[Event "World Championship Match (Game 7)"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.20"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Gelfand, Boris"]
[Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D45"]
[Annotator "Shipov, Sergey (translated by Dana Mackenzie)"]
[PlyCount "75"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 a6 {We go down the path we have
already traveled.} 6. c5 {Let's study a new variation! White closes the game
in hopes of obtaining a large space advantage.} Nbd7 {The answer was played
very rapidly. The champion's camp foresaw this turn in the conversation.} (6...
b6 {is another topical mover here. Here is how the world champions of the past
continued:} 7. cxb6 (7. b4 {is obviously bad because of} a5 {destroying
White's pawn structure}) 7... Nbd7 8. Na4 (8. Bd3 {is more popular in our time,
for example,} c5 9. O-O Bb7 10. Na4 c4 11. Bc2 Nxb6 12. Bd2 Nbd7 13. b3 cxb3
14. axb3 a5 15. Ne5 Bd6 16. f4 {with an intense battle, F. Caruana - S.
Rublevsky, Dagomys 2010.}) 8... Nxb6 9. Bd2 Nxa4 10. Qxa4 Qb6 ({Later it
turned out that Black can equalize with} 10... Bd7 11. Ne5 c5 $1) 11. Rc1 Bd7
12. Ne5 Qxb2 13. Nxd7 Nxd7 14. Bd3 $1 Rb8 15. Ke2 {White obtained a lasting
initiative and won a brilliant game, M. Euwe - A. Alekhine, Netherlands 1935.})
7. Qc2 {A very clever introduction. Can it be that White has no more useful,
more developing moves?} (7. b4 {is more like what I expected. Again there are
examples of this theme in the classical canon:} a5 ({In our days Black reacts
more in the spirit of the popular schemes in the Queen's Gambit:} 7... b6 8.
Bb2 Be7 9. Bd3 O-O 10. O-O a5 11. a3 Ba6 12. Qe2 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Qc7 14. h3 Rfb8
{etc., M. Matlakov - D. Jakovenko, Dogomys 2010.}) 8. b5 Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10.
Nd2 f5 11. f3 Qh4+ 12. g3 Qh6 13. Qe2 Be7 14. Bg2 O-O 15. O-O Nf6 16. Nc4 Bd8
17. fxe4 fxe4 18. Nd6 Qg6 19. b6 Be7 20. Nc4 Qg5 21. Bd2 e5 22. Nxe5 Be6 23.
Rf4 {and Black did not have enough compensation for the pawn, M. Euwe - A.
Alekhine.}) 7... b6 {A reasonable objection. One must distract the pawn on c5
while it is still not in a position to be supported by its buddy on b4.} ({The
devotees of this variation for Black would look first of all at the brilliant
break} 7... e5 {and they would receive encouragement from the far from perfect
game T. Radjabov - A. Grischuk, Bastia 2003:} 8. dxe5 ({However, Black will
not be so happy after he realizes that White does not have to enter into
complications:} 8. b4 $5 e4 9. Nd2 {with the idea of a breakthrough on the
queenside. Further, in the game A. Kveinis - P. Velikov, Cappelle-la-Grande
2005, the breakthrough took place in a part of the board where it was not
expected.} g6 10. Be2 h5 $6 11. f3 $1 exf3 12. Nxf3 Bh6 13. e4 $1 Bxc1 14. Rxc1
dxe4 15. Nxe4 O-O 16. Nd6 Nd5 17. Qd2 Qe7 18. O-O {and things have turned out
sadly for Black}) 8... Ng4 9. e6 fxe6 10. Bd3 Ngf6 11. Ng5 Nxc5 12. Bxh7 Nxh7
13. Qg6+ Kd7 14. Nf7 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Nxh8 Kc7 17. Nf7 Bd7 18. Ne5 Be8 19.
Qc2 Bd6 {with an initiative for Black. Here I have deliberately not added any
punctuation marks or recommendations, because this was after all a blitz game
-- just for fun!}) 8. cxb6 {There is no other way...} ({No, there is another
way! In fact White could play the move} 8. b4 a5 9. b5 $1 {with the idea of
breaking through with the pawn on c6. However, Black can play the ultra-calm
move} Bb7 {, move the rook from a8 and force favorable exchanges.}) 8... Nxb6 {
A novelty! Here Black has usually played} (8... Qxb6 {. For example,} 9. Na4
Qc7 10. Bd2 Be7 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Bd3 a5 13. O-O O-O 14. Rfd1 Rfc8 15. a3 Ba6 {
and Black is close to equality. S. Loiret - M. Grabarczyk, Cappelle-la-Grande
1994.}) 9. Bd2 {Boris hints at pressure along the c-file. The knight on c3
will soon head for a4. The only remaining question is what White has prepared
to do about 9. ... c5.} c5 {Vishy is also interested in the same question. Why
bother defending a weak pawn if you can just get rid of it?} ({The process of
banal development with} 9... Bd6 10. Bd3 O-O {would have been interrupted by
the weighty blow} 11. e4 $1 {giving White a large advantage in all variations.}
) 10. Rc1 {There can be no two opinions about it -- Gelfand is following his
home preparation. Otherwise he would not have hurried so much... Anand has now
buried himself in calculations for a while. Apparently he was somewhat
mistaken in his expectations.} ({There was no tactical refutation of Black's
idea:} 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nb5 (11. Nxd5 $2 Qxd5) 11... Ne4 $1 12. Bd3 $2 axb5
13. Bxe4 dxe4 14. Qxc5 exf3 {and Black eats more material than White.}) 10...
cxd4 {Simplest and solidest.} ({After} 10... c4 {Black would have to reckon
with} 11. b3 {and the ensuing variations are extremely difficult to decipher
over the board --} Bd7 (11... Bb7 12. Rb1 $1) 12. bxc4 (12. Ne5 Rc8 13. a4 $5)
12... Nxc4 13. Bxc4 dxc4 14. Rb1 Qc7 15. O-O {with e3-e4 to follow.}) 11. exd4
{White battles for the center without concern for the break in his pawn
structure. The upcoming activity of his pieces, along with the unfavorable
position of the knight on b6 and the bishop on c8, give him hope for a
sustained initiative.} Bd6 {On the other hand, Black for the time being has no
obvious weaknesses. After castling he will put the bishop on b7, the rook on
c8, and... we'll have to see what to do after that. One way or another, the
good news here is that unlike the previous "White" games of Gelfand we have
gotten a non-trivial pawn structure along with a full complement of pieces.
This means we are in for a great battle! By the way, the challenger is
thinking seriously. Apparently he has also run into something unexpected.
Probably he was more anticipating the continuation ... c5-c4, closing the
position, instead of the trade on d4. The time remaining is equal on both
sides -- 1:32-1:32.} 12. Bg5 {Justifying the waste of time. Boris is trying to
make use of the absence of Black's bishop from e7. But I am not certain that
the pin on the knight on f6 will bother Vishy. In the final analysis, a trade
on f6 with a capture by the g7 pawn does not look promising for White.} ({What
White could do after the more banal} 12. Bd3 O-O 13. O-O Bb7 {is a question
that we could spend qute a long time on. Again, the bishop sortie to g5 is
possible, or the more clever move} 14. Rfe1 Rc8 15. Qb3 {Nf3-e5. Probably
White could develop an initiative on the queenside here.}) (12. Na4 {could be
considered here, but here Black has several defenses, such as} Nxa4 13. Qc6+
Bd7 14. Qxd6 Ne4 15. Qa3 Nxd2 16. Nxd2 Qe7) 12... O-O {Without long hesitation.
} 13. Bd3 {With the threat of taking on h7.} h6 {The hunted moves away from
the firing line and becomes the hunter.} 14. Bh4 {Gelfand played quickly and
confidently. Apparently he has understood what he wants to play next -- he has
worked out a plan of action. The move ... h7-h6 invites an assault on the
Black king by White's pieces.} ({The saucy advance} 14. h4 {makes no
particular sense here, because Black after all is not even going to consider
taking on g5. Instead he will try to open up the center. And the White king
will have nowhere to hide except on the kingside, in which case the move h2-h4
will look positionally illiterate.}) 14... Bb7 {For the moment Black has a
couple tempi to harmonize his position. Black can blcok the dangerous diagonal
b1-h7 (on which, by the way, White would like to reverse the order of the
pieces in the white-squared battery) with the move ... Nf6-e4, or he could in
the future place the b6 knight on f8, reinforcing the h7 square.} 15. O-O {
It's time. After this White would like to drive in the nail on e5. It will be
the base for the upcoming attack on the kingside.} ({I am both surprised and
anmused by the passion of certain programs for doubling the opponent's pawns.
Here, for your amusement, is one of the variations they suggest:} 15. Qb3 Rb8
16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. O-O e5 18. Bf5 e4 19. Nd2 Nc8 {after which even here the
machine evaluates White's chances rather optimistically. The rude awakening
will happen later. Don't believe the computer every time about everything, my
friends! It is better to trust your own eyes.}) 15... Qb8 {A strange and, if
it had been played by anyone but Anand, I would have said an artificial
maneuver. Why go in for such tricks when therte are so many simple, natural
moves? I understand that he is not afraid of the trade on f6. But in fact, the
arrangement of Black's heavy pieces (the queen has made itself scarce, the
rook on a8 is locked up) gives White some grounds for taking on f6.  Followed
by the foray Nc3-e2-g3-h5. Of course, Gelfand is taking his time here. You
have to deal with the initial surprise, put your emotions to the side, calmly
consider the pluses and minuses, and calculate the optimal solution.} (15...
Nbd7 {was the first move I looked at, with elementary play in the center:} 16.
Rfe1 Rc8 17. Ne5 Qb6 18. Qd2 Rfe8 19. Bb1 Bf8 {and on the direct} 20. Qd3 {
Black has} Nxe5 21. dxe5 Ne4 {. Likewise on 20. Re3}) (15... Bf4 {is a second
possibility, and Black can seize the c-file by} 16. Rcd1 Rc8 17. Ne5 Qc7 {,
with the idea, after} 18. Bg3 Bxg3 19. hxg3 (19. fxg3 Ne4) 19... Nbd7 20. Qe2
Nxe5 21. dxe5 Nd7 22. Rfe1 {, of beginning counterplay in the center by} d4 $1
23. Na4 (23. Ne4 $2 Nxe5 $1) 23... Rfd8 {with good chances of reaching a
healthy old age.}) 16. Bg3 {An intentionally quiet move. It would appear that
Boris was a little bit too successful in the battle with his own emotions!} (
16. Rfe1 {begged to be played, followed by Qc2-e2 and Nf3-e5.}) ({Also, I
insist, it would have been very interesting to play} 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. Ne2 {,
for example,} Rc8 18. Qd2 Bf8 19. Rxc8 Nxc8 20. Ng3 Nd6 21. Nh5 Qd8 22. Qf4 {
and Black will have to place his knight on e8, which is, though not fatal, at
least unattractive. The alternative} f5 {essentially loses after} 23. g4 $1
fxg4 24. Qxg4+ Kh8 25. Kh1 $1 {and after Rf1-g1 the game is over. Of course
this is only an illustration of the dangers facing Black, but it was worth
thinking about...}) 16... Rc8 {The only logical justification of the queen
maneuver to b8 -- the king rook immediately joins the battle. But it achieves
this joy at the cost of the queen rook's tears... Visually and intuitively,
this sort of voluntary exodus of the mass of Black pieces away from their own
king looks dangerous. Although it's true that after the desertion by the white
bishop of its post on h4, these dangers have almost disappeared.} 17. Qe2 {
White liquidates the threat of ... Nf6-e4 and prepares, finally, to establish
his knight on e5.} ({In the variation} 17. Ne5 Ne4 {the brave computer
recommends} 18. Bxe4 dxe4 19. Qe2 {attacking the pawn on e4. But literate
chess players only play such moves in a case of extreme necessity. I think
you'll agree that it's hardly appealing to lengthen the diagonal of the bishop
on b7, even more so in the absence of an opposing light-squared bishop. Here
both moves of the f7 pawn are good for Black.}) 17... Bxg3 {Checking the
opponent's intentions. Who is going to capture on g3?} 18. hxg3 {Boris didn't
hesitate for long.} ({A player of a different age and temperament might have
considered and perhaps even played the move} 18. fxg3 {, opening the file for
the f1 rook. However, the consequences are not obvious:} Qd6 19. Ne5 Nbd7 20.
Rf4 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Nd7 23. Rcf1 Rf8 {and White's piece setup is
quite attractive, but how is he to continue the attack? If} 24. Bb1 Rac8 25.
Qd3 f5 26. exf6 Nxf6 {all of the brilliant sacrifices on f6 lead only to a few
checks followed by disappointment.}) 18... Qd6 {Vishy positions his pieces
solidly. He still needs to think about how to activate his brigade of pieces
on the queenside. The knight on f6, which is not attacked by anything,
guarantees the king a healthy life. There is time for unhurried positional
maneuvers.} 19. Rc2 {The challenger plays with an abundance of caution, not
being tempted by active continuations. It's hardly likely that you can cause
the world champion any grief by playing this way. The small problems on the
queenside (the pawn on a6 is hanging, and on ... a6-a5 one must reckon with
the knight jump from c3 to b5) do not appear unsolvable.} ({On the other hand,
at present} 19. Ne5 {appears somewhat decorative... It's true that after} Qb4
20. Rfe1 $1 Qxd4 $2 {the apparently fake rifle on the wall suddenly fires a
shot:} 21. Nxf7 Kxf7 22. Qxe6+ Kf8 23. Bg6 Rc7 24. Nb5 {and White wins. So it
was worth a try.}) 19... Nbd7 {A strategy of solidity.} (19... Nc4 {led to a
more complicated, calculated game, with greater risk to Black. The knight on
c4 has been placed under the spotlight... Apparently Anand did not like the
fact that White would have some new attacking ideas. For example,} 20. Na4 $1
Nd7 21. Rfc1 {and it's time for an explosion.}) ({After further thought, I
failed to understand what White can accomplish if Black simply moves all of
his vulnerable pieces away from danger:} 19... a5 20. Rfc1 Qe7 {and from here
I could not find a productive plan for White.}) 20. Rfc1 {White announces his
squatter's rights on the only open file. True, I suspect that Black can
challenge them with the brave move 20. ... Rc7. In that case the tactical
blows do not work.} Rab8 {A move made from general considerations. If the
opportunity presents itself, Black will be able to make use of the motif of
the weak White pawn on b3. And the move b2-b3 is probably unsatisfactory for
White. For White, a topical plan would be to set up a bind with a2-a3, b2-b4,
followed by Nc3-a4-c5. But of course, Black will not stand around and wait, bt
will play ... a6-a5 to prevent the advance b2-b4.   The contestants are
lavishly wasting their time: the clocks show 0:45 - 0:42. Anatoly Evgenievich
Karpov just walked into the commentators' studio, and has joined in the
discussion of the position and is reminiscing about past times. For example,
how he and Kasparov played cards in the jet flying from London to Leningrad.
At the very same time when they were playing a match for the world
championship. It's hard to imagine that now... Imagine that Kramnik had played
poker with Topalov in the off days at Elista in 2006! [Do I need to remind
anyone about the infamous "Toiletgate" affair...? - DM]} ({Still, in case of} 
20... Rc7 $5 21. Nb5 {fails to} Rxc2 22. Nxd6 Rxc1+ 23. Ne1 ({of course not} 
23. Kh2 $2 Ng4+ 24. Kh3 Ndf6 $1 {threatening mate}) 23... Rb8 24. Qd2 Rc6 25.
Nxb7 Rxb7 {and here Black's chances, at a minimum, are no worse.}) 21. Na4 {It
looks as if the knight is going straight to c5. But did Boris consider the
possibility that Black might activate his bishop by means of ... Bb7-c6-b5?
Let's say, after the trade of a pair of rooks on c2. Apparently he is planning
to take on c2 not with the rook, but with the queen. I have to look at this...}
Ne4 $6 {Vishy has clearly decided to play too prophylactically. It looks as if
he is willing to endure the hardship of an inferior position merely for the
sake of not havingto calculate any complicated and deep varations. This is old
man's chess, to be blunt.} ({It seems to me that in a championship match it
should be possible to remember one's youth and calculate some variations,
which for someone with such over-the-clouds talant should not even be all that
complicated:} 21... Rxc2 22. Qxc2 (22. Rxc2 Bc6 $1 {and White has nothing})
22... Rc8 23. Qxc8+ (23. Nc5 a5 $11) 23... Bxc8 24. Rxc8+ Nf8 25. Nc5 {-- the
activity of White's pieces is scary, but one must not underestimate the queen
--} Qb6 26. Ne5 (26. b3 g6) 26... Qxb2 27. Ncd7 N6xd7 28. Nxd7 g6 29. Rxf8+ Kg7
30. Bxa6 Qxa2 31. Bb5 Qa1+ 32. Bf1 Qxd4 33. Rc8 e5 {and it seems to me that
neither side can count on victory. Certainly not White!}) 22. Rxc8+ Bxc8 {To
take on e4 or not to take?} ({If} 22... Rxc8 23. Rxc8+ Bxc8 24. Bxe4 dxe4 25.
Qxe4 {White has manufactured a healthy extra pawn, and the Black bishop for
the time being cannot go to b7.}) 23. Qc2 $1 {The correct choice. The
initiative is more important for now than a pawn. My first impression is that
White's advantage is significant and enduring. My second impression --
likewise. The clock is also in his favor: 0:36 - 0:22.} ({After} 23. Bxe4 dxe4
24. Qxe4 Bb7 {Black has successfully unwound his pieces and obtained strong
counterplay... and, in fact, he can win back the pawn quickly with} 25. Qe3 (
25. Qe2 Bxf3 26. Qxf3 Qxd4) 25... Bc6 26. b3 Bxa4 27. bxa4 Qb4 {and so on.})
23... g5 $6 {A very nervous move. The coordination of Black's pieces leaves
much to be desired, and at thesame time he weakens his king's pawn covering
and leaves his queen waiting in the wings... Strange!} ({Having adopted a
strategy of patient waiting, Anand should have continued it:} 23... Ndf6 24.
Ne5 Bd7 25. Nc5 Be8 {, after which the captures on a6 seem to be harmless:} 26.
Nxa6 (26. Bxa6 $2 Nxc5) 26... Ra8 27. Nc7 (27. Nc5 Rxa2) 27... Rc8 $1 {and go
ahead, just try to get out of that pin.}) 24. Qc7 {Simple and strong. The
heavy piece on c7 will be extremely dangerous for Black. It is hard to
understand how the world champion could have voluntarily gone into such an
unappealing, deplorable position. Probably he miscalculated somewhere. I will
try to work out a relatively plausible version of events.} Qxc7 {This move
puts up the best resistance.} ({We can see the importance of the e5 square in
the variation} 24... Kg7 25. Ne5 Nxe5 26. dxe5 Qxc7 27. Rxc7 {and Black simply
can't move anything}) ({I think I've found what Anand missed! In all
likelihood, he was planning to play} 24... Bb7 25. Bxe4 (25. Ne5 Rc8 $1) 25...
Qxc7 {and then after the captures on c7 and e4 Black gets counterchances.
However, on closer inspection he noticed the resource} 26. Bh7+ $1 Kxh7 27.
Rxc7 {and Black suffers casualties. For example,} Kg7 28. Rxd7 Bc6 29. Rxf7+
Kxf7 30. Ne5+ Kf6 31. Nxc6 {and you can stick a fork in it -- Black's done.})
25. Rxc7 f6 {Black has removed all of his pawns from the feeding trough.
However, this is hardly likely to save him from material loss. His pieces are
awfully passive.} ({If} 25... Ndf6 26. Bxe4 $1 {is very unpleasant.} (26. Ne5
Nd6 {is not so clear, as after} 27. Nc5 $6 {Black has} Nfe8 $1 28. Ra7 Rxb2)
26... Nxe4 27. Ne5 Nd6 28. Nc5 Kg7 (28... Rxb2 29. Rc6) 29. g4 {and again
there is no apparent way for Black to break out of the vise.}) 26. Bxe4 {The
perfect moment.} dxe4 27. Nd2 {The knight threatens the pawn, and in case of ..
. f6-f5 it will penetrate into the Black camp via c4. Black's position is
critical.} f5 {Realizing that he will not get any compensation for the pawn,
Vishy holds onto the material to the bitter end. In such a lamentable position
there is no good advice for Black.} 28. Nc4 {Threatening to penetrate on d6.
It's painful to look at the bishop on c8... As, indeed, it is painful to look
at the world champion himself on the video feed.} Nf6 {Black holds on, which
is to say that he prolongs the resistance by playing forced moves.} 29. Nc5 {
Meanwhile White attacks with moves that can easily be made by the hand alone,
without the brain's assistance.} Nd5 30. Ra7 {The position of the Black bishop
remains deplorable. There are no active ideas. It's a bad business for Anand,
and there isn't much time either: 0:14 - 0:09.} Nb4 {And he sets a transparent
trap -- he threatens ... Nb4-c6xd4. But is this a trap? I think that the pawn
on d4 will cost Black a bishop. For example, after 31. a3!?} ({On} 30... Rb4 {
White can drily play} 31. b3 {with the threat of Ra7-a8.}) 31. Ne5 {Paying no
attention to the opponent's petty threats or any other detours along the way.}
Nc2 {A desperate counterattack.} 32. Nc6 Rxb2 33. Rc7 {Black loses a bishop.
The last chance lies in hunting down the White king.} (33. Ne7+ {also wins, as
after} Kh8 34. Nxc8 Rb1+ 35. Kh2 e3 36. Nd7 $1 exf2 37. Nf6 Rh1+ ({or} 37...
f1=N+ 38. Kh3 g4+ 39. Kh4 {1-0}) 38. Kxh1 f1=Q+ 39. Kh2 {in spite of his extra
material, Black has no way to save his king.}) 33... Rb1+ 34. Kh2 e3 {There he
goes!} 35. Rxc8+ Kh7 36. Rc7+ {Gelfand repeats moves... and weaves a mating
net!} Kh8 {Now what? The opponents are fighting with their flags hanging.} ({
The king also dies after} 36... Kg6 37. Ne5+ Kh5 38. Nxe6 g4 39. Rg7 $1) 37.
Ne5 (37. Ne7 {would also lead to checkmate as shown in the previous note.})
37... e2 (37... exf2 38. Nxe6 {doesn't change anything.}) 38. Nxe6 {and here
Anand resigned! The first goal of the match has been scored! The beautiful
ending 38. ... e1=Q 39. Ng6+ Kg8 40. Rg7#! remains in the footnotes.  Well,
let me first recognize the steady and confident play of Gelfand, who has won a
victory that is tremendously important from the sporting point of view. I am
also astonished by the weak, passive and uncertain play of Anand in the
transition from the opening to the middlegame. He was unrecognizable as his
former self. He made mistakes in calculating variations and thought up moves
that were artificial in the positional sense... It was clearly not the day of
the world champion. Now he is in the position of the trailing side. But there
are still five more games. He still has chances.   Thanks to all of you for
your attention! This has been grandmaster Sergey Shipov at your service. I'll
see you tomorrow.} 1-0

