Polgar, Judit    --    Anand, Viswanathan
rapidchess   Mainz
2003     1-0

This solid central move is a novelty. Vishy has upheld this position on the black side for quite a while. Peter Leko is his main opponent. Check out their last two encounters

( 13.Rg1 O-O 14.Kb1 g6 15.Qf2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Bxc4 17.Na4 17...Be6 18.Nb6 Rc7 19.Qd2 Rc6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 ( 17.Qd2 Qc7 18.Rg2 f5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5+ Kh8 21.c3 Qc6 22.Na5 Qxd5 23.Rxd5 b5 draw Leko-Anand (Monaco, 2003) ) 17...Be6 18.Nb6 Rc7 19.Qd2 Rc6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5 Rc8 22.Qd3 Qd7 23.c4 f6! Black got good counterplay and eventually won in Leko-Anand (Dortmund, 2003) )

This reveals Black's aggressive but dangerous strategy. Black opens a file for his rook but jeopardizes his king. On the other hand, what else is there to do? The d6-d5 breakthrough does not work, whereas an uninvited jump to c4 (Qd2-f2) is undesirable, because White takes control over the d5-square.

This maneuver raises serious doubts. I think the standard 17...Nc4 18.Bxc4 Bxc4 was safer. After 19.Nd5 (19.Nd2 Be6 20.Nd5 Rf7!?) 19...Bxd5 (no matter how White captures on d5) Black plays Qf8 followed b7-b5 with good play.

A good knight transfer.

In case of 21.Bb6 Qf8 22.c4, Black obtains counterplay with 22...Bd8!

Vishy decided to equalize the number of bishops. The more aggressive 21...b5 suggested itself, but with Black's light-squared bishop removed from the board opening the position might be dangerous for Black.

Boldly played! Bearing in mind Judit?s style, the opening of the queenside with 23...b5 looks like a more practical decision. Note that White can?t play c4-c5 -- 24.cxb5 axb5 25.Bxb5 -- because his knight is not on e4. Thus Black can activate his own knight with 25...Ng3 26.Rh3 Nf5, transferring it to the excellent d4-square.

White has achieved a serious advantage in the center. Now it is time for active operations: either the c4-c5 breakthrough or an attack on the kingside.

This move only looks solid. On 24...Be7 the relentless Judit would have sacrificed an exchange - 25.Rxh5 gxh5 26.Qh6, with a dangerous initiative. I think the safest continuation was 24...Ng3 25.Nxd6 Qxd6 26.Rxh4 Qf6, with a complicated position.

This is not a sacrifice! On the contrary, White is winning material.

( 25...Qxh4?! 26.Nxd6 )

( 26...Qxh4 27.Qxh4 Nxh4 28.Nxd6 Rcf8 29.Nxf7 Kxf7 ( 29...Rxf7 30.d6 ) 30.Rh1 g5 31.c5 )

White has emerged a piece up. The rest of the game is a product of time trouble and the excitement of both opponents.

White relaxes her vigilance. I think the the most precise way was 31.Ng4 Qh4 (31...Qg7 32.Nf2?; 31...Qf4 32.Bxg6) 32.Qxh4 Nxh4 33.Rh1 g5 34.Rh2! followed by the knight transfer to e4 via f2.

( 32.Bxe4? Nd2+! )

Anand returns the favor. After 32...Nd4! 33.Bg4 e3 any of three outcomes would have been possible.

( 34...Qf4 35.d6! )

The material equilibrium is restored, but White has a decisive positional advantage.

( 39...Nxg6 40.d7 Rd8 41.Re1 +- )

Judit has confidently conducted this endgame and given her opponent no chance for escape.

( 45...Rxc5 46.d7 Rd5+ 47.Ke2 )

After the exchange of the rook, White is the first to promote to a queen.