Chennai: Following are the moves in the eighth round of the World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen here today with analysis and quotes.
1. e4 {Carlsen shifts from close openings. It was already time for him to come up with some change and he tests Anand in a King pawn.} e5 {Many expected Anand to go for a Sicilian but as the world champion explained in the post match conference, there are ways to keep the position dry in a Sicilian also. Probably Sicilian was what Magnus was hoping for too, given the match ituation.}
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 Nf6 {The Berlin. Anand gives Carlsen a taste of his own medicine. The Berlin has given Carlsen a victory with black pieces here in game six of the match. Anand goes about using it as black, a mild surprise for Carlsen. However, Anand has played this opening many times in the last few years and also against Carlsen before. So not quite out of context.}
4. O-O Nxe4
5. Re1 {Carlsen does not want to go for principled continuation and opts for something that has been analysed as well as is known to have some play for white.} Nd6
6. Nxe5 Be7
7. Bf1 Nxe5 {The exchange of the first minor piece signals further exchanges too. This is also the main line in this position.}
8. Rxe5 O-O
9. d4 Bf6 {Anand threatens the rook and gains time. White should move the rook back. It seems when Carlsen went for this variation, he did not mind a very dry position.}
10. Re1 Re8
11. c3 Rxe1
12. Qxe1 Ne8 {Precise move by Anand. Black needs to get his light squared Bishop out to improve the position further. The Knight manoeuvre seems a bit passive but there are some fine prints attached to it.} 13. Bf4 d5
14. Bd3 g6 {Black gets ready for further exchanges, Given the speed with which both were playing may be it was a part of the home work.}
15. Nd2 Ng7 {Black is now ready to bring the light square Bishop out to 'f5', its most preferred spot.}
16. Qe2 c6 {It guards against a possible invasion by white on 'b5' by the queen}
17. Re1 Bf5
18. Bxf5 Nxf5
19. Nf3 Ng7
20. Be5 Ne6 {Almost effortless moves by Anand. The Indian ace has managed to keep the position completely equal and not given anything away to Carlsen.}
21. Bxf6 Qxf6
22. Ne5 Re8 {The prelude to final exchanges.}
23. Ng4 Qd8
24. Qe5 Ng7
25. Qxe8+ {A little trick by Carlsen that forces a king and pawns endgame.} Nxe8
26. Rxe8+ Qxe8
27. Nf6+ Kf8
28. Nxe8 Kxe8 {Its just over now. Carlsen is happy to close in on the world title while Anand is happy that he was not exerted as black at all.}
29. f4 f5
30. Kf2 b5
31. b4 Kf7
32. h3 h6
33. h4 h5 {The position is completely locked now. Draw.
The ninth game will now be played on Thursday and one can expect Anand to play all out for a victory.} 1/2-1/2.
