Hi everyone, it's Jerry. This is game 8 from the 2012 FIDE World Chess Championship match,
or what might be better recognized as the "Shortest Game in World Chess Championship
History". Viswanathan Anand has the white pieces in this game, and is trailing three
points to Boris Gelfand's four. Let's have a look and see how things play out. Anand
opening up with d4, Gelfand responding knight f6. After c4 and g6, we saw the same story
going on in games one and three of this match, where in game one Anand replied knight c3
at this point, and in game three we saw f3. f3 is once again the case only now in this
game 8. In response to that in the game three Gelfand played d5, but we're having something
much different. And that's often denoted by having a different pawn advance. In this case
we're seeing now c5, striking at this d4 point immediately, and heading for a Benoni type
of structure. White responding now d5, gaining some space...taking away that natural...that
classical c6 square from that queen knight. Black playing d6 allowing that bishop to see,
and ruling out any possibilities for a cramping d6 advance by white. Gaining some space now
in the center is Anand with e4. More development on the black side, fianchettoing the bishop.
Knight on g to e2, looking to eventually bring the king knight over to the c3 square, and
eventually this knight would like to make use of the d2 square. This is another option
to reorganize the pieces. It could be a bit uncomfortable to get this king knight and
king bishop out, seeing how this f3 pawn is in the way of the knight f3 move. So black
castles, knight-e to c3, and now this bishop is ready to come out. And now knight to h5,
looking to open up the position potentially with f5, or even an e5 advance throwing a
big question to the white side...do you capture right away, or do you just allow it to remain
closed? And then an f5 move is coming up very soon. And we would have at that point then
a position very reminiscent to a King's Indian. But it's not so easy for white to make progress
on the queenside, and that's what typically would happen if we're working with the King's
Indian. Black will be looking to play on the kingside, and white will be looking on the
queenside. But with this pawn on c5, it's very difficult to break at. It's very difficult
to get play, or generate play on the queenside. So following up we have bishop g5, anticipating
this e5 advance, placing this pawn in a pin. There will be no e5. Instead bishop f6 to
neutralize this bishop's influence on the position. And after the bishops come off,
we have this pawn recapturing...doubled pawns. But it's only temporary. Soon enough we'll
see f5, striking at this e4 pawn. Queen to d2 observes these dark squares...h6. Primarily
the f4 square move...it rules out any knight f4 moves right away. And now we're having
f5. One thing that's worthwhile to note is if g4 is played and knight to f4, it seems
very cozy right here. But after queen d2, the knight is clearly running short on squares.
And so a move like g5 now becomes a necessity. But keep in mind that this is not the advance
black wants to get in. It's the f5 advance. But that's completely ruled out. And because
f5 cannot be played, this bishop is essentially biting on a rock. So this not the direction
black wants to go in. Yes it have a nicely placed knight on f4, but beyond that it's
not good. In fact you could view it as this g5 pawn as just acting as a hook for an eventual
h4 move. And with the exchange of those pawns, the h-file is going to open up, and shortly
thereafter we'll have a case of opposite sides castling, and this black king being in serious
trouble. So in other words, not the way to go. Should the move g4 be played, the knight
would not do well to play to f4 but rather basically fianchetto itself, and then look
for an f5 advance. This is the main idea...try and get in f5. So we don't g4, instead it's
just queen to d2. And now with f5 striking at e4, we have the exchange going on. Bishop
recaptures, and now g4 coming with a fork which is, ya know, you could get out of that.
Black goes about it by first giving a check. And we don't have a block. We just have Anand
now running over to the queenside. And black now avoiding the loss of material with just
a pawn takes either one of those minor pieces...first grabbing that knight on b1, and Anand recaptures.
Now this right here...this check by the rook is maybe just a misstep right here because
there is the possibility for first queen check on h4, and then after the king moves, bishop
takes, rook takes, and now react with let's say a knight g7 move. And this queen is very
well placed to prevent any h4, h5 stuff, and the opening up of the h-file. So that was
definitely a possibility for black at this point right here. But instead what we do have
is the immediate rook check in response to g4. King to d1, bishop takes knight, rook
takes bishop, and now a miscalculation by black. Queen to f6 simply did not see far
enough. It is threatening queen takes pawn with a fork right here, but white allows it.
Pawn takes knight, queen takes pawn...we have a fork. After king c2, queen takes rook...black
is up material. But after the key move queen to f2, black resigns in just seventeen moves.
The queen is very close to just being dead after a bishop move she's clearly running
out of squares. We have e4, f3...all of these squares that I'm highlighting right here are
all covered. And as soon as this bishop moves, all of these squares are going to be covered,
and the queen is dead. If there's any type of resistance in this position, it's to sacrifice
this knight on b8. There is the possibility for knight c6. And if you move the bishop
right away...well there's going to be a knight check followed by, let's say, a queen to f3
and the queen is rescued. But what would occur if knight c6 were even played...it basically
just came down to after queen f2, black ends up resigning right here. And it's basically
a position to resign no matter what because after pawn takes knight, there's queen takes
pawn, and this knight right here...let's just say a rook move to the e5 square. A knight
right here is well worth a rook. It's invaluable. A knight generally worth three points right
here, but by not being able to be dislodged from d5...again it's invaluable. Very very
powerful piece on that hole in the black position on d5. This a hopeless position regardless
of knight c6 being played at this moment right here. But as it stands in this game, after
just seventeen moves Gelfand is forced into resignation, and this match at this point
right here is now locked at four points each. And we will see what happens in game 9. So
that's all for this video. As always, I hope you got something out of it. Take care, bye.