Colour white has not been right for Anand and Carlsen
Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Nov 14, 2013, 10.01 PM IST
RS Raghavan
Contrary to the predictions of experts backing Magnus Carlsen as the overwhelming favourite, the 2013 World Chess Championship match between champion Viswanathan Anand and world No 1 Carlsen has gone on an even keel with neither player being able to wrest the momentum after the first four games. The match score is tied 2-2 with the last two games raising the excitement levels even among non-chess players.
The interest for chess in the city has reached unprecedented levels, thanks to the match. There are solving contests, WGM tournament, men’s GM tournament and National U-9 championship. Every day some chess lovers gather in the lounge of Hyatt Regency for watching the games on the screen. Added to that is the live coverage — on the web and TV — has created a kind of wave in the country.
Incidentally, Anand has gained 5.2 points from the initial encounters to improve by one spot to seventh in the live ratings. Having a very high rating, Carlsen has lost 5.2 points even though he remains firmly entrenched at the top.
Coming to the match, Anand has had the upper hand in the first and third games, while Carlsen impressed in the second and fourth games. Both the players have not been able to make effective use of the white pieces.
The Norwegian’s Reti opening has been ineffective so far. He allowed an easy draw in the opening game and salvaged a draw from a difficult position in the third game. Like Carlsen, Anand also has not been able to strike with the white pieces. Surprised by Carlsen’s Caro-Kann in the second game, the Indian settled for draw fearing the Norwegian’s home preparation. The Chennaiite’s second white game produced the most exciting moment of the match so far. Anand’s brilliant save from a tricky position against Carlsen on Wednesday earned the appreciation of the chess world.
Former world champion Garry Kasparov had this to say on the fourth game: “Great Game 4 in Chennai. A true pleasure to watch. A top-level battle that did credit to Anand and Carlsen and to fighting chess.” He made another interesting observation: “Despite the eternal talk of their demise, the Classical chess and match chess are alive. Many hours of deep ideas at the highest level.”
Carlsen will have his third white on Friday. It is unlikely that Carlsen will deploy the Reti again. The Norwegian might go for (1. d4) or (1. e4) with which he has had more success against Anand in their past encounters. If the world’s highest-rated player goes for (1.d4 or e4), any one of these three openings is possible: Slav, Nimzo Indian and Sicilian.
Carlsen’s preparation with the black pieces has been solid and effective but he has to come up with more inspiring moves to trouble the Indian. The same applies to Anand, whose preparation with the white has hardly troubled Carlsen.
After four straight draws, one is expecting with bated breath whether the fifth game will produce the first decisive result of the match.
Source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com
Conspiracy.