Anand vs Carlsen: World Championship match thread

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MSC157
Andre_Harding wrote:

MSC157: The 1996 Karpov-Kamsky match had lots of Caro-Kanns. But those featured Kamsky going for the Panov-Botvinnik Attack to which Karpov replied with the 5...e6 Variation.

Sorry, only counted PCA & Braingames.

fabelhaft
massaquoi wrote:

Not that I'm saying I don't believe you, but do you have a citation for that claim (about the players wanting a longer match) so I can look further into it?

I don't think the players want longer matches.

TitanCG

Well now I'm trying to watch the press conference without squinting. It isn't going well.

TitanCG
fabelhaft wrote:
massaquoi wrote:

Not that I'm saying I don't believe you, but do you have a citation for that claim (about the players wanting a longer match) so I can look further into it?

I don't think the players want longer matches.

So they really think 12 games is enough? 

MSC157

Hey all, have you noticed that Carlsen's c-pawn fell down at the beginning? :)

fabelhaft
TitanCG wrote:
fabelhaft wrote:
massaquoi wrote:

Not that I'm saying I don't believe you, but do you have a citation for that claim (about the players wanting a longer match) so I can look further into it?

I don't think the players want longer matches.

So they really think 12 games is enough? 

At least I've never heard anyone say that they want to return to the 24 games of the past. I don't think the players are all that fond of matches and like them to be rather short, anyway 12 games seems to be the majority preference today. The women's title matches are 10 games, and there have been no complaints from the players about that either.

Charlotte
Debistro wrote:

I missed game 2 but I was quite sure it will be a draw after watching the crap of game 1. Sure enough, I did not miss anything.

Anand's strategy is to play for draws and go into the tiebreaks. Carlsen really needs to push and complicate the game, because it is clear that Anand will just be pushing for draws and more draws, whether he takes white or black.

He is simply going to hang on to his title no matter what it takes, even if it means all draws.

i agree with most of what you say, but today, after both players had castled on opposite sides it looked to me like there could have been a good game on. i'm not sure why it fizzled out into another draw, i just hope 12 games is enough for Carlsen to make the breakthrough he's obviously trying for, he was definitely the more comfortable of the two today.

SmyslovFan

I got up early to see the game. I was surprised by Carlsen's choice of the Caro-Kann, and disappointed that I got up for that snooze fest of a game. I'm still picking Carlsen to win by two, and I'm still rooting for Anand to pull a surprise.

I thought Anand's best chance at an upset was an early win. Kramnik thought his best chance was to prove to himself and the world he can hang with Magnus and then get him a bit later in the match. I'm hoping Kramnik is right!

TitanCG

They made it sound like a drawn variation. They said 17...Qd5 was a novelty, that 18.Qg4 wouldn't do anything and that the endgame wasn't going anywhere either.

SmyslovFan

Yeah, Anand headed for the draw as quickly as he could. He was probably surprised to see the Caro-Kann too. 

He will be ready next time Carlsen plays it though.

MSC157
octoberowl wrote:

Interesting game and a clear draw. The players are clearly testing each other and in game 3-5 we will probably see a clear decision either way, but maybe not.  Patience is required here. 

+1

trysts

That was an interesting game. I wish there was another game tomorrow. I'm really enjoying this, as the match itself is one big chess game:)

fabelhaft

People expecting much more excitement must have missed all the latest matches. Anand vs Gelfand mainly consisted of short draws, as did the Candidates matches in 2011. These short matches are rarely exciting the same way tournaments are. OK, it started off rather dull, but that's how it usually has looked even in tournaments between Anand and Carlsen. Once in a while Anand has a bad day and is outplayed, but that's not often, and the majority of their games are rather dull draws, and there won't be more sacrifices in this match. There will surely be more interesting games than the first two though.

royalbishop
InfiniteFlash wrote:

Match starting soon

Anand can retire from playing and write chess articles.

Charlotte

the 3rd game starts in about an hour

http://livechess.chessdom.com/site/

http://www.chess.com/news/anand-carlsen-all-the-info-8419

http://chennai2013.fide.com/fide-world-chess-championship-starting/

shepi13

Even in the Fischer Spassky match 11/20 games were draws (not counting the one that spassky won by forfeit), which is 55%.

It Fischer hadn't blown a won ending in game 1, then 12/20 would have been draws (60%).

In Anand-Kramnik 7/11 games were drawn, or 63%. In Anand-Topalov, 7/12 games were drawn, or 58%. In Anand-Gelfand, 10/12 games were drawn, or 83%. From all of these numbers combined with the information from woodrow above, it is quite easy to conclued that the draw rate in world championships generally falls between 60-80%. Thus, anywhere from 7 to 10 games should be drawn in a 12 game match.

If we assume that there is a 70% probably of drawing, than the probability that the first two games are drawn is around 50%. But when this happens, everyone freaks out that the match is too boring.

I actually think the match is more exciting for me than when it begun. Anand has easily held his own with black and next game will probably not be as surprised with white. And my biggest fear wasn't that every game is a short draw, but rather that Carlsen would blow out Anand 6-0. And in a 12 game match it is harder to come down from behind than in a match such as Kasparov-Karpov, so it almost wouldn't be worth watching the final games if this had happened.

RubiksRevenge

Hope Carlsen will play 1.e4 this game.

Charlotte
manfredmann wrote:

i'm going to boil an egg Smile

AnastasiaStyles

In about five minutes.

waffllemaster

1.Nf3