Game animation

Anand's Immortal is a chess game played by Levon Aronian as White against Viswanathan Anand as Black in Round 4 of the 2013 Tata Steel Chess Tournament.[1]

The game is considered one of Anand's greatest masterpieces; Chess.com staff ranked it as the third best chess game of all time, behind Kasparov's Immortal and the Opera Game.[2]

The game

White: Aronian   Black: Anand   Opening: Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation (ECO D47)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. a3 Rc8
The game opens up in a very theoretical and well-known fashion. Only until move 12 do the players start innovating with novel ideas.[3]
abcdefgh
8
c8 black rook
d8 black queen
f8 black rook
g8 black king
a7 black pawn
b7 black bishop
d7 black knight
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
c6 black pawn
d6 black bishop
e6 black pawn
f6 black knight
b5 black pawn
g5 white knight
d4 white pawn
a3 white pawn
c3 white knight
d3 white bishop
e3 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white queen
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
f1 white rook
g1 white king
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Position after 12. Ng5
12. Ng5?!
Aronian tempts Anand to play 12...Bxh2+, winning a pawn, where white might enjoy greater piece activity.[3]
12...c5!
Anand responds with a pawn sacrifice (h7) of his own, which Aronian accepts.
13. Nxh7 Ng4

This calls to mind the similar 20...Ng4 from the game Rotlewi versus Rubinstein.[3]

14. f4?
White should have played 14. h3!, which gives an unclear position after 14...Bh2+ 15. Kh1 Qh4.[4]
14...cxd4 15. exd4 Bc5!
The first of a series of sacrifices to come. If white accepts the sacrifice, Black will capture back on c5, followed by a quick invasion with Qxd4+ and Nf2. [3][4]
abcdefgh
8
c8 black rook
d8 black queen
f8 black rook
g8 black king
a7 black pawn
b7 black bishop
d7 black knight
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 white knight
e6 black pawn
b5 black pawn
c5 black bishop
d4 white pawn
f4 white pawn
g4 black knight
a3 white pawn
c3 white knight
b2 white pawn
c2 white queen
e2 white bishop
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
f1 white rook
g1 white king
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
Position after 16. Be2
16. Be2 Nde5!!
Black is still trying to clear the way for Qxd4+ and Nf2 and doesn't mind giving up a knight to do so.
17. Bxg4 Bxd4+ 18. Kh1 Nxg4 19. Nxf8
If white plays 19. Ng5, black would continue similar to the game with f5, followed by either Rf6-h6 or Qh4.
19...f5!
Black cuts off white's chances of defense against the black queen.[5]
20. Ng6 Qf6 21. h3 Qxg6 22. Qe2
White cannot take the knight on g4 as there would be Qh6#.[4]
abcdefgh
8
c8 black rook
g8 black king
a7 black pawn
b7 black bishop
g7 black pawn
e6 black pawn
b5 black pawn
f5 black pawn
h5 black queen
f4 white pawn
g4 black knight
a3 white pawn
c3 white knight
d3 white queen
e3 black bishop
h3 white pawn
b2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
f1 white rook
h1 white king
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
The final position
22...Qh5 23. Qd3 Be3! 0-1
Interfering white's defense against Qxh3+ (the g-pawn is pinned). Aronian sees no way out and finally resigns.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Tata Steel 2013 Round 4".
  2. ↑ "The Best Chess Games Of All Time".
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Two of the World's Best in a Game for the Ages". The New York Times. January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Anand's Immortal Chess Game - Aronian Vs. Anand, 2013". Chess.com. November 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Tata Steel 2013 Round 4 - A Superb Win By Vishy Anand!". Chess.com. January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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