Aronian tried hard to win by sacrificing a pawn for space initiatives and a Bishop pair. Unfortunately for Aronian, Carlsen played well to defend and later capitalized on that pawn advantage. Anand is in trouble against Ivanchuk. This will be a very interesting 3-way battle for the #1 ranking.
GM Aronian (2737) – GM Carlsen (2775) [A32]
Bilbao Grand Slam, 02.09.2008
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.g3 Bb4+ 6.Nd2 Nc6 7.Nc2 Be7 8.Bg2 0–0 9.0–0 Rb8 10.Ne4 b5 11.cxb5 Rxb5 12.Nd6 Bxd6 13.Qxd6 Bb7 14.Na3 Rb6 15.Be3 Rxb2 16.Bc5 Re8 17.Rab1 Rxb1 18.Rxb1 Ba6 19.Nb5 Bxb5 20.Rxb5 Qc8 21.a4 h6 22.Ba3 Qa6 23.Bb2 Qxa4 24.Bxc6 dxc6 25.Rb4 Qa5 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Rg4+ Kh7 28.Qxc6 Rd8 29.Qc2+ f5 30.Ra4 Qe1+ 31.Kg2 Rd1 32.Qc7 Kg6 33.Kf3 Qh1+ 34.Ke3 Ra1 35.Qc2 Rxa4 36.Qxa4 Qc1+ 37.Kf3 Qc3+ 38.Kg2 a5 39.g4 Qe5 40.gxf5+ Kxf5 41.Qe8 Kg6 42.Qf8 a4 43.e3 Qe4+ 44.Kg3 Qd3 45.h4 a3 46.Kh2 Qf5 47.Qxa3 Qxf2+ 48.Kh3 Qf3+ 49.Kh2 Kh5 50.Qf8 Qf2+ 51.Kh1 Kg4 Black wins 0–1
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Its only “unfortunate” from Aronian’s standpoint. I’m sure it’s great fortune, and skill, in Carlsen’s view.
Anand will show why he is number #1by coming out of a lost position as seen by others to a win/ drawn position.
Ivanchuk is taking too long to play each move……he is bound to lose the game.
Fortunately for Ivanchuk the game ended in a draw. Anand is the King and will remain the King…i am sure Carlsen having tasted enough defeats playing against Anand must be afraid to lose another…his 2point plus will only remain for a day.
relax, lets enjoy the whole tournament and count the points at the end 🙂
“.i am sure Carlsen having tasted enough defeats playing against Anand must be afraid to lose another…his 2point plus will only remain for a day.”
Famous last words. Magnus can’t go on losing to Anand forever. Sooner or later he will start to defeat Anand. Mark my words.
Magnus has spent his school summer vacation at home, memorizing another thousand games and a bookshelf of theory books. (He has a photographic memory. Once read, never forgotten).
Magnus is still a minor. Within a couple of years his accumulated strength will be so superior, that he will be in a class of himself.
Today, Anand lost the game on the board, but managed a draw with the aid of the clock. The old champ is showing signs of weakness. Magnus will face him tomorrow without fear.
Go Magnus!
“(He has a photographic memory. Once read, never forgotten)”.
That is not true, he has very good memory, but not photographic.
“That is not true, he has very good memory, but not photographic.”
Well, when someone can tell the page number from an opening book, by getting a chess position, it’s as close as it gets.
Carlsen demonstrated this ability at young age.
Of cource, a photographic memory is not an actual photograph in your head, it is just a more efficient coding of information than the usual memory. It is not perfect like a photograph.
Why should Aronians view be less worthy than that of his opponent?
“Famous last words. Magnus can’t go on losing to Anand forever. Sooner or later he will start to defeat Anand. Mark my words.”
OK, we will mark anonymous words. How impressive!?