Welcome to Anand – Carlsen Sochi World Championship game 7 (LIVE commentary by me).

Thanks for joining me. After 6 games, the score is 3.5 – 2.5 in favor of Magnus. Two days ago, we saw a horrendous blunder by the young champion when he played 26. Kd2. Had Anand found 26… Nxe5 27. Rxg8 Nxc4+ 28. Kd3 Nb2+ 29. Ke2 Rxg8 30. Rxh6, the outcome of the match may be different.

After Anand realized that he missed the opportunity shortly after, it affected his play for the rest of the game. Now he has to forget about this mishap and focuses on the last 6 games of this match. If he can play the way he did in game 3, 4, and 5, he still has a chance. If he cannot, the young champ will retain his title.

Here are the rules of the match:

The Match is played over a maximum of twelve games and the winner of the match shall be the first player to score 6.5 points or more. If the scores are level after the twelve games, after a new drawing of colors, four tie-break games shall be played. The games shall be played using the electronic clock starting with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move. In case the match is still drawn, a match of 2 games shall be played with a time control of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment after each move. In case of a level score, another 2-game match will be played to determine a winner. If still there is no winner after 5 such matches (total 10 games), one sudden-death game will be played.

I am also doing interactive commentary on www.twitter.com/susanpolgar and www.facebook.com/polgarchess.

Good morning/afternoon to everyone! It’s 5:45 am in St Louis, less than 15 min before Carlsen – Anand game 7! Are you excited?


This is a very important game for Anand. He must get over the heartbreaking loss in game 6 while Magnus has to continue to maintain the pressure not to allow an Anand comeback.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 And we have a Ruy Lopez, not Sicilian.


3…Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 Anand chose the Berlin, a safe opening, instead of the sharper Sicilian.

9. h3 Ke8 Anand chose toplay something less intense. Basically he is content with a draw in game 7 with black. That would leave him with 3 white games in the last 5. Magnus is happy to have a position he can squeeze.

10. Nc3 h5 11. Bf4 Be7 The Berlin is somewhat deceiving. Black gave up the ability to castle early on. Black also has the double c pawns. Therefore, some think that white has a big edge. However, Black has the compensation of a pair of bishops. And when players who play white overpush, they sometimes pay the heavy price. So it is not a “dead draw” opening.

12. Rad1 Be6 13. Ng5 Rh6 Magnus is absolutely prepared against the Berlin. It is an opening in Anand’s repertoire.

14. g3
When I made my comeback to chess in 2004 after not playing since 1996, re-added the Berlin to my repertoire. It is a very solid opening and is suitable for players who are patient with strong endgame skill. The downside is the Berlin offers the type of position Magnus likes, something where he can squeeze all day long.

14…Bxg5 15. Bxg5 Rg616. h4 f6 17. exf6 gxf6 18. Bf4 Nxh4 Both players are playing fast. It seems that both players are content with their position.

19. f3 Rd8 I think Anand will draw game 7 with ease. Then he’ll have 3 white games in the next 5. That’s a strategic move on his part.

20. Kf2 Rxd121. Nxd1 Nf5 22. Rh1 Bxa2 23. Rxh5 Be6 24. g4 This is heading for the quickest draw of the match. Anand can save energy to focus on the last 5 games.

24…Nd6 The traditional theory in WC matches is the player who suffered a loss should try to stop the bleeding if they have black next game.

25. Rh7 The players made around 25 moves in 20 minutes. They’re well prepared. Magnus will squeeze, Anand should hold comfortably. Anand spent the most time on this move so far. He has many different options with little risks. Anand has 25…Nf7, 25…Bf7, 25…Bd7 etc. Many options.

25…Nf7 26. Ne3 The best option for Anand here is 26…Kd8 to protect the c7 pawn.


26…Kd8 Magnus is temporarily down a pawn. But he has initiatives for it. White is still slightly better. 27. Nf5 is the best option here.

27. Nf5 Black cannot take the knight as 27…Bxf5 28. gxf5 and both rook on g6 and knight on f7 are under attack.

27…c5 to prevent 28. Nd4 attacking the bishop which protects the knight on f7. Now, Magnus can bring his knight to g3 then e4 to attack both the unprotected c5 pawn and put pressure on the f6 pawn as the black rook is stuck defending it.

28. Ng3 As expected. White is still slightly better. He has more than enough compensation for the pawn. White is pushing to win. I like 28…Bd5 then b6 and c6. Make white push. I am curious to know why Anand is taking so much time here. He has to know this line well.

28…Ne5 Not sure about the idea of this move. I don’t like it. 29.Bxe5 fxe5 30.Rh8+ Rg8 31.Rh5 Rf8 32.Ke3 Bd5 33.Ne4. This allows Magnus with strong play with kingside passed pawns. I thought the game was heading for draw. Now Anand just opened a small door for Magnus to have chances.

29. Rh8+ Magnus is heading to the line I suggested in reversed order 29. Rh8+ Rg8 then 30. Bxe5 If 29…Kd7 30. Rh5 and white has a good position. Once again, Anand is creating problems for himself in a dry position. I still do not like Ne5 at all.

29…Rg8 This is not a lost position. But Anand is making things more difficult for himself.

30. Bxe5 fxe5 31. Rh5 Just as expected. Anand did not have to allow this. Very strange and curious decision by him with 28…Ne5.

31…Bxg4 Black has 2 pawns for the knight, and he got rid of the kingside pawns.

32. fxg4 Rxg4 33. Rxe5 Black has no chance to win. It is not a “clear win” for white but of course white has chances. Basically, Anand is hoping to get to a R+N vs R endgame. If he can get this, then it is not difficult to draw. As for Magnus, he wants to keep pawns on the board.

33…b6 34. Ne4 Rh4 35. Ke2 Rh6 The ideas are simply. If rooks are off the board, white wins. If R+N vs R the draw.

36. b3 Kd7 37. Kd2 Kc6 Anand is banking on the idea that white cannot advance his pawns without being exchanged. And again if R+N vs R then draw.

38. Nc3 a6 39. Re4 Rh2+ 40. Kc1 Rh1+41. Kb2 Rh6 Players made the time control. This is the fortress Anand wants to set up and he seems to be confident with his fortress. He is challenging Magnus to make progress.

42. Nd1 Rg6 43. Ne3 Rh6 An idea for Magnus is to put knight on d5, protected by c4, then Re7. Black can’t protect c7 without changing rooks. Only Magnus has chances to win.

44. Re7 Rh2 45. Re6+ And 45…Kb7 is obvious.

45…Kb7 If 46. Nd5 then black must play Rd2 to chase the knight away. The key is If rooks are off the board then Magnus wins this endgame. So Anand has to avoid trading rooks.


46. Kc3 Rh4 47. Kb2 Rh2 I think this is a mind game by Magnus to make Anand thinks he will repeat 🙂

48. Nd5 Now a simple 48…Rd2 to chase the knight away.

48…Rd2 49. Nf6 The idea is to eventually get c4, Nd5, then Re7 in.

49…Rf2 50. Kc3 Rf4 51. Ne4 For the fans sitting at home with engines, forget what they say. Better to try to understand the ideas behind this endgame. These are key things to remember: If R+N v R then draw. If Rooks off the board, white has chances to win.

51…Rh4 52. Nf2 Rh2 53. Rf6 Rh7 54. Nd3 Magnus is just shuffling his pieces trying to get to the setup he wants.

54…Rh3 55. Kd2 Rh2+ 56. Rf2 Rh4 57. c4 Rh3 58. Kc2 Rh7 59. Nb2 Magnus is on his way of getting his knight to d5.

59…Rh5 60. Re2 Not much is happening. Magnus is still shuffling pieces to get them to the ideal position.

60…Rg5 61. Nd1 b5 62. Nc3 c6 Anand is moving up his fortress.

63. Ne4 Rh5 64. Nf6 The only idea I can see is to put knight on d3 then Re5 to go after c5 pawn. After 57. c4, the 50 move rule is reset. Anand has to defend the position. I think he new weakness now is the c5 pawn.

64…Rg5 It is not an easy position for white to make progress. Anand is defending well.

65. Re7+ Kb6 Magnus has to be careful as Anand’s king can move up.


66. Nd7+ Ka5 67. Re4 White changed the dynamic of the game. However, I am not sure if this is enough to win with accurate play from Anand

67…Rg2+ 68. Kc1 Rg1+ 69. Kd2 Rg2+ 70. Ke1 Anand can play 70…bxc4 with a chance to draw.

70…bxc4 71. Rxc4 Rg3 I prefer 71…Kb5

72. Nxc5 Kb5 73. Rc2 a5 Things are looking up for Anand. He should be able to hold now

74. Kf2 Rh3 75. Rc1 Kb4 76. Ke2 Rc3 Now it should be a draw. White has to change rooks and cannot make progress.

77. Nd3+ Kxb3 78. Ra1 Now the position is more or less a technical draw. But Anand has to make sure no blunder.

78…Kc4 79. Nf2 Kb5 80. Rb1+ This is a draw. But Magnus will still push a la Magnus style.

80…Kc4 81. Ne4 Ra3 82. Nd2+ Kd5 83. Rh1 a4 84. Rh5+ Kd4 Nothing changed. This is still a drawn game.

85. Rh4+ Kc5 86. Kd1 Kb5 87. Kc2 Rg3 88. Ne4 Rg2+89. Kd3 a3 90. Nc3+ Kb6 91. Ra4 a2 92. Nxa2 Rg3+93. Kc2 Rg2+ 94. Kb3 Rg3+ 95. Nc3 Rh3 96. Rb4+ Kc797. Rg4 Rh7 98. Kc4 Rf7 99. Rg5 Kb6 100. Na4+ Kc7 101. Kc5 Kd7 Still a technical draw.

102. Kb6 Rf1 103. Nc5+ Ke7 104. Kxc6 Rd1105. Rg6 Kf7 106. Rh6 Rg1 107. Kd5 Rg5+ 108. Kd4 Rg6109. Rh1 Rg2 110. Ne4 Ra2 111. Rf1+ Ke7 112. Nc3 Rh2113. Nd5+ Kd6 114. Rf6+ Kd7 115. Nf4 Rh1 116. Rg6 Rd1+117. Nd3 Ke7 118. Ra6 Kd7 119. Ke4 Ke7 Magnus is still pushing. Draw can happen 50 moves after 104. Kxc6.

120. Rc6 Kd7121. Rc1 Rxc1 122. Nxc1 ½-½ It is a tiring but good hold by Anand. He needed to hold this game and he did it.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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