Carlsen Takes Lead After Game Two

Carlsen Takes Lead After Game Two
By Arvind Aaron

World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway wrested lead by winning the second match game against challenger Viswanathan Anand at Sochi in Russia on November 9, 2014.

Carlsen leads the 12-match series 1.5-0.5 with ten games still to be played. Anand will play white in the third game on Tuesday. Monday is a free day.

Carlsen played 1.e4 and Anand responded with the Ruy Lopez, Berlin side variation. The main line Berlin was seen in both colours during the Chennai match last year.

The Berlin variation became popular for black to defend after Kramnik used the black side successfully in the London match against Kasparov in 2000.

Carlsen went for a king side attack and Anand started to drift from move 19 when he could play Rd7 instead of Ng6. The resultant queen and rooks middlegame favoured white.

Anand final blunder on move 34 helped Carlsen to wrap up the match by doubling on the seventh rank. Black could defend 34…Qd2 allowing white to enjoy an advantage.

The players attended the press meet at the end of the game. Today, I did not play well after gaining an advantage, said Carlsen.

“No, I played for myself,” said Carlsen when asked if this game was a gift to his father for father’s day.

The moves:

GM Magnus Carlsen 2863
GM Viswanathan Anand 2792
Ruy Lopez, Berlin variation, ECO Code: C65

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O d6 6. Re1 O-O 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. h3 Re8 9. Nbd2 Nd7 10. Nc4 Bb6 11. a4 a5 12. Nxb6 cxb6 13. d4 Qc7 14. Ra3 Nf8 15. dxe5 dxe5 16. Nh4 Rd8 17. Qh5 f6 18. Nf5 Be6 19. Rg3 Ng6 20. h4 Bxf5 21. exf5 Nf4 22. Bxf4 exf4 23. Rc3 c5 24. Re6 Rab8 25. Rc4 Qd7 26. Kh2 Rf8 27. Rce4 Rb7 28. Qe2 b5 29. b3 bxa4 30. bxa4 Rb4 31. Re7 Qd6 32. Qf3 Rxe4 33. Qxe4 f3+ 34. g3 h5 35. Qb7 1-0