Magnus Carlsen wins world chess championship

[Jack Rabbit]

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[center]Magnus Carlsen[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) from Wikipedia
(Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen become the 16th world champion in a line running back 127 years earlier today when he drew the tenth game of a match against titleholder Viswanthan Anand in Anand's home town of Chennai, Tamu Nadu, India.

The match was scheduled for 12 rounds with the winner needing 6½ points to claim victory. Magnus had won three games without a loss going into today's game. The game went 65 moves when Anand offered Magnus a draw, giving the Norwegian the required sum of points to end the match.

Magnus becomes the youngest world champion in the history of the game. He turns 23 on November 30. He also does work as a fashion model and was voted one of the 25 sexiest men for 2013 by Cosmopolitan magazine.

The first match for the world chess title was between Wilhelm Steinitz, a native of Prague who lived at various times in life in Vienna, London and New York City, and Johannes Hermann Zukertort, a German master, in several American cities in 1886. Steinitz, who was also a seminal theoretician of the game, and Zukertort were considered by most at the time the two strongest players in the world. The match was won by Steinitz.

[PoliticAverse]

1. I guess broadcasting the whole thing live was a good decision then...

See: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023980493

[KamaAina]

2. He offered Magnus a draw?

Knowing that that would end the match?

Kind of like a football coach punting instead of going for it on 4th down when he needs a touchdown to win.

[PoliticAverse]

3. More like not trying a trick play in the final minute when you are down 63-10 I think. n/t

[Jack Rabbit]

4. In the chess world, it is the player with more to lose or less to win who offers the draw.

First of all, let me correct myself. Anand did not offer a draw. He took Magnus' last pawn. Magnus (White) had a lone King; Anand had a lone King and a Knight. This is insufficient for either side to force checkmate, and therefore a draw by the rules.

In any case, it would have been considered poor form for Magnus to make the offer. Anand knows very well how to analyze a position and knew he couldn't win. That's different than football, when you may as well run a desperate play because it just might work. In addition, Magnus is the highest rated player ever. It would have been just rude for Anand, in effect, to say, "I think you'll blunder this drawn position away."

In the Tal Memorial Tournament in Moscow earlier this year, Magnus turned down a draw offer in the last round that would have given him the tournament championship and a considerable amount of prize money on a silver platter had he accepted. The draw was offered by Levon Aronian, who would have tied Magnus for first place had he won the game. Magnus turned down the offer on principle; he simply didn't think the game was definitely drawn. He went on to win the game.

[KamaAina]

5. Ah, I see.

So Magnus could have won had he somehow been able to promote the Pawn, but Anand was sunk anyway.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. Good for Magnus Carlsen

[trumad]

7. Dude has a wicked name.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. His ancestors had handles like "Skullsplitter"

Get a load of them . . . .
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[Jack Rabbit]

9. Anand - Carlsen, World Chess Championship Match, Round 9, Chennai

While this isn't a perfect game by any means, it was the game that all but locked up the world title for Magnus. With this victory, Magnus was three games up with only that many left to play.

Some information for this game report is taken form ChessBase.com

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[center]Magnus Carlsen
Sixteenth World Chess Champion[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Franz Peeters from flikr
Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike]
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Vishy Anand - Magnus Carlsen
World Championship Match, Round 9
Chennai, 21 November 2013

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Sämisch Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3

• For moves and variations through here, see the [font color="#008000"]green notes[/font] to White's fourth move in Bacrot-David, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2011.

8...c4

• If [font color="red"]8...0-0 9.e4 Ne8 10.0-0 Ba6 11.f4 f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12.exf5 exf5 13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Be3 d6 15.Ng3 g6[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]16.Bxf5 gxf5 17.Qd5+ Rf7 18.Qxc6 Bb7 19.Qa4 Qf6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20.Rab1!? Ng7 21.Qd1 Re8 22.Re1 Qg6 23.Bf2[/font] gives White more space and a slight initiative Nakamura-And. Volokitin, YM, Cuernavaca, 2006).
• [font color="burgundy"]20.Rfe1! Ng7 21.Qc2 Re7 22.Qd2 Rae8 23.Bf2![/font] gives White a slight advantage in space; the most serious pawn weakness on the board is Black d-pawn.
• [font color="#D08020"]16.Re1 Na5 17.Nf1 Nf6 18.Bf2 Qd7 19.Ne3[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space I. Sokolov-Grischuk, Rpd Op, Calatrava, 2007).
• If [font color="darkred"]12.Ng3 g6 13.Be3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13...cxd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.cxd5 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 fxe4 17.Qxe4 Qxd5 18.Qxd5 exd5 19.Rac1[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]19...Na5 20.f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]20...Nc4 21.Bg5 Ned6 22.Be7[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space Jussupow-Cvitan, ZT, Dresden, 1998).
• [font color="purple"]20...Nd6 21.Bg5 Rf7 22.Rce1 Nac4[/font] is equal Aleksandrov-Yegiazarian, Russia Cup, Minsk, 2000).
• [font color="darkorange"]19...Ne7 20.Bd2 Rf7 21.Be3 Nc6 22.Bd2 Ne7[/font] draw Bluvshtein-Mareco, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]13...Nd6 14.exf5 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Bxc4 16.fxg6 Bxf1 17.Qh5 Qe7 18.Rxf1 hxg6 19.Qxg6+[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage Jussupow-Karpov, Candidates' M ½-final, London, 1989).

9.Ne2!?

• This maneuver was often employed by the great Soviet world champion, Mikhail Botvinnik. The idea is to bring the Knight to g3 in order to support the thrust e3e4. However, there is no reason White cannot play 9.e4. The maneuver is simply slow.
• If [font color="red"]9.e4 dxe4[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10.Bg5 Qa5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]11.Qc1 .Nbd7 12.Bxc4 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13.Ne2 Re8 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Bb3 exf3 16.gxf3 b6[/font] gives Black stronger pawns, a safer King and a pin at e2 S. Grover-Zhou Weiqi, Op, Dubai, 2012).
• [font color="burgundy"]13.fxe4?! Nxe4! 14.Nf3 Nb6 15.Bd3 Nxg5 16.Nxg5 Bf5[/font] gives Black a powerful position.
• [font color="#D08020"]11.Qd2 Nbd7 12.Bxc4 0-0 13.Ne2 b5 14.Bb3 exf3[/font] gives Black a small advantage
• If [font color="darkred"]10.Bxc4 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]11.fxe4 11...Nxe4 12.Nf3[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Qc7 13.Qb3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]13...Nd7 14.0-0 Nb6 15.Qc2 Nxc4 16.Qxe4 Nd6[/font] leaves Black with a small advantage.
• [font color="purple"]13...Nc6 14.Bd3 Be6 15.Qb2 f5 16.Ng5 Bd5[/font] gives Black a better center.
• [font color="darkorange"]12...Nxc3!? 13.Qd3! b5 14.Ng5 Qe8+[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]11.Rb1?! Qc7! 12.Qb3 Bf5 13.Rb2 Rc8 14.Bf1 exf3[/font] leaves Black ripping away at White's center and pawn structure.

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Vishy Anand[/center][center]Position after 9.Ng1e2[/center]

9...Nc6!

• Black has a small lead in development and more space on the queenside.

10.g4?!

• Gets gets over-aggressive and leaves his King little hope of finding shelter on either flank.
• If [font color="red"]10.Ng3 h5![/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.h4 Qd6 12.Kf2 b5 13.Rb1 a6 14.Qc2 0-0[/font] gives Black a small advantage with more space and a safer King.
• [font color="darkred"]11.e4 h4 12.exd5 hxg3 13.dxc6 Rxh2 14.Rg1 Kf8[/font] is clearly in Black's favor; White's King has no safe quarter.
• [font color="blue"]10.Qc2 Na5 11.e4 Nb3 12.Ra2 h6 13.Nf4 0-0[/font] gives Black a small advantage.

10...0-0

• Black castles, preparing to play in the center.
• If [font color="red"]10...Na5 11.Ng3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...h6 12.Ra2 Bd7 13.a4 Qb6 14.Ba3 0-0-0 15.Be2 Rde8[/font] gives Black more space on the queenside and command of the e-file, where a Rook targets a weak pawn Sisatto-Alekseev, Euro Club Cup,Rogaska Slatina, 2011).
• [font color="darkred"]11...Nb3 12.Ra2 h5 13.g5 Nxc1 14.Qxc1 Ng8 15.h4[/font] is equal (Korchnoi-O'Kelly, IT, Bucharest, 1954).

11.Bg2

• [font color="red"]11.Ng3 Na5 12.Bg2 Nb3 13.Ra2 Qa5 14.Bd2 Bd7[/font] gives Black the advantage on the kingside Ipatov-Debashis, World Jr Ch, Kocaeli, Turkey, 2013).

11...Na5 12.0-0 Nb3 13.Ra2 (N)

• If [font color="red"]13.Rb1 h6 14.Ng3 Re8 15.Re1 a5 16.Rb2 Ra6[/font] gives Black more flexible pieces, more space on the queenside and a safer King Jedinger-Tseng, Corres, 2010).

13...b5?!

• Black has more space on the queenside, but White can strike in the center.
• If [font color="red"]13...h6 14.h3 Qe7 15.Nf4 Be6 16.e4 Rfc8 17.e5[/font] is equal.

14.Ng3

• Better is to counterattack in the center without delay.
• [font color="red"]14.e4 dxe4 15.fxe4 Nxg4 16.a4 bxa4 17.e5 Rb8[/font] gives Black a small advantage.

14...a5

• If [font color="red"]14...h6 15.a4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15...Qa5 16.Ba3 Re8 17.Bb4 Qb6 18.a5 Qd8[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space and the initiative against White's backward e-pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]15...bxa4 16.Rxa4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16...a5 17.e4 Bd7 18.Ra2 dxe4 19.fxe4 Bxg4[/font] gives Black a small advantage with the initiative and queenside space against White's center pawns.
• [font color="magenta"]16...Re8 17.e4 a5 18.e5 Nh7 19.Ra2 Nf8[/font] gives Black the advantage on the queenside while White advances on the center.

15.g5!?

• White plays aggressively, but weakens his hold on the light squares.
• If [font color="red"]15.e4 dxe4 16.Bg5 e3 17.Nh5 Re8 18.Re1 Ra6[/font] with equality.

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Vishy Anand[/center][center]Position after 15.g4g5[/center]

15...Ne8!

• Black has a local advantage on the queenside.

16.e4 Nxc1!?

• Black does better to retain his Knight at b3, where it shield the queenside pawns from White's heavy pieces.
• If [font color="red"]16...Nc7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]17.Re1 Ra6 18.f4 dxe4 19.Bxe4 Re8 20.Rc2 h6[/font] gives Black a small advantage on the queenside; White should redeploy one of his pieces to the kingside.
• If [font color="darkred"]17.Be3 Ra6 18.Qe1[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]18...Re8 19.Rff2 Rb6 20.Rae2 Bb7 21.Nf5 b4[/font] gives Black a small advantage with his queenside space.
• [font color="magenta"]18...Rb6 19.Nh5 Bb7 20.Qg3 Ne8 21.Re1 b4[/font] gives Black a better queenside than White has a kingside.

17.Qxc1!

• The game is again equal.

17...Ra6 18.e5 Nc7 19.f4

• [font color="red"]19.Rb2 Qd7 20.f4 Qg4 21.f5 h6 22.gxh6 Rxh6[/font] remains equal.

19...b4 20.axb4 axb4 21.Rxa6 Nxa6 22.f5!?

• White weakens his pawns and pawns on the kingside and allow Black a passer on the other wing.
• If [font color="red"]22.cxb4 Nxb4 23.f5 g6 24.Qe3 Nc6 25.Kh1 Ne7[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Vishy Anand[/center][center]Position after 25.f4f5[/center]

22...b3!

• The passed pawn gives Black a small advantage.

23.Qf4 Nc7

• Also good is [font color="red"]23...Kh8 24.Ra1 Nc7 25.Qc1 g6 26.h4 Bd7.[/font]

24.f6 g6

• White this move seemes reasonable, Black would do better to dissipate White's pawns.
• [font color="red"]24...gxf6 25.Nh5 Ne8 26.gxf6 Kh8 27.Ng3 Qa5[/font] neutralizes White's kingside threats and gives Black activity on the queenside, where the Queen in in place to escort the b-pawn.

25.Qh4 Ne8 26.Qh6!?

• White is attempting to strike with heavy pieces in the h-file, but there is no time for that.
• [font color="red"]26.Ne2 Be6 27.Nf4 Qa8 28.Qh6 b2 29.Nxe6 fxe6[/font] gives White a small advantage from his passed pawn.

26...b2!

• The threat to queen gives Black a slight advantage.

27.Rf4

• It is as though White has forgotten that the b-pwn is ready to queen.
• [font color="red"]27.Ne2 Qa5 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Nxe6 fxe6 30.Bh3 Qa6[/font] gives White a small advantage. The threat is 31...Qa1.

27...b1Q+ 28.Nf1??

• And here, unfortunately, Vishy has a mental blank. I'm not sure if he missed Black's response or if he simply thought he was lost anyway. -- Josh Friedel, ChessBase.com.
• [font color="red"]28.Bf1! Qd1 29.Rh4 Qh5!! 30.Nxh5 gxh5 31.Rxh5 Bf5[/font] remains equal.

[center]BLACK: Magnus Carlsen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Vishy Anand[/center][center]Position after 28.Ng3f1[/center]

28...Qe1! 0-1

• If [font color="red"]29.Rh4 Qxh4 30.Qxh4 Qa5[/font] leaves Black a Rook to the good with his pieces ready to come out for attack.
• Sri Anand resigns.

0-1