22 November 2013

Carlsen -- Anand 2013, Game 10

The Last Battle

I would like to take some responsibility for his mistakes.
Magnus Carlsen, Press Conference
The old tiger came out to fight the young challenger today. Needing only a draw in the next three games, Magnus Carlsen had to battle Viswanthan Anand through a long game. For much of the game, however, it appeared to be the challenger who was pressing for a decision. The game reached a knight ending with many pawns on both sides of the board. Both sides had chances, but with correct play a draw seemed likely.

Carlsen opened with his king's pawn and soon found himself battling Anand's Sicilian. After some complexities where it appeared that both players made inaccuracies, the heavy pieces were swapped in one series of exchanges. Then, each player had six pawns and a knight. White had a majority on the queenside; Black had a majority on the kingside. The White king was able to occupy the center, while the Black king took up a post two squares away.

Carlsen pressed with a slight advantage. As his knight penetrated into Anand's position, it appeared that he wanted to win another game. He avoided an opportunity to repeat the position. White sacrificed his knight to contain the Black forces on the kingside, while his king mopped up the Black pawns on the queenside. Both players promoted pawns, creating a queen and knight against queen and three pawns.

Carlsen forced the exchange of queens, and the game quickly petered out to a draw.

Magnus Carlsen is the new World Champion!

Carlsen,Magnus (2870) - Anand,Viswanathan (2775) [B51]
FWCM 2013 Chennai (10), 22.11.2013

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4

Black to move

7...Nf6

Anand played 7...e5 against Carlsen earlier this year.

Reference Game:

Carlsen,M (2868) -- Anand,V (2783) [B51]
Supreme Masters 2013 Sandnes NOR (2.3), 09.05.2013
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.c4 e5 8.Qd3 b5 9.Nc3 bxc4 10.Qxc4 Be6 11.Qd3 h6 12.0–0 Nf6 13.Rd1 Be7 14.Ne1 0–0 15.Nc2 Qb6 16.Ne3 Rfc8 17.b3 a5 18.Bd2 Qa6 19.Be1 Nd7 20.f3 Rc6 21.Qxa6 Rcxa6 22.Ned5 Bd8 23.Nb5 Rc8 24.Bf2 Kh7 25.Kf1 Rcc6 26.Rac1 Bg5 27.Rc3 Bxd5 28.Rxd5 Rxc3 29.Nxc3 Rc6 30.Be1 Nc5 31.Nb5 Nb7 32.h4 Be3 33.Ke2 Bc5 34.h5 Bb4 35.Bd2 g6 36.a3 Bxd2 37.hxg6+ Kxg6 38.Kxd2 h5 39.g3 f6 40.Na7 Rc7 41.Nb5 Rc6 42.Ke2 Kf7 43.b4 axb4 44.axb4 Ke6 45.Rd3 Rc4 46.Rb3 d5 47.Kd3 Rc6 48.exd5+ Kxd5 49.Rc3 f5 50.Nc7+ Kd6 51.Ne8+ Kd5 52.Rxc6 Kxc6 53.Ng7 Nd6 54.Nxh5 e4+ 55.fxe4 Nxe4 56.Kd4 Kb5 57.g4 fxg4 58.Kxe4 g3 59.Nxg3 Kxb4 ½–½

8.Bg5 e6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.0–0 Bc6 11.Qd3 0–0 12.Nd4 Rc8 13.b3

This move does not appear in my database. 13.Rac1 was played in the sole game that reached this position.

Reference Game:

Schoeneberg,Manfred (2360) -- Danailov,Silvio (2425) [B53]
Leipzig BKL Leipzig (3), 1986
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Bxc6 Bxc6 7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3 e6 9.0–0 Be7 10.Qd3 0–0 11.Nd4 Rc8 12.Bg5 a6 13.Rac1 Qa5 14.Bd2 Qd8 15.Bg5 b6 16.Nxc6 Rxc6 17.Ne2 Qa8 18.f3 Rfc8 19.Be3 Nd7 20.b3 Qb7 21.Nd4 R6c7 22.a4 Bf6 23.Rfd1 g6 24.Ne2 Be7 25.Nc3 Rc6 ½–½

Black to move

13...Qc7 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Rac1 h6 16.Be3 Nd7 17.Bd4 Rfd8 18.h3 Qc7 19.Rfd1 Qa5 20.Qd2 Kf8 21.Qb2 Kg8 22.a4 Qh5 23.Ne2 Bf6 24.Rc3 Bxd4 25.Rxd4 Qe5 26.Qd2 Nf6 27.Re3 Rd7 28.a5

Black to move

28...Qg5?

This move appears to be an error, which gives White chances for a substantial advantage. The queen must hold to prevent the e-pawn's advance. Moves like 28...Rb8 and 28...Kh7 hold the position for the moment.

29.e5 Ne8 30.exd6

30.Nc3 was the route to a superior game. During the press conference, Carlsen stated that he thought he was winning with the line he played. If he had realized it was equal, he would have spent some time to find a better move.

30...Rc6 31.f4 Qd8 32.Red3 Rcxd6 33.Rxd6 Rxd6 34.Rxd6 Qxd6 35.Qxd6 Nxd6

White to move


36.Kf2 Kf8 37.Ke3 Ke7 38.Kd4 Kd7 39.Kc5 Kc7 40.Nc3 Nf5 41.Ne4 Ne3

At this moment, the game is still going. It seems that three possible results remain. Black could win, which will lead to an eleventh game. Carlsen could win or draw, which ends the match with a new world champion.

Screenshot of iPad App 
42.g3 f5 43.Nd6

Black to move

Anand described today's game as a microcosm of the match itself. He was referring to his error on move 28, but also to the manner in which Carlsen was able to provoke errors with continuous pressure. In this position, White has choices. Black must find the only move and defend with precision.

43...g5

Anand found the only move.

44.Ne8+ Kd7 45.Nf6+ Ke7

45...Kc7 was better. White's advantage increases with Anand's move.

White to move

46.Ng8+

46.Nh5 appears to be winning. Carlsen stated in the press conference that the variations became too complex, so he decided to "shut it down" and force a draw.

46...Kf8 47.Nxh6 gxf4 48.gxf4 Kg7 49.Nxf5+ exf5 50.Kb6 Ng2 51.Kxb7 Nxf4 52.Kxa6 Ne6 53.Kb6 f4 54.a6 f3 55.a7 f2 56.a8Q f1Q

White to move

57.Qd5 Qe1 58.Qd6 Qe3+ 59.Ka6 Nc5+ 60.Kb5 Nxb3 61.Qc7+ Kh6 62.Qb6+ Qxb6+ 63.Kxb6 Kh5 64.h4 Kxh4 65.c5 Nxc5 1/2-1/2


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