Vishy ahead 2.5-1.5; goes into rest day with a psychological edge over Topalov.
Viswanathan Anand recorded an exciting win in the fourth game of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Sofia on Wednesday.
Anand, playing with whites, beat Bulgarian challenger Veselin Topalov in 32 moves. The Indian GM leads the 12-game series 2.5-1.5. Thursday is a rest day.
The reigning world champion was at his devastating best on Wednesday. Having won the second game with whites in a positional game, Anand came out with flying colours with a tactical win in the fourth game too. Anand now goes into the second rest day with a psychological edge. It would be another sleepless night for Topalov.
In the opening, play was on the queenside with both players posting their pieces there. Anand sacrificed a pawn but had plenty of piece play. “At the 15th move I thought that my position was better,” Anand said after the game.
Anand’s knights were active, while Topalov’s queen was cut off in the corner on the queen side. At this point, Anand’s attack started taking shape on the king-side as with a knight sacrifice on the 23rd turn, he ripped out Topalov’s King from his castled shelter.
Anand’s queen was the next piece to invade Topalov’s territory and suddenly his King was terribly exposed. Anand’s pawn was already advanced onto the sixth rank and by now even both his rooks sprang into action. Topalov’s pieces were stranded and could not rush to the King’s defence. Topalov resigned on the 37th turn when faced with an inevitable checkmate or heavy loss of material.
“This has been a brilliant game by Anand. First, he used great skill to obtain an edge but the tactical punishment of the careless h6 has been brutal. This has been superb stuff from Anand,” commented former World Championship challenger Nigel Short.
Game 4: Anand vs Topalov
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 a5 7.Qc2 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 c6 9.a4 b5 10.Na3 Bd7 11.Ne5 Nd5 12.e4 Nb4 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rfd1 Be8 15.d5 Qd6 16.Ng4 Qc5 17.Ne3 N8a6 18.dxc6 bxa4 *19.Naxc4 Bxc6 20.Rac1 h6 21.Nd6 Qa7 22.Ng4 Rad8 23.Nxh6+ gxh6 24.Qxh6 f6 25.e5 Bxg2 26.exf6 Rxd6 27.Rxd6 Be4 28.Rxe6 Nd3 29.Rc2 Qh7 30.f7+ Qxf7 31.Rxe4 Qf5 32.Re7 1-0.
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