64: The underdog
Friday, April 20 2012 00:00
By Zaldy Dandan – Editor
THE world chess championship match will be held in Moscow starting on May 11. The reigning king, India’s Vishy Anand, is defending his title against Israel’s Boris Gelfand, a product of the mighty Soviet school.
Both were born in 1968 and are, obviously, formidable players. But Anand has a +2 score in classical games against Gelfand and if the rapid and exhibition games are added, the world champ’s plus score is +10.
Clearly, the former student of Boleslavsky and Petrosian is the underdog in the 12-game match. Anand’s speed of thinking and chess qualities, Gelfand says in a recent interview, “are incredibly high. But nobody is invincible, nobody is immune to mistakes. I will play my best chess and force him to make mistakes — that is what I hope.”
The winner of the match — which will be decided by rapid games in case of a tie — will get $1.53 million while the loser will receive $1.02 million.
Game of the week. Here’s the challenger in game five of his eight-game rapid match against one of the world’s hardest GM’s to beat. Berkes and Meszaros annotate.
White: Gelfand, Boris (2734)
Black: Leko, Peter (2739)
QGD, Semi-Slav
Miskolc Rapid 2010
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 Rg8 12.Bxg4 Nbd7 13.Nxd7 Qxd7 14.Bf3 c5 15.e5. Novelty. In the first game 15.dxc5 happened. This move opens the way for the c3 knight. 15…Nd5 16.Ne4 0-0-0 17.0-0 17…Rxg3! 18.Nxg3 Nf4! It’s a very deep plan! For the exchange Black has strong pressure on the d-line and better pawn structure. 19.dxc5 [19.Qd2 Qxd4; 19.a4 b4] 19…Qc7 20.Bxb7+ Qxb7 21.Qf3 Qxf3 22.gxf3 Bxc5 23.Ne4 Bd4 24.Nd6+ Rxd6! 25.exd6 Kd7!? After the second beautiful exchange sacrifice Leko misses his chances! He could capture the b2 pawn for example: 25…Bxb2 26.Rab1 c3 27.Rxb2 (27.Kh2? Kd7 28.Kg3 Nd3-/+) 27…cxb2 28.Rb1 Nd3 29.Kf1 a5! 30.Ke2 (30.a3? a4 31.Ke2 b4 32.Kxd3 bxa3 33.Kc2 a2 34.d7+ Kd8-+) 30…Nc1+ 31.Kd2 Nxa2 32.Rxb2 Nb4 with an exciting position. 26.a4! Gelfand trying to break Black queenside pawns and open new lines for his rooks. 26.Rab1 Kxd6 27.Rfd1 e5 is drawish. 26…b4 27.Rac1! c3 28.Rfd1!! This fantastic move uses the x-ray power of his rook and opens the way for the king! 28…e5. 28…Ne2+ 29.Kf1 Nxc1 30.bxc3 Bxc3 31.Rxc1 Kxd6 32.Ke2 Ke5 (32…Kd5?! 33.Kd3 h5 34.f4! a5 35.f3+/-) 33.Ke3 Bd4+ 34.Kd3 Bxf2 35.h5 with good practical winning chances for White; 28…cxb2 29.Rc7+ Kxd6 30.Rc4! Nd5 31.Rcxd4 Kc5! This is one of the most beatiful endgames we ever saw! 32.R4d2 Nc3 33.Rc2 Kc4 34.Rb1 b3 35.Rcxb2 (35.Rbxb2 bxc2 36.Rxc2 a5) 35…Nxb1 36.Rxb1 Kc3 37.Kg2 Kc2 38.Re1 b2 39.Kg3 h5 (39…a5 40.Kg4 b1Q 41.Rxb1 Kxb1 42.Kh5 Kb2 43.Kxh6 Kb3 44.h5 Kxa4 45.Kg5+–) 40.Kf4 f6 41.Ke4 b1Q 42.Rxb1 Kxb1 43.f4! a5 44.f5+/–. 29.bxc3 bxc3 30.Kf1 f6?! 30…a5 It was better possibility to try to save the game! 31.Rc2 Nd5 32.Ke1 h5! 33.Rd3 (33.Rb1 Nb4 34.Kd1 Kxd6) 33…f6 34.f4+/–. 31.Rc2 Nd5 32.Rb1 a5 33.Ke2 Nb4 34.Kd1 This is also winning, but 34.Rxb4 was easier, for example: 34…axb4 35.Kd3 Bb6 (35…b3 36.Rxc3; 35…Kxd6 36.Kc4) 36.Kc4 Ba5 37.h5 Kxd6 38.Rc1+–. 34…Kxd6 35.Rb3 Nxc2 36.Kxc2 h5 37.Rb5 Bxf2 38.Rxa5 Bxh4 39.Rb5 Bf2 40.Rb7 Kc6 41.Rf7+–. The rest is easy: 41…Kb6 42.Rxf6+ Ka5 43.Rf5 Kxa4 44.Rxe5 h4 45.Kxc3. and 1-0.
Source: http://www.mvariety.com
I do not agree that Gelfand is the underdog. He is a very formidable competitor,especially in such a match. He overcame all obstacles to earn the right to challenge. Also, he is probably fitter,comparatively,and his desire to win this might be a notch higher. Anand seems tired of late. 50 – 50 at most,being kind to Anand. That said whoever wins this will have a hard time holding on next year.