Viswanathan Anand handily won the inter-continental supertournament, the first leg of which was played in Morelia Mexico, and the second leg in Linares, Spain. But the most sensational game of this tournament happened to be the only one Anand lost. His opponent, Levon Aronian, created weaknesses in his own camp, hoping to receive compensation with some dynamic possibilities. As if to prove the validity of his own conception, he created a combination of rare beauty. This game is the most brilliant yet played in the new millennium.

ARONIAN VS. ANAND (white) (black) Slav Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qc2 dxc4 5. Qxc4 Bf5 6.g3 Nbd7 7. Nc3 e6 8. Bg2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10. Re1 Ne4 The most popular move. But after this game its popularity may fade. In any case, two rounds after this game, Topalov preferred to play 10…Bg6!? against Aronian and quickly equalized via 11.h3 h6 12. Bf4 Nd5 13. Bd2 Nb4! 14. Rac1 Nc2 15. Red1 Nb6 16. Qb3 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 Qxd4 18. Bxh6 Qc4 and black is even a little better. 11. Qb3 Qb6 12. Nh4!? Bxh4 Several days before this game, in Moscow, on the other side of the globe, Najer tried 12…Bb4 against Alekseev but after 13.g4! Nxf2 14. Nxf5 exf5 15. Kxf2 Qxd4+ 16. Kf1 white achieved a better position. The path chosen by Anand is more natural. 13. gxh4 Nef6 14.e4 Bg6 15. Qxb6 axb6 16. Bf4 Rfe8 17. Rad1 b5 Unwilling to defend an inferior position after 17…e5 18. dxe5 Nxe5 19. Bxe5 (A slightly better white position emerges as well after 19.f3 as played by Georgiev against Sveets in Corus 2007.) 19…Rxe5 20.f4 Re7 21.a4!? Anand tries to create counterplay against the a2 pawn. 18. Bd6 e5 19.d5 Nh5 20. Bf1 f6 In case of 20…Nf4 black would have to fear 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Nxb5 cxb5 23. Bxb5 with two passed pawns and an unpleasant pin of the knight. 21.b3! Now 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Nxb5 cxb5 23. Bxb5 Nf8 24. Bxe8 Bxe8 is unattractive. Black’s minor pieces are well coordinated. Aronian instead unlashes a dangerous plan; he opens the b-file and creates pressure on the b7 pawn. 21… Nf4 22.a4! bxa4 23. bxa4 Bf7 24. Rb1! Ra7 Black faced a difficult choice. In case of 24…cxd5 25. Rxb7 d4 (Even more dangerous is 25…Nf8 26. exd5 Rec8 27. Rc7 Rxc7 28. Bxc7 Nxd5 29. Nxd5 Bxd5 30.a5 Ne6 31. Bb6 and the white a-pawn is very strong.) 26. Nb5! (no good for white is 26. Rxd7 dxc3 27. Bb5 Rec8) 26…Nf8 27. Nxd4! exd4 28. Bxf4 Rxa4 29. Bb5 Rb4 30. Bd6 Rb2 31. Ra1 and the threat Raa7 passes the initiative to white. 25. Red1 Rc8 26. Ne2! Nxe2+ Anand avoids a well-hidden trap 26…Bh5 27. Nxf4! Bxd1 28. Rxd1 exf4 29. Bh3 b6 30. Be6+ Kh8 31. dxc6 Rxc6 32. Bb8! Rxe6 33. Bxa7 Nf8 34.a5! bxa5 35. Rd8 and white wins the knight. 27. Bxe2 cxd5 28. exd5 Nf8 29. Bb5 Raa8 30. Be7! The prelude to a fantastic combination. 30… Ng6 31.d6 Nxe7

See Diagram

32. Bd7!! A wonderful move; white doesn’t take the black knight. In case of the obvious continuation 32. dxe7 Be8 33. Bd7 Bxd7 34. Rxd7 Re8 (The natural move 34…Kf7?would be a mistake because of 35.e8Q+! Kxe8 36. Rxg7) 35. Rbxb7 Rxa4 and white would be worse off. 32… Nc6?! Black transposes his knight to d4, where it will be beautifully placed but useless in stopping the white pawns. Better was 32…Ng6! 33. Bxc8 Rxc8 34. Rxb7 Nf8! 35.a5 Bh5 36. Ra1 Bf3 halting the d-pawn with the knight and the a-pawn with the bishop. 33. Rxb7! Nd4 34. Bxc8 Rxc8 35. Rdb1! Rf8 Now the black pieces are powerless before white’s passed pawns. No better for black was 35…Be6 36.d7 Rf8 37.R1b6! Bh3 38.a5 and white wins. 36. Rb8 Be8 37.a5 Nf3+ 38. Kf1! This is better than 38. Kg2 Bc6 39.a6 Nd2+ 40. Kg1 Nxb1 and the black knight has the d2 square. 38… Nd2+ 39. Ke1 Nxb1 40.a6 Bc6 The only way to stop the white pawns has the price of a rook. 41.a7 Kf7 42.d7 Ke7 43. Rxf8 Kxd7 44.a8Q Even simpler was 44. Rf7+ Kd6 45. Rxg7 h5 (In case of 45…Nc3 46. Rxh7 the h-pawn is unstoppable.) 46. Rg3 and 47. Rb3, winning the b1 knight. 44… Bxa8 45. Rxa8 h5 The endgame after 45…Ke6 46. Ra7 g6 47. Rxh7 Nc3 48.h5 is hopeless, too. 46. Ra7+ Ke6 47. Rxg7 Kf5 The h-pawn is saved, but to no avail. 48. Rg3! After the inevitable 49. Rb3, the b1 knight perishes from the face of the earth. 1-0