Chennai 02: Two minor victories?

by ChessBase
11/10/2013 – The question is obvious: Who does it favor for the first few games to be lifeless draws? The general opinion is that this favors the World Championship, hands down. However Kasparov objectively observes that the black pieces are the black pieces, and it's good for Carlsen to have been able to neutralize his opponent so easily. We bring you plenty of analysis in English and Hindi.

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FIDE World Chess Championship Anand-Carlsen 2013

The FIDE World Chess Championship match between defending champion Viswanathan Anand and his challenger world number one Magnus Carlsen is taking place from November 9 to 28 2013 in the the Hyatt Regency, Chennai, India. The match is over twelve games, with time controls of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 61. The games start at 3:00 p.m. Indian Time, which is 4:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (New York), 10:30h Central European Time (Paris), 1:30 p.m. Moscow Standard Time. Find your local time here.

GM Daniel King provides his overview of game one:

 

 

Round two report by Alejandro Ramirez

Only two rounds have passed but something very alarming is happening. No, there is nothing truly wrong with Anand's preparation. No, Carlsen doesn't have any shortage of orange juice for his game

Not kidding about the plentiful Carlsen power drink

But clearly the ones that are at a loss in this match are the spectators. With all the hype that is going around in the chess world with this match it would've been nice to start of the match with something a little more interesting. Yes, draws happen, and the truth is that whoever is playing the black pieces wants a draw as solid and boring as possible, but it's just not any fun to watch. Carlsen surprised Vishy, there is no doubt about this, and his Caro-Kann led to a solid draw in which Vishy really only had two points in which he could have deviated to try to create something in the game. However it's not easy for Anand to take such a decision, as he put it himself - how can he walk into a sharp line down a blind alley? It was clear that Carlsen was comfortable with the situation and that it would've been seemingly dumb to go for something over-aggressive.

The photographers are still in full power, hopefully the players realize that they're their to take pictures of a show

Some pre-game chilling before the round. Not acknowledging each other's presence is standard protocol.

Every job has its perks

Here's our guest annotators analysis of the game:

[Event "FWCM 2013"] [Site "Chennai"] [Date "2013.11.10"] [Round "2"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B19"] [WhiteElo "2775"] [BlackElo "2870"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "IND"] [TimeControl "40/7200:20/3600:900+30"] 1. e4 {Normally, the first moves of a game could pass without comment. In the first couple games of a World Championship, however, they reveal a lot. In his previous few matches Anand has started with 1. d4, so playing e4 might have been a slight surprise. Nevertheless, if you have several months to prepare nothing short of 1. g4 will catch your opponent completely off guard.} c6 { This was also perhaps not the most expected, as Magnus is a major proponent of double king pawn. Even so, he's capable of playing most anything, and trying to sidestep the brunt of Vishy's preparation doesn't seem all that unwise.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 {Anand opts for the safest option, rather than 3. e5, which is the sharper move. This seems to be Vishy's M.O. in the early stages of a match. When he first faced Gelfand's Grunfeld, he played a quiet sideline in the first game, but the next time he faced it he played one of the sharpest lines possible (3. f3).} dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 e6 {Magnus goes for the slightly less common move.} (7... Nd7 {is the main variation, which prevents White from planting a knight on e5.} 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 {and these days White has been playing the simple 11. Bd2 followed by queenside castling.}) 8. Ne5 (8. h5 {is still possible, but now after} Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nf6 {Black has a couple extra options, for instance playing Bd6 next move.}) 8... Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 Bb4+ {This silly looking check is actually the most popular move. If a 1000-rated student played this move I would yell at them for giving a check for no reason, but if you are 2800+ you are allowed to play such moves. In seriousness though, putting the pawn on c3 has its drawbacks, as the queen on d3 is looser and Black's queen sometimes can use a5.} 12. c3 Be7 13. Bd2 Ngf6 14. O-O-O {Anand sidesteps his own game! This move looks a bit more flexible than Qe2, which he used to beat Ding Liren in crushing fashion.} (14. Qe2 c5 {This move turns out to be premature.} (14... O-O {was clearly the better option, with normal play.} ) 15. dxc5 Qc7 16. b4 O-O 17. O-O a5 18. a3 Nxe5 19. fxe5 Nd7 20. Ne4 axb4 21. cxb4 Qxe5 22. Bc3 Qc7 23. Rad1 Rad8 24. Qg4 g6 25. Nd6 e5 26. Qc4 Nb6 27. Qe4 Nd7 28. h5 gxh5 29. Qf5 Bf6 30. Qxh5 Qc6 31. Rxf6 Nxf6 32. Qxe5 {1-0 (32) Anand,V (2783)-Ding Liren (2707) Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS 2013}) 14... O-O ( 14... c5 {is the other main option, which is much better against 14.0-0-0 than Qe2. Now the tactical point is that if} 15. dxc5 (15. Be3 {is the main move.}) 15... Nxe5 16. Qxd8+ {Note how this move wouldn't be compulsory if White's pawn were back on c2!} Rxd8 17. fxe5 Ng4 {and with White's weak pawns only Black can be better.}) 15. Ne4 {It is logical to want to improve this awkward knight, but this move also leads to mass simplifications, something which the side with less space rarely objects to.} (15. Qf3 {is another option which keeps a bit more tension, though keeping that eyesore on g3 blocking the g-pawn isn't easy to do.}) 15... Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nxe5 {This is the first new move of the game. Stategically, it is often undesireable to take this knight and allow fxe5, but Magnus has a concrete follow up.} 17. fxe5 Qd5 {This is the point. White either has to trade queens or allow Black some sort of counterplay.} 18. Qxd5 (18. Qg4 $5 {was the more combative try, but this is a difficult move to make, especially if you are caught in your opponent's prep.} f5 $1 {was probably Carlsen's point. Now after} (18... Kh7 {is also playable, but after} 19. Kb1 {I like White's position a bit more, since he has the simply plan of playing Qe2 and launching his g-pawn.}) 19. Qg6 (19. exf6 Rxf6 { and Black has no troubles at all.}) 19... Qxa2 20. Bxh6 Rf7 {and the position is quite sharp. Neither king has any bragging rights as to the roof over its head, but White's looks a bit more exposed at the moment. Taking that into account, as well as the fact that it isn't clear how White will continue his attack, I don't blame Vishy for opting out of this.}) (18. Qb1 {is laughably awkward of course, and after} c5 {Black is just better.}) 18... cxd5 {Now the position has been greatly simplified, and a fairly level position has arisen. White has extra space, but with so few pieces this is less relevant. Both sides have a few ideas on their respective flanks (kingside for White, queenside for Black), but none of them are really all that scary.} 19. h5 b5 20. Rh3 {This move covers the third rank and also discourages Black from playing Rfc8, which would be positionally desireable.} a5 (20... Rfc8 21. Rg3 Kh7 22. Rf1 {and the rook would have to go back.}) 21. Rf1 Rac8 {Black's minority attack is clearly farther along than White's, so Anand decides to just force a draw.} 22. Rg3 Kh7 23. Rgf3 Kg8 (23... f6 24. exf6 Bxf6 25. Kb1 { is still safely in the draw zone, but creating a weakness on e6 isn't a way of playing for a win.}) 24. Rg3 Kh7 25. Rgf3 Kg8 {So far the fans haven't been given much in these games, but not to fret. Like in previous World Championship matches, the players often spend the first couple games feeling out their opponent's preparation. You can expect a much greater fight in the upcoming rounds!} 1/2-1/2

A giant white board in which people are showing their support for their favorite player

The death stare didn't help Vishy today

It's hard to disagree with Josh in pretty much any point, with the game being so short and the game having only two real inflections. Here are my own comments:

[Event "FWCM 2013"] [Site "Chennai"] [Date "2013.11.10"] [Round "2"] [White "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B19"] [WhiteElo "2775"] [BlackElo "2870"] [Annotator "Ramirez Alvarez, Alejandro"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "2013.??.??"] [EventCountry "IND"] 1. e4 c6 {A surprise, certainly. Carlsen has played the Caro-Kann before but can hardly be called a 'Caro-Kann player'. He was smashed by Sjugirov in the 2010 Olympiad while he obtained a draw against Karjakin in the King's Tournament in 2011, but has not employed it since.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 {Anand plays the Caro-Kann himself from time to time, and although nowadays all the hype is in the advance variation (3.e5) he chooses the more classical system.} dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 e6 {If you haven't been keeping up with your Caro-Kann theory, you might think this is a bad move. Old theory considers Nd7 almost mandatory so as to stop White's next move, however modern chess dictates that Ne5 might not be such a dangerous move and in some ways welcomes it.} 8. Ne5 {there is no other way to play for the advantage.} Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nd7 11. f4 Bb4+ {Other moves have also been tried, including Nf6 and c5.} 12. c3 Be7 13. Bd2 Ngf6 14. O-O-O (14. Qe2 c5 15. dxc5 Qc7 16. b4 O-O 17. O-O a5 18. a3 Nxe5 19. fxe5 {gave white an advantage in Anand-Ding Liren from earlier this year. It is no surprise that Anand did not want to repeat this line as surely Carlsen had something prepared, and so he chooses the computer's #1 recommendation.}) 14... O-O 15. Ne4 (15. Ne2 $1 {Seems to be an interesting way to fight for an advantage. The move played in the game seems to simplify a little too much.} h5 $5 {Keeping the kingside closed. White will probably try to sacrifice something soon.}) 15... Nxe4 16. Qxe4 Nxe5 {The first new move of the game.} (16... f5 17. Qe2 Nxe5 18. dxe5 {gave white a nice enough edge that he ended up winning the game in Smeets-Lauber, 2012}) 17. fxe5 Qd5 18. Qxd5 (18. Qg4 {everyone is questioning why Anand did not play this move, keeping the tension and seeking an advantage. The truth is that Black should be ok regardless:} f5 $1 19. Qg6 (19. exf6 Rxf6 {already looks shaky for White.}) 19... Qxa2 20. Bxh6 Rf7 21. g4 {what else?} f4 22. Rhf1 Raf8 $1 {and if White takes the pawn the game will end in a perpetual with Qa1+ and Qa4+ since White won't have Kb1 as his king is undefended. The question is now what exactly does White play.}) 18... cxd5 19. h5 {White's space advantage in the kingside is offset by Black's initiative on the queenside. It's very hard to believe either side would win this endgame.} b5 20. Rh3 a5 21. Rf1 Rac8 22. Rg3 Kh7 23. Rgf3 Kg8 24. Rg3 Kh7 25. Rgf3 Kg8 1/2-1/2

That's a c-pawn! Magnus, what are you doing?!

Garry Kasparov mentioned that yesterday Anand scored a small victory, while today Carlsen did the same. Objectively you could say that drawing with black constitutes a small victory exactly as the former World Champion said, but it seems that most people prefer Anand's chances the longer the match goes. It's not that Carlsen has drawn twice, it's that Carlsen has lifelessly drawn twice. We will see how he tries to spice things up in the next rounds, he has a full day to think about it tomorrow as it is the first rest day.

Report by Alejandro Ramirez, photos by Anastasiya Karlovich

Report in Hindi by Niklesh Jain:

फीडे विश्व शतरंज चैंपियनशिप – दूसरा मैच भी बराबरी पर छूटा

फीडे विश्व शतरंज चैंपियनशिप 2013 में कल बहुत ही जल्दी ड्रा बाजी खेले जाने की वजह से निराश शतरंज प्रेमियो के लिए आज का दिन भी कोई खास खबर नहीं लेके आया । आज एक फिर सभी की निगाहें पाँच बार के और मौजूदा विश्व चैम्पियन भारत के विश्वनाथन आनंद और विश्व के नंबर एक शतरंज खिलाड़ी नार्वे के मेगनस कार्लसन के बीच होने वाले दूसरे मुक़ाबले पर टिकी थी। चूंकि आनंद सफ़ेद मोहरो से खेल रहे थे इस कारण सबकी निगाहे उनकी पहली चाल ओर कार्लसन के जबाब पर टिकी थी । कल की मनोवैज्ञानिक बढ़त के साथ आनंद ने अपनी पहली चाल 1e4 से शुरुआत कर उम्मीदे जगाई भी । कार्लसन ने अपने जबाब मे 1...c6 कारोकान खेलकर सभी को एक बार फिर चौंका दिया । कार्लसन ने इससे पहले आनंद के खिलाफ कोई भी मैच इस लाइन पर नहीं खेला था । कार्लसन ने इससे पहले अंतिम बार कर्जाकिन के खिलाफ जून 2011 में कारोकान पर एक मैच खेला था जो की ड्रा रहा था । वंही आनंद जो खुद कारोकान के अच्छे जानकार है। आनंद ने इस लाइन पर अपना अंतिम मैच इसी वर्ष चाइना के युवा ग्रांडमास्टर डिंग लीरेन से अप्रैल में अलखाइन मेमोरियल के दौरान खेला था । और आनंद ने उस मैच में जीत भी हासिल की थी । पर कार्लसन ने निश्चित तौर पर आनंद को उम्मीद से हट कर जबाब दिया। आज के मैच में कार्लसन काफी तेज चाले चल रहे थे । ओर मजेदार बात ये थी की आज के मैच में कार्लसन ने कुल अपने समय का सिर्फ 24 मिनट 48 सेकंड इस्तेमाल किया वंही आनंद ने सिर्फ 41 मिनट 08 सेकंड अपनी चालो को सोचने मे लगाए । आपको बता दूँ की इस प्रतियोगिता के तय किए गए नियमो के मुताबिक दोनों खिलाड़ियो को पहली 40 चालो के लिए दो –दो घंटे का समय मिलता है । उसके बाद अगली 20 चालो के लिए एक –एक घंटे का समय मिलता है। और उसके बाद बचे हुए खेल के लिए हर चाल पर 30 सेकेंड्स की बढ़त के साथ 15-15 मिनट का समय और दिया जाता है । खेल आगे कारोकान की मुख्य लाइन पर खेला गया । वंही आनंद ने 11वीं चाल मे f4 खेल कर राजा की तरफ के हिस्से किंगसाइड में आक्रमण करने ओर वजीर के तरफ किलेबंदी करने के अपने इरादे जाहिर कर दिये । पर कार्लसन ने भी 11....Bb4 खेलते हुये यह जता दिया की वह भी आज पूरी तरह तैयार है। इस चाल का मतलब आनंद के क्वीनसाइड पर c3 चलवा कर भविष्य मे b5-b4 के द्वारा आक्रमण की तैयारी रखना था । आगे का मैच 13वी चाल तक ठीक आनंद ओर लीरेन के मैच की तरह आगे बढ़ा। पर आनंद ने 14वी चाल पर क्वीनसाइड पर किलेबंदी करते हुए खेल को एक नया मोड़ दे दिया । कार्लसन ने इसका जबाब किंगसाइड पर किलेबंदी करते हुए दिया । कुछ समय के लिए ऐसा लगा की शायद आज दर्शको को एक रोमांचक मुक़ाबला देखने को मिलेगा । पर 15 वी चाल पर Ne4?! खेलकर आनंद ने खेल को ड्रॉ की तरफ मोड़ दिया । अगली 2 चालो में दोनों घोड़े खेल से बाहर थे और अब कार्लसन ने खेल को ड्रॉ की तरफ मोड़ते हुए लगभग आवशयक सी लगती हुई 18 वी चाल Qd5 खेली और लगा के शायद आनंद 19-Qg4 खेलते हुए मैच को रोमांच के तरफ ले जाएंगे तभी आनंद ने Qd5 खेलते हुए आज के खेल के निर्णय आने की सभी उम्मीदों पर पानी फेर दिया। आगे की सभी चालो मे दोनों खिलाड़ी अपनी तरफ से सभी संभव सामान्य चालो को चलते गए । आनंद ने जंहा किंगसाइड पर अपने दोनों हाथी ले जाकर स्थिति मजबूत की तो कार्लसन ने क्वीनसाइड पर पैदलो को आगे बढ़ाकर ओर सी फाइल पर अपने हाथी को लाकर अपनी तरफ से स्थिति को संतुलित कर दिया । 25 चालो के बाद दोनों खिलाड़ी अंक बांटने पर सहमत हो गए । इसके साथ ही आनंद ने अपनी मनोवैज्ञानिक बढ़त गंवा दी ।पर आनंद अभी भी बेहतर स्थिति में है . और अब एक दिन के विश्राम के बाद उम्मीद है की सफ़ेद मोहरो से कार्लसन बढ़त लेने की कोशिश करेंगे ओर कुछ आक्रामक खेलेंगे । आनंद को भी ऐसी स्थिति में बढ़त लेने का पूरा मौका मिलेगा । पर अगर दोनों को यही रवैया रहा तो फिर दर्शको को और इंतजार करना होगा ।तो कार्लसन अगले मैच मे पहली चाल क्या चलेंगे तब तक आप इसके लिए अपने दिमाग के घोड़े दौड़ाइए .....आपका निकलेश जैन।

Score

Game:
Rtg
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
Score
Perf.
V. Anand 2775
½
½
                   
1.0
2870
M. Carlsen 2870
½
½
                   
1.0
2775

Tournament details

Schedule: the match will be played over a maximum of twelve games, and the winner of the match will be the first player to score 6.5 points or more. If the winner scores 6.5 points in less than 12 games then the closing ceremony will take place on the day after the World Championship has been decided or one day thereafter.

07 November 2013 – Opening Ceremony
09 November 2013 – Game 1
10 November 2013 – Game 2
11 November 2013 – Rest Day
12 November 2013 – Game 3
13 November 2013 – Game 4
14 November 2013 – Rest Day
15 November 2013 – Game 5
16 November 2013 – Game 6
17 November 2013 – Rest Day
18 November 2013 – Game 7
19 November 2013 – Game 8
20 November 2013 – Rest Day
21 November 2013 – Game 9
22 November 2013 – Game 10
23 November 2013 – Rest Day
24 November 2013 – Game 11
25 November 2013 – Rest Day
26 November 2013 – Game 12
27 November 2013 – Rest Day
28 November 2013 – Tiebreak games
29 November 2013 – Closing Ceremony

Live commentary on Playchess in English

Day
Round
Live Playchess commentary in English
Nov. 09
1
GM Daniel King + GM Simon Williams
Nov. 10
2
GM Daniel King + GM Yasser Seirawan
Nov. 12
3
GM Yasser Seirawan + GM Maurice Ashley
Nov. 13
4
GM Yasser Seirawan + GM Alejandro Ramirez
Nov. 15
5
GM Daniel King + GM Maurice Ashley
Nov. 16
6
GM Daniel King + GM GM Alejandro Ramirez
Nov. 18
7
GM Yasser Seirawan + GM Alejandro Ramirez
Nov. 19
8
GM Daniel King + GM Chris Ward
Nov. 21
9
GM Daniel King + GM Simon Williams
Nov. 22
10
GM Daniel King + GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Nov. 24
11
GM Daniel King + GM Maurice Ashley
Nov. 26
12
GM Chris Ward + GM Simon Williams
Nov. 28
Tiebreak
GM Daniel King + GM Chris Ward

Live commentary in other languages

Day
Round
French German Spanish
Nov. 09
1
GM Fabien Libiszewski GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 10
2
GM Fabien Libiszewski GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 12
3
GM Christian Bauer GM Thomas Luther Leontxo García
Nov. 13
4
GM Christian Bauer GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 15
5
GM Fabien Libiszewski GM Thomas Luther Leontxo García
Nov. 16
6
GM Fabien Libiszewski GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 18
7
GM Christian Bauer GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 19
8
GM Yannick Pelletier GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 21
9
GM M. Vachier-Lagrave GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 22
10
GM Sebastien Mazé GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 24
11
GM Sebastien Mazé GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 26
12
GM Yannick Pelletier GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García
Nov. 28
TB
GM Sebastien Mazé GM Klaus Bischoff Leontxo García

The commentary will commence around 30 minutes after the start of the games. The schedule and commentators may be changed before the start of the Championship on November 9th, with long and short castlings possible.

The games are being broadcast live on the official web site, with special coverage on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.


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