Anand Returns To Winning Ways In Game 2, World Ch 2010

25 April 2010 – Anand played 1.d4 in his second game against Topalov in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Open Catalan resulted in a win for Anand, evening the overall score to 1-1 to both players.

Pix 1. White played 29.Rb3 guarding the knight at d3 from the Black rook at d8 and if capture by exd3 allows black to play the dangerous discovered check 30.. e2+ from bishop at a7.

Pix 2. Black resigned after White moved 43 Ke4.

As the game progressed, black exchanged a bishop on b4 with white’s knight. This followed by an exchange of rooks at a4 but white pressed its b-pawn forward to b6 and b7 forcing black’s rook to a8 and to b8. White’s King was poised to take black’s pawn at d4 and with the overwhelming white’s domination of the position, Topalov resigned at move 43. This gives a major confidence boosting win to Anand who will now be more energised to meet Topalov in subsequent games.

Tomorrow is a rest day for the World Championship but the third game will resume on Tuesday evening, 8 pm local Malaysian time. The game can be followed at chessdom or ICC or playchess.com. There will be ten more classical chess games between GM Vishy Anand and GM  Vesselin Topalov of Bulgaria to decide the new World Chess Champion.

The first game was won by Topalov with the Gruenfeld Queen’s Pawn Opening and the second game won by Anand with the Open Catalan, also with the Queen’s Pawn Opening.

Here is a copy of the complete 2nd game between GM Anand as white against GM Topalov courtesy of Internet Chess Club where the Open Catalan transpired during the game.

[Event "ICC"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.04.25"]
[Round "2"]
[White "*GM_Anand"]
[Black "*GM_Topalov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E04"]
[WhiteElo "2787"]
[BlackElo "2805"]

{E04: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6.Ne5 c5 7. Na3 cxd4 8. Naxc4 Bc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bd2 Nd5 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nd3 {last book move} Ba7 13. Ba5 {White threatens to win material: Ba5xd8} Qe7 14.Qb3 (14. Bxd5 exd5 15. Bb4 Qf6 $11) 14... Rb8 15. Qa3 Qxa3 16. bxa3 N7f6 {Black's piece can't move: a7} 17. Nce5 Re8 18. Rc2 {Black has a cramped position} b6 {Black threatens to win material: b6xa5} 19. Bd2 Bb7 {Black has a cramped position. Black's piece can't move: a7} 20. Rfc1 Rbd8 21. f4 Bb8 22. a4 a5 (22... Ba7 23. Nc6 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 $11) 23. Nc6 $11 Bxc6 24. Rxc6 h5 25. R1c4 Ne3 (25... Nc3 26. Rxb6 Nxe2+ 27. Kf1 $14) 26. Bxe3 $14 dxe3 27. Bf3 (27. Rxb6 e5 28. Bc6 Re7 $14) 27... g6 (27... Rd6 28. Rxd6 Bxd6 29. Rc6 $14) 28. Rxb6 $14 Ba7 {Black threatens to win material: Ba7xb6} 29. Rb3 Rd4 (29... Kg7 30. Kg2 $16) 30. Rc7 Bb8 31. Rc5 Bd6 (31... Rxa4 $4 {the pawn contains a lethal dose of poison} 32. Bc6 Rxa2 33. Bxe8 $18) 32. Rxa5 Rc8 33. Kg2 Rc2 34. a3 Ra2 $2 ( 34... h4 $5 $16) 35. Nb4 $18 Bxb4 (35... Rad2 36. Rb5 $18) 36. axb4 (36. Rxb4 $6 Rd3 $16) 36... Nd5 37. b5 Raxa4 38. Rxa4 Rxa4 39. Bxd5 exd5 40. b6 Ra8 41. b7 Rb8 42. Kf3 d4 $4 {Black has lost his nerve... understandable when you consider his position} (42... Kf8 $18) 43. Ke4 1-0