World Chess Championship 2014: Can the Tiger of Madras Bite Back?

L1m1tless

Only a few days before the start of the 2014 World Chess Championship.

Official Site


Magnus Carlsen (Norway) Rating 2863

Incumbent World Chess Champion (Since 2013) is one of the youngest ever to become a Grandmaster. Dubbed 'The Mozart of Chess' by the fans and media alike, he is known for his amazing chess skills in the endgame. It's the first time he is defending his title.






Viswanathan anand (India) Rating 2792

5-time World Chess Champion, Vishy Anand is considered one of the most versatile chess players in the world. He is the only world champion who won titles playing in all different formats (match, tournament and knockout). He is the first Indian grandmaster.

L1m1tless

EnPassant

First game is at 12:00 noon Irish time on Saturday.

checknraise

I don't see how the result will be any different to last time with Carlsen winning easily.

What struck me tho was the picture on the website showing where the match will be played with the board in the center surrounded by the audience. It seems quite intimidating!!

corny

Anyone know if its being broadcast on tv?

Valmont

There is a good android app covering the game by Asim Perreira - I had it for last year's game and it was very good.

L1m1tless

Not on TV as far as I know but it will be live streaming online

Ficheall

Why are the poll results hidden?

L1m1tless

They will appear tomorrow when the poll closes

Valmont

I'm really looking forward to this game now. I played through Carlsen's win with the Scandinavian defence against Caruana at Tromso this year earlier today - he plays very directly and straightforwardly - it reminds me of Fischer a bit.

L1m1tless

Press conference live stream here https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/worldChampionship2014/1/1/1

Morrisseeee

I fancy Carlsen to win in a tight match (just a hunch!), but it would be entertaining to see it going to a shootout.

RQ_ennis_chess

Really good coverage of the match on FIDE website http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/
Live commentary, computer analysis and live footage of the players there. Carlsen played the Grunfeld and his position is ok but just looking at his expression he looks quite worried and is taking a long time. Anand will be happy so far.

Valmont

Yes I'm watching that too, I'm very impressed actually! I don't think Anand is after a draw today.

L1m1tless

would love to see Anand grab an early lead in the match

RQ_ennis_chess

Looks like its about to get very interesting, Carlsens position is the more solid but looks like Anands has the more dynamism so both players could be walking a tightrope soon

namenotavailablE

Game 1 [8th November 2014]

The position is as follows (it looks like Magnus has a massively favourable position) with Anand playing white to move:




He played 44 Qh1!

A patzer here but my impression is "What a great move to find in a difficult position by Vishy!" Missed by Peter Svidler and his co-commentator on live.fide.com/sochi and on seeing it their immediate impressions are that it provides real counterplay to dull Magnus' attack.

Ciaran

Finished in a draw just in time for the rugby, interesting game.

The commentary on the official site was great.

Valmont

I just couldn't stop looking at Svidler's odd earring!

Valmont

Carlsen wins with his first go as white! He played the Ruy Lopez.

namenotavailablE

Vishy probably went wrong with 24..Rab8 (and he himself referred to this as a blunder in the post-game interview).
24..h6 as suggested by the online commentators seemed somewhat better but the position was extremely difficult with limited options.

RQ_ennis_chess

As I said here maybe it would be better for Anand to have payed 1...c5 or maybe Carlsen is just a better player at this point in his career and the opening choice didnt matter so much. Seems like Anand was doing ok but just started to drift a bit and then found himself under pressure. Nice game by Carlsen

Valmont

Interesting piece, RQ. Sorry I missed Svidler talking about blitz chess - I'm starting to think it is damaging my regular chess.

RQ_ennis_chess

Well if I understood him right Svidlers take on blitz seems to be that yes there are negatives associated with it but that the positives outweigh the negatives at least up until a certain point in a players chess development so I wouldnt give up blitz just yet!

Morrisseeee

Anand playing well, he has a slight advantage atm.

L1m1tless

Anand +1.09 at higher depts. Still in prep too! Hopefully he can take home the win!

checknraise

Anand is not even playing never mind playing well!

It is all preparation but I don't think it will be enough to beat Carlsen.

L1m1tless

whats wrong with preparation?

Morrisseeee

Anand well ahead now !

And a much needed win for Anand, phew!

Valmont

Yes I'm glad Anand won as we now have an exciting match on our hands. He didn't even win one last year but surely he will be playing with more confidence now. The commentators seem to think he has the edge over Magnus in the openings.

groovie

Great to see a contest emerging.

L1m1tless

Just like when Rocky first made Ivan Drago bleed, he started to doubt himself. Carlsen is not invincible! Go anand!

Morrisseeee

Anand was extremely well prepared and it was surprising to see Carlsen make a blunder (28....Ba5?)
At least it makes it more entertaining now

Valmont

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Anand was extremely well prepared and it was surprising to see Carlsen make a blunder (28....Ba5?)

Svidler and Guramishvilli considered and discounted that move quite quickly before Carlsen played it! I can't wait for tomorrow's game now that Carlsen has been rattled. I'm really enjoying the commentary and very glad my work life is such that I can watch a few of the games at the moment.

Morrisseeee

I guess Carlsen is 'human' after all :eek:
You'd imagine Carlsen will come out all guns blazing today !

L1m1tless

Draw today, but not without chances. Anand looking much stronger than last year.

Valmont

How these guys can guide games into a position where they have prepared a special novelty for the 23rd move or thereabouts is beyond me! Anand must possess a serious amount of theoretical knowledge.

cdeb

I imagine a lot of prep on the opponent helps - knowing what he's likely to play.

But in a 12-match fight like this, where your opponent is bound to try mix things up, it must be that bit harder.

namenotavailablE

Game 6 currently (after Rxe6) looks like a totally winning position for Magnus playing white.

cdeb

Magnus wins, but what an amazing mutual blunder on move 26! Carlsen basically gave Anand a one-move win, and Anand missed it.

cdeb

Some very silly questions in the press conference - all focussed on "What was it like to make that move?"

Valmont

I'm disappointed with the press conferences, too. The chess world is in short supply of decent journalists and commentators - Svidler being an exception of course. Have you seen the cheesy break segment called 'Time Out'? They have this bizarre kitsch intro for the most bland interviewer in history who seems to walk around the reception hall chatting to this or that dull IM or GM. I wish I was alive when Fischer played Spassky in '72!

Valmont

Will Anand bounce back again today? I still fancy Carlsen to win the match.

Valmont

Six hours of play today but Carlsen definitely looked more exhausted in the press conference.

namenotavailablE

Anand has 3 games with white remaining- this is still a contest that can go either way!
I predict that he'll uncork something incredible (think back to his Semi-Slav defence preparation against Kramnik in 2008) in his efforts to equalise.

Here's to an exciting 5 games!

maol

Anand will feel a bit like he's won a game after drawing that ending yesterday. His preparation time will be reduced for the game today, but no doubt his team will have been working on something. We could be in for a very tense finish especially if Anand can produce something juicy today.

cdeb

I liked the bit on the Twitter on the side where people were saying they were looking forward now to seeing Carlsen grind out a win, and then Caruana comes on and says the ending looks drawish to him, and he didn't know what people saw in white's position.

L1m1tless

Quick draw today. Anand left with 2 games as white and one as black. The next game should be exciting.

Valmont

I wonder whether he has saved up some devastating novelties for the last two games as white. Carlsen looks to be growing in confidence to me - I think he fell asleep during yesterday's game.

L1m1tless

maybe he fell asleep yesterday because he was trying to keep pure for the drugs test and had no stimulants in his system :P

Do you think Anand will stick with 1. d4 tomorrow?

Ciaran

CowboyDreams wrote: »

Do you think Anand will stick with 1. d4 tomorrow?

Hopefully. Carlsen will head straight for another Berlin if he plays e4.