chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand
"Flogging a Dead Andalusian" (game of the day Aug-14-2017)
Carlsen - Anand World Championship Match (2014), Sochi RUS, rd 7, Nov-17
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. l'Hermet Variation Berlin Wall Defense (C67)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 141 more Carlsen/Anand games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Some games have photographs. These are denoted in the game list with the icon.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 43 OF 43 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-18-14  chesssalamander: Honestly, I do find this debate about what is and what is not good etiquette or good sportsmanship in chess quite interesting. BUT, I have two rather simple questions for anyone who might know offhand:

(1) Is this the longest (highest number of moves) game in World Championship history?

(2) What was the total time taken (in hours and minutes) for this game?

I apologize if my questions were already answered on earlier posts on the board, but I missed them.

Nov-18-14  chesssalamander: Sorry, one more question: if I understand correctly, chess has been solved for all positions involving 6 or more pieces on the board. So, if I understand this correctly, after Carlsen's 92.Nxa2, we can KNOW that the position is objectively won/lost/drawn by consulting a tablebase (although the players might not realize it). Do I understand correctly?
Nov-18-14  SimonWebbsTiger: @<chesssalamandar>

Karpov-Korchnoi, Baguio World Ch match 1978 saw a longer game and a stalemate. Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1978

The Vishy-Magnus game was about 6 and a half hours.

Nov-18-14  SimonWebbsTiger: @<chesssalamandar>

re. q.3

Yes, positions with 7 and less pieces (counting the Kings) have been solved by tablebase.

Nov-18-14  chesssalamander: Thank you <SimonWebbsTiger> !!

7 or less? Then, it would be after Vishy's 77....Kb3, that we can know objectively that the game was won/drawn?

Nov-19-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Hi chesssalamander,

Longest games in a World Champion is:

Korchnoi vs Karpov, 1978

A 124 move stalemate. I'm sure if Carlsen knew this he would have made a few more moves to break it.

Sounds like the kind of thing he would be proud of. :)

In the above game Korchnoi missed a mate in 7 on move 55


click for larger view

Starting with 55.Bf7+

Thus giving me more ammo for my claim that 99% of endgames should never had gone to an endgame as the game could have have and should have been decided in the middle game.

(Actually that is a load of utter naff but it's an excellent way to wind up the poe-faced, head up their ass about endings mob.)

Now what was the second question?

I think table bases are up to 7 pieces. (the technical term is 7 units.) Though I may be corrected on that one, It's possibly still 6 units.

They are solving chess slowly but surely, backwards.

Players will know certain set up's are drawn but every position hides pitfalls ready for the unwary. It just takes one slip.

Here is an old link (I've just tested it, it still works) to a tablebase thingy for 6 units. It's very good.

http://chessok.com/?page_id=361

I played with it for a few days just looking at King and Pawn endings. King + 2p v King + 2p. = 6 units.

Drawish looking positions suddenly turned into wins just by placing a King one square away (but still covering a queening square) or pulling a pawn back one square or shifting it to another file.

Even swapping who's move it was.

For example...did you know that.


click for larger view

White to move draws this.
Black to play mates in 28 moves.

KQQ v KQQ endings are also fun to look at. Just make up random positions It's also good for creating and testing 6 unit studies.

Have fun. Nice talking to you.

Nov-19-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: OOPS! question already answered - 7 units. I was correct. Thank you.
Nov-19-14  Mudphudder: You can call it cheap tricks....call it whatever you want. But if Anand of his world-class caliber can not hold a draw that is suppose to be that easy, then Carlsen (or any other opponent) will squeeze it out of him and take it. And if that means taking the world championship title with it...then so be it. No world champion should have an excuse not to be able to hold the draw in these scenarios.
Nov-19-14  chesssalamander: Thank you <Sally Simpson> !! That's a cool website! I picked out a random K+R v K+R+N, and it turned out to be a mate in 12.
Nov-19-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: chesssalamander,

It is a cool wee thing. That is why I took so long in answering I was off skitteriing about on Red Hot Pawn looking for the link.

Just been messing about with it using Anand's c-pawn (as in the game) as a blocker.


click for larger view

Simple enough. 1.Rg7 Rb8 2.Rh7 Zugzwang.

The link gives 1.Rg7 Re7 and tells you it's mate in 11 by playing a Knight check releasing the stalemate and then taking the Rook.

However place the Rook on a8 then it's a TB draw.


click for larger view

1.Rg7 Ra7.


click for larger view

Messing about keeping the Black c-pawn on the board to remove stalemates. You get instant answers.


click for larger view

Black to play gets mated in 7 moves. Remove the c-pawn.


click for larger view

Black to play draws. 1...Rf6+

So we can now with all confidence state that if Maggie had not taken that c-pawn he would have won. :)

Nov-19-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  alexmagnus: The longest tablebase-won position with RN vs R is a mate in 37 btw.


click for larger view

with Ra1+ being the only winning move.

Nov-19-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: HI alexmagnus:

Mate in 37.

Future POTD for a Monday that one.

Nov-19-14  Albion 1959: Correct me if I am missing something here. Why did Anand play 31. Bxg4 ? He is already a pawn up and has the bishop against the knight, surely if anyone has winning chances it has got to Vishy ? But after 33.b6 he is the one having to fight for the draw. In my mitigation I have to say that I have come home from a long day at work and am a bit tired. I would prefer to work it out in my head, rather than use a powerful P/C search engine If I have missed something, can someone out there enlighten me please ?
Nov-19-14  you vs yourself: <Albion 1959> Black's pawn on d5 can't be defended and Carlsen would have 2 passed pawns on the kingside. These 2 connected pawns are hard to stop with white's rook and knight there to help them advance.
Nov-20-14  sfm: It looks so hopeless for black after 31.Rh5. He is bound to lose his e-pawn. Material will be equal, but what a difference in pawn structure.

White's two passed pawns will decide immediately, it's child's play. I was sure it was game over here. 31.-,Rf8 32.Ke3 makes no difference.

But hey, we give up the bishop and the (already lost) e5-pawn for the two dangerous ones and end with a defensible position.

Simple and brilliant at the same time.

Nov-20-14  visayanbraindoctor: <sfm: It looks so hopeless for black after 31.Rh5. He is bound to lose his e-pawn. Material will be equal, but what a difference in pawn structure>

I was watching this game unfold. At 28. Ng3 I chalked it up as a Carlsen win. In his usual manner, Carlsen was zooming in on Black's weakest point, the f6 pawn. If Black were to do nothing Carlsen would pile up on this pawn with Nh5, Bg3 and Bh4.

It seems to me Anand saved the game with a tactical shot that simplified into a drawish endgame. I was wondering what 28... Ne5 was all about, but after the piece exchange, I realized that the resourceful Anand might have been planning a piece sac to liquidate White's Kingside pawns. With all the pawns on one side, two pawns for the piece, no permanent pawn weakness, and just two more White pawns to liquidate, Anand had squirmed out (brilliantly I might say) out of a sure loss.

The endgame looks thematic. Black has a kind of semi-fortress. White can't get at the base of Black's pawn chain with his rook and knight alone without allowing Black's King to march up on the a and b files and liquidate the remaining White pawns. Advancing his pawns to attack Black's position and secure the d5 square for his knight also allows Black to exchange off one more pawn with certainty. Even from the starting position, it looks impossible for White to make progress without advancing his own pawns, but that would allow pawn exchanges. Anand conducted this endgame accuately, and avoided any mental collapse.

Nov-20-14  Chessmusings: This game was the inspiration for my longest blog post ever: https://chessmusings.wordpress.com/...
Nov-24-14  Albion 1959: To You v Yourself. I see it now and it becomes clear when the mind is not tired and focused better. From a practical point of view Bxg3 was probably Vishy's best chance:
Dec-19-14  1d410: My favorite game of the match
Aug-14-17  ChessHigherCat: Does anybody understand why 21. Nxd1 instead of Rxd1? At first I thought it was because if 21. Rxd1 Nxf3 22. Kxf3 Bg4+ 23. Ke3 Bxd1 but that doesn't really work because after 24. Nxd1, black has given B+N for a R+pawn, which is usually considered a bad trade.
Aug-14-17  kevin86: A long DRAWN out game.One of the longest title games in history.
Aug-14-17  Bluegrey: <ChessHigherCat> R×d1 is possible but that tactic you pointed out gets black two pawns and should be enough to draw
Aug-14-17  ChessHigherCat: <Bluegrey> Okay, thanks!
Nov-09-18  John Abraham: an exciting draw full of tense positional struggles and high technique drama
Mar-29-20  joddon: sickest chess fight ever.
Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 43)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 43 OF 43 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC