World Chess C'ship: Carlsen shocks Anand with black for second win

Chennai: World champion Viswanathan Anand struggled once again with his white pieces and suffered a painful defeat against challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the sixth game of the World Chess Championship here today. After a shocking loss from a drawn position in the fifth game, Anand looked prepared to strike back but the Berlin defense yet again came in his way as Carlsen demonstrated his superior skills on the board once more in a drawn endgame to beat the world champion. [caption id=“attachment_1233909” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  India’s Viswanathan Anand and Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. AFP[/caption] The Indian is now at a make-or-break situation and the next game will be most crucial to the final outcome of the match. As things stand, after six games and half way through, Carlsen leads the match 4-2, needing just 2.5 points more from next six to become the next world champion. Anand had his hopes pinned on the king pawn but the Berlin defense has troubled the best players in the world in the last decade. Team Anand had not found anything in the main line and it was evident from the fact that Anand went for the closed Ruy Lopez, often a simple reprieve when one wants to avoid the intricacies of the Berlin defense. Anand decided to try his chances in the middle game arising out a close variation. Carlsen was game for it if the opening and middle game was any indication. The Norwegian gave nothing away and by the 20th move it was a level position on board for Anand with not much to look upto. However the match situation suggested otherwise, Anand had to play on for a win and that’s what he decided to do, unfortunately the plan boomeranged. Carlsen, with his immaculate understanding of almost all kind of positions, neutralized white’s initiative in the middle game and when a queen and rook with pawns endgame arose on the board, it was already clear that the Norwegian was calling the shots. Pushed back on the defensive third time in as many games as white, Anand fumbled, probably this might be the costliest fumble for him ever, as he allowed Carlsen to get a pawn plus rook endgame. Theoretically the position was still drawn, but then that was the case in the prvious game of the match too. Yet again, Carlsen provoked Anand to do something to solve matters quickly and the defending champion realized how hard it is to achieve it against the ‘Mozart of chess’. The endgame was drawn till move 56 according to the experts of the game. Then Anand made one mistake after another and it was all over 11 moves later. In the post game conference, Carlsen said he is happy to have a healthy lead at the half way stage in the match. Anand needs to do everything right to be back in the match. Things look very difficult for the Indian as of now, especially after two back-to-back losses from drawn endgame. Moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O Re8 7. Re1 a6 8. Ba4 b5 9. Bb3 d6 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Nbd2 h6 12. Bh4 bxb3 13. axb3 Nb8 14. Nbd7 15. Nh2 Qe7 16. Ndf1 Bb6 17. Ne3 Qe6 18. b4 a5 19. bxa5 Bxa5 20. Nhg4 Bb6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Nxf6+ Qxf6 23. Qg4 Bxe3 24. fxe3 Qe7 25. Rf1 c5 26. Kh2 c4 27. d4 Rxa1 28. Rxa1 Qb7 29. Rd1 Qc6 30. Qf5 exd4 31. Rxd4 Re5 32. Qf3 Qc7 33. Kh1 Qe7 34. Qg4 Kh7 35. Qf4 g6 36. Kh2 Kg7 37. Qf3 Re6 38. Qg3 Rxe4 39. Qxd6 Rxe3 40. Qxe7 Rxe7 41. Rd5 Rb7 42. Rd6 f6 43. h4 Kf7 44. h5 gxh5 45. Rd5 Kg6 46. Kg3 Rb6 47. Rc5 f5 48. Kh4 Re6 49. Rxb5 Re4+ 50. Kh3 Kg5 52. Rg8+ Kh5 53. Rf8 Rf4 54. Rc8 Rg4 55. Rf8 Rg3+ 56. Kh2 Kg5 57. Rg8+ Kf4 58. Rc8 Ke3 59. Rxc4 f4 60. Ra4 h3 61. gxh3 Rg6 62. c4 f3 63. Ra3+ Ke2 64. b4 f2 65. Ra2+ Kf3 66. Ra3+ Kf4 67. Ra8 Rg1 0-1 PTI