Anand and Carlsen draw an interesting first game of their World Championship Match in Sochi

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World Chess Championship 2014 (1)

Anand and Carlsen draw an interesting first game of their World Championship Match in Sochi

Mark Crowther - Saturday 8th November 2014

Magnus Carlsen showing some interest in his position after move 40. Photo ©

Magnus Carlsen showing some interest in his position after move 40. Photo © | http://sochi2014.fide.com

The match for the World Chess Championship in Sochi started with a draw in 48 moves. Anand had slightly better opening preparation but Carlsen managed to equalise and Anand started to go wrong on the run up to move 40. It seems Carlsen didn't make the best of his chances and allowed a quick draw after 42...Re2 (42...Re3) Anand found a line with the fine 44.Qh1 which quickly forced a draw.

Anand opened with 1.d4 and Carlsen replied with a slight surprise of the Gruenfeld Defence which he hasn't played on a regular basis for some time.

"Carlsen didn't play c5 where absolutely everyone plays c5." said Svidler about Carlsen's choice of 8...Nc6. Anand was playing quickly at this stage and Carlsen used about 45 minutes of the first hour of play.

Anand play his moves quickly but did pause for a while after 13...c6.

Svidler around this position was saying: "One mistake, and certainly two, could cost Magnus the game... and that's not a comfortable position" "The price of a mistake in a position of this type goes way up."

15.Bh3 seems to have been a prepared idea.

"I thought this idea with Bh3 was nice. Taking away the c8 square for the rook." Carlsen

It didn't seem too problematic for Carlsen who had 17...Qb6 if he just wanted equalisation. Teimour Radjabov criticised 21.Rhe1 rather than something like 21.h4 and he may be right.

After 27.Rd7 the position was more or less balanced and Anand chose to temporarily sacrifice his d-pawn for what seemed a position that was "impossible to spoil" in Svidler's words. However as mild time pressure approached Anand made some "Some imperceptively careless moves." and at move 40 "When the pawn came to a4 I thought I might be getting into some trouble."

The assessment of the rest of the game turns on 42.Rd4 which Anand worked out in quite a bit of detail. Carlsen's 42...Re2 43.Rb4 b5 44.Qh1 led to an immediate draw. The player discussed 42..Re3 43.Rd7+ Kh6 44. Rxb7 Rb3 "Well I think he should have tried this." - Anand. Although neither seemed to suggested this was winning after 45. Rxb3 axb3+ 46. Ka1 Qxh2 as a quick engine check suggests. In which case Anand would have had to play 43. Qd1 Qxd1 44. Rxd1 b5 when the chances depend on how you evaluate this ending.

Anand "I'm slightly relieved."

Carlsen "It's OK by me I'm not disappointed at all."

Carlsen "Certainly this needs to be checked. The opening."

Game 2 Sunday 9th November 12pm GMT: Carlsen-Anand. I will be hosting the ICC coverage with GM John Fedorowicz but you have to be a member to hear me.

Score Carlsen 0.5 - Anand 0.5

Notes and photos below.

They're off. Arbiter Andrzej Filipowicz starts the clock at the start of the Carlsen-Anand match. Photo © http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/.

Anand,Viswanathan (2792) - Carlsen,Magnus (2863) [D85]
WCh 2014 Sochi RUS (1), 08.11.2014
[Crowther,Mark]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2 Bg7 6.e4 Nxc3 7.Bxc3 0-0 8.Qd2 Nc6

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 8.Nc6

FEN:
r1bq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/2n3p1/8/3PP3/2B5/PP1Q1PPP/R3KBNR w KQ - 0 9

An important choice from Carlsen. "Carlsen didn't play c5 where absolutely everyone plays c5." Svidler.

[8...c5]

9.Nf3 Bg4

Carlsen was taking his time in the opening.

10.d5 Bxf3 11.Bxg7N

[Relevant: 11.gxf3 Ne5 12.Be2 c6 13.f4 Nd7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Rc1 Nf6 17.Rc4 Qb8 18.b3 Rd8 19.Qe3 a5 20.0-0 a4 21.b4 a3 22.Rb1 Ra4 23.Bf3 c5 24.Rxc5 Rxb4 25.Rxb4 Qxb4 26.e5 Ng8 27.Rc3 Nh6 28.Rb3 Qc4 29.Rc3 Qxa2 30.Rxa3 Qb1+ 31.Kg2 Nf5 32.Qc3 Nh4+ 33.Kh3 Qf1+ 34.Kxh4 Qxf2+ 35.Kh3 Rd2 36.f5 Qxh2+ 37.Kg4 h5+ 38.Kg5 Qg3+ 0-1 Moiseenko,A (2707)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2714) Yaroslavl 2014]

11...Kxg7 12.gxf3 Ne5 13.0-0-0 c6

Anand surprisingly took a bit of time here but it must still be preparation. "No I didn't mix up my moves." Anand.

14.Qc3 f6 15.Bh3!

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 15,Bh3

FEN:
r2q1r2/pp2p1kp/2p2pp1/3Pn3/4P3/2Q2P1B/PP3P1P/2KR3R b - - 0 15

Anand's big idea for the opening. "I thought this idea with Bh3 was nice. Taking away the c8 square for the rook." Carlsen

The Board after Bh3. Photo © http://www.sochi2014.fide.com/.

15...cxd5 16.exd5 Nf7 17.f4 Qd6

[17...Qb6 Looks like a clear equalising move. Probably Carlsen wanted the game to remain complicated. 18.Rhe1 Qxf2 19.Qe3 Qxe3+ 20.Rxe3 f5=]

18.Qd4 Rad8 19.Be6 Qb6 20.Qd2

[20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Kb1]

20...Rd6 21.Rhe1

"Terrible Rhe1 instead of h4 or anything. Rhe1 is real blunder." Radjabov. This certainly doesn't look like the best here.

[21.h4; 21.Kb1]

21...Nd8 22.f5

[22.Bg4 e6=]

22...Nxe6 23.Rxe6 Qc7+

There's quite a bit of choice for Carlsen here.

[23...Rxe6!?; 23...Rc8+]

24.Kb1 Rc8

[24...Rxe6 25.fxe6 Rd8]

25.Rde1 Rxe6 26.Rxe6 Rd8 27.Qe3 Rd7

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 27,.Rd7

FEN:
8/ppqrp1kp/4Rpp1/3P1P2/8/4Q3/PP3P1P/1K6 w - - 0 28

Carlsen spent a bit of time before making this move. He didn't look as if he was happy with the way things had turned out over the last few moves.

[27...Qxh2 is not the kind of advanture that Carlsen goes in for. 28.Rxe7+ Kf8 29.b4 Rxd5 30.fxg6 Re5 31.Rxe5 (31.Rf7+) ]

28.d6

[28.fxg6 was the alternative. 28...hxg6 29.h4]

28...exd6 29.Qd4

[29.fxg6 hxg6 30.Re8 g5 31.a3]

29...Rf7 30.fxg6 hxg6 31.Rxd6

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 31.Rxd6

FEN:
8/ppq2rk1/3R1pp1/8/3Q4/8/PP3P1P/1K6 b - - 0 31

Svidler thought this position was the kind that was "impossible to spoil" for white even if he doesn't have an advantage.

31...a6 32.a3

[32.b3]

32...Qa5 33.f4 Qh5 34.Qd2?

[34.Qe3 is a better move. 34...Qxh2 35.Rd8 Qh1+ 36.Ka2 Qc6 37.Qh3 Qc4+ 38.Ka1 Qc1+ with equality for instance.]

34...Qc5 35.Rd5

"I was a bit wobbly for a few moves and then I got back on track" Anand referring to this patch of play.

35...Qc4 36.Rd7 Qc6 37.Rd6

[37.Rxf7+ It was obviously a possibility to go into the endgame here. 37...Kxf7 38.Qd3]

37...Qe4+ 38.Ka2 Re7 39.Qc1

[39.h3]

39...a5 40.Qf1

[40.Qc8 is a very risky move to make when down to the last minutes.]

40...a4

and with time control made Anand went into a big think. "When the pawn came to a4 I thought I might be getting into some trouble." Anand

41.Rd1

Now it was Carlsen's turn for a big think.

41...Qc2 42.Rd4

Magnus Carlsen

Viswanathan Anand

Position after 42,Rd4

FEN:
8/1p2r1k1/5pp1/8/p2R1P2/P7/KPq4P/5Q2 b - - 0 42

[42.Qf3 was the computer suggestion.]

42...Re2?!

This allows clear equalisation but even after the game the players weren't really sure about the better Re3.

[42...Re3 computers were getting excited by this move. The players discussed it a little bit after the game. Carlsen said he didn't think he missed anything big chances to win. 43.Rd7+ was the line the players discussed after the game. (43.Rb4 Rb3!!; 43.Qd1 really has to be played. 43...Qxd1 44.Rxd1 b5 45.Rd5 Rb3 with an uncomfortable struggle ahead.) 43...Kh6 44.Rxb7 Rb3 "Well I think he should have tried this." Anand. And indeed some computers give a huge advantage to black. 45.Rxb3 axb3+ 46.Ka1 Qxh2 wins.]

43.Rb4 b5 44.Qh1!

Anand's only move and one that forces a draw rather quickly.

44...Re7 45.Qd5 Re1 46.Qd7+ Kh6 47.Qh3+ Kg7 48.Qd7+ 1/2-1/2