2014 was the year in which Magnus Carlsen confirmed his position as world champion, and also the year in which the dynamic new star, Fabiano Caruana, rose to the rank of world no. 2. For my game of the year I am choosing the crucial encounter from the Carlsen-Anand world championship match where Anand failed to spot a winning opportunity and went on to lose. This was a massive turning point, ensuring that a contest which had seemed within Anand’s grasp was decided in favour of the reigning champion. Traditionally, my game of the year is a brilliant example of the creative heights to which chess can aspire. In this instance, the sporting importance of the game outweighs its aesthetic defects, making it the defining moment in global chess from last year.
My position of the year is the extraordinary finale contrived by Fabiano Caruana against the former World Chess Federation champion Ruslan Ponomariov. It is one of the most beautiful finishes I have ever seen and it is somehow typical of Caruana that he combines the most extraordinary results with the fierce fighting spirit of Bobby Fischer and that eye for the beautiful combination which was the hallmark of Kasparov. I very much hope that in the coming year Caruana will establish himself as the legitimate challenger to Carlsen. A match between these two supremely talented grandmasters, both strengthened by the technical wisdom which modern computers can impart, would prove an all-time classic.
Carlsen- Anand: World Championship, Sochi (Game 6) 2014; Sicilian Defence
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 c4 Nf6 6 Nc3 Bb4 7 Qd3 Nc6 8 Nxc6 dxc6 9 Qxd8+ Kxd8 10 e5 Nd7 11 Bf4 Bxc3+ 12 bxc3 Kc7 The Sicilian Defence is a combative opening but Anand has chosen a passive variation. 13 h4 b6 14 h5 h6 15 0-0-0 Bb7 (see diagram 1) Black is reduced to defence but long term may seek some solace from White’s shattered queenside pawn structure. 16 Rd3 c5 17 Rg3 Rag8 18 Bd3 Nf8 19 Be3 g6 20 hxg6 Nxg6 21 Rh5 Bc6 22 Bc2 Kb7 23 Rg4 a5 24 Bd1 Rd8 25 Bc2 Rdg8 26 Kd2
A colossal blunder which gives Black a chance. He should insert 26 f3 to blunt Black’s counter along the h1-a8 diagonal and secure the position of his rook on g4. (See diagram 2)
26 … a4 Amazingly the former world champion overlooks a simple tactical blow that would have exploded White’s position. Even simple chess programs on mobile phones see this very easily. After 26 … Nxe5! 27 Rxg8 Nxc4+ 28 Kd3 Nb2+ 29 Ke2 Rxg8 Black should win easily. 27 Ke2 a3 28 f3 Rd8 29 Ke1 Rd7 The moment has passed and Carlsen now converts his pressure on the kingside into the full point with relative ease. 30 Bc1 Ra8 31 Ke2 Ba4 32 Be4+ Bc6 33 Bxg6 fxg6 34 Rxg6 Ba4 35 Rxe6 Rd1 36 Bxa3 Ra1 37 Ke3 Bc2 38 Re7+ Black resigns
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