Actually, he does. Check out the following line:
Thus, since no other move can keep the Queen trapped and protect d4 or f3, Black will easily win in lines without 18. dxc6.
Anand vs. Gelfand - 17...Nc6
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18.dc6 Qxc6 and now either 19.Bd3 or 19.Bg2 followed by Nd5 give white a winning game. Apparently Boris was not interested checking Anand's technique.
Houdini prefers 19.Bd3, but IMO it's just a matter of taste: white's position almost plays itself: the dark squares around the Black king are fatally weak.
14...Ng7 had to be played, although GM's that commentated the game (Leko, Balogh, Naiditsch) agree that white has a dangerous initiative.
By gosh I think you're right! Was this something that was figured out without a computer's help? or was it computer-aided? I mean who could have seen this move with the Knight, way out there on Black's back rank whilst all the action is taking place on White's back rank?? Wow!
Even if it did not win the game for Black at least it would have been better than the ignominy of what Gelfand in fact did suffer, eh?
AFAIK Balogh used a computer. Leko and Naiditch, no.
I think that any moderately strong player (2100+ FIDE) would have no particular trouble winning against anyone after 18...Qxc6.
AFAIK it is the shortest ever.
The next shortest one, goes back more than 100 years (19 moves, in the Steinitz- Zukertort match). Maybe I miss something, but I doubt it).
Gelfy simply can NOT play contact chess against Anand. He will be crushed.
Factly, I do not understabd why Anand played so quietly up to now. When tactics are in the menu, he is vastly superior to Gelfy. Probably his loss at the previous game persuaded him to go into full contact chess, where he is probably the strongest player currently.
pfren wrote:
14...Ng7 had to be played, although GM's that commentated the game (Leko, Balogh, Naiditsch) agree that white has a dangerous initiative.
What about 14...Nf6 as an alternative?
Grousey wrote:
pfren wrote:
14...Ng7 had to be played, although GM's that commentated the game (Leko, Balogh, Naiditsch) agree that white has a dangerous initiative.
What about 14...Nf6 as an alternative?
More or less, same taste as 14...Ng7: 15.h4 Nbd7 17.Kc2, and although machines give white as marginally better, in practice Black's position is very unpleasant to defend.
My Houdini gives after short thought 15.Kc2 Na6 16.a3 as a better try, but I guess this is the regular engine brainfart in such positions (not that this continuation is bad, but I just don't believe it's better than the direct 15.h4). White has a "bad" bishop which is not bad at all, and Black has no active counterplay. "White has some advantage" is a fairly reasonable estimation.
According to Alejandro Ramirez's commentary on chessbase.com,
"17. Qf2 Nc6 18. dxc6 Qxc6 19. Bg2 Qd7 20. Nd5 is beyond hopeless when you play someone of Anand's caliber. Or even a little less."
pfren wrote:
Grousey wrote:
pfren wrote:
14...Ng7 had to be played, although GM's that commentated the game (Leko, Balogh, Naiditsch) agree that white has a dangerous initiative.
What about 14...Nf6 as an alternative?
More or less, same taste as 14...Ng7: 15.h4 Nbd7 17.Kc2, and although machines give white as marginally better, in practice Black's position is very unpleasant to defend.
My Houdini gives after short thought 15.Kc2 Na6 16.a3 as a better try, but I guess this is the regular engine brainfart in such positions (not that this continuation is bad, but I just don't believe it's better than the direct 15.h4). White has a "bad" bishop which is not bad at all, and Black has no active counterplay. "White has some advantage" is a fairly reasonable estimation.
Thanks for that, most interesting.
I don't have Houdini, but to my eye, 14...Nf6 just looked more aesthetically pleasing. 
The point of ...Ng7 is that Black can, in some cases, consider playing ...h5, when white's g4-g5 will give him a good f5 square. With a knight on f6, playing...h5 will result to a horribly placed knight (unless the d7 square has been kept clean- but then where the other knight should go?).
Anyway, white has IMO a good initiative after both moves- but he is not winning by force, as is the case after 14...Qf6?
Apparently, Gelfand overlooked completely 17.Qf2.
I agree with the majorities: 19. Bd3 is more than an easy win for White, but I think Gelfand might have been able to try one last thing with a Queenside pawnstorm. Then again, against Anand, it's probably hopeless and a waste of time.
Gelfy simply can NOT play contact chess against Anand. He will be crushed.
Factly, I do not understabd why Anand played so quietly up to now. When tactics are in the menu, he is vastly superior to Gelfy. Probably his loss at the previous game persuaded him to go into full contact chess, where he is probably the strongest player currently.
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What is conact chess ?
Sorry, I made a poor attempt at a joke.
May 21, 2012
0
#18
Contact chess is a tactical, and somewhat "irrational" game, where concrete calculation takes over strategical planning. In that type of game, Gelfand would be dead meat against Anand. On complex positional play, he certainly has his chances.
Anand vs. Gelfand - 17...Nc6
In the eighth round of the World Chess Championship, Anand struck back at Gelfand for his previous loss, and won a miniature game in 17 moves. Gelfand played a losing combination that finished with a Queen trap, giving Anand the win.
However, many people on chess.com have stated that Gelfand should have tried to continue with 17...Nc6 which would be followed up by 18. dxc6 and 18...Qxc6. What is your opinion of this move? Could it have saved the game, or was it just a futile attempt?
Please provide analysis of the position shown. Did Gelfand miss this, or did he see it as a hopeless position? White gains activity quickly, but if Black can fend him off, the static advantage of material should keep him happy, especially in an endgame.