Vishwanathan Anand

  [Event "Alekhine Memorial"]  [Site "Moscow"]  [Date "2021.11.12"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Karpov, Anatoly"]  [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "D47"]  [WhiteElo "2715"]  [BlackElo "2690"]  [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/DrDaveExeter"]  [PlyCount "100"]  [EventDate "2021.??.??"]   {The King of the modern Semi-Slav is undoubtedly Anand. Karpov tries his usual  approach of controlling the opponent's activity with 9.a3} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3.  Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. a3 b4 10. Ne4  a5 11. O-O Be7 12. Nxf6+ Nxf6 13. e4 O-O 14. Qc2 h6 15. axb4 Bxb4 16. e5 Nd7  17. Bh7+ Kh8 18. Be4 Qb8 19. Rd1 $10 c5 20. Bf4 cxd4 21. Rxd4 Rc8 22. Qe2 {  Black is a shade better.} Nf8 23. h4 Bxe4 24. Rxe4 Ng6 25. h5 Nxf4 26. Rxf4 Ra7  $2 27. g4 Bf8 $10 28. g5 Rb7 29. Qa6 Ra7 30. Qe2 Qb6 $2 31. Rd1 Rac7 32. Rd2  Bb4 33. Rdd4 Bc5 34. Rd2 Qc6 35. Kh2 Bb4 36. Rd3 Qc1 37. Rdd4 $2 $17 {Black is  getting well on top} Rc2 38. Qd3 $2 Rf8 $2 (38... Rxf2+ 39. Kg3 Rxf3+ 40. Qxf3  hxg5 $19) 39. g6 fxg6 40. Rxb4 $4 Rxf4 41. Qd8+ Kh7 42. hxg6+ Kxg6 43. Qe8+ Kh7  44. Ng5+ hxg5 45. Qh5+ Kg8 46. Qe8+ Rf8 47. Qxe6+ Kh7 48. Qh3+ Kg6 49. Rb6+ Rc6  50. Qd3+ Rf5 {0-1 White resigns.} 0-1   

  [Event "Biel"]  [Site "Biel"]  [Date "1997.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Anand, Viswanathan"]  [Black "Lautier, Joel"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "B01"]  [WhiteElo "2765"]  [BlackElo "2660"]  [Annotator "Alexander Volzhin"]  [PlyCount "49"]  [EventDate "1997.??.??"]  [Source "ChessPublishing"]  [SourceDate "2010.01.22"]   1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 c6 (5... Bg4) (5... Bf5 {  are the alternatives.}) 6. Bc4 (6. Ne5 {was tried in the World title match  between Kasparov and Anand. White didn't obtain any advantage from the opening,  moreover the World Champion, who is famous for his great knowledge of opening  theory, found himself in an inferior position after 15 moves! The game  continued:} Be6 $1 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. f4 $6 (8. Nxd7) 8... g6 $1 9. O-O Bg7 10. Kh1  Bf5 $1 11. Bc4 ({After the game Kasparov recommended} 11. Be3 $1 Bxd3 12. Qxd3  O-O 13. Nxd7 Nxd7 14. f5 {although in my opinion, Black keeps a tiny advantage.  }) 11... e6 12. Be2 {( threatening g2-g4 )} h5 $1 13. Be3 Rd8 14. Bg1 O-O 15.  Bf3 Nd5 $1 16. Nxd5 {Forced, as} (16. Ne2 {fails to} Nxf4 $1) 16... exd5 {  with a clear edge.}) 6... Bf5 7. Ne5 e6 8. g4 Bg6 9. h4 Nbd7 $1 {The best line}  (9... Bb4 {does not solve Black's problems as the game Campora - Cu. Hansen,  Palma de Mallorca GMA 1989 proved:} 10. Bd2 Ne4 11. f3 $1 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxc3  13. Rb1 b5 14. Bb3 Nd7 15. Nxc6 Bxd2+ 16. Qxd2 Qc7 17. d5 {with a clear  advantage.}) 10. Nxd7 Nxd7 11. h5 Be4 12. Rh3 (12. O-O {gives White nothing  real:} Bd5 13. Nxd5 cxd5 14. Bd3 Bd6 15. c3 g6 16. Bd2 Qd8 17. Kg2 gxh5 18. g5  Qe7 19. Qxh5 O-O-O $11 {with equality, Westerinen - Prie, Andorra 1994}) 12...  Bg2 {The idea of this move is that if White plays Rg3, then Black will gain a  tempo with a later Bd6.} (12... Bd5 {is the main Black reply and is probably  best as the move played here was disastrous for Black. White then usually tries  } 13. Bd3 O-O-O (13... Bd6 14. Bd2 Qc7 15. Nxd5 cxd5 16. Qe2 Bf4 17. O-O-O {  gave White a small edge in the game Ochoa de Echaguen - Denker, New York 1989})  14. Bd2 Qb6 15. Nxd5 exd5 {with good counterplay in the game Rublevsky -  Lastin, Russia (ch) Elista 1995.}) 13. Re3 $1 ({Stronger than} 13. Rg3 Bd5 {  although White's chances are still preferable.}) 13... Nb6 (13... b5 14. Bd3 b4  {does not solve Black's problems as he will soon be forced to part with a  Bishop by taking on e4 after} 15. Ne4) 14. Bd3 $1 (14. Bb3 $6 c5 $1 {would  give Black good counterplay}) 14... Nd5 15. f3 $1 {The point. The bishop is  trapped on g2 and White's task now is not to give up too much material for it.}  ({Previously} 15. Rg3 {had been played, the game Bauer - Prie, France (ch)  1996 continued with} Nxc3 16. bxc3 Bd5 17. Bd2 Qa4 18. Qe2 b5 19. h6 O-O-O {  with complicated and double-edged play.}) 15... Bb4 ({After} 15... Nxc3 16.  bxc3 Qxc3+ 17. Bd2 Qxd4 18. Kf2 Bxf3 19. Kxf3 {White has a big advantage,  according to Anand.}) (15... Nxe3 $5 {was interesting:} 16. Bxe3 Ba3 17. Bc1 (  17. bxa3 Bxf3 18. Qd2 Bxg4 19. h6 {Black is slightly better}) 17... Bb4 18. Kf2  Bxc3 19. bxc3 Qxc3 20. Bd2 Qxd4+ 21. Kxg2 {and White's chances looks  preferable.}) 16. Kf2 $1 Bxc3 (16... Nxc3 {was not better:} 17. bxc3 Bxc3 18.  Rb1 Bxd4 19. Kxg2 Bxe3 20. Bxe3 {with a clear advantage.}) 17. bxc3 Qxc3 18.  Rb1 Qxd4 ({Both alternatives} 18... Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxd4 20. Rxb7) ({and} 18...  Nxe3 19. Bxe3 Bxf3 20. Qxf3 {fail to make Black's life easier.}) 19. Rxb7 Rd8 (  19... Bh3 {was another try which would be met by} 20. Rxf7 $1 c5 21. Rf5 $3  Nxe3 22. Bxe3 Qb2 23. Rxc5 O-O 24. Kg3 $1 {with a decisive advantage, as was  pointed out by Joel Lautier.}) (19... Nf4 20. Kg3 Qd6 {does not help either  because of the beautiful} 21. Ba3 $1 Nxh5+ (21... Qxa3 22. Be4 $1 {winning})  22. Kxg2 Qg3+ 23. Kf1 {winning}) 20. h6 $3 {The idea behind this spectacular  move is very beautiful and was not appreciated by Lautier.} gxh6 $2 ({Black  could still fight with} 20... Nxe3 21. Bxe3 Qe5 22. hxg7 Rg8 23. Qg1 (23. Bh6  Qh2 $1) 23... Bxf3 24. Kxf3 {with a big advantage, according to Anand.}) 21.  Bg6 $3 {The point! It's not very often you see such a beautiful combination on  the board, especially in a game between two top players.} Ne7 ({Other moves  were also losing:} 21... Qxe3+ 22. Bxe3 fxg6 (22... hxg6 23. Qd4) 23. Bc5) (  21... Qf6 22. Bxf7+ Qxf7 23. Rxf7 Nxe3 24. Qxd8+ $1 Kxd8 25. Bxe3 Bh3 26. Rxa7)  (21... Nxe3 22. Bxf7+ Kf8 23. Qxd4 Rxd4 24. Bxe3) ({and the main idea is to  checkmate the Black King after} 21... Qxd1 22. Rxe6+ {with Bh6 and Bf7 to  follow.}) 22. Qxd4 Rxd4 23. Rd3 $1 {The simplest.} Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Kxd8 25. Bd3  $1 (25. Bd3 Bh1 26. Bb2 Re8 27. Bf6 {It is remarkable that White still has not  won the trapped Bishop, but he doesn't need it! Black resigned. A very  beautiful game by Vishy Anand.}) 1-0