(1) Anand,V (2766) - Shirov,A (2736) [C42]
GMA Wijk aan Zee NED (6), 17.01.2004



1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
Petrov's Defense

3.Nxe5 d6
[3...Nxe4?? 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.Nc6+ ]

4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4
White gains a small advantage in the this opening by taking the center and challenging the Black Ne4

5...d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0
With the idea of 0-0, Re1, c4, and Nc3, usually forcing the Ne4 to cede the time it took to get to e4

7...0-0 8.Re1 Bf5 9.c4 c6 10.cxd5 cxd5
Both sides now have isolated d-pawns.

11.Nc3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3
White has gained time, but at the cost of two minor-piece exchanges. Is there enough left to mount an effective attack?

13...Nd7 14.Qf5
Attacking the Black's pawn and aiming to promote weakening pawn advances of the kingside

14...Nb6 15.Ng5 g6
Countering the threat, but weakening f6 and h6

16.Qh3
Renewing the threat, requiring further weakening with h7-h5

16...h5 17.g4
Simple chess, force the weaknesses and then try to blow them over.

17...Qd7
Responding with a nice tactic.

18.gxh5 Qxh3 19.Nxh3 Rfe8
White is up a pawn, for the omement, but the threat of Rxe1 requires Bf4

20.Bf4 Bxf4 21.Nxf4 g5 22.Nh3
[22.Ne2 Na4 ; 22.Nd3 Na4 ]

22...Na4 23.Rac1
To make headway, black will need to cede the e-file.

23...Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Nxc3 25.Re7
Activity trumps material. There are weaknesses all over the board, and Anand is better able to take advantage

25...Kg7 26.Rc7
[26.Nxg5? Kf6 27.Re5 Nxa2 28.Rxd5 Nc3 29.Re5 b5 ]

26...Ne2+
Preferring to capture the d-pawn to the a-pawn [26...Nxa2 27.Rxb7 a5 28.Nxg5 Kh6 29.Nxf7+ Kxh5 30.Rb5 Nc3 31.Rc5 Ne2+ 32.Kg2 a4 33.Rxd5+ Kg6 34.Ne5+ Kf6 35.Nd7+ Kf7 (35...Ke6 36.Re5+ Kxd7 37.Rxe2+- ) 36.Rf5+ Kg6 37.Re5 Nxd4 ]

27.Kf1 Nxd4 28.Nxg5 Kh6 29.Nxf7+ Kxh5 30.Rxb7 Nf3 31.Rb5 Kg6 32.Rxd5 Nxh2+ 33.Kg2 Kxf7 34.Kxh2 Ke6 35.Ra5
Preventing Black from activating the Ra8

35...Kd6 36.f4 Rg8 37.f5 Ke7 38.Rxa7+ Kf6 39.Ra5 Rg4 40.a4 Rb4 41.Kg3 Rc4 42.Kf3 Rh4 43.Ke3 Rg4 44.Kd3 Rf4 45.Ra8 Kg7 46.Ra7+ Kf6 47.Ra5 Rh4 48.Kc3 Rf4 49.Kd3 Rh4 50.Ra8 Kxf5 51.a5 Kg6 52.a6 Kg7 53.Ra7+ Kf6 54.Kc3 Re4 55.Rh7 Ra4 56.a7 1-0