Chessable

World Chess Championship 2012 (3)

Anand-Gelfand World Championship Game 3 drawn after tense fight

All smiles at the press conference for game 3. Photo ©

All smiles at the press conference for game 3. Photo © | http://moscow2012.fide.com

Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand drew a complex 37 move Gruenfeld Defence to leave their World Chess Championship match in Moscow tied at 1.5 each after three games. Anand came prepared for the Gruenfeld after meeting it in game 1 and played the sharp 3.f3. However it seems that it was Gelfand that landed the first important blow. 14...Bd7 15.Kb1 Rc8 16.d6 has been seen before and white has scored 4/4 but Anand smelled a rat and understood he would be facing 16...e4 with a dangerous initiative for black. Anand tucked his King in the corner with 16.Ka1 instead which still was met by 16...e4. The next few moves were very difficult to get right for the players with many plausible moves that will no doubt be tested either in this match or by others. Gelfand would have equalised if he'd found the short range tactic 23...Nb6 24.Nc3 Rd5!! winning back his pawn. After 23....Rfc5 24.Rd1! black had to work hard to hold the position and it seems likely it will turn out Anand missed something in the next few moves. As it was Anand looked increasingly nervous as his clock ticked down to a minute a move for the last 10. Anand's 35.Rh1 abruptly called an end to winning tries as it is a tacit draw offer and Anand offered a draw with a look after seeing Gelfand's move 37 and the players shook hands. It already was noticable in his last title match against Topalov that even though Anand is still a fine rapid player he doesn't handle time pressure all that well. Game 4 Tuesday 3pm Moscow time 12pm BST. Gelfand starts a sequence of four games where he has the white pieces three times. IM Malcolm Pein annotates.

Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam and Jan Timman in commentary. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Jan Timman and Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam were the official English speaking video commentators for round 3 and will also be for round 4. However they weren't commentating for as long as expected as the day featured a bizarrely long interview about the restoration of artwork in the Tretyakov Gallery. It has been interesting to learn about the gallery in small parts but this was just too much.

Boris Gelfand quotes

I understood the position was dangerous I underestimated a few moves. I thought that 23...Rfc5 could win back the pawn but in underestimated a bit the move 24.Rd1. And here I had to fight for the draw. I was quite on edge for some time during the game.

23... Nb6 24. Nc3 Rd5 "If I had calculated it I would have made it." - Gelfand

"I came closer today." - Anand (on game 3 over game 1)

Boris Gelfand and Viswanathan Anand

Boris Gelfand and Viswanathan Anand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

The stage during game 3

The stage during game 3. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Notes by IM Malcolm Pein

Anand,Viswanathan (2799) - Gelfand,Boris (2739) [D70]
WCh 2012 Moscow RUS (3), 14.05.2012
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3

The Anti Gruenfeld. Black is invited into a King's Indian Saemisch after 3...Bg7 4.e4 or a Benoni after 3...c5 4.d5. There was wild play after 3...e5!? 4.dxe5 Nh5 in Kramnik-Leko 1998

3...d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Be3 0-0 8.Qd2 e5 9.d5 c6 10.h4 cxd5 11.exd5 N8d7 12.h5 Nf6 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.0-0-0

[14.d6 Be6 15.Nh3 Bxh3 16.Rxh3 Rc8 17.Bg5 Laznicka-Areschenko WCC 2012]

14...Bd7 15.Kb1 Rc8

Boris Gelfand

__rq_rk_
pp_b__bp
_n___np_
___Pp___
________
__N_BP__
PP_Q__P_
_K_R_BNR

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 15...Rc8

16.Ka1

[16.d6 Has won 4/4 for White but it gives away c6 and e6. Doubtless Anand has prepared 16.Ka1 16...Be6 17.Nh3 Nbd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5 19.Bg5 Be6 20.Nf2 Qd7 21.Qb4 a6 22.Bxf6 Bxf6 23.Ne4 Bf5 24.Bd3 Bxe4 25.Bxe4 b5 26.Qa3 Bg5 27.Qxa6 Be3 28.Rd5 Rc6 29.Qa3 Bd4 30.Qb3 Kh8 31.Rxb5 1-0 Hillarp Persson,T (2530)-Wojciechowski,P (2159)/Jersey 2004/EXT 2005]

16...e4

Boris Gelfand

__rq_rk_
pp_b__bp
_n___np_
___P____
____p___
__N_BP__
PP_Q__P_
K__R_BNR

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 16...e4

A novelty and a logical response to open the g7-a1 diagonal but White neutralises this. Assume both players in prepared analysis

17.Bd4

A slight dilemna for Black taking on f3 helps White after Nxf3 but the e4 pawn is attacked. Nc4 and Re8 now perhaps

[17.Bd4 Re8 18.fxe4 Nxe4?? 19.Nxe4 Rxe4 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Qh6+; 17.Bd4 Re8 18.fxe4 Rxc3 19.Qxc3 Nxe4 20.Qb4 Bxd4 21.Qxd4 Ng3 22.Rh2 Ba4 Is hugely complex, I guess Boris is checking something like this]

17...Na4 18.Nge2 Qa5

[18...Qa5 19.Nxe4 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Nxe4 21.fxe4 Rfe8 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Rd4 Nc5 24.Nc3 Nxe4!=; 18...Qa5 19.Nxe4 Qxd2 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.Rxd2 Rf5 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 Black's activity should ensure equality. White might not be able to support d5; 18...Qa5 19.fxe4?! Nxc3 20.Nxc3 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Qxd2 22.Nxd2 Bxd4]

19.Nxe4

[19.Nxe4 Qxd2 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.Rxd2 Rf5 22.b3 Nb6 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.d6 Rd5 25.Rxd5 Nxd5 26.Ng3 Ne3]

19...Qxd2 20.Nxf6+

[20.Rxd2 Nxe4 21.fxe4 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 Rf2 23.e5 Bb5 With strong counterplay]

20...Rxf6 21.Rxd2 Rf5 22.Bxg7 Kxg7

[22...Kxg7 23.Rh4 Nb6 24.Rhd4 Nc4 25.Rd1 Ne3-/+; 22...Kxg7 23.b3 Nb6 24.d6 Rd5 25.Rxd5 Nxd5 26.Kb2 Rc6 27.Rh4 Rxd6 28.Rd4 Kf6 29.Nc3 Ke5 30.Re4+ Kf6 31.Rd4]

23.d6

Boris Gelfand

__r_____
pp_b__kp
___P__p_
_____r__
n_______
_____P__
PP_RN_P_
K____B_R

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 23.d6

23...Rfc5 24.Rd1 a5 25.Rh4 Rc2

[25...Rc2 26.b3 Nc3 27.Nxc3 R8xc3 28.Bd3 Rxg2 29.Re4]

26.b3 Nb2 27.Rb1 Nd3 28.Nd4 Rd2

[28...Rd2 29.Bxd3 Rxd3 30.Re1 Kf6 31.Re7 Bf5 32.Nxf5 Kxf5 33.Rf7+ Ke6 34.Rc7 Rd8 35.Rhxh7 R8xd6 36.Rce7+ Kd5]

29.Bxd3 Rxd3 30.Re1 Rd2

Boris Gelfand

__r_____
_p_b__kp
___P__p_
p_______
___N___R
_P___P__
P__r__P_
K___R___

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 30...Rd2

31.Kb1

[31.Re7+ Now and Kg6 not possible - Speelman on ICC. A good point but after the game the computer seemed to show Black holds anyway 31...Kf6 32.Kb1 Bf5+ 33.Nxf5 gxf5 (33...Rd1+ Black seems to hold 34.Kb2 Rd2+ 35.Ka3 Rcc2 36.Ka4 Rxa2+ 37.Kb5 gxf5 38.Rexh7 Rxd6 39.R4h6+ Ke5) 34.f4 Rxd6 35.Rxb7 Rg8 36.Ra7 Rxg2 37.Rh6+ Rg6 38.Rhxh7]

31...Bf5+ 32.Nxf5+ gxf5 33.Re7+ Kg6

Boris Gelfand

__r_____
_p__R__p
___P__k_
p____p__
_______R
_P___P__
P__r__P_
_K______

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 33...Kg6

34.Rc7

[The players looked at 34.d7 Rcc2 35.Rc4 Rb2+ 36.Kc1 Rxa2 37.Rc8 Rf2 38.Re6+ Kf7 (38...Kh5 39.g4+ fxg4 40.fxg4+ Kxg4 41.Re4+ Kh5 42.Rh4+ Kg6 43.Rg8+ Kf7 44.Rf8+) 39.Rf6+ Kg7 40.Rg8+; But Black defends with 34.d7 Rcc2 35.Rc4 Rxc4 36.bxc4 h5 37.Kc1 Rd4 38.Kc2 Kf6 39.Rh7 Ke6 40.Kc3 Rxd7 41.Rxh5 Rg7]

34...Re8 35.Rh1

Boris Gelfand

____r___
_pR____p
___P__k_
p____p__
________
_P___P__
P__r__P_
_K_____R

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 35.Rh1

35...Ree2 36.d7 Rb2+ 37.Kc1 Rxa2

[37...Rxa2 38.Kd1 Rad2+ 39.Kc1 Ra2=]

1/2-1/2

Boris Gelfand

________
_pRP___p
______k_
p____p__
________
_P___P__
r___r_P_
__K____R

Viswanathan Anand

Final Position after 37...Rxa2

WCh Moscow
Anand, Viswanathan - Gelfand, Boris ½-½ 24 D85 Gruenfeld Defence
Gelfand, Boris - Anand, Viswanathan ½-½ 25 D45 Anti-Meran Variations
Anand, Viswanathan - Gelfand, Boris ½-½ 37 D70 Gruenfeld Defence

WCh Moscow (BUL), 11 v - 31 v 2012
Name Ti NAT Rtng 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total Perf
Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2791 ½ ½ ½ . . . . . . . . . 2727
Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2727 ½ ½ ½ . . . . . . . . . 2791

View the games on this Page

Download the PGN from this page

vs

Advertising

New in Chess Complete Chess Swindler


Chess.com Events


Chess and Bridge Fritz 19

Modern Chess Christmas


Jussupow course Build Up Your Chess 1: The Fundamentals

The New Jobava London System


Contact Mark Crowther (TWIC) if you wish to advertise here.


The Week in Chess Magazine

Send a £30 donation via Paypal and contact me via email (Email Mark Crowther - mdcrowth@btinternet.com) I'll send you an address for a cbv file of my personal copy of every issue of the games in one database. Over 3 million games.

Alternatively subscribe to donate £4 a month

Read about 25 years of TWIC.

TWIC 1532 18th March 2024 - 5625 games

Read TWIC 1532

Download TWIC 1532 PGN

Download TWIC 1532 ChessBase

TWIC Sponsor(s):

Clark St James Ltd - online advertising agency eg Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads