In Candidates Tournament – Replay, played at Goldchess from April until July, 2013, I wrote:
As white Carlsen earned 3.5 point, as black he earned as many as 5!
What will Anand’s strategy be? Win as black, draw as white.
However, with Carlsen it won’t be so easy…
And, indeed, it wasn’t. It seems that Carlsen is beyond the reach of modern Grandmasters.
Sure, at one point someone who dethrones him will appear, but it won’t happen soon. Carlsen is young and he will be developing.
His November match proved my observation. Carlsen is better playing black. Two of three resultative games he won playing black. Regarding the 5th game, former World Champion’s – Anand’s – first loss, I need to admit that he played black incredibly strong and militantly. However, the future World Champion played amazingly accurately. Sacrificing the central e5 pawn in exchange for -2 tempo in the march of the line pawn was a highest class move and it determined the result of the game.
In the 2nd resultative, the 6th game of the match, the world of white begins to fall apart after Anand’s 44th move, 44.h5. I haven’t seen Grandmasters’ comments, but in my humble opinion it was a losing error.
After the game the still-World-Champion Anand should have feared like a plague every game in which Carlsen played black. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. The 9th game brought Carlsen another, third win, after which the World Champion’s position became dramatic. To draw, he would have had to win the last three subsequent games. After laying my amateur’s on the 9th game I have one question. And what would be after 28.Gf1?
Then, the 10th game dispelled all doubts. The draw, which resulting in Anand surrendering the game.
Carlsen – the new World Champion! The crown goes to Norway.
Congratulations!!!
Goldchess team