Anand Just One Point Away From Retaining Title
By Arvind Aaron
 

World champion Viswanathan Anand moved closer to retaining his world chess title when he drew the eighth match game against former champion Vladimir Kramnik at Bonn on October 24.

The score after eight games is 5.5-2.5 with Anand needing one win or two draws from the last four games to keep his title. In case of a 6-6 tie, which is highly unlikely at this stage, the event can go to tie-break.

Five of the eight games in the match saw the Indian not castling. Game 8 was also one of them. His mantra for the openings has been a minor surprise is better than allowing the 1975-born Russian to second guess what will come on the board. Kramnik has been left guessing and has no clue what Anand would do next.

Therefore, Anand's tenth move was a prepared surprise and it left the Russian thinking. After 39 moves, Kramnik took a draw by repetition of checks with his queen. Anand, the 1969-born Chennai player who is the NIIT Brand Ambassador is well placed to take the World Chess title for the third time. Black was never in any difficulty in this game. With his queen and rook doubled in the only open file, black was even well placed and white had to play accurately to produce a draw.

Saturday, October 25 is a free day. The next game will be played on Sunday, October 26 which is Diwali eve in India. Indian chess is certain to celebrate Diwali on Monday in a brighter note with Anand hopefully winning the World Chess Title for the third time.

The longer weekend is therefore one with plenty of hope and two draws is all that India needs to ignite the spark of celebration in the land which invented this game.

So far, Anand's match strategy is working well. He has prepared differently this time. Largely, packed it with surprises rather than depth in known lines. Unknown tactical lines have offered the Indian "hold" in the match. Through this strategy he was successfully able to remove the problems he faced playing black against Kramnik in the last few tournament games.

At the board, Kramnik appears to be thinking a lot and is unable to handle the pressure after getting into a deficit in the match. Kramnik might take the big risk in game nine and it could all be even over by Sunday.

Vladimir Kramnik-Viswanathan Anand
Game 8, Queen's Gambit, Ragozin defence, Vienna Variation D37
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 Bb4 6. Bg5 c5 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qa5 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxf6 Bxb5 11. Ndxb5 gxf6 12. O-O Nc6 13. a3 Bxc3 14. Nxc3 Rg8 15. f4 Rd8 16. Qe1 Qb6+ 17. Rf2 Rd3 18. Qe2 Qd4 19. Re1 a6 20. Kh1 Kf8 21. Ref1 Rg6 22. g3 Kg7 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Nxd1 Kh8 25. Nc3 Rg8 26. Kg2 Rd8 27. Qh5 Kg7 28. Qg4+ Kh8 29. Qh5 Kg7 30. Qg4+ Kh8 31. Qh4 Kg7 32. e5 f5 33. Qf6+ Kg8 34. Qg5+ Kh8 35. Qf6+ Kg8 36. Re2 Qc4 37. Qg5+ Kh8 38. Qf6+ Kg8 39. Qg5+ Kh8 1/2-1/2.
 

More news WCC - 2008

Home                                                        Published on 25^th October, 2008