Innovations and novelties stand out in Games 10 & 11

One good move, an innovation or a novelty or even a rare move brought back from yore can make the game or the day. Boris Gelfand did that in the 10th game and Viswanathan Anand in the 11th. Both games were draws, but it showed how well both had prepared and indicated tremendous understand of the game.

In an era where computers and databases govern our lives, chess is no different. Games have been analysed and dissected real deep so it is not uncommon for players to go through the first five, ten or even 12 to 15 moves in a jiffy.

So if something new turns up in the opening and that, too, in a World Championship, it is all the more interesting.

First, lets take Game 11. Anand (Black) brought back a very rare move from the 1950s on the eighth in a Nimzo-Indian. Game 11 followed the ninth game till Anand played 8…Bd7, which, was played way back by David Bronstein against Semyon Furman in 1957 Russian championships.

So surprised was Gelfand that he took more than 35 minutes to reply to it. The feeling was he could play 9.Qe2 (suggested by Vladimir Kramnik in the commentary box). Bronstein had played 9.dxc5 against Petrosian and Furman in 1957 and both games had ended in draws. Gelfand ultimately played 9.a3 but fell back hugely on the clock.

Both Qe2 and a3 offered White while not allowing Black to equalize quickly or create complications, which could force Gelfand into severe problems with time. Anand played a novelty to boot on the 11th Bxc3. At this juncture, commentator and World Cup champion Peter Svidler remarked, "So far the guess-the-move percentage of the super-GMs in this position is close to zero. The whole sequence that has appeared on the board has not been predicted by anybody.”

When Anand played 12.NBd7 both Svidler and Kramnik were again at a loss to explain what was happening. But they did realize that Anand was trying to create a complex Nimzo-India position to put Gelfand under further time pressure.

Even while White’s two bishops were still a concern for Anand, he seemed to know what he was doing. He was moving quickly and the next two moves were 13. Bd3 Qa5. At this Anand had spent barely 10 minutes on the whole sequence and Gelfand had spent more than 45-50 minutes, so clearly he was in his preparation but the creases on Gelfand’s forehead were increasing.

Here Gelfand was with White and being forced on the backfoot as it were by Black. Over the next few moves, Gelfand first ensured safety and that was what 17.Ne5 suggested. With his 20.a5 he attempted cramp queenside and then his 21.Rd3 was solid. Anand made one more attempt to create a tricky situation by playing 22…Be8. But Gelfand’s 23.Rb3 – which took him 10 minutes – ensured he would be able to get his draw when he wanted and he played 24. Be3.

That had Svidler saying, “(This) is a position where white is co-ordinated and fine" and will eventually be able to press. So Anand didn't have much chance to complicate here even though the clock situation might suggest it.”

Gelfand had just over 13 minutes and Anand 64. Gelfand took Anand’s offer for a draw and it ended in 24 moves, sending the match into the 12th and final game.

The tenth game

One of the key things about the 10th game, was Gelfand’s bounce back in the previous game. A horrible blunder cost him the eighth game, but in the very next game in ninth, he pressed for a win with white. He showed no ill-affects of the blunder.

The 10th game was important in the manner that it was Anand’s opportunity to take some risk for he had two White to Gelfand’s one in the last three games.

Anand went into 3.Bb5 (Rossolimo variation) and then his fifth move 5.b3 was a sideline, but Gelfand stunned everybody by playing a new idea 5…e5. That left Anand thinking quite a bit and ultimately did not allow him to squeeze anything out of White.

Alexander Morozevich in the commentary box said, “(Gelfand was) trying to play as direct as possible with black pieces.” His (Gelfand) position may have looked tricky for a bit his two bishops would allow him to hold and after trading one of them for Anand’s minor piece, a draw followed.

Gelfand played a novelty, too, with his eighth move 8…d5. This gave him space and tempo and also gave him time for his c5 pawn, which was vulnerable then. His light-coloured bishop was quite active and had mobility.

White made fortresses to ensure all was well. By 24th move Black was completely safe and White had gained nothing. Ultimately what the game showed was that Gelfand’s fifth move pre-empted any sharp play from White. So draw it was.

Gelfand actually offered a draw on 21st, but Anand continued. Four moves later he returned the offer. “Boris offered a draw after 21.. cxb4 but I thought I had something, so I continued. But after a few more moves, I decided to return the offer,” said Anand.

“It is always nice to play a innovation or a novelty early in the game, because they generally come later, so I was quite pleased,” said Gelfand.

Moves of the Games 10 and 11:

World Championships Game 10
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
May 24, 2012
Viswanathan Anand (India) v Boris Gelfand (Israel)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.b3 e5 6.Nxe5 Qe7 7.Bb2 d6 8.Nc4 d5 9.Ne3 d4 10.Nc4 Qxe4+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Be6 13.d3 Nf6 14.Nbd2 O-O-O 15.Rhe1 Be7 16.Kf1 Rhe8 17.Ba3 Nd5 18.Ne4 Nb4 19.Re2 Bxc4 20.bxc4 f5 21.Bxb4 cxb4 22.Nd2 Bd6 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Nb3 c5 25.a3 Draw

World Championships Game 11
May 26, 2012
Boris Gelfand (Israel) v Viswanathan Anand (India)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bd7 9.a3 Ba5 10.Qe2 Bc6 11.Rd1 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Nbd7 13.Bd3 Qa5 14.c4 cxd4 15.exd4 Qh5 16.Bf4 Rac8 17.Ne5 Qxe2 18.Bxe2 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Rfd8 20.a4 Ne4 21.Rd3 f6 22.Bf4 Be8 23.Rb3 Rxd4 24.Be3 Rd7 ½-½

The thoughts and opinions shared here are of the author.