Wild Cats of the World

Viswanathan Anand – 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
29th Torneo Magistral de Ajedrez “Ciudad de León”; match game 1; León, June 12, 2016
Giuoco Piano C54

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 a6 7. a4 h6 8. Re1 0-0 9. Nbd2 Re8 10. Nf1 Ba7 11. Ng3. For 11. Be3 Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. Bxa7 Rxa7 14. Ng3 d5 see Kramnik – Svidler, 23rd Russian Team Chess Championship, Sochi 2016. 11. ... Be6 12. Bxe6 Rxe6 13. b4 d5 14. Qc2 b5 15. Be3 Bxe3 16. Rxe3 d4 17. Ree1 dxc3 18. Qxc3 Qf8 19. axb5 axb5 20. Rxa8 Qxa8 21. Nf5 Qf8 22. Rb1 g6 23. Ne3 Qd6 24. Nc2 Qd8 25. h3 Kh7 26. Na3. Anand maneuvered with his usual skill, finally putting his young opponent in a dilemma. 26. ... Nd4? 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) wants to save everything, but he should have done better to leave the Pawn to its fate and play 26. ... Nh5 27. Nxb5 Nf4 eventually followed by ... h6-h5 and ... g6-g5-g4. 27. Nxd4 exd4 28. Qc5 c6 29. Nc2 Rd6 30. Ra1 Nh5 31. Ra7 Kg8

32. Ra8? Anand comes up with a brilliant suggestion, but he should have contented himself with 32. e5 Rd7 33. Rxd7 Qxd7 34. Nxd4 securing a decisive advantage. 32. ... Qxa8 33. Qxd6 Qa2 34. Nxd4 Qb1+ 35. Kh2 Qxd3 36. f3 Qd2 37. Nxb5 Qg5? 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) misses 37. ... Qf2! 38. Qxc6 (or 38. Nd4 g5! 39. Qxh6 Qg3+ and Black gives perpetual check) 38. ... Qg3+ 39. Kg1 Qe1+ forcing perpetual check. 38. Na7 Nf4 39. Qd2 Kh7. Black’s last (best) chance was to give up the Pawn by 39. ... c5 40. bxc5 h5 with maybe some problematic chances for salvation. 40. Nxc6 Qf6 41. e5 Qf5. Or 41. ... Qxc6 42. Qxf4 Kg7 43. Qd4 winning easily. 42. b5 Ne6 43. b6 Nc5 44. Qb4 Nb7 45. Qe4 Qe6 46. f4 Nc5 47. Nd8 Qxb6 48. Qd5 Ne6 49. Nxe6 fxe6 50. Qd7+ 1 : 0.

Viswanathan Anand vs. 韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: EFE