Chess World Championship 2014
 

It is Anand against Carlsen, and it begins today, I think the first match starts at 12:00 UTC.

I think Carlsen will defend his title, but maybe the fight will be closer than last time.

Live here:
http://www.chessdom.com/carlsen-anand-2014-live-games/

The link offers live commentary in writing, and parallel analysis with three very strong chess engines (Stockfish amongst them,3.0 of it also being available as a free engine for Android GUIs! ;)

http://www11.pic-upload.de/08.11.14/vgdaigjlw33l.jpg

The first battle of the new war has been fought, and after almost five and a half hours ended in a draw. 48 salvos were fired by each side. This was a Gruenfeld-Indian.

Anand - Carlsen 1/2 : 1/2

total 1/2 : 1/2

http://www11.pic-upload.de/08.11.14/wofyie9v62k.jpg

Next match tomorrow, same time.

It's the 25th move of the second match, and Carlsen with the white pieces has secured a minor advantage out of the Spanish Opening, Berlin Defence, and in midgame has taken the initiative and has forced Anand into a defensive posture that needed most precise play by the challenger while White has amassed pressure on the king's castle that looked intimidating and only was to be survived by extremely precise defence indeed. Carlsen is mounting even more strategic pressure now, with Black's position very slowly detoriating in strategic value currently. I currently cannot see Anand winning this match, it will become either another draw, or a White win.

After yesterday's quite spectacular opening, this match is another hot running display of excellency from both players. A worthy world championship show so far - chess at its very best, and apparently both players in top form.

P.S. Holy cow, White managing to bring both Rooks and the Queen on the e-file. Not often to be seen on this skill level. Open fire, all weapons!

P.P.S. All three analysis engines see White in front by 1.5 - 1.9 pawns (28th move)

http://www11.pic-upload.de/09.11.14/n3esfwxubmy.jpg

:up:

And Carlsen scores the first win! The pressure both from position and time was too much and lured Anand into a mistake in his 34th - he moved, and then resigned immediately after White's response. His position would fall apart and his material losses cannot be compensated if deflecting the mate-attack.

Carlsen - Anand 1 : 0

total 1.5 : 0.5

http://www11.pic-upload.de/09.11.14/7wd9wjvrg15.jpg

Tomorrow is a break. Next match will be on Tuesday, same time.

Anand was heavily criticised for the way he played in the last duel between the two, and started into the qualification for the championship challenge with the explicit intention to "rehabilitate" himself for the mediocre impression he left last time. But first with White he just pulled out a draw in a match that from beginning to end saw the balance shifting in black/Carlsen's favour, and now with Black suffers a defeat already in the second match.

Stuff the psyche needs to digest... A promising start looks different. Carlsen leaves a top impression so far. His physical fitness seems to be obvious. And he showed to be able to enforce twice right that kind of positions where he especially excels at.

Like, who won the 'wild card' playoff?...


<O>

Peter Svidler. He ended 7th of 8 in the Candidates Tournament.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_C...mpionship_2014

Four of the eight candidates were Russians. So Russia, beside emerging chess nations like India and China, still is a power in chess. The youth training however that is systematically run in China and India, can change that sooner or later.

A reminder for those who want to follow it live: the third match will start in right one hour from now on. That is 12:00 UTC .

And there they head for the field again, their banners reading "Declined Queens Gambit". :yeah: Ten moves in five minutes. :)

http://www11.pic-upload.de/11.11.14/359ilotzf89.jpg
(pic from match 2)

We're in the 25th move, and it seems to me that Carlsen got out of the biggest problems Anand confronted him with. Until 15th move, it was theory and they copied a game from younger tournament history that saw White projecting intimidating pressure on the c-file and a pawn on c7 (which is still there). Carlsen's position looked tightened. But so far Anand's initiative did not achieve anything on the board, only on the clocks: Anand has more than twice as much time left, Carlsen has 35 minutes for 15 remaining moves. He now tries to untie his queen from blocking c8 for the white pawn on c7, then can try to simplify position by offering an exchange of pieces on d6. I think he has managed to leave the worst threats behind by his excellent precise defence play for which he is famous.

I currently expect to see this ending not in a white victory, probably also not in a black victory: another draw, then. That is if no player fumbles. On the other hand, Carlsen would not be Carlsen if he would not try everthing to squeeze out a full point from a psoition that all others may see as a draw. And if there is one player in the world that can do that and is second to none in this special discipline, then it is Carlsen: fulling and dispersing the position until either the opponent looses his nerves, or a single drop of advantage trickles out and pushes the balance in Carlsen's favour. I read some players describing him as an Anaconda, therefore.

Another sharp game, btw. Like the opening two as well.

And the moment I fantasize about a draw, Anand tightens his grap around Carlsen again (26.Rc6), a move that completely evaded my attention although it is a quite obvious one, now that I look at it. :doh:

I assume that illustrates the reason why Anand and Carlsen are sitting at that table, and not me. :haha:

Carlsen now has 20 minutes for 14 moves left, in a dangerous position. Time to get that supermove out of the box.

From the commentation in the live coverage:

Drama unfolding? 7 minutes for 12 moves left for Carlsen. Anand still has 40 minutes, and plays precise so far, showing by that the lack of a plan for Black.

Anand now moves fast, trying to keep the time pressure up for Carlsen, I think.

P.S. Carlsen finally manages to take that pesky pawn on c7. But the engines' evaluations immediately spike high in favour of White, from +1.9 to +3.3. I wonder what the cost for Carlsen will be?!

P.P.S. Now I see it. Blacks must accept an exchange loosing a bishop for a pawn. That should decide the match. The game is close to Anand's first victory in the competition.

P.P.P.S
Fast moves, 100 seconds for Carlsen for 8 more moves. Wild exchange of pieces, Carlsen is far behind, Bishop for Rook. Considering the skill level these two play on, I wonder whether he will continue for much longer.

30 seconds for 7 moves... Carlsen with his back against the wall...

An d its over! Time ran out for Carlsen. O h dear, what an ending. Long-lasting stubborn defence by Carlsen, but as excellent an upkeeping of pressure by Anand, who reminded people of why they nicknamed him "the tiger". The victory is fully deserved.

3. Anand : Carlsen 1 : 0
total 1.5 : 1.5


http://www11.pic-upload.de/11.11.14/hsrm2rzjq9f4.jpg

A very exciting, very theory-heavy match that was a joy to watch (like the first two already were as well), continuing the very high standard of this competition so far.

Next match tomorrow at 12:00 UTC.

Get your boards out and the pieces ready - they are about to begin any moment! It's match 4 of the world championship with last match's winner Anand this time playing with Black and Carlsen opening with the white pieces.

P.S.
And we have the Sicilian Defense on the board. A challenge announced by Anand. That could become a very aggressive match.

P.P.S.
When going into the Steinitz variation, Carlsen maybe wanted to head for some closed kind of position, but what there is on the board after ten moves looks more open than anything to me. :)

P.P.S.
Anand has no real worries currently. Carlsen still searching a plan apparently. A first tactical yearning of him could be for securing the bishops' pair for himself and denying it to Anand (move 12).