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Chess Life Magazine 2014 November World Championship Begins with Fighting Grunfeld
Chess Life Magazine 2014 November World Championship Begins with Fighting Grunfeld | World Championship Begins with Fighting Grunfeld |
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| November 8, 2014 | |
 The first round of the World Championship in Sochi, Russia featured a small surprise: The Grunfeld. Reigning champ Magnus Carlsen had a clear edge after the time control, but challenger Vishy Anand was able to hold the draw with some precise moves. 7675 Around move 31, many onlookers were already calling draw. Not so in modern chess, as many elite commentators pointed out, including World #2 Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri (who just cracked the top ten).
Former World Championship challenger Nigel Short, who recently won the PokerStars Isle of Man International ahead of many higher rated young foes, may have said it best:
Although the GMs turned out to be right that Magnus made it tough, Anand was able to hold the draw in the end, due to the precise 44.Qh1! Those hoping for a close match can breathe a sigh of relief.
The fight continues tomorrow at 7 AM EST. For all the best live and post-game viewing options, see GM Ian Rogers' Couch Potato's Guide and look for Spanish journalist Leonxto Garcia's upcoming reportage from the scene. |