Anand v. Kramnik

Last week Vishy Anand retained his world championship crown and won his 12 game match against Vladimir Kramnik of Russia. Going into the 11th game of the match Anand needed only to draw one of the two remaining games to win the match. Thus, in game eleven Anand’s ambitions were modest as he fought for a draw instead of a win.

This week’s position is from game eleven. Anand is white; Kramnik, black. Black’s knight attacks white’s rook at d5. White has three good replies and one tempting but inaccurate move. Anand's best move among these choices was the one that forced simplification along with giving white a positional edge. This was his best, practical move because between two elite players it easily leads to a draw or worse for black. Please try to find Anand’s move before reading the following analysis.

Tempting but inaccurate for white is to move the queen to d6, pinning the knight. It is tempting because white threatens mate. That is, from d6 the queen moves to d8, checking black. The black rook takes the queen, which is in turn taken by white’s rook, which delivers mate.

Black turns the tables by having its bishop at g7 take white’s pawn at b2. This gives the black king an air-hole and threatens mate. White cannot take the bishop because black checks white with its queen from c3. This soon results in mate. White’s best move is rd1, giving black an edge.

Black's best, practical move in the context of the match and what Anand played was moving the queen to d2.

White simultaneously threatens the black queen and mate with rd8+. Black’s king impedes the coordination of its rooks. White also a better pawn structure. For players of Anand and Kramnik’s caliber this is enough.