Chess - The Scotsman, 04/04/13

WITH the “Battle of the Generations” already beginning to gear up for what could be the biggest media moment for the game in over a decade, Viswanathan Anand has predicted he will find it tough against world No 1 Magnus Carlsen in his world championship title defence later this year.

After 22-year-old Carlsen won the fortnight-long Candidates tournament in London on Monday, Indian grandmaster Anand, 43, said: “Magnus Carlsen is one of the greatest talents I have known. I will have my hands full.”

The Fide website states the match dates as November 6 to 26 but the host city is yet to be determined.

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Already the Indian Chess Federation are in contact with government officials about bidding to host the match, but it is likely that Carlsen would veto such a move. The likeliest scenario is the match being held in a central European capital city and there’s also talk about the possibility of the USA.

We witnessed yesterday Vladimir Kramnik going down in flames to Vassily Ivanchuk, as a dramatic final day unfolded at the Candidates with both leaders sensationally losing.

So today it is the turn of Carlsen, who was simply outplayed by Peter Svidler, the six-time Russian champion.

M Carlsen - P Svidler

FIDE Candidates, (14)

Ruy Lopez

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0–0 Be7 6 d3 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 a3 0–0 9 Nc3 Bb7 10 Bd2 Qd7 11 a4 Nd8 12 axb5 axb5 13 Rxa8 Bxa8 14 Ne2 Ne6 15 Ng3 c5 16 Nf5 Bd8 17 c4 bxc4 18 Bxc4 Bc7 19 Re1 Re8 20 Qc1 Nh5 21 g3 g6 22 Nh6+ Kg7 23 Ng5 Nxg5 24 Bxg5 d5 25 exd5 Bxd5 26 Ng4 Bf3 27 Bf6+ Kg8 28 Nh6+ Kf8 29 Qe3 Bb7 30 Bh4 Qh3 31 f3 Nf4! 32 gxf4 Qxh4 33 Nxf7 Bxf3 34 Qf2 Qg4+ 35 Qg3 exf4 36 Rxe8+ Kxe8 37 Qxg4 Bxg4 38 Ng5 h6 39 Nf7 h5 40 Nh6 Bd1 41 Kf2 f3 42 h3 Bf4 43 Nf7 g5 44 Ke1 g4 45 hxg4 hxg4 46 Kxd1 g3 47 Ke1 g2 48 Kf2 Bh2 0–1

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