TWIC is 30. First issue 17th September 1994.
World Chess Championship 2012 (12)
World Chess Championship goes to Rapid and Blitz playoff after Game 12 draw
Mark Crowther - Monday 28th May 2012
Anand looked very pensive after offering a draw at the end of game 12 to take the match to a play-off. Photo © | http://moscow2012.fide.com
The World Chess Championship between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand will be decided in a Rapid and Blitz play-off on Wednesday after the final game 12 was drawn in 22 moves. This result saw the match tied at 6-6. Using an approach I expected to see more often in the match Anand chose a side-line of the Sicilian Rossolimo 3.Bb5 with 6.b3 a move that caught Gelfand ("quite a novelty for me") off-guard. Gelfand thought hard about his set-up. After 10...c4! ("10...c4 showed he [Gelfand] was especially alert" - Anand) Gelfand had used just over an hour but seemed to have solved most of his problems. Gelfand sacrificed a pawn in return for free play and the two bishops. Indeed Kramnik at one stage preferred black as Gelfand's position looked the easier to play. Towards the end 20...a5 was criticised by Kramnik in commentary as he thought 20...Rfc8 was an immediate draw but even though he could have continued to press a bit Anand decided to offer a draw after 21.Bc5 Rhd8 22.Bxe7 which was accepted. Report, notes on the final position, some tweets and IM Malcolm Pein's notes for reading and download now complete. The match will be decided on Wednesday where they start with an initial series of 4 rapid (25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move) games. 9am UK time. Gelfand has the white pieces in game 1.
Kramnik surprised by the draw offer from Anand
Draw agreed at the end of the game. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Kramnik: I have only one explanation, he just couldn't stand this pressure of the last game because it's absolutely inexplicable.
22. Bxe7
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 22.Bxe7. Draw agreed.
With a draw offer from Anand that was immediately accepted. Anand had 56 minutes to Gelfand's 16 minutes for 18 moves.
Kramnik suggested 22. Kxe7 23. Rc7+ Rd7 24. Rac1 wasn't completely over.
Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam and Vladimir Kramnik in Commentary. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Kramnik: You just play Nd2, OK absolutely zero risk for white and black still is pawn down. Not a good sign for Anand fans because it means he cannot really hold the pressure. At least for today. It's one of the strangest decisions I ever saw in the World Championship matches.
Kramnik: Maybe another confirmation of my idea that probably we should abandon draw offers, at least in the World Championship Matches. It's a really strange end to this actually very interesting game, really quite a lot of entertainment before but now all of a sudden it's like a typical story, you are watching some very interesting movie and then all of a sudden your TV collapses. ... It can happen [the draw]. But I just don't see the slightest reason to offer a draw. Especially taking into consideration the potential of big time trouble. It's just a present, a complete present for Boris. I can assure you Boris so relieved after draw offer. Of course he will not tell it during the press conference I'm sure. But I think it was just like a bless[ing] from above.
Kramnik: Now for sure we'll have an incredibly entertaining last day. Maybe for us it's not so bad. I think it's not a wise decision from Anand's side but for us maybe it's a good thing that happened.}
I just don't want to blame too much, because the position is probably objectively drawn anyway. Although I don't see a reason to offer a draw.
Anand looking pensive at the end of the game. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Anand in the press conference "We only draw when, at least when it's obvious to us [looking at Gelfand], the game is going nowhere."
The afternoon on Twitter
Boris Gelfand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Just some tweets about subjects that came up during the afternoon.
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Ch Gm12. Anand-Gelfand. "They're not here today to entertain the public. They're here to win the World Championship." - Kramnik
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Game 12. Anand-Gelfand. Kramnik thinks that from the next match they should "abandon the draw offer"
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Game 12. Kramnik says with the prize-fund "It's possible to work a little bit for this money." He wants 14 games.
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship. Kramnik mentions the interesting suggestion that the tie-break should be held at the START of the match.
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship. "There is not a single moment where the match is equal." on tie-break playoff at the start of the match
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC Gelfand, "I thought for long time [after 10 Nd2], and understood I had to activate bishops at any price. It could be too late a move later"
Chess-News.ru @Chess__News Gelfand "I'm playing match, not entertaining spectators" According to Boris, there're many commentators who can explain draw agreement, etc.
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Anand-Gelfand.Playoffs. Wednesday 30th May 4am EST 9am BST 10am CET 12pm Moscow time. Whoops for earlier tweet.
Mark Crowther ?@MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Playoff Wednesday 9am BST 4x Rapid 25mins+10 spm. Then 5 pairs of blitz 5min + 3spm, then 1xsudden death as needed
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC RT @Chess__News: Gelfand, " ...there was an excellent move h4, then Nd2, and I understood that Black's task isn't easy".
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship "The match has been very tough and very tense. It's been a very hard struggle." - Anand.
Natalia Pogonina @Pogonina Gelfand: We are playing a match, not entertaining the spectators! We don't have to play out the moves; commentators can explain that.
Chess in Translation @ChessinT Shipov gives a sharp line explaining Anand's draw offer: "You can't say playing for a win would involve no risk"
Chess in Translation @ChessinT Svidler: "Gelfand looked in no way weaker than Anand in this match"
Chess in Translation @ChessinT Svidler's criticising the practice of starting the last round earlier - here the tiebreak starts 3 hours earlier on Wednesday.
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Gm12. Anand-Gelfand. Kramnik thinks Anand is in absolutely no danger of losing. 20...a5 wasn't the most accurate
Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC World #Chess Championship Game 12. Anand-Gelfand. "The drama of a match unfolds" - Dirk Jan saying you shouldn't criticise individual draws.
Levon Aronian @LevAronian @albertovmelo yes,gelfand is playing very well.In the last couple of games Anand also showed fresh ideas! Can't guess what'll rapid bring..
1h Levon Aronian @LevAronian Anand-Gelfand g 12 was brilliant.Anand found a great pawn sac at home,and Gelfand answered with 2 pawn sacs! Wow,can't wait till tiebreaks!
Gelfand and Anand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Notes to Game 12 by IM Malcolm Pein
Gelfand and Anand. http://moscow2012.fide.com/en/.
Anand,Viswanathan (2799) - Gelfand,Boris (2739) [B30]
WCh 2012 Moscow RUS (12), 28.05.2012
[IM Malcolm Pein]
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
5...Ne7 6.b3
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 6.b3
Novelty Vishy puts Boris on his own for a change
6...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
7...Ng6 8.h4
What a bold move for a game where there is a world title and half a million at stake
8...Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Nd2
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 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
10...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 Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 12.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
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 16...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
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 19.cxd5
A sign Vishy sees no prospect of a win. A weak d3 appears Black has full compensation here
19...Bxd5 20.Rfc1 a5!?
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 20...a5
[Not sure about that move TT was approaching 20...Rhc8 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Bxa7 Ra8 Was very comfortable 23.Be3 Bxb3 Black stands very well but 24.d4 exd4 25.Nxd4 Rxa2 26.Rxa2 Bxa2 Bales out for a draw without problems]
21.Bc5!
Of course Vishy wants one bishop off
[21.Rc7 Rhc8 22.Rac1 Rxc7 23.Rxc7 Ke6 24.Nd2 a4 25.Ne4= (25.Bc5 Bxc5 26.Rxc5 axb3 27.axb3 Ra1+ 28.Kh2 Ra2 29.Ne4 Bxe4 30.dxe4 Rxf2 Will be a draw) 25...axb3 26.axb3 Bxb3 27.Nc5+ Bxc5 28.Bxc5=]
21...Rhd8 22.Bxe7
Boris Gelfand
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Viswanathan Anand
Position after 22.Bxe7. Draw agreed.
[22.Bxe7 Kxe7 23.Rc7+ Rd7 24.Rac1 a4 25.Nd2 axb3 26.axb3 Ra3 White is still a pawn up. Black should hold but perhaps Vishy just couldn't stand the tension]
1/2-1/2