As predicted last week, the samurai standoff between Anand and Carlsen was swiftly shattered. After quiet draws in games one and two, Anand missed a golden opportunity in game three, while Carlsen returned the compliment in game four. Then Carlsen struck, cutting Anand down in two consecutive endgames which the young Norwegian handled with awesome clinical precision.
Carlsen-Anand: World Championship (Game 3), Chennai 2013
Here Anand continued 29 … Bd4 30 Re2 c4 31 Nxe6+ fxe6 32 Be4 cxd3 33 Rd2 Qb4 34 Rad1 Bxb2 35 Qf3 Bf6 36 Rxd3 Rxd3 37 Rxd3 and the game was soon drawn. If Anand wanted to play to win he had to try 29 … Bxb2 30 Rae1 Rb6 31 Bd5 and now 31 … Bd4 when it is not clear how White can continue in order to justify the pawn deficit.
Carlsen-Anand: World Championship (Game 5), Chennai 2013 (see diagram 2)
45 … Rc1+ Anand misses his chance to force a draw with 45 … Ra1. A typical variation is 46 Bg8+ Kc6 47 Bxb3 Rxa3 48 Kc4 axb3 49 Rh6+ Kd7 50 Rb6 Ra2 51 Rxb3 Ke6 when White cannot win. 46 Kb2 Rg1 47 Bg8+ Kc6 48 Rh6+ Kd7 49 Bxb3 axb3 50 Kxb3 Rxg2 51 Rxh4 Ke6 52 a4 Kxe5 53 a5 Kd6 54 Rh7 Kd5 55 a6 c4+ 56 Kc3 Ra2 57 a7 Kc5 58 h4 Black resigns
Anand-Carlsen: World Championship (Game 6), Chennai 2013
60 Ra4 As in the previous game, Anand misses a chance to draw in a difficult endgame. The correct way was 60 b4 h3 61 gxh3 Rg6 62 Rc8 f3 63 Re8+ Kf2 64 b5 Rg2+ 65 Kh1 Rg1+ 66 Kh2 Re1 67 Rxe1 Kxe1 68 b6 f2 69 b7 f1Q 70 b8Q. 60 … h3 61 gxh3 Rg6!! Unbelievably even the best computer programs were still assessing this position as a draw having not foreseen this devastating move.
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