World Championship G12 – Draw in 22 moves

by ChessBase
5/28/2012 – It has been an underwhelming match, but there can be no peace, as the rules will not allow it. After a very strange game, Anand entered an endgame a pawn up, and although he was slightly better and Gelfand had 16 minutes for 18 moves, they drew! This means that the classical world champion will be decided by rapid games, and possibly blitz. Full report with GM commentary, pictures and videos.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

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%).

Round twelve – Draw in 22 moves

The twelfth and final classic game of the match epitomized this encounter in many ways.  Entering the match, in spite of the World Champion’s distinct lack of form in the previous months, it was presumed that he had been saving his best for the upcoming battle and would steamroll Boris when the time came. The time came, the time passed, and the impending massacre never took place. In fact, with few exceptions, the match has been lacking not so much great technical qualities as great fighting spirit.


Waiting for the start of game twelve: e4 or not e4, that is the question


1.e4 it is, something Anand has played for most of his career


Gelfand replies with another Scilian Rossolimo...


... and tries to divine what his opponent intends to do

This isn’t to say the twelfth game was boring by any means: it was not. It just should never have ended in 22 moves. After an interesting tussle in which Gelfand gave up a pawn for compensation in a massive center and bishop pair, one that Kramnik even favored for Black, Anand managed to come out of it into an endgame a pawn up. Though his winning chances were minimal, to be fair, his opponent was down to sixteen minutes to make eighteen moves, and it was entirely riskless to press on and see what happened. Vishy’s justification in the post-game conference was that it was equal and simplified, but that is hardly the question. The real question is: where was the harm in playing on? The only certainty is that he will not win if he does not even try.

When queried about the lack of entertainment, Gelfand became slightly defensive, replying that the commentators should do their job in explaining to the uninformed audience the innuendos of match play. If only he knew… since names such as Kasparov, Karpov, Kramnik, Grischuk, and Svidler, have not exactly been siding with the players.

When the players finally shook hands, Kramnik, expert commentator of the day at the official site, was fairly shocked. His only explanation was that Anand was wilting under the pressure, and just wanted it over with as quickly as possible. This does not bode well for the upcoming rapid and blitz games where the tension will be at its highest.


In the post-game conference, GM Ian Rogers asked the players what color they would choose for the
Armageddon. With a possible fourteen speed chess games, we hope this concern never materializes.

One thing is clear: the title is still up for grabs. The tiebreaks are on Wednesday at 12:00h Moscow time (00:00h CEST, 04 AM New York) and will consist of four 25mins+10s rapid games, then five pairs of 5min + 3s blitz, then sudden death. After that rock, paper, and scissors? Actually this could be the first World Championship with more tiebreak than regular games.

Game commentary by GM Gilberto Milos

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
A decisive game for the world championship title finishing in a draw in 22 moves is really sad. It is clear that none of the players are inspired and I don't see a favorite in the rapid games. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Ne7 6.b3 d6 A novelty. This allows the weakening of both the e5 and c5 pawns. Normal is 6...Ng6 7.Bb2 f6 8.e5 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nbd2 fxe5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 d6 13.Bg3 e5 As in Spassky-Gulko (1990). 7.e5 Ng6 against the normal 7...d5 White would play something like 8.Ba3 Ng6 9.0-0 Be7 10.c4 10.Nc3 10...0-0 11.Nc3 and Na4 to pressure c5. 7...dxe5 is also playable and would be similar to the game. 8.h4 forcing Black to capture on e5 or play ..h5 weakening g5. This move has to be played before White plays Bb2, because on c1 the bishop controls f4 where the black knight might try to flee to. Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Nd2 c4 This was not necessary, and was a voluntary decision by Gelfand. The idea is to open the game for the bishops, an idea that Anand approved of in the post-game conference. 11.Nxc4 Ba6 12.Qf3 12.Bb2 f6 and the white bishop is blocked. 12.Nxe5?? Qa5+ 12.h5 is the computer suggestion but I can't see exactly what the idea would be. 12...Qd5 Giving another pawn and definitively improving his pawn structure. 13.Qxd5 cxd5 14.Nxe5 f6 Now black has center and two bishops for the pawn. It is enough compensation. 15.Nf3 e5 In the English commentary, Vladimir Kramnik, upon seeing this position, said that given a choice, he would actually prefer to play black here. His bishop pair, powerful center, and possibility to attack weaknesses not only gives him full compensation, but is actually potentially dangerous for White. It would be very appropriate to start searching for a draw here, and Gelfand would even be well advised to decline it should it be offered. In contrast, Peter Svidler, in the Russian commentary, opined that White was slightly better here. 16.0-0 Kf7 17.c4 This pawn would be attacked and c4 is the safest choice. Be7 18.Be3 Bb7 Black might have played d4 but Boris prefers to wait for the right moment. In fact this was his last chance. 18...d4 19.Bd2 Bb7 leads to an interesting position. 20.b4 would be an option for White. 19.cxd5 Good decision! Instead of waiting Anand decides to do something. He will promote exchanges and try to make his material advantage count. Bxd5 20.Rfc1 a5 20...Rhc8 seemed better, avoiding White's idea. 21.Bc5! White has a clear but small advantage. Rhd8 22.Bxe7 and they agreed a draw. Really disappointing! ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Anand,V2791Gelfand,B2727½–½2012B30World Chess Championship Match12

Game analysis by Malcolm Pein

IM Malcolm Pein comments on the games on TWIC and live during each game via Twitter #telegraphchess.

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Game 10 was 5.b3 e5! which was a great novelty and gave Boris an easy draw Ne7 6.b3 Novelty Vishy puts Boris on his own for a change d6 Black intends e5 with a strong centre, White's next is logical 7.e5 Now Vishy can pursue the dark square strategy he intended in G10 Ng6 8.h4 What a bold move for a game where there is a world title and half a million at stake Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Nd2 e5 and c5 ar weak. Boris had a long think to 59 minutes used and came up with a dynamic and bold solution c4 Boris thought to 59 minutes! 10...Qd4 Would instinctively be avoided by Boris as Vishy likely to have analysed complication with the computer 11.Rb1 Be7 12.Nc4 f6 13.Bb2 Qd5 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qg4 0-0 15...Kf7 16.h5 g5∞ 11.Nxc4 Ba6 11...Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 f6 14.Qb4 Qe7 15.a3 c5 11...Bb4+ 12.Kf1!? 11...Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 f6 14.Qb4 Qe7 15.Qd6 Qxd6 16.Nxd6+ Looks like an edge 12.Qf3 Qd5! Boris wants the endgame with 2 bishops and space and gives up a second pawn 12...Qc7 13.0-0 Be7 14.Nxe5! 12...Qc7 13.Bb2 Bxc4 14.dxc4 Bb4+= 13.Qxd5 13.Qg3 Bxc4 14.bxc4 Qa5+ 15.Bd2 Bb4!= 13...cxd5 14.Nxe5 f6 15.Nf3 e5 16.0-0 Kf7 Black has ample compensation. Look how he has opened the game for the bishops and the light squared one is the key. To gain some space Vishy must consider c2-c4 17.c4 Be7 18.Be3 Bb7 19.cxd5 Bxd5 20.Rfc1 a5 21.Bc5 Rhd8 22.Bxe7 More notes to follow ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Anand,V2799Gelfand,B2739½–½2012WCh 201212

GM Robert Fontaine and his video producer Gérard Demuydt are in Moscow, producing video reports and interviews after each round for the French chess magazine Europe Echecs. We are grateful to receive the reports very soon after the end of the games, so that we are able to publish them on the same day. It is also great to catch a glimpse of the many interesting personalities that visit the World Championship.

Tiebreaks forecast by Daniel King

Video commentary Game 12 by Daniel King

Video commentary by Andrew Martin

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.

 

All pictures by Anastasya Karlovich

Scoreboard

 Players
Rtng
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Tot.
Perf.
+/–
 Vishy Anand
2791
½
½
½
½
½
½
0
1
½
½
½
½
6.0
2727
–11
 Boris Gelfand  
2727
½
½
½
½
½
½
1
0
½
½
½
½
6.0
2791
+11

Remaining schedule

Days of play, with live commentators on Playchess.com. Note that the tiebreak games start at 12:00h Moscow time (10:00h CEST, 04 a.m. New York) or here in your location.

Tues May 29 Rest day  
Wed May 30 Tiebreaks  
Thurs May 31 Closing  

Links

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 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.

Copyright ChessBase

Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.