Kramnik: Anand does have weaknesses

Anand’s weakness
Posted on May 06, 2012 08:15:28 PM
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
By Bobby Ang

The match will consist of 12 games with a time control for each game of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting after move 61 has been made.

If the scores are level after the regular 12 games, then we go into tie breaks.

1. Four tie-break games will be played with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move

2. If the scores are still level, then a match of two games shall be played with a time control of five minutes plus three seconds increment after each move. In case of a level score, another two-game match will be played to determine a winner. If still there is no winner after five such matches (total 10 games), we will go into sudden death.

3. In sudden death the player who wins the drawing of lots may choose the color. The player with the white pieces shall receive five minutes, the player with the black pieces shall receive four minutes whereupon, after the 60th move, both players shall receive an increment of three seconds from move 61. In case of a draw the player with the black pieces is declared the winner.

The defending champion Viswanathan Anand (born 11 December 1969 in Tamil Nadu, India) and challenger Boris Gelfand (born in Minsk, Belarus on 24 June 1968) are from the same generation. They were among the top players of the world in the 1990s but it is only now, 25 years later, that they are facing off for the title.

The two have played 35 games with each other in classical time controls, with Vishy having a 6:5 lead. Gelfand had a 4-0 lead early on, but has not defeated Anand since 1993.

In games with a faster time control Vishy has the clear upperhand: 8-1 in rapid and 3-0 in blitz.

KRAMNIK INTERVIEW

Recently GM Tkachiev was interviewing Kramnik for the Web site “Why Chess” and happened to ask Big Vlad about his chess style. Kramnik’s reply was that he had never particularly stopped to think about the features of his own style, but he could give a full breakdown on Anand. To this, Tkachiev responded “OK let’s try that” and Kramnik did.

“Each champion has had some sort of speciality, and his is creating counter play in any position out of absolutely nowhere. He’s got an amazing ability to constantly stretch himself so that even in some kind of Exchange Slav he nevertheless manages to attack something and create something. He also plays absolutely brilliantly with knights, even better than Morozevich — if his knights start to jump around, particularly towards the king, then that’s that, it’s impossible to play against and they’ll just sweep away everything in their path. I noticed it’s better to get rid of them when you’re playing against him.”

Now, here is the interesting part. Tkachiev asked about Anand’s weaknesses, and here is Kramnik’s reply:

“He does have weaknesses. For example, he doesn’t sense some nuances or move orders very well. But the thing is that in modern chess you can arrange the whole play to suit your style — that’s the problem. So with a computer you can create your own little chess world and live in it. OK, blockaded positions, but then he probably knows about that too. If you can tell me how to block everything in the Meran and still get an edge I’d be very grateful.”

The interview had an interesting sequel. In the final rounds of the German League (Bundesliga) there was a fight between powerhouse teams Baden Baden and Werder Bremen for the championship, and for their last matches Baden called on their top guns to play, which included Anand. To their consternation the world champion immediately lost to Sergei Tiviakov who blockaded position. Having said that, Tiviakov, who is a former Candidate and European Champion, handled the position with almost textbook perfection.

Tiviakov, Sergei (2647) — Anand, Viswanathan (2817) [B51]

Schachbundesliga 2011-12 Baden Baden GER (14), 14.04.2012

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4

I’d like to mention that what we have here in the Chekhover. Now White can play either 7.Nc3 or the text, which institutes a Maroczy Bind, the kind of formation to go for if you want a blockaded position. Tiviakov (also originally from Krasnodar, same as Boris Savchenko from last Chess Piece article) has authored a Chessbase DVD on the Maroczy Bind and is considered one of its leading practitioners.

I remember back in the ’70s when Marlboro used to host an international tournament in Manila every year. During one of those NM Sammy Estimo was the TV commentator and there was a game on its 10th move which started out as a Sicilian Defense. Ronnie Nathanielz (I think it was him) asked Atty. Sammy what he thought of the position. Estimo’s reply was “whenever I play the Sicilian Defense I am always afraid to face the Maroczy Bind. White didn’t go for the bind in this game, so Black is doing ok.”

Heh heh.

7…e5

I assume that Anand did not want to show any of his preparation for the upcoming world championship match. Most people prefer a more flexible formation, such as 7…Nf6 8.Bg5 e6 9.0-0 h6 10.Bd2 Be7 11.Bb4 Qc7 12.Nc3 Rd8 13.Rac1 0-0 14.Rfd1 Bc8 Black is doing fine. Jaracz,P (2542)-Wojtaszek,R (2706) Warsaw POL 2012 0-1 (41). Take note that Wojtaszek is one of Anand’s seconds.

8.Qd3 h6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 Be7 11.a4 b6?

Tiviakov said after the game that “11…b6 is a serious mistake as Black has too many weaknesses in his position. It was an easy game for me today.”

The Polish GM Kamil Miton seems to have a nice remedy for Black: 11…0-0 12.b3 b5! 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.cxb5 Rb8 16.Rd1 Qa5 White has to give back the pawn. Dobrowolski, P. (2388)-Miton, K. (2589) Lubniewice 2005 0-1 (39).

12.b3 Ra7 13.Rd1 Bc8 14.Ba3 Rd7

White will obviously be blockading the d5 square after which Black will have difficulty finding active counterplay.

15.Nd2

On its way to e3 to tighten his grip on d5.

15…0-0 16.Nf1 Bb7 17.Ne3 Re8 18.Ncd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 Qa8 21.Qxa8 Rxa8 22.Rd5

Position after 22.Rd5

White still has a strong grip on d5 which Tiviakov proves is enough to win.

22…f6 23.Rad1 Rad8 24.g3 g5?!

Anand probably felt that he was busted and was just trying to muddy the waters.

25.f4 gxf4?

Allows Tiviakov to use the g-file to penetrate, but pls see my previous comment.

26.gxf4 Kf7 27.Kf2 exf4 28.Kf3 Ke6 29.Bc1 Rc8 30.Bxf4 Bf8 31.h4 Rc6 32.h5 Rb7 33.Be3 Rb8 34.Bd4 Rc7 35.Rg1 Bg7

[35…Rg7 36.Rg6! is even worse]

36.Rg6 Rf7 37.Be3 Rd7 38.Rf5

We are almost upon the 40th move, so perhaps both players were in a bit of time trouble. Otherwise they will no doubt spot 38.e5! threatening Bxh6. After 38…Kf7 (38…dxe5 39.Rxd7 Kxd7 40.Rxg7+ of course loses the bishop) 39.exf6 Bxf6? 40.Rf5! Black should resign.

38…Rf7 39.Kg4 Bf8 40.Bxh6 Bxh6 41.Rxh6 Rg7+ 42.Kf4!

Anand was hoping for 42.Rg6? Rxg6+ 43.hxg6 Rg8 44.Kh5 Rh8+ 45.Kg4 Rg8 drawn.

42…Rf8 43.a5! Rg1

[43…bxa5 44.e5! dxe5+ 45.Rxe5+! Kf7 46.Rf5! Ke6 47.Rxa5 Ra8 48.Re5+ Kf7 49.Rf5 this is easy]

44.axb6 Rb1 45.b7 Rxb3 46.e5! dxe5+ 47.Rxe5+ Kd6 48.Rf5 Ke6 49.Rh7 Rd8 50.Rd5 1-0

Anand resigns. After 50…Rxd5 51.cxd5+ Kxd5 52.h6 Rb4+ 53.Kf5 Kc6 54.Rf7 he cannot stop both pawns.

Baden Baden won in the final round and still emerged as Bundesliga Champions, but Anand’s loss must really have stung, especially since we are days away from the start of the world championship.

Source: http://www.bworldonline.com