[Event "SuperGM"]
[Site "Linares ESP"]
[Date "2002.02.23"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Hathaway, Mark"]
[BlackElo "2757"]
[ECO "B49"]
[WhiteElo "2715"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 { It could be argued the ideal pawn formation for Black is with ...d7-d6 and ...g7-g6 as in a Dragon or with ...e7-e6 and ...b7-b6 as in a Queen's Indian Defense. Both and everything else between are played. I've played the Najdorf and Scheveningen variations, but can easily see the advantages of the Dragon too. I haven't been too fond of 2...e6 because there's no added control of square e5, but that doesn't mean Black can't play ...Ng8-f6. 2...e6 serves a similar purpose to 1...e6 in a French Defense. It limits the scope of Bf1 and frees the way for Bf8 to develop. } ( 2... d6 ) 3. d4 ( 3. c3 d5 ) 3... cxd4 { In this Sicilian Variation Black grabs the d-pawn before it can ever serve to support e4-e5. Now, usually, White must use f2-f4 to support the e4-e5 advance. But, that isn't the only plan White can utilize. Instead White aims for general piece activity and freedom of movement to hit Black wherever he can. } 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 ( 5. Nb5 d6 { is also played } ) 5... Qc7 6. Be2 a6 { Black's pawns limit White's knights and Be2. Black seeks to keep open options while discouraging White from any active operations. } 7. O-O Nf6 { This normal developing move creates an interesting threat: ...Bf8-b4xc3 and ...Nf6xe4. White tends to disregard this as a threat, to some extent, because the weakening of Black's dark squares is compensation for doubled c-file pawns. However, the loss of Pe4 requires more compensation. } 8. Be3 ( 8. Bg5 Bb4 9. Bxf6 gxf6 { and Black might use the g-file to threaten Kg1 } ) 8... Bb4 9. Na4 { This is a most unusual variation, not often played, but popular for a time in the 1980s. It was "discussed" several times in the Polugaevsky Memorial/Sicilian Love tournament, Buenos Aires 1994. White exploits the weak dark squares in exchange for Pe4. It might seem impossible, at this early stage, for this to be sufficient compensation for a pawn, but it has shown to be effective. } 9... Be7 ( 9... Nxe4 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nb6 Rb8 12. Nxc8 Qxc8 13. Qd3 d5 ( 13... Nc5 $4 14. Qd4 { threatens Bb4, Nc5 and Pg7 } ) 14. Qxa6 { So, White regains the pawn and leaves a very unbalanced pawn structure for an endgame. } ) 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nb6 Rb8 12. Nxc8 Qxc8 { With 9...Be7 Black has threatened ...Rb8xb2, but left Pe4. White's two bishops and freedom of movement should give him some lasting advantage. Whether Black can utilize Nf6 with advancing central pawns, meant to block White's pieces, is unclear. } 13. Bd4 O-O 14. Qd3 ( 14. Bd3 $2 { intending c2-c4 and e4-e5 } 14... c5 15. Bxf6 ( 15. Bc3 c4 16. Be2 Nxe4 ) 15... Bxf6 { looks very good for Black } ) ( 14. f3 d5 15. e5 Nd7 { and White's efforts to slow Black might backfire because the closer the two armies come into contact the quicker Black's pawns will have their say. White does better to stay back from or go around Black's central pawns. } ) ( 14. e5 Nd5 { causes Black to block his Pd7 for a time } ) 14... Qc7 15. b3 a5 16. Rad1 { White threatens Bxf6 followed by Qxd7 and seems interested only in simple piece play -- tactical opportunism. } ( 16. c4 { tries to prevent ...d7-d5 from occurring without several pawn exchanges opening up the board, but it weakens Pb3 } 16... e5 ( 16... a4 $2 17. e5 Ne8 ) 17. Be3 d5 18. cxd5 cxd5 19. exd5 e4 20. Qd2 Rfd8 ) 16... d5 17. exd5 Nxd5 $5 { Black accepts that his pawns will be broken up and just improves the knight. From d5 it threatens ...Nd5-f4 to snare Be2 or ... Nd5-b4 to grab Pa2. } ( 17... cxd5 { makes Pa2 & Pb3 vs. Pa5 a clear endgame advantage for White } ) ( 17... exd5 18. c4 { ensures Black's pawns will be broken up } ) 18. Bf3 Rfd8 19. c4 Nf6 { Black obviously threatens ...c6-c5 } 20. Qc3 { White turns the tables a bit and threatens Bd4-e5 which either wins the exchange (Be5xb8) or forces ...Be7-d6 which allows Be5xf6 to win a pawn and weaken Kg8. } 20... Bd6 { It's amazing he'd offer to trade king-side pawns when Black's pawns are split, leaving Ph7 very weak. } 21. g3 { White simply defends his pawn and "asks" Black if he can manage to do as well. } ( 21. Bxf6 gxf6 ( 21... Bxh2+ $4 22. Kh1 gxf6 23. g3 ) 22. Qxf6 Bxh2+ 23. Kh1 Be5 ) 21... c5 ( 21... Ne8 $4 22. c5 Bf8 23. Be5 ) ( 21... e5 { blocks Bd4 and on simple positional terms would be better than the game move, but the forcing variation it inspires is winning for White } 22. c5 exd4 23. cxd6 dxc3 24. dxc7 $18 ) 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Qxf6 Be7 24. Qh6 { White has won the pawn, weakened Ph7 and now plans Bf3-e4 (where else could the bishop be of use?) . } 24... Qe5 25. Rde1 { White tries to get Bf3-e4 without allowing Black to undercut the effort by ...Rd8xd1. } 25... Qf6 26. Qh5 Bf8 27. Re4 ( 27. Be4 h6 28. Qe2 Rd4 ) ( 27. Re5 Rd4 28. Be4 h6 { might lead to an awkward placement of Re5 or Be4 } 29. Bb1 ) 27... Rd4 28. Rxd4 Qxd4 { preferring not to let White have a three-to-one queen-side pawn majority, even in exchange for a good passed central pawn } 29. Re1 ( { less powerful is } 29. Rd1 Qf6 30. Be4 h6 31. Bb1 { because it allows Black to fight Rd1 with his own rook } 31... Rd8 32. Rxd8 Qxd8 33. Qg4+ Bg7 34. Qe4 Qc8 { defending against an invasion at c6 or b7 } ) 29... Qf6 { clearing the d-file in preparation for ...Rb8-d8 } 30. Re4 { but, White's king-side attack comes first } 30... Bg7 ( 30... Rd8 $2 31. Rg4+ Bg7 ( 31... Kh8 32. Rf4 ) 32. Be4 h6 33. Qxc5 Qa1+ 34. Kg2 f5 35. Qe7 ) 31. Rf4 ( 31. Qxc5 Qxf3 ) 31... Qe7 32. Rh4 h6 33. Rg4 f5 ( 33... Kh7 $4 34. Rxg7+ Kxg7 35. Qe5+ Qf6 36. Qxb8 Qxf3 37. Qe5+ Kg6 38. Qxc5 { gives White a clear endgame advantage, though it's never all that easy to win queen & pawn endings } ) 34. Rg6 { courageous or risky? White threatens Qh5xh6 or Rg6xe6 with Bf3-d5 to follow. } 34... Kh7 35. g4 { White has to pry the position open before Rg6 is completely trapped and lost. } 35... Rf8 ( 35... Qf7 $2 36. Rxh6+ Kg8 37. Rxe6 ) 36. gxf5 Rxf5 37. Be4 ( 37. Qg4 $4 Rxf3 38. Rxg7+ Qxg7 $19 ) 37... Rxh5 38. Rxe6+ Kh8 39. Rxe7 { So, they've both survived the confusion and White has the extra pawn, but there are no queens and the bishops travel on different colors. Only the simple back rank mate threat is a concern. } 39... Re5 { In one stroke Black forces further simplification while avoiding Re7-e8#. } 40. Rxe5 Bxe5 41. Kg2 Kg7 42. Bb1 Kf6 43. h4 Bf4 44. Kf3 Ke5 45. Kg4 Bc1 46. f3 Bd2 47. Kh5 Kf6 48. Bc2 Bc1 49. Be4 Bd2 50. Bd5 Bc1 51. a4 Be3 52. Bg8 Bd2 1/2-1/2