Author: Amir Ban
Date: 03:37:57 07/26/98
Did Anand have a good alternative to the critical 16...Bd6 ? Maybe not:
16... f6 17. Qh5+ is losing
16... Be7 17. Bg5 Rf8 is horrible
16... cxd4 17. cxd4 Be7 18. Rc1 Qd8 19. Nxf7 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Kxf7 21. 0-0 is
clearly in white's favor.
16... cxd4 17. cxd4 Qc2 is the only reasonable alternative. The continuations
are unclear & complicated, but look more in white's favour:
18. Be3 f5 19. Qh5+ g6 20. Nxg6 hxg6 21. Qxh8 and black can continue Qc3+
or Qxe4.
or
18. d5 Bxa3 19. 0-0 (or even Rxa3)
or
18. d5 exd5 19. exd5 Be7
Most people assume that Anand spent 18 minutes to work out that Bd6 works
perfectly. He may have spent those 18 minutes to consider just how bad those
alternatives are, then crossed his fingers and played Bd6.
Amir
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