a) I am unfamiliar with this opening, and to me this move looks extremely dangerous.
b) 17…Kxe6 is of course met by 18.Bg4+.
c) Now that the smoke has cleared somewhat from the fireworks we can assess the resulting position. Black has active play for his rooks and his queen and some pressure against White’s king in return for the pawn, but, of course, White has a very healthy extra pawn and Black’s king is potentially exposed. As the game goes, Anand has no trouble handling the pressure and taking aim at Black’s exposed king. I would be surprised if it turns out that Black’s position is ultimately sound.
d) This is a key move, disrupting Black’s pieces to swing toward an attack against the king.
e) No better is 21…Qb6 22.Qd2, or 21…cxb3 22.axb3 with the threat of 23.Nd5+.
f) Black had to meet the threat of 23.Nd5+.
g) This may be Black’s last chance to try to improve, as White’s attack looks winning from this point on.
h) Perhaps 29…Qc7 was better, although after e.g. 30.Rfd1 White’s attack looks quite ferocious.
i) This is designed to parry the threat of 32.Qh6+ Rf6 33.Rd6+ etc., but now White wins by force.
j) Or 33…Ke7 34.Qxe5+ etc.
Annotations by grandmaster Patrick Wolff, a two-time US champion.
Anand Shirov 24th Leon Masters 2011 Semi-Slav
Anand Shirov Anand Shirov
White Black White Black
1. d4 d5 19. Be2 Raf8
2. c4 c6 20. O-O (c) Rhg8
3. Nf3 Nf6 21. b4! (d) Qxb4 (e)
4. Nc3 e6 22. Qd2! Qc5 (f)
5. Bg5 h6 23. Qxh6 Bc8 (g)
6. Bh4 dxc4 24. Qh4+ Ke6
7. e4 g5 25. Qh6+ Ke7
8. Bg3 b5 26. Qh5 Kf6
9. Be2 Bb7 27. Qh4+ Ke6
10. Qc2 Nbd7 28. Nd5! cxd5
11. Rd1 Nh5 (a) 29. Rxd5 Qb6 (h)
12. d5! Nxg3 30. Qh5 Qb8
13. hxg3 Qb6 31. Rfd1 Rf6? (i)
14. dxe6 fxe6 32. Rxe5+!! Qxe5
15. Nxg5 Bc5 33. Bg4+ Rxg4 (j)
16. Bh5+ Ke7 34. Qe8# 1-0
17. Nxe6 Ne5 (b)
18. Nxc5 Qxc5
