Viswanathan Anand’s Most Creative Wins: A Legacy of Tactical Brilliance
Viswanathan Anand, affectionately known as “Vishy,” is one of the greatest chess players in history. With a career spanning over three decades, he has achieved everything a player could hope for: multiple World Championships, rapid and blitz titles, and an enduring reputation for class, humility, and an incredibly sharp mind. While his consistency and speed have earned him accolades, what stands out most in Anand’s legacy is his creativity — his ability to generate beautiful, imaginative play even against the strongest opponents.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into some of Anand’s most creative wins, looking not just at the final scores but the ideas, sacrifices, and positional genius behind them. From tactical masterpieces to strategic gems, Anand’s games continue to inspire players of all levels.
1. Anand vs. Levon Aronian – Wijk aan Zee, 2013
The Game:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 d5 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. O-O Re8 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Re1 f6 10. Ne4 Bf8 11. d4 exd4 12. Nxd4 Bd7 13. Bc4 Ne5 14. Bb3 c6 15. Bf4 Kh8 16. Bxe5 Rxe5 17. Nf3 Re8 18. Qd4 Nf4 19. Neg5 fxg5 20. Rxe8 Qxe8 21. Re1 Qh5 22. Qxd7 g4 23. Ne5 h6 24. Qxb7 Re8 25. Bf7 Rxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxe5 27. Bc4 Qe1+ 28. Bf1 Bc5 29. Qc8+ Kh7 30. Qf5+ Ng6 31. Qxc5 Nf4 32. Qf5+ Ng6 33. Qxg4 1-0
Why It’s Creative:
Anand plays a brilliant positional sacrifice with 19. Neg5!!, sacrificing a knight and opening the floodgates against Aronian’s king. What makes this win extraordinary is how seamlessly Anand blends tactical sharpness with strategic depth. He coordinated his minor pieces like a symphony conductor, and every piece had a role in the final attack. The combination of calm maneuvering and sudden violence is a hallmark of Anand’s style.
2. Anand vs. Veselin Topalov – World Championship 2010, Game 2
The Game:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. a3 Qa5 10. O-O-O Rd8 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Bd3 h6 13. h4 dxc4 14. Bxc4 Bd7 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Ng5 hxg5 17. hxg5 Qxg5 18. Ne4 Qg6 19. Bd3 Ne5 20. Nxf6+ Qxf6 21. Bh7+ Kf8 22. Qc5+ Qe7 23. Qxe5 Ba4 24. Bc2 Kg8 25. Bh7+ Kf8 26. Bc2 Kg8 27. Bh7+ Kf8 28. Bc2 ½–½
Why It’s Creative:
While this game ended in a draw, it is one of the most theoretically significant and creative battles in Anand’s career. Facing Topalov in a high-stakes world championship match, Anand surprised everyone with the Grünfeld-inspired Queen’s Gambit Declined hybrid, playing dynamically with 10…Rd8 and sacrificing the c5 pawn.
His pawn structure may look shaky, but the initiative and piece activity he gains from the sacrifice keeps Black fully in the game. The game is remembered as an intellectual duel — creativity not just in tactics, but in opening preparation and strategic planning.
3. Anand vs. Magnus Carlsen – Mainz Rapid 2008
The Game:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. f4 d6 9. Qe1 Nbd7 10. Qg3 b5 11. a3 Bb7 12. Kh1 Nc5 13. Qxg7 Rg8 14. Qh6 Ncxe4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Qxh7 Nf6 17. Qh3 Bxg2+ 18. Qxg2 Rxg2 19. Kxg2 Kd7 20. Rf3 Rh8 21. a4 Qb7 22. axb5 Rg8+ 23. Kf1 Qd5 24. c3 e5 25. fxe5 dxe5 26. Bf5+ Ke8 27. Rxa6 exd4 28. Kf2 dxc3 29. bxc3 Qxb5 30. Ra8+ Bd8 31. Bh3 Ne4+ 32. Ke3 Qc5+ 33. Kxe4 Qc6+ 34. Ke3 Qxa8 35. Kf2 Bb6+ 36. Be3 Qa2+ 37. Kf1 Bxe3 38. Rxe3+ Kf8 39. Re2 Qc4 40. Bg2 Rxg2 41. Kxg2 Qxe2+ 42. Kg3 Qe3+ 43. Kg4 Qxc3 44. h4 1–0
Why It’s Creative:
This spectacular attacking game against Magnus Carlsen, then a rising teenager, was a showcase of Anand’s fearless approach and razor-sharp vision. The piece sacrifice on move 13 (Qxg7) launches a ferocious kingside attack.
Anand’s material imbalance (Queen vs. multiple minor pieces) is handled with supreme coordination. He played with computer-like precision, exploiting Carlsen’s slightly exposed king. It’s a masterclass in attack, sacrifice, and conversion.
4. Anand vs. Alexei Shirov – Linares 1998
The Game:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. a4 c5 16. d5 c4 17. Be3 Nc5 18. Qd2 Qc7 19. Bh6 Be7 20. Nf5! Nfd7 21. Nxe7+ Rxe7 22. Qg5 f6 23. Qg3 bxa4 24. Nh4 Kh8 25. Nxg6+ hxg6 26. Qxg6 Rg8 27. Qh5 Rh7 28. Re3 Nf8 29. Rg3 Qf7 30. Qxf7 Rxf7 31. Be3 Rxg3 32. fxg3 Nfd7 33. g4 Nb6 34. h4 Bc8 35. g5 f5 36. exf5 Bxf5 37. Rf1 1-0
Why It’s Creative:
In this Spanish Opening turned into a kingside massacre, Anand’s sacrifice 20. Nf5! set the tone for one of the most dazzling attacks of his career. Playing against the always dangerous and fiery Alexei Shirov, Anand countered fire with fire.
The piece sacrifice for initiative and attack is thematic, and Anand shows no hesitation in sacrificing more material to sustain the pressure. His queen, bishop, and knight coordinate perfectly to rip open the king’s defenses.
5. Anand vs. Kamsky – Las Palmas 1995
The Game:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a4 h6 13. Bc2 exd4 14. cxd4 Nb4 15. Bb1 c5 16. d5 c4 17. Ra3 Nd7 18. Nd4 Nc5 19. Rg3 Qf6 20. N2f3 g6 21. axb5 axb5 22. Bd2 Nbd3 23. Bxd3 Nxd3 24. Bc3 Nxe1 25. Qxe1 Qe7 26. Nf5 Qxe4 27. Qd2 Kh7 28. Ng5+ hxg5 29. Qxg5 Qxf5 30. Qh4+ Qh5 31. Qf6 Qh6 32. Qh8# 1-0
Why It’s Creative:
This is one of Anand’s most lethal finishes, concluding with a picturesque checkmate on h8. The attack develops at breakneck speed: pawn storms, rook lifts, bishop sacrifices — a clinic in dynamic play.
What’s extraordinary is how early the assault starts: by move 18, Anand is preparing to bring his rook over to g3, targeting the Black king. Kamsky, a world title contender himself, was completely caught in a hurricane of tactics.
What Makes Anand’s Creativity Unique?
Speed + Precision: Known as the “Lightning Kid,” Anand makes even the most complex sequences look effortless.
Deep Opening Prep: Anand often stuns opponents with powerful novelty ideas that quickly snowball into decisive attacks.
Flawless Coordination: In many of his creative wins, every piece serves a purpose. There’s a harmony in his attacks rarely matched.
Grace Under Pressure: Anand’s best moves often emerge in high-pressure situations—World Championship games, rapid knockouts, elite round robins.
Conclusion: A Genius of Imagination and Precision
Viswanathan Anand’s best games are more than just victories — they are lessons in artistry. Whether it’s a subtle positional squeeze or an explosive tactical storm, Anand’s creativity across formats and decades has reshaped modern chess. His combination of speed, calculation, and vision has influenced generations, from casual fans to top grandmasters.
Even in an era of computer-prepped novelties, Anand continues to show that chess is still a game of imagination.
Want to relive more of Anand’s legendary games? Let me know, and I can annotate more of his masterpieces for study or training purposes.
