Magnus Carlsen: FIDE World Chess Championship 2014 Victor Stuns India’s Vishwanathan Anand

Magnus Carlsen: FIDE World Chess Championship 2014 Victor Stuns India’s Vishwanathan Anand


Norwegian chess master Magnus Carlsen won the FIDE World Chess Championship 2014 at Sochi, Russia on 23rd November, 2014. Carlsen defeated India’s Vishwanathan Anand with a score of 6.5-4.5 and of the 12 games, he won Games 2, 6 and 11. While Anand won Game 3, Games 4 and 5 were a draw between the two chess aces.

Triumph for Carlsen

With this win, Carlsen scored a major victory totalling 6.5 points to win the FIDE World Championship. He has retained the championship won by him in Chennai last year. In 2013, Carlsen won the game in just 10 rounds against Anand. This time, his Indian adversary provided more of a challenge and gave Carlsen a harder fight on the path to victory.

Carlsen won the 11th game of the match, securing the title with only one game to spare.

The 11th Game

The eleventh game of the World Chess Championship Match was played between Norway’s Carlsen and India’s Anand on November 23rd in the Main Media Centre in Sochi, Russia. While Anand played Black, Magnus Carlsen had White.

Carlsen opened the game with an e2-e4 for the sixth time in the match. The players continued the use of the Berlin variation. A different 9th move was chosen by Anand who evacuated the king on the queen side and rolled out the punches for the game. Within this line, Black attempts a connection to the rooks soon and can seize the game, if he neutralises the pressure of White at the centre.

The former champion also carried out an interesting idea through the use of g7-g5 to prevent the advance of the White pawn on the kingside. World Champion Carlsen declined the offer when Anand made a break b6-b5 sacrificing a pawn for the initiative.

The Critical Moment

At move 26, following considerable consideration, Anand felt quiet play did not give Black winning chances so he sacrificed an exchange, getting a dangerous passed pawn on the queenside. Carlsen invaded the 7th rank with the rook forcing Black to defend. At move 45, the game was over and Anand congratulated his adversary on the win.

Both the chess grandmasters said the match was tense. Anand said “Magnus is very strong and I have to admit that he was better. My nerves gave up first, and psychologically Magnus was holding up well.” Carlsen said “Anand played better than in previous match and this time he really pushed me.” Carlsen also said he is very happy with the way the match was organised.

About the FIDE Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship was held from 7th to 28th November 2014. It was held by the World Chess Federation or FIDE which stands for Fédération Internationale des Échecs. FIDE was founded in Paris, France in the year 1924. Its motto is “We are one people” (in latin: gens luna sumus). Its current president is Kirsan Illyumzhinov.
Post your comment