The Chess Phoenix Rises Again

[timmy]

Vishy Anand could be the Phoenix of Chess. Many times down, but never out. Again and again he rises up to snatch another tournament triumph, another world championship.

Last year Anand lost the world title to Magnus Carlsen, but came back this year and won the Candidates to play the Norwegian again. Before the world championship in November, Anand won a strong event in Bilbao, but could not wrest the title back from Carlsen and lost the match. This month he went to England and won the London Classic.

For many world-class players the London Classic is the last chess event of the year. Again, it was a wonderful chess feast, split into three parts this year.

The top U.S. grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura dominated the Super Rapidplay Open in which other participants were able to mix it up with the six elite players. With an incredible performance, Nakamura finished undefeated with nine wins and only one draw, a full point ahead of the Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri.

The top British grandmaster Mickey Adams won the double-round Elite Blitz on a tiebreak over Nakamura and Anish Giri. The tournament also decided the draw for the main tournament. Blitz play always brings some of the best and worst moments - brilliant moves and unexpected blunders.

Giri,Anish - Nakamura,Hikaru
London Classic Blitz 2014

The white queen is under attack and the simple retreat 27.Qc3 would have won. But Giri finds an aggressive winning sequence.

27.Ng6+ Kg8 28.Rxf5! Qd3 After 28...Rxe5 29.Rxf8+ Kh7 30.Rh8 mates. 
29.Qe6+!! A clincher! After 29...Kh7 30.Nxf8+ Rxf8 31.Qg6+ Kg8 32.Rxf8+ Kxf8 33.Qxd3 and white mates soon. Black resigned.

Anand,Viswanathan - Caruana,Fabiano 
London Classic Blitz 2014

46...Kh6 Black threatens 47...Rf3 mate.
47.Rh8+ A knight sacrifice 47.Nxf5+ exf5 48.Kxf5 would lead to a draw. 
47...Kg7 48.Rh7+?? A blunder, running into a double-attack. After 48.Rh5 Kg6 49.Rg5+ Kh6 50.Rxf5 white had a draw at hand. 
48...Kg6 Black is threatening the same mate on f3 and the white rook is under attack. Game over. 49.Rxe7 Rf3 mate.

Vishy Anand clinched the London Classic trophy in the last round, outplaying Adams with the Berlin defense. It was used in London by more players to dissect the Spanish opening. 
Anand shared first place with Vladimir Kramnik and Giri, but captured the trophy on a tiebreak - having beaten Adams with the black pieces.

[timmy]

(.L@  (.L@