Anand's Immortal

Game animation

Anand's Immortal is a chess game played by Levon Aronian as White against Viswanathan Anand as Black in Round 4 of the 2013 Tata Steel Chess Tournament. ^[1]

The game is considered one of Anand's greatest masterpieces; Chess.com staff ranked it as the third-best chess game of all time, behind Kasparov's Immortal and the Opera Game. ^[2]

The game

White: Aronian   Black: Anand   Opening: Semi-Slav Defense: Meran Variation ( ECO D47)

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. a3 Rc8

The game opens up in a very theoretical and well-known fashion. Only at move 12 do the players start innovating with novel ideas. ^[3]

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 12. Ng5

12. Ng5?!

Aronian tempts Anand to play 12...Bxh2+, winning a pawn, where white might enjoy greater piece activity. ^[3]

12...c5!

Anand responds with a pawn sacrifice (h7) of his own, which Aronian accepts.

13. Nxh7 Ng4

This calls to mind the similar 20...Ng4 from the game Rotlewi versus Rubinstein. ^[3]

14. f4?

White should have played 14. h3!, which gives an unclear position after 14...Bh2+ 15. Kh1 Qh4. ^[4]

14...cxd4 15. exd4 Bc5!

The first of a series of sacrifices to come. If white accepts the sacrifice, Black will capture back on c5, followed by a quick invasion with Qd4+ and Nf2. ^{[3] [4]}

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Position after 16. Be2

16. Be2 Nde5!!

Black is still trying to clear the way for Qxd4+ and Nf2 and doesn't mind giving up a knight to do so.

17. Bxg4 Bxd4+ 18. Kh1 Nxg4 19. Nxf8

If white plays 19. Ng5, black would continue similar to the game with f5, followed by either Rf6-h6 or Qh4.

19...f5!

Black cuts off white's chances of defense against the black queen. ^[5]

20. Ng6 Qf6 21. h3 Qxg6 22. Qe2

White cannot take the knight on g4 as there would be Qh6#. ^[4]

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

The final position

22...Qh5 23. Qd3 Be3! 0-1

Interfering white's defense against Qxh3+ (the g-pawn is pinned). Aronian sees no way out and finally resigns. ^[4]

References

1. "Tata Steel 2013 Round 4". 15 January 2013.
2. "The Best Chess Games Of All Time". 18 August 2018.
3. "Two of the World's Best in a Game for the Ages". The New York Times . January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
4. "Anand's Immortal Chess Game - Aronian Vs. Anand, 2013". Chess.com . November 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
5. "Tata Steel 2013 Round 4 - A Superb Win By Vishy Anand!". Chess.com . January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.