World champion Viswanathan Anand, playing black, was involved in another draw with challenger Magnus Carlsen in the eighth game of the World Chess Championship, in Chennai, on Tuesday.
The sharing of points enabled the Norwegian retain the lead at 5-3, with four games still to play in the 12-games match.
Following are the moves in the eighth round, with analysis and quotes.
1. e4 {Carlsen shifts from close openings. It was already time for him to come up with some change and he tests Anand in a King pawn.} e5 {Many expected Anand to go for a Sicilian but as the world champion explained in the post match conference, there are ways to keep the position dry in a Sicilian also.
Probably Sicilian was what Magnus was hoping for too, given the match situation.}
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 Nf6 {The Berlin. Anand gives Carlsen a taste of his own medicine. The Berlin has given Carlsen a victory with black pieces here in game six of the match. Anand goes about using it as black, a mild surprise for Carlsen. However, Anand has played this opening many times in the last few years and also against Carlsen before. So not quite out of context.}
4. O-O Nxe4
5. Re1 {Carlsen does not want to go for principled continuation and opts for something that has been analysed as well as is known to have some play for white.} Nd6
6. Nxe5 Be7
7. Bf1 Nxe5 {The exchange of the first minor piece signals further exchanges too. This is also the main line in this position.}
8. Rxe5 O-O
9. d4 Bf6 {Anand threatens the rook and gains time. White should move the rook back. It seems when Carlsen went for this variation, he did not mind a very dry position.}
10. Re1 Re8
11. c3 Rxe1
12. Qxe1 Ne8 {Precise move by Anand. Black needs to get his light squared Bishop out to improve the position further. The Knight manoeuvre seems a bit passive but there are some fine prints attached to it.}
13. Bf4 d5
14. Bd3 g6 {Black gets ready for further exchanges, Given the speed with which both were playing maybe it was a part of the home work.}
15. Nd2 Ng7 {Black is now ready to bring the light square Bishop out to 'f5', its most preferred spot.}
16. Qe2 c6 {It guards against a possible invasion by white on 'b5' by the queen}
17. Re1 Bf5
18. Bxf5 Nxf5
19. Nf3 Ng7
20. Be5 Ne6 {Almost effortless moves by Anand. The Indian ace has managed to keep the position completely equal and not given anything away to Carlsen.}
21. Bxf6 Qxf6
22. Ne5 Re8 {The prelude to final exchanges.}
23. Ng4 Qd8
24. Qe5 Ng7
25. Qxe8+ {A little trick by Carlsen that forces a king and pawns endgame.} Nxe8
26. Rxe8+ Qxe8
27. Nf6+ Kf8
28. Nxe8 Kxe8 {Its just over now. Carlsen is happy to close in on the world title while Anand is happy that he was not exerted as black at all.}
29. f4 f5
30. Kf2 b5
31. b4 Kf7
32. h3 h6
33. h4 h5 {The position is completely locked now. Draw.
The ninth game will now be played on Thursday and one can expect Anand to play all out for a victory.} 1/2-1/2.
