‘Penta’stic Viswanathan Anand!
India’s Viswanathan Anand retained his world chess championship title on Wednesday by beating Boris Gelfand of Israel in a tiebreak after the regular games had ended 6-6.
Anand won the rapid playoffs 2.5-1.5 at State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. The Indian GM won the second game and drew the rest to win the rapid series.
In the first rapid game, Anand playing semi-slav as black gained initiative following Gelfand’s unnecessary moves.
However, the Indian GM allowed Gelfand to get counter play and the game reached a tactically double-edged position.
After exchange of queens and minor pieces, the two players agreed to a draw in 32 moves.
The Indian GM gained upper hand in Sicilian defence in the second rapid game, but then, Gelfand almost managed to equalise the game and reach a drawish rook, knight and pawn versus rook and bishop endgame.
However, Anand played resourcefully to utilise Israeli’s time trouble and romped home by exchanging the knight for the bishop. Gelfand resigned on the 77th move.
In the crucial third game, Gelfand played a calm opening, gaining initiative in the middle game.
However, the Indian GM played actively to get some counter play. With precision play, Gelfand improved his position and after exchange of queens and minor pieces, reached a rook endgame with two extra pawns.
But he couldn’t find a win as he had less than 16 seconds on the clock to Anand’s more than six minutes. The game ended in a draw in 59 moves.
With Gelfand needing a win with black pieces to reach blitz playoffs, he broke open the equal line chosen by Anand in the fourth and final rapid game.
However, his desperation couldn’t win him the much-needed full point, as Anand enjoying more time on clock shifted gears to active play and forced Gelfand to sign peace treaty on the 56th move.
In the post-game press conference, Anand said the Israeli GM had a lot of chances in the third and fourth games.
“Due to my opponent’s time trouble, I was able to win the second game. But he could have equalised the score right away in the third game,” he added.
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