The only serious challenge to Viswanathan Anand in the just-concluded intercontinental tournament in Mexico and Spain was the prodigy from Norway Magnus Carlsen. He finished one point behind Anand to tie with Alexander Morozevich, who came from far back in the pack to finish brilliantly in the tournament. If Carlsen had managed to draw Anand in one of the two games they played on two different continents, the pair would have tied for first. But Carlsen lost both encounters.

The most important game of their competition was the second Anand demonstrated classical strategy in this game. He created the powerful impression that that all of his aspirations were concen trated on gaining control of the c file. But just when Carlsen had arrayed all of his forces in defense of this file, Anand abandoned his pursuit of it and launched a sur prise attack on the other wing of the board.

ANAND VS. CARLSEN (white) (black) Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.d5 The system with 11…Nd7 was introduced by Paul Keres in the 1962 candidates tournament. Bobby Fischer struck the first blow against it, striking its author with 12. dxc5 dxc5 13. Nbd2 Qc7 (later it was discovered that the correct path is 13…f6 ) 14. Nf1 Nb6 15. Ne3 Rd8 16. Qe2 Be6 17. Nd5! Nxd5 18. exd5 Bxd5 19. Nxe5. Now 12.d5 considered strongest. 12… Nb6 13. Nbd2 g6 Carlsen prepares an eventual f7-f5 thrust. The immediate 13…f5 lost popularity after the game Leko-Kramnik 2005 in which white obtained a clear advantage by playing 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. Bxf5 Rxf5 16. Ne4 Qd7 17.b3 Raf8 18. Nh2 Qd8 19. Nf1! 14.b4!? A paradoxical plan; both black knights covet the c4 square, and instead of restricting them by playing 14.b3, which would give black sufficient counterplay after 14…f5, white invites the black knights to c4. In return, white opens the c-file and creates pressure on the queenside. 14… cxb4 15. cxb4 Nac4 16. Nxc4 Nxc4 17. Bb3 There is one other good way. 17. Bh6 Re8 18. Bb3 brought an advantage to Leko in his encounter with Mamedyarov in 2006. 17… Nb6 Black is afraid that after the exchange on c4 he would have a weak pawn on c4. But black would also have had counterplay. So 17…Bd7!? was probably preferable. 18. Be3 Bd7 A negative consequence of the retreat of the knight from c4; bad for black was 18…f5? 19. Nxe5! dxe5 20.d6+ 19. Rc1 Rc8 20. Rxc8 Bxc8 21. Qc2 Bd7 22. Rc1 Na8 Black has to work hard to protect the c-file. He would lose in case of 22…Qb8 23. Qc7 Rc8 24. Qxb8 Rxb8 25. Bxb6 Rxb6 26. Rc7. 23. Qd2! Qb8?!

(See Diagram)

Black did not grasp the meaning of Anand’s previous move. He had to abandon the struggle for the c-file temporarily and continue 23…Bf6 planning 24…Qe7 and later Rfc8. 24. Bg5! Bxg5?! White suddenly becomes aggressive on the kingside, and Carlsen failed to anticipate this in time. He cannot play 24…f6? because of 25. Nxe5!. It was necessary to return the queen via 24…Qd8! 25. Nxg5 Rc8 It suddenly became clear that black cannot get rid of the g5 knight safely. Bad were both 25…h6 26. Ne6! and 25…Qd8 26. Ne6! 26. Rf1!! Sheer brilliance! White gives up the c-file after giving the impression that control of it was his overriding strategic goal. He now devotes all his power to an assault on the kingside and black proves unable to extinguish white’s initiative. 26… h6 In case of the queen exchange 26…Qb6 27. Kh2 Qd4 28. Qxd4 exd4 29. Rd1 black would lose a pawn. 27. Ne6! Kh7 The wrong choice between two evils. More opportunities for resistance would have been generated by 27…fxe6!? 28. dxe6 Be8 29.e7+! (Black has a defense in case of 29. Qxh6 Nb6 30.f4 Nc4 31.f5 Qa7+ 32. Kh2 Qg7 33. Qxg7+ Kxg7 34.f6+ Kf8) 29…Kg7 30. Qd5 Rc4 31. Bxc4 bxc4 32. Qxc4 Nc7 in spite of which white is clearly better here. 28.f4! Qa7+ The white infantry would save the game in case of 28…fxe6 29. dxe6 Be8 30.f5. 29. Kh2 Be8 30.f5! gxf5 31. exf5 f6 32. Re1! Nc7 There is no defense after 32…Nb6 33. Re4 h5 34. Rh4 either. 33. Rc1 Another path to victory was 33. Re4 Bf7 34. Rh4 h5 35. Bd1. 33… Bd7 Black could resist a bit longer after 33…Nxe6 34. Rxc8 Ng7. 34. Rc3 e4 35. Rg3 Nxe6 36. dxe6 Be8 37.e7! Bh5 38. Qxd6

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