Chess is a draw. Everyone must have heard that adage. Unfortunately it comes with a proviso- with accurate play from both sides. However, what constitutes accurate play is debatable. It could be a matter of style,  based on chess heuristics gathered over years or adjudicated by one's favorite chess engine. 

From the first move to the last, each pugilist must thrive to play the best possible move to achieve equality. Of course this is a near impossible task even for the strongest engine or grandmaster. Such is the complex nature of Chess. That there are an infinite number of possible moves, each leading to different paths.

For instance, Rybka, touted for playing human-like positional moves, was the strongest chess program a few years ago, but now, the Houdini, with a penchant for creating imbalances in positions, is on top of the chess engine ladder. Even if computers were to solve the game like it did checkers, the human element- the propensity to err, is always there to provide the final result.

From Paul Morphy,Fischer to Kasparov, great champions were trailblazers in re-defining how the game was played in their era. Paul Morphy showed his more "romantic" peers that there was another way. Also, Kasparov's dedication and work in the opening phase of the game, lead the way to a future were Grandmasters tried to out-prepare each other with chess engines and huge databases.

Magnus Carlsen, like his predecessors, is also redefining how the game will be played in his era.  Rather than focusing on opening preparation, Carlen instead studies the part of the game that most chess players consider the least interesting - the end game. 

This can only be good for the game.  With Carlen proving that there was rich rewards lurking in that part of the game, Tournament Organizers,who in order to increase interest and viewership, had resorted to "coercive" measures to discourage short draws, would no longer need to try so hard to motivate chess players to fight to the bitter end. 

The world championship match between Anand and Carlen started out by four draws. Two of whom were  interesting played-out  draws.

Anand cracked under pressure in game 5, as Carlsen turned on the screw in a seemingly innocuous position. A position where ordinarily, most grandmasters would have agreed on an early draw. 

One would have assumed, it would be his relatively inexperience opponent that would be the first to break under the huge expectation of his pre-determined coronation by virtue of 69 point difference in elo ratings.

In game 6, we find Carlsen winning a theoretical drawn rook ending out of nothing. Of course, Anand, the world champion, was once again, an unwilling accomplice in the turn of events. 

Carlsen himself has also been a victim of end game pitfalls  as demonstrated by his loses to Ivanchuk in the Candidates  and Wang Hao earlier in the year.

It just illustrates the point that audience wants to see these positions played out. Years of excuses that this or that position, opposite colored bishops, rook endings are drawn are no longer enough. They want it proved ! By best play of course.

Video of Game six of the World Championship match between Anand and Carlsen

The stage is set for the upcoming Fide Chess World Championship match between current champion, India's Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen - a Norwegian former chess prodigy and the highest ranked chess player in the world.

It promises to be an exciting match. A clash of different styles. Carlsen's youth and energy versus Anand's vast match experience. Surely chess fans could not have wished for a better tie. Magnus Carlsen, the top ranked chess player  for over three years, is seen as the heir apparent to Anand's crown. And for many, the match might be just a formality in the transfer of the Chess mantle to the younger generation which Carlsen represents.

Both players started their careers as attacking players while Anand has kept some of that style as time went on, Carlsen completely evolved to a solid player with a preference for the end game.

The importance of the match cannot be over-emphazise. A victory by Anand who cement his place in chess history. Were Carlsen to emerge victorious, it would spark a frenzy of sponsorships and big money that the sport clearly needs.

Match Experience

No doubt Anand has a massive advantage over Carlsen in terms of match experience.

That experience consists of victories over very strong players such as : Kramnik, Shirov, Topalov. 

Match play against the same person is different from Tournament situation where one could focus one's energies in winning weaker players and drawing direct rivals.

A chink in Anand' armor has appeared lately; he seems to have become vulnerable to the younger generation creative and energetic play with recent loses to Nakamura,Wang Hao and a hoodoo with Levon Aronian.

Climate

The match is taking place in Anand's Indian home town of Chennai. No one is sure if there is any commensurate advantage to be got from playing at home.

Topalov lost his World Championship match to Anand on home soil.Earlier in the year, Carlen placed second in a tournament hosted in Norway. Unlike Soccer where vociferous fans can be an extra man providing that additional motivation, chess players are alone in the company of their opponents in quiet halls.

Ability to handle Pressure

The Candidates tournament showed that Carlsen was human after all. Who can blame him? He was touted as the clear favorite to coast to an easy victory and was even crowned in some circles based his impressive tournament results. The shock of meeting a Kramnik, playing his best chess in years, coupled with the trepid challenge of the bottom three of Radjabov,Ivanchuk and Grischuk, led to the high drama of the last round, where he could only crawl to the finish line when Kramnik was "kind" enough to reciprocate his loss to Peter Svidler.

Anand seems to cope with pressure better. The quick recovery to equalize in round 8, in his match with Gelfand in the World Championship in 2012 and the final round victory over Topalov in Bulgaria come as clear evidence that Anand is able to produce the goods at critical points in a match.

Head to Head

Anand holds a clear 6-3 advantage of his opponent. However  majority of those victories came when Carlsen had not become a top 5 player. In the last 18 months, Carlsen has the edge over the World Champion and has been slowly closing the gap. +5 -0 =8 to Carlsen in all formats, with +1 -0 =3 to Carlsen in classical time control.

Preparation

Magnus Carlsen does not focus much on opening theory. He relies more on his ability to outplay his opponent in the middle and end game. Carlsen has described his style as a crocodile waiting patiently for his prey.

Anand like other grandmasters, is extremely well prepared in the openings and is hardly surprised in that part of the game.

Though Carlsen's vast opening repertoire gives him the element of surprise. 

Also physical preparation and conditioning aids the mental prowess of a chess player. That is where Carlsen with youth holds a clear advantage over Anand.

Prediction

If Anand draws first blood, it would be interesting to see how Carlsen reacts. I fear that he might not recover in a short 12 game match. Carlsen would play his normal pragmatic chess and predictably justify his 69 point Elo rating over his opponent and secure victory.

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by Chinedu Efoagui

All hail king Anand. Anand defeated Kramnik in a 12 game Match to retain his title as the Undisputed Chess World Champion. Anand first won the crown as the Undisputed Chess Champion in a tournament in Mexico 2007 after Kramnik had Unified the title ealier on that year by defeating Topalov in a highly controvestial Match marred by the famous "Toilet Gate" Scandal.
















But Few really recognized Anand as a real champion since he won the tile in a tournament but he has more than convinced any doubters of his championship credentials by soundly beating Kramnik. For long periods in the match, Anand was hardly in trouble.
















He out prepared and out played Kramnik by taking Vladmir out of his comfortable zone and placing the game in complex positions. Such is the astounding aspect of his victory since Kramnik had a reputation as one of best prepared players. Such was his desperation for victory, Kramnik had to reply Anand's E4 with the Sicilian Nadjorf one of the sharpest opening which he had previously never scored a victory with. Previously, In the match, Anand had been playing D4 as white and this meant Kramnik had to abandon his tried and tested Petroff which would have garanted a least a draw. Anand scored victory in game 3, 5 ,6 while kramnik got his sole victory in game 10. The final Score was 6.5- 4.5.
The following is a quote by Kasparov to Mig Greengard, and published on ChessBase:

[In this match] Kramnik did not expect tough, sharp challenges with white and this was the key for Anand. He kicked some sand in Kramnik's face and hit Kramnik's weakness: his conservative approach to the game itself. Suddenly Kramnik had to fight in these sharp positions and he wasn't able to do it. This result ends the illusion that Kramnik is a great match player. London was a unique occurrence and I still stand with Leonid Yudasin as the only players Kramnik has ever beaten in a match! Kramnik now has some work to do. His overly-defensive play seems to represent a general decline in strength.

Just to mention Kasparov tipped Kramnik to win the match.

Replay the games here



Congratulations Anand.