POUNCE OF THE TIGER
By Malcolm Pein

Daily Telegrath
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 24/08/2007
UK

Vishy Anand remains the king of Rapid Chess after securing a remarkable
10th victory at the Mainz Chess Classic. This was also an eighth
successive triumph for the ‘Tiger from Madras’ who avenged his defeat
at the hands of Levon Aronian in the chess variant Chess960 earlier
in the week.

The final was a war of attrition and not surprisingly, with the
World Championship tournament just weeks away the players were very
cagey in the opening and careful not to release any information. As
a consequence, neither player achieved any advantage in the opening
and when Aronian’s slightly overdid the quiet approach in game four,
Anand pounced and took the initiative eventually converting an extra
pawn – see below.

Let’s see how Anand handled the rook and pawn endgame to secure
victory.

In the position below Anand is a pawn up but good technique is still
required.

Anand

Aronian

Position after 49…exd4

50.Re4 dxe3 (50…d3 51.Rd4 was also possible but at a fast time
limit the most clearcut way is best)

51.fxe3 Ra1 52.h3 a3 53.Ra4 a2 (In endgames where one side has an
extra passed rook’s pawn and the attacking rook in front of the pawn,
the pawn usually stays on the sixth rank to allow the king to hide
from the checks on a2. Had Aronian’s pawn structure been perfect on
the kingside, say with pawns on f2 g3 and h4 then Anand would have
played that way. However with an isolated e pawn to target he can
prepare a king march safe in the knowledge there will be shelter from
the white rook)

54.Kg2 (The king has to stay on g2 or h2 54.Kf2 Rh1 55.Rxa2 Rh2+ wins)

54…Kf7 55.Ra6 ( The rook must stay behind the pawn if 55.Ra7+
Ke6 56.Rxg7 Rg1+ 57.Kxg1 a1Q+)

55…Ke7 56.e4 Kd7 57.h4 h6 58.g5 hxg5 59.hxg5 Kc7 60.Kh2 Kb7 61.Ra3
Kc6 62.gxf6 gxf6 63.Rc3+ Kb5 64.Rc2 (64.Ra3 Kc4 65.Ra8 Kd4 66.Ra4+
Ke3 67.Kg2 Kf4 is Zugzwang. The rook cannot move and if 68.Kh2 Kf3
69.Ra3+ Kxe4 wins)

64…Kb4 65.Rf2 Rh1+ 66.Kxh1 a1Q+ 67.Kg2 Kc4 68.Kf3 Kd3 0-1

A nice miniature but Black had one chance to defend

K Movsziszian (2534) – J Flores (1955) XVII Open La Pobla de Lillet
(1) Scandinavian Defence

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bc4 Nf6 6.Nf3 Bf5 7.Bd2 Qd8
8.Qe2 e6 9.0-0-0 b5 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Nbd7 12.d5 Rc8 (12…Bc5)

13.Nd4! Bxc2 14.Nxc2 Nxd5 15.Ba5! Qg5+ 16.Kb1 Bc5 17.Rxd5 1-0

Vallcorba

Movsziszian

Final position after 17.Rxd5 if 17…Qxd5 18.Rd1