Indian maestro Vishy Anand (35) has won yet another rapid chess event in Leon, France. When the next international rating list is published, Anand is expected to assume the top position in both rapid and standard chess.
In recent local events, Tony Dowden, of Dunedin, won the Mid-Canterbury Rapid in Ashburton while Nikolas Croad, of Wellington, won the Otago Queen’s Birthday tournament. The latter event will be reported in more detail in the next column.
Today’s game features Anand with the white pieces against Norwegian boy grandmaster Magnus Carlsen (14).
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Nc3!?—An enterprising line against Black’s solid Petroff Defence. 5 —Nxc3
6 dxc3 Be7 7 Bf4 0-0 8 Qd2 Nd7 9 0-0-0 Nc5 10 h4 Bg4 11 h5 Re8 12 Bc4 c6!? An interesting pawn sacrifice. Black judges that he can hold the ensuing ending. Unfortunately, he is playing the world champion of rapid chess.
13 Bxd6 Bxd6 14 Qxd6 Qxd6 15 Rxd6 Bxf3 16 gxf3 Rad8 17 Rd4 b5 18 Rhd1! Rxd4 19 cxd4 Nd7 20 Bd3 Nf6 21 d5! cxd5 White is also better after 21 — Nxd5, 22 Bxb5.
22 Bxb5 Re5 23 c4 Kf8 24 c5 d4? Black’s last chance was 24 — Rxh5, 25 c6 Ne8. Now, White wraps up the game in fine style.
25 b4! a5 26 a3 axb4 27 axb4 Nd5 28 Rxd4 Rxh5 29 c6! Ke7 30 Rxd5! After 30 — Rxd5, 31 c7 the pawn promotes.
1-0
Problem: White to
play and win.
Solution: 1 Qh8+! Bxh8, 2 Rxh8+ Kg7, 3 Bf6#.