ...Qd8-g5 to defend Ph6 and force a queen trade. That would put an end to White's middle-game attack and force an ending favorable to Black. } 19. h4 ( 19. Nf5+ Bxf5 20. Qxf5 e4 21. Bc2 Re8 22. O-O Re5 ) 19... Qf6 20. Bf5 Bxf5 21. Nxf5+ Kh7 22. Rd1 Rad8 23. Rh3 Qg6 24. Qxg6+ fxg6 25. Ne3 d4 26. Nc2 { Who stands better? Black's pawns are targets, but well-supported. Black's king is safer, but White's might jump in to participate if there are several piece trades. I suppose it's close to equal. } 26... Rf4 $1 { This ties Rh3 to Ph4. } 27. Rd2 ( 27. h5 g5 { and Rh3 still can't leave the h-file because of ...Rf4-h4xh5 } ) 27... h5 28. b3 Rd5 29. Kd1 Kg7 30. Ke1 $15 { If White can't undertake anything active then Black has time to bring Kg7 forward and perhaps advance a pawn or two, gaining for the simpler endgame to follow. } 30... a5 31. Kd1 Kf6 32. Ke1 Rc5 33. cxd4 exd4 34. Kd1 Rd5 35. Ne1 Ne5 36. Ke2 ( 36. g3 Re4 37. Rh1 Kf5 ) 36... Re4+ 37. Kd1 Rf4 38. Ke2 Re4+ 39. Kd1 a4 ( 39... Kf5 40. Nd3 ( 40. f3 $2 Re3 41. Nc2 Rd3 ) ) 40. Nd3 axb3 { It's nearly impossible to know for sure, but the opening of the a-file should favor White more than Black because both Black rooks are blocked from the a-file by pawns. } ( 40... Ng4 41. Rf3+ Ke7 42. Nf4 ( 42. g3 ) 42... Rd6 43. g3 ) 41. axb3 Nxd3 42. Rdxd3 Ke5 43. Rdg3 Rg4 $6 { appears to be the typical Ivanchuk over-reaching } ( 43... Rd6 44. Rg5+ Kf6 45. Rxb5 d3 46. Rf3+ Kg7 47. Rb7+ Kg8 48. Rb8+ $11 ) ( 43... Kf6 { seems safest } ) 44. Kd2 { Why so timid? } ( 44. Rxg4 hxg4 45. Rh1 Ke4 { preventing h4-h5 } ( 45... d3 $2 46. h5 gxh5 47. Rxh5+ Kd4 48. Rxd5+ Kxd5 49. Kd2 Kd4 50. f3 gxf3 51. gxf3 b4 52. f4 Ke4 53. f5 Kxf5 54. Kxd3 Ke5 55. Kc4 Kd6 56. Kxb4 Kc6 57. Ka5 $18 ) 46. Kd2 d3 47. Re1+ { gives White some advantage } ) 44... Rc5 45. f3 Rxg3 46. Rxg3 Kf6 47. Kd3 ( 47. Rg5 $4 Rxg5 48. hxg5+ Kxg5 49. Kd3 Kf4 50. Kxd4 Kg3 51. Kc5 Kxg2 52. Kxb5 h4 $19 ) 47... Rc3+ 48. Kxd4 Rxb3 49. Rg5 Rb4+ { Anand is an excellent defender and this endgame demonstrated that skill. This was a very interesting game from a theoretical perspective too. Black had little difficulty gaining an equal or better position. } 1/2-1/2