SmarterChess

My game 1 analysis, with assistance from Houdini 2.0 and the Chessbase online database.

[Event "World Chess Championship 2012"]  [Site "Moscow, Russia"]  [Date "2012.05.11"]  [Round "1"]  [White "*GM_Anand"]  [Black "*GM_Gelfand"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "D85"]  [WhiteElo "2791"]  [BlackElo "2727"]  [PlyCount "48"]   1. d4 {Anand used to play primarily 1.e4 but has gradually started playing 1.  d4 more often. The recent trend among the strongest players has been to play  1.d4 and grind out a small advantage.} Nf6 2. c4 g6 {A surprise from Gelfand  on move 2! Gelfand almost always plays 2…e6 aiming for a Queen’s Gambit  Declined or Nimzo Indian Defense. It’s extra important in matches like this  to keep your opponent guessing, and that’s just what Gelfand is doing here.} (  2… e6 3. Nf3 (3. Nc3 Bb4 {is the Nimzo Indian Defense.}) 3… d5 4. Nc3 Be7 {  is the Queen’s Gambit Declined.}) 3. Nc3 d5 {Possibly even more surprising  than 2…g6! When Gelfand has played 2…g6 he usually plays for the King’s  Indian Defense.} (3… d6 4. e4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 {is a common move  order in the King’s Indian Defense.}) 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7.  Nf3 c5 8. Bb5+ {8.Be3 and 8.Rb1 are more common. Anand has played 8.Bb5+ in  the past against Shirov in 1999.} Nc6 9. d5 {This move is very uncommon.  Possibly Anand has a new idea in this line?} (9. O-O cxd4 10. cxd4 O-O {is  more common.}) 9… Qa5 10. Rb1 a6 ({Also possible is} 10… Bxc3+ 11. Bd2 a6  12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. dxc6 Be6 {with equality.}) 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. O-O {This  position has been reached a few times, but not at the Grandmaster level.  Anand wants to sacrifice the a2 pawn with the hope gaining the initiative.}  Qxa2 13. Rb2 Qa5 {Anand is down a pawn, and c3 is attacked. He needs to find  a way to immediately apply pressure.} 14. d6 Ra7 {This is not an easy move to  find. The rook now defends the e7-pawn and is prepared to move to the d-file.}  15. Bg5 (15. Bf4 {might have been stronger.} Rd7 16. Rd2 exd6 17. Bxd6 {  cutting off Gelfand’s king from castling.} Bxc3 18. Re2 {with e4-e5 coming!  Gelfand is up two pawns, but Anand has at least as much compensation.}) 15…  exd6 16. Qxd6 Rd7 17. Qxc6 ({Trying to keep the queens on the board does not  offer Anand better chances for a win.} 17. Qf4 Qxc3 18. Rbb1 O-O) 17… Qc7 18.  Qxc7 Rxc7 {And now the position is completely equal. Gelfand has two bishops  but Anand has a small lead in development.} 19. Bf4 Rb7 20. Rc2 O-O 21. Bd6 Re8  22. Nd2 f5 23. f3 fxe4 24. Nxe4 Bf5 {Game drawn} 1/2-1/2