Hit the Quan

Fabiano Caruana – Viswanathan Anand
Candidates Tournament; Moscow, March 23, 2016
English Opening A29

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Bg2 0-0 6. 0-0 e4 7. Ng5 Bxc3 8. bxc3 Re8 9. f3 exf3 10. Nxf3 d5 11. d4 dxc4. The vintage classic 11. ... Ne4 12. Qc2 dxc4 13. Rb1 f5 14. g4! gives White a powerful initiative, Kasparov – Ivanchuk, 55th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1988. 12. Qc2. Departing from 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. e4 (Kasparov thought White stands better here, but Vishy demonstrates otherwise) 14. ... Bg4 15. Qa4 Qd6 16. Rae1 Rab8 17. Qxc4 b5 18. e5 bxc4 19. exd6 cxd6 20. Rxe8+ Rxe8 21. Nd2 Na5 22. Ne4 Rd8 23. Rb1 d5 24. Nc5 Be6 25. Rb5 Nc6 26. Na6 Rd7 27. a4 Kf8 28. Nc5 Rc7 29. Na6 Rd7 30. Nc5 Rc7 31. Na6 ½ : ½ Aronian – Anand, 3rd Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis 2015. 12. ... h6 13. Bf4 Ne4 14. Rad1 Bf5 15. Ne5 Nd6 16. e4 Bh7 17. Qe2 Ne7? Anand plays with fire – not only he does not consolidate, but he provokes his opponent into launching a vehement – and very promising as well – assault.

18. Bxh6! Adolf Anderssen too would surely have sacrificed the Bishop! 18. ... gxh6 19. Qh5 Nef5. Not the only one, but one of the critical ways to avoid immediate checkmate. Not 19. ... Rf8 on account of 20. Qxh6 with the deadly threat of Rf1-f4-g4+. 20. exf5 Qg5 21. Qxg5+ hxg5 22. f6. “Very high pressure by Caruana against Anand. Black’s position is dangerous and it’s a chance for Fabiano. Important chance”, Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov tweeted. 22. ... Ne4? It doesn’t look like such a great idea. It’s easy to suggest 22. ... Rad8 to be eventually followed by ... Bh7-d3. 23. Rfe1 Nxc3. Neither 23. ... Nxf6 24. Bxb7 nor 23. ... Nd6 24. Bd5 were exciting, but the text – played by Anand almost instantly – certainly worsens things for Black. 24. Rc1 Nb5 25. Bxb7 Rad8 26. Bc6 Nxd4 27. Bxe8 Rxe8 28. Kf2. White is up the Exchange with no compensation for Black. 28. ... Nc2 29. Red1 Be4 30. Nxc4 Re6 31. Rd8+ Kh7 32. Kg1 Rxf6 33. Rf1 1 : 0. A very inspired game by Caruana.

Fabiano Caruana vs. Viswanathan Anand
Photo: Worldchess.com