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]

Game animation

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

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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 until move 12 do the players start innovating with novel ideas.[3]
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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]
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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]
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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

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  1. ^ "Tata Steel 2013 Round 4". 15 January 2013.
  2. ^ "The Best Chess Games Of All Time". 18 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Two of the World's Best in a Game for the Ages". The New York Times. January 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "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.