Anand-Carlsen

[robin moore]

Just to correct myself, Korchnoi was 4-1 and 5-2 down in that match before pulling it back to 5-5.

[Phil Thomas]

Tame draw today especially the last few moves of the pawn ending.

Magnus seems to be cruising to 6 1/2 points.

Next game on Thursday should be a cracker. Anand has to take extreme risks to push for a win. Wouldn't be surprised if Magnus gets his third win.

[WBuchanan]

Hope so Phil, but I'm wondering if Anand is also just coasting to his 4.5 and Carlsen's coronation. I was a bit surprised at Anand's choice of opening today, ending up with a position like the exchange French. He does play the Sicilian after all. I can understand he might be worried about losing badly, but this will likely be his last chance of claiming a position as one of the outstanding world champions.

[WBuchanan]

Shaping up promisingly for a real game – unbalanced Nimzo Indian position with good potential for a W K-side attack. Anand has just played 18 e5! I like this move - the computer doesn’t, but it’s the kind of position where it doesn’t like Black’s position so much a few mover further down the line. After white's f4-f5 it warms to the White position - but I'm not sure Carlsen will be so keen to allow that!
Game on at last!
[pos]2bqnrk1/5ppp/r7/pp1pP1P1/2pP4/P1P2PN1/R5BP/2Q2RK1 b - - 0 18[/pos]

[WBuchanan]

Well at least Anand went for the attack - Rf4 was rather cool! Last move a blunder - after Bf1 W is still in it, B gives the second Q back on h5 after Rh3, Houdini says it ends up level

[amuir]

It was quite emotional watching that press conference

[Patrick McGovern]

This will be, I think, the start of a new era in word chess. Not since Kasparov in 1985/6 have we had such a great player being dominant and world champion too. There are hundreds of Grandmasters born since 1985 who will perhaps now see this in action (astonishing given there were only 88 in the world when Fischer was king).

It's an interesting stat that Magnus won his title at the same age Kasparov was when he won his title.

[Alan Jelfs]

The line-up for the 2014 Candidates' tournament has been finalised:

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[P Griffin]

Wasn't their talk at one time about creating a Super G.M. Title?

The explosion in GM numbers has presumably meant lots of extra cash for FIDE.

[Andrew McHarg]

Half of the competitors are Russian, so I bet the next challenger will be a Russian (probably Kramnik). Can't see Anand ever becoming WC again.