World Chess Championship - Viswanathan Anand vs Vladimir Kramnik - October 2008

[viji]

Game 10 on. Another novelty from Kramnik in this Nimzo-Indian: 18 Re1. Anand is seriously behind his opponent in time (something that is rare). He seems to be walking along the path set by Kramnik's preparation.

Another day of hard work for Anand. Let us see if he can extricate himself from this situation.

[Prashant]

Right - looking at this after move 22, my amateur eye sees white in a better position, even apart from the clock. But Anand has shown the ability to extricate himself & get a draw in a couple of other games...

[viji]

Hope he manages that. It will be quite an achievement. He will soon have to play a move a minute to reach 40 moves. Would he be able to defend precisely enough to fend off Kramnik with his positional advantage?


...........................
Anand resigns. He has to finish it up after Diwali

[Prashant]

I think Anand will play for a draw with white & should manage that quite comfortably in game 11.

[akmohanty]

hope he manages that. do not see it being comfortable as Kramnik is again going to back all guns blazing

[PKBasu]

Come on, Anand! Finish it now. Get a draw and end it. But come fully prepared for a win, play your best game and end this Match now.

[suresh]

Yes, Vishy, finish off the guy. Some of us are old enough to remember NY.

[jaydeep]

Previous 2 games before game 10 Kramnik had at some moments considerable advantage but couln't convert it into a win ... But in 10th game he had different idea ... Kramnik had in a very aggressive mood when he started with the Nimzo-Indian ... He controlled this game from the start and never gave any chance to Anand ... His game was just perfect ... Anand need to recover quickly from loss after today's rest day ... Many experts r saying now Kramnik is having upper hand after last 3 games and Anand was looking off-colour in those games.

C'mon Anand.

[kujo]

Kramnik has never won with black pieces against Anand in the classical time-format. He needs to break that jinx in order to stay alive in the contest. There is a good chance that this gets wrapped up tomorrow by Anand, after today's rest day (Diwali!)

However, Anand's confidence in his game surely suffered a dent yesterday: "I was clearly worse but I am really not sure what I did wrong."

[viji]

Anand switches to 1. e4 and faces a Sicilian (1..c5). Some may have expected this.
..........................
It is a Sicilian Najdorf, with both players having their chances. Anand has usually done well facing Najdorf as white, while for Kramnik Najdorf wasn't as common even when he played Sicilian (he hasn't done it often recently). They used relatively rare lines, perhaps to avoid each others prep. For good or worse, this game is going to be sharp and highly contested as well.

[Prashant]

e4 openings are considered more draw-prone than d4 (at least playing the usual lines). For one thing, an e5 response is almost a certain draw for the top players. Of course Kramnik played a Sicilian instead. I am not at all comfortable after seeing the first 12 moves.

[jaydeep]

After 12 games game looks more drawish, I think Kramnik need to take chances with some novelty moves.

[viji]

Kramnik's tripled pawn looks odd (although one of them might get out of the way by capturing the e4 pawn). Anand might have a slight advantage, but who knows what might happen in such wild games!

..............
Anand just needs to be steady and he might even come out a winner, given that Kramnik is doing everythinh to take chances. Both of them would be in time trouble but Kramnik may be few minutes behind.

[viji]

Modulo a major blunder, Anand seems to have secured a draw. Would he go for a win? Perhaps not.

[viji]

Draw agreed! Anand is the world champion via every format!!!!!!