Challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway came close to a breakthrough in the world chess championship match now underway in Chennai, India, pressing world champion Viswanathan Anand before conceding a draw in the fourth game of the scheduled 12-round title match Tuesday.
So far, all four games have been drawn, with Anand holding the edge in Tuesday’s Game 3 and Carlsen bouncing back Wednesday. Playing with the Black pieces in a Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense, the 22-year-old Norwegian played a combination that won a pawn in the middlegame. But the Indian champion simplified down to the drawn rook-and-pawn ending, and the two players agreed to split the point after 64 moves and nearly six hours of play.
Thursday is a rest day, and Mr. Carlsen will have the advantage of the white pieces when the two players meet again Friday.
Anand-Carlsen, Game 4, World Championship Match, Chennai, India, November 2013
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Bd7 10. Rd1 Be7 11. Nc3 Kc8 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Rd2 c5 15. Rad1 Be6 16. Ne1 Ng6 17. Nd3 b6 18. Ne2 Bxa2 19. b3 c4 20. Ndc1 cxb3 21. cxb3 Bb1 22. f4 Kb7 23. Nc3 Bf5 24. g4 Bc8 25. Nd3 h5 26. f5 Ne7 27. Nb5 hxg4 28. hxg4 Rh4 29. Nf2 Nc6 30. Rc2 a5 31. Rc4 g6 32. Rdc1 Bd7 33. e6 fxe6 34. fxe6 Be8 35. Ne4 Rxg4+ 36. Kf2 Rf4+ 37. Ke3 Rf8 38. Nd4 Nxd4 39. Rxc7+ Ka6 40. Kxd4 Rd8+ 41. Kc3 Rf3+ 42. Kb2 Re3 43. Rc8 Rdd3 44. Ra8+ Kb7 45. Rxe8 Rxe4 46. e7 Rg3 47. Rc3 Re2+ 48. Rc2 Ree3 49. Ka2 g5 50. Rd2 Re5 51. Rd7+ Kc6 52. Red8 Rge3 53. Rd6+ Kb7 54. R8d7+ Ka6 55. Rd5 Re2+ 56. Ka3 Re6 57. Rd8 g4 58. Rg5 Rxe7 59. Ra8+ Kb7 60. Rag8 a4 61. Rxg4 axb3 62. R8g7 Ka6 63. Rxe7 Rxe7 64. Kxb3 Draw agreed.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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