Another position from a master game

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 Ne8 14.f4 a5 15.f5 a4 16.Nbd4 exd4 17.Nxd4 b3 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Nxc2 Bb3 20.axb3 axb3 21.Na3 Ne5 22.h4 Ra5 23.Qc3 Qa8!! 24.Bg2.

An another interesting position from a master game.What should be black's continuation?(hint: a devastating move!!!)

You forgot the diagram.

24. ... Rxa3?! looks worthy of attention.

clue: tempo,tempo,tempo!!!!

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
24. ... Rxa3?! looks worthy of attention.

yeah, seems like the only "devastating" move to me. but how will black continue after 25. bxa3 Qxa3 26. Rd2. i see white better now. (26. .. Bd8 27. Rb2 Ba5 28. Qxb3 +-)

ps: was white topalov here? reminds me of his style 😀

I happen to remember anand playing Nc7 here.

why Nc7?? can u explain me

You play Nc7 because you dont mind about material, you want to develop rapidly. If white doesnt take you will play Nb5. After white takes you sacrifice another piece with Rc8 and your position is pretty good.

Wow, that's really difficult to see. Like everyone else I assumed it was Rxa3 immediately.

I like the look of D5 bishop threats and creates a knight support post

u can't simply sacrifice 2 materials without any use.u mean the development is good for black,see at the same time even white is charging at the king with the pawns.so can u explain the complete variation??don't simply say anand played it and so it's good.Ur reasoning is somewhat ok but not entirely complete.

As I said earlier Rxa3 was my first inclination, however upon further examination it seems that the attack can't be finished off.

So here's my elaboration on the correct idea.

24. ... Nc7!! 25. Qxc7 (all other moves lose to something like Rxa3 bxa3 Nb5!) Rc8!! 26. Qxe7 (The Queen can only go to b6 where it will be attacked by Nc4 or take the bishop) Nc4! threatening Rxa3 bxa3 Nxa3+ and a winning attack.

An amazing quiet looking move, the kind of thing all chess players dream of playing.

yeah u r right,this is how the game continued in
Karjakin-Anand Corus ,2006
24.Nc7!!!25. Qxc7
Essentially forced. White cannot allow …Nb5 where Black’s attack is far too strong to defend.
25… Rc8! 26. Qxe7 Nc4!
With the sacrifice of two pieces Black has whipped up a mating net around the White king. Black’s position has reached its zenith, and White temporarily has the initiative. Its a question of whether White has a sequence that either mates or perpetuals the Black king.: 27.Bc5!? looked like a saving chance for White: 27...Nxa3+ 28.bxa3 (28.Bxa3 Rxa3 29.bxa3 Qxa3 30.Rd2 b2 wins for Black) 28...Rxa3 29.Qxd6 Ra1+ 30.Kb2 Ra2+ 31.Kb1 Rxg2 32.Ba7 Re8 33.Qd7 Ra2 34.g6 and the position is better for Black, but a draw may be in reach. After 27...Raxc5 28.Rxd6 Re8 29.e5 Qc8 30.Qxe8+ Qxe8 31.Nxc4 Rxc4 32.Rhd1 Rc8 33.Bc6 Black has good chances, but White can continue fighting. However Anand probably had 27...Rxa3! prepared: 28.bxa3 Rxc5 threatening 29...Nxa3+ and mate to follow. White can simply resign.
27. g6??? hxg6!
Creating a potential escape square for his king. In lines after gxf7+ Black king has the handy h7 square, where it is almost out of reach from the White pieces.
28. fxg6 Nxa3+ 29. bxa3 Rxa3 30. gxf7+ Kh7 31. f8=N+!
A determined attempt to get at the Black king, but after Black’s next its clear that Anand has things well under control.
31… Rxf8!
Anand would have to have seen this possibility all the way back on his 24th move where he initially sacrificed two pieces. Anand discards another rook, which gives him the initiative to finish off his attack.
32. Qxf8 Ra1+!
It isn’t safe for Black to take the White queen yet.
33. Kb2 Ra2+ 34. Kc3
34. Kb1 Now it is safe to accept White’s gift. The Black rook does a sterling job on the seventh rank, locking in the White king as well as interfering with the co-ordination of White’s pieces. Qxf8
34… Qa5+!
Shredder 7 announces mate in 5.
35. Kd3 Qb5+ 36. Kd4 Ra4+ 37. Kc3 Qc4+ 0-1