Do chessplayers really need a board and pieces to play chess at a high level? Researchers studying human cognition have found that the best players can calculate vari ations and grasp tactical opportu nities equally well whether they are blindfolded or not. Whether they are playing blindfolded or not, grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk, Alexei Shirov, and Boris Gelfand typically astonish specta tors by staring at the walls, the floor, and the ceiling while en gaged in ferocious battles.

But in order to solve strategic problems, a task more difficult than calculation it seems that visu al perception remains vital. In this blindfold competition Viswanathan Anand therefore worked out his strategic ideas at home, where he prepared an origi nal opening conception, unveiling it again Loek Van Wely. When the time came for him to convert his strategic advantages into a tactical victory, the “blind” Anand “saw” all of the important variations.

ANAND VS. VAN WELY
(white) (black)
Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Qd2 Be7 9.f3 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5 12. Rg1!
An intriguing novelty. The theory of the highly popular continuation 12.g5 is based on two games, brilliantly won by Anand with black against Sergei Karyakin in the last two Corus tournaments: 12…b4 13. Ne2 (in case of 13. Nd5 Nxd5 14. exd5 Bf5 black’s position is perfect) 13…Ne8 14.f4 (in 2007 Karjakin entered into the position that arises after 14. Kb1 Nb6 15. Ng3 a5 16. Nc1 d5 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. exd5 Rd8 19. Bc4 Nc7 20. dxe6 Rxd2 21. exf7+ Kh8 22. Rxd2 Nb5! and Anand proved that black is okay here.) 14…a5 15.f5 a4! 16. Nbd4 b3 17. Kb1 exd4 18. Nxd4 bxc2+ 19. Nxc2 Bb3! and in a 2006 game, Anand demonstrated that black’s counterattack is more dangerous than white’s assault. 12… Nb6 Now it would be premature to play 12…b4?! 13. Nd5 when the purpose of 12. Rg1 would become clear; and in case of 13…Nxd5? 14. exd5 the bishop on e6 doesn’t have the f5 square at its disposal. 13. Na5! White covers the sensitive c4 square. Black would have an excellent game in case of the straightforward 13.g5 Nfd7 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nc4. Anand’s idea in sacrificing a pawn is to gain control over the white squares. 13… Qc7 14.g5 Nfd7 15. Nd5 Bxd5 16. exd5 Nxd5?! Black misses an opportunity to win a vitally important tempo: 16…Rac8! 17. Kb1 (no good for white is 17. Nc6?! Nxd5!) and only now 17…Nxd5 18. Qxd5 Qxa5. 17. Qxd5 Qxa5 18. Bd3 Qc7? Black should not have permitted the white pawn to advance to g6. In case of the correct 18…g6! 19.h4!? white would have enough compensation for the pawn, though a tense struggle would still lie ahead. 19.g6! Nf6? This permits white to unleash a brilliant winning combination. After the correct 19…hxg6 20. Rxg6 the white attack would be very strong. Possible variations are: 20…Kh8 (black is defenseless after 20…Nb6 21. Bh6! Bf6 22. Qb3 Nc4 23. Rxf6!; and after 20…Nf6 21. Bh6! Nxd5 22. Rxg7+ Kh8 23. Rh7+ Kg8 24. Rg1+ mate follows on the next move.) 21. Rxg7! Kxg7 22. Rg1+ Kh8 23. Rg3 Nf6 (White is winning after 23…Nc5 24. Bf5! Bh4 25. Rh3 Qe7 26. Qd2 Qf6 27. Rxh4+ Qxh4 28. Bg5 as well.) 24. Rh3+ Kg8 25. Bh6! Nxd5 26. Rg3+ Kh8 27. Bg7+ Kg8 28. Bf6#. 20. gxf7+ Kh8

(See Diagram)

21. Rxg7! Kxg7 22. Rg1+ Kh8 23. Bh6! Ng4 The queen is still untouchable. Black would be mated after both 23…Rg8 24. fxg8Q+ Rxg8 25. Qxg8+ Nxg8 26. Bg7#; and 23…Nh5 24. Bxf8. Van Wely tries to set a final trap. 24. Rxg4 Rxf7 25. Qxa8+ Only not 25. Qxf7?? because of Bg5+

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