World Celebrates Champion in Anand-Gelfand 2012

The World Chess Championship of 2012 have come the bittersweet end, Anand and Gelfand push around and finish the compulsory classical time chess games in 6-6 score out of 12 rounds. The tie break to decide the ultimate chess champion will be done soon. In will be a battle of four rapids following 9 set of blitz game and an armageddon, can you believe it.

Okay, here the tie break edition of "Grandmaster commentaries compilation", I hope everyone enjoy, I uploaded this two hours earlier to the game. Here the premonition, early bragging, quotation of many chess celebrities for the historic match before the start of tie break round.

Magnus Carlsen - twitter
Really looking forward to the tiebreak of Anand-Gelfand tomorrow. It's like in football, even after a boring 0-0 draw you want to watch ET

Mikhail Golubev ‏@mikhail_golubev
I hope that Anand & Gelfand will play today some interesting games at least. Whether this rapid is of the paramount importance, I doubt so.


Silvio Danailov ‏@SilvioDanailov (President of European Chess Union)
Waiting for exciting tiebreak today.So far,the most interesting thing of the match were the paintings from Tretyakov gallery:)
 
Kramnik
Anand’s the favourite in that format against any opponent. It’s his thing. His game. On the other hand, Gelfand has in his favour the fact that he plays tiebreaks extremely well. If they were simply going to play a match in rapid chess then Anand would be the clear favourite, but Gelfand has a very good ability to concentrate at the essential moment, and he plays tiebreaks extremely strongly. So I’d say the question of who’ll win a tiebreak (if, of course, one takes place) remains an open one.

After Rapid 2 Anand - Gelfand 1.5-0.5
Rapid 2, Sicilian Rossolimo. After a messy king exposed for both side, Gelfand give up pawn for piece coordination. In a second he seems managed to solve the problem, but in time trouble, Gelfand didn't survive. It was a 77 moves game.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
@SusanPolgar Feel chesswise Gelfand is not inferior this match. He basically outplayed Vishy from a very difficult (prepared!) position.

Jon Ludvig Hammer ‏@gmjlh
Watching the exciting WCC final. Go Nielsen ;)

Alexander Ipatov ‏@Ipatov_Chess
I think the next game Gelfand will start with 1.c4 avoiding long theory. But who knows,maybe he will go for some rare line in Slav.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
Svidler, 160 million people for live broadcast in Tamil and Hindu according to the official site. 225,000 people listening to English broadcast.

Rapid 3 and 4 - World Champion Viswanathan Anand defended his title!
In Rapid 3, Gelfand put in excellent opening in Semi-Slav and in fact get a +2 score from engines. He blowed up Nxe4 with a blunder Rxb8 and draw. The Rapid 4 saw Gelfand attacking from Black side of Sicilian, firing most of his pawn, but then time trouble again press Gelfand unable to crack Anand. It's a draw and overall the World Championship match only produced 3 decisive result!

Anand: "I'm mainly relieved, I understand that in all fairness this match could have gone either way."
"I cannot remember such a black day as after game 7. Game 8 was very important for my morale."

Pogonina At first I wanted to go for a walk with @Kosteniuk, but now I am enjoying the show and hoping for blitz! :D

Anand says he wasn't trying to get to the tie-break like many people thought. But also didn't want to do something crazy to avoid it.

Both players are smiling shyly and saying that it's not the right time to disclose who helped them unofficially besides the seconds.

Gelfand: The public started wanting me to retire since 1998. "Wrong format; weak opponents; swan's song". I am just doing my job.
Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
I'm amazed how Gelfand keeps the game going! Extremely resourceful 
Spectaculair final day! These rapids could easily have gone either way!

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
Anand did his job. Gelfand can claim moral victory for putting Anand against the ropes but almost doesn't count in a World Championship

Ian Nepomniachtchi ‏@lachesisq
It was hard to call the Gelfand favorite, but he acted convincingly, and perhaps deserved success of the outcome to a greater extent.

from 29 May
Hikaru Nakamura ‏@GMHikaru
I must be a very bad chess player since I keep liking Anand's positions and he keeps offering draws instead of trying to win.

Sergey Shipov's Chess in Translation for All Rapid Games
Gelfand – Anand, rapid game 1
Anand – Gelfand, rapid game 2
Gelfand – Anand, rapid game 3
Anand – Gelfand, rapid game 4

Viswanathan Anand Pertahankan Juara Catur Dunia

Setelah melewati 12 babak partai catur klasik, atau pertandingan catur dengan peserta masing-masing mendapat waktu pikir panjang, pertandingan dwi tarung Anand melawan penantang Boris Gelfand, harus masuk ke babak tie break. Ini terjadi karena di 12 babak tersebut posisi akhir adalah tetap remis, 6-6. Untuk menentukan pemenang maka digelar empat partai catur cepat dengan masing-masing waktu pikir 20 menit. Di partai catur cepat ini, Anand remis di tiga babak, 1,3,4 dan menang di babak ke dua. Dwi tarung perebutan juara dunia ini berlangsung 10 Mei 2012 hingga 31 Mei 2012 di Moscow di dalam sebuah museum Tretyakov.

Partai Catur cepat babak pertama dimulai dengan Gelfand memegang buah putih, Anand memakai pembelaan Semi-Slav variasi Chigorin dan berhasil cukup sukses memperoleh posisi menang. Tapi karena kurang akurat Boris Gelfand, pecatur Rusia berkebangsaan Israel ini berhasil memaksa remis.

Partai Catur cepat babak kedua kembali mengulang langkah Sicilian Rossolimo kedua pecatur ini di babak-babak partai catur klasik sebelumnya. Boris Gelfand kembali bermain lemah selepas pembukaan, dan masuk ke krisis waktu. Gelfand bermain agresif blokade panjang, dan mengorbankan bidak demi keaktifan perwira-perwiranya. Strategi ini cukup ampuh karena memaksa Anand bermain hati-hati dan Gelfand bermain gemilang di babak pertengahan bahkan bisa memaksa Anand hingga babak permainan akhir yang cukup aman, yaitu Benteng+Gajah melawan Benteng+Kuda. Tapi akhirnya karena krisis waktu menjadikan Gelfand melangkah blunder dan kalah.

Gelfand blunder Rxe8 , seharusnya Nxe4 Catur Cepat Babak III

Partai Catur cepat babak ketiga menyaksikan Gelfand turun dengan pembukaan yang cemerlang. Memaksa Anand bermain spekulatif di pembelaan Semi Slav. Tapi Gelfand membuat langkah blunder paling parah sepanjang pertandingan di langkah 26. Rxb8 (seharusnya Nxe4) dan pertandingan harus berakhir remis.

Partai Catur cepat babak keempat melihat Gelfand kembali turun di pertahanan Sicilia, di posisi harus menang. Gelfand bermain agresif dan menurunkan sebagian besar bidaknya untuk menyerang. Kembali hitam musti kecewa karena manajemen waktu pikir yang tidak sehat, hitam tidak bisa mengembangkan strategi hingga mencapai kemenangan. Hasil draw diperoleh dan Anand mempertahankan gelar juara dengan total skor, 6-6 dan 2.5-1.5.

Acara dwitarung ini di hari terakhir, babak catur cepat diperkirakan disaksikan 160 juta pemirsa dari India yang mengikuti langkah pertandingan melalui broadcast internet.
Keseluruhan partai duel dwi tarung Anand - Gelfand bisa diakses di link Chessgames.

1. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ D85 Grunfeld
2. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
3. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ D70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense
4. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
5. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ B33 Sicilian
6. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
7. Gelfand vs Anand 1-0 D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
8. Anand vs Gelfand 1-0 D70 Neo-Grunfeld Defense
9. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System
10. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ B30 Sicilian
11. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System
12. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ B30 Sicilian
      ---- catur cepat ---
13. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ D45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
14. Anand vs Gelfand 1-0 B30 Sicilian
15. Gelfand vs Anand ½-½ D12 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
16. Anand vs Gelfand ½-½ B51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack

GM Comments Anand-Gelfand Round 12

Last episode of drama in World Chess Championship 2012 between Anand vs Gelfand already concluded. It is a 22 moves draw in the battle of Sicilian games where Black forced to a bad pawn structure by white in the early phase of game. Anand force a Rossolimo variation and 7.e5 to give Boris Gelfand a double pawn stuck in the c and e files. But after long thinking, Gelfand managed the antidote and cleverly turn the board with a pawn sacrifice and fully compensation of space and bishop pair, to give white enough fear and the game was drawn.

Last piece of Grandmaster commentaries and quotation presented here. The sources are:

Live commentaris:
-Svidler and Kramnik in official site
-GM Csaba Balogh in chessbomb/chessdom
-Natalia Pogonina and Jennifer Shahade in chessgames
-Susan Polgar , Erwin l'Ami etc in Twitter
-IM Malcolm Pein and Mark Crowther in TWIC (post game analysis also)
-Sergey Shipov in chessintranslation (post game analysis also)

Post game analysis:
-Gilberto Milos in chessbase

The opening - Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. d3 Ne7 6. b3 d6 7. e5 Ng6 8. h4 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Nd2

Malcolm Pein @TelegraphChess
Only the world title and $500,000 at stake, no wonder Vishy looked nervous
 GM Jon Ludvig Hammer @gmjlh:
@TelegraphChess more than 500 if you count next WC match too

 

@Pogonina: Kramnik: Vishy has the best record in rapid chess in modern history, even better than Kasparov or myself. Gelfand is also a good player.

@MarkTWIC: World #Chess Ch Gm12. Anand-Gelfand. 6.b3 * "They're not here today to entertain the public. They're here to win the World Championship.""

Csaba Balogh

4.Bxc6 bxc6 5. d3 so, Anand plays 5.d3 instead of 5.b3, which we have seen in game 10. It means, that Anand's team could not find any advantage after the strong 5.b3 e5! move

@ChessinT: On the Russian commentary Svidler and Smirin are discussing 6...d6 - "surprisingly enough a very concrete move" (Svidler)"

@MarkTWIC: World #Chess Gm12. Anand-Gelfand 8.h4!? "original way of playing" - "very strange" - Kramnik. This could be nasty for Gelfand to meet"

@erwinlami: 7...Ng6 8.h4!? sacrificing a pawn. This is becoming a very interesting battle! #anandgelfand."

@SusanPolgar: Gelfand deserves a medal if he can calmly get through this alive in the biggest and most pressured game of his career.

@erwinlami: Nice gesture of Gelfand, not to make a move untill the commercials have stopped on the official website. #anandgelfand"

@SusanPolgar: This is why chess is great. Strategy, psychology, nerve, and so many other factors come into play. I've been here before and it's not fun :)"

@ChessinT: Shipov: "Black has no obvious counterplay and it's not yet even clear what to defend against. In the long term time trouble is looming...""

Shipov

1.e4 As it turns out, the world champion’s camp was not able to find a refutation of the Grunfeld Defense. Peter Svidler can be satisfied.

5…Ne7 A flexible strategy in the spirit of Philidor’s philosophy. Black’s central pawns, including the one on f7, can move forward, depending on what White does. It’s very important not to allow a complete blockade of the center and to give the bishops some room to operate. For example, with the pawn on d7 Black is prepared to meet the advance e4-e5 with the disrupting … f7-f6.

6.b3 An interesting and non-standard move order. It was first used by Boris Spassky in a game with Boris (yes, another Boris) Gulko in 1990.

Gilberto Milos 6.b3 d6 A novelty. This allows the weakening of both the e5 and c5 pawns.

8.h4 forcing Black to capture on e5 or play ..h5 weakening g5. This move has to be played before White plays Bb2, because on c1 the bishop controls f4 where the black knight might try to flee to.

Csaba Balogh 6. b3 is a real surprise, with only one high-level game in the database, which continued with Ng6 Bb2 f6 and e5 ,in Spassky-Gulko 1990. I am quite sure, such move could not be seriously analyzed by Gelfand's team, so it is a chance for Anand to catch him in the opening and achieve some advantage.

8.h4 played instantly. Impressive preparation. A positional pawn sacrifice. After 8...Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 White probably wants to put the c5 pawn under pressure with the Bishop and the knight.

10. Nd2 It is clear, that White is playing against the c8 bishop. It has no future in this game, cannot be activated, cannot have any target, at least in the next 10-15 moves.

the Pawn Sacrifice and Bishop Pair

c4 11. Nxc4 Ba6 12. Qf3 Qd5 13. Qxd5 cxd5 14. Nxe5 f6 15. Nf3 e5

@erwinlami: Gelfand didn't spend his time without reason! 10...c4 is a very interesting decision, opening up the f8-bishop.

@SusanPolgar: Finally, Gelfand played 10...c4. May not be the best but he believes Anand will be off book after this. Giving up the pawn for space.

10...c4 "I might be wrong but I don't like this idea too much." - Kramnik

@Pogonina: Kramnik: We were drinking coffee and talking about Buranovskie Babushki, while Gelfand was studying the position for 50 minutes!Csaba Balog 11. Nxc4 Seems like the game is going to be an excellent lecture on positional pawn sacrifices! Another option for Black is first to exchange the dark squared bishops with 11...Bb4 12.Bd2 Bxd2 13.Qxd2 and only then Ba6, but I think, this is agreeing to suffer in a worse position.

@ChessinT: Svidler warming to the idea: "It might not be the best move in the position, but it's very conceptual

Natalia Pogonina: Anand the pawn grabber.

@erwinlami: Now it's Anand's turn to get us through the commercial break. Seems fair.

@SusanPolgar: 15. Nf3 e5 everything goes according to plan. After giving away a few pawns, the Bishop pair is now powerful.

@erwinlami: Interesting change of scenery. Now Black is the one sacrificing a pawn! 15.Nf3 e5 should be dynamically equal.

Shipov
10…c4 My premonitions did not deceive me! Boris did not want to defend passively for many moves in a row. 13…cxd5 14.Nxe5 Black has repaired his pawn structure. Now he must attack!

Gilberto Milos c4 This was not necessary, and was a voluntary decision by Gelfand. The idea is to open the game for the bishops, an idea that Anand approved of in the post-game conference.
12...Qd5 Giving another pawn and definitively improving his pawn structure. 13.Qxd5 cxd5 14.Nxe5 f6 Now black has center and two bishops for the pawn. It is enough compensation

Malcolm Pein 10.Nd2, e5 and c5 are weak. Boris had a long think to 59 minutes used and came up with a dynamic and bold solution c4 Boris thought to 59 minutes!

Csaba Balogh 13.Qxd5 so Anand prefers to not risk and goes for the endgame, where only he can win. A practical decision!

the draw and tie break incoming
16. O-O Kf7 17. c4 Be7 18. Be3 Bb7 19. cxd5 Bxd5 20. Rfc1 a5 21. Bc5 Rhd8 22. Bxe7 1/2-1/2

@Pogonina: I wonder why Anand traded queens. Looks like full compensation for Black now: two bishops, nice pawn structure, etc.
Natalia Pogonina: It seems like Anand is not sure what he was trying to do. At first it looked as if he was pushing for a win. Then he started choosing one drawish continuation after the other. This is a bad sign for him. Anyway, we are headed to tie-breaks. A great achievement by Gelfand, even if he doesn't win in the end.
Csaba Balogh 17. c4 Be7 Black has a very easy play with Rhd8 then a possible plan could be Bb7 and a5-a4. The bishoppair dominates the board. It is very hard to suggest a plan for White, which could improve on his position. Any kind of pawn moves leads to kind of weakaning, of what the bishoppair could make use.

Svidler: "I'm sure the idea of offering a draw has visited Vishy more than once here

@TelegraphChess: Black intending d4 and kingside and central expansion I would be slightly concerned if I was VA kudos to Boris he plays superbly

@TelegraphChess: Vlad K says he is amazed and shocked as Vishy could play without risk 'One of the strangest positions I ever saw in WCC match" - VK

Malcolm Pein 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.

Shipov
22.Bxe7 and here Anand somewhat unexpectedly OFFERED A DRAW, which Gelfand quickly accepted. [22.Nd2 was no worse, in effect telling Black to go ahead and trade bishops on c5.] A possible continuation was 22…Kxe7 23.Nd2 a4 24.Rc7+ Kf8! 25.b4 a3! and Black’s counterplay is not bad.

Gilberto Milos 22.Bxe7 and they agreed a draw. Really disappointing!

after the game

@Pogonina: Gelfand:We are playing a match, not entertaining the spectators! We don't have to play out the moves; commentators can explain

Mikhail Golubev sorry BG thats how you will kill the game for the public.

@SilvioDanailov: Anybody calculated what was the moves average on the match?24-25 moves per game perhaps? Looks like the players are proud & happy :) Congrats!

@albertovmelo: @LevAronian Lev, are you surprised on gelfands prep? Do tou believe he could win the rapid games against Anand?

@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.

@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!"

@anishgiri: @LevAronian Finally someone saying something positive about this short, but truly remarkable game! :)"

@stuthefox: Average number of moves per game in the Anand v Gelfand World Chess Championship: 29.

JenShahade: It's funny that everyone complains about how boring this match is (with such careful and often accurate play) but also complain about the prospect of a playoff, which will certainly be very wild & random. Chess fans can be a demanding bunch :)


@ChessinT: Svidler says some of the very strong players in the Tretyakov Gallery think Black is better. Svidler "doesn't rule it out


@MarkTWIC: World #Chess Ch Gm12. Kramnik thinks Anand will "already looking for the exit" which might be a draw offer, which Gelfand may turn down.


@Pogonina: Kramnik: Khalifman, Kasimdzhanov, Ponomariov have had great achievements, but winning the title in a match is a totally different thing.

-- all comments and quotations by its respective author --

GMs Comment Vintage Nimzo Indian in Gelfand-Anand Round 11 2012

We have come across round 11 of World Chess Championship between defending champion Viswanathan Anand vs challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel. The highlight of the round is this is the last white game for Gelfand in classical time control. The game went 1.d4 and Nimzo Indian as Anand defending strategy. Many where amused at the point where Anand played very rare and vintage 8 ... Bd7, and Gelfand think for 35 minutes before replying 9.a3. The game although played quite long time , but it was a draw on 25 moves, Gelfand only down to 15 minutes time and Anand an hour. The score now is 5.5-5.5 for Anand and Gelfand.

Whole compilation of Grandmaster commentaries and quotations here. The source are:
Live commentaries
- Svidler and Kramnik on official site with GM Max Dlugy and Jakonenko in the room.
- Natalia Pogonina and Jennifer Shahade on chessgames.com with GM Ray Keene escorting
- IM Malcolm Pein and Mark Crowther on TWIC
- Arkadij Naiditsch on chessbomb/chessdom
- Susan Polgar, Erwin l'Ami etc. twitted during all the games on Twitter
- Sergey Shipov on chessintranslation

Post game annotations:
- Gilberto Milos on chessbase

the Opening
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4

Mikhail Golubev Really tired with the match, don't care who will win, even not waiting for the interesting play anymore, only hope there will be no tiebreak


@Pogonina: Kramnik: This is "random chess", anyone can win now, given the tension

Naiditsch
4. e3 It seems like he really got fed of suffering in Slav. We have the main Nimzo with 4.e3, Rubinstein variation. This time we can expect Anand to be better prepared than in the previous game.

the surprises and novelty
Bd7 9.a3 Ba5 10.Qe2 Bc6 11.Rd1 Bxc3

Naiditsch
7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bd7 Wow, this is a real surprise, 8...Bd7!? I am myself playing Nimzo with Black for the last 10 years and never even thought about this move. And indeed, the database is showing that this move is super rare, but been already played by very strong players like Korchnoi or Jussupow (old school move).


@SusanPolgar: 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bd7 This is a rare move. It seems that Anand wants to stay away from the main line.

@Pogonina: Kramnik: Alas for me, I have probably "caught" Anand at his prime. He was a SCARY opponent. :)

Pogonina: Kramnik and Smirin are saying they know what is inside Gelfand's magic bottle! :P

@MarkTWIC: World #Chess Championship Game 11: 8...Bd7 apparently a Bronstein invention. I couldn't find it in Sokolov's book on the Nimzo.

@erwinlami: Rather excessive to be spending over half an hour on this position if you ask me.

Natalia Pogonina: The idea behind d7 is to develop the bishop along the a8-h1 diagonal without weakening the c6 square by playing b6. The knight can come out on d7 later.

Gilberto Milos ..Bxc3 A novelty! Usually Black plays ...Qe7 or Nbd7 here. [11...Nbd7 12.d5 exd5 13.Nxd5 Nb6 was played in Knaak-Yussupov 1991. ]


the Middlegame
12.bxc3 Nbd7 13.Bd3 Qa5 14.c4 cxd4 15.exd4 Qh5 16.Bf4 Rac8 17.Ne5 Qxe2 18.Bxe2 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Rfd8

@ChessinT: Sergey Shipov: "Boris, pull yourself together! It's time to play chess.


@erwinlami: Anand found a different way of stopping e4, by attacking c3! Of course 14.e4 Qxc3 15.Bd2 has to be checked. #anandgelfand

Naiditsch
13. Bd3 And we see Gelfand is playing 13.Bd3 anyway, why? Probably because he could not find anything else. In case of 13.Bb2 Qc7! (threatening Ng4 next) probably White would have nothing better than to play 14.Bd3 anyway, so why not to play it immediately.

15. exd4 @erwinlami: Probably overestimating the pair of bishops again but I do think white has a stable edge here.

@SusanPolgar: @erwinlami Totally agree. I like white better here.

Svidler
12.bxc3 Nbd7 "So far the guess the move percentage of the super-GMs in this position is close to zero. The whole sequence that has appeared on the board has not been predicted by anybody." - Svidler talking about the press room discussion of this game so far. Nbd7 left Kramnik and Svidler "completely lost" as to what Anand is doing.

15.exd4 This is the second Nimzo of the match and in both games Anand has chosen the same pawn structure with the same pieces remaining Alberto Milos

Malcolm Pein 17.Ne5 The time situation will play a huge influence on Boris Gelfand's choice of moves from now on. This commits to a position which Gelfand will be able to play quickly. "Wow, either Boris was a little unnerved by the opening surprise or just wants to grind on in a position of safety. I guess he did not like the Bxf3 option for Black and he was way behind on the clock and wants to avoid very complex play"

Naiditsch
18. Bxe2 Nxe5 The endgame is tiny little better for White, even if I think it should objectively be a draw. White got a bishop pair, but the hanging pawns c4 and d4 are giving Black enough counterplay.

With the Queens on board, White always has many tactical ideas, but with the Queens off the board, the pawns on c4 and d4 are more weakness then strength of White position.

Natalia Pogonina: Boris is looking now like a professor who fell asleep in the subway.

the Equalizer and draw
20.a4 Ne4 21.Rd3 f6 22.Bf4 Be8 23.Rb3 Rxd4 24.Be3 Rd7 1/2-1/2

Naiditsch  draw!! And of course agreed by Gelfand. Tomorrow is another free day and then we will see Anand playing his last White.

‏@erwinlami The iniative -also considering Boris' time- definitely passed to Anand. But 23.Rb3 might just keep the balance.
Draw agreed! Indeed 25.Bxa7 Nc5 26.Bxc5 Rxc5 27.a5 doesn't promise anything for either side.

JenShahade: Kramnik: "I would say Gelfand's chances are 55-45 in classical chess now and 45-55 in rapid".  (commentator) Statements like these are vacuous, even if they come from a legend.

I disagree! I like statements like this :) I know from commentary at the US Chess Champs that it's VERY hard to pin down chessplayers on predictions. I.e- Many GMs in the US Chess Champs when we asked whether Kamsky or Nakamura would win, at a point when they both had the same score. "I don't like to predict"

Natalia Pogonina: Kramnik: "Losing in blitz, unlike in rapid, is a coin-flip". Says the stress is enormous; recalls how he lost 10 kilos (about 25 pounds) during the match against Kasparov.  This is absolutely true. The more I play, the slimmer I am becoming. And vice versa. :)

Jon Ludvig Hammer ‏@gmjlh Happy birthday to Anand's second Peter Heine. Hopefully he'll get to celebrate it on Sunday ;)

Silvio Danailov ‏@SilvioDanailov The most important and difficult thing for Gelfand for the rest of the match is to believe and convince himself that he can win.Nothing more

Anand: Everything is interesting for me, and you decide for yourselves.
Gelfand: the interest towards the match is shocking and unprecedented

Meanwhile, hot news in Twitter now is GM Hikaru Nakamura unhappy with the new book by Karsen Muller "Fighting Chess with Hikaru Nakamura" . Nakamura dully twit : "It is truly disgusting that people are allowed to write books and profit off of our games without our permission. "

--- all comments and twitter by their respective author ---

Perjuangan Boris Gelfand, pecatur berwarga negara Israel, untuk merebut tahta Juara dunia dari Viswanthan Anand masih belum kecapaian. Walau demikian penggemar catur seluruh dunia menanti dengan seksama setiap langkah catur ke dua grandmaster ini. Hingga kemarin telah dimainkan sebelas partai dwi tarung catur antara kedua nya. Dwi tarung catur Anand Gelfand ini berlangsung di gedung meseum di Moscow. Seperti diberitakan blog ini sebelumnya, Gelfand berhasil mengalahkan Anand di ronde ke tujuh tetapi di ronde delapan, Gelfand membuat blunder parah mengakibatkan dia kalah hanya di langkah 17. Hal ini membuat rekor partai dwi tarung juara dunia tercepat. Selanjutnya kedua tetap bersaing ketat hingga ronde ini, ke sebelas.

Di ronde sebelas, Gelfand memegang buah putih dan dijawab Anand dengan pembelaan Nimzo Indian. Gelfand memilih variasi Rubinsten ..e3 tetapi kejutannya adalah di langkah 8 hitam membalas ...Bd7. Gelfand kemudian menghabiskan waktu 35 menitan hanya untuk menjawab dengan 9.a3.

Di atas telah ditampilkan kompilasi komentar-komentar grandmaster dunia yang ikut menyaksikan even bersejarah ini. Di era internet ini seluruh penggemar catur dunia bisa ikut menikmati langkah-langkah catur juara dunia di mana saja. Melalui blackberry sangat disarankan mengikuti melalui twitter di mana mantan juara catur wanita Susan Polgar dan pecatur muda dari Belanda Erwin l'Ami dengan rajin men-twit komentarnya LIVE langkah per langkah.

Mohon maaf seluruh komentar tidak bisa diterjemahkan karena waktu, tetapi sangat disarankan untuk dibaca bagi yang mengerti.

GMs Comment the Sicilian defence of Anand-Gelfand Round 10

World Chess Championship now reach round 10. High voltage on the stage as the two player Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand are now full of T.N.T. to bomb each other. But the game quickly went back to black, as both player gone side line of Sicilian and Boris taking care of black side looks win the surprise show. After answered by Gelfand sicilian defence, Anand try a ballbreaker 5.b3 but it was Gelfand who made who by instant replaying the even more eyebrow rising 5...e5. Black quickly equalized although the position actually looks razor edge in the center. After 25 moves the highway to hell didn't went for anybody and peace signed.

Now the trend of compiling twitter and quotes around the world done also in major site (TWIC has done it), your faithful still motivated to compiled most of interesting comments available on net. This is a way to archieving this historic event of World Championship and documented any grandmaster that take part in making this chess event even more colorful.

Last night is the most crowded so far as I can collected. Here the sources:

during game / live commentaries:
Svidler, Morozevich and Karjakin (but not available quotes) on official site
Susan Polgar, Erwin l'Ami, Malcolm Pein and Mark TWIC Crowther, J.L. Hammer etc. on Twitter
Natalia Pogonina and Jennifer Shahade on chessgames
Arkadij Naiditsch on chessdom/chessbomb
Sergey Shipov on chessintranslation (tranlated by Dan MacKenzie)

post game commentaries:
Sergey Shipov and Malcolm Pein analysis
Romain Edouard on chessbase

Let There Be Rock - The Opening
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6

Stuart Conquest ‏@stuthefox 
I kind of predicted this opening (Rossolimo Sicilian) to myself! But I didn't dare tweet it.

GM Naiditsch
3. Bb5 e6 and here we have the change on the 3rd move instead of the 3.d4 Anand is playing 3...Bb5, The main reply today is 3...Nf6, but of course 3...e6 is a well known move

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
And we have the Rossolimo Sicilian, which is more rare than other Sicilan lines.

GM Edouard
Avoiding the Sicilian Pelikan: not such a surprise in my opinion!
 
IM Pein (post game)
I was very impressed in game 9 how Boris bounced back from the game 8 debacle. He showed he was not crushed by it and pushed for the win.
 
Are You Ready - the 5.b3 e5
5.b3 e5

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
5...e5 Anand tried to surprise Gelfand with a relative rare opening in modern WC, only to be surprised by his opponent in the 5th move.

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
It's clear that Gelfand is very well prepared for this match. This is why Gelfand struggled recently in tournaments, he was hiding his prep.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Anand-Gelfand (10) Very concrete opening play from Gelfand. Anand probably didn't hope for this after 5.b3

Jennifer Shahade ‏@JenShahade
@MarkTWIC I agree, Gelfand seems impressively prepped here.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
@JenShahade Svider thinks Gelfand will continue to play fast for some time. I very much enjoyed your US #Chess Championship broadcasts

@erwinlami: Black looks comfortable. In the endgame the bishop-pair and more space will compensate the double c-pawns.

GM Naiditsch
5. b3 and Anand is doing my favorite move, 5.b3!? I played this myself quite often with White. One of the major ideas of the 5.b3 is, to play quickly Ba3 followed by the d4 move
5... e5 but Gelfand seems to know exactly what he is doing, and answering with the 5...e5!? - it is again amazing, what kind of very deep preparation Gelfand and his team were able to make. Practically in every game Gefland is surprising Anand with something! The 5...e5 !? is already almost a novelty! And clearly the first game on the high level! The critical move in the position is 6.Nxe5. I think in case White does not play 6.Nxe5, Black should be doing perfectly fine, the next moves could be d6,Nf6,Be7, and castle short.

Malcolm Pein ‏@TelegraphChess
Interesting position after only 6 moves 5...e5 pretty much a novelty unclear endgame on the board

GM Edouard
e5!? Almost a novelty! This brillant move simply solves all problems immediately. Black wants to play ...d6 next with a very good position, which forces White to take on e5.
 
GM Shipov (post game)
This is already a serious decision… Black places his pawn under attack, blockading the pawn on e4. As it turns out, this is not a novelty. [White would meet the more cautious 5...d6 with 6.e5 , with the idea 6...dxe5 7.Nxe5 Qd4 8.Nc4 Qxa1 9.Nc3 , and White will successfully trap the Black queen.]


Get it Hot - Middlegame
6.Nxe5 Qe7 7.Bb2 d6 8.Nc4 d5 9.Ne3 d4 10.Nc4 Qxe4+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Be6 13.d3 Nf6 14.Nbd2 O-O-O

 
Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Note that 7...d6 8.Nxc6? Qc7 traps the knight. I expect 8.Nc4 d5!?

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
6.Nxe5 Qe7 7.Bb2 d6 8.Nc4 d5 9.Ne3 d4 Knight back to c4, Queens will come off the board

GM Naiditsch
11. Qe2 Gelfand started to think a little, maybe that means he expected more 9.Ne5 and not 9.Ne3. This endgame looks better for White but again, maybe Gelfand's team found some resources to make the game equal.

Jon Ludvig Hammer ‏@gmjlh
@erwinlami Really? I like this for white - just go d3 and in the long term c3 will be very annoying?

Malcolm Pein ‏@TelegraphChess
Trying to figure where the white knights go. Nc4-e5-d3 and Nb1-a3-c4 perhaps Moves on http://twiclive.com/silverlive.htm

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
@gmjlh I am thinking that after a subsequent Nf6, 0-0-0, h5-h4 etc. it's rather difficult to get c3 in.

Shipov (during the game): "Before the match I thought Anand would be a little stronger in a dry positional battle [...] let's see if that verdict was right."

Alexander Morozevich joins Dirk Jan and Svidler in the English commentary box
Alexander Morozevich on Gelfand's match strategy: "Trying to play as direct as possible with the black pieces."

Sergey Karjakin joins the Russian commentary... now talking about being Kramnik's second when he played Grischuk.

Natalia Pogonina: Following the game Shaposhnikov (2525) - Bocharov (2403), 1-0, 2001. Now Bocharov is a 2600 player, but 11 years ago he had just 2400.

JenShahade: That Shaposhnikov game that Natalia mentions continued Nc4 Qxe4+ Ne3 Nf6 Bxf6 gxf6 with an unusual position with two knights vs. two bishops. What would you guys prefer here?
 
GM Shipov (Post game)
8…d5 A novelty! I am amazed by the speed with which the opponents are moving the pieces across the board. It reminds me exactly of my battles in Internet bullet chess with a minute on each side… Boris and Vishy are for now simply repeating their home analysis

JenShahade: Impressive preparedness by Gelfand IMO.
Natalia Pogonina: Yeah, his seconds are working amazingly well so far!
 
IM Pein (post game)
8.Nc4 d5, Technically the novelty. Black gains space with tempo and proceeds to block the Bb2 He has some long terms concerns as his c5 pawn could be vulnerable but right now he is active. His light squared bishop is unchallenged. Although this position is new, positions of this type occur frequently in this line.
 
Shoot to Thrill
15.Rhe1 Be7 16.Kf1 Rhe8 17.Ba3 Nd5 18.Ne4 Nb4 19.Re2 Bxc4 20.bxc4 f5
 
Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
Tal Memorial #Chess. The draw for the event will be decided by a blitz tournament. Need to finish in the top half for more whites!

Jennifer Shahade ‏@JenShahade
@MarkTWIC that is so awesome, what a great idea.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
@JenShahade It occurs to me that this Tal Memorial blitz for your tournament draw number idea ought to favour Nakamura!

Shipov says in a bullet game he'd sac the exchange on e6 to get perfect squares for his knights... but he wouldn't try it in proper game.

Chess in Translation ‏@ChessinT
Smirin: "Tarrasch said 'a knight on the rim is dim', but he didn't say anything about a bishop" Grischuk: "It went without saying!"

Malcolm Pein ‏@TelegraphChess
18...Nb4 I guess 19.Re2 now - strange symmetry Black doesn't want to take on c4 White avoids taking on b4 :)

Svidler on Korchnoi's notorious insults: "If he feels compelled to insult you after the game you should wear it as a badge of honour."

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
@MarkTWIC Was he referring to the case when Korchnoi told him: "Young man, you have no idea how to play the endgame"? :)

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
@Pogonina It was Svidler's first win vs Korchnoi who complained that he had to make it interesting and he would never have lost otherwise

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
@MarkTWIC Was he referring to the case when Korchnoi told him: "Young man, you have no idea how to play the endgame"? :)

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
17...Nd5 I do not think that Gelfand will have much difficulties holding this position.

Grischuk: In this match Anand is playing both impulsively and slowly.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Interesting decision by Boris to give the bishop on c4. 21.Bxb4 cxb4 22.Nd2 Bf8 is a like scenario now. #anandgelfand

GM Naiditsch
19... Bxc4 why Black needed to play first 19...Bxc4 and not directly
19...f5, not so easy to see, but White has a very nice trick: 19..f5 20.Ng3 Bxc4 and now 21.Nxf5! not an easy move to see during the live game

Have A Drink On Me - draw offered
21.Bxb4 cxb4 22.Nd2 Bd6 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Nb3 c5 25.a3 1/2-1/2

Shipov says Gelfand offering a draw after 21...cxb4 was revenge for Anand's inappropriate offer yesterday (when Gelfand had the edge).

Malcolm Pein ‏@TelegraphChess

VA avoids the Ng3 move but Black looks fine White has no pawn breaks except a2-a3 and knight has no good outpost yet

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
I think the correct sequence is 25.a3 bxa3 26.Rxa3 Kb7 27.Ra5 a6! with the idea 28.Nxc5? Kb6 29.Nb3 Bb4! and the a-pawn is dangerous.

Chess in Translation ‏@ChessinT
Well, despite some pre-match predictions we're going to get at least 12 games...

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Draw agreed already. Fairly easy game for Gelfand. The score is 5-5!

GM Shipov
25.a3  Anand played this move… and offered a draw! Apparently he realized that his prospects were not as radiant as they appeared from afar. Gelfand did not take offense and did not refuse the offer in return — it’s a DRAW!

Jovanka Houska ‏@thelittlehat
When chess players are playing a match I do think draws should not be agreed so early. Endgames are fascinating So play them out!

Sutovsky doesn't think the draw was evident. He suggested several variants, underlined advantages for the both players. Sutovsky: I think this is the last competition with rules "draw whenever you like"

GM Edouard
25.a3 It is quite impressive how the Israeli player manages to surprise his opponent in almost every game. Not many people on earth would manage to draw several games so easily against Anand with Black: Gelfand is not only a challenger, but also a real candidate for the World Champion title.
Anish Giri ‏@anishgiri
Seems like Anand wasted a nice advantage.. Some longer tortures were possible, at least! Now things can get very random- exciting match.
 
after the game
 
Gelfand on his Novelty, at least at the top level. "It's always nice to play a novelty on the 5th move because this doesn't happen every day. Usually you apply your novelties on move 20 or 25 and sometimes we are scared of novelties as late as move 40."
 
Svidler 25.a3 is a surprising move on which to finish because it seems like the move that actually opens up the position."
 
Morozevich on Gelfand's play so far: "Trying to play as direct as possible with the black pieces."
Morozevich explaining that not all games are planned in detail by GMs but are more haphazard: "Oops suddenly I'm winning, oops suddenly it's a draw."

Svidler: "I dislike passive defense because I'm no good at it."

Silvio Danailov ‏@SilvioDanailov

My son asked me why the final position of today's game was draw.No answer on the FIDE handbook,so I suggested him to ask Kirsan or Makro.

Silvio Danailov ‏@SilvioDanailov
Finally everybody (including GM Lex Valensa:) starts to understand why chess need Sofia Rules.Congrats! I was suggesting this since 2004.
 
all text, quotes, twits and commentaries by its respective author

GMs Comment Gelfand-Anand Hard Draw on Round Nine

Game nine of World Chess Championship 2012 between Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand ended in a draw. A Nimzo Indian was played as Boris Gelfand on White's 1.d4 and Anand played Black. In the middle game, Gelfand put permanent waves of attack to black side and black needed a caress of steel to defence it. Unfortunately the vapor trails of white plan to bring a farewell to king of black just not work. When the clockwork angels didn't favoured both player in time trouble, white giving up and offered a draw. Fortunately this draw is more than the previous draw and see signal of each player tendency to roll the bones of their opponent.

A compilation of Grandmaster commentaries from official site and "unofficial" on twitter are once again present here. I thank you whom supporting this fun project and hope to as close as possible to documented fun trivial comments on this historic match.

LIVE commentaries on official site:
Peter Svidler, Grischuk, Illya Smirin

during game / LIVE
GM Arkadij Naiditsch on chessdom/chessbomb
Natalia Pogonina on chessgames and twitter
GM Sergey Shipov is doing live commentaries and post game analysis
GM Alberto Milos on chessbase
IM Malcolm Pein on TWIC and live comment on twitter as well

Twitter
Susan Polgar, Erwin L'Ami joined now Anish Giri, Stuart Conquest,
Kosteniuk , Mark "TWIC" Crowther etc.

Different Stages the Nimzo Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
Correctly predicted 1.d4 Nf6 in today's game (no Slav!)

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Logical for Anand to switch openings, game 7 was a disaster. #anandgelfand

IM Malcolm Pein
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
The Slav is evidently in the repair shop

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Gm9. Gelfand-Anand. Highly theoretical Nimzo-Indian is a change from the semi-slav Anand has played so far.

Grischuk: "I think that after the last two games they have lost respect for each other in the chess sense and will now be playing more ambitiously". :)

Natalia Pogonina: Today’s game is very interesting in the sense that now both players have suffered knock-downs. Let’s see whose nerves are stronger. The stereotype is that Anand handles defeats pretty badly, while Gelfand is more resistant. However, his blunder in game 8 reminded everyone that Boris is by far not as good in tactics as Anand usually is. Will Vishy be able to exploit this advantage somehow, or will Gelfand recover from the blow and put his motivation and strong will to good use? We’ll find out soon

Natalia Pogonina: I wonder how many blue NIIT shirts Anand has at his disposal. It looks as if he is always wearing the same one, but the impression is obviously wrong.

GM Naiditsch
6. Nf3 c5 we see the very main Nimzovich variation, the line with d5 and c5. Anand himself played many games in this position, as well as Gelfand with Black. The position is very well known was popular opening even 70 years ago!

Working Man - The Middlegame
8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.exd4 b6 10.Bg5 Bb7 11.Qe2 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Bd3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qc7
 
Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
7...dxc4 8. Bxc4 cxd4 9. exd4 b6 We have yet to see a novelty so far. 10. Bg5 Bb7 11. Qe2 Both are still in theory.
11...Nbd7 12. Rac1 It's interesting that even though Anand surprised Gelfand with the Nimzo, White is playing faster.


Jovanka Houska ‏@thelittlehat
listening and enjoying Svidler's commentary esp his opinion on program patzers!

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
A game Karpov-Psakhis continued 12...Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qc7 14.Bd3 Ng4! forcing a bishop exchange with on e4.

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
12...Rc8 Anand spent a lot of time to make this move. White could make a play for the Kingside or the center. I give white a slight edge +=

GM Naiditsch
12. Rac1 Gelfand seems to know it well and plays very quickly 12.Rac1, as well a logical move. White wants to play at 12...Rc8 13.Bd3 and now Black got not the chance to play Qc7 move, which is usually the right position for the Queen. Seems like Gelfand managed to surprise Vishy, which could mean a game full of action for us!

Test for Echo, the c4-c5!?
15.c4 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Rfe8 17.Rfd1 h6 18.Bh4 Qd6 19.c5 bxc5
 
Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
I surely didn't expect 15...Bxf3. Black wants to block the position after 16.Qxf3 e5. What about 17.Bf5!?

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
Still don't understand Anand's Bf3. Recalled the wrong line? Overseen something?

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9 16.Qxf3 Rfe8 * unless Vishy has some big idea white looks good here.

GM Naiditsch
15. c4 Black has now a couple of moves as well, I think 15...Qd6 is looking very solid, maybe 15...Qc6!? also interesting
15... Bxf3 this is really a surprising move by Anand, 15...Bxf3?! does not look good to me

Svidler is ecstatic about white's position on the official website

IM Malcolm Pein
15.c4 Bxf3?!
Voluntarily giving up the two bishops. Vishy criticised this afterwards. "Obviously I messed something up in the opening. Normally speaking my position is much worse, White just got the two bishops for my two knights and the only thing I did was to try and provoke this move 19. c5 because I thought that I would get rid of the bishop in almost all the lines and I could try and make a fortress. This is in fact what happened in the game."

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9 after the dull start the match has sprung to life. This is why most fans wanted a longer match.

"This is what he was working towards his entire life." Svidler on Gelfand.

Grischuk on the Russian commentary: "If I was playing an average grandmaster I'd think this position would win itself".

17.Rfd1 h6 * Svidler thinks 18.Bh4 is the most natural here.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
RT @erwinlami: @jonathanddownie So do I! Guess he missed Bf5 in case of e5, otherwise he'd never give up his bishop on f3.

Erwin l'Ami
If Anand missed such a shallow line then he's in deep trouble in this match. Maybe explanation of Gelfand aggression in Gm8

Grischuk: "Strategically speaking Black should play actively, but if he does the bishop pair will only become stronger".

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
14...Bxf3 This is a total stunner. Why would black give up his Bishop? It is now a pair of Bishops versus a pair of Knights.
I like white's position a lot better. 16. Qxf3 Rfe8 17. Rfd1 h6 I expect 18. Bh4 Black has an issue finding good squares for his pieces.
18. Bh4 as expected. I am puzzled of some of Anand's moves in this game. He is giving white an excellent position voluntarily.

Stuart Conquest ‏@stuthefox
Can someone please explain what Vishy is up to? No engine needed: every chess book in history will tell you White must stand better.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9. Key moment in the match. Gelfand thinking about move 19 he has the advantage, how to make the most of it?

Shipov speculates that the Soviet mentality is to feel more at home when things are going badly, so Anand's "gift" may unsettle Gelfand...

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Thinking how to increase the pressure after 19.Bg3 Qb4. Maybe just 20.Rb1 Qa5 21.Qe2, stopping e5.

Judit Polgar ‏@GMJuditPolgar
Had it really been a prophecy? :) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lubomir-kavalek/women-in-chess-a-few-tale_b_1433203.html (twitted approx move 17)

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
The bonus of classical time control chess games is that one can take a shower and return to commentating before a move is made :)

Alexandra Kosteniuk ‏@chessqueen
Going to my Yoga lesson, back in 1.5 hours! (this is twitted approx. on move 18)

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
18...Qd6 This is the best possible move for Anand. It gives his Queen more mobility. The question now is what should white do?

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
The concrete 19.c5 bxc5 20.dxc5 Rxc5! 21.Bh7+ Kxh7 22.Rxd1 Rxc1+ shouldn't be that big of a deal for black.

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
This is the critical moment for Gelfand. He must find the right plan if he wants the full point. This why he is spending a lot of time here.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
I think a strategy of prophylaxis is the appropriate way here. Simply preventing any counterplay

GM Alberto Milos
19.c5 An interesting try which releases the pressure but wins material. The position would be very unpleasant for Black if White had played 19.a3 controlling b4, and keeping all possibilities to advance the central pawns open was a good option. How should Black continue? The computer might hold the position but who would play like a computer? Qe7! Other moves were not insufficient.
19...bxc5 Black has to sacrifice the queen but that is ok.
20. dxc5 Rxc5 21. Bh7+ Kxh7 22. Rxd6 Rxc1+ 23. Rd1 Rec8 *

Malcolm Pein ‏@TelegraphChess
Vishy sacs his queen but it looks very solid
19.c5!? (post game comments)
Anand was happy to see this rather than 19.Bg3 he had foreseen the consequences. In the commentary box Peter Svidler had this on the board well in advance of it's appearance on the board

GM Naiditsch
19. c5 What a strange decision... why to play 19.c5?!...in such a nice position White had no need at all to go for this forced line
19... bxc5 the position that will arrive now after 21.Bh7 in my opinion will be very hard to win for White

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9. Gelfand takes a stable advantage. Svidler fears Gelfand isn't getting everything the position offered.

GM Naiditsch
23... Rec8 24. h3 Ne5 Now is it time to think for Black, how to exchange the knight against the bishop on h4, and in case it is not possible, where to put which piece to make a fortress...

Stuart Conquest ‏@stuthefox
In Gelfand-Anand, Shenyang 2000, Boris also achieved the material plus of Queen & bishop v rook, bishop & knight (but very complex) & drew.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
One pitfall is 24...Kg8 25.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 26.Kh2 Nd5 27.Qa3 Rc7 28.Bg3! winning the a-pawn.

Grischuk: I'd have expected something like that [19.c5] only from some "computer kid".
Shipov: "He sold a gold watch for a rouble".

Grischuk even more convinced Gelfand went wrong with 19.c5 if even the queen-loving computer's evaluation has dropped.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
"If he can't establish the hold along the 5th, this will be very annoying [for black]" - Svidler. Pawn on a5 rook on c5 is the ideal setup

Rush Through Time - the fall of Queen
20.dxc5 Rxc5 21.Bh7+ Kxh7 22.Rxd6 Rxc1+ 23.Rd1 Rec8 24.h3 Ne5 25.Qe2 Ng6 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 28.Kh2 Rc7

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar

26. Bxf6 gxf6 27. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 28. Kh2 Black is planning his Rook on the 7th rank to build a fortress. The question is can white make progress

Grischuk: I think during this game the players have often thought: "What the fxxx is he doing?". Smirin: We will get banned for this! :D (re-phrased by Natalia Pogonina)

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9. Svidler starting to have doubts that this is an easy draw. "This could be quite seriously unpleasant."

IM Malcolm Pein
28.Kh2 Rc7
As Vishy said he had many possible setups though in the games it was very tricky to decide which fortress to choose. And I have pawn on e5, knight on g6 Rook on e7 as one fortress, pawn on e5, knight on e6, rook on c7 as another, the one I chose in the game the knight on d5, there are just too many

GM Naiditsch
27... Rxc1+ now the question is, can Black bring the knight to d5 or not. In case yes, it is immediate draw, in case no - probably Gelfand could try to win for some time, by putting the pawn on a6, and the push the King pawns forward

28. Kh2 Rc7 29. Qb2 a great move by Gelfand, 29.Qb2!! The idea is to stop the black knight from moving away from g6. Now at 29...Kg7 30.Qb8! Re7 and 31.Qd8 or Qd6. Black will probably continue with 31.Qd6 Rb7 32.Qc6 Re7 33.g3! and maybe White has some chances.

Snakes and Arrows - Queen vs Rook and Knight
29.Qb2 Kg7 30.a4 Ne7 31.a5 Nd5 32.a6 Kh7 33.Qd4 f5 34.f4 Rd7

Shipov suggests the plan: pawn on a6, queen on d6, then g2-g3 and h3-h4-h5! and the black rook might not be able to hold the a7-pawn.

Svidler going back to the thought that black holds. But this is all about finding long term plans.

GM Naiditsch
a4 Oh, this is a real surprise to me, Gelfand is giving a chance to Black to play Ne7-Nd5 now. What can be White hopes for a win? Maybe to bring the King to h5! and try to take away the pawn on h6, could be interesting, maybe the position is not as drawish it looks.

GM Alberto Milos
30.a4 Ne7 Anand start to build his fortress. I believe the way he played is not the only one but it seems good enough

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Anand brings his knight to d5. White will bring his pawn to a6 -fixing a7- and should try to combine threats on both wings

Anish Giri ‏@anishgiri
@erwinlami Queen somewhere to b8 to tie down the rook, then g4, h4.. Black is likely to collapse, don't you think?

"I would be worried but I'm not nearly as good a defender as Vishy." "He [Vishy] looks calm but he looks concerned." – Svidler

Patricia Llaneza ‏@PattyLlaneza
Maybe #WCC2012 broadcast has a huge audience of art lovers who are pissed off when some boring chess guys appear on the screen every 20' :-)
Retweeted by Jovanka Houska

After Nd5 Shipov says his fantasies include the white king getting to h5 and Qd2 winning the pawn on h6, or simply a kingside pawn storm.

GM Naiditsch
30... Ne7 of course Anand is playing 30...Ne7, and probably White will play now a5-a6. But maybe White should play first the move 31.g4!? to fix the Black's pawn structure.

31. a5 Nd5 seems to be not an easy draw at all... now we see why Gelfand was thinking for so long about the move 19.c5. The position is looking to be quite a draw - from the first look, but Gefland showed great understanding of the position! Difficult time for Anand ahead .

32. a6 Kh7 Black wants to play f5 now, so 33.g4 is looking very logical to counter it. But it seems like 33.g4 is not giving White any objective chances to win. Black would just keep on moving Kh7-Kg7 and at Whites Kg3-Kh4 just play Rc3! with mating threats. The good thing, for the first time during the match we got a chance to see a game over 40 moves!! :)

33. Qd4 Gefland is letting Anand choose whether he wants to play f5 or not and playing 33.Qd4

anishgiri: From my brief look seems that Vishy is in huge danger today.. White's eventual push on the kingside may break it.

Stuart Conquest ‏@stuthefox
Everyone criticised Boris' 19.c5 move. But now many are claiming real winning chances for White.

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
30...Ne7 Anand is doing exactly that. Gelfand's only chance is to find a way to make play with h4 - g5.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
@anishgiri Interesting: white: Kh4, Qb8, a6, f4, g4, h5 black: Kg7, Rc7, Nd5, a7, e6, f7, f6, h6. Now g4-g5 seems extremely dangerous.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
@anishgiri Interesting: white: Kh4, Qb8, a6, f4, g4, h5 black: Kg7, Rc7, Nd5, a7, e6, f7, f6, h6. Now g4-g5 seems extremely dangerous.

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
31. a5 Nd5 32. a6 Gelfand is trying a different plan, but I am still having a hard time to find a convincing path.

Shipov: "Another fantasy: f2-f4, g2-g4, h3-h4, g4-g5, of course blundering nothing. You just need to decide what to do with the Q and K."

Natalia Pogonina ‏@Pogonina
Hope we are not seeing ANOTHER record today - the longest game in the history of chess :)

Stuart Conquest ‏@stuthefox
@Pogonina you should have time for another shower or two :)

Natalia Pogonina: Btw, Anand LOVES playing with the knights. At his command those wild horses are of kamikadze strength. (via chessgames.com)

IM Malcolm Pein
34.f4  Now Vishy relaxed somewhat: He said: "When he played f4 and I had f5 and h5 then I thought I'm safe, I couldn't see a way forward for him. In fact I don't even need this Re7 and Ng8. I played this Re7 because I saw this Ng8 trick but if I play Kh6 I think we are just repeating the position for the second time already. I simply don't know if white missed a win somewhere."


Exit.. Stage Left - the Fortress and failed siege
35.Kg3 Kg6 36.Qh8 Nf6 37.Qb8 h5 38.Kh4 Kh6 39.Qb2 Kg6 40.Qc3 Ne4 41.Qc8 Nf6 42.Qb8 Re7 43.g4 hxg4 44.hxg4 fxg4 45.Qe5 Ng8 46.Qg5+ Kh7 47.Qxg4 f6 48.Qg2 Kh8 49.Qe4 Kg7 1/2-1/2

Shipov: "The main question just now: does the f6-f5 advance favour Black? If it does then White needs to play g2-g4 immediately".


Anish Giri ‏@anishgiri
@erwinlami Looks dangerous, also some other similar ideas that look tricky.. So, this c5 seems like a reasonable decision after all? :)

GM Naiditsch
34. f4 Why does Gelfand play first 34.f4 and not 34.g4!? Also a bit strange, but the idea probably stays the same. The g4 move is needed, no way to play without it. Maybe Black could try now to avoid taking on g4. The move 34.f4 is really strange

Shipov's in shock about 37...h5. He thought Black should just tread water.

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
It's very important now that 38...Kh6 39.Qb3 Kg6 40.Qg3+ Kh7 41.Qg5 Ne4! 42.Qxh5+ Kg7 wins for Black!

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Game 9. Anand can even allow Qg3+ in many circumstances and Gelfand can even get into trouble by capturing on h5.

Anish Giri ‏@anishgiri
Looks like unique fortress found

Erwin l'Ami ‏@erwinlami
Nice defense from Anand! The fortress is now impregnable, expect a draw soon, by Anand.. Brilliant! :)

Shipov agrees it's now clear Anand's found another path to a draw. He was worried about the queen getting to g5, but it does White no good.

Shipov: "The draw is near. Boris is suffering at the board. Vishy is calm, luminous and pure like the Buddha"

Natalia Pogonina: Anand is building up the very same fortress that I have pointed out before.

Grischuk: "In my first Linares I set a fortress against Leko, he thought for 30 minutes, & I nearly ordered a beer at the board”.

Mark Crowther ‏@MarkTWIC
World #Chess Championship Gm9 the expected 42....Re7 played by Anand. Now 43.g4 sacrificing a pawn for a final try is the last option

Smirin: "Gelfand can play on as he's not risking anything". Grishcuk: "Nobody's risking anything any more"

Susan Polgar ‏@SusanPolgar
Sorry, internet connection died :( Anyway, nice hold by Anand. Now Anand has an edge with 2 white in final 3 games.

after the game

Viswanathan Anand:

Obviously I messed something up in the opening. Normally speaking my position is much worse, white just got the two bishops for my two knights and the only thing I did was to try and provoke this move 19. c5 because I thought that I would get rid of the bishop in almost all the lines and I could try and make a fortress.

Do you feel pleased or not?

Gelfand: I have never come across a player who is happy to draw a better position.

Peter Svidler:

To sum up. I think c5 was not forced on move 19, objectively perhaps Bg3 was stronger, even though you can't blame Boris for winning the Queen when he has a chance. He gave it a fairly decent shot, forced Vishy to show some precision in this position. But Vishy was equal to it and all in all an interesting game.

@SilvioDanailov: Gelfand missed great chance to win today. However, I still would put my money on him. Tomorrow is important day, the nerves will decide.


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