World Chess Championship 2012
India
The World Chess Championship 2012 was held in Moscow on 10 by 30 May 2012 as a duel between the reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand and Boris Gelfand, the winner of the Candidates tournament. To determine the new world chess champion twelve games were played with normal reflection first. Since then it was a draw, the decision was made on May 30 in the tie-break. This decided Anand with 2.5:1.5 for themselves, successfully defending his title.
Candidates tournament
Since his victory at the World Championship Tournament 2007 Anand defended his title twice in competitions: In 2008, he played in Bonn a rematch against the previous champion Vladimir Kramnik ( 6,5:4,5 ), and in 2010 he defeated the winner of the final candidate and former FIDE world Champion Veselin Topalov ( 6,5:5,5 ).
The rules for determining the challenger at the 2012 World Cup were subject to frequent changes: After initial planning, the winner of the World Chess Cup 2009 against the winner of the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2010 are to play a duel, the winner of which would have been directly qualified as a challenger would have. This plan rejected in favor of a candidate FIDE tournament with eight participants, which caused strong protests among the players and the Grand Master Organization ACP. Initially, there was still uncertainty about the competition format, as both a round-robin tournament and a knockout tournament were talking. They opted for the latter. After the initial views of the FIDE tournament should be held from 1 March to 31 May, 2011 Baku, Azerbaijan and another country. After another changes the tournament in late November 2010 to 27 May 2011 dated in Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia to the period 3. Despite this change in the cleaning centrifugal country could Şəhriyar Məmmədyarov, who was nominated by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, retain his starting place.
Due to the long World Cup cycle and the conditions of qualification for the duel, especially that of his opinion, lack of transparency of the qualification criteria for short matches and the lack of break between the semifinals and finals, the Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen early November 2010 had announced its withdrawal from the candidates Tournament explains for which he would have been qualified through his Elo rating. This Carlsen suggested round robin tournaments for future cycles. He was replaced by Alexander Grishchuk who became third in the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2010.
The tournament was held from 3 to 27 May 2011. The losers of the first round each received 30,000 euros, the losers of the second round each 60,000 euros. The two finalists were given regardless of the outcome of the competition each 90,000 euros.
In the first and second round (quarter - and semi-finals ) played six games and four in the third round ( final ); the reflection period was 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per train, starting with the 61 train, set. Should the duel then not be decided, should follow, in which a cooling off period of 25 minutes per game plus ten seconds, you should apply per train four rapid games. In still undecided as of first follow two blitz games with five minutes' thinking plus three seconds per train. Then follow with further draw up to four additional two- blitz game duels, and is it then (after ten blitz games ) still undecided, a last game would have been played at the White five minutes, Black four minutes to change your mind and both from the 61. train would have received an additional three seconds. If the game is drawn finished, the black - leading players of the winner of the match would have been. The tournament ran candidates according to the following Schedule from:
Noteworthy is the high draw ratio was at this tournament: Of the total of 30 games with regular reflection period ending not less than 27 draws, some after only a few trains. The President of the European Chess Union, Silvio Danailov criticized this result and made the tournament responsible and demanded that in future also in the Candidates tournament should apply the Sofia rule. He was pointed out that the goal of the players lies in the fact, to qualify for the World Cup and any mistake could mean the end in a contest over a few games. Each player should have the right to choose the competition strategy of which he promised to the most success.
Preparations
Originally London was to host the World Chess Championship 2012 in conversation. After disagreements with the World Chess Federation FIDE, the English organizers moved in February 2011 back their offer. In August 2011, FIDE awarded the alignment to Moscow. The provided by private friend of Gelfand Russian patron Andrei Filatov prize fund amounted to 2,550,000 dollars, of which the winner 60 percent ( 1.53 million U.S. dollars) and the loser should get 40 percent ( 1.02 million U.S. dollars), if the decision in the twelve regular games would fall. Otherwise - and this occurred - an allocation of 55 % to 45 % in favor of the winner was provided, which corresponds to about 1.4 to 1.15 million U.S. dollars. A Service of the All India Chess Federation to host the competition in Chennai, India, was rejected despite a higher bid.
On November 26, 2011 signed the Treaty Anand and Gelfand for their participation. As the venue for the Tretyakov Gallery was established in Moscow, named as Chief Judge of the Armenians Ashot Vardapetyan.
They played twelve games with classical time (120 minutes for the first 40 moves and 60 minutes for the next 20 trains). From the 61st train the players received 15 minutes to change your mind for the rest of the game plus 30 seconds per train. With a draw after twelve games which actually occurred, four rapid games (25 minutes thinking time plus ten seconds per train ) were played. Had also brought this no decision up to ten blitz games ( five minutes thinking time plus three seconds per train ) would have been discharged, after a sudden death blitz game in which White a reflection advantage of five against four minutes gets, but must win.
Anand's seconds Danten Peter Heine Nielsen, Rustam Kasimjanov, Surya Shekhar Ganguly and Radosław Wojtaszek already supported him in previous world championship fights. Gelfand worked together in the preparation with Alexander Huzman, Maxim Rodshtein and Pawel Eljanow.
Balance sheet prior to the start of the World Cup
Before the World Cup campaign, the counterparty played 35 tournament games against each other, while Gelfand last won a match against Anand 1993; in the same year for the first time Anand had won against Gelfand.
Course
On May 10, 2012, the opening ceremony was held. The first game was held on May 11 to the FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov symbolic of world champion Anand carried out the first train.
The game play uses algebraic notation.
Table
The games found in each of 15 clock Moscow time instead. As for the twelve games the score was balanced, it was May 30, 2012 from 12 clock Moscow Time to tiebreak. There were then played four rapid games, where Anand by winning with 2 ½: 1 ½ points defended his world title.
First game
Gelfand played for the first time in his career the Grünfeld Indian Defence, could obtain no advantage against Anand.
2nd game
In his first game as White Gelfand was the world champion, who chose the solid half- Slav Defence, do not get in trouble.
3 game
After the first rest day Anand played in the third game of an anti - Grünfeld variant. It was a complicated position, sacrificed a pawn in the Gelfand and through active counterplay reached a draw.
4 game
Gelfand could achieve no advantage again with white against the half- Slav Defence.
5 game
Anand joined the opening and played 1 e4. Gelfand chose the Sveshnikov Variation, seemed very well prepared and came again without too much difficulty to a draw.
6 game
In another Semi-Slav defense Anand brought in the 14th train an innovation which was associated with a pawn sacrifice. Gelfand gave the peasants back quickly and the flattened position to draw.
7 game
In the first game of the second half of the competition Gelfand had for the second time in succession white. He tried another variant against the half Slav defense and got away with it for the first full point after Anand found no way to balance in the middle game.
8 game
Anand wanted to repeat the variation of the third game, Gelfand drew but instead in the Sämisch variant of the King's Indian Defense a. In the 14th train Gelfand underwent a miscalculation that led to loss of material. After 17 train overlooked by him he gave up. This is the shortest decisive game at a World Cup.
9 game
Anand joined the opening time and played the Nimzo - Indian Defence. Gelfand reached slight advantage, but Anand was able to keep the endgame with rook and knight against queen draw.
10 game
Anand opened as in the fifth game with the king's pawn and chose this time the Rossolimo variation against the Sicilian Defence Gelfand. It came early to the exchange of queens and the 25th train was agreed draw in a balanced position.
11 game
In Gelfand's last game as White with regular reflection Anand defeated by a ladies swing Gelfand attacks. Following a swap maneuver a playoff in which after a few more trains draw was agreed.
12 game
Anand had prepared a deviation from the tenth game. Again he sacrificed a pawn, but after two pawns of the Gelfand match ended in a double-edged position that led to the final draw.
Tie-Break
The tie-break was broadcast live on television, where it should have pursued in India 120 million people.
1 quick game of chess
2 quick game of chess
3 Quick game of chess
In the third game of chess Gelfand was in a theoretically won rook ending from the launch winning sequel 61 KG3.
4 rapid chess game
Afterthoughts
Anand said in the press conference after the race, it was a very tight match. The defeat in the seventh game had hit him hard, therefore winning the eighth game was very important for his morale was. Gelfand said that he had missed a lot of chances in the tie-break from time constraints. Garry Kasparov already criticized during the competition that for the first time in World Cup history not encountered one another, the two strongest players. In addition, the chess content of the games was unsatisfactory. Anand had apparently lost interest in the game and was only anxious to avoid defeat. Although neither Anand nor Gelfand was recorded in May 2012 in the top three in the world rankings, the world number two Levon Aronian disagreed partially Kasparov: The two rivals were due to the difficult qualification or the long-standing title defenses the strongest players. Nigel Short commented, however, critical of the services shown in competition. Anand was undoubtedly a genius, but he played too conservatively, and his age would be noticeable. Gerald Hertneck speaks of a " self- blockade " of both players, due to the fear of a match loss and the months of intensive preparation for the opponent.