It proved harder to retain the crown than it was to win it, but Norwegian world champ Magnus Carlsen managed the feat with a tough 6-4 title defense over Indian challenger Viswanathan Anand Sunday in Sochi, Russia.
Carlsen, who appeared to be ailing for much of the second half of the match, held it together after taking a one-point lead in Game 6, scoring four straight draws before clinching the title with a win in Game 11. Anand, who surrendered the title a year ago to Carlsen without winning a game, played much better this time, but could never quite crack the young champion’s amazing sangfroid at the board.
“For sure he played better than he did last time and he really pushed me in the end,” Carlsen said of his rival in the press briefing after the final game. “It was tougher this time.”
An equally gracious Anand, more than two decades older than the 23-year-old Carlsen, said he thought his play had definitely improved from their 2013 bout: “I think it was a tougher match, but in the end I have to admit that he was superior. His nerves held up better.”
Game 11 might serve as a microcosm for the match, for Anand — desperately needing a point to tie the match — landed a blow that slightly staggered the champ from the Black side of another dreaded Ruy Lopez Berlin: 22. Ne4 Bf8 23. Nef6 b5!, a pawn break that White was clearly not expecting. Accepting the pawn gives Black’s rook great scope after 24. axb5 a4 25. bxa4 Rxa4 26. Rc1 Nf4! 27. Nxf4 gxf4+ 28. Kxf4 Rd2.
But nerves and the pressure to secure a vital point lead Black to overestimate his chances with 27. Ke4 Rb4?! 28. Bxb4 cxb4? (the strangest move of the game; the sacrifice only makes sense if Black gets the a-file in return) 29. Nh5! Kb7 30. f4! — a key move, according to the champion, as evicting the bishop on e6 greatly eases White’s task.
Given new life, Carlsen reverts to his remorseless self, ruthlessly cashing in with 35. Rxf7 Bc5 (see diagram) 36. Rxc7+! Rxc7 37. Nxc7, when White wins on 37…b3 (Kxc7 38. Rc1 b3 39. Rxc4 b2 40. Rxc5+ Kd7 41. Rb5 corrals the pawn) 38. Nd5 b2 39. e6. Black’s queenside pawns look scary, but in the final position, the pawns are stymied and Anand’s bishop can’t keep up the blockade on the e-pawn and stop the g-pawn as well; Anand resigned the game and the match.
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Carlsen’s challenger in 2024 might have emerged this week with the news that IM Sam Sevian has surpassed the 2500 ratings mark to qualify as the youngest grandmaster in American history. At 13 years, 10 months and 27 days, the Corning, N.Y. prodigy and world Under 12 champion eclipsed the old mark held by GM Ray Robson by nearly a full year.
Sevian already had the three tournament norms under his belt, including a GM norm at this summer’s Washington International. With his win over IM Andrey Gorovets at a norm invitational at the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center, the young star went over the 2500 rating mark which was the last hurdle to achieving the grandmaster title.
It wasn’t easy, as Gorovets put up a spirited struggle from the Black side of a Pelikan Sicilian. White gets a massive spatial edge on the kingside, but getting at the Black monarch is not as easy as it would appear after 21. Rh4 Na4! 22. Nxa4 (Qh3 e5! 23. Bg4 [Nd5 Qb7 24. Bg4 Bxg4 25. Qxg4 Qc8 also defends] Bxg4 24. Rxg4 Nxc3 25. Qxc3 Rbc8, and White’s attack is shot) bxa4 23. e5!? Nxe5 (axb3? 24. Qh3 h5 25. Bxh5 Bg7 [gxh5 26. Rxh5 Bg7 27. Rh7 and wins] 26. Bg4 Nxe5 27. Rh7) 24. Qh3 Nf3+ 25. Qxf3 axb3 26. cxb3 d5, and Gorovets has not only survived but won a pawn in the process.
But Black’s imprisoned king can never feel safe, and he decides to gives up his queen for a rook, bishop and pawn in hopes that his own bishop pair will keep the balance: 32. Bg4!? (Qd3 Qb5 33. Qxb5 axb5 34. Bf3 Re5 looks slightly better for Black) Qxg4+ 33. Rxg4 Bxg4!? (equal was the simpler 33Rxe3 34. Rxc8+ Rxc8 35. Bxe3 Rc3 36. Bf2 Rxb3 37. Rd4 Bxa3 38. Rxd5 Rb8 39. Ra5 Bc1) 34. Qd4 Bf3.
But as with Anand, Gorovets never quite gets the return to justify the sacrifice, and White takes charge on 41. Qc6 Bb4 42. Bc5! Bxc5+ 43. Qxc5 Rcd8 44. Re7 Rf8 (Rxe7 45. fxe7 Re8 46. Qxd5 Rxe7 47. Qd8+ and wins) 45. Qd4, hungrily eyeing the h-file and mate.
Once Sevian’s king escapes a string of rook checks, the end comes quickly: 54. Kf4 Rh3 (Rxb3 54. Rb7! Rxb7 55. Qxf8) 54. Rd7 Re8 (or 54Kg8 [Bxd7 55. Qxf8 g5+ 56. Kxg5] 55. Qxf8+! Kxf8 56. Rd8 mate) 55. Rxf7+ Kh6 (Kh8 56. Rh7+! Kg8 [Kxh7 57. Qc7+] 57. f7+ Kxh7 58. fxe8=Q and wins) 56. Rh7+!, and Gorovets resigned in light of 56Kxh7 57. Qc7+ Kh6 58. Qg7+ Kh5 59. Qh7 mate.
Carlsen-Anand, Game 11, World Championship Match, Sochi, Russia, November 2014
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Bd7 10. Nc3 h6 11. b3 Kc8 12. Bb2 c5 13. Rad1 b6 14. Rfe1 Be6 15. Nd5 g5 16. c4 Kb7 17. Kh2 a5 18. a4 Ne7 19. g4 Ng6 20. Kg3 Be7 21. Nd2 Rhd8 22. Ne4 Bf8 23. Nef6 b5 24. Bc3 bxa4 25. bxa4 Kc6 26. Kf3 Rdb8 27. Ke4 Rb4 28. Bxb4 cxb4 29. Nh5 Kb7 30. f4 gxf4 31. Nhxf4 Nxf4 32. Nxf4 Bxc4 33. Rd7 Ra6 34. Nd5 Rc6 35. Rxf7 Bc5 36. Rxc7+ Rxc7 37. Nxc7 Kc6 38. Nb5 Bxb5 39. axb5+ Kxb5 40. e6 b3 41. Kd3 Be7 42. h4 a4 43. g5 hxg5 44. hxg5 a3 45. Kc3 Black resigns.
Sevian-Gorovets, Norm Invitational, St. Louis, November 2014
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qb6 6. Nb3 e6 7. Bd3 a6 8. Be3 Qc7 9. f4 d6 10. O-O Be7 11. a3 b5 12. Qf3 O-O 13. g4 Re8 14. g5 Nd7 15. f5 Nde5 16. Qg3 Bf8 17. f6 g6 18. Be2 Rb8 19. Rf4 Nc4 20. Bf2 Nxb2 21. Rh4 Na4 22. Nxa4 bxa4 23. e5 Nxe5 24. Qh3 Nf3+ 25. Qxf3 axb3 26. cxb3 d5 27. Rd1 Rd8 28. Qe3 e5 29. Rc1 Qd7 30. Qxe5 Bd6 31. Qe3 Re8 32. Bg4 Qxg4+ 33. Rxg4 Bxg4 34. Qd4 Bf3 35. Qd3 Be4 36. Qh3 Bf5 37. Qf3 Bxa3 38. Rc7 Be4 39. Qg3 Rbc8 40. Qc3 Bf5 41. Qc6 Bb4 42. Bc5 Bxc5+ 43. Qxc5 Rcd8 44. Re7 Rf8 45. Qd4 Be4 46. Qf2 Rc8 47. Qh4 h5 48. gxh6 Kh7 49. Qf4 Bf5 50. Qd6 Rc1+ 51. Kf2 Rc2+ 52. Ke3 Rc3+ 53. Kf4 Rh3 54. Rd7 Re8 55. Rxf7+ Kxh6 56. Rh7+ Black resigns.
• David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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