Gelfand comfortably holds the draw with black in World Championship Game 5

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World Chess Championship 2012 (5)

Gelfand comfortably holds the draw with black in World Championship Game 5

Mark Crowther - Thursday 17th May 2012

Anand was unable to set Gelfand any difficult problems in Game 5. Photo ©

Anand was unable to set Gelfand any difficult problems in Game 5. Photo © | http://moscow2012.fide.com

Viswanathan Anand switched to 1.e4 as white but made absolutely no progress in the face of Boris Gelfand's Sicilian. The inventor of the Sveshnikov was in the press room and he didn't approve of Gelfand's interpretation of his idea, instead black obtained a simplified position which quickly traded into a sterile draw. This was thin gruel indeed lasting just 27 moves and 90 minutes, was this Gelfand's easiest game of the match so far? "Yeah probably" he said and the quick draw with black could be described as a success for him. 2.5-2.5 with 7 games to go. Boris Gelfand now has the first of two white's in a row. This match is the culmination of his career, I would imagine at some stage he will make a grasp for the title, games 6 and 7 may well be that moment. Game 6 3pm Moscow time 12pm BST Friday 18th May 2012. It has been announced that Garry Kasparov will attend giving a press conference, simul display and talk live to the commentators.

Boris Gelfand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Viswanathan Anand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Board during game 5. Having played a lot of moves quickly at the start Gelfand quickly caught up on the clock. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Garry Kasparov to visit the championships during game 6 on 18th May 2012

Press release 17th May 2012.

Garry Kasparov, the 13th world champion, will be a guest of honour at the world chess championship match on 18 May. Garry Kimovich will answer questions from journalists and comment on the match, and will also play a simultaneous exhibition game for young chess players.

A press conference with the 13th champion will take place at 15:15 in the Match press centre, which is operating in the Engineering Building of the Tretyakov Gallery (Lavrushinsky Lane, 12).

When the press conference ends at 16:00 Garry Kasparov will visit the match commentators and will join Alexander Grischuk (in Russian) and Peter Svidler (in English) to discuss the sixth game in the match. Garry Kasparov’s comments will be available not only to the spectators but also to visitors to the official website for the match: http://moscow2012.fide.com/

At 17:00 the famous grandmaster will play a simultaneous exhibition game for young chess players who are taking part in the children’s programme at the match. Prize winners and winners in the world, Russian and European children’s championships will be taking part in the game.

Official commentary from Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam and Joel Lautier (who now is a businessman in Moscow). Tomorrow they'll drag Peter Svidler away from watching the England against West Indies Test Match for the first of 4 scheduled commentaries from him. Alexander Grischuk is in the Russian team. Garry Kasparov may well join both at some stage. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

The Russian commentator was Alexander Grischuk. A couple of titbits appeared on twitter. "Many have a false impression that Boris is a very positional player. Actually he really loves the initiative and active play.", "As commentators we're categorically against Sofia Rules" :)"

Game 5 stage. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

Press Conference for game 5. Peter Doggers takes a photo of the analysis board. Even the press conference was pretty dull. Peter asked about what it was like playing behind glass, Anand said he hadn't thought about it. Scintillating stuff. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.

IM Malcolm Pein Commentates

Anand,Viswanathan (2799) - Gelfand,Boris (2739) [B33]
WCh 2012 Moscow RUS (5), 17.05.2012
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6

Another surprise with Black from Boris. He abandons his beloved Najdorf and once again Vishy's preparation is sidestepped

3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3

[8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 Is the sharp line]

8...b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4

Boris Gelfand

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 11.c4

This has been a trendy line, we don't get the long forcing and tactical lines where Black takes on f6 with the pawn. It's very positional. Black's activity usually compensates for weak d5 square and backward d6 pawn

11...b4 12.Nc2 0-0 13.g3

[13.Ncxb4 Nxb4 14.Nxb4 Qb6 15.Nd5 Qxb2 16.Bd3 Bd8 17.0-0 Be6 18.Qb3 Qxb3 19.axb3 Rb8 20.Rfb1 Bxd5 21.cxd5= Anand - Radjabov]

13...a5 14.Bg2 Bg5 15.0-0 Be6 16.Qd3

Boris Gelfand

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 16.Qd3

16...Bxd5

[16...Qb8!? Played by Moiseenko and McShane]

17.cxd5

[17.exd5 Anand could make the play sharper with no risk but it's still not much 17...Nb8 (Black can spoil the fun with 17...Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Qxd4 Bf6 As pointed out to me via Twitter by GM Erwin L'Ami 20.Qd2 a4=; 17...Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 And again just a tiny edge for White after 19.Rfe1 Bf6) 18.c5 dxc5 Then a variety of interesting lines, some risky 19.Rfe1 (19.d6 c4 20.Qd5 Ra6 21.Rad1) 19...g6 20.h4 (20.Rxe5 Bf6) 20...Bh6 21.Ne3 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Nd7 23.Rad1]

17...Nb8 18.a3 Na6 19.axb4 Nxb4

That completely deadens it

20.Nxb4 axb4 21.h4 Bh6 22.Bh3

Boris Gelfand

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 21....Bh6

[Some commentators were getting excited about 22.Qc4 but it looks similarly uninspiring 22.Qc4 Qb6 23.Qc6 Rab8 24.Bh3!? (24.Rfd1 Anticipating Qxc6 is an edge 24...Rfc8 25.Qxb6 Rxb6 26.Bh3 Rcb8 but not much) ]

22...Qb6

[22...Qb6 23.Qc4 Qc5 24.Qxc5 dxc5 25.d6 (25.b3 Bd2 26.Rxa8 Rxa8 27.Rd1 Bc3 28.d6 Bd4) 25...c4]

23.Bd7 b3 24.Bc6

Boris Gelfand

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 24.Bc6

24....Ra2 25.Rxa2 bxa2 26.Qa3 Rb8 27.Qxa2

[27.Qxa2 Qxb2 28.Qxb2 Rxb2 29.Ra1 g6 30.Ra7 Rb1+ 31.Kg2 Rb2 32.Kf3 Rb3+ 33.Kg4 Rb2 34.Rd7 Bf8=; Or the computer line 27.Qxa2 Qd4 28.Qa3 g6 29.Qxd6 Rb3 30.Kh2 Bf8 31.Qf6 Qxe4 32.Be8 Qxd5 33.Rd1 Rf3 34.Rxd5 Rxf6]

1/2-1/2

Boris Gelfand

Viswanathan Anand

Final Position after 27.Qxa2

WCh Moscow
Anand, Viswanathan	-	Gelfand, Boris	½-½	24	D85	Gruenfeld Defence
Gelfand, Boris	-	Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	25	D45	Anti-Meran Variations
Anand, Viswanathan	-	Gelfand, Boris	½-½	37	D70	Gruenfeld Defence
Gelfand, Boris	-	Anand, Viswanathan	½-½	34	D45	Anti-Meran Variations
Anand, Viswanathan	-	Gelfand, Boris	½-½	27	B33	Sicilian Sveshnikov