5/30/2012 – The fourth game of the tiebreak brought a tangible advantage for Challenger Boris Gelfand, who needed to win with the black pieces to stay in the match. But World Champion Vishy Anand kept things under control and found a very neat solution to the problems. With a draw the World Champion won the tiebreak 2.5-1.5 and keeps his title. Full report with photos, videos and GM analysis.
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The World Chess Championship 2012 is being staged in the Tretyakov Gallery
in Moscow, between the current World Champion Viswanathan Anand of India and
the winner of the Candidates tournament Boris Gelfand of Israel. The match is
over twelve games and lasts from May 11 to 30. The prize fund is US $2.55 million,
the winner getting $1.53 million (60%), the loser $1.02 million (40%).
NIIT report: Anand wins tiebreaks, retains World Championship title
Reigning World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand defeated Challenger Boris Gelfand
of Israel in the rapid tie-breaks 2.5-1.5 to win the World Chess Championship
for the fifth time. This is also a hat-trick in classical matches for Anand,
who won the tournament format in 2007 in Mexico. When FIDE switched to match
format he defeated Vladimir Kramnik in 2008 in Bonn, Germany, and then won against
Veselin Topalv in 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria. This win against Gelfand is his third
match win in a row.
Today when it mattered most, the "Speed King” was at his tactical
best be it in attack and defence. “It was a tough match and I am too tense
now to feel anything more than a sense of relief,” said the 42-year-old
after the game.
Speaking on Anand’s win at Moscow, Mr Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman of sponsor
NIIT, said: "I heartily congratulate NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand
for retaining the World Chess Champion title. Anand’s fifth World Chess
Championship win- is a new FIDE record and a milestone in the history of chess.
Anand’s fighting spirit, perseverance and determination to overcome any
challenge will surely inspire youngsters in India to embrace the game of chess.
NIIT remains committed to promote chess in schools in India, through the NIIT
MindChampions' Academy, our joint initiative with Anand.”
The 12-game match had resulted in a 6-6 deadlock, and the tie-breaks were needed
to decide the title. In the first game of the rapid, where each player had 25
minutes on the clock with a ten second increment for every move, Anand defended
nicely with the black pieces, once again opting for the Slav Defence. The game
ended in a draw after 32 moves.
Anand playing 6.Nxe5 in game two of the tiebreak
Boris Gelfand about to play Pd7-d6 on his seventh move...
... and pondering his tenth move, Bc8-b7, in this decisive game
However there was excitement with Anand wielding white pieces in the second
game. It was once again a Sicilian Rossolimo which saw Anand playing a novelty
on the seventh move. Once again the queens were exchanged rather early, and
thereafter it was a tactical battle between the minor pieces. Anand did appear
better and won a pawn in the middle-game. Thereafter in an intense battle Anand
played fast and Gelfand found himself on the losing side after 77 moves.
Anand looked in trouble in the third game but wriggled out with a draw. The
Indian GM, who needed just a draw in the fourth game, played solidly to earn
the vital half point after 56 moves.
About NIIT MindChampions’ Academy
NIIT MindChampions’ Academy is a joint initiative by NIIT, a leading
Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia’s largest IT Trainer, and
World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand, to initiate young minds into the world
of chess. Established in 2002, the Academy has fostered over 11,000 chess clubs
with more than one million students as its members, in schools across India.
GM Viswanathan Anand has personally travelled across India, spreading the message
for enhancing thinking skills by learning chess and motivating the school students.
NIIT Mind Champions’ Academy conducts an annual event for the academy’s
members. The academy provides teaching learning materials on chess, which includes
computer based tutorials, video based mentoring by Viswanathan Anand, chess
software, puzzles and a database of games.
NIIT
Nguru is a smarter education solution for schools that utilizes appropriate
technology as backbone and encompasses all the possible components required
to make the school smarter. NGuru enables the school to move to a higher plane
by introducing innovations in the Computer Lab, Subject lab, classrooms and
administration. For more information, please write to nguru@niit.com or TeamAnand@niit.com
visit www.niitnguru.com.
All photos by Anastasya Karlovich
Scoreboard
Players
Rtng
R1
R2
R3
R4
Tot.
Perf.
Vishy Anand
2791
½
1
½
½
2.5
2815
Boris Gelfand
2727
½
0
½
½
1.5
2703
Tiebreak games analysed by GM Gilberto Milos
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Move
N
Result
Elo
Players
1.e4
1,184,215
54%
2421
---
1.d4
958,932
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
286,327
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,722
56%
2443
---
1.g3
19,884
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,598
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,953
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,906
50%
2384
---
1.b4
1,790
48%
2378
---
1.a3
1,250
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,081
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
92
67%
2511
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.e4c52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5e64.Bxc6bxc65.b3e56.Nxe5Qe77.d4The novelty.d68.Nxc6Qxe4+9.Qe2Qxe2+10.Kxe2Bb711.Na5Bxg212.Rg1Bh313.dxc5dxc514.Nc3Anand's new move
has worked and White is better.0-0-015.Bf4Bd6Interesting decision. Black
should take care against Nb5.16.Bxd6Rxd617.Rg517.Rxg7Nf6with the
idea of Re8 attacking white's king.17...Nf618.Rxc5+Kb819.Nc4Re8+20.Ne3Ng4Black's counterplay is against White's king and the isolated pawn on
h2.21.Ncd5Nxe322.Nxe3Bg4+23.f3Bc824.Re1Rh6Black has enough compensation
for the pawn and the position is equal.25.Rh1Rhe626.Rc3f527.Kd2f428.Nd5g529.Rd3Re2+30.Kc1Rf231.h4Ree231...g4was necessary to
keep the balance.32.Rc3Bb733.Rd1!Suddenly White is better again because
Black's king is in danger. Time trouble is also an important factor here.gxh434.Nxf4Re835.Rh1Rc836.Rxc8+Bxc837.Rxh4Bf538.Rh5!Bxc239.Rb5+Ka840.Nd5a641.Ra5Kb742.Nb4Bg643.Nxa6Rxf344.Nc5+Kb645.b4It's
difficult to say if this is winning but certainly White has chances. Boris played
very well this part of the game and managed to hold.Rf446.a3Rg447.Kd2h548.Nd7+Kb749.Ne5Rg2+50.Kc3Be851.Nd3h452.Re5Bg653.Nf4Rg3+54.Kd4Bc255.Rh5Rxa356.Rxh4Rg3This should be a draw but even in a match
for the world title a knight is very strong in time trouble.57.Nd5Rg558.b5Bf559.Rh6Bg459...Bg6seems better cutting off White's rook.60.Rf6Rf561.Rb6+Ka762.Rg6Bf363.Rg7+Kb864.Nc3Bb765.Kc4Bf366.Kb4Bd567.Na4Rf768.Rg5Bf369.Nc5Kc770.Rg6Kd871.Ka5Rf5?The decisive
mistake. Black's position is unpleasant and very difficult to defend in time
trouble. The correct move was71...Bh1and with precise play, Black should
draw. Of course, with seconds left, precise play is a tall order.72.Ne6+!Kc873.Nd4Rf874.Nxf3Rxf375.Kb6Black's king will be expulsed from
the b and c files and the pawn will queen.Rb376.Rg8+Kd777.Rb8Black
resigned. The plan is simple: White will play Ka7-b6-Kb7-Rh8 with an easy win.1–0
1.d4d52.c4c63.Nf3Nf64.e3Bf55.Nc3e66.Nh4Bg67.Nxg6hxg68.Bd3Nbd79.0-0Bd610.h30-010...dxc411.Bxc4Nb6was played twice in Carlsen-Gelfand and Boris lost both games.11.Qc2Qe712.Rd1Rac813.c5Bb814.f414.b4e5and Black would free
himself.14...Ne815.Rb1g516.b4f516...a617.b5gxf418.exf4White
is now clearly better.Nef619.bxc6bxc620.Ba6Rc7A very strange position
for the rook butafter20...Rce821.Bb7wins the pawn.21.Be3Ne422.Rb2g523.Rdb1gxf424.Bxf4e525.Bxe5Nxe526.Rxb8?Completely
focused on b8, Gelfand misses26.Nxe4!which wins immediately afterfxe4The mistake is actually understandable, since under normal circumstances this
would be a positional horror, but tactical considerations change that.26...Nc427.Bxc4fxe428.Ba627.dxe526...Ng6Black has managed to avoid immediate
defeat, though he is still worse.27.Nxe4fxe428.Qf2A good move, taking
advantage of the pin on the 8th rank. White is only better though, and no longer
winning.Qg729.Kh2Rcf730.Qg3Nf431.R8b3Gelfand starts to play strange
moves, no doubt a combination of nerves and time trouble. More natural was31.Rxf8+Rxf832.Qxg7+Kxg733.Rb7+Kh634.Rc7Rf6and White is slightly
better.31...Qxg3+32.Rxg3+Kh733.Rd1?!Ne634.Be2Rf235.Bg4Nf436.Rb1Rf737.Rb8Rxa238.Rc8e339.Rxe3Rxg2+40.Kh1Rd241.Rxc6Ne642.Rf3Rxf343.Bxf3Nxd444.Rc7+Kh645.Bxd5Rc246.Be4Rc347.Kh2Kg548.Rd7Nf3+? exchanging the minor pieces is a serious mistake similar to the
one in the decisive second game. The rook ending is probably lost.48...Ne649.c6a550.Ra7Nd451.Rxa5+Kf4is a draw.49.Bxf3Rxf350.Rxa7Rc351.Rc7Kf552.c6Ke653.h4Kd654.Rc8Ra355.Kg2Re356.Kh2Ra357.Kg2Re358.h5Re559.h6Rh560.Rh8Kxc661.Rh7??An incredible mistake! While
it is true, Gelfand had less than a minute left on his clock, the increment
per move would ensure he never actually ran out of time.White could have
won with61.Kg3Rh161...Kd662.h762.Kg4Kb763.Kg5Rg1+64.Kf6Rf1+65.Kg6Rg1+66.Kh7followed by Rg8-Kg7 and the pawn will queen.61...Kd662.Kg3Ke663.Kg4Rh1and black king reaches the pawn in time.½–½
GM Daniel King analysis of the first game in the tie-break
GM Daniel King analysis of the second game in the tie-break
GM Daniel King analysis of the third game in the tie-break
GM Daniel King analysis of the fourth game in the tie-break
IM Andrew Martin analysis of the decisive fifth game
Video report by Vijay Kumar for Doordarshan Indian TV Network
Video stream of the round (from the official World
Championship site)
Once again the Russian organisers are providing unprecedented
coverage,
with a HD video stream of the action and commentary by visiting grandmasters.
Pre-Tiebreak news
The above e-paper spread in the newspaper Mid-Day, Mumbai, was written by our
friend and colleague Manisha Mohite. To do so just click here
or on the image above for a high-res version of the story.
Tiebreak games
Rapid game one: The first rapid chess games of the World Championship
tiebreaks in Moscow was exciting and super-sharp. Vishy Anand, playing with
the black pieces, gained a considerable advantage but missed a possibly game-winning
continuation. The game ended as a tense 32-move draw.
Rapid game two: The second rapid chess game was a super-sharp
see-saw affair, with the World Champion gaining clear winning chances twice,
but being foiled twice by a precise and accurate challenger. However Boris Gelfand
used too much time on his clock and blundered and Anand won in 77 moves. He
now leads with 1.5-0.5. GM Daniel King is commenting on Playchess.
Rapid game three: The third game was yet another super-sharp
piece of tactical fireworks, with Challenger gaining a decisive advantage and
then relinquishing it in face of imaginative defence by the World Champion.
In addition Boris Gelfand ran down very badly on time, and in the end had to
concede a draw. He now needs to win the fourth game with black to stay in the
match.
Rapid game four: The fourth game of the tiebreak brought a
tangible advantage for Challenger Boris Gelfand, who needed to win with the
black pieces to stay in the match. But World Champion Vishy Anand kept things
under control and found a very neat solution to the problems he faced and went
on to draw. With that the World Champion won the tiebreak 2.5-1.5 and retains
his title.
The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and 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
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