World Chess Championship 2013

HABEMUS MAGNUS!
The World Championship Match in Chennai is over. The young Norwegian is the new World ChessChampion. A new era is dawning, with a bunch of young men who are taking over the top of the world.

"I am very thankful to you all for how I have been treated in India, and I am sorry for the outcome of this match".This is the beauty of young age, politeness and awareness. Magnus Carlsen, not yet 23, is the new chess World Champion. He outclassed the strong Indian GM Vishy Anand (6.5/3.5), giving officially the go to the generational turnover that many were expecting to happen.

Anand, the great champion, had defended his title five times, but he could do nothing to stop the young Norwegian's force and class. In the last two games Anand tried everything to play actively and win a game, but to no avail.
In Game 9 he went for a checkmating attack, but then blundered while defending and resigned immediately. In game 10, in a must-win situation, Anand with the Black pieces could not get a favorable position out of the opening, and the two players drew, with Magnus Carlsen becoming the 16th undisputed Chess World Champion.

In ICC it has been a great happening, with thousands of people following our live commentary and kibitzing on the games.

During the live broadcast, we have ad important special guests, such as Henrik Carlsen, Ian rogers and Simen Adgestein. Did you miss one of our live commentary show? No worries! For this special occasion, ICC has made all the broadcasts available. Find more info here.

Round Report

By NM Michael "fpawn" Aigner.

Eight games into the World Championship match, Magnus Carlsen leads Vishy Anand by two points, 5:3. Who could have predicted this? Two weeks ago, pundits touted the importance of match experience as a factor favoring the reigning World Champion. Yet the veteran blinked first, and then again. Contrary to popular belief, the youthful challenger displayed nerves of steel, calculating precise moves when pressured, all while patiently waiting for his opponent to slip.

After four rounds of draws, blood spilled in Game 5. Carlsen maintained a small but steady advantage with the White pieces, forcing a favorable endgame by move 20. Over the past two decades, Anand has survived many similar positions against elite competition. However, the determined young Norwegian maximized the complications, and the champion finally collapsed.

Game 6 followed an eerily similar script, except that Anand played the White pieces. Carlsen equalized quickly, and by move 30, draw seemed almost inevitable. No doubt any self-confident Grandmaster around the world would expect to hold the draw. How would they fare against Magnus? Alas, it took just two substandard moves for Anand to lose the second game in a row.

To the chagrin of chess fans in India and elsewhere, Games 7 and 8 ended peacefully without adventure. One can understand Carlsen's motivation: every draw brings him closer to the title. Anand, however, trails two sets to none while playing on home turf, in front of his greatest supporters. Roger Federer overcame this deficit often enough. Why not Vishy? Has the champion given up?

The 43 year old Indian emerged on the world stage in the late 1980s. Anand won at Wijk aan Zee for the first time in 1989, nearly two years before Carlsen was born! Some readers may recall the 1985 PCA World Championship match between Garry Kasparov and Anand, held at the World Trade Center. Perhaps, after all these years, Father Time has tapped on Anand's shoulder. Indeed, Carlsen headlines the new generation in a chess hierarchy that keeps becoming younger.

Say it ain't so, Vishy! Fight to win a game--for your billion fans. Tune into the Internet Chess Club on Thursday and Friday mornings to watch and listen.

GAME OF THE DAY

Round	Date	Host	Trivia Winners
1	Nov 09	GM Joel Benjamin MrHat	Arcadian
2	Nov 10	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere	mitgegenspiel
3	Nov 12	GM John Fedorowicz bronxbattler	NewChessStudent
4	Nov 13	GM Joel Benjamin MrHat	JBrow
5	Nov 15	GM Jonathan Speelman Speelman	gladiator46
6	Nov 16	GM Varuzhan Akobian SCORPION83	SlimeDog2
7	Nov 18	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere	Mro
8	Nov 19	GM Larry Christiansen LarryC	springrain1361
9	Nov 21	GM Jonathan Speelman Speelman	cosmo22
10	Nov 22	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere	GefilteFish

Press conference and Opening ceremony.

Here is a very well done chess documentary on Magnus Carlsen preparing for the match.

When Magnus Carlsen was 13 years old he talked about his dream of becoming The World Chess Champion. Now, 9 years later, he finally gets his chance...

Former World Chess Champion and arguably the best chess player of all time expresses his opinions on the upcoming match in this interesting article.

A nice post by our friend and President of the ACP GM Emil Sutovsky.

ICC's Dream Team of commentators is ready to analyze the games on the air.

Schedule

Round	Date	Host	Analyst
1	November 9	GM Yasser Seirawan OM	GM Joel Benjamin MrHat
2	November 10	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere	GM Lars Bo Hansen DonCorelone
3	November 12	GM Daniel King D-King	GM John Fedorowicz bronxbattler
4	November 13	GM John Fedorowicz bronxbattler	GM Joel Benjamin MrHat
5	November 15	GM Varuzhan Akobian SCORPION83	GM Jonathan Speelman Speelman
6	November 16	GM Ronen Har-Zvi Indiana-Jones	GM Varuzhan Akobian SCORPION83
7	November 18	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere	GM Gregory Kaidanov Kaidanov
8	November 19	GM Miguel Illescas Illescas	GM Larry Christiansen LarryC
9	November 21	Mark Crowther vojo	GM Jonathan Speelman Speelman
10	November 22	GM Ronen Har-Zvi Indiana-Jones	GM Larry Christiansen LarryC
11	November 24	GM Yasser Seirawan OM	GM David Smerdon Smurfo
12	November 26	GM Miguel Illescas Illescas	GM Alex Yermolinsky Sweere
TB	November 28	GM Ian Smeets smeets	GM David Smerdon Smurfo