ODT141209

=**Carlsen defends world title**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 4.

World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway completed a successful defence of his title in the Russian resort of Sochi last month. The match against challenger Viswanathan Anand of India was the best of 12 games and showed that the pressure at this level affects even the world's best players. Carlsen won the second game with ominous ease, but Anand uncorked his deep opening preparation to win straight back in the third game to level the scores. This seemed to shake Carlsen's confidence and Anand drew the next few games comfortably. The key moment came in the sixth game. In an advantageous position Carlsen blundered, allowing Anand a chance to win two pawns and potentially turn the match. However, Anand saw the move too late and lost the game. The next few games were drawn, with Carlsen showing the effects of a cold. In the eleventh game, Anand found strong counterplay, but a moment of nerves meant he played a risky exchange sacrifice and wasn't able to withstand Carlsen's accurate play to press home his material advantage. This ended the match 6½- 4½ in Carlsen's favour.

Today's game is the final game of the match. Carlsen is White against Anand. media type="custom" key="26974592" **1.e4 e5** **2.Nf3 Nc6** **3.Bb5 Nf6** The Berlin Defence has become the standard elite response to the Ruy Lopez. **4.O-O Nxe4** **5.d4 Nd6** **6.Bxc6 dxc6** **7.dxe5 Nf5** **8.Qxd8+ Kxd8** Despite the exchange of queens' the game is still complex, with the two bishops compensating Black for the loss of castling rights and doubled pawns. **9.h3 Bd7** **10.Nc3 h6** **11.b3 Kc8** **12.Bb2 c5** **13.Rad1 b6** **14.Rfe1 Be6** **15.Nd5 g5!** The game revolves around White trying to support and advance his kingside pawn majority, while Black wants to increase the scope of his bishops – especially the unopposed light squared one. This move deprives White of the f4 square, which could lead to the exchange of knight for the e6 bishop, or support for e5 from the f-pawn. The hole created on f6 is not serious, as a knight planted there attacks nothing. **16.c4 Kb7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17.Kh2 a5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**18.a4 Ne7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19.g4 Ng6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20.Kg3 Be7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21.Nd2 Rhd8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22.Ne4 Bf8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23.Nef6 b5!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**24.Bc3** The pawn is immune e.g. 24.axb5?! a4 25.bxa4 Rxa4 attacking the weak c4 pawn and the Black knight is coming to f4 with full compensation. Once the knight on d5 is undermined the Black pieces will swarm the White position. Instead White keeps the a-file closed and bring his king up for support. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25... bxa4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25.bxa4 Kc6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**26.Kf3 Rdb8** Another idea was 26... Be7 intending to exchange the f6 knight, which seems to ensure a slight edge to Black. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**27.Ke4 Rb4!?** This sacrifice requires extremely accurate play to justify it and Anand proves unequal to the task. 27... Rb3 was equal, but Anand's need to win to get back in the match seems to have got the better of his judgement. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28.Bxb4 cxb4?** Already veering off course. 28... axb4 creates more problems for White e.g. 29.Nh5 Kb7! (29... Rxa4 30.Ra1 Rxa1 31.Rxa1 exchanges Black's rook and gives White the a-file) 30.Ra1 c6 31.Ne3 Re8! 32.Nf6 Re7 and White's inability to defend the pawn on e5 means he should take the draw by repetition 33.Ng8 (33.Rad1?! Bc8) 33... Re8 34.Nf6 etc. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29.Nh5! Kb7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**30.f4 gxf4?!** Falling in with White's plan to expel the bishop from e6 and invade with his rook down the d-file. Highly complex is 30... Bd7!? 31.f5 Bxa4 32.fxg6 fxg6 33.Nhf6 Bc2+! 34.Kd4 Bxd1 35.Rxd1 c6, but after 26.Nd7! cxd5 27.cxd5 White seems to get the better of the ending, though there were more practical chances to go wrong. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**31.Nhxf4 Nxf4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**32.Nxf4 Bxc4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**33.Rd7 Ra6** It's impossible to hold both c7 and f7. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**34.Nd5 Rc6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**35.Rxf7 Bc5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36.Rxc7+!** An accurate liquidation to a winning ending. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36... Rxc7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**37.Nxc7 Kc6** Worse is 37... Kxc7? 38.Rc1 winning one of the bishops. The rooks now proves its superiority. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**38.Nb5 Bxb5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**39.axb5+ Kxb5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**40.e6 b3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**41.Kd3 Be7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**42.h4 a4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**43.g5 hxg5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**44.hxg5 a3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**45.Kc3 Resigns**

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**1-0**


 * Solution:** 1. Nf5+! exf5 (1... Kg8 2. Qg6+ Bg7 3.Qxg7#; 1... Kh7 2.Qf7+ Bg7 3.Qxg7#) 2. e6+ Kh7 (else 3.Qf7#) 3. Qf7+ Bg7 4. Qxg7#.