Answers.Body: <p><strong>10...Ne4</strong> doesn't help Black preserve the bishop pair. After the surprising move <strong>11.a3!</strong>, Black is forced to take the knight on <strong>c3</strong> with the bishop and then we reach a position similar to the one in the game, except that Black's knight is on a more vulnerable e4 square than on a safe square like <strong>d7</strong>. The pawn on <strong>c3</strong> cannot be captured without a significant positional loss to Black. </p>
  
  <pre><code>   [FEN "r1bk3r/1p3ppp/p1p1pn2/8/1bP1P3/2N5/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQ - 0 10"]
     [White "Carlsen"]
     [Black "Anand"]
  
  
  
     1. e5 Ne4 2. a3! Bxc3+ (2... Nxc3?? 3. axb4 Ne4 4. f3! +-) (2... Ba5 3. b4 Nxc3
     4. bxa5+=) 3. bxc3 Kc7 (3... Nxc3? 4. a4! Ne4 5. Be3 f6 6. Bd3 Ng5 7. O-O
     Nf7 8. exf6 gxf6 9. f4 +=) 4. Be3 b6 5. Bd3 Nc5 6. Bxc5 bxc5 7. O-O-O+=
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-11-16T02:13:14.080Z
Answers.Text: Sadly, it seems that Black can't equalize here... After looking through analysis of other GMs online ( ChessBase, Chess.com and many many others ) and after running this through engine I must agree that Black will be left without any counterplay but with seemingly solid position. I have tried to invent counterplay and to find a move to bring back Black into the game but it seems impossible with all that space and development advantage from White. +1 for thorough coverage ( this question and answer to it should be useful to others as well! ). Best regards.
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-11-16T01:45:09.047Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-11-16T01:45:09.047Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: NM Wesley Falcao
Body: <p>What is wrong with <code>10...Ne4</code> instead of <code>10...Nd7</code>?</p>
  
  <p>It seems to me that it was a better move -> Black exchanges one more piece which relieves his cramped position and he obtains the bishop pair.</p>
  
  <p>Can someone explain why <code>10...Ne4</code> is inferior to <code>10...Nd7</code>?</p>
  
  <p>Here is the position I am talking about:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
  [Black "Anand, Vishwanathan"]
  [Event "WCC 2014"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "r1bk3r/1p3ppp/p1p1pn2/4P3/1bP5/2N5/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQ - 0 1 "]
  
  1...Ne4
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-11-15T20:33:12.473Z
Comments.Text: GM Bojkov: In case of `10... Ne4 11. a3!` is very strong, for example `11... Bxc3+ 12. bxc3` and if `12... Nxc3 13. a4 Ne4 14. Be3` Black will have problems with both his knight and the dark squares.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Dag Oskar Madsen
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-11-15T20:49:52.350Z
Comments.Text: @DagOskarMadsen: Yes, Black will have problems if he takes with the knight, yet if he simply retreats and posts knight on `c5` I believe he can reach full equality. I will check this with an engine when I get more time ( things are becomming "hairy" on work -> tight deadlines and similar stuff... ) and strength ( analysis of the game 3 wore me down to be honest ). Thanks for the analysis :)
Comments.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Tags: <analysis><carlsen-anand-2014>
Title: Carlsen - Anand, game 6 WCC 2014 -> why Black didn't play 10...Ne4 to try to equalize?
ThreadText: # Carlsen - Anand, game 6 WCC 2014 -> why Black didn't play 10...Ne4 to try to equalize?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-15)
  
  What is wrong with 10...Ne4 instead of 10...Nd7?
  It seems to me that it was a better move -> Black exchanges one more piece which relieves his cramped position and he obtains the bishop pair.
  Can someone explain why 10...Ne4 is inferior to 10...Nd7?
  Here is the position I am talking about:
  [White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
  [Black "Anand, Vishwanathan"]
  [Event "WCC 2014"]
  [StartFlipped "0"]
  [fen "r1bk3r/1p3ppp/p1p1pn2/4P3/1bP5/2N5/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQ - 0 1 "]
  
  1...Ne4
  
  **Tags:** analysis, carlsen-anand-2014
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: GM Bojkov: In case of `10... Ne4 11. a3!` is very strong, for example `11... Bxc3+ 12. bxc3` and if `12... Nxc3 13. a4 Ne4 14. Be3` Black will have problems with both his knight and the dark squares.  
  > **username_0**: @DagOskarMadsen: Yes, Black will have problems if he takes with the knight, yet if he simply retreats and posts knight on `c5` I believe he can reach full equality. I will check this with an engine when I get more time ( things are becomming "hairy" on work -> tight deadlines and similar stuff... ) and strength ( analysis of the game 3 wore me down to be honest ). Thanks for the analysis :)  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2014-11-16. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  10...Ne4 doesn't help Black preserve the bishop pair. After the surprising move 11.a3!, Black is forced to take the knight on c3 with the bishop and then we reach a position similar to the one in the game, except that Black's knight is on a more vulnerable e4 square than on a safe square like d7. The pawn on c3 cannot be captured without a significant positional loss to Black. 
     [FEN "r1bk3r/1p3ppp/p1p1pn2/8/1bP1P3/2N5/PP3PPP/R1B1KB1R w KQ - 0 10"]
     [White "Carlsen"]
     [Black "Anand"]
  
  
  
     1. e5 Ne4 2. a3! Bxc3+ (2... Nxc3?? 3. axb4 Ne4 4. f3! +-) (2... Ba5 3. b4 Nxc3
     4. bxa5+=) 3. bxc3 Kc7 (3... Nxc3? 4. a4! Ne4 5. Be3 f6 6. Bd3 Ng5 7. O-O
     Nf7 8. exf6 gxf6 9. f4 +=) 4. Be3 b6 5. Bd3 Nc5 6. Bxc5 bxc5 7. O-O-O+=
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Sadly, it seems that Black can't equalize here... After looking through analysis of other GMs online ( ChessBase, Chess.com and many many others ) and after running this through engine I must agree that Black will be left without any counterplay but with seemingly solid position. I have tried to invent counterplay and to find a move to bring back Black into the game but it seems impossible with all that space and development advantage from White. +1 for thorough coverage ( this question and answer to it should be useful to others as well! ). Best regards.  
  
  ---
  
  