Sochi G9: A quick draw tightens the noose

FIDE World Chess Championship Carlsen-Anand 2014

The FIDE World Chess Championship match between defending champion Magnus Carlsen and his challenger Viswanathan Anand is taking place from November 7 to 27, 2014 in Olympic Media Center located in the Adler City District of Sochi, Imeretinsky Valley, on the Black Sea.

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. Sochi Time, which is the same as Moscow time:

Find the starting time in your home location

Round nine

In pugilism or martial arts, a fighter who deliberately avoids fighting can and will be warned or even penalized, and though chess now has a few of its own safeguards, this is a World Championship match, and the rules change. Why do they change? Essentially because of the stakes, and because match play and strategy are a very different beast.

With four games left, and now three after today's encounter, the pressure is on Vishy Anand to force the issue and fight for a win. Magnus Carlsen has justly earned a reputation for fighting and playing on even when there is nothing to gain, such as his famous game against Levon Aronian in the 2013 Sinquefield Cup, so match logic was still left open. In the aformentioned game, a draw by Magnus against Levon would clinch sole first, yet instead of being content to secure the result, he had pressed on and eventually won. A brave and admirable choice, but it must be said that aside from a couple of Elo points, he had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

Magnus Carlsen carefully weighed his options before deciding how to proceed

In Game Nine, Magnus showed maturity or good sense (take your pick) and lay down his cards by following a well-known game by Leinier Dominguez-Ruslan Ponomariov played in 2012, allowing Anand to enter the mainline of the Berlin. They mirrored the moves until move thirteen, and only two moves later the World Champion set the stage for a repetition, which he promptly seized.

Vishy Anand grimaced as he saw what was coming

Daniel King shows how game 9 ended in a draw

There are only three games left, with two whites for the Challenger, including the last game if needed, and the Indian will need to show what he has in store against an opponent who refuses to cooperate to give him chances for a fight. In a way, it is a question that has never really been answered: Magnus is known for his tireless fighting spirit, but if he won't play ball, how successfully can you force the issue? It is the question Team Anand will need to address in the final games, and it promises some fascinating bouts.

Carlsen was quite unimpressed if this was the preparation to 'create chances to play for a win'

Garry Kasparov warned against getting too comfortable

Although game ten will be played tomorrow, the two games thereafter will be separated by rest days each, instead of only after every two rounds, allowing the best preparation possible for the decision.

Score

Summary of the round provided by Niklesh Jain in Hindi for Indian visitors

विश्व शतरंज चैंपियनशिप – नवां मैच 20 चालों में ड्रॉ कार्लसन 5-4 से आंगे

पिछली विश्व चैंपियनशिप में नवां मैच जंहा सबसे रोमांचक मैच  साबित हुआ था उसके विपरीत आज का मैच अब तक का सबसे जल्द खत्म होने वाला मैच साबित हो गया । दर्शको के लिए आज का मैच निराशा लेकर आया और सिर्फ 20 चालों में ड्रॉ हो गया और विश्व चैंपियनशिप का सबसे कम चालों का मैच साबित हुआ । कार्लसन ने अपनी एक अंक की बढ़त बरकरार रखी है और उनके हिसाब से उन्हे शायद सफ़ेद मोहरो से और ज्यादा ज़ोर लगाना चाहिए था पर आज आनंद ज्यादा बेहतर तैयारी के साथ थे और उन्हे ड्रॉ करना भी ठीक लगा क्यूंकी वो जितना भी धीरे धीरे 6.5 के करीब जा रहे है उन्हे इसमें कोई बुराई नजर नहीं आ रही है । एक बार फिर बर्लिन ओपेनिंग में मैच खेला गया आनंद ने एक बार फिर वजीर की अदला बदली का रास्ता चुना और अपने किलेबंदी का अधिकार कुर्बान कर दिया । आनंद का सफ़ेद खानो का ऊंट काफी अच्छा नजर आ रहा था साथ ही कार्लसन की e5 पैदल थोड़ा कमजोर थी पर कार्लसन के मोहरे की प्रतिभागिता आनंद से बेहतर थी और लग रहा था की किस तरह कार्लसन अपनी आदत और स्वभाव के अनुसार खेल में दबाव बनाना शुरू करते है खैर आखिरकार अचानक उम्मीद के विपरीत कार्लसन ने पैदल को e6 चलते हुए खेल को आगे ले जाने का एक ऐसा रास्ता चुना जो सीधे तौर पर खेल को ड्रॉ की तरफ ले गया उन्होने अपने घोड़े से लगातार आनंद के राजा को शह देते हुए खेल को बराबरी पर रोक दिया । आनंद ने बाद मे कहा की वो इस ड्रॉ से निराश नहीं है क्यूकी वो काले मोहरो से खेल रहे थे ।

अगले तीन बचे मैच में आनंद दो बार सफ़ेद मोहरो से खेलेंगे और कार्लसन के दिमाग में कंही न कंही दबाव होगा की कंही कोई गलती न हो जाए । अतः यह कहना बेमानी नहीं होगी की आनंद आज के इस मैच के बाद वाकई अपनी संभावनाओं में कुछ सुधार करते नजर आए है । कल का मैच अब शायद सबसे महत्वपूर्ण मैच बन गया है और यह तय करेगा की विश्व विजेता की तरफ कदम कौन मजबूती से आगे बढ़ाता है ।

आपका निकलेश जैन 

Live comments on playchess.com

Schedule of live commentary, TV shows, training and tournaments

Playchess.com is Europe's largest chess server, as well as being the official server of the German Chess Federation. More than 4,000 players are logged on every evening, and you can play, chat, watch grandmaster games or take part in free chess training with friends from anywhere in the world. There is even a special room for beginners and hobby players where you can play games without a clock.

Get your Playchess membership instantly – or try it out with a single mouse click

Our team of World Championship commentators (English)

Irina Krush: The female in the commentator team, several times US Women's Champion.		Daniel King: Well known, popular, experienced, and very good. Author of many Fritztrainer DVDs
Simon Williams: Englisher grandmaster, author of two popular ChessBase King's Gambit DVDs.		Chris Ward: Dragon expert and chess commentator at the London Chess Classic.
Niclas Pert: Grandmaster, trainer, and author of a number of excellent Fritztrainer DVDs.		Loek van Wely: Several times Dutch champion and quick-witted chess commentator.
Parimarjan Negi: Once the world's youngest grandmaster, author of books and DVDs.		Rustam Kasimdzhanov: The FIDE-World Champion 2004, former second for Vishy Anand

Live commentary on Playchess is also available in other languages:

German

• Klaus Bischoff: German Champion and Anchor of the German chess commentary on Playchess
• Oliver Reeh: Also known as "Tactics Reeh" for his regular column in the ChessBase magazine and the ChessBase website
• Dr. Karsten Müller: Graduated mathematician and chess grandmaster. His works on the endgame changed endgame training completely.
• Thomas Luther: Several times German champion. Active in the FIDE commission for the handicapped.
• Merijn van Delft: From the Dutch dynasty of the van Delfts. Lives in Hambug and in Holland.
• Yannick Pelletier: Several times Swiss champion. With a linguistic gift he can provide commentary in a number of languages.
• Markus Ragger: Grandmaster and Austria's number one.
• Harald Schneider-Zinner: Chess trainer and moderator of ChessBase TV Austria.

French

• Christian Bauer: Grandmaster, several time French Champion and member of the French national team.
• Fabien Libiszewski: International Master and member of the French national team.
• Romain Edouard: Grandmaster, European Junior Champion and Vice-World Junior Champion, member of the French national team.
• Sebastien Mazé: Grandmaster and French national coaach

Spanish

• Ana Matnadze, Marc Narcisco, Sergio Estremera

Links Official tournament site All games in PGN The games will be broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com with full GM commentary. If you are not a member of Playchess get instant access, but you can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs to log on.