Lunar Blitz

Viswanathan Anand – Fabiano Caruana

7th Gashimov Memorial; Blitz stage; time control: 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move; Baku, December 22, 2021

Spanish Game C76

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. 0-0 Bd7 6. c3 g6 7. d4 Bg7 8. Re1 Nf6 9. h3 0-0 10. Bc2 Re8 11. d5. White closes the centre and prepares to build up a positional attack on the Queenside. It’s interesting to note that, after closing the centre, four-time Women’s World Chess Champion 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) turned her attention to the Kingside, nevertheless gaining the upper hand (even if Caruana eventually won the game): 11. Nbd2 b6 12. Nf1 h6 13. Ng3 Qe7 14. Be3 Qf8 15. Qd2 Rad8 16. Rad1 Na7 17. Qc1 c5 18. d5 Nh7 19. Nh2 f5 20. exf5 gxf5 21. f4?! (⌓ 21. Qb1!±) 21. ... e4 22. Nh5 Bh8 23. Nf1 Qf7 24. Nfg3 Nc8 25. Rd2 Ne7 26. Qd1 Ng6 27. Nf1 Nf6 28. Nxf6+ Bxf6 29. Qh5 Qg7 30. Ng3? (30. Kh2 Kh8) 30. ... Nh4! 31. Kh2 Kh8 32. Qe2 Rg8 33. Nh5 Qg6? (33. ... Qf7! 34. Nxf6 Qxf6 transposes to the game) 34. Nxf6? (⌓ 34. Bd1! Nf3+ 35. gxf3 Qxh5 36. fxe4 Qh4 37. Qf2=) 34. ... Qxf6 (34. ... Qg3+! 35. Kh1 Nxg2!−+) 35. Qf1 Rg7 36. c4 Rdg8 37. Ree2 Rg3 38. Bd1 Be8 39. Qe1 Qg7 40. Bg1 Rxh3+! 41. Kxh3 (41. gxh3 Qxg1+! 42. Qxg1 Nf3+ 43. Kh1 Rxg1#) 41. ... Qg4+ 42. Kh2 Nf3+! 0 : 1 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) – Caruana, 2nd Speed Chess Championship, chess.com, August 24, 2017, match game 16 (time control: 3 minutes plus 2 seconds per move). 11. ... Ne7 12. c4 h6 13. Nc3 Nh7 14. b4TN f5 15. c5 f4 16. Nd2 Rf8 17. Ba4 Bc8 18. cxd6 cxd6 19. b5 g5 20. bxa6 Rxa6

21. Bb5 Ra8. The engines suggest the brilliant Exchange sacrifice 21. ... Ng6! as the disappearance of White’s light-squared Bishop would give Black’s Kingside attack even more strength. 22. Be2 Ng6 23. Rb1 Nh4 24. a4 Nf6 25. Ba3 Rf7

26. Nc4. A typically entertaining double-edged game with many complex possibilities and no absolute certainties. An exemplary line: 26. Nb5 Bf8 27. Nxd6!? (27. Nc4 g4! 28. Nbxd6 Rg7 gives Black a promising initiative) 27. ... Bxd6 28. Bxd6 Qxd6 29. Nc4 Qd8 30. Nxe5 Rg7 31. d6 g4∞ with unclear chances for both colours. 26. ... Bf8 (Δ ... g5-g4) 27. Nb6. If 27. Nb5 then 29. ... g4! 28. Nbxd6 Rg7↑ as in the line given above.

27. ... Rg7? A careless move which could prove costly. 27. ... g4! first is the correct move order as 28. Nxa8 (or 28. g3 Rg7!→) 28. ... gxh3→ leaves Black with a probably irresistible attack. 28. Nxa8? Too greedy. 28. g4! was so obviously the only move to prevent immediate catastrophe that Anand should have played it without even thinking a millisecond. 28. ... g4!−+ 29. hxg4 Nxg4 30. Bf3 Qg5. 30. ... Nh2! at once was possible (31. Kxh2 Nxg2!−+). 31. Nb6. Or 31. Kf1 Nxf3 32. gxf3 Nxf2! 33. Qc2 Qg2+ 34. Ke2 Rg3! 35. Kd2 Qxf3 with too many threats to meet. 31. ... Nh2! 32. Kxh2 Nxg2! 0 : 1. If 33. Nxc8 then 33. ... Qh4+ 34. Kg1 Ne3+ followed by mate in three.