All in the Family

Viswanathan Anand – Levon Grigori Aronian
4th edition of the “Zürich Chess Challenge”; Zürich, February 16, 2015
Grünfeld Defence D97

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 0-0 7. e4 Na6 8. Be2 c5 9. d5 e6 10. 0-0 exd5 11. exd5 Re8 12. Rd1 Bf5 13. d6 h6 14. Be3. Another way is 14. Bf4 Nd7 15. Rd2 Nb4 16. Qb3 Be6 17. Bc4 Nb6 18. Bxe6 Rxe6 19. Na4 Re4 20. Bg3 Nc4 21. Nxc5 Nxd2 22. Nxd2 Re2 23. Qxb4 a5 24. Qxb7 Rxd2 25. d7 Rxb2 26. Qd5 Rb5 27. Rd1 Bf8 28. Bd6 Bxd6 29. Qxd6 Rab8 30. h3 Rb1 31. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 32. Kh2 Rb6 33. Qe5 Kf8 34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qe5+ Kf8 36. f4 h5 37. Qd5 h4 38. Qe5 g5 39. Qh8+ Ke7 40. Qe5+ Kf8 41. fxg5 1 : 0 Piket – Kasparov, 9th Euwe Memorial, Amsterdam 1995. For a very interesting article about this game we especially recommend “A Walk with Garry Kasparov” (1995) by Tim Krabbé. 14. ... Ng4. The most forcing reply. The colourless alternative was 14. ... Bd7 15. Rd2 Qa5 16. Rad1 Rad8 as in the game Reilly – Tukmakov, Antwerpen 1993. 15. Bf4 Bxc3 16. bxc3 Re4 17. Qb5 Rxf4 18. Qxb7 Ra4. Why a professional ends up buying the Mega Database? Just to prevent wasting time re-analyzing already analyzed positions!? So maybe Aronian was expecting White to fall into the variation contemplated by the archivists, that is 19. Bxa6?? Rb8 19. Qc6 Bd7 and Black wins.

19. d7! But Vishy had prepared this opening novelty at home. The obvious threat is Qb7xa8. Now Aronian began to think. As they say, “too little, too late”. 19. ... Be4. Grandmaster Alejandro Tadeo Ramírez Álvarez suggests 19. ... Nc7! 20. h3! Nf6 21. Ne5∞ – “The position will need more practical tests”. 20. Qb3 Bc6? With 20. ... Ra5 Black would be able to put up a stubborn resistance. After 21. Nd2! White stands clearly better, but the position is still very complex. 21. Rd6. Now it is all over. 21. ... Bxd7. Or 21. ... Rb8 22. Qd1! Bxf3 23. Bxf3 with an easy win. 22. Rad1 Qb8 23. Rxd7 Qxb3 24. axb3 Ra2 25. Bc4 Rf8 26. R7d6 Kg7 27. Rxa6 Rxf2 28. Re1 1 : 0.

Vishy Anand: All in the family
Photo: Evgeny Surov