Chess World Champion - 2014:  Again Magnus Carlsen!

-DR. ABDUL RUFF COLACHAL

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The World Chess Championship 2014 was a match between the world champion Magnus Carlsen and challenger Anand, to determine the World Chess Champion. It was held from 7 November to 28 November 2014, under the auspices of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in Sochi, Russia. After eleven of twelve scheduled games the match was decided. Carlsen defended his title, winning three games, losing one and drawing seven.  

An almost unbeatable Magnus Carlsen is FIDE World Chess Champion 2014. Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, the world number one and Blitz-Rapid Champion and defending World Champion has retained the title for 2014 by using what could now be called the Sochi method, defeating the five time champion Indo-Spaniard Viswanathan Anand, without letting him win a second game. 

Magnus Carlsen successfully defended his title as World Chess Champion by playing excellent game 11.  Carlsen retained the title after defeating the challenger Anand 6,5 – 4,5 in a match played at the Winter Olympic City of Sochi. Carlsen took the lead in game 2, with Anand immediately returning the blow in game 3. The Norwegian took the lead again in game 6 and managed to hold all difficulties in further games, in what turned out to be one of the most exciting matches of the century. Anando went “all-in” in game 11, but he did not find the precise continuation in a better position. The game went from won to lost, Magnus Carlsen took the full point and with it the title World Chess Champion 2014.

Carlsen struck first, in game 2, sealing a winning position. After this, Carlsen went cool and allowed Anand to hit right back with a win in game 3,as as usual  practice even in  international chess. . It was also Anand’s first victory against Carlsen in championship play. Last year Aanado did not win a single game. Probably, Carlsen did a big service to him by letting him to win game 3 with big ease and too early.  

The eleventh game finally decided the fate of the tour which Carlsen won handsomely.  After the eleventh game of the 2014 FIDE World Chess Championship in Sochi, Russia, the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen flashed both the mental fatigue of a two-week fight and emotional joy of victory.  The critical move in the penultimate game of the match came when challenger V Anand, in desperate need of a victory, sacrificed his rook (27 …Rb4) in a bold yet ultimately ineffective maneuver as Carlsen outsmarted him in his own style. Soon, and with a knowing glance, Anand offered his hand in resignation to Carlsen. “I played it quite forcefully and he didn’t have any chances,” said Carlsen, who won the match 6.5 – 4.5 (best-of-twelve).

Last year, playing in Anand’s native Chennai, India, Carlsen needed just 10 games to unseat his opponent, whose shaky play was uncharacteristic of the four-time defending champion. But Anand came well prepared to tackle the world champion by working on his weaknesses and played better in this year’s match. Also, Carlsen did not show that spirit he showed last year and in fact went too slow until the 11 game.  

After draws in games 4 and 5, Carlsen perhaps had decided to go for draws and blundered in game 6. Carlsen’s strengths, which lie in his ability to maintain pressure and wring positions to their last strategic drop, were on near-record display in game 7. As it entered the endgame, Carlsen, playing white, had one knight, two pawns and a rook, to Anand’s four pawns and rook. The position appeared drawn as it progressed but Carlsen pushed for winning ideas—for a total of 6.5 hours. But Anand’s defense held up well, earning him a draw with black in the 122-move affair, the second-most in world chess championship history.

Carlsen would later call what they it as an “exchange of ridiculous blunders,” pushed on for a victory, gaining a one-point edge. After three straight draws, Carlsen broke through yet again in the deciding game 11. “I have to admit in this match, all things taken into account, he played better,” said Anand.

True, Anando played very well but he is no match for all skillful and essentially quick and fast Carlsen. Clearly, they are unequals. Age of course is not at all an issue here as Anand can win against weak players and he wins in group tournaments by draws and defeating weak players. Carlsen is much stronger player with plenty of ideas that made him the undisputed world number one and powerful world champion.

Last year Carlsen ended Anand's 5-time reign as champion and Anand’s strenuous efforts to get back the title has ended badly for the second time consecutively. He may not retire right now and might still hope to fight again next year if other players do not  oppose him in the tournament but F. Caruana could be the probable challenger if he decides to contest the Candidates tournament early next year.  Fabiano Luigi Caruana (born 30 July 1992) is an American-born Italian chess grandmaster, former chess prodigy and the No. 2 ranked player in the world.

Fixings and  secret understandings among the players or mafias, if any, should be done away with in chess.