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**: @username_1: 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.  
  
  ---
  
  