chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Viswanathan Anand vs Francisco Vallejo Pons
13th Amber Blindfold (2004) (blindfold), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 3, Mar-22
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation. English Attack (B90)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 30 more Anand/F Vallejo Pons games
sac: 30.Qxh7+ PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Some people don't like to know the result of the game in advance. This can be done by registering a free account then visiting your preferences page, then checking "Don't show game results".

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
May-14-12  mohannagappan: 30.Qxh7 Kxh7 31. Rh1#
May-14-12  TheaN: Monday 14 May 2012

<30.?>

Material: Black ♗ vs ♘

Candidates: <[Qxh7†]>

Weird for someone like Pons to miss such a combination (or it was forced). Anyhow, the only compensation Black has for his shaky position is the bishop pair and knight vs a bishop and the knight pair, usually the bishop pair reigns supreme. Here, Anand wipes up the misplaced king, and with that the bishops, with:

<30.Qxh7† Kxh7 31.Rh1†> Black is only fated with one ineffective interpose.

<31....Bh4 32.Rxh4‡ 1-0> and Black is down. Take note of the passive but so important job of the bishop on b3 after Black has castled and the center cleared. A theme in many, many kingside combination.

May-14-12  TheaN: Ah it was at Amber. That, explains at least something. Even more brilliant from Anand then, though it's probably all patterns from these guys.
May-14-12  paavoh: When you see the board, it is a split-second find. Their capability to construct the winning position blind-folded is just marvellous.
May-14-12  agb2002: White has a bishop and a knight for the bishop pair.

Black threatens 30... gxf5.

White controls the black king escape squares g7 and g8. This suggests 30.Qxh7+ and mate in two.

It is very interesting to observe how the white pieces, showing perfect collaboration, control and block a number of central squares while the black pieces cannot.

Hope this week won't be another tribute to hyper-mega-super-ultra-overworked positions...

May-14-12  Once: The Bb3 covers the g8 square. The Nf5 covers the g7 square. Black can't block the h file and his king can't sidestep to the g file. Therefore...

... give check on the h file. Even if that means expensive jetsam.

But to see this blindfolded? That's impressive.

May-14-12  lost in space: I love Mondays!

30. Qxh7+ Kxh7 (only move) 31. Rh1+ Bh4 (only move) 32. Rxh4#

Would love to play such a combo OTB again; managed it only <once> and this is nearly 25 earth-years ago.

May-14-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Dude dude dude; look kingg7 out might back door for rook h8 yet black,

is the have in missed it double in dig essential oil the rampart

rookc8 in slide it her in c8 grab instead feed me another in c7 i

would play d5 also domiate the bishopb3 over exf4 con. stops a nd4

reaching his centre effect it enough in engage the thruster good pry

it na6 only defence? As for the puzzle one would think it is 30.qxh7+

in heading off flight in kingxh7 and pocket in 31.rh1+ he see the door

opening go for the ride 31...bh4 32.rxh4#.

May-14-12  kevin86: I saw the queen sac in a flash-since the bishop and knight keep the king from the g-file,the queen sac sets up the rook to mate along the h-file.

Related to Anastasia's mate with a bishop added.

May-14-12  mistreaver: Qxh7 and Rh1 mate.
Gotta love Mondays.
May-14-12  Marmot PFL: I played a queen sac like that once in a blindfold game. My opponent resigned and congratulated me, then we looked at the board and realized it was totally unsound.
May-14-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: I once played 10 games of chess, all at once, all blindfold. (I won all 10.)

30.QxP/h7+! (Corridor/edge-of-the-board mate.)

May-14-12  dragon player: These weeks I'm undergoing my exams. Therefore I won't solve too many puzzles. I'm doing today, since it's easy and it won't take too much time, but I won't make the more difficult ones. Ok, lets have a look. It's monday, which means a queen sac:

30.Qxh7+ Kxh7
31.Rh1+ Bh4
32.Rxh4#

Time to check.

------------

Right.

1/1

May-14-12  bachbeet: Got it. I usually get Mondays. Sure would like to get more Sundays.
May-14-12  dzechiel: White to move (30?). Material even. "Very Easy."

I trust that by now everyone has found the obligatory Monday queen sacrifice:

30 Qxh7+ Kxh7 31 Rh1+ Bh4 32 Rxh4#

Very easy and straightforward. If, for some reason, you didn't get this one, try examining the board looking for a series of moves that leaves your opponent only one legal reply.

May-14-12  BOSTER: Today <CG> represented two games playing by Anand.

One-<Anand vs Gelfand> Game 3 WCM, and another <Anand vs Vallejo-Pons>, playing "blind".

But if you look at pos. from Game 3 after 13...fxg6 , (see diagram) and <POTD> you can see something in common: opened "h" file, the pawn structure near black king,and "unprotected" diagonal a2-g8.


click for larger view

My guess is that playing "blind" Anand would prefer to have the white bishop on a2-g8 diagonal, and maybe play Bxb6, and Bc4 , making this bishop very active. But playing with 20/20 vision he forgot about best Tarrasch's piece, and this bishop made only 1 move in the game.

Maybe you have another opinion, but I don't like to keep my pieces in the cage.

May-14-12  zb2cr: 30. Qxh7+, Kxh7; 31. Rh1+ and Black only has one useless interposition before mate.
May-14-12  Patriot: Very straight-forward.
May-14-12  Terry McCracken: <LIFE Master AJ: I once played 10 games of chess, all at once, all blindfold. (I won all 10.) 30.QxP/h7+! (Corridor/edge-of-the-board mate.)

Sure you did. Do you mine posting or linking from this database to back up your claim?

May-14-12  uscfratingmybyear: <LIFE Master AJ: I once played 10 games of chess, all at once, all blindfold. (I won all 10.) 30.QxP/h7+! (Corridor/edge-of-the-board mate.) And then did those 10 patients of the Alzheimers Ward rise as one and throw bouquets of roses?
May-14-12  TheBish: Anand vs Vallejo-Pons, 2004

White to play (30.?) "Very Easy"

Queen sac comes early this week! (Usually Tuesday, I believe.) Even so, pretty good to see this in a blindfold game.

May-15-12  SamAtoms1980: <LIFE Master AJ: I once played 10 games of chess, all at once, all blindfold. (I won all 10.)>

I once walked into a bar and found Brenda Song and Amanda Seyfried. (I took them both home.)

30.Qxh7+ Kxh7 31.Rh1+ and wins. Hey, I'm not kidding about mating Black in three...

May-16-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <uscfratingmybyear: <LIFE Master AJ: I once played 10 games of chess, all at once, all blindfold. (I won all 10.)

...And then did those 10 patients of the Alzheimers Ward rise as one and throw bouquets of roses?>

They simultaneously showered their respective boards with gold pieces. Unfortunately, the (aptly named) Goldsby was still blindfolded, and thus did not observe this.

May-16-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: <...And then did those 10 patients of the Alzheimers Ward rise as one and throw bouquets of roses?>

Don't you mean 11?

Nov-21-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  fredthebear: Let's re-visit this blindfold combination for Greco's Mate!! Fred Reinfeld would have loved this one.

The White queen's job was easy; it's the White knight that beautifies this one. Vishy took advantage of Black's overloaded queen preferring to defend her bishop.

Bishop takes g-pawn sped up White's attack. One can make a feast in chess with pins, outposts, batteries, adjacent pawn levers, and/or sacrifices on HALF-OPEN FILES (as occurs along the g- and h- files in this game). Aim thy long range pieces through opposing pawns at royalty and bring up re-enforcements. (Don't open the line if thee cannot maintain control of it for thy own usage.) Centralized knights are usually handy too.

Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 3)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: BLINDFOLD. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC